Oct. 19, 2016

BALANCING ACT

WELL WELL WELLS....

NETFLIX AND TREMBLE IN FEAR?

A student athlete view on balancing it all

TRU won't hold title to Wells Gray land

7 horror flicks to watch right now

WolfPack soccer player Katie Harding talks lifework-sports-school balance • Page 4

While it can't hold title to the land, it'll still be used as was originally intended • Page 6

Jon Malloy's film picks to give you an awful fright before Halloween • Page 8

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OCTOBER 19, 2016

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POLICY STEPS FORWARD Campus policy meetings continue, but are students paying attention? P. 4

A PLEBISCITE ON PEACE

VOLUME 26

ON RELIGION

Colombian students talk peace agreement

A campus perspective on Islamophobia

Students and faculty at TRU share their thoughts on how Colombia recently voted • Page 7

How are Muslim students treated on campus? In Kamloops? One student's perspective • Page 5

Divestment campaign returns with meetings and info sessions

Campaigners are once again calling on TRU to sell off its oil and gas holdings in response to continuing concerns over climate change.

As of April 2015, energy-related holdings made up 2.9 per cent of TRU’s investments.

The campaign was started last April by the TRUSU Socialists Club and an information session was organized by students and club members Kevin Pankewich and Tristan Muhr. They called on the university to sell off any oil and gas-related holdings it has.

"We're saying it's not okay to have investments in the fossil fuel industry in the midst of a climate crisis," Pankewich said.

However, TRU’s vice-president of administration and finance Matt Milovick stated in no uncertain terms that TRU will not consider divestment, no matter how many people support it.

"Divestment, as a strategy in terms of oil and gas – it doesn't work. It's an ideal...our society is still fossil fuel dependent," Milovick said.

"These campaigns tend to be very ideological."

Pankewich and Muhr gave the example of divestment’s role in ending apartheid in South Africa to show how successful it can be.

However, Milovick gave the same example to underscore a different message. He pointed out that our society and economy would collapse if oil and gas were cut off in the same way as South Africa was in the 1980s.

CONTINUED page 4

NEWS

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OCTOBER 19, 2016

Ethical fashion offers a pathway to sustainable living The state of ethical fashion in Kamloops and how consumers can be more responsible with their money Jennifer Will ARTS EDITOR Ω Hanna Martens, a second-year environmental studies and geography major at TRU, says that in order to create sustainability, we must first look at our own lives for change. Being conscious of the ethics of fashion is a big part of living an ethical sustainable lifestyle.

“I think that it's important that what we wear comes from ethical sources, because a lot of clothing is produced in very unethical ways, whether it’s because of where it's sourced, how it's made or what is used to make it,” Martens said.

Where and how our clothes are produced reflects greatly upon our environmental impact.

Martens says that shipping clothes from across the world and the production of “fast fashion” is one the biggest impacts on our environment.

“How it’s produced includes the environmental impact of it.

That can mean looking at who makes it and making sure it doesn’t come from sweatshops, or it can mean making sure that the chemicals that are used are environmentally friendly,” Martens said.

Brands rely on consumers to stay in business and it is up to the consumer to know what that brand represents. Whether it's cruelty, a lack of human rights or unsustainable fabrics or materials, where we put our money and who we are giving it to matters, Martens said.

“We just don’t always know what impact we are having, when

we purchase things we are supporting people [or industries].

I think it's important to look at who we are actually supporting.

Some companies are not so great, and it’s really hard to find ethical places to shop. So I love shopping at the thrift store, that’s where I get most of my clothing,” Martens said.

“I try to make sure that when I purchase things that they are as ethical as they can be, which can be really hard,” Martens said.

Rhea Erin, the owner of the Lavender Lotus Lounge & Glow Bar is the event coordinator and founder of the fall clothing swap in Salmon Arm. Now in their seventh year, the swap has grown in popularity and encourages people to reduce, reuse and recycle.

“We just kind of wanted to eliminate, not only waste of the landfills, but also give women a chance to support each other by swapping stuff, rather than go for the cheaper factory-made clothing,” Erin said.

Erin said she started the swap due to the lack of shopping in Salmon Arm and as a way to contribute to sustainable fashion over fast fashion.

“I had a lot of girlfriends who all had a lot of clothing that they were no longer wearing and we just thought it would be a really good way to recycle and give back to the community,” Erin said.

Due to a lot of boutiques closing down in Salmon Arm in recent years, the options for shopping have become even limited. These mom-and-pop shops are often replaced with big corporations, Erin said.

“There is a lot of harm and slave labour that goes into making all of those [factory-made] clothes and it just ends up in the landfill because you paid $5 for it,” Erin said.

The appeal of these trendy stores is that they can provide mass amounts of clothing at a very low cost to the consumer.

Erin said that the cost of buying an ethically made item can be significantly higher, and that is not something everyone can afford.

“I find that with the fashion industry it's so hard for women to buy the nice designer handmade clothing because it's priced so high. So there’s not

a lot of options when it comes to supporting more ethical manufacturing of clothing and sustainable fibres and things like that,” Erin said.

