Uniter #18.qxd

Transcription

Uniter #18.qxd

Newfoundland
A Go-Go
No Oldies
at This
Fest
Page 4
Page 15
Learn to
Pronounce Pilate
Page
Page 16
16
T HE
Volume 58, Issue 17
january 22, 2004
Uniter
T H E OF F IC I A L W E E K LY S T U DE N T N E W S PA P E R
OF THE
UNIVERSITY
Campus Life - page 10
OF
WINNIPEG
the
the
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Volume 58, Issue 18
January 29, 2004
T
A
F
january 29, 2004
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uniter
S
uniter
F
Jonathan Tan
Editor In Chief
unitereic@uwinnipeg.ca
Michelle Kuly
Managing Editor
uniterme@uwinnipeg.ca
A. P. (Ben) Benton
News Editor
bbenton@shaw.ca
Cheryl Gudz
Features Editor
cvgudz@shaw.ca
Jeff Robson
A & E Editor
jrobson@shaw.ca
Leighton Klassen
Sports Editor
unitersports@uwinnipeg.ca
Stu Reid
Production Manager
stureid@shaw.ca
Julie Horbal
Listings Editor
uniter-events@newwinnipeg.com
Copy Editor
Ted Turner
Advertising Manager
tturner2@uwinnipeg.ca
Photo: Justin Pokrant
Chandra Mayor
Farnoosh Ali, UWSA VP of
student services (left) and
Cathy Hamilton, getting set
to rouse the rabble.
Scott deGroot
UWSA Preps for
Day of Action
Beat Reporter
Kent Davies
Diversions Coordinator
M.D.Cohen
Diversions Coordinator
Joe Myles
Distribution Manager
BY SCOTT DE GROOT
Brad Hartle
Justin Pokrant
tudents marching to the
legislature for the Day of
Action on February 4th
should prepare not only for cold
weather, but possibly a cold
response from the provincial government.
“Diane
McGifford
[Minister of Advanced Education
and Training] was not receptive
to the results of our referendum,”
said Farnoosh Ali, UWSA VP of
student services. Ali is referring
to the UWSA referendum on the
progressive reduction of tuition
fees held this October, which
received ninety-six percent support. “She [McGifford] was very
frank in her lack of endorsement
of that result, and it’s unfortunate
because students are the constituents she is here to represent.”
In fact, the prospect that the
province will lift the tuition
freeze this year may be growing
more likely. But backing down is
the last thing students should do,
says UWSA President Chris
Minaker. He wants to see a fullscale student mobilization.
“They keep on threatening
that they are going to remove the
tuition freeze,” Minaker complained. “In a meeting that we
had with Minister McGifford she
insinuated in pretty clear language that the provincial government could not fund this tuition
freeze forever. But it’s really
important that we get out there
and let the Provincial government
know that this is still an impor-
Guest Photo Editors
THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS
James Paskaruk, Sheri Lamb, Mike Pyl,
Ed Cheung, Sara Loftson, Sachin Kumar,
Vivian Belik, Eugene Ansu, Kenneth
LeValk, Christine Esselmont, Brett
Hopper, James Simpson, Adam Riggio
Cover Photo : James Simpson
The Uniter is the official student newspaper of the University of
Winnipeg and is published by the University of Winnipeg
Students' Association. The Uniter is editorially autonomous and
the opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of
the UWSA. The Uniter is a member of the Canadian University
Press and Campus Plus Media Services. Submission of articles,
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Deadline for submissions is noon Friday (contact the section's editor for more information). Deadline for advertisements is noon
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The Uniter
Room ORM14
University of Winnipeg
515 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9
S
tant issue with drastic consequences for students.”
When asked about the possibility of lifting a tuition freeze
that has been in place for four
years now, Minister Mc Gifford
was evasive.
“I can’t answer the question of the freeze until the budget,
because that information is confidential,” she said. “We have been
very generous to students in
Manitoba. We reduced tuition in
2000 and have maintained a
freeze since that time. We have
provided many bursaries to students worth over 6 million dollars. But we have many other priorities too.”
The Day of action on
February 4th is part of a larger
national Canadian Federation of
Students (CFS) campaign.
Student protests will be held
across the country to send a message to politicians: high tuition
fees and skyrocketing student
debt are unacceptable. Protesters
at the U of W will meet between
12:00 and 12:30 p.m. in Riddell
Cafeteria before marching to legislature to deliver a petition
demanding lower tuition fees to
Minister Mc Gifford. The petition has been circulating at the U
of W for weeks now and is also
being promoted by the UWSA
from a booth on the 2nd floor of
Centennial hall near the escalators. After the event there will be
a beer bash at the University.
As part of the day of action
campaign, the UWSA and CFS
draw on a number of statistics to
promote their agenda: the average debt following a four-year
undergraduate degree in Canada
is $ 25,000; tuition fees have
increased 135 percent in the last
decade; and the overall accessibility of a post-secondary education is declining drastically. They
assert that seventy-two percent
of newly created jobs in Canada
this year will require post-secondary education, making additional funding a necessary
investment for our economic
future. The UWSA and CFS also
believe that education is a right,
and that no one should be shut
out on the basis of their financial
situation.
The UWSA President
Minaker has been vociferously
lobbying both the provincial and
federal levels of government
lately to increase funding levels
to universities. He met last week
with Ralph Goodale, Federal
Finance minister since December
2003, to request the return of the
over seven billion dollars that the
Liberals cut from post-secondary
education and training between
1993 and 2000.
Minaker believes that the
Day of Action is effective and
that if student participation
remains steady the government
will take notice. “There are not
too many times during the year
in Manitoba when 3,000 to 4,000
people turn out on the streets and
march to the provincial legislature,” he said. “This is one of the
biggest actions in Manitoba on a
yearly basis, and the provincial
government would be completely foolish not to listen to us.”
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january 29, 2004
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Students Peeved By Pricey Print
B Y
S C O T T
D E
G R O O T
s Leslie McNabb approached the
cash register she hoped there had
been a mistake. Moments ago, when
she checked the price tag on her coursepack—photocopied readings arranged by professors—it read ninety-two dollars.
Something seemed wrong. Had it been mislabeled? Were the digits reversed? Was this
some cruel practical joke?
Such faint hopes soon vanished; a
Beyond Words cashier revealed there had
been no mistake. “I was really shocked and
really surprised,” said Mc Nabb. “I assumed
that the coursepack would be around forty
or fifty dollars, but then it was almost double the cost. I have never paid this much in
the past, ever.”
Many had a similar experience this
term. Returning from their well-earned
Christmas holiday, students found not only
big line-ups at Beyond Words, but big
prices, too. Among them, Leighton Klassen,
a 2nd year English and Communications
major.
“My coursepack was one of my most
expensive books this term,” he complained.
“When you look at it, its photocopied material. Its just a whole bunch of random things
A
photocopied together so its really hard to
justify its price.”
Others, such as Maurizio Di Curzio, a
2nd year statistics major, were put off by
being required to buy new editions of textbooks.
“Like everything involving education,
the cost of textbooks is going up, but what’s
more frustrating are all of the new editions,”
he said. “It really sucks when you can’t sell
a textbook because the professor upgrades
to a new edition—like what happened to me
this term. Or when a professor changes only
a few articles in a coursepack and you still
have to buy a brand new. I think the publishing companies are just trying to make
money.”
According to Sharon Pierce, a manager at the University of Manitoba Bookstore,
it’s a claim that should be taken seriously.
Currently, most textbooks are on a 2-3 year
new edition cycle, which Pierce sees as a
systematic attempt by publishing companies
to combat the used textbook market. She
questions the validity of such a frequent
issuing of new editions that often provide
little new information.
“We like to carry used textbooks,
because they save students money” she said.
“We all question the re-packaging and the
new editions, and so do the Profs, who
complain that they come out too often. We
ask ourselves ‘can’t the students get by
without them?’”
Rob Tremblay is coordinator of the
Petrified Sole, the U of W’s not for profit
used bookstore operated by the UWSA. He
has similar concerns.
“Some of these new Canadian editions are just ridiculous,” said Tremblay.
“They just use Wayne Gretsky instead of
Michael Jordan as examples; I mean that’s
not much of a difference. Or like how much
has linear Algebra changed in the past two
years? I don’t know, but I do know the publishers put out a brand new edition this year
and it costs 160 dollars.”
Beyond Words, the U of W’s on-campus bookstore only marks-up prices to
cover operational costs, such as staff
salaries, office supplies, theft, and transportation costs, and to pay the university
for services such as security, utilities, payroll, physical plant, etc., just like most other
Canadian university bookstores. Over 90%
of Beyond Words revenues come from textbooks, and while Beyond Words is not profit oriented, any profits made are reinvested
into the bookstore for upgrades or they
could revert to the coffers of the UofW.
When asked about pricing of texts and
coursepacks, staff at the Bookstore refused
to comment further.
So while bookstores do mark-up textbooks, it is done in accordance with projected costs of stock, something that the
publishers decide. The same goes for
coursepacks, generally upwards of seventy
percent of their selling price going towards
the royalties collected by publishers and
authors. The bookstore must pay photocopying costs and retains only a small profit to cover its operating costs.
Pierce says the reason coursepacks
went up in price this year was because the
price of royalties had remained unchanged
for three consecutive years. The publishers
initiated the increases this January 2004, and
they intend to increase these again in 2005.
But Pierce believes the cost of royalties is
justifiable. “If you are someone who has
written something, its obviously valuable
and you deserve to be compensated,” she
said.
Others are not so sure. “I’m concerned about where this money is going,”
said McNabb. “Is it really going to the
authors or just some multi-national publishing corporation trying to make a profit on
us?”
Warm Reception For Polar Bear Prof
B Y
S A R A
L O F T S O N
t’s so great to see so many people
turn out on a polar bear evening,”
said Senior Research Scientist of the
Canadian Wildlife Services Ian Sterling,
having flown in from Edmonton to
Winnipeg’s bear-worthy temperatures.
Eckhardt-Gramatte Hall was filled to capacity with an audience who came to see
Sterling, the University of Alberta professor
of biology, speak on Polar Bears, Seals, and
Climate Change in Hudson Bay and the High
Arctic.
Sterling’s presentation is part of the
annual Bonnycastle Lecture Series established in memory of Richard H.G.
Bonnycastle, the U of W’s first Chancellor.
“The Bonnycastle lecture series hasn’t had
an audience like this in years,” said U of W
Geography Professor Gerri Sweet during the
post-lecture reception.
Sterling presented a bleak outlook for
Hudson Bay and High Arctic area polar bears
if current trends do not change. Climatechange has not only altered the habitat of the
bears, but also of its primary food source, the
ring seal which accounts for 90% of a polar
bear’s diet.
Scientists estimate that temperature is
rising by approximately .3% or .4% per
decade. These slight temperature variations
create significantly warmer climate conditions. On average this causes ice cover to
break approximately 2 weeks earlier in the
season as compared to twenty-five years ago.
Polar Bears have been affected so dramatically because typically they come ashore
three weeks after ice begins to break up. The
earlier bears return to shore, the less time
they have to hunt seals on the sea ice and
accumulate a sufficient amount of body fat.
“If the ice break-up gets to be three to
four weeks sooner than it is now, the bears
will have a really tough time,” warns
Sterling. “I think that it’s entirely possible
that the polar bears will become significantly reduced by 2050.”
Extreme weather events in the Hudson
Bay and High Arctic areas have also been the
“I
source of negative ecological changes.
Forest fires due to lightning strikes have
been on the rise due to significantly drier
summers. When a fire destroys a polar bear’s
habitat they are forced to re-locate and the
adjustment to a whole new environment can
be challenging.
Longitudinal studies have been collected in order to monitor the bears. With the use
of radio collars, their migration has been
tracked for upwards of ten years.
Reproductive cycles and basic body measurements such as body weights are also monitored. One reason for understanding reproductive successes and failures in bear populations is that it provides an indicator of sustainable harvests for Inuit peoples. Sterling
indicated that there is a disturbing trend
amongst female bears. Their average body
weight is decreasing, putting additional
strain on them when having to feed cubs.
Although climate change seems to be
adversely affecting northern wildlife,
Sterling remains hopeful. He believes that,
as with the Montreal Protocol of 1987 which
resulted in an international ban on CFCs, if
enough people are active, they can have an
effect on the global system.
“I’m an optimist by nature,” Sterling
said. “I hope that in the future we will get
some enlightened politicians who understand
and seek to defend these issues.”
Misty Belcourt, a second year
International Development and Politics student attended the presentation.
“It’s stuff I only knew about vaguely
but coming here helped to alter my perception,” she said. Sterling’s lecture left such an
impression on Belcourt that during the reception afterward she approached Gerri Sweet,
U of W representative to the Board of
Churchill Northern Studies Center to find out
what kind of action the average university
student could take. “Become aware of what’s
going on,” advised Sweet, encouraging anyone with even the slightest interest in
wildlife and climate change to get informed
and get involved.
For more information check out the
website at http://www.churchillmb.net/
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january 29, 2004
n e w s
Left: Cabot Tower on Signal Hill. Center: Looking East across the Atlantic from atop Signal Hill. Right: Cabot Tower as seen from half way up Signal Hill.
St. John’s, NF Becomes Nash-Ville
A Report on CUP’s 66th Annual National Conference
A . P. ( B E N )
B E N T O N
News Editor
abot
Tower
looks down
upon the city
of St. John’s from Signal Hill, famed
site of the first transatlantic transmission of a telegraph signal from
England in 1901. Years later the first
transatlantic cable terminated on this
same shore, ushering in a new era of
communications. What better place
to host the 66th annual Canadian
University Press (CUP) National
Conference.
Student journalists assembled
at the Fairmont Hotel at the end of
one of the city’s main thoroughfares, Duckworth Street, a name
that brought a touch of familiarity to
the Uniter delegates. Looking down
from the hill, the vibrantly coloured
homes and modest office blocks
hug the natural granite inlet of St.
John’s harbour, shrugging off the
layer of ice that clings to everything
here. Sounds like a cold, hard place,
but it is anything but. Chris Dinn,
CUP national conference organizer
and Business Manager of Memorial
University’s student newspaper The
Muse, warmly welcomed the Uniter
crew at the airport, having jammed
inbound delegates from across the
C
country into his red Ford Focus all
day.
Over the next twenty-four
hours hundreds of student journalists from across the country continued to arrive and attend a series of
lectures that dealt with topics that
ranged from writing and editing
skills, to advertising, design and
layout, and business management.
Conferences seminars were
delivered in one of three styles—
lecture, roundtable, or workshop,
and facilitators included members
of the student press, CUP representatives, and professionals with various levels of experience in the field
of journalism. One of the presenters
was J. Kelly Nestruck, a Uniter
Alumnus who wrote for the paper
whilst completing his final year at
the Collegiate. Nestruck’s experience, combined with a stint at the
McGill Daily landed him a job at
the National Post where he writes
arts and entertainment. His lecture
topics included seminars on freelance writing, arts reporting, and
blogging and journalism.
Although this is the first time
that St. John’s has hosted the conference, the CUP staff pulled it all
together quite smoothly, taking
delays and cancellations due to disagreeable weather all in stride.
They even managed to assemble a
daily newsletter titled “People Talk
CUP Speakers. Clockwise from top
left: Jonathan Kay, Marcus Gee,
Neil MacDonald, Michael Enright.
Funny Here,” which provided
updates to the day’s schedule, summaries of each day’s events, and
vignettes of locals doing their best
to make out-of-their-depth mainlanders honorary Newfies. Such an
activity,
known
as
getting
Screeched-In, includes the selfdemeaning act of kissing a mostly
gutted cod (or c-ah-d in the vernacular) and drinking Screech, an
eighty proof blend of dark rum,
until it runs shamelessly from yer
gills.
With a battery of Fish & Chip
shops and a plethora of pubs, St.
John’s has a depth of culture and
character that for a moment, makes
a person feel as though they’ve fallen off the edge of Canada and into a
Roddy Doyle novel. But the place is
unmistakably Canadian, a Tim
Horton’s downtown resounds with
lilting accounts of last night’s
Leaf’s game (the St. John’s Maple
Leafs that is). Yes, they talk funny
here, but they have a gift for the
gab, and that is exactly what we’d
gathered here to do.
The city of this particular
nature certainly has its priorities
right, but it’s not so clear that delegates had theirs in order; the pubs
here remaining open till’ three in the
morning on weekends. However,
most of the delegates did manage to
attend the many informative seminars and keynotes which took place
and network with their peers. To
think, it took travelling all the way
to Newfoundland to finally meet
our
compatriots
from
the
Manitoban, a delegation of eight
members on one end of the spectrum, and on the other, the single
delegate from Brandon’s Quill, a
dedicated soul who is the staff of
that publication.
Members of some of the
country’s biggest media establishments shared lunch with members
of the student press. Business formal figures such as Margaret Wente
of the Globe and Mail, Michael
Enright of CBC’s Sunday Edition,
Jonathan Kay of the National Post,
and Neil MacDonald of CBC’s The
National dined hand-in-hand with
the signature scruffiness of student
journalists, patiently fielding questions that often sounded like political science theses. But beyond that,
there was no pretension, no air of
superiority during these exchanges.
In fact, the world-weary career journalists welcomed the enthusiasm,
the radicalism, the energy, the awe
and wonder with which student
journalists
discussed
topics.
Surprisingly, these seasoned professionals, these authorities on journalism envied us, student journalists,
and the closing statement of Neil
MacDonald’s keynote roused the
delegates to a standing ovation as he
urged us to “Question Authority.”
The CUP conference, if it
taught nothing else, affirmed that
there is hope, or even a demand for
the idealism of the student press in
the mainstream media, and that
message is worth every penny paid,
and every minute in a stuffy conference room.
