March 1, 2018

MARCH 01, 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 Sheaf Publishing Society is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis.

Usask students share sports memories

PhD student’s poetry on love and family

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JUSTICE F O R COLTEN CAMPUS

No, Usask is not too left-wing

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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 itor

Lyndsay Afseth

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| Amanda Slinger

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COPY EDITOR

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staffwriter@thesheaf.com

LAYOUT MANAGER

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copy@thesheaf.com

| 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

COVER IMAGE

Victoria Becker BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kyra Mazer Emily Klatt Hasith Andrahennadi Momo Tanaka Katherine Fedoroff 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

In the issue published on Feb. 1, the article “Advocate for northern alcohol reduction visits campus” implied that the talk

by Harold Johnson focused primarily on northern Saskatchewan. The focus of the discussion was alcohol abuse in the province as a whole, with an emphasis on northern Saskatchewan.

In the issue published on Feb. 8, the article “The Baron’s blunder: Don’t lose faith in student journalism” stated that The Baron operates out of Saint John’s, N.B., when it should have said Saint John, N.B. We apologize for these errors. If you spot any errors in this issue, please email them to: copy@thesheaf.com

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Low award application numbers lead to event for international students The International Students Scholarship & Awards Panel aims to give advice with tips and testimonials.

ANA CAMACHO

| Shantelle Hrytsak

ads@thesheaf.com

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Despite equal opportunities for both domestic and international students in the scholarship and bursary application process, the University of Saskatchewan has found that a disproportionate number of international students do not apply for available awards.

On Feb. 12, the International Student Association held an information session to address the imbalance of applications. The event gave students a chance to learn strategies for applying effectively from award recipients.

The logistics of the application process for continuing students were also discussed by panelists, as well as the various funding opportunities available from scholarships to travel awards.

Ibrahim Mohamed, a thirdyear finance student and ISA vice-president of student life, explains that the purpose of the event was to correct the misconceptions or confusion that some international students have in regard to student awards. “[The ISA] thought of this event, because we knew there was a problem. We had all these people coming to us and [telling] us, ‘We don’t know anything about awards’ or ‘Everything is just for domestic students,’” Mohamed said. “We thought, ‘How about we form a whole event that’s targeted towards these students to show them what opportunities they have?’”

Paying for tuition can be a problem for international students, because the rates are 2.6

per cent higher than they would be for a domestic student. This, coupled with the fact that only 6.5 per cent of award applicants are international, prompted the ISA to give students a space to get information and dispel their doubts.

Shiney Choudhary, a fourthyear psychology student, was one of the panelists asked to speak at the event and discuss her success with applying for awards. She explains that having an event that provided information specific to international students was beneficial, because it gave students more applicable advice from an international student who had already experienced the process.

“It’s good to know what your options are,” Choudhary said.

“It’s nice to actually talk to someone that’s been through the process, to ask them what it’s really like instead of just reading about it online.”

Some international students turn away from applications because of an impression that awards are not for them. However, Alex Beldan, the awards administrator from the student finance and awards department at the U of S, explains that awards opportunities for domestic and international students are fairly equal.

“There are more awards that are only for international students than there are that exclude international students explicitly,” Beldan said.

Although international undergraduate students constituted about 12 per cent of the student body in the 2016-17

academic year, only a small percentage of those students apply for awards. Beldan hoped to understand this issue better after the event.

“In university-wide scholarships, … 6.5 per cent of applicants are international students, but the international student body is, I think, somewhere around 15 or 16 per cent. It’s fewer than one would hope,” Beldan said. “I don’t know [why], and I wish I did, because that would help me address the issue.”

Choudhary explains that international students face difficulties because they are often new to the university and have not had the opportunity or ease to create working relationships with staff or faculty for recommendations and references.

“If you are a brand new student, you might not know how to talk to your professors or have any work experience, so you can’t get recommendation letters, which might be a barrier,” Choudhary said.

Whether misinformation or a lack of practical help is behind the disproportionately small percentage of international students applying for student awards, the answer is unclear.

Mohamed explains that the ISA will continue to host the panels on scholarships and awards in hopes that more international students will take advantage of these opportunities.

“This will be a consistent event, every year,” Mohamed said. “Hopefully, the more and more it grows, we’ll be able to reach more and more students.”

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Campus holds events to stand in solidarity with Justice for Colten The killing of Colten Boushie in rural Saskatchewan is a strongly contested issue in all of Canada, including at the U of S. REBECCA TWEIDT

In the wake of the not guilty verdict, students across campus who believe the verdict was an error of the justice system have organized various events to stand in solidarity with the Indigenous community after the killing of 22-year-old Colten Boushie of Red Pheasant First Nation.

The most attended of these events at the University of Saskatchewan was the Justice For Colten Rally and March, which was held outside of the Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Centre on Feb. 13. Approximately 300 students gathered to participate in the march, led by drummers and singers who walked down the University Bridge to the Court of Queen’s Bench on Spadina Crescent East.

The demonstration, held by the Indigenous Students’ Council and the Indigenous Graduate Students’ Council, was a way for students to stand in solidarity with the Boushie-Baptiste family and call on the government to take action. Iloradanon Efimoff, a second-year master’s student in applied social psychology and

co-chair of the IGSC, discusses the importance of this rally for the campus community.

“The march and rally is an opportunity to come together to support the [Boushie-Baptiste] family and one another, so that people would see that this is an important issue and that our students are united on this front,” Efimoff said.

At trial, Stanley pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder charges. On Feb. 9, the jury granted Stanley a full acquittal.

The outcome of the trial sparked varied emotions across the nation, as many believed that justice had not been brought to the Boushie-Baptiste family. At the U of S, there have been vocal supporters on both sides of the issue.

Some students have taken to online forums, including the anonymous Facebook page USask Confessions, while others have channelled their emotions into resolve for change by launching events to cope with the outcome of the trial or to rally for change in the Canadian justice system.

On Feb. 16, the History Graduate Student Committee hosted a letter writing campaign for stu-

Victoria Becker / Outreach Director Demonstrators held signs stating their solidarity with Colten Boushie’s family.

dents, faculty and staff to write letters lobbying the provincial and federal attorney generals to file an appeal in the Stanley case.

In total, 52 letters were sent. Tyla Betke, a first-year master’s student in the department of history and the communications officer of the HGSC, notes the success of the campaign.

“Staff and students came together from across several disciplines to show their support on short notice, allowing us to send 52 letters or emails to our pro-

vincial and federal governments about the case, and the justice system more broadly,” Betke said.

“We were happy to do our small part.”

Additionally, both the College of Education and the Peer Health centre have provided safe spaces for students to discuss their emotions in the wake of this trial.

Community Legal Assistance Services for Saskatoon Inner City, a group of U of S law students who provide free legal help for all members of the communi-

ty facing systemic barriers, issued a statement on Feb. 22 outlining their commitment to provide legal support for those seeking justice and to work towards reconciliation.

“We believe that education, information, and open discussions will support reconciliation — in other words, a society walking towards the future together,” the CLASSIC Facebook post read.

Regan Ratt-Misponas, a thirdyear Indigenous studies student and the president of the ISC, explains that Boushie’s death is a reminder of the injustices that Indigenous people face in the legal system and how students must remain united as a community to seek change.

