November 29, 2018

NOVEMBER 29, 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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Internationalization at the U of S

Freedom of the press

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ARTS AND CATS page 10

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Men’s hockey on a 12-game win streak

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USSU begins renovations in Lower Place

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NEWS

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | TBD editor@thesheaf.com NEWS EDITOR

CULTURE EDITOR

Tanner Bayne

Cole Chretien

news@thesheaf.com

culture@thesheaf.com

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

OPINIONS EDITOR

Jack Thompson sportshealth@thesheaf.com

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NEWS

USSU president proposes Elder-in-Residence pilot project President Baldhead expects that the project would take around $30,000 to retain an Elder.

Erin Matthews opinions@thesheaf.com

STAFF WRITER

Ana Cristina Camacho staffwriter@thesheaf.com COPY EDITOR | Amanda Slinger copy@thesheaf.com LAYOUT MANAGER | Kaitlin Wong layout@thesheaf.com PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR | Riley Deacon photo@thesheaf.com GRAPHICS EDITOR | Jaymie Stachyruk graphics@thesheaf.com WEB EDITOR | Nykole King web@thesheaf.com OUTREACH DIRECTOR | J.C. Balicanta Narag outreach@thesheaf.com AD & BUSINESS MANAGER | Shantelle Hrytsak ads@thesheaf.com COVER IMAGE

Riley Deacon BOARD OF DIRECTORS Matthew Taylor Lyndsay Afseth Jeremy Britz Kayle Neis Emily Klatt

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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.

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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.

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2 / NEWS

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor A Cree painting that translates to “being able to succeed” is displayed in the Arts Building as students pass by on Nov. 26.

SOPHIA LAGIMODIERE

Students at the University of Saskatchewan may soon have access to the council of an Indigenous Elder if a recent proposal from the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union president is passed by the University Students’ Council.

Presented to University Students’ Council on Nov. 8 by USSU President Rollin Baldhead, this proposal aims to recognize an Elder who will provide students with support and knowledge. Baldhead says that the position would lessen the centralization of Elders in the Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Centre.

Baldhead hopes to appoint one Elder to this position by Jan. 14, 2019.

Baldhead says that counsel from an Elder would provide new perspectives for students in various disciplines.

“I noticed there’s not much of a voice for minorities — and being an Indigenous person and a minority voice, I thought an Elder brings a lot of perspectives and ways of knowing to professions, whether it be mental health, education, medicine or even nursing,” Baldhead said.

The project is expected to last three to four months, wherein the appointed Elder

is proposed to earn a salary of around $30,000. The money is being funded mainly through leaders of Indigenous communities. Baldhead says that his role as an FSIN Indigenous Youth Representative has helped him with this fundraising. Baldhead has currently raised $8,000 for the project from these communities.

“What I’m doing is going out to reserves and saying, ‘Look, it’s time the USSU does this. We believe this, but do you believe it?’ And many of them are saying, ‘Yes, we do believe it,’ and then, they’re investing,” Baldhead said.

Baldhead says that the Elder’s requires adequate financial compensation for the knowledge they will provide.

“I want a salary, so it actually says in the budget that we recognize Indigenous people with hard money — that they are teachers, knowledge keepers, mental health workers — and that’s all done through oral-history teachings, storytelling [and] living off the land,” Baldhead said.

Baldhead says that, by employing an Elder, the USSU could help address misconceptions and stereotypes for non-Indigenous students.

“This could also help them just break down those barriers that Indigenous people face, but also, … it opens the mind

of non-Indigenous [people], and it helps that misconception not stick to newcomers coming to Canada,” Baldhead said.

The proposal would appoint one Elder through the USSU for the pilot project.

Baldhead believes an Elder can offer many things for university students.

“Right now, it’s a pilot project… This is something that we are moving towards, and we’re hoping that the next USSU president will take [the] reins,” Baldhead said.

“We don’t want to burn these people out… We’ve got to make a work plan for them, we’ve got to see what we see for the future, and we honestly [have] got to ask them what their future plans are.”

Ultimately, Baldhead says that this proposal builds on the university’s inclusion of Indigenous ways of knowing.

“For many years, there have been Indigenous Elders presented on the U of S campus to provide support and knowledge to growing Indigenous student cohorts,” Baldhead said. “Now, it’s time to broaden the reach of Elders to include newcomers and non-Indigenous students, too.”

Baldhead says that no Elder has been chosen for the role; although, he is currently in conversations with three eligible candidates.

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NEWS

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Vacancy in Lower Place Riel hits USSU facilities budget The students’ union will absorb the loss of at least eight months rent after the departure of the Campus Computer Store.

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor The back space of Room 20 in Lower Place Riel that will be undergoing renovations.

NYKOLE KING WEB EDITOR

Only four days after the University Students’ Council approved a new renovation budget, Strata Development has already started demolition to divide the space where the Campus Computer Store was formerly located.

The “division of space” renovation is projected to finish by February 2019, at which point the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union will have lost eight months worth of rent revenue at minimum. When asked about the loss, the USSU said they were unable to comment on the exact amount, according to tenant confidentiality.

USSU general manager Caroline Cottrell says that the facilities budget projected a surplus of $331,842 for the 2018-2019 year, which will absorb the loss in rent revenue and still leave an extra surplus.

However, Cottrell was unable to comment on the exact amount.

On Nov. 22, the USC ap-

proved spending $204,058, accommodating extra funding for taxes, from the USSU Infrastructure Fund to make adjustments to the unoccupied 3400-square-foot space. This division will accommodate three tenants to lease the space across from the food court as early as spring.

Stefanie Ewen, facilities manager of the USSU, says she had difficulty securing tenants early on because they were “overwhelmed by the size of the space” as the rental pricing is determined by the square footage.

In May 2018, the USSU received a notice of vacancy from the Campus Computer Store, a tenant on lower level of the Place Riel Students’ Centre for a decade. Since then, the USSU has approached potential retailers to occupy the space, and as of last week, has secured the optometry clinic Campus Vision with a five-year lease to occupy 1600 square feet.

The return on the investment may take between three to five years, according to Cottrell, but it depends on when they are able to lease the re-

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor The front section of Room 20 in Lower Place Riel that will be undergoing renovations.

maining space, totalling 1800 square feet.

Campus Vision expressed interest in only half of the space, which led the USSU to consider dividing the space into three separate rental units.

Ewen says that the scope of the division project will mainly consist of rerouting the electric, separating the spaces with fire-rated walls and setting up plumbing for Campus Vision.

“Right now, … we are opening it up for new tenants.

When they come in, they can better visualize what they have to work with,” Ewen said. “We

are making the empty shells, so they can fit up [the units] for their needs.”

The USSU is limited in terms of which retailers can occupy the space as the building cannot support another food vendor due to the capacity of the ventilation system. Cottrell says that the vision of the USSU is to house only non-athletic and non-academic functions in the Place Riel Student Centre.

