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 sackman
multimedia/graphics editors multimedia@carillonregina.com graphics@carillonregina.com
sarah carrier rooky jedege
copy editor copyeditor@carillonregina.com
aurel dumont
news editor news@carillonregina.com
sara birrell
a&c editor aandc@carillonregina.com
hannah eiserman
sports editor sports@carillonregina.com
vacant
op-ed editor op-ed@carillonregina.com
sarah nakonechny
distribution manager distribution@carillonregina.com staff writer
hammad ali
staff writer
gillian massie
news writer
vacant
a&c writer
jorah bright
sports writer
victoria baht
web writer
vacant contributors
jack nastor
vol. 64
kyle anderson
board of directors holly funk, lindsay holitzki, joseph holoein,, dustin smith, jacob nelson and honourary members hammad ali, cassandra byblow, morgan ortman
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 sixty 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 October 7 - October 13, 2021 | Volume 64, Issue 7 | carillonregina.com
news
Aw! Look everyone, COVID’s almost old enough we can stop referring to its age in months like some toddler! I remember back when it was just a whisper in headlines, but on a steady diet of anti-vaxxers, anti-maskers, and a government that seems to think not enough people have died to require preventative measures, it’s grown so big and strong we hardly recognize it.
A nurse reflects
news
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The Carillon speaks to a registered nurse about her memory of the past 19 months and where she thinks about where we’ve ended up.
arts
Hudson Bay Colonialism p.4
Projections
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The Hudson Bay Company’s partnership with the Orange Shirt Society shouldn’t overshadow its role in the colonization of Indigenous people.
Intimacy, vulnerability, trust, and interaction explored by Léuli Eshrāghi and Jessica Karuhanga in their audio-visual exhibit, Projections.
Whoopee. On a lighter note, arts and culture festivals continue to increase their online presence, our student-athletes on campus are getting a taste of game play once again, and we’re excited to see all the ways the innovative, expressive, and ambitious people in this province make the best out of the coming months.
arts
op-ed
sports
Holly Funk Editor-in-Chief
photos
cover......................................sarah carrier news..................fusion medical animation news.....................................can pac swire a&c.........................................jorah bright a&c.............................................jon tyson sports....................................blair sweeney op-ed......................................tracy moate
Culture days
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With 120 events spread out over 22 cities and towns, Sask Culture Days aims for accessible content with virtual options and some translation available.
Rams’ Ethan Marshall
p.9
Rams player and U of R first year student Ethan Marshall shares how he’s excelled in football, along with aspects of the game that have kept him playing for years.
Twintuition
p.10
Op-ed editor Sarah Nakonechny talks about her experience growing up with a twin brother and the experiences they cherish.
news
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editor: sara birrell news@carillonregina.com the carillon | oct 7 - oct 20, 2021
Regina nurse reflects on 19 months of COVID-19 Things worse than ever sara birrel news editor
In the 19 months since the Carillon first reported on COVID-19 (which we were then still referring to as the “novel” coronavirus), in early March 2020, the situation in Saskatchewan has gone from a state of mild concern to something absolutely catastrophic, although much like the proverbial frog in a pot of slowly boiling water, it’s hard right now to have perspective on how far we’ve fallen in the past year and a half. In March 2020, Dr. Saqib Shahab (then unknown to most residents of the province) told the media that “We all have this fear factor of COVID-19 as a new virus, but if it was to come here, for most of us it would be just a respiratory virus that makes us sick for a few days and then we’re better.” That message, which came a little over a week before Saskatchewan marked its first COVID case in a man who had recently travelled from abroad, is markedly different than the message Shahab sent the province last week, when he declared that the province was headed towards a “fall and winter of misery.” “I don’t know how we got here,” said Lauren, a Regina-based RN who graduated from her program less than a year before COVID-19 hit and has seen most of her career so far marked by the virus. She’s referring to the fact that, as of last week, Saskatchewan had the highest rate of COVID deaths in
Canada, a pace that does not appear to be relenting. Lauren, who asked to be referred to by a pseudonym because she’s not authorized to talk to the media, said that last spring her fears of the virus were minimal. “There was a lot of talk about flattening the curve, but honestly that didn’t really feel applicable to me because [...] our numbers were so low.” She said she remembered being “furious” at a group of healthcare workers who contracted COVID-19 at a curling bonspiel they attended in Edmonton, but “it still really, really
ers at a Cargill slaughterhouse in High River, Alberta who were potentiall exposed. Although her cousin’s husband never required hospitalization, nor did his wife or stepson contract the virus, “That was pretty terrifying, and it felt a bit like maybe things were a bit too close for comfort.” Lauren said that after her cousin’s husband got sick, “I started to feel pretty angry about things, like, why were so many people not being protected? Like people are dying so someone else can buy meat? Are you kidding me?” And then, she said, “there
ince in December 2020. “It was so big,” she said, laughing. “It was like ‘Woosh!’ We’ve got this now! I’m going to be first in line when it’s time. No hesitation here.” She said it “felt good” to drive past Evraz Place when the drive through vaccination clinics opened for the public and to “see those long line ups and think ‘okay, we’ve got this.” In June, she and her husband celebrated their third wedding anniversary and took a long-delayed trip to visit her parents and sister out west. “I hadn’t seen them in so long and my family is super duper close, so
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It’s so crazy how a year and a half ago when things were pretty okay here, we were locked down and people had CERB and stuff, and now when we have the most deaths of any time and organ transplants are being cancelled we aren’t even doing anything. – Lauren
wasn’t something I was worried about.” She said she was “freaked out” and “sad” by the outbreaks in the province’s north, but even those seemed distant. “We were just so far ahead of the other provinces in terms of just not having high numbers from the get-go. I thought things could stay like that.” The virus didn’t really strike home for her until early May, when her cousin’s husband was one of more than 900 work-
were the care homes […] And that should have never happened. And I felt like, ‘I’m a nurse’ and even though I don’t work in that area I was like, ‘I started doing this to help people and I’m not helping these people, what am I doing?’ And my grandma was in long term care before she died in 2016 and it was just like, how do you watch these people die in such bad circumstances?” She was relieved when the first vaccines arrived in the prov-
it was like, ‘yes, finally!’ Things are turning the corner. And then like, we got home and spoiler alert, things had not turned the corner. Or they had turned the wrong corner, I guess you would say.” Lauren said that when the province decided to eliminate all public health orders in July 2021, “that was when I felt scared, actually, for the first time. Because it seemed like things were not where we needed to be with vaccinations
and all sorts of other things. Like we just weren’t there and a lot of the girls at work were saying the same thing. Like we just aren’t there.” She was right that the province had turned the wrong corner. “Things just went crazy. It was crazy. And people were being so horrible. Like, I haven’t had a lot of problems with patients, but I know the girls in scheduling, they’re just getting a lot of people who are screaming at them and mad at them because they’re frustrated and scared because their stuff is being cancelled. And it’s not the schedulers’ fault, right? There’s nothing they can do. And people are just run off of their feet and you can’t schedule any time off, and even when you do get some time off, you’re getting called in. No one has any juice left, you know? But things aren’t even better and who even knows when they will be because we haven’t done anything.” Lauren said she’s not the kind of person who likes to get angry, but the past year has made it hard. “I don’t want to be mad at the government or anything, like I don’t think me being mad is helpful, but also why aren’t they doing anything? We need a circuit-breaker. We need to be paying people to stay home,” she said. “It’s so crazy how a year and a half ago when things were pretty okay here, we were locked down and people had CERB and stuff, and now when we have the most deaths of any time and organ transplants are being cancelled, we aren’t even doing anything.”
