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
holly worby
distribution manager distribution@carillonregina.com staff writer
kyle anderson
marty grande-sherbert
staff writer news writer
reese estwick
a&c writer
matt thomson florence hwang
sports writer
sarah nakonechny
web writer
gillian massie contributors hammad ali, brayden dovell, rayanne gwilliam and haley klassen
vol. 63
board of directors taylor balfour, lindsay holitzki, maddie ouelette, dustin smith. marty grande-sherbert, and jacob nelson
the paper
227 Riddell Center University of Regina - 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, Canada S4S 0A2 www.carillonregina.com Ph: (306) 586 8867 Printed by Star Press Inc, Wainwright, AB The Carillon welcomes contributions. Opinions expressed in the pages of the Carillon are expressly those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Carillon Newspaper Inc. Opinions expressed in advertisements appearing in the Carillon are those of the advertisers, and not necessarily of The Carillon Newspaper Inc. or its staff. The Carillon is published no less than 11 times each semester during the fall and winter semesters and periodically throughout the summer. The Carillon is published by the Carillon Newspaper Inc., a non-profit organization. land acknowledgement The Carillon is written on treaty four territory. As such, the staff recognize that we are living, working, and telling stories on and of Indigenous lands. We recognize that we are on the traditional homelands of the Nakota, Lakota, and Dakota peoples, along with the homeland of the Métis nation. The carillon understands that it is pointless to acknowledge the land on which we work without speaking to our commitment to telling stories and prioritizing voices that further the return of the land to its place sacred place in the cultures of those that live here. the manifesto In keeping with our reckless, devil-may-care image, our office has absolutely no concrete information on the Carillon’s formative years readily available. What follows is the story that’s been passed down from editor to editor for over forty years. In the late 1950s, the University of Regina planned the construction of several new buildings on the campus grounds. One of these proposed buildlings was a beltower on the academic green. If you look out on the academic green today, the first thing you’ll notice is that it has absolutely nothing resembling a belltower. The University never got a belltower, but what it did get was the Carillon, a newspaper that serves as a symbolic bell tower on campus, a loud and clear voice belonging to each and every student.
the people’s friend; the tyrant’s foe
The University of Regina Students’ Newspaper Since 1962 February 25 - March 3, 2021 | Volume 63, Issue 19 | carillonregina.com
news
Makowsky Welcome back everyone! Special thanks to all of the contributors who made this issue another amazing one. Each week, we’re so excited to showcase your art and thoughts. From all of us here at the Carillon, we hope you enjoy this issue and we hope to host your work (again!) soon.
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Contributor Brayden Dovell talks to newly appointed Minister of Education Gene Makowsky about the current state of higher education during COVID.
Prison strike
sports
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Saskatchewan inmates are still striking in the face of continuing inaccess to proper food, healthcare and psychiatric care.
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The University of Regina is going to be the new residence of 7 WHL teams.
op-ed
op-ed
sports
WHL x UofR
Taylor Balfour Editor-in-Chief
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cover......................................sarah carrier news.................................bluefield photos news...........................wikipedia commons sports................................morgan ortman sports...........................discover moose jaw op-ed.............................................pixabay op-ed................................cross the pacific
Hockey restrictions
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With restrictions still in place, it’s looking unlikely that the Saskatchewan Hockey Association will be able to go forward with the season.
Breaking barriers
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The breaking of systematic barriers of racism, sexism, xenophobia, and so many more require us to speak. Holly Worby discusses how these barriers work, and what we can do.
Mask protests
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Protesting mask mandates isn’t fixing the real problems being faced during lockdown.
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editor: sara birrell news@carillonregina.com the carillon | february 25 - march 3, 2021
Minister for Advanced Education talks COVID-era university Makowsky “proud” of sector brayden dovell contributor Nearly one year ago, COVID-19 forced post-secondary education institutions to rapidly shift their instruction online. The transition, although deemed generally successful at an institutional level, has faced no shortage of scrutiny from students. Whether it be inquiry into the price and value of higher education in an online format, or concern over the loss of experiential education and internships, students have made sure their voices are heard. In the midst of these changes, Saskatchewan also saw the appointment of a new Provincial Cabinet in November of 2020, and Gene Makowsky become the newly appointed Minister of Advanced Education. As part of his new portfolio, Minister Makowsky deals directly with the effects of the transition to online education. In reflecting on this rapid transition, Makowsky considers it a success, but recognizes that it did come with some challenges: “There was certainly a pivot in the sector, and right across the province when COVID-19 hit. I think the institutions, the instructors, and the students did a good job in that very quick pivot… [it created] a good scenario where [students] could continue to learn.” He says he is “very proud of the sector for how they came together and were able to continue on with quality education, allowing students to not have their learning interrupted to a massive extent.” He does recognize however, “there have been some challenges, and those continue. But with the immense task that was before the sector they responded very well.” Despite the challenges brought about by these rapid
changes in the sector, enrollment across the province, and at the University of Regina, has continued to rise – enrollment in Fall 2020 was up a little more than one per cent compared to enrollment in Fall 2019. These numbers suggest that despite the hurdles associated with online learning, students still feel the long-term value of a post-secondary education outweigh the short-term difficulties presented by the current iteration of pandemic schooling. For Makowsky, the value of a post-secondary education was never a question. He holds a bachelor’s degree in education with distinction from the University of Saskatchewan and worked briefly
now, Makowsky discusses rapid digitalization in the field, but states that the underlying experience is still the same. He reminisces on waiting in line overnight to register for high demand classes, whereas now course registration is done online. “Certainly things are the same, but then there’s been some things that are of course different […] I know that the digital aspect [has changed things], but the basics are still there. Studying and trying to manage your time, and making sure you keep all those plates in the air in terms of what’s going on with your university experience.” Changes within the field of post-secondary education are not
ondary education. “I think it can reach more students out there,” he says. “Those [with] different circumstances. They might be in remote locations, or they have other things on their plate whether it be family, or jobs, or whatever their circumstance may be. It may be part of the solution to be able to get them to tie into some post-secondary education.” While remote delivery can certainly be beneficial, he recognizes that, “there will obviously be a need and a want by students [to resume] face-to-face learning, but this may be an opportunity to reach more folks here in our province.” When asked about the cur-
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The benefits to attending a post-secondary institute are pretty well understood. Studies have shown that over your career in the workforce, if you have some post-secondary training it is a massive benefit to you individually, and of course to our province as well. – Gene Makowsky
as a substitute teacher. Reflecting on his time as a post-secondary student, Minister Makowsky recalls: “I just wanted to continue my education […] I knew then and I know now that it certainly opens up opportunities for you. I enjoyed learning. I thought it was definitely an opportunity and a challenge.” He reflects on a moment of realization during his time as a teacher, saying, “I realized how important educating our young people is to the future of our province […] It was a positive experience for me for sure.” Comparing his time as a student to the environment post-secondary students are faced with
anything new for Minister Makowsky. Even before COVID-19, post-secondary institutions saw dramatic adaptation in prioritizing digital transformation of the sector. This evolution has only been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and he believes it will continue even as we emerge out of this pandemic era. Discussing the benefits of remotely delivered education, Makowsky believes it creates an opportunity for post-secondary institutions to address gaps in their attendance. He describes the online format being conducive to reaching individuals otherwise unable to pursue a post-sec-
rent challenges faced by post-secondary students, Makowsky projects a spirit of optimism. While he doesn’t comment on specific issues such as the price and value of online education, the loss of critical experiential education, or graduating during an economic recession, he stresses that the benefits of a post-secondary education still outweigh the difficulties of the pandemic: “Up economy or down economy I think there are certain advantages to being able to get a post-secondary degree.” He points to the provinces growth plan: “I think the post-secondary sector definitely can play a big part in the recovery
of our province coming out of COVID […] I’m very optimistic about the future of our province in large part because of the work and workforce that we’re training right now, that will be available to our students in the future.” Although hopeful for the future, Makowsky recognizes that students have expressed uncertainty about their own futures – many raising concerns about lost experience and the cost of online education. He highlights some of the things the province has done to combat these challenges: “Although there is a cost, it’s a pretty good investment in yourself […] We’re talking about the student loan program, which is well used here in our province. During the pandemic we were able to re-purpose some scholarship money to provide emergency assistance to students. During the recent election campaign, we brought forward an increase to the Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship. And of course, the graduate retention program continues […] We have [also] provided significant operating grants to the institutions to help them deal with their cost.” Makowsky doesn’t comment on any specific plans the government has to address student concerns related to online learning, but maintains that regardless of challenges faced, a post-secondary education remains a valuable experience. He concludes, “the benefits to attending a post-secondary institute are pretty well understood. Studies have shown that over your career in the workforce, if you have some post-secondary training it is a massive benefit to you individually, and of course to our province as well. It is a worthwhile endeavor in my opinion […] there is a cost, but it’s a pretty good investment in yourself.” Bluefield Photos BP
White bearded cartoon professor writes “HIGHER EDUCATION” on chalk board
february 25 - march 3, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon | 4
news
Calls for 2022 Olympic boycott amidst Uighur genocide
No Beijing Olympics? matt thomson news writer On February 17, the Canadian government decided to vote on whether or not the state sponsored mass detention, cultural destruction, religious suppression, and killing of ethnic Uighurs by the Chinese government can be defined as genocide. The suffering of the Uighur people has been known to the global community for years. Yet so far, the majority of Western governments have consciously turned a blind eye for the sake of corporate profit while human lives and an entire way of life are being crushed under the heels of a totalitarian regime. With the coming 2022 Beijing Olympics, however, world leaders are coming face to face with these crimes, and are being forced to reckon with the morality (or at least the optics) of holding one of the events symbolic of global unity in a country that has been aggressively pursuing marginalization. On February 15, Conservative opposition leader Erin O’Toole (apt name) formally called on the Liberal Government to demand the 2022 Beijing Olympics be held elsewhere, stopping short of calling for a complete boycott. Prior to this, several publications from either side of the political spectrum and a growing number of human rights organizations have also called on global leaders to boycott the 2022 Olympics and formally denounce the CCP’s countless human rights violations, including the ongoing Uighur genocide. These calls have been echoed from a growing number of individual and grassroots organizations, and with each new article on the Uighur
genocide global opinion has begun to turn sharply against President Jinping and his regime in Beijing. Now, I hear you asking, what exactly has been going on in China? Well, lucky for you, here’s a brief rundown. Since 2017 and President Xi Jinping’s ascension to complete power, the CCP has launched a total crackdown on any and all ethnic or political minorities within its borders, most extensively in Hong Kong and the northwestern Xinjiang province. The majority of Xinjiang’s population belong to the Uighurs, an ethnic minori-
ghur community and religious leaders were either detained immediately or began disappearing at an alarming rate under extremely suspicious circumstances. Meanwhile, a complex system of concentration camps (labelled ‘detention centres’ by government officials) was built across the province by mostly unpaid prisoner labour. Individuals, mostly men initially, were separated from their communities and detained en masse throughout these camps where they have been subject to slave labour, physical and mental torture, state sanctioned indoctri-
The oppression, detention, and internment of the Uighur people has been documented since at least 2002, when Beijing, led by then-President Jiang Zemin, began using the September 11 attacks on the US as a justification for escalating their crack down in Xinjiang. However, outside the news media little has been said or done. The fact remains that China is the world’s biggest market that Western corporations have been drooling over for decades. In turn, short-term greed and corporate profit has trumped ethics and basic human empathy
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Communities and politicians have begun to question whether or not holding an international spectacle of peace and cooperation is in line with China’s barbaric domestic policy, and some are even beginning to call for a complete boycott of these games – Matt Thomson
ty with strong cultural ties to Islam who have historically been semi-nomadic and lived outside of China’s traditional borders. While the CCP does officially recognize 54 ‘traditional’ minority groups, the Uighurs are not counted amongst them, and, due in large part to their Islamic faith, they have been deemed by Beijing to be culturally un-Chinese and thereby disloyal to the state. In late 2017, the CCP took a page out of Dick Cheney’s playbook and used claims of Islamist terrorism as a casus bello to set up an extensive system of surveillance (even by totalitarian standards) in the region and crank police and military presence up to eleven. After setting the board, Ui-
nation, and in some cases, arbitrary execution. Uighur children are also being separated from their families and sent away for ‘re-education’ whereupon the parents are coerced into assisting Chinese authorities in exchange for the child’s return. Also, Uighurs are forced to make public, feudalistic oaths of loyalty to the state, renounce their faith as Muslims, or allow state officials to take residence in their homes. Sanctioned rape and sexual assault upon Uighur women (who are also encouraged to take ethnic Han Chinese husbands) has also been widely reported, and there have been rumors of involuntary harvesting of prisoner’s organs since 2018.