Currently, the USSU is in negotiations with another unnamed retailer for the smallest space of 300 square feet. Apart

from a Momentum Clothing pop-up store during Welcome Week, the space has remained empty since June 2018, but Brent Kobes, vice-president operations and finance, says that they might pursue further pop-ups.

“We want to make sure our lines are fully up to what their projected level is, and we’ve been diligently looking for tenants throughout the year,” Kobes said. “In the meantime, we have found [people] that have taken up the space for small leases at a time … to try to mitigate that cost.”

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NEWS

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Holiday hardships: Student Affairs and Outreach to hold a grief seminar The seminar aims to normalize the negative feelings that some have to deal with during the holidays.

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

REBECCA TWEIDT

Although the holidays can be a time for joy, they can also be a sad and lonely time. Hope for the Holidays is a grief seminar hosted by the University of Saskatchewan’s Student Affairs and Outreach department that aims to help people get through the holidays.

Hope for the Holidays is taking place on Nov. 29 in Marquis 104 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and will have Lisa Grieg, an intake counsellor with Student Affairs and Outreach, provide information and advice to those who are dealing with grief as well as to those who want to support a grieving loved one. Grieg says the holidays can be especially isolating for people who are dealing with loss.

“There’s the expectation that we’re supposed to be joyful and happy and we’re supposed to be grateful for everything, but underneath that, there’s the reality that there’s sadness and hurt,” Grieg said. “There’s that pres-

sure to put on the faces of joyfulness and happiness because you don’t want to take away from what everyone else is sharing.

At the same time, you want to be able to feel what you are actually going through.”

Grieg says that it’s just as important for staff and faculty to attend the seminar as it is for students.

“We’ve opened it up to everyone on campus. Of course, we’re here to support students, but staff and faculty are all here to support students and to enhance the student experience,” Grieg said. “There isn’t a prof who doesn’t have a student enter their classroom who is experiencing grief and loss in their life.”

Grieg says that Hope for the Holidays was inspired by an event of a similar nature hosted in Regina by the city’s palliative care program called “Heart 2 Heart for the Holidays.”

Hope for the Holidays is open to everyone on campus, from students to staff to faculty. It is likely that all students and faculty will have a grieving stu-

dent in their classroom at some point. The seminar will offer support and advice to help with bereavement, including how to talk about deceased people with their loved ones.

While it can be difficult to offer help to someone who is grieving, Grieg says it is important to remember that they are not in need of fixing. She says that, when we try to fix the person who is hurting, we are often minimizing their emotions.

“It is important to know that those grieving aren’t broken — they’re not for somebody else to fix,” Grieg said. “We want to make it go away, but in turn, we are often silencing those individuals and how they are actually feeling.”

Grief seminars like this one provide useful tools to normalize feelings of grief. Grieg explains why Hope for the Holidays is an important event for the U of S. “This is an opportunity for us to put something on to be like, ‘Hey, we see you. Here is a place you can come to be who you are, and it’s okay to not be okay,’” Grieg said “We’re here to walk you through that or just to hold that space for you. Acknowledging somebody’s feelings and letting them be seen and be heard has value in itself.”

Anyone looking for additional support can go to Student Affairs and Outreach on the third floor of Place Riel. Students can also contact the Student Wellness Centre at 306-966-5786, over email at student.wellness@usask.ca or through the university website to learn more or to speak with an intake counsellor.

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4 / NEWS

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USSU annual general meeting highlights Around 60 students congregated for the student union’s 2018 AGM and voted on a number of matters pertaining to USSU operations.

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor Members of the USSU speak during the Annual General Meeting on Nov. 22.

TANNER BAYNE NEWS EDITOR

On Nov. 22, the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union held their annual general meeting in Arts 143. AGM-goers voted on the USSU’s financial statements, on proposed bylaw amendments and more. Here are the 2018 AGM highlights.

An auditor from KPMG presented the USSU’s financial statement from the previous year, ending on April 30, 2018.

The auditor said that the USSU has $6.5 million on hand, which is more than the mandatory $2 million. The financial statement was accepted by the members present at the meeting.

AGM attendees voted and passed the nine proposed amendments to the USSU Bylaw. The approved amendments are as follows: 1: USSU executive members are now required to take a minimum of three credit units and a maximum of six credit units for the fall and winter terms. This amendment reverses the amendment made during the 2017 AGM, which permitted the USSU executive to take no classes in the fall and winter terms.

2: Executive members can now be removed from their positions if they are not registered in the aforementioned appropriate number of credit units.

3: Colleges, schools or institutions at the U of S are not immediately entitled to membership within the USSU after being ratified with the union.

4: Petitions to remove a USSU executive member or member of council require signatures from 5 per cent of the undergraduate student body, lowering the current requirement from 7.5 per cent.

5: University Students’ Council is not required to meet in April or December, though they can still meet if necessary.

6: As it pertains to the winner of an election, a majority of “yes” votes is understood to mean more “yes” votes than “no” votes.

7: Instead of the president, the Chair of University Students’ Council — or whoever is designated — is the chair of the Code of Ethics and Disciplinary Tribunal.

8: No office holder can attend a meeting under the influence of alcohol, cannabis or any other intoxicating substance. Previous wording limited this to “intoxication.”

9: The USSU executive should have the ability to remove office holders if they have been absent from two consecutive council meetings or absent from any three of five consecutive meetings. Previous wording stated that removal of office was determined by a council vote.

Early on in the meeting, the phone belonging to Brent Kobes — vice-president operations and finance — began to ring, reportedly with Darude’s “Sandstorm” as the ringtone. When contacted by the Sheaf, Kobes neither confirmed nor denied that “Sandstorm” was, in fact, his ringtone.

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SPORTS&HEALTH

SPORTS&HEALTH

Men’s hockey team pushes win streak to 12 The Huskies men’s hockey team speaks to their current win streak and where it has them in the season.

JACK THOMPSON

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

Stretching out your morning Getting your blood moving early in the morning is a great way to start the day and could leave you with more motivation in those precious early hours. This is a lighter workout that consists mostly of stretching, but you could use this as a warm-up to a bigger workout — or use it to limber yourself up for your commute.

Arm-over-your-head stretch (20 seconds each side)

Yashica Bither Huskies forward Wyatt Johnson moves past his opponent with the puck on Nov. 23.

JACK THOMPSON

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

The men’s hockey team is red hot — garnering two wins off of the University of Manitoba Bisons to push their win streak from 10 to 12. Games over the weekend had high scores, a trend that has become prevalent in the current season.

Since the first weekend of the season — which resulted in a split with the University of Alberta Golden Bears — the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team has gone undefeated, securing a solid start to the season as they sit at a 13-1 record. The weekend of Nov. 23 to 24 saw some high-scoring games, as the Huskies secured their two wins with scores of 6-3 and 8-2 respectively.

