March 14, 2019 by The Sheaf

MARCH 14, 2019

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

Learn outside the classroom

The benefits of books

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Millennial Poet page 12

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Huskies return home without national title

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Get to know campus LGBTQ2+ leader

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NEWS

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Usask global studies certificate doubles course options The program aims to provide a broader worldview for students and a certificate to prove it.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Nykole King

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

Rley Deacon BOARD OF DIRECTORS Matthew Taylor Mikaila Ortynsky Kayle Neis Emily Klatt Jacob Lang Tyler Smith

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board@thesheaf.com 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.

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Michael Bergen / File The community square in Copenhagen, Denmark.

TOMILOLA OJO

Students at the University of Saskatchewan with an interest in international goings-on can now more easily get a piece of paper acknowledging this through the newly renovated global studies certificate. The program is open to students of any discipline and even non-degree students. The global studies certificate is a program offered by the U of S that aims to give students from different academic backgrounds an opportunity to develop an understanding of our global climate and to make local, national and international connections. This program has been running at the university since 2015 and has recently seen an increase in the number of courses that count towards the certificate, from 150 to 315 courses. It is partnered with eight colleges across campus but available to all students. The program intends to promote international awareness on campus, to promote international thinking and to create connections between Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and the world. Political studies professor Martin Gaal has been working closely on the approval, networking and promotion of the certificate. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Inter-

national Relations at the University of British Columbia, he travelled the world and earned his PhD in Belgium. For Gaal, these experiences are important for all students. “I was really looking for a means to introduce students into a similar awakening that I experienced when I saw the world and realized that things are done differently in different places,” Gaal said. “Saskatchewan has a lot of international connections, … but there wasn’t a lot on campus that brought that all together, and so, the global studies certificate allows students to take a couple classes … and connect their studies to the wider world.” At first glance, the program may seem relevant for only international studies or humanities students, but it is open to and beneficial for all students. “Say you’re an engineer at the U of S, and you have this opportunity to demonstrate your ability to integrate a work abroad — you can demonstrate your understanding of the issues that are happening in the world,” Gaal said. “The certificate allows for students to take their degree [and] plug in this international component to it, both for themselves and also for trying to find their important opportunities afterwards.” However, unlike a minor, Gaal points out that this cer-

tificate can be completed without an accompanying degree. “This allows people who want to just demonstrate some competency in international affairs. They can actually walk graduation, cap and gown, and get their piece of paper,” Gaal said. “It allows them to pursue their goals without having to undertake an entire degree.” Gaal says the program is also becoming available for international students, giving them an opportunity to become fully immersed in local culture and climate, political or otherwise. In addition to on-campus classes, students aiming to complete the global studies certificate can also do so by taking International Studies 202, a class that can be satisfied by studying abroad. Gaal says that this experience is significant to the certificate but that it is not integral. “We try to encourage students as much as possible to [travel abroad], and that international component is a requirement of capstone IS 202. That being said, we also know that not all students have the means,” Gaal said. “Even though the college and the university can be quite generous, … it’s still not possible for everybody.” For more information about the global studies certificate, head over to the U of S website under admissions.

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NEWS

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Elizabeth May calls on U of S administration to lobby for green energy needs The Green Party leader spoke to an intimate group about how religion and Saskatchewan play into climate control. TANNER BAYNE NEWS EDITOR

A group of students, University of Saskatchewan staff and passersby had the chance for an intimate conversation about faith, the environment and doing our part to combat climate change with federal Green Party Leader Elizabeth May at the Lutheran Campus Ministry on March 11. May made the appearance as a side stop on her crosscountry Community Matters Tour. In addition to stopping by campus, May also held a townhall at the Francis Morrison Central Library later that evening. Unlike the typical gauntlet of questions and answers at a townhall meeting, May instead led a conversation on the relationship between the environment and how Judeo-Christians interact with it and then answered some pertinent questions. May, a long-time practitioner of the Anglican faith, says that, although secular as a whole, consumerism is Canada’s state religion and that it has characterized the country’s trajectory. “I do think we are a secular society. We do have a state religion — it comes with its own rituals, liturgy, catechism and practice, and it is that we worship the economy. That is the dominate state religion. Its central tenets are selfish individualism. This will lead straight to doom. In politics, you can’t present an argument on moral grounds but that the economics add up in a certain way.” May also states that, in addition to adopting perspectives on the environment similar to those of Canada’s Indige-

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor U of S Ecumencial Chaplain David Kim-Cragg, left, sits beside Green Party of Canada Leader Elizabeth May, right, inside the Lutheran Campus Centre on March 11, 2019.

nous peoples, even provinces resistant to climate plans, like Saskatchewan, can lead the country’s climate efforts. “In Canada, Saskatchewan gave the entire country universal health care because Tommy Douglas was so brave,” May said. “There are conservatives in government, but it [is] still a population of people that are largely connected to land [with] more people dependent on land than in cities… In the context of getting away from fossil fuels, this connectedness has to come back.” In January, the Sheaf determined that the U of S is still uncertain about how it will

be dealing with the financial burden of the federal carbon tax. When asked how postsecondary institutions should be charged for their carbon emissions, May says that students should not be the ones to pay. May also says that, if the U of S is sincere about wanting

to be a climate leader, the university administration needs to make demands of the federal government. “The ideal scenario is that the university says to the federal government, ‘Where is our program for eco energy retrofits? We need more efficient fur-

Board of Governors Community Reception

naces and insulation. We want solar panels. We want this university to be a net-zero contributor. We want to actually create more energy than we use,’” May said. “The way the campus is situated, you could be generating energy from solar, wind and geothermal.”

LOUIS’ LOFT MONDAY, MARCH 18 4 – 5:30 PM EVERYONE IS WELCOME. COMPLIMENTARY FOOD AND REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED. RSVP AT usask-bog.eventbrite.ca

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor Green Party of Canada Leader Elizabeth May speaks to a group of people inside the Lutheran Campus Centre on March 11, 2019.