for most international organizations or national governments, and Canada has so far been no exception (I should also note the complete irony of the U.N.’s Human Rights department, which is currently led by China). However, the fast-approaching 2022 Olympics set to be held in Beijing has forced the global public to pay greater attention and scrutiny to the CCP’s actions, and the results have so far been promising. Communities and politicians have begun to question whether or not holding an international spectacle of peace and cooperation is in line with China’s barbaric domestic policy, and some are even beginning to call for a complete boycott of these games. Why, you
ask? Well, holding the Olympics in Beijing right now would be like having Nazi Germany host in 1942 or Stalin’s Soviet Union in 1934. With all that said, though, in regards to Canada’s stance on the issue, there are reasons to be pessimistic. While Erin O’Toole’s call for the Olympics to be moved elsewhere might seem like the first good thing the Conservative party has said or done in a literal decade, don’t be fooled. Even if the IOC wasn’t the most corrupt and backwards bureaucracy outside of the 1982’s Brazil, moving the Olympics at this point is tantamount to fantasy. As well, the move reeks of political opportunism, especially with the increasing possibility of a federal election in September and the current vaccine debacle. Given his political track record, Erin O’Toole likely cares about the plight of the Uighur people about as much as I do with meeting deadlines (insert funny editors note). While the upcoming parliamentary vote might be a good first step, given PM Trudeau’s silence on the matter and the general atmosphere of his administration, there’s a good chance it will all amount to nothing but strong words and little practical action. Words are not enough anymore, official statements of disapproval must be backed up with practical responses such as economic sanctions, diversification of global manufacturing, and international action against the CCP’s agenda. For the sake of the Uighur people, and for the sake of our own basic morality, we can not allow ourselves to repeat the mistakes of British PM Chamberlain and appease tyranny for the status quo.
Wikipedia Commons
Olympic rings.
UPDATE ALL OF THESE
carillonregina.com | the carillon | 5
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Saskatchewan prisoners continue to pursue justice Fighting for humane treatment
marty grande-sherbert staff writer Despite outbreaks of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan prisons in December 2020, the province is still housing hundreds of people in overcrowded facilities without adequate precautions or medical care. Those left exposed to the virus inside Saskatoon Correctional Centre, Regina Correctional Centre, and Pine Ridge Correctional Centre in Prince Albert have been participating in a hunger strike since January, seeking accountability for the way they have been “treated like animals.” The conditions for incarcerated people since quarantine protocols began are a recipe for disaster, both for the physical and mental health of those inside. In a series of letters from Inmates for Humane Conditions, the organization of strikers, individuals reported that they were put in isolation with symptomatic inmates, that correctional officers (COs) did not utilize proper PPE, and that they were left without medical care for unacceptable periods of time (including over-the-counter medications for symptoms and for psychiatric care or counseling). Because of the additional COVID-19 protocols, inmates who are in isolation or quarantine experience even greater emotional and psychological strain without social interaction or time spent outdoors. One inmate wrote in a letter that he felt suicidal after not being outside for 14 days, but when he asked for psychiatric care, there was no doctor available to him; he is still on a waitlist. Cory Charles Cardinal, the organizer of the strike, wrote about these demoralizing conditions in a letter to the Ministry of Corrections as early as November, but he was granted no response.
Wikipedia Commons
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Many only heard about the situation inside prisons in January, when the strike began, after scores of people had already fallen ill. In an op-ed piece recently published with CBC, Cardinal recounts the outbreak: “Prison-wide testing ensued. Around me inmates were bedridden. The tests came back and multiple inmates were declared COVID-19 positive. There was a feeling of despair, anger and depression.” The demands of Prisoners for Humane Conditions, as reported in an earlier Carillon article, include the release of all pris-
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people has nothing to do with these acts of desperation. Dr. Jason Demers of the University of Regina’s English Department said he thinks the problems with prisons in Saskatchewan go much deeper than Christine Tell’s leadership. In an e-mail interview, the Carillon spoke with Demers about the strike and the issues it demands we address. Demers teaches a course on prison writing, where writing from incarcerated people is the focus of study, and where a writing exchange is made possible with people at the Regina Cor-
on remand also precludes prisoners from certain programs and protections – it was one of the reasons there was not more help available for Kimberly Squirrel, a mother of six, who froze to death in Saskatoon in January because she could not find a way home when she was released. “But the problems in the prison are ultimately inherited from policing and the courts,” Demers continues. “Prisons are filled with trauma, addictions, poverty, people with FASD – if you build more capacity in the system, you can always admit more people,
The Truth and Reconciliation process [is] about recognizing ongoing colonial practices and policies, learning about the strength, resilience, and humanity in those who struggle against systematic injustice, and using your position and contacts to amplify voices that tend to go unheard. – Jason Demers
oners possible, the resignation of Christine Tell, whose leadership is at the head of this negligence, a public apology, and investment in community-based solutions in the justice system. Instead of listening to these demands or even acknowledging them fully, Christine Tell responded by focusing only on the demand for release. This is part of a larger pattern wherein prisoner advocacy is framed as solely troublemaking behaviour. Cardinal is currently in isolation, a punitive response to organizing the strike. While we cannot know the exact conditions on the inside, it is hard to believe that living in cramped quarters with infected
rectional Centre. This encourages his students to “see beyond labels and engrained stereotypes” about prisoners. “Prisons in Saskatchewan have long been operating over capacity,” Demers said. “More than half of inmates are on remand on any given day. This means they’ve been charged and are being held while waiting for a court date. Over time, things that are entirely abnormal become normalized; it’s entirely preposterous that more than half of the people in prison on any given day haven’t been sentenced yet. Prisons that are overcrowded end up becoming human warehouses.” Being
but the question we have to ask ourselves is whether prisons are the best catch-all for all of these issues, whether prisons make society safer, and whether they ultimately help people to regain their footing after serving a sentence. In cities like Austin and Seattle, they’ve successfully argued that police budgets should be cut so that money can be diverted towards supports like social housing with wraparound services. The project in these cases is to build a much less expensive, much less violent, and much more targeted infrastructure than the currently existing police-court-prison model.”
Demers also emphasized that “[b]etween 85 and 95 per cent of people incarcerated in provincial prisons are Indigenous. [Cory Cardinal] called the COVID-19 outbreak ‘the newest development in Canada’s 154-year-long campaign of Indigenous genocide.’ In the prisons, dorms are filled with bunks that bring some inmates back to years spent in residential schools.” Demers added that “prisoners have discussed improper diets since food services were privatized a few years back. Prisoners are separated from loved ones by vast distances, an expensive, privately run phone system, and no-contact visits […] During the pandemic, they systematically stopped serving breakfast and cut access to the canteen when an outbreak wiped out kitchen staff, and the policy for dealing with positive tests was to place people in quarantine, rendering them unable to contact family, leaving parents, spouses, and children petrified by any gap in communication. Where’s the humanity in that?” Demers recommended that students read Cardinal’s letter and op-ed, and that they listen to two podcasts put out by the John Howard Society of Saskatchewan, one featuring Cory Cardinal, and another featuring mothers of incarcerated people. “The Truth and Reconciliation process isn’t only about coming to terms with the past, it’s about recognizing ongoing colonial practices and policies, learning about the strength, resilience, and humanity in those who struggle against systematic injustice, and using your position and contacts to amplify voices that tend to go unheard.”
