October 15, 2015

WINTER WORKOUT

STUDENT STARGAZING

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October 15, 2015

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STUDENT VIEWS ON THE FEDERAL ELECTION OPINIONS 14-16

NEWS

Olympian addresses mental health for students CÉLINE GRIMARD On Oct. 6, the University of Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy and Nutrition held its annual Professional Enhancement Day, featuring keynote speaker and Canadian Olympic athlete Clara Hughes who spoke out about her personal experience with mental illness.

Professional Enhancement Day aims to enhance the knowledge and abilities of pharmacy students and practicing pharmacists in order to thrive in a continuously changing healthcare environment. Usually PED is restricted to pharmacy students; however, this year the college and the Saskatchewan Pharmacy and Nutrition Students’ Society partnered to open up the event to students from all colleges as well as the general public.

Darren Bogle, SPNSS member and co-leader of the project, hopes the event will help students feel comfortable bringing up mental health issues and believes the topic is important for students especially.

“Mental health is particularly prevalent in a university setting; students are put through a lot of stress, exam anxiety and midterm anxiety,” Bogle said.

According to Bogle, having a reputable speaker like Clara Hughes address students not only educates and increases awareness, but it can also help to stimulate strategies on how

the U of S campus community can aid in ending the stigma surrounding mental health.

Hughes is a spokesperson for Bell Canada’s Let’s Talk campaign, which launched in September 2010 as a five-year, $50 million program that aims to help create a stigma-free Canada by promoting initiatives in mental health care, research and the workplace.

During her presentation, Hughes revealed many points of interest surrounding her personal experience with depression, including the fact that she comes from a family with a history of mental illness.

A six-time Olympic medalist in both the summer and winter

games, Hughes is no stranger to the spotlight, yet she often felt the burden of her illness regardless of her success.

“In the end, it fed the worthlessness that I still had inside of me. Any moment, or sense of inhalation, or pride that I felt momentarily after my races, was gone," Hughes said.

For Hughes, one of the most difficult parts of suffering from mental illness was the fear of talking to anyone about what she was feeling, especially since there were no physical ailments.

"I thought it would mean most likely the end of my life as I knew it, and that there would be no coming back,” she said.

It took numerous years battling against herself before she got help. Hughes now believes that people cannot beat mental health alone; it is imperative that they seek the help of others.

For students, Hughes acknowledges the added stress of school work, exams and jobs, on top of anything else that may come up in dayto-day life. She encourages an increased awareness surrounding illnesses that may develop or increase in intensity when triggered by these stresses, such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression, among others.

"There are so many ways to educate yourself. The Canadi-

Supplied / Josh Schaefer Photography Canadian Olympic athlete Clara Hughes shares her personal experience with mental health to raise awareness.

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The Sheaf is a non-profit, incorporated and student-body funded partially by way of a direct levy paid by all part and full-time undergraduate students at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S). The remainder of the revenue is generated through advertising. The financial affairs are governed by a Board of Directors, most of whom are students. Membership in the Society is open to undergraduate students at the U of S who are encouraged to contribute to the newspaper. Opinions expressed in the Sheaf do not necessarily reflect those of the Sheaf Publishing Society Inc. The Sheaf reserves the right to refuse to accept or print any material deemed unfit for publication, as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. The Editor-in-Chief has the right to veto any submission deemed unfit for the Society newspaper. In determining this, the Editor-in-Chief will decide if the article or artwork would be of interest to a significant portion of the Society and benefit the welfare of Sheaf readers. The Sheaf will not publish any racist, sexist, homophobic or libelous material. The Sheaf is published weekly during the academic year and monthly from May through August.

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an Mental Health Association always has good information on what is available locally," Hughes said. "The more educated you are, the better chance you have to maybe help someone around you that you see struggling."

Hughes urges students who are suffering in any way to seek help and be aware that there are many options available.

“Don’t internalize. Don’t think it’s going to go away.

Don’t think if you drop classes it’s going to make it suddenly better. If you’re feeling something and it's real, you need help. Talk to someone.”

Hughes also took a moment to impart advice surrounding conversations about suicide.

“If you feel like someone may be having suicidal thoughts, it’s okay to talk to them about it. If you mention that word, it doesn’t mean they’re going to have a greater chance of completing suicide; it’s not, it makes it real and opens up the conversation and that’s a good thing,” Hughes said.

Hughes encourages students to become more aware and available to these notions, because everyone is capable of making a positive difference.

“Realize that your actions count. Realize that listening is important. Realize this affects everyone. Everyone is connected to these illnesses, and so you might as well be ahead of the game and educate yourself and empower yourself and empower people around you with hope.”

The mission of the Sheaf is to inform and entertain students by addressing those issues that are relevant to life on campus, in the city, or in the province. The newspaper serves as a forum for discussion on a wide range of issues that concern students. Written for students by students, the staff of editors, photographers, and artists collaborate with volunteers as studentjournalists to produce a product with relevance to the university community. With each composition, the Sheaf stays in touch with students on the U of S campus. It provides unique insight to university issues through a student perspective.

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If you would like to contribute to the Sheaf, email editor@thesheaf.com for more information.

corrections There were no errors brought to our attention in our last issue.

If you spot any errors in this issue, please email them to: copy@thesheaf.com

october 15, 2015

NEWS

Former Greenpeace activist spreads seeds of science and skepticism KEIGHLAGH DONOVAN News Editor

October is Agriculture month in Saskatchewan and the College of Agriculture and Bioresources took this opportunity to welcome Patrick Moore, former Greenpeace activist turned biotechnology backer, to speak on the misconceptions that Moore claims Greenpeace perpetuates.

On Oct. 8, Moore spoke to a crowded Neatby-Timlin Theatre at the University of Saskatchewan. Included in his presentation were photos of his notorious involvement in high-stakes

Greenpeace-led initiatives, including confronting boats on the North Pacific that were conducting United States hydrogen bomb testing in Alaska. Moore followed this up with several researchbased slides disputing claims that global warming and climate change have any definite correlation to human life and activity on Earth.

Shayla Hertz, U of S Agriculture Students’ Association president and fourth-year agribusiness student was the emcee for the evening.

Growing up on a grain farm outside of Edenwold, Sask., Hertz shared her perspective on environmentalism and the importance of science and agriculture.

“It was not until I started encountering people telling me that organic food was

Michael Bergen Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore speaks out against the organization.

healthier than conventionally farmed foods and that genetically modified organisms were dangerous that I knew what I cared deeply about, and that is setting out on a path to correct the misconceptions surrounding agriculture and agrifood sectors,” Hertz said.

Students in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources now account for approximately seven per cent of total enrollment at the U of S, an 11.5 per cent increase over the last year alone, which makes it the fastest growing college at the university. As such, the issue of misconceptions within the agriculture industry is especially prevalent.

Hertz set the stage for Moore by acknowledging that today’s society is connected more than ever before and that as quickly as people may be informed, they are just as vulnerable to misinformation.

“Despite the fact that there are farmers, scientists, doctors, researchers, professors, government officials and individuals working around the clock to create the safest, healthiest and most environmentally conscious agriculture supply system possible, there are people who would believe otherwise and for some reason, those voices are the ones who are heard,” Hertz said.

Moore began his presentation by providing some in-

Saskatoon is changing – be in the know as we grow!

Join us for the closing round of public engagement for the Growth Plan to Half a Million as we present the final draft plan and gather input on: • a new transit system with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT); • redevelopment along our major corridors; and, • a new river crossing at 33rd Street, combined with dedicated bus lanes on the University Bridge.

sight into his upbringing and what lead him to the concept of Greenpeace.

“I was doing my PhD in ecology in the mid 60s, at the height of the Vietnam war and the height of the Cold War, and the threat of all-out nuclear war and a newly converging consciousness of the environment. I turned into a radical environmental activist as a result,” Moore said.

After 15 years of active involvement in the rapidly growing organization, Moore realized that his personal views no longer aligned with the vision of Greenpeace, as he saw it.

“When we began, we had a strong humanitarian orientation, to save civilization from all-out nuclear war. As we evolved, taking on other issues, the peace kind of got left behind and all that was left was the green, and now Greenpeace and much of the environmental movement characterized the human species as the enemy of the Earth,” Moore said.

The remaining 90 minutes of the presentation included an exploration of graphs and scientific research-based data provided by various industry leaders, which promoted the use of genetically modified organisms, the need for more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, Moore’s belief in the reclamation of the oil sands tailings ponds and a comparison of people who are

Mark your calendars!

against these concepts to be much like the “anti-vaccine quacks.”

Despite some dissenting remarks and shaking of heads from the crowd, Moore went on to agree with Hertz’s opening remarks on the global population increasing at an exponential rate and that innovations in science and agricultural development are essential to the future of food production.

“It used to take 78 per cent of the world’s population to grow food for the 100 per cent; now it takes two or three per cent and one farmer in Saskatchewan feeds 155 people. That’s the power of science, technology, chemistry and genetics,” Moore said, adding that this frees up the remainder of society to focus on other significant developments and services.

Although, much of the information Moore provided in his presentation was sourced from leading industry experts, Hertz encourages students to always exercise their right to information.

“It is of utmost importance that people become aware of the falsities that they have been exposed to as a result of social media and popular belief. People need to begin to recognize the importance of questioning the information they are exposed to and understand how critical it is to conduct their own research,” Hertz said.

Growth Plan | Online Survey October 14 to November 8, 2015 Review the final draft plan and provide feedback online at www.growingfwd.ca Growth Plan | Come-and-Go Public Events Wednesday, October 21, 2015 Mayfair United Church 902 33rd Street W. 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 22, 2015 Saskatoon Field House, Lobby 2020 College Drive 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. *Open-house style events. No formal presentations will be given.

