The Sheaf - March 20th, 2014

Electronic cigarettes are in; traditional smoking is out.

OPINIONS 16

THE sheaf

20 March, 2014 • The University of Saskatchewan student newspaper since 1912

Meet this year’s USSU executive election candidates.

NEWS 4

U of S commits to open textbook program

Huskies women’s hockey team wins first-ever CIS medal.

SPORTS 6

Our Country’s Good premieres at Greystone Theatre this week.

CULTURE 14

JORDAN DUMBA/ PHOTO EDITOR

Another concern is maintaining the quality of work that established publishers can provide.

“We have to make sure the textbook is worthy. We’re a U15 university, so we have to make sure its up to our standards,” FineDay said. “But we have some recognized leaders in biology, in sociology, in psychology, native studies and other fields who can write textbooks if we partner those profs and grad students up.”

The U of S, the University of Alberta, UBC and a number of regional colleges in B.C. have all agreed to take part in the new opentextbook program. The University of Regina and the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology have also indicated an interest in joining the program.

Establishing an open-textbook program was one of the main points for FineDay’s platform during USSU elections in March 2013. In November 2013, the USSU hosted “Be Book Smart” week, where a petition calling on the Government of Saskatchewan to create an open-textbook program garnered over 1,300 signatures from students. The petition was delivered to Merriman, who supported the idea of the program.

Since then, the campaign continued moving into the halls of government and has taken place behind closed doors.

“It was a lot of dialogue with both government and opposition, lot of it was talking with the university — who have also endorsed this plan — and a lot of it was talking with faculty,” FineDay said.

Getting support from the university’s administration and faculty provided an additional challenge. While some in administration, such as Vice-Provost Teaching and Learning Patti McDougall, backed the campaign all along, others — such as U of S President Ilene Busch-Vishniac— only recently threw their support behind the program.

FineDay said he encountered the most resistance from the university’s professors.

“A lot of [the backlash] is coming from professors who are a little bit afraid of change or are not really comfortable,” FineDay said.

“Maybe they have a good relationship with publishers or they use colleagues’ textbooks.

A lot of professors are maybe not very familiar with the idea of open education.”

FineDay said that implementing the program will depend largely on convincing faculty of the idea’s merit. He said that he hopes faculty will get behind the idea if they have the opportunity to learn about it.

“We have some faculty interested, but we need to push it more. We need faculty to be the champions of this idea for it to really work.”

SCOTT DAVIDSON Associate News Editor Cheaper textbooks are on the horizon for University of Saskatchewan students, as the governments of Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia have agreed to establish an open-textbook program.

On March 12, Paul Merriman, the Member of Legislative Assembly for SaskatoonSutherland, called U of S Students’ Union President Max FineDay to tell him that the Government of Saskatchewan had agreed to the establishment of an open-textbook program. FineDay announced the provincial government’s intention at the March 13 University Students’ Council meeting.

“We have a huge opportunity to change the way we do knowledge distribution at the university and to save students here at the university a lot of money, and I think that’s something worthwhile,” FineDay said.

Open-textbooks are published under an open copyright license and can be distributed online to students for use on their computers or mobile devices. If students wish to get a physical copy of the textbook, they can have it printed for a small fee at the campus bookstore.

FineDay said there is currently no timetable for implementing the program as it is still in the preliminary stages.

“It’s not going to be one sweeping date. I think it’s going to be incremental over time,” FineDay said.

The governments of Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C. have signed a memorandum of understanding to create an open-textbook program in which open educational resources would be shared between the provinces.

Several B.C. schools including the University of British Columbia and Thompson Rivers University already participate in an open educational resources sharing program Current textbooks will not be available under an open license. Instead, new textbooks would have to be developed as part of the program. In B.C. open-textbooks have been developed only for the most popular courses.

FineDay said this plan is something that he’d be looking to emulate at the U of S. “We have to be careful that we’re not doing things for a 10 person seminar. We want to get the most value for students,” FineDay said.

2

NEWS

Enhancing education in Saskatchewan

THE sheaf Editor-in-Chief: HenryTye Glazebrook, editor@thesheaf.com Production Manager: Samantha Braun, layout@thesheaf.com Senior News Editor: Anna-Lilja Dawson, news@thesheaf.com Associate News Editor: Scott Davidson, associatenews@thesheaf.com Photography Editor: Jordan Dumba, photo@thesheaf.com Graphics Editor: Cody Schumacher, graphics@thesheaf.com Culture Editor: Naomi Zurevinski, arts@thesheaf.com Sports Editor: Kim Hartwig, sports@thesheaf.com

20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

Opinions Editor: Travis Homenuk, opinions@thesheaf.com Copy Editor: Tab Rahman, copy@thesheaf.com Web Editor: Carter Bryden, web@thesheaf.com Ad & Business Manager: Shantelle Hrytsak, ads@thesheaf.com Board of Directors: Pete Yee, Jenna Mann, Dan LeBlanc, Rose Lien, Liam Richards Index Photo: Jordan Dumba/Photo Editor Office Numbers: Advertising 966-8688 Editorial 966-8689

The Sheaf is non-profit, incorporated and studentbody funded by way of a direct levy paid by all partand full-time undergraduate students at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S). Membership in the Society is open to undergraduate students at the U of S, but all members of the U of S community 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 Sheaf is published weekly during the academic year and monthly from May through August. The Editor-inChief has the right to veto any submission deemed unfit for the Society newspaper. In determining this, he/she 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.

Corrections • In “5 Days for the Homeless participants speak out” from last week’s issue, we wrongly identified Matt Brennan and Lane Bannerman, switching their names in the photo caption. We apologize for the error.

• In “U of S Music Theatre Ensemble to perform The Beggar’s Opera” from last week’s issue, we incorrectly stated that the Ensemble was partnered with The Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra and the Opera Troupe of Saskatoon. We apologize for the error.

• If you spot errors in this week’s issue, please send them to copy@thesheaf.com.

TAYLOR BOROWETZ

A partnership between the University of Saskatchewan and singer Buffy Sainte-Marie’s Cradleboard Project has formed to develop resources which represent Aboriginal culture in Saskatchewan’s education system.

The Saskatchewan Cradleboard Initiative is a collaboration for the development of kindergarten to Grade 8 science, technology, engineering and math curriculum resources that incorporates numerous cultures.

The partnership’s vision is to be “an evolving, living multi-media resource that reflects the diversity of perspectives and contributions of Saskatchewan’s Aboriginal Peoples, and encourages a positive self-identity for all learners, confidence with cross-cultural dialogue and the development of personal and social agency through scientific literacy.”

U of S President Ilene Busch-Vishniac stated in a press release that the SCI is a unique opportunity for Aboriginal education for both Saskatchewan and Canada.

“We are committed to being leaders in Aboriginal engagement, education and research, not only in Saskatchewan but also beyond the borders of our province throughout Canada,” Busch-Vishniac said.

U of S students and Aboriginal educators are developing the SCI resources and are promoting the inclusion of their own learning perspectives.

Sandra Bonny, project developer for the SCI, said that such an initiative is long overdue.

“I grew up in Saskatoon and learned very little about First Nations people, and certainly not in my science classroom,” Bonny said.

The idea for the partnership has been in the works since 2011, when the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education conference was held at the U of S. “We explored the potential of connecting experiential learning at the university level with a crippling resource deficit in the newly implemented kindergarten to Grade 8 science curriculum, specifically relating to the parallel presentation of western and Indigenous perspectives on science as a way of knowing and relating to the natural world.”

Saskatchewan curriculum mandates integrating Euro-Canadian and Indigenous perspectives in science classes. Bonny said the

SANDRA BONNY

Artist Buffy Sainte-Marie and U of S President Ilene Busch-Vishniac sign a memorandum of understanding to develop Aboriginal culture in Saskatchewan’s education system. delivery of Indigenous perspectives has been weakened due to a lack of resources for teachers.

“The SCI aims to address that resource gap, which positions the integration of Aboriginal perspectives as a problem for many nonAboriginal teachers by providing fun, authentic and rigorous resources to connect and celebrate learning across diverse ways of knowing in our province,” Bonny said.

The initiative hopes to dispel cultural myths and biases, replace misinformation and build confidence in multi-ethnic settings beyond the classroom. Teachers and university students will develop these additional resources to enhance existing curricula.

While supporting kindergarten to Grade 12 student engagement, Bonny said that U of S students will also benefit by being exposed to Aboriginal perspectives. Bonny hopes that implementing the work of university students will inspire younger children to consider postsecondary education, especially those who might not have otherwise.

Bonny said that underrepresented contributions and perspectives from Indigenous people — especially in the sciences and in a province that has a growing Aboriginal population like Saskatchewan — has created an imbalance.

“We are co-creating our future in this province and it is important to entrench, within all disciplines, multi-vocality and the richness of critical, cultural and social capacity this offers to students of all backgrounds,” she said.

The SCI is hoping to encourage communication and exchange within a culturally diverse province. With the immense importance of cultural relevancy, Bonny said that this initiative will create a more welcoming environment for all students in science, technology, engineering and math classrooms.

“Indigenous peoples have thrived in this province for thousands of years,” Bonny said.

“And the depth of knowledge and connection to this place provide critical contributions to scientific literacy.”

THE sheaf The Sheaf is looking for its Board of Directors for the coming year.

Nominate yourself or others at our Annual General Meeting.

Additional information on page 6.

Direct questions to editor@thesheaf.com

3 Sask. med students seek voice in health care NEWS

20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

ANNA-LILJA DAWSON Senior News Editor

Saskatchewan medical students gathered at the Legislature on March 12 to lobby for future involvement in a human resources report for physicians.

First-year medical student Jessica Harris attended the provincial Lobby Day and said that the Students’ Medical Society of Saskatchewan received positive feedback.

“We had a commitment from their MLAs to keep the government accountable to this end. Meetings with the government were equally promising. The minister of health agreed to further discussions on the matter and we have had positive follow-up with him since,” Harris said.

Twelve members of the SMSS met with the nine NDP Members of the Legislative Assembly, the legislative human services committee as well as Dustin Duncan and Randy Weeks, ministers of health and remote and rural health respectively. The students also attended question period.

Health Intelligence Inc. has been contracted by the provincial government to gather information in order to predict the number and kinds of physicians Saskatchewan will need in the coming three, five and 10 years.

The report will assemble information on regional and provincial scales pertaining to population trends, demographics and health factors such as incidence of disease, birth rates and surgical volumes. These statistics will then be combined with the amount of physicians in Saskatchewan, care models and service delivery to create recommendations for each community in the province.

Brad Havervold, executive director of Workforce Planning for the Government of Saskatchewan, said that Health

Intelligence Inc. has been in contact with the SMSS and will continue that relationship as long as the society is interested.

Once the report is published in the fall of 2014, Havervold said the province will talk with many of the stakeholders in the province, including the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Medicine, the health regions and the SMSS, to create recommendations to act upon the report.

Havervold said the Saskatchewan government undertook this project when it became clear that physicians in the province were in need of a human resources plan. Annual resource plans are published for the other health providers such as nurses and physical therapists.

“We’ve not had for a number of years — I believe 15 or more in my experience — a solid physician resource plan that is based on the evidence of what the population actually is like and what they need going forward,” Havervold said. “That’s why we felt it was important for us to actually do some of this now.”

Harris said that having students on the steering committee would be beneficial for them as future physicians and for patients.

“What we advocate for as medical students . . . what everyone in the healthcare system is advocating for is the benefit of the patient. We want the best health care available for the patients of Saskatchewan,” Harris said.

First-year medical student Cheyanne Vetter echoed Harris in saying that the report will above all benefit the people of Saskatchewan.

“It really is about getting the right people in the right places so that everybody in Saskatchewan can have access to health care,” Vetter said.

