UBCO’s Student Newspaper
December 5th 2016 | Vol 30, Issue 7
#keepitRUDE since 1989
UBCSUO REUNITES?
SUO FINDS COMMON GROUND AFTER CONTROVERSY P. 3
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thephoenixnews.com |
News
UBCSUO Reunites After Controversial and Divisive Weekend p.3
Campus
Current Affairs Life Trudeau Criticized for Lamenting Castro p.6
The Ultimate Christmas Bucket List p.7
Transit Strikes Deal to Put Busses Back on the Road p.5
ICBC to Stop Insuring Expensive Cars p.6
Disability or Diversability? p.10
Art
Opinions
Sports
Gallery Review: Drawing from Life p.12-13
Just Slating it in p.16
Breakthrough is an Art Party with New Heights p.14
Heat Women Move to #4 in U Sports Top 10 p.21
Between a Rock and No Space p.17
Heat Men Look to Turn Season Around p.22
The Attack on “Fake News” p.20
Ottawa Wins First Grey Cup Since 1976 p.23
Multicultural Art Gala a Success p.15
You can still view this exhibit at the Kelowna Art Gallery, running November 5 to January 22, 2017. Artists include, David Alexander, Rose Braun, Jane Everett, Wanda Lock, Amy Modahl, Gary Pearson, Sage Sidley, and Johann Wessels.
Managing Editor Alex Barberis
News Editor Laurence Watt
News Writer Sarah Maryschuk
Coordinating Editor Jacky Deng
Arts Editor Paula Tran
Web Editor Justin Kroeker
Art Director Sarah James
Sports Editor Grayson B. Leahy
Photo Editor David Vassiliev
Production Editor Kelsi Brown
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Phoenix Columnist Mark Dreger
current.affairs@thephoenixnews.com
Video Editor Riley Petillion
Senior Copy Editor Francesca Gimson
Life Editor Brie Welton
Visuals Editor Sarah Dowler
Junior Copy Editor Nick Huertas
Staff Writer Frances Carruthers
Contributors Aditya Chaudhuri, Rachel Todd, Varenka Kim, Eddie Tat, Mihir Badhan
Opinions Editor Trophy Ewila
Staff Writer Riley Schlosser
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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.
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News | thephoenixnews.com | Laurence Watt - News Editor
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UBCSUO REUNITES AFTER CONTROVERSIAL AND DIVISIVE WEEKEND President and VPs both acknowledge mistakes and pledge to move forward, putting student issues first Laurence Watt - News Editor
Photo by David Vassiliev/ The Phoenix News
Over the last weekend, the Vice Presidents of the UBCSUO wrote and published a letter condemning the decision by UBC to allow the Kelowna Right to Life Society to demonstrate between the EME and Administration buildings on November 29 and 30. In the same letter, the VPs made three allegations against UBCSUO Blake Edwards; first, that he “did not contact or consult any of the other executives of the SUO” before approving of UBC’s decision to allow the protests. Second, that as a man, it was not his place to speak on behalf of the women at UBCO. And third, that Edwards lied to fellow executives about the meeting by informing them he was attending meetings regarding transit. A couple of hours after the letter had been spread across social media, the UBCSUO’s VP Internal Amy Park withdrew her signature. The following morning, Edwards took to Facebook to respond to his critics and explain his recollection of events. In his statement, Edwards explained that the SUO had no choice in the matter of allowing the Kelowna Right to Life Society to protest on campus. During the meeting with UBC, Edwards reports that he was merely warned about the demonstrations and that he had no vote on the matter. Lastly, Edwards also contended that his calendar was available for all VPs to view, and that if any of them desired to inquire into the purpose of his meetings they could. On Sunday, the UBCSUO released a public statement over social media which exhibited apologies from both the VPs and the President. Both sides offered their sincerest apologies for putting internal politics ahead of the student body. The executives concluded the statement by inviting all students to attend the Board of Directors meeting, set to occur at 10:00AM the next morning. Although the language in the statement made it appear
as if the SUO executives had reconciled their differences and reunited to focus on the pressing student issues, it did not change the fact that students’ faith in their governing body remained severely shaken. The controversial weekend set the stage for a highly-anticipated showdown on Monday in UNC103, where the SUO hosted its board of directors meeting. All SUO executives were present excepting Amy Park, who was in Vancouver tending to family matters. For the first hour and a half, the meeting went smoothly and any divisions between executives appeared nonexistent. Following a presentation regarding the latest Board of Governors meeting by Terry Zhang, the discussion about the letters commenced. At this moment in time, VP Services Layne Richardson had to leave for class. Edwards began the discussion by stating that himself and the vice presidents held a meeting on Sunday where they came together and resolved their differences. “We had a meeting on Sunday […] we are working together now, and our internal politics will not be overshadowing student issues,” said Edwards. “We will be meeting many more times to further discuss how we can work together.” According to VP external Kimberly Rutledge, this meeting went on for “four hours and people were crying.” However, Edwards’ reassurances sparked a passionate response from Board of Directors’ Adeet Haroon. “Here’s my concern, the first half of the letter was good and achieved what it was supposed to achieve,” Haroon began. “The second half is where I have a problem, where my VP’s accuse my President of lying publicly. If I were to work at Best Buy for $10 an hour, even if my boss lied to me, I can’t go public on social media and say my boss lied to me. So clearly that speaks to me that there’s a disconnect here…
this was so unprofessional.” Following this, both Edwards and Bual admitted mistakes on their respective sides. Blake apologized for the lack of communication following his meeting with UBC in which he learned about the Pro-Life protests, and Daman apologized for the VPs “rash” handling of the situation. “The VPs who signed off on that statement that released Friday were irrational and we didn’t consult the President in an official manner that should have taken place,” said Bual. “For us to move forward we needed to get it out there, it might not have been the way that it was supposed to happen, but it did.” However, the apologies did not stop Haroon from continuing to press the VPs. “The execs felt a need to act but didn’t know where to go to act. My understanding is that the board is made for that specific purpose,” said Haroon. “I don’t understand why I didn’t get an email before this went public.
I found about this when I went on Facebook. Am I not part of this organization? Why am I in this chair if I find out about this through social media?” Haroon’s words were largely echoed by fellow students who had shown up to the meeting in order to learn more about the letters and ask questions of their own. Nick Ross, the CRO of the by-elections in October, criticized the executives for dealing with their frustration in an unprofessional manner. “Whose idea was it to post the second half of that letter?” said Ross. “It seemed like it was so quickly decided on by four people who didn’t consult the one person they were talking about. In my eyes this goes against so many fundamental organizational behaviours and team dynamics.” “It was the 4 VPs who decided to write the letter,” responded Bual. “We apologize for speaking out of emotion, but again as an individual I do not regret the
statement. I do not wish to retract the statement, we apologize for some information that may have been incorrect, but we also were able to get an apology out of our President for his dishonesty and the lack of communication that he caused for not stating this earlier about the meeting.” The discussion essentially ended with both sides admitting to mistakes and recognizing there were notable positives to take away from the mayhem. First, despite the “rash” nature in which the letter was written, the public attention it received helped play a part in postponing the pro-life demonstrations until January. Second, the divisions revealed within the SUO over the weekend provided the executives with a chance to resolve their differences, regroup and move forward united. Ultimately, relations within the SUO may not be perfect, but it seems executives are united on making certain that students’ issues are first on the agenda.
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Laurence Watt - News Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
News
TEA TALKS
A safe space for discussion Sarah Maryschuk - News Writer
Photo by David Vassiliev/ The Phoenix News
FREE TUITION?
The CFS fights back against elitism Sarah Maryschuk – News Writer
The Canadian Federation of Students has a mandate to fight for free tuition, according to a blog post posted in early November. They put out a call to action to universities across Canada, urging students to march together on November 2, in order to call attention to the issue that affects everyone attending a Canadian institution. “We’re fighting for the idea that your willingness to learn, not your ability to pay, should be the principle that governs our post-secondary system,” reads their blog. Further digging reveals that to the CFS, this is a fight not just against the rising costs of tuition, but also against elitism. The CFS argues that the rise in tuition is a slow return to the closed-door university, where only the sons (and sometimes daughters) of the elite could attend post secondary institutions. Now, this increasing monetary cost is barring the way for many across the country. The CFS argues that
“Regardless of where you are born, how old you are, or the background you come from, everyone should be able to access higher education and skills training without the barrier of cost or the fear of
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Regardless of where you are born, how old you are, or the background you come from, everyone should be able to access higher education and skills training without the barrier of cost or the fear of incurring debt.
” incurring debt.” Since 1992, BC tuition alone has tripled, with the average student paying almost $6000 in tuition alone, without adding the costs associated with food, rent, or other needs. In comparison, public
funding and subsidies sit at 57% of post secondary operating costs, a drop from 80% twenty years ago. This means as the cost of operating a university goes up, the institutions are putting the weight of that problem on the students through increasing tuition costs and fees. Government funding is not increasing as the costs do. The CFS draws attention to institutions and countries where free education is provided to citizens. They highlight the success rates of these institutions and argue that Canada should follow suit. What the CFS fails to mention is the increased cost of living, taxes and other fees those nations place on their citizens in order to offer services like free tuition. While it may be free for those attending, often the taxes in those countries are inflated to provide the government with a steady income to apply to the education system. The CFS has garnered attention from students all
over the nation. At the University of Alberta, many argued that free tuition would allow anyone to come to the institution, regardless of their determination to finish their degree, and use resources away from students who are serious about their studies. On our campus the thoughts are similar, where many students have voiced their interest in the idea, but add to their comments that it’s clearly not a black and white issue. Even greater emphasis would have to be placed on entrance averages, as well as caps on program numbers, and a careful eye would need to ensure that class numbers don’t become so large that students are incapable of learning in those spaces.
