November 7, 2018

Ω OMEGA

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THE

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

VOLUME 28 · ISSUE 10 · NOVEMBER 7, 2018

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NEW SCIENCE INITIATIVES REVEALED

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TRU SCORES HIGH IN SUSTAINABILITY

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MEN'S SOCCER TAKES HOME BRONZE

TRU dismisses privacy and safety concerns in renovated classrooms Cailyn Mocci ARTS EDITOR Ω If you haven't noticed already, the first and second floors of Old Main are getting a little facelift. TRU has forked out nearly $5 million on the Old Main Revitalization project.

While the new designs are pleasing to the eye, questions have been raised by both students and faculty members about just how safe these aesthetically pleasing rooms could actually be.

TRU claims that these new renovations and resizing of classrooms boast more benefits than downsides. The modernization was set to offer better learning layouts, brighter spaces and advanced technology. TRU has anticipated that the renovations to the first and second floor will be completed by March 2019.

Issues have arisen among the student and faculty population surrounding possible safety and privacy concerns that might come from the open concept classrooms, which

feature floor to ceiling windows and give a full view into the hallway. These concerns are mainly around intruder danger and active shooter situations. TRU, however, does not feel that these are anything to worry about.

See DESIGN PLANS Page 4

The renovations in Old Main are ongoing, but many of the classrooms on the first floor have already been finished and have been hosting classes this semester. (Justin Moore/The Omega)

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NOVEMBER 7, 2018

NEWS

TRU prof looks to break barriers around domestic abuse safe havens Rochelle Stevens finds barriers in pet-friendly shelters and women fleeing abuse Cailyn Mocci ARTS EDITOR Ω On Oct. 25, the government of British Columbia announced a new initiative to provide safe housing for women and children fleeing abusive and dangerous situations. This announcement is set to be the largest investment in transitional housing in B.C. in two decades.

This new project is set to deliver 12 projects throughout the province. The province plans to invest $734 million over ten years to build 1,500 transition housing units, second-stage housing units and affordable housing spaces for women and children fleeing violence.

“In a province that puts people first, we need to make sure women and children can find safety when they need it most,” said Premier John Horgan in a press release. “These homes will allow women and children to heal with the supports and services they need, as they begin the process of rebuilding their lives.”

The Kamloops district is one of the 12 projects. The province and

The Elizabeth Fry Society will team up to operate 40 units of second-stage housing.

Second-stage housing is considered longer-term living residences for women who have fled unsafe situations. Women will often spend six to 18 months living in these transitional homes.

TRU assistant professor of sociology, Rochelle Stevens has been working closely in developing research with abusive men and the women survivors of these acts of intimate violence.

More recently, Stevens is focusing her research into policy and available programs for women leaving domestic violence with their companion animals.

Stevens continues as a member of the Animal and Interpersonal Abuse Research Group at the University of Windsor.

She expressed concern that the 40 units of second-stage housing set for Kamloops could have a limited amount of units available for those women escaping with their furry family members.

“We know that housing is in a crisis state in B.C. in general in terms of affordable housing.

We also know that in B.C. it’s

not mandated that landlords accept animals. Which can be a problem when women are trying to leave with all of their family members, pets included, if they don’t have a safe place to go,” Stevens said.

Of the research data that Stevens has analyzed, the number of women stating that they experienced pet abuse as part of their domestic abuse from their partner was staggering. Of the women surveyed in these shelters, 89 per cent reported that their partner also abused their pets.

Stevens stated that this issue was more widespread in their data compared to studies out of the U.S. and Australia, but contributed that to a more nuanced list of question ranging from emotional abusive behaviours such as neglect to more direct violent actions including hitting and kicking.

In her research, Stevens is looking at the programs offered in shelters to provide safe havens for not only the women and children fleeing these dangerous situations but also safe spaces for their animal companions, as well as barriers that might be

TRU Foundation board hosts annual Campaign Breakfast

The university revealed new initiatives set to take place within the faculty of science Farrah Johnson CONTRIBUTOR Ω TRU Foundation Board of Directors hosted this year’s Annual Campaign Breakfast in the Grand Hall of the Campus Activity Centre on Nov. 1.

The purpose of this year’s event was to reveal new plans for TRU’s science department and to appeal to sponsors to contribute to the further development of the faculty.

“There’s been much to celebrate in the faculty of science with Thompson Rivers University now being able to offer a bachelor of engineering in software engineering and we have our first cohort of students starting with us this fall,” said Christine Bovis-Cnossen, TRU’s provost and interim president.

