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
kyle anderson holly worby
staff writer
reese estwick
news writer
a&c writer
matt thomson florence hwang
sports writer web writer hammad ali, A.N.
sarah nakonechny contributors
gillian massie
board of directors taylor balfour, lindsay holitzki, maddie ouelette, dustin smith. marty grande-sherbert, and jacob nelson
vol. 63
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 February 4th - February 10th, 2021 | Volume 63, Issue 17 | carillonregina.com
news
Nuclear weapons Welcome back everyone! I’d like to once again give a big thank you to every contributor who helped make this issue possible. We so deeply appreciate and love every submission we’re able to share. Remember: students are paid $20 per Carillon contribution! Whether that be writing, poetry, photography, or art, your work is welcome (and wanted!) here.
news
p.4
While over 50 have have ratified the treaty, global nuclear superpowers and Canada still have not.
sports
Freezing deaths
arts
p.5
The freezing Saskatchewan temperatures are once again bringing attention to the fatal problems unhoused people face.
Divided theatre
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U of R theatre prof Shannon talks upcoming outdoor production tentatively titled “Search Party.”
op-ed
op-ed
Enjoy this issue! Taylor Balfour
photos
cover......................................sarah carrier news..............................................pixabay news...........................wikipedia commons a&c....................u of r theatre department sports...............................ethan butterfield op-ed.........................wikipedia commons op-ed.............................................pixabay
Butterfield breakdown
Fuel propaganda
Ethan Butterfield discusses everthing from the lack of baseball Hall of Fame inductees to the uncoming Superbowl in his weekly breakdown.
Dominated by delegates from oil companies, the Regina city hall meeting was a show of how oil and gas propaganda still dominates.
p.15
Let’s talk
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Marty Grande-Sherbert talks about the performative nature of Bell Let’s Talk day and how it’s not actually doing anything to erase the stima around mental illness.
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editor: sara birrell news@carillonregina.com the carillon | february 4 - february 10, 2021
ON COVID-19 project combats misinformation Millenials, Gen Z target demographic
holly worby staff writer The pandemic experience, while frustrating and restricting, has been the inspiration for some individuals to use their skillsets for the benefit of others. In the area of combatting misinformation, Samanta Krishnapillai took a break from her Master’s in Health Information Sciences at Western University to start the ON COVID-19 project, aimed at disseminating credible information to communities that have been left out of the narrative. “I studied the health care sector for several years so I felt really privileged when the pandemic started.” Krishnapillai said. “I don’t understand all the nitty gritty parts with the biology of the virus, but I had a good understanding of how it was transmitting, what that meant, and what sort of restrictions would have to be put in place because I had studied this stuff.” Krishnapillai added that “This pandemic, while it doesn’t hit us all equally, we do all deserve access to information, and information that is easy to digest […] the part that really hit me was that my friends and family were asking me questions and I just kept thinking ‘You can’t be the only people with these questions.’” Following these realizations, Krishnapillai began working to combat what she calls the “one size fits all” messaging being put out by health authorities at present. She brought up the fact that
safety messaging has been mainly directed at white, upper-middle class individuals, which does not meet the needs of the whole population. As an example, she brought up the fact that Christmas and Thanksgiving restrictions were widely communicated, but people celebrating other holidays such as Diwali had to adapt those measures to fit their circumstances without any guidance. “It’s so upsetting because the messaging is creating different
what’s happening, but I am saying if you don’t give messaging that is applicable to young people then they feel left out of the narrative and don’t feel seen in it, valued in it, or relevant to it, so they don’t want to do anything about it. They reject the whole thing and I get that, I fully understand it, and I wish that elected officials and public health officials would take a second and consider what they’ve done to set people up for success.”
their eagerness to learn and improve wherever possible. “You know the Maya Angelou quote, ‘Do the best you can until you know better, and when you know better, do better?’ Every time someone teaches us how to do things better, we just do it,” Krishnapillai said with a laugh. “Someone once asked me ‘How do you work with such a large team virtually?’ and I think it’s that I never assume I have all the answers, but I always assume that someone out
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I want Millennials and Gen Z to feel like their voice matters, and that they need to step up and do something. Not even that they have to step up and do something, but we want to make it easy for them to make that choice. – Samanta Krishnapillai
categories of people who all have different access to information and different abilities to minimize their risk,” she said. “All of us deserve the same chance to protect ourselves, and that’s not what’s going on right now.” The ON COVID-19 project targets people between about 15 to 35 – Millenials and Gen Z – because of Krishnapillai’s belief that current messaging doesn’t treat them as a target demographic. “A lot of the rhetoric we’re getting from officials is that young people are spreading the virus and I’m not saying that’s not
To combat this, Krishnapillai said her group takes an altered approach when designing the posts they put on social media. “What we say internally is ‘How would you explain it to your friend who maybe isn’t paying as much attention as they should?’ You wouldn’t be angry at them or mad at them, you would ask what they need and how you can help them.” This project has expanded to 114 Millennial and Gen Z volunteers at present, and has seen their reach expand thanks to their collaborative model, the humility of those in leadership roles, and
there does.” With that being their attitude, the group is currently seeking “Anyone who understands media stuff, we would love expertise on that. We don’t really have a lot of expertise on how to engage with the media but we do think the work we’re doing is important, and we’d like to be able to get funding for things like a professional Canva account that I’m self-funding right now.” Krishnapillai added that “We need more people with an arts background, a creative marketing background, a journalism back-
ground, and above all people with an equity, diversity, and inclusion lens. I know this project well but I don’t know what individual people’s skillsets are, so we’re looking for people to come and tell us what they’re good at so we can find a way to utilize their skills. Right now, we have engineers, we have business kids, we have people who didn’t go to college or university but want to be part of the discussion and help.” If you are interested in getting involved with the project, Krishnapillai says all that’s needed is enthusiasm and an email address. Other individuals the ON COVID-19 project is looking to collaborate with include elected officials and health authorities who Krishnapillai has attempted to contact in the past. “If there are officials out there that want to hear what we’ve been gathering and the questions we get emailed in, the things we see as important issues to address and identify, we will give you that. We have no issue sharing that because we’re all fighting the same fight.” This group of young adults has the passion to want to make a difference, the insight to see where improvements can be made, and the drive to fill the gaps they have identified thus far. Krishnapillai summed up their goal as simply wanting to mobilize other young people. “I want Millennials and Gen Z to feel like their voice matters, and that they need to step up and do something. Not even that they have to step up and do something, but we want to make it easy for them to make that choice.”
Pixabay
Man in medical mask reads a book in front of blue background.
february 4 - february 10, 2020
carillonregina.com | the carillon | 4
news
Treaty proposes end to “existential threat” of nuclear weapons
Canada refuses to ratify
sara birrel news editor On January 22, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) went into force. First adopted by the UN in 2017, it took three years for the prohibition to be ratified by 50 countries – the threshold at which it could be made into binding international law. At present, 52 states have ratified the treaty. For some, the end of the Cold War and the ever-increasing urgency of the climate crisis have pushed concerns about nuclear proliferation to the periphery. But experts stress that the nuclear threat is the highest it’s been in decades, be it from escalating tensions at international borders, like the one between Indian and Pakistan, or from nuclear terrorism. Extremist groups like Al-Qaeda and Atomwaffen have expressed interest in obtaining nuclear weapons and the well-documented presence of white supremacists in the military puts the far-right in increasingly close contact with nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material. The TPNW proposes that it is not enough for states to cease the production of nuclear weapons, but that those weapons that currently exist must also be destroyed. None of the nuclear powers – China, North Korea, the UK, the US, France, India, Pakistan, Russia, and presumably Israel – have signed on to the treaty, meaning they’re not bound by it. But the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) believes that the treaty has the power to influence the behaviour of nations who are not yet party to it. According to ICAN, “underpinning the decision by govern-
Pixabay
Two skeletons in front of nuclear fallout, one asking “was this really necessary?”
ments and civil society to pursue the nuclear weapon ban treaty was the belief that changing the rules regarding nuclear weapons would have a profound impact even beyond those countries willing to join it at the outset.” The belief – which has borne out with other weapons prohibitions, like the ones against landmines and cluster bombs – is that as more countries ratify the treaty, public and international pressure on nuclear-armed countries will increase until ratification is no
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tion, nuclear weaponry has not decreased, but increased exponentially. Nine countries now call themselves nuclear powers and more than 13,400 nuclear weapons exist on the planet, many of which are far more powerful than the ones dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. According to ICAN, “less than one percent of the nuclear weapons in the world could disrupt the global climate and threaten as many as two billion people with starvation in a nuclear famine. The thousands of
they have abided by. And in 1985 the South Pacific became a nuclear-free zone, followed by Southeast Asia in 1995 and the entire continent of Africa in 1996. By 1996 the former Soviet republics of Belarus, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan had all turned over their nuclear arsenals for destruction. Although Canada is not a nuclear power, ICAN considers the country to be a “nuclear-weapon endorser” for its refusal to sign the TPNW and for its commitment to NATO, which has taken a “you
Less than one percent of the nuclear weapons in the world could disrupt the global climate and threaten as many as two billion people with starvation in a nuclear famine. The thousands of nuclear weapons possessed by the US and Russia could bring about a nuclear winter, destroying the essential ecosystems on which all life depends.
