February 28, 2019 by The Sheaf

FEBRUARY 28, 2019

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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 The University of Saskatchewan’s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis.

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A CHANGING CAMPUS PAGES 10 & 11

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Meet the unsung hero of Apex Legends finishes the Mental health: the women’s hockey team fight broken system?

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Usask renovates & erects new buildings

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NEWS

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Nykole King

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Usask research teams awarded $4.9 million The CIHR has awarded $4.9 million in grants to health-research teams at the U of S studying Indigenous health knowledge, cancer and HIV.

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

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 | Mitchell Gaertner 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 Mikaila Ortynsky Kayle Neis Emily Klatt Jacob Lang Tyler Smith

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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 Feb. 14 issue of the Sheaf, the article “In focus: Indigenous Achievement Award Ceremony” incorrectly implied that there were only 13 award recipients. The 13 students mentioned in the article were the recipients from the College of Arts and Science, but there were 41 award recipients in total. We apologize for this error. If you spot any errors in this issue, please email them to copy@thesheaf.com for correction.

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AMANDA SLINGER COPY EDITOR

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research, or CIHR, has awarded grants to five University of Saskatchewan health-research teams totalling $4.85 million, nearly half of which will go directly towards research into Indigenous knowledge of health and wellness. The federal grants have been awarded as follows: $2.26 million to research Indigenous health knowledge, $100,000 to research a four-drug combination chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver, $872,000 to research radioactive antibodies used to treat advanced colorectal cancer, $765,000 to research radioactive antibodies used to fight bone cancer and $864,450 to research natural proteins that attack the HIV virus by mutating it. College of Medicine researchers Malcolm King, scientific director of the Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research and member of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, and Alexandra King, Cameco chair in Indigenous health at the U of S and member of the Nipissing First Nation in Ontario, are leading the research project on Indigenous knowledge of health and wellness. The four-year study aims to establish Indigenous health- knowledge development centres in First Nations and Métis communities that will lead the research. Malcolm King spoke to the university for the official press release. “We will explore what makes and keeps Indigenous people and communities well and how Indigenous wellness can be achieved or regained through practices and interventions based on a blending of traditional and Western knowledge,” Malcolm King said. Three other university teams received funding to research the treatment of cancer, two of which are studying the treatment of

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor A U of S student sits on the upper level of the Health Sciences Building on Feb. 25, 2019.

advanced colorectal cancer. Shahid Ahmed, clinical associate professor of medicine at the U of S, and his research team were awarded $100,000 to research a four-drug combination chemotherapy used to treat advanced colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver. The team will evaluate how effective this combination therapy is at shrinking live tumours that are too large to remove surgically down to a surgically removable size. A second team led by Humphrey Fonge, radiopharmacist in the Saskatoon Health Region and assistant professor of medical imaging in the College of Medicine, was awarded $872,000 to research new therapies for advanced colorectal cancer. The five-year research program will focus on developing antibodies that cling to colorectal cancer cells. One of these antibodies is attached to radioactive molecules, giving it the ability to kill colorectal cancer cells and earning it the nickname the assassin antibody. The team is developing yet another antibody that will cling to colorectal cancer cells as a means of flagging and tracking the spread of cancer, allowing for earlier diagnosis and targeted treatment. But Fonge’s team is not the only group of researchers studying radioactive antibodies for the treatment of cancer. Another team led by Ekaterina Dadachova, radio-

pharmacist and professor in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, and Maruti Uppalapati, pathologist and faculty member in the College of Medicine, was awarded $765,000 for their research into using radioactive antibodies to target a protein expressed by the bone cancer known as osteosarcoma. These assassin antibodies attack bone-cancer tumour cells while leaving healthy tissue behind. The treatment can be used on both humans and pet dogs, for whom cancer treatments are currently limited. The fifth and final team of researchers to be awarded funds by the CIHR is led by Linda Chelico, microbiologist, biochemist and faculty member in the College of Medicine. The fiveyear project was awarded $864,450 to study various natural proteins that attack and destroy the HIV virus in order to develop treatments that bolster the immune system against the virus. Karen Chad, U of S vice-president research, said in a release issued by the university that the federal funding awarded to these five teams of researchers will benefit both the province of Saskatchewan and the country as a whole. “This cutting-edge health research — some of which uses our world-class cyclotron facility for nuclear imaging — will not only benefit people in the province but throughout Canada,” Chad said.

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NEWS

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

Opening new doors: U of S to renovate five buildings and construct a $300-million facility The new building will be constructed where the Rutherford Rink currently stands.

University Council resumes, President Stoicheff elaborates on new sustainability target and dealings with China The university is looking to construct a $40-million plant to generate electricity for campus. ANA CRISTINA CAMACHO STAFF WRITER

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor A large farewell poster hangs on the side of the Rutherford Rink on the U of S campus on Feb. 25, 2019.

J.C. BALICANTA NARAG OUTREACH DIRECTOR

The University of Saskatchewan is renovating five buildings using the $85-million bond received from the provincial government last year. The university is also planning to construct a $300-million interdisciplinary facility for students in engineering and other applied sciences. The new building will be taking the space of the Rutherford Rink, which College of Engineering dean Suzanne Kresta hopes will be demolished this spring. According to Kresta, it has been 17 years since the last renovations were made to the Engineering Building. Anthony Vanelli, provost and vice-president academic at the U of S, says the construction of the new building will not happen until 2021. Depending on funding, the university needs a minimum of two years to make sure they have done their due diligence in planning the facility. Vanelli says that the establishment will have study spaces and lecture rooms where future interdisciplinary work between different programs will be incorporat-

ed into new programs. “That facility will have … learning and teaching spaces … to work cooperatively on [an] interdisciplinary program between engineering, applied science, agricultural sciences, business, even [the] veterinary college and health sciences,” Vanelli said. “That will be an opportunity to work together on shared initiatives in there.” Kresta says that they need study spaces that will help engineering students work efficiently rather than spending time looking for space in the college or walking to the other side of campus. “Our students spend a lot of time walking over to arts and science and back again. We will have facilities in the new building for small group work, design teams, graduate student meetings [and] co-op interviews — all those things that happen in small groups,” Kresta said. The College of Agriculture and Bioresources and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine are onboard with the project. Although, according to Kresta, these colleges will not be the only ones using it as she is in conversations with other colleges. Kresta says that they are

looking at designing a facility certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and that it will have solar panels installed on its roof. With a LEED-certified design, the cost to run the new building will be the approximately the same as the cost to run the Rutherford Rink. “The current design of the building has more solar panels on the roof than currently exist in the entire city of Saskatoon. We anticipate that the cost of running the new building, which is related to the environmental footprint, … will be the same as for the current space even though it will have significantly more room,” Kresta said. Kresta says that the building is an investment that will contribute to Saskatchewan for years to come. It is the solution that best fits the province’s and the university’s needs. “We want to build the building that … the province needs for the next 40 years. We don’t want to build something that’s already too small by the time it’s built,” Kresta said. “We have gone through several business models. This is the one that makes the most sense for the province, for the university and [for] the college itself.”

