January 29, 2014 by The Omega

Virtual campus explores safety issues Pg. 4

The Omega Thompson Rivers University’s Independent Student Newspaper

Volume 23, Issue 17 January 29, 2014

News

Editorial & Opinion

Life & Community

Arts & Entertainment

Sports

Pages 1, 2

Pages 3, 9

Page 5

Pages 6, 7

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Trouble with the law? TRU’s law school to provide free tenancy, employment and human rights knowledge Jessica Klymchuk Ω News Editor The TRU law school is opening its first legal information service on Jan. 31. The free service will run from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. every Friday and is available to anyone in the community. Thirty law students have volunteered to answer legal questions and provide legal information, including residential and tenancy law, criminal law, human rights, employment legalities and international or immigration concerns. Students will not offer legal advice or representation, but will assist clients in understanding legal implications or processes and lead them in the right direction for further assistance. Around six students will be on deck each Friday. “Access to justice can be a huge issue and going to see a lawyer can be very expensive,” said law professor Ruby Dhand. “Our students are very keen to be involved. They want to help in any capacity they can.” Dhand and fellow law faculty

Margaret Hall have spearheaded this initiative to introduce law students to the community. This is the first service TRU’s law school will provide since its inception in 2011. “We want to be a very general legal information service,” Dhand said. “We want people to come in with any

appeals, which can include a tribunal process, law students can assist clients in submitting written and oral submissions. Because appeals aren’t legal proceedings, law students will be able to help represent the student’s best interest and form the best argument possible. “It’s nice to talk through those issues because, for us, we are often trained to think of counter arguments and we know the process very well,” Dhand said. The service will connect clients with all legal resources available to them in the community and beyond. Hall and Dhand have worked closely with Legal Aid BC in designing an information service model and to gather information to distribute. Hall has also connected with the Tenancy —Margaret Hall, Resource and Advisory Centre in Vancouver as well as the TRU law professor Human Rights Commission. “Sometimes just being handed a pamphlet or a booklet and told problem, even if it’s not within that ‘hey read this, the information is all area, like Aboriginal law or property in there’ – sometimes that’s not really issues, small claims, whatever it may enough,” Hall said. “Sometimes it’s not completely self-evident what this be.” Law students will also offer pamphlet or booklet says.” assistance to any student going through academic appeals. For grade See ACCESS Pg.

“

Sometimes

being handed a

pamphlet...[is] not really enough.”

Ruby Dhand has collected many educational legal brochures and pamphlets for the legal information service, all of which is available to the public. The law school’s legal information service will open Jan. 31 and run every Friday from 2:30 to 4:30. ( Jessica Klymchuk/ The Omega)

TRUSU has met its goal of 3,000 student signatures to support TRU joining the Worker Rights Consortium. The goal is to replace sweatshopsourced attire for sale on campus. ( Jessica Klymchuk/ The Omega)

Students support sweatshop-free campus campaign Jessica Klymchuk Ω News Editor The student body has spoken: 3,000 signatures have been collected in support of TRUSU’s sweatshop-free campus campaign. The notice will be presented to the Board of Governors on Feb. 14, at which point the decision will be in the hands of administrators. TRUSU is lobbying to have TRU sign on with the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC), “an independent labour rights monitoring organization, conducting investigations of working conditions in factories around the globe,” according to their website. TRUSU set an internal goal of 3,000 signatures for the campaign, which it felt was an adequate representation of the student body. There were 180 universities and six high schools affiliated with the WRC as of Dec. 3, 2013, seven of those are Canadian universities. TRU would be the first university in Western Canada to be affiliated with the WRC. After collecting 3,000 signatures back in late November, TRUSU began reaching out to member universities, such as the University of Toronto and Queens, to gain support and letters of reference to present to the board. “It was interesting because all of them we called were positive and supportive,” said Leif Douglass, TRUSU vice president external, “but it was challenging to get them to write a letter.”

TRUSU hasn’t received any letters from member universities, but Douglass said it wasn’t a necessity to the campaign and they are moving forward with preparing the board presentation. “Regardless of the status of the letters, we will be presenting to the Board of Governors on February 14,” he said. “There is clearly a lot of campus support.” Back in September when the campaign was introduced, TRU’s bookstore manager Glenn Read spoke in support of a sweat-shop free campus stance, agreeing that the university does not want to be affiliated with merchandise made under poor labour conditions, despite it being difficult to know if that is even the case. Douglass said that has been the only conversation between Read and TRUSU regarding the campaign. An evaluation of clothing suppliers and alternative options will occur if the board votes in favour of joining the WRC. “We talked to the coordinators from the WRC as well as other universities and unless the company is specifically being monitored, they said stuff is coming from places where labour laws aren’t being respected,” Douglass said. “Now I’m sure, depending on what comes out of the board meeting, if we are going to join there will be more – then we will disclose a list of factories [and] put in a purchasing code of conduct. “There will be certain steps that have to go in place.”

News

January 29, 2014

“Butting out” on campus Smoke Out Challenge to help smokers quit and to designate smoking areas to reduce exposure Jessica Klymchuk Ω News Editor “Hang tough and don’t puff.” That’s the message respiratory therapy students are sending to smokers who are ready to quit. The annual Great Canadian Smoke Out Challenge launches Jan. 28 with $600 in prizes up for grabs to those who manage to kick the nic’. For students, the biggest smoking triggers tend to be social habits and stress. The hardest part of quitting on campus, however, can be having to walk through the puff of smoke when entering buildings like Old Main. Janine Chan, respiratory therapy faculty, and Chelsea Corsi, TRU wellness coordinator, have been on a mission for the last couple years to gain support for designated smoking areas on campus, mostly because inhaling second- and third-hand smoke is nearly as dangerous as puffing yourself. Without designated smoking areas, the cloud is hard to avoid. On two separate occasions, campus studies have shown that students are in support of designating smoking areas. In 2009, TRU Wellness conducted the Tobacco Use and Policy Survey, which garnered 549 responses with the majority saying they would like to see a smoke-free environment implemented. In 2011, the Tobacco Strategies Clinic conducted a tobacco practices survey with results showing that 71 per cent of the 370

respondents would like to see a change. The TRU smoking subcommittee under TRU health and safety has had a resurgence of support for designated smoking areas this January after a policy was sent to administration last year. Once adjustments are made, the policy will be close to approval. Research has been conducted in coordination with facilities and trades and architecture programs to map out locations and design prototypes. Last spring the committee received a capital grant of $3,000 towards the initiative but if the policy doesn’t move forward this spring, a year later, they could lose it. Moving forward the committee will continue to seek TRU community input on designated smoking areas and work towards implementation. Chan and Corsi were adamant that they don’t want this to be a “topdown” process, but a gradual adjustment and acceptance by the community. “Our main goal is to reduce exposure,” said Corsi. “It’s the harm-reduction model. The Great Canadian Smoke Out Challenge is an initiative collaboratively organized by TRU’s Respiratory Therapy Tobacco Education Clinic and the TRU Wellness Centre. From January until April, six respiratory therapy students will help participants stay smokefree. “People really need that support to quit and to be effective

