March 15, 2017

THE COST OF LEARNING

WATCH CLOSELY

CULTURE EXPOSED

Poll results explore barriers to education

Film Festival reviews continue

IDays fashion show flashes culture

Poll: 76 per cent of people in Kamloops want the province to act on reducing tuition • Page 3

The Kamloops Film Fest wrapped on Saturday, want to know what you missed? • Pages 6-9

The show featured more than 100 models from 30 nations • Page 11

OMEGA Ω THE

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VOLUME 26

MARCH 15, 2017

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STORIES

FROM IDAYS STARTS PAGE 2

STROMBOTASTIC!

CRISIS ALERT!

UNDERSTANDING

IDays event explores global change

Future diplomats? Second Model UN held

Debunking Islamophobia

Panelists included Fabien Cousteau, Kim Katrin Milan and Tom Rand • Page 5

Students explore diplomacy and geopolitics in TRU's second Model UN • Page 2

TRUSU equity committee members present five myths about Islam • Page 4

NEWS

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MARCH 15, 2017

Visiting speaker talks gender images and sensationalism in fashion ads Diana Igumnova CONTRIBUTOR Ω There were quite a few guest speakers who attended TRU last week, and they all successfully marked International Days as well as International Women’s Day. Last week, Patricia Soley-Beltran welcomed everyone to her free workshops dedicated to topics of visual culture, aesthetics, genders and fashion advertisement. Soley-Beltran raised a variety of compelling issues in the context of visual culture.

She virtuously tackled issues of symbolic violence, fragmentation, gender roles in society and the way the modern generation is consuming products.

Soley-Beltran revealed some of the secrets of fashion and discussed topics of how genders play their role in advertisements in order to make a strong appeal.

Soley-Beltran worked in the fashion industry for six years, and after her modeling career, she explored fashion images using a scholarly approach.

“It was the need to understand my personal experience as a professional model that prompted my interest in fashion modeling as a cultural phenomenon. Starting at 17, I worked as a model and mannequin in advertising and fashion for about six years.

One of the experiences that struck me most during that time was the fascination I exerted over other people who, without knowing me, seemed mesmerized merely by my appearance.

As a young woman who valued herself for more than her looks, I became myself spellbound by their fascination,” Soley-Beltran said.

Soley-Beltran shared her personal life experience of modeling and vividly provided explanations of why women

tend to comply to ideals of female perfection. In her speech, Soley-Beltran also offered students an opportunity to analyze the iconography, aesthetics of fashion images and the way genders “act” or “appear” in the advertisement industry. Likewise, attendees could get an idea of modern consumerism.

Soley-Beltran is a sociologist, author, artist, and academic born in Barcelona with a focus on the sociology of gender and sexuality. She is a member of the research group History of Science Studies at University Pompeu Fabra, a founding member of the International Society for Cultural History, and an editorial board member of Critical Studies of Fashion and Beauty. She has graduated with her Masters of Arts in Cultural History from the University of Aberdeen and later got her Ph.D. in Sociology of Gender from the University of Edinburgh.

“Divine! Imaging Gender in Fashion Advertising” took place in the Irving K. Barber Centre on March 8. (Juan Cabrejo/The Omega)

TRU hosts its second Model United Nations TRU’s Model United Nations event gives students a chance to learn international politics and diplomacy Wade Tomko CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Ω TRU hosted its second annual Model United Nations last Friday.

Allowing students from TRU, as well as students from School District 73, to role-play UN delegates in a mock UN committee, the Model UN (MUN) was part of TRU’s wrap-up of IDays.

MUN not only gives students a chance to learn about diplomacy and politics, but other cultures and customs as well. Students who want to participate are given two weeks in advance to prepare.

Each team, which consists of up to two delegates, are asked to pick three countries they would like to represent, the event’s organizers then decide which team will get to role-play which country.

While MUN certainly has an aura of formality, as the assembly must motion every time to move on to a new topic or discussion, overall the event is supposed to be both fun and exciting.

“It’s fun to partake and see kind of what international politics are like,” said TRU student and Venezuelan delegate Nicholas Warner.

Warner was one of the few delegates present who had previously taken part in last year’s MUN. “Last year I was Iraq,” Warner said. “It actually went well for me, we covered topics such as ISIS and drone strikes. Being Iraq it seemed I was at the front and centre of everything last year.”

While last year’s topics included discussions on the morality of drones, terrorism and even the threat of a Donald Trump presidency, this year focussed

TRU’s second annual Model United Nations took place in the Irving K. Barber Centre last Friday. (Wade Tomko/The Omega)

on sustainable development and poverty. Delegates would have the chance to discuss solutions to urban poverty and slums in the morning, while discussing the South Sudan refugee crisis in the afternoon.

In total, the Model United Nations lasted eight hours, with delegates being provided breakfast, lunch, dinner and ample coffee. Much like the real world United Nations General Assembly, many delegates took the roles of their countries to heart and tried to imitate them as best as possible.

China and Russia frequently opposed every motion put forward by the United States, and likewise the United States did the same to both Russia and China. Though delegates often shot each other piercing glares of derision, it was all in good fun. While the topics themselves were quite serious, delegates still found time to joke with each other in between discussions.

Though the Model United Nations is in its second year, event organizer Casey Helgason admitted that for many of those

participating and hosting the event, this year’s MUN was a entirely new endeavor.

“This is the first time for many of us. It’s in its second year, but unfortunately the entire committee that ran it last year retired,” Helgason said. “We definitely had to start from the ground up, but we’re definitely happy with how much participation and enthusiasm we’ve had.”

With the addition of students from North Kamloops, South Kamloops, Sahali and St. Anne’s secondary schools, MUN allows high

school students to get a feel for the university environment, while teaching them about diplomacy and multiculturalism as well.

Two students from NorKam’s International Baccalaureate program, Stephanie Mosley and Jeevan Randhawa, played the role of Pakistan’s delegation team.

“I like how we go into depth on every topic we discuss,” Randhawa said. “In the Model United Nations we discuss topics that have real world applications, it’s fun to focus on things that actual diplomats would work on.”