Learn more and get involved at www.growingfwd.ca october 15, 2015

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NEWS

SWITCH hosts second annual Zombie Run NAOMI ZUREVINSKI

Editor-in-Chief Zombies and health care appear to be an unlikely duo, but not for the Student Wellness Initiative Towards Community Health. With the goal of raising money to fund its initiatives, SWITCH is putting on a Zombie Run, open to students and the public alike.

The Zombie Run is a five kilometre run on Oct. 18 that serves as a fundraiser for SWITCH. This year marks the

Jack Thompson

seventh annual run and the second year with the zombie twist.

Elizabeth Plishka, SWITCH volunteer, board member and second-year health studies student at the University of Saskatchewan, speaks to the concept of zombies and the run.

“We’ve been doing a five kilometre fundraiser for a while now and last year, to try and reach more people, we wanted to give it a theme,” Plishka said. “One of our main audiences is university students, so we definitely have a lot of students running.”

Operating since 2005, SWITCH is a student-run group that works to improve social determinants of health. It operates out of a clinic on 20th Street and provides opportunities for students to volunteer in their area of study, while having a positive impact on the health and education of Saskatoon’s core communities. The Zombie Run will fund SWITCH’s initiatives year-long, includ-

ing childcare programs, addiction and mental health outreach and needle exchange services.

Plishka has been a volunteer at SWITCH for three years now, and has also taken an active part in planning the Zombie Run as a member of the Programming and Special Events Committee.

“You can sign up as either a runner or a zombie; we have prizes for both the runners and the zombies. The runners each get two lives, and it’s just like a flag football deal.

You can sign up as a zombie to chase the runners — and there’s prizes for the deadliest zombie, and for runners that make it through with their lives,” Plishka said.

To add some interactive survival elements, the Zombie Run will also feature obstacle course portions, including an army crawl.

Plishka is going to be a runner herself and is excited about the zombie theme. “[Zombies] just seem to be really popular nowadays… we thought that it would help

attract some people. The run has always been around October, so it fits well with Halloween,” Plishka said.

Aside from professional mentors who guide decisionmaking and assist the student volunteers, the clinic is entirely student-run. Plishka insists that volunteers are always welcome and can commit to any amount of time that works with their busy student schedules.

Students can get involved by signing up to participate in the Zombie Run and collect pledges that will raise additional funds for SWITCH. Volunteer opportunities don’t stop there however; the zombie theme wouldn’t be complete without a little fake blood, and students who are more artistically inclined can volunteer their time as a make-up artist.

Plishka insists that SWITCH presents an excellent opportunity for students and acknowledges that her own experience has been an enlightening one.

“Being involved in

SWITCH, I have learnt so much about myself but also about lower income populations. Most of our clients are lower income and one of the things SWITCH focuses on are the social determinants of health, like how income and housing can affect people's health. I’ve just learnt so much about how those things can affect health,” Plishka said.

Although several volunteers at SWITCH are U of S students pursuing degrees in various programs across campus, Plishka insists an interest in healthcare is not a requirement for taking part in the initiative.

“Being involved in SWITCH is almost my stress relief — it’s such an amazing opportunity that I can’t even put into words,” Plishka said.

“Even for people who aren’t necessarily looking to get into healthcare… we have so many opportunities apart from just the healthcare side of things. So people outside of healthcare can definitely still learn and get involved.”

Campus Sustainability Week showcases U of S initiatives EMILY KLATT Staff Writer

During the week of Oct. 1316, the Office of Sustainability will be hosting Campus Sustainability Week, an event that highlights everything sustainable that the University of Saskatchewan has to offer.

Campus Sustainability Week presents an opportunity for students, staff and faculty to showcase their efforts towards sustainability. According to the Office of Sustainability website, sustainability is defined as “the stewardship of the natural environment in a socially and economically responsible manner that meets the needs of both present and future generations.”

Matt Wolsfeld, the community engagement co-ordinator for the Office of Sustainability, thinks the week is a chance for people to get an inside look at how the U of S practices sustainability.

“It’s an opportunity to look not only at the student groups that are being active in sus-

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tainability, [but also] looking at some of the things that happen behind the scenes in terms of facilities management, energy efficiency, finances and things like that,” Wolsfeld said.

A wide range of events will be taking place on campus over the duration of the week including the Sustainability Expo, which will be set up in the north concourse of Place Riel. The expo will feature sustainability related displays set up by a variety of U of S campus groups.

“It’s essentially just going to be an area where they can get to know different campus groups that are interacting with sustainability on a regular basis, and they can learn more about a couple of select topics,” Wolsfeld said.

The Diefenbaker Canada Centre, a museum and interpretative centre located within the U of S, is offering sustainability tours that take participants all around the U of S campus, highlighting the various sustainability initiatives that students may not have been aware of already.

Other events include an information session on winter

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cycling, a clothing swap and documentary screenings at the Broadway Theatre.

Various campus clubs and organizations are involved with Sustainability Week, ranging from the U of S Students’ Union Food Centre, to the Campus Cycling Club, to the School of Environment and Sustainability. Wolsfeld insists that each group contributes something valuable and unique to this celebration of sustainability.

Moreover, Campus Sustainability Week has experienced an increase in the diversity of its contributors this year.

“We’re also getting a lot of new student groups that I wasn’t expecting this year,” Wolsfeld said. “The Physics Students’ Society is putting on a display about how physics and sustainability interact. We have the anatomy and cell biology students who are going to be hosting up in the concourse, and they’re going to be talking about a sort of micro-level of sustainability.”

While most people only think of sustainability in terms of the environment, it plays a role in many different areas. Wolsfeld hopes that students learn more about

how sustainability fits into their daily lives.

“I’m hoping that they take away that first and foremost, sustainability probably affects them in one way or another, in some sort of format that they wouldn’t have expected,” he said, adding that social and economic sustainability are also essential parts of creating a viable future for further generations.

When it comes to sustainability, Wolsfeld recognizes that universities serve as a special place to discuss these kinds of issues.

“On university campuses, I feel it’s very important to talk about sustainability because this is a place where open and honest communication is shared,” Wolsfeld said.

Ultimately, Campus Sustainability Week works towards creating awareness.

By attending events, asking questions and learning new things, Wolsfeld wants students to discover

ways in which they can help make their communities, and the world, a better place.

“It’s really an opportunity to start looking at some of our older, less sustainable behaviors, and we can make them so they’re going to be sustainable into the future, that they’re not going to be running into inefficiencies [and that] we’re not going to be causing problems for further generations.”

Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor

october 15, 2015

SPORTS

Making the most of cold weather workouts EMILY KLATT Staff Writer

As the temperatures drop, the last thing many of us want to think about is exercise. Between Netflix, hot chocolate and the looming threat of frostbite, it seems so much easier to just resign yourself to hibernation. However, with a few modifications, the right gear and trace amounts of self-motivation, you can carry on your workouts well into the winter months.

Here are some basic tips for successful winter workouts: 1. Dress to impress: when it comes to cold weather exercise, the way you’re dressed can make or break your workout. Regardless of the activity, layers are your best friend. Start with a base layer made out of a sweat-wicking material. Next, put on an insulating layer, such as a pullover sweater made of polyester or merino wool. Finally, top

things off with a windproof shell jacket — Saskatoon doesn’t mess around when it comes to wind! Any exposed skin is at risk for frostbite, so hats, gloves and scarves aren’t a bad idea either.

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Try alternative activities: while it might be difficult to ride your bike in three feet of snow, winter can be the perfect time to try out some new ways of staying active. Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and curling are all sports that can be done in colder weather.

At the very least, trying one might help you connect to your hearty, inner Canadian.

3.

Stay safe: winter exercise brings its own unique safety considerations. Icy roads can cause falls, so think about adding spikes to your running shoes. The days are shorter, so if you’re working out in the early morning or the evening, make sure that you wear bright colors and reflective clothing so that you can be seen. As always, tell someone where you are going and carry a phone with you in case of emergencies.

4. Take advantage of that gym membership: apparent-

ly, all U of S students get a “free” membership to the Physical Activity Complex — who knew? Colder weather is the perfect time to make use of an awesome fitness facility right here on campus. The PAC features a wide range of workout equipment, personal training services and even an indoor pool. You’re paying for it, so you might as well use it.

5. Head inside: when all else fails, there are tons of workouts that you can do right in your living room.

Functional bodyweight exercises like squats, burpees and push-ups don’t require a lot of equipment or space.

YouTube is also a wealth of resources for free workout videos, including Jane Fonda’s workouts circa 1985.

6.

Take a break: rest is an often overlooked part of physical health. Just like we need to move our bodies to stay fit, we also need to give our muscles a chance to rest and repair. Sometimes, it’s totally acceptable to ditch your workout in favor of your couch, a blanket and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

Exercise shouldn’t be a chore. In fact, it should be an enjoyable part of your life. Winter might mean a few changes to your fitness

routine, but it doesn’t have to spell the end. Instead of leaving exercise out in the cold, embrace winter fitness with warmth.

Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor News editor Keighlagh Donovan doesn’t let the winter weather slow her down.

NFL picks week 6: Plenty of OT thrillers to go around TYLER WAGNER

LAST WEEK: OVERALL:

TYLER: 11-3 TYLER: 52-25

AUSTIN: 11-3 AUSTIN: 52-25

Atlanta Falcons (5-0) vs. New Orleans Saints (1-4) On Thursday night, a classic divisional rivalry game will feature two teams headed in opposite directions. Devonta Freeman has emerged as a superstar running back in the Atlanta offence, with seven rushing touchdowns in the last three weeks. The Saints, on the other hand, can’t stop the run — or the pass for that matter — and find themselves at the bottom of the NFC South division.

