inside - The Uniter

2007/11/ 01
08
I SSUE
VOLUME 62
inside
The university of Winnipeg student weekly
NOV 01, 2007
VOL. 62
Iss. 08
e-mail
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uniter.ca
02 News
06 Comments
09 Arts & Culture
15 Listings
18 Sports
04 Downtown still safe
09 Truly Canadian Theatre
11 The art of drawing
18 Man versus Mammal
but recent violence raises questions
Stretching Hide offers alternatives for grieving
back to basics at the Graffiti Gallery
Pro Bull Riding in the Peg
♼
November 1, 2007
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The Uniter
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
NEWS
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Whitney Light arts@uniter.ca
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Sports Editor
Kalen Qually
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Beat Reporter
Jenette Martens
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Beat Reporter
Cameron MacLean
Beat Reporter
Dan Huyghebaert
» cameron@uniter.ca
» dan@uniter.ca
Beat Reporter
James Janzen
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this week’s contributors
Kiran Dhillon, Laura Kunzelman, Renee Lilley, Erin McIntyre,
Conrad Sweatman, Curran Faris, Sasha Amaya, Kelly Nickie,
Don Moman, Kathleen Gallagher, Ashley Buleziuk, Aaron Epp,
Daphne Dacquay, Denis Vrignon-Tessier, David Eisbrenner,
Sandy Klowak, Kyle Gmiterek
The Uniter is the official student newspaper of the University of
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Cover Image
OFF MCPHILLIPS, WINNIPEG,MB. 2006
Off Lagimodiere III, Winnipeg, MB. 2006
Chromira prints, 24” x 40” and 24” x 50”
By Maegan Hill-Carroll
Appearing in the current exhibition No Fixed Territory
at PLATFORM: centre for photographic + digital arts
showing now until Dec. 8.
121-100 Arthur St. Winnipeg, Manitoba
News Editor: Ksenia Prints
E-mail: newsprod@uniter.ca
West End residents
hesitant about new zoning bylaw
NATASHA PETERSON
James Janzen
Beat reporter
Copy & Style Editor
Jacquie Nicholson
News Editor: Stacy Cardigan Smith
E-mail: news@uniter.ca
A
newly proposed city-wide zoning bylaw is
causing a stir among Winnipeg’s communities with its threat of uncontested business
openings.
It is a process so cumbersome it would send shivers down the spine of even the most jaded civic politics
student, and yet so important that many community
leaders have been doing their homework and are raising their voices at city hall.
“The new bylaw overall has many improvements
good for the city… [but] there are, of course, many
issues of concern for various sectors and groups,”
said the West End BIZ’s executive director, Gloria
Cardwell-Hoeppner.
Along with the heights of street signs, committing more area to green space and the unwanted presence of parking structures, one of the main issues of
concern in this bylaw is the merging of commercial
zoning districts in an effort to streamline development.
Areas such as Ellice Avenue, which are currently
zoned as C1.5, will be zoned as C2 under the new
bylaw. Under C1.5, establishments such as private
clubs are listed as conditional usages which require a
public hearing process before they are allowed to operate. Under C2 they would become permitted usages.
This poses a problem for West End residents,
says Spence Neighborhood Association’s housing coordinator, Don Miedema.
“This would allow a certain amount of adult activity to enter the area,” Miedema said. “It would open
up a back door.”
Non-licensed private clubs are often used
as fronts for booze cans and gang hangouts, states
Miedema, emphasizing the West End has enough
image and crime problems as is.
Although such establishments could possibly be blocked under a secondary plan proposed by
community members, the private clubs would have a
window of several months to open up shop between
the coming in of the new bylaw and the implementation of a secondary plan.
Miedema, Cardwell-Hoeppner and other community leaders presented their case regarding the private clubs and other bylaw-inspired concerns at a City
Hall meeting on Oct. 16.
The city was to announce recommendations to the
bylaw stemming from these concerns earlier this week.
St. Norbert Councilor Justin Swandel, who
chairs the city’s planning and property committee,
said he was unable to comment on the recommendations before they were announced, but was able to explain the need for the bylaw upgrade.
“It’s a modernization of our zoning bylaws,”
Swandel said.
“It has an impact on how land in Winnipeg is
being used . . . it should bring great improvement. It’s
a very exciting time for Winnipeg.”
The zoning bylaw “must act as an incentive to
promote economic development, attract business and
industry and facilitate the building of a world-class
city,” the City of Winnipeg’s website reads.
“At the same time it must balance the community’s objectives for promoting quality of life and creating a healthy community.”
The Winnipeg Zoning Bylaw has not been updated since 1994, when seven former community
zoning bylaws were brought into the city’s fold. The new
bylaw aims to consolidate itself with Plan Winnipeg, a
document which highlights community involvement in
everything that the City of Winnipeg does.
It also aims to cut back current regulations requiring public hearings for mundane changes to outof-date zoning restrictions, while at the same time
make it tougher for loan stores, pawn shops, and strip
joints to rear their heads in areas of town where they
Businesses like this payday loan store will have a harder time opening shop once the new bylaw is passed.
would be unwelcome.
So why allow private clubs as permitted
usages on Ellice Avenue, a section of the city which
Plan Winnipeg labels as a “Major Improvement
Neighborhood?”
“It is my understanding from zoning and permits that the change was an oversight and they will
be restored to conditional use in the revisions,”
Cardwell-Hoeppner said.
Currently sitting at 152 pages, the proposed
zoning bylaw will set the tone for the next several years
of development in Winnipeg.
It does not include downtown Winnipeg, which
is seen as a unique space and has been zoned under its
own bylaw since 2004.
The new city-wide bylaw has a target implantation date of March 1, 2008, with a review after
one year.
Annual General Meeting No. 2
November 7, 2007
UofW: UWSA Board Room (0RM06)
Agenda
1. Approval of agenda
2. Approval of last AGM minutes
3. Financial statement (James Patterson)
4. Report from Chair of the Board
5. Report from The Uniter Management
6. Proposed amendment to MLP By-Law No. 1
To increase the number of board members from the current 9 to 11, in part to increase the
number of Board positions for community
members to its originally intended 4 spots.
7. Election of Directors
Nominated:
Ben Zorn
Meg McGimpsey
Dean Dias
Nick Tanchuk
Devin King
8. Other business
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
The Uniter
November 1, 2007
NEWS
0
Ksenia Prints
News Production Editor
A
recent report found that university students are
far removed from traditional politics in both
thought and action.
(Mis)Understanding Youth Engagement, a synthesis
report released Oct. 18 by the Canadian Policy Research
Networks, looked at voter turnout and political engagement among generation Y youth. Those born after
1979 are distant from traditional party politics and
voting, but highly involved in non-traditional political
participation like demonstrations and interest groups,
the report stated.
One of the main reasons for this separation and
low voter turnout was young people’s eroding “trust in
public and private institutions” and skepticism towards
politicians’ promises.
“Not only are our political leaders dishonest in
breaking promises, but they also usually lie about breaking the promises,” said Duff Conacher, coordinator for
Democracy Watch, a citizen advocacy group working towards democratic reform.
False election promises damage the entire democratic process.
“When voters are voting, if the platforms aren’t
honest, you can’t choose,” Conacher said. “It’s a violation of voters’ rights.”
But not all electoral promises are dismissed
after a win.
“You tend to remember the high profile instances when politicians didn’t keep their promise,” said
Lawrence LeDuc, a political science professor at the
University of Toronto and an expert on political parties
and elections.
In Manitoba, a recent instance in which a government maintained its electoral promise made national
headlines.
The so-called “Justice Mission” left Winnipeg for
Ottawa on Sept. 20 in a bid to meet with federal Justice
Minister Rob Nicholson and press for harsher youth
crime and auto-theft legislation. The delegation, led by
Premier Gary Doer, included some of Winnipeg’s most
influential residents and politicians.
“When we make an election commitment, we
strive to keep it... as soon as we [can],” said David
Leibl, spokesperson for Manitoba Justice Minister Dave
Chomiak. “The public has an expectation a government
will follow up on its commitments.”
But, as the CPRN report shows, youth are not
always optimistic.
In the field of post-secondary election promises,
“often times, we don’t get many commitments, or they’re
not followed through,” said Amanda Aziz, national chairperson for the Canadian Federation of Students.
“Most youth surveyed [in the CPRN report] didn’t
trust politicians. This should be a big concern for all politicians in this country,” Aziz continued. “There is a democratic deficit in organized politics.”
One reason for the fickleness of election promises could be the lack of accountability in the electoral
process.
Conacher alleges that out of the 52 accountability measures promised by the Conservatives during
their November 2005 election platform, only 30 were
implemented in the Federal Accountability Act of
December 2006.
Daphne Dacquay
Youth turned off of politics by false election promises
Some of the allegedly removed measures addressed
the appointment of non-elected candidates, private citizens’ ability to file complaints with the federal ethics commissioner, and the “fair, transparent, and democratic”
running of campaigns, as cited in the Conservatives’
2006 election platform.
If implemented, these reforms would have made it
increasingly harder for politicians to make empty commitments during elections.
“In effect, accountability has been decreased by the
Accountability Act,” Conacher stated.
Peter Van Loan, leader of government in the House
of Commons and Minister of Democratic Reform,
could not be reached for comment on the relationship
between diminished accountability, false promises, and
damage to the democratic process.
“We are accountable to the public,” Leibl said.
He refused to talk about the Accountability Act or
any other legislated accountability provisions.
“If there are election promises that are not kept,
the public will decide.”
Circumstantial changes post-election may also
cause politicians to dismiss election promises: making
commitments on the campaign trail is not the same
as instituting policy and dedicating funds, LeDuc said.
“Campaigns by their nature have a certain unrealistic nature. You’re not necessarily being dishonest, the
context is just completely different in a campaign.”
In the end, people simply might have a short-term
memory.
“Politicians rely on students forgetting what their
promises were,” Aziz said.
“People have a certain level of cynicism towards
government,” LeDuc said. “I’m not sure, in the nature
of democratic campaigns, that there’s something one can
do about it.”
“There is no continuing claim of accountability in
Canada,” he added.
Most realize that eliminating false election promises would be a challenge, albeit an important one.
“Politicians write the rules for themselves… they
are rather reluctant to increase their accountability,”
Conacher said.
“People realize all of us have to say the truth,
so why not politicians?”
University’s Aboriginal Council skeptical about new inner-city review
Beat Reporter
M
embers of the University of Winnipeg’s
Aboriginal Student Council disapprove of
a newly commissioned review of the life of
First Nations peoples in the inner city, criticizing its topdown approach. Ryan Bruyere, male representative for
the ASC, says that programs like this are formed in an
attempt to get funding and they do nothing more than
meddle in inner-city affairs.
The program is being developed by the Assembly of
Manitoba Chiefs in collaboration with the International
Institute for Sustainable Development, which usually
works with organizations such as the World Bank and
United Nations.
The initiative intends to create an indicator
system for Winnipeg’s urban First Nations community. According to the IISD’s program website, the program intends to help people better understand the First
Nations community, to identify problem areas and past
JENETTE MARTENS
Jenette Martens
Ryan Bruyere prefers to see the money given to the study go to community groups.
successes and to work on those successes to achieve a
positive future.
Members on the advisory committee include
prominent Winnipeg figures such as Lloyd Axworthy
and Emőke Szathmáry, the U of W and U of M
presidents.
Christa Rust, program coordinator for the IISD,
said the program is still in development but it will have a
strong focus on community participation.
“Some people have identified this as a study,” said
Rust, “but really it’s an exercise in building capacity and
helping to empower the First Nations community in
Winnipeg by giving them a clear picture of the issues
they can take.” She is hopeful the program will provide
recommendations for policy change.
Yet the mention of policy brings up a warning flag
for members of the ASC.
Shaneen Robinson, ASC’s events coordinator, says the funding assigned for policy creation does
not trickle down well, creating a problem for smaller
organizations.
“By the time it finally gets down to the grassroots
the money has been extinguished,” she said.
Her solution was for “more grassroots issues as well
as more active involvement from aboriginal groups.”
“There needs to be a bottom-up approach to urban
Indian and Metis community building,” said Bruyere.
“When terms like ‘policies’ and ‘empowerment’ are used
it basically is an assumption that [we] are incapable of
looking after our own affairs.”
Rust says the IISD stresses the idea of community involvement.
“We want to make sure that we don’t come with
too many ideas to the table,” she said. “We want to make
sure that we ask the community what are the issues that
affect them the most.”
She explains that the program will attempt to
build a better understanding of the current situation
from both a government and community standpoint.
However, Bruyere believes that the community
workshops are “a consultation to soothe the government and civilian concerns over a problem that is ready
to implode.”
He urges the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to “put
faith in the community” by giving resources to community non-partisan groups, or by developing elders’ or
women’s groups to supervise community-building in
place of political groups.
The IISD program will be unveiled to the community around the beginning of November.
November 1, 2007
0
The Uniter
News Editor: Ksenia Prints
E-mail: newsprod@uniter.ca
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
NEWS
Local
News Briefs
Downtown dangers high on public agenda
Recent violence in city causes fear in some residents
Cameron MacLean
Compiled by Laura Kunzelman,
Jenette Martens, Kiran Dhillon
U of W passes Globe and Mail
test with flying colours
The University of Winnipeg received an
A- in this year’s Globe and Mail University
Report Card, positioning it at 11th place out of
21 undergraduate universities, and second place
in Western Canada.
The university’s grades ranged from an A
in faculty members’ knowledge of subjects to a D
in food services.
U of W also ranks second nationally for
scholarships and third in the country for its
investments in resources devoted to services
for students.
Over 43,000 students from 53 Canadian
universities participated in this year’s survey,
grading schools based on over 100 different aspects, such as class size, campus atmosphere, drinking locations and preparation for
their future.
For the complete rankings list, go to http://
www.theglobeandmail.com/education.
New committee connects
aboriginal youth
with community
The Aboriginal Student Council elections are complete, with a new committee and
staff appointed to address aboriginal issues
at the U of W.
New this year to the ASC is the creation
of an elder and peer committee. The committee
will be made up of aboriginal students, community members, elders, and also successful alumni
such as chiefs or MLAs.
Its main purpose is to guide the ASC and to
give members insight into the community.
The events coordinator of three years,
Shaneen Robinson, is hopeful that prominent
U of W grads will be enthusiastic about the
committee.
“These are people that have been at the
forefront of the leadership of the Aboriginal community… they know that we’re the future leaders
so they’re going to be more than willing to help
us,” said Robinson.
The committee and ASC will meet approximately once a month.
Community Ambassadors
seek new members
The University of Winnipeg Community
Ambassador Services program is actively recruiting first and second year students to maintain its resource levels.
The main objective of the program,
launched in 2005, is to allow students hands-on
experience in non-violent conflict resolution to
enhance the security of the university and community through patrols.
“The program is a vision of how we can
make the university and surrounding areas
safer,” said David Mauro, director of security and
community ambassador services.
Specifically, the Community Ambassador
Services program gives criminal justice students
the opportunity to complete their work experience through internships. This past summer, five
such criminal justice students received a 40 hour
security guard training with the Enforcement
Academy and worked in the university’s security
department all summer at full pay.
Upon completion, ambassadors can get
hired on with the university’s security department.
“The program is a great tool for criminal justice students that are trying to get some
real life experience,” said Jessica Schofield, the
Community Ambassador Services program student coordinator.
Students interested in the program can fill
out an application at the security office.
Beat reporter
W
hile bar owners and police argue over who
is to blame for a recent spree of high-profile
shootings at downtown nightclubs, public
debate continues over safety and security in Winnipeg’s
inner city.
Jennifer Neufeld lives in Spence neighbourhood. The
Langside Street resident tells of feelings of insecurity among
some of her neighbours.
“I’ve connected a lot with elderly people on my
block, and they feel very unsafe and isolated, like they can’t
circulate very much in the neighbourhood because of their
fears,” she said.
Neufeld herself is cautious when venturing out at
night, but claims to feel safe living where she does.
With the recent shooting at the Empire Cabaret and
the daytime stabbing of a man outside Portage Place earlier
this month, downtown safety is high on the public agenda.
A number of proposals are attempting to address public
safety concerns.