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TRU law student files lawsuit against bloggers and Google Wade Tomko CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Ω Third-year TRU law student and reformed right-wing extremist Daniel Gallant recently filed a lawsuit against bloggers Arthur Topham and Monika Schaefer, as well as Google, Google Ideas and Google Blogger for defamation.

The lawsuit alleges that in March 2015, Topham published an article entitled “Zion’s Zombie Army: Neo-Zionist zealots attack RadicalPress.com” on his website that called Gallant a liar and an actor with a criminal plot that threatens the security of Canadian society.

In his article, Topham allegedly describes Gallant as a traitor who has joined forces with a “Zionist conspiracy” and called Gallant a traitor to the right-wing extremist movement and alleged that Gallant is currently connected to terrorism.

Gallant alleges that Topham said he is “Nazi-hunting” and intends to participate in illegal hacking against right-wing extremist networks and websites. Gallant also alleges that because of Topham’s article, other right-wing extremists have targeted him and the anti-radicalisation site Extreme Dialogue, on which Gallant appears.

A month after Topham’s article was published, holocaust denier Monika Schaefer commented on Topham’s article and affirmed that Gallant was controlled by “Jewish Zionist conspirators.”

The lawsuit, which alleges Schaefer to be in close contact with “violent Nazi skinheads,” claims that both Topham and Schaefer published and republished that Gallant had been manipulated by “Zionist monsters.”

In his lawsuit, Gallant also names Google Inc., Jigsaw (formerly known as Google Ideas), and Blogger as

defendants, claiming that Google continuously made the Radical Press website available to the public, even after Topham had been convicted to hate crimes flowing from the website in question.

On Nov. 12, 2015, Topham was convicted by a jury of wilfully promoting hatred against people of the Jewish religion, and recently lost a constitutional challenge to that conviction on Feb. 17. On Monday, March 13, Topham was given no jail time, but did receive a six-month conditional sentence that forbids him from posting online. He was also given a curfew and two years probation.

Gallant is seeking damages in an amount to be determined by the court, costs, damages for lost earnings and damages for loss of opportunity.

None of the allegations has been proven in court and the named defendants have not yet responded to the suit.

Daniel Gallant is a third-year TRU law student and plaintiff in a defamation suit against Arthur Topham, Monika Schaefer and others. (Ω FILE PHOTO)

TRUSU equity committee campaigns against Islamophobia Committee members break down five most prominent myths about Islam and Muslims Nada Alsalahi CONTRIBUTOR Ω On Tuesday March 7, the TRU Student Union Equity Committee invited students to join the debunking of Islamophobia discussion. The event took place on Student Street in Old Main and it ran from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Equity committee members broke down five Islamophobic myths and explored where they come from. Muslims are violent terrorists, Islam is intolerant of other religions, Islam oppresses women, all Muslims are the same and Muslims are the same as Arabs are all myths that were explored in the event.

Sierra Rae, TRUSU equity committee member and the women representative said, “We are debunking five common myths about Islamophobia and about the Muslim's faith, and trying to get the students to have a different perspective on that,” said Sierra Rae, a TRUSU equity committee member.

“It’s important because it’s so common in the media right now,

and people are seeing a lot of, and for Muslim and non-Muslim students they can see that they have that support,” Rae said.

Students showed interest in the event by asking and discussing the myths. Faloyo Adelanke Olamilekan, who is a Christian students at TRU, believes that such myths should never be associated with a religion.

“We have some terrorists in the world who might be Muslims, but it has nothing to do with the religion. We also have some Christian who are also terrorists because terrorism is a concept.

So, it shouldn’t be associated with Islam. What if a Christian became a terrorist? What do we call that?

It is a concept, and I think religion and terrorism should be separated to two different things, and we shouldn’t bring them together,” Olamilekan said.

TRU IDays is an annual celebration of its international community. Running March 7 to 10, this year’s events focuses on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“The importance of the international days is bringing everybody

TRU Students were engaged in asking and exploring where the myths about Islam come from. From left to right James-Dean Aleck and Dana Prymak. (Nada Alsalahi/The Omega)

together. We’ve got people from different countries from all over the world. I think it is part of the education because we have to take

the education beyond the classroom. In the sense that we have to learn from each other. We have to learn from other cultures, and

we have to learn about the way they do things different than ours and how to live together as one,” Olamilekan said.

Empower conference leaves those in attendance feeling inspired Event marked International Women's Day and featured visiting speaker Courtney Kirschbaum Nolan Chapman STAFF WRITER Ω On Wednesday March 8, the TRUSU Lean-In Leadership for Gender Equality Club hosted their EMPOWER International Women’s Day Conference at TRU’s Grand Hall in the Campus Activity Centre. The event explored health, wellness, gender equality and leadership. The Empower conference

provided the opportunity to shop local vendors, network with Wolfpack Athletes, students, business people and community organizations.

The keynote speaker for the conference was CEO Courtney Kirschbaum, an award-winning international speaker known for smart, insightful content and an engaging, frank manner in her talks. Kirschbaum is a TEDx speaker whose work can be seen in Fast Company, CIO and

Business News Daily Magazine.

“I was so inspired by the organizer – Emi Ohama’s idea for International Women’s Day; being about empowerment and unity between men and women. It has been so positive and people have felt comfortable and able to say what is on their mind – having an open dialogue,” Kirschbaum told The Omega.

“The presentations by the school students were mind blowing and out of this world.

Also, Steve’s presentation hit the right tone. He really brought the facts. He grounded his presentation with his knowledge on gender equality and composure.”

The presentations she refers to were by Steve S.J. Lee, a United Nations policy advocate and local high school students led by TRU’s own Madison Ellis, the TRUSU Lean In club executive director of its SD73 leadership project.

“Today was a really great experience. I spoke at the conference

myself and I got to watch the girls that I mentored speak as well.

They did such an outstanding job. Their presentation was so powerful,” Ellis said.

Madison said that having young women as a part of the conversation is so valuable when addressing gender inequality.

“I was blown away by all the speakers today. People attending have really enjoyed themselves.

You couldn’t really ask for a more successful event.”

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Strombo-hosted IDays panel talks global change Panelists include Fabien Cousteau, Kim Katrin and Tom Rand Nolan Chapman STAFF WRITER Ω “A Conversation on Global Change,” hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos, discussed the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with experts on clean energy, marine life, human rights and gender equality.

