The Navigator Vol 47 Issue 03

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Vol 47

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navigator VA NCOU V ER ISL A ND U NI V ERSIT Y ST U DEN T PR ESS

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Pecha-what?

Sisters in Spirit vigil at VIU

The Two-Headed Giant storms University Village

PechaKucha Nanaimo Vol. 2, "Mines and Yours: Honouring Heritage in Nanaimo," drew a large crowd including VIU staff, students, and alumni.

VIU's Nanaimo campus hosted a candlelight vigil for Canadian missing and murdered First Nations women and girls on October 1.

The Two-Headed Giant strives to create a casual, comfortable, and inclusive environment to discuss comics and gaming.

contents

NEWS

FEATURES 08

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08 04for bees Wild

08 Editorials

ARTS 14 08 08 04 and Chill: Whiplash Netflix

Point of VIU

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05 Sisters in Spirit vigil at VIU

Death by summer

TD tree planting

Parties divided on vote-splitting

Voting for the environment

Business competition

19 08 04 veterans pace Clippers' Returning strong start Chess Club invites you to play

15 Album release to honour Vancouver musician Deathgasm movie review

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SPORTS & LIFESTYLE

16 Susan Juby offers colloquium

20 Happy 45th Vancouver Marathon Newbie's guide to yoga Mental Health Matters: Self-care

21 Show'em your (free) nuts

Room book review

Get Consensual

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How student engagement could be the dividing factor in the federal election

Nothing concrete at Colliery Dams

17 Inside the mind of a musical composer

22 Odds & Ends

Two-Headed Giant storms University Village

Microsoft Office free for students Museum to showcase spooky Cedar history

12 Pecha-what?

18 Go with the flow with aikido

23 Calendar

Prof runs "destination marathon"

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letters

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CONTRIBUTORS Marilyn Asaaf Sebastian Barkovic Brendan Barlow Floyd Blades Debi Brummel Ben Chessor Lisa Courtney Shanon Fenske

Bryce Gardiner Gordon Hak Zoe Lauckner Tomi Lawson Jeff Sieniewicz Thomas Seal Spenser Smith Chantelle Spicer

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THE NAVIGATOR WELCOMES READER CONTRIBUTIONS

Molly Barrieau Editor-in-Chief

Emily Johnston Graphic Designer

Kaytee Davis Art Director

Avery Crosson Graphic Designer

Alexandria Stuart Associate Editor

Gabby Fleming, Shaina Bolduc Ad/Sales Rep

You don’t have to be a journalist to get published in The Navigator. We encourage creators to submit poetry, art, comics, photo essays, editorial cartoons, and coverage of club events on campus.

Megan Wolfe Social Media Sp.

Send any inquiries or content to <editor@thenav.ca> or visit <thenav.ca>.

Antony Stevens Web Editor

All submissions must be original work of the author.

Editors reserve the right to refuse submissions, and to edit for space or clarity. 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.

Alyssa Morton Arts Editor Natalie Gates News Editor Catherine Charlebois Sports & Lifestyle Editor Kelly Whiteside Production Manager

Lynne Williams Bookkeeper Christine Franic Business Manager

Lori Shwydky Copy Editor

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

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The Navigator would like to correct some discrepancies found in its September 23 issue. The Fast Fall Recipe article failed to credit its Date Kisses recipe contributor, Lifestyle Consultant Debi Brummel.

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editorials

Celebrity endorsements Molly Barrieau Editor-in-Chief

POLITICS. WORTH. WATCHING.

Alexandria Stuart Associate Editor

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EDI TOR I A L S

Recently, the wolf cull in the peace region of BC has caught the attention of two celebrities, who have used their status to share the cause with their fans through social media.

Miley Cyrus recently made a secret trip to Klemtu, BC to visit with locals after she learned of the five-year plan and Pacific Wild’s petition to kill wolves in order to preserve the caribou population. Cyrus planned the trip after posting a photo of a wolf and caribou to her Instagram feed calling on her 29 million followers to sign the petition, “Don’t let squares play the role of the circle of life!”

Subsequently, Cyrus received harsh criticism from our Premier at the end of September after the visit. Christy Clark went on the record, responding jokingly to questions on the new celebrity interest to the cull: “Tell Miley I’m willing to twerk it out,” taking aim at the singer’s infamous dance move rather than her potential to change perspective on this issue.

During this, BC native Pamela Anderson wrote an open letter to Clark on her website, sharing it with her Twitter followers.

“Rather than spending millions in taxpayer dollars to kill more animals, we need to invest in a plan to protect Canada’s forestland,” Anderson wrote.

Clark then continued to poke fun at Anderson and Cyrus: “They both love animals; they both live in California.”

Cyrus, 22, is known for her wild clothing choices and avantgarde lyrics, but no one seems to believe her when she uses her voice to call on issues.

What does it say about me if I support a millennial postDisney star over my provincial leader? Clark, you have been covered in this paper a few times before, and, unfortunately, never positively. While we look to the federal election, I can’t help but wonder when we will see a change in our own

In these times of political strife, I find myself longing for the comforts of home, wishing for the warm embrace of kinder hearts and gentler worlds. As the Canadian federal election campaign hits the home stretch and things get dirty, the American electorate throw their candidates into the trough to see who will emerge victorious for their party and enter the ultimate race— the race to Washington. Standing back, this helpless spectator finds herself yearning for the warm embrace of another Washington, of Bartlet’s White House as conceived by Aaron Sorkin.

There are a handful of television series I rewatch every few years, and they all feed a different nostalgic corner of my soul. The world of the West Wing helps me feel grounded when the reality of our political landscape swirls and slides into madness. Under the firm yet compassionate hand of President Josiah Bartlet, the US felt like the home of the free and land of the brave.

Sorkin created a cast of characters whose intentions were pure; they served at the pleasure of the President, and did so out of a deeply held respect for, and trust in, the man. There were mighty missteps, to be sure, but the viewer never questioned whether those men and women were striving to be their best selves. They brought every fibre of their beings to the work in hopes that the work—crafting a better and brighter America—would be good. More often than not, it was.

Unfortunately, the current political landscape in Canada looks more like a football field full of teenagers desperately fighting for the best footing. For five seasons, Friday Night Lights examined the Texan preoccupation with high school football. Inspired by a book by H.G. Bissinger, we’re introduced to a town obsessed— completely consumed—by high school football. Friday

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province. Currently, the disdain for our premier is ever-present in youth and students.

Chris Brown covered the story for CBC’s The National in February, visiting Shelley and Casey Black near Chetwynd BC who have raised two wolves, Dave and Mya, in captivity.

“The way that they’re doing it is barbaric,” Shelley Black said. “[T]o go and shoot a wolf from a helicopter, are you going to get a kill shot every time? I doubt it,” Casey Black added.

Brown found that the BC caribou recovery strategy says that wolves are responsible for 40 per cent of caribou deaths.

In Alberta, almost 900 wolves have been shot, poisoned, or hunted down in the last eight years. It has been successful in reducing the population of the animal. However, support for Alberta’s cull has changed since the government’s involvement in protecting the ecosystems has stopped.

BC intends to follow Alberta’s cull with their own five-year plan, killing around 180 wolves. Tom Ethier told CBC that, “[a]t the end of those five years, we’re going to do that analysis as to whether this effort was worth it.”

Cyrus and Anderson, along with The Green Party of Canada, have endorsed Pacific Wild’s campaign to “Save BC Wolves,” along with over 205 thousand others. Pacific Wild stands behind the idea that Canadian wolves are scapegoats, taking blame for the habitat destruction, allowing for their population to flourish.

This issue continues to have two sides, but what it should come down to is whether Canada is willing to preserve its natural habitats and help every animal, or to take the easy way out and rid the areas of a predator. You can sign the petition at <pacificwild.org/take-action/campaigns/save-bc-wolves>.

Night Lights follows young athletes trying to find their way in a world that doesn’t want their best selves—it wants warriors who win at all costs. Until they don’t, at which point they’re discarded like yesterday’s garbage.

But under a firm yet compassionate hand, this one belonging to Coach Eric Taylor, the ruthlessness is kept in check with the team mantra: Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose. It’s this earnestness, this purity of intention that keeps me coming back. Off the field, Coach juggles the needs of family and home, led by his whip-smart wife Tami Taylor. She’s the kind of mother a lot of people idealize: capable, kind, wise, willing to admit she’s wrong, steadfast when she’s not, and a killer cook to boot. There are a lot of great TV moms out there, but no one quite measures up to Tami Taylor. The fictional Texas town, Dillon, wears its heart on its sleeve; you get what you see and life is just a little simpler. It’s about as far away from the liberal-leaning wet west coast as you can get, and sometimes that kind of drastic shift in perspective is what it takes to remind us of what we stand for. Our own brand of politics and politicians—flawed as they may be—is part of what keeps us Canadian.

In these final dark days of the campaign, when we’re short on inspiration, we can look to our leaders.

But when they fail, I think it’s fair to look at some of the rich characters we meet on TV (and in films and books) and aspire to their ideals. When it was time to move on, Bartlett asked, “What’s next?” For Canadians, it’s a trip to the polls; participating in our own democracy is part of being in the game. Whatever the outcome, we’ll move forward as a country in hopes that we can, once again, show the world our best selves. Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose?

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Sisters in Spirit vigil at VIU VIU’s Nanaimo campus hosted a candlelight vigil for Canadian Contributor missing and murdered First Nations women and girls on October 1. Approximately 50 people attended the midday ceremony.

VIU Students’ Union chairperson Sherry McCarthy said the vigil is part of an October 4 national event promoted by Sisters in Spirit, but“the daytime vigil was held October 1 to encourage greater participation. The VIU campus can become quiet on weekends, and daytime is safer for those in attendance as well.”

A sign on the grass at the event said that, according to RCMP, the number of missing and murdered First Nations women in Canada is over 1500. The sign is in the form of a letter to the Prime Minister asking for an inquiry. Guests were encouraged to sign it before they left.

Brea Hodgkin-Bourgeois wore a sign during the vigil with information about her missing cousin. So did her son, Draydehn, one of her daycare children, Ayden, and her friend, Cindy Ross.

Hodgkin-Bourgeois said that her cousin Caitlyn Murray disappeared just over two years ago in Quesnel, BC. HodgkinBourgeois attended another candlelight vigil the day before to recognize the anniversary of Murray’s disappearance.

“We all wore purple because that was her favourite colour,” she said, “and the bridge was also lit up with purple lights.”

Each speaker at the vigil said that the ceremonies are designed to help the family and friends heal, as well as to facilitate change.

Before singing a traditional First Nation “loon song,” Charlene Richardson explained that, in cases of missing women, the families never really get a chance to grieve, as they always hold onto a thin thread of hope. Richardson

Shanon Fenske

names Angelina Pete specifically, a woman from Vancouver Island who was last seen in North Vancouver seven years ago.

“I believe in transformation,” First Nations speaker Fred Spec said. “Anything can be transformed, but it is up to us to make the effort. It begins in the community. It begins in the household. It begins with friends.”

Others shared their experience before the crowd or offered words of encouragement, and prayer songs were also sung.