A mighty thanks to the many
people at CUP and Memorial
University who made this conference possible, and also to our very
own UWSA who facilitated the
majority of the transportation costs.
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january 29, 2004
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Box Stores--Sprawling Cities/Waistlines
Create Unhealthy Communities
B Y
V I V I A N
B E L I K
ess than five years ago the land north of
Kenaston and Taylor was relatively uninhabited. Wide stretches of farmland that
were once dotted by the occasional deer or rabbit have been blocked out by the silhouettes of
big box stores and sprawling suburbs that now
crowd the horizon. Rather than hearing the howl
of the wind racing through our prairie fields we
are instead forced to listen to the great sucking
sound made by corporate America draining
away our local resources. As our city begins to
grow outwards it becomes evident that these
large retailers may be bringing with them more
than just savings; they are damaging our communities and our natural environment.
Urban sprawl, is defined by The National
Trust for Historic Preservation, a non-profit
organization that combats inner-city deterioration, as being “poorly planned, low density,
auto-oriented, development that spreads out
from the center of communities.”
Anyone living in Winnipeg knows that
our city, with its crumbling downtown and ever
expanding suburbs exemplifies sprawl at its best.
All these new housing developments cropping
up on the edges of our city often bring with them
hordes of big box stores such as Wal-Mart and
Home Depot that pull people away from
Winnipeg’s downtown area. According to Bill
Quinn, author of, How Wal-Mart is Destroying
America, “it is an essential part of Wal-Mart’s
expansion plan to choose a site that is not within
the downtown area to provide a neatly packaged
and heavily promoted alternative to downtown.”
Although these big box-stores may prom-
L
ise an increased tax base to local officials, the
reality, as stated by Quinn is that the tax base
actually shrinks as smaller retailers get pushed
out of business. And while middle and low
income families may think that they are the ones
who are benefiting from the low prices offered
by big-box retailers, these people will be the
ones who will have to pay increased taxes for the
roads, sewers and traffic lights that will connect
them to these stores. While new infrastructure is
being built, the fact of the matter is that tax dollars are still required to maintain vacant buildings that increasingly litter the downtown area.
By erecting these cookie-cutter supercentres we are homogenizing the urban environment and destroying the unique architecture and
landscape of that particular place. A community’s best asset is its character—people don’t travel to places like Paris or London to savour a cup
of Starbucks coffee, they go to experience the
diversity and history found within these distinct
city communities. Smart Growth America, an
organization that researches how metropolitan
expansion affects the environment and peoples’
quality of life, believes that preserving a city’s
character is not only ecological but economically beneficial as well. “Historic architecture,
diverse neighbourhoods, and scenic vistas are
just a few of the assets that can be built upon for
successful and long-term economic revitalization.” So why do cities allow for the development of stores that are about as visually stimulating as empty cardboard boxes? According to
Smart Growth, “many local officials feel forced
to accept any commercial development in whatever form it comes.”
When asking whether urban sprawl is
detrimental to the health of a city’s residents,
Liz Dykman, a representative from the Living
City Group in Winnipeg, answers with a
resounding “yes!” According to Dykman, “the
more the city sprawls the more pavement we
see per person.” She believes that we are essentially rolling out a cement carpet for people and
their automobiles.
Hardly any of the big box-stores in
Winnipeg have been designed with pedestrians
in mind and hundreds of single-occupant cars
roll in and out of these areas each day, all contributing to city-wide congestion. Dykman
claims that with practices such as these “it is
difficult to get renewal downtown and it prevents the city from investing in the creation of
high density neighbourhoods, not to mention a
proper transit system.” In short, instead of getting a little exercise, people will opt for the
fastest and most convenient way of getting to
their intended destination—the car.
Not only does this affect people’s waistline but it also pumps added pollution into the
atmosphere. Acclaimed environmentalist,
David Suzuki, explains that “the more cities
sprawl outward, the more we damage the environment and our health.” He believes that “we
need to design communities so that the people
who live in them use their cars less and have a
much lower impact on the environment, and a
better quality of life in return.”
Winnipeg is attempting to address the
physical, social, and environmental conditions
in the city via Plan Winnipeg, a policy plan put
in place in December of 2001. In this document, says Dykman, “there are good ideas on
where to concentrate development.” The only
problem she points out, however, is that “these
plans aren’t always followed through.”
So what can be done to reverse the damaging effects of urban sprawl? Urban planning
consultants recommend cities should limit
growth by legislating boundaries, putting more
money into public transit, promoting mixed-use
development in town centres, and creating better bike paths and walkways.
The only way we can manage our society’s growing needs is by offering alternative
solutions to development that provide ecologically and environmentally sustainable alternatives to growth. We need to realize that as more
and more land is being bulldozed we are jeopardizing the health of our fellow citizens and
surrounding environment all in the name of
turning a profit. What we may think will cost us
less now will no doubt burn us in the future.
In Part I of a series of articles that
focuses on box-stores and commercial
development, Chris Madden took a look at
the biggest box of all--Wal-Mart and Part II
examined the impacts of this kind of rapid
expansion on our physical and economic
landscape with a focus on American Import
Starbucks.
We are currently seeking similarly
themed stories for this series which we plan
to conclude with a photo essay. If you have a
paper that you think might be suitable for an
article, an idea for a story, or some suitable
picutres for the photo essay, please contact
the News Editor A.P. (Ben) Benton at bbenton@shaw.ca
Aboriginal Art Program
Unique in Canada
Students Earn Degree by Teepee Building
B Y
G I N N Y
C O L L I N S
Central Bureau
WINNIPEG (CUP) -- Students at Brandon
University are in the process of earning their
degree in the ancient Aboriginal arts of teepee
building, beading, carving and tanning.
This Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in
visual and Aboriginal art studies is the first of
its kind in Canada, offering integrated Western
and Aboriginal art instruction. The program is
studio-based and offers four-year majors and
minors in Aboriginal Art, ceramics and painting as well as a major in Digital Media and
Design.
Last year BU had 92 students enrolled in
its Fine Arts program. When it announced that
it would be running the new program, enrollment increased by 100.
Scott Grills, the Faculty of Arts Dean,
said this shows quite a need for this kind of
degree in the province of Manitoba.
"192 students is still not as high as we
would like it but this shows that there is a
demand for this program," he said.
In the summer of 2003, Brandon
University received funding from the provincial government to go ahead with the project
and since then Colleen Cutschall, professor of
Visual Arts at BU, has been working to set up
the new courses that will be offered.
Last semester the university ran a course
in indigenous technology where the students
were involved in a teepee-painting project. In
the future, Cutschall said she would like the
see the students take those skills further by
developing teepee furnishings such as back-
rests for the inside of the teepee.
"The students have to go out and harvest
their own supplies [to make the furniture], like
willow branches," said Cutschall, who has
been with the university for 19 years.
She added that the challenges that they
face when offering these types of courses is
usually seasonal. They are limited as far as
what they can offer in the winter semesters
because some supplies will only be available
in the spring or summer months.
"Something in the spring or summer
session would work better and it would be
more condensed," she said.
Other courses offered include ceramics
and aboriginal painting. Grills said that
because the program is studio based, the students have the advantage of learning practical
artist's skills.
"In other programs they may learn more
about art history or theory but here they will
get the skills of a working artist," he said.
Although the class sizes are generally
small for the time being, the university
expects that their showcase of student art, taking place in mid-March, will peek people's
interest in the program and increase enrollment.
At the event, the students will be showcasing their creations including ceramic pipes,
blankets, beading and their teepee. The show
will be their first big event as a department.
In order to expand the program, the university is also in the process of hiring for four
full-time and one part-time staff to teach different aspects of Aboriginal Art. The university is conducting national searches to fill the
positions.
SUBJECT TO
CLASSIFICATION
IN THEATRES EVERYWHERE JANUARY 30
the
pa g e 6
uniter
january 29, 2004
C O M M E N T
Headline
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J O N A T H A N
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Editor In Chief
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Barriers to Education for Aboriginals
his letter is in response to
Sachin Kumar’s Article
“Opting Out of the
UWSA” which was published in
the Uniter January 22nd. As one
of two aboriginal representative
with the UWSA, I felt it necessary to point out the importance
of the tuition fee freeze for ensuring access to post-secondary education for aboriginal people.
First off I want to do away
with the myth that all aboriginal
people have their education paid
for. Many Aboriginal people in
Canada have education rights
that are recognized in Treaties
and education is also a component of the Aboriginal post-secondary support program. It is the
T
combination of the Treaties of
the past and the programs of the
present that are having an impact
on the accessibility to post-secondary education (PSE) for
Aboriginal people in Canada.
Aboriginal PSE assistance
programs began in 1968 as a way
to increase their participation in
Colleges and Universities. This
program provided a means for
Aboriginal people to attain higher education and escape the
poverty that had become endemic in their communities. The
number of Aboriginal people
entering into PSE has been
steadily increasing since the
early 1980’s, particularly in the
25-35 year old age category, as
well as a significant increase in
the participation of Aboriginal
single mothers in all age categories.
However, in response to
this increase in population on
PSE campuses across the country, the federal government put a
cap on funding for Aboriginal
PSE support in 1989. This cap
limited the amount of education
dollars that were distributed to
Bands and the Department of
Indian and Northern Affairs and
Northern Development.
Education is a fiduciary
responsibility and treaty right for
most Aboriginal people living in
Canada. The federal government
has largely ignored requests for
the removal of the funding cap
put in place in 1989 and to
increase PSE funding. They have
also ignored calls for post-secondary support programs for
non-status Aboriginal and Metis
people and for the creation of a
scholarship/bursary
program
dedicated to all status, non-status, Inuit and Metis students in
Canada. As of 2000, there was an
estimated 9000 Aboriginal people on waitlists for PSE funding.
As it stands today, Aboriginal
students in Manitoba are faced
with massive student debt upon
leaving university when education is a fundamental right guaranteed in all the treaties signed in
this province. Removing the cap
on tuition fee increases would
have a devastating impact on
PSE participation and enrolment
of Aboriginal people, considering
the unwillingness of the federal
government to recognize our
treaties and remove the funding
cap of 1989.
February 4th’s Day of
Action is a way for all students to
demand that all levels of government realize the situation that all
students are in and to keep PSE
accessible to us all.
Julie Bartlett
Aboriginal Co-Director to the
UWSA, CFS Local 8
National Chairperson for the
Aboriginal Caucus, CFS
the
january 29, 2004
u
uniter
w
pa g e 7
s
a
The Great Tuition Fee Debate
BY
CHRIS
MINAKER
his year, the number of people who have expressed interest in the issues surrounding
funding and access in post-secondary education has been astounding.
In the fall, over 1400 students voted
96% in favour of reducing tuition
fees; 63% of Commerce students
rejected a proposal to double fees;
and, just last week, students at
Brandon University voted 95% in
favour of fee reductions. There is no
doubt that students across the
province favour lower tuition fees,
and know the direct connection
between high tuition fees and the
students’ ability to access post-secondary education.
There are of course those that
say that the province should allow
T
post-secondary institutions to raise
tuition fees.
They argue that
increased tuition fees will raise the
quality of education. However,
there is no such link – massive
tuition fee increases in provinces
such as Ontario and British
Columbia have resulted in no
improved quality.
Tuition fee
increases allow these governments
to cut funding to post-secondary
institutions, and place the burden of
funding education upon students.
We know that education is an
investment. More importantly, it is
a benefit not just to the student who
is receiving the education. Society
as a whole benefits from education
in many different ways.
For
instance, while a student who
becomes a teacher gains individual
benefit from her post-secondary
education (about $35,000 a year,
plus the summer off!), her students,
and future generations of students,
benefit even more. The government
therefore has a responsibility to fund
and invest in education, for the sake
of society’s benefit (and economic
growth).
Financial barriers remain the
largest obstacle to acquiring a postsecondary education. This has a
massive impact on society – think
about the student not being able to
become a teacher, and thus not being
able to make the contributions that
she would have made. A more likely possibility is this student having
to take out a student loan to fund her
studies. Average student debt in
Canada is $25,000, which is outrageous if you think about how that
must effect the day-to-day life of a
student in that kind of debt.
Carrying large debt loads leads
many students to pick a career path
that may have higher personal benefits, but not higher benefits to society. A perfect example of this is with
law students. Law students who
have higher debt loads leads many
into fields like corporate law, which
has high salaries, instead of working
in legal aid or with poorer clients,
which benefits society greatly.
Funding decisions in general
are about priorities. Do we want a
well funded education system, or
more tax cuts? In other words, do
we focus on purely personal benefits, or do we look at benefits to
society as a whole. We argue that
everyone will be better off if we
direct funds for the public benefit.
In the last 20 years, the decisions
have been to go with tax cuts, rather
than the needed and worthwhile
investment in our public post-secondary education system. Almost 3
billion dollars have been cut at the
federal level, leaving chronic funding shortages for our universities,
and sending tuition fees sky-high.
The February 4th National
Day of Action is about putting this
investment in an accessible and fully
funded system on the provincial and
national agenda. And, it works – in
1999, the provincial government
reduced tuition fees by 10%; since
then they have frozen our tuition
fees at those levels. We are marching with students from across the
province, and in solidarity with students from across the country, to
make this message clear – education
is a right, not a privilege.
Opting Out
of Social Responsibility
Regarding Opting-out of the UWSA
he implications of Kumar’s
suggestions are profound,
and I believe they stem from
a lack of understanding regarding
the work of the students’ association. So before I address the specific comments, I would like to
remind us of what the University of
Winnipeg Students’ Association
does.
In many ways our students’
association acts as local government in the U of W community. It
provides many services for students, such as the food bank; it provides assistance to those having
trouble with professors, or who are
being harassed on campus. It also
provides meeting space for groups
of students who have traditionally
been marginalized. The UWSA
also acts as an advocate on students’ behalf. The executive of the
students’ association spends countless hours in meetings with the
administration trying to make sure
students aren’t left behind in the
decision making on campus. They
also lobby different levels of government on our behalf. One example of successful lobby efforts is the
reduced transit fare for university
students, an initiative that was started by the UWSA.
If the UWSA is a local government, the fees we pay are the
taxes. Kumar advocates for a “payper-usage system.” The fact is that
this is not only impractical but also
unjust.
It is impractical because the
administrative costs would be
huge. Imagine if we had to ID
everyone who walked into Uplink,
or bought something from the Info
Booth or the used bookstore. What
if we had to ID everyone who came
to see a speaker or came to listen to
a band in the Bulman Centre?
Many of the benefits we get
T
on (good luck, espefrom having a stucially considering
dents’ association are
A Response to Sachin Kumar’s Article Entitled:
new jobs often
not only impractical
“Opting Out of the UWSA”
require additional
to charge for, but
expenses such as
impossible. How do
Published January 22nd, 2004 in The Uniter
transportation, work
we charge for the lobclothing,
etc.).
bying
done
for
specializing rather then entering
Seeing as how your student loan is
increased funding for our universifamily practice. The article also
put into receivership right after
ty? How do we charge for the sucmentions that high tuition fees are
you are done school, but you do
cessful UWSA campaign to allow
pushing new graduates into taking
not actually see the benefits of uniInternational Students to work off
less socially responsible contracts
versity right away, recent grads
campus? The fact is that we all bento pay off large student debt. An
have to endure financial hardship
efit from the work of the UWSA
example of this would be a lawyer,
for a significant time after graduaand to charge “pay-per-usage syswho would rather be pursuing civil
tion.
tem” would be simply inefficient.
rights work, is forced to take work
Kumar also uses a survey by
It is unjust because it is the
helping corporations to avoid
Schwartz and Finnie to imply that
most vulnerable students who are
taxes.
student debt isn’t a problem for
dependant on the services we proEven if it were the case that
students. Assuming this is the case
vide. Should we charge people to
unemployment would occur in the
(which I obviously don’t, there are
use the food bank? If a person is
professional sectors, due to an
multiple problems with the survey,
being sexually harassed on campus,
insurgence of new contractors, it
one being that it examines two of
are we going to deny them advocawould surely be short lived.
the more elite universities in
cy services if they can’t pay? I feel
Competition between contractors
Canada, which have a higher prowe have a social responsibility to
would eventually bring the already
portion of students from wealthy
help our fellow students who are in
high salaries down, resulting in
backgrounds), it still doesn’t mean
need, and I believe most students
greater access to their services for
that high tuition fees aren’t a probfeel the same way.
the general public, the non-profit
lem. Statistics show that there has
sector, and small business.
been a steady growth in the
Regarding Professional
income gap between the rich and
Schools
the poor, meaning that the poor are
Regarding Student Debt
Kumar states that low tuition
becoming relatively poorer. One
Kumar claims that students
fees in professional faculties
conclusion could be that those
should be capable of paying off a
would lead to a surplus of profeswho anticipate trouble repaying
$25,000 debt in a year’s time after
sionals, which would lead to
loans simply aren’t going to unigraduation, quoting Minaker’s
unemployment. This is incorrect
versity. They may just not be willstatement that the university gradon several fronts. First off, the
ing to risk a debt of $25,000, so
uates earn an average $35,000
number of spots in professional
are filtered out before they even
more then the non-university gradprograms is limited. A decrease in
start university. It is also worth
uates. I believe Kumar selectively
tuition fees would not alter the
noting that there is a significant
ignored the word “average” in this
number of students. Actually, high
number of students who can’t
statement, meaning all earners in
tuition has been accused of causafford university but who do not
the economy. Usually people
ing a shortage of professionals in
qualify for student loans.
reach peak earning potential at age
certain fields. Economics profes45 - 60. Immediately after
sors Black and Chernomas stated
Regarding the Day of Action
graduation, people can expect to
in a recent CCPA publication that
for Lower Tuition Fees
make, on average, $30,000 high tuition fees are largely
$35,000 to start, leaving those who
Kumar claims our governresponsible for Manitoba’s shortpay off a $25,000 debt in the first
ment is a “democracy” and “lisage of family doctors. To deal with
year with $5,000 to $10,000 to live
tens to the public,” but I would
large student debts, graduates are
argue that this democracy is far
from healthy. It faces many problems when it comes to facilitating
what citizens actually want or
need from the government. In a
functioning democracy, groups of
citizens would have access to mass
media to get their message across.
