UBCO’s Student Newspaper
March 20th 2017 | Vol 30, Issue 12
DISTRIBUTE THE PAPER! since 1989
UBC’s new sexual assault policy 131 p.3
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thephoenixnews.com |
News
News
Life
U-BEE-CO Proffessor sparks initiative p.4
Liberals defy Trudeau on Genetic Discrimination Bill p.7
The Hunt p.10
Arts
Opinions
Sports
Album Review: As Long as Your Eyes are Wide p.12
Who are you wearing? p.16
UBC Sexual Assault Policy 131 p.3
UBCO Fights back against Cancer p.5
Hidden Figures: A Reivew p.13 Mobile World Congress p.14
University Centre 3333 University Way Kelowna, BC, Canada V1Y 5N3 Office: UNC 132B Phone: 250-807-9296
Cover by Sarah James Masthead photo provided by UBCO Heat Athletics The Heat women’s volleyball team vs TWU - Canada West Bronze
March Streetwear p.11
Hinchey, Given, and McCreary named to All-Conference Teams p.21
Campaign Promises p.17
Fourth Straight trip to Postseason for Heat Women’s Volleyball p.22
Censoring Ideas only make them Stronger p.18
Coordinating Editor Jacky Deng
Arts Editor Paula Tran
Web Editor Justin Kroeker
Art Director Sarah James
Sports Editor Grayson B. Leahy
Photo Editor/ Video Editor Riley Petillion
Production Editor Kelsi Brown
Phoenix Columnist Mark Dreger
Senior Copy Editor Francesca Gimson
Life Editor Brie Welton
Junior Copy Editor Nick Huertas
Staff Writer Frances Carruthers
Opinions Editor Tyrel Lamoureux
Staff Writer Riley Schlosser
News Editor Sarah Maryschuk
News Writer Dayne Patterson
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thephoenixnews.com
Little Eaterie Review p.8-9
New Uber and current Taxi p.6
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Contributors Leah Wafler, Nick Vantol, Erika Verigin, Siara Less
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. 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 | Sarah Maryschuk - News Editor
News
Photo provided by UBC
UBC SEXUAL ASSAULT POLICY 131 New changes in UBC’s Sexual Assault policy
Brie Welton – Life Editor
as follows. First, a Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office will be established on both the Okanagan and Vancouver campuses scheduled for August 2017. The purpose of this center is to provide advice and assistance to sexual assault sur vivors and their supporters, in addition to providing a safe outlet for disclosures and official reports. The center will be available for students who have either been sexually assaulted prior to attending UB C or have been assaulted during their time at school. Students do not need to prove that the assault took place or file an official report in order to receive these ser vices. The second significant change is the creation of an investigator y process for sexual assault that will be housed separately from the Sexual Violence Prevention
“ The current draft of the policy is a product of over 25 information meetings, and 160 feedback submissions.
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The first draft of the UB C sexual assault policy was completed in June 2016 and has since been revised in response to feedback from the UB C community. The current draft of the policy is a product of over 25 information meetings, and 160 feedback submissions. Some elements of the policy will stay the same, whereas others have changed significantly. Elements which have not changed from the first draft include the definition of key terms (such as consent, disclosure, sexual misconduct etc.), details on ser vices and accommodation, and the confidentiality/privacy information, which outlines the circumstances in which UB C is legally obligated to disclose and protect personal information. The two most significant changes to the policy are
and Response Office. A Director of Investigations will be appointed who will receive reports, review them, determine whether action is under UB C jurisdiction and then if so, will appoint a trained investigator to conduct an investigation. The investigator will give both the person who filed the report and the respondent equal treatment during the investigation and the Director of Investigations will keep both parties informed throughout the investigation process. If the Director of Investigations believes that an alternative resolution process is more appropriate in the circumstances, they will discuss options with the Complainant and the Respondent. If both agree the Director will explore possible options. If UB C does not have the jurisdiction to investigate, the Director will
advise the Complainant and explain why this is the case. Other changes include providing both parties with a copy of the report; therefore the reports will be written without using any personal information in order not to violate the confidentiality provisions. The scope of definitions was also broadened to include all forms of sexual misconduct. March 14 is the deadline for the consultation period. All feedback received prior to this date will be reviewed and a final version of the policy will be drafted. UB C will review this policy at least once ever y three years in collaboration with students and other members of the UB C community.
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Sarah Maryschuk - News Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
U-BEE-CO PROFESSOR SPARKS INITIATIVE
News
Photo provided by UBC
UBCO Professor, Nancy Holmes, starts a Bee-Friendly Initiative in Kelowna Dayne Patterson - News Writer
lawns, there’s nothing for them to eat.” The new Kelowna Nectar Trail would provide food and would aid in diversifying the bee population. Holmes continued, capitalizing on what the ultimate goal of the Nectar Trail is: “to get the community engaged in creating connectivity corridors for pollinating insects throughout Kelowna [. . .] we’re urging people who live along a route that we’ve marked out to plant a one square meter patch of flowering plants for bees and other pollinating insects.” There are rumours that the UBCO Garden Club may be planning a Nectar Trail through campus, Holmes said that, “[she] gave a talk to them last fall and they got very pumped about having a nectar trail through
“ To [enable] the bees to move [freely and easily] through a community.
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Nancy Holmes, Associate Professor in UBCO’s Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, in coordination with her research partner Dr. Cameron Cartier at Emily Carr University, has started a unique initiative in Kelowna. The project in question, which has been in the works since last summer, is a Nectar Trail through areas of Kelowna “to [enable] the bees to move [freely and easily] through a community,” explains Holmes. She also explained one of the problems with insects living within an urban setting and how the Kelowna Nectar Trail would help bees: “If you think about what it’s like to be a bee or any other pollinating insect, if there’s a big expanse of concrete or a big expanse of suburb that has nothing but cedar hedges and
UBCO because there is lots of wild land around UBCO and not a lot of native flowers on campus.” As an incentive to join the Nectar Trail (as though you needed more reasons to help our fellow bees) Holmes’ research group, Border Free Bees, has offered to everyone who takes part in the trail: a free package of seeds for bee-friendly flowers, a planting guide with a list of appropriate drought-tolerant and pollinator friendly plants and suppliers, volunteers who can give advice on how to create a good pollinator patch, a booklet to help you identify the bees in your backyard, and a sign to brag that your garden is part of the Kelowna Nectar Trail! Along with these they will also be launching a citizen’s science app on May 13 called “Insight” to help identify
bee species. Although Holmes said that they were currently focusing on the Lower Mission, she is hoping to create a model other neighbourhoods can follow. If you have a plot of land that you’d like to dedicate to bees you can contact Border Free Bees at kelowna@borderfreebees.com or check out the project webpage at borderfreebees.com/nectar-trail.
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News | thephoenixnews.com | Sarah Maryschuk - News Editor
UBCO FIGHTS BACK AGAINST CANCER UBCO Relay for Life hosts its fourth annual Walk-a-Thon Work off the midterm belly from those long nights studying and binge eating by joining your peers in the fight against cancer. The UBCO Relay for Life is a 12-hour non-competitive walk-athon that raises funds for the Canadian Cancer Society. The event takes place inside the EME Building from March 25 at 6pm to March 26 at 6am. The event, which is happening for the fourth time on the UBCO campus, is separated into three stages. The night begins by celebrating those who have won their fight against cancer, followed by remembering those who have passed, and finishes by fighting back
against the malicious disease. When asked how the event impacted her, Kristen Morgan, Executive Coordinator for the UBCO Relay for Life event explained, “3 and a half years ago my grandfather died from cancer, and he was my hero. I relayed that year with him, the year before he passed away. It was a really powerful moment to be able to celebrate his battle and in years since his passing I’ve been honouring his legacy and raising funds awareness to be able to protect others.” Morgan also spoke about a very uplifting moment from last year’s event, “I had a really good conversation with a girl in first year who had just
“ Since his passing I’ve been honouring his legacy and raising funds and awareness to be able to protect others.”
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Dayne Patterson - Staff Writer
lost her father to cancer; and it was one of those really raw, pure moments where we just got to remember his legacy and looked to a future where we could eradicate cancer so no one else would have to go through that.” Over the last three years the event has raised over $60,000. Their goal this year is to raise $25,000 to go towards funding cancer research, prevention and support for patients! Registration for the event is only $15, which gets you a t-shirt and a registration kit with items like sunscreen and other donated prizes. To register go to the UBCO Relay for Life Facebook page. If you want to donate,
volunteer, or just have general questions you can e-mail the Relay for Life committee at ubcorelay2017@gmail.com.
