OCTOBER 30 TO NOVEMBER 5, 2019
VOLUME 27 ISSUE 24
Lacing up our kink-shaming boots since 1993
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Building A Renovations
13 diversity in arts 19
Retro spooktacular
WHAT STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT UNIONS
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WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA
VOL. 27 // ISSUE 24
Production Assistant Renée Campbell renee@ufvcascade.ca
Opinion Editor Carissa Wiens carissa@ufvcascade.ca
News Editor Jessica Barclay jessica@ufvcascade.ca
Arts in Review Editor Chandy Dancey chandy@ufvcascade.ca
Culture & Events Editor Andrea Sadowski andrea@ufvcascade.ca Feature Editor Darien Johnsen darien@ufvcascade.ca Illustrator Kayt Hine
Sports Editor Alex Jesus alex@ufvcascade.ca Digital Media Manager Anoop Dhaliwal anoop@ufvcascade.ca Illustrator Kelly Ning
Social Media Writer Katee Clements
Sports Writer Nic Jackson
Social Media Writer Krizzia Arcigal
Staff Writer Karen White
Photographer David Myles
Staff Writer Krystina Spracklin
The Shuffler Aaron Levy
CONTRIBUTORS Aleister Gwynne Emma Kent-Dion
Cover Design: Renée Campbell Back Cover: Renée Campbell
WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA
OPINION
Copy Editor Kat Marusiak kat@ufvcascade.ca
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10-11 13
19 20......Events Calendar
Snapshots.......9 @UFVCASCADE FACEBOOK.COM/UFVCASCADE INSTAGRAM.COM/UFVCASCADE Volume 27 · Issue 24 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529
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 Wednesday with a print circulation of 1,000 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 are held every Monday in The Cascade’s office on the Abbotsford campus at 2:00pm. 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.
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ARTS
Production Manager Elyssa English elyssa@ufvcascade.ca
NEWS
Creative Director Mikaela Collins mikaela@ufvcascade.ca
CONTENTS
FEATURE
Business Manager Aneesha Narang aneesha@ufvcascade.ca
Managing Editor Nadia Tudhope nadia@ufvcascade.ca
CULTURE
Executive Editor Jessica Barclay jessica@ufvcascade.ca
Study Break.......16
18......CIVL Shuffle
NEWS 3......UFV town hall meeting
New SUS members elected.......3 Building A renovations.......4 OPINION Editorial.......6 ICBC rate change.......7
6.......Dear Robin 7.......Timetable troubles
CULTURE Cult films and craft beer......12 Exploring Diversity......13
12.......Club Q&A 13.......Cascade Kitchen
SPORTS Veronica Kobes interview.......14 Women's soccer.......15
14......Professional volleyball in Canada 15......Men's volleyball
ARTS Toil & trouble.......17
18......Joker
Pet Sematary.......19
19......The Simpsons Tree House of Horror
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2019
news@ufvcascade.ca Jessica Barclay — News Editor
NEWS
SUS //
NEWS BRIEFS Protests against Quebec’s secularism law continue On Oct. 27, marchers gathered to protest Quebec’s secularism law, Bill 21, which prohibits civil servants who are in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols at work, including hijabs and turbans. The protest was populated by antihate groups opposing racism and xenophobia who said they will not stop until the bill is abolished. In a study by the Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission, it was found that in Quebec, hate crimes have seen a higher increase than the rest of Canada, noting a 49 per cent increase in 2017. The majority of the hate crimes were directed at Muslim and Arabic people.
- Global News
Strangers sharing graves in sustainable move for Vancouver cemetery In an effort to find space in Vancouver’s only cemetery, Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver council approved changes which will allow strangers to share a grave. Plots at Mountain View will only be reused or have bodies added to them with permission of the person authorized to make decisions for that plot. The new changes allow three or more bodies to one site. The cemetery is also considering eliminating traditional tombstones/markers and allowing a sustainable option for burial in which there is no casket or concrete liners, and no embalming, allowing decomposition to occur faster. In this case, bodies may be wrapped in shrouds instead, allowing a plot which could hold two caskets to accommodate up to four bodies.
- The Canadian Press
By-elections bring three new members to the SUS board of directors JESSICA BARCLAY The Student Union Society (SUS) byelection results are in. Tania Smart was voted in as the new vice president internal (VPI) with 112 votes against Ryan Chandler with 101 votes. Both of the board candidates were voted in with 213 votes each: Reece Doppenberg as the faculty of science representative and Raman Bachra as the faculty of health sciences representative. The results of the by-elections were approved by the SUS board but not unanimously. Andrew Stahl, College of Arts representative, voted against accepting the by-election results. Stahl said during the meeting that it was “kind of sketchy” that his vote was not counted if he did not choose to vote for every candidate. According to SUS policy, a ballot is considered spoilt if a voter does not choose an option in every category presented on the ballot. There was no option to vote against the board candidates as they ran uncontested in the by-elections, and SUS policy does not allow for a “no” or “abstain” option on the ballot.
No sanctions were imposed during the by-elections. There was one complaint by a student regarding the way ballots were set up. One candidate for VPI withdrew from the elections before the start of the voting period. Jessica Levesque, chief electoral officer (CEO) of the SUS elections, had several suggestions for future elections. The CEO role should be filled at an appropriate time, as it is a demanding role that requires organization. It was not said when the CEO role was filled for the by-elections, but the SUS board of directors mentioned they were still looking to hire a CEO at their Sept. 23 board meeting. Levesque also suggested looking to differentiating between by-elections and regular elections as the timelines are different but the requirements are the same. According to SUS policy, there are no planning or transition periods for by-elections, the review period to determine the eligibility of candidates is two days instead of a week, and both the nomination and campaign periods are two weeks instead of three. Levesque said that the reduced timeline prevented the sec-
ond required Q&A period from taking place on the Chilliwack campus. The campaign period was extended by a week during the by-elections. Improving communication between election staff and the marketing department was also recommended. There were some issues with announcements and information not being distributed in a timely manner. The candidates’ statements were taken down from the SUS website during the voting period, which Levesque said may have been a miscommunication between marketing and the election staff. The date changes for the by-elections were vaguely announced to students through changes to election poster dates on SUS social media platforms and campus posters around Oct. 16. The date changes pushed the voting period back a week, extending the campaign period by a week. The website was not updated right away due to miscommunication with marketing, according to Levesque. The website was only partially updated by the end of the voting period, with the by-elections information page displaying the old voting period.
UFV //
From plan to practice UFV town hall welcomes new provost and sets priorities for future ALEISTER GWYNNE UFV’s town hall meeting this month was held on Oct. 22 at the Abbotsford and Chilliwack campuses. Town halls are held periodically throughout the semester by UFV president Joanne MacLean as a way of updating the university about ongoing plans. This month’s meeting had two main items on the agenda: the first was welcoming and introducing UFV’s new provost and vice president (VP) academic James Mandigo, and the second was to outline how UFV’s new vision, mission, and values statements, formulated over the past year, will be put into action in the coming months and years. The provost and VP academic’s role is to act as a coordinator between other high-ranking members of UFV faculty. His role at UFV is to ensure that all faculty members are working together towards a coherent goal.
Mandigo expressed gratitude for his warm welcome at the town hall. “I’m very excited about this work,” Mandigo said. The main focus of the meeting was what Mandigo called integrated strategic planning (ISP). ISP intends to take the goals outlined by the new statements and translate them into teaching practices and interactions within the university, or to “operationalize our mission” in Mandigo’s words. Mandigo warned of “planning fatigue” and stressed the importance of making tangible progress in the near-term to keep those involved motivated and enthusiastic. The town hall meeting laid out a road map of events to organize and goals to accomplish within the next month. The first of these was the first meeting of the president’s committee called “Task Force on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion,” which was scheduled for the next day, Oct. 23. Another event planned is a presentation by Ken Steele on trends in
higher education. Steele is a business analyst whose company, Eduvation, specializes in examining the challenges faced by post-secondary schools. Steele’s lecture is scheduled to be held in room B101 on Abbotsford campus on Friday, Nov. 15 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. The presentation will also be livestreamed for those unable to attend. Mandigo said that UFV is already primed to make the changes that Steele describes, and is in a better position to adapt to changing times than many universities that are very set in the traditional model of post-secondary education. A big part of UFV’s vision is reimagining the role of university in the 21st century. The last immediate goal will be to create a strategic planning website that will allow students to give feedback and input on the changes that are coming to UFV. Mandigo and his colleagues hope to have this website operational by the end of November.