“I think that’s how we need to continue to move forward, showing each other that we are there for each other and that we’re not going to back down. This is something that needs to continue — not only continuing the conversation, but also ensuring that justice is served,” Ratt-Misponas said. “It is within our hands.

We’re not only student leaders here on campus; we are leaders within the outside community as well.”

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Students aim for the skies in aero design competition The U of S Aero Design Team readies for an annual international competition with a new project.

SAM CAMPLING

After months preparing their model airplane, the University of Saskatchewan Aero Design Team is ready to compete against teams from across the world as part of an annual competition from March 9 to 11 in Lakeland, Florida.

The competition is hosted by the Society of Automotive Engineers, now named SAE International, a global professional engineering standards association based in the United States. The U of S students will be competing in SAE Aero Design East, where they will face aero design teams from postsecondary institutions all over the world with their plane, the Lion of the North.

Scott Barrie, a fifth-year mechanical engineering student and one of two technical directors on the U of S Aero Design Team, explains that the competition is points-based. Each team’s plane must attempt to carry the maximum weight

of tennis balls and payload weights, which are used in lieu of passengers and luggage, respectively, and transport it to prove that the plane’s design can hold the weight as it flies laps.

“We give a presentation on our plane, then we go out to a big field with all the other teams, about 35 or 36,” Barrie said. “We do a lap, and if we successfully land after that, we get points depending on how many passengers we lifted and how much cargo we lifted. And then, we do that four to five times.”

The U of S team is registered for the regular category of the competition, which is an all-electric engine class for students from all levels of design experience who are tasked with challenges that imitate those that engineers face when designing aircrafts. Every year, the team builds a model airplane that must follow the diameter requirements given by SAE International in the competition guidelines.

Their competition model is

made of various woods such as balsa, sitka spruce and birch, and by using a 3D printer, they have constructed winglets, which help to increase lift during the short takeoff.

For the regular category, all teams are limited to a maximum wingspan of 144 inches, a takeoff-distance limit of 200 feet and a commercially available battery to power the model. Barrie discusses how each aero design team is ranked by the evaluators at the competition. “[The evaluators] do a weighted average between your flight-ground scores, your report mark and your presentation mark to come up with the ranking placement for all the teams,” Barrie said.

Five years ago, Barrie and a few other students founded the club because of a shared interest in aero design. Barrie notes that, when they began, he was not familiar with designing, but because of the student group, he and other members have become familiar with flight prin-

David Hartman The Lion of the North will take flight at the SAE Aero Design East competition.

ciples and how to construct a model.

Over the past year, the U of S students have been working on their competition model, and even though the design team focuses on technical projects, they encourage students from any discipline to join the group.

The club meets every Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Hardy Lab in the Engineering Building.

Kaitlyn Baron is a secondyear mechanical engineering student and holds the positions of both secretary and head of research and development of the U of S Aero Design Team.

Baron explains that she got involved with the club at an information session in 2017 and that, even though she did not understand the technical information involved in building an aircraft, she was still eager to join the group.

“I went to that first meeting and was in a huge lecture hall,” Baron said. “We listened to one of the other founding member’s theory of flight presentation and that was a huge ‘info-dump’ of everything you could ever want to know about flight, airplanes [and] how to build one, and I loved it.”

MP Trost facing two challengers in upcoming nomination race The Saskatoon University constituency may have a new Conservative nominee after the upcoming vote.

LYNDSAY AFSETH STAFF WRITER

Members of the Progressive Conservative Party will be voting for their nominee for Member of Parliament for the upcoming federal election in 2019. The current MP for the area, Brad Trost, will be faced with two challengers.

The nomination race will take place on March 10 at Prairieland Park, for members of the Progressive Conservative Party.

Trost, who has been the MP for Saskatoon University since 2004, will have his position challenged by provincial politician Corey Tochor as well as businessman Brad Redekopp.

Tochor explains that one of the main issues for University of Saskatchewan students is the concern that a polarizing candidate will negatively affect the funding the university will receive from the federal government.

“What I’m hearing back from conservative university students is that they’re concerned about the debt levels that the Liberals are racking up, and if we don’t have a team player representing us in Saskatoon University, we’re not going to get the funding that otherwise would flow to our institute,” Tochor said.

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Tochor has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly since 2011 and became the Speaker of the Saskatchewan Legislature in 2016.

Trost’s second challenger, Redekopp, comes from a background in accounting and management. Redekopp is focusing his campaign on small businesses and trying to fight against Liberal government policies that he believes are negatively affecting small businesses in Saskatoon.

“One of the big things that people are talking about is business issues,” Redekopp said. “The Liberals are really doing their best to kill local businesses in Canada with taxation, deficits regulation, CRA auditing [and] all kinds of things that are making it difficult for small businesses.”

When asked how he would represent U of S students as the MP for Saskatoon University, Trost noted that he has adequately advocated for all of his constituents during his time in office. His campaign is focusing on conveying this message, as he explains that his experience makes him a strong candidate for the federal election.

“The main thing I’m focused on is representing the riding, both politically representing the views of the local conservatives and knowing the general needs

Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor

of the constituents,” Trost said.

Redekopp and Tochor both note that whoever wins the PC nomination will need to distance themselves from divisive issues, as it is more important to move forward with decisions.

“A lot of people have been … wanting to just move away from some of the more difficult and divisive issues and find issues that we can work together on,” Redekopp said.

Trost, who has been vocal in the past about his stance against abortion and same-sex marriage, disagrees with the other candidates about avoiding divisive issues and makes it clear that his values remain socially conservative.

“I’m always going to be a principled conservative, and that includes being a social conservative. Do I think those issues are divisive? No, no more than taxes or national defence or other issues like that,” Trost said.

One thing that all three candidates do agree on is that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government is moving the country in what they believe is the wrong direction. Both Redekopp and Tochor expressed similar sentiments regarding the current government’s effect on U of S students.

“Specifically for university students, there’s a real concern over Justin Trudeau’s reckless spending, and we’ve all seen this

play out before — where governments overspend and indebt the future generations, where future generations have to rein in spending, and it negatively affects institutes such as the U of S,” Tochor said.

Like the other candidates, Trost hopes to see the Conservatives win a majority government in the next election, which is why he is hoping to be re­-elected.

“I don’t think my work here is done yet,” Trost said. “Like most conservatives, I’m not happy with what Justin Trudeau is doing and where he’s taking the country, and I want to be there to help rebuild the conservatives and bring them back into government.”

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SPORTS&HEALTH

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SPORTS&HEALTH

My journey with social anxiety and tips for students like me If you feel confused, isolated and anxious when introducing yourself in class or giving a presentation, you may be dealing with social anxiety.

Recipe:

Bacon jalapeno bites LOGAN HUARD

2 tbsp. jalapeno pepper jelly ½ package bacon Butter, to grease frying pan 170 g jalapeno cream cheese Grated cheddar cheese, to taste One package wonton wrappers Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste When originally crafting this recipe, I approximated the measurements, so these amounts could be changed according to your taste.

First, grease a large pan with butter and add bacon strips.

You’ll want the bacon to be either crispy or tender — but not too chewy, as the bacon will determine the texture of the filling.