Welcoming guests to the breakfast, she also mentioned that the university has “exciting research" coming in from faculty and students in chemistry, mathematics, the biological sciences, physics, statistics and the natural resource sciences.

It was also revealed that undergraduate science students now have the opportunity to conduct research in the earlier stages of their education and get hands-on experience

with complex instruments.

Announcing that TRU has received its very first industrial research chair, Lauchlan Fraser, Bovis-Cnossen also asserted that the expansion of TRU’s science programmes is a testament of community supporters who have long fought for additional programmes to be offered at undergraduate and graduate levels to avoid students having to move away to complete their education.

“Many of our faculty of science graduates are highly successful with careers in medicine, medical genetics, high-tech industry, resource management, biotechnology and respiratory therapy and are exemplary of what passionate students can achieve when given the opportunity,” she said.

She also said that no qualified student is turned away from TRU and emphasized that the university believes that every person has the right to access high-quality post-secondary education.

Acknowledging that philanthropy is imperative to the overall success of TRU and its students, Bovis-Cnossen also expressed gratitude to the university’s donors and acknowledged the profound impact their generosity has had on students.

She also thanked TRU

Foundation's board and revealed that they were able to raise over $9 million, although she did admit that donations were shared among faculties and not just given to science.

Greg Garrish, president of TRU Foundation's board of directors, said the past year has marked a milestone for the foundation.

“We received the single largest ever donation of $5 million. This was a transformative gift and was the driving force in our successful fundraising year,” he said.

He explained the funds were raised from both new and returning donors, fundraisers, annual mail and calling campaigns, as well as gifts from individuals in the community.

“Our success is possible only through the support of all these loyal donors,” he stated.

In that same light, Guy Mallabone, TRU’s interim vice-president advancement, said the annual campaign breakfast was not only a way to raise a few dollars for the university but was also an important opportunity to showcase critical programmes.

“We’re not only investing in the programmes here at the university, but we are really investing in ourselves. It’s a return on investment for the entire community,” he said.

hindering service agencies from providing these programs.

“Having pet-friendly housing for women and children that are leaving domestic violence is a really important part of a comprehensive strategy,” Stevens said.

Stevens mentioned that of the women they spoke with in these shelters, 56 per cent of them delayed leaving their partners because they didn’t have a safe place to take their pet. Of the staff interviewed, 75 per cent said that they were aware of women in the community that needed a safe place but were not leaving because they didn’t have a place to bring their pets.

“A safe pet program is offered but a service agency doesn’t necessarily have to be having pets at the shelter,” Stevens said. “It could be a foster program or an agreement with the SPCA or the local animal shelter who might be able to take pets on a shortterm basis until they can find a longer-term solution.”

Stevens’ research also shows that there is a greater risk of danger when returning to an abusive relationship. These women will risk returning

because they fear for their animal’s safety in these environments.

“That is the most dangerous situation for a woman. We know that the risk of homicide is highest immediately following separation. When women are returning it means they are in an incredibly dangerous situation,” Stevens said. “Removing the pet from the hands of the abuser and placing the pet in a safe space, whether that’s with the women in the domestic abuse shelter or in a foster program, means that the abuser doesn’t have leverage to get them to return.”

Stevens is hopeful that the new second-stage housing project set for Kamloops will boast great opportunities for women and children to flee these dangerous situations. She hopes to foster relationships with the community and the Elizabeth Fry Society to work with the barriers and find solutions to get all family members into a safe haven.

“Not only are we thinking of keeping the human family members safe, but we’re thinking of keeping the animal family members safe as well," Stevens said.

The epidemic of falsified antimicrobial medicine Morgan Hunter CONTRIBUTOR Ω Erin Slade, a TRU alumni whose years of background on global health, gave TRU students a call to action for living healthy and to go against falsified medicine as part of TRU’s Science Seminar Series.

The seminar, held on Nov. 1, gave the audience a good amount of information on varying topics from the types of careers in global health to general information regarding her thesis of falsified medicine.

According to Slade, falsified medicine is a serious, neglected threat to global health that could play a key role in the prevention of antimicrobial drug resistance.

Slade found a multitude of problems, which ranged from drug toxicity, untreated diseases due to doctors not having knowledge or training and an erosion of trust, where people who rather go home and not talk to professionals due to the issues of falsifying medicine and treatment failures.

Her conclusion was that despite dramatic health consequences, tackling falsifying medicines has not been a top priority and must be addressed due to its multi-billion dollar industry.

According to Slade, falsified medicine has huge ramifications. It receives double the amount of illegal funding

compared to child slavery and is on par with cocaine sales, she said.

