September 12, 2018

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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 28 · ISSUE 02 · SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

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INVESTING IN OPEN TEXTBOOKS

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FAREWELL TO PRESIDENT SHAVER

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FRIDAY NIGHT FIRES ROCKS GROTTO

TRU alumni recount experiences at Bass Coast 10 Anton Dixon & Hamza Hasan TRU ALUMNI Ω B.C. boasts a home to some of the most diverse music and art festivals in the world. Both Hamza Hasan and I, Anton Dixon, attended the Bass Coast Music and Arts Festival — an independant international exhibition of electronic music and art situated outside the City of

Merritt in the stunning Nicola Valley.

This summer marked the festival’s ten-year anniversary, taking place from July 6 to 9.

Having attended several music festivals between us, we thought we had seen it all. We wanted to get a true experience of Bass Coast and what it meant to the people and local culture.

As I left China and headed to YVR to meet Hamza, I felt I had the gist of what to expect and was woefully wrong.

After inevitable travel delays and arriving one day later than planned, we eventually arrived at BC10!

This idyllic location provides a truly unique backdrop and sense of seclusion which only adds to the beauty of this festival. As we drove through the forest at the crook of Coldwater River, the area felt unassuming and calm, unlike any festival I have attended before.

See Bass Coast 10 Page 6

To the people from B.C. and around the world that attend Bass Coast year after year, the festival is something entirely unique. Many liken the festival to "Canada's Burning Man." (Hamza Hasan)

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SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

Removing the stigma of using cannabis as medicine for kids Florriann Fehr and Nan Stevens are researching the use of medical cannabis for children with neurological disabilities Wade Tomko EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω Florriann Fehr, a school of nursing professor specializing in pediatrics and Nan Stevens, a professor in TRU’s school of education both share the same goal. Simply put, they want to see children, more specifically children with neurological disabilities, receive the best care available.

admitted that she was simply “grasping at straws” when it came to prescribing her son pharmaceuticals, Stevens reached out to RIH doctor and supervising physician for medical cannabis in Kamloops, Dr. Ian Mitchell.

“I contacted him and asked if he’d serve my child, he said no and everyone else was saying no.

I pleaded and begged and said I needed him desperately to help my kid,” Stevens said. “Ian said I’d take

Fehr (left) and Stevens (right) are researching the use of medical cannabis for children, while at the same time breaking down stigma. (Submitted)

As a former nurse in the community, Fehr has seen the stigma attached to using cannabis as medicine in both the workplace and the classroom. While research has often been conducted on the detrimental effects of marijuana, she says that studies, especially in the field of nursing, rarely explore the substance’s medical benefits.

For Stevens, however, using medicinal cannabis in pediatrics hits much closer to home. Stevens is the mother of a child with a neurological disability. After years of her and her husband treating their child with pharmaceuticals to no avail, Stevens looked elsewhere for help.

After Steven’s physician

you on as a child case. He started him on CBD oil and now here we are three years later and my son is phasing out the last of three pharmaceuticals and he is better than ever, he is more talkative and he his calm. Relatives and teachers are noticing a significant change.”

Since then, Stevens has become the regional contact for cannabis support for the Family Support Institute, a parent support group.

“CBD oil is a game changer,” she said.

Two years ago, Fehr and Stevens first met while they were assisting in setting up community health cannabis forum here on campus.

From there, they got to know each other and realized that they

could work together to see how cannabis could treat neurological disorders, while at the same time breaking the stigma surrounding the substance.

Fast forward to today and Fehr and Stevens are co-investigators in a research study that looks to explore the experiences of parents and guardians of kids with neurological disorders who are currently using medical cannabis as a treatment.

The study is meant to help parents considering cannabis-related intervention for their child, as well as health care professionals and policymakers. Fehr and Stevens hope their research creates a clearer understanding of the use of cannabis as medicine, as well as the challenges faced by parents navigating the health care system in regards to using cannabis as a treatment for their children.

“The pediatric population has a great deal of stigma, as a community child health nurse I worry about growth and development,” Fehr said. “Evidence-based research of families’ lived experiences will assist in breaking down stigma.”

For their part, TRU has been extremely supportive the study, says Stevens.

“They were so supportive because they see the value of being first to the starting line as well, because it is coming into post-secondary research” she said.

“But post-secondary research isn’t connected to community, we are connecting it.”

In addition to the research they’re conducting, Fehr and Stevens are also helping set up a cannabinoid research conference later this October. The free evening session is open to the public.

Health care professionals will be in attendance to answer any questions.

The Kamloops Summit on Opiates and Cannabinoid Research,

which will be held here on campus on October 3, looks to empower the British Columbians to use evidence-based cannabinoid research in guiding harm reduction and substance abuse strategies. In addition to this, the conference will also be improving the community response to the impact of opiates.

“Basically what we are doing is supporting research, supporting

advocacy groups across Canada, basically whatever it takes to get a better grip on this whole legislation, but also medicinal cannabis use,” Fehr said.

Stevens and Fehr are hoping that this is the start of a greater commitment by community health providers to support cannabis intervention as a treatment option for families.

