Issue 11 2014-15 by The Phoenix News

UBCO’s Student Newspaper

March 23rd 2015 | Vol 27, Issue 11

OBSESSIVE CALORIE COUNTING EXAMINING THE PROS AND CONS OF HEALTH APPS ... PAGE 12

ELECTION RESULTS PAGE 3 UBCO CRIBS PAGE 9

...Birthday Weekend since 1989

thephoenixnews.com

IN THIS ISSUE

In this issue we delve into the benefits and risks of health apps with Dr. Sally Stewart, Human Kinetics professor. Looking specifically at the Fitbit, The Phoenix learns where the fine line between useful and dangerous lies in calorie counting lies amongst the new generation of fitness technology. Page 12

NEWS

LIFE

ARTS

UBCSUO Elections Results

Fashion with Shanna: Road trip culture at the Graffiti and Grunge Alternator: The faces Page 3 Page 7 behind the show Page 14 & 15 5 Days for the Homeless UBCO Cribs featuring: and Start a Converstion Grand Central Station Interview with Asia Jong: Page 4 & 5 Page 8 & 9 the unpredictable process of art and The wolf at UBCO Juice cleansing with Jeff discovery Page 6 Page 11 Page 16

University Centre 3333 University Way Kelowna, BC, Canada V1Y 5N3 Office: UNC 132B Phone: 250-807-9296 thephoenixnews.com Cover and Feature images by Sarah James and Varenka Kim

SPORTS

OPINIONS

Heather Semeniuk retires after 21 years Page 18

Ask An Atheist

Athlete profiles - get to know the Heat

Opinions Editor Brittni MacKenzie-Dale

Web Editor Justin Kroeker

Life Editor Maranda Wilson

Creative Director Cameron Welch

Current Affairs Editor Alex Sadlowski

Features Editor Sasha Curry

Art Director Sarah James

Copy Editor Reba Ouimet

Arts Editor Jeff Bulmer

Contributors

life@thephoenixnews.com

features@thephoenixnews.com

Interim Sports Editor Cameron Welch

sports@thephoenixnews.com

opinions@thephoenixnews.com

creative@thephoenixnews.com

artdirector@thephoenixnews.com

arts@thephoenixnews.com

The heterogeneity of Islam Page 22 Animal testing at universities Page 23

News Editor Alex Barberis

news@thephoenixnews.com

Page 21

web@thephoenixnews.com

current.affairs@thephoenixnews.com

copy@thephoenixnews.com Shanna Albrecht, Scott Crofford, Anthony Laborité, Ellen Campbell, Brodie Mackenzie-Dale, Addison Cunningham*

The Phoenix is the UBCO students’ free press. Editorial content is separate from the University of British Columbia Student’s Union Okanagan (UBCSUO) and from the UBC institution at large. The editorial staff encourages everyone to submit material to The Phoenix but reserves the right to withdraw submissions from publication for any reason. “Any reason” could be material deemed to be sexist, racist, homophobic, or of poor taste or quality. The Phoenix will not publish materials which condone, promote, or express actions which are illegal under current laws. This does not include articles which provide an in-depth examination of both sides of a controversial subject (e.g. legalizing marijuana). The Phoenix is published, in part, by the UBCSUO and is an active member of the Canadian University Press.

March 23rd, 2015 | The Phoenix |news@thephoenixnews.com | News Editor: Alexandra Barberis

NEWS

do you feel about the UBCSUO election results? * How We want to know! Send us your thoughts at news@

have any interest* Ifingyoustories or events from

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campus, send us an email at news@thephoenixnews.com!

Events March 28 -29

UBCO Relay for Life

6:00 PM - 6:00 AM/ $100 donation/EME The UBC-O Relay for Life is an all night walking relay being held in the EME. The theme is MY ONESIE THING so the atmosphere will be crazy with everyone in a onesie, and blanket forts set up all across floor zero. There will also be events such as yoga, kickboxing, live music, movies, and games

March 29

Run to End Poverty

8:00 AM/OK College Run to End Poverty (R2EP) is a Canada-wide movement that spreads awareness for sustainable, systemic development and strengthens the global community while fundraising for Engineers Without Borders Canada to work with our African partners to dig to the root causes of global issues.

April 1

Roger Watts Advocacy Debate

UBCSUO 2015 ELECTIONS RESULTS UBCSUO elections results revealed New UBCSUO exec: Tom Maculey, Ryan Kaila, Layne Richardson, Kelly Taverner, Romey Jaswal Alex Barberis News Editor In an uncontested position, Tom Macauley was elected for Students’ Union President with 675 yes votes and 189 no votes. The current VP Services positionholder, Layne Richardson, won for the same position. Richardson was uncontested, with 676 yes votes and 171 no votes. Kelly Taverner won another uncontested position for VP External, with 708 yes votes and 139

NEWS BRIEFS Alex Sadlowski - Current Affairs Editor

no votes. The position of VP Finance went to Ryan Singh Kaila, holding 460 votes against competitor Frank Liao’s 399. VP Internal went to Romey Jaswal with 502 votes against Amandeep Dehal’s 313. Jeffrey Krupa was elected over Michael Flaherty-Specht as the Board of Governors representative with 499 votes over Flaherty-Specht’s 373. The four positions available for Director-At-Large were taken by Luke Cooke (471), Jessica Van Brummelen (450), Leo Tan (399), and Matthew Fielding (340). Raziya Merani and Henry Telfer came in with 327 and 255 votes respectively. Terry Zhang (479), Alliance Babunga (417), Babar Ali (411), Nicole Legg (406), Elisa Gallaccio (376), and Lauren Oleksewich (358) will serve as Senators-At-Large. Raziya Merani, and

Chido Muchenje both fell short, with 293 and 266 votes respectively. Danielle Kyei (145) will be the Board of Directors Faculty Representative for Arts, campaigning against Liam Moran (79) for the position. Aman Goswami (103) will be the Board of Directors Faculty Representative for Management, winning over Aneeq Siddiqui (49). Arts and Management were the only Faculty Representative positions to have more than one candidate, with the rest of the differing positions going uncontested. The remainder of the Board of Directors Faculty Reps are as follows: Kimberly Rutledge for Science (with 232 yes votes, 67 no votes), Wesley Mclean for Applied Science (77 yes, 18 no), Addie Chaddock for Education (12 yes, 0 no), Madison McCardell for Health and Social Development (54

yes, 4 no), and Ryan Hoiland for Graduate Students (14 yes, 0 no). The Board of Directors Faculty Representative position remains vacant for the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies. The Senate Faculty Representative positions were also uncontested, listed here as follows: Lauren Marshall for Creative and Critical Studies (16 yes, 0 no), and Shira Sneg for Arts & Sciences (384 yes, 106 no), Dejo Oyelese for Applied Science (87 yes, 18 no), and Daman Bual for Management (130 yes, 30 no). No Senate Faculty Representatives were elected for the Faculties of Education or Health and Social Development.

5:30 PM/FREE/Mary Irwin Theater It is time for UBCO’s top debaters to square off at the final Roger Watts debate on the topic of “Government Surveillance is Justified”. Hosted by local radio host Phil Johnson of 1150am and moderated by Jamie Maw.

April 2

Cut For the Cure

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM/FREE/ UBCO Courtyard Come on out to UBCO’s cut for the cure and support the Canadian cancer society. or at the door.

National

Quebec student strip-searched and removed from school A 15-year-old girl who was recently strip-searched at Quebec City’s Neufchatel High school must attend another school on a judge’s orders. The girl, who has not been identified, was strip-searched by school officials under the suspicion that she was selling drugs. Although no drugs were found, the girl was still suspended. When the girl challenged her suspension in court, Judge Bernard Godbout rejected her request and ruled that she must attend another school. The family’s lawyer said he will file a lawsuit shortly, and Premier

Philippe Couillard has stated that there would be no more strip searches in schools except in extreme cases determined by police. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

News Editor: Alexandra Barberis|news@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | March 23rd, 2015 you planning a campus intiative that you think * Are The Phoenix should know about? We want to know!

have any interest* Ifingyoustories or events from

Email us at news@thephoenixnews.com!

campus, send us an email at news@thephoenixnews.com!

Photo from Event Facebook Page

STUDENT-LED INITIATIVE “5 DAYS FOR THE HOMELESS” IS A GREAT SUCCESS UBCO students raise money and awareness for Kelowna’s homeless A total of $4,073 dollars was raised for H.O.P.E Okanagan Alex Barberis News Editor Sleepless, cold, and back pain—three phrases used by third year Management student, Davis Yates, to describe the experience of sleeping outside in the “5 Days for the Homeless” initiative. A team of five students huddled outside the UNC front doorways from March 9th to 13th in order to promote awareness and raise funds for the homeless in communities across Canada. “5 Days for the Homeless” is an initiative founded by the University of

Alberta Business students. The goal is to increase awareness of homelessness through sleeping outside for a week, and raise donations for local charitable organizations supporting homeless and at-risk youth across the country. To date, the campaign has spread across Canadian university campuses and raised a total of $985,000 dollars across the country. This year’s event at UBCO was led by third year Management student and newly-elected VP External for the UBCSUO, Kelly Taverner. “It was [a] phenomenal [experience],” said Taverner. “It went so well. It was exhausting, but it couldn’t have gone better.” In order to raise funds for the cause, the team of volunteers organized events throughout the week ranging from a pancake delivery service on campus, a karaoke night at the well, a silent auc-

tion of UBCSUO executives and student leaders placing bids to have them sleep outside, coffee kiosks and BBQs throughout the week, drive-through breakfast at Canadian Tire, and donation bags where the “homeless students” would happily accept donations towards the cause. A total of $4,073.44 has been raised by the project—double the amount raised last year, and double the goal set by the organizers. “I was so happy that we raised so much—it made it all worth it,” said Taverner. All money from the event is being donated to H.O.P.E. Okanagan—an organization dear to Taverner’s heart, and essential to the homeless and at-risk women and children of Kelowna. H.O.P.E. Okanagan consists of a dedicated team of volunteers committed to helping women enhance their current and future existence through living a

safe and healthy lifestyle. Volunteers often conduct rounds of the downtown Kelowna core and provide resources to homeless and sexually exploited women. The most engaging, and enriching part of the “5 Days for the Homeless” experience was the opportunity to sleep outside and simulate a small portion of the challenges faced by the homeless in Kelowna. UBCO students Davis Yates, Luke Cooke, Michelle Buchanan, John Stechyshyn, Clayton Schroeder, and some guest sleepers throughout the week accepted the challenge of sleeping outside in order to raise awareness for the cause. All sleepers were required to spend their nights outside, but could leave the campsite in order to attend classes. Sleepers were entirely dependent on donations from the general public in order to sustain themselves

