October 16, 2019 by The Omega

Ω OMEGA

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

A B Γ Δ Ε Ζ Η Θ Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ξ Ο Π Ρ Σ Τ Υ Φ Χ Ψ Ω

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 29 · ISSUE 07 · OCTOBER 16, 2019

PAGE

TRU INSTRUCTOR IN THE COURTS

PAGE

COMEDY SHOW TACKLES MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA

TRANQUILLE WELCOMES IMMERSIVE FUN

PAGE

Kamloops MP Candidates gather for another round of debates Kaylee Butler CONTRIBUTOR Ω Last Tuesday, Oct.8, was the second round of the all-candidate forum being held in Kamloops at TRU. This debate did not have a focused theme, the audience was in charge of where the discussion went. All candidates were present again and for this

debate, they were given three challenge cards to comment on something another candidate had brought up. This debate was monitored by the host of NL Newsday Brett Mineer. There were four groups that brought us the debate Kamloops This Week, Radio NL 610 AM, Kamloops Chamber of Commerce as well as KTW Digital. The debate was recorded live and can be found online if you would like to hear the whole

event. With two microphones provided to the crowd, audience members were encouraged to get up and ask, it didn’t take much encouragement. Quickly lines formed at both mic’s and the questions started to fly.

See VOTING DAY Page 6

Candidates held second forum in hopes of swaying undecided votes for the 2019 federal election. (Aidan Grether/The Omega)

OCTOBER 16, 2019

NEWS

TRU instructor to stand trial for assault, uttering threats, unlawful confinement Instructor who markets himself as a leading social media influencer set to stand trial April 2020 Kamloops This Week CONTRIBUTOR Ω A Thompson Rivers University business instructor who markets himself as a leading social media inf luencer is facing a raft of serious criminal charges, including unlawful confinement, assault, two counts of assault with a weapon and two counts of uttering threats. Julio Viskovich, 38, is facing the six charges, each of which stems from an alleged April 27 incident in Kamloops. Viskovich teaches

marketing at TRU’s School of Business and has a large social media following. According to his Twitter bio, Viskovich is a “Forbes Top 30 inf luencer” and one of the people who “helped build $1B biz @hootsuite.” Last month, Viskovich was honoured by Ontario’s Nipissing University with an alumni award. TRU spokesperson Darshan Lindsey told KTW the university is aware of the charges against Viskovich, but is not in a position to discuss individual employee situations due to privacy legislation. Lindsey said Viskovich is

still employed by the university, which she said has processes in place to assess such matters and take action as deemed appropriate. She said she couldn’t disclose if he has been suspended or is still actively teaching. Viskovich is slated to stand trial in Kamloops provincial court on April 2, 2020. (Originally published on Kamloops This Week 08/10/2019) Viskovich is a well-known professor at Thompson Rivers University, known for his vast expertise in the growing field of social media marketing. (Submitted)

Dust settles as the curtains rise at the Sagebrush Theatre Sagebrush Theatre opens its doors after urgent repairs are completed Cailyn Mocci EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω After months of being out of commission, the Sagebrush Theatre is officially reopening its doors after repairs finished up last week. Doors will open just in time for the Western Canada Theatre’s mainstage season-opener, Dracula: The Bloody Truth. “The local cultural community is much relieved to see the venue return to operation this fall,” Evan Klassen, Western Canada Theatre’s Managing Director, said. Earlier this year, Sagebrush

Theatre discovered a cracked roof truss during a routine technical inspection that led to the immediate closure awaiting repairs. Western Canada Theatre worked alongside School District No. 73 and the City of Kamloops with A & T Project Developments to complete the repair project quickly and on time. “The Sagebrush Theatre is very much back in business, and our 2019-20 season will be our busiest yet,” Klassen said. “Our clients, patrons, staff and volunteers are all thrilled to be back in our home venue, just in time for the start of the new season.” In addition to the updated

structural repairs, audiences will notice new and improved amenities including new seating in the lobby, a hearing assist system, reserved limited mobility seating and an expanded concession which will include compostable eco-friendly beverage cups as well as a new bottle-filling water station that will allow audience members to bring their own water bottles to performances. While the Sagebrush Theatre is open for business, the theatre will continue to undergo capital improvements throughout the season. Improvements will include new carpeting throughout the theatre, handrails along the aisles to improve

accessibility, improvements to accessible washrooms and jump seats for accessible seating areas. Sagebrush Theatre is working to make improve the patron experiences by increasing accessibility, safety and comfort while also embracing a

more sustainable footprint. Western Canada Theatre’s Dracula: The Bloody Truth will be running Oct. 11 to 19. Tickets are on sale at the Kamloops Live! Box office at 250 374-5483 or online at kamloopslive.ca.

