the carillon the staff
editor-in-chief editor@carillonregina.com
holly funk
executive director business@carillonregina.com
jacob nelson
production manager production@carillonregina.com
morgan ortman
advertising manager advertising@carillonregina.com
ty cote
technical editor tech@carillonregina.com
shae shackman
multimedia/graphics editors multimedia@carillonregina.com graphics@carillonregina.com
sarah carrier rooky jedege
copy editor copyeditor@carillonregina.com
aurel demont
news editor news@carillonregina.com
sara birrell
a&c editor aandc@carillonregina.com
hannah eiserman
sports editor sports@carillonregina.com
brad fraser
op-ed editor op-ed@carillonregina.com
sarah nakonechny
distribution manager distribution@carillonregina.com staff writer
kyle anderson hammad ali
staff writer
news writer
gillian massie
liam o’connor
a&c writer
vacant
sports writer
vacant
web writer
vacant
contributors victoria baht, sonali currie and spencer grasdal
vol. 64
board of directors holly funk, lindsay holitzki, joseph holoein,, dustin smith, jacob nelson and cassandra byblow (honourary member)
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 August, 2021 | Volume 64, Issue 02 | carillonregina.com
news
Return to campus
Hey, loyal Carillon readers. Welcome back! It’s the second issue already... Imagine that! First, we’d like to give a hearty welcome to our new sports editor, Brad Fraser! Good to have you on the team. This counts as a sports pun.
news
p.3
After a year online, the return to campus is a welcome change, but the logistics are still a mystery to many. We talk to Interim Provost david Gregory in hopes of answering some.
U of R slacks on racism
arts
p.4
While the university is adamant in their stance that you belong here and racism doesn’t, emails from professors, personal experiences, and a lack of action indicate otherwise.
op-ed
sports
Tushabe shortlisted
p.8
U of R graduate Iryn Tushabe speaks on using writing to work through grief, her character development process, and her nomination for the AKO Caine Prize for African Writing.
op-ed
Secondly, we’d like to wish you a happy reading experience. Not enjoying literally every article we publish is a jailable offense! Morgan Ortman Production Manager
photos
cover......................................sarah carrier news...........................................sam bayle a&c................................hannah eiserman sports........................................brad fraser op-ed..................................octavio fossatti op-ed.................................miguel teirlinck
Mosaic security
p.11
The Carillon gets a behind the scenes look at how security at Mosaic Stadium runs so smoothly.
50/50 relationships
Vaccines and peanuts
p.18
If the expectation of 50/50 effort in a relationship isn’t accurate, how do we perceive fairness while supporting our partners in the ways they most need?
After a lifetime of assessing allergy related risks, Brad Fraser asks why the unvaccinated aren’t taking the time to ask themselves those same questions in regards to their health.
news
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editor: sara birrell news@carillonregina.com the carillon | august, 2021
University prepares for return to campus Despite optimism, COVID not yet over
hammad ali staff writer On July 11, 2021, the Government of Saskatchewan revoked all public health measures regarding COVID-19 that had been in place since March 2020. Around the same time, the University of Regina also announced phases in reopening the campus and a gradual return to more normal operations. Vice-President (Academic) and Interim Provost, Dr. david Gregory, spoke to the Carillon about the university’s plan for the Fall 2021 semester, as well looking out to future semesters. Gregory said that Fall 2021 will be a carefully managed reopening, with increased options for in-person classes, activities, and services on campus. “Of the more than 3,000 courses offered, the university is currently scheduling approximately 650 to take place in-person. In addition to attending in-person classes, students are welcome to stay on campus, come to campus for distance classes, access study areas, the library, bookstore, recreational activities, food outlets, sporting and other events, performances and public lectures, et cetera.” For the past 18 months, the university has only had four access points operational, with a sign-in table at each to note down details of everyone coming to campus. Starting August 1, all usual access points are now unlocked, and sign-in will no longer be required. As well from August 16, the university will be resuming in-person services, all the while engaged in ongoing pandemic assessment and making any necessary adjustment to the safety protocols in place. “The Fall term is transitional, with the expectation of a full return to normal campus activities for the Winter 2022 semester,” Gregory said. While Canada is within reach of the target levels of vaccination and the number of new cases seem to be coming down to a manage-
able amount – although with the arrival of the Delta variant, numbers are once again on the rise – not everywhere else in the world is doing as well. In April 2021, India saw a massive surge in number of new cases and fatalities. At the time of this writing, Bangladesh is going through record number of new cases and deaths daily. Operations of the Canadian embassies, high commissions, and consulates in these and other countries are consequently still very limited. When asked about the possibility that many international students may not be able to travel to Canada anytime soon, Gregory answered, “The University of Regina recognizes that many students will still be unable to travel
tion, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced a temporary measure for international students to allow them to take classes remotely from their home country, and have the time spent studying online count toward their Post-Graduation Work Permit.” More information on this is available on the IRCC website (www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/ services/coronavirus-covid19/ students.html#pgwp-eligibility). When asked whether the university campus will have any public health measure or restrictions now that the city and province no longer do, Gregory said that the university will be maintaining health and safety measures
safety protocols can be found at (www.uregina.ca/term-updates/ health-safety/masks/index.html). When asked about the university’s policy regarding vaccination, Gregory said, “The university is not mandating that students, faculty and staff be vaccinated to come on campus; however, with the exception of medical accommodations, all members of the university community (students, faculty, and staff) are strongly encouraged to be fully vaccinated if coming on to campus. This is especially important given the potential surge of Delta infections among those who are not fully vaccinated. In order to make getting vaccinated as convenient as possible, the Student
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As a science-based, research-focused, public institution, the university has a key role in helping to dispel misinformation related to COVID-19 vaccines. It is up to each of us to do our part to protect ourselves and each other in order to keep our entire campus […] community safe. – david Gregory
to Canada in Fall 2021. To support them, UR International and the Global Learning Centre ensured that all support services and programming were made available through online and remote learning platforms. Students can also access support through our UR International Student Town Hall Series and by contacting our office directly, and also have the opportunity to be connected with an International Peer Advisor for additional social connection.” More information on the services offered by UR International is available at the websites of UR Internationaland the Global Learning Centre. Dr. Gregory adds, “In recognition of travel restrictions imposed by the pandemic, Immigra-
all through the Fall semester. All classrooms and meeting spaces will be at 50 per cent capacity to facilitate physical distancing. Handwashing or use of hand sanitizer will be required of everyone who comes to campus, and all faculty, staff, and students will be asked to conduct daily wellness assessments and not come to campus if they are not feeling well. While the original plan was to partially relax masking requirements, management announced on July 30 that, in light of the recent increase in COVID-19 cases due to the spread of the Delta variant, the campus-wide masking mandate will remain in place for now and be revisited closer to the beginning of the Fall term. Additional information on all
Wellness Centre, in partnership with Alliance Pharmacy, is offering on-campus, by appointment vaccine clinics for students, employees, and immediate family members. The vaccine clinic is currently closed but will resume August 11.” As in-person services and some classes resume, there will be a need for appropriate, safe dining options on campus. When asked about this, Gregory mentioned that the University Food Services (managed by Chartwells) will not be resuming operation until January 2022, but the University is working with other partners on campus to offer food services to students and staff. Campion College, Luther College, The Owl, and Extreme Pita will be available
as dining options for the fall term, and vending machines will be operational. Of course, as the campus reopens, many students will possibly be looking to return to living on campus. When asked about any special restrictions above and beyond those for the rest of the campus for Housing Services, Gregory said, “University Housing is following the guidelines of the province and the university for private living spaces. Students interested in staying on campus are encouraged to call Housing Services or apply online for the fall term.” On the subject of student societies operating during the fall term, he mentioned that student societies can resume their events, however bake sales, food sales, potlucks, and other food-focused events are at present discouraged, in line with the University Guideline for food services. Asked about Campus Security and Facilities Management, Gregory said Campus Security will be fully staffed and operating as in normal circumstances. Custodial Services will be busy with returning to normal occupancy, with enhanced touch point cleaning and more hand sanitizer stations on campus. Social distancing signs will be removed from public spaces, but will remain in private office spaces. “Although the Government of Saskatchewan has ended its COVID-19 public health measures, it acknowledges that the pandemic is not over” said Gregory as the interview wound to a close. “As a science-based, research-focused, public institution the university has a key role in helping to dispel misinformation related to COVID-19 vaccines. Our students, faculty and staff should be role models in vaccine acceptance, adoption, and promotion. It is up to each of us to do our part to protect ourselves and each other in order to keep our entire campus community safe.”
Sam Balye via Unsplash
U belong here (at the vaccination clinic).
august, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon | 4
news
University (yes, still) not doing enough to combat racism Comments from prof East have rep headed south liam o’connor news writer Content warning: This article contains descriptions of racism and Islamophobia that may be upsetting to readers. In May of 2021, University of Regina Faculty of Science Professor Allan East came under fire for making racist comments in an email to a student. The purpose of the email was to inform the student that they would be receiving a failing grade due to cheating. The section that sparked controversy comes near the end of the email where East wrote, “I could not help but notice that all 14 of you cheaters have East Indian last names. None of the Canadian or other international students cheated. You must not cheat in Canada. Canadians do not like cheaters.” Screenshots of the email made their rounds on social media where people like Aysha Yaqoob, an education graduate from the university, denounced the email and Allan East. Yaqoob tweeted, “Days like today, I’m reminded that no amount of ‘diversity training’ or diversity statements can fix a racist and colonial institution.” Later, she commented on the apology email that Allan East sent because she believed it was not sufficient for his actions. The five sentence apology states that East was sorry for his actions and that, “his intention was never to be discriminatory or harassing.” In response
Yaqoob tweeted, “in what world would you think your statement was okay to say?” Then, she demanded more action from the university. As of publication, East remains employed at the University, although he is not listed as instructing any undergraduate-level courses in UR Self-Service in the Fall semester. In an interview with the Carillon via phone call, Aysha Yaqoob spoke about the incident. She
had an encounter with racism on campus, Yaqoob said, “the four years that I was there, I think every year there was something big that had happened and so from even earlier on, within three weeks of my English degree, my English 100 prof told me that ‘maybe English isn’t the right subject for me to pursue a career in’ and because ‘it’s not my first language.’ But he didn’t know that because I didn’t really speak up within the first three weeks. He
particular. In one instance, an Indigenous student claimed athletes were mocking powwow dances in front them and making ignorant claims that Indigenous students get a free ride in university. While Yaqoob’s tweets have garnered a lot of support, they have also faced backlash from people supporting the racist comments made by East. Yaqoob expressed that she was frustrated by this because the negative comments were missing the point
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Days like today, I’m reminded that no amount of ‘diversity training’ or diversity statements can fix a racist and colonial institution. – Aysha Yaqoob
and a group of BIPOC education graduates formulated a letter and sent it to the new president Dr. Jeff Keshen. Yaqoob stated that the letter has three main calls to action: mandatory anti-racist training for all faculty and staff; a third-party office, where students could report similar incidents which the office could then investigate impartially; and that all investigations be more public so the students who are involved can know the results. When asked if she had ever
just looked at my last name and just assumed that I wouldn’t know how to speak fluent English.” On the more extreme side, Yaqoob told a terrifying story about being chased on campus by someone while they threatened to “rip my hijab off and cut my neck open.” This occurred after the mosque shooting in Quebec in 2018. Over 100 students who have had similar experiences reached out to Yaqoob, some making comments about athletic teams in
of her tweet by accusing her of supporting cheating. However, Yaqoob said, “if the investigation goes through, and it’s proven that they are guilty of cheating, the university has a separate policy on how to deal with that. That’s not what we’re dealing with. Right now, we’re dealing with the explicit language and the explicit racist rhetoric that was used within this email that was inappropriate.” The way Yaqoob felt about the criticism is that education can
be the answer, “Let’s educate people on why this is racist, or why this isn’t correct.” In her own classroom she said, “all of the teaching that I do is through an anti-racist and anti-oppressive lens.” Her method of teaching and incorporating these values works by “recognizing the power dynamics that exist within society and how they play into the lived realities of racialized folks.” She spoke about how it’s easy to do it because for example, her students can read Shakespeare, but then also talk about police brutality, or write an essay and then talk about funding of schools on reserves. When asked about where the line is as a professor with certain academic freedoms, she told the Carillon that “there’s a level of respect that needs to be within every form of communication. I hope that my students respect me. In reciprocity, I need to be able to respect them as well.” As far as the consequences for East’s email, Yaqoob thought East did not deserve to be shown mercy and that the training course he was required to take after was too late. She said, “I can’t imagine writing out an email, knowing that what you put there was inappropriate, rereading it, and still hitting send.” Yaqoob believes that the best example for the rest of staff and faculty would be the termination of Allan East from his current position.
