September 3, 2013 by The Ubyssey

Tuesday, September 3, 2013 |

YOUR GUIDE TO UBC EVENTS + PEOPLE

WHAT’S ON TUESDAY

this week, may we suggest...

OUR CAMPUS

ONE ON ONE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE UBC

IMAGINE DAY: THE MAIN EVENT 3:30 p.m. @ MAIN MALL

No classes for most students! Clubs and societies will be setting up booths on Main Mall. Free swag (mostly pens and stickers) should be expected. Free

TUESDAY

THE SCENE

10 A.M. @ NORMAN MACKENZIE FINE ARTS PLAZA (BESIDE BELKIN GALLERY)

Learn about the performing, creative and visual arts at UBC. Interactive art stations will be set up and outdoor performances will be held by the UBC Opera and School of Music. Free

PHOTO CARTER BRUNDAGE/The ubyssey

Kai Okazaki makes music with his guitar, his voice and a looping pedal, and also finds time for environmental activism.

WEDNESDAY

SUSTAINING NOTES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

FIRSTWEEK: OPEN AIR PIT NIGHT 7 p.m. @ PIT PUB

Every Wednesday is Pit Night. For the first of the year, the party spills over from the SUB basement to the upstairs patio. Bring your student card and valid ID. Free, 19+

ON THE COVER

Welcome back, UBC! Summer seems like a rosy-coloured blur. Although school starts off slow in September, news never takes a break. We’ll be your first source for campus news throughout the school year.

U The Ubyssey

editorial

Coordinating Editor Geoff Lister coordinating@ubyssey.ca Managing Editor, Print Ming Wong printeditor@ubyssey.ca Managing Editor, Web CJ Pentland webeditor@ubyssey.ca News Editors Will McDonald + Sarah Bigam news@ubyssey.ca Senior News Writer Brandon Chow mwong@ubyssey.ca Culture Editor Rhys Edwards culture@ubyssey.ca Senior Culture Writer Aurora Tejeida redwards@ubyssey.ca Sports + Rec Editor Natalie Scadden sports@ubyssey.ca Senior Lifestyle Writer Reyhana Heatherington rheatherington@ubyssey.ca Features Editor Arno Rosenfeld features@ubyssey.ca

Video Producers Lu Zhang + Nick Grossman video@ubyssey.ca Copy Editor Matt Meuse copy@ubyssey.ca

Photo Editor Carter Brundage photos@ubyssey.ca Illustrator Indiana Joel ijoel@ubyssey.ca Graphic Designer Nena Nyugen nnyugen@ubyssey.ca Webmaster Tony Li webmaster@ubyssey.ca Distribution Coordinator Lily Cai lcai@ubyssey.ca Staff Your name here! Write/shoot/contribute to The Ubyssey and attend our staff meetings and you too can see your name in the glorious tones of black that only offset printing can produce. We meet every week in our office, SUB 24 — in the basement, squirreled away in the back, there. Yeah, we know. You’ll get used to it.

From our illustrator Indiana Joel: “When whiteboard markers run out of ink, they turn into whiteboard erasers, making this issue’s cover illustration quite a challenge. But drawing on new surfaces is always fun.”

september 3, 2013 | Volume XCV| Issue III

BUSINESS

CONTACT

Business Manager Fernie Pereira fpereira@ ubyssey.ca 604.822.6681

Ad Sales Tiffany Tsao webads@ ubyssey.ca 604.822.1658

Ad Sales Mark Sha advertising@ ubyssey.ca 604.822.1654

Accounts Tom Tang ttang@ ubyssey.ca

Editorial Office: SUB 24 604.822.2301 Business Office: SUB 23 Student Union Building 6138 SUB Boulevard Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1

Web: ubyssey.ca Twitter: @ubyssey

LEGAL The Ubyssey is the official student newspaper of the University of British Columbia. It is published every Monday and Thursday by The Ubyssey Publications Society. We are an autonomous, democratically run student organization, and all students are encouraged to participate. Editorials are chosen and written by the Ubyssey staff. They are the expressed opinion of the staff, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Ubyssey Publications Society or the University of British Columbia. All editorial content appearing in The Ubyssey is the property of The Ubyssey Publications Society. Stories, opinions, photographs and artwork contained herein cannot be reproduced without the expressed, written permission of The Ubyssey Publications Society. The Ubyssey is a founding member of Canadian University Press (CUP) and adheres to CUP’s guiding principles. Letters to the editor must be under 300 words. Please include your phone

number, student number and signature (not for publication) as well as your year and faculty with all submissions. ID will be checked when submissions are dropped off at the editorial office of The Ubyssey; otherwise verification will be done by phone. The Ubyssey reserves the right to edit submissions for length and clarity. All letters must be received by 12 noon the day before intended publication. Letters received after this point will be published in the following issue unless there is an urgent time restriction or other matter deemed relevant by the Ubyssey staff. It is agreed by all persons placing display or classified advertising that if the Ubyssey Publications Society fails to publish an advertisement or if an error in the ad occurs the liability of the UPS will not be greater than the price paid for the ad. The UPS shall not be responsible for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value or the impact of the ad.

Joey Levesque Contributor

Okazaki is all about sustaining — both musically and environmentally. Okazaki, a fourth-year Forestry student, balances his time between his work as a singer-songwriter and his work as the student coordinator for sustainability in residence at CIRS. The Alberta native grew up in Jasper, surrounded by forest and mountains. “Living in a national park really gets people to understand how important ecological integrity is in a community like mine,” Okazaki said. “My program focuses on research and management of natural resources that we use and interact with in our everyday lives. “I have learned from my parents, friends and community to really appreciate and value the natural surroundings. Parks Canada, our municipality and our locals are all very ... committed to long-term plans for Jasper and that’s why I chose Forestry at UBC.” In residence, Okazaki is involved with the Do It in the Dark energy conservation initiative and UBC’s ban on plastic water bottles. But he’s been a musician for far longer. When he was eight, Okazaki enrolled himself in piano lessons, at 15 he picked up the guitar, and today he sings and records himself live. He manages his own YouTube channel (KaiOkazakiProduction) and Tumblr. Recently he’s started to explore looping, a musical technique where a chord progression is repeated with a guitar pedal to create an infinite loop. The loop becomes the foundation for the musician to layer melodies on top. Drawing from his experiences as a percussionist, Okazaki records himself

hitting the guitar like a drum to set the rhythm, then he sings chords note-by-note into the looper. For live performances, Okazaki can improvise over the loop with his guitar, playing anything that pops into his head. With his loops, he’s able to drape melodies over an almost infinite length of time and accomplish things most solo musicians can’t. “You can get some unreal sounds out of it,” Okazaki said, “just doing one of those bedroom jams with the amp cranked as high as you can.” Citing Justin Nozuka, City and Colour, Ed Sheeran and

