inside - The Uniter

Transcription

inside - The Uniter

2006/11/23
11
I SSUE
VOLUME 61
inside
News
Comments
Diversions
Features
Arts & Culture
Listings
Sports
The university of Winnipeg student weekly NOV 23, 2006 vol. 61
Issue 11
e-mail
»
[email protected]
on the web
»
uniter.ca
02
06
08
10
12
17
20
02 U of W gets lots of green to be green
10 A Cold War Adversary of the US Rises Again
12 Keeping things simple with Slean
20 Uniter Grey Cup Coverage
Province Commits $10 M to College for the Environment
Sandinista Party Elected in Nicaragua
There’s more to this Sarah than just music
Check out what the Uniter Sports team says about the CFL
♼
November 23, 2006
0
The Uniter
contact: uniter @ uniter.ca
NEWS
UNITER STAFF
Managing Editor
Jo Snyder [email protected]
»
Business Manager
James D. Patterson
» [email protected]
NEWS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR
Richard Liebrecht [email protected]
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News Production Editor
Whitney Light [email protected]
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News
Whitney Light
News Production Editor
Diversions EDITOR
Matt Cohen [email protected]
»
»
LISTINGS Coordinator
Nick Weigeldt [email protected]
»
SPORTS EDITOR
Mike Pyl [email protected]
»
COPY & STYLE EDITOR
Brendan Johns [email protected]
»
PHOTO EDITOR
Natasha Peterson
SENIOR REPORTER
Derek Leschasin
STAFF Reporter
Kenton Smith
Beat Reporter
Ksenia Prints
Beat Reporter
Michelle Dobrovolny
PRODUCTION MANAGER & GRAPHICS EDITOR
Sarah Sangster [email protected]
»
this we e k ’ s c ontr ib utor s
Aaron Epp, Gerald Stephen, Erin McIntyre, Stephen Spence,
Daniel Falloon, Salai Za Ceu Lian, James Johnston,
Brooke Dmytriw, Matrt Urban, Aaron Elkaim Vincent,
Micheal Banias, Kristy Rydz, Cameron MacLean,
Janette Martens, Derek Penner, Sam McLean
The Uniter is the official student newspaper of the University
of Winnipeg and is published by Mouseland Press Inc.
Mouseland Press Inc. is a membership based organization
in which students and community members are invited
to participate. For more information on how to become a
member go to www.uniter.ca, or call the office at 786-9790.
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or the relevant section editor. Deadline for submissions
is 6:00 p.m. Thursday, one week before publication.
Deadline for advertisements is noon Friday, six days prior to
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that are homophobic, misogynistic, racist, or libellous. We
also reserve the right to edit for length and/or style.
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LOCATION
Room ORM14
University of Winnipeg
515 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9
Cover Image
Shouresh Jalili
Living thing
Senior Reporter: D e r e k L
E-mail: [email protected]
e s c has in
News Editor: W hit ne y L ig ht
Efforts preserve and promote the language of Métis
»
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
[email protected]
ie b r e c ht
Avoiding death
COMMENTS EDITOR
[email protected]
Mike Lewis
News Editor: R ic har d L
“We’re losing the language and losing
it fast,” says Gerri Belanger, a genealogist
at Winnipeg’s Métis Culture and Historical
Resource Centre. She’s referring to Michif, the
mixed language of mostly French nouns and
Cree verbs that originated from the Red River
Métis over 200 years ago. Today there are less
than 1000 speakers.
In a presentation at the U of W on Nov.
22, Nicole Rosen, a French professor at the
University of Lethbridge, explained efforts to
bring the language back from the brink of extinction.
“Michif is an insiders language. It was
used at home,” says Rosen. “It’s been hidden
from many people for a long time. Little has
been written about it and linguists only became
aware of it in the 1950s.”
Metis people are the descendents of
European fur traders, mostly French Canadian,
and North American aboriginal women. Michif
is the language that emerged from this contact,
and is synonymous with the word ‘Métis’. Some
Métis, in fact, prefer to call themselves Michif.
The language of Michif is not “written in
stone”, as the MCHRC points out. Various cultural and regional dialects exist.
Rosen is part of a small community of
scholars currently researching the language.
She was long interested in languages of contact,
and most of those referred to during her education were various creoles and pidgins. Michif
stood out as a unique language—it mixes elements of French and Cree grammars to form
its own—and it also intrigued Rosen because it
originated in her home province, Manitoba.
During the nineteenth century, explains
Rosen, being able to speak Michif was, for some,
a desirable quality.
“Multilingualism was prized and sought
after by European fur traders,” says Rosen.
Michif speakers were valued as interpreters. By
the 1880s, however, the need for interpreters
dissipated and “the Metis went into hiding.”
Cultural shame amongst Métis became
prevalent in the twentieth century as European
peoples enforced European customs and forbid
speaking or teaching Michif.
“A lot of people remember their grandparents speaking it” but they didn’t know what it
was, says Rosen. Belanger can relate.
“My mother’s older siblings spoke Michif
a bit as well as Ojibwe, but they could not teach
it to their children because of school policies. It
was only English in the schools.”
Michif is still spoken in some communities on the prairies, including Saint-Laurent
and Camperville, MB and I’le a la Crosse and
Buffalo Narrows, SK. Notably, Manitoba’s
former Lieutenant-Governor Yvon Dumont is
fluent in Michif.
Now a resurgence of Métis pride seems to
be taking place. Rosen suggests there are two
groups of people seeking to reclaim their heri-
tage: elders, who would like more opportunity
to speak the language; and young people, who
want to get back to their roots.
To help these groups preserve and restore
Michif culture, the MCHRC opened in 1996 and
includes a library of Métis cultural documents.
Most of them, however, are in English. Little
Michif is written down, but efforts to improve
resources are happening. With Michif speaker
Rita Flamand, MCHRC published a lesson guide
in 2002 with two CDs of materials called Michif
Conversational Lessons for Beginners.
Flamand has helped with Rosen’s research
in the past. Rosen is currently working in collaboration with the Louis Riel Institute of the
Manitoba Metis Federation on a course package, hoping to begin Michif classes in fall 2008.
She has been trying to outline a grammar.
“Nothing is written down in terms of grammatical rules. All languages have rules, but they
have to be found.”
Other language revitalization efforts include the Michif Masters Apprenticeship
Progam. It pairs young people with Metis
elders to do activities together, such as fishing or baking, while using the language. And in
Brandon, MB, says Rosen, a Michif speaker is
doing some teaching at a daycare.
Spreading Michif today will be a challenge.
As Rosen points out, adults must be taught because children aren’t learning it at home anymore.
“It’s much more difficult to pass on now. I
don’t know anyone under age 50 who speaks it.”
Marketing competition puts
Admin faculty on the map
Kristy Rydz
to happen, it was just a matter of funding,” Sacco
tunity to fund the competition and show off stu-
Volunteer Staff
explains. After being told that the team wouldn’t
dents’ talents and knowledge.
happen, Sacco looked to voices outside the fac-
F
ulty to help pressure it for funding. Shortly before
Despite challenges, the new team is
excelling.
or the first time in five years a team from
the competition began funding was granted,
“We’re doing really well. The amount that
the University of Winnipeg is taking part
leaving advisor Peter Janciw, U of W Business
we’ve already learned in seven weeks may be
in the Manitoba International Marketing
and Computer Science graduate and MIMC fi-
more than in our whole degree. It’s equivalent
Competition (MIMC). The four members are
nalist in 2000, with little time to hold interviews
to an internship,” Sacco says. The team has av-
competing, despite funding challenges, against
for team members.
eraged fifteen to twenty hours a week in partic-
teams from universities all over Canada and the
ipation hours.
world, including Queen’s and McMaster, and
The competition, which requires a strategy
European, Mexican, American, and African uni-
statement worth 30 per cent of the team’s over-
versities.
The contest is in its twenty-fifth year. The
challenge on this anniversary: to simulate,
online, the running of a multi-million dollar settop box company, such as TiVo, through multiple
quarters over a three month period, Oct. through
Dec. U of W Administration Studies students
Andrea Penner, Farhan Irteza, Jennifer Sacco and
“Administration studies
are the second largest major
at the University and people
don’t know they exist”
Todd Noakes took up the task. Their first hurdle
–Jennifer Sacco,
was securing a grant to actually register for the
marketing team member
competition.
all grade, culminates Jan. 4 to 7 at the Radisson
Hotel, where all teams gather to present and
defend their companies. If successful, they move
on to a presentation in front of Winnipeg’s prominent business community. Finally, the winner
will be announced based on all three components: performance, strategy statement, and
presentation.
For participants, MIMC is not only a competition but a great way to network with students
on an international scale, and make a name for
“I don’t take no for an answer easily,” says
themselves and the faculty.
Mixed media, pencil-drawing/digital
Sacco with a smile. She spearheaded the campaign to reintroduce the competition after a five
After Janciw competed in 2000, the mar-
largest major at the University and people don’t
www.ibowtonoman.com
year absence and get the Administration and
keting team folded when coordinator Prof. John
know they exist,” says Sacco. “We want to put a
Computer Science Department to provide the
Melnyk took sabbatical leave. Subsequently,
name out there for U of W. We want to prove that
$600 registration fee.
Administrative Studies merged with Computer
U of W Admin. students are talented and don’t all
Science, resulting in a lack of desire and oppor-
go to U of M.”
“The Chair, the Dean, and I really wanted it
“Administration studies are the second
The Uniter
November 23, 2006
NEWS
Art keeps the inner city ticking
0
Portage on Arlington and is a self-proclaimed
“true Westender.” Shelly Anthis, video artist
and past Art From the Heart volunteer, whose
short i have lived was shown on Friday night,
has lived in the West End for about three years,
Kenton Smith
ceived remunerations for their work,” says
Shena Alcock, a volunteer with Artbeat
Staff Reporter
Schlichting. Last year, roughly one third of
Studio involved with Art from the Heart for the
“There’s a real wealth of artists in this
the exhibited works at the sale were sold. The
first time this year says she has never tried to
neighbourhood,” Crowick says. Anthis de-
workshops scheduled for next year largely
sell her art until now.
clares: “The inner city is so eclectic that anyone
S
and presently works at the Good Food Club.
everal local community groups intend to
focus upon elements of professional develop-
“I had to let go of my art,” she says, “but
ensure that art beats in the heart of inner
ment, from grant and CV writing to treating art
it’s something I’ve always dreamed about.” For
To further strengthen the Spence neigh-
city Winnipeg throughout the year 2007.
as a small business.
Alcock, selling is just a bonus: “It’s more about
bourhood, the SNA has also been consulting
can fit into Art from the Heart.”
Initiated in 1999, Art from the Heart, an
just being creative.” To that end she says she
with the Winnipeg Art Council’s WITH ART
annual commercial art expo showcasing the
wants to be involved with the year-round pro-
Program, in which community groups and art-
work of amateur, low-income, and inner city
grams, in the capacities of both student and,
ists in Winnipeg collaborate to create a proj-
artists, celebrated its seventh year last week-
possibly, presenter.
ect plan and, ultimately, a work of public art. A
end at the Magnus Eliason Recreation Centre
There’s a real wealth
on Langside. About 250 pieces of art comprised
the show, the highlight of which was the lively
Friday-night opening festivities. They featured
outdoor fire pits, an outdoor showing of shorts
by local video artists, and a performance by
Communities developing and sharing
of artists in [Spence] neighbourhood.”
Gordon Bell High School jazz students.
Art from the Heart is, however, no longer
–Pat Crowick,
just a once-a-year happening. Due to over-
video artist
proposal will be made to WAC in the spring.
their skills is the basis for Community Economic
Schlichting has worked specifically with
Development, says Inonge Aliaga, Executive
Local Investment Toward Employment (LITE),
Director
Neighbourhood
and more generally in the area of CED. Seeing
Association, Art from the Heart’s other co-
of
the
Spence
Art from the Heart as an example of CED,
sponsor. The SNA has been “the funnel for the
Schlichting started volunteering with the event
funding from the beginning”, ensuring that the
years ago and notes, “It takes a bunch of volun-
program had a facility, the MERC.
teers to pull it off.”
“CED is about strengthening commu-
Crowick points out that the video art-
whelming interest and demand, the co-spon-
nities,” says Aliaga. Art from the Heart was
ists essentially act as volunteers, as they are
soring St. Matthews-Maryland Community
started for the same purpose. She adds that
unable to physically sell their exhibited work.
Ministry will be offering free monthly work-
the SNA is interested in strengthening artists
“Hopefully,” he says, “we’ll be able to pay them
in the “area we look after”, Spence neighbour-
next year.”
shops throughout 2007, starting in late January.
The hope, says Schlichting, is to change
According to co-coordinator Karen Schlichting,
perceptions—to make participants, most of
the primary purpose of both the yearly sale
them without any fine arts training, see them-
and the ongoing program is to show partic-
selves as something other than unemployable.
ipants how art can be a generator of income,
Schlichting says that many of the participants
Alcock, for instance, presently lives on
however small.
have hopes of becoming professional artists, or
Maryland north of Portage. Pat Crowick, a
have at least the desire to in some way realize
video artist who co-coordinated the video ex-
their long-suppressed creative inclinations.
hibition for last Friday’s event, lives north of
“For some of the artists, if someone buys
their art, it may be the first time they’ve re-
Wipe out the hate
Ksenia Prints
Beat reporter
hood north of Portage.