The monthly University Council meeting on Feb. 14 had a late start due to an absent speaker for the scheduled opening tribute. Once the meeting was underway, the conversation returned to the topics of the previous meeting: sustainability, international relations and transparency. The first topic of the day was the university’s redaction of transcripts in a freedom of information request, discussed at length in the previous meeting. Chair Jay Wilson said the co-ordinating committee met in January to discuss the issue and was “satisfied with the response of the president” as they are waiting to see how the courts proceed on the matter. University of Saskatchewan President Peter Stoicheff addressed a concern raised in the January council meeting regarding the university’s dealings with China, in light of the news of one Canadian being sentenced to death in China. Stoicheff says it is not necessary for the university to call attention to China in particular. “There are 21 other countries that the Government of Canada has designated with a higher travel risk,” Stoicheff said. “If we start identifying which countries we want to have educational relationships and which we don’t, we’ll find in short order that we have very few countries left to work with.” Stoicheff also continued the conversation from the previous meeting concerning the university’s sustainability target, explaining that some proposals are currently under investigation. The biggest initiative mentioned was a $40-million cogenerational plant to generate steam and electricity from natural gas, which is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 40,000 tons of CO² yearly or 120 per cent of the university’s target. The university is hoping to get a federal grant to help finance it. U of S Students’ Union President Rollin Baldhead gave an update on the union’s activities. He said that the Face-toFace initiative, through which the executive interacted with students in different programs, ended on Jan. 24. Baldhead says the new Elder-in-Residence initiative is “exceeding expectations in numbers but also with how comfortable students feel within that space.” Baldhead also mentioned the joint efforts of the USSU, Saskatoon Transit and the university in using a chipbased U-Pass. Finally, Baldhead introduced the new USSU campaign InvestInUs, aimed at convincing the provincial government to support the university financially. Baldhead finished his report with a call for the land acknowledgment to be given in Cree. “When I stand up here, I miss my language,” Baldhead said. “I miss it so much — I would like to hear it in our land acknowledgment. That way, it actually feels like an acknowledgment.”

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Peter Stoicheff at USSU meeting, student union introduces InvestInUs campaign The USSU has decided not to support the URSU tuition freeze. ANA CRISTINA CAMACHO STAFF WRITER

The University Students’ Council meeting on Feb. 14 was attended by University of Saskatchewan President Peter Stoicheff and Patti McDougall, vice-provost teaching, learning and student experience. Council members had the opportunity to discuss questions regarding growth, indigenization and the provincial budget with the university officials. The conversation began with talks about student-body growth. McDougall reiterated the university’s commitment to growing its population significantly over the next few years. However, this does not only apply to the main campus. McDougall says that, after years of lacking a common hub, the Prince Albert campus is ready for more students as well. “We bought a property from the province, and it’s now our University of Saskatchewan

Prince Albert campus,” McDougall said. “We don’t know yet how much growth to anticipate. We may get to a group that wants their own leader to sit at [USC meetings].” U of S Students’ Union President Rollin Baldhead asked about the university’s plans for Indigenization with regards to the growing focus on internationalization. Baldhead specifically mentioned the need for international students to visit reserves, a suggestion which McDougall said will be passed on to the International Student and Study Abroad Centre. Stoicheff says that studyabroad programs, which the university hopes to open up to more Indigenous students, are increasingly part of the university’s internationalization plan. “I think we’ll be seeing, in Budget 2019 from the federal government in March, some support for universities to help mobilize students to take advantage of study-abroad programs,” Stoicheff said.

Riley Deacon, Photo Editor / File Students wait for the bus in Place Riel on Nov. 19, 2019.

Regan Ratt-Misponas, Indigenous Students’ Council president, asked about the university’s commitment to decolonization and whether it includes supporting an Indigenous student union. Stoicheff declined to get involved in issues of student governance. “I neither support it nor object to it,” Stoicheff said. “It’s entirely

HOW DO YOU GIVE?

March 6, 2019

#onedayforstudents

Join us to celebrate giving on our campus and in our community. VISIT US ON CAMPUS

GIVE TO DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT

Stop by Upper Place Riel to grab a coffee, learn about USask student volunteers, make a donation and participate in an art installation showing us how YOU give.

All funds raised will go towards the Nasser Family Emergency Student Trust in support of USask students, with donations being matched by the Nasser family.

Visit give.usask.ca/oneday to give and learn more.

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something that I think is in the purview of the USSU and the ISC.” Sheldon Moellenbeck, USSU vice-president academic affairs, turned the conversation to the subject of the university’s budget, expressing concern over cuts to universities in Ontario. Stoicheff says that the situation in Saskatchewan is very different and that he is optimistic about the upcoming 2019 budget. “The current government understands the value that this university brings to the province. I am optimistic about expressions of financial support,” Stoicheff said. “Our experience working with the current government most recently has been positive.” After Stoicheff and McDougall left the meeting, Baldhead addressed the call from the University of Regina Students’ Union for a provincial tuition freeze. The USSU has chosen not to support it. Baldhead says the freeze is too risky without prop-

er planning and resources. “The fear is that a tuition freeze without increased money from other sources can lead to … an overall decrease in the quality of education and services provided to students at the U of S,” Baldhead said. “Asking for a freeze now without the proper consultation or planning seems to be a bit overzealous.” Instead, the USSU executive is putting forward their own campaign, InvestInUs, which they hope will help the university secure government funding in the 2019 budget. “Our team has come up with the plan InvestInUs to apply pressure to the provincial government in hopes to see increases in the budget for the university. I will be presenting this proposal on Monday at our next executive meeting,” Baldhead said. “We have a plan to increase awareness on campus with a poster, videos, [testimonials] and a table where students can give their input.”

SHEAF AGM

Come and join us for our bylaw amendments, board of director elections and free pizza! 5:30PM MONDAY MARCH 4, 2019 ROY ROMANOW STUDENT COUNCIL CHAMBERS THESHEAF.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION

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SPORTS&HEALTH

Unsung hero: Huskies women’s hockey equipment manager Dave Westbury Westbury ensures every player has what they need — and in his dedication to the role, he hasn’t missed a regular-season road game in nine years.

Heywood Yu U of S Huskies women’s hockey team equipment manager Dave Westbury tightens the laces of a skate beside the skate sharpener in Merlis Belsher Place on Feb. 19, 2019.