Bastille as influences, Okazaki says he’s starting to lean toward including electronic flavours in the vein of Alex Clare and the now-ubiquitous Ellie Goulding. For many musicians, the writing process can prove a long and arduous road; for Okazaki, it’s a matter of refining material over time. Luckily, with his loops, it seems he’ll have a lot of it. “When I’m not so ‘eco-warrior’, I like to just have some downtime and perform. I am equally passionate about music and conservation, and hope they are inspiring people to do things they love.” U

Tuesday, September 3, 2013 |

EDITORS WILL Mcdonald + Sarah Bigam

Whistler >>

FILE PHOTO KAI JACOBSON//THE UBYSSEY

An AMS report has determined that the Whistler Lodge could be operated as a sustainable student service.

Whistler Lodge viable as a student service

Sarah Bigam News Editor

The AMS has released a report about the viability of continuing to operate the Whistler Lodge as a service rather than a business. Released on August 19, the report completed by AMS VP Finance Joaquin Acevedo determined that the Lodge could be financially viable as a student service and recommended its becoming one. As a business, the Lodge has lost the AMS $220,000 from 2005-2013. The report produced a financial model in which the Lodge would run neutral after costs. This model increases the price for the general public from $30 to $35, although it would be preferred to increase occupancy rather than price. Student pricing would remain the same at $25 per night.

NEWS BRIEFS UBC study finds poverty effects ability to think A new study has found that poverty can impair mental function. The study found that people in poverty often put so much effort into meeting their basic needs that they have limited “mental bandwidth” left for things like education or decision making. “Previous accounts of poverty have blamed the poor for their personal failings, or an environment that is not conducive to success,” said UBC professor and lead author of the study Jiaying Zhao. “We’re arguing that being poor can impair cognitive functioning, which hinders individuals’ ability to make good decisions and can cause further poverty.” UBC study finds new asteroid Astronomers at UBC have discovered that there could be more asteroids in space than was previously thought. The astronomers discovered the first asteroid that shares an orbit with the planet Uranus, and believe there are more asteroids like it in space. “Surprisingly, our model predicts that at any given time three per cent of scattered objects between Jupiter and Neptune should be co-orbitals of Uranus or Neptune,” said Mike Alexandersen, lead author of the study. U

The model assumes current operational costs remain the same and that there are no capital expenses. If all recommendations are implemented and demand continues to rise, the lodge would make around $30,000 a year starting in 2014. Recommended short-term code and maintenance upgrades include improvements to entry landscaping, parking lot stairs, bathrooms, emergency exterior lighting, sauna lighting, benches, exterior doors and the entry deck, costing a total of $86,397. A larger short-term improvement scheme also included a $125,000 charge for the creation of five private rooms. “The smaller things that have a low estimated cost and relatively high urgency we would accomplish those within the operational budget that we have right now as to not make any further losses to the lodge for this fiscal year,” said Acevedo. The cost of the renovations to the Lodge were not included in the first nations >>

model since they would not be paid for by the Whistler Lodge’s revenue if it is deemed a student service instead of a business. As the scope of the report excluded selling or demolishing the lodge, Acevedo did not comment on that possibility. The decision was made earlier this year to keep the Lodge open until at least the end of this fiscal year, which ends on April 30. The report recommends that funding for improvements come from the Student Spaces Fund, to which each student currently pays $15.75 a year and which specifically lists “Whistler Cabin renovations and expansion” as one of its mandates. The fund currently has a balance of about $481,000. “I would prioritize the Whistler Lodge over any of those other projects to come out of this fund,” Acevedo said. Council has yet to determine their stance on this. The report noted that $1.1 million has been earmarked from this fund

for spending on a microbrewery at the UBC Farm. This is also yet to be approved by Council, but if it is, it could impact the amount of funds that go to Whistler. Further recommendations from the report include developing an asset management plan to maintain the lodge in the long term, improving marketing, improving technology used for bookings, restructuring booking staff to save $20,000 in labour costs, and reviewing the lodge rules and regulations. These include rules such as silence after 11 p.m. and a liquor ban for the whole group if any one member is underage. The report also suggested building partnerships both onand off-campus to support the financial operation of the Lodge. Potential on-campus partners included the Commerce and Engineering Undergraduate Societies, and various clubs and residences. If there were 11 partners and each booked the Lodge once a year, it would make $20,000 per year for the Lodge. SFU and Kwantlen were also suggested as external partners. Both had expressed interest in the six months leading up to the report. The partnerships were predicted to make $25,200 and $10,690 respectively. There will be a public consultation campaign to engage with stakeholders of the Whistler Lodge. The campaign aims to gather feedback from students, AMS constituencies, clubs involved with the Lodge, and external organizations that utilize the Lodge. The campaign will have both an online and physical presence. The information gathered will be made publicly available and will be included in the final recommendation to the AMS. According to Vice-President External Affairs Tanner Bokor, a full list of consultation dates and locations will be released on September 4 at 5pm. The final decision on the Whistler Lodge is set to be made at the Sept. 25 AMS Council meeting. U