DO CANADIANS KNOW OUR LAWS ON ANIMAL TESTING? An in depth look at Canadian laws surrounding animal testing Sarah James - Art Director
subjected to potential harmful effects from drugs and other medications Canada strives to minimise their suffering. This includes using alternatives whenever possible. The Canadian Council of Animal Care (CCAC) ensures that animals used for testing are used under ethical conditions. The CCAC also requires that the experimental use of animals may only occur if it contributes to a ‘positive and meaningful contribution to human understanding or to the gaining of knowledge such that animals or humans can benefit.’ Health Canada’s stance on animal testing is in place to protect Canadians from hazardous products; testing is not a legal requirement but all companies need to meet specific requirements. By law, Canadian companies do not have to disclose on their labels if one specific ingredient was tested on animals but rather if the entire product was--a
“ “Most people don’t actually know that it still occurs,” says Aviva Vetter, the Program & Development Officer for Humane Society International, 2015.
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How much does the average Canadian know about the laws in Canada pertaining to animal testing and do they know the difference between laws about medical and cosmetic testing? “Most people don’t actually know that it still occurs,” says Aviva Vetter, the Program & Development Officer for Humane Society International, 2015. In Canada there are two specific categories that animal testing falls into: medical and cosmetic. There are no federal laws in Canada that govern animal research, but there are some provincial laws pertaining specifically to animal research as well as the ways that research is conducted across Canada. As it stands, Canada supports the use of animal testing to further medicine and research. Health Canada states that companies must test on a subject similar to a human before human testing can take place. Although these animals will still be
loophole that companies may take advantage of. A cosmetic is defined as “a product which cleanses, improves or alters the complexion, skin, hair, or teeth.” Although, Canada ‘unofficially’ requires that animals be used for medical testing, they are not required for cosmetic testing. There are also loopholes surrounding the labeling of products as Cruelty Free. The Food and Drug Act does not require companies to test their products or ingredients on animals, but ensure that they are safe for consumer use. The Food and Drug Act would have been amended in 2015 if Bill S-234, the CrueltyFree Cosmetics Act proposed by former Senator Carolyn Stewart Olsen had passed. It would have prohibited cosmetic animal testing and the sale of cosmetics developed or manufactured using cosmetic animal testing in Canada. Unlike the European Union Canada lacks the necessary laws that ban
the sale and production of cosmetics tested on animals. Since 2009, the EU has banned the sale of all cosmetics that have been tested on animals, this includes ones those with animal-tested individual ingredients. If Canada were to follow suit, it would open more trade opportunities between Canadian companies and the EU. In the majority of the population’s mind, Canada has some catching up to do. Animal testing is considered an outdated process and increasingly innovative solutions are being implemented. It is likely that Canada’s law will become more strict in regards to cosmetic testing. But will these new innovations be put into place when it comes to medical testing regulations?
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Sarah Maryschuk - News Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
News
Illustration by Sarah James/ The Phoenix News
THE NEW UBER AND CURRENT TAXI Kelowna is Introducing Two New Taxi Services in 2017 Dayne Patterson – News Writer
the vehicles are considered premium which raises the taxi fare. For example, to be considered an UberBlack car it must be a luxury vehicle with an all-black interior-unlike an UberX which can be anything that meets the basic car requirements. Some of the basic requirements to become an Uber driver are: the driver must be 21 years of age, have a sedan that seats 4 (excluding the driver), and a clean license in the previous seven years. If you are interested in driving for Uber, more of the requirements can be found online. The saying “it’s not where you’re going, but how you get there” seems very fitting for Kelowna’s other new taxi addition, an all-electric taxi fleet, which is the first in British Columbia. Current taxi, which launched at the end of February, is a new, eco-friendly way to get
“ Not only will this introduction of a new taxi service bring a new face to local transit, but it could be yours.
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With a student salary, it is tough to save up for a car, or even keep the current one up and running on all four wheels. While the bus is cheap, sometimes it fails to get you where you want to go when you need to get there. Thankfully, Kelowna is looking to add two new taxi services in 2017. The company Uber has been given the green light to begin running in B.C. near the end of 2017, and Kelowna is fully in favour of the new addition. To those unfamiliar, Uber is a taxi service that essentially allows regular people to become taxi drivers in their spare time, with some driving requirements. So, not only will this introduction of a new taxi service bring a new face to local transit, but it could be yours. Uber’s driving fare depends on the location, as well as what type of vehicle you request. Some vehicles of
from one place to another. Separating Current Taxi from most services is their use of vehicles powered by electric motors--the Tesla Model S, and Model X. Although the Tesla vehicles are considered premium, they are the same price as other taxis. Current Taxi offers rides to and from Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland and Lake Country between 5:00a.m. and 11:59p.m, and are easily reserved through the Current Taxi Booking App (downloadable for free), or online. For students, the two new taxi services each hold their own pros and cons. In the job front, although Current taxi is hiring, the Uber taxi service is a good way for students to make some quick cash on the side, because it allows one to pick their hours and their passengers. Current Taxi only has a
limited amount of vehicles at the moment and requires a reservation, whereas Uber does not. But it is Current Taxi’s premium, eco-friendly, and visually appealing vehicles, as well as the professional service provided, which give it an edge on other taxi services.
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News | thephoenixnews.com | Sarah Maryschuk - News Editor
LIBERALS DEFY TRUDEAU ON GENETIC DISCRIMINATION BILL Liberal backbenchers oppose Trudeau’s demand and vote independently Mark Dreger - Phoenix Coloumnist
on the ground of genetic characteristics.” Punishment for breaking the new law can be a fine up to $1,000,000 and/or imprisonment for 5 years. The bill is intended to protect patients from being forced to take genetic tests that could show family history of certain diseases and limit the patient’s access to insurance or employment. While the opposition parties either did not vote or toed the party line, the Liberals were allowed to vote freely, which resulted in 105 voting yes, 50 no, and 23 abstaining, including Justin
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‘The government has taken a position that one of the elements in the proposed bill is unconstitutional. That is the recommendation we had and the government position is to vote against that particular . . . element in the bill.’ — Justin Trudeau
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Over a hundred Liberal MPs defied the Prime Minister’s wishes and voted in favour of a genetic anti-discrimination bill in Parliament on March 10. The enactment S-201 “prohibits any person from requiring an individual to undergo a genetic test or disclose the results of a genetic test” when providing goods or services, or entering a contract or agreement. The enactment also amends the Canada Labour Code for protection related to genetic testing, and amends the Canadian Human Rights Act “to prohibit discrimination
Trudeau who was in Toronto meeting with the board of directors of Blackrock Inc. at the time of the vote. While Trudeau’s cabinet followed his order to reject the bill, many MPs outside the cabinet did not, as the bill passed 222-60. While most of the House agreed with the bill, the cabinet and insurance companies did not. “The government has taken a position that one of the elements in the proposed bill is unconstitutional,” Justin Trudeau said. “That is the recommendation we had and the government position is to
vote against that particular . . . element in the bill.” “The industry agrees with the federal government’s position as expressed by the prime minister and the minister of justice, as well as a number of provinces, that an important element of the bill is unconstitutional,” Wendy Hope, spokesperson for the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, told the CBC. Trudeau plans to take the issue to the Supreme Court to have the constitutionality settled.
surrounding retirement, pensions, and healthcare. In March 2014, Wilders was criticized for allegedly inciting hatred against Moroccans when he asked a crowd of supporters if they wanted more or fewer Moroccans in the Netherlands. When the crowd replied “Fewer! Fewer!” Wilders responded, “We’ll take care of that.” In December 2016 he was convicted of discrimination, which he considered an attempt to
neutralize this popular party. In February, he was further criticized in a speech calling out the “Moroccan scum in Holland who make the streets unsafe.” On New Year’s, Wilders’ PVV had close to 32% of the vote, but since then the PVV fell to just over 20% support with VVD taking the national lead just weeks ago.
FAR-RIGHT POPULISM LOSES IN HOLLAND Anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders comes in second in the Dutch election Mark Dreger - Phoenix Coloumnist
Far-right Dutch populist Geert Wilders came in a distant second in the Dutch Parliament after the national election on March 15. Re-elected Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his centerright People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) came on top of the polls with 33 seats over Wilders’ Party for Freedom (PVV) with 20. The “Democrats 66” and the Christian Democratic Appeal each got 19 seats.