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NEWS
VOL. 27 // ISSUE 24
UFV //
Building A renovations will be disruptive, but UFV has a plan
those displaced by the construction. The renovations to BuildBuilding A east on the Abbots- ing A east will be done in two ford campus is undergoing ren- parts, with the entire project esovations to the exterior of the timated for completion by Sepbuilding. Moisture is leaking into tember 2020. Work on Building the building in what is commonly D will start soon after, dependknown to B.C. residents as “leaky ing on contractor timelines, with condo syndrome,” leading to a the goal to complete that project compromised structure and po- within a year. tential mold growth. UFV is currently working to What faculty and students can get ahead of the problem with expect on Nov. 4 renovations to the exterior walls. The work involves cutting the A total of 95 instructors teaching exterior walls open and remov- classes, 22 faculty with offices in ing the interior insulation. Every- the area, and 3,100 students will thing from the exterior stucco to be displaced by the current onthe interior wall will be removed. going renovations to Building A The nature of the work means east. Geography and biology faculty that the construction will be with offices in the building have noisy. To minimize disruption to classes and faculty, offices already been moved to Building and classrooms will be moved T. Starting Nov. 4, classes and Building K, the newly renovated criminology faculty will be movFinnegan’s building. A few offic- ing to Building K. With such a large number of es will be moved to the Building students being moved over just T portables. Building K will be open for a few days to a brand new buildclasses on Nov. 4, and faculty and ing, Bourget said that UFV has students who will be using the been planning for the transition new space have been notified of to Building K. Students and faculty whose their new classroom. classrooms are being moved have “It is going to be disruptive,” received email communication Nicolle Bourget, project manager for the Building A and Building D outlining the move date and new renovations, said. “We're trying classroom location. Notices have our hardest to create an environ- been written on classroom whitement that students can still study boards and there are a number in and that's why we've created of posters up around Building A east directing students to the new the swing space.” Over two years, renovations building. During the first two days volto Building A east and Building unteers from Students Services D will be done, using Building K will be present in Building A east as classroom and office space for to direct students. A large tent
JESSICA BARCLAY
will be set up halfway to Building K to act as a beacon for lost or misplaced students looking for the building. Bourget hopes that the volunteers and signage should direct around 90 to 95 per cent of students whose classes are in Building A east over the first two days. After the first two days, the signage should help direct the remaining students. “I think if we can get through the first couple of days, because we're impacting so many students, then I think from there on it'll be fine,” Bourget said. “Then it'll be included in the new student orientation tours and it'll be included on all the signs. It'll become part of the general vocabulary, so for future students it will be much easier.” Accessibility for Building K has also been considered. Sidewalks are being let down and crosswalks are being painted along the route Bourget thinks students will take from Building A to Building K. The additions are estimated to be complete for the Nov. 4 move. The Finnegan’s building and surrounding lot was purchased last year for over $10 million and has been renovated into temporary classroom and office space: the new Building K. The classrooms will be similar to those in Building A, with active learning furniture and a podium setup. “We think students are really going to like the new classrooms, the new furniture, and the new learning environment over there [in Building K],” Bourget said. “I'm excited for students and faculty and staff to see it.” The other disruption will come to parking. For the duration of the renovations to Building A 35 parking stalls in Lot 7 will be used by the contractors for parking and for equipment storage. However, after the completion of Building K renovations over the next few weeks the parking in front of the building will likely be opened up for use. Renovation timeline
Building A. UFV Abbotsford. Oct. 29, 2019. (David Myles/The Cascade)
Water leakage that has resulted
Correction: In Vol. 27, Issue 23 of The Cascade, in the article “Go with the Flow campaign asks for free menstrual products in UFV bathrooms,” Melissa Naman spoke about the campaign as the FPSE Human Rights and International Solidarity rep., not the assistant in the office of the dean for access and continuing education, though she holds both positions.
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in the need to redo the exterior of Building A and D is caused by several different construction issues. One is the window sills, which allow water to build up and leak into the building. Another is the way the walls were constructed, which traps moisture that leaks into the walls. The wall construction is an issue for both Building A east and Building D on the Abbotsford campus, which were both built around the same time. Building A east was built in 1992 and Building D in 1996. The other half of Building A, Building A west, was built earlier in 1983 and does not have the same construction issues. The construction work on Building A east will be done in two parts. The reason for this is that there would not have been enough additional classroom space to accommodate classes displaced throughout all of Building A east. There will also not be lab space in Building K. Construction of the areas around the biology labs will take place over the summer in 2020, and the biology lab classes will be moved out to the Chilliwack campus. Building D will be the next to undergo renovations. The plan will be to start construction as soon as Building A is complete and frees up the swing space in Building K for Building D classes. The construction in Building D will result in both program
and classroom impacts, according to Bourget. Plans will need to be put in place to accommodate the teaching education program, and certain classes that require equipment that cannot be moved from Building D, such as the networking class. Both of the buildings will have a different look by the end of the renovations. The siding will be of aluminum cladding, and the buildings will be painted two shades of grey with brick accents. “D building is going to be the same colours, but it'll have a slightly different look because of the way that it comes down in the campus and it's got all the trees and everything around it,” Bourget said. The renovation of the two buildings resulted in 18 trees being removed. Bourget said that there are plans to plant 13 replacement trees elsewhere on campus over the next week. The Stewartia memorial tree will be replaced with either a cutting or a new tree, and four ornamental trees will be planted “after project completion.” “The city policy is that you'd have, from the time you take the trees down, one year to plant them, so we wouldn't have had time to put them back around the building,” Bourget said. Additional trees will likely be planted around the buildings when the landscaping is redone after construction.
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OPINION
VOL. 27 // ISSUE 24
opinion@ufvcascade.ca Carissa Wiens — Opinion Editor
Advice //
Editorial //
Nature doesn’t stop at the city limits
Dear Robin
EDITORIAL BOARD
ROBIN HALPER Life is tough and confusing and weird. We all need help sometimes, and when you need an expert opinion, you turn to an expert opinion-giver like Robin Halper. Whatever problem you’re facing in life, Robin will have a solution. The Cascade cannot guarantee the effectiveness of Robin’s unique approach to life, but if you’re in a jam, get some advice by writing to halp@ufvcascade. ca Tales of the timetable Dear Robin, Do you have any tips for selecting courses for next semester? I’m in my first year of my BA and there’s so many options on the timetable I don’t even know where to start. Sincerely, Coursely overwhelmed Hello, It’s so freeing to be in your first year of a BA. You can seriously take any class and it will count towards finishing your degree. But there’s also the lab credit and PHIL 100 class you need to take. If you haven’t done those yet, do them, because regardless of your major, you’ll need them. Other than that, if you haven’t decided on your major, just take what interests you that also forces you to take a step out of your comfort zone. I took an intro-
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duction to media and communication studies class during my first year (totally not related to my major) and it was awesome. Get wild. Robin Date request Dear Robin, There’s this super cute girl in my psychology class and I want to ask her out but I haven’t even talked to her yet. How should I handle this situation? Sincerely, Crushin’ in class Hey, You haven’t even talked to her yet? So why do you want to go out with her? Just because she is cute? Well, maybe you should have a conversation with her because women are more than the cuteness of their faces from what you can see from the front of the class; they also have thoughts and opinions and likes and dislikes and favourite breeds of dogs and preferred margarita flavours, as do many people that aren’t women. When you talk to her you’ll probably learn if she’s actually someone you would want to spend a whole dinner date with, regardless of her cuteness. Talk then ask, and respect her answer. Robin
UFV has recently seen the removal of 18 trees near Building A and Building D as part of ongoing renovations. The City of Abbotsford has bylaws intended to protect established trees in Abbotsford, requiring trees to be replanted when they are removed from certain city properties. UFV falls under the bylaw’s purview and is required to replant the trees they have removed. The city maintains a list of trees they recommend. However, the majority of the trees chosen are not native species. Of a list of over 80 tree species, only a very small handful are native. While an equivalent number of trees will be replanted on the campus to make up for those removed, the majority of the trees UFV has selected are not native species. UFV is just following bylaws, but the options listed by the City of Abbotsford point to a larger problem. The lack of native species on the list demonstrates the true disconnect between Abbotsford’s current urban planning practices and the local environment. Many of the trees on the list are beautiful, and this is entirely to be expected since their primary function is landscaping and decoration. Dogwoods have lovely white flowers in the spring, and many of the listed maples have rich fall oranges and reds. The problem is that the trees on the list are the only trees that are recommended by the city, and there is nothing on the list to indicate which species are non-invasive. Homeowners, landscapers, and contractors who need to replant would need to do research or come to the list with prior knowledge about
which species are best for our local ecosystem — and a desire to only use those trees. As it stands, nurseries only have reason to stock the suggested trees, which are in relatively high demand. If native options aren’t suggested, they won’t be in demand, won’t be stocked, and won’t be seen as viable options for landscapers. Urbanization has resulted in massive changes to the physical landscape. The movement of people into dense city centres and the expansion of these cities have forced many animal species to learn to live and thrive in urban environments. As urban environments are becoming habitats for many native species, this should be taken into consideration when landscaping. Green spaces like UFV are havens for urban animals, and we have a perhaps surprising number of species on campus. Northwestern salamanders and rough skinned newts live in our on-campus ponds. We have an owl that hangs out around Building C certain evenings, and skunks and possums that prowl the campus at night. During the day the trees are home to an array of robins, crows, and song birds. Humans aren’t just changing the climate. Our continued expansion is dramatically altering the plant composition, and lack of knowledge of the land we live on is perpetuating the problem. The City of Abbotsford needs to take a look at their recommendations; with the ever-growing number of species endangered by climate change, deforestation, and habitat invasion, trees cannot be forgotten. The city’s landscaping lists should be comprised of beautiful native species that will strengthen and heal Abbotsford’s urban ecosystem — not just decorations.
OPINION
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2019
UFV //
B.C. //
Timetable New ICBC troubles insurance rates mean changes for both new and old drivers
What if UFV released their winter and fall timetables at the same time? CARISSA WIENS
KAREN WHITE If you have recently renewed insurance for your vehicle, you might have been asked different questions from the usual at the insurance broker or noticed a different rate for your insurance. That is because ICBC changed its rates on Sept. 1, 2019. With the new system, three factors will be taken into account to determine a person's premium: who else drives their car, the number of crashes a driver has, and the number of years driving experience. Newer drivers may see an increase in their rates, and those who are deemed safe drivers and have more experience may see a decrease. Overall, this change in the system of calculating insurance rates is not ideal for new drivers. According to an article in Victoria News, some new drivers could see a maximum $200 difference in their basic insurance. I think that is a bit much; who can afford that! Even drivers who have a good rate coming into the new changes might have to pay more because someone who also drives their car has a worse rate. All drivers who use a vehicle need to be listed, and their crash history and driving experience will be used to calculate the principle driver’s insurance rate. Adding a learner driver may result in a $130–230 per year increase, depending on the location of residence. ICBC will be offering different discounts as well. There will no longer be the 10-year discount which was offered to those who had 10-plus years of driving experience. With the new system, a vehicle driving less than 5,000 km a year will be eligible to receive a 10 per cent discount. There is also a discount for vehicles with autonomous emergency braking (AEB). Vehicles that are equipped
with a factory-installed AEB are eligible to receive a 10 per cent discount because having an AEB system has been shown to help prevent crashes. The major problem for ICBC at the moment is the rising rate of car crashes. According to ICBC’s quick statistics, each year from 2013 the rate of crashes has increased. In 2013 there were a total of 260,00 crashes in B.C. and in 2017 that was raised to 350,000 crashes. According to ICBC, of all the crashes that occur on B.C. roads, approximately 60 per cent take place at intersections. One of the changes, other than the new insurance system, is that ICBC has created an intersection safety camera program. They have collaborated with the police and the provincial government to operate this program. The program has started in cities like Abbotsford where the intersection cameras are changed to speed cameras in order to help reduce car crashes. They’ve made this change at the intersection of Sumas Way and Lonzo Road in Abbotsford right before getting on the highway. The new rating system and the intersection safety camera program are being introduced to help reduce the number of crashes overall. According to Victoria News, Attorney General David Eby said everyone’s rates should see a decrease over time, even young drivers. While the changes were done to address the rising crash rates, ICBC’s first priority is to reduce their billion dollar deficits. We pay more for car insurance than anywhere else in Canada. According to ARC Insurance, in 2018 B.C. residents paid $1,680 on average annual premium. Now compare that to Quebec who has the lowest insurance premiums in Canada. They paid around $642 on average annual premiums in 2018. I love living in B.C., but one of the major downfalls is insurance rates.
