Volume 63, Issue 11

the carillon the staff editor-in-chief editor@carillonregina.com

taylor balfour

executive director business@carillonregina.com

jacob nelson

production manager production@carillonregina.com

morgan ortman

advertising manager advertising@carillonregina.com

ty cote

technical editor shae shackman carillontechnical@carillonregina.com multimedia/graphics editors

multimedia@carillonregina.com graphics@carillonregina.com

kate thiessen sarah carrier

copy editor copyeditor@carillonregina.com

hannah senicar

news editor news@carillonregina.com

sara birrell

a&c editor aandc@carillonregina.com

julia peterson

sports editor sports@carillonregina.com

ethan butterfield

op-ed editor op-ed@carillonregina.com

marty grande-sherbert

distribution manager distribution@carillonregina.com staff writer staff writer

holly worby

reese estwick

news writer

a&c writer

issac tamlin joseph holoein

sports writer web writer

sarah nakonechny

contributors hammad ali, robyn ham

vol. 63

kyle anderson

gillian massie

board of directors taylor balfour, lindsay holitzki, maddie ouelette, dustin smith. marty grande-sherbert, and jacob nelson

the paper

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 The Carillon welcomes contributions.

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. land acknowledgement The Carillon is written on treaty four territory. As such, the staff recognize that we are living, working, and telling stories on and of Indigenous lands. We recognize that we are on the traditional homelands of the Nakota, Lakota, and Dakota peoples, along with the homeland of the Métis nation. The carillon understands that it is pointless to acknowledge the land on which we work without speaking to our commitment to telling stories and prioritizing voices that further the return of the land to its place sacred place in the cultures of those that live here. the manifesto 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

The University of Regina Students’ Newspaper Since 1962 November 5th - November 11th, 2020 | Volume 63, Issue 11 | carillonregina.com

news

URSU AGM

arts

p.3

Although much shorter than last year’s, the 2020 URSU AGM did not go off without its own host of problems.

Thank goodness break week has finally arrived! We hope you all take the week to catch up on some homework and rest.

If you have some spare time on your hands and are interested in constrictions to the Carillon, all contributors receive a $20 honorarium per contribution.

Contraception

arts

p.6

In this week’s Sexual Re-education column, Holly Worby discusses birthcontrol, its many forms and the road blocks to accessing it.

p.7

New to Among Us? Well, so was web writer Gillian Massie but now a seasoned pro, she’s here to tell you why this multiplayer game is worth checking out.

op-ed

op-ed

sports

Among Us

We hope you enjoy this issue and we hope to see you in the next one.

Taylor Balfour Editor-in-Chief

photos

cover......................................sarah carrier news.......................................jeremy davis a&c................................................carillon a&c...............................................pixabay sports..................................mark robinson op-ed......................................ahn nguyen op-ed................................thomas lefebvre

Wife carrying

p.12

This section has seen its fair share of weird sports lately, but wife carrying is probably one of the more normal ones.

Grab your wife, grab your brewski and brush up on the rules.

Taking care

p.16

For many people with chronic mental health issues, being told to “take care of yourself ” isn’t what they want or need to hear.

Online classes

p.18

From neverending midterms to mic feedback, online classes keep delivering the pain points.

news

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editor: sara birrell news@carillonregina.com the carillon | november 5 - november 11, 2020

URSU AGM shows union lacking in broader vision Can URSU stay relevant? shae sackman tech editor Shae Sackman is on the URSU HR council. They reported on the AGM in their capacity as a student.

The University of Regina Students’ Union held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on October 28 and a new format to align with a remote semester was a platform to showcase the ongoing problems with communication, collaboration and engaging with students that URSU has been facing.

The AGM Package available on the URSU website included a proposed agenda, reports from the executives, financial statements, a document titled Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Students’ Union of the University of Regina Inc., and a new formulation of bylaws. Many students were caught off guard not only by the seriousness of the implications of the motions on the agenda, but by the AGM as a whole, as URSU did not officially communicate the information through a verified channel (in this case, students U of R email addresses) until October 26th at 3:58pm.

News of the AGM was said to have been advertised through social media, but this presupposes that students follow the union on social media. URSU historically has never had access to the U of R student mailing list, and only that week was able to access this information to communicate en masse to registered students that

the AGM was to be taking place.

Students were left scrambling trying to find representatives to attend to confirm their club and society ratification status, and many students who may have wanted to attend simply could not make it on such short notice.

After a long pause as URSU staff did their best to manage an onslaught of late registrants, the AGM began by appointing John Lax as chair – an out-of-nowhere claim before the adoption of the agenda had even been motioned was raised. A member stated that proper notice had not been given and that this would impact the members in being able to properly consider the material provided with the agenda. Heated discussion about the proper way to proceed and if proper notice had indeed actually been given ensued. Multiple students said in the chat function of the Zoom meeting they wanted more time to understand what the motion was trying to do as many had not even had the chance to look at the AGM package. Eventually motion 11.1.1. – Governance reform and legislative compliance was struck from the agenda.

After 45 minutes of confusion and chaos, the modified agenda for the AGM was finally approved, and the three executives gave their reports for the year so far. The Vice President of Student Affairs, Ziyang Zeo Li, submitted a detailed record of what he had been working on, including facilitating student engagement, working on initiatives

for improving mental health, and student advocacy initiatives including the recent Proctortrack feedback campaign.

Vice President of Operations and Finance Gurkirat Singh went through the financials, detailing an expected drop in enrolment at the U of R and mentioning that URSU was working on finding some kind of alternative for the Winter 2021 U-Pass.

President Gurjinder Singh Lehal mentioned better relations between the students’ union and the administration, citing the town hall that took place on August 17 as a sign that increased cooperation was taking place. He also mentioned other changes, including switching the health and dental insurance provider, focusing on an effort to provide open educational resources in the form of zero-cost courses, and facilitating provincial voting forums this past month to encourage student turnout.

What was missing from all these reports and from the AGM more generally was any semblance of a coordinated, cohesive vision for the students’ union. While the online format does prove difficult to navigate, there was no sense of the executives having had worked together to solve problems, or formulate a guiding vision for the rest of the year. No unified front, no feeling of a team of students fighting for those they represent, and no mention of working together. Not even the formats of the executive reports were consistent or had a unifying thread

– providing a visual manifestation of this lack of cooperation and investment. During a time when students so obviously need clear, strong representation and support the URSU AGM provided nothing but anxiety, confusion, and doubt among those in attendance.

University of Regina students need and deserve more from the students’ union.

Motion 11.1.1. has serious consequences for the future of the union, how it would represent and engage with students, and how it would conduct its work.

The effort and development that has been done on these new articles for governance are at odds with the unaware students attending the AGM. Students are often entirely unaware of the work done over the years, the implications of it, or how to interact with these new articles. One student suggested that an “explanation of everything being addressed with enough time that people can get clarification on items before the AGM itself,” would have increased transparency and engagement that the motion calls for. If students are not invested in the work that the students’ union is doing, that is the responsibility of the executive team for failing to express the importance of their work and the interests of the union to the members.

While COVID changed the manner in which the executives can perform their duties and the way they interact with the student body and their concerns, it also provides many opportunities

to try new ways to do important work. The URSU AGM could have been a fantastic practice of inclusion by adding captioning much in the manner of RPIRG’s AGM this year, or as suggested by one student “having a more concrete system to notify the chair of questions or comments” would help for accessibility and clarity. URSU could have taken this opportunity to educate and engage their members on how governance works and why it is important in the union, showing ownership and accountability to the process and their members.

URSU executives now know that the student members who attended the AGM were largely uninformed of the issues at hand and caught off-guard. Students at the University of Regina care about mental health, about ever-increasing tuition fees, about food and housing insecurity, about diversity, accessibility and inclusion. About the fear and uncertainty resulting from a global pandemic. And about how their interests and concerns are being represented to the University administration. And yet the executives cannot seem to connect and work with and for students in a meaningful way.

Whether and how URSU decides to bridge this disconnect has implications for the union’s relevancy and its ability to lead.

The students’ union must be able to put forward a united front and advocate for students in a meaningful way.

URSU logo manipulated by Jeremy Davis

Student dis-union.

nov 5 - nov 11, 2020

carillonregina.com | the carillon | 4

news

Alberta healthcare workers fight privatization with wildcat strike

Hundreds walk off job isaac tamlin news writer

On Monday, October 26, hundreds of Alberta healthcare workers walked off the job in a wildcat strike, protesting the provincial government’s decision to outsource 11,000 provincial general service staff jobs to private companies. By 9 p.m. that night the Alberta Labour Relations board issued a decision calling on those who were involved with the wildcat strike to cease and desist, calling the strike “illegal.” Finance Minister Travis Toews issued a statement saying that Alberta would “not tolerate illegal strike activity” and asked that, “all unions respect the bargaining process.” By Tuesday morning hospital and health-care staff were returning to work but Alberta Health Services (AHS) is considering disciplinary options for those that participated in the strike with the possibility of strikers being fined, suspended or fired for participating in the direct action.

Guy Smith, the President of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) spoke with the Carillon about the wildcat strikes that happened in Alberta.

“Well, our health care members obviously are facing a lot of threats of job loss,” Smith explained. “This government is intent on privatizing a lot of the healthcare system, particularly in the general support services area.

So we’re talking about the hospital, general maintenance staff, some clerical staff. And there’s been a lot of anger building, over the last year and just over two weeks ago, two and a half weeks ago, the health minister made an announcement right now smack dab in the middle of this pandemic that we’re all trying to deal with.

“He said that over the next couple of years in Alberta, thousands of health care jobs will be privatized and obviously gone.

So that was, in our opinion, very provocative. And it started a lot of talk amongst our members about how they will respond. And to top that off, last Friday, at least, you know, the government actually put a request for proposals to private companies to do the laundry for hospitals. And so the wildcat strike, it’s really hard to know how all of this because it was so organic. We had about 35 communities striking across the province. So it spread very quickly. It was very fluid and we were blown away by the amount of public support, especially in small town Alberta, where there is the whole image of rural voters being so divided.”

While the strike was eventually labelled as criminal and called off under threat of criminal charges, Smith still remarked upon the success the strike had.

“I think it was successful on a number of fronts.

