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The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It originated under its current name in 1993, and achieved autonomy from the university and the Student Union Society in 2002. This means that The Cascade is a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published in an entirely student-run setting. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds, and is overseen by The Cascade Journalism Society Board, a body run by a student majority. The Cascade is published every other Wednesday with a print circulation of 800 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities.
The Cascade is open to written, photo, and design work from all students; these can come in the form of a pitch to an editor, or an assignment from an editor. Pitch meetings will be digital for the remainder of the semester. Please email managing@ufvcascade.ca to be put on the assignment email list.
In order to be published in the newspaper, all work must first be approved by The Cascade’s editor-in-chief, copy editor, and corresponding section editor. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that contain racist, sexist, homophobic, or libellous content. Letters to the editor, while held to the same standard, are unedited, and should be under 200 words. As The Cascade is an autonomous student publication, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade’s staff and collective, or associated members.
The Cascade is published on the traditional, unceded territory of the Stó:lō peoples. We are grateful to be able to work and learn on this beautiful land.
Editorial // We won’t tolerate hate
Intolerance on campus has never been acceptable
CATHERINE CAMPBELL
As you may or may not know, UFV’s rainbow crosswalk — situated between parking lots four and six on the Abbotsford campus — was recently vandalized, with black and white paint spilled over it.
This isn’t a new trend: rainbow sidewalks all throughout the Fraser Valley and beyond have been vandalized since they were first installed. In 2017, Fort Langley’s rainbow crosswalk was damaged by dark skid marks within an hour of it being painted. In 2022, a rainbow crosswalk in front of Abbotsford Senior Secondary — an initiative led by students — was spray-painted with black squiggles. In 2023, Hope’s rainbow crosswalk was spray-painted with offensive comments soon after other Pride-related vandalism occurred.
In response to the vandalism at UFV, Jackie Hogan — acting president and vice-chancellor at UFV — stated that a police investigation is under way, and that the university “unequivocally rejects any form of hate, intimidation or ignorance.” Additionally, UFV’s Community Health and Social Innovation (CHASI) Hub covered the vandalism in chalk, writing over top: “Pride Won’t Hide.”
While I’m glad to see the university standing behind its 2SLGBTQIA+ students, staff, and faculty, my response to this vandalism is, unfortunately, a little less deferential.
Before I say anything more, a gentle note: this isn’t directed at you — the one reading this article — unless you’re the one defacing rainbow sidewalks. At any rate, here are my thoughts on the matter.
I’m continually floored by the fact that people think any sort of hate toward others is acceptable. Beyond the fact that it takes active energy to dislike an entire group of people, these are people, others who live, and laugh, and love, and learn, just like everyone else — just like you.
And I can’t get past the mindset of: “Why is this what you’ve chosen to do with your time? Don’t you have work to do, or family members to see? Maybe you could learn guitar, or take up gardening.”
If I sound a bit sour, it’s because I am. I’m trying to be diplomatic, but when you decide your hate for a community is too big for you to contain — that it’s okay for you to destroy something that signifies love and acceptance — you’ve got some serious self-reflection to do.
I’m tired. We’re all tired. Please, for everyone’s sake, look inward and ask yourself how you could better spend your time. I’ll leave you with some wisdom from Audre Lorde:
“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” — Audre Lorde, Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches. Regardless of how you feel, the 2SLGBTQIA+ community has always — and will always — be here. There will always be differences between you and someone else; it’s up to you to embrace those differences — to celebrate them — rather than turn toward hate.
Please take care of yourselves during hard and stressful times. If you’re struggling, UFV has pride support you can access, including a list of community and online resources.
UFV SASI: Preserving South Asian Canadian heritage
Director Dr. Satwinder Kaur Bains talks about the foundation and future goals of SASI
PRATI KAPOOR
The South Asian Studies Institute (SASI) at UFV has been operating for 18 years. Formerly called the “Centre For IndoCanadian Studies,” the institute works toward three main goals: academic research supporting all UFV programming, producing annual research, and community engagement. In an interview with The Cascade, their director, Dr. Satwinder Kaur Bains, reflected on SASI’s formation, current projects, and their future aspirations.
According to Bains, SASI was formed from a united initiative to educate students about South Asian history. This endeavour was supported by many faculty members, such as the late Gloria Wolfson, former director of social work; Yvon Danduran, associate vice president of graduate studies and research; DJ Sandhu from the School of Business, and past UFV Presidents Dr. Skip Bassford and Dr. Mark Evered.
After spending years establishing themselves and writing about the migration history of South Asian peoples,
SASI’s research has shifted its focus toward the contemporary challenges that the community faces today. SASI honours over a 100 years of South Asian Canadian history through several research projects. This includes the Punjabi Canadian Legacy Project, South Asian Canadian Legacy Project, and migration timelines among several others.
One of SASI’s largest undertakings is to build a South Asian Canadian Digital Archive, documenting migration experiences and stories of those born in Canada. Formerly reserved to just British Columbia, SASI’s work has expanded to other regions of Canada in the last two years. So far, they have completed 75 archives, with a desire for further growth.
Additionally, SASI has been working on an ongoing internationalization project for more than two years, raising intercultural knowledge between international students and faculty. Part of this initiative is Building Communities Across Cultures (BCAC), which brought a group of 16 faculty members to Northern India for an experiential learning program. During their trip, they experienced the landscapes,
visited the sights, and met the local faculty at the UFV’s Chandigarh campus. The BCAC group aimed to understand the region where many international students originate from and bring back valuable insights to their departments.
“The faculty and staff who went I feel [fully] embraced India,” Bains said. She added that SASI aspires to keep building more groups like this to raise knowledge and generate interests in internationalization.
SASI has received many awards across the provincial territories, along with some heritage awards based in B.C., such as the Darpan Magazine Heritage Defender Award (2021) and Heritage BC’s Award for Education, Communications, and Awareness, in partnership with UBC Sociology (2021). They have also been short-listed for the Governor General’s Award in Excellence in Community Programming (2019). Additionally, one of SASI’s research projects (Komagata Maru) was used across grades K-12, providing teachers with resources to educate students effectively. Bains found
this project incredibly rewarding.
SASI is hoping to work on a major project with BC Archives and the Royal BC Museum. The aim will be preserving and compiling over a million photographs by the late photojournalist Chandra Bodalia, into a collection. Bodalia, over the course of thirty years of his life, covered a broad spectrum of South Asians. “I’m really looking forward to how we can unravel his photographic journey and make sense of it from a social, cultural, political, and economic viewpoint,” Dr. Bains said.
Dr. Bains believes the research work is critically important, stressing how priceless an airline ticket or passport information can be when conducting research. “They all tell a story,” said Dr. Bains. “It’s our job and our responsibility to tell the story in the here and now.”
In the long-term, SASI aspires to establish themselves as an important stakeholder within and beyond UFV, addressing challenges faced by the community. Dr. Bains shared that her vision for SASI is to be an active contributor in societal development of South Asian ancestry. Overall, SASI strives to actively support local, national, and international initiatives aimed at building better and more inclusive communities.
Dr. Bains said that she loves students working with SASI and emphasized the importance of students “learning through their experiences and taking that with them when they leave.” She also believes that “whatever part of history one studies, stays with them always.”
June 2024 Senate recap
SEM plan and new construction plans for the Chilliwack campus
RACHEL TAIT
Senate is the academic governing body of UFV, with the university president and vice-chancellor Dr. Joanne MacLean as chair. They are responsible for making decisions on everything academic, including: approving new courses and programs, approving changes to programs, and setting entrance requirements and the academic calendar. The Board of Governors, which looks at the business side of the university, is advised by Senate on matters of mutual interest. All at the university are welcome to attend Senate’s public meetings, which are held once a month. Senate makes decisions that impact the daily lives of both students and faculty. This article will recap the main agenda items of the hybrid Senate meeting which occurred on Friday, June 7, 2024.
A proposed master plan for the Chilliwack campus was presented by Betty Poettcker, acting AVP, campus planning & facilities management, to the Senate. She explained that the “master plan is a really high-level road map for the Chilliwack campus.” It takes into consideration important infrastructure, including “planning for roads, bike paths, [and] parking.” It provides design
guidelines and the placement of new buildings within the campus. However, the plan will not determine which programs are located where, or when the construction will begin.
UFV has been working with the company Diamond Schmitt on the master plan for the Chilliwack campus for the last eight months. The project lead, Elena Chernyshov, said during the presentation that they conducted both quantitative and
qualitative research of the campus and recognized needs made by students and staff to accommodate the growth of UFV Chilliwack. Proposed additions include increased food services, a recreation and athletics centre, a trades and technology building, and four buildings for potential on-campus student housing.
Additionally, the annual Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) plan was presented by Dr. James Mandigo, provost
How to help the wildfire crisis: educate ourselves
and vice president academic, to the Senate board. The 2023-24 academic year reported an increase in student enrollment of 11.4 per cent. For the upcoming 2024-25 school year, there is an estimated overall increase in enrollment by three per cent.
Some of the SEM’s goals include Indigenization and EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion), expanding the number of programs international students can apply for, “establishing a framework in place to support a student-centered timetable,” and the “establishment of a summer program for international students from partner institutions,” as per the report to the Senate. Mandigo announced that the university is, or is close to, reaching many of their goals.