It’s an area that from which many of the
participants in Art from the Heart hail.
Altogether, it’s an opportunity that reaps
great personal rewards for participants. What is
celebrated in the end, according to Schlichting,
are “the talents and imagination of the marginalized.”
“It’s hopeful.”
UofW Holds Transgendered
day of Remeberance
Despite Winnipeg’s overall progressive
attitude, gender-related hate crimes happen
here as well.
A
“A lot of people in Winnipeg are ostrasolemn group of students with signs
cized, harassed and verbally and physically as-
and candles gathered in the Quad
saulted,” says Breckon. “They are being harmed
Nov. 20. The University of Winnipeg
and hated based on their identity.”
hosted its second annual Transgender Day of
Furthermore, Breckon believes that trans-
Remembrance (TDOR), a day to recognize that
gender rights are 20 years behind queer rights.
hate crimes against transgendered individuals
“There’s this notion that male and female are
are still very much an issue.
it, and there are no other genders possible or
“The TDOR is set aside to remember and
allowed,” Breckon says.
honour the lives of individuals who are per-
Monday’s silent protest took place at the
ceived to be crossing the gender boundary
bottom of the escalator. Signs displayed vari-
lines,” says Miles Rune Breckon, the event’s
ous anti-transgender crimes’ related statistics.
main organizer. Transgender is an umbrella
A selected list of victims’ names and murder
term that refers to people who do not fit within
information were read in vigil in the Quad after
traditional gender definitions.
which a group continued to the Part-Time and
Mature Students’ Centre.
“We opted for the sombreness because
There’s this notion that
it’s only our first year,” says Breckon. If all goes
well, next year’s ceremony will be comprised of
two events, one of which will be of a more cel-
male and female are it, and
ebratory nature.
there are no other genders
Campaign is also a part of this year’s TDOR.
possible or allowed.”
–Miles Rune Breckon,
TDOR organizer
In a political move, the Bathroom
Since last year, the LGBT campus group has
been lobbying for a unisex bathroom, which
will
eliminate
transgender
persons’
dis-
comfort with using gender-defined bathrooms. Anonymous questionnaires were hung
throughout the University to gather students’
opinions on the matter, and the TDOR vigil was
utilized to present the results.
The main goal of the event is to familiar-
From 1970 to Nov. 2005 at least 142 people
ize students with transgender issues and dan-
have been reported murdered based on their
gers, as well as foster love without discrimina-
gender identity. But Breckon believes there
tion.
have been many more victims than that of various gender-related hate crimes.
“It needs to be remembered that everybody’s valuable. Everybody has experienced
“It’s not simple murder. It’s to wipe out
some kind of oppression, and through that
that person.” In these instances, faces and
we can get to talking… Then comes action,”
bodies have often been mutilated beyond rec-
Breckon optimistically concludes.
ognition.
Students and community hold a vigil at the U of W to remember transgender victims of violence and hate crimes.
PHOTO: NATASHA PETERSON
November 23, 2006
0
The Uniter
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
NEWS
Canadian
& World
U of W science complex underway
Province announces major contribution
News BriefS
Compiled by Brooke Dmytriw
DAKARBEIJING—After being hindered for over
a year, the online encyclopaedic website wikipedia.com
became accessible again to Chinese citizens. The Chinese
version of Wikipedia (zh.wikipedia.org) could be searched
for apolitical vocabulary, but searches conducted for terms
related to China’s anti-Communist history were blocked.
According to Reuters, China is the world’s second-largest internet market with 123 million internet users and
that amount is expected to increase. Reporters Without
Borders, a media advocacy group who welcomed the unblocking, acknowledged that the Chinese government had
to loosen its internet control if it wants to develop its internet business potential. Before the slackening of controls
Ksenia Prints
on Wikipedia, some Chinese users were able to gain full
Beat reporter
access to the site through proxy servers and other roundabout means. The Chinese government regularly blocks
access to many international websites that it judges to be
subversive. Internet pages are also screened and filtered for
sensitive words and opinions.
DETROIT—Sisayehiticha Dinssa, an unem-
ployed US citizen, was arrested at the Detroit Metropolitan
Airport for carrying $77, 000 cash and information about
nuclear material and poisons. Dinssa, who resides in
Dallas, arrived at the airport from Nigeria via Amsterdam
and was destined for Phoenix, Arizona. Federal agents
held Dinssa after a security dog caught the scent of narcotics on the money he was carrying. He admitted to the
agent he was carrying $18, 000, but when security went
through his luggage they found another $59, 000, reported
the Associated Press. Dinssa was also carrying a laptop,
which after being scrutinized was revealed to contain files
about nuclear materials and cyanide. Charges were laid
T
he construction of an innovative science and environmental studies complex at the University of Winnipeg is
closer than ever. On Nov. 16 Gary Doer announced that the provincial government is
contributing $10 million to the Richardson
College for the Environment.
The proposed complex will be built in
place of the Galaxy Skateland on Portage and
Langside, and will connect to the University
via a green corridor. Covered with platinum for
generating solar energy, it will be built in accordance to LEED (Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design) standards.
The purpose of the building, according
to Terry Cristall, science complex prime archi-
against Dinssa for concealing more than $10, 000. Other
charges may follow.
CHICAGO—Human heart valves were success-
fully grown from amniotic fluid stem cells. The experiment, conducted by a Swiss scientist, is intended to cultivate heart valves in the lab while the foetus develops and
have the valves ready for implantation into babies born with
such heart defects. The evolution of the research could
mean that people will be able to supply their own replacement heart parts. Heart defects are detectable during pregnancy through ultrasound testing. The Associated Press
“The building is a vote
of confidence in the U of W
and a commitment to postsecondary education.
reported that approximately one million babies are born
–Dr. Lloyd Axworthy,
each year with heart complications. More infants die within
U of W president
their first year of life from heart problems than any other
ities. Doer believes the “university and downtown are growing together, not dying”, and the
complex will foster even more cooperation between the two. The green corridor will be used
for activities with inner city youth that teach
the principles of environmental care and preservation. The centre’s proximity to the Spence
Neighbourhood Association is also not accidental.
The building is estimated to cost $30 million. Part of the Province’s $10 million contribution will come from the much-contested C48 Bill, the NDP budget
amendment that was
passed in 2005 and committed up to $1.5 billion
for the purposes of lowering the cost of postsecondary
education.
Premier Doer pledged
to collect another $15
million through a joint
fundraising campaign
with the University over
the next three years. The
initial contribution to
the project, a $3.5 million donation from the
Richardson Family, Firm
and Foundation, was announced late in Sept.
The complex is projected to be finished by
late 2009. It is currently
in the design and planning stages. Building is
scheduled to start late summer 2007.
The contribution came as part of Doer’s
Nov. 15 Throne Speech, in which he also announced up to 60 per cent tuition rebate for
students who stay in Manitoba.
“Students are our future, along with renewable energy,” says Doer. He added that he
will continue fighting for the tuition freeze.
“We think that for every family or student,
if they can buy a house faster instead of repaying debt, they’ll be better off.”
birth defects.
TUKTOYAKTUK—Inuit
hunters reluctantly
killed Beluga whales trapped in saltwater lakes in the
Husky Lakes area near the Northwest Territory city. Around
80 became trapped in the lakes last month when the channel and the bodies of water started freezing over. Residents
were hopeful that the whales would escape, but a storm two
weeks ago froze the channel entirely and left the belugas
with an open breathing hole of about 600 square feet. The
Canadian Press reported that hunters concluded that the
whales would have to be put down rather than let suffer by
freezing to death. The whales that are the size of a mini-van
would provide enough meat and muktuk for several communities to last over the winter months.
ANKARA—The Turkish government suspended
its military relation with France over Turkey’s Armenian
controversy. The breakdown relates to recent French legislation that would criminalize genocide denial, which
Turkey’s mass killing of Armenians in the twentieth century
constitutes. The legislation still has to meet the approval
of the Senate and the President, reported the Associated
Press. The military views the French bill as detrimental
to Turkish-French relations. Turkey has previously severed ties with some French companies after similar disputes about the Armenians arose. The two countries have
participated in military training together and are both
NATO members. France has also been an arms supplier
to Turkey. Turkey denies that the death of an estimated 1.5
million Armenians organized and conducted by Turkish of-
tect and principal of Number Ten Architectural
Group, is to “capture the sunlight and other
natural resources to minimize the requirement
for energy consumption.” This will be achieved
through the use of light shelves, solar capture
windows, water collecting pools, and a large
Atrium that will overlook Portage Ave. and
serve as the “lungs of the building.” Ultimately,
Cristall hopes it could become a no-artificial
energy building. The materials used to build
will be local, natural, and capable of reducing
the energy cost of the building.
The centre could become a world-class
model of environmental sustainability. Doer
hopes it “will not only be attractive for students to come to Manitoba, but draw future
research as well.”
Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, University president
and vice-chancellor, calls the government’s
donation “a vote of confidence in the U of W
and a commitment to post-secondary education.” He hopes the science complex will “be
a model of a sustainable energy building”, as
well as a “centre for cutting-edge innovation
and research.”
Much emphasis has been placed on the
utilisation of the centre for community activ-
ficials was genocide.
artists conceptions and plan by the Number Ten Architectural Group
The Uniter
November 23, 2006
NEWS
Toronto prof uses hip hop to examine urban violence
Derek Leschasin
ing lecture at the U of W, Walcott spoke about the
Senior Reporter
messages of Canadian hip hop artists about urban
ethnic Canadian communities and how they may
T
offer some insight into the flare-up of violence that
oronto, traditionally known as Canada’s
the mainstream Canadian public has only recently
economic and cultural hub, has also
become aware of, most notably with the Toronto
become well-known for a relatively recent
so-called Boxing Day shootings of last year.
development—the rise of street crime and gun bat-
Walcott singled out Canadian rappers K’naan,
tles between warring gangs. There have been over
Kardinal Offishall, and Jelleestone as particular
130 shooting incidents in the first half of this year
examples of the kind of social commentary hip
alone, a drop of 16 per cent from 2005 according to
hop can provide. He noted their activist political
Toronto police statistics.
lyrics which link impoverished and and margin-
Compiled by Cameron Maclean,
Jenette Martens,
Michelle Dobrovolny
alised living conditions faced by some Canadian
ing urban communities in Toronto, Winnipeg,
minorities with the sort of neo-liberal socio-eco-
and elsewhere? According to Rinaldo Walcott, an
nomic policies that have been enacted throughout
Associate Professor at the University of Toronto and
Canada and North America from the days of Brian
the Canada Research Chair in Social Justice and
Mulroney and Ronald Reagan, to former Ontario
Cultural Studies, some of the most poignant anal-
Premier Mike Harris’s cuts to social programs in the
yses of these events can be found within hip hop,
90s. At the same time, these artists reject the glori-
despite its connotations of ‘bling’ culture and mi-
fication of violence that tends to predominate in
licing of the ethnic communities that are linked
sogyny.
mainstream hip hop.
to violent crime. After the Boxing Day shootings of
RefWorks users be aware
PHOTO: TIM RAFFEY
“Chuck D called hip-hop ‘the CNN of black
Where once it may have made little sense to
2005, Walcott argues that “a war was declared on
people’,” said Walcott, quoting the most famous
speak of ghetto-inspired hip hop culture in Canada
the black poor and working poor in Toronto.” While
personality from the old-school political hip hop
as anything but an imitation of the culture in the
this may be related to the the drop in shooting in-
group Public Enemy as he opened his guest lecture
United States, Walcott argued that neo-liberal pol-
cidents, ultimately Walcott argued that it will not
at the University of Winnipeg on Nov. 15. “Clearly,
icies are creating those conditions in Canada as
solve the problem of what he refers to as “wasted
what sells within hip hop... is deeply fraught with...
well.
human life”—marginalised populations.
things happening.”
Walcott’s research focuses on marginalised
aspects of Canadian culture—ethnic minorities
and cultural sub-groups. During his wide-rang-
Similar to the situation of Toronto’s black
“Listening to hip hop should be a crucial part
community, “in Winnipeg, the language of gang
of cultural studies,” said Walcott. “At each time we
culture is attached to the Native community, and in
can call rap into question for its misogyny, we can
Vancouver, it’s South Asian youth,” said Walcott.
also find spaces where something else has been
What concerns Walcott is the increased po-
Campus &
Community
Briefs
How to account for the violence plagu-
homophobia and misogyny. But there are other
0
created.”
Recent changes in US privacy laws are prompting Canadian students and professors to change the
way they conduct research, reported the Globe and
Mail. For years many Canadian universities have
subscribed to the US-based internet tool RefWorks,
which allows users to compile research information in
personal accounts.
With the introduction of the Patriot Act, American
authorities now have the power to search through any
information – including personal information – that
is stored on the server, without notice. Concerned for
the privacy of faculty and students, several university
libraries have switched their RefWorks accounts to a
server based at the University of Toronto.
Although the University of Winnipeg library has
not yet moved to the U of T server, it plans to make the
switch, interim librarian Karen Hunt said. However, the
issue, she stressed, goes far beyond Canadian academics and their research.
