5 March 2014

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Growing localFood Matters conference sees participation from food security community

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news comment science & technology arts & culture sports

UMSU VOTES: March 5-7

Index VOL. 100 NO. 24March 5, 20142

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3 FeaturesManaging Editor: Fraser NelundContact: [email protected] / 474.6520

Fraser NeluNd, staff

What’s one vote worth?A look at what your UMSU vote can do

Katy MacKiNNoN, staff

UMSU community representative candidates

The community representatives campaign-ing for the 2014 UMSU election are: Steven

Anderson, LGBTTQ*; Rocco Scarcella, students living with disabilities; Matthew Riesmeyer, stu-dents living with disabilities; Munashe Gudu, international students; Ninia Ogbuji, women’s representative; and Reanna Blair, women’s representative.

Anderson, Scarcella, Ogbuji, and Blair shared their platforms and hopes for the coming year. The Manitoban did not receive a response from Riesmeyer nor from Gudu by press time.

the Manitoban: Please discuss your platform.steven anDerson: The platform I’m running on is based on improving services on campus for LGBTTQ* students, enhancing communica-tion between the LGBTTQ* students and their representative on council, and raising awareness about matters affecting LGBTTQ* students. One goal I have for next year is increasing the number of gender-inclusive washrooms. rocco scarcella: [I want] to get organized by starting a student group that will bring together members of the disability community [ . . . ] It will serve as a student group in which casual discus-sions can take place in a safe and fun environment [ . . . ] [I want] to have more accessible on-campus jobs, [ . . . ] [and I want] to have the five UMSU community representatives also representing

students on the Student Senate Caucus.reanna Blair: As women’s representative, I will accomplish increased transparency and account-ability, promote and provide venues for discussion and debate regarding women’s issues, ensure availability and awareness regarding women’s resources on campus, [and provide] consideration of how decisions will affect long-term and short-term needs of women on campus. ninia ogBuji: As the women’s representative, I hope to increase the cultural diversity of the Womyn’s Centre. As [a] visible minority on campus, I hope to increase cultural sensitivity within the community of women and in cam-paigns targeted towards issues concerning women, especially the “No Means No” Campaign. My aim is to make sure that no decision is made on the council without asking the views of the women and how that decision will impact our community.M: What experience do you have that qualifies you for this position? anDerson: I have been a member of UMSU Council as a science rep for the past year, serving on the Policy and Bylaws Committee as well as the Health and Dental committee. Furthermore, I’ve been an active member of the Rainbow Pride Mosaic for the past four years, volunteering for almost all events and activities. I have consider-able knowledge about the workings of UMSU, as well as much experience with a diverse number of

LGBTTQ* students. I’ve completed eight hours of the Rainbow Resource Centre’s ally training. scarcella: Much of my experience that quali-fies me for this position has been from the ability to facilitate partnerships between those facing barriers and those with the ability to remedy them. For example, for over a year now, I have been working closely with the University of Manitoba Mobile App Development Team in order to make the app more accessible for students with various degrees of vision loss. Blair: I have volunteered as an orientation leader on campus, and in the process, have developed skills involving interacting with and ensuring that students new to the university feel comfortable on campus [ . . . ] I was elected to the position of fair trade venture lead in Engineers Without Borders; this has allowed me to network, orga-nize, manage, and interact with others to ensure fair trade awareness amongst students here at the U of M. I am currently part of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, and this has allowed me to see and experience the importance of community building amongst women.ogBuji: I am the current women’s representative of the Arts Student Body Council. I have also worked with UMSU since 2012. The skills and experiences I gained from these have adequately prepared me for this position.M: In what ways will you ensure UMSU is being held accountable and transparent for students?

Anderson: I am not afraid to ask hard ques-tions at UMSU meetings if I see items that do not seem accurate. I have experience reading budget lines as well as thorough knowledge of the policies and bylaws of the union. I will always bring up any discrepancies regarding these items to make sure they are dealt with honestly and comprehensively.scarcella: In order to ensure UMSU is being held accountable and transparent for stu-dents, I would ensure that any information being presented is accurate, presented to council in a timely manner, and that any significant financial commitments and policy decisions have a manda-tory and thorough debate.BlAir: I would work with UMSU to distribute emails and social media updates regarding what UMSU wants to do, is doing, and has done in regards to women’s issues. In these updates I would work towards ensuring clarity in regards to the roles that the representatives and the execu-tives have in decision-making. Also, I would ensure that I am available to receive any feed-back that UMSU members have in regards to women’s issues.ogBuji: [I want to make] decisions made on the council readily available to the students. I hope to disclose the outcome of every meeting to the women’s community through the Womyn’s Centre. I hope to keep those I represent regularly updated with the progress of the council.

What is your vote worth in the UMSU elec-tion? Is it worth voting at all?

The answer to the former is crucial to address-ing the latter. After all, as every student knows, time is precious while many of the issues dealt with by the elected representatives of U of M students bear an, at best, specious relationship to the daily activities of individual members of the union.

Voter turnout amongst young people is his-torically depressed, and a depressing concept to contemplate. After the 2011 federal elections, Marc Mayrand, chief electoral officer of Canada, noted that though the low turnouts of recent elections are disturbing (58.8 per cent of registered voters in 2008, 61.1 per cent in 2011) the “decline is dispro-portionately concentrated among the youngest electors.”

Explanations for this tendency abound.

According to a survey conducted by Elections Canada, many do not vote because of a dearth of knowledge about the candidates vying for posi-tion. When one knows nothing about any of the possible choices, all of the choices are equal. This is not a situation where returns on the investment of time are likely to motivate.

It seems probable that the students at a uni-versity would buck this trend. The purpose of an education is so often touted as learning how to learn. Are UMSU members not among the most likely group of young people to have both a thirst for knowledge and the know-how to dissect per-tinent information?

Apparently not. The most prominent fact illustrated by the graph charting the UMSU vot-ing trends over the last 17 years is that there has not been a single election or referendum where a

quarter of eligible voters cast a ballot.Some may see the lack of participation in

democracy on this local level, where the effects of elections are most prominent in the lives of the deciders, as a travesty. That is a valid and defensible perspective. Another is that the facts presented here suggest an opportunity for members of the union.

UMSU financial records for September indi-cate that the total revenues in the yearly budget were expected to be $1,173,850.35. If we look at the voting records, we see that 6,178 votes were cast last year.

It is reasonable to assert that many factors, besides the will of voters, go into the expenditures of UMSU. It is just as reasonable to assert that UMSU’s influence extends beyond their power over the budget. It is plausible to call these factors

a wash. A similar conclusion can be reached about the

assertion that funding is locked in by tradition and long-term contract; each year’s executive’s influence will extend into the future. Once again we can take the result as a wash.

Each vote last year was approximately equiva-lent to allocating $190 worth of spending.

Take 20 minutes out of your busy schedules to read this week’s issue of the Manitoban, email a question to a candidate, or find some other method of informing yourself. Allow yourself a generous 10 minutes to cast a vote. You will be exerting influence at a rate of $380 per hour.

I won’t pretend to know the median wage of University of Manitoba students. I am nonetheless comfortable asserting that voting is a worthwhile proposition for all but a few.

Features Managing Editor: Fraser NelundContact: [email protected] / 474.65204

if elected, would you change anything about the health and Dental plan next year?

Charly Wreggitt, president: There were so many complaints when it first came out, so we wouldn’t want to just switch it again. We want to make sure that if it does switch over it is done properly – that there is a referendum, that it’s brought to council before it’s signed, and that students are aware there would be a change.

what do you see as umsu’s primary role or responsibility within the university?

CW: Our main role is to make sure we’re advocating for all the students. Making sure that all the student groups are getting what they need [ . . . ] if any student is having an issue, we’re there to help them, and there to fight for them. We want students to know we’re a welcoming space. We want students to know that there is an advocacy body to help them if they have issues [ . . . ] we do want to have the fun, the parties, but we also want things that help students get experience in other things.

what do you see as the biggest challenge facing u of m students today?

monica igweagu, vp advocacy: From talking to a lot of students, I’ve realized that they are not aware of the opportunities and possibilities that are available to them [ . . . ] That’s the main focus that right now we’re trying to deal with.

are you happy with the $260 u-pass the city of winnipeg has approved? how would you approach u-pass dealings next year?

Dana hatherly, vp external: I’m really happy that there is a lot of support for the U-Pass coming from city council [ . . . ] there has

been a lot of work on their part to make sure that this goes forward. I would be willing and committed to advocating for students who don’t have the privilege to drive to school [ . . . ] I understand that there are students who don’t intend to use the bus pass, so I would like to at least find out if it’s within our capacity to ensure a fair opt-out option.

if you were to find yourself having to work with members from other slates in the upcoming year, how would you handle that?

rhongzhao li, vp student services: We really want to do something that students want [ . .

. ] If I work with other groups and people, if I get the position of VPSS, I will still follow our platform.

how would you ensure that you were aware of students’ concerns, and responsive to them?

CW: As one of our platform points, we want an open door policy. We want to set office hours, not just on the Fort Garry campus, but also on the Bannatyne campus. dH: The open door policy is important, but sometimes students hesitate to come forward, so there also needs to be an essence of outreach as well, where we seek out those students.

What would you do for orientation Week next fall?

Victoria Watkins, VP internal: We want to maintain what UMSU has been doing, but we would want the concert to focus on having more local and Canadian artists, and even incorporating student groups [ . . . ] I think just really trying to stay within our budget is very important.

what kind of leadership should a president bring to umsu?

CW: I think a president has to make sure that they’re really doing what their job is supposed to be –

getting out there, attending senate, meetings with the administration, and making sure that students have the representation. We have all of these positions that the president can sit on, and it’s really important that the president is there.

umsu businesses have done very well in the last month. what would you like to see done with those revenues?

VW: In order to be able to answer properly, I would need to have access to financial records and to know where money is needed to make sure it’s all financially stable, within our budget, and that we don’t do anything too crazy.

how would you ensure that the u of m is a safe, accessible, and welcoming place for all students?

Mi: That’s where issues such as being approachable and accessible to students come in. Students have to be able to realize that you are actually there for them, and you’re advocating for their priorities.

dH: As VPE, I’ ll engage with students by hosting weekly meetings with an open door, so that we can prioritize based on what students want to do. In terms of running campaigns on campus, I want students to be aware that they can take a lead in these campaigns and that we’d be there for them.

how would you communicate umsu campaigns to students?

rl: As my position name suggests, students are my bosses. Whatever students want, for example, more microwaves, maybe we can get one. Maybe they want a job after graduation. Maybe we can get someone to help students find out how to get an interview, or how to write a resume, something like that.

QuiNN richert, staff

Team Fusion

phOtOs by bEibEi Lu

FeaturesVOL. 100 NO. 24March 5, 2014 5

KeviN liNKlater, staff

Refreshif elected, would you change anything about the Health and dental Plan next year?

Al Turnbull, president: The big thing we’d like to change, and improve upon, is we want to increase the speed, and expedite the process for students that want to get out of the plan. We’re definitely not changing the plan, it’s a better plan for sure, we just want to improve upon it with easier opt-outs.

What do you see as uMsu’s primary role and responsibility within the university?

rebecca Kunzman, VP advocacy: Obviously given that UMSU regu-lates a good majority of the student activities on campus, improving the student experience I think is one of the largest roles of UMSU, as well as advocating on students’ behalf both within the university and with all three levels of government.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing u of M students today?

Christian Pierce, VP external: I think the top reason most people go to university is to get employment, to get a career. So I think that would be the biggest thing. That’s part of my policy platform; I do intend to hold workshops, I want people to know how to write a resume, I want people to know how to be prepared for an interview. Maybe you need to prepare in your first year, for that

job at the end of the fourth year. We think students need to get involved earlier and start thinking about the job market and how that will affect the decisions they make when they go to school.

Are you happy with the $260 u-Pass the City of Winnipeg has approved? How would you approach u-Pass dealings next year?

CP: I would like to see it happen, but only if the students want it and only when the students are informed about each side. I’m going to say it’s a lot cheaper than buying a monthly bus pass, but there won’t be any opt-outs and I want the students to decide. I would like to have some online voting for it, too. If only 20 per cent of people are voting on it, it could all just be the transit riders, so I want to make sure everyone has a chance to read the information and vote.


jeremiah Kopp, VP internal: We’ve had great interactions with the other teams in this election. I’ve got a lot of respect for the other slates and they bring great ideas to the table. It’s always easier to work with people who you already have a working relationship with. I’m running with this team because I believe in the excellence and the effectiveness of each of the Refresh candidates, but I think if there was a split, which I

don’t think there would be, but if there was, I would look forward to working with whoever the students elect.

