March 26, 2014 by The Omega

Who’s running to govern your student union next year? Pg. 9 & 10

The Omega Thompson Rivers University’s Independent Student Newspaper

News Pages 1, 2

Editorial & Opinion Page 3

Arts & Entertainment

TRUSU Election Info

Loans Feature

Pages 6, 7

Pages 8, 9

Page 11

Grant funding black hole sees the light of day Fund receiving more than $1 million of students’ money per year soon to have greater transparency Jessica Klymchuk Ω News Editor Students pay $5.30 per credit to support the Comprehensive University Enhancement Fund (CUEF), but have very little control over how that money is spent. Since 2003, CUEF has allocated over $10.7 million to various university initiatives. Many institutional departments have become dependent on the “soft funds,” grants or other funds that require no return on investment, provided by CUEF. TRUSU is trying to give students more control over what the levy is supporting. TRUSU’s March 11 submission to the Budget Committee of the Senate (BCOS) suggested a restructuring of the way the CUEF is allocated and operated. The student union said that the current model for the fund doesn’t reflect its original purpose, and that it is failing to support the interests of the students and the strategic priorities of the university and that it is also not transparent. TRU VP admin and finance and BCOS chair Matt Milovick called the report “timely in many ways.” “We thought that the proposal was very well thought out and well structured, and the fact that CUEF has been chugging along now for ten or eleven years, it seems to me that it is time to review it and I think that it’s ready for a change,” Milovick said at the March 11 meeting. TRUSU proposed that the CUEF steering committee be dissolved and that BCOS step in to provide direct oversight to the allocation of funds. It also recommended changes to how funds are disbursed, proposing that the management bodies best suited to hand out money become directly responsible for doing so.

Those management bodies include: BCOS for strategic initiatives, TRUSU and the TRU Williams Lake Student Council for direct student initiatives, and the research committee of the senate for undergrad research award program (UREAP). Each body would be allocated one-third of the fund to distribute. “If I have the purview to do it, with the support of [provost Ulrich Scheck], I’m saying we accept these recommendations,” Milovick told BCOS.

“

a problem over time,” Milovick told BCOS. TRUSU‘s VP internal Leif Douglass and executive director Nathan Lane outlined the history of the fund (and its subsequent failures) to explain why TRUSU is making these recommendations. The CUEF fund, its levy and the CUEF steering committee were created more than a decade ago in anticipation of UCC’s transition from a university college to a comprehensive

I would like students to know how poorly the money they spend on fees is being managed,” —Nick Byers, Looking for accountability

When contacted for a response, Linda Butt, chair of the CUEF steering committee said the committee couldn’t provide comment because they had not yet seen the submission made by TRUSU. “One of the concerns we have as an administration about the funding is the fact that there are salaries built into the allocations and that could present

Volume 23, Issue 24 March 26, 2014

undergraduate university. Its first budget was adopted in 2003-04. Funding allocations were to be prioritized based on seven criteria, which included support for student initiatives, strategic priorities of the institution, enhancement of the “environment” of the institution and that funds could be used as “a ‘loan,’ a ‘revolving’ allocation,” as per a CUEF committee report.

By the numbers: From the CUEF’s 2013/14 approved budget

This isn’t the first time concerns have been raised over the fund. In a 2002 board of governors meeting, the Cariboo Student Society (now TRUSU) also expressed its concerns, and a 2002 CUEF committee report states that students were concerned about how much they would be consulted regarding decisions about how the fund was to be used. TRUSU’s report stated “since then, students have repeatedly expressed concern about the reliance of salary expenditures on the ‘soft’ money of the fund.”

“Student Research”

$ $ $

$100,000 “CIS Athletics”

One student’s concerns Student concerns about the fund have not since diminished. Most recently, Nick Byers approached The Omega about his effort to investigate how the CUEF steering committee makes decisions regarding direct student initiatives. After he was denied funding for an initiative connected to an on-campus club, Byers tried to appeal, but was told that there was no appeal process. Byers then requested that the committee clarify their decision making process. He asked the committee to provide all meeting minutes and budgets for the last two years and all direct student initiative applications for the past two years. He was required to file a freedom of information request with the university under the Freedom of Information and Protection Privacy Act, which, according to Butt, applies whenever the university shares information. Byers’ request, filed Jan. 21, is still in the process of being fulfilled under the Act. “My big thing right now is I would like students to know how poorly the money they spend on fees is being managed,” Byers said.

See FUND Pg.

$165,000

$92,000 “Centre for Student Engagement”

$40,000 “Study Abroad”

$25,000 “Baseball”

Features

March 26, 2014

Fund “distorts and obscures institutional budgeting” in its current form: TRUSU From GRANT, Pg.

At its February meeting, the CUEF committee decided it would begin publishing successful student applications in the next fiscal year. The committee hasn’t decided exactly on the terms of reference, but that the name of the initiative, its activity category and how much it was funded would be made public. Byers asked The Omega to inquire as to why failed initiatives wouldn’t be posted. Butt responded with an email stating, “the purpose of posting successful applications is to provide transparency to students on how CUEF dollars are being allocated. Unsuccessful applications would have no impact on the disbursement of the fund.” Addicted to soft funding? Many of the current disbursements have not been substantially altered in ten years, meaning many of the areas that receive funding from the CUEF now rely on it. Although it was meant to act as a transitional aid, nine of the twelve original areas that receive funding have increased their allocated grants. Two areas, co-op opportunities and graduate programs, have seen a decrease in funding, Douglass pointed out. “The fund has not facilitated new innovation or entrepreneurship in the development of the university, but has rather become a financial crutch for initiatives without appropriate institutional budget allocations,” TRUSU’s report states. TRUSU claims the fund is also not transparent and “distorts and obscures institutional budgeting by creating a parallel but unconnected revenue source for divisions.” For example, athletics and recreation receives funding from the operational budget allocation, from the athletics and recreation fee and from a reallocated fee, as well as 19 per cent of CUEF funds over the last ten years. “It would be difficult for an accountant, let alone a student to decipher the use of funds in such

Tentative Job Grant deal reached with Canadian provinces Nicole Halseth Over the Edge (UNBC)

