The Navigator Vol 46 Issue 08

No 08

JAN. 14

JAN. 27

Vol 46

NAV I GATOR VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY STUDENT PRESS

FREE

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12

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OCEAN FLOOR OVERWHELMED

BY EXOTIC ALGAE

TALKING TRASH

WINTER BIRDING

The VIU Deep Bay Marine Field Station is currently documenting the activity of an introduced species of algae and its environmental effects.

The photographs of Nanaimo’s College Dr. neighbourhood show a boulevard littered with coffee cups, food containers, and fast food wrappers.

Nanaimo is home to many parks and coastal accesses, but no local area is more attractive to birders than the Buttertubs Marsh.

Contents

NEWS

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05

06

07

Editorials

City seeks public help after illegal tree removal

Local seeks Green Party of Canada nomination for Nanaimo-Ladysmith

Ocean floor overwhelmed by exotic algae

Fight the flu Port Alberni teen looks to bring pride back

FEATURES

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09

10

11

12

Voices from Canada World Youth

Love a mug

The long commute: Application

Behind the scenes with Amy Lynn Grace

Talking trash

Winter birding Cafe review: Cinnamon Joes Coffee Window Point of VIU

ARTS

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15

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Upcoming Arts & Humanities Colloquim talk considers our state of being amused and confused

Filmmaking and problem solving with Steff Gundling

Music and Memory Program for individuals with dementia at Kiwanis Village

Movie review: Mr. Turner

Canada World Youth farewell show

Essential viewing: Tokyo Story (1953)

VISFF announces 2015 shortlist

SPORTS

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Men’s basketball continues winning waves

Women’s basketball returns from break with win

Buccaneers successfully navigate Storm

Odds and Ends Comics, Sudoku, and More

Women’s volleyball continue strong play

Clippers complete crew as roster deadline passes

Men’s volleyball preparing for return action

02 CONTENTS

THE NAVIGATOR

Letters

www. thenav .ca THE NAVIGATOR WELCOMES READER CONTRIBUTIONS

â&#x20AC;˘ To submit, visit <www.thenav.ca> or email <editor@thenav.ca>.

All submissions must be original work of the author. Editors reserve the right to refuse submissions, and to edit for space or clarity.

CONTRIBUTORS Carly Breault Stephanie Brown John Gardiner Dr. Gordon Hak Shaleeta Harper Jon Hiebert Arlen Hogarth Brennan Hinchsliff Rihaf Husen James MacKinnon Drew McLachlan Kylee Pawluck Colin Simister Donovan Simpson Dr. Marshall Soules Chantelle Spicer Spencer Wilson

Letters to the editor should be no more than 400 words in length. The Navigator does not pay for letters. Opinions expressed in The Navigator are expressly those of the author and/or artist and do not reflect the views of The Navigator staff.

900 Fifth St. bldg. 193, rm. 217 Nanaimo, BC, V9R 5S5 T: 250-753-2225 F: 250-753-2257

STAFF

Leah Myers Editor-in-Chief

Blake Deal News Editor

Jessica Reid Graphic Designer

Antony Stevens Web Editor

Christine Franic Business Manager

Rio Trenaman Art Director

Ben Chessor Sports Editor

Dahlia Yuen Graphic Designer

Elissa Doerksen Multimedia Prod.

Gareth Boyce Board President

Alexandria Stuart Associate Editor

Kelly Whiteside Production Manager

Eva Calder Ad/Sales Rep

Molly Barrieau Online Reporter

Denisa Kraus Arts Editor

Molly Barrieau Senior Copy Editor

Brendan Barlow Social Media Sp.

Lynne Williams Bookkeeper

THE NAVIGATOR

LETTERS 03

Editorials

Forever indebted Leah Myers Editor-in-chief The Navigator Something very exciting happened earlier this school year for Canadian students living in Manitoba. You may not have heard about it over the sound of the deep fryer at your parttime fast food gig. Let me recap: in November, Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger announced that starting sometime in 2015, students studying in Manitoba will no longer have to pay interest on their post-secondary student loan.

According to Zach Fleisher, Chairperson at the Canadian Federation of Students in Manitoba, interest-free programs have found success in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, but this is the first time something like this has been introduced to this part of Canada.

I’m excited for Manitoban students and I hope the rest of western Canada considers similar initiatives. As a current student, it’s hard for me to imagine why anyone wouldn’t support interest-free tuition repayment across the country, and it’s pretty tiresome listening to the age-old anti-support argument, “The money’s gotta come from somewhere and

they’re going to tax us all!” Maybe it’s just the rumbling of my starving student stomach speaking, but even if the aforementioned tax raise is the solution to making up lost dollars from the initiative: good. Out of all the ways a country can waste tax dollars, supporting students isn’t on the list. And those that think spending money on student education is a taxpayer burden seem to forget that all of us are working hard in post-secondary to not only further our career opportunities, but also to become your dentists, doctors, lawyers, journalists, etc. It will be a glorious day when the powers governing the post-secondary institutes start sympathizing with students trying to become useful members of society, and stop treating us like a business to cash in on.

This is the first year that I’m enrolled in full-time university studies and not working a part-time, retail job at the same time. I work at The Navigator, of course, but it feels more like what I imagine a co-op position would be. Sure, some students embark in full-time classes and coast purely on student loans. Others do part school, part work, slowly but surely working towards their eight-year Bachelor’s degree.

The only other option to get through school within a reasonable time frame and without burying yourself in loan debt? Enrol in full-time studies, work part-time and pray for the best.

Last year I worked part-time retail and took full-time studies and it’s really difficult. In theory you figure you can work five hours retail with five hours of school and homework a day, but by the time you come home from stocking shelves,

working till, or flipping burgers, your brain is nulled over with a customer service glaze and all you can do is stare at the wall and pray that the ringing and beeping of bells and timers leaves your ears soon. I know envy is a dangerous monster, but I couldn’t shake the little green guy off my shoulder as he told me all about students from wealthy families who are able to focus all their energy on their studies without working or without an over-looming debt sentence. Of course, since this is such a minority of students now (your parent’s penny-a-day college fund won’t cover tuition anymore), why aren’t we looking at a better system?

It disturbs me, this blatant rich-privilege system set up in our colleges and universities. Can we all agree that pursuing post-secondary education has ceased to be a privileged advantage, and is now a necessity in order to even have a chance at landing a well-paying salary? There’s a reason why young people joke that the B in BA actually stands for Barista. Bachelor degree graduates are actually seriously in the competing market for minimum-wage service jobs, so how much opportunity is there for someone who doesn’t have a post-secondary education? Having our school system running like a business means that the wealthy are at an astute advantage, which is fine (and nothing new), but if in this day and age pursuing a career without further education after high school isn’t really an option, then I think it’s time to rethink the money-making principles of our schools in Canada. Interest-free student loan repayment is a heck of a good way to start.

We need the trees Alexandria Stuart Associate Editor The Navigator Happy New Year. It’s going to rain until May. The landscape is barren. Our next holiday is over a month away. Just when we need the comfort and security of something life-affirming—something that has been here longer than we have, weathering storms and drought—you come around the corner and it’s gone. They cut down the trees. On Milton St. at the corner of Wentworth St., three giants were struck down.

In their place are ground down stumps, bloody with sawdust.

We need our urban trees. Their roots may burrow beneath private property, but their branches extend into public space—they belong to us all.

According to Nanaimo’s Economic Development Office, this is one of the most desirable, livable small cities in North America. Part of that is tied to the shape of our communities

04 EDITORIALS

and the flavour of our neighbourhoods. Livable. One of the things that makes the Old City Quarter so very livable are its very lively, mature trees.

A tree-lined street gives a neighbourhood personality. The Old City Quarter’s esthetic is so pleasing because it’s dotted with towering maple and chestnut, willowy birch, and evergreens. Closer to the ground, Japanese maple and plum sway for our pleasure. Together they shelter our homes from the heat of the summer and then gracefully drop their leaves to let the warmth-giving sun in during the winter.

Yet speculative investors, developers, and new residents attempt to reshape our city in their own image. They want a cleaner landscape. They want a clearer view. Where the money pouring in comes from places where there are no trees, they don’t have any intrinsic value. Is it a coincidence that the property on Milton St. is listed for sale? Is it a coincidence that it has been on the market for a long, long time? No. Were those three trees a deterrent for buyers? Maybe.

New development often follows a scorched earth approach: flatten it all, then drop the new pieces into their assigned slots. New trees, young plantings, can have a tough time making it. The vision of the suburbs. Aren’t there enough flattened, ennui-inducing subdivisions in the north end of town? Is this the destiny of the south end?

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The City of Nanaimo is pleased to welcome this rampant development. And if a project requires an amendment to zoning bylaws, throw it in front of Council and see the hands raised and lowered in unison, like marionettes, as the motions pass in quick succession. The previous Council enjoyed spending. A lot. The teat it suckled at is desperate for development fees and new taxpayers, and desperate times make strange bedfellows. The cash injection the city needs sits in other provinces and offshore, so our leaders pull back the sheets and invite them to climb in. It remains to be seen whether the new Mayor and Council sworn in this December have the same priorities.

Trees are the timekeepers of the seasons. Their buds signal spring. Their shade brings relief in the summer. Their fall colour ushers in the harvest. Their branches grow bare in the winter and let what little light there is shine through. In the urban environment, we rely on trees to keep us grounded.

The Lorax had it right. Corporate greed consumes nature.

Treeless, we’re left in the dust bowls of barren plains. Not so livable anymore, the money will find another small city.

And we will be left with nothing.

We take our urban trees at our own peril. In the words of Dr. Seuss, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

News

City seeks public help after illegal tree removal

Two of the 12 trees illegally cut down BLAKE DEAL The City of Nanaimo is asking the public for their assistance in tracking down the person(s) who were involved in an illegal removal of trees.

On November 14, 12 trees were illegally cut down on a park property on the north side of Laguna Way near Universal Pl. Of the 12 trees cut down, there were two alders, two Douglas firs, and eight Western large leaf maples.

Courtesy of City of Nanaimo

THE NAVIGATOR Urban Forestry Coordinator Alan Kemp said they believe it could have been done by a professional faller.

“We found a faller’s wedge left behind, and the trees were cut directionally with proper back cuts.

It was someone skilled enough to not be an amateur.”

The date of the incident is now known thanks to the help of a couple who rent a house nearby.