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NEWS Vice-provost declines to support Indigenous students in referendum of separation Ottmann says a referendum for an Indigenous students’ union is a “student challenge.” ANA CRISTINA CAMACHO STAFF WRITER

Indigenization was the topic of the day at the March 7 University Students’ Council meeting. The council and their guests discussed the future of Indigenization at the university, the possibility of allocating more resources to the Indigenous Students’ Council and the viability of forming an Indigenous students’ union. The meeting began with an address by David Pratt, second vice-chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, who highlighted steps towards Indigenization in the University of Saskatchewan’s history. Pratt says members of council have the responsibility to carry that legacy forward. “I want to encourage the vice-provost, Caroline Cottrell and all of the student council to continue to support Indigenous student voices,” Pratt said. “Be the leaders, and show the other members of the U15 what we can do when we empower our most marginalized people. There are challenges in this province with racism. Your job as student leaders is to counter it.” Pratt says that a tangible way to show support to Indigenous students is by increasing the budget of the ISC to reflect their contributions to recruitment and retention as a way to compromise in the ongoing effort from the ISC to obtain union status and separate from the USSU. “Anything that empowers Indigenous student voices is always important, but I don’t agree with not engaging with the administration or the [USSU] Indigenous Student Affairs Committee,” Pratt said. “I understand [the ISC’s] opinion in terms of them wanting resources and capacity, and I think that could be easily achieved if you set aside a budget for them. You could come to a compromise where you are giving them some extra resources.” After Pratt’s address, Jacqueline Ottmann, vice-provost Indigenous engagement, took the floor. Ottmann is currently drafting an Indigenous strategy for the university and met with 20 Elders and knowledge keepers before the meeting to get their input on the project. Indigenous staff and graduate students have also been part of the consultation process for the strategy. All that is left, Ottmann says, is to survey undergraduate students. Regarding the possibility of an Indigenous students’ union, Ottmann says that the university administration cannot get involved in the matter aside from offering information to the ISC on different models of governance. “We are here, we will listen, and we will support, but we can’t help you govern. The student union governs itself,” Ottmann said. “Getting union status has to happen from the grassroots, and the decision making has to happen [at the USC]. We can provide information, but we can’t get involved.” Regan Ratt-Misponas, Indigenous Students’ Council president, asked Ottmann for a commitment from the office of the vice-provost of Indigenous engagement to support the decision of Indigenous students if an ISC referendum were to occur. The purpose of this referendum would be to ask Indigenous students whether or not they would like for their USSU student fees to be rerouted into the formation of an Indigenous students’ union. Ratt-Misponas felt this commitment would be in accordance with the university’s support of Indigenous self-governance. Ottmann says they cannot make that promise as it would mean getting involved in student governance. “A referendum would be required for the whole student body. It’s difficult for me to make a commitment when this is really a student challenge,” Ottmann said. “We can’t influence the governance of our unions.” After Ottmann left the meeting, council briefly discussed some other business. This year’s USSU budget has been drafted and is accessible to all students in preparation for the budget presentation at the March 14 USC meeting. The Student Wellness Centre will also be testing extended hours for the next four Thursdays to inform their schedule for next year.

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In focus: USSU Pride Centre co-ordinator is a champion for youth The Sheaf is here to help you get to know a leader in Saskatoon’s LGBTQ2+ community.

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor USSU Pride Centre Co-ordinator Jory Mckay poses for a photograph in the Pride Centre on the U of S campus on March 11, 2019.

TANNER BAYNE NEWS EDITOR

For some, it takes years to find a place as a leader within their given community. For Jory Mckay, a second-year anthropology student and the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union Pride Centre co-ordinator, he started in a leadership role earlier than most. When Mckay was 17 years old, he joined the Swift Current pride board of directors and had already worked to establish the Gay-Straight Alliance at his high school. Now, at 19 years old, Mckay is a board member of the Saskatoon Pride Festival in addition to co-ordinating the USSU Pride Centre. Here is more from one of Saskatchewan’s most prominent youth leaders.

Do you have any secret talents? “I’m an amazing swimmer. I used to be a competitive swimmer until I was 17. I quit because I didn’t have time anymore. I swam like twice a day in the summer, and in the winter, I used to compete, too. I went to summer games. I got a couple golds at provincials because I’m really good at back crawl. Everyone hates it, but I’m good at it for some reason.”

What are your plans after university?

“I really want to work at OUTSaskatoon — that’s my goal. I really want to work with LGBTQ2+ children. I’m passionate about working with kids of various abilities — I used to work in the summer fun program in Swift Current. I was the assistant co-ordinator when I was 17, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. It was so validating to be there for those kids.”

When did you get involved?

“I first joined the [Swift Current] board. I spoke out and said that the youth aren’t being involved, and they are such a massive part of the community, and they just want to get involved. The adults just kind of sat back and realized the youth needed to be consulted more. So that was [me] first realizing about how important this is and how important my voice is.”

What draws you to leadership roles? “I really like standing up for people that are scared to stand up for themselves… Specifically within the queer community, I’m drawn to the people within the community, how inclusive it is and how

safe I feel — I really just want to give that back. I want to help the community because these people helped me.”

What do you hope pride-goers take away from this year’s pride week?

“It’s more than just the partying and going to a drag show. While that is so much fun and important for our history, it’s also really cool to go to a sexual education or history event. I feel like sometimes people just look at the beer gardens and think, ‘Oh, that’s pride.’ While it’s an important aspect, there is so much more. I would like to see more people go to these informative events.”

Why is it crucial to listen to the perspectives of queer youth? “The role of youth in queer conversations is just as important as anyone else’s role… It’s just as important for youth to be included in every conversation. With so many events being 19 plus, that’s a huge barrier. Including these voices in important — conversations increase diversity in the community. So many kids don’t feel accepted, so having their voices heard in their high schools, middle schools and within their houses is huge.”

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SPORTS&HEALTH

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The Huskies couldn’t beat the Marauders and Gee-Gees, flirting with the bronze medal After winning the conference banner, the U of S Huskies captured fourth place in the national tournament.

Recipe:

Seed-ball protein bites AMANDA SLINGER COPY EDITOR

Time: 20 minutes Ingredients 10 Medjool dates, pitted 14 tbsp. flax or sesame seeds, ground 14 tbsp. pumpkin or sunflower seeds, ground 1 tbsp. cacao powder ½ to 1 cup almond butter, to taste ½ to 1 cup raw honey, to taste 1 tsp. vanilla ½ tbsp. cinnamon 1-2 tbsp. hemp hearts, plus extra for rolling Up to 1 tbsp. coconut oil, if needed Heywood Yu / File U of S Huskies guard Sabine Dukate dribbles the basketball as Huskies forward Kyla Shand sets up a screen during the third quarter of the U Sports Canada West action at the Physical Activity Complex in Saskatoon on Nov. 3, 2018.

HEYWOOD YU

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s basketball team made its sixth consecutive trip to the U Sports national championship tournament, this time venturing out to Ryerson University in Toronto. Facing tough competition in the final rounds of the tournament, the team finished fourth. Ahead of the action, Huskies guard Sabine Dukate earned a spot in the U Sports First Team at the annual All-Canadian gala on March 6 in Toronto. The fourth-year arts and science student, who is also the Canada West Player of the Year, became the sixth Huskie to be honoured as a U Sports All Canadian since Laura Dally in 2016. The number-three-seeded Huskies played the quarterfinal game against the underdogs, the Acadia University Axewomen, ranked sixth, at Mattamy Athletic Centre on March 7. The Huskies had a slow start as they were trailing by one point by the end of the first quarter. However, an offensive blowout of 25 points during the second quarter gave the Huskies a comfortable 38-28 lead before the start of the second half. The Axewomen refused to give up, reducing the deficit to three points at one instance during the fourth quarter. But the Huskies were able to fend

