March 7, 2018

Ω OMEGA

NEW ISSUE EVERY WEDNESDAY · WWW.TRUOMEGA.CA · @TRU_OMEGA · FB.ME/TRUOMEGA

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THE

T H O M P S O N R I V E R S U N I V E R S I T Y ' S I N D E P E N D E N T S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R

VOLUME 27 · ISSUE 21 · MARCH 7, 2018

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PANAMANIAN TEACHERS AT TRU

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TRU ALUMNI ADAPTS CLASSIC

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THE KAMLOOPS FILM FESTIVAL IS BACK!

TRU gets its first taste of inspirational TEDx series Cailyn Mocci ARTS EDITOR Ω Thompson Rivers University hosted their first ever TEDx talk on March 3 under the theme "growing through our truths". Audiences were treated to inspiring and emotional speeches from those in the community.

“We invite you to spark conversations with strangers and challenge your own notions and belief systems,” said

TEDxTRU chair Aanchal Mogla. “We invite you to come with a hungry mind and a growth mindset. Not just now and today, but in the days and months that follow.”

The afternoon’s talk gave deep personal perspectives on hard topics such as youth homelessness in Kamloops, learning to grow past an opinion of an individual, and the intense importance of solar energy even in a small community such as Kamloops.

The afternoon opened with an emotional speech by

Katherine McParland, the founder and manager of A Way Home Kamloops; a movement to help end youth homelessness. McParland shared stories about her personal struggle with the foster care system in Canada and aging out of the system into a life of homelessness.

See SPEAKERS Page 7

Katherine McParland spoke passionately on the subject of youth homelessness in Kamloops, a topic very near to her heart as she struggled with homlessness while young. (Justin Moore/Ω)

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NEWS

MARCH 7, 2018

Panamanian teachers showcase Freedom to Speak panel talk TRU's new ESL learning methods censorship and accessibility

Experts from both TRU and the community discussed matters surrounding intellectual freedom, the freedom of speech and more Jutsin Moore CONTRIBUTOR Ω TRU was host to a heated debate during the Freedom to Speak talk on Feb. 27 as part of the Freedom to Read week.

A small panel of lawyers, journalists and library workers expressed their thoughts on matters such as censorship, book bans and the role of accessibility of media while Judy Moore moderated in place of Shelley Joyce.

Panellists such as Mel Rothenburger were not afraid to speak to controversial issues, saying that we must embrace censorship and self-censorship within our society, as it is crucial to our democracy.

“On the one hand, intellectual freedom, freedom of speech, is essential to the operation of our democracy, but in fact if we had absolute freedom of speech, democracy would collapse,” Rothenburger said, as he started the discussion.

“In all circumstances there has to be some censorship about when we can have certain

conversations, and I think that’s an appropriate thing,” Lesra Martin added to Rothenburger’s point.

With much debate, conversation also shifted to what individuals have the right to access.

A number of panellists were in support of the easy access of any source material in locations such as libraries, no matter the contents of the published material.

“My library has something to offend everybody and that’s how it should be,” Spoke Brenda Mathenia, Librarian at TRU. Jeff McLaughlin added to this point, speaking about how the internet has been used to get around bans and censorship, referring back to his teaching in Austria when a student requested a censored publishing that McLaughlin quickly found online.

“Information is truly power, and it is the basis of which our democracy is built,” Mathenia added during the conversation.

The event ended with questions and comments from the audience, sparking more conversations as started by members of the community.

Teachers have been in Kamloops since January as part of an eight week program Juan Cabrejo PHOTOGRAPHER Ω

Teachers from Panama have been brought to TRU as part of an eight-week program to learn new English teaching methods and had the opportunity to showcase them through a poster session.

The session was held last Friday, focusing on engaging ways to teach students despite having limited resources, such as word games, songs, storytelling, or even acting.

The intention is for these teachers to adopt these ESL teaching methods and apply them in their

respective classrooms back home.

The teachers have been in Kamloops since January and have two weeks remaining in the course.

More than 5 thousand Panamanian teachers have been sent to English speaking countries around the world through a Panamanian Government program known as “Panamá Bilingüe,” and approximately 300 public schools in Panamá will be part of this English teaching reform.

Instructor Lori Burns was responsible for directing the core ESL course and has seen their improvement.

“They were really nervous when

they first got here, but I see them now and I say 'Wow',” she said. “The poster session was part of their class project; it’s just a way for them to interact with native English speakers.”

Before arriving to Kamloops, none of the teachers previously knew each other; nevertheless, there was a strong presence of community. They were all very approachable and willing to share about their home regions and pride for their classrooms.

A public vote was placed to add a sense of competition and determine the favourite poster booth. The winner would win a prize all in good fun.

The session, which was held last Friday, focused on engaging ways to teach students despite having limited resources. Such methods included word games, songs, storytelling and even acting. (Juan Cabrejo/ The Omega)

Happy Chinese New Year!

Photos by Juan Cabrejo

After last Friday's 2018 TRU Singing Competition, fireworks were set off to celebrate the Chinese New Year and the competition's final contest. This year is the year of the dog in the Chinese calender. (Juan Cabrejo/The Omega)

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NEWS

Students encouraged to weigh LETTER TO THE EDITOR in on electoral reform debate Re: When will Hillside Dr. North be improved?

Fair Vote comes to TRU in attempt to advocate proportional representation Morgan Hunter CONTRIBUTOR Ω Fair Vote Kamloops will be running bi-weekly information sessions at TRU starting March 8. Fair Vote is an organization that is pushing for a referendum towards a proportional representational system. The organization advocates that the votes accumulated towards a seat on the senate should only represent the number of people voted for them. Their main example is 2015 federal election, where they believe that 39 per cent of the votes should have only represented 39 per cent of the seats in the senate in Canada.

Gisela Ruckert, spokesperson for Fair Vote Kamloops, believes that proportional representation more fairly represents demographics in B.C. than the current first-past-the-post system “I was advocating for environmental policies and was starting to take polls in how the public was voting and I saw that the public was voting for changes to support the environment,” she said.

