JANUARY 04, 2018
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YOUR UNI VE R S I T Y O F SAS K ATC H E WA N ST UDE NT NE WS PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 1 2
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The University of Saskatchewan’s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis.
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Saskatoon’s best new eateries of 2017
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Campus highs and lows of 2017
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NEWS
T H E S H E A F P U B L I S HI NG S OC I E T Y // JA N 0 4 , 2 0 1 8
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Jessica Klaassen-Wright
editor@thesheaf.com NEWS EDITOR
CULTURE EDITOR
Nykole King
Tanner Bayne
news@thesheaf.com
culture@thesheaf.com
SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR
OPINIONS EDITOR
Emily Migchels
Jack Thompson
opinions@thesheaf.com
sportshealth@thesheaf.com
STAFF WRITER
Lyndsay Afseth staffwriter@thesheaf.com COPY EDITOR
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NEWS College Drive selected for rapid transit station, not Place Riel The Saskatoon City Council has approved a proposal for a new bus system based on rapid transit.
| Amanda Slinger
copy@thesheaf.com LAYOUT MANAGER
| Laura Underwood
layout@thesheaf.com PHOTO EDITOR
| J.C. Balicanta Narag
photo@thesheaf.com GRAPHICS EDITOR
| Lesia Karalash
graphics@thesheaf.com WEB EDITOR
| Jeremy Britz
web@thesheaf.com OUTREACH DIRECTOR
| Victoria Becker
outreach@thesheaf.com AD & BUSINESS MANAGER
| Shantelle Hrytsak
ads@thesheaf.com COVER IMAGE
SYDNEY BOULTON
Lesia Karalash BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kyra Mazer Brent Kobes Emily Klatt Hasith Andrahennadi Momo Tanaka Liam Richards
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Mission // 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, it provides unique insight into university issues through a student perspective. The staff of editors, photographers and artists collaborate with volunteers as student journalists to create a product relevant to students on the University of Saskatchewan campus. Legal // The Sheaf, published weekly during the academic year and periodically from May through August, is an incorporated non-profit that is, in part, student-body funded by way of a direct levy paid by all partand full-time undergraduate students at the 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 Sheaf Publishing Society is open to all undergraduate students at the U of S, who are encouraged to contribute to the newspaper. Absolutely no experience is required! The 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 libellous material. Land Acknowledgement // The Sheaf acknowledges that our office is built on Treaty Six Territory and the traditional homeland of the Métis. We pay our respects to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and affirm both the importance of our relationship with Indigenous peoples and students at the U of S and our commitment to recognize and remain accountable for our collective history.
corrections
There were no errors brought to our attention in our last issue. If you spot any errors in this issue, please email them to: copy@thesheaf.com
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Kaitlin Wong There is currently no indication whether or not the Bus Rapid Transit system will make use of the Place Riel Tranist Terminal.
As Saskatoon’s population has reached approximately 271,000 and is projected to grow to 500,000 in the years to come, the Saskatoon City Council is executing plans to accommodate the growing population. One of these accommodations is redesigning the city’s transit system. As of Nov. 20, City Council has approved the Preferred Configuration Report for the new Bus Rapid Transit system. BRT is a form of bus-based transit that aims to improve the travel speed, reliability and overall customer experience of taking the bus. The City of Saskatoon has hired the design firm HDR Inc. to plan the new transit system. John Hubbell, Western Canada transportation practice leader for HDR, explains that there will be transit enhancements to make BRT successful. For instance, the transit-signal priority measures will give buses priority at traffic lights by means of sensors, while geometric priority measures and runningways will address the infrastructure challenges impeding rapid transit. “Transit-signal priority measures, geometric priority measures, improved bus stations, customer-information systems and runningway improvements are the key components of BRT,” Hubbell said. Other enhancements will improve the rider experience by adding shelters at bus stops along the route, Hubbell explains. Digital screens will also be installed in bus shelters to provide live tracking of buses for commuters. The Preferred Configuration Report created by HDR acts as a framework for the project, but the company is still working on the final plan, Hubbell says. He notes that the new transit system will decrease transit travel times and improve reliability. Hubbell also explains that, with the new rapid transit plan, a bus would never arrive at stops more than three minutes late. “If we do our work right, … you can get im-
provements in bus travel times anywhere from five to 20 per cent. With the system, we experience over 90 per cent reliability,” Hubbell said. The plan proposes two BRT lines, a Blue Line that will run north/south and a Red Line, with a segment along College Drive, that will run east/ west. A map of the two routes is available on the city’s website. It is unclear how BRT on College Drive will affect the existing Place Riel transit hub. Deena Kapacila, vice-president operations and finance of the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union, is responsible for transit service issues. Kapacila was reached to comment on the issue but did not respond in time for publication. Matt Wolsfeld, community engagement c o ordinator for the U of S Office of Sustainability, explains that the new transit plan will help meet the objectives of the Campus Sustainability Plan. “Public transit has an incredibly important role to play in sustainability by offering alternative and sustainable means of transportation throughout the city,” Wolsfeld said, in an email to the Sheaf. As an alternative to single-occupant vehicles, Wolsfeld believes public transit is crucial for the city’s growth and that a modernized transit system should make it easier and faster for students to travel around the city. “A strong, well-planned, efficient and convenient public-transit system is necessary for a city to sustainably grow into the future,” Wolsfeld said. Students can contribute their opinions to the planning process at community-engagement events until February 2018. The plan is expected to be completed in April 2018, but full implementation is not expected for at least three years. Hubbell explains that, while HDR and City Council are doing their best to create a plan that will work for Saskatoon, the community may need to be patient for the time being. “There may be some growing pains while we work to design and implement these changes,” Hubbell said. “And, we’re not closing the door to change in the future.”
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NEWS
Undergraduate Project Symposium includes Indigenous ways of knowing The upcoming Undergraduate Project Symposium will focus on community engagement and inclusivity. NYKOLE KING NEWS EDITOR
On Feb. 5, the annual Undergraduate Project Symposium will return for its sixth year of showcasing student research, but this time, there will be a special focus on a category for Indigenous ways of knowing. This year, the UPS is working to increase inclusivity for submissions that might not fall into the traditional forms of research, like Indigenous knowledge-based research or fine arts. The symposium also gives students a special incentive to submit their work, as the organizers have secured more funding for prizes. The UPS is an event co ordinated by the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union, the Undergraduate Research Initiative, the Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning, and various others, all part of the organizational committee. Jessica Quan, USSU vice-president academic affairs, discusses the value of including a new category on Indigenous ways of knowing and Indigenous-based research. “With the university’s efforts to Indigenize, it is incredibly fitting. We have so many Indigenous undergraduate scholars, so I think it’s important to recognize their work,” Quan said. “I am also pleased to see so many submissions [for] this category and this criteria.” Quan says she has been working to highlight Indigenous based research that has already been taking place on campus by recognizing it through the UPS. Quan, with a goal to increase community engagement, has also been working to expand the prizes available for students by reaching out to various col-
leges, offices on campus and community stakeholders, including the City of Saskatoon Mayor’s Office and the Remai Modern Art Gallery, who have agreed to fund awards for student submissions. “The Remai Modern and the U of S have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, agreeing that they are going to work together to support students for experiential learning [and] art students. I found it fitting to have this award,” Quan said. In addition to the Mayor’s Office and the Remai Modern, Jacqueline Ottman, vice-provost, Indigenous engagement, at the U of S, has agreed to fund $200 for a prize in the new category and will attend the symposium to connect with students. The UPS committee is working to equip the judges with the skills needed to evaluate artwork alongside scientific research by identifying the calibre of both endeavours within their own fields. Quan explains that she hopes this will encourage more fine arts students to have their work valued in general. “Historically, with undergraduate project symposiums — and I think this speaks to a larger trend at the university — art students tend to be devalued or they aren’t held to the same standard or level as our science students,” Quan said. “But, basically, I want to — this year — change the symposium to be more accomodating for our arts students.” Until Dec. 31, students were able to submit their work, including an outline of theses and data for research projects. Applicants will be invited to present their work to the public on Feb. 5 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the North Concourse of Place Riel. The USSU will cover the printing costs of posters that
detail research methodologies for any students who submit their work to the UPS. While a poster presentation is the most common form of submission, Quan encourages students to
submit research in all forms, including projects completed long before the symposium. “You don’t have to create an original project strictly for the symposium. You can literally
take a project that you’ve done,” Quan said. “If you want to take the project [to] a new level, you can take anything you’ve done in the past and submit it to the symposium.”