– International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
longer avoidable. Additionally, the treaty establishes ethical and legal boundaries that put pressure on financial institutions to divest from companies that build and maintain nuclear weapons. It’s far from the first resolution on nuclear weapons that has been adopted by the UN. The first resolution ever adopted by the General Assembly in 1946 called for the elimination of nuclear weapons from national armaments. However, since that first resolu-
nuclear weapons possessed by the US and Russia could bring about a nuclear winter, destroying the essential ecosystems on which all life depends.” While some states pursued nuclear testing and development, others recognized the existential threat posed and resolved on their own not to develop nuclear weapons. The 1967 Treaty of Tlatlelco saw the countries of Latin America agree not to test or develop nuclear weapons, a resolution
get rid of yours and then we’ll get rid of ours” approach to nuclear weapons (none of NATO’s 30 member states have ratified the treaty despite high levels of support from the public for them to do so). Carrying on with the foreign policy decisions that cost it a seat on the UN Security Council last year, Canada has approached the treaty with hostility. In 2016, Canada voted against the UN resolution to establish talks on the complete prohibition of nuclear
weapons and in 2017 the country refused to participate in those talks. That same year Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was criticized for not congratulating ICAN, the winners of that year’s Nobel Peace Prize, and for saying that it was “sort of useless” to have non-nuclear powers be a part of a nuclear treaty. At the same time, Canada claimed to be “committed to a world free of nuclear weapons.” As climate change alters the distribution of land and resources, nations will need to find new ways of dealing with each other if brutal wars over resources are to be avoided. Nuclear weapons and the threat they pose – that millions of people could be wiped out with a single bomb, and that large areas of arable land could be rendered useless – are a barrier to a more humane model of international relations. And nuclear weapons create problems even if they aren’t used. While people worldwide struggle to find adequate food and shelter, billions of dollars are spent every year developing, maintaining, and updating nuclear weapons systems. And as the January 6 attack on Capitol Hill showed, nuclear-armed states are not immune to the kinds of civil strife that threatens to put nuclear weapons in the hands of those who would use them to advance their own agendas, meaning we cannot – if we ever could – rely on the safeguards that nuclear powers put in place to prevent the use of warheads by state militaries.
february 4 - february 10, 2020
carillonregina.com | the carillon | 5
news
Freezing deaths reveal systemic gaps in housing
Lack of housing is deadly
sara birrel news editor At least two people have frozen to death in Saskatoon in the first month of 2021. A man was found dead on the city’s Lorne Avenue on January 3. Twenty days later, a 34-year-old woman was found frozen to death near Avenue Q South and 18th Street West. The deaths are a horrific reminder of
Wikipedia Commons
A man with a sign saying “Homeless - Please help - Thank you” sits on a duffle bag outside a building.
time. But to blame the freezing deaths on the pandemic is to miss the larger issues at play. Hundreds – possibly thousands – of people are unhoused at any given time in Saskatchewan, even as rental units and hotel rooms sit empty. The overwhelming majority of those people are Indigenous and all of them have
supports, from the foster care system to the healthcare system to the criminal justice system, or some combination of them all. Risk factors for homelessness include transitioning out of institutionalized care, like foster care, mental health facilities, and prisons, low wages, and high housing costs, all areas that could be managed and
“hidden homeless,” there has been no movement to allocate funds for Everyone is Home: A Five-Year Plan to End Chronic and Episodic Homelessness in Regina, the $63 million plan to end homelessness in the city. A large problem with implementing the plan is that the money for the program is supposed to come from the provincial
for a warm-up shelter in Regina and are currently sitting on $23 million in federal funds that could be allocated towards helping vulnerable people. To allow people to go unhoused is cruel and inhumane, but to allow them to go unhoused in the winter in Saskatchewan is criminally negligent. There is no
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By the time someone ends up on the street, they have been failed by multiple levels of government and social supports, from the foster care system to the healthcare system to the criminal justice system, or some combination of them all. – Sara Birrel
the lack of reliable supports for unhoused people in Saskatchewan. Part of the problem is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced many centres that would normally be available for people to warm up and shelter in to reduce the number of people they can have in the building at one
experienced some form of trauma. Although houselessness is often perceived as an issue of individuals, it’s actually evidence of systemic failures and historic and ongoing colonialism. By the time someone ends up on the street, they have been failed by multiple levels of government and social
improved upon through systemic interventions like public housing, investments in mental health care, decriminalization of drugs, and living wages. In Regina, where Terin Kennedy, the Executive Director of End Homelessness Regina has said there may be as many as 3000
and federal governments. Rather than fund people’s human right to secure, dignified housing, these levels of government prefer political posturing. Not only has the provincial government failed to adequately respond to homelessness in the province, they have turned down requests for funding
reason for people to be freezing to death in cities where clean, safe, warm apartments and houses sit empty. As more and more people face housing instability brought about by pandemic-related economic insecurity, public housing should be a top priority of all levels of government.
february 4 - february 10, 2020
news
carillonregina.com | the carillon | 6
Anti-mask protests have racist underpinnings Shahab protest raises concerns
taylor balfour editor-in-chief The rise of anti-mask protests around the city, province, and country have been startling. Given the gradual growth of these protests in the United States, it is not a surprise that they’ve started to take shape around the world. The protesters often argue that the reason they’re activists is because the arrival of mandatory mask laws “infringes on their rights” and, in some cases, “makes it harder to breathe”. While many studies have shown the benefits of wearing masks in public, anti-maskers have attempted to showcase that masks are “unsafe” as well as an infringement on their rights. Many protesters have claimed that masks create a risk of “inhaling” or “choking,” although there is scant evidence to support this other than it primarily being an issue with toddlers, who are typically exempted from masking. As many people have pointed out, surgical teams operate in masks for hours at a time without asphyxiating. However, as these protests begin to rise in the new year, an alarming trend has emerged: the anti-mask protests often become racist, misogynistic, and xenophobic. But the real question is: why? In analyzing the United States Capitol riots that took place on January 6, we not only see the direct ties to discrimination, but also how this violence affects us here at home. The Capitol riots are clear example of the racial prejudice found in the anti-mask movement. The Capitol riots were not specifically an anti-mask protest. The swarm of Donald Trump supporters were contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election. However, the anti-mask ideology was clearly present in their behaviours, becoming intimately linked with white supremacy.
PxHere
The crowd, which didn’t wear masks or social distance (a contrast to many of the Black Lives Matter uprisings that took place throughout the summer and fall), also wore sweatshirts that mocked victims of Auschwitz and waved Confederate and Nazi flags. In Regina, Dr. Saqib Shahab, the province’s chief medical health officer, had around a dozen white people show up in front of his private residence on January 23 to protest restrictions imposed by the government. Dr. Shahab told CBC News that the protest not a surprise, and that the attack was related to “QAnon” – a far-right white supremacist group that was involved in the Capitol riots – and “anti-masker protests” that have occurred across the province. The fact that Shahab is racialized and that the protesters tracked down his home address and gathered outside his residence, rather than at the Legislature or the offices of an MLA is a reminder of the racism that is at the root of these protests. In an article written for the Gauntlet, journalist Karabee Batta discusses the privilege factor that is often ignored when discussing anti-mask protests. Batta notes that wearing a mask is not just an act of safety, but “symbolises protecting oneself and others around you,” making it a statement of respecting and fulfilling societal obligations, which is contrary to the white supremacist (and Western) ideology of individualism. Some people have pointed out the contrast between the
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Wikipedia Commons
White man in mask that has been cut open raises his hand during protest.
The connection between racism, white supremacy, and anti-mask protests are intricately wound, but not inherently linked. It is up to us to ensure hatred, racism, and supremacy don’t settle into our society and culture. – Taylor Balfour
complaints of white anti-maskers, who claim their breathing is being restricted, and the actual lived experience of Black people, who all too often find themselves being literally choked to death by law enforcement. While the Regina Police Service has stated that they are looking further into the matter to see if additional action is required, no one has been charged with harassment or trespassing and it seems unlikely that anyone will be. Some argue that this alone is concerning, as it has been documented and stated that QAnon ideology – well-documented as a violent hate group – was involved. That alone should be worthy of further consideration in terms of legal and police action. Premier Scott Moe has stated that the incident was “unacceptable, sickening and wrong” and encouraged law enforcement to continue looking into the matter. Regardless, Dr. Shahab is to be relocated in hopes of avoiding future harassment while still being able to carry out his duties. While instances like these are still developing, the need for action to be taken to prevent further action is more than necessary. The connection between racism, white supremacy, and anti-mask protests are intricately wound, but not inherently linked. It is up to us to ensure hatred, racism, and supremacy don’t settle into our society and culture.
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editor: julia peterson aandc@carillonregina.com the carillon | february 4 - february 10, 2021
No business like snow business Devising an outdoor theatre experience
holly worby staff writer Early in the Fall 2020 semester, theatre professor Shannon Holmes and the students in her Devised Production course began the devising portion of their production, which is scheduled for performance on March 17 of this year. Holmes, a newer faculty member who started with the University of Regina’s Theatre Department this past July, said there was initial resistance from the University regarding performing their production in person due to Covid-19 regulations. “One of the things that was really pushing myself and oth-
University of Regina Theatre Department
Members of the University of Regina Theatre Department stand in the snow in front of Le jardin de l’esprit (the mind’s garden) by Joe Fafard, a large bronze sandcast sculpture depicting Saskatchewan’s natural and cultural history.