Unfortunately, if you don’t have
thousands of dollars to spend on
ads or have sympathetic friends in
the corporate-owned media,
you’re out of luck. It is this lack of
democracy in the mainstream
media that makes campaigns like
the Day of Action necessary.
Students may not have access to
popular media, but we still have
our voice. Kumar also states that
the Day of Action will have no
effect on whether the NDP implements the freeze. I disagree. The
Day of Action is not only to try to
get tuition fees reduced, but also to
show the public that the tuition
freeze is important to students and
should be kept in place. It gives
the government the political space
necessary to maintain the freeze.
The campaign is also a national
action to show support for students
in other provinces who have seen
tuition fees skyrocket in recent
years.
On closing note, I found it
rather ironic that the student’s
newspaper, which Kumar is using
to condemn UWSA membership,
is a service paid for and provided
by that very same membership.
Sincerely,
Jesse Hajer
Chair, University of Winnipeg
Students’ Association Board of
Directors
University of Winnipeg
Economics Honours Student
jhajer@iam.uwinnipeg.ca
the
pa g e 8
uniter
january 29, 2004
D I V E R S I O N S
Blurred Vision
B Y
K A D
State of the
Union Address:
“We must preserve the sanctity of marriage,
that’s why gays
won’t be
allowed to marry
but drunk pop
stars in Vegas
can have all the
marriage certificates they want.
God Bless
America and
God bless Mrs.
Spears.
Heard In the Halls
B
Y
K
E
N
T
D
A
V
I
E
S
Time: 12:56
Place: Manitoba
Time: 2:34
Place: Ashdown
Time: 3:14
Place: Duckworth
Time: 1:47
Place: Manitoba
Time: 12:57
Place: Manitoba
Male: Wasn’t there a theory that if
women jumped around too much
the uterus would get stuck in
places.
Male: I think Freud was so popular
because psychologists didn’t have
the balls to buy porn mags, so they
got their jollies from his work.
Male: I broke my girlfriends
shower, it’s like one of those box
showers, I fell on it and broke it off
its base.
Female: Have you seen the sequel
to that?
Female: Your hair is so soft. What
kind of shampoo do you use?
Male: The stuff that kills lice.
Female: Yeah. It was called wondering womb theory.
Male 2: What they really needed
was a daily dose of vitamin church.
Female: Was she mad?
Male 2: They should have called it
a nightquil because it put me to
sleep.
Male: She was kind of happy actually.
the
january 29, 2004
uniter
pa g e 9
l i s t i n g s
ON CAMPUS COMMOTION
WHATS WHAT AT THE U DUB
LANGUE
By Linda Carreiro
Gallery 1C03. Until Feb 14
INTERMEDIATE CREATIVE
WRITING WITH JON PAUL
FIORENTINO
Sat Jan 31, 10am-4pm
$30 WC members/$50 non-mem.
Room 1C21
STUDY ABROAD
INFORMATION SESSION
Wed Feb 4, 12:30pm, Room 1L12
For more info contact the
International Office @ 311
Balmoral Street
U of W FITNESS CLASSES
Mon - Hi/Lo
Wed - Boot Camp
Fri - Core Body: 12:30-1:15
Tue - Step/HiLo Combo
Thu - Tae-Box: 12:05-12:50
Register at the Duckwork
Centre Desk
U of W BURSARY PROGRAM
Applications in Awards Office
GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL
STUDIES APPLICATION
EXPENSES BURSARY
Applications in Awards Office
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
Visit
www.scholarshipscanada.com
www.millenniumscholarships.ca
www.finaid.org
www.studentawards.com
C o m p i l e d
b y
Entomological Society of Canada
for F/T grad students pursuing
scientific studies on insects or
other related terrestrial
arthopods
Applications at
http://esc.org/gform.htm
Deadline Feb 13
MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE
ASSEMBLY INTERNSHIP
6 Manitoba students chosen to
intern at the Legislature to
receive $1033.74 bi-weekly from
Sept. - June
Application in Awards Office
Deadline Feb 13
ROUND THE PEG PURSUITS
WHAT'S WHAT AROUND WINNIPEG
Thu Jan 29
Sounds
WSO NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL
Centennial Concert Hall
Tix @ Ticketmaster, WSO Box
Office, U of M School of Music
or 949-3999
Words
PETE SARSFIELD
Reading of Suspendd:
Travels Close to Home: 8pm
McNally Robinson Grant Park
Drama
MY FAIR LADY
MTC Mainstage
(174 Market - 942-6537)
Tix @ MTC Box Office
GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL
STUDIES APPLICATION
EXPENSES BURSARY
Info and applications in
Awards Office
ART
Le Circle Moliere
Le Theatre de la Chapelle
(825 St. Joseph - 233-8053)
Tix $19.75-$21.50 @ FrancoManitoban Cultural Centre
EPILEPSY SCHOLARSHIP
AWARDS 2004
For those between 16-21 who
suffer from Epilepsy
See www.epilepsy.ca for details
NIGHT LIGHT
MTYP - Canwest Global
Performing Arts Centre
(2 Forks Market Road)
Tix @ MTYP Box Office - 942-8898
GEOMATICS CANADA
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Available to students studying
in the Geomatics disciplines
Applications and information in
Awards Office. Deadline Feb 15
NAFTA MULTIMEDIA
COMPETITION
Masters students - share your
view and win $1000-$5000
Visit www.cbie.ca/nafta/ena/
index_e.cfm for info
MANITOBA CITIZEN'S BURSARY
FUND FOR NATIVE PEOPLES
Awards Office. Deadline Jan 30
TERRY FOX HUMANITARIAN
AWARD PROGRAM
$6000 award for undergrad
involved in humanitarian work
Applications and info in Awards
Office. Deadline Feb 1
UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA
GRADUATE FELLOWHIPS
$12 000 for Master's programs
Awards Office. Deadline Feb 1
MACKENZIE KING
SCHOLARSHIPS
$7500 - $10 000 for graduate
studies. Applications and
information in Awards Office
Deadline Feb 2
KIN CANADA BURSARIES
For Canadian or landed
immigrant & demonstrate high
ideals and qualities of
citizenship.
Visit www.bursary.ca for info.
Application deadline Feb 1
ESC TRAVEL AWARDS
$2000 research travel
scholarship from the
Fri Jan 30
Sights
LOST AND FOUND FASHION
PAADE & SALON
Annex (2nd Floor 290 McDermot), 8pm
Sounds
THE GERIATRICS OF SKA
Feat. Skavenjah, JFK & The
Conspirators, Subcity Dwellerz
West End Cultural Centre
(586 Ellice Ave - 783-6918),
8:15pm. Tix $5 @ Music Trader
$7 @ door
WINNIPEG WRATH NETWORK
Feat. Holzkopf, Knar, SKM-ETR,
Jaymez. Tix $6 @ door
Royal Albert Arms, 9pm
FRESHIE NIGHT
Pyramid Cabaret, 11pm
(176 Fort Street - 957-7777),
INVANE, LUPIN'S RAGE, FACT OF
FICTION
The Zoo - Osborne Village Inn
A TASTE OF NEW ORLEANS
McNally Robinson Grant Park,
8pm
THREE BLIND MICE
McNally Robinson Portage
Place, 6:30pm
WARMING UP THE PEG
Feat. Ron Paley & Jodie Borle
Pockets Bar and Grill
(171 McDermot), 8pm
Tix $25-$30 @ Manitoba
Conservatory of Music & Arts
Drama
MY FAIR LADY
MTC Mainstage
(174 Market - 942-6537)
J
U
L
I
E
H
O
R
B
A
L
, Listings Coordinator
ART
Le Circle Moliere
(825 St. Joseph - 233-8053)
Sounds
PILATE
W/Stabilo
(586 Ellice Ave - 783-6918)
Tix $12 @ Ticketmaster
NIGHT LIGHT
Tix @ MTYP Box Office
Drama
ART
Le Circle Moliere
(825 St. Joseph - 233-8053)
Sat Jan 31
Sounds
PARANOID CASTEL CD RELEASE
PARTY
W/ Turn the Gun, DJ Spitz, DJ
Co-op
Academy Coffee Company, 9pm
Tix $5 @ door / $10 w. CD
NIGHT LIGHT
THE DUHKS
(586 Ellice Ave - 783-6918), 8pm
Tix $15 @ WECC & Ticketmaster
/ $18 @ door
Words
THE 2004 PRAIRIE GARDEN, 8pm
SUICETY, SMELLS LIKE
GRAMMA, GIVR
Royal Albert Arms
X ENGINE X, BROKEN NOSE
The Zoo - Osborne Village Inn
THE BOB WATTS TRIO
8pm
Drama
MY FAIR LADY
MTC Mainstage
(174 Market - 942-6537)
ART
Le Circle Moliere
(825 St. Joseph - 233-8053)
NIGHT LIGHT
Sun Feb 1
Drama
ART
Le Circle Moliere
(825 St. Joseph - 233-8053)
NIGHT LIGHT
Mon Feb 2
Words
MEIRA COOK
Launch of Slovenly Love, 8pm
Drama
ART
Le Circle Moliere
(825 St. Joseph - 233-8053)
NIGHT LIGHT
Tix @ MTYP Box Office 942-8898
Tues Feb 3
Words
WILLOW
Launch of Beautiful Birds
McNally Robinson
8pm
Wed Feb 4
STARLIGHT LOUNGE
By Jillian Mcdonald
Main/Access Gallery
(121-100 Arthur - 956-2089)
X: RECENT PHOTOGRAPHIC
WORK
<Site> Gallery
(55 Arthur - 942-1618)
Until Jan 31
NERVOUS ENERGY
By Don Ritson
Graffiti Gallery
(109 Higgins)
JERRY TWOMEY COLLECTION
Winnipeg Art Gallery
(300 Memorial Blvd. - 786-6641)
Gallery 1, Until March 7
ANGST - GERMAN
EXPRESSIONISM
Winnipeg Art Gallery
(300 Memorial Blvd. - 786-6641)
Mezzanine Gallery
Until April 25
Sights
PUPPETRY OF THE PENIS
Burton Cummings Theatre, 7pm
Tix $40 @ Ticketmaster
SYNCHRONITY
<SITE> Gallery, Until Feb 28
(55 Arthur - 942-1618)
Sounds
NICKELBACK
W/ Staind, Three Days Grace
Winnipeg Arena
Tix $32.50-$40 @ Select-A-Seat
IKEANOGRAPHY
By Elrose Watermulder
The Annex
(2nd Floor - 290 McDermot 284-0673)
Until Feb 21
MARY GAUTHIER
W/ Dave Quanbury
(586 Ellice Ave - 783-6918), 8pm
Tix $17 Ticketmaster / $20 door
Drama
ART
Le Circle Moliere
(825 St. Joseph - 233-8053)
NIGHT LIGHT
Thu Feb 5
Words
ELIZABETH LUNDQUIST
Launch of DinnerTime: Your 30
Minute Meals Organized
7:30pm
HARLEQUIN
Launch of A Kiss is Just
8pm
Drama
ART
Le Circle Moliere
(825 St. Joseph - 233-8053)
NIGHT LIGHT
Tix @ MTYP Box Office 942-8898
ON THE WALLS
WHAT'S WHAT IN
WINNIPEG'S GALLERIES
EINBLICKE - GLIMPSES
Alliance Francaise
(934 Corydon - 477-1515)
Until Feb 28
I'M ONLY HAPPY WHEN IT
RAINS AND 20 OR 30 OTHER
CLICHED THINGS I HATE ABOUT
MYSELF
By Les Newman
Aceartinc
(290 McDermot - 944-9763)
Until Feb 7
IN THE CLUBS
WHAT'S WHAT IN WINNIPEG'S
HOTSPOTS
BRAEMAR VILLAGE BAR &
RESTAURANT
(349 Wardlaw - 949-7200)
Live entertainment & dancing
CHAOS CHAMELEON
(2nd floor - 108 Osborne 475-3328)
Thu - 80s and 90s Night
Fri - Twisted w/ Brian St. Clair
Sat - Loaded Mod & Soul Night
Sun - Goth/Industrial Night
Thu - RCW Wrestling
FRI - Wet Fridays feat. R&B,
Hip Hop, Reggae
IN THE PUBS
WHAT'S WHAT IN WINNIPEG'S
CHILL SPOTS
CHOCOLATE SHOP KARAOKE
BAR & GRILL
(268 Portage - 942-4855)
Nightly - Karaoke 10pm-2am
EDDY'S GARAGE
(61 Sherbrook - 783-1552)
Wed - Brent Scott Band
Every other Thu - Mike & the
Eastwood Gang
Fri & Sat - DJ Dubb
FINN MCCUE'S IRISH PUB
(The Forks - 888-6900)
Mon - Open jam night
Wed - Trivial night
Thu-Sat - Live Celtic music
KINGS HEAD KNIGHT'S PUB
(120 King - 957-7710)
Thu - The Knights of Jam Band
Battle w/ Airfoil
POCKETS
(171 McDermot - 957-7665)
Wed - Karaoke
Sun - Curtis Newton w/ Blair
Depape, David Caissy, Steve
Broadhurst
REGAL BEAGLE PUB
(331 Smith - 942-6411)
Live music on weekends
ROCA JACK'S
(2037 Portage - 897-7622)
Tue - Live music
Fri - Live local music
TOAD ON MAIN
(172 Main St - 942-8623)
Monday Night Improv Supper
Club. 7:30 & 9:30
WINDOWS LOUNGE
(161 Donald - 975-6031)
Fri & Sat - Brian Paul
PSAs
CLUB 200
(190 Garry - 943-6045)
Tue & Sat - Go Go Dancers &
DJ Willie
Wed - Karaoke
Thu - Wild & Wacky Bar Games
Fri - DJ Willie
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
Free employment counseling,
job training & postings, resume
writing services
330-267 Edmonton St.
www.youthemployment
services.com
DJANGO'S
(3740 Portage - 837-5831)
Sat - Jim Humpage
Sun - Blues Jam w/ Mark
Conroy Band and Magic of
Christopher
MUSIC FOR YOU & ME
Weekly music classes for
parents/kids age 2-4
Manitoba Conservatory of
Music & Arts
(105-211 Bannatyne)
Call 943-6090 for info
EMPIRE CABARET
(436 Main)
Thu-Sat - Roman-themed dance
GIO'S
(155 Smith - 786-1236)
Fri & Sat - GLBT Dance Party
Wed - Karaoke, DJs Kris, Ian &
Big D
Thu - DJ Perry
HAPPENINGS
(274 Sherbrook - 774-3576)
Thu - DJ Marcus
Fri - Lipstick Lounges drag show
Sat - DJ Kris
LATIN GARDEN
(500 Portage - 774-8440)
Fri & Sat - Oscar y su Grupo
Sabor
PHAT DADDY'S
(165 McDermot - 284-7428)
Thu-Sat - Hip Hop
PONY CORRAL
(444 St. Mary - 942-4414)
Mon - Monday Night Raw
Fri-Sat - Danny Kramer
Sun - Hospitality night
ZEN LOUNGE
(333 Portage - 944-8881)
U OF M POLITICAL STUDIES
STUDENT CONFERENCE 2004
Feb 5-7
Call 275-0179 for more info
ALBEEFEST SHOWS
A DELICATE BALANCE
The Adrianna Theatre Collective
WCD Studio
Admission - $12-$15
THE ZOO STORY (en Francais)
L'Alliance Francaise Du
Manitoba et Le Theatre Alambic
Martial Caron Hall, St. Boniface
College. Admission $10-$15
QUI A PEUR DE VIRGINIA WOOLF?
L'Alliance Francaise Du
Manitoba et Le Theatre Gyptis
Martial Caron Hall, St Boniface
College. Admission $10-$15
THE BALLAD OF THE SAD CAFÉ
Black Hole Theatre Company
Gas Station Theatre
Admission $9-$11
LE TAS DE SABLE ET LE REVE DE
L'AMERIQUE
Les Chiens De Soleil
Martial Caron Hall,
St. Boniface College.
Admission $5-$7
the
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january 29, 2004
F E AT U R E S
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Students Make The Grade
The Uniter talks to markers, professors, support staff and administration about the challenges facing undergrad markers
C H E R Y L
G U D Z
Fe a t u r e s E d i t o r
he University
of Winnipeg
is proud of
what they can offer bright undergraduate students: jobs that usually
go to graduate students.
While the experience is obviously beneficial to the student, the
instructor, and the department, what
does it really mean to have students
evaluate students?
Their university experience
will vary, as will their age. Some
begin marking in their first year,
some in their fourth. But, regardless
of their seniority, the chances of
knowing your marker at the
University of Winnipeg are higher
because the university is small and
primarily undergraduate. That
means that research assistantships,
teaching assistantships and marking
jobs go to undergrad students - your
peers.
T
***
After 7 years of study, 24-year
old Jenn Matwee will soon be completing her degree in Sociology. "I
knew about TA-ing for years but I
never bothered to apply. But last
year, professors started asking me to
mark for them."
Matwee's class sizes have
ranged from just over a dozen students to sixty. She has marked both
multiple choice tests and essays. In
her experience, there have been no
set University policies or guidelines
to follow, rather, the specifics are
left up to the individual instructor
and the marker. For her, the third
and fourth-year classes are harder to
evaluate than first-year classes. "As
a student, I'm much more on the
same intellectual level as those people so it takes a lot more attention to
figure out what mark is deserved."