Tyler: Atlanta Austin: Atlanta Cincinnati Bengals (5-0) vs. Buffalo Bills (3-2) Can anybody stop Andy Dalton and the Bengals? A thrilling overtime win over Seattle boosted their record to 5–0, and they are using a wide range of weapons to get the job done.

With different players stepping up each week, the Bengals look like the real deal. Buffalo’s play has been inconsistent all year and now with quarterback Tyrod Taylor out for a couple weeks with injury, the pressure on their defence has never been greater.

Tyler: Cincinnati Austin: Cincinnati Washington Redskins (2-3) vs. New York Jets (3-1) After having the bye week last week, New York will return home and face the underrated Redskins. Washington has been competitive in all of their games and has two close losses in the first five weeks. The Jets have looked good, especially on the defensive side of things. Kirk Cousins and the Redskins have struggled at times this year, so it will be a true test for the young pivot.

Tyler: New York Jets Austin: Washington San Diego Chargers (2-3) vs. Green Bay Packers (5-0) The Packers are on a roll so far, winning every game they have played this season by at least seven points. Aaron Rodgers has shown he doesn’t need star wide receiver Jordy Nelson in order to be the best quarterback in the league. Rodgers threw his only two interceptions of the season last week, but don’t expect to see the same this week against the Chargers. San Diego, however, are ranked sixth against the pass this season.

If they want to have any hope in beating Green Bay, they will need an explosive game from both the secondary and quarterback Philip Rivers.

Tyler: Green Bay Austin: Green Bay

october 15, 2015

Carolina Panthers (4-0) vs. Seattle Seahawks (2-3) Seattle has been involved in many close games this year and last week, they lost in overtime for the second time this season. Although Seattle has a bad record through five weeks, they are still one of the most feared teams in the league. The undefeated Panthers are excited that the staple of their defence — linebacker Luke Kuechly — has been cleared to play in week six. Seattle and Carolina should provide an entertaining defensive matchup this week.

Tyler: Carolina Austin: Seattle Arizona Cardinals (4-1) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) Coming off a last second Le’veon Bell touchdown for the win, the Steelers enter this tough matchup riding high. With backup quarterback Michael Vick still under center, that doesn’t bode well going up against one of the top defences in the NFL. Arizona’s strong running game could make the difference, as Pittsburgh’s defence has been in the middle of the pack so far this year.

Tyler: Pittsburgh Austin: Arizona New England Patriots (4-0) vs. Indianapolis Colts (3-2) New England is looking unstoppable this season and Tom Brady has been playing with a chip on his shoulder since the “deflategate” controversy. They are currently the number one ranked offence in the league, averaging around 330 passing yards per game. Whether or not Andrew Luck plays will decide the Colts’ fate because without Luck at the helm, the offence does not have a lot going for them.

Tyler: New England Austin: New England New York Giants (3-2) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (2-3) New York is currently sitting at first in the division, looking to pull away from the Eagles. If the Philadelphia offence can wake up and start playing the way that people expect them to, they will be a very dangerous team. Both defences have been struggling this year, and it is costing them games. This one will come down to whether Eli Manning can continue to outplay Sam Bradford in the battle of terrible secondaries.

Tyler: Philadelphia Austin: Philadelphia Other games: Tyler: Denver Tyler: Detroit Tyler: Jacksonville Tyler: Minnesota Tyler: Baltimore Tyler: Miami

Austin: Denver Austin: Chicago Austin: Jacksonville Austin: Minnesota Austin: San Francisco Austin: Miami

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SPORTS

D g Watch: Emily Humbert NATASHA WONG

Get Active with Amnesty 2015

As Emily Humbert enters her fourth year of kinesiology at the University of Saskatchewan, she is preparing for more than just midterms this October with volleyball season quickly approaching. Born and raised in Saskatoon, Humbert began playing volleyball in high school at Aden Bowman Collegiate and has been training ever since.

Being in her fourth year, Humbert understands she is one of the more experienced players on the team but doesn’t let the pressure get to her.

“It’s basically just doing what I’ve been doing for the past couple of years, but also understanding that you’re now one of the older players that people look to you for work ethic and for questions or advice on the court,” Humbert said.

Although volleyball training occurs almost daily and increases when the season starts, Humbert has learned how to properly manage her time.

“Being on a team helps you learn about time management and how important it is to just understand that you really have to have your day planner going all the time. It’s difficult, but it’s doable and by the fourth year, I think I’m starting to get a hang of things,” Humbert said.

In her free time, Humbert likes hanging out with her teammates, spending time with her family — which she considers very important — and reading a good book. She aspires to be a high school teacher, but also would love to keep playing volleyball as long as she can, either at a higher level or in a recreational league.

Humbert relishes spending time

with her teammates and although the team may not have experienced the greatest successes the past few seasons, she is hopeful that the team is on the right track towards getting back to the top of the standings. “[They are] willing to work hard everyday and are excited to be here and to put in time in the gym,” she said.

The women’s volleyball team also introduced new head coach Mark Dodds in 2015, who used to represent the Huskies as well as the Canadian national team. Humbert thinks that Dodds has definitely brought something new to the table and is excited to continue helping the team improve. With many hours of training clocked weekly, the team is working harder than ever to make playoffs and hopefully become Canada West champions.

Humbert has also earned a reputation for being one of the key players on the team with the experience and the ability to help bring out the best in her teammates. Although she considers herself a veteran player, her passion and commitment to the sport and her team are far from running dry.

She highlights how the support from her teammates keeps her going and how the team constantly encourages each other, while at the same time fostering a high sense of competitiveness in order to improve as a team — which in turn molds and trains each other to become better players.

Even after a couple of tough years, Humbert is proud to represent the Huskies.

“There is no better feeling than walking into an opponent’s gym with your U of S sweater on. It’s a special moment and I still get the chills every time. It’s really great.”

4th Annual Amnesty International Saskatchewan Regional Conference Date: Saturday, October 24 Location: St. Thomas More College - 1437 College Drive Cost: FREE Time: Conference: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Register online and see the agenda and conference topics at: amnestysaskatchewan.ca/events/october-24-2015-amnestysaskatchewan-conference-in-saskatoon/agenda-and-registration/ Whether you are a long-time Amnesty International supporter or are just beginning to get interested in human rights, this event is for you!

Contact Us:

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amnestysaskatchewan.ca

amnestysaskatchewan.ca

aisaskfws@gmail.com

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Caitlin Taylor / Photo Editor Now in her fourth year, Emily Humbert is hoping the squad can rebound after a tough 2014-15 season.

october 15, 2015

SPORTS AUSTIN ARVAY / SPORTS EDITOR

Men’s hockey sweeps Dinos

MEN’S HOCKEY: HUSKIES 6, DINOS 5 (OT) Saskatchewan fell behind early, but finished strong and stole an overtime win in Calgary to start the season.

Calgary opened the scoring midway through the first period and added another goal late to grab a 2–0 lead. Huskie forwards Zak Stebner and Levi Cable each scored early in the second frame to tie the game at two apiece. Michael Sofillas and John Lawrence also tallied their first goals

HUSKIES 1, DINOS 0 After the shoot out the night before, it was a much more defensive game as Jordon Cooke picked up a 27-save shutout and the Huskies started the season 2-0.

For the second consecutive

of the season, but the Dogs found themselves in a 4–4 tie after 40 minutes.

Down by one goal with 1:05 to play, Kendall McFaull tied the game at five from a beautiful pass by Logan McVeigh, setting up an overtime period. Andrew Johnson was the hero as he scored the game-winner on the power play, just 53 seconds into overtime. night, Johnson recorded the gamewinner. This time, he banged in a rebound shorthanded with Kohl Bauml picking up the assist, as the 1–0 lead held up until the final whistle.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY: HUSKIES 3, DINOS 2 Starting off their season with a third straight home game, the Huskies used a great all-around effort as they picked up a 3–2 victory on Oct. 9.

Captain Paige Anaker opened the scoring late in the first period, as she beat Dinos goalie Sarah Murray in close. Marley Ervine scored her second goal of the year on the power play, chipping the puck past Mur-

DINOS 3, HUSKIES 2 On Oct. 10, their search for a perfect start was denied as the Dinos took game two of the weekend series with a hard fought 3–2 win.

The Dinos opened the scoring at 6:02 of the first period, with Iya Gavrilova picking up her first goal of the season. The lead held until midway through the second frame, when Anaker evened the game with the help of Kennedy Harris to set up the goal. Kori Herner gave the

ray. Calgary got one back before the end of the second, but they trailed 2–1 after 40 minutes.

Hanna McGillivray made it 3–1 for the Dogs, as she put a shot from the point through the screen and past Murray. The Dinos got one back late, but the comeback bid fell short. Cassidy Hendricks stopped 18 shots and picked up the win for the Huskies.

Huskies a 2–1 lead with under three minutes to go in the second, and the Huskies had their sights set on the sweep.

Just five minutes into the third period, Calgary tied the game, as Jerrica Waltz was beat on the blocker side. The Dinos kept up the pressure in the final frame and were rewarded with a generous bounce in front that allowed Cheyann Newman to bang in the winning goal.

WOMEN’S SOCCER: HUSKIES 3, COUGARS 1 Although the teams are separated by a wide margin in the standings, Regina kept it close versus the explosive Huskies.

In just the second minute of the contest, Karlee Vorrieter opened the scoring for the Cougars. The Huskies eventually woke up after their slow start

and Leesa Eggum tied the match in the 20th minute.

Forward Jenelle Zapski was the player of the game, as she scored in the 34th and 37th minute to put the Huskies out in front for good. Keeper Kyleigh Vause stopped the final three shots that she faced to pick up the win in net.