Firstly, members felt that power to strengthen their collective power.

The other thing was it showed the public the concerns health care staff are having. It shouldn’t be

just about doctors and nurses, but also support staff that help keep the health care system running every single day, that they are just as important to the continuum of health care as our doctors, nurses.

And the massive public awareness of the process of privatization, because we believe that if the government can get away with privatizing these services, then that starts the encroachment of privatization in other services which the public are traditionally not in favor of, like our nurses and doctors. I think it also shows the government that aid workers are willing to fight right now, we’re not going to be bullied around.

And on top of the fact that we have cuts and threats of job loss and this showed that we also have very repressive labor legislation, which has shown that the power of the state to try and crush any sort of opposition [is strong].

So we’re ready and prepared to stand up to any kind of authoritarianism.”

In order to fully appreciate the importance of striking and unions in the employment sector we reached out to Charles Smith, an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at St. Thomas More College at the University of Saskatchewan.

In terms of what characterizes a wildcat strike, Smith said, “Any strike that occurs outside of a breakdown of collective bargaining would be considered illegal or a wildcat. Unions can go through this really cumbersome process to be able to legally strike.

They have to wait until the end of a collective agreement. They have to disagree. I have to declare an impasse. If they’re unable to reach an agreement in most jurisdictions, they have to then go through mandatory conciliation or sort of like a mediation process depending on the jurisdiction.

And usually in most jurisdictions,

Wikipedia Commons

Welcome to the jungle.

A lot of media began calling the strike “dangerous” due to the fact it was healthcare workers walking off in the middle of a pandemic, but Smith think it’s important to recognize the importance of the strike, particularly during the pandemic, “Staff certainly raised serious concerns I would suspect. They’re standing on the front lines of a global pandemic, I suspect that they would have had to have felt they had no other alternative. You don’t see this kind of mass wildcat very often in Canadian labor history. So to just dismiss it as an illegal option, I think doesn’t actually address the issues that we’re trying to raise. So I think it’s reflective on the government, on employers to recognize that there’s real problems here and to try and address them and to listen to working people.”

In particular Smith wasn’t surprised by the Alberta government’s attempts to villainize the strikers.

illegal: “In 2018, forgive me if I got the date wrong, Justin Trudeau legislated a bunch of postal workers back to work after a rotating strike during Christmas time and basically ignored the reasons behind the strike and just got them back to work because they had to address the economic fallout from mail delivery around Christmas time. But what’s interesting is when you listen to the reason for that legal strike and the reason why they were doing it; the issues behind it have been simmering for years and the “back to work” legislation just never addressed that. There were all kinds of public safety issues, wage issues, and gender issues with the fact that women are being paid less, which took years to address and as far as I know, were never actually addressed.”

With all the bad press unions and strikes have been given, Smith gave some final information for students on understanding why

“

Without the workers, the economy doesn’t work. So a collective strike is an important power for workers to have at their disposal.”

– Guy Smith

they have to give a kind of a cooling off period, just to give you a sense of how much you have to go through before you can legally strike. A wildcat, by contrast, is essentially a group of workers, not always with the permission of union leadership, who, for reasons that vary from political reasons to their discontent with the employer or to the [unfair] discipline of a co-worker, simply put down their tools or whatever the metaphorical putting down of work and walk off the job. And that would be considered illegal under any labor law, but certainly it’s not illegitimate for many workers who feel that they are being attacked by governments, by employers, by managers or whatever.”

“It’s not surprising considering governments across the country, across North America, across the world, for the most part, have never been staunch allies of the organized labor movement. They will argue they are defenders of working people, but not organize working people. And, you know, there’s a clear distinction already that organized workers have a much stronger capacity to speak with a loud voice than when they’re not organized. They don’t have that same capacity unless they’re highly skilled,” Smith said.

And Smith said that this wasn’t the first time governments have refused to listen to workers and declared justified movements

unions have always been important, and why striking, particularly wildcat strikes, are an important tool for those in the workforce.

“We live in a capitalist society, right now it is almost redundant to say that. But in capitalist societies, workers have no rights outside of whatever they’ve been able to push to stay safe.” He said that it has only been through labour unions that workers have been able to make the limited gains we see today, gains that many employers, with the help of governments, are trying to claw back. “Individually, employers try to ignore you, fire you or whatever. But collectively, it’s much harder to do so.”

Smith said that the impor-

tance of workers to the functioning of the economy has been made clear by the pandemic, not just in the healthcare sector, but across industries. “I think most dramatically we saw that when workers were forced out of labor in March, because of the shutdown, we saw how quickly the economy basically stopped working. Without the workers, the economy doesn’t work. So a collective strike is an important power for workers to have at their disposal.”

Smith said that when it comes to strikes, legal strikes are so restricted by law in terms of when and where and how they can happen that their effectiveness is often blunted. That’s where wildcar strikes become so important. “[Striking] illegally actually is much more of a disruption because the employers can’t plan for it. Often during these sorts of conflicts employers can plan, can stockpile product, they can hire replacement workers in the weeks to come in a way that they can’t do easily during a wildcat strike.

I think the fact that they put some boundaries around the strike weapon suggests how worried or even terrified the authorities and employers are of workers’ collective action. And in a free society, workers should have these rights, I think. Their contract shouldn’t be able to limit those collective actions.”

What’s happening in Albert is a slippery slope towards the privatization of the entire healthcare system, a system that has taken decades to put into place. And what’s happening there could just as easily happen in Saskatchewan, especially with the fresh Sask Party majority government.

It’s important as students, and workers to remember that there is greater power united, and that unions and strikes are important and legitimate ways to ensure workers aren’t being taken advantage of by employers. And I think it’s important to highlight that strikes aren’t supposed to be convenient. They’re supposed to be an exercise by workers to use their collective power to get change.

nov 5 - nov 11, 2020

carillonregina.com | the carillon | 5

news

Sask. residents facing mental health barriers Survey finds stigma, access among problems

holly worby staff writer The Psychological Association of Saskatchewan (PAS) recently completed a non-academic survey of their members on the topic of barriers to mental health access and treatment in Saskatchewan, finding some disturbing results. Most respondents were from urban areas, but together they covered countless areas of psychology from those who work with preschool-aged children all the way up to the elderly. 94 per cent of those psychologists stated through the survey that they have observed barriers to treatment throughout their time in the practice. The most significant barriers they identified were: • financial barriers • a lack of provincial funding • a lack of specialized services (i.e. services for those with learning disabilities) and practitioners trained to offer them properly • a lack of community resources • a lack in the continuation of providing those community resources to the same degree once established • a lack of visible minority practitioners • long waitlists • the excessive workloads put on the providers of mental health resources • the unavailability and inaccessibility of resources in rural and remote areas Kent Klippenstine, the Advocacy Chair for the PAS, used an analogy to explain how those barriers can make it difficult for people to get the help they need.

“It’s like there’s a mountain, and

Jude Beck via Unsplash

Systemic problems need systemic solutions.

we all get dropped at different spots on the mountain, and I get dropped where there’s a path up there... I’ll make it to the top, right? You get dropped on the other side and there’s snakes – you can still technically make it to the top, right, you’re just going to have to go through some stuff. I think we don’t really understand that, we don’t understand that not everybody walks the same path.” Which he elaborated on by saying: “The more individual responsibilities someone has in their life, the less they’re going to

aren’t educated in what mental health disorders look like can have difficulty recognizing when they’re experiencing one. Without education, people assume the diagnosis of mental health disorders functions like a cookie-cutter, with everyone who has a disorder displaying the same symptoms in the same ways.

In reality, there’s many symptoms an individual with a disorder can experience, and many different degrees of severity those symptoms can be experienced in.

Klippenstine said as an example

riers impact everyone living in Saskatchewan, with the top three most vulnerable groups being minors, First Nations people, and minorities. In the survey, “minorities” was not defined as any one specific group, meaning it could include anything from people of colour to the queer community to those living with physical disabilities, and more.

The PAS survey also asked if the psychologists responding knew of ways to raise concerns about the barriers that 94 per cent of them observed, and fur-

“

You don’t fix mental health by fixing mental health, you fix mental health by fixing the societal structural needs. I could give you the best therapy ever, but if you’re getting evicted what’s that worth?

– Dr. Kent Klippenstein put a priority on their own mental health... In times of stress the first thing we trade off is ourselves.”

Some additional barriers mentioned by Klippenstine were adequate education on mental health, and the stigma around mental health disorders. Adequate education on mental health can involve knowledge of Saskatchewan’s mental health resources, how they can be accessed, who’s able to access them, and whether the cost is covered or needs to come out of the individual’s own pocket. Closely tied to this area is stigma, as people who

that some of his clients will tell him they aren’t depressed “but they’ll describe depression to a T” when talking with him about their mental and physical condition.

The media’s portrayal of depression stereotypes the disorder by creating the impression it presents the same way in everyone who experiences it, so that even those with severe cases can be unaware that they’re experiencing an episode of depression because they don’t see themselves as “one of those people.”

63 per cent of respondents to the PAS survey said these bar-

thered that by asking what the outcome was if they’d raised concerns about barriers in the past.

40 per cent were aware of how concerns could be raised, 33 per cent didn’t know how, and 27 per cent said they didn’t know if there were ways for those concerns to be raised. This means three out of five respondents weren’t aware of ways to challenge the barriers impacting their clients, or the people who need mental health treatment and due to barriers are unable to access it. Of those who did raise concerns, only 3 per cent said there was an adequate resolu-

tion reached. A whopping 80 per cent said there was no meaningful resolution, and 17 per cent reported that the situation required a more complex solution than they could provide or achieve.