They noticed the trees had been

cut down during a day they were working alternating shifts, but never reported anything as they assumed it was a planned cut.

“There is recent subdivision development going on in the area, so it is not unusual for trees to be cut down.”

According to Kemp, the work would have taken at least five hours to do and looked as though it had been prepared to either be

BLAKE DEAL

Fight the flu

put through a chipper or be cut up for firewood.

According to a city press release, “the cutting took place on private property and would have taken several hours to complete. This action is a serious contravention of the City of Nanaimo’s Bylaw for the Management and Protection of Trees, and the City of Nanaimo’s Parks Bylaw. A person who commits an offence of this nature is liable,

upon conviction, to a fine up to $10k per tree.”

If anyone has any information or witnessed anyone cutting trees in the area around November 14, they are asked to contact the City of Nanaimo’s Bylaw Department at 250-755-4422, or the Urban Forestry Coordinator at 250-755-4460.

THE NAVIGATOR

Entering the month of January, we find ourselves right in the middle of flu season.

London Drugs Pharmacist Chris Wiebe said the biggest thing people need to remember during this time is the difference between the flu and a cold.

“A flu comes with a fever whereas a cold doesn’t. The rest of the symptoms are the same, but you can usually tell if you have the flu.”

Wiebe said there are some key things you can do to prevent getting the flu.

“The main things to do during flu season is wash your hands, take lots of vitamin c, avoid rubbing your face as your hands will spread viruses, don’t share utensils or food, stay hydrated, and get vaccinated.”

He also said staying fit can help. “It helps build up your immune system.”

THE NAVIGATOR

Flu season begins in October and lasts until the end of March or early April, usually coinciding with the cold temperatures.

“Anyone can get vaccinated at any pharmacy now,” said Wiebe.

He said it is important to get a flu vaccine early in the season, but getting one now would still be beneficial.

Wiebe said when it comes to having the flu, the best things to do are the “same old trusty things” we have always done.

“If you have the flu, the best thing to do is stay home, get rest, and avoid people. The flu is an airborne disease that is easy to spread.”

It can take up to two weeks for symptoms to appear, warned Wiebe.

“Crackers and chicken noodle soup are still the best recovery foods. Also, Tylenol is good to help with the fever and muscle aches that come alongside the flu.”

NEWS 05

Local seeks Green Party of Canada nomination for Nanaimo-Ladysmith

HA Photography

Manly launching nomination campaign at Mon Petit Choux BLAKE DEAL

THE NAVIGATOR

Local filmmaker and activist Paul Manly is seeking the opportunity to be the first Green Party of Canada candidate in the Nanaimo-Ladysmith riding in the next federal election.

Manly, who spent his formative years in Ladysmith, and has been a resident of Nanaimo since 2002, announced on January 5 that he was seeking this nomination.

Manly is known for his filmmaking and social activism. Many of his films touch on subjects that he said are of high priority if he is elected.

“I’ve had a long interest in Federal politics,” said Manly.

He has worked on films that touched on International Trade Agreement, Pipeline extensions, and Tankers.

His film Troubled Water focuses on watersheds on Vancouver Island, like protected ones in Victoria, or unprotected in Nanaimo.

“Climate change is my number one priority,” said Manly. “Our current government has our country becoming a pariah state. We may not be the country that does the most polluting, but per capita we have the most carbon use.”

When it comes to changing how we use energy, Manly said, “There

is so much technology and better energy out there. We don’t need to use the tar sands.”

He compares the use of solar energy to AT&T getting into the cell phone business.

“They were advised not to get into the cell phone business. It was predicted that there would be 900 thousand cell phones being used worldwide in the year 2000. The technology got better and more affordable. Solar power is cheaper and more efficient than it used to be.”

Manly said his second point of interest is electoral reform.

“The electoral system we use

today is archaic.”

He said we need to change it to a way that encompasses a more proportional representation.

“Having a 25 per cent electorate with a majority in parliament is not democratic, it is an elected dictatorship.”

Manly said he wants people to be able to vote for what they want, and a minority government has produced the best policies.

“Voting for the lesser of two evils is not democracy.”

Manly has received open support from members of the city council and Nanaimo school board.

“Vancouver Island has always been environmentally minded, so I think this is definitely a winnable riding.”

Manly said he likes the Green Party because it has a good economical policy, good social programs, and does not sacrifice the environment for the social programs.

Manly said he hopes to win votes with his “vision of the future that is sustainable.”

Manly’s films can be seen at <manlymedia.com>.

Port Alberni teen looks to bring pride back BLAKE DEAL

Photo courtesy of Colin Simister

06 NEWS

Port Alberni teen Colin Simister is looking to bring Pride events back to town with a large barbecue this summer.

At 19 years old, Simister has decided it is time for there to be a Pride event held in Port Alberni again.

“We used to have the train ride to the Mclean Mill,” said Simister.

“But there hasn’t been an event held here in two or three years.”

Pride events were organized and held by the now disbanded youth group Wilde Youth. Since the group split, nobody has stepped up to organize events for the LGBTQ community.

Simister said this year he was fed up with having to constantly travel to other Pride events and set up his own event. He also took steps to create a new group for the

THE NAVIGATOR

THE NAVIGATOR LGBTQ community.

“Wilde Youth was the best place I ever went,” said Simister.

“There was always a worry that people wouldn’t show up,” he added.

But Simister does not see this being a problem with this summer’s event.

“The amount of support has been huge. Port Alberni is seen as a redneck town and people would think that everyone here may be against it, but even as someone living here I was shocked at the support.”

Simister said such a large undertaking has definitely been a challenge. “I didn’t think it was going to be this big at first.”

Funding is an issue for events like these, but Simister is talking with groups he hopes will be able to help. There is also a GoFundMe

account, and an account for bottle donations set up.

So far $300 has been raised, but Simister hopes more people will be willing to help.

He has received some advice from people in other groups who have hosted Pride events before. “I am also surprised and happy at how many people have been coming to me offering help and advice.”

The barbecue is scheduled to take place on July 26 at Williamson Park in Port Alberni. The event is family friendly and open to all who want to come show support.

For more information, check the Port Alberni first annual Pride BBQ Facebook page. Also on that page is the link to the GoFundMe page for those looking to donate.

Ocean floor overwhelmed by exotic algae BLAKE DEAL

THE NAVIGATOR

The VIU Deep Bay Marine Field Station is currently documenting the activity of an introduced species of algae and its environmental effects.

The algae being studied, Mazella japonica (MJ), is an exotic species estimated to have been introduced 80 years ago.

The study is taking place due to it taking over the ocean floor and reaching critical mass.

Manager of the Marine field station, Brian Kingzett, admitted they don’t know much about it yet.

The algae itself has become a controversial topic in the area with two specific sides drawn.

Kingzett said the first narrative is that removing the algae is a bad thing. People on this side of things feel the algae is important and removing it will have negative effects. There are people who don’t want people harvesting the algae on their private beaches, and if the harvesting machines break down they can cause more pollution.

The second narrative is that this species is invasive and is displacing the native species and creating less complex ecosystems. There are people who see that there is an economic opportunity to be had with the 20-50 tons that wash up during the winter. There is much to gain from selling MJ as it is a valuable organic thickening agent used in processed foods as well as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

“It’s important to see that neither side is right or wrong,” said Kingzett. Both these points are valid, but we need to learn more about the species to determine the ecological effects it has.”

Kingzett said researchers at the field station are trying to explore all narratives and find where the truth lies in it all. “It very well could be somewhere in the middle,” Kingzett said.

There is a lot of opinion-based information to get around and quantitative work to be done. He said the research is supported and is focused on problems affecting the coastal community.

“The research is interdisciplinary and affects the quality of life and economy of the area. It is not rocket science, but

Mazella japonica off the coast of Bowser, BC the work is very diligent. Students are out here doing the bulk of the work.”

Kingzett said the marine station is a great way to get students engaged in the research process and provides real world opportunities for undergrad students.

“At the end of this we hope to publish at least one paper, and the students involved will have the opportunity to be authors on that paper.”

Kylee Pawluck “The jury is still out on whether the results will be positive or negative, but the more we learn about this, the more we see we might be on the cusp of ecological change.”

The project is now moving out of the data collecting phase and into data analysis.

“Is this an evil seaweed or is it a helpful food product?

Kelp and seaweed are becoming the next trending food.”

The research will hopefully lend a hand to deciding whether or not to conserve MJ or harvest it.

The issue has become a point of contention with certain members of the community.

The research is a step forward, but it is hard to do with low funding for the Sciences in Canada.

“It is hard to get funded for multi-year studies,” said Kingzett.

Kingzett wants people to know that this is a serious issue.

“It’s taking place in our literal backyard.”

He added, “It’s important for us to be involved in Coastal issues. Climate and ecological change is happening, but we don’t realize it until something drastic happens. People

Commercial harvest of Mazzella japonica south of Deep Bay Fall 2014 Photo courtesy of Deep Bay Marine Field don’t see it because it is underwater and they miss how important it may actually be. Coastal issues are important.

Some people want to work off the coast; others just want to look at it. Either way, these issues will affect you.”

For more information on research being done, visit <viudeepbay.com>.

THE NAVIGATOR

NEWS 07

Features

VoiceS from Canada World Youth

Canadian World Youth exchange students came together from different regions of Indonesia and Canada

Denisa Kraus

CONTRIBUTOR

RIHAF HUSEN

Indonesia This year I feel so grateful to get the opportunity to join Canada World Youth–Menpora youth exchange. I’ve been waiting to join this program since 2012, but I got the chance to follow the selection process in May 2014. I knew about Canada World Youth from my friend who happened to be a committee member for Youth Exchange Ambassador in my province in South Sulawesi, Gorontalo, Indonesia. They thought I would be interested in joining—it would be helpful for an Indonesian youth like me to know more about other cultures

DONOVAN SIMPSON

and values, especially from the western world, and to meet people internationally.

Canada World Youth is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing dynamic youth with an opportunity to learn about other communities, cultures, and people while developing leadership and communications skills. Applying in Indonesia is different from the way Canadian youth join the program.

I have to go through a provincial selection process with the Indonesian ministry of youth (Menpora), and then take 10 days of pre-departure training before the program.

FEATURES 08

engaging with the community.