kcw1939 / Flickr
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Year in review:
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A look back at campus news in 2017 Take a look at the Sheaf’s highlights of memorable moments and events at the University of Saskatchewan throughout 2017. SOPHIA LAGIMODIERE
As another year passes, it seems only suitable to reflect back on 2017 and the most significant events on campus. From research finds to the first-ever gender-equality week, University of Saskatchewan students, faculty and staff have contributed to another successful year on campus. Here is a list of the most memorable highs and lows on campus in 2017.
Memorandum of Understanding a commitment to Indigenous student learning Feb. 2: U of S President Peter Stoicheff and Chief Bobby Cameron from the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to pledge the university’s commitment to its Indigenous students. The MOU aims to be a platform from which Indigenous voices can be heard, as it states that Stoicheff and Cameron will meet annually to discuss strategies for improving the enrollment and graduation rates of Indigenous students, both in undergraduate and graduate programs.
the approval of a deficit budget of $16.7 million for the 2017-18 year to offset the cuts. The USSU lobbied against these cuts by reforming the Saskatchewan Students’ Coalition.
Saskatoon’s first free Dental Day April 8: The U of S and the College of Dentistry collaborated to create Saskatoon’s first free dental day, known as Dental Day YXE. With the volunteer efforts of dentists, dental assistants, dental hygienists, dental therapists, denturists, specialists and students, approximately 200 people received free dental work. The purpose of this event was to help those who may not have dental insurance or the funds for dental services.
First Women in Leadership week on campus Jan. 16-19: The U of S Students’ Union established the first Women in Leadership week on campus. The USSU, along with other student groups that promote gender-equality, hosted a leadership workshop, an art show and a networking gala. The events celebrated women in leadership positions by acknowledging their achievements and encouraged female students to take on leadership roles in their communities.
Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor
Provincial budget cuts affect students March 22: Saskatchewan’s 2017-18 provincial budget was released this past March, stating that the funding for base operational costs at post-secondary institutions in the province would decrease by 5.6 per cent or $18 million. This is the largest cut to provincial funding that the U of S has ever experienced. By the time the provincial budget was released, the tuition prices for the 2017‑18 academic year had already been determined. On June 20, the U of S Board of Governors announced
Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor
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Student group wins award for project on food security May 9-11: U of S students won the Project Partnership Best Project award for the HSBC Indigenous Advancement Project at the Enactus Canada National Exposition held in Vancouver this year. Enactus U of S, a student group at the university, sent four teams to compete at the competition in Vancouver where the project on food security, titled Food for the Future, won the competition. The project focused on funding strategies and the development of educational
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resources to foster the creation of community gardens in vulnerable northern Saskatchewan communities.
U of S student group uncovers dinosaur bones June 2: The U of S Space Design Team (USST), a student group focused on developing space technology, was preparing for a Mars rover competition in the Midland Provincial Park near Drumheller when the team discovered dinosaur bones, hadrosaur to be specific. The Mars-like terrain in the park was suitable for the first-ever Canadian International Rover Challenge, which was held in July, where the U of S team won first place overall.
Saskatchewan Students’ Coalition July 18: USSU President David D’Eon put out a press release announcing that student union representatives from the U of S and four other post-secondary institutions had signed an agreement to rally together against the provincial budget cuts to post-secondary funding. The SSC consists of 60,000 students from all over Saskatchewan who have seen a reduction in their educational funding due to the provincial budget. In the media release, D’Eon discussed how budget cuts would disproportionally affect Indigenous peoples and families with low incomes due to the post-secondary-education gap. The coalition is concerned with improving post-secondary education for people of all backgrounds, and SSC members hope the government will take action.
Edwards School of Business reaches centennial milestone September: This fall marked the 100year anniversary since the Edwards School of Business was established in 1917, with only 17 students. ESB was the first accounting school to be
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Jessica Klaassen-Wright / Editor-in-Chief Before Sept. 1, Justin Trudeau also held a town hall event on Jan. 25 in the Health Sciences Building.
J.C. Balicanta Narag / Photo Editor The U of S has offered health care to students since the 1920s.
Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor
established in Canada and now has over 26,000 alumni. It began as the School of Accounting and then grew into the College of Accounting, which became the College of Commerce, before eventually taking the Edwards name in 2007.
Trudeau visits campus to discuss student opportunities Sept. 1: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Centre to speak with Indigenous students about the Federal Student Work Experience Program, which aims to help students bridge the gap between studies and employment. At the event, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour Patty Hajdu said that the FSWEP will cost approximately $73 million and create 10,000 work-integrated-learning positions for students. An additional $221 million over five years will create 50,000 positions for graduate researchers.
counselling, nutritional counselling, sexual health care, physiotherapy, massage therapy and chiropractic care.
Discovery of link between HIV-fighting enzymes and cancerous cells October: Madison Adolph, a final year PhD student, and Linda Chelico, Adolph’s supervisor and a faculty member in the department of microbiology and immunology, discovered that three enzymes in the APOBEC3 family known to fight HIV can cause human genes to mutate into cancerous cells. Adolph worked on her undergraduate honours-thesis research in Chelico’s lab through the summer of 2012 and into her graduate program. This discovery has increased researchers’ knowledge about how to treat cancer by looking at the reaction between HIV, HIV-fighting enzymes and cancerous cells.
J.C. Balicanta Narag / Photo Editor Edwards JDC West is made up of 46 students who volunteer their time with six charity organizations.
Students surpass Chillin’ for Charity fundraising goal Nov. 2: Students and staff volunteered to jump into a freezing pool as part of an annual student competition to raise money for affordable housing projects run by Habitat for Humanity. Edwards JDC West, a student group on campus that organized the event, is affiliated with JDC West, the largest annual business competition in Canada. JDC West promotes charity and vol-
Physical and mental health services merge into Student Wellness Centre
unteerism across its 12 student branches through competitive community involvement with multiple organizations. During this year’s Chillin’ for Charity event, the Edwards JDC West branch challenged Dean Keith Willoughby, of the Edwards School of Business, to jump into a pool if they surpassed their fundraising goal of $7,500. The students raised approximately $10,000, and Willoughby took a plunge into the cool outdoor pool.
Remai Modern and U of S sign partnership agreement Dec. 5: U of S President Peter Stoicheff and Remai Modern Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Gregory Burke signed a partnership agreement, a unique agreement between a university and a city-owned art museum. The goal of the partnership is to benefit the Saskatoon community with collaborative initiatives that focus on diversity, sustainability, connectivity and creativity. The projects will vary, including Indigenous approaches, public programs, partnered exhibitions, artwork, acquisitions, scholarly work, research and teaching initiatives.
Sept. 5: The U of S Student Health Services and Student Counselling Services amalgamated into the Student Wellness Centre in September. The SWC is located on the third and fourth floors of the Place Riel Student Centre, where services focus on the overall physical and mental health of students and their families. The services offered include doctor’s appointments, mental health Laura Underwood / Layout Manager
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SPORTS&HEALTH
Sheaf workout: Building the booty JENNA LEUNG
Following the holiday festivities and big family suppers, whip yourself back into shape with this workout focusing on the glutes. These exercises are best for those who want to shape and strengthen their rear-end muscles. To give yourself a challenge, try this workout with little to no rest in between each set. These dynamic moves will leave you both sweating and muscle-burning in no time!
