Volume 62 Issue 9

the carillon

62

the staff editor-in-chief

editor@carillonregina.com

The University of Regina Students’ Newspaper Since 1962 October 24 - October 30, 2019 | Volume 62, Issue 9 | carillonregina.com

john loeppky

executive director jacob nelson business@carillonregina.com

cover

production manager jeremy davis production@carillonregina.com advertising manager advertising@carillonregina.com

Certain Regina trustees’ lack of compasion, inclusion, and complete disregard for the public school division’s mandate means this student paper had some thoughts. We have a letter to the editor, a piece about a space that actually is inclusive to diversity, and an opinion piece on the subject.

We’d like to remind people that we try to run an inclusive newspaper and welcome feeback.

ty cote

technical editor frank nordstrom carillontechnical@carillonregina.com multimedia Graphics editors kate thiessen

sarah carrier morgan ortman multimedia@carillonregina.com graphics@carillonregina.com copy editor hannah senicar copyeditor@carillonregina.com news editor news@carillonregina.com

sara birrell

photos

a&c editor ethan butterfield aandc@carillonregina.com

cover......................... morgan ortman page 2...................... Wynonna Allen news................................. jael bartnik a&c................................ kate thiessen sports............................. jeremy davis op-ed...................................... pixabay

sports editor tyler meadows sports@carillonregina.com taylor balfour

interim distro manager kyle anderson distribution@carillonregina.com staff writer staff writer

elisabeth sahlmueller marty grande - sherbert

news writer

ben schneider

a&c writer sports writer

news

op-ed editor op-ed@carillonregina.com

errata

We had a printing fuck up but we bet you didn’t notice. Thank god for student journalism.

holly worby brian palaschuk

Parking

Page 4

Parking has gone from expensive to expensive and prone to technological disasters

contributors

julia peterson, haley Klassen, wynonna allen, brooke bohn, kathryn boyce and suzanna huggins

the paper

The Carillon welcomes contributions.

Correspondence can be mailed, emailed, or dropped off in person. Please include your name, address, and telephone number on all letters to the editor. Only the author’s name, title/position (if applicable) and city will be published. Names may be withheld upon request at the discretion of the Carillon.

Opinions expressed in the pages of the Carillon are expressly those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Carillon Newspaper Inc. Opinions expressed in advertisements appearing in the Carillon are those of the advertisers, and not necessarily of The Carillon Newspaper Inc. or its staff.

The Carillon is published no less than 11 times each semester during the fall and winter semesters and periodically throughout the summer. The Carillon is published by the Carillon Newspaper Inc., a non-profit organization.

Page 7

Unlike the RPSB, UR Pride has created a space for diverse youth.

sport

Letters should be no more than 350 words, and may be edited for space, clarity, accuracy, and vulgarity. The Carillon is a wholly autonomous organization with no afilliation with the University of Regina Students’ Union.

Space

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227 Riddell Center University of Regina - 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, Canada S4S 0A2 www.carillonregina.com Ph: (306) 586 8867 Printed by Star Press Inc, Wainwright, AB

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THE CARILLON BOARD OF DIRECTORS Erickka Patmore, Lindsay Holitzki, Maddie Ouelette, Dustin Smith. John Loeppky, Jacob Nelson, and Ethan Butterfield

Run, Cougars, run

Page 12

Cross country running, are the green and gold, instead of just running from tuition.

the manifesto

op-ed

In keeping with our reckless, devil-may-care image, our office has absolutely no concrete information on the Carillon’s formative years readily available.

What follows is the story that’s been passed down from editor to editor for over forty years.

In the late 1950s, the University of Regina planned the construction of several new buildings on the campus grounds. One of these proposed buildlings was a beltower on the academic green. If you look out on the academic green today, the first thing you’ll notice is that it has absolutely nothing resembling a belltower.

The University never got a belltower, but what it did get was the Carillon, a newspaper that serves as a symbolic bell tower on campus, a loud and clear voice belonging to each and every student.

The People’s Friend; the Tyrant’s Foe

Too young to be dumb

Page 17

In a letter to the editor, local parent Suzanne Huggins talks about the impact of the school board decision

in other news

news

3 Editor: sara birrell news@carillonregina.com the carillon | October 24 - October 30, 2019

Regina Public School Board strikes down Pride motion

RPSB fails 2SLGBTQIA+ students ben schneider news writer On Tuesday, Oct.15, the Regina Public School Board (RPSB) voted 4-3 against a motion for schools to be able to officially celebrate Pride however they deem appropriate. This motion, which sought to simply demonstrate support from the board and grant individual schools the capacity to determine how they celebrate Pride, was first brought forward in June by trustee Aleana Young, an outspoken ally within Regina’s queer community.

Young brought the motion forth after Pride celebrations this June with several parents expressing concerns, particularly Justine Taylor, who CBC has quoted as saying, “when schools go from presenting objective information to children to subjective promotion of ideas – that’s where the line is crossed.” Taylor’s notion of queer lifestyles being promoted in public schools is uninformed and, like all such opinions, is likely deeply rooted in homophobia and transphobia.

Leading up to Tuesday’s meeting, Young stated on Twitter that she feared the vote would be close, citing a majority of emails sent by community members expressing their opinions against the motion.

Young’s fears came true when trustees Tanya Foster, Jane Ekong, and Jay Kasperski, as well as board chair, Katherine Gagne, voted against the motion, outnumbering the votes in favour from Young and fellow trustees Adam Hicks and Cindy Anderson.

Dr. Cristyne Hébert with the U of R Faculty of Education was in attendance at last Tuesday’s vote and shares in the anger and frustration expressed by several parents and community members.

“I was deeply disappointed at the result of the vote. I think what was being asked of Regina Public was, frankly, the bare minimum.”

Hébert noted that this vote contradicts RPSB’s commitment to the safety of their 2SLGBTQIA+ population, a commitment that was read several times throughout the meeting. As outlined on their website, RPSB is “committed to ensuring schools and workplaces are safe, inclusive environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, trans-identified, transsexual, two-spirited, intersex, and queer staff, students, families and allies feel included, protected and respected.”

The overwhelming rationale given by those who voted against the motion was a want for stronger policy and clearer guidelines.

Gagne has made several comments stating that a “no” vote is

Jael Bartnik

Organizing in support of diversity is not new in educational spaces

not a stop in the “conversation,” but rather a chance for it to be expanded.

Whatever the hell that means.

Young argues that these excuses are unfounded, adding that the motion was introduced in June, meaning that board members have had more than three months to better understand how the school board could support schools in celebrating Pride.

As observed by Hébert, “Trustee Adam Hicks offered an opportunity for those who required some clarity to make an amendment to the motion at the time of the vote and there wasn’t a response given. So, to me that was concerning. If there is a particular issue, then let’s address the issue and move forward. The other point that was raised was that the motion was initially proposed in June and so Hicks said as well, ‘you’ve had a number of months if you’ve had some concerns to have a conversation.’ One [trustee] said, ‘it was the summer, people were on holidays.’ That may be the case, but this is your position as a trustee to take a look at the motions beforehand to make informed decisions about what you’d like to see happen.”

“I think Aleana Young said

this as well, ‘we need to see ways of moving this forward, and so simply saying that we don’t have enough information and that we need to take some more time doesn’t provide any clarity with respect to what people are looking for.’” “[Young] also mentioned the decision to allow schools to fly the Treaty Four flag and made a comparison. We’ve affirmed schools’ right to fly the Treaty Four flag and to make decisions about how individual schools affirm their understanding that they are on Treaty Four territory and so what’s different about this particular situation? If we don’t have to have strict regulations around what that looks like for individual schools in that case, why does that need to happen here?”

Hébert said that, as an educator, she is always interested in what research has to say. “There was only one trustee [Adam Hicks] who made reference to research around youth suicides and what it is that LGBTQ youth need in schools to feel supported.”

“If we’re taking some of those statistics into consideration, LGBTQ youth are three to four more times likely to attempt suicide and for trans youth in par-

ticular that’s six times more likely than their straight and cis peers.”

Hébert considers the connections between bullying and suicide. “The statistics sort of vary: 40 to 70 per cent of LGBTQ youth experience bullying and harassment. And then we have all sorts of research that demonstrates what can help ameliorate these risks: increased support from teachers, from family members, from peers, from friends, creating safe spaces in schools, anti-harassment policies, anti-bullying policies, [professional development] for teachers, psychological and social services, health education, training for future teachers . . .

Frankly, the public is not asking Regina Public to do any of these things in this motion, it’s simply asking them to affirm schools’ right to celebrate Pride.”

“I worry about the message that it sends to youth. I worry that they aren’t going to feel safe in school spaces and that if we can’t take this first step to acknowledge the importance of celebrating Pride, how are we going to start taking steps to ensure that GSAs are able to exist in schools. I worry that LGBTQ youth don’t feel safe and won’t feel as though Regina Public Schools are safe for

them.”

This story has received ample attention over the course of the week and is continuing to develop, specifically sparking questions around Katherine Gagne’s leadership. The Carillon will continue to cover these events as they break.

