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VOLUME 27 · ISSUE 29 · JULY 11, 2018
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PROGRAM HELPS WOMEN IN TRADES
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TRU welcomes Nathan Matthew as new chancellor Wade Tomko EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω Last month, TRU’s Board of Governors selected Nathan Matthew, the chief of the Simpcw First Nation of Chu Chua near Barriere, as the university’s next chancellor during convocation ceremonies on June 6. Matthew is TRU’s third chancellor after Nancy Greene Raine and Wally Opal. In addition to being the chief of
the Simpcw First Nation, Matthew was also TRU’s first executive director of Aboriginal Education, a position he held from 2006 to 2014 and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters in 2006. Matthew has also been heavily involved in furthering Aboriginal education within School District 73. “He is a highly-regarded educator and leader for Aboriginal education in the local, provincial and national level,” said Jim Thomson, chair of TRU’s Board of Governors. “He
is a founding member and chair of the School District 73’s First Nations Education Council and member of the First Nation Chiefs Committee on Education.” Given Matthew’s background with both the university and the local community, the board believed Matthew to be the perfect fit for the position.
See EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Page 6
Meet TRU's new chancellor, Nathan Matthew. Matthew, chief of the Simpcw First Nation, started his new position during convocation ceremonies on June 6. (Wade Tomko/The Omega)
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More student housing coming to campus next year TRU purchases Upper College Heights with help of the B.C. government Wade Tomko EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω With the support of the province, TRU is buying Upper College Heights, a six-building rental complex with 391 student homes located across from the university on Summit Drive. Premier John Horgan made the announcement alongside two cabinet ministers, TRU president Alan Shaver and TRUSU president Tatiana Gilbert on June 22 as part of the B.C. government’s 30-point housing plan. The $37 million student-housing project will completely renovate the existing units on site, while adding an additional 142 homes for students, including the first on-campus homes designed for students and their families. In addition to the new units for students, the purchase includes 8.4 acres of land that can be used to create more student housing in the future. “To meet that demand for housing here we have been working in partnership with president Shaver and his team to allow us to build 533 new student units right on this property,” Horgan said. “The renovation of this facility into student housing will mean that the experience of being a part of the campus will be available to more students, which will mean a richer educational experience for them and will
also mean that we will have an opportunity to develop further as the need arises.” These new units are scheduled to open in September of 2019. Of the money going into the project, $25.5 million has been loaned to TRU from the province.
million in renovations. The site itself will be run as a student residence, meaning TRU will be given the ability to control the environment in terms of safety and living experience, says Shaver. It also means that TRU will be in control of rent, which Shaver
and get it upgraded, the same as we did with the McGill residence so we can get some idea of what we are after,” he said. “But our goal is to make it affordable. It will be more affordable than the other two residences that we have.” The loan to TRU comes as part
Last month's announcement is part of the provincial government’s 30-point housing plan. (Wade Tomko/Ω) The loan is expected to be paid back through rent money collected from the units. The total cost of the project includes the $33.4 million needed to buy Upper College Heights, as well as $3.5
says will likely be more affordable than both the McGill Housing and the Residence & Conference Centre. “Obviously when we buy the place we have to do the evaluation
of the B.C. government’s commitment to building a better life for post-secondary students across the province by investing $450 million over the next six years into new on-campus housing.
Over this time period, 5,000 new student homes will be created by the government, while an additional 3,000 will be built by post-secondary institutions through grants, partnerships and self-financing. “There is so much to do out there to address affordability and access to post-secondary education and I know that housing is going to help us do that,” said Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education Skills and Training. “That is what this is really about, it is working in partnership with Dr. Alan Shaver and presidents at the 25 post-secondary institutions across B.C. who know that if we build student housing we build a better campus life for students.” While the new housing project is directed at students and their families, the purchase is also meant to help free-up affordable housing in other parts of the city for low-income earners. “If we can get students living on-campus, that frees up some of the affordable housing for others in the community who are still looking for a safe place to call home,” said Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “More than $7 Billion will be invested over the next ten years in British Columbia so people can live in the communities where they were born and raise their families.”