Kiefer Stout, Cassy Ivey and Morgan Hoot tabled in the International Building on Jan. 23 to encourage sign-up for the Great Canadian Smoke Out. Students have tables set up every Tuesday in Old Main and Thursday in the trades building to educate TRU on tobacco harm and respiratory health. ( Jessica Klymchuk/ The Omega)

and just to be successful,” Corsi said. Participants will meet students as many as three times per week to monitor vitals, carbonmonoxide levels and blood pressure, and also brainstorm personalized strategies for overcoming nicotine addiction. Those who don’t smoke are also welcome to accept the challenge. Respiratory therapy student Cassie Robertson said there is a great team this year and participants can really put their trust in the students to support them, which is part of the battle. Tobacco kills up to 50 per cent of those who use it, according to a

Access to legal information a barrier to justice: Dhand From LAW SCHOOL Pg.

For many of the law students this will be their first experience connecting with the public. Hall said it’s important for students to learn how to sensitively deal with clients, and providing legal information is the first step. “We’ve been, in our classes, warned that the practice is different from the theory in a way,” said second-year law student Mike Wolfson. “We learn things that are fairly high level concepts and I know some people have practiced outside of school already but a large number of people, including myself, haven’t. So, it may kind of be a bit of an adjustment to actually hear someone’s story.” Wolfson said he is motivated to provide this service to the community and move toward having an established service provided by the law school, like its seasoned equivalents across the country. In the future, the law school hopes to run a legal clinic where students will take on cases under the supervision of a lawyer. A model is currently being researched. “It’s been a long time since either

2013 World Health Organization fact sheet. “That’s a pretty hard statistic to swallow when you’re using a substance that’s so addictive,” Chan said. “But your chances of living a long life are cut in half.” Chan said the government has realized that helping fund smokers to quit is more economical than funding the health needs of life-long smokers. B.C. PharmaCare now funds 12 weeks worth of the nicotine patch or gum. Smoking is finally being seen as an addiction rather than a habit, Chan said. Adrienne Beley and Stephanie Drysdale supported patients

Plans for public school of Traditional Chinese Medicine move forward Laura Rodgers CUP B.C. Bureau Chief

UBC or UVic opened their legal clinics and there have been a lot of innovations in clinic legal education since that time,” Hall said. “Instead of just jumping right into it, it would be worthwhile to do some preliminary work and look at those different models. “And then also carry out

consultation with the community in Kamloops and the legal community and get a sense of what Kamloops needs.” The legal service offices are in the law reception area on the fourth floor of Old Main. An opening reception will run from 4:30 to 5:30 on Jan.31.

through the GCSO last year and have been involved in the designated smoking area initiative. Between the two of them they had five smokers successfully quit and one that managed to reduce. They agreed that successful participants are the ones who are ready to commit to quitting. “Quitting now will be easier than quitting later,” Beley said. Between the physical, social and emotional addictions to nicotine, Beley and Drysdale said stress and social situations were the biggest triggers they saw patients deal with.

VANCOUVER (CUP) — The provincial government announced plans to open up a publicly-funded school of traditional Chinese medicine in B.C. during this year’s throne speech, and that plan is now closer to reality. In December, the advanced education minister, Amrik Virk, appointed Richard Lee, the MLA for Burnaby-North, as the Parliamentary Secretary for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Lee will sit on an advisory committee to approve the new program’s curriculum. The province is currently reviewing applications from various postsecondary institutions to determine where the program will be hosted. Early speculation from post-secondary pundits hilighted Kwantlen Polytechnic University as a possible berth (the school’s Health Science BSc currently includes some content about TCM), but no decision has been made yet. A number of private TCM-specific colleges have also applied for the program. Currently, to become a TCM practitioner in B.C., students need to

attend a private college. The three– five year programs often require prior university coursework for admission and tuition can run at $10,000 per year. In order to practice, they must then become members of the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia, a self-regulating professional group. In a release supporting the program, the B.C. international trade minister, Teresa Wat, wrote, ”Traditional Chinese medicine is gaining a wider acceptance in the health and well-being of British Columbians,” and that “[it] is important that government provides the necessary support for the implementation of a robust [TCM] program.” TCM treatments, such as acupuncture and herbal remedies, are quite popular in B.C., among both Chinese-Canadians and others. But there are detractors who criticize the province’s plan to publicly fund the discipline. In a 24 Hours interview, former TCM practitioner Albert Zhang called TCM “a swindle” and its practitioners “quackish.” The province’s rhetoric for the project is that TCM is a “complementary” treatment — something patients should seek out in addition to standard medicine.