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SPORTS&HEALTH Huskies’
report card Fall 2017
One-legged cable kickback: Three rounds of 8 reps per side
It’s the beginning of a new semester, and the Huskies’ mid-year report card is ready. LYNDSAY AFSETH STAFF WRITER
With the end of the first semester of classes, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies just had a well-deserved winter break. Some teams, such as soccer and football, are finished for the year, and some, like hockey, will be back this January. In the wake of term one’s final academic grades, the Sheaf has put together a report card for each of the U of S Huskie Athletics teams.
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Barbell between legs split squat: Two rounds of 10 reps per side
Men’s soccer Grade: B+ Starting the season with three wins in a row, the first two of which were against the Lethbridge Pronghorns, it looked good for the men’s soccer team. They finished the season with a record of 7-5-2 and a playoff spot. However, they lost to the Thompson Rivers WolfPack in the quarter-finals with a score of 5-1, ending their season. U Sports named midfielder Kwame Opoku to their national all-rookie team after his impressive performance this season.
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Women’s soccer Dumbbell jump squats: Two rounds of 10 reps
Grade: B+ The women’s soccer team came off a third-place finish in the Prairie division last season, and although they dropped the consolation final, they had high hopes for this season. They finished with a 7-3-4 record, which allowed them to clinch a playoff spot. However, much like the men’s team, they lost in the quarter-final against the University of British Columbia. Three players, fifth-year students Jennifer Miller and Leesa Eggum and first-year student Megan Ripplinger, were chosen for the Cana-
da West all-star teams.
Cross country Grade: CSecond-year student Courtney Hufsmith finished fourth place in the women’s eight-kilometre run at the Stewart Cup in Edmonton. She was the top Huskie, as she finished with a time of 31:48. She also came home as first overall at the Cougar Trot in Regina and the Sled Dog Open in Saskatoon earlier in the season. However, the men’s team did not do as well, with second-year student Stefano Zanotta coming in at the top in terms of Huskies athletes, but placing 40th overall in the men’s eight-kilometre run at the Stewart Cup.
Football Grade: CThe football team started out looking good. They had a win against the Manitoba Bisons with a score of 44-23. This was their first win against the Bisons since 2014, so morale was up. However, they finished the season with a record of 2-6 and did not make it to playoffs. Fourth-year Sean Stenger and fifth-year Mitch Hillis were both named Canada West all-stars for their performances this season.
Men’s volleyball Grade: D The men’s volleyball team started out the season with an eight-game losing streak, but they pulled it together, managing three wins in their last four games. They are currently sitting at a 3-9 record with six points and will be back this January. The team still has a chance to secure a playoff spot if
Curtsy lunges: Two rounds of 10 reps per side
David Hartman Graphics by Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor
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Huskies women’s hockey played their provincial rivals, the U of R Cougars, in the first game of the season.
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they improve their score over the next couple of months.
Women’s volleyball Grade: B The women’s volleyball team is looking a lot better than the men’s team at this point in the year. The women’s team started the season with a win and a loss in their first weekend, which has set the tone for their season so far, as they are currently sitting at 12 points and a record of 6-6. The women’s volleyball team still has a good chance of taking a playoff spot if they keep it up after the winter break.
Wrestling Grade: B+ The U of S hosted the Huskie Open, where the men’s wrestling team finished second overall and the women’s wrestling team finished third overall. The Huskies wrestling teams pulled in three gold medals, one silver medal and six bronze medals over the course of the Huskie Open weekend, and Taylor Follensbee was named the most outstanding female wrestler at the tournament. In competitions away from home, the Huskies have been doing fairly well, with top finishes at both the University of Regina event and their exhibition meetup at the Jimmie Open. Both wrestling teams will be returning for tournaments and championships in 2018.
Men’s hockey Grade: A The men’s hockey team started the season strong and has stayed strong the whole way through. They are currently sitting at 13-3 with 27 points, after a five-game winning streak that the team will seek to continue on Jan. 5. Four players — team captain Kendall McFaull, goalie Jordon Cooke and forwards Josh Roach and Logan McVeigh — were recently named to the U Sports Men’s Hockey All-Star Team.
Women’s hockey Grade: B+ With a win and a loss in their first weekend of the season, the women’s hockey team could have
J.C. Balicanta Narag / Photo Editor Defensive back Jacob Solie in the Huskies homecoming game against Alberta.
gone either way. With 28 points and a 9-7 record, they ended the first half of their season with a win against the Regina Cougars at the beginning of December. The team won the game 1-0, with team captain and fifth-year student Kaitlin Willoughby scoring the winning goal.
Men’s basketball Grade: D The men’s basketball team won their exhibition game with a score of 85-77 against the Mount Royal Cougars in the Graham Shootout Tournament, but the team has gone downhill from there. They will be back in action in January but are currently sitting at 2-8 with only four points and a six-game losing streak. However, there is still hope that they can come back from this and make it to the playoffs.
Emily Sutherland Huskies women’s soccer in their 5-0 victory against the UBC Okanagan Heat.
Women’s basketball Grade: A+ The women’s basketball team is looking great this season. They started term one with an eight-game winning streak and have only lost one game so far. The team is sitting at a 9-1 record with 18 points, and it looks like they will be heading into the playoffs if they continue to play this well in 2018.
Pearl Masa U of S cross country spent the season chasing down their competition.
眀攀 愀爀攀 栀攀愀琀椀渀最 琀栀椀渀最猀 甀瀀 椀渀 琀栀攀 欀椀琀挀栀攀渀 琀栀椀猀 礀攀愀爀⸀⸀⸀
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Reflecting on resolutions: Why I dropped them With a new year comes the question of what to choose for your New Year’s resolution. I’m here to save you all the trouble with one easy solution: just don’t. JACK THOMPSON
SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR
Jaymie Stachyruk
Protective Services Briefs COMING EVENTS follow us
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saskatoon syMPhony orchestra Music taLk
Eric Paetkau & Mark Turner discuss Masters Series 3— Homecoming Tuesday, January 16, 7 PM
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Live Music in Prairie ink restaurant & Bakery Friday & Saturday Nights, 8-10 PM
Friday, January 6
Wires & Wood
saturday, January 7
The sTrange ValenTines Friday, January 12
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saturday, January 13
Impaired driving: On Nov. 29, officers observed a vehicle driving on campus in a way that suggested impairment. Officers stopped the vehicle and asked the driver to provide a breath sample for testing in a roadside screening device. The results of the test indicated intoxication, and the individual was issued a 72-hour driving suspension. Theft from Thorvaldson: On Dec. 3, a break-and-enter took place in the 200 area of the Thorvaldson Building. A small assortment of video game consoles and accessories were stolen. Anyone with information is asked to call Protective Services at 306-966-5555. Banned from residence: On Dec. 4, a campus resident contacted Protective Services to report a woman, who had been banned from the building, washing clothes in the laundry room. Officers were dispatched, they confirmed the identity of the individual as someone banned from residence, and they asked her to leave. Backpack found: Protective Services received a phone call from a concerned student who believed their backpack was stolen from the Health Sciences Building on Dec. 5. A search of the surveillance footage was performed, and the caller was told that they did not appear to have a backpack with them upon arrival to the building, which reminded them to check in another location where the backpack was found. Possible Snapchat misconduct: On Dec. 6, Protective Services received a report from a female student who believed that a pair of male students were taking unwanted Snapchat photos of her during class. The caller confirmed that no lewd photos had been taken, and Protective Services has spoken to the individuals involved, as this type of behaviour could be considered a breach of the nonacademic code of student conduct. Injection needle found: A used injection needle was found in one of the men’s washrooms in the Education Building on Dec. 6. Although there was no evidence to suggest the needle was used for an illicit purpose, officers cordoned off the space until the needle could be collected and properly disposed of.