James Eades via Unsplash
This has been a Public Service Announcement.
august, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon | 5
news
Plenty of work to be done to improve transit Is the problem a lack of use or the structure of the program?
liam o’connor news writer Regina transit is in a precarious position, especially during the pandemic, according to Chris Strain, a Regina resident who has a Master’s in Political Science with a focus on transit and economic development. Strain said Regina city council is “under tremendous pressure from residents who don’t use transit themselves and don’t really see the value of it. They see empty buses going by and wonder why they’re paying taxes to subsidize empty buses all day.” Strain pointed out that the city budget for transit has stayed the same at 39.2 million dollars since 2015. He said that while the budget stayed the same, the city has been growing. A common argument from city council is that there’s not enough demand for transit services to justify increasing the budget, but the poor quality of transit services means that demand will be kept artificially low as people are forced to use alternative modes of transportation, largely personal vehicles. To increase ridership, Strain thinks that Regina needs to reach a certain level of density. He explained that in Ontario, their Ministry of Transportation essentially released a guidebook which details what would be necessary for transportation in certain neighbourhoods. According to Strain, “for basic transit service, or one bus every 20 to 30 minutes, they recommend a density of at least 50 residents and jobs combined per hectare. For a very frequent bus service, which they call one bus every five minutes with potential for LRT, or bus
Wikipedia Commons
Regina transit: taking you where you need to go (eventually [maybe]).
rapid transit, they recommend 100 residents and jobs combined per hectare.” However, in Regina we struggle to even meet the basic transit service requirements. Strain used Cathedral as an example, as the neighbourhood made up largely of single-family homes - has a population density of only 21 people per hectare. One of the problems Regina faces in terms of getting better transit is density standards. Strain said “density standards are under attack right now. There’s a motion that’s going to come up at the next council meeting, to basically
ple want to pack into a bus, a problem that’s magnified by the lack of heated or even enclosed shelters, and the amount of time spent waiting between busses. Strain also said that in Saskatchewan, “the car [is] identified with progress and freedom.” On the question of light rail transit, Strain said that, “a light rail transit system would be pretty expensive. And transit is already viewed with suspicion or looked at as kind of wasteful.” Regina residents are still a long way from embracing the idea (and cost) of a light rail system, not to mention
ry, when Regina had a network of cable cars similar to that of New Orleans or San Francisco. This system was dismantled in the 1950s. Along with the cable car network, Strain would want to “create a 10-minute network of bus service, reserved bus lanes, and have a network of protected bike lanes.” When asked about Tesla and their recent popularity, Strain doesn’t believe that they are the answer to transit or climate change. “They’re kind of these big, expensive, quick techno fixes to the problem of climate change,
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In my area of Regina, there is no bus between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. I’ve contacted them numerous times about it and all they gave me was [that the lack of busses is] because of low ridership. I am a person with a disability that needs transit in the winter. – Tina Millar
lower and water down those standards so that more large houses can be built.” Essentially what this does is create more urban sprawl, eating up public space and putting more distance between residential areas and the places where people work, shop, and recreate. Strain also blames a cultural attitude towards transit that can only be changed through more awareness, but is a difficult problem to tackle and doesn’t have a definite answer. Strain also believes the cold weather in Saskatchewan doesn’t lend itself towards making peo-
that the city’s size and density doesn’t make it an ideal candidate for a light rail system. However, Strain is hopeful for the future and for projects such as an infill project south of Dewdney, where he said there is supposed to be a net zero community with residential towers. He believes that if this area is built correctly with the right amount of density then they could look at implementing some form of LRT. “We need to get there first,” he said. The ideal transit scenario according to Strain existed in the first part of the twentieth centu-
when we already kind of know what we have to do,” said Strain. There is also the issue of where the electricity comes from in Saskatchewan, which is mostly coal, according to Strain. He also stated, “there’s issues around, you know, lithium and getting enough of that, and sourcing out and building new cars and the carbon impact of building all the new cars.” Strain said that though electric cars and busses will probably play a part in the future, he doesn’t believe they are the answer right now.
One of the primary issues Regina transit users face is the infrequency of bus routes. Tina Millar, who is the Workers with Disabilities representative at the Regina District Labour Council (RDLC), commented on the state of transit by stating, “to be honest, on behalf of people with disabilities, in my area of Regina, there is no bus between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. I’ve contacted them numerous times about it and all they gave me was [that the lack of busses is] because of low ridership. I am a person with a disability that needs transit in the winter.” This is the cyclical argument of Regina transit, where the city says it won’t increase funding or run more routes because of a lack of ridership, but people won’t ride the bus because underfunding and infrequent service makes it too inconvenient. And people like Millar, who have to ride the bus, suffer the consequences. Another addition to the transit system Tina believes to be essential is more paratransit busses. She added that urb cuts, where the sidewalk slopes down to the street, need to be much more abundant, so wheelchairs can access all sidewalks. Millar said the most important issue with transit is affordability. She told the Carillon, “When I first started working for Safeway here in Regina, it was really pricey for me because I had next to no hours […] And this was back in 2009 when I first started, so 12 years ago. Now that I’ve been there long enough, now I can afford it.” Millar said that she believes transit should be free.
august, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon | 6
news
Transphobia baked into policy at Canadian Blood Services
Trans donors report degrading experiences sara birrell news editor Content warning: This story contains descriptions of transphobia that may be upsetting to readers. For many people, donating blood for the first time is a rite of passage. It’s a way of contributing to the community and supporting the health of others that takes very little time and costs nothing. But for queer people, dealing with Canadian Blood Services can be fraught. A major point of contention is obviously the ban on “men who have sex with men,” a relic of the days when it was falsely believed that only gay men could contract and transmit AIDS. But what’s largely missing from the conversation about Canadian Blood Services are the experiences of trans people, some of whom say their experiences with the organization have been cruel and degrading. “My experiences with CBS are dysphoria-inducing and hurtful,” said Lee, a transgender man who asked that his real name not be used. “Years of coming out, taking hormones, and going through changes means nothing. Having a name, pronouns, and identity rooted in who I truly am means nothing. All that CBS cares about is what my genitals look like. Until I change that, I won’t be seen or treated for who I really am.” Lee said that the first time he donated blood, earlier this year, when he provided his name and gender identity, he was treated as though he had been “caught” doing something wrong. “I was scolded for not telling them that I’m trans right away.” Lee said he was repeatedly deadnamed, asked about his plans for gender confirmation surgery, and told “you can’t be that gender here.” He added that, “I felt like I was being treated like a bad person for trying to donate blood.” His experience isn’t unique.
Harvey Gibson, a transgender man who has been donating blood for years, said “things started getting weird [with CBS] once I started pursuing my legal and medical transition.” He said that changing his name at CBS, even after it had been legally changed with the government, was an ordeal that took four or five months. “I had to tweet at them to get them to respond to me,” he said. And prior to having his name changed, he had to see his deadname displayed publicly in the waiting area of the clinic. “They had the names up on a big flat screen TV in their main area, which, besides me being transgender, was just a really sketchy
tity so many times.” It raises the number of dysphoria-inducing experiences that someone has to pass through before they can donate. Sippola added that they recently donated at the Queen City for All ally donor clinic during Pride Month, where they were repeatedly misgendered. “I felt awkward there.” While CBS is attempting to make progress on the issue of name changes, Gibson’s story shows how the blood ban reveals the organization’s fixation on genitalia. Even though Gibson is gay, “on paper, technically, according to them, I’m not a man who has sex with men. On paper, to them, I’m still considered a woman.”
women are considered men who have sex with men simply because they have penises, that’s a violent misgendering of people who might otherwise want to donate blood. Why would anyone put themselves through emotional turmoil?” For their part, CBS admits “our eligibility criteria for trans donors is far from ideal.” Lewis said there are two problems that occur for trans, non-binary, and gender nonconforming people who attempt to donate. “The first is the limitations of our eligibility criteria. The second is in terms of staff interactions.” Lewis said that CBS is required to screen for gender assigned at birth in or-
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Years of coming out, taking hormones, and going through changes means nothing. Having a name, pronouns, and identity rooted in who I truly am means nothing. All that CBS cares about is what my genitals look like – Lee
thing. You had your first and last name on display.” Catherine Lewis, a representative from CBS said that they’ve updated their system to make name changes easier. Brit Sippola, a non-binary person who recently donated at the Broad Street Clinic, said it took them 30 minutes for their name change to go through a couple months ago, and at one point, the woman processing the change said, “you know, I’m not even sure if this is possible,” although eventually the change was made successfully. They also find the big screen with full legal names on display to be an uncomfortable experience. “If you’re closeted or before your legal name change it would be a really shitty experience because they have to confirm your iden-
So, although Gibson has stopped donating for medical reasons, if he wanted, he could walk into CBS tomorrow and donate blood, something that sexually active cis gay men and transgender women who have sex with men are barred from doing. CBS told Gibson that although his gender has been changed legally, they can’t change his gender marker in their system until after he has bottom surgery. Gibson said that although he thinks donating blood is important, he can see why the experience of dealing with CBS might discourage trans people from doing so. “It was dehumanizing and shitty and it didn’t make me feel like what I was doing was worthwhile even though logically, it is,” he said. “When you talk about the flip side, transgender
der to prevent an extremely rare but life-threatening complication called transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). It’s more likely to occur when recipients receive plasma from a donor who has had at least one pregnancy, due to the presence of certain antibodies in the blood (it’s unclear why CBS can’t simply screen for donors who have been pregnant). The screening process is also intended to protect the hemoglobin levels of donors, which differ by sex (rapid tests for hemoglobin exist and again, it’s unclear why hemoglobin testing, rather than invasive questioning, cannot be part of the intake process for donors). Lewis added that CBS intends to apply to health Canada to remove the three-month waiting period for men who have sex
with men by the end of this year, which CBS hopes will allow more trans and non-binary people to become donors. Lewis also said that CBS “expect our staff not to misgender donors and for all donors to be treated with respect and sensitivity” although she added that they are aware that “there have been times when this has not happened.” She said that CBS takes donor complaints very seriously and “we often have the donor centre manager reach out to apologize” when this is not the case. However, Gibson said that when he reported his treatment at the clinic on Broad Street in Regina, he reached out to offer them guidance on how to build better trans-inclusive policies into their organization, but they rejected his offer and the experience of making the complaint was so unpleasant that the next time he experienced transphobia at CBS - when the clinician taking his blood misgendered him, and then after he corrected her, “pestered” him with questions about his gender identity and genitalia - he didn’t bother to make a complaint. “It took me a year before I felt okay enough to go back.” Lee said that while his experiences with CBS have challenged his decision to be a donor, “there are wonderful staff at the facility who recognize the flaws in the system” and he’s grateful for them. He added that “While some staff may benefit from trans-inclusive education, the real issue here is the system and policies they’re working in.” At the end of the day, it’s a problem with the healthcare system as a whole. “In both systems, there are cis people making decisions for trans people without inviting us to the table,” he said. “It’s sad to see that trans people can’t be treated like every other human that walks in these places.”