Rob Laughter/Unsplash

TRU alumni shares his story of becoming a successful entrepreneur TRU's Adam Miron opens conversation about startups and growing to serial entrepreneurship Lisa Chernyshova STAFF WRITER Ω On Oct. 9, School of Business and Economics hosted a banquet in the Mountain Room to welcome a former TRU’s graduate and now a successful entrepreneur, Adam Miron. The event was supported by the School of Business and Economics and the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce. This event was a great opportunity for students and faculty to learn about Miron’s path to success. Members of the Enactus club opened the banquet with a speech of quick facts about Miron’s business path. “It’s good to be home! Kamloops is always has been my home-base, I’ve moved around quite a bit, every time I’m there it’s good to be back,” Miron started his speech. “How much TRU has opened my eyes, it was such a key role, a key period of my life! It was

all about conversations, it was about expanding your opportunities that the world had.” He told the crowd how he appreciated TRU’s courses that gave him a knowledge base and as well as helped him to find out his strengths. Also, he said that core courses that impacted on his life choices were Business Writing and Politics. Politics was something that helped to make up his mind and made him move to Ottawa. He noticed how much TRU has grown and that he is honoured to be a guest speaker for the university. “I have probably over 20 companies under my belt. I think the key role for any successful entrepreneur, is that you need to get through the failures, you have to find them, you have to work through them, and you have to get rid of them,” Miron described. He said that he had lots of them and he had dialled with them, that’s what helped him to become knowledgeable, experienced and full of

ideas. Miron shared his memories of failures as a kid, and how they helped to strengthen his mind. Miron told that he worked as an assistant for Mr. Russel, and how much knowledge he gained from him. Also, he said that Mr. Russel taught him the notion “if you ever gonna start a business, you can’t do one foot out, one foot in, you gotta do it all in.” Miron said that this notion helped him to determine his priorities, focus on one thing at a time and gain success. Miron and his team at HEXO Corp raised their first million dollars in 2013, since that time it’s still growing and expanding. “We have 400 hundred employees, 9 different locations in Canada alone,” Miron described. He also noticed that the HEXO has been going through failures and have been almost bankrupted a couple of times, but as for its current activities, it’s developing

successfully and they’re expanding into Europe. Another one of Miron’s key points for those who are looking to start a business was, that entrepreneurs have to enter their business and be ready for the “Dark Days” and be stubborn in their undertakings.

Miron’s visit to TRU was an incredible opportunity to hear first-hand about his experience path to success. The event was an occasion for TRU’s faculty, directors and deans to be proud of its talented graduates who do some successful business.

Dean Michael Henry thanks Miron for the entrepreneurism insight during Business and Economics banquet. (Lisa Chenyshova/The Omega)

WWW.TRUOMEGA.CA

NEWS

Voting day is just around the corner and candidates are vying for your vote CONTINUED (COVER) There were roughly a dozen questions asked in the two hours, with some audience making their opinions heard loud and clear. While questions were meant to be directed to one or some of the candidates, most were directed at all of them. Themes that emerged throughout the night included senior rights, support for veterans and another dive into environmental issues. With the crowd displaying cheers and boos, this was not a non-partisan event. There were a few questions that came up impacting university students directly, the biggest tackling the issue of student financial aid to improve access to post-secondary. This was also followed by a question about RESP and tuition tax credits being turned into a needs-based

grant program. Ken Finlayson, the candidate for the People’s Party of Canada, admitted he didn’t know much about funding structure for education but did elaborate that student housing is something the People’s Party would look at. The Green party and the Animal Protection Party of Canada were in favour of abolishing tuition as a whole and voiced similar views about post-secondary education as a right, not a privilege. NDP candidate Cynthia Egli said she would rather see grants instead of debt. “Our party supports the abolition of post-secondary tuition and we support debt forgiveness right across the board,” said Peter Kerek of the Communist party. “Young people shouldn’t go to university and have to decide

whether or not they want to graduate with $40,000 in debt or $100,000 of debt and then crush their dreams” Kerek continued. Terry Lake, candidate for the Liberals commented about raising the payback period to two years instead of the current six months as well as an increase of income as well. “The goal is to get you out into the workplace, up on your feet and running as fast as possible, earning an income and taking advantage of that great education that we all invested in,” Lake said. The next question was asked by Evan Klassen, the director of the Western Canada Theater who asked how all candidates value arts, culture and heritage and how they saw it as a priority in this riding. Responses were positive

from all parties, with all candidates placing a high value on the above list. All parties agreed with how important those are to build community and to them personally. “I’ve always said if the community makes a decision, I take my marching orders from the community,” Cathy McLeod from the

All seven Kamloops candidates (left) took to the stage during second allcandidate forum in hopes of swaying undecided votes. Animal Protection Party candidate and TRU student Kira Cheeseborough (right) spoke to questions and concerns of the audience. (Aidan Grether/The Omega)

THE OMEGA STUDENT NEWSPAPER • PUBLISHED SINCE NOVEMBER 27,1991

Publisher and Board

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

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

Cailyn Mocci Christopher Foulds Charles Hays Aidan Grether Kaylee Butler 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.

