March 24, 2011 - A

the

SHEAF

Photo by Pete Yee

Tsunami causes wave of online activity • A10 24 march 2011

section b

Huskies claim silver for bestever finish • A8

opinions

news

USSU elections coverage! Woo! • A6-7

sports

The u of s student newspaper since 1912

Vivefest: How to grow a scene • B1

• volume 102 • issue 28 • www.thesheaf.com

A2 •

NEWS

Editor-in-Chief: Ashleigh Mattern, editor@thesheaf.com Production Manager: Tannara Yelland, layout@thesheaf.com Senior News Editor: Victoria Martinez, news@thesheaf.com Associate News Editor: Kevin Menz, news@thesheaf.com Photography Editor: Pete Yee, photo@thesheaf.com Graphics Editor: Danielle Siemens, graphics@thesheaf.com Arts Editor: Holly Culp, arts@thesheaf.com Sports Editor: Dorian Geiger, sports@thesheaf.com Opinions Editor: Tomas Borsa, opinions@thesheaf.com Copy Editor: Greg Reese, copy@thesheaf.com Web Editor: Ishmael N. Daro, web@thesheaf.com Ad & Business Manager: Shantelle Hrytsak, business@thesheaf.com Contributors: Andrew Glum, Daryl Hofmann, Shira Fenyes, Marty Glazebrook, Eman Bare, Darren Dupont, Bryn Becker, Cole Hogan, Thilina Bandara, Andrew Roebuck, Blair Woynarski Board of Directors: Jordan Hartshorn (Chair), Chantal Stehwien, Blair Woynarski, Alex MacPherson, Robby Davis

Office Numbers: General 966-8688 Advertising 966-8688 Editorial 966-8689

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The Sheaf is a non-profit incorporated and student-body funded by way of a direct levy paid by all part- and fulltime 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 newpaper. 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-in-Chief 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.

Photo by Pete Yee (From left) Stefan Montalbetti, Jacob Yaworski and Danielle Spilchen perform a scene from Greystone Theatre’s Odyssey. See story on B3.

City’s housing costs too high

Sub-prime lending mirrors system that collapsed U.S. economy ANDREW GLUM News Writer & Sheaf Delivery Boy For many upcoming university graduates, a major step on the path to adulthood is purchasing their first home.

Unfortunately, Saskatoon’s current housing market is an uninviting place for first-time home-buyers.

The best way to understand what has happened to the local housing market since the boom began in 2005 is to examine the ratio of the cost of the average home to the average household income in a city.

The result is what experts call the median multiple.

For example, a city in which the average household income is $50,000 and the average price of a house is $150,000 would have a median multiple of three.

According to Demographia’s International Housing Affordability Survey, Saskatoon’s median multiple in 2006 was 2.6. The average house costs $138,000 and median household income was $52,100.

In just four years, Saskatoon’s median multiple shot to 4.3, with the average house costing $277,000 versus an average household income of $63,900.

Demographia ranks international housing markets on a four-point scale that ranges from “affordable” to “moderately unaffordable,” “seriously unaffordable” and “severely unaffordable.” Saskatoon’s median multiple places it in the seriously unaffordable category.

In order to understand how this extreme price hike came about, it is important to first understand that this is not just a local, but a national and international problem.

A housing boom has been taking place nationally since 1999; Saskatoon is just an extreme case.

According to a February 2011 report by Capital Economics, an

independent macroeconomic research consultancy, “The recent [national] housing boom has resulted in the largest rises in house prices ever seen in Canada.”

The two most prominent factors contributing to these astronomical prices are low interest rates and sub-

prime mortgages.

A prime borrower would be someone with a credit rating close to 800 and enough money to start a mortgage off with a 20 per cent down payment. Sub-prime borrowers can’t afford to do that.

Far from discouraging sub-prime mortgages, the City of Saskatoon recently implemented a program where first-time home-buyers can borrow their minimum five per cent down payment on a separate loan — essentially saying, “Buy your first house with no money down!”

Low interest rates and sub-prime lending mean banks are allowing people who cannot afford a $277,000 house to borrow enough to buy one anyway.

According to the Capital Economics report, the housing party will be over very soon for Canada: “nominal house prices are likely to decline by a cumulative 25 per cent over the next few years, in the same ball-park as the recorded declines in the U.S. and other countries. Growth in future personal disposable income per worker will not close the large gap between house prices and income within any reasonable length of time.”

While this may sound like a blessing to those letting the cash for their down payment sit unused until the market cools, the effects of a bursting bubble in one sector can stretch across the whole economy.

“If house prices do decline as we predict, let alone more sharply, the knock-on effects to consumer spending and housing investment could be significant and perhaps even strong enough to push the economy into another recession,” the Capital Economics report says.

As far as the present state of Saskatoon housing prices are concerned, prospective first-time homebuyers should wait out the storm, then buy what they can actually afford.

Calculate Saskatoon’s Median Multiple Average Price of a House:

$277,000 Average Household income:

$63,900

REPORT

F R O M

STUDENTS’ COUNCIL

VICTORIA MARTINEZ News Editor March 17, 2011

USSU Budget The University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union budget will be approved at the March 24 meeting of council. In preparation, vice president operations and finance Scott Hitchings went through highlights of the proposed budget.

The most significant change came in the facilities line. Because of increased income from finally having Place Riel businesses open, the budget predicts that facilities will net $256,000, up from last year’s budgeted $90,000.

“That’s still budgeted quite conservatively,” said Hitchings.

Administration costs rose significantly, from $840,000 to $1 million, since the confidential student support adviser job was moved to that department from student governance.

Due to an increase in student fees,

4.3 That’s seriously unaffordable.

Officially.

graphic by Danni Siemens

revenue from fees should increase by nearly $60,000 to a total $948,000.

Centres will see more expenses in their new Place Riel locations, and will have to pay for janitorial services and utilities. Centre coordinators will have slightly longer official hours during the school year, but will have four rather than three months of reduced summer hours.

Louis’ projected income was based on this years’ income. Since welcome week had rather inclement weather, their total sales were down, and the predicted income from Louis’ was halved. Generally, welcome week beer gardens and football games earn up to $30,000 for the USSU. Student governance costs dropped significantly, from $252,000 to $206,000 a year.

“A large part of that is a salary,” said Hitchings. That is, the USSU executive recently cut the VP external job, which cost students $30,000 a year. The other chunk of the governance costs was simply added to the administration line instead.

The USSU is also planning to update the washrooms in Lower Place Riel to come more in line with the rest of the building. Rather than adding those renovations to the

larger project, accruing the same major project costs of Place Riel, they have added them separately to the budget.

MLA visit Saskatoon Greystone MLA Rob Norris visited council to talk student issues and the state of post secondary in Saskatchewan.

He highlighted what he called the “five key priorities in education” for the province: excellence, innovation, inclusion, effectiveness and accountability. While he called the first three categories obvious, he said that effectiveness — essentially getting your money’s worth from your education — and accountability, — that is constant evaluation and refinement of services — cannot be taken for granted.

Saskatchewan’s graduate retention program, who it affects and ways to make it more attainable, was a hot topic for councillors.

Concerns included necessary out-of-province residencies and qualifications for international students.

Norris said that the province had previously been conservative in their retention efforts, but due to economic success were prepared to start being more aggressive.

the Sheaf • 24 march 2011

Student-driven Japanese relief efforts

Satoshi Shibata’s Japan relief group finally found a name: Sask Heart for Japan.

The group, which first convened March 13 in the International Students and Study Abroad Centre, is a community effort to provide relief to the regions affected by the tsunami and earthquakes of March 11.

The group is working on creating donation boxes for public areas on campus, a project that Sask Heart organizers welcome anyone to join. As with any of their efforts, ISSAC is the place to get involved with helping.

The group has also begun collaboration on fundraising bake sales with the Malaysian Students’ Association and the Crisis Relief Students’ Association. The March 21 bake sale brought in $2,000 in donations.

U of R’s status in CFS finally released

Students at the University of Regina went to polls six months ago to vote on their continued membership in the Canadian Federation of Students.

Results were finally released in a letter to the Carillon, the U of R’s student paper, on March 10.

After all that time, it was revealed that the U of R would remain in the CFS. The vote, with nearly 3,000 respondents, came down to a difference of a mere 88 votes.

Both the CFS and U of R Students’ Union had these results back in December, but the reasons they took so long to reveal the results remain unclear. The two groups remain combative.

For the full story, check out the Carillon’s story at shf.me/carillon.

Iron Chef Canadian lobster poutine

Poutine fans across the country celebrated a glorious moment in the history of their proud French-Canadian staple with the addition of fresh Newfie lobster.