Crosswalk gets a fresh look just in time for Pride

Rainbow sidewalks get a new look just in time for the seventh annual TRUSU Pride Parade Elizabeth Nygren CONTRIBUTOR Ω Recently, TRU gave two of the sidewalks on campus a makeover.

The rainbow sidewalks are not new to campus, but fresh restorations of the old one. These makeovers come to TRU just in time for the 7th Annual Campus Pride Parade.

On Thursday, September 13, the 7th annual campus Pride Parade, hosted by the TRUSU Equity Committee, will take place at TRU. The pride parade will be outside of Old Main, in front of Starbucks, between 12:30 and 1:30.

Everyone is invited to participate in the parade and are welcome to bring their own signs, banners or anything else to express support. If not, parade placards are also available to those who would like one.

The TRUSU Pride Parade celebrates diversity and the LGBTQ+

community on TRU’s campus. By celebrating pride on campus, it promotes Thompson Rivers University as a safe place to study, work and live, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Pride has become an important part of our society over the years and is widely accepted by the majority of western canada. Although there is still a long way to go, pride days, weeks and months have given the LGBTQ+ community a feeling of belonging in a world that is still learning to accept one another.

Pride is defined as having satisfaction from one’s achievements or qualities or being proud of those achievement’s or qualities. In regards to the time of year that is pride, it is known as an occasion to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community through events, including parades. It is a time to be proud of your identity and walk with those who support you and those

Facilities gave the rainbow-coloured crosswalks just outside of OM a new paint job last week. (Wade Tomko/Ω) who understand what it’s like to be in your shoes.

The TRUSU Pride Parade on campus is free to attend and open to

anyone, regardless of race, gender identity or sexual orientation.

Everyone is welcome to participate in the parade itself or to watch from

the sidelines and support their fellow classmates, faculty and community members. This is an event you won’t want to miss.

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B.C. launches campaign against sexual violence TRU is one of 25 universities participating in a campaign that aims to educate post-secondary students on sexual violence Wade Tomko EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω The B.C. government recently launched a sexual violence and misconduct information campaign specifically aimed at post-secondary campuses. All 25 universities and colleges in B.C., including TRU, are involved in the campaign.

Unlike previous campaigns that have aimed to address sexual violence and misconduct, this campaign focuses on the critical period of the first few weeks of a new semester.

According to the government, this is when two-thirds of sexual assaults on campus occur.

“Student life should never include any type of sexualized violence or misconduct. However, we know that roughly two-thirds of sexual assaults on campus occur during the first eight weeks of school,” said Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training in a press release.

While there are a lot of reasons for why these first few weeks back are so critical, it really boils down to a few factors, says Meaghan Hagerty, TRU’s Sexualized Violence Prevention and Response Manager.

“Everyone’s excited and everyone’s out partying more. A lot of sexualized violence happens within relationships as well or between you and someone you already know,” Hagerty said. “But I think it really comes from this being a new stage in people’s lives. There

SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

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are unfortunately, some factors that make people more vulnerable at that age and stage as well, like trying to fit in or not knowing how to push back against those sorts of things.”

Statistically speaking, first and second-years are perhaps the most vulnerable. In a 2015 article by Stephen Cranney in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, The Relationship Between Sexual Victimization and Year in School in U.S. Colleges, the author found that students in their first two years are disproportionately affected by sexual violence compared to other students.

This doesn’t just have to do with alcohol and partying either, but the type of housing they are living in (on-campus versus off-campus) and a lack of proper transportation.

Since a single incident of sexual violence can have life-changing results for everyone involved, educating students in their first few weeks is key.

For their part, TRU has been putting up posters around campus, including in The Den. Yet the university is taking it one step further by partnering with other research universities in B.C. to bring students consistent messaging on the topic of sexual violence.

“We’ve been working with the other research universities in B.C. to bring consistent messaging to our campuses on some of the larger topic areas,” Hagerty said. “We now have a learning tool that students can access via Moodle or in-person

workshops. So each one is a video and a debrief breakdown of the video. It’s on consent, healthy relationships, boundaries, being an active bystander and supporting a survivor.”

While these in-person and video workshops are no doubt a powerful tool, they aren’t mandatory. Yet Hagerty isn’t sure that mandatory education is the answer either.

“It is tough with mandatory education because if people aren’t willing to hear it then it can be less effective,” she said. “We’re going to incentivise it and there will be prizes attached to it.

We are trying to make it as accessible as possible.”

While some students may not be willing to watch a video or join in on a workshop session, there are still other ways in which they can communally make TRU safer, says Hagerty.

“If you hear someone making a rape joke, say, ‘Hey man, that’s actually not that funny,’ and sort of educate themselves around sexual violence and what they can do,” she said.

“Recognizing that it does happen a lot, so knowing some positive ways to respond if someone tells you, not that you have to be an expert. But if someone tells you, believe what they tell you and connect them to resources.”

Some of those resources include contacting TRU’s counselling department at 250-828-5023 or contacting an organization such as Kamloops Sexual Assault Counselling Centre (250-372-0179).