Editorial Staff

Editor-in-Chief News Editor Arts Editor Sports Editor Business and Tech Editor Staff Writers Photographer Web Manager Copy Editor Distributor Contributor

c fb.me/truomega d @TRU_Omega

Conservatives said. “I’m absolutely going to work hard on your behalf to support you to make [an arts centre] a reality,” McLeod continued. Voting day is on Oct. 21 and you’ll need to show two pieces of ID to vote. For more information about the candidates, parties or on voting visit elections.ca.

Cailyn Mocci Farrah Johnson Elizabeth Nygren James Fraser Lisa Chernyshova Brianna Schellenberg Sadhika Burman Aidan Grether Sultan Sandur Ashleigh Plett Morgan Hunter Kaylee Butler

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

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

A B Γ Δ Ε Ζ Η Θ Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ξ Ο Π Ρ Σ Τ Υ Φ Χ Ψ Ω

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

OCTOBER 16, 2019

NEWS

TRUSU ECO Club to host 3rd annual Clothing Swap Drive Students can help minimize waste in the landfill by donating and exchanging clothes, shoes and accessories Farrah Johnson NEWS EDITOR Ω In an effort to support the notion of sustainability on campus, the TRUSU ECO Club will be hosting its third annual clothing swap on Thursday, Oct. 24. The event, which revolves around the organization's overall goal to promote eco-consciousness, will run from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the TRUSU Lecture Hall of the Campus Activity Centre. “This was started to promote sustainability,” Stacia Panko, the co-president of the club told The Omega. “This is our third annual clothing swap so as part of sustainability that includes: sustainable fashion, sustainable clothing and recycling and reusing used clothing to keep it out of the landfill.” Adding that the event is “open to everybody,” she also said that anybody can come in to donate or exchange their clothing. “We’ll lay out all of our donations there,” she stated. “You can also bring your own donations, or your own clothing to the swap

itself where we’ll lay it out for you and you can exchange it for other clothes.” Donations bins are also stationed at the Member’s Service Desk in the Campus Activity Centre for anybody interested in donating clothing articles before the event. Panko explained that while the clothing swap is open to the public, it is mostly geared towards students attending TRU. “Most of the clothes come from students,” she said. “This event is put out to the community but we kind of gear it towards any students who might be leaving after the semester or going home and wanting to lighten their load and maybe get rid of some clothing that they don’t need or wear,” she explained. She asserted that the clothing swap is “helpful” in preserving the environment because it helps to “keep waste that can be recycled or reused out of the landfill.” “So, [with the clothing swap] clothes that are still in good condition that can still be used or worn are given to someone new who will make use of it to elongate the life span of the clothing.”

With much optimism, Panko also said she hopes this year’s clothing swap will be “just as successful” as last year’s because of its growing popularity among students on campus. “It’s at a slightly different time of the year (too), so hopefully we can catch more students before they’re too busy, or before they go home. So we hope for a good turn out,” she furthered. Encouraging everyone to attend, Panko said the TRU community can expect an “encouraging, exciting environment,” that shows just how “fun” practicing sustainable living can be. “The clothing swap kind of creates a bit of community where you can meet other people and just be inspired by how many students actually support this event and want to make a difference,” she explained. Panko also encouraged those passionate about protecting the environment to join the club. “If you want to know more about how to be eco-friendly or about how to be sustainable in your everyday life…then you’re welcome to come to our meetings and events because this is something very easy that everyone can do.”

Last year's clothing swap saw great success as students sorted though piles of donated clothes to keep them out of the landfill. (Submitted)

International Career Cafe organized at TRU for International Students International students gather to discuss career opportunities and strategies Sadhika Burman STAFF WRITER Ω The Career and Experiential learning team at TRU organized the International Career Cafe event on Thursday, October 10, designed to guide new and old international students to plan and strategize every move throughout their job finding process. The event was very informal and was more of a one on one session with Larry Iles, Career Services

Councillor at TRU than a lecture with a presentation. “The idea behind the international career cafe is for groups of international students meet with a career counsellor to have an organic conversation about what it is like to work in Canada, to immigrate to Canada, what the work situation is, where the labour market is or where the jobs are,” said Iles. The event was a safe space to talk about questions all international students generally have but do not ask out of fear of being wrong or

because they believe they already know the right answer. Important topics like study permits, work permits and their requirements were talked about. Iles explained how different fields require different labour forces and offer unique labour market to be worked with. For example, for a job in a field like human resources, an individual should try to start with a smaller community making their way up to a bigger city with more experience but for a job in fields like supply chain

management one should try and start from a bigger city itself. The search for an ideal job should start at least four months prior to the students’ graduation. On being asked about why an event like International Career Cafe was important, Iles answered “This really alleviates some fears because a lot of students have some questions and they ask their peer groups but they are new international students as well so what they’re finding is some mixed messages.

The idea is to just provide a safe space to have (these) conversations.” Every year, TRU welcomes a huge percentage of international students that add up to the student body. Events like these not only help students relieve their stress about important and informed decision making but also helps them identify and grab opportunities that come in their way while they look for jobs.