Then, the white candles were lit around the circle as people paid respect to the women being honoured in a moment of silence. The crowd was stoic, but tears were shed.

“It may seem like a small thing today,” said VIU Elderin-Residence Geraldine Manson during her closing remarks, Left to right: Cindy Ross, Brea Hodgkin-Bourgeois, Draydehm “but our voices are going to echo, and they are going to be Hodgkin0-Bourgeois, and Ayden Filipehuk. loud.”

Shanon Fenske

According to the Sisters in Spirit website, BC has more missing and murdered First Nation females than anywhere else in Canada. McCarthy says that the Highway of Tears and Robert Pickton cases are both factors in the elevated numbers. There are several women missing in the central Vancouver Island area as well, such as Nanaimo’s 2002 case of Lisa Marie Young. RCMP are still trying to determine exactly what happened to Young, but foul play is suspected.

“The message we really want to send to the government,” said McCarthy afterwards, “is that we don’t want an inquiry into all of these missing and murdered First Nations Supporters observe a moment of silence in remembrance of women in Canada. We demand one.” missing and murdered First Nations women and girls.

Shanon Fenske

Natalie Gates

Money may not grow on trees, but TD Bank is holding a tree planting The Navigator event, known as TD Tree Day, at Hawthorne Park on Saturday, October 17.

Part of an urban greening and employee engagement program, TD Tree Days give TD employees, their families, customers, and community partners the chance to promote environmental activism in their communities by highlighting innovative forestry management. TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) works with municipalities, business improvement associations, conservation authorities, and Aboriginal communities, which support TD Tree Days with technical expertise to ensure that the right tree is properly planted in the right place.

Hawthorne Park and an adjacent vacant property suffered extensive damage from a brush fire on July 4. The City of Nanaimo was awarded a $13,300 grant to plant trees in Hawthorne Park from TD FEF and Tree Canada as part of the TD Green Streets program. Nanaimo was chosen out of 125 applicants for the grant, along with 22 other communities across Canada.

“It’s good for that area because the trees will provide more shade for the playground, as well as more habitats,” said Mandip Kharod, Manager of TD’s Pacific and Prairie Region. “There will be 45 new large calibre trees and 20 small calibre trees.”

In addition, there will be employees providing education to the public on why trees are important for the community and information on the park’s storm water retention pond, as well as what is required from the public to see a project like this thrive, Kharod said.

In the last five years, TD FEF has have helped plant over 185 thousand trees, and will be planting 50 thousand more this year in partnership with Tree Canada, Kharod said.

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By Levin C. Handy (per http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cwpbh.04326) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

TD TREE PLANTING

You don’t have to sit in school to stand among greatness.

› Thomas Edison: The world’s most extraordinary failure never gave up.

Thank goodness.

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open. online. everywhere. go.athabascau.ca/online-courses

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Parties divided on vote-splitting Natalie Gates

Vote-splitting and strategic voting is not a concern for all federal election party The Navigator candidates, despite the tight race between the Liberals, Conservatives, and NDP in the national polls.

Vote splitting is an electoral effect in which the distribution of votes among multiple similar candidates reduces the chance of winning for any of the similar candidates, and increases the chance of winning for a dissimilar candidate—in this case, the Conservative Party.

Nanaimo-Ladysmith Green Party candidate Paul Manly said in an email interview, “Strategic voting and vote-splitting are voter suppression tactics that discourage people from voting because they are warned their vote will be wasted if they vote for what they want rather than voting against what they fear.”

“Strategically, we need to get the people who didn’t vote in the last election to vote,” Manly said. “I am reaching out to non-voters, those who are turned off and disillusioned by politics. When people are inspired, they vote.”

At the VIU candidate meet-and-greet on September 24, Nanaimo-Ladysmith NDP candidate Sheila Malcolmson said she sees vote-splitting as a threat.

“First-past-the-post isn’t working and we want to bring in proportional representation,” Malcolmson said.

“In the past elections, we have seen Conservative MPs that make sexist, racist, and hophobic comments get elected.

At the doorstep, the NDP is the most popular vote and the second is Conservative. In the 2011 election, seven per Sheila Malcolmson listens to a student’s question at the cent [of voters in the Nanaimo-Ladysmith riding] voted meet-and-greet at VIU. Liberal, while 45 per cent voted NDP, and 40 per cent Natalie Gates voted Conservative. So the NDP is the party to vote for to

Paul Manly at the meet-and-greet at VIU.

Tim Tessier speaks with a student at VIU. Natalie Gates

Natalie Gates

BUSINESS COMPETITION

Get Consensual Natalie Gates

Tomi Lawson

The Navigator

Contributor Do you have a new business or an idea for one? Then this business competition is for you. VIU is looking for student and alumni ideas. This competition isn’t just for business students, but for students and alumni from all faculties who have completed at least 16 credits.

“Our students and alumni entering the competition also benefit from the guidance of experienced business professionals who have offered their mentorship through the entry process,” says John Predyk, professor in VIU’s Faculty of Management and chair of the 2015 competition.

The deadline to hand in your idea is November 16. Entrants will be shortlisted by a panel of judges, who are VIU faculty, professional coaches, and business mentors, and will advance to a “Dragon’s

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defeat the Conservatives.”

CEO of Abacus Data polling firm David Coletto states that polls show Greens in BC do take away some potential votes from the NDP, which may raise the risk of a split vote.

“I think the Greens could be a spoiler in a number of ridings, especially in BC,” Coletto said in Maclean’s article “Vancouver Island’s election petri dish”. “Among those who said they would vote Green, 52 per cent would consider voting NDP, 40 per cent would consider [the Liberal party], and only 15 per cent would consider voting Conservative.”

Nanaimo-Ladysmith Liberal candidate Tim Tessier said he was not concerned about vote-splitting at the meet-and-greet.

“I believe it is the voter that makes the decision and you should vote with knowledge of the parties’ platforms,” Tessier said. “People vote the same as they did in the past, and the 50 per cent that are undecided vote for the party that makes the most sense to them.

Unless you have a platform built around vote-splitting, a party shouldn’t say otherwise.”

As for what sets the NDP and Liberals apart from each other, Tessier said that they agree on many of the social programs, but the Liberals have different economic priorities.

“We have the more progressive goal of growing the economy by investing more in things like infrastructure and childcare,” Tessier said.

Malcolmson said one of the most common concerns she hears from students about the difference between the Liberal and NDP platforms is that the Liberals voted for Bill C-51, and the NDP voted against it.

“It’s a free speech issue,” she said. Candidates from the Conservative Party were invited to attend but declined the invitation.

Den Style Pitchfest” on December 4. The winners will be announced the same evening.

First place will win $2500 plus a prize package worth $7k. Second place will win $1k. Third place will win $500. According to a press release, the first place prize package includes: “…graphic design and web design service, a City of Nanaimo business license, a banking package from Coastal Community Credit Union, desk and meeting space at SquareOne, business consultations, and memberships in Young Professionals of Nanaimo and the Nanaimo and District Chamber of Commerce, among several other services.”

Dates and deadlines, recommended business plan template, mentor help, and more can be found at <www.viu.ca/bp>.

VIUSU Women’s Representative Connie Graham wants to bring a Let’s Get Consensual campaign to VIU.

Let’s Get Consensual is a campaign created by the University of Victoria (UVic), the UVic Student Society, and the AntiViolence Project aimed at combatting rape culture and sexual violence.

“It’s holistically-based and organizes consent workshops,” Graham said. “It also challenges gender binary because there’s more to the problem than how men treat women—there’s also how men treat men, women treat men, and women treat women.”

As the Women’s Representative, Graham is responsible for organizing events that help educate students and the community about issues of inequality, as well as organize advocacy for women, so

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she hopes to bring more students on board to help.

She is also looking to collaborate with VIU Residence Life Assistant Manager Kelly Muir, and West Coast Women Legal Education & Action Fund (LEAF), to create new ways to support those affected by sexual violence.

There will be bi-weekly meetings to discuss this initiative and more for anyone who identifies as a woman on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. in the student lounge in bldg. 355.

To see a video created by the UVic Campaign, visit <www.antiviolenceproject. org/2014/09/uvic-lets-get-consensual>.

Contact Graham at <women@viusu. ca> for more information.

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news

HOW STUDENT.ENGAGEMENT. COULD BE THE.DECIDING FACTOR. IN THE FEDERAL ELECTION. If there is one thing that the federal riding of The Brunswickan Fredericton, New Bruns(University of New Brunswick) wick is proving in this election, it’s that there’s a need for youth voter engagement.

The Fredericton riding encompasses two universities and various colleges, and since federal riding boundaries were redistributed in 2013, Fredericton has seen many changes to its demographics, some of which are beneficial to student voters.

As the capital of New Brunswick and a university town, Fredericton has its own unique caste compared to the rest of the province. “It’s more concentrated urban and that means it’s probably more student-heavy and more white-collar heavy,” said Tom Bateman, a political science professor at St. Thomas University in Fredericton.

The median age of the riding is also in student voters’ favour—at 37.8, it is the lowest median age of any riding in New Brunswick and one of the lowest in Atlantic Canada.

The younger voter population is important for youth in the region. New Brunswick, and the rest of Atlantic Canada, has an older demographic and this makes it difficult for youth to be voiced in the polls, especially when youth vote at rates much lower than the rest of the population.

“New Brunswick is demographically an old province and so this is counterpoint to whatever stock people want to place on young people in this province,” said Bateman.

“There actually aren’t that many young people here and that’s because they are going elsewhere for work.”

However, ridings with large student populations, like Fredericton, means that youth populations are concentrated and make up a larger percentage of the voter population.

This is made possible because students have the unique opportunity to choose between voting in the riding where they live for their post-secondary education and voting in their home riding.

“If (the students) all happen to vote in the riding where they are residing while at school, then they can actually function as a bit of a block,” said Bateman, “but that all depends on whether they vote for the same people or not and whether they vote.”

Emma McPhee

This is something the University of New Brunswick Students’ Union plans to make the most of.

“Here in this general (university) area we have close to 10 thousand students. That’s one-eighth of the general voting population in the federal riding, so that’s what we as the Students’ Union have been trying to do to try to mobilize the voice,” said Katie Davey, President of the Students’ Union.

The results of last year’s New Brunswick provincial elections are evidence of what this mobilization can accomplish.

The provincial riding of Fredericton South, a part of the federal Fredericton riding, saw the unprecedented election of Green party leader David Coon as its MLA—a result that has been attributed to student voters.

“I don’t know the actual numbers (of votes from students), but I suspect it helped,” said Bateman. “Certainly, it would not have hurt…When students do vote they tend to vote left of centre.”

But students need to get out to the polls first if they are to have any affect.

“Students need to get out to the polls. In the last federal election, youth voted at only about 40 per cent. In this election alone, there are 5.5 million millennials eligible to vote. That’s a huge number of youth,” said Davey.

“So again, if they mobilize, then after the election there’s a much stronger student voice to say, ‘Look, this many young people voted in your riding. Here are our issues,’” she said. “I think this is hugely important.”