Astonished viewers of the March 20 battle on Iron Chef America saw Quebec chef Chuck Hughes unveil his magnificent creation to the world — a creation which would go on to win him the competition.

Only the second Canadian to ever win the competition, it is fitting he did so with poutine, a meal so symbolic of his home country.

Hughes remarked afterwords that as soon as they unveiled the secret ingredient, lobster, he knew “it was kind of a perfect-case scenario,” as he got to combine his favourite comfort food with his favourite crustacean on national television.

Hughes, who even has a tattoo of a lobster, now returns to hosting his cooking show Chuck’s Day Off as countless people nationwide begin the hunt for cheese curds and lobster.

thesheaf.com/news

ISC rally for an Aboriginal students’ centre

News •

A3

A decade in the making, Gordon Oakes-Red Bear Centre on verge of realization SHIRA FENYES News Writer Students and faculty want to see an Aboriginal students centre at the University of Saskatchewan in the near future.

The Indigenous Students’ Council held a rally March 16 that brought students and faculty together to showcase their support for the valuable initiative.

The event featured a speaker series that described the meaning of the project, to build what will be known as the Gordon Oakes-Red Bear Student Centre between the Arts and Murray buildings.

The chief of the Saskatoon Tribal Council, the president of the ISC and the president of the USSU explained the relevancy of this project at the U of S.

Aboriginal student role model Janelle Pewapsconias.

The centre has long been in the works, with proposals dating into the ’90s. The project has always been intended to reflect the needs of the growing number of Aboriginal students at the University of

photo by Shira Fenyes

Saskatchewan.

Now, with the Gordon Oakes-Red Bear Student Centre Project Steering Committee — a group of students and university administration — behind the project, it seems to be

approaching fruition.

According to ISC president John Desjarlais, the U of S holds the largest Aboriginal population of all Canadian post secondary institutions.

Desjarlais believes that the student center would “send a symbol to all students that Aboriginal education is important.”

The ISC president emphasized the need for the centre as a means for Aboriginal students to achieve a sense of community at the U of S. “That sense of community is key in the success of building that fellowship, that sense that students can succeed here,” he explained.

USSU president Chris Stoicheff said that he believes this initiative is important both to Aboriginal students on campus as well as the university as a whole.

According to Stoicheff, this would help the university achieve its goal of increasing Aboriginal student enrolment.

“This is an institution that is inclusive and welcoming to all cultures including Aboriginal students,” said Stoicheff, who added that the centre would be a great way to demonstrate inclusivity.

So far, the U of S has recieved contributions totalling $5 million from private donors and needs to reach $15 million to move to the construction stage.

Stoicheff hopes that future student leaders will continue to lobby the government for funding and reach out to the private sector.

Desjarlais hopes to hold similar events periodically to bring a collective together to share in the progress of the project.

Professor threatens to deny grades

Students want tuition to cover access to quizzes; professor says additional, mandatory fee covers copyrighted material KEVIN MENZ Associate News Editor One University of Saskatchewan professor is threatening to deny access to grades if his students don’t pay an additional $30 for course materials.

On the first day of classes, Gordon Sparks informed students in his engineering economics class — both verbally and in the syllabus — that they would need to pay an additional fee for access to copyrighted material located on the course’s Blackboard homepage.

Most students felt this material was equivalent to a textbook and considered the $30 fee optional.

That was not the case, as Sparks is now threatening academic repercussions for those students who have yet to pay the fee.

“You will be ‘cutoff’ access to Blackboard and therefore will not get a grade in the class!” read one email from Sparks to his students.

Many students feel that Sparks

doesn’t have the right to cut off Blackboard or to withhold grades simply because they choose not to access copyrighted material.

“My issue, essentially, is that it’s material that I don’t want. There are a lot of other classes that I’m taking where I haven’t bought the textbook” and have still been given a grade in the class, said student Steve Bachiu.

“It seems a lot like extortion to me because I’ve already paid the course fee,” he added. “I don’t think that a professor can cut people off from Blackboard.”

The course’s Blackboard provides students with access to copyrighted material from former University of New Brunswick professor Barry Bisson. The $30 fee goes directly to Bisson via the College of Engineering.

Bisson’s intellectual property includes the course manual, review exercises, spreadsheets, quizzes and weekly assignments.

Sparks said that by doing the

weekly assignments and quizzes, students acknowledged their use of the intellectual property and, thus, that they need to pay the fee.

“

You will be ‘cutoff’ access to Blackboard and therefore will not get a grade in the class!

Professor Sparks

In an email to his class

In previous years, Sparks did not allow students to access Blackboard until they had paid the fee. He took a more relaxed approach this year by giving students access to the material before they had paid for it.

This led to confusion amongst

the students over which material was copyrighted and which was not.

Bachiu was under the impression that only the notes and lectures were property of Bisson, and that the quizzes were not intellectual property.

He felt cheated for having to pay extra to take his course’s quizzes and assignments.

“You can’t charge access fees for tests and that is, essentially, what’s happening,” said Bachiu.

He suggests that the $30 be incorporated into the course’s tuition costs.

“I think something like this — because it involves access to Blackboard — should be incorporated into the student fees.”

Right now, each college has its own policies on professors instituting additional required fees for their courses. Sparks believes having the university monitor every professor who asks for a tuition raise would be too complicated.

“If the university had to do that, it

would be chaos,” said Sparks.

Sparks obtained permission from the College of Engineering to add the required fee to his course.

Bachiu would like to see some sort of universal regulation throughout the university, saying that the issue is not about the $30 but the process in which professors institute required fees.

He added that he does plan on paying the fee.

“I’d definitely rather be out thirty bucks than not get a mark in a class that is required.”

Bachiu also spoke to University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union vice president of academic affairs Kelsey Topola.

Topola could not recall any official policies the university has on how professor’s are to use Blackboard, but said she would bring Bachiu’s concerns to one of the university’s teaching and learning committee, academic support committee or copyright advisory committee.

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The Sheaf would like to thank the University of Saskatchewan President’s Office for helping to send Sheaf Sports Editor Dorian Geiger to Halifax for the Huskies men’s basketball finals, and Associate News Editor Kevin Menz to Windsor for the women’s basketball finals.

HO

A4 • News

the Sheaf • 24 march 2011

USSU Exec candidates’ forum a low-key affair Four candidates for VP student affairs? Let the wild rumpus begin!

TANNARA YELLAND Layout Manager

election and, at the time of print, a federal election also looked likely.

He added that under him, the executive would not be afraid to take a stand on issues, though he couldn’t say which issues they would speak on.

Alex Ferwerda was the first of four vice-president student affairs candidates to speak. The VP student affairs race is the most heavily contested in several years.

Ferwerda took a light tone that Justin Lasnier, the next student affairs candidate to speak, echoed.

Both candidates said they did not want to make “false promises” they would be unable to keep, and thus kept their platforms vague and refrained from promising anything specific.

Ferwerda mentioned several times a “comment couch,” a couch he would like to install somewhere

Students got to meet their 201112 University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union executive hopefuls at the on March 22, at the first candidates’ forum.

The hour allowed candidates to present their platforms to the few interested students in the Edwards School of Business reading room, after which they answered questions.

Despite the fact that the successful candidates will steer the course of a $4 million-per-year organization, the tone was verging on silly for most of the forum.

Lone presidential candidate and current vice-president operations and finance Scott Hitchings said he plans to focus on elections — there will certainly be a provincial

on campus where students could meet with USSU executive members. Ferwerda took the idea from schools in the U.K. where he says students line up to talk to their executive.

Lasnier ran for the same position last year, losing to current VP student affairs Leon Thompson by about 80 votes.

When asked what he had done in the last year that made him a more viable candidate, Lasnier described his work with the Indigenous Students’ Council, which included touring Saskatchewan encouraging indigenous high school students to attend university and acting as ISC VP operations and finance.

However, Lasnier also drifted off toward the end of his answer with a confusing anecdote about his campus rec team.

Leejay Schmidt was the third

student affairs candidate to speak at the forum. Schmidt is a computer engineering student who claims to have perfect university student council attendance and boasts an impressive volunteering record.

He mentioned the white ribbon campaign to end violence against women multiple times and stressed the importance of “education campaigns” to raise awareness about everything from campus safety to sustainability.

Student affairs candidate Jordan Nabata was absent from the forum.

Vice-president operations and finance candidate Reid Nystuen focused on his ability to represent students who feel left out by an executive dominated by arts and science — particularly political studies.

Nystuen is an ESB student who has served on University Students’

Council for three years.

Saeed Bashi, the other operations and finance candidate, said that despite his lack of experience with USSU governance, he has used the USSU centres and thinks that has prepared him to appropriately allocate funds should he be elected.

Incumbent vice-president academic affairs Kelsey Topola is also the lone candidate for her position, and is heavily favoured to win according to Vegas bookies.