While a win streak is an obvious sign that things are going well, either confidence or pressure can emerge as a result. Head Coach Dave Adolph spoke to the effect that a win streak could have on a team after the game on Nov. 23.

“Sometimes, when you have a winning streak as long as this, I think that you get a lot of bad habits. We had a lot of bad habits tonight that probably we won’t get away with next weekend against Alberta,” Adolph said. “Winning streaks are nice, but they’re coaches’ nightmares in the sense that players cheat and they don’t go as hard.”

With the win streak in mind,

Carson Stadnyk, forward for the team and third-year management major at the Edwards School of Business, spoke about taking each game at a time.

“Going into every weekend of hockey, you have to be ready to play 60 minutes all the time. We have a very competitive league, and every night, any team can beat anyone,” Stadnyk said. “We go into each game with a purpose and [play] the game our way for 60 minutes. We do the best we can to stick to that, and hopefully, in the end, it results in a win.”

Taking this one-game-ata-time approach, Stadnyk explains the importance that each game has in their season and how essential it is for the team to stay focused for the remaining games.

“So far, the season is going good for us. We are getting the bounces we need so far and coming together and playing as a team,” Stadnyk said. “It’s a short season, so every weekend counts, and you have to make the most of it every time you step out onto the ice.”

Stadnyk has high hopes for the season, and when asked about his personal aspirations for this year, he says his mind is already on the playoffs.

“My focus this is year is to make the playoffs and have a chance to go to nationals and do whatever it takes to win it all. This league is filled with unbelievable players, and by having an opportunity to go there, [it] means a lot, not just to me

but to everyone playing in this league,” Stadnyk said.

Looking at the big-picture strengths of the team, Adolph notes that the team’s most noticeable strength is its speed.

This strength is a necessity on the larger ice surface that Merlis Belsher Place holds, as Coach Adolph explains.

“We knew moving into this rink with the bigger ice surface we had to play fast,” Adolph said. “We’ve been planning for this season for two years — our players are fast.”

Adolph further explains how this necessity plays as a strength against their opponents.

“We play really fast, and other teams haven’t been able to keep pace with us. So even if we’re not scoring, our pace has been so high that the other team just wears out,” Adolph said.

Looking at the weekend ahead, the Huskies will be hosting the Golden Bears for a rematch weekend, which will offer the opportunity for the Huskies to face the only team to take a game off them this season. Stadnyk spoke to the team’s mindset going into the two games — which will be taking place at 7 p.m. on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at Merlis Belsher Place.

“Our mindset is to play our game for 60 minutes and do the best we can to win both games.

They are a very good team with very good players, and we just have to do our best to match them. It’ll be two very good games, and hopefully, we have the chance to win a couple.”

Door-shoulder stretch (20 seconds)

Thigh stretch (20 seconds each side)

Arm Circles (30 seconds)

All graphics by Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

SPORTS & HEALTH / 5

SPORTS&HEALTH

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Let’s get reflective: An emotional-intelligence tool kit Relationships and emotions need time and effort, just like any other aspect of your life.

ASHLYNN WEISBERG

Emotional intelligence is a popular buzz-phrase floating around your relatives’ Facebook statuses, Brené Brown-wannabe Twitter accounts, coffee conversations and even season twenty-one of ABC’s popular show The Bachelor. So… what is it?

Emotional intelligence is defined by Oxford Living Dictionaries as the “capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically.” Emotional intelligence — just like all forms of intelligence — must be learned through repetition and practice. In order to build healthy and fulfilling relationships, you have to build up your emotional literacy first. Here are three quick tips to build up your emotional-intelligence tool kit.

1. Get to know yourself Whether with the help of counselling, a journal or a

meditation app like Headspace, it is important to get to know yourself. Spend time with yourself, take yourself on dates, or even just spend some time at home with a crossword puzzle. In order to know what you need and how you’re feeling, you need to take the time to learn about who your “true self ” is. Studies have shown that people who claim to know themselves well have a greater sense of purpose. If you don’t know who you are, how can you expect anyone else to know for you?

2. Avoid the platitude attitude Platitudes are basically words and phrases that are so overused that they’re no longer meaningful. “Let me know if you need anything” and “We should hang out sometime” are just two examples. Instead of being vague, make an effort to be intentional in your relationships. Instead of saying “I’m here if you need anything,” try saying “Would you like to grab some snacks and watch

a movie with me?” or something relatively similar.

The popular meditation app Headspace notes that “the first step towards altering a habit is setting the intention to be aware. It may be a tiny difference to begin with, but maintain that sense of awareness and slowly the pattern, seen clearly, begins to dissolve.” They say practice makes perfect, which isn’t exactly true, but working towards intentionality by avoiding platitudes can produce more satisfactory relationships.

3. Set boundaries Sometimes, we just overload ourselves — whether physically, emotionally, mentally or all three and beyond.

It can be hard to say no, but in order to live a healthy life and keep on growing, saying no is unavoidable. Saying no doesn’t mean you love your friends any less or don’t care about your future. Saying no is recognizing that you can’t do it all and that it’s not fair to promise anything to anyone when you can only give a

BECOME A RADIATION THERAPY STUDENT The Saskatchewan Cancer Agency invites you to consider a career in radiation therapy. Radiation therapists are an important member of the health care team in treating cancer. They plan, deliver and provide care and education to people receiving radiation therapy.

If you are interested in building a career that combines patient focused care with leading-edge technology, the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency invites you to apply to become a part of this exciting and rewarding field.

The Saskatchewan Cancer Agency is a clinical site for the University of Toronto/Michener Radiation Therapy Degree Program and offers selected candidates’ sponsorship to attend the academic portion of the program in Toronto and clinical experience in Regina and Saskatoon.

Minimum requirements include:

• 30 credits of undergraduate university classes with a minimum 3.0 (75%) GPA. • Regardless of the level of education attained candidates must have three credit hours in the following subjects: human biology, calculus based mathematics, physics and a social science.

• Applicants whom English is an additional language must meet the University of Toronto English language assessment requirements.

Successful applicants will have a good background in the sciences, strong technical skills and the ability to work with care and precision. Patience, tolerance as well as strong interpersonal, communication and teamwork skills are important to have.

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Application deadline is 4:00 pm December 7, 2018.

For further information contact the radiation therapy department at 306-766-2288.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those individuals to be interviewed will be contacted.

6 / SPORTS & HEALTH

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

solid twenty per cent.

Setting boundaries can also manifest in taking introvert breaks at parties, saying no to events or packing a granola bar for a night out so as not to unleash your hangry self on others. Despite their daunting appearance, boundaries are not a selfish thing.

Wendy Rose Gould notes on the Headspace blog that “it’s not only beneficial for you to manage burnout but good for those around you, as well.