The losT Keys
*Briefs provided by Protective Services.
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sheaf jan 4, 2018.indd 1
For the past couple of years, I’ve been telling my friends and family that my New Year’s resolution is not to make one. Because of this, I’ve beaten pretty much everyone at keeping up resolutions, and I think this approach to life is one that many people could benefit from. For most of my life, I tried to make changes with grand resolution-style approaches. While I constantly made declarations like “I am going to go to the gym four days a week starting today,” or “Starting right now, I am going to cut out all desserts and finally lose the weight,” and the like, I never found success with this method of making changes in my life. I would eventually fall off the wagon one day and consider the whole attempt a failure. Missing one day at the gym or eating one unhealthy food would make me feel as if I had lost any progress that I had made towards a healthier lifestyle, and since I viewed resuming a failed resolution as starting from scratch, I would simply give up on the whole endeavour. Feeling like this in the past has led me to reconsider the resolution approach to making life changes altogether. At first, I just gave up on trying to make changes entirely, but after a while, I developed a different approach that made things much easier on me. For the first time, I allowed myself to be okay with not following these healthy practices all the time. On the surface, this approach can seem like either a no-brainer or an unproductive way of going about becoming healthier. Not stressing out
about your health may come naturally to some, but it certainly did not for me, and while some people may thrive off putting pressure on themselves to succeed, I find that I accomplish more when I allow myself to make mistakes and treat myself much more gently. Bringing all of this back to New Year’s resolutions, I think many people could benefit from giving up the practice. There’s a reason why people make memes about the gym being busy in January, and then all of the new recruits falling off: holding oneself to an impossible standard just doesn’t work for most — if not all — people. However, I am not saying that everybody should just forgo trying to be healthy. I still set goals for myself and try to be healthy, but I’ve found that it’s much easier to pick myself up after some unhealthy choices when a mistake just means a bump in the road, rather than feeling like I’ve fucked up the whole year. These musings have led me to question why so many people put themselves through the stress of resolutions each year. Of course, there are always going to be success stories and people who achieve real change in their lives by waking up one day and deciding it will be so — but I will never be one of those people, and I’m okay with that. I prefer to think of my health and my life as being in a flowing state of change — rather than existing on a concrete timeline, where failing once means that I’ve lost my streak and have to start all over again. That’s why, for this year of 2018, I will suggest only one resolution that you might like to take on: just go easy on yourself and know that, if you keep trying, you’ll make something happen eventually.
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CULTURE
Fridge City: A survey of 2017’s hottest eateries Saskatoon will dine well in the coming year, thanks to the newest eating establishments of 2017.
EVENTS T H U R S
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TRIVIA NIGHT @ FOX AND HOUNDS PUB & BREWERY, 7:00 P.M.
PAINT NITE: BLOSSOMS AND PINES @ THIRSTY SCHOLAR, 7:00 P.M.
ELLESTAD WIIK DUO @ THE BASSMENT, 8:00 P.M.
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Saskatonians saw many new eating establishments appear in 2017. With all of these options, it’s hard to pick a place to try out first. Here are the Sheaf’s picks for the next time you want to grab a bite out.
Whether you’re looking for a simple breakfast or a delicious brunch with friends, Hometown Diner on 20th Street West will not disappoint. Opened by Kara Bykowy last summer, Hometown Diner has the perfect atmosphere for eating the most important meal of the day — with big south-facing windows that let the sunshine in on the restaurant’s simple but modern decor. Hometown Diner offers a variety of tasty options, including breakfast sandwiches, eggs Benedict and homemade doughnuts. Their coffee is absolutely rich and delicious — a necessary ingredient in the best breakfast. They also have plenty of gluten-free meal options. We highly recommend making this your next breakfast or brunch spot! Fast food: Taco Bell After Taco Bell opened on Eighth Street East this summer, it’s hard to understand how anyone could willingly eat other fast food in Saskatoon. Taco Bell is a great go-to on a busy day, as their food is quickly made, consistent and easy on the wallet. On top of some great vegetarian options, Taco Bell also has some unique and interesting choices. The must-try items include the Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Tacos Supreme and the 7-Layer Burrito — both of which have vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Their menu has decent variety, whether you’re a high roller or you only have a couple of dollars to spend. Compared to other fast-food places in the city, Taco Bell is relatively cheap, and you get what seems like a lot more food for your money.
COSPLAYERS ON ICE @ CAMECO MEEWASIN SKATING RINK, 7:00 P.M.
LGBT2QS SPIRITUALITY: MOVING ON FROM A PAINFUL PAST — SEEKING THE WAY FORWARD @ OUTSASKATOON, 7:00 P.M.
OLIVER THE CROW @ THE BASSMENT, 9:00 P.M.
S A T
Breakfast or brunch: Hometown Diner
BABY CARRIER BASICS @ RAISING A LITTLE, 1:30 P.M.
and Little Grouse, Sticks and Stones is a trendy joint with a cool open-concept kitchen and bar. Though intimate, as the seating is quite close together, the music can be loud — something you might want to consider if you are planning to chat with your friends. Nevertheless, Sticks and Stones offers a great experience, complete with cordial service. Some of their standout items include their melt-inyour-mouth Pork Belly steamed buns and their slightly spicy L.A. Kalbi short ribs. However, the restaurant’s claim to fame is their wide array of ramen. Each item is expertly flavoured and nicely presented, leaving you wanting more. Their selection of Japanese whiskey and beer is impressive as well. The overall pricing is a little on the high side, but it’s an excellent place for a night out and the menu is guaranteed to keep you coming back. Dessert: Fable Ice Cream Fable Ice Cream is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Opened in June 2017 by wife-husband duo Lauren and Jordan Ethridge, this small-batch ice cream shop uses local ingredients to make their tasty treats. They also make their waffle cones from scratch — and you can taste the difference. Simply put, their ice cream is absolutely delicious. Flavours worth noting include spruce tip, blackberries and cream, salted caramel and Madagascar vanilla. Some flavours even include ingredients from Venn Coffee Roasters and the 9 Mile Legacy Brewery. Watch out Homestead, Fable Ice Cream may just be the hottest — or coldest — ice cream spot in town. These are just a few of the many new eateries that have opened up in Saskatoon in the last year. Other establishments worth noting include Picaro, Popeyes and the 9 Mile Legacy Taproom. Cheers to your next bite out!
Dinner: Sticks and Stones
06
SASKATOON BLADES VS. KOOTENAY ICE @ SASKTEL CENTRE, 7:05 P.M.
SNOWBALL DANCE: STRANGER THINGS 2 PARTY @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 9:00 P.M.
HOLLOW OAX WITH THE PXRTALS AND CRYPTORCHIDS @ AMIGOS CANTINA, 10:00 P.M.
STUCK IN THE ’80S AT BUDS @ BUDS ON BROADWAY, 10:00 P.M.
S U N
07
SUNDAY TOURS @ REMAI MODERN, 1:00 P.M.
YOGA FOR ANXIETY WITH SARA SCHATZ @ BREATHE CYCLE & YOGA STUDIO, 1:30 P.M.
ENCHANTED FOREST “LIGHT WALK” @ FORESTRY FARM PARK & ZOO, 5:00 P.M.
M O N
08 T U E S
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TLK CHEF SCHOOL @ THE LOCAL KITCHEN, 6:30 P.M.
MARKETING STUDENTS’ SOCIETY PAINT NITE FUNDRAISER @ HUDSONS SASKATOON, 7:00 P.M. STORYTELLER MONDAYS FEAT. AVA WILD AND SCOTT PETTIGREW @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 7:00 P.M.