Paige Harms figures she's
marked over 400 students and TAed 15 classes as a marker in
Geography. "I just love it, it's like
my favorite time of the week when
I'm TA-ing. You have to love it
because the pay is not very good."
At 26 years old "and holding,"
Harms has been marking since her
first year. Now in her third year at
the U of W she grades lab exams -midterms and finals -- and other
assignments in Introduction to
Atmospheric
Science,
Earth
Sciences, and Meteorology. So how
exactly did she become a marker in
her first year?
"I'm paying cash for my degree
by all my jobs around here, so what
I do essentially is go from office to
office and stand in their doorway
and say 'I need money, do you have
work?' And it's amazing the things
they'll come up with. I've done
research and organizing and cleaning and marking, I've guest-lectured
and all sorts of stuff. I'm having a
great time but I'm paying for my
degree very slowly."
***
The primary reason professors
need markers is because of large
student you have no say in it! I
could see how a student might be
reluctant to bring it up with their
prof because that could affect the
marking."
This staff member is also a
marker who was offered the job by a
professor. She said most students
are hand-picked, with the exception
of the Politics department.
not gone unnoticed by the executive
director of Human Resources, Karn
Sandy.
Sandy says that Human
Resources is initiating a discussion
regarding student markers, TAs and
demonstrators, even though her
department is not involved in hiring.
“We need to be aware of the issues –
we’re just beginning the process.
We don’t hire the students, we just
make sure they get paid.”
On January 19, the day before
she received a call from the Uniter,
Sandy says Human Resources
launched a discussion. “There is an
awareness [among deans] that we’re
looking at something. We want an
opportunity to discuss and provide
some input.”
Sandy hopes to hear from students who have concerns or issues.
***
***
Joanne Boucher teaches in
Politics, where she affirms the
department has a more traditional
approach to hiring.
"In terms of undergrad [hiring],
we have this committee of three
people, and then people apply. We
put up a notice like it’s a job… and
we ask for a letter, a CV, and transcripts."
Boucher says preference is
given to fourth year students, highest GPA, and finding the right fit in
terms of courses the applicant has
taken. "The result is that it tends to
be our top students who get them,
and our top students tend to be really good. I certainly have had no
problems, none. I've had two to
three to date and they've been
superb, like excellent."
Politics differs from other
departments because the have a joint
graduate program with the
University of Manitoba called the
Masters of Public Administration.
Because of this joint program,
Politics hires graduate student
markers and not just undergrads.
There is even a separate pool of
money for markers/graders. Yet
even with access to graduate students and more funding, Boucher
says some graduate students are not
qualified for the job because they
don't have a background in Politics.
In these cases, the department will
not hesitate to hire undergrads.
Unlike other departments,
Politics does have policies and
requirements for its student employees. "I think some people in our
department are really aware of some
of those problems, some people are
really uncomfortable with it or have
concerns. Consequently they will
only give certain types of assignments to the marker/grader -- like
some of them will not give essays."
Some professors will only let students mark set answers or multiple
choice questions, and professors
always grade final exams. "That's a
rule in our department. We never give
those to markers/graders and I wonder
if that's a rule [for all departments]."
Matt Becker marks in the
Physics and Math departments. He
is 21 and usually only marks tests
with a marking key. He also demonstrates a lab every week to students
in his peer group.
"I guess the average age is
probably a year younger than me,
but then there's lots of people in the
class who are my age and older. I'm
just kind of friendly about it, I'm not
a professor. They just ask questions
and sometimes there's stuff that I
don't know."
Becker says he marks using
common sense, but he's never had
an "ethics of marking" talk or crash
course. Often he will be approached
in the halls by students wanting to
know their mark or wanting to argue
it.
"People ask about marks all the
time. It's frustrating, They'll ask,
'how's my friend doing in Intro?'
People will ask to see marks before
I hand them back to the prof."
"Because I'm the same age as
them, they figure they can argue
with me."
"All University of Winnipeg departments employ
undergraduate students as markers, lab demonstrators, and tutors -- teaching roles that are almost
exclusively reserved for graduate students at larger
institutions. This hands-on experience will give you
the edge in the job market or graduate school."
(from www.uwinnipeg.ca)
class sizes. Professor. Jim Clark in
Psychology would know. He teaches an honours level Statistics course
where he needs multiple markers to
evaluate all the work and work
closely with students.
"It's a demanding class, [and it]
would be impossible to do all the
marking myself. I would be even
horrendous for one or two students
to do it. I use a bunch of markers."
Clark has been teaching at the U of
W since 1989. He says he typically
hires students who he's previously
taught because he can get a sense of
their abilities from their performance in his class. "I'll actually ask
students toward the end [of the
course] who do they think in the
class would make a good TA. They
pretty much agree with my judgment. I encourage the students to
work with one another in the class.
Often they're helping each other
anyway so they get a sense of who's
patient, who's not too aversive or
hostile when they're giving feedback to students."
***
Although student markers are a
necessary component of a department's operations, the process of
hiring or the marking itself is not
problem-free. Because there are no
set guidelines for markers to follow,
only those established by the individual professor, the marker must
not only be an excellent thinker,
writer, and editor, but must be highly unbiased as well.
Not having guidelines allows
student markers to decide whether
they will mark the assignments of
people they know, or whether they
will abstain. Most of the markers
and instructors interviewed admitted that they or their markers do not
usually abstain.
A member of departmental
support staff in Humanities raised
concerns about the process but
wished to preserve her anonymity.
"One thing that I found that profs
tell me is that student markers are a
lot tougher. Some are cocky. A prof
will have to tell the student to be
more constructive."
Although some students might
get a big head from the experience,
she reveals that profs have egos to
get over too.
"Some profs think marking is
beneath them -- they're out there,"
she says, on the hiring of student
markers and TAs. "The ones who
are worth their salt always check the
students' marking."
She sympathizes with students
who are frustrated that they're being
marked by peers. For her it becomes
less acceptable when markers are
grading upper level classes. "As a
***
There are no cross-departmental rules in regards to markers, TAs
and demonstrators. This aspect has
***
The topic of marking people's
work that one knows, was a question that those interviewed had
mixed responses to.
Jim Clark in Psychology says
he hasn't had to deal with it much. "I
haven't really heard any problems of
that sort expressed to me. Doesn't
mean it's not out there somewhere.'[The] problems I usually
hear about more are what are perceived by the students as inequities
in how their assignments were
marked."
Clark says his classes, such as
statistics, are more easier to mark
than others. "It's a little more cut and
dry then if the were making subjective judgments about students. In
the past when I've used students to
mark essay questions, usually then
I've tried to get somebody who has
graduated already and is still around
to do the marking."
Joanne Boucher in Politics
says she would mark the paper if she
knew there was a conflict of interest. "My impulse would be that I'd
grade it," says Joanne Boucher.
Continued on Page 13
"Are you comfortable with a
student marker grading your
course work?"
Nick
Tanchuk
English/
Education
“It seems
bizarre to me
that a student who I had class with,
and done significantly better
than, could potentially, and
actually has ended up, marking my course work.”
Scotty
Too
Hottie
undeclared
major
“As long as
the professor
approves of the grader, I have
no problem with it.”
Kyle
Ushock
Politics/
Justice
and Law
Enforcement
“I’m paying
the prof to teach the course
and I would expect the prof
to also grade my work. In
some of my classes the profs
don’t even look at the material I hand, instead its left up to
the TA, which is a big problem for me.”
Caitlyn
Cassell
Theatre
I personally
don’t feel
comfortable
with it. In
fact I have had to go back to
my professor, after the TA
had marked it, and have the
professor re-grade my work.”
Melanie
Page
Sociology
“I have no
qualms with
it as long as
my professor
reviews the work, especially
with regards to papers”
Cheryl
Watters
Psychology
“I believe it
is a good
process and
good experience for the student markers.
However, the work should
always be reviewed by a
prof.”
the
january 29, 2004
uniter
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Don’t Forget About Us
Collegiate Students Infiltrate University Every Day
BY
DARRIN
COHEN
ttention University Students!
Think you’re the only one walking up the escalators? Using the
library ‘express terminal’ computers?
Napping in ‘The Blue Room’? Well
guess again! The Collegiate students,
although tucked away in our own little
castle, are all around you weather you
like it or not. You may not notice us, or
you may choose to ignore us, but the fact
of the matter is you can’t escape us.
We’re in your classrooms learning from
your chalkboards, we’re in your library
reading your books and we’re even signing your petitions for tuition!
The Collegiate effects the University in
more ways than you might think. Having
teenagers around effects the entire men-
A
tality and atmosphere of a university.
According to Heather Wiebe, a second
year student at the U of W, “There is not
such a jump between high school and
university…the collegiate students definitely play a part in that.”
Having the Collegiate attached to the
University is not only extremely beneficial for its students, but it also helps the
community of the University. “The
University should embrace all kinds of
demographics, says Deborah Schnitzer,
an English Professor. "The closer you
can get to these kinds of capabilities the
stronger we are, the more grounded we
are.”
Being a Collegiate student, and someone
who is intrigued by the University and
the students, I usually take it upon
myself to pick up the latest Uniter only
to find, to my disappointment, that there
is usually nothing about the Collegiate.
It occurred to me that most if not all of
the students in the University either
don’t care about the Collegiate or just
don’t know about it. Most university students never cross that connecting bridge
between Wesley Hall and Bryce Hall.
All Collegiate students come from
schools all over the city for different reasons. I came in need of a better education
than the one I was receiving at my old
school just like many other students. As
you may or may not know, the Collegiate
only accepts students from grade ten and
up. I came to the Collegiate last year,
when I was in grade eleven. Switching
high schools so close to graduation may
seem a little crazy especially when people switch for grade eleven or grade
twelve, but Collegiate students find the
transition to be easy. “Everyone is
respectful of each other,” says Amy
Harrison, a Grade 11 student. “We are all
here because we want to be here rather
than because we have to be here.”
Perhaps the main reason people decide
to switch and come to our school is
because the Collegiate will prepare its
students for University much better than
most high schools in the city. Students
get used to working at a university level
pace, says Grade 12 student Jessica
Jacobson-Konefall. “We’re in a more
academic environment…the quality of
the courses are better.”
Just being so closely attached to a
University is one of the most beneficial
things for a high school. Access to a university library, gymnasium and many
F
E
other things is something that we are
very fortunate to have and sometimes
take for granted.
The Collegiate prides itself on giving
their students freedom. Which can be
argued as either really good or really
bad. On one hand it means that teachers
are not constantly down our throats to
get assignments in on time like teachers
at my old school. In fact, our teachers
leave it completely up to us too study for
our tests, finish our assignments, do our
homework and read the required material for the class. Such things as nagging
reminders and phone calls home are
unheard of at the Collegiate.
On the other hand, the constant freedom
means we are able to skip class more
often than we should without being
penalized. I must confess that last year,
my first year, I took advantage of the
system and skipped over 50% of my
Canadian History class. I paid for it,
though, when my report card came
revealing my final mark and how many
classes I skipped to my parents. Most
students learn the hard way that skipping
so much class will only hurt them. Our
teachers are more than happy to sped
extra time outside the classroom helping
us with things we don’t understand.
However, that goes out the window if we
are not prepared to attend their classes.
The teachers “trust [our] intelligence,”
says Konefall. “They give [us] concepts
that are difficult to wrap your head
around…they give [us] the benefit of the
doubt.”
Although the freedom can be damaging
to our final mark, and even our attitude
to certain classes, it is all for the better.
“This school matures you,” says Michael
Goldberg, who has been at the Collegiate
for three years. “I think if we were at any
other school it would be totally different.”
You, the University student, also heavily
influence the maturity in Collegiate students. Walking through Centennial Hall
can often be very intimidating and so can
doing last minute homework in the
resource section of the library. However,
for the most part us Collegiate students
do a good job of blending in with the
University folk. In fact, unless your in
Manitoba Hall, you might not even
notice that there are Collegiate kids
around.
So the next time you find yourself wandering through Manitoba Hall take a
stroll down to the Bryce/Wesley Hall
skywalk, pick up an infogram on your
way past the office and stop off at the
famous Tony’s café on your way out for
their delicious home made cookies.
We're familiar with your school, come
visit ours.
A Cozy Haven on Campus
BY
GINGER
BOYER
T
doesn’t mean we hate men… but we
do realize the importance of women’s
only spaces. However, we also don’t
discriminate so we welcome men to
come down at designated times. A
perfect opportunity to check out the
Womyn’s Center is on Friday, January
29th from 12:30-1:30 (the free period). We are having an Open House
which will include free food and info.
This year the Womyn’s Center
is involved in Sugar and Splice: a film
festival exploring gender. We will be
having a sneak preview of a film in
the Womyn's Centre and will also be
hosting a brown bag lunch in order to
promote the film festival on campus.
This will all take place the
week of March 8th along with many
other events put on by the Centre. So
keep watching for updates posted
around campus. The Womyn’s Centre
really is a great place for everyone
whether you’re Caucasian, Asian,
Bisexual, short, tall, young or old, we
don't discriminate. We are a safe
space and we want everyone to join
us!
ucked away in the basement of
the University of Winnipeg is a
small cozy room, painted with
murals, covered in posters and full of
knowledge. This small room contains
a computer, a telephone, a stereo,
microwave, fridge and comfy couches. Best of all, though there are brilliant women at work in this room all
the time, smart, witty, strong and fun
women who are non-judgmental and
non-discriminatory. I have grown significantly as a person because of these
wonderful women and I couldn’t have
met them all without the cozy room
that is the Womyn’s Centre.
The University of Winnipeg’s
Womyn’s Centre is located on main
campus downstairs in the Bulman
Student Centre across from the
University of Winnipeg’s Students
Association and right beside your
local LGBT* Centre. We may be
known for our free condoms, pads,
and pregnancy tests but we do a
whole lot more than that.
The Womyn’s Center is a Safe
Space, Pro-choice place and has endless resources such as an incredible
library. We are responsible for coorganizing events such as Take Back
the Night, the December 6th memorial, and International Women’s
Day/Week. These events are important to us, and should be important to
you because they all address the issue
of violence against women and just
women’s issues in general.
You don’t have to be a feminist
to agree that we all need to fight violence against women, and if you are a
feminist then hey, we support you.
The Womyn’s Center supports feminist ideologies, so if you are a feminist, or you want to know what one is,
come on down. Better yet… if you
think you know what feminism is, or
are just curious to know, it would be
great for you to visit us and meet
some real live feminists. And contrary
to popular belief, we don’t bite.
The Womyn’s Center also supports women in general, so take
advantage of your space. Now this
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Q & A with the Student Christian Movement
Questioning Christians and Non-believers Are Members
BY CHRISTINE ESSELMONT
with Michael Nerman and Gwen McAllister
T
he misunderstanding of spirituality
can also be seen in the pigeonholing
Q: What is the official name of your
group?
A: SCM, which stands for Student Christian
Movement.
of religious people into the mold of
“conservative,” and by associating them
with specific political views that we don’t
all hold. In reality, religious people are as
A: We’re not quite sure. The group had previously existed for years, and then, died out.
About three years we began trying to reintroduce SCM to the campus. The organization
“SCM” has been in Canada since about 1921.
are many religious and spiritual people
Q: What are the purposes of having your
group at the University?
A: To provide a community for encouraging
open questioning, doubt, and exploration on
issues of belief, religion, justice, and the
state of the world.
Q: Is there any concept you could identify
as a common or unifying belief of your
group?
Why do you think most people identify
themselves with SCM as oppose to another faith group?
A: We greatly value diversity as being vital
for healthy, honest spiritual growth. We also
value diversity in ways of thinking, and ways
of living
Q: What are some examples of topics that
may initiate strong emotion, and maybe
even differences of opinion, or even conflict within your group?
A: One such topic would be sexuality.
That’s always a hot topic! Issues relating
how to respect and value sexuality. Another
controversial issue would be the dogma of
evangelical Christianity as “the only way”.
That’s definitely come up, and there [have]
been differences of opinion. Another question that’s incited much discussion is how to
approach sacred texts, and the institutions of
traditional religion. Some people consider
that there is inherent truth in any sort of religion, or spirituality, and that we just need to
find that truth. Others think that it’s a matter
of interpretation, and that there’s value to be
found in something if you interpret it the
right way. Yet others believe that certain traditions, or parts of sacred texts are simply
wrong and should be ignored. What happens
in the afterlife is another big issue. We were
just talking about that in our meeting today. I
think it’s important we add a disclaimer at
this point, making clear that SCM in its
nature is flexible and changing. To say that
it’s a “certain way” is in some ways wrong.
We’re constantly challenging ourselves, and
therefore, changing.
Q: What are some of the SCM activities
that take place on campus, when and
where? How can people get connected
with your group?
A: We’re going on a retreat that I guess will
have happened by the time this article is
released. This month we’ve been working on
issues surrounding food politics. We have
hosted workshops regarding different issues
surrounding food politics and food justice.
There will be more workshops in February
and March on topics such as feminist theology, body image, and God and sexuality.
February is kind of a love month theme. We
diverse as the population at large. There
who are into progressive rather than
conservative politics.