Sometimes, that means pri-

oritizing yourself over those you care about, and sometimes, that means saying no to a project or event you would normally say yes to.”

Whether you’re familiar with the concept of emotional intelligence or are just being introduced to it, everyone can benefit from practicing emotional skills and techniques. In practicing an emotional skill set, you will find greater satisfaction in your relationships and in yourself.

CULTURE

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CULTURE

The Visual Arts Student Union prepares for upcoming Silence auction

EVENTS T H U R S

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HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS: A GRIEF SEMINAR @ MARQUIS 104, 4:30 P.M.

WRITE OUT LOUD SLAM @ FRANCES MORRISON LIBRARY, 6:00 P.M.

U OF S JAZZ ENSEMBLE CONCERT @ QUANCE THEATRE, 7:30 P.M.

RAEBURN, TAYLOR JADE, AND TWIN VOICES @ BLACK CAT TAVERN, 9:00 P.M.

VASU offers a unique take on the silent auction format.

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TAKE SOMETHING AND RUN NOVEMBER SHOWCASE @ THE UNDERGROUND CAFÉ, 7:30 P.M.

GOT IT COVERED: SASKATCHEWAN COVERS COMPILATION LAUNCH @ BLACK CAT TAVERN, 9:00 P.M. TRIFECTA PRESENTS “PARTY LIKE IT’S 1999” @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 9:00 P.M.

CLOSE TALKER WITH AFTER TWO AM @ AMIGOS CANTINA, 10:00 P.M.

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THE CAT’S MEOW @ BRIDGES ART MOVEMENT, 1:00 P.M. THE ILLUSIONIST @ REMAI MODERN, 1:00 P.M. FRIENDS OF FOES, NATURAL SYMPATHIES, GUNNER AND SMITH, AND BEACH BODY @ BLACK CAT TAVERN, 9:00 P.M. THE RADIATION FLOWERS, SNAKE RIVER, AND MARIS @ AMIGOS CANTINA, 10:00 P.M.

S U N

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MAKE YOUR OWN BUTTERBEAR BATH BOMB @ LUSH COSMETICS MIDTOWN PLAZA, 11:00 A.M.

VISION BOARD PARTY @ JOI PHOTOGRAPHY, 1:00 P.M. SUNDAY NIGHT JAM @ BUDS ON BROADWAY, 8:00 P.M. KARAOKE NIGHT @ FLINT SALOON, 9:00 P.M.

Supplied / VASU A VASU silent auction participant bids on a piece.

JADEN PIERCE

Picture this: The day is Dec. 7, 2018. You slip into your hottest red velvet suit. With your last $50 bill, you strut your way into the Gordon Snelgrove Gallery. “Frida Kahlo,” a volunteer greets you, “it’s so great to see you!”

You give the volunteer a toonie for a glass of wine. You make your rounds and scrawl a barely legible “Kahlo — $20” under a print and a painting that catch your eye. Grabbing a cookie, you spend your last $8 on a round of drinks for your friends.

You spend the rest of the night chirping Picasso for being a creep and ripping up the dance floor with Jackson Pollock. You leave with two beautiful works of art to give away for Christmas.

This could be your evening at Silence, the annual student art auction organized by the Visual Arts Students’ Union.

The event will be held at the Gordon Snelgrove Gallery on Dec. 7 at 7:00 p.m. Artwork for sale will be on display from Dec. 3 to 7 at the Snelgrove on campus.

The Silence auction is unique in that each person in attendance is given the alias of a famous artist for the duration of the event. The event is open to the public, but the price is right for students.

Alcoholic beverages can be purchased by donation, food is free, and bids start as low as $20 for the art on display.

Last year, VASU was revived by a group of students after it fizzled out the previous year. The union’s president, Mary Sarcauga, says one of their goals in the restoration of the union was to make it more inclusive.

“We opened it for everyone. There’s a lot of computer science students, some students from nursing, sociology, psychology, agriculture…

We’re hoping to stretch it out and tell more people. It’s less exclusive — it’s a way for us to open our doors,” Sarcauga said.

With this policy, VASU is making art more accessible to all university students. After paying the membership fee of $5, all members have the opportunity to enter their submissions into the silent auction as well as the chance

to attend VASU drawing sessions, events and workshops for free.

VASU members who volunteer at the event take home 75 per cent of proceeds from the sale of their art, and non-volunteers take 50 per cent home. The remainder of the proceeds go to VASU, which will put the money towards events and workshops organized for students.

Any money VASU comes away with goes towards drawing sessions, events and workshops for members. Drawing sessions occur monthly in the drawing studio. VASU pays models to come in and pose, and artists can bring any medium to work with. The last session for this term is Dec. 5 at 5 p.m.

The group is hoping to raise money for workshops such as paper marbling, colour theory and steamroller lino art — which involves driving a steamroller over an aluminum plate carved with your art.

For more information on VASU, you can visit their Facebook page @vasu.uofs or their Instagram @uofsvasu.

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ACCESSIBLE ARTS: A SHOWCASE OF DISABILITY ART + CULTURE @ SASKATOON FARMERS’ MARKET, 6:00 P.M. GAMES NIGHT @ LOUIS’ PUB, 7:00 P.M. POP EVIL WITH ROYAL TUSK @ COORS EVENT CENTRE, 7:00 P.M. THREE STRING FRETLESS @ BUDS ON BROADWAY, 9:00 P.M.

T U E S

04

CENTERED IN PEACE YOGA @ MARQUIS 104, 12:00 P.M. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AT USASK: WRITE 4 RIGHTS @ LOUIS’ PUB, 4:00 P.M.

100% TUESDAYS @ LOUIS’ PUB, 8:00 P.M. OPEN STAGE @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 9:00 P.M.

W E D

05

AN EVENING WITH BRAD WALL @ SASKATOON INN & CONFERENCE CENTRE, 5:00 P.M.

WUSC ALL-AGES PAINT NIGHT @ LOUIS’ LOFT, 7:00 P.M. YOUNG WOMEN IN BUSINESS USASK SOCIAL NIGHT @ BOSTON PIZZA STONEBRIDGE, 7:00 P.M.

SCMA COUNTRY OPEN MIC NIGHT @ THE LONGBRANCH, 8:30 P.M.

NOV. 10 DEC. 1

MULTI MEDIA MÉLANGE ART SHOW

NOV. 21 DEC. 1

HENRY V

NOV. 28 DEC. 19

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

NOV 30 DEC. 2

SUNDOG ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FAIRE

NOV. 30 DEC. 2

WILSON’S 17TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CRAFT AND TRADE SHOW @ WILSON’S LIFESTYLE CENTRE

@ J & S PICTURE FRAME WAREHOUSE

@ GREYSTONE THEATRE

@ PERSEPHONE THEATRE

@ SASKTEL CENTRE

CULTURE / 7

FEATURE

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THE ROAD TO INTERNATIONALIZATION

The Sheaf speaks to university staff and student leaders about international students’ struggles and how the new Blueprint for Action responds to them.