How would ensure that you are aware of students’ concerns, and responsive to them?

jK: Being engaged with the student population is crucial for any executive, as a whole and individually. It’s all of our jobs to make sure that we’re interacting with students as much as possible. All of us are very involved with every aspect of the university: we go to every event possible, every student group meeting possible, we interact with the various faculties, so I would say there are very few people who have a better sense of what the students want and have their finger on the pulse quite the way that we do.


daria lukie, VP student services: I couldn’t imagine coming to school and not having a significant Orientation Week, or a Frosh [Festival] [ . . . ] Making it more of a week-long orientation with events and a nice big concert at the end. So Orientation Week would be more active, with more events going on throughout the week.

What kind of leadership should a president bring to uMsu?

AT: I think that they need to be non-

partisan in the sense that they’re servicing all the members. I think they do need to have some experience: I was the arts senior stick before this; I was also the athletic [inaudible] senior stick before this. They have to be approachable to all students, and they have to be able to put in the time. I think it’s a huge time commitment, and you have to want to do it, too. You legitimately want to have to work for students. I think those are qualities that an UMSU president needs to have: a lot of time, a lot of passion, and accessibility to all students.

uMsu businesses have done very well in the last month. What would you like to see done with those revenues?

jK: The student union exists to service the students, in whatever way that may be. So money that results from the profits we’re seeing at the Hub and Degrees, and other student businesses, it needs to be reinvested for the students in the businesses and in student services.

How would you ensure that the u of M is a safe, accessible, and welcoming place for all students?

rK: I think with anything that is to be accomplished at the university, for it to have a large scale and noticeable effect, there need to be partnerships made and partnerships with other offices on campus that are already doing a great job of working towards that. Making sure we work with those bodies to not only help

expand and sponsor their resources, and promote our resources to them so everyone knows what’s going on, everyone is on the same page when it comes to improving the accessibility of the university, making sure it’s an inclusive space. As well as making sure students are aware of them and know that they exist and they can use them.

What kinds of events and activities would you like to see more of on campus next year? less of?

cp: We want to introduce Frost Week. We’ll do Celebration Week, but we’ll call it Frost Week. We’ll keep the speakers, but it’ll be a little more Festival du Voyageur-like, and embrace the Winterpeg [moniker]. We don’t really have a winter orienta-tion. By the time you have Celebration Week you’re already three weeks in, and you already have exams. I want students to feel welcome back to cam-pus, and students who are just arriv-ing to feel welcome to campus.

How would you communicate uMsu campaigns to students?

dl: Promotions and networking, that’s my specialty. So the biggest thing is more collaboration with student groups. That’s my mantra for next year. The biggest one would be getting the U of M app more traffic and having general events posted on it so people would know what’s going down on campus. So having one place to go for every event and you can find out what events are going on.

UMatterBryce hoye, staff

if elected, would you change anything about the Health and dental Plan next year?

Kyra Wilson, president: As it stands, it sounds like everything has stabi-lized in regards to students being able to access their benefits with the Health and Dental Plan, although it would have to be up for reevalua-tion. If it is something the students are happy with, then there would be no reason to change it [ . . . ] but any sort of decisions that are coming out of the UMSU office, if elected, I will make sure that that consultation is a priority.

What do you see as uMsu’s primary role or responsibility within the university?

Clyford sinclair, VP internal: We’re here to protect the interests of the students and advocate on their behalf. Part of advocating and working with the students, for me, is the student groups. I find that the student groups represent large constituents with dif-ferent students who have different

interests. For me, I want to start mak-ing that a focus. I’ve found that in the last couple of years, the student groups have been really neglected.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing u of M students today?

Cs: Tuition fees [ . . . ] We’re looking at increased tuition fees right across the board, because of the cutbacks that are coming to the university [ . . . ] Because of these cutbacks, the students have to shoulder the finan-cial burden of that, and that means increased fees [ . . . ] We are already burdened by debt. I would like to work toward lowering those fees at a reasonable amount [ . . . ] If we make an agreement with the university to lower it by 15 per cent over a period of, say, five years, or something greater than that, that’s something we can negotiate at the table.

are you happy with the $260 u-pass the city of winnipeg has approved? how would you approach u-pass dealings next year?

KW: That pricing has increased from the original pricing that was discussed [ . . . ] I would imagine that that is not the end-pricing for the U-Pass, that there will be more discussions taking place, and that there could be the pos-sibility of an increasing price with the [U-Pass]. So, you have to look at all of the factors when deciding whether or not the U-Pass is in fact something that students still want.


KW: I don’t believe that it is produc-tive to have a lot of the infighting that you see within political organizations. That is something I would make sure to prevent. I am always open to ideas and differences of opinion, so I don’t think there is any issue with working with anybody else from a different slate [ . . . ] when it comes down to making group decisions [ . . . ] basically we would allow for that democratic voting process to follow throughout.

How would you ensure that you were aware of students’ concerns, and responsive to them?

KW: One of the things that I would like to do is to make sure [we’re] still on the ground, [we’re] still talk-ing to students one on one, [we’re] still meeting with student groups. I think that is the major focus of our campaign. With UMatter, we want to maintain those relationships throughout the year.


Cs: I want to aim more for a spirit week. I want to get the student groups out there. We want to get more local talent involved. If we’re looking to bring in bigger-named talent, I would like it to be a Canadian star that comes in. We do not need to pay several thou-sand dollars to bring in a hip-hop artist from the United States. We have fantastic Canadian artists that would perform for students for a reasonable amount.

uMsu businesses have done very well in the last month. What would you like to see done with those revenues?

Cs: I would like to see that revenue applied to generating more income for our student union. The benefit to that is that if we keep on investing the money we make with our stu-dent union and our businesses, it ulti-mately leads to us being able to lower the fees that students are required to pay into this university. We will be more independent of having to rely on those fees so much.

What kind of leadership should a president bring to uMsu?

KW: The individual needs to be con-stantly questioning themselves and their ability in that leadership role as president [ . . . ] I think that as a true leader [ . . . ] you need to always be evaluating your skills and abilities sitting in that position.

Features Managing Editor: Fraser NelundContact: [email protected] / 474.65206

Toban TalkbackQuinn Richert, staff

are you planning on voting in the UMsU 2014 general elections? If so, who do you plan to vote for?

Daniel Nechi Romik Babakhanians Katherine Riddell Halim Shah

Q:

I am going to vote, definitely. I am interested in voting for Fusion. I am more convinced they have a better plan for students.

Yes, probably for Refresh [ . . . ] they seem to present themselves better than the other ones.

Yes, I am voting for Refresh. I plan to vote, but I have no idea right now who to vote for. I haven’t looked around yet to see the candidates’ ideas.

graphiC by bradLy wOhLgEMuth

Approximate proportions of total revenues allocated to various expenditures based on projections from the University of Manitoba Students' Union Statement of Financial Position 9/30/2013

FeaturesVOL. 100 NO. 24March 5, 2014 7

Polling stations in new placesSome students unhappy with the arrangements


This year will mark the first UMSU general election for which polling

stations are available at certain locations across the University of Manitoba’s Fort Garry campus, places such as Migizii Agamik (Bald Eagle Lodge) and the faculty of law’s Robson Hall. Nonetheless, some students are upset that Migizii will only house a polling station for one day of the three-day vot-ing period.

Earlier this month, UMSU Council’s Aboriginal students’ repre-sentative and the U of M Aboriginal Students Association (UMASA)

treasurer Clyford Sinclair circulated an email imploring students to con-tact chief returning officer (CRO) Jacqueline Keena to express concern over the one-day rule.

“I am asking all council and students you know to email [Keena] that this is unfairly targeting Aboriginal students who all mainly go to Migizii Agamik. It does not allow us students to have fair access to voting while every other voting station in other faculties and buildings have them available for the 2-3 days,” wrote Sinclair, who is also running for vice-president internal

this election season, with the slate UMatter.

“It was brought to my attention by a student,” Sinclair recently told the Manitoban.

“I did some digging [ . . . ] the CRO told me that it was an experi-mental process to see if there would be a turnout for it, but to me it didn’t make sense, because if you’re going to look for a fair turnout you have to do at least minimum two days since classes run Monday-Wednesday-Friday and Tuesday-Thursday,” he continued.

Keena later released a statement

online, acknowledging the correspon-dence she had received over the Migizii issue and declaring that polling stations could not be rearranged following the closing of the nomination period.

“Polling stations are not changed after the close of the nomination period. To do so would be to run the risk of giving a declared candidate an unfair advantage,” said Keena, later adding,

“Any polling station is available to any student during the vote.”

In an interview with the Manitoban, Keena said she received a total of nine emails expressing dismay over the polling station arrangement, while others contacted her to confirm that they were not upset about having only one day to cast a ballot inside Migizii.

Sinclair pointed out in his email that while Bald Eagle Lodge received a station for one day, Robson Hall would have a station for two. Keena

also responded to this concern in a statement to the Manitoban, explain-ing that the arrangement was based on the strict class schedule the faculty of law follows.

“The number of hours to vote at Migizii Agamik is greater than the number of hours available to students at Robson Hall. The intention of hav-ing a polling station at Robson Hall for two days, albeit for less hours, is to allow students to vote during their set lunch break,” she said.

Keena went on to point out the importance of arranging polling sta-tions to maximize accessibility within the confines of a set budget.

Voting runs this week, Mar. 5-7. See the map above or the website of the CRO for polling locations.

Map COurtEsy Of jaCquELiNE kEENa

General elections 2014 complaints summaryA compilation of grievances filed, and their rulings


According to UMSU bylaw 1050, during general elections, “any

Member of the Union, other than the CRO [chief returning officer], may file a complaint regarding an alleged breach of the election rules,” and “the CRO is empowered to inves-tigate and rule upon any breach of the election rules, whether submitted to the CRO in a complaint or initiated by the CRO.”

As of press time, Monday, Mar. 3 at midnight, only two complaints had

been filed, and neither has resulted in any penalty. As campaigning heats up, however, the total is expected to rise.

Here is a summary of the regis-tered complaints:

complaint #2014-01Victoria Watkins (vice-president

internal, Fusion) filed a complaint against presidential candidate Al Turnbull (Refresh) last Friday, alleging he “promoted slander by

re-tweeting a tweet that suggested ‘slates’ were responsible for vandal-ism of his campaign material.” CRO Jacqueline Keena ruled that “no slan-derous or libelous statements were promoted.” The complaint was ruled invalid because it was filed more than 48 hours after the incident and no penalty was assigned to Turnbull.

complaint #2014-02Zachary Johnson filed a complaint

against the Refresh slate last Saturday

night, alleging that the slate distrib-uted “factually incorrect” campaign materials.

From the CRO’s summary:“The statement in question was

made by Refresh in the all-members email sent by the CRO. In the email, Refresh states, ‘We, for the first time ever took the Hub out of a $450,000 hole…’”

According to Keena’s write-up, she consulted with UMSU general manager Clark Cunningham and

confirmed that “under the direction of the current UMSU executive, the Hub is making strides to reach a break-even point by the end of the fiscal year.”

She ruled that “the statement in question is not incorrect,” and noted that “complete financial records are not available.” No penalty was assigned to Refresh.

The Manitoban will be updat-ing this story online.

8FeaturesManaging Editor: Fraser NelundContact: [email protected] / 474.6520

The curious case of the vanishing postersRash of late-night vandalism targeted campaign materials


Even the passably perceptive pupil would have noticed a peculiar pat-

tern on campus walls last week. Multiple posters depicting presiden-

tial incumbent Al Turnbull (Refresh) were removed as of Wednesday morn-ing, only to be replaced later that day. The following morning, again, many of Turnbull’s posters were gone.

Some of the posters appeared to have been removed carefully, leaving conspicuous holes in Refresh poster layouts and surrounding materials unruffled.

Others seemed to have been touched by a malicious hand – nearby Refresh posters incurred collateral damage, or shreds of Turnbull’s papers were left hanging on strips of tape.

The acts of campaign vandal-ism prompted public responses from Refresh, as well as Team Fusion. Both denounced the teardowns with an iden-tical statement.

“We do not condone or support these actions [ . . . ] to our followers, friends, volunteers and supporters, we implore you to not be a part of these despicable actions,” announced the statement on both slates’ Facebook pages.

“As a slate, if someone is caught destroying or defacing the campaign

material of either of our opponents this can be viewed as an act of support for us,” it continued.

Some discussion of the defacements broke out via social media during the week, leading Fusion vice-president internal candidate Victoria Watkins to file a related complaint with chief returning officer (CRO) Jacqueline Keena.

The complaint, filed last Friday against Turnbull, alleged that he had reposted a statement made by someone else on Twitter suggesting, “‘slates’ were responsible for the vandalism of his campaign material.” Keena dismissed the complaint, ruling that it was invalid because “no slanderous or libelous state-ments were promoted.”