Daniel Sone via Unsplash
arts & culture
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editor: hannah eiserman arts@carillonregina.com the carillon | august, 2021
The return of Regina’s Vintage Market Upcoming August Vintage Market promises great finds and variety
hammad ali staff writer Until 2019, the last time Regina had had an antique market was in 2013. Susan Birley and Susie Hilton had a dream of creating a new one and began working on it when introduced by a mutual friend. Birley owns the online store Cathedral Drygoods Antique and Vintage, and Hilton owns the antique store Grace and Thyme. Together, they organized a successful antique market: the Queen City Vintage Market. After a pandemic-induced hiatus in 2020, the market returns this summer, and I got in touch with the organizers to learn more. When asked, they said that they were really happy about the results of the 2019 market. Birley and Hilton noted that they “had over 2000 buyers and vendors from throughout Saskatchewan as well as from Manitoba.” Additionally, they noted that “[a] number of the vendors had been part of the original vintage markets that ended in 2013.” This year, The Queen City Vintage Market will be held indoors Friday, August 6 from noon to 8 p.m., and Saturday, August 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Caledonia Curling Club. The organizers are hoping for around 30 vendors to help ensure adequate social distancing. They are aiming to select a good variety of vendors to ensure a balance be-
Susan Birley and Susie Hilton
An assortment of various fun (or creepy, depends on your take) knickknacks on a shelf.
tween different types of antiques, vintage items, and collectibles. Visitors can expect to find a variety of unique items, ranging from mid-century modern housewares, decor, furniture; vintage clothing, jewellery, and accessories; antique furniture, china, glassware, clocks, radios, books, toys, and decorative items; primitive, rustic items such as farm equipment, lamps, and tools; and items that have been re-purposed such as revitalized jewellery or re-painted furniture. While there are no public health measures currently in place in Regina, the organizers plan on
being mindful of the safety of everyone involved. Hand sanitizers will be provided, and they plan on encouraging the use of face masks and social distancing; however, masks will not be mandatory. When asked about the challenges of organizing one of the first of such events so soon after easing of the pandemic health and safety measures, Birley and Hilton said, “We had reserved the Caledonia Club for our next market, which was planned for spring of 2020 and had started advertising, then we kept having to postpone it. We tentatively set several previous dates – the last cancellation
was this spring. When we set the date for August 6 and 7, we were hoping that all COVID restrictions would be lifted by then and everything would be fine. Now we just have to trust that the public who love vintage and antiques will come out to support us.” I was also able to get in touch with two vendors that will be in attendance, including Kali Martin from Atomic Age Vintage in Winnipeg, Manitoba, a company that specializes in mid-century housewares. They mentioned that their experience at the last Regina vintage market was fantastic and well worth the drive
from Winnipeg. They expressed that the opportunity to come out to an event like this after a while will be a wonderful experience for shoppers. They are currently busy taking inventory of what they have to offer at the market. “I think during the lockdowns people had a chance to think about what they really want to surround themselves with,” Martin added. “Buying vintage/antiques is also really environment[ally]-friendly, and also a great way to support small independent businesses, which is now more important than ever.” Wayne Jackson from La Petite Brocante , located right here in Regina, also spoke to me about their involvement in the market. The store specializes in French Country Vintage and antique décor – many of their items being sourced from Europe. Jackson is also looking forward to exposing Regina’s vintage shoppers to the market and is very excited about this year’s event. Organizers are working hard to promote the event through social media, print and broadcast media. More information, including daily updates on vendors that will be in attendance, can be found on their Facebook page Queen City Vintage Market, and on Instagram at @queencityvintagemarket, so that visitors can know what they can expect to find.
Celebrations in the Gujarati community Regina’s Gujarati community come together for their first festival post-pandemic
sonali currie contributor
It’s no secret that India is a diverse country with multiple cultures, religious faiths, and a variety of regional languages. Gujarat is one of these states, located on the western coast of India, and people native to it are referred to as Gujaratis. Since many Gujaratis have migrated across the globe, like the citizens of many other communities in India, Saskatchewan also has its fair share of Gujaratis residing here – so many, in fact, that they actually have their own organization called the Gujarati Samaj of Saskatchewan Inc., (the word “samaj” denoting society.) The non-profit organization was established in 1974 and its membership has grown over the years. With the beautiful summer weather outside and easing of COVID restrictions, the Gujarati Samaj of Saskatchewan has begun its events for the ongoing year. The first one was held last week on July 24. The event, called Garba-Ras, took place at Wascana Park in front of the Saskatchewan Legislative Building.
In pre-pandemic times, this event was a regular indoor gathering and usually took place in October. Each year, Gujarati’s celebrate the festival of Navratri, meaning nine nights – and so, of course, the festivities take place over nine days and nights. People wear colorful traditional clothes and dance in the streets or at the party plots. With the pandemic raging on, and many restrictions being in place, last year’s festival was postponed. When Public Health lifted the COVID restrictions in the province, the organization decided to put on the event mid-year so that members could get a chance to celebrate the festival they had been sorely missing with their friends and family. It was an open-air event with no fees for participation. Over a thousand people attended, with participants wearing their traditional (and quite colourful) clothes. The event ran from 3:00 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. Attendees engaged in a particular form of cultural dance called “garba.” The dance routine is mainly performed in groups, where the members form a circle and move around in a specific rhythm,
coupled with hand gestures that support the forward and backward movements. If you’re new to this dance form, chances are you will get a grasp of it as you join the circle. The movements are free-flowing and in-sync with the different traditional songs or music. Depending on the chosen music, the pace of the dance can either slow down or turn up-beat. The dancing was made even more resplendent by the energy and enthusiasm of the participants, and DJ Vaibhav Thakkar artfully maneuvering the music console.
Food is a major part of any community event, and this gathering was no exception. To beat the heat, participants were asked to carry drinking water bottles with them, which were able to be filled with provided water. Food from two popular Regina eateries, India Palace Restaurant and Northgate Bakery, were available at the venue, so that attendees were able to purchase traditional food and drinks. It’s worth noting, however, that no alcohol was served at the event. Shivangi Jani, who attended the event said, “Organizing such
events provides an opportunity to meet people from your community and give a sense of belonging to your roots. Even though I have been away from Gujarat for quite some time, I felt Gujarat was around me. After more than a year of the pandemic, this event is a source of refreshment and relaxation”. The Gujarati Samaj of Saskatchewan will be back later this year with the actual Navratri celebration at Evraz Place in October, subject to any residual public health guidelines.
Sonali Currie
Can’t you just feel the music from here?
august, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
arts & culture
8
Regina writer shortlisted for prestigious prize Local writer Iryn Tushabe honoured in an intimate gathering at The Penny University
hannah eiserman arts editor On the evening of July 16, the beginning of the second heat wave of the month, a few of us gather at The Penny University for an intimate reading by AKO Caine Prize shortlist nominee Iryn Tushabe. The AKO Caine Prize for African Writing is awarded to an African writer of a short story published in English, with the “aim to bring writing to a wider audience using [the] national literary award.” Tushabe, a graduate of the University of Regina, has been published in local publications Grain and Briarpatch Magazines for short fiction and creative non-fiction, anthologized in Journey Prize Stories 30, and has won the City of Regina Award in 2020 for her upcoming debut novel, tentatively titled Everything is Fine Here. Tushabe reads us an excerpt from her story “A Separation,” published in EXILE Quarterly, from a stool tucked in the corner of the shop. She is framed by a colourful display of other local author’s books, a vibrant purple door, just like the one in her story, and a clock that reads, “So many books, So little time!” The reading, and following conversation with fellow Regina writer Trevor Herriot, were also livestreamed to Facebook due to limited space for the event. Herriot, whose fifth book, Towards a Prairie Atonement, was released in 2016 from The University of Regina Press, worked with Tushabe on her earlier drafts of the story as Writer in Residence at the Regina Public Library. He says that in that position, “you look for those diamonds in the rough, the ones who are really a pleasure to work with,” and that Tushabe certainly is of that sort. Their ensuing conversation unravelled with the cozy familiarity of mentor and mentee.
Hannah Esierman
Did you think I was going to tell you what she was saying? You’ll have to read the story for yourself!