ANA CRISTINA CAMACHO STAFF WRITER

O

n Nov. 8, the University of Saskatchewan unveiled the International Blueprint for Action 2025 — a strategy to coordinate and integrate the university’s international activities in research, teaching and student experience. It covers the university’s objectives on the subject of internationalization through to the year 2025.

Earlier in the year, the U of S revealed their plans to increase enrollment dramatically in the next decade, in hopes of seeing a rise in the international student population. A highly internationalized campus comes with challenges, both for international and Canadian students, but the Blueprint for Action shows that the university is thinking about these complexities.

Chris Thompson Wagner, sessional lecturer in linguistics and religious studies and PhD student at the U of S, says the adaptation process that new international students go through goes beyond learning the language.

“Slang, little jokes and things that are culturally appropriate — even if you speak the language, you still have to learn all these things, and that’s really the most difficult part,” Thompson said. “The intercultural thing goes way beyond language.”

Most international students experience culture shock — the challenging process of adapting to a new country.

Thompson says that the integration of new international students requires an awareness of interculturality — a necessary trait in an increasingly internationalized campus.

“It’s good for Canadians to understand that other people are going through [culture shock] — it allows them to reach out to them,” Thompson said. “But then, you also have the people that are aware but don’t think it’s part of their lives, and so, they don’t care about it. People ignore the things that bother them — but there’s no way you can avoid this.”

To foster an international mindset in all students, Thompson recommends an integrated approach — a curriculum that promotes cultural awareness.

“Any course that can broaden people’s understanding of culture — different cultural practices, different family values, different religions — broadens horizons and makes you more aware of the things that surround you,” Thompson said. “It’s about offering people the opportunity to learn about cultural diversity and intercultural engagement — it’s a globalized world, and people should learn about it.”

María Celeste Nuñez, fourth-year environmental student, has worked for years in co-curricular activities targeted toward international students — she is currently the president of the U of S Latin American Students’ Association and a student assistant for the International Student and Study Abroad Centre intercultural program.

Working in LASA, Nuñez has noticed that including Canadian students in the programming tends to be more successful.

“Seeing Canadians getting immersed in other cultures is something that helps because it’s not just you trying to fit in — it’s also other people accepting your culture,” Nuñez said. “Projects like Global Village create a sense of interculturality and don’t make students feel like they are minorities — normalizing different cultures is important.”

8 / FEATURE

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor The International Student and Study Abroad Centre on the U of S campus.

A lack of cultural awareness in Canadian students can Pickrell also highlights the importance of sharing culmake international students feel isolated and close them- tural practices through growing co-curricular opportuselves off to their new environment — which defeats the nities, citing objective 1.3 of the Blueprint, to “optimize purpose of having a highly international campus. Nuñez participation in co-curricular activities that are inclusive says this was her experience when she first arrived in and foster intercultural understanding.”

Canada from her home country, Ecuador.

“Some actions that are mentioned are strengthening “My first year here was the year when Ecuador’s earth- existing, and creating new, extracurricular opportuniquake happened, and I was devastated, but I was the only ties that purposefully involve both domestic and interone here feeling that way. There wasn’t any awareness of it national students,” Pickrell said. “Ideally, some of these — my Canadian friends couldn’t see where I was coming will enhance an intercultural understanding of Métis, from,” Nuñez said. “I bonded more with other cultures — First Nations and Inuit histories, cultures and current I understood how they felt — but not Canadians.” realities.”

To get Canadian students involved in helping and unAs someone who has planned and participated in derstanding international students, Nuñez suggests edu- many extracurricular activities for international stucation — she credits her ability to help other students to dents, Nuñez, has found that these are more successful the training she received on the topic when she became a when accompanied by more informal interactions. As resident assistant. an RA, her personal connections allowed her to help the “The information I received as an RA about men- students in her residence. tal health, culture shock and first aid has been really beneficial to me,” Nuñez said.

“I apply it to my informal conversations with international students, and it allows me to help them deal with culture shock or direct them to university mental-health resources.”

The new International Blueprint for Action addresses the issue of a lack of inter— Chris Thompson Wagner, sessional lecturer in linguistics and national awareness on campus. One of the religious studies and PhD student at the U of S four pillars of the plan is internationalizing learning experiences, with the objective to “enhance international and cross-cultural perspectives in “We did a lot of programming, but I noticed that cacontent and learning in the curriculum.” sual interactions were more successful for international According to Alison Pickrell, assistant vice-provost of students,” Nuñez said. “I became friends with them, and strategic enrolment management, the university is start- they would approach me, and then I could use my training its road to internationalization from the classroom. ing when talking to them to help them — peer support is “One of the goals is internationalizing the learning one of the best ways to overcome culture shock.” environment, and part of that is ensuring that Canadian The university is already pushing for peer support as a students can learn from international students just as in- complement to more formal resources in their dealings ternational students can learn from Canadian students,” with issues such as mental health. Peer Health volunteers Pickrell said. “One of the things that will be focused on are trained to help students and direct them to further in the next couple of years is activities that promote this.” resources if they need them. Nuñez believes that a simi-

“People ignore the things that bother them — but there’s no way you can avoid this.”

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FEATURE

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

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor Students participate in a 2018 Pumpkin Carving event in ISSAC.

lar initiative targeted to international students would be beneficial.

“I have people from my program that I can ask for advice in my classes, but with international students, there’s so much more — it’s not only about academics,” Nuñez said. “When it comes to mental health, there’s a lot of problems, and when you have conversations with someone, [it] is useful, especially if that person is knowledgeable.”

Pickrell also speaks to the importance of peer support.

One way that the International Blueprint for Action fosters this is by creating more opportunities for student groups and initiatives.

“Peer-to-peer support is very important — everything from campus clubs to planned activities where students can meet other students,” Pickrell said. “I think something else that is important is student-led initiatives — the Blueprint speaks to the university … providing financial support, spaces and human resources to deliver opportunities that foster inclusivity and intercultural understanding.”

The university staff worked with international students when formulating the Blueprint. Esther Obi*, fourthyear physiology and pharmacology student and former University Students’ Council international student representative, participated in the document’s consultation stage.

Obi believes that opportunities like the study-abroad program — which the International Blueprint for Action aims to open up to more students — are important in the process of internationalization since they address the deeper issues that isolate international students.

“The university has done a good job of promoting study-abroad, and that helps — it pushes people to become more open-minded,” Obi says. “People who study abroad can come back and tell their friends about different cultures and what Canadians see as normal that others don’t.”

Obi hopes that the university’s plans for promoting interculturality help both international and Canadian students open up to new experiences and interactions —

something that is at the heart of the Blueprint’s objectives.