She plans to continue her work and to prevent the impending zombie apocalypse: shooting zombies in the head works best no matter what type of zombie one is dealing with, according to Topola.

For more information on USSU elections, see our ELECTION SPREAD on A6 and A7, and also thesheaf.com/elections.

Business students spend a week without a bed ESB yearly event on target for financial goals MARTY GLAZEBROOK News Writer By the time 5 Days for the Homeless held its kickoff on March 14 at 10 a.m., participating Edwards School of Business students had already spent one night exposed to the elements.

Participant Malcolm Radke indicated that sleeping outside hadn’t shook their confidence.

“It was definitely a culture shock, but our first night we were really just excited and enthusiastic to get started,” he said.

Daphne Taras, dean of ESB, spoke about the achievements of last year’s students.

“I know that they are completely committed to the cause,” she announced. “When our students do things, they roll up their sleeves and get things done. This is part of a long tradition that the ESB has had of students who have involved themselves in community events. They have my support and admiration,” Taras added.

ESB students once again chose the Saskatoon youth centre EGADZ as the campaign’s funding recipient.

EGADZ has been operating in Saskatoon since April 1990 and works with the city to support and educate at-risk youth.

Last year, 5 Days Saskatoon raised $12,000 for the centre. This year, organizers decided to step it up to

$15,000 locally and hope to achieve a nation wide goal of $200,000.

EGADZ organizing director Bill Thibodeau commended the 5 Days campaign for achieving more than monetary success in previous years.

“

The tragedy is that some simply never get the chance to start the climb. This campaign is about helping those less fortunate with their first steps.

Malcolm Radke

5 Days participant

“EGADZ has been a beneficiary in the past,” he said, “and the benefit has been not just the financial end, it has been the goods and the items that have come in that help us as tools to the work that we need to do

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in order to change things and make a difference.”

Recently appointed city councilor Mairin Loewen spoke on the city of Saskatoon’s ongoing commitment to programs like EGADZ and other organizations looking to alleviate homelessness in the city. Although there is a support system in place, the situation is difficult to assess.

“We do know some things, but we have an incomplete picture of homelessness in Saskatoon,” Loewen said.

According to a recent Community University Institute for Social Research report, Saskatoon youth — specifically, children up to the age of nine and young adults from

17 to 23 years old — use transitional shelters and emergency shelters most frequently. The report also revealed that 70 per cent of people in shelters are employed and 74 per cent of those employed are working full time.

However, the CUISR report has difficulty assessing the issue of high risk youth in Saskatoon communities.

“This data doesn’t capture what we sometimes refer to as the invisible homeless,” said Loewen. “People who are couch-surfing, people who are at risk of homelessness –– maybe staying in a family situation that is less than ideal, maybe abusive or dangerous, because they have no other alternative.”

ESB students chose EGADZ because it strives to directly address the issue of at-risk youth.

“It is a common misconception students have… that this campaign is just about the homeless,” said Radke.

Radke went on to emphasize the ESB students’ desire to make a difference at the grass roots level of youth homelessness in a blog post made on the final day of the event.

“Our society has many systems in place — family support, government programs, post-secondary education, etc. — to help us grow into our own prosperous world. The tragedy is that some simply never get the chance to start the climb. This campaign is about helping those less fortunate with their first steps,” he wrote in a blog post.

Another member of the 5 Days team, Leah Hoffarth, wrote in her blog of the respect she gained for those who deal with homelessness on a regular basis while participating in this year’s campaign. Hoffarth’s last blog post empathized with a former EGADZ member who she met during this week’s events.

“Today I met a past EGADZ teen who told me her struggle with home abuse and neglect which only makes every single bit of 5 Days seem like its not even enough,” she wrote.

“It’s amazing people like her who need to get recognized and celebrated as success stories for this campaign.”

By Friday night’s wrap up event at Tequila’s Nightclub, ESB students had already passed last year’s $12,000 goal and were on their way to achieving this year’s goal of $15,000.

The five students who spent their nights outside have since returned to the comfort of their homes, but the 5 Days campaign is set to continue until the end of the month.

For those who wish to contribute to the campaign, EGADZ website accepts donations year round.

Students who wish to contribute can donate online at 5days.ca/saskatoon until April 1.

The Sheaf is having an AGM Monday, April 4th 5:00 pm Arts 108

thesheaf.com/news

Budget brings breaks for part-time students

News • A5

Despite cuts on horizon, feds slash in-study loan interest, expand loan and grant eligibility for part-time students EMMA GODMERE CUP Ottawa Bureau Chief OTTAWA (CUP) — Education and training were of particular importance in the 2011 federal budget, entitled “A Low-Tax Plan for Jobs and Growth,” unveiled March 22.

“With the next phase of our economic action plan, our government is focusing on securing and completing our economic recovery,” Finance Minster Jim Flaherty told journalists in advance of his speech in the House of Commons.

“Our government continues to invest in innovation, so Canadians can prosper in the global economy.

This will mean more investments in world-class research, higher education... as well as an enhanced Canada Student Loans Program for full- and for part-time students.”

One particular item that Flaherty highlighted in his speech was the government’s pledge to forgive student loans of up to $40,000 for new doctors and $20,000 for new nurses and nurse practitioners who plan to work in rural and Aboriginal communities.

The initiative — that was also leaked to media the night before — would launch in 2012–13.

The government will also invest some new money in up-front grants for students. An ongoing $2.2-million yearly investment will allow more part-time students to be

The federal budget was released March 22.

eligible for Canada Student Grants, thanks to changes made to income thresholds.

Currently, about 4,000 part-time students benefit from this grant of up to $1,200 — these changes are expected to benefit roughly 1,600 more part-time students once the changes are fully implemented.

Additionally, part-time students will no longer pay interest on their Canada Student Loans while still in school. More changes to the Canada

photo by Eliza Tashibi/Flickr

Student Loans Program will allow part-time students to have higher family incomes without seeing their loan eligibility change and will increase full-time students’ in-study income exemption from $50 to $100 a week.

In terms of research, an additional $37 million in annual funding has been earmarked for the three federal granting councils. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada in

particular will benefit from added investments to support climate change and atmospheric research, its Ideas to Innovation program, and 30 new Industrial Research Chairs at colleges across the country.

The government will pledge $53.5 million over five years to create 10 new Canada Excellence Research Chairs on campuses from coast to coast. Some of these will specifically involve digital innovation, a field prevalent in the 2011 budget.

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada will reallocate $60 million in its existing budget to promote enrolment in studies related to the field, such as science, engineering and mathematics.

Research commercialization was also present in the budget, in the form of $80 million in new funding to be distributed over three years to a pilot program that will support collaborations between colleges and small businesses on projects relating to information and communications technologies.

Budget 2011 also offered the results of the government’s 2010 strategic reviews, in which multiple departments laid out the necessary cuts that would be required to restrain spending as mandated in last year’s budget.

According to this year’s budget document, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada — the department responsible for the Canada Student Loans Program — will be seeking to slash $80.5 million from its spending in 2011–12, up to $140.7 million from its spending in 2012–13, and up to $273.9 million from its spending in 2013–14. No details have yet been released on what specific programs will be affected by these cuts.

While this year’s budget predicts a deficit of $40.5 billion for 2010–11, the government hopes to reduce it to $0.3 billion in 2014-15, and is projecting a surplus of up to $4.2 billion in 2015–16.

Law team wins moot

First time U of S wins national competition EMAN BARE News Writer A University of Saskatchewan law team won the Sopinka Cup for the first time in the school’s history.

Team members Andrew Kuzma, Kayla Demars-Krentz, Jason Demers, Evan Thompson and coach Ashley Smith travelled to Ottawa March 11 to 12 to compete against other law schools in moots across the country.

Moot teams compete in moot courts, which are based around a fictional or previously decided case. Law schools use the competitions to develop advocacy skills in law students, which are not necessarily taught in the classroom.

The team spent five months preparing for the competition with the help of lawyers, judges and other students.

“Teams prepare for months for a trial that takes about three hours,” said Thompson, “so there’s a lot of pressure to perform.”

According to Thompson, they ran about 20 practice rounds — totaling approximately 60 hours — and practiced in front of experienced judges and criminal lawyers to ensure that they were well prepared.

Thompson was awarded best cross-examination and best overall advocate.

“The judges we spoke to indicated that our team was strong and that my partner Jason was

in the mix for several individual awards,” he said.

The tournament had four trials, with each team competing only once. The teams at the competition had all ranked first or second in their regions, creating fierce competition among the competitors.

According to Thompson, “most moot cases are appeals, where the teams do not have witnesses or evidence, and are only arguing points of law.”