Mandigo, in his Provost Report, acknowledged the view that academic processing is “too slow at Canadian Universities,” thanking Senate boards for their hard work in academic programming. “I would argue that the care in which [the] Senate and its members take to ensure high-quality academic programming is at the highest level possible,” wrote Mandigo. He added that it “has made Canadian universities the envy of many countries around the world.”
Stefania Pizzirani shares her knowledge on the environment’s number one threat
VERONICA POWELL
The summer of 2023 was the most destructive wildfire season yet in Canada, burning a total of 16.5 million hectares from 6,132 fires. Overall, an average 2.5 million hectares of land is burned in Canada each year. With this year’s season of wildfires rapidly approaching, experts can easily predict the effects on humans and wildlife. The threat and danger of wildfires is an ongoing epidemic.
Despite how damaging wildfires are to communities and the environment, there is room to prepare for them. Prescribed burning — a colonial adaptation of a cultural practice long used by Indigenous communities in Canada — can be beneficial in maintaining future generations of forestry.
The Cascade spoke with Stefania Pizzirani, associate professor and
program chair of Planning, Geography, and Environmental Studies, about the devastating B.C. wildfires.
“These megafires are really what we’ve seen here in B.C. It’s these seemingly out of control fires that you cannot stop. Those are the ones that are very much on the radar of a lot of professionals,” Pizzirani said. “The major reason we are noticing fires more often is that we are living in forested areas, and of course in Canada we have a lot of forests.”
Pizzirani explained that the areas of the world that large populations of people reside in are hazardous and susceptible to fires, floods, earthquakes, and tornados. That means it is inevitable that naturally occurring events will have disastrous impacts on humans in vulnerable areas.
As a society, humans are one of the main causes for these “megafires,” said Pizzirani. Something like “flicking your
Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press
Darren MacDonald/UFV file
cigarette out the window” can be incredibly damaging. Many fires are started by lightning, too, but climate change has also played a huge role. “We have a lot of fuel for the fires, and [we have] warmer winters, so pests can live throughout the winter now instead of being killed off because of low freezing temperatures.”
Pests like pine beetles, which are a native species, have “killed millions and millions of trees,” said Pizzirani. “There’s not just trees that are alive and could maybe fight off a fire or withstand a fire, they are dead and dying trees, so when a fire comes along, it’s the perfect condition for a megafire.”
Fires are “a normal part of our ecosystem,” said Pizzirani, explaining that forests often need heat to produce new growth by getting rid of the old foliage underneath. “They require fire to clear out the underbrush, to form new seedlings,
Politics //
and to regenerate a new regenerative layer of forest, instead of just being dominated by one single forest canopy.” She added that some species are “completely adapted to fire,” such as the cedar trees that grow all around B.C. “Burning also creates a lot of fertile soil.”
Canada’s connection to our forests has
made fire suppression “the main objective for a hundred years,” said Pizzirani. “It’s sad when we lose them, but we’re not so much losing the forest as we are keeping it in balance; keeping it protected.”
The use of cultural burning and prescribed burning is a method Pizzirani has begun to see used more frequently. She explained, “Indigenous communities
When it’s time to let go
Our leaders keep reminding us of the ruinous allure of power
BRADLEY DUNCAN
In the early morning hours of Tuesday, June 24, the message — with the last batch of ballots — was delivered. The directive was clear: new leadership, or else. The district of Toronto-St. Paul’s has been a Liberal stronghold for over 30 years, serving as a reliable bulwark against Conservative inroads, but this election was different. Even with a strong candidate in Leslie Church, and a herculean campaign effort from the Liberals, it was the Conservative Don Stewart who narrowly eked out a victory, even though many of his voters could not identify him by name.
This election was not a middle finger to the Liberals, whose policies remain popular in the district, but a referendum on the party’s leader, Justin Trudeau. The prime minister’s approval ratings have cratered, leaving many Liberal supporters looking for an off-ramp. Trudeau, however, has dismissed calls for new leadership. He has made it clear that he intends to shepherd the party through the next election despite his dire approval rating. It’s a fight Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is salivating over, having used Trudeau to chum the political waters for years, but the concerns over the party’s viability in the next election don’t seem to penetrate the PM’s office. There’s been little internal push for a change at the helm.
The Canadian situation mirrors American politics, where President Joe Biden has been dodging calls to make his presidency a single-term event. Biden is
also struggling in the polls (though not as badly as Trudeau), but it’s especially worrying that he trails Trump in key swing states that will decide the outcome in the electoral college. Biden’s age has been a growing concern — underscored by a miserable debate performance on June 27 which panicked his supporters. As the years tick by and the “senior moments” mount, more focus is drawn to the Vice President, Kamala Harris, who had even lower favourability numbers than Biden prior to the debate.
Earlier this year, the president stated, “I’m well-meaning, and I’m an elderly
man, — and I know what the hell I’m doing.” He was responding to a report from the Department of Justice that called his mental acuity into question — but anyone who’s had to tell their elderly father it’s time to stop driving has heard that line before. Biden could and should step aside, allowing a new candidate to emerge at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Such an about-face would be massive news, pumping energy into the party base and drawing phenomenal media attention. They might still lose to Trump, but as former president Bill Clinton often notes, even if you don’t succeed, Americans want to catch you trying.
What drives someone savvy enough to gain this level of power and influence to hoard it this way? Potentates who insulate themselves from objective wisdom are often doomed to a terrible outcome, but the strength of democracies is supposedly demonstrated by avoiding these very situations. To bypass the unforced errors that hamstring autocrats and authoritarians who purge dissenters and surround themselves with sycophants — cronies who lick them up and down — telling them how special they are for invading Ukraine or buying Twitter.
As the US election draws near, political commentators are increasingly adopting the presidential moniker “Ruth Bader Biden” as a reminder that the unpredictabilities of life caution pragmatism. For years, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg refused to heed advice to vacate her post during Obama’s presidency.
across Turtle Island have done prescribed burning and cultural burning for millennia. It was in tune with seasons; it was in tune with herbivores and the other animals that were coming and going.”
Pizzirani continued,“It was definitely seen as a method of collaborating with their environment to facilitate safety and all the necessary components in the system. So, controlling grasses for example, starting smaller fires earlier in the spring prevented enormous vegetation growth in the summer leading to massive fires by the fall.”
Despite this, fires are inevitable and cannot be completely prevented. “It is impossible to not have fire. It’s impossible and we shouldn’t aim for that. It is like trying to stop the tides from happening,” she said.
“As a society, I think we need to re-educate ourselves to unlearn and relearn where it is used and where it is helpful.”
Perhaps she failed to appreciate the likelihood of a Trump presidency. Perchance she felt a duty to protect Roe, the landmark case that she worried rested on shaky ground. Maybe it was hubris — she was human after all. Regardless of her intent, when she passed away in 2020 at the age of 87, that protection died with her.
In contrast, on Jan. 19, 2023, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that she would not seek re-election, claiming that she didn’t have “enough in the tank” to continue leading the nation. The reality is more nuanced. She departed as an international icon, but had become a national “lightning rod” for the grievance politics so ubiquitous in Western democracies as of late. Doubtless she retained many supporters, but she understood that leaders don’t just embrace their victories; they also shoulder the weight of failure — real or perceived.
It’s a dangerous thing to drink your own Kool-Aid: to believe your own hype and adopt the “I alone can fix it” mentality. It’s a sign of good judgement to push back from the table before that third round of cheesecake, and good leaders know when it’s time to gracefully take a bow and let the next in line take their shot — especially when their command is a liability. The decision of both Trudeau and Biden to roll the dice by seeking re-election is risky. But they’re not gambling with their own money. They’re playing with policies and protections that got them elected in the first place. They should cash out before they crap out.
Spencer Colby/Canadian Press
SNAPSHOTS
Help! I can’t stop thinking about cookies
For as long as I can remember, I’ve baked my own treats: chocolate chip cookies for movie night; broken glass cake — not as dangerous as it sounds — for my sister’s birthday; double chocolate cheesecake just because. If the occasion calls for it, I’m there, homemade sweet treat in hand. But lately, I’ve become enamoured with a certain cookie: Celebration’s blueberry truffle butter cookie. Its base
defies physics by being somehow soft and crunchy, while the thick blueberry syrup balances the bitterness of the layer of dark chocolate coating the top.
There’s something about it that just speaks to me, keeps me going back to the cupboard for just one more. If I’m not careful, I might just turn into a blueberry. And you know what? If it means I’m as delicious as these cookies, I don’t mind one bit.
We should be saving more
The easiest way to get rich is slowly. It’s compound interest: the interest gained on accumulated earnings and investments over time. The more you invest, early, allowing interest to accrue, the better. That means young people have the greatest incentive to save. Often, it’s a lesson learned too late. But this isn’t about interest. This is about how our short-term needs and desires kneecap our long-term goals. How it keeps us the frog in the pot; slowly boiling.
Speaking of frogs, did you know amphibians and reptiles are the most vulnerable class of wildlife in Canada?