TRU announces the launch of the Limitless Fundraising campaign The university embarks on its largest campaign ever to help improve the institution Farrah Johnson NEWS EDITOR Ω Thompson Rivers University recently announced its biggest fundraising campaign to date: The Limitless Campaign. The goal of the campaign is to raise $50 million in an effort to make TRU a better place to learn, strengthen the surrounding communities through collaboration and help empower students as they strive to be the best that they can be in their respective careers. $41 million of the university’s $50 million objectives was raised during the quiet phase of the Limitless Campaign.

Still, the initiative's organizers hope to achieve their target by December 2020, the year TRU will celebrate its 50th anniversary. TRU President Brett Fairbairn announced the launch of the public phase of the campaign on Oct. 10 in the Brown Family House of Learning, to a room filled with students, faculty and donors. "The power of education to change lives is limitless," he said. "Education empowers our students on their way to greater futures, opens new worlds through research and builds better communities." “Many of our supporters – new and old – have been with

us through the past few years helping us to get to where we are today. Now we look to others in our communities to consider helping us surpass our $50-million goal." The Limitless Campaign will focus on four key pillars that will help the institution improve its campuses and enhance the educational experience for its student body. Funds from the campaign Thompson Rivers University announced its largest fundraising campaign to date in hopes of improving the institution, empower current and future students and strengthen the local community. (Aidan Grether/The Omega)

will be directed towards scholarships and bursaries for students, funding for more research initiatives and constructing additional

buildings and spaces. More information about the campaign can be found online by visiting the website: tru.ca/limitless.

WWW.TRUOMEGA.CA

ARTS

Comedy show in Kamloops brings awareness to mental health stigma The Stand Up for Mental Health comedy show put a new perspective on people living with disabilities Brianna Schellenberg STAFF WRITER Ω Last Thursday, over a hundred people packed into The Rex for the Stand Up for Mental Health comedy show. Held on World Mental Health Day, the event included six stand-up comedy acts from Kamloops who took their mental health issues and turned them into entertainment. They were taught by David Granirer, a counsellor, stand-up comedian and mental health keynote speaker from Vancouver, who started the Stand Up for Mental Health Program in 2004. The night started with some words from Glenn Hilke, the founder of The Big Edition paper, thanking everyone who made this night possible. He welcomed David Granirer to the stage, who would be the MC for the event. Granirer’s humour rocked the house as he talked about his own experiences with mental health. Whether it be trips to the psych ward, or dealing with doctors who prescribed him a random assortment of antidepressants, he had his fair share of stories to tell, leaving the audience gutted with laughter. Each act that performed brought diverse jokes and stories to the stage. They put a twist on situations that would normally be told with caution, such as battling with paranoia, schizophrenia, and substance abuse, giving them a more casual perspective. The event was about breaking down the stigma around these health issues by showing the humour within them, bringing comfort to the subject instead of unease. “I say this at every show and I will keep saying it until it happens,” Granirer explained, on a more serious note, “We as a society need to treat mental health issues the same as physical health issues. When someone walks into a workplace

with a headache, it’s no big deal, everyone can handle it, maybe they’re offered a cup of tea or some Aspirin. Someone needs to be able to go into that exact same workplace and say ‘I’m on the edge of a panic attack’ or ‘my voices are a little loud,’ and it needs to be greeted the exact same!” “I think about what a difference it would have made in my life if I had seen people like you just saw up on stage. I would have thought, ‘This is proof that recovery is possible.’” At the end of the night, Krystian Shaw, who helped get the Stand Up for Mental Health program to Kamloops, was presented with a WOW Award. These awards are presented by

Community Living B.C. and are given out to four people in the province who are doing great work in their communities to make them inclusive to people with disabilities and mental health issues. For more information on the Stand Up for Mental Health program, visit standupformentalhealth.com. David Granirer (bottom), founder of Stand Up for Mental Health hosted Kamloops' first Stand Up for Mental Health comedy show in solidarity of smashing the stigma that surrounds mental illness and disabilities. All comedians recieved roaring rounds of applause at the end of the hilarious evening. (Brianna Schellenberg/The Omega)

TAKE ACTION.

VOTE LIKE IT MATTERS. Real action one climate chang

Student debt relief Free tuit io

n for Can

adian stu

Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples

dents

Creating new jobs in the green economy form

Democratic re

Investmen t in research and innov ation

Creating a Community and Environment Service Corps

VOTE YOUR VALUES.

www.greenkamloops.ca Authorized by the Official Agent for Iain Currie

OCTOBER 16, 2019

ARTS

Sink your teeth into the latest WCT show

Dracula: The Bloody Truth will have you laughing on the edge of your seat Elizabeth Nygren ARTS EDITOR Ω From the moment Dracula: The Bloody Truth began the audience was sucked into the hilarity of the show. The production follows Dr. Abraham Van Helsing as he retells the tale of how he encountered the blood-sucking vampire, Dracula. With the help of three seemingly talentless actors, who are in reality very talented by their excellent portrayal, Van Helsing tells his ‘true’ story of Dracula. A majority of the humour of the show comes from breaking the fourth wall, meaning the barrier between the actors and the audience is broken. What also arouses laughter is the fact that this ‘play within a play’ goes wrong numerous amounts of time, with set-pieces breaking and characters taking too long to change, among other things. This play within the play follows Jonathan Harker, a simple man who sets off on a journey to find the infamous Dracula.