Speaking with the Manitoban late last week, Turnbull acknowledged that campus security services had been made privy to the poster vandalism, and had identified one individual of interest via the school’s hallway camera system.

That person was scheduled to meet with Keena last Friday.

Turnbull said he was not pushing for any kind of punishment. He also said he does not intend to file a complaint with the CRO.

In a potentially related turn of events,

Turnbull told the Manitoban that while he was walking through the tunnels connecting the science complex to the Tier and University College buildings at 11 p.m. last Wednesday he encoun-tered a group of five people in balaclavas. Security Services was alerted.

“By 1 a.m., posters near University Centre (UC) were torn down,” said Turnbull.

The extent of the poster damage remains unclear.

Early in the week, Keena reported that approximately 30 posters had been torn down. The Manitoban confirmed 16 in the Tier-science complex build-ings and tunnels as well as in the tun-nels heading from the science complex towards UC, while Keena said that approximately 90 posters had been reprinted as of press time.

Refresh has not been forced to pay for the replacement posters out of their campaign budget.

John Danakas, director of mar-keting communications at the U of M, confirmed that Security Services is investigating the incidents and is reviewing CCTV evidence.

As of press time, no further acts of vandalism against Turnbull’s campaign materials had been reported. phOtO by quiNN riChErt

News senior News Editor: quinn richert News Editor: katy MackinnonContact: [email protected] / 474.677010

Caleigh MacDonald, staff

peter nygårD pursues immortality through stem cell research

Winnipeg-raised fashion mag-nate, Peter Nygård, has claimed that he is growing younger through the use of stem cell injections – an area of research he claims is “a game changer [ . . . ] perhaps immortality.”

The ten-minute video titled “Bahamas Stem Cell Laws: The Peter Nygård Breakthrough” depicts Nygård as he details the progress he has already allegedly made with his stem cell treatments. Nygård is shown in a number of “before and after” shots that highlight the sup-posed miraculous effects he has been experiencing, and that emphasize his energy.

“Stem cells are being used for anti-ageing and the University of Miami is doing a study about that to prove that it is true. They are looking at me, and my markers have shown exactly that I have been actually reversing my ageing and getting younger,” Nygård told the Bahamas Tribune in February.

“I am taking perhaps more stem cell treatment than anybody else in the world. I have been doing it for four years now, so I am sort of a testimonial that this stem cell [treat-ment] really works.”

In the video he speculates that he might be the “only person in the world” with his “own embryonic cells growing in a petri dish.”

The video further describes his plans to build a multi-million dol-lar facility in the Bahamas wherein a team of specially chosen doctors and scientists can further continue their study of stem cell treatments. Nygård was reportedly a lobbyist for passing pro-stem cell treatment legislation in the country, and claimed he helped draft the legis-lation – though Bahamian Prime Minister Perry Christie has disputed that claim.

“I’m going to live forever or die trying,” Nygård told the Bahamas Tribune.

vince li given unsuperviseD free time in selkirk

Vince Li rose to infamy in 2008 for the beheading of 22-year-old Tim McLean. Nearly six years following, Li will be allowed une-scorted, periodic passes into the city of Selkirk for 30 minutes as well as minimally supervised visits to Winnipeg.

Li, who was found to be not criminally responsible for the murder due to his mental instability, will also be moved from his current high-security locked facility into a more relaxed, unlocked one, as endorsed by the Crown attorney last week.

Li—described as a “model patient” since his arrest—was reported as having no confronta-tional incidents with other patients or mental health staff since his confinement, or while on escorted walks.

Despite a lack of objection from the Crown, the granting of such privileges to Li has produced sig-nificant controversy amongst those who feel that such freedoms are too much for someone who has com-mitted such a crime. MP Shelly Glover released a statement on Feb. 28 condemning the Crown attorney’s office for their lack of objection.

“The decision by the Manitoba government not to object to any of the recommendations made to grant Vince Li additional free-doms, including unescorted trips into Selkirk, is an insult not only to the family of Tim McLean but to all law-abiding Manitobans,” wrote Glover. She further called on Attorney General Andrew Swan to appeal the decision. Rachel Morgan, speaking on behalf of Swan, responded, saying that Glover was simply “trying to score political points.”

“As Ms. Glover knows, the attor-ney general does not direct Crown attorneys on criminal cases. The attorney general’s job is to advo-

cate for better federal laws, such as amendments to this section of the Criminal Code. That’s why Manitoba Justice Minister Andrew Swan wrote to the federal govern-ment and urged them on multiple occasions to change laws so that public safety would be the primary consideration when making deci-sions on these cases.”

genDer-wage gap shown to persist in stuDy of university graDuates

A study by Statistics Canada has revealed that while getting a university degree does give a higher statistical probability of scoring a larger salary than a person with only high school education, it also tends to earn males significantly more than females.

According to the study, over a period of 20 years, on aver-age, males with a bachelor of arts degree will earn $732,000 more than males who only graduate high school, whereas this gap is $448,000 for females. When looking at the top five per cent of earners of each gender, university-graduated males made approximately $2.5 million above and beyond what a male with just a high school diploma made, compared to graduated females’ $600,000 lead on their high school graduate classmates.

The gender wage gap, accord-ing to Statistics Canada, was not a result of women dropping out of the workforce for significant amounts of time, but rather due to the types of jobs that each gender tends to favour.

Women tend to work more in the public sector, in areas such as education, health, and public administration, whereas men have a tendency to work in private sector jobs that lead to outsize returns on their paycheques.

Globalised HolocaustAlejandro Baer discusses appropriation of language

caleigh MacdoNald, staff

On Feb. 28, Alejandro Baer gave a presentation titled

“Globalised Holocaust” at the University of Manitoba.

The presentation examined how a cultural memory can be appropriated into a global phe-nomenon, and how our use and understanding of language can transform an isolated historical event into a modern politicized movement.

Baer, sociology professor and director of the centre for Holocaust and genocide studies at the University of Minnesota, took a comparative look at Holocaust memorial ceremonies in differ-ent countries, for the purposes

of examining the evolution of “memorial culture,” and how the term “holocaust” itself has in many ways come to mean differ-ent things to people in various cultures.

“What I’m interested in is pre-cisely how a certain term that might have a clear meaning is re-signified, is interpreted a different way, or is appropriated,” he said.

While historically the term “holocaust” referred to a Jewish sacrif icial offering, forfeited through its burning, the word gained a far darker context in the times of Nazi Germany, being used to describe the mass mur-der of the Jews in concentration camps.

The term has long been used as a reference to the Jewish slaugh-ter during World War II, but has since been appropriated again, with references to a potential

“Nuclear Holocaust.” According to Baer, many also use the word to refer to a “Spanish Holocaust” that took place under the com-mand of former dictator, General Francisco Franco.

“Language has consequences [ . . . ] When victim groups claim that the crimes committed against them are a ‘genocide’ or a ‘holocaust,’ of course it has conse-quences,” said Baer. “It certainly gets attention.”

“What I’m interested in is precisely how a certain term that might have a clear meaning is re-signified, is interpreted a different way, or is appropriated” – Alejandro Baer

phOtO by NiCOLE wruth

n e w s b r i e f s

NewsVOL. 100 NO. 24March 5, 2014 11

7th annual Growing Local ConferenceFood Matters Manitoba conference sees participation from food security community and Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist

KeviN liNKlater, staff

Food Matters Manitoba (FMM) hosted its seventh

annual Growing Local Conference in downtown Winnipeg last weekend.

The three-day event saw partici-pation from dozens of organizations involved with food issues – includ-ing local food shares and sustain-able gardening groups, branches of government, and NGOs.

Workshops and talks were held Friday and Saturday covering topics from the sustainable management of insects in horticultural crops, to reducing junk food consumption through policy initiatives.

Kreesta Doucette, who is the executive director of FMM, spoke with the Manitoban about the conference.

“The strength that we have in Manitoba is really around the food security community. Manitoba as a province, actually, has one of the strongest movements, and that’s because of the diversity of the part-ners that come together. The con-ference is spearheaded by [FMM], but it’s been so successful because we have such strong participation from all these vibrant groups.”

One of the main themes of this year’s conference was food sover-eignty in the North, and address-ing the inadequacy of healthy and affordable food in many northern communities.

Andi Sharma is a policy ana-lyst with the Northern Healthy Foods Initiative who attended the conference.

“We are a granting organiza-tion, so we work with community partners that are on the ground operationalizing our policy objec-tives—like [FMM]—to do things like starting greenhouses, teach-ing gardening skills, and generally giving the people living up there in these remote communities [renewed] control over their diets,” she said.

U of M doctoral student Asfia Kamal studies environmental sci-ence and is involved with Northern food security issues. Kamal shared her research at the conference in past years, and attended this year.

Kamal has been working on projects in numerous communi-

ties that experience very high rates of food insecurity – where people were going hungry and only able to access processed unhealthy foods.

An outcome of these projects is that the community members of South Indian Lake have reclaimed some of their traditional food gath-ering methods that were lost when the community was forced to relo-cate due to flooding from a hydro-electric project in the 1970s.

“When we, as graduate students, talk about community-based par-ticipatory research, we need [to] go out there [and] live the realities that [these communities] experi-ence every day. We should go there ourselves and work for change,” said Kamal. “My research has changed my life, that’s why I’m here, and that’s why I go north. I’m holding hands with my community mem-bers – they are like my family.”

Thursday night saw Michael Moss, Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist and author, deliver a keynote address. FMM partnered with the Winnipeg Foundation to bring Moss to Winnipeg for the conference.

Moss discussed his recent book Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us, which investigates America’s food industry and its complicity in creating the current obesity epidemic in the country.

Moss spoke to a sold-out audi-ence at the Masonic Temple at Confusion Corner, taking ques-tions and signing copies of the book after the talk.

Richard Frost, chief executive officer of the Winnipeg Foundation, spoke with the Manitoban about the importance of the Growing Local Conference, and why his organiza-tion lent its support.

“The whole idea is to create more of a conversation on these issues of food security, and proper nutrition

– to raise the profile and bring it to people’s attention. So we were able to give support and help to bring in a high-profile person like Michael Moss to get people’s interest and raise some awareness around these issues. And every year FMM does this wonderful conference, so we are very pleased to be able to sup-port this.”

Indians Wear RedAuthors visit U of M for native studies colloquium series

JeNNiFer Keith, volUnteeR staff

Indians Wear Red: Colonialism, Resistance and Aboriginal Street

Gangs—a Fernwood Publishing book released last August—challenges the reader to look at the problem of Aboriginal street gangs in Winnipeg from a different perspective.

Two of the book’s four authors, Lawrence Deane and Larry Morrissette, presented at the department of native studies’ 2014 winter colloquium series last week.

Deane is an associate profes-sor in the faculty of social work at the University of Manitoba, teaching in the Inner City Social Work Program. He has worked in community development for over 20 years in India, China, and Winnipeg.

Morrissette also teaches at the Inner City Social Work Program, as well as at the University of Winnipeg’s urban and inner city studies program, and is the execu-tive director of Ogijiita Pimatiswin Kinamatwin (OPK).

The authors explained that the book was in response to gang members wanting their perspective on gangs and gang violence to be heard. The gang members, seek-ing new connections and a chance to broaden their opportunities, joined a housing project organized by OPK.

The housing project is “in response to the pressing need for decent housing and neighbourhood renewal” in Winnipeg’s North End, and seeks to contribute to building “an all-inclusive, healthy community.”

A unique program came from the gang members’ involvement in the housing project – one that focused on needs as identified by the gang members. Despite attempts by funding agencies to impose structures and measurable outcomes, Morrissette explained that the program remained flex-ible, responding to the cultural, employment, housing, and mental health requirements identified by the participants.

The discussion was never about leaving the gang.

Deane explained, “That was never the focus of the gang mem-bers. The emphasis was on learning transferable skills, making connec-tions, and broadening their options

– basically to not do crime, to try other things.”

After a violent incident between rival gangs, to counter the typical societal narrative, gang members approached the authors wanting their stories to be heard. From these initial interviews in 2009 came the paper, “If You Want to Change the Violence in the Hood, You Need to Change the ‘Hood.’”

At the request of gang mem-bers, a larger research project was undertaken.

The result of that project, Indians Wear Red, is based entirely on the experience and insights of these gang members.

The book identifies gang involve-ment as a response to the devas-tating conditions resulting from colonialism. A common experience for most individuals interviewed was poverty, drugs, and violence in the home from a very young age.

Morrissette explained that by the age of 12, most gang members had left home and entered the

“alternative economy” of the drug world. He said this economy is “the most accessible means for young persons to provide for their basic needs: food, clothing, and shelter.”