february 25 - march 3, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon | 6
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Fifth URSU board member resigns And another one gone
sara birrell news editor
Another URSU board member has resigned, bringing the total number of resignations in 2021 to five (six, if you count Operations Manager Neil Middlemiss who gave notice earlier this month). The representative for students with disabilities, Katlyn Richardson, tendered her resignation on February 18. In a public Facebook post Richardson wrote “Since 2019, I have represented the side of Student’s [sic] with Disabilities in everything I have done at the
had any choice about. It’s also troubling because it’s a signal of more of the internal turmoil that VP External Amir Said told the Carillon had been interfering with URSU’s ability to advocate for students, and in a year in which more students than ever are needing – and often struggling to get – accommodations, being down a disability rep is not a situation we want to see our union in. We’re already seeing drastically reduced activity from the union. Executives have only worked the minimum required hours twice this year – Gurjinder Singh Lehal in
with an executive that has time on their hands. If they’re struggling to figure out how to use that time to increase student engagement and build momentum for when in-person actions can be resume, they should be engaging outside help. Former URSU President Jermain McKenzie said he believes that at least part of the problem of internal conflicts lies with the overall governance structure of the students’ union, and students’ unions in general. “If you look at even other student unions, you will see that there is generally some
strife, and there are professionals who can come in and address those internal issues from an outsider perspective, which McKenzie said has been done at Simon Fraser University (and which the Carillon will cover in a future article). It’s difficult to conceive of a scenario in which URSU, either under the leadership of this executive or the next, invites in outside help and ends up in worse shape than it already is. Students should be demanding an external review. So far the executive has done nothing to acknowledge the Carillon article that came out on Feb-
and possibly more, of the current executive planning on running for URSU again this spring, the fact that they have so far refused to address students or provide any plan or even assurances for how they will examine their own conduct and make efforts to earn back student trust and build a healthier, more inclusive student union, suggests that they don’t feel they need to be accountable to the students who elected them. In the spirit of being accountable to the students we serve, the Carillon would like to acknowledge our own mistake. On February 19,
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I cannot say this was a decision I wanted to make but will say it was one I had no choice but to make. I do hold hope in a better year of fighting for students in the 2021/2022 school year. I may not be a director anymore but I will continue fighting for you no matter what obstacles are faced in the future. – Katlyn Richardson
university from representing students in disciplinary hearings to trying [to] make our voices heard in board meetings. I cannot say this was a decision I wanted to make but will say it was one I had no choice but to make. I do hold hope in a better year of fighting for students in the 2021/2022 school year. I may not be a director anymore but I will continue fighting for you no matter what obstacles are faced in the future.” Richardson’s resignation is troubling, not the least because she said it wasn’t a decision she
May and Amir Said in November. According to Lehal, there has not been enough work, given the lack of in-person and online events. It’s understandable that there are simply fewer activities taking place and I’m sympathetic to any student that has seen their employment impacted by the pandemic. But it also seems like this would be an ideal opportunity to focus on building capacity for future direct actions against tuition hikes, austerity, and other issues that impact students. URSU is a multimillion-dollar organization
level of tension that exists between student leadership and staff […] it can easily turn into a situation where permanent staff come in and pretty much try to cement themselves within the student union.” It’s unclear if that’s the situation inside URSU, and McKenzie is known to have clashed with URSU General Manager Carl Flis in the past. What is known is that, while the current culture inside the students’ union seems acutely toxic, none of these problems are unique to this executive. Boards in general can have
ruary 11 which brought to light serious accusations of bullying and general toxicity, although the Carillon has independently verified that they immediately began an investigation into who leaked information about the internal misconduct (notably, they did not deny any of the allegations). The student body deserves to hear from them. After all, students paid more than $5 million in fees to the union in 2019-20 (full disclosure: roughly half of the Carillon’s operating budget is derived from student fees). With at least one,
URSU’s marketing department reached out to inform us that the image that accompanied our February 11 article – URSU’s logo consumed by a flaming trashcan – was, in fact, their old logo. The Carillon regrets this error and has updated the flaming trashcan image in accordance with URSU’s new branding standards. We hope that rectifying this mistake gives the students’ union more freedom to worry about the trash fire and less about their image.
URSU logo manipulated by Jeremy Davis and Kate Thiessen
URSU logo over black and white picture of Classroom Building.
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editor: julia peterson aandc@carillonregina.com the carillon | february 25 - march 3, 2021
Bonding over our love of cooking Valuing experiences over possessions, backed by science
florence hwang arts writer Before my husband Sean and I were married, we would spend a romantic evening together cooking dinner as a date night. It was a relaxing way to unwind after a busy day. Plus, we both love cooking. This year, I scoured the Internet for something special to do to celebrate Valentine’s Day. I came across the Schoolhaus Culinary Arts website. It’s a local cooking school which has a motto, “There’s a Chef In All of Us.” A few years ago, we took an Italian cooking class from that same school. We really enjoyed it. The in-person class took three hours, from preparing the food to enjoying the meal. There were about 12 people in that class. Fast forward to 2021. When I learned there is a virtual option, I eagerly signed up for the cooking class. A few days later, I got an email with a copy of the recipes and list of equipment needed for the class. There was also a list of ingredients for us to buy ahead of time. Included in the email was the Zoom link for the class. The cost of the online class was onethird of what an in-person class would cost. (Being a student, I love that I am able to save some money.) Schoolhaus has been offering these classes online since April 30, 2020. I counted down the days until the day of class. About 10 minutes before the class, we set up our laptop in the kitchen. The internet connection is particularly finicky, so by the time we sign into the class, we are
Pixabay
Heart-shaped cookies presented in a heart-shaped box, on a round tray decorated with a doily, surrounded by of other baked goods and decorations.
five or six minutes late. When we log in, Aimee Schulhauser, the Owner and CEO of Schoolhaus, is already cutting heart shapes from the puff pastry for the dessert. I apologize profusely for being late. Aimee cheerfully welcomes us. She advises me to preheat the oven to 425F to our dessert. Then she gives me instructions for making the dessert. I preheat the oven before I frantically start rummaging in the fridge for the puff pastry
ders of the pastry before throwing puff pastry into the oven – just in time to start making the main courses: herb, wine, and bacon chicken and lemony spaghetti. This breakneck speed continues for next hour. Thankfully, Aimee is very patient and constantly checks in with all of us to see if she needs to wait for us before she moves onto the next stage of cooking. We are all preparing the meal in real time in our respective homes. Aimee
add these recipes to our repertoire of dishes. Later in the evening, I scroll through my social media to read about my friends’ posts. Most people are showing off the flowers, chocolate-covered strawberries, chocolates, baked heart-shaped cookies they made to celebrate the holiday. One of my Toronto friends posted an Instagram picture of the meal she and her husband prepared together from another
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There’s something way more satisfying about sharing an experience, especially with your loved one, than receiving material gifts. – Florence Hwang
and searching for the parchment paper to line the baking sheet. I realize I have no heart cookie cutters. I run over to our printer and grab a piece of paper. I grab the scissors to cut a heart template. I hurriedly start using a steak knife to cut out four pastry hearts. At this point, my husband is already in the kitchen on high alert, waiting for instructions. He spreads some Nutella in the middle of each of the hearts while I grab a small bowl to pour a splash of milk into it. I also fish out the pastry brush from our utensil drawer so Sean can brush the bor-
is extremely patient to answer all of our little questions, like mine, about how “small” to cut bacon into “small pieces.” It is sometimes a bit frustrating not getting confirmation if our cooking is on the right track. And the pace is exponentially faster than what we are expecting. At this point, I am very thankful that Sean has worked as a cook in a professional kitchen before. He keeps up with the rapid-fire instructions, although he isn’t too pleased about being rushed. In the end, we make delicious food, despite Sean’s doubts. The meal is so good that we plan to
online cooking class. While she comments the meal was tasty, she says she’s glad she and her husband don’t run a restaurant. Sounds like they had a stressful, but memorable experience cooking, too. Some people don’t see why it’s worth paying for lessons and stressing over cooking in your own kitchen when instead you can spend the same amount of money for a meal at a fine-dining restaurant – especially on special occasions like Valentine’s Day. But there’s something way more satisfying about sharing an experience, especially with your
loved one, than receiving material gifts. There’s actual research that backs up the idea that people prefer receiving some kind of experience, such as cooking lessons or dancing lessons, than receiving gifts. A Cornell University Psychology Professor, Thomas Gilovich, studied happiness for two decades. He discovered that experiences, not things, make people happy. Receiving material possessions can make people happy, but only very briefly. People get “used to” possessions. But people remember experiences in the longer term. There’s also the anticipation of an experience, which can be more enjoyable than waiting for a material possession. In Gilvich’s 2012 study, he found out that people had more regrets over not having experiences than owning possessions. Part of the reason why experiences matter more to people is that we are social beings. Experiences are not usually done in isolation. Experiences are usually shared with family or friends. People are more likely to vividly remember their first date than what birthday gifts they received as a kid. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate getting gifts from my husband. I love that he surprised me with flowers for Valentine’s Day this year. But flowers won’t last forever. The memories and the harried experience of cooking a killer meal with my partner will be harder to forget.
february 25 - march 3, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
arts & culture
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Minecraft exhibit helps people escape reality virtually
MacKenzie Art Gallery embraces digital art during pandemic
florence hwang arts writer While people are shut-in during a pandemic, digital art curators with the MacKenzie Art Gallery are figuring out ways to engage people with art. Canadian artist Sarah Friend, who is currently based in Berlin, Cat Bluemke and Jonathan Carroll came up with the idea for a digital art gallery featuring the popular video game Minecraft. Carroll likes the idea of using Minecraft as a platform for digital art because it’s an interactive system that has a creative platform. “There’s what’s called a sandbox game, which means that there aren’t a lot of limitations to what you can do within the system of the game, including of course building things out of blocks that the game is made of,” he said. Minecraft is one of the most popular video games ever – among young and old. “It’s transcended the status [of] most video games. It has become this cultural and societal phenomenon that permeates all these different spheres into education and science as well as art in this instance,” said Carroll. The pandemic has created a new interest in digital art. Digital art isn’t confined to computers or something that appears on a screen, says Bluemke. Different types of communications devices can be a digital work. Traditional art gallery visits mean people have different experiences from virtual displays. “Being able to see a work that is specifically physical, that is lo-
Pixabay
A screenshot from the video game Minecraft, featuring an in-game landscape of trees, grass and dirt in Minecraft’s distinctive “blocky” format.