I learned so much through volunteering in work placements such as VIU’s Students’ Union and Radio Malaspina Society. I learned how volunteering benefits the community and makes a big impact to society. With VIU’s Students’ Union I learned a lot about how student activism can make an impact to improve students’ prosperity through campaigns, events, and petition signing. My work place counterpart, Donovan, and I have been involved in so many Students’ Union events in the past two months. Since I am a university student back in my hometown Gorontalo, it has been an amazing experience to learn how students’ organizations in Canada work.

Participating in Canada World Youth also helps to develop teamwork and leadership skills—this is a main objective of the program.

And so far I can see an improvement after going through so many activities that require me to be able to lead, organize, and take initiative. So far in this program, we have done many activities that introduce Indonesian culture to the community in Nanaimo, like being a guest on Shaw TV, doing an interview with CHLY Radio, and visiting several schools and churches to do community activities. There were also mid-term projects to evaluate our improvement during the program, educational activities once a week, and volunteering at the Farmship Growers Co-op.

ond half in the exchange country’s community, in this case, Indonesia. The mission is to build new skills in youth to partake in the growth of peace, sustainability, and abroad learning voluntarily.

After a week, one group of Canadians and Indonesians were sent to Duncan. My group was sent to reside in Nanaimo for three months. Each Canadian participant has a counterpart from Indonesia to live with in a host family. We are still in the Canadian phase and already the experience is amazing. I have learned a lot, like the language Bahasa, the different cultures in the group, poli-

tics, energy, and sustainability in Nanaimo. I am also learning about myself through group discussions and educational activities where there are different perspectives and points of view. It feels great to be a youth volunteer, helping others, gaining different volunteer experiences, and being involved in non-profit organizations. It will all help me as I move forward in life and become a leader. As I learn new skills, my confidence is increasing, I am learning to overcome challenges and obstacles, meeting new friends, learning about what I want to do for a living, and tackling new hobbies. I

will be taking all that I’ve learned and gained and bringing it into my own community and lifestyle.

I am very excited to enter the phase in Indonesia where the Canada World Youth group will spend two and a half months on an island called Pelau Kelapa, north of the Indonesian capital city of Jakarta.

The experience will be entirely different and new to me with more to learn and trials to take on. I know that my time in this program is life changing, a once-in-a-lifetime occasion. Challenge yourself and take all the opportunities out there such as Canada World Youth­—you will not regret it.

CONTRIBUTOR

Canada My Canada World Youth Leaders In Action adventure so far has been phenomenal. The journey began in early October when I left the cold Northwest Territories and arrived in a camp near Cowichan Lake where the orientation took place. I met with youth from across Canada and different parts of Indonesia. At first we were all strangers, but we quickly grew closer as friends and even as family. I found something really special about this

During the pre-departure training week, I learned a lot of things about Canada, such as culture dynamics, values, ethics, manners, and whatnot. I knew that everything was going to be different in Canada compared to Indonesia, so I made sure I was prepared for changes in many aspects like lifestyle and habits. Living in a different, new country wasn’t easy.

There were many challenges, such as the weather (much colder than my home), food, transportation, and living with a host family. Over time I feel like I am adapting better to it.

Through this program I am expecting to gain more experience living in a western country, creating networks, thinking in a different perspective, as well as

group of culturally diverse and enthusiastic individuals. We are all so different yet we are here for the same purposes.

Canada World Youth is an international exchange program established in 1971, available to youth across Canada and partnered countries where youth from both Canada and the exchange country come together. For half of the program they reside in a Canadian community and spend the sec-

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Love a mug CHANTELLE SPICER

CONTRIBUTOR

During the fall term of 2014, the members of Solutions: A Sustainability Network reflected on consumption habits: their own and the habits of the entire VIU campus. They were interested in where consumption had the largest impact and how that could be minimized. Major contributors brought to the table were food waste, recyclables that wind up in garbage cans, and paper coffee cups.

The last one struck a chord, especially after the group worked so hard on the “Ban the Bottle” campaign in 2011 and had a serious impact on bottled water on campus.

Encouraging the use of reusable water bottles and having fill stations installed, plus the support of all sectors of the university, turned a seemingly insurmountable task into a clear win for sustainability.

Solutions members, in the time honoured tradition of the new year, are making another major change and asking for assistance from their fellow VIU students. The call to arms they brought to the bottled water issue is turning its attention to paper cups.

The “Love a Mug” campaign will encourage students and staff to bring their own favourite refillable travel and coffee mugs to campus, and leave paper cups on coffee shop counters.

A consumer purchasing even one paper cup of coffee or tea per day creates 23 pounds of waste in a year. Through awareness-raising campaigns, events, and contests, Solutions members hope to see an end to the sale of paper cups on campus in the coming year.

Members of the club can be found tabling events in both the cafeteria and Jumpin’ Java during January and February to discuss the benefits of reusable cups, and offering chances to win gift certificates and mugs. Keep an eye out for the photo contest on the Facebook page <facebook.com/viusolutions> where you can post your visual love for your favourite mug. Used papers cups will be collected from all corners of the university and assembled into an art display that demonstrates the amount of cups going to waste.

More information about the impact of disposable cups is available at <carryyourcup.org>. For more information about upcoming events and projects, or to add your talents to this campaign, email <viusolutionsnetwork@gmail.com>. With your support and assistance, a massive change can be made to sustainability on VIU’s campus in 2015.

A favourite mug beats a beige paper cup any day Courtesy of Chantelle Spicer

Winter birding JAMES MACKINNON

Red-Tailed Hawk

Ron Bellamy

Hooded Merganser

Ron Bellamy

Great Blue Heron

Ron Bellamy

The excuses are endless: “The weather is too nasty,” “Everything’s gone away for the winter,” “I just got a sweet Playstation for Christmas.” During the colder months, it’s easy to be deterred from getting out for a hike or an expedition in search of the plant and wildlife the Nanaimo area is known for. Truth be told, many of the trails are closed and much of our well-known flora and fauna have gone dormant, or gone south, for the season. But there are still plenty of exciting ways to get out and explore the natural wonders that make this part of the world so amazing. During mid-winter and into spring, one of the best shows in town is the array of birds that choose to overwinter near our coasts and in our wetlands.

Nanaimo is home to many parks and coastal accesses, but no local area is more attractive to birders than the Buttertubs Marsh. Just minutes north of Vancouver Island University’s Nanaimo campus, created by a man-made flooding of the Millstone River, Buttertubs and its surrounding terrain offers shelter, semi-stagnant water, and a variety of nesting features that are disappearing from the ever-increasing urban layouts of southern Vancouver Island. One lap around Buttertubs’ trails reveals a plethora of ducks, though none will stand out quite like the Hooded Mergansers. These waterfoul are usually seen in pairs or larger groups (known as “flushes”), swimming on the water or flying just above. They’re easily identified by the large, ornate crest—or finlike feathery plume—atop their heads; narrow, serrated beaks; and intricate colouring. Both genders

THE NAVIGATOR

CONTRIBUTOR average 45 cm in length, so they’re usually differentiated by a large white patch on the crest and series of white stripes leading to the tail on the male; and a golden-brown crest, grey chest, and long pointed tail on the female. Hooded Mergansers are common all over North America during the summer, but most head south during the winter. Coastal British Columbia’s temperate ecosystems host populations who prefer to stay in Canada year-round.

While scanning the water for mergansers, you may catch a much taller, lankier figure lurking in the shallow fringes of the bog. Southern Vancouver Island sustains a large population of the Great Blue Heron who, like the mergansers, take advantage of the coast’s warmer climates and reside here year-round. Standing more than a metre tall, the Great Blue Heron would be a conspicuous member of bog and shoreline ecosystems if it weren’t for its stealthy hunting tactics. Standing knee-deep in the shallows, dead still, the Great Blue Heron waits patiently for small fish to swim by, striking quickly with its large yellow beak, plunging headfirst into the water and swallowing the fish whole.

Through all of this feeding, nesting, and busywork, the mergansers, herons, and other marsh creatures carry on unaware that they are being watched from above by one of the great predators of the bird world. Vancouver Island is home to a year-round population of Red-Tailed Hawks. While their habitats include everything from grasslands to alpine meadows to rainforests, there is more than enough prey around our marsh-

lands to lure the “chicken-hawk” in for a feed. Difficult to spot at times, the Red-Tailed Hawk can put on a truly impressive show, diving from great heights hunting mice, squirrels, and reptiles.

These birds are often observed eyeing up VIU’s resident rabbits from atop trees and telephone poles. Roughly half a metre tall with a peppery-brown back and neck and a speckled white chest, these birds have a wingspan of more than a metre, and can be heard making that easily recognizable “cheeeew” screech, the go-to sound bite for desert scenes in cowboy western films.

Birding is a highlight, but it’s just part of what makes Buttertubs a great place to get out and explore. Throughout the upcoming semester, VIU’s Museum of Natural History will maintain a display highlighting current events in nature, emphasising happenings around the greater Nanaimo area or other parts of southern Vancouver Island. By making this information available to the public, visitors will know where to go to witness migrations, blooms, or spawns, and what to look for. Some of the natural world’s greatest stories happen in our own backyards, and while it’s easy to fall into the school/work/sleep routine, everyone can benefit from a lung full of fresh air and a greater appreciation of the natural settings around us. Watch The Navigator for future articles showcasing natural events and programs at the Museum of Natural History.

The Museum of Natural History is in bldg. 370 and is open to the public.

Museum hours are available online at <viu.ca/museum/> and on Facebook.

09 FEATURES

STEPHANIE BROWN

The long commute:

Application

CONTRIBUTOR The final semester of my degree at VIU, ironically, won’t be at VIU—I will be in England studying as an abroad student at the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield. This isn’t the first time I’ve studied in another country; I attended a field school in Italy with VIU teachers who taught classes in Florence, but that was a much shorter trip.

It’s a little more daunting to move to another campus, meet all new people and teachers, and live in foreign dorms.

I’m lucky to have the opportunity to write this series of columns about my experiences as an abroad

student for The Navigator while I’m actually immersed in the program.

I hope that readers will learn a little about what it’s like, pushing away any fear that may be holding them back from taking the leap into what can be a great experience for a senior student.

I applied in the spring of 2014 and was accepted by VIU right away. This is where I should probably explain. There are major differences between being an exchange student and applying directly to a school elsewhere to be an abroad student through your home institution. VIU has

foreign sister schools where you can study for a semester, or a year, but your tuition is paid directly to VIU, which saves a ton of money. Another difference is that you must be accepted by two schools: your home institution and your host institution, in my case U of H. The whole process is overwhelming at first, but like anything in life, there are busy times and slow times. Acceptance came very quickly, and then things really started to happen.