Classes suspended for Reconciliation Commission

Will McDonald News Editor

UBC is suspending classes on Sept. 18 in honour of events surrounding the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Commission aims to collect testimonies from survivors of the residential school system and spread that information to the public. Commission events will be held in Vancouver from Sept. 18-21. Linc Kesler, director of the First Nations House of Learning and senior adviser to the president of UBC on aboriginal affairs, said deciding to suspend classes is a big step for UBC. “To my knowledge, UBC is the first university to do this in the history of these kind of events,” said Kesler. “It’s a bold statement by the university and we hope something that will engage a lot of people.” Kesler said most Canadians are unaware of the history of residential schools, where aboriginal students were often physically, psychologically and sexually abused, and isolated from their families, culture, and language. “The fact that most people don’t know this is certainly not their fault, and it isn’t surprising. But it is something we need to address and I believe it’s something we need to correct,” said Kesler.

photo carter brundage/THE UBYSSEY

Classes will be suspended Sept. 18 for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Kesler said the effects of residential schools still plague the aboriginal community today. “There’s a lot of intergenerational trauma,” he said. “A generation that didn’t go to the schools suffered very similar forms of abuse in the community as a result of the patterns that were established in the schools.” Kelser said one of the most important parts of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is acknowledging what happened in residential schools, and giving the victims of the schools a chance to come to terms with what happened. Kesler said it can often be traumatizing for victims of residential schools to recount their experiences, but it is crucial

for Canadians to know about their history. “They don’t want people to feel guilty about it. They just want people to understand that this is our history as our country,” Kesler said. “The recognition is profound.” Kesler said suspending classes should encourage more students to attend events related to the Commission, and increase awareness on campus. “We really do think that people going there makes a huge immediate difference and that it sets the stage for far more well-informed and meaningful discussions about all kinds of issues that we’re going to have one way or another for the rest of the century,” said Kesler. U

Construction >>

New SUB could be delayed until 2015

PHOTO WILL MCDONALD/THE UBYSSEY

Construction on the New SUB is delayed.

Will McDonald News Editor

The New SUB could open as late as January 2015. The $103-million-dollar building was slated to open in September 2014, but construction delays and the possibility of going over budget are holding up the project. The project is expected to burn through its entire $3.1 million contingency fund by the time it is completed. If the project requires more funding than its contingency fund can provide, the AMS will either have to find more money to fund to project or cut elements from the building. “In our development agreement, it states pretty explicitly that if the budget is set to go over budget that we will cut from scope in order to make up the budget loss. That’s [on] paper, which is disappointing, but we’re looking at another route right now,” said AMS VP Admin Derek Moore. Moore said that if the funding issue is not resolved, the proposed slides in the New SUB could be one of the things that get cut. “Unfortunately, all our programming right now is tied to the way which we resolve this financial issue,” said Moore. “I’ll tell you, I’m super stoked on that slide and I’m pushing pretty hard to make it happen. But it does depend on how this issue is resolved.” Moore added that the AMS may be able to increase the budget for the project by using some creative accounting. He said the AMS’ contribution to the project is based on the number of students paying fees that go towards the building. Moore said that student enrolment numbers are expected to exceed the number originally projected by UBC. So, if UBC recalculates the AMS’ contribution to the project, they could effectively increase the budget for the New SUB. “The way that we’re looking at it..., we would be increasing the size of the AMS down payment on the loan,” said Moore. “We’re processing that right now. We’ll have a firm yes or no on that one by the middle of September.” Moore said the construction crews have run into unexpected pipes under the site, delayed supplies and a few other minor issues during the project. He said that despite a few snags, everything is going well so far. “The building is gorgeous,” he said. “Everything looks to spec. There haven’t been any crazy flags.” Moore said the New SUB could open anytime between Sept. 22, 2014 and Jan. 1, 2015. U

4 | NEWS |

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Student Services >>

AMS reviews services for first time since 1994 Review recommends closing Minischool, new funding for Safewalk Will McDonald News Editor

The AMS is reconsidering how it spends the money it collects from students to provide services such as Safewalk and tutoring to its members. AMS VP Academic Kiran Mahal conducted an official review of all services provided by the AMS — the first one conducted since 1994. The AMS collects over $7 from each student to pay for the services it provides. “We want to make sure that what we’re offering is serving the needs of students right now and that student money is going in the right places,” said Mahal. The review recommended closing AMS Minischool, which offers non-academic courses in subjects ranging from wine tasting to cardio striptease. Mahal said the Minischool costs the AMS about $17,000 a year and has become less relevant since more AMS clubs have begun to offer better services for less money. “If you look at the results of our survey, it’s one of the last places that students look to actually engage in these activities,” said Mahal. The review also recommends closing Volunteer Connect, a service that is supposed to help students find opportunities to volunteer, as well as help them write

VP Academic Kiran Mahal led the review of the services that students pay over $7 for each year.

resumés and cover letters. The review found that UBC already offers the same services on a larger scale. Matthew Duguay, executive coordinator of student services, said the Volunteer Connect program would likely be phased out over the course of a year as more of its services become UBC’s responsibility. The review also recommended some major changes to Safewalk. Mahal said the service is important because it contributes to a feeling of safety on campus, but it is costing the AMS too much money as is. She

added that the overhead cost for each walk works out to about $240. Duguay said Safewalk is the AMS’s most expensive service, but since it is available to everyone at UBC, not just students, UBC should help cover the cost of the program. “The society [is] funding it on its own; it’s not a fair balance at this time,” said Duguay. Mahal plans to meet with the university to discuss joint funding of the Safewalk program. The review also raises questions about the tutoring services the AMS

File Photo Hogan Wong/THE UBYSSEY

provides. Mahal questioned whether tutoring should be the responsibility of UBC, since they have more money and resources to provide it. “We could spend the entire services fee on tutoring and it still wouldn’t be enough,” said Mahal. The report also recommended reconsidering the AMS’ internship service. The program involves unpaid internships, but the student society doesn’t have an official position for or against unpaid internships — most of which violate B.C. labour laws.