The show also follows the storyline of Harker’s love interest and what hijinks Dracula gets into to torment these people’s souls. Not only were the acting skills of these three professional actors stellar, the amazing timing of gags and technical elements were also something to marvel at. Moments when set pieces were dropped and broken left you wondering ‘How could they have possibly done that?’ At one part in the play, a chaise lounge chair on stage broke, leaving you curious on how they could have made that possible without it falling apart on its own. Another moment is when the set itself seemed like it was going to collapse, with unsuspecting bits of it tilting and surprising you. The amazingly timed sound effects also left you imagining that the actors themselves were genuinely getting injured on stage. There were specific moments when they were hitting one another and the

sound perfectly collided with the action, causing you to wince in your seat as one got hit by the other. As this is spook-tober, it’s only fair that Dracula: The Bloody Truth should creep a little into your bones. Luckily, it did a bit of that as well. The lighting and fog added to the spooky factor, and when Dracula would creep onto

the stage, the lights would dim for his appearance adding excitement and wonder. There were so many beautiful factors that made this show eerie and chilling as well as comedic. Dracula: The Bloody Truth is a brilliant family-friendly feature that anyone could enjoy. This is not your traditional Western Canada Theatre production, but

anyone of any age could easily enjoy the unexpected humour and surprising effects of this show. There’s no better time to get Halloween ready than to go enjoy Dracula: The Bloody Truth. Western Canada Theatre’s Dracula: The Bloody Truth will be running Oct. 11 to 19. Tickets are on sale at the Kamloops Live! Box office at 250 3745483 or online at kamloopslive.ca.

Western Canada Theatre

Immerse yourself in the entertainment at Tranquille Farm Fresh Tranquille Tunnel Theatre is returning for another year with their newest story, The Cooney Papers Elizabeth Nygren ARTS EDITOR Ω This fall, Tranquille Farm Fresh is hosting its annual tunnel theatre show called ‘The Cooney Papers’. For the past eight years, Annette and Tim

Mcleod have produced tunnel theatre, which is theatre taking place within the tunnels of Tranquille Farm Fresh. Annette Mcleod, who works and owns Tranquille Farm Fresh with her husband Tim, said “We have produced what we call Tranquille Tunnel

Theatre, which tells true stories of Tranquille,’ Annette Mcleod, Tranquille Farm Fresh owner along with husband Tim, said. “This year, The Cooney Papers is the same, so Tim and I are co-producing The Cooney Papers and we’re working with a lot of different people and groups and have had a very interesting time doing a lot of research for many many weeks on the history, on the family, and also engaging with people.” The Cooney Papers is the story of Charles and Betsy Cooney, who we’re an amazing couple that essentially built an empire and lived in Tranquille, roughly between 1835 and 1920. Many of the firsts in Tranquille happened because of them. Mcleod says that they’ve “taken some of the major historical events that happened in that time span and then we’ve woven the story of Charles and Betsy as a couple between those historical pillars.” This year’s show comes with an extra layer of entertainment, as the show is exploring more than just live theatre, and is adding more cinematic elements. “The production is not just a theatre production, it’s kind of like a docu-drama so there’s film, there’s live theatre, there’s narration, and there’s music. We have four different

components that we’re blending.” Mcleod said. “We’ve custom-built a curved screen in the old laundry building, that’s 37 feet by 12 feet; a huge screen, so when you come, you will start out in another building, and true to our tunnel theatre, you will actually walk through the tunnels, where you will see old pictures of the Cooneys and the walk kind of prepares your soul for the show.” After walking through the eerie tunnels, theatre-goers will come upon the small cinema, which is allowing more people to attend the tunnel theatre than in the past. The Mcleod’s are always very busy in the fall, and this year is no different. Along with The Cooney Papers, they are also giving heritage tours of the area, have an escape room open called ‘Enigma Women’, and are opening a Jungle Corn Maze later on in the month. Mcleod says “a lot of people know about Tranquille, but they know certain sections. They know, for instance, if they have a connection with the family or Padova, but very few people actually understand and know the full history that depicts anything from the Gold Rush to the First Nations to where we are today. So, we wrap it all up in that tour.” Attending any of these events is a great way to learn the finer

details of the history of the area. Luckily, the Mcleods have an excellent team to help them with all of this. Without all of their help and support, they might not be able to pull off all of these events. Andrew Cooper, TRU Alumni, has helped prepare the script for the show, along with other actors from Kamloops and beyond that star in the theatre production and film. “It’s just us. We’re working with awesome people and groups. What helps to pull it off is to work with good people.” They hope that they have a good turnout of all ages for their events and that everyone comes to enjoy their events by dressing up and having a good time. The Mcleods believe that people have an emotional connection to the area, and they hope that they can sustain that. Tickets are available for The Cooney Papers or for any of their upcoming events at tranquillefarmfresh.com. You can go to their event page, check out what they’re offering, select which day and event you’d like to attend and buy your tickets straight from their website. The Cooney Papers show is approximately one hour and opens at Tranquille Farm Fresh on Oct. 19.