“Coming to a new country, you just want to stick to what you know, so you stick to your international group — and then, you are still basically living the same life you lived back home,” Obi said. “It also happens to Canadian students — some people just want to stick to what’s normal, and they don’t know how it’s affecting the rest of the group. But talking to other people broadens your horizons.”

The university’s new International Blueprint for Action addresses many of the concerns associated with an

increasingly international student body. It has yet to be seen how its objectives will be implemented, but their holistic approach — taking into account funding, learning experiences, support resources and global impact — goes to show that the university is taking its goal to “become the university the world needs” seriously.

Internationalization for the sake of internationalization is not a good idea, but the university’s strategy for the next seven years seems to be aiming higher. *To protect their identity, the individual’s name has been changed.

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor A map of pinned international locations is displayed in ISSAC on Nov. 26, 2018.

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The Cat’s Meow art show provides proceeds for local animal shelters The Cat’s Meow at BAM encourages patrons to come for the artwork and leave with a cat.

AMBER ADRIAN JACKSON

The Cat’s Meow exhibit is currently showing in downtown Saskatoon at Bridges Art Movement. The exhibit is a mix of an ’80s aesthetic and cat-themed art and was curated by Andie Palynchuk, who graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan.

The BAM Art Collective gallery is now filled with brightly coloured and patterned artwork. There are also cats available for adoption on Saturdays while the show is open. The aesthetic of the exhibit was inspired by the aesthetic of the ’80s and ’90s.

Palynchuk describes the personal importance of the style of the exhibit.

“I love cats. I’m a huge cat fan, and the whole theme is like ’80s, ’90s retro inspired, and I like to geek out around

10 / CULTURE

that kind of ’80s style patterning. It’s just super nostalgic, because I’m an ’80s kid,” Palynchuk said.

The energy of the gallery is instantly mood-lifting. The art is bright, fun and visually interesting. The workers at the exhibit are happy and welcoming. And on top of all of that, there are kittens available for adoption on Saturdays, and Thursdays are “bring your own cat” days, though the slots are now mostly filled up.

BAM, the artistic collective behind the gallery that hosts the event, has partnered with SCAT Street Cat Rescue to offer kittens available for adoption as part of the experience.

“Animal rescue is something that I’m really passionate about, so partnering with SCAT seemed like a really good idea, and they were so into the idea,” Palynchuk said.

This show successfully combines art and animal res-

cue to great effect. When I attended the show, shortly after it opened, at least two of the four of the kittens had already been adopted.

For anyone familiar with Palynchuk’s work, this exhibit is quite different from what has been seen previously.

“Aesthetically, I’ve changed a lot, and I think, as an artist, that’s a really amazing thing, that we can just keep reinventing ourselves as many times as we want or feel like — whatever’s serving us in that year, that moment, that decade,” Palynchuk said.

While drastically different from her previous art, this exhibit is just as visually interesting. The space has a dynamic aesthetic appeal that is quite different from many galleries. There is, of course, also the added benefit of the kittens. There are cat toys and a cat jungle gym, so viewers are able to play with the animals.

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor Participants play with adoptable kittens at The Cat’s Meow Art Exhibit on Nov. 24, 2018.

The show is interactive in a very unique way, and Palynchuk finds this type of interactive artwork to be more fulfilling than traditional gallery artwork.

“Creating art like this is super fun and [fulfills] me in a completely different way than doing something meticulous like features on a face would,” Palynchuk said.

As an artist in Saskatoon, Palynchuk is aware of the challenges that face artists.

“I think that the biggest challenge that, as creators, we face is just those lulls where we’re maybe not creating,

and there’s a lot associated with that. I think that we get down on ourselves that we’re not creating — we’re already down, and that’s probably the reason why we’re not creating.

So during those lower slumps, I think it’s really important to still remember to play.”

This show is fun and dynamic, the perfect bright spot right before finals season. It is also working towards an important goal, providing homes for animals. The final showing is Dec. 1, and if you take the time to see this exhibit, you will leave with a smile on your face.

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CULTURE

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

U of S drama student rounds out ‘Henriad’ tetralogy with Henry V at the Greystone Theatre Greystone Theatre presents Shakespeare’s Henry V, showing on campus from Nov. 21 to Dec. 1.

COLE CHRETIEN CULTURE EDITOR

Staging even just one Shakespearean play can be a difficult feat, but with Greystone’s new production of Henry V, University of Saskatchewan drama graduate student Skye Brandon will have successfully completed his fourth.

Brandon has been interested in Shakespeare’s history plays since his undergraduate studies in English and drama.

In his career, he has worked through each of the plays in the “Henriad” tetralogy, playing the character of Hal in Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2 and directing each piece. The Greystone production of Henry V is the final play in this sequence.

“I’ve had the opportunity as a professional artist to work on the three plays that lead up to Henry V. I Directed Richard II. I directed Henry IV parts one and two and performed in them as Prince Hal. When it came time to finish that arc, to finish Henry’s story as now he’s become king, this felt like the perfect way to finish it,” saBrandon said.

In Shakespeare’s canon, history plays are plays that mix

historical fact and fictionalized elements. History plays do not fit the classic tragedy/ comedy genre distinctions, yet they are not “problem plays” either. They occupy a unique space in Shakespeare’s body of work, and they blend together many disparate elements from Shakespeare’s other plays.

“I’ve had an interest in the history plays, specifically, since I came across Henry IV, Part 1 as an undergrad. They’re a whole other type of play, like, ‘What is this?’ It’s historical characters and stories mixed with fictional characters.

There’s drama and comedy as well, so it was just a mix of everything, and I fell in love with those plays,” Brandon said.

For Henry V, Brandon will be reprising his role as Hal, working alongside a cast and crew of undergraduate students to accomplish this production.

“The cast is 22 [actors], including me, so there’s quite a few of us. All six fourth-years are in there. Eight out of ten third-years are in the production, and there’s a number of second-years who are in there as well,” Brandon said.

Brandon is particularly proud of the technical aspects of the play. This production

David Hartman The cast of Henry V performs a scene during the Greystone Theatre media call on Nov. 20, 2018.

uses a projector to project backgrounds that convey the setting of each scene, making the plot easier to follow for those who are unfamiliar with the structure of the original.

“I’ve used projections on our back wall — not to overtake scenes is my hope, but that, when we move from one location to another, to augment [the production] so that the audience goes, ‘Oh, that’s where we are,’ as opposed to using the first few moments of

each scene trying to figure out where we are,” Brandon said.

He is also proud of the stage fighting in the show, which is used to convey the many largescale battles in the play, featuring as many as six combatants on stage at once.