cated in a gallery that is lit specifically and evokes a certain type of experience. But if you’re sitting at home, there’s still a lot of work that artists have been creating, not just recently, but over 60 years that had been intended to be consumed on a screen. Conceptually, within the boundary of the screen or website, whatever the media might be,” said Bluemke. Because people can’t visit spaces like art galleries, people are forced to do everything through their screens, noted Blue-
al nature of what drives some of these technologies to be created and used in the first place,” she said. In Minecraft, people can explore and interact with that world, which offers more engagement. “That was one of the things that drew us to it, from an audience perspective, of thinking how people could actually engage with these works in the Minecraft world,” said Bluemke. Because the video game is a blank slate in which the artist
“Some people seem to still be in school as they referenced it, as well as a pair of parents who wanted artists, parents who wanted to do this as a collaboration with their children. And there were people who were digital artists who do this as their living. There’s a really wide spectrum of applicants being drawn in because the media, Minecraft, is broadly appealing to different people as a mass culture,” said Bluemke. Bluemke and Carroll started
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The four selected artists will be announced in early March. They will have their creations featured two months on the Mackenzie Art Gallery’s server, each one being on display one at a time. – Florence Hwang
mke. With all this screen time, people are getting fatigued, such as attending too many virtual meetings. Much of the gallery’s funding focuses on youth because they are already enmeshed within digital technology. He hopes this call for artists will empower young people, like students, to use the tools they already use to produce their own digital art. She hopes to encourage youth to think about computers in a critical way. “We want the youth to reflect both the creative potential use of technology, but also the conceptu-
can create whatever they want in an infinite space, it presents the problematic notion of terra nullius, which is the idea that land that is legally deemed to be unoccupied or uninhabited can then be occupied. “It’s like the colonialist idea of these environments that are empty and inhabitants are free and open for the individual who is in power to take over and use it to their own advantage,” said Carroll. The call for submissions, which closed at the end of January, has generated some interest locally and internationally.
working with the art gallery in September 2019. Canada Council for the Arts has a grant called digital strategy fund, which is aimed to promote growth in the digital sector in Saskatchewan. Out of this fund, the two digital positions were created. “We are running programming like workshops and classrooms to demonstrate to people what digital art, for example how artists are using technology to use art. And then also trying to show how the audience of the Mackenzie can use digital technology to make art whether or not they’re already practising artists,” said
Carroll. The four selected artists will be announced in early March. They will have their creations featured two months on the Mackenzie Art Gallery’s server, each one being on display one at a time. Each artist will have two months to develop his or her exhibit. Then, the exhibit will be showcased for two months. The first exhibit will start April 1. In addition to the exhibits, the gallery will hold livestream presentations, artists talks and panel discussions that will be streamed over the gallery’s social channels. “The development for the studio server will be private and that the artists can be working on for those two months. And then the next artist will work on their exhibition [which] will last for two months afterwards. So by the end of this project, there will have been four different projects developed, over the course of [...] 10 months, eight of those will be exhibition periods. The production periods would overlap,” said Bluemke. Like an in-person exhibition, the Minecraft showcase will have an artist statement, curatorial statement and documentation so people can engage with it without having to log onto the game. But for those who do login to the game, they can enter as a character. “You can look at the work, but you won’t be able to destroy it […] at least not until the end. Maybe that’ll be a special party or event,” said Bluemke.
february 25 - march 3, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
arts & culture
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Artist profile: Ruth Chambers
U of R professor combines traditional still-life and botanical illustration techniques
brayden dovell contributer University of Regina’s own ceramics professor Ruth Chambers debuted her solo exhibition titled Tend at The Art Gallery of Regina (AGR) on February 5. The exhibition culminates almost three years of work for Chambers, featuring more than sixty individual, intricately sculpted porcelain flowers and bulbs. The AGR describes the exhibition as coupling the “sensuality of art and the empirical observation of science,” bringing a “new meaning” to the genre of still life. In combining the traditions of floral still-life painting and early botanical illustration, Chambers studies the intricacies of flowers and bulbs in every stage of life. She showcases her technical mastery in the life-size renderings carefully sculpted from lightly tinted porcelain – the resulting plants appearing frozen in time. The still life genre is traditionally dominated by painting, but Chambers admits that ceramics lends itself to the process quite well: “It’s a medium that you can copy very carefully with […] It’s very flexible in terms of how you can sculpt with it. Then once it’s fired it’s completely frozen, it’s no longer plastic.” “It’s the plasticity that’s inherent to ceramics […] and the detail that you can achieve with porcelain especially. It’s a way of sort of fixing and freezing these objects in a kind of alternative lifeform.” Chambers speaks about how involved an artist can become in the observation process of still life, noting her exhibition’s roots in the historic tradition: “What has inspired me about this [is] the process of looking very carefully, with a lot of attention and a studying mentality, at life. That’s a process that is in line with the centuries old tradition of the still life.” She speaks further, “What interested me about that [is] how involved one could become in very careful, very slow, very attentive observation […] That is really what underpins this project.” Chambers’ inspiration behind Tend blossomed during an artist’s residency in Denmark. She recalls going to Denmark knowing that she was “interested in the traditions and conventions of still life,” but that “It was a time that [she] could dedicate to figuring out what [she] wanted to do with this body of work.” Chambers reflects on her time in Denmark: “It was February there so late winter, and there were lots of these bulbs around that you could buy […] I thought, ‘Well I’m going to include some of these bulbs that are starting to sprout and flower in my still life compositions’” She describes becoming fascinated with the beauty of these bulbs, “I ended up just spending the entire time focused very closely on these bulbs. I’ve spent three years now
looking at either bulbs and how they blossom or other plants.” It is this fascination and close observation that Chambers says connects her work to the early
where people were just fascinated with looking at these life forms.” Chambers hopes this botanical connection will spark close observation from audiences: “I’m
preciate something that is in the living world, but also that is quite beautiful […] I’m also hoping that people will enter a reflective mode when they’re in the space.”
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I’d like people to shift their mode of attention, and also look quite closely and slow down a bit to appreciate something that is in the living world, but also that is quite beautiful. – Ruth Chambers
Ruth Chambers
A photograph of white flowers and buds sculpted out of porcelain, which is a part of Ruth Chambers’ exhibition Tend.
field of botany. In speaking about the purpose behind her exhibition she says, “there is a connection to encouraging observation in the way we observed the world, and our science has observed the world, historically.” She notes Tend shares many parallels with “early scientific botanical studies
hoping that it will trigger some sort of connection to this fascination that I have, but also that botany has with these plants.” She also hopes the exhibition will induce reflection in audiences: “I’d like people to shift their mode of attention, and also look quite closely and slow down a bit to ap-
Considering Chambers’ vision behind Tend, AGR curator Sandee Moore tells audiences, “There’s so many interesting aspects of this project for people to connect to their experience.” Moore states: “It’s interesting from so many perspectives. It’s a feminist project, looking at
these pioneers of botanical illustration who played an important role but were often marginalized and unaccredited […] It’s interesting in terms of our cultivated post-colonial environment and the history of colonial expansion; many of the plants she’s studying and representing have this history of travelling and adapting to different environments, and being commodities.” She says, “That’s one of the things that is very important to me as a curator, is how people can create meaning using their own thoughts and experiences as a jumping off point to view and understand the artist’s work.” Moore comments on the impact of Chambers’ exhibition Tend in the community: “I think the importance of beauty is not to be underestimated. Especially right now, sometimes for people to go out and see something that is a stunning technical achievement that is invitingly beautiful is important for people’s mental health.” Despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the AGR has found innovative ways to adapt their programming and continue showcasing the work of Saskatchewan artists like Ruth Chambers. Moore explains: “We know that people really want to connect to an artist, and to the artist’s vision and thoughts through their work. We’ve started doing audio tours with artists that people can access through their smartphone in the gallery, to have the artist guide them personally through the exhibition.” Similarly, Chambers speaks about her experience as an artist during the COVID-19 pandemic. She describes no lack of inspiration, stating she has been inspired “maybe even more,” than prior to COVID-19. She says that the social isolation has been generally conducive to her creative process: “In a way the pandemic has not really changed things that much for me, it maybe even has given me a little bit more time to focus on the project.” She continues, “It’s quite an inward, internal, reflective process that requires some quietude […] I would say that the pandemic actually has if anything supported this. It’s given me extra time to think reflectively, quietly, and carefully about this project.” Tend can be viewed at the Art Gallery of Regina between 11:00 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The closing reception and artist-led walk through of the exhibition is on April 9 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and attendance must be confirmed in advance. Ruth Chambers is currently instructing all ceramics courses at the University of Regina, ranging from introduction to ceramics, to advanced ceramics at the graduate level.
february 25 - march 3, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
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Album review: Plastic Hearts Cyrus’ first rock album will leave you feeling like a rockstar
gillian massie web writer Miley Cyrus’s newest album, Plastic Hearts, is a monumental album where she completely reinvents herself, making her most unique sound yet. Fellow Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famers Joan Jett, Billy Idol, and Stevie Nicks are featured within the album, adding to the nostalgia feel. The rock album launched at the end of November, quickly emerging as Billboard’s number one rock album. The defining single “Midnight Sky” showcases Cyrus’s wild side regarding love and lifestyle. The disco-themed track enforces how Cyrus won’t let media depictions of herself get in the way of her flourishment. Her raspy vocals within the song make it one of the most intense songs within the album. The album is post-divorce of her marriage to Liam Hemsworth and has strong themes of how she was ostracized in the media for moving on quickly. Headlining song in “WTF do I know?” depicts Cyrus’s unapologetic attitude by stating, “Now tell me, baby, am I wrong that I’ve moved on, and I don’t even miss you.” Tracks like “Gimme What I Want” and “Bad Karma,” featuring rock legend Joan Jett, both include themes from Cyrus’s brief
making it sound like it’s straight from the 80s. Gentler tracks nicely knit together the album, such as “Angles Like You” and “High,” creating unique perspectives within the album. Both involve letting go of somebody, and although she does not miss them, she does find herself thinking of them. Both
include a sharp but still gentle acoustic guitar, demonstrating how letting goes does not have to be a painful experience, and you can always reminisce upon the good times. “Golden G-String,” a rather comical title for a song, demonstrates its deep meaning. The album has an emphasis on home and what it means to live there. Cyrus takes us around California, but also the toxic culture of the music industry. It focuses on how each perception of crazy differs from one to the next and how larger-scale issues should be taken more seriously than others tend to be. In my favorite line from the album, Cyrus so eloquently puts, “You dare to call me crazy, have you looked at this place?” “The Edge of Midnight,” the “Midnight Sky,” remix featuring Stevie Nicks is sure to have fans are dying with one of the best mashups ever to exist. ‘Nuff said. Plastic Hearts is where we see Miley evolving as an artist. The very real-life topics of love, sex, lifestyle, break-ups, partying, and ostracizing of women all relate and correspond to audiences’ spirituality, all knit together by Miley’s powerhouse vocals. The album is truly an adventure from start to finish and dazzles audiences with a toss-back 80s gritty rock.
rewatching, and that still reveal novel layers upon every viewing. And yes, as is in vogue these days, there are many jokes you will only get if you have been reading the same books as the two Harvard (“and Oxford!”, adds Frasier) educated brothers. Frasier was no slapstick com-
edy. But nor is it pretentious. Off the air for nearly sixteen years now, it remains my most favorite comedy show. I am afraid that much like the Crane brothers, I do not think most of today’s comedies measure up to how it was done back in the day. Check it out, you won’t be disappointed!