National

Conservative MP apologizes for niqab controversy Conservative MP Larry Miller apologized on March 17th for his insensitive comments about Muslim women. Miller was speaking on Open Line with Bill Murdoch, a call-in radio show, when he claimed that Muslim women who choose to wear a niqab during a citizenship ceremony should “stay the hell where you came from.” Wearing of the niqab during the public Canadian citizenship oath has been the subject of controversy since Jason Kenney (2011 immigration minister)

created a new policy banning face-concealing garments during citizenship ceremonies. While Miller recognized that his comments were not appropriate, he stood by his opinion that “anyone being sworn in as a new citizen of our country must uncover their face.”. Photo: Amexta/Creative Commons

throughout the week. “It was a truly eye-opening experience that demonstrated the harsh reality of surviving outside,” said Yates on the “5 Days for the Homeless blog.” “My heart goes out to the people without a home. After the week I went to a hot tub, then a steam shower, then a regular shower, and proceeded to hibernate for the next day.” Blog posts of all of the sleepers experience can be found at 5days.ca/ubco/ –

March 23rd, 2015 | The Phoenix |news@thephoenixnews.com | News Editor: Alexandra Barberis do you feel about our resources on campus? Do * How you think there are adequate supports for academ-

have any interest* Ifingyoustories or events from

ics, gender and identity, and health and wellness? We want to know! Send us your thoughts at news@ thephoenixnews.com!

campus, send us an email at news@thephoenixnews.com!

Photo by Sniper Studio

STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF PARTICIPATE IN “START A CONVERSATION” UBCO student leaders, faculty, and staff joined together to start a dialogue on creating positive changes around campus. Health and wellness, gender and identity, and academic support were the main points of discussion. Alex Barberis News Editor On Friday, March 13th, 2015 students (employees, volunteers, and service users) connected with staff that serve students (e.g. Campus Life, Academic Advisors, and UBCSUO), and faculty in the UNC ballroom in order get the ball rolling, or “start the conver-

“We will keep having the conversation, and also developing it.” SHIRA SNEG, EVENT COORDINATOR

sation” about how we can make UBCO a more inclusive and successful learning environment through the use of student supports in the areas of health and wellness, gender and identity, and academic supports. “The different themes were a way to show that a student is a holistic human being,” said event coordinator Shira Sneg. “All factors affect them. What I

meant by student support is not something that is just there when you’re breaking down, but anything that enhances you…anything that kind of helps develop you and your experience in the university and during that time is a student support to me.” The event was attended by approximately 50 students, faculty, and staff, and was hosted in partnership with the UBCSUO and UBC. “Start a Conversation” was built upon three main objectives: 1) Strengthen and align existing student supports by sharing stories, successes, upcoming programs, and planned initiatives as points of information and potential collaboration. 2) Understand best practices and effectiveness in implementing and providing access to student supports so that students can make the most out of current and new services as early on in their time at UBCO. 3) Re-

“I’m really into connecting resources. I just feel that connectedness is a really meaningful concept.” SHIRA SNEG, EVENT COORDINATOR

Interplanetary

Mars One program suspected for more than incompetence Although Mars One—the non-profit organization aiming to colonize Mars by 2025—has its share of skeptics, one man involved in the program reveals potential problems that go beyond overzealous optimism. Dr. Joseph Roche, a finalist competing for the opportunity to go to Mars, recently revealed aspects of Mars One’s mission that suggest deception. Roche described a number of issues he felt compelled to make publicly known, such as how candidates increase their chances through donations to the organization rather

than capability, and how the interview process did not evaluate experience, but rather a candidate’s ability to memorize questions related to literature about Mars. Between Roche’s comments and recent reports that Mars One’s contract with TV production company Endemol had fallen through, supporters of the program are quickly coming to becoming suspect that the project will amount to little more than a scam. Photo: Creative Commons

cord the data from the discussion of the day and compile it into a comprehensive and accessible report for all student supports to utilize when implementing programs. “It’s yours,” said Sneg. “It’s yours to take whatever you want from it. So the big part was getting the knowledge out there. I feel like it was just Part A of ‘Start the Conversation.’ We would like to see where it goes and I think it just depends on how it fits with whatever department you are coming from….the next step is to do another event, but we don’t know what that’ll be yet.” The event was generally well-received among staff, faculty, and students. “Start the conversation was a great event that fulfilled it’s name,” said Women’s Resource Coordinator Sarah Reilander. “It will be interesting to see if any initiatives or changes come from it.”

News Editor: Alexandra Barberis|news@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | March 23rd, 2015 have any interest* Ifingyoustories or events from

campus, send us an email at news@thephoenixnews.com!

WOLF FACTS: Head and body length: Adult females 4.5 to 6 ft, adult males 5 to 6.5 ft. Weight: The average for adult males is 75 pounds, and the average for adult females is 60 pounds. Males generally weigh about 20 percent more than females . Longevity: up to 13 years in the wild (Mech 1988), but up to 20+ years in captivity Litter size: 1-11, average 6

Photo by Sarah James

STEP ASIDE UBCO COUGAR! THE WOLF IS ON CAMPUS A wolf hits campus to educate students about the B.C. Wolf Management Plan Sarah James Art Director As a few you may have already had a chance to see, there was a wolf on campus this morning, and her name is Flora. FloraShe is from the Northern Lights Wolf Centre located in Golden, BC.. “The goal of the centre is to educate people about wolves, and about conservation concerns in Canada.” Because of this goal, FloraShe was brought to campus asto be an ambassador to help students and members of the community understand the effects of the BC Wolf Management Plan in Canada, and the resulting wolf cull.

We asked Enjulie Bedi, a fourth year zoology student and a coordinator for the Big Wolf on Campus event, about the centre and the issues surrounding wolves in Canada. “One of our current goals at the Wolf Centre is to inform people about the 2014 B.C. Wolf Management Plan,” said Bedi. “. This is an 80 page document released by the Forest, Lands, and Natural Resources Department in our Provincial Government, and it’s accuracy is heavily lacking. It focuses on two2 main points: [One] wolf populations are increasing [and two] wolves are destroying the Endangered Mountain Caribou herds.” As well, Flora was also here to as teach us about conservation and the importance of having an opinion and utilizing it through voting. Although Flora is a socialized animal, and is comfortable in

“When scientist are being silenced...and when our world is changing right before our eyes, we need to band together and stand united to make a change. ” ENJULIE BEDI 4TH YEAR ZOOLOGY STUDENT

front of large crowds, participants at the event were not able to pet her, which is understandable considering she is a wild animal.“The most important thing we were trying to do at the Big Wolf on Campus event, was to educate our students on the importance of voting,” explained Bedi. “. When scientists are being silenced, when bills and policy’s that we don’t want are being accepted, and when our world is changing right before our eyes, we need to band together, and stand united to make a change. Our students need to educate themselves about the world around them, or else their backyard, their British Columbia, is going to turn into a wasteland itself .” Bedi also mentioned that students should , “watch the video “How Wolves Change Rivers” and see what has happened to Yellowstone

National

Earth CO2 levels don’t rise for first time in 40 years On March 13th, the International Energy Agency (IEA) announced that while the world economy grew in 2014, global carbon emissions did not. In the 40 years that the IEA has been collecting data, atmospheric CO2 levels not rising has always been associated with global economic instability. For the first time, the global economy grew by 3% percent in 2014, while global carbon dioxide emissions reached the same amount as 2013 — 32.3 billion metric tons. In their announcement, the IEA attributes the maintained emission lev-

els to changing attitudes and patterns of energy consumption in China and OECD countries. Photo: John Bennett, Creative Commons

when wolves were removed; [as this] is what’s currently occurring in Canada. happening today in Canada.” If you didn’t get a chance to seehe Flora, you might get the chance again next year as the event coordinators will try to plan a similar event in 2016 next year. If you won’t be on campus next year, you can always visit the Northern Lights Wolf Centre to hear about the program and meet the wolves. All the information about the wolves and how you can tour the facilities can be found on their website, www.northernlightswildlife.com. This event was made possible by because of the UBCO’s Tuum Est Student Initiative Fund.

March 23rd 2015 | The Phoenix | life@thphoenixnews.com | Life Editor: Maranda Wilson

LIFE

you run a blog? If so and you would like to be be * Do feature in the next issue of The Phoenix News send us a sample of your work to life@thephoenxnews.com.

What is Grunge?:

Photos by Shanna Albrecht

GRAFFITI AND GRUNGE Do you remember life in the 90s? Grunge is back and Shanna shows us how to incorporate a little “badass” into our everyday fashion outfits Shanna Albrecht Contributor The grunge style of the 1990s resulted in Doc Martens, choker necklaces, strategic rips, chains, and all-black clothing. Being from the 90s myself, I was so excited when the 2010 era brought in a revitalization of 90s grunge. In my personal style, I try to reflect a “one-third rebel” mentality. One-third of my outfit is always a little “badass.” I do this because I wish I was badass (who doesn’t) and also because I’m quite short and probably the

PHOENIX #SELFIE CONTEST Do you like prizes like UBC swag and The Well gift cards? Post a selfie with the cover, tag and follow @ubcophoenix, and hashtag #ourphoenix for a chance to win!

least intimidating person. Most people take me as “innocent” and “cute.” Since I started working at a nightclub I’ve had a lot of people say to me, “You’re not so innocent anymore!” As though pouring drinks for wild college students rids me of my innocence. Frankly, my weekend nights are quite lame compared to the average party-goer—I often go home sober and watch Netflix until five in the morning. If I shattered the illusion of female bartenders for you, I apologize. Although I’m not hardcore, I like to pretend. I have tattoos, a septum piercing, I listen to rap, I bartend metal shows, I use curse words, my hair has been platinum blond, Little Mermaid red, and jet black, and I’m in love with my leather jacket. But at the same time I love tea, wearing sweatpants, not leaving my bed all Sunday, cuddling my nephew, and listening to Bon Iver.