HEYWOOD YU

If the Huskies athletes on the women’s hockey team are the diamonds on the dial of a watch, showing off their skills on the ice, then equipment manager Dave Westbury is definitely one of the gears, working diligently behind the scenes to make sure their equipment is looked after. Finishing up his ninth year as the equipment manager of the Huskies women’s hockey team, Westbury was initially recruited by head coach Steve Kook to train athletes by reviewing their performance footage with them. Kook later asked whether he was willing to learn how to sharpen skates as the women’s team had no one looking after this task. Westbury was hesitant at first but fell in love with the art of skate sharpening immediately. Westbury’s coaching role quickly transitioned into equipment management. Westbury gives full credit to his mentor Peter Herd, the equipment manager of the

Huskies men’s hockey team, for teaching him skate sharpening. “You could say I learn from the best in the world or one of the best in the world,” Westbury said. “[Herd] has definitely been around for a long time and has learned a lot of things that he’s passed … on to me.” With a full-time job outside his role with the Huskies from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, Westbury habitually arrives at Merlis Belsher Place at around 5 p.m. on a practice day. Tasks vary day by day, but Westbury typically accommodates the players and coaches with stick replacement, skate sharpening and equipment repair. Westbury usually leaves the rink at around 8 or 9 p.m. However, when the sharpener is loaded with skates the night before a game, he has to work until midnight to ensure all of them are well-prepared. During a game, Westbury stands beside the bench and prepares for contingencies in the middle of a play:

from handing spare sticks to players to quickly mending equipment, such as tightening screws up on a helmet or changing the steel of a skate, so none of the players miss a shift due to equipment malfunctions. “The old saying is ‘no missed shifts,’” Westbury said. “And that’s our goal here, too. We don’t want anybody to miss a shift.” Another responsibility of Westbury’s is to pack up all the necessities for road games — including snacks and refreshments for the players, work tools, video gear and spare jerseys. Westbury, who hasn’t missed a regular-season road game in nine years, also double checks the dressing room before leaving to confirm that the players are bringing the equipment needed. A challenge arises for Westbury when the team flies — most often to Vancouver to play the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. If the team travels with all of the equipment, it will be costly as it has to be loaded as cargo, forc-

ing Westbury to downsize. For example, instead of bringing a set of screwdrivers and a lot of pliers, he packs a multi-purpose screwdriver and takes only a couple of pliers. Despite having to work for long hours and on many weekends, Westbury does not complain as he says that equipment management is his passion. “I love it — wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love it,” Westbury said. “It goes with anything in life: if you are not happy with what you are doing, there’s no point in doing it.” Westbury loves everything about his job, especially the friendships he has formed with the staff and the players over the years. “I like everything about it. I like the intensity of the game, the comradery with the players and the coaches, the training staff, and also, the athletic staff,” Westbury said. “The girls treat me awesome, [and] I treat them awesome, too — the respect goes both ways, right?” Westbury is also proud of how well Huskie Athletics takes care of the players.

“When they’re in the classroom, we want them to be focused on school. When they are at the rink, [we want them] focused on playing, not worrying about [anything else],” Westbury said. “The girls are on scholarships: Sticks are looked after. Equipment is looked after. When they’re on the road, they’re not paying for meals. Our girls are looked after very well.” “I guess I can brag a little bit about Huskie Athletics being an awesome organization,” Westbury said. “Everybody from the top to down is awesome. It’s definitely an enjoyment to be around the facilities all the time.” Westbury dreams of becoming an equipment manager for an NHL franchise. But for now, his ultimate goal is to win a national championship with the Huskies. “I hope that what we do for the players gives us that extra edge to win a national championship,” Westbury said. “We’ve won Canada West, but still, to be the number one in the country is the ultimate goal.”

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Do my textbooks spark joy? Tidying Up with Marie Kondo Tidy your space to remove clutter from your life. SHAWNA LANGER

Tidying Up with Marie Kondo is a widely known, popular Netflix Original series dedicated to tidying up your belongings to find peace in your life. With a few rules and some structure, the show illustrates a distinct method of tidying. There are six basic rules that she uses: commit yourself to tidying up, imagine your ideal lifestyle, finish discarding first, tidy by category and not by location, follow the right order, and ask yourself if it sparks joy. The KonMari Method involves organizing household items based on categories rather than on location. By using this method, it can be easier to recognize how many of each type of item you may have and prevent them from being scattered to many different locations. Kondo has clients organize their belongings in a specific

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order through five different categories: clothing, books, paper, komono — kitchen, garage, bathroom, miscellaneous — and sentimental items. The goal of the practice is to appreciate everything you have and tidy the spaces you keep your belongings in. Each item you own has to be picked up and identified as something that sparks joy for you to be considered an item that you want to bring into your future with you. If you decide to let go of the item, you must thank the item as you let it go, and the KonMari website states that this has been shown to be effective. During the tidying process, you may find that your space initially feels more cluttered as you begin organizing — and that’s okay. The initial feeling of extra clutter is normal as you see everything you own together in its category. If you keep your clothing

in three different closets and two different dressers — and half of it in the laundry room — it’s no surprise if you feel overwhelmed when everything comes together into one pile. Take your clothes out of the closet and put it all in a big pile. This is the only way you can truly see how much clothing you have, and it’s the best way to hold each item to see if you want to bring it with you into the future. While applying the KonMari Method to my own belongings, I felt so much joy in removing things from my home that I no longer found myself enjoying. Jeans with the store tags still on them that I’ve never worn that have been sitting in my closet for five years? Old wrecked shoes that I refused to get rid of “just in case” I found a way to fix them up? Bye, Felicia — get out of my closet. Removing items that have

Shawna Langer

no practical use and only take up physical space in my home is such a relief. Having items that are of no use out of your space also allows you to effectively organize the items that you do use without unnecessary clutter. Studies have shown that people who live in an organized home without excessive clutter are more likely to have improved physical health. Having a peaceful, organized space to live in

can help relieve stress and make a space more comfortable and welcoming. Using this method in my home has helped me to find comfort in my space and appreciate the items I own. Removing things that aren’t necessary from my space has allowed me to organize my belongings in a manner that has made my day much more productive by helping me find everything I need for daily activities.

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

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SPORTS&HEALTH

Canada West playoffs start for Huskies men’s and women’s basketball The men’s team put up a good fight in the semifinals while the women move on to the championship. PIPER WOYTIUK

Both Huskies basketball teams played hard and saw Canada West semifinal matches. However, the men’s team could not keep up, losing their semifinal game to the Calgary Dinos. Meanwhile, the women defeated the Lethbridge Pronghorns — earning them a chance at Canada West Championship glory. The Huskies men’s team rocketed into their quarter-finals match against the Regina Cougars on Feb. 14, opening the score with a three-pointer by Chan De Ciman and keeping the lead for a 99-68 win. They kept up their momentum into night two — sweeping the best of three against the Cougars with a 97-77 victory, earning them a semifinals matchup. First-year guard Alexander Dewar talks about competing against their provincial rivals. “Regina is a great team. They worked really hard, [and] they made us work really hard, but it was good to come out with the win,” Dewar said. Dewar had a strong presence on court in both games against the Cougars, scoring 25 points the first night and 19 points in the second, helping to secure the wins that sent the team into the semifinals. “It’s a great feeling. It’s kind of a relief. Now, I get to relax, heal up, focus on the next game and prepare,” Dewar said. Unfortunately, the men could not hold on to their momentum for an upset in Calgary, losing 63-97 and 77-117 in their matches against the Dinos on Feb. 21 and 22.