“However, in the first-past-thepost system, they weren’t being represented.”

More specifically, Ruckert thinks that the proportional representation system could do a lot of good for students, a group that is often underrepresented in government.

“TRU students are a perfect

example of a group that is affected by the government, that isn’t represented by the government,” Ruckert said. “So students that feel the school is underfunded would want things such as lower tuition fees, they will most likely be ignored by their current MLA, someone who will only show loyalty towards the voters that put them there.”

However, Fair Vote isn’t the only group in Kamloops who has a vested interest in the electoral system debate, says Ruckert. The no side, which is a loose group of lobbyists and politicians, is currently working to make sure the first-past-the-post system stays.

“One of our biggest opponents is the no side, who claim that proportional representation would lead to the public electing extremists who would do more harm than good, as well that reforming the electoral system in Canada would prove too complicated,” Ruckert said. “The no side is headed by lobbyists and career politicians and they obviously have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.”

However, according J. Peter Venton, an economist from the University of Western Ontario, the largest problem with the current electoral system is non-voters. A problem that would no doubt still exist under proportional representation.

“At the federal level, 40 per cent of the electorate have neglected

their duty and responsibility to their fellow Canadians to vote in elections,” Venton said. “The percentage of non-voters in elections to provincial legislatures and local councils is much higher; this is more serious because provincial and local governments account for 60 per cent of government sector expenditure benefits – substantially more than the federal government’s 40 per cent share.”

Despite resistance to proportional representation, Fair Vote is determined to make sure MPs are accountable to all voters, and calls on all federal parties to do so.

“To determine the best model of Proportional Representation for Canada, while respecting the need for all MPs to face the voters and be accountable to voters, we call on federal parties to commit to conducting a multi-partisan process involving citizen and expert consultation to determine the best model and implementing the model in time to Make Every Vote Count in the 2019 election”, Fair Vote’s mission statement reads.

For any questions on Fair Vote Kamloops and proportional representation, the organization is running a bi-weekly information sessions in the TRUSU Boardroom (north end of Campus Activity Centre) starting March 8 at 7 p.m.

You can also visit their website at http://www.fairvote.ca/.

For those of us who are senior students, Hillside Drive North, the road behind TRU, was a welcome and eagerly anticipated addition.

Especially now with affordable and daily parking slowly disappearing, most students are choosing to park in lot N. But it's time for improvement on Hillside Drive North, not just for convenience, but for safety.

The lack of a left turn at Hillside Drive North and University Drive North is very discouraging, so much so that it is common practice to drive a little further to Bunker Road and pull a U-turn.

I was one of six cars on a Friday morning pulling a U-turn out of seven cars that drove up the hill.

But more than that, once we had all turned into the University, another car stopped half way up

Ω

Publisher and Board

Editorial Staff

Cariboo Student Newspaper Society TRU Campus, Old Main, OM2691 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 0C8 Phone: 250-828-5069 Advertising inquiries: www.truomega.ca/advertise or email accounts@truomega.ca

Editor-in-Chief Wade Tomko

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF INDUSTRY REP FACULTY REP STUDENT REP STUDENT REP STUDENT REP

Wade Tomko Christopher Foulds Charles Hays Jennifer Will Siddhesh Rajam Vacant

Letters Policy

Literary and visual submissions are welcomed. All submissions are subject to editing for brevity, taste and legality. The Omega will attempt to publish each letter received, barring time and space constraints. The editor will take care not to change the intention or tone of submissions, but will not publish material deemed to exhibit sexism, racism or homophobia. Letters for publication must include the writer’s name (for publication) and contact details (not for publication). The Omega reserves the right not to publish any letter or submitted material.

Opinions expressed in any section with an “Opinion” label do not represent those of The Omega, the Cariboo Student Newspaper Society, its Board of Directors or its staff. Opinions belong only to those who have signed them.

News Editor Jennifer Will

Arts Editor Cailyn Mocci

Sports Editor Alvin Mutandiro

Photographer Juan Cabrejo

Distribution Jonathan Malloy

Contribuors Justin Moore Teshu Agarwal Farrah Johnson Morgan Hunter Kasahra Atkins Alina Kalinichenko

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Kasahra Atkins Concerned Student

Hillside Drive North is the easiest route to both the North Shore and downtown Kamloops from the university. (Wade Tomko/The Omega)

THE OMEGA STUDENT NEWSPAPER • PUBLISHED SINCE NOVEMBER 27,1991

Publishing Board

the hill and crossed traffic to turn into the oncoming lane and drive up the left side of the road past the barrier.

I would love to gain the extra five minutes a left turning lane would provide, but more importantly, I don't want to see any fellow students get ticketed or worse, injured, trying to make it to class.

It's been long enough. When will we see the much needed improvement on Hillside Drive North?

f instagr.am/truomega Õ www.TRUOmega.ca

All material in this publication is copyright The Omega except where otherwise noted and may not be reproduced without the expressed consent of the publisher.

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WRITE FOR US! We’re always looking for contributors.

If you’re interested in writing for us, make sure you check out our contributor guidelines found at:

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If you’re ready to get started, just email one of our section editors and pitch your story: News: news@truomega.ca Arts: arts@truomega.ca Sports: sports@truomega.ca Or write the editor at: editor@truomega.ca

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MARCH 7, 2018

NEWS

TRU's Aboriginal Awareness Week celebrates culture and sustainability From fashion to food, events across campus encouraged celebration of Indigenous culture Teshu Agarwal CONTRIBUTOR Ω

Chili and Bannock by Elder Doreen Kenoras & ESTR students:

Part of Aboriginal Awarenes Week was a bannock bake-off event. Following the bake-off, Elder Doreen Kenoras partnered with Education and Skills Training (ESTR) students to cook and vend chili and bannock on campus for two days.