For students who are voting, the apathy of their peers can be frustrating.

“Students certainly have the ability to wield as much political power as correspondents to their numbers in a de jure sense,” said Kevin Collins, a student at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. But he still feels it’s difficult for students to have their voices heard.

“Although they share many common interests and values,” he said, “pervasive apathy and democratic disengagement… often prevents students from acting as a cohesive group in order to create political outcomes that are in their best interest.”

Microsoft Office free for students Natalie Gates The Navigator

VIU students and staff can now download Microsoft Office 2016 for free.

On September 22, this latest version was released in Canada, and Office 365 Education decided to allow close to four million students across Canada free access. This decision was announced in March 2015 in a press release from Campus Intercept.

While 85 per cent of students from kindergarten to university are able to download Office for free, only 10 per cent have so far.

Students can download the program as long as they attend an eligible institution, which includes VIU.

“Many campuses are extremely excited to offer this to students, and of course students are happy to receive such a valuable tool for free,” said Account Manager of Campus Intercept Jennifer Jesson. “It is a four-year subscription for students, faculty, and education staff who attend eligible campuses.”

This latest version can be installed on multiple PCs, Macs, and tablets. There is also the option to get 1TB of OneDrive storage for free.

Students and staff can visit <www.microsoft. ca/freeoffice> for their free download.

Museum to showcase spooky Cedar history Molly Barrieau

This October, the Nanaimo Museum is hosting two tours of downtown’s dark past. On Wednesday nights until Halloween, the story of Brother XII, Cedar by the Sea’s infamous cult leader from the 1920s, will be given a new perspective.

“The Halloween season seemed like the ideal time to launch a Brother XII tour because every aspect of his story is mysterious,” says Aimee Greenaway, Interpretation Curator at the Nanaimo Museum.

The tour will start downtown at 6:30 p.m. at businesses that Brother XII frequented. The tour will visit Filmer’s Printers, where some of his religious materials were published, and the bank where he reputedly had donations from

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his followers converted to gold bars, according to the museum.

The second tour, Fridays this month from 6:30–8 p.m. is in its third year. The Lantern Tour delves into downtown’s grisly history of public hangings, ghost sightings, and murders.

There are group bookings available for the tours, but tickets sell quickly. The Brother XII tour is $10, The Lantern Tour is $15 and the museum asks that people interested pre-register for the tours.

Along with the tours, the museum has two new displays included in the regular price of admission for the museum. From October 13-31, Brother XII artifacts will be shared, along with a haunted coal mine spooky facelift for the week prior to Halloween.

Courtesy of <livinglibraryblog.com>

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features

WILD. FOR. BEES. A pollinator hotel in the Peace Garden on VIU’s Nanaimo campus.

Chantelle Spicer

Chantelle Spicer

To bee or not to bee? Everyday, people around the world are becoming Contributor more aware of how important bee populations are to our existence on this planet. We now know that one of every three bites of food we consume is due to the work of bees in both wild populations and human-maintained hives. The commercial value of these maintained hives contribute an estimated $100 billion annually in fruit, vegetables, and honey. This is on top of the role pollinators play in a natural, functioning ecosystem, including supporting biodiversity and healthy gene pools among native plants. The importance of this animal service is something that is hard to wrap a human brain around— something we can know, but not fully understand. On the flip side of this pollinator importance is a heavily loaded fact: in the last decade we have seen a decline of approximately 50 to 90 per cent in both wild and maintained populations across Canada. With over 700 species of wild bees at risk, plus those species used for industrial pollination, the loss would be felt in all facets of our lives.

Many organizations around the world are recognizing this and taking the grand first steps to educate the public on the

MABR Research Institute summer students building the new pollinator hotel destined for the Kwalikum Food Forest in October.

Courtesy of MABRRI

issue and then put real solutions into effect. In the month of October, one of our own Vancouver Island organizations will proudly be adding to this movement. The Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR) will be installing the first of two pollinator “hotels” within their boundaries. The pollinator hotels, built by MABR Research Institute (MABRRI) summer students, consist of an elevated housing area, with bundles of sticks, brick, straw, clay, and other materials placed inside.

Holes of varying sizes are drilled into the material, creating suitable habitat for a potentially diverse population of insects.

The fall timing for the installation of the first hotel will ensure the materials used are properly weathered and decayed for habitation in the spring. In the meantime, it may also provide a hibernation habitat and make them available for pollinators in the early spring.

This first hotel will be installed in the Kwalikum Food Forest, increasing the area’s potential for food sustainability and community health. It is not just about installing the hotel, though: a long-term monitoring system will be initiated to track which pollinators are in the area, their populations, and if invasive insects are out-competing the native pollinators.

This monitoring system will mean keeping the pollinator hotels

within the urban interface for now so trends can be easily monitored. Eventually, the hotels will be placed at higher elevations of the MABR, improving pollination of rare flowers and plants in at-risk alpine areas. Until then, they will work to remind people of our fragile balance with pollinators and increase public awareness of the issue.

The second of the pollinator hotels is to be installed on Snaw-nas-as First Nations traditional territory. Until then, this hotel is located at VIU on the Nanaimo Campus in the Peace Garden behind the library.

Hopefully, measures such as this will help reverse the decline of bees in our area; however, one vital change that needs to happen lies within government. This summer, Ontario was the first place in North America to ban the use of neonicitinoids, a pesticide that has been identified as being a factor in the decline. Between the increase in urban bee-keeping, the use of pollinator hotels such as what the MABR is implementing, and more strict legislation, we can bee more pollinator friendly.

Let’s Bee Friends: Some Quick Facts about Bees • Honey was found in the tombs in Egypt and it was still edible.

• Bees have been around for 30 million years.

• A honeybee can fly 24 km in an hour at a speed of 15 mph.

Its wings beat 200 times per second or 12 thousand beats per minute.

POINT OF VIU

• A summer beehive can have as many as 80 thousand bees. A bee must collect nectar from about two million flowers to make one pound of honey.

• The average worker bee makes about one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime.

WHAT TOPIC IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU THIS ELECTION?

JEFF SIENIEWICZ | CONTRIBUTOR .

ADE DAPO D’BANKS

AMANDA JONES

KURT KUZMINSKI

OLAOTI ADEKANMBI

YVONNE MITCHELL

Business Administration

Creative Writing

Nursing

Hospitality Management

Sociology

“The economy, and how to generate economic growth as we come out of a recession.”

“Canada’s role in the world environmentally, and how we can set a better example progressively.”

“Healthcare. The Conservative’s plan to cut billions in funding over the upcoming decades, when we’ll need it more than ever.”

“They need to bring down the cost of education. Some people can’t even afford to go to school. It’s not right.”

“How they stand on the pipeline. Personally, I’m against it, so I’m looking for a party that is too.”

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features

Death by summer Sebastian Barkovic

Wow, what a summer I had! It’s now the fourth week of school and I can barely get in the groove. I guess you can say that I had an abundance of fun. Where am I going with this? Surely no one wants to hear about my summer. I’m not here to tell you about my summer, rather I thought it would be interesting to look at my summer through the lens of the laws of the Bible. Like most of your summers, I’m sure it was filled with a bit of blasphemy, cursing at parents, disobedience, having idols other than the God of the bible, and maybe even a bit of witchcraft.

Contributor

Blasphemy, Leviticus 24:16 ““Anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord is to be put to death. The entire assembly must stone them. Whether foreigner or native-born, when they blaspheme the Name they are to be put to death.”

Every once in a while I’ll blurt out something like, “Oh, my God, this song is amazing,” or “Jesus Christ, Alex, stop hogging all the beers.” Well, under biblical law this would see me stoned to death. This has to be the most brutal punishment out there: digging a hole, putting someone in the hole, filling it back up,

and then throwing rocks at their head until they’re dead.

their father or mother, their blood will be on their own head.”

I get frustrated with old moms and pops Disobedience, Deuteronomy 21:18 just like the next guy or gal—especially if they just sanctioned the town to stone me to death.

“If someone has a stubborn and rebellious Well, say I cursed at them for that. Under bibson who does not obey his father and mother lical law I believe my head would have been and will not listen to them when they discipline chopped off. Don’t get me wrong—I am all him, his father and mother shall take hold of for respecting my parents, but I think that him and bring him to the elders at the gate of airing my grievances with them should also his town. They shall say to the elders, ‘This son be allowed. of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then Worshipping any other God, Deuall the men of his town are to stone him to teronomy 17:2-5 death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.”

“If a man or woman living among you in I can be a bit of a renegade. Just this sum- one of the towns the Lord gives you is found mer my parents begged me not to buy a mo- doing evil in the eyes of the Lord your God, in torcycle. They pleaded with me for days. I violation of his covenant, and contrary to my bought one anyway and haven’t looked back command has worshipped other Gods, bowing since. This particular act, according to the down to them, or to the sun, or the moon, or Bible, would see a nice son put to death by the stars in the sky, and this has been brought the people of Nanaimo (see “Stoning” above). to your attention, then you must investigate it Not cool, Nanaimo, not cool. thoroughly. If it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done in Cursing at my parents, Leviticus Israel, take the man or woman who has done 20:9 this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death.”

“Anyone who curses their father or mother I joined a Reddit community a few months is to be put to death. Because they have cursed ago called r/OneTrueGod which revolves

(creepily, I may add) around the glorification of Nicholas Cage. Although I don’t actually worship him, the religious police of the day may choose to interpret that act as worshipping another God. What type of punishment would I receive? A slap on the wrist, or perhaps just a stern look? Nope, back to the old stoning game.

(I, for one, would like to see more creativity here.)

Witches, Exodus 22:18 “Do not allow a sorceress to live.”

Believe it or not, Saudi Arabia actually killed dozens of people this year for witchcraft, so when I say that these deaths are a thing of the past, I’m, well, mistaken. Although I am not into the hokey pokey myself, I have a friend who seems to enjoy it. She isn’t turning frogs into princes or anything, but there are some weird crystal things she plays with. This summer I guess I would have died four times over, and my friend would have found herself being put to death as well.

Now for the good news: these laws are archaic (in this part of the world anyway). It’s a cautionary tale about interpreting things— especially religious things—too literally. Viva la Sebastian!

ELECT

Sheila Malcolmson Use your vote to defeat Stephen Harper in Nanaimo-Ladysmith Vote now at 1111 Dufferin Crescent until Oct 18th.

M—F: 9AM—9PM / SAT: 9AM—6PM / SUN: 12PM—4PM

Nanaimo: 103–1808 Bowen Road

@s_malcomson

250-591-9990

Vote in the advance polls Oct 9th to 12th, 12PM—8PM. Check elections.ca to find your polling station.

Ladysmith: 30 Roberts Street

250-924-0405

fb.com/SheilaMalcomsonNDP SheilaMalcomson.ndp.ca paid for and authorized by the official agent of the candidate

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features

VOTING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Chantelle Spicer

I have something to admit: I am, Contributor historically, not a very good voter.

I received most of my formative political information in the United States, where I attended high school, learning all about the relatively two-party system of Republicans vs.

Democrats and the House of Representatives.