“It’s been awkward at times when we’ve had executives speak out against unpaid internships when we also run a service that has unpaid internships,” said Mahal. Another thing the review suggested was that the AMS look into providing some new services for students. Both Mahal and Duguay are in favour of implementing a service that would help students find off-campus housing, as well as teach them about their rights as a tenant. “This is a very difficult city to find housing in ... and there is no support being provided,” said Duguay. One final recommendation includes implementing an online component to Speakeasy, a peer crisis support centre. None of the recommendations of the report are binding to the AMS. Mahal said motions related to the report will be presented at the next council meeting. Mahal urged to AMS to take action with the information from the review. She also said the AMS needs to improve the way they measure student use and satisfaction with services. “I think we need to start measuring the impact of our dollars and make sure our dollars are going in the places where they impact students the most,” she said. U

Tuesday, September 3, 2013 |

EDITOR Natalie Scadden

FOOTBALL >>

UBC football pushes Calgary to the brink Late game errors mar Thunderbirds’ attempt at upsetting the five-time defending conference champs CJ Pentland Managing Editor, Web

When a head coach is talking about his or her team before their season starts, it’s pretty obvious that they’re going to talk about how their team has had a strong offseason, and how they’re fired up for the regular season. It’s not like they’re going to say that they had terrible practices and that they honestly have no shot of winning during the year. So when UBC football head coach Shawn Olson stated a few weeks ago that his team put together one of the best training camps during his four-year tenure at the helm of the T-Birds, it could be easy to brush it aside as a coach pumping his team’s tires. After all, last season he talked about how his team was “hungry” after coming so close to being Canada West champions in 2011, and were ready to prove they were a legitimate contender. They ended up going 2-6 and missed the playoffs altogether. The same could be said about the Thunderbirds’ defence. Each year it is said that the defence will step it up to back the offence that typically shines, but it’s never shown the consistency needed for a championship-calibre squad. The pattern repeated this year, as Olson mentioned how this year’s defensive corps were the best he’s coached at UBC. On Sunday, the T-Birds proved that Olson wasn’t just speaking in clichés. UBC held fast against the CIS No. 3-ranked University of Calgary Dinos for 57 minutes on Saturday afternoon at Thunderbird Stadium, pushing the five-time reigning conference champs to the brink before they fell apart late and lost 41-31. It was a performance not exactly expected from a team who was picked to finished second last in the Canada West by the coaches — and especially from one who had been destroyed by the Dinos in their last two meetings. Their defence showed the potential that Olson talked about right from the get-go, as they prevented the dominant Calgary offence from implementing their run game and keeping them out of the red zone for

Brandon Deschamps clocked 175 rushing yards on Saturday and scored two touchdowns for UBC.

the entire first quarter. It allowed UBC to hang around during the first half, as they went into the break down 10-7. Alex Morrison then received the opening kickoff of the second half and returned it 102 yards for a touchdown, giving UBC the lead and paving the way for a hectic final

30 minutes. Calgary stormed back to two straight touchdowns as the T-Birds saw their offence stall, and they turned to new quarterback Greg Bowcott in hopes of a spark. Carson Williams started the game looking hesitant at times, but Bowcott came in and prevented his team from accepting defeat.

The Thunderbirds stood united in a hard-fought effort against the defending Canada West Champions.

Photo Kaveh Sarhangpour/the ubyssey

A touchdown and a field goal tied the game up at 24 in the fourth quarter, and it looked like UBC would take the lead after they forced a Calgary punt. But David Scott mishandled the punt and the Dinos regained possession, and they quickly took advantage. In a game where UBC did so much right, they still couldn’t avoid mistakes, and this one proved to be the biggest. However, instead of rolling over and accepting defeat, UBC showed resiliency. Bowcott and Deschamps promptly led their team down the field for a touchdown of their own, making 31-31 with under five minutes to go. This was a situation that few thought the team would be in, except the team themselves. And if it wasn’t for an unsportsmanlike penalty that led to a field goal and an interception on their drive when down 34-31, the game could’ve easily gone UBC’s way. As one of the top teams in the country, Calgary provided arguably the sternest test of the year for UBC, and Olson knew before the season that how his team performed against them would show where his team stood. And overall, the game showed that UBC is back in the mix as a contender in the Canada West conference. The reason to feel optimistic is that the team did nearly everything that Olson raved about during the offseason. The linebacking corps he praised were solid throughout the game, frequently getting pressure on Calgary quarterbacks Eric Dzwilewski and

Photo GEoff Lister/the ubyssey

Andrew Buckley and effectively stopping the run until the end of the game when they were clearly worn down after being on the field for so long. Now, the key thing for them is to stay healthy, because injuries plagued the defensive corps last year and led to opponents running wild on UBC. Deschamps was also labeled as the “bell cow,” in that he would shoulder the majority of the offensive load, which is exactly what he did on Saturday. He went on to live up to and perhaps exceed expectations, as he was the main force behind every UBC drive. Despite Calgary knowing that Deschamps would be handed the ball on almost every first down, the third-year still managed to average eight yards per carry, which included a 59-yard touchdown run. He also mentioned before the contest that he worked on his receiving during the offseason, and that was evident when he caught a screen pass and ran 19 yards for a score, but not before using a stiff-arm to throw a defender out of his path. The slow starts from two inexperienced quarterbacks and a few mental mistakes could be expected in the opening game, but overall it was evident that the T-Birds made great strides this offseason. Olson isn’t just another cliché coach who sets unrealistic goals for his squad — he knows that they can shine, which will make for some exciting football at UBC for the first time in over a year. U

6 | CULTURE |

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

THE UBYSSEY GUIDE TO

vANCOUveR’S NeiGHBOURHOOdS

BY RHYS EDWARDS REYHANA HEATHERINGTON AURORA TEJEIDA

WHERE TO LIVE AND WHAT TO DO In many respects, Vancouver is a confusing place. The UN has referred to it as “the world’s most livable city,” but it’s also one of the most unaffordable. Vancouverites are generally affable and polite, but they’ve rioted not once but twice when their favourite hockey team lost the Stanley Cup final. It’s possible to go skiing, surfing, and cycling all on the same day, but people often complain that there’s nothing to do.