“I was deeply disappointed at the result of the vote. I think what was being asked of Regina Public was, frankly, the bare minimum.” - Dr. Cristyne Hébert

October 24 - October 30, 2019

news

Sesame Street gets gentrified

carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 4

HBO buys neighbourhood

julia peterson contributor Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street? Well, starting next year, if you’re living in the United States it’ll cost you $15 USD a month ($20 CAD) to get there.

Sesame Street, which has famously broadcast for free on PBS for over 40 years, has been bought

by HBO. The show will be moving to HBO’s new streaming service, HBO Max, for its 51st season. Moving forward, American families will have to subscribe to HBO Max to get new episodes of the classic children’s program.

Warner Media, HBO’s parent company, has stated that the episodes will air for free on PBS “at some point,” but that new Sesame Street content will be broadcast exclusively on the streaming service.

Tim Winter, the president of the Parents Television Council in the United States, has expressed concern about the effect this move would have on children and families.

“Kids are getting squeezed in the middle,” he said. “In order to watch original episodes of the most iconic children’s program in

MelodyKWolff

television history, parents are now forced to fork over about $180 per year.”

According to University of Regina Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education, Christine Massing, this move is directly antithetical to the original and defining purpose of the show.

“Instituting a paywall will negatively impact many families, but particularly Sesame Street’s original target audience – families who are unable to afford or access early childhood education programs,” she said.

In the words of journalist and Sesame Street historian Michael Davis, the show began as an attempt to “master the addictive qualities of television and do something good with them.” The show’s creators wanted to use their platform to help children, particularly children from low-income or disadvantaged backgrounds, learn and be prepared for school.

“While Sesame Street is not a substitute for a high-quality early childhood education program, it has been found to operate as a teaching tool which can supplement the existing resources held within the family and communi-

ty,” said Massing.

And, even though the new Sesame Street episodes will air on PBS at some point, airing them on a premium cable network significantly earlier means that the children that the show was initially designed to serve – poor children, who have fewer early-childhood educational opportunities than their peers – will only get to see the episodes well after wealthy children have been enjoying and benefitting from them for months.

Sesame Street was the first children’s television show ever to use educational goals and a curriculum to shape the content of its episodes, and its impact has been intensively studied over the years. While adults might have fuzzy memories of growing up with songs about the letter C (“is for cookie, that’s good enough for me”) or counting to four – such as Feist’s parody of her own hit song “1234” – all these sketches tie into larger goals such as learning about symbolic representation, building cognitive processes, and understanding physical and social environments.

“Watching the show as a preschooler has been found to lead to positive educational outcomes as

Sesame Street is now more like a toll rode

measured by math, reading, and vocabulary scores,” said Massing.

“Research also suggests that these advantages stay with children throughout their school years, not only in terms of their grades but also their attitudes toward learning. Children don’t just learn academic skills such as literacy and numeracy, but also how to navigate their world – to stay healthy and safe, negotiate relationships with others, respect diversity, and cope with loss, trauma, or other difficult circumstances.”

Sesame Street has a long-standing tradition of speaking to topical social issues in a kid-friendly way. The show began with a racially integrated cast, which initially led the state commission in Mississippi to initially decline to air the show because they felt that a “highly integrated cast of children [was something] Mississippi was not yet ready for.”

The puppet character Mr. Snuffleupagus, who for years had had a running gag of being friends with Big Bird but disappearing whenever other cast members were around, was introduced to the Sesame Street adults in 1985 as a specific response to a series of interviews about child

sexual abuse that had aired on 60 minutes – the producers wanted to show children that adults would believe what they had to say. In recent years, the show has introduced Julia, a Muppet with autism, and Karli, a Muppet in foster care.

Jeffrey D. Dun, the chief executive of Sesame Workshop, does not believe that the paywall on new episodes will negatively impact the show’s ability to deliver on its mission.

“No other media company believes that disadvantaged kids deserve the same shot as middle-class kids, and that remains important to us,” he said.

In Canada, Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana Enterprises owns the broadcasting and licensing rights to Sesame Street. It broadcasts the show on Treehouse channel, which can be found on Amazon Prime Video, Bell TV, Rogers, and other similar networks.

“Instituting a paywall will negatively impact many families, but particularly Sesame Street’s original target audience – families who are unable to afford or access early childhood education programs.” - Dr. Christine Massing

October 24 - October 30, 2019

carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 5

news

Tis the season for flu shots

Shots! Shots! Shots! ben schneider news writer It’s October, which means that it’s time to start thinking about getting your flu shot. What seems like such a menial chore is actually extremely vital for our society’s health. So, let’s all do our part.

According to the Government of Canada, getting a flu shot is beneficial to not only you, but the greater public. The vaccination will protect you when exposed to the influenza virus, prevent you from becoming ill, and it will also protect those around you since those who receive the shot are less likely to spread the virus.

Certain populations are more susceptible to the flu which makes it important for a majority of the population to get vaccinated. People with various ailments such as cancer, diabetes, heart, kidney or lung disease and anemia, to name a few, are at a higher risk to suffer complications from a simple flu.

Nathanael Bergbusch, a Master’s student currently writing his thesis on stream nutrient pollution, offers a biological standpoint, bringing clarity to how the

flu vaccine does its job.

“From more of a biological perspective, the flu vaccine might not be as effective in some seasons just because scientists are guessing which strains of the virus will appear in certain seasons, and they’re making a cocktail of these dead or inactivated strains that are either grown up in animal cells or eggs in the lab. Then these strains are added and your body receives these dead strains and it puts up an immune response; it creates antibodies. Then, when you come in contact with a live strain of the virus in the environment, if it’s a strain that your body recognizes – if it’s a strain that was in the vaccine, then your body is familiar with that immune response and it will be able to cope much better with that virus and you will probably not show any symptoms that are negative.”

“In the case of the elderly and children, they still might potentially have a response to a virus even if they got the vaccine, but it’s still important [for] a whole community [to get] a vaccine because, in a sense, you get something called ‘herd immunity’ where you’re protecting other

KOMUnews via Flickr

people by having the vaccine because then you are not a transmitter of the virus.”

This year’s vaccine will protect you against Influenza A (H1N1 and/or H3N2) and Influenza B. Free influenza vaccinations will be available for all students, faculty, staff and volunteers on campus. Family members are also welcome! Head on down to the Research and Innovation Centre

(RIC) Atrium on either Monday, Oct. 28, or Tuesday, Nov. 5, both from 9:00 to 5:30. Bring your provincial health card, or don’t – you can get your shot either way! It’s also a smart idea to wear short sleeves (though is not mandatory).

These free clinics are provided by Saskatchewan Health Authority and Alliance Health Pharmacy and are recommended for everyone above the age of six months old by the Public Health

Jab, jab, hook the flu

Agency of Canada.

If you can’t make it to the U of R clinics, flu vaccines are extremely accessible this time of year and you can receive at your local pharmacy.

Students unite to not vote

Ho, hum

sara birrell news editor Well by now you’ll have voted in URSU’s most recent by-elections and faced the triumph or failure of your favourite candidate. No? You were not, in fact, one of the 92 students on campus who cast a ballot in the most recent URSU by-election? Well, neither was Amira Khan, a third year social work student.

“Yeah I definitely didn’t vote,” Khan said, laughing. “Was I supposed to?”

Ten of the thirteen candidates won by acclamation – and not the kind of acclamation where they give a voice vote – the kind where no one else ran, so they just kind of, win. This isn’t to say that those candidates were poor choices, or didn’t deserve their wins, just that there is so little interest in some students’ union roles that more than three quarters of the candidates had no competition.

URSU President Victor Oriola said that in spite of low turnout, the election was a success. “ Several positions which were previously unfilled, like Luther, First Nations, Indigenous and Social Work director will no longer go unoccupied. Some of these positions, in the case of Social Work for example, have been empty for some time.”

“There was only one race this year and this would, naturally, lead to less participation as only a limited percentage of the electorate is eligible to participate.”

I have to admit I was aware of the URSU elections – at least I

Manipulation by Jeremy Davis

recall seeing the posters, anyway, and also my boss mentioned them a lot. The day to day existence of the students’ union seems far removed from my actual life as a student. Sure I love my U-Pass and my prescription and dental coverage, but the inner workings of URSU – which holds meetings every second Tuesday, for three hours at a time, do not interest me in the way that, say, the feder-

al election we just had interested me.

The nature of a students’ union – and of a student body – is always in flux. Students come and they go. So do their union representatives. For Khan, “it just doesn’t seem to matter to me.

There’s just going to be another election in, like, six months.”

Oriola disputes the notion that engagement is low and says

Low turn out once again in student election

that turnout varies from election to election. “People are aware that these opportunities for contribution and participation exist . . . students are still willing to engage,” he says. “Going into 2020, URSU hopes to see even more participation. In the last few years, elections – particularly for executive positions – have been well contested. These participation rates have not necessarily

translated to other races.”

Cool.

October 24 - October 30, 2019

carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 6

news

Campus shifts to phone-based parking payment Out with the coins and in with the tech

john loeppky editor-in-chief On Oct. 15, Student Affairs sent a campus-wide email announcing the shift to a pay-by-phone system for parking. The release, signed by Associate Vice President (Facilities Management) Neil Paskewitz, said the shift is meant to make parking easier to manage and increase in convenience.