In my opinion, this system, flawed dichotomy though it is, is much easier for the laymen (i.e. me) to navigate. Upon moving to Canada approximately 15 years ago, the complicated structure of Canadian politics left me dumbfounded. Twice the amount of viable parties?

Who are these Governor and Lieutenant Generals? What is a riding exactly? It all seemed too complicated and, honestly, a little intimidating.

I had my first experience with voting in Canada in 2006, when Prime Minister Stephen Harper was first elected into office. My partner’s mother adamantly marched all the people she knew in the neighbourhood to our local polling place and told a very unsure me to put a check mark next to anyone who wasn’t Harper. I was clueless, awash with doubt in myself to make any kind of reasonable, informed decision. In the end I voted Liberal because I liked what the word meant.

In the long run, however, I would not be daunted. Fueled by strong opinions, I would not let ignorance stand in my way—and I (kind of) got it figured out.

Admittedly, I still find it hard to navigate when it comes to voting in Canada. There is this idea of strategic voting and vote-splitting, and, honestly, ridings sometimes still get me stumped. There are many people who consider voting a privilege, an option, a duty, an obligation. In today’s political climate, I consider it all of these things and more, further muddling how I feel and act in regards to voting.

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What is not so complicated is what I want to happen and what kind of voice I want speaking for me on a municipal, provincial, and federal level. I know that I want someone who considers the environment a valid member of the country whose rights need to be protected, someone who recognizes that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) is not over, a voice who will support equality for women, and more support for public services like our health care and the CBC. I want change.

In the Maclean’s debate, four very broad topics were discussed: economy, environment, democracy, and foreign policy. Now I am certainly not an analyst of political debate, nor an expert on all the issues at hand, but I do know what concerns me most—the environment. Under our current Conservative government, we have seen terrible things done to the protection of nature (Bills 45 and 38), the muzzling of scientists studying issues such as climate change, and the ongoing exploitation of the Tar Sands of Alberta. Yet when “the environment” came up during that debate, it boiled down to the economy surrounding the environment—export of power to the US and China, pipelines, Canadian oil, and greenhouse gas emission regulations.

When did our planet become synonymous with economic issues? Overall, I was left with a feeling of dis-ease after watching the debate, where many things were discussed, but nothing really spoken about. I think that Elizabeth May of the Green Party, who has the environment as a main point in its platform, said it best in her closing remarks, stating: “…[W]e have not discussed social policy, we have not discussed how we respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission…what we should do for young people who are facing crushing levels of student debts, and their families. We have a lot of issues to discuss.

Inequality: one-third of Canadians have the

combined wealth as the top 86 families. We have to address this.”

After doing a bit of research, I find that it is not only the Greens raising their voice on issues regarding environmental protection and concerns over social issues. The NDP has environmental policy tightly woven into its 2015 platform, especially after its success in the recent provincial election in Alberta, which has been under Conservative power since 1971. Already, the new NDP government, under Premier Rachel Notley, has suggested a 33 per cent increase on emissions taxes, disincentives on large personal vehicles, and a revision of many environmental standards driven by a science-based approach.

The Liberal Party, led by Justin Trudeau, is running on a platform of “Real Change,” including on change for the environment and the arts. A major concern for the Liberals is in protecting our marine and coastal habitats, something that should be of great interest to those of us on the Island. Their plan includes meeting the global standards of Aichi Biodiversity Targets set in 2010 and investment in ocean-based science, research into cleaner energy (which includes a phasing out of subsidies for fossil fuel), as well as stronger legislation regarding emissions.

I am really excited to get out and use my voice, and am also a little nervous about how

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tight the race appears from recent polling, which may be favouring the Conservative party. I have heard many people say in the recent weeks that as long as the Conservatives don’t get in, it will be better, but rather than voting “against” something, I want to vote for something. I want to take all the knowledge I can acquire on issues that matter to me and use them on October 19. This may involve strategic voting, this may be straight from the heart, but it is my voice and hope for change that I am voting for.

What I do hope for is that so many people get out—especially the younger people, as we are in the process of inheriting our corner of this lovely spinning planet—and it is time we start making it into the kind of country we want to be a part of. The percentage of young voters (18-24 years old) in Canada is lower than any other age groups, which means many voices across this country are not represented. The environment is my major issue, as without it there are no other issues. I encourage you to find your own vital issue, do your research, and talk to your friends—then vote!

You can take a quiz at <votecompass.com> to find out which party you most identify with.

Find out about all the parties and their platforms at <greenparty.ca>, <liberal.ca>, <ndp.ca>, and <conservative.ca>.

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features

NOTHING CONCRETE AT

COLLIERY DAMS Spenser Smith

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Contributor

1 — Crews from Copcan Civil Ltd. work on a new auxiliary spillway. The spillway is being constructed because of safety concerns regarding possible flooding during an extreme rainfall event.

2 — Gates and trespassing signs block off the construction site of the auxiliary spillway project at Colliery Dam Park. 15 bylaw tickets were issued to activists who attempted to delay construction on September 15.

3 — Activists are concerned about the cutting down of old growth trees and the spending of tax dollars that they deem unnecessary.

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4 — The City of Nanaimo has erected a large sign at the entrance of the park that provides information regarding the project.

5 — Activists talk back with a large sticker on a sign at the park.

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PECHA-WHAT? Alexandria Stuart The Navigator

“20 SLIDES EACH SPOKEN TO FOR 20 SECONDS. THAT’S A TOUGH NUT TO CRACK FOR SOME PEOPLE.” - JACKIE DUYS-KELLY

Geraldine Manson of the Snuneymuxw First Nation opens PechaKucha Nanaimo Vol. 2 with a traditional song and prayer September 26 at The Port Theatre.

Nanaimo Design Nerds

100 creative thinkers assembled in The Port Theatre Lobby on September 26 for PechaKucha Nanaimo Vol. 2 “Mines and Yours: Honouring Heritage in Nanaimo.”

Nanaimo Design Nerds

Nanaimo’s vibrant cultural landscape relies on an active exchange of ideas.

In a world full of stories, it can be hard to cut through the noise and actually hear what others have to say. Moving into other perspectives can help us process the world and incubate new ideas. With new input, life elevates itself beyond simply working to consume and play, and into a place where it is engaging, invigorating, and fully-lived.

Devised in Tokyo as a way for young designers to meet and share their work in public, PechaKucha Nights attempt to feed that need to exchange perspectives. Close to 100 Nanaimoites enjoyed their own event— PechaKucha Nanaimo Vol. 2, “Mines and Yours: Honouring Heritage in Nanaimo”—on September 26 at The Port Theatre.

Anchored by short presentations, PechaKucha Nights provide a place for participants—presenters and audience alike—to discuss, build on, and share ideas while forging connections that foster new partnerships and projects. The Japanese word “PechaKucha” translates into “chitchat,” which is at the core of the event. PechaKucha 20x20 is a simple format for presentations: 20 images projected for 20 seconds each as the presenter narrates the ideas that link them together, and ultimately, to the evening’s central theme. In Nanaimo, the evening was about sharing perspectives on our cultural past, present, and future.

Event organizers share a passion for the spirit of the format and approach.

They’re usually employed in creative fields, and volunteer their time. Here, members of The Nanaimo Design Nerds, Jackie Duys-Kelly, Monica Shore, and Sean Enns, stepped up to become stewards for PechaKucha Nanaimo.

As “agents of change,” the Design Nerds work to “engage the community in creative and culturally significant ways.” Numerous sponsors also helped to make the evening possible.

Any fun space—usually with a bar—can host a PechaKucha night.

They’re anchored by the presentations, but networking and the exchange of ideas before and after are an equally important part of the experience.

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It’s meant to be relaxed and informal, knocking down boundaries that could staunch the free flow of ideas. The Port Theatre Lobby was a good fit as a venue—at night it comes alive with light and shadows. Mounted on the curved wall of the lobby is Phil Ashbee’s “Salmon Coming Home,” an expansive piece that features over 100 carved salmon, anchored by the “Sun Mask” at the centre. The lobby’s art exhibit also includes large musical instruments made of cardboard that hang freely overhead, casting their own shadows. The chairs arranged in front of the projection screen accommodated about half of the audience, which was made up of artists, academics, writers, designers, students, and others. Expecting only about 40 attendees, the organizers welcomed over double that to explore Nanaimo’s heritage. “We’re thrilled by the turnout,” Duys-Kelly said. “We’re excited by the way Nanaimo is embracing PechaKucha.”

One of the evening’s sponsors was Nanaimo’s Culture and Heritage Department. It’s a relatively new department, developed out of the City’s intent to foster the importance and visibility of cultural vitality. This is one of the four pillars of sustainability included in the City’s Corporate Strategic Plan (2012), and the department’s work is guided by the 2014-2020 Cultural Plan for a Creative Nanaimo (2014). When PechaKucha Nanaimo’s organizers were searching for a theme for Vol. 2, Culture and Heritage was a natural fit.

The City was happy to come on board as a sponsor for the event. Chris Scholberg, Culture and Heritage Planner for the City of Nanaimo, was excited about the opportunity for “entertainment and information sharing” as a way to explore the topic in a new and unique way. “It meshes with the Heritage Conservation Review process we’re undergoing right now,” he said.

It was a way to connect with, and get feedback from, residents that might not otherwise be captured using typical consultation methods like surveys or open houses. He was thrilled with the strong turnout and cross-section of participants. The approach was a great way to gather information, he

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Poster design & illustration courtesy of WILD/FREE Creative.

said. “It’s a bit unorthodox, a different tool we can use to reach a different audience.”

Presenters come from different areas of life and business, but they all share a passion for the theme, as well as a unique viewpoint and voice around the idea of “heritage.” New and unexpected information, along with a healthy dose of humour, were also in evidence. The 20x20 format was originally devised to force sometimes long-winded creatives, like architects, to keep their presentations succinct. Encouraged to present on something they love and are passionate about, distilling that into 20-second bites is a challenge. In her opening words, organizer Duys-Kelly said, “20 slides each spoken to for 20 seconds. That’s a tough nut to crack for some people.” Presenter Kim Smythe, CEO of the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce, was a bit more blunt: “The format is designed to strike terror and fear in the heart of public speakers,” he joked. Many other presenters echoed the sentiment throughout the evening.

Geraldine Manson, member of the Snuneymuxw First Nation and an Elder-in-Residence at VIU, called the 20x20 format “a real test,” because she’s used to “speaking from the heart.” She went on to deliver a moving presentation about the Snuneymuxw history in the area, tied in to the heritage that was stripped away by the residential school system, and today’s attempts at healing and reclaiming of that heritage. VIU is an important part of bringing those teachings back, and celebrating the achievements of First Nations graduates.

Representing the PsychoGeographical Association, author and poet Roger Farr presented an unexpected view of downtown Nanaimo. Through his lens, heritage in the space took on a unique flavour, delivered with a distinct lyrical and rhythmic style.

Christine Meutzner, Nanaimo’s Community Archivist, spoke of the importance of preserving history and the stories of those who came before.