SUPPLIED

Medical students in Saskatchewan have demonstrated their concern for and commitment to being included in drafting recommendations for a human resource plan for physicians.

As the Saskatchewan government has already invested in creating the report, Harris said the amount of money spent on a steering committee to oversee the recommendations would be small compared to the amount that seeps through an inefficient health-care system.

“We need to be able to understand where the problem lies and then how to address that” issue, Harris said.

The SMSS has compared a similar report Health Intelligence Inc. issued for Nova Scotia in 2012 and found many parallels with Saskatchewan, including the number of physicians and dealing with rural health care. However, in Nova Scotia

there is representation from each of the health districts but physicians and medical students are not represented, which is something Harris said should change in Saskatchewan.

“To us it looks very governmental and procedural rather than getting the pulse of what’s really going on in the healthcare field,” she said. “We want one of our student representatives to sit on that council and to help influence the policy changes that would come from those results.”

Trolling occurs when a copyright holder uses the legal process to extract excessive amounts of money from alleged infringers, said David Fewer, director of the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic, who intervened in the case. He also said that copyright trolling is common in the United States.

After a ruling is made, a copyright holder is permitted to send letters out to the offenders.

“They’re really leveraging fear and anxiety in the cost of defending yourself in a court to build a business model on the basis of low-scale intellectual copyright infringement,” he said.

Fewer said the outcome of this highly publicized case was actually a positive one.

“I think this decision is a death blow to copyright trolls in Canada,” he said. “I think Voltage is extremely unhappy with this decision.”

Even though Voltage Pictures has been successful in getting the desired ruling in this case, students using TekSavvy have little to worry about according to Avner Levin, director of the Privacy and Cyber Crime Institute at Ryerson’s Ted Rogers School of Management.

“There are a number of steps there that make it more expensive and costly for Voltage to go after people,” Levin said.

“The more expensive it is to litigate and to pursue it, the less it’s worth it for them.”

Before TekSavvy hands customer information over to Voltage Pictures, the company must also reimburse any fees TekSavvy has accrued as a result of the lawsuit, said Tina Furlan, TekSavvy’s director of marketing and press communication. The reimbursement includes legal fees, which can amount to

hundreds of dollars an hour, Levin said.

In the event that Voltage does decide to continue pursuing alleged infringers, Fewer said the courts will oversee every step of the process.

“All Voltage has is evidence that a particular subscriber’s IP address may have been involved in a download,” he said.

Levin said that because any letters Voltage Pictures sends to offenders confer no legal obligations, there’s no need to be intimidated, adding that sending a quick response denying the allegations is the best way to respond.

“Don’t pay until somebody actually proves that you’ve infringed upon somebody’s copyright,” Levin said.

With files from Laura Woodward.

Copyright infringement no worry for students TORONTO (CUP) — A recent court decision in the case involving corporations TekSavvy and Voltage Pictures is working towards shutting down copyright trolling in Canada and protecting alleged infringers from exploitation.

In a decision released Feb. 20, a judge ordered TekSavvy, a popular Internet service provider among students, to disclose 2,000 IP addresses and corresponding customer names to Voltage Pictures — the company responsible for films such as The Hurt Locker and Dallas Buyers Club. Voltage filed a lawsuit in

late 2012 alleging copyright infringement

by TekSavvy customers.

By law, the maximum amount Voltage Pictures could gain from any one individual for copyright infringement is $5,000.

“Five-thousand dollars for a first offence without any strikes or warning is overkill,” said Martin Wennde, a firstyear computer science student at Ryerson University and TekSavvy customer. “Yes, it is illegal but it’s like jaywalking — a crime that nobody enforces.”

While this decision might appear to be a blow to TekSavvy, experts are saying it’s a big step in discouraging an extortion scheme, known as copyright trolling, in Canada.

JORDAN DUMBA/ PHOTO EDITOR

Students beware of copyright trolling. Don’t pay a dime unless the charges are real.

Colin

Chatfield

Launching If A Fish Had A Wish

©

UPCOMING EVENTS

LEAH HANSEN The Eyeopener (Ryerson University)

Tuesday, March 25, 7:00 pm



travel CUtS Presentation SWAP Working Holidays

Wednesday, March 26, 7:00 pm

sheaf mar 6, 2014.indd 1

3/11/2014 1:55:32 PM

4

USSU elections NEWS

20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

Jack Saddleback Candidate for Vice-President Student Affairs Running unopposed, Jack Saddleback wishes to bring a balanced student experience to the U of S and a diversity of services through collaboration, communication between colleges and by ensuring that student voices are heard.

Saddleback brings past experience from a number of councils, committees and boards on campus. He is currently studying sociology.

Quiz Score: 35 %

David Ogunkanmi

Max FineDay

Candidate for President

Candidate for President

David Ogunkanmi is an international studies student in his third year. His presidential platform includes working towards locking in student tuition for five years from when they begin studying at the U of S as well as building an allinclusive USSU through communication, representation and action. Increasing support for students with children will also be a focus of Ogunkanmi’s term if he is elected. He has served as a member of University Students’ Council for two years.

Looking to be re-elected as USSU president, Max FineDay is running on a platform that heavily involves student engagement. FineDay says he will tackle issues regarding tuition not only when increases are announced, but throughout the year and will pressure the university to honour its campus childcare commitment.

Student leadership and representation in the final stages of TransformUS are also major points in FineDay’s campaign, along with lobbying to make the 24-hour Safe Study program permanent. FineDay is currently in his fourth year of political studies.

Quiz Score: 27 %

Quiz Score: 75%

Amanda Guthrie

Elias Nelson

Candidate for Vice-President Operations and Finance

Candidate for Vice-President Operations and Finance

In her time on campus, Amanda Guthrie has been a part of learning communities and five student groups. If elected, Guthrie would focus on student engagement by enhancing the availability of resources as well as funding for campus clubs and student groups. As an advocate for students, Guthrie will be a voice for students throughout the next stages of TransformUS. Guthrie hopes to improve transit for students by working with Saskatoon Transit to develop an app for student’ use along with GPS on busses.

From past experiences with student groups, Elias Nelson believes he can relay USSU information to students effectively and will manage the union’s budget in a way that is accountable, accessible to students and addresses students’ needs.

During TransformUS processes, Nelson says he will ensure that students stay informed and can form their own opinions.

Nelson is a political studies major.

Quiz Score: 63 %

Quiz Score: 62 %

Desirée Steele

Nicholas Marlatte

Candidate for Vice-President Academic Affairs

Candidate for Vice-President Academic Affairs

Fourth-year political studies student Desirée Steele wants to be a strong voice for students when dealing with administration and faculty. She has been an executive member of the St. Thomas More Students’ Union for three years. By expanding hands-on research as well as study abroad programs, Steele hopes to engage undergraduate students in their education.

Majoring in both philosophy and political studies, Nicholas Marlatte’s platform includes mandating year-round opposition to annual tuition hikes and program cuts, recognizing students as important stakeholders in the U of S and involving students in higher level decision making on campus. If elected, Marlatte will increase communication between students and the USSU to ensure that they are aware of what the union has to offer.

Quiz score: 55 %

Quiz Score: 60 %

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20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

DEFEND ACADEMIC FREEDOM IN A TIME OF CRISIS! Thursday March 27, 2014 2:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Room 241 Arts, Neatby-Timlin Lecture Theatre Master of Ceremonies: Dr. Richard Julien, Department of Religion and Culture

Corporate Universities and the Bottom Line 2:00 p.m.

Dr. Gaye Tuchman Professor Emerita of Sociology, University of Connecticut 3:00 p.m.

Panel Discussion: TransformUS as a Solution to a Crisis? What Crisis?

Chair: Dr. Howard Woodhouse, Department of Educational Foundations Dr. Claire Card, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences Dr. Franz-Viktor Kuhlmann, Department of Mathematics and Statistics Izabela Vlahu, Vice-President Academic, Graduate Students’ Association 4:30 pm

Wine and Cheese Reception, University Club, Fireside Room

All Sessions are Free and Open to the Public Sponsored by the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association Co-sponsored by Aboriginal Business Students’ Society, Aboriginal Students’ Centre, ASPA, CUPE 1975, CUPE 3287 Sessional Lecturers, Education Students’ Society, Graduate Students’ Association, Indigenous Students’ Council, ITEP Students’ Society, SUNTEP Students’ Society, USSU

6

SPORTS

20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

Huskies cap off historic season with bronze medal KIMBERLEY HARTWIG Sports Editor

The Huskies women’s hockey team returned from the Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championship with their first ever bronze medal. The Dogs defeated the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks 6-3 to claim third place in the tournament.

The McGill University Redmen defeated the University of Montreal Carabins 4-2 to earn the gold medal. The championships took place from March 1416 in Fredericton, N.B. The Huskies opened their tournament with a tough matchup against the topseeded Carabins. Showing why they were the team to beat in the tournament, the Carabins notched a 3-0 win over the Dogs.

Head coach Steve Kook was proud of the way the team played against one of the top teams in the country on such a large stage.

“It would have been easy for us coming in, first time at a national championship, to fold up when the first one went in, and we didn’t,” he said to St. Thomas University sports information. “We don’t know what to expect here. We’re not going to know until we get put into a situation.”

In their second game, the Huskies battled the St. Thomas University Tommies and came away with a 3-2 victory. The win kept the Huskies in medal contention, allowing them to finish second in their pool and advance to the bronze medal game.

After dropping their opening contest, the Huskies regrouped well and returned to the ice ready to fight for the win.

“We talked about simple things —

The Huskies women’s hockey team is all smiles with their first-ever medals from the CIS championships. beating one guy and having someone else there to support the puck — and that’s something that we weren’t doing at the beginning,” Kook said.

“Maybe you take [St. Thomas University] for granted just a little bit and you try to skate through the neutral zone and they did such a good job with sticks and bodies.”

The Tommies were seeded sixth in the tournament, three spots lower that the Dogs, but the Huskies did

not underestimate their lower-ranked opponent.

“I know we don’t have a whole lot of experience at national championships but you sure expect all the teams to come out ready to play, especially when meaningful games are still on the line,” Kook said.

In the battle for the bronze medal game, three third period goals helped the Huskies secure their first-ever CIS medal. The Huskies triumphed 6-3 over the Golden Hawks.

defeated the Saint Mary’s University Huskies to claim their fourth straight Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championship. The tournament was held from March 14-16 in Windsor, Ont. The Dogs opened their CIS campaign against the Queen’s University Gaels on Friday night. The sixth seeded Gaels pushed for the upset but the Huskies were able to stave them off and advance to the semifinals with a 61-52 victory.

“I’m not surprised at all by how close

this game was. I have so much respect for [Queen’s head coach] Dave [Wilson] and his program. They’re a team that puts a lot of pressure on you; they’re relentless,” Huskies head coach Lisa Thomaidis said to Windsor Sports Information. “I’m proud of the way our team managed to stay in the game and grind out this win.

We showed a lot of character today.”

Kelsey Truslrud led the Huskies with 22 points and 15 rebounds, while Kabree Howard added another 12 points and Dalyce Emmerson grabbed 11 rebounds.

Waiting for the Dogs in the semifinal was the number two seed Saint Mary’s University Huskies. The Dogs lead 3635 at halftime but Saint Mary’s went on a 22-3 run in the third quarter to take a 5645 advantage into the fourth. Saint Mary’s earned their trip to the final with a 67-54 triumph.

Saint Mary’s Justine Colley proved troublesome for the U of S Huskies, scoring a tournament-high 38 points in the clash.

Emmerson earned a double double with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Howard added another nine points and Riley Humbert chipped in eight.

Following the game, Thomaidis was pleased with how her team played but gave all credit to Saint Mary’s for their great performance.

“We played a very solid first half. We were obviously pleased to go into the break with the lead,” she said. “They went on a run early in the second half and we just couldn’t stop them. Justine is a great player, and she proved it again tonight.