SASKATOON PREMIERE OF THAT NEVER HAPPENED @ THE ROXY THEATRE, 6:00 P.M.
FUNKJOINT DUO @ THE BURNING BEARD, 7:00 P.M.
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUP @ USSU HELP CENTRE, 7:30 P.M.
W E D
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SKILLS: PEROGIES WITH CHEF JENNI @ THE LOCAL KITCHEN, 6:30 P.M.
SASKATOON BLADES VS. MEDICINE HAT TIGERS @ SASKTEL CENTRE, 7:05 P.M.
COMEDY NIGHT @ BUDS ON BROADWAY, 7:30 P.M.
JAN. 5-6
HUSKIES VOLLEYBALL VS. REGINA COUGARS @ THE PAC
UNTIL JAN. 6
BHP BILLITON ENCHANTED FOREST HOLIDAY LIGHT TOUR @ SASKATOON FORESTRY FARM PARK & ZOO
Sticks and Stones is the latest dining establishment by the Grassroots Restaurant Group, which is also responsible for Ayden Kitchen and Bar and Little Grouse on the Prairie. Like Ayden
UNTIL JAN. 7
DO SASK: SASKATOON BREWERY & TASTING TOURS @ SASKATOON FARMERS’ MARKET
All photos by Zac Walters
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FEATURE
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Sask Party race: Premier candidates talk students and advanced education The Sheaf conducted question-and-answer interviews with the candidates in the Saskatchewan Party leadership race. All photos supplied by candidates
NYKOLE KING NEWS EDITOR
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fter winning the provincial election on Apr. 4, 2016, Brad Wall announced his retirement on Aug. 10, 2017, after a decade as Premier of Saskatchewan. Now, five candidates* are running to be the next leader of the Saskatchewan Party, and the subsequent premier of the province, a position that will be determined at a leadership convention on Jan. 27, 2018. Each candidate took time to discuss their student-related platform points with the Sheaf in a question-and-answer interview, and both Tina Beaudry-Mellor and Scott Moe answered by email correspondence. Which of your platform points will appeal most to students? What do you want to draw students’ attention to?
Tina Beaudry-Mellor
“I am committed to growing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in our province… I also know … from many conversations with university students that many are interested in working for themselves and creating their own business rather than punching a clock.”
Scott Moe
“I want to continue the growth that Saskatchewan has experienced over the last decade and grow Saskatchewan’s population to 1.5 million people by the year 2030. Growth creates opportunities, especially for our students.” 10 / FEATURE
Tina Beaudry-Mellor: “I am committed to growing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in our province. The Conference Board of Canada indicates that the tech sector will be the largest source of job growth in the next decade. I also know … from many conversations with university students that many are interested in working for themselves and creating their own business rather than punching a clock. “I have put forward details in my NextGen economic plan, … but it includes … working with our post-secondary institutions to ensure pathways to tech entrepreneurship, providing a 25 per cent tax incentive for new start-ups [and] moving the Status of Women Office to be housed directly under the Office of the Premier, so a gender-based lens will be applied to all we do, with a specific focus on economic-development opportunities for women. “This is one of [the] many ways we begin to equip women with the financial security they need to leave situations of interpersonal violence and abuse — a problem which our province has a serious problem with.” Ken Cheveldayoff: “I think that my position is all about growth in the province. We’ve had 10 years of strong growth under Brad Wall. When we first started, we were, … just around a million people, and now we’re almost 1.2 million people. “What I’m looking for is another 10 years of growth, and with that comes jobs for university graduates and university students while they are going to school, so I think that is very appealing to students on campus.” Alanna Koch: “I have been specific in my platform about diversifying the economy — definitely focusing on our natural strength, but then seeing how we can see more value-added opportunity in
all of our key natural resource vectors, as well as diversifying our economy into the home-grown tech and innovation sector. “I’ve had young entrepreneurs tell me what we need is more attraction of investment, because often times, these new businesses — particularly in the tech sector — are quite capital intensive. And so, of course, these new young entrepreneurs just out of university don’t have much capital, obviously, to build their businesses — they have great ideas. “So, I’ve talked about bringing in an Angel Investment Tax Credit for those new entrepreneurs to attract investment capital and be able to build their businesses, and for their own purposes, to then create jobs for others.” Scott Moe: “I want to continue the growth that Saskatchewan has experienced over the last decade and grow Saskatchewan’s population to 1.5 million people by the year 2030. Growth creates opportunities, especially for our students. Growth gives our young people a reason to stay here [to] start a career or start their own business and to start their own family.” Gord Wyant: “In terms of advancing post-secondary-educational opportunities, that requires resources from government, but that’s what also drives our economy. We have an economy that has disruptors in it every day, so we need to make sure we are training people to fulfill the roles that they need in an ever changing economy. “So, refocusing on what resources post-secondary education needs, and … when we make cuts to the amount that we are giving postsecondary education, we’re ignoring the fact that these are investments.” If you are elected Premier of Saskatchewan, would the Graduate Retention Program continue to provide post-secondary graduates who live and work in Saskatchewan up to $20,000 in tax credits? Beaudry-Mellor: “Yes, the Graduate Retention Program is an important and popular program. I want our young people to stay and grow in our province.” Cheveldayoff: “I’m a very strong proponent of the program, and I think the numbers speak for themselves. It’s been a very, very successful program, and since 2008, nearly 70,000 students have taken advantage of the Graduate Retention Program, receiving around $345 million in tax credits.” Koch: “I’d retain it. I’m committed to it, but I would leave it as is, and I guess, in the years ahead, if we get more fiscal capacity and students think that it’s not enough support, well, then I can have a look at it another time.” Moe: “Before the Sask Party became government in 2007, young people were leaving the province in droves, … because
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there weren’t opportunities in Saskatchewan… This program has played an integral role in our population growth of over 160,000 people in the past 10 years, so if I become premier, the Graduate Retention Program will continue.” Wyant: “I support the [Graduate] Retention Program, and I think that we need to look at expanding it, because … keeping people in Saskatchewan that are trained in Saskatchewan is very important.” If elected Premier of Saskatchewan, would you maintain the cuts to post-secondary education yearto-year or could the University of Saskatchewan expect base operating costs to be restored? Beaudry-Mellor: “I think there are opportunities to work with industry — something that Saskatchewan Polytechnic has done successfully, and as a result, about 90 per cent of its graduates find employment upon graduation. “There are some opportunities for us to both meet the challenge of a major drop in provincial revenues and still equip our future workforce with the tools they need.” Cheveldayoff: “Since we became government, each and every year, the grants to advanced education have gone up, with the exception of last year, where — because of the resource royalties and the $1.3 billion of revenues the government doesn’t have anymore — there had to be a rollback of around 5 per cent in the budget. “I’m all about growth and trying to grow the economy so that we can restore funding to health care and education and social services. So, certainly, I would be doing all I can to grow the economy so that we can get back to record levels of funding.”
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Koch: “At this point, what we need to do is make sure we are getting the most effective use out of the dollars that are being spent, and then, as we see our resource revenues recover and we’ve got more fiscal capacity, we can look to provide more funds where needed. “I have said that I would take an additional year to balance the budget, because I think last year’s budget was tough. And, [we] need to look at moving back on some things that had unintended consequences or where we perhaps have overreached on taxes — like the insurance tax.” Moe: “One of my previous roles as part of Brad Wall’s government was the minister of advanced education, so I know the importance of post-secondary education for our students… I want to sit down with our post-secondary partners and find creative, cost-effective ways of delivering post-secondary education to our students, so we can balance the budget in 2019 while still providing high-quality education.” Wyant: “Education is a key priority for me, so — to the extent that I can restore that funding — I am going to work to try to do that… If it means expanding and advancing further funds for post-secondary education, we’ve got to look at that, too, because we have to look at our labour-market needs, and we’ve got to look at all the opportunities that the universities and our technical institutes can provide to us to make sure we’re going to meet the challenges of the new economy. “It’s not just a matter of restoring funding but a matter of looking [to] enhance funding where that needs to happen, and that starts with a respectful dialogue between our universities and our technical institutes.” What television character would you describe your personality as or identify with the most?