Erin says that these skeletons are probably going to exist in the fashion industry for awhile, but it’s important to get people to at least start thinking about it.

“It's more about teaching women to be more mindful of the clothing that they do buy,” Erin said.

Along with promoting the ideals of a more ethical way to shop, all of the leftover clothing is donated to local charities.

Erin said that the clothing swap is also a way to raise money

for a special cause within the community.

An upcoming event at Aberdeen Mall called Waste Not Want Not is the perfect chance to dip your toes into ethical fashion. The event will take place on Oct. 23 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Best Buy parking lot.

The event is a chance to clean out your closet and get rid of unwanted items. Organizers are looking from bras, nightwear and robes that will be refurbished and then donated to a women’s shelter in Kamloops.

You can also bring gently used clothing to be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters. A donation will get you an entry for a draw for gift cards and tickets for local theatre and concerts.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS VACANCY Student representative

The publisher of The Omega, the Cariboo Student Newspaper Society, is looking for a TRU student to fill a vacancy on its board of directors. As a student representative, you will sit on the board along with a faculty representative, an industry representative, two other student representatives and the chair of the board, the Editor-in-Chief.

Student representatives will bring their student perspectives to the board and will vote in decisions that affect the paper and the organization that runs it. You will review financial statements, provide oversight on operations and provide input on any decisions that need to be made. You will also bring ideas on how the paper can expand or better fulfill its mandate of keeping the TRU community informed about issues that affect it.

Those interested in the opportunity can apply or inquire to editor@truomega.ca. Applications should include a brief letter that details any experience you bring to the table and why you’re interested in serving on the board.

Please apply by October 31.

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OCTOBER 19, 2016

Sexual assault policy meetings see low attendance TRU has until May 2017 to implement its sexual assault policy Sarah Kirschmann STAFF WRITER Ω With only seven months to go before TRU must have a sexual assault policy in place, the clock is ticking. TRU has developed a draft policy and consultations with staff and students are drawing to a close.

A private member’s bill introduced last year requires all B.C. post-secondary institutions to implement a policy by May 2017.

TRU has already held three out of four open information sessions to discuss its draft policy with staff and students. The last student session will be held on Oct. 27 from 10 to 11 a.m. in the TRUSU Lecture Hall.

Despite all students being notified via email, the consultation sessions have seen low attendance. There were just six people at the Oct. 13 meeting, and five at the Sept. 29 meeting. However, those who attended have provided input coming from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Jean Strong, a student who attended the last two meetings, has been involved from the start. She was sexually assaulted in 2012, and when she reported the assault to a councillor, she was advised to change schools. Strong later wrote an article about her experience and has been an advocate for change.

Strong is excited to be so

In addition to the information sessions, students can also submit anonymous input until Oct. 31 by visiting this website:

tru.ca/forms/sexualviolence

close to the end of a process she helped start.

"They've definitely put their nose to the grindstone and worked on it diligently. As someone who has experienced [sexual assault], I want it in place now, and it's hard to be patient and wait, but I know it has to be done right," she said.

The draft policy takes a victim-centred approach. It defines sexual violence as including not only assault, but everything from voyeurism to stalking. It also makes a distinction between disclosure, or telling someone informally that they have been assaulted, and reporting, which calls for the university to investigate.

Strong is happy with the draft policy, but still wants to see specific victim supports in the final version.

“So when students come forward to disclose or report, they're told, 'This is what's available, this is what we can do,' rather than having to ask for it," she said.

An example of specific options: she would like to include changing a victim's schedule, changing parking stalls, and creating a safe study space, intended to help the victim avoid the accused.

Another issue discussed at

the most recent meeting is that of ensuring that the policy, once developed, is implemented.

Individuals within the university must know how to deal with a disclosure. The point was made that faculty should have adequate training, and an “email blast” is not enough.

Although policy will help

provide victims with support, it won't prevent sexual violence.

"The culture of TRU has to shift dramatically, and the policy is a good step, but it's not going to do it by itself," Strong said. At the meeting, she suggested bystander training and including a discussion on consent during orientation.

Campaign calls for TRU to take a stand against climate change Some students want the university to divest from oil and gas, but TRU says it won’t Sarah Kirschmann STAFF WRITER Ω CONTINUED (COVER) TRU is clearly not in a position to single-handedly bring down the fossil fuel industry. However, this raises the question of what divestment would accomplish.

"Divestment is an attack on the cultural capital of the fossil fuel industry, rather than the capital itself," Pankewich said.

The campaign organizers see being invested in the fossil fuel industry and being a sustainable institution as mutually exclusive.

"We should be looking for alternative [funding]...that promotes environmental sustainability," Muhr said.

According to Milovick, this is easier said than done.

"There aren't too many 'green funds' that have a sustainable return, and we do have a responsibility as financial managers to ensure that there is that return," he said.

Milovick also explained that it would be technically difficult for TRU to guarantee it was "completely oil and gas free," as

there is constant movement in their bonds, holdings and mutual funds.