Tushabe’s story was written in 2018, and she notes that the award nomination has allowed her to “rediscover the story.” She is excited “to have it exposed Ugandan audiences,” as she feels primarily recognized as a Canadian writer. “The Ugandan literary community doesn’t know anything about me,” she says with a laugh, “so it’s been wonderful to make that connection.” “There’s a lot of Harriet in me,” Tushabe says of her main character, who is skeptical and pragmatic, but emphasizes the importance and contrast of the grandmother character, who is very spiritual. She notes that “since becoming a writer, [she has learned that] you can’t always be super confident about what you know. Because a world that has
to life. “Fiction can lend itself so easily and fully to truth telling in a way that non-fiction limits sometimes. So that the moment I started fictionalizing it, it became way more personal,” she says. She acknowledges the inherent contradiction present in that statement – that somehow, something could be “more personal when fictionalized,” but as she said earlier, literature without contradiction isn’t very good literature. From what Tushabe says, the spiritual tension of the story seems to resemble that of Uganda. The deity she features in her story, Nyabingi, which “directly translated into [her] language means ‘Goddess of Plenty’ or ‘abundance,’” also features prominently in many stories in Ugandan oral tradition.
country now, some people still follow [Nyabingi].” On the character of Ganesh, a man from India who helps Harriet home when she gets lost in a storm, she says she “didn’t know until the moment of knocking on the purple door who would open it,” but it made sense. As an immigrant herself, she says that the connection is always there when you meet someone else who is. “You may not talk to them, or may just nod in their direction, but there’s this sense that perhaps this person knows what it’s like to leave a whole way of life behind.” Here, the story once again emphasizes that even in these harsh separations, closeness can be found. On her process, Tushabe says that she gets a sense of a charac-
“
You can’t always be super confident about what you know. Because a world that has no contradictions, that has no doubts… that’s not very believable in literature. The tension you have [in your work] comes from that. – Iryn Tushabe
no contradictions, that has no doubts… that’s not very believable in literature. The tension you have [in your work] comes from that.” Harriet’s grief comes from a very personal place, in that Tushabe’s grandmother also passed away while she was studying at the University here, and she was unable to go home for the funeral. It started as a creative non-fiction piece, but she was unable to separate it from her own grief. Fictionalizing it created distance that helped bring the piece
She tells us that growing up in rural Uganda, a place “where there is no television, no electricity,” her family would tell each other stories. “We would have heard these stories from my dad, who heard it from his dad. The stories are fluid,” Tushabe says. “They mutate over time, [and] people embellish,” except, that “after colonialism, when missionaries come into the country,” such deities were deemed “savage,” and their stories washed over – but not completely. She notes that though “Uganda is a largely Christian
ter first, who they are and she “sits with them for a while, doesn’t start writing right away […] the character directs [her] where the story wants to go.” Then, she touches her temple and smiles humbly, in a way that indicates she is about reveal an important trade secret. “I’m going to say something that’s absolutely bizarre, and people may roll their eyes at,” she says animatedly. “I think that the early draft of a thing is the story teaching you how to tell it… kind of checking to ensure that you’re the sort of person who can tell this
story, [and] it teaches you how to tell it […] if you’re open enough, and not rushing.” She speaks a bit about what we can expect from her debut novel, tentatively titled Everything is Fine Here. The novel follows a young woman, and “focuses on the moment she decides to step outside of her Christian upbringing and cultural upbringing to stand in solidarity with her much older sister who is gay. I don’t know if you know,” she tells us, “But it’s illegal really, to be gay in Uganda.” She notes the novel is set in Uganda, but the main character has been to school in Canada and “is more confident about being more open and this causes issues in the family.” The question on everyone’s mind, of course, is how to make the perfect lemongrass tea – an essential element of her story. When asked, Tushabe lights up, and is excited to tell us that the lemongrass we get here is different. The secret, of course, is to get some from her, which she really does pack in a Ziploc bag and bring from Uganda. On July 26 at 10 a.m. Regina time, the AKO Caine Prize was given through a virtual Award Ceremony to Meron Hadero for her story “The Street Sweep,” originally published in ZYZZYVA. Hadero is from Ethiopia and has studied and published work in the United States. She is the first Ethiopian writer to win the prize since its inception in 2000. The shortlist included great works by five talented writers from a variety of nationalities who reside in countries all over the world, and I think I speak for all of Regina when I say we are honoured and proud for Iryn Tushabe to have been among them – and that we can’t wait to see what she does next.
august, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
arts & culture
9
The intersection of art and place
Student artist Jorah Bright chats about how the university has enhanced their work
shae sackman tech editor Art is tied to the places where it’s made. Second year education student and digital artist Jorah Bright offers a few thoughts on their experience as an artist at the University of Regina. Chatting online, Bright started by saying that “being an artist in Regina and at the U of R means I have incredible friends who love and support my art. I imagine that if I was in a bigger school or a bigger city I would’ve struggled more to find that friend group because I’m such an introvert.” The physical space of Saskatchewan and the areas and buildings at the University of Regina offer inspiration, places, and people that are unique to it and won’t be found elsewhere. With the ability to look out over the vast expanses and enjoy the prairies, Bright creates her work. “When I lived at residence last semester, my desk was right next to a window so I could look out and see the sunset as I worked.” The coming together of all different types of people here in Regina offers endless supplies of inspiration. Since Regina is one of the few major urban centres in the province, students coming from rural areas get to connect with other students of many different ethnicities and nationalities. This blending of cultures makes the Universi-
ty experience here truly unique. As an artist specializing in character illustration, Bright comments on the importance of the people in the place she inhabits. “I find that my friends at the U of R frequently influence my work. Sometimes I’ll draw characters that my friends have come up with, and I take inspiration from their ideas of that character.” Due to the structure of some of the University of Regina’s programs, students can take advantage of classes that will help to stretch their creativity and how they approach art. “The U of R is a great place for artists because even though I’m not an Art major, I can still take art classes,” Bright explains. “In the summer of 2020, I took Art 220, and it shaped who I was as an artist and how I look at my references.” Even in an online space facilitated by a class, the places in which art is being created impact the work and the artist. On their own experience of this combination of place and art, Bright explained that “the other artists I met through that class were incredibly passionate about their work and that in itself is a huge inspiration.” When turning to what might be missing from this place for artists who live and work here, Bright mentions “I wish there was more recognition for artists at the U of R.” Pivoting to online due to the pandemic has limited access to
physical spaces, changed opportunities for learning and trying new things, and impacted connecting with others. But these changes also provide opportunities. When asked what she thought about what might be missing for artists in this place, the answer was obvious: “looking through [the U of R] website and their social media, I found almost nothing about artists that go to or went to the U of R and their work. I wish there was a way for artists to interact and meet each other.” This kind of support and the connection it could provide would make the places where artists create and engage in their work even more important. A hobby can turn into a life pursuit in the right place, according to Bright. “I began pursuing art as a hobby in 2019, while I was in high school, as a coping mechanism for my panic attacks. I took a long detour through lettering before I found that character design was my passion.” “I’ve improved greatly since then,” Bright notes, “and even my work from the beginning of this year looks like it was made by a completely different person. I’m proud of the progress I’ve made and very grateful for the people who have helped me along the way.” For Bright, her work and the place she lives are absolutely intertwined – “I find inspiration from people in certain places. I think the two go together.”
Jorah Bright
Someone wearing a hat that doesn’t have a Roughrider Logo on it, for once.
Slate’s Summer Rhubarb exhibit showcases local talents
Summer Rhubarb is always a real treat
hannah eiserman arts editor
Despite living and working on 13th Avenue for three years, I had not stopped into Slate Art Gallery until last week. As I wait at the Elphinstone lights on my way to work, school, or even to get groceries, I look at it wistfully and plan for a future date when I’ll have time to visit. When I saw the billboard change to feature the Summer Rhubarb exhibit, running July 15 to August 28, I knew the time had come! Gallery owner Gina Fafard greeted me at the door and was very happy to answer the questions I had for her. She let me know that the “walk-in traffic has been excellent,” and the annual show has been very well attended. Visitors have been particularly taken with the works of Katherine Boyer, a “Metis/Settler ” artist who holds a BFA from our own University of Regina and
an MFA from the University of Manitoba, and David Thauberger, who “has become internationally known for his paintings of the vernacular architecture and cultural icons of Saskatchewan.” Fafard also notes that of Thauberger’s paintings, his depiction of Saskatoon’s premiere haunted hotel The Bessborough has been the biggest hit. Fafard also pointed me towards the work of first-time exhibitors Simon Hughes and Laura Payne. Hughes’ mix-media collages in brilliant blues are quite eye catching, but I was particularly drawn to Payne’s various works entitled “Interpolation,” undoubtably named after a theory by Louis Althusser that describes how various ideologies “hail” you – or, put simply, draw you into them without you realizing. These pieces certainly succeed at “interpolating” the onlooker: I could have spent a long time being taken in circles, eyes drawn around and around the panels.
I was fascinated by every piece Fafard has curated, but a few will be firmly planted in my memory indefinitely. Planted, I say literally, of works such as those by Gabriela Garcia-Luna, who seems to have created her displayed pieces from the pigments of pressed flowers, and Michael Hosaluk’s “Garden Screen,” a fascinating sculpture with stunning, yet slightly vicious vines that seem to have tongues. There are plenty of landscape or nature-focused pieces, such as the work of Heather Cline and Greg Allen, who were the artists behind two of my favourite pieces. Cline’s work “Skyhawk Through the Clouds” proudly displays the patchwork quilt of Saskatchewan farmland, as seen from a birds-eye view. It is smartly placed facing the front window, the large piece inviting passersby to come admire it. Allen’s “On the Way to Beaver Bay” is also spectacular – the texture of moss on the rocks so realistic you want to reach out and touch it (but
please don’t touch the artwork!) There are many other more experimental artworks that are equally as beautiful and diverting. Thom McInnis’ work that almost resembles a mobile, featuring hanging pieces of stainless steel and drawn three-dimensional boxes, entitled “Dichotomy” certainly possesses sides that are contradictory. Marc Courtemanche’s hammers, handles painted with floral designs, are a wonderful blend of the masculine and feminine. Marsha Kennedy’s works, one depicting a doll wedged between two dead birds, another a dead bird in a teacup, playfully named “Window Struck,” profoundly mixes the delicate and the morbid. Pieces by Gina Fafard’s late father, Joe Fafard, are placed lovingly around the gallery. Growing up with horses, I greatly admire his sculptures. Fafard was able to imbue such life and spirit into his creations, and certainly deserves the world-renowned status he
and they have achieved. Summer Rhubarb features a two-dimensional coated steel sculpture of a draft horse, a running dog in a similar style, and other bronze sculptures. As I’m leaving, Gina Fafard lets me know that the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery is doing a 50/50 raffle fundraiser, to support their gallery which includes many fine works, such as her father’s sculpture “Peggy,” a “7 foot, 700 pound bronze” filly. The pandemic has been an incredibly hard time for artists of all kinds, so it’s important to support our local galleries and artists now more than ever. Slate is a commercial gallery and is free to enter to view the pieces for sale. There is also an online tour available on their website if you want to visit, but still aren’t quite comfortable venturing outside yet. If you do visit, you should know that masks are currently still mandatory inside the gallery.