The March 7 IDays keynote explored the SDGs and how they will impact our global future. The other keynote speakers who joined Stroumboulopoulos on stage were Fabien Cousteau, an aquanaut, ocean conservationist and documentary filmmaker; Kim Katrin Milan, a writer, multidisciplinary artist, activist, consultant and educator; and Tom Rand, a Canadian climate change expert and clean technology venture capitalist.

As one of the major events of TRU’s International Days week-long celebration, the Conversation on Global Change addressed five SDGs. With the help of the audience members using an online voting/questioning system, the keynote panel discussed zero hunger, affordable and clean energy, reduced inequalities, life below water and partnership for the goals.

Cousteau spoke with The Omega to share his perspective from below the water. The grandson of Jacques-Yves Cousteau described a situation he witnessed earlier in his day when he ordered a drink with his lunch.

“I ordered an iced tea. It comes with a straw in it. I don’t ever use the straw. If the straw does not end up in a landfill, or recycling which hopefully it does, inevitably it goes into the waste system and out into the ocean,” Cousteau said.

“This is an issue because it is something simple that we can retrain ourselves to think about. We are in this consumer mentality, where

TOP: George Stroumboulopoulos hosted the IDays keynote panel.

RIGHT: Filmmaker Kim Katrin Milan talks global change at the March 8 IDays event.

Photos Juan Cabrejo/The Omega >> See more IDays photos on our website TRUOmega.ca.

when we say ‘throw away.’ There is no such thing as away. [Earth] is a closed loop system. If it is out-of-sight, it is in someone else’s backyard.”

“The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals can not exist in isolation. Nothing in isolation will be effective enough,” said Stroumboulopoulos in an interview with The Omega.

When asked what he would want people to take away from this event, Stroumboulopoulos said, “I think you need to look at what your reality is.

Not everyone is in the same situation.

Some people are more privileged than others.”

“I would prefer people to think responsibly and not just think about themselves. Everyone should do the little things until we get to a place where we can do big things,” Stroumboulopoulos said.

“Having an event like this is really important. We all learned from each other, that maybe change is incremental and we are still in the early stages of change.”

Poll looks at tuition costs as barrier to education Strategic Research: 76 per cent of people in Kamloops want the province to act on reducing tuition Wade Tomko CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Ω A poll conducted by Strategic Research in January reports that 76 per cent of people in Kamloops think that the province should act now to reduce the cost of post-secondary education.

The poll, an automated phone survey, reached out to the landline and cellular phones of 1,082 adults in the Thompson-Nicola region in January. It also found that 74 per cent of Kamloops residents think that the province of B.C. should invest more in post-secondary education.

The poll was sponsored by the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC (FPSE), who calculated that tuition has increased by 370 per cent since 2002.

FPSE president George Davison

said the poll was conducted as part of their Open the Doors campaign, which is meant to raise awareness about the underfunding of the post-secondary education system and the effect under-funding has on both faculty and students.

In addition to the survey conducted by Strategic Research in the Thompson-Nicola region, FPSE also conducted a telephone town hall on March 1 that contacted nearly 12,000 B.C. residents.

Results from that poll were similar, with many respondents raising concern over barriers to accessing post-secondary education. That poll also found that proximity to a post-secondary institution was an issue for over half of the respondents.

“Access is being cut off or being forced into larger towns,” Davison

said. “Meaning students have to move away from home, meaning living costs are higher, added to the tuitions costs which are already higher.”

Davison said that amongst increasing requirements for having a post-secondary degree in many industries, the cost of education keeps increasing. For many students, this makes obtaining a post-secondary education that much more difficult.

As the provincial election fast approaches, Davison believes that talking about the affordability of post-secondary education has become much more important.

“The Liberals response to underfunding has been to say, ‘Look we’ve put a lot of capital into buildings around the province,’” Davison said. “Buildings are nice, new facilities are nice, but they’re not giving institutions

enough money to hire staff to teach in them, to clean the floors, to turn on the lights. Institutions, especially the smaller ones, have suffered much in the last 15 years.”

A similar sentiment was echoed by TRU Faculty Association (TRUFA) president Tom Friedman, who also ran for the B.C. New Democratic Party in both 2009 and 2013.

“This is all geared towards the upcoming provincial election,” Friedman said. “We want the political parties to understand that post-secondary education should be a priority. It is not only important for individuals, who will no doubt benefit from a university education, but it strengthens our economy and our communities if we have educated people.”

TRUFA, a member of the FPSE, conducted their own survey on

campus as part of the Open the Doors campaign on January 31. In total, 150 TRU students completed that survey. Of those students, 97 per cent said that finances were currently an issue and 63 per cent said that they were going into debt to finance their education.

Making tuition more affordable in B.C. is something that should be a priority for all of the province’s political parties in the upcoming election, Friedman said.

He also stated that it is something more easily achieved than most people realize.

“To get back to that position we were in in 2002, it is a very small portion of the budget for the province,” Friedman said. “It is about a $100 million and the province currently has a surplus over $2 billion. It’s just a matter of where their priorities are at.”

KAMLOOPS FILM FESTIVAL

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MARCH 15, 2017

FILM FESTIVAL 2017 KAMLOOPS

EACH YEAR THE OMEGA REVIEWS THE FILMS OF THE KAMLOOPS FILM FEST. THE FESTIVAL CONCLUDED ON MARCH 11. PREVIOUS REVIEWS ARE AVAILABLE IN LAST WEEK'S ISSUE OR ONLINE.

20TH CENTURY WOMEN

IT'S ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD

reviewed by Jonathan Malloy

reviewed by Jonathan Malloy

C

entred on the influences a young man will have while growing up, Mike Mills’ newest film is astoundingly beautiful, richly cinematic, and an absolute joy to experience. The closing film of this years Kamloops Film Festival was a packed screening, but it didn’t take long before the audience was absolutely taken aback by what was on screen.

Following the young Jamie in 1979 Santa Barbara, he is taught by his mother and several other influential women in his life on certain areas that he develops a curious interest in. With such a simple premise, it opens up the focus to the incredible characters that Mills and his cast create, never stooping low enough for cliché, instead giving such interesting perspectives that they feel nothing less than completely genuine.