In order to survive, Deane explained, they turn their aggres-sion outwards and become “tougher than everything they are facing, whether it be the police, hunger, absence of opportunities, violence

– whatever [ . . . ] the consistent story was, ‘you could not let it beat you.’”

The authors described the book as stories of resistance to growing up in these conditions.

“Our question, then, was not ‘how do you deal with gangs,’ but ‘how do you deal with those environ-ments that are so devastating that people have to become this tough to overcome it,’” said Deane.

Morrissette explained that they found “a poverty issue, a drug issue, a violence issue, [and] an issue of colonization, as opposed to a gang issue.”

“Gangs are just a response to these horrendous conditions.”

The reaction of society, Deane explained, “has been to hit them as hard as you can. But these guys are tough, they are not fazed by how society tries to frighten them or suppress them. They say ‘bring it on’ [ . . . ] What we need to do is shift our focus from suppression, to determining how to remove these devastating circumstances so kids do not have to grow up in them.”

12science & technology Editor: tom ingramContact: [email protected] / 474.6529

Science & technology

Women in science at the U of MWomen professors weigh in on the scientific life

elizaBeth drewNiK, staff

This week is International Women’s Week, and to observe the occasion, let’s take a look at women in the sci-ences at the University of Manitoba. In the spirit of helping to encourage women to participate and achieve suc-cess in the sciences, in 1996 the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) estab-lished the regional Chairs for Women in Science and Engineering (CWSE) program.

“[The CWSE program] helps remove barriers and encourage women to bring their unique perspectives and talents to bear on today’s challenging problems,” said NSERC President Suzanne Fortier in a 2011 interview with the U of M.

At that time, 23.3 per cent of profes-sionals and academics in the sciences were women. This was a slight increase from the 19.5 per cent noted in 1987. Although there are more women in the sciences today, there is still a lack of gender equality. Programs like CWSE are important in trying to achieve that goal.

Since 2011, the University of Manitoba’s Annemieke Farenhorst has held the chair for the prairie region. A professor of soil science in the faculty of agricultural and food sciences at the U of M, Farenhost is described as a role model for women in a field that is still male-dominated. In 2000, Farenhorst was the first woman president of the Manitoba Soil Science Society (MSSS) since its establish-ment in 1957. Since her break of the long trend of male presidents, five other women have occupied presi-dential positions for the MSSS.

Traditional fields of study such as agriculture and engineering, as well as newer ones like computer science, have a tendency to attract more men than women. One of the goals of the CWSE program is to find out why such a lack in gender equality exists within these fields of study. As a regional chair of the CWSE program, Farenhorst is conducting research into the factors that influence women’s par-ticipation in the sciences.

Teresa de Kievit, associate head

and associate professor of micro-biology at the U of M, stated in an interview with the Manitoban that she thinks “women bring a unique perspective to the workplace; as such, they should be involved in all facets of the workforce.”

De Kievit said she has always had a fascination with science. From as early as the eighth grade she had been encouraged to explore the sciences. Throughout her academic journey—which included the University of Waterloo, the University of Guelph (where she completed her PhD), and the University of Rochester in New York—de Kievit had great opportunities.

At the University of Rochester, de Kievit worked with Barbara Iglewski, world-renowned professor of micro-biology and immunology, and direc-tor of international programs at the University of Rochester Medical Center. “I thought it would be a great experience to work in a lab with a female principal investigator,” said de Kievit.

Throughout her career, de Kievit said she was “surprised to learn that the attrition rate for women in high-level scientific positions is high, largely because women are motivated by dif-ferent parameters compared to men.”

Silvia Cardona, associate professor of the department of microbiology in the faculty of science and the depart-ment of medical microbiology in the faculty of medicine at the U of M, is also passionate about encouraging gender equality within the sciences.

In particular, Cardona told the Manitoban that “although both women and men are equally skilled for the scientific field, women are a minority at leadership positions.” She stressed that “women and men should occupy decision-making positions according to their capabilities.”

“If women are as capable as men, why is there a gender gap at the top- level positions in science?”

Cardona was also interested in sci-ence at a young age. She began her academic journey at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina, and con-tinued on to the University of Chile where she completed her PhD. “I am always blessed by my interaction with many female scientists, and I am con-vinced that they were key in shaping my career.”

Women account for 50 per cent of students in biomedical-related scien-tific careers, and perform as well as

men throughout undergraduate and graduate education, said Cardona.

“Much to my regret, women in sci-ence are far from filling 50 per cent of leading positions and the reasons are not always clear.”

“We need to reflect upon this or oth-erwise we will lose clever minds and a more diverse perspective at positions that contribute to the scientific stra-tegic planning,” she continued. “We need to find ways to encourage women so they realize they can have the vision, values, and courage needed to become leaders in science.” But finding gender equality in science is a struggle.

Cardona knows of women who were discriminated against in their scientific fields simply due to their gender. “The reason why this hap-pens is the existence of stereotypes about women that operate in people’s minds,” she said. Cardona stressed the importance of events like International Women’s Week that bring attention to these important social issues. Raising awareness, Cardona said, “is a great way of maximizing human resource potential, and contributing to a fair society that can drive innovation and economic development.”

Science & TechnologyVOL. 100 NO. 24March 5, 2014 13

Women have been contribut-ing to the sciences for a great

number of years. Here is a brief list of only a small fraction of the well-known female minds who have bet-tered our world:

Elizabeth Blackwell: The first woman to receive an MD from an American medical school (New York’s Geneva Medical College, 1849).

Rosalind Franklin: Played a major role in discovering the double helix structure of DNA, but was snubbed by the Nobel committee in favour of James Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins.

Jane Goodall: Pioneered modern studies of chimpanzee communities and is an environmental and endan-gered species activist.

Henrietta Leavitt: Developed the period-luminosity relationship in 1912, a method of measuring dis-tances from Earth to distant stars, revolutionizing the fields of astron-omy and physics.

Hilde Mangold: Uncovered the patterns of embryo differentiation in the 1920s.

Maria Goeppert Mayer: Developed the nuclear shell model of the atomic nucleus, and received the Nobel Prize in Physics for her achievement in 1963.

Barbara McClintock: Discovered jumping genes (transposons) and was presented with a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her accomplishment in 1983.

Lise Meitner: Proposed the first theoretical explanation for the pro-cess of nuclear fission. Her achieve-ments were overlooked in favour

of her collaborator Otto Hahn, who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Marie Curie: Received the Nobel Prizes in Physics (1903) and Chemistry (1911) for her work on radiation with the discovery of the elements radium and polonium.

Some women faced other social disparities in addition to their gender. The following honours those women who have struggled and overcome these social boundaries, but are often overlooked:

women of colour in the sciences

Patricia Bath: The first female African-American doctor to receive a patent for a medical invention: the Laserphaco Probe, the surgical tool used to vaporize cataracts.

Euphemia Lofton Haynes: The first black woman to receive her PhD in mathematics (1943).

Mae C. Jemison: The first black female astronaut.

Susan La Flesche Picotte: The first Native American woman to earn a medical degree in the United States. Picotte is also a tribal leader on the Omaha Reservation in Nebraska.

Chien-Shiung Wu: Chinese immigrant to America who designed an experiment to disprove a 30-year-old law in nuclear physics that focused on the symmetry of elec-tron ejection. Wu was not credited for her work, however, and did not receive the Nobel Prize based on her experiment.

Queer women in the sciences

Sara Josephine Baker: Organized the first child hygiene department under government control in New York City.

Rochelle Diamond: Research biologist at Caltech, as well as chair of the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals.

Margaret Mead: Anthropologist and psychologist. Mead was the pres-ident of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, in which she passed a policy against the discrimination of gay and lesbian scientists in 1977.

F lorence Night inga le: Revolutionized global nursing prac-tice and hygiene in the 19th century. Propagated feminism by provid-ing careers for women outside the home.

women with DisaBilities in the sciences

Judith Badner: Researcher of statistical genetics in complex gene traits, and medical doctor with clini-cal interests in mood disorders and disability issues. Dr. Badner has dwarfism.

Temple Grandin: Professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University and world-famous for her improvements in the livestock industry. Grandin has autism.

Karin Muraszko: Chair of the department of neurosurgery at the University of Michigan Health System. Muraszko has spina bifida.

Judith Pachciarz: First deaf female physician. Dr. Pachciarz lost her hearing at the age of two.

Women in the sciences: Hall of fame U of M gains seat in NSERCUniversity of Manitoba’s vice president (research and international) appointed position at NSERC


Digvir Jayas, the University of Manitoba’s vice president

(research and international) has recently been appointed to the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

“I was thrilled to receive a call about my appointment to NSERC, and was thrilled a sec-ond time when I received a let-ter confirming the appointment,” said Jayas in an interview with the Manitoban.

His position began Dec. 17, 2013, and is set for three years. The NSERC establishes broad policy guidelines in collaboration with the federal government to encourage research and innova-tion in Canadian post-secondary institutions.

Jayas stated his belief that “strong university-based research is critical to Canada’s prosperity, and to improving the standard of living of Canadians.” He further mentioned that “university-based research is a source of new ideas and discoveries which lead to new products and processes that enhance Canadian productivity and enhance jobs in Canadian enterprises.”

“I will bring my thoughts on the need for discovery research to the Council,” said Jayas. He is plan-ning on introducing ideas that

“will create strong partnerships with Canadian industries and organizations through research and development.”

Prior to his appointment with NSERC, Jayas had a rich history of contribution at the U of M.

He has been the vice presi-dent (research and international) since 2009, and was recently reappointed to the position for a term of five years, effective July 1, 2014. With this position, Jayas helped bring close to $160 million in research funds to the university annually.

Programs initiated by Jayas include: Science Engineering and Technology Day, which gives high school students and teachers the opportunity to interact with the U of M researchers; the Graduate Enhancement of Tri-Council Stipends, a program for funding masters and doctoral students in collaboration with the faculty of graduate studies; and development of the Undergraduate Research Awards, which over 150 students have benefited from.

Recent projects include the ini-tiation of an Internationalization

Strategy for the U of M. Other previous appoint-

ments included associate vice president of research, associate dean of research in the faculty of agricultural and food sci-ences, department head of bio-systems engineering, interim director for the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, as well as holding a Tier 1 Canada research chair in stored-grain ecosystems.

Jayas is also a registered pro-fessional engineer, a registered professional agrologist, a dis-tinguished professor, and an inducted fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He was elected as a foreign fellow of the National Academy of Sciences in India for his accomplishments in global grain preservation.

He swas presented with the Dr. John M. Bowman Memorial Winnipeg Rh Institute Foundation Award at the 2008 U of M fall convocation, and the 2008 NSERC Brockhouse Canada Prize. He has also received awards from the Canadian Society for Bioengineering, the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology, the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, the Manitoba Institute of Agrologists, as well as the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Manitoba, among many more organizations in Canada and India.

Jayas has served on the board of multiple organizations, chaired the board of directors for RESOLVE (a prairie research network on family violence), and chaired the advisory board of the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals.

The U of M vice president (research and international) has authored and co-authored over 800 technical articles in scientific journals, conference papers, and books.

His research at the U of M focuses on the advanced methods of grain storage, looking at ways to reduce loss and retain quality of grain. Other aspects of his research include mathematical modelling of biological systems, and digital image processing for grading and processing operations in the Agri-Food industry. Some of his work also extends to storage of oilseeds, potatoes, and meats.


14CommentComment Editor: katerina tefftContact: [email protected] / 474.6529

‘Blurred Lines’ gets Juno stamp of approvalAwards should not celebrate misogyny in music

stephaNie haderer, volUnteeR staff

Trigger warning: rape.

“I’ll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two.”

That is a line from one of the most controversial and popular songs of 2013. Who is the man who wrote the song? He is a performer, a father, and as of recently, a two-year Juno nominee.

Since its release in 2013, Robin Thicke’s hit song “Blurred Lines” has triggered a firestorm of criticism for its lyrics and video, which seem to insinuate rape. It is hard to tell which lyrics are the most controversial, but when the words “what you don’t like work” emerge, the lines become not so blurry in regards to the song’s implications.

In an interview with GQ Magazine, Thicke was asked if he thought his chart-topping song was degrading to women. Thicke jokingly boasted about the fun he had writing the dis-respectful song, saying, “Of course it is. What a pleasure it is to degrade a woman. I’ve never gotten to do that before. I’ve always respected women.”

The interviewer passed the whole thing off as a joke – the song, Thicke’s comments, and everything in between. One of the easiest ways

to dodge accountability is through humour.

The entire GQ interview was one nightmare comment after the other. Thicke went on to talk about how wonderful he is to women. “We’re the perfect guys to make fun of this,” he added. “All three of us are married with children.”