Hannah Eiserman
You thought you were going to get to see the art here? Go to the gallery yourself, silly.
august, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
arts & culture
10
Film Feature: “Brotherhood”
Local film director’s movie based on a true story featured at Rainbow Cinema
holly funk editor-in-chief A recent addition to the feature list at Studio 7 in Regina’s Rainbow Cinema is Brotherhood, the story of a little-known Ontario tragedy that occurred nearly a century ago in 1926 on Balsam Lake. A group of boys from the Brotherhood of St. Andrew were on a leadership retreat with their counsellors – two veterans from WWI – and headed out in a war canoe right in time for an astounding and unexpected storm. In the event the film is based on, 13 boys and the two counsellors were caught in the storm while only four made it back to camp. Film writer, director, and producer, Richard Bell, changed some slight details in the story to better deliver his desired message. In the film, only 11 boys left with the counsellors across the lake, but the number of survivors remains the same. In an interview for Hollywood North Magazine (HNM), Bell said “you get to a point where you amalgamate characters. This is a story about boyhood and masculinity, so it was important to me to create certain male archetypes. We have the rebel, we have the brain, we have the wimp, and we have the kid brother and the big brother. We were able to explore the idea of masculinity through the prism of all these different male archetypes. I wrote the characters but the actors brought them to life.” In the same interview, Bell recounts reading about the 80year anniversary of this tragedy
Holly Funk
We can’t give away any movie stills! Just count this as a special sneak-peek.
in Toronto in 2006 and thinking it would make a great film, but he couldn’t remember the name of the lake and had to look through old microfiches in libraries to find enough information to build this story. The event had received international coverage in ‘26 when it occurred, leaving plenty of details for Bell to scaffold together in his gradual presentation of fact and imagination. With the exception of Brendan Fletcher (Arthur Lambden) and Brendan Fehr (Robert
water – for an entire night. While viewers may assume the filming was all done in the lake at night, filming most of the in-water shots occurred in a studio’s giant water tank and were touched up so beautifully by visual effects that even sitting in the back of the theatre, it felt like I had a front row seat to the real thing. According to Bell and Fletcher all the boys were incredibly dedicated throughout the filming process, pulling off 12-hour days – with up to 10 of those hours in
area beforehand and developed their backstories by having them bond as a group. He personalized the process by having the boys journal as if they were the characters they played, which aided in the boys’ understanding of their character’s experience. None of the characters present are shown to have had it easy in life. With Bell’s non-chronological presentation of the tale, the audience slowly builds up an impression of a character only to be reminded suddenly of that char-
“
To stoke that passion the actors exhibited, Bell got them together for a retreat in the filming area beforehand and developed their backstories by having them bond as a group. – Holly Funk
Butcher) from Vancouver who play the two counsellors, all actors were from Ontario. Shooting took place there, on the land of the Michipicoten First Nation by Lake Superior, and a smudging ceremony was done by Chief Patricia Tangie with the cast and crew before filming began. While much of the film occurs safely on land in the camp, there is also thorough coverage of what Bell imagines it would’ve been like to have been in the canoe – and then the freezing cold lake, clinging to the canoe or treading
the giant water tank - without fuss or fight. Bell mentioned in his interview with HNM that “[t]here were also times when the younger guys had asked for colder water in order to feel the realism,” showcasing their dedication to the project and the level of personal investment necessary to do this story justice, “but because of union policy and our own responsibility for their personal safety, we kept it warm.” To stoke that passion the actors exhibited, Bell got them together for a retreat in the filming
acter’s humanity. The slow reveal of the true character in George Waller (Jake Manley), or “the rebel” that Bell mentions, is reminiscent of a trauma-informed approach to viewing the reactions and coping strategies others have. Early in the film, we get a gauge for how short Waller’s fuse is when he pulls a knife just two hits into a fight, and his nonchalant disrespect for authority is displayed when he farts to interrupt a counsellor’s story. As a person he’s reactive, not fully in control of his actions and clearly being
run by his emotions, but as we get further into the plot, we learn he is living in a home where he is abused. It makes sense for someone who’s treated poorly anyway to act poorly – they have nothing to lose by acting poorly, as they’re already experiencing what they view to be the consequences. Waller also had visible rage reactions to mistakes made by himself or others, which can be a cue that someone wasn’t safely allowed to make mistakes while growing up. If a person’s caregivers don’t show compassion when an individual makes a mistake, it makes sense that it would be difficult for them to show it to others – or themselves - which is recurrent plot point between characters. Other past traumas addressed include a boy whose dad had drowned, several whose fathers had died in WWI, and Lambden who lost both his wife and son to a pandemic. Bell ensures throughout the film that the storyline, while slow-moving at first, is essential in all its parts by the time the credits role on the final scene. While the jumps in time can be difficult to catch onto if unexpected, they build up the audience’s understanding of the character so that the prejudice brought up is washed back with compassion and understanding as the character’s full story – and the reasons for their style of reaction – come to light.
sports
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editor: vacant sports@carillonregina.com the carillon | august, 2021
BTS with Mosaic Stadium’s game day commander Rod Buckingham’s team works tirelessly to serve and protect on game day
brad fraser sports editor Many ardent fans will be looking to cheer on Cody Fajardo as he commands the offence on August 6, but there is an equally important Game Day Commander at Mosaic Stadium that few know about. Sitting across from Rod Buckingham, a sense of calm radiates through his stories and experience from behind the scenes at Mosaic Stadium and across the CFL. The product of Shellbrook, Saskatchewan has spent decades serving his community – first, as part of the Emergency Response Team with the RCMP, then roles with the Regina Police, and now as the Security Director of the Canadian Football League. While security is a job that many only appreciate when made necessary, Rod and his team, employed both by the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the CFL, work tirelessly preparing for every conceivable hazard and possibility. This preparation was evident as Rod reflected on meeting with over sixty people, each contributing to the safety of people in and around Mosaic Stadium for the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ season. “We have so much talent in Regina […] in Saskatchewan […] and across the country for the league. A lot of people doing very important work.” When asked over email, Kent Paul, CFO of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, had this to say about Rod and his team: “We want to ensure everyone can have an enjoyable experience and return home safely. Rod’s team that he compiles has this same objec-
Brad Fraser
Director of Security for the CFL still more comfortable wearing green and white.
tive and it truly takes a team of committed safety professionals with a common goal to keep a small city safe on game days.” On game day, this team is led by a unified command system that is filled with numerous leaders all with a common goal: getting people home safe. This comes together as a police crowd control lead, the fire assistant chief, a transit superintendent to dispatch the up to 60 buses per game, an EMS superintendent dispatching paramedics on the field and in the first aid sta-
How big a storm is and ensuring staff and fans aren’t stuck at the gates in limbo of shelter is a key hazard monitored and mitigated each game. Four shelters in place at the Stadium in 2019 took place, two even before the crowd showed up. Rod’s standard is simple. “The barometer if people feel safe is if they bring their children to the game.” Preparing for every conceivable hazard is something Rod has worked collaboratively with others for his entire career. He
down to earth, nice person willing to give you the shirt off his back! … Over the last eight years with the Club, Rod and his leadership team has elevated the fan safety and provided a ‘world class’ security model […] The Riders see everyone in the stadium as a fan regardless of who you are cheering for. We want the visiting team fans to have the same safe experience as Rider Nation.” Illustrating this commitment to visiting team fans, Rod described a unique strategy they use: “We have undercover people
“
You must have a protective instinct. You protect people no matter if it is 1 person or 60,000. – Rod Buckingham
tions, a security lead, database coordinator, Evraz front and backof-house staff, a video surveillance team responding to incidents and auditing the gates where front line staff, supervisors and compliance staff work to usher fans in safely and to direct a specialized response team, and a meteorologist round out the command centre. Meteorologists don’t just dictate whether offensive co-ordinator Jason Maas opts for an increased ground game - Rod and his team are monitoring the weather for numerous risks. Lightning represents a tremendous danger and people must be out of where the storm can touch.
counts himself lucky to have worked with so many great people. Rod trained with the Los Angeles S.W.A.T. while working for the Regina Police service as a Hostage Negotiator and now participates in NFL Security meetings while sitting on the United Nations Task Force for Counter-Terrorism and major Sporting Events. “The NFL has been tremendously helpful. There have been 95 standards and best practices across the league… to make it safer to go in. We want people to come have fun and be safe.” Kent had this to say when looking back on his experience working with Rod, “Rod is a
wearing the visiting team’s jerseys. We do that to make sure the visiting team people are treated well.” When asked about milestone events that stick out, Rod reflected on his experience doing an inspection during military appreciation night in Edmonton. “A guy had an ISIS flag on his front seat, ran over the police officer, and it continued to be a dangerous situation through the night. It was probably a bit of a near miss with crowds and thankfully he didn’t get in there. The officer survived and everything was reasonably okay.” The stakes are always very
high in protective roles, and Rod has lost two police officer friends who were killed in the line of duty. By and large, everyone Rod knows does everything they can to protect people, including putting their own life on the line. When asked about what he looks for in his team he speaks to that basic tenant: you must have a protective instinct. You protect people, no matter if it is one person or 60,000. Rod wants this protective instinct to continue to grow with each generation. In honour of his mother, Rod created the Alice Patricia Buckingham Award at W.P. Sandin Public High School. The school selects two grade 11 students that demonstrate compassion and protect their students and visitors to the school. Two scholarship award winners will be brought into the command center for the Labour Day game and align them with areas across public safety such as the RCMP training academy and the Regina Police Service. “We want the grade eleven students to go back and influence their peers with this experience. To continue to model these values.” Each of the game’s quarterbacks would be the first to admit that no Game Day Commander can be successful without an unsung offensive line. Now, every fan, win or lose, when the clock shows 00:00, can find comfort in knowing that Rod and his team don’t celebrate a victory until the entire stadium is empty. A protective instinct at left tackle for each fan’s blindside.
august, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon | 12
sports
Resilience through hardship models coping techniques
Does external stimuli help or harm high performance athletes
brad fraser sports editor Injuries in sports are an unavoidable fact of life. When training camp opened for the Saskatchewan Roughriders on July 10, no one could have anticipated four season-ending achilles tears in one day. When competitive gymnastics fans worldwide were anticipating watching Simone Biles compete across numerous events, the world’s collective jaw dropped when they learned of her decision to opt-out of the remainder of her events. After COVID-19 caused a year-long delay to the Olympics and forced the CFL to cancel their 2020 season, it is clear that 2021 will look very different for many athletes. I spoke to Rob McCaffrey from the University of Regina to get a better glimpse into how
Pixabay
Just like this word’s point count, things really do get better.
athletes process their own mental resilience. Rob manages and facilitates the Mental Wellness Hub, an online resource for staff and students to manage their mental health both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. He is also a Mental Trainer and is the new Co-Head Women’s Soccer Coach (interim). Rob is currently working to complete his PhD and does research work using a device called the neurotracker. “We wanted to look at external stimuli to assess level of performance with noise stimuli. The hypothesis was that participants would be challenged by the dual task of performing, while also filtering out external stimuli. In fact, the athletes in the quiet room actually performed worse.” This has undoubtedly had an effect on
many athletes. We’ve seen multiple athletes surpass their anticipated outcomes, and others falter well below their usual competitive level. “Athletes are intrinsically motivated but they are also doing it for their country and the fans in the stadium. The current environment has removed a lot of those external stimuli and motivation… The Olympics has sports with completely different options for managing stimuli. In a skateboarding environment everyone has their headphones in. Whereas the swimmers are completely locked in and remove their headphones.” Rob himself is no stranger to injury having experienced both concussions and other in-
juries requiring surgery. “We did a study at Wisconsin on athletes who have torn their ACL and had them do different mental training techniques during the injury. What was shown was that the athletes that implemented a mental performance strategy were more likely to return to play much faster. Athletes were often doing mental rehearsal, such as a quarterback taking the mental reps and keeping their brain in the same situation. Training with the same cognitive load as if they weren’t injured.” For many of us, a return to work or school after COVID-19 lockdowns will be similarly challenging. In fact, from Rob’s perspective, “It’s going to be harder to go back to ‘normal.’ Night
and day. There has been very little time to transition for public safety.” This can create anxiety. Learning to build up the cognitive load of external stimuli and building resilience to certain unknowns is a key part of helping people develop grit and resilience. The University of Regina received a Bell Let’s Talk grant for $25,000 to continue to help students and faculty with their mental health. The “Mindful Mondays” archived recordings and participating in the “Surviving to Thriving: Developing Personal and Academic Resilience” courses are some of the many opportunities available to exercise your mental health and wellbeing through the Mental Wellness Hub.