The Huskies women’s team hit the playoffs with a rocky start, trailing behind the Winnipeg Wesmen at the start of the third quarter of their opening quarter-final match on Feb. 14. They were only warming up, however, as the team overtook the Wesmen in the final half — securing an 84-75 first win. The team did not let the previous game hold them back, snatching and holding the lead all the way to a 102-56 victory in their second game against the Wesmen — sending them into semifinals. It was a hard fight in the semifinal games against the Lethbridge Pronghorns. The Huskies took the lead but tossed it back and forth with the Pronghorns all the way into the third quarter, which saw Huskies Summer Masikewich, Katriana Philipenko, Brianna Fehr and Sabine Dukate pick up steam offensively and defensively, helping the team hold the lead over the Pronghorns for a 74-62 win. Huskies women’s basketball head coach Lisa Thomaidis talks about the team’s performance. “I thought we started to move the ball a little bit better. We got some defensive stops. In the first half, they were so hot in the three we couldn’t get a stop to get out in our transition, and it slowed us down defensively,” Thomaidis said. “We started to move the ball, got some touches inside for [Masikewich], and she started to make some nice plays in the second half.” Masikewich played a 22-point game — with 18 of those points being scored in the second half of the game.

Piper Woytiuk U of S Huskies guard Alexander Dewar drives down court in the third quarter against the Regina Cougars at the PAC on Feb. 14, 2019.

Thomaidis talks about Masikewich’s performance and how she adjusted to the game. “[Masikewich] started a little slow [and] had some looks at the rim [but] just couldn’t knock them down. She warmed up in the second half, and [it] was huge for us — [she] got us back in it, got a few and-ones, and I thought she played great defensive at the other end. Just an all around really strong performance from her,” Thomaidis said. With one win down, the Huskies looked to defeat the Pronghorns a second time and secure a chance at a sixth Canada West champion title. Game two opened in the Huskies’ favour as they pulled ahead of the Pronghorns with 39-22 by halftime. The Pronghorns refused to back down, however, closing the gap to just two points less than the Huskies with

23 seconds left in the final quarter. In the end, a couple of free throws by Libby Epoch and a strong defence secured the 78-72 semifinals

win for the Huskies. The women’s basketball team will host the Regina Cougars at the Physical Activity Complex on March 1.

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CULTURE

EVENTS T H U R S

INDIGENOUS SCHOLAR SERIES: RANDY MORIN @ ABORIGINAL STUDENTS’ CENTRE, 11:30 A.M.

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Apex Legends is the first truly great battle-royale game The team behind Titanfall has created a worthy competitor in the burgeoning new genre.

WRITE OUT LOUD FEBRUARY SLAM FT. PEACE @ FRANCES MORRISON LIBRARY, 6:30 P.M.

SCOTT HELMAN @ LOUIS’ PUB, 7:00 P.M.

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

F R I

USSU PRIDE CENTRE DRAG WORKSHOP @ LOUIS’ PUB, 4:00 P.M.

CLASSIC KARAOKE & LIP SYNC BATTLE 2019 @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 7:00 P.M.

GREYSTONE SINGERS TRIVIA NIGHT @ LOUIS’ LOFT, 7:30 P.M.

LEATHER, LACE & LUBE DRAG SHOW @ LOUIS’ PUB, 8:00 P.M.

S A T

WOMEN OF USASK IMPROV SHOW @ U OF S EDUCATION BUILDING, 7:30 P.M.

FANCY DIAMONDS, CROOKED SPIES, AND DOCTOR BOOTY QUIVER @ BLACK CAT TAVERN, 9:00 P.M.

FOAM PARTY @ COORS EVENT CENTRE, 9:00 P.M.

ANNA HAVERSTOCK WITH LYZANNE FOTH AND JUSTIN RYAN @ AMIGOS CANTINA, 10:00 P.M.

S U N

GUIDED DROP-IN MUSEUM TOUR @ REMAI MODERN, 1:00 P.M.

@ REMAI MODERN, 1:00 P.M.

PIGS: CANADA’S PINK FLOYD — OUTSIDE/IN TOUR FLINT KARAOKE @ FLINT SALOON, 9:00 P.M.

GAMES NIGHT @ LOUIS’ PUB, 7:00 P.M. SASKATOON PRIDE FESTIVAL COMMUNITY MEETING: OPEN FORUM DISCUSSION @ REVOLVE CAFE, 7:00 P.M.

THREE CHORDS AND THE TRUTH: SONGWRITER SHOWCASE @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 7:00 P.M.

LADYBITS IMPROV COMEDY COLLECTIVE: MARCH MAYHEM @ AMIGOS CANTINA, 7:15 P.M.

T U E S

FIRESIDE WITH LYNDON — THE SIXTIES SCOOP @ REMAI MODERN, 7:00 P.M.

100% TUESDAYS @ LOUIS’ PUB, 8:00 P.M.

DAVE GUNNING @ THE BASSMENT, 8:00 P.M.

OPEN STAGE @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 8:00 P.M.

W E D

LUNAFEST @ THE BROADWAY THEATRE, 6:00 P.M.

YXE VR @ SPAN ROOM, ATRIUM BUILDING AT INNOVATION PLACE, 6:00 P.M.

DANIELLE KNIBBE SASKATOON ALBUM RELEASE @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 7:30 P.M.

TOURIST COMPANY, LONG RANGE HUSTLE, AND RITUAL HABITS @ BLACK CAT TAVERN, 8:00 P.M.

FEB. 21MAR. 6

COLE CHRETIEN CULTURE EDITOR

SCOTIABANK SOMETHING ON SUNDAYS

@ THE BROADWAY THEATRE, 7:30 P.M.

M O N

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

CABINET OF CURIOSITY EXHIBITION @ BAM, FEB. 21 - MAR. 9

8 / CULTURE

On Feb. 4, EA Games launched Apex Legends — a new battle-royale first-person shooter — without any pre-release promotion. Since then, the game has become a huge word-of-mouth success threatening to topple Epic Games’ Fortnite Battle Royale, the undisputed genre king. Respawn Entertainment — the team behind the Titanfall franchise — worked on the game in secret while exploring potential directions for Titanfall 3. The team was founded by Jason West and Vince Zampella, the creative duo behind Call of Duty. Apex is another exciting new development befitting the team’s legendary pedigree. Apex Legends presents a remarkable update on current gaming trends. The game has all of the calling cards of the battle-royale genre: randomly distributed items, a massive and sprawling environment, and the ever-present threat of “the storm,” which slowly encloses the playing field. This should all be familiar to fans of Fortnite, but the game quickly departs from convention. Apex’s greatest achievement is the ingenious non-verbal communication mechanics. Respawn has built a wonderful ping system that allows