Construction begins on new development at TRU Groundbreaking ceremony marks the start of Legacy Square's construction Wade Tomko EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω A groundbreaking ceremony held on campus at The Reach development on June 22 marked the start of construction on the Kelson Group’s new 77-suite building, Legacy Square. The new five-storey multi-family rental will be located on the north side of Old Main. “We are thrilled to officially break ground on our newest project, Legacy Square,” said Ron Fawcett, president of Kelson Group. “This is a unique partnership for us to be building a project at TRU.” Kelson Group’s goal is to have the new building welcome its first residents by the fall semester of 2019. “We will do our best to see if we can be open for the fall semester of 2019,” said Jason Fawcett, Kelson Group’s vice-president of operations. “But that is going to be a very tight schedule so we’re not sure if we’ll be able to meet that. Certainly by the winter of 2020.” Alongside The Reach’s previous development, Creston House, which broke ground last October, Legacy Square will provide more housing while also making TRU’s campus livelier. “This project will provide housing on campus, so this campus can
be a vibrant place 24/7,” said TRU president Alan Shaver. “The people living on it will be staff, faculty and students. They can also be from and we anticipate, that a lot of members of the community will choose to live on this campus because it is so inviting to be amongst the students and in a learning environment.” TRU will also be benefitting from the project by receiving $1.8 million as part of a long-term land lease, says Shaver. This money will go to support student bursaries, scholarships and research activities. Though the development of Legacy Square will help TRU expedite the fulfilment of its campus master plan, Jason Fawcett admits that Kelson Group didn’t immediately jump on the idea when The Reach was first announced back in 2016. “When The Reach and the TRU Community Trust planned to develop properties and create a community, it was something that we didn’t initially jump right on. We’ve been busy with lots of other projects going on and then we had an invite in the spring of 2017 that my father and I attended,” Fawcett said. “We quickly saw the views and the site, close to the centre of campus and we saw what we could potentially do here.” Fawcett added that because of Kelson Group’s tight construction
Kelson Group and TRU administration broke ground on Legacy Square on June 22. (Wade Tomko/The Omega) schedule with other projects in the city and a current shortage of tradespeople in Kamloops, the local real-estate and development community has been struggling. “It is busy at TRU and it is busy throughout Kamloops and there is a shortage of tradespeople throughout Kamloops,” he said. “So it is
something that the whole real estate and development community is struggling with right now. But hopefully it encourages more people to go into trades here at TRU and in the long run it’ll be a win-win.” That however, hasn’t stopped Kelson Group from engaging in some friendly competition with the Creston
House’s developers, Cape Group. “We can do a friendly rivalry to see who’s up first. They are a condo building and we are a rental building, so there are some differences,” Fawcett said. “We aren’t attracting the same renters or buyers. So on that level, I think it’s fun to be competitive and see who can get done first.”
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Dying with dignity Community experts discuss medical assistance in dying Wade Tomko EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω Last month, members of the Kamloops community were invited to sit in on a panel discussion regarding medically assisted death. The session marked the third part in a speaker series focused on health care decisions and hosted by the Royal Inland Hospital. The discussion follows a Supreme Court decision from 2016 which amended the criminal code to make medical assistance in dying (MAiD) available to all Canadians. Four experts from various professions in medicine and law spoke at the event. The panel included Jill Calder, the clinical director of Rehabilitation Service for Interior Health (IH) West, an expert in palliative care strategies, Eric Haywood-Farmer, an emergency physician at RIH and a MAiD provider, Lori Seeley, the IH manager for Kamloops South Home Health and Margaret Hall, an associate professor in TRU’s law school who has published extensively on issues relating to law and age. Hall, who began the discussion, noted that while the MAiD legislation does not create the right to die in Canada, it does create a limited exception for homicide in the most grievous of cases. “The legislation does not create a right to die, which is important because MAiD gets talked a lot
about on television as a right to die,” Hall said. “What the legislation actually does is create a limited exception to the crime of homicide for medically assisted dying where these conditions are met.” In order to be eligible for MAiD, you must be over the age of 18, be capable of making decisions in respect to your health, must have a grievous and irremediable medical condition, in an advanced state of condition causing intolerable pain and your death must be reasonably foreseeable. However, perhaps most importantly, MAiD can’t be consented to by another person on your behalf and you have to make a voluntary request without any outside pressure. “The patient must request MAiD, not a substitute. They have to have a grievous illness and their death has to be reasonably foreseeable,” Haywood-Farmer said. “I can’t tell you the tens of hours I’ve spent in my basement trying to decide if someone’s death is reasonably foreseeable. That is by far the most difficult part of the process as far as decision making goes.” Despite MAiD being legal in Canada, Haywood-Farmer noted that decisions regarding who should be allowed to end their life are still very difficult, adding that there haven’t been enough court cases to fully guide the system. Shortly after MAiD was made legal, a B.C. woman, Julia Lamb
Seeley, talked extensively about palliative care and how MAiD could be a positive experience. (Wade Tomko/Ω) challenged the legislation’s requirement that says the disease or disability must be incurable. While only 25 and with an intolerable, but not life-threatening illness, spinal muscular atrophy, Lamb claimed not allowing her to end her own life violated her right to civil liberty. The panel explained that while Lamb’s case is still ongoing it will no doubt set the precedent for similar cases for years to come. While MAiD is still a contentious issue in Canada, the practice is becoming more normalized as it is often seen as the patient’s right to decide. Both Haywood-Farmer and Seeley noted that MAiD
provisions were often a positive experience for all involved. For both the patient and their family, as well as the practitioner, MAiD marked an end to suffering. “Part of what I enjoyed about being a MAiD provider is that the patient is in the driver’s seat,” Haywood-Farmer said. “Part of that is because the patient likely hasn’t been in the driver’s seat for a long time, undergoing various treatments like chemotherapy and pain they can’t control. This gives them a modicum of control.” MAiD also gives patients a time and place for when they want to end their life as well. “One patient I had wanted to sit
out on his deck while it happened and watch the sun go down,” Seeley said. “It was a very positive experience for him and because of that it was a positive experience for the nurse involved as well.” Calder added that while it is important to offer your patient a full spectrum of care, palliative or otherwise, doctors must always be their patient’s advocate and note that MAiD is an option. “It is important to offer a full spectrum of care, but also not to be afraid to talk about MAiD,” Calder said. “It’s just another tool in your toolbox. I don’t have any issues with it, it’s the patients personal choice.”