“This is an issue Canadian citizens should
be concerned about.” She pointed out that many
US-based internet organizations used by ordinary
Canadians every day, from Amazon to Hotmail, store
personal information on their servers. All of it is
now open to search, without notification, by US
authorities.
West End mourns a beloved ‘man of action’
read, I could write. That I didn’t have to be com-
daughter works at Ellice Café & Theatre, the non-
ners who regularly attended Lehotsky’s sermons,
UWSA Meeting recap
profit community restaurant Lehotsky established
first held in the basement of his Ellice Avenue
in 2005. “He built housing. He was out there. He ac-
home before the growing congregation moved to
tually lived in the community, not in the suburbs. He
its current address at 514 Maryland Street in 1986.
lived with the people he was trying to help.”
Wonnacott estimates the church now numbers
The UWSA had a general meeting on Nov. 15.
The meeting was held in the fish bowl and discussion included up coming events, by-law amendments,
review of financial statements, and the presentation of
reports. A by-law was created that outlined restrictions
on the creation of levies. Other existing by-laws were
edited. One important change will affect the students’
association election process. Now only the last two
weeks of the five week process will be used to campaign. This was changed from the previous rule of
three weeks of campaign.
pletely vulnerable.”
Wonnacott became one of a few of parishio-
Michelle Dobrovolny
BEAT Reporter
“I know it’s weird, seeing me in the coffin and
Lehotsky showed up on Mona Wonnacott’s
then seeing me up here,” Reverend Harry Lehotsky
front stoop 23 years ago. Newly arrived from New
told the 2,000 mourners gathered at his funeral.
The pastor’s final words came via a 33 minute
video he made last spring, upon hearing that his
pancreatic cancer was inoperable and that he had
less than a year to live. Lehotsky died on Nov 11. He
Lehotsky’s influence spread well beyond his
congregation. Carlos, a 36-year-old former gang
member who didn’t want his last name used, also
He lived with the people
attended the funeral. Hiding his red eyes behind a
pair of dark sunglasses, Carlos described Lehotsky
he was trying to help.”
was 49 years old.
Some of Winnipeg’s most prominent citizens,
including Mayor Sam Katz, attended his Nov 15. fu-
roughly 250 members.
connected to the
as an inspiring figure.
“His words, his beliefs, will always be with
–Don Ward,
me. He spoke the truth. He taught me to just be who
Ellice Street Cafe
you are. Tell it like it is,” he said, his voice choking
neral at Calvary Temple, attracting a horde of report-
with emotion. “Harry helped me change my life.
ers and camerapeople to the church’s front steps.
Got me out of a gang situation, helped me with my
Lehotsky’s semi-celebrity status in Winnipeg came
York, the pastor was going door to door in the West
from his work fighting crime, drugs and prostitution
End to gather worshippers for his church. The single
Lehotsky will continue to inspire community
in the West End. In addition to running a Baptist
mother of five said meeting Lehotsky was a turning
work with a $5,000 scholarship in his name for stu-
church, New Life Ministries, Lehotsky was a colum-
point in her life.
dents between the ages of 18-30 who show dedica-
addictions.”
nist for the Winnipeg Sun, and established several
“I grew up in a house where I was sexually
tion to improving the West End. Wonnacott, who has
non-profit organizations aimed at improving the
abused. When I met Harry, I was scared of him. I
lived in the area for over 20 years, said Lehotsky’s
area, such as Lazarus Housing.
was scared to even go outside,” she said. “I was com-
death is a significant loss to the entire neighbour-
But Lehotsky is best remembered by many for
pletely shut down. I knew I existed, but I didn’t feel
hood.
being a man of action, who wasn’t afraid to confront
alive. Harry saw things in me that nobody else did,
“Somebody asked me if there could ever be
drug dealers on the street.
and maybe nobody else ever will. I didn’t know I
another Harry,” she said. “I told them, ‘Not in a
could read. He showed me I could. That I could
million years.’”
“He didn’t just talk,” said Don Ward, whose
The Province announced rebates for university
students who stay in Manitoba. Will this be helpful?
Josh Markham, second year, Environmental Studies
and Geography – Its not worth sticking around for. People
that are going to leave are going to leave, regardless. Either
they’ll be offered more money than the few thousand bucks
they’d get back by staying, or they will just really want to get
out of Manitoba. It’s good for folks who will stay. But there has
to be better programs that the Province could put in place to
help students.
Michelle Dombek, second year, Education – For me
it’s good because I’m going to stay. All my family is here. Also,
a lot of talented people are leaving for other provinces. This
is an incentive for them to stay and keep the province alive. I
know people in my family who finished university degrees with
large debt and are still struggling years after.
Amanda Kardal, fourth year, Education – It’s worthwhile
because some people are leaving to go elsewhere while positions in fields here aren’t getting filled. There’s lots of competition with other provinces, lots of monetary incentives to leave
Manitoba. At this point, that money from tuition would really
make a difference. It will help students get out of debt.
Tyler Morden, second year, IDS and Politics – It’s useless. I’m an IDS major and I’ll be leaving as soon as I’m done
school. For students who want to do graduate work, there’s
only the U of M. So many of those students will be leaving.
And I wouldn’t want to give up five years. Students like to be
spontaneous.
Make your nomination now
The YMCA-YWCA is accepting nominations for
the 2007 Women of Distinction awards. Nominees
can be entered into one of ten categories, honouring
achievements in areas such as volunteerism, health
promotion and technological innovation. First developed in 1977, the Women of Distinction awards
give public recognition to exceptional women. Past
recipients include Winnipeg Free Press columnist
Lindor Reynolds, CKY news personality Sylvia
Kuzyk, and writer Sandra Birdsell. Nomination applications can be downloaded at http://www.ywinnipeg.
ca/wodnomination.html or can be picked up at any
YMCA-YWCA location. The deadline for nominations
is Jan. 31, 2007.
November 23, 2006
0
The Uniter
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
EDITORIALS
Editorials
Shorts & Clichés
Documenting the Wretched Land
of Political Punditry
– James Patterson
Managing Editor: J o S ny de r
A speech to set your watch to
Especially if you have a 6 year timeline
Jo Snyder
WHITNEY LIGHT
Managing Editor
“We wait. We are bored. (He throws up his hand.)
No, don’t protest, we are bored to death, there’s
no denying it.” – Samuel Beckett
Waiting for Dion
Last Thursday was a long, disappointing day. It was
the day when our Editorial Board almost met with Liberal
leadership hopeful Stephane Dion and it most assuredly
would’ve turned us all a permanent Liberal red. Instead,
we waited. And waited.
Eventually we tracked down the truant one and
found out he instead opted for an ad-hoc Globe and Mail
interview with Campbell Clark.
Don’t get us wrong, we understand why we had to
wait (we like the Globe too). We also acknowledge how
politicians actually value our youthful audience.
This being said, leadership hopefuls should take
note of vapid and openly contrarian statements on their
web site that can easily be used by those freshly scorned.
Comments like this one, found on Dion’s website:
“It’s hard to express the kind of pride I feel to be
working for a candidate that isn’t just focused on the dayto-day horse-race of a campaign, but who really cares
about consulting the youth of this country who have the
most to gain from the outcome of this leadership.”
It is true what they say about actions being a good
indication of one’s true thoughts.
Too bad it is just a little “hard to express” the reality.
Rest assured, all’s not lost because we got this
little gem from the Globe article. “The knock on Stéphane
Dion, the candidate, is that he will fail to connect with
voters.”
Thank You Campbell, we could not have said it better ourselves.
T
he speech from the throne last week
may have not had any bells, whistles, tonal inflection, proper French
pronunciation, or fancy lights — but it was
timely. And not just in that it was exactly one
hour but also in that the NDP have come up
with some tasty little policy treats for hungry
Manitobans. Criticism came swiftly from
the opposition: this is merely early campaigning for the upcoming election, some
said; John Gerrard called it a “shopping list”
rather than a speech; Andy Fletcher predicts this to be the fall of a tepidly declining NDP; and the Tories made a comment
about the NDP shoveling money out of the
back of a truck. However, more than a few
items on the NDP shopping list are worth
our complementary scrutiny: hybrid buses,
wind power, rebates on hybrid cars, support
of the single-desk format of the Canadian
Wheat Board, to name a few.
For students, however, the most contentious announcement was a 60 per cent
tax rebate on student debt for those who
graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree and
commit to staying in the province for the following six years. The objective is for young
people to put down roots in Manitoba.
Sounds good; the only problem with
this plan is the lack of graduate study options in the province. Though the program
will encourage students to pursue grad
schools in the province, options are a little
limited. For example, pursuing schooling in
terms of publishing or journalism (ahem)
at a grad level doesn’t exist in the province.
Can students pursue grad school somewhere else and return under the umbrella
of this tax rebate?
There are two ways to look at this
promise. The first is from the perspective
of a government attempting to prevent an
exodus of educated young people from the
province. The second is from the perspec-
Courting the Inside Vote
from the OutsidE
Foreign policy has obviously been the hot topic
within Ottawa strategic planning sessions lately. All three
national parties are selling their Canadian Vision agenda
while wading into the moral fray. But these are more of an
attempt at wooing the fickle Ontario and Quebec vote than
spreading vision abroad.
It’s common knowledge that if the recent IsraelLebanon crisis had never occurred and damaged his
potential inroads in central Canada’s urban ethnic vote,
Steven Harper would have orchestrated the fall of his fragile minority government.
Jack Layton has volleyed moral indignation about
the Afghanistan mission to appease his Membership’s
want as much as to court the Quebec masses that vehemently oppose the War.
Michael Ignatieff, liberal front-runner, (not to be
confused with the aforementioned Stephane Dion) has
essentially waged a one-stop election campaign selling
mostly foreign policy ideas wrapped in a strong Canadian vision. This, coupled with a vintage Shiraz, will go
over nicely at hipster parties in the multicultural region
of southern Ontario.
Stephen Harper’s outright support of Israel’s “measured response,” his Public relations spectacle of picking-up Lebanese Canadians in Cyprus, the Kyoto kafuffle,
and support for the troops in Afghanistan reaffirmed that
he has been equally, if not more vigilant, in his attempt to
retain his piece of the moral “central-Canadian vote” pie.
It also helps to deflect attention when your party seems
ready to commit the political equivalent of cannibalism.
This says a lot about where the Harper government
is looking to find those votes, and where future electoral
battlegrounds lay.
This weeks criticism of the China’s human rights
record followed by swift attempts to get back on China’s
political dance card showing Harper the truth in the Chinese proverb “It is better to try to light a candle than to
curse the dark.”
Don’t expect this crass pandering disguised as morality to end in the months ahead, as foreign policy should
be near the top of this list this election season.
Also expect this little doozy of a quote to make a
spinful resurgence:
”You’ve got to remember that west of Winnipeg the
ridings the Liberals hold are dominated by people who
are either recent Asian immigrants or recent migrants
from eastern Canada: people who live in ghettoes and
who are not integrated into western Canadian society.”
- Stephen Harper
tive of the Canadian Federation of Students,
who feel the initiative is a back-door policy
and does nothing to promote accessibility.
The trade off is possibly finding employment in a new city that pays enough
for a student to make comfortable monthly
payments for the next decade. Loans are the
bane of any student, unless there are deep
family pockets to pick. And education probably isn’t going to get any cheaper, is it? It
certainly isn’t going to be free. And, today’s
B.A. is yesterday’s high school. Everyone
needs one to find employment, or so it
seems.
Even if people do stay in the province
for six years, they may leave anyway. This
week we just lost two of our top doctors to
the United States. Still, it’s a good idea worth
delving into, despite CFS rebutting.
“We agree that student debt and the
costs of education stifle young people
and the economy,” said Stacy Senkbeil,
Provincial Chairperson of the Canadian
Federation of Students. “So why tinker with
tax credits that benefit few when the tuition
fee freeze already keeps young people in
Manitoba?”
Criticizing the rebate on the sole platform that it’s a backdoor policy is, frankly,
limited. Yes, accessibility is an issue. But it’s
not the issue to end all issues, it’s not the
second coming of an issue, it’s not the messiah of student’s issues that CFS would have
one believe. Further, CFS has missed the
point. The rebate plan is in the interest of
retaining young people, their ideas, energy,
innovation, and their entrepreneurship
in the province. Young people starting up
businesses, keeping innovation and talent
in the province— that’s what this policy is
about. Don’t get me wrong. I think accessibility is important. But the CFS is a onetrick-pony. We are still benefiting from one
of the lowest tuitions in the country, and I
would like to see it stay that way, but the
CFS should really branch out their lobbying
to support other issues of concern to students already enrolled in University, like for
example, paying off student loans.
In the end this policy isn’t about tuition
reduction, front door or back, it’s about retaining young people in the province. And
come election time it’s going to be present,
somehow, in every party’s platform.
Letter to the Editor
Deadbeat Landlords
In response to Kenton Smith’s article “Student pursues justice in rental
housing dispute” last week, I would
like to express my support to Jason
Bland. I am a former tenant of Jeremy
Plett. I used to live on 370 Talbot Ave.
for almost two years. I experienced the
same problem with the heat in wintertime. The windows would be frozen. Las
February, he increased my rent outrageously—my rent was $420 for a small
one bedroom suite a month, then he
decided to increase it to $605 a month.
