May 19, 2016

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May 19, 2016

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Your University of Saskatchewan student newspaper since 1912.

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NEWS SPORTS&HEALTH CULTURE

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

SASK RUSH

SUMMER SCHOOL

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OPINIONS FORT MCMURRAY

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NEWS

Not so fast: U of S responds to new Saskatoon bike lanes PATTY HAILS As the City of Saskatoon launches phase two of its Protected Bike Lane Demonstration Project with new designated bike lanes along a section of Fourth Avenue, some members of the University of Saskatchewan community are skeptical.

The bike lanes will run along Fourth Avenue from the Broadway Bridge to 24th Street. According to Alan Wallace, the city’s head of planning and development, the initiative forms part of a larger active transportation plan that he hopes will encourage residents to be

more active and ultimately increase overall sustainability.

However, Avi Akkerman, a U of S professor of geography and urban planning, says the city’s current direction is anything but sustainable.

“The fact of the matter is that [the city] talks about halting urban sprawl, but it actually promotes it. As a result, be it transit or bikes, the city cannot feasibly sustain alternative modes of transportation,” Akkerman said in an email to the Sheaf.

Anthony Wood is a thirdyear regional and urban planning major and sits on the Planning Students Asso-

ciation. Like many students at the U of S, Wood uses cycling as a frequent mode of transportation. He sees the value of the new bike lanes as measures of safety and sustainability — two points Wallace cites as objectives of the project.

Still, in Wood’s opinion, the plan falls short.

“I was a bit concerned when I saw the network gets to like the Broadway Bridge, and then it just kind of ends.

I’m just wondering what that’s actually going to kind of look like and feel like,” Wood said.

He suggested that from a cyclist’s perspective, the networks should connect

Caitlin Taylor New bike lanes in Saskatoon, running along Fourth Avenue from 24th Street to the Broadway Bridge, have mixed reviews.

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“The last thing I want is people to be thrust onto the Broadway Bridge after having a nice pleasurable experience, and it’s like oh man. It’s like, down to business right now. We’re on the bridge. People are driving around.”

While Akkerman agrees that bike lanes are one critical aspect of sustainable urban living, he maintains that numerous shifts in priority and policy will be required if the city hopes to effect any real change. “[The city] should stop building overpasses and expanding maintenance intensive freeways, and instead divert [money] onto pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure that could support active transportation all-year round, in the winter in particular,” Akkerman said.

Akkerman provided a list of strategies to the Sheaf that he says will improve the level of sustainability in Saskatoon. It includes measures such as taxes and levies on automobile usage and building outside of established geographic limits, audits and assessments of existing policies and publication of their results, including the environmental damage.

He also suggests improving sidewalks and alleyways for pedestrian use.

Wallace echos some of Akkerman’s strategies, such as building within specific

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

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boundaries as well as modifying structures to make Saskatoon’s downtown core more pedestrian and cyclist friendly.

“We have a city centre plan that’s been adopted, and we’re adopting strategies to increase the amount of structured parking downtown so that we grow up as opposed to using our surface vacant lots for parking,” Wallace said.

According to Wallace, the city is making an effort to increase urban population density overall.

“There used to be around five dwellings per acre, now we have about seven-toeight dwellings per acre.

They are getting denser,” Wallace said.

Improvements aside, Wood points to the steady expansion of suburbs such as University Heights and Kensington.

“We’re not stopping.

That’s the thing. Saskatoon isn’t stopping the sprawl,” Wood said. “Talk about sustainability all you want, but we’re still building out and you know it’s just not ending.”

The parties agree that the new bike lanes are a step in the right direction and that more work needs to be done before the city can claim real sustainability. For the time being, students who bike to campus from certain parts of the downtown core can anticipate an easier morning commute.

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

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

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

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may 19, 2016

NEWS

Climate concerns: Sustainable Energy Conference comes to campus EMILY MIGCHELS With awareness of climate change becoming more widespread, many are wondering what can be done to reduce emissions and create a more sustainable future. The University of Saskatchewan aims to expand upon this discussion with the Sustainable Energy Conference.

May 27 marks the first daylong Sustainable Energy Conference to be held on campus.

Organizers aim to base the conference around open discussions and hope to provide a look into the future of energy in Saskatchewan. With speakers from a wide variety of fields, including academic, business and trade, the conference offers a chance for new ideas and collaborative development.

Martin Boucher, a graduate student in the School of Environment and Sustainability at the U of S, is one of the event’s organizers. Boucher says that the conference is especially relevant right now, following

an announcement from Premier Brad Wall about ensuring that 50 per cent of the province’s energy is to come from renewable energy sources by the year 2030.

“The end goal of the conference is to provide a report for government, to have some of our conversations and maybe to provide a model for SaskPower to do something along the lines of the dialogues that will occur,” Boucher said.

With a number of speakers hailing from the U of S, including the director of the School of Environment and Sustainability and a professor from the department of political studies, this conference provides a unique opportunity for students to get involved with discussion about the environment. Volunteer opportunities are available through application and tickets for the event can be purchased online, with a reduced price for students.

The Sustainable Energy Conference has been a long time in the making, beginning with a panel held in January 2016.

“We built this conference off

of a panel discussion we had on renewable energy. It was very successful; at the end of the day we had about 160 people come out to the panel session so we kind of decided to build off of that momentum,” Boucher said.