Once the bacon is diced, combine your jalapeno cream cheese and jalapeno pepper jelly while stirring in the bacon, pepper flakes and cheddar cheese in a mixing bowl. This mixture will be your filling.

Next, spoon the filling onto the individual wonton wrappers. I orientated the wrappers so they looked like diamonds, placed the filling in the centre of the wonton wrapper, then folded the bottom corner up, not quite to the top point. From there, wet the corners with a dab of water, fold the two side corners back to the centre and finish by folding the top corner down over the others.

Reheat the bacon grease from earlier once all of the filling is used up. Add the bites into the grease and fry until both sides of the wonton are golden brown. Serve warm.

Ed itor

instead email other professors if their research areas interest you.

3. When you have a community-based learning opportunity in a course, go for it.

4. Browse through the university’s web pages, and inquire about various ways you can get involved on campus. A good source of information for student opportunities in university research is the Undergraduate Research Initiative’s web page.

5. Talk to individuals who you think could mentor you through your academic journey and give you advice on how to make the best use of the opportunities available to you.

6. Attend career fairs with friends who can motivate you to get over your anxiety.

7. Try to mitigate your social anxiety by focusing more on your long-term goals.

8. If you are feeling overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to contact someone for professional help. The Student Wellness Centre on campus, or any medical professional or counsellor, can help either by offering coping strategies or medical treatments.

Reducing social anxiety is not easy, for sure, but it’s not impossible either. People will generally be willing to help you out and work with you in a way that makes you feel more comfortable. University is a perfect place to shape your future if you are brave, diligent and seek out support from those around you.

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Social anxiety can be defined as the fear of interacting with others due to anticipation of negative judgement. It is common during the early years of university, especially if you don’t know anyone on campus and are struggling with your own problems of low selfconfidence.

In my first year at the University of Saskatchewan, I was a shy and introverted person with stuttering problems. My heart would palpitate in fear when I was asked to introduce myself. I would never raise my hand during class discussions and would quickly walk out when the class was over.

By the time I was in my third year, I had made a friend on campus because of our mutual interest in psychology. She talked to me and made me feel comfortable, and I began to express myself. While this was going on, I was also getting more comfortable interacting with strangers by working parttime at Walmart for a couple of years.

As I started my fourth year as an honours student, my passion for research drove me to overcome my social anxiety and engage in undergraduate research on campus. I became an associate editor for the U of S Undergraduate Research Journal and a research assistant in my faculty supervisors’ lab. I also contacted a sociology professor, who gave me an opportunity to be a guest speaker in her class.

I recently participated in the Undergraduate Project Symposium, and my confidence was also boosted when I won third prize in the social sciences, humanities and fine arts category. I received these opportunities because of my ability to overcome social anxiety, my strong passion for research and my interpersonal communication skills.

Social anxiety is normal but can limit career opportunities for students. Instead of getting involved on campus from the beginning of my undergraduate life, I chose to keep myself isolated.

I believe that the common system of networking negatively disadvantages socially anxious students. For example, when a student emails a professor to seek opportunities, most professors may not respond if they don’t know the student well.

Campus career fairs require students to present themselves to professionals in a public setting — which is quite a frightening situation for those of us with social anxiety. An excellent alternative to this would be to have professionals come to campus for a day of individual interviews with students.

In closing, I recommend that students with social anxiety seek opportunities in the following ways: 1. Make contact with your professors so that they remember you if they need assistance with their research work.

2. Don’t confine yourself within your department, but

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BIDUSHY SADIKA

Once the bacon is finished cooking, finely dice the strips.

How cooked the bacon is becomes important here, as a crispy piece will crumble into what resembles bacon bits while tender pieces will retain their form and add chewiness rather than crunch.

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Championship dreams a reality for multiple Huskies teams A superb weekend for Huskie Athletics sends multiple teams to the Canada West finals, while the Huskies wrestling and track and field teams bring back medals to Saskatoon.

Katherine Fedoroff

Heywood Yu The hard work of several Huskies teams is beginning to pay off.

MATTHEW JOHNSON

In an excellent weekend for Huskie Athletics, multiple University of Saskatchewan teams saw success, including men’s and women’s hockey, basketball, track and field, and wrestling.

Both hockey and basketball teams will be continuing on to

the Canada West championships.

The men’s and women’s hockey teams said farewell to playoff hockey at Rutherford Rink in style. The farewell season at the old barn hosted semi-final action on both the men’s and women’s sides.

The men snuck past the Calgary Dinos, winning two games to one in the best-of-three series

and a trip to the Canada West championship. Carson Stadnyk broke into the zone and roofed a backhand upstairs, sending Rutherford Rink into pandemonium and the Huskies to a 2-1 lead with only seconds remaining.

The series victory comes after the Huskies lost star goaltender Jordon Cooke to injury early in the first game on Feb. 22 and the team’s leading scorer, Josh Roach, on Feb. 23. Taran Kozun stepped in between the pipes to replace Cooke and was sharp throughout the series.

With Cooke’s health uncertain, Kozun provided the team with a steady presence in net and will have the Huskies feeling comfortable if they need to ride with the rookie netminder during the Canada West championships in Edmonton.

The series victory sends the Huskies back to the Canada West Championship for the third straight year, and the team will have their eyes locked in on revenge. Last season, the Huskies fell to the Alberta Golden Bears in the championship series, so they will be looking to change the narrative when game one gets underway on March 2.

The Huskies women’s hockey team also took care of business, sweeping the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds two games to none in the best-ofthree series.

The Huskies women’s team entered the post-season with a 19-9 record and were sound defensively throughout the series.

Goaltender Jessica Vance turned away 49 of 50 shots during the two games, helping the team qualify for the Canada West championships, where the women will take on the Manitoba Bisons in Winnipeg on March 2.

The semifinal series victories for both teams also ensure berths in the upcoming nation-

al championships. The men will travel to Fredericton, N.B., while the women will head to London, Ont., for nationals.

Meanwhile, on the court, the Huskies women’s basketball team is one step closer to their third consecutive Canada West championship, after they took down the Trinity Western Spartans 2-1 on Feb. 24 in a threegame series, booking the team’s trip to Regina for both the Canada West championship as well as the upcoming national championship.

Both of these Saskatchewan programs have dominated Canada West this season, and a meeting between Regina and Saskatoon in the final has seemed inevitable. After splitting a regular-season series one game apiece, the University of Regina enters the matchup ranked as the number-two team in the nation and the U of S slots in at number seven.

Outside of hockey and basketball, the Huskies track and field teams travelled to Winnipeg on Feb. 24 to compete at the Canada West championships at the University of Manitoba.

The Huskies track and field women lived up to their ranking as the number-four team in the nation and brought home the Canada West conference team title. The team was led by star distance runner Julie Labach, who returned home with gold medals in the 600- and 1000-metre events, while also finishing on the podium in the 1500-metre and 4x400-metre relay team with silver medals.

Kieran Johnston from the men’s side displayed his skill on the track by bringing home a gold medal in the heptathlon, while also winning a silver medal in the 60-metre hurdles.

On the wrestling mat, the Huskies are fresh off a successful showing at the Canada West

championships, where they racked up 14 medals and used that momentum to their advantage at the U Sports national championships.