Editorial & Opinion

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 17

The Omega www.truomega.ca

January 29, 2014 Volume 23, Issue 17

Published since November 27, 1991

Another break in the fall? Why are we already tired of this semester? We don’t take enough breaks.

editorialstaff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Mike Davies

editor@truomega.ca

250-828-5069

@PaperguyDavies NEWS EDITOR

Jessica Klymchuk news@truomega.ca @jjklym

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Ashley Wadhwani arts@truomega.ca @ashwadhwani SPORTS EDITOR

Adam Williams

sports@truomega.ca @AdamWilliams87 ROVING EDITOR

Karla Karcioglu

roving@truomega.ca @0_kmk_0 SCIENCE & TECH EDITOR

Mark Hendricks

sci-tech@truomega.ca @MarkHendicks5 COPY/WEB EDITOR

Sean Brady

copy@truomega.ca @iamseanbrady

omegacontributors Danya LeBlanc

publishingboard EDITOR-IN-CHIEF * Mike Davies INDUSTRY REP* Vacant FACULTY REP* Charles Hays STUDENT REP* Travis Persaud STUDENT REP* Hugo Yuen STUDENT REP* Adam Williams

letterspolicy

Literary and visual submissions are welcomed. All submissions are subject to editing for brevity, taste and legality. The Omega will attempt to publish each letter received, barring time and space constraints. The editor will take care not to change the intention or tone of submissions, but will not publish material deemed to exhibit sexism, racism or homophobia. Letters for publication must include the writer’s name (for publication) and contact details (not for publication). The Omega reserves the right not to publish any letter or submitted material. Opinions expressed in any section with an “Opinion” label do not represent those of The Omega, the Cariboo Student Newspaper Society, its Board of Directors or its staff. Opinions belong only to those who have signed them.

All material in this publication is copyright The Omega and may not be reproduced without the expressed consent of the publisher. All unsolicited submissions become copyright Omega 2014.

Cariboo Student Newspaper Society (Publisher of The Omega) TRU Campus House #4 900 McGill Rd, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 0C8 Phone: 250-372-1272 E-mail: editor@truomega.ca Ad Enquiries: accounts@truomega.ca (Correspondence not intended for publication should be labelled as such.)

Editor’s Note Mike Davies Ω Editor-in-Chief I was struggling for a column idea again this week, so I thought I’d maybe just tell you all what’s in this week’s paper. Then, on Monday morning, I heard on the radio that the local school board is debating extending spring break to two weeks, so I’ve decided to delve into this debate, and gear it towards post-secondary institutions rather than primary schooling. If you read this column regularly (thank you, by the way), you’ll know that I’m an advocate for taking breaks to recharge your batteries and make yourself more productive. There have been plenty of studies done on productivity, and I have yet to find one that says going as hard as you can for as long as you can is the best way to be productive. I’m also of the opinion, however,

that more frequent, shorter breaks are better for you than longer ones further apart. I try to take every Saturday off. It doesn’t always work — sometimes I find myself checking my inbox, fielding questions from staff or thinking about an assignment with an upcoming due date — and I can tell you honestly that the weeks after I do it successfully are far more productive than the weeks I don’t. So why all this talk about extending spring break to two weeks in length and so little talk about giving people a week off in, say, October? Granted, the current discussion surrounding the two-week spring break is in regards to primary schools in the area, where they go about two months longer into the summer than we do here at TRU, so I can understand them focusing on that break, but I still think that the most effective way to recharge is to break more frequently, not for longer periods. A good number of Ontario postsecondary schools have recently begun adding some time off to their calendar. In the fall. Just like I was saying a minute ago. It’s a mental health issue, after all. The report that led to the change in Ontario — commissioned by Queen’s University — found that mental illness is a serious issue among post-secondary students. It also said that, “many more students

Feeling like this guy? Me too. I probably wouldn’t, though, if we had a week off in October.

(Image courtesy Sander van der Wel/Flickr Commons)

with a pre-existing diagnosis of mental illness now attend university than ever before,” based on statistics that they got from a disturbing mental health study by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) published in the summer of 2012. The Queen’s study found — among other things — that approximately four per cent of students have a diagnosed psychiatric condition, 15 per cent “have been treated by a professional for one or more mental health problems,” and 36 per cent “felt so depressed they said it was difficult to function.” Those numbers come from Queen’s University, obviously, but I

think you’d find similar numbers at all post-secondary institutions here in Canada. In an article by Christine Hanlon about the AUCC study, director of Member Relations at AUCC Pari Johnston admits, “There is no cookie cutter approach. There is not going to be a one-size-fitsall as to how institutions approach this issue,” but based on the other studies out there about how good periodic breaks in stress are for one’s mental health, I’d say giving people more breaks to focus on their well-being instead of the pressure of school might be a good place to start looking. editor@truomega.ca

Sorry PETA, it’s not me, it’s you: a break up letter from a vegetarian Why this activist finds the organization’s actions hard to swallow Lindsay Richardson The Concordian (Concordia) MONTREAL (CUP) — Just before we rang in the year 2014, I ended one of the longest, most significant relationships of my life. After six years of dedicated vegetarianism, and six years of figurative partnership with you, the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), I realized that I had enough strength in my beliefs and convictions to not continue supporting what is ultimately an abusive, extremist animal-rights group. At first, the relationship seemed to be a positive one. It was supportive, encouraging and enlightening. PETA had a way of instilling purpose into its youngest followers; fuelling my newfound passion for justice and animal conservation, You provided all of the educational tools needed to help make “ethical” decisions regarding both diet and way of life. You sent stickers, pamphlets, testimonials and posted videos and photos on your web page. I proudly became a “PETA person” — my locker was decorated with posters and animal rights quotes, and I roamed the hallways repeating to myself “I am not a nugget; animals are friends, not food.” However, it took a few years before the realization hit that I didn’t have an ally in PETA. As a group, you are cynical, judgemental, negative and, at times, downright vile. Over the years, I

mistook your obvious rage for “passion” — your animal rights crusaders are not happy, peaceful people. There is always an undercurrent of anger and condescension running amongst many of you, and your efforts to preserve animal life show little to no respect for human life. The warning signs came when watching your documentary I Am an Animal, where CEO Ingrid E. Newkirk revealed that, post-mortem, she wanted her skin used to make leather goods and her eyes mailed anonymously to government offices so they know that animal rights workers are “always watching.” Then there were your public demonstrations — performance artists being force fed and injected in store windows to shed light on animal testing, pregnant women put in cages to ban the use of gestation crates, or throwing paint on runway models during haute couture shows to protest the fur trade. There are also the photos posted online. Every time I’d sit down for breakfast, there would be a new image to feast on: cats with their heads sawed open, newborn piglets lying on a dirty floor. I prefer coffee with my meals, not gore. It is all just so unnecessary and counteractive to the cause. It’s understood that PETA uses these sensational tactics to raise awareness and “force” a public impact, but it’s doing nothing to encourage people to get involved. No meat eating, fur wearing person is going to approach you out of fear that they’ll be chained up and

staked on the spot. Even vegetarians feel like they’re not “vegetarian enough” if they eat fish or other animal by-products (including honey, which ridiculously enough, you consider to be an “animal product”). As much as I value awareness, I value approachability more. You can’t force someone to adhere to a specific moral code. They are responsible for their own choices, no matter how big (or how small) those choices are. Some people don’t want to risk

violent protests and a criminal record to fight for what is essentially just a “pipe dream” — a fantastic but vain hope of a world without carnivorous people. No one needs to be exposed to your propaganda any longer PETA. I am a proud, respectful, peaceful person whose choices are subjective, but justifiable. In the end, I am accountable for my actions and mine alone, and no one will make me feel guilty. Sorry PETA, I’m just one vegetarian who can’t take any more of your beef.