The conference is uniquely divided into small, concurrent breakout sessions with multiple panelists, speakers and moderators throughout the

Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor

day. Boucher says the goal of these smaller presentations is to spark conversation and inspire out-of-the box thinking.

“We structured the breakout sessions kind of provocatively. For example, on our risk perceptions panel, we have folks that are representing the nuclear industry along with folks from the David Suzuki foundation, of which the offi-

cial policy is not in support of nuclear technology, so it’ll be interesting to see the discussion that unfolds,” he said.

Organizers plan to provide many opportunities for conversation and hope to look at the issue through many different lenses.

“We tried to choose many topics that were timely, we’re talking about First Nations issues, Renewable Cities, carbon capture and storage, risk perception, things like nuclear energy and concerns some might have, disruptive technologies, increased storage and electric vehicles, how it all affects the grid and some benefits and negatives to different technologies,” Boucher said.

Maintaining transparency throughout the planning of the conference has been a top priority for organizers, and there is an emphasis on openness and inclusivity of different viewpoints.

“We also aimed for broad sponsorship, with sponsors from SaskPower, from the Sylvia Fedoruk Centre for Nuclear Innovation, the Saskatchewan

Environmental Society and the [U of S] Office of Sustainability,” Boucher said.

Along with individuals from the U of S, speakers from across Canada will be joining in the conference discussions.

“We have some awesome speakers, Doug Ospeth is coming from SaskPower, Neil Alexander from the Fedoruk Centre, Brett Dolter from the Institute of the Environment at the University of Ottawa and Anouk Kendall from Decentralized Energy Canada,” Boucher said.

Boucher remarks that the the Sustainable Energy Conference is a critical step moving forward for discourse about environmental changes in Saskatchewan.

“What’s really cool is that we’re kind of at a point where we’re done talking about climate change, and we agree that now it’s time to decarbonize and lower our emissions,” Boucher said. “We’re agreeing that there is an issue and now we’re trying to figure out a way to solve it. It’s unique and it’s actually a really big step.”

U of S Kamskénow Program brings science to community schools JACK THOMPSON Staff Writer

The University of Saskatchewan’s PotashCorp Kamskénow Outreach Program helps to get youth involved in the sciences, and, with new funding from the Natural Sciences and Research Council of Canada PromoScience, they will be able to continue running the program.

The Kamskénow Outreach Program works with 22 Saskatoon community schools to help teach grade school children math and science.

The program, which runs for 13 weeks, teaches students in grades four to 12, with each school receiving two science outreach instructors during this time. Additionally, on the final week of the program, students are brought onto the U of S campus to conduct activities in a lab.

This program has been running since 2009 and seeks to increase mathematic and science literacy with the long term goal of increasing Aboriginal participation in the sciences. This is done through hands-on activities conductmay 19, 2016

ed with undergraduate and graduate students, who work as the science outreach instructors.

Lana Elias, director of science outreach for the College of Arts and Science at the U of S and overseer for the program, explained Kamskénow’s vision.

“We want to get youth inspired and excited about the opportunities in science.

We want all youth regardless of ethnicity, gender [and] socio-economic status to see opportunities to be inspired and empowered by a future in the sciences,” Elias said.

According to Elias, undergraduate and graduate students are able to get involved with this program as they offer employment every fall and again in January.

“Our science outreach instructors are university students that apply to be part of the science outreach team.

They are actually employed science outreach instructors, so it is an interview process they go through,” Elias said.

While there are certainly academic requirements for applying to be a science outreach instructor, Elias also mentions that she looks for passionate candidates during the hiring process.

“I look for people that are exciting and engaging and love working with kids. [People who] know how to have fun and have a breadth of experiences to draw on and really love learning,” Elias said.

While the program provides an opportunity for the kids involved, Elias notes that it is also beneficial for the student instructors.

“Being able to give university students an experience working in a community and serving in schools and connecting with kids really gives them a broader understanding of some of the needs in our community. So I just think that experience alone has been a great learning opportunity for our science outreach instructors,” Elias said.

As stated on the Kamskénow's webpage, their long term aim is to get more Aboriginal involvement in the sciences and, as Elias explains, the name of the program fits this goal.

“In its first year, the program was offered at Southern Hill Community School, and the Elder Katie Poundmaker, along with the grade four class who was participating, worked together to give the program a new name and that was Kamskénow, and it means

‘to find or to learn as a group’ in Cree,” Elias said.

The new funding from NSERC PromoScience this year will mean the program can operate for another three years, and this allows for the program to not only continue but also to expand.

“Right now there is a lot of demand for the program, more than we are able to fulfill. Which is a huge compliment and wonderful to be in that much demand. It will certainly help us to increase our capacity, as well. Being able to have three-year funding means that we can do some forward planning, which is just wonderful, and be able

to kind of think about what we’re doing in the future and also help us to invest in some equipment that we can use longer term,” Elias said.

Elias also has her own personal reasons as to why she enjoys working with the Kamskénow program.

“I think it's a real privilege to get to work with youth. I think for me one of the most rewarding things is actually welcoming students to campus the very first time. It's one of those things that I think that people on campus … take for granted, how amazing this place is where there is so much learning and new knowledge that's created here.”

Jeremy Britz/ Photo Editor The Kamskenow program lets students teach science and math in the community.

