May 27, 2015

HONORARY DEGREES FOR FIVE Thomas Berger, Cindy Blackstock, Kevin Krueger, Kenneth Lepin and Michaela Pereira to receive honorary degrees in spring convocation, p. 2

Volume 24 – Issue 28 – SUMMER EDITION

BASKETBALL FORMAT CHANGES TRU’s basketball teams set to face a broader set of opponents in 2016-17 season as Canada West makes further division changes, p. 7

www.truomega.ca Ω @TRU_Omega

May 27, 2015

THIS IS ONLY A TEST TRU holds a large scale active shooter exercise on campus, p. 5

First Nations leaders make their case against Site C, p. 4

Challenging the narrative on Muslim women, p. 2

2 NEWS Challenging the dominant narrative

May 27, 2015

Common perceptions about Muslim women challenged by former TRU prof Wade Tomko

CONTRIBUTOR Ω

As the second stop on her book tour promoting Miroirs et Mirages (Mirrors and Mirages), TRU was an obvious choice for Monia Mazigh.

The critically acclaimed author and former TRU professor of finance spoke to a large audience in the Clock Tower’s Alumni Theatre about her passion for writing as well as the challenges Muslims face, especially Muslim women, in Western society.

“We have a tendency to know things because we have been through them,” said Mazigh, explaining how she ended up rediscovering herself through written expression. At first she was hesitant to write down her thoughts, but with help from family and friends would eventually find the courage to detail her struggle to free her husband, Maher Arar, from a Syrian jail, as well as detail the struggles faced by Muslim women who choose to express themselves through wearing the veil in Western society.

“Stereotypes of Muslim women are everywhere. People think Muslim women equal oppression,” Mazigh said. While in Vancouver she recalled, “one lady, she’s famous, I’m not going to mention her name, but one day she

turned to me and said your veil is a sign of oppression.”

Mazigh acknowledges these stereotypes, and instead of directly challenging them, believes that we as an intellectual society need to establish a dialogue where we are free to explore and discuss our individual narratives instead of grouping different cultures, peoples and religions into single dominant narratives. This only leads

information, not challengers,” she said.

Another problem Mazigh cited is our foreign policy. “We seem to focus on the Canadians who join ISIS, but what about the young people who go to fight for the Kurds. Our government likes to keep quiet about them.”

Using examples from her book, Mazigh presented some very real challenges faced by Muslim women in Canada. Despite being a work of fiction, Mirrors and Mirages is based on the struggles of six very real women.

Without wanting to spoil the book’s storyline for her audience, Mazigh picked three excerpts to read to the audience, each one depicting a different form of the Monia Mazigh, author of “Mirrors and Mirages” hardships that many Muslim women face to stereotyping. in Canada. The first woman Mazigh “Many people think Muslims and described, Louise, converted to Islam Muslim converts are brainwashed,” only to lose her mother’s affection and she said, noting that Western media respect. Mazigh goes on to exclaim and the stereotypes they create can be how many young people become disvery anecdotal. “Our population here sociated with Western ideals and look is brainwashed and not conscious of for individuality, and those who don’t it.” understand Islam become “very, very Mazigh said that whenever she scared” of this. turns on her TV or radio, all she hears The second character Mazigh deabout is “Islam, Islamic terrorists are scribes, Emma, the immigrant womeverywhere” and that this makes it an, who came to Canada as a student. much harder for average Westerners Emma now lives in social housing. to participate in intelligent discussion, For Mazigh this shows how “we as we are forced to be “consumers of don’t really acknowledge these places,

“Stereotypes of Muslim women are everywhere.

People think Muslim women equal oppression,”

Monia Mazigh presented “Muslim Women Between Fiction and Reality” in the Clock Tower’s Alumni Theatre on May 13. (Wade Tomko/The Omega)

which become dumps for newcomers.”

The final woman she describes is Sally, the radical. Sally learns progressively more about her religion from the Internet and digital media, although intelligent she begins to take her religion and how she expresses herself too seriously, eventually leading to climactic moment of self-reflection.

After her readings, Mazigh took questions ranging from her thoughts on oppression and the veil, to what we, as a society, should do to break stereotypes. She reinforced the idea of challenging the dominant narrative that controls our perceptions in modern day society, admitting that

“having a healthy dose of suspicion” is to key to achieving this. The most important thing for young people today is to have a voice, she said, as “not enough young people are activists,” instead they get caught up in all the media thrown at them. She encourages young people to “tell your own narrative, through story, through art, through what you love.”

After the talk, Mazigh’s book, Mirrors and Mirages, was available for sale and signing before the discussion continued at nearby restaurant Ooh! Kabsa.