HUSKIES 4, COUGARS 0 Back at home for game two of the weekend series, Saskatchewan had an offensive outburst in the first half, putting three past Regina keeper Kacey McFee in the first 45 minutes.

Leesa Eggum and Rebecca Weckworth both scored in the early going, and an october 15, 2015

own goal by Regina in the 44th minute gave the Dogs a 3–0 lead heading into halftime. Rookie Rita Fetsch scored in the 61st minute to stretch the lead to four, and that was plenty of cushion for the strong Huskies defence. Vause recorded her third shutout of the season.

MEN’S SOCCER: HUSKIES 2, PRONGHORNS 0 Two first-half goals were all that the green and white needed to start the weekend, as Greg Buckley picked up the clean sheet with a 2–0 victory over Lethbridge.

Saskatchewan applied pressure right from the get-go, and it paid off early with Marcello Gonzales scoring in just the 10th minute. The Huskies

created turnovers, controlled possession and allowed Matthew Gillott to widen the lead to 2–0.

Lethbridge tried to make a push in the second half, but a stellar effort by the Huskies’ backend shut down any chance of a Pronghorn goal. Buckley made three saves, while the Dogs fired 10 shots on target.

HUSKIES 3, PRONGHORNS 3 In a see-saw battle, Lethbridge answered every Saskatchewan goal from start to finish as the teams fought to a 3–3 draw.

Gonzales scored his fifth of the season just seven minutes in, giving the Huskies an early lead. However, the Pronghorns answered just two min-

utes later with a goal of their own. Tyler Redl and David Brown both scored in the second half and gave Saskatchewan a lead.

Up 3–2 in added time Buckley made a key save, but on the rebound Chris Rushworth buried the equalizer and stunned the Huskies on home turf.

CANADA WEST STANDINGS & GAMES FOOTBALL: W-L Calgary 5-0 UBC 3-2 Manitoba 3-2 Alberta 2-3 Saskatchewan 2-3 Regina 0-5

WOMEN’S SOCCER: West Division: W-L-T UBC 6-1 UFV 5-0-1 Trinity Western 4-1-1 Victoria 4-2-1 Thompson Rivers 2-5-1 UBC Okanagan 1-4-3 Alberta 1-4-1 UNBC 0-5-1

MEN’S SOCCER: Prairie: W-L-T Alberta 7-1 Mount Royal 6-3-1 Saskatchewan 4-3-3 Calgary 4-2-2 Lethbridge 2-5-1 MacEwan 2-6 Winnipeg 1-6-1

MEN’S HOCKEY: W-L-T Saskatchewan 2-0 UBC 2-0 Manitoba 1-0-1 Alberta 1-0-1 Regina 1-1 Lethbridge 1-1 Calgary 0-1-1 Mount Royal 0-1-1

Pacific Division: W-L-T UBC 7-0-1 UFV 5-3-1 Victoria 4-3-2 UBC Okanagan 3-4-3 Trinity Western 3-3-1 Thompson Rivers 1-5-2 UNBC 1-7

WOMEN’S HOCKEY: W-L-T Saskatchewan 2-0 UBC 2-0 Manitoba 1-0-1 Alberta 1-0-1 Regina 1-1 Lethbridge 1-1 Calgary 0-1-1 Mount Royal 0-1-1

WOMEN’S SOCCER: East Division: W-L-T Calgary 7-2-1 Saskatchewan 7-3 Manitoba 6-2-2 MacEwan 4-3-4 Lethbridge 2-5-3 Regina 1-7-2 Mount Royal 1-7-2 Winnipeg 1-8-1 Football: Oct. 16 vs. Calgary Dinos @ 7:00 p.m.

Men’s hockey: Oct. 16 vs. Lethbridge Pronghorns @ 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 17 vs. Lethbridge Pronghorns @ 7:00 p.m.

Men’s soccer: • Bye week

Men’s volleyball: • Oct. 16 at Manitoba Bisons @ 5:00 p.m.

• Oct. 17 at Manitoba Bisons @ 5:00 p.m.

Women’s soccer: Oct. 17 vs. UNBC Timberwolves @ 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 18 vs. Alberta Pandas @ 12:00 p.m.

Women’s hockey: • Oct. 16 at Lethbridge Pronghorns @ 7:00 p.m.

• Oct. 17 at Lethbridge Pronghorns @ 7:00 p.m.

www.thesheaf.com

Women’s volleyball: • Oct. 16 at Manitoba Bisons @ 6:30 p.m.

• Oct. 17 at Manitoba Bisons @ 6:30 p.m.

- Home Game

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CULTURE

International Day of the Girl Saskatoon promotes gender equality EMILY KLATT Staff Writer

Oct. 11, 2015 marked the fifth annual International Day of the Girl Child, a day dedicated to the celebration and affirmation of girls around the world. On Saturday, Oct. 17, Saskatoon will be hosting its very own local version of this event.

International Day of the Girl Child was created by the United Nations to raise awareness of the issues that girls face every single day. After realizing that girls worldwide are generally underprivileged compared to their male peers, it was clear that the world shouldn’t ignore the inequalities that plague an entire gender anymore.

International Day of the Girl, as it is usually shortened to, serves as a way for activists, groups and communities to come together and work towards creating a future of

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gender equality.

While International Day of the Girl is a worldwide initiative, it has been brought to Saskatoon by organizer Paula Bruckard. Bruckard first started celebrating International Day of the Girl in 2012, with the first official Saskatoon event held in October 2013. For Bruckard, it was all about taking the global concept and making it apply locally.

“We try to do it as an awareness raising of the issues that girls do face, both internationally and locally… because they do face issues. Equality’s not here yet,” Bruckard said.

The Saskatoon event will be held at Georges Vanier School, kicking off at 1 p.m. with a showing of the documentary Miss Representation.

The film exposes the ugly truth about women’s representation in the media.

Following the show is an art workshop with local artist Monique Martin, whose work has been displayed in exhibitions across North America, Europe and Australia. Partic-

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ipants will get to share their feelings on gender equality with Martin and help create a unique piece of collaborative art.

Finally, a panel discussion featuring women from the Saskatoon community will talk about what individuals can do to combat gender inequalities and stereotypes.

The event will bring together women of all ages and backgrounds from the Saskatoon area, but it won’t just be females either.

“We are inviting women, men, girls and boys to empower a girl in their lives,” reads the description on the event’s Eventbrite page.

According to the official Day of the Girl website, wom-

Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor

en make up 65 per cent of the world’s adult illiterate population. One in seven girls in developing countries are married before the age of 15, and one in five high school girls have been sexually or physically abused by an intimate partner. Even worse, girls usually receive the least amount of help for these issues out of any group.

Yet we need not be discouraged by these statistics. There are many things that we, as students, can do to make the world a better place for girls.

Events such as International Day of the Girl Saskatoon are meant to be a celebration for promoting empowerment.

For university students who want to get involved with International Day of the Girl, or gender equality work in general, Bruckard has a few suggestions.

“Coming along is the biggest thing, and the other thing we’re encouraging too is mentorship. So we’re giving recommendations of where people can go and mentor. So if university stu-

dents have younger sisters or younger nieces, they can bring them along too, to just start the discussion,” Bruckard said.

Bruckard believes that students’ contributions are important to creating a more equal future.

“If the university students have an awareness and they want to bring people, if they want to have the conversation, if they want to write their own stories, then people become aware that everyone is more complex than just a stereotype,” Bruckard said.

While Bruckard knows that International Day of the Girl is about shining a light on hardships that girls face, she also believes that it’s about a lot more than just that.

“It’s to raise awareness, but also to celebrate the power and possibility of girls because they’re pretty awesome, really.”

For more information on Saskatoon’s International Day of the Girl community, visit facebook.com/IDGSaskatoon.

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CULTURE

U of S alumni featured at Indigenous arts festival ImagineNATIVE BRIDGET MORRISON Gail Maurice, a Métis and Cree-speaking filmmaker and 1988 graduate of the University of Saskatchewan, will be screening her short film Assini at the 16th annual ImagineNATIVE Festival this year.

Indigenous films have been gaining prominence in the film industry in recent decades.

The ImagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival, which premiered in 2000 in Toronto, allows Indigenous people from around the world to submit and showcase their work in various artistic mediums. ImagineNATIVE has since become the world’s largest Indigenous festival, highlighting excellence in Indigenous art, film and culture.

Maurice, who is from Beauval, Sask., had little knowledge of the film industry growing up.

“Being from the North, I didn’t even realize movies were made in Canada. I was pretty naïve and isolated,” Maurice said.

While at the U of S, Maurice did not take any film or drama classes — in fact, she wasn’t

aware they were even offered.

It was after she graduated from the U of S with a bachelor of arts in psychology and sociology and moved to Vancouver that she discovered a whole other world — the world of film.

Maurice laughed as she told the story of how she discovered film.

“I was walking down the street in Vancouver and I saw movie trucks. I had no idea what they were, so I asked them what they were doing. They told me they were making a movie, and I said ‘Can I be in it?’” Maurice said.

That was the first time Maurice discovered the Canadian film industry and she decided to pursue acting and began to make a name for herself.

Maurice found success in a variety of Canadian films, television and radio shows in the 1990s and early 2000s. After a while, though, she began to tire of her type-cast persona, which was submissive and subservient to men and often stereotypically Indigenous. Maurice decided to transition to the production side of the industry.

“I thought, ‘I’m going to start writing my own scripts and tell-

ing stories of powerful women,’” Maurice said.

In 2006, Maurice created her own production company called Assini Productions. She is a triple threat, writing, directing and producing her films.