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SPORTS & HEALTH

Staying in shape without breaking the bank BRENDEN PALMER

Sports & Health Editor There seems to be a common misconception that playing sports and staying in shape often costs students an arm and a leg. Although some sports and activities may be more expensive than others, there are plenty of ways to stay in shape without emptying your pockets. The Sheaf has put together a list of a few ways to stay in shape over the summer that cost nothing or hardly anything at all.

1. Running: it’s pretty straightforward if you’re great at putting one leg in front of the other repeatedly, and if you happen to own a pair of good-quality running shoes, then this one is for you. There are plenty of parks and trails to run on in Saskatoon and a range of running groups to join. There are also plenty of race opportunities over the summer too. I’d recommend running in the ear-

ly morning or the evening to avoid the heat, and don’t forget to add some sprinting to your running routine as well. Running along the river during sunrise or sunset is a great way to start or end your day, and you may want to take your camera along to snap a photo.

tween sets and reduce the number of reps by five for each exercise until you reach zero. After that, finish your workout with a few sets of one-minute planks and side planks, and then stretch out.

Repeat the workout until it becomes too easy for you, then switch it up a bit.

2. Bodyweight workouts: there are plenty of ways to build strength that don’t require weights or a gym membership. Push-ups, pull-ups, squats, dips, burpees, planks, planches, shoulder push-ups — these are all great bodyweight exercises that can be done at home without weights. There are multiple variations of each of these exercises to up the intensity and plenty of instructional exercise videos on Youtube to help you along.

For a quick circuit, you can try warming up for five minutes with jumping jacks or skipping rope. Then try doing 20 of each of the following moves: burpees, pushups, squats, pull-ups, reverse crunches and lunges.

Take a 30 second break be-

3. Swing dancing: Saskatoon Lindy Hop holds free beginner swing dancing lessons at River Landing every Tuesday night at 7 p.m., followed by dancing until dark. This is a great way to learn a new skill, get your heart rate up and meet new people. Even if you think you have two left feet, don’t be afraid to go out and give it a try. You might surprise yourself!

destrians on the sidewalk, try rolling your way to work in the morning and home in the evening. Or try rolling about the city instead of going for a run. Just wear a helmet, because there’s nothing cool about hurting yourself.

5. Get a manual labour job: want to make money and get fit? Find a job that includes a lot of heavy lifting and manual labour like a landscaping helper, construction helper or concrete mixer. You’ll learn some practical skills, get in shape and if you’re lucky enough to get plenty of working hours, you could have a decent amount of change saved up before returning to

4. Rollerblading or skateboarding: if you’re already a skateboarder or rollerblader, this one should seem obvious, but if not you should be able to find a cheap board or a set of rollerblades online or from a garage sale. If you don’t live too far from work and you don’t give a shit about running into other pe-

school after the break.

6. Hit the field with your friends: organize a street hockey tournament, get your friends together to play soccer, get a game of ultimate frisbee going in the park — anything really. All it takes is a little bit of organization and determination to turn a game into a fitness opportunity.

These are just a few ideas but there are plenty of other ways to stay fit. The important thing to remember about implementing any exercise routine is to go about it at your own pace, make sure you get enough rest and to stick with it.

Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor

Saskatchewan Rush gearing up for playoffs JACK THOMPSON Staff Writer

This year saw the arrival of Saskatchewan’s second professional sports team, the Saskatchewan Rush. Their first

year in the new location has been full of success and many are optimistic about playoffs.

Ever since their arrival, the Rush have grown in popularity due to the fast-paced game play found in lacrosse and the energetic atmosphere found in the stadium. This season saw the Rush finish with a record of 13 wins and five losses.

Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor

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Their offence-heavy strategy has lead them to clinching a division title in the West Division of the National Lacrosse League. Their first playoff game was on May 14, which saw the Rush outscore the Calgary Roughnecks 16 to 10.

The NLL division finals are a best-of-two series. In order to advance to the next round, the Champions Cup Final, one team needs to win both games.

However, if the Rush lose at home on May 21, a 10-minute, sudden death mini-game will take place to determine the winner of the series.

Rush forward Zack Greer spoke to the Sheaf about how the team is preparing for their next playoff game against Calgary at home. “[The] guys are obviously staying on their workouts, trying to stay in shape [and] get our sticks in our hands as much as possible,” Greer said.

Due to the setup of the NLL, the Rush have a different schedule than most other professional leagues.

“We’re a weekend league.

So we fly in [and] practice the night before the game. But

during the week we’re staying in shape, working out pretty hard and watching film and tape to kind of scan the other team,” Greer said.

Greer led the Rush in goals scored in the game, but he says the rest of their offence wasn’t far behind him.

“I think we were all within a couple goals or two, three or four of us there. It creates a difficult issue with teams trying to defend our offence because there’s not a single guy you can key on,” Greer said.

Not only is the Rush’s offence intense, but the games in general bring an intensity to the stadium.

“I think lacrosse is kind of a combination of few different sports. It’s got the speed and physicality of hockey and it’s got systems of play like basketball. [It’s] high intensity — lots of goals, lots of hits, and [constant] action for 60 minutes full,” Greer said.

Mark Matthews, who plays offence, explained why he believes attending a Rush game is a benefit to the student lifestyle.

“It’s something a little dif-

ferent than staying at collegiate sport, the bars are an example of something they do on a Saturday night and [people] have a lot of fun doing that,” Matthews said.

Matthews is referring to the shuttle packages the Rush offer in junction with game tickets. The shuttle takes fans to and from the game to a local bar, allowing the thrill of the game to continue into the evening.