UFV has now released the Winter 2020 timetable. Since I’m in the final year of my degree, this is the fourth time I’ve had to spend my October anxiously refreshing the timetable page on UFV’s website, waiting for the university to release next semester’s schedule. It always surprises me how late in the fall semester UFV waits to post the upcoming semester’s timetable. University of British Columbia (UBC) and Trinity Western University (TWU) post semester timetables differently than UFV. When students register for courses for the fall semester at UBC or TWU, they register for their winter semester courses as well. During registration in the summer, those students are able to plan out their entire upcoming academic year. With over 60,000 students attending the university each year, it seems unnecessary to me that UBC would release their course timetables in such a manner. Since there’s such a large amount of students, there needs to be enough classes for them all; therefore, there are copious sections of the same class offered, but at various times, on various days, and at various locations throughout campus. With so many options for class selections, I wonder why UBC releases their timetable yearly while UFV, a small uni-
versity with fewer options, only releases timetables semester by semester. With my major in English and a concentration in creative writing, I am required to take four credits of a Canadian literature class. But unfortunately, UFV usually only offers one upper-level Canadian literature course each semester. I’ve got two semesters left and I still haven’t taken those credits because of timetable conflicts or other required courses that seemed more urgent to take at the time. But if I would have had a full-year timetable in front of me for the 2019–2020 academic year I would have been able to actually take my Canadian literature credit this semester instead of another class that I thought would only be offered once a year (which it turns out is actually offered again in the Winter 2020 semester). I’m sure that I’m not the only one in this boat. TWU, which has even less students than UFV (only 4,000 a year), also offers a full-year timetable. With less students, fewer courses are being offered — making course planning more hectic — so a full-year timetable is assumably very helpful. If UFV ever begins to release the full academic year timetable, it will probably be once I’m out of here, but I can only hope they do so for the next generation’s sake.
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BRIEF BITS OF BITE-SIZED BREVITY
SN S AP HO TS
CURTAILED COMMENTARY ON CURRENT CONDITIONS
Illustrations by Kelly Ning
I lost my 911 virginity
On Friday night after a stressful day, I went out to eat with a friend at a cute little vegan diner only to walk in on the most intense atmosphere I have ever felt in a nice mom-andpop shop. I went to the counter to place my order for a great big plate of nachos because I was feeling some serious munchies. The server taking my order looked like the most stressed out young lady I had seen in a while, and this was during midterm season, so I had seen a lot of stressed out people lately. Then I heard a conversation behind me between two men get louder and more aggressive. I asked the girl if she was working there alone, and she said yes,
so I said I would call someone. So I phoned the police. While I was still on the phone with them the man who was causing the tension walked out, and the situation deescalated. The server was visibly flustered and super anxious as she called her manager to tell them what happened. All I wanted was a plate of nachos, but instead I had to phone the police on some guy who claimed he was the reaper and wouldn’t leave this cute little establishment alone. Are you confused? Me too. Don’t worry, eventually I got my plate of nachos, and a mac-and-cheese burrito too.
I read once that in order to make a bunch of fresh herbs last longer you need to put the stems in a cup of water and they’ll keep for the week. That was a lie. When I meal plan for the upcoming week on Sunday, there’s always at least one or two recipes that call for fresh Italian parsley or cilantro. Since I’m an obedient chef, I pick up the herbs when I go grocery shopping that evening then use them in my recipe(s).
Andrea Sadowski
Computers at UFV aren’t accommodating I wish that the computer lab or the computers in the library would allow students to adjust some settings of the display. The screen brightness is sometimes too high, which inhibits my ability to work on computers for a long period of time. I usually leave with a spinning head and aching eyes. The keyboards should also be more user-friendly. As someone who is studying languages, it’s always so tedious having to change the keyboard settings to add a different alphabet that I need to use. Different keyboard settings should be in-
Wilting Greens
stalled and ready to use so students don’t have to waste time downloading and installing them each time they turn on a computer. There’s a keyboard for English and Japanese, but none for French, Spanish, Russian, German, Chinese, or Punjabi. Given that UFV has an entire department dedicated to the study of languages, its computers should support multilingual use.
Emma Kent-Dion
Once I get to Thursday evening’s taco night, the cilantro is already wilting; it’s weak and flimsy. But my delicious lentil and carrot tacos need the burst of herby greens, so I make do and chop up the skimpy leaves, all the while wishing I had purchased fresh cilantro that day instead of several days before.
Carissa Wiens
A moment of time A moment. A moment is all that is needed. A moment is needed when you have to clear your head, escape from reality, or just to take a moment to reflect on the week. A moment is as time consuming as you choose to make it. It may be a minute, an hour, or whatever you choose. During this stressful time of year when you may encounter the busyness of midterm season, it is important to take the moment you need to remind yourself that you
are only human. Enjoy the small things that life brings you, because they may not be there tomorrow. So take the hour, recoup, go on a run, or free your mind in anyway you please, but take a moment. Take the moment to shine and polish yourself to then go back and kick school in the butt as you’ve done before. You got this, so go kick it.
Aneesha Narang
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Many sectors experiencing high degrees of growth, such as teaching, trades, and construction, are ones in which unions have the strongest presence. Other growing parts of the economy are non-traditional sectors dominated by freelance positions, like graphic design and ridesharing. Students about to enter any sector of the workforce need to understand unions in order to make informed decisions about the conditions they’ll be working in and how they can protect themselves as workers. This doesn’t necessarily mean joining a union, but it is important to know what they are, what they do, and who doesn’t want you to join one.
What is a union? Fundamentally, a union is a group of workers who agree to stand together in order to have more power when dealing with their employers; this is referred to as collective bargaining. Members pay dues — a membership fee — each month or year, and are granted all the benefits associated with their particular union. Every employee in Canada has the right to join a union. Employers cannot ban unions in a workplace, or discipline or fire an employee who tries to unionize. However, some employers do engage in union suppression. This can be done officially and legally, such as through training materials expressing the company’s stance on unions, or unofficially and illegally by threatening to discipline or fire employees caught talking about unionizing, or
by following through on those threats in order to discourage other workers from trying to unionize. In 2002, one Canadian study found that about 80 per cent of employers were “overtly and actively opposed” to unionization efforts. When a workplace is unionized, employees make decisions about their working conditions and negotiate with the employer as a group. When negotiations don’t go smoothly, unions may resort to striking, mediation, or binding arbitration, where a neutral third party evaluates the situation and makes a decision that both parties must adhere to. When it comes to solving problems at work, often the only leverage an individual worker has is their labour — but one employee threatening to quit is usually not very intimidating. Collective bargaining is more effective because all the workers are threatening to withhold their labour together, and employee turnover and productivity loss are extremely expensive for employers. Unions are often characterized as being primarily about getting higher wages for their members. While that is a common goal of many unions, collective bargaining can allow workers to assert their right to workplace safety, to secure vacation and sick days, to access affordable insurance, and more. The existence of a union is important in such cases. Often things that benefit workers cost money and, since the ultimate goal of a business is to make money, these can be things that employers would prefer not to do or provide — updated equipment, time off, and benefits all cost
money and cut into profits. Workers in non-union workplaces can also join unions in order to access other benefits, such as legal help, job training, and health coverage. These are paid for by the pooling of union dues which work like taxes, allowing small amounts of money to pay for things that members might not be able to afford on their own.
Having a union representative present for meetings also helps protect workers from personal mistreatment and abuse. Not all workers are aware of their rights in the workplace, and even when employees do know their rights it can be difficult to speak up if they fear retribution for complaining or drawing attention to bad practices. This is especially true for people who would have few other opportunities or supports if they lost their job, like the young, old, poor, and disabled. Even when workers do feel comfortable speaking up, there’s no guarantee that anything will happen. That’s where unions come in, and why collective bargaining is valuable.
ers who demand higher wages in this system stifle competition by forcing employers to pay more to make products, cutting into profits and keeping prices higher — which means that workers have less buying power.
What have unions done? In addition to negotiating with employers, unions have also had a significant impact on legislation. Canadian unions — and informal groups of workers doing things like collective striking — have generally been part of, if not the driving forces behind, the fights for minimum wage regulations, child labour laws, overtime pay and shift length limitations, weekends, sick days and vacation time, workplace safety regulations, and other aspects of work that many people take for granted. Today in British Columbia, the B.C. Federation of Labour’s Young Workers are pushing for a restrengthening of Grant’s Law. Grant De Patie, a gas station attendant from Maple Ridge, was killed while working alone on an overnight shift. Grant’s Law, which required businesses to staff more than one employee on overnight shifts, was put in place to protect workers. In 2012, the law was significantly weakened in response to successful lobbying by convenience store chains who didn’t want to pay for extra staff. Union work sites tend to be safer than nonunion sites, especially those in the resource industries, such as coal mines. Because union workers sometimes feel more free to report minor injuries, safety risks can be caught and dealt with before serious injuries occur. Many unions also routinely distribute safety information and offer training on safe work procedures. Joining a union can be particularly beneficial for women, people of colour, religious minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, or anyone who faces a greater risk of discrimination, mistreatment, and hostility in the workplace. That is not to say that unions are free of bias, personal or institutional, against minorities, but that minorities tend to benefit especially from collective bargaining compared to workers with more privilege. In the United States, women who are represented by unions tend to earn more, as do black and Hispanic people. High union membership has historically raised wages for all workers in an industry or sector, as non-union employers raise their wages to be competitive. Union decline has been linked to stagnant wages and income inequality both between genders and between the rich and poor.