TRU signs MOU with Mexican university TRU’s agreement with UAGro brings new opportunities for trades and Indigenous students Juan Cabrejo BUSINESS EDITOR Ω After the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between TRU and the UAGro (Autonomous University of Guerrero), TRU is looking to open doors for Indigenous women and training UAGro’s English teachers through dual credential programming, along with helping expand UAGro’s trades and technology program.

“This MOU is particularly for expanding educational opportunities for Indigenous women and other areas such as teacher training and dual credential programming for Canadian and Mexican students and faculty,” said TRU associate vice-president international Baihua Chadwick. “UAGro is also looking to expand their trades and technology area, which is a strength here at TRU.” This is the second MOU signed with the Mexican university and possibly the beginning of a long-lasting partnership with TRU. “For a future agreement, we are working out an initiative for

the international field school to send TRU Indigenous students to Mexico,” said Chadwick. “We have received strong interest.”

As of recent, there has been a notable growth of Mexican students at TRU and that number is expected to continue growing following this MOU. According to Chadwick, UAGro students and faculty seem very optimistic and have embraced this opportunity.

UAGro is located in the south-western state of Guerrero in the city of Chilpancingo and has more than 89,000 students across its 12 campuses. Of the student population, 40 percent are considered ethnic minorities, which brings a rich multicultural experience to UAGro’s students and faculty. Indigenous and international students account for 26% of the TRU student body.

TRU has more than 40 partner-institutions in countries around the world including China, India, South Korea, Colombia, Vietnam and Mexico. UAGro is the third Mexican institutional partnership following the Monterrey Institute of Technology and the Celta International School.

Students call on B.C. government to invest more in Open Textbooks B.C. Federation of Students asks for $5 million to improve course materials Juan Cabrejo BUSINESS EDITOR Ω The BCFS (British Columbia Federation of Students) is requesting the B.C. government to invest an additional $5 million in the government agency BCcampus for the Open Textbook Project.

After receiving an initial $2 million investment in 2012 from the provincial government, according to BCFS chairperson Aran Armutlu, the additional investment would be used to create OERs (Open Educational Resources) such as online textbooks and course materials to assist instructors.

“The $5 million dollars is an amount that we picked because it’s realistic and it will give that robust funding into BCcampus to do the OER work that’s needed,” Armutlu said.

According to Michael Olson, BCFS' executive officer, in the case that the additional investment isn’t granted, the project would maintain its current pace and would take longer for courses to adopt OERs. TRUSU, along with student unions at other universities and colleges across the province,

is working with faculty and administrators to adopt OERs in their classrooms. Students have identified the need for textbook affordability as a priority in the past two TRUSU Student Budget Consultations and the students’ union has been campaigning for it since 2016.

According to TRUSU President Tatiana Gilbert, the campaign has seen tremendous strides since then and was recently approved by TRU administration this past summer.

“We were ecstatic when TRU accepted the proposal to make a grant for faculties who are interested in making an open textbook,” she said. “As of then, eight faculty members have been awarded the grant for the first year of this program.”

According to BCcampus, 26% of students refused to register for a course due to the cost of the required textbooks.

According to Gilbert, the Open Textbooks initiative is estimated to have benefited over 2000 TRU students.

OERs are peer-reviewed materials either available online or printable by students at low cost. A very similar publishing process is applied to the open textbooks as how a traditional

First announced in 2016, the TRU Open Textbooks campaign has made tremendous strides since then and was recently approved by TRU administration this past summer. (BCcampus_News/Flickr Commons) book would be published.

“Faculty members and experts in the field that are authoring and editing those books along with going through an extremely rigorous process to make sure they are of high quality,” said Armultu.

Customizability is another benefit of open textbooks as they offer the ability to be

tailored to their pertaining courses. Armultu gave the example of how students can pick and choose specific chapters instead of referring to an entire textbook.

“Often we find that as students, we can be in a class where we buy a textbook and there are multiple chapters in which a professor will skip completely,”

he said. “The value of open textbooks can be shown when a student can customize their material to get the most out of it.”

As of yet, there has been no response from any textbook publishers; nevertheless, it will be intriguing to see how they will position themselves towards this trend.

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Tackling the beginning of the semester stress

Major events like the Back-to-School BBQ can prove stressful for new students Morgan Hunter CONTRIBUTOR Ω With last week’s Back-to-School BBQ, The Omega decided to see if the event put on by TRUSU successfully made students feel more comfortable and welcome on campus as a whole.

The event has over 100 different booths teeming with extracurricular activities, different businesses and organizations advertising their products and clubs for students to look into or join.

However, with the BBQ in full effect, we decided to check the efficiency of the event as a whole to see if it was really helping new students.

Twenty new students were polled at the event and it was found that the majority felt that it had the opposite effect.

When asked how they felt as a whole, 14 out of the 20 students felt the BBQ wasn’t helping them feel welcome. Some described the event as chaotic, with one student stating that "it was too cramped half the

time, it made me feel claustrophobic and really anxious."

When the students were asked what would be a good addition to the event, five of the respondents felt as if there should have a booth for icebreaker events, giving them a social environment that would allow them to mingle and create new relationships.

Rohan Sharma, the student wellness ambassador, had mixed feelings on the matter.