Raging fires overtake them; droughts dry up their nurseries; concrete carves their habitat into inland archipelagos; cars squash them; etcetera. The amphibian most endangered is the Oregon spotted frog, and it lives right here in the Fraser Valley. With fewer than 300 procreating frogs in the wild, conservation and breeding efforts are working to increase their numbers. Those efforts will collide with human expansion — and human impulse. Saving for the future is just like saving the future; it takes sacrificing today for a tomorrow we want more. The later you start, the more catching up you have to do. We’re very late indeed, and it’s getting pretty warm in here. Ribbit
The summer blues
I dread summer. To be frank, I hate it. Don’t get me wrong, there are things I enjoy doing during summertime: backyard BBQs, water sports, amusement parks, and most of all, vacationing. But the outdoors are my arch-enemy, and I pretty much force myself to indulge in any activity that involves heading outside. I, like anyone, would love to be perfectly tanned, but as a pale individual, I can’t exactly frolic in the sunshine. No matter what I do to prevent getting burnt, it never seems to be enough. Ten layers
of sunscreen, a sun hat, and an umbrella later and I’m still burnt to a crisp! Then I’m faced with the layers of slimy aloe vera cream and many sleepless nights. Despite how much I loathe bugs, I’ve found enjoyment in hiking. Although the spectacular view waiting for me at the end makes it worth it, I end up moody and irritated from being bitten at every chance those bugs get. Speaking of hikes, the wildfires that occur each year aren’t exactly motivating. But, like many others I’m sure, I’d rather face the natural elements than have no outdoors at all.
Connor McDavid deserves your attention
Since the NHL began awarding a playoff MVP in 1965, only five players have won and not been on the Stanley Cup winning team — Connor McDavid just became the sixth. Believe me, I know how this is going to sound: “Oh wow, the sports guy is saying I should watch hockey, super creative.”
Wait! It’s not that.
If you’re turning down the chance to watch this generation’s Wayne Gretzky,
you’re truly missing out on greatness. McDavid scored 42 points over 23 playoff games this summer — he didn’t win the Stanley Cup — but he deserves his roses. McDavid’s 42 points would have placed him seventh on the Canucks in scoring this regular season over an 82 game span. He had more points than a third of Vancouver’s entire roster in just 23 games this postseason, to go along with his 132 before the playoffs. Witness.
CATHERINE CAMPBELL
BRADLEY DUNCAN
VERONICA POWELL
JEFFREY KENNETT
Illustrations by Iryna Presley
Opinion // One more ad for wrinkle cream and I’ll riot
I’m in my grandma era and I’m not leaving it
CATHERINE CAMPBELL
I became a skincare girlie last month. I won’t give you all the boring details of how I got here, but I will say that it was far overdue. But, briefly: someone asked me about my routine, and was horrified when I said I didn’t have one.
Anyway, this led me to do all sorts of research online: do I need to use toner, and if so, why? What kind of moisturizer is best for my skin type? What is my skin type? (Note: I’m still unsure.)
But the point of this is, I noticed something that made me uncomfortable: a significant number of products that I scrolled through were marked as anti-aging. They’ll smooth fine lines, make skin more elastic (ew?), and stop the aging process in its tracks.
Recently, I read a quote on Tumblr that went something like this:
“Aging isn’t half as scary as whatever it is people are doing to try and prevent it.”
This got me thinking, and led to a rabbit hole of strange, unfathomable anti-aging products including everything from
breast milk facials for healing acne scars to bee venom skincare products to combat wrinkles.
(No shade on people using these. I just can’t see myself ever wanting to try them — especially as someone allergic to bees.)
And then, soon after, I watched a movie I found in my teenage years — Death Becomes Her, a hilarious commentary
on the lengths people will go to to avoid aging — which hammers the point home that our culture is obsessed with staying young.
This isn’t a new concept, but it is something I’ve been thinking about more as I grow older. How, at as young as ten years old, I remember reading in magazines the things I needed to do to look young and beautiful. We’ve historically taught children that all the things that come along with aging — wrinkles, gray hair — aren’t acceptable; they’re something to be kept at bay.
Ever since I was a teenager (after an unfortunate stint where I was obsessed with Maybelline’s Dream Matte Mousse to hide my “imperfections”), I’ve embraced aging. For reasons I won’t go into, the idea of getting older, of improving — of things getting better — propelled me forward.
I can say with honesty that my life has gotten better every single year I’ve lived it. I’m more confident in myself and my abilities, I don’t obsess over whether I was awkward in a social situation, and my talent in setting boundaries is unmatched.
And, unsurprisingly, I’ve aged all the while I was growing. I noticed my first white hair when I was in my early twenties. When I sleep, I curl so tightly into myself that when I wake, I have long grooves along my chest for the rest of the day from where I folded in on myself. My knees pop, my back hurts, and I have a single black dot in my eye that follows wherever I look.
But I don’t think aging needs to be scary; I don’t think aging needs to be something we avoid. Really, we should embrace it — the good, the bad, and the strange. So what if my neck crunches when I turn too quickly? So what if the thought of staying up all night at a party makes me nauseous? I’m happy — happier than I’ve ever been — and more assured of myself than I was last year, or the year before, or the year before that.
If this means my hair turns white and I start waking up at 6 a.m., I’m fine with it: it means I’m growing, learning, and becoming a better person through it all. That, I have to say, is more important than unlined skin ever could be.
The games to be remembered or forgotten
“Let’s move and celebrate!” might be an ironic theme for an international sporting event amidst various worldwide controversies, but that’s the message coming out of Paris, France. The 2024 Paris Olympic Games will commence on July 26, and will be the city’s first major event since hosting the World Cup in 1998. The French Olympic Committee is depicting an event of unity and celebration among participants and viewers around the world — despite the games taking place as crises and wars are waging on, from Ukraine and Russia to Israel and Palestine.
On Oct. 19, 2023, Parisian Police searched and raided France’s Olympic headquarters in Paris as part of an anti-corruption operation, investigating how contracts for sponsorship, construction, and team services were granted. The contents of the contracts are yet to be made public by the investigators, and Paris maintains that they have safeguards to ensure “transparency and propriety” in game related contracts. This is the third
time the Summer Olympics have been plagued by graft accusations, following the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the 2021 Tokyo Games.
The Paris Olympic Organizing Committee has ensured their cooperation with the investigators on the matter, which does provide a sense of accountability. However, it has prompted many to question whether France’s politics had any involvement in the scandal. Concerns regarding an undisclosed contract signed by Paris organizers, as well as possible misuse of public funds — and favoritism — were expressed by the prosecutor’s office. The French government has made it a top priority to confront these corruption cases.
The host nation has also been met with staunch resistance by climate activists due to France being one of the top importers of oil in Europe — accounting for the production of over a million barrels a day and 64 per cent of global oil consumption.
The use of the Seine River for the games is another point of contention due to its high levels of pollution and chemical
contamination. It has been reported that “residents fed up with the river pollution just weeks before Olympic athletes are set to dive in are threatening to stage a mass defecation in protest.”
France has indicated that preventative measures are being developed to protect contestants and citizens from being harmed during the games. As International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive Christophe Dubi has said, “We are confident that we will swim in the Seine this summer.”
Another issue concerning the Olympics is the status of Russian and Belarusian athletes whose nations have been subjects of intense sanctions by both the European Union and France. Many consider this an unfair violation of athletes’ individual rights and lack of separation between politics and sports, while others — largely Ukranians — consider this a just retaliation for the war in Ukraine.
Following the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, the IOC initially suggested the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes in response to their nation’s
actions. However, in January 2023, the IOC backtracked and made the exception to allow athletes from both nations to perform as “neutrals,” while prohibiting use of the nation’s flags and colours.
According to the IOC, “The sanctions against those responsible for the war, the Russian and Belarusian states and governments, remain in place for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.” The IOC eventually came to the conclusion on Dec. 8, 2023 that it is in fact unfair to punish athletes based on their nationality — and rightly so.
France’s political scene, climate change advocacy by French citizens, and the country’s stance against the Russian axis, have all been part of topical discussion this Olympic season, and are proving to inform the way the French publicly conduct themselves in preparation for the games. Time will tell if their efforts to unite the world will be in vain, or if there will truly be a cause for celebration.
May Beeney
World Sports //
LARRY ODEY
ON HOW I TALK ABOUT CANADA
What does it mean to be Canadian?
Six weeks ago, I was sitting in the airport watching The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and thinking little about my immediate future. 12 hours later I was rushing through the Bogota airport trying to catch my connecting flight (I missed it) only to then have a frantic and one-sided conversation with a flight attendant in severely broken Spanish. I think language barriers are kind of endearing with a bit of perseverance. I don’t think she agreed.
As I hauled my large suitcases up six flights of stairs to the room I’d be living in for the next eight weeks, my mind was a void. I define myself as a chronic overthinker (Virgo moon), but the analytical part of my brain had shut down amid this flood of new information; all I could do was roll with it.
As the other internship program students filled in, my mouth became sore with introductions. My brain busily catalogued the relevant information on the 20+ people I would now be living with: a lot of Americans, a witty group of Brits, students from Switzerland, France, Vietnam… and one Canadian.