One thing I recommend is to look into classes right away. I spoke to the chair of my depart-

ment about it early, before I was formally accepted by U of H. Getting an idea of what is available and what you would like to take, and reaching out early, made it easier once things were formalized. Be careful with terminology: at U of H classes are sometimes called “modules,” which can be confusing when you’re navigating the website.

Studying in another country will, I’m sure, teach me a lot both inside and outside of the classroom. Pick up the next issue of The Navigator for a new installment to see how things are going.

Café review: Cinnamon Joes Coffee Window SHALEETA HARPER

CONTRIBUTOR

I heard about this hole in the wall—literally a hole in the wall—on Facebook. It made me curious, so I had to check it out. I took a trip downtown to the corner of Victoria Cres. and Albert St. for some of the New Years goodies advertised online, made specially for the occasion.

Normally a description of the décor would come in here, but, since Cinnamon Joes is a coffee window, paved sidewalks and maple trees are what you get for a street-side window.

The name Cinnamon Joes implies cinnamon buns and coffee, and that’s what it’s all about. The menu features a variety of cinnamon buns, from the au naturel to Nanaimo bar flavoured, and other snacks including daily special entrees, and beverages. Daily Facebook posts keep their customers informed about homemade daily specials.

The gentleman at the counter was all smiles, and happy to talk up the menu. On New Years Eve the highlight was a seafood potpie with lobster, scallops, and white fish in a parmesan cream sauce. The crust was flaky and buttery, but unfortunately the butter overpowered the other flavours and masked the lobster I paid $12 for. My companions let me sample their choices. I managed to try the smoked oyster

curry on rice and the pulled pork burger with cheese on the homemade bun. The smoked oyster curry with rich red sauce ladled onto white rice, topped with spinach and oysters, was flavourful but very spicy for me. The smoked oysters were the star of the dish, which was the highlight of the meal for me. The pulled pork burger had a nice smoky flavour, but without enough sauce it was quite dry, although the homemade bread was soft and fresh. The daily special dishes didn’t live up to the rave reviews and I found the small portions pricey.

The evening looked up when we came to desert: the cinnamon buns were soft and pleasantly doughy with sweet icing that had real cinnamon flavour to it. I enjoyed both cold, but when I heated the leftovers later, things got even better. The higher temperature softened the chocolate and buttercream drizzle on the Nanaimo bar bun, and enhanced all the flavours.

Cinnamon Joes Coffee Window has irregular hours, opening for lunch Wednesday through Saturday. On weekends they cater to the bar crowds until 3 am. I wasn’t a fan of the entrees, but appreciated the great service. And for coffee and cinnamon buns, Cinnamon Joes does a fine job.

Point of VIU DREW MCLACHLAN / CONTRIBUTOR

Do you think online piracy is stealing?

Will Canada’s new anti-piracy laws change your habits?

Donggwan Kim, 24, Business

Emily Sims, 18, Sciences

Robert Ferguson, 25, CREW

Sam Price, 19, Music

Jay Tomaino, 18, Music

I think that streaming is okay, but downloading is illegally owning someone else’s property.

Sometimes I do it, but mostly I just stream. I don’t think any laws are going to change anything.

Downloaders are going to keep downloading.

No. Enough people do it, and if you put something up on the internet you’re basically saying, “Here, this is for everybody.” The new law won’t affect my habits. I still listen to cassette tapes.

I know it’s stealing, I just don’t care. If I could afford to buy it, I’d buy it. The new law probably won’t affect my habits. With Netflix and other streaming sites, I’m starting to pirate stuff less because it’s available to me whenever I want.

Piracy isn’t stealing, it’s sharing. I support piracy because I support sharing. People are going to keep doing it no matter how you try to stop it, especially when anyone can make their own torrenting site. People will learn their way around any law.

I feel like downloading music is the new radio; it’s how people find new music. I haven’t seen a message [from a copyright holder] yet, but if they threaten to press charges, it might make me stop.

FEATURES 10

THE NAVIGATOR

Behind

the scenes

with Amy Lynn Grace

Mike Thompson

Brennan Hinchsliff

ALEXANDRIA STUART

THE NAVIGATOR

Up-and-coming model Amy Lynn Grace and photographer Mike Thompson of Impact Digital Photography shoot a set of edgy, rocker-themed photos for her portfolio. A variety of backdrops, lighting, costumes, and props help create a look worthy of a Rolling Stone magazine cover. Over a gruelling eight hours and hundreds of shots, model and photographer collaborate to realize their shared vision, territory they hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t explored before. The process is intense, exhilarating, and exhausting for both.

Model: Amy Lynn Grace <www.facebook.com/amycirca> Photographer: Mike Thompson <www.impactdigitalphotography.com>

THE NAVIGATOR

11 FEATURES

T a l k i n g

t r a s h

Garbage around the College Dr. roadway includes coffee cups, food and beverage containers, as well as dumped household trash ALEXANDRIA STUART he photographs sent by a resident of Nanaimo’s College Dr. neighbourhood, who recently emailed Nanaimo’s Mayor and Council to complain about litter on the College Dr. roadway, show a boulevard littered with coffee cups, food containers, and fast food wrappers.

The writer characterizes the litter as “an eyesore and an irritation.”

On weekdays the area provides free parking a reasonably short walk from campus, so the implicaton is that VIU’s students are to blame.

“I think it’s likely that students are the culprits, since they, and a

brought home or left in the garbage cans so conveniently placed at drive-thru windows.

The options for the litter not taken, the litter that’s left, are equally simple: it goes in a trashcan if available, or onto the ground.

Unfortunately, without a single trashcan on College Dr., the side of the road is where it goes.

“I counted eight paper cups on my way back yesterday,” says Page, who characterizes paper cups as one of her “bugbears.” “If we didn’t use them, but carried our own, then there would be less of an issue.” (This is also an important issue. For more, see “Love a mug.”)

Taking responsibility for one’s own consumption, and the consequence of disposing of what has been consumed, is the kind of habit that can be changed, but changes in behaviour have to be supported by the environment.

“On the whole, Nanaimo is a very clean city; visitors often remark on this fact,” says Charlotte Davis, Manager of Sanitation, Recycling, and Public Works Administration. The City of Nanaimo’s Engineering and Public Works department is responsible for residential collection (garbage, food waste, and recycling), public education on handling and reducing waste, and street cleaning. City Financial Statements for 2013 place the department’s expenses at $23,844,219 ($109,207 below revenues allocated for the Engineering and Public Works Fund).

Providing service to residences accounts for the majority of the department’s budget. There is also a focus on the city core and downtown. These areas receive street and sidewalk sweeping weekly and bi-weekly respectively, while the rest of the city’s streets are swept annually. Other types of programs, such as gutter clearing, may also be implemented in the spring and fall.

Since it’s made up of bare ground, the area around College Dr. isn’t targeted for service because city sweepers are unable to work on those surfaces.

According to the City’s 20142018 Financial Plan Review, street waste receptacles represent one

Household trash is common along College Dr. per cent of the department’s budget. They’re placed in areas with high foot traffic where the most trash tends to be generated, Davis says: downtown, the Old City Quarter, Bowen Road, and the waterfront. In spite of the high foot traffic generated by students around Nanaimo’s VIU campus, the area isn’t under consideration for the placement of street waste receptacles. “We do not tend to place cans in areas that are used for parking or residential streets,” Davis says.

Also devoid of city waste cans, the South End community took matters into their own hands. Residents placed their own trashcans— brightly decorated to deter vandalism and improve the area—outside of their homes. “I applaud anyone tackling litter in such a proactive way,” Davis says. “I would also say that they need to take extreme care

when handling litter and keep an eye out for hazardous items such as needles.” This type of grassroots approach where residents assume responsibility for their own streets can work well in a community.

Another one per cent of the Engineering and Public Works department budget supports the Cleaner Community Partnership.

This annual litter program covers approximately 200 km of roadside boulevards. A limited number of local not-for-profit groups participate by clearing litter from assigned roadways during March and April, earning $50 per km for their organization. The City provides maps and equipment such as gloves, safety vests, road safety signs, trash bags, and collection and disposal of the litter that is gathered. Organizations are responsible for providing volunteers as well as their own public

Luke Bowles liability insurance. Recruitment for the program begins in February. Davis is considering adding College Dr. to the program this year. It would be a good fundraising activity for one of VIU’s clubs.

Going a step further, a club could choose to take on responsibility for the roadway and hold regular garbage picking activities during the school year.

The College Dr. resident who wrote to the Mayor and Council firmly believes that VIU students are solely to blame for the litter problem: “It’s a sad state of affairs when young people who are attending university for ‘higher learning’ can be so irresponsible.” A scathing generalization and indictment of the student population. When reaching out to The Navigator about this story, Davis admits, “I understand that 100 per cent of this cannot be attributed to students, but since they are the

major users of the area I see it as a good place to start.”

To be fair, garbage isn’t limited to the College Dr. area. “Litter is a perennial problem on campus,” says VIU Groundskeeper Gordon Howe, with parking lots being most problematic. Waste is also plentiful on the streets around public buildings, sports and recreations spaces, and even neighbourhoods immediately bordering the areas of the city that are regularly swept and the trashcans are plentiful. Fast food packaging, beverage containers, and cigarette packaging and butts are common culprits.

The City of Nanaimo Bylaw Services Division is responsible for enforcing the city’s bylaws such as Traffic and Highways Regulation Bylaw 1993 No. 5000, which includes a $100 fine for littering.

But enforcement is often generated by complaints. With only five Bylaw Officers on staff—two dedicated to Traffic and Highways—an area like College Dr. is unlikely to generate enforcement activity around littering. Without fines as a deterrent, what is the best way to get through to the People Who Litter?

Providing easy access to trashcans is an obvious solution. Awareness campaigns may improve the situation, Davis says. “We could look to have some signage placed in the area of College Dr. as a reminder, though I often think that littering is a no-brainier. Just don’t do it.” Davis is in the ranks of the People Who Don’t Litter.

Page agrees: “Publicity about the issue could help a little, as would supplying trash cans, so that there’s a place to jettison the cups and other litter. Or a regular work party to clear up?” Bringing the problem to the attention of VIU students and staff, and looking for grassroots solutions, may be the best steps towards solving it.