Sharma believed that the event as a whole was positive. However,

giving so many options at once right at the beginning of the school year will make some students feel overwhelmed. Having so much on a person's plate often lowers efficiency, ranging from feeling negative to becoming burnt out, he said.

In order to help new students with the feeling of being overwhelmed, Sharma believes there should be more big events like the BBQ more consistently, rather than having a few at the beginning of the semester then having a few at the end. This will give students more

consistent aid in their studies and their stress levels, he said.

If you are feeling stressed at any point in the semester, the best thing you can do is talk it out, says Sharma.

“Just talk to people,” he said. “If you hold onto something, it will consume you. Speak to someone and don’t hesitate to express yourself honestly.”

Sharma also recommends that if you’re dealing with high levels of stress, to visit the Wellness Center in Old Main.

Students, faculty and staff give former president Alan Shaver a final farewell Elizabeth Nygren CONTRIBUTOR Ω Over 100 students, faculty, and friends came to a farewell gathering for former TRU president, Alan Shaver.

The farewell event took place at the Campus Activity Centre on September 7 and was full of laughter, tears, and many kind words from colleagues and friends of Shaver.

The affair began with a cultural performance by ‘Drum Africa’, a student drum and dance group, which ended with a gift for the former president; a shirt usually bestowed upon royalty. This gift was a thank you for all of Shaver’s support towards culture at TRU.

After the performance, there were many speakers to acknowledge Shaver’s work over the years, as well as to share their personal experiences with the president. Many were humourous and all were heartfelt.

Plenty spoke at the event in regards to Shaver, including TRU chancellor Nathan Matthew, executive director of TRU Aboriginal Affairs Paul Michel, Kamloops mayor Ken Christian, TRU board chair Jim Thomson, and vice-president administration & finance Matt Milovick.

Matthew began his speech by talking about getting to know Shaver and how the former president was dedicated to making Thompson Rivers University a

better place for higher learning.

He then discussed his thoughts of Shaver and how he was a determined and respectful leader.

“As a result of my relationship with you, I have become a better and stronger person and that doesn’t happen every time,” Matthew said. “On behalf of the university thank you for all that you’ve done.”

Throughout the 2-hour event, Shaver was given many gifts, including a statue presented

by Christian, deer gloves made

by Cecil DeRose from Williams Lake presented by interim vice-president advancement Guy Mallabone and moccasins from Elder Loretta Seymour presented by executive director

of TRU Aboriginal Affairs Paul Michel. The statue’s significance gained many gasps from the audience, as Christian gave Shaver the Pioneer Spirit Award for 2018 on behalf of Kamloops City Council.

Lastly to speak was of course president Alan Shaver himself, who spoke of how overwhelmed he was by the amount of support given at this farewell event. He also discussed access to education and how it has changed since his parents time.

“I came here on a mission.

The people of Kamloops deserve access to a full service university and TRU is a full service university,” Shaver said when recalling his decision to come to

Thompson Rivers University.

He acknowledged that it took some time to convince people of that, but he believes TRU is a full service university and would like to thank everyone who made that possible.

However, retirement isn’t exactly in Shaver’s immediate future. He will now be chairing the Innovate BC Board, where he will help lead the agency’s delivery of programs that support innovation, entrepreneurship and business development in B.C.’s tech sector.

For the mean time, until Brett Fairbairn takes over as president in December, provost Christine Bovis-Cnossen will be TRU's interim president.

Wednesday, September 26, 2018 1:00 pm - 6:30 pm Fairmont Hotel, Vancouver

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SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

Bass Coast 10 marks homecoming for TRU alumni

Photos by Hamza Hasan

Making friends, making a difference and making waves through thoughtfully created music and art CONTINUED (COVER) Once we arrived we collected our media passes, pitched our tents, grabbed our equipment and headed out into the unknown.

As we entered the main festival area there was an immediate acceptance, a welcoming as if we had returned home.

Smiles, intrigue and human nature were in abundance, right from the start it just felt right.

As we got deeper into the forest we were exposed to what can only be described as an audio-visual playground.

From giant mushrooms and spaceships, to metallic futuristic cats and an old-school telephone that invited you to indulge in the most random conversations. Scattered amongst this meticulously and mindfully curated haven lay an array of local vendors and talents so diverse, interaction is a necessity.

Education and exercise are also a big part of the festival,

with holistic workshops and seminars to group yoga and roller skating, Bass Coast caters to both the inner child and outer adult.

“Due to it being a central location in B.C., Merritt has become home for many festivals, such as Bass Coast, the Rockin River country festival and most recent, Motion Notion,” said Will George, TRU alumni and manager of Economic Development and Tourism for the City of Merritt. “They all moved from other locations to come to Merritt because it is a central location and we are trying to attract more festivals.”

After we navigated and conversed our way through this utopia, we checked out the other side of this festival, the music!

Organizers said that “the stages are set up in a way to evolve musically over the

sound design by the award-winning PK Sound.

With nothing left to do but put our earplugs in and let the music guide us, we set off on a beautiful musical journey.