off the aggression from the underdogs and defeated the Axewomen 77-69. Two of the Huskies’ forwards dominated in the paint during the quarter-final action. Summer Masikewich scored 25 points and contributed eight rebounds. Kyla Shand had a double-double game, scoring 13 points while recording 10 rebounds. Sabine Dukate played a rather disappointing game. The Canada West Player of the Year scored only seven points during the game, which is significantly lower than her 16-point seasonal average. After earning their first victory of the tournament, the Huskies’ progression towards their second national title was halted by the eventual gold medalists, the McMaster Marauders, during the semifinal action on March 9. Even though the Huskies minimized the Marauders’ threat behind the three-point line, the Huskies still took a passive role as they did not gain the lead at all throughout the game. The Marauders edged the Huskies out by three points by the end of the first quarter. The Huskies evened the score to 3333 after scoring 20 points in the second quarter. Quarter three was decisive to the outcome of the game. The Marauders deployed a fullcourt defence, pressuring the Huskies into turnovers. The Huskies could not respond to

the Marauders’ strategy, allowing the Marauders to take the lead and widen the margin to 12 points. The Huskies went all out during the final 10 minutes, reducing the gap to four points late in the game. However, the Marauders remained composed and dominated from the free throw line during the final minute, holding back the Huskies until the buzzer went off. After conceding a 66-73 defeat to the Marauders, the Huskies were sent to play the Ottawa Gee-Gees in the bronze-medal game on March 10. The Huskies flirted with the bronze medal in dramatic fashion as they lost a close one against the Gee-Gees. The Huskies had an excellent first half as they outscored the Gee-Gees in both the first and second periods, bringing a 14-point lead into the second half. Yet, it was the third quarter again that put the Huskies in an unfavourable position. Contrary to the first half, the Huskies suffered from an offensive drought, scoring only six points in the quarter. On the other hand, the Gee-Gees were on fire as they registered 21 points onto the scoresheet. The Huskies’ 14-point lead diminished and turned into a one-point deficit. The Gee-Gees were able to maintain their onepoint lead until the end of the game, making the final score 62-63. The Huskies ended the tournament in fourth place.

Equipment 1 seed grinder or coffee bean grinder 1 small food processor 1 baking sheet, plate or plastic container Parchment paper or waxed paper, if desired Procedure Use either flax seeds with pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds with sunflower seeds for best texture and flavour. Grind each type of seed into a separate meal, and measure after grinding. Pit dates. Mix the first nine ingredients in a food processor, setting aside some additional hemp hearts for later. Hand roll mixture into small balls. Add extra honey if it will not stick together — up to 1 cup in total is fine. Add up to 1 tablespoon coconut oil if mixture is too sticky or crumbly to roll. Roll each ball in the reserved hemp hearts, coating them thoroughly. Lay the balls out on a baking sheet, on a plate or in a plastic container. If desired, the container can first be lined with parchment paper or waxed paper. Chill for 10 minutes. Keep cool until just before serving to preserve structural integrity.

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

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SPORTS&HEALTH

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Youper: Your new personal mental-health assistant Monitor and improve your emotional health issues using an app. SHAWNA LANGER

Youper is a self-care, selfhelp tool that is designed to allow users to take control of their emotional health and communicate more effectively with mental-health-care providers. It was created to help you become the best possible version of yourself. Youper is a confidential app — created by psychiatrist Jose Hamilton Vargas, designer and software engineer Diego Dotta and computer scientist Thiago Marafon — designed to be a personal assistant to help users monitor and improve their emotional health. The app allows users to monitor their emotional state by providing a notification at a certain time each day as a reminder to track your mood throughout the day. When describing emotional symptoms in a conversation in the app, suggestions are provided as methods to help ease stress or anxiety. Some methods offered through Youper are meditation and gratitude exercises. Symptom monitoring is available for general mood and any specific mental-health diagnosis you may have. With multiple diagnoses, there are multiple monitoring tools that

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Shawna Langer

ask questions specific to your condition. It can be overwhelming while in treatment with mental-health professionals to recall what sort of symptoms you’ve had over the past couple of weeks. Maybe, the last few days were okay, but the week before was very stressful,

and the week before that was even worse — but who can remember their symptoms over a period of weeks? Youper can be used as a log to monitor your symptoms and can be useful in determining if there are certain stressors or triggers that cause you more anxiety or distress.

Having a reminder from the app to describe how you were feeling on each given day can make it much easier to describe your state of mind as it has — potentially — changed since last seeing your healthcare provider. Youper was created to present new ways of helping us with the pursuit of happiness — it uses artificial intelligence to help us understand the functioning of the human mind and support us to live happier lives. Youper is personalized to develop individualized treatments for specific conditions. The app incorporates a variety of methods such as cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness and meditation, and acceptance and commitment therapy to assist users in overcoming negative affective states. Everyone wants to be able to live a happier life, but there are so many factors that contribute to a person’s happiness. General happiness is affected by social relationships, temperament and adaptation, socio-economic status, society and culture, and thinking styles — to name a few. The website states that having a conversation with Youper has been shown to improve individuals mood for over 80 per cent of users.

Youper analyzes the moodrelated symptoms you describe to determine changes in your daily symptoms. Using the app has helped me to see what factors in my life have been causing me the greatest amount of stress. It has helped me to develop different perspectives on situations as well as explore a variety of coping mechanisms and tools to improve my well-being. By using Youper, I have increased my productivity and have felt a general improvement in my mood. The app has helped me to remain mindful of my feelings throughout the day and within various situations, which has helped me handle stressors more effectively. Youper is not designed to replace medical consultation or therapy and does not provide diagnosis or medical or professional care — but it can be a useful tool to monitor symptoms and to help you have more informed conversations with medical professionals. Youper can help people improve their mood and challenge negative thinking. The app uses artificial intelligence to gain information about your preferences and behaviours to best help you improve your daily functioning.

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SPORTS&HEALTH

Period piece: Demystifying and destigmatizing menstruation The lives of those who have a uterus are punctuated by menstruation, so it’s important to know the basics.

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

ERIN MATTHEWS OPINIONS EDITOR

There are many names for menstruation — the shedding of uterine lining after ovulation — but whether you call it your period, mother nature’s gift, moon time or some other strange term of endearment, it’s a straightforward biological process. And yet, there are a lot of misconceptions and stigma that surround it. Making the rounds on the internet last week was some poor soul’s poor attempt at explaining the affordability of menstrual products on Twitter. He allotted seven tampons per cycle — 10 for those with “extra juicy lining” — and nine periods per year. With his dubious math skills, he found that tampons, if purchased in bulk on Am-

azon, would cost roughly $35 per year. Does he think that there are nine months in a year, or does he think that the uterus just checks out for three months? Perhaps, he confused this with the nine-month gestation time of a regular pregnancy. One thing is blatantly obvious: the dude has no idea about human biology or women’s bodies. First of all, seven tampons per cycle are not going to cut it for most women — more like seven tampons a day. The average amount of blood per period is not standardized, with some women bleeding a lot more than others during one cycle. Period lengths also vary and can last anywhere from three to seven days. Those who have irregular periods may not menstruate for months at a time while others will have two experiences in one month.