She also emphasized how critical it is for the public to have access to

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public records, saying, “It’s central to democracy.” Interpretation curator at the Nanaimo Museum, Aimee Greenaway, shared about artifacts as a component of storytelling, and the way they fit into the variety of exhibits featured at the museum.

Other presenters explored different points of view from the streets of downtown, uncovered the early history of craft brewing in Nanaimo, and talked about public events as a way to bring residents together to embrace and celebrate their heritage.

VIU was represented by several instructors. Imogene Lim, anthropology instructor, presented on the area’s rich Chinese heritage, and Director of the new Master of Community Planning Program supplied an unexpected history of the retail landscape. Many VIU students and alumni were also in the audience. There’s a natural synergy between education and PechaKucha; it’s a natural space to feed hungry minds.

VIU graphic design student Rio Trenaman said, “It’s a constructive and interesting event and I’m happy to see it growing, attracting increasing interest.” In spite of juggling other commitments that weekend, it was important to him to be there.

Presentations from “Mines and Yours: Honouring Heritage in Nanaimo,” as well as PechaKucha Vol. 1 “The Full Nanaimo” are available online at <pechakucha.org/city/Nanaimo>. PechaKucha Nanaimo Vol. 3 is being planned for early in the new year with a theme around socially responsible design. Watch the website and Twitter <@PKNanaimo> for updates. New volunteers and theme suggestions are always welcome, too: <Nanaimo. designnerds.org>.

Trenaman summed it up nicely: “It’s meeting the aspirations of the PechaKucha developed format, aligned with the creators’ goals. It’s inspiring—inspiration is the key word.”

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NETFLIX AND CHILL

WHIPLASH

Alyssa Morton

Whiplash lays out the line of passion and obsession, and then The Navigator blatantly walks over it again and again throughout the film. Focusing on Andrew Neyman’s (Miles Teller) goal of rising to the top of jazz music, the viewer gets an up-close and all-too-real view of blood, sweat, and tears shed for goals. Pair that with instructor Terence Fletcher’s (J.K. Simmons) demand for excellence, and you witness the effects when two unstoppable forces collide head-on.

Neyman is a Jazz student at the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory in New York. Handpicked by the respected and feared Fletcher, he excitedly shows off his skills at drumming.

This quickly sours when Neyman can’t seem to meet Fletcher’s demanding standards for the jazz piece known as Whiplash.

After getting over the initial shock of his instructor’s distaste, Neyman seems to feed off Fletcher’s wrath and demanding pressure. This leads to dropped relationships, awkward family dinners, and Neyman sleeping in the drummers’ room as he works endlessly to crawl to the top bracket. Along the way, audiences witness time and time again how easy it is to slip from Fletcher’s favour and out of the race for musical greatness.

Fletcher’s homophobic insults, psychological torture, and absolute rage are shocking. The level of intensity is a 10 the whole movie, and viewers will be amazed at how constant it is. It never wavers; nothing ever cracks Fletcher and gives a

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glimpse of a softer man. Even the finale shows a man driven completely by creating and driving excellence. Actor Simmons was informed by director Damien Chazelle, “I want you to take it past what you think the normal limit would be.” Many of the students in the film are played by real musicians, and the looks of terror are said to be authentic when Fletcher lashes out at students.

All other characters truly are secondary in the movie as Neyman and Fletcher engage in a disturbing slave and master tango, roles switching back and forth sporadically throughout the movie. Even Neyman’s romantic role sputters in, and then out, of the movie, showing the way his passion overshadows all else. Cinematography captures intense scenes where blood covers snare drums and sweat bounces off cymbals. Music also shows frantic paces that demand total control and dedication.

While Whiplash is able to capture emotion and passion, it fails in expressing time. What should be expressed as close to a year in time feels like the blink of an eye, the events in the movie seeming to all take place in one hellish week. Avengers “weekend of” Ultron seems to last longer than this film. Perhaps because this whole film was shot in 19 days, with 14 hours of filming per day, Whiplash seems to take on a tempo faster than the jazz pieces.

The movie also fails with Fletcher’s constant use of homophobic insults. It is jarring and shocking the first few

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times, but before the first act of the movie is done you’re already wondering how many more times someone can insult another for enjoying dick. Fletcher’s rage is fresh throughout the movie, but is tainted by the common place insults.

All in all, Whiplash deserves the praise it has garnered from Sundance and the Academy Awards. It highlights the acting abilities of both Teller and Simmons, and is an excellent showing of director Chazelle’s talent for the intense. If he can continue with the drive, Chazelle is sure to make good on his next film.

CHILL FACTOR None. There is no chill in this movie. People are bleeding all over their instruments, cymbals are thrown discus-style at heads, and there’s a car crash.

J.K. Simmon’s disappointment and rage will leave you so unchill you will not make a move for a week, convinced any action you take is unworthy of passion pursuits.

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ALBUM RELEASE TO HONOUR VANCOUVER MUSICIAN Alyssa Morton

The death of Vancouver musician Derek Kehler, The Navigator also known as Steel Audrey, was felt throughout the city’s music scene.

Now, many are coming together to honour the late musician and celebrate the posthumous release of his full-length album, From Which I Came.

Kehler and his girlfriend, Helena Curic, passed away June 8 while camping in the Blue Mountains of Australia. Authorities believe a small collection of coals brought in to heat the shelter created toxic levels of carbon monoxide. As soon as the news was released, outpourings of grief and support converged on the Vancouver music scene.

Kehler’s final contribution to that community is an album funded by The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR), a source of financial assistance for the independent Canadian music industry. Kehler worked with producer Matthew Rogers of The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer through the whole project, and they often talked about their religious upbringings, family, and the trials of life. These conversations gave birth to a folk and country album

that reflects Kehler’s childhood in rural Manitoba, where he grew up with country classics.

In a celebration of his music and life, donations given to the family are being used to manufacture the album and rent a hall for the release party. Notable musicians from Vancouver will be playing songs from the album as a tribute to Kehler. This includes The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer, Nat Jay, SAVVIE, The Reckoners, Just A Season, and the Island’s The Lion The Bear The Fox. The St. James Hall in Vancouver is booked for October 18, and doors open at 8 p.m. for the show. Tickets are $12 and can be bought at <www.steelaudrey.com> or <brownpapertickets.com>.

Longtime friend Adrian Glynn stated in a press release, “The release party will be an emotional night for a lot of us. But we also want to celebrate and share Steel Audrey’s music with those who may not have heard his incredible tunes yet. Derek was not the kind of guy to go gently into the night, and we want to give Steel Audrey and his songs what they deserve—a night of stomping, clapping, and singing great country music, with whisky shots all ‘round!”

Album release concert poster

DEATHGASM MOVIE REVIEW Brendan Barlow

Characters Brodie and Medina enjoy a break in Deathgasm.

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Two teenage boys unwittingly summon Contributor an ancient evil entity known as The Blind One by delving into black magic while trying to escape their mundane lives.

In the spirit of movies like Evil Dead and Dead Alive, this fabulous little gorefest delivers everything that I want in a movie. My hopes weren’t exactly high at first—the title feels like it belongs to a film student’s portfolio, and it felt like it might be one of those movies (ahem…Dude Bro Party…). I was delighted to find that it was closer to movies that I actually enjoy.

First stop, the cast. I could have sworn in the beginning that two of the guys from the band Axis of Awesome were in this, and spent most of the movie being pretty sure of that fact. Upon review I realized I was wrong, and they were Australian. So, shame on me for that one. Anyway, the crew we follow through this movie are fun and delightful. Milo Cawthorne is great as Brodie—he embodies the awkward, teenage metal-head really well and is really fun to watch. We also have some great first(ish) timers, and Kimberly Crossman rounding out this cast. Everyone is really likable and funny, and they feel real as these outcast characters.

The story is pretty straight-forward, and reminded me a bit of last year’s Knights of Badassdom (which I recommend). Swap out cosplay for metal music, and crank up the gore

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by about 100 per cent and you’ve got Deathgasm.

I mean that about the gore by the way—this movie is over-the-top in its gore effects, and they are awesome. One of the scenes that I’m sure people will be talking about is an extended fight scene that employs sex toys as a means of stopping the “possessed” (who really are just zombies with no eyes, but that’s neither here nor there).

Director Jason Lei Howden comes from a visual effects background, and has worked on some pretty massive movies. He worked visual effects on The Hobbit films, Prometheus, and The Avengers. It appears that he is a rotoscoper, and has a lot of experience. It’s amazing to see him apply these skills to a substantially smaller movie, and bring his directorial style to it as well. It’s also clear from his writing that he’s not out to make fun of or disparage metal, metal-heads, or anything like that; on the contrary, it’s clear that he has both love of the genre, and also realizes how silly and absurd metal can be.

Honestly, this movie is a blast from start to finish. If you want something that will make you laugh and cringe, you really can’t go wrong here.

If you’re like me, it’ll probably make you want to put on the most brutal, blackest, heaviest metal album you have, or at least remind you that it’s been awhile since you saw Dead Alive. Give this one a watch; just be ready for all kinds of blood, guts, and eyeless monsters.

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Lisa Courtney

SUSAN JUBY OFFERS COLLOQUIUM

In an age of book-to-movie adaptations needing fast-paced Contributer stories with universal themes, young adult fiction is a rising publishing category. Far from a new classification, young adult fiction is nevertheless seeing a spike in popularity with all age groups. Enter Susan Juby, a prolific young adult fiction author, Creative Writing professor at VIU, and first featured presenter in the Arts and Humanities department’s Colloquium series on September 25.

In her hour-long presentation, Juby spoke to the audience about the general content of a young adult novel, the process of writing such a book, and her newest release, The Truth Commission.

“I continue, at age 46, to deal with some of these things, which is a little sad, but hey, it gives me a career!” she said after a description of commonly-addressed teenage issues in young adult fiction such as self-image and expression, sexuality, and peer pressure surrounding things like sex, drugs, and alcohol. This style of slightly self-deprecating humour pervaded the presentation, eliciting laughter from the audience and inviting them into the world of a person who writes not only extensively but believably about the issues teenagers face while having left those years behind herself. With nine young adult novels released since 2000, one of which (Alice, I Think, her first) was adapted into a 13-episode TV series which aired on CTV from December 1829, 2006. The ability to place herself in a teenager’s shoes is clearly one that Juby has readily developed.

Not all “teenager problems” are limited to teenagers, however, as Juby discovered in the development of The Truth Commission. She spoke about how she had actually been working on a new adult crime fiction novel when she noticed that several elements of a main plotline were based heavily on someone she was close with. The idea of writing about someone she knew, even unintentionally, without their permission didn’t sit well with her, so the crime novel was tabled, but the experience left her wondering, what if someone did tell the stories of their family and friends without their consent? And so The Truth Commission was born. The story of three high school friends seeking to find “the truth” at their school, the book explores the concept of truth, the many ways it can be construed, and the effects it can have on the people involved.

For the readers and writers in the audience, Juby’s presentation at the Arts and Humanities Colloquium was both an engaging and enlightening experience, providing insight on both the young adult category of novels as well as the writing process. For anyone who fell into neither of those categories, the presentation may well have inspired them to change that. The special appearance at the end by Trevor Cooper, a recent VIU graduate who provided the illustrations for the book, reminded the audience of the close community fostered at VIU.