Hats off to Saint Mary’s. They deserve to be in the final.”

The bronze medal game was a rematch of the Canada West final but this time the Cascades were able to reverse their fortunes, avenging their loss to the Dogs and claiming

KEITH MINCHIN

After two periods of play the Huskies held a 3-2 lead, but less than a minute into the final period the Golden Hawks evened the score.

From there the game belonged to the Huskies, as two empty Golden Hawk net goals from Sara Greschner and Marley Ervine gave the Dogs a 6-3 victory.

Huskie Julia Flinton scored three goals in the win and was named the Canada West star of the week for her efforts during the tournament.

Women’s basketball finishes fourth at nationals KIMBERLEY HARTWIG Sports Editor

The Huskies women’s basketball team narrowly missed medaling at nationals, falling to the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades 57-69 in the bronze medal game on March 16. The Dogs won their quarter-final match but fell in the semifinals to land in the bronze medal game.

The University of Windsor Lancers

KATHERINE FEDOROFF

The Huskies fell to the Cascades in the CIS bronze medal game.

the bronze medal with a 69-57 win.

The opening half of play was very competitive, with the teams matching each other shot for shot. The Cascades eventually earned a 30-27 lead at the halfway mark and scored 10 straight points in the middle of the third period to extend their lead to nine. Heading into the fourth quarter the Cascades had a commanding 55-40 lead.

The Dogs began to chip away at the deficit, scoring six straight points to open the frame, but the Cascades continued their strong play to keep the Huskies at bay and earn the bronze medal.

Kiera Lyons led the Huskies with 18 points while Emmerson added 16 and six rebounds.

7 Huskies in the hunt for University Cup glory SPORTS

20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

KIMBERLEY HARTWIG Sports Editor

The best university men’s hockey teams in the country will descend on Saskatoon’s Credit Union Centre from March 19 - 23 for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport championship.

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies will be joined by the University of Alberta Golden Bears, the Acadia University Axemen, the University of Windsor Lancers, the McGill University Redmen and the Carleton University Ravens in pursuit of the University Cup. The Huskies are attempting to capture their second CIS title in team history but will have a tough road in order to do so. The top seed Golden Bears have 13 national titles, making them the most decorated team in CIS men’s hockey history. The Axemen and the Redmen are the other previous winners in the draw, with two and one titles respectively.

Entering the tournament as the fifth seed, the Huskies are looking to better their zero win result from last year. Head coach Dave Adolph knows the team will have to play tough from the time the puck drops if they want a shot at the title.

“The University Cup is a unique format in that it’s not a best-of-three or a best-of-five, it’s

a tournament but if you don’t win your first game you really can’t accomplish what your goal is at the beginning of the year and that’s to win a national championship,” he said. “It’s really imperative that your team is ready to play on the first night.”

With a bye on opening night, the Dogs will have a chance to scope out their opponent before taking to the ice on Friday when they will play either the Axemen or the Lancers.

Adolph is hoping that having the crowd behind them will give the team an extra boost no matter who they face.

“Home ice advantage is a big thing in sport and I’m certainly hoping it will help us,” he said.

Key players for the Huskies will be goalie Ryan Holfeld, forward Derek Hulak and team captain Brennan Bosch. Holfeld made 708 saves during the regular season — the fifth highest tally in the country — and turned away 92 per cent of shots that came his way.

After finishing the regular season with a conference-best 48 points, Hulak was named Canada West Most Valuable Player and FirstTeam All Star. Hulak recorded 13 goals and 35 assists in a stellar season on the ice .

Team captain Bosch is in his last year with the team and will look to make an impact

JORDAN DUMBA/ PHOTO EDITOR

The men’s hockey team will give the crowd something to cheer for duing the University Cup. during his final games. Bosch tallied nine goals and 16 assists through 28 games.

“We’re looking for big things from him,” Adolph said.

The Huskies need to return to their excellent mid-season form when they take on the toughest teams in the country. The Dogs went 9-3 in the second half of the season before losing to the

University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in the quarter-finals of the Canada West playoffs.

“We’re a very competitive team,” Adolph said. “We love the fact that we’re representing the University of Saskatchewan at a national championship and we want to represent well.”

University Cup Seeding

University Cup Schedule

1. Alberta Golden Bears (CWUAA champions: 25-2-1 regular season / 4-0 playoffs)

Thursday, March 20 1 p.m. Pool A #1: No. 1 Alberta vs. No. 6 Carleton 7 p.m. Pool B #1: No. 2 Acadia vs. No. 3 Windsor

2. Acadia Axemen (AUS champions: 21-4-3 regular season / 6-2 playoffs) 3. Windsor Lancers (OUA champions: 17-11-0 regular season / 7-1 playoffs) 4. McGill Redmen (OUA finalists: 21-5-2 regular season / 6-2 playoffs)

Friday, March 21 1 p.m. Pool A #2: Loser Pool A #1 vs. No. 4 McGill 7 p.m. Pool B #2: Loser Pool B #1 vs. No. 5 Saskatchewan

5. Saskatchewan Huskies (Hosts: 17-10-1 regular season / 1-2 playoffs) 6. Carleton Ravens (OUA bronze medallists: 22-5-1 regular season / 6-3 playoffs) Pool A 1. Alberta 4. McGill 6. Carleton

Pool B 2. Acadia 3. Windsor 5. Saskatchewan

Saturday, March 22 2 p.m. Pool A #3: Winner Pool A #1 vs. No. 4 McGill 7 p.m. Pool B #3: Winner Pool B #1 vs. No. 5 Saskatchewan Sunday, March 23 1:30 p.m. Final

Dog Watch: Taryn Suttie KIMBERLEY HARTWIG Sports Editor

Taryn Suttie set a new Canadian Interuniversity Sport national shot put record at the CIS Track and Field championships when she obliterated the old mark of 15.72 m with a colossal 16.38 m throw. The old record was also set by Suttie, showing her dominance of the sport at the university level.

“I was really happy with it,” Suttie said.

“I threw a personal best. That’s as good as it gets, to break your own record.”

The Hanley, Sask. native also claimed gold in the event at the 2009 and 2010 championships as well as a silver in 2008.

Suttie is in her fourth year studying Kinesiology but now takes classes online as she is currently training out of the National Throw Centre in Kamloops, B.C. to hone her skills even further. Taking courses online gives Suttie the flexibility she needs to finish her degree while also going through rigorous training twice a day.

“A training day for me is practices with my coach for the technical aspect and then of course going to the gym afterward to work on power,” she said. “Shot put training is power, it’s a power sport.

You’re training speed and strength all the time. It’s very, very technical.”

The next major competition for Suttie this season will be the 2014 Canadian National Track and Field Championships in Moncton, N.B. on June 27-29. Suttie’s goal for the championships is to land another personal best with the eventual aim of hitting 17 m.

Suttie is constantly trying to best herself in order to qualify for the big events such as the Commonwealth Games taking place this summer in Glasgow, Scotland. International events like the Commonwealth Games require athletes meet certain qualifying distances which Suttie is training to achieve.

“The standard is a little out of reach for

MONIQUE COUTU

me but of course I’ll still try to get it,” she said. “I have my eye on that but it’s certainly not going to be easy.”

Suttie’s end goal is to compete in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In the meanwhile, Suttie aims to “get out there on the national stage, compete at those big meets and hope to go in the right direction for 2016,” she said.

Suttie began throwing shot put when she was in grade seven, but that doesn’t mean that she never gets nervous before big events. To calm herself before she steps out to throw, she relies on her experience.

“I just have to remind myself to go out and do what I always do,” she said. “Once I get a decent throw out there the nerves go away.”

Suttie has competed in many large events in the past, including the 2011 Summer Universiade, and has developed a routine to help her perform her best. The regimen could help her reach the biggest stages in the sport.

“I like to listen to music — kind of get in the zone — remind myself techniquewise what I need to do,” she said. “Other than that just a good warm up, keep your eye on the prize and get out there and kill it.”

8

SPORTS

20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

Canadian hockey teams make playoff push AUSTIN ARVAY

Following their Olympic victory, Canadian hockey fans have turned their attention back to the National Hockey League. While the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens have enjoyed success, it has been a disappointing season for the rest of Canada’s teams.

The last time a Canadian squad won the Stanley Cup was in 1993, when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Los Angeles Kings. It has been a long wait since then for diehard Canadian hockey fans.

There have been some close calls over the years. In 2004 the Calgary Flames went on a cinderella run, upsetting many higher seeded teams to reach the final only to lose in game seven to Tampa Bay. Two years later the Edmonton Oilers had a similar miraculous postseason and shot at the cup, but they likewise fell in game seven.

In 2007 the Ottawa Senators made the Cup final, but they were defeated in five games by the Anaheim Ducks. Most recently the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the final in 2011 but they lost to the Boston Bruins in game seven, which ignited a riot in the streets of Vancouver.

Every year fans have the same renewed optimism. “This is the year!” says the Toronto Maple Leaf devotee — for the past 45 years. Oilers fans are time and again convinced their young talent will finally take the next step this season.

No matter what team you cheer for and how good or bad they are doing, you will always root for them.

The Edmonton Oilers are in the midst of another disappointing season. After having the first overall pick in the draft for three of the past four seasons, Oiler fans were hoping they would see their team amongst the best in the league. Unfortunately they

currently sit in 29th place out of 30.

The Oilers seemingly fixed their problems in net by acquiring Ben Scrivens and Viktor Fasth at the trade deadline, but still need stronger defencemen and their young players to gain experience in order to compete consistently.

The Calgary Flames traded away Jarome Iginla last season and are still looking for a leader to replace him. Struggling to find consistent goal scoring, as well as keeping pucks out of their own net, the Flames find themselves 26th in the league.

Centre Sean Monahan seems to have a bright future with the club but until he gets some help the Flames could have a few tough years ahead of them. Both the Oilers and the Flames have been eliminated from playoff contention.

The Ottawa Senators have had an up and down season and are currently seven points out of a playoff spot. Having to deal with a plethora of injuries this year to key players hasn’t helped the Senators cause. New captain Jason Spezza should get some help on offence from the newly acquired Ales Hemsky. If they want a shot at making the playoffs, the Senators will need to earn some wins over higher ranked teams to finish the season.

The Winnipeg Jets have found themselves oh-so-close to playoff spot. If the Jets are able to advance to the postseason, it would be the first for the team since they moved back to Winnipeg last year. After struggling early on in the season, head coach Claude Noel was replaced by Paul Maurice, who has turned the team around dramatically.

The Jets won nine of their first 11 games under Maurice, helping to vault them up the standings. With the raucous Winnipeg fans behind them, the Jets are a very strong home team but they need to perform better on the road in order to get wins down the stretch and make the playoffs.

Just three points out of a playoff spot, the Vancouver Canucks are currently 10th in the Western Conference. The Canucks made headlines at the trade deadline by dealing Roberto Luongo to Florida, making young netminder Eddie Lack the new starter. Due to an injury just before the Olympic break, the Canucks lost Henrik Sedin and have since found themselves in a massive slump. The team has won just four of their last 17 games and seems to be collapsing at the wrong time — and they’ll have to figure things out soon or they could miss the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.

The Leafs are one of two Canadian teams currently sitting in a playoff position, with goaltenders Jonathon Bernier and James Reimer keeping them in games thanks to their strong play. Right wing Phil Kessel has surprised many to sit second in the

league in scoring, behind only Pittsburgh Penguin Sidney Crosby. The Leafs have been fairly inconsistent as a team this year and need big wins down the stretch to assure a second straight postseason berth.

Currently the best Canadian team in the NHL, the Canadiens sit in third place in the Eastern conference. Montreal has used a balanced attack to win games and allstar goalie Carey Price has been excellent this season. Montreal will need to keep up the good play to make the playoffs. They are currently on course to play their bitter rivals the Maple Leafs in the first round.