Bannock is a traditional staple of Aboriginal people in Canada, but students of all ethnicities flocked to the second floor of Old Main to the ESTR market during lunch hours to get their plate of chili and bannock cooked by Elder Doreen.

Doreen was born and raised on the Adams Lake Indian Band reserve – one of 17 bands that are part of the Secwepemc Nation.

She is one of the elders of the community and TRU. This event marked the third year of this partnership. Leanne Mihalicz, ESTR instructor, said that with each year this event has grown in its reach and size.

Misty Antoine, of TRU's Aboriginal department, organized the operation of the events.

“I truly enjoy partnering with ESTR and working with the students,” Antoine said.

Fashion Show:

TRU’s very first Aboriginal fashion show was held this year on Feb. 28. Local BC designers Jill Setah, Dinah Guichon and Ashley Michel showcased Aboriginal fashion. Donations collected at the show were forwarded to the cause of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).

The event was organized by Kristen Johnny, a masters student and an Aboriginal mentor at TRU. “TRU is one of the very few universities that does a celebration for its Aboriginal people and that makes me happy,” Johnny said.

One of the fashion designers, Jill Setah, recently showcased her clothes at International Paris fashion show. Having done shows all over Canada, she was excited to be at TRU. Setah’s attempt was to create clothes that not just First Nations people, but everyone can wear.

Speaking specifically about cultural appropriation, Setah believes there are respectful ways in which you can wear another culture’s clothing.

“I don’t have a problem with non-First Nations people wearing my clothes as long as they conduct themselves in a good manner,” Setah said. “I would love to see actors and singers wearing my clothes. As long as people are not wearing it on Halloween, I

don’t have a problem.”

Setah’s fashion line drew inspiration from Michelle Obama.

Setah called her “sexy and classy”.

She designed them based on Haida designs. Indigenous clothes make Setah feel proud of her heritage.

“Our people have come such a long way. My parents were in residential schools. Connecting to our culture and language is very essential to me,” she said. “Our language is becoming extinct so it’s very important for me to preserve it and pass it on to my children.”

Following the show, Chief Joe Alphonse of the Tl’etinqox (Alexis Creek) people spoke of what reconciliation means to the Tŝilhqot’in (Chilcotin) Nation.

Alphonse is an active promoter of Indigenous rights.

In an exclusive interview with Omega he expressed that “the government always has had an attitude of denial which is disrespectful. By changing policies and recognizing our rights, they’re showing respects.”

Apart from Aboriginal Awareness Week, Alphonse didn’t seem satisfied with TRU’s efforts to embrace Aboriginal culture.

However, he still showed pride in the Aboriginal students at TRU. “This generation of our people are real warriors,” Alphonse said.

“They’re flaunting their culture.”

Jill Setah's daughter Samantha Weatherbee walks down the runway in clothes that her mother designed for her. (Vlad Parra/The Omega)

Speaker Elder Ed Jensen:

Elder Ed Jensen spoke at TRU about sustainability, and Tk’emlups Land, Water and Resources. The Aboriginal community has had a long history of exercising sustainable practices.

“We’re survivors. We got through chicken pox and everything,” Jensen said. “It’s a result of the thousands of years of respect to the land and what’s under and over it.”

The knowledge of preserving nature is passed on through generations. Jensen, who is named after his

grandfather, received his knowledge from his grandfather.

The biggest problem about sustainability today, according to Jensen, is the economy. In Jensen’s views, people care more about making money rather than thinking about nature. Consequently, people cut down trees, kill more fish and engage in the fur trade for their profits.

Personally, Jensen said that he has not harvested salmon for the past two years as it will negatively impact the environment.

Aboriginal students share a tradition that spans generations TRU community invited to learn the game of lehal during Aboriginal Awareness Week Kasahra Atkins CONTRIBUTOR Ω

Students from across TRU were invited to participate in last week's Lehal games. (Kasahra Atkins/The Omega)

On Friday March 2, teacher Justin Prairie Chicken invited TRU students to partake in the Aboriginal game of lehal as part of Aboriginal Awareness Week.

There was a handful of students in attendance from different bands and cultures. The game included guessing and music.

Songs from all nationalities were welcome.

The game of lehal is known across various bands in Canada, all with varying hand signals and names. Justin Prairie Chicken recalls learning about the game from his grandfather.

“He told me that this game came from mother Earth. It was Coyote who got the game and gave it to the people,” Prairie Chicken said.

The game starts with two teams, each playing their drum and singing. Ten sticks are in the middle, five blue and five red.

There are two sets of blocks, that traditionally would have been

bones, one clear and one with a black strip. The game itself involved chance and guessing, while one team holds the bones in their hands, the other team has to guess which hand has the clear bone in it.

It wasn’t long before everyone was laughing and following along with the music. Justin Prairie Chicken explained that the game has been played for a long time and for various occasions. In this game the students played with five sticks per side while at a funeral, or celebration or anything involving a ceremony, the game is played with six sticks per side. The game ends when one side has all the sticks, acquired when the other team makes a guessing mistake.

The game ended with a win on the opposing team and everyone began to share stories about the game and family. There was sharing of music from different bands and people. The event was enjoyable and informative, with all participants learning a new game or improving on their existing skills.

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NEWS

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TRU law students do pro bono work

Students given real-world legal experience by serving community Jennifer Will NEWS EDITOR Ω Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC) is a national pro bono organization that connects law students with volunteer opportunities to enhance their legal skills and provide a service for their community.

In Sept. of 2017, TRU officially launched its chapter of the organization making it one of 22 universities in Canada to join the initiative.

Student volunteers have the opportunity to be apart of projects that cover public legal education, legal research, client intake and document assistance, internships, and advocacy.

Jeneya Clark, a first-year law student who is currently volunteering with the MS Society, says she wanted to get involved because it was a good way to take what she was learning in class and put it into practice.

“I knew I would be learning a lot in the classroom and I really wanted to see how I would be able to bring that into the real world,” Clark said.

Judith Acevedo, a second-year law student who is also working with the MS Society, said she was interested in getting involved because of the volunteer aspect.