WWW.TRUOMEGA.CA

ARTS

Get the inside scoop on the Sam & Jeremy Podcast Creators of the local podcast share their experiences with the platform Brianna Schellenberg STAFF WRITER Ω Podcasts cover any and every topic under the sun. They provide perspectives that might be lacking from traditional media and are more accessible than ever. The reason for their popularity seems to be the informal, conversational style of the medium; podcasters are able to connect with audiences based on topics and their personal opinions on them. Sam Neufeld and Jeremy Kneeshaw, both residing in Kamloops, started their podcast merely out of curiosity. With being in school and working, the two friends record episodes in their free time and have been doing so for the past year. “It was one of those things where you kept getting one step further in the process and you’re like, ‘oh, we can actually do this,’ Kneeshaw

commented. Both Neufeld and Kneeshaw work for the WolfPack, so they’re discussions include what’s happening with the teams. Along with that, they talk about events in Kamloops and at TRU and answer questions they receive from their listeners. Neufeld commented that some of their best conversations have come questions or feedback from the listeners, whether it be on what music they listen to while strolling across campus, or which characters from The Office they identify as. The podcast also has an ongoing segment called ‘Beer of the Week,’ where they talk about and sample breweries from around the province. “As a [Communications] student, the podcast is a good way to learn about marketing and writing,” Neufeld explained. “The cool thing about TRU is that you have a lot of opportunities to try these things,

whereas they might not be easily accessible at a bigger university.” In the future, they want the podcast to focus more on TRU student life, such as the students’ personal interests and stories, in order to connect the podcast more to the school. In more recent years, podcasts have become easier to produce. Getting good equipment is not as expensive as people think, and if you have ideas you’re passionate about, getting them onto a platform such as a podcast seems less like work and more like a hobby. “I think it’s a fun project to learn how to set up sound gear, or editing, recording, and learning how to talk in an interview without tripping over yourself or tripping over somebody else,” Kneeshaw said. As people, we love storytelling, not only for its entertainment value but because stories give us new

perspectives of the world. Podcasts give us the ability to tell real, engaging stories, which ultimately connects to people on an emotional level. Listeners are able to pick up on topical content and personalities

through these stories, giving the medium a more vulnerable touch. To hear it for yourselves, The Sam & Jeremy Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcast and Google Podcast.

Kamloops horror team takes on beloved cult classics Drunk in a Graveyard set to keep it spooky with Halloween classics at the Landmark cinema Cailyn Mocci EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω Local Kamloops podcast squad and members of the Kamloops Film Society, Drunk in a Graveyard, are bringing horror back to the Paramount theatre with two much anticipated Halloween horror screenings. Screenings include Army of Darkness and the sold-out Rocky Horror Picture Show screening. Robin Goodfellow has been working with Drunk in a Graveyard since the beginning in 2012 when the group started a horror-centred blog. Drunk in a Graveyard later grew to include

a podcast show in 2016 where they continued to cover new and old horror films as well as heavy metal music. “We talk about obviously some of the new horror films that are coming out because you know it’s current news and its good to hit when things are hot,” Goodfellow said. “But we also talk about retro horror films that were kind of lost and forgotten. We actually get sent quite a lot of films to check out and we often check out a lot of old releases that are being released by boutique releasing companies.” Drunk in a Graveyard grew their own passion and drive to share their voices in the horror

industry. “We never saw our voices necessarily represented,” Goodfellow said. Goodfellow spoke of their comedic, silly bend on horror films and how they speak about horror films in honest ways. Drunk in a Graveyards’ comedic side isn’t all part of in their voices but also their name stemming from a Simpsons episode. Drunk in a Graveyard is creeping up on their one year anniversary of their first screening with the Kamloops Film Society. Since then they have taken up running the DarkFest at the Kamloops Film Festival every March.