On two occasions a man knocked at my
door in the middle of the night asking
me for money, in exchange he offered
his cell phone and keys. I was terrified. I phoned Plett to report the incident and he never called me back. He
was a mysterious landlord. I never met
him. The cell phone number the caretaker gave me for him was not working. I contacted the caretaker regarding
the man in the building, wanting to find
out how he got in the block only to find
out he was the caretaker’s boyfriend. At
that moment I decided to move out because I was concerned for my safety. I
sent the landlord a letter saying that I’m
moving out for two reasons: the outrageous rent increase and for personal security reasons. I left him two messages
requesting my damage deposit back.
He replied to me one week later asking
for my new address so he could file a
claim against me for moving out without giving notice, which is false. I’m still
fighting for my damage deposit.
I think the Tenancy Board must
change. As it is right now, it seems to
only work in favour of the landlords,
and never for the tenants. Landlords
know this, and therefore tenants are
easily taken advantage of.
– Gladia Azor
Read something you
don’t agree with?
Have something to
say? Write a letter
to the editor!
Please send your witty remarks
and scathing rejoinders to
[email protected]
The Uniter
November 23, 2006
COMMENTS
Comments
0
Managing Editor: J o S ny de r
A military ruled Burma and the Canadian
coined concept of the Responsibility to Protect
Salai Za Ceu Lian
responsibility effectively through the United
and a concerned global citizens before it is too late.
rights. In other words, if the state fails to dutifully
Nations is that a country is inflicted with its own
One thing to keep in mind is that those eras of
protect its own citizens or where the state itself is
internal problems. Burma, Russia, and China
the first and second world wars, when colonized
the perpetrators of the massive human rights vio-
s a witness to 21st century global chal-
always defend this notion of State sovereignty
countries struggled for their own independence
lations, the international community has a right to
lenges facing us — from terrorism to the
and the so-called non-interventionist principle
and how sovereignty was the main concerns for
intervene in order to protect populace from serious
proliferation of nuclear warheads, pan-
in member’s internal affairs. A classic example
those struggling states, are long gone. World lead-
harms. Most important, it also says that a collective
demic diseases, ethnic cleansing and massive
is Burma. In Burma, China is running the show,
ers really need to redefine this so-called “sover-
military action could be authorized to protect vic-
human rights abuses in different countries like
controlling our whole economy, and greatly ben-
eign rights” in line with this rapid changing polit-
tims within a sovereign state as a last resort. In this
Sudan and Burma and etc. — it is crystal clear that
efiting from it. Because of its own self-interests,
ical landscape of our globalized world, where no
case, it suggests that the veto should not be used
civilized world leaders must come together to col-
the Chinese government with effrontery is bla-
country can isolate itself from others. We are in the
by the P-5 unless their vital interests are at stake.
lectively find a lasting solution to make a better
tantly ignoring the massive human rights abuses
new era of inter-dependence across the continents
Though no theory or concept is above criticism in-
world for human kind to live with dignity.
and the killings of ardent pro-democracy activ-
more so than ever before. Unlike WWI and WW II,
cluding this responsibility to protect, I believe the
A
Recently, I watched Shake Hands with the
ists, sexual violence against women etc. commit-
most killings of innocent civilians and large-scale
responsibility to protect is a pragmatic concept
Devil, which chronicles Romeo Dallaire’s mission
ted by the Burmese junta against Burmese citizens.
loss of lives occur in the intra- State conflicts (ie.
that the international community should embrace
as a commander of the United Nations force during
Under the current Burmese military Junta, Burma
conflicts within one country like Rwandan geno-
as a guiding principle in their response to conflicts
the Rwandan genocide. It was tragic to watch the
now is the second largest opium producing coun-
cide in 1994, or the massacre of over 6000 pro-dem-
in troubled regions where massive human rights
1994 massacre and the cruel killing of so many in
try, and one of the worst violators of basic human
ocratic forces in 1988 in Burma under the Burmese
and crime against humanity take place. This con-
such cold blood. Watching the film reminded me
rights. Worse, its internal problems include: the de-
totalitarian regime) and not inter-state conflicts.
cept also points out that a country like Sudan or
of the powerful words Dallaire spoke last year at
struction of villages, forcing thousands of refugees
the University of Winnipeg in which he eloquently
into neighbouring countries, escalating problems
put, “No human is more human than others.”
of forced labour, dramatic rising numbers of un-
Coming from military ruled Burma, where the
checked HIV/AIDS, torturing and blatant denials of
After thinking about global challenges today, I find
ternational community can intervene to stop
dictatorial regime rules at gunpoint, the film re-
religious freedom against Christians, trading illegal
so fitting and relevant the central arguments put
the killings and cease the human rights abuses.
inforces my abiding thought on the question of
drugs, conscriptions of Child soldiers, systematic
forward by this notion of the responsibility to pro-
If the United Nations embraces the responsibility to
what should be done to prevent mass killings of
rape of women by the frontline soldiers, arbitrarily
tect against the state’s sovereign rights. The respon-
protect when dealing with global conflicts, I believe
our fellow humans in other parts of the world.
imprisoning of political dissents including a Noble
sibility to protect is not about rights but rather the
we can proactively prevent genocides like Rwanda
Though reforming UN has been on the radar
peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and the 1999 John
duties every state has in terms of protecting their
from happening in future. Most importantly, if the
screen of caring world leaders in recent years, it
Humphrey Freedom Award laureate Min Ko Naing.
citizens from harm. While expounding on the
R2P is adopted, it would not only constrain the veto
seems that overhauling the United Nations might
Recently, on 15 September 2006, 10 out of 15
idea of the responsibility to protect, in his book of
power of a country like China, Russia from misus-
not happen any time soon given the disagree-
UN Security Council members voted yes to discuss
Navigating a new world, Lloyd Axworthy, former
ing their veto power, but it would also make clear to
ments among member states over what parts of
Burma’s issues formally at the table acknowledging
Foreign Minister of Canada and current president
countries like Burma that they can no longer hide
the UN should be reformed first. Based on what
that Burma indeed is a real threat to international
of the University of Winnipeg, eloquently puts, “ The
behind the walls of sovereignty.
I observe, while reforming the United Nations is
peace, a veto-wielding China and Russia again voted
sovereignty is not a prerogative but a responsibil-
underway, I believe that the Canadian notion of
NO, repeatedly defending their mantra of State sov-
ity.” In fact, it advances the idea that the sovereignty
Za Ceu Lian, is a third-year political science stu-
the responsibility to protect is the only best alter-
ereignty and argued not to interfere with Burma’s
of any state is based on its responsibility of whether
dent at the University of Winnipeg, and is a General
native functional to constraining a veto-wielding
internal affairs. The point here is, this deeply flawed
or not it can protect its own citizens from harm.
Secretary of Burmese Community Organization of
Country like China in order to proactively prevent-
UN system, which allowed dictatorial regime like
What it argues is that if the state could provide
Manitoba (BCOM), and a newly elected president of
ing populace from serious genocide like Rwanda.
Burma, and its supporters to continuously commit
security to its citizens and protect them from
the Chin Student Union of North America (CSUNA),
Apparently, a part of the problem handicapping
genocide or human rights abuses needed to be ad-
harm, the state has a full right of the sovereign
ethnic Chin from Burma. His email liansalai@yahoo.
a caring world leader from performing their
dressed and challenged by a civilized world leaders
power. If not however, the state loses its sovereignty
com or [email protected]
Burma, where the state authority itself is the per-
The responsibility to Protect
petrators of the human rights abuses no longer
has the sovereign rights, meaning that the in-
Maclean’s still has a place in Canada, despite what 26 universities say
Education is a commodity, and Maclean’s provides the buyer’s guide
William Wolfe-Wylie
based on the final rankings, they might be disap-
The Argosy (Mount Allison University)
pointed to learn that Mount Allison University’s law
In a letter to the Dalhousie University com-
program is not as strong as the university’s No. 2 po-
munity, Dal president Tom Traves wrote, “When
sition might have them believe. As with any rank-
it lumps all these categories together into a single
While these universities may have their own
ing system, there is a certain reliance on the intelli-
ranking, arbitrarily assigning more points to one
internal performance indicators, the data is often
gence of the reader to do some more research.
category than another based on its own idiosyn-
hidden or has limited access. As Naylor said in his
cratic judgment, it fundamentally misrepresents
statement, he is keeping “governors apprised of our
the character of every institution.”
substantial array of institutional performance mea-
SACKVILLE, N.B. (CUP) – Universities don’t
want to see themselves as commodities. It goes
against the basic instincts of an academic insti-
About a month and a half ago I had the op-
tution, but the sad fact is that universities have
portunity to speak with Tony Keller. He’s the editor
become exactly that. Despite what 26 Canadian
at Maclean’s who manages the university rankings
universities might think, commodities need buyer’s
issue. He likes to make another analogy.
guides, and Maclean’s magazine provides.
At the core of many universities’ issue with the
rankings is the methodology used to obtain a final
rank in an organization as complex as a university.
system if irrelevant.
Then, just last week, University of Toronto
ies, photographs (mostly provided by the universities themselves), faculty awards, class sizes, class
taught by tenured faculty, and countless others.
sures.”
president David Naylor released a statement which
But for students, these performance measures
“If I want to buy a car, I have almost unlim-
read, in part, “Maclean’s to its considerable credit is
are hidden away on the “Accountability Reports”
ited information,” said Keller. “I know far less about
publishing more and more actual numerical infor-
section of the university’s website and not linked
a university.”
mation, and has developed a web-based tool that
to from any student-oriented section. This is not
allows individuals to assess universities on a per-
information which is readily provided to the gen-
sonalized basis.
eral public in an accessible manner. Indeed, it is
This is an important observation. Indeed,
At the end of August, a letter signed by the
statistics about cars are readily available from a
presidents of 11 universities declared, “consider
number of sources on fuel economy, long-term
“Unfortunately, Maclean’s remains commit-
how such an approach might pervert one’s under-
value, durability of the paint job, customer reviews,
ted to global rankings; and this feature, together
standing of a general hospital that is ranked No. 1
environmental impact, driver comfort, cost of add-
with its requests for customized data, caused a large
What the Maclean’s university issue amounts
in obstetrics and No. 10 in cancer care. Averaging
ons, and so on.
number of institutions to decline to participate fully
to is a buyer’s guide. And while university academ-
in the ranking exercise.”
ics are still adapting to being viewed as a commod-
these rankings would result in this hospital being
But whether or not we would like to see a uni-
ranked No. 5 overall. For the patient seeking care in
versity as a commodity and students as its clients,
Both men simultaneously hit the nail on the
one of these areas, such a measure would be useless
there is a significant amount of money at stake and
head and miss it entirely. The actual overall rank-
at best and misleading at worst.”
most parents and students need to have an idea of
ings only represent a tiny portion of the magazine.
In that same letter, the universities made it
clear that they would no longer be participating in
what they’re going to get for it.
information that, in 22 cases, Maclean’s had to file
Freedom of Information requests to obtain.
ity, it is an identification that many of a post-secondary institution’s clients have embraced.
Until Canada’s universities begin to make all
Browsing through the rest of the magazine
of the information public that would help student’s
The rankings are not perfect; no ranking
will provide thousands of statistics on fees, tuition,
make a reasonable decision about which univer-
system can be. The issue at the heart of the debate
student body, library size, degrees offered, number
sity to attend, there will still be a place for Maclean’s
Indeed, if a student were to base their de-
for most universities is the final rankings. The final
of faculty, entrance grades, student aid, scholar-
Annual Guide to Canadian Universities.
cision to attend one university or another purely
ranking methodology is flawed, therefore the entire
ships, on-campus employment, clubs and societ-
the annual rankings issue.
November 23, 2006
0
The Uniter
DIVERSIONS
Comments
Diversions Editor : M at t Co
he n
Straight Faced
Hambuglar lead suspect in robberies
Matt Cohen
hour period yesterday afternoon. Jane
Oliver, an employee at Burger Shack said
(McDonaldland,
United
States)
that, “the man had a huge head the size of
McDonalds spokesperson Hamburglar may
a hamburger. It was hard to get a good look
be trading his trademark black and white
at his face though because he was wear-
stripped shirt and pants for a pair of orange
ing a mask and had a wide brimmed hat
prison overalls. The 37 year old has been de-
on.” Charges have not been laid against
tained as a major suspect in a series of ham-
Hamburglar at this time, but detectives
burger stand robberies along the coast of
have pinned him as the lead suspect in the
the Eastern United States. The heists, seven
case. The estimated loss to the hamburger
in total, happened over the course of a three
stands totals over $38.75 US.
Wine On A Dime Mr. Smart Says Yes
Michael Banias
perature goes to around -10 degrees Celsius.