Fusion Medical Animation via Unsplash
It’s sweater misery weather.
oct 7 - oct 20, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon | 4
news
Hudson Bay’s orange shirts link capitalism with colonialism The Bay’s cynical cash grab
gillian massie staff writer Donning an orange shirt on September 30 was a way of standing in solidarity with Indigenous peoples, but buyers beware of where the shirt originates. Canada’s first Truth and Reconciliation Day was marked on September 30. The day was meant to symbolically recognize the harm done that the colonization of so-called Canada has had and continues to have on Indigenous peoples, and in particular those who were forced to attend residential schools. When Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwpemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation was sent to the Mission Residential School in 1973, at the age of six, the orange shirt her grandmother has scrimped and saved to buy her was taken away from her upon arrival. She never got to wear it again, and she says now that the colour orange “has always reminded [her] of that, and how [her] feelings didn’t matter.” When Phyllis later created Orange Shirt Day to recognize residential school survivors, orange shirts became a symbol of solidarity, healing, and allyship. Since the first Orange Shirt Day in 2013, the day has progressed to the mass production of orange shirts across Canada. The Orange Shirt Society, an Indigenous/settler-run not-for-profit, produces shirts that state “Every Child Matters” across the chest. This year, the Hudson’s Bay Company has partnered with the Orange Shirt Day Society to produce orange shirts supporting residential school survivors. Some criticism of the partnership has come after the Bay’s large role in the colonization of Indigenous peoples before and after the es-
Can Pac Swire via Flickr
Big colonizer energy.
tablishment of so-called Canada. Many argue that they think the Bay’s actions are tone-deaf, considering they had a significant role in the genocide of Indigenous peoples. All of the profits from the shirts are going to the Orange Shirt Society, which will go towards funding and social programming for residential school survivors. The shirts sold out within days of being placed on the stands. Despite all of the proceeds going towards the Orange Shirt Society, concerns are being raised
generational trauma of Indigenous peoples. The Hudson’s Bay Company has been around for over 350 years, far longer than the Canadian state. Within this period, we have seen extensive abuse starting on the first arrival. Charles II sailed the Northwest Passage signing the Hudson’s Bay Company charter, claiming 1.5 million square kilometers of Indigenous land via the racist Doctrine of Discovery. Despite the fact that the land was home to numerous sovereign Indigenous nations when the Hudson’s Bay Company arrived here, they
within the catalog were well into the twentieth century. The Bay had about 100 stores in operation within Indigenous communities in the twentieth century, however, the low price of furs combatted by the high costs of goods left Indigenous communities in a constant state of debt. The “Cash Back” Report was an investigation done by 40 Indigenous leaders analyzing the cost of how much Canadian settlers owed Indigenous communities. Indigenous peoples were promised money equivalent to $50 million by the Hudson’s Bay Com-
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Despite the fact that the land was home to numerous sovereign Indigenous nations when the Hudson’s Bay Company arrived here, they dubbed the entire region Rupert’s Land and claimed dominion over it all. – Gillian Massie
as people worry that the Bay will continue to profit off of residential school survivors. After discovering the burial site of children in Kamloops, many individuals felt an obligation to try and help this issue. The Hudson’s Bay Company’s production and partnership with the Orange Shirt Society allows them to ostensibly make reparations while actually attracting customers to the store and whitewashing their role in settler-colonial violence. The Hudson’s Bay Company had a very large role in the colonization of Indigenous people, resulting in extensive inter-
dubbed the entire region Rupert’s Land and claimed dominion over it all. Although early settlers and trappers could not have survived without the aid of then-current inhabitants, attitudes towards Indigenous peoples were often cruel and violent, and became more so over time. A more modern Hudson’s Bay Company department store has been marketed as a White modernity store. The Bay’s collaboration with Eaton’s catalog only showed White children playing with their toys while a mother cooked in the background. The first traces of Indigenous people
pany, but much of the money was left as an empty promise. In turn, the Hudson’s Bay Company made an equivalent of $97.5 million on land deals. Being a colonial powerhouse that brutally and intentionally oppressed Indigenous communities left those communities with long-lasting damages. Next to none of this money will ever be repaid towards Indigenous communities. So, there is no doubt as to why Indigenous communities are skeptical of the Bay selling orange shirts. September 30 marked the first annual Truth and Reconcili-
ation Day, and wearing an orange shirt meant standing in solidarity with Indigenous peoples. Also, surrounding this new national holiday, there was no expectation of focusing on reconciliation and respect towards Indigenous individuals. However, a repeating trend continues with many occasions that celebrate and are inclusive to marginalized communities where different stores create a surplus of items that cater to each group and their event to attract more customers to their store. Creating orange shirts that many individuals wear on or that are specific to a certain day shows that others should follow suit. When retailers catch onto a marketable point, they also try to get involved within it. Capitalism takes after any marketable commodity to create something that can sell quickly off the market. While Hudson’s Bay Company did forward all the proceeds toward the Orange Shirt Society, they will never match the cost of reparation damages towards Indigenous land settlement and wellness. Buying a shirt supporting Indigenous peoples from a place with a rich history of directly restricting the economic independence and loss of Indigenous livelihood does not follow the values of truth and reconciliation. There are other ways to support Indigenous communities on Truth and Reconciliation Day than wearing a specific trademarked Every Child Matters shirt – supporting an Indigenous-owned business, making a donation to Indigenous charity, or even partaking in Truth and Reconciliation programming as a means of standing with Indigenous people.
arts & culture
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editor: hannah eiserman aandc@carillonregina.com the carillon | oct 7 - oct 20, 2021
Projections at the Dunlop Art Gallery
Léuli Eshrāghi and Jessica Karuhanga’s exhibit explores queer intimacy, trust, and vulnerability
jorah bright arts writer From September 25, 2021 to January 7, 2022, Dunlop Art Gallery at the Regina Public Library will be running an exhibit by Léuli Eshrāghi and Jessica Karuhanga called Projections. The exhibit addresses the ideas and meanings behind the word perceptions, and how it relates “to queerness, perceptions (specifically with regard to sexuality, race, and gender), and possibility as it relates to Indigenous, Black, and Queer futurisms,” according to the Regina Library website. It utilizes film and video to allow the audience to dwell in the space provided and live in the moment of the exhibition. The exhibition is created by Léuli Eshrāghi and Jessica Karuhanga and is curated by Gary Varro. Eshrāghi is a Sāmoan/ Persian/Cantonese artist who works between Australia and Canada on their many different art forms, writing, and research. Karuhanga is of British-Ugandan heritage and a first-generation Canadian. In her work, she explores identity and “Black subjectivity: illness, rage, grief, desire and longing within the context of Black embodiment.” Varro is also the executive and artist director of Queer City Cinema and the Performatorium Festival of Queer Performance. I had the absolute honour to go to this exhibit and experience the works of Eshrāghi and Karuhanga for myself. The way the exhibit was set up was beautiful; it set an incredible atmosphere. Each of the five videos I watched was separated by a red curtain and the walls were all black. Every sound merged to create an all-encompassing, almost surround
Jorah Bright
The vibes are immaculate but even moreso IRL.