Whether we were jamming out in Cantina, or dancing until the sun rose over the beautifully designed canopy of Slay Bay, there really was something for everyone. Unlike other festivals I have attended there was never a pretence, or way to act, self expression in its truest form was on display. The collective positive energy Harrison was so contagious you had Bass Coast Attendee and Volunteer no choice but to surrender. This natural euphoria was in abundance and it was very easy to see why course of the festival caterpeople love this festival. ing for all,” and this couldn’t When we first arrived we have been truer. The four spoke to people about why stages were Main Stage, Slay they keep returning to Bass Bay, Radio Stage and Cantina Coast year after year. The Stage, each one diverse and general consensus was the brilliantly curated boasting

“My favorite thing about BC10 is mature respectful crowd, there’s a lot of attention to looking out for each other and just being positive. This festival breaks down the barrier between the person off the stage and the people at the dance floor. There’s quite a symbiotic relationship which is very tribal.”

“

(Above) Andrea Graham, aka The Librarian, Bass Coast co-founder and DJ plays her set. (Right) Bass Coast's Radio Stage.

community, the people and the vibe. Seldom was it the music alone. At first I wanted to push for different reasons and answers, but by the end it all made sense.

From the outside, Bass Coast cannot be understood and the word “festival” doesn't do justice for everything that Bass Coast encompasses.

Bass Coast is an achieved ideal which on paper shouldn’t work, but through thoughtfulness, planning, hardwork and love, it exceeded all expectations.

We were so fortunate to be able to experience this magical gathering of beautiful souls, Bass Coast 10, thank you!

“Bass Coast Festival is an independent international exhibition of electronic music and art. Founded in 2009

by Andrea Graham and Liz Thomson, the artist owned and operated event is a distinguished platform for Canadian artists and a destination for innovative international talent,” reads the festival’s website.

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(Left) Soul Clap plays at the Slay Bay Stage. (Below) Some of the more elaborate costumes to be found.

“The people are the best part of this festival – people are gems, everyone is so unique and different in their own way, sometimes you spot someone in the crowd and you’re like 'Wow, you're amazing,' and they are just dancing, being themselves. Just allowing people to feel comfortable, to connect in different ways while dancing and building genuine festivals.”

Ally Bass Coast Spa

(Above) Like many modern music festivals, Bass Coast prides itself on harm reduction. If you're taking drugs, but aren't sure what's in them, you can get them tested at a location like this one. (Left and Below) One the things that makes Bass Coast so unique to B.C. music festivals, is its myriad of art installations.

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SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

Indonesian storytelling gives thanks to Kamloops hospitality Exchange students mark the end of their stay with a show featuring Indonesian traditions of theatre and music Justin Moore STAFF WRITER Ω It was a show that visitors came all the way from their home country of Indonesia to watch.

Students, host families and Kamloops residents filled the seats of the Sagebrush Theatre on the afternoon of September 9 to watch a performance choreographed and presented by Indonesian high school exchange students who have been studying here for a short time at TRU.

Titled Merantau: The Hero’s Journey, the play follows a self-defence trainee Hamid, as he travels on a mission given to him by his Master that leads him to a village burdened by a tyrant ruler that had displaced families and made prisoners of those opposed to his ideology.

It was an adventurous trail with themes of companionship, fighting oppression and injustice across class and gender.

The stage performance was accompanied by live music also produced by the students on

traditional instruments and backing vocals that gave the performance a rich and vibrant emotion.

The play concluded with the students filling the stage with their colourful and decorative costumes, that glittered under the bright stage lights, waving flags of their home country along with our red and white maple leaf flag.

The theatre quickly exploded into a chorus of “Oh Canada,” lead by the students, followed by the Indonesian national anthem that had the students beaming with

smiles as they raised each other on their shoulders to sing to the watching crowd.

Each year, TRU partners with the International Islamic Education Council to bring students from Indonesia for 4-6 weeks to practice their English and learn more about Western culture, as well as sharing their own culture with Canadians.

This is the fifth year that TRU has hosted groups of students from ages 13 to 17.

The whole performance was put on in thanks to the community of

Kamloops, TRU and the hospitality of the host families for the Indonesians. There were even a few visitors in the audience that had travelled from Indonesia to watch their family and friends perform and produce the play.

The show was a warming conclusion to the student's stay in Canada as they get ready to depart on a return flight home to Indonesia and for Kamloops residents, it marks another chance to further interact with cultures and communities outside of their own.

The performance was choreographed and managed by the exchange students, who ranged from ages 13 to 17, as a gift to their host families and the Kamloops community. (Justin Moore/Ω)

Friday Night Fires returns to the Blue Grotto Kamloops-born band returns to home stomping grounds for a night of rock Cailyn Mocci ARTS EDITOR Ω Sunday, September 10 was a night of rock and roll and the homecoming show of Kamloops-born band Friday Night Fires. Friday Night Fires rattled the worn floors of the Blue Grotto with a set list full of heavy guitar riffs and mesmerizing drum beats.

The band started with four guys who just wanted to make music together.

“People want to hang out and make music because it makes you feel good,” said bassist Shayne Arthurs.

The band consists of four members; Jonathan Chow, lead vocalist and guitar, Devan Burke, guitar, Shayne Arthurs, bass and Adam Buchanan, drums. All four met during open mic nights hosted weekly at the Commodore in downtown Kamloops.