Despite Europe’s rise in far-right populism in light of the refugee crisis, the PVV only gained 5 seats since the last election. No party is close to the 76 seats needed for a majority, so Rutte will need at least three parties to join him in a coalition. In January, Rutte said there was zero chance he would form a coalition with Wilders. Other main parties also ruled out any alliance with the PVV. Wilders top campaign
promise was to de-Islamise the Netherlands with the desire to close all Mosques and Muslim schools, and ban the Quran. His party wanted zero asylum seekers from Muslim countries, remove already granted asylum seekers, and ban Muslim veils along with other Islamfocused promises. The PVV also campaigned on leaving the European Union, direct democracy, lower rent, lower taxes, and other promises
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Brie Welton - Life Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Life
Life LITTLE EATERIE REVIEW
Phoenix reporters check out some of Kelowna's favourite mom and pop shops Brie Welton – Life Editor
Mad Mango Cafe 551 Bernard Ave Atmosphere: Mad Mango is a small space with some tables of four inside and a nice row of window seats overlooking Bernard. It’s usually quite busy, but most customers get take-out. It’s a very popular spot most locals swear by! Food: They offer sandwiches, breakfast (bagels, French toast eggs and sausage), authentic Southeast Asian food, milkshakes and desserts. Recommended dish: Laska Soup (vermicelli noodles with prawns,
Dunn Enzies 1559 Ellis Street chicken, hard vegetables)
boiled
eggs
and
Pricing: Soups and vermicelli bowls $5-9, sandwiches $5, milkshakes $4 Perks: They serve all day breakfast, and they’re open early (7:30a.m.) and open on Sundays. Workers at Mad Mango always remember their regulars, making customers feel appreciated. Food is fresh and unique, and service is always quick for those with a short lunch break.
Atmosphere: Dunn Enzies is a hip and happening old school pizza place, with some inside seating. Customers order at the counter either by the slice or a full pizza (during certain times). Food: unique selection of pizzas with interesting topping combinations, HUGE slices with lots of flavour. Gluten free pizza option available with customizable toppings. Recommended dish: For those seeking a unique slice: Perogy Pizza (Alfredo sauce, bacon, diced potato, onion, mozza and cheddar cheese)
Pricing: Dunn Enzies is open late (Thurs/Friday 11-3:30a.m. Sat noon3:30a.m.) and located within walking distance the clubs and bars. A big slice of pizza from here is a drunk person’s best friend, especially at 3:00a.m. after a night at Level.
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Life | thephoenixnews.com | Brie Welton - Life Editor
Dosa Crepe Cafe Gray & Rutland Rd, around the corner from 7/11
Latin Fiesta HWY 33 up the hill from Value Village
Atmosphere: casual with simple decor; a homey, cozy family style business.
red wine) in addition to coffee/lattes (latte $3.25) and milkshakes.
Food: Large menu featuring Dosas, which is a savory gluten free crepe with batter made from rice and black gram. Options vary (beef and chicken curry or vegetarian choices such as spinach and vegetable masala Dosas). Sweet crepes are also served, with several fruit choices and the option to add ice cream, fresh fruit or chocolate sauce to your crepe. They also serve alcohol (beer, coolers and white or
Recommended Chocolate Crepe
Dish:
Banana
Pricing: Plain Dosa $6.99, or $7-12 for Dosas with toppings. Perks: Dosa Crepe Cafe has great restaurant-style service, free wifi, and is located a minute walk from the 11, 8 and 10 bus stop.
Atmosphere: The interior of Latin Fiesta is simple with Mexican style decor; lots of tables inside. It can get a little busy at certain peak times (around lunch). Food: good variety, authentic homemade, family style Mexican food, made with fresh ingredients. Recommended Dish: For those looking to deviate from the more mainstream Mexican choices (burritos, quesadillas), try Pozole
Photos by Brie Welton/ The Phoenix News
Rojo (pulled pork and corn stew served with tortilla chips) Pricing: very affordable, Tamales and Popusas (pork beans and cheese in a grilled tortilla) for under $3, burritos $7 quesadillas $7.50 nachos $5 Perks: quick service, directly in front of #8 bus stop, located in the heart of Rutland near Save-on-Foods.
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Brie Welton - Life Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
THE HUNT
Life
Photo by Riley Petillion/ The Phoenix News
Finding and procuring a summer job, and why it seems so difficult Riley Schlosser – Staff Writer
It can be so difficult to find a job, especially during the summer and especially in Kelowna; and yet, at the same time, employers are reporting a lack of quality applicants to fill their positions. Seems strange, but there are a number of reasons and a number of ways to beat the system and get a job. Application Firstly, the popularity of Applicant Tracking Systems is a real problem. Often hundreds of resumes will be submitted for a position, but the computer will filter out applicants simply due to a lack of certain key words in
their application before it can even reach the employer for consideration. The only way to counteract this is to go in-person, shake the hand of the manager, and hand them your résumé whenever possible. However, if you get nervous in high-stakes situations, don’t leave a very good first impression, or just look better on paper, maybe you should consider mainly applying online. In any case, it is essential to be relentless in your job search. Put out at least 12 or 15 applications if you want any chance of getting a call, and be prepared to put out just as many the next weeks if nothing comes
up. In the same vein, don’t be afraid to apply multiple times to the same position, especially if you’re doing so in-person. Familiarity with those you hope will hire you is an invaluable asset, because you suddenly go from being words on a page to being a human being in search of a job. Résumé If you are pounding the pavement and you just can’t seem to get any results, maybe the problem lies in your résumé. If you have any friends with upper-level positions at companies, send them a copy of your résumé
and ask them to critique it for you. Do yourself a favor and get a friend to call your list of references, especially if it is an older résumé, just to see what they are saying about you. Also, make sure the experience and references you cite are relevant to the job you’re applying for, or your potential employer will think you’re just new to the work force and that your listing anything you can think of to make it look as though you have experience. Networking Arguably, the most important part of job hunting is knowing the right
people. This is especially true if you are looking for a job in a particular field or with a certain wage, because a company is less likely to have to advertise for a position if it is niched or offers good compensation, as they will probably have many applicants without the need for local advertisement. Those are the absolute essentials, but if you need even more help with the jobhunting process, there are lots of online and on-campus resources available so make sure to use them. Happy hunting!
MENTAL HEALTH MONDAYS MSA strives to end mental health stigma this March Brie Welton – Life Editor
This March, the Management Student Association will be in the EME foyer from 8:30a.m. to 11:00a.m. serving pancakes, granola bars and coffee by donation to raise awareness about mental health. All proceeds will go to the Canadian Mental Health association, which provides vital resources and support to over half a million Canadians every year.
Organized by Kate Girling, VP of Student Resources for the MSA, the goal of this initiative is to end the stigma surrounding mental health. “When I was elected last year I was able to come up with things that I wanted to see in my year,” explains Kate, “The biggest thing I wanted to do was a mental health initiative.”
This is particularly relevant in a university setting where many struggle with the emotional toll of high stress, heavy course loads and seemingly endless financial strain. Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding mental health can cause those who are suffering to do so in silence, which hinders treatment and recovery and in some cases can lead to suicide.
The importance of starting a safe, non-judgemental dialogue regarding mental health is more importunate than ever. “It’s always been very important to me,” insists Kate, “so I knew at one point in my university career I wanted to do something related to Mental Health and just really get the word out there.” Although the initiative does accept donations,
the primary objective is to inspire students to get involved and be accepting of those who struggle with mental health. “I don’t need to raise a ton of money,” says Kate, “I just want to end the stigma.”
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Life | thephoenixnews.com | Brie Welton - Life Editor
MARCH STREETWEAR Stylish students and profs spotted around campus
Fran Carruthers – Staff Writer
Hitz
A leprechaun
Electric
John Varvatos
Value Village
Ireland
GAP Scotch & Soda
Simon’s Montreal
Fluvog This issue, we embraced style at all ages, picking out the best looks from both students AND profs. From those who played the minimalist card, with simple denim and smart casual looks, to those who went with a “more is more” mantra, it was clear once again that UBC-Ohhh yes, you’ve got style!
Michael V. Smith Creative Writing prof What’s your fashion inspiration? “Skateboarders and fags.” Sum up your style in 3 words: “Sporty geek chique.”
Seriana Keller
Patrick Epman
Frederic Menard
Second Year Human Kinetics Student Sum up your style in 3 words: “casual, comfortable, conventient”
Third year Sciences student Where do you take your style inspiration from? “St. Patrick’s day!” Sum up your style in 3 words: “St. Patrick’s day!”