Updated Sask Sports Hall of Fame worth the visit From interactive exhibits to rich university and professional sports history, this local gem delights
brad fraser sports editor
A visit to the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame is a must for any sports fan. The accessible building located on 2205 Victoria Avenue houses a recently renovated set of exhibits showcasing Saskatchewan sports. Numerous renovations have been completed during the pandemic shutdown with updated accessible washrooms and a renovated inductee exhibit highlighting the changes. Fewer entertainment options are as centrally located to busing, making for a great way to spend an hour or two in downtown Regina. This admission-by-donation attraction is a low-cost opportunity for students and the public alike to experience history as well as play fun games. For those not comfortable with in-person attractions, the hall of fame also has a multitude of online exhibits and archives available to review. As you enter the gallery, the award winning, “Prairie Pride: A History of Saskatchewan Football” exhibit provides a diverse history of the sport in Saskatchewan. From the transition of the Regina Rams into the Universi-
ty of Regina Rams program to the Western Women’s Canadian Football League’s Regina Riot, the depth of history beyond the Saskatchewan Roughriders is impressive. For the fanatical Rider fan, one can easily spend an hour reading and watching all the fantastic memories relived through the exhibit. From game worn equipment to the numerous trophies and videos, football fans will enjoy reliving some of Canada’s teams’ greatest memories. For those looking to test their own athletic abilities, there were numerous interactive exhibits to compare your skills to professional athletes. Mathew Gourlie, Communications Coordinator for the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame compiled a few measurements to grade yourself to: -Test your vertical to Cody Fajardo’s 32.5 inches (82.5 centimeters) -Attempt to best fellow Rider Nick Marshall’s broad jump of 10 feet 4 inches (3.15 metres) by jumping clear off the mat -Try your hand at a competitive grip strength to see if you can keep up to Morgan Rielly of the Western Hockey League’s Moose Jaw Warriors whose best score at
the 2012 NHL combine for righthand grip strength was 75.8 kilograms (167 pounds) For those looking for a virtual sport simulator, the hall also has a multiple sport option at the back of the building. Currently setup for soccer, and regularly available from sports from football to dodgeball, try your hand (or in this case, foot) at beating a virtual goalie as you kick the soccer ball during simulated penalty kicks. As you finish with the simulator, you will see the glass encased exhibit of the latest Sports Hall of Fame induction class. Look closely and you will see two names familiar to University of Regina sports. Chris Biegler, a prominent basketball player putting the Cougars onto the national basketball stage, and Colleen Sostorics, a three-time Olympic gold medalist who has served as assistant coach for the women’s hockey program since the 2013-14 season. Finally, the renovated inductee exhibit will astound as Saskatchewan’s sport history truly interweaves into all of Saskatchewan history. Visitors to the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame will not be disappointed!
Brad Fraser
Step, step, and turn in this 1960’s referee jacket.
august, 2021
sports
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
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Soccer co-head coaches at U of R on Maltman’s resignation Two brains acting as one body is the co-head coach approach this season
holly funk editor-in-chief Rob McCaffrey and Astrid Baecker have taken over as the University of Regina Women’s Soccer Program Co-Head Coaches (Interim) following the announcement that Bob Maltman, Head Coach for 14 years, has stepped down. In an interview with the Carillon via email, McCaffrey and Baecker wrote on memories with Maltman, how to foster academic success in student-athletes, and the direction they’ll be taking the team in this season. How long (or how many seasons) have you spent coaching with Bob Maltman? Baecker: “I spent a few seasons as Bob Maltman’s Assistant Coach with the U12 Sask Soccer South Program in the early ‘00s and joined Coach Maltman’s U of R Coaching Staff in 2016.” McCaffrey: “I joined the Cougar soccer program in the fall of 2013. I was initially appointed as the goalkeeping coach but was appointed assistant coach once Sebastian Harenberg (former assistant) left the program in 2015.” Maltman was kept on as head coach for 14 years and had a fairly successful run; are there any specific accomplishments or events you’ll remember him for in the future? Baecker: “As an alumna of the program it was a proud moment when the 2012 team defeated U of S in the post season to advance to the Canada West Final Four. It was also fantastic that he was named Canada West Coach of the Year that same season.” McCaffrey: “The true accomplishments come from the long-lasting relationships we have built with the student athletes, and to see them go on and become amazing leaders in our communities. I know Bob has stayed in touch with many of the former soccer players, and something I appreciate is how he has played a critical role in each of their
Jeffrey F Lin via Unsplash
Give ‘em the ol’ razzle dazzle.
developments as athletes and as people. I will also hold near and dear to my heart the friendships/ relationship that we have fostered and grown over these eight years. The countless late night hotel tactical sessions to the witty banter and support.” The academic standing of student-athletes on this team has consistently been noteworthy, and Maltman’s approach has been credited for it in the past. Can you explain what his approach to academics was and how he supported the student-athletes he coached in their academics? McCaffrey: “This is a difficult question to address as the
academic successes are ingrained in our team culture. This has been a process we have had to work hard at, but Bob has provided the oversight and the encouragement to progress this portion to the effect that in the past eight years, our team academic average has improved over twelve per cent.” Baecker: “Coach Maltman always made himself available for student athletes to ask him about academics and he was always genuinely interested in their academic success. He was often found walking up and down the aisles of the bus on road trips checking on what everyone was reading or what assignment they were working on. He was always willing to
support, and improve our chances at recruiting and keeping local talent. In terms of programs that we are continuing from Bob, we will not only continue but extend the community engagement work and the focal point of being a program that follows the University’s mantra of ‘as one who serves.’” Are you two planning to split up the duties of head coach between you (and if so, how), or will you be working together in most aspects going forward? McCaffrey: “The way we have positioned it is that we have two brains but are acting as one body in a collective approach that will aid in this transition period
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The true accomplishments come from the long-lasting relationships we have built with the student athletes, and to see them go on and become amazing leaders in our communities. – Rob McCaffrey
academic support portion has largely been a role I have taken on, but I do credit Bob with the support and the encouragement to initiate this process. As a former adult educator, Bob really values the holistic approach that our student-athletes employed. We not only had one of the highest academic averages on campus and often the highest percentage of Academic All-Canadians, but [...] we also instituted a study hall where first year student athletes meet with myself weekly to prepare for papers/exams and develop study habits. We have set up study rooms when on the road. Our team is often in the student-athlete study hall and our
proofread a paper and offer suggestions for improvements.” Which aspects of Maltman’s coaching strategies do you plan on continuing after his departure, and are there any new ideas that the both of you are planning on implementing? McCaffrey: “We are very excited to reconnect with the local soccer community and strengthen those relationships. We are very happy to be able to move forward with the Junior Cougar program where we can support soccer athletes of various ages in and around our community. We feel this opportunity will improve the local athletes, provide needed
and enable us the best opportunity to be successful on and off the pitch this fall.” Baecker: “A collaborative approach will be taken when addressing the duties of Head Coach. It’s an opportunity to move the program forward through this transition period in the most effective way possible for the players and the program.” How have the student-athletes reacted to Maltman’s announcement? Baecker: “There was a fair bit of shock and surprise when Coach Maltman made his announcement.” McCaffrey: “Knowing Bob and how important family is I
know the decision was right for him, but after putting in so much time/energy to help lead the team through a tough phase with COVID and losing last season it took everyone back when he announced it. That said, the girls have been fantastic and are eager to move forward [...] This year we have 28 players on the roster and 17 of those are first year student-athletes so the group is young and eager.” When is your first game of the season? How are you feeling about the upcoming season with the team you have currently? McCaffrey: “Training camp will begin on August 5 with orientation - we quickly get into classroom and on-field sessions after testing. We have extended our training camp to ensure our athletes are returned to sport in a safe manner, especially after being off for nearly two years. Training camp will have daily sessions, and multiple days of two and even three sessions a day. We are heading to Lethbridge to play the U of L and Lethbridge College in preseason at the end of August (27-28-29) and will be hosting Brandon University on September long weekend here in Regina at the U of R turf (September 4-5). Our regular season begins the following weekend away in Winnipeg where we play the University of Manitoba Bisons in back-to-back games before hosting our home opener vs University of Winnipeg on Sept 18 and 19 (noon at the U of R turf) both games.” Baecker: “This is an exciting group of players that I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with. There is a great depth of talent and youth that will not only make this group exciting to work with this year but will be a fun challenge moving forward.”
august, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon | 14
sports
Canada’s Olympic medals after week one Canadian women continue to lead when it comes to Olympic gold
victoria baht contributor A week into the games and we have already seen Canada take home 11 medals. This includes three gold, three silver, and five bronze medals. Canada has three athletes or groups of athletes that have taken home gold medals. Here is what you need to know about the three Canadian Olympic gold medal winners at the one-week mark. The first up is Margaret Mac Neil. She won the gold medal doing a swim called the “Butterfly.” The Butterfly stroke movement is one of the hardest swimming movements. It involves a stroke that is face down where both arms pull the swimmer forward at the same time moving in a circular motion as the swimmer’s legs move in an up and down position. Mac Neil is only 21 years old and was born in Jiujiang, China. She moved to Canada and grew up in London, Ontario. She started her love for the sport at the age of two and she began in a club at the age of eight. Years of training and keeping active have led her to the Olympics, at which she not only won a gold medal, but she touched the wall in 55.59 seconds, meaning that she also set a record. Mac Neil did not stop there; on day two she took home her second medal. That’s right, she has also won a medal in swimming the “Freestyle Relay.” This race takes place with four competitors that involve the swimmers reaching the same equal distance. The swimmers
Brad Fraser
Legal marijuana and over ninety-three years since the Olympics was in Amsterdam is not a coincidence.