Cheveldayoff: “The cartoon character the Road Runner, because I get up in the morning and go all day, and the next morning, I get up [in the] morning and I go all day, and I’ve been logging about 30,000 kilometres as I travel around Saskatchewan.” Koch: “From the show Madam Secretary, the character is Elizabeth McCord — [she is] values-based, which I always focus on, and she seeks out creative solutions and is a mom with a husband, who also has an active career, and they’re always balancing family duties between them as a team.” Moe: “Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, but that might be a bit of a stretch.”
FEATURE What is one fun fact about you? Beaudry-Mellor: “I listen to hip hop… I love Post Malone, but I also like Gucci Mane, Migos and Kendrick Lamar.” Wyant: “I love restoring old cars. It’s kind of my passion, and I’ve been doing it for quite a number of years. I’ve restored a ’65 Mustang, and I’ve currently got a ’57 Ranchero that I’m working on.” *Due to the Sheaf’s holiday production schedule, this article was written a number of weeks before the official publication of the paper. In the intervening time, some of the candidates may have pulled out of the race.
Ken Cheveldayoff
“What I’m looking for is another 10 years of growth, and with that comes jobs for university graduates and university students while they are going to school.”
Alanna Koch
Gord Wyant
“I’ve had young entrepreneurs tell me what we need is more attraction of investment, because often times, these new businesses — particularly in the tech sector — are quite capital intensive.”
“When we make cuts to the amount that we are giving postsecondary education, we’re ignoring the fact that these are investments.” FEATURE / 11
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Best of 2017: The Netflix shows you should have been watching last year Here’s a quick look at some of the most underrated Netflix shows of 2017. CARMEN HOLMES
Not every show can be as addictive as Stranger Things or Riverdale. Luckily, Netflix added a variety of great TV shows to its repertoire in 2017, contributing to the sleep deprivation of students everywhere. Here are a few programs worth mentioning.
Big Mouth Created by: Nick Kroll, Jennifer Flackett, Andrew Goldberg and Mark Levin Seasons on Netflix: 1 Big Mouth is equal parts weird, hilarious and filthy, as it deals with the highs and lows of going through puberty. The grown-up-marketed cartoon was added to Netflix at the end of September and follows the character Nick and his pals Andrew and Jessi as they deal with friends, relationships, the Hormone Monster and Monstress, and various other obstacles that come along with the horrors of puberty. The show is oddly addictive in the same way that BoJack Horseman or Family Guy can be, but what sets Big Mouth apart is how — amidst strange ghosts and make-believe — it portrays puberty in an honest and sex-positive way.
Life in Pieces Created By: Justin Adler Seasons on Netflix: 2 Life in Pieces has a new approach to the classic family sitcom. However, what makes this show unique — when compared to other popular sitcoms like Modern Family — is that it takes the triedand-true elements of its predecessors and then adds a twist to the mode of delivery. Instead of having all of the families’ stories blend together, jumping back and forth from one storyline to another, the episodes are divided into four short stories, each focusing on the happenings within a single family unit. The Short family is quirky and hilarious, playing into classic sitcom storylines, and the show offers a fresh look at how families operate in our current world.
efforts of two former students who investigate Cesnik’s murder, weaving together a series of compelling and conflicting potential narratives. It’s a more balanced and sophisticated followup to Netflix’s hit Making a Murderer, as it is equally binge-worthy and presents several possible explanations for the murder. The plot is further underscored by a story of hidden sexual abuse
within the Catholic Church. Each episode ends with a twist and a cliffhanger, making it impossible to stop watching.
Friends from College Created By: Francesca Delbanco and Nicholas Stoller Seasons on Netflix: 1 Friends from College focuses on a group of six friends who are all reunited in New York City many years post-college. The cast features familiar favourites such Cobie Smulders of How I Met Your Mother, Keegan-Michael Key of Key & Peele and Fred Savage of The Wonder Years. The characters are inherently flawed and often easier
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to hate than to love, as they force their friendship on each other and blatantly ignore the obvious foibles of their group. Yet, there is something oddly familiar about the characters and their group’s dynamic. Even though many of them are in committed relationships, they are still incestuous and destructive the way that some university friend groups can be. What’s more, like so many 20-somethings, they love each other almost as much as they hate each other. They bring one another down, but they also support each other in their attempts to achieve any sort of success. Overall, Friends from College is a funny and dramatic foreshadowing of what you and your college friends could become.
The Keepers Directed by: Ryan White Seasons on Netflix: 1 The Keepers is a compelling, seven-part true-crime documentary series detailing the unsolved murder of school teacher and nun Sister Catherine Cesnik in Baltimore in 1969. The series focuses on the
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Anxious in Social Situations? Participate in Self-Help Treatment Researchers at the University of Regina are investigating self-compassion training, a new treatment approach for social anxiety. Participation in this research includes working through a self-help program for 6 weeks and completing questionnaires online. Participation is done from the comfort of your home and will teach you skills to help manage your social anxiety. http://bit.do/socialanxietyselfhelp self.compassion@uregina.ca ⦁ 306-337-2473 12 / CULTURE
Approved by the Research Ethics Board, University of Regina, file # 2017-017.
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Magnificent memes: A look into the best memes of 2017 The Sheaf’s resident memeologist picks 2017’s most memorable memes. AHREN KLAASSEN-WRIGHT
By all accounts, 2017 was a year. Sometimes, when a year ends, people commemorate them for some reason. Often, people act as if their past actions no longer affect them, because it’s “a new year, a new me.” Well, I’m here to remind you that is not the case — your decisions will haunt you to your grave. That said, great memes come from each awful year. Because memes often reflect the common life situations of so many young people throughout the world, they are wonderful things. Here are four of the best memes that 2017 had to offer. “Salt Bae” was arguably the most popular meme of early 2017. Nusret Gökçe, or Salt
Bae, is a Turkish chef and chain restaurant owner who can cut and salt meat like a god among humans. Gökçe has a total count of 10.5 million views on his January twitter video “Ottoman steak.” Salt Bae’s signature salting technique is to sprinkle the salt so it falls onto his forearm, thus absorbing his skin grease before it lands on the meat. Tasty. “Yall Living in 3017” was another great meme of 2017. This meme generally has a caption that says something close to “We’re all living in 2017, while person-in-question is living in 3017.” For example, someone who has surgically attached fidget spinners to their nipples could be so ahead of the trends that they are living in 3017 — and they will inevitably ascend into the memosphere.
Or, they could be so efficient that they clean their dishes in the bath. No matter what, to be in 3017, you need to do great and crazy things — like brushing your teeth in the shower or pooping and then stamping it down the drain. Another memorable meme from 2017 is the “How Italians Meme,” or “Italian Hands,” meme. This meme is centred on the stereotype that Italian people hold their hands with all their finger tips touching when they talk. This meme allows for extreme remixability, frequently bridging over into the surreal. For instance, one might caption a photo “How Italians Sleep” if it depicts the “Italian Hand” resting gently against a pillow. My final pick for the best memes of 2017 — and a personal favourite of mine — is
the “Expanding Brain” meme. This meme is optimized for ultimate remixability, as the creator can replace the text alongside the images with increasingly idiotic — or crazier — captions in each use. The vertically descending panels represent the expanding consciousness or “wokeness” of the idea in question, starting with the least woke brain at the top, and the wokest brain on the bottom. For instance, one could put the word “milk” at the top, followed by “lactose,” “cow juice” and “udder soup.”
