January 9, 2020

JANUARY 09, 2020

Year in Review Issue

VOL.111/ISSUE 16

The sheaf publishing society

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 SINCE 1912 The University of Saskatchewan’s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis.

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NEWS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nykole King editor@thesheaf.com NEWS EDITOR Ana Cristina Camacho news@thesheaf.com

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What happened in 2019?: A year in review It has been a great year in news, so let’s look back on the top stories from 2019.

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR Your Name Here (see pg.5) sportshealth@thesheaf.com CULTURE EDITOR Tomilola Ojo culture@thesheaf.com OPINIONS EDITOR Erin Matthews opinions@thesheaf.com STAFF WRITER Noah Callaghan staffwriter@thesheaf.com COPY EDITOR J.C. Balicanta Narag copy@thesheaf.com LAYOUT MANAGER Aqsa Hussain layout@thesheaf.com PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Victoria Becker photo@thesheaf.com GRAPHICS EDITOR Shawna Langer graphics@thesheaf.com WEB EDITOR Minh Au Duong web@thesheaf.com OUTREACH DIRECTOR Sophia Lagimodiere outreach@thesheaf.com AD & BUSINESS MANAGER Shantelle Hrytsak ads@thesheaf.com BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mikaila Ortynsky Laura Chartier Matthew Taylor Sonia Kalburgi Emily Klatt Naomi Zurenvinski

board@thesheaf.com

ADVERTISING (306) 966 8688 EDITORIAL (306) 966 8689 COVER PHOTO & GRAPHIC Heywood Yu, Victoria Becker and Shawna Langer

Mark Hancock, national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, addresses CUPE Local 1975 members during a rally in front of the Peter MacKinnon Building at the U of S in Saskatoon on March 19, 2019. | Heywood Yu

KIENAN ASHTON

With existential and climate emergency being just two examples of dictionaries’ words of the year, 2019 was certainly distressing for some folks. That said, a year is a long time, and a lot can happen, both good and bad; here is what happened in our neck of the woods last year.

The University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union The USSU started off 2019 with the creation of an Elder-in-Residence program, a project spearheaded by the 2018-19 USSU President Rollin Baldhead. The position was initially created on a temporary basis but has endured into 201920.

The USSU election for the 2019-20 executive and council saw low voter turnout, as is usual, and many empty council seats. By the beginning of the year, the executive had one vice-president position vacant that was later filled in a by-election. There remain five empty seats on the council to this day.

Fall 2019 also saw the launch of the USSU’s “Path Forward,” a set of strategic goals intended to shape the activities of the USSU.

In October, the USSU received a letter from the Students’ Society of McGill University.

The letter asked the USSU to support their divestment movement which attempts to encourage universities to stop investing in fossil fuel sector companies.

The USSU chose not to support their divestment in this case but has stated an interest in exploring the topic further.

The USSU’s Annual General Meeting was contentious this year as most of it was spent debating a single amendment.

This amendment was raised by a student in response to the current bylaws effectively preventing international students from serving on the USSU executive.

The union spoke against the amendment, which would ultimately be voted down. However, the executive has committed to helping put forward another motion before the next union elections.

a vengeance. “Wexit” rallies began to be held in the west, pushing for the secession of Canada’s western provinces.

The USSU made efforts to engage students with the electoral process, inviting all candidates running in the Saskatoon– University riding to a forum.

All candidates, except for Corey Tochor of the Conservative Party who would go on to win the riding, were in attendance.

The USSU was also involved in a project to bring the attention of federal politicians the issues of students, by signing a letter which was part of a wider campaign by student groups to get politicians to recognize student needs.

over the summer and the fear of a strike dispelled. The new agreement applies retroactively to 2016 and expires at the end of 2020.

In other news, a lawsuit aimed at getting the university to release an uncensored document came to a close last year.

The people suing the university did not have enough money to continue with an appeal. The document pertaining to the suit was the transcript of a closed door symposium. Those suing the university argued that private meetings devalued the integrity of the institution while the university argued it was a case of academic freedom.

At the beginning of the fall term, a study showed that some of the world’s top cited researchers had a higher than advised percentage of self-citations, effectively inflating their metrics. The Sheaf reported that a few U of S researchers have a higher percentage of self-citations than what is said to be the norm. Among the researchers is a university chairperson of research whose percentage of selfcitations is among the highest in Canada. The university has no policies to regulate selfcitations.

Mission // The mission of the Sheaf is to inform and entertain students by addressing issues relevant to life on campus, in the city or in the University affairs province. The newspaper serves as a forum for discussion on a wide In January, talks began to range of issues that concern stubreak down between the unidents. Written for students, by students, it provides unique insight into versity and the Canadian Union university issues through a student of Public Employees Local 1975. perspective. The staff of editors, Negotiations had been ongoing photographers and artists collaborate with volunteers as student since 2017 after CUPE’s collecjournalists to create a product relFederal elections tive agreement expired. There evant to students on the University of Saskatchewan campus.

Last year was a federal elec- was concern about the possible Land Acknowledgement // The Sheaf tion year which saw divisive job action and how that might acknowledges that our office is results. The Liberal government affect classes. built on Treaty Six Territory and the traditional homeland of the Métis. was reduced to a minority and As an agreement continued We pay our respects to the First thoroughly rejected by the Prai- to be out of reach, CUPE held Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and affirm both the imporries. Immediately following the a rally outside of a Board of tance of our relationship with Indigelection, the phenomenon of Governors meeting on March enous peoples and students at the western alienation re-entered 19 to draw their attention. An U of S and our commitment to recognize and remain accountable for the mainstream discourse with agreement was finally reached Continued to the next page our collective history.

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 part- and 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.

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NEWS

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Science spotlight: The research breakthroughs and historical celebrations of 2019 The university had a stellar year of science milestones and innovative research.

ERIN MATTHEWS OPINIONS EDITOR

The University of Saskatchewan belongs to the prestigious U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities, a collection of top research-focused universities from around the country and is home to several world class research facilities, making it a little powerhouse of science on the prairies.

With 2019 drawing to a close, the U of S has celebrated some historical milestones and finished a year rich in discovery and innovation.

Here is a look at a small sample of this past year’s science stories selected by the Sheaf.

Insight into new Alzheimer’s drugs The role that heavy metals play in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease has been the focus of a collaboration between several U of S professors and chemistry PhD student Kelly Summers.

Using the beamlines at the Canadian Light Source, the team investigated elevated copper levels and plaque accumulation in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. They focused on how drugs could bind to the toxic metal and isolate the copper.

Their research has shown that copper-binding drugs may be a promising therapeutic strategy in the future and has

Continued from previous page International students For the fall term, the International Students and Study Abroad Centre announced that it would no longer provide first-night accommodations for international students. This was reportedly done in part to ensure more funds for emergency housing for international students.