At least one vegetarian can’t support this type of tactic.

(Image courtesy Arturo de Abornoz/Flickr Commons)

Science & Technology

January 29, 2014

Improving campus through simulation TRU professor has created an interactive virtual campus in an effort to improve campus safety Mark Hendricks Ω Science & Tech Editor TRU professor Andrew Park was faced with a difficult challenge in his research: Park wanted to determine what areas around campus a lone individual would feel fearful walking around in, but he didn’t want to expose anyone to unnecessary risk. Park’s solution was to create, along with the help of his research assistant Alex Touchet, a virtual and interactive campus. This allowed Park to observe how subjects move around the campus and more importantly what areas they avoid. “We can locate any places that generate fear, then we can modify the physical settings. We can make brighter lights, or cut tall bushes shorter, things to make people feel safer,” Park said. “By modifying the physical settings of the environments, we can make people safer.” This virtual campus is part of

Park’s ongoing research into how people’s behavior is inf luenced by fear of crime. “Environments inf luence the behaviour of both criminals and victims,” Park said. “Certain environmental features make people fearful and make them avoid certain areas. Narrow alleys, dirty dumpsters, teenagers standing at the corner.”

“I think in terms of choice of route, this is very reliable research data,” Park said. Park and Touchet have modeled nearly the entire outside TRU campus, only some of the new renovations to Old Main have yet to be realized in the virtual world. Whether or not you’ll ever be able to walk into your classroom in the simulation remains to be seen. “I haven’t done the insides of buildings,” Touchet said. “That would take forever to do.” Park and Touchet have also developed a simulation of a few blocks of downtown Kamloops. —Andrew Park, This simulation is further along, and TRU professor and co-creator, features a map that asks participants to TRU “virtual campus” get from point A to point B by any route they choose. Park validated his research By giving participants the by observing the way people act choice of how they travel to the in the real areas of town to the end point, Park is able to observe simulation that he’s created. how people choose their routes, Park found that although there is and if there are certain areas that a decrease in the fear response, people avoid. people still made decisions in “More than ten years ago, we the simulation the same way they did a big survey in the area of would in real life. Commercial drive [in Vancouver].

“

By modifying the physical settings of the environment, we can make people safer.”

This week in science A new black hole (and it’s really big), sickness actually does smell, and fruit flies detecting cancer? Mark Hendricks Ω Science & Tech Editor

show their existence other than the matter that they are pulling in.

New ultramassive and powerful black hole found

Find out more: www.sci-news.com

Astronomers have discovered a new black hole that falls under the classification ultramassive at the center of the galaxy cluster RX J1532. Ultramassive black holes are black holes that have a mass of over ten-billion solar masses. Our sun is one solar mass. All galaxies have a black hole at the center of them, however most of these black holes fall under the classification of supermassive rather than ultramassive. Black holes are very hard for astronomers to detect because their intense gravity pulls in all light, meaning that there is nothing to

Does sickness have a smell? New research from Mats Olsson of Karolinska Institutet in Sweden suggests that diseases may have a distinct smell that is detectable in as little as four hours after being exposed to a toxin. Volunteers were injected with either the toxin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or a saline solution. The volunteers who were injected with LPS underwent a heightened immune response. Both groups of volunteers wore a tight shirt for four hours to collect their sweat and then a volunteer group was asked to rate the odors from the shirts.

A new very powerful ultramassive black hole has been discovered in a galaxy cluster called RX J1532.

(Image by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Flickr commons)

The shirts belonging to the group injected with LPS were rated as having a stronger, more intense and less healthy smell than the shirts belonging to the control group. The precise chemical compounds that are causing this difference in odor are unknown, and more research is needed. Find out more: www.psychologicalscience.org

Detecting fruit flies

cancer

with

Researchers from Konstanz University in Germany have successfully used fruit flies to detect cancer cells in humans. The researchers genetically modified fruit flies so that certain neurons would fluoresce when activated by differing smells. By viewing the fruit flies under a microscope they are able to determine if the cells that the fly was exposed to are cancerous or healthy. The researchers were even able to detect groupings of cancerous cells. “What really is new and spectacular about this result is the combination of objective, specific and quantifiable laboratory results and the extremely high sensitivity of a living being that cannot be matched by electronic noses or gas chromatography,” Giovanni Galizia, the lead researcher on the project said in a press release. The largest benefit of this method is that it is relatively cheap and quick. This could allow doctors to quickly pre-screen for cancerous cells in less time than traditional imaging machines would permit. Find out more: www.aktuelles.uni-konstanz.de/

(Mark Hendricks/ The Omega) Alex Touchet uses a Kinect to navigate the virtual campus.

We spotted some fear-generating areas and then we did some modifications,” Park said. “After ten years we did the same survey again and people’s perceptions had been changed – that area wasn’t fearful anymore.” Park and Touchet would like to further their research by integrating virtual reality into their simulation to increase the presence that the test individuals feel. Specifically they’ve been looking into the Oculus Rift, a

virtual reality headset that is being designed for video games. Fortunately, Park’s simulation mirrors video game development in enough ways that it would be a simple matter to incorporate the Oculus Rift. “I’ve actually come very close to buying one several times,” Touchet said. “If we can make people feel presence, meaning making people feel like they’re really there, then we can get more accurate results,” Park said.