The Sopinka Cup is the only competition where the cases are moots, with examination of witnesses and evidence, similar to a real criminal case.

U of S moot teams consist of second and third year students, with first year law students participating in a moot as part of their curriculum.

The U of S College of Law does not place as much emphasis on moot as some of the other law colleges across Canada, but Thompson hopes this will change.

“We’re hoping the college will continue to support and strengthen its commitment to the competitive moots. As we’ve shown this year, our College of Law can compete with and win against the best and the brightest from across the country.”

General Academic Assembly

The President’s State of the University Address President Peter MacKinnon, chair of the General Academic Assembly, invites you to attend the annual meeting of the GAA. The president will report on the state of the university. This event is open to all faculty, staff and students.

April 11 at noon, Convocation Hall Members of the GAA include the president as chair, members of faculty, students elected to the GAA, deans, directors, vice-presidents, the secretary and the registrar.

www.usask.ca/university_secretary/gaa

A6 • News 1. Representing students’ voices in the upcoming provincial federal elections.

2. Creating new childcare spaces.

3. Finding a replacement for Peter MacKinnon.

4. See the USSU return to a fiscal surplus.

5. Figuring out how they put the caramel in a Caramilk bar.

Scott

president

hitchings

Pressing issues

1. Improving procedures

for dealing with academic grievances.

2. Implementing a co-curricular record.

3. Maintaining an early release of the final exam schedule.

4. Continue to promote the

office of the confidential student support officer.

5. Continue to hold and improve upon academic events such as Academic Integrity Awareness Week and Be Book Smart.

bas hi nystuen

Saeed

1. Housing.

2. Balanced budget.

3. Control tuition fluctuation.

4. Completion of Place Riel project.

5. Child care.

Bonus: Make sushi affordable for everyone.

Pressing Issues 1. Social justice centre.

2. Managing tenants and revenue from Place Riel.

3. Courting the provincial and federal governments prior to upcoming elections.

4. Organizing duties as a fourperson executive.

5. Getting students and clubs

more involved to reduce student apathy.

Saeed is studying chemical engineering, has been a student volunteer for the past three years and believes he can better the USSU’s financial process.

Saeed Bashi thinks his degree is the “second-most” important one out there.

“Everything around us involves chemical engineering — it’s a life essential. I left the first spot for you to choose,” he joked.

As an international student, he feels that he provides a unique perspective to the USSU. As a test of his fiscal acuity, we offered him $30,000 to spend as he Reid is a fiscal conservative who wants to see the USSU spend within its means. He is studying finance.

With the USSU-backed Place Riel project finally taking shape, Reid Nystuen’s platform emphasizes strict financial restraint to ensure that student fees remain as low as possible.

“I have the passion for [the job] and the knowledge of finance from my studies,” says Nystuen.

We offered him an imaginary $30,000 to spend however he wanted.

“You don’t spend it, you save it.

The budget this year already has an

vp academic

Pressing Issues

Pressing Issues

Reid

Scott Hitchings spent the last two years as the VP operations and finance for the USSU, which has allowed him to accrue “a significant amount of knowledge about all business the USSU has its hands in,” he said.

He assured us that his bid for president wasn’t for the name recognition on campus.

“I don’t particularly like seeing my name in print. I am running because this year has the potential to be an important year for students.”

A whole slate of new duties have been transferred to the president with

the elimination of the VP external job, including governmental lobbying, but Hitchings isn’t worried about the workload.

“I choose to look at it as an opportunity for cooperation among the executive.”

This year’s executive made a serious push for more childcare on campus. Hitchings wants to see that through if he’s elected. Calling the current situation “dismal at best,” he says he will work with the university’s task force on childcare and continue to lobby for funding.

If the creation of a social justice centre is approved by council, Hitchings will make that a focal point of his year, along with the push for childcare and lobbying for students in the upcoming provincial election.

Kelsey

Kelsey Topola knows what she’s getting into with her bid for the VP academic job — she’s filling that position right now.

Not only that, but she’s spent three years working with the Arts and Science Students’ Union as a councillor and as their VP external affairs. The English and political studies student also did a year on the Political Studies and Public

Administration Students’ Society.

“I enjoy my job and the opportunities it affords me to make change for the better for us students,” she said. Among the job duties are handling academic grievances, sitting on university committees and, by Topola’s reports, wrestling large land mammals.

At the beginning of her current term, Topola said she’d be working on a co-curricular record, which would be a formal portfolio of a student’s involvement and volunteerism. The pilot record will be a priority next year.

Scott is the current VP operations and finance. A political science major, he wants to lobby for students in what he says will be an important year.

topola

Kelsey has a double major in English and political studies and is our current VP academic. She wants to keep helping students weave their way through their university careers.

vp operations & finance

the Sheaf • 24 march 2011

liked.

“Fly a plane and drop the money over the city: record that and I’m sure it will be the best hip-hop song video... or maybe something a little more useful and down to earth, like maintenance,” he quipped.

Bashi cited the importance of affordable housing, saying “if you think about it, students are a major income source for landlords, so more university affordable housing will help stable the rent increase rate in the city itself.”

Bashi has been in the city for three years and wants to use the job to make things more enjoyable for students. operating deficit of over $400,000,” he said.

Nystuen warned that the USSU must get back to a point where spending matches income.

Nystuen has served as the ESB student council representative since 2008, which, along with sitting on several USSU boards and committees, has given him valuable understanding of the budget.

Nystuen told us that he would rethink the Browser’s space if given a chance. With the addition of the Starbucks in the library, he says the space could be better used for childcare or other businesses.

The Sheaf is covering the USSU the

SHEAF

• Live tweets of election forums • Campaign videos

• Sheaf blog commentary • Candidate USSU knowledge qu

Alex Leejay FERWERDA schmidt

Alex is a political studies major, bent on creating a more comfortable student-executive culture.

Leejay is a computer engineering student focused on giving back to the U of S by making a positive difference in the lives of students.

Pressing issues

Pressing issues

centre.

proper support through the centres.

1. Seeing forward a social justice

1. Ensuring that students have

2. Sustainability.

3. Strengthening ties to the

2. Improving student housing

4. Creating a more inviting

childcare options.

options and affordability.

student centres.

3. Increasing and improving

executive office by, for example, hosting a monthly “comment couch” session.

4. Sustainability.

5. Ensuring that “people do not

5. Harbouring a well-kept beard, in order to utilize its staggering wisdom and morals.

Alex Ferwerda studies politics and religion, though according to him, both are deal-breaker topics on first dates. This results in a truly sad, basically non-existent sex life.

Throughout his three years on campus he has spent time working with both the Arts and Science Students’ Union and the Religious Studies Students’ Union.

“I have been a member of the USSU for three years now, and have paid close attention to the representatives decisions,” said Ferwerda. That is, every undergraduate is a member of the USSU. The recent referendum to axe the VP external position sparked his interest in running for office, leading to a campaign centred on building an “executive environment that encourages students to become involved in the USSU.” He considers the job’s focus to be the societal issues that specifically affect students. As for affordable housing, he feels College Quarter is merely a start in the search for adequate accommodations for U of S students.

He also says he will ensure something substantial is done to curb the childcare issue.

“Those with children should not have to choose between raising their kids and education.”

Justin lasnier

Jordan nabata

Justin is majoring in Aboriginal public administration. He’s passionate about enhancing the U of S student experience.

Jordan is studying chemical engineering, has worked bitch USSU jobs for years and feels it’s finally time he’s boss.

Pressing issues

1. Affordable housing.

2. Parking.

3. Safety.

4. Sustainability.

5. Networking between students and alumni.

1. Sustainability, especially in the form of proper recycling containers.

2. Ensuring that rights of residence students as tenants are respected.

3. Working with centres to

improve their visibility on campus.

4. Making existing USSU

programs be as good as they can be.

fall through the cracks” with social assistance.

5. Creating a pirate ship themed

office, fixed with captain hats, a treasure chest and cannons (if he can find any).

Engineering student Leejay Schmidt is well versed in student politics, as he is currently a sitting representative to student council and student member of the U of S Senate.

He has worked closely with students on matters of racism, childcare and the housing crisis.

“I am running to ensure that a commitment to student wellbeing is the top priority of this position,” said Schmidt. Recently, Schmidt received the USSU Vera Pezer Award for Student Enhancement for his volunteer work done as an MSC, was honoured with a Saskatchewan Youth Award and was named Saskatchewan Junior Citizen of the Year for outstanding volunteerism.

According to Schmidt, the student affairs portfolio involves anything that directly affects students, notably, student housing and childcare.

He said that the College Quarter will not quite meet student needs, since the current shortage of childcare spaces has led to roughly a three year wait list.