“The new system utilizes Licence Plate Recognition (LPR) technology, which will allow the University to collect and analyse data that will assist us in improving how we deliver and manage our parking services. This is expected to lead to improved efficiency and higher rates of compliance and will make special event parking easier and more convenient.”

As noted by various media

kate thiessen

outlets, the switch away from parking meters, removing 400 that the campus says date back as early as the 1970s, mirrors that of the City of Regina’s downtown.

According to the release, the process is simple.

“For convenience, a number of strategically located pay stations will accept coins as well.

There is also an option to pay for vehicle parking by smart phone by downloading the PayByPhone app available free from the Apple Store or Google Play. This preferred method is convenient, easy, and secure. It features options to receive expiry reminders, extend parking time remotely, and receive email receipts all through an iPhone or Android device.

Whichever payment method is chosen, all that’s required is a licence plate number and the location code – which will be clearly

marked near all parking lots and curbside public parking spaces.”

Permit holders, the administration have said, will not be affected as their license plates are already their tags.

Students are already paying a premium for their parking. An M (commuter pass at the U of R) will cost you up to $585.60 per year for M lot non plug spots. That option, being that it’s October, is waitlisted. For context, a similar pass at the University of Saskatchewan would cost you a maximum of $524.00 a year unless you wanted to park in the stadium parkade. If you want the privilege of parking near President Timmons in the underground parkade in the KHS building or in the Riddell Parkade, that will run you an eye-watering minimum of $960.00 for the eight months. Residents pay around five more dollars than our

Parking just got a little more picky

neighbours to the north, but the lots we compared for this story have a vast difference in the number that are electrified. The U of S has far more electrified options for far less cost to the student. Students at the U of R, despite getting the UPass (allowing unlimited bus travel for current students) almost a decade after the U of S introduced theirs, pay $24.27 less per semester than students at the U of S. And, because how can we have a campus story without wondering how the campus’ social media mavens (more obsessed with donations than they are with alumni award winners that aren’t campus lifers) have to say, here was their ever so helpful tweet.

“How the heck do you use the new pay-as-you-go #parking system at the #UofRegina anyway?

It’s easy! Make your payment at

one of the pay stations or with the@PayByPhone NA app. Check out this handy dandy step-by-step #PayByPhone guide.

So, if you want to give more data to the U of R that they can then have a privacy breach with (see, the bookstore) use the campus parking app.

“The new system utilizes Licence Plate Recognition (LPR) technology, which will allow the University to collect and analyse data that will assist us in improving how we deliver and manage our parking services. This is expected to lead to improved efficiency and higher rates of compliance and will make special event parking easier and more convenient.” - Press release

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7 Editor: ethan butterfield aandc@carillonregina.com the carillon | October 24 - October 30, 2019

SaskQTY’s SPACE for Queer and Trans Youth.

2SLGBTQ Reginas hub for empowerment marty grande-sherbert staff writer Take a short ride on the number four bus towards Walsh Acres from the university, and you’ll soon end up at the doors of SPACE (Saskatchewan Queer and Trans Youth. Across from Excalipurr Cafe, the building sports a wide Pride flag in front of the window and opens up to a lounge full of bean-bag chairs, a long table, board and video games, and a bathroom stocked with free menstrual products and safe needle disposal. The first thing I was asked when I came in for my interview with staff was: would I like anything to eat or drink? There was a kitchen in the back full of juice boxes, sodas, packaged ramen and various other snacks that I could help myself to. In short, I felt immediately welcomed, and could tell steps were taken to make me feel that way.

I was at SPACE that day to interview staff member Nate Pelletier-Littletent and program director Raphaële Frigon about the operation, purpose, and benefits of SPACE as a recent addition to Regina’s 2SLGBTQ+ network. Frigon, originally an artist and queer and trans activist in Montreal, now oversees SPACE along with co-director Emmy Rittenburg.

Pelletier-Littletent is a Grade 12 student and works with the programming and dayto-day socializing that happens at SPACE. As part of his job, Nate is involved in planning the many that SPACE hosts every week, and was the first staff member I was directed to as someone knowledgeable about what SPACE had to offer the community. Frigon’s knowledge of the broader purpose of SPACE and its history helped me fill in the fine details.

SPACE is the physical location associated with the SaskQTY network, which is itself a program of UR Pride. While the Pride centre serves as an on-campus resource, the SaskQTY network, officially launched on April, 25 2019 aims to offer resources to a wider community. It offers SPACE as a “community hub” (according to UR Pride’s press release) for the SASKQTY network as well as all 2SLGBTQ+ people and programs in Regina. “This project represents an investment of $218,000 in the community from Canada Service Corps [in] support,” the press release reads.

As for why UR Pride em-

Katte Thiessen

Making the necessary space

braced such an ambitious undertaking, Frigon cited a sincerely held belief in the power of community for 2SLGBTQ+ empowerment.

“SPACE foster[s] community and space for young 2SLGBTQ people to learn about making changes in their communities,” she said of its primary purpose.

Having such a “home base” for SaskQTY fights isolation, she continued, and puts somewhere in place from which to plan meetings, meet new people, and just hang out like we were doing at that moment.

“Part of the work [of queer and trans activism] is having a space where we don’t need to explain ourselves to cis and straight people.”

Nate’s positive experiences with his job at SPACE seem to be a testament to this purpose in action. His day, he tells me, consists mostly of chatting with people who came to SPACE’s “drop-in hours,” starting at 4:00 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until 8:00 (7:00 on Thursdays). This drop-in, he said, is intended for everyone of all ages and designed to be relaxed and welcoming. People who come to SPACE may simply be

looking for a safe place to spend their time, or an open door away from home. “There are planned things [during some drop-in hours], but also just talking days,” he explained. Pelletier-Littletent estimated that the age range of youth they saw drop in was on average 12-16 year, with a lot of variation. As for how these youth came to know about SPACE, he suspected it was mostly by word of mouth. This in itself illustrates how needed SPACE is – resources for queer and trans youth are scarce, and a new place to find them is being immediately utilized. As Frigon said to me about planning SPACE events, “build it and they will come.”

SPACE is Pelletier-Littletent’s first job – what he agreed is a great first experience in the working world – which he says has given him skills in time management and project planning, and sets him up with great experience if he ever wished to work with 2SLGBTQ organizations in the future. Mainly, the position helped him personally become more comfortable talking and opening up to new people. He also says he has felt more comfortable with himself since his hire. “[SPACE is] a good place to

meet people who are kind and unique,” he said. Nate didn’t know that SPACE existed before he was hired, but once he realized it was there, he quickly became an advocate of its benefits. “It’s just a really cool place. I would love for more people to check it out.”

For university students who haven’t seen SPACE, or been to many of its programs, you are in luck: according to Nate, SPACE will soon be launching a new youth group on Wednesdays from 5:00 to 7:00 called “Group Z,” as a result of sizable age gaps in the kinds of people they see come in. The age range of Group Z is 16-21, capturing late high school and early university year students.

For those older than this range, there are still plenty of events at SPACE well-attended by the community at large. These have included zine-making workshops, cross-stitching nights, origami, movie nights, Halloween parties in both fall and July, and Dungeons & Dragons nights. Pelletier-Littletent said that these are all ideas that have been naturally pitched in regular conversation – things that the community wants.

In keeping with this spirit, any community member is also welcome to pitch an idea for an event

to SPACE. After the blow taken by many of us from a deeply concerning meeting at the Regina School Board, SPACE is offering safety and community that can be life-saving. Frigon said that the easiest way to support this much-needed place for queer and trans youth is to simply come and see it. She also encourages students to go to the UR Pride website and be aware of its other programs, such as the Trans Resilience group (on campus) and Monarch Mental Health, a free drop-in clinic for 2SLGBTQ youth and their loved ones.

“This space is for you. it is yours to use. So come on down!”

“. . . I felt immediately welcomed, and could tell steps were taken to make me feel that way.” Marty Grande-Sherbert

October 24 - October 30, 2019

carillonregina.com | The Carillon |

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8

Cat Jahnke Interview Talking about the heart of the new album

ethan butterfield a&c editor For those who are fans of the independent, instrumental side of music, the sounds of Cat Jahnke are certainly not to be ignored.

From hit tunes like “Apple”, wonderous covers like “Wheat Kings”, and absolute fan favorites like “Sweetie Pie”, Cat Jahnke certainly puts her heart and soul into her songs. Born of Winnipeg, Manitoba, this Canadian musician had a lot to say about her new album and just how much more then heart and soul she put into it. You can find the interview just below: First question I have for you here is, how does it feel to release your new album, The Boy, The Girl, the Wolf?

It’s incredible, it’s been a long time since the last one came out.

My last album that I released was in 2010. Since then I’ve kind of been lending my songwriting skills to other projects, I’ve been collaborating with lots of different artists in different mediums, I’ve been collaborating with authors, with costume designers, filmmakers, and putting songs in

courtesy of Cat Jahnke

Making memorys to last

commercials and stuff like that.

And it’s been really fun, it’s been a super great adventure and I was on Canada’s Smartest Person, that was a CBC show. So, it kind of feels good to just be back in my own headspace, with my own creativity, on my own projects. I had fun doing all those other things, but I’m really glad to be back focused on this.