For some context, the ensemble have been collaborating on the majority of the process, and came up with the idea for the show based on a prompt from Holmes. “The prompt that I offered the students was from a news story several years back about a tourist, and this tourist was on a tour bus in Iceland,” she said. “This tourist got off the bus to go to the bathroom, freshen up and change, and when she got back to the bus she found everyone frantically looking and a search party began because someone on the bus was missing. They had sketched up a picture of
of the show is that all the cast will set out to find the tour guide, and of course the audience will follow along. They’re not sitting outdoors watching in a very traditional way like a proscenium stage, they’re actually going to be following the action.” Designing a devised theatre production opens up many opportunities, but at this point there are still lingering uncertainties in the show’s structure. “That’s where the beauty and anxiety lie in a devised show – we don’t even know how it’s going to end yet,” she said.
of Theatre’s Facebook page […] and as soon as that information is available it will be posted there.” Besides ticket information there are regular posts on the progress of the show, and a few recent shots of the area in Wascana where the show will be performed. During the Fall 2020 semester of the Devised Production course, Holmes was living in Montreal and found conducting the program remotely to be a challenge. “With being new faculty, I had never met these students in person, I had never worked with them in person,” she said. “Part of
bed because that’s the only space that they had,” she said. “Maybe if they were lucky they had a private space, but for others their families were right outside the door while I’m asking them to do these exploratory things with their voices and their bodies […] This kind of work does not translate well to online learning. Honestly, everyone put their best foot forward, but it was so challenging.” To end on a positive note, Holmes gratefully reported feeling accepted and supported by the Regina art community during her time here thus far.
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The premise of the show is that all the cast will set out to find the tour guide, and of course the audience will follow along. They’re not sitting outdoors watching in a very traditional way like a proscenium stage, they’re actually going to be following the action. – Shannon Holmes
er members of the faculty was that we were noticing that, for instance, some sports teams were allowed to practice,” she said. “We all thought ‘something’s not right here.’” Thankfully, theatre is flexible, so Holmes and her twelve students (or “ensemble”) are constructing an outdoor show to be performed in Wascana park, right across from the U of R’s campus. When asked about the name of the piece, Holmes replied “Actually, we don’t have a definite title yet because it’s a collective creation. It’s devised work which means that the ensemble is creating the show. The working title is ‘Search Party,’ but we don’t have a definite title.”
the person missing, and this woman joined the search that went on for hours and police were called in, and it turned out this woman was the person they thought was missing! So, the prompt was this idea of joining your own search party.” Holmes, excited at the chance to facilitate this novel format, explained that the audience will get an involved experience during this performance. “Our audience will show up and they will encounter this group who have just finished a tour and they are getting on a bus to leave, and someone will announce ‘We can’t go anywhere, the tour guide’s missing!’ ”she said. “The premise
Another aspect of that beauty is in the freedom to modify the experience by involving other departments. “We also have two students from the music department who are composing music for the show, and we will have three musicians on site with us, moving through the space and playing music,” she said. “They’re also composing some songs for the ensemble to sing so that’s all really exciting.” Tickets aren’t yet available but will be in the near future. To stay updated on the show’s progress and to buy tickets once they are available, Holmes advises that people “keep an eye on our Facebook page, the Department
this process of devising theatre requires a lot of trust between people because you’re asking people to get up on their feet, to explore physically, vocally, and to really get out there and do what might be considered really cuckoo-crazy things. Even though we were meeting twice a week on Zoom so you’d get to know each other, you don’t really know someone until you’ve shared space with them.” While the students are now attending scheduled, distanced rehearsals, it was difficult for some to get in the right headspace while attending courses at home. “Some students had a whole basement rec room to work in, and some were literally on their
“I’ve been in Regina now for two weeks and I’ve just been blown away by the generosity, especially in the artistic community and the theatre community with people reaching out to lend a hand,” she said. “Jennifer Brewin who’s the new artistic director of the Globe Theatre here in Regina offered – on her own time – to come in and talk with the students. She has a lot of experience working with outdoor theatre, and outdoor theatre in the winter. “So people are just offering their time, really truly interested in what we’re doing and that’s wonderful. I just felt kind of welcomed by the community off the get go and I so appreciate that.”
february 4 - february 10, 2020
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
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#StillNotOverIt – GLOW How did this show get us so invested in wrestling?
holly worby staff writer For those who haven’t heard, this “#StillNotOverIt” running series was made so that people could write reviews for media that’s no longer new but that they can’t stop ranting and raving about. For me, that’s the show GLOW, which stands for the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. I should preface this by saying that I’m not someone who had exposure to what wrestling shows really involve, and before watching this series I thought that wrestling was physically impressive, but I didn’t take it seriously beyond that. I started watching the show in early 2019 and honestly only chose to because the 80s-era costumes in the trailer looked impressive and Alison Brie plays the lead. I should also preface with a classic “spoiler alert,” as I will be talking about specific events in the show, but I’ll do my best to keep things as ambiguous as possible. GLOW’s plot centers around the creation and production of an all-women wrestling show in 1980s LA, and the episode “Debbie Does Something” (S1:E5) is the episode that helped me realize the emotional investment spectators have in these shows. The character Debbie Eagan (played by Betty Gilpin) confesses to one of the other women during training for their show that she’s never seen a show, and she thinks they’re just silly. To solve this, a few of the women go to a live men’s wrestling show where Debbie has the realization that the drama in
Pixahive
The red Neftlix logo shines out from a TV screen in a darkened room.
wrestling shows is quite like the drama in soap operas. There are unique and refined characters, costumes and dramatic backstory, emotional investment in the plot of the shows, and of course the struggle of good versus evil. It’s pretty hard to get me emotionally invested in regular wrestling matches, but in the shows where the storytelling draws you in you naturally become invested and start to root for one of the two performers. In GLOW the women wrestle in training and while performing, which I assumed was done through stunt doubles, but with a little digging I learned that the women did all their own stunts
after attending an intensive boot camp to build their skillsets. They worked with Shaunna Duggins, a stunt coordinator who won a Primetime Emmy for the stunt coordination in 2018 and 2019, and specifically designed the wrestling scenes to play to these actresses’ strengths in the ring. One of my qualms with wrestling shows previously was only seeing women participate as eye candy for spectators, but this show celebrates the skills of these actresses in a way that goes far beyond simple sexualization. Aside from doing their own stunts, these actresses also blow me away with some of the most authentic performances of emo-
tional pain that I’ve ever seen. This show sugar coats nothing (fair warning), and in the first episode shows Debbie Eagan (Gilpin) confronting her best friend Ruth Wilder (Brie) in front of the other women after finding out Ruth slept with her husband. Gilpin’s performance in that scene made my jaw drop. As someone who’s been cheated on I’m familiar with the intrusive emotions one experiences, and Gilpin beautifully portrays the anguish, confusion, and dry anger phases in a way that leaves me speechless. Some of the other heavy topics covered include how a miscarriage can impact a marriage, how fear of hate crimes can contribute
to queer individuals staying in the closet, the ways wrestling characters play on racial stereotypes, struggling with internalized homophobia, the ways a misogynist’s views can change, and how a parent’s relationship with their child changes as that child becomes an adult. GLOW is a show that I’ve watched more times than I can remember, and while content warnings abound, the character growth that happens through these traumatic experiences is a perfect example of the resilience those experiences can lead to when a person is given the support they need.
izing in writing supplies. Within a few weeks after that, I was subscribed to dozens of fountain pen forums. I was learning about the different kinds of nibs (some flex!), converters (I like the push kind and hate the squeezy ones), and even ink (someday I am trying the rose color ink)! Today, I have three fountain pens, one of them, the Pilot Custom 912,
the most expensive pen I have ever owned. But when I sit down with some good paper and start writing, as the pen glides off the paper with minimal effort, and as the line widths change at the slightest variation of grip, I have to say, it feels right. I am certainly not done with fountain pens for a long time to come, if ever. In fact, I think I need a fourth one soon!
My kingdom for a pen Learning to love a great fountain pen
hammad ali contributor
I have had an interest in pens and the writing experience they provide for as far back as I can remember. In high school, I had a prized possession, a deep green Parker fountain pen that I had to refill from a blue black Pelikan ink bottle. In addition, any trip to an office supplies store always involved looking at what new pens they had. I was particularly partial to gel pens thanks to the smooth writing experience and how beautiful the ink looked on paper. I have to admit, somehow my fountain pen did not quite meet expectations in comparison. Then, in college, it became inconvenient to manage a fountain pen that had to be refilled every few days, and I moved on to ballpoints. But my obsession for pens remained. I remember a few years ago, when I heard a friend was visiting the UK, I got him to bring me several packs of the Uni-ball Jetstream, which I had just read about as being recognized as the best rollerball pen in the UK. I
do have to admit though, I did not see why. It seemed to me that Uni-ball themselves have made better pens. In early 2019, I was listening to a podcast by Tim Ferriss, interviewing one of my favourite authors, Neil Gaiman. A large part of the interview talked about how Neil writes all his novels with pen and paper, and in more recent years will only use fountain pens. Since then I have found out that Neil Gaiman owns over two hundred fountain pens, including some meant just for autographs and others just for longer novels. Back then though, it got me thinking. I had not used a fountain pen in a while, and my circumstances certainly made it possible for me to manage ink bottles. In fact, as I soon found out, most fountain pens today will also just let you use refills. So I went ahead and bought one I will refrain from telling you the brand, because the experience was underwhelming. To be fair, the writing was great. It was the ink leaks, and the fact that the converter used to draw ink stopped working within six
months, that left me disappointed. But I persisted, and went for a more renowned brand, the Pilot Metropolitan. I have had this pen for a little over a year, and was honestly happy with it. Until it needed repair. But I am glad it did. Trying to repair my Metropolitan led me to the Paper Umbrella, a Regina business special-
PxHere
A silver fountain pen sits poised above a blank sheet of paper, prepared to write.