Earlier this month, in an interview with the Winnipeg
Free Press, Mayor Sam Katz reiterated his promise to bring
more police officers to patrol downtown.
“You are going to see more feet on the street,”
he said.
Others support a more preventive approach.
Although Lionel Chartrand, president of the
Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg, admits more cops and
video surveillance may have a minimal impact on crime
downtown, he insists they will remain ineffective until the
federal and provincial governments gather the political will
to tackle the root causes of crime, such as discrimination in
the welfare system.
Chartrand believes that people in “adverse conditions” of poverty will not be deterred by a moderately increased likelihood of being caught.
Winnipeg Police spokesperson Const. Jason
Michalyshen could not comment on the mayor’s promise,
saying the allocation of police resources was a decision to be
made by the city and police executives.
“We want to do as much proactive policing as we can
instead of always reacting to issues and incidents that might
occur,” he said.
The Winnipeg Police Service is looking at installing
a closed-circuit security camera network to monitor certain
identified crime “hot spots” around the downtown area.
These networks will allow police to monitor a greater area
of the downtown and provide them with evidence when
someone commits a crime.
Closed-circuit television networks have been shown
to be effective at deterring crime in other cities, said Chad
Kendel, safety watch supervisor for the Downtown BIZ.
The University of Winnipeg is looking at setting up a
closed-circuit camera monitoring system of its own.
This camera network would enable security personnel to conduct “virtual patrols” of the campus and allow
them to dispatch security or police services in case of an incident, said David Mauro, director of security and community ambassador services.
Monitors would be set up at all exit doors to allow
students see what was going on outside before leaving the
university.
Additional cameras will monitor the exterior of new
buildings as the university expands along Portage Avenue.
The U of W also began switching a part of its thirdparty security force to an on-campus security force employed by the university.
This, Mauro says, gives the university greater control
over the training, mentoring, and development of its security personnel.
“I think it’s important to have a significant component of in-house security so that we can develop a security
culture that is more in keeping with…the direction we want
to have at the university,” he explained
As for Neufeld, she says that it is worth the risk to live
in her neighbourhood.
“I’ve chosen to live downtown…” she said. “I’m
enjoying a lot of vibrant relationships with my neighbours and a multi-ethnic community. I’d rather live in my
neighbourhood than live in a neighbourhood where I
don’t know people.”
Take Back the Night gives women a wake-up call
Renee Lilley
Volunteer staff
W
hen Winnipeg’s annual Take Back the
Night march failed to gather enough women
to fill a psychology class, many began questioning the current state of feminism in the city.
Beginning in Belgium in 1976, Take Back the
Night has become an international commemoration.
Approximately 75 people gathered for the 27th annual
Take Back the Night march on Sept. 20, marching from
the legislative building to Wolseley Family Place to denounce violence against women.
This year’s Winnipeg event was seen by some as a
flop for the feminist community. It raises serious concerns:
why is feminism seen as a dead movement, when the issues
it opposes are still predominant in our culture?
The U of W Womyn’s Centre feels that more attention to Take Back the Night is needed, as some people
are clueless as to what the march is all about. When new
coordinator Cynthia Wolfe-Nolin was faced with women
asking, ‘What is Take Back the Night?’ she understood that
a brighter light needed to be shone on women’s issues.
Others believe the problem lies in a lack of
direction.
Kelly Ross, last year’s women’s centre coordinator, believes today’s feminism is in a less radical state than
in years past.
Ross stated there is “less of an understanding of
feminism’s political aspect and its connection to other
forms of oppression” in the centre today.
Pauline Greenhill, professor of women and gender
studies at the U of W, said it’s important for the event
to receive a helping hand rather than being a completely
independent movement.
“Excluding people isn’t always the answer; women
need to work in coalition with others,” she said.
When asked about the how feminism has changed
since its more radical eras, Greenhill said that it is still
about rediscovering the history of women and being
active for women’s rights, while reflecting the maturity of
feminism.
Following Take Back the Night’s outcome, the
Womyn’s Centre is seeking to improve the understanding
of feminism on campus.
According to Wolfe-Nolin, the centre is a great
place for women to start embracing feminism and realizing that it is not a dead movement, but one that has been
working hard in the shadows.
Wolfe-Nolin says this year the centre is aiming to
create a mandate and build on last year’s goals, such as unifying the centre and making every woman feel welcome.
She feels that straying away from cliques within the centre
is crucial for success, as well as getting more people involved.
“Knowledge is power when it comes to women’s
issues,” she stated.
Take Back the Night is just one of the ways the
Womyn’s Centre is supporting the rights of women. The
centre’s goal is to have a place for women to go for resources, with its abundant library with a focus on feminism and politics, as well as just a place for women to hang
out and feel safe.
However, many women on campus do not know
about the centre.
“The average woman doesn’t know we are here…
it’s an issue, since we have a budget made from students’
money,” Wolfe-Nolin said. She stresses that if people
knew their money was used by the centre, they may gain
interest in the centre and take part in its activities.
“The centre is not a club, it is there for anyone.
The average woman can walk in and be a part of
it, no feminist values need to be held,” said
Wolfe-Nolin.
The U of W Womyn’s Centre is located in the
basement of the Bulman centre, and has meetings
every Wednesday at 12:30.
BY Thomas Kroeker
Does the UWSA matter to you? Why?
Augusta Stobbe,
1st year Undeclared
I think the UWSA would
matter if we, as first year
students, were made
aware of it. The school
doesn’t do enough to
introduce people to it.
Robyne Barbour,
3rd year Education
I guess that it matters to
me, but it matters in that it
needs to be improved, not
that it provides anything to
me. It doesn’t really provide
a sense of real community
in the university as a whole.
Leon Banton
Yeah, totally. It’s our voice, right?
They’re here for us. They support
the students. They also help facilitate
my martial arts class here.
Jon Chapman,
1st year Communications
I haven’t done much
research, but I think it
matters. It’s good for school
unity, organizations, teams,
and voicing our opinions.
Philemon Kawomera,
1st year Undeclared
I think that it does,
because most of the
students who come here
to learn need someone
to guide them, especially
international students.
Ji-yoon Park,
1st year English Language Studies
Yes. I think it is important.
It’s a student welfare system.
News Editor: Stacy Cardigan Smith
E-mail: news@uniter.ca
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
Beat reporter
M
ain Street’s rapid revitalization has some
local service providers expressing concerns over the disregard of high-need res-
idents.
“It has the potential to be a real setback for
the people who live in the community,” said Brian
Bechtel, executive director of the Main Street Project.
The Project provides assistance services like a 24-hour
crisis shelter, a soup service, and a detoxification unit.
CentreVenture is the company responsible for
many of downtown’s recent acquisitions. Director of
development Loretta Martin says the new developments in the area are positive and essential.
“…Main Street can be changed,” she said,
adding the area has been a blight for 20 years.
One of the company’s latest development
projects is the transformation of the Starland
Theatre on Main Street into a commercial building.
According to Martin, the Winnipeg Regional Health
Authority board has endorsed the company’s move
into the theatre.
Martin added that CentreVenture is also work-
ing with Red River College with the potential of
moving their culinary school into the Union Bank
Tower.
Bechtel has concerns over what he calls “urban
hygiene,” a process he describes as tearing rundown
buildings in an effort to remove social problems in
the area.
“I think revitalization should happen,” said
Wayne Smith, director of the emergency shelter
Hannah’s Place at Siloam Mission. “But we also need
to revitalize people’s lives.”
Transferring problems from one locale to another is not a solution for downtown. Smith says that
several of the recently closed Bell Hotel’s former residents use the mission’s emergency shelter.
“If you take away a bed, you have to replace it,”
he said, adding that the number of people using the
shelter has been rising since its May opening.
Martin says that the Bell Hotel will be renovated by a non-profit group into seniors’ housing with
a possible assisted living component. She adds that
CentreVenture is assessing the housing needs in the
area and is also working with local social services to
address these needs.
She also says the nearby Sun Wah Market grocery store is planning on expanding to Main Street,
and they are considering a residential component to
their plans.
Colin Fast, communications coordinator of Red
River College, confirms that the school is looking into
a move to the Union Bank Tower.
“We are proud of the impact we have had on the
Exchange,” Fast said, noting the college’s success with
its Princess Street campus.
While he says it is too early in the process for
a feasibility study, they are doing a lot of number
crunching.
Though they may have concerns, the area’s social
services are not boycotting the developments.
Smith stressed the importance of improving relationships in the project, adding that Siloam Mission
is willing to work with the redevelopment of Main
Street.
“It is people helping people,” he said, adding
that without any accommodation in the area, local
businesses will not succeed.
Bechtel hopes the developed properties are
in the interest of the city as a whole, and that there
is a reasonable effort to make a place for the people
who live in the Main Street area.
“It’s a tricky situation, but I am cautiously
optimistic,” Bechtel said.
Canada lacks science grads, but it’s
business as usual at the U of W
DAN HUYGHEBAERT
Dan Huyghebaert
Beat reporter
A
recently released Education at a Glance
report states Canadian universities are falling behind in science graduates compared
to the rest of the world, making the country at risk of
falling behind in the world economy. The University
of Winnipeg’s enrolment statistics, however, seem to
buck this nationwide trend.
According to the Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development report, only 21.1
per cent of Canada’s university graduates come from
the sciences, mathematics, or engineering, compared
to 68.3 per cent in the social sciences and humanities department.
Gabor Kunstatter, the dean of Science at the
University of Winnipeg, admits that enrolment in
science programs has leveled off in the last couple
of years.
He is quick to add the number of students admitted into the Faculty of Science had been steadily
increasing over the previous five years.
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November 1, 2007
NEWS
Locals question downtown development
Dan Huyghebaert
The Uniter
0
International
News Briefs
Compiled by Brooke Dmytriw
Bush still dislikes Cuba
WASHINGTON: President Bush reaffirmed
the United States’ 44-year old embargo against
Cuba last week.
Speaking at the State Department, surrounded by prominent Cuban-Americans and relatives of Cuban dissidents, Bush condemned the
existing Cuban regime.
CNN reports the president said that as long
as Cuba kept its “monopoly over the political and
economic life” of its citizens, the United States
would maintain the embargo.
The White House announced it had further
plans for the Caribbean country, when and if Fidel
and Raul Castro concede power. Washington announced Bush would lay out a plan for free speech
and establishing multi-party elections in Cuba.
The United States has blocked all trade with
Cuba since the 1963 Cuban Missile Crisis.
Germans crazy over
Broken Relationships
BERLIN, Germany: A traveling cumulative exhibition from the Museum of Broken
Relationships is enjoying huge success in the
German capital.
The exhibition, dedicated to the theme of
failed relationships, originates from Croatia.
BBC News reports the concept came from
two artists, Olinka Vistica and Drazen Grubisic,
and their break-up. They channeled their feelings
about their decision to part and decided to put together something creative.
To partake in the exhibition, patrons are
asked to donate an object, a description of the object’s significance, the time of the relationship and
their origin.
Berliners have already donated more than
30 objects to the collection. The overall collection
has amassed more than 300 objects to date.
The red-haired
pre-historic man
From left to right, Gabor Kunstatter and Randy Kobes believe the University of Winnipeg’s science department
is anything but receding.
Enrolment in some departments like Statistics
and Physics is still going up slowly, Kunstatter adds.
“Science is doing well relatively to the other
areas of the university,” says Randy Kobes, the acting
associate-dean of Science.
Kobes points out the existence of an enrolment
cap in some departments like Biology. “If we had unlimited resources, our enrolment would be larger,”
he adds.
The Faculty of Science has incorporated some
initiatives to draw additional students into the faculty, such as the national Let’s Talk Science program,
where undergraduates go to high schools and elementary schools to engage children in science. These
schools also visit the university, sometimes participating in labs or a science show, depending on the
age of the students.
“High school students can see a university student in science and realize that this is an option,”
Kobes says.
Kobes believes LTS provides important role
models for youngsters who might be otherwise deterred from the field. Kids learn at a young age to
hate science and math in elementary school, he adds,
citing a personal example.
“One of our daughters was told in Grade 6
that she was bad at math, and she still thinks she
is,” he says.
Gordon Robinson, a Botany professor and associate-dean of Science at the University of Manitoba,
agrees on the importance of role models.
Robinson is also co-director of the regional
Centre for Research in Youth, Science Training
and Learning (CRYSTAL). CRYSTAL’s research focuses on finding ways to increase science and math
literacy.
“We want to light up young eyes about the discovery that science represents,” Robinson says.
Robinson also hopes the group’s research will
transform teaching and assessing in the field. They
are also looking at ways to modify curriculum.
“Science has always followed a consistent pathway of reductionism,” he says, adding it is important
to teach context as well as content.
Robinson also notes the important roles
community and family play in post-secondary
education.
EnviroTech is another science-focused program. It takes inner city high school kids out of the
core area and gets them involved in environmental and science issues as part of the University of
Winnipeg’s Innovative Learning Centre. Because of
the nature of the inner city population, EnviroTech
has an aboriginal focus.
MURCIA, Spain: Researchers studying the
remains of Neanderthals have discovered the extinct species of human were red-haired.
According to Science journal, Dr. Carles
Lalueza-Fox from the University of Barcelona
found a variant of a gene that causes red hair in
the remains.
The gene is no longer present in human genetics; however, the presence in the Neanderthals’
seems to have been the source for the flamehaired mutation.
Neanderthals appeared approximately
400,000 years ago, dispersing across northern
Europe and Asia. Once considered to be Homo
sapiens’ ancestors, scientists concluded the
Neanderthal was an evolutionary dead end.
One of the last known locations of the
Neanderthal was determined at Gibraltar between
28,000 to 24,000 years ago.
Uganda faces review for
employing ghost workers
KAMPALA, Uganda: The national government is trying to clean house of all ‘ghost workers’ it employs in the civil and social services, for
a saving of $1 million per month.
According to Reuters, ministries, universities, schools and hospitals are being examined for using money to pay non-existent staff.
The report, compiled by the auditor general, confirmed allegations made by legislators that corrupt officials in these fields were pocketing government money.
The country and president Yoweri Museveni
have faced severe corruption criticisms.
November 1, 2007
0
The Uniter
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
EDITORIALS
Editorials
Managing Editor: Jo Snyder
E-mail: editor@uniter.ca
The citizen versus the consumer
An all out battle rages on for our communities, and our planet
JO SNYDER
MANAGING EDITOR
H
ave you ever thought about the difference between being a citizen and being a consumer?
This concept isn’t new; economists and political theorists have been mulling around the phrase for
decades. In fact, it’s even been used to debate the reformation of print media; how do we restore the newspaper to its former glory, make it citizen inspired rather
than consumer driven. It’s a two-faced dog, or a Jekyll
and Hyde—we are all a bit of both—but the conflict is
worth revisiting. Three things come to mind when addressing this question. The first, and what I’ll focus on,
is James Howard Kunstler’s tragedy of suburbia: how
we waste our urban space. The second is environmental
degradation in that our desires as consumers always win
the battle for the environmentally incorrect choice. And
last, Marx’s idea that capitalism makes us more competitive than we may already naturally be inclined, though a
good scientist could quickly convince me otherwise.
In a lecture called “The Tragedy of Suburbia”
Kunstler challenged the audience on our responsibility to
make places worth caring about. His primary concern is
design, architecture, and the alienating spaces of the suburbs and city centres in North America. They degrade not
only our landscapes but erode our sense of community
and ability to be civically engaged. This is the classic Jane
Jacobs argument of bettering society through landscapes
that have mixed-uses, storefronts and apartment blocks
blended with a variety of affordability. Simply meaning
that economics shouldn’t dictate who lives in which area
of any given city. Kunstler said if we want to “continue
the project of civilization, we have to do better.” The environments we have created for ourselves have deprived
us of living in a “hopeful present.” They’re gloomy, bleak,
depressing, and not worth spending time in.
Cities with suburbs that surround decaying downtowns, that make awkwardly grand gestures at revitalization result in unhealthy lives for individuals. Winnipeg is
unfortunately a perfect example of what Kunstler is talking about. Our suburbs chew up farmland while the new
Manitoba Hydro building promises to bring 2000 people
downtown, but only Monday to Friday, and only between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. What about
the rest of the day and our nightlife? And what about
two gigantic buildings downtown with two uses instead
of smaller buildings with many uses, like housing for example. Meanwhile, we have schools in this city that look
like prisons. There are storefronts with so many boards
on them you can’t even tell what they used to sell.