“College Quarter is a very good start and it is good to see some commitment on the front of housing, but we will still be well behind the national average.”

If elected Schmidt will lobby for accessibility and affordability for both childcare and housing.

Justin Lasnier is dedicated to bettering the lives of his fellow students.

“Running for this position came naturally for me,” said Lasnier, noting he ran last year for this position as well.

As ambassador for the Aboriginal Students’ Centre and former VP operations and finance with the Indigenous Students’ Council, Lasnier built knowledge of a wide range of the student experience.

Lasnier says student affairs vary in range, but he lists housing and parking shortages as his top priorities.

According to Lasnier, “good housing is directly related to our academic performance so I think the next VP student affairs needs to put time on this.”

Additionally, Lasnier feels there is more work to do in improving campus sustainability, and would like to see students using mugs rather than paper cups to lessen the U of S environmental footprint.

As for one of this year’s hotbutton issues — childcare — Lasnier sees a serious gap in service.

“Its pretty much impossible to get childcare on campus. It’s totally unacceptable [for students] to be on a waiting list for years,” he said.

elections online!

uiz

Pressing issues

• Extended interviews and profiles • Open thread for discussion

From working as a residence advisor in Voyageur Place to a doorman at Louis’, Jordan Nabata has seen student life from a large variety of angles.

“I have worked with or around the USSU pretty much every semester I have gone to school at the U of S,” said Nabata. He is excited at the prospect of playing a larger role in the organization, as well as having a spiffy new Place Riel office.

Nabata considers student affairs to be everything not handled by the other executive positions, including sustainability, housing and student centres.

Working in residence, Nabata witnessed the student housing crunch first-hand.

He mentioned that although College Quarter will open up much needed student beds, he wants to see the residences available to all students, not just first and second years.

He admitted to knowing “not nearly enough” about childcare, but intends to research the issue thoroughly.

Nabata also realizes the importance in having great hair, and is actually considering rocking “Kennedy” hair for the campaign.

“Everyone knows 70 per cent of an election is the hair.”

A7

vice-president student affairs

News •

thesheaf.com/news

all photos by Pete Yee

#ussuelections

twitter:

@thesheaf1912

SPORTS

the Sheaf • 24 march 2011

Huskies falter in Final 8 gold medal bout Despite loss, Dogs bring home silver in best CIS championship finish yet KEVIN MENZ Associate News Editor

5. Western Mustangs

Final 8 standings:

1. University of Windsor Lancers 2. U of S Huskies 3. U of R Cougars 4. UVic Vikes 6. UNB Varsity Reds 7. Carleton Ravens 8. University of Alberta Golden Bears

Women’s basketball playoffs

A8•

Windsor Lancer Jessica Clemençon and her team’s strong bench proved too much for the Huskies in the final of the national women’s basketball championships this past weekend.

The Canadian Interuniversity Sport most valuable player led her hometown Windsor Lancers to 63 points, as they held the Huskies to only 49 points.

After a 14-6 Huskies lead midway through the first quarter, the Dogs appeared unfazed by the noisy and hostile St. Denis Centre, which is the Lancers’ home court.

However, after the Lancers put together a 22-2 run that went all the way into the second quarter, the Huskies could not gain back the lead.

“We couldn’t quite stay with them,” said fifth-year Huskies player Jill Humbert. “We’re not going to win a game scoring 49 points, that’s for sure.”

“They’re a momentum team,” added fellow fifth-year Marci Kiselyk. “A lot of their scoring came in bursts — they’d get eight, 10, 12 points in a row — and that’s pretty tough to kill that momentum once it starts going.”

The Huskies appeared to regroup after half, coming out of the dressing room with a 10-1 run, evening things up at 35. Unfortunately, the Huskies couldn’t maintain that focus as the Lancers pulled away.

“We kind of just made some uncharacteristic turnovers and they capitalized on them,” said Humbert.

Lancers guard Korissa Williams had four steals in the game, while Clemençon prevented a lot of the Huskies inside scoring with seven blocked shots.

Clemençon, who hails from France, also put up 18 points for the Lancers.

“She’s a good player and she really battles,” said Kiselyk.

The tournament MVP was Lancers guard Miah-Marie Langlois. She said

that it was her team’s bench that won the game.

“We played 10 players and it gave the starters enough time to catch our breath and stay strong.”

The Huskies, on the other hand, only played seven players and, by the fourth, were missing most of their shots. Their first half shooting percentage of 45.5 dropped to 39.1 in the second half, and their three-point percentage dropped from 60 to 30.

Humbert had 15 points in the game, all of which came in the first half. Kim Tulloch had 12 and Kiselyk was held quiet with only 2.

Katie Miyazaki contributed 13 points to accompany her five steals and nine rebounds. She was named a tournament all-star for her weekend’s strong defensive performance.

The Green and White’s Jana Spindler was also named an all-star for her weekend’s performance. She had 10 rebounds and seven points in the final.

“We played our hearts out today,” said Spindler.

“I’m so proud of my team. I would have liked to be on the other end of things, getting the gold, but silver is the best we’ve ever done,” added Kiselyk. “It’s been such a good year.”

The silver medal is the Huskies women’s best-ever finish at the CIS nationals.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, but it’s been an amazing five years with all the girls,” said Spindler of her experiences with the Huskies’ program.

Spindler, who moved to Saskatchewan from Nova Scotia, said that the Huskies have made her fall in love with the province.

“I have family here now with these girls and I don’t know if I’ll go away,” she said, adding a personal message to all the graduating Huskies players. “To all my fifth years — Lauren [Whyte], Marci, Jill and Kim — you are the best friends I could ever ask for to go through with this and I love you all.”

rebounds and scored two threepointers to lead the dogs with 15 points.

Humbert had 13 points and seven assists, and was able to draw fouls at key moments in the game — she took a charge at the beginning of the game which sparked the Dogs’ 11-0 run.

Tulloch had 12 points including a big three-pointer in the third quarter, and Jana Spindler put up 10 points, three blocks and three steals.

from Huskies veteran Jana Spindler prevented a St. FX comeback.

“Our focus was to lock them down and not let their defence control us,” said Spindler Spindler was awarded player of the game for her strong second half, which included eight rebounds and 15 of her game high 18 points.

“Spindler showed up in the second half and she had a huge post presence for us,” said fifth-year Huskie Kim Tulloch. “She took some of the pressure off the perimeter because we were getting the ball inside and she was drawing fouls.”

Tulloch hit key three-pointers when it appeared St. FX was gaining momentum in order to keep the Huskies ahead.

“It helps us out that we have a veteran team and that we can keep composed,” she said.

Miyazaki continued her great defensive play by putting up six steals and eight rebounds, while Humbert had 14 points and Kiselyk had 10.

Sheryl Chisholm, Kirsten Jones and Ashley Stephen each put up 10 points for St. FX

Huskies games: quarter and semi-finals CIS women’s basketball Final 8 at a glance KEVIN MENZ Associate News Editor

Huskies beat Laurier 58-51 in quarter final: The Huskies defeated the Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks 58-51 in their opening game of the tournament.

After opening with an 11-0 run, the Huskies were able to hold onto the lead for the entire game.

“We had a lot of respect for Laurier and we knew they were not going to go away,” said Huskies head coach Lisa Thomaidis who had nothing but praise for the Hawks. “They work hard and when they get second chance points or come up with a few defensive boards, they’re going to stay in a lot of games that way.”

“We started the way we wanted to start,” said Huskies guard Jill Humbert. “But once Laurier found their rhythm, they competed right alongside us.”

The Hawks, led by a strong performance from rookie Felicia Mazerolle, who put up 18 points and three steals, were within two points of

Basketball!

photo by Edwin Tam

the Huskies with 2:30 to play in the fourth quarter.

But with Kim Tulloch blocking Mazerolle’s three-point attempt and scoring an easy lay-up at the other end of the court, the Huskies pulled away.

Thomaidis said she was happy with the performance of her senior players.

“We’ve got a few different weapons to go to, so that was nice to see.”

Marci Kiselyk grabbed 10

Huskies beat St. Francis Xavier 58-40 in semifinal: Although the Huskies never gave up the lead after opening with a 13-0 run, St. Francis Xavier challenged the team in the second and third quarters, and the Dogs were forced to win the game in the fourth quarter.

St. FX did a good job preventing the Huskies from moving the ball into the offensive zone and by the middle of the third quarter, they had closed the gap to two points.

However, a stellar performance

“I have learned something that I consider valuable.”

Speak up.

Tell your professors what you think.

Your feedback is important to your professors. It can help improve their teaching skills and lets them know what they’re doing well. Have your say and fill out your Student Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ). Watch your inbox for your invitation and your chance to win a campus gift card.