The humanity of the picture stems from the semi-biographic nature of the material. Mills crafted his world from memories of his mother

M

(something he would also do with his equally spectacular earlier film, Beginners). Along with hazy and meticulous cinematography from Sean Porter and a stunning soundtrack of 70’s gems, along with an original score by Roger Neill, the film becomes transformative.

Let the performances not be forgotten any more from the picture as they have been this awards season. Annette Bening as the mother Dorothea is nuanced in such a warm and understanding way that she invokes the sort of motherly kindness only relegated to your own mother. Written and acted with a precision and complete command of her performance, Bening would have outshone her fellow actors had it not been for their impressive breadth that allowed each to develop in meaningful, interesting directions.

A film as creative and intimate does not usually get the attention it deserves, but this should. This film is unique and deserves your attention.

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he latest film from Cannes favourite Xavier Dolan is a family drama with a fantastic cast and a quiet epic-ness that elevates its fairly mundane story.

Following Louis (Gaspard Ulliel) after he is given only a short amount of time left to live, he travels back home after a 12-year absence where he must try and find a way to tell them of his condition: what comes is an examination of family and guilt within the confines of one afternoon dinner.

Coming off of his dazzling film Mommy, Dolan and cinematographer André Turpin craft an intimate and claustrophobic experience that creates a truly filmic experience from the play it is based on. Taking place mainly in the house of the matriarch, the extreme close-ups and detail provided in each of the expressive performances create a truly unique experience that, coupled with the dizzying editing, is truly improved

by transferring the story to the film medium.

The performances all demand attention from the amazing cast that has the likes of Vincent Cassel, Marion Cotillard, Léa Seydoux and Nathalie Baye who all have their shot to really show how well they can act.

For the majority of the film that is what we get, very experienced actors doing as much acting as they possibly can as the film rarely delves into anything other than the immediate family interaction happening in front of the camera. While it does make for a lean experience, the few instances where the script and camera open up to reveal an outer factor on the characters provide the best and most interesting moments for the audience to soak up. While always presenting itself in an absorbing and almost fantastical way, the film itself is, unfortunately, shorthanded by its inconsequential script and extremely pinpointed trajectory.

MAUDIE

MOONLIGHT

reviewed by Jennifer Will

reviewed by Jennifer Will

audie is based on the true story of a woman with a physical disability, who is a person of simple wants, that just so happened to become a Canadian icon in the arts. Maudie is a painter who is not necessarily an aspiring artist, but rather a woman who finds relief of life’s trouble with her artwork.

Although she does have a visible physical disability, Maudie never lets it slow her down from taking the things she wants in life: independence, respect, a job, a husband, friends, a paintbrush and canvas. Yet she is treated like an incapable child by her family, which ultimately forces her to leave and find her independence.

Maudie, played by Sally Hawkins, finds a job as a live-in maid for the always grumpy and growling Everett, played by Ethan Hawke. Both Hawkins and Hawke give spectacular performances that are both realistic and genuine.

Maudie is not a love story, but rather a story of two unlikely friends that grow to respect and understand one another.

This movie captures the landscape of the small town of Digby, Nova Scotia in a picturesque and mundane way. The film often juxtaposes vibrant colours with jet blacks, making it extremely interesting visually. The framing of the film tells a story, and Maudie references that life is framed perfectly and you just find the beauty within it.

This film feels distinctly Canadian, but it’s a universal story of two hard-working people who have never had it particularly easy in life. The film deals with issues of negative bias towards people with a physical disability by showing Maudie’s capabilities, talents and overall determination for a better life.

Maudie was a visually stunning story, with great acting and a fantastic screenplay behind it.

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oonlight washes over you like a wave, it is quiet and powerful. It is a story of self-acceptance and discovery, depicting the struggle of accepting your own sexuality. Directed by Barry Jenkins, it follows young Chiron as he grows up in the Miami housing district.

The film follows Chiron through three stages of his life, as he goes from a young boy nicknamed Little (Alex R. Hibbert) to a teenager struggling with his sexuality and drug addict mother (Ashton Sanders) to a grown adult nicknamed Black who has moved to Atlanta (Trevante Rhodes).

In each stage of his life, Chiron is faced with the same problems of drug abuse and identity. In the first stage of his life, Little meets Juan (Mahershala Ali), a man who is no stranger to themes of pain in his own life but becomes a father figure for Little.

Although Juan is a drug dealer, the film uses these racial stereotypes and

genre tropes in order to break them.

Little understands that Juan does bad things in order to make a living, but is not a bad or scary person.

The cinematography by James Laxton is soft with a brilliant purple and blue hue that really shines in almost every single shot. The direction and screenplay by Jenkins is subtle and doesn’t take too morbid of a stance on the issues he is presenting to the audience. Jenkins often incorporates a strong sense of relatability in his characters.

Moonlight took home the Oscar for best picture, best adapted screenplay and best supporting actor. It was packed full of great performances, giving a new outlook on important issues of today. The film specifically looks at issues of sexuality, the negative impacts of masculinity and neglect in childhood.

This film is not only extremely important, it is so incredibly breathtaking.

KAMLOOPS FILM FESTIVAL

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THE SALESMAN

LAND OF MINE

reviewed by Juan Cabrejo

reviewed by Sean Brady

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sghar Farhadi’s The Salesman is this year’s Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and is his second win in the category preceded by A Separation, not to mention his awards at the Cannes Film Festival. There is no doubt his work has revolutionized new Iranian cinema.

The Salesman tells the story of Emad (Shahab Hosseini) and Rana (Taraneh Alidoosti), introduced as a middle-class couple forced to evacuate in the middle of the night when their Tehran apartment building appears to almost collapse due to the constant redevelopment of the city. Emad is a high school literature teacher who, along with Rana, star in a theatre production of Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller.

Rana, home alone in their new apartment, hears the intercom and buzzes the door assuming it’s her husband, only to realize it’s an intruder. Emad, later on in the evening, finds Rana struck in the head whilst in the shower. The cou-

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ple avoids telling the authorities, as Emad takes it personally and Rana is too embarrassed, simply wanting to forget the whole thing.