“It is hitting third world countries, with 65 per cent of drugs that were tested in Nigeria were considered false medicine,” she said. “As well, it has lead to deaths such as Kenya who lost 200 lives back in 2017 due to a company selling placebo drugs as opposed to real ones due to companies trying to save money.”

It has also hit home here in Canada where regulations weren’t consulted for sales over the internet.

“The regulations that hit the internet weren’t strong enough not too long ago and because of the ease that there was, a lot of falsely made medicine came into the Canadian market,” Slade said.

Slade also talked about how antimicrobial resistance is a huge global problem, which is why people are growing resistance to medicine leading to a huge number of deaths and even plagues.

At the end of her seminar, there was the call to action for the government to reform antimicrobial resistance policies to account for false medicines and to commit to accessible rapid detection technology and routinely undergo drug quality testing alongside susceptibility.

However, her main message was to spread public awareness on the issue.

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NEWS

Upcoming Events Pop-Porn: A discussion about pornography Nov. 7, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

S337 Join us for snacks, TedTalks and a panel discussion about pornography. How is pornography shaping our understanding of sex, consent, and sexualized violence? What could it look like in the future? Drop in with an open mind, your questions, and a friend or two.

TRU Remembrance Day Ceremony Nov. 8, 10:30 - 11:15 a.m.

Student Street Honour fallen, retired and still-serving members of the different forms of Canada’s military. With Remembrance Day being on a Sunday, TRU is celebrating the day early so as many members of the TRU community can attend as possible.

Live at TRU - Jazz Affair Nov. 8, 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Alumni Theatre Be wowed by the versatility of Jazz Affair, a French a cappella ensemble singing six-part harmony. The only instruments they have is their voices and the only thing they carry is a tune.

Tap your feet and clap along to their catchy pop covers and originals sung both in French, English and sometimes a mix of the two.

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TRU scores highest rating in globally recognized sustainability program The platinum rating comes after years of self-reported sustainability initiatives as a part of the STAR system Justin Moore STAFF WRITER Ω TRU has come out on top as a global leader in the realm of sustainability in post-secondary institutions.

Last month, it was announced that TRU had achieved a platinum rating on the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating system, the first of any Canadian university to do so.

STAR is a program that post-secondary institutions self-report to about their sustainability initiatives and performance. TRU first started using the STAR framework in 2010 along with a wave of other first-wave adopters. Since then, TRU has received a silver rating in 2011 for its first report and a gold rating in 2015 with it's second.

TRU's platinum rating, the

highest that can be achieved from STAR and the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, comes one year ahead of schedule, something that has made the TRU sustainability community proud of what they’ve achieved.

“We are excited to be the first in Canada and one of only five higher education institutions globally to achieve this rating,” said Matt Milovick, vice president administration and finance.

TRU's efforts and achievements will be globally recognized, as AASHE only provides positive recognition and a public database for its participants. TRU is one of 900 of these participants in over 20 countries.

Participating members report their progress through four categories in the STAR system, academics, engagement, operations and planning and administration, subcategories including

landscape management, water use, building energy consumption and campus greenhouse gas emissions. Through these categorical reports, institutions earn points towards their overall ratings.

Recent innovation projects such as the solar compass, Tap Water Challenge and bike sharing programs were also graded and contributed to the platinum score.

“The platinum rating emphasizes that sustainability has become core to the ethos of the campus," said Jim Gudjonson, TRU’s director of environment and sustainability. "This milestone could not have been reached without the perseverance, passion and hard work of the entire TRU community – from the early adopters to our engaged students and faculty and dedicated staff – this is a shared achievement.”

Cariboo Student Newspaper Society

Long Night Against Procrastination Nov. 8, 8 P.M. - 8 a.m.

Main Library

Notice of Annual General Meeting Tuesday, November 20, 5:30 p.m.

Thompson Rivers University Old Main, room OM 2691

Put a dent in your assignments by joining a community of campus writers and academic support services. Stay up late together, attend academic and wellness workshops throughout the night, and put a dent in your assignments.

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All members of the society in good standing are welcome to attend.

Write editor@truomega.ca for more information.