For more information on SEEQ, visit www.usask.ca/ip/seeq

www.usask.ca/ip/seeq

Sports • A9

thesheaf.com/sports

Concussions continue to be a migraine for NHL NHL drafts new protocol to counteract concussions DARREN DUPONT Sports Writer The NHL is searching for answers after the recent string of head shots around the league.

The number of players being sidelined with head injuries has been on the incline this season. The most notable player on the shelf battling a head injury is none other than Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby, who hasn’t played for the Penguins since suffering a concussion in early January.

The most recent victim is Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty, who was taken hard and head-first into a stanchion by 6’9’ Boston Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara. Pacioretty suffered a severe concussion and a fractured vertebra in his neck as a result. It is unknown when or if he will ever resume playing hockey.

Dallas forward Brad Richards recently returned to the Stars’ roster after being sidelined with a concussion and, in January, Bruins star forward Marc Savard had his season cut short after suffering yet another concussion. These are just a handful of key players who are being knocked out of action with head

Classifieds ANNOUNCEMENTS

3 SESSION LENTEN STUDY: Jesus for the 21st Century for people who take the Bible seriously but not literally. A small group exploration of a credible Jesus, who is neither kidnapped by the Christian Right nor discarded by the Secular Left.

Thursdays, 7-9 p.m., Grosvenor Park United Church lounge (corner of Cumberland & 14th St.) UC lounge. March 24: The Resurrection of Christ. Come for all three sessions or just one. Cosponsored by the U of S Ecumenical Chaplaincy [Anglican, Presbyterian, United] & Grosvenor Park UC. More info www.usask.ca/ mfca/ecumenical/ LABYRINTH MEDITATION: Walking the Sacred Path. Dawn Guenther, labyrinth artist, & Terry Harrison, educator, will facilitate an evening that will include conversation about the labyrinth, poetry and prayers, and walking the beautiful hand painted cloth labyrinth; Wed. March 30, 7:30 p.m. in St. Andrew’s College Lounge. Cosponsored by the Ecumenical Chaplaincy [Anglican, Presbyterian, United] and Friends of Sophia. More info: Ursula at 966-8500 or usask.ca/mfca/ ecumenical

Adults, are you looking for a free night of entertainment? Bring your date to Rusty Macdonald Branch Library from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, April 1 for a cozy night of stories, laughs and camaraderie. Date Night at the Library will be hosted by our own professional storytellers.

Photography has gone digital and computer sensors have replaced film. Yet, despite the technological

Impact to the cranium is bad for the brain, who knew?

photo by Alles Schlumpf/Flickr

injuries.

There have been 17 suspensions handed down for head shots this season but it appears the message still isn’t getting through.

Crosby has drawn the most attention in the latest series of devastating blows to head. As of March 14, he had not been skating

or doing any off-ice conditioning.

Crosby even spent a good chunk of time back home in Nova Scotia with his family to escape the media frenzy left in his wake. Some critics even went as far as to speculate that Crosby’s career may be over as a result of the injury, citing him as the next potential Eric Lindros case.

advances in equipment, pinhole photography and alternative processes are becoming more popular. Explore the simplicity of earlier processes and learn how everything old is new again at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30 in Fine and Performing Arts at the Frances Morrison Library.

Program presenter M. Eileen Murray’s current work involves contemporary inquiry into landscape, memory, culture and identity.

possibility of full-time employment in the summer): road grader operators, wheel loaders, skid steer operators, class 1A and 3A truck drivers and track hoe operators.

Fax resumes to 306-477-5078 or phone to inquire at 306-7170540. K3 Excavating is an equal opportunity employer.

Registration is underway for a book discussion program at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6 at Alice Turner Branch Library. To register and reserve a copy of the book, Life of Pi by Yann Martel, call 9758127. Dr. Kristina Fagan, Assistant Dean of Aboriginal Affairs and an Associate Professor of English at the University of Saskatchewan, has taught this seminal Canadian novel for many years. Dr. Fagan will lead the discussion, which is sure to be an engaging one.

Oral Fuentes Reggae Band CaribbeanBeat Night ft Oral Fuentes and local art auction Sat. April 9 doors at 7 p.m. St. Joseph’s Hall 535 8th St. East Tickets $12 advance/$15 door. All proceeds go towards Haiti earthquake relief efforts. Contact 717-0273 or chelseawoolhouse@hotmail.com

ACCOMMODATIONS One block from U of S, spacious, sunny one-bedroom basement apartment available for rent May 1, $900 a month, utilities included. Call 652-1223 for more information.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES K3 Excavating Ltd. is looking for employees to fill the following part-time positions (with the

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Want experience in Human Services? SARBI needs volunteers Monday thru Friday to provide assistance to survivors of acquired brain injuries in their psychosocial rehabilitation programs. Training provided. Call SARBI at 373-3050.

Website: sarbi.ca The Kenderdine Art Gallery, University Art Collection & College Building Art Galleries are seeking volunteers interested in the visual arts. Gain valuable experience and expand your knowledge of contemporary and historical art! Contact: 966-4571 for more info.

Crosby, 23, has been sidelined since being run head-first into the boards by Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman on Jan. 5. A few days earlier, Crosby was a blind-sided during the Winter Classic on Jan. 1. However, he did not display any signs of a concussion then.

At the time of his injury, Crosby had been the league’s leading scorer with 32 goals and 34 assists in 41 games.

Crosby recently skated for the first time since suffering the injury — a big step toward a return to the Pens line-up. Crosby was on the ice for 15 minutes in full gear on March 14. He took a few shots and stick handled through a few cones. While this appears to be a big step forward for the face of the NHL, he said there was still no time frame for his return.

Head shots were front and centre during the recent NHL general managers’ meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman introduced the league’s five-step plan to suppress concussions.

Step one involves the NHL working with the NHL Players’ Association on equipment reforms.

The second step is for the NHL to

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Canadian Blood Services With every blood donation you make, you save lives. By donating, you share your health and vitality with someone who needs it. To make an appointment for any blood donor clinic, or for more information, donors can contact Canadian Blood Services, toll-free at 1-888-2-DONATE (1-888-2366283) Share the Fun! is a new mentality charitable organization that is not specific to a certain cause or charity; whenever there is a worthy cause, we will do our best to support it. To volunteer at future events, book an event, or for more information about this charity, search for the Facebook group: Share the Fun!

Send your classifieds to ads@thesheaf.com. They must be no more than 50 words.

review the concussion protocol. If a player is thought to have suffered a concussion during a game, he must leave the bench to be assessed by a doctor; the physician must not be the team’s athletic therapist.

Additionally, the player will be administered a Sports Competition Anxiety Test before returning to play.

As a third step, teams and/or the head coach will be assessed a penalty along with the guilty player when dealing with repeat headhunting offenders.

Fourth — in what may be a direct result of the Pacioretty injury — safety engineers will do a full evaluation of the playing area in each of the league’s 30 rinks. This means arenas will need to conform to much higher safety standards than those in place now.

Finally, the fifth step will be the formation of a blue ribbon panel that will continue to look at the issue of concussions. That panel would consist of Brendan Shanahan, Rob Blake, Steve Yzerman and Joe Nieuwendyk.

Hopefully the NHL’s new protocol surrounding concussions will be effective in extinguishing the issue now and in the years to come.

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A10 •

Opinions

The viral tsunami

the Sheaf • 24 march 2011

Japan’s recent earthquake triggers a massive wave of global online activity BRYN BECKER Opinions Writer The raw video footage and witness accounts coming out of Japan following the devastating Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami are tragic and surreal.

No other natural disaster of this magnitude has ever been captured with such chilling clarity, from so many different perspectives, and in so many different voices. The sheer amount of footage circulating the web is unprecedented, and watching any of it offers a vivid and humbling

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glimpse of the destruction as it unfolded.

I happened to be awake and watched everything happen in realtime, from a few minutes after the first wave struck land. At the time I was too stunned to realize it, but it occurs to me now that watching a tsunami wreck a coastline, live, from the other side of the planet, is a truly bizarre and fascinating experience, one that I am not likely to forget any time soon.

It strikes me as an interesting example of how small our world is getting, and how we’ve reached a never-before-seen level of perpetual global awareness and interconnectivity.

This phenomenon has only materialized in the last decade, with the rise of services like YouTube and Twitter and the increased popularity of social networking. Fifty years ago you might be lucky enough to hear about a disaster like this the day it happened; 150 years ago it might take weeks, if you ever heard about it at all.

The widespread and unrestricted ability for almost anyone to share news, stories and amateur videos in real-time on the Internet has had a dramatic effect on the worldwide interest and emotional investment elicited by natural disasters and other large-scale events.