We got well acquainted during that first weekend before our internships started, sponsored by Aguardiente, Colombia’s national liquor. We shared interests, fields of study, cigarettes, and stories from our universities. People were eager to talk about their experiences and ask each other questions. One question I was often asked, but for whatever reason felt was impossible to answer, was a variation of, “So, what’s it like being Canadian? What do Canadians do?”
I didn’t have an answer that would satisfy them. There is no easy picture I can paint of a Canadian, as someone who probably doesn’t “look” like one herself.
“But have you seen Letterkenny?”
I’m reminded that I do not look like I belong to any particular country, as the “what are you?” questions seem to have followed me all the way to Latin America — as asked by so many of my Uber drivers. Though I admit, the question felt more disheartening than usual; I thought I would blend into Colombia.
All of these inquiries have me thinking about what it means to be Canadian. As I woke up on July 1st, my Instagram feed was flooded with content of those celebrating, and words from those abstaining from celebrating our nation’s birthday. Since June 2021, when over 900 unmarked graves were found in former residential school sites across the country, I haven’t celebrated Canada Day.
KIARA OKONKWO
While I am thankful to live in a country that has many protections around basic rights and health care, these things are not equally given to all Canadians.
I can’t get drunk or sit at a parade knowing that unmarked graves are still being discovered across the nation. While I am thankful to live in a country that has many protections around basic rights and health care, these things are not equally given to all Canadians. The disparities of resources that affect Indigenous peoples, rural communities, and other vulnerable groups makes me wary of placing Canada on a pedestal.
Even though I am not Indigenous myself, I can’t explain Canada to someone who doesn’t know it without leading with the Indigenous knowledge that shapes my world-view. I wrestle with this, under the umbrella of cultural appropriation; I don’t want to step too far into a culture that is not my own, yet is intrinsically tied to the land I call home.
The discourse, academic or otherwise, around Indigenous sovereignty in Canada, is defining. How our government moves forth with reconciliation will set an example for Indigenous liberation worldwide. That’s what I’m most proud of when it comes to being Canadian — it’s the backbone of the works of art that I’m most excited to share.
To be Canadian right now is to be part of an active rewriting of the story of our past. I feel it every time I listen to a young Canadian person speak.
The speech given by community activist, writer, and artist, Farah Qadan, in the House of Commons urged our government toward a call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Her testimony as a Palestinian-Canadian broadens and enriches the Canadian story.
When Autumn Peltier, Anishinabek Nation chief water commissioner, mounts another global stage in her fight for clean drinking water for Canada’s Indigenous communities, her fearlessness affects lasting change. Speaking truth to power at just 20 years old, Peltier uses her platform to call out the Prime Minister, writing, “I will continue to yell at your back as you continue to turn away.”
Remembering UFV’s Fall 2023 exhibit, From Remembrance to Resistance: The Black Lives Matter Memorial, I can still feel the pen sketches by interdisciplinary queer artist Syrus Marcus Ware. A leader in the queer youth-advocation and BLM Canada, he reminds me that art is the tool that turns the wheels of social change.
I stopped by that exhibit many times throughout the semester. It encapsulated a conversation I so badly wanted to have, but struggled to find safe spaces in which I could have it. The solace I find in gallery and museum spaces is not constrained by language, as I realized during my time here. I visited the Museo de Arte Moderno de Medellín to interact in a dynamic one-sided conversation in which I didn’t have to do anything but listen, witness, and empathize. I was ripe for the work of Colombian artists — I was craving more knowledge around the social and political climate of this place. Coming upon Desafiar. Atravesar el sol desde un gran Pacífico, I found an exploration of the lived experience of black and brown bodies in Colombia. Medellín, the capital of the province of
Antioquia, is the political and economic centre of the region, and is occupied mainly by lighter bodies. As you move toward the coast, people get darker, and access to resources gets sparser.
While I’ve noticed that the racial agreements that I am used to in the West, with stark binaries of black vs. white, do not manifest the same here in Colombia, social inequalities facing Black and Indigenous peoples remain universal.
On the Fourth of July, the Americans in my cohort indoctrinated the rest of us into some Independence Day musts, beer and a (never-ending) quest for fireworks. While I got a few personal “happy Fourth of July” pats on the back — in which I promptly reminded everyone that I am Canadian — seeing a bunch of boisterous young Americans celebrate with pride left me questioning: Am I proud to be Canadian?
I do not shy away from sharing the truth about Canada’s history to those who know nothing about our country. I don’t deny the structural racism that Indigenous and marginalized people face, the lack of housing, or the issues facing students and workers — I don’t try to make Canada brighter or shinier than it is.
My understanding of home and my national identity is shaped by my connection to the land. Being in Colombia, the second most biodiverse country in the world, I am surrounded by unfamiliar and beautiful flora and fauna — yet nothing sinks into my being like a dampened West Coast trail or a lake waiting to be realized beyond a cover of trees.
Within every river I see the Stó:lō (Fraser River). The quiet whisper and faint bird calls ever present underneath a canopy of fir, pine, maple, and spruce hold some of my most cherished memories. Robin Wall Kimmerer, in her acclaimed book, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, says that “to be native to a place we must learn to speak its language.”
As the land on which I was born continues to speak, shape and teach me, it’s here that I find the heart in being Canadian. If only I could transport those who ask what a Canadian is into the dense forests perched beside a sparkling body of water and say “something like this.” If only I had the breadth of knowledge needed to introduce them to the Indigenous practices that are now just an innate and cherished part of my reality. If they could know, as I know, a drum circle, or a reverence for First teachers and speakers.
You don’t feel a place until you leave it. You don’t know something until you are forced to question it. My identity, whether it’s decided by my physical attributes, place of birth, or ethnic origin, seems to be in constant flux, weighed against the values of the place I happen to find myself. There’s power in knowing that the most static part of me is as strong as the West Coast cedars and as undeniable as the Pacific currents. That I am, as we all are, held and shaped by the Canadian landscape and ever-evolving stories of this place.
CanucksCampus: Revisiting 2011 Stanley Cup Final - Part One
UFV’s home for all things Canucks!
JEFFREY KENNETT
“He’s probably thinking about other girls…”
… No, he’s thinking about when Henrik Sedin flubbed on a wide-open net — Tim Thomas at his mercy — to go up 1-0 in the first 40 seconds of Game 6 on June 13, 2011; a game that could have won the Canucks their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Oh, just me? Maybe this is my Roman Empire…
You don’t think about what would have happened if Dan Hamhuis didn’t get hurt throwing a ridiculously old school hip check on Milan Lucic? Or if Tampa Bay had just managed to tie Game 7 of the 2011 Eastern Conference Final against Boston, then maybe this all could have turned out differently?
I’ve accessed my repressed memories to put together the need-to-know events of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final (SCF) from the point of view of a bitter, salty, brokenhearted — and totally over it — Vancouver Canucks fan.
Games 1 and 2 of the series feel like a parallel universe. The Canucks were up two games to none, and losing four of the next five seemed impossible. Vancouver had the edge in star power; the Sedins were the league’s last two consecutive scoring leaders, and Roberto Luongo was fresh off of his Olympic gold medal. They were sharp on the power play through the first two games, which had been their bread and butter all year long.
Game 3, however, completely shifted the momentum in the Bruins’ favour, and might be my biggest sore spot of the entire series. Early in the first period, Canucks defenceman Aaron Rome levelled Bruins forward Nathan Horton with such a hard body check that the latter was knocked unconscious. Horton exited the game, and didn’t return to the series — the hit galvanizing the Bruins.
The second period began with a typical face-off win, straight back to Alexander Edler, who went to make a routine outlet pass up the boards to his winger. Edler’s stick immediately snapped in half, which sent the puck up the middle, and resulted in Andrew Ference opening the scoring for the Bruins. The game — and the series — was uphill from there.
The Bruins would take Game 3 by a score of 8-1. Rome’s hit got him suspended for four games by the National Hockey League (NHL), evidently the remainder of the series. Deemed to be a legal hit in the NHL’s suspension explanation, Rome did however make contact with Horton’s head seconds after passing the puck away, undoubtedly making it worthy of suspension. The length of which being four games, I have reservations about, and was recently noted by Sportsnet as the longest suspension in SCF history, holding the record for almost 15 years now.
Colin Campbell was the NHL’s vice president of hockey operations in 2011, and part of his responsibilities included protecting player safety and suspending
offenders. Campbell’s son, Gregory, happened to be a forward for the Boston Bruins at the time. Iconic Vancouver writer Tony Gallagher suggested before the series began that there might be a conflict of interest and was shortly after declared a “conspiracy theorist.” Colin Campbell did indeed recuse himself from his position in the series, mere hours before Game 1.
Could Campbell’s son playing on the opposite side have any impact on Rome’s suspension, or the degree of punishment? Despite not directly having his hands on the controls, Campbell would have likely had some influence on the decision.
Back in 2010, Campbell’s emails were posted online after being submitted as evidence in the dispute of an employee’s termination from the NHL. Discovered in the leaked emails was Campbell’s personal distaste for NHL forward Marc Savard. Could this distaste have impacted Campbell’s judgment to not suspend another NHL forward, Matt Cooke, when he seemingly threw a purposeful elbow at Savard — effectively ending his NHL career?