I’m assuming you’re really happy with the finished project?

Well, to me this album is the first time that I took the reins on everything myself. So, this is the first album where I didn’t collaborate with the band. I wrote everything, I arranged everything, I played all the instruments, I sequenced all the digital instruments. I feel proud to say that this is an album that came out of my brain, and really tells my stories that I’m finding are personal to me. But also, as I’ve been sharing them across Canada, the stories I’ve heard back from people who relate to the music, I’m realizing that these are really personal and universal at the same time. I’m really glad to be able to spark a

conversation. This album really focuses a lot on mental health, mental wellness, and giving a voice and trying to bring into the light something that could be really easy to leave in shadows. It’s easy to pretend that everything is okay, and it’s hard sometimes to admit that things aren’t okay.

What made you want to focus on mental health for your album this time around?

I think that for me it’s always been something that’s been a part of my life, depression has been something that has inspired me, but also kept me from being able to take advantage of that inspiration. It’s given me a product to promote, but it’s made it difficult to promote that product. I really enjoy performing, but touring can be really difficult as someone who more so gravitates towards being a hermit. So, for me I think it was finally time to take ownership of it, and I know that as I’ve been talking about it more and I’ve been hearing other people’s stories, I’m realizing that it’s something that a lot of people need to talk about as well. Whether it’s someone struggling themselves or

whether maybe it’s someone who has a friend or a loved one who is struggling, and they don’t quite understand what’s going on. I’m hoping to just be able to reach across that chasm a little bit and say either; “I’m here with you” or “Here’s a glimpse into what your loved one might be struggling with”.

Well I just have to say that I think it’s really inspiring what you’re doing, and even if people don’t get it right away, it’s still an important message that needs to be said.

And I’ve heard that too. It’s funny that you say that, cause’ I did a show in Revelstoke in my pre-release with a choir. And this gentleman came up to me after and said, “I didn’t know what you were doing at first, and then when you played this one song that really reinstated with me, then I understood what you were saying,” and then he shared with me his struggles. So, I have to keep reminding myself that, you know, sometimes your looking out into an audience and if I’m not wearing my glasses, I can’t really see their faces, and so I don’t know if

they’re with me on this journey.

Then when I get that encouragement afterwards and that vulnerability afterwards, and it’s that boost I need to just keep going.

So, with these questions being asked, what does the future hold for you?

Touring now, I’m really excited about music videos for this album and trying to add some visuals to the words that are coming out, and also hoping to collaborate with some creators to, again, bring the music into other mediums. We’re doing a show in Thunder Bay with a group of painters, which I’m super excited about. I’m working with an author in Australia who has written stuff in the past after listening to my music. So, I’m really hoping to spread this out as far as I can, and to collaborate after the fact to see how I can reach other people.

And then, how knows. I’m excited about it though.

“I’m hoping to just be able to reach across that chasm a little bit and say either; “I’m here with you” or “Here’s a glimpse into what your loved one might be struggling with”.” - Cat Jahnke

October 24 - October 30, 2019

carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 9

a&c

Australian ad turns heads Controversy is in full force against latest Australian menstruation ad

holly worby a&c writer A common theme in ads for feminine products is downplaying the reality of what the product is advertised for. For example, nearly every advertisement for feminine razors shows the model using the razor to “shave” a completely hair-free leg. This doesn’t make much sense when you consider the purpose of demonstrative advertising – to showcase how well the product works – when they’re simply showing how it glides across skin. There’s a similar phenomenon in the advertising of menstrual products that Libra, an Australian menstrual product-producer, recently sought to challenge.

Libra put out an advertisement on early evening television in Australia and the Australian Advertising Standards Board received over 600 complaints.

Some claimed the ad vilified or demeaned women; others saw it

Pixabay

It’s just liquid, folks

as offensive, saying that private matters were publicized and now parents have to have conversations with their children they’d have rather put off. So what’s the big deal, the tipping point between average menstrual product ads and the ad that Libra came out with? They were the first to use a red liquid to depict menstruation and show the absorbency of their products instead of the industry-standard blue.

Now for anyone who’s been injured ever, we know blood only appears blue while it’s in our veins. For anyone who menstruates or knows someone who does (so…everybody), we know the liquid expelled is deep red in colour, not blue. Chances are you’ve seen blood on your television regularly, in everything from an action movie to an ad against drunk driving. You’ve probably seen people capable of menstruation on your television too, and sometimes they’re the ones bleeding, yet there’s no blue liquid to be

found when they bleed from any other body part.

Research was done through Asaleo Care prior to the ad airing, which showed that there’s more of a taboo around periods than drinking, drugs, mental health, sex, and STIs. Eight out of ten people actively try to hide the fact they’re menstruating out of shame, and 70 per cent of those surveyed said they had more anxiety around their peers knowing they’re menstruating than they’d have about failing a class.

This taboo goes back centuries, millennia even, and there’s hundreds of theories as to why. The prevailing attitude traces back to religious-based misogyny; it’s rare for pregnancy to start during menstruation, so if all people are valued for is their ability to reproduce then menstruation removes a person’s value during that time.

We can all agree that’s an archaic notion at best, yet the attitude that people function at a lower level while menstruating has been

perpetuated through politics, religious influence, and mainstream media tropes alike.

Libra designed the ad in an attempt to destigmatize the process and normalize menstruation.

The ad itself shows a male-presenting individual buying period products, a high school student asking a classmate for a pad which is then handed over visibly rather than smuggled in pockets, and an individual showering with a few droplets of menstrual blood dripping down their thigh. For those of us who menstruate, buying or borrowing the products and the bleeding itself are all normal monthly occurrences, yet it’s the “normal” style of the ad is what angered viewers most. A majority of complaints centred on parents having to explain the events in the ad to their children, though those complaints were nowhere to be found in ads involving car crashes due to drunk driving or condom ads to prevent the spread of STIs so it’s apparent the com-

plaints had little to do with blood or sexual activity and much to do with the age-old taboo Libra was fighting.

Australia’s Advertising Standards Board was supportive of the ad, publicly stating that “The panel considered that the depiction of blood in the context of an advertisement for feminine hygiene products is not against prevailing community standards on health. The panel noted that the depiction is an accurate presentation of a real physical occurrence . . . There is no negative language or imagery in the advertisement that implies that . . . women in general should be embarrassed about menstruation or that a woman who is menstruating is a lesser person.”

“Libra put out an advertisement on early evening television in Australia that the Australian Advertising Standards Board received over 600 complaints about.” – Holly Worby

October 24 - October 30, 2019

carillonregina.com | The Carillon |

a&c

10

Hurts 2B Human album review Pink rocks it with new release. elisabeth sahlmueller staff writer Last April one of my favourite female pop musicians, Pink, released her eighth studio album, Hurts 2B Human. In the course of roughly the last six months, this album has achieved great success evidenced by its debut at number one on the Billboard 200.

After listening to this entire album dozens of times, I can honestly say that this recent success is not unjustified as this album is incredible from beginning to end.

In 2000, Pink emerged as a female pop-rock artist with the release of her first album, Can’t Take Me Home. However, her music career actually started years earlier. By the age of 14, she was writing her own songs and performing in clubs throughout Philadelphia with the stage name Pink based on the character Mr. Pink from the film Reservoir Dogs. At 16, She teamed up with Sharon Flanagan and Chrissy Conway and together the three formed Choice, a female R&B group.

Despite being offered a record deal, this group never released an album. In 1998, the group ultimately dissolved and Pink made the choice to go solo after music producer L.A. Reid of LA Face Records offered her a contract.

Two years later she released Can’t Take Me Home, which included hits like “There You Go,” “Most Girls” and “You Make Me Sick,” which were all relatively successful. However, it wasn’t until the release of her second album in 2001, Missundaztood, which included her most well-known hits, like “Don’t Let Me Get You,” “Family Portrait” and “Just Like a Pill,” when Pink’s unique style and talent as a songwriter became established. Since then, Pink has become an immensely successful musician with many of her songs reaching the top of various charts and being featured in multiple film soundtracks. Pink’s music is widely acknowledged and appreciated for its edge, meaning, passion and attitude, all of which are clearly and genuinely reflected within her most recent album.

From beginning to end, Hurts 2B Human excellently demonstrates not only Pink’s unique style and sound, but also her talent and creativity. The best characteristic about Pink’s music is that her songs always have a significant message or meaning behind them, which is clearly evident in this album’s collection. All 13 songs centre around specific top-

Ralph PH via Flickr

ics such as heartbreak, different stages of a relationship learning how to love and be happy with yourself as well as the experience and new responsibility of being a mother.

Hurts 2B Human opens with “Hustle,” a short and sassy upbeat track containing a powerful message. With lyrics like “don’t fuck with me, and don’t hustle me,” this song clearly demonstrates Pink’s attitude, indicating that she is not someone who will be messed with in any way.

While “Hustle” reflects Pink’s own personality and experience early on in her music career, it is also an inspirational anthem that encourages everyone to be true to themselves and not change or conform to meet anyone else’s expectations. Although the tempo slightly calms down in the next couple of tracks, their meaning is still evident.