“Being from the 90s myself, I was so excited when the 2010 era brought in a revitalization of 90s grunge.”

This is why I love fashion. You can be everything you want to be and you can love everything you want to love—even if they’re polar opposites. There are no rules. You can rock out in biker boots and ripped jeans one day, put that pink in your hair and next week wear a sundress and heels. Life isn’t meant to contain you, it’s meant to be experienced and explored—the same goes for fashion. Fashion, like graffiti, is another form of self-expression, people may judge it and think it’s unrefined but some may think it’s absolutely beautiful.

1. PLAID 2. CROP TOPS 3. BAND TEES 4. LEATHER JACKETS 5. COMBAT BOOTS 6. EYELINER 7. BEANIES 8. TATTOO CHOKER 9. RIPPED JEANS 10. CROSS NECKLACE Left outfit: top and bag: Billabong, jacket: topshop, pants: American Eagle Outfitters, boots: Aldo, scarf: gifted, toque: American Apparel Right outfit: top: Blonde, dress: H&M, boots: Le Chateau, jacket: garage, bag: Aldo

Don’t be afraid to rock your inner rebel, xx Shanna

Congrats to our first winner, Angela White. She went home with a new UBC tee.

Our next winner will recieve a ticket to TEDxUBCO happening on March 29th! Be sure to like their Facebook page to find out more about their speakers.

Life Editor: Maranda Wilson | life@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | March 23rd 2015 Alex Barberis, Lina Gomez, Sarah * *Occupants: Reilander, and Melissa Hinderle

Specs: Four bedrooms, two bathrooms, laundry *House room, kitchen, living room, sunroom

UBCO CRIBS

E M O C L E W T0O

GRAND L A R T N E C STATION Kitchen: Top three fridge must-haves:

“Orange juice, Brussels sprouts, flax seeds, eggs…I really didn’t think we lived this healthy.” 1) Melissa needs her 2% milk...by the gallon. 2) Spinach and almond milk for Alex and Lina 3) Eggs

Photos by Alex Barberis

Meet four girls straight outta Rutland Check out The Grand Central Station in this issue’s UBCO Cribs. Alex Barberis News Editor Grand Central Station: its name is derived from a secret competition between Alex Barberis and Lina Gomez made at the beginning of the school year where the winner receives a heavyweight wrestling belt for their herculean task of [redacted]….or it could simply refer to the amount of people they have visiting them at their house at any given time. Alex Barberis is a third-year Political Science Major, the News Editor,

In their other fridge: “This is our alcohol/drunk food fridge. We haven’t been groceryshopping or to the liquor store in a while so it’s kinda empty at the moment. Oh, and special appearance to Sarah’s game. Her parent’s sent her some game from Calgary so that’s still hanging out here because there’s not enough room for it upstairs.”

and Operations Manager for The Phoenix News, Lina Gomez is a third-year Political Science and Economics major, the President of the Model United Nations club and previous meeting chair of the UBCSUO, Sarah Reilander is a third-year Human Kinetics Major and co-coordinator of the Women’s Resource Center, and Melissa Hinderle (rapper name: Skittles) is an outdoor loving, third-year Biochemistry student. Together, these ladies make up the fun-loving house located on the thug streets of Rutland.

March 23rd 2015 | The Phoenix | life@thphoenixnews.com | Life Editor: Maranda Wilson somebody with a cool crib? Let us know at * Know life@thephoenixnews.com

Living room:

“If you look really closely you might be able to see the dried tears from all the Mario Kart battles that have taken place” – Alex Barberis The living room in Grand Central Station has served a variety of functions from housing their neighbours for weeks at a time, to being a battleground for foosball and Mario Kart, and the epicenter of Netflix-binging nights. The shot ski mounted on the wall comes off at only the rowdiest of parties and “gets the people going.” In addition to all of that, it houses the comfiest couches in all of Rutland.

Describe your best memory together:

“Last summer, before we all really knew each other and moved into this house together, we decided to go on a camping trip to get to know one other. We all packed in a car and drove to Alouette Lake for a couple of days. On the last day we had the bright idea of trying to find a souvenir of the trip to put in our new house as kind of the commemoration of the “baller times” of the year to come. So we found a toppled over “No Fire” Sign at the bottom of this creek and decided, “You know what, I think we need this.” In the dead of the night we crept back down to the creek, Melissa and Lina kept watch, and Sarah and I crawled down to the bottom of the creek and axed down this fire sign in the middle of the night. Long story short—there are no fires allowed in our house because of the adequate signage.”

Lina’s bedroom:

“I like [my room] because I can sleep in it?” Lina’s room is both a blast from the past and a skip and a jump to a very adventure-filled future. One wall features a collection of photographs ranging from high school friends to summer fun activities, and photos from a party all the girls went to last weekend; and the other is filled with maps of places around the world she hopes to go explore and discover.

Prized possession: Climbing

gear, because, “it protects me from dying when I climb rocks.”

Melissa’s bedroom:

Alex’s bedroom:

Melissa prides herself on having an OCD clean level room while also maintaining a cozy atmosphere. Her room has decorative string lights, handmade quilts, plants, paintings, and lots of camping and rock climbing gear.

Alex’s room has the basics covered. It has plenty of space for all her books (texts and leisure reading), a bed large enough for more than one person, ample closet space, and direct access to the sunroom in the front of the house. Photos of family and friends adorn the walls, as well as maps of the places she’d like to travel.

“It’s where I study and paint and everything in here represents who I am and what I like to do.”

Prized possession: My easel. Describe your room in one word: Cozy.

Describe your room in one word: Nostalgic and stoked.

Fun fact:

“We have an ongoing battle with the neighbors for a cardboard cut out of an Indian singer that came to Kelowna once. It’s been a saga of breaking into each other’s houses and stealing him back. One day we decided to place Raj in our front window just to spite them and we came back to see a speech bubble taped on the outside of our window reading: “Free nude yoga with Raj and the girls! Inquire within.” Yea, we had to take that down because the people in the neighborhood complained.”

“It’s basically just a room full of stuff and a really squeaky bed....it does the job, I guess.”

Sarah’s bedroom:

“I picked the room because of the view...and the access to the kitchen.” Sarah chose her room for the expansive views over the Rutland valley. It allows for easy access to the kitchen (the real reason why she chose the room).

Prized possession: My adventure bin.

Describe your room in one word: Ballin’.

Prized possession:

“My guitar, I think. I don’t let very many people use it.”

Describe your room in one word: “Organized chaos?”

Self-evaluation of cleanliness: 8.5/10

Life Editor: Maranda Wilson | life@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | March 23rd 2015 a question for Scott? Email us * Have at life@thephoenixnews.com

you know of a person or group doing interesting * Do things on campus? Let us know about them via email and they may be featured right here next issue

MISSED AN ARTICLE BY SCOTT? CATCH UP ONLINE!

“Understanding Credit: Payment history and amounts owed”

“Loan Applications 101” Flickr Creative Commons by myfuture.com

LOAN APPLICATIONS 201 Need money fast? Let our financial expert walk you through the process Part two of Scott’s loan advice Scott Crofford Contributor Following up on my last article let us discuss the paperwork involved in verifying your income. Once again I will use my standard disclaimer that every bank has slightly different standards but that functionally they are looking for the same things. A paystub is usually the most straightforward kind of income verification. Providing a few months’ worth of stubs will provide figures showing your regular income across a period of time and

allow the loans officer to calculate debt ratios quickly and easily. An exception to this, and why I recommended several months’ worth, is when you work a fair amount of overtime. Overtime is considered inconsistent income unless you can verify otherwise. Having more than one months’ worth can show a pattern over time and allow an average—if overtime is relatively consistent—which will give the loans officer the paperwork to support using that income. An NOA (notice of assessment) won’t usually do you any good if you are a regular payroll employee. Financial institutions use this document to verify income for commission salespeople or business operators. Ask any business owner what it’s like to deal with banks as a personal borrower and you will gener-

“Providing a few months’ worth of stubs will provide figures showing your regular income across a period of time ...”

Life Hacks

What’s that smell? Maranda Wilson Life Editor

While you’ve been living in the library, an unknown odor has infiltrated your crib. Maybe it’s the garbage you have neglected to take out for weeks, or poor Fido is trying to let you know it’s time for a bath. Either way, this issue will cover tips on how to get rid of that stank.

ally find they have to meet stricter standards to borrow money. The upside here is that a person can average several years’ worth of income to substantiate their ability to repay. In fact, a minimum history of two years is required for most business owners. Keep this in mind if you plan to start your own business—it can be beneficial to set up any lines of credit, or credit cards you may need before your income fits this category. A question I suspect will be important to many people is if you can count tips. The answer to this is generally a no. If your employer keeps track of tips on your paystub, a bank may be allowed to consider this income and the same is true if you count tips on your tax assessments. This is one of the rare occasions where an NOA may help you as an employed borrower. Still, as

a general rule tips line your pockets but are not treated as verifiable income and this is largely due the practices of people living off of tips. Tax-wise it is often preferred not to claim it, but without claiming it you can’t substantiate the income to a financial rep. Even if you can verify the level of tips you obtain, or some approximation, they may not be usable depending on the institution you are applying to. Anyways, I guess that covers things for today. Thank you for reading and good luck with your finances.

Step 1: Keep it clean—duh

Febreze ain’t going to save you if your room hasn’t been cleaned in awhile. Take out the garbage, vacuum/mop your floors, wipe up spills, and open the window for some fresh air.