What are the arguments against unions? Some of the most common arguments against labour unions are that they artificially inflate wages above their market value, inhibit job creation, and generally hurt businesses by affecting profit and competition. Arguments that unions hurt the economy are typically based on belief in freemarket determinism. Free-market determinism holds that, when businesses are free to compete with little or no regulation, the market will selfregulate to become fair and sustainable. Two main concepts are at work in this argument: first, that workers will compete with one another by accepting lower wages, and second, these lower wages will not decrease workers’ quality of life since the products they produce will also be cheaper. Work-
Some argue that labour unions artificially inflate wages because the lowest wage an employer could possibly hire someone for is the true market value of the work, and unions ask for more than that. The idea that unions prevent job creation follows logically, since higher wages means employers can afford to hire fewer people; the literature on whether or not higher wages do substantially affect unemployment is a mixed bag. Some studies find there is little or no effect, and others find that unemployment is increased. Detractors argue that the push for job creation at any wage point frames employment as a goal in itself, rather than the means by which people sustain themselves. If as many jobs as possible are created without any protection against low wages, everyone in the country could have one or several low-wage jobs at once, and still be unable to pay rent and buy food. People who live like this are called the “working poor”; many are considered unskilled workers, such as fast food workers or the people who work in Amazon fulfillment centres. There are over half a million working poor in British Columbia today. The counter-argument to competitive wage markets is that a strong minimum wage, set by unions or governments, can make it possible for people to make ends meet with just one job; this argument values quality over quantity. Furthermore, some research indicates that wealth being redistributed among the working class means that, rather than being saved and kept out of circulation, money will be spent right away, and the resulting economic boost can create jobs by raising demand for goods and services that are ordinarily out of reach for poor people. It should also be noted that unions are not always against competitive wages; it is not uncommon for unions to offer wage concessions to employers who are struggling, allowing them to lower wages for a certain period of time. Despite the fact that unions seem to fly in the face of the free market, some have argued that they are an important part of capitalism and that they emerge organically and predictably as a form of self-regulation within free-market determinism. There are also leftist critiques of unions, including that trade unions fail to foster class consciousness because they organize workers according to their particular trade, or by workplace. In this context, class consciousness refers to workers uniting not separately as welders, construction workers, or retail clerks, but as a class of society united by the fact that they work for others who profit off their labour. Some arguments against unions deal with more everyday issues. There are critiques from both conservatives and leftists that union structures aren’t as democratic as they should be, especially in larger organizations where leaders and rank and file members may be more distant from one another. Some say they protect workers who don’t do their jobs by making it difficult for employers to fire them, and that they cause employers to outsource labour to other countries where workers have less power. These are very real concerns; however, no union contract will protect workers from being fired if they aren’t doing their jobs or are causing problems in the workplace. Outsourcing is also a real problem; there is evidence that, in some circumstances, union power can lead to
higher rates of outsourcing. But, using this as an argument against unions rather than an argument against outsourcing tends to minimize the active role of business owners, who outsource in order to hire whatever workers they can pay the least. Government regulations against offshore outsourcing could be the solution as much as weakening protections for workers.
Who can join a union? The short answer is almost anyone with a job. The long answer is that there are unions for people in all different industries, some of which can be joined regardless of whether or not you belong to a unionized workplace. If you are an employee and you want to unionize your workplace, you can legally do so. Keep in mind that while you can not legally be fired for talking about unionization, your employer may not be required to prove that they fired you for other reasons. To unionize a workplace, you and a significant number (usually at least 40 per cent) of your coworkers who are not managers must each sign a membership card indicating that you want to become unionized. Usually, people choose to join a pre-existing union like Unifor or BCFED, who will file an application to bargain for you before a Labour Relations Board. The Labour Relations Board reviews the application and the membership cards it receives, and conducts a vote of eligible employees. If the majority vote to unionize, the union is certified, and your employer must recognize the union. Unions will be especially important for people in the creative industries in the coming years; as the gig economy grows, an increasing number of workers are no longer employees but contractors, who are technically self-employed. By hiring contractors instead of employees, employers avoid having to fulfill the obligations they have to employees, such as expense reimbursement, and paying hourly wages for time-consuming work. However, there are unions that exist for freelancers which provide a wide array of benefits, from press passes to health care and insurance. These unions are not able to set standards of work with employers, but can help individual members negotiate their contracts when needed.
Are unions for you? Unions are, of course, imperfect. Like all organizations, they can get bogged down in bureaucracy and they can be exploited by bad faith actors — but they can also be, as they have been in the past, important institutions in the fight for improving worker’s rights, preventing exploitation, and reducing poverty. If you’re interested in joining a union, the best way to address the issues that make many people hesitate is to get involved and push for change where it’s necessary. If you’re still wondering whether a union could work for you, get in touch with local representatives who can provide you with more information about their particular organizations, their projects, and their policies. If you haven’t entered the workforce in your chosen field yet — whether it’s teaching, trades, or anything in between — doing research about what unions are available to you could help you make a plan for your career.
Mikaela Collins is an inactive member of the Industrial Workers of the World, having not paid dues since leaving a position as a barista in October of 2018, and has not accessed any union benefits before or since that time.
CULTURE
VOL. 27 // ISSUE 24
culture@ufvcascade.ca Andrea Sadowski — Culture Editor
Community Event //
A night of cult films and craft beer
You're Invited to
Ravens Brewing hosts cult film movie night
during the movie, free of charge. For just $10, the event is a great deal. Beers were also available throughout the night for just $5, a $1.50 discount from their regular priced pints. Since I’ve been to the brewery before, I assumed the film would be playing on the 32-inch screen in the corner of the tasting room. I didn’t expect a large crowd, so it didn’t seem like a bad idea. But to my surprise, the staff opened up the back doors to the brewery where a large inflatable screen was propped up against stacks of kegs. There was ample seating for the crowd of approximately 20 people, and another bar in the back where all the beer and food were available. Hosting the event in the back of the brewery made it feel like an super exclusive event. It was excellent. I have never been one to watch scary movies with joy, but being together with others from the community who enjoy scary movies and delicious beer made the experience delightful — the free pizza helped too.
CARISSA WIENS Last Friday night Ravens Brewing Company hosted their second Cult and Craft Nights event. The brewery has partnered with local video production company, funFAYR Pictures, to provide a oncea-month evening of craft beer and cult classic films at the Abbotsford brewery. Noticing a lack of people who follow cult films in Abbotsford, the two groups banded together to provide a place for locals to enjoy a movie they may have never seen before. Cult films are often ones that were not huge box office successes when released, but have received a dedicated fan base regardless. The Cult and Craft Nights started last month with the screening of 1997’s Boogie Nights. This month the ’70s film, Halloween, was shown. For November, Michael Douglas’ The Game will be played. The $10 ticket includes entrance to the event and one beer. Pizza (good pizza, not frozen pizza) and popcorn were available
Club Spotlight //
Q&A with UFV’s Student Leisure Outdoor and Wilderness Club
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A mindful adventure a table at the Chilliwack U-Join.
KAREN WHITE I met with Michaela Reist, one of the presidents of the Student Leisure Outdoor and Wilderness (SLOW) club at UFV to talk about the club, upcoming events, and what students can expect from the club. When did your club form? It started this September. It’s very, very new. We have been trying to get ourselves out there. Unfortunately, neither one of us, myself and Sandeep Dosanjh [who is the other co-president] could be at the Abbotsford U-Join but we managed
What is the purpose of the SLOW club? We wanted to make it accessible to people of all skill levels and fitness levels. A lot of people, we found, felt really intimidated to join an actual hiking or outdoors club if they’re a new hiker … or have literally never done it. We don’t want it to seem intimidating. So we wanted SLOW being like, “Don’t worry, we’re not running up the mountain. We take our time and are mindful about it.” How often does the club meet?
We try to do a hike every two weeks. It probably will [change once the weather gets worse]. But when winter comes, we want to shift into snowshoeing and skiing trips and tobogganing. Just getting people out.
bring enough water, at least a litre and a half of water, and enough food to sustain them. I always bring bear spray with me and then also a first aid kit. I was a lifeguard for a really long time, so I am trained extensively in first aid.
Are there any safety precautions taken?
When is the club’s next event?
In all of our events, we state the elevations, we state how many kilometres it is, we state how many hours it should take us, and then we make sure the participants actually have proper hiking boots and ankle support. [We warn them if] this one has a lot of boulders, or if they shouldn’t bring dogs. We make sure they
Our next event should be in a couple weeks. For updates on the next event please look on our Facebook page: UFV Student Leisure Outdoor and Wilderness Club-SLOW or @SLOWUFV.