The season wraps up April 13, with the Stanley Cup playoffs starting April 16. Stay tuned to see how your favourite teams fare in the final weeks of the season.

and will advance at a set speed, gradually accelerating over time.

“It’s up to everybody to set their objective — how far can they get and how fast can they get there before the car catches them,” said race director Geoff Langford.

The final male and female runners to be caught by the car in each location will be named the local champions and the final male and female runners across the world will be the global champions.

Each local winner will win an allexpense paid trip to the race location of their choice next year while the global

champions win an all-expense paid trip to anywhere in the world along with a trip to a race their choice.

Saskatoon is the only Canadian venue for the event, joining locations such as Busselton, Australia; Barcelona, Spain and Cape Town, South Africa. Since the event is happening simultaneously around the world, each location had to fit with specific parameters. Runners will also encounter different climates, terrains, and conditions depending on which location they chose.

“We had a number of places across the country that we looked at, but Saskatoon

fit [the parameters] really well and we got a great reception from the province and from the city of Saskatoon,” Langford said. “It just came together quite easily.”

The race begins at 10 a.m. UTC, which means Saskatoon runners will take off from Prairieland Park at 4 a.m. From there, participants will head east on Circle Drive and finally south on Highway 11 towards Davidson.

Co-ordinating such a large scale event has posed problems, especially since organizers have no previous experience to draw on.

“As far as I can tell this kind of concept has never been done before, so there’s a lof of creating it as we go — working with traffic management and the province, highways and the city,” Langford said.

“The method of the event and closing roads is quite difficult for everybody. It’s been interesting for everybody that’s been involved.”

100 per cent of the events proceeds from the run will go towards the Wings for Life Foundation, an organization which funds research to find a cure for spinal cord injury.

“It’s really a fundraiser,” Langford said of the event. “This is a big global splash event to raise awareness for the charity and to raise funds as well.”

This will be the Wings for Life World Run’s inaugural year, giving runners the chance to experience the world’s first global run.

“There’s going to be quite the camaraderie and sense of craziness out there as people are competing,” Langford said. “It will be one of those experiences people will remember for a long time.”

POINTNSHOOT/FLICKR

The Montreal Canadiens are one of the Canadian teams that should advance to the playoffs, but will anyone else be joining them in the hunt for the Stanley Cup?

Saskatoon co-hosts Wings for Life World Run KIMBERLEY HARTWIG Sports Editor

On May 4, 2014 Saskatoon runners will line up to take part in a global race that will take place simultaneously across six continents in over 35 locations. The Wings for Life World Run is the first event of its kind: a race with no finish line.

Runners will take off from starting lines across the globe at the same time and instead of trying to be the first to reach the finish line, they will try to outrun a “catcher car”. The car will leave the starting line 30 minutes after the runners

The Wings for Life World Run will take place across the globe.

CODY SCHUMACHER/GRAPHICS EDITOR

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20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

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FEATURE

Campus parents vexed as childcare p SCOTT DAVIDSON Associate News Editor

With the future of a proposed childcare facility at the University of Saskatchewan in limbo, frustrations among those in need of childcare spots on campus are growing.

In March 2013, the U of S Board of Governors approved construction of a new, 90 spot childcare facility directly west of Souris Hall in McEown Park. However, the board reversed their decision at their most recent meeting, expressing doubt that the university would be able to afford the project and suggesting that options other than the construction of a standalone facility be explored.

“It was kind of a shock to hear we’re not building this new facility,” said MaryLou Mintram, who serves on the U of S Students’ Union Childcare Centre Board of Directors.

“This was supposed to be one thing we didn’t have to worry about.”

The U of S currently has two childcare facilities that offer a combined 110 spots: one in the R.J. Williams Building and one in the Education Building. However, in recent years the demand for childcare spaces on campus has grown sharply and the availability has been dwindling.

The new childcare centre at McEown Park was intended to alleviate the growing pressure from the campus community for additional childcare spaces. Until the last Board of Governors meeting, parents on campus were hopeful their voices were finally being heard.

“It’s quite upsetting because a few months ago I was really excited to tell [the parents] about the new facility, but then not much later saying ‘Ok, there’s been a change,’” Mintram said. “A lot of students were telling me just how disappointed they are.”

Mintram said the board’s announcement came as a shock to everyone on the childcare steering committee.

“When I found out, I literally had to take a full day of not talking about it and just letting it set in,” Mintram said. “After all the work we’d done, it was like ‘What’s the point?’ . . . All we were doing was picking out the furniture and now it’s been taken away.”

The longest waiting list is for spots designated for children two-and-a -half years old and younger. The USSU Childcare Centre only has the capacity for 16 of these children — 6 spots for infants aged six weeks to 18 months and 10 spots for toddlers aged 18 months to two-and-a-half years.

“I haven’t counted it in the last little bit,

but I know enough that between students, staff and faculty there’s over 200 kids on the waitlist for those particular ages,” said Colleen Gerling, executive director of the USSU Childcare Centre.

Gerling attributed the limited number of available spots for infants and toddlers to provincial childcare regulations, which require a higher number of staff for each child in these age categories. For infants, provincial regulations require a one-to-three staff-to-child ratio, while toddlers require a one-to-five ratio.

“Infants and toddlers require more staff.

They also require more room space and, of course, they’re younger so they just need more care,” Gerling said. “So there hasn’t been much offered on campus for two-and-ahalf years [of age] and under.”

The Government of Saskatchewan’s childcare regulations — which are among the strictest in the country — dictate that facilities can have only six or 12 infant spots.

Gerling added that because of the stricter regulations on infant and toddler spots it is more financially feasible for the university to offer a greater number of preschool spots, which only require a one to 10 staff-to-child ratio. As a result, the cost of offering spaces for younger children is significantly higher.

“We’re not meeting the need for infants and toddlers, but in the next breath, we’d have to charge student-parents more to make it cost effective,” Gerling said.

The 16 spots for infants and toddlers at the USSU Childcare Centre are the only ones available on campus. The Campus Daycare Centre caters only to children in the preschool category — aged two-and-a-half to six.

Between the USSU Childcare Centre and the Campus Daycare Centre, there are 94 spots available for preschoolers. Even with the higher number of spaces being offered, Gerling said that they are still very much in demand.

“The preschool wait list probably has 100.

Again, we just need more spots,” Gerling said.

The proposed McEown Park facility would add spaces for six infants, 10 toddlers and 40 preschoolers, in addition to two “flex rooms” which could be adapted depending on the demand at any given time. The flex rooms could accommodate either 34 preschoolers or 19 preschoolers and 15 toddlers.

However, with the centre’s future unclear, the waiting list for childcare spaces on campus is left to grow. Gerling said that she could easily fill an entire childcare centre just

off the current waiting list, but added that the list is always getting longer.

“I’ll bet you that three times a week I get parents phoning and asking if they can get on the list, where they are on the list and why it’s taking so long,” Gerling said. “Just off my waiting list, we could have an entire centre to fulfill that need.”

As the university tries to increase enrollment, the demand for childcare is rising and Gerling is often left to break it to parents that the supply is simply not there and that all she can do for them is put them on the waiting list.

“My rule of thumb right now is telling people that they’re looking at six months to a year before they get in, but that’s probably being generous,” Gerling said. “It’s probably closer to a year-and-a-half.”

Carla Fraser, a recent graduate from the undergraduate social work program, said she was only able to get her two children into campus childcare by calling 18 months in advance.

“I knew when I’d be starting school and I told them that,” Fraser said. “But I knew well in advance and how many people can plan like this?”

Fraser was also told that if a space opened up before the fall term started, she would be forced to take it then rather than deferring it until September.

However, some parents on campus say they have been on the waiting list for up to three years.

Heather Exner-Pirot, a staff member in the College of Nursing, said she put her two children — aged one and three at the time — on the waiting list in September of 2010 but never heard back.

“They warned me that it was a very long list, so my thought was that my three-yearold might never see this daycare, but my oneyear-old would benefit from it at some point,” Exner-Pirot said.

In December of 2012, Exner-Pirot was starting in a new position in the College of Nursing and was rescheduling her childcare.

After over two years of not hearing back, she decided to call the USSU Childcare Centre to check her status on the wait list.

“I called them and they couldn’t even be bothered to see if I was still on the waiting list or where I was on it,” Exner-Pirot said.

“All they said to me was they wouldn’t be accepting anyone soon, so there’s no point in checking.”

Being kept in the dark about her status on the waiting list has forced Exner-Pirot to find

alternative means of childcare, ranging from day homes to grandparents.

“That waiting list is a black wall. You just have no idea when or if you’ll get in. It’s not transparent at all,” Exner-Pirot said.

Mintram is no stranger to the campus childcare system either.

“When I first found out I was pregnant, people told me to get on the USSU childcare waiting list immediately because by the time they give you a call, you’ll be waiting for a very long time,” Mintram said. “And sure enough, I did. I waited for a very long time and had to find alternative care just to continue my studies here.”

Mintram said that finding alternative childcare in the city is a challenge in itself, as facilities are often costly and can be inaccessible for people who need to be at the university on a daily basis.

“Our childcare centres are open to both students and staff, and that makes sense, but to only have two of them?” Mintram said. “If you do the statistics, there are many students with dependents and if the university is taking this seriously, they’re not supporting our needs.”

11

20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

plans grind to a halt

La

médecine, un choix d’avenir Étudier à l’Université d’Ottawa un programme francophone de médecine un environnement bilingue un programme innovateur où la technologie fait partie intégrante de la formation des places réservées pour les étudiants de l’Atlantique, de l’Ouest et des Territoires un appui financier pour retourner faire certains stages pratiques chez-vous

places réservées au programme francophone demédecine

À l’Université d’Ottawa, le Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS) contribue à offrir un accès accru à des programmes d’études dans le domaine de la santé, aux francophones issus des collectivités en situation minoritaire.

www.cnfs.ca Mintram said she is lucky that she was able to get a space for her son at the USSU Childcare Centre and wishes that the new facility would be built so more parents could benefit from campus childcare.

“I just hope they build the new facility so other parents can have the ease that I’ve had with my son in there. I’m one of the fortunate few with a spot,” she said.

Certain demographics of the studentparent population are feeling the crunch of the waiting list more than others. A telephone survey conducted by the Social Sciences Research Laboratories in October 2013 identified Aboriginal students as a particular area of need for childcare spaces.

The survey results state that “Aboriginal students are disproportionately represented among students, are more likely to be single parents and are most interested in campus childcare.”

Mintram, who also serves on the Indigenous Students’ Council, said she has found this to be true from her own experiences. The proposed McEown Park childcare centre was supposed to address this need by dedicating 15 per cent of the new spots to Aboriginal students.

www.medecine.uOttawa.ca

“That’s one of my biggest concerns. We’ve showcased the need, so is that going to be another broken promise? I don’t know and I don’t have the answers,” Mintram said.

The increasing need for affordable and accessible childcare on the U of S campus has been noted by student leaders and appears to be one of the hot topics in this year’s USSU executive elections. Max FineDay and David Ogunkanmi, who are both in the running for USSU president, have listed campus childcare as a main point in their campaign platforms.

“The USSU has been pressuring the university for more childcare spaces for years,” said outgoing Vice-President Student Affairs Nour Abouhamra in an email to the Sheaf. “I hope that the new executive will see the importance of childcare for our members and continue to press the university to follow through on its commitment it made to childcare.”

GRAPHICS BY STEPHANIE MAH

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12

CULTURE

20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

Equivocation combines humor and tragedy for a thrilling show NAOMI ZUREVINSKI Culture Editor Currently on the Persephone main stage in Saskatoon, Equivocation is a gripping play that explores history, politics, morality and the meaning of truth.