“They asked us to come on board with KFS to help market horror to a younger audience,” Goodfellow said. “They asked us to come on board because that was something that means so much to us.” To take on the horror sector of the Kamloops Film Society, Drunk in a Graveyard is preparing for two huge Halloween themed viewings; Rocky Horror Picture Show on Oct. 26 and Army of Darkness the previous evening of Oct. 25. Goodfellow stated that picking each film for this spooky season was a no-brainer. To Goodfellow’s knowledge, a viewing event of Rocky Horror Picture Show hasn’t been

Jason "Cablz"/Drunk in a Graveyard

attempted to the calibre they have planned. After countless requests Drunk in a Graveyard will be bringing the cult classic to the big screen with all the fixings; costume contests, props and talk-back ques, everything needed for the events fans know and love. This much-anticipated film screening bewildered Drunk in a Graveyard with a sold-out event two weeks in advance. “We were watching the tickets count down. A sell-out for something like this in Kamloops two weeks ahead of an event is pretty much unheard of,” Goodfellow expressed what she referred to as “last-minute city”. Tickets are still available for the Army of Darkness film screening, a beloved zombie classic; a film Goodfellow described as “silly” and “user-friendly”. “Our goal overall is to keep bringing in movies that we would be interested to see or that we think would be of interest to other people to check out,” Goodfellow said. “We’d like to keep bringing in movies like [Midsommar], that are highly anticipated, really artsy, beautiful horror films.” Drunk in a Graveyard will be continuing to screen muchloved horror flicked as well as bringing back classic and independent retro films for Kamloops’ viewing delight. Tickets for Army of Darkness are still available to keep the spooky season alive. Check out Drunk in a Graveyard on Facebook for more information.

ARTS

OCTOBER 16, 2019

WWW.TRUOMEGA.CA

ARTS

Kamloops teacher awarded for excellence in Indigenous education Jordan Smith becomes one of the 10 winners from 140 nominees across B.C. Sadhika Burman STAFF WRITER Ω Jordan Smith, a teacher at the Twin River Education Centre and Four Directions secondary did not expect that she was going to be one of the winners or even get nominated for the Premier's Awards for Excellence in Education this year.

Smith has been recently recognized as one of the best teachers in BC in the category of Indigenous education. "She has a gift, she has a belief that all people deserve a quality of education and she brings that. She will not let any of her barriers stand in the way of any of her learners," said Beth Dye, Vice Principal at Twin River Education Centre.

The Kamloops teacher credits her students for keeping her going and said that they are the real reason for her success. “It's something quite exceptional to hear students you're so proud of say that they are proud [of you]," said Smith. Smith’s teaching technique connects the dots between Indigenous culture and history through

practical learning by involving First Nations artists. Smith also helped build the “Four Directions” program at the Twin River Education Centre. "Four Directions is an academic program with a cultural focus," said Smith. "We've moved to a sematic focus each year and that has really allowed us to create kind of a common energy and common

goal for staff and students together. That learning has such a significant impact for students and it inspires me daily. They show up and they're willing to try. They're resilient, strong, and courageous." Upon winning the award, Smith has not only bagged a $3,000 bursary for herself and her research but also $2,000 for the Twin Rivers Education Centre.

A film that looks like Skyrim Untitled Goose but featuring Will Smith Game Review Gemini Man film reivew Morgan Hunter CONTRIBUTOR Ω I’ve never had a problem tearing apart a film put together through laziness, in fact, its quite cathartic in a sense. But, with Gemini Man, I’ve found that I can’t dig too much into it due to the apparent effort that went into this film, which helps its "watch-ability". Gemini Man revolves around Henry Brogan, the top-hired assassin who, after trying to retire, is pulled into a game of cat and mouse when the U.S government hires a clone of himself to kill him. Will Smith brings a natural charisma to any project and in this film, he gives more of an actual character piece by trying to play both his 50-year old present self and his 27-year old clone with the help of

motion-capture effects. It helps the film that Smith is trying so hard not to phone it in, which helps the viewing experience be more impactful. The issue comes with the rest of the movie. Director Ang Lee has many interesting shots in this film however they don’t f low together. In the first ten minutes, there’s a panoramic shot of the train demonstrating how fast it's going, then it cuts from a widescreen perspective to full screen without any transition. Now, this is a small critic and I congratulate Lee’s attempt to have interesting shots as opposed to just phoning it in with regular quick cuts. It's when scenes have no connection to each other and are stitched together without any reason that it becomes distracting to the audience. It leaves it feeling like a video game cut scene.

Speaking of video games, the other huge issue is the motion-capture effects of young Will Smith. When the setting is dark, it does look semi-realistic. When the scenes actually visible and they’re just talking? It looks like a 2000’s call of duty model imported next to the actors. Even the actors seem uncomfortable when they just stand around lifeless whenever the clone is around, having the entire film being distracting for the audience and not caring about the story. In the end, the premise isn’t that original, yet it comes off as though everyone cared in the film and they were trying. The issue of the visual effects and the Frankenstein editing job, however, leave the film very forgettable with the only memorable part being how bad CGI Will smith looks in day-light.