THE OMEGA STUDENT NEWSPAPER • PUBLISHED SINCE NOVEMBER 27,1991

Publisher and Board

Editorial Staff

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

Editor-in-Chief Wade Tomko

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

Wade Tomko Christopher Foulds Charles Hays Juan Cabrejo Vacant Vacant

Letters Policy

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

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

News Editor Christian Varty Arts Editor Cailyn Mocci

Business Editor Juan Cabrejo

Sports Editor Alvin Mutandiro Staff Writers Justin Moore

Photographer Aidan Grether Distributor Morgan Hunter

Contribuors Farrah Johnson, Adam Faber

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

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CONTRIBUTE

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

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

truomega.ca/contribute First timer? Don’t worry – no experience is necessary and we’ll give you as much help as you need.

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

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NOVEMBER 7, 2018

NEWS

Policy Wanks: Bill C-83

New legislature aims to reform operations in Canada's prison system if passed Christian Varty NEWS EDITOR Ω Bill C-83, entitled an act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act brings forward a variety of new policies that would change operations in the prison system. If the bill was passed it would “eliminate the use of administrative segregation and disciplinary segregation” or in simpler terms abolish solitary confinement by replacing it with, “an area in a penitentiary [known as a structured intervention unit] for the confinement of inmates who cannot be maintained in the mainstream inmate population for security or other reasons,” as is written in the first two sections of the bill.

“It is clearly world-leading in terms of the standards within the correctional system,” Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale said during a press conference regarding the bill, which he sponsored aiming to reform solitary confinement in Canada.

“The passage of this legislation

will put Canada in the forefront of effective, progressive corrective systems that achieve both safety and security.”

However, during a debate in the House of Commons, Quebec NDP Member of Parliament, Christine Moore slammed the legislation.

“All it does is call administrative segregation by a different name,” she said.

A structured intervention unit would operate in much the same way solitary confinement functioned wherein an inmate is separated from the general population and placed in isolation.

If Bill C-83 were to pass, it would decrease the maximum time an inmate can spend in solitary by two hours, from 22 to 20 hours a day. Inmates will also be given two hours of what has been referred to as meaningful contact time. Meaningful contact and meaningful human interactions can be applied to visitation with staff, volunteers, chaplains, visitors or other like-minded inmates.

Additionally, inmates are granted more access to mental

health specialists and rehabilitative programs while in a structured intervention unit.

These programs are purported to address each inmate individually and be personalised to their needs.

Taking into consideration inmates’ specific personal history is also being applied broadly to Indigenous people who are incarcerated. According to the 2016-2017 annual report of the Office of Corrections, Indigenous people make up 26 per cent of the prison population while only accounting for four per cent of the national population.

Bill C-83 would require the process of analyzing systemic and background factors for Indigenous Canadians to be enshrined to law. While this has practically been involved in policy for years, it has never been made law.

There have been accusations of disparity between what is promised by the Liberals and what the bill will accomplish, particularly from the Conservatives.

Simultaneously while the Liberals are insisting that the bill will help offer more handson assistance for mental health problems, they are proposing to slash the correctional budget by nearly nine per cent.

“Bill C-83 will require serious

consultation and resources to make it work,” said Jason Godin, sitting president of the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers.

Godin went on to further insist that the only way to establish the bill into practice would be an increase in staff.

Design plans for the newly renovated classrooms in Old Main based off of surveys given to faculty and students CONTINUED (COVER) Warren Asuchak, the director of facilities at TRU, claimed that the design plans were based on surveys given to faculty and students. However, Asuchak said that the survey was only given to two students in order to represent the entire student population.

“We were sent photos of the different arrangements (different seating plans, chair types, etc.) for our feedback, but there was absolutely no mention, as far I know, of the glass walls to

the hallway,” said Anita Swing, a TRU English professor.

Both Asuchak and Steve Pottle, director of risk management, have not had any formal complaints from students or faculty.

“I find it funny how the other buildings have frosted the classroom windows for safety precautions, then Old Main contradicts that statement and makes the new classrooms as if we’re in fishbowls,” said Carlee Robbins, a senior journalism student.

Yet according to Pottle safety is a personal opinion and something that each individual views differently.

“Safety is always a personal opinion,” he said. “How I view safety isn’t necessarily how you view safety, is not necessarily how a faculty member views safety. We all have our own preconceived notions of as to what safety is.”

The design visible on the last half of the first floor of Old Main is the final concept design with open windows.

The open concept design of Old Main's new classrooms has been a concern for some students. (Aidan Grether/Ω)

“When you look at the concerns of students, the number one concern is parking and food,” Pottle said. “Security and community safety are not higher on the radar.”

Yet for students such as Robbins, feeling safe at a place where you spend much of your time should be a top priority.

“It’s important that I feel safe where I spend over 60 per cent of my week. I consider TRU my second home so I expect safety to be top priority,” Robbins said.