The film focuses on a serious moral dilemma , rather than revenge, for the remainder of the film. In all his efforts to punish the man who caused this pain on him, at the same time he faces emotional withdrawal from his wife.

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman represents the status of the relationship between the couple.

It is only at the very end when the parallels between Emad and Willy Loman become evident. They are both good people, but due to their choices, end up disappointing their loved ones.

Overall, the acting is stellar, the cinematography is moody and atmospheric, not to mention the symbolism is extremely effective. The film tends to feel a little downtempo at times, however, it does depict a real perspective of modern day Iran that remains true to Farhadi’s unique style.

L

and of Mine is set in postwar Denmark, during a time when German soldiers were forced to clear mines set by Nazi Germany along the Danish coast in anticipation of an invasion that ended up happening elsewhere.

The result was millions of mines that needed to be removed.

The film follows a group of about a dozen German soldiers commanded by Danish sergeant Carl Rasmussen, who teaches the soldiers to find and defuse mines and puts them to work. Each night, he also locks them in from the outside of their beach cabin, and tells them they know what would happen if they tried to escape.

But these soldiers aren’t men.

They’re boys. In the final throws of the Second World War, Hitler’s forces recruited all possible soldiers, including many who were mere teenagers, and these are the boys we see in the film.

The film is unapologetic in its depiction of the horrors of war, or rather post-war. Moreover, it is

unapologetic in its depiction of the attitudes present in post-war Denmark, or, one imagines, any post-war European country that was invaded or occupied. These boys are hated and largely treated as disposable and less than human – understandable given what Europe had just been through.

Rasmussen wants to hate the soldiers because of who they represented in the war, but can’t help but see them only as boys. It is this cognitive dissonance that makes the film work as well as it does. The acting performances are also stellar, and the setting of Danish coastal lands provides a beautiful, but devastatingly flawed and dangerous beauty.

A film like this, where any given character is prone to a sudden death in a minefield, could really crank up the anxiety levels – but Land of Mine doesn’t really do that. Instead, it balances this potential violence against tender and real human moments, and loads them with the effects of a very recent and horrific history.

ANGRY INDIAN GODDESSES

MEAN DREAMS

reviewed by Jennifer Will

reviewed by Diana Igumnova

ngry Indian Goddesses is directed and written by Pan Nalin, the film coins itself as being India’s first female buddy movie. The film follows seven women as they return home to Goa for their friend Freida’s (Sarah-Jane Dias) upcoming wedding. This surprise announcement strikes the need for an impromptu bachelorette party.

The seven women in this film come together as old friends from college. The group is diverse and seems to capture the modern society of India in a nutshell. Freida is a well-established photographer who is extremely independent and strong-willed. Su (Sandhya Mridul) is a working mom who is a businesswoman. Nargis (Tannishtha Chatterjee) is an activist, Joanna (Amrit Maghera) is an aspiring Bollywood actress, Pammy (Pavleen Gujral) is a housewife who at times appears more like a trophy wife, Mad (Anushka Manchanda) is a singer in Bollywood and Lakshmi (Rajshri Deshpande) is the house servant.

Although these women encompass different aspects of the society, they refuse to be defined by a title.

The film tries very hard to get rid of stereotypes regarding women in living India, while the women in this film are tired of trying to fit into the traditional women/ wife image. Angry Indian Goddesses touches on these misogynistic ideas that women are forced to deal with. All of the women portrayed in this film are strong, independent and ready to fight the oppression that so many others face.

The portrayal of this important message of equality is what Angry Indian Goddesses does best.

My main complaints coming out of this film was the pacing and its lack of focus. The film is fun at first, but drags on a bit when the fun leaves and anger takes its place. Yes, these women are rightfully angry about many things, but this film has way too many things going on at once. All of these things happening throughout the film make it lack focus, and at times hard to follow.

Overall, Angry Indian Goddesses was an okay film that didn’t take itself too seriously but had an important message to tell.

M

ean Dreams is not a just simple teenage movie that portrays screen chemistry or a luminous first love story. Instead, it is a thriller with compelling elements of courage, compassion, first love, help, making life-altering choices and survival.

When Casey (Sophie Nelisse) moves in with her father (the late Bill Paxton), a local police officer, their neighbour Jonas (Josh Wiggins), who works on his parent’s farm, falls in love and becomes compassionate with Casey.

The two countryside teenagers fall in love in a hopeless place far away from civilization. Instead of cell phones, their only communication tool is a set of walkie-talkies. When Casey’s abusive father finds out about the teenager’s relationship, he threatens Jonas and insists he stay away from Casey.

During the film Jonas develops a very strong personality by showing bravery as he fights for love, trying to rescue Casey from her abusive father.

Casey says, “I want to see the ocean one day.” In this case, the ocean is a symbolic concept, which is represented in Mean Dreams as Casey’s

will to be free and autonomous.

Director Nathan Morlando portrays it as a teenager’s intent to live in something pure, away from so-called “mean.”

As love and compassion are flourishing between the fifteen-year-olds, Jonas embarks on their escape by stealing a bag of money from Casey’s insane, corrupt cop father. How many life-altering choices will Casey and Jonas have to make in their hazardous trip? Mean Dreams certainly demonstrates us how desperate teenagers under risky circumstances are taught to take serious actions and even sometimes act as criminals in order to survive. The two soul mates profess their first “I love you” in a large verdant field, or rather, in the middle of nowhere as they try to survive the horrible ordeal.

Overall, Mean Dreams definitely has a strong and well-developed plot.

Director Nathan Morlando uses a variety of symbolic meanings and compelling subject matters that take place in real life situations; first love, compassion, making choices - all of these topics are contrasted with themes of abuse, greed, corruption and violation.

KAMLOOPS FILM FESTIVAL

8

PATERSON

VILLE-MARIE

reviewed by Jennifer Will

reviewed by Jonathan Malloy

P

aterson was directed and written by Jim Jarmusch and is about a man named Paterson who lives in Paterson, New Jersey. Paterson is a full-time bus driver and poet who gets inspired by the little things in life. Although he frequently writes poems, he does not particularly like to share them with others and keeps them hidden away in his “secret journal.”