Alexandra Schell was victorious in the 48-kilogram category, winning the lone gold medal for the Huskies program at the championship. Schell ended her 2017-18 campaign in a victorious fashion, as she stands as both the Canada West Conference champion and national champion in her weight class.

After winning his fourth consecutive Canada West conference gold medal, Josh Bodnarchuk fell just short of bringing home his fourth gold medal in the 61-kilogram category on the national stage.

Bodnarchuk brought home a silver medal, as well as the Student-Athlete Community Service Award.

Kieran Akhtar was the only other Huskies wrestler to bring home a medal, finishing on the podium in the 54-kilogram event with a bronze medal.

The Huskies men’s and women’s hockey teams as well as the women’s basketball team will begin their pursuits for Canada West conference championship titles on March 2.

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CULTURE

Who runs the world?: CFCR 90.5 FM gears up for FEMFEST! fundraiser Talking to one of CFCR’s own about supporting female and non-binary community members in Saskatoon.

TANNER BAYNE CULTURE EDITOR

On March 2, Saskatoon’s community radio station CFCR 90.5 FM is putting on their annual FEMFEST! concert fundraiser at Amigos Cantina, which aims to give thanks to the many important women and non-binary folk in our lives.

FEMFEST! 2018 is the third iteration of the International Women’s Day concert fundraiser, and this time, CFCR is enlisting help from Grey Records for the show. The concert will showcase an impressive array of female and non-binary artists, including Wares, T-Rhyme, Lip Slackers and Taylor Jade.

Throughout the night, Julie Maier and DJ Brenda Machine will also be playing music, while Jenny Ryan from LadyBits Improv Comedy Collective hosts the night. When the event is in full swing, OUTSaskatoon and Girls Rock Camp Saskatoon will have information booths at the back.

As in previous years, there will be a FEMFEST! 2018 zine up for grabs at the concert fundraiser. The zine will include poetry, written musings, artwork and photography — all themed to show different representations of the strength and resiliency of women and non-binary people — from members of the community.

The layout for the magazine

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was done by local graphic designer and visual artist Stephanie Kuse.

For Kira Yanko, volunteer coordinator and office manager at CFCR and head co-ordinator of FEMFEST! 2018, CFCR has a unique platform and a responsibility to put on an event like FEMFEST! “CFCR figuratively and literally gives women and non-binary people a voice. We offer such a broad range of programming, and we really do try to encourage all folks from all different backgrounds to become a host,” Yanko said.

“We have a great number of female and non-binary hosts right now, not to mention the fact that we actively try to work alongside other organizations that are supporting similar causes.”

This year, all proceeds from FEMFEST! 2018 are going to two local organizations: Iskwewuk E-wichiwitochik (Women Walking Together), a group that assists families of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and the Saskatoon Mothers’ Centre, which supports women and their children. Yanko reveals that CFCR chose to donate to these organizations because of their locality and their need for such assistance.

“It so happened that the Saskatoon Mothers’ Centre lost what little funding they were receiving from [the] provincial government with the lat-

est budget. They were recently crowdfunding to stay open, so this year, particularly, [it] was very important to donate to them,” Yanko said. “The unfortunate ongoing reality of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is something we always need to support, as well.”

Aside from accruing financial support for these organizations, Yanko hopes that the concert fundraiser allows attendees to find other ways to get involved with similar initiatives.

“We want them to come in and celebrate women, and to think about [the] women and non-binary folks in their lives that matter so much — that’s also what the zine is focused on,” Yanko said. “We want people to think about these organizations and to figure out how they can help on their own.”

For Yanko, the most impactful way to help out organizations that support women and non-binary people in Saskatoon is to get out and volunteer.

“Work alongside these grassroots organizations,” Yanko said. “We have some really great organizations in town that are always looking for volunteers — that is the most direct way they can help.”

Tickets for the FEMFEST! 2018 Fundraiser Show are $10 at the door. If you can’t make the show, pick up the FEMFEST! zine at the CFCR station or at the Women’s Centre on campus, if there are some left over.

EVENTS T H U R S

01

INSTITUTIONAL RACISM: A PANEL DISCUSSION @ EDUCATION BUILDING, ROOM 1004, 4:00 P.M.

ANGRY INUK SCREENING & PANEL @ STATION 20 WEST, 7:00 P.M.

JOURNEY OF A REFUGEE @ THE ROXY THEATRE, 7:00 P.M.

KARAOKE THURSDAY! @ AMIGOS CANTINA, 9:00 P.M.

F R I

02

GREYSTONE SINGERS TRIVIA NIGHT @ LOUIS’ LOFT, 7:00 P.M.

USASK IMPROV PRESENTS: THE WOMEN OF USASK IMPROV @ QUANCE THEATRE, 7:30 P.M. SEXHIBITION SEX WEEK DRAG SHOW @ LOUIS’ PUB, 8:00 P.M.

RAY ELLIOT BAND WITH DAVID DINO WHITE AND ELLEN FROESE @ BLACK CAT TAVERN, 9:00 P.M.

S A T

03

INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY @ QUANCE THEATRE, 7:00 P.M.

DON’T GIVE YOURSELF AWAY: THE MUSIC OF JONI MITCHELL @ TCU PLACE, 7:30 P.M. HEARING TREES WITH OLD NORTH AND TWIN VOICES @ BLACK CAT TAVERN, 8:00 P.M.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JAZZ SHOW FEAT. DANIEL JULIEN QUINTET @ VILLAGE GUITAR & AMP CO., 8:30 P.M. S U N

04

2018 BRAINSPORT BRAINFREEZE @ BRAINSPORT, 10:00 A.M.

NEW DIRECTIONS: THE PRAIRIE ROOTS QUINTET WITH DASH REIMER @ THE REFINERY, 2:30 P.M. THE 90TH ACADEMY AWARDS LIVE BROADCAST WITH THE K-BROS! @ THE ROXY THEATRE, 7:00 P.M. SUNDAY NIGHT ACOUSTIC JAM @ BUDS ON BROADWAY, 8:00 P.M.

M O N

05

VIDEO GAME MONDAY @ LOUIS’ PUB, 7:00 P.M.

BLUEGRASS WORKSHOP: THE LONESOME ACE STRING BAND @ THE BASSMENT, 7:30 P.M. BLACK CAT COMEDY NIGHT @ BLACK CAT TAVERN, 8:00 P.M.

FLINT’S VIDEO ON DEMAND @ FLINT SALOON, 9:00 P.M.

T U E S

06

TOONIE TUESDAY @ LOUIS’ PUB, 7:00 P.M.

VIEWPOINTS WITH DR. ERIC DAYTON @ REMAI MODERN, 7:00 P.M.

CHANGING COLD REGIONS NETWORK DOCUMENTARY & PUBLIC LECTURE @ THE ROXY THEATRE, 7:30 P.M. ALAN DOYLE @ THE BROADWAY THEATRE, 8:00 P.M.

W E D

07

INTERVIEW WITH CHAMBER ON TAP @ GREATER SASKATOON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 4:30 P.M.

WING WEDNESDAY @ LOUIS’ PUB, 5:00 P.M.