At the start of the year the International Students’ Association was once again not active after just a year of operation, but as of the fall term the association is back in business with a new executive. Aside from cultural events, which have been of a bigger scale than before, the group has been busy putting together a list of international students’ concerns to guide the association. They have also been advocating in favour of the motion to change the USSU bylaws to allow for international students in the union's executive.

opened the door for further testing.

A piece of X-ray history The U of S is home to a rich history of science and the Physics Building holds some unique scientific artifacts, including an early X-ray machine that was brought to Saskatchewan in 1906.

On Dec. 22, 1895, Wilhelm Röntgen produced the first X-ray image: a radiograph of his wife’s hand. Röntgen would go on to win the first Nobel prize for physics in 1901.

The once groundbreaking machine that now calls the university home works by hand crank and illustrates basic concepts that are still taught in physics lectures today.

Unlocking the genome of wheat A collaboration between scientists at the U of S and the University of Alberta has led to the identification of an important gene in durum wheat, a key grain used in pasta production.

This information can help plant breeders increase yields and improve the quality of the crop. The researchers identified how durum wheat accumulates cadmium, a toxic metal found in contaminated soils, and are able to use this knowledge to help reduce the levels of this heavy metal in the plants.

The entire genome sequencing is a monolithic project that involved the collaboration of scientists from seven countries and opens up a view of the evolutionary history of this popular grain.

The Observatory turned 90 One of the most recognizable buildings on campus turned 90 in April 2019. The observatory opened its dome in 1929, and its three meter long telescope has been used to explore the Prairie skies ever since.

As the third building built on campus, the observatory is a testament to the historical scientific legacy of the U of S. In 1945, a wooden sundial was added to the brick face of the building but was removed during the 1990s after being eroded by the elements.

A metal replica of the original custom sundial was installed in August by the department of physics and engineering physics, restoring a missing piece of the observatory’s history.

The health effects of toxic algae Every year, blue-green algae blooms invade bodies of water and threaten the health of people and wildlife. Research conducted by USask Global Water Futures investigated different tools that could monitor future blooms and steps to curtail outbreaks of the algae in provincial lakes.

The changing climate and water contamination from farmland runoff is fueling the increase in toxic algae. The blooms are comprised of cyanobacteria that release lethal toxins if ingested, posing a risk to humans and pets that may frequent bodies of water for summer recreation.

The research conducted by the U of S is focusing on mitigation strategies that will help protect drinking water.

Ana Cristina Camacho/ News Editor

956-7777 FOR RESERVATIONS

New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh holds hands with MP Sherri Benson and a person during a campaign event at Fédération des francophones de Saskatoon on Oct. 4, 2019. | Heywood Yu

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NEWS

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2019, a year of climate action This past year, climate action took the centre stage in the world and at the University of Saskatchewan.

VAIDEHEE LANKE

From worldwide climate strikes to youth activists like Greta Thunberg demanding bolder solutions for climate change, climate action has been a topic of interest in local and global news.

Here are some highlights in climate reporting from a year where the topic made headlines everywhere.

2019 UN Climate Action Summits The United Nations has declared climate change as the “defining issue of our time” and warned that without prompt and drastic action, the catastrophic impacts of climate change in the future will be more difficult and costly. A series of global UN climate change conferences were held this year, including the climate action summit in September, preceded by the first UN climate summit for young people.

The 2019 annual UN climate conference held in Madrid has become the longest recorded in history; it lasted two weeks in early December.

Like its predecessors, the conference’s talks reportedly did not reach consensus in many areas, including reporting requirements and timeframes for climate pledges. UN Secretary General António Guterres expressed his disappointment with the results, tweeting on the last day of the conference that “the international community had lost an important opportunity ... to tackle the climate crisis.”

Climate change becomes a ballot box issue Climate change was a top concern for most Canadian voters in the past federal election. The Liberal party, who won a second term in a row, pledged to maintain the carbon tax, work towards net­ zero emissions by 2050 and invest profit from the Trans Mountain Expansion towards climate solutions. The Conservative party formed the official opposition with a climate change platform that includes scrapping the carbon tax, focusing on green technology and creating emission standards for major emitters.

The government’s throne speech in early December promised efforts to tackle climate change, while also highlighting the importance of the Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline project.

Bringing global climate demonstrations to Saskatoon Greta Thunberg began school strikes for climate in mid 2018 and by March 2019, her message, a demand for urgent climate action to significantly reduce carbon emissions, reached over 70 countries. In September alone, over 7.6 million people protested worldwide, with Canada’s protests ranking in the top five for the most attendees.

On Sept. 30, an estimated 3,000 people gathered in front of Saskatoon City Hall to voice their support for the Global Climate March. The protest, attended in majority by young people, demanded stronger climate action from

A man and a woman holds a sign while crossing the street during the global climate strike in downtown Saskatoon on Sept.

27, 2019. | Heywood Yu

the government. Saskatoon joined another climate strike hosted by the Saskatchewan branch of the international group Extinction Rebellion on Nov. 29. The strikes are expected to continue into 2020.

Sustainability initiatives at the U of S When the Office of Sustainability released the results of the waste audit, it showed that a sizeable amount of the garbage collected on campus corresponds to an accumulation of disposable coffee cups. As a result, students took the initiative to make March 2019 bring-your-own-cup month.

In October, an exhibition of art made from waste products, a campus sustainability tour and a carbonless concert happened on campus as part of Campus Sustainability Week.

A crowd of climate activists, some holding politically aimed signs, rally for the Global Climate Strike at Saskatoon City Hall on Sept. 27, 2019 | Victoria Becker/ Photo Editor

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Since their last audit was in 2006, the U of S Students’ Union is looking into undergoing a new sustainability audit. The updated data is meant to help the union identify future goals in sustainable development. So far, the USSU has ran into issues with finding a sustainability audit specifically for student organizations and does not currently have a budget to finance it.

Sustainability targets: Will the university meet them?

In 2012, the university released its Climate Action

Plan with the goal to reduce 20 per cent of its greenhouse gas emissions based on its 2006-07 rates by 2020. However, the most recent update from the university, released in October, showed a 7.8 per cent increase in emissions. The university has now scrapped its original target and aims to meet it in 2023 instead. A majority of the university’s greenhouse gas emissions are directly related to energy consumption in buildings.

If 2019 is any indication, climate action is here to stay in the news.

A man holds a sign during the Global Climate Strike at Saskatoon City Hall on Sept. 27, 2019. | Victoria Becker/ Photo Editor

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SPORTS&HEALTH

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Hindsight 2020: A few of the worst health trends of the decade Health fads come and go but some should be left in the past for good.

NOAH CALLAGHAN STAFF WRITER

The most popular kind of New Year’s resolutions people make are focused on ways to improve one’s health. While wanting to improve your lifestyle is a great thing, we should look back to the past now that it is 2020 and consider what health fads actually proved to be the most flawed.

It comes as no surprise in this digital decade that people have more access to health information than ever before.