Those are disheartening statistics. With barriers that numerous, and so few resolutions when concerns were raised, it’s difficult to image things getting better, and even the most optimistic humanitarians get discouraged. Klippenstine made an insightful comment about the realistic direction he’d like to see taken that I’m going to leave you with: “In the election here they’re talking about throwing a bunch of money into (the mental healthcare system). We all agree that there’s problems, we all agree that there’s barriers. Why are you going to throw more money into a broken system? That’s just going to cost more for the same poor outcomes. So realistically you can’t solve a problem until you start to define it. This was the motivation behind the barrier survey, was to say ‘Let’s just say that we at least agree that not everybody has the same ability to access.’ We also need to ask what I think the fundamental question is – what is healthcare? Psychology doesn’t work well by itself; it is part of a system, so you can’t fix mental health and neglect the other areas... You don’t fix mental health by fixing mental health, you fix mental health by fixing the societal structural needs. I could give you the best therapy ever, but if you’re getting evicted what’s that worth?”

arts & culture

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editor: julia peterson aandc@carillonregina.com the carillon | november 5 - november 11, 2020

Sexual (re)education

Contraception - how to get it, why to use it, and what to know

holly worby staff writer

This week in sexual (re)education I’m covering contraception, barriers to accessing contraceptives, and why everyone should have adequate knowledge on contraceptive measures.

“Everyone should be educated on birth control methods and their functions,” said Taryn Wahl, Education Coordinator for Planned Parenthood Regina. “It’s so important for people to know that if there is a possibility of pregnancy, that if someone gets pregnant, it’s the person who is pregnant that 100 per cent gets to decide what to do with that. Legally, it’s that person. If adoption is the choice, then you need both people to legally sign off on that.

If you’re the person with a penis then legally you could be taken to court for child support.”

None of those are necessarily easy circumstances to get through, and having adequate knowledge on contraceptives regardless of whether or not you personally can get pregnant will lessen the chance that you wind up in one of those situations before you want to.

There are barrier, hormonal, and non-hormonal types of birth control, which all work a little differently to interrupt the process of pregnancy. The most common barrier method is a condom – one of the best methods for preventing STI exposure, but one of the worst for birth control. Perfect use where the condom is on throughout all penetration and does not break has 97 per cent efficacy, but typical use is closer to 86 per cent effective at preventing pregnancy.

The most commonly used hormonal method is the pill, which when used perfectly is 99.7 per cent effective, but is difficult to use perfectly as the pills must be taken at the same time every day to really regulate hormones.

Typical use sits closer to 91 per cent efficacy.

“Throughout a menstrual cycle your hormones are changing, and that signals different things to happen in your body. The steady dose of hormones that you get with hormonal birth control actually stops ovulation,” explained Wahl. “Once someone ovulates there’s a cascade of hormones that happen in the body, so it’s tricking your body into thinking it’s already ovulated.”

Wahl added that hormonal birth control has uses outside of preventing pregnancy, including managing symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, acne, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and can help painful periods be easier to manage.

Unfortunately, hormonal birth control can come with serious side effects for people with uteruses.

“It can exacerbate things like

Carillon

Brush up your knowledge of birth control and contraceptives.

anxiety or depression, it can decrease arousal and lubrication, it can decrease the ability to orgasm, and it just totally depends on the person,” said Wahl. “So when you know that that’s a possibility, that might be something that you’re looking out for… We have sex-positive clinicians (at Planned Parenthood) so if someone were to call us and say ‘I’m not sure if I’m happy with my birth control because I don’t feel like I can orgasm anymore.’ that is absolutely something that our

and can safely stay there for 3-10 years depending on the model.

Once inserted, the individual has 24/7 protection with 99.7 per cent effectiveness, and there’s no maintenance involved – all that users have to remember is to get a replacement in 3-10 years.

While abortions are covered with a Saskatchewan health card, birth control and emergency contraceptives are not. Three types of emergency contraceptives accessible in Saskatchewan are Plan B, Ella, and the copper IUD. To

Other potential barriers that Wahl mentioned that make accessing contraceptives difficult are the lack of family doctors, transportation to appointments, wait lists, a lack of practitioners with adequate knowledge on sexual health, stigma, sex negativity, language barriers, disabilities, and discrimination by health care practitioners. “A really fun fact about pharmacies is that technically pharmacists are able to deny prescriptions based on their own belief systems,” said Wahl, which

“

You have the right to access this stuff, but sometimes it can be hard to actually get.

– Holly Worby

practitioners would be willing to have a conversation about.”

One of the best non-hormonal methods (and my personal favourite) is the copper intrauterine device (IUD), which can also be used as an emergency contraceptive method if inserted within seven days after sex. These change the ionic environment to make it less hospitable for sperm, they thicken vaginal mucus to make it harder for sperm to swim up, and can even make sperm tails fall off so they have nothing to swim with; essentially, they work to stop fertilization. Copper IUDs are inserted in a person’s cervix,

get Plan B or Ella, both of which come in pill form, you need a prescription in Saskatchewan, which raises accessibility issues.

Wahl explained that “Plan B is most effective within 72 hours, Ella can be used up to five days after, and copper IUDs can be inserted up to seven days after, but if you’re someone in a rural community that would be challenging.

To get the copper IUD you need to be able to get an appointment with a practitioner willing to insert it. At any time that’s a challenge to do in 3-7 days, but especially because COVID can make it harder to get in right now.”

shocked me. “I’m not saying that to make you afraid, just so that you’re aware – you have the right to access this stuff, but sometimes it can be hard to actually get.”

Pharmacies generally have a wider range of hours, but can also turn away people without a Saskatchewan health card - Planned Parenthood will not.

“One thing I really want people to know,” said Wahl, “is that when it comes to birth control they have the right to have choices, they have the right to accurate information, they have the right to be respected by healthcare providers, and if that is ever not

the case come to us so we can advocate for you or give you better treatment.”

So, when and how should you talk to a potential partner about how contraceptives will be used?

Wahl mentioned it can be as easy as saying “Hey, if we’re going to be having sex in the future, I’d like to talk about ways to do it safely first.” This communicates your expectations and gives the other person the opportunity to show you if they care about your well-being and priorities. Wahl suggested tying it into the conversation on consent, because “Everyone needs to be responsible for their own sexual health, but consent is about a collaboration and consent needs to be informed and specific. That means that everyone involved has the information that they need to be able to consent. So if you’re engaging in sexual activities where pregnancy could be possible and you don’t want to roll the dice, you don’t want to worry about pregnancy or having children, then absolutely have that conversation.”

That’s the scoop on contraceptives! I hope it shed some light on the subject for you, and if it brought to mind any misunderstandings about sex, puberty, birth control, or the ways bodies function, I’d love to hear about the misunderstanding to include in the last piece of this series! If you’re interested in submitting your story, you can follow this link which will direct you to the survey: https://uregina.eu.qualtrics. com/jfe/form/SV_9EN1X1uX7qxxnHD

nov 5 - nov 11, 2020

carillonregina.com | the carillon | 7

news

Cal Newport review Productivity in a hyper-connected world

hummad ali contributer Around four years ago, I came back to graduate school in computer science. Given the jobs I had had until that point, I have to admit I felt a little unprepared for the intense workload and demands on productivity graduate programs are known for. I decided to try and get advice from others who have been in this situation, and some quick research led to the books and contents by a professor of Computer Science in Georgetown University named Cal Newport. Newport has degrees from Dartmouth University and MIT, and also works in a highly theoretical field of Computer Science.

However, to the world at large, Cal Newport is better known for his books on productivity, academic success, and career success strategies. To date, he has six books, with the first one published in 2005 while he was a college sophomore. One single review would hardly do justice to all of his books. However, they all have a few major themes, themes that I have found to be immensely helpful in my own graduate program and related projects.

As Newport discusses in Deep Work – Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, we are currently at a point in society where two diametrically opposed paradigms are at play. On one hand, technology has reached a point where those with enough data, and the relevant knowledge, can analyze and look for patterns in nearly anything in society, which then may well lead to advancements we cannot even imagine

right now. However, being able to do this takes deep focus, years of training, and being able to see patterns and interpret them under severe time constraints.

It is therefore almost ironic that, in parallel, technology has reached a point where we are always ‘on,’ connected to billions of other sources of content at any given point in time. Most of us own multiple gadgets, each constantly updating us with breaking news, new shows to watch, and most importantly, cat GIFs. While there is nothing inherently wrong with following the news, tv, or cats, think about how the tables have turned. We used to tune in and watch news or television only when we want to. We would usually know what show we wanted, and only had to switch the tv on at a specific time. Today, we are always tuned in and the news comes to us, acting on us, grabbing our attention.

Newport emphasizes the essential conflict at play here. One paradigm opens up professional, academic, and self-realization opportunities, if only we enter the zone and deeply focus. The other paradigm wants us to constantly check social media and websites to make sure we did not miss the latest buzz. It is therefore not surprising that many are finding it hard to make the most of the opportunities that come with deep focus, because they are always distracted by the digital, hyper-connected world around them.

In response to this conflict, Newport suggests the following core ideas.

His Deep Work Hypothesis talks about how the ability to focus deeply on a hard problem

Jonas Jacobsson via Unsplash

Reading about productivity is productive, right?

without distractions is becoming a core skill at the same time when it is getting harder to do, due to the distractions all around us. However, he points out that those who learn to avoid the distractions and develop the skills are going to have immense career capital. He offers strategies to do this through his books, mainly centered around the Attention Capital Theory, which says that the most important capital today is the human brain and its ability to create value through sustained attention. Almost hand in hand with this comes the idea of Digital Minimalism, talking about

how the allure of the digital world is eroding our quality of life.

Four out of six of his books go into detail discussing these core themes. Newport does not just expect us to take his word for how these are important themes.

He digs up references to the lives and works of Carl Jung, Bill Gates, and even Sherlock Holmes to show how deeply focusing on both work and play used to be an important part of our lives. Having established that this is an important skill that has now eroded if not been lost, he offers concrete actions we can take to slowly grow our Attention Capital, and then

offers pointers on how this can lead to developing Career Capital.

Over the last four years, I have read and re-read his books almost once every year, walking away with important insight each time. For anyone trying to navigate college, a job, and personal projects in a world that seems to be a little more fragmented each passing week, I cannot recommend his books enough. Hope they give you as much to think about and try out as they have for me!

The hype for Among Us is justified In space, no one can hear you scream

gillian massie web writer

Among Us is the newest trendy multiplayer game easily accessible for download at the app store. After seeing the infamous red impostor all over the internet, I wanted to see what all the commotion was about.

The game begins on a spaceship where the system divides everyone into crewmates and impostors. The objective of the game is to eject the impostor before they kill the crewmates.

However, if the crewmates complete each of their tasks before the impostor finds and kills them, they win the game.