“Sometimes, productions will elect not to do any kind of stage combat — they’ll just do the scenes that are there. I kind of went all in. Instead of having a speech about the death of the Duke of York, I want to see the Duke of York die at the battle,” Brandon said. “I think we’ve done more stage combat in this production than … people usually [do when they] put on Henry V.” Brandon’s approach to the Henriad is to place the plays in their respective historical contexts rather than reimagining them in other settings. Brandon wants to let the play be informed by historical research, but he is not against taking liberties with the original work.

“Some people ask, ‘Are you trying to recreate the way in which Shakespeare did the play?’ That’s not what I’m trying to do… What I am doing is trying to use what we know historically, to the best of our knowledge, to inform the decisions,” Brandon said.

Part of this historical research has led Brandon to give Prince Hal a scar after the events of Henry IV, Part 1, a detail that is mentioned in passing in the original works and corroborated by Brandon’s own research. This detail is left out of many interpretations of the work, but Brandon felt it was important to include.

When Brandon returns to the role of Hal for the final play, this scar will be faded to show the passage of time, completing the arc of Hal’s character.

Henry V is showing from Nov. 21 to Dec. 1 at Greystone Theatre. Tickets cost $17 for students and are available online and at the box office.

David Hartman The cast of Henry V performs a scene during the Greystone Theatre media call on Nov. 20, 2018.

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OPINIONS

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OPINIONS

Agribition and fluffy cows: Why are cattle shown?

Join us for a close look at the glamourous cattle and enthusiastic breeders who are the stars of livestock shows.

Supplied / Morgan Heidecker The Bull Championship Class Supreme Ring at the Canadian Westen Agribition, 2017.

MORGAN HEIDECKER & AMY CARRUTHERS

Have you ever attended the Canadian Western Agribition?

This is the largest livestock show in Canada, and it is held annually. This year’s show was held from Nov. 19 to 24 in Regina, Sask.

You’re sure to see nearly every species of farm animal if you attend Agribition, including many different breeds of cattle! A beef breeder is a rancher or producer who breeds and raises cattle for the purpose of selling breeding animals to other ranches or for meat production.

Livestock breeders attend shows across the country to advertise the genetics of their herd. They exhibit their animals at these shows with two major

goals in mind — to market their animals to other producers in the industry and to compete for numerous championship titles.

Although the methods in which breeders pair cattle for breeding may differ, it is most often done to maximize on great cattle characteristics and quality genetics within the herd. There are many genetic traits that breeders may want to incorporate into their farm. Traits like feed efficiency, the amount of muscle an animal produces for its age or lack of horns — which increases safety when working with the animal — are a few examples.

It is quite an accomplishment to win a championship title at

a livestock show, and it serves as a signal of quality to other breeders in the industry, both in Canada and globally. Last year’s Agribition attracted 329 livestock buyers from 23 different countries!

It’s important for breeders to network with others in the business in order to continue to incorporate genetics from many other farms to increase genetic variety and improve the genetic program within their own herd in order to raise the best animals they can.

In preparation for the show, calves are washed to train the direction of hair growth, stimulate their hair follicles and keep their hair clean and shining.

Calves may be housed in cooler barns or put under fans to promote hair growth. They are also trained to be led on a halter and to build trust with humans.

On the day the cattle are shown, they are washed, blown dry, rested and prepared by

breeders who clip, glue, foam and paint their hair to enhance the animal’s best qualities. For example, some desired qualities in a bred heifer — a pregnant young female — may include a trim neck and feminine head, wide hips and a long body as well as strong bone structure and smoothness in her walking ability.

Breeders always ensure that their cattle are always comfortable at Agribition, making sure they are fed and watered throughout the day and have space to lie down in a clean stall.

Every night, they get to relax outside in fresh air and enjoy even more space.

Breeders work hard to maintain their cattle in a calm, clean and comfortable environment, making sure that this entire process of preparing and showing cattle brings them no harm.

After all the hard work involved in caring for, transporting and showing cattle in different

cities, it is easy to see why some breeders might be frustrated by people who make claims against the treatment of show animals or who believe the animals are treated unfairly in these environments.

Having a conversation with a breeder who shows cattle is a great way to understand how much the breeder personally cares for their animals’ welfare and the purpose they have in showing them!

Never been to Agribition?

Maybe, now, you’ll be inclined to spend time in the livestock barns to talk with a breeder and understand the importance that all of the animals have there. Next year might be the time to go and see all the hard work that these breeders do.

Keep your eyes open for the 2019 dates for the Canadian Western Agribition. You may find the show industry to be even more impressive and purposeful than it seems.

Free speech, free press: What’s with all the distress?

Efforts to censor journalism are taking place across the globe and closer to home.

AQSA HUSSAIN

Free speech and freedom of expression seem to be top-of-mind topics recently, constantly talked about online and in the media. Freedom of the press can be found within these liberties, but whether free press is being respected and protected continues to be an important concern.

The growing conversation about the legitimacy of news, the legal pursuits against journalists and the deaths of those who speak up against powerful governments should all be considered when we discuss freedom of the press. Still, there are some places in the world where individuals are found dead after they critique their government.

Jamal Khashoggi, an outspoken Saudi Arabian journalist, is one example. On Oct. 2, 2018, he entered the Saudi Arabian consulate in Turkey where he was killed. Turkish authorities claim that he was assassinated.

Amnesty International is urging United Nations SecretaryGeneral António Guterres to launch an independent investiga-

12 / OPINIONS

tion into Khashoggi’s death.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights outlines the fundamental human rights that are to be universally protected and observed. Article 19 of the UDHR outlines the right of free expression.

The article illustrates that freedom of opinion and expression are rights to be protected in all forms of communication. These forms of communication include journalism, political discourse and criticism of public affairs.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, states that it is a basic human right. Freedom of the press is not simply about the freedom of journalists but about the right of the public to access information.

Freedom of expression and free press are essential components to democracies. This is why free press is entrenched in the constitutions of many democratic jurisdictions under the umbrella of free speech or freedom of expression.

In the United States, the First Amendment prohibits the act of abridging the freedom of speech

the press that could limit journalists’ questions and their ability to ask follow-up questions. This is fundamentally problematic as it infringes on the rights of journalists and the freedom of the press in the States.

In Canada, section 2(b) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms explicitly guarantees freedom of the press. It is dealt with by Canadian courts under the umbrella of freedom of expression.

The rulings on cases involvYashica Bither ing the freedom of expression or freedom of the press. While and the press are dependent on this freedom is part of the Ameri- the interpretation of the word can constitution, efforts to silence freedom itself. Various cases or intimidate the press still exist. that went to the Supreme Court Revoking CNN White House of Canada have interpreted freecorrespondent Jim Acosta’s hard dom in various ways. pass, which allowed him to acThis issue can be found closer cess the White House efficient- to home. Recently, the Univerly, can be seen as an action to sity of Alberta’s student newscurtail the freedom of the press. paper, The Gateway, was served Although Acosta’s pass was re- with a defamation lawsuit returned — after a federal judge or- garding Edmonton MP Kerry dered the White House to do so Diotte. Diotte’s lawsuit alleges — this action is overwhelmingly that an article published by The significant because nothing of Gateway called him as “a racist” the like has ever occurred before. because of his purported supThe Trump administration has port for Faith Goldy, a controrecently established new rules for versial far-right candidate for

Toronto’s mayor.