dive off a board, race to one side of the pool, do a dolphin dive, then a summersault in the water and kick off the wall, and swim in the opposite direction. As they reach the wall the next swimmer dives over top of them to keep the clock running. These races can be as short as 50 or as long as 1500 metres. This race involved Mac Neil teaming up with Penny Oleksiak, Rebecca Smith, Kayla Sanchez and Taylor Ruck (an alternate who swam in the qualifying heat only) to take home the Silver
The second gold medal Canada has won came from Maude Charron in weightlifting. This is a sport that requires a body that is both strong and a good size for skeletal muscles. This is where the competitor must use their own muscles to lift the bar and force it over their own body. What I mean by this is that it involved six complete movements. First is a power clean, front squat, squat clean, push jerk, power snatch, and squat snatch, but safety and protection always come first. Charron is 28 years old and
Canada before being put in the 64kg category. She ended up lifting 131kg on the third but complete and best attempt to take home the gold medal. The last gold medal a Canadian Team has won during week one so far is for rowing on day seven of the Olympics. Rowing is a sport that involves multiple team members working together to get to a destination. It may be confusing but in the sport of rowing the participants have a paddle with only one oar compared to two oars. When one in-
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The Canadian team kept pushing through the race harder and harder which led them to the challenge of winning a gold medal for Canada, beating the second team of New Zealand by 0.91 seconds. – Victoria Baht
Medal. The relay looked like it was a challenge through the TV screen while watching the games. Looking at the Freestyle race you had the Australia team leading with 1.72 M/S then you had Canada and the United States fighting back-to-back. For a while the teams were going hard and matching each other at 1.70 m/s, but the team pulled through in the last strokes of the race and got Canada to placing second for the relay race.
is from Rimouski, Quebec. She started out the challenge for herself when she was at the age of seven. She then started personally doing CrossFit. When she was doing CrossFit herself and other coaches saw her and knew she was one to keep around and to move on. This encouraged all of them to enter her first weightlifting competition two years later which led to nationals five months later. Charron ended up taking home the second gold medal for
dividual is rowing, they are using muscles in their upper and lower back with the shoulder muscles as well. It engages the muscles with a stroke under water, then as the oar comes above water you shift your body weight forward as you stroke back using your arms and you’re back pushing back as much water as possible to create a great distance with the oar and the process continues. Rowing involves a full team, and on the Canadian team
we have Lisa Roman, Kasia Gruchalla-Wasierski, Christine Roper, Andrea Proske, Susanne Grainger, Madison Mailey, Sydney Payne, Avalon Wasteneys and Kristin Kit. The team had to gain a lead which they did about halfway through the race, which led to a gap between them and the Aussies. The Canadian team kept pushing through the race harder and harder which led them to the challenge of winning a gold medal for Canada, beating the second team of New Zealand by 0.91 seconds. The 2020 Olympic games are only a bit past a week in progress and the Canadian teams are going strong for their country. In total Canadian teams so far have taken home eleven Olympic medals and each of these medals have been won by women’s teams or women individually. This includes: -Gold Medals in Rowing, Weightlifting, 100-Metre Butterfly. -Silver Medals in 100 Metre Backstroke, Synchronized Diving, 400-Metre Freestyle Relay. -Bronze Medals in 200-Metre Freestyle, Women’s Rowing, Judo, Softball. The Canadian teams, both men and women, are working hard for themselves and this country to be proud in the 2020 Olympics. Let’s all keep watching and keep an eye on what these athletes end up with over the full 17 days of the Olympics.
op-ed
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editor: sarah nakonechny oped@carillonregina.com the carillon | august, 2021
50/50 relationships: a thing of the past
Throw your idea of “fair” out the window – we want balance When we think about relationships, oftentimes we think of partnerships between two individuals who are in a 50/50 agreement. I am here to tell you that this is not how things are nor how they should be. To assume that every day is going to work out to a 50/50 type of agreement is not something that is – or has ever been – practical. One of the first things to consider is how we classify the work that must get done in a day and what each party is responsible for in order for it to be considered a fair 50/50 agreement. Does this mean that if one person cooks breakfast than the other is responsible for dinner? What do you do on weekends when you have three meals to take care of ? Many couples will often trade cooking for cleaning but is that something that can be considered an equal trade? Often there is more than just dishes that need to be cleaned in a day. The list goes on, and how each couple chooses to split that in a way that they deem fair and equitable will look different. Moving past that, you must then take into consideration that the unwritten agreements of the relationship are often decided when each individual is at a neutral point in their lives. These types of things are not decided when a significant loss or hardship is being faced by one or both individuals involved in the relationship. Everyone reacts to the same situation in different ways. This means that what works during one hardship may not work for the next one and so on. What are you supposed to do during these periods if you are still under the expectation that the relationship will be 50/50? Besides becoming extremely disap-
pointed and frustrated, nothing else will come forth if you are under the impression that your partner will be able to perform their regular household duties when they are not at their neutral place. Now that we know what does not work, how can we move forward to frame this in a way that works better? Step one is to throw out the idea of 50/50 anything. Nothing is ever truly 50/50 and nothing ever will be which means you better delete
with. The point is not to give 50 per cent individually but rather to give 100 per cent together. This is something that must be worked on day by day as you will never be fortunate enough to have the same outcome everyday. Before entering a relationship, it is important to understand that there are days that you will be giving 80 per cent because all your partner can manage is 20 per cent for a variety of potential reasons. You must
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At the end of the day, you will not care who emptied the dishwasher three months ago on a rainy Tuesday, who did the grocery run last month or which one of you mowed the lawn last. – Sarah Nakonechny
that idea from your brain before you become too attached to it. To avoid pointless frustration with your partner, accept that things will not be equal because you each have your own strengths and weaknesses. You are together to support and complement each other which does not mean splitting everything right down the middle. Step two is to reframe the way in which we think about how things “should work” in a relationship. There is no such thing as a standard relationship – it involves finding what works for you and who you are
be okay with this reality, or you should reconsider entering into any partnership to begin with. Life is hard and there is no reason why we must face these hard things on our own. You don’t get to make those hard things worse by getting upset at your partner for taking care of their basic needs. Aside from the doom and gloom that may arise when facing these challenges, it is time for the most important thing to remember, step three: enjoy your partner and cherish the relationship in all its aspects. Even though things can be hard, it will not
be hard forever which is extremely important to remember. Rough patches will pass, and you will come out stronger on the other side, it is just a matter of getting to that other side. At the end of the day, you will not care who emptied the dishwasher three months ago on a rainy Tuesday, who did the grocery run last month or which one of you mowed the lawn last. What you will remember is who made you soup when you were too sick to move or who was there holding you while you were grieving a loss. Being present and able to accept that not everything will get done all the time are the most important things to consider when entering into a relationship. The garbage will be there tomorrow, and the laundry can wait an extra day if that means that your partner feels emotionally and mentally supported by other actions that you are doing. Life is hard, there is no denying that. Why do we insist on making it so much harder than it needs to be by complicating our relationships in the process? Accept the flaws and embrace the good times. Do not settle for less than what you need, and be prepared to provide your partner with what they will need as well. Relationships can be considered business transactions with feelings attached to the conditions. Learn to live with the needs of your partner or go buy a cat.
sarah nakonechny op-ed editor Octavio Fossati via Unsplash
Someone call Instagram and let them know they lost another cheesy couple photo.
august, 2021
op-ed
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
16
Pandemic lessons in overcoming adversity
Whether it is a global crisis or a personal one, we all have tools we can use to get through Provincial governments across Canada are loosening their pandemic health orders. Alberta has dropped all its restrictions, and Saskatchewan is following which means we will no longer publish the numbers of those infected with COVID-19 daily. At this time in the summer months people are wishing to return to living a normal life, without having to worry about being infected with coronavirus or keeping track of the latest information and orders regarding the pandemic. It is understandable, as in any society, that security and safety are important factors for the morale and wellbeing of its citizens. Without a sense of order in our daily lives, some people cannot live their lives because of their fear. Although we may seek normalcy in our daily lives much to people’s dismay, another crisis always seems to be underway. Even after mass vaccinations and keeping the spread under control, places across Canada are dealing with wildfires and the evacuations of towns affected by them. As well, the coronavirus is still infecting millions of people around the world. While we may experience normalcy returning as we continue to deal with the pandemic, it should make us consider what we have learned in the past year and a half to help us better prepare for other crises that may occur in the future. The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the first major global crisis younger generations have experienced. This pandemic has given people the realization that we are not invincible, and death can come for anyone. It is not a pleasant thought but consider that millions of people have died from the disease and have been directly and indirectly affected by is aftereffects. It shows that people have no choice in how to continue living their lives and performing their duties in these types of circum-
stances. What drives us to continue in the face of adversity? How can anyone witness traumatic events and live unpredictably? People have developed these skills for thousands of years and have been able to reach the light at the end of the tunnel in any situation. You may read about some of the most influential people’s achievements and most often their stories have episodes involving failure or adversity before they are successful. They have traits that allow them to continue after dealing with failure and uncertainty. These traits in people allow them to keep themselves on guard and deal with all events in their lives.
study and planning by experts, who then created and issued order and regulations to contain the spread of COVID-19 and keep people safe. Guidelines were given, and people who didn’t adhere to those guidelines would risk getting fined or – more importantly – getting COVID-19. People may not always agree with certain orders and rules but being disciplined allows them to understand the reasoning behind things, and see the bigger picture of why they are being issued. Those with discipline will also be able to help correct and guide those who are undisciplined. This prevents the breakdown of groups and ensures that less diffi-
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It must be understood that it is sometimes futile to try to predict what will happen in the future, although that is easier said than done. People will try to create order in amongst chaos to regain their bearings and sense of control. – Spencer Grasdal
Individuals who have discipline are able to control their behaviours which allow them to adapt to the environment they are in. It means they are willing to act in compliance with expectations to achieve specific objectives allowing them to have situational awareness. Times of crisis will require people to act according to rules and standards that are established. This was demonstrated by the pandemic through required government intervention because of its scale and severity. It required careful
culties are encountered. Emotional intelligence is the understanding of emotions in yourself and others. Uncertain times will cause people to become angry, sad, and worried, which will influence their actions. You cannot always allow your emotions to dictate how you act, as they may not always reflect the most appropriate course of action for the situation at hand. This does not mean that you should supress your emotions entirely, but it is about being able to reflect on how you
feel when the time is appropriate before planning your next move. You may also be able to read how people are feeling around you based on their actions and interact with them in a complementary way. We always need to pay attention to our emotions during a crisis as allowing our emotions to overwhelm us may cause poor choices to occur. Understanding others will allow you to better work with them in problem solving and performing whatever duties are needed. Having expectations that can be fluid is a valuable way of thinking as crises are always unpredictable. It must be understood that it is sometimes futile to try to predict what will happen in the future, although that is easier said than done. People will try to create order in amongst chaos to regain their bearings and sense of control. It is not a bad thing to do, but that does not change the fact that we cannot predict the future. After events have passed, there is the possibility that we still may not fully understand why things happened the way they did. It is better to think short-term rather than longterm in these situations. These are just some ways to manage yourself in a crisis, and they only scratch the surface in terms of teaching one how to become more mentally resilient. It should be developed and practiced through means of seeking adversity you can manage and reflecting on unexpected events. There will always be times when crises will arise, both during and after this pandemic. We have not fully gotten through this crisis, and another has started with regards to the forest fires appearing all over Canada. We may have comfortable lives when our safety is secured, but we cannot take it for granted.
spencer grasdal contributor Natasha Connell via Unsplash
Here we see a model of something that most people do not use.
august, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
op-ed
Olympic double standards
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Men continue to proclaim their right to dictate how women dress with Olympic flavour
The Summer Olympics, originally scheduled for summer of 2020, are finally under way in Tokyo, Japan. While sports fans are surely watching for news of wins, losses, and world records closely, the event has also been on the news for a different reason altogether: the dress code for athletes. Female athletes, to be precise. The most prominent news item in this regard has been the Norway women’s beach volleyball team. Shortly before the Olympics, this team was fined for wearing athletic shorts instead of the bikini bottoms that are mandated by the official dress code. It should be mentioned that the athletes had been speaking about the discomfort, as well as utilitarian reasons as to why they feel the existing dress code should be revised. On
the other end of the spectrum, British athlete Olivia Breen was told that her sprint briefs are “inappropriate”, and Alice Dearing, Britain’s first Black swimmer at the Olympics, was barred from wearing a swimming cap designed specifically for her thick and curly hair as it was not considered to fit material regulations. In contrast, there have been zero incidents of fines or reprimands for any of the male athletes taking part at the Tokyo Olympics. This of course does not imply that the male athletes are being paragons of conformity - or at least that is not the full story. The fact remains that for most sports, the male athletes are prescribed dress codes that are functional, with care to not provide unfair advantages for the sport in question. In
comparison, the dress code for female athletes is more in line with predetermined gender roles, and the need for overt sexualization of these athletes. Looking at beach volleyball, for instance, the Norway men’s team are expected to wear athletic shorts that do not go below the knees. Contrast this with the requirement for bikini bottoms for the female team from the same nation. Clearly even cultural norms are not an adequate explanation. I am not a big follower of the Olympics, or really any sports for that matter. My interest in the current Olympics is regarding the pushback from female athletes, no longer willing to put up with these unfair expectations, be it in dress code or how they are expected to behave in press conferences. This
is even more important given how male athletes face fewer of the same expectations. Famous male athletes are expected to give a lot of interviews; this still does not come close to the way female athletes have their bodies, attire, and speech regulated by the establishment. Someone I know remarked how it is odd that in many places around the world, women get in trouble for wearing shorts, or showing a shoulder, while in Tokyo right now they are being slapped with fines for not wanting to wear tiny bikini bottoms. I do not find it odd at all. These two seemingly diametrically opposed incidents have one unifying theme – men in power thinking they can tell women what to wear, where to go, and what they are or are not
allowed to do or be. Seen in that light, the Olympics committee that fines female athletes for not showing skin has far more in common with tyrannical regimes that fine women for showing skin than we might think at first. Watching female athletes push back and be prepared to pay a fine if needed to establish their autonomy gives me the same pleasure that watching everyday people stand up to a dictatorial regime would. I hope by the next Olympics we can do better than slap on a dress code that is nothing but a flimsy pretext to fetishize female athletes.
hammad ali contributor
Miguel Teirlinck via Unsplash
The volleyball is the important part here, let’s be real...
Toxic implications of “hot girl summer” You do not need to be a beach babe to enjoy summer
Alex Perez via Unsplash
Do we think they are #livingtheirbestlife yet?
As we approach the halfway point of summer it is time for some real talk. It is about time we draw attention to the toxicity that is “hot girl summer.” Every year we run into this never-ending stream of hot girl summer nonsense. What does this entail for those of you who are fortunate enough to not be familiar with this perpetuation of body shaming culture? It is the platform for those who are tall, thin, and tan to show the world that they are living their lives to the fullest and that they are looking their best while doing that. If you are brave enough to look up #hotgirlsummer on Instagram, you will come across more than two million different posts that all look relatively the same. There are countless photographs of girls in bikinis at the beach or in their best bar appropriate outfits. You can scroll for miles and see copycats of the same images, poses, and captions. But what are we not seeing behind these photographs, and who is not being represented in this hot girl summer trend? Looking at those who are apart of this trend you may see smiles, tans, and flat stomachs within the four corners of their photographs but what occurs when the camera lowers? One of the most prominent issues that comes into play with this trend is low self-esteem and eating disorders. For those who are actively taking part in the trend there comes the doubts that they are worthy of posting something with such a well known and loaded caption. There comes the desire to diet or excessively exercise in order to maintain the appearance that media beauty standards are telling them that they need to have. These effects are even more damaging for those who feel
as though they cannot partake in the trend. The negative feelings that fester as one compares themselves to the women in these photographs can be damaging to one’s sense of self, especially when targeted at younger and more impressionable individuals. Everybody wants to fit in and be able to partake in the trends that happen on social media. For those who do not match what is believed to be the ideal form for this trend, this not only affects one’s confidence in themselves and how they look but may influence how others view them as well. If you do not fit these standardized and outdated idea of beauty, then what does that mean for how others will view you? This can cause females to wear long sleeves and baggy clothes when it is aggressively hot outside, may prevent them from taking part in activities such as swimming or going to the beach, as well as harming the relationships that they may have with individuals who fit these standards. It is time that we take back summer and drop the ideas that have festered within the use of this hashtag. If you feel good about yourself and what you are doing then make that post, use that hashtag, and take back what is our hot girl summer. It is time that we normalize normal body types and stop looking towards those who promote unhealthy habits for our standards of beauty. Whether you are big or small, tan or not, I promise you it does not matter. Your beauty is unique to you and unmatched by anyone else. Enjoy all life has to offer without fear of these standards.
sarah nakonechny op-ed editor
august, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon |18
op-ed
Peanuts and COVID; what do they have in common? Life threatening allergies and COVID protocols have a lot more in common than we may think
What personal responsibility do we want other people to legally have for our collective safety? What happens when 33,000 fans are invited to the largest public gathering in Saskatchewan since 2019? I’ve carried an Epi-Pen for as long as I can remember. I carried it as a kid and carry it as an adult. I was the kid in school with his picture up in the staff room to remind staff of my life-threatening allergies. It gives a lifesaving amount of epinephrine that can be injected into my thigh to buy me time to get to an emergency room in case of anaphylaxis. Before the pandemic, when those that could afford it dined out frequently, I regularly researched restaurants that would be willing to accommodate my allergies. Did they have peanuts or seafood on the menu? Could they cook mine separately? Could I be sat far away from the kitchen so any aerosolized fish protein in the air would be unlikely to enter my airway and cause it to close? I’ve been told my entire life that my health is my own personal responsibility and I agree. An extended family member’s birthday where they really want fish or peanuts? I don’t have to go. Why should I prevent them from having the party they want? Going to Mosaic Stadium where someone could be eating peanuts right next to me? This is my personal choice and assessment of risk. Getting on an airplane where the announcement is made, but ultimately, I am trusting my fellow passengers to not trigger an asthma attack or something more severe? My personal choice again. These are not low anxiety decisions, but they do reflect my personal choices. For those of us with allergies ourselves, or for those that know people that have them, none of this is foreign to us. We weigh the risks each time we consume food that is not ours. We have been told since we were kids to simply not put our fingers in our mouths or to touch our faces. Long before it was en vogue due to Covid, we were practicing many of the same health recommen-
dations. We relied on others’ adherence to guidelines, and requests for our safety. Sometimes successfully, sometimes not. When the restrictions started for COVID-19 in Saskatchewan in 2020, suddenly everyone was doing the same thing. Is it safe to breathe where I am? Instead of worrying about a co-worker forgetting and cooking fish or eating peanuts, we were worried if a co-worker was asymptomatic and carrying a life-threatening respiratory virus. We were told to wear medical masks to ensure our safety. Suddenly, almost everyone was experiencing the anxiety I have felt my entire life and collectively processing what it means to have personal responsibility but still be extremely reliant on others for their safety.
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the University of Saskatchewan on July 27, that COVID-19 variants had mutated. We now understand COVID to be far more of a risk than previous variants of COVID that were the dominant virus in Saskatchewan. Dr. Wong’s advice for individual risk assessment was not a surprise to those who have already followed the consensus scientific and even political advice of getting double vaccinated: wear a mask, be mindful that you can’t physical distance properly in a crowd of 33,000 screaming fans - even outdoors – and consider watching on TV. Should a young child be able to go to school without fear of coming into contact with peanuts? We have seen many schools ban peanuts in lunches and it has helped calm many anxious parents as they send
Long before it was en vogue due to Covid, we were practicing many of the same health recommendations. We relied on others’ adherence to guidelines, and requests for our safety. Sometimes successfully, sometimes not – Brad Fraser
With the August 6 start to the Saskatchewan Roughriders season almost here, many fans are being asked to weigh the same risks. As I reviewed the new rules for entering the stadium, I was comforted to see that peanuts were no longer allowed. One less thing to worry about when I accidentally brushed my eye or felt myself losing my voice. Did I just cheer and yell “Deeeeeeeeeee-fence,” more than my voice could handle or was I starting to have allergy symptoms? As I continued my review of the rules it became clear that masking was optional and so was vaccination. Hmm. The same anxiety from years past started to bubble to the top. I knew from my recent conversation with Dr. Alexander Wong, Associate Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases for
their child off to school. Are there schools that have reversed course and brought peanuts back? Have they made it the responsibility of the individual family? Absolutely! The debate on this in public health is a complicated one as not all allergies are created equal. On the other hand, people exist on a spectrum of just how much personal sacrifice they are willing to make for others. Some might argue if it’s not that safe the peanut allergy kids could all go eat in a separate classroom or be picked up for lunch. Many of us have seen these arguments and I don’t think either side is wrong. Depending on where you stand you will definitely see one as more right, but personal responsibility and freedom of choice have different levels of priority to different people. We have the freedom to choose what type
of environment we want to create for each other. What are we left to do then when Saskatchewan Public Health has said that personal responsibility to vaccinate is not something they will mandate? When different schools allow peanuts? When some restaurants accommodate food allergies, and some choose not to? Exercise our freedom to choose. We need to borrow our competitive spirit from 2017 when the new Mosaic Stadium was going head-to-head with the recent stadium in Winnipeg for the Blue Bombers. Back then we competed to see who had the loudest stadium, with the Bombers narrowly winning. Now we have the opportunity to vote with our wallets and our eyeballs on what we ask of our public health departments. In Saskatchewan, we can make the personal choice to watch the game on TV until Public Health supports mandatory vaccination. In Winnipeg, we can see the gameday attendance and compare it to the percentage of filled seats in Regina. This will send loud signals to the CFL, and all the amazing people they employ both on the field and off, to advocate to Public Health for mandatory vaccination at games across every stadium. Show them the fan interest from vaccinated individuals willing to protect their fellow football fan is large. So large, it dwarfs the smaller market of fans that choose to value their own personal autonomy beyond shared sacrifice. Those individuals choosing not to vaccinate can watch on TV or listen on the radio. Football is the ultimate team sport. It even awards two points for a safety. Show everyone that when “diversity is strength”, and inclusion is of the highest value, a touchdown is only worth celebrating when we recognize our shared sacrifice to get to the end-zone. Anything less is just celebrating a missed field goal for an obligatory, single-pointed, rouge.
brad fraser sports editor
Mario Klassen via Unsplash
Three cheers for vaccination!
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editors: sarah carrier, rooky jegede graphics@carillonregina.com the carillon | august, 2021