However, the crewmates get other chances to expose the impostor after killing one of the crewmates or when somebody calls a meeting. In the meeting, everyone can discuss where they were and what tasks they were doing when the impostor killed somebody. Meeting time is crucial to discuss who you think is the impostor. However, if somebody singles you out as the impostor and you are the impostor, deny, lie,

and cheat to divert the attention to somebody else. A good impostor is also an excellent sleuth, so you must make sure to be very sneaky and not get caught. At the end of the meeting, everybody can either choose to eject somebody from the spaceport or resume their tasks. If the crew ejects the impostor, the game is over. If not, they will continue to their tasks, and an innocent crewmate is lost.

The role of the impostor has different perks than crewmates. While the impostor does have fake tasks on their screen, their main goal is to kill all the crewmates without being caught.

Therefore, the impostor needs to be very sneaky to avoid any of the other crewmates witnessing him killing. One of the impostor’s perks is that they have access to the vents, a portal out of each room. The vents make it easier to get away with killing the crewmates without being caught.

The tasks are essential for crewmates to complete because if they achieve every task before the impostor kills them, they win the game. The tasks are also good

opportunities to figure out who is not the impostor. For example, if you see another crewmate performing tasks, you can ultimately rule out that they are not the impostor. Although the impostor has a list of fake tasks, it is hard to fake some of them without being discovered and ejected.

If the impostor kills you at

some point during the game, you can still perform your tasks as a ghost. I like this aspect of the game because players aren’t just stuck waiting for the game to finish. It allows for everyone to be invested while the game wraps up.

While the game is complex, it is easy to grasp after a few rounds.

The entire spaceship setting is

entertaining, and the crewmates and impostors are characterized charmingly. Half the fun comes from watching the players run around in their silly spacesuits. Coming from somebody who does not play a lot of video games, it’s a delightful way to play a few rounds allowing for some time to decompress.

Pixabay

It’s a lovely morning on the spaceship and you are a horrible impostor.

nov 5 - nov 11, 2020

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Regina Science Centre sustains safe STEM shows Joylab 2.0 remains open for physically distanced fun hammad ali contributer While the COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of Regina city life this year, the Saskatchewan Science Centre remains a highlight, offering plenty of fun activities and learning opportunities for anyone with an interest in science.

To find out more about how the Science Centre is adapting its programming for a 2020 world, I spoke with Ryan Holota, VP of Operations at the Saskatchewan Science Centre.

At the moment, the exhibit floor is closed and will remain so until further notice. However, the Joylab 2.0 exhibition is open at a reduced admission price. Joylab 2.0 is a safe interactive exhibit, presenting a collection of experiences to help discover how simple things can spark joy. It is designed to get participants to ask questions about joy and start conversations about how our surroundings affect our mood.

Joylab also provides opportunities for beautiful photo backdrops and interacting with the Tornado Machine and the Bubble Pit, among others. To ensure safety of all involved, there is a

limit of 40 people allowed inside the Centre to visit Joylab 2.0 at any given time. Those interested are able to reserve a time slot on the Science Centre website. All guests except children under the age of 2 are expected to wear a mask during their visit, and sanitizer stations are available throughout the premises. All surfaces are cleaned and disinfected multiple times a day.

Another fun addition for the fall is their virtual camp-ins. Once you have registered for one of the virtual camps, you get to experience it from your own home, joining others online. In order to make this happen, all those who register are sent a supply kit to set up before the event, stocked up with fun activities to do from home.

In addition to the events mentioned above, the IMAX theatre is now open at reduced capacity, with a new documentary called Asteroid Hunters currently running. There are also several other documentaries from the Science Centre library being shown, with exact titles and showtimes available on their website. Further, the 19+ IMAX events are also running again.

Wikipedia Commons

Does this exhibit spark joy?

The Science Centre has also committed to keeping some parts of their programming almost like normal – last week, they offered a full slate of Halloween activities for mad scientists of all ages. Their annual Horror Double Feature, Feast of Films, ran

as normal, and a ‘Spooktacular’ Halloween costume parade was planned to host up to 500 children at the Science Centre (at various times) on the day.

As the winter months approach, we will be spending more time indoors. The many things

our Science Centre offers can be a very welcome respite to help us unwind and cope with the situation we find ourselves in. We hope you are able to check out their events and maybe make it out to some!

Review: Call of Duty: Warzone Halloween event There’s a whole new weapon blueprint joseph holoein arts writer Having risen from the grave on October 20th, Call of Duty: Warzone’s Haunting of Verdansk event was back in its coffin by November 3rd.

What is Warzone?

It’s the Call of Duty developers’ take on the battle royale game style where players drop into a world and must fight each other to the last player or team.

Another mode within this game is called “Plunder,” and players must collect the most cash to win.

Each game contributes to your total player record and level.

The best part?

It’s free. While there are many things players could spend money on within the game, the game itself is a free download and can be played across a number of systems – I have played for about a year and haven’t bought a thing.

What’s new?

There’s a whole new weapon blueprint called the Pumpkin Punisher awarded to players who participate in the Warzone TrickOr-Treat objectives and many secondary awards to be found throughout randomized chests in the world. Beware! Some chests have been known to pack a scare.

If you don’t know what I mean, just Google Warzone Jumpscare Compilation.

While the exclusive Pumpkin Punisher doesn’t seem like a game changer to me, it certainly is a season collectible which gives it a perceived value.

I think the thrill of close-quarters fighting is exhilarating enough. Verdansk (the Warzone map) has been changed to nighttime and this has only made close combat that much more likely. Enemies emerge from the dark with barrels blazing and resulting spears of light seem to spray across the map. Due to the darkness, players often have to get that much closer to their enemies before they can see them.

My three perks for every game are cold-blooded, ghost, and tracker. This combination is perfect for the player who likes to dominate close-quarters fighting.

Add a proximity mine, claymore, or C-4 and a heartbeat sensor – top this off with a powerful short

to mid-range assault rifle with stopping power rounds and you could be the Terminator for Halloween.

While I tried Zombie Royale the day it came out, I played three times and didn’t play again until just recently. I initially thought it was a fail due to the zombies having gas grenades and an insane jump, but I had to give it a chance and try out some strategies for this article. So I gave it a shot and it actually is a great mode to play.

Clearly it wasn’t a fail, as it’s the only mode of the event that has remained nearly unchanged while others have come and gone since.

The trick to Zombie Royale is that teams must stick together

and work together if they actually want to win. The reason my first few games were so bad is that there was little to no team-play going on.

For the later games when I started changing my mind about the mode, the teams I was on were actually cooperating and working together. We made it really far when the three of us were defending enclosed areas.

Landmines or C-4 are key to this mode, as I was able to survive for a long time eliminating about six enemies in one enclosed area due to having C-4 and unlimited supply boxes (from fallen zombies). One time, a player even downed me, I detonated the C-4 which then downed him, self-re-

vived myself and finished the player off. It worked for awhile, but teamwork in this mode is key.

New horror-themed character skins are available featuring Jigsaw from Saw and Leatherface from Chainsaw Massacre along with numerous other items, emblems, and calling-cards.

The map of Verdansk has also been altered with pools of actively dripping blood, bizarre and creepy sounds and noises – particularly noticed in the Farmland – and ghosts moving around all across the map.

While I do prefer Verdansk in daytime, night has been quite the ominous treat and I was glad I had the chance to play it before the end of the event!

The map of Verdansk has also been altered with pools of actively dripping blood, bizarre and creepy sounds and noises.

Kate Thiessen

nov 5 - nov 11, 2020

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12 online shopping favourites Purchases my wife and I absolutely love

joseph holoein arts writer It’s not quite holiday season, but it’s getting there – and this year, many shoppers are choosing to buy their presents early to avoid overwhelming an already-stressed Canada Post during the busiest time of the year.

So if you’re looking for some ideas, or to get ahead of the game, below are a list of some of mine and my wife’s best online shopping wins. We are always in search of the next best thing that might make life a little bit easier, so feel free to take some holiday shopping inspiration from our finds (presented in no particular order) – or maybe get yourself a gift, too!

1. Blue light glasses Blue light glasses were an absolute essential for my wife and I. Spending long hours of the day working between our cell phones and computers, we found our eyes becoming increasingly sore and fatigued from the blue light.

We increased the warmth of our screens hoping that would help, but at night it only made us more tired. The great thing about these glasses is that within a day or two of use, we already noticed our eyes feeling significant relief from the blue light – and the lenses themselves have a very minor tint on them that is barely noticeable.

For a photographer however, these glasses are not the best for editing photos due to the slight tint, but they can be worn for all other business tasks that require screen-time.

Paul Felberbauer via Unsplash

It’s a good time to start exploring some cool online finds.

2. Bissell vacuum mop This vacuum mop changed our lives. It seriously was beyond our expectations.

We have two cats and occasionally they like to spill their litter or walk around our apartment with their dirty feet. Additionally, they love to make a mess of their food station.

With this machine I no longer have to vacuum or sweep up a mess and then mop resulting in about an hour or more of time wasted; instead, I vacuum while

ally cleaned now.

3. Danish dough whisk While this one may seem like an odd gadget, it works better than a normal whisk. Maybe you are the person who uses a whisk for cookie dough - if so, then you’ll notice the difference.

The great thing about this style of whisk is that it does not collect a clump of dough in the middle and the handler will also notice less resistance when using the whisk. It is also simple to clean compared to other whisks.

being tossed around in a stack of papers.

6. Zit stickers Zit stickers are amazing. If you battle acne or have the occasional monster zit, these might just change your life. Each box comes with many. Just apply to the problem, wait, and like magic, the zit is reduced in size if not completely gone, and redness is reduced or completely removed.

If the goal is to reduce redness, they work in as little as 10-15 minutes, while an hour or more might

“

We are always in search of the next best thing that might make life a little bit easier.

– Joseph Holoein

mopping and can even mop and vacuum my apartment rugs, leaving them fresh and new.

Once you own the machine, all you need to do is buy a bottle of product (it typically comes with one as well, but it is pretty inexpensive and lasts relatively long), take out the head piece (maybe once a month depending on the type of mess you clean) and wash or replace it, and change the tank of dirty water (which is also a very simple process). There is a hard floors mode and a carpet setting, it is that easy—our apartment always smells like it was profession-

4. Webcam cover In an age where nobody knows who has access to their webcam, this might just be the perfect thing for some peace of mind.