Gwen McAllister and Michael Nerman are members
also meet weekly in the chapel at
of the Student Christian Movement at the U of W
about 12:50, every Wednesday
for a gathering time which is
A: I’m not going to talk about all the issues
used for both sacred renewal, as well as planthat are misunderstood about Christianity, or
ning and mobilization. Other activities
other faiths, but rather, how the misunderinclude once a month movie nights where we
standing affects our group. A lot of people
watch a movie, and later, discuss it – it’s
think of religion as being fundamentally
pretty casual. Once a month we have a dinoppressive. In the activist community espener where everyone brings ingredients, and
cially, you meet a lot of people who think it’s
we all cook together and hang out afterall bad, and that you can’t be religious, that
wards.
you can’t even be spiritual. What we want to
convey is that religion can be liberating, spirQ: What event would be the best for a visituality can be liberating, and I think, fundaitor to attend? What event(s) would be a
mentally is, at its core. The misunderstanding
good introduction to SCM?
of spirituality can also be seen in the pigeonholing of religious people into the mold of
A: By far the most life-changing event that
“conservative,” and by associating them with
one could attend, is an SCM conference
specific political views that we don’t all hold.
because it is a gathering with SCMers from
In reality, religious people are as diverse as
across Canada. The community that’s there,
the population at large. There are many reliand the ability to live outside of society for
gious and spiritual people who are into proawhile…to live differently, is a really life
gressive, rather than conservative politics.
changing experience. This year’s conference
There is also the stereotype of religious peotheme is “belonging” and what that means in
ple as being deluded and disengaged from
relation to community, race, gender, sexual
reality and the world at large. SCM is very
identity and other forms of identity. The
much about acting out, and changing the
conference is going to be held during the
world now and not waiting for God, or heavfirst week in May, in St. John’s
en, or anything like that. We’re not about
Newfoundland. Anyone is welcome to come
pretending that everything is good, but rather,
to ANY of our events, including the National
that everything will become better when we
Conference. Even if you’ve never been to
try to change the world.
anything vaguely [related to] “SCM” . I
should add that the conference is also subsidized, which makes it affordable for students
Q: What is the nature of your relationship
wishing to attend.
with other faith groups on campus?
Do you feel that interfaith connections
Q: Is there a certain faith tradition assoshould be fostered?
ciated with SCM? If so, what are the key
ideas behind the faith that you associate
A: We haven’t had much relationship with
with?
other faith groups on campus, and I think one
of the reasons being that we’re a group about
A: SCM is a Christian-based group.
challenging religion, whereas most of the
Historically, it has been a Christian group,
other faith groups have a specific set of
but it’s also no longer exclusively Christian
beliefs that they are interested in preserving,
in that it’s meant to be a space where people
to some extent. SCM does have a bit of a difcan explore Christianity safely without fear
ferent purpose. That being said, we would
of being “evangelized”. Whether or not peolike to get involved with other groups in disple are interested in Christianity, or simply in
cussions, in any kind of group effort in
challenging the ideas of Christianity, or reliawareness-raising about important issues etc.
gion in general, we’re all about exploring
Interfaith relations are something that SCM
those ideas honestly. Our group has three key
in Canada, and worldwide have been trying
ideas that define us, one of them is the idea
to foster. Recently, there has been a move to
that community is essential to individual
focus on and try to improve Christiangrowth, and to being able to challenge socieMuslim relations. It’s something we would
ty at large. Another is our spirituality and
love to do, but as of yet, we haven’t.
faith -- that’s a major concept that defines us.
The last is that faith and spirituality must
Q: Why are you distinct from other faith
somehow affect how one responds to the
groups entitled “Christian” at the
world, and therefore, we also focus on issues
University of Winnipeg campus?
of justice and activism, and how we can take
part in making the world a more just place.
A: There [are] a few things that make us distinct. One is that we are specifically focused
Q: Can you identify some parts of your
on justice, as well as spirituality. The other
faith or spirituality that you think may be
groups have subgroups that are more focused
misinterpreted or misunderstood by
on justice, whereas our whole group focuses
mainstream culture?
Photo: Christine Esselmont
Q: For how long has SCM been in existence at the University of Winnipeg?
on issues of justice. Everybody who comes
to the meetings has some concerns about justice. Another thing that would set us apart is
that we are open to interfaith worship, and
prayer. In our group specifically, we even
have people coming to meetings that don’t
even identify themselves as “Christian”. So,
yeah…demographically we’re only kind of
“half Christian” in a way (laughs). Our group
doesn’t really feel like we have “the truth”
but rather, that the truth is something to be
discovered through exploration.
Q: Why do you feel the need to make
yourself so distinct from mainstream
Christianity (e.g. The posters you have
around where SCM is represented as the
little fish going against the large school of
fish that is mainstream Christianity, or
SCM posters that say “Blasphemy
Welcome” )?
A: There is a need to make it clear that SCM
is meant to be a safe community, a safe place
for students to question everything they may
have grown up with, or things that they may
feel very hurt by within traditional religion,
or a traditional Christian upbringing. It’s a
place for people to come regardless of their
understanding of faith, their sexual orientation, their take on feminism, and on the
world. We feel it is really important for us to
let it be known that this is a group where
people will be questioning, because some
people aren’t comfortable with that. Some
people know what they believe, and aren’t
interesting in questioning, or exploring further. Our group wants to make it clear that
when you come to SCM, it’s ok to be frustrated, even angry at church, Christianity,
God, and to be able to discuss that openly. A
lot of times when we have a table by Riddell,
we meet people who say that they’re into
spirituality, justice, and community…but are
hesitant to be associated with SCM, because
it’s called the Student Christian Movement.
A lot of people have this almost immediate
gut reaction to Christianity like “ I don’t want
to go there.”
Q: How do you respond to the reality of
negative values (i.e. unloving, intolerance)
that may be promoted by some of mainstream Christianity?
A: There’s no doubt that Christianity has
been responsible for some really negative and
terrible things in society, and in history. We
do have to face up to the reality of colonialism, the patriarchy, and the hierarchy that are
inherent in Christian tradition and to respond
to these realities. One way we respond is by
questioning; looking at our history and asking , “what is wrong with this? What can’t
we believe in? What is oppressive?
Ungodly?" We try to look at these issues,
deconstruct them, and help support each
other in reclaiming what we find to be truly
valuable in Christianity, as opposed to rejecting it all, and then ending up cut off from
some of what is still good in Christianity
–what is liberating. By being open to, and
learning things from other modes of spirituality, we have more to draw from…and if we
see something’s missing in Christianity, we
can compare it with other ways of approaching faith, and try to develop an approach that
attempts to guard against these “sad, negative
values” as you call them. It’s important to
challenge what’s wrong with Christianity,
faith, and society in an open, public way!
Contacts :
scmwinnipeg@yahoo.com or begwenagain@yahoo.ca
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F E AT U R E S
C
A
M
P
U
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L
I
F
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Something Developing at The Photo Club
B Y
J E A N N E
F R O N D A
ou might need an eyewash station in
the photo club, but not for the chemicals that could harm your eyes - for
the awful taste in furniture.
A navy computer chair that has armrests
with worn out fabric on their corners is by a
desk. There’s also a green crush velvet-like
armchair, a love seat covered with a pattern of
wheat or some type of grass in brown tones,
and a large, grey square footrest. Whoever furnished the photo club must have been colour
blind. Good thing for them-and us-the photo
club is about black and white film.
Bad furniture aside, the photo club is a
cozy place where you can develop black and
white film and print your own photos.
Before I plunk myself down on the
brown love seat in the photo club office I try to
find some room, but someone has left their
grey and blue backpack on it. A used square
Ziploc container that has light brown remnants
crusted on its interior walls has also found a
home on the love seat. Usually I would’ve
moved everything so I could sit more comfortably, but I had a chance to peruse the room
before I sat down and I had second thoughts
about touching anything.
Leanne Romaniuk, the coordinator of
the University of Winnipeg's photo club, sits
down in one of the armchairs while she develops a roll of film. A black tank the shape of a
cylinder, but with a funnel opening sits in her
lap. The tank is plastic and is about the size of
a bowling ball.
“Anyone who has an interest in photography is welcome,” she says while she smiles.
I smile back at her as I take another look
at the room. The trademark vinegar-smell of
photo lab chemicals fills my nostrils.
A half-eaten orange that’s been sitting
out so long that its skin is dehydrating sits on
the corner of a desk. On the same desk is a
colourful lunch box that has the yellow Willy
Wonka logo; the rest of the lunch box is painted a swirl of psychedelic colours that remind
me of tye-dyed T-shirts and tasty Nerds candies. There are papers strewn everywhere, and
a cylinder that looks like a miniature paint can
sits in another corner of the desk.
The photo club office isn’t the tidiest
place on campus. After all it’s not a doctor’s
office, and you’re not expected to eat your
lunch off of the floor. It’s a place where students hang out, and wherever there are 15 to
20 students congregating you’re bound to find
clutter. And that includes coffee mugs that
haven’t been washed or stacks of unsorted
paper.
The quiet hum of the photo club
microwave makes up most of the ambient
noise; Romaniuk uses the microwave timer to
gauge how long she soaks her film in the
chemicals. Occasionally she agitates the tank
by turning the end of a black plastic rod that
protrudes from centre of the tank's funnelshaped mouth. The other end of the rod, which
Y
Continued from Page 10
"But of course that would depend on them
coming and saying I don't want to grade this
person's paper."
For Paige Harms, knowing the students she marks is complicated but she
takes it in stride. "It's kind of intimidating
sometimes, especially whey I'm marking in
classes with my friends in them," she says.
"I have to be sure not to look at any names
before marking."
Math and Physics marker Matt Becker
says he sees students' names, but if it's
Students Make The Grade
is hidden, suspends the film roll inside the tank
and in the photo chemicals.
Leanne says everyone is welcome to
drop by the photo club. Many of its members
are political science students.
“Feel free to stop by. If it’s not open,
‘Sorry.’” She jokes. “Coffee’s brewing. Come
and have a seat. We’ll talk about politics and
listen to music.”
We sit until she hears the microwave
timer go off. We get up and go to the dark
room that's connected to the office. Romaniuk
dumps out the used chemicals into a large
metal sink. It reminds me of those long, tall
silver sinks you see TV doctors washing their
hands in.
“Don’t be intimidated or afraid. We’re a
nice group of kids. We play well with others,”
she says jokingly.
She removes the roll from the tank and
unrolls the film, so that it's almost straight. She
places the wet filmstrip into the film dryer,
which looks like a tall metal pantry. Then I
notice the one and only photo enlarger sitting
on a table. It seems odd to me that there is only
one enlarger, which means only print can be
made at a time. I also notice there isn’t a lot of
equipment around. Romaniuk blames it on
theft in recent years.
“There was a record amount of theft,”
she says. “Mostly squeegees and smaller
things.”
But it wasn’t the theft that bothered
Romaniuk as much as how disorganized the
club used to be.
“It was ran into the ground last year,”
she says. “It wasn’t very well organized. There
weren’t always chemicals. You could never
someone he knows well, he tries to mark
them last to be unbiased. If he has marked a
few tests, than he knows what people are
getting wrong, and how much to take off.
To fairly mark friends and acquaintances requires a strategy, and these markers have theirs in check. Says Jenn Matwee,
"I know it would be so easy to give them a
great mark because I knew they were intelligent people."
What do you think? Share your thoughts
with a letter to the Editor:
uniter@uwinnipeg.ca
get a hold of the coordinator. It really wasn’t
run very well last year.”
Romaniuk tries to make sure the club is
better for everyone. There are new film tanks
that have light traps to ensure light doesn't
enter the tanks and ruin the film by accidentally exposing it to light. And because she lives
across the street from the U of W she’s easily
accessible. Often she’ll encourage people to email her if they need her help with something
in the photo lab.
It’s not surprising Romaniuk want to
help others learn about photography.
“I still like the classic feel of taking out
my twenty pound camera,” she says jokingly.
Although digital cameras are extremely
popular, Romaniuk says she prefers film.
“It seems like a more classic art form,”
she says. “Not that you can’t be artistic with
digital cameras. It’s like the difference
between a record player and an MP3. You
have a lot more control.”
The photo club has reasonable hours or
operation. It’s open between 7 a.m. and 12
midnight. There’s a sign up sheet right outside
the door, so you can book the dark room to
your heart’s content. During lunchtime she
says there’s usually someone using it.
Interestingly though, only 15 to 20
members of the club’s 30 even use the dark
room.
“I feel bad for the people who don’t use
the darkroom, but that’s their prerogative,”
says Romaniuk. “I can’t drag them in the darkroom and say, ‘Use this enlarger.’”
To join the photo club you should have
access to a manual camera. A membership
costs $40 for the year, and this covers everything except for film and photo paper. The
photo club sells one roll of black and white
film for two dollars.
the
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Playful Cat’s
Got a Dark Side
tionship struggles. “Ashes” was written about
a bad dream I’d had. It’s not all about broken
hearts and stuff, this dream was about the end
of the world and I met up with a friend of mine
and we couldn’t communicate, but we had to
say goodbye because the world was ending, so
that’s sad too. Basically, I think that those feelings are the strongest.
If I sit down to write a song, I’m probably pretty angry or sad, so I sit down and write
it out. With Cathartic, I think I spent a lot of
time agonizing over what words I was going to
use and trying to condense everything, but
with the new songs, it’s a lot more free, it’s just
sort of like I sit down and I write stuff, like
what do I have to do. It’s just like, ‘what do I
feel right now,’ that’s what I feel, I write the
words and then I write the song around it. It’s
a little bit faster, it’s a little bit more raw, it’s
more direct. I think that because of that people
can hold onto them a little bit more easily
because it’s not like I’m trying to sound intellectual and use big words like on Cathartic.
J E F F
R O B S O N
Arts Editor
at Jahnke (rhymes
with donkey) is a
young,
up-andcoming
Winnipeg
singer/songwriter, and she’s also a bit of an
enigma. She comes across as a very happy,
upbeat, energetic person, yet she writes some
very beautiful, but dark and lonely songs. In
April of 2003, she released her debut CD,
Cathartic, a collection of songs that range
from false loves and broken hearts to the playful “Electric Cock Song” (it’s about an alarm
clock, so get your mind out of the gutter.)
She’s got a poet’s way with words, a
heart that isn’t afraid to be exposed, and an
inner rock child that somehow makes even the
darker songs upbeat and fun to listen to. She’s
also fun to talk to, as I found during a recent
interview.
C
Jeff Robson: Hi Cat, how are things going
for you, musically speaking?
Cat Jahnke: It’s going good, I’m having a lot
of fun and this new band that I’m working
with is super awesome. They’re some of the
guys from One Day September. They’re awesome, they really seem to be adhering to my
music and taking it where I’d like to go so I’m
excited about playing with them.
JR: Where is it that you’re trying to take
your music? What kind of music is it, anyway?
CJ: I’ve been filling out grant applications and
festival applications and stuff, and they all ask
what genre your music fits into and I don’t
really know what genre to fit it in, so I feel like
I’m breaking the mould that way. I don’t know
if I’m alt.country or folk.pop or what exactly
this is, so I’m going to invent a whole new
style and I’m going to call it Cat.
JR: So, Cat, you seem like a happy person,
I gotta ask, what’s with all the freakin’ sad
songs?
CJ: I think that they really help me to get rid
of the sad feelings. I do say that I’m an optimistic contradiction in that I do think I’m a
pretty content person, yet I do write these sad
songs. I’m trying to be this model saying, ‘you
know, you can be sad but you can also pick
yourself back up and keep going.’ I like writing sad songs. I’m trying to write sad songs,
but I try to do it in a more upbeat way.
JR: Is your life really that sad? Where do
you come up with these stories?
CJ: Most of the songs are written about rela-
JR: So obviously the title of the CD is somewhat descriptive of your writing. Is your
songwriting a tool for dealing with your
emotions?
CJ: I know that I’ll be upset and then I’ll write
the song and then whoever I was angry at, I’ll
be like ‘come listen to my song!’ and then I
won’t be mad at them anymore because I’ll be
rid of it. And if I am still angry, at least I will
have written it down and I know where my
feelings are going, so if I have to talk about it,
it’s all right there and I don’t have to beat
around the bush.
JR: Looking back, are you pleased with
Cathartic, or are there things you’ll do differently next time ‘round?
CJ: It’s an interesting CD, but I’m really
looking forward to having a more defined
style with the next one. That was just my first
one.
I have feelings towards that CD and
some of them are good, but it still is a bit of a
mish-mash. It still is sincere and honest and I
think it still has some good songs on it. Mike
(Petkau) did an interesting job producing it
and I think it’s definitely worth listening to,
but that CD was never intended to do much. I
was never really thinking that I could be a
musician. Even when I was doing it, I thought
‘well, this will be really good for me to have
and I can sell it when I’m busking and whatever, but then I really got hooked up with
some great people who can actually take me
somewhere towards my lofty goals and so it
ended up sort of putting me on the road to
where I’ve always dreamt of going my whole
entire life, but never really settled on because
I thought, ‘that’s foolish, you can’t be a full
time musician!’
Having heard many of Jahnke’s new
songs, I’d say that her dreams are not so foolish at all. Her songwriting and performing
skills have developed quickly over the past
year or so, and it seems like only a matter of
time before she makes a name for herself and
is able to take her music to a wider audience.
For now, watch for her at music venues around
town as she continues to hone her craft in front
of local audiences. She plans to record a fulllength CD this summer, and if my guess is correct, it’ll be a strong one that should do wonders for this talented Winnipegger.
Catch Cat Jahnke and her band, along with
singer/songwriter Chris Neufeld at The
Academy Coffee Co., 414 Academy Road, on
Friday, January 30. The show starts at 9 pm,
and tickets are only $5 at the door.
www.catjahnke.com
New Movie
Celebrates Life In
America
BY
DAN
HUYGHEBAERT
had misgivings about seeing this
movie mainly due to the title, for I
abhor overly patriotic movies, regardless of what country they originate from.
Boy, was I wrong. The film centres on an
Irish family that moves to America to
escape a family tragedy and start a new
life. Things seem to get off on the wrong
foot when the only apartment they can find
is a haven for drug dealers and shady characters. The father, Johnny (Paddy
Considine), can’t find work as an actor.