“I think it certainly will satisfy the students to know that they have more of a voice...in dealing with their one-third,” said TRU vice president of administration and finance Matt Milovick. (Photo courtesy TRU)

as an arrangement,” TRUSU’s report states. “Essentially what we have is a committee choosing allocations inside of a budget model with no orientation to the broader financial planning of the institution, no sense of who has or doesn’t have money, no sense of what kind of funding exists in other places,” Lane told BCOS. The student union highlighted areas the university has determined as priorities that have been contradicted in the allocation of the fund. For example, TRUSU claims that although the last strategic plan identified international opportunities and Aboriginal students as priorities, study abroad has received $115,800 on average annually but Aboriginal initiatives receive an average of $24,535 annually. Committee funding

blind

other

Members of BCOS questioned this breakdown and how it was defined, suggesting that the breakdown wasn’t accurate considering some initiatives defined as international or otherwise were actually open to all students. They also suggested that perhaps the inequalities were a reflection of departments that aren’t 100 per cent funded by CUEF, while others are. “The CUEF committee, when they fund that application, has no idea whether that’s a portion of the budget or whether it’s all of the budget. It’s by program and it’s by division. So you request through

an application, but you don’t have to declare what revenue you might already have. So we don’t know, but neither does the committee allocating those funds, which I think is part of our point,” Lane said. For this report, TRUSU consulted students who have sat on the CUEF steering committee over the past eleven years, as well as the TRUSU board of governors and the student caucus, which comprises every elected and appointed student that sits on an administrative committee across the university. Milovick said he was unclear what the role of BCOS was in adopting the recommendations, since CUEF was created by the board of governors and BCOS merely accepts its budget as information after it is approved by the vice president of administration and finance and the provost. He said BCOS wouldn’t be able to move it as a motion, but rather it was an executive decision. “My feeling is, and [Scheck]’s as well, is we support the initiatives that are being put forward today by TRUSU,” Milovick told BCOS. “I think it certainly will satisfy the students to know that they have more of a voice and more of an equitable voice in dealing with their one-third.” Committee member Annette Dominik questioned how the student body would feel about onethird of the fund being controlled solely by BCOS. Lane said the model is an improvement from a student perspective and Milovick agreed.

According to the Globe and Mail, “Federal Employment Minister Jason Kenney says he has reached an agreement-in-principle with all provinces and territories except Quebec on the Canada Job Grant – but Nova Scotia says that is news to them.” This goal has been one of Kenney’s main objectives since July, when he became head for the new department of Employment and Social Development. This new department replaced the existing Human Resources and Social Development department. The announcement of this tentative deal was read at the Manning Networking Conference in Ottawa. It appears that participating provinces will now have to bilaterally negotiate concerns directly with Ottawa. One of the provinces with significant concerns over the deal is Nova Scotia, who will now have to discuss the issue with Ottawa through this process. Chrissy Matheson, spokesperson for the government of Nova Scotia, said in an email that Nova Scotia has not agreed to anything yet, and that Matheson is “not too sure what Minister Kenney is talking about…nothing has changed since last night. At this moment Nova Scotia is still negotiating.” Brad Wall, Premier of Saskatchewan, said to reporters that he saw the communiqué, and that Quebec is reportedly singled out in the agreement. Wall claims this is because “the premiers are pleased that this minister, Kenney, has demonstrated flexibility. Did the provinces get everything they

wanted from this? No, but there was a significant move from the federal government…what we’ve decided now is to move bilaterally…each province will now seek to set up its bilateral agreement with the federal government. For us, we like the principle of employers being involved in training.” The proposed job grant could provide individuals with up to $15,000 to pay for necessary job training for available positions. In the last round of negotiations over the grant, Ottawa claimed it would cover up to $10,000 of the total amount of each grant. The businesses looking to hire would have to cover the remaining costs of training, and the program would ultimately be administered by each province. This last offer would also reportedly give provinces more control over how the funds they are expected to contribute to the program, $300 million, will be budgeted and used. This means that provinces could decide to use the money Ottawa already transfers for job training delivery, nearly $2.5 billion, or they could decide to use funds from elsewhere. According to the Globe and Mail, significant concerns from the provinces over this job grant have previously centered on “Ottawa’s previous insistence that they pay their share of the program using $300 million of a $500 million transfer called Labour Market Agreements meant to help workers who find it difficult to get jobs.” Concerns have also been raised within provinces that this new Job Grant will cut funding to programs aimed at helping people with disabilities find work opportunities.

Federal employment minister Jason Kenney greets a supporter at a rally. (Photo courtesy Tavis Ford/Flickr Commons)

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 24

The Omega www.truomega.ca

March 26, 2014 Volume 23, Issue 24

Published since November 27, 1991

editorialstaff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Mike Davies

editor@truomega.ca

250-828-5069

@PaperguyDavies NEWS EDITOR

Editorial & Opinion

A couple of “governance” issues On student unions, our federal overlords, and what should be done about them both

Jessica Klymchuk news@truomega.ca @jjklym

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Ashley Wadhwani arts@truomega.ca @ashwadhwani SPORTS EDITOR

Vacant

sports@truomega.ca

ROVING EDITOR

Karla Karcioglu

roving@truomega.ca @kkarcioglu SCIENCE & TECH EDITOR

Mark Hendricks

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

Sean Brady

copy@truomega.ca @iamseanbrady

omegacontributors Alexis Stockford

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: 250-828-5069 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 With another round of TRUSU elections coming around again, I thought I’d just touch on a few “governance” issues this week in this space where I get to share my thoughts. They will be somewhat quick-hit-type assessments, but I will explain my thoughts as fully as I am able in the space available to me (and hopefully in a short enough timeframe that you don’t get bored). Firstly, the University of

Windsor has elected “None of the above” to govern their student union for the time being. This is fantastic. I love this. Seeing the need for significant change in the way their union is structured and the level of service offered by it, a few intrepid souls started a movement (and Facebook page, as is the way these days) in protest, calling for the student body to rise up and elect nobody – and step up they did. “We’ve come to the conclusion that a lot of the operations that the UWSA does over the summer can be completed by our full-time staff,” said current student union president Rob Crawford after the result. “It doesn’t mean that we aren’t going to be able to put on a Welcome Week and continue to offer our health and dental plan, or the other services we offer out of our office.” So my question is this: Why do they need that entire staff if not having them won’t really affect anything? I would put forth the same thing here at TRU. Now, I’m not urging people

to vote for “None of the above,” if that’s even an option on our ballots, which I expect it will not be, but I am encouraging the successful candidates to seriously consider making some strides to prove to the student body here that the student union members are actually valuable. Show me that the millions of dollars you get from us every year can do more than put on a crappy concert in the fall and pay you to yell about fees being too high. Please. Just give us something tangible. The students at the University of Windsor have shown that an electorate can force you to prove your value if you continue to do nothing, and I feel this day is coming. At least I hope it is. Now over to general governance at another level. Mr. Harper and his team have once again shown that they don’t really care about the rules. Last week the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the Conservative government’s appointment of Marc Nadon was unconstitutional.