ROOM BOOK REVIEW Alyssa Morton

TALKING POINTS • • • •

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The art of telling a very mature story with a child’s voice is one that The Navigator holds a narrow ledge of success.

Emma Donaghue’s Room stands proudly on that ledge. The narrative voice of Jack, a young boy that has lived his whole life in a shed, leads readers through this heart-wrenching page-turner of a novel.

Starting off on Jack’s fifth birthday, the story opens up with readers exploring the limited world this boy has grown to live and love in. Through his explanation and insight, readers learn that his mother, also trapped in the shed, has explained to Jack that Room is all there is in the world. Everything else is outer space. We see the way Jack shapes his views around this “truth” and how he uses this to rationalize the comings and goings of Old Nick, the man who sometimes comes at night and makes creaks on the bed with Ma. The horrors of the situation that Ma and Jack have lived in are bluntly painted in a way only a child can tell, laying out facts that he perceives as normal, and the reader then pieces together for the bigger picture. At times, Jack’s nonchalant behaviour towards the situation he is in can off-put the reader, but it’s this emotional manipulation that makes Donaghue’s writing so effective.

Another point is the way Donaghue has kept from creating an unnatural child’s voice within the story. It can be a challenge giving readers the information they need from such a young voice, and some writers fail in keeping the authenticity of this age. Language becomes too abstract, long and detailed memories are recounted even though this is uncommon in typical five-year-olds, and the absurd logic that children possess can be lost. Donaghue is able to keep from falling into these blunders, and is able to craft all the strange wonders young children can bring to a story. At one point in the story, Ma loses a tooth that has long since rotted.

Jack keeps the tooth, terrified of throwing away a piece of his mother. Throughout the story, it plays a role as a connecting line between the two characters. Anyone who has dealt with

that age bracket knows of the strange rituals children can set up, and Jack is no exception to this rule. For people used to children of this age, it’s refreshing to see it portrayed so faithfully. And for others, it simply adds to the complexity and attraction of the novel.

Readers come to understand how sure of his world Jack is.

Nothing phases the little boy, and he deals with everything that happens in Room with determination and an upbeat attitude—even the days where Ma slips into severe depression and is “gone.” In the second half of the novel, something shakes Jack’s world, and he no longer holds the confidence that readers come to expect. With that, they are just as unsure about the rest of the book as our little narrator and wonder what could ever happen next with the little boy. Again, this shows Donaghue’s excellent ability to shape and interact with the reader’s emotions.

Donaghue has stated in interviews and on her own personal website that Room was inspired by the 2008 Fritzl case in Austria, where a father locked away his daughter in the basement for over 20 years. But she also stresses that the book was inspired by actually having children—how the locked room is the metaphor for the “claustrophobic, tender bond of parenthood.” Using her own son for the inspiration of Jack obviously strengthened her ability to capture that unique narrative voice, and she states that many of Jack’s lines, jokes, kid grammar, and observations were based off her son.

Room made international bestseller lists the moment it was published, garnering over a dozen awards and honours.

It stands as an exceptional piece of Canadian literature, and a highlight of Donaghue’s writing career. With the new movie adaptation winning the People’s Choice Award at last summer’s Toronto International Film Fest, Room is sure to get a second run at the spotlight, something it most certainly has earned.

Governor General’s Award (2010) Commonwealth Writers’ Prize regional prize in 2011 (Caribbean and Canada) Donaghue was accused of sensationalizing the Fritzl case Seventh novel the author has written RATING

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arts

INSIDE THE MIND. OF A MUSICAL. COMPOSER.

Gregory Bush

Gordon Hak

Music is a mysterious art capable of evoking emotions, Contributer memories, pleasure, and sadness. For listeners, music usually speaks for itself, directly entering our hearts and minds. But where does this music come from?

On October 16, Gregory Bush, a musician, composer, and faculty member in the Department of Music, will take us into the realm of creation in a presentation entitled A Journey in Jazz: From Inspiration to Performance. The talk is part of the Arts and Humanities Colloquium Series, and will be held at the Malaspina Theatre beginning at 10 a.m.

The goal of the presentation is to, “capture the process that begins with a musical idea within the composer’s head and ends with a finished product that reaches the listener’s ears,” says Bush.

In 2014, Bush composed two 45-minute suites of music for a large jazz ensemble. One, The Vancouver Island Suite, was inspired, says Bush, “by the beauty and history of our area,” while the other, The Jazz Master Suite, was inspired “by the many jazz musicians and composers who have

Courtesy of Gordon Hak

inspired me as a composer, musician, and person.”

Inspiration is fine, but then the work begins, taking the germ of an idea and translating it into a piece of aural art. An early step is to find a musical concept or motif that can be shaped into a meaningful phrase, then a melody, and finally, after much work, a completed piece. Along the way, there are always decisions to be made regarding issues such as the appropriate size of the ensemble, the makeup of the instrumentation, and the relation of one section of the piece to another. There is also the task of writing musical ideas on the page so that that the composer’s ideas are clearly evident to the performers. In his talk, Bush will walk us through this process, using musical examples, illustrations, and even some singing.

In jazz, improvisation plays a prominent role: solo musicians have the freedom to ad lib while the rest of the ensemble provides a structure of rhythm and harmony in which they can operate. The composer has to decide how much music should actually be written down for the musicians to follow and how much room should be left for soloists to riff on the themes. Charlie Parker, the

bebop jazz giant of the 1940s and 1950s, once said, “They teach you there’s a boundary line to music. But, man, there’s no boundary line to art.” But there is a musical structure and musical patterns that frame the music, and finding the balance between freedom and structure is not straightforward.

Bush brings much experience to his composition. He holds a Masters of Music in Jazz Performance from McGill University and, before coming to VIU, he was Director of Jazz Studies at Abilene University in Texas, and a member of music faculties at McMaster University and Red Deer College. He also, of course, enjoys a busy career as arranger, composer, and trumpet player, having played in clubs, halls, and jazz festivals in Canada and abroad. His first CD, Cause and Effect, was released in 2001.

The Arts and Humanities Colloquium series presentation on October 16 will culminate with the performance of one of Bush’s pieces. The illustrated talk is open to faculty, employees, and the general public. Students are especially welcome, and there will be refreshments.

TWO-HEADED GIANT STORMS UNIVERSITY VILLAGE

Courtesy of The Two-Headed Giant

Kelly Whiteside

For 12 years, James McIlwraith and Scotty Rivest talked about starting a business together. This year, they decided to make their dream a reality. The announcement for the new specialty store came at the beginning of February. On September 18, The Two-Headed Giant, a comic book and video game store, opened their doors to the public.

Their opening day saw overwhelming success, as the business had advertised themselves well ahead of time. In the months before opening, the Two-Headed Giant was active on social media as well as out in the community. They held giveaways upon reaching 250 likes on Facebook. The store attended Nanaimo’s first gaming convention as an exhibitor at VIU on September 12. The following weekend, The Two-Headed Giant held a charity BBQ for the Nanaimo Women’s Centre, which received 25 art donations and raised over $700.

The Two-Headed Giant is a community-oriented business. Both McIlwraith and Rivest grew up in Nanaimo, and they want to give back to the local community. They would like to The Navigator

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provide services that weren’t available for them. Currently, the duo is working on supporting local schools’ DND clubs, as well as bringing comic books into Nanaimo’s libraries. The Giant hosts “Newbie Tuesdays,” which features a new game each week that inexperienced players are encouraged to try. The store is decorated with local artists’ work, such as drawings, paintings, and jewelry available for purchase.

McIlwraith emphasizes the casualty of the store. He says the goal is to create a casual, comfortable, and inclusive environment to hangout and discuss comics and gaming. Everyone is welcome, whether they are knowledgeable about comics and games or not. Inside the store there are tables to gather around, a couch to sit on, a TV to play games on, and sometimes they even offer coffee.

The Two-Headed Giant is located in University Village at #504-530 Fifth St.

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GO WITH THE FLOW WITH AIKIDO Catherine Charlebois

Assistant instructor Christle Lowe smiles at Sensei Victor De la Isla Arcega.

Floyd Blades

Aikido instructor Floyd Blade (left) successfully disarms his opponent.

Floyd Blades

Sitting down across from powerhouse couple Floyd Blades The Navigator and Christle Lowe, you’d never expect from their relaxed demeanor and easy laugh that they would practice martial arts. When one thinks of “martial arts,” words like violence, opponent, and aggression come to mind. Blades and Lowe, however, practice aikido, a non-violent form of martial arts.

Created by Sensei Morehei Ueshiba after World War II, Blades and Lowe’s particular branch of aikido, Iwama, or Takemusu aikido, is more than a form of exercise­—it works both the body and mind.

“Aikido is a progressive study,” says Blades. “What we teach at the beginning is how to move forward while maintaining vertical alignment in the body. For a lot of people, that’s really challenging, because we tend not to spend a lot of time with our bodies—most of us are all up here [in our heads].”

Blades says that getting everyone comfortable is key in laying the groundwork to a successful aikido study.

“Right out of the blocks, what we’re learning is a fundamentally different way to show up in conflict and in relationship,” says Blades. “My job as someone who studies aikido is to protect myself and you from your bad intent to do me harm. I don’t get to hurt you, break you, or bounce you off the walls. I have to find a way to safely neutralize the energy you’re directing towards me in a way where you land softly in a controlled way. I have to put you down gently in a way with enough space so that I can stand up and walk away from you, because if I go away, there is no one for you to be in conflict with, except yourself.”

Having studied the art for almost 20 years, Floyd has also studied more traditional forms of martial arts such as kung fu and karate. However, their core principles did not

sit right with him.

“What I saw them teaching me was how to take another person apart. It was becoming progressively more uncomfortable for me.”

It is through this change that Blades met his partner, Lowe, in VIU’s Liberal Arts program, and the two have become inseparable, both as partners in the dojo and in everyday life. “[In aikido], we don’t have opponents, we have partners.

I need this person in order to practice and for that person to be supportive of my learning. In turn, I must be supportive of theirs.”

Not only is aikido fun, Blades has found it also teaches empowerment, especially for women.

“Aikido teaches that you never have to be afraid of anyone regardless of their size, because it doesn’t matter. Christle tosses my butt around easily and I outweigh her by 100 lbs.

There is no good reason in terms of current psychology or orientation why she shouldn’t be able to physically outdo me. It’s not about power, it’s about using my energy and momentum in a way that allows her to govern that process and drop me like a rock without doing me harm.”

“It’s very satisfying too,” assures Lowe.

Aikido not only provides mental and spiritual benefits—it is also surprisingly refreshing.

“No matter how tired I am when I show up for class, I always finish feeling like a million dollars. I am refreshed, rejuvenated, and it helps me sleep better. The buzz lasts a couple hours,” adds Lowe.

What university student could ask for more?

Blades and Lowe teach a beginner aikido class on campus every Tuesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. until November 24.