february 4 - february 10, 2020
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arts & culture
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Ye olde booke shoppe
A bookworm’s guide to conquering the used bookstore
gillian massie web writer
This year, why not try putting some actual books on your bookshelf ? I have never been to an independent bookstore that’s the same as another, and I think that’s the beauty of them. While each bookstore has its own layout, scouring shelves upon shelves of literature is an expedition to find the next best binge read. From The Communist Manifesto to a historical fiction novel about the Bermuda Triangle, you can find any book you are looking for, or even ones you
lished. Independent and used bookstores are where you will always find some of the most unique and exciting reads. People dump books off by the carload to keep them from cluttering up their bookcases, which provides a massive selection of new and old releases. From books published this year to books found initially, lots of books have immense worth. A first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone sold for 67,000 euros which is the equivalent to 115, 924.02 dollars, one of 500 hard copies initially published. Believe it or not, people do make
Many people do not read books twice (but we all have those our favorites) and so they are quickly donated. One of the best pieces of advice I have ever gotten is to wait a year. After a year, you will find the best-selling novel you were eyeing up at Indigo. Books are expensive. The average costing book is approximately around 20-25 dollars. Second-hand stores sell for fractional prices of the original costs. I have never paid over ten dollars for a donated book. Buying used is obviously going to be cheaper, for the price of a new book, you could be walking away with four
are still the same book, just with older covers. Upon the arrival of the second-hand bookstore, make sure you have a plan. And if you are looking for a specific book, ask the owner. They never fail to know what they have on their shelves, and they often have everything filed and organized so that it can be found with a quick search on a computer. If you are just going to take a look, pay attention to the way they manage everything. Like I said before, they are drowning in genres and sub-genres of books, which has allowed for the emergence of hyper-specific categories
very well organized to keep up with the mountain of books that are received each day. Mediums to pay attention to are audiobooks, magazines, comic books, and graphic novels. The endless finds in these categories can have you reading at all times of the day. Audiobooks are great for roundtrips; magazines give you something easy to read when you can’t sit and delve into a novel. The number of comics is genuinely baffling, Garfield, Beetle Bailey, and Calvin & Hobbes are among some of my favorites to choose from. Just as you need stimulating reading materials, you also need
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Upon the arrival of the second-hand bookstore, make sure you have a plan. And if you are looking for a specific book, ask the owner. – Gillian Massie
didn’t know you were looking for. On previous summer vacations as a child, something my family and I would do when we had a few hours to spare was to go to used bookstores. Lots of the books from those stores have still remained some of the best books I have ever read. Often, they have lots of information about the culture and the history of the area you are in written by local authors. On shorter road trips, it is well worth spending a half-hour perusing a used bookstore to find a book that may not still be pub-
a killing off selling valuable books. Lots of bookstores primarily focus on popular books from new authors, which are only available for a few months and then get cycled out after a few months. Finding many smaller, B-rated authors and books at the used bookstore is very common and should not be taken for granted. For those of us who are guilty of turning to “The Top 10 Books of *insert year here*,” for their newest read, look no further than the second-hand bookstore for an abundance of books on that list.
used books. Trendy books often work their way back into the buying and selling system. Series like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Dune are almost always fully supplied and in excellent condition. Furthermore, famous authors such as Stephen King, John Green, and John Grisham have shelves dedicated to their own work. The classics are always there in quantities, including my latest trip. I found Pride and Prejudice, To Kill a Mockingbird, and A Clockwork Orange without even looking for them. They
that genuinely have the most original content. I’ve found some incredibly hyper-specific genres over the course of my bookstore journeys, including “daring activities” and “nautical nonsense.” If you are just going to browse, pay attention to how things are categorized. Often signs will hang from the ceiling indicating what general genre you are in but look to construction paper sticking out of bookcases for further areas of specification. Second-hand bookstores are often
to allow for reading materials to relax you at the end of the day. While most used book stores are specifically used bookstores, many have been customized with coffee shops, and vinyl cafés alongside them. Some even get a little more unique by including museums alongside them. While bookstores can be the most analytical of second-hand stores, they can also beat the smell of other secondhand shops. The smell of old paper is just a little more special than new books and other used items.
PxHere
A stack of three large old books with yellowed pages sit on a table.
february 4 - february 10, 2020
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#StillNotOverIt: Chernobyl
Did the HBO show do justice to a constant, complicated issue?
julia peterson arts editor I was totally engrossed in HBO’s Chernobyl when it came out in 2019. The historical drama miniseries, which revolves around the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster and the cleanup efforts that followed, was lauded for its brilliant production design and tight scriptwriting, elevating the human stories behind the recent history. It won an Emmy and a Golden Globe, and was particularly praised for some of its more overt messages. In The Atlantic, Sophie Gilbert praised it as a “grim disquisition on the toll of devaluing the truth,” and many other reviews continued in a similar vein. After all, this is the show that takes a recurring question of “how does a [specific type of] nuclear reactor explode” and in the final episode answers it, quite simply: “lies.” But even when I watched the miniseries for the first time, I wasn’t quite satisfied with that explanation. Because, yes, the show is trying really hard to be a meditation on the human costs of truth and falsehood – and it succeeds at that in some really important ways. But it also has another, equally important thread running through it: This is a show about the importance of science communication. There are lots of examples of
science communication done well – or, just as often (and, in fairness, this is reflective of real life) done really badly – over the course of the five episodes. Take, for example, this exchange between nuclear physicist Ulana Khomyuk (a composite character representing the many scientists who worked on investigation and cleanup efforts at Chernobyl, played by Emily Watson) and a low-level politician who has the power to help: Khomyuk: I know about Chernobyl. I know that the core is either partially or completely exposed. Politician: Whatever that means. Khomyuk: And if you don’t immediately issue iodine tablets and then evacuate the city, hundreds of thousands of people are going to get cancer, and God knows how many more will die. Politician: Yes, very good. There has been an accident at Chernobyl. But I’ve been assured there is no problem. Khomyuk: I’m telling you that there is. Politician: I prefer my opinion to yours. Khomyuk: I’m a nuclear physicist. Before you were Deputy Secretary, you worked in a shoe factory. Politician: Yes, I worked in a shoe factory. And now I’m in charge. The show chooses to frame this scene entirely from the (painfully accurate) angle of “a highly
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A gas mask worn by one of the Chernobyl liquidators sits in an abandoned room in Pripyat.
qualified woman gets shut down by an incompetent man,” but it’s also an excellent example of science communication gone wrong. Even though Khomyuk did a lot of things right here while under duress (particularly, her clear explanation of the next steps that needed to be taken, and the consequences of not doing so), there are also elements I think scientists can learn from. Not everyone will have the
same knowledge base as you, which means, just because you’re aware of a serious problem that should have everyone scrambling to fix it, the person you’re talking to won’t necessarily know that this matters, why this matters, or indeed why they should be listening to you about it. And yes, to be clear, this politician (as depicted in the show, at least) was an ass. But if he had been able to frame this conver-
sation as a “meeting of experts” (her nuclear physics background, his knowledge of the sectors he has power over), would they have been able to make some progress here? I know these aren’t the primary questions woven through Chernobyl’s narrative arcs. But they were certainly ones that I’m still thinking about in 2021.
anywhere in the world and be an active participant in someone’s story. Whether reading a fiction or non-fiction novel, you are experiencing the life of the characters – which will inspire you to be more empathetic and understanding of the experiences of those around
you in real life. Living through the state of the world we are all currently experiencing together, this is the perfect time to have empathy and understanding towards others, to connect with each other through stories and shared experiences. A getaway from reality is something that we all could use in these times of strained communication and isolation, and being able to travel the world, make friends of the characters and fellow readers, and learn something new is one way that we can take control of our time and allow ourselves to slow down and take a break from the news. In a world that is so uncertain and divided, let’s unify through literature and all get lost in a book. The novel that made me fall in love with reading again is The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O’Neill. The heart-breaking love story of the main characters, Rose and Pierrot, who are two orphans with peculiar talents and impeccable chemistry, takes you on a journey like no other. This story captured me in a way that I did not know was possible in any life other than my own. [With a content warning for sexual assault and drug addiction if you’re looking to pick up your own copy].