The talk was sponsored by the Faculty of Arts, the TRUFA’s Human Rights Committee and the Council of Canadians.

Five to be awarded honorary degrees at spring convocation Jessica Messerer-Trosin CONTRIBUTOR Ω

TRU students won’t be the only ones getting degrees at spring convocation this month. Five influential individuals will also be awarded honorary degrees by the university.

Thomas Berger, Cindy Blackstock, Kevin Krueger, Kenneth Lepin and Michaela Pereira will be presented with honorary doctorates.

Honoris causa, as they are also known, are degrees for which the usual requirements have been waived by the institution and honour the recipients’ long-term achievements in their particular fields.

According to the TRU website, the “highest form of recognition”

awarded by the university is an honorary doctorate and they are given to those “who have demonstrated excellence in the field of public affairs, the sciences, arts, humanities, business or philanthropy, with achievements both relevant and appropriate to TRU.” In addition to being the youngest judge appointed to the Supreme Court in the 20th century, Berger’s career also included time as a professor at the University of British Columbia and a stint in politics as an MP and MLA. He has also published more than 25 titles.

Among other awards, Berger received the Honour of Canada in 1990, and 22 years later, he was presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

TRU’s commitment to equality and diversity is exemplified by

Berger’s “dedication to the principles of Aboriginal and human rights,” as stated by the university.

An advocate for underprivileged youth, Pereira started her career as a journalist in Victoria, B.C. before working in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Now she lives in New York City and works for CNN. She has also won several awards. It’s her philanthropic work with youth that caught TRU’s attention.

Blackstock, who is currently a tenured associate professor at the University of Alberta and the executive director of First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, dedicates her work to Aboriginal rights and educating Canadians on the struggles Aboriginals face.

Her work has been published more than 60 times and she has won more than 40 awards.

“TRU’s commitment to the betterment of society through Aboriginal learning, knowledge and research” is demonstrated with Blackstock’s extensive work, according to the university.

The Kamloops-North Thompson MLA for 17 years, Krueger has worked to establish TRU as a university and to develop its law school.

Krueger recently developed a consulting company centred on “economic development between First Nations, investors and governments.” TRU’s commitment to community through education and service is exemplified through Krueger’s leadership and work to improve Kamloops and the region.

Having donated more than $2.5 million to TRU in awards, Lepin is a philanthropist and suc-

cessful entrepreneur whose work will have a long-term influence on Kamloops. He has also made donations to the Royal Inland Hospital.

The university says that Lepin’s actions support its “commitment to increasing student success through accessible education and Kamloops’ entrepreneurial spirit.”

The ceremonies will take place at the Fieldhouse at the Tournament Capital Centre, with Pereira and Krueger receiving their degrees on June 10, Blackstock and Lepin on June 11 and Berger on June 12.

Nominations for candidates for honorary doctorates can be made year-round by TRU employees, students, alumni and members of the Board of Governors, submitted through a form on TRU’s website.

OPINION & LETTERS

The Omega Ω Volume 24 • Issue 28

The Omega Thompson Rivers University’s Independent Student Newspaper Published since November 27, 1991

Ajax debate a microcosm of B.C. resource battles Conflicts of interest, transparency and the role of science in the Ajax debate

www.truomega.ca /TRUOmega @TRU_Omega /tru_omega

EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sean Brady @iamseanbrady editor@truomega.ca CONTRIBUTORS Cameron Doherty Jim Elliot Jessica Messerer-Trosin Wade Tomko NEWS EDITOR VACANT

ISSUES EDITOR VACANT

ARTS EDITOR VACANT

SCI-TECH EDITOR VACANT

SPORTS EDITOR VACANT

COPY EDITOR VACANT

PUBLISHING BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sean Brady INDUSTRY REP Christopher Foulds FACULTY REP Charles Hays STUDENT REP Kim Anderson STUDENT REP Mason Buettner

PUBLISHING Cariboo Student Newspaper Society (Publisher of The Omega) TRU Campus House #4 900 McGill Rd, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 0C8 Phone: 250-828-5069 Advertising inquiries: accounts@truomega.ca

LETTERS POLICY 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.

COPYRIGHT 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 The Omega 2014.

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Sean Brady

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω

The Ajax debate started before I came to Kamloops. It was already an issue dividing the community before I even knew there were sides to choose. I’ve now lived in Kamloops for four years and I’ve watched passionate people on both sides of the issue make their case, just as larger groups do all over the province about issues bigger and smaller than Ajax. It’s been a front row seat to watch the process unfold. And it’s been pretty messy.

Today, I am little more decided than I was when I got here, but at least I’m more informed. This is thanks to the steady dialogue that the divide has created within the community. Just browsing the Facebook pages, “Stop Ajax Mine” and “Support Ajax Mine” will show just how evenly split we are on the mine – each group has around 5,400 members.