Naturally, this consumer mentality also interferes
with our ability to be responsible stewards of the earth.
It’s great that there are more options for buying re-designed and re-sewn clothes and bags, but it’s not enough.
No doubt, ditching Kyoto was a cost-saving measure for
the Canadian government, and naturally, we can’t let
our economies crumble. Kunstler aptly observes in his
blog “The Clusterfuck Nation Chronical” that we can’t
expect saving society to be a comfortable task: “One of
the stupidest assumptions made by the educated salient
of adults these days is that we are guaranteed a smooth
transition between the cancerous hypertrophy of our current economic environment and the harsher conditions
that we are barreling toward,” he writes. Our customeris-always-right attitude is making dinosaurs of us all.
Marxist theory frames the argument by putting our competitive markets at the steering wheel.
Capitalism creates such an environment of competition
between people that we forget our civic duties. This is to
debunk the myth that being a citizen is what Michael
O’Connell called epiphenomenal, meaning that a
healthy and engaged community can only exist or be
sustained by economic well-being. O’Connell argues
this is simply not true.
So one solution is to stop thinking of ourselves
as consumers. Kunstler says that while consumers don’t
have any obligations to anyone, citizens must be good
neighbours. Without re-labelling ourselves we are
sleepwalking into the future, our eyes shut and hands
stretched out before us groping in the dark.
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
The Uniter
November 1, 2007
COMMENTS
Comments
0
Comments Editor : Ben Wood
E-mail: comments@uniter.ca
A sign of support
David EisBrenner
“Would you put a yellow ribbon on your car,”
a friend recently asked me, which caused me to pause
and reflect on the meaning of the ubiquitous yellow
decal. The yellow ribbon has shown up on cars and
in windows all over the country yet all I know is that
it stands for, “Support our Troops.” I could say it’s a
noble cause, but I don’t even know what that means.
Sure, I can guess what a lot of people who slap the
sticker on their cars mean by it, but that’s part of the
problem—I’m only guessing. There is no real definition of “Support Our Troops” out there, and for me
that’s a big problem.
The power of a symbol is in the universality of
its meaning, such as the red octagon of a stop sign or
the stick figure on a bathroom door. If these meanings
are disregarded and the symbol is used for some other
purpose, confusion will ensue. The yellow ribbon is
an interesting case of mixed meanings, as the image
of the ribbon successfully brings to mind the phrase
“Support Our Troops,” but then the problem comes
in that the phrase itself is yet another symbol, the
meaning of which is undefined. I’ve asked myself and
others what the phrase actually means to them, and
the answers are as varied as the people I talked to.
Language is a beautiful example of symbols in
everyday use, and at the same time language exemplifies the problems with undefined symbols, for what is
a word without a clear definition? What exactly does
“support” mean to Canadians? The use of ambiguous words like “support” can be likened to a triangular stop sign—a symbol that states one thing with its
text, yet whose shape suggests another meaning. This
unclear use of symbols is a cause of confusion with
its ambiguity—there are varied meanings portrayed,
and your average Canadian will interpret both the
triangular stop sign and the word “support” to mean
something that is different from the next person’s interpretation.
There’s the belief of Ottawa city councillor
Glenn Brooks, for whom the ribbons are not about
Afghanistan, but are “about our troops any place, any
time”. Last month he proposed that his city council
should put the decals on Ottawa’s municipal vehicles
“to send a very clear message that we do support and
appreciate our troops, our emergency people.”
Backtrack to August, when Alberta’s provincial
employees were given the choice to sport the yellow
ribbon on city vehicles. Ed Stelmach, the premier of
Alberta, said that the option was being given to civic
employees as a way of showing support for Canada’s
troops in Afghanistan without showing support for
the war itself.
Clearly, these are two similar situations, yet two
opposing interpretations of “Support Our Troops.”
And that’s only scratching the surface. I recently asked
a friend about whether she would get a ribbon, garnering, “If my cousin is dispatched to Afghanistan,
I’ll get one,” as a response. For some, it essentially
boils down to “I support my friends/family coming
home safely,” but leaves out any thoughts on the general military or their specific missions.
The prime minister’s idea of supporting the
troops is to get the people of Canada to send messages to them via an online message board, but only
if the message fits with the goals of the website and if
the comments are not considered inappropriate. The
message board is hosted on the Canadian Forces website, so what are they going to deem inappropriate?
I’m sure Jack Layton’s assertion that supporting
our troops means withdrawing from Afghanistan is
not welcome on that board. After searching through
the posts, there seems to be a limited definition of
“support” being upheld.
When you say “Support Our Troops,” are you
saying, “Let’s stand behind the soldiers who are fighting, even though we don’t stand behind their current mission?” Or do you mean, “These people are
fighting for our country’s beliefs, so we must stand
behind their actions in whatever they do and not
question the missions they are sent on?” Or do you
take the tack of some groups, like the federal New
Democratic Party and the Council of Canadians,
who equate “supporting our troops” with bringing
them home? What about those who mean, “I have
relatives in the military, so I’ll sport a yellow ribbon
on my car because I don’t want them to die?”
In the end, I couldn’t answer my friend’s question without first prefacing it with many questions
of my own. The symbol of “Support Our Troops” is
convoluted in its meaning, making it weak and confusing. Whether you show the ribbon or not, the
meaning behind your action is not going to be clear
to those around you unless you explain it to them—
the myriad interpretations of the symbol exemplify
this. Before deciding whether or not you’ll be wearing the ribbon or putting the decal in your window,
realize that what you are saying is not necessarily
what others will be hearing.
Young activists need to be taught, not shot down
Sandy Klowak
negatively to the spew of sensational guilt-inducing
“facts” McMahon’s group released.
“All teenagers do is hang out at the mall and
talk on the phone.”
However, how can we expect young activists
to succeed unless they have proper guidance from
This is a common stereotype that young
adults? I believe that though they may be misguided
people endure. While it may seem that students are
in their strategies, McMahon and her friends are
largely apathetic, perhaps they aren’t receiving the
well-meaning, passionate young people.
necessary resources to be active. Instead of discour-
Community resources are an essential part
aging young people with passion for a cause, we
of a young activist’s training, and they do exist.
need to cultivate a supportive community that is
Manitoba Eco-Network recently organized a youth
conducive to learning from mistakes and provides
activist meeting called Green Space: Connecting
aspiring activists with education and responsible
Environmental Youth. The event brought together
role models.
young environmentalists from Winnipeg high
As reported by Nick Martin of the Winnipeg
schools such as Sisler, Kelvin, Churchill, Shaftesbury
Free Press, animal rights activists Sydney McMahon
and Vincent Massey, as well as the University of
and three friends from Churchill High School re-
Winnipeg, University of Manitoba, and Red River
cently gave an anti-meat presentation to their peers,
College. Green Space developed out of a growing
with disastrous results. Along with their presenta-
concern that not enough youth participate in local
tion, which was allowed by teachers, the Grade 9
environmental action. At the event, youth were able
students handed out pamphlets with questionable,
to talk and network with each other and participated
un-cited info about the evils of meat. Their presen-
in workshops on environmental issues and skill-
tation deteriorated into a shouting match, with hos-
building for effective activism.
tility lingering long after. The situation escalated,
Schools play an important role in support-
with angry parents calling to complain that their
ing young activists. Instead of letting McMahon’s
kids were refusing to eat meat. Martin’s article de-
presentation get completely out of hand, the teacher
scribes a series of cryptic meetings between the girls,
present could have turned the situation into a valu-
their families and school administration, result-
able lesson on how to find and cite responsible
ing in vague threats about exclusion from a school
sources (unlike PETA’s sensational propaganda)
trip, and a “mark” on their record (school represen-
and respectfully debate opposing viewpoints. In
tatives, however, were not allowed to comment). As
addition, school administration should not have
a result, McMahon has left Churchill High School
reacted in a way that made at least one of these
to be home-schooled.
young women feel they needed to withdraw
Readers of the Free Press also blasted
from school.
McMahon for her efforts. One criticized her lack
Whether young people are passionate about
of citations, another her naïve misjudgment of au-
the environment, animals, social justice or any other
dience approach, calling her attempts overzealous
topic in any political realm, they need support from
and uninformed. One reader was glad she and her
their community to learn how to make their voices
friends would no longer “be polluting the minds of
heard effectively and respectfully. To draw on a
our children.”
cliché, these motivated youth will be the leaders of
Certainly, McMahon and friends should be
tomorrow. Instead of discouraging them, let’s give
citing their sources. It is also true that these young
them the resources they need to make positive con-
activists were seriously misguided in their outreach
tributions to our local and national community.
strategies—it is no surprise their peers reacted so
November 1, 2007
0
The Uniter
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
COMMENTS
Sweeping downtown safety aside
Ben Wood
Comments Editor
O
nce again, the downtown has been witness to a public outcry for safety. And
once again, this declaration is selfish, de-
manding increased security and reactive measures in
specific areas as a way portraying our downtown as
safe. The measures push the problems aside and do
nothing to address their root causes. Instead they
allow us to continue to patronize certain downtown
business—the real way to downtown revitalization.
Recently, there have been a couple of instances
that led to this demand: the security threat at the
University of Winnipeg in September and now the
shooting at the Empire on Main, where stray bullets
injured four people. Although this shooting is being
portrayed as an isolated event, measures are still being
taken to decrease the likelihood of a similar occurrence. These include security cameras (that are turned
on, of course) and metal detectors placed inside the
club. At first glance, all these responses seem appropriate. And if increased security inside the building
is desired, then measures that prevent entry are appropriate.
What does this say, then, to the rest of the
Exchange District or the downtown community at
large? Certainly, it does not say what Councillor Russ
Wyatt (who called on fellow city councillors to join
put forward by the Winnipeg Police Service in 2005,
what could be done to prevent further violent inci-
him for a drink at the Empire as a way to prove the
was an attempt to “clean up” the West End by dealing
dents. Many people suggested metal detectors, more
safety of the Exchange) believes when he says that the
with violence, gang-related issues, drugs and prostitu-
security guards with better training, or even off-duty
Exchange District and city centre are safe.
tion. While it was successful at cleaning up some areas
police officers to ensure extra safety in the club.
This measure is explicitly saying that there are
in the West End, such as the Spence neighbourhood,
In contrast, coverage about shootings or stab-
dangers, or threats to our safety, present in the down-
and making them attractive for investment, it simply
bings in less attractive areas of the city shows these
town, and that is where they should remain; on the
swept the problems into other neighbourhoods.
events as commonplace and something that must be
streets, in the dark alleys in between buildings, behind
Perhaps the name should have been taken as
accepted. All that needs to be shown are a suspect
garbage dumpsters, in these places that are most fit-
a hint. “Clean Sweep” does not suggest addressing
being found and charges being laid (See for example,
ting. These threats should not be allowed to cross the
the root causes of these problems but, taken literally,
a recent CBC.ca story on a carjacking in the West
class divide that we see between the derelict streets
means pushing the problems aside.
End) in order to satisfy the public.
Another reason why these types of measures are
The issue of safety in the downtown needs to
But do these safety measures do anything for
seen as effective and rational is because of the way
separate itself from the logic of downtown revitaliza-
the actual safety of downtown? While they attempt
they are portrayed in the media. When news media
tion in market terms and be presented as an issue that
to keep certain businesses safe, so the city can “build”
covered the shooting at the Empire, the story was
affects the city at large, especially those residents who
a better downtown, they just push the real problems
framed in a solution-oriented manner. The Winnipeg
live in the city’s core but are currently not seen as an
aside, out of sight and mind.
Free Press, for example, reported the incident, and
integral part of our city.
and the affluent buildings.
What this means is that safety is no longer an
then with several follow-up stories and polls discussed
issue of public concern or a matter of social justice
and human rights. It is for those who are willing to
pay for it. This is not to blame these business owners,
because it should not be their responsibility to address
the larger issue of safety in the city. It obviously falls
on the shoulders of city council and the mayor.
The logic they operate under, however, seems
to find no problem with pushing the problems aside,
so long as businesses are still able to function, attract
people, and bring money into the downtown. Take
for example, Operation Clean Sweep. This initiative,
Crossword puzzles provided by www.BestCrosswords.com. Used with permission.
Crossword #8
Denis Vrignon-Tessier
Last Issue Puzzle Solutions:
ACROSS
1- Pierce with a knife;
5- Stupefy with drink;
10- Commoner;
14- Crafty;
15- Strap;
16- Veinlike deposit;
17- Natural blue dye;
18- Free laces, say;
19- Not base;
20- System of rule;
22- Inhabitant of Aden;
24- Spiritual sustenance;
25- Take into custody;
26- Reflected sound;
28- Freedom from war;
32- Duo;
35- Hill insect;
37- Capital of New South Wales;
38- Help, resource;
39- Depart;
41- Form of poem, often used to
praise something;
42- Wrinkle;
Sudoku #8
DOWN
45- Armed conflict;
46- Singles;
47- Type of packsack;
48- From a distance;
50- Pale yellow liquid;
54- Trap;
58- Termination of a pregnancy;
61- Go to bed;
62- Uncover;
63- More than once;
65- It’s blown among the reeds;
66- Spoiled child;
67- Geneva’s lake;
68- Monetary unit of Iran;
69- Word that can precede bodied
and seaman;
70- Gnu cousin;
71- Tibetan oxen;
1- Body of honeybees;
2- Fungal infection of the
skin or nails;
3- Set straight;
4- Writer who merits a byline;
5- Sky color;
6- Still, in poetry;
7- Lustful deity;
8- Bendable twig, usually
of a willow tree;
9- Topic;
10- Put in the ground for growth;
11- Positions;
12- Prepare for publication;
13- “Venerable” English monk;
21- Family name prefix;
23- Catch sight of;
25- First-class;
27- ___ Irwin, US Open
winning golfer;
29- Soon;
30- Give up;
31- Baby blues;
32- Bundle;
33- Breezy;
34- Thought;
36- Shooting marble;
37- Slave;
40- South African river;
43- Grow together;
44- Parody;
46- Art of public speaking;
49- “___ Ventura” was played
by Jim Carrey;
51- Name;
52- Spur part;
53- Soul;
55- Leg bone;
56- Frog sound;
57- Backs of feet;
58- “Dancing Queen” quartet;
59- Sharp bristle;
60- Word that can precede
hygiene, tradition and agreement.;
61- Tear apart;
64- Metal container;
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
The Uniter
November 1, 2007
0
ARTS & CULTURE
Arts & Culture
Arts & Culture Editor: Whitney Light
E-mail: arts@uniter.ca
Duke of the North
Cuff the Duke head out on the Canadian winter road
Curran Faris
Unconcerned
Volunteer Staff
with current musical trends, Cuff the
T
Duke trust their
ouring across Canada isn’t easy. The
instincts when it
drives are long and boring and the road
comes to songwrit-
is rife with hazards: flat tires, engine
ing; they bring a
problems and the risk of hitting wildlife along
variety of instru-
some desolate, darkened stretch of Highway 1.
ments and sounds
Now imagine dealing with these things during
to their sonic pal-
a Canadian winter. Is it sheer madness, or a rite
ette,
of passage for the truly strong and brave bands
of the North?
both country music
band will be in Winnipeg on Nov. 8 at the West End
Petti laughs about the band’s decision.
“We’ll be true Canadians once we accomplish
this,” he said. “Next is a January tour!”
Cuff the Duke’s sound is hard to pin down.
The group blends elements of country, indie rock
and pop effortlessly, often within the same song.
Their multi-faceted sound owes to a broad spectrum of influences, including everything from Sonic
and indie rock are
likely to turn a few
Courtesy of Universal Music Canada
the mercury drops, guitarist and lead singer Wayne
heads.
“We probably
piss a lot of people
off in that regard,”
Petti
alizing that you didn’t have to be amazing to do it.
You needed to just be spirited and have a good time,
and know three chords.”
It was only after discovering country acts such
with
Yet the opposite might also
be
true.