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 17

Life & Community

Tuition tax credits targeting wealthy, not low-income, students Purpose for credits hasn’t been clearly articulated, but advantages are clearly going to the wealthy Anqi Shen CUP Ontario Bureau Chief HAMILTON (CUP) — Every year, Canadian postsecondary students are eligible for tuition, education and textbook credits that cost billions of dollars in funding. But, as it turns out, students from low-income households are least likely to benefit from the credits during school despite needing the money the most. A recent study, conducted through the C.D. Howe Institute, found that tax credits are “disproportionately” transferred to well-off families in a given tax year. Most students from lower-income households can claim the non-refundable credits only after they finish school and start earning enough taxable income. Christine Neill, an associate professor of economics at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont., authored the study. She found that the tax credit savings amount to about $2,000 per year for the average Canadian undergraduate student. “For youth from relatively high income families, a couple thousand dollars per year may not change their decision to go to university or college, but it might change those from lowincome families. The problem is, they tend to get the money later,” Neill said. In 2012, students with family incomes below $30,000 used only 7 per cent of education credits transferred to parents in 2012, but made up about half of tax filers. Households with an income above $80,000 used about 42 per cent of education credits transferred to parents but made up just 10 per cent of tax filers. Neill recommended that simply making the credits refundable would vastly improve the program. Students not earning enough taxable income would then get a cheque in the mail for what they couldn’t claim on their taxes, instead of having to carry the credits forward. The same recommendation has been made in the past by the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) and the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA). According to Neill’s study, undergraduate students in British Columbia save the least from the tax credits, followed by students in Ontario and Newfoundland. Students in Alberta save the most out of all the provinces, but by a small margin. A 2010 study found that college students save a larger proportion of their tuition from the credits than university students. However, college students end up with a smaller dollar value from the credits because their tuition is, on average, lower. Last year, the federal government spent $1.6 billion on tuition, education and textbook tax credits — more than the $0.7

billion it spent on the Canada Student Loan Program. Tuition and education credits were first introduced in 1961, and the option to “carry forward” unclaimed amounts was introduced in 1997. “Before the carry-forward was introduced, kids from low income families may never have been able to claim the credits —

after 1997, the program became more expensive but it became better,” Neill said. In 2006, a textbook credit was added, raising questions from the academic community on the efficacy of the program. Whether to stimulate enrolment in postsecondary education or to distribute wealth to students from lower-income

families, the purpose of the tax credits hasn’t been clearly articulated. Neill argues that the credits currently fail on both efficiency and equity principles. She also made a point that the credits aren’t well-advertised on university and college web pages that display tuition fee information.

“One major issue is that many people don’t know about [the credits], and they don’t know before going through postsecondary education,” Neill said. “If you don’t know something exists, how would it affect your behaviour?” (Image by Ben BarrettForrest/The Silhouette)

Arts & Entertainment

January 29, 2014

Album review: Perpetual Surrender Danya LeBlanc Ω Contributor Diana’s new album Perpetual Surrender is comparable to the work of new hit artist Lorde, with calming sounds and easyto-follow lyrics. Lead vocalist Carmen Ella has a beautifully soothing velvet voice that can be somewhat masked by the slightly complex electro-background. Diana has created a unique combination of sounds that have a very modern electro- jazz feel to it. Think Florence and the Machine, but with less emphasis on vocals. The seventh track on their album, “New House,” sounds like a song you would listen to as you f loat through the sky on a bed of puffy white clouds while pondering your love life. With extremely basic lyrics like, “I want to let myself go / But before I give it all to you / You need to let me know,” used on loop throughout the song, Diana relies on how they deliver the lyrics, rather than the lyrics themselves to convey their message. My reaction to the song was to be put into an almost dreamlike state, from which I was disturbed by what I thought was my speakers cutting in and out. As this is actually a part of the song, it seems like the intention is to the make a bridge with reality. There are songs on the album that have a more upbeat rhythm but do not stray far from the soothing theme of Perpetual Surrender. The fourth song particularly, “Strange Attraction,” has a very similar

style to some of Tegan and Sara’s work. It seems none of their music is intended to have an emphasis on lyrics and instead is focused on the background music. With some other bands this may be encouraged, but because Ella has such an amazing voice, I just want to hear more and more of it. Overall, I would say that Perpetual Surrender is a beautifully and complexly composed album that any fans of alternative rock and soul music will love. If you appreciate vocals, Diana is definitely a band that you should check out and then brag about discovering. The album was released Aug. 20, 2013 and is available on iTunes.

Recently listened to something you loved? Something terrible? Tell others about it by sending us an album review! arts@truomega.ca

editor@truomega.ca

(Image courtesy Paper Bag Records)

Film review: Her Austin Landry The Argosy (Mount Allison) SACKVILLE (CUP) — E.M. Forster said to “only connect,” but how far did he expect us to carry that? Spike Jonze, the director of Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, answers with Her, arguably the best film of 2013. In the age of blockbusters and sequels, here is a movie so original that it surprised me as much in its last 30 minutes as it did in its first. Jonze’s latest work concerns itself with Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), a writer for BeautifulHandwrittenLetters.com. He has an immense knack for what he does simply because he, like Jonze (who also scripted the film), has a keen eye for human nature. Twombly is a lonely man, and much like Jack Lemmon in The Apartment, when left to his own devices, his thoughts linger on how he longs for more connection with those around him. This is a Spike Jonze script, though, and he doesn’t explore just the longing most of us encounter at one point or another. He asks the questions “How can one approach relationships differently?” and “How does one

process heartbreak?” Phoenix has exceeded expectations with the astounding variety of work he’s done, from Gladiator to Walk the Line to The Master, but nothing he’s done approaches his performance here. He is f lawlessly endearing and just subtle enough when delivering the lines which channel his deepest, most tender meditations on love. Most actors I can think of would see such raw dialogue and be unable to resist the temptation of playing them up; however, that would result only in contrived melodrama. Phoenix wisely maintains the right amount of restraint that his very introverted character requires. Scarlett Johansson voices Samantha, an operating system whom Twombly develops a relationship with. More than holding her own, Johansson gives the best, most nuanced vocal performance I’ve ever heard, though unsurprising on the whole, the fact that neither she nor Phoenix received Oscar nominations for their work here is nothing short of highway robbery. Working with cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema (The Fighter, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Jonze bathes his quasi-futuristic Los

Angeles scape with warm, serene light; it seeps from the screen like an embrace. Quebec’s Arcade Fire scored the film with music that never distracts, instead dancing gracefully alongside its poetic settings. Her is a movie that examines love in a way we’ve never seen before, but it’s also one of the funniest of the year. Jonze throws one original concept after another into his film. For instance, early on in the film, Twombly is playing an interactive video game that requires him to more or less “play along” with the game’s character in order to move forward. Have we ever thought of video games in such a way? Jonze explores this possibility as well as a dozen others in Her. Whether or not we find these concepts intriguing, confusing, off-putting, honest, or forwardthinking, we can at least admire Jonze’s ability to move through them with such mastery that it seems effortlessly achieved. That is a mark of a great filmmaker. Agree? Disagree? Chime in at truomega.ca or on Facebook.