It’s easy to see why things seem to split so evenly. The anti-Ajax crowd decries the mine’s proximity to the city and how vulnerable Kamloops is to air pollution and dust, particularly from the south of the city where the mine is set to be located. The pro-Ajax side talks mostly about its economic impact rather than its environmental one, saying that the jobs created will help grow and sustain the city for years to come.

Most of the opposition seems to be focused on the environmen-

tal review process, hoping that the mine will get a fair and honest review before going ahead. To that end, they have started a crowdfunding campaign to “hire unbiased experts to provide reports on various parts of the Ajax application,” as stated on the campaign’s Indiegogo page.

There was an interesting wrinkle in their plan, however, when KGHM-Ajax, the company behind the proposed mine, gave $5,000 to the initiative and said it was “dedicated to the most thorough study of our project and a careful examination by the Kamloops community,” and encouraged the idea of a third party review of the application. The company’s confidence shone through and some praised it as a well-thought PR move. The campaign, however, decided to reject the donation, citing a conflict of interest and that it would instead pay for its review with “unbiased dollars,” as if there was such a thing.

The move to reject the donation baffles me. Surely the campaign would have met its goal with or without the Ajax donation, but why not keep it anyway? But the whole campaign seemed off to me to begin with. If pro-Ajax groups and anti-Ajax groups are paying for their own reviews, will we get anywhere? Or will both sides just further entrench themselves by reading their own reports in certain ways? What would happen if this anti-Ajax-funded report didn’t show the results its backers are no

doubt hoping for?

James Jenkinson, a member of the anti-Ajax Facebook group asked a good question along these lines, “If we have to pay the experts, aren’t we doing exactly what we decry in big industry, paid science that agrees with us in direct proportion to the value of the cheque we write?”

James here is onto something.

Is science being used honestly in this debate? Do we have anything more than each side pointing at parts of their own reports that make them look good? So far, it’s tough to tell. Transparency is still something that is more talked about than practiced. But that just goes to show that KGHM-Ajax’s donation really was the pointed PR strike the company had hoped

it would be, regardless of its acceptance by the campaigners.

But still, it’s easier for me to sympathize with the anti-Ajax crowd. The approval process is a daunting and lengthy one, and only one side has control over the project’s accountability to that process. The anti- side is merely a watchdog, left scrambling to do its own review each time reports are released, up against company professionals and government bureaucrats.

Watching the process unfold makes me wonder how a project that is orders of magnitude larger, like B.C.’s proposed LNG industry, can possibly be held to account – both economically and environmentally. editor@truomega.ca

TRU has been home to anti-Ajax protests and information sessions, but some pro-Ajax events, as well. (File photo)

Letter: How can they accept cash from Kinder Morgan?

I just don’t understand how it has come to be that some mayors and councils and even colleges in the Thompson region appear ready to accept cash offers from Kinder Morgan, before Canadians have even said yes or no to this project.

In Langley, mayor and council has refused this money to date, some citizens even calling it a “bribe.” The Kinder Morgan website notes the following will be “to compensate for the disruption” during pipeline construction: Kamloops $700,000, TRU

$500,000 Clearwater $390,000, Barriere $290,000 and Vavenby, Birch Island, Black Pool, Blue River, Avola, Little Fort and Black Pines, $845,000.

I have been coming to the North Thompson region for 50 years for business and pleasure. The sport and First Nations fisheries, and other river industries, are and always will be more economically important than the local valley pipeline industry. In fact the proposed new pipe is not for Canadians at all, but is a Texas com-

pany supplying China with tar sands bitumen. As a businessman and as an enjoyer of the outdoors of the North Thompson, I can see only negative economic benefits coming from this tar sands pipeline.

This is because tar sands bitumen is the worst polluting of all oils, and would coat the Thompson and Fraser river gravel and sloughs for 1000s miles and as we know from the Alaska and the Kalamazoo spills this oil would be unrecoverable and would kill the river for a generation or more.

There have been many spills on the Trans Mountain pipeline and there will be many more, this is just another statistic. In my experience this company does its utmost to keep these spills from public view. I can forward a summary report of these past spills to concerned citizens who might wish to now present this to mayor and council (my email is davidellis@lightspeed.ca).