NOV 8 & 9, 12–16, 2019 ABBOTSFORD COMMUNITY ARTS ADDITION 2329 CRESCENT WAY, ABBOTSFORD
AN EPIC JOURNEY THROUGH TIME & SPACE
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For Tickets & Info
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
A Wrinkle in Time
Madeleine L’Engle’s
adapted by John Glore
CULTURE
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2019
Community Event //
Exploring diversity in the arts
A conversation about identity, culture and ethnicity with local artists ANDREA SADOWSKI On Tuesday, Oct. 22, The Reach Gallery hosted a panel discussion entitled Exploring Diversity, which was about creating space and supporting minorities in the field of arts. The event was sponsored by the UFV Alumni Association, the South Asian Studies Institute, and the B.C. Alliance for Arts and Culture. There were around 50 community members in attendance in the beautiful gallery space, and the event included a sign language interpreter. The event was moderated by Laura Schneider, the executive director of The Reach Gallery Museum, who highlighted key parts of the panelists’ answers and allowed space for everyone’s voice to be heard. The panelists included Sherlock Chen, a queer artist and UFV alumn; Alyssa Amarshi, a dancer and performer of Indo-Ismaili heritage; Jonny Williams, a Stó:lō artist from the Cheam First Nation; Suvi Bains, a photographer and expressive art therapist born and raised in Abbotsford in a South Asian Punjabi family; and Junie Désil, a Haitian/Canadian poet from New Westminster. The panelists were passionate and well-spoken as they talked about the need for this conversation on minorities being represented in the arts, their hardships and successes in their work, and what steps can be taken to ensure greater inclusion for everyone in the arts as well. The first question of the evening was, “Why is this conversation important in the arts and is it different in the arts than it is in other fields?” Désil pushed the need to troubleshoot the word “diversity,” to understand what it really means in order to ensure that all voices and life experiences are represented in the arts. Bains touched on the importance of all people being able to see themselves reflected in the institutions they go to and the art they see being created. Chen brought us back to recognizing why the arts are a crucial part of society. He noted that thinking of the arts simply as paintings framed in a gallery is seeing it as the cherry on top of a cake; however, we need to see art as the baking soda in the whole society, as “it makes everything rise, makes everything more coherent, resilient, sustainable, aesthetic.” When asked what challenges they had experienced or witnessed
in art, their discipline, or their community, the artists touched on problems regarding the intense competition they face as minorities, and the challenge of being hired as a token representative of their culture. Williams shared the challenge he faces as a Stó:lō artist who is expected to conform to the style of art of his nation, as all First Nations groups have a different artistic style that represents who they are through their paintings, clothing, and carvings. The classic art of the Haida Gwaii First Nation is different from Kwantlen First Nation, who is different from Cheam First Nation. Williams struggled with the criticism he got as he created his own style of art, not necessarily conforming to First Nations or Stó:lō art, as he was told he was doing it wrong and was challenged even within his own community. Amarshi spoke on the policing of identity that she felt within her art form and shared about the censorship she felt she had to apply to what she said. She spoke on how careful she had to be in her own art form as someone of Indo-Ismaili heritage partaking of a dance style of the West Indies (a style normally belonging to black Jamaican people), of knowing her place, of wanting to be authentic to the style but at the same time “paying homage and giving space to other people.” On a more institutional level, she spoke on the struggle all artists face, which is finding funding and space. Living in a capitalist society, there is a limited amount of room for artists, and that results in competition and restrictions on the way artists create their art, especially if it feels as if there can only be one artist “on top.” Bains spoke about the barriers and stereotypes she had to overcome growing up in East Abbotsford, and the courage it took to be authentic in her work. She shared her experience of exhibiting her work of Sikh men with long, unshorn hair, and how this allowed her to break some stereotypes and politically challenge ways of thinking about South Asian men. Désil spoke on the difficulty she faced being a person of colour in the performing arts, and being expected to “trot out” all of the challenges that go along with that identity. She compared baring her soul as an artist as becoming a sort of “trauma porn.” But sometimes writing about this pain is the only thing that gets your foot in the door and what gets you the money. “Here I am, as an artist writing
this stuff that is very traumatic. Imagine having to write the things that are difficult, the horrible secrets, all of that stuff that your community experiences and then being evaluated on that piece and whether or not it should be published,” said Désil. Then the conversation switched over to a more optimistic topic, and Schnieder asked, “What are some of the most exciting or inspiring initiatives that you have witnessed or participated in recently?” Amarshi shared on a jungle gym drop-in, an interdisciplinary playground for artists that is not linked to production or commodity. Bains spoke about her work with UBC’s Asian-Canadian-Asian migration dialogue. Chen spoke on the opportunities for artist residency in firms unrelated to the arts, which he defined as essentially “bringing artists and cultural workers into ... organizations to realize how much arts and culture and a different perspective will change their staff member’s perspective in their own work.” Williams spoke on all of the work being done already to remember the language of Halq’eméylem and the cultural traditions of the Cheam First Nations. The last question addressed by the artists was “What are some of the most important systemic or structural changes that can be deployed to address the issues that you have faced or witnessed?” They gave suggestions such as ensuring a diversity of staff and board members in organizations, and making spaces and events accessible for all people. “It’s about making sure, especially as a tiny brown woman, that I take up space, to make sure that it is okay for me to take up space but also realize that there are other people here and their stories matter too and their expressions matter too,” said Amarshi. I think what this panel solidified was that there is room at the table for everyone in the art community of the Fraser Valley. Although minorities experience their own unique set of challenges in the industry, all identities are welcome and celebrated. The panelists were open, honest, and heart-felt with their answers, demanding change and celebrating all that has been done so far to ensure diversity in the arts space. Press for this change yourself by supporting and buying art from BIPOC (black, Indigenous, and people of colour) artists and holding organizations accountable for doing the same.
Column //
Cascade Kitchen: Fall pumpkin spiced crepes EMMA KENT-DION The Cascade Kitchen is a student-run food column that brings you budget-friendly recipes and cooking tips. Check back bi-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. The fall season has been kind to us this year, with mild weather and some rainy days. Pumpkin everything is back and here’s another item on the list: pumpkin spice crepes! I have been making crepes essentially all my life, and this is my spin on our family recipe. Pumpkin spiced crepes: 256 g (2 cups) flour 5.7 g (1 tsp) salt 12.5 g (1 tbsp) brown sugar 5 g (2 tsp) cinnamon 5 g (2 tsp) nutmeg (freshly shredded preferred) 2 eggs 750 ml (3 cups) milk 5.6 g (1 tbsp) Watkins Pumpkin Spice Extract 60 ml (1/4 cup) melted butter or margarine Tip: The crepes can be made vegan by replacing the eggs with two mashed bananas, and the milk and butter for dairy-free alternatives. Drizzle: 200 g (1 cup) brown sugar 60 g (1/4 cup) half and half cream 60 ml (1/4 cup) butter 4.2 g (1 tsp) vanilla extract Serves: 12 1.
Start by adding in flour, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Mix until combined. In a second bowl add eggs and milk. Whisk them together, then add your Watkins Pumpkin Spice Extract in to the mix. Combine the dry and wet ingredients together and whisk until there are no clumps. The trick with crepes is to get a thin viscosity (really runny) batter. If it’s clumpy and thick, add more milk.
2. There is a such thing as a crepe pan, but if you don’t have one, a non-stick frypan should work. Add butter, oil, or margarine to the pan and set the heat to mediumhigh. Use a ladle to scoop the batter and pour it into the pan, use the pan to spread the batter out all across the bottom surface of the pan. Try to avoid going on the sides of the pan because it will make it harder to flip. Flip when the surface of the crepe looks tacky but not wet. They don’t take long to cook, so watch the surface closely! You’ll want to brown it a bit to caramelize the brown sugar in the crepe. 3.
To make the drizzle, add the cream and butter into a saucepan at high heat. Once the cream and butter are warmed up, add brown sugar and blend the ingredients together until it boils. Keep whisking for 1-2 minutes, then shut off the heat and continue whisking.
You may dress the crepes with maple syrup, drizzle, and whipping cream, and enjoy!
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SPORTS
VOL. 27 // ISSUE 24
sports@ufvcascade.ca Alex Jesus — Sports Editor
Q&A //
Veronica Kobes: one of UFV basketball’s fastest developing players players, arguably deserving of a starting role on the team. For her, basketball began not as a solo Anyone watching the Cascades women’s mission, but rather as a family sport. She basketball team recently may have noticed started playing basketball in grade eight, their deep bench of players who sub into following in her brother’s footsteps. games. Sure, they don’t start, but some of Unlike academic studies, which Kobes the most exciting players on any team hap- was a natural at, basketball was a diffipen to be bench players, as they routinely cult challenge for the forward who started building skills in highschool. “I wasn’t very good, like, at all. Grade ten I started to get a little bit better, then in grade eleven I got too aggressive so I fouled out almost every game. Then grade twelve it kind of fell together. It was kind of fun but I was by no means good.” Kobes is hesitant to heap praise on herself, but the fact that she plays for UFV betrays her value. Standing at 6’2’’, KoVeronica Kobes. Abbotsford, BC. Oct. 19, 2019. (UFV Athletics) bes attributes her height to put out solid numbers and well-timed what started her in basketball, but it was plays. her skills that got her onto the Cascades, a The same can be said for Veronica Ko- U SPORTS program playing at the highest bes. A fourth-year forward, she’s slowly level for a university team in Canada. built herself up as a player to feature as Going from a single A high school to one of the Cascades’ most important bench UFV was quite a journey, one that Kobes
ALEX JESUS
never imagined taking when she first started. “I would say I’ve always enjoyed basketball but I was never in highschool like ‘Oh, I’m going to go play basketball at another place’. It was just something fun to do … But now it’s become obviously a huge part of my life.” For Kobes, her Cascades career really took off last season, and she had some memorable key games. In a frustrating pre-season game against UBC, she realized that she needed to keep grinding to get more minutes on the court. This led to a game against UBCO just before Christmas where she finally found what she had been looking for: a solid game, with minutes where she could showcase her ability not necessarily to others, but to herself. “I would say the UBCO game was more like, okay maybe this will work out, because up to that point it was just determination,” Kobes said. As to how Kobes views her own game, she sees herself as a valuable contributor in the way forwards usually are: the ability to rebound and play in the post. “I’m mostly a rebounder. I’d say that’s my main thing. I love to run in transition and just rebound.” Kobes says her main motivation is to keep pushing towards new goals. “I just like to constantly challenge myself, to keep proving myself, whether that’s in basketball, in school, or even outside of that. I love school, I love learning. It kind of comes easy. I wouldn’t say it’s a huge challenge. I challenge myself to do as well as I can, but basketball does not come easy to me. I have to work a lot harder for it.” Come watch the Cascades when they open their season at home later next month against UBCO on Nov. 15 and 16 with the games starting at 6:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. respectively.