The mother, Sarah (Samantha Morton of
Movern Callar, a film that needs to be
seen, having the best use of a Velvet
Underground song ever) gets a job at a
sweet store, while daughters Cristy (Sarah
Bolger) and Ariel (Emma Bolger) enrol in
a local catholic private school. Their family tragedy catches up to them when they
meet Mateo (Djimon Hounsou), an enigmatic artist who has his own little secret.
The film showcases New York’s
multicultural diversity as well as the struggle for a poor immigrant family to live in
the worst place in the city. The film
achieves a great balance of human drama
and humour as the family struggles with
living in new surroundings. Johnny eventually takes a part time job as a caddie and
has one of the most memorable scenes in
the movie, when he has to deal with a
stock broker/wanna-be rapper. When the
I
kids go trick or treating in their homemade
costumes for Halloween, they encounter
Mateo, whose angry character is instantly
changed into a gentle giant.
The acting here is superb and it helps
that writer/director Jim Sheridan (In the
Name of the Father, My Left Foot) has
taken the time to write realistic characters.
This is what separates this movie from
other sentimental fluff. When Johnny confronts Mateo in a fit of jealousy over
Mateo’s ever increasing attachment to the
family, the seething anger on both sides is
felt, but it is quickly transformed into an
unspoken understanding of each other’s
tragic lives. Djimon Hounsou does an
incredible job relating his character’s complexity, especially with the two girls as he
tries to cope with his emotions and fate of
his character.
Humanity is at the centre of this
film, and Sheridan shows us both the joyful side and the painful side of being
human. The film is an affirmation of
everything we take for granted. The movie
shows people at their strongest, weakest,
and most fragile. But it celebrates these
traits just like the film subtly celebrates the
fact that different races are able to coexist
with each other. While at first I thought the
title was misleading, it alludes to the old
reason of America that many immigrants
came there for: a new beginning, and a
new hope. Mind you, that sounds way too
much like Star Wars: Episode IV.
the
january 29, 2004
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Richard Turner (center) takes a pause during the performance.
Background: Bruce Okrainec and Paul Nagelberg on bass.
New Music Festival
a Real Ear Opener
B Y
V I K A
I V A N E N K O V A
his week the Winnipeg Symphony
Orchestra presented its 13th annual
New Music Festival. The theme name
of this year’s festival is Resurrection, a recurring idea in composers’ work and a perfect
analogy for new music, as music has to be
inspired and revived from the old to be heard.
At midnight on Friday, about two hundred people gathered underneath the modern
clock tower in Portage Place Shopping Centre
to hear the Transfigured Midnight Concert, an
opening preview of Resurrection. As
T
Jacqueline Schreyer, the WSO Publicity
Manager explained, it was appropriate to
begin this year’s festival at the stroke of midnight, to signify renewal, the ending of one
day and the beginning of another, as the cycle
of the old becomes new.
The performer of that night was Alexei
Lubimov, one of the world’s most distinguished pianists and a virtuoso artist of avantgarde music. Lubimov was flown in from
Moscow to give two concerts this weekend. It
was a history-making night, as Lubimov
delighted the audience with his selection of
the best of avant-garde music by such well-
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know composers as John Cage, Valentin
Silvestrov, and Arvo Part, among others. The
stage was set with two baby grand pianos, one
of which produced an interesting percussion
sound, which was a lot like xylophone and
bells. Andrei Boreyko, the WSO Music
Director and Conductor, took time to explain
to me that I was hearing a “prepared piano,”
an invention of a composer John Cage, who
started using the technique of placing diverse
objects between the strings of the piano to
produce a unique percussion sounding orchestra.
Lubimov used the prepared piano to
perform a piece by Cage called, “The Perilous
Night.” Another important reason for having
Lubimov open the festival was his historical
significance in the world of avant-garde
music, as he was the first pianist in the former
Soviet Union who lifted the “iron curtain” to
the music of composers, such as Cage, who
were previously unrecognized by the Soviet
public. Therefore, it was continuing in his tradition to unveil the beauty of this challenging
music to the Winnipeg audiences as well.
Later that day at 8 p.m. at the Centennial
Concert Hall, the first performance of the festival premiered two exceptional modern
works. The first was Symphony No.3, “Death
and Resurrection” by a brilliant Manitoba
composer T. Patrick Carrabre. Carrabre joked
in a pre-performance chat that the death in the
piece was of the composer himself, since he
had given so much of his energy to his two
positions with WSO, as a Composer-inResidence and as a Festival Co-Curator.
The North American premier that
closed the evening was the haunting and sublime “Lamentate” by Arvo Part. Before
“Lamentate,” the conductor, Andrei Boreyko,
came on stage with Alexei Lubimov for a
short discussion of the piece, and Boreyko
looked straight into the audience where Part
was sitting and said that a young man once
read Part’s words, which said that a human
composer is a tool of a composer that doesn’t
have a name, who uses the language of music
as a language of the gods. Boreyko added that
he was that young man stirred by those same
words, and then he decided to dedicate his life
to music. I thought it was a very beautiful
moment. It was interesting to hear stories
about the music to be played, as the conductor
and the composer would step out on the stage
before each piece to have a short discussion.
It created a personal connection between the
artist and the audience that encouraged deeper understanding of the music.
The other two works that night included
“Postludium” by Valentin Silvestrov and
“Prayer Bells” by Augusta Read Thomas.
Thomas shared with the audience that “Prayer
Bells” was inspired by a set of Japanese
miniature prayer bells that she has around the
house, but metaphorically the piece was
meant to represent “an inner tolling to pray in
the human soul.” I thought Thomas’ music
carried profound meaning, and as the WSO
Distinguished-Guest-Composer, her work is
to be featured every night of the festival. The
2004 New Music Festival proved to be a dazzling kaleidoscope of superior new music.
Andrey Boreyko and T. Patrick Corrabre, the
year’s two festival co-curators, brought
together world-famous artists from Canada,
US, Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Poland,
Australia, Israel, Sweden, and Scotland.
The new music festival challenged the
presupposed boundaries of a symphony concert by presenting the WSO together with
choirs, distinguished vocalists, spoken word
artist, electronica, a dancer, hip-hop and rap
artists, special lighting, and even shaman’s
drum chanting. The composers’ work was just
as diverse, drawn on inspiration from old and
new, from the echoes of our collective memories to meditations on present world conflicts,
from explorations of the most intimate and
eternal human emotions to the sounds of our
modern-day automatic age. Wherever their
inspiration came from, the composers’ ideas
could be heard through their music as honest
and courageous. As I watched, I dropped my
expectations and let my mind explore the
sound and the music, and I realized that New
Music is all about exploration, challenge, and
change, breaking boundaries, and it’s also fun.
The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s New
Music Festival is on now until January 30 at
the Centennial Concert Hall. For info on concerts, performers, or tickets, visit
www.wso.mb.ca or call the WSO box office at
949-3999.
New Radio Show Exposes The Art of Poetry
B Y
T H O M A S
D O R E Y
emember back in the 9th grade when
you decided that poetry was lame?
Well, you were wrong, and every
Tuesday from Noon until 12:30, Sarah
Michaelson is going to show you why.
Last week, Michaelson, a three-and-ahalf year veteran of CKUW, debuted her new
radio show Word of Mouth. One of three
Michaelson-produced shows currently airing
on CKUW, Word of Mouth focuses on local
and Canadian poets, rappers, and spokenword artists and their works.
But why a poetry/spoken-word show?
Michaelson is a member of the English
Department’s Practicum in Literature,
Language, and Literacy course. This course,
taught by Professor Deborah Schnitzer and
facilitated by James Simpson, offers students
the opportunity to go beyond the classroom
walls and volunteer around Winnipeg, as
well as the chance to implement theories and
ideas about the study and promotion of literature and literacy in diverse, real-life situations. For Michaelson, the only place to do
this was on air at our local campus and community radio station.
“When I signed up for the Practicum
course, I thought, ‘what’s the best way to
incorporate literature, this class, and the rest
of the things I do in my life?’” Michaelson
says. “A poetry radio show was the obvious
solution.” Since the start of the Fall term,
Michaelson has been working tirelessly to
bring this show to life in order to provide a
CKUW’s Ninja poet
Sarah Michaelson.
R
venue allowing this vibrant “word art” to
reach as many people as possible.
But can poetry make for exciting
radio? Michaelson thinks it can, even as she
acknowledges that, for many people, poetry
is still equated with “teenage love and angst
or ‘boring’ sonnets that had to be memorized
in high school.” By taking the poets’ works
off the page and into the auditory medium,
Michaelson has created a new, dynamic, and
experimental space with the ability to appeal
to a much larger audience.
One important feature of Word of
Mouth is how the show welcomes poets on
air to read and record their own works.
“Coming from an oral tradition, I find a lot of
poetry sounds really good spoken aloud.
Most poets find it a great chance to share
their poetry with others in the way they
meant it to sound, what words to stress, pauses, etc. Plus, the show also highlights rappers and spoken word artists, who deal with
the sound of language regularly,” explains
Michaelson, adding: “It adds a really exciting
dimension
to
the
art.”
And there is no shortage of local artists
for Michaelson to work in collaboration
with. Winnipeg boasts an impressive num-
ber of poets and other word-artists, as evidenced by the numerous poetry, spokenword, and rap events occurring around the
city, from Speaking Crow poetry readings on
the first Tuesday of every month at Academy
Coffee Company, and the Winnipeg Poetry
Slam’s competitive and dynamic poetry on
the second and fourth Tuesday of every
month, also at Academy Coffee Company, to
the countless rap and hip-hop shows, including the Ill Rap Jams put on by DJ Co-op and
Mr. Sals.
In the upcoming weeks, Michaelson
has a variety of special shows planned,
including features on Virginia Woolf and
Sylvia Plath, as well as aboriginal poetry,
specific poetry forms such as haiku and the
sonnet, and poetry by and for children. But
don’t expect the show to come be cancelled
once the school term is over, Michaelson has
every intention of continuing the show after
the course is over, because, in her own
words: “I love doing it way too much.” And,
as if she is not busy enough, Michaelson also
has tentative plans to expand into mass-production of a CD featuring the poetry of
guests of the show for distribution across
Canada.
If you are interested in submitting any work
to Word of Mouth, contact Sarah Michaelson
at 786-9782 or stylusradio@hotmail.com,
and keep listening to the show, Tuesdays at
noon on CKUW 95.9 FM for more information on upcoming poetry, spoken-word, and
rap events in Winnipeg.
the
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Pilate is Flying High
Across Canada
themselves a name and expects that
to be the big thing you know like,
esus Jones. Judas Priest. The
independent of who they are or what
Jesus and Mary Chain. Peter
they do, I think maybe you’re limitPaul and Mary. Nazareth. What
ing yourself. And if you can do that,
do these purveyors of music have in
that’s great, but I don’t think in our
common? Well, with the exception
case it is. I think it’s just a name and
of Nazareth, bands with biblical
people try and draw meaning from it
names aren’t all that great.
or things like that and I’m like ‘we
(Remember “Love Hurts?” It was on
really don’t do that so you don’t
a Gatorade commercial. That song is
need to do that.’ It’s just so you can
FREAKIN’ AWESOME!) Now
have something to call us.”
Nazareth finally has some company.
As I’ve said in The Uniter
Pilate.
before, Pilate possesses a Brit-like
When Pilot started, Singer
sound reminiscent of U2 and
Todd Clark and his bandmates Chris
Coldplay. While most people
Greenough, Ruby Bumrah and Bill
became aware of Pilate through
Keely simply thought of a cool name
their single “Into Your Hideout,” the
and went with it. “After you’ve cretunes on their debut album, Caught
ated like a history for your band in
By The Window that reeled me in
terms of recording and playing
were “Fall Down,” “Collide,” and
shows and doing all these things, the
“Alright,” tunes with an agonizingly
name really matters little, you
slow buildup and from-the-heart
know?” Todd says of the confusion
lyrics. “There seems to be stuff that
surrounding the pronunciation of his
hits a chord you know, strikes a
band’s handle. (It’s pronounced Piechord with people and that song
lit.) “I think any band that gives
seems to be the one.” Todd says of
Alright. “And in
reality,
yeah
that’s probably
the most personal song there
was. That song
came out of a
CKUW Campus/Community Radio 95.9 FM
very present situTop 10 CDs Jan. 18 - Jan. 24, 2004
ation, like that
! = Local content, * = Canadian Content
song came out
LW TW
right in the heat
- 1 ! THE UNINTENDED
of that situation
The Unintended
Blue Fog
and everyone, so
11 2 * VARIOUS ARTISTS
it means a lot not
Required Listening
Do Right
just to me but to
everyone,
1 3 ! SHADEZ
Thee Impossible
Slo Coach
because everyone was present
3 4
THE STROKES
for that experiRoom On Fire
RCA
ence and saw it
16 5 * KID KOALA
first hand. So I
Some of My Best Friends Are DJs Ninja Tune
think the gravity
7 6
THE STILLS
of it isn’t lost on
Logic Wil Break Your Heart
Vice
the band and I
5 7 * CORB LUND BAND
think that comes
Modern Pain
Spirit River
across in per17 8
THE SHINS
formance and on
Chutes to Narrows
Sub Pop
record.”
The
EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY
8 9
video for the
Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place Temp. Rez
song
features
some fantastic
2 10 ! THE WEAKERTHANS
Reconstruction Site
Epitaph
animation with
B Y
J
J O N
S Y M O N S
the tune’s climax being interpreted
as a car crash. “It’s cool when people take a song and they do their
interpretation, cuz I’m not a fan of
videos myself in general, literal
interpretations of songs.” Todd says
of the video.
Despite being constantly confused with the workout plan made
popular by Madonna, Pilate has
managed to take Canada by storm.
“Into Your Hideout” is getting
steady radio and video play, and
sales of Caught By The Window are
picking up. Not bad for a band that
a year ago was known only inside
the Toronto club circuit. Pilate
formed when Ruby responded to
Todd’s online ad request for a bass
player. A few months later, Ruby
brought in Chris and Bill, fellow
students at Ontario’s College of Arts
and Design and the band instantly
clicked.
Their debut EP, For All That’s
Given Wasted was a huge success in
their hometown, and the band earned
an invite to North By Northeast
alongside Sam Roberts and
Blurtonia, where they took home the
title of best unsigned band. “I mean
it’s an important thing from those
things is how much exposure you
get because everyone writes about it,
it gets reported a lot.” Todd says of
the NXNE prize. “Everyone’s talking about it right. In the end, I don’t
think any of us thought we were the
best band in North by Northeast. I
don’t even know how they decide
that shit. But the point is, it was good
for us.” NXNE was little more than
a stepping-stone though, as Pilate
was already in talks with Maple
Music Recordings for a record deal
before then.
Shortly after the festival,
Pilate signed with Maple Music,
joining the label that is home to The
Dears, Kathleen Edwards, Danny
Michel, Gord Downie and Sam
Roberts. “When we were going
through the decision making
process like, we met with everyone
and it seemed just so clear cut.”
Todd says of their decision to sign
with Maple. “It does, as an independent label, sign in quality acts,
like excluding us maybe. Their sign-
ing quality acts equates to successful business in the music industry. A
lot of the bands that Maple signed,
other major labels stayed away from
because they were a bit left of center; it wasn’t like your packaged
crap. They let you make the album
you want to make for sure.”
The band toured across the
country last year, opening for The
Dears, a tour Todd says he will
remember forever. “We’re huge fans
of their record and the band in general. So it’s nice to go on a tour
where every night you’re interested
in watching the band afterwards, you
know. It was awesome. I said at the
end of the tour to the guys ‘we may
well have just toured with the best
band, in terms of what we like, that
we may ever get to tour with.’”
During the tour, “Into Your Hideout”
was starting to break through on the
radio, and the Dears shows gave the
band an opportunity to introduce the
rest of their songs to an audience
outside of Toronto. I had never heard
of the band before their Winnipeg
show with The Dears, and after their
set, I was hooked, as were many others in the audience. “I think Dears
fans are a tough nut to crack. I think
Dears fans are pretty discerning
music fans, pretty opinionated. So,
going out on tour with The Dears,
you’re gonna be quite critical I
think. So if you can get fans of
theirs, I think you’ve done rather
well. I would say they’re more
knowledgeable music fans generally,
and if you can get them on your side
that’s always a good thing.”
After gaining tour experience
supporting The Dears and David
Usher, Pilate gets the opportunity to
headline their Canadian tour,
including a date in Winnipeg
February 3rd. “Both those tours
were done when the single was you
know, it had a month, or two, two
three months maybe in Toronto
under its belt but in other areas it
was just being added, or like there
was only a couple weeks of radio
play,” Todd says of their decision to
finally head out on their own. “You
could tell the difference between
The Dears and the David Usher tour
even in terms of how much people
knew about us. You know, there was
two months, or a month in between
each of those tours so that’s more
radio play, more people becoming
familiar with the band, umm, and
you know basically I don’t think
that we could have sustained our
own tour last year. So this, we kind
of were hoping that by the time
January or February rolled around
there would have been enough radio
play or enough video play that we
would be able to walk into
Winnipeg and you know, sell two,
three hundred tickets there.”
With the sound they have, the
band would be a perfect fit in the
UK, the little country with the big
music scene. Todd says that after the
Canadian tour, there’ll be an opportunity to release Caught By The
Window across the pond. But after
that, the band might just have other
plans. “I would love to just have the
opportunity to get out into some
other areas. Like maybe go to
Australia, go to UK, do some touring in the US, make another album,
but beyond that I don’t know. I’m
not even sure that after making
another album, doing all that touring
that I’d want do it anymore. Who
knows, right? Like it’s a great experience, but there’s also some hard
things about it too so, you know,
there might be other things I want to
do. But for now, yeah it’s still exciting and things are going great and I
still want to make music but beyond
that I don’t know.”