And they didn’t do it nicely, either. The court basically tore the government a new one in their decision, using words like “absurdity,” and pointing out that the rules surrounding appointing Supreme Court justices have been unambiguous and unchanged since 1875 and that for the government to attempt this appointment is equivalent to them attempting to change the composition of the court, “which requires the consent of at least seven provinces representing, in the aggregate, at least half the population of all the provinces.” Now, I’m not a member of any political party, and I wouldn’t call myself a political junkie or anything, but I am getting awfully sick of watching our federal government trying to do things it’s not allowed to. I’m also thinking at this point maybe we should re-examine this whole, “We’re going to change how we do elections,” act they’re trying to pass, shall we? You know, just to make sure they’re playing by the rules... editor@truomega.ca

Optimism is key in surviving graduation Natahna Bargen The Sheaf (U of S) SASKATOON (CUP) — For those of us in our final year of our undergraduate degrees, we have passed the halfway point of the last semester and graduation seems to be rushing towards us. This is not a message for those of us who are graduating and have their whole life mapped out before them from the second they triumphantly whisk off their graduation robes — you know who you are. This is a message for the rest of us who are beginning to realize that graduation is a cliff that we are about to jump off of and we were too optimistic, distracted, confident, lost or involved to figure out the bottom might be filled with boulders. To add insult to impending injury, everyone seems to care so much about how we plan to be a successful human being after graduation. They want to know how we plan to survive this colossal free-fall jump. For four or more years people have been asking us the same question; “What are you going to do?” They always say it with a sweet, interested smile spread across their face, but in the glint of their eye we can see a ref lection of our f lailing, falling body and it convinces us that behind our back these overly involved persons are slowly drumming their fingers together waiting for our inevitable failure.

The problem with this age old question of “What are you going to do?” asked by mainly wellintentioned people is that it tries to apply a formula to life. It makes the assumption that you know what’ll happen in your life a year or five from now. While there are a select few people who this formula works for, you’re probably not one of them. So, what is to be done about you? First of all, it may be healthy to adopt the attitude of “[expletive] everyone” for a while. As you fall from that graduation cliff, you are going to have people trying to catch and contain you with their advice and opinions. Listen to your own intuition. Do not panic or latch on to your first safety net. Learn to not care too deeply what other people think of you. Ultimately you are the only person responsible for the outcome of your life. Know what you love and chase that — no matter what you believe people are saying about you in whispers. Do you know what you love? Maybe you know your dream already or maybe you are learning what your dream is. Whichever the case, in the words of the Oscarwinner Lupita Nyong’o, “Your dreams are valid.” These are hard words to remember if you are dealing with a recent graduate school or dream job rejection. They are hard words to remember if you have no sense of what direction to go in the pursuit of your dream. However, your dreams are valid, and they are worth fighting for.

(Photo courtesy Marcel Schoenhardt/Flickr Commons)

They are worth going off the beaten path for. Your self-worth is not the sum of your successes and failures. It is how you react to, and move forward from, these events in your life that prove your character. This kind of relentless pressing on requires you to be a bit of an optimist. It requires you to crawl out of the safe womb of self-pity and allow yourself to be hopeful, confident and eager for all the opportunities and possibilities before you. Perhaps there are those who graduate with you that seem to be living your dream more effectively than you are. While life is not a formula, it is also not a competition. Find your own niche, make your own goals and do not allow the

apparent success of others to cripple your own ambitions. Your dreams continue to be valid even when they are not being fully realized. Your dreams continue to be valid even when someone else seems to have your same dream. Your life will not be a straight path. You will have obstacles, detours and doors closed in your face. To return to the falling metaphor, keep building your makeshift wings or your patchwork parachute. Pity the smug so-and-so’s whose lives will not be as interesting as yours. When your Plan A falls through, make a Plan B — and probably a Plan C and D. Try to give yourself a sense of direction, but do not smash to pieces when that direction inevitably changes.

Science & Technology Legendary ethologist comes to TRU

March 26, 2014

Dr. Jane Goodall’s research has completely changed the way people and animals interract, and her insights into the human condition have been lauded glabally for decades.

Check out www.truomega.ca for the story of Jane Goodall’s visit to TRU as part of the TRUSU Common Voices Lecture Series on March 24.

(Mark Hendricks/ The Omega)

This week in science Actual proof of the big bang, cameras in your blood, and improving the memory of those with Down Syndrome? Mark Hendricks Ω Science & Tech Editor

Gravitational waves from the big bang detected The big bang is the theorized cosmological event that started the universe. The period immediately following the big bang was a time of rapid expansion for the universe, this is explained in the inflation theory. For the inflation theory to be correct, there must still be evidence of these waves that were emitted from the big bang that caused the universe to expand so rapidly. It’s something that scientists have been searching for for years and have finally found. These gravitational waves were finally detected by researchers at the BICEP2 installation located in the south pole. These waves lend strong evidence to the inflation theory of the universe. “Finding evidence for gravitational waves is the cleanest test we have of inflation; hence the fevered search for such evidence,” Bruce Partridge, professor of astronomy at Haverford Col-

lege in Pennsylvania, said to Euronews. Find out more: ht t p://w w w.cfa .har vard .e du / news/2014-05