“Miss You Sometime” is a reflection on an ended relationship.

Even though an ex may have caused you to “almost l[ose your] mind” and “fucked up [your] life, it can still be difficult to completely forget them and ultimately move on with your life because of the emotions and memories which still exist. Another track on the album which embodies a great deal of meaning is “Happy.” With lyrics like “I’ve always hated my

body and it feels like my body has always hated me” and “maybe I’m just scared to be happy,” the song presents the idea that it can be hard to love and be happy with yourself and your life. Near the end of the album is a song circle game, which references the concept of the circle light as well as a reflection of motherhood. In this song, Pink comments on how her life has come full circle with her being a parent since now she has responsibility for her two children Willow and Jameson. As a child, she looked up to her “daddy” for protection for the monsters in her closet, but now like she says in her song, “I’ve got a little girl of my own and she looks at me . . . and there’s monsters in her closet and I start looking for my dad to come I make them go away, (but) I know it’s my job now (and) I know . . . I better work it out.”

In addition to its meaning, this album is also great because of its creativity evident through both Pink’s collaboration with various artists in multiple genres, as well as her unique song writing. On this album, there are two great collaborations, which stand out. The first is the album’s self-titled track performance by Pink and Khalid. This song highlights the reality that “it hurts to be human” and that life is easier if you have someone you can count on,

who has “your back.” The second is “Love Me Anyway” in which Pink is joined by Chris Stapleton, a talented singer songwriter of the country genre. One wouldn’t think that country would work well with Pink’s unique pop rock sound but, surprisingly, the two actually blend well. Together, Pink and Stapleton create a song that is evidently more country sounding then Pink’s previous music, but embodies the same meaning, as it centres on someone’s concern over whether their partner/significant other could still love them through all the hard times and despite all their flaws.

A similar theme is also creatively expressing in the song “My Attic.” While an attic is usually a space where people store their junk or unwanted stuff side, in this song the attic is used as a metaphor for the collection of all Pink’s flaws and true feelings, that she hides from most, but wants her lover to know. This is evident by the song lyrics which state, “my attic is full of crazy cluttered space, full of bones, all of my secrets and hopeless young emotions that just won’t grow up.

I keep hiding the keys, hoping one day you’ll find them cause I wanna let you see inside my closet.”

Overall, this album clearly demonstrates that it really does hurt to be human. These 13 songs

So what!

inspire, motivate, encourage, and invoke feeling and relatability, while at the same time showcasing Pink’s unique voice, sound and attitude. Pink is a musician who I am extremely impressed by because of her song writing skills and her ability to work with artists from different genres and still provide great sounding music.

Additionally, she is someone who I have a great deal of respect and appreciation towards. Early on, Pink refused to be a cookie cutter pop star and no matter how many albums she produced, she never conforms, but rather always stays true to herself and her own unique style. Hurts 2B Human is a great album, which I highly recommend. If Pink’s music remains this good, I have no doubt that her music career will continue for many more years to come.

“…this album clearly demonstrates that it really does hurt to be human.” - Elisabeth Sahlmueller

sports

11 Editor: tyler meadows sports@carillonregina.com the carillon | October 24 - October 30, 2019

Rams defeat Alberta but Manitoba seals their playoff demise The Rams have been dehorned brian palaschuk sports writer In a season that has seemingly been hanging in the balance since September, on Oct. 19 it was do or die for the Rams. Heading into their game against the University of Alberta they were sitting at the bottom of the Canada West conference with a 1-5 record. It has been a season of tough breaks for the Rams. They lost two games by a single point and played two games with their starting quarterback injured. However, despite these struggles, the team has continued to battle back and improve. This culminated in an all-important win for the young roster in Edmonton, where they bested the Golden Bears 31-17.

Despite the team’s success this weekend, Manitoba sealed their playoff fate in Winnipeg, besting the Dinos 43-29. That win puts the Rams out of playoff contention for a second straight year. For QB Josh Donnelly, it was a great team effort.

“It was good to get a win coming off of a losing streak. I thought the whole team played well in all three phases of the game. [we got] disappointing news after the game, but our goal was to control what we can control, and the other game was out of our reach.”

For Donnelly, the game also shows the team that they can perform under adversity.

“I think it’s good knowing that we can win games under pressure in these situations going forward and having this kind of experience will be good for us in upcoming years.”

In the 2018-2019 season, one of the places the Rams have struggled is the first quarter of the game. In their previous six conference games, they scored first only twice, led at the end of the first quarter only once, and actually allowed the opposition to score on the first drive of the game on two occasions. In contrast, on October 19 the team came out of the gate flying. They got on the board first courtesy of a massive 80-yard touchdown reception courtesy of Josh Donnelly to Ryan Schienbein, and they followed that up with two more field goals, to lead the Golden Bears 13-1 after the first quarter. This was also due to fantastic defensive play.

In the first quarter, the Regina defence held the Bears to only

78 total yards and only two first downs. This is a vast improvement for a defence that has consistently been off to slow starts, only to lock it down when it is already too late.

Brandon Brooks and Jaxon Ford led the defense in tackles, while Josh White picked up another sack, bringing his season total to 2.5. The offence also did their job, producing three touchdowns to win the game. The defence showed some weakness in the second quarter, allowing 10 points, but as they have all season long were able to lock things down in the second half, holding the Bears to only 6 more. Not coincidentally, inconsistency has plagued the Rams all season long. Shockingly, for a team that is 2-5, the Rams have actually been able to outscore their opposition in one half of the game on six out of seven occasions. This has been incredibly costly, as three of their losses came down to less than a single touchdown.

There is a case that the 2019 Rams are in fact a much better team than their record would indicate. While they are fifth in points-per-game, only ahead of UBC, the Rams certainly have the tools to produce much better.

They have the third most passing yards, third most passing yards per game, and the most passing yards per attempt. Their weakness has been rushing, where they are second last, with only a paltry 96 yards-per-game. Individually, the Rams are even better. Rookie quarterback Josh Donnelly is third in Canada West in passing yards-per-game, and they have four receivers in the top ten for individual receiving yards-pergame, two more than the next best University of Calgary Dinos.

Even in rushing, the weakest component of the Rams offense, they are perhaps better than results would make it seem. First year starter Semba Mbasela has averaged 57.7 yards-per-game, only 8/ypg behind second-best rusher Jeshrun Anti of Calgary.

The real kicker is the Rams’ red zone percentages. The Rams are tied for first in the league in terms of scoring from the red zone at 95 per cent. That means that 95 per cent of the time the Rams reach the opponents 20yard line, they score. League leaders Calgary are the only team who also convert 95 per cent of the time. The difference is the team’s ability to convert into touchdowns. While Calgary scores

Jeremy Davis

But hey, at least everyone was eligible

seven points from the red zone a whopping 80 per cent of the time, the Rams only do so 40 per cent of the time, second to worst in the league. This is potentially due to a weaker running game; the Rams constantly depended on passing plays to score. They scored only five rushing touchdowns this season, three of which came in the first game.

Defensively, the Rams are also statistically quite good in some categories. They allow fewer points per game than U of M, U of A, and UBC. They also lead the league in sacks with 16. The big problem is passing-yards-per game, where the team allows the second most in Canada West.

Overall, there is a strong case that

the Rams aren’t just a young team that will develop into a competitor, they already are much better than the results have shown.

Youth is still their greatest asset. The team graduates only two receivers, Kyle Moortgat and Ryan Schienbein, plus only Brandon Brooks and Eric Wicijowski on defence. Even more encouraging is that their quarterback, two of their top receivers, and their running back are all first or second-year players. “Big Play” Riley Boersma has been a revelation in his second year, already collecting 431 passing yards in his first season as a starter. If this core can stay healthy, especially Donnelly who missed two games this season, they will come back better

than ever in 2020. While it is unfortunate that they won’t get any playoff experience this year, the Rams team has shown they can compete with any team in Canada West, and with a little more consistency, should fight for playoffs next year. This is the plan for Donnelly, who has seen growth from the young roster all season.

“I think we grew a lot. During that run we got down ourselves a bit and dealt with some injuries, but I think we grew a lot as a group and are getting closer to reaching our full potential.”

The Rams conclude their season at home in their fifth-year send off game against the University of Manitoba Bisons on Oct. 25..

“I think we grew a lot. During that run we got down ourselves a bit and dealt with some injuries, but I think we grew a lot as a group and are getting closer to reaching our full potential.” - Josh Donnelly

October 24 - October 30, 2019

carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 12

sports

Cougars hockey teams both post split results against Thunderbirds Jane Kish led the way for the women in an exciting shootout victory brian palaschuk sports writer Both the men’s and women’s hockey teams were in action this weekend against UBC. The men were away in Vancouver, while the women took on the visitors at the Co-operators Centre. The hockey programs have mirrored seasons and face the same opponents week to week. The women headed into the home stand 1-3, while the Cougars men were 0-4.

Both teams were able to pick up one win in split weekends.

The men opened up with a 2-1 win over the Thunderbirds on Friday, with goals courtesy of Tristan Frei and Arthur Miller. The Thunderbirds actually outshot the Cougars 38-23, but Brandon Holtby stood on his head for U of R, allowing only a single goal for the home team.