For now, Pilate is making
Canada a great place for music fans,
even if we’re still stuck with bands
like Nickelback. After I told Todd
that some people might be saving
their money to see those insipid
sounding boys from Hanna play here
the day after, he gave the greatest
response I could hope for. “I don’t
mind if those people don’t come to
our shows.” Me too Todd, me too.
Pilate plays the West End Cultural
Center Tuesday, February 3rd with
Stabilo at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12 at
Into The Music, Music Trader,
Ticketmaster, and WECC, $15 at the
door.
www.pilate.com
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Film Forum:
A Dialogue on Paycheck, and the State of Woo
B Y J A M E S PA S K A R U K
& DAN HUYGHEBAERT
ur resident film buffs, James
and Dan love a good action
movie. But sometimes, a
film goes a little too far. Such seems
to be the case with John Woo’s new
movie, Paycheck. Is it genius? Is it
shite? Is it all because of
Moonraker? As they debate, The
Uniter’s readers are invited to listen
in.
O
To: jpaskaruk@hotmail.com
From: hellbert@hotmail.com
I’ve been a John Woo fan for
quite some time, ever since I saw
his bullet riddled Hong Kong epics
The Killer and Hard Boiled (and
my favorite action movie title:
Bullet in the Head). Sure these
movies were a bit unrealistic and
the story lines are a bit silly (a
friend of mine from work always
whines about the nicknames
Mickey Mouse and Dumbo in The
Killer) but they had a kinetic energy to them, a kind of creativity and
grace that hasn’t been seen since
the likes of Sam Peckinpah. For
Woo, it seemed each bullet had an
intrinsic fate to it, and he delighted
in making us cling to our seats in
the anticipation of the trajectory of
each round. His films were a carefully choreographed frenzy of bullets & bodies, all captured gracefully in slow motion.
Most of his stories centred
around the interaction of diametrically opposed friends, and Paycheck
is no exception. But whereas Woo’s
earlier Hong Kong films were creative and awe-inspiring, Woo’s
American efforts pale in comparison. With Paycheck, he has become
a hack Hollywood action movie
director, going through the motions
to collect his American paycheck.
Gone is his creativity and joie de
vivre. One hallmark still remains,
though, and that is the face-to-face
showdown, which Woo still loves to
indulge himself with.
I was also disappointed with
the script. Philip K Dick’s stories
have a lot more humanity to them.
A lot of his stories play with alternate realities that deal with memories and how memories give us our
humanity and identity. The film
only touched on these issues and
Ben Affleck was far from human.
He was horrible. I mean how can
this guy still land movie roles? Is it
J LO? I wish the media would stop
portraying this guy as the IT guy so
we can get rid of him so he could
stick to indie films in roles where
he can play himself (read: Dazed
and Confused and any Kevin Smith
flick) He and Uma Thurman had no
chemistry whatsoever, and it makes
it hard to believe he can love at all.
I honestly thought he was a replicant from Blade Runner, but even
Rutger Hauer had more humanity
that Ben ‘Stone Cold’ Affleck.
To: hellbert@hotmail.com
From: jpaskaruk@hotmail.com
It’s a funny thing, how Philip
K. Dick had one truly great movie
made of his work (Blade Runner)
followed by a string of travesties.
It’s like all the Dick mojo was spent
on that one great burst of creativity,
and they’ve been hacking up his
fetid corpse ever since. All in all,
Paycheck wasn’t all that horrible, I
guess, but it wasn’t all that great
either. It amounts to production line
Hollywood at its most mediocre.
As for John Woo, he sucks.
Once upon a time, a character in a
movie required super, or supernatural, powers in order to flout the laws
of physics. It was John Woo who
threw this law out the window, and
you can draw a direct line from
Chow Yun Fat’s 15 foot backslide in
The Killer to last year’s Charlie’s
Angels 2 preview, in which one
Cameron Diaz manages to start a
helicopter whose rotors are folded
up in the time it takes for the truck
to plummet to the ground, while
Lucy Liu and Drew Barrymore suddenly become magnetically attracted to that same helicopter. Woo is
the disease, Chow Yun Fat is patient
zero, and now action movies have
become a contest to see who can
come up with the most preposterous
stunt sequence. I have no problems
with suspension of disbelief - it’s
very important if you’re going to
enjoy a movie - but nowadays they
want suspension of incredulity.
And just what’s so cool about
using more bullets than World War
II anyways? The popularity of John
Woo’s Hong Kong action flicks (and
the slew of imitators) is a measure
of the soul of our times. When
Kubrick released A Clockwork
Orange in 1971, it was controversial
for its tame-by-today’s-standards
violence, but it was largely recognized that said violence was necessary in order for the story to say
what it had to say. Woo’s films are
all bang bang with no greater payoff. The bullets themselves are the
payoff. I’ve never heard anyone
comment on a character’s angst in a
John Woo movie, or that Woo has
told us something about the human
condition, which even Peckinpah’s
Straw Dogs managed to do. The
only praise I hear about Woo is how
cool, how stylish, and how violent
he is.
I’ll grant you that Woo is a talented entertainer. The scene where
the nurse has the cops moving
babies out of the maternity ward in
Hard Boiled was highly amusing,
for instance. But there are a lot of
funny directors out there. Woo’s
product, if you take what makes a
movie truly great into consideration,
doesn’t live up to his hype. It seems
to me that the only reason people
don’t like his American product is
that they no longer feature Chinese
stars, and have thus lost some of
their exotic appeal. The substance of
his movies has never declined,
because they never had much substance in the first place.
How sadly you are misinformed, my friend. Woo’s films are
about friendship, honour and the
power and corruption thereof. His
films all feature a standoff between
ex friends, one who has realized the
path of good, the other, the path of
evil. Yeah, this may be all hokey and
everything, but all of his films have
this kind of thread to them, a modern telling of good vs. evil, lifted
from spaghetti westerns and samurai films and placed into the 20th
and 21st centuries. While they may
not be A Clockwork Orange or a
Seven Samurai in their telling of the
human condition, they certainly
have more to say about being
human
than
Armageddon.
(Paycheck notwithstanding).
Woo’s movies are entertainment first and foremost and your
claim that he has led to the demise
of the laws of physics in film is ludicrous. You can’t really compare
Fat’s 15 foot backslide to Charlie’s
Angels stunt or the horrible surfing
stunt n the last James Bond film.
(Maybe you should be blaming
Bond for letting things get out of
hand first...Moonraker would be a
good start). Perhaps Woo is caving
into the incredulous action factory
that is Hollywood, for his action
choreography is now non-existent,
and his heroes are robotic and
wooden. I do think he can take a lesson from Dick as to what it means to
be human.
I also recall you loving Kill
Bill, which probably has just as
much ‘unbelievable’ action scenes
as the early Woo movies. Woo keeps
things at least somewhat sensible,
while we have to look forward to
McG directing the new Superman.
At least Woo has a real name.
I don’t recall any overt violations of physics in Moonraker, at
least not the nth obvious degree of
more recent films. And I’ve never
had a problem with a hero being
able to kick ass - it’s unacknowledged superpowers that I have a
problem with, and The Killer was
the first time I went “Ok, WHOA! I
call bullshit!” as I watched a movie.
Remember Van Damme’s little somersault in Hard Target? You may be
right, and Woo may not be the first
to pull this sort of thing, but he’s
certainly the one that made it ok.
As for Tarantino, I’ve said in
the past that I’ve got a love/hate
thing with his movies. In a sense,
he’s taken it so far that it’s come out
the other side into parody. For
instance, most of Lucy Liu’s scenes
in Kill Bill are live action, but done
with an anime aesthetic. That’s a
new and hilarious idea. Regardless
of how unrealistic it may be, it’s
done with personality. Tarantino,
unlike Woo, is playing it for laughs,
and has no pretences of providing
anything other than entertainment.
For that, I can forgive a lot.
And really, all I’m saying is, if
you want to make a superhero
movie, make a superhero movie. If
you give me a regular human and
put him in some stunt that is so
ridiculous, it takes me out of the
movie and into my seat in the theatre. And one thing I never could
stand was a movie/TV show/book
that insulted my intelligence.
James Bond was probably the
first hero in the film that can never
be hit with a bullet but always
seems to hit on target. I’ve always
been a big James Bond fan, but that
last one was just too silly for my
own good. I used Moonraker as an
example of where the series was just
getting beyond belief and control,
and for the most part still has yet to
recover from it. As far as your Van
Damme comment...well for Christ’s
sake it’s VAN DAMME. Woo’s
characters never had any superpowers (see Vin Diesel in XXX) but he
did stretch the believability of his
heroes into the realm of fantasy and
legend. His tales are exaggerated on
purpose, and that is own personality
stamp on it. You seem to confuse
personality and style for your own
purposes.
Perhaps. But I still say he
sucks.
Readers, if you have a comment or
wish to join the forum, email James
or Dan. Think they’re onto something great? Think they’re insane?
Think they really need to get a life?
Let ‘em know, their email adresses
are right there!
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s p o r t s
NHL to Winnipeg?
Behind the hype is the man who
is making it happen- Darren Ford
B
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arren Ford can recall every facet of the
historic game with vivid detail. He can
describe the unification of every man,
woman, and child in the building, regardless of
age or economic standing. It was the first time I
saw so many grown men crying, he would say.
How the Winnipeg faithful clawed their way as
close as they could to the edge of the rink, climbing over the glass, attempting to lure their team
back for one last goodbye. Holding on as long as
possible, as if maybe, just maybe, they could grab
on tight enough for them to stay.
It was at this time an equally mournful 18
year-old vowed never to step in this rink again.
This is it, he decided. There is no need ever to
come here again.
It has been eight years since Ford last set foot in
D
Winnipeg Arena. April 28, 1996. The last time
the Winnipeg Jets took the ice.
In a city where hockey is religion, 26 yearold Darren Ford is crusading to bring the NHL
back to the Promised Land. As founder of the
website www.jetsowner.com, he has dedicated
the last eight months to see this “religious” fervency return. Many pass his initiative off as ludicrous, impossible, and redundant. It is with this
vision, however, that makes him one of
Winnipeg’s greatest ambassadors to the future.
Ford was born a Jets die-hard. He was a
season ticket holder at seven years old. The team
employed the U of W grad during their last season, working at the old Jets All-Sports store in
Polo Park. He was one of the thousands who
packed the Forks at the now infamous Save Our
Jets rally, which he describes as a ‘horrible, horrible time’. His fondness and his passion perme-
Fact & Fitness
B
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Are you frustrated by the astronomical amount of “get in shape” slogans out there? Don’t know
what to believe or where to start? Well, I’m here to let you know the truth about the myths and
facts of fitness. As a second year student in the faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Studies,
I have the inside info and want to show you just how simple ‘being in shape’ can be.
Q: Being a girl, I worry about getting ‘bulky’ by participating in a weight training
program. Will this happen?
A: Again and again, research has shown that women who maintain a regular, moderate,
strength training program enjoy a long list of health advantages. Some women still fear that
weight training might bulk them up in unattractive ways, however, as women of all ages
realize the benefits of resistance training, negative attitudes about women in the weight
room are rapidly fading. Here is the evidence:
1. You'll Lose More Fat Than You'll Gain in
Muscle. There has been numerous weight
training studies involving thousands of women
that have never had anyone complain about
bulking up. In fact, research shows that the
average woman who strength trains two to
three times a week for eight weeks gains 1.75
pounds of lean weight or muscle, while losing
3.5 pounds of fat. Unlike men, women typically don't gain size from strength training and
have 10 to 30 times less of the hormones that
cause bulking up, according to Kraemer.
2. Your New Muscle Will Help Fight
Obesity. As you add muscle from strength
training, your resting metabolism will increase,
so you'll burn more calories all day long. For
each pound of muscle you gain, you'll burn 35
to 50 more calories per day. For example, if
you gain three pounds of muscle and burn 40
extra calories for each pound, you'll burn 120
more calories per day, or approximately 3,600
more calories per month. That equates to a loss
of 10 to 12 pounds in one year!
3. You'll Be a Stronger Woman. Studies indicate that moderate weight training increases a
woman's strength by 30 to 50 percent. Extra
strength will make it easier to accomplish
some daily activities, such as lifting children or
groceries.
4. Your Bones Will Benefit. By the time you
leave high school, you have established all the
bone mineral density you'll ever have, unless
you have strength trained. Research has found
that weight training can increase spinal bone
mineral density by 13 percent in six months.
Therefore strength training is considered to be
a powerful method to combat osteoporosis.
5. You Will Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes.
Adult-onset diabetes is a growing problem for
both women and men. Research indicates that
weight training can increase glucose utilization
in the body by 23 percent in four months.
6. You Will Fight Heart Disease. Strength
training will improve your cholesterol profile
and blood pressure, according to recent
research. Of course, your exercise program
should also include cardiovascular exercise
and flexibility training.
7. You Will Be Able to Beat Back Pain and
Fight Arthritis. A recent 12-year study
showed that strengthening the low-back muscles had an 80 percent success rate in eliminating or alleviating low-back pain. Other studies
have indicated that weight training can ease
arthritis pain and strengthen joints.
8. You'll Be a Better Athlete. Strength training
can significantly improves athletic ability.
Golfers, for example, significantly increase their
driving power. Whatever your sport of choice,
strength training may not only improve your
proficiency but also decrease your risk of injury.
9. It Will Work No Matter How Old You
Are. Studies show that strength improvements
are possible at any age. Note, however, that a
strength training professional should always
supervise participants who are over 60.
10. You’ll Strengthen Your Mental Health.
A Harvard study found that 10 weeks of
strength training reduced clinical depression
symptoms more successfully than standard
counseling did. Women who strength train
commonly report feeling more confident and
capable as a result of their program.
If you would like to ask a fitness question, or comment on anything related to fitness and getting
into shape, email Sarah Hauch at sar_endipity@hotmail.com, or leave a message at 786-9497.
ate his rhetoric when describing what the Jets
meant to him.
“The Jets,” said Ford, “were around for my
entire childhood. In 1979, I was two, and by the
time they left, I was in first-year university. The
best part of my childhood would be the Jets.”
While Ford will very quickly admit the
campaign is not about the past, however, it is
clear his memories have fueled his efforts. If he
had not felt as strongly as he did, the movement
would never have been conceived.
“It really came out of the blue,” said Ford
of the campaign’s humble beginnings last spring,
“me and my buddies were sitting around watching football, reminiscing. All of the sudden, we
just started talking how it could be possible
should certain things fall into place.”
Once that fire was lit, Ford was determined
to push his idea. First of all, he signed up for an
email address with MTS under the user name
returnofthejets. He then sent his ideas to several
members of the local media. It was at this time
that Ford got in contact with Winnipeg Free Press
writer Scott Taylor. Taylor suggested that he start
a website, promising him plenty of publicity.
“He told me just to throw it out there,” said
Ford. “He probably didn’t take me seriously, he
probably thought I was a wacko. Next thing you
know, though, it’s up and running by June 1st.”
The September NHL exhibition game
notwithstanding, the campaign’s popularity had
been growing largely by word of mouth.
Throughout summer and the beginnings of fall,
word began to spread about ‘this guy with this
website who thinks the Jets can come back’.
When these people who, at first, dismissed ‘this
guy’ as nothing more than a nut, checked out his
arguments, the bandwagon began growing.
It continued this steady growth until this
past Christmas, when the local wave made a
splash both nationally and internationally.
Deputy Mayor Dan Vandal left jetsowner.com
flooded with hits, after sending a letter to
Pittsburgh Penguin owner Mario Lemieux, saying that the city would be interested should the
Penguins be interested in relocation. With the letter came enormous amounts of media attention,
including mentions in The Hockey News, TSN,
ESPN, as well as a public endorsement from the
Pope of Canadian hockey himself, Don Cherry.
Ford couldn’t have been happier, as his initiative
was increasingly gaining credibility.
“The whole thing was a PR stunt,” he said
of Vandal’s letter. “It got people talking. It
worked beautifully. Any publicity is good publicity.”
Currently, Ford is now looking to build off
of the letter. He has designed Return of the Jets tshirts and, consequently, is organizing a t-shirt
release party slated for February 13. He is looking to turn the Manitoba Moose game on March
6 into a filled-to-capacity White Out, aimed at
proving the powers-to-be that Winnipeg demands
NHL hockey. He receives numerous email and
telephone messages every day, including neardaily contact with people such as Taylor and
Vandal. He responds to all interview requests. All
this while managing the website every night until
the wee hours of the morning. As well, he’s been
in a band for seven years (Audiofile, who is headlining the t-shirt release party). Oh, and did we
also mention he is working at a wine store in
between jobs as an engineer?
Despite this incredible juggling act that
makes mid-terms look like a vacation on the
beach, he is reluctant to describe the process as
difficult. Rather, he feels it is the process of converting the naysayers that is most tedious. When
asked why people still do not believe hockey can
succeed in this market, Ford is at a loss for words.
“I don’t know, I really don’t,” said Ford. “I
guess they have this fear of going of this emotional trip and getting let down again. If that’s the
reason, shit, nothing will get done in life.”
He’s been preaching the same gospel over
and over: “You can get an NHL tickets for under
$200 dollars”, “the MTS Centre doesn’t have to
hold 19,000”, or the grand-daddy of ‘em all, “it
all depends on a new CBA”. Yet these arguments,
as well as many others found on the website,
never seem to resonate in the minds of critics.
However, Ford is confident that there are
enough Winnipeggers with enough vision conquer the pessimists. And should this happen, it
will not only benefit the hockey fans in town.
“In order for Winnipeg to properly revitalize the downtown,” writes Ford on his website,
“we need a main tenant in our new arena that will
bring 15,000 people downtown 42 nights a year.