However, the internet also helps disseminate the medical advice of unqualified “experts” and popularize trendy celebrity health fads overnight.

In retrospect of a decade of misinformation, here are three of the worst trends to avoid to focus attention on choices that will actually make you healthier.

Activated charcoal products A recent health trend to sweep the globe and consumers pockets was the unprecedented rise of activated charcoal products.

Within the blink of an eye, it seemed like you could get anything with some black substance in it and the promise of charcoal’s “detoxifying effects.”

Activated charcoal is quite a versatile product and is sold in anything from face masks to oral supplements. Even though doctors can use this black powder to treat drug overdoses, there is no scientific evidence supporting that the consumption of it has any actual health benefits.

But the most popular activated charcoal product to appear on the internet was its use in toothpaste. Across social media, one could find people brushing black ash all over their pearly whites.

While promises of a brighter smile appeal to everybody, the Canadian Dental Association has yet to approve products containing activated charcoal because they can be overly abrasive on teeth.

Going gluten-free when you are not celiac Before this decade began, it seemed like most people were

completely unaware that gluten even existed. When individuals without celiac disease found out about this protein complex, having a gluten-free diet supposedly became synonymous for being healthier.

The retail sales of gluten-free food in Canada raised from $179 million in 2008 to $812 million by 2017, an astronomical 450 per cent increase. While approximately 2.5 million Canadians require gluten-free products for medical reasons, there are seven million Canadians who perceive these foods to be healthier and are mostly contributing to the rapid growth of the market.

Even if gluten-free products are more popular than ever, it is still debatable whether the diet has health benefits or causes adverse effects for people without celiac disease. Many believe that a gluten-free diet helps alleviate gastrointestinal problems. But following this popular lifestyle trend also puts people at risk of developing nutrient deficiencies in iron, calcium and vitamin D.

Shawna Langer/ Graphics Editor

Vaping is safe Certainly, nobody started vaping solely because they thought it was good for their health. But when vaping was first introduced to consumers, a main selling point was that it was a healthier alternative to smoking and could help nicotine fiends kick their addictions.

As vaporizers evolved from clunky boxes favoured by the guys drifting in the parking lot after high school into the sleek JUUL’s sold at every convenience store, vaping is now more popular than ever. An $11.5 billion dollar industry in 2018, e-cigarettes are not being used to wean people of tobacco but instead introducing more people to nicotine.

One of the biggest demographics being drawn to the delicious candy, cucumber and melon vaporizer flavours are minors. A study from The British Medical Journal found that during 2017 to 2018 youth vaping in Canada increased by 74 per cent.

While the appeal of huffing delicious vapour is understandable, the long-term health risks of consuming the vegetable glycerine and propylene glycol used to flavour products are still unknown. In a cruel irony the early promise that vaporizers could help people end their addictions has backfired as one study found that e-cigarettes may have a higher addictive potential for young people than cigarettes.

A year in review for Huskie athletes U of S student athletes made remarkable achievements in 2019.

HEYWOOD YU

Huskies Athletics student athletes have gone above and beyond in 2019 to claim team victories and break various personal records. There are too many achievements to name for all the Huskies teams, but here are the biggest highlights to recognize.

Bohlken and Vance represent Team Canada in the 2019 Winter Universiade (March 8)

Huskies defence Leah Bohlken and netminder Jessica Vance wore the maple leaf during the 2019 International University Sports Federation Winter Universiade held in the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk. Bohlken and Vance, along with Huskies alumna Kaitlin Willoughby, claimed silver for Team Canada after losing to their Russian host 0-2 in the finals.

De Ciman selected in CEBL draft (March 23) Huskies guard Chan De Ci-

man was selected third overall by the Saskatchewan Rattlers in the Canadian Elite Basketball League U Sports round. Along with Huskies teammates Lawrence Moore and Cole Anderson, De Ciman won the first ever CEBL championship with the Rattlers.

Hufsmith wins bronze at the Summer Universiade (July 13) Huskies long-distance runner Courtney Hufsmith finished on the podium while representing Team Canada during the 2019

FISU Summer Universiade in Naples, Italy. The Saskatoon product claimed bronze in the women’s 1,500-metre race on July 13, 2019.

Football players recognized on a national level (Nov. 9) Despite running shy of their 20th Canada West title, five Huskies were named All-Canadian, including Canada West player of the year Adam Machart, Canada West outstanding lineman Evan Machibroda, Canada West outstanding defensive player Nelson

Lokombo and offensive linemen Connor Berglof and Mattland Riley. Defensive back Lokombo won the Presidents’ Trophy as the country’s most outstanding defensive player of the year.

Shirley makes U Sports all-star team second year in a row (Dec. 9-12) Huskies forward Collin Shirley suited up as the assistant captain of the U Sports all-star team while playing against Team Canada’s junior prospects in an exhibition series in Oakville, Ontario.

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SPORTS&HEALTH

Top Canadian sports stories of 2019 Get nostalgic and take a look back on the year that was in the Canadian sports scene.

TANNER MICHALENKO

1. Toronto Raptors win NBA championship Canadians everywhere can thank Raptors President Masai Ujiri for constructing one of the savviest trades in professional sports history. Ujiri secured Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green by trading DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a first-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs.

Leonard’s year of load management paid off. He hit “the shot,” the first-ever buzzer-beater in game six on June 13.

In the NBA Finals, Toronto faced the Golden State Warriors, a powerhouse team that captured three of the past four championships on four straight trips to the final stage. It was David versus Goliath manifested on the NBA hardwood with the Raptors capturing the title in six games.

Leonard would be named the male athlete of the year by The Associated Press for his outstanding efforts.

2. Bianca Andreescu earns Grand Slam singles title Andreescu went from unknown to a household name in 2019.

The Mississauga native entered the year ranking 107 on the World Tennis Association’s rankings. She finished the year ranked fifth in the world, largely thanks to her historic win at the US Open.

On Sept. 7, Andreescu defeated Serena Williams, regarded as one of the best athletes of all time, in straight sets during the final round, 6-3 and 7-5. Andreescu launched herself into superstardom. She has since been interviewed by many influential international media outlets.

At just 19 years old, she has a chance to cement her legacy further with the 2020 Olympic Games scheduled in Tokyo.

3. Brooke Hendersen claims ninth LPGA title The 22-year-old Ontario native has earned the most

victories of any golfer in Canadian sports history.

On June 16, she won her ninth major LPGA title, breaking a four-way tie for most major golfing titles by a Canadian golfer. She was previously tied with Mike Weir, Sandra Post and George Knudson.

Hendersen has already cemented her name as the most successful golfer our country has ever produced. Much like Andreescu, she has her entire career ahead of her with plenty of opportunities to cement her everlasting legacy.

4. Winnipeg Blue Bombers take the 107th Grey Cup A week after defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Regina, the Blue Bombers finally won the Canadian Football League’s top prize, the Grey Cup, for the first time in 29 years.