Throughout this past term, the Women’s Resource Centre has been collaborating with several campus partners to bring Tea Talks to the students on our campus. A bi-weekly event, Tea Talks provides a safe space for discussion and dialogue surrounding a range of feminist topics. The event came to be after many students voiced their concern that there was no environment in which these dialogues could occur. Students want to learn from each other, and this seemed like a good way to provide a space where a respectful conversation could occur. Usually occurring in the Aboriginal Programs and Services office (UNC212), the talks are always drop-in, and coordinators of the event encourage anyone to attend. As the name implies, tea and snacks are available, and students are welcome to stay for as long as they like, and to contribute to the conversation. Recent topics have included Navigating Identity, and Women in STEM. Partners such as S.A.R.A, Alpha Omega Epsilon, and UBC Equity and Inclusion have contributed to helping run the sessions too, to ensure that the information and conversation is well informed and remains respectful and inclusive. The most recent conversation, Thursday, December 1, boasted a conversation surrounding the right to choose how one treats their body, and was co-hosted by the Peer Support Network. After recent events and controversy surrounding the planned Kelowna Right to Life demonstration coming to campus, a Tea Talk was quickly scheduled in order to give students an avenue through which they can voice their own opinions and concerns on the topic. Next term, the talks will continue, with Tea Talks continuing to occur every other week, with a door wide open to anyone who wants to attend. For more information please feel free to contact the Women’s Resource Centre, at wrc@ubcsuo.ca. The dates and times of the upcoming Talks will be posted on the WRCs Facebook page as well, so stay tuned!
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News | thephoenixnews.com | Laurence Watt - News Editor
Photo by David Vassiliev/ The Phoenix News
TRANSIT STRIKES DEAL TO PUT BUSSES BACK ON THE ROAD Kelowna transit workers and First Canada agree on three-year deal, ending the transit strike Laurence Watt - News Editor
Last Wednesday, a deal was ratified between the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1722 and their employer First Canada, bringing the two-week transit strike to an end. The three-year contract was agreed upon by 61% of transit union members with 108 voting in favour and 69 voting against. The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1722 went on strike, calling for equal pay regardless of bus size and an improved
Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) package. Although precise details of the contract haven’t yet been disclosed, it’s suspected that wage equality for different sized buses was a major part of the deal. The strike had a major impact on students and staff at UBCO, with many resorting to paying for cabs, taking long journeys on bikes, or carpooling with friends and even strangers to make it to school. With four out of 10 riders that
rely on Kelowna Regional Transit being students, it is not surprising that a number of students who were unable to afford a cab or find people to carpool with missed classes, and even exams. According to Clinton Mix, a third-year Political Science major, the strike was inconvenient but not as troublesome for him as it was for others. “I wasn’t too greatly affected as I have roommates who are driving to and from the school everyday,”
UBC FACES BACKLASH OVER TREATMENT OF PROFESSOR STEVEN GALLOWAY
harassment, bullying, threats, and one incident where Galloway is alleged to have slapped a student at a bar.” Following an investigation by Mary Ellen Boyd, a civil litigation lawyer who had been appointed by UBC, Galloway was fired on June 22 for “a record of misconduct that resulted in an irreparable breach of trust.” According to the letter, “the University […] refused to make the findings of Justice Boyd’s report public, and appears to have misrepresented the findings of the report in its public statement issued June 22, 2016.” However, according to Mark Mac Lean, UBC’s Faculty Association president and someone who had access to Justice Boyd’s report, all but one of the allegations against
Literary figures sign letter asking UBC to respect professor’s “right to due process” following sexual assault allegations Laurence Watt - News Editor
On November 14th, a letter was written to UBC by Joseph Boyden, proposing an independent investigation into the university’s firing of Steven Galloway, the former chair of UBC’s creative writing program. Last November, UBC announced the suspension of Galloway following “serious allegations,” and a pending investigation. According to the letter, in the same announcement, UBC encouraged students who were concerned about their “safety and well-being”
to seek support through UBC’s counselling services. However, UBC made this statement before any of the allegations levied at Galloway had been substantiated, or examined; furthermore, because of legal and privacy concerns, the details of the allegations were kept secret from the public and Galloway. According to The Canadian Press, who spoke with five individuals who had filed complaints against Galloway, “the allegations included sexual
said Mix. “I really feel for the people who rely on the transit system to get to and from work and those who may not have the same network of rides I have.” With the strike now over, UBCO students and staff are jubilant to once again have full access to transit services. “I’m glad to be back to having independence of my movement again,” said Mix. “It’s an odd feeling being so reliant upon others to get around. Infantilizing
Galloway, including the most serious allegations, were not substantiated. As well, the university decided to terminate Galloway’s employment citing allegations unrelated to the findings of Justice Boyd’s investigation. Ultimately, the letter closes by criticizing the manner in which UBC reacted to the initial allegations, and how it denied Galloway the right to speak during the investigation. “There is growing evidence that the University acted irresponsibly in Professor Galloway’s case… we therefore request that the University of British Columbia establish an independent investigation into how this matter has been handled by the Creative Writing Program, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and the senior
in a sense.” As well, in an attempt to compensate for the two-week inconveniences, the City of Kelowna has since allowed for transit users to apply for a prorated reimbursement for their monthly bus pass for November. Ultimately, with the transit strike finally over, students and faculty who rely on public transportation can get back to focusing on their studies and upcoming finals.
administration at UBC.” According to Margaret Atwood, she signed the letter because she felt the university had failed both the complainants and the accused. In her opinion, the letter was primarily about criticizing and attempting to address the secretive university process. UBC has since responded to the letter, stating that an independent investigation into the university’s handling of the matter is already under way. “We can reassure those who have raised concerns that the allegations will be tested again through an independent arbitration, agreed to by the UBC Faculty Association and the university.”
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Laurence Watt - News Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
News
Photo provided by the World Bank Photo Collection/ Creative Commons
TRUDEAU CRITICIZED FOR LAMENTING CASTRO
Many show their displeasure towards Trudeau’s remarks Mark Dreger – Phoenix Columnist
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under fire for his statement regarding the death of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, who died at the age of 90. In his statement, Trudeau said he expressed “deep sorrow” for Castro’s death while calling him a “larger than life leader” with “dedication and love for the Cuban people.” Justin’s father and former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau was a friend of Castro’s in the 1990s.
In her own statement, Interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose wrote, “my thoughts and prayers are with the people of Cuba who continue to endure [Castro’s] long and oppressive regime, even after his death.” Maxime Bernier, who is running for the Conservative leadership, tweeted, “I can’t believe our PM is expressing ‘deep sorrow’ and calling ‘legendary revolutionary’ and ‘remarkable leader’ a
ICBC TO STOP INSURING EXPENSIVE CARS Cars worth over $150,000 will have to go private Mark Dreger – Phoenix Columnist
ICBC has announced that they will no longer insure high-end cars that exceed a value of $150,000, leading those that own such vehicles to buy private insurance. These cars include Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Mercedes, Porsche, and Rolls-Royce, but commercial
vehicles, pick-up trucks, RVs, collector cars, and limos will be exempt from the new law. “Right now, whether a person drives a $25,000 Honda Civic or whether that person drives a $200,000 Lamborghini, their insurance rates are similar, while the costs of repair are substantially different,” said Minister of Transportation
despicable dictator who killed and imprisoned thousands of innocents and drove away in exile more than a million…” “Is this a real statement or a parody?” tweeted former Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio, who is Cuban American. “Because if this is a real statement from the PM of Canada it is shameful & embarrassing.” While in Madagascar leading the Canadian delegation to the summit of la Francophonie, Todd Stone. “When these more expensive vehicles get into a crash, it costs approximately six times more to fix them because these vehicles are rare. They’re also built using high-end technology and much more expensive materials.” Stone also admitted that dropping insurance for luxury vehicles will only save $2.3 million in annual claims costs, since roughly only 3,000 cars in BC will be affected. This measure is planned to
Trudeau clarified that “[Castro] certainly was a polarizing figure and there certainly were significant concerns around human rights.” When asked if he believes Castro was a dictator, Trudeau simply answered, “yes.” While many attack Trudeau, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard defended Trudeau, saying that it was “wellbalanced” and that “nobody can contradict the fact that we have seen the passing away of a reduce the rising insurance rates, which ICBC projects could increase to 6.4% in 2017, 7.9% in 2018, 9.4% in 2019, and 7.9% in 2020. Under the worst-case scenario, rate increases are estimated at 42% by 2020, with 15.8% being the bestcase scenario. “ICBC put out a whole range of scenarios,” BC Premier Christy Clark said. “Some of them were alarming for me, as well as I think everyone else, and some of them were pretty
giant of the 20th century.” This is not the first time a Prime Minister has lamented the death of a dictator. In 2015, then Prime Minster Stephen Harper was criticized for calling the recently deceased King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia a “strong proponent of peace” in the Middle East.
good, thinking about a 2% increase.” NDP leader Adrian Dix believes ICBC rates have gone up 30% since Clark took office in 2011. Dix further believes the luxury car insurance increase is a distraction from the long-term increase. “This was raced out because they have been caught misleading the public,” Dix said. “They can’t be allowed to get away with this nonsense.”