Volleyball //
Professional volleyball is taking off in Canada KAREN WHITE Canada has launched a professional volleyball league in Ontario and Calgary. The league, ONE Volleyball Premier League, will have four men’s and four women’s teams that are made up of the best volleyball players from all over Canada. Each women’s team will play each other twice and each men’s team will play each other twice over the span of two months with a Premier Cup final at the end. Most volleyball coaches want their athletes to pursue professional volleyball and to keep that as their goal to strive for. The Premier League could offer UFV volley-
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ball players that experience. ONE Volley was started by Panda volleyball alumnus Jaki Ellis and Golden Bears alumnus Jarron Mueller. The Pandas and Golden Bears are two separate volleyball teams from the University of Alberta. “There has been a great need for a pro league in North America as we are the only continent to not have one. It also provides opportunities for Canadian coaches to expand their experience and knowledge in the game,” Janelle Rozema, UFV’s women’s volleyball coach, said over email. Rozema has played some professional volleyball herself in Australia and was even signed to play indoor in Prague but
ended up not following through on it. UFV’s men’s volleyball coach Nathan Bennett is also a former professional player. He played in Europe for 12 years. “This was an amazing time in my life. The lifestyle, the different countries, meeting different people from different cultures,” Bennett said over email. Athletes do not have to pay a fee to play in the league, and the winning team will be awarded a contract bonus. Rozema and Bennett feel that professional volleyball offers a great experience that athletes should strive for. “I think professional volleyball is a great goal for our U SPORTS athletes to shoot for. It’s a great way to expose them
UFV Cascades Sports Scores Oct. 25 – Oct. 27, 2019
Women’s Soccer Game/Date: UFV versus University of Alberta/Friday, Oct. 25 Score: UFV 1 UofA 0 Game/Date: UFV versus Trinity Western University/Sunday, Oct. 27 Score: UFV 1 TWU 2
Men’s Volleyball Game/Date: UFV versus College of the Rockies/Saturday, Oct. 26 Score: UFV 3 CofR 1 Game/Date: UFV versus College of the Rockies/Sunday, Oct. 27 Score: UFV 3 CofR 1
Women’s Volleyball Game/Date: UFV versus College of the Rockies/Saturday, Oct. 26 Score: UFV 0 VIU 3 Game/Date: UFV versus College of the Rockies/Saturday, Oct. 19 Score: UFV 2 VIU 3
to international volleyball and, ultimately, contribute to making volleyball in Canada stronger,” Rozema said. “Professional volleyball is a wonderful experience, and it is my goal as a coach to work with the athletes to prepare them for professional volleyball. To be able to have the choice and hopefully choose to play overseas is an invaluable experience,” Bennett said. The professional league will also give athletes the opportunity to travel the world and experience different cultures. For one to participate in the league, they must apply to be in the athlete draft. The draft for 2019 ended on May 1. For anyone interested, there is always next year!
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2019
Men’s Volleyball //
The Cascades picked up one win over the weekend
After a pair of losses against Vancouver Island, the Cascades looked to bounce back against College of the Rockies to end the game in the fourth. Although the Cascades fought for every point, the Avalanche would not let up. Late in the match, after a 23-23 tie, the Avalanche got two more points, resulting in them winning the set. With the fifth and final set, the Cascades were able to take the lead 2-1, but once the Avalanche took the next point, they did not subside. Although UFV’s Landon Uy and Dylan Neudorf were able to add two lategame points onto the board for the Cascades, the Avalanche were able to answer with two of their own, resulting in the Avalanche taking the last match 15-8 and the overall game 3-2. As each team over the weekend picked up a win, the Cascades ended the weekend with a record of 3-3. Next weekend, the Cascades will once again be hosting a pair of games at Envision Financial Centre on the Abbotsford campus. On Friday, Nov. 1 and Saturday, Nov. 2 they will be taking on the Camosun Chargers at 8 p.m. and 3 p.m. respectively.
NIC JACKSON Heading into the weekend, the UFV’s men’s volleyball team held a record of 2-2. The Cascades started out the season with two wins against Columbia Bible College, but were unable to claim a win against Vancouver Island University in their two games. This weekend the Cascades were at home, hosting the College of the Rockies Avalanche in a two-game series. The first game took place Saturday, where the Cascades came out eager to add another point to the win column. In the first set, the teams were evenly matched. With the Cascades hungry for the lead, they were just able to grab the set point with a score of 25-23. During the second set the two teams once again fought for every play, but fortunately for the Cascades, the second set ended with the same score as the first. In Saturday’s third set, it looked as if the Cascades were about to have another close match; however, the Cascades were able to take the tight score of 17-15 for the Avalanche, and add another 10 points to the Avalanche’s one. With a score of 25-18, the Cascades won their third set of the game, and took home the win. With a dominating win against the Avalanche already behind them in the weekend, the Cascades headed into Sunday’s game strong and confident. As the first set started, the Avalanche took an early 3-1 lead, but once the Cascades took the lead, they were able to keep it until the set ended. Starting the second set, UFV found themselves down early once again. This time, the Avalanche were able to increase their lead by 10, with a score of 21-11. Although the Cascades were able to cut the score differential in half with a score of 23-18, the Avalanche found two more points, winning their first set of the match. In similar fashion to the first two sets, the next two sets would see each team picking up a point. In the third, both teams were eager to claim the point, but after the game sat at 20-19 in favour of UFV, the Avalanche were only able to grab another two points to UFV’s five points. With the Cascades claiming two of the first three sets, UFV battled
Landon Uy. Abbotsford, BC. Oct. 11, 2019. (UFV Athletics)
Women’s Soccer //
Cascades end their season with a 2-1 loss against TWU
Perkovic’s shutout results in Cascades winning their first round of playoffs, before being eliminated in the second round NIC JACKSON
Last weekend the Cascades were able to clinch a spot in the playoffs. Ending up in fifth place in the Canada West Pacific division, the Cascades began their postseason against the Canada West Prairie division’s fourth-ranked team, the University of Alberta Pandas. The last time the two teams met was on Sept. 22 this season. Unfortunately for the Cascades, two late-game goals for the Pandas resulted in a 2-2 tie. During the first half of Friday’s game, the Cascades looked hungry to start the scoring. Before half-time, the Cascades only allowed the Pandas to take a total of three shots, while they managed to take nine of their own. Unfortunately, despite taking triple the shots of their opponents, the Cascades and the Pandas left the first half still tied at 0-0. As the Cascades and the Pandas played through the second half of the game, the shot differential between the teams narrowed. The second half saw the Cascades only make three scoring attempts, while the Pandas took seven. Although the Cascades were shooting less in the latter half of the game, they were able to open the scoring in the 55th minute of play. This goal came when Cascades’ Kailyn Halvorson made a long pass forward in the air. Meeting Halvorson’s pass was teammate Kate Fisher, with a header that sent Cascades’ Bryana Buttar on a breakaway. With a Pandas defender trying to catch up to her, Buttar battled to keep the ball in her possession before smacking it past Pandas’ goalkeeper, Ashley Turner. After the Cascades took the lead 1-0, the Pandas continued to press in the of-
fensive end. Fortunately for the rest of the Cascades team, their goalkeeper, Andrea Perkovic, continued to stop everything that went her way. Out of the Pandas’ 10 shooting attempts throughout the game, only one was not on net. Perkovic’s stellar performance, paired with Buttar’s goal, saw the Cascades win their first game in their playoff run 1-0. After winning the game against Alberta, the Cascades had less than 48 hours before they started their second round of playoffs. This time the Cascades were up against their division leaders, the Trinity Western Spartans, in another single match knockout. The last time the two teams met was on Oct. 11 and 13, where the Cascades left the weekend losing both games. The first half of Sunday’s game saw the Cascades down after 20 minutes of play. Although there were still nearly 25 minutes of play left in the half, the Cascades were unable to find themselves a shooting opportunity. Once the second half started, the two teams fought over the ball; however, in the 56th minute of play, Cascades’ Brittney Zacharuk was able to tie up the game for the Cascades. Unfortunately for the Cascades, Zacharuk’s goal was shortly followed by a goal from Trinity Western’s Jenaya Robertson. With nearly 30 minutes left of play after Robertson’s goal, neither team was able to add to the score, and the game ended with a 2-1 victory for the Spartans. Although they battled hard throughout the game, the loss against the Spartans concluded the Cascades’ postseason run.
Slapshots // A nightmare of soccer and rain Throughout elementary school my parents signed me up for the typical after-school activities: piano and soccer. I despised both of them; piano challenged me to be patient while soccer challenged me to withstand the cold. But the one who took the cake for being the worst for a fifth grader who liked to spend her evenings petting her cat was soccer. We rarely had practice canceled because of the weather. If it rained during our scheduled field time we usually still stayed outside. But I remember one evening at practice there was a gym available for us to
scrimmage in instead of having to weather the rain. Having dry toes was blissful, and not having to stick my hands under my armpits to keep them warm was magical. Looking back, I can see that was the one time I felt somewhat happy at practice. At this time of year when I drive past lit soccer fields in the evenings, I see so many young ones chase the ball in torrential downpours and I thank all that is good and pure in the world that I don’t have to be them.
Carissa Wiens
I love football, but we need to change something Look, I love football as much as the next casual follower of the sport: I have a team I cheer for, I jump up when key tackles are made, and I even call my friends over to watch the games. That said, concussions in football are getting really, really ugly. Now, I know what you might be thinking. I’m aware the game is safer now than it was five, 10, or 20 years ago. That doesn’t change the fact that watching guys get carried off the field on stretchers makes me think that there’s a solution to this problem. Sometimes I see guys get knocked out one week, then get back on the field the fol-
lowing Thursday, Sunday, or Monday! By contrast, athletic commissions that oversee sports where being concussed is more common (boxing, mixed martial arts) are known to give sometimes months worth of medical suspensions for seemingly similar situations. I’m not a hater, and I’m certainly not trying to take the fun out of football. I just want to watch the game, cheer for my team, and see some changes so players aren’t carried off the field with concussions every week.
Alex Jesus
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STUDY BREAK Crossword //
VOL. 27 // ISSUE 24
Made by Andrea Sadowski DOWN
ACROSS
1: Something you may use to get rid of bad breath.
1: An island off the coast of Spain, belonging to the Balearic Islands.
2: A behavioural characteristic assigned to those with conditions regarded as rare. 4: The residue that remains when something is burned. 5: A self-contained housing unit in a building containing many others. 7: A piece of fabric that is generally placed on the floor. 9: An acronym for a paramilitary organization in Europe. 11: Used to express the sound of a hiccup.
3: To put out of one’s memory or knowledge. 6: A food product made from a pig. 8: A wind instrument you can hold in the palm of your hand. 10: A common gift of celebrities to their adoring fans. 12: A tiny creature who lives in a colony and has an incredible amount of strength. 13: Something that releases a fragrant smoke when burned.
LAST ISSUE’S
ANSWERS: Down: 1: Acerbic 2: Abuttal 3: Options 4: Erroneousness 8: Layover 9: Episode 10: stepson
14: A food produced by the bacterial fermentation of milk.
Across: 1: Abalone 5: Equator 6: Bitcoin 7: Cold Shoulders 11: Skydive 12: Envious 13: Surgeon
Cascade Calamities
Horoscopes //
Your weekly life predictions as told by Ang the Great
Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19 You may be feeling some sharp peaks and low valleys in your emotions this week, and such fluctuations may cause stress and anxiety not only to yourself, but to others around you as well. Give your emotions the space they need, but keep them in control. Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20 There is tension brewing amongst your circle of friends; avoid getting dragged into dramatic fights this week and stay away from that negative energy. Sometimes there is nothing you can do to stop a bad situation other than just removing yourself from it.