Yeah, two periods a month. It is more common than you think. Recently, sex education has taken a hit in Canada and the United States with opposition from religious groups and socially conservative governments. After his election, Ontario Premier Doug Ford wanted to return to the archaic sex ed curriculum of 1998 — a dangerous step backwards. It comes down to the fact that we are generally uncomfortable discussing what our bodies do. But this lack of awareness is troubling and problematic. Periods are not one size fits all, with women experiencing anything from mild discomfort to excruciating pain during their cycle. There are reports of young women mistaking appendicitis for menstrual cramps, which could lead to a ruptured appendix and adverse health

outcomes. The fact that regular period pain can be so intense that one can confuse it with the near rupturing of an organ is just another reminder that being unaware of how our own bodies function can be disastrous for our health. Cycling back to the original roast of Twitter guy, period products cost a hell of a lot more than $35 per year. A box of tampons will set you back by roughly $10, and women might go through half a box during a period, if not the whole box. So menstrual-related products are going to set you back at the very least $120 per year and often much more. Prices like these can be problematic for low-income women. Organizations like the Saskatchewan-born Moon Time Sisters strive to provide menstrual products for women in northern communities who can’t afford them.

Some of us can get around the whole cotton money grab by trading in your tampons for menstrual cups, but these cups are not the Holy Grail for all women. The limited sizes offered for the plastic cup don’t really translate to the individual anatomy of women, causing slips and leaks for some. You’ll also need to make sure you keep the cup clean to avoid bacterial infections and dangers like toxic shock syndrome — both are risks also associated with tampon usage. Destigmatizing and demystifying periods doesn’t necessarily need radical movements like free bleeding or menstrual blood facials — education is what’s essential. A basic grasp of biology goes a long way toward understanding how our bodies and the bodies of others work. And it can help you avoid looking like a fool on Twitter.

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FEATURE

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Learn outside the classroom: Experiential learning at the U of S Experiential opportunities offer students a way to engage with their field of interest and the wider community. ANA CRISTINA CAMACHO STAFF WRITER

For the past few years, the University of Saskatchewan has been putting resources into increasing experiential learning opportunities for students. Learning through direct experiences has benefits to the students, the community and the university as a whole, and goals related to growing this area will be part of the university’s targets for 2025. Experiential learning is a methodology characterized by direct experience and interaction with a course’s subject matter followed by a reflection and assessment of the experience. At the U of S, the four main areas of experiential learning are undergraduate research, field-based instruction, community-engaged learning, work experience and studyabroad programs. Experiential learning was made a priority for the university’s teaching and learning portfolio in 2012 when the third integrated plan was released. This document outlined the university’s plans for the years 2012 through 2017: the last of its kind before the university switched formats in 2018 and released the University Plan 2025 as the new planning statement. The integrated plan committed to increasing the number of students engaging in experiential learning by 20 per cent by 2017. It also set a goal for a minimum number of undergraduate courses with experiential learning involving Aboriginal communities or organizations. In the 2012 multi-year budget framework, $3.5 million was set aside for the Academic Priorities Fund, meant to finance the priorities outlined in the plan. According to the 2017 Final Report, these two goals were for the most part achieved. Reportedly, there were issues with calculating the percentage of growth due to a redefining of the term “experiential learning” in the context of the university, but the Experiential Learning Fund established in 2011 made possible 49 projects in the period covered by the plan. Additionally, seven “courses or internships

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Andrew Fehr / File A U of S student poses for a photograph during during her northern travels.

Community Service Learning / Supplied STM Service and Justice students participate in the Israel/Palestine Land Exercise, facilitated by staff of Mennonite Central Committee Saskatchewan.

that provide undergraduate students with experiential learning opportunities involving Aboriginal communities or organizations” were started in 2013. Nancy Turner, director of teaching and learning enhancement, says experiential learning is important to the university’s goals. “That idea that we are all part of a university community of learners is really where experiential learning can help bring us together,” Turner said. “It focuses on learning as our endeavor rather than just em-

ployment — although, that learning will often lead to employment.” Last year, 44 per cent of undergraduate students participated in at least one experiential-learning opportunity. Currently, Turner says increasing experiential opportunities connected to Indigenous knowledge as well as undergraduate research is at the forefront of her office’s efforts. “For us to achieve our aspirations around Indigenization, decolonization, and ultimately, reconciliation, we need to

think carefully about how we are incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing into the curriculum,” Turner said. “Undergraduate research is a priority area because … there are still so many questions that are not answered, and for students to engage in the process of discovery helps with learning but also with motivation.” The university is also interested in increasing studyabroad opportunities. Peter Stoicheff, president of the U of S, has said he is expecting to see support towards student mobility in the 2019 provincial budget. Turner says the university’s interest in opening up study-abroad programs to more students through partnerships with the International Student and Study Abroad Centre is part of their commitment to internationalization. “It’s about providing opportunities to students but also about doing some work toward the internationalization of the curriculum. It’s about helping students develop skills of intercultural competence. Although, we recognize that it’s not the only way that can happen,” Turner said. “There is additional funding available for

study abroad in partnership with ISSAC to support the creation of these opportunities.” Despite the funding available, studying abroad is typically the most costly way to participate in experiential learning. Caitlin Ward, manager of engaged learning at St. Thomas More College, says community-engaged learning offers similar benefits to studying abroad. “You learn the same skills in terms of encountering communities — it’s the same thing on a smaller scale,” Ward said. “And with service learning, there’s the added bonus that it’s also serving the community.” Ward has been working at the STM Engaged Learning office for the past nine years. Ward says communityengaged learning is a perfect match for the college, and in her time with the office, she has seen it grow in popularity. “The year before I came in, about 130 students were involved in community-service learning. Now, we have doubled those numbers,” Ward said. “[CSL] works really well with our mission as a Catholic college. In our mission statement, it says that what we do

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FEATURE

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

Community Service Learning / Supplied STM Service and Justice students face off in Social Justice Trivia as part of program orientation.