Icewine is very expensive however, and is
D
Sam McLean
typically $50 for a 500ml bottle. There are
essert wine has been made
some late harvest wines however that are less
for centuries, and in dif-
sweet, but have similar flavours as their icew-
ferent forms. Some are
ine cousins. Late harvest simply means they
fortified with spirits to give them
harvest later, usually when it just starts get-
a longer life span and a bit of a
ting cold outside; this still lets the sugars con-
H. G. Mercury, in large family of transition
kick, and some are just harvested
centrate, but not to such a great extent as ice-
metals.
in colder temperatures to con-
wine. Consider late harvest “Icewine light”.
centrate their sugars. Whatever
Surprisingly, dark chocolate goes quite well
came when he started
while working for a hat de-
the case, I am willing to bet that
with these types of wines. I would also recom-
working for a Roman
signing company as a young
there is a wine for every dessert.
mend pastries with matching fruit flavours
courier company. People
man. His lines of cosmetics
Fortified wine is wine that has been
such as apricots, and peaches. Honey based
were stunned by his speed,
and his dentistry practice
desserts would work too.
often arriving at homes with
were in shambles, declared
fortified by some liquor, usually brandy. Take
for example port, Madeira, and sherry. The
base for these types of wines is usually made
Some great sweet wines for holiday
desserts:
T
here are many examples of famous success
On the surface Mercury appeared to
stories out there, but none of them match up
have it all, but privately, he struggled with
to the story of Mercury. Mercury was born
rela-
tionship issues and substance
abuse. He took to hanging out with an unstable
His first big break
packages
that
the
group of people he had met
send-
unsafe for the public. He
ers hadn’t even thought of
hit his lowest point when
sending yet.
he was tried and found
in the same way a regular table wine is made,
Pelligrino Sweet Marsala - ($11.68 –
except they add alcohol during the fermen-
MLCC and private shops) – Marsala is an
tation. This allows the wine to stay sweet
Italian fortified wine from Sicily. The sweet
a
with a higher sugar content, but ensures that
version of Marsala is a beautiful amber colour,
The research he con-
sugar doesn’t continue to ferment. Port and
and has caramel and coffee flavours, as well
ducted in his spare time
Madeira are really big bodied sweet wines.
as a molasses like sweetness. Just beautiful,
led to the development of the
They have caramel, coffee, and even choco-
and usually a lot less expensive than port or
Thermometer,
late flavours mixed with fruit such as cherries,
Madeira
Sphygmomanometer (otherwise known as
Since the scandal Mercury has taken a
a blood pressure meter). Mercury even had
new outlook on life, and has re-established
an entire plant Genus named after him.
contact with Gold; his estranged older
Mercury also had
head
for
guilty of industrially pol-
science.
Barometer,
luting
marine
environ-
ments across the world.
In lieu of jail time, Mercury
was forced to pay a hefty fine
and
and check into rehab.
plums, and blackberries. These wines would
Pelee Island VQA Late Harvest Vidal -
be great with cakes, chocolates, and even fruit
($11.99 – private shops) – Flying the flag has
desserts such as strawberry tarts.
never been sweeter. This wine is honey sweet
In the 1970s Mercury started feeling
brother. The experience has only helped
The other main type of dessert wines
with lots of apricot, peach, and tropical fla-
trapped by his image, so he changed his
to better Mercury as a person and inspire
are usually harvested late in the year when
vours. It has a good balance of acidity, so it
first name from H.G. to Freddy and started
him to begin work on a biography due to hit
it becomes cold. This natural chilling, and
finishes nice and dry.
a British rock band. He also tried his hand
the shelves in the winter of 2007. It seems
at movies, briefly appearing in the movie
that the sky is the limit for someone like
sometimes freezing, of grapes concentrates
their sugar, and the wine can get quite sweet.
Questions or comments?
Terminator 2 and snatching the title role
Mercury, especially when you have a planet
The big Canadian hit is icewine. We are pro-
[email protected]
in the 1998 Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin film
to call your own.
Mercury rising.
ducing some of the best icewines in the world,
and the grapes are not picked until the tem-
3 Guys in a Basement
Derek Penner
Reason #1
Federline explained why he left Britney
him with the soul sucking text message of
True love is hard to describe in words,
with the kids while he went clubbing. When
divorce. Brit is obviously jealous the 5000
but Federline found them in his hot new
he’s “beefing with the wife” then he needs
fans who come to his shows, all the pub-
rittney Spears has recently filed for divorce
single, Lose Control. He says, “her lifestyle,
to clear his head. He made sure that he took
licity he represents, and Britney having to
from husband Kevin Federline, and K Fed
the rich living, the fast cars. Don’t hate ‘cuz
the unhappiness out of his happy home to
introduce him on the Teen Choice Awards.
is getting the raw end of the deal. Britney
I’m a superstar and I married a superstar.
protect his children. Honestly, how can we
I think selling a whopping 6500 albums
Spears broke his heart on television via text mes-
Never come between us no matter who you
judge K Fed on his parenting skills? He cre-
speaks for itself.
saging while K Fed was taping an episode of Much
are.” Not even former girlfriend and mother
ates life with every girl he’s involved with.
Music’s Exposed. Now the media is siding with the
of his other children, Shar Jackson, had a
pop princess on the prenup and the custody of
chance of disrupting fate at its best.
B
So don’t let Brit knock you down Kev.
Reason #3
Just remember, you can support yourself
Let’s face it. What does a washed up
on your record sales, your contract, your
their two children. Here are three reason of why this
Reason #2
pop princess do when her superstar of a
acting career, and your charisma. And if all
is wrong and K Fed doesn’t deserve his superstar
We’re tired of all the haters hatin’
stud husband starts to steal her thunder?
else fails, at least you have a nice collection
on Fedex as being a bad daddy. Listen,
She tries to steal it back by blind siding
of crazy hats.
image tarnished.
The Uniter
November 23, 2006
0
November 23, 2006
10
The Uniter
FEATURES
Features
Nicaraguans Elect Daniel Ortega
A Cold War Adversary of the US Rises Again
Derek Leschasin
Senior Reporter
A
s if getting a ‘thumpin’ from the
Democrats in this month’s midterm elections weren’t enough,
the American Right is now faced with the
return of an old adversary in Latin America.
Daniel Ortega, the leader of the Sandinista
Party, was elected President of Nicaragua
on November 5th.
Ortega earned 39 per cent of the
vote against his nearest rival, Eduardo
Montealegre of the Nicaraguan Liberal
Alliance. In a country that is the secondpoorest in the Western Hemisphere (next
to Haiti), Ortega campaigned on a platform critical of the “savage” capitalist
neo-liberal ideology that has dominated
Nicaragua since 1990. Yet, much like other
South American leftist leaders, Ortega is
reluctant to initiate radical reforms. Upon
his victory, Reuters quoted him as pledging to “eradicate poverty” and yet “reassure the private sector and international
investors”. Ortega wasn’t always like this.
“Now is the situation where the electorate literally has stood up to the United
States and said ‘we would like to choose
the best government to represent our interests’,” says Wilder Robles, a faculty member
at Menno Simons College and an expert on
Latin American issues. “That is actually a
very strong message for Washington.”
At first brush, the election result
doesn’t seem like an especially significant turn of events. The Sandinistas are
Nicaragua’s major left-wing party, and this
victory could be seen as just another country swept up in South America’s social-
democratic wave. But Nicaragua and the
United States have a long relationship with
each other, and the United States has taken
a special interest in Nicaragua long before
Ortega and the Sandinista Front, then a
militant revolutionary underground, led a
popular revolution in 1979 against the enduring authoritarian rule of the US-backed
Somoza family.
Repression, Revolution,
and Reaction
“The US has been meddling in
Nicaraguan affairs since the very beginning,” says Susan Heald, an Associate
Professor in the Women’s Studies Program
at the University of Manitoba, and a selfdescribed supporter of the Sandinistas.
For most of the 20th century,
Nicaragua was ruled by the Somozas, a
family dynasty of strongmen who came to
power in the 1920s with US support and
after a series of American military incursions. They ruled through a form of dictatorship backed up by control of the armed
forces, which was interspersed by brief periods of rule by puppet presidents. Under
the Somoza family rule, corruption was
the norm, along with the maintenance of a
highly stratified society, and brutal repression of dissident forces.
The Sandinista National Liberation
Front (FSLN) originated from socialist
and pro-democracy student movements
in the 1960s, and eventually began to
attract peasant and working class support. Eventually the FSLN adopted a socialist ideology with elements of Marxism
and Liberation Theology. The movement
began to grow in prominence
Presidential candidate Daniel Ortega of the Sandinista Front
of National Liberation party (FSLN) greets supporters
Graph
ic :
S arah
S angster
throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, and took up
armed struggle against the regime.
Anastasio Somoza Debayle, son of
Anastasio Somoza Garcia, the strongman
propped up by the US in the ‘20s, was
the last Somoza family member to rule
Nicaragua. His regime was corrupt and
authoritarian, but Somoza’s control of the
National Guard ensured a stranglehold on
power.
However, in 1972, a powerful earthquake hit the capital city of Managua, killing over 10 thousand people and leaving
250 thousand homeless. Somoza and the
National Guard embezzled international
aid money, leaving large parts of the city
unreconstructed. The FSLN began to enjoy
broader public support.
By 1979, American President Jimmy
Carter abandoned support of what was
widely recognized as a brutal, illegitimate
regime, and the FSLN launched an offensive against Somoza’s National Guard.
Combined with a general strike and public
insurrection, the assault was too much for
the regime to withstand, and Somoza fled
to Miami, Florida, where he remained in
exile.
Until 1984, a governing junta, which
included Daniel Ortega, was set up to
govern Nicaragua. The junta included an
array of anti-Somoza groups - though the
FSLN maintained a dominating presence.
The more right-leaning junta members
began to leave the leadership, denouncing the Sandinista’s ‘communist’ policies,
and setting up opposition parties. With the
opposition abstaining from governance,
Ortega became for a time the unelected
de-facto ruler of Nicaragua.
However, in the multi-party elections
of 1984, the Sandinistas won 63 per cent
of the vote, making Ortega President. But
while international observers regarded the
elections as free and fair, the United States
and anti-Sandinista forces (some of which
boycotted the election) rejected the result.
The administration of Ronald Reagan,
which took over from Jimmy Carter in 1980,
was fiercely opposed to the Sandinista
regime from the beginning, seeing it as a
REUTERS/Oswaldo RIvas
puppet of the Soviet Union, which provided funds and other support to the
Nicaraguan government. In addition to
an economic blockade, Reagan’s government supplied funding, training and arms
to the “Contras”, an anti-socialist guerilla movement made up of ex-National
Guardsmen, discontented peasants, and
the business class. Incidents of massacres
and extra-judicial killings committed by
the Contras began to surface, and in 1982,
Congress outlawed their funding. Without
Congress’s knowledge, the program was
continued covertly under the direction of
Oliver North, by selling arms to Iran and
directing the profits to the Contras. The
dealings were revealed in 1986 and generated outrage in the United States, dubbed
the “Iran-Contra Affair”.
Throughout the 1980s, before and
after the election, the Sandinistas instituted reforms such as drafting a new constitution, allowing free labour unions, nationalizing and redistributing land and
wealth, as well as focusing on literacy and
healthcare.
“It was a socialist revolution,” says
Heald. “Its purpose was to take land from
big corporations that mostly were not
owned by anybody in Nicaragua, and distribute it.”
However, many development projects were targeted by Contra forces, in an
effort to destabilize the government. The
many factors responsible are disputed,
but among others, the American economic embargo and a constant state of
civil war meant that even as these reforms
were attempted, the Nicaraguan economy
slumped even lower than during the rule
of the Somozas.
“The Contra war wasn’t the only problem that actually undermined development in Nicaragua. The Sandinistas were
not prepared to rule, that was reality,”
argues Robles. “Most of the people who
came to power were revolutionaries... and
in most cases they made gross socioeconomic mistakes.”
By the time a peace treaty was signed
in 1987, tens of thousands of civilians and
The Uniter
November 23, 2006
FEATURES
war, have unduly influenced elections and
kept the Sandinistas out of the presidency
since 1990. While Ortega has run in every
election since, he was consistently defeated, until now.
parties abandoned any alliance with the
previous government. “If the two liberal
parties had combined... they would have
won about 70 per cent of the vote.”
But at the same time, conditions
in Nicaragua have
A New Course for Nicaragua?
was
in
“The
opposition
fragmented
this
Graph
combatants lost their lives in the ContraSandinista war. While both sides accused
the other of atrocities, Human Rights Watch
notes that Reagan’s policy of “constant hostility” towards Ortega “exaggerated and
distorted the real human rights violations
of the Sandinista regime, and exculpated
those of the U.S.-supported insurgents.”
Among the abuses by the Contras which
Human Rights Watch (known as Americas
Watch at the time) documented were: “indiscriminate attacks on civilians, selectively murdering non-combatants, and
mistreating of prisoners.”
“Families were killed. Families
were split by the Contra fight
that was fully funded by
the United States. There’s
still intense bitterness
over this, and it’s only
a country of five million people,” says
Stephen Randall, Chair
of the Board at the Latin
America Research Centre
at the University of Calgary,
and part of the Carter Center’s
Electoral Observer Mission for this
month’s Nicaraguan election.
With the end of civil war, new elections were held in 1990, and Ortega was
defeated by Violeta Chamorro, a candidate
backed by the various opposition parties.
Her victory ushered in 15 years of conservative governments, which adopted policies of de-regulation and privatization.
“It was a vote to end the war, and yet
nonetheless, Ortega became the first ever
revolutionary leader to democratically turn
over power,” says Heald. “I’ve not seen a lot
of politicians with that kind of integrity.”