Organic Chemistry prof Where do you take your style inspiration from? “What’s in the wardrobe, I guess!” Sum up your style in 3 words: “French scholar, renaissance twist” Photos by Riley Petillion/ The Phoenix News
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Paula Tran – Arts Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Arts
Arts
Photo by Sheri Foreman/ Creative Commons
ALBUM REVIEW: AS LONG AS YOUR EYES ARE WIDE
Said the Whale’s new album is a real hit Paula Tran - Arts Editor
Schoening, and Jaycelyn Brown, and the band quickly worked on EP projects soon after. Their first album, Taking Abalonia, was released in 2007. Islands Disappear was released in 2009. In 2011, the band was awarded the prize for New Group of the Year at the Juno Awards. After replacing Jeff LaForge with Nathan Shaw, the band released its third album, Little Mountain, in 2012, followed by Hawaiii in 2013. As Long as Your Eyes are Wide was produced by 3 members: Tyler, Ben, and Jaycelyn, and is set for a March 31, 2017 release. Said the Whale has released the first song in the album, “Step into the Darkness,” as a single. As Long as Your Eyes are Wide is an amazing album that features wonderful vocals, instrumentals, and lyrics. The album is curated in a way that when you listen to it as a whole, the album f lows really
“ Said the Whale is a Vancouver-based indie pop/indie rock band started by Ben Worcester and Tyler Bancroft.
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In the Admin Theatre on a rainy Wednesday night, I sit on the red chairs with a couple of my friends and colleagues listening to funky and upbeat indie pop music. Some of us are eating cream puffs. Some of us are working on assignments. Some of us are sipping soda from cans in a corner. We are all here for one common purpose, though: listening to Said the Whale’s new album and having a good time. My friend was fortunate enough to have received a pre-release link to the band’s newest album, As Long as Your Eyes are Wide, and he was kind enough to host a listening party for all of us to enjoy their work. Said the Whale is a Vancouver-based indie pop/ indie rock band started by Ben Worcester and Tyler Bancroft. Ben and Tyler quickly expanded the group to include Jeff LaForge, Spencer
smoothly to your ears. The vocal harmonies are pleasant to the ear and amazingly layered, so the audio doesn’t sound chunky at all. The lyrics to some of the songs are interesting and are about a variety of different topics. The instrumentals are smooth, the type of music that you would listen to when you’re either doing work or just winding down for the day. It isn’t too upbeat to make you jump up and down in your seat, but not too mellow to put you to sleep, and holds your interest long enough to listen through to the end. A friend of mine commented that the music reminded her of her teenage years. Another friend said that this is the type of “music you listen to on a rooftop you shouldn’t be on.” The only real gripe I have with the album so far is that all the songs sound really similar. While all the songs mesh
together really well, I couldn’t really differentiate which song was which. All the songs feature the same rhythmic drum beat, guitar strumming patterns, and vocal styles. Which is kind of a shame, because the album doesn’t really showcase the talent and versatility that the band really has. Listening to their previous albums, which had a tad bit more variety in them, As Long as Your Eyes are Wide seems bland in comparison. There isn’t a big wow factor to the album, even if some songs have a magnificent beat.
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Arts | thephoenixnews.com | Paula Tran – Arts Editor
HIDDEN FIGURES: A REVIEW
The phrase “feel-good” is often overused, but here it feels entirely appropriate
Fran Carruthers - Staff Writer
dominated depar tment. Segregation lines and boundaries for science are frequent ly broken t hrough in one fell swoop: for example, when a def iant Mar y Jackson stands in cour t to request to attend engineering classes at t he white school. “You of a ll people shou ld understand t he impor tance of being f irst,” she remarks to t he judge – catching onto t he American desperation to succeed in t he space race, in order to achieve her ow n v ictor y for African American women in science. Of course, t he mov ie does ta ke liber ties w it h t he plot and, as Melf i is keen to point out, is not a documentar y. The t hree women were not close friends in rea l life, and t he number of women involved as “ human computers” was actua lly much larger t han depicted. Holly wood ’s based-on-atrue-stor y paradigm has covered up a mu ltitude of sins in mov ies gone by, but in Hidden Figures, exper ts seem relatively happy w it h its accuracy. Bill Barr y, NASA’s chief historian, said of t he mov ie, “Like any t hing based on rea llife events, t here are some tempora l t hings t hat, as a historian, are like, ‘eh, t hat
didn’t rea lly happen like t hat,’ but I t hink t hat t he mov ie is true to t he stories of t he main characters.” He concluded t hat overa ll he was, “ver y happy w it h t he outcome.” Henson is trailblazing as Kat herine, delivering cutting comebacks to ever y jibe w it h a f ine-
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Hidden Figures is like one of those tangy, fizzy candies: whilst the flavour is there, it is uplifting, energetic and enthralling, but quickly dissolves on the tips of our tongues.
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Hidden Figures, directed by Oscar-nominated Theodore Melf i (St. Vincent), starring Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monae and Octav ia Spencer in its leading roles, is uplif ting in t he purest sense. The mov ie uncovers t he stories of t hree African American fema le engineers and mat hematicians, whose ca lcu lations were instrumenta l to t he success of historic space missions, including John Glenn’s orbit around t he ear t h in 1962. Against t he odds, each of t hese women overcome monumenta l obstacles in 1960s segregationera Virginia, successf u lly contributing to bot h scientif ic and cu ltura l brea kt hroughs. The mov ie begins w it h a young Kat herine (Taraji P. Henson), v iewed from above, scampering to school and counting while identif y ing prime numbers: “ four teen.. f if teen… si xteen.. prime.. eighteen… prime.” The totter of her footsteps returns many years later when, hav ing been promoted to a specia l task group for her brilliance in ana ly tic geometr y, she has to run ha lf a mile to use t he coloured bat hroom each day – because t here is not one in t he white ma le-
tuned ba lance bet ween sof t serenit y and grav it y. W hen Jim Johnson (Ma hersha la A li, Moonlight) ma kes t he grave mista ke of ask ing her “They let women hand le t hat sor ta t h–?” cutting himself of f just a fraction too late, Henson’s arch look and smoot h-tong ued response say it a ll. And
t hat is t he f ilm’s shining accomplishment: slick and eloquent put-dow ns, exceptiona lly delivered, and of ten leading audiences to cheer or clap in satisfaction. The cinematography is lucid yet purposef u l, w it h a few f lourishes. The blending of 1960s black-and-white footage w it h modern-day f ilming is f luent, avoiding clumsiness by a lternating old and new f ilm in shor t bursts. The attuned emphasis to t he click-clack of t y pe-w riters, t he scraping of cha lk on boards, and t he squea k ing of highlighter pens ma kes an obv ious yet easily forgotten point: t hat in a time before computers, a ll t his was possible and required a lost k ind of physica l graf t. At times, it does feel a litt le like t he mov ie is lay ing t he stor y out on a plate for us. It is marked ly unsubt le in its ar tistr y, which wou ld usua lly deter me from a f ilm – but ma kes its point so a x iomatica lly t hat it does not matter. In a f ilm about t he moon landing, it is hard to imagine it any ot her way. The soundtrack is bubble g um-sweet and bouncy, featuring a mi x of Pharell Williams, Mar y J. Blige and Janelle Monae. Sweet is a good metaphor
to go w it h, because Hidden Figures is like one of t hose tang y, f izzy candies: whilst t he f lavour is t here, it is uplif ting, energetic and ent hra lling, but quick ly dissolves on t he tips of our tong ues. Unlike some f ilms t hat leave me t hink ing about t hem for days on end af ter ward, Hidden Fig ures had me wa lk ing out of t he cinema w it h litt le to question or ref lect over. Yet in place of ref lection was genuine uplif t and positiv it y – a commendable outcome in itself.
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Paula Tran – Arts Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS ANNOUNCEMENTS Now is the time to start thinking about that sparkling new phone
Paula Tran – Arts Editor
with water and dust proofing which is a signature of Sony’s phones. The Sony Xperia XZs is an upgrade to the existing XZ, and also has a Motion Eye camera and 4GB of RAM. The XZs has a 5.2-inch Full HD screen, but also comes with a powerful processor. The XA1 and XA1 Ultra are both mid-range headsets with 5-inch and 6-inch displays respectively. Huawei unveiled its f lagships this year at the conference: the P10 and the P10 Plus. Both run on Huawei’s latest Kirin 960 octa-core processor, which shouldn’t be looked down upon because they aren’t the common processors designed by Western companies. The phones are 5.1-inches and 5.5-inches respectively. Both devices also come with Huawei’s Dual Camera technology. Motorola was rumoured to be unveiling handsets before and didn’t disappoint. The Moto G5 and the G5 Plus were both launched as budget
“ Over 140 works of art were donated by students, faculty, alumni, and practicing artists in the community.