Greer gives credit to the Rush’s production team that helps to keep the games lively throughout their entirety. The production team is in charge of everything from the music played during the games, to the Crush dance team.

With many positives to attending the games, Greer notes that the Rush have been welcomed into Saskatoon.

“It’s been a good addition to the city; first pro sport team [in Saskatoon], the only sport team [here] right now that's out of Sasktel Center. Getting into the arena with 15,000 of your closest friends is something that you don't always get the opportunity to do.” may 19, 2016

SPORTS & HEALTH

Powerlifting: A genderless sport BRENDEN PALMER

Sports & Health Editor When most people are asked to conjure up the image of a powerlifter, the first thing that often comes to mind is that of a hulking, overweight man who avoids cardio like the plague.

In an email to the Sheaf, Tanner Lepage, the current president of University of Saskatchewan Barbell, an on-campus association that promotes powerlifting, said he would like to see that stereotype laid to rest.

“That’s not true. In reality,

powerlifting is a sport for anyone who wants to get stronger.

As a matter of fact, the lighter weight classes often have more competitors than the heavier weight classes the majority of the time,” Lepage said. “Powerlifting is a great sport because anyone can do it. Whether a lifter is big or small, male or female, young or old or even disabled, there are categories for everyone to participate in.”

Powerlifting is a sport in which competitors aim to maximize the amount of weight they can move during three main lifts: the squat, bench press and deadlift. In most competitions, the amount of weight that competitors lift is combined into a grand

Flickr / imagesbywestfall Powerlifting is a great way to build strength and stay fit.

total. The lifter with the highest grand total wins their division, regardless of whether or not they lifted the greatest amount of weight in any of the three lifts.

Lepage has been competitively powerlifting for a year and a half. Other members of U of S Barbell compete regularly across Saskatchewan, and some compete nationally and even internationally.

“Some of the biggest benefits of powerlifting include strengthening muscles, bones and joints, improving posture, regulating blood pressure and making new friends,” Lepage said, emphasising that even non-competitive lifters can still reap these benefits.

According to Lepage, there are just as many female competitors as male competitors at most powerlifting meets, and a third of U of S Barbell consists of female lifters. In fact, the number of male and female competitors at the 2015 and 2016 Canadian Powerlifting Union national competitions was nearly equal.

“It’s great to see more women getting involved in strength sports such as crossfit, powerlift-

ing, Olympic weightlifting and Strongwoman Competitions.

Sports like these are shattering the stereotype that women can’t be strong, and soon that stereotype will be a thing of the past,” Lepage said.

Just ask Jessica Beuttner, a member of the U of S track and field team and current member of U of S Barbell. Beuttner started powerlifting roughly two years ago after some encouragement from friends. Since then, she has never looked back and will compete at the 2016 International Powerlifting Federation world championships in Killeen, Texas.

“The first powerlifting meet that I went to was a Saskatchewan provincial meet. I really liked the atmosphere and when I started powerlifting, I turned out to be better at it than I thought, which turned out to be fun,” Beuttner said.

Powerlifting was a natural fit for Beuttner. As a strength athlete competing in shot put and weight throw, part of Beuttner’s training regimen already consisted of plenty of heavy weight lifting.

“The weight training that we do for track is basically a powerlifting program, I just added some accessory work and deadlifts. The two work very well together,” Beuttner said.

Beuttner currently competes in the 158-lb. weight category.

Her current personal best bench press is 179-lbs., her squat is 357-lbs., and her deadlift is currently 429-lbs. In the future, Beuttner would like to have a 1000-lb. total and be able to deadlift 500-lbs.

Beuttner said that overall there are more male powerlifters than female, but added that the interest and amount of opportunities for women to compete in strength sports is growing.

“I think that women themselves are starting to realize the value of strength training. There are a lot of health benefits to weightlifting. I have type one diabetes and strength training helps me manage that. It contributes to an overall healthy lifestyle,” Beuttner said. “Don’t be afraid to get involved. Even if you don’t end up powerlifting competitively, you’ll benefit from the training.”

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CULTURE

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upcoming events • Tanika Charles at Amigos • Queer Trivia at Amigos

KAY-LYNNE COLLIER

Thursday

• Autopilot with Castaway, Bonfire and Pure Bliss at Vangelis • Peter and the Wolves at Amigos • The Pistolwhips with Open Air and guests at the Capitol Music Club

friday

saturday

Summer in review: Your guide to Saskatoon’s cultural events

• Kory Istace vs the Time Pirates with guests at the Capitol Music Club • Orphan Mothers with Melted Mirror, À la Mode and Doctor Scientist at Vangelis • Zion I with Joe Rose, Sirvis, DJ Heywood and Hustle & Thrive at Amigos

• Last day of Mary Poppins at Persephone Theatre

sunday

• Canadian Light Source Synchrotron free tour at the Canadian Light Source • Unknown Mortal Orchestra with Whitney at Amigos

monday

Saskatoon is known for being incredibly diverse when it comes to summer festivals and events.

The Sheaf is here to guide you through some of the major summer events taking place in Saskatoon and beyond from June to August 2016. Chock-full of art, music, culture and food, there is something for everyone to look forward to this summer!