This will spawn the growth that is needed and
reap all of the economic spin-offs that come with
it. Those kinds of numbers will make youth stay
here and open up their own bars and cafes. It is
important to scare away panhandlers and boarded up stores. Our current team will not create this
and I refuse to believe that others don't see this.
3,700 people running from their cars with freebie
tickets aren’t going to create growth and make it
feel safe to go downtown.”
Lost amongst all the hoopla of the campaign is the man who is making this happen.
Many are quick to credit Dan Vandal as the leader
of this particular social movement. Should NHL
hockey ever return to Winnipeg one day, there
ought to be a statue of Darren Ford placed inside
the MTS Centre concourse, to be immortalized as
one of Winnipeg’s greatest visionaries of the
early twenty-first century. However, a day when
the Jets are flying down the ice in front of 15,000
white-clad fanatics will never come without more
support. Darren Ford was the first. Do not let him
be the last.
Men’s Basketball
January 22
Winnipeg 69 Brandon 86
January 24
Brandon 77 Wesmen 76
Women’s Basketball
January 22
Wesmen 68 Bobcats 50
January 24
Wesmen 75 Brandon 59
Men’s Volleyball
January 23
Wesmen def. Trinity Western 3-1
(25-22, 23-25, 25-22, 25-15)
January 24
Trinity Western def Wesmen 3-2
(28-30, 25-15, 26-24, 27-29, 15-12)
UPCOMING
Home
January 29 - Duckworth Challenge
Men’s Basketball (0-14)
vs Manitoba (7-7)
Women’s Basketball (12-3)
vs Manitoba (7-7)
January 30-31
Men’s Volleyball (7-7)
vs Regina (1-13)
Women’s Volleyball (6-8)
vs Regina (7-7)
Away
January 31
Men’s Basketball vs Manitoba
Women’s Basketball vs Manitoba
CIS Rankings
Men’s Basketball- Unranked
Women’s BasketballMen’s VolleyballWomen’s Volleyball-
Pizza Place
Players of The Week
Stephen Ens- Men’s Volleyball
33 kills and 14 digs in two games vs
Trinity Western
Joanne Wells- Women’s Volleyball
20 points per game average in two
games vs Brandon.
Also posted an 80% in field goal
percentage
the
january 29, 2004
uniter
pa g e 1 9
s p o r t s
What Will Come Out of the Bowl
y, how the New England Patriots must
find this familiar. Super Bowl XXXVIII features an intriguing storyline as the
upstart Carolina Panthers find themselves in the
same precarious position as the Pats did two seasons ago. The Panthers enter the game as significant underdogs with an overachieving quarterback in Jake Delhomme who, simply, knows
how to win. The Panthers, as did New England,
are coming off a nail-biter in the Divisional
Round. Boasting a dependable defense, the
Cardiac Cats also have a knack for winning close
games, as they are 7-0 this season in games
decided by three points or less.
New England will have an easier time
moving the ball against the Panther D than vice
versa. Even though Carolina’s defense can be
dominant, its strength is easily its defensive line.
New England is not a rushing team. Its forte is
allowing former Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady,
who is 5-0 lifetime in playoff games, to pick
apart the secondary. The Panther defense, while
coming on as of late, finished ranked only 9th in
the league in pass defense.
The Panther offense has hinged all season
long on the between-the-tackles running of HB
Stephen Davis. Unfortunately for them, this is
where mammoth DT Ted Washington calls
home. The 370-pounder practically engulfs
power runners. When the run goes, so does
Carolina’s offense. Delhomme only threw 14
times against the Eagles two weeks ago, and
many came off of play action, which would be
rendered useless should Davis be held in check.
There is no way Delhomme can win this one by
himself. Just witness what the Patriot secondary
did to Peyton Manning. Jake Delhomme is no
Peyton Manning.
New England knows what it’s like to be a
championship game underdog. That’s why they
will know how to defend it. With Davis contained, New England romps in what will be a
Super Bore. - Mike Pyl
M
THE UNITER’S GUIDE TO THE SUPERBOWL
t has undoubtedly been a season fronted with
chaos, ladened with milestones, and hindered
with underdogs stealing the spotlight. It was
a year where mid season successes unexpectedly fizzed into dormancy, and a year where early
season turmoil’s materialized into productionline consistency. A season where class acts
made calls- Jamal Lewis’ guaranteeing a record
breaking running game vs the Browns, and New
Orleans Saints’ Joe Horn calling his mother from
the endzone. There were also Cinderella re-runs
in the Cincinnati Bengals joy ride to the playoffs,
and the Carolina Panthers dismantling of every
teams’ offence in purchasing a ticket to the
Super Bowl. It was Randy Moss- enough said,
I
SUPER BOWL:
or will Brady send Carolina
home the loser?
I’ll give you a clue,
the winner wears blue.
The game changes on a dime,
when it goes to over-time.
Off to Houston we go,
for the big show.
The Pats will count on the
Law,
to keep the cup from the Cats
paw.
The final contenders are set,
have you made your bet?
Not into the game,
you think this is lame?
It’s the Cats and the Pats,
who’ll rack up the stats?
Well, see the latest fads,
watching million dollar ads.
Can the Cats ‘D’ make this a
snoozer,
I haven’t given a score,
will the game be a bore?
The Winner’s in
the Rhyme
NHL to Winnipeg?
Behind the hype is the man who is
making it happen- Darren Ford
B
Y
M
I
K
E
P
Y
L
arren Ford can recall every facet of the
historic game with vivid detail. He can
describe the unification of every man,
woman, and child in the building, regardless of
age or economic standing. It was the first time I
saw so many grown men crying, he would say.
How the Winnipeg faithful clawed their way as
close as they could to the edge of the rink, climbing over the glass, attempting to lure their team
back for one last goodbye. Holding on as long as
possible, as if maybe, just maybe, they could grab
on tight enough for them to stay.
It was at this time an equally mournful 18
year-old vowed never to step in this rink again.
This is it, he decided. There is no need ever to
come here again.
It has been eight years since Ford last set foot in
Winnipeg Arena. April 28, 1996. The last time the
Winnipeg Jets took the ice.
In a city where hockey is religion, 26 yearold Darren Ford is crusading to bring the NHL
back to the Promised Land. As founder of the
website www.jetsowner.com, he has dedicated the
last eight months to see this “religious” fervency
return. Many pass his initiative off as ludicrous,
impossible, and redundant. It is with this vision,
however, that makes him one of Winnipeg’s greatest ambassadors to the future.
Ford was born a Jets die-hard. He was a
season ticket holder at seven years old. The team
employed the U of W grad during their last season, working at the old Jets All-Sports store in
D
and a disheartening story that followed with the
Viking’s missing the playoffs by a margin the
size of a thread. And who could forget the stifling Buffalo offence that fell into an inescapable
ice box, or the Chiefs crashing and burning
before they could land on the superblow runway.
It was everything you could ask for, and nothing
you wanted, all at the same time. So what do
you want, or rather, what do you think will happen. An impossible question, but an answer that
only the most superb sports writers can answer.
Yes, it is us at the Uniter, who can call the plays,
call the games, and predict the outcome with the
outmost precision (insert sarcasm). Enough
said, here’s what we think.
Polo Park. He was one of the thousands who
packed the Forks at the now infamous Save Our
Jets rally, which he describes as a ‘horrible, horrible time’. His fondness and his passion permeate
his rhetoric when describing what the Jets meant
to him.
“The Jets,” said Ford, “were around for my
entire childhood. In 1979, I was two, and by the
time they left, I was in first-year university. The
best part of my childhood would be the Jets.”
While Ford will very quickly admit the
campaign is not about the past, however, it is clear
his memories have fueled his efforts. If he had not
felt as strongly as he did, the movement would
never have been conceived.
“It really came out of the blue,” said Ford
of the campaign’s humble beginnings last spring,
“me and my buddies were sitting around watching
football, reminiscing. All of the sudden, we just
started talking how it could be possible should
certain things fall into place.”
Once that fire was lit, Ford was determined
to push his idea. First of all, he signed up for an
email address with MTS under the user name
returnofthejets. He then sent his ideas to several
members of the local media. It was at this time
that Ford got in contact with Winnipeg Free Press
writer Scott Taylor. Taylor suggested that he start
a website, promising him plenty of publicity.
“He told me just to throw it out there,” said
Ford. “He probably didn’t take me seriously, he
probably thought I was a wacko. Next thing you
know, though, it’s up and running by June 1st.”
The September NHL exhibition game
notwithstanding, the campaign’s popularity had
When all is clear,
there’s lots of spilled beer.
For New England is crying,
rings Carolina are buying.
It’s Super Bowl Sunday,
glad it’s not Monday.
- Sheri Lamb
been growing largely by word of mouth.
Throughout summer and the beginnings of fall,
word began to spread about ‘this guy with this
website who thinks the Jets can come back’.
When these people who, at first, dismissed ‘this
guy’ as nothing more than a nut, checked out his
arguments, the bandwagon began growing.
It continued this steady growth until this
past Christmas, when the local wave made a
splash both nationally and internationally. Deputy
Mayor Dan Vandal left jetsowner.com flooded
with hits, after sending a letter to Pittsburgh
Penguin owner Mario Lemieux, saying that the
city would be interested should the Penguins be
interested in relocation. With the letter came enormous amounts of media attention, including mentions in The Hockey News, TSN, ESPN, as well
as a public endorsement from the Pope of
Canadian hockey himself, Don Cherry. Ford
couldn’t have been happier, as his initiative was
increasingly gaining credibility.
“The whole thing was a PR stunt,” he said
of Vandal’s letter. “It got people talking. It worked
beautifully. Any publicity is good publicity.”
Currently, Ford is now looking to build off
of the letter. He has designed Return of the Jets tshirts and, consequently, is organizing a t-shirt
release party slated for February 13. He is looking
to turn the Manitoba Moose game on March 6 into
a filled-to-capacity White Out, aimed at proving
the powers-to-be that Winnipeg demands NHL
hockey. He receives numerous email and telephone messages every day, including near-daily
contact with people such as Taylor and Vandal. He
responds to all interview requests. All this while
managing the website every night until the wee
hours of the morning. As well, he’s been in a band
for seven years (Audiofile, who is headlining the
t-shirt release party). Oh, and did we also mention
he is working at a wine store in between jobs as an
engineer?
Despite this incredible juggling act that
makes mid-terms look like a vacation on the
beach, he is reluctant to describe the process as
difficult. Rather, he feels it is the process of con-
t’s been a triumphant Cinderella story for the
Carolina Panthers, but the dream will come
to an abrupt end by the orchestration from
none other than the New England Patriots. As
much as I’d like the Patriots- the team who annihilated my Buffalo Bills 30-0 in the last game of
the regular season- lose their season to the
Panthers, I am betting my hand entirely on the
Pats to win the bowl. Experience, offense, and
most importantly consistency- something that is
a determinant of success in playoff sport, is all in
favor of the Pats. However, in stirring the
cement, the Panthers possess a defense- a
defense that is seemingly more potent than the
Pats. Ricky Manning ring a bell? He sure rang
Donovan Mcnabb’s after intercepting three of his
tosses two weeks ago, and enters the Super Bowl
decorated with back to back Defensive Player of
The Week awards. And, it has been proven that
the cliché line ‘defense wins games’, truly does
hold validity. Look at last years Super BowlRich Gannons guns shot blanks all afternoon
against the Buc’s ‘D’. But it’s the NFL, and anything can happen. Good luck Carolina.
-Leighton Klassen
I
fter a 24-14 victory over the colts, the
Patriots have earned the right to play for
their second super bowl in three seasons.
With 14 strait wins at the close of the season, the
Patriots were the first team to win so many
games in a row since the unbeaten Dolphins in
1972. The Panthers are this years Cinderella
team, and they’re playing better than ever before
while surprising a lot of people this season considering they went 1-15 in 2001. These two
teams are set up to play what I think will be a
very exciting game with lots of surprises in it.
Even though the Patriots are somewhat heavy
favourites to win on Sunday I still believe that
after it is all said and done, the Carolina Panthers
will be hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy over
their heads on January 1st. -Brad Pennington
A
verting the naysayers that is most tedious. When
asked why people still do not believe hockey can
succeed in this market, Ford is at a loss for words.
“I don’t know, I really don’t,” said Ford. “I
guess they have this fear of going of this emotional trip and getting let down again. If that’s the reason, shit, nothing will get done in life.”
He’s been preaching the same gospel over
and over: “You can get an NHL tickets for under
$200 dollars”, “the MTS Centre doesn’t have to
hold 19,000”, or the grand-daddy of ‘em all, “it all
depends on a new CBA”. Yet these arguments, as
well as many others found on the website, never
seem to resonate in the minds of critics.
However, Ford is confident that there are
enough Winnipeggers with enough vision conquer
the pessimists. And should this happen, it will not
only benefit the hockey fans in town.
“In order for Winnipeg to properly revitalize the downtown,” writes Ford on his website,
“we need a main tenant in our new arena that will
bring 15,000 people downtown 42 nights a year.
This will spawn the growth that is needed and
reap all of the economic spin-offs that come with
it. Those kinds of numbers will make youth stay
here and open up their own bars and cafes. It is
important to scare away panhandlers and boarded
up stores. Our current team will not create this and
I refuse to believe that others don't see this. 3,700
people running from their cars with freebie tickets
aren’t going to create growth and make it feel safe
to go downtown.”
Lost amongst all the hoopla of the campaign is the man who is making this happen.
Many are quick to credit Dan Vandal as the leader
of this particular social movement. Should NHL
hockey ever return to Winnipeg one day, there
ought to be a statue of Darren Ford placed inside
the MTS Centre concourse, to be immortalized as
one of Winnipeg’s greatest visionaries of the early
twenty-first century. However, a day when the Jets
are flying down the ice in front of 15,000 whiteclad fanatics will never come without more support. Darren Ford was the first. Do not let him be
the last.
the
pa g e 2 0
uniter
january 29, 2004
s p o r t s
Slackers First Half, Performers Second
L E I G H T O N
K L A S S E N
Sports Editor
t’s becoming to
sound like a broken
record; an unproductive first half that churns
into a dominant second half that luckily so
far, has resulted in wins.
This is the case with the Women’s basketball team, who, for the fourth consecutive game, have been inarguably outplayed
in the first half, but have still managed to
maintain their winning streak with beating
Brandon 75-59 in last Saturdays contest.
“We need the girls to start playing two
half’s of the game,” said assistant coach
Deb May following the match. “If we play
against UBC or the University of Vic and go
down 10 or 20 points, there may be no turning back. We need to play 20 minuets for
each of the half’s.”
The numbers speak for themselves
and can easily put the contrast between the
Wesmen’s first and second half production
into perspective. The team shot an impressive 70.8% from the floor in the second
half, but only managed to drain 46.2% of
their shots in the first. And although the
numbers may scream offense, coach May
says that their offense doesn’t start zapping
until the gears in the defense start turning.
“If our defense isn’t rocking, then our
offense has trouble getting the ball,” says
May. “We had some trouble getting going,
but in the second half we started to get some
gaps on defense and we started to work
together as a team and that’s when we began
to work the floor.”
Work the floor they did, in the second
half that is. After entering the locker room
deadlocked at 35, the Wesmen came out firing on all cylinders in the second half after
I
the Wells’ sisters combined for a six point
drive that put the Wesmen up 41-48 with
less than ten minuets to play. Janet, in her
second game back from a separated shoulder injury that kept her sidelined for two
games finished the night shooting a perfect
6-6 from the field while tallying for 12
points on the night.
“She did a great job out there
tonight,” said May. It was hard for her to
sit out that week and watch her team play,
but she fought hard to come back, and that
shows something about her team commitments.”
The Wesmen continued to bombard
the Bobcats in the last five minuets where
Joanne Wells, Kate Daniels, and Uzo
Asagwara, all hit their targets in putting the
Wesmen up 70-55. The team continued its
arsenal on Brandon and walked off the
court with a 75-59 win.
The victory marked the team’s 12th in
a row and improved their record to 11-3,
placing them in a tie for second place in the
Canadian West standings. And although
the numbers are impressive, they have not
distorted coach May’s view on the
Wesmen’s first half ‘frozen engine’ symptoms that she says the team will iron out
this week in practice.
“We’re going to go over some defensive rotations through a few drills we have,
and we just have to really drill the point
home to play both half’s which is something we really can do because we’re so
athletic,” explained May.
Joanne Wells let the pack with 20
points, with her sister Janet right behind with
14. Kate Daniels and Uzo Asagwara finished
with 13 points a piece with Heather
Thompson leading in rebounds with six.
The Wesmen’s next action is next
weekend at the Duckworth Challenge
where they face the cross town Manitoba
Bisons.
In 2002, students, faculty and staff at the University of Winnipeg Recycled:
• 63,060 lbs. of paper;
• 4,335 lbs. of #1 PET plastic bottles; and
• 45,975 lbs. of cardboard;
• 865 lbs. of aluminum cans
This year, lets continue to keep up the good work and go that extra
distance to recycle! And don’t forget that in doing so, we are helping to:
• reduce pollution and landfill waste;
• save valuable resources for future generations;
• create jobs and economic opportunities; and
• make our campus environmentally friendly
In addition to recycling, you can make an even greater impact by reducing your
consumption of disposable coffee cups. During the busiest times of the year, over 70 kg
of these cups are disposed of on campus per week! Please consider purchasing an
attractive reusable mug for only $3.00 at the UWSA Info Booth. When using it to buy
coffee at the U of W you will receive a discount!
Photo: Leighton Klassen
Joanne Wells protecting the ball in the first half.
She led the Wesmen with 20 points on the night.

Uniter #18.qxd

Transcription

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