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Life | thephoenixnews.com | Brie Welton - Life Editor
Life
THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS BUCKET LIST
Image by Sarah Dowler /The Phoenix News
Do the holidays right with these 10 activities Brie Welton – Life Editor
Calling all Christmas lovers. The following are 10 fun activities which will make your holiday truly the most wonderful, and the most instagrammable, time of your year. If you’ve been counting down the days until Christmas since November, the wait is finally over: you can do Christmas things without being judged! May the festivities commence… 1. Go ice skating. Kelowna’s free outdoor skating rink is located downtown, beside the Queensway bus loop. If you can’t skate, that’s fine: the most important part of skating is using the skate emoji on snapchat and it finally being relevant. 2. Try making a Gingerbread house, give up and just eat all the candies. You know Christmas is coming when the Gingerbread making kits go on display at
Wal-Mart. Buy one, get some friends together and try to stick the heavy cookie cutouts together with thin, weak icing. Don’t worry if you can’t figure it out – that’s why the kit comes with little packages of candy. Eat them instead. 3. Decorate everything. Christmas is about spreading joy, and the best way to do that is by spreading tinsel everywhere. Don’t limit yourself: bathroom doorknobs are great for hanging wreaths and purchasing snowin-a-can will be the best investment you will ever make. 4. Bake Christmas cookies. For the success of this activity, an easy recipe is essential, for it allows for slight inebriation in the kitchen. Some classic examples of simple recipes are gingersnaps, sugar cookies, gingerbread or chocolate
peppermint bark. 5. Watch a holiday movie and eat all of the cookies you made by yourself. Making so many cookies is challenging, especially if you’re a bottle of wine deep. Time to relax and watch a Christmas movie! Some classics include: A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. More some more modern movies include: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Home Alone and Elf. Since you worked so hard making the cookies, you deserve to have a few. Or half the batch. Or the entire batch except one. Just eat all of them, you earned it. 6. Listen to Michael Bublé’s Christmas album on repeat until you can sing every song
perfectly. Yes, Michael Bublé is a fantastic singer. But, if you listen to his songs enough times, you can sing just as well as he can (at least in your head). Practice singing along in the car, in the shower, in the mall and then, when you’re really good, randomly start singing in the middle of every conversation. Bystanders will be overjoyed and amazed by your holiday spirit! 7. Attend a Christmas Craft Fair. Need a new birdhouse? A handmade quilt perhaps? Look no further: Christmas craft fairs are here to fulfill all your holiday needs. Kelowna’s Craft Culture is hosting a holiday fair December 10, from 10:30AM-6:00PM, and 11, from 10:00AM-5:00PM, at Prospera Place, which features local crafters and artisans from across Canada. 8. Drink rum and eggnog. Or
just rum. Christmas is all about spending time with family, however, spending time with relatives can be hard. So, to make family dinners much more fun, prepare yourself a seasonal drink! Whether the eggnog makes it to the glass or not is up to you. 9. Take a walk around your neibourhood and look at all the beautiful christmas lights that are put up. 10. Make sure you take a picture with Santa Claus at the mall. Sure, the photo always comes out looking kind of pervy, but it's the thought that counts, right?
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Brie Welton - Life Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
ABORIGINAL CULTURAL SAFETY PROGRAM
Life
Photo by David Vassiliev /The Phoenix News
Educating to prevent perpetuation of Aboriginal prejudice Brie Welton – Life Editor
Since 2008, campus Okanagan Knowledge Keepers Eric Mitchell and Chris Marchand have been teaching part of an Indigenous Health and Cultural Safety course for upper-level students in cooperation with Dr. Donna Kurtz, a Métis nurse and educator at UBC Okanagan. The course, which will soon be offered twice a year, was piloted in nursing, social work and human kinetics, but will be open to all students across campus. The only prerequisite is a third year standing, and possibly permission from the department. The course will be offered over one week in May 2017, and is listed under the course code HINT 408/508. “In 2007 I was asked by local Elder and UBC Adjunct Professor, Jessie Nyberg, ‘If you had thirty nursing students in front of you what would you want them to know before they get out there and start mingling with our people?’” recalls Eric, “With the context that, in the past and today, many of our people have a bad experience in trying to access good health care […] the idea of cultural safety is to teach the nursing students about who we are, so that when they come across an aboriginal patient, they don’t have all these
assumptions […] they know more about who [aboriginal people] are so that they can positively interact with them.” The course includes four modules taught by the Okanagan Knowledge Keepers, Elders, Aboriginal educators, and health care providers. The course is 24 hours in total, 18 of which are in the classroom, and 6 in community engagement. The course is taught without
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At the end of our four sessions [students] adamantly say: ‘everybody in this university needs to know what we know about Aboriginal people, states Eric.
” desks: all students sit in a circle facing inwards. “The circle provides safety for the teachers and for the students,” explains Dr. Kurtz, “there’s no books, no writing during the modules.”
In this setting, students learn about the spiritual, physical, emotional and mental aspects of Aboriginal health, as well as the history of colonization, genocide, and cultural safety and decolonization, which Elder Jessie Nyberg and Aboriginal Patient Navigator and Elder Diana Moore assist in teaching. For the remaining 6 hours of the course, students visit the Okanagan Indian Band to engage with the community members and Health Center staff. Students have lunch with elders, who explain their own experiences with the health care system. “If you don’t know the background and understand historical and contemporary colonialism, it’s really hard to understand the impact on Aboriginal people in their everyday lives… or anyone that’s been colonized,” explains Donna. “Many Aboriginal people refuse to seek or return to health care because of past racism and discrimination—but it’s not just the past […] this is happening all the time.” Through the program, the students will learn to understand Aboriginal health. They will become aware of their own personal values, privilege,
assumptions or biases in relation to Aboriginal people. Students learn how to develop ways of respectfully working with Aboriginal clients, their families and communities in order to reduce racism and discrimination. The course itself has received positive feedback; in self-ratings done before and after the course, students answered the question: “How well prepared for practicing are you with your knowledge and understanding of…” and were given a set of options. For “your role as a healthcare professional,” student ratings went from 38% prior to the course up to 76% after the course. For “understanding of the Aboriginal people in Canada,” ratings went from 8% to 62%. Donna received feedback from students doing their Masters in Social Work in regards to the value of the course in the context of their degree, “It was their last course, and several of them said: this has been the most important.” “At the end of our four sessions [students] adamantly say: ‘everybody in this university needs to know what we know about Aboriginal
people,’” states Eric. “Everybody we’ve had access to share that information, they really liked how we do it: they are way more informed about Aboriginal people.” Donna explains that the course is relevant to all faculties. “Learning… how to treat each other as human beings and to respect each other, no matter what color, gender, or spiritual belief,” she says, “…it’s not just within the context of health care.” The course is relevant for every faculty, from engineering to business, to fine arts. “One of the things that we learnt on all of our journeys,” explains Eric, “is that in this place called Canada we can pretty much say… that 90% of regular Canadian population has never talked to an Indian, has never sat beside one and had a conversation. They really know virtually nothing about us.” In a society where racism is still a pressing issue, it is the hope that courses such as the Cultural Safety in Health: Indigenous Perspectives course will not only educate young people about Aboriginal history and discrimination, but will enable them to put a stop to its perpetuation—in the healthcare sector and beyond.
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Life | thephoenixnews.com | Brie Welton - Life Editor
MEDITATION SENSATION
Photo by Aditya Chaudhuri /The Phoenix News
Research reveals benefits of meditation Brie Welton – Life Editor
Though it is a practice that has been around for over 5,000 years, meditation remains shrouded in mystery. One may imagine sitting crosslegged with their eyes closed, thinking about nothing and wonder, what’s the point? In fact, research has shown that meditation has numerous, noticeable benefits which aid in overall health, functioning and state of mind. In a study done by University of Massachusetts Medical School, the practice of mindfulness meditation reduced anxiety and depression in people suffering from anxiety disorders. Another study conducted at five middle schools in Belgium determined that the students (13-20 years old) had reduced indications of depression, anxiety and stress after six months of an in-class meditation program. Meditation can also provide short-term performance improvement, even in those
who are inexperienced meditators. A study done by the University of Kentucky revealed that novice meditators who were tested on their reaction time improved their times immediately following periods of meditation. When deprived of
“ In light of academic stress, it’s worthwhile to take a break from studying and experience this ancient method of unplugging from the world.
”
sleep, subjects’ reaction times were slower, but following a period of meditation these scores once again improved significantly. The positive effects of meditation do not necessarily require a large time commitment. According to a study by researchers at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, in only four, daily twenty minute sessions participants noticed improvements in visuospatial processing, executive functioning and working memory. A short, twenty-minute meditation session has also shown to decrease the effects of stress. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences studied adult males who had never practiced meditation, and discovered that if meditation is practiced prior to a stressful event, the negative effects of that stressor are reduced. So, now the question is: how
does one meditate? There are many different types of meditation which are divided into two categories: Focused Attention and Open Monitoring. Focused attention meditation involves focusing on one thing during the entire practice, such as breathing, a specific part of the body or an external object. Open Monitoring meditation, in contrast, involves perceiving and recognizing all things, without focusing on one specifically. The key to this method is to remain non-reactive, observing thoughts and feelings rather than making inferences about them. A third form of meditation is Effortless Presence, which involves focusing on nothing at all. This is ultimately the true purpose of meditation; in the aforementioned types of meditation, the specific direction of focus serves as a means to achieve that
“inner silence.” Meditation can be done cross-legged on the ground, seated in a chair or in any other comfortable position, depending on the type. The practice can be as short or as long as desired: even 15 minutes is enough to benefit from meditation. In light of academic stress, it is worthwhile to take a break from studying and experience this ancient method of unplugging from the world.