NEW FEMINIST RESEARCH LECTURE SERIES WITH PRABA PILAR @ GORDON SNELGROVE GALLERY, 7:00 P.M. SING LIKE SHANIA CONTEST @ THE LONGBRANCH, 8:00 P.M.

UNTIL MARCH 4

GABRIEL DUMONT’S WILD WEST SHOW

UNTIL MARCH 31

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: DISCOVERING THE MÉTIS NATION

@ PERSEPHONE THEATRE

@ ROUND PRAIRIE BRANCH LIBRARY

CFCR / Supplied

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little league:

Hannah Blischak / Supplied

The impact of youth sport JACK THOMPSON

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

Everyone’s experience with sports in their formative years is unique.

Y

outh sport can be a huge influence during one’s formative years, aiding in character growth and providing new goals to strive for and role models in the form of coaches.

Being on a team can build lasting friendships and help kids develop healthy habits that last a lifetime.

The University of Saskatchewan has a well-developed sports culture, and many students have some experience in sport. Although not all of the experiences are positive, the personal testimonies below, written by the students themselves, serve to paint a small picture of youth sports.

8 / FEATURE

Ryan Willard / Supplied

Ryan Willard,

third-year history

“T

he sports that I played growing up were soccer, baseball and hockey. I ended up quitting both baseball and soccer to play only hockey, as I loved hockey the most as a kid and still play it up to this day. Playing sports made me feel, for the most part, included with the teams I was on, and I enjoyed playing on them a lot.

“The only sport in which I did not feel included was football in high school, as the coaches did not treat people properly and did not respect if people did not feel they were a proper fit for their position. Most players quit after the first year, as the coaches treated [them] poorly.

“Usually, it depends on the coach to make people feel included. When I had good coaches, the teams would gel together and work better together. When a coach [treated] all players equally, that was when the teams would play better together and there wouldn’t be anyone feeling excluded.

“I feel that sports were a part of my early growth, as they teach a person that you need to work hard at them to get better, just as you need to do in everything else in your life.”

Ryan Willard / Supplied

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Hannah Blischak,

was part of the team, but it was tough because I was a benchwarmer for most of my volleyball career — which is to be expected when you don’t have depth perception.

“Sports teach you how to lose and how to take disappointment. As a bench warmer, there were times when I wouldn’t get much playing time at a tournament, which was disappointing, but learning how to have a good attitude in those situations is crucial not only in sports but also in real life.

“My coach, Mr. Knot, also taught us the importance of striving for excellence, not perfection. This kept us grounded and taught us not to be hypercritical of ourselves. Leadership is an attribute I feel was fostered through my time playing volleyball.

“I distinctly remember Mr. Knot taking me aside after a practice and telling me that, if I improved my serves, I would get more playing time, so I began to work on my serves.

“Getting that extra time on the court felt so good, because it was something I had worked for and I knew I could benefit my team. Looking back at high school sports, a lot of key components of my identity and personality can be traced back to the volleyball court.”

second-year arts and science

“F

rom the time I was four, my family had me involved in some kind of sport — be it soccer, basketball, volleyball, swimming or wrestling. I was taught the importance of physical activity from an early age, and my parents hoped it would lay a good foundation for the future by teaching me relevant life lessons such as teamwork and the significance of a healthy lifestyle.

“My parents had me in the water pretty much after birth, and they were thrilled to watch me play soccer with the other toddlers, chasing the ball in a pack.

I began basketball at the age of five — my brother taking me, my beloved Edmonton Oilers basketball and our Little Tikes hoop to the driveway to drill me through pylons before my first official practice.

“I rotated between seasonal sports until the age of 14, when I chose basketball for both spring and fall.

Sports always made me feel [like] a part of something bigger. I didn’t have very many friends in school, so being on a team was a huge social aspect of my life and made me feel included.

“When the time came to play sports in school, I felt proud to represent my school. I made the senior basketball team while in grade seven and was thrilled to be the only one of my peers to be on that level at a younger age.

“High school basketball was more stressful but came with three opportunities to play postsecondary. I accepted at first but quit before the season began. Basketball had defined me for 14 years, but I was ready to discover other aspects of myself. The lessons I learned helped me grow as a person, and I am grateful to sports for giving me the space to form an identity and express myself.”

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Hannah Blischak / Supplied

Logan Huard,

fifth-year political studies

“I

had an overall great experience with sports growing up. It was really challenging as a kid with a visual disability, but my time playing sports was fantastic.

“From grades seven to 12, I was on the track, basketball and badminton teams, but for the most part, I played volleyball. Coming from a small town, there is far more opportunity to be on sports teams than in larger centres, as there were rarely tryouts and lots of opportunities to get involved.

“Sports, for me, as an extrovert, allowed me to socialize and hang out with my classmates. I felt like I

Logan Huard / Supplied

Matt Johnson / Supplied

Matt Johnson, first-year English

“G

rowing up, sports were always a huge part of my life. I was fortunate to be able to participate in a large variety of different sports ranging from basketball, hockey and soccer to lacrosse and golf.

“Before I was even able to skate, my dream of becoming a professional hockey player was born, and at the age of five, I was fortunate enough to have a family that could afford the costs that come with playing organized hockey.

“My parents were always immensely supportive of my sports career and never pushed me towards a specific sport but were always there for support.

Youth sports teach essential skills such as teamwork and sportsmanship and also help build character.

“Sports provided me with … lifelong friendships and the opportunity to be around like-minded people with similar interests. Today, the majority of my best friends are people who I met through sports in my youth. The different teams I was on provided me with lifelong friendships and provided me with [a] sense of inclusion.

“My experience as a child in sports positively molded me into the person I am today.”

Matt Johnson / Supplied

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J.C. Balicanta Narag / Photo Editor Tenille Campbell performing at Tonight It’s Poetry at Amigos Cantina.

Home is where the hearth is: #IndianLovePoems author delves into the stories of kitchen and family After publishing her first book, a collection of sensual poems, Tenille Campbell is focusing on her PhD research at the U of S. LYNDSAY AFSETH STAFF WRITER

Tenille K. Campbell is a Dene and Métis storyteller and photographer who recently published a book, runs an online collective blog, owns a photography business, is a mother and still finds time to work towards her PhD at the University of Saskatchewan.

Campbell published her first

book, a collection of poetry called #IndianLovePoems, in the spring of 2017, and it was shortlisted for two Saskatchewan Book Awards nominations in February of this year. The book features humorous stories about love and sex and is told from an Indigenous woman’s perspective, something Campbell feels is lacking in Indigenous literature.

“It’s a book about Indigenous erotica, humour, love and laugh-

ter mainly told from an Indigenous woman’s point of view for Indigenous women,” Campbell said. “The book itself is a collection of intimate stories. It was important to me once I realized how little Indigenous writers actually talk about sexuality and sensuality, especially from a woman’s point of view.”

Although her writing may stretch boundaries around intimacy for some people, that was not Campbell’s intention. She

wrote the book so that Indigenous women could move past the limitations put on them regarding their own sexuality.

“I wanted something that women could connect to and laugh with. I wanted that engagement, and I wanted that barrier lifted off this discussion,” Campbell said. “I want to be able to sit with my friends around coffee shops and talk about sex without feeling scandalized or ashamed. The fact that we’re Indigenous women talking about it — we have to deal with all this colonial bullshit while expressing our sexuality.”