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 17

Arts & Entertainment

Art meets science Field art exhibit shows a new category of literature, mixing art, poetry and ecology Ashley Wadhwani Ω Arts & Entertainment Editor Lyn Baldwin’s field art is part of the force changing the perceptions and modern attitudes of the natural world. Not Just a Snapshot: The Thompson Drainage through Field Journal Art is Baldwin’s current exhibit on display at the Old Courthouse in Kamloops. Field art is a combination of pencil and water-colour drawings and descriptions of different parts of the natural environment around us. Baldwin has been using field art to express her research and ref lections of the natural world for over a decade. Instead of writing a 5,000-word research paper on an ecological system, Baldwin creates handwritten and drawn journals that tell stories of the land around her without the scientific jargon that restricts the general public from understanding her work. “Good works often come down to good stories,” Baldwin said, noting that the ecosystems around us are multifaceted and tell many stories, not just one. From these stories, Baldwin believes that the natural world is more than just the background of our lives, although that seems to be the modern perception. Describing herself as a community ecologist, Baldwin said that her work “sings praise where we’ve forgotten to sing praise.” She added that “the practice of attending to the land can teach us a lot if we only stop to hear.” For Baldwin, her field art has shared many internal ref lections

Lyn Baldwin on a field journaling trip in Kamloops on Jan. 25. Baldwin uses handwritten notes and hand-drawn images instead of complex and jargon-filled research papers to explore the natural world. (Image courtesy W. Marc

that have taught her about the idea of community. Baldwin has always viewed her youth as living on the margins of normal society, which has led her to always taking the minority position.

“When I look at my published works, they are community ecology papers, and I laugh. I realize in my personal life I am most comfortable occupying minority positions, and yet my professional life has been at the

level of community concerns,” she said. Keeping field art journals has become a part of Baldwin’s everyday life. With roughly 30 volumes of journals, it doesn’t look

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like Baldwin will be stopping anytime soon. You can see Baldwin’s exhibit Not Just a Snapshot: The Thompson Drainage through Field Journal Art at the Old Courthouse until Feb. 1.

Improv act Blind Date at Sagebrush Theatre is a hit One-woman plus-one show strikes the funny bone with interactive performance Ashley Wadhwani Ω Arts & Entertainment Editor The unpredictable nature of improvisation can either engage the audience through laughter or tears, or leave them wondering why they wasted their time and money on a boring and dull performance. In the case of Western Canada Theatre’s Blind Date, the audience is taken on a comedic adventure that explores the awkwardness of a real first date. Blind Date is an interactive performance where Mimi, a French-speaking charismatic woman with a red clown nose, picks a man from the audience to go on a date with her on stage. As if a blind date with a beautiful and confident woman in a tight red dress is not already nerve-wracking, a stage with bright lights and an audience of 200 people deciding the fate of

the chosen for the night will make the experience unforgettable. Of course, it ultimately depends on how willing the chosen man is to get out of his shell and be himself. Before the show, as people stand in crowds waiting to be let into the theatre, Mimi mingles while making her way through the room to scout who the lucky guy will be. On opening night, Mimi picked Carlo, a young Kamloopsian, and their date began in a low-light French café. Asking him questions to make him comfortable was step one. Giving him a full glass of wine also helped. Step two was taking him on an adventurous date with a sobriety test conducted by police officers, followed by taking him back to her Uncle’s place where things got a little steamy. Mimi was quick on her feet with witty jokes leaving the crowd howling with laughter.

Carlo also having jokes and an easy-going personality created a perfect chemistry between the two – it didn’t feel like a staged performance but instead an engaging and real first date. As the performance ended, Mimi and Carlo received a welldeserved standing ovation. Mimi closed by saying “Tell all your friends, especially your gentleman friends. But don’t tell them what it is so they actually come.” There were roughly 11 men out of the 200 attendees, which can mean difficult decisions for Mimi no matter how quick-witted she is. If you bring someone and don’t tell them what’s going on, it can add to the show’s unpredictability, as long as whoever you bring is willing to go with the f low. Blind Date will be playing at the Sagebr ush Theatre until Feb. 1, 2014.

Rebecca Northan as Mimi in Blind Date. (Promotional image)

January 29, 2014

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Opinion Feature Skepticism and hope: Why we need both for Mars One

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 17

Andrew Cooper The Sheaf (U of S) SASKATOON (CUP) — Mars One is a startup space company based out of the Netherlands, founded by entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp. The company intends to send a group of astronauts on a one-way journey to Mars in 2023 to establish a settlement. The question that everyone should be asking themselves is — are the impediments of such an undertaking too great for Mars One to conquer in just a decade? We must be critical and optimistic if an undertaking such as Mars One is to accomplish their mission. Of course, I have good reason to be hopeful. Out of the approximately 200,000 eligible applicants worldwide, myself and 1,057 other hopeful astronauts have been accepted. We all need to perform a routine medical examination and interviewing process. If we meet the standards and proceed to the next round of selection, then our subsequent training and final selection will be televised for the world to see. This article is getting ahead of itself though. Honestly, the introductory paragraph reads like the opening to a science fiction novel. Isaac Asimov accurately predicted in 1964 that we would only have sent unmanned missions to Mars by 2014. On the other hand, Asimov predicted that we would have a lunar colony at this point as well — the only “colony” in space at the moment is the International Space Station. Though Asimov’s predictions were generally modest when it came to space exploration, one cannot help but share his enthusiasm for what is beyond our planet. The challenges facing Mars One are many. Wired broke down the inevitable obstacles in an article published in May 2013. Mars has no magnetic field, meaning the surface of Mars is constantly being barraged by deadly interstellar radiation. Undoubtedly, radiation poisoning is one of the largest challenges facing the Mars One colonists. Additionally, Mars has dangerously high-wind dust storms that would impede both landing and living. And then there’s the physical and mental strains of living in a small compartment for years with only a few other companions. The most overwhelming obstacle to the program, however, is an economic one; Lansdorp’s projected budget for the