David Ellis

UNION BUSINESS Grant applications approved by TRUSU – May 5, 2015

$825.00 to attend the Understanding Meditation & the Dynamics of Conflict: Developing Dispute Resolution Skills conference on May 29, 2015 (#2015-31) $1000.00 to attend the 58th Annual Symposium of the International Association of Vegetative Science: Understanding Broad-scale Vegetative Patterns conference on July 19-24, 2015 (#2015-30) $1000.00 to attend the Spatial Statistics: Emerging Patterns conference on June 09-12, 2015 (#2015-27) $2000.00 to attend the Canadian Society for Brain, Behavior, and Cognitive Sciences 25th Annual Meeting on June 05-07, 2015 (#2015-20) $5000.00 to attend the Enactus Canada National Exposition on May 11-13, 2015 (#2015-29) Full meeting minutes can be found on TRUSU’s website available at: www.trusu.ca/governance/meetings/board.

SUMMER PUBLICATION SCHEDULE During the summer months, The Omega moves from its weekly publication schedule to a monthly one. Look for new issues on the stands on the following dates: June 24 – July 22 – August 26 Weekly papers will return on Sept. 9.

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NEWS

May 27, 2015

A race against time: the Site C dam First Nations leaders come to TRU to warn of the Site C dam’s environmental impact

If the Site C dam is built, 5,340 hectares of land will be flooded, including 360 hectares of private land. (Emma Gilchrist/Flickr Commons)

Wade Tomko

CONTRIBUTOR Ω

Many concerned British Columbians showed up to the Irving K. Barber Centre to sit in on a discussion critical to our province on May 14. At his third stop in a series of public presentations, Chief Roland Willson of the West Moberly First Nations described what effects the Site C dam would have on the environment in the Peace River region as well as how it would impact the lives of those already living there.

Representatives from the Wild Salmon Caravan, Shuswap Nation, as well as the President of the B.C. First Nation Energy and Mining Council, Nelson Leon, were also in attendance.

Before sitting down in the lecture hall, guests were encouraged to take

pamphlets detailing the “mercury danger zone” created by the W.A.C. Bennett Dam, and the health risks associated with mercury contamination.

The second of the two pamphlets contained information from a health study regarding Bull Trout from the Crooked River in northern B.C. This study found that the concentration of mercury within the fish there was relatively high. Currently, the recommended weekly maximum intake of Bull Trout caught in the Crooked River is about 58 grams per male adult.

Though described as a man who “has spent countless hours fighting for the rights of his people,” Willson was in a jovial mood and actively joked with the audience. Yet the air in the Irving K. Barber Centre still felt tense, and the tone of Willson’s voice was very serious. In the past, he has held

conferences and debates on topics such as aboriginal land and resource management, and the impact of oil, gas and shale industries on B.C. First Nations.

Willson began his presentation by explaining the current situation in northeastern B.C. Site C, from the perspective of an average British Columbian, is extremely unnecessary, he said, mentioning that in order to expand the province’s shale gas energy agenda, “40,000 to 80,000 more wells are needed.

These facilities need Site C to power them.”

In fact, he is doubtful British Columbians would see any of the benefits. Despite B.C. Hydro’s claim that the dam will be able to provide power for 450,000 homes a year, almost all of that will be allocated to

running northern B.C.’s growing energy sector. Nelson Leon, president of the B.C. First Nations Energy and Mining Council said that, “the size of BC Hydro’s transmission line is way too large for commercial housing.”

That those living in the region would see much of that electricity is highly unlikely.

On top of this, the Peace River region contains “over 16,267 oil and gas wells, over 8,517 petroleum and natural gas facilities, and over 100,000 kilometres in pipeline.”

“Right now the Peace River is considered the most endangered river in B.C., and it’s not because of the dam, it is what is already there,” said Elder George Desjarlais of the West Moberly First Nations.

As representatives of the Treaty 8 First Nations, the West Moberly First Nations are extremely adamant in protecting the aboriginal way of life which consists of hunting, fishing, and collecting medicines. Although Treaty 8 spans three provinces and one territory, the land affected by Site C is some of the most agriculturally fertile and extremely sensitive environmentally.

In fact the Site C dam will be more

sectors, which has already had adverse effects on the surrounding environment. There are already “four 48 inch pipelines installed in the Peace River region,” the number is expected to rapidly increase, even before the dam is due to be completed in 2024. Currently “there is a pipeline in northeastern BC that has been leaking since 2001.

There are two to three other unidentified sites as well,” claimed Willson.

If this is the case, many First Nations members in the Peace River region believe that they will completely lose their way of life, eventually having no opportunity to fish or hunt.

Perhaps the loss most crucial to the First Nations way of life in the Peace River region would be that of the salmon and trout. Despite being told by BC Hydro that “mercury levels have been steadily dropping,” most fish caught in the area contain medically significant levels of mercury.

As for transparency with BC Hydro, Willson says “It is like pulling teeth with them. We have never had a discussion with BC Hydro on the impacts of these dams.” The West Moberly First Nations would prefer that the province of BC forget about hydroelectric power, and have since been opting for the creation of geothermal power stations which would supply greener energy at a lower cost.