Still, the joke is lost on me. Was the music industry waiting for the

“perfect guys” to make fun of women, act misogynistic, or make light of rape? Mainstream music is littered with objectification and sexism. The only thing I’ve been waiting for is the expiry of music that thrives on such damaging content. I’m just waiting for all of it to get old.

With three Juno nominations and an upcoming Juno performance on the horizon for Thicke, it seems this

“joke” is never getting old. I am not generalizing the Juno Awards as the voice of Canada, but I cannot help but think that these nominations put a little stamp of Canadian approval on Thicke’s controversial song.

The blame for promoting a cul-ture that thinks the way women dress and act is an open invitation for sex—“Can’t let it get past me [ . . . ] The way you grab me / must wanna get nasty”—cannot be placed

entirely on Thicke and the others involved in writing the song. After all, it made it to number one on the charts somehow.

The recent Juno nominations only further support Thicke’s decision to put out a song like “Blurred Lines” and tacitly encourages others to pro-duce similar content in the future. I’m not suggesting that every lyric in a Top 40 song be overanalyzed; I’m only suggesting that dangerous mate-rial should not be celebrated.

It cannot go unmentioned that the disapproval of Thicke’s hit has been widespread and strong, which is encouraging despite the song’s success. In June, CBC Music ran an article on their website with the title,

“Misogyny Makes a Comeback,” run-ning an image of Thicke as a banner. When I read the article, I was relieved to see CBC’s music site emerging with strong opposition to the song’s viral success.

With the recent Juno nominations, I’m feeling slightly less optimistic. Sex sells, this I know, but until I saw the fast success of “Blurred Lines,” fol-lowed by Thicke’s rapid rise to A-list fame, I wasn’t fully prepared to admit to myself that rape sells, too.

Debunking colonialism with Jennifer KeithNew First Nations Education Act a smokescreen

JeNNiFer Keith, volUnteeR staff

At Prime Minister Harper’s recent announcement on the First

Nations Control of First Nations Education Act, he stated, “This is historic, and it is a great day for Canada, for First Nations commu-nities, and for the next generation.” He was speaking of the long-overdue transfer of control of First Nations education from the Canadian gov-ernment to First Nations. This was welcome news to First Nations who have long advocated for educational reform that stops the wheels of assimilation.

It is premature to start celebrating, however. Prime Minister Harper only outlined proposed changes to the First Nations Education Act. There is no new legislation yet, simply an agreement to proceed with the final drafting of the legislation.

First Nations have expressed sig-nificant concern that the Crown has not lived up to its duty to consult. The government has unilaterally made decisions with regards to First Nations education, but we do not know what the legislation actually

says, and there has been no consulta-tion. This appears to be a continua-tion of the paternalistic attitude that the federal government has when it comes to First Nations education.

But the proposed legislation will still transfer control of First Nations education to the First Nations peo-ple, right? Well, Harper’s website does state that, “The legislation will ensure First Nations control of First Nations education,” but this is the only indication of any transfer of control. Beyond that, the remainder of the explained changes describe

“minimum education stan-dards, consistent with pro-vincial standards off-reserve [ . . . ] curriculum that meets or exceeds provincial standards, that students meet minimum attendance requirements, that teachers are prop-erly certified, and that First Nation schools award widely recognized diplomas or certificates.”

Again, we see paternalistic treat-ment that disregards First Nations'

inherent right to self-governance, which arguably should include the right to control education and assim-ilative policies that impose provincial curriculums. The proposed changes, if passed, will legislatively entrench the federal government in First Nations education. The only mea-

sure of control First Nations appear to gain is the “establishment of First Nations Education Authorities” who will be tasked with ensuring the fed-erally defined regulations are being met.

But at least there is a promise of monies, which must be in response to

the “Funding Requirement for First Nations Schools in Canada” report prepared in 2009 by the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. The office found existing First Nations schools needed $287-308 million per year in capital funds, plus another $110 million for their maintenance

and operations. However, this figure did not include monies that are needed for new construction projects for reserves that have no school(s) and are therefore forced to bus children to nearby communities.

Unfortunately, the addi-tional monies fall short of even the existing needs, as they only amount to roughly $417 million per year. These

transfers are furthermore contingent upon the passing of the proposed legislation and the monies will not start flowing until 2015-2016, with the bulk of the funds set to be released in 2016 after the next fed-eral election.

Upon closer inspection, what the

new legislation really amounts to is a shallow promise of inadequate fund-ing, under the condition of federal legislative control. There is no radical change.

It seems the wheels of assimila-tion are actually gaining traction as the government has found new ways to continue the practice of imposing their will on First Nations, disregarding Aboriginal and treaty rights, and controlling First Nations children, communities, and culture. These actions are the exact thing that Harper denounced in 2008, when he made the Statement of Apology to former students of Indian residential schools.

No, the greatness of the day does not lie with Canada, First Nations, or the future generation; it seems that the greatness Harper is celebrat-ing is his ability to find new ways to continue the oppression of First Nations peoples.

What the new legislation really amounts to is a shallow promise of inadequate funding, under the condition of federal legislative control

iLLustratiON by saMaNtha sECtEr

CommentVOL. 100 NO. 24March 5, 2014 15

Silence is not a solutionOur flawed system won’t be fixed if we ignore it

caleigh MacdoNald, staff

The federal government’s proposed Fair Elections Act has been con-

troversial with voters in Canada who feel the system’s overhaul is both unfair and undemocratic. This bill would revamp the current Elections Act, increasing the amount that can be contributed by individuals to campaigns, limiting the ability of Elections Canada to encourage the general population to vote, and modi-fying the scope of power possessed by the chief electoral officer.

The proposed changes—which were allegedly designed to crack down on things like the robocall scandal of 2011 and to improve the integrity of our electoral system in general—have come under heavy fire from many who feel that the changes to the current system would damage the Canadian democratic process – a system which some already see as flawed in structure and practice.

A recent issue of the Manitoban featured an article by our own com-ment editor, Katerina Tefft, which was similar in nature in its criticism of Canadian democracy. Tefft expressed dissatisfaction with the Canadian electoral system as a whole, and in essence called the proposed changes irrelevant, saying, “You can’t break what’s already broken.”

Tefft further urged people to express their dissatisfaction by refus-ing to vote at all. Instead of voting, she suggested individuals should become politically active in other ways by attending protests, par-ticipating in educational events, and staging demonstrations.

The problem with this is that while all of those methods of politi-cal activity are perfectly acceptable forms of being involved, by giving up your vote, you are also giving up the thing that makes you valuable to politicians. Renouncing the action that makes you worth listening to effectively weakens the little politi-cal influence you have in a country of over 35 million.

The fact is, while politicians do, I’m sure, pursue elected office at least in some part as a means of enacting what they see as positive change for their country, they also want job security. They want to be re-elected; as such, a large portion of their jobs are geared towards pleasing voters. They may not know you personally, but ideally they want to please you enough that you’ll prefer them to

their opponents. The democratic electoral process is

a bit like a game of Monopoly in this way – where voters are the equivalent of property squares. Each player is a politician who wants to have more of the property—or voters—under their control. To do this they have to please voters, essentially “buying” approval through their platforms, campaign promises, and the way that they deal in the political game.

If you’re not voting, you aren’t worth anything to the players. You become a worthless square on the Monopoly board, the equivalent of the “Go” space on the first move of the game. Sure, you aren’t directly helping them keep their jobs, but you aren’t voting for the opposition either, which would put their jobs in danger. Since you aren’t the person they need to please, they aren’t going to bother trying. Why would they, after all?

This isn’t to say that Tefft was not correct in her assertions that there are deep and highly problematic flaws in the Canadian electoral system. But the system is not independent of the government itself. It was built and is shaped by the hands of our govern-ment, which in turn are made up of the people that we put in office. If you want to change how the system evolves, it is far more effective to alter the entity that moulds it than to opt-out completely.

The reality is that we live with a democratic system that relies on the votes of people to sustain it. The way it’s currently structured, it will use whatever votes it gets, even if those votes only represent a small portion of the actual population.

Unless every single voter boycotts the election, the system will live on, carrying out the wishes of the people that provide the politicians with their positions. Just as a person trying to cut down a tree would be unwise to throw away their axe, a person trying to impact politics would be a fool to discard the most influential tool they have; it should be used.

Don’t like the candidates from the major parties? Vote for a small party. Vote Animal Alliance Environment, United, Marijuana, Libertarian, or Canada Action. They may not win, but you will have utilized your politi-cal power, and whether you see it immediately or not, your dissenting vote does make a difference. Election results are significant for parties. If,

after the passing of this policy, a major party looks at election results and suddenly sees that not only did their voting numbers go down, but suddenly a significant portion of the population is voting for the parties that nobody had heard of before, they will notice.

So while Tefft is right to say that political activity is not “voting once every four years and sitting on your

couch watching television the rest of the time,” it is incorrect to consider not voting to be a show of political activity. While you can shout in the streets, make protest signs, and block off as many roads as you wish, in the end it’s always the voters that the politicians listen to first.

It’s for this reason that, while I’ve had my fair share of being “poli-ticked off” too, you’ll still see me cast-

ing my ballot when the time comes. I truly believe that voting itself is not giving up your power. Voting is using the power you have to your best advantage. It is only if you choose to throw that away on uninformed choices or apathy that you become truly powerless.

You can call it naivety if you like, but I’m not ready to give up on our entire system just yet.

iLLustratiON by aiChELLE sayuNO

16Arts & Culture

arts & Culture Editor: kara passeyContact: [email protected] / 474.6529

Women’s Day – why?Local IWD events raise questions of diversity, inclusion, and focus

aNastasia chipelsKi, staff

International Women’s Day (IWD) has strong roots in the

socialist and labour movements, but in 2014, the symbolic meaning of this day is not so clear cut.

While some may lament the lack of a unified vision for IWD, the open-ended nature of the day makes room for productive conversations about social change, history, and inclusion.

IWD does not necessarily have a home with a particular organization or group, and so a variety of events can be held in observance.

This year, a march is being orga-nized by a group identified as the IWD planning committee, who state that “[individual] groups had been doing their own thing to hon-our the day for years. There was the annual event at the legislature, stu-dent groups would plan something for students and people in the area, [community] groups would plan for their members/clients, and so would labour activists.”

The labour movement roots of

IWD go back to the early 1900s, and much of the history written about IWD focuses on the struggles for workers’ rights and obtaining the vote for women. In 1975, IWD was officially “sanctioned” by the United Nations (UN), who did not set an exact date but left it up to individual nations to choose how and when to mark the day.

Some local feminists have noticed a lack of specificity in this UN-focused IWD tradition. Tanya McFadyen, who returned to femi-nist organizing in Winnipeg after seven years in Toronto, noted that

“Sometimes it feels like a holdover from a United Nations/second-wave feminist type way of organizing [ . . . ] just create and they will come.”

McFadyen noted that IWD events held in Toronto focused on Canadian women supporting women’s struggles on an international level, while in Winnipeg, “the organizing conversa-tions so far have been more focused on indigenous women.”

The question of who is included

within the label of “women” has also fuelled many passionate debates. Gina McKay helped organize mul-tiple IWD and Take Back the Night marches throughout the 2000s, and recalls meeting resistance when try-ing to open the events up beyond the

“women born women” category.“[The] first [IWD] march/event

after that was under-attended as everyone seemed to be avoiding the women’s centre activities [ . . . ] how-ever, it changed by the next march as we began educating regarding the broadening of the feminist lens to include women of all kinds.”

McKay reflects that this change was necessitated by her close work with trans*-identified women who were “desperately looking for a space to connect.”

While she recognizes the chal-lenges in finding a place of inclusion and diversity in events like IWD, McKay believes it’s possible if the organizers “recognize the need for different events that reflect each com-munity, and stitch it all together with

solidarity.”While bringing people together

respectfully and inclusively can be a challenge on its own, the ques-tion remains: What are they being brought together for?

“Is it a day to educate, mourn, cel-ebrate, or to re-evaluate the social movements that are centred on gen-dered issues, in particular issues fac-ing women-identified folks?” asks McFadyen.

The IWD planning committee points to the 2011 controversy of Judge Robert Dewar’s sentencing and commentary around a rape case as a galvanizing moment in local feminist movements. This event, and resulting demonstrations, were “instrumental in shaking many local feminists out of their complacency and for pro-viding a reason for everyone to work together.”

This year, a full slate of events including marches, performances, speakers, and dinners are being held in the name of IWD. The vision of the IWD planning committee’s

march this year is “to remind women of the benefits of working together, to highlight the work yet to be done, and to celebrate our stories.”