Picturing your arteries Cardiologists would love to be able to see what’s going on inside our veins. To see how blood is moving around the body and get a better understanding of what’s actually going on. Thanks to a new camera, they might soon be able to. “Our device will allow doctors to see the whole volume that is in front of them within a blood vessel,” F. Levent Degertekin, inventor of the new camera said to IFLScience. “This will give cardiologists the equivalent of a flashlight so they can see blockages ahead of them in occluded arteries. It has the potential for reducing the amount of surgery that must be done to clear these vessels.” The camera consists of a chip attached to the end of a wire that can be inserted into and follow the bends in veins and arteries. The chip has a hollow in the center that is filled with sensing

South pole research station BICEP2 has detected gravitational waves from the big bang that are predicted by the inflation theory. (Steffen Richter/Har vard Universit y)

and transmitting circuitry. The camera has yet to be tested on live animals but has successfully navigated a removed chicken heart. Find out more: http://www.iflscience.com

New drug may improve the memory of those with Down syndrome Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have found a drug that can help improve the memory capabilities of children with Down syndrome by repairing the cerebellum. Down syndrome is a developmental disability that affects one in 1000 births around the world each year according to Scientific American. It is characterized by delays in physical growth and intellectual disabilities. Individuals with Down syndrome have a shrunken cerebellum, which controls motor functions and balance. Roger Reeves, a geneticist at John Hopkins University, set out to regrow this shrunken cerebellum and gain better understanding of processes that lead to mental anomalies in the brains of those with Down syndrome. Reeves’ team injected newborn mice that suffered from Down syndrome with a drug that restored the cerebellum to its proper size by stimulating growth. Three months after, the mice were able to navigate a water maze, something that was previously impossible before. Reeves’ team is not sure why restoring the cerebellum improved memory, something normally controlled by the hippocampus, but believe that the possibility exists to significantly improve the memory problems that children with Down syndrome’s often suffer. Find out more: http://www.scientificamerican.com

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Life & Community ARC Ensemble ends Live at TRU! series on a high note The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 24

Series set to continue in the coming years despite disappointing attendance Alexis Stockford Ω Contributor The Live at TRU! series went out with a bang last Thursday with Grammy-nominated classical group ARC Ensemble. Roughly 40 people showed up at the Clocktower Alumni Theatre to hear the quintet, which included clarinettist Joaquin Valdepeñas, guitarist Simon Wynberg, Se-Doo Park on cello, Steven Dann on viola and Benjamin Bowman on violin. The group played three pieces during their hour-long concert. Their first piece introduced the audience to composer Bernhard Henrik Crusell, who viola player Steven Dann later described as the “Finnish Mozart”. Other works included Paganini Quartet No. 15 and an original piece written by ARC Ensemble member Benjamin Bowman. “I thought this performance was absolutely fantastic,” concert goer Sherin Jensen said after the show. “The musicians are just awe inspiring, truly. And the interaction with the music – truly enjoyed it.” ARC Ensemble is best known for its Music in Exile project, which unearths music lost to society due to religious or political persecution. Their latest CD, released in 2013, highlights the work of Israeli

composer Paul Ben-Haim, who fled the Nazis in the 1930s. “We have a sort of marginal mandate to produce music which is by composers who where somehow suppressed in their lifetimes,” Dann said. “We’re digging constantly for music that hasn’t been played and deserves to be. On a very simple level, it brings to society music which is extraordinary and which they’ve never heard before. It also highlights or spotlights the idea of repression and what has gone on in the past.” Although this was the last of six Live at TRU! events organized this year, the series will return in the fall with plans to boost attendance both on and off campus. “I’d like to see some more audience, especially for an event of this calibre – so we’re going to work on that,” Live at TRU! committee chair Susie Stafford said. “We need to get out in the community a bit more and maybe talk to TRUSU a bit more about ways that we can work together.” Next year’s Live at TRU! schedule will not be available until September 2014, so fans of the series will have to be patient. Anyone wanting more information on the series or any of the artists that have performed this season should visit TRU’s website.

Grammy-nominated ARC Ensemble showed off their musical mastery at the last Live at TRU! event of the year on March 20. (Alexis Stockford/ The Omega)

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Arts & Entertainment

March 26, 2014

Film review: 300: Rise of an Empire (Image courtesy Warner Bros./Legendar y Pictures)

Mike Davies Ω Editor-in-Chief The second film in the visual masterpiece that is the series of films (I call it this because based on the ending of this one, I’d say there are more of them on the way), Rise of an Empire is exactly what I thought it would be. I enjoyed the first 300. Brave soldiers willing to die to protect their country, set in a time that I’ve studied and most people find fascinating, combined with stunning visuals and a brilliant new style of special effects combined for a fun experience, if not a masterpiece of storytelling. If you’ll remember, in the first 300 film, king Xerxes of Persia is mounting a campaign against Greece, and the noble and proud Spartans are protecting the country by blocking their access by land through a narrow corridor known as The Hot Gates, engaging in what has become known historically as the battle of Thermopylae (yes, these films are based on historical events). As in history, the Persian campaign also involved a naval assault, led in the film by Artemisia (played by Eva Green) and defended by the Greek general Themistokles (played by Sullivan Stapleton), which took place at the same time as the battle at The Hot Gates. This film is the story of that battle, as well

as some background into the history of the Persia/Greece “relationship.” The film is visually stunning, there’s no two ways about that, and the use of 3D is probably the best I’ve seen to date in a live-action film. The battle scenes are also extremely well shot cinematically and engaging (with the characteristic slow-motion moments that everyone loved in

the first film). There’s plenty of blood and gore, of course, and the sometimes over-the-top methods of death and destruction don’t seem out of place in the mayhem that is omnipresent. I just wish they wouldn’t have opened their mouths, honestly. The dialogue is horrible, and the acting is even worse, if that’s

possible. (Though, as was pointed out to me when discussing the film post-screening, it’s possible there was no good way to act while saying the lines demanded of them.) There’s also about as much storyline as is present in a UFC fight. If you don’t know what the historical references are, this lack of plot development could be a hindrance

if you’re watching it for any reason other than the beautiful action, cinematography and effects. Overall, it’s not a waste of your time. Just make sure you get to watch it on a really big screen, for as little money as possible (I went on a Tuesday for $8.50) and lower your expectations to “thoughtless violence beautifully presented.”