Reading is awesome
Let’s carve out some time to enjoy some great reads
reese estwick staff writer
It’s time that we all start picking up novels again. When I was a kid, February was my favorite month because I could win prizes at school for doing the one thing I loved most – reading. “I love to read” month was my favorite time of the year because I constantly had my nose in a book year round. I loved the feeling of entering someone else’s world and experiencing a life so different from my own. The act of getting comfortable and having the power to escape reality became my safe place to fall when the real world felt like too much to handle. As I got older, as well all do, I stopped reading as things like friends, Instagram, video games, and Netflix became my most valued pastimes. I honestly don’t think that I picked up a novel between the ages of 14-19, as in my mind I had “better things to do” or “didn’t want to commit to 400 pages.” I had the idea in my mind that reading was a chore, and I fell out of love with the one thing that I once loved dearly. This generation is surrounded by things that provide us with instant gratification, and for
many, that constant stimulation has made us seek out the “easy way” – such as just reviewing book summaries rather than reading the novel for a class. Having the ability to bypass the time commitment of reading a novel, paired with the ability to access pleasure
just by opening Instagram – I convinced myself that reading was just a thing of the past and I gave myself the title of a non-reader. I no longer carry that title and in every free moment I can find I have my nose in a book. Reading allows you to travel
Pixnio
A packed wooden bookshelf, with colourful books shelved every which way, and in every possible space
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editor: ethan butterfield sports@carillonregina.com the carillon | february 4 - february 10, 2021
The Butterfield Breakdown A January retrospective ethan butterfield sports editor With January having come and gone, the sports world continues to develop in all fronts. Among these developments is the lack of baseball hall of fame inductees, the upcoming NFL Super Bowl, and Connor McGregor’s defeat in the UFC (as well as many others). So, with the return of the ‘Butterfield Breakdown’, let’s go through the individual leagues
acteristics of the ballot players are featured as promptly as the accomplishments of the players themselves. With that in mind, it is because of such characteristics that Clemens and Bonds (as well as others) don’t achieve Hall of Fame success. Moving forward, Bonds, Clemens and others are approaching the end of their eligibility for the Hall of Fame and will not be considered by the Hall’s writers, but rather the MLB’s veteran’s committee.
“ and get caught up on the sports world as it occurred in January. MLB There was, as mentioned above, a bit of a dramatic flare with this year’s MLB Hall of Fame inductees, as no qualifying players were accepted into the Hall of Fame. Interestingly, this isn’t the first time that the MLB hasn’t accepted any inductees,with 2013 being the most recent year with no one finding their way into the Hall. Two notable names that, both in 2013 and 2021, were featured on the ballot were that of Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds. Due to how voting works in the Hall of Fame, the char-
Georgiv. DeAngelo had made a comment to Georgiv after a loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins that resulted in DeAngelo getting punched and placed on waivers. The waivers, as of Feb. 1, have been cleared. As well, as of Feb. 1, 30 NHL teams have passed on DeAngelo. In other news, in the newly established Canadian Division of the NHL (called the North Division), the Toronto Maple Leafs currently hold the top spot at the time of writing. At the same time,
The organization of Tampa Bay has already made history by being the first time to play the Super Bowl in their hometown, and now looks to become the first ever team to win the Super Bowl in their home city. On the other side, Kansas City is on the path to a repeat Super Bowl win, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since 2004. Also, quarterback Patrick Mahomes can become the youngest player to be a repeat Super Bowl champion at 25 years of age.
NBA With the NBA in full stride, the playing field is becoming more and more clear. Unfortunately for the Toronto Raptors, their place on the playing field is not exactly what fans expected. Currently sitting with an 8 (wins) and 12 (losses) record, the results of their season are a far cry from the way things went during 2020. In the overall standings of the NBA, the Philadelphia 76ers are certainly making a case for being the team to beat as they are cur-
The New York Knicks aren’t last in the Eastern Conference, so I’m happy. – Ethan Butterfield
NHL The NHL season is off to a bittersweet start. On the positive side, the league has been able to put forward steady scheduling during the pandemic; however, the league also began to see COVID cases increase even before the start of the season. COVID-19 issues aside, news occurring within the league is more player-directed. Such is the case with New York Rangers defenseman Tony DeAngelo. Being a controversial off-ice personality (a vocal supporter of former President Trump), DeAngelo was the cause of an incident with fellow Rangers goaltender Alexander
the Ottawa Senators are struggling to keep up with a (again, at the time of writing) 1-7-1 record (win, lose, and overtime respectively). NFL As you’ve probably seen recently, I’ve been writing a lot about the main event of the NFL season: the Super Bowl. This year’s Super Bowl, featuring Tampa Bay and Kansas City, will be a history maker regardless of the winner. When discussing Tampa Bay, the ageless wonder Tom Brady looks to become a seven-time Super Bowl winner, as well as becoming a first-time NFC Super Bowl winner.
UFC The UFC recently saw the return of Connor McGregor in a losing title fight effort against champion Dustin Poirier. Other notable names Poirier has won against in the ring include former champions Max Holloway and Eddie Alvarez. Moving forward, UFC fans have their eyes set on the next event, UFC 258 on February 13. The card will feature names such as Uriah Hall and Chris Wediman in the co-main event. Plus, current Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman will defend his title against Gilbert Burns in the main event.
rently heading into February with a 15 (wins) and 6 (losses) record. On a more personal note, the New York Knicks aren’t last in the Eastern Conference, so I’m happy. So, there you have it, the updates from around the league through the month of January (and what to expect for February). I don’t know if I’ll continue these updates like I did in the past, as it depends on how the various major leagues look down the line. That aside though (and ending on a more hopeful note), let’s remember to keep safe and healthy with everything that’s going on in the world today.
Ethan Butterfield
A hand rests on the keyboard of an open laptop.
february 4 - february 10, 2020
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sports
A history of skating Education and sports all in one
sarah nakonechny sports writer Without thinking about it many of us this chilly winter season have laced up skates and hit the frozen pond with no thought about where this invention came from. Many of us have memories of falling time and time again while learning how to get our balance on these skillfully crafted blades. What brought about such a unique invention that brings us so much joy now? The first depiction of ice skates that we know of is from Scandinavia, from approximately 1800 BCE. However, these did not resemble anything like the graceful skates we lace up today. They did not have any sort of sharp edge and were crafted out of the bones of either horses or cows. In order to keep these bones from falling off they would drill a hole before nailing a strap of leather to the bone. Eventually, these became adjustable with buckles. Although not fancy nor all that graceful, they got the job done. That job was strictly for transportation purposes along the various rivers and canals that run through the various regions of Scandinavia. You may be wondering how they were able to move around on the ice without a blade. Well, these handy-dandy skates were accompanied by a lovely stick. The skater would then use this stick by stabbing it into the ice between their legs before pushing
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Two skates on the ice.
off. Although this made any kind of turning quite challenging, once they got moving it was fairly smooth skating. As we know, this did not last forever. In the 13th century, the old bone and stick were discarded for something that resembles our current skate design a little more. They were made with a piece of wood and an iron blade attached to the bottom. This allowed for the skater to utilize their legs to propel themselves forward and to have more overall control with the direction that they were wanting to move. In the 14th century
there was a very dramatic curled toe added to the end of the skates. One reason for this was because the initial bone skates had a small curve which many were used to. The second and more important reason was because it was a fashion statement that people felt they needed in their lives. Between the 14th and 20th centuries, not much had changed in terms of design. The blades soon became the entire length of the skate to allow for better weight distribution and thus making the wearer go faster. As well, the art of figure skating was born in the
19th century, first introduced by a ballet dancer by the name of Jackson Haines. This new use for skating caused the blades to become thinner to allow for more fluid movements on the ice. Finally, we reach the age of modern skates where the straps have been replaced with the equivalent of a boot and the blades are then screwed into those. This is much safer for the individual wearing the skate and allows for easier movement as it remains tightly fastened to the foot. The new design also allows skaters to take fewer strides to
cover the same distance, allowing us to travel significantly faster than our ancestors. Where does the future of skates take us now? Currently, they are working on the most effective way to make the boot style into something that can help athletes against injuries. As some may know our ankles take a beating from frequent skating, and ankle injuries are quite high in these athletes. Being able to engineer a new style to help prevent these injuries would be revolutionary. Watch out world, new skates are on the way.
something that can be contained within the league and that overages won’t be a problem. “What we are seeing in 2021,” said Vanstone, “with teams spending at or close to the salary floor of $4.75 million, is likely a permanent condition. I don’t en-
vision the league’s future being imperilled as long as the teams don’t eventually resume spending beyond their means.” Thankfully for the CFL, as Vanstone mentions below, different contracts are helping to keep certain aspects of the league afloat in troubled times. However, as Vanstone also mentions, these payments will be more effective if the league returns to play sooner rather than later. “They have a TV contract,” said Vanstone. “That, thanks to TSN, pretty much subsidizes the player payroll. That is a nice head-start. Barring complacency, or a pandemic that extends into 2022, the CFL should be on solid ground.” Hopefully this addresses some of the concerns that folks out there have regarding the current state of the CFL. Right now (as mentioned near the top of the article), the CFL is still not operating and, as far as the future is concerned, it’s unclear as to where the league will find itself either play-wise or money-wise. As things seem to stand now, as long as the league can make the adjustments it needs to and ends up finding a way to get players back onto the field in a safe and secure fashion, then the CFL will continue on as it has before.
The future of the CFL Where does the league stand currently?
ethan butterfield sports editor With the Super Bowl fast-approaching and all of the excitement that it brings crowning a league champion, football fans should also be wary of an inactive league here in Canada. That league, of course, is the CFL, which currently finds itself in a locked down state due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That being said, a return to play is in place for June 10, 2021, but as we only find ourselves in February, there’s still a lot up in the air. So, with the CFL being in the state it is, a lot of questions currently surround the league and where it will find itself in the near future. Some of these questions, though not all, revolve around the financial situation that the CFL is in during a prolonged lockdown. Also, other concerns may be directed to the continuation of the CFL, or rather, how will the CFL continue when it does return? Helping to provide more insight into this subject is Regina Leader-Post’s Sports Editor, Rob Vanstone. Mr. Vanstone was able to comment on what he thought the future of the CFL would be like moving forward. “It is challenging to discuss
the future when so much can change within a week”, said Vanstone. “Or even within an hour – but I would expect the CFL to endure, albeit as a streamlined version.” “Even before the pandemic,” continued Vanstone. “A market
correction was inevitable, because the teams as a collective were losing between $10 million and $20 million.” Although the amount may look steep, this isn’t something that will harm the CFL as a whole. This is assuming that spending is
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A Wilson brand football sits idly on some terf, waiting for someone to play with it.