is not an end in itself, but it’s supposed to find application for the greater good.” Ward and Cooper Muirhead, a community-service learning assistant, work to connect community partners with courses offered at STM. Sometimes, the connections are easy to make. For example, an English class about the culture of disability partners with L’Arche Saskatoon, SaskAbilities and Sherbrooke. Sometimes, they have to get creative. For example, a class about medieval romances that covers notions of honour and masculinity was partnered to work with people who were incarcerated and coming out of incarceration. Ward says it’s important to make these connections to ground knowledge learning in practical application. That way, both the students and the community benefit. “Students understand things better because they are not only learning theoretically or at an abstract level,” Ward said. “It’s easy to become very focused on your own classes and your own life, but going out to the community and serving needs is good for you, and it’s good for the community.” CSL partners with a variety of populations: newcomers, intercity youth and elderly communities, among others. Currently, CSL is offered in approximately 25 courses a year at STM, which according to Ward, is about the maximum capacity of their two-person office. One of the office’s goals for the future is to build relationships and partnerships with Indigenous peoples. Ward says they are one of the various

units at STM working toward this goal. “As a Catholic college, we understand that we have a particular responsibility. We have been an agent of damage, historically, and so, it’s important for us to repair some of those relationships and work to address the damage that our church has caused,” Ward said. “We are working slowly on developing connections with reserves and First Nations populations.” This will not be an immediate change, though. Ward says the engaged-learning office will take its time to make sure they open the right programs. “That’s something that we want to do slowly because we want to do it well. It’s easy to want to get programming going because we should and it looks good, but we don’t want to cause more damage by not being considered,” Ward said. “We don’t want to open a program that’s not going to be productive.” Thinking about the future of experiential learning, Turner says that partnerships with Indigenous populations will also take precedence at the wider university level. “Experiences connected to Indigenous worldviews will continue to be an absolute priority for the institution,” Turner said. The University Plan 2025 identifies the growth of experiential-learning opportunities as essential for the achievement of one of its commitments — embracing manacihitowin, or respecting one another — but it does not mention specific targets or ini-

Andrea Geiger Research dogs sit on the grass near the U of S Bowl during a walk with research students.

tiatives. Turner says that these will be determined in the upcoming learning, teaching and student experience plan. “The University Plan was intentionally kept very high level, but you can see how experiential learning would fit within all those broad goals,” Turner said. “We are in the midst of

creating a plan that will more clearly articulate goals around support of student learning.” According to Turner, the university’s support of experiential learning will continue. “There’s increasing momentum behind and interest in engaging in experiential learning,” Turner said. “One of the

key priorities coming out of my portfolio is to increase opportunities for students to have more integrated learning, so that’s one area that I think we’ll see growth and investment in.” Growing this area is not without its challenges as it is a relatively new model, but Turner says that the university has the resources to continue to increase experiential opportunities. “It’s a change from a more traditional approach to teaching and learning. It can be more costly, and it’s sometimes logistically challenging,” Turner said. “But those challenges can be countered with the resources that the university is putting into this and the expertise within colleges and centres.” Turner sees experiential programming as a uniting force for the university — a goal that all programs should embrace. “[Experiential learning] has brought a great amount of collaboration and shared vision across the institution — everyone can contribute to the advancing of this goal,” Turner said. “It’s been fabulous to be part of it and to see it grow and remain a significant priority for the institution.” Experiential learning in its various forms is a growing presence at the university. The opportunities are out there, so why not take advantage of them? To find courses that include experiential-learning opportunities, go into the Advanced Search in the Class Search or Registration channels and select the “experiential learning” category under Attribute Type.

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EVENTS T H U R S

GERTLER LECTURESHIP: CHIEF JUSTICE RICHARD WAGNER, PC @ COLLEGE OF LAW, 12:00 P.M. GLOBAL VILLAGE 2019 @ LOUIS’, 5:00 P.M.

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The Umbrella Academy is completely out of its mind The new Netflix indie adaptation is the most ambitious comic-book show ever.

ESSENCE DOCUMENTARY PREMIERE @ THE ROXY THEATRE, 7:00 P.M.

SINGLE MOTHERS WITH MOBINA GALORE AND TMHM

COLE CHRETIEN CULTURE EDITOR

@ AMIGOS CANTINA, 9:00 P.M.

F R I

ALEX BENT + THE EMPTINESS WITH AFTER TWO AM AND TORIA SUMMERFIELD @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 9:00 P.M. RAEBURN WITH DYLAN COOPER AND LYZANNE FOTH @ BLACK CAT TAVERN, 9:00 P.M.

SASKATOON SOAPS PRESENTS THE IDLE DAYS OF MARCH @ THE BROADWAY THEATRE, 9:30 P.M. RITUAL RABBITS, BICYCLE DAZE, AND OSCAR’S HOLLOW @ AMIGOS CANTINA, 10:00 P.M.

S A T

GRAPHIC DESIGN IN PHOTOSHOP WITH EMILY KOHLERT @ PAVED ARTS, 12:00 P.M. ENTERPRISE EARTH AND AETHERE WITH DUSTY TUCKER AND CRYPTORCHIDS @ BLACK CAT TAVERN, 8:30 P.M. BASS IN THE BUSH ST. PADDY’S DAY PARTY FT. PINEO AND LOEB @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 9:00 P.M. JOHNNY 2 FINGERS, VELVET THREADS, AND TAYLOR JADE @ AMIGOS CANTINA, 10:00 P.M.

S U N

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

ST. PATRICK’S DAY WITH WENCHES & ROGUES @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 8:00 P.M.

FLINT KARAOKE @ FLINT SALOON, 9:00 P.M.

M O N

ARTS AND SCIENCE BOOK CLUB READING AND DISCUSSION: THE BREAK @ GORDON OAKES RED BEAR STUDENT CENTRE, 2:00 P.M.

BIRD ID WORKSHOP FOR NOVICE BIRDERS @ HEALTH SCIENCES BUILDING, ROOM 1130, 7:00 P.M.

GAMES NIGHT @ LOUIS’ PUB, 7:00 P.M. MY WRITING LIFE: KATHERENA VERMETTE @ CONVOCATION HALL, 7:00 P.M.

T U E S

SWITCH VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION NIGHT @ LOUIS’ PUB, 5:00 P.M.

UHEALTH: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY HEALTH CONFERENCE @ LOUIS’ LOFT, 5:00 P.M. 100% TUESDAYS @ LOUIS’ PUB, 8:00 P.M. OPEN STAGE @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 8:00 P.M.

W E D

GRIEF 101: SUPPORTING STUDENTS THROUGH LOSS @ PLACE RIEL, ROOM 323, 3:15 P.M.

BECAUSE WE/THEY ARE WOMEN @ USSU WOMEN’S CENTRE, 5:00 P.M.

DSMS PRESENTS DESCENSION/ASCENSION SASKATOON @ WITCH MANSION, 105 POPLAR CRESCENT, 8:00 P.M. KATIE THIROUX TRIO @ THE BASSMENT, 8:00 P.M.