Cuff
the Duke’s hybrid
Cuff the Duke play the WECC on Thursday, Nov. 8.
sound may expose
fans to genres of
stripped down aesthetic as an early inspiration to
“I think it was getting into punk rock and re-
said
chuckle.
Youth to Johnny Cash. Petti credits punk rock’s
pick up the guitar.
synthesiz-
from the norms of
of country, pop, and indie rock to the masses. The
Unshaken by the potential risks of touring as
and
ers. Such deviations
the Canadian elements to bring their unique blend
Sidelines of the City.
steel
Moog
This winter, Ontario’s Cuff the Duke will brave
Cultural Centre in support of their newest release,
including
pedal
as Johnny Horton and Hank Williams that Petti no-
Taking these influences, Sidelines of the City
ticed some of the striking similarities between coun-
boils down to a solid, cohesive, and honest record.
try and punk.
“Failure to Some,” a country ballad at its core,
“I realized that it was the same thing,” he
expresses a pop sensibility and features a long,
said. “It was punk rock, but it was punk rock in
reverb-soaked, squalling guitar solo—hardly stan-
the ‘40s.”
dard fare for a country song.
music they may have otherwise never considered
listenable.
Petti is humbled by this prospect: “If we, in
fact, are helping expose, say, more rootsy or country-esque sounds, that blend of music, that’s awesome. That’s a nice feeling. That’s rewarding.”
A path into the past
Theatre Projects Manitoba opens season with comedic drama Stretching Hide
Conrad Sweatman
Leif Norman
Volunteer Staff
T
heatre Projects Manitoba opens its
18th season with the comedic drama
Stretching Hide, to be performed at the
Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers’ Studio Nov.
1-11. The play follows a young lawyer who returns to his Métis community in The Willows,
Sask., seeking a reunion with his father. After
the son is falsely accused by the local authorities
of poaching a deer for its antlers, his relationships and law practice are compromised.
A new Canadian work, Stretching Hide is directed by local actor/director and former Shakespeare
in the Ruins artistic director Arne MacPherson. The
play is the second in a series about aboriginal culture and Canadian history by playwrights Dale
Lakevold and Darrell Racine, both professors at
Brandon University. The play has been included in
four courses at the University of Manitoba and is
an official inclusion in the Manito Ahbee Festival
of All Nations.
“In Stretching Hide, we’re attempting to show
other paths by which communities and individuals
can come to terms with traumatic events in their
past,” Lakevold and Racine wrote in an artist state-
Rehearsing Stretching Hide. Marten (Eric Blais) gives Clara (Daria Puttaert) a freshly killed rabbit.
ment. “It is only when they (the characters) recover
traditional modes of redress and conciliation, and
recognize the community as a source of healing, that
they are able to overcome their adversity.”
With seven actors and a musician (fiddler
Jesse Hull will perform traditional Métis music),
Stretching Hide is “a huge project for a small company to take on and such a great opportunity for
the playwrights to see their play professionally produced,” said veteran local actress Jan Skene. Skene
plays the role of Sandy, a white woman living resentfully in the Metis community and struggling to provide for her 28-year-old son with a disability.
Founded under artistic director Harry Rintoul
in 1990, Theatre Projects was the first local company to showcase works by local emerging playwrights. Nearly 20 years later, the company is still
introducing Manitoba plays into the Canadian theatre community.
“It’s kind of like having the Fringe available to
you all year long,” Skene said. “I have watched the
evolution, destruction, and now, the resurgence of
Theatre Projects over the past 15 years, so I know
how vital this company is to the overall health of our
theatrical community.”
Skene graduated from the University of
Winnipeg theatre department in the early ‘80s,
before Theatre Projects existed. She says that at the
time there very few opportunities for young actors
to find work in Winnipeg. “Smaller theatre companies are great farm teams for the larger theatres,”
Skene said. “If I was a U of W student, I would say
‘Great! Keep doing shows Theatre Projects!’”
Stretching Hide runs Nov. 1-11 at WCD Studio
in the Crocus Building, 211 Bannatyne, and is presented in association with Root Sky Theatre. Student
tickets are $15.
November 1, 2007
10
The Uniter
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
ARTS & CULTURE
Drawn together
Graffiti Gallery show features the art of drawing
Ashley Buleziuk
Volunteer Staff
W
innipeg artists want, literally, to draw your
attention to Graffiti Gallery. The studio,
located at 109 Higgins Ave., is currently
showing an exhibit titled Drawing Attention. The works
in this group show all emphasize a specific form of artistic
expression—drawing.
Local artist and artistic director and curator of
the gallery, Pat Lazo, says the show aims to illustrate
the importance of drawing ability in particular artistic
fields.
“Many of the artists have never exhibited in a
gallery setting before, yet rely on their drawing ability
every day for their chosen professions,” Lazo said. He
selected artists with different styles to illustrate the
significance of the skill.
The featured artists come from a mosaic of
backgrounds, ranging from graphic design and
printmaking to graffiti and tattoo art. One artist, who
contributes several works, is the owner of a security
company. Not everyone showing here is necessarily a
professional practicing artist. Many do it simply for the
love of art.
The show also presents a range of experience.
Some artists are early on in their art careers, while
others are more established names in the Winnipeg
art scene. Alex Adams’ contributions, including
“Valentina,” “Woman With Cup” and “Ophelia” stand
out immediately. His use of graphite, charcoal, and ink
on paper reveal people in an intriguing way. One offers
a close-up image of a woman’s face behind a veil.
”His Face Was Drawn But the Gun Is Real” is
another attention grabber. Canvas program coordinator
Mike Valcourt uses gouache here in a profile of a man
with a gun. Interpretation is left to the viewer.
The more beginner artists’ work isn’t necessarily
as striking, but that’s not the point of the show, and
that certainly comes across. While it does illustrate
Winnipeg’s up-and-coming talent, the show’s main
message is that “drawing is the fundamental of most
art,” as art student contributor James Vandal said. “It
all begins with a sketch, whether it’s a graphic design
project, a painting, a print or a tattoo. It all has to
start somewhere,” Vandal added. The show illustrates
just that: all the artists rely on their ability to pick up
any instrument, whether it is a pencil, ink pen, piece
of charcoal, or pencil crayon, and put it to work.
Interestingly, the show even includes some great works
by artists who don’t normally use drawing at all.
“I don’t think that every artist needs to be able to
draw,” Lazo said. Maybe not. But evidently, it helps.
Clockwise from Top:
Sylvia Matas, Far
from Here, water
colour on paper.
Freddy Boshkaykin,
Traditional Dancer,
Pencil on
illustration board.
Cyrus Smith,
Untitled,
Mixed media.
All Images courtesy
of Graffiti Gallery.
Drawing Attention will be showing at the Graffiti
Gallery until Dec. 6.
Awkward pauses
IN BETWEEN DAYS
Directed by So Yong Kim (2006)
Don Moman
Volunteer Staff
A
rtistically impressive, In Between Days reveals first-time director So Yong Kim to have
great potential. Unfortunately, though, the
film itself falls flat.
The story follows Aimie, played by first-time
actress Jiseon Kim, as she awkwardly pursues a
tentative romance with her only friend, Tran (Taegu
or her mother, despite that
Aimie periodically narrates
an ongoing letter to him.
The film succeeds on
one level: it’s honest in a way
that many are not. Except
when Aimie is dealing with
the English-speaking world,
all dialogue is in subtitled
Korean, which highlights
her discomfort when she’s
forced to interact in English.
The film is cut into short
segments, between about
two and five minutes long, in
which a single event occurs,
or maybe as little as two lines
of dialogue are exchanged. The technique invites the
viewer to share in Aimie’s disjointed feelings.
In a similar way, the film’s lack of a soundtrack
means that frequent awkward pauses in conversations
affect viewers the same way they affect the characters.
Courtesy of Cinematheque
Cinematheque, Nov. 2-8, 7:00 p.m.
2 out of 5 mice
Honest romance drama
draws out nothing
Jiseon Kim in So Yong Kim’s In Between Days.
Andy Kang). Aimie is adapting to life in Toronto
since her recent immigration from South Korea
and lives with her mother, with whom she doesn’t
communicate well. Her father, we presume, still
resides in South Korea. He has little interest in Aimie
Extreme close-ups, especially on Aimie, allow the
characters to communicate with their eyes what they
are not scripted to speak.
Unfortunately, these techniques also make
the film nearly unwatchable. The pace is slow.
The characters seem to engage in exchanges of
awkward silences rather than conversations. The
film cuts just as something, anything, seems
about to happen. In Between Days winds up
being too honest for its own good. Adolescent
romances are awkward affairs and many people
have difficulty communicating their emotions
even to those who are closest to them. While
the film portrays this reality admirably, it has
nothing to say about it.
So Yong Kim dem-onstrates great talent as
a director, and has created a beautiful vessel for
a story. But the vessel is empty. By the end of
82 min-utes, the characters have not changed,
developed or done anything noteworthy. The
viewer is unmoved by Aimie’s experiences.
Arts & Culture Editor: Whitney Light
E-mail: arts@uniter.ca
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
MTC’s 50th season opener fits the occasion
daughter about what really happens on a wedding night.
The play was originally produced in 1938, and as
a result there are quite clearly elements that are dated
(such as predictable jokes about gender roles), but the
play as a whole remains relevant. It handles all of life’s
Odyssey Photography
Volunteer
T
he Manitoba Theatre Centre is Canada’s oldest
English-speaking regional theatre. In its half
century of existence, it has seen 11 prime ministers come and go, the Cold War, and 250 performances
every year. Thus it seems fitting that MTC chose Our
Town as its 50th season opener, a play about life’s ups and
downs and learning the hard way. Performances continue
to Nov. 10.
Written by Thornton Wilder and directed by
Robb Paterson, Our Town is a sometimes funny,
sometimes overwhelmingly sad story about small
town U.S.A. in the early 20th century. It examines the
complexities that underlie the “simple” facts of life:
growing up, falling in love, marrying the boy/girl next
door, and dying.
Monologues and interruptions by the “stage
manager,” played by Winnipeg’s hometown hero Lou
Cariou, offer insights into characters that love stories
usually leave unrevealed. Wilder named truths that are
often left unsaid, both on stage and in life: a mother’s
regret, for instance, that she never properly educated her
November 1, 2007
ARTS & CULTURE
All their yesterdays
Erin McIntyre
The Uniter
Peter Mooney and Mairi Babb perform Our Town at MTC.
11
big concepts with compassion and sensitivity. And
the cast does its best to personalize characters that are
written to represent every woman, or man, or child.
There is little set to speak of and no props. Mainly
the actors mime, which is somewhat distracting. The
storytelling form of Our Town
depends on its omniscient
narrator, who speaks directly to
the audience, invites characters
to leave or enter the stage, and
steps into various roles. This form
takes viewer adjustment, but is
also very successful, allowing
deeper truths about the human
condition to be revealed.
Our Town, however, may
not speak to university students
in the same way it would to the
55+ crowd. But it’s a landmark
play and it features Cariou, a
Tony Award winner from St.
Boniface. The production is
also extremely self-aware of
what its purpose is; it speaks of
the existence of truth but never
pretends to know what that
truth is. In that respect, it is an
extremely refreshing and honest
look at life. It does not pretend
to have all the answers, but it
helps us ask the right questions. The Uniter Fashion Streeter is an ongoing documentation of creative fashion in
Winnipeg inspired by the Helsinki fashion blog www.hel-looks.com. Each week will
feature a new look from our city’s streets and bars in an attempt to encourage indioff your style? Contact arts@uniter.ca
Lacey Butler
Be one of the first two people to email arts@uniter.ca with the correct response to the
following question and you could win a pair of tickets to see The Most Serene Republic
with Mother Mother and Dragonette on Nov. 9 at Pyramid Cabaret.
Question: What is the title of The Most Serene Republic’s newest album?
PRESS PHOTO
Also, check out the interview with Mother Mother in next week’s edition of the Uniter.
“I like trendy deals.
I try to stay away
from generic stores
and malls. I like to
shop in Osborne.
My purses are something I like to keep
completely unique.
This one I got from
a woman who makes
and sells purses at
the Farmers’ Market.”
NATASHA PETERSON
Win tickets to see
The Most Serene Republic!
vidual expression and celebrate that you are really, really good looking. Want to show
November 1, 2007
12
The Uniter
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
ARTS & CULTURE
ARTS BriefS
Compiled by AARON EPP
For art’s sake
WAG appoints new head of development
Sasha Amaya
Volunteer Staff
Potter first edition sells
for nearly $41K
A copy of the first Harry Potter novel,
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,
sold at auction earlier this month for $40,326,
the Associated Press reports. The copy of the
hardback first edition, published in 1997 and
signed “Joanne Rowling” on the back of the title
page, was sold to an anonymous private bidder at
Christie’s auction house. The book was published
with an initial print run of about 500 copies. Since
many copies were purchased by libraries, copies
in good condition are extremely rare.
Beach Boy ballet
“There are lots of works out there that need
to be done for the sake of being done. They don’t
have broad appeal,” said Norman Bradshaw, recently
appointed head of development at the Winnipeg Art
Gallery. It’s a refreshing statement from the financial
side of an arts organization, where there is often a
strong, if understandable, push to show what brings
in the cash.
Hailing from the Shaw Festival, North America’s
second largest repertory theatre company, Bradshaw
worked his way through one of Canada’s biggest arts
organizations to the position of director of donor
development.
“I started off at the beginning answering
telephone calls and taking ticket orders and a job came
free and I applied for it and got the job, and slowly
rose up through the ranks over a period of twelve years,
so I got to know the organization very, very well.”
Determination and experience honed Bradshaw’s
skills in building relationships and knowledge of
individual donations and major gifts. Now, in his
new position, he’ll also work with corporations,
foundations and government grants—a task he called
“all encompassing.”
Taking stock of this long-established
institution, Bradshaw plans to draw on colleagues
and community members for ideas and
support. “My approach is team-based,” he said.
“My experience has been that people sponsor
[organizations] for two main reasons: one is further
exposure for the art, putting it out there in the
community, allowing it to be seen and experienced, and
the other one is investment. Finding those individuals,
those bright lights who can make that jump and view
it as an investment in art and see and understand the
value in doing it, whether it’s pushing the envelope or
just sparking ideas and discussion, [is important].”
In a sector that’s “in need of support in so many
different areas,” donors can find a niche that suits their
interest, he said. Youth and education programmes, for
example, are often appealing areas of support because
people understand the link between today’s youth and
tomorrow’s artists and donors.
“A 30, 40, 50-year-old,” Bradshaw said, “who
has never stepped foot in the gallery, to bring that
person in and engage them—I’m not saying it can’t be
done, but it is [more difficult].”
Then there’s the pea-sized acquisition budget of
the WAG to consider. It’s another important area that
Bradshaw believes can appeal to donors.
“My career has really been built around
jobs that are [about] building relationships with
people,” said Bradshaw. “I enjoy meeting people; I
enjoy understanding their interests, and what their
motivations are to be involved in an organization.”
And however ambitious Bradshaw may be about
the finances, he shows equal interest in the art itself.
“There’s a show which I’m really excited about
called PostSecret. It’s a postcard based art project,
that’s become quite famous and received a lot of media
attention. I’m very excited because here’s a different
kind of art project that, again, speaks to possibly a
different audience. The programming coming up is
really exciting, and that’s huge opportunity for anyone
in development: to look at what we have coming up
and see how it will connect to our audience and build
new ones.”
Wayne Eagling, artistic director of the
English National Ballet, has choreographed a
ballet for two of his principal dancers set to the
Beach Boys classic “God Only Knows.” It will
be performed on Nov. 11 as part of the English
National Ballet’s winter fundraising gala. Brian
Wilson will perform a brief greatest hits set
earlier in the evening. Confounded by this mix
of high and low art, a writer for the Guardian
Unlimited recently quipped, “God only knows
why this is happening.”
To clone or not to clone
Man charged in theft
of Goya painting
Kelly Nickie
How stupid can someone be? The
Associated Press reports that a self-employed
truck driver was recently arrested and charged
with the theft of “Children with a Cart,” a 1778
painting by famed Spanish artist Francisco de
Goya insured at $1 million. Steven Lee Olsen,
49, allegedly stole the painting as it was being
transported from Manhattan to Toledo and
contacted federal authorities days later—looking
for a reward, no doubt—claiming he found the
painting in his basement. Authorities investigated
and determined that Olson had lifted the piece
himself. He is charged with theft of an object of
cultural heritage from a museum, which carries
a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a
$250,000 fine. “It was a crime of opportunity that
didn’t pay,” said FBI agent Sandra Carroll.