Relating to the Second World War Waiting for the Parade offers more than just a re-enactment of history Ashley Wadhwani Ω Arts & Entertainment Editor Western Canada Theatre brings Waiting for the Parade, a playmeets-musical about the women on the home front in Calgary during the Second World War, to Kamloops from March 27 to April 5 at the Sagebrush Theatre. For Ashlie Corcoran, artistic director for Thousand Islands Playhouse and director of Waiting for the Parade, this particular show may be set during a historic time period but includes timeless social issues that are still relatable today. “What’s so exciting about this play is that it doesn’t feel like history – it feels like problems that we face now. The context is historical, but the interpersonal problems make a lot of sense to me,” Corcoran said. Waiting for the Parade shares the history lesson we have all heard before: men leaving to serve in the war give women the opportunity to leave the confines of their homes and enter the workforce, changing the social roles of women from that point onward. However, the difference that sets this play from others is the perspective it takes. “I think TRU students share the same experience as me, where I hear about the war through my grandparent’s experience of the war. So you are hearing about it from people a few generations

Marta, played by Anita Wittenberg, sings a musical number with the rest of the cast during dress rehearsal.

older than you, trying to imagine what it was like when they were younger people experiencing all of that,” Corcoran said. Rather than continuing to hear that perspective, Corcoran said the play takes on the perspective of younger people. “It feels alive and more tangible, and it feels less like history and more like real life,” Corcoran said.

(Photo courtesy Western Canada Theatre)

During the press event held on March 19, Corcoran said that even more musical numbers have been incorporated into this particular production of the play. The cast of five presented a musical number singing about the male attention they have been receiving from men that are not their husbands. Judging by their performance, the cast shares a well-developed

chemistry as well as a great sounding, strong harmony. With the characters ref lecting the old and young wives that were left behind, it makes sense that this play has something for everyone. “Whether you were born in 1910, 1980 or 1990, these are real true human emotions that we can understand and sympathize with,” Corcoran said.

truomega.ca

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 24

Album review: Take Out a Twenty and Live Life to the Fullest Ashley Wadhwani Ω Arts & Entertainment Editor If you’re looking for a band that can offer true rock with a subtle folk twist, look no further than Harlan Pepper. A group of four young men in their early 20s is not who’s expected to be producing music that goes against the grain of typical music created by young people today. But Dan Edmonds, Thompson Wilson, Jimmy Hayes and Marlon Nicolle are certainly doing something right. Their newest album, Take Out a Twenty and Live Life to the Fullest, released on March 11, brings the good vibes. With a variety of styles, the 11-track album is fun, creative and real. The four-man band not only has great chemistry, with all of them being friends since kindergarten according to their website, but they also share an impressive instrumental resumé. With a conjoined knowledge of piano, organ, harmonica, acoustic and electric guitar, drums and other percussion, slide guitar and bass, you know before even listening to the first track that your ears are about to hear something unique.

Harlan Pepper knows its strengths and uses them well: choosing a good beat, infusing some groovy easylistening rhythm, and tying their package all together with betterthan-decent vocals to match their impressive instrumental decisions. A few of their songs, like “I’ve Been Dead/Oh Brother,” “Party Shoes” and “Risky Business” have a few seconds too long of an instrumental introduction or transition between verses, causing your ears to lose interest because they’ve become so infatuated with the solid vocals. Take Out a Twenty and Live Life to the Fullest succeeds because the instrumentals and vocals act as an unbreakable mutually exclusive pair. The more you listen to Harlan Pepper’s new album, the more it grows on you in the same way any song becomes your favourite song; you hear it on the radio once, and for a while you’re happy with it being played at the top of every hour. I dare you to try and keep “Allison” from getting stuck in your head. Speaking of songs you hear on the radio, I wouldn’t be surprised if this group makes its way onto the airwaves of the rock station in your area.

(Image courtesy Six Shooter Records)

Student Politics

March 26, 2014

2014 TRUSU Elections The Omega asked the candidates in the upcoming election the same three questions and asked them to answer in less than 150 words. Their responses have not been edited in any way by The Omega (other than putting the question number before each answer). Let their words guide you in your decisions at the polls. Questions 1. Why are you running for this position? 2 What do you hope to accomplish, if elected? 3. If you could join a television show cast, which would it be and why? President

Where/when to vote Wednesday, March 26, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 27, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. TRUSU Boardroom, Independent Centre VP External

VP Finance

Abdullah Abalkhail

Dylan Robinson

Blessing Chiduuro

Leif Douglass

Trad Bahabri

President, Independent

President, Your Vote = Your Voice

Vice President, External, Independent

Vice President, External Your Vote = Your Voice

Vice President, Finance Your Vote = Your Voice

1. I’ve been a student in TRU for the past three years hearing the same promises year after year nothing changed. So my friends and I decided that we have to do something about it. Here we are trying to do something for the student’s through TRUSU.

1. I’m running for re-election as President because I’m passionate about the Advocacy, Services, and Entertainment that TRUSU provides and believe that all students are stronger when working together! I’m proud of the massive changes I’ve made in my previous term with TRUSU and want to continue growing the Union.

1. I believe it is my duty as a leader to serve people if the opportunity arises. The TRUSU Board of Directors is one of the best ways I can give back to TRU and help students make their university experience memorable.

1. I am passionate about this university and helping it become the best experience possible for students! I believe that the best way to do this is through strong advocacy and campaigns work for students on issues that are important to us all.

1. Since last year I was passionate in creating a discount program for students to gain discounts in their purchases from Kamloops local vendors and businesses. The program have successfully initiated partnerships with blazers, Kamloops Symphony, and Vancouver Film festival. Now, I want to work with the new board to expand the project to include the largest number possible of businesses in Kamloops and empower student capital in and purchasing power for in Kamloops.

2. -Reduce the parking fees and create a new ‘half-day’ fee. -Extend Dental coverage to ALL students, saving them thousands. -Extend library hours and open the HOL building for 24 hours. -Have Apple iMacs in at least 1 public computer lab. 3. Sherlock Holmes, I enjoy solving mysteries.