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The Mobile World Congress is one of the biggest gatherings for the mobile industry, organized by GSMA and sporting exhibitions from companies such as Sony, Huawei, Motorola, Nokia, etc. This year, the Congress was held in Barcelona from February 27 until March 2, and the event was spectacular, showy, and full of fun surprises. If you want a shiny new phone for the upcoming few years, here is an ultimate list of the most highly anticipated devices so you can make a decision. Sony usually unveils new smartphones at Mobile World Congress, and they didn’t fail to deliver this year. The company has announced four new handsets: the Xperia XZ Premium, Xperia XZs, XA1 and XA1 Ultra. The XZ Premium is the top of their lineup. It has a 5.5-inch 4K HDR display, 19-megapixel rear camera and a powerful processor. The phone is going to contain a hefty amount of RAM and storage, along
phones, but sport premium technology. Both phones contain a powerful processor, as well as powerful batteries and cameras. The G5 will have a 5-inch Full HD display, and the G5 Plus will have a 5.2inch display. Nokia released a number of very interesting devices. It is going to revive the Nokia 3310, a classic and an old favourite. Nokia has also released three smartphones: the Nokia 3, 5, and 6. All three are budget handsets, and come in 5, 5.2, and 5.5-inch screen sizes respectively. LG used the Mobile World Congress to release the LG G6, a 5.7-inch device with 1880 x 1440 pixel resolution. It is the first phone with Dolby Vision HDR support to offer better contrast and wider colour schemes for video playback. It will also contain a powerful processor and RAM, and the rear camera will have a 13-megapixel sensor.
FILM REVIEW: GET OUT
Jordan Peele’s taut directional début will blow your mind Riley Schlosser – Staff Writer
Sometimes the best way to go into a movie is completely blind. If you have any inclination towards psychological thrillers, or even if you just want to challenge yourself to broaden your cinematic horizons, I highly suggest you stop reading this article and just go see the film on this good recommendation alone. That is not to say that this review will spoil any plot points, but I honestly believe that my complete obliviousness upon going to see “Get Out” added to my viewing experience. That being said, I’ll get on with it. Jordan Peele, the latter half of comedy duo Key & Peele and the director
of “Get Out,” has crafted something incredible with this film, and has really set the bar for up-and-coming directors from here on out. The story is about Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and Rose (Allison Williams), an interracial couple who have made it a few months into their relationship and have decided it is time to introduce Chris to Rose’s parents. Slowly, discoveries are made, truths come out, horrors are revealed and insanity ensues. Most admirable about this film is Peele’s success in somehow managing to blend two seemingly incompatible genres: horror and comedy. Normally a mix of these two would result in a spoof
on horror clichés, a black comedy, or a horror movie so bad that it cannot be taken seriously. There were genuinely funny moments and there were moments that honestly freaked me out, and those two types of moments are not only abundant, but they work in unison to create a raw, uncomfortable experience that grabs you and drags you through the rest of the movie, laughing, shrieking, and with no clue as to where you will end up. For those of you who don’t frequent horror films, be advised that “Get Out” is not so much a thrasher-fest or a collection of jump-scares, but a intelligently developed, taut
thriller that could probably be described as chilling, but not harrowing. In any case, do yourself a solid and at least consider going to see this masterful film, I can assure you it’s quite the wild ride.
Arts
Events -2nd annual Student Okanagan Film Festival! Submissions are being accepted until April 18th. To submit your short film, please go to: soff.ok.ubc.ca The screening will take place at the Mary Irwin Theatre on Monday May 8. -Nectar Trail “wannabees” and people in the community are invited to attend the following free workshops as part of The Kelowna Nectar Trail sessions. Who: Tanis Gieselman, with Seeds Co. Community Conservation What: Bee-coming a Part of the Solution: Gardening with Native Species for the Nectar Trail When: Saturday, April 1 from 1 to 4 p.m. Where: Okanagan Regional Library Mission Branch, 4105 Gordon Drive, Kelowna Who: Summerhill Winery’s Gabe Cipes What: Growing Without Pesticides: A Biodynamic Approach When: Earth Day: Saturday, April 22 from 1 to 4 p.m. Where: Summerhill Winery Biodynamic Gardens, 4870 Chute Lake Road Who: Erin Udal and Geoff Campbell with Border Free Bees What: Bee ID workshop and introduction to Pollinator Citizen Science App When: Saturday, May 13 from 1 to 4 p.m. Where: Okanagan Regional Library Mission Branch, 4105 Gordon Drive, Kelowna BC
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Arts | thephoenixnews.com | Paula Tran – Arts Editor
LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD
The 10-star rated game doesn’t disappoint Paula Tran – Arts Editor
help villagers and friends. However, this is the first Zelda game to not feature a prologue where you have to find your sword and shield; Link is immediately able to explore Hyrule on his own. The game is the first to give total freedom to the player, and this concept has received high opinions so far. Amongst all the Legend of Zelda games that I have played, Breath of the Wild has to be the most gorgeous installment of all. While I do not own the game personally, I had the opportunity to watch my friend play the game on his Switch. The graphics are phenomenal. It becomes obvious very fast that the artists and developers have poured their souls into this game. The landscape is filled with colour, detail, and depth.
“ I promise it will be worth every penny that you spend, even if this is a steep price for a Nintendo game.
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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild video game is the most recent installment of the famous Nintendo video game series, and probably the most highly rated. Released on March 3, 2017, Breath of the Wild was released along with the new Nintendo Switch as the console’s main game, but a Wii U version was released as well. Priced at $79.99 and sold separately from the Switch, the high price did not stop many gamers and the game sold out almost immediately at many stores. Since its release, Breath of the Wild has received consistent 10/10 ratings on many video game review sites, and YouTubers have been raving about the game ever since. Like most Zelda games, you play as the protagonist to solve challenges, beat monsters, and
The colours and lighting are bright and vibrant, and pop out really well on the TV screen. The audio and music was beautiful, and compliment the video game really well. The plot, from what I have seen so far, holds your attention while allowing you to explore the world of Hyrule. With total freedom, however, brings more challenges, and they are not easy to solve either, which is welcoming. The voice acting, however, is subpar and often very cheesy at times. This is the first Zelda game to feature voice acting, and Nintendo’s inexperience in that field clearly shows. But since this is only shown in their cut scenes, the voice acting does not affect the game too much. There is also a dip in performance at certain points
of the game. The game runs smoothly on the Switch, but the detail in the landscape and graphics can sometimes hinder the performance. While this is minor on the Switch, I can only imagine what it is like on the Wii U. Nintendo’s release of Breath of the Wild alongside the Switch was a smart decision, because the game will give you a lot of hours of play while you wait for new games to be published. There is a good chance that you will be absorbed fully in the game up until the release of Mario Kart 8 and Mario Odyssey. If you have a Wii U or the Switch and are debating to get the game, do not hesitate. I promise it will be worth every penny that you spend, even if this is a steep price for a Nintendo game.
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Tyrel Lamoureux - Opinions Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Opinions
Opinions
WHO ARE YOU WEARING? The cruel reality behind Canada Goose jackets Leah Wafler - Contributor
One of this year’s most popular choices for winter apparel has been the Canada Goose jacket, with its recognizable arm patch and fur trimmed hood. Costing around $900.00 CDN and up per jacket, Canada Goose is undoubtedly a luxury brand, trendy, and desirable, a trend that has certainly reached UBCO. These Canadian-made jackets’ popularity signify a troubling shift in perceptions toward fur. Despite antifur attitudes increasing in recent decades, these jackets’ luxury branding and careful marketing have spurred a shift in the opposite direction. Where the fur comes from is a fact not necessarily considered when the main focus is fashion, style, and warmth. Regardless of changing perceptions, the violent reality of this fur trim has not changed. The reality is that coyotes are trapped and killed for Canada Goose fur trims. According to cognitive ethologist
Marc Bekoff, coyotes play, form bonded pairs, feel sadness, and even grieve—a distressing fact considering that Canada Goose chooses to indiscriminately kill members of these bonded groups. Coyotes are sentient, gregarious, and emotional beings, closely related to wolves and domesticated dogs. Therefore, coyotes share the intellectual and emotional capacities that we easily recognize in our canine companions. Yet, coyotes are often perceived as pests, a perception that Canada Goose relies on; indeed, their website claims that in North America, “coyotes are considered a pest as they attack livestock, endangered prey species, pets and sometimes even people.” However, this perception is based on misunderstanding, not fact. Predator Defense, a nonprofit that helps humans and predators peacefully coexist, asserts that coyotes play a vital role in our ecosystems
and most problematic interactions result from humans encroaching on coyotes’ natural territories. Regardless, Canada Goose plays no role in the control of “nuisance” animals, as fur trapping kills indiscriminately and solely for profit. According to the Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals (APFA), Canada Goose procures its fur from Canadian fur trappers who use leg-hold traps. Despite being banned by 7 US states and over 100 countries, these traps remain legal in Canada. Regardless of age, health, and gender, the animals’ limbs are caught in these traps. With a desperate desire to live, these animals often attempt to chew off their own trapped limbs and frequently die doing so. Additionally, APFA states that these animals often succumb to dehydration, blood loss and hypothermia. Those who survive the 24-72 hour wait are clubbed, stomped,
suffocated, or choked to death by the trapper so the pelt does not get damaged. Ironically, despite Canada Goose claiming that coyotes threaten other species, leg hold traps regularly kill or harm nontarget species. According to the nonprofit organization Born Free USA, these “trash” animals include endangered and protected species such as lynx, wolverines, and cougars, as well as dogs, cats, deer, birds, and even humans. APFA claims that non-target animals actually account for upwards of 67% of the overall catch. Fur is often justified because Canada’s fur industry comes from a longstanding tradition, one that Canada was founded on. However, this is a tradition based on colonialism and the destruction of Canada’s own species. Indeed, the Government of Canada’s Species at Risk Public Registry states that intensive trapping has historically led to the endangerment or extirpation
of sea otters, swift foxes, and the Eastern population of wolverines, as well as the extinction of sea minks. I for one hope for a world in which compassion, not fur, is a status symbol. Furthermore, I believe, without question, that UBCO students want to create a future based equality, compassion, and ethical treatment for all, and these beliefs should be not be undermined for fashion.