TRU nursing faculty share research on workplace bullying Florriann Fehr and Michelle Seibel share research on combating workplace bullying amongst nurses Wade Tomko EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω Recognizing bullying at school or in the workplace is often the first step in preventing future situations and minimizing the impact that bullying can have on individuals. For the last five years, two school of nursing faculty, Florriann Fehr and Michelle Seibel have gathered research on the effects of
bullying in the workplace, specifically amongst nurses and other medical practitioners. Last month, Fehr and Seibel presented their research to the Kamloops community at the downtown library as part of the Deans Lecture Series. “Our mission is to recognize bullying,” Fehr said. “We want to own it as a profession and we want to raise the confidence in our students as a starting point. We are looking at it as what can we do as a faculty member
Fehr and Seibel presented their research as part of the Deans Lecture Series at the Kamloops public Library on June 14. (Wade Tomko/The Omega)
in a nursing role and prevent it from perpetuating and getting worse.” Funded by WorkSafeBC, over the past five years Fehr and Seibel have collected data from five nursing schools across Canada and have passed on their knowledge of cognitive rehearsal training as a best practice in preventing the perpetuation of bullying culture. According to Seibel, hospitals and other care facilities such as nursing homes are some of the worst workplaces for bullying. “95 per cent of nurses will report some form on horizontal violence in any given year,” Seibel said. “Horizontal violence is nurse to nurse, people at the same level. 70 per cent of nurses say they’ve been bullied in the last year. That is a conservative statistic.” According to Fehr, student nurses and young female nurses are the most susceptible to bullying. Though she adds even more experienced nurses who move to new units are often bullied as well. “I’ve been a nurse since 1992, but if I go to a new unit, I’m going to be a target,” she said. Fehr added that the situation is often worse for Indigenous or immigrant nurses, where racism often
plays a factor. “We have immigrant nurses coming to Canada and leaving their jobs quite quickly,” she said. “Maybe English is a second language for them or maybe they have an accent or something else culturally. Maybe it’s racism, I’ll be very forward about that.” The toxic environments that bullying usually creates can have an adverse effect not just on nurses but on patient care as well, says Seibel. “The impacts of bullying are tremendous on the individual’s psychological and physical health, so this results in people being absent from work, or being upset at having to work with somebody,” Seibel said. “They don’t feel confident and might call in sick. They might not be working to their full capacity. This leads to high organizational costs as people leave the unit. Ultimately it can lead to decreased quality of patient care.” Yet part of Fehr and Seibel’s job over the past five years hasn’t just been to research bullying, but to teach nursing students methods to both combat and prevent bullying. Cognitive rehearsal training (CRT), or “theatre of the oppressed,” is a
workshop session where students roleplay being bullies, victims and bystanders in order to get a feel of how they should respond to confrontation. “Changing the way we think about confrontation can change the outcome of it,” Seibel said. “The value of roleplay is to be in a situation where someone has said something to you and whether or not you’re acting, makes you understand it at a whole other level. Being able to respond to it is much better than having an intellectual discussion on bullying.” Though Fehr and Seibel have focused on bullying amongst nurses, they say that their research is applicable to many different fields. Fehr notes that the most important part in preventing bullying is creating dialogue, something she says never happened when she was in nursing school. “We’re making a cultural change in the way that we teach. When we were going to school we didn’t have these talks,” she said. “This is something we are really trying to persuade the curriculum to change across Canada and we’ve been doing multiple workshops as part of that. We’re ultimately teaching strategies and they’re relevant in any workplace.”