MARCH 7-17

SCUM: A MANIFESTO

MARCH 18-22

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MARCH 20-30

MACHINAL

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The new high-concept superhero show on Netflix, The Umbrella Academy, is an absolute fever dream and may be the most watchable thing that the streaming giant has ever produced. The Umbrella Academy is based on an independent comic book created by Gerard Way — yes, the My Chemical Romance guy — and it’s better than it has any right to be. The show follows the Hargreeves family, a team of seven orphans born with inexplicable powers who reconvene as adults to investigate the death of their billionaire patriarch and stop an impending apocalypse. The characters in The Umbrella Academy are unique in their inventive powers and psychological depths. Each member of the group has a standout design and a fully fleshed-out personality from the start of the series. The team feels timeless, as if they’ve existed as long as the Marvel and DC characters that they draw inspiration from. Each of the Hargreeves siblings has a notable character hook. Luther struggles with an accident that left him with a mutant gorilla-like body, Klaus struggles with heroin addiction as a way to self-medicate his ability to see the dead, and the time-travelling Number Five is trapped in a child’s body after spending half a decade in a different timeline. Serving as the audience stand-in amidst these largerthan-life characters is Vanya, played by Ellen Page, who has no discernible ability — aside from orchestral violin — despite being raised as a member of the academy. Page brings real gravitas to the series and an emotional realism to her character that keeps the otherwise ridiculous events of the series grounded in reality. This is necessary because the plot is insanely ambitious. There are time-travelling assassins, secretive android caretakers and long-gestating conspiracies against the acad-

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

emy. There’s an entire subplot where one of the characters is accidentally transported back to the Vietnam War where he serves an entire tour. Naturally, this happens in between episodes and is only fully explained later. Others might find this chaotic as the tonal whiplash of all these disparate elements coming together can be a bit much, but I found the frenetic pacing to be addictive. The show never becomes stagnant, revealing new secrets with each passing episode rather than piling up unanswered questions. Despite its anarchic approach to storytelling, The Umbrella Academy is incredibly well plotted. Each individual character arc pays off by the end of the season even if individual scenes sometimes seem inconsequential. By the final episode, every point of inquiry — aside from a few cliffhangers — is wrapped up in a way that is wholly satisfying. The visual design of the show is also fantastic. What could have easily come off

looking like a bargain-bin Tim Burton rip-off looks more like someone let Wes Anderson direct a Marvel movie. Everything from the practical effects used to create Luther’s towering physical presence to the industry-standard CGI looks incredible. This sense of style also extends to the set design. Each locale in the series feels otherworldly but oddly familiar. It’s a show that makes a long-forgotten attic or a cluttered apartment look just as visually interesting as its big action set pieces. Locations are treated like characters in The Umbrella Academy, which is an achievement in itself. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this show as much as I did, but the mix of sombre family drama and high-concept comic-book storytelling absolutely drew me in. Others might find the tone too inconsistent or be thrown off by the tenuous MCR connection, but if you can get past that, there’s nothing quite like The Umbrella Academy.

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Local band Too Soon Monsoon adds new member, announces album release date Too Soon Monsoon moves to a three-piece ahead of new LP.

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Too Soon Monsoon / Supplied

TOMILOLA OJO

The Sheaf sat down with local band Too Soon Monsoon in Saskatoon’s own Broadway Café over warm apple pie and coffee to speak about their history, the addition of a new member, their new album and a few upcoming shows. TSM first started in late 2016 at on open mic night at Somewhere Else Pub & Grill with Greg Torwalt on vocals and piano and Nathan Henry on drums. Since then, TSM has released two EPs, performed at various music festivals across Saskatchewan and opened for the likes of PVRIS and Twin Peaks. They have also performed with local Saskatchewan artists like Ellen Froese and the Garrys. The band finds inspiration in artists like Metric, Feist, Fleetwood Mac, The White Stripes and even the iconic Lauryn Hill. They describe themselves as “alternative pop-rock with some jazz influences,” or as it was jokingly put, “scruffy indie beard music but with a soft, sensitive pop crunchy inside.” TSM had been searching for a guitarist and third member and recently recruited University of Saskatchewan student Declan Hills on guitar after seeing him

perform with local act Sincerely And. Hills is a second-year computer science major with a passion for music. “I guess my end goal in music has always been that music is something that gives me so much happiness to do, and it gives so much to me. Asking anything from it kind of seems ludicrous… It’s just so rewarding in itself… That being said, being in Too Soon Monsoon is a dream,” Hills said. Torwalt also studied at the U of S, graduating in the early 2010s from the College of Education, and he now works at St. Andrew’s College. Henry works as a drywall contractor. Too Soon Monsoon’s vocal style is reminiscent of singers such as the leads of Wheatus, Alt-J and The White Stripes with hints of the memorable piano riffs that popularized the Fray. Their debut album, Waves, is a conceptual album that takes the listener on a journey. From the captivating crooning on their latest single, “Stay Golden,” to the more grungy vibes of “The Walls (pt. 2)” to the soft reminiscing of “Energy In Motion,” every song on the album evokes a unique feeling in the listener. Waves drops on May 3 with what is sure to be an electric release show at Capitol Music Club.

Other performers who influence the band include Saskatoon rappers Eekwol and T-Rhyme, Crooked Spies and S’MOORE. Regarding the album itself, which was recorded with help from Creative Saskatchewan, a lot of inspiration was drawn from a number of different areas. “It’s quite inspired by nature, especially the river going through Saskatoon. Kind of like taking time to slow down and appreciate nature and appreciate the little things,” Torwalt said. “One of the songs on the album, “Mountains of Blue,” is inspired by the Lawren Harris painting in the Remai… It kind of triggered me to slow down and appreciate the things in nature and in life… There’s also some other stuff — I lost an uncle during that time, too — so just reflecting on the purpose of life and spirituality and the afterlife,” Torwalt said. Too Soon Monsoon’s next single, “Point Of It All,” is set to be released on March 29. They can be found on social media with the handle @toosoonmonsoon. Their music will be released on Spotify and iTunes with merch that can be found on their Bandcamp.

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Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild names U of S student as first ever Youth Poet Laureate Alasdair Rees was the first recipient of the Youth Poet Laureate. CLEO NGUYEN

The Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild has appointed its first ever Youth Poet Laureate, Saskatoon Fransaskois artist Alasdair Rees, whose devotion and passion has shown through in the brilliance of both his spoken-word art and written poetry. Poetry continues to be one of the many forms of art that transcends time. Words possess the capacity to touch what seems to be an infinite audience, Rees explains in an email to the Sheaf regarding the importance of writing. “The written word allows us to speak through time. It’s a technology on which our culture depends, and I suspect it will also play a significant part in getting us out of the ecological and political disasters our global community is currently faced with,” Rees said. “So much fear stifles so much creative expression every day, and the world gets cheated of all that beauty.”

COMING EVENTS follow us

SaSkatoon Symphony orcheStra

Eric Paetkau and Mark Turner discuss the upcoming Masters Series 5 concert Finding Heinz Moehn Tuesday, March 19, 7 pm

arielle twiSt

Saskatoon Launch

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor The first Youth Poet Laureate of the SWG, Alasdair Rees, poses for a photograph in his living room on March 10, 2019.