Through this company, Maurice has produced numerous films such as Smudge, which deals with Indigenous spirituality in urban centres, and Thirst, a documentary exploring the lack of clean drinking water in First Nations communities in Ontario. Both Smudge and Thirst were screened at ImagineNATIVE, receiving the Official Selection award in 2006 and 2007, respectively.

Not only has Maurice found success with her films at ImagineNATIVE, but she has also served as a board member and panel lecturer for many years at the festival. Maurice believes ImagineNATIVE is an important festival for fostering a global presence for Indigenous artists.

“It’s not only representative of Canadian Indigenous films, but Indigenous cultures all around the world. It is also making huge strides in partnerships with telefilm, and oth-

er festivals like Hot Docs and Tisch,” Maurice said.

Maurice’s latest short film, Assini, will have its world premiere on Oct. 15 in Toronto at ImagineNATIVE 2015. It follows a seven-year-old girl named Assini as she grows up in the 1970s in Northern Saskatchewan.

Assini loves to play “cowboys and Indians” with her friends — however, she doesn’t realize she is an “Indian” herself.

The story follows her struggle towards self-awareness and self-acceptance. The film analyzes the effect that media can have on self-image, especially among Indigenous peoples.

The title of Maurice’s production company, latest short film

and the leading character in this film all share one thing in common: the name Assini. The word means “rock” in Cree and Maurice chose it because rocks represent strength and power for her — of the earth and of nature. It perfectly exemplifies her commitment to portraying strong female characters.

Maurice hopes the audience will learn some lessons from Assini.

“I want people to take away the power of image and the power that media can have on not just kids, but everyone. I try to tell stories to highlight Indigenous issues.”

For more information on Maurice, Assini Productions and Assini, visit assiniproductions.com.

Supplied / Gail Maurice Assini explores her identity as a young Indigenous woman in the film Assini.

Arts & Science Book Club gives diverse disciplines something to discuss CHELSEA POWRIE

Culture Editor The College of Arts and Science at the University of Saskatchewan may appear to house a broad mix of subjects lacking interdisciplinary unity, but the Arts & Science Book Club aims to bridge those gaps.

The idea of a college-wide book club was first proposed in 2011 by then-dean of the College of Arts and Science,

Peter Stoicheff. At the time, the college was still operating under the three division system, with Stoicheff overseeing three vice-deans heading science, social sciences, and humanities and fine art.

Peta Bonham-Smith, who is currently the interim dean, was then the vice-dean of science. When she heard about the idea of a book club that crossed the divisions, she jumped at the chance to get involved.

“The problem I see is that it's hard for our students to come together as cohorts,” BonhamSmith said. “I embraced this book club idea because it was

Caitlin Taylor / Photo Editor Interim dean Peta Bonham-Smith shows off the 2015-16 Arts & Science Book Club choice.

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one way of possibly bringing our students together from different disciplines, and not just students, but faculty.”

Fast forward, and now the Arts & Science Book Club is celebrating its 2015-16 book of the year, its fourth annual selection. The book is Half-Blood Blues by Canadian author Esi Edugyan, a tale of two black jazz musicians who struggle to escape the racism and oppression of Nazi Germany at the outbreak of the Second World War. Edugyan will be reading from the book and answering questions on the afternoon of Oct. 22. That same evening, she will be presenting a lecture entitled “My Writing Life” and signing books.

Edugyan's attendance is a direct result of one of the main criteria that Bonham-Smith and her fellow founders decided was necessary for choosing the club's books.

“We wanted to get together, choose some books from living authors so we could invite them on campus and hear from them, but also choose some books that we could really try to embrace college-wide,” Bonham-Smith said.

Half-Blood Blues ties in

music, history, social science, psychology and, of course, literary style. That doesn't mean this book won't appeal to scientists, though — Bonham-Smith is a biologist herself and she read the novel in three days flat and loved it.

This year's events promise to be truly exciting experiences. Dean McNeill, a professor in the U of S department of music and prominent local jazz musician, will bring the U of S Jazz Ensemble to open up the Oct. 22 evening lecture with a selection of late-1930s jazz pieces. He has been in contact with Edugyan regarding the program, so it is sure to be a perfect way to set the mood.

Those who can't attend the events aren't out of luck though. Students can sign up to the book club online via PAWS and get involved in discussing Half-Blood Blues. This means U of S students who aren't on the main campus don't need to be left out. The community feeling the book club hopes to foster among arts and science students need not apply to Saskatonians only.

Once this year's book club wraps up, it will be time to www.thesheaf.com

look forward to next year.

Bonham-Smith and her team are committed to involving the arts and science community in future book decisions.

“The committee puts out a call for suggestions from anybody — students, undergrad, grad, faculty, anybody,” Bonham-Smith said.

Submissions have been climbing steadily each year and the selection committee takes into account the popularity of certain suggestions over others. This way, the book of the year truly ends up representing the College of Arts and Science.

Ultimately, the goal of the Arts & Science Book Club is getting students from across a hugely diverse college to feel excited about how much they can get out of working and learning together. BonhamSmith thinks discussion among people from different areas of study and walks of life is a powerful thing.

“The diversity and richness that comes out of that is just amazing,” she said.

For more information on the Arts & Science Book Club, visit artsandscience.usask.ca/college/bookclub.

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FEATURE

Party on 2015:

STUDENTS TRY TO SWAY YOUR VOTE With Canada’s 42nd federal election drawing to a close, many University of Saskatchewan students are finalizing their choices about which party will ultimately receive their support come Oct. 19.

To inform and educate, the Sheaf has organized a four-party debate in which U of S undergraduates were asked to provide information, backing and support for their party of choice, as well as their parties’ respective platforms.

THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF CANADA COLE HOGAN Not only will a re-elected Conservative government take concrete measures to increase accessibility to post-secondary education and make it more affordable, the Conservative Party of Canada itself is open, tolerant and democratic.

You’ve heard your friends talk about Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservatives. They break Godwin’s Law of Nazi Analogies — “as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one” — fast enough to make you question whether or not they have a credible argument against the Conservatives.

They don’t. Stay with me.

In “Our Conservative Plan to Protect the Economy,” the Conservative Party of Canada’s platform states that a reelected Conservative government would eliminate the in-study income requirement from the Canada Student Loans Program, so students can make money while pursuing post-secondary education without affecting their loan eligibility, helping 87,000 students per year.

Additionally, a re-elected Conservative government would reduce the expected parental contributions from the Canada Student Loans Program assessment in order to better recognize the financial realities faced by families, which would increase support to 92,000 students.

By eliminating these financial barriers,

making grants applicable to short-term vocational programs, and providing ongoing support for Aboriginal post-secondary bursaries by working with Indspire — an Aboriginal-led national charity dedicated to helping First Nations students receive post-secondary education — a re-elected Conservative government will increase affordable access to all post-secondary students.

I’d encourage you to consider the following facts about the Conservative Party of Canada. Although there is much more work to do on this matter, Prime Minister Stephen Harper provided the long-awaited apology in 2008 from the Government of Canada for the damage residential schools have done.

There is no “pink sandbox” in the Conservative Party of Canada, either. Issues affecting Aboriginals, youth and the LGBTQ community are not pushed aside to a separate party wing or commission, but embraced within the party. A Conservative is a Conservative is a Conservative. At the same time, activist groups like LGBTory — the Rainbow Conservatives of Canada — are proof of this.

While party unity remains stringent, a tracking of votes in the House of Commons of Canada from the first Harper majority government shows that Conservative Members of Parliament break ranks with their party for votes more often than MPs of any other parties.

The Conservative Party of Canada is open, free and inclusive. On Oct. 19, I suggest you give the party a second look.

GREEN PARTY OF CANADA ASHLEY SHARPE Many people are having a difficult time deciding who to vote for in this election, but for me, the obvious choice is the Green Party of Canada.

Voters may crave change but recognize too many similarities between opposing parties, making it difficult to make a choice. Too often, politicians are heard skirting around issues and touting soundbites rather than sound policy. But there is another option for voters in Canada who want politicians to work for them, rather than for power.

Personally, I have grown tired of the superficial style of Canadian politics.

To me, it seems that politicians spend too much time avoiding questions, focusing instead on pushing partisan agendas rather than listening to and advocating for Canadians and their communities.

These sentiments changed for me the first time I heard Elizabeth May speak. Elizabeth May is the only federal party leader I have heard speak about a broad range of issues — whether or not the issues are on the party agenda.

Moreover, May is the only leader I have heard respond directly to any question posed to her by journalists and the only leader who consistently conducts herself with dignity and respect in the House of Commons of Canada. Seeing May in action — whether in the House or speaking to the media — renewed my sense of interest and passion for Canadian politics.

There are four main reasons that I choose the Green Party over any other party in Canada.

First, Elizabeth May sets the bar high for ethics and accountability — standards which all Green Party candidates must also uphold. Green Party candidates are people with solid résumes who are not career politicians. They are a refreshing, ethical and accountable alternative to the attack antics of other parties. For instance, they were the first federal party to publish its expenses in order to be accountable to all Canadians.

Second, the Green Party realizes that the student struggle is real! They understand that student debt is an overwhelming and often insurmountable challenge facing students and actually want to do something about it. The party’s platform includes abolishing tuition fees for college and university students by 2020!

Third, for the Green Party, environmental sustainability is a real priority and not just a PR pitch. The party consists of people who genuinely love and care about Mother Earth, and who want to do all that is possible right now to ensure the future and health of our environment. As we all know, preserving the environment and our natural resources is critical. After all, we can’t eat money.

Fourth, the Green Party and its candidates are fighting and will continue to fight for Canada’s future over political power. The Green Party will co-operate and collaborate with other parties in order to ensure that Canada is a country that upholds democracy, practices good government, manages a sustainable economy, maintains strong communities, protects the environment and is a nation that makes its citizens proud to be Canadian. As such, they’ve got my vote this autumn.