Paterson lives a fairly mundane life with a firmly set routine that is hardly ever broken, though Paterson’s life is constantly spiced up by his wife Laura, who wants to be a baker and a famous country singer. Laura is full of life and constantly painting various items in their home (the shower curtains, the walls, her own clothes, etc.). She is very different from Paterson but the two balance each other out in a symbiotic way.

Paterson’s routine includes a nightly visit to a local bar for a beer at the end of the night. At this bar, he encounters the bartender and owner

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MARCH 15, 2017

Doc, played by Barry Shabaka Henley. Doc also seems stuck in his own ordinary routine and is plagued with the trivialities of everyday life. Doc and Paterson bond over the greats (poets, baseball players, musicians) that once lived in their city and have now moved on to bigger and better things.

Starring Adam Driver as Paterson himself, Driver gives a fantastic and compelling performance. Co-starring alongside him was Golshifteh Farahani as his wife Laura and Nellie as their quirky and mischievous dog Marvin.

This movie was meant to feel a little mundane and this occasionally made the pacing of the film a little slow as we went through a week-inthe-life. The editing of this film felt dated and often detracted from the scenes rather than adding flow to the story.

Paterson was a poetic, charming and fun film that was far too underrated.

O

ver-dramatic, tone-deaf and extremely self-serious, it is truly a shame how big a misfire this family drama ends up being. The second feature from Canadian director Guy Édoin centres on several stories in Ville-Marie (also known as downtown Montréal) from several people who work at the understaffed hospital to a movie set, but mainly focuses on the distant relationship between an actress and her gay son.

Each character is so directly focused on one or two aspects of their life that the audience is never shown any sort of development of them. The incremental changes that do happen within the script seem plotted from some soap opera, ruining any semblance of realism that the filmmakers were trying to achieve. This is in no part improved from the meandering sense of pace that follows the film.

The runtime of only 101 minutes

is compounded by its plodding camera movement that eschews any inventiveness that could spice up the proceedings by making almost each shot into a slow push in (Trust me, once you notice it, it becomes extremely repetitive.)

And yet the film is more of a disappointment to its actors than anyone else. Monica Bellucci puts up a layered and convincing portrayal of an actress who is plagued by the misdeeds of her past while her son, Alicia Schneider, is also good in the admittedly short amount of time he is given on screen. It is the odd amount of time given to the side characters of an ambulance driver and nurse that serve an analogous and completely unnecessary addition to the proceedings. The little plot that actually occurs between the characters doesn’t help the film from missing a large sense of relevance and attempt to be anything other than boring.

TONI ERDMANN

WEIRDOS

reviewed by Jonathan Malloy

reviewed by Kasahra Atkins

comedy of errors that roots itself with a strong dose of business politics, politeness, and cringe, Toni Erdmann is the tale of a father who attempts to reconnect with his busy daughter. Peter Simonischek and Sandra Hüller are Wini and Ines, respectively, a father and daughter who seem to be unable to find anything in common but are thrust together by Wini’s alternate personality of fake gross-teethed international businessman Toni Erdmann.

The film follows as Mr. Erdmann intrudes on his daughter’s attempt to secure business leads in Romania, eventually leading to situations as realistic as sitting in an actual board meeting to all-out, absurdist anything-goes spectacles. It is the odd pacing of very slow and realistic proceedings to bonkers moments that allow for some extremely funny moments, especially once things begin to line up near the end of the film, but never extend themselves further to overcome a looming sense of boredom. While the

performances overall seem realistic and convey a sense of understanding, it isn’t until those final bonkers moments where any catharsis is given (but dang if Hüller doesn’t give it her all then).

While I do appreciate the fact that the film is trying to tackle comedy within the confines of something relatively realistic, the runtime does become a serious issue. At almost three hours the middle portion of the film grinds to a halt. Any sense of momentum is stalled by Ines’ boardroom negotiations and attempt to move up in her company. It also never feels like the absurdity doesn’t truly get its fair amount in the film. For a film about awkward encounters (which it does have in spades), the actual comedy of the film is undercut by an overemphasis on the fairly straightforward and rudimentary business politics. Yet the film definitely still retains its own rhythm and voice which will help once the (bad) idea of an American remake finally starts to film.

W

eirdos was a delightful film set in Nova Scotia in the 1970s. Shot in black and white, it signifies times were different. The film features Dylan Authors as Kit, a boy who decided to hitchhike with his girlfriend Alice (Julia Sarah Stone) to live with his artistic mother.

The “spirit animal” character was interesting, named simply as “Not Andy Warhol.” While he was only visible to Kit, his purpose was not to tell Kit what to do, but to help him make up his own mind.

The character was supportive and comical throughout the film.

The film challenged many social issues including homosexuality and mental illness. It also touched on the Khmer Rouge. While these issues were pertinent to the story and was able to make people think about the impact they have, the film chose not to make the issues too dramatic. The way the film included these social issues into the

everyday lives of the characters made it relatable to anyone in the audience, regardless of sexual orientation or personal experiences.

The soundtrack in the film was delightful and appropriate. It was not distracting during the film, yet managed to make the scenes more enjoyable and stuck to the era the film was set in. Throughout the film, the audience had very little moments where there wasn't something going on, whether it be happening at the time, or more of an implied issue foreshadowing what will happen next. There were, however, some scenes that felt like they lasted slightly longer than they needed to, with the intention of putting more emphasis on the issues at hand.

Overall this film was able to pull you into the lives of the characters and experience what they are going through first hand. It was very enjoyable and I would recommend it.

FILM FESTIVAL 2017 KAMLOOPS

KAMLOOPS FILM FESTIVAL

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GRAND UNIFIED THEORY

I, DANIEL BLAKE

reviewed by Nada Alsalahi

reviewed by Sean Brady

I

f you are looking for a movie that will encourage you to think in a different way about your life and your position in this enormous universe, Grand Unified Theory is the one. Along with its excellent cinematography and set design, this film will make ask some big questions while enjoying it.

Even after leaving the theater, you won’t stop thinking about this movie and its bigger questions in particular.

This is what made watching this film a special experience for me, and for my friends who watched it as well.