Instead, he sees TRU as doing enough by following the United Nations principles for responsible investment (PRI). PRI is "the best outcome we can hope for. It balances our environmental, social and governance responsibilities while ensuring there is a return," Milovick said.

Kinder Morgan has also pledged money to TRU if the Trans Mountain pipeline is constructed, and KGHM Ajax Inc. has partnered with the school to research mining reclamation. Pankewich doesn't believe an institution can be neutral on an issue in which it has a financial stake, however.

"When a company does that, they're trying to buy support from an otherwise critically thinking institution," he said.

The movement has so far focused on educating people about climate change and the divestment movement. Approximately 45 students were at the first information session, along with faculty members Michael Mehta and Cynthia Ross Friedman. While TRUSU has no official position on the campaign, individuals inside it

Kevin Pankewich and Tristan Muhr are two of the student organizers behind the campaign calling for TRU to distance itself from the fossil fuel industry. (Sarah Kirschmann/The Omega)

have shown their support.

Muhr sees investment in fossil fuels as more than just a financial decision.

"It's about picking a side," he said. "Are you going to pick the

side of the big money, or are you going to pick the side of the future?"

The club will hold a documentary night and divestment information session on Oct. 20

at 7 p.m. in the Irving K. Barber Centre. The TRUSU Socialist Club has regular meetings that are open to the public, normally at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays in the TRUSU Boardroom.

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A campus perspective on misunderstanding Muslims Political rhetoric, media and online trolling are building up Islamophobia Jared MacArthur STAFF WRITER Ω As long as international conflicts in predominantly Muslim areas of the world are making the headlines, and Donald Trump is misinforming American citizens, there is a good chance the growing Islamophobic sentiment in western cultures will only become stronger.

Even in a country as liberally thinking and multicultural as Canada, there are still individuals who hold on to their ignorance and prejudice and contribute to the Islamophobic rhetoric around the world.

Earlier this month, the University of Calgary made headlines for a series of posters pasted throughout campus that were filled with anti-Muslim statements and harsh language.

The best attempt at living equally as a Muslim in the west is to educate others and avoid getting sucked into the anti-Islamic discourse, according to Mohammed Saiful Islam, who is a devout Muslim and president of the TRU Bangladesh club.

Incidents like the one in Calgary last week do hit home for Muslim students here at TRU, as well, Saiful said. They will often get together and discuss issues that may influence how people are viewing them on campus.

Saiful believes the large international student population on campus brings a lot of diversity, and with that a general acceptance of different cultures and religions.

In Saiful’s experience, there has not been any trouble or feeling of prejudice with regards to his religion since he has been at the university, and he thinks that can be said for the Muslim community here as a whole.

They meet often to discuss these issues, and encourage each other to speak up, if and when there is a problem.

Muslim students at TRU come together six days a week to celebrate and reflect on the teachings of their religions with an hour of prayer.

(Jared MacArthur/The Omega)

This is where the mosque plays a key role in reinforcing the Muslim community, Saiful said. Since there are so many misconceptions about Islam, teachings at the mosque help Muslims with the pressure of political labelling.

Before he came to Canada he was somewhat concerned about how he would be treated. In Bangladesh, he said, people often think that people here in Canada and the U.S. will not like them.

“We hear rumours that people are judged based on their name,” Saiful said.

Saiful said he carefully considered how he chose to write his name when filling out his documentation to enter the country, hearing from friends

that some have been denied entry, suspecting something small like including the name "Mohammed" in their names to be the cause.

“Sometimes, based on the situations that are happening around the world, they might feel hesitant that other people are [judging them],” Saiful said.

Though, when he finally arrived in Canada and came to TRU, Saiful said he was pleased to realize he would not be facing the same prejudices and opposition that his friends and others have faced.

The advice that Saiful says many people in the Muslim community at TRU abide by is to avoid arguments and confrontation.

“It is frustrating not being able to argue and defend your religion, due to the chance you may make it worse,” Saiful said, adding that it is probably the most difficult part of being in a culture with a tainted perspective of Muslim people.

People at the university are much more accepting than people in the rest of the community, Saiful said. While looking through social media comments on different pages he can see there are those individuals with a misconception or prejudice even here in Kamloops.

Six days a week, Muslim students here at TRU meet to pray and celebrate their religion.

Seven days a week those same students live with the pressure

that, as a whole, they are living in a part of the world that associates their religion with the latest conflict, making headlines or the latest anti-Muslim rhetoric, being used as political fodder for campaigns.

The first step to breaking down this wall of misconceptions around Islam as a religion, is education. But when the fight is against the media, which is used as a first source of information for many every single day, it is hard to make any real change.

And so it is only the media, Saiful believes, that can change the conversation.

TRUSU has tentative plans for an event on Islamophobia, to take place around International Days in the spring.

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OCTOBER 19, 2016

TRU won’t hold title to Wells Gray land, but it’ll still be used Land will be used for everything from classes to research and Clearwater community activities Martin McFarlane STAFF WRITER Ω Thompson Rivers University won’t be able to hold the title to the land that was donated to it back in 2014, but the university is still able to make use of the land near Wells Gray Provincial Park for research.