Through these open mic nights, the band started jamming together more frequently until January 2017 when they recorded their first song, Whiskey, thus marking the official birth of Friday Night Fires.

“It was never a goal. I was never searching for those craigslist ads looking to start a band. This just happened quite beautifully,” said Buchanan.

When asked what their sound is, there can’t just be one solid answer.

Amidst the obvious rock and roll elements that hold strong in every song, the band considers their sound to be ever changing.

“The cool thing about the ‘organicness’ of how we came about is that we all had different musical interests, nothing was forced when we all started writing songs,” said Buchanan. “They all had their own little flavour.”

Friday Night Fires has begun to label themselves as Blue Collar Retro. Stating that their small town upbringings and values shaped a lot of the way they present their music. Blue Collar Retro can be easily thought of as modern rock, but often without the heavy production that can be found in radio hits.

“I struggle with that question because people will ask what kind of music is it and I’ll say ‘I don’t know’,” Chow admitted when it came to their sound.

“I think we’re still trying to figure out what our sound is. It’s been cool because we have a collection of songs now that are quite diverse and we really like that,” Buchanan added.

Since their quick and successful beginnings in Kamloops, Friday Night Fires launched their musical

Sunday's show marks the first time Friday Night Fires has played in Kamloops since this spring. (Justin Moore/Ω) career into the big city with a move to Vancouver.

“We went in so blind. When we moved to Vancouver, we didn’t know anyone in the scene. We had to learn a lot really fast,” said Buchanan. “I think we spent the first half of our time there going to shows and trying

to wrap our head around what was happening.”

“It’s slowly picking up. It was definitely a whirlwind,” said Chow.

Friday Night Fires credits much of their success to the immense support they’ve had from friends, family and the musical community

around them; naming Shred Kelly as providing a wealth of advice.

This isn’t the last you’ll be hearing of Friday Night Fires. With one EP released, the band is looking to release more music in the near future, as well as a possible B.C. and Alberta tour to further explore Western Canada.

WWW.TRUOMEGA.CA

Campus radio station looking for volunteers CFBX, the campus/community radio station at Thompson Rivers University, has started their volunteer drive. It will run from now until Monday, September 24th.

CFBX is an entirely volunteer run and programmed radio station and is always looking for energetic and creative volunteers to help out on air and off air.

Volunteers do not need to be TRU students to get involved.

CFBX programs a wide variety of music and spoken word programming with a non-commercial focus. Music programming includes folk, roots, country, classical, jazz, funk, blues, punk, metal, hip-hop and electronic.

Spoken word programming ranges from social and political

issues to sports and entertainment. In addition, CFBX is especially in need of classical music hosts, hip-hop hosts, electronic hosts and anyone interested in programming in a language other than English.

CFBX is an excellent place to build up job skills in audio editing, interviewing, writing, organization skills and computer use. There are numerous ways to get involved at the station on air and off.

Anyone interested in getting involved with CFBX can call the station at (250) 377-3988, email to radio@tru.ca or drop by the station at House 8, behind the Campus Activity Centre on the TRU campus.

ARTS

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Looking for work on Campus??

HAVE AN APPROVED student loan or have demonstrated financial need?

Want to Earn $12.65/hr?

Check Out the TRU WorkStudy Program Positions Include:  Research & assist with projects & campus initiatives  Schedule and plan for events and festivals  Sell tickets and usher guests at the Theatre  Act as a student peer resource/tutor

Find these jobs – and over 100 more at the TRU Student Awards & Financial Support Office (Old Main Building) Open to all full-time students currently approved for a government student loan or have demonstrated financial need, the Work Study program provides students with valuable paid work experience.

Applications and eligibility guidelines are available at www.tru.ca/awards/work-study, or visit the TRU Student Awards & Financial Support Office (OM 1629, 250-828-5024).

CFBX TOP 30 CFBX 92.5 FM, 350 Watts Kamloops, BC Music Director: Steve Marlow Charts to September 6, 2018 * indicates Canadian Content ** indicates a local artist Artist - Album (Label) 1) Dumb* - Seeing Green (Mint) 2) Father John Misty - God's Favorite Customer (Sub Pop) 3) Yung Heazy* - Whenever You're Around, I Hate Everything Less (Independent) 4) Yukon Blonde* - Critical Hit (Dine Alone) 5) Peter and the Wolves* - Howlin' and Prowlin' (VLV) 6) Dubmatix* - King Size Dub Special (Independent) 7) Whisper Suite* - Love Notes (Independent) 8) Jim James - Uniform Distortion (ATO) 9) Nick Fraser* - Is Life Long? (Clean Feed) 10) Telegraphe Jungle* - Positive Vibes (Independent) 11) Steve Dawson* - Lucky Hand (Black Hen) 12) Bad Waitress* - Party Bangers Vol. 1 (Royal Mountain) 13) Echo Nebraska* - Hold Up to the Fire (Independent) 14) Molly Johnson* - Meaning to Tell Ya (Universal) 15) Pharis and Jason Romero* - Sweet Old Religion (Lula) 16) Joe Creeden and the Flying Hellfish* - Stall (My Fingers! My Brain!)