Permission to join from the instructor is required until the next session in the Spring semester. For more information or direct inquiries, please contact <fgblades@hotmail.com>.

THE VIU. CHESS CLUB. INVITES YOU. TO PLAY.

Left to right: Andrew, Cameron (silver), Crystal, Thomas (President), Payton (gold), Urvish (Vice President), Dmitry (bronze), and Jeremy.

Thomas Seal

The VIU Chess Club was founded in 2012. To Contributor accelerate the Chess Club’s formation this year. They hosted a local tournament and drew in 10 people, with a few others unable to attend. The club arranges Chess days in advance through a mailing list and Facebook page, usually on Thursdays at 5 p.m. in the Business Management Building.

They want to surround newcomers with training experiences, playful humour, and equal competition. A member, Andrew Smith, wrote of his first experience: “I’ve been to several chess clubs over the years, quietly moving through the columns of people, testing their wits against each other in the hopes of

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performing the unquestionable position of checkmate. I find myself welcomed with the joys of laughter and jest, as everyone takes in the casual atmosphere on this dark and dreary night. Many of the members are students, scattered across the campus from the trades to business students; we even had quite a few students without the stereotypical math background.

“Sitting down and competing in casual play while waiting for more people to enter, I built the ego of my opponents with spectacular failure. Once six o’clock arrived, we began the task of building the tournament pool and assigning opponents, to test our death stares, in hopes of unnerving someone into defeat.

The first match I lost hastily to the player who stole gold. The next, to my luck, lasted longer, but was doomed to defeat when my dangerous moves didn’t scare the opponent into making enough mistakes to warrant a win in my favour. The third battle was my best effort, but alas, whatever rusty skills I have could not save me from losing my shirt. Sitting off to the side, I watched the final matches for medal placing and basked in the warmth of comradery of all those who fell to the wayside.

Medals were awarded to the winners as we chatted amongst ourselves, and there was a quick casual game to laminate my own skill level. As everything was being cleaned up, a few more giggles were exchanged. Stretching

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Bryce Gardiner

and yawning, I stood up and walked off into the night in hopes of returning to another gathering of minds, in hopes that I may improve my tactical skill and foresight.”

A tough break, but medal positions only require a month of practice (based on members’ online ratings from the <chess. com> group). While tactical puzzles are useful exercises, some club players don’t understand positional play, especially the opening, preferring aggression to force tactical situations. Tactics should flow from a superior position. Chess can be simple—find the piece with the fewest options to move, and give it more options.

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PROF RUNS “DESTINATION MARATHON” Marilyn Asaaf

Liberal Studies professor Dr. Mark Blackell crosses the finish line at the Boston Marathon.

Inside VIU

Returning veterans pace Clippers’ strong start Ben Chessor

The Nanaimo Clippers have begun with a solid start for the 2015-2016 British Contributor Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) season.

After falling just two wins shy of the league championship last season, the Clippers look poised to take another run at the Fred Page Cup. This season looks like it will be a rebuilding year for the Clippers, who were set to lose a number of impact players due to age restrictions and school commitments. However, the team’s outlook for the season changed when it was announced that three core members of last year’s Island championship would be returning for another reason.

Veteran forward Devin Brosseau and last year’s leading goal scorer Sheldon Rhemple have both returned for another season in the harbour city. Joining them is defenseman Yanni Kaldis who finished second in the BCHL in scoring amongst s Big things were expected of the three returning stars, and so far they have yet to disappoint. Rhemple leads the league in scoring with a total of 16 points in eight games, including seven goals. Brosseau currently sits eighth in scoring, but holds the league lead with 12 assists. The two have been paired with new Clippers player Matt Hoover on the team’s first line. Hoover currently sits third in the league scoring, and his eight goals in eight games is tied with Chilliwack’s Vimal Sukumaran for the most in the league. Meanwhile, Kaldis’ nine points in eight games is tied for the league lead in defenseman scoring.

The Clippers have a record of 5-3 after the season’s first eight games. Nanaimo’s 10 points puts them in second place in the five-team Island Division. Nanaimo sits two points behind the first place Powell River Kings. The Cowichan Valley Capitals sit in third place in the division, just one point behind Nanaimo. However, Cowichan Valley has played two fewer games than Nanaimo.

The Clippers are on the road the first two weeks of October and won’t return to Frank Crane Arena until Saturday, October 17 when they take on the BCHL’s newest team, the Wenatchee Wild. The game will mark the first time the two teams have faced off against each other. Puck drop for the game against the Wild is at 6 p.m.

Tickets for Clippers games can be purchased at the box office at Frank Crane Arena starting an hour before puck drop. Tickets are only $10 for VIU students, and a free beer is included with admission.

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Liberal Studies professor Dr. Mark Blackell qualified for the Contributor most prestigious race in the world this year—the Boston Marathon.

Blackell completed the grueling 42.2 km run in April, achieving a personal best of three hours, seven minutes, and 31 seconds.

“The Boston Marathon was amazing,” says Blackell, “I suppose you have to be a bit of a masochist to enjoy these things. It was a miserable day weather-wise, with rain in our faces and wind coming off the ocean.

“I was constantly rubbing my eyes because my eyelids kept drooping and closing. I had to force my eyes to see the hundreds of thousands of spectators lining the course. I heard them, all the cheering supporters, despite the terrible weather.

It was fantastic.”

He was proud to be among the 30 thousand “running geeks” from all over the world who qualified for the race.

Blackell started running two years ago after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

“The diagnosis was a complete shock,” he says. “At first, I ran to help manage my medical condition, but now I run because I love it.”

Blackell’s first major running event was the Vancouver Marathon, which he completed last year in three hours, and 14 minutes. That qualified him for Boston, which he describes

as the “ultimate destination” running event.

For the Vancouver Marathon, Blackell raised about $1,600 for the Canadian Diabetes Association, but while training for Boston, he raised almost $3k for the Vancouver Island Mental Health Society (formerly the Columbian Centre Society).

“I’ve been a volunteer board member for about five years, so it’s a cause close to my heart,” he explains.

“The Society, which started 40 years ago, provides housing and rehabilitation for people in the mid and north island region who are released from the mental health ward of a hospital.

We help provide transition care for people to get back on their feet.”

Various levels of housing support are offered, from 24-hour licensed care facilities, to graduated levels of care for semiindependent living.

“I thought it was a great cause for the Boston Marathon and I’m happy I could help out. I’d like to thank all the VIU employees and other supporters who donated towards my fundraising campaign.”

What’s Blackell’s next goal? “To run a marathon in under three hours.”

A NEWBIE’S GUIDE TO YOGA Catherine Charlebois

Sports never interested me as a child.

The Navigator I was only physically active when my mother coerced me into intramural sports, or my 45-year-old teachers pushed me along the track for “just one more lap.” I have always leaned toward reading or watching movies, because getting sweaty and having sore muscles is really not my style. Honestly, who wants to have the paranoia that everyone can smell you following you around all day after sweating buckets? I was never quite chubby, but that freshman 15 really caught up on me in my first year of university. Okay, make that a freshman 30. I was feeling uncomfortable and awkward with my body, and my mental health was starting to decline. One morning, it hit me, in a cliché-style epiphany: Unless I do something, things won’t get any better. Duh.

I started with the basics, eating smaller portions, putting more fruits and veggies into my diet, not snacking at all hours of the day, and just generally watching what I was putting into my body. Just that little monitoring had me losing pounds. Breaking up with my boyfriend soon after gave me all the more reason to focus and step my game up.

I was doing the nutrition part right, but I still couldn’t seem to get my butt off the couch. I hadn’t done yoga since the required segment in grade 10 gym class, so when my coworker introduced me to VIU’s twice-a-week Flow Yoga, I was hesitant, to say the least. Here was that paranoia again. And I couldn’t imagine the mirrors, oh god, the mirrors.

All my imperfections staring back at me, my face red and ponytail askew—I couldn’t possibly do it.

So there I found myself, on my turquoise mat in my stretchy yoga pants and loose t-shirt, wondering what the hell I had gotten myself into. Laying down in the Shavasana pose, I couldn’t help but stifle a laugh at the thumps and bangs I kept hearing from the gym next door. So much for relaxation.

The teacher was a fit lady who embodied what I had imagined a true yogi to be, with long hair, relaxed demeanor, and a kind smile.

As we began doing the poses, I finally had to open my eyes, figuratively and literally, to myself.

What I found as I was stretching and struggling to

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hold a pose was that yoga is wholly introspective.

Aside from watching the teacher to make sure I got the poses right, I noticed that I wasn’t even thinking of glancing at my fellow classmates, yet alone judge their alignment for the downward facing dog. If I didn’t have time to do it, they certainly didn’t have time to judge me either. There was absolutely no pressure to hold a pose if you couldn’t do it, and a general acceptance that some of us, if not all, weren’t going to be able to perform 100 per cent.

As I was busy avoiding my gaze in the mirror, I noticed a metamorphosis every time I chanced a look. Though all the struggle and weird angles, I seemed way more relaxed than I had coming in.

Fancy that.

Schoolwork, my job, and life in general had left me unfocused, stressed, and unmotivated, but allowing myself that one hour of solace made me emerge feeling like a new person, like I could handle life again. It might have been exercise, but somehow, it made me recharge.

You’ll never guess where I found myself on the following Tuesday.

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SHOW ‘EM YOUR (FREE) NUTS! Debi Brummel Debi Brummel Contributor

The fruits of Mother Nature.

Debi Brummel

Thinking about making the Date Kisses recipe for the Contributor next potluck? Did you know you can get free nuts for the picking? Nanaimo’s native hazelnuts usually fall in late August and September, followed by walnuts in late September and October.

This historic coal town’s founding citizens planted what they needed to get their families through the wet winters, and especially in old neighbourhoods like Harewood. Many are just left to feed the birds and squirrels these days; make friends with your nutty neighbours and work out a deal to harvest their unclaimed nutlets.

Upon procurement, you will need to dry them out in their shells for storage. Place them in a paper bag in a warm spot beside the heat vent or woodstove for a while. They can also go into a dehydrator, or at the lowest temperature setting in the oven. After drying, the nuts can be stored in jars, or shelled

and stored in the freezer. Some nut lovers like to roast their hazelnuts or walnuts to eat as snacks. I prefer to keep them raw for optimum nutrition; mine dry by the heat or dehydrate at 42 degrees Celsius. If light roasting or pan-roasting makes them taste better to you, go for it!

A word to the wise, however: nuts have enzyme inhibitors that make them hard to digest. The recipe below includes soaking the dried, shelled nuts. Soaking and (consequently) germinating increases available nutrition. This process cleans the surface, neutralizes enzyme inhibitors, activates beneficial enzymes, and includes easily digestible proteins, healthy omega-3 fatty acids, some immune boosting vitamins, and minerals like vitamin C and iron. This also creates a more alkaline and easier assimilated, crunchy rather than dense nutmeat. One handful is about one serving and will keep you going when hunger sets in before mealtime, but eating more could fill you up, ruining your appetite, or even contribute to unwanted weight gain.