Political commentators such as Noam
Chomsky have argued that repeated warnings from the US about renewed economic
sanctions, and the threat of a return to civil
ic
:S
arah
Sangster
election.
And that’s
a very important factor,”
says Randall. The
Constitutional
Liberal
Party, which previously held the
Presidency, has been wracked by corruption charges, and the smaller right-wing
hardly
improved
under free-market ideology.
“I see that the election of Ortega is
a rejection of neo-liberalism. Neo-liberalism has not worked in Latin America,
that’s for sure,” says Robles.
“Even without the Sandinistas in
power, the liberals and conservatives have
done... bugger all to improve the economic
conditions,” agrees Randall.
As in every recent election, American
right-wing politicians exerted pressure
on Nicaraguan voters to choose any candidate other than Ortega. In October,
2006, Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida and
brother to President Bush, had an “open
letter” printed in the Nicaraguan paper
La Prensa. In it, Bush backed the incumbent, Enrique Bolanos, and labeled Ortega
“an enemy of everything the United States
represents”. Bush also wrote: “It is inconceivable that a people would choose to
return to a totalitarian past... The past and
present of Daniel Ortega clearly indicate
that he neither understands nor accepts
the basic principles of freedom, democracy and the free market.”
Oliver North, the architect of the
Iran-Contra funding scheme, was also in
Nicaragua to endorse Bolanos.
“In Oliver North’s rather warped
mind, Ortega is still the instrument of the
Kremlin,” says Randall. “Almost 20 years
after the end of the cold war, you’ve still
got this mentality about Nicaragua which
is a very minor, utterly insignificant country in terms of strategic importance.”
But Randall argues that at least in
this election, American pressure likely did
more harm than good for their favoured
candidates. “People have very long memories as far as the United States is concerned... When you talk to people, they
don’t like foreigners telling them what to
11
do, anymore than we would in Canada.”
Even if Ortega’s election win does symbolize a rejection of neo-liberal politics, an
upsurge in anti-American feeling, or a resurgence of nostalgia for Sandinista-style
social justice, it’s not clear that Ortega’s
win will mean significant change for a desperately poor country in which nearly
half the population
lives on a less than a
dollar a day, and 68
per cent of the population earns only 20 per
cent of the wealth, according to UN and independent studies.
“The election of Ortega
might be perceived as an opportunity for Nicaraguans to
change the socio-economic
plan which they have been following...” says Robles, “But I’m
skeptical, because Nicaragua has
very limited capacities to make
drastic changes.”
Nicaragua is burdened with a
heavy foreign debt - three times the
Gross Domestic Product. The country has been dependent on foreign aid
from the United States, and has worked
closely with the IMF and World Bank relationships Ortega has promised not
to abandon. He has also been conciliatory towards the business community, although fear-mongering from opponents
plagued his campaign.
“He will have to find some middle
ground, particularly with the business
elite - he cannot afford to alienate them.
But also, the business elite has to recognize that it is in their best interests to find
a common strategy,” says Robles. “I don’t
think (the Sandinistas) are going to push
socialism under Ortega now. There will
maybe be social democracy, but even so,
Nicaragua has very little capacity to move
autonomously.”
Still, it seems significant that now
that an American administration full of familiar faces from the ‘80s is on the wane,
a leftist political movement with which
the US then did proxy battle seems to be
on the rise. Taken together with the election of leaders such as Morales in Bolivia,
and Chavez in Venezuela, along with
more moderate leaders like Lula in Brazil,
‘America’s backyard’ may not seem so
green and friendly anymore. This is particularly so now that Chavez seems to be
trying to create a network of sympathetic
leftist governments. But Randall doubts
Chavez has much to do with the changing
scene in Nicaragua.
“(Ortega’s) links to Chavez will be
troubling... but he has to get oil and gasoline from somewhere. The link with Chavez
is a fairly natural one,” says Randall. At the
same time, “People don’t really care about
Chavez. They see him as a loudmouth
demagogic individual.”
“The United States has taken Latin
America for granted for a long time,” offers
Robles. “The... priority right now is in the
Middle East... The United States’ influence
in Latin America has waned.”
Daniel Ortega may or may not have
changed as much as the global balances
of power have since the Sandinista’s
heyday. It may not matter what he believes, so much as it matters what he can
practically accomplish. If nothing else,
his globally recognized re-election may
finally demonstrate that Nicaragua has
achieved what the American Right has
tried to force on the country for decades
- freedom.
November 23, 2006
12
The Uniter
ARTS & CULTURE
Arts & Culture
Arts & Culture: M ik e L
e wis
Staff Reporter: K e nt on Smit h
Art that Requires Explanation
Ksenia Prints
Beat reporter
A
rt can come in various shapes and
forms. The Mennonite Heritage
Centre Gallery (MHCG) believes
that it can come from a variety of different
faiths as well. The gallery’s annual Why
Art? Exhibition proudly flaunts a banner
that art can originate from all walks of life.
By presenting a wide range of works from
artists of various backgrounds and levels
of expertise, Why Art?3 challenges the
senses as well as the intellect.
This exhibition does not revolve
around a theme. In fact, many of its pieces
seem detached, while others gain an air of
uniqueness. The only guideline was that
each artist should choose up to five pieces
that best embodied his or her essence.
The piece should be accompanied by a
brief explanation of why they create art.
The submitted works were then juried
by Agatha Doerksen and Karen Cornelius,
who are themselves experienced artists.
“They choose what artwork they
think is the best example of that artist, or
of the highest quality,” says Ruth Maendel,
the exhibit’s interim curator (Ray Dirks,
the usual curator, is currently in Ghana).
The pieces of 28 artists were eventually
selected.
Surprisingly, God and religion were
not prevailing themes at the show. While
several artists did mention them in their
texts, faith was largely absent from the
paintings and sculptures themselves.
According to Alf Redekopp, the MHCG’s
director, religion is not a factor in choosing what artwork to present.
“We’re a Christian place, Mennonite
is a Christian tradition, but we believe in
dialogue with artists from across traditions,” he says.
Despite the fact that many of the artists are amateurs, some works simply leap
from the gallery’s walls. Why Art?3 does
not discriminate based on style, medium
or even age. Emily Enns, an 11th grader
from outside of Winnipeg, brings in a refreshing touch of naivety with her untitled
work. It is a cartoonish depiction of war
and peace that hints at the bigger issues
facing today’s teens.
Jean Wiens also delves into childlike
styles in her quartet of paintings. Her depictions of important life scenes turn grotesque due to strange, unproportionate
forms and surreal compositions.
In another series of paintings, Gerald
Folkers handles what others prefer not
to touch. His Head Over Heels series
capture the gentle beauty of the underdogs marvellously. Under Folkers’ brush,
they become the Venuses and Adonises of
the streets.
Almost all artwork in the show is
for sale. The gallery takes a minor
commission.
“This encourages artists, because
they know they’ll get most of the proceeds back,” says Maendel. The artists themselves decide on the prices, as
well as what to do with the earnings. For
example, Clyde Finlay pledged to donate
all proceeds from the sale of Fraud
to charity.
The priciest painting in the gallery is one by Raymond Page, a realist
graphite creation titled Escape. It depicts what looks like an old Johnny Depp,
with a slightly surrealist twist. Dali would
be proud.
Photography also had its place in
the exhibition. Linda Calder’s monochrome photographs create an odd
piece, but one that is oddly beautiful.
Sandra Sommerville’s piece challenges
the viewer by turning nature upside
down and turning it into a Rorschach
ink stain.
Doreen Doherty captures the eye
with her Windswept Sunflowers. The title
takes on a new meaning with the realization the artist is a cancer patient. Done
while in chemo, her windswept flowers
speak of fears and dreams of floating towards something better.
Much else could be said about Why
Art?3. In two rooms overflowing with immensely different works, each will find
gems and pitfalls. But the most interesting part of this journey is the pairing of
art with the accompanying texts. This is
a show that truly celebrates spirit, and
to understand some creations, one must
listen to why they were made.
Why Art?3 runs at the Mennonite
Heritage Centre Gallery, located in
the Canadian Mennonite University,
Nov. 17 – Jan. 13
Sarah Slean Keeping Things Simple
Sarah Slean performing live in Toronto
Aaron Epp
Volunteer Staff
T
here’s something to be said for
keeping things simple. That’s what
Canadian singer/songwriter Sarah
Slean thinks, anyway.
Slean has just released Orphan Music,
a CD that is both a live and studio recording, showcasing stripped-down versions of
her songs. The solo live performances were
recorded in December 2005 in Toronto
and Vancouver. The in-studio performances—featuring only voice, piano, and
string quartet—were recorded at Toronto’s
DNA Studios and Kensaltown Studios in
London, UK.
PHOTO: YEN
Orphan Music is Slean’s fifth album,
and the follow-up to 2004’s critically acclaimed Day One. She is currently touring Canada in support of the CD, and will
play the West End Cultural Centre Monday
Nov. 27.
Slean says she released Orphan
Music because fans have been asking for
stripped-down versions of her previously
released material for a while. The simplicity of the recordings was also inspired by
the seven months she spent living in Paris,
France this year.
“I sat in a small room with a white piano
and reacquainted myself with the song, and
its three parts: rhythm, chord, and melody,”
she says. “That’s what drew me to songwriting in the first place: the simplicity, and how
those three elements work together.”
The UK recordings were engineered
and produced by Martin Terefe (Ron
Sexsmith, Yusuf Islam), while the Canadian
recordings were produced by Slean and engineered by I Mother Earth guitarist Jagori
Tanna.
In addition to writing and recording
music, Slean paints, writes poetry, and has
experimented with photography. She is hesitant to label herself a painter or photographer, though.
“I’m a musician, and would never profess to be any of those other things. I’m a
songwriter, and what works in me are words
and music. It’s the union of those two things
that I want to master. Painting and photography are just other facets of that same creative urge.”
Slean once told an interviewer, “I really
want to make great art. I’m obsessed with
it.” So what makes a work of art ‘great’?
“If I knew that, I’d be a millionaire,” she
says. “Either that, or I would die in obscurity… I think a great work of art endures. It
endures because it somehow resonates in
our humanity. People will always need art—
I know this in my soul to be true. Humans
are always asking questions like ‘Why am I
here?’ I think the greatest art distils that and
shows the longing of humanity. We’ll never
know the answers to many of life’s questions, but it’s the role of art to attempt to
answer them nonetheless.”
This is what Slean tries to do with her
music.
“I’m constantly asking myself the hard
questions. In trying to answer them, I can
only look at my own life. It’s like that quotation from Gandhi: ‘You must be the change
you wish to see in the world.’ I think that’s
an appropriate analogy for what I do musically. I draw on personal experiences that
hopefully resonate on a universal level.”
Slean is hoping to record a new album
next year, and the aim—as with Orphan
Music—will be to do more with less.
“I’m a kid in a candy store when you
give me options,” she says. “In the past,
I’ve become a bit of a mad scientist in the
studio, trying different things. But, on the
next album, I want to keep things simple.
It takes courage to reign in every impulse.
Maybe I’m not strong enough to do it, but
maybe I am. We’ll see.”
See Sarah Slean perform at the West
End Cultural Centre on Monday, Nov. 27th at
8 p.m. Tickets are $20.75 at Ticketmaster. You
can visit her online at www.sarahslean.com.
Sarah Slean live in Buffalo
PHOTO: MICHAEL S.
The Uniter
November 23, 2006
ARTS & CULTURE
13
Stranger than Fiction
Directed by Marc Forster
113 minutes
Reviewed by Kevin P. Gabel
Dustin Hoffman and Will Ferrell in Stranger than Fiction
allmoviephoto.com
“Little did he know that events had
been set in motion that would lead to his
imminent death.”
Sounds interesting, right? Not when
you’re the “he” in question. This is the
exact problem facing Harold Crick (Will
Ferrell); he wakes up one morning and
suddenly hears the cool, collected voice of
an Englishwoman narrating every aspect
of his life (with a few nasty bits of foreshadowing thrown in).
Stranger than Fiction is a decisive
step forward for Ferrell; a mainstay on
Saturday Night Live for seven years, he
branched out (and quite successfully,
too) into the world of feature films, primarily comedies such as Anchorman: The
Legend of Ron Burgundy. While no one
will mistake his antics for high drama,
Ferrell hasn’t been restricted to goof ball
characters either; he’s appeared in Winter
Passing, a somber indie flick, and Melinda
and Melinda, a Woody Allen movie which
happens to contain certain thematic elements common to Stranger than Fiction>.
It is this new film, however, which will
firmly establish Will Ferrell as a truly versatile actor.
Ferrell has a knack for throwing himself completely into whichever part he
plays—be it a 1970s anchorman, a NASCAR
driver, or Lucifer himself—without betraying any hint of being in on the joke. There
are indeed a few jokes in Stranger than
Fiction, but most of the material is treated
seriously—to the film’s credit.
He’s displayed a lot of outlandish behaviour in previous roles, and one might
expect Ferrell to go way over the top with
the role of a possible schizophrenic, but
he never comes close. He gives a subtle,
subdued performance, which is absolutely right. A lesser film would have the
main character in hysterics in the final
act, but Harold carries on with an admirable sense of dignity.