The Cougars were also able to stay out of the box, which has plagued them thus far, taking only three penalties all of which they killed. They also went 1-4 (25 per cent) on the powerplay.

The next day went the other way for the Cougars. Shots once again favoured the Thunderbirds, but this time only 31-29. However, this time they were able to

beat Holtby for four unanswered goals, after the Cougars’ Connor Odelein struck first. This early pressure is another place where the Cougars have been looking to improve. They scored first in both games this weekend, something they have failed to do yet this year.

On the women’s side things were the opposite. The visiting Cougars lost a close game 2-1. In this one, special teams were all the difference. All three goals were scored on a man advantage, but unfortunately, the opening goal

by UBC was scored short-handed. Both teams played good defensive hockey, allowing only 13 and 14 shots against apiece.

Things opened up a lot in the game on Saturday. The Thunderbirds struck twice early to take a 2-0 lead, but Cougars Elise Endicott and Jordan Kulbida found the back of the net to tie it up in the third period. Jane Kish got her first start of the year in net and made 29 saves for the Cougars. It ended up coming down to a shootout and Jaycee Magwood and Jenna Merk got it done, winning the second game of the season. For Kish, the win in game two was a sweet but hard earned one.

“Overall I was happy we won.

We came back from a 2-0 game to

Jeremy Davis

A list of teams that often lose

win in a shootout. I also think it was good for our rookie players to get a taste of what U-Sports overtime is like. They are learning how hard you need to battle every game to get the win.”

The Men will head to Calgary to face their eponymous ri-

vals the Mount Royal Cougars, while the Cougar Women will come back home. For Kish, this will be a test of her team’s adaptability.

“There is a lot of learning we can take from the weekend and apply to our practices for MRU

this weekend. MRU is doing well this year, so keeping up a high level of intensity this week will be crucial.”

Cougar’s volleyball cools Okanagan Heat in home opener The women got off to a good start, splitting their opening weekend 1-1 brian palaschuk sports writer With the Rams season winding down, the Cougars are starting to get going, the latest being the women’s volleyball team. After going 16-8 in conference competition in 2018-2019, the Cougars have been just 1-11 in pre-season. The new look roster came into their home opener needing a big win and that’s just what they got. In two matches against UBC Okanagan on Oct. 18 and 19, they won their first 3-2 match and lost the second 0-3.

Like many of the Cougars teams, volleyball is in a transitional season. Last year, they finished their season with a playoff loss in the quarterfinals against powerhouse UBC Thunderbirds.

From that roster, they graduate three fifth-year players, including libero and Cougars all time digs leader Taylor Ungar. They also lose Canada West all-star and Cougars female athlete of the year, Satomi Togawa. In the wake of these losses, returning fourth years Emma Matheson, Britt Davis, and Kristin Greve are stepping into the leadership roles.

The veterans were huge for them in their season opening win. Davis led the team in kills with 13, while Matheson blocked 9 UBC drives. Third-year libero Sierra

Nathan McCarville

You win some and you lose some

Parris-Kruger was also instrumental, contributing 23 digs for the home team.

The Cougars faltered a little bit on Saturday, losing three sets to zero against the visiting Heat. Jade Bussard lifted her team to victory with 11 kills and 16.5 points. In the defeat, Davis and Matheson once again led the Cougars, with Davis pitching in 10 points for the U of R. For 2018 Canada West coach of the year, Melanie Sanford, the game was a step in the right direction for her fresh roster.

“I think the weekend showed us the areas where we have improved as a team and also areas that we need to continue to work on. Our match results on Friday showed us what we are capable of as a team and this is very positive.”

One area the Cougars will look to improve is in their consistency. In their victories, they won 25-18, 25-19, and 17-15 while their losses came 14-25 and 1925. Their next three losses also came with big differentials, of 10, 9, and 6 respectively. They

have a tendency to win and lose in sweeping fashion. If they can keep their highs high and minimize the low sets, they will be able to continue to compete. For Coach Sanford, maintaining the consistent play they showed in their first match will be pivotal to the team’s success.

“We need to work on maintaining that performance to get the results we want and so this is an area of focus for our team.”

The next test for Volleyball will come in Edmonton against the MacEwan Griffons. The Grif-

fons are currently 0-2 and this will be the first time the teams meet in 2019. The Cougars will look to stay tough and get their first 2-0 weekend of the season in their next action.

October 24 - October 30, 2019

carillonregina.com | The Carillon |

sports

13

Cougars cross-country team headed to inaugural Can West championship

Small but mighty Cougars sending twelve to Calgary to compete

brian palaschuk sports writer The University of Rregin cross-country team is making the trek to Calgary for the first ever Cross Country Canada West Championship. In previous years, the sport only featured a U Sports meet in November, so teams will be competing October 26 to make history as the first ever Can West champions. Cross Country meets run on a “low sticks” format, which means that scoring is additive based on position. For example, the first finisher scores one point, second scores two, and so on. The team of five with the lowest aggregate score are the

Jeremy Davis

Cougars enter the dirt before they end up on the track

champions. This means that to compete, teams need to field five competitive runners.

University of Regina will be fielding a men’s and women’s team for the competition. On the men’s side they are led by rookie standout and Sled Dog Open sixth place finisher Ron Mclean.

Mclean is making waves already, which was to be expected from the under-18 national champion in Cross Country in 2018. Head Coach Wade Huber thinks that Mclean will be able to contribute in a big way at Canada West.

“He’s tough and gritty and loves to compete. I think we have Braden (Mytopher), Ron [Mclean] and Matt [Johnson] who

can all be competitive.”

On the women’s side, the Cougars will be led by Kaylee Tymo and Kaila Neigum who finished fifth and sixth at the Sled Dog Classic respectively. Tymo was also a finalist at the Canadian Track and Field Championships in the 3000m steeplechase where she finished sixth. For coach Huber, the challenge for the women’s team will be lack of bodies.

“We actually haven’t fielded a full team yet this year, we only have five people on our roster.”

This compares to the maximum roster cap of fourteen runners, and in fact, five is the minimum number of athletes to even enter the team competition.

In a sport where large roster sizes and volume make such a big difference, the challenge for a smaller program such as U of R is always to develop quality over quantity. At the 2019 U Sports Track and Field Championships for example, the U of R team contested 15 events compared to the champion University of Guelph Griffons’ 63. Despite this numerical disadvantage, the Cougar athletes combined for 13 medals at Canada West, and two at U Sports championships in 2019.

The small but mighty Cougars cross-country squad will bring just 12 athletes to Canada West to compete against teams

with up to 28 competitors. However, for coach Huber, that won’t stop the team from trying to make some waves.

“I think our men’s team will be competitive for [a top five finish]. If our women are top six, it would be a good day for them.”

The Canada West championships will be a measuring stick for the rest of the cross-country calendar, moving towards U Sports and the all-important track and field season.

“I think we grew a lot. During that run we got down ourselves a bit and dealt with some injuries, but I think we grew a lot as a group and are getting closer to reaching our full potential.” - Josh Donnelly

October 24 - October 30, 2019

sports

Softball team wins national championship

carillonregina.com | The Carillon |

14

Underfunded squad takes it all the way

tyler meadows sports editor The University of Regina Cougars softball team may be the best team at the U of R. Over the past seven seasons the Cougars team has finished either first or second, save for last year when the playoffs were cancelled in the WCSA (Western Collegiate Softball Association). The Cougars have won two straight championships and won three of the last four as well. Led by Head Coach Andrea Wolf, the team has excelled in the Western Collegiate Softball Association. Further, this year the University of Regina Cougars are your Canadian Collegiate Softball Association Champions.

The team went 12-5 during the regular season, for the most part dominating in every win.

The Cougars five losses were by a combined 11 runs, while the Cougars 12 wins produced a plus-87 run differential. The league consists of eight different teams across western Canada: University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan, Briercrest; University of Calgary, SAIT, University of Lethbridge, University of British Columbia-Okanagan, and

Courtesy of WCSA

University of Victoria.

The Cougars only lost five games this past regular season with two losses to Calgary (by one and three runs) and the U of S(by 2 runs both times), then they lost to UBC-O once (by three runs).

Which says a lot about the dominance that the team played with this season with a combined run differential of plus-75 they were easily the best team in the WCSA. Keely Graf plays catcher and first base for the Cougars and she spoke about the dominance that the team showed this season.

“Definitely our team chemistry. Our team knows when to have fun, but we also know when to be serious and I think that’s a key component to being a competitive athlete. We are also a very athletic group of girls who put in the time and effort at practice and that practice was definitely noticeable on the field”.

Certainly, a team that has such a dominant run must have something special about them, when you think of championship teams, there is always a unique trait or characteristic that stands out. So what made this Cougar team the best in Canada? Graf

thinks she has an idea.

“I have never been a part of such a special group of girls. Not only does each and every girl have the same passion for the sport as I do but out of this team came lifelong friendships that I know are just more than on the field. I think what made our team unique was how much fun we had both on and off the field. Every so often we would get together and do activities to bond and this bond transferred onto the field which I think was special for all of my teammates”.