Wikipedia Commons
Miley Cyrus, wearing black pants, a black crop top, and black and gold jewelry, sings into a microphone on stage with drums behind her.
affairs with Kaitlynn Carter after the closure within her marriage with Liam Hemsworth. The songs are gritty, with the raspy vocals of Cyrus giving them an industrial rock feel. Other songs focus on the wild party lifestyle that Cyrus has been known for obtaining. “Plastic Hearts” takes you on an
adventure down the Sunset trip streets, all the way to the notorious Chateau Marmont Hotel, which is known for wild celebrity parties. “Night Crawling,” featuring Cyrus’s friend and rock legend Billy Idol continues the fun by incorporating the iconic rock organ that can be found in Idol’s previous songs like “Rebel Yell,”
#StillNotOverIt: Frasier Revisiting the brothers Crane
hammad ali contributor There is just something about a good comedy show. Ever since high school, I have been a huge fan of anything comedy. I still remember spending Monday evenings back home, some twenty years ago, watching several sitcoms back to back. Most of these shows were already off the air or in their final seasons by then. Back in Bangladesh though, we were always either a couple of seasons behind, or got unending reruns. Not complaining. A good comedy show is just as good the tenth time you see it. For a bad one, the first time is one too many. It was during those years that I discovered Frasier. A spinoff of the older classic sitcom Cheers, Frasier was the story of two self-declared aristocrat (ok fine, snobbish) brothers and their blue collar father. Frasier and Niles, the Crane sons, went to Harvard and Oxford, are successful psychiatrists, and enjoy opera, world literature, and fine wine. Martin Crane, the father, is a police officer forced into retirement after a gunshot wound, is happy to watch football all day, and exasperates Frasier by never using a coaster for his beer can. The Crane family is joined by Frasier’s coworkers from the radio station where he counsels people over phone, Martin’s old police friends, the many
socialites and elites that Frasier and Niles are always trying to associate with, and the beautiful caregiver Daphne Moon with whom Niles is infatuated. Much of the humor of the show comes from Frasier and Niles wanting to present themselves as lovers of art, culture, and fine dining, and how they usually end up being humbled. Frasier’s search for love is also a recurring theme, as is the tension between the father who wishes his sons were more into the simpler things in life, like a good burger from a hole in the wall diner. One episode ends hilariously when Frasier and Niles attempt to trace their ancestry back to some forgotten European Monarchy, only to find much to their chagrin that they have traced it back to one of the servants. As a good father would, Martin then has to help them see past the disappointment and teach them to take pride in their own achievements, not what family they were born into. These days there is often talk of “smart” tv shows. Comedies where you have to have read classics in order to get the jokes. Science fiction and fantasy shows that probe into issues of morality and free will (think Westworld and Person Of Interest). Personal bias accounted for, to me Frasier will always be the original “smart” sitcom, and went a long way towards defining the genre. Under-
neath the surface of laughs and jokes, there were often thoughtful messages. Given the brothers’ profession, mental health and the notion of self-contradictory behaviour was a common theme. And there are certainly many deadpan one-liners that I only got for the first time years later upon
Pixabay
An old cathode ray tube television sits on a wooden four-legged stool in a room with remarkably garish orange wallpaper.
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editor: ethan butterfield sports@carillonregina.com the carillon | february 25 - march 3, 2021
The Butterfield breakdown Rumours, news, and outcomes
ethan butterfield sports editor Returning once again to breakdown the latest in big sporting developments, this month held a lot of interesting things to look at. Not to give too much of what’s below away, but with the NHL landscape continuing to come into focus, the MLB moving ever closer to opening day, and the Daytona 500 having an absolutely crazy day, there’s definitely no shortage of excitement. So, without further ado, here’s what the major leagues of sports had to offer: MLB Opening day in MLB is scheduled for April 1. Poorly timed April Fools’ joke? NHL The NHL has definitely offered some interesting developments. The first of which is the Toronto Maple Leafs dropping a huge lead to the Ottawa Senators. Normally a team collapsing a lead in the NHL is no big deal, but in the case of the Toronto Maple Leafs (a team well-known for its collapses), they had a rather historic one in their match against the Senators. Via Evolving Hockey, a statistics-based hockey group, the Leafs had a 99.9 per cent chance to win, and blew the lead. Digging through the past 13 seasons of the game, Evolving Hockey found it to the second worst blown lead loss in the game, only behind the Chicago Blackhawks, who blew a 5-1 lead against the Minnesota Wild during the 2009-2010 season. Evolving Hockey: “Their peak win % was 99.9117%. The Leafs [...] peaked at 99.9113%.”
Ethan Butterfield
A laptop being activated.
The Maple Leafs weren’t the team with struggles as of late, as the Buffalo Sabres also found franchise misery. For the first time in 10 years, the Buffalo Sabres were held shotless in the third period of a game. NOT. ONE. SHOT. Listen. Breaking the flow of news for a second. I just need everyone out there to understand that, in a game that featured Taylor Hall, Jack Eichel and Victor Olofsson for Buffalo. Not a one could record a shot for an entire period. Look, if the Sabres didn’t want to compete for a Stanley
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Tahoe in what was a stunning sight to behold (seriously, if you get a chance, check out some photos. It’s really cool). NFL The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are Super Bowl Champions. Moving right along. Big things have already begun in the trading department of the NFL as former Philadelphia Eagles QB (quarterback) Carson Wentz becomes the field general for the Indianapolis Colts, filling the role of now retired QB Phillip Rivers. As well, mega defensive star
Watson. The Carolina Panthers are also looking to benefit from the Waston-Texan situation should the QB become available. As far as new entrees into the league, the NFL draft is fast-approaching and shows some promise in being one worth watching. Two quarterbacks, Zach Wilson and Trevor Lawernce look set to go in the first round with the New York Jets and the Jacksonville Jaguars primed to receive them. As things become clearer, it looks as those Wilson will be making his way to the Jets and Lawrence will
Opening day in the MLB is scheduled for April 1. Poorly timed April Fools’ joke? – Ethan Butterfield
Cup this year, they could just say so. On the bright side, the New York Islanders, for the first time in their long franchise history, were able to hold an opponent shotless for an entire period. In other hockey related news, sports media won’t stop talking about Connor McDavid, so we’re gonna skip right over that. In other, other hockey related news, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins was able to enjoy his 1,000th game as a Penguin with a win over the New York Islanders. And, finally, the NHL had their Outdoor games at Lake
J.J. Watt is no longer a Houston Texan and has entered the free agent market. Some of the top contenders for receiving Watt (at the time of writing) are the Pittsburgh Steelers (where Watt’s brother plays), the Buffalo Bills, and the Green Bay Packers. QB Deshaun Watson is also looking to make an exit from the Texans’ franchise. Unlike Watt however, the Texans seem to be less interested in letting Watson go from the team. That being said, there has been some trade interest for Watson coming out of the Dolphins organization, which may lead to a trade involving current QB Tua Tagovailoa and
be heading towards the Jaguars. NASCAR In a very rare appearance, NASCAR has taken a spot within the breakdown. This is, of course, due to the Daytona 500 and the massive crash that occurred during the event. For those who don’t know, a huge wreck caused the race to be delayed for a significant amount of time. After things resumed, Michael McDowell ended up as the victor in his first ever major event win. NBA With the NBA in full stride, the playing field is becoming more and more clear.
Fortunately, as opposed to the last breakdown, the Toronto Raptors have been gaining ground in the standings. Now sitting at 6th overall in the Eastern Conference, Toronto has accumulated a 15 win and 15 loss record, this being a far cry from their 8 win and 12 loss record during my last update. Now settled at .500, the Raptors can continue developing their game and move even further along, providing a challenge for any opponents along the way. That being said, the Raptors aside and looking at the current number one ranked teams in each conference, the Philadelphia 76ers continue to hold first in the East with 20 wins and 10 losses (so far), certainly making their case as the team to beat. However, teams like the Brooklyn Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks are certainly trying. Moving along, in the West, the Utah Jazz are in the top spot as a result of a 24 win and 6 loss record. Although, they shouldn’t get too comfortable with both Los Angeles teams (the Clippers and the Lakers) hot on their trail. On a more personal note, the New York Knicks are now 8th overall in the Eastern Conference and I couldn’t be happier. So, there you have it, the updates and news from around the league. From the looks of things, it seems as though these updates will become more of a monthly thing, rather than a weekly thing moving forward. That aside though, as always, let’s remember to keep safe and healthy with everything that’s going on in the world today.
february 25 - march 3, 2021
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sports
NASCAR: Toni Breidinger A new day for NASCAR
sarah nakonechny sports writer It has been an exciting time in the world of NASCAR racing! History was made this Family Day long weekend as Toni Breidinger competed in her first ever debut at Daytona International Speedway. Why is this important? Breidinger is the first ever Arab-American female driver to ever compete in a NASCAR national series! The first ever time a female athlete competed in a NASCAR race all the way back in 1949 with Sara Christian. Fast forward to present day and we still are watching strong women bust through the gate and onto the scene. So many barriers are continuing to be broken down by racers like Breidinger and her astonishing debut has opened up the conversation for multicultural and female athletes to consider NASCAR as a real opportunity in the present day. This is a lot for a young 21-year-old racer to take on, but it hasn’t been a problem as she continues to keep her eyes on her goal and remains grateful. During various interviews conducted along with tweets that she sent out from her account @ ToniBreidinger, she was very modest and humble about the situation. Stating that all herself and her team wanted was to finish the race and to stay out of trouble. After completing those two goals, the realization of what she has been able to accomplish began to sink in. The door has now been thrown open for Arab-American females to compete in NASCAR racing and will hopefully continue to
translate into other sporting events as well. Breidinger is honoured to be the first of her people to compete and is hopeful that she will not be the last. She is hopeful that she has begun to pave the way for other female Arab-American drivers. You may be wondering what led her to the Daytona opening. She was able to place 18th overall at the Lucas Oil 200 which is the precursor for the Daytona 500. This is not her only accomplishment, however. At the United States Auto Club she has won 19 times which is the most ever for a woman. As well in 2020 she finished in fourth place at the Carolina Pro Late Model Series with her racing team DLP Motorsports. She now competes in two of NASCAR’s top 4 series and is a force to be reckoned with. Although, she is continuing to bust down barriers for her culture and for women alike it does not come without its challenges. The majority of her competition are white men, which proves to provide its own set of obstacles to navigate off the track. However, this is something that is easy to ignore once she is in the driver’s seat and ready to hit the track. Once the helmet goes on gender and race are no longer a problem and they are all just drivers after the same goal, to cross that finish line first. If you are interested in following Beidinger on the rest of her amazing journey you can catch the highlights of her race on the Phoenix Raceway in Avondale where she will be competing in the Arizona Lottery 100 and is hoping to place in the top 15 overall.