Back to the main story—now that
Harold’s death has been foretold by an
unseen narrator, what can he do about
it? He goes to see a shrink (who ends up
being less than helpful) and then seeks
help from Jules Hilbert (Dustin Hoffman),
a literary professor.
It is here that the film explores intriguing territory. If it’s safe to assume that
Harold is in some kind of story, Hilbert sug-
gests that Harold try to figure out whether
he is in a comedy or a tragedy—after all:
if he’s in a comedy, he gets married, and if
he’s in a tragedy, he gets buried.
This is Zach Helm’s first screenplay, and it’s quite a clever one—playing with the forms and structures of storytelling itself without once breaking the
fourth wall. The scenes with Hoffman and
Ferrell are wonderful because they are so
fundamentally logical—after all, if a man
knew he was a character in a story, of
course he’d use everything that is known
about literature and literary conventions
in order to shape the story’s outcome.
Comparisons to Charlie Kaufman are
not unfounded; Helm is a screenwriter to
watch out for.
In order to nudge his story into the
realm of comedy, Harold (an IRS employee) embarks on a relationship with
Ana Pascal (Maggie Gyllenhaal), the
woman he is currently auditing. She tells
Harold to “get bent” when they first meet,
so how can a relationship between the two
not be comedic?
Meanwhile, the author of Harold’s
story, Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson), is
stymied as to how to actually kill Harold,
so her publishers bring in an assistant
(Queen Latifah) to help her overcome her
writer’s block. The assistant may not be
worth writing home about, but Thompson
as Karen is so interesting that it wouldn’t
be inconceivable for her to have carried
the picture herself (or to have starred in
an Adaptation-ish film of her own).
Karen is a shell of a human being—a
mucous-spewing chain-smoker who daydreams about sudden, violent deaths that
she might be able to inflict upon her main
characters (who always die at the end of
each novel). She receives a memorable
(and particularly apt) introduction, standing atop a high-rise and looking down on
the people below. She is a godlike figure,
and the audience realizes that she would
indeed be a god to the characters she is
writing.
As Harold moves closer and closer to
the end of his story, a sense of doom starts
creeping in—helped in no small part by
the presence of two characters who seem
superfluous, but who just may be part of
the grand design. The principal actors do
some great work here; Emma Thompson
has several scenes near the end which are
just heartbreaking.
The plot is intriguing, the characters
are engaging; all the elements are in place
and they come together to form a memorable little gem of a movie.
November 23, 2006
14
Arts & Culture Editor: M ik e L e w is
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
The Uniter
ARTS & CULTURE
Warhol meets Wario
Kevin Gillich
MONTREAL (CUP) – When you
think experimental and independent
art, what comes to mind?
Maybe a rock band that doesn’t
need guitars. Or perhaps a painting of a
soup can. What about a duo of plumbers that rescue a princess from evil turtles by eating various magic fungi and
plants?
All right, that last one was probably
not the best example. However, while
the latest Super Mario Bros. game qual-
ifies as neither experimental nor independent, in time video games may
become the next venue for unique and
creative art. At least, that’s what the
people at Kokoromi are hoping for.
A Montreal-based collective of independent game developers, Kokoromi
– Japanese for “experiment” – aims to
create artistic and experimental video
games and promote these games as an
art form.
Having just completed their first
successful game-art event – GAMMA
01: Audio Feed – and already planning for GAMMA 02, the members of
Kokoromi spoke about what they hope
The Link (Concordia University)
95.9 FM CKUW Campus/Community
Radio Top 10 CD – Albums
NOVEMBER 13 - 19, 2006
! = Local content * = Canadian Content RE=Re Entry NE = New Entry
LW TWArtistRecordingLabel
3
1
*Various Artists Radio 3 Sessions 1
2
!Nathan
10
6
4
!D. Rangers
The Paw-Paw Patch
12
*Decemberists
The Crane Wife
8
6
*Kinnie Star
Anything
5
7
*Subhumans
New Dark Age Parade
*The Dears
Gang of Losers
Sweet Something Steady
RE
Casserole
3 Ivan Hrvatska
5
8
7
9
!Romi Mayes
4
10 *Amy Millan
Mint
Nettwerk
Seasons of Love (Party All Year) Coconut Dreams
Dollartone
EMI
Violet Inch/Maple Music
G7
Maple Music
Independent
Honey from the Tombs Arts & Crafts
Independent developers Kokoromi encourage
creation of artistic, experimental video games
will become Montreal’s next indie
scene.
“What we’re trying to do with
[GAMMA] is start a kind of counter-culture to balance out the major [companies] in video games,” said Kokoromi
member Phil Fish.
“We don’t have an independent circuit. I mean, yes, there are independent
games on the Internet you can download but there is no real circuit. There’s
no counter-culture.”
The video game industry, as with
most industries, isn’t the most supportive when it comes to creative expression
and experimentation. Encouraging independently developed games will this
provide new experience for gamers and
allow developers to express themselves
in a way that wouldn’t be possible at
their nine-to-five jobs.
“[Working in video games] is an
awesome job,” explained Fish, “but as
an independent creator, as an artist, it
can be quite suffocating sometimes.
“You want an outlet to just let loose
and go nuts and not have to worry, ‘Is
this game gonna sell, is it gonna get
the right demographic?’ Just go nuts,
do whatever we want, and just expose
these games to people.”
An independent video game scene
in Montreal doesn’t seem like that far of
a stretch. However, despite the abundance of talented programmers in the
city, there are a few obstacles that need
to be overcome.
“The people with the necessary
skills to build the games are pretty
much all working in video games,” said
Fish, who himself works in the video
game industry. “It’s very time consuming, it’s very energy consuming.”
Actually, making a video game that
functions – let alone is fun to play –
is a challenge in itself. While the required tools to learn are becoming
more accessible, computer programming still isn’t something you can
learn in six easy steps.
“It’s not like a guitar where you
can just pick it up and learn three
chords,” said Heather Kelley, another
member of Kokoromi.
“It’s getting easier . . . It’s easier
to find out what games are about and
people have played a lot more of them
so they understand them a lot better.
But it’s still really, really, really hard
compared to doing something like
picking up a camcorder or some other
tool that has been a little further developed.”
“It’s easy to make a bad movie or
to make a bad song, but even making a
bad game is still hard,” added Fish.
Despite these challenges, the
members of Kokoromi have a good
feeling that video games will catch
on as an art form. If the success of
their first event is any indication, then
Montreal will be seeing more video
game galas in the future.
“We’re just trying to give people a
reason to bust their asses and make a
cool game. The payoff here is, ‘Hey, you
made the game and then we have this
huge party and everybody is drinking
and dancing and they play your game
and they love it,’” said Fish.
“We want gaming cultural events.
I go to rock shows, I go to art shows, I
want to go to [video] game shows.”
For more info about Kokoromi and
upcoming GAMMA events, visit www.
kokoromi.org.
Arts & Culture Editor: M
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
ik e L e w is
November 23, 2006
ARTS & CULTURE
cd REviews
15
book REview
From A Second Story Window
Librarians
Deftones
Jocko 2006
Postfact Records 2006
Maverick 2006
Delenda
The Uniter
Alright Easy Candy Stranger
In order to resolve the dilemma of trying to review
these guys you can read
some of the quotes from
their website, where they
state that they are making
music for “attention-deficit people,” trying to
convey a message of loneliness, isolation, forgetting about
this world and dreaming of the next one” in a “age of psychological oppression.” The music can be compared to that of
Darkest Hour in that it is loud, all over the place and derived
from a lot of the sentiments previously mentioned. Their musical goal, to destroy everything in their path, is passed off by
means of technical metal-core that incorporates elements of
death metal and black metal. The lead singer often sounds
like he is trying to imitate a wild boar out for revenge against
the world. Seeming out of place are the comparatively quiet
and surprisingly touching “For Those Lost,” and “Ghosts over
Japan,” revealing to non-metal fans the talent to diversify
and explore their musical potential should choose to do so.
The second album from
this Morgantown, West
Virginia band delivers
an interesting punch
of funky post-punk alternative music, if that
makes any sense. They
don’t seem too confined within any specific main stream genre, other than
independent, managing to combine sounds reminiscent
of everything from David Bowie and Beck to the Talking
Heads. The album offers something that can be sat back
and enjoyed while driving or at home, but could easily be
danced to with songs like “Culture Vulture” or “Come on
White Girl” and, with a little bit of discipline and diversification this band could easily join the ranks of contemporary groups like The Arcade Fire, The Killers or We Are
Scientists. Definitely something to keep one’s eye on to
see where they go.
www.fromasecondstorywindow.com
-Stephen Spence
www.myspace.com/librarians
-Stephen Spence
Saturday Night Wrist
Sometimes a little family
dysfunction can be a
good thing. Four years,
three producers, and one
band-break-up
led
to the making of the
Deftones’s best work to
date. For long-time fans
of the band, 2000’s White Pony was the pinnacle of the band’s
achievement in terms of diversity, intensity and beauty. The
self-titled follow-up in 2002, though definitely containing song
great work, nevertheless left fans wanting. Saturday Night
Wrist takes the White Pony album, buries it, and leaves it for
dead. The albums first single, “Hole in the Earth” addresses the
band’s near demise in the chorus “I hate all my friends/they
all lack taste sometimes/there’s a hole in the Earth/I’m out”.
Other tracks such as “Cherry Waves”, “Xerces”, and “Riviere”
show the Deftones’s sensitive side, while tracks like “Rapture”,
“Beware”, and “Combat” are hell unleashed. The album even
features the first instrumental from the band “U, U, D, D, L, R, L,
R, A, B, Select, Start”, the title being a reference to the powerup code found in nearly every Konami Nintendo game. In terms
of mood, Saturday Night Wrist runs from one end of the spectrum to the other, but unlike many albums, it manages to do
so seamlessly going from agonizing-dull-fork-in-eye-rage to
haunting-melancholy-I’m-slitting-my-wrists-slowly beauty.
Worth picking up for anyone.
www.deftones.com
-Mike Lewis
The Penelopiad: The Myth of
Penelope and Odysseus”
Margaret Atwood
Vintage Canada Edition
(division of Random House), 2006
Reviewed by Erin McIntyre
Volunteer Staff
The Penelopiad
is a unique and
modern take on an
old favorite. This No.
1 National Bestseller
takes the primary
source of Homer’s
Odyssey and adds a
feminist edge by retelling the story from the perspective of Odysseus’ wife,
Penelope. Atwood’s characterization of Penelope is intense, inventive and relatable. Penelope is telling the story
from Hades, running into characters from life through out
the story. One such character is Penelope’s famed cousin
Helen of Troy, hated by Penelope. The character of Helen
was essentially the only comic relief in the story, presented as a sex kitten even beyond the grave Helen acts
as a constant point of contention for Penelope. Penelope’s
insecurity at being Helen’s “plain cousin,” couples nicely
TEDIOUS MINUTIAE
with her distrust of men and awkward relationship with
Or: Ineffectively Detailing One’s Cultural Consumption for the Uncaring Installment 2.11
teenaged girl in the country, adding a decidedly modern
Read: Al Franken, The Truth, pp. 1 – 111
her father to make her representative of nearly every
Number of times The Uniter Managing Editor smeared: 1
twist to the story. However the tragedy of The Penelopiad
is not truly Penelope’s own. In Homer it is briefly mentioned that when Odysseus returns from his years at sea,
he hangs Penelope’s twelve maids who had been involved
sexually with men who had temporarily captured his
Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson
[email protected]
Don’t take my word for it – go to www.hannity.com
and check this guy out.
The Uniter claims a fair and decent voice
for the University of Winnipeg community. But Jo
estate. Atwood switches the focus on this incident, claiming instead that Penelope had told her maids to engage in
Anyhow, for every one of Hannity’s statements
Snyder has other ideas. You see, in a paper she
Whilst careening my way through that series,
he debunks, Franken makes up an egregious lie
co-authored for the Canadian Centre for Policy
and get more information from them. Some of the maids
I’ve also been reading a few books simultane-
about Hannity: “I happen to think that whether
Alternatives, Snyder says there are “legitimate
were even raped, and had no desire to be physically in-
ously, not the least of which is Al Franken’s The
or not you support the U.S. Postal Service, you
concerns regarding the inadequacy of Manitoba’s
volved with these men. Atwood turns these twelve maids
Truth (with jokes). Franken, a staunch Democrat,
should never pee in mailboxes while drunk. That’s
current minimum wage policy.” The current wage
into a second set of narrators, acting as a Greek chorus in
has never failed to garner a chuckle from yours
what I believe. Unlike Sean” (94).
for Uniter columnists? Zero dollars.
between scenes.
truly whenever he’s appeared on late-night talk
sexual relationships with these men so as to buy her time
Franken outlines the three pillars on which
Higher minimum wage, or no wage at all?
All of these elements create an interesting read and
Bush won the 2004 presidential election: Fear,
Don’t you think it’s time Jo Snyder told students
innovative concept, however it is not a pleasure read by
The Truth (so far – I’m on p.111) covers the
Smear, and Queers (I haven’t yet gotten to the
where she stands on minimum wage?
any stretch of the imagination. Unlike a true Greek drama,
2004 American Presidential campaign, dissecting
third). In “Smear”, Franken is apparently over-
senior White House advisor Karl Rove’s seriously-
come and rushed to the hospital after the chapter
diabolic tactics in returning George W. Bush to the
explaining Rove’s involvement in ruining numer-
White House. Franken offers close readings of
ous would-be politicians’ lives, including the
speeches and statements by senior Republicans
questionable “Swift Boat Veterans For Truth”.
shows.