DID THE LIBERAL LEFT LOSE IT’S LOVE?
Or is a more Aggressive Approach Needed for the Progressive Movement? Nick Vantol - Contributor
Let me begin by saying that this is not a critique of today’s Liberals, nor is it a Pro-Trump article. I’ll explain by starting that I’ve recently encountered trouble calling myself a ‘Liberal’ by today’s standards. Not that I’m against the progressive movement in any way, more that I don’t quite identify with the Left’s newer more aggressive narrative than with it’s roots of the Hippie Era of the 60s and 70s. Maybe part of it is I like the music from back then more, but I also found the narrative of ‘peace, love and unity’ as such a concise and widespread emotional movement inspiring (such a sentiment can be felt in
“ There is a time and place for aggression, and there is a time and place for empathy and compassion.
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Bernie Boston’s Flower Power). I’m not arguing that way is objectively better; merely that it worked for the time and there hasn’t been much quite like in today’s narratives. The progressive movement today though obviously hasn’t lost such a sentiment when looking at the immense success of the Women’s March after Trump took office. However, when I hear about such events as the Berkley Rally on March 4th where an elderly Trump supporter was pepper sprayed by Antifa (anti-fascist) members, a more aggressive narrative of the Left starts to take shape. More aggression
in the dialogue isn’t bad in of itself; an angrier approach may be what the progressive movement needs to get things done. Besides, if we’re playing tit-for-tat, the Right really did start it (as immature as that may sound). Looking at Obama’s somewhat lack-luster 8 years, we see that the aggressive moves of the Republicans blocked the passiveness of the Liberal narrative despite being in power. However, there is a time and place for aggression, and there is a time and place for empathy and compassion. In an institution, more importantly an institution which prides itself on academic advancement, I
believe the Left should think invoke the compassion shown in Boston’s picture. The rioting at UC Berkeley should be where the line is drawn when considering academic institutions like our own.
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Opinions | thephoenixnews.com | Tyrel Lamoureux - Opinions Editor
Image by Sarah Dowler/ The Phoenix News
CAMPAIGN PROMISES What to keep an eye out for
Tyrel Lamoureux - Opinions Editor
Now that the elections are over and we have our chosen victors, it is now time move on from what one candidate will do over another and focus on what the elected few promised to do and if that will happen. What will follow is the main points of a select few of candidates because some of the campaign promises for some positions are less likely to happen over some others. We start with the new president, Trophy Ewila. The other candidates for president had clear initiatives. They assessed problems and had an A-Z approach to fix them. Ewila’s platform was based more on ideology than specific issues, although he does mention the high cost of textbooks. Ewila’s focus, which was made clear during the debate, was that he wanted to start
from the ground up. He wanted to assess the original purpose of the Students Union, and focus on whatever that initial purpose is. This is supposed to done by asking the students directly what problems need dealing with which will be expressed through his “open door” policy. The thing to focus on is, how much the students voice is heard, but more importantly, how Ewila is going to solve these issues. The VP external position which will be Amal Ahulwayshil is the next important issue, due to one major campaign promise. Ahulwayshil mention that our money should not be going to the Canadian Federation of Students. This is a risky move. Several Universities, have lost a large portion of money trying to do this
“ The thing to focus on is, how much the students voice is heard, but more importantly, how Ewila is going to solve these issues.
”
same thing. While Ahulwayshil does have some experience, her lack of political experience is concerning for such a major move. It will be interesting to see how this is approached, or if it will even be attempted. The risky consequences combined with requirement that 20 percent of the student population to vote, given that only _____% of our campus voted in the election. The final position that requires attention is the VP services position, which was won by Mohammed Azzman. This position has less of a detrimental concern but rather it has a feeling of unknown. Azzman was criticized during the debate for his lack of experience. This lack of experience and his vague response to how he will “expand” Frosh and
Recess makes next years events something to pay attention to. My best prediction is that the events will look similar in nature to years past, or result of minor changes, but we may be surprised. While some may say that the UBCSUO does not actually do much, and that may play a factor in the pitiful voter turnout, we still need to hold our politician accountable to their promises. These main promises, issues, and concerns are what you should keep an eye out for the next SUO executive team in the coming year. Remember the promises that these politician have made to you, and that they got elected on these promises that they may or may not keep. Then again, that’s politics.
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Tyrel Lamoureux - Opinions Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Opinions
CENSORING IDEAS ONLY MAKES THEM STRONGER Lessons learned through the Charles Murray protests part 1
Mark Dreger – Phoenix Columnist
On March 2 at Middlebury College in Vermont, Dr. Charles Murray had his speaking event canceled when protestors chanted that Murray was a racist white nationalist for his coauthored 1994 book The Bell Curve about IQ and social outcomes. One chapter in the book gathers data about IQ variation between races, but the authors concluded they were undecided how much environment and genetics plays a factor in intelligence. After protestors prevented him from speaking more than a couple sentences on a talk focused on his latest book on the cultural differences in the white community and the danger of intellectual bubbles, he managed to finish his speech online despite students banging on the windows and even pulling the fire alarm. There are several lessons to learn from this event, but I see three main ones. The first lesson is that censorship often backfires. There is a recently named phenomenon called “the
Streisand effect,” which arises when there is an attempt to censor something that then backfires and results in more publicity than before. A recent example of this is when Milo Yiannopoulos tried to speak at UC Berkeley but resulted in rioters causing violence and forcing the event to shut down. With the perceived victory of shutting down Milo’s talk, the story became national news and allowed Milo to spread his message through televised interviews and allow his publicity to skyrocket his book sales 12,740%. Another example is University of Toronto Professor Jordan Peterson, who publically criticised bill C-16 about gender identity and was verbal attacked at the university and had his job threatened. Because of the publicity of those events, he is now traveling across North America giving interviews and lectures on philosophy and culture. Censorship creates a fascination of the unknown that creates attractiveness that did not before exist. This
Murray example could be another case of the Streisand effect because myself and many others had no idea who Charles Murray was before this, but now that protestors put him on the map, many
“ “Censorship creates a fascination of the unknown that creates attractiveness that did not before exist.”
” want to know what he believes and if his research makes a good case. The students who shut him down are just the 21st century’s
version of the old people in the 1960s who wanted to censor certain books and bands. If people want ideas they believe are dangerous to fade away, either debate them with better ideas or ignore them and let them speak to a single room of people. These students could have been civil and asked Murray questions, critiqued his arguments, provided counter arguments, and made him look bad if he could not argue his points, but instead they chose the opposite. If their counter arguments could not convince the speaker, then perhaps they could sway those listening. The best advice I have heard is that the best response to bad ideas is the spotlight. A public platform needs to be protected for unpopular speech to encourage discourse on opposing sides. What does not work is speaking without allowing criticism, or suppressing free speech entirely. If someone has an idea that is perceived as dangerous or hateful,
then it must be challenged in open debate; censorship only allows the unknown to grow in popularity. If ideas are bad, then the publicity of those ideas should be their undoing that can only be seen through public expression. Controversial opinions need to be allowed to speak and be 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. Public debate should be open to all so good ideas can grow and bad ideas can falter, but it appears that in today’s world you can only speak if you agree with those that shout the loudest. (Continued in Part 2.)