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TRU staff celebrated National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21 by the Secwepemc territorial marker in Old Main. Similar markers can be found across the territory. (Wade Tomko/The Omega)
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First executive director of Aboriginal Education takes over from Wally Opal CONTINUED (COVER) “We are thrilled to have someone with Matthew’s background take such an important role,” said Alan Shaver, TRU’s president and vice-chancellor. “The individual holding the honorary position of chancellor is a reflection of the university’s values at the highest level.” For his part, Matthew says he is committed to upholding the high standards set by his predecessors. “I’m really committed to upholding the high standards set by my distinguished predecessors, Nancy Greene Raine and Wally Opal,” Matthew said. “I see their footprints and their fingerprints all over the place and it gives me good guidance.” As TRU’s first Indigenous chancellor, Matthew believes that he demonstrates the
recognition the university gives to First Nations students as well. “There are significant numbers of Indigenous students on campus and the university has been working very hard for a number of years to present the kind of learning that’s relevant to the lives of Indigenous people,” he said. While Matthew was no doubt excited about being appointed as TRU’s next chancellor, thanking friends, family and the community, he wanted to make sure the day wasn’t just about him by praising TRU’s graduates for all their hard work. “My message to graduates: you are the ones that are important today. Be willing to judge yourself by the aspects of your character that are related to honesty, compassion,
respect for others and a sense of humour,” Matthew said. “I really think your job is to reveal your full potential in growing into life, a full life for yourself, your family and your community.” As chancellor, Matthew will preside at convocation and confer all degrees to graduates. In addition, he will represent the university at major events, including anniversary celebrations, building openings and awards ceremonies. University chancellors serve three-year terms, which can be renewed. TRU’s first chancellor was Nancy Greene Raine, who held the position from 2004 to 2010. TRU’s last chancellor, Wally Oppal, had been in place since 2010. In their volunteer roles, chancellors are also members of the university’s board of governors and senate.
Matthew is TRU's third chancellor, after Wally Opal, who had served in the position since 2010 and Nancy Greene Raine. (Wade Tomko/The Omega)
TRU program helps women achieve their goals Women in Trades exploratory program allows women to experience multiple trades Wade Tomko EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω Becca Peters was in the middle of a bachelor of business program when she decided that it wasn’t something she wanted to make a career out of. While she knew she was in the wrong program, she still didn’t know what to do.
contend with mostly male classmates and male instructors, Women in Trades allows women to experiment with multiple different trades, all the while gaining the confidence they need to succeed in whichever trade they end up choosing. “I don’t know how to say it without sounding weird about it, but it is hard being a woman in the trades and it’s hard to gain the confidence
“The Industry Training Authority had identified that to meet the skill shortages, we needed non-traditional people coming into the trades,” Hamilton said. “So they don’t fit the typical demographics that people think for trades. So the ITA is funding for immigrants, Indigenous peoples and women in order to meet the skill shortages.” More specifically, much of the funding that comes from the ITA was for underemployed low-income women who planned to continue into a trades foundation program. Additional funding for TRU’s Women in Trades program also comes from RBC. “From the success that we had we wrote a proposal to RBC and we ended up getting, about four or five years ago, $700,000 from them, just
because of the success we had with the Women in Trades,” Hamilton said. The program itself allows women to take six or seven different trades for a couple weeks each in order to get a feel for what they would like to do. In addition to this, they also get certification for safety tickets and the chance to work on essential skills. Though it depends on the availability of different instructors and shop space, the program tries to use as many female instructors as possible. “We try to use as many female instructors as possible because they see role models and the students see themselves in their female instructors,” Hamilton said. With a 50 per cent follow-through rate to foundation programs, Hamilton marks the program as a huge success and of great benefit to the
women enrolled. “Women haven’t had the same opportunities to experience the trades. You only know what you know, and at the end of the day, if you can’t put your hands on it, you can’t smell it, you can’t feel it, how can you make a decision about that,” Hamilton said. “It’s a supportive environment where you can try something out and ask if it will be a fit for you.” For her part, Peters believes that the program has given her more than just life skills, but confidence too. “Everything that program gives you, whether it is a safety certification or experience in a trade or just the confidence and social skills and learning how to be in a shop environment and work with tools and use your hands, stuff like that, it’s just fantastic,” she said.
Becca Peters recently represented the School of Trades and Technology as valedictorian at her convocation ceremony on June 7. (Submitted) Though always interested in trades, Peters was wary about entering a male-dominated industry. It was then that she heard about the Women in Trades exploratory program through a friend. “I heard about the program through a friend of mine. She was already enrolled in the course and I was in the middle of a bachelor of business program and didn’t know what to do,” Peters said. “She said come apply and I was eligible, so she told me about it, I applied and was accepted.” Unlike full trades programs, where girls like Peters would have to
to go into a foundation and work in trades, it’s really hard,” Peters said. “We hear these horror stories about being a woman in trades, but the program is designed to build women’s confidence and show us that we can do it too.” The program, which started eight years ago, was originally funded by the Industry Training Authority of B.C. (ITA), says Heather Hamilton, TRU’s School of Trades industry and contract training manager. At the time, the ITA funded multiple different exploratory programs with the express purpose of making up for the province’s skilled labour shortages.