March 23rd 2015 | The Phoenix | life@thphoenixnews.com | Life Editor: Maranda Wilson

you know somebody who did a juice cleanse (that *Do sh*t cray)? Let us know at life@thephoenixnews.com

Photos by Jeff Bulmer

JEFF’S 48-HOUR ULTRA-CLEANSE We made our Arts Editor do a “juice cleanse!” #cleaneating Jeff Bulmer Arts Editor I was forced to go on a juice cleanse for our feature on health. Unfortunately, I’m strapped for cash and time, and a proper three-day juice cleanse is both expensive and takes too long. So after some intense research (skimming Google), I reduced the cleanse to its most basic components to create a faster 48-hour version. Step 1: Gather your ingredients. What is a “juice cleanse?” A juice cleanse is a controversial fasting method in which a person consumes only fruit and vegetable juices. For my cleanse, feel free to use whatever fruit juices you happen to have lying around. I used the following: lime

juice, apple juice, V8, and Busch. Some of you may be wondering how beer qualifies as “juice.” Well, juice is just liquid made from produce (fruits and vegetables). Hops is produce, and beer is just liquid made from hops. Therefore, beer is juice. Step 2: Only drink juice. Don’t eat anything. With a cleanse, you’re trying to rid your body of toxins, like gluten, cacao, and red-meat goblins. All of these things are absorbed by your body when you eat foods that contain them, and expelled by your body over time after you stop eating things that contain them. Our goal is to use juice to flush out these toxins over a 48-hour period. This should get rid of most of them, but if you’re unsatisfied with the results, my 48-hour cleanse can easily be

extended just by not reverting to old habits after the first two days. Step 3: The execution. Before doing away with food for 48 hours, I made sure to consume anything still in my fridge that was going to go bad within that time. This had the added effect of filling me up so I would be less tempted to revert to toxic habits right at the start. Nevertheless, only shortly into my cleanse, I already started getting intense cravings for pizza, pasta, and all manner of other junk foods that my body was just realizing it no longer had access to. Instead, I made do with V8. For those unfamiliar with V8, the initial experience can be jarring. I generally think of juice as sweet, but this is not the case with V8. For that reason, it turns out, V8 is a good choice for your

Step 2: Inspect the drainage

Sinks and other drain sources are common places for major stank. Make sure you have no food clogging your drain and use a disinfectant to wipe away food odors.

Step 3: Check inside the can

Garbage bins can get smelly even when they’re not full. Wipe it down and dump in some coffee grounds to neutralize the odors.

cleanse. V8 shares its active ingredient (tomato paste) with many popular junk foods, including pizza, spaghetti, and Caesars, but is devoid of additional toxins. Some may find the taste and texture of V8 unsatisfying, but I believe that it’s truly a good substitute for many of the foods one would normally consume. I don’t know about you, but when I’m feeling pizza, what I’m really feeling is tomato paste. Throughout my 48 hours, I found myself drinking less than I had originally expected. The V8 turned out to be very filling, and I ended up not needing to imbibe that much of it to stay nice, clean, and hydrated. Some of my friends asked me about my well-being during various stages of my cleanse, wondering how anyone could survive drinking only juice for two solid days. Surprisingly, it works

very well. Left to its own devices, the human body can not only survive for quite a while without food or drink, but will actually expel toxins naturally, much the same way as a nearly-empty Gatorade bottle will drip when turned upside down. In this analogy, adding juice (and only juice) is akin to rinsing the bottle and turning it back upsidedown. The results: After my cleanse, I felt refreshed, rejuvenated, and overall like a new me. Most importantly, I was toxin-free, and completely rinsed with apple juice and V8. With nothing left for toxins to attach themselves to, I treated myself to some Dairy Queen, followed by a steak dinner with some friends. I love being healthy.

Step 3: Spray and sprinkle everywhere

Vinegar and baking soda are your best friends (but maybe not together unless you want a volcano). Use it to wipe surfaces down and keep an opened box of baking soda in places like your fridge to absorb odors.

OCC: OBSESSIVE CALORIE COUNTING THE ACURACY AND RISK FACTORS OF FITNESS APPS: HOW FIT ARE FITBITS ANYWAYS? A friend of mine had recently lost ten pounds and was lookin’ good. I asked her how she managed to do so. She told me that she had started wearing a Fitbit and tracking her calories using an app on her phone to calculate the calories in her meals through smart-phone pictures. So I downloaded it. Post-St. Patrick’s Day hangover, I decided to try it out—desperate to shake the regret of consuming a truckload of green beer and City Pizza slices I downloaded the app, Meal Snap. Taking a photo of the dinner plate teetering on my lap, I awaited the app’s calculation: 813 calories. Shit, my treadmill had relayed half that number from my morning jog. So after balancing my Swiss chard atop my mashed potatoes, I tried again. 610 calories. Ha. I chuckled smugly, and with that, happily devoured my dinner. 200 calories left. I could burn that walking up the Science building stairs a few times. I wondered how many other weight watchers cheated the system to avoid those patronizing tripled—or quadrupled numbers. Fitbit’s official website claims that its users take 43% more steps upon using their product. But what is the accuracy of those little numbers? According to berkeleysciencereview.com, the Fitbit was more accurate during low speed activities, but showed high accuracy when it came to the number of steps taken. The Fitbit is a cool gadget, I suppose, to create awareness of unhealthy habits and boost goals, but are we really no longer able to rely on ourselves to monitor our own lifestyles? There is something reliable about employing technology to watch over our shoulder at what’s on our plates and how fast our feet are moving, but where is the line between dependable and dangerously dependable? One of my concerns in speaking to students across campuses about their love for fitness apps and watches was the possibility of slipping into a technologically normalized eating disorder. Howstuffworks.com pondered the possibility of these new fitness monitors as being a “nightmarish invention for an already diet obsessed society.” But then again, how else would I have discovered that my dinner was costing me 200 calories over my workout if it wasn’t for Meal Snap? I sat down with Dr. Sally Stewart, Human Kinetics professor and dietician. “It’s about changing a health behavior,” she said. “Getting people to change behaviors is a huge challenge and people are going to respond to different incentives. An app—whether it’s a Fitbit or an app on your

phone is holding you accountable— motivates you to do something in that way.” Speaking to fitness-monitor fans around campus, it became clear that in the name of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, some relied on the technology more heavily than others. Fourth-year BA student Trystan admitted that he wasn’t sure whether or not a fitness watch is exactly “important” to his physical well-being, but that the features he enjoys are “seeing how many steps [he’s] taken, how long [he’s] slept, and seeing how fast [he’s] going when [he’s] cycling.” On the other hand, one student claimed that she now “can’t work out without it.” “I don’t like to do a workout without because it shows me where my heart rate is at when doing certain workouts and as well calculates my calories,” she says. “I felt like when I didn’t have it I was just estimating my calories and not really knowing how much my ‘leg day’ or what not actually burned, and to my surprise it burned a lot more than I thought!” Dr. Stewart shared her thoughts on some benefits of health apps, but also cons. Calorie counting: It’s not the calories that count, it’s what’s in those calories that count. If you’re eating a marshmallow or an orange and they each have the amount of same calories, you’re going, “great! I’m eating a marshmallow!” But no. You have to look at the whole package. I’m going to choose the orange because it has water and fiber and Vitamin C and all of that stuff, and all the marshmallow has is pure sugar. So if you’re just looking at the calories to lose weight, that’s not really going to benefit you. Focusing on the number: If you’re looking to use the app long-term, then the benefit might wear off. Ask yourself: is the app causing you focus on the wrong things (meaning only the calories or certain nutrients)? Typically when we look at characteristics of disordered eating or obsessive exercise, we’re looking at obsessive-compulsive type behaviors. Anything that perpetuates or facilities those characteristics (like recording calories into an app), this type of person can become fixated on. That number then becomes the goal. This lifestyle becomes a contest, and a controlling issue, which could lead into disordered behaviors if they already have those traits within them. This is the risk factor of calorie tracking devices.

Finding a happy medium: The effort should be about making healthy choices so that we still enjoy food—I mean if I’m drinking this lovely latte and now I’m looking at my computer and it says that it has this many calories, then it takes the enjoyment away—and that’s part of eating too. Even cleanses: If people use them to jump-start a healthier diet, then great. What we’re hoping that it ultimately leads to more education and awareness about healthy eating in general. Overall, these apps are providing helpful information and causing their users to be more aware of the of their diet and exercise habits. Users might never have known how many calories were in their morning lattes, so it’s that awareness that could motivate them into making a change for the better. Dr. Stewart explains that if these apps were eventually developed a little further, informing users about some of the nutrients in their calories, that would actually be beneficial long term. However, she admits that as the apps can be beneficial as they stand now: “if [these are] what gets people to make healthy changes…. fabulous.”

ARTS

Arts Editor: Jeff Bulmer | arts@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | March 23rd 2015 can check out the Alternator * You gallery in downtown Kelowna on Cawston Avenue or online at alternatorcentre.com

ROAD TRIP CULTURE ON DISPLAY AT THE ALTERNATOR The last of this year’s Intermission Series features UBCO Fine Arts students Different mediums and styles combined in to one exhibition theme Sarah James - Art Director

The last of the Intermission Series, an exhibition entitled The Parallel Collective, focuses on the process of documentation and road trip culture. Running from March 14th to 21st, the show began with an opening reception hosted by UBCO students for members of the community. The artists featured in The Parallel Collective are four UBCO students

(Zeke Chan, Catherine Bennington, Cortnee Chulo, and Sage Sidley), with the latter three also participating in Shelf Life, the Fine Arts faculty’s fourth year grad show. In a post-event interview, curator Shayla Ritchie was extremely happy with the critical response to the opening reception, claiming that it was the most successful Intermission that she has completed to date. Ritchie said it was an interesting task working with four different artists and the varied mediums that were used. With all of the artists working together on this exhibition, Shayla felt like she could take a step back and simply serve as the connection to the gallery space while the artists worked as a team to pull the exhibition together. Shayla mentioned how both The Phoenix and Students’ Union representatives were on-hand—a welcome addition to the first night’s crowd.

WORKS IN THE EXHIBITION The many different mediums in the exhibition are untitled but fall under the theme of Sicamous Stories. Shown here left to right, a screen print, photos, including poloroids and a canotype.