Illustrations by Sarah James/ The Phoenix News
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Opinions | thephoenixnews.com | Tyrel Lamoureux - Opinions Editor
LABELS AND VIOLENCE MAKE MATTERS WORSE Lessons learned through the Charles Murray protests part 2
Mark Dreger – Phoenix Columnist
In a response to the canceled event at Middlebury College, Charles Murray said that protestors believed it was appropriate to keep him from speaking because he was labeled “a racist, a white supremacist, a white nationalist, a pseudoscientist whose work has been discredited, a sexist, a eugenicist, and (this is a new one) anti-gay.” Protestors felt shutting him down was justified through these labels, but these labels also allowed rioters to justify violence because of the evil ideologies he and those with him allegedly supported. After the event, rioters tried to attack Murray and those with him. While security managed to keep Murray from harm, Professor Allison Stanger who accompanied him had her hair violently pulled and had to go to the hospital for neck injuries. Once they got in a car, the rioters surrounded them and banged on the sides and even jumped on the hood. Once they escaped to attend a post-event dinner with some students and faculty, they were alerted they had to leave
because the rioters discovered their whereabouts and were coming. The second lesson to learn from this event is that baseless labels only add to misinformation. Once someone is justly or unjustly labeled a certain term like racist or sexist, those that are wholeheartedly convinced that this person is evil follows the logic that these ideas must be shut down no matter what. The problem is these “evil” people are only perceived as such by those who see evil under every rock and attribute these labels to nearly everyone against them, regardless of context. What is becoming apparent is these labels are used against radical idealists and moderates alike as if they are both radicals. These inaccurate classifications lead people that support the moderates to call the terms baseless, which then leads to those people seeing both the radicals and moderates as moderate. This is why terms like racist, sexist, etc. have lost their luster in recent
years because they are used against such a wide spectrum of people that collectivizes radicals on the Right and moderates on the Left undeservedly into one group. If one is simply labeled a racist then they are automatically in the same group as the KKK. This baseless collectivising only intensifies confusion and misinformation on both sides that leads to further disagreement in the political divide, but the dangerous element is those that use these labels to justify violence. The third lesson to learn from this event is that when violence is used against a group based on a just or unjust label, that only gives the victim the moral high ground every time. The very concept of using violence against your political enemies is the practise of authoritarian regimes that is comparable to the Brownshirts of history; and while this is a minority of people, the fact that these actions happened is disturbing. Even if Murray believed the most abhorrent things, using violence against his words is ineffective and
instead gives him the moral high ground. When white nationalist Richard Spencer got punched during an interview, he got the moral high ground; when Berkeley students and rioters protested Milo Yiannopoulos and attacked his supporters, he got the moral high ground. Even when it is verbal threats of violence like when Iqra Khalid, author of the M-103 Islamophobia motion, got threats online, that allowed her to take the moral high ground, too. If one stranger says to another, “you suck” and the other person punches them, it is easy to decipher who is the victim between the one assaulted and the one who got called names. Groups thrive on victim narratives. Whether it is Conservatives, Liberals, Black Lives Matter, White Nationalists, refugees, feminists, Muslims, Christians, they can all give a reason as to why they are victims if they want to in some way somewhere. Even in government, Operation Himmler falsely portrayed
Polish aggression and German victimhood to allow the Germans to invade in 1939. The attempted coup d’etat on Turkish President Recep Erdogan allowed him to crack down on political enemies in 2016. If an authoritarian government was in power, using violence against them or their supporters would allow them to further play the victim and implement stronger power. Learn about a person, listen to what they say, read what they write, consider what they argue, and then once their viewpoint can be understood, talk to them, discuss their stance, and make them look bad if they hold disturbing ideologies. Do not barrage them with labels, shut down their words, or participate in the extreme of violence, as that allows them to play the victim and gain the sympathy of those that gave no notice before. The Middlebury College debacle should be an example of how not to react when opposing ideologies cross our path and learn how to best address conflict in the future.
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Tyrel Lamoureux - Opinions Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
HOUSE PARTIES The pros and cons of drinking in comfort
Opinions
Photo by Riley Petillion/ The Phoenix News
Tyrel Lamoureux - Opinions Editor
There are a couple of things all university students will undoubtedly figure out how to do: complete an assignment or write an essay on very short notice, live off of cheap food and coffee, and party. Now we all party differently and we all like different atmospheres. Some people like clubs, loud music and crowded dance floors, and some people like pubs with live music and room to have a conversation. But there is one consistency through all of this: we all attend house parties. The level of house party differs widely, from small dorm parties, to 200+ people
house parties that become legends. House parties have their obvious benefits over going downtown. You usually know the people, the house, or the neighborhood, making you feel more comfortable and relaxed. You don’t have to wait in those obnoxiously long lines just to pay cover to get into a bar that you will over pay for drinks which will take fifteen minutes because the bartender doesn’t notice you. At a house party you have the benefit of having easy access to cold beers from the fridge, unless someone doesn’t steal them from you, making you waste your money anyway. The main drawback of
“ The dangers of house parties are all based on the circumstances that people don’t like about the bar, the supervision.
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house parties is for a select few. If you are hosting a party, or good friends with those who are, you have a moral obligation to clean up in the morning. This can be pretty simple if it was just a couple people having drinks, but for some parties that are less than controllable, you end up having to clean urine off the carpet, vomit out of the sink, all while crying because of the wasted alcohol and your body is calling in the debt you owe for having fun. The dangers of house parties are all based on the circumstances that people don’t like about the bar, the supervision. With no sober
supervision, house parties are a breeding ground for underage drinking, alcohol poisoning, harmful drug use and unwarranted sexual behavior. This requires that everyone who attends is responsible, not just the bartender and the big guy at the door. House parties are never going away. The high school nostalgia that stems from everyone drinking in a basement, the cheap nature, and the comfortable atmosphere makes them a great time. However, they also have the potential to be harmful. Please drink responsibly.
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Sports | thephoenixnews.com | Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
Sports
HINCHEY, GIVEN, AND MCCREARY NAMED TO ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
Photos provided by UBCO Heat Athletics
With a Senior’s Night victory in their final match this season, the Heat set a new program record for wins in a season Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
and the resulting award. “Kaitlynn has always been a leader on the team and has a strong hand in creating the culture that has allowed us to make four straight trips to the Canada West Final Four but this year, without any nagging injuries, Kaitlynn has been lights out for us… This efficiency to her game this year is what the other coaches saw and why she earned a very deserving AllStar.” Sara McCreary’s recognition by the Canada West community comes in just her first season. She played in every conference match for the Heat, and amassed 344 assists, averaged 4.53 per set, 14 service aces, and 79 digs. In the toughest spot she faced all season with the Heat, the match against Calgary to clinch a spot in the Final Four, McCreary put up 55 assists. That is the second-most all-time in a match for the Heat, and the
most in a four-set match. “After [that] performance by Sara there is not really any need to explain why she earned a spot on the conference All-Rookie team,” said coach Manuel. “Sara was integral to our rotation all year long and
“ ‘I will be forever grateful for Brad Hudson . . . his main point, is raising great men. Men who have good morals.’ — Alex Swiatlowski
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Kyle Hinchey, Kaitlynn Given, and Sara McCreary have all been recognized for their exceptional individual accomplishments this season. Given is named a Canada West Second Team All-Star, while Hinchey and McCreary have each been named to their respective Canada West All-Rookie teams. For Kaitlynn Given, the recognition comes in her final season with the Heat. In that final season she played in all 24 matches and finished with a stat line of 200 kills, a .213 hitting percentage, 22 service aces, 167 digs, 47 total blocks, and 247 points. She also committed just 6 errors defensively. “This was the first year that we had the full arsenal of Kaitlynn Given available to us and she showed us what she can do when fully healthy,” said head coach Steve Manuel about his fifth year’s play this season
adeptly handled the setting duties when brought on the court but maybe what wasn’t noticed was the leadership and desire to win that Sara also brought with her on the court. I noticed it, my coaching staff noticed it, and her teammates noticed it,” continued Manuel, “these intangibles are tough for any first year player to bring to a university program, even tougher to bring to a veteran program that has designs on attending a second straight national championships.” Kyle Hinchey was also named to a Canada West AllRookie team. The first-year outside hitter with the Heat men was a powerful part of the Heat’s setting a new record for wins in a season. Individually, Hinchey played in all but one conference match this season. In the 23 in which he did play he earned a season stat line of 174 kills, a .147 hitting percentage, 46 total
blocks, 119 digs, and just 5 defensive errors. He finished the season out on a high note, tying his season high with 15 kills in the final match of the season and setting a career high with 17 points in the Heat’s fourth straight victory. “I am exceptionally proud of Kyle,” said Heat men’s head coach Brad Hudson, also in his first season with the team. “Kyle showed us tremendous growth in all facets of his game and more importantly became an exceptional teammate. I’m excited to see what the future brings for him. When you look at his improvements, Eli Risso setting the dig record, and Devon Cote playing the best volleyball of his young career to finish the season you can’t help but he enthused for the future of this program.”