Interestingly, what Graf seems to be talking about is group cohesion. Group cohesion has been studied extensively in the literature as being a key factor in group performance. Cohesive groups generally have more positive outcomes, increased motivation and morale and commitment to group goals (Cleirigh & Greaney, 2014). This gives some researched support for Graf ’s observations of her group and the bond that they were able to build through the season.

As mentioned earlier this is a team that has one back-to-back years in WCSA play, however

this year the team also won nationals. So, what made this team different than the one in 2017?

“The one major difference that I recognize from 2017 to this year is definitely our team chemistry. Everyone on the team this year was there for a purpose and we all wanted to be National Champions again, which made us focus and give it our all to achieve our goal. I believe that without team chemistry, comfort, and some fun, no team can truly be successful and I’m glad we met our goal”.

Keely reinforced the fact that the team cohesion this year was certainly special. But does that mean that they coasted throughout the entire year? Their run differential says it was smooth sailing all year, but this was no undefeated team, so surely there were some obstacles.

“As for playoffs, I think our team cleaned up our game pretty well and everything came together and that is what made us a dominant team. As for earlier in the season, we definitely struggled putting our bats, our base running, and our defence together

Look at all those smiling faces

all at once for a dominating performance. After each weekend we discussed what we needed to work on and from there we bared down at practice and got it done.

Our team definitely hit our peak at the right time and that motivation and intensity carried us through playoffs and gave us our National Championship title”.

Moving forward this team will look to repeat as national champions, they have discovered the immense gratification of reaching the pinnacle in their domain and they all want to repeat.

What is happening next year that can make a difference in the repeat run?

“After this season we do lose a couple of key players who were big hitters in our lineup and great defensive players on the field, but I think this team can come back and do it again. Two years in a row we had girls who give it their all, who cheered when they weren’t playing, and everyone contributed to the win in their own way I think not only is skill a big factor, but the amount of hear you have plays a role as well”.

“… Our team definitely hit our peak at the right time and that motivation and intensity carried us through playoffs and gave us our National Championship title.” - Keely Graf

op-ed

15 Editor: taylor balfor op-ed@carillonregina.com the carillon | October 24 - October 30, 2019

Letter to the editor: Discussing the Regina Public School Board

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I was among the dozens of 2SLGBTQIA+ people who went to witness last week’s Regina Board of Education vote on whether to endorse celebrating Pride in schools. I was also among the dozens who cried and yelled when the trustees declined to make this statement in favour of their gender and sexually-diverse students and educators.

Admittedly, the motion was largely symbolic. But symbols matter to people. These symbols matter to me.

I was raised jointly by my lesbian moms and by my supportive straight parents on the other side. When I attended Regina Public Schools in the 1980s and 1990s, our family encountered bullying from other students, bigotry from other parents, and a lack of understanding from too many of the teachers. My elementary school time was hell, not because of my lesbian moms but because of other people’s reaction to them.

I’m not just a survivor of homophobia levelled at my family decades ago. I’m also a genderqueer and bisexual parent to two current students in Regina Public Schools.

There has been some progress in the education system over the past 20-30 years.

The existence of diverse families is now included in the curriculum.

I know several out gay and/or trans educators. Gay-straight alliances (under a variety of names) are common. Yet I also

know several queer teens who are not out to their families because they don’t know if it is safe to come out. Others have come out and have endured abuse or rejection as a result. Depression and suicide rates among queer youth are high, and the research says that it is because of the homophobia and transphobia they experience in their families, their schools, and in the wider world.

I want my kids to have better experiences than I did, because they, too, have a queer parent and they deserve to be safe and welcomed in their schools. I want queer or questioning kids to know that they are safe and loved in their schools. Flying a flag, joining a parade, hosting an info booth – these things matter because they are visible symbols of our belonging. Even more important is the ways that teachers show up for kids every day by incorporating inclusive language and ideas in their classrooms, listening to kids, and modeling loving behaviour in action.

Having the board endorse this motion could have helped school administrators when they make decisions about what to celebrate and recognize in each school. It could have been a statement for students to point to when advocating for greater recognition in their schools, and it could have showed that support goes all the way to the most senior ranks of their school system.

Instead, kids and families are left in

limbo wondering whether there is actually is support at every level. In an environment where we see our queer siblings south of the border having their rights eroded, and where some elected representatives in other levels of government question our right to exist as ourselves, not explicitly saying “you belong here” is as good as saying “go away”.

The board trustees have suggested that this issue will continue to be discussed, and we may see it raised again. We must remain vigilant. If the Board later puts forward a policy, it will be important to pay attention to the fine print.

There is an opportunity to develop inclusive meaningful recognition, or to treat the topic as “too adult” (it isn’t) or otherwise restrict educator’s ability to make curriculum-consistent decisions in the interest of students. Despite my disappointment and ongoing concern, I am heartened by the hundreds of queer and allied people who spoke up on this issue. I was relieved to learn that 75 per cent of the responses Trustees heard were in support of this motion – we wouldn’t have had that much support in the 1980s.

In their comments before voting No last week, some Trustees said that this was “a difficult issue” and “complicated”.

Saying that all students and families are welcome no matter their gender or that

of who they love doesn’t seem difficult or complicated to me. Celebrating Pride and explicitly welcoming diverse people will continue to be important, until such celebrations are a no-brainer for everyone.

Writer’s bio: Huggins is a Queer parent to two excellent kids in Regina Public Schools

suzanne huggins

“Instead, kids and families are left in limbo wondering whether there is actually is support at every level. In an environment where we see our queer siblings south of the border having their rights eroded, and where some elected representatives in other levels of government question our right to exist as ourselves, not explicitly saying “you belong here” is as good as saying “go away”.” Suzanne Huggins

October 24 - October 30, 2019

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carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 16

The (many) “perks” of being a masters student

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Five years ago, I enrolled in the University of Regina with the belief that once I obtained my degree, my life would be set. Not only would I know exactly what I wanted to do in terms of my career, but I’d also be well on my way to achieving it.

However, since convocating last spring, I’ve realized that this was unfortunately an incredibly naive belief. Being a university graduate student is not as easy as I initially thought it would be. Instead, it has been a time of constant irritation, confusion, and stress as I try to figure out and plan the next stage of my life.

Since becoming a graduate student, I have been so frequently asked what my plans are that I’ve lost count. Even though I appreciate your interest in my life and future, these types of questions are extremely irritating, especially for someone like myself who is still uncertain of exactly what I want to do. And I swear if anyone else asks me, “a history degree . . . what are you going to do with that? Are you going to teach?” I may likely snap.

Yes, I understand that the history field is narrow, but having a history degree does not mean that i want to be a teacher. There are other job opportunities within history other than teaching! No offence to my former history teachers and professors – you are great, I just don’t want to teach.

Although being an undergraduate student requires significant time management, organization, hard work, effort, and patience – and it was both physically and emotionally exhausting – there are still moments every day when I wish I could go

back and be one again. I realize that any undergraduate student reading this will think that I’m crazy for saying that, but to be honest, I’m not.

As an undergraduate student, my life had security, comfort, and direction – all important elements in life I’d previously taken for granted and am now currently lacking. I will admit that attending classes and completing the required assignments, projects, essays, reports, presentations, and exams while trying to balance my personal and academic life to ensure that I could complete everything I needed was a constant struggle. There was always so much to do and never enough hours within the day.

However, at that point, I still felt as though I had a sense of security in my life.

As a student, I knew not only what I needed to do, but also what was expected of me and could spend my time immersed in my schoolwork getting everything done.

Additionally, while the road toward getting my history degree was undoubtedly full of bumps, major obstacles, disappointing dead ends, and surprising twists, it provided me with a goal that I could work toward achieving. This goal of obtaining a degree was always front and centre, providing focus and offering motivation whenever life got difficult.

Unfortunately, the moment I convocated I felt like this previous comfort and security was ripped away from underneath me. In many ways, I feel even more confused and unsure now than I did when I first began university.

To be honest, most days I compare myself to an octopus, floating around with options and ideas, but with no clear direction, desperately trying to figure out what the hell to do with my life. While I can’t speak for all university graduates, I know that I’m not alone in how I feel as many of my friends and former classmates who are also graduates feel similarly.

In my opinion, I think that this confusion has to do with two main factors.

Firstly, in today’s society, for some reason, the school system places so much emphasis on graduation very early on in a student’s academic life. Even though it is nice to be recognized for your accomplishments, this attention is often largely unnecessary – especially if you’re moving from kindergarten to grade one (yes, I know someone who actually had this ceremony, as ridiculous as it sounds), or even from grade eight to grade nine – when failing a grade is no longer an option.

When it comes to university, this emphasis on graduation is immensely hyped up from the ceremony (with all it’s complicated steps and instructions), the photos, and all the planning involved. While this graduation ceremony is more special than previous ones, since it marks a significant, major accomplishment, I still feel that this moment is ramped up and there should be more consideration provided to students in terms of what comes next.

Additionally, although achieving a degree is undoubtedly a successful accomplishment, it is no longer enough to graduate with just one degree. With so

many individuals attending university, the job field/market is becoming increasingly competitive. In order to stand out, it seems that your education will never end because you are constantly working to pursue your masters, Ph D. and numerous other certifications. It also doesn’t help that the job market in our province is already extremely narrow.