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february 4 - february 10, 2020
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Supporting the older generations Take some time to lend a hand
sarah nakonechny sports writer
Pixabay
Woman flexing.
What are many people in the younger generations thinking about these days? It is all about building those gains, getting yourself an absolute dumptruck of a booty and getting that summer body. Now, take a moment and think about how ridiculous all of this sounds. Many of our parents and grandparents are probably wondering if we are even speaking the same language as them when these types of phrases come out of our mouths. For those of you who do not speak ‘social media influencer,’ essentially what the goal has become is to hit the
to where they needed to go and that is how they got their exercise. The need to go to a gym to purposefully ride a stationary bike is something that they did not do and is likely a baffling concept for them now (Editor’s Note: At 26 years of age, it’s baffling to me]. So what are we supposed to do about it? Our parents and grandparents were the ones who took care of us when we did not know anything. They taught us how to use a spoon and to not topple over when walking around. It is now our time to return the favour. Everyone’s physical health is
you. There is no need for them to work out as aggressively as you might at the gym, or even to go to the gym at all. Oftentimes, as we age, it is not the need for intense physical activity that we are craving but rather general fitness. Very few individuals are training to run marathons or starting careers as bodybuilders, so you have the opportunity to go a little easier and enjoy the activity that you are doing. Where does this leave you? It is time to introduce your parent(s) or grandparent(s) to the joys of walking and stretching! You may
Although this may be intimidating for them at first just think of how adorable it would be to see your little old grandmother walking around your gym while you are there attempting to impress the person working the counter with your bench press. If this does not make you super excited then you can assist them with a task that is much easier to do from the comfort and safety of your own home. Not only allowing them to perform this task in a space that makes them feel more secure and less self conscious, but also saving you
without your assistance or supervision. These do not sound like very large tasks and that’s the point! These are not horribly daunting, large, time consuming tasks. Taking care of the physical health of those around you and supporting them when it comes to maintaining that health is something that should not be a large or hard thing to accomplish. The most difficult aspect of this is looking past your own ego and worries about appearance and social image to help those in your life who did not grow up around this cul-
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This is not an indication that your 85 year old grandmother needs to start pumping iron and taking pre-workout with you. – Sarah Nakonechny
gym and become as thin and toned as you possibly can. This is not necessarily a bad thing to do. Obviously, it’s the promotion of taking care of your body, taking pride in your physical appearance, and helping your confidence and self-esteem. But what about our parents and grandparents who did not grow up during the time of the gym boost? How are they supposed to know what to do when they did not have a new gym or fitness studio on every single corner? They rode their bikes, played sports and walked
so important to their overall well being and ensuring that we take the time to check in and see if the older generations in our lives are taking care of themselves is equally important. Not only will this help to strengthen the bonds between yourself and them, but it will also help to keep them motivated to change their habits and to take steps towards a healthier physical lifestyle. This is not an indication that your 85 year old grandmother needs to start pumping iron and taking pre-workout with
be thinking that this does not really sound like much but it will do wonders. Eventually you may reach a point where you are not as concerned with having the biggest arms in the room but rather with being able to walk up a flight of stairs without feeling winded at the top of them. Regina has plenty of walking paths that are available for public use and are quite beautiful to walk on when it is not -47 outside. For the time being however there are places that offer access to inside tracks or treadmills that you can utilize as well.
from any potentially embarrassing mishaps that may occur from sharing the same public workout space. This involves showing them some basic stretching and/ or yoga poses. Oftentimes, the biggest way that we injure ourselves (especially in really strange ways) is due to a lack of mobility and flexibility. To limit the risk of this occurring take the time to show them how to properly stretch major and minor muscle groups. After a couple sessions this is something that they should be able to complete on their own
ture. Taking care of one’s own health is becoming increasingly more challenging as more people acquire desk jobs, quit athletics after high school or post-secondary and are faced with the challenges that gyms can cause. These fitness facilities can be scary for those who are unsure what is considered appropriate in the space and can also be extremely costly. By taking the time to help out and look after those in your life you are not only helping to improve their overall health but also their quality of life as well.
february 4 - february 10, 2020
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Sports in media: The top five ice hockey films They shoot, they score
ethan butterfield sports editor With the NHL season now hitting it’s full stride, it seems to be a good time for a pop culture view of the sport. Much like I did with baseball back during the World Series, I’ll also be looking into ice hockey’s filmography, ranking what I feel are the top five movies of this very specific genre. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy reading what is probably the only ice hockey film list you’ll ever see that doesn’t have Slap Shot on it (for it is a garbage film). Honourable Mention: Mystery, Alaska
Wikipedia Commons
A hockey stick, net and puck.
I am, because it’s on the list isn’t it? Honestly though, this film is solid enough in its cast (starring Russell Crowe, Mary McCormack and Burt Reynolds) and is just the right amount of heart-warming even though everything doesn’t pan out the way you’d expect. 5. Sudden Death I’m guessing those eyebrows are pretty raised right about now. Look, say what you will, but when Jean-Claude Van Damme plays a fire marshal who’s the only one that can stop a rogue CIA agent from destroying the arena where the Stanley Cup finals are being
ers ended up being a part of the CIA. Just really 90s-up the whole thing, you know? 4. The Mighty Ducks trilogy If you’re interested in hockey or are a hockey player, there’s a good chance that the Mighty Ducks films had something to do with it. Now available on Disney+ (no, I’m not getting paid by Disney), the Mighty Ducks is the prime example of what a family-oriented hockey movie is supposed to be. Fun, charming, and made with plenty of heart (plus, casting Emilio Estevez doesn’t hurt either). Other films tried to succeed
ing veteran that’s looking for one last moment of glory, and Scott being the young up and comer that’s looking to find meaning in his life. The plot? They fight because hockey. If you can get past the crude humour in the film, there’s actually a really sweet narrative here of someone who’s just trying to find themselves in life. It is not, I repeat, NOT, a dumb film that reflects all the worst parts of the small-town hockey mentality (this will be my last dig at Slap Shot, I swear). The soundtrack is great, the fight scenes are well shot, and acting is actually quite engaging.
matizations (because Hollywood), but it all adds up to a satisfying ice hockey film that will leave you holding your breath right up until the buzzer. 1. Indian Horse As much as hockey is a fun sport to watch or play, it is not without its issues. The near exclusivity with regards to white players being a major one, as well as the toll that the game can have on non-white players. Indian Horse takes that subject matter and uses it to deliver an important message to the audience by following the journey of hockey player Saul
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This film is just too important not to watch and truly shows the ability that movies can have by bringing various issues to light. – Ethan Butterfield
So there’s going to be some raised eyebrows, granted. The thing is, remember earlier when I said this was a very specific genre of film? That wasn’t just a throwaway line, there’s only like six good ice hockey films. It also doesn’t help that I’m cutting out Slap Shot, which makes what is already a difficult list just that much harder. That being said, I still refuse to put that film on said list because it’s aged about as well as yogurt that’s been left to sit out in the sun. Am I saying Mystery, Alaska is any better? Well, I guess
held (yes, this film was made in the 90s), I’m going to put it on a top five list. Aside from the overly 90s plot, the thing that really cements Sudden Death onto this list is the fact that actual NHL players took part in the film. It’s actually amazing when you think about it, especially considering that in Mystery, Alaska the actual New York Rangers (who were the antagonists of sorts) couldn’t even be bothered to take part in the film. The only thing that would’ve made Sudden Death any better (in my opinion) is if the hockey play-
with the same formula (remember Most Valuable Primate? Sorry for reminding you.) but nothing really had the same impact as the Mighty Ducks. Also, the animated series of the same name was just as, if not more popular! 3. Goon If Slap Shot wanted to be a good movie, it should’ve been Goon. Liev Schreiber and Seann William Scott play a couple of hockey enforcers (the guys who are there solely to fight) that are on the polar opposite ends of their careers. Schreiber being the age-
If you get a chance, Goon won’t let you down. 2. Miracle From the start of the film, to the famed Al Michaels call, Miracle is the quintessential hockey film. Following the famed “Miracle on Ice” game in the 1980s between the United States and the former Soviet Union, Miracle is an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. Even though you, the viewer, know what the result is going to be, you also understand the weight of what is happening in the film. Of course, there are dra-
Indian Horse (played by Sladen Peltier, Forrest Goodluck, and Ajuawak Kapashesit during various years of his life) who, as he begins to go further into the world of hockey, realizes the problems he faces as he excels at the game. This film is just too important not to watch and truly shows the ability that movies can have by bringing various issues to light. Such is the case with many films as of late, Indian Horse is no exception and deserves your full attention.