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Brie Welton - Life Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
DISABILITY OR DIVERSABILITY?
Life
Photo by David Vassiliev /The Phoenix News
How we define disability matters – but it’s just the beginning of a bigger conversation Frances Carruthers - Staff Writer
The Diversability social movement was started up by a woman named Tiffany Yu, in Washington, DC, in 2009, but quickly became a global movement, empowering people through communities across the world. The website, www.mydiversability.com , describes its goal to “rebrand disability through the power of community.” Yet it is about much more than rebranding— the movement has given a space for disabled people across the world. It has showcased Tedx speakers, Emmy awardwinning filmmakers, bloggers, small business owners, and local outreach programs in cities. Currently, the term “disability” currently includes: those who are blind or visually impaired, those with learning difficulties, those with mental illness, those who are deaf, and those with long term or chronic illnesses. If there are so many things that constitute this category, it seems logical that the word “diverse”, which
the OED defines as “showing a great deal of variety, very different,” is used to define it by the different abilities existing within it. Many people have taken issue
“ In reality, many disabled people possess diverse and often heightened abilities compared to supposedly “able-bodied” members of society.
”
with the current definition of disability. If we pick the word apart, firstly we notice that the prefix “dis” means to “deprive of (a specialized quality or rank)” and “exclude from or expel.” When we attach this to
“ability”, it seems that the word disability is defining a group of people by an insufficiency or lack—when in reality, many disabled people possess diverse and often heightened abilities compared to supposedly “ablebodied” members of society. Back in 2012, Kelowna resident Shelley DeCoste, who has cerebral palsy, campaigned to have the word disability changed to diversability, and make diversability the word of the year. In an interview with Kelowna Capital News, DeCoste noted, "Everyone focuses on the 'dis,' on the things we can't do. But people have all different abilities and I want that to be what's understood." Yet even as I type this, little red correction lines appear under the word. In spite of the good work done by DeCoste and many other influential speakers, the term has not yet been given a space in the dictionary. Not everyone agrees with the definition of diversability, though. A blogger on Kelowna
Now said of the term, “It is still a label. It is still a word that sorts out the ‘us’ and the ‘them’, because it isn’t really intended to describe everyone, it’s intended to describe those of us with physical, emotional, or cognitive challenges.” So maybe labelling of any kind is part of the problem. However, she goes on to say that people should choose the language that they please to describe themselves—whether they choose disabled, diversable, or any other term. It is about opening up a conversation, not simply about how we define ourselves and others, but how those definitions are shaped by the society in which we live. However, people choose to define their abilities, it seems that we should make available the words that empower them, and dictionary definitions provide us with a legitimate space which push towards acceptance in society as a whole. Considering that the words “tweet”, “selfie” and “YOLO” have all been added to
the dictionary in recent years, it seems absurd that a word that has been the source of so much power to such a large community should not have been added to the dictionary yet. It goes without saying that we need to look beyond labels if we are to have any success at recognising and making space for all kinds of ability. Yet definitions will always exist, and legitimatizing one which has been a source of power to so many people seems a good way to start.
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Life | thephoenixnews.com | Brie Welton - Life Editor
FINALS FASHION
When social life and f*cks given both go out the window
Brie Welton – Life Editor
It’s finals season: the time of year for questionable life decisions, low self-respect, and little to no sleep. The upside of all this stress is that it’s finally okay to wear whatever you want! Whether you decide to wear sweatpants, slippers or an actual blanket, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year—the time during which nobody cares.
Ian Sinclair Finals strategy: “Laughing at the guy on campus who wears a bathrobe to his finals… Every time he has a final or a midterm or anything he wears his bathrobe. Laughing with that guy, not at him.”
Joanne Lee
Bryn Oakley & Janet Zimmerman-Kim
Parker Jones
Finals strategy: “Coffee… Two litres [per day]. Four hours [of sleep per night].”
Finals strategy: (Janet) “Try and prioritize… Make time for down time to destress a little.” (Bryn) “I think sleep’s pretty important.”
Finals strategy: “Just rewrite notes over and over and over again until I know it.”
Photos by David Vassiliev/ The Phoenix News
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Paula Tran – Arts Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Arts
GALLERY REVIEW: DRAWING FROM LIFE
Arts
Photos by David Vassiliev/ The Phoenix News
The Kelowna Art Gallery’s new exhibit shows off the beauty of local artists’ imaginations Francesca Gimson – Senior Copy Editor
Since November 5, the Kelowna Art Gallery (KAG) has been hosting a new exhibition titled Drawing from Life. The exhibition boasts various large-scale works from local artists David Alexander, Rose Braun, Jane Everett, Wanda Lock, Amy Modahl, Gary Pearson, Sage Sidley, and Johann Wessels. Many of the works tower over viewers, fostering an immersive, and at times daunting, experience. While the sheer size of each installation provides an ample excuse to frequent the gallery in the coming months, four of the eight pieces captured my particular gaze. Sage Sidley’s, a recent UBCO alumnus, Linked portrays KAG curator Liz Wylie in three different viewing poses. Wylie is sketched directly onto the wall in a space that mirrors the gallery. On one wall, she is seen from the
side, one hip popped, with her arms folded and a small, thoughtful frown on her face. On the adjacent wall she is seen both directly, with her arms behind her back, same thoughtful expression on her face, and from behind, looking up, again with her hands intertwined behind her back. The work struck me as an act of both mirroring the gallery space and disciplining it. The viewer sees Wylie, a seasoned curator, assuming “proper” viewing etiquette, and may assume that such poses are integral to the correct way of consuming art. The viewer may, perhaps, even assume such poses themselves as they continue to amble through the exhibit. This play upon the mirroring of gallery space, and an almost Foucauldian disciplining of the body, invite a practice of self-reflexivity through
“ Detailed lines are used to provide muscle definition and facial features, while the broad lines surround the coyotes, implying a sense of movement.
” the wonderfully detailed and naturalistic installation. Jane Everett’s The Hunt dominates the center space of the exhibit. With a bench conveniently placed for
viewing, the work presents a wide, quasi-film reel style drawing of a pack of coyotes meandering across a grey background, lead by what appears to be the alpha male. The brush strokes vary between broad and blurred, and thin and concise. Detailed lines are used to provide muscle definition and facial features, while the broad lines surround the coyotes, implying a sense of movement. This dynamism is magnified by the undetailed shadows, the occasionally blurred paws of the animals, and the way in which the coyotes form a vague queue. The installation stands its ground in the centre of the exhibit, providing a ravishing portrayal of a pack on the hunt. Gary Pearson’s Trees on Knox Mountain is an impressionistic ink and paper collage that
portrays the myriad of trees and rocks found on Knox Mountain. The installation couples rough lines with fine details in black and white, producing a moody picture that invokes feelings of stark emptiness in its business. The work consists of multiple large sheets of paper that are pieced together to form the full image. However, while the painted signature exists only in the bottom corner piece, each section has been stamped with the title and author’s name. To me, this aspect of the work invoked a questioning of the commercialization, and ecotourism, present in Kelowna. While the piece cannot claim to be complete without all its pieces, each stamped portion seems to be prepared for individual sale, perhaps commenting on the inclination of tourists to pick
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Arts | thephoenixnews.com | Paula Tran – Arts Editor
apart the beauty of a place in an attempt at consumption. My favourite installation comes in the form of Wanda Lock’s Nothing lasts forever… sings Taylor Swift as She drifts through empty rooms…. The piece offers a smattering of collaged Harlequin romance novel covers, sketched Taylor Swift lyrics, and several portrayals of domestic rooms. The installation may seem initially confusing, however, it offers a succinct and in depth view of domestic decay as coupled with ideas of the “good woman”. Each displayed room incorporates elements such as dead trees, peeling wallpaper, deconstructed body parts, faces with mouths agape, and infestations of rats, spiders, and other unsightly animals. The rooms invoke
“ Each displayed room incorporates elements such as dead trees, peeling wallpaper, deconstructed body parts, faces with mouths agape, and infestations of rats, spiders, and other unsightly animals.
”
the death of the domestic through a haunting portrayal of decay. Floating above these rooms are Taylor Swift lyrics “I said no one has to know,” producing an air of secrecy as the viewer moves to the thin in-between wall and finds a continuation of the lyrics, “what we do, his hands are in my hair, his clothes are in my room, and his voice is a familiar sound, nothing lasts forever.” The lyrics are organized in a slightly disjointed way, keeping with the uneasy defamiliarisation of the domestic rooms. On the other side of the wall, three Harlequin romance covers are hung and modified. On each cover, a man and a woman are in an intimate embrace as Lock’s contributions complicate their narratives.