17) The Confusionaires* - Make a Little Mess (Independent) 18) Excuses Excuses* - Catch Me if You Can (Independent) 19) Buddy Guy - The Blues Is Alive and Well (Silvertone) 20) Michael Bridge* - Overture (Independent) 21) Ensign Broderick* - Only Love Remains (Six Shooter) 22) Waves That Stray* - Waves That Stray (Independent) 23) Cory Weeds' Little Big Band* - Explosion (Cellar Live) 24) Jungle Rot - Jungle Rot (Victory) 25) The Ault Sisters* - Sisters in Song (Independent) 26) Across the Board* - Sonic Boom (Independent) 27) Elvin Bishop's Big Fun Three - Something Smells Funky 'Round Here (Alligator) 28) Bend Sinister* - Foolish Games (Cordova Bay) 29) Spencer Mackenzie* - Cold November (Gypsy Soul) 30) The Sturgeons* - Black and White (Independent)

Review: Happy Time Murders Morgan Hunter CONTRIBUTOR Ω The Happytime Murders is a movie that takes an interesting twist on our relationship with puppets, then takes that twist and beats it like the dead horse that it is.

The movie follows ex-detective Phil Phillips on his hunt to find the person responsible for the killing of his brother’s ex-castmates of the Happy Time Gang.

The main issues come with the movie’s pacing and its comedy. The plot basically begs you to take your idea of puppets and tries to make it as edgy as it can. Though it doesn’t take into account the fact that the demographic that it’s attempting to appeal to has the internet.

Audiences have seen such obscene, raunchy material for quite a while and having puppets getting mauled by dogs or puppet prostitutes just isn’t that out of the ordinary. Nor is it that funny when a puppet starts swearing out of nowhere when we’ve had films like Sausage Party coming out and erasing expectations on cartoons being kid friendly.

Shows like Rick and Morty, Final Space, BoJack Horseman, and countless others show that they can use cartoonish imagery in order to show adult themes. So when people watch The Happytime Murders

continuously beat you over the head with the fact that these are puppets who don’t act like puppets should, the shock value is gone in the first five minutes of the movie.

With the comedy, for every kind of funny joke about a certain situation, there’s four more that don’t land and make it awkward for the viewer until the movie eventually moves on. The plot is very predictable with everything happening exactly how you’d expect with absolutely no surprises.

The other issue with the film is the clear allegory that they were trying to beat you across the head with the puppets representing ethnic groups in America. They go on with treating the puppets as second class citizens, almost like they want to continuously look at the camera and say, “Wow, racism is bad!”

Though if the movie is attempting to cater to a more mature, adult audience, then there isn’t a need to continuously throw the theme in our face. A theme is only as effective as how impactful it is towards the characters and the shift that a character must face in order to find the right decision.

And that sums up the Happytime Murders, in a nutshell. An in-yourface experience that feels forced, blunt and unappealing with its lack of subtle humor and jokes that don’t cater to the audience that’s watching it.

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COMICS & PUZZLES

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Puzzle of the Week #1— Find the Pattern

(in the September 12, 2018 issue of The Omega) Here are some pairs of words. Each pair is related in some way, but the first word of each pair has a certain property and the second word does not. The property is the same for all eight pairs. What is the property?

The words are: permanent – temporary attack – ambush teacher – class unemotional – calm treerat – squirrel intelligent – smart elephant – pachyderm impossible – probable [Hint: It has to do with the letters.

Meaning is irrelevant.]

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.

JUST BECAUSE THEY SWIPED RIGHT DOESN’T MAKE IT RIGHT.

Sexual violence and misconduct can never be part of student life.

It will not be tolerated.

Make campuses safe for everyone, play your part.

SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

WWW.TRUOMEGA.CA

11

SPORTS

'Pack women's soccer open season with a win and a loss

Despite a mixed opening weekend, TRU WSOC did well under pressure Alvin Mutandiro SPORTS EDITOR Ω The WolfPack women’s soccer team opened the 2018 season with one win and a loss in two exciting encounters to kick off their Canada West season.

The ’Pack started their season on September 8 with a 2-1 loss to the MacEwan Griffins, who they led 1-0 for most of the contest.

TRU had a slow start in the game and MacEwan dominated early before TRU took a 1-0 lead.

Kelsey Thorkelsson, scored a header off of Marisa Mendonca’s corner 14 minutes into the game.

After that point, the Griffins hit everything but the back of the net.

The Griffins created plenty of opportunities, but couldn’t finish.

Danielle Robertson made some big saves to keep TRU in the contest and ahead on the scoreboard.

TRU was able to stay ahead for most of the second half until MacEwan scored 85 minutes into the game.

Meaghan Oram scored the goal with a one time finish.

MacEwan then broke the ’Pack’s hearts with a goal 88 minutes in by Sarah Riddle; a goal that could be considered a goal of the season contender this early in the season.

MacEwan outshot TRU 27-11, in what was a very action-packed game.

Despite the disappointment in the season opener TRU came back strong with a convincing 3-1 win over the UNBC Timberwolves on September 9 at Hillside stadium.