“Postcards are made to represent your road trip, to share it with someone else. I created small pen and ink drawings of the odd places we stopped.” -SAGE

The entire show revolves around a recent road trip taken by the artists to local summer hotspot Sicamous. Catherine Bennington, an artist with an extensive repertoire of nature-focused pieces, gave us a short description of her experience of the trip. She said that the artists were aware of an upcoming opportunity to showcase their work, and they decided to showcase Sicamous because it was a fresh and exciting new location to explore. “It was close enough to do in one day, and none of us had concrete ideas as to what we were going to create after the trip,” Bennington said. She explained that the artistic emphasis was placed on the process of the trip itself, with “works [created] as a response to the experience…we heavily documented the entire experience so that we had ample information and imagery to work from afterwards, whether it

was photographs, videos, lists, notes, drawings, etc.” Each one of the artists represented in this show brought their own distinct perspective to it, whether it was through video, sculpture, or drawings. It was all about the real events that organically emerged without editing or any do overs. To ensure realism, they documented every moment of the trip in some form, allowing viewers to experience first-hand what it was like being completely emerged within the ever-changing moment. The result? This group’s dynamism, experiential fluidity, and adventurous mindset set the stage for a stellar show greatly enjoyed by all attendees

March 23rd 2015 | The Phoenix | arts@thephoenixnews.com | Arts Editor: Jeff Bulmer

anything interesting that * Isyouthere have seen going on in your community having to do with the arts? Send us an email at arts@thephoenixnews.com

THE DIFFERENT FACES BEHIND THE SHOW Each one of the artists who participated in The Parallel Collective used their own style and medium within the show to bring together the collective theme of documentation and process. As each one of these artists looks at producing art in completely different ways it seems unfair to group them all within one article without looking at each individually and breaking down their own processes and objectives. Zeke Kan Zeke recounts the trip’s sense of immediacy; a lot was planned, but with every aspect they accepted a considerable amount of spontaneity. This allowed the group to dictate their actions by what they felt—besides the actual destination and date, the trip was entirely open and spontaneous. “I think it’s important that we approached the whole show without preconception,” says Zeke. “We just allowed things to fall into place, hopefully complementing one another.” Zeke thinks everything did end up being complementary. “I think the idea of road trip culture too, is that a lot of it happened in between destinations,” he says. Zeke’s sand sculptures on the floor of the gallery are made entirely of sand and water, and each brick can never be replicated the same way again, “A lot of my work is dictated by some rationale of feelings,” he says. “I’m not entirely

sure what that means, but I think it’s the only thing that I can know to be honest without fear of being dishonest or false in any way.” Sage Sidley Sage’s work is mainly comprised of ink, charcoal, and graphite. Her drawings invite viewers to participate in the narrative—exactly what happens when her work is viewed in this exhibition. Using her drawings she engages the audience and allows them into her own experience on the trip. “I have always loved going on road trips,” says Sage. “There is something special about being cooped up in a small space with friends and family, listening to tunes and expanding your view.” Working as a collective, the group decided to experiment with different elements that make up a road trip. “Our experience then brought up questions of just what it is that makes the road trip experience,” she explains. To Sage, it was the shared experience between each artist and the unconventional places they stopped and looked around. At the time Sage had no idea what kind of art this experience would lead her to create. In her work—where she mainly focusses on large scale portraits—she took a different turn when creating her ‘unconventional postcards.’ “Postcards are made to represent your road trip, to share it

Photos provided by Cortnee Chulo, Sage Sidley and Sarah James

with someone else,” says Sage. “I created small pen and ink drawings of the odd places we stopped. A factory and small homes on the way. We don’t often share these aspects of our trips and send them to others. The postcards then became unique and special to our road trip. Including the certain places we stopped along the way and the weather on that specific day.” Cortnee Chulo Cortnee focused on the mediums of photography and video, and on the documentary side of the show. One concept that she touches on with significance—especially important in today’s society, the age of Instagram and Facebook—is censorship. “It’s a relatively common practice to edit your photos and the story that you present to the social media platforms, only showing the best images and most flattering parts,” Cortnee says. “That’s one of the reasons that we chose to have two GoPros, one would always be filming.” From having over 10 cameras in the car throughout the entire trip their goal was to not leave anything out. “I initially didn’t actually think I was going to show any of my photos, digital or instant Polaroids, but after some consideration I realize that not showing them felt a bit too much like censorship/framing/editing,” she says. Cortnee’s goal throughout the entire

process was to be as “uncensored as possible, while still allowing the viewer to experience the emotions.” Catherine Bennington Catherine’s work explores and showcases a different range of mediums. Catherine works primarily in painting and she says “it was important for me to include an abstract piece [in the show.] For this painting, I was focused on the route of the trip as the basis for the composition and worked in a monochromatic palette as I thought it best suited the colours that we saw on the trip.” Another way that Catherine documented her experience was through lists. These lists included “funny things said or lists of the number of times we did something stupid, like drop the GoPro…” She constructed her other

pieces based on these lists. “I made a weaving based off of the numbers I recorded, the stitches, rows or knots, corresponding specifically to the list,” she explains. “I thought it would be interesting to bring this medium which is most often associated with craft into a gallery setting.” To Catherine, the process was key to the trip, the act of getting there was more important than the destination. Through her work, she wanted to demonstrate that the process was as important as the actual outcome of her work. Catherine’s work uses inspiration from her memories of the landscape and unfolds naturally as the process goes on.

March 23rd 2015 | The Phoenix | arts@thephoenixnews.com | Arts Editor: Jeff Bulmer

anything interesting that * Isyouthere have seen going on in your community having to do with the arts? Send us an email at arts@thephoenixnews.com

Photos provided by Cortnee Chulo, Sage Sidley and Sarah James

Arts Editor: Jeff Bulmer | arts@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | March 23rd, 2015 your best travel story? We’d * What’s love to hear it!

Have you done time abroad as part of the Go Global program? We want to hear your story! arts@thephoenixnews.com

arts@thephoenixnews.com

ASIA JONG AND THE UNPREDICTABLE PROCESS OF ART AND DISCOVERY The differences between UBCO and Lancaster, England Third-year Art History major Asia Jong opens up about her experiences in the Go Global program Alex Sadlowski - Current Affairs Editor “When I’m talking about my work, it’s kind of difficult, because this year did not exactly go how I planned for it to go.” Asia is living in Lancaster, England. She’s been there since October as part of the Go Global program. “I’d tell everybody to do [this]. I think it’s a great program,” she said enthusiastically. An Art History major and a Visual Arts minor, Asia is in her third year

of studies at UBCO. She describes her year at Lancaster as a formative experience for artistic development. “[In the first and second years] at UBCO… You’re given assignments so you can have the skills to go into fourth year, and develop your own [art] with the set of tools you’ve learned,” she says. “Here at Lancaster, there aren’t many classes that actually teach you how to paint or draw… A lot of the art here is produced from the studio work.” With this year being one of studio work rather than tutorials, Asia was ready to move across the globe and begin making art that’s close to her heart. The first piece she shows me via webcam is charcoal and pastel, and strikingly surreal. “I was dealing a lot with the thought of memory and nostalgia, because I was thinking a lot about the past, and home,” she explains. “There are a lot of images that are interjected,

Are You Still Watching? Bored? Want to watch a movie but don’t know which one? In Are You Still Watching we dig through streaming services to find hidden gems that are actually worth your time

Jeff Bulmer Arts Editor

“When I’m talking about my work, it’s kind of difficult, because this year did not exactly go how I planned for it to go.” ASIA JONG

and spots that are just blotches, like gaps in your memory.” Unfortunately, her time in England took an unexpected turn quickly after her arrival. “A lot of the art work that I’ve wanted to create has been put on the backbench.” Asia explains that the art professors at Lancaster encourage exploration of different mediums. So while charcoal and pastel work was her passion in Kelowna, she has felt the need to attempt collage work to please her professors. “I’ve just felt limited.” Nonetheless, Asia maintains a positive attitude. Showing me her art via webcam, she’s smiling the whole time. She’s clearly proud of her collages— and justifiably so—even if it wouldn’t have been her first choice of medium. Asia describes to me the painstaking process of finding images for a collage —the scouring of second hand book

Soul Kitchen (2009)

Suggested for fans of: Chef, Waitress, Das Experiment How much do you need to pay attention: Quite a bit Re-vamping a restaurant is no easy feat. When Zinos Kazantsakis (Adam Bouskalous) decides to overhaul his restaurant, Soul Kitchen, it’s a run-down, unpopular, and low-quality bistro that happens to attract people because there’s nowhere else nearby. After hiring a gourmet chef (Birol Ünel), extra waiters, and a live band...

stores and charity shops for copies of Reader’s Digest, old North American photo books, and books filled with pictures of celebrities from the 40s. “It’s kind of sad, because sometimes an image is really nice, and you don’t want to screw it up,” she says. “You don’t want to waste a really nice image by assembling it with something that doesn’t justify it. I guess that’s the thing I like about collage.” For Asia, the process of searching and physical creation is vital. “I don’t do digital collage work very often, because I really like the process of having to go and find the books and picking out which images go with which, and not just being able to Google which images I want.” Asia admits that although she did not initially feel ready to stop drawing so early into her year, the shift she’s undergone at Lancaster has been a tre-

it’s a run-down, unpopular, and high-quality bistro that’s now too expensive for the regulars. Over 94 minutes, Soul Kitchen shows the beautiful transformation of Zinos’ restaurant from wharf bistro to secret gourmet kitchen. The movie is at its best during montages, showcasing mouth-watering dishes backed by glorious soul music. Add to that an excellent cast of wellwritten and well-acted characters, concise and interesting subplots involving Zinos and his brother Ilias (Moritz Bleibtreu), and beautiful filmography exhibiting Hamburg in all its glory, and you’ve got a great way to spend an hour and a half.

March 23rd 2015 | The Phoenix | arts@thephoenixnews.com | Arts Editor: Jeff Bulmer you like to be featured in * Would The Phoenix News? Contact arts@ thephoenixnews.com for more information on being a Phoenix Featured Artist!

you going to any events in the * Are coming weeks? Concerts, MapleF-

est, maybe even that public reading with Marie Clements? Write up the event and send it to arts@thephoenixnews.com!

more events, check our events * For page at thephoenixnews.com/event!

Events March 24th Public Reading with Marie Clements

7 pm / Okanagan Regional Library UBCO Writer-in-Residence Marie Clements presents this public reading at the Okanagan Regional Library. Winners will also be announced for the Okanagan Short Story Contest.

March 27th Octagon

7:30 pm / $35 (Adult) $10 (Must show UBC card) Mary Irwin Theatre Eight musicians come together to perform Beethoven’s Septet, Op. 20, Schubert’s Octet, D.803, Malcolm Forsythe’s Concerto for 8 and other seldom heard, larger ensemble works.