The covers seem to speak to the alienation of the feminine, and draw attention to the cracks in the image of the good, and benevolent, woman—an image further perpetuated by Taylor Swift and her brand of feminism, one might argue. With undertones of infantalization, loss of innocence, and dehumanization, this side of the wall seems to question the female ideals of the past. The installation seems to attempt to grapple with the complications of femininity and sexuality, and yet reaches no conclusion outside of a haunting chaos. A harkening back to tropes and cliches found in novels of the past may suggest that ultimately, while some may argue that such complications surrounding
the feminine have since been resolved, our modern society is still struggling with deconstructing the image of the good, domestic, benevolent woman as an ideal. In other words, how truly progressive are we as a “modern” society? The Drawing from Life exhibit will be in the Kelowna Art Gallery until January 22, 2017. Admission is free on Thursdays, and general admission is $5 otherwise. Support these local artists by making a point to visit the exhibit this winter.
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Paula Tran – Arts Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Arts
BREAKTHROUGH IS AN ART PARTY WITH NEW HEIGHTS The Theatre Course Union has taken over the CCS building Paula Tran - Arts Editor
Hosted by the Theatre Course Union, Breakthrough is the theme and name of this year’s Art Party, where art pieces of students from many disciplines and mediums are displayed throughout the CCS building. There were paintings and sculptures lined up along the hallways leading to various studio rooms in the first floor. Performances and interactive pieces were spread across various rooms and studios, ranging from original songs and instrumentals to reciting fiction and poetry. The party didn’t just stop at the first floor though, and when I climbed up the stairs I was greeted with a couch in front of the elevator doors, an instalment made of cloth and fabrics in the middle of the floor and tables filled with food and drink. A few hours into the event, Erin Scott began her spoken word performance in the gallery. A regular at Inspired Word Cafe’s events on campus and around Kelowna, she recites three poems that are relatable, powerful, and unbelievably funny. One of the three poems that she performed that night was one about razors, shaving, and the art of not giving a fuck. Written and read to sound like an ad that would air on television or radio, Scott’s poem talked
about women and the tedious (and painful) art of shaving private parts and other parts of the body. Her mesmerizing stage presence and her use of explicit language drew the attention of attendees, and soon the gallery was filled with a sizeable audience that hung to her every word. In the metal shop on the first floor for the first hour, Tingting Niu plays the role of a machine named Gogo, an East Asian “robot” that takes commands from small cue cards on a desk in front of her. In a corner of the metal shop, a living roomlike setup is Gogo’s home, and Tingting stood behind an empty picture frame with a robotic like smile on her face. “Hello, my name is Gogo, please input your command card” played in various languages including English, French, Mandarin, and Japanese over and over again. Visitors were encouraged by organizers to put a command card on Gogo’s hands, and the “robot” would perform commands ranging from the funny to the bizarre. Occasionally, Gogo’s actions and performance would cause giggles to spread throughout the metal shop. One of the funniest and well received commands was to see Gogo have sex, where Gogo would enclose herself in a zip up closet, shake said
DISNEY DOMINATES
A quick recount of Disney’s immensely successful year thus far Riley Schlosser - Contributor
Disney had a rough start this year with January’s box office flop The Finest Hours, but quickly picked it back up with Zootopia, The Jungle Book, and Captain America: Civil War. The Mouse House made $1 billion by May, setting the record for the fastest studio to cross
the $1 billion mark. After that, Disney released Alice Through the Looking Glass, Finding Dory, The BFG, Pete’s Dragon, Queen of Katwe, Doctor Strange, and now Moana, with Rogue One still coming down the pipe. It was the massively lovable Doctor Strange, which raked in $85 million opening weekend,
Photo by David Vassiliev/ The Phoenix News
closet, and make robotic “sex” noises that never failed to make Art Party attendees laugh. As I walked out of the metal shop, bright, beautiful paintings of butterflies and abstract themes were displayed on the wall right across from it. My eyes trailed from one sculpture to the next and tried to take everything in. There were abstract sculptures, hilarious
sculptures, and sculptures that depicted the macabre. One that really caught my eye was the head of Lady Liberty composed entirely of USD $1 bills. The sculpture was massive, and people walking by wondered how on earth did the artist manage to pull something of that caliber and size off. All in all, the art party was a great success. Students, faculty members, and
members of the Okanagan community had the chance to interact and admire works of art long with some food, drink, and wine. The atmosphere was warm, fun, and welcoming, and if that doesn’t scream success then I don’t know what does.
that broke Disney’s own record (set in 2015), and with Moana that the studio broke the $6.8 billion record set by Universal Studios last year. It is not uncommon for box office records to be set every year or every second year, mostly due to inflation and the increase in ticket prices, but these are still impressive numbers. Taking into account the internet-breaking ticket sales of Rogue One, as well as the massive success of last years’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens, it seems safe to say that the Star Wars Story
will be a smash hit, further padding Disney’s already impressive annual box office total. These numbers are mostly encouraging to those of us who love movies, because they disprove the increasingly popular belief that movies are a dying breed. Many think that with younger generations turning more and more to streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, movie theatres should expect a significant drop in attendance. While this may be at least partially true, Disney’s box office
success this year shows that people are still ready and willing to support a movie with their wallets, contributing to the industry and ensuring that more excellent movies get made every year. Also, with the arguable exception of Alice Through The Looking Glass, all these films hold their own, and some are even great, so go check them out.
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Arts | thephoenixnews.com | Paula Tran – Arts Editor
MULTICULTURAL ART GALA A SUCCESS
Photo provided by Rachel Todd
What does culture mean to you? Paula Tran – Arts Editor
The Multicultural Art Gala successfully kicked off in the UNC Ballroom on Saturday, November 26. Hosted by Humdan Farooq and Rachel Todd, facilitators of the Global Leadership International Learning Community and the Expressive Arts Integrated Learning Community on campus respectively, the purpose of the gala was to showcase the diversity and talents of students, not only from residence, but from the UBC Okanagan community as a whole. Residents and students were pitched a question about
what culture meant to them in order to give a general direction and theme of the exhibit. Paintings, murals, and photographs were displayed on metal easels throughout the ballroom, allowing attendees to freely walk around the space and interpret the artwork on their own. Throughout the night, instrumental and vocal performances captured the attention of the audience. There was also an open mic session, and various people performed inpromptu musical pieces to happily tie the night off. Andrew Memjie, a first-
MOVIE REVIEW: MOANA
A no-spoilers commentary on Disney’s latest animated venture Riley Schlosser - Contributor
Moana, helmed by Ron Clements and John Musker, is an epic tale of growth and finding one’s way in the world. Clements and Musker, who are responsible for such classics as The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Hercules, create a tale that easily falls into the familiar tradition of Disney movies, while also adding a number of new elements. This movie is unprecedented among Disney’s animated films
simply in the fact that it features a princess (Moana, the chieftains’ daughter), who is not pining after a prince. In fact, there is no love interest in the movie at all, which finally gives the audience a strong female protagonist who finds her worth in herself, and her people. Moana also does away with the unrealis-tically dainty proportions of Disney princesses, giving the audience a beautiful young woman with a design that makes her a convincing match to her
year student, submitted his photography piece on the stars. Photographed in a swirlinglike movement across a dark blue sky, the 2-piece display was printed on canvas and installed onto the wall in a diagonal manner. In a written statement about his piece, Andrew says that “many cultures are distinguished by how they perceive nature. One way is their interpretations of the stars and celestial objects.” The starry sky is multicultural because many cultures aim to study the expanse of the universe, and it is “a common
goal across cultures to understand and venture into outer space.” Kieran Alvonitis, a secondyear student, performed a few songs throughout the night. One of the songs, “Fallen”, was a piece written and composed by himself. A romantic acoustic with a slow tune, the song describes a narrator falling in love with a girl that they met and how they could not get her out of their mind everyday. The strumming on the guitar was simple and the chords were easy enough to play, but his voice captured everybody’s attention
in the room. Even though the event started out slow and attendees trickled in and out most of the time, the gala was very successful, and raised a lot of money for a local arts charity in the Okanagan. People from various parts of campus praised the idea and execution of the event, hoping that one day this program would be expanded to include more work on a larger scale and to include more diverse student groups in the near future.
very physical environment. Another nice aspect of this film is the care that went into crafting the ancestral Polynesian culture in which Moana lives. The filmmakers regularly consulted a collection of anthropologists, linguists, and cultural practitioners from various islands on every aspect of design in the film, lending an au-thenticity to the animation that comes through in the final cut. Adding to that, many of the voice-actors have roots in Oceania themselves, and found that the stories being told in the film mirrored those that they had grown up hearing as children. That sense of cultural identity certainly comes through in the performances, with newcomer
Auli’i Cravalho pulling her weight alongside the always charming Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The music in the film is befittingly catchy for a Disney film, though perhaps not rising to the heights of 2014’s Frozen—I certainly hope none of Moana’s tunes become as dramatically overplayed as “Let It Go”. The musical team behind the movie consists of Mark Mancina (The Lion King, Tarzan), Olivia Foa’i (Te Vaka), and Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton), all of whom deliver a wonderful blend of culture and character building into the films’ soundtrack, while also managing to make it pretty memorable. The animation, however, is arguably the most impressive aspect of the film,
showing Disney’s massive strides in this department over the last few years. Visually stunning scenes are littered throughout the film, and even the scenes in between feature an ocean that feels as though one could go for a swim at any time. Although Moana felt a bit predictable at times, it brought enough new elements into a traditional narrative to produce charming entertainment packed with a strong morals, positive role models, captivating visuals, and musical earworms, all staples of a Disney animated film.