After Willson’s presentation, the audience was invited to stay and listen to West Moberly elder George Desjarlais, who would speak about the importance of clean water.

You can find out more about Chief Roland Willson, Moberly Lake First Nations Willson’s cause at nosite-c. com. The talk was sponsored than just a “$12 billion stupid mistake” by TRUFA’s human rights committee, as Willson calls it. The dam will precip- the Shuswap Nation, the B.C. First itate the further expansion of the lique- Nations Energy and Mining Council fied natural gas (LNG) and shale gas and Amnesty International.

“BC Hydro calls Site C clean and green energy. It is renewable, we’ll give it that, but it isn’t clean or green.”

NEWS

The Omega Ω Volume 24 • Issue 28

This is only a test Large scale active shooter exercise held on campus

Jim Elliot

CONTRIBUTOR Ω

Simulated gunfire and explosions echoed across campus on Thursday, May 14, as Kamloops emergency services conducted a full-scale hostage situation drill.

The stated goal of the drill was to test TRU’s “emergency management plan, rigorously assess its effectiveness and then adjust the plan for readiness in the event of an actual emergency.”

According to the RCMP, the exercise would “involve approximately 400 participants including RCMP, TRU Emergency Operations Group, campus volunteers, Kamloops Fire and Rescue, City of Kamloops, Interior Health, BC Ambulance Service, observers from Emergency Management BC, Government Office and other agencies.”

Large portions of the campus, including the Clock Tower and the culinary arts building were closed for the duration of the drill. Vehicle access from Summit and McGill was also restricted. The RCMP informed

the public of the campus closures on May 5.

The drill began at around 10 a.m., with a suspicious vehicle call going out to the RCMP officers staged on campus. By the time the first officers arrived on the scene, the mock suspects inside the vehicle had entered the Clock Tower with long-guns drawn and most of the hostages had successfully been evacuated from the building.

Cpl. Cheryl Bush, Kamloops RCMP media relations officer, said that the police response that followed was typical of RCMP Immediate Action Rapid Deployment (IARD) tactics. Rather than waiting for more backup, the first four officers on scene entered the clock tower and neutralized one of the hostage takers. According to Cpl. Bush, IARD became standard procedure for Kamloops RCMP following a hostage situation on McGill road in November 2008 turned into a protracted standoff.

The Kamloops RCMP is one of only two detachments in the province that regularly train in IARD, but this was their first opportunity to practice it on such a large scale.

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A member of the RCMP Emergency Response Team on the TRU campus during the May 14 exercise. (Jim Elliot/The Omega)

Other emergency services personnel also participated in the drill. By 10:25 a.m., members of the ambulance and fire service had a triage station set up in parking lot L and had begun treating mock casualties that were evacuated from the building by police.

Later on in the morning, a simulated car bomb detonated, shrouding the south side of the Clock Tower in white smoke.

Eventually, the hostage takers brought their captives into the boardroom on the third floor of the building, resulting in a standoff, which continued until 7:30 p.m., when TRU president Alan Shaver was the last hostage released.

Christopher Seguin, TRU’s vice-president of advancement said that the initial debriefing of the drill reflected that, “Two years of training resulted in a quick and precise response,” but also that some new things were learned and that fine-tuning would be necessary. Seguin also said that another drill of this sort would be possible, but it would likely simulate a different sort of emergency and be “on a much smaller scale.”

The eastern part of campus, including much of Old Main, was off limits on the day of the exercise, while RCMP and other emergency services practiced their response to an active shooter scenario on campus. (Thompson Rivers University)

Smoke bombs are set off as a member of the RCMP Emergency Response Team looks on. (Jim Elliot/The Omega)

Cpl. Cheryl Bush, Kamloops RCMP media relations officer. (Jim Elliot/The Omega)

6 NEWS Do you know your rights as an employee in B.C.?

May 27, 2015

Protect both your pocketbook and your body by knowing your rights as a worker Chitwan Khosla

THE OTHER PRESS (CUP)

Summer is officially here. While some of us are attending college or planning a holiday, others are working. It is a nice time to take up few odd seasonal jobs and make some extra money. International students also get an opportunity at this time of the year to work full-time. As most of the young workers lack or do not have any high-skilled work experience, they are also unaware of their rights and duties as employees in British Columbia. This makes them vulnerable to exploitation. Exploitation includes many things like unpaid wages, unfair wage rates, delayed pay, unjust dismissals, or poor working conditions. To avoid such conditions, you should learn about your rights.

Your rights as employees are protected by the Employment Standards Act (ESA), Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulations, and by some of the regulations mentioned in the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA).