COVID restrictions and the Sask Hockey Association The new restriction date put in place will have little effect on the SHA. ethan butterfield sports editor With the Government of Saskatchewan extending COVID restrictions until March 19th, the sports world continues to wait patiently until things get the all clear to move forward. Until that time arrives, cancellations continue to hold up across the province through various organizations (such as the Regina High School Sports Association). For Kelly McClintock, General Manager of the SHA (Saskatchewan Hockey Association), this extended restriction date changes little with regards to how the SHA will operate in the coming weeks. “The Government of Saskatchewan Business Response Team”, said McClintock. “Roughly six weeks ago notified all sports in the province that competition would not be likely until after March 31 at the earliest. But the individual training with eight athletes in a group could continue.” With that said, even if sports operations were to resume within the province, McClintock feels that the possibility for a salvaged
SHA season is closer to concluding, as opposed to starting. “The opportunity to play games,” said McClintock, “within the winter hockey season that, normally, ceases at the end of March does not look favorable and the SHA has been aware of this for some time.” While this may come as disheartening news to local hockey fans, it is equally as disheartening to the players that continue to put the work in despite the minimal payoff. “It is difficult for all hockey players to continue to train,” said McClintock. “But not have the opportunity to transfer that training into a competitive environment of a game.” With things looking the way they do, the Saskatchewan Hockey Association will continue on as they have throughout the pandemic. For fans of the game looking to at least take in some hockey viewing during the pandemic, the NHL is currently running at full steam. At the time of writing, the North Division (which features all Canadian NHL teams), has seen a surge in popularity with the current winning ways of the Toronto
Maple Leafs. Excluding a nasty loss to Ottawa where Toronto dropped a 4 goal lead to lose 6-5 in overtime, the Leafs have 30 points overall, putting them comfortably above the 22-point Edmonton Oilers. As well, for fans of the more local hockey circuit, the WHL’s announcement about the upcoming season on top of the news of
Regina being the hub city for the East Division has piqued more than a few folks’ interest. Time will tell how the season will unfold, but it’s still interesting to see everything pan out. Overall, despite no massive changes occurring within the world of the Saskatchewan Hockey Association, it is still good to know where things stand. It’s also
beneficial to know that there are other avenues that fans can take if they so choose. It’s also worth noting that, when things do change, it will likely not be overnight. So let’s remember to continue to take care of those around us by listening to the Saskatchewan Health Authority and following the rules and regulations that are in place. Discover Moose Jaw
Dr. Saqib Shahab attending a press conference.
february 25 - march 3, 2021
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University of Regina to house WHL Looking to keep players and students safe while the season gets its start.
ethan butterfield sports editor Recent news from the WHL will be impacting the University of Regina moving forward. The city of Regina will be acting as the hub for the Eastern Division of the WHL, with the University providing the living quarters for players that make their way here. Vice President Dave Button made an announcement regarding the situation, stating the following: “Seven teams from Saskatchewan and Manitoba will begin a 24-game season starting March 12, with games being held at the Brandt Centre in Regina. The hub centre – or ‘bubble’ model, in conjunction with the implementation of a vigorous list of prevention measures the teams must follow, is considered the best approach to safely resume hockey at this elite level, while preventing the spread of COVID-19.” In the same statement, Button also made clear that this is a developing situation and how the U of R will adapt as it develops. “While exact details and logistics are still being confirmed, the University of Regina, in conjunction with Luther College, is working with the WHL to provide the teams with accommodations during their hockey season. It is anticipated that five teams will stay in University of Regina residences and two teams will be housed at the Luther College res-
idence.” Button noted that student safety was first on the list of priorities and that the University was positive about their capability to deal with the influx of players. “The health and safety of our students, faculty and staff remain our top priority and we will ensure appropriate measures and monitoring are in place to manage this increase in activity on campus. Together with Luther College, the University has the capacity to house more than 1700 people and currently there are approxi-
ties.” The situation was also discussed during the President’s Town Hall meeting, where I was able to ask about the level of responsibility that the University would take should a case arise. Both Dave Button and Darren Cherwaty were able to answer, with Button starting with the following: “First of all, through our management,” said Button, “we’ve managed to avoid many instances here on campus at all. I’d like to highlight that we have
250 [quarantines],” continued Button. “Quarantined international people, mainly students, but some other visitors that fulfilled that role as well. And if there were any testing, much like the assumption for someone that’s coming for an international quarantine, is the assumption that they are that they could be sick, it’s no different, really, in terms of a treatment. And if there were someone, if there was a need to take and isolate, of course, we’d follow all of the Health Authority guidelines.”
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Through our management, we’ve managed to avoid many instances here on campus at all. I’d like to highlight that we have a good plan, we have a safe campus. – Dave Button
mately 250 students living in residence. Therefore we are able to accommodate these teams while maintaining appropriate physical distancing, cleanliness, and other pandemic requirements. “We are confident that the comprehensive safety measures established by the WHL and Saskatchewan Health Authority, as well as the University’s own pandemic protocols, will safeguard the players, coaching and other staff, as well as the University members and broader communi-
a good plan, we have a safe campus. “We are designated. The designated learning institute in the federal sense of the word [in international terms]. And so, to be able to get designated that way, we had to come up with a good solid plan with how we take and prevent these things and how we manage them if they exist.” Button continued on regarding the effectiveness of the University’s quarantines. “To date, we’ve done about
Darren Cherwaty, Director of Health, Safety and Wellness at the University of Regina,then provided his response with following: “We’re working with the WHO and the SHA on the protocols that they have in place, which are fairly robust. I will tell you that, obviously, we will work closely with their own medical staff. And we are allocating, if need be particular isolation rooms and residents, just as we have before, so that in essence, if
we have any positive cases, we will work with the SHA public health folks and make sure that players are isolated.” Cherwaty also spoke on Button’s comments, offering a clearer view of what the protocols in place will entail. “But as Dave mentioned,” continued Cherwaty. “Their protocols, the WHL protocols, currently under review by the SHA are very tight, and you will only see players on campus going to meals. Other than that, they are pretty much sequestered into their residences and will be traveling to and from the arena. But for the most part, other than meals, they will only be on campus, living in their residences.” With the information provided, hopefully this will give students some breathing room as players begin to make their way to residences. Also, it looks as though the University is confident in making sure that students will be well taking care of during this time. As the WHL season moves closer, the positive of having more local hockey will be a welcome return for those that have been patiently waiting. That being said, given how COVID has affected the landscape of the NHL, it is still of concern as to whether or not, when things get going, the WHL will be affected the same way.
Morgan Ortman
The University of Regina sign outside of Riddell.
february 25 - march 3, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon | 14
sports
Sports history: The ice hockey stick How the stick became so slick sarah nakonechny sports writer When people talk about Canada, they often utter expressions about our love of hockey. What is more Canadian than a good old fashioned game of hockey? Honestly not a whole lot. This makes it fitting to discover that the origins of the hockey stick came from the Mi’kmaq First Nation, who lived in the Maritimes throughout the 1800’s. These sticks were constructed from birch and hornbeam trees. Surprisingly, the design of these sticks resembled that
hang of it and were able to carve the ‘banana bend’ into the stick, This has revolutionized how we choose to shoot the puck and without this slight curve the way in which we play the game would have looked very different for us. Many believe that the Chicago Blackhawks player (and now hall of famer) Stan Mikita was the one who came up with the idea of playing with a curved stick. Allegedly, he caught his stick between boards in the arena and the force broke his stick into a V shape. He discovered that he was able to produce faster and more powerful shots with the curved
to the game. This caused a new challenge for manufactures which led to the use of fiberglass. They would utilize Aspen wood which is overall a lighter type of wood and cover it in fiberglass to help lower the risk of the stick breaking. This helped to significantly lower the weight from the original sticks which helped to improve player performance as well. Seems as though things were all worked out by the 1960s. We had lighter sticks that allowed for faster and more powerful shots. We had everything we could ever want from this piece of equipment. However, in the 1970’s the
drawing board as players were complaining that they had lost some of the feel due to the lack of curve in their sticks. This brought the blame around to the overall weight of the stick once more. Back to the drawing board brought forth the aluminum sticks in the 1980s. 100 per cent aluminum did not last long however as there were massive amounts of complaints about the feel that it provided. Players were after the feel that wooden sticks provided and wanted the weight of the aluminum sticks. In the 1990s manufacturers finally thought that they found
still had complaints. In the early 2000s, we were introduced to the one-piece composite sticks. These consisted of aluminum and composite shaft and blade combinations. This brought back the feel that so many individuals enjoyed from the wooden sticks while allowing them to be lighter and more durable. This has provided faster and powerful shots once more that allows for the pace of the game to be what we know and enjoy today. Although many individuals enjoy and still utilize these onepiece sticks, we have to keep pushing forward in our innovation. To
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Many believe that the Chicago Blackhawks player (and now hall of famer) Stan Mikita was the one who came up with the idea of playing with a curved stick. – Sarah Nakonechny
of modern day hockey sticks as they were carved out of one continuous piece of wood. Originally, hockey sticks did not possess the curve that we are so accustomed to seeing now, and were straight sticks that were carved. While trying to figure out how to manufacture the curve that we have grown so used to playing with, manufacturers tried a two-piece method which allowed for a partial curve to be present. Eventually they got the
blade. After this he went on to try and perfect curving the blade of the stick by running it under hot water and bending them in door jams as he was unaware of the work that was being done by manufacturers at the time. Although we now had the shape that we are used to, by the 1920s we still had a problem. The weight of these sticks was difficult for athletes to maneuver with any kind of agility, which added an extra, unnecessary, challenge
National Hockey League (NHL) had to implement rules involving the amount of curve that the players’ sticks could have. This reduced the curve of sticks to ½ inch limit. The reason for this necessary rule implementation was that the shot velocity was increasing while the control of the shots was rapidly decreasing, which was a risk to those on and off the ice. It appeared as though manufactures needed to go back to the
the winning combination. They developed sticks that had aluminum shafts and wooden blades. This was beneficial as the shafts were strong and durable whereas the blades were cheap and easy to replace if needed. The use of aluminum in the shaft also allowed manufacturers to develop a consistent weight and flex which was not possible with fully wooden sticks. Although this seemed to provide the best of both worlds, this was not the case and many
get a better more effective stick manufacturers have been experimenting with other materials. Currently they are looking at carbon fibers and other high strength composites as a way to improve the overall look, feel and effectiveness of future sticks. A hockey stick may just appear to be a basic form of equipment. But this simple staple is one that has shaped the way in which we play and enjoy the game.