MoSo 2016 MoSo 2016, which takes place June 16-18, is a part conference, part music festival that specializes in professional development in the areas of design, art, social media, marketing and digital development. MoSo 2016 includes an incredible lineup of speakers, ranging from entrepreneurs to journalists, and even a virtual reality engineer.

MoSo 2016 will also be hosting a slew of amazing musicians, including Buffy Sainte-Marie, Suuns and Close Talker.

The cost to attend MoSo 2016 varies depending on your interests. For information regarding ticket packages and prices, check out their website, moso2016.com.

Saskatoon Pride Festival Saskatoon Pride is an annual week-long festival, hosted by the Saskatoon Diversity Network, which fosters a safe and accessible space to celebrate the LGBTQ community. Taking place from June 3-11, some of the events this year include a Second Chance Prom, a Live in Colour Art & Fashion Show and

the Saskatoon Pride Party. More information on ticket prices and details about each event, including locations, can be found at their website, saskatoonpride.ca.

SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival The SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival is an all-ages international jazz festival and is the second largest of its kind in Western Canada. The lineup this year includes Lauryn Hill, Big Boi, City and Colour and our very own University of Saskatchewan Jazz Ensemble and more. Some events are free, while others are ticketed. Tickets can be bought for each individual artist as well as bundles on their website, saskjazz.com.

The festival will be taking place this year from June 24 to July 3.

Ness Creek Music Festival The Ness Creek Music Festival is a four day music festival that takes place near Nesslin Lake, Sask. This year the lineup has many great Canadian artists, including Yukon Blonde and The Sojourners. The festival also offers individuals the opportunity to experience and learn new things and foster a loving and diverse community through activities such as the community kitchen, a drum and dance circle and the forest garden.

Information regarding passes and prices for the festival can be found on their website, nesscreekmusicfestival.com. Most importantly, however, Sunday admission is free! The festival will be taking place on July 1417.

Potashcorp Fringe Theatre and Street Festival The PotashCorp Fringe Theatre and Street Festival is a celebration of art and theatre in the Broadway District of Saskatoon, which will be taking place from July 28 to Aug. 6. The Fringe Festival presents 250 independent theatre shows, and more than 200 vendors, including around 30 different food vendors. Street entertainment and outdoor shows are free to the general public, however you must purchase tickets for each theatre show. All of the tickets for each show are $15 each.

Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan performs two fulllength Shakespearean plays each summer by professional artists, and takes place in huge tents set up by the riverbank.

This summer’s performances include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Julius Caesar and The Roving Show. Tickets are usually $23 each and can be purchased at their box office or online at ticketmaster.ca.

This year’s performances will be taking place from July 6 to Aug. 21.

Other events such as the Broadway Artfest, A Taste of Saskatchewan, YXE Beer Festival and more will be taking place during the summer of 2016 in Saskatoon. Round up some friends and enjoy the incredible events and festivals the beautiful city of Saskatoon has to offer!

• Cryptic Wisdom at Vangelis • Jon Bryant with Kristan Couture at the Bassment • Young Empires with BLAJK at Amigos

tuesday

• Comedy Night with Kelly Taylor and guests at the Capitol Music Club • Amanda Rheaume at the Bassment

wednesday

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Caitlin Taylor Enjoy a variety of live shows this summer at the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival.

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may 19, 2016

CULTURE

Summer reads: Books for the bored student EMILY MIGCHELS With the sudden shift from frantic scrambling to pass finals to newfound summer freedom, many students have been faced with a critical dilemma. What is one to do when there is nothing left to study? If you’re seeking something to fill the void where there used to be due dates and piles of homework, consider assigning yourself some leisurely readings. Here are some of the Sheaf ’s top picks for books to read this summer.

Infinite Jest

by David Foster Wallace This is a globally recognized marathon read. Basically, if you’re looking for one book to last you a whole four months, then Infinite Jest is the book for you. If for nothing else, consider reading the book for the community that comes along with it — trust me there are others reading the book right now and they really want to talk about it.

Don’t worry, they’ll find you as soon as they hear you crack open the cover.

Morphine

by Mikhail Bulgakov Are you pressed for time?

This book is a whirlwind of content crammed into the tiniest of packages. This book could accompany you to an afternoon at the sandbar or a drive to your grandparents’ farm, but be warned — it’s heavier than its size might suggest. Bulgakov writes of isolation, night terrors, the dead of winter in Soviet Russia and a crippling addiction to painkillers. It has heavy content, yet it’s a fulfilling read.

The High Mountains of Portugal

by Yann Martel I haven’t yet read The Life of Pi but I’m sure it must be good for two reasons. First, it’s been made into a critically acclaimed film. Second, the only Yann Martel book that I have read, The High Mountains of Portugal, is amazing.

With a playful narrative of a century-long quest to unearth hidden treasure, it’s full of symbols and the characters are interesting and well developed. This book is one that really sticks with you.

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Crawled Out of a Window and Disappeared

by Jonas Jonasson Creative, light-hearted and witty, The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Crawled Out of a Window and Disappeared is pretty much exactly what it’s long title suggests. A series of unbelievable events arise as a fed-up old man takes on a quest for freedom and autonomy from the confines of his retirement home. Pick it up for a total break from the world — it’s a wholly immersive read.

some witty one-liners about Marxism.

She of The Mountains

by Vivek Shraya This novel is so beautifully illustrated you might consider leaving it open somewhere for a while after you’ve finished reading it for some doublepurpose décor. She of the Mountains is a poignant and poetic piece combining a queer love story with re-imagined Hindu mythology — the result takes a bite out of the notions of socialized gender.