Campbell’s emails also transparently displayed his criticism of referees who penalized his son on the ice. He was known to deem players as “fake artists” in specific instances of his son being penalized, but not explicitly using any player’s names. Conspiracy theories or not, nepotism in sports is undeniable and could have leaked into the 2011 SCF.
Colin Campbell likely didn’t have any
real impact on the series’ outcome — I’m not petty enough to put the Canucks’ loss on some guy sending emails. Aaron Rome certainly wasn’t a gamebreaker by anyone’s evaluation.
I haven’t been able to access the part of my brain to come up with Game 7 takes yet, they’re buried somewhere underneath the trauma, but everyone already knows how it ended anyway. With some interest rejuvenated by 2024’s squad, or newly inspired by their first real taste of playoff action this year, Vancouver can’t return to the finals soon enough. Now that Luongo has his Cup with Florida as an executive, the curse of 2011 might be over — maybe the Sedins are next.
Photo by Scott Rovak-USA
CBS News
Hockey // Persistent Panthers prevail
If your dreams shatter, that doesn’t mean you can’t pick up the pieces and try again
JASLEEN SANDHU
If you watched the Stanley Cup Final on Sportsnet, there’s a good chance you heard David Bowie’s Game 7 introduction, symbolizing that either the Panthers or Oilers could be “heroes, just for one day.” Well, the 2023-24 Panthers just became South Florida’s heroes forever.
A series beginning with a seemingly obvious trajectory — Panthers in four — was tilted on its head when the Edmonton Oilers, or more importantly, Connor McDavid, improvised and adapted. From obvious to intriguing, the series was stretched to seven games and the momentum shifted from Panthers to Oilers with the Stanley Cup literally in the building.
There are many perspectives on the series’ outcome, and I’m aware my opinion will elicit some groans as I profess that the Florida Panthers deserved to win. They deserved the Cup because they refused to let their past define them in order to become champions.
The Cup didn’t make it to Florida in 2023. The Panthers suffered a heartbreaking loss, winning only one game of last year’s Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, leaving their dreams shattered and resilience tested.
Returning to the Final a year later,
they picked up the fragmented pieces of their childhood dreams and put them back together for three more wins than the previous year. Victory wasn’t guaranteed, but there was an expectation that the Panthers’ experience would give them an edge against the Oilers.
There are several reasons why I was rooting for the Panthers. To start, I saw a team that had never won the Cup in its history and with whom Roberto Luongo is associated — any vague relation to the Canucks propelled my support for the Panthers.
Throughout the series, I cheered against the Oilers, annoyed by the media’s narrative of Edmonton being “Canada’s team.” A win for the Oilers would be a win for Edmonton, but not necessarily for Canada — ask a Calgary Flames fan, the majority of them seem to agree. Besides, the Florida Panthers have 13 Canadians on their roster, not including Head Coach Paul Maurice. So, doesn’t that mean the Panthers’ victory is just as much of a win for Canada as it would have been had Edmonton won?
Despite personal sentiments, credit where credit’s due, the Oilers advanced to the Final and pushed the eventual champions to the brink, losing Game 7 by a single goal. Before the final nail could go
in the coffin, the Oilers threw their best counterpunch, proving why they made it to the Final in the first place.
I would be remiss not to go into more detail on Connor McDavid’s playoffs performance. Love him or hate him — McDavid is stellar. There was no chance Edmonton’s captain would be eliminated without making his presence felt, at times dragging the Oilers behind him into the fight. Despite the loss, he won the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP over Aleksander Barkov and Sergei Bobrovsky of the championship team, an incredibly rare feat.
I give credit to the Oilers for turning this from a sweep into a series, creating some real tension, and planting a seed of doubt, but I’m steadfast in my conviction that the Florida Panthers deserved the Stanley Cup.
The Panthers’ path to their second consecutive Final was far from predestined. Florida was victorious over the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, and New York Rangers in the first three rounds — not an easy feat to achieve, given the regular season point totals and Stanley Cup calibre of each team; yet they did it.
When Florida began the 2024 Final with a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series,
everyone assumed if it wasn’t Panthers in four, maybe five. Then five turned into six. The dream of winning the Cup was starting to elude the Panthers for the second consecutive year. As the momentum shift began, and Game 7 was inevitable, everyone started to think that the Cup would return to “Canada.” I, on the other hand, took to heart the age-old notion expressed by Sportsnet: it isn’t over until it’s over.
As “Brick-Wall Bobrovsky” began to crumble, the pressure was on Florida to close out the series, rather than on McDavid and company who could have achieved a major comeback victory in the Final — something that has not been achieved since World War II by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Whether it was sheer delusion or relentless optimism; I still had hope for the Panthers.
Reflecting back on the series, I find that the difference didn’t come down to one shot or one goal; the true difference was that the Oilers wanted to win, while the Panthers needed to win.
If, as a Canadian, you’re incensed over Tkachuk’s shoutout to his fans in Calgary, Maurice’s hopes for Winnipeg, and Luongo’s gratitude toward Vancouver — you can watch the Olympics starting on July 26, and cheer for Team Canada then.
Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / Getty
Cascade Q&A: Matthias Klim
Get to know your student athletes through our Cascades player profiles
JEFFREY KENNETT
Matthias Klim is a forward on the Men’s Basketball team at UFV — this past season he averaged 6.8 points per game (PPG), 5 rebounds per game (RPG), and shot 53 per cent from the field for the Cascades in 22 games played.
What’s your opinion on wearing socks and slides to class?
I think that is mandatory… I think everyone should wear socks and slides to class. I love wearing them; so comfy, especially after a long practice. Usually practices go from twelve to two, and then guys will take afternoon classes; so there’s nothing better than after practice… taking your shoes off and going into slides. It’s the best feeling — that’s my go-to 100 per cent.
If one player from your team had to coach a game this season, who would you choose?
Chris (Jackson) — Chris for sure. Just because he’s such a vocal leader regardless on the floor… I think that he knows a lot about the game, like he’s one of our older guys too; Chris or Tesh (Takeshi Croke), one of those two.
Cheat day meal of choice?
Either…a Baconator from Wendy’s — that hits; or the spicy chicken sandwich from Popeyes.
What’s your go-to brand of rain jacket for the winter semester?
I want to say Arc’teryx, a lot of my teammates have Arc’teryx…but I don’t. I haven’t tapped into the Arc’teryx market yet…we get our Nike windbreakers from the school. So I’ll probably just end up wearing that 95 per cent of the time — I’m pretty simple. I usually just [go with] a hoodie and sweatpants regardless, any day of the year.
Do you have any game day superstitions or routines?
I am a very superstitious person. It’s probably not good for my head, but I personally think I’m pretty superstitious. Like we’ll have [a] shootaround, [then] I’ll go home. If I had a good game the day before, I’ll eat the same thing, I’ll go for a nap — wake up, shower, come to the gym, listen to music…kind of get my stuff on, and then I usually go into the locker room a lot earlier than a lot of people. Like last year, it would be me and DK, (Dylan Kinley) in the locker room. We’d be the first ones in there…and I just sit there, listen to my music, stretch. I’m big with music, I listen to a lot of music before games — just [to] kind of get my head space right. That’s probably the biggest thing for me, is listening to music on game days.
What song fires you up the most pregame?
Dreams and Nightmares by Meek Mill. If I really want to get going…in the zone.
What team does it feel the best to win against?
Victoria, UVic…because they’re such a good team that when you get a win against them it feels that much better — they’re so talented, and they have such a good lineage. I actually don’t think we’ve caught them yet…just thinking about it in turn. I really want to beat UVic — that’s the one for me personally.
Favourite sports-related movie or TV show?
Ooh…sports-related movie — Space Jam (1996). Sports-related TV show? Blue Mountain State, that’s a funny show.
Favourite place to play as the visiting team?
Either Victoria, just because it’s so beautiful on the island, or I liked the University of Calgary… the campus is beautiful, and the City of Calgary is pretty nice.
Who’s the best FIFA player on the team?
Oh, don’t make me say this! From what the tournaments were like after this year…Dario?
I think Dario (Lopez) was number one, and then Izzy (Ismael Hernandez) was number two. Both the Spaniards are really good at FIFA — I don’t know what it is. In 2K…It’s Chris, Izzy, and then me I think, but in FIFA it’s definitely Dario — Dario is really good at FIFA.
What does it mean to be a “Cascade”?
At our athletic banquet, we had a video on the screen of Matt (Guynup), our strength and conditioning coach, talking… and it’s just like, constantly [having] the underdog mentality — because we’re probably — I think we are — one of the smaller schools in B.C., size-wise. So just having the underdog mentality and thinking like, “no one thinks that we’re going to do anything” because “we’re so small,” and people are going to overlook us…but just constantly coming in every day, putting in the work, and knowing that if you do put in that work — it’s going to show on the floor. So just constantly never being satisfied with what you have done, or what you think you’re going to do. Never being satisfied [and] always wanting to achieve more; that climb and conquer mentality kind of thing.
UFV Cascades
Klim nets 33 points in win against Brandon Bobcats ( Jordie Arthur/UFV Athletics)
Basketball // Caitlin Clark: the new face of the WNBA
Key to WNBA’s resurgence lies with Indiana’s budding young superstar
CASSIE WILLIAMS
Caitlin Clark — rookie guard for the Indiana Fever — has become a household name thanks to her “intense effort,” and “innate ability” on the court. Her skills have landed her massive sponsorships with both Nike and Wilson, and have provided a beacon of hope for the struggling Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). This could very well be just the beginning of the Caitlin Clark era.