It had been the longest championship drought for any CFL team, even Roughriders fans could not fret about tipping their cap to their top

Kawhi Leonard Artwork | Kawhi Leonard Artwork

rival standing above the competition for the first time in nearly three decades.

Blue Bomber fan Chris Matthews, also known as Shorts Guy, made Winnipeg’s team a little bit more loveable heading into the contest. Back in 2001, Matthews had pledged to his family and friends that he would never wear pants again until his beloved Blue

Bombers won the Grey Cup. He stuck to his word. The only exception he would make is a pair of long johns underneath his shorts, only on the coldest days of the winter.

Following Winnipeg’s win on Nov. 24, Matthews put on a pair of pants on the field for the first time in nearly two decades. Sports does weird things to people.

A new year of health and wellness resolutions Better yourself in 2020 with reasonable goals that will be most effective for your mental and physical health.

If you have ever abandoned your New Year’s resolution by the February mid-term break, know that you are not alone but there is a new chance to improve yourself and renew your commitment to being your best.

Although university is a stage in life for significant self-improvement, it becomes easy to get caught up in managing a mountain of responsibilities in and outside of your academics. But fear not, the Sheaf is on your side to hold yourself accountable. Trust us, it is in your best interest.

It is human nature to compare yourself to others, especially with the social media feeds of your peers, but you have to remember that it is the highlight reel that shows off the apex moments of their lives.

We can use this rule in the context of the new year when mulling over our personal resolutions for the months ahead.

Ask yourself if you are happy with the progress you made, or lack thereof, in 2019. Dig into the reason why you were happy with certain aspects and unhappy with others. With a bit of critical appraisal you can discover the reasons behind the pleasant and not-so-pleasant parts of your life.

1. Introspection Regardless of your feelings towards the University of Toronto professor and clinical psychologist Jordan B. Peterson, rule number four in his book 12 Rules for Life: An Anecdote to Chaos is good advice for anyone to hear.

The rule is “compare yourself with who you were yesterday, not with who someone else is today.”

2. Make a plan Now that you have identified the variables in your life that you’re able to control, it is time to make a plan to maintain your progress and dig yourself out of a hole.

Think about your weekly schedule and envision how it should be organized if you want to better yourself. If you know that you need to hit the gym three or four times per

TANNER MICHALENKO

week in order to be your best self, plan for that. Or perhaps you know you need to go to talk therapy or need to spend time with a close friend at least once a week to maintain your mental health.

Maybe you know you need to put a stop to those self-inflicted bad habits that have been present in the past year. There is no better time than the start of a new year to be real with yourself.

Everyone’s plan will look different from each other and that’s perfectly okay. The key is to identify the priorities that will most effectively improve your life: mentally, physically, socially and even spiritually.

It is important to be realistic with your new weekly priority list. There are only so many waking hours in a day and good intentions often get swallowed up by an unrealistic plan.

3. Quarterly check-ups Enter each week with your new goals on top of your mind and stay disciplined. We are more likely to stay committed to certain goals if we tell those close to us about them. That

Shawna Langer/ Graphics Editor

way, when we fall short and neglect our plan, a loved one can help keep us accountable.

You should evaluate your goals every three months, and do not feel ashamed if you need to adjust a few things. Personal success is achieved through hundreds and even thousands of good decisions made consistently over time. After all, Rome was not built in a day.

The whole point of New Year’s resolutions is to improve yourself, and if unrealistic goals are not close to being met, then it’s time to adjust

your goal so it becomes more achievable.

You will feel great accomplishment when you reach a goal because that opens the door for you to aim even higher, something you maybe didn’t think was possible during the current year.

By checking in on yourself every three months, you are able to catch any slip ups, reassess and get back in the saddle again. You will be able to obtain your goals easier if you can monitor your progress in short intervals.

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FEATURE

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New Year’s remorse?

You don’t need to regret your resolutions this year

With a little insight, you can keep your goals and save your resolutions from failure.

Welcome to the start of a new year and a new decade.

It’s the perfect time to start fresh with long lists of life-changing, mind-altering New Year’s resolutions. But instead of setting you up for success, they might be flawed from the get-go.

The word resolution holds a lot of weight with its reputation as an all-curing solution with no room for failure. New Year’s resolutions often focus on specific aspects of a person’s life in hopes that it will improve their happiness — so of course it’s appealing to make them, but resolutions seldom make it until the end of the year or deliver desired results.

But 2020 is your year, so let’s talk about strategies for you to create constructive goals for positive self-improvement.

Let’s follow Carlo, the Sheaf’s copy editor, through his New Year’s resolution. Carlo made it his goal to attend all his classes in 2020, documented in his tweet on Dec. 30, 2019. What Carlo didn’t realize when he made this goal is that it’s almost impossible to reach when you consider bus delays, sleeping in and the common cold. Not to mention the possibility that student conferences or extracurricular events might mean that he has to excuse himself from a class.

SHAWNA LANGER GRAPHICS EDITOR

Be mindful of your mindset

The goal you create is just as important as the plan for reaching it because it sets the tone for your mindset. It is counterproductive to your success if the goal you set is framed with negativity.

For example, people might focus on centering resolutions around things they dislike about themselves and want to change.

But by creating this goal based on self-hatred, you are fueling your goal with negativity. The motivation you have pushing you forward is not healthy or constructive if your motivations are built from negativity.

If your motivation is fueled with self-loathing, then every minute spent towards your resolutions reinforces this negative perspective of yourself. Failing to meet the goals you’ve set for yourself can act as reinforcement to your feelings of inadequacy, pushing you further into a self-destructive mindset.

But let’s stop here — and stop Carlo at this road block, too — take a few steps backward to help him figure out a more constructive goal and plan to reach them.

Interrogate your motivations

The first stop to goal setting is identifying your motivations for change and what you are trying to accomplish. Goals based on intrinsic factors are more likely to be successful than goals based on extrinsic factors.

Intrinsic motivation is the desire to fulfill action through internal cues such as enjoyment or interest in action, whereas extrinsic motivation is the desire to fulfill action through external cues such as gain rewards or the avoidance of consequences.

Put more simply, it’s the difference between being motivated by yourself and your desires versus needing a reward to keep yourself motivated to progress.

When asked, Carlo disclosed his motivations for his New Year’s resolution to be significantly influenced by some of his classmates and family who have told him that he “should” attend classes more often.

Carlo also revealed that he wants to focus on prioritizing school. While focusing on attendance could mean prioritizing school, setting a perfect attendance goal based on other people’s opinions might not be the best method for Carlo.

Creating a goal centered around something that will bring you personal satisfaction is the most effective way to motivate

8 / FEATURE

yourself to reach success. Goals that result in personal satisfaction rather than materialistic rewards are also more beneficial for your wellbeing.

Positively framed, intrinsic motivations are the strongest and most likely to lead to success. Positive motivations focus on working towards a change or increase whereas negative motivations focus on avoiding negative outcomes.