The Utopia of Rules

by David Graeber This read would make a timely follow-up to the return of the long-form census — if you’re into things like that.

Taking a critical lens to the structure of bureaucracy, The Utopia of Rules is a lighter read to feed your inner angst against the system. It provides interesting arguments and thought-provoking examples while being fairly approachable by the masses. Read this to supplement that three-week summer political studies class you’re taking and get ready to impress your professor with

Saskatoon Girls

by Michael Cuthbertson If you aren’t tired of coming-of-age stories, and maybe even if you are, check out this novel by the Sheaf alumnus, Michael Cuthbertson.

Saskatoon Girls follows one young man forced into the wilds of the bridge city as he navigates to Nelson, British Columbia.

It’s a good read and is sure to spark that sense of wanderlust you’re supposed to feel when not in classes, right?

Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor

Summer school doesn’t have to be cruel JESSICA QUAN Summer classes are an effective way to rack up some extra credits, but they often consist of dense course loads and long lectures. Despite this burden, University of Saskatchewan students can find many ways to accommodate a leisurely summer alongside their academic obligations with a little help from the Sheaf.

Students are often unmotivated to take summer classes due to the combination of warm weather and the lingering burnout that they face in the aftermath of the second semester. Such a combination prompts many students to simply drop out or slack off in regards to their attendance and assignments.

However, with higher temperatures and longer days, summertime can be seized as an opportunity for students to change up their work setting and get into the groove of a different routine. Although the idea of having to attend class every weekday for the may 19, 2016

next few weeks might seem dreadful, your class schedule can help establish a routine that you can use to your advantage.

For aspiring early birds, taking a morning class will give you a head-start to your day.

Rather than sleeping in, your morning class will be over by the time you would regularly wake up — this frees up your daily schedule for studying while also leaving room for fun activities such as ice cream dates at Homestead Ice Cream or trips to the Farmers’ Market.

On the contrary, individuals who thrive in the nightlife would benefit from taking a mid-to-late afternoon class. This leaves both your evenings and mornings free — ideal for those who stay out and wake up late.

From the rooftop patio at the Yard and Flagon to festivals such as the Fringe, you can strike a balance by reserving some weekday nights for leisure and others for work.

For students looking for flexibility in their schedule,

taking a class online could be a good alternative. Online classes let students to work at their own pace through their own means of Internet access, which allows for travel plans.

Whether you choose to get ahead of the course

Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor

content or to work on the material during your getaway, online classes are the best option for those who plan on travelling.

It’s important to allocate time for both school and play, but it’s even more important to make sure that you stay on top of your deadlines. Summer classes are fast-paced

and it’s easy to fall behind when you don’t stick to your schedule. Like a domino effect, leaving work unattended leads to stress piling up rapidly. By keeping up with deadlines, you can set aside more time to hang out with friends and enjoy the warm weather.

One of the key differences between summer classes and classes during the academic year is the course load. Summer courses condense their content into a few weeks, as opposed to being spread over several months. Although the workload is inevitable, there are ways to make studying more enjoyable.

Sunshine and high temperatures mean that the outdoors can provide a viable study space. On campus, study spots such as the Bowl, the patio at Louis’ or a simple park bench are locations that are arguably more preferable than the fluorescent lights and stiff chairs of Murray Library.

Nice weather also permits more diverse forms of trans-

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portation. Walking or biking, for example, are great ways to sneak in some exercise to and from class. Not only will you get your daily dose of vitamin D, but studies suggest that as little as five minutes of moderate daily exercise is proven to reduce stress levels while keeping cognitive functions sharp.

Weather-wise, the first and second semesters during the academic year are predominantly chilly, icy and windy.

The most minor changes to your day-to-day routine on campus, like a temperature change, can make you feel more satisfied with your day.

Rather than ordering your double-double from Tim Hortons, you can enjoy an iced cappuccino in the sunlight without the fear of freezing off your hands while walking to class. From watching the trees grow from barren to lush or switching your winter boots for sandals, your summer won’t be a bummer on campus. Remember, even though you may be in summer classes, you can still have fun along the way!

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OPINIONS

A letter to the class of 2016 KEVIN PAUL MCCAUGHEY

Although finishing university should be a joyful moment, many of us remain uncertain about the future.

Job prospects are dismal, the economy is weak and your education didn’t prepare you for the workforce — the explanations are numerous.

We need to examine why this is the case. One would think that with a quality education, quality jobs should follow. So how do we explain the current economic downturn for new university graduates? The correct answer

is most likely the simplest: your education has not been a quality one.

Over the course of your years at the University of Saskatchewan, students — especially arts students — have been bombarded by the notion that university helps us develop so-called “critical thinking skills.”

These skills, however, were obviously not instilled within the previous generations who helped create the universityindustry, an industry that relies on importing more and more students — regardless of ability — every single year.

This over-saturation of uni-

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versity enrollment has meant that our education system functions like a conveyor belt, constantly churning out more and more degrees that focus on increasingly esoteric and unusual subjects, despite changing societal demands.

Supply has gone up and demand has gone down and the bachelor’s degree now holds the same value that a high school diploma did just 30 years ago.

This has resulted in many students prolonging their university careers, as they reluctantly enroll in master’s degree programs that serve as a second line of defence against adulthood. This is part of the problem.