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Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22 The time is now! If you are waiting for a sign to do that thing that has been at the back of your mind for the past couple months, or even the past couple of years, this is your sign! The time is right: Mars is now in a critical position for you to make things happen this week.
Illustration by Elyssa English Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21 You will be called to take a position of leadership sometime in the near future. Prepare yourself for greatness by prioritizing your health and solidifying the message you want to pass on to others. You may be asked for your opinion on many matters of importance.
Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22 Watch your back this week, as a person you thought was your friend or your ally may not be. Keep a close eye on people and watch for hidden agendas.
Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19 You will be drawn to someone who is the complete opposite of you this week. Be open to this person and willing to learn from them. It may be a struggle to see eye-to-eye on all matters, but you two will connect in a way you have never felt before.
Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20 Strengthen your boundaries this week; your personal boundaries define how you allow people to treat you, and you have been letting these lines grow weaker and easier to cross. Be stringent and clear on setting your boundaries in place with your co-workers, friends, and family.
Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22 You’ve got too much on your plate right now. Your to-do list has been the length of your arm for too long, and it could be time to scale back some of those ambitious goals you had for this semester. Take a breather and come back to them once things have settled down.
Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18 With Pluto in retrograde, it is time for you to do some work on forgiveness and closure. Perhaps you need to work on forgiving your partner, an estranged family member, a longlost friend, or maybe even yourself.
Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22 An exciting, passionate romance is awaiting you over the horizon. Someone will soon be along to sweep you off your feet and make you feel all sorts of butterflies. But the pleasure will be short lived, so enjoy it while it lasts.
Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21 Your conversations will be full of light and love this week. There will be nothing but positive vibes coming from your aura as you shine rays of light to all of those around you.
Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20 Your fuse is short this week as you have been burning the candle at both ends for far too long. Your lack of sleep, lack of exercise, and general lack of mental well-being are going to affect those around you as you may lose your temper faster than usual. Look after yourself, for the sake of those who love you.
arts@ufvcascade.ca Chandy Dancey — Arts Editor
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2019
ARTS
Book //
Toil & Trouble: overcoming adversity as a witch CHANDY DANCEY Toil & Trouble: A Memoir marks the ninth autobiographical novel by Augusten Burroughs, renowned gay memoirist. His other memoirs delved into intimate subjects like growing up in a dysfunctional family, experiencing sexual abuse, and his alcoholism. But this one embraces a wholly different side of Burroughs: he’s a witch. If you’ve read critically acclaimed books, you’ll be used to cover pages having the author’s name dwarf the actual title of the book, or they’ll have plastered anywhere they can: “New York Times bestseller!” Although Burroughs has had much success with his earlier memoirs — including having one adapted into a film — he’s left these details off the cover of Toil & Trouble. In an interview with BookPage, he explained: “This is not a book for people who have read and loved my previous books — although it is! But really, this is for people who feel like they’re the only ones [who are witches], because I literally feel like the only one. I’ve felt like a freak my whole life because I’m a witch, a thing that doesn’t exist that absolutely exists.” Burroughs starts off the novel with the proclamation that he doesn’t believe in creatures of the supernatural like vampires or zombies, but that being a witch is completely separate. Witches aren’t the broom-riding, children-eating hags of fairy tales, but instead people who are able to concentrate their intentions and manifest the extraordinary. Burroughs describes how he
comes from a long line of witches, including family members that denounced it and others that used it to foretell the future. The memoir is made up of anecdotes from Burroughs’ childhood mixed in with a present day plot of moving houses with his husband and a pack of dogs. Sprinkled throughout is his unique strain of dark humour. One example that ties together his wit and his endless supply of coincidences (that end up being witchcraft related) is when he talked back to a teacher, declaring she had the soul of a cashier. Decades later, he visited a convenience store in his hometown and found the same teacher working there at the register. The only thing disappointing about Toil & Trouble is that, when you boil it down, it’s just the recounting of a strange series of coincidences. Do I believe they’re related to the fact that Burroughs is a witch? Sure. Regardless, when they make up the bulk of the book, they lose their oomph fast. I found myself enjoying the book while I was waiting for a bus or had nothing else to do, but by no means was I gripped by the anecdotes or the overarching plot of a very nice, gay couple moving to the country from Manhattan. This lack of engagement could be because of Burroughs’ narrow topic choice since the writing itself is clever and witty. After the first few chapters though, you get the point that Burroughs has had too many coincidences in his life to be normal, and there isn’t much more depth to the book beyond that. Detractors of Burroughs’ work often question the veracity of his memoirs — which is fair given
that he’s written nine of them now, all chock-full of the shocking and dramatic. While reading Toil & Trouble though, I came to a conclusion: it really doesn’t matter if his memoirs are more fiction than nonfiction. However, I hope some aspects of them are true. It’s inspiring that someone can go against the odds and make a career out of overcoming enormous hurdles like trauma
and addiction. Everyone wants a happy ending, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading Burroughs’: he lives out his days with his loving husband, surrounded by a whole bunch of dogs. Toil & Trouble offers a candid look at another aspect of Burroughs’ life in the form of witchcraft. Although it’s able to be enjoyed by long-time fans and newcomers alike, I’d recommend
new readers start with one featuring a wider range of topics. Toil & Trouble may have lacked the depth needed to be engaging because of its narrow subject matter, but make no mistake about it: Burroughs is still a talented author able to mix just the right amount of humour into his eventful life stories to make the read one hell of a ride.
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VOL. 27 // ISSUE 24
Movie //
CHARTS
SHUFFLE
1 Kristin Witko
AARON LEVY
2 Becky Ninkovic
CIVL Station Manager Aaron Levy wishes you a sick Hallow's Eve, y'all, with some classics and some brand spankin' newbies, too.
Zone Of Exclusion Woe
3 Kristin Ludwig Wasted Time
4 5 6 7
Peach Pyramid Bright Blue
Tracy Morgan - “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah”
What I consider to be the number one and all-time clasWynne sic Halloween novelty song, If I May (Single) due almost exclusively to its tasteful yet hilarious existence Woolworm as a vehicle for Tracy Morgan Let Me Wear the Mask to portray a limitless, comedic shill, appropriating both the (single) Hebraic coming of age and the Monster Mash with brilMr. Merlot liant ease. City Sex Vol. 2
8
Corridor Junior
9
The Pink Elephants Mirrored Times
Spoon 10 Rae Mental Health
11 CXCX Chu Chu
Yellow Tape (Single)
12 Zach Fanta I Ain't Tha 1
13 Devours
Iconoclast
14 Jom Comyn Crawl
15 Tegan And Sara
Hey, I'm Just Like You
16 Mauvey
Whole Live Mauvey
17 Micah Erenberg
Love is Gonna Find You
18 Lex Junior Driftin'
19 Knife Wife
Family Party
20 FK Dame FKI
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DOES ANYONE REALLY KNOW?
Backstreet Boys - “Everybody (Backstreet's Back)” From the novelty to the… novelty? I can't remember whether or not these guys were America's male answer to the Spice Girls, or whether Pearlman speared the “Spice Boys” first off the bat, but regardless this comeback song, which made no sense to me as a 14-year-old, slays. Gob - “I Hear You Calling” Local content from a fella who's coming back to town for an end of November show coming up at Replay Boardshop where singer/guitarist Theo will bring his new solo project. This mall-punk classic has a spooky soccer-zombie video that seems out of place but was maybe released Halloween-ish. Loans - “Tombstone” This is a brand new track with an imminently dropping video that you'll have to check out in order to see some of this year's best acting in a music video this side of the MasonDixon line. Arbitrary cutoff, but I think you're still picking up what I'm throwing down.
Joker holds a mirror to ourselves ALEISTER GWYNNE Joker, directed by Todd Phillips, follows the story of Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix). When we first see Arthur, he is a mildmannered man who makes a meagre living as a rent-a-clown twirling store signs on city sidewalks, but hopes to make it big as a stand-up comedian. His sign is stolen by a gang of kids who, after a desperate chase, lure him into an alley and brutally beat him. This is the ignominious beginning of the descent into madness that will result in the Joker, perhaps one of the most iconic supervillains in pop culture. Joker shows us how such a character came to be, and the answer we are given is a deeply unsettling one. To begin with, it is important for would-be viewers of this film to know what they are getting into. If you are expecting an action-packed superhero movie, you will not find that in Joker. If you are expecting a dark comedy, you will not find that either. This is not to say that Joker is without action or comedy, but what there is disturbs and provokes instead of thrilling or
amusing. The Joker’s own assertion is that “My life is a comedy,” but the film plays more like a tragedy. Despite being set in the universe of a comic book superhero, Joker does not feel like a “superhero movie.” References to Gotham City and occasional appearances by the Wayne family are all that remind us that this is indeed the Batman universe. The story takes place before Bruce Wayne becomes Batman, and most of it takes place before Arthur becomes the Joker. As for jokes, there are plenty, but you will probably not be laughing at many of them. The Joker’s sense of humour may be sick and twisted with its emphasis on death and violence, but the jokes of the stand-up comedians he tries to emulate are not much better. The jokes of people other than the Joker often struck me as crude, mean-spirited, and politically incorrect. The Joker states at one point that humour is not only subjective, but that in large part society dictates whether something is considered funny or not, regardless of how individuals think or feel. Sometimes I am laughing with the Joker, other times I am laughing with the “normal people,” but most
often nobody is laughing at all. Speaking of laughter, Arthur has a neurological condition that causes him to laugh compulsively regardless of his feelings. Sometimes his laughter is the product of genuine amusement, but more often it comes as a result of anxiety or hurt feelings. This, of course, is often misinterpreted by other characters who think he finds inappropriate situations funny. These misunderstandings contribute to the character’s isolation. Arthur writes in his journal that the worst thing about being mentally ill is having to pretend you’re not. As far as we are shown, Arthur has always struggled with mental health issues. He also suffers from the effects of childhood trauma and was institutionalized on at least one occasion before the story starts. One gets the sense that Arthur’s life was always going to turn out badly. Yet, perhaps he would not have become the scourge that is the Joker if the people and world around him had not pushed him over the edge. Arthur repeatedly suffers cruelty at the hands of ordinary people as well as those he trusts and looks up to. Episodes of brutal violence that begin as desperate acts of self-defence soon spiral out of control, first into impulsive, then premeditated, lashing out at those around him. The Joker becomes an inadvertent symbol of the frustration of Gotham’s common people. They struggle to make ends meet, surrounded by ugliness and danger while the elite have lives of peace and plenty. Reports of three prominent businessmen (the first people Arthur kills) murdered by a man in a clown mask make the Joker into a symbol of rage against a world filled with suffering and injustice. Toward the film’s end, Gotham is in flames as hordes of people wearing clown masks engage in a mass outburst of blind violence. Arthur was especially vulnerable due to his underlying mental health issues and traumatic experiences, but the film shows that even otherwise ordinary people can be driven to do horrible things if subjected to a sufficiently negative environment. That, more than anything, is what really stuck with me about Joker. The film’s sobering central message shows that, given similar pressures and vulnerabilities as poor Arthur, any of us could become the Joker.