2011 FEDERAL ELECTION RESULTS

*STATISTICS AS PER GOVERNMENT OF CANADA.

Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor

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october 15, 2015

FEATURE

LIBERAL PARTY OF CANADA BEN SUTHERLAND The Liberal Party of Canada is proposing many positive changes to voters.

They will commit to a $60 billion economic stimulus that focuses on green energy, public transit, ending a one-dimensional oil obsessed economy and making sure students do not have to pay back student loans until they’re making at least $25,000 a year.

They will also renew the government’s relationship with Canada’s Aboriginal peoples, expand social programs and come up with a comprehensive mental health strategy.

Yet students still flock to the banner of the New Democratic Party, who voice for a balanced budget and lowering taxation on small businesses.

I am often confused at the fact that my fellow progressive students who are so enamoured with social change choose to support the NDP over the Liberals.

The Liberal Party of Canada will be able to create change immediately and on a much larger scale than the NDP. First of all, the NDP are constrained by their balanced budget promise. In addition to this, the Liberals will go into a $10 billion deficit for the next two fiscal years to pay for programs that progressives value.

Think about it. The Liberals are going to be able to spend more money on all the things that progressives

value: investing in green infrastructure such as expanded public transit, investing in clean energy to combat global warming and increasing Aboriginal funding and communication on a nation to nation basis.

The NDP is making similar promises, but will break several of them in an attempt to balance the budget, or will reduce the scope of change initially promised to do so. The Liberals will be able to enact more change faster than the NDP because they are not constrained by balancing the budget.

For example, the Liberals will invest $750 million per year in non-repayable grant assistance for students. The NDP will only invest $250 million over four years.

The Liberals will also raise taxes on the top one per cent of Canadians to give the middle class a tax break. The NDP will not raise taxes on the rich — so much for the NDP being the closest thing to socialist party.

The NDP cannot claim their social democratic background still persists to this day if they are unwilling to make the Canadian bourgeoisie pay their fair share.

Oh yeah, the Liberals will also legalize weed.

In all honestly, I implore all students to vote for whoever they think will be best. So please, before casting your ballot, go to all party websites and check out their policy points, vote for what you believe in and what party plan makes the most sense to you.

NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF CANADA NIGEL DETBRENNER-REMPEL Never in Canadian history has there been an election like this upcoming one.

All of the parties are making promises and, sadly, most people tune out at this point. However, these promises actually matter to students and we should be paying attention to what is being said.

What politicians say about the economy matters because we all want a job; what they say about healthcare matters because we all need it; and what they say about education matters because we all go to the U of S — and on a provincial level, paying the second highest tuition rate in Canada sucks!

First, let’s put to rest that a social democratic government doesn’t know how to handle money. This simply is not true.

If we look at the facts, the NDP has been the most financially responsible of any party at a provincial level. If you want to talk about balanced budgets, they’ve accomplished that goal 40 per cent of the time, compared to 23 per cent from the Liberals and 33 per cent from the Conservatives — as well as six straight deficits with Harper as prime minister, with a projected seventh for the 2014-15 fiscal year.

They don’t raise taxes either — unless you’re a large corporation. Revenue as a share of the economy has averaged at 23 per cent for the Liberals versus roughly 21 per cent for both the NDP and Conservatives provincially. If you want a fiscally responsible government, the NDP

is your best option.

Secondly, healthcare is something that is important to everyone in Canada. Remember that Tommy Douglas guy — the man behind universal medicare, voted Greatest Canadian in 2004? Yeah, that was the NDP. The NDP wants to spend surpluses to preserve a six per cent annual increase in provincial healthcare transfers, as well as work towards a universal drugcoverage plan, as Canada is the only developed country with universal health care but without a drug plan. This is the NDP plan, compared to cutting health care by $36 billion over the next 10 years, like the Conservatives will do.

Education is very important to the NDP as well. Since Harper began as prime minister, student debt has risen 30 per cent and the average student graduates with $26,000 of debt. This is not acceptable. The NDP wants to phase out interest on federal loans, saving the average student $4,000, and create 50,000 new grants for people seeking post-secondary education. Being educated isn’t something you should suffer for, and the NDP is the only party that has a legitimate plan to help students.

Lastly, let’s look at who has a real chance at winning in Saskatoon. In all three Saskatoon ridings, it’s between Conservative and NDP candidates and if you don’t believe me, visit any polling site like threehundredeight.com. No poll has found the Liberals higher than third place. If you are tired of Conservatives screwing you over, voting NDP is the only way to go.

2015 THESHEAF.COM ELECTION POLL RESULTS

*STATISTICS AS PER THESHEAF.COM.

Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor

*THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS ISSUE ARE NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY POLITICAL OPINIONS HELD BY THE STAFF OF THE SHEAF. THESE ARTICLES HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY STUDENTS OUTSIDE OF OUR STAFF, AND HAVE BEEN EDITED FOR GRAMMATICAL AND FACTUAL PURPOSES ONLY. ALL CONTENT IS THE OPINION OF THE AUTHORS.

october 15, 2015

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october 15, 2015

CULTURE

U of S Observatory brings the cosmos to campus LIAM DELPARTE Since its construction in 1928, the University of Saskatchewan Observatory has been a gateway to the stars for students and Saskatonians alike.

Space has been at the forefront of cultural consciousness lately, with the Sept. 27 “supermoon” eclipse, the Sept. 28 NASA announcement of liquid water on Mars and the release of Matt Damon's latest Hollywood project The Martian. U of S students can get their fix for free at the observatory every Saturday night during public viewing hours.

Upon entering the observatory, viewers can head to the basement where they can find information on the history of astronomy, the cosmos and some informational posters written by undergraduates. After checking out the basement, visitors can head back upstairs to the main event: the telescopes.

The observatory is equipped with a three-metre-long refracting telescope with a sixinch diameter lens able to capture detailed images, as well as several smaller telescopes scattered throughout the room.

Public viewing hours are guided by volunteers and staff from both the U of S and the Saskatoon branch of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, a group of amateur and professional astronomers.

These volunteers take visitors through various visible celestial objects — depending on

the time of year — from planets to nebulae to the craters of the moon.

Stan Shadick, U of S professor in the department of physics and engineering, is the coordinator of the public access to the observatory. When asked what he likes to show first time stargazers, his answer was immediate and enthusiastic.

“The rings of Saturn,” Shadick said.

Saturn's rings are arguably the most recognizable feature of our solar system. The planet is tilted on an angle in its orbit, which means that there are times when the rings are tilted toward viewers on Earth, allowing for maximum viewing, and other times when the razor-thin profile of the rings face Earth, making the experience less spectacular.

If it isn't a good time to view Saturn though, there are plenty of other sights to see. Autumn is the perfect time for viewers to see a clear image of star clusters such as the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters.

The Pleiades are a tightly-knit grouping of young stars often likened to diamond dust.

As fall progresses, the constellation of Orion becomes a prominent evening sight. One of the “stars” that make up Orion isn't actually a star at all, but the Orion Nebula, a place where stars are born. When viewers look up through the telescope at the nebula, they discover not a bright point of light, but a cloud of gas and dust.

The observatory also offers an Adopt-a-Star program where a donation is made to

the program in exchange for your own star. Prices range, but this could be a great gift for an astronomy enthusiast!

As the sponsor of a new star, you’ll get information about the star including when it was discovered, by whom and any other notable information.

Your donation is then used for the upkeep of existing equipment and the purchase of more. The observatory just had a “first light,” or inaugural use of a new telescope in the first week of October 2015, so the money is being put to visible use.

The observatory also gets involved in community events.

On Oct. 17, together with the Saskatoon RASC, the observatory is organizing its annual trip to the Sleaford Astronomical Observatory, east of Saskatoon. This rural viewing location is far away from the light pollution of Saskatoon and provides some of the best opportunities to check out hard to find attractions. The group meets at the Saskatoon Field House parking lot to form a convoy of vehicles carrying as many telescopes as they can get their hands on, and everyone is welcome.

The U of S Observatory is a fun, free way to get more excited about the amazing world of astronomy and to appreciate the beautiful Saskatchewan skies all year long.

For more information, visit physics.usask.ca/observatory.

Public hours change on a monthly basis to account for the changing time of sunset. October hours are 7:30–9:30 p.m.

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Thursday

upcoming events • Carnifex with Black Tongue, Lorna Shore and Last Ten Seconds Of Life at Louis’ Pub • First day of Lungs at The Refinery • The Steel Wheels at The Bassment • This Night Will Change Your Life at Amigos

• Dear Rouge with Rah Rah at Louis’ Pub • First day of the Christmas Craft Fair at the Western Development Museum • Refuge: A Fundraiser for the Ongoing Crisis at Louis’ Loft

friday

saturday

• International Day of the Girl at Georges Vanier School • Last day of the U of S Sustainability Week • Oktoberfest at the German Cultural Centre • The Sound & Silence Collective Compilation release at Amigos

• First day of the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, downtown and in the Riversdale district • Mike Evin at The Bassment • #ImagineOct20th #YXE at Amigos

sunday

monday

• Canadian Federal Election Day • First day of Ally Week in the Arts Tunnel • First day of the USSU Women’s Centre Who Needs Feminism campaign in Lower Place Riel • Rock Out 4 Turn Out at Louis’ Pub

• Common War, Bring The Fight and Off The Top Rope at Vangelis • Hawksley Workman at the Broadway Theatre • Oktoberfest at Louis’ Pub

tuesday

Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor Stars and planets light up the night at the University of Saskatchewan Observatory.

october 15, 2015

wednesday

• First day of Life, Death and the Blues at the Persephone Theatre • Michael Rault with guests at the Capitol Music Club • Restaurants for Change at the Riversdale Delicatessen & Market

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13

OPINIONS

Mending a broken process: Canada’s electoral system alexandersrestaurant.ca

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Esi Edugyan award-winning author of HALF-BLOOD BLUES

Join us for two free events Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015

Book Club Talk, discussion & coffee 1:00–2:30 PM Gordon Snelgrove Gallery 191 Murray Building

My Writing Life Lecture, performance & book signing Performance: 7:00 PM

with musical guests Dean McNeill and the U of S Jazz Ensemble

Lecture: 7:30 PM Quance Theatre

Education Building Everyone is welcome Reception to follow

| artsandscience.usask.ca/bookclub

14

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∙ www.thesheaf.com

Voting is supposed to be about citizens choosing their government, but the upcoming federal election has underscored how Canada’s electoral system inhibits voters from making independent, meaningful choices.