People have told me that me not to stress too much because eventually I’ll figure things out and the pieces will fall into place. I honestly hope so, because this confusion, fear and stress is always on my mind and likely will be until I figure out exactly what I want. Undergraduates, enjoy this time while you can because even though it’s full of hard work and long days, you still have security and direction in your lives.

elisabeth sahlmueller staff writer

“To be honest, most days I compare myself to an octopus, floating around with options and ideas, but with no clear direction.” – Elisabeth Sahlmueller

October 24 - October 30, 2019

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carillonregina.com | The Carillon |

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Choosing not to vote shouldn’t be an option This week on “Yes, We’re Still Having This Conversation”: why voting matters. This is about way more than just the fact that it’s a right people died for. Though that’s an incredibly valid reason to vote, it’s also been a mantra for decades and hasn’t done much to increase voter turnout.

According to Elections Canada, the percentage of voters ages 18-24 jumped from 38 per cent to 57 per cent last election which is incredible, but there’s still 43 per cent not making their voices heard. That’s close to two million people who, if they voted, could help direct the future of our country.

One major reason to vote as a young adult is that politicians look at who votes.

If there’s a large number of young voters, the issues we see as important will have a higher priority placed on them. Our demographic voting also reminds said politicians that we are an active part of this country.

Their job during election season is to earn our votes, and if the percentage of us voting consistently increases, so should their prioritizing of our values and needs.

This is a chance to do more than share political memes on Facebook or argue with your relatives over holiday meals; this sends a message directly to the individuals who can implement change.

A common excuse for not voting is that people don’t know what each party stands for, and they don’t know how to educate themselves. This is solvable through a Google search for comparisons of party viewpoints and future plans for pertinent issues.

While it can be difficult to find a source that’s truly unbiased, the information is out there. Rather than swiping through Tinder on your next commute, try educating yourself thoroughly so you can vote for a party

Jeremy Davis

aligned with your values.

The most common excuse I hear people saying is that they just don’t have the time, which I’d like to label as the laziest cop-out around. Thanks to our system there are advanced polls in the weeks leading up to the election date, and your employer is legally obligated to give you time to vote. Our city’s transit system is even offering free transit on Election Day to help those otherwise unable to get to the polls – the options are there if you look. The time it takes to vote is hardly a fraction of the time that goes by in our four-year terms;

it’s the least we can do.

Politics affects every aspect of life.

Would you like to see our minimum wage become a living wage? Do you value religious freedom and equality? Are you scared by our country’s direction environmentally? Do you critique how budgets are handled? Are you dreading your growing student debt and the looming interest attached? This is your big shot to make your values known and cause progress in the problems you see. This is your chance to make your voice heard and actually make a difference.

Yes, it is within your personal right to not vote, but that choice has consequences. If you have the time to talk about the changes you want to see, you have the time to do something about it. If you don’t vote, don’t bitch about the changes you won’t see happening. You had your shot.

holly worby a & c writer

Why and how National Novel Writing Month is effecIt’s almost the end of October. While for most people that might mean excitement over Halloween approaching, or joy over the start of the Christmas prep season, for me, October means something completely different.

In the writing world, the weeks leading up to November are filled with excitement, anticipation, worry, and, depending on the year, a bit of dread. That’s because for me and thousands of writers around the world, November is National Novel Writing Month.

National Novel Writing Month (also known as NaNoWriMo) is an international challenge (despite the name) that encourages writers to actually get their creative works on a page. The challenge?

You have 30 days to write 50,000 words, which will hopefully be a rough first draft of a novel.

“But what do you get if you win?” you ask. Well, bragging rights. Not a lot of people can say that they pumped out 50,000 words in a month. But if you want, you can also buy a winner shirt and print out the free certificate they give you on the website for reaching the goal.

Now, every time I explain this to a non-writer, they look at me like I’ve grown three heads. “But why would you do that to yourself ?” they ask. It may sound silly to those who aren’t writers, but one of the hardest parts about writing is exactly that: doing it. Forcing yourself to write is a real struggle for creators, and who can blame them? Writers essentially take a concept only they envision and attempt to explain the vast, intricate concept to others, and the only medium they’re able to communicate with is text.

It’s stressful and difficult, is what I’m

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trying to say.

What I’m also trying to say is that NaNoWriMo pushes writers past this block. It gets writers actually writing. It forces people past the “what if ” stages of creation and forces them to make their creative vision a reality.

I argue that NaNoWriMo successfully encourages writers to sit down and write, regardless if they get the 50k milestone.

Writing is an isolating task. With NaNoWriMo, however, not only does it give you a writing community to connect to while you work, but it also provides a public forum to motivate you to hold yourself accountable to put the work, effort, and time into a project that you may otherwise not feel the

drive to work on.

On top of that, other than the satisfying feeling of a semi-completed manuscript, NaNoWriMo gives writers a concrete goal.

Instead of “finishing a novel,” the goal is to write 50,000 words, which is far less abstract and overwhelming. Along with a “finished story,” you also get a certificate.

While the feeling of having a complete or semi-complete novel is phenomenal, sometimes it’s not enough to drive writers to get going. Having a physical reward can make the achievement feel more tangible.

The only downside to NaNoWriMo, of course, is that my free time for the month will be entirely dedicated to writing.

I will dearly miss you, free time. See you in

December.

taylor balfour op-ed editor

October 24 - October 30, 2019

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Ask The Advocate: Dealing with midterm stress While there is research that shows that stress can be helpful during midterms because it increases motivation and productivity, I know that for some of our students the opposite is true.

This fall, URSU brought a new program to campus called mywellness. Mywellness is a mental health and wellness program designed specifically for Canadian post-secondary students. It helps students maintain a productive and positive lifestyle while completing their studies, while providing them with support resources.

When studying is stressing you to the max, take a wellness break: go to mywellness.ca and learn some stress management techniques. There are workbooks, helpful websites, and stress reduction apps and tools.

Mywellness also contains a comprehensive list of wellness resources on campus, in the community and online.

As always, if your stress becomes debilitating and impacts your life negatively, please reach out for support. There are many services on campus that were established to help students overcome barriers and be successful in their educational journeys. Services that are as essential to success as any other element of your education. Services you are entitled to.

To find out about mywellness or other services please come and speak with me.

You are worth every effort to ensure success.

Best of luck in your midterms.

kathryn boyce URSU Advocate

Amboowho via flickr

Ask The Advocate response: Stressful season of midMidterm stress affects us all as students.

Sitting down, opening up your cluster of notes, and determining what in the world you were trying to write during any given class is something that drives everyone over the edge.

It’s like trying to decipher who, in any state of mind, decided to call a bird a turtledove when there’s a clear lack of any turtles that have to do with it. It’s maddening, I tell you. Maddening.

But I digress – the stress that comes along with midterms season is no fun at all.

Not fun in terms of other assignments anyway, like the type of fun where you know you can at least sneak in one drink at The Owl because, “Oh, you worked really hard reading that page and a half, you deserve to treat yourself.” No, rather, it’s the little angel and devil on your shoulder continuously kicking you in the neck and screaming that you’ll never amount to your own expectations because your own mind is just cruel like that sometimes.

This random nonsense aside, I’m going to over a couple of tips and tricks to help with that midterm stress-ache that you’re giving yourself.

For starters, remember to breath. It’s an oldie and a goodie for a reason, people.

I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve panicked over the thought of failing or not knowing enough going in. However, when you take a moment to inhale and exhale (even counting to 10 if you want), you save yourself a lot of internal damage. So yeah, simply put, remember to breathe.

Next, and this is one that you need to read in-between the lines for, remember it’s okay to fail. Do you want to fail? No. Are you going in with the thought of failing?

Certainly not. Sometimes though, it’s okay to remind yourself that not getting the grade you want isn’t going to be the end times. Yeah, it’ll sting, it’ll certainly hurt,

but you’ll carry on. Plus, a reminder of failure isn’t a weakness, it’s a building block for what you want to overcome. Don’t take failing as a negative; take it as a motivator.

Finally – and this one may seem contradictory – take a break. I know, I know, I made fun of that earlier, but lord if this ain’t true. Just take 30 minutes to watch an episode of your favourite show and then get right back to it. In and out, quick as a flash. If you’re poring over your notes all the livelong day, your brain is going to have a difficult time putting two and two togeth-

er until you give it the R&R it needs so that it can put those pieces together.

Also, don’t feel guilty for it, because then you’ll still be thinking about studying even though you’ve set that time aside for yourself, and that just doesn’t help anyone.

So, there you have it: a few quick tips on how to be your best self when taking on midterms. It’s a scary time for sure, but it comes and goes every year. And just think, when it’s done, you can drown away those memories with whatever good times you want (just be responsible for god’s sake).

So good luck out there and have yourselves a fine midterm season. Or don’t, I’m not your dad. P.S. lay off the coffee.

ethan butterfield a&c editor

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carillonregina.com | The Carillon | 19 Editors: sarah carrier, kate thiessen and morgan ortman graphics@carillonregina.com the carillon | October 24 - October 30, 2019

October 24 - October 30, 2019

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Haley Klassen

Wynonna Allen