By using positive frameworks, Carlo can refocus his goal on being mindful of his academic habits and how they influence his success. A key factor in implementing goals is being selfaware of your habits and behaviours and how they may help or hinder your success.

Setting a goal to attend all classes without examining your class engagement may not be effective. There is a difference between being physically present in a lecture versus being engaged.

Expect the unexpected and plan for it

The jury is still out on the reasons why New Year’s resolutions have such a high failure rate, but it is commonly attributed to unreasonable expectations. You cannot meet a goal that is based on uncontrollable factors. Without having goals based on factors you can control and adjust, you cannot enhance your functioning.

Now, let’s come back to Carlo. The goal he set for himself doesn’t allow him to work out a plan for success because he cannot account for every factor that might interfere. With his goal focused on perfection for the entirety of the year, there is no room for unexpected absences.

Carlo created his goal to be reliant not only on his actions but on the actions of others and of nature. His goal could easily fail not from his own actions, but from the actions of drivers, public transit operators, roommates and every other person that influences his path.

With one small uncontrollable event, Carlo could quickly fail to meet his goal and likely lose motivation to continue on until the miserable days at the end of the term. Even if the rational part of your brain knows you likely will not reach your goal, it doesn’t make the feelings of shame associated with failure any less real.

By setting an unattainable goal, Carlo has set himself up for disappointment — and don’t forget about all his Twitter followers rooting for him, too.

Once you clarify your motivations and your intentions, you can reconstruct your goal. This process can be somewhat complicated, and it’s important to remember to re-evaluate each component as you go.

There are many methods for setting effective goals and it may be hard to choose the one that is best for you. The EEE model, SMART(ER) and the themes and mantras approach are a few great options.

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FEATURE

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Themes and mantras:

Some people prefer to choose a word, theme or mantra to influence more specific goals and focuses throughout the year. This can help you to remain focused on improving a certain aspect of your life while continuously monitoring progress and adjusting expectations as needed.

The use of a word or mantra allows for more flexibility on the degree of change you implement. Having a consistent reminder of what you are working towards can help you to be more mindful in your everyday actions to work towards self-improvement in the area you’ve chosen.

This approach can help you refocus throughout the year on what changes would be the most important for your development.

Whether you make multiple goals within your mantra, use your mantra as something you are mindful of incorporating into your daily routine or some combination of the two, the best way is what works better for you.

EEE Model:

There are many key considerations when it comes to goal setting, but there is no rule book. One goal and process working for one person does not mean it will work for you — your goals should be completely customized to your needs.

The EEE model of goal setting suggests that goal setting ensures success by enlightening us, encouraging us and enabling us. It is a person-centered approach designed to prioritize individual needs.

Success and goal management:

Goal setting can provide meaningful insight into our abilities, weaknesses, daily habits and priorities. Goal setting works to unveil our deeply rooted behaviours that influence the way we live our lives.

Goals help motivate us to be courageous and execute plans.

Success from goals can help individuals regain self-confidence, better preparing people to succeed at future goals.

SMART(ER) goals:

While some people may find it easy to identify things they would like to change, it is more difficult to determine a plan to actually reach your goal. One method of goal setting often known as the golden rule, is SMART(ER) goals.

Falling off course when striving towards self-improvement is not uncommon. Allowing yourself to fail, learn from your behaviours and get back in the self-improvement game is a lot less common.

One of the most important things about goal management and success is re-evaluating your goal as you go. This might be a daily, weekly or monthly check-in with yourself to see what is and isn’t working in your plan to help ensure that you are getting what you need from your goals.

Working towards goals and big changes can feel overwhelming and stressful, making you wonder if it will be worth it in the end. But before you give up on yourself, make sure you consider all the benefits that come with achieving your goal.

When you’re stuck with a low mood, become frustrated and lack the motivation to continue, it can be difficult to see the good that’s ahead. The path to success is not linear, and you will have some ups and downs during the process, but don’t let this make you lose sight of the bigger picture.

Even if your resolution is centered on one area of your life, striving for better habits can positively affect other aspects of your life, too. Things might not happen all at once and they might not happen smoothly, but nothing feels as good as the feeling of success.

Try not to let yourself be overwhelmed by everything happening at this time of the year. Allow yourself to take things slowly and be mindful of how your actions affect your wellbeing.

If going to the gym four days a week does not make you feel happy, look into something else. Your goals don’t need to be absolute, definitive, soul-crushing tasks on a checklist of do or die — allow yourself flexibility.

Take care of yourself this year, and do what’s best for you.

All graphics by Shawna Langer/ Graphics Editor

FEATURE / 9

CULTURE

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2019 was lit: The year the world watched itself burn With last year’s wildfires, 2019 is sure to go down into the hall of flame.

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In 2019, people across the world were mobilized by a shared sense of urgency created by the innumerable climate catastrophes that occurred.

The impact of a global audience seeing floods, storms and wildfires on unprecedented scales is shifting how we interact internationally.

In April, the world collectively mourned the destruction of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral when it caught fire during renovations. The burning of the 13th-century landmark moved Parisians to hold vigils and French billionaires to pledge millions to rebuild it.

Support for the reconstruction also came from smaller donors in France and the United States who felt compelled to contribute after seeing this tragedy take place.

Sadly, the Notre Dame was not the most precious thing to go up in flames and stun the world this year — the Amazon rainforest was also on fire throughout 2019.

The increasing rates of fires during the dry season were caused by slash-and-burn techniques to clear the forest for various industries. In August 2019, satellite imagery revealing the scale of the fires drew international attention to the obliteration of the world’s biggest carbon dioxide absorber.

Because of the Amazon’s diverse biodiversity and its crucial role in mitigating global warming, many Brazilians took to the streets to protest President Jair Bolsonaro’s environmental policies. The Brazilians were not alone in their fight as protestors from around the world have shown their support by also protesting outside various Brazilian embassies.

The South American wildfires were very important because they created a sense of urgency behind the weeklong Global Climate Strike held in September. These huge protests drew out millions of peo-

ple across 150 countries and demonstrated a greater worldwide consciousness developing directly in response to the dangerous wildfires.

Though climate change did not garner as much attention in past years, 2019’s wildfires have changed how people are co-operating and identifying with one another around the globe. Even though the catastrophic effects of natural disasters are tragic, this emerging sense of global unity is a distinct development in the history of humanity.

Due to its size, the Amazon wildfires eclipsed other major fires scorching the earth on multiple continents in 2019.

More destruction occurred on Spain’s Canary Islands, Vietnam, the United Kingdom and on our own continent in Alberta, California and Washington.

And in the final months of the year, the world witnessed one final and grandiose blaze in the apocalyptic Australian bushfires. Comparatively, the Amazon fires scorched only 2,240,000 acres of land while the ongoing Australian blazes have burned an estimated 15.5 million acres already. Recent reports state that approximately half a billion animals have died in the fires.