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editor: holly worby op-ed@carillonregina.com the carillon | february 4 - february 10, 2021
Fossil fuel city council meeting “embarrassing”
We must fight oil and gas harder if we want renewable Regina At 2:54 p.m. on January 27 – an hour and 54 minutes into what would turn into a six-and-a-half hour city council meeting – I texted one of my friends, “I can’t keep watching this, I’m going to have a stroke.” We were a few delegates in on the subject of last week’s proposed amendment to the Sponsorship, Naming Rights, and Advertising policy, a policy that would see fossil fuel companies banned from naming public buildings or events after themselves (meaning no more Exxon Mobil Waskimo Winter Festival). While watching the meeting, I felt like I was going to burst out of my skin. Everything about the motion was surreal and infuriating: the moment when Scott Moe stepped way out of line to condemn it, the moment when Sandra Masters cut off RPIRG’s Krystal Lewis as she described the outsized influence the oil and gas industry has on this city (a point ironically proved when she was silenced), and the moment when a delegate from the Keystone Group, which doesn’t even operate in Regina, admitted that the company hasn’t even been making major donations because the O&G industry is collapsing. It was a perfect display of what’s wrong with Regina, and what challenges we’re going to face if the city actually wants to meet its commitment to becoming 100 per cent renewable by 2050 (a goal that’s much too far into the future). In fairness to everyone involved in the city council meeting, I was already stressed out after having read an article about how the Doomsday Clock had been moved forward to 100 Seconds to Midnight, in part because of climate-related environmen-
tal collapse. Another article then said the Earth has lost 28 trillion tons of ice since the mid-1990s. As someone who doesn’t want to see civilization collapse into armed warfare while factions battle for narrow strips of habitable land, as desertification and rising sea levels render much of the planet unlivable, I was tense. And it’s not that I thought that this amendment, which would have placed oil and gas companies in the same category as alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana companies (and, as Keystone’s Craig Lothian spat, “the sex industry”), was going to turn back the clock on climate change. But I thought that it would
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found out that the city was passing an amendment that would have absolutely no impact on their work whatsoever. At least four of the delegates were from the same group of companies – Keystone Royalty Corp., Lex Capital Management, and Villanova Group – but they made up some bullshit about how they were coming forward as humble independents, just speaking for their salt-of-the-earth selves. They wrung their hands and trotted out all the tired old tropes about how if you’ve ever used plastic you need to crawl up into an O&G worker’s ass and stay there for the rest of your life. It was great.
Last Wednesday’s meeting was a study in fossil fuel propagandizing. – Sara Birrel
draw a clear line in the sand. It was a way of saying that fossil fuels pose an existential threat to humanity, and we won’t allow them to buy goodwill as they scramble to cover their asses after suppressing the truth about their role in the climate crisis for the past 50 years. But alas, it was not to be. More than a dozen pro-oil and gas lobbyists turned out to the council meeting, some with an absolutely tragic song and dance about how they had never seen workers as “demoralized” as when they
When Jason Mancinelli, who had initially voted in favour of the amendment at the executive council meeting the week before, said that attempting to bar fossil fuel companies from having naming rights in our city was “embarrassing” for Regina (a sentiment shared by the mayor) I almost threw my phone. I’m embarrassed for this city, too. But not for the reason that Mancinelli is. I’m embarrassed that we sat there for hours and let people who have actively and enthusiastically participated in the
destruction of the environment whine about how the city will now have to work to repair its relationship with them. I’m embarrassed that we have bought into the lie that to support the right of workers to have dignified work at well-paying jobs is to support, without question or criticism, the right of the oil and gas industry to do whatever they want. I’m embarrassed that people in this city threatened violence against councillors who dared to support the amendment. I’m embarrassed that those threats worked. I hope that, going forward, council continues to put forward bold, concrete plans for Regina’s future. I hope that they are willing to fight for those plans as hard as the oil and gas industry is willing to fight against them. I hope that as a city, we can mobilize in support of councillors who do bring forward visionary policies that will make this a healthier, more livable city for all of us. But right now, I’m just sad. The industry we are up against is well-resourced, and they have the benefit of decades of propaganda on their side. They are willing and able to turn out in large numbers to vehemently oppose even the most minor of sanctions against them. Renewable Regina will not be possible if we are not prepared for this kind of backlash every time a proposal is put forward that threatens the oil and gas industry. Last Wednesday’s meeting was a study in fossil fuel propagandizing. If Regina wants to kick this habit, we’re going to have to put up a fight.
sara birrel news editor Wikipedia Commons
Regina city hall.
february 4 - february 10, 2020
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carillonregina.com | the carillon |
Distanced learning reveals dangers for women on campus In some ways, not sharing space is a relief
Pixabay
A woman at a computer pushes a man away as he approaches.
Content Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual harrassment and suggestion of sexual assault. No in-person classes, no hallways to walk down, no libraries to study in, no gym to work out in, no parties to hang out at – these are all things us students are missing this year. Yet, many students are still very happy to be off campus and in the safety of their homes, away from the nasty looks, snide comments, harassment, and shaming. Campus, for some, is a safe place and a home base, somewhere where one spends the majority of their time, sheds many stress tears, feels comfortable to speak up or ask questions, and be safe. For others, though, campus is an arena that is the host to a battle each and every day. As a young woman, I found that my first year on campus was eye-opening to say the least. I recall when, in one of my first Political Science lectures, I spoke up and asked a question about intersectionality and liberal democracy – I immediately felt the eyes of all the men in the classroom on me, getting cut off as they mansplained the “real concept we were discussing.” I was not confused about that at all – rather, I felt there was a greater issue that needed to be addressed. Yet the man who cut me off in class that day filled his ego at my detriment – and looking back, he didn’t even say anything overly intelligent. After that experience, I, someone who was always unapologetically myself growing up, became quiet for the fear of judgement. I felt muted in classrooms, in the library, in study groups, and all around campus. Women on campus face this issue on a regular basis, because many men feel as though their voices are more important than ours. When classes were announced to be online this year, I was initially concerned about my grades decreasing and the qual-
ity of my education lessening. However, I quickly realized that the results were quite the opposite, as I could finally ask questions and participate in classroom conversations without that fear of judgement, interruption, and disrespect. Online learning has removed much of the space for mansplaining, annoyed looks, and the minimization of women’s voices in the classroom – and that has provided women, alongside other marginalized students, a greater chance at a voice. The other aspect of online learning that I have found positive is that each person is held accountable for the things that they are saying, as the professor and other
dar and allow things like toxic masculinity, misogyny, slut shaming, and ignorance to continue dominating campus. Even outside of the classroom, campus can be a daunting place for a young woman. For example, I recall that one day in the library, I was alone and studying for a midterm I had the next morning when a man walked up to me and decided that he wanted to chat. I, being the extroverted person that I am, took out my earbuds and engaged in the conversation he had proposed. After about five minutes of small talk, I had asked to be left alone because I had to study, to which I was ignored. I was far too kind to this individual, as I set aside
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Online learning has removed much of the space for mansplaining, annoyed looks, and the minimization of women’s voices in the classroom... – Reese Estwick
students are hearing what one has to say. There are no more whispered conversations to a friend about “how stupid that persons question was,” “my guy, I can tell you why she wore that outfit to do her presentation…the prof probably loves it,” or how “doing a presentation on modern feminism is stupid because women already have enough rights.” If you can believe it, these are all are things that I have actually heard my classmates say. If those men’s comments had been heard by the professor, they would likely (hopefully) have received a “talking to,” but with in-person classes, comments like that just slip under the ra-
my needs and feelings and kept talking because I did not want to upset him. After another five minutes, I requested again to be left alone so that I could study, and with a heavy sigh and roll of the eyes I was told that I didn’t need to study because I wouldn’t need the degree once I am married and “have a husband taking care of me.” I began to laugh as I thought this was a joke, and when I realized he was serious. I told him how disrespectful and sexist he was being, stood up and demanded that I be left alone. He walked away that time. I was lucky he wasn’t in a different mood that day.
Finally, university party culture is ugly and scary as a young woman. I recall the first day I went to a dorm party. I walked in, immediately overwhelmed by the amount of people and the smell of sweat and spilled alcohol. I decided that drinking that day was not the best idea, because I wanted to take in my surroundings and be prepared if I were to find myself in a vulnerable position. Still, after a few hours I was in the middle of a dance circle filled with drunk girls and, desperate for friends in a new city, I began taking shots with them. After that, I noticed that as the men in the room drank more, the more they thought it was acceptable to put a hand on my lower back, chest, or ass as they walked by. I stuck with the girls I called friends for the night, and they encouraged me to go talk to the cute boy across the room who had been staring at me all night. I walked over and said hello. He was kind and respectful when I declined his offer to sit on his lap, which was shocking to me compared to the other men I had encountered that night. Yet, as I learned later, the respect and kindness didn’t last long. Online learning has removed a significant portion of the challenges, fears, and dangers for young women on campus. These aspects of campus are ugly, and as young women, we should not have to think about these things as we walk through the same hallways as our male peers. So, when we return to campus, what role are you going to play in keeping young women as safe and comfortable as they would be at home?
reese estwick staff writer
february 4 - february 10, 2020
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
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Beyond stigma lies dehumanization
While “mental health matters,” we still devalue mentally ill people every day
Pixabay
A sketched brain floats above an out stretched hand.