The potential is endless. No matter what you thought of 2017, you have to say it was a great year for memes. Rising out of the ashes of “Harambe” and “Daniel’s White Vans,” there has been a birth of many more normie memes. Other honorable 2017 memes include “Wot In Tarnation,” “Distracted Boyfriend,” “Donald Trump,” “The Snapchat Hotdog” and “You’ve Heard of Elf on the Shelf...” Perched on my porcelain throne, I give 2017’s memes a look of mild satisfaction.
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Canadian classics: The Sheaf selects Canada’s top albums of 2017 After much deliberation, the Sheaf presents Canada’s best albums of the year. TANNER BAYNE CULTURE EDITOR
From sea to sea to sea, Canada produces some serious musical talent — and the many Canadian albums of 2017 can attest to this. Here are the Sheaf’s picks for the best CanCon music of 2017. Album of the year: Introduce Yerself by Gord Downie Worst album of the year: Cageless by Hedley Debut: In Search of Lost Time by Partner Most Anticipated: Antisocialites by Alvvays Most Overrated: Everything Now by Arcade Fire Most Underrated: Sincerely, Future Pollution by Timber Timbre Alternative: ken by Destroyer Canadiana: Medicine Songs by Buffy Sainte-Marie
Classical: Room 29 by Chilly Gonzales and Jarvis Cocker Country: Colter Wall by Colter Wall Electronic: Themes for Dying Earth by Teen Daze Genre Fusion: Cascades by CFCF and Jean-Michel Blais Hip Hop: More Life by Drake Indie: Light Information by Chad VanGaalen
Local: Surf Manitou by the Garrys Pop: Antisocialites by Alvvays Punk: Minimum R&B by the Dirty Nil Rock: Modern Pressure by Daniel Romano Roots: The Siren’s Song by Kacy & Clayton R&B: Freudian by Daniel Caesar Singer-Songwriter: Hitchhiker by Neil Young
Other notable 2017 CanCon releases include Twin Solitude by Leif Vollebekk, This Old Dog by Mac DeMarco, Northern Passages by the Sadies, The Space Between by Majid Jordan, Pleasure by Feist, Yarrow by the Deep Dark Woods, The Weather Station by the Weather Station and Hug of Thunder by Broken Social Scene. _____ If you think we missed an album or disagree with any of our picks, let us know in the comment section of this article at thesheaf.com.
$5 all you can eat wings
810 Central Ave 14 / CULTURE
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OPINIONS Legalization of marijuana clouds issue of opioid crisis Legalizing weed is trendy, but there are bigger fish to fry: opioid-related deaths are still skyrocketing. JORDAN STOVRA
Within the next year, there will be legal access to cannabis for all Canadians — assuming you meet the age requirement, which is still pending. However, the anticipation for the legalization of marijuana has created a successful distraction from another drug issue: the current opioid crisis in this country. From January to May in 2017, over 500 people died due to the over-ingestion of an opioid drug called fentanyl. However, it’s important to note that the number of deaths is skewed because of unreported numbers from several provinces, including our own. In fact, 500 deaths is perhaps an insignificant statistic with regards to opiates, as this number applies exclusively to fentanyl and does not include other opiates, such as oxycontin, hydromorphone and methadone. The
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opioid death toll for 2017 has yet to be finalized, but in 2016, according to Health Canada, there were 2816 opioid-related deaths in Canada. While the legalization of marijuana has the potential to bolster our economy, lead to medical research on the drug and clear room in prisons by preventing people from being convicted of petty drug charges, it sadly will not help the fight against opiates in our country. Chronic cannabis users and chronic users of opiates face different experiences — they are not one and the same. Generally, it seems that those who use opiates have fallen into it, either after being ill and having a doctor prescribe opiates or by encountering fentanyl mixed into recreational drugs like cocaine or ecstasy. So, what kind of legislation could the Canadian government pass to prevent further deaths caused by opiates in Canada?
I’d say the government is off to a good start. The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act was passed in May 2017, allowing those who are with a person who overdoses to call the police without the fear of being charged with a drug offence themselves. Another measure that the Canadian government can take is to fund safe-injection sites across Canada, which — if equipped with forensic drug analysis tests — would allow people to sgee what else is hidden inside recreational drugs like ecstasy. This would help decrease the number of deaths across Canada from the accidental ingestion of opiates, which have been used to lace other recreational drugs. To better serve the public, the government could also create a system that monitors doctors who are able to prescribe drugs. This would prevent the over-prescribing of opiates to patients. Monitoring these doctors would help stop up a direct
pipeline for these drugs. Without the support of the government, the opioid crisis will continue, creating more problems for the Canadian population. In a public forum on cannabis legalization held by VICE Canada, Trudeau was confronted about the opioid crisis by Toronto harm-reduction worker Zoë Dodd. Trudeau admitted that the issue of opiates is, in fact, a national crisis and that they hadn’t reached a solution. My question to the prime minister is, if you know that your government is not doing
enough, why is there no legislation being tabled that would further help the groups that are affected by the opioid crisis? Why are doctors not being monitored more closely? Why is more funding not being made available to the people working the front lines of harm reduction? Why aren’t more safe-injection sites being created for the safety of those who do use opiates? Trudeau has made great steps toward the legalization of cannabis, but he needs to apply the same focus to the bigger issue of the opioid crisis.
Gabbie Torres Is Canada rushing to mediate the lesser of two evils?
What is cryptocurrency, and can we learn from it? As its value continues to increase, cryptocurrency has captured the imagination of the global market.
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Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer electronic currency, or cryptocurrency, created to facilitate secure and transparent transactions while avoiding many of the perceived flaws of conventional currency. However, at a time when the world feels increasingly unstable, and with a potential climate-change catastrophe looming, the implications of the rapidly expanding cryptocurrency market are perhaps more sinister than one might initially expect. The perceived flaws of conventional currency, which cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin seek to circumvent, largely surround monetary policy. Cryptocurrency is a way to protest the creation of new currency by a central agency like the Bank of Canada or the United States Federal Reserve, rather than by markets. Additionally, cryptocurrency seeks to solve the black-box nature of such institutions, where those on the outside are not given information about key components of value, such as the volume of currency being produced and the records of transactions. Bitcoin operates on a blockchain sys-
tem. When a user requests a transaction, the request is broadcasted over the peerto-peer network, where its existence is verified by all observing machines in the network. When a block is completed, the verified transaction is recorded and processed. In the case of Bitcoin, a block is created by the “mining” of currency, whereby individuals or groups compete to solve a complex algorithm. When a solution is found, a block is created, rewarding the miner — or miners — with
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both bitcoins and the privilege to collect transaction fees. Currently, a new block is created roughly every 10 minutes. Initially, miners found new blocks with less effort for higher rewards. In the early stages of Bitcoin, completing a block rewarded 50 bitcoins — now, it yields around 12.5 bitcoins. An individual’s or firm’s bitcoins are stored in virtual “wallets” attached to strings of 26-35 alphanumeric characters called Bitcoin addresses, which are best understood as single-use tokens used to receive money. Because every Bitcoin transaction is viewable by anyone and attached to a Bitcoin address, and because every address is attached to a wallet, this cryptocurrency is the opposite of anonymous. Yes, Bitcoin operates pseudonymously, but the receipt of funds is still tied to you or your firm. So, what is so concerning about a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin? Is transparency not a good thing? Does the blockchain not undermine the harmful control of the financial elites who benefit from inequitable monetary policies? What is truly concerning is that federal governments can use their ability to print money to ensure public services
in times of crisis, resulting in increased federal debt. The world saw this scenario play out in Greece, following their entrance into the European Union and the consequential austerity measures imposed upon the country by bailout lenders. What would happen if, following a market crash, Canada found itself on the verge of defaulting on its national debt? Monetary policy in a Bitcoin society would be controlled by the market and not the state, which would allow for more globalized and equitable systems of currency. However, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies — though currently peaking in value — are unstable in that they are widely unknown to the public and difficult to popularize. Furthermore, critiques regarding the environmental implications of the process of mining cryptocurrency are mounting. Servers require electricity, and the number of servers being used to solve algorithms and mine cryptocurrency is rising too rapidly for current global resources to keep up with the increased burden. In summary, Bitcoin is an insecure initiative that needs further thought, but there seem to be some benefits.