Campbell has received a diploma in creative writing from St. Peter’s College, a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in English from the U of S and an MFA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia.

Now, she is back at the U of S working towards her PhD in English, focusing on Indigenous literature.

“My thesis, in its raw form right now, is about kitchen and family stories on my home reserve, English River First Nation,” Campbell said. “I want to investigate the stories that we tell around the kitchen table on Christmas and Thanksgiving — the ones that are repeated that we know about our ancestors, as opposed to the creation stories that we always hear in the news and whatnot.”

Cultivating comedy: Two local comedians hope to have Usask bursting at the seams The Sheaf talks to Dylan and Dustin Williamson about the progression of Saskatoon’s stand-up scene and bringing the laughs to campus.

nd er wo od /

La you t Ma na ger

JORDAN STOVRA

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a ur La

U

Since November of 2017, the University of Saskatchewan has been a lot funnier thanks to an open mic comedy night at Louis’ Pub. Occurring sporadically on Thursdays in the pub, Campus Comedy is a project brought together by brothers Dustin and Dylan Williamson with the help of USask Improv.

For Dylan Williamson — who is an active member of Saskatoon’s comedy scene — the U of S comedy night is meant to reach a younger crowd who otherwise may not experience standup.

“Campus Comedy is an attempt to get more young people trying standup,” Dylan said, in an email to the Sheaf. “We have only one comic who comes regularly and attends [the U of S], and he’s around 30 and doing his master’s.”

Despite the lack of student stand-up performers, this move to have a comedy night on campus indicates that the

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scene is growing. According to Dylan, the Saskatoon comedy scene has come a long way in the nearly seven years that he has been performing stand-up.

“I started doing comedy six and a half years ago, and there was only one weekly room that people could try stand-up in,” Dylan said. “It was run by local comic Dez Reed at venues like Beily’s, and then it moved to the basement of Joe Dog’s.”

However, the growth of Saskatoon’s stand-up scene has been a long time coming. In April 2013, Dylan immersed himself in Vancouver’s alternative-comedy scene. Upon his return, he realized that Saskatoon’s local scene had a lot to do to catch up.

So, the Williamson brothers started several open mic nights, including the Comedy Lab at the Thirsty Scholar. For Dustin, their work has been paying off.

“We have roughly 30 comics that come to at least a show every two weeks and a bunch that come less frequently,” Dustin said, in an email to the Sheaf. “The comedy scene is booming, and it is really exciting to see.”

Throughout the growth of the comedy scene in Saskatoon, the Williamson

On top of all of this, Campbell owns and runs sweetmoon photography, primarily photographing portraits, families, weddings and graduates. She focuses her photography, much like her writing, on the Indigenous experience. She also spends her time working on an online collective blog that she created with a friend.

“Myself and Joi Arcand — she is a Cree artist out of Treaty 6 Muskeg — we created this blog called tea&bannock two years ago. It’s an online collective of Indigenous women photographers — there’s now eight of us throughout Canada. It’s just about breaking down visual barriers and story barriers, telling our own stories in our own words [and] reclaiming our stories and our images.”

When she is not working on these projects, Campbell still finds the time to be a mother, and she says that she would not be able to do everything that she does without the help of her community, family and friends.

While Campbell has a full life, she also has a happy one, and she hopes that her work will help to create an even better future for her daughters.

“It’s important for me to do this, because as a mother, I want these discussions already open, so when my daughters grow up, they’re not still pushing through these barriers.”

brothers have worked to keep the scene diverse.

“Back in 2012, there were roughly a dozen comedians that were trying comedy — none of which were women,” Dylan said.

Since then, Dylan and Dustin have helped with the female-only Women Crush Wednesdays shows at the Belvedere Treehouse in O’Brians Event Centre. They have also been featured in the Indigenous comedy stage show Cards Against Colonialism as the Token White Settlers.

Campus Comedy is a great place for aspiring comics to practice their chops, as the audience is primarily made up of student peers. For those who are interested in trying their hand at stand-up but are worried about the horror of no one laughing, Dylan has some sound advice.

“Bombing is inevitable, no matter how seasoned a performer you are,” Dylan said. “A lot of new comics don’t know how to bomb with grace. They get flustered, panic and start blaming the audience, or they get angry. It is not their fault that they don’t like you. All you can do is keep your chin up, thank them for their time and try [to] learn from the set.”

Campus Comedy entertains audiences at Louis’ every second Thursday, with the next show set for 8 p.m. on March 1.

Cover is $5 for attendees and free for performers. To find out more, head over to Campus Comedy’s Facebook page.

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Creating wonder: U of S alumna renovates van to have a house on wheels The Sheaf talks to Usask alumna and her husband about selling their home and living on the road.

Adam Hickey / Supplied Adam and Vanessa Hickey in their van home.

ISABELLE COOK

Have you ever fantasized about leaving everything behind — school included — and travelling the continent? For one University of Saskatchewan alumna and her husband,

Jaymie Stachyruk

this dream has become a reality.

In the fall of 2017, Vanessa Hickey — who graduated with a master’s in environmental management in 2012 — and her husband Adam converted a 2008 Dodge Sprinter van into their new home after selling their house in Thunder Bay.

The van is big enough to sport room for a bed, some bench seating, a removable table and a cleverly designed kitchen.

They’ve also designed the van to be off-grid, so they get the energy needed from solar panels installed on the roof.

For Vanessa, the compact and sustainable focus has changed her perspective on living.

“You don’t really need as much as you think you need,” Vanessa said. “We get to be really happy and fulfilled with more simple things, and to live a more simple life. We also get to explore a lot more.”

Vanessa and Adam started their trip in Thunder Bay in October 2017 and travelled to British Columbia. Since then, they have been all across the United States as well, from Washington to California.

They plan to return to British Columbia in the spring to do a coast-to-coast trip in August. After seeing much of the North American continent, Vanessa says Sedona, Arizona, was her favourite.

“It has a very dramatic landscape wherever you look. I’ve never seen anything like that before,” Vanessa said.

For the Hickeys, living in a van has given them a newfound emphasis on relationships. They are able to spend more time focused on each other, and the people they have met along the way. Since they are always travelling and are separate from a local community, Adam believes that they have entered into a global community.

“We’ve learned lots of different perspectives — you get to meet a lot of interesting people along the road,” Adam said.

CULTURE Since they aren’t tied down to focusing on a job or maintaining a house, the Hickeys feel that they have been given the freedom to explore their own path through the world. This lifestyle has also allowed both of them to be more creative and follow their passions.

“I guess our focus has been on having experiences over having things,” Vanessa said.

Although living in a van may be considered an alternative lifestyle to some, Adam believes that their lifestyle is not that different from what others choose to do.

“Some people might say, ‘Why are you doing this — you’re in your prime years,’ and other blanket statements like that, but usually, when people are retired, that’s what they do — they rent an RV or go around and travel,” Adam said.

Ultimately, the Hickeys’ decision to live in their van was just that — a deliberate one. For Adam, their lifestyle is something that many people could have if they put their mind to it.