The ambiguity surrounding the Terminal City’s neighbourhoods doesn’t make things any easier. Even long time residents don’t quite know where one region ends and another begins, and everyone seems to believe that their neighbourhood has the highest property values in the city. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend years figuring it out. We’ve compiled a list of the neighbourhoods most frequently populated by UBC students,

and we’ve included brief descriptions of their local character, nearby amenities, transit times and routes to campus, and average rent for a one-bedroom residence (culled from a non-standardized analysis of Kijiji, Craigslist and AMSrentsline.com posts). Keep in mind that these aren’t hard and fast summaries, however — The Ubyssey cannot guarantee your experience will match our hopelessly abstract musings. U

Main Main Street and nearby Mount Pleasant have been supporting a thriving street culture for years, blending lo-fi culture with high-end design. A variety of artisans, record-store owners, vintage retailers and custom tailors make their living on the southern end of the street, as do the managers of numerous Southeast Asian markets and cheap sandwich cafés. On the northern end of the street, you’ll find a range of commercial and not-for-profit art galleries before arriving at the grit and personality of the Downtown Eastside and Chinatown. Pubs like the Rumpus Room provide stimulating nightlife. average rent: $750/month Commute time to uBC: 40 minutes via the 99

Downtown

Downtown Vancouver is surrounded by beautiful beach views, and it borders on the world-renowned Stanley Park. The core of Vancouver is divided into smaller neighbourhoods, including Yaletown and Gastown with pricey boutique shopping, and gay-friendly Davie Village in the West End. Granville Street is Vancouver’s hub for live music venues like the Roxy and the storied Vogue Theatre. Tourist magnet Robson Square is home to nationally recognized food trucks and street performers. Sports fans can take in major-league games at their home stadiums, and the waterfront seawall from Stanley Park to Kits is arguably the best bike route in Vancouver. Of course, all of these amenities come at a high price, but some students are able to budget for it. average rent: $1500/month Commute time to uBC: 30-45 minutes via the 14, 4 or 44 express

Kitsilano

In a word: yuppie. The white, affluent residents of Kits are known for their reverence for all things yoga, organic and locally made. They love to exercise among the gorgeous set of beaches that line the shores of English Bay, and on Fourth Avenue you’ll find a range of expensive fashion and gourmet retailers, as well as the Naam and Aphrodite’s, by far the best vegan eateries in Van. It’s a popular student neighbourhood, partly for the liberal lifestyle and partly due to its cosy position nestled between campus and downtown. average rent: $850/month Commute time to uBC: 10-25 minutes via the 4, 44 or 84; if you’re near kits Point, take the 22 south to Broadway and catch the 99

Point Grey

If you’re a first-year student, or if you happen to have lucked into one of UBC’s official residences thereafter, Point Grey is your home in Vancouver. UBC has dozens of amenities, but don’t forget that Point Grey proper encompasses the entire peninsula. Students have easy access to all-natural Wreck Beach on the west side, the outstanding Spanish Banks to the north, Pacific Spirit Park to the south — and the small commercial district along 10th Avenue to the east provides several grocery stores and restaurants of varying quality. Although convenient, there are a couple of disadvantages to living at Point Grey. Depending on the circumstances, it can take up to an hour to get downtown, and you’ll want to go there often — because the combined efforts of UBC, the RCMP, and the University Neighbourhoods Association have successfully prevented the emergence of a nightlife on campus. Plus, if you aren’t in a UBC-affiliated residence, Point Grey living is pricy. First-year dorms: $530/month Ritsumeikan/walter gage/Fairview: $600 marine Drive: $800 thunderbird: $900 Non-uBC rez: $1300 Commute time to uBC: 0 minutes!

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

| CULTURE | 7

Shaughnessy This swanky residential neighbourhood is where you’ll find some of the oldest and most expensive heritage homes in Vancouver. It’s a fairly quiet area with several parks, including Quilchena Skate Park. Visit nearby Arbutus for shopping, or travel south on Granville to West 41st Avenue. The beautiful Van Dusen Botanical Garden is a picturesque place to bring out-of-town visitors if you don’t mind paying a $10 admission fee. average rent: $800/month Commute time to uBC: 40 minutes via the 25 or 33

Commercial Drive

Marpole

Vibrant and colourful, some of the best places to eat and experience live music can be found on this burgeoning stretch in East Vancouver. The artsy, LGBTQ-friendly area has diverse culinary options, from Ethiopian at Harambe to Jamaican fare at Pizza Jerk. Café Deux Soleils is particularly famous for its cheap veggie eats and its spoken word nights. You can also find countless coffee shops and healthy grocery markets around what locals refer to as “the Drive.” Plus, the Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain station provides quick access to the downtown core and the far reaches of Greater Vancouver. The distance to campus may be difficult to swallow, but many senior students are attracted to the area by its culture and the occasionally cheap rent.

Located at the southernmost extremity of Vancouver at the edge of the Fraser River, the Marpole district is not especially intriguing. The area is composed of residential, commercial and industrial zones, which are being extensively redeveloped. The population is similarly mixed, with families of multiple ethnicities coming from lower and middle class backgrounds. The area does have several highlights: Winona Park provides excellent views across the Fraser and into Richmond, and the nearby Marpole Middens are a national historic site. For students, the area is attractive primarily due to its proximity to Richmond, as well as its relative cheapness. The Marine Drive SkyTrain station provides easy access to the downtown core.

average rent: $850/month Commute time to uBC: 50 minutes via the 99

average rent: $700 Commute time to uBC: 40 minutes via the 480

Dunbar/Arbutus

Quiet, residential and safe, the Dunbar/Arbutus region is interspersed with pockets of delightfully non-pretentious locally owned cafés, hairdressers and unassuming parks. Dunbar borders on Pacific Spirit Park, a UBC-owned green region that hosts a variety of wildlife and old-growth forests, as well as dozens of trails. Further east, Arbutus Ridge has some excellent views over the city. Basic amenities can be found along Dunbar and MacDonald. Although commuting from the area can be difficult — particularly if you’re looking to go downtown — it’s a popular neighbourhood for UBC students looking to host house parties. average rent: $800/month Commute time to uBC: 30-40 direct minutes via the 25 or 33; if these are running late, take the 7, 22 or 16 to Broadway and catch the 99