Asuchak expressed that the large glass windows were chosen for safety reasons. The openness of these classrooms provide a safer environment in the case that a dangerous situation might be happening behind closed doors.

“The challenge always is balancing the need for security while providing a more nurturing educational environment for students. Certainly TRU could apply the design methods used to keep prisons secure but that would hamper the experience for students,” said Brian Christianson, the architect hired by TRU to design the revitalization of Old Main.

“The likelihood of having to have bulletproof glass is just not a thing that most universities do. They will put in quality glass, like shatter resistant, but bulletproof glass no,” Pottle said, “We want to deploy our resources as efficiently as possible.

In November 2016, TRU issued emergency response training to all faculty; this training included responses to active shooters.

Swing recalled that they were told that TRU would be working to gradually work to make the campus safer, such as in the case of an active shooter.

“When I first saw the partially glass walls in OM, I couldn't believe it,” Swing said. “An active shooter wouldn't even have to enter a classroom to do serious damage according to the rationale provided in our training.”

When asked if they would consider making adjustments to the already finalized plans, Pottle expressed that there is a possibility to add a frosting effect to the glass to provide more privacy.

As of now, TRU holds still that this campus is highly rated in safety and that safety still is one of their top concerns.

“You’re practicing to a worstcase scenario and I think sometimes that can lead to a worstcase scenario as a standard that you need to follow," Pottle said.

"I don’t think we should always be focused on the worst-case scenario, we should know that there is always going to be a worstcase scenario but should also be reasonable with the fact that we don’t want to turn our campus into a jail or a police state. We’re not Texas, we’re B.C., we’re TRU, we’re Kamloops.”

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ARTS

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Album review: Howl by Bre McDaniel Movie review: Bad Indie folk artist's new album misses the mark Christian Varty NEWS EDITOR Ω Bre McDaniel’s latest album, Howl is a scattershot of contemporary indie folk songs that either miss the target or are far from bullseye. Scratching the surface on a collection of different trends that have been prevalent in the past decade plus of indie folk results in little more than a dent in what she could have accomplished with her beautiful and dynamic voice and evident musical sensibilities like she demonstrates on The Militant Mothers of Raymur.

The album opener is a low-fidelity singer-songwriter styled ballad, a style which briefly makes a return later on during the first half of the song Electric Fence.

This seemingly mournful yet vapid approach is a tried and true mainstay of the genre but is currently finding itself in the adult diapers section of growing old and tired.

The second track, Pipelines is heavily key-centric, first on a lacklustre piano lead which suggests raw and authentic emotion but falls short and lends itself more towards a motivational advertisement rather than an honest expression of artistic anguish. After

a sloppy transition from piano to deep organ chords, McDaniel belts out a tawdry matra about discovering the sacred and sanctified relationship we hold with water.

The allusion to the scarcity and ethereal properties of H2O is something we’re reintroduced to again later on the album during the song Twin Falls Bridge. The track is less than a minute long and is comprised of loose foley sounds and McDaniel’s singing in the background. If the intention was to reestablish the aquatic mysticism theme then she accomplished that, but the avenue the track takes is painfully overdone on this record.

More than a third of the 14 songs on this record are snippets of background noise with a very vague musical inclination to them. The remainder of the songs are uninspired and seem to be placeholders of a genre that has been explored in its current form to the point of redundancy.

The worst thing about the album is the inoffensive way the record plods along. There’s nothing fundamentally challenging or even necessarily bad about the music, rather it simply remains suspended in the animation of unoriginality as if it were the picture on a postcard. It’s reassuringly bland and somehow comfortable. You won’t find this record to be a head turner, but it’s not bad, just stale.

4.2/10 - Trying to skip a stone in puddles

Times at the El Royale Morgan Hunter CONTRIBUTOR Ω

Bad Times at the El Royale is a product that believes it’s smarter than it really is with an exceptional cast that has to work with a below average script.

The movie follows a group of strangers who all stay at the El Royale hotel and follow events... the description for this film can’t really be given more than that without major plot points being given away.

BTER isn’t a bad film and does hold a good amount of merits that deserve to be addressed. Every actor/ actress in the film gives it everything they can, with their talent shining through, yet the only exceptional performance is by Chris Hemsworth.

He only shows up in the third act, though it's apparent he’s having a ball with his role and it steals the show from everyone involved.

And the idea of the setting is very interesting. The concept of a hotel on the border of two states holds so many different ideas and a lot of intrigue, given the fact that the hotel is based off a real place, the Cal Neva.