Nanaimo residents who are concerned with litter in their community are invited to call Public Works at 250-758-5222, email <public.worksinfo@nanaimo.ca> to discuss the problem, or visit the City of Nanaimo’s Public Works website at <nanaimo.ca/EN/main/departments/EngineeringPublicWorks.html>.

Luke Bowles

THE NAVIGATOR few VIU employees, are the vast majority of the pedestrians on that stretch, which does get a great deal of use,” says instructor Kathy Page who uses, and greatly appreciates, the access to free parking. Judging by the beer cans, weekend and partying night users could also be responsible. Dumped general household trash is also plentiful.

In any event, the resident wants the City to do something about it; no matter where the trash comes from, the question is where the trash goes.

Here it’s useful to separate two very different factions: People Who Litter and People Who Don’t Litter.

It’s easy to identify each in action.

People Who Litter will polish off a

Big Gulp, drop it, and walk away.

For them, it’s a reflexive action that happens without a thought (a Borderline-Guilty Litterer may go the extra mile and hurl the cup into the bushes—an act of cover-up and/or denial). These people have probably never been stopped or questioned about their behaviour, so they don’t think to question it themselves. Or maybe they do and they just don’t care.

People Who Don’t Litter, on the other hand, seem to have a reflexive aversion to dropping their trash on the ground. It just isn’t in their make-up. They will cart their litter around for as long as it takes to dispose of it responsibly. Sometimes they will go the extra mile and take

care of others’ litter as well. Both of these behaviours are often set early in life, the product modeling by family and friends. For the People Who Litter, they are hard habits to break. Awareness-raising campaigns and signage can make them stop and think, but without an easily accessible garbage can, nothing will change.

When confronted with a piece of trash, a person will take one of two actions: they will take it or they will leave it.

On College Dr. there are a couple of options for taking it. On the way to campus, the litter can be carried down and disposed of there. Heading off campus, the litter can be taken back to the car and

The obvious destination for trash is a trashcan, if there is one

Luke Bowles

Arts

“Mass Media,” Athens 1995

Dr. Marshall Soules

Upcoming Arts & Humanities Colloquium talk considers our state of being amused and confused DR. GORDON HAK “In our time,” says Dr. Marshall Soules of the Media Studies Department, “creative deception keeps us amused and confused.” He is reflecting on the fact that we live in a media-saturated environment, crowded from all sides by persuasive messages. All this advice, promotion, and propaganda form a spectrum of persuasion, according to Soules, and everywhere we see it performed with actors, scripts, props, and costumes.

“Persuasion and propaganda have consequences and we need tools—both old and new—to decode the stories, biases, stereotypes, and metaphors attempting to influence us,” Soules said. Grappling with these issues is crucial to our lives. This will be the subject of Soules’ Arts and Humanities Colloquium presentation entitled “Media, Persuasion, and Propaganda.” The talk will be held in the Malaspina Theatre on January 23 beginning at 10 am.

His talk will challenge widespread beliefs about news-making, democracy, expert opinion, social influence, activism, and deception in societies where “truth happens to an idea.”

Where do persuasive messages originate and how are they propagated through media? What is the relationship between publicity and news in a time when public trust in politicians and journalists is so low? How do we defend ourselves against manipulation and undue influence?

And when does persuasion turn into propaganda?

ARTS 14

CONTRIBUTOR In developing his case, Soules draws on many disciplines: “advances in cultural criticism, cognitive science, and behavioural economics are transforming the study of persuasion, influence, and decision-making. Moreover, digital media and mobile computing are revolutionizing social communication and realigning power networks.”

Dr. Soules, who taught at VIU from 1987 to 2009, and was awarded the Outstanding Service Award by the university in 2011, has been long involved in this field of study.

The January 23 presentation is a preview of his new book, Media, Persuasion, and Propaganda, which will be available from Edinburgh University Press in February 2015.

Previous publications reflect his interest in performance, improvisation, digital media, and street art, and he has investigated graffiti and wild postering, the Cuban government’s use of billboards to spread propaganda, and the collective improvisations and expressions on the walls of the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver.

The connection between media and political context is prominent in his work. In a July 2012 interview with the Nanaimo Daily News, he developed this theme: “in North America there needs to be a place for people to communicate their messages in the public sphere, and they shouldn’t be called vandals for doing it. People of limited means don’t have access to public media. A businessman can put up a sign or a billboard that can say

virtually anything. And it can block the view, and it can be ugly as sin.

But a women’s group who wants to advocate for the empowerment of women­—where can they get that message out?”

His new book explicitly links politics and the media: “The media is extremely important, in my view, for forming opinion.

And forming opinions elects governments, and those governments have policies, and those policies are often prejudicial.” The Daily News article concluded that, according to Soules, “media is simply the oxygen of democracy.”

The Colloquium presentation on January 23 promises to be both illuminating and insightful. The illustrated talk is open to faculty, employees, and the general public.

Students are especially welcome and there will be refreshments.

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Courtesy of Dr. Marshall Soules

THE NAVIGATOR

Filmmaking and problem solving with Steff Gundling DENISA KRAUS

THE NAVIGATOR

Steff Gundling, a fourth year Digital Media student and a graphic designer, is no stranger to the Vancouver Island Short Film Festival (VISFF). The filmmaker awarded with two prizes for her very first brush with the film craft in 2013, a short romance called Year Of The Living Dyingly, has been shortlisted again this year and will be showing her new documentary Habit on February 6 and 7.

Navigator: Where did you grow up?

Steff Gundling: I was born in Halifax, but my dad was in the military so we moved around—mostly back and forth between Canada and Germany—about every two years my whole life. We spent the longest in Ottawa—about five years during high school, which is when you kind of come of age and form your individuality, so I’d say that’s my hometown.

What brought you to BC? My parents retired in Nanaimo and I got accepted at Malaspina College and fell in love with the town. I kept traveling between the Island and the mainland, though. After college I moved to Victoria to work at an advertising agency for a few years, then moved to Vancouver to do additional schooling, but ended up back in Victoria, and then in Nanaimo again to get my degree at VIU.

Steff Gundling

Denisa Kraus

What specifically drew you to back VIU? The community. I had a great time studying at the former Malaspina, because compared to the big classrooms and distant teachers in Vancouver, Nanaimo was the complete opposite. You really get to know your professors, and the classes are much more intimate.

Is there something you’d like to see change at VIU? I’ve been taking a lot of electives in Liberal Studies and it seems that when you have classes of eight people, it’s all about discussions and you get to learn about the topics more, whereas Digital Media Studies is about halfway there—the small group work.

What role did VIU play in your shift toward filmmaking?

I took a few classes and they just angled me towards it. I wasn’t necessarily forced into it, but it was in the curriculum.

I also did an internship back in Vancouver at a Documenatry House. I worked in post-production for about six months and really enjoyed the editing side. So when I came to VIU and had to start at the beginning, do the production and go through the whole process, I fell in love with it.

“I think I’ll always need to be challenged. When something gets comfortable it loses the thrill for me.”

What do you love about filmmaking?

Telling stories and having your own viewpoint and a way of expressing that. For me, filmmaking is about experimenting, trying new things, and problem solving. I don’t really approach film as a process where you start at one point and you have a structured way to get to the end point. I know what story and mood I want to get across in what tone, and then it’s about organically finding your way through it. I’ll shoot a whole bunch of footage, but then I don’t know how to structure it until I sit down and try a bunch of different ways to work with it.

What do you enjoy the least?

Trying to find enough options to put things together—technologically, equipment-wise, find enough available people, music. I am lucky enough to know a few bands and music creators who let me use their resources and who I can collaborate with, but it can get very limited very quickly, especially when the genre or topic I’m approaching is different than their music. Those type of restraints is what I don’t really like.

How long did it take to produce your first short film?

It took more time to edit than to actually film it. I filmed it in Victoria over a weekend. I had help shooting with my friend Matthew Dolmage who also got the soundtrack for that. He was filming it while I was art-directing. Then it took me about a month and a half to edit it. I went through different versions—I started with a structure completely different from the final thing that I was happy with.

How did you know that, out of all the different versions, the final was the one?

Because it told the story in the most poetic way. It went well with the soundtrack as the music gets quicker and louder.

THE NAVIGATOR

Having the timeline shift quite a bit from the present to the future and end gives the story more intrigue than a rather bland chronological set of events. That would be just about a relationship falling apart rather than a juxtaposition of genre roles.

There is no dialogue or even a word spoken in the film. Did you feel that was the best way to capture and express romance?

I didn’t want the story to be about the characters. It was more about what was happening with them, and I felt that if they started speaking, they’d become more human and I wanted it to be more separate, a story about coming of age and what everybody goes through when dating in their early 20s.

Where did you find the actors for your film?

They are people close to me. I chose them because the film is about a sensitive topic that can be very personal for people. I tried to work with a couple of acquaintances, but they didn’t have the kind of honesty I was looking for in the film. So I reached for people within my inner circle who were more trusting towards me as a filmmaker and they opened up a lot quicker. It’s usually a great tactic for me, especially when you have a topic where you want the characters to connect with the audience. You can definitely tell when the subjects are uncomfortable in the film.

Do you think you’ll always be able to work only within your inner circle of friends?

Hopefully my inner circle will continue to grow. That’s really important. When you only stick with the people or things you know, you don’t really grow as a person or an artist. So continuously pushing the boundaries within all those aspects is important. This is why the festival is a great thing for the community. You get out there and it’s scary and you’re putting yourself out there, but there is such a good landing—the group of people who really support you.

Especially when the first film you’ve ever made wins in two categories. How did that feel?

It was a complete surprise! I mean, I’d be lying if I said I don’t love the awards or that I’m not excited about my success, but for me, it was more about my personal achievement, going to the event, and having the film seen by the audience for the first time. That was a big thing. I remember, when they called me up for the first award, I fell down the stairs. I slid all the way down and had to get back up there. I was so nervous. But walking away from it was such a great experience.

That’s one of the reasons why I was kind of scared to submit my new film this year. It’s always a bit scary. But it feels great to be involved in the festival again and be selected.

Can you give us a sneak peek into your new film?

It’s about the small habits that everyone has. I was challenged in my film classes to do a documentary, and at the time I was trying to quit some of my vices, and cut down on caffeine, smoking, and alcohol. I was focused on that and that’s where the idea for the documentary came from.