sound-like feeling. These sounds worked so well together, yet when you stood and watched one video, they felt separate. There were moments where I forgot that I was standing alone in a library because I was so entranced by what I was watching. There was a great sense of freedom in each video. There were no expectations for those in the videos – they just were. Every video carried a great sense of love and care. It was palpable just how much was put into every video and how the creators cared for their work. Overall, it felt like a quiet celebration. There was no loud singing, dancing, or yelling as you would traditionally picture
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plicitly erotic, but it was intimate. It was clear that each person had a great sense of trust with the others and there was no judgement in any action or movement. The video carried an air of calmness, peacefulness, and trust. I mention trust twice because it came across so clearly and needs to be emphasized. Trust can be rare to find, and to see it represented so clearly stopped me dead in my tracks. The second video I watched was called “Golden Flow of the Merri Yaluk” and it was also created by Eshrāghi. It was staged with three young male-presenting people in nature, and more specifically, most of it was filmed by the waterside. This was probably my
The setting was gorgeous, and many scenes utilized nature in some way. The message of the relationship between queerness and land came across clearly and beautifully. The characters were bestowing gifts made from nature onto each other. There was no artificial sound, no music, no voiceovers, just the sounds of nature. This video, like “Re(cul) naissance,” had a great feeling of trust. As I continued through the exhibit, I could see it emerge as a growing theme. There were no expectations between the men. Everything felt freeing and without restraint. There was no sense of any tension, just relaxation. It made me feel safe.
Trust can be rare to find, and to see it represented so clearly stopped me dead in my tracks. – Jorah Bright
for a celebration, yet it was very clearly celebratory without those conventional ideas. They didn’t need to yell or be loud for this idea to come across clearly. The first video I saw was called “Re(cul)naissance” and was created by Eshrāghi. It asks the viewer “What does receiving and giving tactile pleasure have to do with mutual consent, respect and care in queer Indigenous kinships, beyond taboos imposed by Western missionaries and militourist/settler colonial agents?” The video showed two men and two women, and then one man and one woman. It was not ex-
favourite piece in the exhibition. The description card for this video explains that the water bears witness to rituals. These rituals connect people, not only to each other, but to the land. It further explains that the Merri Yaluk is sacred to the Wurundjeri people and was a “source of life.” It describes the waters as golden, paralleled with the gold paint that the three people paint each other’s chests with. This video asks the viewer what are “the possibilities of ephemerally interacting with land to find a haven?” “Golden Flow of the Merri Yaluk” was visually stunning.
The third video I watched was “Body and Soul”, made by Karuhanga. It was simple yet spoke multitudes. It was a neck breathing. That’s it. It very subtly projected a powerful idea; something that seems so small, like a video of someone’s neck as they breathe, the simple up and down motions, carried such a big statement. The exhibition describes it as “the flesh becomes a synecdoche for race as a sign of social difference. The cartography of the body invites a consideration of Blackness and breath, stillness and subjectivity.” Out of all the videos, this was the one I kept
wanting to watch over and over again. There’s something about it that draws you in and stills your thoughts. “Body and Soul” presented trust differently. It showed vulnerability. The imagery of the neck is a symbol of that. Authors often use the idea of pressing your neck to someone’s sword as a sign of trusting the wielder. “Body and Soul” was able to invoke that sense of trust with just breathing. The fourth and final video I was able to view was called “being who you are there is no other.” It was the longest video in the whole collection and was made by Karuhanga. Karuhanga was inspired by Julie Dash and Djibril Diop Mambéty in the setup of the videos. Two screens played different things, but despite the difference in what was playing, the two screens felt incredibly in sync. Karuhanga explains it as exploring “themes of the wilderness and wildness through the vestiges of two Black subjects.” Visually, “being who you are there is no other” was stunning. It felt like magic. There was almost an ethereal feeling to it. Similar to the other videos, there was no judgement to be found. Everything felt free. Everything felt content. They were dancing in nature and there was no one to stop them. Karuhanga and Eshrāghi’s Projections exhibit was incredible. I have never experienced a greater sense of trust than I did when I was watching it. Projections can be found at the Dunlop Art Gallery on 12th Avenue. It opened on September 25 and will continue until January 7, 2022.
oct 7 - oct 20, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
arts & culture
6
Far-out undies from Elyse on Mars Victoria-based company strives for sustainability, body-inclusivity
hannah eiserman arts editor
Underwear: everyone wears it, but how much time do we really spend thinking about it? Less than we probably should. The fast-fashion industry is abominable – and this should come as a surprise to absolutely no one. Incredibly low wages and work conditions that violate human rights, astronomical amounts of textile waste, and environmental pollution are easily hidden by North America’s tendency to outsource our clothing production to other countries. For most of us, what we can’t see simply doesn’t happen, and it’s becoming increasingly easy to go on a fast fashion website and click add to cart without any consideration into what our few dollars really just bought. I’m guilty of it. In fact, I’m sure we’re all guilty of it. Though it’s a point of pride for me to thrift almost exclusively (I would say I thrift 90 per cent of my clothes), the reality is, as a plus-sized person, sometimes it’s hard for me to find clothes I like that fit and are sustainable. Underwear is probably the most wasteful industry of fast fashion because you can’t thrift or recycle it when you’re done wearing it – or I suppose you can, but rather I’d really, really, encourage you not to. This is an issue Elyse Mathes, owner/operator of Elyse on Mars, is trying to combat. With this in mind, Mathes has created a sustainable underwear company, where most of her fabrics are repurposed (see her to die for “Patchy Boy” style) and garments are priced to ensure a living wage. Mathes has “always been really into sewing,” and now, she can’t stop. No really, I could hear the whir and rumble of her sewing machine as we chatted (“I just can’t take a break!” she passionately exclaims). Her interest started in high school fashions class. From there, she knew she wanted to have her own business at some point. She started with a “little vintage store online through Etsy” that was fun, but not quite like what she got out of sewing. Mathes studied journalism at the University of Victoria – but unfortunately, found her program wasn’t a match. She persevered, and loved Victoria itself, saying she “came for school and never left,” but her heart was elsewhere – starting her own business. She felt she simply had to “just give it a
Elyse Mathes
Some sort of reverse trust fall thing happening here...