“I think it’s important to give back to the community. As law students we have the capacity to do that in a legal capacity and I

really felt that that was important,” Acevedo said.

Acevedo says that in a typical day volunteering with the MS Society they are given clients and they help the client to appeal the application benefits packages that they have sent in.

“What typically happens is you are either in the role of talking with the clients and going over their symptoms in detail or you’re the one writing all of the information down for them,” Acevedo said.

Clark says that the clients she assists are very grateful for the help and that it means a lot to them.

“For us it might seem like a simple task to go through these forms and do the interviews and to help them. For them, because of the debilitating factors of their disease, it is such a hard task,” Clark said.

“I think in so many different ways it's been an eye-opening experience for me,” Clark said. “My mom had been in a car accident, so she had to go through a lot of these forms.”

Along with being able to help others in the community, Clark ads that they learned a lot of valuable skills such as interview techniques, how to create the legal forms and people skills.

“I think it’s an amazing experience in a lot of different ways,” Clark said.

For more information or to learn how to get involved you can visit PBSC’s website https://www. probonostudents.ca.

How to prepare for the graduation aftermath

Seeking out professionals in your field can help you manage post-grad stress Jennifer Will NEWS EDITOR Ω In the movies, graduating for university seems like a glamorous affair. The film’s protagonist almost always has a great job lined up and things like the cost and stress of finding that dream job, moving to a new city, being on your own and finding an apartment are rarely discussed. In reality, post-grad life can be a really stressful time for many students who are trying to navigate a professional life for the first time.

Larry Iles, a senior faculty member for TRU’s Career Education Department, says that with graduation only a few months away, try and seek out professionals in your prospective career.

“The best advice right now is, wherever possible, try to talk to a real person in your career choice.

That’s always the first step,” Iles said.

Speaking with professionals who are working within the career path you might want to go is not only a

networking opportunity, but also a way to get good and honest advice about the job.

“Say for example, someone wanted to be a career counselor they could reach out to me and invite me for a coffee. They’re not asking me for a job, they’re asking me about the courses I took, how I got this job, things I would have done different that would have made my career progress quicker,” Iles said.

Iles says that talking with professionals in your field also makes writing resumes, cover letters and answering interview questions a lot easier because that application package is then grounded in fact.

“That’s the problem with new grads, we don’t know what’s going on in the industries we want to move into,” Iles said.

Around this time of year, there are lots of job fairs and info sessions being held on campus, which can be a good place to start if you don’t know which direction you’d like to take your career, or to network or even to get some experience while you are still in school.

Attending job fairs is a great way to network and connect with others in the industry. (Bart Cummings/TRU) For students who are overwhelmed or maybe just not sure how to get started on their post-grad life, seeking help from resources on campus can be a good solution.

“We work extensively with students on just those questions: now what, what do I want to be, what are my next steps,” Iles said. “I

work with thousands of employers all year and organizations.”

Iles adds that one of the most important tips he gives to students is that just a degree isn’t good enough anymore.

“We really encourage students prior to graduation, that they don’t just want to graduate with their degree and nothing else,” Iles

said. “It’s not what they learned in school, it’s what they did with what they learned while in school.”

So, even though you are battling your way through the end of the semester and anticipating the dreaded what are your plans question from all of your aunts and uncles, just take things one step at a time.

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MARCH 7, 2018

ARTS

SHUT UP & SAY SOMETHING

ENTANGLEMENT

RAVENOUS

THE BREADWINNER

Q&A

Q&A

DARKFEST

OPENING NIGHT FILM

THURS MAR 1 • 7PM

FRI MAR 2 • 6PM

TULIPANI

TOMATO RED

FRI MAR 2 • 9PM

SAT MAR 3 • 12PM

WOLFCOP

ANOTHER WOLFCOP

MARCH 1–10, 2018

Q&A

$5

DARKFEST

DARKFEST

SAT MAR 3 • 2PM

SAT MAR 3 • 6PM

SAT MAR 3 • 9PM

SAT MAR 3 • 11PM

HAPPY END

A FANTASTIC WOMAN

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

kissfest.ca SUN MAR 4 • 12PM

SUN MAR 4 • 2PM

THE INSULT

DIM THE FLUORESCENTS

MON MAR 5 • 6PM

MON MAR 5 • 9PM

THELMA

THE PARTY

BREWING DISCUSSION

STEEPING DISCUSSION

TUES MAR 6 • 6PM

TUES MAR 6 • 9PM

WEDS MAR 7 • 6PM

WEDS MAR 7 • 9PM

IN THE FADE

THE DIVINE ORDER

MEDITATION PARK

LOVELESS

THURS MAR 8 • 6PM

THURS MAR 8 • 9PM

FRI MAR 9 • 7PM

FRI MAR 9 • 9PM

FILMSTARSDON’TDIEINLIVERPOOL

ADVENTURES IN PUBLIC SCHOOL

INDIAN HORSE Q&A

KAMLOOPS FILM FESTIVAL CLOSING PARTY

CLOSING NIGHT FILM

WINEING DISCUSSION

SAT MAR 10 • 12PM

2018

SAT MAR 10 • 3PM

a t t he

SAT MAR 10 • 6PM

SAT MARCH 10 • 9PM

p a ra m o u n t t h e a t r e

T N E D U kamloopsfi l m fest. ca ST * S T E K TSIOCVER 10 DA YS!

22 FILM

$5 PINT/$12 JUG OF BEER & 25% OFF ONE APPETIZER PER PERSON WITH KFF TICKET STUB

*$5 student tickets are available at Moviemart (376 St. Paul Street) and online up to 1.5 hours before every screening, and the Paramount Theatre (503 Victoria Street) 45 minutes before each screening. Fees apply when purchasing tickets online or at Moviemart. A Kamloops Film Society Membership is included in the TRU UPASS.

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ARTS

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Speakers discussed a variety of topics from youth homelessness to racism CONTINUED (COVER) “Foster care taught me how to be homeless,” McParland shared bluntly.