As I was looking inwardly why I was doing certain things, I started to notice the habits of other people.

What is it about short movies that attracts you as a filmmaker?

They’re quick to the point. I like that there are more constraints to them and therefore a lot more thought processing and problem solving on how to find a pure message of it and tell that as quickly as possible with less filler. If I were to do any of these films as a full feature narrative, I wouldn’t have been able to as efficiently as I wanted to. It would be filled with a lot of nonsense.

And as a movie viewer, do you prefer shorts or features?

It depends. I like both if they’re done well. Longer films could be easier to do because you have more time to develop characters and a connection with the audience. In short films, you need a lot more thought put into how exactly you’ll be telling the story.

Do you want to stick with short movies, then?

I can’t really say. I’ve had different kinds of passions throughout the past 10 years, so I don’t know where I’m going to go next.

Story continued on next page >

15 ARTS

I love making short films, but for me, it has already started to revolve around interactive storytelling and media, rather than sticking to just film. I’m focused on creating something that will offer audience participation. It’ll be a new challenge for me and a different set of rules you have to follow and think about which intrigues me. I think I’ll always need to be challenged. When something gets comfortable it loses the thrill for me. And this semester, I’m hoping to do my first interactive film. It’ll be a mix of coding and web development with a story that I developed last semester in the Senior Media Studies Project class. This will be a challenge, because it involves a planning stage that needs a lot more planning in pre-production than in editing.

What would be your advice to beginning filmmakers?

I don’t consider myself a very advanced filmmaker, but the most important thing for me is to not take myself too seriously, to understand what I’m trying to convey, to experiment, and to not do anything just because other people do it—like not put emotions in there just to make it seem more important.

But experimentation and finding solutions to the problems that arise during production should be a part of the fun.

Experiments may lead to failure. How can people deal with that in a constructive way?

Failure is not necessarily a bad thing. It can make you grow.

If you know you’re going to be successful at whatever you do, then you shouldn’t be doing that. You should kind of anticipate failure at the things you care about the most, because that’s the biggest pay off—when you fail, fail, fail, and then manage to succeed that one time. That’s what I really strive for.

Habit will be screened at the 10th Annual VISFF on February 6 and 7. For more information, visit <visff.com>. To watch Steff’s films online, visit <vimeo.com/sgundling>.

Music and Memory Program for individuals with dementia at Kiwanis Village CARLY BREAULT Dementia is comprised of symptoms that progressively affect mental tasks such as memory, planning, judgment, emotional regulation, and personality. As the aging population continues to expand in Canada, dementia is becoming increasingly prevalent. As a consequence, the individual’s everyday life is tragically, and irrevocably, impaired. In turn, their loved ones also struggle with the devastating impact that dementia brings.

Nanaimo’s Kiwanis Lodge is a senior complex care community that houses elderly residents who require 24-hour personal care from nursing staff. Forms of dementia

CONTRIBUTOR are particularly common in the residents of the Kiwanis Lodge. Given that a plethora of contemporary research has supported the use of music as a therapeutic intervention for individuals with dementia, Kiwanis Lodge has implemented a “Music and Memory” program with a collection of its residents. This program involves connecting participating residents with dementia to personalized music to elicit memories of the past, and improve their overall quality of life.

I began volunteering with the Music and Memory Program last semester. My role as a volunteer with the Music and Memory Pro-

gram is to first contact the resident’s family members to get an idea of the kinds of music the resident enjoyed in the past.

Secondly, I will upload the suggested music onto the resident’s designated iPod. Next, I will meet with the participants, and, with their approval, give them their iPod with their personalized playlist and headphones to listen to the music.

I observe and record any changes in mood, anxiety level, communication, etc. during and after listening to their music. After they finish listening to their music, I often stay and chat with the participants. My observations are placed in a bind-

VISFF announces 2015 shortlist JOHN GARDINER

CONTRIBUTOR

14 films have been chosen for screening at the 10th annual Vancouver Island Short Film Festival (VISFF) on February 6 and 7. The event will be held at the Malaspina Theatre on Nanaimo’s campus.

This year the VISFF organizers received 65 films to choose from that thoroughly impressed the selection committee. The final selection includes: Alice and Kevin, by Sam Vint; At Death’s Door, by Todd Jones; Craven, by Devon Kuziw; Crazy Love, by Mathieu Charest; The Dreamer, by Laurence Fortin Gagnon; Fingers Cutting Glass, by Evan Britz; George Bassler’s Perpetual Motion Machine, by Berny Hi; Good Beastly Bad, by Michael Chen; Habit, by Steff Gundling; Just Shoot Me, by Linley Subryan; The Pair, by Graham Stark; Project Heart – Honouring Residential School Survivors, by Ed Carswell; Smart Home, by Carol Phiniotis; and Teenage Dance, by Adam Bentley.

All of the above films will be shown at the VISFF. “We are very excited about this year’s selection of films,” said VISFF Director Johnny Blakeborough. “Every year, the submitted films get better and better. I had high expectations for our 10th year, but these films are tremendous.”

The 65 entries of short films came from Vancouver Island, the mainland, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and also Missouri, New York, Ireland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Iran. This is the most diverse selection of films ever submitted to the Festival.

This year, for the first time ever, the VISFF will have three screenings of the selected films—two evening shows and a matinee on February 7.

“The Festival was jam-packed last year,” said Blakeborough. “We wanted to give our audience another opportunity to check out these great short films, so we decided to add a matinee screening on February 7. The evening shows are always very busy, so this will give more people a chance to check out the Festival.”

All screenings will showcase the same 14 films. Following the Friday show there will be a musical performance by Top Men. The Saturday matinee show will be followed by a filmmaker Q&A. And after the Saturday evening show there will be an awards ceremony for the winning filmmakers.

The VISFF is a Nanaimo Arts Council event. For complete details, check them out at <facebook.com/visff>, <www.visff.com>, email <admin@visff. com>, or call 250-729-3947. To purchase tickets, go to <www.visff.com/ tickets>, visit the Port Theatre (125 Front St.), or call 250-754-8550. Tickets are $10 for students or $15 for the public. Limited tickets will be available at the door.

ARTS 16

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er, and used to record any positive changes in the participant.

A number of years ago, my beloved Grandma was inflicted with dementia. My Grandma passed away almost two years ago, so in her memory, I wanted to honour her by helping others who struggle with the same disease she fought. While volunteering with the program, I have personally observed the extraordinary power of music to bring healing, comfort, and an overall enhanced well-being among the residents with whom I had the privilege of working. I have become hopeful that there are alternative (i.e.

non-pharmaceutical) interventions that are effective in helping individuals cope with dementia.

The Music and Memory Program is of exponential value.

However, the program is urgently in need of more volunteers. Volunteers are welcomed from all academic disciplines, and musical talent is not a prerequisite. If you would like to be involved with this wonderful program you can contact the Kiwanis volunteer coordinator Alanna Larsen at <alannalarsen@ kiwanisvillage.ca>. For more information about the Music and Memory initiative, you can visit <musicandmemory.org> for more details.

Movie review: Mr.Turner SPENCER WILSON

CONTRIBUTOR

When creating a docudrama, the purpose is to show the audience why it was necessary to create one instead of a straight documentary. A great docudrama will offer a unique perspective and sometimes—with elegant subtlety—the director’s personal opinion on the persons or events depicted. If the only interesting part of the film was the historical information, then the docudrama fails to argue its existence. Despite Benedict Cumberbatch’s moving performance in director Morten Tyldum’s The Imitation Game (2014), the film does not succeed in being a unique piece of cinema worthy of being more than a documentary. On the other hand, Mike Leigh’s Mr. Turner provides a beautiful example of what a docudrama looks like when it is directed and written by a master filmmaker.

J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851) was an English, romantic landscape painter famous for his use of impressionism and abstract styles later in his life. He was also infamously eccentric, which became more apparent after the death of his father, William. Mr. Turner takes place during the last quarter of Turner’s life, just as his paintings were becoming more controversial in style. The film begins before the death of Turner’s father (Paul Jesson), who Turner (Timothy Spall) lived with for the previous 30 years (Turner’s mother went to live in an insane asylum early in his life). His father, a barber by trade, now acts as a studio assistant for Turner, as well as running an in-home showroom of Turner’s work.

Without knowing any history on Turner, it’s easy to mistake their impeccable chemistry for a pair of loving brothers.

What becomes apparent early on is that Turner is not an admiral person. Other than his father, the only other person living in the house is the maid, Hannah (Dorothy Atkinson), whom Turner exploits sexually throughout the film. The maid never seems to mind and it’s evident that she holds a strange love for Turner, which is never reciprocated (shown by Hannah trying to kiss Turner, only for him to look away—even after sex). Turner is also visited by his previous mistress (Ruth Sheen), who now looks after two daughters she claims are Turner’s. He appears completely disinterested in them, even after one of the daughters has a child and the other dies. The situation makes for some comedic moments where he openly denies having any children, something that makes you chuckle and gasp simultaneously. Although Turner’s behaviour issometimes execrable, he is an interesting person to spend the film with, and his constant use of linguistic grunts always relieves built-up tension.

After the death of his father, Turner becomes more reclusive and frequently escapes to the seaside village of Margate to continue painting, allowing his in-home showroom to become somewhat squalid. During this time, he takes on a second mistress, Sophia Booth (Marion Bailey), and later

assumes the pseudonym of Mr. Booth so he can live covertly with her. His reclusion only becomes more drastic by the growing distaste for his art expressed by the Royal Academy of Arts, who were more accustomed to his landscapes and portraits with more discernible subjects—as opposed to the ones focused on colour and movement.

Those familiar with the works of English director and writer Mike Leigh would not be surprised to see him making a film like Mr. Turner. Leigh is one of England’s most important directors, and he has created dramas (Naked, 1993) and comedies (Life Is Sweet, 1990) which encompass all walks of British life. Beginning as a stage director and writer, Leigh

Spall’s ability to radiate his emotions to the audience with his facial expressions is the work of a genius.

In fact, the whole cast does a remarkable job of portraying subtle emotions on their faces: a testament to Leigh’s ability to bring out the best in his cast. learned exactly how to get the best performances out of his cast by engaging in lengthy improvisational sessions before writing the scripts. This seems to have made him dependent on a certain pool of talented and trustworthy actors, similar to that of Wes Anderson, and after watching several of Leigh’s films you will recognize most of the cast of Mr. Turner.