try,” and Elyse on Mars was born! When asked about her mission, Mathes says she’s “torn between what is the most important,” and that “three different factors” affect her brand; what she calls “a trifecta of purpose.” First
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Second, she really wanted to “revolt against the conventional beauty standards.” Mathes really dislikes society driven messages that “I have to be the size of the toothpick, my boobs have to be DD, and my hair has to be blonde
out that “if you go right now to LaSenza or La Vie En Rose, like if you go to their Instagram pages, nothing has changed. They still have that standard of beauty and it’s unwavering. It’s so depressing […] You just think that like; we
Your body is beautiful because it’s your body. It’s the only thing that matters, that it’s yours. – Elyse Mathes
is “creating slow fashion” which, for Mathes, means “sustainable products, [using] recycled materials, creating something with my own two hands.” Additionally, she really wants to “draw attention” to these aspects of fast fashion and point out “that it’s not really the best thing for people to be doing.”
and curly, and my lips have to be fake.” She argues that “all those things are fine, but it’s so unfair to think that we have to have that to be photographed and feel sexy in our underwear.” These unrealistic standards are still widely encouraged in the lingerie industry. Mathes points
were kind of past that maybe? That we were growing as a civilization. But it makes me remember how important it is just to be putting that message of like, your body is beautiful because it’s your body. It’s the only thing that matters, that it’s yours.” I mentioned that her compa-
ny’s size inclusivity means a lot to me as someone who can’t shop in such mainstream stores. This is a big part of her mission, and she “loves getting messages from really thick babes who just want a custom fit.” Her website encourages those who don’t see their size represented to email her so she can make them their perfect fit. As a result, Mathes has “formed some really beautiful relationships with some people because their bodies aren’t like, mainstream.” She punctuates the word mainstream with questioning and disdain, and adds that that idea of having a set body type as standard “is fucked to think about.” Moreover, she says “those relationships are so special, where people are like ‘wow, thank you for making a 9XL. Like, God forbid I have a booty!’” Mathes’ products aren’t gendered, but I did happen to notice that as of now, she currently doesn’t include any masculine styles. She says she “gets the question of masculine styles a lot,” and it’s not that she doesn’t want to include them, but that she actually finds the “production of masculine styles [kind of] boring.” Further, she says that that’s “the third part of the trifecta”: the brand is her “creative baby” and “love language.” Honestly, she only wants to make things that are fun for her to make! It’s not out of the question, but for now, Mathes says, “I just have too many like, fun ideas in my head, that I need to [pursue first.]” Mathes is currently doing all the work herself. “Right now, it’s a one-man band, just me and my sewing machine,” she says. She would be interested in hiring someone “soon,” but there’s a lot of logistics, and, as Mathes explains, “it’s hard to share your baby.” It’d be nice to have help, but she’s stuck with deciding if she wants someone with a similar creative vision to share her business with, “or someone that can just run a sewing machine.” Her sales mainly happen online at her site elyseonmars.com, but she is also featured in-store in Victoria at her friend Eryn’s “beautiful local based boutique” Luna Collective. Though the company is a so-called “one man band,” Elyse has collaborated not only with Eryn at Luna Collective, but also a wide range of models and photographers to execute her fantastical artistic visions, though the photo featured with this article was snapped by Mathes herself.
Sometimes you just gotta lay on the ground in your underwear surrounded by cherries, right?
oct 7 - oct 20, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
arts & culture
7
The resurgence of the Regina Irregulars The Queen City’s Sherlock Holmes and detective fiction society reconvene after hiatus
hammad ali staff writer Mystery and detective fiction are probably the most popular genres of fiction in all forms, with work spanning the mediums of short stories and novels to radio shows and television series. Plots sometimes showcase one detective, or can be more of a police procedural where the entire law enforcement agency is considered the protagonist. Sometimes the investigator is just an amateur with a passion for all things mysterious and macabre. In my opinion, few other stories make as good a companion for a long flight or a lazy weekend afternoon. Few characters in this genre, however, have enjoyed the level of fame, discussion, and continued pop culture presence attained by Sherlock Holmes, the amateur consultant detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Other writers of the genre have undoubtedly been influenced, consciously or otherwise, by the legacy of Sherlock Holmes. His science of deduction and his purely logical approach towards building theories based on observations – and observations only – have influenced detectives in the pages of books as well as those in real life. Today, the address of the fictional Holmes and Watson, 221B Baker Street, houses the Sherlock Holmes Museum. Film interpretations start in the 1930s when Basil Rathbone played Sherlock Holmes in fourteen movies. Then, in the mid-80s to mid-90s, Jeremy Brett portrayed Holmes in the TV series Sherlock Holmes, produced
by the British television company Granada Television. As recently as 2008 and 2011, Robert Downey Jr. played Sherlock Holmes in two original screenplays based on the characters and settings created by Doyle, and a third movie in the series is set to come out later this year. Also, over the last decade, Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch have played in modern-day re-imaginations of the Holmes and Watson duo, featuring more than a few Easter eggs for the avid Holmes fans. Miller played a modern Sherlock Holmes – a recovering addict, no less – liv-
ing in New York City in the show Elementary, while Cumberbatch played a high-functioning, somewhat cold and aloof Sherlock who is often involved in high espionage in the BBC show Sherlock. The popularity and continued discussion of Holmes is impressive, especially since the last original story about this master of deduction was printed in 1927. Modern writers of detective fiction find it hard to avoid being compared to Doyle’s work, and Holmes continues to remain relevant. All over the world, Holmes aficionados pour over the novels and short stories,
watch the movies, and have hearty discussions and debates about Holmes. In the past few months, our very own Queen City has seen the re-emergence of a Sherlock Holmes book/fan club. The Regina Irregulars, named after the band of street urchins that Holmes put more faith in than the “regular” police force when it came to obtaining intelligence on the streets of London, used to hold regular meetings back in 2008/2009. That’s when Nils Clausson, Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Regina, first found
Wikipedia Commons
Next stop, Baker Street! Get out your pipes, folks!
out about them. Clausson had organized a conference on Doyle at the University of Regina, which is how he met Dr. Brian Brody, who was then the coordinator of the Regina Irregulars. The group used to meet once a month and discuss a Holmes story until the sudden and unfortunate passing of Dr. Brody in late 2010. Following that, meetings became less frequent until they stopped altogether. After his retirement in 2014, Clausson wanted to do what he could to revitalize the group. He began advertising for new members late last year, soon after the publication of his book of essays on Doyle’s fiction. Currently, the group has about ten members and met for the first time in August 2021. Meetings are held on the last Saturday of the month, usually at the Regina Public Library’s central branch. The Regina Irregulars do more than just discuss the stories, however. In the past meeting, Clausson himself found out how one might be able to watch all the vintage Holmes movies from the ‘30s and ‘40s, as well as listen to radio shows about the detective. The group also deals with the history of detective fiction in general and the impact Doyle’s work has made not just on the genre, but on current standards of criminal investigation. If you are a fan of Holmes, or of detective fiction in general, and love discussing books, come attend one of the meetings! Those interested can send an email to reginairregulars@gmail.com or check out their Facebook group “The Regina Irregulars.”