Though, unfortunately, that's where the positives leave and where the meat of the film is shown to be rotting. With the directing, it attempts to do way too much and none of it is clever, yet it’s shot as though it should be. Clever scenes are scenes that hold depth or hold multiple dimensions, yet are presented in a way that gives all layers justification.

Here, it loses intelligence when

it forces an audience member to imagine more dimensions in order to understand the plot.

When people know instantly that there is more than meets the eye is when the scene is no longer smart.

Now, that can be disguised if the dialogue is interesting enough and the characters can be empathized with naturally. Though, in BTER, there were many times where the dialogue leaves a viewer feeling empty, bored or both.

It also has a great sense of monotony. The film has many different flashbacks where it gives a different viewpoint of a different character.

When done well, it can show different meanings for different perspectives. When done in this film, it simply has the audience sit through the exact same scene, just filmed from a different angle. The film doesn’t give any interest or different understanding of the same perspective either, it just shows someone watching the exact same scene but only this time it’s in the rain.

BTER isn’t the worst film ever made and it definitely has great parts. However, it continuously gets in a viewer’s face, forcing the sense that it’s smart in their mind.

What separates a great film from a bad one isn’t always how bad it’s produced, but instead if the film has a theme that can be demonstrated naturally. And BTER doesn’t do that, it forces it, which has the side effect of rejection from a general audience due to them feeling stuck rather than letting them understand it by themselves.

Indy musician redefining ‘Made in China’ with new distribution tactics D.V. Alias Khryst expands into China in order to reach a new market for hip-hop Adam Faber CUP CONTRIBUTOR Ω CALGARY (CUP) – For an aspiring musician, sitting down with a rapper who signed with a Def Jam label is an opportunity. The fact he went on to start his own record label and is focusing on passing on his knowledge to younger musicians is icing on the cake.

It’s likely you haven’t heard of D.V. Alias Khryst – he’ll say so himself. He has, however had significant success just out of the spotlight in the rap world.

“I’m a pretty humble dude, so I don’t assume anybody knows who I am,” Khryst said, “I’m kind of like a supreme clothing line, only the hipsters kinda really know.”

In the mid-90s, Khryst came onto the scene with Trigga the Gambler and Smoothe da Hustler. The three Brooklyn natives were thrust into a much bigger scene together through their label No Doubt (Def Jam). He’s worked with Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, and many others.

However, Khryst’s label didn’t move forward with his projects with any real urgency and now that he’s calling the shots, he finds more value breaking new ground, even if it’s with an old medium.

“I have distributors who work with my digital and I am also working with a company who normally only deals with DVDs – the music thing for them is new,” Khryst said.

He convinced a DVD supplier to distribute his latest CD, meaning a new distribution channel opened up.

“I challenged them to distribute a CD and the result now is I’m getting exposure being on sale at Best Buy and Target and Barnes and Noble next to Kendrick Lamar. I’m on my own, that kind of leverage is big for me.”

But Khryst is looking past physical albums – it’s not on the rise. While compact discs were once 95 per cent of the massive music industry it is now dwarfed by streaming income, which is about half of total music revenue.

Again, when Khryst is trying to amplify his own work, he focuses on a non-traditional channel. In this case, the online Chinese rap scene.

“I‘ve been travelling the world for some years now – China’s a place that I‘ve never been,” Khryst said.

“Watching them embrace the new music, even if it’s taboo, or forbidden, sometimes a risk for them to even enjoy.”

Khryst is on traditional streaming services in North America, but the massive Chinese market is a closed system: it has its own streaming and social media sites. Khryst needed a

different entry method to access those 750 million online music consumers.

“I hear through a friend there’s a way to get in now – online, with videos. After I set it up I’m foldin’ my arms: is this a B.S. lane to put things through or is this the real China experience?” said Khryst, referring to his Chinese digital distributor, Musicinfo. “I had four hundred views, next morning I have ten thousand.

Next morning I have a hundred and ten thousand.”

Juri Kobayashi at Musicinfo says the demand is real – and a real opportunity for independent artists.

“China is kind of a closed culture, but the youth are very much a part of a huge movement to bring in new flavours, new sounds and those are often in English,” said Kobayashi. “The good news is that nowadays, three out of five artists are independent artists in China. Not so much of a major label stranglehold there.”

Khryst picked a provider who allowed him to keep 100 per cent of his royalties and one who would promote his music in China, not just upload it and forget about it. For all of his projects, he stresses that outreach to his fan base is critical – that goes double for students, who may only have a handful of loyal fans.