Kerrisdale Kerrisdale blends the liberal sensibilities of Kitsilano with a compact version of North Shore opulence. Fifty years ago, the relatively small three-bedroom homes that make up the neighbourhood could be had for a few thousand dollars; now, they’re some of the wealthiest properties in the city. Many of them are still owned by retired, well-to-do hippies, some of whom rent out their basement suites to students. The main attraction for students is the shopping district along 41st Avenue, where you’ll find several locally owned grocery stores and fashionable clothing retailers, as well as swanky restaurants and cafés. The highlight of the area is the weekly farmer’s market, which sells fresh local produce every Saturday. The 16 will take you downtown, but note that the 41 is the only bus that runs late on weekends. average rent: $800 Commute time to uBC: 20-35 minutes via the 41, 43, 49 or 480

GRAPHIC BY NENA NGUYEN

8 | SPORTS |

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Paint your face or chest for a T-Birds

3 4

home game.

a bus full of rowdy

from Thunderbird

hockey club to

students during the

Stadium during a

a breath holding

Olympics, even if

UBC soccer match.

competition.

you’re American and

60 Bungee jump. 61 Bungee jump naked. 62 Stay at the AMS

those are the only two

Whistler Lodge.

Star gaze on the 55yard line. Scramble across

the lighthouse. Rollerblade the entire Seawall. Help fix up a Purple and Yellow bike and name it something

7 8

11 12

13 14 15

24 Learn to scuba dive instead.

words of the anthem

25 Surf in Tofino. you actually know. 26 Storm the Wall. 42 Watch a para sport. 27 Skim board at Wreck. 43 Take part in a KIN 28 Be a real research study. 44 Take a KIN course. Vancouverite: Do 45 Hook up with a varsity yoga. 29 Go to a baseball athlete. 46 Camp somewhere game at The Nat. 30 Watch a UBC road in BC, Washington,

ridiculous.

game on TV at

or Oregon and

Ride it until it falls

Mahoney’s

appreciate the

Become a T-Birds

beauty of the Pacific

roadie.

Northwest.

apart again. Get lost running the trails in Pacific Spirit

9 10

23 Challenge someone

40 Meet an Olympian. 59 Sink a shot from 41 Sing “O Canada” with half court at War

from the underwater

Beach, right out to

Sauna after hours.

game of 21.

Canada.

Watch the sunset

the rocks at Wreck

22 Make use of the

32 Skip class to go

Park.

to Whistler on a

Join a random club.

weekday

Develop an

33 Attend the 24 Hours

expensive hobby or

of Winter event at

exercise addiction.

Grouse Mountain

Spend a night

47 Participate in a beer

Memorial Gym.

63 Play hacky sack with some hippies.

64 Explore the canopy

pool at night.

34 Have “fun type 2” with 50 Kill a hangover by

78 Get voted to a REC All-Star Team.

79 Watch the Whitecaps practice on campus.e

80 What UBC’s varsity soccer beat the

Whitecaps reserves

walkways in the UBC Botanical Garden at

UBC Sailing Club.

65 Climb a tree. 66 Learn to slack line. 67 Go spontaneous

83 Bike to campus in the rain.

84 Get naked for the Wreck Beach Bare

camping.

Buns Run.

or colour run.

(muggle) Quidditch.

68 Do a glow in the dark 85 Catch the snitch in 69 Climb to the top of the clock tower.

70 Drink your sorrows

48 Grin and bare it at the 49 Swim in the outdoor

campus.

81 Play beersbee. 82 Take lessons with the

night.

mile.

Undie Run.

all the way back to

86 Play bocce on 87

MacInnes Field. Experience the

away after the

simplicity of riding a

Canucks get knocked

single speed or fixed

out of the playoffs

gear bike.

Play a round at

88 Sing along to ‘Sweet

the University Golf

Caroline’ between

Course.

quarters at the UBC

72 Get free massage

longboarding in one

the Varsity Outdoors

doing the Polar Bear

of the parkades.

Club.

Swim on New Year’s

waivers from the

Day.

Student Health

by-play for a varsity

Centre.

game.

Run up and down

35 Learn to rock climb

the stairs in Rez to

during VOC’s Long

fight off the Freshman

Hike trip.

Fifteen.

36 Watch the UBC Ski &

Do the Grouse Grind.

Board Club do flips

Hike the Chief.

off the diving boards

Take a planking or

at the pool.

handstand photo from the top.

37 Make an ass out of yourself attempting to

51 Skate outdoors. 52 Play REC or Rez flag football

53 Win a mud bowl. 54 Win a REC Championship.

55 Walk around campus in your champion

16 Kayak in Deep Cove. copy them. t-shirt like you own 17 Go cliffjumping. 38 Chat sports with the place. 18 Ride in Critical Mass. 56 Attend a tailgate Wilson Wong, the 19 Ride the Triple Crown. party. sports info guy. 20 Sleep in “the womb”. 39 Go to a TAC 57 Stick around for 21 Take advantage of (Thunderbird Athlete the football game your free access to

Council) event and

the UBC Aquatic

party with some of

Center.

the best athletes in

afterwards.

58 Challenge a varsity basketball player to a

73 Watch robots play soccer.

basketball games.

89 Do the radio play-

90 Write a Sports + Rec

74 Go to the Extreme Air 91

story for The Ubyssey. Take Sports + Rec

Park in Richmond.

photos for The

Play an intense

Ubyssey.

game of trampoline

92 Interview an

dodgeball against

Olympian or

some teenagers.

professional athlete.

75 Bike to BC Ferries

93 Go to an open try-out

from campus

for a varsity team.

because transit doesn’t run early enough to catch the first sailing.

76 Play pool at Pit Night 77 “Surf” on the 99,

94 Make that varsity team.

95 Hug Thunder.

Tuesday, sepTember 3, 2013 |

stuDeNt VOiCe. COmmuNity ReaCh.

Fear and loathing at the Canadian border

PhOtO aRNO ROseNFeLD/the uByssey

waiting to to be let into your fine country.