To gauge how much has changed in a few short years, look back to December 2004, when a massive earthquake triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that struck Indonesia, Sri Lanka and other near-

Suddenly, Katamari Damacy seems wildly inappropriate.

by countries, killing a staggering 230,000 people. For a while, on major networks coverage was ubiquitous.

But we didn’t see anywhere near the same level of first-person video footage, nor the number of detailed first-hand accounts that we have seen stream out of Japan in recent days.

There are several reasons for this. First and foremost, the Indian Ocean tsunami was so violent, and the impacted coastal infrastructure so underdeveloped, that few people were in a position to be filming or reporting at all. The Japanese were, in a nutshell, more structurally prepared and had world-class warning systems and evacuation procedures in place.

Another contributing factor is the Japanese penchant for advanced technology, especially personal electronics. In most built-up areas of Japan there is likely to be at least one video camera within recording distance of anything worthwhile, whether in a storefront surveillance system, mounted on a traffic light or built into a smart phone.

supplied

It’s hard to believe now, but in December 2004, YouTube was still a few months away from officially launching. Since then the website’s impact on the world has been astonishing. Today a search for “Indonesia tsunami 2004” on YouTube will return about 6,500 hits total. By contrast, “Japan tsunami 2011” returns 149,000 hits.

When the Indian Ocean tsunami struck, the world was still two and a half years away from its first tweet. During the tsunami last week, there were literally thousands of tweets every second. The UN has subsequently released a list of local and international journalists to follow on Twitter for critical updates.

But it wasn’t just YouTube and Twitter assisting the rest of the world in keeping in touch with what was happening in Japan. YouTube’s parent company Google was quick to establish an online resource hub on its homepage, with access to news updates as well as a missing person finder that is tracking approximately

350,000 records at the time of writing.

Wikipedia, which is fast becoming as much a news outlet as it is an encyclopedia, had arguably the most comprehensive article on the earthquake available posted in a little over an hour after it struck, beaten to the punch only by The New York Times.

From my geographically isolated perspective here in the prairies (practically as far from a tsunami as you could possibly get), no matter what I see on the screen in front of me I could never even begin to imagine what it would have been like to experience such a cataclysmic event first-hand.

With over 9,000 people confirmed dead and more than 13,000 still missing at time of print, the Tōhoku earthquake is the worst natural disaster to strike Japan in almost a century. In terms of magnitude on the Richter scale, it was the largest to ever hit the country. Japan is doing everything it can to repair and rebuild its crippled cities, all while risk of a nuclear crisis looms ominously at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi power plant.

The Japanese have had more than their fair share of practice rebuilding after earthquakes and tsunamis, and they will manage it again, even though nuclear threats still weigh heavily on the hearts and minds of the country’s citizens. As they do what they can to contain a meltdown, the perpetual global awareness persists, and the whole world will be watching and hoping for the best.

Hollywood, the terrible

Is there something to be learned from celebrity “meltdowns”?

THILINA BANDARA Opinions Writer

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Hollywood, to a young Thilina Bandara, was a magical dreamland that produced extraordinary stories.

The Lion King, Jurassic Park and Batman were all just the beautiful manifestations of this mythical realm, and that was enough for me.

Today, however, Hollywood scares me. It’s a place where true creative inspiration is anomalous, and the chance of moral corruption for those inside seems unbearably high.

So like clockwork, a famous person has a spectacular meltdown every couple of months. Today I imagine Hollywood as a giant, gelatinous blob who lures in those ambitious enough to dream of creating art for a living; a sexy monster who — for the general public — is only as interesting as the bile she spits out, with Charlie Sheen being the most recent of her abhorrent humours.

With Sheen’s most recent deviancy, his audience — the Internet — seemed to laugh along all the while. As funny and outlandish as the things he says and does may be, there is something disturbingly familiar about this performance.

Maybe it has always been this way, but I’m increasingly noticing

that the most resonating stories coming out of Hollywood involve celebrities hitting rock-bottom.

Unfortunately, these moments are what make Hollywood culture so fascinating, and I feel bad for noticing.

But it’s all the more tragic when nobody takes notice of those few celebrities who conscientiously object to what’s going on around them, and actively reject the absurdity that comprises Hollywood culture. Such is the largely untold story of post-Chappelle Show “meltdown” Dave Chappelle.

Feeling overwhelmed and socially alienated due to his tremendous success, Dave Chappelle walked away from continuing the massively popular Chappelle’s Show for a third season, and with it, Hollywood’s $50-million offer to keep working 20 hour days for material he stopped believing in.

Shortly after his subsequent highly-publicized retreat to Africa, he did an interview with Inside the Actor’s Studio’s James Lipton, and explained Hollywood’s toxicity through the experience of one of his heroes, Martin Lawrence.

In 2000, during the promotion of the movie Blue Streak, Martin Lawrence suffered a near fatal heat stroke. A young Dave Chappelle came to Martin’s bedside and asked him if he was doing alright. “[Martin] said, ‘I got the best

sleep I ever got in my life’…And that is how tough he is.” With powerful conviction, Chappelle then turned the tables on the interviewer, asking Lipton a series of questions: “What is happening in Hollywood, that a guy that tough will be on a street, screaming, ‘They are trying to kill me?’ [In reference to a psychotic episode Lawrence suffered in 1996.]

Why is Dave Chappelle going to Africa? Why does Mariah Carey make a $100-million deal and take her clothes off on TRL? A weak person can not get here to sit here and talk to you. Ain’t no weak people talking to you. So what is happening in Hollywood? Nobody knows.”

It’s an ominous reminder of what can happen to a person inside a maliciously tense environment.

What happened to Charlie Sheen?

Nobody really knows. Whether it was legitimately a professional conflict that pushed him over the edge or a completely drug-induced psychosis, the theatrical spectacle is what keeps us interested in his bizarre, crumbling life.

Should we laugh at Sheen? We can’t help it. Should we feel sorry for him? He’s reaping what he sowed. Is it worth it, just to remind us how screwed up Hollywood really is? Yes. So maybe Charlie Sheen is doing us all a favour.

thesheaf.com/opinions

The axe is sharpened, but will it fall?

Opinions • A11

Canadian politics proves it can get interesting — but for all the wrong reasons COLE HOGAN Opinions Writer As far as Canadian democracy is concerned, the “Harper government,” as it has come to be known, continues to engage in activity that some — including the Commons procedure and house affairs committee — may find questionable.

Stephen Harper has allocated public resources for partisan motivations by introducing a directive to address the Government of Canada as the “Harper Government.” People may have begun to wonder just whose country this is, but Canadians have always been confident that this country is ours. The Government of Canada is answerable to the Canadian citizenry. Or at least it ought to be.

On March 7, the Conservatives failed to adhere to a motion that they provide the House of Commons with information regarding its plans to spend billions on stealth fighter jets, corporate tax cuts, larger prisons and other pieces of crime legislature.

This does not seem to be the only matter for which the Tories cannot provide details.

Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, has been accused of using ministerial resources for partisan purposes, targeting “very ethnic” ridings. Kenney was marketing a

Conservative ad campaign using ministerial letterhead; using one’s role in the Cabinet in order to promote a political party is deemed unethical and a conflict of interest.

Kenney defended himself on this matter on March 9 during Question Period against the MP for Papineau, Que., Justin Trudeau.

Trudeau stated, “The Minister of Immigration has ethics that are so elastic he can’t even see that he’s become the embodiment of a conflict of interest.” Trudeau stated that the act of targeting new Canadians as “very ethnic” while being in the position of someone who should have their best interests in heart is contemptible.

Kenney re-directed the statement into an attack on Trudeau, and presented the question of whether or not Trudeau had been paid for commercial speaking gigs. Trudeau retorted that Kenney’s conduct “undermines the very values and fairness of Canada’s just society, the one my father fought for, the one this charter upholds, the one people around the world look to as an inspiration, the one we Canadians believe in, in our bones. How dare this Minister show such wanton disrespect for all Canadians?”

The left of the House roared in support. Questions continued to go unanswered, as they are again in the notorious in-and-out scheme.

Four senior Conservatives, including two senators, were

Advice by Andy

With Dr. Andrew Rothchild, MA, DSW, D.Phil, PsyD Dear Dr. Andy,

I’m stressing out! I have a full load of physiology classes, my med school interview is soon and I really need to do well on both my exams and my interview. They both take a lot of prep and on top of that I have to keep up with weekly labs, quizzes and volunteer work. It’s getting to the point where I’m so busy and frazzled by the end of the day that when I finally settle down to study I can’t even focus!

Seeing as you are a doctor and still find the time to write a superb advice column, you must be a master of time management.

Please let me know if you have any tips to help me out.

— Overwhelmed and Stressed Dear Overwhelmed and Stressed, First things first: Relax.