While students are well versed in academic writing thanks to their studies, the University of Saskatchewan is lucky to also have an impressive number of young writers and poets amidst its creative community, which continues to be vibrant and thriving. Among them is Rees, an alumnus who graduated with an honours degree in French, who now teaches cultural studies and French courses here at the university. Aside from his academic life, Rees has an accomplished artistic profile that features works in GUTS, ÖMËGÄ and various other contemporary cultural publications. The publications all have a common theme of offering unique urban perspectives of artists from communities that are often overshadowed by normative narratives. Simultaneously, it challenges the status quo by bringing forth new waves of artists and works that are both curious and compelling. Rees is known and credited for his presence in the spoken-word scene as well as

Disintegrate/Dissociate with guest readers Tenille Campbell & Erica Violet Lee Thursday, March 21, 7 pm

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Riley Deacon / Photo Editor The first Youth Poet Laureate of the SWG, Alasdair Rees, photographed through a reflection in his living room mirror, poses for a photograph on March 10, 2019.

having been a former Saskatoon individual poetry slam champion. In 2016, Rees was chosen by the local group Tonight It’s Poetry to represent Saskatoon at the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam. While the university can take pride in its creative undergraduates and alumni, it is the city of Regina that is home to the SWG, a non-profit organization that seeks to showcase and promote Saskatchewan writers while simultaneously acting as their primary advocates and support since 1969.

The SWG has dedicated itself to promoting personal development in writers throughout their literacy careers and enabling broader public access to Saskatchewan writers and their works. Support for writers is shown in a number of programs facilitated by the SWG through workshops and services such as the mentorship program, the Indigenous mentorship program, a manuscript evaluation service, an annual reading series and province-wide tour — just to name a few.

Rees’ title, Youth Poet Laureate, is a recent addition onto the broader framework of the Saskatchewan Poet Laureate Program, which started in 2000. By adding the position of the Youth Poet Laureate, the organization continues to honour the tradition of the program while simultaneously creating a title that will offer Saskatchewan youths more opportunities to engage and reach out to the provincial community. Rees has become an ambassador of the SWG, an advocate for the art of poetry and spoken word and an advocate who celebrates the works of fellow poets and spoken-word artists. Undoubtedly, Rees also did all this prior to achieving the position by contributing his voice to the poetry scene and participating in spaces that promote and uphold virtues of inclusiveness. However, upon being designated the Youth Poet Laureate, his work now comes with official recognition as stated by the selection committee on the SWG website regarding their impression of Rees. “His work embraces multiple communities, including Saskatoon’s Queer, Fransaskois and visual arts communities… His passion, initiative and commitment to the power of poetry and spoken word [ensure] Alasdair will be a vibrant and energetic Youth Poet Laureate for Saskatchewan.” Rees also offers his own remarks on the incredible opportunity. “I’m looking forward to sharing my love of language with the people of this place that I love so much,” Rees said. “I’m also hopeful that I’ll be able to use this platform to elevate some of my favourites among the amazing voices currently writing and performing in the province.”

OPINIONS

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Ask an Agro: Agriculture from across the ocean True or false: Agriculture consists only of livestock operations and grain farming. AMY CARRUTHERS

False! While agriculture operations within our Canadian Prairies may consist primarily of commodity crops and livestock, there are so many other agricultural ventures that we, as Canadians, often overlook. Agriculture is extremely diverse and is found in all shapes and sizes across the globe. You don’t need to have connections within the industry to get involved in feeding our growing population. While studying at HAS University of Applied Sciences in ’s-Hertogenbosch — also know as Den Bosch — in the Netherlands for the past month, I visited a camel dairy operation, learned about palm oil production and was introduced to an innovative industry called agroforestry. I knew very little about all three of these topics, and learning about each unique operation has opened my eyes to the enormous scope of the amazingly important global industry that we call agricul-

Paul Miller / Supplied 1-hectare food forest pilot project outside of Den Bosch, Netherlands.

ture. Although camel milk and palm oil are marketed globally, both production processes would sadly fail in our harsh Canadian climate. Agroforestry is more within our aptitude in the Great North. Agroforestry is defined by World Agroforestry as “the interaction of agriculture and trees, including the agricultural use of trees.” In other words, agroforestry consists of a variety of perennial trees and crops that survive as poly-

cultures — where more than one species is grown — rather than single-crop monocultures to create a complex and productive system that can produce food, fibre and fuel. Agroforestry is currently used in tropical areas of the world where plant species are numerous and the growing season is long. Coffee and bananas have both been produced successfully in agroforestry systems in Central America. Nonetheless,

the principles of agroforestry have been implemented in temperate climates as well. A pilot food forest has been created in Sint-Michielsgestel in the Netherlands by a group of young people called the forest farmers. Their mission is to create “truly ecological food production” within temperate zones of the world. This pilot project is used as inspiration and a blueprint for curious farmers within the Netherlands.

I have no shelf control: Thoughts of an avid reader A love of reading can do so much for you. Shawna Langer

MATTHEW J.S. TAYLOR

When I was younger, my mom stressed the importance of reading and taught me to do so at an early age. She instilled in me a love of reading that hasn’t left. While books like Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit just don’t do it for me anymore, my love of reading has never died. I’ve moved up to books like Jo Nesbø’s The Snowman and Paul Lukacs’ Inventing Wine, but my love of reading has only grown stronger. Reading is not only for leisure — it’s also a great way to stay informed. I’m usually on my phone in class reading the

news. I don’t just read articles from one site. I get my information from a plethora of sources like the StarPhoenix, CTV News, Vox, BBC News, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, The New York Times, and of course, the Sheaf. In fact, I’m the only person my age I know who subscribes to The New York Times. Visiting a news website isn’t really that common for 21-year-olds, after all. The news on these sites helps me stay informed and aware of the world around me. Reading is a great way to learn about topics to which you might never have otherwise been exposed. I found American politics interesting after reading the news regu-

larly. The government in the United States is a mess right now, and I wanted to learn more about it. While one can read and digest information from devices, good old-fashioned books work, too. I’m terrible for getting my hands on books and never reading them — I’m a book hoarder. There’s even a Japanese term to describe someone like me — “tsundoku,” which refers to someone who acquires books and never quite gets around to reading them. I’m so guilty of being far behind on my reading list that I just finished some books that I got 10 years ago. This penchant for hoarding books has led me to have

hundreds of diverse titles in my bedroom! I can’t even get rid of any of them because they all spark joy for me — Marie Kondo would not be happy. Of course, having that many books hasn’t stopped me from wanting more. I currently have over 100 books on my wish list. I will have material to read for years to come, especially if I keep adding to my reading list. Books are a great — and cheap! — way to be entertained. While the time needed to read a book depends on the reader as well as the topic and length of a book, reading a 300-page book usually takes upwards of three hours. Compared to the money you’d spend going out, a book

All agroforestry systems are designed with the long term in mind. The rows of trees at the back of the system will grow to be substantially taller than those species in the rows closer to the front — allowing the sun to reach all areas of the food forest. Some major benefits of agroforestry include increased biodiversity, reduced soil erosion and using solar energy more efficiently than monocultures. Being introduced to innovative concepts like agroforestry has opened my eyes to the never-ending flexibility of our global agriculture industry. Agroforestry, camel dairies and palm oil production all have one thing in common — they help feed our growing population worldwide. I challenge you to take a step back and look at agriculture from a global perspective. You never know what you will learn about this diverse and important industry. There may be a role within global agriculture waiting for you. What is stopping you from finding out? is a cheap investment that can entertain you over and over again. My love of reading is what brought me to volunteer at the Sheaf three years ago. I became quite good at proofreading thanks to the many hours spent poring over books, and I found it to be something that I enjoyed. Copy editing was the perfect fit for me, and I’ve been volunteering ever since. Reading can enhance your writing skills by strengthening your vocabulary and subconsciously improving your grammar. At some point in your academic career, you’ll be slamming your head into a table because you have a paper to write and you need all the marks you can get. Why not dazzle your professor with your luxurious lexicon to boost your grade? Overall, reading is a great use of your time because it can keep you informed, teach you new things, help you become a better writer and give you hours of entertainment. The next time you have a spare minute, why don’t you relax with a nice book or stay in the loop by reading a couple of news articles? You’ll thank yourself for taking the time to do so.