Sask Culture Days returns with hybrid festival Province-wide festival brings art, crafts, and historical tours right to your laptop jorah bright arts writer From September 24 to October 24, Culture Days is running its annual celebration of arts and culture across Canada. Culture Days is celebrating this year through online and in-person events. Traditionally, the festival is only on the last Friday of September and the following weekend, but in 2020 and 2021, due to COVID, it has been extended to four weeks. Though not every province celebrates Culture Days at the same time, every province has their own unique activities in several of its cities. The goal of Culture Days, according to their website, is to “Affirm that every citizen is the guardian of the cultural life of his, her or their community,” as well as allowing artists and creators to interact with the public and increasing appreciation for the arts. Culture Days started in 2010, inspired by Journées de la culture in Québec, and even coincides with Les Journées dates by starting at the end of September. Since its creation, Culture Days as an organization and a charity has grown in popularity and partici-
pation across Canada. Every year follows a different theme, and this year’s theme is “RE:Imagine.” The website states that this theme is inspired by “exploring new ideas and innovation in arts and culture while committing to building tangible change in the sector and society.” Here in Saskatchewan, there are events available in Regina, Pilot Butte, Regina Beach, Nokomis, Saskatoon, Strasbourg, Silton, Moose Jaw, Yorkton, Humboldt, Wawota, Grenfell, Weyburn, Porcupine Plain, Maple Creek, Swift Current, North Battleford, Battleford, Shaunavon, Prince Albert, Melfort, and Creighton. Having Culture Days activities available in so many towns and cities increases the accessibility of the festival. You don’t have to live in or near a major city like Regina or Saskatoon to be able to partake in the events. There are a total of 120 events in Saskatchewan, with over 40 descriptor tags available for each event. Culture Days has created a large number of different activities, guaranteeing that there will be something for everyone. The most popular tag is Visual Arts with 46 events, followed by History & Heritage with 39, then
Craft with 30, and Indigenous with 24 events. Activities are available in several languages including Arabic, Cree, Saulteaux, Spanish, Swahili, and Tigrinya. From the website, you’re able to add accessibility filters to see which events are accessible for different needs. These will tell you which events have wheelchair accessibility, gender-neutral washrooms, closed captions, audio description, and sign language interpretation. The mix between digital and in-person events and the longer event time allows a greater number of people to experience the Arts and Culture festival. I attended two events: The Broadway and Back interactive history tour from Yorkton and the Saskatoon Folkfest Culture Connect Friday show. As a history lover, the Broadway and Back interactive tour was able to give me fascinating information about the history of the city, all while in the comfort and safety of my own home. It gave information that would be taught differently in a museum because this video was a first-person view of the streets and provided a history for each building.
While a tour like this increases the accessibility of information, it still has its downfalls. The narrator speaks clearly, but slowly, and there are no available closed captions. The settings on the video kept switching between English and French depending on what browser I was using, which could cause issues for those unfamiliar with French and having their settings stuck on that language. The Saskatoon Folkfest originally premiered in August, but Culture Days provides a link to a three hour video of the show. It includes music, dance, and recipes. While it has a wide array of cultures and things to enjoy, the audio quality isn’t consistent all the way through. It’s a consequence of having people join through video calls to engage in trivia and Q&A portions, but takes away from the experience. Captions are available for the video, but they’re auto-generated by YouTube, which isn’t the most reliable. There are still dozens of activities available during Culture Days to check out on their website, culturedays.ca. Culture Days started on September 24 and will end on October 24, 2021.
Jon Tyson via Unsplash
sports
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editor: vacant sports@carillonregina.com the carillon | oct 7 - oct 20, 2021
The beginner’s hike: Mckell trail Everyone loves a good baby step
gillian massie staff writer In this weather, you can’t beat a great hike – even if you aren’t into the outdoors. September has brought beautiful weather. Rather than rain and snow hitting as soon as the first leaf drops, we have truly had a dreamy fall. Beautifully coloured trees, and many of the geese not yet heading south for the colder months. I am sure we have all heard this before: “get outside and get active!” To some extent it’s a fine point, as there are benefits to going outside and getting active. However, if you are anything like me, you absolutely dread hiking. It’s one of those activities that sound good on the surface. You get active, you get to see some beautiful scenery, and you have a sense of accomplishment once you finish. For myself, I could not have been any less interested in hiking. First, it was much too slow. I always found myself wanting something with more adrenaline, like cycling. Second, it’s hot. I hate the heat, and every experience I have had hiking I have come back with heat exhaustion.
Toomas Tartes via Unsplash
Pictured here is the range of Saskatchewan weather in October.
Third, I was uninspired to even begin hiking in the first place. These many roadblocks have been challenged this fall as I have been determined to find an additional way to exercise. I am not ready to renter the gym with the fourth wave of COVID on the horizon, and I needed something to do as my bicycle is hours away
with my parents. Cracking the code, I took a quick look into the hiking trails around Regina, where I found the Mckell Wascana Conservation Park. It’s a short loop of only 2.6 kilometers that is good for beginner hikers. It is also close to the University, with only a 15-minute drive to get to the trail taking
the Assiniboine Avenue exit and making a right turn on Prince of Wales Drive. The first step to finding enjoyment in something is making sure that it does not feel like a job; don’t overdo it. Try just going once every few weeks to see if you enjoy it. I began hiking around Mckell
a few times a week for a slow rest day. It isn’t difficult terrain, so you can just let yourself go on autopilot as you complete the distance. It is a very flat hike, which might sound boring, but actually makes it quite peaceful. Despite being located on the outskirts of Regina, there is still a fair amount of wildlife surrounding the area. There are a variety of birds surrounding the area as Wascana creek trickles through the centre of the trail. A dock that looks out onto a small pond makes for a great break to watch the ducks float across the water. Mckell is a beautiful sanctuary within Regina that is a good beginner hike, but also an excellent place to begin your journey to doing larger hikes in areas like Wascana Trails, just outside of Regina. Despite not being a hiker myself, I have really begun to enjoy the different shorter hikes around the Regina area after starting out on Mckell trails. Slowly, I have begun trying different trails within Regina such as the Wascana path around the Legislature building. I would not have even began to hike greater distances if it were not for the novice path around Mckell.
Interview with Rams’ Josh White
Hear about the best drills, the Favourite Coach™ , and advice for new and old student-athletes
victoria baht sports writer
The Carillon has been talking football the last couple of weeks, so why not keep that action coming? The game is fun, adventurous, tough, involves teamwork, and empowers players, so we wanted to give you more of an inside look by taking you to a player. This player, Josh White, plays as a linebacker for our Rams football team, and is currently taking sports and recreation at the University of Regina. He used to play at Campbell Collegiate, but started playing the game when he was in grade seven. What is your favourite part about playing football? The team is like playing with a brotherhood. You are with a bunch of teammates from a bunch of different families which creates a feeling of “being a part of something bigger than yourself ” said White. What previous camps/ leagues did you play in or practice with that helped you become a Rams player? White has previously played at Campbell Collegiate, and also with Team Canada and Team Saskatchewan. Can you tell us about your favourite coach that you have had and why? The coach that stood out to him the most is a coach that he
had while playing for Team Saskatchewan, coach Sheldon Gray, because this coach and White had a couple things in common: they both had lots of energy, and personalities that connected which helped create a strong bond. How do you manage your athletic responsibilities and academic responsibilities that new players should know and try? White says have a schedule, and make sure that you feel comfortable with everything you are doing. A part of feeling comfortable is to make sure that you have
time for everything that you have set for yourself. His main tips for new school/teammates are make sure you don’t leave things to the last second (always stay on top of due dates) and be mindful of your goals, both mentally and physically. Can you tell us about your favourite season for playing for the Rams and why? The best season that he had was the first one where he felt really welcomed by those around him. He loved the experience of travelling across Western Canada playing a sport that he loves while
being introduced to teams all over Western Canada and playing against them. Can you explain how the season worked last year compared to this year? Last year was a sad year for the Rams along with most other U of R teams. The Rams were lucky enough to have an eightweek window of practices, which is what was their season consisted of – no games. This season is pretty much back to normal, just shortened by two weeks. The only big difference is the extra processes that everyone follows to help
Michael Scraper
Pivot. Pivot! PIVOT!