“Not everybody can make music that speaks to the world – you have to

D.V. Alias Khryst has just started to break into the Chinese scene. (Submitted) say ‘okay I got this amount of people who always like my stuff,’ I don’t care if it’s ten people!” Said Khryst. “You gotta make those people feel special.

Nicki Minaj did a great job of this. I watched her career go from where it wasn’t to where it is. She gave her fans their own name, she made them special.”

Khryst looks back at his path – one that puts him in both the department stores and streaming in a country that often supplies those department

stores.

“I feel blessed to be puttin’ out hooks and singles. It’s a blessing – I feel blessed and humble. I am the quintessential hybrid artist, a mixture of the old and the new,” said Khryst – his style is making waves in the mainstream as well, getting noticed by mainstream hip-hop artists. “Tracey Lee hit me up in a message, tellin’ me ‘Congratulations on being in one of the dopest markets of the world.’

That’s pretty cool.”

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COMICS & PUZZLES

NOVEMBER 7, 2018

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Puzzle of the Week #9—Treasure (in the November 7, 2018 issue of The Omega)

You have just found a treasure with some coins in it. There are some copper, silver, and gold coins. There are as many gold coins as either copper coins or silver coins.

There are twice as many copper coins as silver coins. There are 100 coins in total. What does your loot consist of?

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.

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

CFBX TOP 30 CFBX 92.5 FM, 350 Watts Kamloops, BC Music Director: Steve Marlow Charts to November 1, 2018 * indicates Canadian Content ** indicates a local artist Artist - Album (Label) 1) The Dirty Nil* - Master Volume (Dine Alone) 2) Dilly Dally* - Heaven (Dine Alone) 3) Tia Brazda* - Daydream (Flatcar) 4) KEN Mode* - Loved (New Damage) 5) JW Jones* - Live (Solid Blues) 6) Great Lake Swimmers* - The Waves, the Wake (Nettwerk) 7) Teitur - I Want to Be Kind (Arlo and Betty) 8) Shemekia Copeland - America's Child (Alligator) 9) Steven Taetz* - Drink You In (Flatcar) 10) Spencer Mackenzie* - Cold November (Gypsy Soul) 11) The Ault Sisters* - Sisters in Song (Independent) 12) Plain as Ghosts* - Rendering Remixed (Independent) 13) Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage - Awake (Proper) 14) Dark Orchard* - Tres (Independent) 15) Brandon Jenner - Face the World (Ear Fetish) 16) West of Mabou* - The Bridge (Independent) 17) Road Waves* - Red Sun Rising (Independent) 18) Paul O'Brien* - Years and Not Just Days (Independent) 19) John Pittman* - Kinship (Slammin) 20) Major Love* - Major Love (Latent) 21) Lie* - Hounds (Mint) 22) Lindsay May** - Acoustic 4.0 (Independent) 23) The Lytics* - Float On (LHM) 24) Claire Coupland* - On the Other Side (Independent) 25) Kinnie Starr* - Feed the Fire (Aporia) 26) Klaus* - Klaus (Simone) 27) Chris Velan* - Amateur Hour (Independent) 28) Hate Drugs - Tsunami Soul II (Independent) 29) Jungle Rot - Jungle Rot (Victory) 30) Ellevator* - Ellevator EP (Arts and Crafts)

WWW.TRUOMEGA.CA

7

SPORTS

Men's soccer take home the bronze medal WolfPack won bronze after losing the quarterfinal to TWU Spartans then beating UFV Cascades Alvin Mutandiro SPORTS EDITOR Ω The men’s WolfPack soccer team had a very entertaining season. The team started slowly and were 2-6-2 before a six-game winning streak helped them turn things around.

The team played in the quarterfinals against the Trinity Western University Spartans and lost 3-0 at Thunderbird Stadium on Nov. 2.

Trinity opened the scoring at the five-minute mark, Dominic Poletto scored off a set piece.

Cody Franson then doubled the lead in the 28th minute, he scored after taking advantage of a scramble in the box.

Franson then put the icing on the cake for the Spartans in the 88th minute after he beat the TRU goalkeeper to the ball which he headed into an empty net.

“That first goal really hurt,” said head coach John Antulov to TRU athletics. “We had to fight back

a little bit after that. They played a strong team game and got the result in the end.”

Despite the disappointment of missing out on a semifinal, TRU rallied and beat the UFV Cascades 1-0 on Nov. 3 to win the bronze medal.

Justin Donaldson, one of the team’s most consistent performers scored the one and only goal in the match. He scored in the 24th minute of a deflected free kick.

TRU led 1-0 heading into the break.