PxHere
A hockey stick in action.
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editor: holly worby op-ed@carillonregina.com the carillon | february 25 - march 3, 2021
The unaddressed issues of the Elisa Lam case
History will repeat itself if we don’t address glaring problems now
Wikipedia Commons
A street view of the Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
The Elisa Lam case has fascinated me for years. Ever since I first watched that grainy elevator footage years ago, I was entranced by what could have potentially happened to the young Canadian tourist, found dead in a hotel water tank in downtown Los Angeles. People close to me know that I adore true crime documentaries. For me, the fascination derives from both wanting to understand how tragedies occur, and in analyzing and hypothesizing what we can do to prevent them from occurring again in the future. With this in mind, me and my roommates sat down to watch The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel. A brief summary for those who don’t know: Elisa Lam was a 21-year-old Canadian student who went missing during a trip she had taken to Los Angeles. The last footage seen of her was grainy elevator surveillance footage taken from the hotel she was staying in – the infamous Cecil Hotel. Lam was reported missing for 17 days before her body was discovered in one of the water tanks on the hotel’s roof; the same tanks that supply drinking and showering water to the entire hotel. Elisa Lam was an explorer. She was a lover of literature, including Harry Potter and the Great Gatsby, she loved photography, and was a frequent poster on her Tumblr blog under the username nouvelle-nouveau. Her blog is still up to this day. However, what her social media presence highlighted the most was both her adoration for travel, and her struggles with mental health issues. Lam was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, reportedly took four different types of medications, and struggled with suicidal thoughts. The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel docuseries implies that Lam’s love of travel stemmed from wanting to prove her men-
tal illness wrong; that no matter what the mental obstacles she faced, she could still explore the world. While the documentary was phenomenal, and I would recommend the series to any true crime fan, the conclusion it draws is purely speculation. Unfortunately, there is no real way of knowing exactly what happened to Elisa Lam. Suspicion and deduction are all anyone can rely on when it comes to unsolved cases. The documentary proposed that Lam died in an accidental drowning caused, in part, by her not taking her prescribed medications. But the conclusion the documentary draws isn’t what I want to discuss. Instead,
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their lives in the Cecil Hotel’s walls. The Cecil Hotel was partially rebranded to “Stay on Main” in 2011, hoping to draw in new crowds of tourists with flashy modern marketing. However, the Cecil Hotel was partially a hostel, and partially a section for low-income housing, which generated problems for many guests that weren’t aware of this prior to booking their stays. In the days leading up to her body being discovered, police and the public alike wondered if foul play was involved, and almost immediately the drug-ridden and crime-rampant community of skid row had a flashlight pointed directly at them.
A society that allows a neighbourhood like skid row is not a society that is functional. – Taylor Balfour
I wanted to draw attention to the glossed over, underlying problem the docuseries acknowledges but fails to properly address: the homeless, drug addiction, and crime in that neighbourhood of Los Angeles is a recipe for disaster. The Cecil Hotels lies in the middle of “skid row”, an impoverished community in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. Tents that house the homeless line the sidewalks, drugs are widely available for purchase, and crime is rampant. The hotel itself is also unfortunately known for a slew of suicides, murders, and crimes prior to Lam’s disappearance, marking her death as merely one in an unknown number of those who lost
This was what I found to be one of the most glaring, undiscussed aspects of the Elisa Lam case: that a society that allows a neighbourhood like skid row is not a society that is functional. After the coroner’s report ruled that Lam’s death was an ‘accidental drowning’ (whether you agree with such a ruling or not), I don’t understand why no one offered a solution to a neighbourhood that was cause for such strife. Skid rows are everywhere. Saskatchewan itself has a glaring poverty problem, with the Star Phoenix reporting a year ago that “one in four Saskatchewan children lives in poverty”, meaning that the child poverty rate in our
province is the “third highest in Canada”. I’m not implying that the homeless, impoverished, drug-addicted, or struggling in any way caused or assisted in Lam’s death. What I am saying is that the fear of what that community could do – or has done – causes such stress in the community, so why isn’t something done about it? Why are the homeless not offered appropriate housing so they don’t need to camp out on tents in the sidewalk? Why do we not offer the drug-addicted safe consumption sites for their habits so they can not only consume drugs safely without risk of overdose, but can also receive proper supports that may be needed to separate themselves from their addiction? Why do we not offer proper programs for ex-convicts who have just been released from prison? People who have no money to their name and have no qualifications to work? Why do we not help people get back on their feet? Why do we blame these people when it’s our system that has been created to force them to reoffend for basic survival? Instead, we look to them every time a crime is committed. The public is distrusting of the neighbourhood, police are regularly patrolling the area, and nothing ever changes. No one ever wins. Additionally, Lam herself clearly struggled with mental health problems. Her Tumblr blog is only one glimpse into the internal life she lived. If proper mental health support had been more widely available and affordable, people struggling in the same ways Lam was may have received medication, counselling, and treatment. What needs to be done is plain to see. Now, it’s up to us to make it happen.
taylor balfour editor-in-chief
february 25 - march 3, 2021
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Breaking the barriers of stigma, shame, and silence
Combatting barriers in the least combative way
Pixabay
Scrabble letters spelling out the words “mental health” beside a green leaf.
Jack.org is a Canadian organization with the goal of training and empowering youth and young adults in the area of mental health. More specifically, they aim to train the individuals who attend their events to identify and challenge barriers to mental health within their individual community. Earlier this month I attended a virtual summit for the region of the prairies titled Breaking Barriers. I’ll be frank - I had very low expectations going in. Granted, my expectations are a little biased due to the knowledge I have; in early November last year I wrote an article for the Carillon on an informal survey about mental health barriers that was issued by the Psychology Association of Saskatchewan (PAS) to members of the PAS. This survey had some troubling results, but served a very important purpose. Here’s what stuck out to me most when I read through the survey’s results: - 94 per cent of respondents reported having observed barriers to mental health in their area of practice - 33 per cent said they weren’t sure how concerns about these barriers could be raised, and 27 per cent said they weren’t sure if a way to raise concerns even exists - Of the respondents who reported having raised concerns about mental health barriers in the past, only 3 per cent actually achieved an adequate resolution Dr Kent Klippenstine, the Advocacy Chair for the PAS, said the purpose of the survey was to establish clearly that barriers do exist, that they are quite difficult to combat, and that they impact every individual in different ways. Barriers to mental health resources do not just impact youth, seniors, and minorities; they are a systemically perpetuated hurdle or block for every individual and should be treated as such. I was pessimistic going into the Break-
ing Barriers summit because it’s hard to think that I could make any sort of difference when 60 per cent of the professional psychologists who responded to that survey didn’t know how to challenge the barriers we’d be talking about. I’m a psychology student and part of why I entered the field was to get to a position where I can affect real change; learning that only 3 per cent of concerns were satisfied really took the wind out of my sails. I went into the summit feeling lost because what I learned had shaken my sense of purpose concerning my ambitions. It was a rude (but necessary) awakening, and left me feeling really small; thankfully, the
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young adults who attended two sessions; the first was on the ways we’d seen the barriers of stigma, shame, and silence in our day-to-day lives, and the second on what we could do on an individual level to challenge them. The first session ran much like you’d expect. Everyone in the group had a story on the ways they’d personally experienced the effects of stigma and shame, and on the harms that silence had brought themselves or those close to them. People assume silence means all is well, when usually it’s more like a scab covering an infection. Sure there’s not puss everywhere, but that infection is still spreading under the surface
I don’t believe the people enforcing stigma and shame truly realize the implications of their actions. Honestly, I think their behaviour is indicative of a denial coping strategy. – Holly Worby
summit flipped that feeling 180 degrees. Breaking Barriers was conducted over Zoom and consisted of roughly 40 youth and young adults from urban and rural prairie areas. In the application for the summit there was an area given to list the barriers to mental health that the applicant was aware of and concerned about; these areas were summed into four topic areas by jack.org members to provide four separate conversation groups that participants could take part in. The group I chose to attend was centered around the topic of stigma, shame, and silence as barriers to mental health. This group was made up of 10 youth and
and will cause harm if given enough time to fester. Unaddressed mental health problems will impact other areas of your life much like how an infection, when left, will negatively impact other systems in your body. An untreated infection can damage the area it’s located in, but can also spread to the degree it’s harming your organs, and you need those organs to function. Unaddressed mental health issues can easily lead to maladaptive coping skills like the inability to regulate your emotions, a pattern of running from confrontation or accountability, and habits of reacting impulsively and poorly in the moment.