Seventy-six acres of land adjacent to a 10-acre holding that houses the university’s Research and Education Centre near Clearwater, B.C. was donated to TRU last year. It was previously forested and used for agriculture, and provides a prime area to conduct research into land reclamation.

The transfer of ownership fell through because TRU doesn’t qualify to receive lands as an “ecological gift,” according to Dean of Science Tom Dickinson. In order to receive the land as an ecological gift, the Canada Revenue Agency’s website said that the receiving organization’s main purpose must be “the conservation and protection of Canada's environmental heritage.”

To receive the land as an ecological gift, TRU would have had to create a separate organization with a conservation mandate.

In lieu of holding title on the land, TRU has been granted stewardship of the property, which Dickinson says will allow the university to use the land for its intended purposes.

In addition to access to more land in the Clearwater and Wells Gray area, preliminary work has begun on upgrades to the classroom building, with the assignment of project managers and interviewing tradespeople.

“We use the area all the time,” said John Karakatsoulis, chair of the Natural Resource Science (NRS) program, adding that the TRU Research and Education Centre is used by both the university and the Clearwater community.

“Not only [does the classroom] enhance teaching and research, but it also benefits the community.”

Both Dickinson and

Karakatsoulis said that NRS students of all levels and students in other programs frequently use the centre, with classes going up to the site at least once a year.

Some of the activities that are held in the area include inventories of plant communities, soil research and other class projects.

The new building, which was redesigned, has received permission to begin construction.

It will feature sleeping, kitchen, laundry and showering facilities for the 20 students that it can hold. The facilities can also be used by visiting scholars as a base for research in the Wells Gray Provincial Park area.

Karakatsoulis described the significance of the classroom in the park as a “nice synergy” between TRU, Clearwater and Wells Gray.

The construction project for the new classroom building was previously reported last year to be worth $340,000.

TRU has owned the education centre in Clearwater since 1994.

Helmcken Falls in Wells Gray Park. (Murray Foubister/CC)

Athlete tries to bring balance to a busy schedule TRU WolfPack players are challenged to make their schedules work during a busy season Jared MacArthur STAFF WRITER Ω Fourth-year nursing student and the current captain of the TRU women’s soccer team, Katie Harding tells us just how much it takes to balance a full-time school schedule in the middle of a soccer season.

The 21-year-old originally hailing from Salmon Arm, B.C. has been playing soccer for as long as she can remember.

“Since I could walk, probably,” Harding said.

Before working her way into the TRU’s WolfPack athletics program, Harding played for the Thompson Okanagan football club, now known as the HBL. She also played for Salmon Arm rep and house teams. She spent Grade 11 and 12 living in Vernon to train at the Whitecaps Training Academy. She split her school days between training and studying.

The decision to come to TRU was influenced by her acceptance into the nursing program in 2012, and although she wasn’t considering soccer right away, her love for the sport got her out on the field. After seeing her play, the coaching staff invited her to a training camp where she was then chosen to play for TRU. Harding was was just finishing a tutoring session with a fellow nursing student when I met up with her for our interview. She was still dressed in her training attire from the soccer practice an hour before.

The women practice from 4 to 6 p.m. five nights a week, and

travel every other weekend. On top of that, of course, are the looming deadlines of university courses.

There isn’t much time in the schedule to allow players to work to earn money but Harding finds the time to tutor and make a little extra cash on the side.

Players need to accept that their soccer life is their social life, family life and work life during the season, Harding said.

For her that is one of the most difficult things about balancing both schedules.

Starting in the team in her first year, Harding was extremely nervous. Being one of the only young players, the pressure to perform was intense, but once she realized her skill level was on par with the rest of the team it became easier.

She can sympathize with the women who are just starting with the team, though she feels a little outnumbered this year, since she is the only player with more than two seasons on the team.

As one of the three captains leading the team, Harding has had to make a few changes this year to fulfill her role. Being an advocate for the rest of the team, she says, is really important.

Harding feels she needs to speak up whenever a decision is made by the coaching staff that she feels may not be beneficial to the women.

Being a captain means that she has to be bossy at times and this is something that doesn’t come easily to her, as she’s known for being a very happy, soft-spoken individual. Pep talks, she says,

are a work-in-progress but thankfully there are two other captains.

Packing up the bags and boarding the coach for an outof-town game usually means three or four days away from Kamloops, and Harding says that studying on the road is not always easy, but having played three seasons for TRU, her ability to balance such a demanding schedule has improved and she’s less anxious now about not being able to finish assignments.

Though a little hesitant to say it out loud in fear of jinxing it, she admits she’s never missed an assignment in her four years as a nursing student.

“I’ve definitely had some breakdowns, but who hasn’t,” she said. Adding that the stress has also made her more effective at prioritizing her time.

One thing that is not easy is maintaining a healthy diet when there isn’t much time to make proper meals, Harding said, but thankfully pre-made meals supplied by her Mom have gotten her through.