2. I want to add International Students to the TRUSU Health and Dental Plan. That would save International Students hundreds of dollars per year and provide them with a valuable plan that Domestic students already enjoy. This change would also decrease the cost of insurance for all students, because of the increased economies of scale.

2. As I am running in a team, we have the same goals which are; having dental coverage for International students, reducing parking fees, Have one more building open for 24 hours and provide more entertainment throughout the year. 3. I would be in a series called Suits. I have a passion for advocacy which happens to be what TRUSU stands for and so I believe I would be a good fit to represent, support and bring people together.

3. Sadly I don’t really watch television much so I don’t know many shows! But if I absolutely HAD to choose I would pick Game of Thrones or the Walking Dead. The plot of both series is quite good, the acting is top notch, and who doesn’t love zombies and dragons?

2. I would love to extend access to affordable health and dental care to international students, to work with the city to adjust the transit schedule to better fit what students need, and to create an emergency bursary available for students who face an unexpected crisis. 3. I would have to say Planet Earth. Joining a television crew to travel to the most remote and beautiful corners of the planet to film and share with the world the immense beauty of the natural environment would be an amazing experience.

2. By the end of my new term, I would love to see 30 – 40 solid partnerships offering students minimum of 10% discounts in their purchases. Business includes groceries, dining’s/ restaurants, entertainment, service providers. 3. Jimmy Kimmel show, I believe it’s would be fun working environment to work within.

VP internal

Pooyan Sijani Vice President, Internal Independent

1. Spending two years in TRU gave me great knowledge and personal experience of what students expect from their Student Representative and I am certain that I can be an active part of the student body. My position as VP Internal will help organize activities at TRU to fraternize the entire student community and integrate their needs.

1. I am a huge advocate for student engagement. From firsthand experience, participating in TRUSU events and programs has only made my time at Thompson Rivers University more enjoyable! As VP Internal, I would be able to encourage involvement amongst all members on campus, and how advantageous it can be!

2. I do not intend to make unachievable promises such as reducing the tuition fees. My experience of traveling to 15 different countries and knowing 6 languages gives me a great opportunity to bring together both domestic and international students and create an affable and accessible atmosphere for all students concerned.

2. If elected, I would hope to accomplish events that students can walk away from with a sense of gratification, and positivity. There is no feeling better than walking away from an experience, whether it be a concert, or speaker, and just be excited for what is yet to come!

3. I’d be a part of Parks and Recreation, since it depicts a satirical interpretation of the organization structure within a diverse community; they grow on you and eventually become your second family, which to me is TRU.

Melissa Gordon Vice President, Internal Your Vote = Your Voice

3. This is probably one of the most difficult questions you could ask. Following a considerable amount of deliberation, I would have to choose the television show “Girls.” It’s hilarious, and extremely relatable, as a young woman trying to figure out her life! I think I would fit in just fine.

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 24

Student Politics

Women’s Representative

Paige Bernard Women’s Rep Your Vote = Your Voice

LGBTQ Representative

1. I am running for this position because I feel that my status as a mother and a returning student will bring a unique perspective to the students’ union and allow me to address the needs of a wide variety of women on campus.

1. I am running for the LGBTQ Advocacy Representative position to help create equality for all minorities on campus and educate Thompson Rivers University about gay culture to help move society towards a position where they look past gay barriers and co-exist as just people.

2. If elected, I hope to work with my slate, Your Vote = Your Voice, to create a safe and inclusive campus for all students. I hope to raise awareness on campus about issues that are widely ignored and bring a sense of acceptance and equality to TRU.

2. If re-elected I will continue to build on our work from the previous year and educate businesses how to become a Pride Positive Space. We also hope to invigorate our collective with hot topic forums, discussions, movie nights and diversity events.

3. If I could be a part of any TV show, it would have to be Arrested Development, because there’s always money in the banana stand.

3. I would join the cast of the Amazing Race, cause I definitely think I could win!

Nic Zdunich LGBTQ Rep Your Vote = Your Voice

Graduate Students’ Representative

Aboriginal Representative 1. I love my culture and every time I throw an event or do advocacy on behalf of the aboriginal students on campus, I feel like I am getting closer to my culture. I am super passionate about university governance and this position gives me the best of two worlds.

2. I hope to raise more awareness of the missing and murdered aboriginal women in Canada. I think this a huge issue that needs to be talked about more especially here on campus. I also hope to hold some amazing workshops like drum making and moccasin making as well.

Sabina Donnelly Grad Students’ Rep Your Vote = Your Voice

3. If I could be a part of any TV show, it would have to be Arrested Development, because there’s always money in the banana stand.

Elizabeth Whiting Aboriginal Rep Your Vote = Your Voice

3. I would definitely have to say Modern Family. I have never seen a show that is absolutely so hilarious and accurate on the lives of families. I know many times my family has related to that show more than anything! But also having the amazing wardrobe wouldn’t hurt either!

Directors-at-large

Kaitlin Clement

Lahana Ghosh

Taylor Gluska

Feroz Shah

Cameron Staff

Director-at-large, Your Vote = Your Voice

Director-at-large, Independent

Director-at-large, Your Vote = Your Voice

1. I want to see the projects started this year finished. For instance, the Sweatshop-free campaign was a success and I want to be a part of implementing it. I am happy with the work done this past year and am excited for what can be done in the future.

1. I’m running for the election as a “Director-at-Large” because I have a passion towards serving people. And I strongly believe that if being a part of the Students Union will allow me to be much better heard, and affect change on behalf of the students, why not?

1. I am running for Director-atLarge because I think it is a great opportunity. I believe that being a part of TRUSU would help me learn new skills. In addition, I want serve TRU’s student body and contribute to changing TRU for the better.

2. Three things I would like to see accomplished in the upcoming year are; improved campus transportation including better parking and transit accessibility, adding international students to the health and dental plan, and creating more affordable education by adopting a per-credit fee system for all students.

2. If I get elected I would definitely want to work on having a “pay per credit” fee structure for the International students; and adding them to our health and dental plan. Also, would advocate for transparency in university governance, making sure that students are well educated about their rights.

2. If I am elected as Director-atLarge, I hope to work closely with TRU in order to make it a better campus for all students. Making TRU more affordable for all students is something important to me. I would love the chance help make TRU an even better university.