In working together, perhaps this year’s IWD will provide a space for those in the women’s, feminist, and social justice movements to come together and consider their goals for IWD and beyond.

If it is a day to mobilize for change, what changes are being sought? Is it a day to celebrate and reflect on women’s stories, and if so, whose sto-ries are and aren’t being told?

Rather than undermining the work that has been done, these questions echo the strengths of these movements, emphasize their self-reflective nature, and point to areas for productive discussion, learning, and growth.

This article is the first of a two-part series on IWD events in Winnipeg. If you have an IWD-related story or perspective to share, please email [email protected]

international women's day events

All events listed are free unless otherwise specified

March 6

5:30-10 p.m.12th Annual Dinner to Celebrate International Women’s DayWomen and Sport: Issues and Opportunities with Dr. Sarah TeetzelMarshall McLuhan Hall, University of ManitobaDinner 6:15 and $25Speaker’s Presentation 7:30and free

March 5

12 p.m.Presented by Sarasvati Productions and U of M Womyn’s CentreStudent Resource Centre (180 Helen Glass)

March 7

2-5 p.m.Screening of the film Girl RisingPresented by Women of WinnipegCineplex Odeon (2190 McGillivray Blvd)Tickets $25 (204-479-8479)

6 p.m.Young Lakota screening in celebration of International Women’s DayFollowed by panel discussion with the Native Youth Sexual Health NetworkKa Ni Kanichihk (455 McDermot Ave.)

March 812-4 p.m.CraftstravaganzaCelebrating International Women’s Day with a Mega-Workshop in Indigenous and International Craft PracticesPresented by MAWA in partnership with Manitoba Craft CouncilMAWA (611 Main St.)

12-2:30 p.m.Screening of Miss Representation and DiscussionPresented by YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg’s Volunteer Civic Engagement GroupCinematheque (100 Arthur St.)

5 p.m.-8 p.m.Steak’n Spuds Night – Proceeds to the Women’s Memorial FundSponsored by Canadian Labour Congress, Manitoba Federation of Labour, and Winnipeg Labour CouncilCanadInns (826 Regent Ave. W)Tickets $20 (call 204-942-0522)

March 7

7:30-9 a.m.International Women’s Day Breakfast with prof. Marilou McPhedranPresented by Winnipeg South Centre Federal Liberal AssociationPrairie Ink Restaurant & Bakery (1120 Grant Ave.)Tickets $25 at events.liberal.ca

7:30-9:45 a.m.Inspiring Change for Women in Manitoba – a Breakfast Panel DiscussionPresented by the Hummingbird Education FundDelta Hotel Ballroom (2nd floor, 350 St Mary Ave.)Tickets $40 (call 204-474-6799)

11:45-1 p.m.Celebrating the Diversity of Manitoba WomenPresented by the Manitoba Status of Women / Manitoba Women’s Advisory CouncilRoom 200, Manitoba Legislative Building

March 812-3 p.m.International Women’s Day 2014-Winnipeg MarchStarting at Portage Place; Marching to Union Centre on Broadway

March 8 9 p.m.-2 a.m.Mama Cutsworth’s DJ Academy for All Women The Graduation Dance PartyLoft Gastropub (774 Corydon Ave.)$5 at the door

International Women’s Week Cabaret of Monologues: Rise up!

March 7 and 8, 8 p.m.Colin Jackson Studio (Prairie Theatre Exchange)TIckets $10

Arts & CultureVOL. 100 NO. 24March 5, 2014 17

Alex Torcolacci and Ellie Schwartz were studying for their

final exams last semester when the topic of what they would do for their joint birthdays this year came up. Instead of the typical birthday plans, they decided to support a cause that is very near to their hearts.

In just three months, they have planned Strength in Heels, a move-ment working to raise awareness of violence against women. The move-ment’s first event will take place on Saturday, Mar. 8 at the Winnipeg Winter Club, with proceeds going to the Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre.

The event falls on International Women’s Day, and attendees are asked to wear purple – the colour for both International Women’s Day and the campaign against domestic abuse. The colour will dominate the evening in the form of balloons, cen-trepieces, and flowers.

Schwartz, a political studies stu-dent at the University of Manitoba, says she and Torcolacci want to address the issue of domestic abuse because the teen demographic is unintentionally being ignored. After this first event, the co-founders plan to go into high schools to talk to young women and men. “The dating age is getting lower and lower; these conversations need to follow that.”

“In high school when you learn about domestic abuse, if you even

learn about domestic abuse [ . . . ] [the perception is that] if there’s an issue, here’s the crisis line. But when you hear ‘crisis line’ you think, well, that gut feeling that I’m having, that, you know, I’m a little uncomfort-able when my boyfriend gets really mad over nothing, that’s not a crisis, and that idea needs to change,” says Schwartz.

Torcolacci, a recent University of Winnipeg political studies graduate, stresses that domestic abuse isn’t just physical: “It’s a lot more mental, and that’s a side that most people don’t discuss.”

The purpose of Strength in Heels is to get these problems out of the

“bedrooms” and actually talk about them. “It is something that isn’t talked about and it is so common,” says Torcolacci. “I think it’s also the fact that someone’s like re-victimiz-ing the individual; from my personal experience, it’s very embarrassing, I don’t know why it is, but it’s embar-rassing to talk about.” So awareness needs to be raised in order to help

“prevent further cases.” Schwartz says that these types

of conversations are sometimes approached in an intimidating or heavy way, and we need to pro-mote the notion of “listen[ing] to your gut” in a way that’s not “scar-ing people away from having those conversations.”

Torcolacci adds, “[domestic vio-

lence] isn’t just a one-sided thing; it is more common for it to happen to females, but it does happen to men, too.”

At the event, there will be posters and pamphlets from the Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre, a non-profit, feminist organization that promotes the safety and empower-ment of women.

Schwartz notes that most centres and shelters like this one receive little funding, and a goal of Strength in Heels is to promote “the avenues that are available in Winnipeg; there are many shelters and resource centres that people know nothing about and that have very little support.”

“The whole idea behind strength in heels is to create solid ground for women to stand on and so you know strength in heels, strength in numbers. Let’s create a community that can do that, that can support each other.”

Strength in Heels will take place at the Winnipeg Winter Club start-ing with a cocktail hour at 9 p.m. The semi-formal, 18+ event will be emceed by Jordan Knight and Kristin Mirand of Energy 106.1. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and proceeds go to the Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre. For more information visit the website strengthinheels.com and find Strength in Heels on Facebook and Twitter.

Creating ‘solid ground for women to stand on’Strength in Heels to raise awareness of gendered violence

carlyN schelleNBerg, staff

One artist, many handsRebecca Belmore’s installation at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights will involve thousands of people

luKas thiesseN, staff

When the site at the Forks was excavated for the

Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR), 400,000 mostly Aboriginal artifacts were unearthed.

Now, when visitors to Canada’s newest national museum enter the postmodern building, they enter the Indigenous Perspectives gallery, positioned as the second stop after the introductory room. The gallery will display a vast tapestry remi-niscent of a shawl or blanket, and composed of thousands of heavy earthen beads crafted by an incred-ible number of participants.

The instal-lation will be about 30 feet high and 20 feet wide on a wall almost 250 feet long, using roughly 10,000 beads.

“There will be indigenous work in each of the 11 gal-leries in the CMHR, but the Indigenous Perspectives Gallery is important because it prepares visitors to under-stand the museum’s goals through a framework of ideas rooted in many First Nations cultures,” says Maureen Fitzhenry, media rela-tions manager for the CMHR.

The enormous beaded tapes-try to be installed is titled Trace, created by Rebecca Belmore, an Anishinaabe-Canadian artist, and curated by Lee-Ann Martin, former curator of contemporary Canadian Aboriginal art at the Museum of Civilization and adjunct curator of First Nations art at the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina.

Belmore was the first Aboriginal woman to represent Canada at the international art exhibition the Venice Biennale. Belmore’s work has been exhibited across Canada, as well as in New Mexico, Italy, Australia, and Cuba.

“This is a major coup for Winnipeg and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights to have an original artwork by this particu-lar artist here,” says Fitzhenry.

The director of art and objects at the CMHR issued a call to six dif-ferent curators to submit proposals and select an artist they wanted to work with. Four of them responded, and after the proposals were sub-jected to a selection panel, Martin’s proposal was chosen.

“None of the other pieces in the museum are [as] participatory as this one,” says Fitzhenry. “That is one of the reasons why the selection panel particularly liked this concept. The actual vision of the artwork itself was very aligned with the museum’s human rights principles, and the situation with the museum on First

Nations terri-tory. Belmore’s piece was highly inf lu-enced by the archeology work that happened at the museum site before construction began.”

“She was particularly impressed with the number

of fire pits, or hearths, that were uncovered in a relatively small dig site. That spoke to the site being a gathering place for thousands of years and confirmed a lot of the oral histories around the site,” says Fitzhenry.

“She started thinking about hearths, people meeting, fire, clay, earth, and came up with the idea of doing something about clay. But then she thought of the archeology revealing the clay shards of pottery unearthed from 800 years ago, of the impressions left by those people from so long ago, and she wanted to do something that keeps that tradition going and has the trace of many diverse people who are here today.”Want to participate in this art proj-ect? Go to Neechi Commons (865 Main St.) on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoons from 12 p.m until 5 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Contact them at [email protected], or like their Facebook page Trace Project.

Belmore was the first Aboriginal woman to represent Canada at the international art exhibition, the Venice Biennale

LOgO CrEatEd by stEVE sChwartz, prOpErty Of strENgth iN hEELs

Arts & Culture arts & Culture Editor: kara passeyContact: [email protected] / 474.652918

aNastasia chipelsKi, staff

While February isn’t typically the canning season, you

wouldn’t know it from the full house gathered at Café Ce Soir on a chilly Monday night. We were all there for a sold-out workshop on pick-ling carrots hosted by Slow Food Winnipeg, and featuring the exper-tise of local entrepreneur and pickler extraordinaire Kim Bialkoski.

Bialkoski is the woman behind flora & farmer, under whose mon-iker she produces pickles, jams, and other canned goods.

“[The business was born when] my hobby got out of control,” says Bialkoski. Over the last nine years, she taught herself the basic science of canning and preserving, and mixed in more than a dash of her own creative whimsy.

While playing in the kitchen, she found herself building a col-lection of over 200 jars of various goods—more than she could eat or give away—but after selling them all at an anarchist festival in 2012, she realized she might be onto something.

Her vision for flora & farmer was to create new taste combinations that are “not your grandmother’s pickles.”

Samples of her first original recipe—a strawberry, a beet, and vanilla jam—were offered up on a sideboard for workshop attendees. As Bialkoski deftly worked the demo table and sterilized the jars, we nibbled on other delights: brandy and star anise pickled pears; rasp-berry grapefruit spread; and boozy

anise, ginger, and citrus rubies (her signature pickled beets).

Her passion for finely flavored cuisine is shared by Anna Echols, VP of Slow Food Winnipeg and the enthusiastic co-host of the event.

“I personally love the foodie events and learning new ways of doing things in the kitchen,” says Echols. “I believe that any locavore should join [the slow food move-ment], not only to support the worldwide movement, but to sup-port those activities and the educa-tional opportunities that Slow Food provides locally to promote the old-fashioned and traditional values of knowing where [your] food comes from.”

She encouraged workshop par-ticipants to attend other workshops, learn about locally sourced products, and get involved in farm-share pro-grams. By being directly involved in a local food production chain, Echols believes that individuals take an active role “as co-producers, not just consumers.”

The spirit of the Slow Food move-ment is to slow down, and rediscover the pleasure of food and the com-munities it creates, to “meet people and hear their stories,” says Echols. The long process of canning can be brightened up by inviting friends, and sharing the wealth of food, knowledge, and good company.

And although you can learn almost anything off the Internet, Bialkoski provided a warning about online misinformation and different global canning standards. In Europe,

for example, sealing the goods in a water bath isn’t standard, though it is a required process for North American safety standards.

Bialkoski shared her tips and tricks for canning safely and tastily, as well as how to make the most of ingredients and equipment. Jars can be reused once sterilized, while lids cannot – but they can be quite cheap at Dollarama.

As the evening wound to an end, we lined up around Bialkoski’s tables to each assemble our own pickle jar, filling it with spices, onion wedges, garlic cloves, and fresh dill. The sliced carrots—some bright yellow and orange, some deep purple with a sunburst centre—were carefully lay-ered before being covered in brine.

While they’re pickling, these jars are a beautiful visual creation, and in a few weeks, workshop partici-pants will have their first taste of the honey mustard dill carrot pickles.

And once all of the pickled goods are gone, the brine that bathed them can still find a second life, Bialkoski suggested. The brine from the brandy and star anise pears makes a great marinade for pork, and can double as a spinach salad dressing.