In the off-season Harding rock climbs and enjoys hanging out in coffee shops, drinking tea and reading, or watching Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix.

After graduating from the nursing program Harding wants to go on to study medicine, hopefully somewhere here in B.C. If she can get into a university that has a soccer team there’s a good chance she will try and playout her last two years of eligibility, since she’s not ready to end her soccer career.

Katie Harding on the pitch. (Jared MacArthur/The Omega)

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Colombian students and faculty voice opinions on peace agreement Colombia voted to reject peace terms with its largest guerilla group – TRU community members from Colombia spoke to us about their views and what people should know about the conflict Martin McFarlane STAFF WRITER Ω Colombian members of the TRU community have plenty to say about the rejection of a peace agreement between the Colombian government and the country’s longest-standing rebel group.

The peace agreement was made in September between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a rebel group that formed in the mid-20th century. Started as a group of farmers demanding land reform, the group is notorious for its involvement with the drug trade and kidnapping for ransom.

The conflict between the rebels and government has killed more than 250,000 people, displaced six million, and, having lasted 52 years, is the longest ongoing conflict in Latin America.

The peace agreement is the result of four years of talks in Cuba between the government and FARC and a ceasefire has been in effect since Aug. 29.

The agreement was rejected by a razor-thin margin in a referendum on Oct. 2, with 50.2 per cent voting no and 49.8 per cent voting yes, a difference of 54,000 votes.

The vote had an alarmingly low turnout, with only 38 per cent of voters casting a ballot.

Paola Guzman and Maria Fernanda Bohorquez are fourth-year journalism students on exchange from Universidad de La Sabana near Bogota, Colombia’s capital.

Both of them support the peace agreement, but agree that it isn’t perfect.

“Both parties need to leave some things behind,” Bohorquez said, adding that while it is not fair that FARC members would have received lenient sentences for involvement with the conflict, it is the only way to achieve peace.

Guzman and Bohorquez’s friends have had family kidnapped and even killed as a result of the conflict.

On the topic of the peace deal’s financial component, Bohorquez said that giving the rebels 90 per cent of Colombia’s minimum salary is necessary in order to re-integrate them into society.

“It is unfair, because FARC is getting money while many people in Colombia are unemployed. But, at the same time, it’s the solution.

You’re not giving them millions of Colombian pesos, you are giving them the basics for them to survive and adapt to society,” Bohorquez said.

Adding to Bohorquez’s statement, Guzman said that giving FARC members a minimum salary is necessary because they are terrorists and will have criminal records.

“No one is going to hire them,” Guzman said.

When asked about the differences in voting among the country’s regions, Guzman and Bohorquez said that the “no” vote came primarily from regions that were

least affected by FARC, which were the urban centres. The rural areas, where most of the fighting has taken place, overwhelmingly voted to accept the deal.

Bohorquez said that many people voted no to ensure justice for the victims.

“You don’t have the power to vote for the victims. You can only vote for yourself,” she said.

Juan Manuel Cabrejo is a second-year journalism student who is originally from Bucaramanga near the Venezuelan border, but was raised in Calgary. Cabrejo does not support the peace agreement, believing that FARC’s commitments to cut their drug trade ties are just “words on paper.”

“I don’t think that they are willing to sacrifice millions of dollars that they receive to just have a place in government,” Cabrejo said.

Criticizing the way that the media has portrayed the “no” vote as voting against peace rather than the terms of the agreement, Cabrejo said that he is also disappointed by Colombia’s portrayal in media, citing the popularity of the Netflix series Narcos – the show centres around a Colombian drug kingpin active from the late ‘70s to the ‘90s.

“On Facebook I’ve seen people dressing as Pablo Escobar for Halloween. It’s kind of sad to see that,” Cabrejo said, adding that people should not be idolizing the drug lord.

Gloria Ramirez, an education faculty member at TRU who is also originally from Colombia, supports and campaigned on social media for the peace agreement. She said that the conflict is very complex because of social and political issues, not just in the country, but worldwide, mentioning the Cold War and rise of the drug trade.

When she was young, Ramirez remembers illegal paramilitary groups, who were set up by the country’s elite to fight FARC, coming to her town to collect payments from business owners in exchange for “protection.” She also recalls neighbours coming into town barefoot, fleeing the armed conflict that took place at their farms.

Ramirez also has had family members kidnapped by guerillas.

“It is not the perfect deal,” Ramirez said. “But it is the best we’ve had in 50 years.”

Explaining why she believes the “no” vote won, Ramirez said that there is a big fear that by giving FARC seats in congress, the government is giving them a platform to take over the country.

In reality, FARC will only receive 10 seats in congress, guaranteed for a decade. It equals just five per cent of the makeup of government.

“They are representing a voice.

They represented it in the wrong way, through their weapons, but we need to hear those voices,” Ramirez said.