players to highlight objectives, items and enemy locations. The system is seamless and comes ridiculously close to eliminating the need for verbal communication altogether. Playing random matches in Apex is a dream compared to most other games. The game also has a wonderful sense of verticality and momentum. Players can slide down entire mountains, use ziplines for quick movement and climb nearly any structure in the game. By dropping Fortnite’s bafflingly archaic building system, the developers landed on much simpler — and much more fun — ways of getting around. I’ve also really enjoyed the gear system in Apex Legends. While the first few days I spent with the game resulted in a lot of matches that ended before I could even arm myself, I was quickly kitting myself out, bartering for better loot with teammates and looking for unique weapon builds for different situations. Apex Legends is accessible, but it also contains additional systems of complexity found in the game’s eight unique playable hero characters. Each character has two unique skills and finding out how these abilities work off of each other is part of the fun. I’ve spent most of my time in Apex as Lifeline, a medic who can heal teammates and call in care packages as a

timed special. I quickly found that, unlike most characters, Lifeline doesn’t strategically save her special for the optimal moment, and I convinced my teammates to give me items to reduce the cool-down time. This meant I could airdrop boxes of high-tier loot four to five times per game. Finding efficiencies and developing a unique play style is a huge part of Apex Legends. There are ways to contribute to your team without racking up kills, which is great for players drawn to support roles. It makes for a smart, accessible game that is great for new players but still retains a high skill ceiling for the truly dedicated. As someone who lacks the time to play videogames like it’s my day job, Apex is my preferred battle-royale game. Fortnite always seemed like something I might like, but watching enemy players wholesale fabricate entire defence structures out of thin air was intimidating. The act of playing Fortnite looks more like casting sigils than inputting button presses. Apex streamlines the important stuff, like movement and communication, and adds depth and complexity in ways that are more forgiving to new players. It’s a polished and thoughtful take on battle royale that should serve to delight both old and new players alike.

F E B RUA RY 2 8 , 2 0 1 9

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WE ARE

HIRING! EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, NEWS EDITOR, SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR, CULTURE EDITOR, OPINIONS EDITOR, STAFF WRITER, COPY EDITOR, PHOTO EDITOR, GRAPHICS EDITOR, LAYOUT MANAGER, WEB EDITOR, OUTREACH DIRECTOR Open to all undergraduate students For more information on each position go to thesheaf.com For Editor-in-Chief send your cover letter, resume and portfolio to hiring@thesheaf.com by noon Wednesday, March 6, 2019 For all other positions send your cover letter, resume and portfolio to hiring@thesheaf.com by noon Thursday, March 14, 2019

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FEATURE

T H E S H E A F P U B L I S HI NG S OC I E T Y // F E B RUA RY 2 8 , 2 0 1 9

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Through the years: University of Saskatchewan architecture RILEY DEACON PHOTO EDITOR

Like fashion and film, architecture on campus has seen historic and stylistic changes over the decades.

1910

The first greystone laid during construction of the U of S Administration Building, still visible on campus on Feb. 25, 2019. It was laid by the seventh Prime Minister of Canada, Sir Wilfred Laurier.

An animal carved into the exterior of the U of S Administration Building photographed on Feb. 25, 2019. Walter Murray requested local fauna be carved into the walls, but the stone masons doing the carving were unfamiliar with the animals, therefore making inaccurate renderings.

The first president of the University of Saskatchewan, Walter Murray, was impressed by the Gothic Collegiate style of architecture used at the Washington University campus in St. Louis, which led him to select architects to design the U of S in the same Gothic Collegiate style. The first Master Plan was created by the architectural firm of David Brown and Hugh Vallance, both from Montreal. These two architects designed almost all of the U of S buildings from 1909 to 1929 in the traditional Gothic Collegiate style. They decided to make use of a local dolomitic limestone, known informally as â&#x20AC;&#x153;greystone.â&#x20AC;? They broke ground in 1909, and construction began with the College Building,

1924

1929

The stock market crashed in Canada, and construction plans were interrupted. At this moment in time, there were roughly 1,500 full-time students on campus.

1946

Veterans were returning home after World War II, and construction on campus subsequently resumed. Between 1946 and 1970, 30 building projects were completed. By 1947, there were over 4,300 students attending the university full-time.

The U of S Thorvaldson Building, designed by architect David Brown, photographed on Feb. 25, 2019.

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FEATURE

1954

Between 1954 and 1957, a new plan was adopted and the original 1909 plan was abandoned. The architecture firm of Izumi, Arnott & Sugiyama made new plans to accommodate the increasing university traffic. The Arts Building marked a distinct change in style for U of S buildings as these new architects decided to use a cleaner, more repetitive and functionalist approach, formally known as the modernist style.

1958

1967

The Arts Building by Shore & Moffat Architects photographed on Feb 25, 2019. Four additional floors were added in 1964, making it an eleven-story building and the tallest one on campus.

The interior of the Law-Commerce Complex by architects Holliday-Scott & Paine photographed on Feb. 25, 2019. This building uses principles of modernism without being as repetitive as pure modernist structures like the Arts Building.

1988 to 1991

Large windows allow the sun to cut through the centre of the U of S Agriculture Building on Feb. 25, 2019. This style drastically counters the nearly windowless exteriors of the Murray Building, colloquially known as Murray Library. All photos by Riley Deacon / Photo Editor

FEATURE / 11

CULTURE

T H E S H E A F P U B L I S HI NG S OC I E T Y // F E B RUA RY 2 8 , 2 0 1 9

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Hermione Granger and Viktor Krum: Precious or predatory? Harry Potter and the Goblet Fire was a missed opportunity to teach children about healthy and unhealthy romantic relationships.

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

AMBER ADRIAN JACKSON

Harry Potter taught me many important lessons. I remember going to each of the movies the day they came out, reading the books and always winning at Harry Potter Scene It? However, the series also seriously twisted my view of healthy relationships for many years. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling taught me a lot of important things, like how to fight for what is right, and in a lot of ways, the books shaped who I am today. Many people share this experience because Harry Potter really was an unprecedented phenomenon for people my age. Growing up, it seemed like I was always a little too old or a little too young for some books and films, so I ended up discovering things later in life. But the Harry Potter series was the one thing that I did grow up with. The fourth

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book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, is my favourite book — and arguably the best one of the series. It came out in 2000, and it is the first book I remember my mother reading to me. The Goblet of Fire movie came out in 2005 when I was six years old, and for years, I was fascinated with the relationship between Hermione and the older Quidditch star Viktor Krum. When they met, Viktor was 18 and Hermione was only 15. This relationship is brought up several times in later books to create tension in Ron and Hermione’s developing relationship. However, the problematic age gap of the relationship is never addressed. Instead, it is only used as a plot device to further Ron and Hermione’s relationship. I saw myself in the character of Hermione Granger as I got older. I was also an awkward know-it-all who was always first to raise my hand in class.