The Canadian Human Rights Act protects you against any form of prejudice, like discrimination based on your race and colour, religion, ethnicity, language, family status, sex, age, social condition, or marital status. It also calls for equal opportunities for all. This means that everyone should get a fair chance when

applying at a job. To ensure this, appropriate and fair screening tests and interviews must be conducted.

No questions regarding personal life or religion can be asked. The CHRA also protects every employee in Canada against any sort of sexual, physical, mental, or emotional harassment at the workplace.

The ESA establishes minimum terms and standards of employment such as minimum wage, overtime, paid leaves, and termination policies at the provincial level. These are also applicable to temporary foreign workers such as international students. Almost all non-unionized workers in BC are protected by ESA. While we are aware of the minimum wage rate in BC, most of us are not familiar with the other rules and regulations laid down by the ESA. Minimum wage rate is applicable regardless of how the workers are paid—in other words, whether they earn a salary, hourly wage, or work on commission. Workers must be paid at least twice a month and no pay period should be more than 16 days. The employees should be paid within eight days after the end of the pay period. The daily overtime pay is time-and-a-half after an eight-hour shift and double after a 12-hour shift. These rules ensure timely and fair pay to the workers in BC. Meal breaks are also discussed in the ESA. No worker should work more than five consecutive hours without an unpaid 30-minute meal

break. If the worker needs to be available to work during their break, the break should be paid. If you work for at least three consecutive months with your employer, then you are entitled to a week’s pay if you are terminated without a justified written notice of termination. The responsibility of proving a just termination lies upon the employer. Further, the ESA also enlists the paid statutory holidays applicable in BC. All employees can take certain unpaid leaves for a specified period without being terminated. For example, a worker can take up to three days of unpaid leave in case of death of an immediate family member.

Young students often take summer jobs in companies that do not have fixed hours of operation such as plumbing, landscaping, painting, and fishing. If the work is completed early or can be done with fewer workers, they are often sent back from work.

However, ESA clearly states that any employee who reports to work must be paid for at least two hours, even if they worked less than two hours, and an employee who was scheduled for an eight-hour shift should be paid a minimum of four hours. Any uniforms or special clothing that identify with the employer or the organization, such as a T-shirt with the company’s logo, must be paid for by the employer. Any employer not following the above mentioned rules and regulations can be challenged in court or a complaint can be regis-

tered with the Ministry of Labour in BC. More information can be found on their official website.

The OHS Regulations aim to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for the employees in BC. The guidelines are mandatory to be followed by the employers and employees.

All the employers must educate their employees about every tool and piece of equipment at work. They must be told how to safely use, dispose of, and store the tools and other equipment required to perform the job. Records of training and any accidents at the workplace must be maintained. Employers must file reports to government about all the accidents or injuries that take place at work. The reports include what happened and how, who was injured, what treatment was done, and other details about the accidents. This is a required procedure even if it is minor cut on the hand of a chef in a restaurant kitchen. The employer should also ensure a clean and a hygienic workplace for their workers. Some industries also require the employers to get their workers insured.

Further, it is the responsibility of an individual to ensure their own and their colleagues’ safety at the workplace. All workers must take necessary precautions to avoid any risk to health and well-being.

One very crucial and important right of all the workers in BC is the right to refuse unsafe work without

being terminated from your job. This can be done by Work Refusal Process. If your employer asks you to perform a task which you find endangers your or your colleagues’ safety, you can refuse to do it. You must first inform your immediate supervisor or manager who has to investigate and look if the work is potentially endangering your safety. If the manager agrees to your complaint, they must make sure that proper safety measurements are taken. If the manager doesn’t agree or if you still don’t feel doubtful even after the safety measures taken, you can still refuse to do the work. Then the work must be assessed in the presence of another worker. Both the manager and the second worker must agree if the task is dangerous or not. If not satisfied by the decision of both, you can further take the matter to the prevention manager of the nearest OHS center.

The prevention manager visits the workplace and assesses with the help of all the necessary tools and knowledge of the experts if the work can cause harm. If yes, then you are not required to the job and the employer needs to make adjustments for it. If not, you can take the matter to court as well.

All these laws and acts not only help to ensure a fair, safe, and harmonious work environment but also ensure the well-being of individuals by giving them opportunities to be more productive.

Nepal earthquake donations – social justice or social trend?

Mitchell Consky THE CORD (CUP)

Last month, tragedy shook the earth when the Nepal earthquake on April 25 deteriorated the lives of more than eight million people — including those affected by the chain-reaction of avalanches and aftershocks, with another earthquake just last week.

According to recent reports, the 7.8 magnitude-hit resulted in the death of 4,200 victims in Nepal, with more bodies being found every day. Reports claim that the estimated infrastructure damage can add up to $100 billion, with economic losses potentially exceeding the gross domestic product of the country.