1. I would like to run for director at large because I believe that student should get involved with campus activity whether it is joining campus club or joining a team. I want to do my part representing the student body and lead the change as our slogan say so. I was largely disappointed in a number of decisions this year board of director took and i vowed that I would try and do better I feel the team Change TRU and I have passion and energy.

1. I have a wide range of passions that are pan-institutional; the Director At Large Position would allow me to be a part of them all. I love being an advocate for change on campus, within all the various groups and communities, this position would give me power to do so.

3. I would be on “Call the Midwife” (and not just because I am a nursing student). The characters model creative thinking, hard work, and compassion for the people around them. They challenge the boundaries of what is expected for women in this era and have fun while they do so.

3. I would love to be on The Big Bang Theory. I am a big fan of THE Sheldon Cooper. The way he misses out on sarcasm amuses me every time. And I just cannot get enough of this character or the show. It is just fabulous!!

3. If I were to join any television cast I know it would have to be a funny show. For this reason, Corner Gas would be one of my top choices because the show was always fun and Lorne Cardinal, Sergeant Davis Quinton, is one of my favorite actors.

2. I talked to a number of students and they were really disappointed about the increasing parking fee so one there behalf I would like to work to truce the parking fee secondly I would like to include dental coverage for all international student. Thirdly extending HOL to be opened for 24 hours. 3. I’d join the House Of Cards cast, it portrays a dashing and methodical politician’s attempts at bringing about personally orchestrated changes in his political strategy and take Washington by storm through climbing the hierarchical ladder to power.

2. I want to crate a real change on campus. I hope to assist the rest of Your Vote = Your Voice with the introduction new initiatives such as adding international students to the dental and medical plans, increasing post-secondary affordability, improving campus transportation and building a safe and inclusive campus. 3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The cast throughout the 7 seasons was extremely diverse, featuring a wide range of characters including LGBTQ. The core group within the show is a strong group of individuals, all of which bring something to the cause, similar to our slate, Your Vote = Your Voice.

(Left) Meshari Alanazi (International Students’ Representative candidate) and (right) Assetou Coulibaly (Director-at-large candidate) did not submit write-ups to The Omega, despite having a week to do so.

Coffee Break 3

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sudokueasy

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sudokuhard

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Across

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Puzzle of the week Puzzle of the Week #18 – Candy Billy bought some candy. Each piece was one of red, yellow, or blue in colour, and each piece was either hard or soft. 1. The numbers of the combinations did not have two sequences of three consecutive numbers (such as {1, 2, 3} and {5, 6, 7}). 2. There were more yellow candies than red candies. 3. Each of the combinations had a different number of candies. 4. The numbers of the combinations did not have a sequence of four or more consecutive numbers (such as {3, 4, 5, 6}). 5. Twice as much candy was soft as was hard. 6. The total number of pieces was in the twenties. 7. There were three blue candies. 8. There was at least one candy of each of the six combinations of colour and hardness. How many of each candy combination were there? 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.

1. Measure 4. Belt the ___ 9. Iota 14. Old NOW cause 15. Come from behind 16. Certain student 17. Deck (out) 18. Succeed 19. Bad loan 20. “Audition” et al. 23. Jack 24. Thumbs down 25. “The ___ of Night” (old soap) 26. Ever, old style 30. Start of a giggle 33. Echo 35. Thirst 37. Gardner tomes 41. Monastic officer 42. Apprehensive 43. Econ. figure 44. Scratch 45. Some auction bids 49. Enzyme ending 51. Acquiesce 52. “Angela’s Ashes” et al. 59. 1935 Triple Crown winner 60. Capital of Ecuador 61. Make a lap 62. Clemson athlete 63. Of an arm bone 64. Catullus composition 65. Great balls of fire

66. Roll top? 67. Surfing site Down 1. Move 2. Roughly 3. Disheveled 4. Cousin of a loon 5. Doctor Who villainess, with “the” 6. Not to mention 7. Ballyhoo 8. Ogler 9. Tope 10. Like some mothers-in-law 11. Needle holder 12. Wrap up 13. Florida has them 21. Wear oneself out 22. Whichever 26. Visa statement abbr. 27. Long-tailed primate 28. Detroit’s county 29. Befuddled 30. Skater Babilonia 31. “___ Time transfigured me”: Yeats 32. Dash widths 34. Suffix with pamphlet 35. Survey choice 36. Decorative plant 37. Car ad abbr. 38. Samovar 39. Van Winkle

40. Little ‘un 44. Vereen 46. Prayer 47. Mock 48. Sonnet section 49. Son of Jacob 50. Takes off 51. Lifeless, old-style 52. Cookers 53. Utter 54. Eastern music 55. Prefix with plane 56. Break in the action 57. Series opener? 58. Greek letters

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LAST ISSUE’S ANSWERS

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“At The Library”

MYLES MELLOR AND SALLY YORK

March 26, 2014

crossword

RANDOM JOKE A man enters a barbershop for a shave. While the barber is foaming him up, he mentions the problems he has getting a close shave around the cheeks. “I have just the thing,” says the barber taking a small wooden ball from a nearby drawer. “Just place this between your cheek and gum.” The client places the ball in his mouth and the barber proceeds with the closest shave the man has ever experienced. After a few strokes, the client asks in garbled speech, “And what if I swallow it?” “No problem,” says the barber. “Just bring it back tomorrow like everyone else does.”