Minister announces
improved arts programs
New enhanced arts programming that
focuses on dance, drama, music and visual arts
has been launched online for teachers, parents
and arts community partners in Manitoba. The
arts education curriculum, which replaces a
system that was last upgraded over 20 years
ago, is for students in kindergarten through
Grade 4 in dance, drama and visual arts, and
for kindergarten through Grade 6 in music.
Arts curriculum will eventually be updated to
Grade 12. The curriculum is online now to allow
teachers time to learn, ask questions and plan
before it is implemented in approximately two
years. Funding for arts education has increased
$1 million during the past four years. You can
browse through Flash and print versions of the
frameworks at www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/arts.
University Night at The
Academy every Wednesday
in November
Local pop-rockers Quinzy will headline
University Night at the Academy in Osborne
Village every Wednesday in November.
Presented by the venue formerly known as the
Freehouse and along with KICK FM and the Fort
Garry Brewing Company, University Night will
include prizes, sing-alongs, and food and drink
specials. Quinzy spent time in Toronto this past
summer recording a new full-length with producer Michael Phillip Wojewoda, known for his
work with Barenaked Ladies and The Rheostatics.
The disc will be out sometime next year.
PTE’s Chimera explores an ethical question of our time
Volunteer Staff
“There is not enough conversation going on
about something that has the potential to change the
nature of life itself,” said Robert Metcalfe, director of
Prairie Theater Exchange’s production of Chimera.
Through the play, acclaimed playwright Wendy Lill
shows her fascination with cloning; Lill was a parliamentarian involved with the passing of a law in
2004 that gives way to human reproductive technologies. Though she incorporates her perspective, several scientists and professors of biotechnology helped write the play, lending a great deal
of authority to the facts presented. And it is successful: Chimera brings the audience this real,
new information and a discussion of ethics, but
also a moving look at what it means to be human.
The word “chimera” refers to an animal that carries
two different cells in its system acquired through
gene splices during cloning. The concept has specific relevance to the play’s plot: a scientist (Doreen
Brownstone) who, in secret, is trying to find a cure
for autism using spliced monkey chromosomes, reveals herself to a journalist (Christopher Sigurdson)
whose hope for good in the world is on the wane.
With renewed passion, the journalist dives into investigation, gradually exposing the scientist’s once
secret research and targeting the parliamentary minister of justice (fiercely played by Marina Stephenson
Kerr), the key figure in a debate that erupts onstage about the ethical questions around cloning.
The more the journalist reveals his source’s research
and revelations, the more the minister of justice must
respond to questions about whether cloning should
be made illegal. The minister of justice is also targeted by an Alberta MP (Brian Richardson), who
challenges the ethics of cloning on a religious front.
Although the ethics of cloning are the focus, the play
also deals with the simple facts of being human: complicated friendships, remorse over the sudden death of
a loved one, the ethics of journalism and the balance
between work and personal identity. The minister
of justice, for instance, has to admit that she doesn’t
know why the cloning law permitted human to animal
cloning but not vice versa. Stripped of her know-it-all
status, the righteous judge is leveled out to be…human.
Set on a small stage, visual props such as the backdrop and House of Commons scene props are
changed smoothly and smartly. A brick divider between desks in the House of Commons scenes gives
way to an office, and the next minute becomes the
perfect counter for a bar. Sound designer Greg Lowe
provides smooth guitar sounds between transitions,
setting especially well a dramatic beginning and end,
when the journalist speaks about losing his brother
to Down’s Syndrome and the theories of Darwin.
Chimera examines the limits of science and biotechnology with compelling sincerity. Although very analytical, it carries the emotional weight of its topic too,
and offers deep insight into human interaction.
Chimera will continue until Nov. 4 at Prairie
Theater Exchange. Tickets are available at the box office
or by calling 942-5483.
95.9 FM CKUW Campus/Community
Radio Top 10 CD – Albums
OCTOBER 24-30, 2007
! = Local content * = Canadian Content RE=Re Entry NE = New Entry
LWTWArtistRecording
Label
1
1
!Weakerthans Reunion Tour Anti/Epitaph
4
2
!Details
5
3 Gaudi + Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Dub Qawwali 6
4
*Stars
14
5 !Various Artists
8
6 Caribou
3
7
!Paperbacks An Illusion Against Death
9
8
*Sadies
2
9
!Scott Nolan Reciever/Reflector
7
10 *Emily Haines/Soft Skeleton Draw a Distance
Parliament of Trees
Six Degrees
In Our Bedroom Arts & Crafts
Manitoba Music
Independent
Andorra Merge
Parliament of Trees
New Seasons Yep Roc
Transistor 66
What is Free… Last Gang
Arts & Culture Editor: Whitney Light
E-mail: arts@uniter.ca
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
13
BOOK REview
BEIRUT
BLUE RODEO
STARS
Ba Da Bing! Records
Warner
Arts & Crafts
Beirut’s new fulllength is simply
wonderful. The
band
makes
music you could
imagine coming
out of an old dusty
gramophone,
or from a Parisian café in the 1920s.
Woozy horn sections, gorgeous string
arrangements,
accordion,
piano
and ukulele provide most of the
instrumentation over Beirut’s European
waltzes—hardly commonplace sounds to
most North American listeners. Part of
Beirut’s appeal, in fact, is that they sound
so different from anything else in popular
music right now. Central to Beirut’s
songs are the vocals of Zach Condon.
Condon’s golden croon on songs like “A
Sunday Smile” and “Guyamas Sonora”
is enough to make anyone swoon, from
your grandma to the most pretentious
hipster. Throw on this record, drink some
wine, and you’ll swear you’re back in the
old country.
I love Jim
Cuddy. There.
I said it. There
is just something
about
him that I find
so...attractive.
Not necessarily
in a physical sense (though you have to
admit he is a handsome guy), but in the
same way you are drawn to your older
cousin or your favourite uncle when
you’re young; they just exude coolness.
Plus, he writes terrific songs and his
vocals sound completely effortless. All
gushing aside, Blue Rodeo’s newest
is a great album. The group’s blend
of country and pop is practically a
Canadian institution now, and Small
Miracles doesn’t disappoint. It’s filled
with pop hooks, catchy choruses, and
the fresh-from-the oven guitar tones the
band is known for. “This Town” features
Cuddy on piano (is there anything he
can’t do?), and is one of the strongest
songs on the record. The Hip are boring
in comparison. Blue Rodeo is the
quintessential Canadian rock band.
After a band sets the
bar high, as Stars did
with 2004’s tight
indie-pop album Set
Yourself On Fire,
listeners expect great
things. Apparently,
so did Stars, and it
may have been their downfall. In Our Bedroom
after the War is mostly a bland attempt at
grandiosity that falters on one out of every
two tracks and borders on self-indulgent
triumphalism. Despite two or three electronic
ballad bright spots (“Window Bird” and
“Today Will Be Better, I Swear!”), the disc
has no guts. Track titles like “The Night Starts
Here,” “Take Me to the Riot,” and “Barricade”
suggest some sort of revolution, but the only
uprising here may be when you leave the
room and forget you just popped in a new
disc from one of those cool-ass Montreal
indie bands everybody keeps talking about.
The only reason I gave it more than one
listen was because it was Stars. Their past
material is stellar and their last show at the
Pyramid will not soon be forgotten. It’s not
that In Our Bedroom is all that terrible. It’s
just not that good.
Curran Faris
5 out of 5
November 1, 2007
ARTS & CULTURE
cd REviews
The Flying Club Cup
The Uniter
Small Miracles
Curran Faris
4 out of 5
In Our Bedroom after the War
James Janzen
2.5 out of 5
Spanish Fly
Will Ferguson Viking Canada
320 pages
Reviewed by Kathleen Gallagher
Volunteer Staff
Something is to
be admired about the
con artist, a heroic
figure who swindles
money by means of
his or her wit. We are
attracted to charming
and charismatic people
who make their own
rules. Will Ferguson’s
new
novel
Spanish
Fly plays on our love affair with the snazzy 1930s
con artist.
Set in the American South in 1939, the novel
is narrated by 19-year-old Jack McGreary, who first
appeared as an old man in Ferguson’s debut novel,
Happiness. The young Jack leaves his small town of
Paradise Flats to work with two con artists, Rosalind
Scheible (a.k.a. Miss Rose) and Virgil Ray. Jack goes
with Virgil and Miss Rose from state to state as they
pull different cons on various people. Ferguson’s
descriptions of the dusty plains and small crumbling
towns work as a good metaphor for the victims, or as
the cons call them, “marks.”
The dust bowl towns also nicely contrast the
exciting life of the cons. After Virgil, Miss Rose and
Jack pull a few jobs, they enter the night life of Silver
City, with its jazz clubs and opera houses. Virgil
and Miss Rose buy the finest clothes, eat the finest
steaks, and give the impression that they live idly all
the days of the year. Jack is just along for the ride,
happy to be rid of his old life and intoxicated by the
thrill of the new.
The con jobs make fun and exciting reading.
With names like “pigeon drop” and “fiddle game,” it’s
difficult not to get into the spirit of swindling. The
swindlers themselves appeal to our own greed and
hopes. Everybody desires something and sometimes
we’ll believe anything to attain it. Spanish Fly is about
broken dreams and our need to believe in something
even when we know it’s not so.
The broken dream motif ties in well with
Ferguson’s commentary on the American dream, which
is also threaded through the novel. The Depression
provides him with the perfect backdrop to tell about
lost hope. Ferguson describes at length boarded up
storefronts, abandoned farms, and people who have
lost much yet need to believe that their fortune is just
a step away.
Ferguson develops complicated characters, most
of who cling to falsities. Virgil spends most of his time
tricking people, while he creates his own false notion
of who he is. Virgil steals, but he needs to believe that
he is not a thief.
Jack sees through the smoke and mirrors that the
other characters put up, but he has his shortcomings
as well. Jack’s clever eye sees all the ironies and the
metaphors of this tale, yet his youth makes this book
a coming-of-age story too. He debates whether or not
he should continue his life as a swindler or go up to
Canada and join the British troops, just as they are
about to enter World War II.
It should also be mentioned that Spanish Fly is a
novel with its own soundtrack. Ferguson collaborated
with musician Tom Phillips to create the country
album that accompanies the book. It’s too bad
the soundtrack doesn’t offer any jazz; jazz was the
soundtrack to Virgil, Miss Rose and Silver City and
everything Jack was attracted to. Nonetheless, it’s an
interesting idea, and the album adds a novel element
to this already entertaining book.
November 1, 2007
14
The Uniter
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
ARTS & CULTURE
Listings Coordinator: Kristine Askholm
E-mail: Listings@uniter.ca
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
Want to submit your listing to Uniter Listings? Email your listings to listings@uniter.ca
Deadline for submissions is Wednesday, eight days before the issue you’d like your
listing to first appear in. The Uniter publishes on Thursdays, 25 times a year.
ON CAMPUS
EVENTS
GALLERY 1C03 PRESENTS A PUBLICATION LAUNCH FOR 2 EXHIBITIONS
Casualty & Show + Tell: Notions of Home and Place by Alumni, with a performance by Glen Johnson. Thurs, Nov 1, 4-6 p.m. Performance at 5 p.m.
in Room 3C01
AWARD-WINNIPEG AUTHOR ROZENA MAART will be at the U of W Nov 5 to
discuss her new novel, The Writing Circle. She will be speaking in room
3M69 at 12:30 p.m. Dr Maart will also be reading from and discussing her
works at McNally Robinson at 8 p.m. For more information please visit www.
tsarbooks.com
accelerate the growth of their business. Nominations and self nominations
are being accepted through the ACE website, www.acecanada.ca, and will
close on Dec 7. The competition is open to full-time students at Canadian
universities or colleges who are running their own businesses.
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
The Uniter
November 1, 2007
LISTINGS @ uniter.ca
15
In Between Days
BEST STUDENT WRITER AWARD The National Magazine Awards Foundation (NMAF) is now accepting applications for the 3rd annual Best
Student Writer award. Full-time, post-secondary students who have
published a non-fiction piece in a Canadian consumer or university magazine in 2007 are eligible. The winner will receive $1000 and
tickets to the National Magazine Awards gala next June. Visit www.magazineawards.com for more information. Deadline is Jan 11, 2008.
AROUND TOWN
FILM
CINEMATHEQUE
CINEMATHEQUE 100 Arthur St. Nov 2-8: In Between Days, 7 p.m.; Acts of
Imagination, 8:30 p.m. (perogie-eating contest at Nov 2 & 3 screenings) Nov
3: Cinemental Short Film Competition, 1 p.m.
GLOBE CINEMA Portage Place Now playing: Into the Wild, Michael Clayton,
The Darjeeling Limited. Call 69-GLOBE for details.
UWFSA SPEAKER SERIES Health in the Philippine Barangay: What about
Gender? UWFSA, in cooperation with ANAK, welcomes Dr. Tuula Heinonen,
Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Work, U of M 6 p.m. Thurs, Nov 8, free
admission. U of W, Manitoba Hall, Room 3M65. Email the University of Winnipeg Filipino Students’ Association at uw_fsa@yahoo.ca for more information.
THE UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG NDP CAMPUS CLUB Annual General Meeting Wed, Nov 14 in room 3M50 at 12:30. If you are interested, or want more
information, email us at uofwndp@hotmail.com
PARK THEATRE 698 Osborne St. 478-7275 Nov 1: “2 Stroke, Cold Smoke #
10” Movie Premiere. Nov 2: Argyle Alternative HS Movie Fest w/ The Visionary & Z for Zombies (7:30).
THEATRE & DANCE
OPPORTUNITIES
COUNSELLING & CAREER SERVICES EVENTS Fri, Nov 2, 3-4 p.m., Teach
Australia, Room 1L12. Wed, Nov 7, 12:30-1:20 p.m., CMA – Certified Management Accountants, Room 2C14. Thurs, Nov 8, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. (hourly sessions), International Student Volunteer Opportunities, Room 0GM09 - Career
Resource Centre. Fri, Nov 9, 12:30-1:20 p.m., Physical Therapy (School of
Medical Rehabilitation at the University of Manitoba), Room 2D11 - Duckworth Centre. Thurs, Nov 15, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. CGA Manitoba Certified
General Accountants, Room 0GM09 - Career Resource Centre
COUNSELLING & CAREER SERVICES FREE WORKSHOPS Tues, Nov 13,
1:15-2:15 p.m. Strong Interest Interpretation. Wed, Nov 14, 12:30-1:20 p.m.
Successful Interviewing. Tues, Nov 20, 1:15-2:15 p.m. Resume and Cover
Letter Writing. Wed, Nov 21, 12:30-1:20 p.m. Managing Exam Anxiety. Wed,
Nov 28, 12:30-1:20 p.m. Job Search Strategies. All students, alumni and staff
are welcome to attend and must pre-register by calling 786-9231.
UPCOMING INFORMATION BOOTHS INFORMATION BOOTHS Mon, Nov
5: Kaplan, Riddell Atrium. Wed, Nov 14: Winnipeg Police Service, Riddell
Atrium
LIFE WRITING WITH SHERRY BAILEY Sat, Nov 17 10 a.m.-4 p.m., room
3M50 U of W. This workshop will focus on the various forms of life writing Journal/Diary, Memoir/Autobiography, Essay and Letter - along with practical
ideas on how to begin. For this workshop, participants are asked to submit
samples of their life writing not later than two weeks before the workshop–
maximum five double-spaced pages. $30 WC members, $50 non-members.
To register email writerscollecive@uwinnipeg.ca or call 786-9468.
LOOKING FOR A GREAT IDEA FOR YOUR TERM PAPER? The Experiential
Learning Program offers research topics to students based on the needs of
our University and local community. We partner with offices on campus and
non-profit organizations working towards social justice and environmental
sustainability. These projects range from helping refugees settle in Winnipeg,
to protecting our waterways from environmental degradation. Current proposals are listed on our website for your consideration, at www.uwinnipeg.
ca/index/sus-student-initiatives. Interested? Contact the SUNSET (Sustainable University Now, Sustainable Earth Together) student group office at
789-1435 or email uwsunset@yahoo.ca.