Throughout their time in the program, students are given multiple chances to visit businesses and locations, like Kingfisher Boats in Vernon, to help them understand the industry better. (Women in Trades TRU/Instagram)
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Seguin’s death caused by mixing of fentanyl and alcohol Coroners report states former vp advancement died from unintentional mix of fentanyl and alcohol Wade Tomko EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω A coroners report released on June 20 confirmed the cause of death of former vice-president of advancement, Christopher Seguin, to be the unintentional mixing of alcohol and fentanyl. Seguin was on university business when he was found in medical distress in his Victoria hotel room at 5:00 pm on September 11, 2017. The report states that paramedics who arrived on scene initiated resuscitation measures, including the administration of naloxone. He was then transported to the Royal Jubilee Hospital’s intensive-care unit, where testing would confirm the presence of fentanyl. Seguin’s condition deteriorated over the next few days. He died on September 22, 2017, 11 days after being admitted to the hospital. According to the report, an
examination of his hotel room revealed several bottles of alcohol, but no illicit substances or drug paraphernalia. “Mr. Seguin’s medical history included past alcohol overuse, but no documented history of illicit substance use,” the report reads. The toxicology results found moderate to heavy alcohol intoxication, along with an amount of fentanyl deemed to be within a “therapeutic range.” The report goes on to state that the mixing of alcohol and fentanyl can produce “greater respiratory depression”, leading to a lack of oxygen to the brain and the immediate cause of his death. Seguin’s death due to an anoxic brain injury has been ruled as accidental. Seguin, who grew up in Kamloops, had served as TRU’s vice-president of advancement since 2007 and was a prominent member of the Kamloops community.
CFBX TOP 30 CFBX 92.5 FM, 350 Watts Kamloops, BC Music Director: Steve Marlow Charts to July 5, 2018 * indicates Canadian Content ** indicates a local artist Artist - Album (Label) 1) Dusted* - Blackout Summer (Royal Mountain) 2) Jack de Keyzer* - Check Mate (Blue Star) 3) Sadiki* - Blue Mountain Acoustic (Skinny Bwoy) 4) Jo Passed* - Their Prime (Royal Mountain) 5) Cathy Hutch* - Free Wheelin' (Independent) 6) Michael Kaeshammer* - Something New (Linus) 7) Steve Hill* - One Man Blues Rock Band (No Label) 8) Grupo Mono Blanco - Fandango! (Smithsonian Folkways) 9) Nutrition** - Nutrition (Independent) 10) Blvd Noir* - Ombres (Independent) 11) David Francey* - The Broken Heart of Everything (Laker) 12) Peach Kelli Pop* - Gentle Leader (Mint) 13) David Vest* - David Vest (Cordova Bay) 14) Jennifer Castle* - Angels of Death (Idee Fixe) 15) Tampa* - Belated Love (Tiny Rock) 16) Frog Eyes* - Violet Psalms (Paper Bag) 17) Sugar Brown* - Calling All Blues! (Independent) 18) Mystic Bowie - Talking Dreads (Independent) 19) Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel (Milk!) 20) Kathy and the Kilowatts - Premonition of Love (Nola Blue) 21) Mike Zito - First Class Life (Ruf ) 22) Los Texmaniacs - Cruzando Borders (Smithsonian Folkways) 23) Steve Dawson* - Lucky Hand (Black Hen) 24) Chances* - Traveler (Outloud) 25) Nova Scotiables* - Nova Scotiables (Independent) 26) The Abductees* - Dead Friends and Old Times (Independent) 27) Slocan Ramblers* - Queen City Jubilee (Independent) 28) Good Latimer - Go Where it Snows (Independent) 29) Silver Dapple* - Moody Boots (Pink Haze) 30) Anemone* - Baby Only You and I (Luminelle)
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TRU receives new graduate student scholarship fund Wade Tomko EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω With the help of the B.C. government TRU will be able to support students in priority areas such as science and technology with a new $180,000 graduate student scholarship fund. TRU will be able to allocate the $180,000 in funds to scholarships in any of its six graduate degree programs. “We welcome this investment in our students and their research,” said TRU president Alan Shaver. “It acknowledges the growth and value of our graduate programs and the community-relevant research undertaken by our students supported by our skilled faculty.” The funding for these scholarships are part of a $12 million announcement made in May by Premier John Horgan to support 800 awards of $15,000 each over the next three years. Many of these scholarships will be research-focused, with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. However, disciplines and professional programs, such as TRU’s master of business administration will also be eligible. With nearly 16,000 domestic students enrolled in graduate degree programs in B.C., and 500 at TRU alone, student groups in the province have often advocated for better graduate scholarship programs as B.C. has lagged behind other provinces. With the announcement, the government hopes to boost B.C.’s economy by
helping graduate students prepare for their careers. “Breaking down barriers for our graduate students in the Thompson region is a win for everyone. The B.C. Graduate Scholarship fund is an investment in people that will keep this region competitive,” said Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training. “TRU grads are advancing research in a wide range of subjects, including land reclamation, community health and invasive species management, and their insights and solutions can have far-reaching economic benefits for the region and the province as a whole.” The scholarship fund is also part of a broader plan to increase support for B.C.’s technology sector, with the government investing in 2,900 new tech spaces and Women in Technology scholarships. Of those scholarships, 10 annual $10,000 scholarships will be awarded, including at least one for Indigenous women. “This graduate scholarship fund will help students interested in science, technology, engineering, math and professional programs develop the skills needed to work in B.C.’s thriving tech and innovation sector,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology. “To drive B.C.’s economy forward, it is critically important that our tech industry has access to the brightest talent, and this investment will help post-secondary students prepare to enter today’s most in-demand job market.”