ARTS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2019
Rewind // Halloween Double Feature //
Pet Sematary: the eternal yearning to cheat death KAREN WHITE The original Pet Sematary is a horror film from 1989 and was not well received by critics. Personally, I don't think it holds up too well either. Don’t get me wrong; it was still fun to watch, but it’s not for the film majors in the room. The film is an adaptation of a Stephen King novel, and the screenplay was written by him as well. A remake of Pet Sematary came out this year and was received better by critics. Pet Sematary starts off with the Creed family moving into a new house. The father, Louis (Dale Midkiff), is a doctor who has just taken a position as the director of a nearby university’s campus health centre. He has a wife, Rachel (Denise Crosby), and two children, Ellie (Blaze Berdahl) and Gage (Miko Hughes). The family notices a path by their house and asks their neighbour Jud (Fred Gwynne) about it. Jud takes them down the path to a pet cemetery. When the family cat, Church, dies later in the movie while Rachel and the kids are away for Thanksgiving, Jud tells Louis that there is a way to fix things. Louis, who is unwilling to devastate his daughter with her cat’s death, goes along with Jud’s idea. They go down the path through the cemetery to a creepy looking burial ground and Louis buries Church. The next day he’s back but different. Church is no longer friendly, and he
reeks. The film then takes a turn when Gage, a toddler, runs out into the street and gets hit by a semi-truck. His death ruins the family. Louis is warned by Jud not to bring his son back because the last time it was done on a human it went terribly wrong. Louis ignores the warning and buries his son in the burial ground. That night Gage comes back but with the instincts of a killer. He takes his father’s surgical instrument and kills Jud and his own mother. Pet Sematary is a depiction of a normal family that is made vulnerable by the yearning to cheat death. Though the film has a good premise, and Stephen King’s fans will most likely enjoy it because it follows the novel closely, it falls flat. The foreshadowing of Gage’s death is overused. Over and over we see huge semi-trucks driving by being overemphasized by their loudness, leaving the audience wondering when someone is eventually going to get hit. The leading actors were also not very engaging. When the film first came out and the special effects were not so outdated, Pet Sematary might have been scary, but the only thing somewhat creepy about this film is Gage coming back to life holding his father’s scalpel, laughing while killing Jud. We don’t even see Gage kill his own mother. Overall, Pet Sematary is laughable and entertaining but struggles to keep your attention throughout the entirety of the film.
The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror is terrifyingly hilarious
“I Know What You Diddly-Iddly-Did”
DARIEN JOHNSEN The Simpsons have been doing their Halloween Treehouse of Horror episodes since season two aired in 1990. The Halloween specials (given progressive roman numerals) are heavy on social commentary and critique, like the show, and include three mini-installments in each episode. Most Halloween episodes are hilarious plays on traditional Halloween tales such as Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven,” “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” cleverly renamed “It’s the Grand Pumpkin, Milhouse,” and parodies of “The Shining,” “The Exorcist,” and the more recent “Stranger Things.” There are some great originals as well; one of my favourites is “How To Get Ahead in Dead-Vertising.” In this episode, Homer is hired by TV executives to kill celebrities who refuse to allow their names to be used in advertising, since they don’t have to get consent from them if they’re dead. This episode reminds me of Treehouse of Horror episode VI’s segment “Attack of the 50 Foot Eyesores” where Homer steals Lard Lad’s colossal donut and ends up awakening a bunch of mascot ads who proceed to wreak havoc upon Springfield. To solve the problem, Lisa discovers that the ads will lose all their power if you just stop paying attention to them. One of my favourite parts about the Treehouse episodes is the transformation of the characters into their Halloween counterparts. Ned Flanders in particular is a fun one to see in different spooky situations. The I Know What You Did Last Summer parody titled “I Know What You Diddly-Iddly-Did” sees Flanders as a werewolf. In two Halloween episodes, Flanders, known for being a devout, church-going
character, is transformed into the devil. The first one is the Treehouse episode IX’s segment where Homer sells his soul to devil Flanders for a donut. Homer at one point ends up in hell, where he’s force-fed donuts (which, to the surprise of the demon feeding him, fails to break him whatsoever), and when he inevitably ends up breaking his pact with the devil, he is tried by a “Jury of the Damned” in the “Court of Infernal Affairs.” The jury hilariously includes the starting line of the 1976 Philadelphia Flyers, known for being relentlessly aggressive in the 1976 game against the Red Army team of Russia. The second episode with devil Flanders is the “Heck House” Treehouse XVII episode. When Flanders fails at his attempt to get the kids in his “Heck House,” his version of a haunted house, to understand the consequences of sin, he turns to God and says, “Please Lord, give me the power to psychologically torture them into loving you,” and is then transformed into the devil. The newer Simpsons’ Treehouse specials still remain strong. The best new Halloween episode is probably in Treehouse XXVIII, which includes a play on one of my favourite movies, “Coraline,” titled “Coralisa.” The parody of this movie was hilarious, as the whole Simpson family ends up joining the “other” family because they’re all unsatisfied with their own world. What I really liked about the new Halloween episodes was that the animators started experimenting with different animation styles, adding a different aesthetic to the old tradition. The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror episodes are one of my favourite parts of the Halloween season, so if you’re looking for something to keep you entertained this coming Halloween evening, these episodes are great for a good chuckle with old, familiar characters.
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Note: Note:
Some of these events require tickets, most are on Facebook. If something catches your eye, take to the internet for more details.
Events Calendar • C3 — Off the Beaten Track @ The Reach Gallery (Abbotsford), 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. • SUS Pumpkin Carving Contest @ UFV (Abbotsford), SUB, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. • Save your Semester: Study Skills Workshop @ UFV (Abbotsford) A315, 12:00 – 3:00 p.m. • Woof Woof Wednesday @ UFV (Chilliwack), CEP A1355, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. • Trick or Eat @ UFV (Abbotsford), Student Life Lounge, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. • You’re It! Halloween Night @ Townhall Public House (Abbotsford), 9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
• Long Night Against Procrastination @ UFV (Chilliwack), Building A, 3:00 – 10:00 p.m. • Long Night Against Procrastination @ UFV (Abbotsford), Building G, 5:00 – 11:59 p.m. • Arts & Cultural Activities — Cedar & Beaded Dragonfly @ UFV (Chilliwack), A1201, 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. • Woof Woof Wednesday @ UFV (Chilliwack), CEP A1355, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. • Fraser Valley Tech Forum @ Coast Chilliwack Hotel, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. • TedxAbbotsford (re)imagine @ UFV (Abbotsford), 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. • Farmteam @ Tractorgrease Cafe (Chilliwack), 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. • Hastings @ The Railyard (Mission), 7:00 – 11:30 p.m. • Zurich Cloud Motors with Dirty Phil, Cokebottleglasses @ Carport Manor (Abbotsford), 8:00 – 10:00 p.m. • Joel Willoughby @ Trading Post Brewing (Abbotsford), 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. • Superbad Movie Night @ UFV (Abbotsford), B101, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. • Arts & Cultural Activities — Beaded Headdresses and Dreamcatchers @ UFV (Chilliwack), A1452, 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
• JATSWorker Acoustic w/ Tess — Halloween Acoustic @ SippChai Cafe 2.0 (Abbotsford), 7:00 – 11:00 p.m. • Screening of Because We Are Girls @ Matsqui Centennial Auditorium, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. • The New Customs @ The Railyard (Mission), 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. • Random Dander, No Faith in Fortune, Villain Villain, Plague Doctor @ Captains Captain Pub, 8:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. • English Student Association Coffeehouse @ UFV (Abbotsford), D3070, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. • Archive Consignment Pop Up @ Highstreet Mall (Abbotsford), 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
• Archive Consignment Pop Up @ Highstreet Mall (Abbotsford), 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. • The Spillionaires @ Tractorgrease Cafe (Chilliwack), 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
• Archive Consignment Pop Up @ Highstreet Mall (Abbotsford), 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. • Sunday Family Arts @ The Reach Gallery (Abbotsford), 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. and 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
• Design School Info Night @ UFV (Abbotsford), C1422, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. • Paint Nite with Bob Ross @ UFV (Abbotsford), Student Life Lounge, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. • Clay Scott @ Trading Post Brewing (Abbotsford), 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. • Hungry Bengal @ UFV (Abbotsford), F125, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
• Town & Gown @ UFV (Abbotsford), SUB, 5:30 – 9:00 p.m. • Woof Woof Wednesday @ UFV (Chilliwack), CEP A1355, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. • Arts & Cultural Activities — Mini Button Blanket and Beaded Flower @ UFV (Abbotsford), S1111, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. • Ryan McMahon @ The Railyard (Mission), 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. • Kellen Saip Album Release Show @ S+L Lounge (Abbotsford), 8:30 - 11:00 p.m. • Andrew Christopher @ Trading Post Brewing (Abbotsford), 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. • O Christmas Tea: A British Comedy @ Abbotsford Arts Centre, 7:30 – 9:00 pm. • Transgender Day of Remembrance @ UFV (Abbotsford), SUB, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. • Woof Woof Wednesday @ UFV (Chilliwack), CEP A1355, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. • KPMG Networking Event @ UFV (Abbotsford), A235, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. • Arts & Cultural Activities — Mini Button Blankets and Dream Catchers @ UFV (Chilliwack), A1201, 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. • God said Kill, Warrborn, Panolith, Silent Screamers @ Captains Captain Pub, 8:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. • Table Tennis and Pong Tournament @ UFV (Abbotsford), SUB, 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.