Here are two recipes, which can be used if you run out of cow’s milk (or decide you might be better off not drinking it since it is really for baby bovines and not you) or just want to try a new, dairy-free, vegan drink. Flavourings can also be added, like carob, cocoa, or cinnamon as desired.

NUT MYLK

HEALTHIEST NUT MYLK

You will need a blender, cheesecloth and/or fine mesh strainer.

Soak one cup of nuts for eight hours or overnight. Drain and add to blender with one cup water and (optional) two pitted dates and 1/2 tsp of vanilla, or to taste. Liquefy on highest setting for two minutes. Add two more cups water, blend for one minute, and strain and squeeze through cheesecloth. Use pulp as above.

(1 cup for immediate use)

Lifestyle Consultant Debi Brummel examines the results of this year’s harvest.

Debi Brummel

Debi Brummel is a Healthy Lifestyle Consultant, Speaker, and Wild Food Guide. For tours, talks, or training, contact her at <longevitylivestyle@gmail.com>.

(750+ ml)

Grind 1/3 cup nuts (hazel, walnuts, or almonds) in blender.

Add one cup water (one tsp. honey and/or a couple drops of vanilla extract, optional) and liquefy on highest setting for two minutes.

Mylk is ready to be the base of your smoothie or added to your breakfast cereal or, for drinking, pour mylk through cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer to remove nut pulp (which can be added to muffins, bread, or apple crisp topping for extra protein). Ready to serve or use in recipe.

Can be stored in refrigerator up to two days. Some separation is normal; shake or stir before use.

Fresh, Organic Nut Mylk is sold downtown for $8/litre, but now you can make this delicious and nutritious alternative for free. So go ahead, show ‘em yer nuts!

MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS: Self-care Here we are—it’s the fifth week of the Contributor term, papers are due, and midterms are happening. Feeling overwhelmed yet? You’re not alone.

Admittedly, self-care is one of my least developed qualities, and is often the last on my priority list. I have to remind myself that self-care is a journey, a constant learning process, and that the alternative really isn’t so appealing. University is a time of great stress; there’s no avoiding it. What we can do is learn how to reduce that stress and create healthy habits that help to keep us going through the school year. This issue’s column is meant to help guide you (and me!) in the process of increasing self-care awareness and getting us thinking about ways to reduce stress during our studies.

What is self-care? Self-care is all about nurturing yourself­—identifying your own

Zoe Lauckner

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needs and taking steps to meet them in healthy, productive ways. Self-care takes dedication and consistent intentional practice.

Practice self-care with intention. It is one thing to recognize self-care-like activities in hindsight, but true self-care is done with intention. Simply taking the dog for a walk because he/she needs it is not self-care. When you’ve decided what your self-care task is going to be for the day, take a deep breath and remind yourself why you’re doing this–if you want to succeed in your studies, having a clear head and healthy body are two integral components of academic success. You’re worth it.

Mind your self-talk. When we are under stress it’s easy to look at life through a negative lens. Everyone has different self-talk tendencies, but kicking yourself when you’re down isn’t going to help lift you back up. Start by noticing your self-talk—is it primarily positive or negative? I’d bet that you notice a

change toward more positive self-talk just by increasing your awareness by intentionally checking in with your self-talk from time to time.

Know the difference between stress management and stress reduction. Let’s say you’re stressed out about finances and a paper that’s due next week. In terms of stress management, you might decide you need some time away from the computer and go out with friends for a few drinks on a Friday night. The problem with this is your paper still isn’t done and you’ve spent more money, adding to your stress level. Stress reduction, on the other hand, is finding ways to reduce or eliminate certain stressors in your life. So maybe you choose to stay in and get your outline done and later enjoy a cup of tea with friends. Weighing the amount of harm vs. the amount of good is an important step in selfcare. Be realistic with yourself. Disguising harmful or stress‑inducing activities as self-

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care is going to have the opposite effect.

Don’t be afraid to reach out for help.

If the stress becomes too great for you to handle on your own, the good news is that you don’t have to. VIU offers free, short-term, confidential counseling to students—I have used this service in the past and had a very positive experience. You can reach them at <250-740-6416> or in person at bldg. 300 on the third floor.

There are many different types of counseling out there, and it’s important to find the approach that feels right to you and is in line with your values—next issue’s column will touch on services in the Nanaimo area.

Don’t forget to eat right, sleep lots, practice gratitude, be silly, and smile!

Stay sane(ish), VIU! Until next time.

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HAPPY 45TH VANCOUVER MARATHON

Courtesy of <bmovanmarathon.ca>.

2015 runners in the BMO Vancouver Marathon.

Catherine Charlebois

One of Canada’s greatest running events is set to celebrate its 45th anniversary on May 1, 2016. Now, with a variety of races for runners of all kinds, the BMO Vancouver Marathon offers a Full Marathon, Half Marathon, Marathon relay, 8km, a Kids Run, and a new 2.5 km walk, coming a long way since its humble beginnings back in 1972.

“For the first marathon, we had just a few organizers, but only 32 runners. All had to see the start physician and have a brief physical exam to make sure we could make the distance,” says Jack Taunton, co-founder of the original event. “Today’s marathon is a well-oiled machine from marketing, which we never had, the excellent marathon clinics, chip timing, a The Navigator

first-class Expo to get your number and shirt, all the latest in training aids, transit to the start, and first-class Start and Finish Lines—nothing but the best.”

The May 1 event draws in thousands of spectators, volunteers, and runners from all over the world with participation of over 50 countries last year.

“The BMO Vancouver Marathon includes breathtaking courses and is a must-do race for not only locals but for runners from around the world,” says Charlene Krepiakevich, Executive Director of Vancouver International Marathon Society, the non-profit organization responsible for the BMO Vancouver Marathon.

Not only will the event allow its runners to fundraise for the greater good—it will continue to keep community

involvement alive with the help of four thousand volunteers and the assistance of 40 charity organizations.

In addition, the 2016 event will build on newly introduced improvements and provide its participants and attendees with vouchers, discounts, complimentary Canada Line tickets and shuttle transportation at certain locations, and various venues throughout.

“Very proud to see that the torch has been carried with great involvement of the community, and great spectators, and wonderful entertainment along the course and Finish Line,” says Taunton. “We always wanted to promote health and wellness and now can do it in a very affective fashion.”

Registrations are now open. For more information, please visit <bmovanmarathon.ca>.

A newbie’s guide to Yoga I was never one to play sports. Or be physically active unless my The Navigator mother coerced me into intramural sports or my 45-year-old teachers pushed me along the track for “just one more lap”. I have always leaned towards books or watching movies, because getting sweaty and having sore muscles is really not my style. Honestly, who wants to have the paranoia following you around all day after sweating buckets? I was never quite chubby, but that freshman fifteen really caught up on me in my first year of uni. Okay, make that a freshman thirty. I was feeling uncomfortable and awkward with my body, and my mental health was starting to decline. One morning, it hit me, in all its cliché style epiphany : unless I do something, things won’t get any better. Duh. I started with the basics, eating smaller portions, putting in more fruits and veggies in my diet, not snacking at all hours of the day and just generally watching what I was putting in my body. Just that monitoring had me losing pounds, and breaking up with my boyfriend at the time gave me all the more reason to focus and step my game up.

I was doing the nutrition part right, but I still couldn’t seem to get my butt off the couch. I hadn’t done yoga since the required segment in grade 10 gym class, so when my coworker introduced me to twice a week Flow Yoga, I was hesitant to say the least. Here was that paranoia again. And I couldn’t imagine the mirrors, oh god, the mirrors. All my imperfections staring at me, my face red, and ponytail askew, I couldn’t possibly do it.

Catherine Charlebois

#003

So there I found myself, on my turquoise mat in my stretchy yoga pants and loose t-shirt, wondering what the hell I had gotten myself into. Laying down in the Shavasana pose, I couldn’t help but stifle a laugh at the thumps and bangs I kept hearing from the gym next door. So much for relaxation.

The teacher was a fit lady who just embodied what I had imagined a true yogi to be, with long hair, relaxed demeanor and kind smile.

As we began doing the poses I finally had to open my eyes, figuratively and literally, to myself. What I found as I was stretching and struggling to hold a pose was that yoga is wholly introspective. Aside from watching the teacher to make sure I got the poses right, I noticed that I wasn’t even thinking of glancing at my fellow classmates, yet alone judge their alignment for the downward facing dog. If I didn’t have time to do it, they certainly didn’t have time to judge me either. There was absolutely no pressure to hold a pose if you couldn’t do it, and a general acceptance that some of us, if not all weren’t going to be able to perform 100 per cent.

As I was busy avoiding my gaze in the mirror, I noticed a metamorphosis every time I chanced a look. Though all the struggle and weird angles, I seemed way more relaxed than I had coming in. Fancy that.

Schoolwork, my job, and life in general had had left me unfocussed, stressed and unmotivated, but allowing myself that one hour of solace made me emerge feeling like a new person, like I could handle life again. It might have been exercise but somehow, it made me recharge.

You’ll never guess where I found myself on the following Tuesday.

NAV IGATOR

SPORTS & L I F EST Y L E

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odds & ends

Untitled

by Chantelle Spicer

Feed Me Likes

by Ally Phillips

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ODDS & EN DS

NAV IGATOR

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October

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

7

8

9

Movie: Bikes vs. Cars Bldg. 250, rm. 125 6:30 p.m.

12

Mariners’ men’s and women’s soccer Nanaimo turf (Beban Park) Noon FREE

13 Jazz concert: Cooker’s Quintet

All-candidates Meet and Greet and Forum

4613 Yellowpoint Rd.

Bldg. 320, Choral Room

VI Conference Centre

10 a.m–6 p.m.

Noon

5–10 p.m.

See website for admission prices

$5

FREE

High Tea by the Sea

Cedar or Lantzville

(Your polling station– check online)

Deep Bay Marine Field Station, Bowser

7 a.m.– 7 p.m.

11 a.m.–1 p.m.

FREE

Nanaimo Museum 7–9 p.m.

$15

16 Mariners’ men’s basketball VIU gym 7 p.m.

FREE

10 Cultural Connections: Butchart Gardens and Victoria day-trip Bldg. 255 9 a.m.–7 p.m. $30

17 Mariners’ sports Gym (men’s b-ball) Noon (women’s v-ball) 5 p.m. (men’s v-ball) 7 p.m.

FREE

20

ELECTION DAY

FREE

Heritage Basics: presentation on Nanaimo Heritage Conservation Program

7 p.m.

FREE

Farmers’ markets

10 a.m.–2 p.m. or 1:30–4 p.m.

The Queen’s

15

McNabs Corn Maze and hay rides

19

Malaspina Theatre

$25

14

<mcnabscornmaze.com>

18

Legendary Jamaican artist Clinton Fearson

8 p.m.

FREE

11

Live folk music: Incomplete Folksinger

SAT

$20

ADVERTISE WITH THE NAVIGATOR JOIN THE NAVIGATOR ONLINE

ADS@THENAV.CA

THENAV.CA

/THENAVIGATORNEWSPAPER @THENAV_VIU

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NAV IGATOR

C A L EN DA R

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