5. No-staple stapler Although an arguably unnecessary find, the no-staple stapler essentially weaves papers together and can be great for anyone who wishes to rid themselves of the storing and finding of staples. Another bonus is that if needed, the weave can be undone with little damage to the papers woven and the bind is strong enough to hold

completely remove the zit.

7. Adhesive LED-lights These lights have an adhesive on the backside and can be applied to the wall like tape. If you purchase the connectors you can even cut and reattach them. They use very little power and can blink different colours. A specific colour or pattern can be selected with the remote, and depending on the colour choice it can really change the environment of the room.

8. Maono mic This is a great affordable mic with pristine audio. While my wife and I primarily use it when

we sing together, it could easily be the primary mic for a podcast or Twitch stream.

9. Electric lighter So far, this lighter has worked great for us. It is unique because it can be recharged and requires no lighter-fluid or replaceable batteries. I probably would not suggest this for people that are worried about their kids.

10. Gallon water bottle This water bottle is great for anyone who likes to keep track of their water consumption and can actually help motivate people to drink more water due to its size.

11. Chomchom For us, this is one of the best things on this list! If our cats lay on our bed and shed, just roll this thing back and forth over the surface and the hair all accumulates in the back section of the brush for easy disposal. It also works with lint and hair in general on fabric surfaces from clothing and couches to bedding. This would work great with dogs that shed as well.

12. Star projector The star projector is an interesting one we recently acquired.

There’s a certain mode where clouds look almost real and it also can connect as a bluetooth speaker with decent audio. It might even have the capability to change colours and movements to music but we have not tried that function out yet.

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editor: ethan butterfield sports@carillonregina.com the carillon | november 5 - november 11, 2020

The world of female athletes: Kevina Mullock Hard work pays off

sarah nakonechny sports writer

Once upon a time there was a girl named Kevina Mullock who used to participate in every sport; from track to field hockey and all the way to ultimate frisbee, she did it all. As she grew older, she entered the wonderful world of CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting and has never looked back. For the last four-and-a-half years she has been competing in CrossFit and has continued to improve significantly over the year.

After high school, Kevina was on the hunt for a new athletic challenge. Still looking for a team environment while being able to work on her own abilities led her to the crazy world of CrossFit. This sport has allowed her to truly become a well-rounded athlete as you need to not just be strong but fast and agile as well. As it is, preparing for all that is unknown allows her to feel increasingly more confident in her ability to translate these skills into other physical aspects of life. Participating in such an intense sport has also translated into other aspects of her life as well. As Kevina is currently in the process of completing her master’s in microbiology, having something that forces her to step away from the school work is not only helpful in ensuring that she can continue to be successful in her studies but allows for a feeling of accomplishment outside of the classroom as well.

It takes a lot of effort to be this great, which is proven by the training schedule that Kevina undergoes to be able to compete at the level that she does. Currently she is training five days a week which is a reduction from the previous six or seven days a week that she used to be doing. Reducing down to a still-impressive five days a week is the perfect amount as it ensures days off to rest which helps with injury prevention It also helps ensure a break in the day between school and work while ensuring time for friends and family. These workouts consist of a bit of everything: weightlifting, powerlifting, gymnastics, strongman, biking, rowing, running – and that is just the beginning. To ensure a balanced workout schedule these are done in a circuit-like fashion. Each training session is done for an hour to two hours to ensure enough time for not only the physical training but also for proper stretching and mobility work as well.

Although the world of CrossFit is trying to move in a direction that is away from bias, there is still obvious bias present within the parameters of the sport. As there is a difference biologically between males and females this is something that needs to be remembered when looking at the amount of weight that one can

Kevina Mullock

Uplifting and inspirational.

lift. Many males maintain an attitude that for female athletes to be recognized as equals means they need to lift equal amounts and do equal reps to their male counterparts. This mentality is also found in competitions as

“

she loves. It motivates her to push forward and disprove the biases that are surrounding the women in this sport.

The hard work that she has continuously put into training has proven to payoff with her accom-

Columbia as herself along with two other teammates were able to place first in the intermediate category. Outside of competitions the other huge benefit from participating in this sport have been the people that she’s been able to

It takes a lot of effort to be this great, which is proven

by the training schedule that Kevina undergoes to be able to compete at the level that she does.

– Sarah Nakonechny

more often than not when new records are set, men’s are seen as more impressive than women’s.

Even though this bias exists and is difficult to get away from, it does not get in the way of Kevina putting her all into the sport that

plishments. From the beginning of her competition career four years ago, at all the events that Kevina has been able to attend, she has continued to improve immensely. Last summer may have been the highlight in British

meet and grow with throughout her training. They have been a huge part of her training process and have allowed her to form remarkable friendships.

Throughout her time as an athlete Kevina has developed two

main takeaways that she believes every female athlete should keep in mind. The first is that it is more important to focus on the effort you put in and not on your outcome. As female athletes there’s always a significant amount of pressure put onto us to perform at our highest potential consistently in order to limit the biases we face. This constant pressure and burden is what causes many athletes to burn out and become overwhelmed. Every day brings forth new challenges and it is important to take them in stride as best as you can and put forth the amount of effort that will make you satisfied with your performance. The second piece of advice she has to offer is remember to take your sport seriously but do not take yourself too seriously.

Keep in mind why you are doing it and never forget how much you enjoy it!

nov 5 - nov 11, 2020

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sports

The unique world of wife carrying A different way to look at quality bonding

sarah nakonechny sports writer

Mark Robinson

Carry on.

Hide your sisters, daughters, but not your wives, it is time for the wife carrying competition to begin! It is time to bond with your wife through the preparation and competition process of such an intense process. Of course we have the wonderful country of Finland to thank for this entertaining sport which has found its way all over the globe.

As all of the best sports start, this one started out as a complete joke. As men sat around enjoying a good drink and reminiscing about the good old days, as many of us do, they could not help themselves

complete a challenging track that was supposed to prove their worth as a soldier. Now we have the best of both worlds: obstacle running and gracious wives.

If you have not already pictured the event, men carry their wives as they attempt to maneuver through an obstacle course.

This sounds like it would be easy, but you could not be more wrong in making that assumption. The distance of the course is incredibly long as the official track length is 253.5 meters (277 yards) in total. If you think that doesn’t sound too bad, you also

“ but discuss an old courtship ritual.

Supposedly men who were looking at courting a woman would go, run into the village that the respected woman lived, physically pick them up and carry them off.

If they were successful in these efforts then they had successfully declared the woman as theirs.

This old ritual met an old military selection process, which does not sound like a terrifying combination at all. Troops used to be selected based on their abilities to

You may be thinking that such a simple sport would have very few rules and regulations to keep track of; you would be wrong. Even though it is called wife carrying, the woman you choose to carry does not legally have to be married to you. They are required to be a female that is at least 17 years old. As well, the woman needs to be a minimum of 108 pounds (49 kilograms).

Of course though they do not expect the wife to gain weight for the competition, if you are under the required weight they attach a rucksack to you that will make

do you pick a larger woman so you get more beer when you win?

As far as dilemmas go, I don’t think anyone thought they would ever have to worry about that.

Now that your attention has been piqued you are going to want to know how you can prepare yourself for such a highstakes competition. First you need to decide the most effective way to carry your partner. This may involve some trial and error as you figure out which position allows you maximum speed without completely destroying your partner in the process. Typical-

ing outfits. It is important to keep in mind that these outfits should consist of clothing that will not be easily ripped off or caught on anything while you go barreling down a track like a freight train with its brakes cut. Finally you should practise on all kinds of terrain to prepare yourself for what you will face throughout this competition. The two dry terrains and one aquatic consist of sand, forest, a water obstacle and two log hurdles. Now the helmet makes sense.

However you do it and for whatever the reason, it is import-

...it is important to keep in mind that this is a special bonding time that you can have with your significant other.

– Sarah Nakonechny

have to deal with different terrain as it consists of two dry land sections and one aquatic section. It is super important that you can do more than just carry your wife, you need to be able to maneuver around with her without dropping her! You then run the track in a head-to-head style to ensure that there are not too many people on the course at one time. The winner will then be the couple that finishes the track in the shortest amount of time.

up the additional weight needed to compete. The only equipment that is required is a helmet for the woman being carried and possibly a lifting belt for the man doing the carrying. Finally, everyone’s favourite rule: how you determine the quantity of what the winning team collects. Besides bragging rights and a trophy, you also get your wives weight worth of beer!

The dilemma that this causes for many is; do you pick a smaller woman so you can run faster or

ly there are four ways that the majority of people carry their partner: piggyback, thrown over the shoulder, the wife dangling upside down their partners back and across both shoulders. These are the recommended positions; however, you are not required to use any of them and may choose whichever style you like. What you wear is also key to your success, so to reward your wife for forcefully carrying her around she can go shopping for match-

ant to keep in mind that this is a special bonding time that you can have with your significant other.

The training process, competition and drinking, whether it is celebratory or not, that happens afterwards is something that you will be able to do together. If you are looking for a new activity to feed your competitive side and strengthen your relationship, wife carrying is the sport for you.

nov 5 - nov 11, 2020

sports

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13

Sports in media: top 5 baseball films A whole different kind of series

ethan butterfield sports editor With the World Series having finished recently and the LA Dodgers on top, I felt it would be a good time to bring back the “sports in media” series. For those who aren’t familiar, “sports in media” takes a look at the more pop culture side of things. This time, instead of looking at the gaming scene with the intricate workings of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, I’ll be taking a dive into the world of sports films. More specifically, I’ll be looking into the top five baseball films to have graced the silver screen.

To lay out the ranking rules a bit, this list is based off of both critical acclaim and personal bias.

So if you see a film on here you don’t agree with, it’s probably due to the second part of the ranking rules. With that being said, let’s get on with the list: Honourable Mention: Field of Dreams Well, it was either this or Angels in the Outfield and, between you and me, there was no way that film was making it on this list.