ARNO LAND

iNDiaNa JOeL/the uByssey

lAST WORdS

PaRtiNg shOts aND sNaP JuDgmeNts

LACKLUSTER LINEUP FOR WELCOME BACK

AMS LATE TO THE REVIEW GAME

The lineup for the 30th annual AMS Welcome Back BBQ is, shall we say, a bit underwhelming. None of the bands are acts people would flock to see if they weren’t featured at an AMS flagship event. We’ve got one-fifth of an alt hip-hop group (Jurassic 5), an AMS DJ staple (My! Gay! Husaband!) and local DJ Felix Cartal, who is okay , but hardly revolutionary. After having K’naan — the one-hit wonder who refused to play his one hit — for Block Party, you’d think they would follow it up with more recognizable names. Of course, Welcome Back is really about the day drinking — the simultaneous puking and walking to get more beer and the irresponsible merriment that occurs only during the first two weeks of school, when assignments and midterms are so far away they don’t matter. Yet.

The AMS has a huge budget and runs various businesses and programs from students. And yet it had apparently failed to conduct a comprehensive review of its own operations for 19 years. It finally did, coming up with various sensible recommendations like closing programs nobody uses and asking UBC for more money. But without a regular review of its services, how was the AMS determining what to continue funding and what new programs to start or end? Further, in a few years once the AMS has started some new programs and passed a few annual budgets, this current service review will be obsolete. How will it move forward then? The AMS review should have recommended more AMS reviews. A review every five years would provide a very useful picture of how the AMS is doing at regular intervals, but even every 10 years beats the current 19 year standard.

HEY, GET OUT OF HERE! Welcome to UBC! Please leave. By which we mean, get off campus occasionally. If you’re a new, bright-eyed freshman, or even a cantankerous old senior, it’s easy to get comfortable with Point Grey living, and you may be tempted to spend the entirety of your academic life on campus. After all, you have everything you need here: your classes, your dorm-mates and a mini-fridge stocked with all the refined carbohydrates you could ever want. But as our neighborhoods supplement illustrates, Vancouver is a big city, filled with interesting people to meet and things to do, and vice versa. Don’t get too comfortable — you’ll miss out.

WHY EVEN PRETEND? Just the other day, we at The Ubyssey were discussing how every UBC construction project falls behind schedule. “Not the New SUB,” one editor pointed out. Ah, yes — while UBC Properties Trust might set unreachable goals for competition of their projects, our trusty AMS was on top of it. Yay, student pride! Alas, it was not to be. The AMS announced the building would be finished later than expected and the construction would cost more than the budget allowed. We can’t blame the AMS too much for this, because we already know almost every building project on campus takes long

er than originally announced. That begs the simple question of why those behind the projects don’t just set more reasonable goals. If a building is completed early, everyone’s happy. Assuming they’re aspirational goals, why not leave the unrealistic finish date in place but add a caveat? In the case of the New SUB, that could look like: “Opens September 2014, plus or minus four months.” Problem solved!

Become a Ubyssey staﬀ member! Meetings are Tuesday at 2 p.m. in our oﬃce, SUB 24. COME BY THE UBYSSEY OFFICE AT ANY TIME

SUB 24, FOLLOW THE SIGNS

by arno Rosenfeld

"Do you have proof of funds?" "Uh, no, I guess I forgot that." I look up from my passport and letter of acceptance at the border guard towering above me. I'm returning to Canada after my first year at UBC, wearing a beat-up T-Birds sweatshirt, trying make it to Vancouver in time to help with The Ubyssey’s first few issues of the year. Alas, this human embodiment of Immigration Canada clearly does not want to let me study in the Great White North. "How do I know you can pay for school?" Let's see: I was here last year; I drove here in a car full of pretty nice things; I have a decent-paying job at the student newspaper. The number of Americans leaving San Francisco to live as homeless university students taxing Canada's social welfare system can't be that high. But, the guard tells me, without a piece of paper saying that, as of August 31, 2013, one of my parents or I have enough cash on hand to support me in Canada for — a month? A year? My next three years of study? The border guard declined to specify — I won't be given a study permit. Also, the behemoth of a guard, her bulletproof vest bulging at the sides, wants to inform me that as a 19-year-old, I'm an adult in Canada, and I need to take responsibility for my own actions. What actions? Who knows, but when someone with a gun and the power to deny you entry to the country where you live, work and go to school gives you life advice, you nod and tell them in an oh-so-agreeable voice, "Oh yeah, totally. This is all my fault." The guard tells me that she could have let me in, but she believes that since I had gotten a study permit before, I should have known better, and she wanted me to "remember this in the future." Fine. All things considered, I'm lucky to be studying at a wonderful university and I'm fortunate to have the funds to

support myself in Canada. I can spend another few hours driving back to the border with additional paperwork and hope the new agent I speak with is more benevolent. And if by some unfortunate confluence of events I get permanently barred from attending school in Canada, the worst fate that will befall me is getting "stranded" in America. God forbid I am forced to stay in the Land of the Free. (Sorry, Canada. Socialized medicine is great and all, but you are still officially ruled by a monarch.)

My rejection at the border got me thinking about the roots of the Arab Spring. Still, driving to my new apartment in Vancouver as a "visitor," knowing that some armed bureaucrat just decided that I not be given the permit I need to take classes (and, strictly speaking, work for this newspaper, writing this article — shh!), made me feel — well, frankly, it made me feel humiliated. It made me angry at a Canadian government that empowers its border agents with such pompous arrogance. It made me angry at an immigration system that favors thousands of dollars in the bank over the ability to succeed academically (i.e. the three international students in line in front of me, who couldn't communicate in English, but who were issued study permits after producing financial documentation). But mostly, it made me angry at the woman who had decided that she felt like making my life difficult that day. And, recognizing the potential absurdity of this next statement, I got to thinking about what's been going on in the Middle East over the last few years. The Arab Spring was the result of popular revolt against authoritarian regimes. When we imagine torture chambers, arbitrary arrest and despotic rulers crushing the tiniest sign of dissent, it's not to hard to see why millions were willing to rise up in opposition to their governments.