“Any peace deal requires amnesty. How did Ireland sign a peace agreement with England? Of

Seized weapons intercepted by the Colombian National Police, as part of the ongoing conflict in Colombia between the government and the FARC rebel group. (Policía Nacional de los colombianos/Creative Commons)

Top: Paola Guzman and Maria Fernanda Bohorquez are journalism exchange students from Colombia. Both support the Colombian peace agreement. Bottom left: Gloria Ramirez, education faculty member, has personally experienced the Colombian conflict and supports the agreement. Bottom right: Juan Manuel Cabrejo, a journalism student born in Colombia, opposes the agreement, believing that rebels can't be trusted and would not give up the drug trade for seats in government. (Martin McFarlane/The Omega)

course there has to be components of amnesty.”

Ramirez hopes that the peace deal survives and doesn’t die as a result of the referendum.

Ramirez, Cabrejo, Bohorquez and Guzman all said that it should

be made clear that Colombia did not reject peace, but rather disagreed with the terms of the peace agreement.

The president of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, is currently in talks with FARC to amend the

agreement. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in recent weeks for his work in getting a peace agreement with FARC. Colombia has imposed a deadline of Oct. 31 for an agreement to be reached.

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OCTOBER 19, 2016

Seven horror flicks to see before Halloween this year Looking for a fright? We've got you covered with this list of recommendations Jonathan Malloy CONTRIBUTOR Ω People often look towards the classics when trying to get their October thrills: The Exorcist, Halloween, etc., taking ample opportunity away from many genuinely frightening and under-seen recent releases. These range from straight cut horror to films that blend genre in ingenious and unexpected ways leaving such a distinct uneasy feeling that they deserve your undeterred attention.

The House of the Devil (2009) The breakout hit from mumblecore actor/director Ti West, the film follows a young college student trying to earn some extra cash by looking after an older couple’s centennial mansion.

What starts out as a possible haunted house thriller morphs into a simmering, cult-infused survival tale seemingly picked out of the horror heyday of the ‘80s. A fact further embellished by its fuzzy 16mm camera work.

Sinister (2012) Starring Ethan Hawke as a true crime writer vying to make his next big hit, it boasts a killer monster with the unique ability to live in the photos (and film) in which it appears. Couple that with a plethora of creepy kids and a genuinely tense atmosphere you have one of the most well rounded horror films of the last five years.

Inside (2007) Hailing from France, Inside uses its minimalistic setting to

claustrophobic excess, continually ramping up what the audience is willing to watch. Following a simple premise, a pregnant woman is attacked in her home by another woman trying to steal her unborn baby, and twists it in every possible way with the end leaving you shaking in its unflinching brutality.

You're Next (2011) Shelved by its studio for several years after raving critic reviews, Adam Wingard’s film takes the home invasion trope and flips it around rewarding audiences with a badass heroine.

Sharni Vinson stars as one of the invited at a family’s wedding anniversary. Taking time to set up the different dynamics between each of the family members before indulging in a sadistic and enthralling fight for survival, it only gains favour with its synth heavy soundtrack keeping the film from feeling never less than 80’s cool.

Kill List (2011) One part family drama, hitman thriller, and satanic explosion, Kill List embodies a type of slow burn thriller that is rarely seen in modern horror. We follow former hitmen Jay and Gal who leave retirement for one last pay check. Leaving any jump scares at the door, director Ben Wheatley crafts tension so spine chillingly cold that the final few minutes will linger and possibly confuse (and I say that in the best way possible.)

Under the Skin (2014) Scarlett Johansson entrances as an extra-terrestrial come to lure men to their deaths. At

times feeling like a progression of 2001: A Space Odyssey, all the while crafting its own distinct aura, the most beautiful and heartbreaking film on this list often amazingly displaying the most defining horror characteristic used: humanity's cruelty.

Green Room (2016) The newest film on the list may also be the hardest one to consider as pure horror. A punk rock band is secluded in a

Film review: The Accountant Jonathan Malloy CONTRIBUTOR Ω Surprising in its performances and execution, Gavin O’Connor’s film acts as a killer origin to Ben Affleck’s titular autistic banker badass. While overly complicated in the stitching of its plot, the tight pace and hard hitting action allow for the film to really dig into the characters and scenarios while also allowing for moments of genuine gut busting comedy from the many outlandish scenarios presented.

We follow Affleck as a CPA accountant who is hired by shady organizations to “cook the books” for them and shuffle their illegitimate money into legal sources. Portrayed with a great understanding of the character and working twitches and quirks naturally into the performance, Affleck truly shines in the performance, giving a real sincerity to the character that may have come

across as trite and offending had it been a poorer actor. Supporting actors JK Simmons and Jon Bernthal also act as equally compelling characters, compelled by hidden agendas and unexpected ties each add to the convincing world crafted around them. Anna Kendrick also gives a sweet and endearing take at a potential love interest of the Accountant, who is given great material to work with in terms of developing her as more than a typical damsel in distress, unfortunately still seen all over films today.

O’Connor steps out from the shadow of this years misfire Jane Got A Gun by directing with a clean cut aesthetic that often transforms into a hard hitting assault whenever the action ramps up. The script takes its time setting up each of the characters and subplots. Each one seeming important as they interweave from the past to the present in a way that is concise, never acting too fast to lose the

audience with great editing by Richard Pearson.