remain safe during the pandemic, like getting vaccinated, wearing masks indoors, regular check-ins with one another, and making sure symptoms are watched for and monitored. What is your favourite drill to practice with your teammates? White enjoys playing and practicing competitive drills as he finds that this is where he grows the most, both independently and with the team. When they do competitive drills, it helps make the team stronger going against other teams. What do you hope to see this upcoming season playing with the Rams team? White hopes that the Rams team makes it all the way to the Vanier Cup because he wants to keep playing, and the only way to play longer than the scheduled season games is to make it to the play-offs. What is your favourite way to get yourself pumped up for game day? Currently, White is working on watching Lawrence Taylor videos as “he was one of the best football players to ever exist.” Josh White is a player who likes to focus on playing as a member of the team, and who works on keeping himself in gear, mentally and physically.
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
sports
oct 7 - oct 20, 2021
Interview with Rams’ Ethan Marshall
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Get a first year’s take on making goals, seeing things through, and staying as consistent as possible
victoria baht sports writer The Carillon took you along to get to know one Rams player, so why not take you along to get to know another? The Rams football season has just begun, and they recently had their home opener on October 2 – the first home game for some players on the team. The Carillon did an interview with firstyear player Ethan Marshall, who is currently studying Business Administration at the university and used to play for the Leboldus Suns. Here is what you need to know about Marshall, the keys to keep in mind in order to really bring your best in this game, and the upcoming team goals for the Rams: What is a cool fact about playing football that you think the readers should know? “Football is a team game. As individuals you do not win the games on your own, but you help contribute to your team’s success.” said Marshall, emphasizing the collaboration needed to excel in this game. “Winning only occurs when all twelve players on the field do their jobs well and efficiently.” What strengths do you have that you think make you personally a great athlete? Two core strengths – consistency and hard work. “These two are the main factors that are leading me to be a great athlete.” How have you seen yourself grow mentally and physically over your years of playing? For the short amount of
Blair Sweeney
What do you think they’d do if a tackle attempt resulted in someone getting pantsed?
time Marshall has been with the Rams, he feels like he has already been growing mentally. “Football is more than just who is stronger and faster. It is equally just as important to who learns and studies the game more, and who is willing to put themselves in a place to succeed.” What is your passion that drives you to play this sport? The passion that drives Marshall is based on “building so many relationships with those on your team and doing your part to win, [which are] a huge part of
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family, coaches, and friends that have all played a huge part in “pushing me to the best version of myself, and helping me achieve my goals.” What previous teams or leagues have you played or practiced with in the past? Marshall has had experiences playing in Regina Minor Football, and he played football with the Leboldus high school team. What are some personal goals you have for yourself and for the Rams team, both for this season and upcoming
What are some personal goals that you have had in the past that you have accomplished yourself and with your teammates? When Marshall was playing in high school with the Leboldus team, their goal was to win the provincial championship. The team worked hard and were lucky enough to achieve that goal. “We were able to achieve this goal as a result of everyone going in and doing their job on and off the field, consistently and with excellence.”
One of the most important things I’ve learned is leadership comes in many different forms. Some team captains lead by example and let their work speak for them. Other are more vocal and use their voice to lead. Each and every form is just as important as the others, and they all help guide the team in the right direction – Ethan Marshall
why I love football. Watching all of our players, coaches, and support staff come together to work towards a common goal, that is super cool and special to me.” Did you ever think that you would become a university student-athlete? What or who has been your biggest support to help you get this far? This has always been a goal in Marshall’s mind. He had his
seasons that you hope to play in? “As the years progress, I hope to continue to grow stronger, mentally and physically. In addition, I also hope to continue to be a student of the game, learning more and more each day.” said Marshall, hinting that he practices what he preaches: that both the mental and physical elements of the game must be practiced to reach that full potential.
Have you ever been a team captain before for a team and what was the experience like? Marhsall was lucky enough to be a team captain for the Leboldus Suns. “It was a great way for me to learn about leadership,” he mentioned, going on to state the value in variety: “One of the most important things I’ve learned is leadership comes in many different forms. Some team
captains lead by example and let their work speak for them. Other are more vocal and use their voice to lead. Each and every form is just as important as the others, and they all help guide the team in the right direction.” What is your favourite part about playing football? “My favourite part is being given the opportunity each day to work on my skills, and further my knowledge regarding football. Our support staff, coaches, and players are all dedicated to seeing the team as a whole win, which is a super fun thing to be a part of.” How do you hope to get the rest of the university involved for the remainder of this season? “I hope to see the rest of the university attend our home games cheer us on! It is not just an opportunity to watch the game, but also an opportunity to come together as a community and have a good time.” So that is it and that is all, Carillon readers. You have learned the inside scoop from Ethan Marshall on what his experience has been like playing with Regina Minor Football, then the Leboldus Suns, and what his first-year experience is like so far playing with the Rams. On that team, they work towards a similar and common goal to make themselves, friends, teammates, coaches, and families proud. They want to the university student body proud. If you missed the homecoming game on October 2, they have another game coming up Saturday, October 16.