Her own experience was a stepping stone in creating an initiative that has helped hundreds of youth in Canada, the United States and Scotland.

“Our team focuses on helping young people transcend homelessness,” McParland said.

Master of education graduate student Yasir Ali Khan, who hails from Pakistan, spoke openly and positively about a rather racist incident that ended in a far more upbeat manner than one would expect.

In his talk How to Get Along with Anyone, Khan spoke on the importance of listening and the

power of empathy.

TRU professor of geography and environment Dr. Michael Mehta spoke enthusiastically on the work Kamloops and TRU is doing in the field of solar energy; speaking proudly of the solar compass located outside the Arts and Education building on campus, known as Canada's first solar walkway.

“We have so much potential to use this energy, yet Canada is still building pipelines,” Mehta said.

The afternoon was insightful and powerful. TEDxTRU gave the audience the faith that even in a small community like Kamloops, there are always ways for the community to grow and better itself.

Michael Mehta spoke to the Kamloops community on the potential of using solar energy. (Justin Moore/Ω)

TRU alumni adapts classic horror tale for new audience

Chimera Theatre opens their doors to local adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Cailyn Mocci ARTS EDITOR Ω

The Creature (Brendan Law) embraces his dying lover, the Female Creature (Karra Brotherton), in this scene of Frankenstein. (Emily-May Photography)

Chimera Theatre opened their adaptation of the classic tale of Frankenstein, originally written

by Mary Shelley. The adaptation was the brainchild of Thompson Rivers University alumni, Andrew G. Cooper.

The production showcased the talent of many current TRU students as well as notable TRU theatre alumni. Current students include Karra Brotherton (Justine Moritz), Laine Gilles (Elizabeth Lavenza) and Brendan Law (The Creature). Among the alumni, the audience was entertained by Brooke Ballam (Henry Clerval), and Taran Waterous (Victor Frankenstein).

Chimera Theatre’s production of Frankenstein opened their first show on Wednesday, Feb. 28 with a few rocky lines and choreography,

but nothing that another show wouldn’t fix. It was clear how much time and energy went into practice, character development and the overall set.

Cooper stressed during the aftershow Q&A, that these actors are semi professionals who are balancing the craft of theatre on top of full time work and school.

During the Q&A, the audience was invited to ask all the questions they had from watching the opening night’s show.

Cooper explained that on top of a list of reasons why to choose this production to be adapted for the Kamloops stage, 2018 is the 200th year anniversary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

“I really like looking at the darker side of humanity,” he said.

Cooper said that he took the classic tale of Frankenstein and altered the story and characters to best fit with the 21st century audience in North America.

“You always have to balance sticking to the classic and making it good for today’s audience,” Cooper said.

Noticeable changes can be seen in the character of Justine Moritz. Cooper explained that the conception of this adaptation took place during the height of the #MeToo movement and he focused his energy on depicting Mortiz’s relationship with men in power as an ode to the movements and stories of today.

Cooper aimed to keep the general theme of scientific recklessness and later explained in the Q&A that these ideas are still relevant in today’s social sphere with the rise of artificial intelligence and climate change.

Chimera Theatre’s rendition of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a chilling look at the dark downsides of science. The production will leave you questioning who is the true monster?

TRU gallery offers alternative views of art Newest feature Expansion sh0wcases non-traditional art practices Justin Moore CONTRIBUTOR Ω The newest art gallery feature, Expansions, opened this week at TRU. Many students and faculty gathered for the opening reception on Feb. 27th to meet the art students and professors from the VISA 3630 Painting and Drawing class that created the project.

As the name suggests, Expansions offers a unique point of view into the creative expressions of the individual artist.

“Our challenge is to start with the conventions of drawing and painting and then push that, how far can you take a drawing or painting?” said student Elizabeth Sigalet speaking on the motive behind the gallery.

In no way are the pieces in the gallery similar to one another, with some paintings incorporating printed images, while other artists focused on compiling found objects together.

For many of the students, the experience was a break from traditional art practices, reinforcing the theme of the gallery. For others, the project was emotional.

“It’s an expression of an abusive relationship I was in,” spoke Laura Mackenzie as she explained the meaning behind her work, a painting of two figures in an embrace.

Students of the art course also collaborated on a large mural of combined images, using the theme of ‘lines’ to bring the images together.

“I love seeing different materials, mediums and approaches used. You can see different personalities here,” said Ruba Alshoshan reflecting on the group piece.

Expansions will be at the Art Gallery until March 8.

Expansions focuses on non-traditional art. (Juan Cabrejo/ The Omega)

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MARCH 7, 2018

ARTS

EAT ON CAMPUS

The Den | Urban Market/Chop N Top | International Café | Tim Hortons | U&M Deli The Upper Level Café/Bento Sushi | Starbucks | Trades Café | Bean Me Up

CULTURALLY INSPIRED CUISINE

The perfect lunch stop on campus which features weekly rotating ethnic entree specials, fresh salads, build your own chicken shawarma wraps, delicious desserts and more.

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Kamloops Film Festival shows great support for local film industry with KISS Festival Cailyn Mocci ARTS EDITOR Ω Kamloops Film Society opened the fourth day of the Kamloops Film Festival with the 11th annual KISS (Kamloops Independent Short Short) Festival. The Paramount Theatre was packed with Kamloops locals there to celebrate the local artistic talent.

The audience was entertained with 23 shorts from all genres with no two films alike. Everything from Aboriginal appreciation, slapstick humor and everything in between danced across the large screen of the downtown Paramount Theatre.

The afternoon was filled with artists from all backgrounds including a local high school student, Phoenix Guzzo, who won the Youth Award for his short film Drive Me Crazy.

Many stories used non-traditional film techniques including

a film by Amanda Duggan named Reformed. This film featured both drawn animation as well as stop motion techniques to give a beautiful touch to her short.