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Because it’s 2018: A critique of Justin Trudeau’s feminism in 2017 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he is a feminist, but is he really? LYNDSAY AFSETH STAFF WRITER
Since he was elected to office in 2015, Justin Trudeau has made sure the world knows that he is a feminist. It all started when he appointed a gender-equal cabinet, but have our prime minister’s actions and policies since then reflected what he says he believes? On the individual level, Trudeau has definitely been an advocate for feminism in 2017. In September, he attended a United Nations youth empowerment campaign in New York City and delivered a speech in which he declared that he believes feminism means that men and women ought to be equal. “How we treat our sisters, our girlfriends, our cousins, our mothers and the world around us matters — we need to take back what it is to be a man, and that means being open, compassionate, respectful and brave about standing up,” Trudeau said, in his speech. In October, Trudeau wrote an essay that was published by Marie Claire about how he and his wife are raising their sons to be feminists in order to instill values of empathy, compassion, self-love and justice in them. He wrote in the essay that it is important for sons to escape the masculine culture
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that boys are pressured into. “That world doesn’t exist yet. But it can be built — by people who have a strong sense of justice and empathy, who stand up for the rights of others,” Trudeau wrote in his essay, referring to a world in which gender equality exists. Advocacy like this is great for any person to take part in. I commend Trudeau for using his platform to speak about feminism in this way, but I cannot help feeling like it is not enough. At the UN event in September, Trudeau claimed that there is still a lot of work to be done to achieve equality among men and women, but his government does not seem to be taking much action in terms of their policies and legislations. According to the Women Leaders Index 2016-17, which measures the proportion of women in leadership positions in the public sectors of G20 countries, Canada is at the top of the list with 46.4 per cent of our public-sector leaders being female. This is undoubtedly a good thing, and with
Trudeau as a leader, we may get even closer to equality by next year. However, there is still the looming pay gap. In Canada, women still make 73.5 cents for every dollar men make, according to
Statistics Canada income data from 2016. This number drops even lower for Indigenous women and other women of colour. The current government has done nothing to create gender-pay equity in the workplace, despite the equality rhetoric that we often hear from our prime minister. Another issue that has not been properly addressed is the ongoing national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Although Trudeau is the first prime minister to take a step
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forward to end violence against Indigenous women, the inquiry has proved unorganized and chaotic. Despite desperate pleas from the affected families, Trudeau has made no indication that he plans to revamp the inquiry anytime soon. Since he became prime minister, Trudeau has promised to provide over $10 million to women’s rights on a global level, which is also a step in the right direction. As it stands, this funding for women’s rights and Trudeau’s gender-equal cabinet may be the only real action that the prime minister has taken to back up his feminist rhetoric, but that is still better than nothing. I am not one to critique other people’s perceptions of feminism — if Trudeau considers himself a feminist, then I consider him a feminist — but part of me is skeptical about his feminist rhetoric when there has been so little action to back it up.
Jaymie Stachyruk
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New year, no booze? One student’s try at a dry January Stick with me as I embark on a tortuous month of sobriety to save my wallet and my mental health. EMILY MIGCHELS OPINIONS EDITOR
As I forced open my mascara-andglitter-crusted eyelids in the late afternoon on Jan. 1, taking stock of my lost possessions and racking my brain to fill in what I’d forgotten about the night before, I — like so many others — quickly swore to never drink again. I’ve made this promise only thrice before: once after my high-school graduation, once after a seething heartbreak and once after a particularly shameful night of karaoke. Needless to say, I broke those promises, and I knew before I stood up from the bathroom floor on Jan. 1 that, in swearing off my vices forever, I’d made another insincere claim. “Maybe, I’ll just do a dry January,” was what I said to myself in the mirror next. What’s Your Cap? is a student initiative at the University of Saskatchewan that promotes awareness of and provides education on the risks involved with the overconsumption of alcohol. The group aims to create a culture of moderation on our campus. Annually, What’s Your Cap? embarks on the Thinking About My Drinking campaign, offering rewards to students who pledge to “go dry,” by avoiding alcohol consumption for the month of Janu-
Liberty from libations — but only for a month.
ary, and report on their experience at the end of the month. What’s Your Cap? hopes that the campaign will get students thinking about the financial, academic, social and emotional implications of alcohol consumption to help them implement healthier drinking habits in the long term.
Michaela DeMong
Though a 30-day cleanse is nothing innovative, the Thinking About My Drinking campaign sets students up for greater success by offering support and information along the way. Without a campaign like this, I would do nothing on my own, not even for my health or betterment. On average, I spend about $80 per
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month on alcohol. I don’t think I drink too often, but I have expensive tastes and little self control. I usually spend the same amount of money on groceries during the same period of time. Perhaps, with my extra cash, I could eat a little better. I expect to struggle most with the social side of things. I don’t like to party without a cup in my hand. For me, alcohol is often a conversational crutch — I know a good deal about hops — and although I love screaming ABBA’s “Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimmie!” in a crowded bar on Sunday nights, without a drop of liquid courage, I will most likely stay in my seat. That’s probably not a bad thing. There are other ways that I like to unwind, I’m excited to invest a little more time into my other hobbies and I’m sure my friends will still hang out with me in other types of settings. I’m most interested to see what a month of sobriety might do for my mental health. Hangovers have never benefitted my emotional well-being, and I notice a tendency in myself to slip into depressive periods following times of excessive alcohol consumption. There can be no harm in challenging yourself to do healthy things, right? Stay tuned to see.
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2017’S BEST PHOTOS
T H E S H E A F P U B L I S HI NG S OC I E T Y // JA N 0 4 , 2 0 1 8 Connor Marcotte
I SS UE 1 5 // VO L . 1 0 9 Clark Caldwell
Elisa Anne Piat
Adrienne Ozero
Hannah Gass
Haroon Andkhoie
Elisa Anne Piat
Sehjal Bhargava
Danielle Gaudet Mohammed R. Hasan
Adrienne Ozero
Clark Caldwell
Arsh Dhaliwal
Shaelyn Bakanec Michael Atser
Arsh Dhaliwal Laura Underwood Haroon Andkhoie Sehjal Bhargava Mark Everett
Mark Everett
Michael Atser
Jayvee Sadia
Oliver Barrett
Mohammed R. Hasan *Visit thesheaf.com for full size photos!
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DISTRACTIONS
Fake news highlights of 2017 Discarded left glove reflects on last two years in Arts Tunnel Local man likes hearing himself speak Student lost in Engineering Building during spring finals found after 28 days Curd conspiracy: Welcome Week food truck leaves students with “more indigestion than usual” The Sheaf ranks best campus washrooms to dump in if you’re shy Local girl mooches Netflix subscription alongside 54 others, sets national record New study finds 95 per cent of Saskatoon queer community has already dated each other Petition for funding: U of S denies College of Taxidermy despite public outrage
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“Bat-Roach” discovered in Seager Wheeler residence USSU votes for reduced fees for mole people in Annual General Meeting Physiology and pharmacology student says Ag Night changed her life Roommate unsure whether or not peanut butter is a communal condiment
ADULT COLOURING
Jeremy Britz / Web Editor
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