One of the returning cast members is Timothy Spall, making it his sixth film with Leigh. To a Canadian audience, picturing Spall as a tour de force actor can be hard to imagine if you have only seen him play Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter films. Do not be deceived though, Spall is

a wonderful actor in all of his films, and his role as Turner is no exception. Every facial expression, every gesture of his hands, and every grunt is so convincing that you fully believe him to be the gruff-voiced Turner. Spall even convinces us that he is Turner in an artistic sense thanks to two years Spall spent learning how to paint. There is never a mistake about what Turner is feeling; Spall’s ability to radiate his emotions to the audience with his facial expressions is the work of a genius. In fact, the whole cast does a remarkable job of portraying subtle emotions with their faces: a testament to Leigh’s ability to bring out the best in his cast.

The excellent acting helps energize the film for those that might think it’s too long. Mr. Turner proceeds at a gentle, rhythmic pace, and it takes time to flesh out the 19th century England, as well as the surroundings that Turner ends up painting. Cinematographer Dick Pope (Leigh’s go-to cinematographer) does justice to the artistic themes in the film by not only capturing landscapes that a painter would want to paint, but specifically capturing the qualities in nature that Turner looked for, such as the properties of light. These stunning shots are used to tie events together throughout the film; for example, a shot of a sunset leading to a mention of a funeral, or a sunrise leading to new inspiration for Turner. There were even a couple of moments where two shots were so beautifully edited together that the entire audience gasped.

Elevating the excellence of this film is a challenging score by composer Gary Yershon (another returning collaborator).

At times, the music can be completely jarring, with violins sustaining strenuous notes and eerie passages through the more elliptical parts of the film. This is not to say that these parts are ever unpleasant, but they do lend an element of chaos. These passages will suddenly be broken up by extreme moments of beauty, like a chaotic mind suddenly finding an idea. The entire score underlines a line of praise given to Turner in the film, which is that “Turner tames chaos.”

What we are left with is a very well-rounded look at Turner. Leigh does an excellent job of making himself clear: he does think that Turner was a bad person in some aspects, but Leigh also takes time to celebrate his contribution to British art. When asked why he chose to make a film about Turner, Leigh said he “felt there was scope for a film examining the tension between this very mortal, flawed individual, and the spiritual way he had of distilling the world.” Leigh does an excellent job of subtly showing these ideas, whether it be a cut between Turner’s father shaving a pig and then shaving Turner, or showing Turner adding one detail to a painting which completely transforms it. Mr. Turner is not only a great document of J.M.W. Turner’s life, but it is a beautiful and fantastic piece of cinema.

Essential viewing: Tokyo Story (1953) SPENCER WILSON

CONTRIBUTOR

Many of the films seen in today’s theatres can be a sensory overload. Everything is kept in motion to try and salvage the interest of less engaged audience members. There is little value placed in composing a shot so well that the camera does not need to move, and thus the camera is almost always moving. With that in mind, today’s cinema-goers would have a hard time knowing what to make of Yasujirō Ozu, a director whose name is synonymous with the cinematic image of Tokyo, the same as Federico Fellini is known for the cinematic image of Rome.

Ozu had a very simple setup for his films: the camera would be placed at two varying height levels on the ground (around eye level if you were sitting) and then it would not move for the whole shot. To make up for the lack of camera movement, his shots are meticulously composed and could easily pass as photographs if you saw a still from one of his films. This is evident in some of his classics, such as Late Spring (1949), Tokyo Twilight (1957), and Floating Weeds (1959), but never is it more apparent than in his timeless masterpiece, Tokyo Story (1953).

Shukichi (Chishû Ryû, a regular Ozu star) and his wife Tomi (Chieko Higashiyama) are leaving their hometown of Onomichi to visit their son, daughter, and widowed daugh-

ter-in-law in Tokyo. Everyone is happy to see each other, but the grandkids (who have never met their grandparents) seem only disinterested and treat their grandparents as if they’re in the way. The grandkids continue to behave irrationally, and soon this behavior transfers over to Shukichi and Tomi’s biological children who begin to neglect them during the visit.

Curiously, the only people making an effort to make Shukichi and Tomi feel welcome are their children’s spouses and their widowed daughter-in-law, Noriko (Setsuko Hara, another Ozu regular). Shukichi and Tomi’s own children keep working, claiming they could not get time off, which is juxtaposed by Noriko simply calling in for a day off to show the pair around. The children chip in to send the pair to a hot spring spa in Atami, but that goes awry when it becomes subject to a late night wedding party. When they return early from the spa, their daughter, Fumiko (Kuniko Miyake), seems visibly upset that they have returned and even tells a customer in her beauty salon that her parents are “just some friends from the country.”

The drama continues from there, but the heartbreaking theme of deconstructing the traditional Japanese family unit becomes evident early on. This is something that Ozu

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portrays in several of his films; and while you would think that the traditional family portrait in 1950s Japan is more closely-knit, it could not be further from the truth. The overwhelming disingenuous behavior is enough to make anyone upset, and you will soon be rethinking your own relationships with your family long after the film is done.

Stitching all of these events together is something that Roger Ebert calls “pillow shots.” Similar to the use of “pillow lines” in Japanese poetry, pillow shots will break up the scenes with shots of the scenery, making a film that could have been exhaustingly philosophical a lot more palpable.

Although some pillow shots are used to build the world around the characters, Ozu goes the extra distance to use the same shots during some outdoor scenes, which demonstrates a commendable amount of planning and editing on his part and makes the film’s universe feel that much more alive.

Combined with the actors behaving like people in real life, the story feels less like a story and more like a documentary.

This is a slower film, but give it a chance. Take time to appreciate the beauty of the shots and how small phrases in conversations circle back around to stun you by surprise.

Tokyo Story is Japanese poetry in film format. Students wishing to see that film can find a copy at VIU’s library.

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1

Canada World Youth farewell show On Friday, January 2, 18 Indonesian and Canadian exchange students threw a community farewell party at St. Paul’s Anglican Church for the program’s host families, volunteer work placement partners, and other supporters of CWY.

Denisa Kraus 3

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1. Top Men became the “mascot band” of sorts for the CWY this year, being the first show the students saw and the ultimate music accompaniment for the students’ own production.

2. The Saman dance, UNESCO World Heritage Dance, symbolizes unity and co-operation. Songs are an integral part of the dances.

3. & 4. When performing the songs and dances, Canadians dressed in Indonesian traditional costumes. Schachner says it’s an “every year struggle” for the Canadian group to define a typical Canadian costume. It is also challenging to dance a traditional dance on their exchange stay in Indonesia.

5. Inspired by the Top Men theatrical production the exchange students saw in the first week of their stay, the play combined live music and interpretive performance.

ARTS 18

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Sports

Buccaneers successfully navigate Storm BEN CHESSOR It took seven tries, but the Nanaimo Buccaneers finally got the victory they were looking for. The team fought hard and picked up a 5-3 win over the first place Campbell River Storm on Thursday, January 8 at the Nanaimo Ice Centre.

It was Nanaimo’s first win of the season against their Division rivals. The victory couldn’t have come at a better time for the Buccaneers as the team snapped a fivegame winless streak, their longest of the season.

Trent Bell opened the scoring against the Storm just over a minute into the game to put Nanaimo up 1-0. After Colin Blake tied the game at the midway point of

THE NAVIGATOR the first period, the Buccaneers’ leading scorer Jordan Levesque banged home a rebound to give Nanaimo a 2-1 lead heading into the second period.

After former Buccaneer Will McNamara tied the game late in the second period. The Storm took their first lead of the game early in the third as Blake scored his second of the game to give the Storm a 3-2 lead.

But the Buccaneers refused to quit. Quinlan Moore scored a powerplay goal midway through the third period to tie the game 3-3, then Trent Bell scored two goals in the last six minutes of the game to give Nanaimo the 5-3 win.

Drew McLachlan The Buccaneers had been winless in their previous five games heading into the game against the Storm. The team had suffered losses to Victoria, Saanich, Peninsula, and Comox as well as a tie against the Oceanside Generals.

The Buccaneers currently sit in a tie for second place in the

VIJHL’s four-team North division. Both the Buccaneers and Comox Valley Glacier Kings have 42 points on the season, although Nanaimo has played one less game than Comox Valley.

The Buccaneers’ next home game is Thursday, January 15 against Comox Valley. Puck drop

for the game is at 7:15 pm. The Buccaneers also have a home game on Saturday, January 17 as they take on the Campbell River Storm. Puck drops at 7 pm.

The Buccaneers play their home games out of the Nanaimo Ice Centre located below the university residences.

VIJHL North Division Standings

GP

W

L

T

OTL

Pts

Campbell River

37

30

3

1

3

64

Comox Valley

37

18

13

1

5

42

Nanaimo

36

19

13

1

3

42

Oceanside

36

5

28

2

1

13

Women’s volleyball continue strong play BEN CHESSOR After a six week break, the VIU Mariners’ women’s volleyball team is preparing to return to action. The team will play their first two home games after the holiday break, on January 16 and 17 against the visiting Columbia Bible College Bearcats.

The Mariners haven’t played since November 29, when the team picked up a hard-fought victory of the Bearcats. The win gave the Mariners a four-game winning streak, their longest of

THE NAVIGATOR the season, and gave the team a record of 6-6 heading into the extended break.

The team’s upcoming games against the Bearcats will be the Mariners’ first home games since November 22, when the team picked up the win over the visiting Douglas Royals. The Mariners will have a little bit of home court advantage as the season enters its second half.

The Mariners will play seven of their final 12 games at home,

including three of the team’s final four games.

VIU’s 6-6 record gives the team 12 points on the season, good enough for fourth place in the standings. The Mariners are currently two points behind third place UFV Cascades and four points ahead of fifth place College of the Rockies Avalanche.

The Mariners’ home games against the Bearcats begin at 6 pm on Friday January 16 and 1 pm on Saturday January 17.

Women’s volleyball

GP

MW

ML

Pts

Capilano University Blues

12

11

1

22

Camosun College Chargers

12

10

2

20

Fraser Valley University Cascades

12

7

5

14

Vancouver Island University Mariners

12

6

6

12

College of the Rockies Avalanche

11

4

8

8

Douglas College Royals

12

4

8

8

Columbia Bible College Bearcats

12

0

12

0

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SPORTS 19

Women’s basketball returns from break with win

NANAIMO ATHLETIC CLUB’S

STUDENT SPECIAL

BEN CHESSOR

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The VIU Mariners’ women’s basketball team returned from the break on a positive note. The Mariners traveled down the Malahat to Victoria to take on the Camosun Chargers and came away with a 68-48 victory.