Other notable films included a showcase short on local BMX-riding teen Ben Giddens. This film displayed the active and adventurous nature of the 14 year-old. On a more humorous note, films such as Bike Life by Aly Couch and Kara Wright and Outdoor Weather by Chris Bose had the audience as a whole laughing.

The festival worked as an audience ballot to determine the winner of the 11th annual KISS Fest winner. After the ballots were counted the society announced that Josef Perszon had won first place with his short film Holy Dungarees; a hilarious comedy featuring a magic pair of dungarees with the power to multiply whatever touched the pockets, whether that be a loonie or a pair of sunglasses.

The Kamloops Film Festival Returns!

Shut Up and Say Something

Entanglement

Reviewed by Jonathan Malloy

Reviewed by Jonathan Malloy

This years opening film has an ending that is almost too perfect in its simplicity. A raw, emotional cut of minimalist filmmaking that epitomizes that epic, emotion spanning maturity Shane Koyczan carries with his poetry that unfortunately eclipses the rest of the film before it. The documentary follows Koyczan as he traces his upbringing by his grandmother to his orchestrated reunion with his absent father. Directors Stuart Gillies and Melanie Wood paint a wide encompassing look at his life through mixed footage of performances, with interviews and the updating quest to connect with his father.

This quirky Canadian comedy follows Ben after a failed suicide attempt as he searches for the moment in his life where everything seemed to go wrong. Genuine and surreal the heart this film carries helps to tell an interesting and unexpectedly twisting story.

There is no doubt that Shane is an extremely interesting subject of current Canadian iconography.

A man of immense storytelling prowess who has made a name for himself through the power of his wordplay alone and yet it is to no surprise that this man would be immensely interesting to watch. So it is unfortunate that these filmmakers never truly attempt anything too out of the bounds with their style. An over reliance on their subject certainly allows him to shine through and truly become the main propulsion of the story while disparaging the the quality of the filmmaking with its over-reliance.

Thomas Middleditch as Ben does start off as a similar riff on the typical Michael Cera characters we have seen before but gladly takes it in his own unique way with his quest for personal understanding.

Supporting performances from Jess Weixler and Diana Bang serve as welcome subversions of the typical Manic Pixie Dream Girl stereotypes that have grown so stale in recent years.

The trippy story is aided through some off the cuff decisions that, while initially off-putting, are recontextualized with a script that cleverly attempts to fully divert the audiences expectations. While some moments of comedy do misstep the guts, director Jason James has for tackling his dark subject matter in this way must be commended.

Also the way how Shane’s nephew learns of his own father’s other children comes as an odd moment that frames this young man’s revelation in a moment that is heartbreaking and cruel in its execution.

The raw feeling gained from the moment undercuts the empathy the film had been building that is only stranger in its relative proximity to the outstanding climax of this well meaning but stumbling film.

The kitschy feeling usually associated with Canadian films is definitely present through quite a large portion of the film and the unconventional way in which the story unravels does provoke moments of excellence in its commitment to tone and the characters that struggle to find their way.

The Ravenous

The Breadwinner

Reviewed by Alina Kalinichenko The zombie apocalypse theme is not new in cinema. The genre has its fans as well as famous titles.

The Ravenous is a decent example of the genre, however, it is not exceptional.

The Ravenous is reminiscent of The Happening by M. Night Shaymalan, but the former is more tastefully done. The title has little to offer in terms of classic gore present in many zombie movies. As the strengths of The Ravenous lies in the tension and suspense it has to offer. The ever-present sense of danger and fear captures attention and doesn’t let go until the end.

While the characters are generalized, they are worthy of sympathy. However, The Ravenous falls short in standing out among many zombie horrors. The story is awfully familiar as it follows a group of strangers struggling to survive. The ranks are thinning the closer they are to their goal. The characters go through the same trust issues any other group would go through in such circumstances, offering an all too familiar plot.

It’s predictable to a point of knowing exactly who will die and who gets to live another day. The Ravenous is enjoyable to watch as the sounds and visuals in the movie exceed expectations of a typical zombie apocalypse film. It’s a humble, but decent title in the library of zombie horrors.

Reviewed by Farrah Johnson Directed by Nora Twomey, The Breadwinner was adapted from Deborah Ellis' popular teen novel of the same name. The film revolves around Parvana, an 11-year old girl, living in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. In a patriarchal society where women are subjected to cruel punishment if they step out of place, Parvana and her family of readers and writers find ways to resist oppression.

The story embodies interwoven themes that cement themselves through history, feminism and of course: the undefeatable power of love.The hand-drawn animation is very descriptive and is accompanied by a mini-story constructed by the protagonist, to reflect the tragedy of her own situation.

Presented in a cut-out animation style to stand out, Parvana's fairy tale is used to break from tense scenes and adds a cheap laugh for the sake of young viewers. Allusions to the Afghan war, the inhumane treatment of women and the raw reality of children being robbed of their innocence, are some of the key themes explored in the film.

However, while the film makes it clear that women are treated as mere objects, and that many men have been irrationally radicalized, it fails to address the cause of these issues, instead focusing on regurgitating a stereotypical view of the Middle East.

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ARTS

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Tulipani

Tomato Red

Reviewed by Juan Cabrejo

Reviewed by Jonathan Malloy

Mike van Diem’s uplifting and joyous Tulipani is a colourful take on romantic comedy. Raised in Montreal, we are introduced to Anna, who sets off to fulfill her mother’s request to return her ashes to where she was initially from; Puglia, Italy.

Not long after encountering her mother’s old friend Immacolata and her son, Vito, the three are interrogated by a police inspector for a lighter found at a crime scene. They are forced to recount the adventures of Anna’s father Gauke and the legacy he left through the sale of his tulips or “tulipani.”

The film adopts a storytelling format which van Diem and co-screenplay writer Peter van Wijk embrace with the use of hyperbole and ridiculousness. Although they did use it intentionally for comic effect, it became excessive and childish closer to the ending with the unnecessary amount of flatulence jokes.

However, the film does compensate with some fabulous comedic moments scattered throughout.