Referred to as Shagspeare or Shag, the story revolves around William Shakespeare as he is tasked with writing a play about the recent treasonous Gunpowder Plot — an attempt to blow up both Parliament and King James I of England.

In the play King James I himself wrote the story of the Gunpowder Plot for Shakespeare to work with, the only request being that he add in flattery and witches.

With some hesitation Shakespeare agrees to accept the commission due to a large sum of money involved.

This task is a difficult one for the hero to complete, as he does not write on current events. As Shakespeare discovers the hidden truth of the Gunpowder Plot and grapples with hard decisions, his actions involve the unfolding of political motives and learning how to tell the truth in difficult times.

The title for the play is fitting in that equivocation means to use ambigous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself. This is entirely applicible to the storyline, as the original version of the Gunpowder Plot play turns out to be based upon lies.

The story is told through Shakespeare’s interactions with other characters such as his acting company, which initially disagrees with what he has written. As Shakespeare struggles to write the play, he cleverly yanks Macbeth from a discard pile of his work just in time to present something pleasing to the king.

The set for Equivocation is simple and effective, taking place in various locales around London, England in 1606. Set transitions were practical and done by the actors themselves. The general set was fairly transparent and aided in functioning as various locations — from the theatre company’s practice room to a London court room.

To swtich scenes or show the passage of time, very interesting techniques were used. At one point when Shakespeare is working on the play, pieces of paper fall from the roof in a random fashion to show the progression of his work.

The cast is made up of a total of six actors: five men and one woman.

Shakespeare and his daughter Judith remain the same actors throughout the story while the other four switch between various roles — sometimes with very little

STEPHEN RUTHERFORD

Equivocation presents a cast of six actors, some of whom switch between various roles multiple times. costume notice or change.

The character transitions were very clear to the audience — distinct, smooth and at times humorous. One memorable moment has a member of Shakespeare’s acting troupe trading roles to become another character, Cecil Rhodes, without the audience’s notice. The switch livens up the scene entirely as the remaining characters respond to the change.

The changing roles were definitely an asset to the play, as they allowed for various perspectives to be brought in. As Shakespeare’s actors begin to work on the play that he is writing, the audience also gets to experience a ‘play within a play’ effect both amusing and powerful.

The interactions between the protagonist and the other characters reveal much about Shakespeare’s character, including surprising elements like a shallow relationship with his daughter after losing his only son — a twist with strong feminist undertones. Knowing additional outside information about Shakespeare and his life is beneficial to the viewer, but not necessary.

Written by Bill Cain, the current run of Equivocation is the Canadian

premiere. Cain is the founder of the Boston Shakespeare Company and has been awarded for his work on various occasions.

The casting for this rendition of Equivocation was extremely suitable and accurate. The actors chosen for the numerous characters were able to fit their multiple roles effortlessly, including convincing accents and appearances that were similar to how an audience would imagine the various historical characters to look.

Costuming was modest, often dressing the four changing actors in t-shirts and jeans with accessories to denote character switches. Shakespeare and his daughter Judith wore more traditional attire, fitting with the time period.

The simplicity of the costumes allowed for such fluidity between characters and also let the audience pay closer attention to the acting and the story’s message rather than elaborate embellishments.

Running at about two hours and 20 minutes in length, Equivocation captured and held the audience’s attention. Thrilling scenes such as public hangings and heated arguments kept the plot moving forward,

adding tension and complexity between characters.

Equivocation has elements of comedy and tragedy combined, drawing certain aspects of theatre from some of Shakespeare’s plays and using the audience’s knowledge of those to the story’s advantage. Sly, almost snarky remarks were made toward Shakespeare himself — including a joke about how people would debate his existence in the future.

The plot presents a more serious tone through the treasonous conspiracy, at times akin to a dark thriller. Going beyond chronicling history’s most famous playwright at work, Equivocation also reveals themes of a conflict many artists experience: appeasing others or moral obligation.

On the main stage at Persephone Theatre until March 30, ticket information and show times for Equivocation can be found at persephonetheatre.org.

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CULTURE

20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

13

Marianas Trench guitarist Matt Webb tours Canada solo WILLIAM LOUISON

Matt Webb, lead guitarist of Marianas Trench, is taking advantage of some downtime between albums to work on a few solo projects and tour across Canada.

On Feb. 4 Webb released Right Direction, his second solo EP. All six tracks — two of which are exclusive to the digital copy — were written

by Webb after his first EP Coda and Jacket debuted in 2011.

While the writing process took some time for Webb, recording the tracks happened fairly quickly.

“We put [Right Direction] together in about a month or so,” Webb said. “I’ve got a pretty tight schedule, so it’s really when the Marianas Trench album cycle kind of slows down a little bit that I have the time to devote to some of my stuff.”

Apart from playing guitar, the EP features Webb on lead vocals — something he doesn’t do with Marianas Trench. Webb also teamed up with a few old friends to make the EP happen and the result has been quite successful.

“I wanted music that was based around the guitar and is raw and organic,” Webb said. “I wanted to be able to hear individual performances and breaths and mistakes and that kind of stuff, unlike the slick pop-rock that Marianas Trench does.”

To promote the album, Webb is touring Canada during March. He kicked things off on March 5 in Hamilton, Ont. and the tour will end in Vancouver, B.C. on March 27, with stops in Regina and Saskatoon on March 16 and 18 respectively.

Webb has described his solo shows as a completely different experience than a Marianas Trench show. This evolution has certainly been a change for Webb, especially since he is playing his solo shows at smaller venues.

“I can chat with the crowd, crack jokes and really connect on a more individual level,” Webb said. “It’s stuff we used to do in the early days

SUPPLIED

Matt Webb expands his solo career with a new album and a tour across Canada. of Marianas Trench, but we can’t really now because of the size of everything.”

More than anything, Webb is grateful for the opportunity to have some of his own work in the spotlight. He grew up on solo performances, so in a lot of ways Right Direction and its supporting tour allow Webb to go back to his roots. The support from fans has been incredible and is what has allowed Webb to pursue extra projects like this.

“The crowd response has been awesome,” Webb said of the first few shows in Ontario.

“We’ve got a great fan base coming out and singing along. I couldn’t be happier on stage.

I’m getting to do what I love every night and it’s something a little bit different.”

Webb views his solo music as a side project and seems perfectly content to keep it that way.

“Obviously, Marianas is my number one

and so I need to be there for that whenever I can,” Webb said.

Without revealing any details, Webb has confirmed that Marianas Trench is currently working on a new album. Webb plans to get back in the studio with the rest of the band once he wraps up his solo tour.

Visit the Matt Webb Facebook page for more information on his tour dates and solo career.

the ultimate challenge in defeating a complex and demanding video game should not play The Stick of Truth, which sees a large percentage of obstacles solved by farting on characters.

The game opens with a theatrical reimagining of the 1978 Lord of the Rings cartoon starring and narrated by the Wizard King — played by the show’s Eric Cartman — as he slays the filthy drow elves to gain control of the Stick of Truth.

“Whoever controls the Stick, controls the Universe,” the Wizard King says. The prophecies have foretold that the coming of the New Kid will decide the fate of the land of Zaron.

You are the New Kid. Your family has just

moved to this “quiet mountain town” to escape from something left unexplained. Your character is eerily silent throughout the game, not answering any questions or voicing any opinions.

Your father forces you to go out and make some new friends. Without wasting any time, you go outside to rescue Butters Stotch as he is attacked by an elf. Butters becomes your friend and introduces you to the Wizard King — ­ and everything just gets more and more ridiculous from here.

“What is your name, New Kid?” asks the Wizard King, to which I typed, “Braden.” The Wizard King replies with “Oh, your name is

Douchebag, is that right? Welcome Douchebag, to the Koopa Keep Kingdom!”

You have now officially become a part of the KKK. You can choose to play as one of four classes: Warrior, Mage, Thief or Jew. The classes and acronym for the kingdom seem crass, but those familiar with the show’s humour won’t be surprised.

The game itself follows a relatively linear pattern, disallowing huge amounts of exploration or deviation from the main storyline. Through forcing a linear pattern, the theatrical scenes are kept in order and progress much like the South Park cartoon.

The writers of the game almost dare the player to try and explore random houses — one of the doors I tried opened to a man in a latex mask sodomizing a horse. The Stick of Truth is excessively foul, inappropriate and politically incorrect.

Unlike the titular Nintendo 64 South Park game, released in 1998, The Stick of Truth is not a first-person shooter and relies instead on a turnbased approach to combat similar to the Final Fantasy series or Pokemon.

For much of the game you are paired with a companion — Butters, Stan, Kenny and Jimmy to name a few — and wander the streets of South Park completing quests, upgrading your armour or weapons and fighting elves, meth-heads, rabid dogs and sixth graders — all while completing simple puzzles with interactive problem solving techniques.

Whether or not you are a fan of the show, you will find yourself laughing out loud as the storyline progresses from a group of kids live action role playing with household supplies as weapons to battling Nazi zombies that have taken over the town after a contamination of the local water supply by alien goo.

Things escalate rather quickly in this quiet mountain town, and The Stick of Truth delivers its fair share of inappropriate and ridiculous situations.

South Park: The Stick of Truth delivers classic obscenity BRADEN HURSH

Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s foul-mouthed elementary schoolers have returned to the video game scene in Ubisoft’s Games South Park: The Stick of Truth, which lives up to South Park’s reputation for bold humour and often feels more like watching the show than playing a video game.

The Stick of Truth does not require any exceptional pre-existing skills besides the ability to follow prompts and have patience for looking in every drawer, closet, garage and pile of garbage for usable items. Gamers looking for

South Park: A Stick of Truth provides both ridiculous concepts and humour to the player.

GAMES PRESS

14

CULTURE

20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

Our Country’s Good puts the story back in history MADISON TAYLOR Debuting at the Greystone Theatre on March 19, Our Country’s Good marks the end of another prosperous season for the University of Saskatchewan’s drama department.

Written by Timberlake Wertenbaker, this historically accurate drama takes place in the late 1700s and follows the tale of a British fleet transporting a ship full of criminals to the shores of Australia — with a Shakespearean twist.

Though first and foremost a ‘play within a play,’ Our Country’s Good is also the story of an aspiring military lieutenant, the hardships of life in the Australian outback and the invaluable influence of the arts upon civilization.

The choice to perform a play highlighting the importance of the arts within humanity comes at a crucial time in U of S history.

“It was at a pinnacle time when the university was undergoing drastic changes and people were wondering where the arts stood in the university and in people’s lives,” said Kody Manson, a third year drama student at the U of S who is also in the play.

Despite the cuts that many drama programs have received at the hand of the TransformUS movement, Manson believes that the department will continue to stand strong due to the efforts of its tightly knit faculty and student body. The dramatic arts have proven themselves to be a uniquely powerful fixture in academic culture — a factor that ensures the drama department will remain a vital asset in the future of the university and the student community.

“It will be interesting to see what next year holds,” Manson said. “But if we did get brought down in funding, I think the student body itself is very strong and very determined to do its own projects and stay

JORDAN DUMBA/ PHOTO EDITOR

Greystone Theatre showcases a group of talented young actors in Our Country’s Good.

involved. Some of us have discussed doing our own student productions next year and having some fun with that.”

Manson stars in the play as the gruff, mustachioed Captain Jemmy Campbell.

“Jemmy comes across as basically communicating through grunts and improbable versions of speech with a very heavy Scottish accent. He is a military man who has been through a great deal of war and trouble. He’s a man’s man,” Manson said.

The dedication that the drama department pours into a full-scale production such as Our Country’s Good is truly astounding. It takes deeply devoted actors to go to the lengths that the cast did in order to place themselves in their characters shoes.

“We spent one of our rehearsals inside a hot yoga studio to understand what the temperature would be like in Australia,” Manson said. “And a few weeks after that we decided to do a 36 hour fast for the play, because on the eight month journey across the sea our characters were on limited rations.