So obviously, by the time I was that age, I was waiting for an older boy to look past my awkward exterior and sweep me off my feet. I absolutely wouldn’t have seen a problem with an 18-year-old showing romantic interest in me. The teen years are very important — a very formative time. A lot of growing up is done in those years, and a three-year age gap at 15 is completely different than a three-year age gap at 25. When you’re growing up, 15 and 18 don’t sound far apart on paper, but realistically, an 18-yearold is an adult, and a 15-yearold is still a child. While this age gap is technically legal in Canada if both partners are consenting, it is still questionable on ethical grounds. There is still, undoubtedly, an imbalance of power and experience. The older partner is in a position of power, making these relationships inherently predatory.

If you are at that age and someone that much older is displaying romantic interest in you, it is important to ask yourself why they are interested in someone so much younger and more immature than they are. This could point to some major red flags such as emotional immaturity or manipulative tendencies. I was very lucky: the awkward years hit me hard and no older boy took an interest in me. But if they had, I wouldn’t have questioned it. Not everyone is so lucky. It is so easy for relationships like Hermione and Viktor’s to turn sour. It is easy for the older partner to manipulate or take advantage of the younger partner. Yet, their relationship is shown in a positive light throughout the story. Viktor Krum is shown to be a kind, caring person in his relationship with Hermione. It is beneficial to show healthy relationships to young readers, but by presenting this relationship

in that way, Rowling seriously overlooks the dangerous aspects of age gaps and normalizes predatory relationships. This romantic pairing was a chance to teach young readers about the dangers of entering into romantic relationships with someone significantly older. Instead, this teaching moment was completely ignored, leaving a generation of kids believing that predatory relationships are normal. It is irresponsible for authors to normalize and romanticize such relationships. In point of fact, 18-year-olds should not be dating 15-year-olds. If authors wish to address these relationships, they should depict them as what they are — predatory. Adults dating children should not be romanticized. J.K. Rowling wasted the opportunity to teach countless children about predatory relationships, but she still shaped many children’s ideas about relationships in the process.

CULTURE

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

F E B RUA RY 2 8 , 2 0 1 9

George Clooney’s Suburbicon is a hidden gem How did a movie that seemed so promising do so poorly in theatres? TOMILOLA OJO

Set in a quixotic 1950s suburb, the movie Suburbicon, directed by George Clooney, follows the tale of two neighbouring families: the Mayerses, a black family who are new to the neighbourhood, and the Lodges, a white family who are long-time residents of the town. Being that the movie is set in the United States during the 1950s and the Mayerses are the first black family to move into a previously all-white neighbourhood, racial turmoil ensues. While the Mayerses are trying to settle into their new home, they are being profiled by their fellow townspeople due to their race. As this is all happening, the insidious behaviour going on next door with the Lodges is being ignored. The literal and figurative juxtaposition of the two families sheds light on the issue of racial profiling in a way that would sound almost ridiculous if it weren’t based in truth. Suburbicon is loosely based on Levittown, Pa., one of the first mass-produced suburbs in the United States. Though it made history as the model for post-war suburbs, it was also infamous for its racist policies of rejecting black homebuyers until this practice was discontinued for being unconstitutional. The story of the Lodges’ clandestine crimes takes up most of the movie. Right off the bat, the mother of the family, Rose, is murdered by home invaders. She leaves behind a son, Nicky, and a husband, Gardner. Her

sister, Margaret, then moves in to help take care of the house and Nicky, and this is when things begin to go south. The Lodges quickly get tied up in blackmail, coercion, insurance fraud and even murder to cover up their trail of lies and surreptitious relationships. Though the two plot lines of the film are interwoven, the families are kept separate on all grounds except for the relationship between the children. Nicky Lodge and Andy Mayers form an unlikely friendship bonding over baseball and pet snakes, which gives the otherwise dark thriller a note of hope. Apart from the complexity of the plot, the movie is very visually appealing. Clooney makes use of all the quintessential aesthetic elements of the 50s, from the muted pastel colour palette and the ugly but endearing home and office decorations to the deceptive perfection of surface appearances. The soundtrack, done by the captivatingly talented Alexandre Desplat, is reminiscent of vintage horror-movie soundtracks, such as those in the 1958 film Horror of Dracula and the 1957 film The Curse of Frankenstein, with sprinklings of smooth elevator jazz and a timeless feel that blankets the entire score. With all these standout elements considered, at first, it is hard to see why the movie did so poorly in theatres. It came nowhere near breaking even on its $25-million budget, making less than half of what was spent, and it was widely panned. On a closer examination, one can see a few a factors that

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

could have led to the failure of what should have been the ingredients to a great movie. First and most prominently, it was funded by The Weinstein Company, and the release of the movie unfortunately coincided with the explosion of sexual-harassment allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein. The actors and director have since spoken out

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SaSkatoon Chamber SingerS

against Harvey Weinstein. Additionally, some critics believe that the plot of the Mayerses was overshadowed by that of the Lodges and that, in trying to bring light to the marginalization of black people, they were further marginalized due to the lack of an in-depth look into their lives. I would counter this by saying

that there was no in-depth look into the life of the Mayerses because the Mayerses weren’t doing anything out of the ordinary. They were living — or at least attempting to live — their everyday, normal lives: grocery shopping, doing yard work and getting mail. In the film, the townspeople were so enraged by black people daring to lead normal, everyday lives that they were blind to the insanity going on right next door. Finally, it is possible that the world was not ready for a movie discussing underhanded racism because — especially with the rise of racist attitudes in the present-day United States — it would feel too much like a personal or close-to-home attack. Regardless of why the film failed at the box office, Suburbicon is an excellent thriller with timely commentary on the history of racial tension in the United States. It may have been too challenging for mainstream success, but Suburbicon is a fantastic hidden gem that didn’t get the attention it deserved at release.

pigs

James Hawn, Director of the Saskatoon Chamber Singers, in conversation with Dr. Jennifer Lang, Director of Choral Activities at the U of S, on the upcoming Voices of Earth concert Wednesday, March 6, 7 pm

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CULTURE / 13

T H E S H E A F P U B L I S HI NG S OC I E T Y // F E B RUA RY 2 8 , 2 0 1 9

You deserve a secure retirement.

I SS UE 2 2 // VO L . 1 1 0

So do we.

Workers at the University of Saskatchewan deserve a fair pension. The university wants to eliminate the Defined Benefit pension plan and leave workers in the dark about what kind of income they will have in retirement. In addition, the employer also put forward an insulting five-year wage offer of 0-0-0-2%-2%. This wage offer is well below the monetary increases that other groups on campus have received.

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OPINIONS

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No admittance: Saskatchewan hospitals are ill-equipped for mental-health emergencies The poorly executed emergency mental-health unit at RUH is only the tip of an insidious iceberg.

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor The entrance for the current Royal University Hospital emergency room, right, sits in front of the ongoing construction upgrades going on behind the hospital walkway, left, on Feb. 25, 2019.