The cinematography is vibrant while featuring beautiful Mediterranean scenery and although the film partially lost its footing, overall it remained a very pleasing surprise.

Filmed in the Thompson Nicola Regional District, we follow empathetic, small-town criminal Sammy as he is taken in by a family cut from the same impoverished cloth. From director Juanita Wilson and adapted from Daniel Woodrell’s novel, the film rests in the world of downtrodden and rejected, of those outcasted to the fringes and garbage of towns. This is the unfortunate life of Jemalee and her brother and mother, who graciously accept Sammy into their home despite his past actions.

Wilson and her cinematographer Piers McGrail cast the film in a gleamingly dusk that permeates much of the movie when not offset by the harshness of the desert sun that effectively shuns the family from the rest of the world all the while engaging the audience with a sympathetic view of those only a few wrong steps removed from the seeming extravagance of everyday life. Jemalee ponders her wasted potential, hoping for a brighter future while her mother has given up on any glamour, reserving herself as a tool to be used by men willing to pay. The films focus of Sammy and his earnest heart grounds the film in the bad decisions he continues to make and offers a unique, winding tale to view that considers “what leads a person to commit a crime?”

While sometimes plodding and overly similar in tone to Woodrell’s other adaptation, the film nevertheless crafts an ethereal and cautionary tale of affection that strips any hope from its dreary yet inevitable conclusion.

WolfCop

Another WolfCop

Reviewed by Jennifer Will

Reviewed by Jonathan Malloy

From Canadian filmmaker Lowell Dean comes Wolfcop, a lowbrow film that aims at blending the horror and comedy genres. Wolfcop is about an alcohol policeman named Lou Garou who often blacks out and can’t remember what’s happened. Lou’s black out sessions soon start to transform him into a hairy and beastly werewolf. He ultimately tries to use these strange transformations as a way of bettering himself as a person.

Raise your beers to this achievement in schlock that revels in everything obscene and nasty in our cold, Canadian world. Lou Garou is back as the half canine cop out to protect his small town no matter how inebriated he may be. This time he must face off against an evil hockey team as well as a shady businessman looking to monopolize the local brewing industry. What follows are essentially what you would come to now expect with this B-movie reverence.

Wolfcop is a bad movie, but it’s supposed to be a bad movie. The one thing that can be appreciated the most about it’s badness was how self-aware it was. The film tries really hard at blending genuine horror with b-style comedy, and this lack of focus takes away some of the charm this movie is trying to create.

Director Lowell Dean and Leo Farrard re-team to have a good time and not give a damn how they have it. They mark their increased budgets with a larger need for pyrotechnics and action with the actual Wolfcop suit looking slightly upgraded from his previous incarnation.

Wolfcop is riddled with ridiculous action scenes, clichés and an overall cheesiness. This is a film about a man who is an alcoholic cop by day and a werewolf cop by night. If you love movies that look like they are ripped straight from the late 1980’s, lack in substance and only have potential as a bad cult film, then this is the movie for you.

While the shininess of the original has slightly dimmed, character growth that does happen for Lou, which while minimal, still shows a care that the filmmakers must have for this, their impossible creation, with the enjoyment emanating from the villains unabashed EVILNESS screaming at you to have a fun time. And you know what? It is fun, a great time to sit back, sip a cold one and enjoy in the simple things in life. Be that beer, doughnuts or a Wolfcop killing bad guys with a hockey stick. Your choice though.

Happy End

Reviewed by Teshu Agarwal Happy End, directed by Michael Haneke, is an art film based on a bougie French family who might look like a happy family on the outside but are bubbling with their personal dark and troubling secrets.

Young Eve (Fantine Harduin) moves in with her estranged father’s family when her depressive mother falls ill. The wealthy Laurent family is involved in construction business, which is threatened, when an accident occurs at work. This marks the beginning of the multitude of problems they are about to face.

The persona that the movie lacks in the beginning, it more than makes up for it towards the end. Full of dark humour, mystery, ambition, infidelity, suicide attempt(s) and a possible murder - this movie has it all!

Haneke has created magic while playing with human emotions through its characters. If you can survive the emotional rollercoaster, this movie is a must watch.

... And it's still going. The KFF will continue Until March 10 $5 STUDENT TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE, MOVIEMART AND ONLINE. USE YOUR UPASS. STILL TO PLAY THIS WEEK:

Thelma

March 7 - 6 p.m.

Loveless

March 9 - 9 p.m.

The Party

March 7 - 9 p.m.

In the Fade

March 8 - 6 p.m.

Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool March 10 - 12 p.m.

The Divine Order March 8 - 9 p.m.

Adventures in Public School March 10 - 3 p.m.

Meditation Park March 9 - 7 p.m.

Indian Horse March 10 - 6 p.m.

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4 3 Puzzle of the Week #18—Blended Pets 2

(in the March 7, 2018 issue of The Omega) Last week, we had Tom and Sabrina who just got married and formed a blended family including the pets. This time, Phil and Susan have three species of pets: five cats, two dogs, and three chickens. How many combinations of the premarital distribution of the numbers of cats, dogs, and chickens are there?

[Note: This puzzle is not asking about specific cats and dogs but the number of them. For example, if Phil had had two cats, one dog, and no chickens and Susan had three cats, one dog, and three chickens, that would be one combination. Who had had which pets is not relevant here.]

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.

MARCH 7, 2018

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SPORTS

Basketball players prepare for future after playing for the 'Pack Morris and Sigsworth say their goodbyes as time with the WolfPack comes to an end Alvin Mutandiro SPORTS EDITOR Ω When a player’s time in the WolfPack program comes to an end, it’s never easy for all parties involved, but it's part of university athletics. Everyone must accept the reality, their time at TRU may end, but the memories will never fade.

From the outside looking in, the life of a student athlete seems like a fleeting experience. It comes across as something that is over before one knows it.

Every year, long serving players lose their eligibility to continue playing for the WolfPack program, some of these players are leaders and star athletes in their respective teams.