March 28th Kelowna MapleFest Family Day

Artwork and photos provided by Asia Jong

mendous learning experience. “[With collage] I’m not limited to my taste. There are so many images in my collages that I never would have used if I were to come up with a concept [beforehand] and put it together through Photoshop,” Asia admits. “And I like that when I see an image in a book that I wouldn’t normally think is aesthetically pleasing, when I put it in the context of the collage I’m making, it serves its correct purpose.” Asia’s most current piece is a blend of drawing and collage—a culmination of what she’s learned thus far in her time on two different campuses. “I felt like I had lost touch with what I actually wanted to do, which was draw. So I decided to do a self-portrait, because I felt a little bit disconnected from the collages I had been doing. I just sort of started doing them but not realizing why. And so I wanted to

“I think I’ve learned so much while I’ve been here. About me personally, and about me as an artist’”

ASIA JONG

Filbert Cartoons Anthony Labonté For more comics filbertcartoons.com

and

Contributor animations,

visit

[do] something that was on a personal level. It’s a large piece that is a drawn portrait, and it has images in the back in the same fashion that the other collages are in.” Through the way she describes her time in England, it’s clear that Asia has learned more about what inspires her —but her artistic journey is far from over. “[When I get back to UBCO], I’d probably go more into drawing with charcoal… I haven’t done a lot of painting, but I’d like to.” When I ask whether she’ll continue exploring memory in her art, she replies with the same spontaneity I’d come to expect from her. “I think so. Memory has always intrigued me as a subject for contemporary art. [But] I sort of take things step by step and see what I feel like doing in that moment.” She pauses to think about her word choice, clearly quite introspective. “I haven’t felt like

I’ve found my own style. I haven’t necessarily found who I am as an artist yet.” Like many university students, Asia Jong is unsure of where the next few years will take her. But if her willingness to adapt and experiment is any indication, her future is filled with artistic development and achievement.

10 am / Rotary Centre for the Arts Kelowna’s MapleFest Family Day features family activities, food, workshops, shows on an outdoor stage, and additional entertainment for everybody.

Wild Son

9 pm / $5 / Fleetwood Public House After MapleFest, head up to Fleetwood Public house and check out Wild Son! The chance to see Wild Son in Kelowna is truly once in a lifetime! Don’t miss out!

March 31st Supernova

7 pm / Pulp Fiction Logan Albert Mullin’s new play exploring the mechanics of family and relationships in the future. New Vintage Theatre presents a free reading starring Josephine Stebbings, Matthew Brown, Janet Anderson and Hailey Sabourin

Interim Sports Editor: Cameron Welch|sports@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | March 23rd 2015

SPORTS

Heat women’s volleyball team is one of * The 3 finalists for City of Kelowna’s Brian Couling Memorial Award for sports team of the year

out thephoenixnews.com for the * Check complete version of Heather’s interview, more athlete profiles, and more

Original photo by Greystoke Photography, effect by Cam Welch. Interview has been edited for length

AFTER 21 YEARS AS UBCO’S HEAD COACH, HEATHER SEMENIUK SAYS GOODBYE Semeniuk served as women’s basketball coach for 21 years & 400+ games Her teams had 2 conference titles, 3 Nationals spots, and joined CIS in 2011 Cam Welch Creative Director

Heather Semeniuk has been at UBCO for over twice as long as it’s been UBCO. She originally became the institution’s head coach in 1994 when the team was the Okanagan University College Lakers, and has guided them for over 400 games since then. Semeniuk’s coaching philosophy emphasizes family, and her own family shares her love of basketball: Her daughter and son-inlaw were both top university players, her older son Marc is her assistant

coach, and her younger son Darren was the Heat men’s coach for seven seasons. We sat down with her in early March talk about her remarkable career. What are you looking forward to now that you’re done? You know what, I enjoy basketball so much that this week I’m at all the playoff games. I just enjoy seeing the kids play—the [Junior Heat], and then also my grandchildren, whose games I can’t even get to all of. So I’m looking forward to that, just having the freedom of choice. How did you join UBCO originally? [My husband and I] knew we always wanted to come back to Kelowna. I grew up in Kamloops, eh. So getting back here was always kind of a dream. As far as the college and then the university position, that wasn’t really in the cards—I was coaching at the

“Those girls have made friendships that are lifelong now.”

HEATHER SEMENIUK HEAT WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH

high school level, I was approached to come apply for this job, and it kind of evolved from there. Your coaching emphasizes family, personal growth, and academics. Where does that stem from? I was raised in a family with eight children. You learn to share, first of all, and then secondly you learn that giving is really important. So I think for me it was just wanting to give myself, give of my knowledge, give anything I could to help them. Do you keep in touch with players? Yeah, I do. The recent ones are more familiar and closer and I see them more often. The ones that have been gone for 10, 12, 15 years it’s a little bit more distant. But at our last game there were some people in the stands with their families there, that I had coached, so that was pretty cool to see. I mean with the social media nowa-

125 2

Number of players Heather has coached here. They went to 61 different high schools, all were from western Canada, and the majority (111) were from BC.

Number of conference gold medals won by Heather’s teams. They also won 1 silver and 4 bronze, and made playoffs in 14 of 17 seasons

days I see it on Facebook all the time: the girls from this year that won this championship are having a championship party ten years later. What’s it like having your family members all involved in basketball? It’s good, it’s full-on support. Because all of the people, the children and even my son-in-law and daughters-in-law, have been involved in varsity sport. It’s just a natural kind of love for the sport; we just share so much with it. It isn’t “who we are” but it’s kind of about us. What are your hopes for this program? It’s already growing more and more. But in order to recruit those players, no matter what sport it is we have to keep building on the foundation now and keep going forward to become better. We talk about becoming better every day in our practices and I think for this program that would be a good motto.

Number of CCAA National tournament appearances by Heather’s teams. Their best finish was 4th, and they came 5th/6th twice.

March 23rd 2015 | The Phoenix |sports@thephoenixnews.com | Interim Sports Editor: Cameron Welch losing veteran goalie Christine Tallon, the women’s soccer * After team are adding 2 rookie goalkeepers: former provincial MVP Joella Koblischke and U18 national rugby medalist Anna Fuchshuber

on my all-star legacy by applying * Carry to be Sports Editor for 2015/16. See applicaiton details on the back page

you know an athlete on campus who competes * Do at a high level outside of the varsity system?

Recommend them for our Love of the Game series

ATHLETE PROFILES: GET TO KNOW THE HEAT

Myrte Schön

5th year / Volleyball / Outside Hitter / Nursing / Langley, BC UBCO career: 500 kills, 343 digs What will it be like not being in volleyball next year but still in school? It’s definitely gonna take some getting used to not practicing every day, not having that time commitment. At the same time it think it’s gonna be nice, it’ll free up a lot of time for school and to try out things. I’m kind of looking forward to it but I think it’ll be kind of bittersweet having all that time off not being able to do what I really love doing, which is playing volleyball. Favourite memory from your career? Winning our first-ever CIS match, that was definitely a volleyball career high. I think a lot of people underestimated us, and we all had no idea how to play in the CIS really and then to come out and win our first game was def a standout moment for us. How do you feel about this past season? It’s disappointing not to go as far as we would’ve liked to but I think looking back we’ve achieved some pretty awesome things with our volleyball team. This is our most successful year of CIS ever [and] we shouldn’t let [not making Nationals] take away from what we worked towards. Favourite movie? Robin Hood: Men in Tights What fictional world would you live in? Hogwarts What places do you hope to visit? I want to visit every continent. I’m hoping to go to Africa for my final practicum [and] I’m going to Europe this summer for my sister’s wedding.

Enzo Paal

Sarah Allison

Aldrich Berrios

2nd year / Soccer / Mid & Forward / Arts (Performance) / Vernon, BC 4 goals, 1 assist

4th year / Basketball / Guard / HKin / South Surrey, BC 14.3 points, 2.7 reb, 2.3 assists

1st year / Basketball / Point Guard / HKin / Burnaby, BC 12.9 points, 3.4 reb, 3.9 assists

Most memorable moments-this season? On-field: The one where I scored against TRU and that win got us in the playoffs. [And our goal] against Trinity Western: one of the best goals we’ve ever scored, a team goal, everybody got involved in the play. Off-field: We had a theme song. It was the John Cena theme song. And so every time that came up.. like parties or practicing on the field, someone would bring it out and everybody would be like “oohhhhh, aaayyy, this is crazy” and this got us pumped up.

What made you decide to come to UBCO after playing for Calgary in your first year? I actually came to UBCO on a bit of a whim. I was rehabbing an injury and had talked with Heather over the phone a few times. I decided on UBCO because I liked the degree program they offered.

How do you feel about your season? Well record-wise obviously we’re not where we hoped to be but we’re growing, right? We’re a young team so it’s really a learning curve and a growing experience. But I’m really enjoying the opportunity that I have. With our injuries and stuff I’ve been really been getting a lot of playing time and I’ve seen the court a lot so it’s good for me to grow as a player.

What are your interests off the field? I really like the arts. I like acting a lot, I like performance, dancing. And I like the regular activities, bowling, paint-balling. What are your favourite places in Kelowna? Probably our house. Everybody comes over, and we call it The Cage because there’s a big picture of Nicolas Cage hung up on the wall. Favourite athlete / team? Soccer: Paul Pogba. He’s tall like me, kinda plays like me—I like players that play like me. For NBA either LeBron James or Jimmy Butler. Team: Washinton Wizards, Real Madrid What fictional world would you live in? Gotham City; I’m a big Batman fan Where would you want to travel or live? Africa. Most of my friends are from Africa. I’m from Amsterdam, so I’ve been everywhere in Europe. Not to Asia but South America, I’ve been a couple places because my dad’s from there. So my dream spot would be Morocco or South Africa.

What are your interests off of the court? I am kind of a nerdy/thrill-seeker hybrid. I like to read and write and dabble in photography. I enjoy being active and going on various adventures outdoors. I also love hot yoga and need to find time to be more consistent in my practice! What are your favourite places in Kelowna? Any of the hiking trails and little hilly mountains, Lake Okanagan / City Park, Moksha Yoga, Stuart Park rink, Bread Company, UBCO gym, Roses. Favourite athlete / team? Carey Price / Montreal Canadiens What fictional world would you live in? I’m a Hogwarts alumnus. I choose to live with muggles. Where would you like to live / travel to? I’d love to go everywhere. I’ve been to Europe a few times. I think Australia or New Zealand would be incredible. Either there or Southeast Asia (Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia). Ultimately I would like to settle down in Canada though. If you could meet anyone, who would you pick? I’d like to meet both of my Grandpas, as I never got the opportunity to. There are also a lot of fictional characters and/or authors I would like to question.