program is a mere $6 billion dollars. To put this into perspective, the Viking missions sent to Mars in 1975 and 1976 cost $1 billion USD. Adjusted for inflation, this is over $4 billion USD today. Keep in mind, the Viking missions didn’t need to train a large number of astronauts to be prepared to colonize a new planet, nor did they need to consider life-long accommodations. How then can we expect our red-planet colonists to survive indefinitely? It is undoubtable that Mars One will raise many questions. Although this skepticism may seem daunting to the average individual, I find it hopeful. In fact, I find it encouraging. I would want no part in a program like this if people were not willing to question the logistics of it.

To pursue what is good and necessary without the constructive criticism of your peers is to face no adversary, and therefore to overcome no challenge. “We choose to go to the moon,” U.S. President John F. Kennedy said in his famous speech, “not because it is easy, but because it is hard.” This mentality of progress was harboured during the space race of the mid to late 20th century, but has not continued — there have been nearly four decades between the last soft landing on the Moon’s surface and China’s recent soft landing of their first lunar rover ‘Yutu.’ Where has the energy for space exploration gone? Who, if not governments, will push humanity into the stars?

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(Illustration by Mike Tremblay/ The Sheaf )

Stephen Hawking has said that humanity would likely not survive another thousand years on our Earth “without escaping beyond our fragile planet.” If we are to consider Hawking’s assumption at face value, it should motivate us as to the imperative of beginning human colonization of the solar system as soon as possible. This is a matter of working ahead of our obstacles, rather than when they present themselves. Many may believe that it is too soon for Mars One; I believe that there is no such thing as too soon. So we should remain skeptical. A program such as this will require skepticism before acceptance if it is to succeed. Skepticism produces critical thought, which is a necessary component for such a technical undertaking.

We may not understand how we will overcome the difficulties facing Mars One now, but constant criticism of the details will lead to a better understanding of our journey to the stars in the long run. Regardless of the logistical problems associated with the program, just think of what the Mars One program implies about the human race. We are, after all, practically planning to colonize the solar system — to reach out and travel through space and time. Carl Sagan would be proud, but not surprised, to see where we are. After all, it was Sagan that said in his Cosmos documentary series, “The sky calls to us. If we do not destroy ourselves, we will one day venture to the stars.” Hopefully, that day is fast approaching.

Coffee Break

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Puzzle of the week Puzzle of the Week #13 – Marbles You have a bunch of marbles. Each is one of six colours: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. There is at least one marble of each colour. 1. The number of yellow marbles is the sum of two of the prime numbers of marbles. 2. The number of red, orange, and yellow marbles are the squares. 3. There are five blue marbles. 4. The total number of marbles is evenly divisible by four. 5. The number of violet marbles is the highest prime number of marbles. 6. The number of orange marbles is not four. 7. There are three colours where the number of marbles of that colour is a square and three where it is prime. How many marbles of each colour do you have? This contest is sponsored by the Mathematics and Statistics department. The full-time student with the best score at the end of the year will win a prize. Please submit your solution (not just the answer but also why) by noon the secondto-next Wednesday to Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net>. Submissions by others are also welcome. The solution will be posted the Wednesday after that in my blog (http://genew.ca/) and in the Math Centre (in the HOL, fourth floor study area). Come visit: we are friendly.

Across

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1. Like some columns 5. Strike 9. Cheerless 13. Paella pot 14. Maintain 15. Not fine 16. Acquisition method 19. Ones at the helm 20. “You don’t say!” 21. “___ time” 22. Old Icelandic literary work 23. Snubbing 31. West Indian folk magic 32. Catch 33. Farm call 34. Fabric 35. Acadia National Park locale 37. Bakery buy 38. Extreme suffix 39. Foofaraw 40. Ism 41. Eluding an officer 45. Feeder filler 46. Legal org. 47. Catalog 50. Eccentric 55. Kamikaze run? 57. X-Men villain, and namesakes 58. Place 59. Big name in pineapples 60. Eyelid woe 61. Leavings 62. Abreast of

1. Cries at fireworks 2. Map 3. Further 4. Watch feature, perhaps 5. Fourth letter of Hebrew alphabet 6. Exceedingly 7. “___ go!” 8. Bygone polit. cause 9. Tree type 10. **** review 11. Sheltered 12. Maryland stadium 15. Gregor Johann ___ 17. Dander 18. Certain federal tax 22. Distinctive flair 23. Show fear 24. Having a lot to lose? 25. Boxing blows 26. Not dis 27. Kind of jack 28. Candidate’s concern 29. Standards 30. Reached 35. Unaccompanied compositions 36. Passage 37. Lookout point 39. Aggravation 40. Harsh Athenian lawgiver 42. King Mark’s bride 43. January’s birthstone 44. Old calculator 47. Does something

48. Dirty coat 49. Cut down 50. Coconut fiber 51. African antelope 52. Play thing 53. Capital near the 60th parallel 54. Adult-in-waiting? 56. U.N. workers’ grp.

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RANDOM JOKE A college physics professor was explaining a particularly complicated concept to his class when a pre-med student interrupted him. “Why do we have to learn this stuff?” the young man blurted out. “To save lives,” the professor responded before continuing the lecture. A few minutes later the student spoke up again. “So how does physics save lives?” The professor stared at the student for a long time. “Physics saves lives,” he said, “because it keeps the idiots out of medical school.”