For those that loving competing they might develop an itch that one can’t scratch, whilst for some they will miss the camaraderie of being in a team environment and the preparation for games.

That is certainly the case when it comes to both Shenise Sigsworth and Luke Morris, who both will no longer be playing for the women’s and men’s basketball teams respectively. Both will be major losses to their teams as they have been key contributors to their programs.

Luke Morris, fifth-year forward from Mission, BC, finished of his final regular season game with 7 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block in addition to his 21 points and 11 rebounds in 32 minutes in the team’s one playoff loss.

Upon speaking with The Shenise Sigsworth (TRU Athletics)

Omega, Morris gave the impression that he is both a humble and laidback individual.

“Over my time here I just enjoyed getting to know all the fellas,” Morris said.

Morris also voiced his love for the supportive community in Kamloops.

“I like the school environment too, I used to go to the university of Fraser Valley then when I moved here, I found that they had more of a school community atmosphere, that’s what I really enjoyed here,” he said. “Honestly, I’m going to miss the adrenaline rush and practicing every day and hanging out with the guys.”

In terms of what was his favourite memory Morris fondly spoke of the time TRU made it into the final four.

“Making nationals in my third year, beating UBC in the final four was a big moment,” he said.

Luke Morris (TRU Athletics)

Sigsworth was also just as complimentary about the community support she received as a TRU athlete and the various challenges that came with being a part of the program.

“I loved the whole experience of having the community behind you and going to community events as well as travelling on the road, just the whole team aspect of sports,” Sigsworth said.

Sigsworth finished her final game for TRU with 11 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 27 minutes.

Sigsworth stated that her biggest challenge was dealing with time management and getting her school schedule to align with her basketball schedule.

It was especially difficult because she is in the nursing program, one of the more demanding programs.

Thankfully for her, the professors and coaches were willing to make it work and allowed her to have a schedule that allowed her to spend time both on school and basketball.

Sigsworth like Morris, stated she will miss the adrenaline rush before games, especially the pregame routine of getting mentally ready to compete.

Despite being ineligible to play Sigsworth still plans on attending some games as a supporter of the team.

“I still have one year of nursing, so I will still be around, I’m hoping to catch all the home games,” she said.

She admitted it won’t be easy for her, however.

“It’s definitely going to be tough, something I’ll have to get used to but, if I can support anyway I can, I will be there,” Sigsworth concluded.

Steady recruitment a challenge for the WolfPack

TRU eager to recruit players who can excel on the field and in the classroom Alvin Mutandiro SPORTS EDITOR Ω The success of college programs relies heavily on the quality of players recruited, recruitment is a major challenge that the TRU WolfPack program deals with annually.

Success in the college sporting arena relies on having sufficient funds, excellent resources and chief among them, excellent recruitment. Without good players, a program will struggle to flourish.

Over the years the WolfPack programs have improved substantially. Making the playoffs once seemed like an improbable task, but now it has become a very realistic expectation.

All WolfPack programs have improved to a large degree but

none so more than the WolfPack men's soccer program.

In 2017 the men’s soccer team qualified for the playoffs for the first time in history, they also distinguished themselves at nationals, claiming a bronze medal.

The TRU team had a lot of talent in the ranks from the likes of Mitch Popadynetz, Josh Banton and Anatoli Leveille just to name a few.

The program recruited well for the 2017 season and it showed with the results on the pitch.

The head of the soccer program, John Antulov was gracious enough to sit down with The Omega to discuss his recruitment policies.

Antulov is an accomplished coach who was a head coach for the Vancouver Whitecaps Regional Academy in Kamloops and a former player with SFU and the Vancouver Whitecaps.

“The biggest thing is a player who can do both, someone who obviously can be a good student but also excel on the field,” said Antulov.

Antulov also stated that it is more likely that someone who has always had a great track record in school will continue to do so in the future.

In cases like that, recruitment will more likely come down to other factors such as discipline and on the field performances.

“The second thing is what you can do on the field, there are a lot of different factors, attitude, mindset and fitness,” remarked Antulov.

Antulov also explained that a key factor is making sure the player suits the style of the team, every successful team must have an identity and TRU is no different.

Some teams play counter-attacking soccer, others are possession oriented, which is why it's crucial

that the Wolfpack recruits a player who fits their style so that the team can continue to succeed and win.

Discipline is a major factor in recruitment and Antulov stated that it’s important to bring in players with good discipline but, that it is also about helping players that have discipline issues cope better.

“We have a couple of players that are fairly physical, and we have really worked hard on helping them with discipline. We don’t want them suspended,” Antulov said.

Antulov said the hardest part of recruiting is selecting the right player as things may not be as straightforward as expected.

“Sometimes you think you have a player who fits the program but once they get here it’s completely different,” he said.

Antulov stated that being in Kamloops maybe harder for some

players, largely because the player will be away from home and they may not be used to life in Kamloops and its environment.

Success is beneficial to a program because it creates more awareness.

With the run TRU had at nationals Antulov stated that the number of students wanting to come to TRU has increased greatly.

Antulov made it very clear that the team culture is all about helping recruits who maybe struggling in certain aspects of school life.

“It’s the culture we are trying to build, we have guys who had a tough time in their first semester getting help from players that are good in school,” Antulov said.

Antulov went on to conclude that the program’s focus on recruitment is not just about improving the player but developing a great human-being.

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THE OMEGA

MARCH 7, 2018

ELECTION POLLING: Wednesday, March 14th, 9:00AM-5:00PM Thursday, March 15th, 10:00AM-8:00PM Friday, March 16th, 9:00AM-1:00PM in the TRUSU Lecture Hall The following members were nominated for election: The following members were nominated for election:

Biographies and video statements available at trusu.ca/news The Candidates Forums will take place on March 7-9, 2018 at 12:00 PM in the TRUSU Lecture Hall. Full details available at trusu.ca/events If you have questions please contact the Electoral Committee at elections@trusu.ca

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