FROM OUTRAGE TO ACTION HUMAN RIGHTS WORKSHOP SERIES Sessions include An Introduction to International Law, Beyond Letter Writing,
Corporate Social Responsibility, Refugee Claimants in Winnipeg, Racial
Profiling in Canada, Activism 101. Dates from Oct 30-Dec 6. Free admission. Space is limited – priority will be given to those who register for all
six sessions. To register contact Louise at outragetoaction@mts.net or call
475-4565.
2008 STUDENT ENTREPRENEUR COMPETITION celebrates the commitment, determination and achievements of student entrepreneurs. Through
this annual program, ACE and CIBC create a platform for young business
leaders to network with like-minded students, showcase their business on
a regional and national stage to top executives and leading entrepreneurs,
receive relevant training and leverage valuable mentorship opportunities to
Slidin’ Clyde Roulette Band
Nov 1, 2, 3 at the Windsor Hotel as part of the Manito Ahbee Festival
GITANJALI KOLANAD IN “A FLOWERING TREE” Presented by India School
of Dance, Music & Theatre. Enter a magical realm of contemporary dance and
theatre with a traditional East Indian edge as Gitanjali tells an ancient folk-tale
about a woman who turns herself into a tree which blossoms with intoxicatingly fragrant flowers. Fri Nov 9, 7:30 p.m. at the Centre Culturel FrancoManitobain, 340 Provencher Blvd. Tickets: Adults $15, Student/Senior $10.
To reserve call Pamela 256-7812 or Julie 336-0484. www.indiaschool.ca
SLIDIN’ CLYDE ROULETTE BAND Part of the Manito Ahbee Festival
Thurs, Nov 1 and Sat, Nov 3, along with other Blues bands nominated
at the Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Awards at The Windsor Hotel
187 Garry St. One complete night of Slidin’ Clyde Roulette Sat Nov 2.
PATANA (II) with special guest choreographer Patrick Parson (Ballet Creole,
Toronto) Nov 1, 2 & 3, 8 p.m. Matinée Nov 4, 2 p.m. The Gas Station Theatre
445 River Ave Tickets: Adult $20, Student/Senior $15, Children under 12 $10
at Ticketmaster 780-3333 or Cash at the door.
TINSLEY ELLIS Nov 2 Silverado’s. Tickets $14.15 + GST by calling
694-SHOW(7469)
STRETCHING HIDE A young Métis lawyer introduces his fiancé to the chaotic
life of his community one July long weekend. That weekend his law practice
and his personal life are threatened when he’s accused by the provincial
game wardens of poaching a deer for its antlers. Nov 1-11 WCD Studio 211
Bannatyne Ave. Tickets: adults $20, seniors $17, students $15 at 989-2400.
CONCERTS
JULLY BLACK Nov 7, WECC. Doors 7:15 p.m. Show 8 p.m. Tickets $14
in advance Available at WECC and Ticketmaster
WINTERSLEEP w/ WOODEN STARS Thurs, Nov 8 at the Pyramid. Tickets at Into the Music, Kustom Kulture and Kitsch on Broadway
CUFF THE DUKE w/ LAND OF TALK Thurs, Nov 8 WECC. Doors
7:15 p.m. Show 8 p.m. Tickets $12 in advance on sale now at
WECC, Ticketmaster, Into the Music, and Music Trader
THE MOST SERENE REPUBLIC w/ DRAGONETTE and MOTHER MOTHER Fri, Nov 9 at the Pyramid. Tickets $12 advance / $15 door, available
at Into the Music, Kustom Kulture and Kitsch on Broadway
A GALA ROCKIN’ FUNDRAISER FOR BRENT “GUITAR” PARKIN Feat:
Swing Sonic Jazz, Prairie Swing & Good-time Blues w/ Greg Leskiw,
The Swag Surf, Twang & Rock, Sensations w/ Chris Carmichael, Ken
McMahon, Bernie Thiessen, The Six Stringers Blues, Jazz & Rock
Extravaganza fear. Terry Barnett, J.P. Lepage, Greg Lowe, Larry Roy
Slidin’ Clyde Roulette, Clayton Sample. Sun, Nov 11, Pyramid Cabaret
176 Fort St. Doors 7:30 Showtime: 8. Silent Auction, 50/50, Door
Prizes. Advance Tickets $15 at Windsor Hotel, Into The Music, Times
Change(d) High and Lonesome Club, Royal George Hotel
GWAR w/ special guests HORSE Mon, Nov 12 at the Pyramid. Tickets
$35 plus tax at Ticketmaster and Soul Survivors Body Art in Osborne
Village
THE DUHKS Nov 15 and 16, West End Cultural Centre. Doors 7:15
Show 8 Tickets $17 in advance at WECC and Ticketmaster.
THE FACULTY FOLLIES’ CD RELEASE with Johnny Riverboat. Nov 16,
10 p.m. at Wise Guys on Campus, $5
MANITOBA THEATRE CENTRE 174 Market Ave 942-6537. Until Nov 10: Our
Town
PRAIRIE THEATRE EXCHANGE Portage Place 942-5483. Until Nov 4: Chimera.
LITERARY
2007 PRAIRIE FIRE PRESS – MCNALLY ROBINSON WRITING CONTESTS
Bliss Carman Poetry Award - Judge: Barry Dempster, Short Fiction - Judge:
Bill Gaston,
Creative Non-Fiction - Judge: Mark Anthony Jarman. $6,000 in prizes. First
prize in each category $1,250, 2nd prize $500, 3rd prize $250. Deadline: Nov
30. For information contact 943-9066, prfire@mts.net, or check out our web
site for guidelines at www.prairiefire.ca.
FERNWOOD PUBLISHING BOOK LAUNCH Doing Community Economic
Development, edited by Jim Silver (professor in the new Dept. of Urban and
Inner City Studies at the U of W), John Loxley ( professor of economics and
co-ordinator of research for the Global Political Economy Program at the
University of Manitoba), and Kathy Sexsmith (a student at the University of
Oxford). Nov 1, 7 p.m, at Mondragon Café and Bookstore, 91 Albert St.
WINNIPEG WRITER DOUG SMITH RELEASES NEWEST BOOK Big Death:
Funeral Planning in the Age of Corporate Deathcare. Nov 13 at McNally
Robinson (Grant Park), at 8 p.m.
MCNALLY ROBINSON GRANT PARK Nov 1, 7 p.m: Gary Geddes reading
from Falsework; Kathleen Arnason (in the Prairie Ink restaurant) reading from
Remember Me. Nov 5: Sharing Craft (7-9 p.m.); Rozena Maart reading &
signing The Writing Circle(8 p.m.). Nov 6: Reese Halter signing Wild Weather:
The Truth Behind Global Warming; Giller Light Bash, a fundraiser for Frontier
College celebrating the Scotiabank Giller, one of Canada’s most prestigious
literary awards (6 p.m.). Nov 7: The 50 Year History of MTC (7 p.m.); Joel
Walker and Monique Cooper launch of The Spirit of the Ride (8 p.m.)
November 1, 2007
16
The Uniter
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
LISTINGS @ uniter.ca
MCNALLY ROBINSON PORTAGE PLACE Nov 8: Lorraine Mayer reading &
signing Cries From A Métis Heart (7 p.m.).
Want to submit your listing to Uniter Listings? Email your listings to listings@uniter.ca
Deadline for submissions is Wednesday, eight days before the issue you’d like your
listing to first appear in. The Uniter publishes on Thursdays, 25 times a year.
Jodi King
SKYWALK CONCERTS & LECTURES A co-presentation of Wpg Public
Library, the U of W and Virtuosi Concerts Inc. All events take place from
12:10 to 12:50 p.m. in the Carol Shields Auditorium, second floor of the
Millennium Library, 251 Donald St. Admission is free. Nov 1: Music of
The Americas, performed by La Clave del Sol (The Key of the Sun) Nov
7: Prof. Catherine Hunter, U of W English, on Mystery Writing in Winnipeg
Nov 8: Love Songs from Italy by Ritmo Misto – Vito & Maria DeStefano
ATTENTION ARTISTS OF ALL DISCIPLINES AND COMMUNITY GROUPS The
Winnipeg Arts Council Public Art Program invites applications for WITH ART, a
program for collaborative art projects between community groups and artists in
Winnipeg. Artists working in all art forms such as visual, performing and literary
arts, and community groups from diverse sectors who have a history working together are welcome to apply. Please see our website for full eligibility
criteria and application requirements and for any further information. Deadline is Dec 3. Call Tricia Wasney at 943-7668 or visit www.winnipegarts.ca.
for full details.
COMEDY
SOAP SCUM PRODUCTIONS presents Space Quest, an improvised space
comedy on Mondays at the Park Theater 698 Osborne St. at 8 p.m. Tickets
are $5 and available at the door.
GALLERIES
ART TOMORROW: FORUM ON THE FUTURE OF CONTEMPORARY ART
INSTITUTIONS Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art presents a forum
exploring the future and role of contemporary visual arts institutions in
Canada. All welcome to attend discussions with local and international
guest speakers at the Fort Garry Hotel on Nov 2 and 3. An opening
reception will be held on Nov 1 at Plug In and a Cabaret on Nov 2 at the
Fort Garry Hotel. For more information and registration, contact Plug In
at 943-1043 and visit our website www.plugin.org.
A LABEL FOR ARTISTS is currently accepting submissions for our next
exhibition Homage to Picasso. We are looking to salute Pablo Picasso
by showing works by you that have his influence. This can be collages,
paintings, drawings, sculpture or photos. If you wish to participate
please email alabelforartists@gmail.com or phone 772-5165 to make
drop off arrangements. We ask that all works be labeled with name, title,
and contact info. Paper works should be framed.
ACEARTINC 2nd floor, 290 McDermot Ave 944-9763
GRAFFITI GALLERY 109 Higgins 667-9960. Not-for-profit community
youth art centre. Until Dec 6: Drawing Attention.
KEEPSAKES GALLERY 264 McDermot Ave 257-0374 Non-profit art gallery. Handmade art, pottery, candles, cards, paintings, photography.
GALLERY LACOSSE 169 Lilac St. 284-0726 Studies in Contrast feat. the
work of Michael Cox, Jim Corbett, and Terry Lacosse.
PLATFORM CENTRE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC AND DIGITAL ARTS 121100 Arthur St (Artspace) 942-8183
OUTWORKS GALLERY 290 McDermot Ave 949-0274. Totem: a member
and friends’ exhibition featuring artists’ varied responses to the concept of totem. Opening Reception Fri, Nov 2 at 7:30 p.m. at Outworks
Gallery, 3rd Floor 290 McDermot Ave. Runs Nov 2-24, open Wed to
Sat 12-4 p.m. or by appointment. Contact 949-0274 or email info@
outworksgallery.com.
PLUG IN INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART 286 McDermot Ave
Scratching the Surface: The Post-Prairie Landscape feat. 19 Winnipeg
artists. Until Nov 17.
SEMAI GALLERY Basement Corridor 264 McDermot Ave 275-5471 Until
Nov 30: Grimhaven by Gordon Arthur. Hours: Tues-Sat 12-6
URBAN SHAMAN 203-290 McDermot Ave 942-2674. Until Nov 10:
Rockstars & Wannabes, video and installation feat.Warren Arcand,
Kevin Ei-Ichi deForest, Skawennati Fragnito, and Benny Nemerofsky
Ramsay.
URBAN SHAMAN GALLERY & MANITO AHBEE FESTIVAL PRESENT CONVERGENCE featuring 12 artists from across Manitoba. Exhibition Locations:
MTS Centre Nov 3-4; 73 Princess St (Urban Shaman’s Satellite Gallery)
until Nov 23. Hours: Tues-Fri 11-5, Sat 12-5.
VAULT GALLERY 2181 Portage Ave Kundalini Rising, a group exhibition
that explores the inner workings of Yoga practice and Zen philosophy,
until Nov 3. Gallery hours 11-5 Tues-Sat
WAH-SA GALLERY 130-25 Forks Market Rd
BARS, CAFES & VENUES
Nov 2 at McNally Robinson Portage Place
ACADEMY BAR & EATERY 414 Academy Rd Nov 1: Kim Reimer and Inna
Riddim Nov 2: The Playing Cards with Richard Brilliant Nov 10: Bill Dowling,
Brenda Neiles and Marcel Desilets
ACADEMY FOOD DRINKS MUSIC 437 Stradbrook Nov 1: Greg Lowe
Trio then 90s Dance party Nov 3: Broken Halo Nov 4: Funk night with
The Afterparty and The Solutions Nov 5: Open Mic with Little Black
Dress Nov 6: Karaoke with J Williamez Nov 7: Quinzy Nov 8: Greg Lowe
trio then 90’s Dance party Nov 9: BUMP Nov 10: Hillbilly Burlesque
ELLICE CAFÉ & THEATRE 585 Ellice Ave Nov 10: Thx-Grooves.
KING’S HEAD PUB 100 King St. Every Sunday: All the Kings Men
MCNALLY ROBINSON GRANT PARK MUSIC Nov 2: The Burtons (jazz). Nov
9: Marco Castillo (Bossa Nova, samba). Nov 10: Taste of New Orleans (jazz).
Shows at 8.
MCNALLY ROBINSON PORTAGE PLACE MUSIC Nov 2: Jodi King (acoustic
pop). Nov 9: Adley (contemporary & folk) Shows at 6:30.
OZZY’S 160 Osborne Downstairs Oct 26: Helloween Massacre (Day One)
feat. Igor & The Skindiggers, Nailbrick, Amongst The Filth, Of Human Bondage, Krull. Oct 27: Helloween Massacre (Day Two) feat. The Heatskores
(Toronto), Ramirez, Krotch Rawket, The Grim Meathook Experience. Nov
3: Big Trouble In Little China, The Downfall, Jakartah (B.C.), with guests.
PYRAMID CABARET 176 Fort St. Nov 1 & 3: Manito-Ahbee: A Festival
for all Nations with Strongront Records Showcase on Nov 2. Nov 5: Go
Ghetto Tiger. Nov 9: The Most Serene Republic w/ Dragonette and Mother
Mother, tickets $12 advance / $15 door, available at Into the Music, Kustom Kulture and Kitsch on Broadway. Nov 11: Brent Parkin Benefit. Nov
12: Gwar w/ special guests Horse, tickets $35 plus tax at Ticketmaster
and Soul Survivors Body Art in Osborne Village. Nov 16: DJ Tittsworth
w/ DJ Dave Nada, Nutty Klub DJs and Twenty Twenty, advance Tix at
Cocopod (875 Corydon), Music Trader and online at ticketworkshop.com
REGAL BEAGLE 331 Smith St. Nov 2: The Braggarts. Nov 9 & 10: Crosstown.
Every Wed at 9 p.m. The Marlborough Men. Thurs at 9 p.m. Shandra and Jason.
ROYAL ALBERT ARMS 48 Albert St. Nov 2: Electro Quarterstaff, Velodrom,
L’viv. Nov 3: White Cowbell Oklahoma, The Wildbirds. Nov 5: Caribou, Born
Ruffians.
THE ZOO Osborne Village Inn 160 Osborne St. Nov 2: Indy Nosebone, Broken Halo, with guests - Advance tickets $10 Nov 3: Civil Disobedients, with
guests. Nov 6: Social Code, Tupelo Honey, Indy Nosebone, Hunter Valentine,
Rides Again (advance tickets $7).
TIMES CHANGED HIGH AND LONESOME CLUB 234 Main St. Nov 1: Washboard Hank Nov 2: Kent McAllister and the Iron Choir Nov 3: Big Dave Mclean
and Doc Maclean Nov 4: Jam w/ Big Dave Mclean
WEST END CULTURAL CENTRE 586 Ellice Ave Nov 1: Suss CD release Nov
2: The Kicker, The Paperbacks, Broken Orchestra of Winnipeg Nov 3: Keith &
Renee “Revolution” CD release Nov 7: Jully Black
WAYNE ARTHUR GALLERY 186 Provencher Blvd.