TRU’s second game was just as exciting for the ‘Pack with Chantal Gammie scoring eight minutes into the game.

First-year midfielder Abbie Simms made things even sweeter with a goal twenty-six minutes in the first half to make it a 2-0 game.

Things got even better for the ’Pack after TRU was awarded a penalty 28 minutes into the first half.

Fourth-year midfielder and team co-captain Marisa Mendonca then scored a third goal from the penalty spot to kill the game off in the thirtieth minute.

UNBC threatened with a comeback with a goal scored by Sofia Jones a minute before the end of the first half.

The second half although eventful, didn’t feature any goals. Robertson made some big saves for TRU, but game management from the WolfPack was much improved in the second game.

The ’Pack did a better job of keeping the ball and running down the clocking in the second half.

TRU Athletics

“We had a really good thirty minutes in the first half and we strung together some good play and we put three in the net,” said head coach Kelly Shantz. “The positive is that we didn’t give it away in the second half, we had some scrambly moments where we had to fight through it and get our communication back up.”

Shantz acknowledged that his team is learning to play with the lead, as poor game management hurt the team in the season opener.

“We talked about it at half-time, we did not manage the game well in the last fifteen minutes yesterday, we gave the ball away, we had quick throw-ins, we played quickly when we’re trying to defend a lead,” he said.

Shantz was very happy with his central defenders who did well in maintaining possession when the team was under pressure.

It was a mixed opening weekend for the WolfPack ladies, but signs are promising for the 2018 season, the UNBC game had plenty of positives and gave fans of TRU something to look forward to.

Bad air quality delays the start of the season for men's soccer The WolfPack men’s soccer team is 1-2-2 after a delayed start to the season Alvin Mutandiro SPORTS EDITOR Ω The bad air quality affected a lot of people over the summer, but none more than the men’s soccer team who had their season opener later than they would have liked and were not able to get enough games in the pre-season.

TRU opened their season on August 27, two days later than originally scheduled, with a 1-0 loss to UFV. It was a game that TRU

dominated and should have won, but didn’t due to their inability to finish off their opportunities. TRU had 16 shots to UFV’s 7.

After that game head coach John Antulov admitted to TRU Athletics that he believed that rustiness was a major factor in his team’s performance.

TRU finally demonstrated their true potential against UBCO with a 4-0 win in the first game of the Presidents Cup. Scores were tied at 0-0 in the first half with TRU playing better, but unable to convert.

In the second half, TRU turned the heat on and produced a dominant attacking display with four unanswered goals.

TRU outshot UBCO 16-6 in the contest.

“We were really clicking especially in that second half. The guys were really moving the ball around,” Antulov said to TRU athletics. “We knew if we could get some opportunities, especially on the flanks, we could cause some problems.”

Justin Donaldson was a key performer in that game, his work rate with and without the

ball is impressive and the team seems to be dangerous whether he is playing on the left or right wing.

TRU then followed up that result with a good draw against UBCO in Kelowna in the second game of the Presidents Cup. It can be argued it was a good result given the fact it was away from home and the fact the team had to travel within 48 hours from the previous game.

It also doesn’t hurt to have four points out of six against your rivals.

TRU followed that up with a tough 2-0 loss to UBC. The ‘Pack gave away a goal in the first half and found it difficult to create opportunities.

The game also marked the debut of two players, Khalifa Fanne, a fourth-year from France and Levi Andoh, a firstyear from England.

TRU was also able to secure a 3-3 draw against UVic.

The WolfPack was down 2-0 at half-time, but showed enough character to come back and tie the game 2-2. Josh Banton eventually scored a stoppage-time goal to make it 3-3 after UVic had gone ahead again.

Antulov did mention to TRU Athletics the need for his team to improve their performance in the final third of the pitch, something that will be crucial for TRU if they are going to qualify or have a deep run in the playoffs.

Mitchell Popadynetz will be the key player in attack, Justin Donaldson will provide the work rate on the wing and James Fraser’s hold-up play and his ability to create space for his teammates will also be very important if TRU is to score more goals.

It’s not a perfect start for the ‘Pack men’s soccer, but there is plenty of time left to get things right this season.

For Sale: 2008 Vespa 150 cc Scooter $2300 OBO Call Vic @ 250-314-4402 TRU Athletics

12

SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

THE OMEGA

BACK-TO-SCHOOL EVENTS 2018 visit trusu.ca/events for details!

Back-to-School

BBQ

Live music, FREE food giveaways, and more!

Sept 7th 10AM-3PM

Outside Old Main September 12th 11:30AM - 3:00PM

Outdoor

Sept 13th at 12:30PM Outside Old Main

NIGHTS

Sept 20th 4PM – 11PM in the Campus Commons

Diamond Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors Banking Partner

Sustainability Partner

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TRU Study Abroad Shaw Cable Interior Savings Credit Union Scotia Bank Kipp-Mallery Pharmacy

/TRUStudentsUnion

@TRUSU15

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Mercedes-Benz Kamloops TRU Open Learning - 40th Anniversary RBC Kamloops Hyundai Dominos Pizza

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