Feature

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 24

Making “cents” of loan decisions Students must choose between federal loans and bank loans, and carefully manage either one Karla Karcioglu Ω Roving Editor With high tuition rates, the cost of books and increasing living expenses, working to pay for school can begin to interfere with the quality of a student’s post-secondary education. Many students are forced to choose to use loans to cover expenses while in school. Having a Canada student loan provides students with many benefits over a bank loan, but it is still up to the student to manage their debt responsibly. According to a 2012 survey of 1,018 post-secondary students by Bank of Montreal, 49 per cent of students were using loans to pay for their education. Of those surveyed, 58 per cent expected to graduate with $20,000 or more in debt and 21 per cent expected to graduate with $40,000 or more owing. Only 44 per cent of students expected to have their debt paid off within five years of graduation. Gordon Down is the manager of the Financial Aid and Awards department at Thompson Rivers University. He is concerned that students often don’t understand what it means to borrow money to pay for school and put off figuring it all out until they graduate, and are left with a surprising amount of debt. Students using Canada Student Loans have several advantages over students on other private loans,

Down said. He cringes when he hears students say they took out a lower interest bank loan to pay off their student debt, because the student loans provide a safety net for borrowers. One benefit of a government student loan is it gives graduates, or those who stop attending school, a six-month interest-free grace period. However, once the interest free period has ended borrowers will be asked if they would like to take the accumulated interest from that grace period and apply it to the principal amount they owe, or pay it off immediately. On the seventh month, monthly loan payments will be automatically withdrawn from the borrowers bank account, Down said, as per the loan agreement. Borrowers do have the option to contact National Student Loans Service Centre to decrease their monthly payment amounts, however if their bank account doesn’t have sufficient funds, or has been closed, the borrower faces entering into loan default, which will impact their credit rating, Down said. The loan will be sent to the Canada Revenue Agency as default if a borrower does not make a payment for nine months, or 270 days. “If, at any point, the person who’s no longer a full-time student cannot afford to make all or part of their loan payment, [and] if they fill out the forms to tell the government that, then the government will continue to pay all or a part of the interest on the amount owing, for up to five years,”

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Students need to be better informed about the best ways to pay for school and manage student debt. (Photo courtesy meddygarnet/Flickr Commons)

Down said. This option is available at any time while a borrower is in repayment. A bank would not be sympathetic to a borrower if their income is interrupted due to an injury or unemployment, Down said. If a student has exhausted the five years in which the government will cover interest payments and they still cannot afford payments, they can apply to have the government write down the principal debt owing. They will calculate exactly how much the borrower can afford per month and subsidize the loan to an amount that creates an affordable monthly payment, Down said. A third benefit of a government student loan is that if a borrower dies, the amount owing is cleared by the government, whereas a bank would come after the estate to pay off any remaining debt. “There’s a handful of student deaths a year,” Down said. “Typically, one or two of those have student loans.”

“The idea is that for the student that is responsible and responsive, updating their address, keeping in touch, they’re [paying] what they can, there’s never a reason to actually go into default. And there’s never a reason they should have true financial hardship.” Down said. “A big part of managing the debt is just not getting into it in the first place,” Down said. Some things to consider to help you decrease your debt while in school include taking summer courses, for free, using the Canada Student Loans Grant for Part-Time Students. The grant will provide

instead of putting it in the bank because it will affect their need assessment for the following year. It’s also very important to consider how much your future career will pay versus how much student loan debt you will graduate with, and how long it will take you to pay that off. “When TRUSU talks about student loan debt and unmanageable debt, it totally depends on what program you’re talking about,” Down said. Some programs, such as law, may cost more but have a much higher average salary than other programs, such as social work. “What may be a high debt load for one, may be quite manageable for the other,” Down said. Gordon said that even students who say they don’t want to incur any debt and don’t want to even apply for government student loans should apply anyways. That way the student can look at what they qualify for and make a decision about whether or not it’s worth it, and if they The struggle choose not to take out —Gordon Down, the loan they will not be “A student can penalized. Students may Manager, Financial Aid and Awards, TRU choose the minimum qualify for grants that payment, which like accompany the loan, and any other debt is going if they want the grant to be punishing in the but not the loan they long run with interest,” can simply pay back the Down said. Borrowers loan immediately while are never prevented from making low-income students with up to in school. additional payments when they have $1,200 for less than nine credits per “You get the student who’s additional income to help pay off academic year. Grant money does knocking themselves out working their debt. not need to be paid back at the end of part-time or almost full-time, and According to a calculation post-secondary education unless the it’s affecting their grades. And if done through the loan repayment student withdraws from courses or they took out a bit of a loan, would estimator at Canlearn.ca, a student their financial need is re-assessed. they be better off graduating with a who graduates with $20,000 and Another suggestion Gordon said moderate amount of debt and a more repays that debt in 120 months, or 10 is that students should refrain from solid education?” Down asked. years, using the interest free grace spending their excess loan money For more information on period, will pay $9,118.62 in interest. on extra things like a new outfit or financing your education or paying A final benefit of a government a vacation and instead use it to pay back your student debt, visit the student loan is that the interest down their principal debt. He added TRU Financial Aid and Awards payments are tax deductible, that students should put the money office in OM 1631, call 250-828Down said. straight toward their student loans 5024 or email finaid@tru.ca.

“

A big part of managing the debt is not getting into it in the first place.”

March 26, 2014

ELECTION NOTICE POLLING WILL TAKE PLACE ON: Wednesday, March 26th, 8:00AM-8:00PM & Thursday, March 27th, 8:00AM-4:00PM in the TRUSU Boardroom The following members were nominated for the vacant positions as listed below: President

International Students’ Representative

• Abalkhail, Abdullah | Independent • Robinson, Dylan | Your Vote = Your Voice

• Alanazi, Meshari | Your Vote = Your Voice

Vice President External • Chiduuro, Blessing | Independent • Douglass, Leif | Your Vote = Your Voice

Vice President Finance • Bahabri, Trad | Your Vote = Your Voice

Vice President Internal • Gordon, Melissa | Your Vote = Your Voice • Sijani, Pooyan | Independent

Aboriginal Representative • Whiting, Elizabeth | Your Vote = Your Voice

LGBTQ Representative • Zdunich, Nicolas | Your Vote = Your Voice

Women’s Representative • Bernard, Paige | Your Vote = Your Voice

Director-at-Large (4) • • • • • •

Graduate Students’ Representative • Donnelly, Sabina | Your Vote = Your Voice • Shekhani, Mohsin | Independent

The campaign period begins at 8:00AM on Monday, March 17, 2014 and runs until 4:00PM on Thursday March 27, 2014. The All Candidates Forum will be held on Tuesday, March 25, at 7:00PM in the TRUSU Lecture Hall. If you have questions regarding the TRUSU General Election please contact the Electoral Committee at elections@trusu.ca or 250.828.5289.

Advocacy | Services | Entertainment