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Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Sports
FOURTH STRAIGHT TRIP TO POSTSEASON FOR HEAT WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL Finishing out of a national tournament berth, the Heat women’s season comes to an end in Edmonton Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
of Alberta Pandas 3-0 on Friday, March 10, the Heat fell 3-0 again to the Trinity Western Spartans in the Canada West bronze medal match on March 11. The only team of the four having to travel extensively in the Canada West playoffs, the Heat women were also without two key players in the Final Four. Senior setter and all-time Heat assists leader Emily Oxland was unable to compete in Edmonton, and leading scorer Siobhan Fitzpatrick’s ankle injury, suffered against Calgary in the quarter finals, would not allow her to play either. “There was never any excuse from any of them,” said Heat head coach Steve Manuel after Saturday’s match. “The entire team did something that no other team here had to do and they gave it all they had with no excuses.”
“ ‘The entire team did something that no other team there had to do’ – Steve Manuel
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After another impressive regular season in Canada West, the Heat women’s volleyball team will end their season with a fourth-place finish at the Canada West Final Four. To get to the Final Four, the Heat took on the Calgary Dinos in a best-of-three series on March 3-5 in Calgary. The Dinos took the first match, but the Heat rallied to take the next two and win the series. Of the four teams to make the Final Four, they were the only team to have to travel to play their quarter final matches, and that may have taken its toll. After a postseason that saw them travelling 7 out of 10 days to play five playoff matches, the Heat women were unable to earn a second consecutive appearance in the national tournament. After falling to the top-seeded and Final Four-host University
Despite the grueling schedule and missing two prominent starters, Manuel was making no excuses either. “That being said, we were at a championship that featured three teams that all have outstanding chances at earning national medals and all those teams were playing great volleyball at the Final Four, I wish them the best of luck at the U Sports national championship.” For Kaitlynn Given, Megan Festival, and Emily Oxland, the two Final Four matches in Edmonton were their last as members of the Heat team. Given led the Heat with 8 kills in her final match, rounding out a personal weekend stat line of 17 kills, 2 service aces, and 16 digs. Festival finished the weekend with 11 kills, 17 digs, 2 assists, and a solo block. The Alberta Pandas went
on to win the title of Canada West champions, defeating the UBC Thunderbirds 3-1 in the gold medal match. The Pandas, T-Birds, and Spartans will all be among the eight teams competing for a U Sports national title this year. The national tournament will be hosted by Ryerson University in Toronto, from March 1719. The five other teams in contention for the U Sports title are the host Ryerson Rams, the McMaster Marauders, the Western Mustangs, the Montreal Carabins, and the Dalhousie Tigers.
Photo provided by UBCO Heat Athletics
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Sports | thephoenixnews.com | Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
LAS VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS: LORDS OF THE DRAFT The Knights will pull their roster together between June 17-24 with two drafts in a week Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
also required to make available certain players. According to NHL.com, “Clubs will have two options for players they wish to protect in the Expansion Draft: a) Seven forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender” or “b) Eight skaters (forwards/defensemen) and one goaltender.” Players with contracts that state they’re allowed to decline trades normally will be automatically protected as well, but will count against the number of players their team can protect. On the other side, the rules of mandatory availability are there to make sure that the Knights don’t end up with players whose teams were looking to dump them anyway. Serious injuries, regular NHL playing time in the past, and eligible contracts are the three biggest areas of concern, and all have to
“ June is probably going to feel a lot like Christmas for Bill Foley.
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With the lull between the trade deadline and the playoffs, NHL fans have started to turn their attention to the biggest change to the league since the Jets came home to Winnipeg – the Las Vegas Golden Knights. The newest NHL franchise will get to plunder its way to a roster this coming June, shortly before the annual NHL Entry Draft. The Expansion Draft proceedings are as convoluted as you’d expect them to be, but the simplest way to put it is that the Knights will get to make moves from June 18-20, and they will announce their selections on June 21, just two days before the regular Entry Draft scheduled for June 23 & 24. As to who they’re going to get, it’s essentially one player from each team. Teams can protect a collection of players, but are
addressed for any player that is put forward as eligible. For the Knights, the rules state that they have to select one player from every other team, consisting of 14 forwards, 9 defensemen, and 3 goalies, at least 20 of whom have contracts already in place for next season. The value of their new players’ contracts have to make up at least 60% of the 2016/17 salary cap’s upper limit, and they can’t buy any of them out until the summer after the 2017/18 season. The list of protected players will be submitted on June 17, and from then until June 20 Bill Foley & Friends (Black Knight Sports & Entertainment, the owners of the Golden Knights) get to make up their wish list, which will be announced June 21. Once the Expansion Draft is
over, the Knights get to jump right into the Entry Draft. The Knights will get no lower than the sixth overall pick in the draft, as their first pick will be decided by the Draft Lottery. They’ll receive the same odds as whoever finishes this season with the third-fewest points in the league. With back-to-back drafts, June is probably going to feel a lot like Christmas for Bill Foley. Then again, if you’re as rich as he is and just brought a hockey team to Vegas, most days probably feel that way. Once the 2017/18 NHL season begins, the Las Vegas Golden Knights will play as the 8th team in the Pacific Division and the 15th team in the Western Conference.
MARCH MADNESS TAKING OVER OUR LIVES, AGAIN First appearances, potential repeats, and loaded regions highlight this year’s NCAA national bracket Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
and so their first-ever game in March Madness game will be against Vanderbilt in the round of 64. “When I came four years ago, it was [with] belief in a day like today,” said Northwestern head coach Chris Collins after the announcement Sunday. “Very rarely in life do you get a chance to be a part of something that’s never ever been done before, and for that we’re all lucky and grateful and honoured to be a part of this.” Asked about the impact the significance of the moment might have on his team, Collins wasn’t worried. “Now it’s time to get to work. I wanted the guys to enjoy today…but now we get to work…We want to win in the tournament. You don’t just want to get invited just to be a part of it, now that you’re invited you want to get there with an opportunity to win and advance.” Along with the feel-good story of Northwestern’s first appearance,
“ ‘Very rarely do you get a chance to be a part of something that’s never ever been done before’ – NW Head Coach Chris Collins
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With another Selection Sunday behind us, the most notable areas of this year’s NCAA men’s basketball national tournament bracket are the inclusion of the Northwestern Wildcats, the possibility of back-to-back championships for the Villanova Wildcats, and the placement of North Carolina, Kentucky, and UCLA all in the same region. From the NCAA conferences recognized as the ‘Power Five’ (ACC, Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC), Northwestern was the only men’s basketball program to have never earned a berth in the national tournament. This season was their first with a winning record in 49 years, finishing 10-8 in Big Ten conference play and 23-11 overall. On Selection Sunday, Northwestern were left until the last block of announcements, a decision for drama’s sake, and it definitely made for good television. They were announced as the #8 seed in the West region,
there’s a chance that we might see the first repeat champion since the Florida Gators won the 2006 and 2007 tournaments. Defending champions Villanova, under head coach Jay Wright, are seeded #1 in the East region. Their first opponent will be the victor of one of the ‘First Four’ games that are essentially playin games before the round of 64. Mt. St. Mary’s and New Orleans are the two teams playing for a chance to take on ‘Nova. The third note about the bracket that has a number of basketball fans confused in the seeding of the North Carolina Tar Heels (#1), the Kentucky Wildcats (#2), and the UCLA Bruins (#3) all in the South region. They are three of the most enduring powerhouses in NCAA men’s basketball, and are perennial contenders for the national title. Between them they have won a combined 24 titles in the 78 years since the first national title was awarded. UCLA have the
most all-time with 11, Kentucky sit second with 8, and North Carolina are tied for third-most with 5 (Indiana and Duke have also each won 5). Putting the Bruins, Wildcats, and Tar Heels in the same region means that only one of them can advance to the Final Four in Phoenix, which is a move that the selection committee would almost always want to avoid. With Gonzaga nearly completing a perfect season, Villanova with a shot at repeating, and Kansas, Oregon, Mighigan, and Louisville all in the Midwest conference, it makes sense that UK, UNC, and UCLA should all end up facing each other in the earlier rounds. Despite critics’ vocal opposition to the seeding move, the NCAA is not about to lose any money. It’s not as if anybody is going to turn off March Madness just because some of the best basketball might be played in the Sweet 16 instead of the Final Four.