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No Straight Lines explores small city leadership with Kamloops Small cities face intricate challenges and Kamloops is no different. The recently released book No Straight Lines is a collaboration by several TRU faculty meant to explore community-engaged leadership in small cities and realize equality of quality of life.
successes rather than its failures. “You can always find problems that persist and in some cases getting worse and you can always report on that,” Kading said. “But the nice thing about taking the leadership perspective was to look at local community groups and the city of Kamloops and over the decades now of trying to fix these issues, rather than focussing on what hadn’t been achieved, but
No Straight Lines has been roughly 5 years in the making, with contributions from Lisa Cooke, Dawn Farough, Robin Reid, Ginny Ratsoy, Tina Block and of course the book’s editor, Terry Kading. The book itself was published by the University of Calgary Press in partnership with TRU. While it touches on the history of many Kamloops organizations and highlights several issues in the city such as homelessness, housing and food security, No Straight Lines tends to focus on the city’s
what had been achieved.” Because of this, No Straight Lines focuses on how local governments and community leadership contribute to resolving social issues and challenges in small cities much more than they have in the past. “With the theme that we were using, leadership, we were trying to look at quality of life issues and things like that in a small city,” Kading said. “The thing that surprised us the most is that there has been a whole bunch of community
Wade Tomko EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω
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NEWS
studies that have come out that have said the determining factor is leadership.” A good example of the power of local leadership can be found in Kading’s own chapter on homelessness in Kamloops. After much research and attendings meetings of organizations like Changing the Face of Poverty, Kading realized that while many organization work behind the scenes, their collaboration and the coordination of their activities gave them a better ability to respond as a whole. As such, Kading says, Kamloops’ strong network of support services has improved the equality of quality to life across the city, especially when compared to other similar-sized cities in the interior. “The sense is with respect to homelessness, if you are homeless or housing insecure, there is a pretty strong network of services,” he said. “The city does pretty well when compared to a lot of other cities. You are starting to see it more with issues like food security, the city has the new sustainability plan and a food strategy. They all come together to address a variety of issues.” Besides No Straight Lines’ main theme of leadership in using social assets and resources in small cities, the book also takes a good look quality of life provided by TRU, Kamloops’ natural beauty, high paying jobs in the education and medical sector and much more. All in all, the book touches on Kamloops’ many success stories while still remaining humble about the everyday issues the city faces. Kading admits that while the quality of life has been marginally raised for certain groups by some organizations in the city, to dramatically change the equality of quality of life in Kamloops would take a lot more. “If it is going to change dramatically to bring out that equality of quality of life, the funding has to be there from the federal government and the provinces,” he said. “Unfortunately it isn’t just Kamloops or B.C., but the whole country.” If you wish to read No Straight Lines yourself, you can find a PDF version for free on the University of Calgary Press’ website, at press. ucalgary.ca/books/9781552389447.
Hereditary has some inherent problems, ends with questions Morgan Hunter CONTRIBUTOR Ω Hereditary is an intense experience that delivers events that has the audience questioning whether they are inherently psychological or if something else is affecting the family. The film’s lead, Toni Collette, goes far above and beyond, making every scene she’s in her own. Truly, if it were any other actor, the audience would hate the character. The other main lead, Alex Wolff, does incredibly well at some points in the movie. However, he does have trouble in a few scenes that take you out of the movie. When he needs to be subtle, he is especially impactful, however when it asks for a big amount of emotion, it feels more awkward than anything. The other two main actors play their parts very well, however they are very overshadowed by Wolff and Collette. The movie also has pacing issues, especially in the second act of the movie, which is a shame due to the force the first act delivers. There isn’t a scene in particular that hasn’t had that amount of an impact in years that horror movies never
really have. Where the movie missteps are its resounding slow middle and the last two minutes. The last two minutes takes such a left turn in the story, taking a believable ambiguous movie to an unexpected area that leaves a bad taste in your mouth. The argument could be made that it was done with an emphasis on symbolism. However, if symbolism is delivered in such a forceful way, especially contradicting the subtle approach the film had been taking for the previous 2 hours, it leaves people with this knee-jerk reaction that doesn’t allow for it to be digested. The statement that this film has on mental health and how far can it truly affect an individual's life however, is insane. The message then gets incredibly marginalized when it is followed by the plot-twist that the movie delivers. Directed and written by Ari Aster, you can tell this was a passion project. Something that won’t reach the majority of the people the producers wanted to see the film and yet it is so indecisive with its core idea that there won’t be a desire to view it again from those that did.