WINNIPEG ART GALLERY 300 Memorial Blvd. 789-1760. Warhol:
Larger than Life, until Jan 6. John Hartman: Cities. Into the Collection:
Will Gorlitz, until Nov 8. Around Here: Scenes of Manitoba from the
Historical Collection, until Nov 10. Inuit Games, ongoing. Into the
Collection: Highlights of Historical Painting From 15th century panel
paintings to Post-Impressionism, ongoing.
LAST CALL AT THE COPA UKRAINIAN ZABAVA Presented by Melos Folk
Ensemble. Sat Nov 17 at The Copa Banquet Centre 2685 Main St. 8 p.m.
Tickets: $10. Featuring The D-Drifters and The Ukrainian All-Star Band.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
THE MANITOBA NATURALISTS SOCIETY INDOOR PROGRAM PRESENTATION “Global Warming, Climate Change, Weird Weather: the Issues,
Impacts & Opportunities” will be held on Nov 5 at 7:30 p.m. at le Centre
Culturel Franco-Manitobain, 340 Provencher Blvd. Admission: $2 for MNS
members & $6 for non-members. For further information, please call the
office at 943-9029.
GORDON BELL HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI CHOIR Practices are Monday
evenings at 6:45 in the Gordon Bell Music Room. Contact Don Askholm at
489-5584 for more information.
FREE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS CLASS An opportunity to meet with other
students and Canadian friends while learning English and the Bible. Elim
Chapel 546 Portage Ave at Spence St. (enter from rear parking lot) Sundays
noon-1:30 p.m. For information call Val & Veda Chacko 257-1670.
TRANS DAY OF REMEMBRANCE Tues, Nov 20, 7 p.m. The Red Road Lodge,
(formerly the New Occidental) 631 Main St (the corner of Logan and Main).
A day to remember and commemorate those who have been killed because
of their gender expression. Following the Candlelit Vigil, there will be refreshments and a celebratory Gender F*#! Dance Party! This is a free all ages
event. All are welcome! VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
CAN YOU SPARE 2 HOURS TO HELP THE ALZHEIMER SOCIETY OF
MANITOBA? Volunteers are needed to tag (request donations from Safeway
Shoppers and provide them with a sticker and a brochure), for a 2 hour
shift on Sat, Nov 17. We are currently in need of approximately 100 more
volunteers and would like to call on you to assist us by tagging at your local
Safeway Store. Please help us to remember the 18,000 Manitobans living
with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias by volunteering your time, or by
making a donation at your local Safeway. Visit us online at alzheimer.mb.ca
or call Lori at 943-6622 ext 211 to sign up as a volunteer.
NEEDS CENTRE FOR WAR AFFECTED FAMILIES is looking for volunteers to
work with immigrant and refugee children and youth. The Needs Centre provides accessible services and programs to children/youth from the ages 518. Programming includes arts, crafts, music, computer skills, employment,
educational and EAL activities. For more information, contact Jodi Alderson,
Volunteer Coordinator at 940-1265 or email volunteers@needsinc.ca.
TEEN TOUCH Manitoba’s youth focused helpline Teen Touch is accepting applications for online/telephone helpline volunteers. We provide training that
equips you with skills to answer confidential calls on our 24 hour helpline.
This opportunity provides a flexible schedule and allows you to work from
your home. For further information or to apply contact Christine at 945-0088,
cporpiglia@teentouch.org or visit our website www.teentouch.org. Our next
training will be held on: Nov 24, 25 and Dec 1, 2 at our offices, 800 Portage
Ave from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Due to confidentiality concerns you must be
18 to apply.
LOOKING TO WORK WITH CHILDREN/YOUTH? The International Centre (406
Edmonton St) needs volunteers to work with recent newcomer children and
youth from the inner-city in the following programs: 1. Sports Club - Tuesdays
from 5-7 pm @ Victoria Albert School/Central Park 2. After School Education
(ESL) – Wednesdays from 5-7pm @ 511 Ellice Ave. 3. Youth Empowerment
(cooking/art classes) – Fridays from 5-7:30pm @ International Centre 4.
Youth Leadership Training (team games, volunteer/job skills) – Saturdays
from 1-5pm @ UofW For more info, contact Si il: siilp@international-centre.
ca or 943-9158 ext. 285 To apply contact Marsha: marshap@internal-centre.
ca or 943-9158 ext. 260
BE A VOLUNTEER LITERACY TUTOR WITH FRONTIER COLLEGE! Work with
children, youth and adults in schools and community centres around the
University of Winnipeg. The commitment is one hour per week through the
school year. Call 253-7993 or email cgartside@frontiercollege.ca for more
information. Literacy is an essential skill in today’s world. At Frontier College,
we believe it’s a fundamental right. 42% of adult Canadians have trouble
with everyday tasks that involve reading. Through a network of thousands
of volunteers, Frontier College is helping people to realize their potential and
seize the opportunities that come their way. See www.frontiercollege.ca.
Listings Coordinator: Kristine Askholm
E-mail: Listings@uniter.ca
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
Want to submit your listing to Uniter Listings? Email your listings to listings@uniter.ca
Deadline for submissions is Wednesday, eight days before the issue you’d like your
listing to first appear in. The Uniter publishes on Thursdays, 25 times a year.
AWARDS & FINANCIAL AID
UNIVERSITY
OF WINNIPEG
INTERNAL AWARDS:
THE UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG
TUITION BURSARY PROGRAM 2007-08
This bursary program has been
developed for the 2007-08 academic
year to assist students, primarily those
in their first year of university study,
who are experiencing financial
difficulties because of tuition costs and
books and supplies expenses. Financial
need caused by living expenses may
also be considered in exceptional
circumstances.
The maximum award will be equivalent
of tuition and books/supplies costs for
the current academic year. To be eligible
the student must meet the following
criteria:
must be registered in an undergraduate
degree program or pre-professional
program in Arts, Science, or Education
at the University of Winnipeg during the
2007-08 academic year. Registration
may be on either a full-time or part-time
basis. Student should have financial
need. Student should be making satisfactory academic progress. Applications
are available in the Awards office located
in Graham Hall and at Student Central in
Centennial Hall.
Deadline date: December 3, 2007.
UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG GENERAL
BURSARY APPLICATIONS
General Bursary Application Forms are
now in the Awards office located in
Graham Hall or at Student Central in
Centennial Hall.
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
November 1, 2007
LISTINGS @ uniter.ca
17
The Awards and Financial Aid staff of the University of Winnipeg provides our student body with current information on award opportunities. This information is updated weekly.
Bursaries are small, supplementary
financial assistance awards, normally
$300 - $750 in value. In order to be considered, you must prove financial need
and you must be making satisfactory
academic progress (i.e. maintaining a
“C” average). Because funds are limited,
not everyone who qualifies will receive
a bursary. These University of Winnipeg
bursaries are available to our students in
any year of their program.
Deadline date: January 31, 2008.
EXTERNAL AWARDS:
AUCC AWARDS: The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada provides 150 scholarship programs on behalf of the Federal
Government, domestic and foreign
agencies, and private sector companies.
Check out website www.aucc.ca Look
under the heading Scholarships open to
the public.
Applications are available in the Awards
Office in Graham Hall.
Deadline: November 15, 2007
JOURNALISM SCHOLARSHIP FOR
NATIVE CANADIANS:
The Gil Purcell Memorial Journalism
Scholarship for Native Canadians is
now being offered by the Canadian
Press. Valued at $4000, the purpose
is to encourage aboriginal Canadians
to enter the field of journalism through
study at a Canadian post-secondary
institution. In addition to the monetary
award, there is a possibility of summer
employment. Eligibility requirements
are as follows:
- Native Canadian (status or non-status
Indian, Métis, or Inuit)
- Registered at a Canadian university or
community college
- Enrolled in a journalism program or
actively involved in a volunteer capacity
with a student newspaper or broadcast
station.
Deadlines: various
MARIN MOSER SOCIETY FOR
THEOLOGICAL STUDIES
This new bursary is available to lay men
and women who are studying theology
in preparation for ministry within the
Canadian Church. To be eligible the
student must meet the following criteria:
- Open to both French and English
speaking native Canadian.
Applications are available from schools
of journalism, native organizations or
from Deborah McCartney, HR, The
Canadian Press, 36 King Street East,
Toronto Ontarion, M5C 2L9. Her email
address is dmccartney@cp.org
- be a lay man or woman of any
Christian denomination who is enrolled
in a recognized Canadian theological
school
Deadline date: November 15, 2007.
- pursuing a graduate or undergraduate
degree in theology or theological
studies in preparation for ministry in the
Canadian Church
Applications are now being accepted
for the following awards offered by the
Ukrainian Resource and Development
Centre (URDC).
Note: This bursary is not intended for
those preparing for ordained ministry.
UKRAINIAN RESOURCE AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE SCHOLARSHIPS:
The International Initiatives in Deaf
Studies Award ($500) to enable a postsecondary student (full or part-time) to
pursue his/her interest in deaf studies
and/or hearing impairment as it relates
to an international context.
The Roger Charest Sr. Award for
Broadcast & Media Arts (two awards of
$500 or one award of $1000) to create
create a special program or series which
may later be suitable for broadcast and
may further the cause of multiculturalism in Canada.
The Roman Soltykewych Music Scholarship ($500) is available to applicants
(individual or group) determined to
pursue further studies in the field of
Ukrainian choral or vocal music.
The Anna Pidruchney Award for New
Writers ($1000) is available annually to
a novice writer for a work on a Ukrainian
Canadian theme. Submissions for this
year’s award must be in English.
Wm. & Mary Kostash Award for Film
and Video Arts ($1000) is offered to
a novice writer for a work promoting
Ukrainian Canadian identity through the
medium of film, video or multimedia
(i.e. d.v.d)
Applications are available from URDC.
Phone (780) 497-4374 or email
chumera@macewan.ca
Deadline: November 30, 2007.
NEADS: EQUITY THROUGH EDUCATION
AWARDS:
The BMO Capital Markets, and the
National Educational Association of
Disabled Students is proud to introduce
the NEADS Equity Through Education
Awards Program.
These awards are being offered to
encourage full access to post-secondary
education for persons with disabilities.
Awards will be granted to outstanding
applicants who meet the criteria of the
program. Visit www.neads.ca for full
details.
Deadline: December 1, 2007.
Volunteer for The Uniter
Tired of having other people write the news?
Like sports but don’t totally feel like playing them?
You know who the hottest non-mainstream band in Canada is?
Email editor@uniter.ca to sign up.
The Uniter
SOROPTIMIST WOMEN’S OPPORTUNITY AWARDS:
Do you find yourself going back to
school later in life? Do you need
financial assistant to complete your
education? Women’s Opportunity
Awards are cash awards that assist
women in obtaining the skills and
education they need to improve their
employment status. Recipients may use
the awards for any expenses related to
their educational pursuits.
To be eligible you must meet the
following criteria:
- be a female head of household (single
or married, with the primary responsibility of supporting yourself and your
dependents)
- attend an undergraduate degree
program or a vocational/skills training
program.
- have financial need.
If you have further questions, contact
Heather Menzies, 1204 - One Evergreen
Place, Winnipeg MB, R3L 0E9 or phone
475-2526. Applications are available
in the Awards office located in Graham
Hall.
Deadline: December 15, 2007
FOREIGN GOVERNMENT AWARDS:
Countries- Chile, Colombia, Korea,
Russia and Philippines
Awards are available to Canadian
citizens for graduate studies or research
abroad at the master’s, doctoral or
post-doctoral level. For most countries,
applicants must have completed a first
degree or, for post-doctoral fellowships,
a Ph.D., by the beginning of the tenure
of the award. Applications must be
submitted on-line via the website, www.
scholarships.gc.ca Please note that
the governments of Italy, Japan, The
Netherlands and Spain also offer awards
to Canadian graduate students. The
embassies of these countries in Canada
are responsible for the administration of
their respective scholarships.
Deadline: January 28, 2008 for awards
beginning academic year 2008-2009
MANITOBA STUDENT AID PROGRAM
(MSAP)
DID YOU KNOW..... You can still apply
for a 2007/2008 government student
loan online at website www.manitobastudentaid.ca
DID YOU KNOW..... you can check the
status of your student aid application,
find out what documentation is still
outstanding, update your address
information and much more on line? Go
to www.manitobastudentaid.ca MySAO
to log into your existing account.
DID YOU KNOW…. If you are a student
who has had past Government Student
Loans and you are currently a full-time
student, please fill out a Schedule 2
document to remain in non-payment
status. Please come to Student Services
in Graham hall, were front counter staff
can help you with this form.
DID YOU KNOW.... Manitoba Student
Aid staff is on campus on Fridays from
1 - 4p.m. To set up an appointment
time, phone 786-9458.
The Awards and Financial Aid staff at the
University of Winnipeg will continue to
keep you informed of available awards,
scholarships and bursary opportunities.
Other Award Websites
Canlearn Site www.canlearn.ca
Manitoba Student Aid Program
www.manitobastudentaid.ca
Surfing for dollars? Try these two
websites. www.studentawards.com
www.scholarshipscanada.com
November 1, 2007
18
The Uniter
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
SPORTS
Sports
Sports Editor: Kalen Qually
E-mail: sports@uniter.ca
Rent-A-Goalie
The Uniter talks to stars of Gemini nominated show
Kyle Gmiterek
Volunteer Staff
W
hile the Rent-A-Goalie crew was in
Winnipeg to promote their series, Kyle
Gmiterek was able to catch up with
Carlos Diaz (Looch) and creator Christopher Bolton
(Cake), who both star in the Showcase comedy. The
series, which is based out of a coffee house in Toronto,
is now in its second season and was nominated for
a Gemini. It turns out there is much more to this
comedy than the problems of rental goalies filling the
space between the pipes from week to week.
Uniter: Tell me a little bit about your show.
What is Rent-A-Goalie about?
Bolton: It’s a comedy. It’s firmly rooted in this
Italian-centric world. It’s a way to tell the story of
living life by rules. The Italian world, much like the
mob, is governed by rules. Hockey is another very
codified world. So you have to follow and live by
the rules, you have to fall in or you’re going to end
up pissing the guys off. Then you’ll end up with a
bucket of pucks hanging from your dink. Have you
heard about that hazing ritual? They tie a bucket to
your dink and then they start lobbing pucks into the
bucket. Then you have a bucket dink. So yeah, it’s a
hockey comedy about living by rules.
Uniter: I know you guys have a lot of big
hockey celebrities on the show. What’s it like
working with them? What do you think they bring
to the show?
Diaz: Well, this season we have Phil Esposito
coming back on and he’s bringing Tony with him.
Darryl Sittler, Tie Domi, Mike Palmateer and Michael
Landsberg will also be on the show this season. But
for us, we have been hockey fans growing up and
we’re hockey fans now. We like these guys more than
movie stars. I guess I have one experience: coming
out of my dressing room I saw Mike Palmateer looking around for his dressing room and I just about
lost it. I was like, “Puker, Puker, it’s Palmateer! It’s
Palmateer!” So we grabbed him and helped him find
his dressing room. We call our changing room dressing rooms. So yeah, anyways, these guys bring who
they are but they’re incorporated into the stories, too.
It’s not just, “Hey it’s Mike Palmateer!” When there
is a guest appearance, people watch the show to see
them. But they’re actually there for a reason. They
add to the story.
Uniter: I remember from Tie Domi’s days on
TSN doing analysis, it never seemed like he was
comfortable in front of the camera. What was it
like working with Tie?
Bolton: No, I remember the early days of him
on TSN. I think it was hard on him but as soon as he
felt comfortable he just totally let go. He was great.
Diaz: He was so good in front of the camera;
he was like a natural actor. I mean you have to use
a wide angle lens for his head. Sorry, Tie. But seriously, he’s a great guy. He’s just unassuming; he’s not
going to come up to you and pull your shirt over
your head.
Uniter: What do you like about doing this
show compared to other projects you’ve worked
on in the past?
Bolton: Well, there’s a lot. And at the top of the
list, it’s a cliché in our industry that you should make
movies with your friends, but that’s exactly what I
get to do on this show. I get to make shows with
my friends. It’s fun, even as the show gains popularity and we’re answerable to more people and all of
that. Even as that happens it’s still a real grassroots
approach that we take to the show. We said it early
on, we are going to sweep up the bar and put on a
play and that’s what we do. And that makes it more
fun and more enjoyable than anything.