Before becoming the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, the heavy favourite to win Rookie of the Year, and one of America’s favourite athletes, Clark enjoyed a prolific collegiate career.
She is the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, two-time unanimous player of the year, and the only player in Division 1 history to lead her conference in both scoring, and assists in four consecutive seasons. Clark is also a two-time winner of the prestigious Honda Cup — awarded to the top NCAA women’s athlete based on athletics, leadership, academic excellence, and community service.
Clark, an Iowa native, graduated high school as one of the state’s leading scorers before becoming a University of Iowa Hawkeye. During her senior year, she was deemed a “cultural phenomenon,” selling out both home and away games and substantially growing her follower count on Instagram to over two million. Having that large of a public platform can be an overwhelming and powerful opportunity for a young athlete, just ask Lebron James.
The WNBA has seen a massive climb in ratings since Clark’s arrival. Clark’s game averages of 16 points per game (PPG), six rebounds per game (RPG), and seven assists per game (APG) are draws of their own; however, TV ratings have seen a stark rise specifically in match-ups against Clark’s long-time supposed rival, Angel Reese. Reese is no slouch on the court herself, with game averages this season of 19 PPG, 12 RPG, and 2 APG for the Chicago Sky. On June 23, the Sky and Fever contest brought in a record audience of 2.3 million average viewers to ESPN, making it “the most-viewed women’s pro basketball game in 23 years.”
The two players were first linked together in the NCAA, when Reese turned Clark’s signature “you can’t see me” taunt back onto her, in the fourth quarter of the title game. Reese also pointed to her ring finger as an indication of the championship ring she was about to win (quite a common occurrence in the NBA). The rivalry has divided viewers — some feel that race and gender politics are at play to
villainize Reese and not Clark for acting out the same taunts.
Clark has made it known that she has no desire to push anyone’s agenda in regard to her race, being a target of hard fouls, or to misogyny around women’s sports. She stated publicly that “the women in our league deserve the same amount of respect. People should not be using my
name to push those agendas… It’s not acceptable.” Regarding the rivalry, Clark said that for her and her fellow players it’s “just a game of basketball” and the media has turned it into something deeper.
Reese responded to the situation similarly. She stated, “Me and Caitlin Clark don’t hate each other… It’s just a super-competitive game. Once I get
between those lines, there’s no friends. I’m going to talk trash to you. I’m going to do whatever it takes to get in your head the whole entire game, but after the game, we can kick it. I don’t think people really realize that.”
A comparison has been drawn between Clark and Larry Bird, former legendary basketball figure hailing from Indiana, who had an on-court rivalry with Magic Johnson… perhaps similar to Reese and Clark. Bird and Clark are both known for their game breaking dynamism, capturing substantial audiences, and for being the best white basketball players of their respective generations. As AP News puts it, “Neither Bird nor Clark were the first great white male or female pro basketball players…. But sports can be elevated by a heated rivalry, particularly when race is involved.”
Although Clark has been controversially left off the roster for Team USA in the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics, she will be present at the WNBA All-Star game in Arizona on July 20. Reese will also be joining Clark on Team WNBA when they play against Team USA at the All-Star event; a rare occasion for the only two first-time All-Stars in the game to play as teammates. The two phenoms being the focal point of the All-Star game indicates that they are still the shining light of hope for the WNBA, despite not playing at the Olympics this year.
Clark once said that she wants her legacy to be what she can accomplish for the game of women’s basketball…and it is fair to say that no player is doing more for the WNBA than Caitlin Clark.
Caitlin Clark ( Darron Cummings - KSN)
Caitlin Clark (Credit: Zach Boyden-Holmes - The Register/Reuters)
Culture Editor - Elyssa English
Environment // Air pollution and respiratory health
How to stay active and safe during B.C.’s growing wildfire season
ELYSSA ENGLISH
With summer now upon us, many British Columbians are seeking to embrace the sun and make the most of the warm weather — before it begins to rain for another nine months. Unfortunately, this time of the year often coincides with the height of wildfire season here in B.C. and in most of North America. While we may want to spend as much of our time outside as we possibly can — appreciating all of the outdoor activities and natural wonders this province has to offer — it’s also important to be mindful of environmental conditions and take care of our respiratory health.
According to Health Canada, from 2013 to 2018, up to 2500 premature deaths per year were associated with long-term exposure to wildfire smoke. Beyond that, there is research to suggest that said exposure can also lead to a higher risk of certain cancers, as well as the risk of heart attacks.
So, how do we balance the joys of summer with the suffocating pall of smoke that threatens our forests as much as our lungs?
The Cascade reached out to UFV kinesiology professor Dr. Luisa Giles for her insight on the matter. Much of her PhD research focuses on this area of concern: the effects pollution and environmental factors can have on cardio-respiratory health.
Air pollution poses a number of risk factors for our overall health, especially relating to our respiratory and cardiovascular systems. When asked what components in wildfire smoke can specifically cause harm, Giles explained, “Wildfire smoke contains a mixture of air pollutants such as particulate matter, carbon dioxide, water
vapor, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides. In wildfire smoke, particulate matter, in particular fine particulate matter known as PM2.5 (and also ultrafine particles), is the primary air pollutant of concern for health.” This particulate matter, when inhaled, irritates the airways and can cause a wide array of short-term and long-term problems.
While the primary health concerns are those relating more directly with the lungs and other parts of our respiratory system, once pollutants enter the bloodstream, further complications can occur. “In the short term (e.g., over a few days),” Giles said, “we know that exposure to wildfire smoke can exacerbate respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. It can also cause a sore throat, eye irritation, runny nose, coughing, wheezing, phlegm production, and headaches. In some people it may cause difficulty breathing, chest pain, dizziness, heart palpitations, and impair lung function.”
The possibility of health complications is of concern to everyone; however, air pollution and wildfire smoke particles can present an even greater threat to specific at-risk demographics. According to Giles, these demographics include, “those with chronic health conditions, especially those with respiratory conditions such as COPD and asthma, also those with heart disease, diabetes, or cancer may be at an increased risk.” She also noted that “pregnant people, children, and the elderly” can face higher risks when outdoors under poor air quality conditions.
With all that said, what do experts recommend for those who want to keep active during the summer? The general consensus seems to be that the best course of action when dealing with low air quality is simply to stay indoors as much as possible, especially when considering
high-intensity activities. Minimizing the amount of polluted air and smoke particulates inhaled is the most reliable way to protect your respiratory health. Giles also recommended — if using indoor facilities to stay active — to keep windows closed and to use HEPA filters, a high efficiency air purifying system used to remove fine particles from the air within indoor spaces. “If the windows are open,” Giles said, “or there isn’t a HEPA filter, then it could be very similar to exercising outside.”
Giles also suggested referring to the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) when planning outdoor activities. The AQHI can be found on the Government of Canada website and is a useful resource when
assessing air quality and safe activity levels. It provides air quality information by location, including possible health concerns and recommended actions based on air quality for both the general population and those within at-risk groups. Of course, all this isn’t to say that we need to avoid outdoor activities entirely. I’m not here to scare anyone away from enjoying their summer and spending time outside in the limited amount of sun we’re gifted along the west coast of B.C. Take advantage of good weather and clear conditions! Just try to avoid spending too much time outdoors when the air quality is poor, whether you are being physically active or not. Stay safe out there!
Gabriela Gonzalez
Campus Fashion: how to look put together
Timeless dressing in an age of trends
Does the thought “I have nothing to wear!” permeate your mind whenever you’re going through your closet? Is it sometimes difficult pairing clothing and accessories together? Investing in and understanding the fundamentals of classic and timeless styles can help improve any wardrobe. To be classic or timeless simply means that the clothing you wear will always be stylish and never go in or out of style. Icons like Audrey Hepburn or the character of James Bond always look timeless and put together, but what are their secrets? Here are some tips that can help you dress classy in a world of ever-changing trends.
1. Have a neutral colour pallet: Stick to a universal neutral colour scheme of browns, blacks, whites, and blues; they are flattering on everyone and pair well. In particular, black and navy are considered slimming and match elegantly with white or cream. But be warned that wearing too many colours at once can be overwhelming to the eye.
2. Sandwiching: Like the name suggests, the colours help to create a “sandwich” effect by layering one or more colours within the outfit. An example is wearing the same colour belt and shoes, and contrasting coloured jeans or tee. Another way to sandwich is to pair a navy blue suit and a white button-down shirt with a dark brown belt and dress shoes.
3. Know your body type: Not all styles are going to look great on everyone, and recognizing your body type and dressing in styles that are the most flattering can help you look timeless and put together. You can look up how to dress for your body type or consider going to a tailor to customize your clothing if needed. It may seem like a big expense at first, but in the long run it can save time, money, and energy.
4. Choose timeless styles: Less is more when it comes to choosing clothes that never go out of style. Choose classic pieces like crew neck tee-shirts over a trendy ruched top. Consider creating a capsule wardrobe of basics. Not only will they age better, but they compliment a wide range of body types as well. High fashion trends tend to go in and out of style. It’s best not to spend too much time or money on them.