The script does suffer from an overabundance of plot points that sometimes over complicate the actions of its characters. It is greatly appreciated to have a film trust its audience more than the standard “bad man vs. good guy” stale cookie cutter formula.

Some criticism has bubbled from the idea that it is insulting to have a man who is autistic be such a smart and strong anti-hero, that I feel is quite unwarranted. The film takes its time in showing the trouble the accountant has in his youth, bullied and unable to fully contain his emotions. I believe that the film deals with this in a genuine way that gives a credence and believability to his character. It is refreshing to see a major studio allow for such an out of the box decision that promotes greater diversity among the growing crop of boring action heroes and predictable stories.

neo-nazi compound and forced to fight for their lives. Yes, that is the completely rad story that sets up an epic fight that boils over in tiny fragment. Piercing segments of extreme body disfigurement and an overwhelming sense of unease compel its figure on this list. Also featuring one of the last performances of the late Anton Yelchin as he faces against grizzled Captain Picard stand as one of the best and most intense films of the year.

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Theatre review: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Jennifer Will ARTS EDITOR Ω TRU’s Actors Workshop Theatre started its school year season with the comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. It’s an unconventional show surrounding three middle-aged siblings, who have a love-hate relationship with each other. The play is directed

by Heidi Verwey, a TRU faculty member. Verwey did a great job pulling the show together in a classic, yet comical, manner.

The first 10 minutes of this production changed any expectations I may have had before walking into this show. The play was unafraid of making the audience question the sanity of these characters. Between morning coffee gone terribly wrong and psychic predictions, this production was hilarious and dug deep into the relationships of its characters and their mid-life crisis.

Sonia, played by third-year theatre major Shannon Cooper, is depressed and can often be found in a manic state. Sonia was adopted into the family at a young age and never quite felt like she belonged, and she is now left with this overall uncertainty of what to do with life and how to start living again. Cooper did an amazing job with this part as we find her portraying an array of emotions and can see the growth in her character from start to finish.

Vanya, played by Erik Stephany, a fourth-year theatre major, is in a similar situation. Although Vanya was born into the family he lives in their childhood home with Sonia and they both feel that they missed out on the chance to live life because they stayed home to take care of their parents.

Stephany portrays the character as falsely wise and gives a commendable performance for the role.

Masha, played by fourth-year psychology major Pamela Tulliani, has come back from her glamorous acting career with her new boyfriend Spike to visit her siblings. Masha did not stay to take care of her parents in their elderly age, but rather went off to pursue her dream of being an actress.

Now with a successful acting career and many failed marriages, she returns home with her much younger boyfriend Spike. Tulliani gave an exaggerated and dramatic performance that was quite fitting for the character.

This show toyed with an overall theme of the mediocrity that can often consume people’s life.

Which is especially prevalent in the three middle-aged siblings, as the characters repeatedly worry and wonder if their life is really over before they had a chance to live or maintain a healthy love life.

The other actors in this production were just as wonderful and often provided the most laughs.

With Berlin Msiska as Spike, Elizabeth King as Nina and Mariana Makulkina as Cassandra, this play came with variety and actors with serious potential.

The set was simple, well-made and put to good use in terms of staging and direction. My main complaint with this production is that they didn’t let me take the adorable dog Kiwi home with me.

You can catch the next round of performances for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike on Oct. 20 to Oct. 22. The show starts promptly at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $14.

The tickets can be purchased at the box office in Old Main or by calling 250-377-6100.

CFBX TOP 30 CFBX 92.5 FM Campus & Community Radio Kamloops, B.C. Music Director: Steve Marlow Charts to October 13, 2016 * indicates Canadian Content ** indicates a local artist 1) Tracy K* - What's the Rush? (Independent) 2) Twist* - Spectral (Buzz) 3) Hot Panda* - Bad Pop (Bandwagon) 4) Royal Canoe* - Something Got Lost Between Here and the Orbit (Nevado) 5) Ross Neilsen* - Elemental (Independent) 6) Coco Love Alcorn* - Wonderland (Independent) 7) Brian Blain* - New Folk Blues 2.0 (Independent) 8) JPNSGRLS* - Divorce (Light Organ) 9) The Peptides* - EP (Independent) 10) Bear Mountain* - Badu (Last Gang) 11) Tropic Harbour* - Glowing Eyes (Independent) 12) Spencer Murray and Pipeslinger* - Sound and Fury (Independent) 13) James “Buddy” Rogers* - By My Side (Independent) 14) Megan Bowman* - The Watchmen (Independent) 15) Sex with Strangers* - Discourse (Northern Light) 16) Samantha Robichaud* - Simplicity (Independent) 17) Tony Foster* - Project Paradiso (Independent) 18) Lauren Mann* - Dearestly (Wildwood) 19) The Archaics* - Soft Focus (Sweetie Pie) 20) Andino Suns* - Madera (Independent) 21) Ghostrain 3000** - The Longest Moment is Now (Bush Party) 22) Shirantha Beddage* - Momentum (Independent) 23) Hiroshima Hearts* - Bone Music (Independent) 24) The Handle* - Last Stop Scroadsville! (Independent) 25) Dzambo Agusevi Orchestra - Brass Like it Hot (ARC Music) 26) Communism* - Get Down Get Together (Zunior) 27) Crystal Castles* - Anxiety (I) (Last Gang) 28) Red Arms* - Let Every Nation Know (Yeah Right!)