Close from his home, the director/ writer/producer David Ray who is from Vancouver B.C decided to produce his film Grand Unified Theory.

The movie has a strong Vancouver connection which makes it special for those who live near Vancouver.

Albert (Scott Bellis) who is an astrophysics professor experience an un-

usual weekend with his four-member family. Strange things happened in this particular weekend that almost led to a family meltdown. At an unnamed university, Albert keep lecturing despite all the dilemmas going on with his family.

Therefore comes the questions about how work, universe, and human behaviors are all affected by each other.

Albert lectures were beautifully filmed, and that will take you to high level of engagement with deep concepts he is raising. And the dialogue between the family members is so natural which will remind you of your own life and your family discussions.

While his family is going through a typical growing issues, Albert can’t see his family as clear as he sees the universe. The Grand Unified theory will make you look at family, love, and life in a different way. Through sciences, the film make sense of the world in a way that is fun to watch.

I

f you are looking for a movie that will encourage you to think in a different way about your life and your position in this enormous universe, Grand Unified Theory is the one. Along with its excellent cinematography and set design, this film will make ask some big questions while enjoying it.

Even after leaving the theater, you won’t stop thinking about this movie and its bigger questions in particular.

This is what made watching this film a special experience for me, and for my friends who watched it as well.

Close from his home, the director/ writer/producer David Ray who is from Vancouver B.C decided to produce his film Grand Unified Theory.

The movie has a strong Vancouver connection which makes it special for those who live near Vancouver.

Albert (Scott Bellis) who is an astrophysics professor experience an un-

usual weekend with his four-member family. Strange things happened in this particular weekend that almost led to a family meltdown. At an unnamed university, Albert keep lecturing despite all the dilemmas going on with his family.

Therefore comes the questions about how work, universe, and human behaviors are all affected by each other.

Albert lectures were beautifully filmed, and that will take you to high level of engagement with deep concepts he is raising. And the dialogue between the family members is so natural which will remind you of your own life and your family discussions.

While his family is going through a typical growing issues, Albert can’t see his family as clear as he sees the universe. The Grand Unified theory will make you look at family, love, and life in a different way. Through sciences, the film make sense of the world in a way that is fun to watch.

Film about CFBX TOP 30 loss wins big TRU student wins 10th annual Kamloops Independent Short Short Film Fest Jennifer Will ARTS EDITOR Ω The 10th annual Kamloops Independent Short Short Film (KISS) Festival took place on March 5. Japneet Singh, a TRU student in the one-year MBA program, took home the first place prize.

Singh’s film 1920 Kamloops was just over three minutes long and starred Abijah Gupta, Mishika Gupta and Suraj Shah.

The short film follows a piano player coping with the loss of his wife through a reflection on their time spent together.

“It’s all about loss. It’s all about longing. It’s all about wanting something,” Singh said.

Singh says that KISS is the first film competition he has submitted his work to and that it was with the support of his friends that he decided to take the plunge.

“My friend Suraj Shah, he works at TRU World, he pushed me into it. He was like ‘go out submit a film or do something,’ because I have always been making content but I’ve never sent any of my stuff to competitions or film festivals. I just didn’t really think of it, because I just make stuff and next thing you know it’s on a website, not really going anywhere and not many people see it,” Singh said.

Singh got his bachelor’s degree in film in London and is now back at TRU learning about the business side of things.

“I tried going on my own and freelanced for awhile. I realized when you work for people, they pay you peanuts. So I thought hey, I want to run my own business and I got into MBA because it’s a good skillset to have. Also because it helps my mother sleep a lot more,” Singh said.

1920 Kamloops, much like Singh’s other projects, is inspired by his surroundings and the people involved in the creative process.

“It’s usually the space, it’s usually who I’m working with, it’s the face in front of the camera, it’s the way they react. For 1920, Abijah was playing the piano live, and he is one hell of a pianist. I’ve known friends who could play the piano, and then I met Abijah and I thought no one else could play it better,” Singh said.

Singh adds that filmmaking has changed his reality and the way that he looks at the world.

Through his love of film and making movies, he now sees the world through a much different lens.

“It’s like asking why do you like eating food or why do you enjoy a nice walk or why do you like music. I have been doing it for so long now that everything I see is all about the camera,” Singh said.

CFBX 92.5 FM Campus & Community Radio Kamloops, B.C. Music Director: Steve Marlow Charts to March 9, 2017 * indicates Canadian Content ** indicates a local artist

1) The Evaporators* - Ogopogo Punk (Mint) 2) Hands and Knees* - Count to a Million Pineapples (Independent) 3) Heat* - Overnight (The Hand) 4) Austra* - Future Politics (Domino) 5) Danny Michel* - Khleshnikov (Independent) 6) The xx - I See You (Young Turks) 7) The Fusionauts* - Mutant (Independent) 8) Dan Misha Goldman* - Champion of the Afterworld (Forward) 9) Ingrid and Christine Jensen* - Infinitude (Whirlwind) 10) Dawn Tyler Watson* - Jawbreaker! (Independent) 11) Louise Burns* - Young Mopes (Light Organ) 12) Carly Reirson* - Fantasy (Independent) 13) Boogie Patrol* - Alive (Independent) 14) Futurekids* - Like Like EP (Independent) 15) Japandroids* - Near to the Wild Heart of Life (Arts and Crafts) 16) Elephant Stone* - Ship of Fools (Burger) 17) Gord Downie* - Secret Path (Arts and Crafts) 18) Jeremy Kneeshaw** - The Jeremy Kneeshaw Album (Independent) 19) Daniel Terrence Robertson* - Death (Independent) 20) Marito Marques* - Na Eira (GMP) 21) Mile Me Deaf - Alien Age (Siluh) 22) Whoop-Szo* - Citizen's Ban(ne)d Radio (Out of Sound) 23) Naming the Twins* - Turn Styles (Independent) 24) Maya Rae* - Sapphire Birds (Cellar Live) 25) Beautiful Nothing* - Sleep Walk (Independent) 26) Tohpati Ethnomission - Mata Hati (Moonjune) 27) Diner Drugs* - Diner Drugs EP (Superbob) 28) Rose Cousins* - Natural Conclusion (Outside) 29) Misses Satchmo* - Is That All There Is (Bros) 30) Pacanomad* - Take it Slow (Independent)

COMICS & PUZZLES

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MARCH 15, 2017

C R O S S W O R D Ω Name:

Puzzle of the Week #19 — Siblings Susan has twice as many brothers as sisters. Her brother, Tom, has twice as many sisters as brothers. How many male siblings are there, and how many female siblings are there in Susan’s and Tom’s family?