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Upcoming Events Kamloops Highland Games July 14 Begins at 7 a.m. Albert McGowan Park Grab your kilts and come on down to Albert McGowan Park for the 2018 Highland Games. Participate in dancing or drumming, or cheer on athletes in the heavy events and SCA fighting demos. The Freudian Slips: Beach Blanket Bingo Party July 21 Doors open at 7:30 a.m. The Stage House, 422 Tranquille Grab your swim shorts and bikinis! Summer has officially begun with this beach-themed party put on by the Slips. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Grease July 26 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sagebrush Theatre The Kamloops Interior Summer School of Music performs the world's most popular musical. Take yourself back to the 50s with Grease. Tickets are $30 for adults and $24.50 for youth. Kamloops International Buskers Festival July 26-29 1 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Riverside Park Professional street performers from around the world will be in Kamloops later this month for the first Kamloops International Buskers Festival. This family-friendly event is free to attend! Kamloops Heritage Railway - Beer & Blues Cruize July 27 Begins at 7 p.m. Kamloops Heritage Railway Sample beer from Iron Road Brewery while enjoying award-winning blues on a sunset rail tour. Summer doesn't get much better than this!
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Volcanoes cause devastation in multiple countries Numbers of dead and missing continue to rise in both Hawaii and Guatemala in wake of catastrophic eruptions Morgan Hunter CONTRIBUTOR Ω Guatemala and Hawaii are still dealing with the aftermath of the eruptions that have occured on their islands a month ago. In Guatemala, the Volcano of Fire, the region’s most active erupted. There, the total death count currently is still being decided, however, the toll from the catastrophic eruption has risen to 113 with an estimated 332 people still missing. The health ministry has reported that 58 people are in hospital with third-degree burns and twelve children are being transferred by air to specialist hospitals. Asphyxia is reported to be the main cause of death, followed by burns. Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales had instructed his foreign ministry to petition the United States for temporary protected status for the country's migrants due to the damage. The Guatemala Red Cross has been the primary response to the disaster with more than 1,640 volunteers mobilized to provide medical care, transport wounded survivors to hospitals, support evacuations, work in shelters hosting evacuees and help family members separated by the disaster to reconnect. While Hawaii has had no fatalities from the eruption itself, one man was seriously injured when a molten rock projectile shattered his leg while he was
A lava flow crosses a road, demostrating its destructive power in the East Rift Zone. (macprohawaii/Flickr) standing on a balcony. Kilauea’s eruption on June 28th exploded with a force equivalent to an 5.3 magnitude or higher earthquake, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was the biggest of more than 400 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or higher that have struck in the vicinity of the volcano in the two days prior, the overwhelming majority of which were minor temblors. President Trump has approved federal emergency housing aid and other relief for victims of the
seven-week old Kilauea Volcano eruption, where hundreds of homes have been destroyed, state officials said. The approval came a day after governor David Ige formally requested assistance for an estimated 2,800 residents who have lost their homes to lava flows or were forced from their houses under evacuation orders. In a comparison of the two volcanic eruptions, the Guatemalan volcano has been deadlier because it erupted with a mix of ash, rock, and volcanic gases — a
rapid pyroclastic flow, compared to Kilauea’s slow-moving lava. These fast-moving flows engulfed whole villages at the bottom of the volcanic slope, overtaking people or vehicles quickly. If you wish to help with aid efforts to donate, you can check out either of the links below. Guatemalan Aid: https:// donate.worldvision.org/give/ guatemala-volcano-relief. Hawaii Aid: https://publicgood. com/media/cnn/campaign/aidfor-the-hawaii-volcano-victims.
Trump and Trudeau sling insults as trade war looms U.S. and Canadian leaders continue fued with both tariffs and words Morgan Hunter CONTRIBUTOR Ω Relations between President Trump and Prime Minister Trudeau continue to grow sour with Trump now claiming that Trudeau's stance on trade discussions was a “mistake” that would cost Canada “a lot of money.” This marks a continuation of the continuing feud that commenced at the G7 where Trump and Trudeau engaged in a war of words discussing the tariffs being implemented. The tariffs were imposed on Canadian steel and aluminum, with the reasoning being they were due to “national security reasons.” The conflict gained traction when Trudeau promised to hit back with retaliatory measures. This then lead to Trump claiming that Trudeau was "meek and
mild" and one of Trump's top advisers saying there was a "special place in hell" for Trudeau. The back-and-forth may just appear to be petty jabs among the two leaders, but there could be very real economic consequences. The likelihood of a trade war between the U.S. and Canada appears to be on the rise and both sides are mulling more trade barriers. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, Canada was the top export destination for 32 states in 2016 and currently, in 2018, Canada is also the top export destination for U.S. goods, with over $98 billion worth of goods going over the border. However, problems continued with Trump then threatening to retaliate against Canadian lumber in addition to the existing tariffs. “What are we doing here? The fact is that Canada has a 275
percent tariff on dairy products,” Trump said. “Little thing called dairy product. Their lumber is a disaster with us. I say, ‘Why aren’t we using our own lumber?’” Trudeau replied to these comments by pointing to the to the potential damage to the U.S. “I have a hard time accepting that any leader might do the kind of damage to his own auto industry that would happen if you were to bring in such a tariff
on Canadian auto manufacturers given the integration of the parts supply chains, of the auto supply chains through the Canada-U.S. border,” Trudeau said. The two will be meeting at the NATO Summit in Brussels for the first time since the altercation. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan signaled that they were prepared for the debate of the orthodoxy of the western military alliance’s non-binding spending targets.