The bushfires have gathered international support and donations from celebrities who wish to help the Australians and animals being impacted.

Because scientists have connected the increasing intensity of the bushfire season to climate change, it is likely that climate activists will use this as evidence that more action is needed to address the issue.

Still, it is undeniable that climate catastrophes like wildfires are changing how humans are interacting internationally and building a cultural awareness of the necessity for change. It is likely that more events will only continue to build a sense of urgency needed to address global warming, but hopefully 2020 stays a little cooler.

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CULTURE

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Here are five people who made waves in the oceans of 2019 The impact these people made in history won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

TOMILOLA OJO CULTURE EDITOR

1. Greta Thunberg This 16-year-old has been gaining international attention with her school strikes for the climate since 2018.

Thunberg, alongside names like Xiye Bastida and Autumn Peltier, is part of a new generation of teenage climate activists taking to the streets to fight for the issue they find important.

Thunberg’s solitary protests have gone far past the borders of her native Sweden. In 2019, the Global Climate Strike that she sparked had protesters in 150 countries, with schoolaged children and teenagers at the forefronts of the events.

Saskatoon has also seen a few climate strikes inspired by Thunberg. The most attended strike was held on Sept. 27, 2019 and garnered an estimated 3,000 protesters. It also outlined local climate goals and announced the institution of a youth climate council.

Thunberg has been meeting with world leaders and urging them to take action on the worsening conditions of the climate. She was named TIME Person of the Year in 2019 for her efforts.

2. Donald Trump Never has there been a more controversial president in the history of the United States than Donald Trump. Since he was elected in 2016, Trump’s presidency has been dusted with scandals, international relations faux pas and a long string of very colourful tweets.

On Dec. 18, 2019 — just months after Trump was accused of pressuring Ukraine to find incriminating information on Democratic candidate Joe Biden — he became the third president in US history to be impeached.

Although impeachment doesn’t mean that Trump will be removed from office, the basis for a trial before Congress has been formed and will be carried through.

Only three days into 2020, Trump was in the headlines again for authorizing a drone strike that killed Iranian war major Qasem Soleimani — the first time a senior military officer has been assassinated by US forces since World War II. There is talk of this leading to a war, especially due to the parallels drawn between Soleimani’s death and that of Franz Ferdinand, the Austrian archduke whose assassination started the series of events that led to World War I. Canada currently has an es-

timated 500 troops deployed in Iraq in support of their war against Iran, but they have been suspended in light of rising tensions due to Soleimani’s death.

3. Nancy Pelosi This politician is also the current Speaker of the US House of Representatives — the first and only woman to ever hold the title.

Pelosi has made the news for standing up to President Trump’s attempts to undermine her, famously saying to him, “Mr. President, please don’t characterize the strength I bring to this meeting.”

Pelosi’s leadership role in Trump’s impeachment will no doubt make her name one to remember, but she would rather be remembered for her own achievements, such as the Affordable Care Act. Amid all the talks of impeachment, Pelosi is also nearing the announcement of the new North American Free Trade Agreement deal.

After two years of negotiations, an updated NAFTA agreement was signed in Nov. 2018 and renamed USMCA — United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement. It was amended again in December 2019 and currently awaits ratification.

According to the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia

Freeland, “The USMCA is good for Canada’s economy and good for Canada’s middle-class workers and families. It addresses modern-day trade issues and supports prosperity for Canadians.”

4. Hong Kong Protesters This past year has been a big one for protesters, and this group in particular has been making huge waves.

Since March 2019, civilians have taken to the streets of Hong Kong to protest a bill that would have allowed the extradition of fugitives and criminal suspects to mainland China. The fear behind this was that the bill would be abused and used to undermine the region’s judicial independence.

The protestors have outlined five key demands — the withdrawal of the bill, an investigation into and justice for police brutality, a retraction of the characterization of the protests as riots, amnesty for arrested protesters and Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s resignation. They have also outlined the need for a universal suffrage of the city.

The first of these demands have been met but the government has refused to move forward with the other four.

Despite the protest starting

out peaceful, the Hong Kong police’s use of force had pushed the protesters to fight back. An estimated 2,600 protesters have been injured and over 7,000 have been arrested in the clashes.

Hong Kong is home to the largest Canadian diaspora in any city outside of Canada, with over 300,000 Canadians recorded to be in residence.

5. Masai Ujiri As president of the Toronto Raptors, Ujiri is responsible for making the tough but intelligent decisions that were needed to take the Raptors from being the laughing stock of the NBA to winning their first championship in 24 years.

Ujiri is also known for his activism in Africa. In 2003, he founded the non-profit organization Giants of Africa, an initiative intending to use basketball to change the lives of African youth by providing quality gear, amenities and coaches.

Despite his attempts to stay out of the limelight, Ujiri has become one of Canada’s most beloved and respected celebrities, and he was even named Toronto’s most influential person in 2019.

COMING EVENTS

Big hip hop collaborations of the decade

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It’s no doubt that the genre’s success were because of these hip hopping mad collaborations.

NOAH CALLAGHAN STAFF WRITER

Ever since its creation in the 1970s, hip hop music has been on the rise. The genre has gone on to change popular music and has become a worldwide phenomenon, even going on to surpass rock as the most popular genre in the United States in 2017.

These songs were some of the

RCA Records | Supplied

biggest hip hop hits of the decade because of their use of “posse cuts” — a type of song featuring successive verses from multiple high-profile rappers — to celebrate what made the genre become a powerhouse.

“Monster” by Kanye West feat.

Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj and Bon Iver Since Kanye’s 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was declared album of the de-

cade by Billboard magazine, it is only fitting that this awesome collaboration kickstarts this list.

Even though it is hard to reconcile Kanye’s earlier music with his new gospel focus feature Jesus is King, this horror-focused track still holds up and is one of the best on the acclaimed album.

Complementing the exceptional production on the track — reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s hit song Thriller — is how each artist sticks with the horror-theme in their verses, which contributes to the track’s uniqueness. But the crown jewel is Nicki Minaj’s sporadic high energy finale which makes the song iconic.

“1 Train” by A$AP Rocky feat.

Kendrick Lamar, Joey Badass, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson and Big K.R.I.T. While many artists rose to fame during this decade, perhaps one of the biggest was A$AP Rocky. But there was a time — before he was making international headlines in 2019 for his arrest in Sweden — that the rapper was launching a solo

©

career from the A$AP Mob crew.

This song appeared on Rocky’s first debut studio album and features six of the most popular rappers of the decade. The simple looping track of “1 Train” allows each artist to highlight their skills without being interrupted by a chorus or hook.

Every BROCKHAMPTON track The Texas hip hop group BROCKHAMPTON formed in 2015 and became widely popular following the release of their trilogy of SATURATION albums.

Part of what made hip hop the most popular genre was its rise on the internet, and BROCKHAMPTON is no different as it was created through an internet rap forum.