Learn about future Slow Food Winnipeg events and make your own honey mustard dill carrot pick-les with flora & farmer’s recipe at slowfoodwinnipeg.org/blog. Flora & farmer is currently only available at farmers’ markets and smaller sales, so follow them on Facebook for news.

Stop and smell the picklesSlow Food workshop connects local makers and foodies

The sound of violenceLocal violinist with loop pedal releases debut album

luKas thiesseN, staff

Nicholas Krueger confronts the assumption that violent screech

is a term for the sound made by a nov-ice violin student playing the instru-ment for the first time. Classically trained at Centenary Suzuki School in Shreveport, Louisiana, he later studied violin at the University of Manitoba with Oleg Pokhanovski, and is now known by his performance moniker Violent Screech.

“I’m a violin teacher too and I do experience lots of screeching. It usu-ally takes a student at least five years to get a good tone,” Krueger tells the Manitoban. “The learning curve is very steep – you have to love the instrument to make it through those first couple years. Once I crossed this threshold, the instrument opens up so much, you can mimic almost any sound you want and play so many different genres.”

This project is his first foray beyond

traditional approaches to his instru-ment. He used to play classical violin for himself, friends, and family.

Krueger spent last year honing his skills as Violent Screech at various performances in Winnipeg, including a guerilla sound and noise show and an event at premiere arts venue Zsa Zsa West.

He is set to play at Cluster: New Music and Integrated Arts Festival a week before his self-titled debut is released at the Purple Room in March. The show opens with music by Heartbeat City and will include a performance of Arvo Pärt’s composi-tion “Fratres.” Krueger himself will be joined by vocalist Rayannah and bassist Quintin Bart.

Krueger is releasing the album inde-pendently: the songs were engineered by local musician J. Riley Hill (The Fo!ps, RasTamils, Mulligrub, and J.

Riley Hill and the Magic Bears), under Hill’s new production project called Mortfell Recording.

“The whole album is about my expe-rience with home. Half my life was in Louisiana and the other half here,” says Krueger. “I love both these places, but feel conflicted about them. Louisiana of course has a history of slavery and continues to be a hotbed of bigotry. Winnipeg has a continuing history of genocide towards indigenous people.”

“When I wrote this album, I was thinking a lot about how I live on land that is not mine and the genocide that occurred here,” says Krueger. “So it became a very political album.”

The album starts off with the song “Tree,” which describes how some-thing that takes a long time to grow can be easily destroyed. The next song is “Forest Floor,” about what happens after the destruction. The closing songs,

“Our Hands,” and “Our Breath,” move toward hope.

“The loop pedal lends itself so well to solo violin, as the violin can be bass, percussion, treble, and carry the mel-ody,” says Krueger. “I think it’s just a result of technology that is now being used in different genres.”

He is one of the newest artists in this field, which includes Owen Pallett, Andrew Bird, and Hannah Epperson.

“Although those three artists use the same medium, they are all quite different in sound, and all doing great things,” says Krueger. “Andrew Bird is folk-pop, Owen Pallett is neo-classical, and Hannah Epperson is pop.”

“I’d say my biggest influences are Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Bach, and I would consider myself ambient-classical. Of those three, my music is most influenced and similar to Owen Pallett, especially his album He

Poos Clouds, which is his most classically influenced album.”

Krueger plays on an acoustic violin from Winnipeg luthier John Weier, and an RC300 pedal. For Krueger, the pedal is a tool for live performance, and he plays about half the time with only the violin, not using the pedal or amplification. He composes without the pedal, using it afterwards to play the parts he already wrote.

“I really like how personal the loop pedal makes my shows, that every sound has my interpretation of the music,” says Krueger. “However, for the sake of sound, if I could hire a string quartet for every show, I would.”

The album release is 8 p.m. on Mar. 14, at the Purple Room at Frame Arts Warehouse (318 Ross Ave.). Contact [email protected] for tickets ($10 in advance, $12 at the door).

phOtOs by sarah bENNEtt

Arts & CultureVOL. 100 NO. 24March 5, 2014 19

Friday, March 7Beefdonut album release show with Kato Destroy and the Manic ShakesThe Windsor

Saturday, March 8Cold and Miserable Fest featuring The Unbelievable Bargains, Moledebater, Ghost Hole, and MulligrubThe Sad Haus

Thursday, March 6 – April 5MY MONUMENT featuring Cam Bush, Steven Leyden Cochrane, Roewan Crowe, and Paul RoblesGallery 1C03 (University of Winnipeg)

event listingsThe arts events to attend this weekend

Friday, March 7Memory Maps by Frank LivingstonZsa Zsa West

Friday, March 7 – April 4There is Here by Robert Taiteaceartinc.

viSuAl ArT

MuSic oTher

Though there have been many books that analyze film and the

significance of children in them, none can compare to Mark Cousins’ documentary A Story of Children and Film. Using examples from the filmography of famous international directors such as Luis Buñuel, Ingmar Bergman, and Yasujiro Ozu, Cousins thoroughly dissects the importance of child actors and how children can be used to portray distinctions in classes and world events.

A hit at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival, A Story of Children and Film can be seen as a grand visual textbook which is bold in vision. It is thoroughly committed to high-lighting films that have been forgot-ten by the public, ensuring us that they still are important and influ-encing us to seek them out if we haven’t already. Cousins convinces

us that nothing is merely a “child’s film” because even animation can be quite complex and diverse; ani-mation can reveal a tremendous amount about life.

Cousins presents a mosaic of clips, images, and significant moments from various films in order to bring forth his distinctive and sometimes strange essay, which often flows like a magnificent poem. He speaks with the confidence of a narrator in a nature documentary: nothing he says seems out of place and everything makes absolute logi-cal sense. When Cousins explains David Lean’s Great Expectations (1946) in terms of social class that is seen through the young main character, you feel as though it’s exactly what the director and writer intended Great Expectations to be.

Considering there is a lot of material Cousins could have used, it’s both good and bad that the film

is only 100 minutes. The picture could have been longer, but it would have risked overstaying its welcome. A Story of Children and Film is short enough to keep its audience’s atten-tion and long enough to display a wealth of information. Cousins’ film is thought-provoking; film buffs and historians will certainly be drawn to it, and even casual film-goers may find a reason to seriously get involved with this magnificent piece of art. 4/5

Check out more of Michael ’s reviews at goodbadcritic.blog-spot.ca, and catch a screening of A Story of Children and Film at Cinematheque (100 Arthur Street) on Mar. 5-6 at 7 p.m., as well as Mar. 7-8 at 9 p.m.

Review: A Story of Children and Film

Michael carlisle, volUnteeR staff

20Diversionsgraphics Editor: bradly wohlgemuthContact: [email protected] / 474.6775

21 Sportssports Editor: Marc LagaceContact: [email protected] / 474.6529

Marc lagace, staff

Men’s volleyballAfter an outstanding Canada

West season, Adam DeJonckheere was recognized for his outstanding rookie year with the Bisons at both the conference and national levels. He was named to the 2013-14 Canada West men’s volleyball All-Rookie Team and also to the 2013-14 CIS men’s volleyball All-Rookie Team.

DeJonckheere was recruited from St. Paul’s High School, and finished second on the team with 288 kills and 320.5 points.

“Adam has shown tremendous growth this year that allowed him to play at a level beyond his years,” Bison head coach Cam Johnson told gobisons.ca.

“He plays with confidence and an ability to shake off and process errors such that he became a go-to guy even as a first-year player on the floor.”

Women’s hockeyFour Bison athletes from the

women’s hockey team were hon-oured with Canada West All-Star designations.

Caitlin MacDonald capped off her fifth and final year as a Bison with her for selection as a Canada West first team All-Star. MacDonald was an alternate captain for the Bisons in 2013-14 and finished the season with 10 points as a defenceman.

Joining MacDonald is Kyleigh Palmer, who was also selected as a

Canada West first team All-Star. As a forward in her fifth year of eligi-bility as a Bison, Palmer was first in team scoring and third overall in the conference with 14 goals and 15 assists for 29 points. Palmer led the Bisons with a plus/minus rating of +14, and was tied for fourth in the conference with four game-winning goals.

Fourth-year forward Meagan Vestby was named as a Canada West second team All-Star. The selection was her first as a Bison after her best scoring season with the team. Vestby had 23 points (eight goals and 15 assists), which placed her second on the team scoring list and sixth overall in the conference.

Rookie Caitlin Fyten was selected

to the Canada West All-Rookie Team. The 18-year-old defenceman was tied for eighth in conference rookie scoring with eight points (one goal, seven assists).

“Caitlin, Kyleigh, and Meagan were all big parts of a really good regular season for our team this year,” said Bison women’s hockey head coach Jon Rempel to gobisons.ca. “All four players played hard and are deserving of Canada West All-Star and All-Rookie recognition.”

The Canada West conference was completely shut out at the CIS level for awards.

Men’s basketball

Andre Arruda started every game during his rookie season with the Bisons, leading to him being named to the 2013-14 Canada West men’s basketball All-Rookie team.

Arruda led the Bisons with a 13.8 points-per-game average and was fifth in three-point shooting percent-ages throughout the conference, with a .420 conversion rate.

“After coming off a knee injury last year, to starting every game for us this year, he has made huge strides in his development,” Bison men’s basket-ball head coach Kirby Schepp told gobisons.ca.

“[Arruda] had an outstanding sea-son but has an even brighter future ahead of him.”

Heartbreak in CalgaryBison men’s hockey team gives nationally-ranked Dinos all they can handle in semifinals

MiKe still, staff

Heading into this past week-end’s action, the Manitoba

Bison men’s hockey team had lost in the semifinals each of the past three years, and were on a mission to change their fate this year. Their opponent, the fourth-ranked Calgary Dinos, had not lost to Manitoba all season, but the Bisons gave the home team everything they had in a three-game slugfest. The Dinos ultimately eliminated Manitoba in a classic play-off matchup.

Calgary never trailed in the series, yet Manitoba still took two of three games to overtime, making for an exciting finish. Despite playing with relentless passion, the Bisons fell just short, losing the series 2-1.

Calgary potted goals in bunches during game one on Friday night, going a perfect two-for-two on the power play, and orchestrating a domi-nant 5-1 victory.

Calgary scored early and often in the first period, registering 17 shots and three goals in the first 10 minutes. Giffen Nyren was first to put Calgary on the board on a controversial call at 6:16; it appeared he had pushed the puck in with his knee, but the goal was confirmed after a brief discussion amongst the officials.

The Dinos built on their momen-tum less than 20 seconds later, as Davis Vandane made it 2-0 with a huge slapper from the point. Walker Wintoneak chipped in on the power play at 9:46, deflecting a Nyren shot into the back of the net.

Manitoba attempted to seize the momentum in the second frame. The Bisons outshot Calgary 10-6 in the period as the Dinos committed

three minor penalties, with a fourth extended from the opening 20 min-utes. This forced the typically offen-sive-minded team to play on their toes and stay in the defensive zone throughout.

The Bisons eventually took advan-tage, scoring on their second oppor-tunity with the power play at 6:47. Rookie defenceman Luke Paulsen notched his first career playoff goal, going five-hole on Jacob DeSerres.

Needing a comeback, Manitoba fell flat in the third after generating a number of chances in the second period. Calgary tallied two more goals, despite registering only seven shots in the final frame.

Facing elimination in game two, the Bisons showed off their resil-iency as they pulled out a 3-2 over-time win.

Calgary took the lead just under two minutes into the game, as Vandane blasted a shot from an odd angle that got by a screened Joe Caligiuri. The goal was Vandane’s second of the series, a bit of a sur-prise considering he’d scored just once through the regular season.

Just like game one, the Dinos did a good job limiting Manitoba’s chances in the first 20 minutes. Kris Lazaruk made his first start of the series and remained fairly comfort-able throughout the period, facing just five shots.

The defensive battle continued in the second period, with both sides dumping the puck and not generating many chances throughout the first 15 minutes. Manitoba scored the tying goal at 10:41 on an innocent-looking shot from Paulsen that managed to

slip past Lazaruk. The momentum swung back

to Calgary in the third, as Darren Bestland received a 10-minute mis-conduct penalty for a hit to the head. Veteran Cory Pritz made sure to capitalize, going end to end on the power play and beating Caligiuri at 2:43 to re-establish a one-goal lead for Calgary.

The Dinos continued to apply pressure after regaining momentum, and had a few chances to put this one away. However, Caligiuri remained calm in net.

Manitoba stayed patient and was rewarded just under halfway through the final frame. After a Calgary shot ripped all the way around the boards, Dylan Kelly lit the lamp on a tre-mendous pass in tight from Luke Cain. His goal at 9:31 was the first by a forward all series for the Bisons. Both sides traded chances late, but neither goalie could be beat, sending this one into overtime.