It’s taken this long, but the Bell Let’s Talk initiative rolling around this year is finally reaching the point where it doesn’t pass for real advocacy anymore. Instead, most people see it for the corporate smokescreen it is; more and more people are starting to care about the way Bell has a direct link to actually worsening the mental health of vulnerable people, like incarcerated people needing to contact their families by phone, for example. Some of the real work “for mental health” related to Bell has probably been from people protesting outside of its offices this year, in terms of the material effect it may have on supports in a person’s life. I’ll admit that when I was a teenager feeling unseen and isolated, initiatives promoted by companies on social media like this did appeal to me, too – I felt like there were people out there who cared about my struggles and wanted to do something for people like me. But as sad as it is, no company entity wants you to thrive in any meaningful personal way. Mental health “stigma-busting” has almost become an industry now, with brands like UnderstandUs and “wellness” products using anxiety and depression to build a customer base. It’s definitely insidious, and no part of me feels represented by it. I don’t think I’ve ever had a meaningful conversation about mental illness under Bell’s banner. All of this acknowledged, I do want to talk about mental illness this week, and I also want to be intentional about calling it that. The phrase “mental health” as it’s used in initiatives of Bell’s kind is very vague, wide-reaching, and applicable to nearly anyone. We all have “mental health” just like we all have physical health, and yes, taking care of both is important (while nearly impossible under the double conditions of the pandemic and the sorry state of worker’s rights and protections). But as I expanded on in another op-ed, “conversations about mental health” (conversations that rarely go anywhere) often work to obscure the active and dangerous marginalization of mentally ill people. I have witnessed many people, not
just at this time of year but almost dayto-day, tout themselves as “mental health advocates” while regularly subscribing to ideas about mentally ill people that lead to institutional violence. I have become familiar with the type of “mental health advocacy” where the telltale signs of anxiety and depression are thoughtfully and thoroughly outlined, but where psychosis is incredibly poorly understood or utterly out of the scope of discussion. It is clear that many people believe there are two kinds of “mental health issues”: the kinds that make you a troubled but otherwise ordinary person, and the kinds that make you, as I have been called, “a nutcase.” Throughout my life, I saw this most clearly in mental health
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with his illness while in and out of homelessness, it took over a day for us to know what had happened. I can only imagine how it must feel for a person to die alone, failed by the society meant to address their needs. What’s more, I can only imagine what it’s like to be seen as a lost cause to those whose job it is to help you thrive. I am now reaching an age, with some possibility for family inheritance, where it becomes more likely for schizophrenia to present in me. I worry much less about life with that illness, which I know is possible and entirely manageable with the right support, than I do about the way I would be viewed and treated by others with that diagnosis. The word “stigma” does not real-
No one should ever have to seek help and be made to feel like a monster. – Marty Grande-Sherbert
professionals who were hesitant to believe me about my own symptoms because I expressed them “too well.” The implications there, when it comes to the assumptions and bias going into so much critical treatment, make me distrustful of anyone claiming to be an authority on these things. Some “mental health problems” are worth a corporate campaign – and even that is useless – but some seem to be worth nothing at all. Earlier this year, my uncle died. He lived with schizophrenia, and often struggled to find a place to live because of the conflicts he would get into when he became paranoid. Much of the time, it was only our family that could offer him material support; sometimes even social workers and doctors would refuse to work with him. When he had a heart attack, still coping
ly capture the depth and severity of the cultural associations that have been made with mentally ill people over history. When it comes to something like anxiety or depression, it seems like a reasonable term. Yes, we have false ideas about what these conditions are, but we still recognize that they’re mental health problems with a variety of causes and treatments. It’s a very different situation when it comes to psychiatric terms like “narcissist,” “mania,” “psychotic,” or “sociopath.” It isn’t only that people don’t understand what these words mean, but that these words themselves are also directly derived from negative cultural ideas we have about people who we’ve labeled “insane” or “disordered.” The history of these tropes is completely dehumanizing, and it actually hasn’t really gone away with history – as a fan of the horror
genre, I don’t have to look very far to see an “insane asylum” or psychiatric ward presented as the worst of humanity, nor is it difficult to find a movie where a person’s illness alone is viewed as monstrosity (see Split, Ratched, American Horror Story: Asylum). It also becomes clear very quickly that this construction of monstrosity is intimately tied with other structures of oppression: anti-Blackness, transmisogyny, and ableism against physically disabled people or those with physical differences. While you’re grappling with the relative uselessness of Bell Let’s Talk this year, I want you to think about some of the ways you may have internalized ideas about mentally ill people that dehumanize and characterize them as inherently “evil,” “abusive,” “tragic,” “difficult” or impossible to understand. Do you, like so many people did this year, insist on diagnosing Trump with narcissistic personality disorder to somehow drive home that he’s a bad person – not considering that people with NPD are largely survivors of abuse, as capable of good deeds and responsibility as anyone else? If you find a mental illness “fascinating,” would you befriend and respect a person who lives with those symptoms every day – not only when they “appear normal” (when they hide their symptoms from you), but when they are fully themselves? Do you view it as a mental health issue when people experience police violence because of their symptoms — do you see the police and the carceral logic of institutions as mental health problems? Do you support mentally ill coworkers and classmates in a meaningful way (beyond pleasantries, with real material supports) when their illness makes it difficult for them to survive? Challenge yourself with these things. No one should ever have to seek help and be made to feel like a monster.
marty grande-sherbert op-ed editor
february 4 - february 10, 2020
carillonregina.com | the carillon |18
op-ed
Sisterhood
On the second anniversary of her passing, I am still a sister by distance
Taylor Balfour
A photo of editor-in-chief, Taylor Balfour, smiling with her sister Rachel; Rachel’s gradation photo displayed on stand.
The other day, while scrolling through my social media feeds, I stumbled across a video of Halle and Chloe Bailey, the musical sister duo that goes by the name Chloe x Halle. The video consisted of the sisters tearfully talking to each other on Instagram Live, expressing how much they missed each other. Due to separate projects, as well as the coronavirus pandemic, the two sisters aren’t in the same location. The highlight of this livestream, at least to me, was when Halle says, “I’ve always been near my sister, so this is like really […] it’s different for me not having you by my side, you know?” The remainder of the video is the sisters sharing the moments they miss the most with each other, including always having someone to talk with and always having someone to show potential outfits off to. This video hit home for me, as I watched it exactly one week before the anniversary of my little sister’s death. Rachel was my only sister. We were separated a year and a half by age, but that didn’t stop us from spending ridiculous amounts of time together. Out and about in public, people thought we looked more like friends than sisters, with our contrasting hair colours and styles. Rachel had bright blonde hair, entirely natural. She liked wearing it in buns on the top of her hair, or wearing it naturally down her shoulders. She loved leggings and leather jackets. Her maroon pair of Doc Martins boots was her favourite and, in later years, she would wear a Tree Of Life necklace, filled with various colours of natural crystals. In comparison, I had short brown hair. I wore jeans and cardigans, hoodies
and comfy t-shirts. I have, I swear, around 10 different cardigans. Too many of them look the same. But, of course, that was a running joke between the two of us. Watching videos like this one shared by Chloe and Halle, seeing the strong bond of sisterhood expressed so deeply and unabashedly brings me to tears. Chloe and Halle are separated by space, but in time, they will come to hug each other again. Hearing their stories of adoration makes the loss of Rachel ache that much more. Rachel and I are separated by life. The next time I will be able to hug her is infinity away. I say this not to dismiss what Chloe and Halle are going through or are expressing. In truth, I want to build off of it. I want to expand on the glowing bond
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Our basement, where we played video games for days at a time, shared Slurpees and snacks, hid out from the world and created our own space, is now a gym. The furniture has been moved. Her consoles are no longer there. The room that used to be my safe haven is now a permanent reminder of her absence. In the same room where we used to sit and laugh, eating late-night fast food and watching TV when our parents weren’t home, there is now her urn and her blownup grade 12 graduation picture – her smile bright and beautiful – from her funeral. When she was alive, Rachel spent her free time coding, working on drawing or animation projects, or learning more about computer science. She was a quick learner,
Sisterhood remains, despite space or distance, and despite life and death. – Taylor Balfour
of sisterhood I saw throughout their livestream. The same room where I would pop in to watch comedy YouTube videos with her is now host to all of her untouched clothing, her untouched bed, and her instruments, stacked against the walls. Her mirror is scattered with sticky notes from her classmates and friends; ones that they had placed on her dorm room door after she passed away. Her desk now holds grief cards instead of her computer. Her bed holds her childhood toys instead of her.
a lover of video games, and a straight-A student. In comparison, I loved to write and read. I spent my free time writing and drafting stories, working on my Carillon articles, and watching her – as I always preferred to – as she gamed away. Our pastimes were always so different, but we did them together anyway. I’d sit in our basement writing my news articles for the week, and Rachel would sit across from me, playing video games and laughing at the YouTube creators we loved. It was a testament to how much we loved each oth-
er. Even when we wanted to do different things, we just did them together. When this article is released, we will be on the brink of her second anniversary. It marks two years since she left this Earth. Two years since my other half – the only person who wandered this same road with me to this point – was gone. When Halle expressed how it feels so different not having her sister by her side, not having someone to always talk to, someone who loves you unconditionally and has stuck by you through it all, I know exactly what she’s talking about. The bond of sisterhood is unlike anything else, and seeing celebrities so freely and openly express their adoration for their siblings brings more peace to my heart than anything else. Siblings, but especially sisters, are so rare and special. It is a bond that is so tightly, deeply knit. It stands any and every test of time. Sisterhood remains, despite space or distance, and despite life and death. I too am now eagerly awaiting the day Chloe and Halle will be able to hug each other again. Despite my Rachel being gone, seeing sisters united has always brought me peace, not sadness. Everytime I see sisters reunited, I feel the warm glow of sisterhood through them. It feels comforting, and reminds me of when I had that feeling too. I like to think that the warm feeling at those times is Rachel, reminding me that deep down, our sisterhood will always reside in me too. I am still a sister, even by distance. That will never change.
taylor balfour editor-in-chief
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editors: sarah carrier, kate thiessen graphics@carillonregina.com the carillon | february 4 - february 10, 2021