That aside, in what is the first of the ‘Kevin Costner trilogy’ of baseball movies to be ranked, Field of Dreams sneaks its way to an honourable mention for being a well-known classic in the sports genre. What prevents it from reaching an actual number value is the fact that there isn’t any actual baseball in it. Well, to be fair, there are some baseball segments in dream sequences and some at the very end, but it isn’t ‘real’ baseball. For those who haven’t seen the film, basically, Kevin Costner’s character Ray Kinsella decides to build a baseball diamond after hearing the eternally

Jose Morales

A favourite pastime to many.

misquoted “if you build it, he will come”, which refers to “Shoeless Joe” Jackson, a player that his father idolized. What follows is a heartwarming and heart wrenching story that still stands the test of time.

5. For the Love of the Game This is the second film in the ‘Kevin Costner trilogy’ of baseball movies, and one that might have some folks scratching their heads. Yes, in terms of critical acclaim, For the Love of the Game was not as well-received as Field of Dreams. What earns it the number five spot however, is its legitimacy as a baseball film. It’s got actual teams, it’s got actual announc-

“

than the legendary Bull Durham.

What is, at least from a critical standpoint, the most popular of the three Costner baseball films that made this list, Bill Durham follows “Crash” Davis (as portrayed by Costner), as a veteran minor-league catcher that teaches “Nuke” LaLoosh (played by Tim Robbins) to pitch before he head onto the major league scene. Susan Sarandon also stars as Annie Savoy, who is a love interest to the character of “Crash”. Now, you might be thinking, “why does this film deserve to be at number four? Everything sounds fairly cliché.” ”Well, that’s kind of the reason. While also being a classic among sports films, this movie

to soldiers taking off for the war, something has to be done in order to keep baseball alive within the hearts and minds of citizens.

Via the creation of said league, female players are recruited by scouts and sent out onto the diamond to play. This is one of the all-time great baseball films, not just because of the feminist aspect on-screen, but also behind the camera as well. The film was directed by Peggy Marshall who, for those who don’t know, was the first female director to earn over $100 million dollars through box office gain. Girl power, Tom Hanks, and the game of baseball, is there any question that this film would be a classic?

... it’s baseball through and through.

– Ethan Butterfield

ers, it’s the whole package. Costner puts forth a performance as aging pitcher Billy Chapel that, while not as well received as his performance in other sports films (or even baseball films), still brings forward heart. Kelly Preston also brings it home with her performance Jane Aubrey, making the most out of the emotional side of For the Love of the Game’s story.

Again, it’s not as classic as Field of Dreams, but it’s baseball through and through.

4. Bull Durham The third and final film in the ‘Kevin Costner trilogy’ of baseball movies is none other

is the original cliché, or rather, it brought along the clichés that we see in other sports films today.

Clichés that are so wonderfully executed that you can’t help but smile all along the way.

3. A League of Their Own Moving away from Kevin Costner and into the wider spectrum of baseball films, we arrive at A League of Their Own, which stars the brilliant talents of Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Madonna and Tom Hanks. The film follows the story of the All-American Girls Baseball League, which came about during the timeframe of the Second World War. Due

2. 42 On top of everything else going on this year, 2020 also saw the tragic loss of famed actor Chadwick Boseman. Not only did Boseman bring Black Panther to life on the silver screen, but he also brought to life Jackie Robinson. Robinson, who was the first African-American player to play in the MLB during the modern era of the game, was a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers during the timeframe of 1947-1956. The film, which follows Robinson, looks into his hardships of being an African-American player in an all white league, as well as his

personal and career accomplishments as part of the Dodgers.

42 (being the number Robinson wore) does take some historical liberties surrounding Robinson’s story, as with any Hollywood adaptation, but it looks as if the liberties were taken with facts during the timeframe of the story, rather than Robinson’s story itself. All in all, 42 is an exceptionally good film that knocks it out of the park and serves as a great example of how one man changed the game.

1. Moneyball Numbers never looked so good, and Moneyball has loads of numbers. In what I personally consider to be the perfect baseball movie from start to finish, Moneyball brings forth Brad Pitt’s best performance as aging manager of the Oakland A’s, Billy Beane, as he attempts to change baseball forever. Given the state of the A’s team and their financial troubles, Moneyball looks into what would happen if you tried to work the stats in professional sports. Taking a crew of athletes that may not have the professional look, but using what they’re skilled at in a variety of ways (i.e. hitting only single RBIs, throwing fast despite being left handed, etc.). Where this film hits home and earns the number one spot on the list is that it re-energized the baseball genre.

It told what would be considered a bland story to most producers and managed to capture the same feeling that the game of baseball itself brings to the table.

Jonah Hill and Phillip Seymour Hoffman also present wonderful performances within the film and help cement it as a brilliant baseball flick for the ages.

nov 5 - nov 11, 2020

carillonregina.com | the carillon | 14

sports

The Butterfield breakdown Week to week, league to league

ethan butterfield sports editor Hey all, well I hope you’ve enjoyed these major league breakdowns for the stretch that they’ve been happening, but it seems we’ve gotten to the point where most of the professional-level sports have now entered the draft, re-signing or trade phase of their league.

Not to say that that isn’t interesting, but this isn’t going to be one of those sections where I analyze how the Toronto Maple Leafs acquiring a new defenceman is a 2 point benefit to their overall core as a team. If you’re looking for that type of thing, try YouTube or Reddit. Anywho, thanks for joining the ride if you were a part of it and here’s the (most likely) last Butterfield breakdown.

NHL: With the free agency signings going on in the NHL, there has definitely been some note-worthy moves being made by teams through the league: As far as current signing’s go, on November 1, the Edmonton Oilers have brought in left-wing Dominik Kahun to the squad on a 1-year contract. Also, October 30 saw the arrival of defenceman Michael Hutchinson to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who’ll be playing on a two-year contract.

As far as other signings are concerned, they’ve all either been contract extensions or the re-acquiring of players. With that being said, that wraps up the NHL section.

NFL: Week 8 in the National Football League has come and gone, bringing another plethora of news

with it. To start off, it was upsets galore this time around in the NFL. The Miami Dolphins new starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa got his first win of the season and career after taking down the Los Angeles Rams 28-17. Granted, the defence did most of the work on the Dolphins squad after creating four turnovers in the second quarter. Still, it’s great to see Tua with his first win. Also (on the subject of both new starters and upsets), Joe Burrow put up a dominant performance against the formerly beast-like Tennessee Titans, defeating them 31-20, putting the Bengals at 2-5-1 in one of the more difficult divisions of the NFL. The Minnesota Vikings somehow managed to upset the on-fire Green Bay Packers 2822, and on Thursday, the Falcons brought in their second win of the season against what was a newly thriving Carolina Panthers team.

Moving away from upsets and to the “business as usual” section of the NFL, the Pittsburgh Steelers now move to 7-0 on the season, remaining perfect against the Baltimore Ravens. Speaking of perfection, no team in the league can have a more perfect record than the 0-8 New York Jets, who fell 35-9 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Can we all just agree that it’s been beautiful to watch this downfall? Anyway, the Seattle Seahawks put together another solid win for a 6-1 record on the year and Saints show the Bears true colours with a 26-23 win in overtime.

In other news, the Broncos put together an amazing drive to make the Los Angeles Chargers lose another “blown lead” style of

Ethan Butterfield

Keeping up with the current happenings.

game that only the Falcons and Chargers are known for. Finally, the Eagles pull ahead in the NFC East race with a record of 3-5-1 over a struggling Cowboys.

MLB: Well another sport is all wrapped up with the Los Angeles Dodgers putting together a stellar run and becoming World Series Champions. Winning against a dedicated Tampa Bay team, the Dodgers won the series 4-2. With this win, the MLB section of the breakdown will now be on hold until someone picks it up again (I can’t imagine that would be a likely scenario).

UFC: In another interesting devel-

opment in the UFC world, famed fighter Anderson “The Spider” Silva has retired from the octagon. Silva retried the day after losing to Uriah Hall with a record of 34-11-0. As far as accomplishments go, Silva holds the record for longest title reign at 2,457 days, going from 2006 to 2013.

Silva is described by many UFC and MMA personal as being one of the most talented fighters of all time.

NBA: The NBA season is over with the official champions being the Los Angeles Lakers. Teams will now look to continue developing in the offseason in order to make a run for the title next year (ex-

cept for the New York Knicks, never again). This will occur as a result of the free agency and the approaching NBA draft that will take place on November 18, 2020.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this rundown, fingers crossed that there was, once again, enough in it to hold your attention. I do my best to keep the news as relevant or ‘up and coming’ as possible but sometimes there can be things that end up being a bit stale given the timeframe. Regardless, it’s been a blast and if I think things are picking up again, I will be more than happy to bring back the breakdown.

Champions Series: the Los Angeles Dodgers From Brooklyn to LA, with titles all along the way.

ethan butterfield sports editor

Another day, another championship won. What started with the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Stanley Cup win, progressed into the Los Angeles Lakers NBA Championship, and has now moved to the Los Angeles Dodgers World Series win. The Dodgers, an organization which now has now earned seven world titles, finally got back to the top of the mountain with their win over the Tampa Bay Rays. In what was an excellent back and forth series, the Dodgers won 4 games to 2 with a final score of 3-1. However, not all was well in what would be the final game of the series, at least not according to Tampa Bay fans as Blake Snell, pitcher for the Rays, was removed for Nick Anderson despite Snell’s performance. Obviously, that decision didn’t work for Rays manager Kevin Cash.

Current series fumbles aside though, the Los Angeles Dodgers themselves have had recent history of World Series fumbles trying to return to the World Series crown. In 2017, the Dodgers lost

in Game 7 to the Houston Astros, losing 5-1. Then, in 2018, the Dodgers would fall once again under the lights, this time to the Boston Red Sox, losing 5-1 in Game 5. However, despite the losses, the Dodgers win this year marks an end to a 32 year title drought, marking the Dodgers last World Series win back in 1988.

Continuing with the history of the Dodgers, it wasn’t all misfortune. The organization, especially back in the mid-50s to mid-60s, had a string of World Series wins that any club would envy (maybe not the Yankees, but I digress). Something worth bringing significant attention to is the Dodgers’ 1955 World Series win, which was earned while they were still under the mantle of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Why this specific series is unique was due to it featuring Jackie Robinson, who would win his only championship in 1955. Despite only earning one title, Robinson’s legacy would stand the test of time.