Unsurprisingly, the tragedy sprung a rise of global action, through 24hour news cycles, storms of rescue groups, medical supply deliveries, emergency effort donations and, perhaps most significantly, the heroic use of social media.

Facebook and Twitter played a large role in uncovering survivors and giving victims a basis of support and community assistance. Over seven million people used Facebook’s Safety Check (an emergency check-in feature) to inform their friends and family of their wellbeing following the disaster. Celebrities tweeted their prayers and condolences for the victims, dominating the Internet with numerous photos of Nepal’s destruction and links to non-government organization donation sites.

Journalists from all over the world expressed the catastrophic wreckage in articles and video clips, sharing awareness and inspiring others to take action. Simply put, the digital global village became a driving force of social justice. But how much longer does Nepal have until their devastated lives begin to fade within the spotlight of worldwide attention? The truth is, the tragedy’s buzz is already fading.

As most of us know, this is not the first natural disaster where the interconnected world has joined forces for the greater good. Some former tragedies include the 2008 quake in China, the 2011 floods in Thailand and Hurricane Sandy in 2012 in the United States.

These disasters were detrimental, but led to various eruptions of charitable action. Unfortunately, these eruptions were short lived.

Perhaps the best example is the 2010 Haiti earthquake. This 7.0 magnitude hit killed more than 160,000 people and destroyed the homes of close to 1.5 million. The damage inspired collaborative efforts (much like Nepal), including 24-hour news reports, celebrity fundraising movements, social media outbursts and countless volunteer initiatives.

Canada launched an organization called Young Artists for Haiti, where more than fifty famous singers such as Drake, Nelly Furtado, Sam Roberts and Justin Bieber joined together to produce a song called “Wavin’ Flag,” to raise money aimed towards Haiti’s infrastructure repairs.

The terrors of Haiti seemed to be the main story CNN would cover for almost a month. For a while, Haiti was the center of everyone’s attention. But, much like the earthquakes, the floods and the hurricanes before it, big news is eventually forgotten in the rubble.

It’s hard to believe that during the last half decade after Haiti’s devastation, there have been only a few reports on the country’s current conditions.

Many of the collaborative initiatives detached from the cause and thousands of Haitians are still sleeping in flimsy tents with limited clean water and medical supplies.

According to an article in TIME Magazine, the conditions are worse now than ever. Within the last few years, NGOs have halted involvement, and creditors stopped investing in building restoration. Haitians are living in a graveyard of pollution, disease, starvation and thirst, but it seems that the lightning-speed world is too far forward to look five years behind.

In Nepal, tourism contributes to around five per cent of the GDP. Considering the disaster destroyed the majority of iconic sites and landmarks — in other words, the fundamental tourist attractions — Nepal will ultimately enter new levels of economic devastation in the next years to come.

But will NGO and collaborative initiatives still be around to help? Or will social justice in Nepal just be another passing trend?

Nepal’s quake, with a magnitude eight decimal points higher than Hai-

Earthquake-damaged buildings in Chautara, Nepal. (Zoe Paxton/DFID/Flickr Commons)

ti’s, attracted media attention for a shorter amount of time than the 2010 travesty. As hundreds of people scurry for shelter after having their homes destroyed, society recently seemed more concerned with who’s going to win the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao boxing fight

and the birth of the royal baby.

Unfortunately, new news will continue to replace the old. That’s just how the world is. But let’s just hope that even after the media hype is over, the victims of disaster will continue to receive the support they need.

7

SPORTS

The Omega Ω Volume 24 • Issue 28

Basketball teams to move to larger division

Format changes coming for 2016-17 season that will see TRU play more teams Cam Doherty

CONTRIBUTOR Ω

Canada West basketball will change both their league and playoff formats for the 2016-17 season.

The TRU basketball teams will only have one more year to try and claim an explorer division title.

Beginning in 2016, all of the 17 teams in Canada West will play in

Michelle Bos was named a CIS All-Rookie All-Star as a result of her performance in the 2014-15 season. (TRU Athletics)

one conference, a switch from the two division format that is currently in place.

The decision was approved by the Canada West Universities Athletic Association at its annual conference in May. The new format will see every team play a 20game regular season schedule, with the teams that own the 12 best records entering the playoffs for a shot at not only a Canada West title, but also a spot in the national championships.

Of the 10 opposing teams that TRU will play in the new format, there will be four schools that can already be penciled into the schedule every year.

The criteria for determining which of the teams those four will be, were the “teams in your vicinity that you have (historically) had a rivalry with,” according to TRU’s athletic director Ken Olynyk.