In response to the lawsuit, The Gateway retracted the statement from their articles, apologized and added an editor’s note to the articles in question. Canadian University Press, an organization for post-secondary student newspapers, stated that the actions taken were an appropriate solution.

However, Diotte continues to pursue legal action because The Gateway did not fully retract their articles. According to CUP, the lawsuits that Diotte has served against The Gateway and four of the individuals involved could be considered examples of strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPP. SLAPP lawsuits are categorized as lawsuits that seek to intimidate and silence critics by burdening them with legal costs.

Free press is important for everyone, but it is perhaps especially crucial for students.

The voices of our generation can be propelled forward using the platform that student journalism provides. If free press is jeopardized, all those who lack power will find their freedom of speech threatened.

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

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OPINIONS

The encroaching darkness Let’s illuminate the reasons why the darkest time of the year makes us feel so gloomy.

ERIN MATTHEWS OPINIONS EDITOR

It’s the end of November, and winter has settled in for the long haul. The days are not only colder and snow-laden but they are also significantly shorter. It’s that unnerving time of year when you look out the windows of campus and are surprised to find the slow, insidious creep of darkness greeting you.

This is a tricky time of year for many. Increasing pressures — personal, professional and academic — seem to bring increasing burdens for us to bear: a shadowy succubus of stress is hovering over us all. This is punctuated by the ever-vanishing hours of light that seemingly slip between our fingers.

It’s dark when we wake, making the journey to campus even more arduous and compounding the end-of-semester fatigue that has seeped into our bones.

As you wander the tunnels and labyrinths of campus in the afternoon, you will notice the shadows getting longer — reaching

towards the glass and stone of the buildings to swallow the place whole.

There is something isolating about the cold darkness. I often find comfort in the soothing somber baritone of Matt Berninger in my ear and an increase in the amount of bourbons I consume in the evening. And I am not alone — at least not when it comes to the alcohol.

Apparently, there is a tendency for those of us surviving in dark and cold climates to indulge in strong fermented beverages.

Data collected from 193 countries found that heavy drinking is more prevalent in countries with little light and frigid temperatures.

This correlation is not surprising. Depression may be the middle point in this Venn diagram of gloom. Heavy alcohol consumption has been linked to mood disorders and so has light exposure — or lack thereof.

Light is strangely critical to our complicated biological meat sacks: we are incredibly sensitive to the timing, the amount and the

COMING EVENTS follow us

©

Bill Waiser Signing

Saskatchewan: A New History

(paperback edition) Saturday, December 1, 1 pm

ssO music Talk Join Mark Turner in conversation with USask researchers Janeen Loehr and Jennifer Nicol Tuesday, December 4, 7 pm

sheaf nov 29 to dec 5, 2018.indd 1

11/20/2018 10:15:54 AM

wavelength of light that we are exposed to. This includes both visible light — like long red and short blue wavelengths — and other forms of energy like UV rays from the sun.

A particular wavelength of light can affect our circadian rhythms — an ebb and flow of complex biological processes that occur over a 24-hour period. The wrong wavelength or the complete lack of light can alter the chemicals that are synthesized in our brains. These chemicals — like melatonin and serotonin — are crucial to our health. They help our mood. They help us sleep.

When our environment lacks light, we have a tendency towards drinking, along with mood changes and ill health that can be correlated with a decrease in vitamin D synthesis and hormone production. It seems we are sensitive creatures, ever altered by our environment.

For years, there has been the thought that the darkness of winter is directly related to an increase in the number of peo-

Tony Walker The U of S campus, which is covered in snow for most of the school year.

ple who die by suicide. But that might not be the case. The majority of the data actually points to the spring and summer — April being the deadliest month of all.

Perhaps, Lana Del Rey is on to something when she sings about summertime sadness.

Following this trend, one of my idols took his own life this past summer. Anthony Bourdain shocked many when he died by suicide early this year. But this is actually quite common. Suicides are notoriously hard to predict and often occur without warning.

The question lingers — if we are able to better navigate the moods of individuals and notice a pattern, could we intervene early?

Days after Bourdain’s death, a suicide researcher from Ottawa ran the TV host’s tweets through an algorithm that pointed towards a pattern. This pattern detected a trend towards suicidal ideation, which peaked in his final days.

The same researcher, along with a team from Johns Hopkins University, also found a biomarker — a gene called SKA2— to which changes could signal an increased suicide risk. A blood test could, theoretically, track both the risk and the efficacy of treatments.

But can any of these pattern-recognition and biological-risk assessments be used to accurately predict such occurrences on a wide scale?

I am skeptical. Suicidal ideation is delicate and difficult to predict. In the case of someone with a wide-scale public personna, like Bourdain, it is easy to pick apart the pieces and patterns that are contained in the final months of his life.

But for the rest of us, living our private lives, would it be possible to see premeditation in our thoughts and actions — as a sort of final, parting portfolio?

Despite all appearances, we are sensitive beings who are ever changed — physically, molecularly and emotionally — by the environments we inhabit. Everything leaves its mark. If the data is any indication, it takes months for us to realize the full effects of these dark and dreary months.

Let’s take a minute to recognize how this season affects us, and perhaps, we can find some solace during these dark days.

If you are experiencing signs of seasonal depression, contact the Student Wellness Centre at student.wellness@usask.ca or Peer Health Usask at peer.health@usask.ca for support.

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#albumoftheweek:

First Collection 2006-2009 By Fleet Foxes Tanner Bayne

Every music nerd has an album or set of albums that they can credit for forever changing their listening habits. Many post-indie twenty-somethings — myself included — can attribute the birth of their musical consciousness to a small handful of albums, frequently, with Fleet Foxes’ self-titled record on that list.

To celebrate the album’s ten-year anniversary — shit, right? — the Fleet Foxes have released an impressive compilation that includes the album, the Sun Giant EP, b-sides and previously unreleased tunes. With 30 songs, the album clocks in at just under an hour and forty-five minutes. First Collection will allow you to revisit some of the most iconic folk-indie music of the previous decade.

xkcd.com

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Tony Walker

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GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE

Term 2 Stickers available December 3, 2018.

Stickers can be picked up or reactivated at the Information Centre in Upper Place Riel.

If you received a U-Pass sticker in the past you will be required to reactivate the sticker at the Information Centre.

Term 2 stickers will be valid until April 30, 2019.

For more information go to www.ussu.ca/upass

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