The following championships would be earned as the organization transferred to Los Angeles.

1959 would be their next World Series win against the Chicago

White Sox, then in 1963 where they swept the New York Yankees, and, finally, ending their championship era of the 50’s and 60’s, 1965 would be the next win against the Minnesota Twins.

They eventually would find success again in the 80’s, specifically 1981 and 1988, where they de-

feated the Yankees and the Oakland Athletics, respectively.

All in all, the story of the Dodgers success is a storied one among baseball fans. So much so that those who reside within the Brooklyn area are still die-hards when it comes to the team. Yes, despite the lack of titles that or-

ganization possesses, there’s still a lot of love to be had. I have a funny feeling that it’s only a matter of time before we see this originally New York based baseball team win the World Series again.

Who knows, it might even be next year (he said as a way, way too early prediction).

PMell2293

Call it an LA state of mind.

op-ed

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editor: marty grande-sherbert op-ed@carillonregina.com the carillon | november 5 - november 11, 2020

Conservatism has changed Saskatchewan

New left analysis needed in wake of election results Monday’s provincial election saw the Sask Party secure their fourth straight mandate, and the first under party leader Scott Moe. For NDP supporters, leftists, and people against austerity, the win was a blow although not unexpected. How can a government whose policies have contributed to some of the highest rates of suicide, child poverty, domestic violence and domestic murder, and incarceration in the country have won another majority?

The answer is complicated, and it’s rooted in a mixture of social, economic, and historical concerns. As a bornand-bred Saskatchewanian, I have a few thoughts on what brought us to where we are today.

Some people will point to racism as the single biggest factor in Saskatchewan residents choosing the Sask Party (the province is 81 per cent white). They aren’t wrong in noting racism as a factor. Saskatchewan is a settler state/resource extraction colony.

The province was built on the exclusion and oppression of Indigenous Plains people, and up until the Second World War, there was a strict racial hierarchy even among people we now define as “white.”

So racism is neither minor nor new. The Sask Party’s approach to criminal justice, and in particular their support of “rural crime laws” (laws that disproportionately target Indigenous people for “trespassing”), puts them in alignment with bigots, not to mention their approach to Indigenous activism initiatives like the Justice for Stolen Children camp and Tristen Durocher’s fast.

However, racism isn’t the only factor. Reducing Saskatchewan residents to two-dimensional caricatures who blindly make electoral decisions based solely on racial prejudice is not only incorrect, but it isn’t useful. If we want to understand why the people of this province vote the way they do, and why Saskatchewan has become so conservative – analysis that will Elections Sask

be necessary if things are ever to actually change – then we need to dig a little deeper.

Saskatchewan is, and always has been, the heart and soul of Canada’s working class. It is the cradle of leftism in the country. In the early years of the province, support for unions and unionism was high, and workers here made gains that simply weren’t seen elsewhere in Canada. Support and solidarity with the poor and working classes existed not just in the union halls, but at city hall and in the Legislature. At other times in the province, working class people have literally been shot to death in the streets by RCMP as they fought for their rights in clashes between labour and capital. For all of the very real criticisms of Saskatchewan and its culture – it was a

into a cooperative future that they could not have envisioned for themselves. Medicare came from below. It came from the ideas and ideals of working class people who understood that if they were going to survive and thrive on the Prairies, they had to do it together. There’s a reason that this rural, sparsely populated province became the home of the first elected socialist party in North America, and it was because of the people, who had a well-developed class consciousness and a deep and profound respect for, and understanding of, community.

So what happened? Many things. The racism that is embedded in Saskatchewan’s culture means that white working class people have often acted against the

“

Everything good that has ever come to this province has come from the grassroots. . .

That cooperative spirit still exists.

– Sara Birrel

KKK stronghold for years and racism is deeply embedded in the politics of both the right and the left – it has also long been home to a vibrant and class-conscious community of working people. People with cooperative, pro-social values that don’t always seem to be reflected in the Saskatchewan of today.

This province was home to the first democratic socialist government in North America, Tommy Douglas’ CCF, first elected in 1944. Douglas is often called “the father of Medicare.” But Douglas wasn’t Moses (or Lenin) urging the people of Saskatchewan, and eventually Canada,

Where did everyone put their voting sticker?

interests of the working class as a whole in favour of marginalizing and oppressing Black, Brown, and Indigenous people. For a robust and competitive left to re-emerge as real contenders for power in the province, white leftists will need to reckon with the anti-Indigenous, anti-Black, and anti-immigrant sentiments that exist in their movement. They will need to address their white supremacist roots. They must express genuine remorse for the way the left has participated in upholding settler colonialism and take concrete and enduring steps to eliminate it.

There are also economic issues at play.

In the 1980s, Grant Devine introduced neoliberalism and social conservatism to the province after he took over from Allan Blakeney’s NDP. Blakeney was arguably the last socialist leader of the NDP. He was followed by Roy Romanow and Lorne Calvert, who embraced austerity, and in doing so, undermined the NDP’s working class politics. A combination of Devineera social conservatism and the increasing urbanization of Saskatchewan shifted the cooperative, community-centred makeup of Saskatchewan to a different model, one that emphasized individualism and the nuclear family. This broke down many of the social bonds that had been present for the greater part of Saskatchewan’s history, the bonds of community that allowed this province to become home to some of the most progressive, leftist politics and policies in North America.

The shift towards neoliberalism and austerity broke down the social safety net that so many Saskatchewan residents had fought and worked for. People generally don’t accept the erosion (or annihilation) of the social safety net without a fight, and governments use rhetoric in order to make the losses go down easier. Saskatchewan residents have been listening to austerity rhetoric for nearly forty years. For many of us, it’s the only policy we’ve ever known.

Any party trying to win over the Sask Party needs to take these four decades of conditioning into account. It can’t be assumed that people understand why a robust social safety net – even when it comes with a hefty price tag – is good for the economy.

Governments have invested heavily in convincing people that deficits are monstrous threats to the existence of the province and must be avoided, even if that means slashing social programs. It needs to be explained how and why that isn’t so. Social infrastructure must be rebuilt. The corporatization of Saskatchewan’s co-ops must be challenged. None of this can be done if people on the left assume that Sask Party voters are all stupid and greedy and cruel.

People on the left should look at Western alienation movements like the Buffalo Party as a warped response to the loss of social bonds that once helped Saskatchewan people thrive in spite of a lack of attention from Ottawa. While these movements have many abhorrent stances that can be given no quarter, it should be recognized that they are tapping into a real sense of alienation and fear. There’s no reason that that sense needs to be met by pro-pipeline xenophobes. The left can and should be looking to address the real concerns of the group’s supporters while also condemning the racist, climate-denying rhetoric that also accompanies it. What can be done to make Saskatchewan more resistant to economic downturns? How can people who have made their living off oil and gas transition to other fulfilling, well-paying work? These are questions that will need to be addressed satisfactorily by the left.

Everything good that has ever come to this province has come from the grassroots.

It has come from people in the community who looked at the way things were being done and said, “we can do better, together.” That cooperative spirit still exists. We need to look at each other with generosity, not mistrust and loathing. There is much work to be done, but it can be done.

sara birrel news editor

nov 5 - nov 11, 2020

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carillonregina.com | the carillon |

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“Take care of yourself”? We wish we could

Self-care culture does not reach the need for accessibility Content warning: this article contains (brief) mentions of suicide. If you are struggling right now, and you feel like no one hears you, you deserve a free and joyous life and you deserve more.

A big theme amongst the messages that are being passed around during quarantine is the mantra: “take care of yourself.” Especially since isolation, waves of death and social upheavals have left many people in states of depression. And yet, despite hearing it probably three times a day since March, I don’t feel that I or the people around me have done anything but self-destruct. This is because “take care of yourself ” is a band-aid, and although some people have small cuts, others are living with infected wounds. Those wounds – depressive episodes – need to be regarded as the disabilities they are, instead of temporary spots on people that can be washed away. Until then, people who are disabled because of mental illness will never have the space to care for themselves at all.

“Self-care,” as a buzzword and kind of movement, is older than the COVID-19 pandemic by quite a bit. And while that line of encouragement communicates some important ideas (like the efficacy of grounding techniques, the understanding that life is more than productivity, the unbelievable magic of a nice hot bath), it’s not always the strategy that addresses what people actually need. A drawback of “selfcare,” and especially of the go-to “take care of yourself ” that comes quickly to the mind whenever we sign off on Zoom these days, is that it focuses only on improvement of a person’s immediate emotional state. A person will come to us distraught about the stressful, barely manageable circumstances of their life, and we tell them to slow down, eat some ice cream and come back to it tomorrow.

Do not get me wrong! Sometimes this actually is what’s needed. I know the value of self-soothing as someone who, because of layers of cognitive distortions, has absolutely convinced myself that the world will end when it clearly did not. If a person has, for example, just had a panic attack or is acutely suicidal, the concern is their physical wellness and safety before it is anything

else.

But in our current circumstances, the need goes beyond that for most if not all people. Self-soothing (which is what encompasses most ‘self-care’ behaviours in the popular conversation) is meant to address immediate distress; it does not address the reason a person is upset or the circumstances that led them there. It tells a person to drop everything and focus on feeling good in any way possible. Again, sometimes that’s necessary, but sometimes it actually backfires and makes us forget that we are living in conditions that will keep hurting us. For marginalized people,

nesses. Chronic illness means “chronic” plus “illness,” and that means that the person is permanently sick. For many people depression is a disability, not a “disability lite” but a real threat to their physical health and their life. It seems really simple and unnecessary to explain, but people conveniently forget or ignore it all the time, particularly in school and work settings.

Telling someone to “take care of themselves” when they’re sick, if you did not give them or direct them to any medical attention, feels a lot like seeing someone on the ground and wishing them luck before walking away.

“

We should ask ourselves: what does this person need in order to have the space to care for themselves? How can we prevent this person from needing acute care again?”

– Marty Grande Sherbert

it can even feel like being told the oppression they’re living with isn’t real, but an imagined product of stress.