“At some point you start having troubles even focusing in class and you think ‘How could you possibly build a colony in a foreign country when you can’t even think straight?’”

In addition to its dedicated cast, Our Country’s Good sports a script that is both amusing and enlightening.

Though its roots may lie in British history, the play is blissfully free of any trace of dry commentary. It is a story that displays the advantage of optimism amidst suffering and proves the value of the dramatic arts in society, simultaneously expressing to the audience the enduring beauty and worth of creativity in even the darkest of times.

“You go home at the end of the day and realize that you learnt something about yourself that you never knew before,” Manson said. “It is great to have a space where you can test your own personal boundaries and just grow as a person. I strongly encourage anyone who has the opportunity to take an introductory class.”

Whether you are a self-proclaimed history buff, an advocate of the arts or simply someone with nothing to do on a weeknight, Our Country’s Good is well worth the price of admission. Prepare for an evening of encore-worthy acting, lavish costumes and extravagant facial hair.

Showing at the Greystone Theatre from March 19-29, tickets for Our Country’s Good are $15 for students, $17 for seniors and $20 for adults. Arts.usask.ca/drama/greystone/ can be visited for further information on the production.

The Ides empowers local musicians K.S. McCUTCHEON

On March 15 local musicians took to the stage, promoting their work at The Underground Cafe for an event called The Ides. Artists included Quinzee Town, Lindsay Anderson, Anna Haverstock of Six Moons Later and Sonorific performing for an impressive audience of 82 people.

The Ides presents new opportunities for artists, such as being Anderson’s first paid show and Sonorific’s debut performance under that name.

Aiming to instill confidence in young female talent, The Ides empowers female ambition in a way that is subtle as males were also involved in the show.

“The more women are encouraged to do anything, the more women will do everything. Think about it — there are more women in music than in politics,” said Brenda Jackson, a member of Quinzee Town.

Quinzee Town started with roommates Jackson and Kathryn Imrie and has recently made the move from their living room to the stage. Influenced by the band Ween and music from the 60s, Quinzee Town plays one to two shows each month and recently auditioned for the Ness Creek 2014 music festival.

On the other hand, Sonorific classifies their music as free-association rock-androll. They write most of their own songs, as the only cover played at The Ides was “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Anderson has not yet categorized her music, preferring to leave it open to the audience to determine what her genre is.

“I invite the audience to attend my shows in order to know and understand what I sound like,” Anderson said.

Anderson’s sister Emma Jean Anderson

Upcoming Events Thursday March 20 • The Blackout City Kids at Rock Bottom • Cover the Nights with the Pxrtals at Amigos • Latin Dance Night at Louis’ • Sprïng with Comments and Concerns at Vangelis • Steve Dawson at The Bassment Friday March 21 • DJ Charly Hustle at O’Brians • Head Hits Concrete with Cetascean, Denogginizer and Narcissistic at Amigos • Rosie and the Riveters at The Bassment Saturday March 22 • Absofunkinlutely at Vangelis • Misterfire and friends at Rock Bottom • Moroccan Cooking Workshops with Chef Musthapha Sadki at Ecole Canadienne-Francaise • Saskatoon Symphony: An Orchestral Toy Story at Elim Church • Tim Hicks with guests at O’Brians • U of S Amati Quartet at Third Avenue United Church • Untimely Demise with Vulture Kult and Singularity at Amigos • Vocal Jazz Series: Solstice at The Bassment Sunday March 23 • Greystone Singers Spring Concert at Knox United Church • Islands with Escondido at Amigos • New Country Rehab at Village Guitar • Phillip Phillips at TCU Place Monday March 24 • Scene Slam at Louis’

Artists involved in The Ides performed at The Underground Cafe. also performed as a member of Sonorific.

The Anderson sisters emphasize the support they have for each other and the importance of honesty when critiquing each other’s music.

Each of The Ides’ performers encouraged one another in multiple ways, removing any competition and replacing it with balance and cooperation.

“Every artist has their own sound — why compete with that? If the artist has a different sound and is doing what they want to do, then embrace and support them,” Lindsay said.

Jackson further stated that performers should not strive to be other musicians — instead, they should want to play with other musicians. The musicians at The Ides emphasize that artists should simply sing how they sing and embrace their own talent.

Emma highlights her interest in embracing other arts in addition to music.

She is working on developing alternative performance events — combining music with actors, visual artists and unfolding narratives. She aims to destroy the narrative

KATIE KOZAK

in order to catch the audience’s attention and keep them listening by having a positive stage presence.

“I love all sorts of creativity. They mutually feed each other,” said Emma. “The more energy you give, the more energy you get.”

Her sister adds that creativity connects people, allowing the audience to experience what the artist is feeling.

Emma tries to send out a certain vibe that she wishes to receive in return when performing. She also asks herself how she would like to add to people’s experiences and tries to affect her audience’s lives in progressive ways through musical experience.

Both Anderson sisters are drawn to the city and the artistic community of Saskatoon.

They have discovered unwavering support from the community and a welcoming space to connect and collaborate with others. As Emma states that she is drawn to the city for unexplainable reasons, Lindsay emphasizes that the comfort and positivity of the city influence her to call Saskatoon home.

Tuesday March 25 • Carsick Cars with White+, Powder Blue and DJ Loud Panda at Vangelis • Babysitter with Hag Face, Haunted Souls and Phalec Baldwin at Beaumont Film & Record • Johnny Broadway’s Record Club at Vangelis • Toonie Tuesdays at Louis’ Wednesday March 26 • Blues Society presents James Buddy Rogers at Vangelis • Literature Matters at Grace-Westminster United Church • Travis Tritt at TCU Place

15 Sprïng rebrands themselves with Celebrations CULTURE

20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

KATLYNN BALDERSTONE

Vancouver-based band Sprïng has decided to change both their sound and name with the release of their new album, appropriately named Celebrations.

Previously known as SSRIs, this is the first album since their rebranding last year. Celebrations presents a delightfully eclectic collection of songs, very different from the SSRI’s previous hardcore style.

The band was first formed in 2006 with Elliot Langford and Joseph Hirabayashi and expanded to include current band members Kevin Romain and Ridley Bishop. Under the name SSRIs they released four LPs in limited runs, one of which was distributed exclusively online in 2008.

Celebrations lets the audience know right away to expect the unexpected. The first song on the album, “To Accuse” goes from classic to hard rock and back within the first ten seconds. Even after it settles into softer lyrics and melody, the track doesn’t lose any of the driving beat and loudness. It may not seem like such a combination and variation of styles could work but it is very successful.

Much of the album continues in this manner, blending quiet, harmonious

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Previously known as SSRIs, Sprïng has released a new album that redefines their sound. melodies and instruments with frantic and angry guitar and drums. The style mimics the lyrics themselves, describing dark and often disturbing themes with soft vocals.

The sound is almost like a lullabye, provided that one doesn’t listen closely to the actual words.

A strong example, “Pax Calx” has fewer

loud portions to help focus on the haunting lyrics such as “By the time you read this/ They’ll have turned the air to stone/Every particle a pebble/Your lungs will feel like bone.”

Celebrations is disjointed, conflicted and exactly how one would envision the emotions of a person going through a

everyone is always “busy.” Mark is “really busy,” but appears to just be sitting in a car. Lisa is “really busy,” but then invites another character in for a drink anyways.

Wiseau started the conversation by saying that he was “busy” and only had ten minutes for an interview — which led to nearly an hour of conversation.

There may however be more to the ramshackle design of The Room. Some might say that its overuse of certain cinematic cues — like panning shots of the Golden Gate Bridge between almost every scene — make a statement of the stale and overused staples of the movie business.

“People now say, ‘Oh, this is bad, this is good.’ They just don’t understand,” Wiseau said. “This has been done by creation on a certain level. It was a vision; if you don’t have vision, you have no creation.”

Perhaps The Room really is simply a symbolic masterpiece, as yet unrecognized in the cinematic community for the artistic expression that it holds.

During screenings of The Room, the audience is known to throw plastic spoons every time a framed picture of a spoon is onscreen — yes, there are more than a few.

Wiseau explained that there is symbolism behind this act.

“What this means is that plastic is not good for us, because they use it to make chemicals. But the kind that [they make now], it doesn’t harm you anymore like it used to,” Wiseau said, going on to speculate that the first object many babies pick up is a spoon. “It’s about life.”

If you’re wondering who exactly Tommy Wiseau is besides the creative spirit of a bad movie, your guess is as good as any.

Wiseau is incredibly secretive about his life, choosing to not reveal his country of origin or birth year and denying group statements of the events during the production of the film including the accusations that he never actually had a full script written — hence the reason he only gave actors several pages at a time.

Wiseau even claims in an interview with The Gonzo that Greg Sestero’s The Disaster Artist, a biographical account of the director written by one of the actors on set, was only 50 per cent true.

According to The Disaster Artist, Wiseau fled Communist Bloc Europe and went through a troubling period of strife and violence, working in a sex shop to save money to move to America. After immigrating, he studied psychology and amassed a considerable fortune by selling toys and clothing under a business called Street Fashions. He then supposedly used his profits to fund his directorial debut The Room.

The ambiguous mystery of Wiseau’s history only adds to the absurdity of his film, which is perhaps why a movie of such poor quality can appear so attractive.

Despite its reviews — or perhaps in light of them — this is not a film to be missed.

crisis. This makes the themes of tragedy rather appropriate, sometimes offering comfort and a chance to cry and at other times rage and a chance to yell — two elements repeated in multiple songs.

If you are new to Sprïng or unfamiliar with their previous incarnation, then it is very likely that this album will be different from anything you have heard.

It would be incorrect to say that Sprïng shows they know how to experiment on this album. Rather, the band has finished all their experimenting and know exactly how to take their work in multiple directions to make it appealing. If you want to find an enjoyable Canadian band to follow, then Sprïng comes highly recommended.

Celebrations is an album dedicated to moments where you either don’t know how to feel or end up feeling multiple emotions at once. Equal parts loud and wistful, this band’s reimagining has hit the nail on the head and Celebrations is definitely an album that deserves to stand out from the crowd.

Currently on a tour of Western Canada, Sprïng will be playing in Saskatoon at Vangelis on March 20. Tickets are available at the door.

Tommy Wiseau and The Room redefine bad films ANDREW COOPER

Art and the artist are at times so inseparable that the audience can have a hard time distinguishing between the two.

In no case is this as valid a claim as it is with Tommy Wiseau, mastermind behig cult classic The Room.

Set in San Francisco, The Room follows a successful banker named Johnny lives with his fiancé Lisa in a townhouse. The actual “room” is never determined — the film was supposedly meant to be a stage performance, where the name certainly makes better sense. A tale of seduction and distrust, The Room takes the audience on a spastic joyride that either leaves them demanding more or their money back.

The best thing about Wiseau’s 2003 movie is its ability to be the most adored of any film among its fans, while at the same time remaining one of the most poorly executed artistic expressions of all time. This is not simply an opinion; Entertainment Weekly has dubbed the film “the Citizen Kane of bad movies” — a sentiment shared by dozens of publications.

Despite a terrible reputation, The Room has become a cult classic with screenings selling out across North America.

Attendees treat the event like a screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show by dressing up, reading lines verbatim and even yelling “focus!” whenever a scene is, well, out of focus.

There are many things people don’t understand about The Room. The delivery of the script has actors range from being incompetent to disturbingly sociopathic.

Take one of Lisa’s lines for example: “I’m going to do what I want to do and that’s it.

What do you think I should do?”

Wiseau is aware of the criticisms he’s received for the film and his interviews reflect a certain insecurity in his art.

“They use the language, for example,” Wiseau said of reporters’ critiques. “Some of the reporters, they say, ‘Well people don’t talk like that.’ Well I got news for them; that’s an incorrect statement. I traveled all over the world, you know, and same in America and I noticed people actually talk like that.”