ERIN MATTHEWS OPINIONS EDITOR

The numbers in Royal University Hospital’s emergency room fluctuate, but each year, between 5,000 and 9,000 individuals find themselves in the waiting room in the midst of a mental-health crisis. And according to a CBC article published in 2017, roughly 10 per cent of these patients will leave without receiving treatment. The RUH ER is a chaotic milieu of sick and injured bodies and medical personnel scurrying between curtains and stretchers rattling across the floor from the ambulance bay. It is bright, loud and crowded — not an ideal environment for someone experiencing a crisis. Yet, mental-health patients can be left waiting there for hours. Earlier this month, CBC reported that the relatively new seven-bed unit specifically designed for mental-health emergencies will close its

doors later this year — the exact date undetermined. The unit was designed to divert distressed individuals to a quiet, mental-health-focused area for treatment and triage, but it has perhaps failed patients since its inception. Mental-health activists say it was understaffed and often used as general overflow. The hospital’s execution of this unit appears to be an expensive disaster, with over $1,000,000 being wasted on a space that has been heavily criticized by advocates and the public. The Saskatchewan Health Authority claims that patients experiencing mental-health emergencies are triaged and treated in other accommodating departments and quiet rooms tucked away in the corners of the hospital. But exactly how swift is this response? Last year, I found myself escorting a loved one into the RUH ER. He was in a prolonged mental-health crisis that involved anxiety-induced dissociation and suicidal ide-

ation. He was triaged and questioned, and we were left to sit in the busy waiting room among moaning patients. A loud, big-screen television hung from the wall while fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. We sat there for four hours without any intervention from medical staff on the floor. At this point, his agitation increased — had he been alone, it is likely he would have been one of the 10 per cent that walk out the front doors. The Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale, or CTAS, is used in ER departments to assess who needs care first. The guidelines for reassessment vary for levels of urgency but should not exceed 120 minutes, even for non-urgent cases. He should have been checked on multiple times. After a short stint in nursing school, I am fairly cognizant of how these units work, and I have a working knowledge of assessments, medications and protocol. While I’m no expert, I am more familiar with health care than most of

the general population. So in situations like this, I had advantages that many do not: an idea of how the system is navigated, the ability to keep my frustrations from boiling over and the knowledge of how I can better advocate for care. If I had been naive, our stay on the plastic chairs in the buzzing waiting room would have likely lasted exponentially longer. It wasn’t long after I spoke up and advocated for a safer and quieter space that we were moved to a quiet room and he was medicated. After this move, the situation substantially improved, yet the wait was not over. It would be nearly 15 hours before he was assessed by a psychiatry resident. Wait times in ERs creep up for various reasons. Life-threatening conditions, like cardiac arrests and strokes, are obviously funnelled through the system with no wait. That’s what these facilities are designed for — life-saving measures. If there is an increase in these level 1 cases, then the wait times for

those further down on the severity scale will also increase. Oftentimes, many visitors to the ER should not be there at all, further complicating the problem. Mental-health emergencies muddy up these waters. These crises are oftentimes life-threatening, and yet, many of these patients are treated like lowest-level, non-urgent patients. Mental-health crises including plans for suicide and moderate to high anxiety levels should fall into levels 2 or 3, according to the CTAS guidelines. In the end, the failed mental-health unit, long wait times and the patients who leave without treatment represent only a fraction of just how shattered mental-health care is in this country. The current system fails to accommodate both physically ill patients and those with mental-health concerns, doing a disservice to both groups. It’s clear we need considerable health-care restructuring and not just BandAid solutions.

OPINIONS / 15

OPINIONS

T H E S H E A F P U B L I S HI NG S OC I E T Y // F E B RUA RY 2 8 , 2 0 1 9

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Ask an Agro:

What are pesticides? Protecting crops from damage and disease helps keep farmers happy and people fed around the world. MORGAN HEIDECKER

Pesticides protect crops from a variety of pests — such as weeds, diseases and insects — that can reduce crop yield. This loss is detrimental to farmers and consumers, so it’s important to be able to control these organisms. But what exactly are pesticides, and how do they work?

There are three types of pesticides — fungicides, insecticides and herbicides. Fungicides are used for controlling fungi in the soil and air that can cause plant disease and crop failure. Insecticides are used for controlling insects that would consume the plant or its leaves, which is obviously quite detrimental to the success of the crop. Herbicides are used for controlling

Zeynel Cebeci / Creative Commons Pesticide application for chemical control of nematodes in a sunflower- planted field.

weeds and unwanted plant species that would use up nutrients intended for the crop. Fungicides can be applied

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16 / OPINIONS

in the form of a liquid spray on crops in the field or as a seed coat before planting. When applied as a seed coat, the plant is protected from the risk of some common fungal diseases in the soil during germination. Most fungicides cannot actively kill a pathogen once it has infected the plant. For this reason, it is important for farmers to apply fungicides before symptoms of the disease occur. There are a few innovative techniques for insecticides including the use of bacterial proteins for insect control. By harnessing a toxin from a bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis, farmers can prevent insects from feeding on plant leaves. The Bt toxin only becomes active inside the gut of the insect, damaging the gut wall and killing the bug. Bt comes in different strains, allowing farmers to selectively target harmful insects while keeping beneficial insects safe. Insecticides are also applied in the form of a liquid spray or seed coat. Herbicides are selective and are categorized into different groups depending on their mode of action — the biological process that causes plant death. Glyphosate is a Group 9 herbicide, meaning that its mode of action targets an enzyme in the weed to inhibit the synthesis of aromatic amino acids. Without these amino acids, the weed cannot form proteins and grow, so it will eventually die. It can be complicated to keep track of all herbicidal modes of action as there are currently 19 groups in use, but it is crucial for farmers to understand their functions. When the same herbicide — or one with the same mode of action — is continuously sprayed on a field for

multiple years, the weeds may start to build up a resistance to it. After repeated exposure, the surviving weeds are able to adapt to the herbicide, ultimately preventing its effectiveness. Organic producers also use a variety of herbicides on crops to control weeds. Acetic acid is popular among organic producers, allowing them to manage weed growth in crops while still maintaining an organic certification. Herbicide resistance is an important risk to be aware of as it can change the future of agriculture by altering how farmers use herbicides to control weeds in their crops. Farmers can avoid the development of herbicide resistance by mixing different modes of action to attack weeds in more than one way. This outsmarts the weed, so it won’t be able to figure out how to protect itself. There are many resources available to farmers, like the Guide to Crop Protection, and agronomists and chemical retail representatives can also assist farmers in choosing the right pesticides for their crops. All pesticides used in Canada are regulated nationally under the Pest Control Products Act and Pest Control Products Regulations with the Pest Management Regulatory Agency administering this legislation to protect human health and safety and the environment by minimizing the risks associated with pesticides. Pesticides are scientifically driven tools made to combat yield-limiting pests like weeds, insects and diseases in crops. With the proper management practices, pesticides can maintain their use in modern agriculture and help Canada continue to grow crops and produce food for people around the world.

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OPINIONS

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Releasing myself from the burden of smartphones My decision to trade smart technology for a flip phone has taught me a lot about life.