“We worked towards it,” Adam said.

“We didn’t have that much capital or influence — we just decided that that was our goal, and we were going to go after it.”

To learn more about how Vanessa and Adam turned their van into a home, and to follow their journey, be sure to check out their website createwondr.com. You can also follow them on Instagram under the handle @createwondr and on their Youtube page, Create Wondr.

City-Wide

COME & GROW COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE A come-and-go event with something for everyone, including fun for kids.

March 7 - 4:30-8:30pm Western Development Museum Join The Conversation: Social Media - #GrowYXE Surveys @ saskatoon.ca/engage Let’s get the conversation started on: • Transforming our transit system • Redevelopments around our major roads • Improvements in neighbourhood design Everyone welcome!

saskatoon.ca/engage

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The USSU elections are coming: Let the frenzy begin Pay attention — there’s a lot more at stake in student politics than you’d think.

MACKENZIE PARADZIK

The University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union will elect a new executive committee and student council body on March 22, and before we know it, every surface of our campus will be covered with the faces of everyone running for positions.

Each student who decides to campaign is driven by different things — a passion for radical changes on campus, the desire to give students the best experience possible, or maybe just the chance to slap an executive position onto their resume. Whatever their motives may be, your fellow students are currently getting ready to participate and compete in this race for campus royalty.

If you’ve been on campus during past election seasons, you understand the chaos that ensues during these two weeks, and it is surely quite the experience for those new to the U of S. From the midnight poster race on the first day of campaigning to the tenuous and stressful networking and forums that occur, those running have a lot on their plates, and everyone else — or at least those who are paying attention — has a lot to take in.

All positions in the USSU are up for grabs, from the coveted executive seats to the representative positions for each college, and every year brings a new onslaught of ideas and campaigning strategies to the table.

In the past couple of years, we have seen it all, from flash danc-

Social-media influencers should be allowed to sell out Are the artists we follow really selling out, or are we just being too judgy?

Gabbie Torres Advertisments are annoying, but are they also opportunities?

12 / OPINIONS

es that halted the rush of the Arts Building ramp to hashtag blitzes on social media to the use of memes for campaign slogans for some good old relatable youth content.

USSU election season can be a time not just for new and fresh ideas about ways to improve our campus but also a time for students’ creativity to shine, as we watch these new and innovative campaigns unfold.

While it can look like glitz and glam to some or worthy of an eye-roll to others, these student campaigns take up more time and energy than a lot of people realize. The work behind the scenes, prior even to nomination, can be more intense and vigorous than the actual campaign weeks.

For most people running, the

ANA CAMACHO

The internet’s growing dominance over the entertainment industry means that #ads and #spons are only going to increase their presence in our daily lives in the coming years, so maybe it’s time to examine whether calling content creators “sellouts” is actually fair.

In her article “Get Rich or Die Vlogging: The Sad Economics of Internet Fame,” Youtuber Gaby Dunn explains that she and her comedy partner, Allison Raskin, experience backlash when they try to make money, noting “every time [we] post a branded video … we make money but lose subscribers.”

This opposition from audiences to the commercialization of artists is nothing new, and Dunn is correct to note that “the ‘starving artist vs. sellout’ paradigm has existed since time immemorial.”

Why do we still think that poor, uncommercial artists are in some way more praiseworthy or authentic than the rest? No one asks doctors or lawyers to do their work with a complete disregard for whether or not they’ll be able to pay rent that month, so aren’t we holding artists to a ridiculous standard?

Social-media influencers are only the latest in a long history of artists having to choose between being poor and loosing

J.C. Balicanta Narag / Photo Editor Students will compete for a seat at the council chamber’s roundtable.

USSU election season takes up a lot more time than just the two weeks that undergraduate students, staff and visitors get to see. Months of preparation take place — building your campaign teams, learning the ins and outs of the campus and its services, and creating a feasible and captivating platform — and it’s an impressive organizational feat.

The student voice is important. Your ideas could create some serious change on campus if you are a part of the USSU. Running may seem scary and stressful, and a lot of the time, it’s more exhausting than you would think, but it is an experience worth giving a go.

A forewarning to all: just know what you are getting into.

Running a campaign, even just in student politics, is far from

a walk in the park, but if you are driven by your passion for change and care for students, it is worth it, all the way.

And, while the USSU elections may seem daunting to those watching or just an annoyance that will not leave you alone for two weeks, I would encourage students to look into the platforms of those who are running and actually try caring this year.

Show up to the forums, learn about what the positions all mean and what these individuals are responsible for, ask questions and express your concerns to those who are running. You have a vote, so use it. People like to disregard the work student leaders do on campus, but their voices are where change often begins.

their audience’s respect — and maybe they should be the last.

Musician Franz Nicolay explained in an article in Slate that, before the birth of the term sellout, “the relationship between artist and patron was considered pragmatic and natural.” Which it is — artists, like everyone else, need to eat.

The romanticization of the starving artist is just as lacking in validity as the depressed artist stereotype. It seems too obvious to write, but artists don’t need to be depressed to be successful and they sure as hell don’t need to be poor for their art to be authentic.

Influencer endorsements are often criticized for being non-transparent or deceptive.

Transparency has proven to be an issue — the still ambiguous laws for social-media advertising have been notably evaded by the Kardashians, for example. But, why do so many feel deceived by endorsements? After all, no one feels personally betrayed when an actor appears in a movie with product placement or as part of an advertising campaign.

Whether it’s because of the more personal content they create or because they intentionally market themselves in a direct-to-consumer way, social-media celebrities are expected to be more authentic than conventional celebrities.

But, isn’t their openness the very thing that should make us more

sensitive to their struggles?

Dunn’s work is wonderfully candid, making us aware of her struggles and the struggles of others in the industry. At one point, she opens up about almost quitting Youtube out of desperation, because she couldn’t pay rent and had to borrow money from her friends and her co-host.

More than ever before, we — as consumers of social media — can be an element in an artist’s daily worries about losing respect over making a living. I doubt anyone who cares about these creators enough to be concerned about their artistic integrity would want them to have to give up their art over financial concerns, so maybe it would be more productive to stop shaming artists for avoiding that scenario.

Social media has given many artists a platform on which to have conversations about this problem, and I am happy that they are using it.

From Dunn to Anna Akana’s video “Why I’m A Sell Out” to Lilly Singh’s frequent openness in her vlog channel about her need for sponsorship, creators are doing their part to dispel these dangerous myths of artistry, and I hope audiences are willing to do their part, too. Just deal with it — people got paid to sell products long before the idea of Youtube or Instagram was ever conceived.

OPINIONS

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An open letter to library loudmouths It’s time we discussed library etiquette at the University of Saskatchewan — or rather, the inherent lack of it.

CLEO NGUYEN

The higher your altitude, the lower your voice should be — it’s a simple rule that seemingly few can abide by in our university’s prime research and study facility.

It is understood that the ground floor of Murray Library is the place to be if you want to study without having to completely sacrifice conversation with your friends. It is exempt from the rules present in the upper levels, which — generally beginning from the first floor and upwards — are quiet zones.

Thanks to all its foot traffic, the presence of Starbucks and the large tables fitted to create a common study space, ground floor Murray is the special exception to quiet zone rules.