op-ed
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editor: sarah nakonechny op-ed@carillonregina.com the carillon | oct 7 - oct 20, 2021
From womb to tomb – the story of a twin
Growing up as a twin is not what it looks like in the movies; it’s so much better Being a twin is more than just having a built-in best friend, despite what everyone may think. There are certainly good things like never having to grow up alone; there are also bad things like always being known as a pair and rarely known as individuals. For me, being a twin has fueled my drive since the day I was born and everything that I strive to accomplish is for the sake of my twin brother. When looking at us side by side, especially in the present, you would probably never guess that we are twins. He is over six feet tall, has a broader build, and facial hair which definitely makes him look a lot
have a bond that does not exist between other siblings – whether it is my ability to help calm him down if he is getting overwhelmed or knowing what he wants just by seeing the look on his face, it is something I can only describe as our “twin-tuition.” Now for me, having this driving force of my brother behind me has motivated a lot of what I have done throughout my life, pushing me to try things I otherwise think I would not have bothered with so he could have the opportunity to come to the events and to watch the action, even while knowing that he could not participate if he wanted to. One of us should have the ex-
Yes, we both grew up driving around in the car with our mother while she played the radio or whatever CD was her favourite at the time until we fell asleep in the backseat (certainly, more effective than sleeping medication, that is for sure), or listening to evening polka nights on the TV at our grandparents’ house, but that passion manifested itself differently in both of us. Alex developed the love of listening to music: from rock to country, all the way to jazz, he will listen to it all and enjoy every minute of it. Meanwhile, I took to playing and being a part of the creation of music. Concert bands, jazz bands, and even marching
you are or what you look like, what matters is the smile and joy you are able to bring to those around you. When asked why I work as hard as I do and push myself in the ways that I do, my answer will always come back to my twin brother. There are a million stories that I could share showing the strength and the joy that he possesses, and I push myself in the hope that I will make him as proud of me as I am of him. Growing up and loving someone who is the physical embodiment of everything that is good and positive in life makes it extremely difficult to not want to do ev-
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Growing up and loving someone who is the physical embodiment of everything that is good and positive in life makes it extremely difficult to not want to do everything in your power to make the world better and brighter for him. – Sarah Nakonechny
older. Meanwhile I come in at an outstanding 5’8” with a small frame, and a face that would fool anyone on my actual age. Surprise, I am the older one out of the two of us, and I enjoyed those brief ten minutes out in the world as an only child – or so I like to tell people. Unlike most twin pairings, my brother, Alex, and I are a little bit different than most. He was diagnosed with autism when we were very young which has ultimately shaped not only who he is, but who I am as a result. It is glaringly obvious that we
perience at the very least, while providing an opportunity for the other to enjoy it all the same. As a result, our interests have lined up remarkably well. Typically, you run into twins that are either the exact same and literal copies of one another or they wind up to be so vastly different in every way. I think we have been able to find a wonderful middle ground. The most significant and noteworthy area of interest that we have both found is music. However, we have not developed this passion in the same way.
band – I have been placed behind a band stand for many years of my life. Although it looks very different, the ways in which we enjoy this activity compliment the other very well – that is until he informs me that I am not sounding good that day. Although he never asked to be the way he is, I would not change him for the world. It may not look the same as everyone else, but watching someone grow and develop in a way that is not traditional is truly fascinating and inspiring. He reminds me every day of our lives that it does not matter who
erything in your power to make the world better and brighter for him. Regardless of what happens in my life, I know that he will be there - waiting for me to come over so he can give me his toothy grin and a high five. And let me tell you, an unprompted high five will never feel more meaningful. The life of a twin is certainly an eventful one, and I would not be who I am today without my wombmate.
sarah nakonechny op-ed editor Tracy Moate
Twins – the ultimate buy-one-get-one free deal.
oct 7 - oct 20, 2021
op-ed
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
11
Toasty Sask fall brings both concern and relief We may breaking out umbrellas when the soil cannot sustain our need for food Every summer, I am in awe of how beautiful the prairies in general, and this city in particular, can be. In fact, I joke with friends that every summer I forget what winters are like and wonder why more people do not come live here. Then, sometime around early November when it hurts to breathe, I remember what lies ahead for the next several months. Again, spring eventually arrives before we rinse and repeat. Except so far, this past year has been different. I am originally from a warm tropical climate, where mid-40s Celsius is not uncommon. However, back home, offices and homes are built with this information in mind. This past summer, as Regina has consistently hit high 30s and low 40s, it was far worse to deal with given the sort of insulation buildings here tend to have – not to mention, the sunlight just seems so much more intense for whatever reason. A part of me is also worried about how little rain we got. To be completely honest, most of my concerns were about how the drought will affect the harvest, and how the potentially poor harvest will in turn affect the price of food in the coming year. Whenever you are on the verge of being broke, the notion of having to spend more on food is not a very welcome one. We did get some late rain, but I understand by then it was too late for the farmers. All things considered, I was certainly looking forward to fall, if not quite the harsh prairie winters. Except now fall is here, and things do not seem to be that much better. I have only lived in Regina since 2016, and this has easily been the warmest fall I have experienced since moving here. In conversations, people who have lived here for decades have also remarked on how this is definitely a very unusual September in terms of weather. At least three times over the month I remember the high of the day passing the 30-degree Celsius mark. Even late nights and early mornings have barely dipped below zero, and when they eventually did, we were
Sarah Nakonechny
The world may be frying us alive but at the least the sky is Instagram-worthy.
already practically at the end of September. Optimistically, some news reports have been talking about how Saskatchewan might be looking at a rather mild winter, with minimal snowfall. While I have to admit that the idea of a mild winter and not as much snow sounds very tempting for someone like me who relies on a combination of public transport and walking to get around, this year does represent a very abrupt change in the usual patterns of our province. Though maybe not too abrupt, now that I think of it. We have been told for years now that climate patterns are changing, and that the earth is headed towards a grim future. I do, however, feel the need to clarify one thing: the Earth will change, sure, but it will in all likelihood still be here for several million years more. What we should be saying is that climate patterns are changing, and unless we do something about it, we – humans – will not be here much longer. I might not love snow (well, to be honest, I sort of do), but regular rain and snowfall nourishes and prepares the land for planting and harvesting. Maybe I am overthinking and/or being overly pessimistic. I will be the first person to admit that both of those are things I tend to do quite a bit. Maybe I should just be glad we are getting bright sunny afternoons this late into the year, and soon the usual prairie weather will be back, and Saskatchewan will, on some days, be colder than anyplace on Earth (or Mars). A part of me, though, is still a little uneasy. I have often seen how in the face of natural disasters and calamities in general it is always the common person whose life is disrupted the most. The billionaires are already working on their space colonies, and I cannot help but feel like one of Noah’s neighbours wondering what the arc is for…
hammad ali staff writer
Poverty cosplayed by the rich
The misconceptions behind celebrity “rags to riches” stories It’s no secret that mainstream media personalities absorb the most palatable narratives to assume success. After all, consolidating their audiences’ most innate desires is what makes them famous. In the latest, or maybe not so late, rendition of this is the narratives of fictional poverty assumed by celebrities to adhere to the interests and likeness of the consumers who make them successful. More specifically, influencer culture that survives off of pandering to their audiences dreams and desires while pushing a “hard work” exterior of moral showboating. Unfortunately, the act of donning a working-class costume to send the message that money does not matter as long as you work hard and stay true to oneself seems particularly ubiquitous in the new age of influencers. For celebrities, the audiences most far removed from poverty, these displays of performative relatability go unchecked. But this “working-class cosplay” directly adds to the displacement of actual working-class people. Social media is one of the most powerful avenues through which influential members of society can be exposed to the experiences and voices of the marginalized. Therefore, objectification of the poor to entertain a privileged audience is fundamentally wrong, but the ethical minefield of depicting poverty to be palatable to an audience is still extremely pervasive. The usage of a lower- and middle-class aesthetics assumed by people who are not actually
lower or middle class translates to a very distorted view from the privileged that is assumed towards individuals actually living in poverty. For celebrities, depicting poverty on screen is a tactic that positions them on a moral high ground while still having a profitable disconnect under the guise of
“working hard.” When celebrities assume this narrative, they fail to acknowledge that they retain the luxury of being able to have the financial capacity and resources to “work” harder than most. There is no obligation for celebrities to engage with politics, but they should be cognizant of the
Jonathan Kho via Unsplash
Which celebrity is playing homeless today?