One of the quirks of the film is that

Tommy Wiseau has received a lot of criticism for The Room despite its popularity.

Continuing Scholarships Apply online by June 1 students.usask.ca/awards

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16

OPINIONS

Give a fuck and vote 20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

GABE SENECAL

Public participation in Canada, such as voting in elections, has plummeted in recent years and young people are especially likely to be disengaged. Current voter turnout speaks toward the general sense of indifference among today’s youth.

The last five federal elections have had the lowest voter turnouts since Confederation. Yes, the voters of today are embarrassingly the most apathetic in 150 years of Canadian history.

Voter turnout has always varied election to election but in recent decades has fallen significantly. Since the year 2000, electoral voter turnout has been more than 15 per cent lower than it was in the 1950s and 60s. The 2011 election saw a slight increase from the 2008 turnout, but still remained at a dismal 61 per cent.

For federal elections, 61 per cent is low. But at other levels of government far lower turnouts have been seen.

In the 2012 Saskatoon Municipal Election, only 36 per cent of registered voters chose to cast their vote.

Aside from indicating apathy, low electoral turnout also allows special interest groups or certain demographics to have their views overrepresented in the political system. An obvious example is income, where wealthy households are far more likely to vote.

The Willows, one of Saskatoon’s wealthiest neighbourhoods, had the city’s highest electoral turnout at 67 per cent in the 2012 Saskatoon city election. The lowest turnout was nine per cent at the Pleasant Hill polling station, where the average household income is less than a fifth of the average household income from the Willows according to statistics from the City of Saskatoon. The obvious differences in the electoral power of these two neighbourhoods is bad news for a democracy meant to give all citizens an equal say.

Income is only one of many factors that

CODY SCHUMACHER/GRAPHICS EDITOR

correlate with uneven participation in elections.

The 2011 federal election saw people under 24 years of age vote at a rate 20 per cent less than the national average. Youth participation in elections, like turnout rates proportional to income levels, is a problem that needs to be solved for elections to be considered truly representational of a society’s desires.

It should be important to a community for all members to have equal say in chosen representatives. Obviously if certain demographics are lagging behind, the best way to increase turnout would be to encourage them to vote. Unfortunately, a recent piece of federal legislation claiming to address low voter turnout does exactly the opposite.

The Fair Elections Act, a recently proposed piece of federal legislation restructuring how elections work and how Elections Canada

runs, has provided much material for political columnists across the country. One of the many changes it includes would make it a great deal more difficult for Elections Canada to promote voting to demographics that have low electoral participation, including students and young people.

The Fair Elections Act controversially proposes that voters cannot vouch for each other to prove that they live in an electoral district, making it even more difficult for students to vote in elections than it already is.

At a time when civic engagement is at an all time low, it is a rather backwards piece of legislation that would make it harder to vote instead of easier.

When young people don’t even bother to vote in elections, political parties and candidates have little incentive to campaign to them or

from professors who are already stretched thin.

If I’m going to be paying more for the same services, professors should at least have to learn our names — just saying.

Since 2010, average tuition at the U of S has gone up a cumulative total of 17.3 per cent according to an article in the StarPhoenix on Mar. 11 — 5.2 per cent in the 2010-11 school year, 3.2 per cent in the 2011-12 school year, 4.4 per cent in the 2012-13 school year and 4.5 per

cent for this past 2013-14 year.

For the 2014-15 budget and rates, tuition is set to go up an average of 4.5 per cent depending on the college. The only college that isn’t seeing an increase is the College of Dentistry, whose students already pay over $30,000 a year in tuition. Yikes.

The average U of S student will be paying over 20 per cent more for this next year of school than what they paid back in 2010 for the same services and programs — assuming their programs haven’t been reduced or cut altogether.

We are not getting anything for this extra cash and this needs to change.

Our university is slowly and surely chipping away at the projected deficit in 2016 of $44.5 million dollars by raising tuition and cutting hundreds of jobs and programs. Wait, why do we all still go here?

What in hell has the U of S done for its students in the last decade that’s of benefit to us?

Sure, we are able to get the degrees we pay for and we get a subsidized bus pass — which we still pay for — but what are the benefits of going to an institution that doesn’t seem to truly value its clientele?

Generally speaking, the U of S offers a service to students. In this case, that service is a higher education necessary to enter many jobs and careers. While I won’t dispute the notion that higher learning has intrinsic value in itself, I will say that going to university would be a royal waste of time if a student wasn’t hoping to better him or herself for job prospects at the end of it.

In any other walk of life, if you were to become dissatisfied with the service you were receiving, you’d take your business elsewhere.

While I won’t speak for other students, I highly suspect that I’m not alone in feeling that this institution isn’t fulfilling all of my needs —

create policies benefitting the young, further discouraging youth from participating in our political system in a vicious cycle.

The federal and provincial elections in 2015 will give many University of Saskatchewan students the opportunity to vote for the first time, either because they didn’t vote in 2011 or because they were too young to cast a ballot.

Young people should ensure their voices are being heard — both to influence the elections and to tell politicians that the youth should not be neglected in politics.

Now I realize that my vote has — from a statistical standpoint — little effect on the turnout or the result. But I still vote in elections because I believe it’s better to be part of the solution than the problem. Voting isn’t usually an arduous process, no matter what the level, so I see no reason not to participate.

Of course there are many ways to participate in your community aside from voting. Group organizations, volunteer groups and even campus clubs all positively benefit a community in one way or another. Aside from the warm, fuzzy feeling you get from volunteering or the fun you may have at a student organization’s beer night, getting involved can pay dividends far into your future.

Students at the U of S have the ability to cast their ballot and have their voice heard this very month. The U of S Students’ Union election for Executives, Members of Student Council, and for University Senate runs from 9 a.m. on Mar. 26 to 4 p.m. Mar. 27. Voting is done online through PAWS and takes less than 30 seconds, so there is no excuse to not vote.

The 2013 USSU election saw only 23 per cent of undergraduates vote. Thankfully voter turnout is on the rise in USSU elections, from 16 per cent in 2012 and eight per cent in 2011.

It should not be nearly that low considering the effort it takes to cast a ballot.

So give a fuck about your country, your community and students union: vote.

Tuition costs more than cold hard cash TRAVIS HOMENUK Opinions Editor

Tuition at the University of Saskatchewan continues to increase and university students continue to take it on the chin — but what are we getting for all of this extra money we’re paying?

The short answer to this question is a whole bunch of nothing. If anything, we’re paying more money and getting less classes offered

CODY SCHUMACHER/GRAPHICS EDITOR

nor does it seem to be willing to give students an incentive to stick around.

Isn’t it surely time that U of S students protested in some way? Even within the entire TransformUs process, students and faculty have tried time and time again to have their voices heard in order to ignite a change to save this sinking ship before we all drown — and have we seen changes? No. Attending Town Hall meetings this year and last was so frustrating in that a student or professor would bring forth a compelling and legitimate point, only to have the facilitator or administrator say something to the effect of “we will talk more about this,” or “we need to think more on that.” The implied translations of both phrases can be summarized as “thanks for speaking, but we’re still going to do whatever we want because we have the power.”

Speaking of those who have power, the U of S actually receives the vast majority of its operating budget from the Government of Saskatchewan. Maybe this is more of an issue with the Wall government than it is one that has to do solely with our institution. Since the Saskatchewan Party has been in control, we haven’t had the tuition freeze that the NDP government previously had in place when Lorne Calvert was in charge.

Let’s stand up to those in power and make some changes around here. It’s all fine and dandy to have our University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union executives speaking out against tuition increases — because that makes them look like they’re actually doing their jobs — but are their words doing anything to change the inevitable? Nope. It’s all about publicity.

I vote we stop talking and actually take some action. They did it in Quebec, so there’s no reason why we can’t do it here.

OPINIONS

17

Homeless people are still people 20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

TAB RAHMAN Copy Editor

Homelessness has been one of the most talked about issues in Canada in recent years. All political parties have some sort of platform that aims to address it. However, it seems that the options provided by the government are more band-aid solutions than policies that actually tackle the problems at the source.

At the heart of the issue is the idea that homeless people are not usually perceived as actual people, deserving of respect and attention to the nuances of their different plights. They are seen as non-contributing members of society who are incompetent, lazy, careless or severely mentally ill.

Those who are mentally ill are even more harshly judged; their illnesses are dismissed or ignored. Paradoxically, society tends to see most or all homeless people as a little bit “off” mentally. Our society as a whole more often than not sees homeless people as nuisances in our day-to-day lives rather than humans who should be understood and empathized with.

An example of this outlook came to media attention through a Facebook group called “Creature Sightings,” where users upload photos or videos of themselves with homeless people. These users are not filming themselves helping the homeless people, mind you, but rather ridiculing and mocking them. A similar dehumanization revolves around sightings of so-called “creatures” at Walmarts across the country.

A group of boys posted a video in the Facebook group that showed them approach a homeless man reading a book in downtown Calgary. They repeatedly asked him where he got the book and how he could read — all in a mock Steve Irwin accent, of course.

CODY SCHUMACHER/GRAPHICS EDITOR

They also called him a “creature,” saying things such as, “You are a magnificent specimen, you know that creature?”

Though there were many who spoke out to condemn the video and what it represented, there were more people who found it absolutely hilarious, saying that the boys were doing nothing wrong by mocking the man and his life decisions that led him to the streets It’s disturbing to think that people find the verbal abuse of a disenfranchised person to be funny. These are people who very

rarely have a voice in our society and the Facebook group clearly shows there are many who would rather mock them than ask them about how society can help bring them back into the fold.

According to a keynote speech by J. David Hulchanski at the University of Calgary, the top two reasons why people become homeless excludes the factor many people may give for why they think someone is homeless — mental illness, which accounts for less than five per cent of the homeless population.

The list does include inability to pay rent due to inadequate income and domestic conflicts or abuse. These two reasons alone account for 79 per cent of the people who require assistance from shelters or are out on the streets.

It is also important to recognize that 20 per cent of the homeless population are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual or transgendered youth. That is a staggering percentage for a country that prides itself on its provision of LGBTQ rights on equal bases with all other human rights.

The Canadian Homelessness Research Network says that 200,000 people annually go without stable homes. This number does not include the hidden homeless, people who crash on friends’ couches or who stay with their families on temporary bases because they have no other places to go.

Statistics like these are rising every year and the demographic at risk is no longer just men ages 21-45. Canada is seeing an increase in single mothers, the elderly and, worryingly, Aboriginals — a demographic already over-represented in the homeless population — on the streets and without permanent residences each year.

Additionally, there needs to be more awareness of the fact that most homeless

people are not simply mentally ill, as is often asserted, and therefore “beyond help” in some way.

They are regular functioning members of society who hold jobs, have friends and family and contribute to their communities.

The catch is that they are unable to pay for housing, very often even if they hold jobs.

That is a feeling a lot of us certainly can empathise with — several of us know the feeling of fearing whether or not we can afford rent and groceries in the same month and then in the next and then the next.

The government needs to expand the scope of affordable housing and related programs — employment, job training, unemployment insurance, income assistance, etc. — and give people the resources to regain their lives or start to have the lives they are entitled to. For the people who are mentally ill and on the street, there needs to be assistance programs, places of care and safety that cater to their needs.

Regardless of what the government does, we can at the very least all give our respect to the homeless within our communities and treat them with the dignity with which we should treat all human beings. This should not just end with denouncing things like the “Creature Sightings” Facebook group.

Putting ourselves in the perspectives of others and seeing the hardships they are facing are important further actions to take.

The question is: how do we show this to groups in society so desensitized that they cannot even bring themselves to understand that the homeless are humans and not “creatures”?