Going beyond self-soothing and into building more sustainable habits so that we improve our health in the long-term means that we need to stop doing things that harm us, and start developing strategies that help us (not necessarily make us feel soothed). After we self-soothe for a little while, we need to work on changing the way we live if we actually want to improve. But a lot of people simply aren’t able to change their situation, not because it can’t be changed, but because their needs are not being adequately heard. This is the case for a lot of marginalized people, but in this case I’m speaking specifically about people with mental illness for whom “selfcare” is treated as a substitution for actual accessibility needs.

So, here’s the thing. Depression, and other mental health conditions that involve depressive episodes, those are chronic ill-

The example of doctor’s notes is the example I use in a university setting, because it comes up so damn often. Many people with mental illness are not informed about their conditions, don’t know that those conditions are something that can be helped, and are most worryingly not believed about their symptoms by their peers or doctors. So there’s a very low chance that a person living through a depressive episode – which will limit their ability to feed themselves, practice personal hygiene, communicate with peers or do work of any kind – is even going to talk to a doctor, much less get a note attesting to what they’re going through.

Personally, I am in my second degree as a university student, and for more than half of that time my mental health crises were complete secrets to my professors, even if their classes were the exact thing I needed to take off my plate in order to rest. That’s because they required doctor’s notes before I could be excused from an

assignment or a class, and the barriers associated with those notes pushed me out.

The breakdowns I had at the end of semesters like that left me physically harmed, left my relationships damaged, left me with my work done but with no professional or friend to approach about the fact that I was still not well. And people told me to “take care of myself ” through it all.

If that happened to me – a person who has a great deal of privilege and who is pretty famously annoying when I sense that something is unfair – imagine how many other people it is still happening to.

And imagine how many other situations there are where a person cannot “take care of themselves” because they’re not able to communicate that they need to be taken seriously and given a place to rest first.

Sometimes I hear “take care of yourself ” and all I can think is how hard I am trying to do just that, and how I would if I weren’t busy jumping through hoops not designed for people like me.

This pandemic has shown us time and time again that things we refused to do for disabled people before – like working from home – are completely possible, and actually not even that difficult. It has also shown abled people that the isolation, the loneliness, and the helplessness of being without accessibility, things that disabled people have always experienced, are horrible to experience. It should not have taken that demonstration for anyone to care. We have new chances every day to commit to accessibility, and resisting our urge to meet depression with “take care of yourself ” is part of this. We should ask ourselves: what does this person need in order to have the space to care for themselves? How can we prevent this person from needing acute care again? Until we do that, to people who are in crisis “take care of yourself ” will become more of a microaggression than a comfort.

Take care of yourselves! (How helpful did that feel to you?)

marty grande-sherbert op-ed editor Anh Hguyen via Unsplash

“Hey, you good?”

nov 5 - nov 11, 2020

op-ed

carillonregina.com | the carillon |

17

“It’s cool to be kind”: actions, not just words

From anxiety to accountability Do you remember the cheesy phrase our middle school teachers used to say? “It’s cool to be kind.” We heard that, but when we left the classroom, the kids that were “cool” or “popular” were the ones moving on to shove other kids into lockers, corner people in the bathroom, and using derogatory language and slurs on the playground.

Meanwhile, that same teacher who was preaching “it’s cool to be kind?” They turned a blind eye and said nothing. I re-

learned about an array of religions and traditions, were taught about equality and inclusivity, and I saw all of my peers as equals. None of us were born with a racist worldview. Obviously, racism still exists in big cities, but as a kid it wasn’t so blatant that I couldn’t escape it. When we moved to small town southern Manitoba, however, things changed, and I witnessed a whole new world full of hate and prejudice.

Calling out racism in this environment

about how the “n-word pass” does not exist, how mocking a person’s accent is indeed racist, and that making assumptions about someone strictly based on the colour of their skin is not fair or correct.

These conversations are far too often responded to by even our close friends with: “well, I am not racist,” “it’s just a joke,” etc. People often become very uncomfortable and defensive when you call them out on their racist actions/words, but

munity. I chose to not show my anger, hurt and sadness, but rather attempt to build a bridge for the person and hope they will become less ignorant. When we have the time and patience to offer in those situations, it can make a difference.

My teacher in school preached that “it’s cool to be kind,” but she did not follow her words with actions. Because of that, a 12-year-old me went against everything I believed in and the safety of my own fami-

“

A 12-year-old me ... joined in with the bullies because I wanted to fit in ... Now, a 19-year-old me is never scared.”

– Reese Estwick

ally hope you don’t have this vivid memory from your time in school – but I do.

Racism, homophobia, transphobia, and marginalization of anyone who didn’t fit the social “norm” has become a defining trait of the small town (and rural area) I grew up in. That makes calling it out super difficult at times.

Raised in a big, blended, bi-racial family where I was the only white sibling, I didn’t see people of colour as separate from myself. What’s more, being in a big Ontario city for my first few years of school meant that diversity was very normal; we

has been a long journey for me, beginning with a 12-year-old me who joined in with the bullies because I wanted to fit in at my new school, even though the anxiety made me feel physically ill. Now, a 19-yearold me is never scared. I don’t even think twice before calling someone out for using derogatory language or racially profiling someone, regardless of the setting. With practise, these things do become possible.

I have had many conversations with my peers about their choice of language, conversations that, though uncomfortable, are necessary to have. I’ve talked to them

I have found that the conversation can go very differently depending upon how I approach the conversation.

It is important to remember not to alienate people or just make them feel stupid (even if you think they are). I do my best to instead connect with them and explain my family’s experiences. Those experiences can say a lot: the way my little brother, at less than a year old, was called the n-word by an old man, how my dad has faced the horrors of police brutality, and how those events have led to my family members feeling unsafe in their own com-

ly, just to be “cool.” But now, I believe that it is my responsibility as a person of privilege to educate others like me on the effects of their actions and make it known that I am a safe person to be around.

It’s cool to be kind, folks. The true meaning of that phrase is to put it into action.

reese estwick staff writer Arthur Edelman via Unsplash

Sometimes a confrontation being hard shows that it’s necessary.

carillonregina.com | the carillon |18

op-ed

nov 5 - nov 11, 2020

We’re halfway through online classes. They suck.

Disconnect between students, professors, and the university

Thomas Lefebre via Unsplash

Clackity clackity clack.

We are halfway through the first semester of online classes due to social distancing, but it has been nothing short of disappointing. This year, “these unprecedented times” – to quote the University’s favourite catchphrase – have been an absolute gong show.

Even before the semester began, I was incredibly disappointed to see that the university chose to keep tuition rates flatlined rather than lowering them to help students.

After many students lost summer jobs and internships, it became the rational choice for them to choose to stay working rather than return to school. It’s terribly frustrating to see so many students drop out when

person I also learn incredible amounts from the student viewpoints and thoughts around me. But now everyone trying to voice their opinions in class results in microphone static and everyone talking over each other, making that kind of collaborative learning impossible.

I am currently taking both synchronous and asynchronous classes, which has only resulted in a clustery mess. My synchronous, live lectures are the ones I am most invested in, because I can attend the Zoom lectures to get a better grip on the material.

However, I have come to dislike them because of the feedback I’m always hearing from people leaving their microphones on.

and then do the week’s readings. I have probably refilled my printer ink three times this semester, just so I do not have to stare at my computer any longer. That being said, I am grateful to professors who do put the textbook online, and especially to professors who refer to it often – there is nothing more frustrating than buying a one hundred dollar textbook and not using it.

When it comes to midterm season, this has had to be the longest one yet. From the last week in September until the first week of November, I have been bombarded with tests and significant assignments.

And something I am noticing that has been missing this semester are outlines for what

get everything done and then start again. It feels like every week is finals week, but you never finish your finals; you just get more and more work piled on.

As if students do not have to worry enough about, balancing crippling workloads and part-time jobs, students’ private information is also at risk because of the university nanny-cam. The infamous e-proctoring network still does not allow for student success. Incredibly invasive to begin within, it also had its first system breach a week ago, causing anxieties to reach an all-time high for students. Although no information was leaked, who knows what when the next breach may be?

“

I literally no longer have a schedule I go by. I just go until I get done, whether that be 10pm, 2am, or 6am—I go until I get everything done and then start again.

– Reese Estwick

they would not otherwise, only because they cannot afford tuition. I understand that it is an expensive building to upkeep, but I have basically been taught by a textbook this year. Being taught through a computer is not translating to quality learning.

I am a complete auditory learner. I really miss sitting in a classroom and engaging with my classmates and professors.

I have had some fantastic professors that have encouraged classroom conversation and debate online, but I am also struggling with the classroom disconnect. One of the most important parts of going to school is learning how to socialize with others. I really do not know what it will be like when we return, whenever that is allowed. While I am taught lots of information in a class by the professor, when the classes are in

Other students and I find ourselves having to interrupt the lecture to get mics to turn off. On the other hand, I enjoy my asynchronous lessons because I have the availability to do them at any time, but I have pulled some crazy late nighters to catch up for an exam the next day. I have also been frustrated with the layout of asynchronous classes, because I always miss crucial information. I am constantly checking the syllabus to make sure I have all my ducks in a row for assignments and tests. I currently have a planner and alarms to remind me of everything I need to get done by the end of the day, week, and month, but it shouldn’t be that difficult to stay on track.

My workload this semester has also been backbreaking. It has been a lot to get through the amount of lecture material

we will be tested on. Just because everything is online does not mean I know exactly what you would like from me on the exam. Getting periodic reminders about what areas to prioritize to achieve a credible mark is what students need to survive and thrive through our courses. When you are throwing a ton of information at students without a break, there needs to be some structure that brings it all together again.

One of the things I hate most about online school is that time just does not feel like it exists anymore. The only thing that matters is absorbing every piece of material and then spitting it back out again. I literally no longer have a schedule I go by.

I just go until I get done, whether that be 10 p.m., 2 a.m., or 6 a.m. – I go until I

Trying to set healthy boundaries this semester is near impossible. Although I want healthy habits to develop so I can decompress from this work, I do not have time to sacrifice, lest I risk harming my average and falling behind. “These unprecedented times” are complicated, but I am struggling to see when the point is in the future that the university will give some relief to students. Now, with paid parking being implemented once again next week and the work not letting up, I doubt that we will see any university leniency.

gillian massie web writer

graphics

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editors: sarah carrier, kate thiessen graphics@carillonregina.com the carillon | november 5 - november 11, 2020