Another young star stepped up in overtime for the Bisons as Jordan DePape, who was third in rookie scoring, ended things at 13:05. His goal forced a deciding game three the following evening.

The deciding game on Sunday went to overtime yet again, this time with a disappointing result, as the Dinos booked their ticket to the Canada West final with a 2-1 win.

The momentum was in Calgary’s hands up until the six-minute mark, when a controversial hit from Kelly turned the tides in the visitors’ favour.

The scrappy forward smashed Calgary’s Nyren into the boards

so hard that a pane of glass behind the Bison net broke all over the ice. Thankfully, both players emerged unscathed. The pause in action sent Calgary into a funk for the remainder of the period, and Manitoba capital-ized. Brendan Rowinski cleaned up a loose puck in front at 15:15, evening the score after one.

Penalties prevented either side from getting much going in the sec-ond. A total of five were committed overall. The Dinos generated qual-ity chances, but were halted by the glove of Caligiuri. Manitoba’s back end also proved their worth: led by Bestland and Brock Sutherland, the Bisons fearlessly blocked a number of Calgary shots.

For the third time in six games during the playoffs, Manitoba headed to overtime. Both sides played tenta-tively, careful not to make a mistake that cost their team.

The extra session featured back-and-forth action, with a few heart-stopping opportunities at both ends of the ice. Calgary was able to exact a measure of revenge from Saturday’s overtime loss, ending the Bisons’ sea-son at 5:41 on a quick shot from Alex Dzielski.

With the win, Calgary now moves on to play their provincial rivals, the Alberta Golden Bears, in the Canada West Championship.

Bison BriefsAwards season

phOtO by daVid MOLL-uNiVErsity Of CaLgary

Sports sports Editor: Marc LagaceContact: [email protected] / 474.652922

Paralympic medal contendersCanadians looking for more success in Sochi

adaM peleshaty, volUnteeR staff

While the Winter Olympics have now left Sochi, athletes will

once again descend on the Russian city for the 11th Winter Paralympic Games, which run Mar. 7-16.

This is the first Paralympics ever held in Russia and it has the poten-tial to leave a significant effect on the country. While Russia is behind Canadian standards in accessibility and equality towards people with dis-abilities, they have made progress, as evidenced by its ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2012.

Five sports—alpine skiing, biath-lon, cross-country skiing, sledge hockey, and wheelchair curling—will be contested with 72 events in total. Para-snowboarding, in the form of snowboard cross and under the alpine skiing program, will make its Paralympic debut.

Canada is sending 54 athletes to Sochi and looks to match or exceed their medal haul in Vancouver where

they won 19 medals, 10 of them gold. However, the Russians won the most medals four years ago with 38 and are seeking another dominant perfor-mance on home soil.

Alpine skiing Four years ago, Lauren

Woolstencroft won five gold medals to contribute to Canada’s 13 med-als on the hill. Since Vancouver, Woolstencroft and others have retired, leaving Josh Dueck as the only returning Canadian medallist heading to Sochi. His teammates Mac Marcoux, Chris Williamson, Kimberly Joines, and Alexandra Starker are also Canadian medal threats.

Other skiers expected to contend for medals at Sochi include Slovakia’s Henrieta Farkasova, France’s Marie Bochet, Germany’s Anna Schaffelhuber, Japan’s Taiki Morii, and Austria’s Matthias Lanzinger. Winnipeg-born John Leslie is Canada’s top para-snowboarder

but faces stiff competition from Americans Evan Strong, Michael Shea, and Keith Gabel.

Biathlon Charlottetown’s Mark Arendz

is the reigning World Cup cham-pion in standing biathlon, and is Canada’s only medal contender, but this sport is Russia’s bread and but-ter. Their biathletes won 16 medals in Vancouver and Russians currently have or share the lead in every World Cup ranking. Irek Zaripov, Nikolay Polukhin, and Maria Iovleva—2010 medallists—lead the Russian team while the Ukrainians, led by gold medallists Vitaly Lukyanenko and Oleksandra Kononova, will challenge the Russians for biathlon dominance.

cross-country skiing Four years ago, Brian McKeever

shrugged off not participating in the Olympic Games for Canada despite being named to the team, and left

Vancouver with three Paralympic gold medals. He will be a medal threat in Sochi, but has a new sighted guide after his brother Robin retired to become Canada’s Paralympic Nordic skiing head coach.

Robbi Weldon is another Canadian medal threat, and 52-year-old Colette Bourgonje will compete in her seventh Winter Paralympics and 10th overall. She was the first Canadian to win a medal in Vancouver four years ago.

However, Russ ia i s expected to win most of the cross-country medals in Sochi.

sledge hockeyUnlike their able-bodied counter-

parts, Canada’s sledge hockey team was left disappointed in Vancouver. The team lost to Japan and Norway to finish fourth but this year, the team comes in as reigning world champi-ons and gold medal favourites. Led by veteran players Billy Bridges, Brad Bowden, and captain Greg Westlake, Team Canada will try to fend off the U.S., Norway, and Russia for their second gold medal in the last three Paralympic tournaments.

Wheelchair curling Since mak ing our

Paralympic debut in 2006 in Torino, Canada has won gold in both Paralympic wheelchair curl-

ing events. Skip Jim Armstrong will

lead Canada just as he did four years ago in Vancouver.

Returning teammates from Vancouver are Ina Forrest

and Sonja Gaudet, who also won gold in Torino. Dennis Thiessen of Sanford, MB and Mark Ideson will also play for Canada. Other medal favourites are Sweden, the U.S., and Great Britain.iLLustratiON by braM kEast

SportsVOL. 100 NO. 24March 5, 2014 23

Push for the playoffsEvaluating the Winnipeg Jets’ chances of making the post-season

MiKe still, staff

The Winnipeg Jets have experi-enced revitalization since the hir-

ing of new head coach Paul Maurice. They have a record of 10-3-1 under the current bench boss, and appear to be headed in the right direction.

While their recent success is a positive, Winnipeg faces just six non-playoff teams for the remainder of the season, and will have to play their best hockey if they want to make the playoffs for the first time since return-ing in 2011.

With four teams, including Winnipeg, within four points of the final wild card spot, the race will certainly heat up. The toughest task now for the young squad is continu-ing their momentum after a 19-day Olympic break. Last Thursday night’s victory against Phoenix began a busy stretch—22 games in 44 nights for the Jets. Thankfully, five of Winnipeg’s next seven games take place at home, which could prove to be crucial.

With only a handful of Jets play-ers playing in Sochi, a number of players received the opportunity to heal up and rest injuries. Evander Kane’s return to the lineup is by far the most noticeable. He provides a huge spark for the team, as his speed is an immediate asset. Jim Slater and Matt Halischuk have also returned from injury. With over 600 games of combined experience, their veteran presence is a necessity in the locker room and on the ice.

Slater rejoined the lineup against

Phoenix for the first time since Oct. 18. The gritty fourth-line centre made a welcomed return to the faceoff circle, where he averaged a win percentage of 54.3.

“I was a little nervous coming in here; I’ve still got things to work on. Obviously it’s tough jumping right in, but overall I think I felt pretty good,” commented Jim Slater post-game against the Coyotes.

While the Olympic break pro-vided a long stretch without game action for some, for Olli Jokinen, it was of great importance. With just two goals in his last 14 NHL games, the veteran from Finland needed to pick his game up.

Playing for his home country in Sochi was a chance for Jokinen to hone his skills and generate some confidence for the final 22 games of the regular season. Appearing in all six of Finland’s games, he notched two goals and two assists. Jokinen was still trying to adjust to the NHL style of play against the Coyotes, but notched a goal against Nashville on Saturday.

“It’s a different game here. It’s a lot more physical and a lot more grind-ing over here, than over there (in Sochi) in the last two weeks,” Jokinen explained.

Something that could become a major factor entering the final stretch of the season is free agency. With the trade deadline on Mar. 5, Winnipeg will have some important decisions

to make regarding the contracts of Jokinen, as well as defenceman Mark Stuart. Both players become unre-stricted free agents at the end of the season.

With the fourth highest salary on the team and a cap hit of over four million dollars, moving Jokinen might make sense for the Jets. He has experienced rejuvenation this year, with 13 goals and 32 points in 61 games, but has been inconsistent at times. At age 35, he may very well be at the peak of his production, and this could be the best chance Winnipeg has to get positive returns for the alternate captain.

The same case could be made for Stuart; however, his character and leadership is nearly irreplaceable. He is a trusted veteran who has mentored Jacob Trouba from the start of his rookie season. His style of play repre-sents the ideal defensive grinder, and he’s been known to provide a spark for this team. Stuart would likely be more open to restructuring his contract, if it benefits the team going forward as well.

No matter what Winnipeg Jets management chooses to do, they can be confident knowing a number of critical pieces are in place for a playoff push. This team has bought into Paul Maurice’s system, and is in a position to sneak into the final wild card spot at season’s end.

phOtO by bEibEi Lu

Golden effortBison women’s volleyball wins national title in straight sets

Marc lagace, staff

The University of Manitoba Bison women’s volleyball team is the top

team in the nation after upsetting the top-ranked UBC Thunderbirds for the national title in Regina on Mar. 2.

The Bisons qualified for the 2014 CIS Women’s Volleyball Championship after settling for silver against UBC at the Canada West women’s volley-ball championships. It would take the Bisons just nine sets to steamroll all competitors at the national tournament, as Manitoba never gave up a set in three straight sweeps.

Their first match was against the Ottawa Gee-Gees of the Ontario University Athletics conference on Friday night. Manitoba showed some rust early, as Ottawa scored the first three points of the match on ser-vice aces. By the technical timeout, Manitoba led 16-14 and played lights out from that point on for a 25-17 win in the first set.

As has been the case throughout most of the season, Rachel Cockrell and Taylor Pischke led the Bison offensive attack, landing 16 and 11 kills, respectively. Brittany Habing had 30

assists—more than the entire Gee-Gees team combined—and Crystal Mulder led all players with 12 digs on the match as the Bisons rolled to their first sweep 3-0 (25-17, 25-23, 25-16).

In the semifinals, the Bisons took on the Dalhousie Tigers, who entered the tournament as the sixth seed. Manitoba had played Dalhousie in a pre-season tournament, picking up a win over the defending Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference champions. The Tigers had won the AUS Championship again this year to qualify for the CIS championships.

Dalhousie challenged Manitoba in the first set, and led 16-15 at the techni-cal timeout, but the Bisons got hot after the break and went on a four-point run that forced the Tigers to call a timeout. The strategy did end up causing the Bisons to side out, but could not stem the momentum as Manitoba clinched the first set 25-22.

The second set was a total wash, as the Bisons dominated 25-13. In the third set, Pischke capped the match, earning Manitoba’s final three points on offen-sive kills. Pischke led all Bisons with 12

kills, while Mariel Garcia stepped up and pitched in 10 kills and eight digs on the night. On the other side of the court, Desiree Nouwen led all players with 17 kills, but was clearly outmatched by the Bisons’ multi-faceted attack.

Manitoba swept 3-0 (25-22, 25-13, 25-21) to advance to the final, where the team was set for a dream rematch against the UBC Thunderbirds, with the national title on the line.

It’s important to note just how dominant the Thunderbirds have been in CIS women’s volleyball. Heading into the tournament, they were the six-time defenders of the national title, and on pace to win their seventh straight national championship. In Vancouver, when the Bisons last played them, Manitoba was swept clean, although they showed plenty of fight.

Now playing at a relatively neutral site (the Big Horns were in Regina to cheer and make noise like only they know how to), this was an opportunity for Manitoba to make up for a streak of 10 straight playoff losses to UBC, dating back to their last win against the T-Birds in 2002—coincidentally, the

last time the Bisons won the national title.

“Obviously playing UBC at home is harder. They serve the ball very well at home,” said head coach Ken Bentley.

“[We were] playing at a neutral court—a court that we know very well because we play Regina a lot—and we passed the ball better, so that right away made our game plan achievable.”

The Bisons needed to play their best volleyball to beat CIS Player of the Year Lisa Barclay and the defending champs, and that’s exactly what they did.

Manitoba owned the net, finish-ing with 24 blocks to UBC’s six. The

Bisons had seven service aces, while Cockrell was named the Bison player of the match and tournament MVP, contributing 18 kills in a solid 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-20) championship win.

“It’s really nice to put our program back in the national conversation again, and to be considered a top team,” said Bentley, adding, “I think we’ve always been considered that, but to continue to be considered that you need to win.”

phOtO COurtEsy Of bisON spOrts

5 March 2014

Documents

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