LAST ISSUE’S ANSWERS

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MYLES MELLOR AND SALLY YORK

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January 29, 2014

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Sports

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 17

Supporting our student athletes Student athlete mentor Peter Soberlak shares how he’s improving sport culture Karla Karcioglu Ω Roving Editor Peter Soberlak has been employed with the TRU physical education department for 11 years. With a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UBC and a master’s in psychology of sport and physical activity from Queens, Soberlak has helped mentor and encourage a number of TRU Wolf Pack athletes who are struggling with pressure associated with life, academics and sport. “I think athletes, particularly, feel that sense of credibility from me,” Soberlak said. “I’m not just talking about it – I’ve lived it.” Soberlak had a successful career playing professional hockey. He played two seasons with the Kamloops Blazers from 1985 to 1987 before moving on to the Swift Current Broncos, where he won the memorial cup with the team in 1989. He was then drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round and finished off his career playing in the AHL with the Cape Breton Oilers. “I understand that level of stress and commitment, the challenges that not only athletes face, but student athletes,” Soberlak said. “It’s tough to be a student athlete.” “They have incredibly busy schedules and it’s hard to manage that,” Soberlak said. Often athletes need help with anxiety, stress and time management, according to Soberlak. He said it is easy for students to get stuck feeling like they can’t escape the pressures and

that they need people to talk to and get reassurance from, which is a service he tries to provide to TRU athletes. It’s not a formal job for Soberlak, but students continuously show up to talk to him and he is happy to provide support. “The issues are often based on the stif ling of communication,” Soberlak said. “These athletes just need to be able to talk things out and work things through and get reassurance.” Athletes and coaches are often taught not to feel or to internalize feelings, according to Soberlak. “In the long run, that’s not healthy and that’s not something that’s effective,” he added. Soberlak said it can be hard in the sport environment for athletes to find someone to talk to. He said coaches often maintain a traditional role providing strategy, training and skills but neglecting their mentorship role. Soberlak said it is important for coaches to communicate, support and build relationships with athletes. Athletes can also have a hard time turning to their teammates because they feel they’ll be judged. Soberlak feels that it is important to be engaged with the athlete’s experience and their psycho-social development and mental health. He said there are resources in place on campus, but the demand is high enough that he could spend time listening to athletes’ concerns 24-7. During Soberlak’s years as a hockey player, he experienced hardship, but it was the hazing, harassment and bullying that have

A box of tissues is a staple in Soberlak’s office since many students have shed tears of stress over the years. (Karla Karcioglu/ The Omega)

left him determined to change the face of sport culture at TRU and in the greater community. Soberlak said he is conscious of the sport environment and its context with hazing, bullying, abuse and harassment. He said he is very proactive when dealing with those aspects. He works closely with his former Broncos teammate, Sheldon Kennedy, author of Why I Didn’t Say Anything, a book written about sexual abuse Kennedy experienced in the minors.

“When I look at athletes that are struggling I want to know why they are, and what we can do to help it be a better experience for everyone,” Soberlak said. “I think it’s time to open the doors on all these organizations,” Soberlak said. “Times are changing. It’s a new culture and a new standard. We need to set the bar higher for proper coaching behaviour, proper locker room culture.” Soberlak feels well-supported by TRU athletics director Ken

Olynyk in his goals to promote a healthier sport culture on campus. He feels that the university could be a leader in the larger sporting community. “I don’t think winning is our goal,” Soberlak said, “I think [our goal is] developing a positive sport experience, a healthy sport environment, that teaches young people to be good citizens, to be good students. And I think if you start there then I think the winning comes from that.”

Volleyball swept while basketball sweeps Women’s volleyball still winless, everyone else getting ready for playoff pushes Mike Davies Ω Editor-in-Chief With only four matches left in the season, the winless TRU women’s volleyball squad is just looking to see some improvement they can build on this coming. After another sweep courtesy of the Trinity Western Spartans on Jan. 24 and 25, TRU interim head coach Chad Grimm told TRU Athletics that he can see the attitude changing, and that the team is just trying to raise its intensity level at this point to grind out the year, hoping for a couple of wins against their final opponents – at Regina and back at home versus Manitoba. “That is the nature of sport,” Grimm told TRU sports information officer Larry Read when asked about how realistic those wins are. “We saw that last night with UBC losing to Mount Royal. That is why you play the game, anything can happen when you give your all.” The Spartans swept the men’s

volleyball team, as well, the difference being that TRU kept it close (only losing by a total of six points over three sets on Saturday) and will be in the post season again this year, where, according to the head coach of the second-ranked team in the country (Trinity), they will be tough to beat. With a record of 11-7 as of Jan. 26, the ‘Pack is still ranked in the top ten in the country, and with two of the best players in the nation in the lineup (Colin Carson and Brad Gunter), if head coach Pat Hennelly can get the most out of the rest of the team, they are sure to be a threat in the upcoming playoffs. While the volleyball teams were getting swept at Trinity, the basketball teams were evening the score, in a way. For the second time this season, the men’s basketball team stepped onto an opponent’s home court and came home with two wins before returning. Moving to a 9-7 record with the 90-75 (Friday) and 81-74 (Saturday) wins, the ‘Pack sit

in third place in Canada West’s Pacific division, poised to go into the playoffs on a high note as they host the Manitoba Bisons (4-12) next weekend and end the season against UBCO, who currently sit in last place in the league with a record of 3-13. Unfortunately, they also still meet up with top-ranked University of Victoria on Vancouver Island Feb. 7 and 8. The women’s basketball team moved to a 9-7 record and sit in fourth place in the Pacific division with a sweep of Trinity, as well. Coming back up the highway with 59-44 (Friday) and 63-51 (Saturday) wins, helped in large part by fourth-year guard Jorri Duxbury’s 11 points on Friday and 22 points and 11 rebounds on Saturday, the team hopes to carry some momentum into their homestand on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 against the 8-8 Wesmen and 3-13 Bisons. Check tru.ca/athletics for upcoming game times if you want to support the squads as they finish out their seasons.

Helped by fourth-year guard Jorri Duxbury’s performances at Trinity Western University, the WolfPack women’s basketball team is over .500 and making a statement as the playoffs approach.

(Photo by Scott Stewart/ T WU sports information)

January 29, 2014

Membership Advisory TRUSU Annual General Meeting Wed | Jan 29th | 7PM Students’ Union Building Agenda available at trusu.ca TRUSU PRIDE COLLECTIVE

Feb 6th | 7PM

Common Grounds

Story Teller’s Gala with

Roy Henry Vickers Feb 12 | 6PM | Mountain Room

for more info visit trusu.ca /TRUStudentsUnion

@TRUSU15

trusu.ca