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Trophy Ewila - Opinions Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Opinions
Opinions
Illustration by Varenka Kim/ The Phoenix News
JUST SLATING IT IN
The option of slating should be left available in UBCSUO elections
Trophy Ewila - Opinions Editor
The show between the Students’ Union Vice Presidents and President led me to conclude, with ease, that slating is not a bad idea after all. It is argued that slates can be detrimental for various reasons, however, a lack of slates can be ugly too. I would rather an incompetent team than a divided one. In my opinion, weakness is strengthened in numbers while division gets us nowhere. The premise which guides my inclination is simple; when I look at the words “Students’ Union”, the existence of the word union, right after students, stipulates a need for collaboration and team work. The Students’ Union is product of students uniting to form a strong body. The positions and roles of the student union administration are best suited for team players
“ In the spirit of democracy, I think it is in the students’ best interests to leave the option to slate open.
”
and not lone wolfs. It is therefore necessary for slating to be allowed if candidates vying for those positions see it necessary. A slate is a group of candidates who run in a multi-position election on a common platform. The assumption is that there is a shared vision amongst members of a slate. It is basically like a national or federal political party except, the common lifespan of a slate is practically an academic year. In the spirit of democracy, I think its in students’ best interests to leave the option to slate open. If indeed students wish to offer leadership, not just as individual but as a team or organization, they should be allowed to. I do not see why there should be a limitation to this option. The issue has been highly politicized creating a sequence of full recognitions
to outright bans of the idea over the past years. The reason in my opinion is reactionary decisions based on isolated cases of dramatic events. It would be ludicrous to decide, based on the recent Students’ Union theatrics, to completely abolish running as individuals because it can lead to division. The challenge is on us the students to make our leadership accountable to us, slate or not. There are fears that slates often comprise of students who come together more so because of personal camaraderie as opposed to common interest in solving issues. This could be true however, I do not have ample anecdotal evidence to reject or accept that claim. It is undeniable however, that no one benefits when the leadership is not united in its goal of serving student interests.
if we are to look at the past three presidential administrations, the United for a Better Campus team ran a much smoother term than the other two that were characterized by internal bickering and drama. That being said, it does not mean slates are always the better option. It is a matter of context. Thus allowing slating fully gives availability to that option when one thinks its best suited. I am glad to see the executives have chosen to let the past be the past and focus on their duties. I do believe that the choice of choosing the team you would like to work with, incase you desire to work for the Students’ Union, is not a bad idea at all. Slating is not such a bad idea.
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Opinions | thephoenixnews.com | Trophy Ewila - Opinions Editor
BETWEEN A ROCK AND NO SPACE Standing rock is a truth that will be silenced
Trophy Ewila - Opinions Editor
In 2007, only four countries voted against the UN declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples. These were the United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Though these countries posture as promoters of individual human rights and the rule of law, they do not collectively desire to uphold the rights of Indigenous peoples and would rather use the law to limit them. The approach to dealing with Indigenous peoples and their issues has been to act like they do not exist. Standing Rock is not an isolated case. I am continuously growing frustrated with the pseudo morality of the United States of America specifically. For some reason, as a nation, it can afford to commit serious crimes against humanity not just abroad but within its
country too and somehow manage to still be considered a champion for human rights. During the election campaign, none of the candidates, neither Hillary nor Trump, made a slight effort to comment on Standing Rock. This to me is a clear statement to the Indigenous people: your issues, however serious, are not relevant to warrant a conversation even on an electoral stage. Standing Rock raises environmental issues especially on water. However, I do not agree with those who say the pipeline project heads are not concerned about contaminating water. In 2014, the proposed route of Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) went through Bismarck, the capital of North Dakota, with roughly 61,000 residents, 92 percent of them white. After it was determined that the pipeline
“ I do not agree with those who say the pipeline project heads are not concerned about contaminating water.
”
could contaminate drinking water, it was rerouted to pass by Standing Rock. On sacred burial grounds and without consulting the locals, the decision to materialize indigenous land was seen as the best option. On this front, America faces its ugly past and not so pretty present. Land issues with
the indigenous peoples and climate change are at the fore front of this conflict. Of Corse, the issue is being dealt with the best way America knows how. The military and police, armed, not only with guns and pepper spray but dogs on their side, have been sent to crash the protest. Media is not welcome here too. People are getting severely injured from ruthless attacks yet the “gods” of democracy, free speech, and media freedoms have chosen to be selective on this one. Intriguing, though, is the fact that the US government, for whatever reason, is more concerned about the rights of North Korean citizens than those of its own. On September 6, 1995, Dudley George was shot by an officer of the Ontario Provincial police. He was participating in a protest over land claims in Ipperwash
Provincial Park, which had been taken from the Ojibwe after second world war. The police team had been instructed by then premier Mike Harris’ government to use necessary force to disperse the protest. It was only twelve years later, in 2007, that an inquiry on this matter was held. I will not be surprised if in 2028, 12 years later, an inquiry on standing rock will be commissioned. Rumor has it that justice delayed is justice denied. As I head out for the Christmas break, I hope the people of Standing Rock get a break too. I pray the Indigenous peoples of North America find a breather as well.
bias in the Trudeau era is not any different at all. Facts are regularly spun in an Orwellian custom that dangerously influences Canadians’ perceptions and decisions. Soon enough, trust in big media diminishes and no one can confidently discern fact from fiction. There has to be a trustworthy media outlet in the mainstream so that certain facts can be agreed upon by the general public. Yes, there exists objective facts such as those scientific measurements that prove the existence of climate change. Those facts must be made public and well-known to prevent the triumph of pure emotion from clouding the judgement of the electorate. Only then can we prevent that nationalistic love
and xenophobic fear that has thrived in the era of posttruth politics. Here’s a phrase I would have suggested for word of the year: lamestream media. It is another adjective that accurately describes the state of the mainstream media as lacking fairness and creativity. Indeed, it had been the mainstream media’s lameness that has put the world in a position where people have resorted to their emotions rather than their rationality to deal with the absence of truth. With the death of truth comes the Wild West of the posttruth world where populist cowboys ride the waves of unchecked beliefs to victory. Giddy up for 2017.
TRUTH: AN OBITUARY
Post-truth prevails due to a floundering mainstream media
Eddie Tat - Contributor
With Oxford Dictionary’s blessing, 2016 dies off with “post-truth” reigning supreme as the word of the year. Defined as “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief ”, post-truth is a simple adjective that perfectly sums up the year in which the world became detached from reality. Somewhere in the Fox News studios, in the crowds of Brexit voters, in the halfbaked tweets of politicians and pundits, and even on our own soil, the objective truth was utterly quashed by the waves of popular sentiment above all else. Blame not the instigators of ignorance by the likes of Trump or Clinton,
I say, for they always have and will continue to exist. Blame the failure of the mainstream media. If an outpost of reliable and factual reporting in the mainstream still exists, then I have not found it yet. Those outlets formerly trusted to provide a standard of factually-correct information, like that of CNN or BBC, have lost credibility thanks to much-publicized instances of bias and outright false reporting. Their viewers have fled in distrust and some have resorted to trapping themselves in an information bubble by following more radical media outlets that better conform to their beliefs. Case in point, Newsmax— an outwardly right-wing American outlet—thrives
on their decidedly ignorant readership by providing stories that fortify their reader’s beliefs. Their coverage on Hillary’s emails was abhorrently empty in the facts department and, without any gold-standard media outlet to challenge their claims, Newsmax’s coverage seemed believable to their readers. The outlet ultimately played a pivotal role in putting a certain business magnate/ despot in a certain executive office. Closer to home, CBC— our government-subsidized outlet—panders to whoever’s in power on that particular day. Some will remember the outcry of Liberal and NDP groups over a conservative bias in the Harper era. The Conservative outcry of leftist
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Trophy Ewila - Opinions Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
AS THE PROTESTS GO ON
Opinions
Illustration provided by SARA and UBCO artist Varenka Kim
On freedom of speech, pro-life, and the protests on campus
Mihir Badhan - Contributor
The Kelowna Right to Life Society continues their protests on campus, as UBC Okanagan is allowing the demonstrations to take place “provided their demonstrations remains respectful.” Many opinions are being expressed about the protest, and a counter protest is being arranged by students. Protesters are holding graphic signs, and most of the school community can agree when we see these signs we are disgusted regardless of our position on abortion. Freedom of speech gives this group the legal right to protest, previously this group protested on a roundabout on the way to campus, but now, UBCO is allowing this demonstration to take place directly on campus where it is practically unavoidable, this will result not only in the disruption of many students but makes you wonder if UBCO is in favour of the pro-life movement. Are these protests considered “respectful” when they are holding horrible posters that can have a major impact on our students mental and
emotional health. UBCO is offering to counsel those who have been affected, upset, or need someone to talk to but why offer a solution when you have the power to stop the problem in the first
“ Instead of holding these signs trying to scare us into choosing pro-life, it would be more efficient to educate the youth.