At one point in time, having a university degree meant that you could read Greek and Latin and be well-versed in all the classic texts of Western civilization. By the end of your experience, you would be cultured — truly educated — and, therefore, employers sought out new graduates, because a degree represented incredible commitment and knowledge.

Now, a university degree — especially an arts one — represents little more than incoming employment insur-

ance recipient.

This devaluation of our education can be attributed to our secondary schools ushering in a stampede of students through the Memorial Gates, many of whom are unequipped for the academic rigour that a post-secondary education entails.

Allured by the prospect of being “university educated” and deterred by the stigma of trade school, many students were steered away from promising careers that would better suit their natural inclinations. This has negatively affected university standards and, consequently, a generation of young people.

Guaranteed student loans have prompted universities to charge top-dollar tuition for sub-par education. Those of us in the class of 2016 completely fell for it. But we shouldn’t feel bad. We’re only one class of many that have contributed to the existence of this system. We should, however, be aware of our falsely inflated ego.

Many of us feel superior to the electrician or plumber for no other reason than that we have obtained a framed piece of paper that represents a constant stream of margin-

al academic effort — and we shouldn’t.

If current economic conditions are any indication, tradespeople will have a higher quality of life than most of us. Additionally, most of them were smart enough to recognize their talents and enter the workforce accordingly.

The same cannot be said for many of this year’s graduates.

We, the class of 2016, should brace for impact. With 40 per cent of fresh graduates being over-qualified for the jobs they possess, along with a sizeable proportion of alumni remaining unemployed, prospects look grim.

For those who manage to successfully scale the mountain in the midst of an avalanche, you’ll probably realize that your university education had very little to do with your success. You likely already have all the necessary characteristics to succeed — intelligence, tenacity and ambition.

So, class of 2016, I wish you the very best. While I wish I could say that we’ll see each other on Bay Street in Toronto, it’s more likely that we’ll bump into each other in line at the soup kitchen. Oh well — I hope they have chicken noodle.

may 19, 2016

OPINIONS

Fort McMurray: How we talk about emergency situations EMILY KLATT In the wake of the Fort McMurray wildfires, Canadians have gone above and beyond to provide assistance for those affected by the crisis.

Although this is generally a good thing, our response to the Fort McMurray wildfires has highlighted a disturbing pattern in the way that many Canadians react to emergency situations.

While Canadians won’t hesitate to help their own citizens in times of need, they will often vehemently refuse to offer the same kind of support to refugees from foreign countries.

Imagine yourself surrounded by flames. Everything you can see is on fire.

Your city is burning. You’re afraid for your life, and for the lives of those that you love. You may be forced to flee with very few of your possessions, if any at all, but — at least you’re able to get out. Unsure of what lies ahead, you move towards an uncertain future in an unfamiliar place. In the end, you

may lose everything, but you’re thankful to get out alive.

The question is: are you a resident of Fort McMurray evacuating because of a raging forest fire, or are you a Syrian refugee fleeing from the civil war in your own country?

When some details are removed, the two situations are extremely similar: innocent people trying to escape a desperate situation and find somewhere safe.

Yet, if the two situations are so similar, why are our reactions so drastically, and sometimes dangerously, different?

When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in November 2015 that the government hoped to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees in Canada by Dec. 31, this decision was met with fierce backlash from many Canadians.

I’m not just talking about criticism of Trudeau’s tight timeline for this goal — which was admittedly over-ambitious for the new government. I’m talking

about outright refusal to let Syrian refugees enter into the country in the first place. Or the suggestion that if we do let refugees in, they had better be Christians instead of Muslims, regardless of who was the most in need.

Now, these were not the views of most Canadians.

Many Canadians welcomed refugees with open arms.

However, amongst these kindnesses were a slew of Facebook posts and shitty editorials calling all Muslims “terrorists” and demanding they “go back to where they came from.” You know I’m not exaggerating, either — we all have those vaguely racist acquaintances that re-posted something about protecting Canadians from “scary Muslim invaders.”

What’s more concerning is that these passively racist Internet posts have led to very active violence against the Muslim and refugee communities alike. On Nov. 14, 2015, a mosque in Peterborough, Ont. was set on fire, causing more than

$80,000 in damage. Muslim Canadians have also reported being harassed and assaulted on the street. When hate speech becomes hate action, the issue becomes a lot more serious.

There are those that will say it’s wrong to use tragedy as a platform for political discussion, and that writing this article is disrespectful to those who are currently suffering because of the Fort McMurray wildfires.

The thing is though, everything we do is politically motivated or influenced, even if we don’t realize it.

Who we choose to help in times of need is a political act, and can make a statement on either side of the political spectrum.

It doesn’t do us any good to pretend that human kindness isn’t subject to prejudice and political agenda. Instead, we should use these complicated situations to examine our world views and question why we believe what we do. Only then can we move forward with making the world a better place.

We #PrayforFortMcMurray and sympathize with the victims of the Paris bombings because their suffering is something familiar. We ultimately let superficial differences decide who is worthy of our kindness and respect, and that just isn’t right.

At the end of the day, there is no fundamental difference between a Fort McMurray wildfire evacuee and a Syrian refugee. The need for survival is something that transcends race, religion and nationality — and our desire to help those in need should too.

flickr / Chris Schwarz Government of Alberta

Not all degrees are created equal ZACH TENNENT

Opinions Editor While we are often fed the idea that a post-secondary education is valuable, it’s time we put away the antiquated belief that one size fits all and that a degree in any field is comparable to another. Just because you get a degree, you’re not guaranteed to get good use out of it.