Dislike of the Conservative Party has led many Canadians to feel they must “vote strategically” in this election — vote for the candidate in their riding most likely to defeat the Conservative candidate, even if that candidate is not personally their first choice.

Take the familiar example of the Saskatoon-University riding. Polls suggest a close race between the NDP and Conservative candidates.

Thus, many Liberal, Green and other party supporters feel obligated to vote for the NDP candidate as the lesser of two evils.

Entire organizations have been set up to inform voters across Canada which left-leaning candidate they should vote for in their riding in order to topple the Conservatives.

Regardless of one’s own party affiliation, having voters choose a candidate that is not their first preference is a systemic flaw warping Canada’s democracy. The logical conclusion of strategic voting within the current system is that although Canada may remain a multi-party system nationally, many ridings will become two-party races.

Citizens will feel increasingly obligated to vote either for the current candidate in power — if they like the current government, or the next-leading candidate,

if they dislike the current government — rather than “throwing away their vote” by voting for a third party.

If democracies are ultimately about citizens choosing the government they think will serve best, but Canadian voters are voting for candidates they consider inferior, something about the system is broken.

Not only does the current electoral system force Canadians to vote for candidates they may not support, but the system makes voting a far less independent affair. Increasingly, whoever one chooses to vote for is affected by other citizen’s votes in the same riding.

Canadians in close ridings are turning to polling information to see who stands a chance of winning in their riding, to ensure their vote isn’t “wasted.”

The influence of others on one’s vote presents several problems. In a theoretical sense, voting is supposed to be a personal choice about which option is best — even if that view is unpopular.

If voters are being influenced by polling data, those voters are being coerced into voting in a way that is popular. This violates a core principle of what voting should be about. While debate and discussion is healthy for democracy, feeling obligated to vote for popular candidates is not.

This loss of independence presents another issue: if multitudes of people are voting strategically, views that may actually be popular fail to become visible in voting patterns. Perhaps there are a large enough number of Liberal supporters in Saskatoon-University to win the riding, but if they feel obligated to support the

NDP based on polling, their true views go unexpressed.

Potentially more dangerous, more and more Canadians are turning towards polls and services that inform citizens who to vote for if they want to vote strategically. This is dangerous because voters may take the information at face value and incorrectly assume that this data is always unbiased.

This grants the providers of these services a great deal of power to influence elections by essentially telling voters who to vote for.

Another problem with the current system is the lack of ability for voters to express preference through their ballot. If I think that several candidates are equally preferable and one is terrible, my vote should somehow reflect this view. Ultimately, voting is the only way citizens affect the composition of our government, and votes should be more representative of what citizens actually want and think.

I don’t blame anyone who plans on voting strategically, nor am I attempting to discourage strategic voting.

I sympathize with such voters, as I strongly agree that a change in government is needed.

Rather, this election highlights a systemic issue that must be addressed by reforming Canada’s electoral system. Reform will not be easy, as the party holding power is typically not inclined to reform the voting system. But if we neglect this issue, the problem will continue to resurface election after election. Until changes are made, the existing system will continue to rob Canadians of an independent, reflective right to choose. october 15, 2015

OPINIONS

Where has the Canadian Charter gone?

SERENA WELLAND With a federal election date approaching, the Conservative Party has been reducing the rights and freedoms of Canadian citizens.

Such reductions are not only unethical, but arguably illegal under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The Charter guarantees every Canadian citizen certain non-negotiable rights that neither the government nor society can take away.

Since 1982, this charter has been entrenched in the Canadian Constitution so that these guaranteed rights, while still subject to judicial interpretation, are unambiguous and outline numerous guarantees for citizens’ personal security and quality of life.

In recent months, certain Charter rights have arguably been revoked and severely restricted by the Harper government. This has been done in what appears to be an attempt to stifle the vote of demographics who might not cast their ballot for the Conservatives, if given the opportunity.

As illustrated in Section 3 of the Charter, “Every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and to be qualified for membership therein.”

This section is clear. Every Canadian citizen has the absolute right to vote.

In July 2015, a policy was introduced that revokes the voting rights of Canadian citizens who have lived out of the country for over five years. This not only violates this Constitutional right, but could be considered illegal as well.

In addition, the Harper government introduced Bill C-23 in 2014 — less formally known as the Fair Elections Act — which seriously impedes the ability of certain citizens to vote, as vouching to provide proof of a voter's identity is no longer legal.

This could have a negative effect on voting for students, Aboriginals and out of province residents.

Further, the government’s efforts to revoke citizenship from Saad Gaya, a Canadianborn man convicted of terrorism in 2006, is walking dangerously close to violating the life, liberty and security of person clause, along with Section 6 (1).

“Every citizen of Canada has the right to enter, remain in, and leave, Canada.”

While this might sound like lenience towards a man who has been convicted of bomb plotting, the Charter is not a pick-and-choose document to be followed with a casual and convenient inconsistency.

Furthermore, it is not an avenue in which to record or

display bias, racism or personal vendetta. It is simple: every citizen is equal under the Charter.

Another hallmark of this election campaign has been the targeting and exploitation of minority rights. Section 2 of the Charter guarantees “freedom of conscience and religion” as one of several fundamental rights.

However, the fear-mongering and stigmatization of Islam and minority values in general have led to despicable policies — rejecting citizenship based on religious outerwear and proposing a tip line to report “barbaric cultural practices,” to name only two.

Evidently, Harper seems to believe that the way to a majority government is to appeal to a cynical, naive demographic that has been blinded by fear. I am not saying that this is the fault of the electorate buying into his ideology, but it is the fault of the leadership guiding the public down a path of supposed “security” under false pretenses and an ultimatum of collecting votes.

It appears that the days of the Canadian values of acceptance and diversity are long gone. If, on Oct. 19, we are left with the same stale, power-hungry leadership, one can certainly expect more policies of division to further separate our country that was once built on qualities I was actually proud of.

Visiting Artist Lecture: “The Future of Satire”

Meet Globe and Mail Cartoonist

Brian Gable

Friday, Oct. 23, 12–1 pm Snelgrove Gallery Murray Building Brian Gable got his start as a cartoonist at THE SHEAF. Since then, his award-winning cartoons have appeared in numerous publications. His talk will address the future of satire in light of the Charlie Hebdo murders, the Danish cartoon crisis and the increasing impact of political correctness, and his path into cartooning.

For more information:

communications@artsandscience.usask.ca Ashley Britz

october 15, 2015

www.thesheaf.com ∙ the sheaf publishing society

15

OPINIONS

When did politics become too fun for our own good?

ZACH TENNENT

Opinions Editor

The upcoming federal election has undeniably been exciting — politically and otherwise.

However, this incredible zeal raises an important question: at what point did elections become indistinguishable from trashy reality television?

Arguably, elections were the original reality TV programming, and it’s not like mudslinging and attack advertisements are recent developments in politics. Still, this autumn seems to mark a new high — or more accurately a new low — for the scandalous nature of

election coverage.

Rather than simply focusing on three old people and one slightly younger person bickering about budgets in televised debates, so far the coverage of this election seems to be much more focused on scandalous, tweetable and meme-worthy shock moments, rather than real substantial politics.

The Conservative Party has been subject to widespread ridicule and Internet mockery in the aftermath of the so-called “Peegate” scandal, in which video footage was leaked showing former Conservative candidate Jerry Bance urinating into a coffee cup in a stranger’s home. While this is admittedly pretty hilarious, it doesn’t reflect the party nearly as much as it reflects on him personally.

In the big picture, its relevance

to this election is more or less insignificant.

Similarly, we’re constantly hearing about candidates stepping down after social media gaffes are brought to the attention of the public. In a more notable case, former Liberal candidate Cheryl Thomas stepped down in late September 2015 after a 2012 Facebook post quoting an off-colour joke from a comedy special was dug up and used against her out of context.

Politics aside, I would have to wager that paraphrasing a comedian isn’t really grounds to lose one’s credibility as a public servant. Was she foolish to make the post? Most likely, but it seems that overblown scandals and Internet fuck-ups are quickly becoming decisive factors in our political climate.

Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor

If not reality TV, this election is undeniably similar to junk food. It’s delicious and can all-too-easily be consumed in copious amounts, never making you feel full and providing the consumer with nothing of nutritional substance in return.

In short, if you’re trying to follow this election through media coverage, you’re likely not going to be getting much out of it that can really inform you as a voter — just inconsequential junk.

Even to look at issues of party policies and campaign promises, many of the issues at the forefront this election are based on nothing more than buzzwords.

The Conservatives’ proposed Niqab bans and “barbaric cultural practices” tipline and the Liberals’ plan to legalize marijuana “right away” are appeals to simplicity. They set fire to social media, they can be explained in a single sentence or less and you don’t even need to know anything about politics in order to form a stance on them, one way or another.