Showing that any premise works nowadays Morgan Hunter CONTRIBUTOR Ω Untitled Goose Game is almost like playing through a simulator of how to be a rascal through the eyes of a very cute goose who is just the worst. Untitled Goose Game follows the player, a goose, who goes around trying to steal a variety of things from strangers in order to steal a bell for the goose’s bell collection. That’s as close to a plot that this game is going to get. The purpose of this game comes down to a few things: you act like a tool for fun, you get to know what it’s like to be a goose and you create your own fun. And honestly, it works on all those levels. The artwork of the game is a standout style that gives both an innocent nature to it as well as works with the mischievous antics that this goose gets up to. And not only did I just make my own good time, but it also didn’t take weeks to do it, which is honestly need every now and then. Most games that come out nowadays come with huge price tags with 20+ hours

worth of content that devolves to someone either loving the mechanic of the game to the point that 20 hours turns into 60 or its games that demand constant play sessions via online multiplayer. Yes, most of these things define the game world, but it also assumes the player has nothing else going on to devote time to. And with students not having a lot of time as is, that can be really frustrating. With this game, however, it skips all of that. It doesn’t give you a 20-minute cutscene showing how being a soldier kicks butt. Instead, it tells you how to move and says “Alright, you’re a goose, have fun.” The game can literally be completed in 20 minutes if you really try but its starting cost of $20 is not a bad trade-off. Untitled Goose Game is an indy game that isn’t story-driven, yet carries with it a refreshing sense of traditional tomfoolery that's cathartic in a sense. It gives off a easy going walkthrough, and that’s something that even a Goose would appreciate.

COMICS & PUZZLES

5 6

8 3

DO 2

1 3

1 6

KU BR

4 3

1 9

By Gene Wirchenko Puzzle #6: Cookies You have some cookies. 14 contain chocolate chips, 12 contain raisins, and 10 contain cinnamon. Each cookie has at least one of these ingredients. For each ingredient combination of more than one ingredient, there are an odd number of cookies, and each of these numbers is diﬀerent. So how many are there of each combination?

K 9

4 5

Puzzles of the Week

OCTOBER 16, 2019

2 4

Last week's solutions Puzzle #5: Happy Birthday Dad! One possible solution is: 0: 0 × (1 + 0 + 9) 1: 1 + 0 × 0 × 9 2: 1 + 0! + 0 × 9 3: 9 / (1 + 0! + 0!) 4: (9 – 1) / (0! + 0!) 5: (9 + 1) / (0! + 0!) 6: 9 – 1 – 0! – 0! 7: 9 – 1 – 0! + 0 8: 9 – 1 + 0 × 0 9: 9 + 0 × 0 × 1

WWW.TRUOMEGA.CA

COMICS & PUZZLES

CFBX TOP 30 CFBX 92.5 FM, 350 Watts Kamloops, BC Music Director: Steve Marlow Charts to October 10, 2019 * indicates Canadian Content ** indicates a local artist Artist - Album (Label) 1) Rae Spoon* - Mental Health (Coax) 2) Jessica Rhaye and the Ramshackle Parade* - Just Like a Woman: The Songs of Bob Dylan (Scout) 3) DNDR - All We Know (Independent) 4) Bridal Party* - Too Much (Kingfisher Bluez) 5) Les Copeland** - One More Foot in the Quicksand (Earwig) 6) Heather Nova - Pearl (Song) 7) Jom Comyn* - Crawl (Independent) 8) Shari Ulrich* - Back to Shore (Borealis) 9) LAL* - Dark Beings (Coax) 10) Allison Lupton* - Words of Love (Independent) 11) Lydia Ainsworth* - Phantom Forest (Independent) 12) Rich Aucoin* - Release (Haven) 13) Necking* - Cut Your Teeth (Mint) 14) The Small Glories* - Assiniboine and the Red (Independent) 15) Mr. Merlot* - City Sex Vol. 2 (Toneshenge) 16) Jean-Paul de Roover* - Love (Independent) 17) The Dead South* - Sugar and Joy (Six Shooter) 18) Ben Cottrill* - Spice-Box (Independent) 19) Blocktreat* - After Dark (Independent) 20) Sterling Blues Band* - Sterling Blues Band (Moondog) 21) Delbert McClinton - Tall, Dark and Handsome (Hotshot) 22) Heather Bambrick* - Fine State (Independent) 23) Purlicue* - Dip 'n Dot (Independent) 24) Innes Wilson* - The Heart That Holds This Up (Out of Sound) 25) Lily Frost* - Retro Moderne (Independent) 26) Science is Fiction* - Don't Everybody Thank Me at Once (Independent) 27) Jersey Swamp Cats - Go Cat Go! (Independent) 28) Tetrix* - Every House Has a Light On (Odin Audio) 29) Arlen Rundvall* - Face the Wind (Independent) 30) Colour Tongues* - Almost East (Independent)

YOUR COMIC HERE WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR STUDENT CARTOONISTS. WHY NOT GIVE IT A SHOT? EMAIL EDITOR@TRUOMEGA.CA

OCTOBER 16, 2019

THE OMEGA

Grant funding to attend conferences, host events and lectures

Apply online trusu.ca/grants

NEED TO FILL A PRESCRIPTION? Your health plan covers 100% of prescription drugs up to $3,000 per benefit year! visit trusu.ca/health-dental for detailed info

Bring your reusable mug to Common Grounds and

SAVE 50Â¢

/TRUStudentsUnion

@TRUSU15