The Mariners came out strong and dominated the opening quarter, controlling the tempo of the game from the opening tip-off.

By the end of the first quarter, the Mariners had jumped out to a 22-6 lead. The Mariners kept applying the pressure to the home team in the second quarter, continuing to expand their lead. At halftime the Mariners led 34-15. The Mariners did a good job of keeping the momentum in their favour as third quarter got underway. They wouldn’t allow the Chargers to mount any sort of comeback. VIU led 54-26 at the end of the third quarter and cruised to a 68-48 win.

The victory improved the Mariners’ record to 6-2, giving the

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team 12 points on the season. VIU is currently in second place in the Pacwest standings, four points behind the first place Quest Kermodes, who have a perfect 8-0 record. The Mariners are also two points ahead of the third place Douglas Royals, but the Royals have played one fewer game than the Mariners.

The Mariners hit the road for their next two games on Friday, January 16, against the Langara Falcons, and Saturday, January 17 against the Douglas Royals. The Mariners’ game against Douglas is shaping up to be a battle for second place in the standings. The Royals won the only meeting of the season between the two teams 50-46 back on November 7.

VIU will return home the following week for games against the Capilano Blues and Quest Kermodes, January 23 and 24.

For more information on the Mariners and their schedule, please visit <mariners.viu.ca>

Women’s basketball

PL

W

L

Pts

Quest University Kermodes

8

8

0

16

Vancouver Island University

8

6

2

12

Douglas College Royals

7

5

2

10

Camosun College Chargers

8

4

4

8

Capilano University Blues

8

4

4

8

Langara College Falcons

7

2

5

4

Kwantlen University Eagles

8

1

7

2

Columbia Bible College Bearcats

8

1

7

2

Men’s basketball continues winning ways BEN CHESSOR The Mariners’ men’s basketball team entered their holiday break with a perfect 7-0 record. With the seven-game winning streak to start the season, the Mariners were ranked as the best basketball team in the country. The Mariners played their first game of the second semester against the Camosun Chargers January 9 in Victoria.

The game was a tightly contested affair, but when the final buzzer sounded the Mariners picked up the 79-71 victory. The Mariners started

20 SPORTS

THE NAVIGATOR the game well, opening up a 17-12 lead after the first quarter. The Chargers kept the game close in the second quarter, not letting the Mariners expand their lead. At halftime the VIU led 33-29. The Chargers came out strong early in the second half, taking the lead 37-35 early in the second half. When the third quarter ended the Chargers held on to a narrow 55-53 lead. The Mariners battled hard in the fourth quarter, taking the lead in the game’s final minutes and holding on for the victory.

The win improved the Mariners’ record to a perfect 8-0 on the season. The Mariners 16 points are two more then the second place Quest Kermodes.

The Mariners have 13 more games left to complete their post-Christmas schedule, including seven games at the VIU Gym. The Mariners travel to the mainland for their next two games, January 16 and 17, against the Langara Falcons and Douglas Royals.

The Mariners returned home for

their two games the following weekend. Against the Capilano Blues on Friday, January 23, and the Quest Kermodes on Saturday, January 24.

The game against Quest will mark the second meeting of the season between the top two teams in the PacWest. The Mariners picked up the victory in the first game between the two teams by a score of 84-77. For more information on the Mariners and their schedule, visit <mariners.viu.ca>.

Men’s basketball

PL

W

L

Pts

Vancouver Island University Mariners

8

8

0

16

Quest University Kermodes

8

7

1

14

Langara College Falcons

7

5

2

10

Douglas College Royals

7

4

3

8

Camosun College Chargers

8

3

5

6

Kwantlen University Eagles

8

2

6

4

Capilano College Blues

8

1

7

2

Columbia Bible College Bearcats

8

1

7

2

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Clippers complete crew as roster deadline passes BEN CHESSOR

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With the 2015 BCHL trade deadline having come and gone, the Nanaimo Clippers’ roster has finally taken shape. The Clippers made a couple of roster moves in the days leading up to the deadline, which was on Saturday, January 11.

First, the team signed forward Brendan Shane, who had spent his season to this point with the

Waterloo Blackhawks of the United States Hockey League. Shane was also a teammate of Clippers forward and San Jose Shark draft pick Jake Jackson last season with the Des Moines Buccaneers. Shane had two goals and two assists in 21 games for the Blackhawks this year and has registered one assist in his first two games with the Clippers.

The Clippers also made a couple of moves involving defensemen before the deadline, as the team acquired the rights to WHL defenseman and former Cowichan Valley Capital Ryan Coghlan from the Capitals in exchange for future considerations. Coghlan has already reported to the Clippers and had played his season with the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades, picking up two goals and two assists in 22 games. In order to make room for Coghlan, the Clippers traded defender Taylor Green to the Coquitlam Express.

On the ice, the Clippers have continued their strong play after a two-week break. The Clippers’

Drew McLachlan

last game before the break was a 6-0 victory over the Cowichan Capitals on December 20. The Clippers have also picked up victories in all four games the team has played since the break.

The team’s first game back after the break was a 2-1 road victory over the mainland division leading Chilliwack Chiefs. The Clippers also picked up a 6-3 victory over the Prince George Spruce Kings on the road the next night.

Nanaimo then returned to the Island to again defeat Cowichan 5-2 on the road in Duncan January 10. The Clippers played their first home game since December 19 the next night, picking up anoth-

er 5-2 victory, this time over the visiting Coquitlam Express.

The Clippers currently sit in first place in the BCHL’s Island Division with a record of 28-110-1, good for 57 points. Nanaimo is currently nine points ahead of the second place Powell River Kings (20-14-0-8) who sit second with 48 points. The Clippers have also played two less games than the Kings.

The Clippers’ next home game is Friday, January 23 against the visiting Cowichan Valley Capitals. Puck drops at 7 pm. The Clippers play their home games out of Frank Crane Arena at Beban Park.

BCHL Island Division Standings

GP

W

L

T

OTL

Pts

Nanaimo

40

28

11

0

1

57

Powell River

42

20

14

0

8

48

Victoria

39

17

13

1

8

43

Alberni Valley

37

18

15

1

3

40

Cowichan Valley

42

15

25

1

1

32

Men’s volleyball preparing for return action BEN CHESSOR

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After an extended holiday break, the VIU Mariners will return to action on Friday, January 16 against the Columbia Bible College Bearcats. There’s no doubt the Mariners will be excited to return to action as the team hasn’t played since November 29, when the Mariners picked up a victory on the road against the Bearcats.

The Mariners will be happy to play in front of their home crowd again. The team hasn’t played a home game since November 22 against the Douglas Royals. The Mariners played only five of their 12 games before the holiday break at home.

VIU was playing well heading into the holiday break, with the team winning four of their last five games. Since the team

split their first two games of the season against Camosun the Mariners have put together a solid 8-2 record.

It looks like VIU might be spending most of the second half of their season fighting for second place in the Pacwest standings. VIU and Camosun are tied for second place with 18 points on the season; both teams have identical 9-3 records.

Whichever team can earn the second spot in the standings will have a big advantage as the top two teams earn a bye in the first round of the provincial championships.

The Mariners are back on the court on Friday, January 16 at 8 pm against the Bearcats. The two teams are back in action the next day at 3 pm. Both games are being played at the VIU gym.

Men’s volleyball

GP

MW

ML

Pts

Douglas College Royals

12

10

2

20

Camosun College Chargers

12

9

3

18

Vancouver Island University Mariners

12

9

3

18

Fraser Valley University Cascades

12

6

6

12

Columbia Bible College Bearcats

12

3

9

6

College of the Rockies Avalanche

12

3

9

6

Capilano University Blues

12

2

10

4

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SPORTS 21

Odds & Ends

ABOVE

Comic by Arlen Hogarth facebook.com/lunglessart lunglessart.weebly.com RIGHT

Comic by Jon Hiebert

THE 10TH ANNUAL

VANCOUVER ISLAND SHORT FILM FESTIVAL FEBRUARY 6 & 7

AT VIU’S MALASPINA THEATRE

TICKETS $15 DETAILS AT VISFF.COM

ODDS & ENDS 22

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January

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

14

15

16

17

Science and Technology Lecture Series presents The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Past Exploitation and Current Status of Marine Mammals in British Columbia

ACER presents: Robert Shirkey Public Lecture on Climate Change

the massless & Friends #7 ft. Psychic Pollution w/AEIOU live painting and DO.BE.IS poetry

Moksha Yoga Karma Class

Nanaimo campus, bldg 310, The Drama Theatre

FREE

Nanaimo campus, bldg 355 rm 203

7 – 8:30 PM

The Globe Hotel, 25 Front St.

Moksha Nanaimo, 5271 Rutherford Rd. By donation

$5 suggested donation

7 – 8 PM

9 PM

FREE 7 – 8 PM

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19

20

21

22

23

24

Fringe Flicks: Pride

Note Taking and Mind Mapping workshop

Glow in the Dark Skate

VIUSU Frost: Free Chili Lunch

VIUSU Frost: Skating Night

Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Multicultural Festivities

Nanaimo Campus, Upper Quad

Nanaimo Ice Centre Arena, 730 Third St.

Arts & Humanities present: Media, Persuasion, and Propaganda

FREE

FREE

Nanaimo Campus, Malaspina Theatre

11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

6 – 7:45 PM

FREE

Avalon Cinema, 6631 Rutherford Rd.

Frank Crane Arena, 2300 Bowen Rd.

$12

Cowichan Campus, The Learning Centre, bldg. 120

1, 4, & 7 PM

FREE

Regular admission rates, glow necklaces $2

12:30 – 1:30 PM

6:30 – 8 PM

25

26

27

Nanaimo Flea Market

Acoustic Night

Mount Benson Legion Hall, 1630 East Wellington Rd.

The Queens, 34 Victoria Cr.

Wordstorm: Spoken Word Open Mic

11 AM – 4 PM

$5 7 – 11 PM

Nanaimo Entertainment Centre, 46 Nicol St. $12 6 – 11 PM

10 – 11:30 AM

The Vault Café, 499 Wallace St. $5 6:30 PM

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