Sometimes there are people with little to no voice control, and while they’re probably not standing on a table and shouting or anything, it can get annoying. But, hey, it’s ground floor Murray — conversations are everywhere. Just put in some earphones or move up to the other floors. Problem solved, right?

Nope.

Despite more than adequate signage and the best efforts of library staff and the U of S Students’ Union Student Crew, it’s still hard to find focus in these upper-level spaces.

I’m not trying to set the standard so high that everyone must tiptoe to their

Aqsa Hussain Shut up or get out. This space is for studying.

study cubicles, hold their breath when they’re breathing too loudly thanks to a cold or limit the quantity of crap in their backpacks, which so loudly rustles as they dig through to find something.

Even within the Reading Room and North Wing, perfect silence is not and cannot be maintained all the time. I’m not asking for perfect silence. I’m asking for quiet.

I’ve heard countless people pick up phone calls and just have the time of their life talking to their mom or friend.

I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself, but I can assure you, I am not. I stress over

assignments while you’re talking to Rick about that show on Netflix.

Thinking of bringing your six-person study group up to the fourth or fifth floor? Please think again. When you plop down all those books right next to occupied study cubicles and proceed to chat as loudly as possible, you’re not only killing time with your buddies, you’re also extending the suffering of others who just want to finish their essay and go to bed.

Yeah, I’d like to not be petty about this and just study at home more often — I am envious of people who can actually

get work done in the same place they eat and sleep — but I’m not the only one who has to drag themselves to Murray in order to be genuinely productive.

If someone does call you out for being loud and disruptive, remember that they are not only speaking on behalf of everyone but are also immediately considered the hero of the day, because there were definitely plenty of people who wanted to work up the nerve. That is solidarity right there, and boy, is it beautiful.

I’ve resorted to wearing earbuds and moving anywhere I thought that people would be quiet, and I haven’t found my peace. I’ve even given into shushing people when asking nicely doesn’t work, and I’m considering resorting to just plain being mean in the future — which is the last thing I’d like to do, though I know I’m coming off as a prick writing an entire article about library etiquette in the Sheaf.

This is my plea to you: if you’re not on the ground floor, please be considerate of your surroundings. You’re not the only one occupying the library floors.

There are plenty of places on campus to socialize if you find you’re unable to conduct yourselves properly.

Please be mindful that you are sharing a space with students who reserve the right to shush and so often don’t.

Quiet zones literally only exist to give students room to focus, study and get shit done — be respectful, as others are for you.

#Sheafgram dreadinstoon usask usask

dreadinstoon One day, buddy. #preschoolerlife #preschooler #usask #yxe #futurestudent

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OPINIONS

T H E S H E A F P U B L I S HI NG S OC I E T Y // MA R C H 0 1 , 2 0 1 8

Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor

The U of S is not too left-wing Before hitching yourself to the free-speechabove-all bandwagon, decrying the leftism present in universities, actually examine your surroundings.

COLE CHRETIEN

14 / OPINIONS

Apparently, free speech on campus is under attack from Marxism, feminism, postmodernist philosophy, critical theory and authoritarian political correctness, and arguments often amount to demanding a platform for simple, poorly argued and often racist, sexist and homophobic positions.

The constant braying about free speech from reactionary youths has robbed the phrase of all meaning. At the University of Saskatchewan, we don’t always see it up close, but somewhere along the way, the notion that academic institutions are all bastions of left-wing radicalism has been accepted as a truism.

The perception that the U of S is a left-wing university strikes me as absurd, but in a wider discourse that considers any school with an active gender studies or philosophy program a leftist university, the actual character of a school is no longer a metric for its political alignment.

Speaking anecdotally, as a third-year political studies major, I’ve encountered Karl Marx approximately twice, and any further ventures into dialectical materialism have been on my

own time. Aside from the obligatory unit most political studies classes include on liberal feminism, I’ve encountered almost no feminist theory. If there’s leftism afoot at the U of S, I can’t find it in this department.

It’s also not on the USask Confessions Facebook page — where students are more than happy to advance radically reactionary opinions when afforded a veil of anonymity.

Recently, the moderator, for their own financial gain, has begun to monetize posts by dog-whistle racists.

I seriously urge anyone who can stomach it to spend five minutes looking into that particular abyss to get an understanding of some of the more troubling attitudes held by students here.

Of course, the political culture of the U of S as it appears in reality is of little importance for anyone trying to advance a tired misunderstanding of campus free speech. Again, this debate is not about protecting speech, it’s about entitlement to present controversial, untested and lazy arguments absent of any criticism.

Much of the exaltation of logic and facts among mod-

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ern conservative pundits has amounted to little more than a smoke show for intellectual dishonesty and confirmation bias.

There can’t be a substantial history of right-wing thought, because conservatism is a constantly shifting cycle of grievance, reaction and increasingly elaborate hierarchies.

To go back more than 20 years in right-wing thought would be to rediscover the full-throated defences of apartheid and segregation voiced by the moderate conservatives of the past. Then, every 20 years or so, the right wing appears to reboot out of necessity, disparaging the racism of the past and avowing to do better.

However, none of this matters, because the current conservative cocktail of campus free speech and a rampant Progressive Conservative Party in Saskatchewan have proven to be extremely effective at mobilizing disaffected youths.

The U of S has almost no campus leftism to speak of, but when has logic ever gotten in the way of conservative hysteria? What is needed is not a further reaction from campus leftists, but a better narrative and stronger organization.

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DISTRACTIONS

WWW.T H E S H E A F.COM // @ U SAS KS H E A F

SEX WEEK: YET ANOTHER REMINDER THAT YOUR BED IS COLD AND EMPTY MEMORIAL UNION BUILDING — Students across campus have been tepid about engaging in the University of Saskatchewan’s annual Sex Week events and celebrations — which includes a sex-toy party, drag show and game night — hosted by the U of S Students’

Union from Feb. 26 to March 2, but it’s probably just because they’re not getting laid, anyway.

A recent survey, conducted by a thirdyear archaeology student, found that only 15 per cent of the undergraduate student body is regularly engaging in

sexual activity, though it was reported that most survey participants were from the department of computer science.

Sex Week programming and events aim to educate students about safe and consensual sex as well as diverse sexualities and viewpoints on sexual practic-

#albumoftheweek:

In a Poem Unlimited

by U.S. Girls

Tanner Bayne

es. Led by the USSU Pride Centre, the week also runs in conjunction with the Menstrual Product Drive run by the Women’s Centre. Co-ordinators emphasize that participation is valuable, even if you don’t get busy as often as you’d like.

Pop music often gets a bad rap — and sometimes it deserves it. When a genre is predicated on being appealing to the widest audience possible, it runs the risk of being lifeless. However, once you get past the ever-predictable and hyper-formulaic Top 40 charts, pop is a genre worth following.

Toronto-based artist U.S. Girls proves this with her latest release, In a Poem Unlimited.

In a Poem Unlimited is an ambitious noise-pop record that is somewhat antithetical to most pop albums. The album revels in cacophonous arrangements, has little sonic continuity between songs and will make you reconsider what you think you know about pop music. xkcd.com

harkavagrant.com

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Megan Fairbairn

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