5. Invest in quality items: Consider buying fewer but higher quality pieces like tailored suits and good quality fabrics. Silk, cashmere, and wool clothing are an investment because — although more expensive — they are often better quality and will last longer.
6. Fitted over baggy: The more boxy or baggy an article of clothing is, the less put together you will look. Wearing a well-tailored suit will look more put together than a baggy sweater and pants. Wearing clothing that fits well not only makes you look put together, but can be a confidence booster as well.
7. Prints: Choose prints that are proportionate to your body type. For example, smaller prints tend to look better on people with a petite body than larger prints do. Not only are smaller prints flattering, but larger prints can make people appear bigger.
8. Accessories: Accessories should enhance an outfit, not overwhelm it. For example, pairing an outfit with classic, subtle jewellery like pearl stud earrings or a thin gold chain with a small pendant. Wearing belts with pants is not only functional, but stylish too. A tote, a messenger bag, or a classic handbag can help create a timeless look while keeping your valuables safe.
9. Shoes: Wear classic shoes that fit well and also come in neutral colours. Blacks and browns tend to be more versatile and timeless than neon coloured sneakers. Simple cuts and quality fabrics tend to last longer in style.
10. Avoid looking like a brand campaign: Wearing too many brands at once detracts from your style. Elegant and timeless styles tend to have less noticeable branding or none at all. An exception is having a handbag with a designer brand logo, but wearing head-to-toe branding can look overpowering and busy.
And there you have it! Ten tips to help you dress timelessly in the world of fashion. This will not only — hopefully — make dressing less stressful, but will give you the comfort of knowing that no matter what you wear, you will always look stylish.
RACHEL TAIT
STUDY BREAK
The Cascade Kitchen: Veggie and Mushroom Risotto
Crossword //
Crossword Puzzle
ELYSSA ENGLISH
The Cascade Kitchen is a student-run food column that brings you budgetfriendly recipes and cooking tips. Check back weekly for something new to try in the kitchen, or if you want to see your own recipe featured next, get started by reaching out to culture@ufvcascade.ca.
We’re university students. Between work, classes, and everything else life throws our way, it’s hard to find the time to cook. But hopefully this recipe will make it a little easier. Here is a low-energy meal that tastes good, feels good, doesn’t break the budget, and makes for great leftovers during the week. Risotto may sound fancy and intimidating, but this recipe makes it simple and achievable for just about any cook. Say thank you to my great-aunt for this one!
Serves: 4-5
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes -1 hour
Ingredients:
* 1/4 cup butter
* 2 cloves garlic
* 1 ½ cups chopped vegetables (fresh or frozen)
* 1 ½ cups coarsely chopped mushrooms
* 3 ½ cups vegetable broth
* 1 cup rice
* 1/4 tsp marjoram
* 1/2 tsp basil
* 1/2 cup shredded cheese (preferably parmesan)
* Salt and pepper to taste
Optional:
Feel free to add your favourite protein of choice!
Method:
1. Start by melting the butter in a pot or high-walled pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Then add chopped garlic and cook until fragrant.
2. Add your vegetables and mushrooms of choice, stirring to coat them in the melted butter. Personally I like to use carrots, leaks, peas, and cremini mushrooms, but choose your favourites. It’s a very flexible recipe!
3. Add 1/2 cup of vegetable broth, then cover the pot and leave it to cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables begin to feel soft.
4. Now add the rice, marjoram, and basil, and mix well until combined.
5. Gradually pour in the vegetable broth, about 1 cup at a time, waiting until the liquid is absorbed before adding the next cup of broth. Stir occasionally. The mixture should be thick and creamy, but not too sticky. If it feels too sticky or dry, add a small amount of water or broth.
6. Once most of the liquid is absorbed by the rice, mix in the shredded cheese, then season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Elyssa English
STUDY BREAK
Horoscopes //
By: Madame LaCarte
Aries - Mar. 21 to Apr. 19
You may be considering changing your approach to an ambition. This month is not the time to make big changes. Instead, trust the process and re-evaluate next month.
Taurus - Apr. 20 to May 20
You have been feeling stressed lately, and the best remedy is to try something new. Have the courage to go out and explore.
Gemini - May 21 to Jun. 20
So many things have been up in the air, leaving you feeling uncertain about everything. Accept that life ebbs and flows, and this moment of uncertainty is human. Acceptance will lead you to inner peace.
Cancer - Jun. 21 to Jul. 22
New opportunities are on the horizon for you. It is unclear whether these new opportunities are positive or not. Trust your intuition and act with compassion.
Leo - Jul. 23 to Aug. 22
You have frustrating obstacles ahead. You might feel like there is a lack of support. Shift your focus to home and seek out maternal love.
Virgo - Aug. 23 to Sept. 22
A new beginning will demand your bravery. You are up to this new challenge, but be cautious how you spend the rewards of this new opportunity.
Libra - Sep. 23 to Oct. 22
Desire and ambition have you acting quickly and making rash decisions. Be wary of your reactivity this month to ensure that you are not acting out of jealousy or self-centeredness.
Sudoku //
Scorpio - Oct. 23 to Nov. 21
You have a difficult month ahead. This is the month to resolve lingering pain in your life. It will be hard, and it won’t be enjoyable, but remember that this is all part of the human experience, and you will make it past this if you persevere. Do not allow your pain to manipulate you.
Sagittarius - Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
A recent sacrifice has created a lack of balance in your life. It might not seem like it at first, but it will affect you in the near future. It is better to take a moment to hone your knife than to keep trying to cut with a blunt one.
Capricorn - Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
A relationship you hold dear is at risk this month. Shift your focus away from what you get from others, and more toward who you want to be for others. Focus on strong communication and be very clear with your intentions. It will be trying, but on the other end is emotional stability within this dynamic.
Aquarius - Jan. 20 to Feb. 18
You may find yourself manipulating others in your pursuit of desire. Now is the time to check yourself and come clean. Do not wait. A crack left unmended will turn to a break.
Pisces - Feb. 19 to Mar. 20
You are resisting a transition. If you continue to resist, only more pain and grief will result. Try not to swim to where you think you should be, instead allow the current to lead you to where you need to be.
May Beeney
Television //
X-Men ‘97 is a nostalgia masterclass
Cue the intro
BRADLEY DUNCAN
Sequels, prequels, reboots, and revivals. Sometimes it feels like we’ve run out of new ideas and all that’s left is to rehash, reheat, and re-serve the same old content. I say “content” and not “art” because most of these leftover media casseroles feel devoid of passion — the drive to take raw ingredients and create something truly inspired. Of course, there are exceptions: sequels that surpass the originals, like The Godfather Part II; films that were better than the book, like The Princess Bride; and unlikely hits based on pop-culture concepts, like The Lego Movie. More often, we’re served scraps like The Hobbit (2012), The Emoji Movie, and The Godfather Part III. In contrast, X-Men ‘97, is a wholly unique experience. It’s as if Gordon Ramsay raided your fridge and turned an old turkey sandwich into Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.
Gen Zers — people born after 1996 — likely won’t ever have experienced the ritual of waking up early on a weekend while the rest of the house sleeps, claiming the sole TV, pouring a bowl of sugary cereal, and stretching across the sofa to watch cartoons that couldn’t be accessed any other time or place. For many, the backbone of the weekend cartoon line-up was X-Men: The Animated Series, which ran from 1992 to 1997. The show introduced a generation of young people to the world of Marvel Comics at a time when DC was decidedly dominant. Before there was the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there was X-Men.
The cartoon’s popularity seeded the X-Men (2000) film of the same name, introducing Hugh Jackman’s ubiquitous portrayal of the Canadian curmudgeon, Wolverine, and Patrick Stewart’s Professor Charles Xavier. Despite some cinematic high-points, the inconsistent quality of the numerous X-Men films has meant that for many, the OG has never been matched. Outside of the comics, The Animated Series has been the gold-standard representation of the heroic mutants.
As such, when X-Men ‘97 was announced on Nov. 12, 2021, young Gen Xers and elder Millennials let out a cautious collective gasp. After a production period veiled in secrecy, the show that ultimately materialized this March is a perfect analogue for X-Men’s ‘90s audience: the same DNA, but a matured, wiser, self-actualized manifestation.
‘97 knits past and present, masterfully hiding the stitches. Despite the passage of nearly three decades, ’97 picks up in the immediate aftermath of its predecessor,
‘97 #1 wraparound variant cover
and feels like a seamless continuation. Even the iconic intro and theme song have been faithfully revived, and several of the voice actors have returned to reprise their roles. Executive Producer Brad Winderbaum said of the show, “So much of the conversation was about not just paying homage to the original style, but emulating people’s memories of the original style.” It worked. There’s a real feeling of stewardship and care that I’m sure is difficult to appreciate for the uninitiated.
All this familiarity provides a pretty stark contrast to just how far film and television have come since the last century. The heavy synths and handdrawn animations feel straight out of the 90s, but audiences have come to expect much higher production values. Computer-aided advancements in digital art and sound design are regularly (and rightfully) recognized for revolutionizing animated productions, which are no longer the domain of children and adolescents. If ’97 had simply rebooted the original with a contemporary look, the show wouldn’t have worked, but by deftly modernizing specific elements, the showrunners enhanced the final product without compromising its soul.