Iridescence, BROCKHAMPTON’s 2018 album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart and has received much critical acclaim. The group also represents the changing nature of hip hop with their music’s focus on a diverse range of issues like sexuality, mental health and racism.

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OPINIONS

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The opinions of 2019 in review A look back at the dynamic pieces and original opinions covered by students this year.

ERIN MATTHEWS OPINIONS EDITOR

With the 2019 hellscape in the rearview mirror, we can now breathe a sigh of relief at the visible end of one year and the fresh beginnings of another. Like the golden era of the past, 2020 brings with it a new decade of promise marred only slightly by the ennui of existential dread.

But before we speed off into the roaring ‘20s, let’s spend a clichéd moment reflecting back at the opinions pieces of 2019.

While we covered diverse topics in the section this year, many articles fall under some pretty distinct categories that are important to the campus community.

Advice to students As a university newspaper, the Sheaf often dishes out advice for students written by students who feel that sharing their experience can be a valuable tool for their peers. Many of these stories involve degree planning, study tips or even pep talks.

Articles like “Doctor, lawyer, engineer” by our layout man-

ager Aqsa Hussain explored the common pressure that is often experienced by children of immigrant parents who feel pushed into career boxes that are seen as a path to success. The article hoped to inspire readers with the courage to follow your dreams and carve out your own path to happiness.

The same sentiment is explored by our copy editor J.C. Balicanta Narag in “Dear first years,” an article that urges first year students to choose a degree path that leads to self-fulfillment, recommending that you know and embrace your limitations and listen to yourself.

Articles like “Back to school with Hope” from Hope N.S. Jeffery explored how to ease back into the school grind after the summer break with helpful tips that are presented in a positive and encouraging light. It may be a good article to revisit as we go into term two.

Issues and politics There was no shortage of global issues and political analysis this year. Fiza Baloch’s article “Global Climate strike: All for

naught?” took a look at this year’s global event and at the overall climate action movement while questioning if our actions will be enough to pull us back from the brink.

This year saw a mess of a federal election plagued with scandals and apathy. Wardah Anwar’s article “Don’t be voiceless this election season” called on young voters to do their part at the polls. Articles like “An ode to accountability” from Ritish Rawat looked at the sometimes troubling and violent landscape of our discourse on the seemingly lawless internet.

Health and food Pieces that explored health and our relationship with food covered a wide variety of topics, from agriculture to immunizations.

The article “From eggs to pumpkins” written by David MacTaggart took us on a journey through the Agricultural Students Association’s Farm to Fork tour of Saskatchewan’s vibrant food production industry.

Cami Kaytor explored meatless attitudes in “The new meat de-

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bate is getting old,” looking at the unnecessary antagonistic relationship between beef producers and meat alternatives.

On the health side of things, my article “Play it safe this cuffing season” explored the importance of being invested in your sexual health with an overview of common sexually transmitted infections as well as the testing and treatment options available.

Thought experiments The opinion pages saw some great articles that explored thought experiments looking at our health, our society and the future of arts and culture.

Delane Just explored the idea of authors being replaced by artificial intelligence, looking at a novel written by an AI in “An AI could do it better.” The article

“Dystopia now,” another piece from Fiza Baloch, explored our present society through the lens of popular speculative fiction, arguing that we can learn a lot from these literary realties.

“Are we the architects of our mental health crisis?” by Mitch Rohrke argued that our mental health is deeply intertwined with nature, suggesting that the changing climate and destruction of our ecosystems has a deep influence on our growing anxiety and depression.

What is in store for 2020?

As 2020 starts to settle in and a new decade begins to unfold, there will be countless issues both new and old to explore.

What’s important to you?

Submit your piece or your pitch to opinions@thesheaf.com.

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OPINIONS

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Confession #36056: Petition to replace the Sheaf with a fast-food joint What good is a university newspaper when you can have a big mac instead?

KRISTINE JONES A. DEL SOCORRO

You Sask Confessions is a personal not-so guilty pleasure and endless source of entertainment, and I am sure you are all familiar with how the platform sucks you in.

Something about seeing that “Top Fan” badge right next to my name really makes all of the times I have spent on that page worthwhile.

Lately, I have noticed that their posts have been getting friskier and friskier, but one post caught my attention before the break.

Confession #36056 asks: “Can we start a petition to shut down the Sheaf and open a McDonalds in their office instead?”

My reaction was a slight laugh followed by deliberation as to what prompted the original poster to submit such a question. Could the University of Saskatchewan’s aspiring journalists, writers, photographers and editors not take up some place? Why take this piece of passion and happiness away from anyone?

What I am really asking is, what did we do to hurt you, OP? My next thought was that we should shut down the Sheaf and replace it with a highly favoured fast food restaurant.

Maybe OP is right. After all, what is a bundle of paper filled with words in comparison to a five dollar meal deal?

In addition to that, there’s the news blasting on the television 24/7 and social media allows users to access information in real time. Really,

another school paper is simply adding more to an already saturated ground and not at all important. Or is it?

Preserving the school newspaper may be more beneficial for the student body than many would think. First, the newspaper is made for the students and is run by student volunteers and undergraduate staff members. This is a platform for students’ voices.

Not only does the paper act as a forum for discussion, it also encourages active participation and engagement between the contributors and readers. Contributors seek inspiration for topics to write about. Readers like you are aiding in keeping the paper alive by providing feedback on what is relevant and entertaining versus what is not.

Students who volunteer for their school newspaper acquire many invaluable skills that surpass the satisfaction of having their work published. From obtaining writing and workplace skills to just simply being empowered.

Behind every article or piece that is put forward by an individual, there is a process of thought, creativity and risk — what will people think about this?

If you are looking for a fresh perspective or simply new ideas, reading the paper is a great place to start.

Back to the OP’s suggestion of establishing another McDick’s where the Sheaf’s office stands: personally, I don’t think it’s going to work.

Finding the Sheaf’s office should not have taken me the embarrassing amount of time

that it did, but hey, I made it happen. When I did find it, I was greeted with a room that welcomes a grand total of 10 people. It’s a tiny, collaborative space.

Now, let’s ask ourselves if this is feasible, given the amount of office space plus the 21,731 registered students at the U of S as potential customers. Let me add the fact that there is absolutely no room to stock the frozen patties, their world’s famous fries or any other products that this company is pushing.

Is running this fast food empire in a hole in the wall feasible and sustainable?

What about the other food places on campus? Surely, business for the other eateries will decrease with this other option in mind.

Just imagine hordes of people and see it multiplying during midterms and finals

University of Saskatchewan, | University Archives & Special Collections, ER Simpson fonds, Series I, file B.2, folder 3, image 2.

season. I may not be a math whiz but the answer is clearly no. So please, kindly leave our office from this narrative because as spacious as some may think it is, it truly isn’t.

That being said, feel free to come by the Sheaf office and kick up your feet. Everyone is welcome to hang out in this space. Maybe you can learn about what goes into the paper and meet the people who make it tick.