Koffi Nyavor came close to scoring a second goal in the 53rd minute but was unable to keep the ball down.

Overall TRU was the more aggressive team in front of goal and outshot Fraser Valley 14-3.

This victory marked the second straight year that the ’Pack won a bronze medal. It is a good achievement considering the team barely qualified for the playoffs.

“It is always great to get a medal. I am especially happy for

fill a gap in your program Athabasca University has over 850 courses to choose from to meet your needs and courses start every month. AU has over 6,600 transfer agreements around the world (including with this institution).

(TRU Athletics/Andrew Snucins)

our fifth-years,” said Antulov.

The game marked the final appearance for Mitchell Popadynetz, Finlay McPhie, Jason Staiger and Thomas Lantmeeters.

“We had a really tough start this year,” Donaldson said. “Injuries really hit us hard. We were 2-6-2 and had to pick it up. Once everyone was healthy we started to turn it around.”

McPhie, in his last game for TRU, also spoke to TRU athletics.

“It feels pretty good. We were kind of out of it at the start of the year,” McPhie said. "We came back to make the playoffs and beat a good team like Alberta. It feels pretty good to win another bronze.”

This was a positive end to the season for TRU. The team defended well all season but struggled to find consistency in attack, part of that was due to injuries to various players,

most notably Mitchell Popadynetz who missed four games at a key time in the season.

Despite that TRU still managed to win a bronze medal which must be commended given the challenges faced throughout the season.

The program has grown in leaps and bounds these past four years and next year will present another opportunity for further improvement.

Cross country preparing for nationals

TRU cross country team getting ready for the U Sports nationals by competing in B.C. provincial championships Alvin Mutandiro SPORTS EDITOR Ω The WolfPack cross country team has been going through an evolution this season.

The team has increased the size of their women’s roster and have introduced a new part-time assistant coach, former team captain Conlan Sprickerhoff, the team is now be preparing for the U Sports nationals.

The U Sports nationals will serve as a big test for the program and changes head coach Carmin Mazzotta has implemented.

Growing is not just about showing character but learning to get results too. The ’Pack team will be hoping to take a step forward heading into nationals.

The team began its preparation by competing at the B.C. championships in Abbotsford on Oct. 27.

The men competed in the 10 km run whilst the women did the 8 km.

The ’Pack had six runners in the men’s category.

“Our guys had a great race overall as a group,” said Mazzotta to TRU athletics.

The race featured runners from several different age groups such as juniors, seniors, Olympians and masters.

First-year student Calum

Carrigan was the top finisher for TRU, which impressed Mazzotta.

“Calum led the way,” Mazzotta said. “He ran a 25.03, which was good for 42nd place.”

Carrigan was seventh amongst 18 and 19-year-old runners.

Mazzotta also expressed his excitement in seeing how Carrigan performs on the national stage.

He also praised other runners in the team for their strong will and determination in finishing the race.

“Liam Mcgrath had one of the standout performances of the day; he had an incredible kick at the end. No giving up from him,” Mazzotta said, “I was really pleased with what the guys did today.”

The final results found the team finishing close to each other, Troy Morgan finished 57th in a time of 26 minutes and 8 seconds, Dyck was 66th in 26 minutes 37 seconds.

McGrath was 69th in 26 minutes 53 seconds, Lavigne was 77th in a time of 27 minutes and 15 seconds and Martin was 78th in 27 minutes 18 seconds.

The fastest time in the men’s category was 22 minutes and 3 seconds.

Mazzotta was equally happy with the women’s performances.

“Zoe Painter had a great race,” he said.

Mazzotta told TRU athletics that he was most impressed with her consistency throughout the season.

He also expressed Kendra Murray’s importance to his women’s roster and described her as the best runner on the team.

He explained that TRU had to pull her out of the provincial championships due to ongoing hamstring problems and to make sure she can compete at the nationals.

Mazzotta was also effusive about the performances of Erika Johnson and Brooklyn Higgs, who he felt displayed tremendous character.

Painter ended up finishing 43rd in a time of 31 minutes 27 seconds, Johnson was 51st in a time of 33 minutes and 54 seconds whilst Higgs finished 52nd in a time of 36 minutes 3 seconds.

Fastest time overall was 25 minutes and 20 seconds. There were 56 competitors in the women’s race.

The competition served as good preparation for the team as they prepare for nationals which take place on Nov. 10 at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

The ’Pack will be hoping to take a massive step in their evolution as they compete on the national stage.

8

NOVEMBER 7, 2018

THE OMEGA

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