Digital animation allows for characters to more freely inhabit their environments, making the battles bigger, and electrifying the action into exciting and dynamic conflicts. Characters like Cyclops who were given short shrift in the original come into their element in ’97 much to the delight of comic book devotees.
There’s also more attention paid to the team dynamic. Heroes consciously coordinate, combining their gifts to dramatic effect and becoming greater
than the sum of their parts. However, if blockbuster superhero movies have taught us anything, it’s that big action set pieces don’t mean a thing to an audience that’s not fundamentally invested.
Perhaps ’97’s most dramatic shift comes from its unshackling from its Fox Kids roots, which dictated strict limits on anything deemed inappropriate for children by the standards of the day. Rigid guard-rails around what could be depicted — even being knocked unconscious — meant that the stakes for the X-Men were always relatively low. Now, death comes into play in a series where concussions were once forbidden, and Wolverine’s claws aren’t limited to cutting pitchforks and gun barrels in half. The ability to expand into darker storylines means your favourite mutants are in real jeopardy (fictionally speaking).
Alongside the looming physical threats are deeper interpersonal conflicts. To a degree, the show is the same as it always was, tackling difficult social issues; but
’97s freedom to explore mature themes pays off in spades as the heroes navigate love, grief, wrath, shame, and other topics that were once taboo. How they shoulder the weight of these emotional burdens is a wellspring of character development. When a punch lands, we feel it all the more because of it.
The X-Men have always been a vehicle for discussions of tolerance, bigotry, and diversity — in living an authentic life, and how to coexist with those who may fear or hate you. In some sense, the X-Men franchise was always woke, exploring the undying question of how to live harmoniously in a shared world. In 1993, Professor Xavier gave voice to our human predilection to otherize: “So often in our history, unhappy, misguided people have created scapegoats; blaming those that are different for the problems in their own lives.” Where that battle is fought, however, is a far more difficult question for the X-Men to grapple with. Is peace achieved through strength or compassion? Is the battle waged on the streets, the courts, or our hearts and minds?
X-Men ‘97’s bewildering achievement is that it’s a reflection of its core audience: the kids who grew up in a period of hope, but matured into a world that failed to meet our optimistic outlook. The children who were raised on Reading Rainbow, watched the Berlin Wall crumble, and saw bigotry wane in our society, became adults who bore witness to economic collapses, outbreaks of war and terrorism, and a revitalization of intolerance and prejudice. The show is darker and grittier than its predecessor, illustrating the pessimism and cynicism with which its viewers often wrestle. But hope remains at its heart; yearning, just as its fans do, to reclaim what’s been lost.
Marvel Studios
X-Men
(Credit: Russell Dauterman)
Inside Out 2 made my emotions feel right-side in!
Does Inside Out 2 reflect the magic of its predecessor, or does it leave us feeling blue?
GIANNA DINWOODIE
In June 2015, I vividly remember myself at age 11, excited to watch the newest animated movie with my mother in our hometown theatre. Inside Out, released by Pixar Animation Studios, follows Riley Andersen as she navigates her emotions when her family moves from their home in Minnesota to start a new life in San Francisco.
I was filled with similar anticipation this time around. Although I am in a new place, with new friends, and freshly 20 years old, Inside Out 2 had me buzzing with joy. Admittedly, it felt a little silly to be an adult excited to see a Pixar film, but I needed to see the character I knew so well enter the next chapter of her life. In the theatre, I was surrounded by others my age who undoubtedly felt the same. Inside Out 2 was a fantastic sequel to the first film, continuing the story during Riley’s teenage years. It followed her quest to navigate self-expression, friendship drama, and all the turmoil of being a high school student. It warmed my heart, as it was like seeing myself on screen growing up. Pixar expertly picked up where we left off in 2015, with the returning core memories of Joy, Anger, Sadness, Disgust, and Fear, while introducing new emotions to Riley’s mind. Ennui, Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Nostalgia bring new manifestations — and conflicts — to the ever-evolving depth of human experience.
The Pixar team once again demonstrated their mastery in production design, bringing a certain poignancy to Inside Out 2, which was my favourite aspect of the film. As I watched the colourful characters galavant around the screen, helping (or hindering) Riley as she dealt with the struggles of high school and fitting in, I considered how digestible the film must make these complex emotions feel for younger viewers. Take ennui for example, the feeling of listlessness arising from a lack of occupation or excitement — in other words, “chronic boredom.” This complex definition of a feeling — and a French term at that — may be hard to understand for a child, but the animation of Ennui’s mannerisms and lack of certain je ne sais quoi made the emotion clear as day.
Further is the use of transitions between scenes as Riley begins to face deeper emotional turmoil. The once colourful and calm atmosphere of her mind’s “headquarters” becomes chaotic and disorganized as she struggles with the worries and concerns embodied by Anxiety, making abstract psychological concepts comprehensible. Due to this, younger viewers may have an easier time empathizing with Riley, finding pieces of themselves within her journey toward self-love and growth.
This is where Pixar tends to shine! Like in Soul (2020), another animated film that is about finding your passions and dealing
with the complexity of death, Inside Out 2 excels at making intricate emotions accessible and relatable.
This movie successfully builds on the foundation laid out by its predecessor. While it addresses serious themes, it offers a compelling and resonant story for audiences of all ages. With its focus primarily on mental health, it is heartwarming to see a big-box animation studio encourage viewers to seek out help and support — a vital message to those that may be struggling.
What makes Inside Out 2 a must-see film this summer is how it speaks to the inner child within all of us. Although the character design and animation style is bright, colourful, and enchanting to younger viewers, the film also manages to resonate with adults who have wrestled with the complex emotional experiences depicted.
Watching this film as an adult is extremely validating because not only does it acknowledge the complexity of emotions we may face — regardless of age — it serves as a reminder that they are a universal and natural part of being human. I know I speak for myself and many others that had the privilege to see this film when I say I was able to reconnect with my inner child and think critically about my ongoing journey of self-discovery.
Elyssa English, Culture Editor
Sardis Park
Conveniently located within walking distance of my house as well as a number of incredible local restaurants, Sardis Park is, hands down, one of my favourite places to wind down. It’s the perfect place to picnic in the summer and walk among the changing leaves in fall. It’s beautiful. It’s wonderful. It’s practically perfect in every way.
Just watch out for the geese!
Kiara Okonkwo, Editor-inChief Oldhand Coffee
My favourite place to curl up with a good book, or when I need something sweet to help take the load off during an afternoon of catching up on all the things I’ve been avoiding. Their Earl Grey snickerdoodle is my kind of kryptonite.
May Beeney, Illustrator Vedder River
I spent my childhood by the river, splashing with my dog in shallow pools, walking along the banks with my friends, picking out any cool stones we could find, and biking along the Rotary Trail. Now as a young adult, Vedder River still calls to me like an old friend. We catch up, we share laughter and stories, we take great photographs and make even better memories.
Anna McCausland, Staff Writer
Aurora Roasters
Aurora Roasters is a hub of creativity and socialization. The open concept café spotlights local art around its walls, creating a laid back atmosphere. It’s the place I like to go to get some uninterrupted writing done and enjoy a sweet treat.
Jeffrey Kennett, Sports Editor Crescent Beach
Slightly more low key than White Rock, Crescent Beach offers a reclusive, relaxed, and scenic way to spend a day on the beach without overbearing crowds, screaming young children, or those darned pier jumpers. Ice cream is nearby and fish and chips are plentiful; what else could you need?
Eddy Rubi, Videographer Clearbrook Library
When I want to look for inspiration or creativity I usually go behind the Clearbrook Library, because there’s a garden with a fountain which I find really peaceful just to sit down, read, draw, and get ideas or find inspiration. Sometimes I go there with friends just to hangout and talk.
Cassie Williams, Copy Editor District 1881
Catherine Campbell, Managing Editor Foxglove Floral Cafe I’m a little late to the party, but I just checked out Foxglove Floral Cafe last month with a friend. And let me tell you: I’m obsessed. Plants, coffee, and cute, comfy seating all in one place? And a patio where you can sit for hours in the sun? Sign me right up. Plus, bathroom selfies are changed forever with the beautiful mirrors and lavender and forest green striped walls.
Rachel Tait, News Editor Boardwalk Cafe
Located in downtown Abbotsford, Boardwalk Cafe is a nice place to socialize. They serve great food and carry every board game imaginable. I highly recommend you try the spinach artichoke dip and the sandwiches.
Gianna Dinwoodie, Arts and Review Editor Davids Creek
Found in the lush jungle of Maple Ridge, Davids Creek has been our go-to summer spot for years! Although it may not offer the great sandy expanse of some swimming holes such as Alouette, it is the perfect private place to cool off, catch some sun, and enjoy the company of friends.
District 1881 is the cultural hub of Chilliwack with tons of cute boutiques, coffee shops, breweries, and restaurants. The distinct architecture makes it feel like a little slice of Europe right in the heart of downtown Chilliwack. It is a great destination to go to shop and eat, but also just a great place to walk around!