Volunteer writers, photog-

raphers and artists are the backbone of the paper, and each year the Sheaf hires students to run the publication, creating jobs for undergraduates on campus.

The importance of the Sheaf may be lower-tier as of right now — when compared next to McDonald’s — but contributors like myself will be working twice as hard to change your view of the paper, now that we know what we are up against.

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OPINIONS

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Rising tensions: A lookback on the Kashmir crisis of 2019 There is growing turmoil in the region with the annexation of Kashmir and the introduction of the CAA in India.

WARDAH ANWAR

Nathan Hughes Hamilton | Flickr

14 / OPINIONS

When I think back to this year, I think about all the horrendous atrocities that people all over the world have faced.

From the Sudan revolution to the Uyghur Muslims being put in Chinese detention camps, to the annexation of Kashmir and the recent Citizenship Amendment Act in India.

I think of all the people that have suffered in 2019. It has been a horrible year for human rights, and what astonishes me even more is the silence and inaction on the part of the global community regarding these atrocities.

Over this past year, the news of Kashmir has been at the forefront of international media and the situation has only been getting worse.

The Kashmir conflict emerged from the 1947 partition of India when the colony gained independence from Britain and formed two distinct countries. At the time, it could not be decided whether Kashmir should join India or Pakistan because Kashmir was a Muslim-majority state governed by a Hindu prince. The prince eventually sided with India because India promised Kashmir independence.

Since the partition, Kashmir has been caught in a battle between India and Pakistan, driven by the desire to win its resources. In August, India annexed Kashmir by revoking Article 370, which gave Kashmir its semi-autonomous status. It has been five months since the annexation and Kashmir has been under an internet shutdown and has now become the most militarized state in the world.

Kashmir, also called “heaven on Earth,” has revealed India’s growing greed, proving how far India is willing to go over the past several years just to get Kashmir’s resources. Three years ago, India created the world’s first mass blinding tragedy by using metal pellet guns on crowds of civilians, leaving hundreds blinded.

Before August 2019, the death toll in Kashmir crept up to 301, but there has been no official updated death toll since the annexation. Unlike the Uyghur genocide, Kashmir is not a hidden atrocity. What is happening in Kashmir is often highlighted in the news and on social media. Specific details are lacking due to the internet

shutdown, yet videos are often found unveiling the violence.

Adding to the Kashmir crisis, the current Indian prime minister and leader of a rightwing Hindu nationalist party, Narendra Modi, recently passed a bill named the Citizenship Amendment Act. This bill gives amnesty to millions of immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

However, this amnesty is only for non-Muslim immigrants.

This bill clearly contradicts India’s secular state policy and constitution. Both the annexation of Kashmir and the CAA expose Modi’s government’s anti-Muslim agenda. With the passing of the bill, introduction of faith as a citizenship criterion and the repression of Kashmir with violence, the Indian government has achieved its Hindu nationalist political agenda.

Indian people have been rigorously resisting these moves, especially the citizenship act.

Since the bill’s passing, Indian people of all faiths have been on the streets protesting for their fellow Muslim citizens.

Famous Indian writer Arundhati Roy expressed hope regarding the protests happening in India right now.

“I am hopeful because this movement intellectually understands and emotionally and passionately understands the horror of this Hindutva programme… And suddenly young people are saying ‘Sorry, we are not buying this.’ And that’s why I’m hopeful,” she said in an interview with Al Jazeera.

With 2020 beginning to unfold, the Kashmir crisis remains unresolved and the Citizenship Amendment Act continues to threaten human rights.

When you think back on 2019, remember the victims of the atrocities that have happened over the past year — remember their stories. The New Year is not only about cherishing the good memories that we have had but also learning from the mistakes we have made.

I hope to see the world recognize not only Kashmir but also the many other acts of political violence that have been taking place around the world and to act upon these atrocities.

And as we make New Year’s resolutions to better ourselves, let’s make a resolution to be better defenders and promoters of human rights, too.

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DISTRACTIONS

What 2019 girl were you?

1. Which social media platform do you check first?

A. Facebook (1 point) B. Tik Tok (2 points) C. Instagram (3 points) D. Snapchat (4 points) 2. For a night on the town, you bring out your favourite pair of: A. Birks (3 points) B. Cowboy boots (1 point) C. Whatever makes your butt look best (4 points) D. Docs (2 points) 3. What accessory do you pair those shoes with?

A. All the scrunchies (3 points) B. A plaid shirt (1 point) C. Crop top (4 points) D. A choker (2 points) 4. Where are you hanging out during Welcome Week?

A. Beer gardens #allforthegram (3 points) B. Library — more like hot girl scholar (4 points) C. Home, duh (2 points) D. Probably around the Ag building (1 point) 5. You’d describe 2019 as: A. Pretty good, Tik Tok became a thing (2 points) B. The best year ever #thriving (4 points) C. And I oop tsksksksk (3 points) D. Eh. Pretty good, crops weren’t the best (1 point) 6. Your 2020 resolution: A. Become Tik Tok famous (2 points) B. Become an Instagram influencer (3 points) C. Hit the gym (4 point) D. Hit up Ag night every week (1 point) Add up your points to get your answer: Country girl (6-10 points)

Everyone loves a good country girl. You remained true to your roots and yourself. <3. See you at Craven! Country Thunder!

E-girl (11-15 points)

No one really understands what you are but that’s ok because you prefer to remain mysterious.

VSCO girl (16-20 points)

You were the meme of 2019 but at least you got some stellar insta posts out of it.

Hot girl summer (21-24 points)

You THRIVED in 2019. Life’s obstacles didn’t get you down. Keep your confidence going into 2020.

DISTRACTIONS / 15

T H E S H E A F P U B L I S HI NG S OC I E T Y // JA NUA RY 0 9 , 2 02 0

VO L . 1 1 1 // I SS UE 1 6

U S S U B A C K PA G E WELCOME BACK

USSU PARTICIPATE IN THE

CAMPUS CLUB WEEK

SPECIAL

GENERAL

MEETING FEB 6, 2020

POP & PIZZA PROVIDED!

BRING YOUR STUDENT CARD

JAN 17 - 25

NEATBY TIMLIN 6 PM THE ATRE (ARTS 241)

Join the USSU for two conferences and a week full of development sessions to build your leadership skills.

Visit ussu.ca for campus club week schedule Contact Jamie Bell for more info campus_groups@ussu.ca 306 966 6967

USSU T H E PAT H F O R WA R D promote education

facilitate leadership

revitalize community

decolonize systems

ALL AMENDMENTS MUST BE EMAILED TO GM@USSU.CA BY 4:30 PM JANUARY 17 USSU.CA/SGM

U P A S S

Last day to apply for Term 2 opt-outs is

JANUARY 17 For more information and online opt-out applications visit ussu.ca/upass

ussu.ca/pathforward

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N V I S I T U S S U . C A