Tuesday, sepTember 3, 2013 |

PiCtuRes + wORDs ON yOuR uNiVeRsity eXPeRieNCe

ACROSS 1- Prefix with dextrous 5- apple product 9- strong australian horse 14- sudden assault 15- mission control gp. 16- Journalist ___ Rogers st. Johns 17- meanie 18- 1982 Disney film 19- metal pin 20- Fully alert 22- Depart 23- Dwarf with glasses 24- traveled 25- home movie medium 29- the color of honey 32- adequate 34- striped, hyenalike mammal 39- Not e’en once 40- kett and James 42- that’s ___! 43- when 45- sheath 47- Bicker 49- No-nos 50- adventurous expedition 54- New Zealand parrot 56- Racetracks 57- Frangible

63- Composer Ned 64- Neighbor of Cambodia 65- Furniture wood 66- Jewelled crown worn by women 67- sometimes you feel like ___... 68- Pan’s opposite 69- extra 70- Fragments 71- somewhat

DOWN 1- get one’s ducks in ___ 2- Biblical trio 3- Feathered creature 4- Nice notion 5- halve 6- gourd-shaped rattle 7- “Dilbert” intern 8- walking stick 9- military dictator 10- Old French expression meaning “goodbye” 11- actor Burton 12- Parisian pupil 13- Like most movies 21- work like ___

24- Curt 25- ___ cava 26- supermodel sastre 27- Female rabbits 28- monetary unit of germany 30- island in the east China sea 31- Noise made by a sheep 33- artist matisse 35- Baylor’s city 36- Pearl Buck heroine 37- Catalog 38- Professional charges 41- Label 44- Person who rows 46- mont. neighbor 48- Barely make 50- a bit, colloquially 51- shun 52- Capacitance unit 53- Olds model 55- Bridge positions 57- tell all 58- hindu princess 59- gillette brand 60- Fluff egg whites 61- hot rock 62- Barely managed, with “out”

PuZZLe COuRtesy BestCROsswORDs.COm. useD with PeRmissiON.

POiNT/COUNTeRPOiNT

DAGE BRUN Our photo editor has had an awfully hard time finding a place to rent for september first for the upcoming school year. we know there are a lot of people in the same situation. it would seem there’s a huge lack of housing available for incoming students who try to avoid keeping a house in Vancouver

through the summer — as our neighbourhoods supplement shows, rent in Vancouver is outrageous. and we all know how hard it is to judge a house by its Craigslist cover. this cannot be allowed to continue. it’s high time we found a solution to the student housing shortage.

But the reality is that, generally, there are just too many citizens in any given country to individually, brutally oppress more than a handful of them. Instead, if you look at the roots of much of the public discontent in countries that have risen up in protest, the peoples' resentment comes from a much simpler source. Mohamed Bouazizi is the man who sparked the Arab Spring by setting himself on fire to protest mistreatment by the Tunisian government. Had Bouazizi been sent to jail for criticizing the government? Hardly. Was he fed up with the lack of democratic elections in Tunisia? Nope. Was he tired of the repression of political Islam in his native country? He wasn't. On a meta level, those injustices impinge on the most fundamental human rights. But they're too abstract to mobilize the masses. (Recall how the Occupy Movement, with its message about the fundamental problems with Western capitalism, failed to really take hold in wider society.) The masses, with their political apathy and basic needs, are primarily motivated to protest by detrimental government actions that affect them directly. For example, the American protests against the Vietnam War weren't really about wanting peace — they were about not wanting to be drafted. Without a draft to send troops to Afghanistan and Iraq,

McDO NA

Our photo editor has spent the last week trying to find a place to live for september. apparently, he was too busy travelling the world over the summer to consider finding a place to live. Cue the violin music. every one has a lot on their plate, but having a place to sleep at night should

the streets were essentially quiet even as thousands of Americans and tens of thousands of Afghan and Iraqi citizens died in the fighting. Bouazizi sold produce from a cart, and what set him over the edge was simple mistreatment by Tunisian police. They would demand a "permit" — that is, a bribe — from him, confiscate his produce and knock over his cart. While hardly extreme, that routine humiliation and arbitrary cruelty is exactly what set so many Arab Spring protesters over the edge. In Syria, Bashar al-Assad certainly imprisoned and killed plenty of dissidents. But even those not involved in politics, those who just want to make a better life for their families, had to deal with routine discrimination as the Assad government favoured members of his own Alawite sect for cushy government jobs and unemployment benefits. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict includes spates of intense fighting with bombs falling and shots being fired. But more typically, it's the series of checkpoints and rigid permit system that breeds Palestinian resentment toward Israel. A video has been making the rounds of Israeli soldiers in the West Bank dancing at a party thrown by some civilian members of Hamas, the political militant group dedicated to Israel's de-

be among your top priorities. waiting until the week before you become homeless to start looking for housing is a terrible idea. while sailing to Croatia is great and all, we have no sympathy for the problems our photo editor has as a result of it. get your shit together, man. U

struction. At first I thought the incongruous image of Israelis in combat gear partying with their Palestinian enemy was kind of sweet. But as I read more about the incident, it became clear that these soldiers were most likely not invited to the party. When soldiers with assault rifles ask to come dance in your club, you don't say no. It's hardly as egregious as assaulting innocent civilians or raiding houses in the dead of night, but that usurpation of human autonomy — in this case, choosing who you want to party with — is just as powerful a generator of hatred in the long run. I can totally deal with being mildly hassled by Immigration Canada. But the thought of dealing with demands of permits and having to answer probing questions on a daily basis, knowing that the cards are stacked against me from the start, is quite frightening. That revolutions were launched over such injustices became much easier to imagine when I felt my gut sinking as the agent informed me that no, she would not approve me to study in Canada — and I had that rotten feeling even while acknowledging that, on the whole, I have an incredibly blessed life. Take that fortune away, and the toll such feelings take on the psyche becomes much harder to bear, and sows in any given population a deep resentment against the powers that be. ¡Viva la revolución! U

PuZZLe COuRtesy kRaZyDaD. useD with PeRmissiON.