The truth of the matter is that within any one university, the quality, value and difficulty of each degree is going to vary. Students of today grew up in a post-Mr. Rogers, “follow your dreams” world. Likewise, all you ever hear about university in the 21st century is that a bachelor’s degree is the new high school diploma when it comes to landing a job.

However, that analogy is inherently misleading — my grade 12 education is worth just as much as yours. This is not the case in university may 19, 2016

where, unfortunately, not all degrees are created equal.

For starters, there’s the issue of comparison. Speaking as someone who has dipped his toes into classes in a few different departments: I refuse to believe t h a t b a c h elor’s degrees in comp u t e r science, English and marketing are all equally as difficult to get.

If you can’t even compare what’s being taught, how can you compare if it’s being taught at the same difficulty level?

True, every individual person has areas of strength and weakness and what one person finds challenging may be easy to another, but that only further underlines

the fact that university programs can’t all be as objectively difficult as each other.

More tragically, there’s also an issue of the value of a degree, because let’s not kid ourselves — you get a de-

fine arts, which is stimulating, challenging and practically impractical for anyone looking for gainful employment. Someone who pursues a degree in a field like that is by no means unintelligent, but let’s be real, the decision to study art history may not reflect on you so flatteringly.

I agree with Mr. Rogers in that I believe Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor people gree to get a job. If you get should chase their dreams, a degree in something like but you need to chase them computer science, biology or with 20/20 vision. You can’t urban planning, you’ll come have your cake and eat it out of university with some too. If you study the histohighly specialized knowl- ry of feudal Finland with a edge and — most likely — en- passion, good for you and ter into a job field that needs I’m happy for you, but don’t you. expect that people will be Compare that to some- busting down doors to hire thing like a degree in the you. www.thesheaf.com

The plain truth is that degrees aren’t very useful — only the right ones are.

There’s nothing wrong with admitting that a university education isn’t an instant doorway to success — and truth be told, it’s a bit exhilarating to admit it.

So then this raises a question: if degrees in various fields are all so different, is it fair to compare their worth? The answer has to be a begrudging “yes.” Just because we’re in university doesn’t mean we’re all setting ourselves up for gleaming futures. It’s an inconvenient truth that we treat like an undesirable flu.

University has value, but fooling ourselves into thinking each degree is as valuable as the next is just plain naive.

You can study whatever you want, but don’t let yourself be fooled about the job prospects at the end of the line.

No matter what other people say, just because you’re going to university, you’re not guaranteed to leap into the job market when you’re finished.

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THROWBACK

The University of Saskatchewan swim team in 1933.

A diver in the Qu’Apelle Hall swimming pool in 1950.

University of Saskatchewan, University Archives & Special Collections, Photograph Collection , A-8061

University of Saskatchewan, University Archives & Special C ollections, E.R. Simpson Fonds, File I.B.2

Three students on their way to a campus tennis game in 1915.

University of Saskatchewan, University Archives & Special Collections, Jean Murray Fonds, File E.VII.5

Backtalk:

What is your opinion on the recent USSU budget?

T h e S h e a f , M a rc h 31, 1994 / U o f S A rc h i v e s & S p e c i a l C o l l e ct i o n s

Natasha Fyczyck Pre-Nursing

Elijah Rawlyk 2nd yr. Philosophy

I think they should cut the courses that are farthest from reality and allot smart drugs in We keep paying more and get- combination with virtual realting less. ity drugs.

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Bryan Saraur 3rd yr. Biology

Harvey Seto 3rd yr. Biology

It’s going to decrease the quality of the 1st and 2nd year class- I think it sucks, personally es that are already stretched to you can quote me on that. the limit. (editor’s note: we did)

Rene Semchuk 1st yr. Pol. Science

It really makes it tough for students to get a decent education, and for the amount of money we’re paying, I expect more.

It really makes me wonder if in10 years it will be worth it. may 19, 2016

DISTRACTIONS

How to spend your

spare time this summer:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Binge watch Dr. Oz. Befriend the weird neighbour next door.

Write a musical about Alexander Hamilton.

Have a Paul Giamatti movie marathon.

Practice doing the really fast part from Eminem’s “Rap God.” Train to finally fight your dad and win for a change.

Discover a new fetish on Pornhub.

Install the Sims on your laptop so you can be in control of your life for a change.

Finally get around to reading Life of Pi. Start a podcast about silent movies.

Become a Radiohead fan.

Plan an extravagant road trip that you can’t afford with student loans.

Take a summer class so you can ruin both summer and university.

photo of the week

Bill Waiser at the

UPCOMING EVENTS

©

BroadWay theatre Launching

A World We Have Lost: Saskatchewan Before 1905 Friday, June 10, 7 pm Hosted by Guy Vanderhaeghe with Musical Guest B.D. Willoughby

sheaf may 19 to aug 24, 2016.indd 1

5/10/2016 11:02:48 AM

Is Now Accepting Applications for its

SEPTEMBER Advanced Massage Therapy Program Full-time and Independent Learning Options Available 114 - 701 Cynthia St Phone (306) 955-5833

Visit us on Facebook!

Facebook.com/PIMTMASSAGE.com

Jeremy Britz

may 19, 2016

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