Uniter: How did you come up with the idea
to make a television show about rental goalies?
Bolton: One of my favourite television shows
growing up was Taxi. It was about a bunch of cab-
bies that had difficulties with relationships. They
were cabbies, but that didn’t define them. Well anyways, I was working on two different show concepts
at the time. One was about goalies, because they’re
not right in the head. The other was about family and
was based out of an Italian coffee shop. So I just put
them together: I put the goalies in the coffee shop,
which is where they hang out. So our goalies are our
cabbies and Café Primo is our garage. We just commingled the two of them.
Uniter: So what do you guys have in-store for
us in the upcoming season?
Bolton: Yes! But we can’t tell you! Well, you’ll
have to watch the show. But we can give you some
teasers. We have violence, kidnapping, a strike, an
outbreak of rabies, a trip to the city, a trip to the
country, and Cake gets a shake at the NHL head
office. But of course there is more trouble and competition with Cake’s arch-nemesis.
New episodes from the second season of Rent-AGoalie air every Sunday at 11:30 p.m. on Showcase.
Or you can check out the website at www.showcase.ca/
goalie for streamed episodes from the show.
Kalen Qually
Cowboy up!
Pro Bull Riding visits the MTS Centre
Kalen Qually
Sports Editor
T
he following people I respect unequivocally, just because they’re so damn crazy:
bull riders, freestyle motocross riders,
and people who fight bears. While the third of
these is most likely attributed to actual insanity,
bull riders receive my undying respect because
they’re just that fearless. The MTS Centre was
the site of the Professional Bull Riding Tour on
Oct. 20-21 and all those in attendance witnessed
performances by some of the most fearless athletes
on the planet. Included in the show was Manitoba’s
own Zane Lambert.
Lambert is now 21-years old but has been involved in bull riding for a long time. He started the
process at the age of 10 when he attended his first
bull riding school in Kennedy, Saskatchewan. My
mind is still cloudy on the logistics. When I was 10
years old I was struggling with the intricacies of skating backwards. How does one get into bull riding at
that age?
“I picked it up just like any other sport, I
guess,” Lambert said. “I saw it once when I was really
young and I liked everything about it.”
The fact that he grew up on a ranch plays a huge
factor, of course. As Lambert admitted, “We always
had horses. I’d always be crawling on the steers and
stuff when I was young. My dad said, ‘We better take
you to a school and teach you how to do this properly and safely.’”
The term safely is used quite loosely, although
Lambert maintained that “If you know how to
work around a bull it’s safer than it looks. You learn
how to get off and get out of it.” Of course, getting
out of “it” means avoiding the danger of death by
trampling.
Lambert is one of only two Manitobans on
the Canadian circuit. The other is Lambert’s travelling partner, Justin Hogue of Eryksdale. “Every
weekend we go out there and tear it up and try to
make Manitoba proud,” Lambert said of himself
and Hogue.
One of the most surprising aspects of this sport
people will discover is the age of the bull riders. At 21
years of age, Lambert is hardly a baby of the sport. It
is safe to say there is no Chris Chelios of bull riding.
The current money leader on the Canadian tour,
Tyler Pankewitz, is 22 years old, and the top scoring rider at the event in Winnipeg was 19-year old
Devon Mezei. Mezei scored the two highest rides of
the weekend at the MTS Centre, including 89 points
on his final ride on Sunday. For scoring the highest three-ride total over the weekend, Mezei earned
just over $8,400. Not bad for a 19-year old logging
a total of 24-seconds on the clock. I don’t care what
that hourly wage is, though. I’m still not getting
on a bull.
Then again maybe the typical age of a bull rider
shouldn’t be all that surprising. It would take someone with the exuberance (and stupidity) of a 19-year
old to get on an aggravated bull, especially when you
consider the inevitable injuries. In one of the more
amazing comeback stories I’ve heard, less than a year
ago Vince Northrop was bucked off and stomped on,
suffering broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a ruptured spleen. Northrop came back from injury this
season and is currently ranked second among the
money leaders on the Canadian tour.
Bull riding isn’t just about coming back, but
also about riding through the pain. Just ask Brock
Matejka, who rode hurt in Winnipeg because he
needed more money to qualify for the upcoming
PBR Canada finals. As Matejka informed me, “Right
now they’re worried I might have a broken vertebra
that I’ve been riding with for the past two weeks.”
You’ve got to be kidding me.
Cowboy hats, broken bones, and bull fight-
Vince Northrop back on the saddle after broken ribs, collapsed lung, and a ruptured spleen.
ers aside, the coolest thing about bull riding could
be the bulls’ names. Let’s get serious; a pissed off
2,200-pound mammal with horns and a penchant
for knocking out cowboys is named “Spoonful of
Sugar?” Sounds like a real Sweet Heart (also the
name of a bull). I prefer when bull names cut to the
chase so I know just how mad the riders are to even
think about getting on them. Who would feel good
about their chances on The Butcher, Head Hunter, or
Boogie Man (who Devon Mezei scored his amazing
89 points on)? Although known as a rural sport comprising ranch-raised athletes like Lambert, bull riding
is also in touch with its urban side. You might see
bulls named Pimpin or Mr. Bling, and at any given
show a rider could go the full 8-seconds on Snoop
Dogg. Saddle up, gangsta.
No matter the name of the bull, though, they’re
still big, ornery opponents. You really wonder about
the riders sometimes. Are these guys scared of anything? As mentioned in Sports Briefs a few weeks
ago, Yahoo! Sports has reported increasing suspicion
of bull owners injecting anabolic steroids into their
animals. Are the riders scared now? Nope. As Brock
“Spinal Fracture” Matejka says, “If it’s making the
bulls better I’m game for it because it’s just making it
more challenging for us.”
But according to Manitoban Zane Lambert,
juiced bulls are irrelevant. As Lambert pointed out,
“You can’t make a bull buck (with steroids). If he
bucks, that’s all I care. All I want is a good score.”
And that, in a nutshell, is what bull riding
is all about. All they want is that score. Who
cares about how mean the bull is? The meaner the
better. As Matejka recalls about one of his more
memorable rides on a bull named Yosemite Sam,
“When I was getting on, the announcer was talking this bull up, about how good he was. When I
nodded my head it was all business. I rode him well
and I scored 85 points on him. That was probably
the highlight of my career so far.” The risk doesn’t
exist and the healing wounds are just details, because
for eight seconds it’s all about staying on. And the
end result, whether successful or not, is guaranteed
to be entertaining as hell.
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
The Uniter
November 1, 2007
SPORTS
NFL PICKS
2007 Gridiron Gurus
Tom Asselin is the co-host of the Ultra Mega
Sports Show and is also the defending NFL Picks
champion.
Kalen Qually is the Sports Editor at the Uniter,
appears regularly on the Ultra Mega Sports Show, and
is a former NFL Picks champ.
Steven Kotelniski is a regular contributor to
Uniter Sports, a rookie to NFL Picks, and a former
Fantasy League Champion.
Jonathan Villaverde is a long time football
player, first year NFL Picks member, and regular contributor to Uniter Sports.
Dan Verville is a contributor to Uniter Sports
and is making his first appearance in NFL Picks this
season.
Scott Christiansen is a rookie to NFL Picks
and is also a contributing member of Uniter Sports.
Game #1: Cincinnati Bengals
@ Buffalo Bills
“Call this one the battle of the underachievers. Or
the battle of the terrible teams. Either or. I don’t know
what it is, but the Bengals just can’t get it going this year.
At 2-5, they sit at the bottom at the AFC North. The
Browns have a better record than they do—that essentially
sums it up. But hey, just because the Bills won this week
doesn’t mean they’re any better. I’m going to go out on a
limb and say this game is actually going to be entertaining
with the Bengals beating the Bills in a close one.”
–Dan Verville
Tom picks: Bengals
Kalen picks: Bengals
Steven picks: Bengals
Jo picks: Bengals
Dan picks: Bengals
Scott picks: Bengals
Scott C Jo V Kalen Q Tom A Dan V Steven K 24-11 23-12 21-14 20-15 20-15 19-16 .686
.657
.600
.571
.571
.543
Game #2: San Diego Chargers
@ Minnesota Vikings
“You know your team isn’t struggling when: your
QB completes seven passes all game and you rack up 35
points. The fact it was Houston and defensive touchdowns
aside, home boy throws seven passes for three touchdowns?
Philip Rivers isn’t hurting this team at the moment. The
Vikings are a solid team (I guess), but the Chargers are
now rolling having won their last three games, including a
41-3 romp over Denver. With Ladanian Tomlinson in the
zone, I can’t see the Vikings putting up a fight.”
–Kalen Qually
Tom picks: Chargers
Kalen picks: Chargers
Steven picks: Chargers
Jo picks: Chargers
Dan picks: Chargers
Scott picks: Chargers
Game #3: Carolina Panthers
@ Tennessee Titans
“Tennessee keeps on rolling, but it can’t last much
longer. They have had serious trouble scoring points, putting up only 13 against Oakland last week. Vince Young is
back, but seemed to struggle, throwing for only 42 yards
in his return. Carolina lost badly to Indy, but every team
does, so I don’t see it as a big concern. The Panthers are on
top of their division, and definitely hungry to stretch their
lead. All signs point to Carolina, but I can’t bet against
these Titans. They always seem to pull it out of the bag,
and I think they’ll do it again. Tennessee in a tight one.” –Scott Christiansen
Tom picks: Titans
Kalen picks: Titans
Steven picks: Titans
Jo picks: Panthers
Dan picks: Titans
Scott picks: Titans
COMPILED BY Kalen Qually
Game #4: New England Patriots
@ Indianapolis Colts
“I’m shivering. There’s a cold sweat. This is the
moment I’ve been waiting for my entire life… Well, at
least for a few weeks. This is the most anticipated regular season game for me at least and I think a lot of people
will agree. The Colts are fantastic but the Patriots are ridiculous. But who prepares better for games than Mr.
Manning? But who torches defences better than Mr.
Brady? Like I said, I’m shivering. Patriots win in a shootout 41-38.”
–Jo Villaverde
Tom picks: Patriots
Kalen picks: Colts
Steven picks: Colts
Jo picks: Patriots
Dan picks: Patriots
Scott picks: Patriots
Game #5: Dallas Cowboys
@ Philadelphia Eagles
“The Eagles are a long way away from the team that
once regularly hosted or played in the NFC championship game. The Cowboys are making their way back to
the upper echelon of NFL teams, rebounding quite nicely
from a hard loss at home to the Patriots with a win over
the Vikings. The Eagles are coming off a win over the
Vikings. Philadelphia is a tough place to play and the elements always play a factor, but I believe the Cowboys have
that certain something that makes them that much better
than the rest of the pack... in the NFC at least.” –Tom Asselin
Tom picks: Cowboys
Kalen picks: Cowboys
Steven picks: Cowboys
Jo picks: Cowboys
Dan picks: Cowboys
Scott picks: Cowboys
Wesmen Volleyball opens up regular season
Mixed results at UBC
Kalen Qually
Sports Editor
B
oth the men’s and women’s volleyball teams kicked
off the regular season by visiting the University of
British Columbia Thunderbirds this past weekend. The men held championship form against one of
the top teams in the CIS and split two matches while the
women struggled against a strong UBC team.
The men’s team defeated UBC 3-2 on Friday, with
scores of 17-25, 27-25, 25-19, 14-25, and 19-17. The
stars of the first match were captain Ben Schellenberg,
who led the Wesmen with 12 kills, as well as Andrew
Town and Justin Duff who had nine kills apiece. UBC
returned the favour on Saturday as they squeaked out a
3-2 win over the Wesmen. This match would also come
down to the final set with scores of 19-25, 19-25, 25-23,
25-22, and 17-15. UBC rallied back against the Wesmen,
as they were down by two sets at one point. The Wesmen
leaders in this match again were Schellenberg, with 15
kills and 14 defensive digs, and Town, who contributed a
team high 17 kills in the second match.
The women’s team did not fare well against UBC,
19
dropping both matches 3-0 to the Thunderbirds. Nicola
Dirks led the Wesmen with 9 kills and 12 digs on Friday
and 12 kills on Saturday. The team, however, was encouraged by the return of Marlee Bragg, who suffered a serious knee injury last year. Bragg is likely to help the team
a great deal moving forward.
Both Wesmen volleyball teams will be in action on
Friday, Nov. 2 against the University of Manitoba Bisons
for the Duckworth Challenge.
A-Rod’s future still
up in the air
Letting manager Joe Torre go without much
of a fight could prove to be devastating to the
Yankees. It is believed that Alex Rodriguez’s upcoming decision as to whether he will exercise his
final option years in New York or look elsewhere
will largely depend on the managerial status of the
team. As reported by FanNation.com, Rodriguez
wants to hear from the Steinbrenner family about
the direction of the franchise. It was also reported
on FanNation.com that a potential destination for
A-Rod, other than the Chicago Cubs, Anaheim
Angels, or San Francisco Giants, is the Boston
Red Sox. This is likely because of agent Scott
Boras’ relationship and past dealings with the Red
Sox, to whom he delivered Daisuke Matsuzaka
and J.D. Drew. (FanNation.com)
Brazil likely host of
2014 FIFA World Cup
According to ESPN Soccernet, after the
recommendation of FIFA inspectors, Brazil has
become the clear favourite to host 2014 FIFA
World Cup. After Europe in 2006 and South
Africa in 2010, the rotation of the World Cup
will lead to South America in 2014. Originally,
both Colombia and Brazil had entered bids
to host the 2014 World Cup but Colombia
has since withdrawn, making Brazil the lone
bidder for the tournament. Brazil has won the
FIFA World Cup five times, most recently in
2002. They also claim some of the top young
players in the world making them a likely
favourite to win in 2014. Expect to see “Seal
Dribbler” Kerlon Moura Souza of YouTube
fame. (soccernet.espn.go.com)
World Series ticket chaos
According to SI.com, the Colorado
Rockies were forced to re-launch online World
Series ticket sales on Oct. 22 after 8.5 million hits to their website in the span of two
hours caused it to crash. It was later revealed
that the site likely crashed because of a viral
attack, and not because of the overwhelming ticket requests. There were 500 tickets
sold before the site crashed. Also reported on
SI.com, Rockies fan and longtime subscriber
Bobby Padilla has offered 25 years of Playboy
issues in exchange for two World Series tickets.
Reported by Boston.com, four men from the
New York state area were charged in separate
incidents stemming from sales of counterfeit
World Series ticket sales. Two men were charged
after being caught outside of Fenway Park with
counterfeit tickets in their possession, while
two other men were charged when they were
caught trying to sell counterfeit tickets to an
undercover officer. (SI.com, Boston.com)
Chicago favourable
destination of 2016
Olympic Games
As reported by SI.com, two members of
the International Olympic Committee have recently said Chicago is in third or fourth place
in a seven-city race to host the 2016 Olympic
Summer games. “It’s still early in the race,”
said Gerhard Heiberg of Norway, an IOC executive board member. “I don’t see anything
where Chicago is lagging the others.” Heiberg’s
statement certainly holds weight, as he was the
chairman, president, and CEO of the group that
brought the 1994 games to Lillehammer and
chairman of the evaluation committee for the
2010 games in Vancouver. (SI.com)
Annual General Meeting No. 2
November 7, 2007
Scheduled time: 12:30pm – 2:30pm
Location: UWSA Board Room, ORM06
•All members have the right and responsibility to attend the meeting.
•All members have voting and speaking rights.
• The election of members to the Mouseland Press Incorporated Board of Directors will take place at this meeting.
• The deadline to for nomination to the Board is October 24, 2007. Please see Article 10 of Mouseland Press Inc By-Law No. 1 for the procedures of the Election of Directors.
•All nominations of members for election must be provided to the Chair by the nomination deadline.
•Motions concerning changes to Mouseland Press Inc. By-Law No. 1 will be debated and voted on at this meeting.
•All motions to amend the By-Law must be submitted to the Chair by October 17, 2007.
•All questions should be directed to the Chair of the Board of Directors,
Ben Wickström, at board@uniter.ca or by phone at 801-4271.