The Nation Quiz

1

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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NEWS

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IDays showcase features over 100 models and 30 nations The fashion show is a mainstay for TRU's IDays, and it's only becoming more and more popular Teshu Agarwal CONTRIBUTOR Ω International Days came to a close last week on March 10. The evening was filled with performances and a fashion show that showcased ethnic wear nearly every continent. With more than 100 models, the show’s popularity has been rising over the years, according to one organizer. The lead on the organization of the fashion show was Teresa Wei, an international student advisor with TRU World.

Miranda Kennedy Smith, a business student at TRU, was born and raised in Canada. She walked the stage wearing an Afghan, the cultural garb of Afghanistan. This Afghan was bought in Pakistan by a student studying in Canada.

Smith has been involved with IDays since she joined university.

She worked with TRU World as a co-op student and worked on the organization of the fashion show as well. In her opinion, the fashion show has done a great job in bringing people from different cultures together. When students wear varied outfits, walk together and prepare for the show together, they have a chance to connect with each other, she said. Smith pointed

out how the show has helped people grow closer since a lot more Canadian students are now joining and are understanding different cultures better.

Manzil Thakkar, a TRU alumnus, drove from Chilliwack to Kamloops just to see the fashion show and to take part in what he called the “diversity fest.” His favourite thing was seeing all the outfits and being able to showcase his own culture. He walked the ramp wearing a handwoven chikankari kurta from Lucknow, India. The artisans can take up to several days to finish one piece of embroidered kurta. He walked the stage with Teshu Agarwal, who wore a Gujarati Bandhani saree.

This year is Canada’s 150th anniversary and to celebrate that, the show had a few models representing Canada. One of the models was Deb Cousineau, a TRU employee, who wore Montreal Canadiens Jersey and carried a hockey stick.

Another Canadian model was Gillian Perran, who dressed as a lumberjack.

The IDays fashion is accessible. Unlike a typical ramp walk, it has no restrictions on height, weight, costumes or anything else. Thus, it represents true diversity of not only TRU but Canada.

RIGHT: Miranda Kennedy Smith, a business student at TRU, wearing an Afghan, the cultural garb of Afghanistan. (Juan Cabrejo/The Omega) BELOW: Manzil Thakkar wearing a handwoven Chikankari Kurta from Lucknow, India, and Teshu Agarwal, wearing a Gujarati Bandhani saree.

(Juan Cabrejo/The Omega) >> See more IDays photos on our website TRUOmega.ca.

Multicultural Society hosts a cooking show

Cultural recipes from Thailand, Korea and Japan were taught and available for tasting Teshu Agarwal CONTRIBUTOR Ω Amongst the series of events under IDays, a cooking show was on display by the Kamloops Multicultural Society in the TRU Residence and Conference Centre on Thursday, March 9. The event featured three cuisines: Thai, Korean and Japanese.

Warunee Turner, who owns a local Thai restaurant, volunteered for the event. Ethnically dressed, Turner demonstrated the making of Meekrap, a famous crisp noodle-based Thai cuisine. This vegetarian dish is iconic of typical Thai food, being

sweet and sour yet spicy.

Next in line was Korean Japchae, made by Okgyo Woo. The translucent noodles in the dish give it its North American-ized nickname of glass noodle stir fry. It is considered a party food and is often consumed during festivities.

The event ended with Wendy Reddeman teaching the attendees the art of sushi-making, using only a few ingredients.

She used oboro (powdered shrimp) to make a classic sushi roll.

One of the attendees was awed

by Reddeman’s ease of sushi-making, to which she replied “Once you start rolling, it’s quite

simple. All you need is a little practice.”

She made sure to cut the roll into at least five sushi pieces since the number four in Japanese tradition is considered unlucky.

Once the demos were over, the pre-cooked food items were made available for tasting to attendees. An international student volunteer, Min Fu, liked the part where they cooked, but felt like the event could have been grander had there been more diverse foods. Fu is a tourism student and said the event inspired her to travel to Thailand and eat the local food in the country.

THE OMEGA

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MARCH 15, 2017

ELECTION POLLING: Wednesday, March 22nd, 8:00AM-8:00PM Thursday, March 23rd, 8:00AM-4:00PM in the TRUSU Lecture Hall The following members were nominated for election: President

LGBTQ Representative

• Mattias Eriksson | PA • Tatiana Gilbert | SAC

• Dale Drozda | SAC

Vice President Equity

• Inayat Ur-Rehman | SAC

• Caitlin Orteza | SAC

Women’s Representative

Vice President External

• Saprina Chandi | PA • Emiko Ohama | SAC

Visible Minorities’ Representative

• Zerubbabel Asress | PA • Cole Hickson | SAC

Campaigns Committee Representatives (2)

Vice President Internal • Janelle Lapointe | SAC

• Brandon Hayashi | SAC • Aanchal Mogla | SAC

Vice President Services

Entertainment Committee Representatives (2)

• Gagandeep Singh | SAC

• Richard Abankwa | SAC • Usra Gohar | SAC

Aboriginal Representative • James-Dean Aleck | SAC

Services Committee Representatives (2)

Graduate Students’ Representative

• Inderpreet Bains | SAC • Arjun Gill | SAC

• Emmanuel Daramola | SAC

International Students’ Representative • Simranjit Aulakh | SAC

Student Caucus Steering Committee Reps (2) • Mwansa Kaunda | SAC • Mico Miege-Moffat | SAC

Biographies and video statements available at trusu.ca The All Candidates Forum will take place on March 15, 2017 at 6:00 PM in the Students’ Union Building. Dinner will be provided.

If you have questions please contact the Electoral Committee at elections@trusu.ca

trusu.ca

/TRUStudentsUnion

@TRUSU15