How has your first year at UBCO been? I love the fact that it’s a smaller community, you kind of know most people […] like you can go around and be like “oh hey what’s up” to most people, so I’ve been enjoying that. Favourite movies? Lord of the Rings or the Rush Hour series. I’m a huge Will Smith fan as well, Fresh Prince of Bel Air is like my number one thing, like even in high school that was my nickname, people called me the Fresh Prince. I’m huge on Denzel Washington too Favourite athlete / team? Kevin Durant or Chris Paul What fictional world would you live in? Middle Earth If you could meet anyone, who would you pick? Tupac, Jay Z, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson Where do you hope to live or travel to? I went to Barcelona and Madrid this past spring break, so either one of those two places and I kind of hope to play there in the future.

26,966 40 216-199 Total points scored by Heather’s teams in the regular season and playoffs (not including tournaments and exhibition). Their opponents have scored a combined 25,793 on them.

Number of BCCAA / PACWEST AllStar selections for Heather’s athletes. Their other awards include: 32 Academic Excellence, 12 Playoff All-Star, 1 Playoff MVP, 1 Rookie of Year

All-time record of Heather’s teams, including regular season and playoffs but not preseason or exhibition. In their 298 BCCAA / PACWEST regular season games they were 181-117. In the postseason, they were 16-13 and 4-6 at Nationals. In 80 CIS games they were 17-63.

OPINIONS

Opinions Editor: Brittni MacKenzie-Dale|opinions@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | March 23rd 2015 you agree or disagree with the points made * Do about atheism and secularism? We want to hear about it! Tweet at us @ubcophoenix.

THE EVENT WILL TACKLE SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS SUCH AS: •Why don’t we believe in God? •How does our life have meaning if we don’t believe in a higher power? •How do we handle the inevitability of death if we don’t believe in life after death? •Do we hate religion?

Photo provided by Zena Ryder

“ASK AN ATHEIST” INVITES QUESTIONS TOWARDS NONBELIEVERS Atheism still might sound like a dirty word, one that evokes images of immorality or of cynicism. Zena Ryder, branch manager of CFI Okanagan, clears up some myths and invites believers to come out for UBCO event. Brittni MacKenzie-Dale – Opinions Editor

Many think of atheist as a dirty word. Some even think of atheists as immoral. Why is this? Thursday, March 26th marks the date UBCO Skeptics and CFI Okanagan host their “Ask an Atheist” event. Religious and nonreligious alike might be wondering who and what this involves. Zena Ryder, branch manager at Cen-

HELPFUL DISTINCTIONS ABOUT NONBELIEVERS

tre for Inquiry Okanagan, shed some light on the event for The Phoenix News. CFI is not an atheistic organization, but rather a secular group. Ryder states that “[this distinction between secularism and atheism] is important to us because what we’re trying to do is combat the harms of religion. As an organization, we’re not concerned with being anti-religion.” Within the CFI, individual participants and volunteers are going to be more or less anti-religion—since secularism, skepticism, and atheism are not a monolithic beast, but rather differing worldviews held by unique individuals. Atheists face a very real prejudice in Canada. Although more than half a billion people worldwide identify as atheists and 20% of people living in British Columbia do not believe in a “higher power”, it is still generally considered taboo to admit that you do not subscribe to a religion. Misconceptions surrounding athe-

ism and secularism are abundant. Far too frequently, people relate the lack of one’s religion to the lack of one’s morality. This blanket statement is not true, of course: atheists simply do not get their morality from a sacred text. “The point of these events,” says Ryder, “is to increase the understanding that believers have of atheists.” A 2011 UBC Vancouver study showed that atheists are just as distrusted as rapists. Another startling study revealed that only 33% of parents would trust an atheist individual as a daycare worker, even if they were the best candidate otherwise. In the U.S., some states even prohibit atheists from holding public office. This prejudice and misunderstanding is exactly the kind of preconception the secular community must combat. “You don’t necessarily show that you’re an atheist,” says Ryder, “but nonetheless, people sometimes feel that they can’t be explicit in their atheism.”

Skepticism: Skepticism means asking questions and looking for evidence to find the truth. Many people claim to be skeptical about different things and draw different conclusions based on their findings. In most cases this means looking towards science or other reputable sources to ensure that a belief or a claim is correct. (Skeptics should not be confused with cynics.)

Events like “Ask an Atheist” attempt to eradicate some of these myths in a friendly, open atmosphere. Often, people believe that atheists do not experience the same joy or wonder that religious folks do. Ryder says that “[atheists] can be thought of as people who don’t have any morals, who can’t feel awe at the universe, and who can’t go look at the [Okanagan] Lake and just say wow. But listening to our stories, hearing that we are real, moral human beings…is very valuable.” These events have happened before and were met with positive reception. The Okanagan Institute event was at the Bohemian Café and was open to the public. The second event was a private event for the Trinity Church. There were about 30 people at each event. “People are curious,” says Ryder. “If they come from a religious background, they don’t often get to interact with atheists or ask question like, ‘why don’t you believe in God?’”

Secularism: Secularism in public life is about working to keep faith-based ideas, superstition, and religious ideology out of the public sphere. At the very least, it is not giving preference to one religion over another or over atheism. A secular school system, for instance, is an educational environment where no one religious opinion is valued over any other. It doesn’t mean a rejection of religion or religious ideas.

The “Ask an Atheist” panel will be comprised of roughly 10 members. “The panel is very diverse, including people who have always been atheist or agnostic, converters, and people of different backgrounds and from different countries,” explains Ryder. It is vital to remember that nonbelievers are not a homogenous group. For example, some in the group feel that life is more precious because it’s finite—that is, because they only have one, and so they desire to make the most of it because they do not believe they will be in heaven afterwards. That motivation to make their life the best it can be is a very positive influence. However, not all atheists or secularists hold this view because there is no atheist doctrine or scripture. In a similar vein, many religious people hold different views among sects or even within churches.

Atheism: Atheism is the view that gods, religion, and the afterlife are false beliefs. Despite common stereotypes, atheists aren’t necessarily anti-religion, nor do they worship themselves instead of gods. Atheists may have different beliefs but they are not necessarily connected to a particular ideology or worldview. Describing someone as an atheist says nothing about what that person does believe; only what they don’t believe. The “a” in atheism indicates a lack or absence of, and “theism” means the belief in a higher power.

March 23rd 2015| The Phoenix |opinions@thephoenixnews.com | Opinions Editor: Brittni MacKenzie-Dale there anything you would like * Isdiscussed in this section? Send us

you consider yourself a love guru? Shoot * Do us an email if you would like to help start up

your input to opinions@thephoenixnews.com.

a sexy advice column. After all, what good is knowledge if it can’t be shared?

LET’S CHALLENGE SOME SOCIAL NORMS! All too often university becomes a space of exclusivity, oppression, anxieties, and depression. We think we are not good enough because of a score on a test or because we don’t look like everyone else at school. Maybe we are even inadvertently being bullied by fellow students or even professors who don’t know better. Join Nicole Block as she leads a social norm workshop on March 30th. The free event is in Arts 202 and will begin at 5pm. The aim of the workshop is to question social norms we take as innate and inherent, to broaden our worldviews, and to learn something new about ourselves and others. See you there!

L to R: Sheikh Daood Butt and Adnan Bhat, Image by Raja Saravana Kumar

THE HETEROGENEITY OF ISLAM Monday, March 16th, UBCO’s Muslim Association hosted a “What is Islam and Who are Muslims?” talk, including guest speaker Sheikh Daood Butt Important questions were raised and answered, some of which might surprise the student body. Brittni MacKenzie-Dale – Opinions Editor

Picture this: Inside ASC 130, a group of about 100 students and guests gather. Two tall, charming men in suits are at the front of the classroom. One has a silly and engaging demeanor about him: he jokes that the audience should call him Superman. The event’s guest speaker is slightly more serious but comes equipped with a pleasant wit and sharp humor. Would you think, at first glance,

DOES RELIGION BELONG IN THE CLASSROOM? We are happy to report we received a wide range of answers! Please note that some students preferred to remain anonymous.

that these are Muslim people giving a talk to UBCO students about Islam? Probably not. And the reason you probably wouldn’t expect such a humorous and informative talk is because unfortunately Islam often gets slammed in the media. Frequently, the North American view of Islam and Muslims is a negative one: we blindly think of violence, ISIS, terrorists, and oppression. On the surface, the event discussed and answered questions about Islam and Muslim communities; but inadvertently, the speakers told the audience to remember that there is heterogeneity to Islam. What we’ve been taught to think by the media is not necessarily truth. What one Muslim thinks is not automatically what the next Muslim thinks. Bhat kindly answered some questions about Islam. What is your favorite part of the Islamic community?

The brotherhood/sisterhood we experience is beyond words. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that “none of you truly believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself,” referring to the humanitarian brotherhood. My belief in Allah and Islam is not fully established unless I love for my neighbors, friends, families, everyone what I love for myself. Things like taking care and looking after your neighbors, sharing food with them, visiting them and helping them in whatever ways possible. The list [of positives] can go on and on. What is the difference between Muslim “fundamentalists” and “extremists” vs. other Muslims? I have noticed the word “fundamentalist” used synonymously with the word “extremist.” However, I see the word fundamentalist implying that a person follows the fundamentals of the ideas he associates him-

Trystan Carter – Fourth-year English/ Creative Writing major: Everything has a place in class, including religion, as long as what you’re bringing is meant to contribute to what is being discussed, and you’re not simply using the class as a sounding board or a platform for your own opinions. As long as you’re also reflecting on yourself and why you’re bringing that to class: is my religion or religious experience relevant to this class? And that exchange should go both ways: what can my reli-

self/herself to. The word extremist rightly gives a very negative feeling. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) commanded Muslims to always take the moderate path and not the extremes. [This misconception] is partly due to people using words like these that have a deep impact on the world we live in very loosely. Are there ways in which other holy texts overlap with the Quran? Yes, there are similarities between other religious scriptures like the Psalms, Torah and Gospels. We as Muslims believe in that Allah sent down revelations to different Messengers with the same basic message that there is one deity worthy of worship and the revelations were meant to guide humans. We believe the Quran to be the last revelation and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) the final messenger and slave of Allah. We do not worship Prophet Muhammad or any other prophets

gious experiences bring to this class? Shaun Martineau – Third-year Creative Writing major: I definitely think it has a place, but like any professor’s personal taste, it shouldn’t influence their teachings; for example, I hate country music but if I taught a class on music, I wouldn’t just focus on pop, country would be in there. Elizabeth Baker* - Fifth-year PPE major: I do not think religion has a place in class-

like Jesus, Moses, Solomon, Joseph or Abraham, etc. (peace be upon all of them) What is the Muslim Students’ Association like on UBCO campus? The association is just like any other club on campus that tries its best to serve the community of UBCO/ Kelowna. We aim to look after the needs of the Muslim students on campus, [ranging from] organizing daily prayers to making arrangements for our festivals. We aim to bridge the gap between Muslims and non-Muslims on campus. Like any other club we organize fun activities and events (open to everyone); most famous ones include soccer nights, the boat party, dinner parties, and talks on Islam. Please note that this is a shortened version of the interview. For Adnan’s full answers and more questions, please visit http://www.thephoenixnews.com

rooms, unless it is treated as any other myth: as a strategy to understand cultural action or inaction, worldviews, or explain periods of time. In terms of analysis, intellectual curiosity, or poetry, yes, I think religion fits in classrooms the same way Greek mythology and Norse gods do, but to give contemporary or major religions (Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and the like) special privileges or considerations is absurd in the 21st century. All ideas are open to criticism and the idea of something being “scared” or “divine” is open to that criticism as well.