This is an important consideration as we continue to think about how the root causes of poverty and homelessness themselves can be eliminated.

A different view on feminism EMILY WRIGHT The Carillon (University of Regina)

REGINA (CUP) — As a member of our species born with two X-chromosomes, it’s fair to assume that I would be all in favour of a movement like feminism that empowers and liberates people like me, right?

After all, there are many definitions of feminism, but at its bare bones feminism is essentially just the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities in political, economic and social situations. That doesn’t seem too crazy or too radical.

But here’s the thing: as a female, I do feel equal in society. I have the right to vote. I have a job. I attend school. I’m a normal, functioning human being, just like everyone else.

Am I the exception to the rule? Maybe.

But I’m not just saying that I feel equal with men to support my opinion. It’s the truth.

I study film and video production at the University of Regina, a program that is largely dominated by men. Most of my classes have a lot of men in them and I am almost always in the minority as a female.

But being one of the only girls in a class doesn’t make me feel like I’m oppressed, or like I am a victim of patriarchy. I have never once felt disadvantaged or looked down upon by my peers for being a woman.

The guys in my program have never excluded me from working on projects, from social events or from voicing my opinion in class. I never feel objectified or sexualized just for being a woman in a

room full of men. We’re all just students and we are all equals — shocker!

My problem with feminism is not that I don’t believe in equal rights for men and women. Of course I do. My problem with feminism is the way that some people seem to go about seeking this equality. I do not believe that celebrating and liberating one group of people while ignoring — or even going so far as to despise — the other is the right way to go about things.

We hear a lot of talk about things like male privilege, with the internet continually imploring white heterosexual males to “check their privilege,” or to remember that the physical body and the life that you were born into allows you a certain amount of privilege in the world.

But what about female privilege? Was I really born at such a disadvantage just because of what’s between my legs?

You rarely hear women being scorned for using their inherent femininity to their advantage. A guy flirting with a police officer to get out of a speeding ticket would be labeled as a sexist pig, but when I bat my eyelashes and giggle at a cop and drive away with no ticket — true story — it’s just a cute anecdote.

When a guy goes to the bar with the intention of finding a girl, he’s disgusting and sex-crazed. When I put on a push-up bra and mile-high heels in an attempt to potentially score some free drinks, I’m empowered.

When women drool over guys with chiseled jawlines and six-pack abs, they just have high standards and know what they like in a man.

Let’s not forget the day when half of the female population of Regina, Sask.

What is your take on feminism? lost their minds because Channing Tatum was rumoured to be in town. If guys got that worked up about the possibility of seeing a sexy female celebrity, they would be scorned for acting like sex-obsessed cavemen.

I’m sick of people telling me that I need feminism. I loathe the way that other girls look down on me for saying that I don’t really believe in feminism. I hate the glares that my female friends give me when I tell them I’m hanging out alone with my male friends.

I despise the way that my female professor makes eye contact with me the entire time she talks about feminism in a class full of men, automatically assuming

FREDRIKRYNDE/FLICKR

that my beliefs align with hers because of my gender.

I can’t stand the stereotypes that all men are sexist or rapists, nor the belief that someone opening a door for me is offensive or misogynistic.

Am I an advocate for women’s rights?

Of course. But I like to think that I’m an advocate for everyone’s rights regardless of gender, orientation, religious denomination, race or anything else.

Our society shouldn’t continually try to divide itself into us vs. them. I don’t hate feminists, or the movement of feminism. I just don’t believe in liberating one gender by disenfranchising another.

18 OPINIONS Pro-life message lacks empathy and perspective 20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

ALLISON BARLOW

These last few weeks, the Arts Tunnel has been home to a special interest group seemingly trying its hardest to alienate any potential supporters. Around this time of year, a group of pro-life students makes an annuall appearance and causes you to question the wisdom of juxtaposing fetus dioramas with Timbits.

It’s never done much for my appetite but fortunately for them getting more donuts into our diets is not their end goal.

The pro-life movement believes that life begins at conception and thus, abortions are wrong. This is why they often set up shop around the same time the University of Saskatchewan’s Students’ Union Women’s Centre has a display for prochoice week.

This group promotes their views using fetus dioramas intended to bring your attention to the biological development of a fetus. Given that the group is pro-life, it’s fairly obvious that they want you to look at the stages of fetal development and be struck by how human-like fetuses are.

This revolutionary idea might leave you stunned — if you failed biology.

You’ll forgive me for not standing in awe of the fact that a typical fetus of a given species will resemble said species during development. Nevertheless, the emphasis is on the perceived humanity of the fetuses with no statistics, pamphlets, studies or information immediately available in regards to the topic.

The intended effect is rather straightforward. These pro-life supporters seem to want women who are considering abortions to experience doubt and change their minds. A side-effect of their methods

JORDAN DUMBA/ PHOTO EDITOR

The pro-choice table stands in stark contrast to the pro-life table in the Arts Tunnel.

— intentional or unintentional — is the message to women who have had abortions that they should feel guilty for their actions.

The message here is simple: abortions are bad. Full stop. No exceptions.

What you think about abortions is your opinion. I’m more interested in the implied part of that statement at the moment — the part that says that you should feel bad for having an abortion in the first place.

According to studies conducted by Dr. Wendy Norman of the University of British Columbia and statistics from the Sexual Assault Centre for the Hamilton

area in Ontario, one in three Canadian women will have an abortion and one in four will be sexually assaulted in their life times.

Simply put, you likely know a woman who has had an abortion and/or has been raped. I know someone who meets the second criteria. When my mom was in high school she went out on a date with a guy and he raped her. While she didn’t become pregnant, she did later get diagnosed with depression because of it.

My focus is on the women for whom those statistics overlap. The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reports that around 32,000 pregnancies per year in the United States are the result of rape and approximately 50 per cent of those pregnancies are subsequently terminated.

While those are American statistics, the occurrence of rape in the U.S. and Canada do sit at fairly similar levels. Thus it can be reasonably inferred that women who have ended pregnancies that were a result of rape are not an insignificant number.

That brings me back to the fetus dioramas. The display will very likely instill guilt in more than one person.

Given the above statistics, it doesn’t seem unlikely that this number will include rape victims.

The display isn’t about convincing you with facts and well-reasoned arguments; it’s meant to play to your emotions with very little subtlety.

They want to convince you that life begins at conception by showing you how human-like human fetuses are. This exhibits a black-and-white understanding of a highly complex issue and the simplicity of their methods is problematic.

Every day that table is up, there are women walking past it whose lives have been affected in horrible, indescribable ways.

They have experienced excruciatingly traumatic events that will affect them for the rest of their lives.

This experience may have been exacerbated by family, friends or police officers who asked asinine questions such as what they had expected to happen if they were wearing that outfit or drinking that much.

These women, several weeks after being raped, could have been confronted with the cruel fact that they were pregnant and subsequently made the choice to have an abortion.

These are the same women who could be triggered by these displays. Let that sink in for a second.

The pro-life group, with their onesize-fits-all message, might cause rape victims to feel doubt, guilt or disgust with themselves. Choosing not to think critically about an excessively simplistic position is lazy, but everyone is entitled to an opinion. Promoting that position in a way that is potentially harmful to rape victims turns lazy into abhorrent.

No one benefits when the conversation about abortion is hijacked by those who have a fundamental lack of understanding for the issue, but choose to be vocal anyway.

Consideration must be given to why any woman chooses to have an abortion in the first place. The dialogue needs to be compassionate, rational and consist of scientific data.

You’ll note “manipulative” is not on that list.

benefit many Canadians if it is regulated correctly.

The average price of a decent quality e-cigarette with charger and cartridges included is currently around $60-$70.

This seems steep until you compare the investment a traditional smoker makes in their habit each year, which can be anywhere from $1,500-$3,000 or more according to Health Canada.

If laws were implemented to lessen the amount of nicotine available in regular cigarettes, then the e-cigarette would become an increasingly attractive option.

If the current age restrictions on sales of cigarettes were implemented for e-cigs with nicotine content, I think this option would show itself to be a real benefit to the struggle for Canadian smokers to drop the habit.

I personally know several people who use e-cigarettes, including some who have quit smoking conventional cigarettes because of them. Many users of the electronic cigarette order them online with nicotine content as well.

If our government is currently profiting so much from the addictions of its people to smoking, then I suggest they recognize the e-cigarette as a viable safer option, decrease the nicotine in regular cigarettes and make e-cigarettes available with nicotine under the restrictions currently in place for regular cigarettes.

The fact is that e-cigarettes can be a safer, healthier option if our government makes it one, and it is the most feasible possibility to dramatically lessen the amount of people afflicted with an addiction to cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes as a modern alternative NATALIE DAVIS

It is a well-known fact that cigarettes kill millions of Canadians each year, from both personal consumption and secondhand smoke, so it’s no surprise that there’s a technology available to save people from the harm of smoking: electronic cigarettes.

Ordinary cigarettes pack around 4,000 chemicals after combustion. Some of these unsavoury ingredients include such carcinogens as arsenic, carbon monoxide and formaldehyde.

Fortunately the government — both provincially and federally — have taken steps to protect the population from second-hand smoke by making smoking in public places and workplaces illegal since 2003 beginning in Prince Edward Island.

Smoking in public places was made illegal in Saskatchewan in 2005 and in workplaces in 2009, followed by a ban on smoking in a vehicle with a child under the age of 16 in 2010. There are fines of upwards of $10,000 for violation of the Tobacco Control Act. In addition to the restrictions on where one can smoke, there are multiple options to aid citizens with quitting including nicotine patches, gum and prescription treatments. However there is one method for quitting that our government should be paying more attention to.

Electronic cigarettes have helped millions of smokers decrease their addiction to nicotine and in many cases give up the habit altogether. They do so by allowing the user to control the amount of nicotine they are ingesting through nicotine cartridges of varying strength or with a nicotine-free option.

The e-cigarette produces a water vapour laced with vegetable glycerine, flavouring and — if the user should choose — nicotine by the hydrophilic chemical propylene

glycol, which the FDA classifies as “generally recognized as safe.”

However, e-cigs with nicotine content are currently illegal for open sale in Canada. Reasons for the ban include lack of research done on e-cigs, lack of knowledge about the general long term effects of their use and a suspicion that young people who start using electronic cigarettes will later switch to smoking conventional cigarettes.

This is ridiculous on our government’s part, as conventional cigarettes are widely available and taxed greatly for the profit of the government, which makes around $600 per smoker each year. That’s more than $7 billion in 2013 according to a study conducted by Physicians for a Smoke Free Canada.

While naysayers of the e-cigarette may cite uncharted territory as a good reason to be wary of the new technology, it is beyond debate that vegetable oil and water vapour are much less detrimental to one’s health than the tar, ash and the multitude of carcinogens produced by the regular cigarette.

In addition to providing a smoker with a faster fix of nicotine than gum or patches, e-cigs provide a comfort to the conventional smoker unavailable from other smoking cessation aids — the physical act of smoking, which can be as hard to give up as the addiction itself.

As for the notion that young adults who start using e-cigs will later switch to smoking regular cigarettes, I highly doubt that will be a problem as e-cigs are available in a wide range of candy and fruit flavours and cigarette smoke tastes much less appetizing, comparatively.

To be clear, I am not suggesting that the government should start stocking shelves with nicotine toting e-cigs available for purchase without regulation. I simply suggest that this new technology could

The e-cigarette is a modern, healthy alternative to traditional smoking.

JORDAN DUMBA/PHOTO EDITOR

HUMOUR

20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com

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Campus Chat What’s the one class you wish was offered for credit at the U of S?

The history of alcohol.

Kimberley Hartwig

Zumba.

A cooking class.

Brittany Blair

Social Interaction 101.

Carlie Heagy

Robert Grier

Sudoku

MIKE T.

DAN

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20 March, 2014 • thesheaf.com