Take a deep breath, count to 10 and put on a pot of tea. There are three courses of action you can take on this one: The hard way, the easy way and the Dr. Andy Special.

First the hard way. Manage your time, plan things out and put your nose to the grind stone. Need I say more? No one wants to do this option.

Now how about the easy way?

You could always cut some of your classes, focus on a different profession or decide to ease up on the volunteer work. But that

doesn’t help if your heart is set on medicine and helping people.

So that leaves the Dr. Andy Special. This strategy basically just involves the acquisition of some study aids — and by that I mean caffeine, energy drinks and Adderall.

“But Dr. Andy, I shouldn’t be relying on drugs to help me study, should I?” The answer is: Yes, of course you should. Study aids help you stay focused for your late night study sessions. And unless you’re a slacker, expect to be pulling a lot of late night study sessions in med school.

How else do you think I’m able to simultaneously write for an extremely successful student newspaper, practice as a pediatric neurosurgeon and train for my upcoming MMA title bout* all at once? Study aids give you everything you need to succeed — just make sure you don’t get too hooked (you don’t want to end up an upper-junkie like Lindsey Lohan**).

If you need a hook-up just look for Ol’ Shirtless Ted. He usually hangs out on Broadway with an empty paint can and a fox pelt.

Pretty hard to miss him. * Watch out Anderson Silva, they call me Dr. Octopus because I’ll hit you eight times before you even hit the ground. **I’m above using Charlie Sheen jokes. Some of us have class.

accused of a $1.2 million scheme to toss away the spending limits enforced by Elections Canada. The limits were exceeded by transferring money into local campaigns where it would stay shortly, then transferring the money directly back out.

Elections Canada knew something was up when candidates were claiming these transfers as funding for local riding advertisements — when the money was not there — and used them to pay for national Conservative party advertisements.

The transfers resulted in an additional $800,000 in taxpayer paid rebates.

Unless we feel obligated to do so, Canadians should not be paying for political party advertising.

Pierre Poilievre, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and a notorious quiet-talker, reiterated the Conservative focus that “this is a five-year-old administrative dispute,” and that “the Conservative Party has always followed all of the election rules.”

The Conservatives have showed discipline over the years, but Dominic LeBlanc, the MP for Beausejour, N.B., replied to Polievre by saying, “There will be a lot of people in federal prison tonight who will think they had an administrative disagreement with the federal government.” The Conservatives claim all of the parties do this, while the opposition maintains only the Conservatives do this — but only

Conservative Party headquarters have been raided by the RCMP. This issue dominated Question Period two weeks ago, and has provided endless entertainment, if you’re into this sort of thing.

These issues and others have lead to two rulings by House of Commons Speaker Peter Milliken regarding the Conservative government’s conduct. Privilege was ruled to be violated in the first case, as MP Bev Oda was found to be less-than-thorough in explaining her decision to cut funding from the aid group Kairos.

The second ruling concerned whether or not the information the government disclosed on tax cuts for corporations and the Conservatives crime legislature were enough.

Milliken found that neither the details nor explanations were enough.

Both issues were brought before the aforementioned parliamentary committee, which found, on the eve of the announcement of the federal budget, that the Harper Government was indeed in contempt of parliament.

This marks the first time in Commonwealth history that a government has ever been found in contempt of parliament.

Two weeks ago, the House passed a motion which denounced the Harper Government for its disregard of election spending limits, coercion of donations using public

funds, using taxpayer money to finance a pre-election campaign, altering documents, refusing to disclose parliamentary committee information on proposal costs and improperly proroguing Parliament.

On March 22, the Liberals and the Bloc acted as expected in response to the budget, both opposing it entirely. The surprise of the afternoon came in NDP leader Jack Layton’s opposition to the federal budget, after speculation that the budget would meet some of the NDP’s requests.

Layton said the PM “had the opportunity to address the needs of hard-working middle class Canadians and families and he missed that opportunity.” To use Layton’s words, Harper “just doesn’t get it.”

If an election did not seem inevitable at that point, on CBC News’s Power and Politics on March 22, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced that the government will make no amendments to the budget, so at the time of print, it looks as if we are headed to the polls, possibly in early May. The opposition parties have made it clear that economics cannot be separated from democratic integrity.

Regardless of the outcomes, Canadian democracy has never been as worse for wear.

A12 • Opinions CAMPUS CHAT

the Sheaf • 24 march 2011 summarize yourself in three words or less.

“Astronaut class clown.”

“Gym, tan, library.”

“Overly-involved.”

“Incumbent.”

-Paul Oakenfold

-Vince Spilchuk

-Chelsea Breher

-Scott Hitchings

FAKE NEWS OF THE WEEK

Libyan crisis an Internet prank

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has said that the ongoing crisis in his country is fictitious, and was contrived under his authority to “troll” the entire international community.

If true, this would mark the second-largest Internet prank ever pulled, second only to the famous Rick Astley “Never Gonna Give You Up” meme. In response to Gaddafi’s claim, SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon said, “You know what — it wouldn’t surprise me.

That guy’s fucking nuts.”

Known for his odd behaviour, fanciful garb and peculiar sarcasm during interviews, some of the Libyan leader’s well-documented eccentricities include employing a 40-strong all-female bodyguard corps, refusing to travel over water and an obsession with the 1981 television series Wadi Al

Misk.

According to a senior aide, Gaddafi became obsessed with online pranking and imageboards shortly after learning of the Internet in late 2009, and frequently pulls pranks on Chatroulette and imageboards such as 4chan. Gaddafi claims to have used “MS Paint, and various other technological programs” to fabricate images and video of violence in Libya, purely for his own enjoyment. A news release from Libya’s state office exuberantly claimed that “Western n00bs had been totally had,” and that Gaddafi had been engaged in “much LOL-ing and ROFL-ing.”

Soft news network to launch in Canada

Sunshine Daily, a news network specializing in “happy, uplifting or otherwise day-brightening news coverage” is set to launch in Canada this fall.

Doris Gladstone, CEO of the new network, explained in a press release, “There’s just so much darn hanky-panky, crashbang-boom and other laffy-taffy nonsense news in this mixed up world; it’s time Canadians were given a choice to tune out and put on their happy-hats.”

The network will bring up-tothe-minute “positive news” — stories pertaining to fashion, pets and bake-sales — and will also feature occasional financial news, when stock prices are on the rise.

The network has already earned a strong online following, with some of its more popular news stories like “Chocolate vs.

Vanilla: the never-ending debate,” “Competition seeks cutest pet in West” and “Local autistic woman raises funds for Haiti” reaching upward of 400,000 readers apiece.

THE SHEAF

Straight talk With Dale Judd Dale Judd is a concerned parent of two U of S students.

As the Sheaf is a student-run newspaper, Dale’s views are intended to provide an alternative perspective on events on and around campus, and do not reflect those of the Sheaf.

Hey folks, Dale here.

Well, there ya have it: you kids got yerselves two elections in a week!

First, there’s them brown-nosers runnin’ for USSU. A guy’s heard a couple a them are shoe-ins, what with your generation bein’ too goddamn lazy to give ‘em a fight. Anyhow, get yerself good n’ acquainted with them pinko line-towers, ‘cuz if you’s ever

lose your wallet, you’ll know whose pockets to search.

Speakin’ a which, while a guy’s chattin’ with the kids on the phone the other day one of them says this Ferwerda character wants to put a couch in the office so students can come ‘n tell him how to run his business. Sounds like goddamn socialism to me.

An’ on top of your silly makebelieve election, now the national socialists have gone an’ triggered a goddamn real election.

Look here — so long as the Reds aren’t marchin’ on Dalmeny I don’t give a goddamn who’s in power.

You just make sure a guy’s got a full tank in the ‘350, a couple a pucks of dingers and the Oilers got a runnin’ shot at the Cup, an’ a guy’ll be happier than a gopher in a sock drawer.

AGM 5:00 pm Monday, April 4, 2011 Room 108 Arts

Annual General Meeting The Sheaf Publishing Society Inc. Board of Directors have scheduled the Society’s Annual General Meeting to take place Monday, April 4, 2011 at 5:00 p.m., in Room 108 Arts.

Any proposed motions, changes to this agenda, or amendments to the Society Bylaws must be submitted to the Chair of the Board of Directors,

1) Call to Order 2) Call for Quorum 3) Approval of Agenda 4) Approval of Minutes - April 5, 2010 5) Society Report

in writing, by 3:00 p.m. Friday, April 1, 2011, to:

6) Financial Report -Auditor’s Report

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7) Business Arising - Reappointment of the Auditor

Room 108 MUB 93 Campus Drive Saskatoon SK, S7N 5B2 All are welcome to attend!

8) Bylaw Amendments 9) Election of Directors 10) Questions and Comments 11) Adjournment