29) Charlotte Day Wilson* - CDW (Independent) 30) Little Mike - How Long? (Elrob)

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COMICS & PUZZLES

10 Puzzle of the Week #6 — Kittens Kittens are so darling and so prone to disappearing. You have been busy trying to count them.

You know that four of them have black fur, four have grey fur, and three have white fur. Each kitten is of at least one of the three colours and maybe more.

One kitten is grey and white only.

One kitten is black, grey, and white.

If there is a kitten that is just of one colour, then there are two of them that are just that colour.

There are no kittens that are black and grey only.

How many kittens are there of each colour combination, and how many are there in total?

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 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/). Come visit the Math Centre (HL304): we are friendly.

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YOUR COMIC HERE WE’RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR STUDENT CARTOONISTS. WHY NOT GIVE IT A SHOT? EMAIL EDITOR@TRUOMEGA.CA

OCTOBER 19, 2016

SPORTS

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Plenty of action across all WolfPack teams last week Sean Brady EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω The WolfPack women’s soccer team has played its last road game of the season – something that must be a relief to a team that has last every road game it has played and scored just one goal away from home.

The team fell 6-0 in Edmonton against the University of Alberta Pandas on Sunday, Oct. 16. The women will play their final games at home next weekend against the University of Regina Cougars and the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

The ‘Pack’s game against the UNBC Timberwolves was snowed out and has not yet been rescheduled.

The men’s soccer team split its games on the weekend, winning the first on Saturday against the Trinity Western University Spartans, marking the first time in WolfPack history the men’s team has beat the Spartans. Ryan Glanville put two away for a 2-0 victory with assists from Mitchell Popadynetz and Colton Walker. Keeper Clay Harsany took hold of his fourth shutout of the year (and fourth of his career).

The team didn’t do so well against its Sunday game against the UFV Cascades, losing 2-0 and dropping out of third place in its division.

Next up for the ‘Pack men is the final weekend of regular season play. They’ll face the UVic Vikes in Victoria and the UBC Thunderbirds in Vancouver.

Women’s volleyball exhibition play continued last week, with the team winning two games and losing three in the West Coast Classic Tournament in Vancouver. The women dropped their first game against the TWU Spartans 3-0 in straight sets before bouncing back to defeat the Western University Mustangs three set to two. The next day the women faced two Alberta teams, the UAlberta Dinos and the MacEwan Griffins. They dropped both games 3-0 in straight sets.

On the final day of the tournament, the women faced the Ryerson University Rams and won three sets to one, going 2-3 for the tournament.

Next up for women’s volleyball is the team’s home and season opener.

They’ll be at the Tournament Capital Centre at 6 p.m. on Oct. 28.

In men’s volleyball exhibition play, the team went 1-2 over the weekend, facing three teams in Calgary, including the one they’ll open their season to next weekend, the University of Alberta Golden Bears.

The men dropped their first

Ryan Glanville came through in a big way for TRU, notching two goals last weekend. (TRU Athletics) game three sets to one, losing to the University of Calgary Dinos. They bounced back against the Queen’s University Gaels, however, and won that game three sets to one. Finally, they faced the Golden Bears and lost three sets to zero.

In exhibition basketball play, the women played one game, winning 51-44 against the MacEwan University Griffins at home. They’re

back in action on Friday, facing the Carleton University Ravens in Ottawa.

The men’s basketball team played two exhibition games in Kelowna, losing both. On Friday, the team fell 80-74 against MacEwan and on Saturday lost 79-71 against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. Next weekend, the men will start off on Saturday with a

match against the TWU Spartans at the TCC. In WolfPack baseball play, the team played a pair of doubleheaders against the Okanagan College Coyotes. In their first, they won the first game 10-3 and dropped the second 3-2. In their second on Sunday, they fell 5-4 and 7-6, losing both and taking their season record to 6-15-1.

MEN’S SOCCER 6–7–1

WOMEN’S SOCCER 1 – 10 – 0

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL* 2–2–0

Next game: Oct. 21, Victoria

Next game: Oct. 22, Hillside Stadium

Next game: Oct. 21, Ottawa

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL* 2–8–0

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL* 3–3–0 WINS, LOSSES, TIES

BASEBALL 6 – 15 – 1

WINS, LOSSES, TIES

Next game: Oct. 28, TCC

Next game: Oct. 28, TCC

Next game: Oct. 22, TBD

WINS, LOSSES, TIES

WINS, LOSSES, TIES

MEN’S BASKETBALL

WINS, LOSSES, TIES

Nov. 4 home opener

WINS, LOSSES, TIES

* DENOTES EXHIBITION REORD

THE OMEGA

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OCTOBER 19, 2016

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