consequences that are left from perjuring these narratives. When the “one must work hard to get to a certain level of success” message is being assumed and promoted, it tells us that poverty is something to escape rather than rectify by the establishments that can consolidate the dismissal of these communities. Allegedly, if one wants to escape poverty, they only need to work harder to be successful in doing so. The distortion of these messages through influencers makes the messaging that much more real. Viewing the lives of celebrities and influencers from an outside lens to the audiences makes the assumption that their lives are real much easier, whether being doctored or not. When these lives presented to us are a reflection of struggle or “rags to riches,’’ it can be a far more convincing illusion – most likely also hiding the fact that these influencers and celebrities were born into high amounts of privilege that existed before fame and their current following. Consequently, directly or indirectly indicating that the wealth, power, or even status one has is solely based off of hard work and is attainable to the masses is incredibly facetious, as there will be a point when actual working-class people realize that the paths of their favorite celebrities are not achievable for them.
sarah carrier multimedia editor
oct 7 - oct 20, 2021
carillonregina.com | the carillon |
op-ed
More than one way to use a ballot
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Filling in your ballot is an act of power, and spoiling that ballot is one way to use that power
Arnaud Jaegers via Unsplash
Whether it’s valid or spoiled won’t make a difference in our “democracy.”
Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party of Canada are set to form government after the 2021 Canadian Federal Election. This is the second federal election I have been eligible to participate in, but the first I have decided not to participate in. To be clear, it would not be entirely accurate to state that I did not participate in the 2021 Federal Election. Rather, I would forfeit the privilege of voting in dedication to higher ideals. Nonetheless, this forfeit marked an ideological chasm between me as an eighteen-year-old high school senior, and a near twenty-year-old university sophomore. As an eighteen-year-old I had implored my fellow students to vote in a mock election. Now, less than two years later, I am failing to live up to the standards I once held my peers to. I do not doubt that many readers will react the same way that those close to me did when I confessed to spoiling my ballot. They would be resounding in their thinking that I had wasted my ballot and consequently voided my privilege of criticizing the government that emerges from the
Labrador provincial election. In the wake of NDP Leader Alison Coffin’s suggestion of spoiling ballots to voice discontent, a professor at Memorial University argued that this would have only a marginal impact in comparison to not voting. Certainly, one spoiled ballot is insignificant amid a mass of proper ones. Is it not true that my proper ballot would have been insignificant amid the mass of Conservative ballots that were counted on Monday, 20 September, 2021? Further, had I simply chosen not to vote at all – as one person suggested – I would risk being accused of shirking my democratic rights and responsibilities. It was only through the spoiled ballot that I could demonstrate my commitment to my ideals without compromising my conscience. I once believed — and perhaps I still believe — that the ballot is the best instrument for change. My political education was imbued with the idea that even if the voter’s preferred candidate lost, the voter was entitled to criticize the victor on account of the former’s participation in the electoral process. The same entitlement
– these privileges include the right to participate in a free and democratic election, and our responsibilities are what we owe to our treaty partners. While we would like to believe this is an important issue to us, less than half of the settler population surveyed by the Confederation of Tomorrow believed that government should do more regarding reconciliation. The perceived importance of Indigenous issues that we would like to believe exists today existed only twice in Canadian history: first, from the formative years of the Dominion of Canada to the absorption of Indian Affairs into the Department of Mines and Resources in 1936; and second, from the aftermath of the White Paper of 1969 to the reverberations of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996) of the late 1990s and early 2000s. In neither period were our treaty obligations towards our partners fulfilled. Government policy and social attitudes towards our treaty partners indicate that these obligations will remain unfulfilled, and the treaty relationship ignored. Another aspect of my identity is that
it is the treaty relationship that forms the fundamentals of our constitutional order. The Canadian legal system, however, has repeatedly failed to observe this practice in relation to the treaty relationship. The most egregious obstruction of the treaty relationship has been the continuity of the Canadian government’s authority where it has failed to fulfil its obligations to its treaty partners. The higher ideals that I referred to in the opening paragraph concern our fulfilment of treaty obligations and observation of this relationship. The failure towards our treaty partners has delegitimized the Canadian government according to this relationship. A renewed neglect of the treaty relationship surrounding recent legislation on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples leaves me with no confidence that a reversal is imminent following the election. For me to vote for a candidate in the 2021 Federal Election would be for me to uphold a process that exists without constitutional legitimacy on account of our failure to fulfil our obligations and relationship.
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The Canadian legal system, however, has repeatedly failed to observe this practice in relation to the treaty relationship. The most egregious obstruction of the treaty relationship has been the continuity of the Canadian government’s authority where it has failed to fulfil its obligations to its treaty partners. – Jack Nestor
election. These are not novel ideas by any means. Yet, they remain mostly unquestioned by members of a democratic society. This is a challenge to the conventional ideas of democratic participation, and an explanation of my actions. Beginning with the idea that I wasted my vote, I wish to make two points. First, it is worth pointing out that my federal riding has been dominated by the Conservative Party of Canada. While the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) is not seeking re-election, the political climate that persists in my community is by no means conducive to an ideological shift. In other words, I may have contributed to the support or opposition of my MP, but in either case it would have been an insignificant contribution. Second, I would refer my reader to the 2019 Newfoundland and
would be withheld from the non-voter as they forfeited it when failing to participate. Such a precept was so fundamental to my understanding that I neglected to question it until recently. Upon this recent investigation, I reached an alternative conclusion where the non-voter is not necessarily indifferent to the process, but disaffected by it. Such is the case for me personally. I do not doubt that it has been the case for others before me anymore than I do not doubt that it will explain the actions of non-voters after me. It is not without reason that I have withheld the source of my disaffection. Before I reveal this, however, it is important for my reader to understand my identity. I am first and foremost a Canadian. In my understanding, being a Canadian comes with certain privileges and responsibilities
I am a settler. Some may think that this precludes me from commenting on matters relating to treaty – as a colonizer I not only benefit from, but contribute to, the obstruction of this relationship. I invite these readers to reconsider the nature of treaty in a critical light. Rather than an instrument of land dispossession, treaties should be understood as marriages between peoples. In the case of Treaty 4, the marriage was between the Plains Cree, Saulteaux, and the Crown. Until his death in 1889, Crown Negotiator, Alexander Morris had remained committed to a faithful fulfilment of our treaty obligations and treaty relationship. Indeed, Morris understood the treaty relationship as the basis of a Canadian presence in the Northwest. It is the treaty relationship that legitimizes our use of Indigenous land — and consequently,
Those that disagree with me are right about one thing: employees of Elections Canada will not care about my ballot. I aim not to rationalize my actions, nor to cast shame upon my fellow students and Canadians. Rather, I hope that my fellow students and Canadians think critically about what they want Canada to be. I want a Canada that I can be proud of and be proud to participate in. Until the treaty relationship is observed, and our obligations fulfilled, I will continue to refuse to uphold an illegitimate government. I end this with the belief that the ballot remains the most powerful instrument of change, but that there is more than one way to use your power.
jack nastor contributor
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editors: sarah carrier, rooky jegede graphics@carillonregina.com the carillon | oct 7 - oct 20, 2021