Aren’t we dumbing down politics when we devalue elections into disposable media fodder like this? It seems that

to make an election into a sensationalized media spectacle centered around Facebook posts and peeing in coffee cups instead of real politics is to cheapen democracy considerably.

When voter turnout in Canada is grim, it would seem that this is a good thing. Social media blurbs make everything a little more accessible. But maybe politics are better off being mundane, as opposed to scandalous and exciting.

If we only pay attention to the “flashy” topics of discussion in this election, we will undoubtedly neglect important subjects that can’t simply be made exciting — like economic policy, environmental concerns and more.

It seems that we can have politics be informative or fun, but there’s little room for crossover. As such, given the choice between the two, I would pick informative every time.

As much as I’ve enjoyed watching this trainwreck of an election unfold, when we step into the voting booth, we should have more informing our decisions than buzzwords and oversimplified appeals to ignorance.

A student’s case for boycotting the federal election GRAEME MARK While low voter turnout is regarded as a perennial issue in Canada — especially among young people — there are those on the University of Saskatchewan campus who believe that not voting is a worthwhile option in the upcoming federal election.

So far, there has been a huge effort to get people out to vote in this election. On campus, the U of S Students’ Union has been actively encouraging students to participate in the electoral process, hosting debates, organizing a trivia night and facilitating voter registration.

But maybe voting isn’t the best choice for you. A poll conducted in September 2015

by Global News found that 40 per cent of Canadian voters think that the Liberals, NDP and Conservatives “are basically the same.” Is voting just a false sense of democracy if your three major options are indistinguishable from each other?

Nick Marlatte, a political studies graduate student

16

at the U of S who identifies as a communist and anticapitalist, is tackling this issue by participating in a boycott of the election called for by the Revolutionary Communist Party of Canada — a party which Marlatte supports but is not a member of.

Marlatte does not believe meaningful change can come about through the democracy we currently have in Canada.

As such, he views the boycott as a means to organize with fellow non-voters in an effort to end capitalism and austerity and replace it with a more equal economy.

Marlatte clarifies that the purpose of the boycott means more than just not voting. “[It] is not to encourage voters not to vote, but rather to reach out to and organize the 40 per cent of Canadians who are eligible to vote but choose not to, or even those that are already highly suspicious of the value of their vote,” Marlatte said.

For Marlatte, the premise that voting is not a viable means for change is rooted in the belief that “political parties are beholden to the money

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that funds them, not voters.”

The boycott is trying to organize non-voters who don't have the financial means to influence a party or who are predominantly less enfranchised by the system.

Concerning how our current electoral system functions, Marlatte thinks the Liberal, Conservative and NDP political representatives do not accurately reflect their electorate.

They are "well educated white males that come from a relatively well-off background," Marlatte said.

Then there’s the issue of capitalism. In a bygone era, there was a global debate over whether capitalism was the best economic system, but since the end of the Cold War, this debate has all but been silenced.

If capitalism seemingly came out on top, then what’s Marlatte’s beef with it?

“Capitalism is prone to crises like the Great Depression, the labour crisis of the 1970s and the 2008 financial crisis. These crises result in lack of confidence in the market, profits fall and job growth

∙ www.thesheaf.com

stagnates,” Marlatte said.

The ability of the ruling class to cut workers’ wages to increase profitability highlights Marlatte’s main criticism of capitalism, since the interests of the ruling class and the working class are at odds, resulting in a predatory economy that allows the former to exploit the latter.

“The ultimate issue is that the change that we need to see is not ever going to come from the ballot box,” Marlatte said. “Winning parties have to support the capitalist class, or else they will not be viably funded. Similarly, they need to function within capitalism, and this means responding to

the needs of its structure. The game is rigged, and all we can do is organize to create an alternative.”

You may not agree with everything Marlatte has to say, but aren’t elections supposed to be a forum for national debate? We’ve been led to believe that our political parties are more different than they are similar, and we are left arguing about the small differences between them.

If none of the parties’ messages are resonating with your beliefs, perhaps not voting, spoiling your ballot or organizing to demand better representation is your best option.

Jeremy Britz / Graphics Editor

october 15, 2015

THROWBACK

Backtalk:

Do you think it’s important for students to vote in the upcoming election?

T h e S h e a f , S e p t e m b e r 9, 1999 / U o f S A rc h i v e s & S p e c i a l C o l l e ct i o n s

Jeremy 3rd year arts

Amanda 1st year arts

Brett 1st year arts

Marissa 1st year arts

Blair 2nd year engineering

I think people should vote just to keep the NDP and their idiotic proposals out.

If students know what’s going on then they should, but if they’re uninformed they shouldn’t.

It really affects students this election. Education is a big issue on everyone’s platform and it’s important students make an inofrmed choice.

Voting’s important, but it’s hard to know who to vote for. It’s hard to tell the difference between what people say they’re going to do and what they’ll really do.

I don’t really give a shit about the election. When new people get in nothing ever changes anyhow.

T he S heaf , N ovember 10, 1988 / U

of

S A rchives & S pecial C ollections

Backtalk:

Would you like to see the campus become completely smoke-free?

T h e S h e a f , O cto b e r 3, 1991 / U o f S A rc h i v e s & S p e c i a l C o l l e ct i o n s

october 15, 2015

Kari Weiman 2nd yr. Arts

Trudy Polvi Bookstore Clerk

Colleen Ferner 3rd yr. Pharmacy

Michael Wandzura 1st yr. Medicine

Bonnie Kornelsen 4th yr. Nursing

Yes, I don’t like breathing second-hand smoke. I’m sure other people don’t like it either.

No, I’d like to see designated smoking areas. I think smokers have the right to smoke as long as they don’t infringe on other people’s rights.

I personally am allergic to smoke, but I think there should be places where people should be allowed to smoke.

I’m in favour of anything which improves the general health of the population, and non-soking would improve people’s health.

Yes I would, personally, for everyone’s sake.

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17

DISTRACTIONS SHEAF STAFF “I’m down quote of the week with theft.”

- Chelsea Powrie, Culture Editor

“It’s amazing I still get hit on because I’m a sweaty, disgusting, sick mess.”

- Keighlagh Donovan, News Editor

By Levin C. Handy (per http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cwpbh.04326) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

You don’t have to sit in school to stand among greatness.

r g a SU

e p C S i and

Q: So I have a major crush on this guy in a singing group I’m in and I don’t know how to get his attention. When we were practicing a Katy Perry love song, he — accidentally? — looked at me and I instantly melted into a puddle of weak jello. I want to be the one he sings to and I know that sounds cheesy but he has the most amazing smile when he sings. Help me please! — Kyle Sugar: It sounds like he is into you! Next time you two are together or singing something, see if he responds the same and wait it out a bit. If he is really into you, then similar situations will probably happen again. If not, better luck with the next singing partner.

Spice: Try showing him your “Dark Horse,” if you know what I mean.

Q: So I met someone. I want to bring them home to meet my family but my family is super weird and crazy. Should I bring them anyway or should I let them meet them later when it’s too late for them to dump me? — Hose Sugar: No family is too weird or crazy! No matter how your family acts, embrace it! Love your family unconditionally and your significant other will see that you have a true heart of gold.

Spice: May as well bring them home sooner than later. You’re probably more like your family than you’d care to admit anyways, and let’s get real, it’ll never be too late to dump you.

Want advice from Sugar and Spice? Submit your questions online at thesheaf.com.

Soup’s On! Wednesdays at 6 pm Come to 118 MUB (above Louis’) for a bowl of soup and some time among friends

Brought to you by the Ecumenical Chaplaincy › Thomas Edison: The world’s most extraordinary failure never gave up.

Thank goodness.

open. online. everywhere. go.athabascau.ca/online-courses

Rev. David Kim-Cragg 306.203.1634 EcumenicalChaplaincyUniversityOfSaskatchewan

18

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october 15, 2015

DISTRACTIONS

Letter to the editor

campus chat

“

”

In response to “You can still be studious on psychedelics” in the Sept. 30 issue of the Sheaf:

If you could get drunk with any party leader, who would you pick?

I was rather interested in the article by Kay-Lynne Collier on how she is quite adventurous in her drug-taking. I commend her for her candor, and her not promoting the use of drugs, just telling us her story and how it all works for her.

My concern for Ms. Collier is how this openness might affect her future. We routinely see candidates in this federal election dropping out when revealing tweets, emails and articles come to light even years after they are created.

Ms. Collier is demonstrating that she is confident and secure in her illicit drug use, and that she doesn’t mind people, including potential employers, finding out about it. I guess I never thought the legalization of marijuana would ever occur in my lifetime, but am happy to see this changing quite rapidly. However, I do not get the same feeling of acceptance of other drugs that still create fear and loathing etc. in the general population.

You have courage Ms. Collier, and I respect you for that.

Elizabeth May. Kennedy Owen

Adrian Janssens Milden, SK

The Sheaf welcomes all the feedback you have regarding the content we publish. While we encourage all Society members to contribute to the newspaper, there is also the option of sending your thoughts to us in a letter to the editor for both members and non-members. Letters to the editor can be sent in using the online form at thesheaf.com/contact or by sending an email to copy@ thesheaf.com. All letters must include a real name and an email address. Letters cannot exceed 150 words and may be edited for length and clarity. We would love to hear from you.

Elizabeth May. Chris O’Grady

Justin Trudeau.

Avery Kewistep

Paul E. Hardisty Reading & Signing The Abrupt Physics of Dying

Stephen Harper.

Cici Ding

UPCOMING EVENTS

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Tuesday, October 20, 7 Pm

••• an EvEning of PoEtry witH glEn sorEstad, JEanEttE lynEs and

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Wednesday, October 21, 7 Pm

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10/7/2015 12:36:03 PM

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BACKPAGE

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