Opinions Editor: Brittni MacKenzie-Dale|opinions@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | March 23rd 2015 you have an opinion about animal testing in labs * Do and universities? We want to hear about it! Tweet at us @ubcophoenix.

WANNA GO VEGGIE BUT DON’T KNOW HOW? You might be interested in going vegetarian or vegan but are asking a few important questions, like: * How will I ever afford it? * Will my friends think I’m weird? * Where will I get my protein and calcium? Grad student Juawana Grant and undergrad Brittni MacKenzie-Dale are putting on a vegan workshop the last week of school. They will be handling out helpful information to students about how to eat vegan on a student budget, dispelling nutrition myths, and sharing quick and easy recipes. Come to room SCI396 on April 10th! There might even be yummy treats—and what uni student can pass up free food? Photo from Mycroyance, Creative Commons

ANIMAL TESTING IS BEING REDUCED AT UNIVERSITY… BUT IS IT REALLY? UBC fails to admit its shortcomings in addressing national policies on animal research. Ellen Campbell investigates what this means—for both the institution and the animals. Ellen Campbell – Contributor

In anticipation of the research week, Dr. Jodey Castricano’s class held a controversial debate. Dr. Castricano, Associate Professor in Critical Studies and Research Fellow with the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, has been holding debates such as these on a yearly basis in her ENG 412/Cultural Studies 470C course—but this was the first year that word of this debate reached campus-wide attention, thanks to Brittni MacKenzie-Dale’s article “The Driveby Debate Series: Nonhuman animals

in experiments.” The topic of the debate was: “Be it proposed that the use of animals in research is justified because it is the only way to free humans from pain and disease and that, at the end of the day, human lives are more valuable than nonhuman lives.” During the debate Cole Mash argued that—in keeping with Canadian Policies on animal research— experiments were beginning to follow a Three R model, which advocates for the replacement, reduction, and refinement of scientific experiments. Juawana Grant argued that the Canadian Coalition on Animal Care has actually increased the number of animals it has experimented on. All animal testing on the University of British Columbia and its Okanagan campus are tracked and standardized by the Centre Council of Animal Care (CCAC), a body which oversees millions of experiments carried in Canada

Kasey Wood* – Second year Fine Arts major: This is a tricky question and I want to make sure I get my wording right. I’m personally religious and so is my boyfriend, and I sometimes feel that religion (and, unfortunately, God) is scoffed at in university. I do think there is a place for it as long as we are careful to give equal footing to all religious views because no one likes to be told that their beliefs are wrong or outdated or silly. I definitely think there can be a balance between secularism and religion, and I’m not so sure we are seeing that balance yet.

in different organizations. What does that mean for the types of experiments carried out on our campus? On their website, the CCAC states, the Three R’s tenant is “embedded in the conduct of animal-based science in Canada and is at the heart of all CCAC policies and guidelines.” As an accredited CCAC institution, UBC states, “UBC subscribes to the 3Rs principles of animal use: replacement, reduction and refinement. Investigators carefully design research projects and continually refine procedures to reduce the number of animals used and replace them, where possible, with non-animal methods.” Are CCAC and UBC truly minimizing the number of nonhumans used or decreasing the harmfulness of the number of nonhuman animals used in research, as they claim? To answer these questions, we have to look at the different types of experiments that CCAC uses. CCAC has

five categories of invasiveness when it comes to experiments with animals: A. Experiments on most invertebrates or on live isolates B. Experiments which cause little or no discomfort or stress C. Experiments which cause minor stress or pain of short duration D. Experiments which cause moderate to severe distress or discomfort E. Procedures which cause severe pain near, at, or above the pain tolerance threshold of unanesthetized con-

Cole Mash – Fourth year English/Creative Writing major: It is context-based. I wouldn’t absolutely say no. That would be closed-minded. I think religion is fine in schools as long as it is treated like any other view point, or ideology. But I don’t think the validity of faith-based belief systems should be debated unless the context really calls for it. The Bible is fine in schools as long as we discuss it like any other work of historical fiction.

scious animals The graph below represents the number of animals used in experimentations, the level of harm, and the year. You will notice it shows an increase in the number of animals tested on since 1999, acting against the Three Rs that both CCAC and UBC as an institution under the CCAC hold as their mandate.

Kyle Redding* - Fourth year Engineering major: Of course religion has a place in the university classroom. As does every belief system. University is about challenging yourself and your past beliefs while engaging in other perspectives. Whether we agree or disagree on certain things it not the point. The point is for us to become more cognizant, more inclusive, and more understanding of others. Above all, we must learn to open our minds and go beyond our comfort zones.

March 23rd 2015| The Phoenix |opinions@thephoenixnews.com | Opinions Editor: Brittni MacKenzie-Dale you have an opinion and want * Do to be heard? Send us your thoughts

you have an unpopular opinion * Do that you want to share? Tweet at

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CURIOUS TO SEE HOW YOUR METHODS STACK UP TO THE REST OF CANADA? Ages 15-19: Male condom: 74.3% Oral contraceptives: 66.6% Withdrawal: 17.3% Ages 20-29: Male condom: 55.5% Oral contraceptives: 58.3% Withdrawal: 12% How come the use of birth control drops as the ages grow? There are some working theories, including that the older a person gets, the less they are concerned with the fear of getting pregnant. Also, as a couple dates for longer years, their trust simultaneously increases while their belief that they might catch an STI decreases.

Image from Creative Commons, lookcatalogue

SHOULD YOUR DOCTOR GET TO TELL YOU WHICH BIRTH CONTROL TO USE? UBCO student shares her personal story about pressure from her doctor She faced embarrassment and discomfort all because her doctor didn’t like the birth control she was using Addison Cunningham* - Contributor

This happened back in December. I went home from Kelowna to Vancouver. When I’m with my parents for the holidays, I make a point to see my doctor. I have never felt great around this man; he always struck me as old fashioned and conservative. These things are not negative in and of themselves, but when they interfere with work, I think they can become so. I think this issue is mostly unique to this man and my specific situation. And yet, I’ve heard some of my girl-

recent ubco snaps from around campus Remember to send the official UBCO snaps all of your pics from around campus—they’ll post them on their Facebook page. Send snaps to: snapubcchato … and watch for weekly contests!

friends express the same discomfort when talking about their birth control choices with their doctors. Are we falling into the trap of biased and unsolicited advice and judgments from authority figures? When I went to see my doctor for a routine exam, I told him my boyfriend and I used condoms. He insisted that I use oral contraception, even though he knows why I can’t. He practically sneered and said: “So how are you going to react if you get pregnant?” Let me give you a brief run-down of my history with birth control. In short, I’ve tried everything. Numerous birth control pills, two different types of IUDs, and even the DepoProvera shots. My body has not reacted well to anything that wasn’t a condom. I’ve had terrible side effects which left me in the hospital. My doctor kept insisting that I try different sorts of oral contraceptives, even

1. A nutritious, balanced breakfast in the shape of a (somewhat creepy) smiley face. Yup, definitely wife material. Line up, ladies and gents! 2. There should be a library bylaw that you are not allowed to play music without headphones or consent from the entire floor to do otherwise. 3. Aw. Someone should snap which prof this is so we all know which classes to take for next year. Because basing your class choice on puppy slides is totally legit, right?

when I would tell him that they were simply too painful for me. So when my doctor said this again, I was outraged. I had come in for a PAP exam, to make sure my reproductive system was functioning in a healthy way, not to get morally lectured by my doctor. I knew the implication of what he was saying. He might as well have said: “So how are you going to feel if you have to get an abortion?” It is hard to convey the tone in text, but I’ve had problems with this doctor and his conservative views before. I set him straight as best I could. I’m usually timid, but he had said that same stupid, sarcastic remark one too many times. I not-so-calmly told him that I’d had the same sexual partner for over five years, that we had come to this decision after many instances of trail-and-error with other birth controls. He tried to interrupt and tell me that condoms were much

lower in terms of protecting against pregnancy, but thanks to a UBCO class I took with Jan Cioe, I knew that with proper use of condoms they were just about as effective as birth control. I agreed with him that they were slightly less effective, but that I had gone through all my other options. I ended it with: “So if I get pregnant, I would react the same way I would on any other birth control.” He turned bright red, did my exam silently and then mumbled out an attempt at an apology, telling me I “could do what I want.” I have to admit I was offended by his remarks and by his subsequent “apologies.” Who are you to judge my birth control choices? I understand these remarks coming from a point of genuine concern for my safety and health of both me and my sexual partners. But my doctor came across as a bully, one who condemned my choices even when I had

carefully weighed them. He also undermined my knowledge of different birth controls and their efficacy, which flabbergasted me. Only after I called him out did he stutter through an apology. Needless to say, I will not be returning to him. I urge girls to feel empowered: educate yourselves on birth control, be open with your sex partners, and don’t let an old, conservative man in a white suit dictate what you put into your body. *This UBCO student has wished to remain anonymous due to the personal nature of the story.