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ANTHONY MASUSKAPOE

It’s been a year since I gave up my smartphone, which is one of the most interesting things I’ve done in a while. Don’t get me wrong, I love technology, but there comes a time in your life where you have back up and take a break. I had two or three different social-media apps — you know the ones. It was always a challenge to keep up with all of them, and I found them incredibly distracting, especially at the most inconvenient times. It started to interfere with my studies, too — my time management is subpar at best and any time to myself or scheduled study time was spent on my phone. It was a great distraction from all the people around me while I waited on the bus to go home, but it was clear that the phone was eating into my life. I finally decided to take a breather and settle for something less distracting by downgrading to a flip phone instead. I could still get phone calls and texts, but as for my fancy touch screen and QWERTY keyboard, I was now faced with T9 and the good old-fashioned telephone keypad. The first few months were difficult. I felt the itch to

reach into my pocket every five minutes and check my apps even though my phone seldomly went off. Each time, I was reminded that I only had my flip phone, and despite these annoyances, it was liberating. I wasn’t worried about my phone running out of charge during the day, and I didn’t have to worry about checking it constantly since there are a total of about three people that I talk or text on the regular. Did I mention the constant reactions of shock and awe when others saw such an archaic piece of technology whenever I pulled it out to answer a call? Eventually, I was confident and happy with my choice. I was content with leaving everyone and everything online on hold, and I was still able to relax after school with my laptop, returning all the messages when I could. I now have a certain time set aside for social media in my downtime rather than letting it interfere with my family or studies. There are times when I definitely missed having a smartphone. Being in Place Riel surrounded by people who had their faces buried in their devices was one instance. Another was going to a restaurant and hanging with

my friends while their faces were buried in their devices as I twiddled my thumbs, missing out on the latest “hilarious” meme being passed around. I started noticing an anomaly of social interaction that only smartphone users exhibited, and somehow, I felt uneasy. It appeared that having a smartphone blurred the line between what was considered “rude” and what was completely “normal” — like yanking out your phone to reply to messages or check social media in the middle of a faceto-face conversation. Taking a break has shown me that we are all connected yet disconnected at the same time. This whole experience has taken me back about 10 years, technologically speaking. My flip phone does not have a decent camera worth taking pictures with, so I have to carry a digital camera on and off now. I’ve also had to trade my beloved Spotify playlists for my old 80GB iPod. Being smartphone free has forced me to realize that some things just aren’t that important, and it has definitely given me more free time to just sit back and be more open. Maybe, one day, I will get back on that train again, but I will always know that the option to take a time out is there.

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Riley Deacon / Photo Editor Multiple U of S students stare at their phones on the second floor of the Arts Building on Feb. 25, 2019.

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OPINIONS

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Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

I don’t see colour, I see people: A response to “Did you just say ‘I don’t see colour’? Wow, you’re a shitty person” Not judging people by their skin colour allows them to shine as individuals. CHASE FRENETTE

“When you say that you don’t see colour, you are perpetuating the same intentions of assimilation that were used to justify residential schools. You are stripping First Nations people of their identities by not accepting them for who they are.” The above quote has been taken from an article that was printed in the Jan. 31 issue of

18 / OPINIONS

the Sheaf. The article in question argues that the phrase “I don’t see colour” is a harmful microaggression used by weakwilled individuals who sit idly by and let racism brew. It states that not seeing colour only serves to perpetuate racial stereotypes and make racial matters all the worse. I disagree with this thesis. To begin, I’d like to clarify what I mean when I use the phrase “I don’t see colour.” It

means that you are ignoring a person’s skin colour when assessing them so that who they actually are, as a person, can shine through. While it is true that I do technically see the colour of other people’s skin when I look at them, I choose not to factor it into my assessment of them. I never assume that I have actually learned anything about a person just by looking at their skin. To counterpoint this, the article states that not seeing colour is “stripping” people of their identities by not accepting them for who they are, but to say this is to directly tie someone’s identity to the colour of their skin. It’s like saying “well, your skin colour is X, so you must be Y.” But isn’t this the exact kind of thinking that racists use? For example, a racist might say “that guy’s black, so he must steal,” using the exact same parameters that were implied in the article to justify their prejudice. By thinking racially, you only perpetuate racism. If nobody thought racially, then how could there possibly be racism? While in an interview, Morgan

Freeman was asked how to stop racism, to which he replied that we should “stop talking about it.” Freeman makes the case that people should not be viewed and identified based on their skin colour, instead saying we should call each other by our names and stop using descriptors of colour like “white” or “black” man. When you don’t see colour, you can understand someone based on who they are — as a person or as an individual — and not just based on the colour of their skin. For example, when I look at Morgan Freeman, I see a terrific actor with a golden voice who I respect highly — not just a black man. In an ideal world, skin colour would not equal identity. On the contrary, it is true that using the phrase “I don’t see colour” can be a cop-out at times if it is used as a cheap response to end a difficult conversation prematurely. However, this is only true when a person does not explain themselves or does not truly mean what they say. Let’s look at it in a different context. I remember, back in my high school math classes, there

were two kinds of students: those who just wanted the answer to the question and those who wanted to know how to get the answer for themselves. Students that fell into the latter category did far better than those in the former because they knew that the answer is worthless when you don’t know how to get there. It is the road leading there that holds the true knowledge. You can’t just say “I don’t see colour” and consider the conversation over — you have to explain your reasoning, as I have done, to the best of your abilities. In short, not seeing colour is a step in the direction of seeing people for who they truly are on the inside. It helps you to view people as the individuals they want to be seen as and not just as a label like “white” or “black” or “First Nations.” These people have names, life experiences and so many other things that comprise their identities. They are more than the amount of melanin in their skin, so why should we box them into pigment-based categories?

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NASA Opportunity, rover who served humanity far past expectations, dies at 14 JACK THOMPSON

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A loss was felt around the world when Opportunity, the NASA rover who patrolled the surface of Mars with both diligence and an undeniable

sense of duty, met a noble end. The rover was taken over by a sand storm — killed by the very thing it spent its life studying — and found its resting place at a site appropriately named Perseverance Valley. Meant to last a mere 90 days, Opportunity became an icon of resilien-

cy as it continued to function for the next 14 years. While not human itself, this rover was a beacon of human brilliance and a testament to our ability to reach for the stars and grasp at the unknown. Some will mourn the fact that we will be unable to provide a proper

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burial for the legend, but perhaps, Opportunity would want to sit in wait — waiting for those who built it to claim the planet that it now rests upon. If humanity takes to the stars, we must hope that there are those who will remember the rover who helped provide the opportunity.

Too Hot, An Onion Too hot, an onion chopped up in my chickpea wrap Too hot, an onion sliced up in my sandwich that Burns my mouth An awful taste Someone get the onion away from this place Too hot, an onion Poem by Iva Henry

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor A U of S student plays a piano piece in the Arts Building on Feb. 25, 2019.

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Prince Olubiyi

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