”
place. The mere fact they are preparing for students to need counselling, shows that they understand the severity that this protest will have on the emotional well-being of our students. It is simply outrageous that they would allow these
graphic posters directly onto our campus, where students should be able to learn in a safe environment, this means not seeing these vivid pictures of dead fetuses and babies on their morning walk to class. Are holding these horrific and horrendous signs at our university going to overthrow a law that was made in 1988, to protect our right to life, liberty, and security? Pro-life advocators are encouraging a law to be made that directly goes against our constitution, specifically section 7. Women have a right to their body and even with the use of contraception pregnancy is still a possibility. Many women also do not have the access to proper medical care, birth control, or sex education that we may have. Schools teach abstinence and do not include giving knowledge to teens on how to use condoms, or showing them that they are other options of contraception available to them. Instead of holding these signs trying to scare us into choosing pro-life, it would be more efficient to educate the
youth. One common argument these protesters throw at us is “a fetus has the right to life”, but even if one agrees that a fetus has a right to life, that does not mean it has a right to utilize its mother’s body. It is her body and she has right to choose as she pleases. Simply “my body, my choice”, every person has an undeniable right over their own body. It would be reckless and ignorant to think that women should merely have children because it would be morally wrong to do otherwise. Having a child is arguably the most life changing event that could happen in a woman’s life. The idea that one should go through with it when they find themselves pregnant after a one-night-stand, an incident of rape, or a broken condom is completely irrational. By allowing forced/accidental pregnancies and not letting someone choose to terminate, you are giving a fetus more privilege than any born person and giving a pregnant person fewer rights to their own bodily autonomy than a corpse.
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Opinions | thephoenixnews.com | Trophy Ewila - Opinions Editor
JORDAN PETERSON AND GENDER PRONOUNS The condensed arguments on Bill C-16
Mark Dreger – Phoenix Columnist
Jordan Peterson at the University of Toronto has led the campaign against Bill C-16, arguing, at least from my interpretation, that C-16 will criminalize the refusal to use an individual’s preferred gender pronoun. Peterson is not against using “he” and “she” for transgender people, but is against pronouns like ze, sie, per, etc., which he says are “made-up by radical leftwing ideologues” that believe in the “preposterous” notion of a gender spectrum. Despite receiving nearly two dozen positive letters from trans people and support from transgender YouTubers Theryn Meyer and Blaire White, his comments have put his job at risk at the University, warning him that “the refusal to use the personal pronoun that is the expression of the person’s gender identity can constitute discrimination.” Despite that, he has pledged to continue speaking even if threatened with arrest. Bill C-16 is an amendment to the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Canadian Criminal Code to add gender identity and gender expression to join race, religion, age, sex, etc. as prohibited grounds of discrimination. C-16 has passed the House and will
likely pass the Senate. Peterson believes the Bill’s inclusion of “gender identity and gender expression” joins broad language that exists in the Ontario Human Rights Code. The OHRC defines discrimination as “when a person experiences negative treatment or impact, intentional or not, because of their gender identity or gender expression.” Peterson believes this allows individuals to decide what is inappropriate, regardless of intention. Harassment is also vague and includes “inappropriate comments, questions, jokes,” etc., “that insults, demeans, harms, or threatens a person in some way.” Under such vague definitions, Peterson argues that the bill could be used to criminalize pronoun use, saying in a CBC radio interview that C-16 is “loosely written enough that the kinds of things that [Peterson is] talking about could be transformed into hate speech almost immediately.” Peterson argues that such legal strength will infringe on freedom of speech. “There’s a difference between saying that there’s something you can’t say, and saying that there are things that you have to say,” Peterson said in a debate
at U of T. “And I regard these made-up pronouns, all of them, as the neologisms of radical PC authoritarians. . . . I’ve read everything I can get my hands on in the development of authoritarian political systems and I know the literature inside out and backwards, and I am not going to be a mouthpiece for
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‘There’s a difference between saying that there’s something you can’t say, and saying that there are things that you have to say.’
— U of T Psychologist Jordan Peterson
” language that I detest.” Fellow U of T professor Brenda Cossman, who took part in the debate with Peterson (a debate that I believe was poorly executed and biased), said that “there is nothing in Bill C-16 that comes close to criminalizing the misuse of pronouns.” In
an October reply to Peterson’s objections, she argues that C-16 prevents federal government and businesses from discriminating on the basis of gender identity and gender expression. It protects against advocating genocide and the public incitement of hatred, and that offence motivated by bias, prejudice, or hate can be taken into account in court. Cossman stresses that using the wrong pronouns will not fall as hate speech, as Canada only prosecutes extreme cases that need approval of the Attorney General. Cossman does admit, however, that the OHRC believes that refusing to use a person’s self-identified pronoun should be harassment and become actionable, but this is not under C-16. Peterson’s alarmist stance could be incorrect and I hope it is because I do not want to live in country that criminalizes the accidental misgendering or forced pronoun use of individuals; however, what puts me on his side is his right to free speech. There are people who are against the discussion, arguing that such debates put the psychological and physical safety of trans and non-binary people at risk; however, some
counter that universities are meant to be places of discussion and such topics should be open for debate. If Peterson is wrong, then he should be allowed to speak and have his ideas critiqued, because giving controversial opinions exposure to direct criticism helps prevent them from growing unquestioned underground into radical ideologies that become more dangerous than the original assertion. I respect the arguments for and against the legislation, but disrespect the side of censorship, so I encourage others to study the debate themselves. Although many support Peterson’s stance, we should remember that majority consensus does not indicate correctness. If Cossman is correct and using the incorrect pronoun will not be a criminal offense, then I stand with Mr. Peterson when he says, “I don’t recognize another person’s right to determine what pronouns I use to address them. I won’t do it.”
Illustration by Sarah James/ The Phoenix News
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Trophy Ewila - Opinions Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
THE ATTACK ON “FAKE NEWS”
Opinions
Image by Sarah Dowler/ The Phoenix News
Listing fake news is only good until it becomes subjective
Mark Dreger - Phoenix Columnist
After the mass media lost nearly all credibility and dignity with Donald Trump’s election victory, what appears to be the next attack is labeling alternative media as “fake news.” Google and Facebook said they will fight to prevent the spread of fake news and stop such websites from using their advertising networks, but how will fake news be determined? Introduce Melissa Zimdars, an assistant professor at Merrimack College. She created her own list of 130 allegedly “False, Misleading, Clickbait-y, and/or Satirical “News” Sources.” The list highlights impersonating websites like Abcnews. com.co and MSNBC.com.co and websites like The Onion and World News Daily Report as satire, but the problem arises when the list becomes subjective. Her list of “clickbait-y” outlets are mostly right-leaning (save OccupyDemocrats), but it is easy to find clickbait titles from unlisted outlets like The Daily Mail, The Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, and The Washington Post. Including clickbait as a category is useless when arguably
every news outlet uses clickbait once and a while. These are minor issues, but what is troubling is half the websites are not listed as false, misleading, clickbait, or satire, leading many to believe, especially
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The intent of the fake news crackdown is because there was misinformation about the US presidential candidates; these stories led to hundreds of thousands dead.
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those associated with the listed outlets, that this list is an attack on alternative and/or conservative media. Some of the uncategorized websites that caught my eye include Glenn Beck’s The Blaze, Breitbart, Daily Wire, Project Veritas,
World Net Daily, and ZeroHedge. Question: why is the right-leaning Breitbart included while the leftleaning equivalents Buzzfeed and The Huffington Post are not? Former Congressman Ron Paul added ABC, MSNBC, CNN, and CBS to his list. What about when The New York Times lied about the Gulf of Tonkin incident to intensify the Vietnam War, or when the media ran with the Nayirah testimony that led to the Gulf War, or when the media ran with “weapons of mass destruction” for war in Iraq? If such sources pushed misinformation, why are they not listed? The intent of the fake news crackdown is because there was misinformation about the US presidential candidates; these stories led to hundreds of thousands dead. The recent fake story that CNN aired a pornographic film for thirty minutes was carried by the New York Post and the Independent, so are they fake too or is that a simple mistake and forgivable? The point here is Zimdars’s list is subjective and comes from no authority aside from her personal bias, but if media outlets outside this list continue to spread her opinion, who is to say
Google and Facebook will not do the same? Facebook and Google have not clarified how they will approach such measures, but after Facebook was accused of censoring conservative news and Google was exposed of hiding negative searches of Hilary Clinton, why should they be trusted to police news they deem fake? According to Gallup, only 32% of American viewers trust the mass media, 14% for Republicans. Facebook wants to classify misinformation, make it easier to report fake news, and to work with journalists on the issue; but the problem is, what classifies as misinformation, what fake news reports will be credible, and which journalists will they work with? It is an implausible wish, but the responsibility to stop fake news relies on an educated public. Hopefully these stories will lead individuals to research instead of allowing companies to control and determine what is and is not truth.
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Sports | thephoenixnews.com | Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
Sports
Photos provided By UBCO Heat Athletics
HEAT WOMEN MOVE TO #4 IN U SPORTS TOP 10
With a weekend sweep of the Regina Cougars last weekend, the Heat move to 7-1 and move up a spot in the national rankings
Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
The UBC Okanagan Heat women’s volleyball team, after dropping from the number one spot after their first loss a few weeks ago at Mount Royal, are moving back up in the U Sports (formerly CIS) Top 10. The reigning national bronze medalists swept the weekend against Regina, without dropping a set in the back half of a fourmatch road trip. The closest set of the weekend was the third of the Friday night match, which the Cougars pushed to extra points after dropping the first two 25-12 and 25-10. The Heat took that closest set 26-24, after Megan Festival played the hero by scoring back-to-back kills to give the Heat their first lead of the set and putting away an ace to win it.
“ Both teams are undefeated at home, and will be looking to take over as the lone team in the number two spot in the Canada West rankings.