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Born with the safety off: A look at the psychology of psychopathy Ted Bundy gives us a template for learning about psychopathic traits and criminal behaviour. MICHAEL BERGEN

From 1974 to 1978, Theodore Bundy’s murder spree of an estimated 30 young women spread across the United States like a malignant tumour. With the Netflix release of Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, we are offered a glimpse into the psyche of a man possessed by fantasy. But if we want to better understand psychopathy, we must look to the subfield of psychology known as criminal behaviour. Canadian criminal psychologist Robert Hare has described two categories of psychopathy characteristics. The first category consists of emotional, interpersonal and affective traits — such as grandiosity, lack of empathy and fearlessness. The second consists of antisocial traits — such as poor behavioural control, impulsivity and a need for excitement. As we attempt to examine Bundy’s psyche through his own chilling words, keep these descriptors in mind. Bundy speculated on the murders that he would later confess to committing by saying, “We’re now talking about the development of behaviour. Murder… What aberrations lay at the base of [these men-

DE DR.

Yashica Bither

tal functions] and where were they given birth?... It’s difficult to trace it back and say this is what happened.” Bundy was born out of wedlock in a home for unwed mothers. Throughout his childhood, his family also engaged in a series of lies regarding his true parentage. This impacted his early attachment development, which has known consequences on the progression of emotional neural systems. It is likely that this — in conjunction with the

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VALERIE

KORINEK

HISTORY WILL

right, or wrong, mix of genes — left him with gaps in key emotional areas. Neuroimaging studies have found that brain regions involved in the binding of emotional, motivational and cognitive information are significantly reduced in individuals with higher psychopathy scores. With the absence of these neuropsychological tools, the emergence of morals, values and positive long-term social relationships becomes almost impossible.

LECTURE

PRESENTING

"PRAIRIES COMING OUT STRONG" Western Canadian Queer Communities 1969-1985 Frances Morrison Central Library, 311 23 St. E Saskatoon Free Admission for all. Light snacks and refreshments provided. Organized by the History Graduate Students Committee at the University of Saskatchewan

14 / OPINIONS

As an adult, Bundy idealized his childhood, despite the fact that reality differed. His grandfather, who lived in the same home, was intermittently abusive. This early childhood victimization puts children with psychopathic traits at an especially high risk of developing violent behaviours through observational learning. Al Carlisle — the Utah State Prison psychologist who evaluated Bundy — speculates that Bundy’s discovery of his birth certificate at about age 14 had a profound impact on him during this critical period of development. Bundy would eventually speak of a void in his life, one he attempted to fill through stalking and violent pornography. “Perhaps, this person hoped that through violence, through these violent series of acts, ... every murder leaving a person of this type hungry [and] unfulfilled would also leave him with the obviously irrational belief that, the next time he did it, he would be fulfilled,” Bundy expressed in a prison interview. To understand this cycle of violence, we must look at the underlying physiological and fantastical processes. Inheriting a decreased physiological responsiveness to emotional

stimuli and a high threshold for stress, it is thought that psychopaths impulsively seek out increasingly potent negative stimuli that are dangerous, violent or aggressive in an attempt to feel something. Fantasy, as described by Carlisle, becomes an attempt to gratify some internal desire that is not yet attainable in reality. As the fantasy frequently reoccurs, the imagery becomes more vivid and absorbing. Eventually, the psychopath dissociates from the world around them, and the two competing realities become compartmentalized in their mind. At some point, the thrill of imagination no longer satisfies them, and the fantasized act becomes easier to give in to than hanging on to a moral structure they don’t truly understand. Each time the compulsive act is carried out, the underlying neural firing patterns become strengthened, increasing the likelihood of the act being carried out again and again and again — often without remorse. Bundy himself spoke of guilt while on death row. “Guilt? It’s this mechanism we use to control people. It’s an illusion. It’s a kind of social control mechanism — and it’s very unhealthy,” Bundy said. “I am in the enviable position of not having to deal with guilt.” Guilt serves as an emotional mechanism that enables people to monitor and recalibrate their behaviour amidst a complex social environment. So yes, in one way, guilt does control people, but it is quite necessary to a healthy, functioning society. Bundy understood human behaviour well enough to deceive, gaslight and manipulate people to further his own selfish desires. But due to an array of factors, he never truly understood what it means to be human. Perhaps, this is what drew him to study psychology at the University of Washington — to learn about a condition of which he seemed to have no subjective understanding.

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Tidings of spring AMANDA SLINGER COPY EDITOR

Spring is undoubtedly the season in which to live a second childhood. Hot sun heats your back while caressing breezes cool the skin of your face and tease your hair to wild, snakelike proportions. After a forty-below Canadian winter, spring is soft-warm and calm-cool. With lengthening days and lighter ways, spring breeds the carefree spir-

it needed for a child’s summer without the commitment to monotonous heat and baking sunlight. As the snow first begins to sweat and agglomerate into sticky clumps, you and your siblings play at battle or build towns that are ripe for destruction by mittened and pinkcheeked Godzillas. Spring is a season of newly budding bushes, shattered ice flows on the river and birds that are homeward bound to tickle your eardrums with each piping

melody. And when the drowsy patches of winter-browned grass begin to peek out from under their snow blanket, you know it is time to search the woods for the first crocuses. If this lucky streak of sun continues, the snow’s timeline will run out, and all will melt into cool puddles and crisp icebergs for your plastic dinosaurs and Tonka trucks. So at long last, your feet are free of heavy winter boots and your body of a constraining snowsuit. You shed that thick skin

and imagine that the cold air doesn’t chill you, give you goosebumps. After all, the fresh air may still be sharp, but it is free of buzzing pests and no longer carries the frigid bite of winter. Mud wallows are perhaps even more wonderfully compelling than the wetter, warmer weather. The earthy, brown smell calls to you while equivocating away all sense of danger or dirty clothes. It promises good, clean fun. What child has never made

a mud pie or lost one rubber boot to a squelching sea of gleaming mud? Spring is truly the season of youth because the world around the child is fresh and young to match. Green things break the monotony of white, and mud calls to each child’s bare foot. Deceptive sunlight steals the will for a winter coat and so inflicts a chill while murky puddles pull at the imagination. Yes, spring, you are the season for the young to play at life.

Justin Starr

Wei Soong Lau www.harkavagrant.com

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