If silence doesn’t help the individual, what purpose does it serve? Essentially, being silent about your experience because of outside pressure only benefits the people who aren’t comfortable talking about mental health issues by sustaining their rose-coloured comfort zone. The silence is enforced through stigma and shame which I’ve always reacted combatively to, but the group discussion at Breaking Barriers made me realize I should be approaching stigma and shame differently. I don’t believe the people enforcing stigma and shame truly realize the implications of their actions. Honestly, I think their behaviour is indicative of a denial coping strategy. If you’re adamant in your belief that mental health issues are no big deal, it makes it a lot easier to convince yourself that your own mental health issues aren’t worth addressing. Sweeping your problems under the rug is tempting, don’t get me wrong, so I strongly believe their true motive isn’t malicious. I think they’re uneducated in how mental health problems can present, they’re scared because they lack the tools to properly address their own mental health problems, and they use denial to paint the whole umbrella as a nonissue because confronting the reality makes them feel lost, afraid, and small. I can relate to that pattern of thinking, I think most of us can, and if someone approaches you combatively when you’re afraid they’re sending you right into fight or flight mode. This summit showed me that there’s a deeper level to stigma, shame, and silence than I had considered, and it gave me a tool to use when I encounter any of the three: compassion.
holly worby op-ed editor
february 25 - march 3, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
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Dr. Seuss’s storybooks address deeper issues than publishers prefer If you can teach a Sneetch, why can’t we learn too? What stories are we teaching young minds? What are the messages behind those stories? How do they differ from the “ordinary storybook”? These are all questions I have been asking myself while reflecting on stories I read as a child. Storybooks are a massive part of entertaining and influencing children, so what are we feeding them? I was always a fanatic about fairy tales with magical creatures in the forest, showing the protagonist faced with a dilemma of evil godparents or siblings with the insert of witty side characters going on an adventure to defeat the villain. Good triumphs against evil, which is the hallmark of a good fairy tale. Sounding familiar? That’s because I am describing just about every Disney classic storyline to grace screens and pages everywhere. While Disney does put out an entertaining story that breaks a record just about every time it hits the shelves, there are some plotlines it will not touch on. Dr. Seuss’s children’s books are vastly different from Disney storybooks but still attract many readers. There are no princesses or princes; instead they often branch out to more mysterious creatures who do not necessarily have magic. One of my childhood favorites is The Sneetches. The Sneetches, who resemble large, flightless, yellow birds, are divided on the beaches by those with green stars upon their bellies and those without. The Sneetches with stars rule the beach while those without are left out from Sneetchlike activities. This all comes to a halt one day when Sylvester McMonkey McBean arrives on the beach with his Star-On machine, where the Sneetches “without Stars upon thars” immediately pay to have a star put on their chests. With all the Sneetches now being star-bellied, the original group of Sneetches enters McBean’s Star-Off machine. To differentiate each Sneetch into two groups, they keep entering the machines to add and then eradicate each star until they cannot tell which group each Sneetch belonged to. Bigotry is not often a theme that is monopolized in children’s stories. Still, The Sneetches perfectly represents how people pick each other apart for being different from one another. While the Sneetches boil down their turmoil to a mere star, it equivocally represents how we categorize people into different races, ethnicities, genders, and disabilities when we are all human. The Sneetches was initially published in 1961 during the Civil Rights era, where we saw the hard-lived battle to eliminate segregation in the American system. Sylvester McMonkey McBean monopolizes the differences between the Sneetches for profit, much like modern-day people attempt to change because they feel pressure to become something they are not. Once the no-starred-bellied Sneetches receive their stars, the starred-bellied Sneetches remove their stars to show the distinction between the two parties and, therefore, continue to exclude a group of Sneetches. Here we see how the efforts to maintain the difference between the two groups are about a balance of power. The star-bellied Sneetches rule the beaches because their star gives them the authority to do so. In reality, it is just a meaningless star. Still, it is enough of a difference to allow “justification” that the no-starred Sneetches should not participate in Star-bellied Sneetch activities. This shows ostracization and stigmatization exhibited within the segregation of the Sneetch parties. The story ends with Sylvester packing up his machine with full pockets, leaving
Daniel (Flickr)
A photo of a page from The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss.
the Sneetches ranging with various stars to none at all. At that moment, the Sneetches finally understand that each Sneetches is the same. “I am happy to say that the Sneetches got really quite smart on that day, that day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches, and no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches, that day all the Sneetches forgot about stars, or whether or not they had one
the Yooks who butter their bread side-up. We follow a Yook who shows a Zook across the wall the weapons their laboratory keeps building. Each day, the Yook and the Zook continue to show up with bigger and bigger weapons until they both show up with a bomb. Here, the story abruptly ends, leaving viewers to imagine what happened or if either party unleashed the bomb. The Butter Battle Book was published
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Dr. Seuss portrays bigotry in straightforward ways that are still entertaining and light enough for children, but are also influential and show deeper meaning by reflecting upon humans’ actions. – Gillian Massie
upon thars.” Sylvester McMonkey McBean did teach the Sneetches that day, but we still choose to show bigotry in everyday life. Bigotry is a prevalent trend in Dr. Seuss’s novels, touched on in The Butter Battle Book, which again looks at discrimination but on the more severe front of War. The Battle contains the Zooks and the Yooks who are angered by the way each group butters their bread. The Zooks who butter their bread side down are frowned upon by
in 1984 and allegedly demonstrates Seuss’s views on the Cold War, where the United States and the Soviet Union both made more prominent and more giant bombs to one-up each other. If any of these bombs were ever unleashed, they would destroy the world, creating a toxic wasteland. The Butter Battle Book was banned in libraries because it took a satirical look at the Cold War. Even when considering that the war in the book stems from intolerance, it was still
shunned from shelves. Dr. Seuss portrays bigotry in straightforward ways that are still entertaining and light enough for children, but are also influential and show deeper meaning by reflecting upon humans’ actions. So why are there not more books portraying messages of bigotry? Simple bigotry is used as a tool of power. As we saw in The Sneetches, the star upon the Sneetches’ belly was a symbol of power, and it gave the Sneetches the right to exhibit ability on the beach. Society does not like to admit this because it is still a very prevalent use of power today. Bigotry also demonstrates that when people use it they think their actions are justified, as seen in The Butter Battle Book. The Zooks buttering their bread differently from the Yooks gave them justification on the grounds that they are different. Therefore, it was reasonable to justify the creation of weapons for intimidations against them. Society is still very uncomfortable about speaking on bigotry because we do not like to admit our faults. Simply put, we would rather ignore them than acknowledge them. In reflecting on Dr. Seuss’s children’s books, I realize the importance of bringing to light the issue of bigotry to the child’s mind.
gillian massie web writer
february 25 - march 3, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon |18
op-ed
Anti-mask protests target the wrong problem Remembering the bigger picture
I’m going to preface this by stating that I don’t like wearing masks for long periods of time. I don’t like the burden that places being shut down has caused the public. The conflicting rules and regulations change constantly in ways that appear contradictory in practice. Therefore, frustrations and grievances are understandable and protests are known in history as a formal way of airing them. However, in this case it doesn’t seem necessary because this isn’t due to the sole effort of one individual - in this case, Dr. Saqib Shahab. This ultimately comes down to the right of the government (working interchangeably with the health authorities) to make decisions based on a public health related emergency. Yes one could argue that COVID is nothing but a cold or influenza which we’ve lived with for years and therefore, it’s not an emergency. However, influenza has been known to cause health emergencies of pandemic size, like the Spanish flu which is an example of a virus killing a large amount of people in ways people didn’t expect due to history with such a virus. There lies the general problem with echo chambers, the fact that they are a great way for people to feed their own personal biases. Why? It’s much easier to look at only the information that one agrees with and that supports their claims with evidence. This can be someone finding a plethora of fear mongering information which shows people at the extremes of using gas masks to keep yourself from COVID-19, or information about how wearing a mask all day is unhealthy and can cause numerous complications that could result in death. Arguably the biggest problem is that when it comes to echo chambers and social media in particular, there is little to no middle ground. This causes a divide among indi-
viduals, but on a larger scale, citizens and those in power. Either way there’s very legitimate concerns on both sides. Examples being health care workers being worked beyond a healthy point, people struggling to find work, food, or financial security, mental health crises going up like crazy due to isolation, the economy going down, and businesses closing. Truthfully, out of all the issues that have been brought to light, wearing a mask seems like a superficial complaint compared to the rest. Legally speaking, no investigation has brought to light that anything illegal was committed during the protest outside the Shahab residence as of yet. However, as a
homes, and reduced capacity is still going to be in place. If anything, there’s a chance distancing would be further required and businesses could become further restricted. There are different types of activity to engage in that don’t involve protesting, such as petitions or contacting the Premier or your MLA. I could see people saying such efforts are less impactful, however, protests present the threat of things escalating to illegal actions. Petitions have made an impact in the past; granted protests have as well, but for life changing reasons (e.g. Martin Luther King protests, Women Suffrage protests). Besides that, some people are con-
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[...] everyone’s human and nobody perfectly manages handling any type of stressor or situation, especially one that lasts this long. Nevertheless, I think there are cases where we’re fighting the wrong things and the wrong people. - Rayanne Gwilliam
whole I would say, should protesting work, it changes the least amount possible for the greater good of the population. Even if you had a choice to wear a mask and you decided not to, I wouldn’t say there’s a lot that frees you from. Even if that were the case you still can’t participate in a variety of activities or see a lot of people. It doesn’t change mental health barriers, or conditions for people in long term care
cerned about wearing a mask everyday because it’s unnatural to continually expel and inhale your own air, and some fear the building up of carbon dioxide in our bodies. However, carbon dioxide is largely present in the earth’s atmosphere already, and mixes well with the oxygen present in an area. Do masks cause filtration issues in the sense that you’re not fully breathing in the air around you? Yes, less is going
to come though something covering your face. But fabric allow for more outside air than medical grade, and even with medical grade masks they still don’t restrict air flow. Can there be reasons individuals shouldn’t wear them? Sure. Does that apply to the majority of the population? Most likely not. Even in the case of having to wear a mask put up against the risk of COVID, one is still arguably more dangerous than the other. Could anyone’s COVID response be very mild, no complications? Yes of course. Could it also result in very ugly health problems? Also yes, and there’s no real way to know which way it’ll go. COVID does have a rather high survival rate, but it’s important to keep in mind that all that means is that you live. It doesn’t speak to your quality of life during the aftermath of having the virus. There are many side effects that can be present after having any type of illness that impact us for long periods afterwards. Honestly, I don’t feel anyone is wrong for how they feel about any of this – bottom line is, it all sucks. Nobody’s denying that, everyone’s human and nobody perfectly manages handling any type of stressor or situation, especially one that lasts this long. Nevertheless, I think there are cases where we’re fighting the wrong things and the wrong people. There should be a concise plan among the government, and those in power should be following them and providing a good example. Things should be put in place to best increase quality of life while we’re living through this, and supporting people in the areas that can’t be changed currently.
rayanne gwilliam contributor Cross the Pacific
A faceted mannequin head wearing a blue mask with a black “X” over it.
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editors: sarah carrier, kate thiessen graphics@carillonregina.com the carillon | february 25 - march 3, 2021