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The weekend sweep had the Heat improve their Canada West record to 7-1, while two veterans earned milestone career records of their own. Both Megan Festival and Emily Oxland broke the Canada West record for career service aces on Saturday, passing Shanlee McLennan, who finished her Brandon Bobcats career with 138 aces. Oxland and Festival went into the weekend in Regina tied with McLennan at 138. Oxland, a fifth year setter, put away four aces over the weekend to improve her total to 142 for her career. Festival, a fifth year outside hitter, had one on Friday night to improve to 139. After facing a Regina team that sits winless on the 2016/16 Canada West season
so far, the upcoming weekend against the Calgary Dinos will be an accurate test of where the Heat women stand on the national stage. The Dinos sit tied with the Heat in the Canada West standings, with a record of 7-1 coming into the final weekend of the 2016 part of this season. Calgary currently sit one spot behind the Heat in the U Sports Top 10, at #5. Statistically, the two teams are evenly matched. In hitting percentage, the Dinos have the edge .231 - .215. In kills per set, the Heat have the higher average at 12.83 – 11.97. Both teams are undefeated at home, and will be looking to take over as the lone team in the number two spot in the Canada West rankings. With the 2016 slate of
games ending after Saturday, the result of the weekend between the Heat and the Dinos will have legitimate playoff implications, as whoever has an edge going into the new year will have more room to slip coming into the 14 matches scheduled for the 2017 half of the season.
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Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Sports
HEAT MEN LOOK TO TURN SEASON AROUND With two straight road wins, a pair of home games against Calgary will be a test of whether this is a turning point for the Heat Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
The UBC Okanagan Heat men’s volleyball team had but a lone win in their conference season, until they travelled to play the University of Regina Cougars last weekend. Over the two matches in Saskatchewan’s capital, the Heat only lost two sets. The final set scores in both games were 3-1, as the Heat improved their Canada West record to 3-5 and move into sixth place in the conference. Arguably the most exciting set of the weekend was the second in the Friday night contest, as it was pushed well into extra points before the Cougars earned their lone set win on the night. It ended up 31-29, and it was by far the Heat’s worst and the Cougars’ best set on Friday night. Lars Bornemann had one of the more impressive weekends for the Heat, finishing with 26 kills through the two matches. Joshua Har vey was just behind him, finishing with 25. The difference for the Heat was, as exemplified by Bornemann and Har vey, the attack. The UBCO men outhit their opponent to a greater extent than they have yet this season, with hitting percentages significantly in their favour both nights, .278-.133 on Friday and .340-.210 on Saturday. After those back-to-back wins and the improvement of the Heat attack, the team will face a true test when they host the Calgar y Dinos, currently ranked #9 in U Sports, on Friday, December 2 and Saturday, December 3. Despite that national ranking, and in an interesting example of how the Top Ten rankings work on the national level, the Calgar y Dinos have a record of 2-6, and sit one spot behind the Heat in the Canada West standings. For the Heat, the matchup against the
Dinos will be their third against nationally-ranked teams so far this season. The UBCO side suffered weekend sweeps against Manitoba, who were ranked #6 nationally, and against Mount Royal, who were #8. For the Dinos, the Heat will be their first opponent of the season with a losing
“ After those back-to-back wins and the improvement of the Heat attack, the team will face a true test when they host the Calgary Dinos.
” record. The games will be the last of the calendar year for both teams, and they will pick up the 2017 part of the schedule the first weekend of the new year.
Photo provided by UBCO Heat Athletics
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Sports | thephoenixnews.com | Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
OTTAWA WINS FIRST GREY CUP SINCE 1976 A highlight reel catch put a fitting end on a classic CFL championship in Toronto on Sunday Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
In what CFL fans and analysts are already calling one of the biggest upsets in Grey Cup history, the Ottawa Redblacks beat the Calgary Stampeders 39-36 in overtime to earn their spot as the 104th name on Lord Grey’s mug. It is difficult to recall a CFL championship game that was both as far from expectations and as close in final score as the one we saw last Sunday. Coming into Toronto’s BMO Field for 2016’s final game, the two remaining CFL teams were considered to be worlds apart. The Calgary Stampeders finished their regular season with a record of 15-2, the best in the league, while the Ottawa Redblacks finished at 8-9, atop the oft-looked-downupon East Division. Those records alone would seem enough to make the final outcome a foregone conclusion, but fans and reporters alike
were consistent in their conclusions that Calgary would win, and win big. I myself went so far as to predict a final score of 45-14 in favour of the Stampeders, and almost didn’t watch the game as I wholeheartedly believed it would be a blowout. I can honestly say
“ ‘It was about three times I bobbled that thing.’ – Ernest Jackson
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this is one of those times when I’m happy to have been wrong. One of the biggest reasons the Redblacks were counted out so widely, aside from the difference in season records, was the difference between the quarterbacks. Henry Burris, quarterback for Ottawa, is 41 years old, and may well retire as a champion now. On the other side of the field on Sunday was Bo Levi Mitchell, who is 26 and just coming into his own as a CFL quarterback. That age was a concern for many, but that worry was proven misplaced as Burris threw for 461 yards and three touchdowns to lead his Redblacks to their first franchise Grey Cup. Burris’ third touchdown was arguably the most important, as it came in overtime and proved to be the deciding score. In what will undoubtedly become a staple on highlight reels and ‘greatest moments’ recap
shows, Ottawa wide receiver Ernest Jackson hauled it in while falling into the end zone after almost dropped it on his way across the goal line. “It was about three times I bobbled that thing,” Jackson said in a post-game interview, describing a catch that gave Ottawa its first Grey Cup championship in 40 years. In the awards ceremony following Ottawa’s victory, Henry Burris was named the 2016 Grey Cup Most Valuable Player, making him the oldest player ever to receive that honour. In an interview after receiving the award, he explained its greater significance to him. “There was almost a situation where I wasn’t able to play today . . . My knee locked up on me before the game. I wouldn’t have been able to accept that.” A Grey Cup victory will be much easier to accept, and it may mean that Burris gets to end his CFL career
as a champion. While it has been rumored throughout the 2016 season, Burris has yet to decide on whether he will play again next year. Taking home another most coveted award after the Redblacks’ victory was Ottawa receiver Brad Sinopoli, who was named the 104th Grey Cup’s Most Valuable Canadian. He summed up the general expectations held my many heading into the game in his interview after being given the award. “First of all, I’m so damn proud of the guys on this team . . . We were doubted all year and even in this game, they didn’t give us a chance,” said the Peterborough, Ontario native, adding in appreciation for his teammates, “They just did what they’ve been doing all year, they just stepped up and made plays. I’m just so proud to be a part of it.”
ROUGE ET OR TAKE HOME 52ND VANIER CUP
Laval DB Robideaux earned a spot in U Sports history with two huge plays to close out Saturday night’s championship game Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
In the first Vanier Cup since the CIS became U Sports, the Laval Rouge et Or took home the prize by a final score of 31-26. It is the ninth time that Laval has won the Vanier Cup, the most in the trophy’s histor y since its introduction in 1965. The matchup at Tim Horton’s Field in Hamilton on Saturday night was closely contested until the final minutes. Calgar y took the early lead, scoring on the first snap of the game, and went up 14-0 before Laval scored with just over five minutes left in the first quarter. Calgar y led until nearly the end of the third quarter, when Laval went up 24-20 with 21 seconds left. The Dinos then took back the lead, 26-24, with 8:12 left in the fourth quarter.
Calgar y looked to be in a position to cement the win, when, with just under six minutes left, the Dinos’ Adam Laurensse intercepted a Hugo Richard pass, giving Calgar y the ball back. Raphael Robideax made the first of his two game-changing plays on the following series, when he blocked Adam Sinagra’s punt, on 3rd down and 4 yards to go from the Calgar y 49. Christian Dallaire was able to recover the blocked punt and return it 15 yards, setting up what would go on to be the winning scoring drive for the Rouge et Or. Laval scored with under three minutes left, thanks to a Hugo Richard rushing touchdown, putting the Rouge et Or up 31-26. Calgar y would have the ball twice more in
the final few minutes, with Laval able to shut down both series and keep the Dinos from scoring. The second of those Dinos offensive series ended with just seconds left on the clock, when Robideaux, who started the game listed as a back-up on the Rouge et Or depth chart, cemented his team’s Vanier Cup win. After a successful start to the Dinos last drive, which included three first downs and three completed passes by Sinagra, Calgar y got stuck 23 yards from goal. The Laval secondar y kept Sinagra’s targets out of reach on downs one and two, but the Dinos QB found favourite receiver Kelton Bailey on third-andten. The reception would have given Calgar y a first down, with less than 15 yards to
go, and seconds left to play, had Robideaux not delivered a devastating hit near the sideline that knocked the ball loose and turned it over on downs. Laval head coach Glen Constantin said after the game, “There was nothing easy about it,” referring to his team’s comeback win, “Trailing 14-0, that’s a lot of adversity and the guys on the bench were a little bit disoriented and that but they believed.” Hugo Richard, the Rouge et Or quarterback, and Cedric Lussier-Roy, a Laval linebacker, took home the game’s individual awards. Richard was named the 2016 recipient of the Ted Morris Memorial Trophy, awarded to the game’s Most Valuable Player. He finished with 25
completions on 32 attempts, for 339 yards and two touchdowns. The other individual recognition that follows a Vanier Cup game is the Bruce Coulter Award. It is traditionally awarded to a player on the winning team, and the same team as the recipient of the Ted Morris Memorial Award, but who plays on the other side of the ball. This year’s recipient of the Bruce Coulter Award was Cedric Lussier-Roy. The Rouge et Or linebacker finished the championship game with 5.5 tackles, including a sack that resulted in a 14-yard loss for Calgar y.
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