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SPORTS
WolfPack volleyball players selected for Canada's youth team Two men's volleyball players will represent TRU on Canada's youth team this month Alvin Mutandiro SPORTS EDITOR Ω The WolfPack team will have two representatives playing for the Canadian volleyball youth team. Sam Elgert (setter, Athabasca, AB.) and Evan Yakymishen (middle, Sherwood Park, AB.) will be representing Canada in late July. Both players played together for Edmonton U18 FOG and were coached by Greg Elgert, Sam’s father. “It is pretty special to be able to play alongside with Sam for two years in club, now with Canada and soon with the WolfPack,” said Yakymishen to TRU athletics. “It’s unbelievable and I can’t wait for it to start.” Greg Elgert told TRU athletics that he was impressed with the performances of both players and the development that they have gone through during the season. From their interviews with TRU Athletics, it’s easy to get the
Evan Yakymishen (TRU Athletics)
impression that there is a strong bond between both players and coach Elgert. A strong camaraderie hard to find anywhere else. “I just went out and played my best during nationals. I think this is a great way to finish our club careers,” remarked the younger Elgert. “ Especially for Evan who made such a leap in his play the past year.” “Being recognized as being two of the best players in the country is certainly a big achievement,” said coach Pat Hennelly. “The fact they get a full week of extra training is always great. Obviously as a player you want to step up your play as you represent your country,” said Hennelly. Hennelly said he was always confident about the selection of the players and though he admits his bias as a coach, he felt Sam Elgert was the best setter in the country. He also gave a lot credit to Greg Elgert for the role he played in the development of the two players and their growth as
volleyball players. Sam Elgert further expressed his excitement to TRU athletics about the opportunity to work with some of the best coaches in the country. He also expressed a desire to keep improving and views this opportunity as the perfect platform for growth. It is always great to hear about TRU players getting recognition for their performances and to hear about players and athletes who have a mindset to continue growing. The positivity from all parties involved, from the likes of Hennelly, the two players and Greg Elgert is great to hear and shows why these players have such an opportunity to become household names in the Canadian volleyball scene. The hope now would be that this takes their performances with TRU to the next level. The national youth team will be training from July 14-21 at Mount Royal University in Calgary.
Four new recruits added to cross country team
'Pack cross country team has taken on new recruits this summer to increase flexibility Alvin Mutandiro SPORTS EDITOR Ω In sports, strength in numbers is sometimes underrated and underappreciated. The more options a program has the more flexible it can be and it’s less likely that injuries ruin a season. It makes the life of a coach easier and this is something the TRU cross country team has tried to do this summer. The team has added four recruits with the latest recruit being Brooklyn Higgs from Squamish, B.C. Higgs is a graduate of Coast Mountain Academy. Higgs told TRU athletics that she came from a small school without a structured program such as the one that exists here at TRU, but despite all that she took all her chances by taking part in sports such as basketball and Ultimate. Higgs explained to TRU athletics that she started training by herself and later joined a local group to continue training. “Originally I started running to improve my cardiovascular fitness,” Higgs told the WolfPack. “However, as I began running more and more, I started being able to appreciate my surroundings and the silence that I was in.” “Now, running is almost a form of meditation and relaxation for me as I am able to clear my mind and think. I’m looking forward to it every day,” she
said. Head coach Carmin Mazzotta told TRU athletics that he was impressed with Higgs’ open mindedness and her willingness to consider all her options before signing with TRU. “That kind of careful consideration lends itself well to cross country running, where you have to strike a balance between training hard and not overdoing it,” Mazzotta said. Mazzotta explained to the WolfPack that Higgs being careful will help in making sure she takes the time to do the little things that will help prevent injury, so she can train consistently. Higgs also revealed to TRU Athletics that she has never had a cross country coach. Working with Mazzotta will present a new learning experience for her. Higgs will join other newcomers Kirsten Hansen (St Albert, AB.), paralympian Emily Young (Kelowna, B.C.) and Kamloops recruit Calum Carrigan (Kamloops). There will be a lot of fresh faces added in the 2018/19 season after stalwarts such as Conlan Sprickerhoff departed at the end of last season. The cross country team continues to grow at TRU and this will only be a positive as the university looks to become a top program. (Right) Brooklyn Higgs in the BMO Half Marathon. (TRU Athletics)
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THE OMEGA
JULY 11, 2018