UBC-Okanagan, University of the Fraser Valley, University of Victoria and University of Northern British Columbia will be the four teams that TRU will face on the court every year. For the younger players on the women’s basketball team, this will mean an opportunity to avenge the heartbreaking playoff loss that they suffered at the hands of UVic this past season.

The rest of the schedule will be filled with games against six of the other 12 teams in the conference, which is what Olynyk likes most

TRU basketball will move to a larger division for the 2016-17 season, but there will still be four teams it plays regularly. (TRU Athletics)

about the change.

“The advantage is that you get to play more opponents,” he said.

TRU will play 10 of the 17 teams in Canada West during the regular season rather than the five teams that it currently plays.

Olynyk said that he “didn’t dislike the old format,” but admitted that it was “optically not a great format,” with 11 teams playing in the Pioneer division and only six

battling it out for the Explorer division title. This imbalance in the divisions and the fact that there are no games played between teams from the different divisions led to a majority of the schools in Canada West advocating for change.

The format change is being delayed until the 2016-17 season due to the difficulty of scheduling.

“At this point to try and change

for September was just too quick,” Olynyk said.

This will be the second time in three years that Canada West changes the format for basketball.

The current pioneer and explorer division format replaced the geographically based pacific and prairie divisions in 2014-15, and was always due to be examined further after the completion of its first season.

WolfPack 2015-16 Schedule SOCCER Men

VOLLEYBALL Women

Men

Women

Date Location

Matchup

Date Location

Matchup

Date Location

Matchup

Date Location

Matchup

Aug. 20 Home Aug. 22 Home Aug. 23 Home Sept. 12 Home Sept. 13 Home Sept. 25 Away Sept. 26 Away Oct. 2 Away Oct. 3 Away Oct. 17 Home Oct. 18 Home Oct. 24 Home Oct. 25 Home Oct. 31 TBA Nov. 7 TBA Nov. 12 Toronto

*UNBC *Douglas *Langara TWU UFV UBC UVic TWU UFV UBC UVic UNBC UNBC Qtf finals Final 4 Finals

Sept. 4 Home Sept. 12 Home Sept. 13 Home Sept. 18 Away Sept. 19 Away Sept. 26 Home Sept. 27 Home Oct. 3 Away Oct. 4 Away Oct. 9 Away Oct. 10 Home Oct. 17 Home Oct. 18 Home Oct. 23 Home Oct. 25 Home Oct. 31 TBA Nov. 5 TBA Nov. 13 UBC

*UofC UofA UNBC UFV TWU UVic UBC U Manitoba U Winnipeg UBC-O UBC-O Mt. Royal MacEwan UofA UNBC Qtr finals Final 6 FInals

Oct. 16 Away Oct. 17 Away Oct. 23 Home Oct. 24 Home Oct. 30 Home Oct. 31 Home Nov. 6 Away Nov. 7 Away Nov. 13 Home Nov. 14 Home Nov. 27 Away Nov. 28 Away Jan. 8 Away Jan. 9 Away Jan. 15 Home Jan. 16 Home Jan. 22 Away Jan. 23 Away Jan. 29 Home Jan. 30 Home Feb. 5 Away Feb. 6 Away Feb. 12 Home Feb. 13 Home Feb. 26 TBA Mar. 4 TBA Mar. 11 Hamilton

UofA UofA MacEwan MacEwan UofC UofC U Winnipeg U Winnipeg Brandon U Brandon U UBC-O UBC-O Mt. Royal Mt. Royal U Sask.

U Sask.

U Regina U Regina U Manitoba U Manitoba UBC UBC TWU TWU Qtr finals Final four Nationals

Oct. 16 Away Oct. 17 Away Oct. 23 Home Oct. 24 Home Oct. 30 Home Oct. 31 Home Nov. 6 Away Nov. 7 Away Nov. 13 Home Nov. 14 Home Nov. 27 Away Nov. 28 Away Jan. 8 Away Jan. 9 Away Jan. 15 Home Jan. 16 Home Jan. 22 Away Jan. 23 Away Jan. 29 Home Jan. 30 Home Feb. 5 Away Feb. 6 Away Feb. 12 Home Feb. 13 Home Feb. 26 TBA Mar. 4 TBA Mar. 11 Brandon

UofA UofA MacEwan MacEwan UofC UofC U Winnipeg U Winnipeg Brandon U Brandon U UBC-O UBC-O Mt. Royal Mt. Royal U Sask.

U Sask.

U Regina U Regina U Manitoba U Manitoba UBC UBC TWU TWU Qtr finals Final four Nationals

* Denotes exhibition game Basketball, baseball schedules TBA

8

COMICS AND PUZZLES

May 27, 2015

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