I’m Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson, and I approve
this message.
there is no catharsis, no cleansing, no sense that order
could potentially be restored. Instead Penelope is literally haunted in Hades by the hung maids whose feet are
Hey… twisting the truth around is actu-
still “twitching” and won’t touch the ground; a little in-
ally pretty fun! It’s pretty easy to combine two
tense. The extremist focus on the maids, besides leaving
Watching the political advertisements in the
unrelated subjects in order to scare people,
the reader incredibly depressed, slightly distorts the story
2004 presidential election was an exercise in not
and I really enjoyed the hypothetical questions
line as well. What would seem to be fundamental issues
But Franken is able to keep the laughs
letting my foot go crashing through my television
at the end.
(does Penelope really love Odysseus? Can she reconcile
a-comin’; for example, in a chapter entitled “A
screen. I know, it’s all relative, but the fact that
with her son so full of teen angst?) are left either entirely
Brief Recuperative Debunk”, he takes apart an
some think-tank types are sitting around trying
un-addressed, or are touched only briefly.
anti-Kerry rant made by right-wing mouthpiece
to figure out how to best destroy an otherwise-
Lying liar: [email protected]
Sean Hannity. If you don’t know who Sean Hannity
upstanding citizen’s reputation is pretty gross.
Lies: tediousminutiae.blogspot.com
(oops… I almost type “senor” Republicans), then
handily disproves almost every sentence.
is, consider yourself lucky; he does a radio show
in the U.S., and has a show or two on FOX News.
OK, let me try. Imagine this in a deep, yet
sinisterly questioning voice. Ahem…
A good read, but definitely a heavy one, The
Penelopiad quite truly requires some level of mental preparation. Please take all precautions necessary to avoid
losing total faith in the human condition.
November 23, 2006
16
The Uniter
Arts & Culture Editor: M ik e L e w is
Phone: 786-9790
Fax: 783-7080
ARTS & CULTURE
Video killed the American President
Dramockumentary ‘Death of a President’ distorts reality to reveal greater truth
Briefs
Compiled by Jo Snyder
No one is more punk
than MacKaye
Ian MacKaye, the most ethical musician alive, has outdone himself once again.
The Fugazi front man and founder of Dischord
Records has teamed up with Inner Ear studios (Q & Not U, Fugazi, Dismemberment Plan
have all recorded there) to offer free recording sessions. It’s called the DC Free Recording
Project and it’s about to make everyone feel
like greedy little not-punk-enough-commercial bastards. The catch is though, in the same
vein as Dischord Records, the bands have to
be from DC. Boo to that! But you only get five
hours to record anyway, and who can make a
record in five hours? Who can do anything in
five hours?
MySpace: a place for
copyright infringement
Universal Music Group is suing
MySpace: a place for friends, the popular website, for copyright infringement the CBC reported last Friday. UMG claims that MySpace:
a place for social networking, is essentially
aiding and abetting in robbery of music and
film that users post on their sites. The issue
is authorization and UMG feels that artists are
not compensated properly for their work. This
isn’t the first time an artist or music industry
powerhouse has confronted MySpace.com.
Last spring, political folk hero and English
Patriot Billy Bragg warned users of the small
print when signing up for a music site, letting
fans and fellow musicians know that MySpace:
a place for poorly worded small print, owned
the rights to songs uploaded to the website.
MySpace quickly responded to panicked musicians everywhere but modifying it’s licensing agreement. The website says they do not
condone copyright in any way and are calling
UMG’s lawsuit “meritless”. MySpace: a place
for misplaced suffixes that lead to words that
don’t exist in the dictionary.
CUP FILE PHOTO
Greg Ursic
The Ubyssey (University of British Columbia)
VANCOUVER (CUP) – Unassuming in
his black suit, Gabriel Range stands a slim
six feet tall, and speaks politely in a soft
voice. He doesn’t exactly fit the image of a
man accused of killing the president of the
United States, something he freely admits to
and is only too willing to talk about.
Set in the near future (October 2007),
Range’s dramockumentary “Death of a
President” (DOAP) examines the effects that
the assassination of President Bush has on
the ongoing response to the “war on terror”
and the ensuing rush to judgment.
Not surprisingly, it has generated a lot
of controversy: three U.S. theatre chains
have already said they won’t carry the film,
several newspapers and television outlets won’t advertise it, and there has been a
general outcry from the political right in
the U.S.
So how does a congenial fellow like
Range go about committing a capital crime
on celluloid?
“I just didn’t wake up and say ‘Shit, I’m
going to kill President Bush,’” laughs Range,
a Brit.
“Presidential assassinations have a peculiar significance in the U.S. given the history and there are very emotive and striking
ways of looking at what’s happening today
using the lens of the future. [Bush’s assassination] seemed to be a good way to examine
how the war on terror has been handled.”
The film, originally written for Britain’s
Channel 4, is now screening in North
America. The U.S. response, however, has
been decidedly less welcoming than that of
other countries. Range notes nonchalantly,
“there were some death threats and there
was some very clear anger . . . [when] the
film was announced,” yet he’s still a bit confused about the backlash.
“I was surprised. I mean that initial
knee-jerk reaction was very much based
upon the notion that the film is some kind
of polemic that would be reveling in the
moment of President Bush’s assassination.”
Anyone expecting a Zapruder-like spectacle will be sadly disappointed: the shooting scene is as brief as it is bloodless.
“It was very important that the assassination was a horrific event, but also that
it wasn’t gratuitous in the way that it was
shown,” says Range. “The more recent reviews in the American press have been that
it’s sensitive, compelling, thought-provoking, and not this disgusting rant.”
While the bulk of the film’s protest
scenes were culled from archival footage of
protests against the Iraq War in Chicago in
2003 and 2006, key sequences with “battles”
between police and demonstrators were
staged.
This required obtaining the requisite
film permits, and Range approached the
challenge of walking into the city offices and
saying that he wanted to film “Death of a
President” by being forthcoming – sort of.
“Generally we would go by the name
DOAP and very few people would ask what
it stood for.”
He clearly realized that a detailed synopsis wasn’t an option.
“It would have been very hard indeed
to make this film in Chicago if the world
knew we were making a film about the assassination of President Bush.”
The acronym – DOAP (pronounced
“dope”) – wasn’t a deliberate pun, Range
said.
“A total fluke actually,” Range says with
apparent glee. But it didn’t stop the crew
from having fun with passersby.
“A few people asked the crew in Chicago
what it stood for. Generally the answer was
it was a British movie – ‘Ducks on a Pond’ –
and they imagined it was some kind of romantic comedy.”
The interviews in the movie were the
“second hardest” part of the shoot, Range
says.
“It’s a very unforgiving form of acting
because we as an audience are used to
seeing real people talking to the camera, so
our bullshit detectors are turned up really
high when we watch an actor do it and we’re
really looking for any crack in the performance.”
Ensuring believability is crucial to the
story – if the audience doesn’t buy the interviews, the premise is compromised. Range
and his crew were keenly aware of this and
sought out an “unknown” cast.
“When you recognize a person as ‘that
actor,’ I think the illusion is shattered.” It
also proved to be a challenge for the actors
as “it’s a very unforgiving kind of acting as
you have none of the tools normally available to an actor.”
Actors were given a basic idea about
their character, and enrolled in workshops.
When they were finally given a script a short
time before filming, they were instructed to
“read it a couple of times but don’t learn it.”
Range says he hopes the movie makes
people “really question the way the war on
terror is being handled . . . and how 9-11 has
been connected with the war in Iraq.”
“The jury in Toronto [at the Toronto
International Film Festival] said . . . that
the film distorted reality to reveal a greater
truth. If that’s what an audience feels when
they walk out then I’m thrilled.”
Volunteer for The Uniter
Tired of having other people write the news?
Come on out to our News Storyboard meetings every Monday at 12:30 p.m.
in The Uniter office, room ORM14 on the mezzanine in the Bulman Centre.
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Come on out to our Arts & Culture meetings every Wednesday afternoon at 12:30 p.m.
Listings Coordinator: N ic k
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
W e ig e l dt
November 23 ONWARDS
ON CAMPUS
ONGOING
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PARTNERS needed in the Language
Partner Program, U of W Continuing
Education Campus, 294 William
Avenue. Language partners are native
(or fluent) English speaking volunteers
who give ESL (English as a Second
Language ) students an opportunity
to practice speaking English outside
of the classroom and to learn more
about the Canadian way of life. The
day and time partners meet is flexible.
The time commitment is 1-2 hrs/week.
Contact Rina Monchka, 982-1151;
[email protected].
UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG
TOASTMASTERS Meetings are
held regularly on Friday mornings
at 7:15 a.m. with the first meeting of
the year to take place Friday, Sept. 8
in Room 2M70. Students, faculty,
and members of the community are
welcome. It’s an opportunity to improve confidence in public speaking
and writing, share your creativity, meet
a diverse group of people, and become
a leader. Come and be our guest! For
more info call 284-5081.
EVENTS
BUY NOTHING DAY SCAVENGER HUNT Join the SCM
in turning up some alternatives to a consumer culture that
puts profits before people. Meet at the
escalators, on the first floor of Centennial Hall. Nov. 24, 2006, 4-6 p.m.
Check out www.scmcanada.org/uwinnipeg for further details.
THE UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG DOWNTOWN JAZZ BAND
“Come out and sample some jazz...
from swing to latin... and even a little
somethin’ for the kids.” Nov. 27, 12:30
– 1:20 p.m. in Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall,
University of Winnipeg. Free admission.
THE UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG FILIPINO STUDENTS’
ASSOCIATION’S General Meeting
on Nov. 27 from 12:30 – 1:20 p.m. in
room 2C16.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE STUDIES
Career Information Session. Nov. 29,
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Duckworth
Centre Mezzanine. Students and
alumni interested in a career in criminal justice are invited to network with
recruiters and learn about opportunities in different justice sectors. Bring
your resumes!
ADVENT SERVICE AND RECEPTION Nov. 29 at 12 p.m. in Bryce
Hall Chapel. The Faculty of Theology,
University of Winnipeg invites you to
attend an Advent Liturgy with Communion. Reception for the Dedication
of the Deer Lodge Commemorative
Seminar and Conference Room to
follow, First Floor Bryce Hall. Please
join us as we enter mindfully into the
Season of Advent and share with us as
we anticipate the season with students,
colleagues, family and friends.
DR. DOUGLAS W. LEATHERDALE GLOBAL INTERNSHIP
FORUM Nov. 29, 2 – 3:15 p.m. in
room 2M70. Join us as the inaugural
Internship Program participants share
their experiences. Erin Briscoe worked
in Madagascar with a local environmental NGO; Lindsay Porteous worked
in the area of HIV/AIDS research in
Kenya; Katie Josephson did her teaching practicum in a school in Costa
Rica environmental studies-based
curriculum. With special guest Dr. D.
W. Leatherdale. Everyone welcome.
THE UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG FILIPINO STUDENTS’
ASSOCIATION is holding a pot-
luck/study session on Dec. 4 from 12
p.m. to 3 p.m. in room 2C11.
VIRTUOSI CONCERTS presents
“Classical & Latin* with Papa Mambo
and Alma Petchersky, piano. Dec. 9, 8
p.m. Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, University of Winnipeg. Tickets: $29 adults
Want to submit your listing to Uniter Listings? Email your listings to [email protected]
Deadline for submissions is Wednesday, eight days before the issue you’d like your
listing to first appear in. The Uniter publishes on Thursdays, 25 times a year.
/ $27 seniors / $17 students. Contact
786-9000 or www.virtuosi.mb.ca. Free
Parking available in the CBC Lot, accessed via Young Street.
WORKSHOPS AND
SEMINARS
MATH / STATS
STUDENTS’
ASSOCIATION
MATH PROBLEM-SOLVING
WORKSHOPS by Dr. J. Currie.
Every Monday, 1:30-2:20 p.m. in room
3C29. For students planning to try
either of the upcoming math competitions or for students simply interested
in learning some techniques for solving interesting math problems.
COUNSELLING AND
CAREER SERVICES
The University of Winnipeg Career
Services is offering a series of
Free Career Workshops, open to
all students at the University of
Winnipeg and the Collegiate. The
workshops will be held in the Career
Resource Centre (0GM09). To sign
up, stop by the Counselling Services
office(0GM06), email careerresource@
uwinnipeg.ca, or phone 786-9231.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DO YOU LIKE WORKING WITH
NEWCOMER
CHILDREN?
Do you believe you can change our
community? If so, consider volunteering with some of our programs. The
Citizenship Council of Manitoba Inc.
International Centre is looking for
student volunteers to help new arrivals to Canada learn English and feel
welcome in our country. Opportunities
exist for volunteers to give their time
and support to the Centre’s Immigrant
Children and Youth Programs including Sports Activities for Newcomer
Kids, Empowerment for Newcomer
Youth, Newcomer Buddy Welcome
Program and our After Class Education Program. If you’d like to help out,
contact Si-il Park at 943-9158 ext 285
or 688-1941.
JUICE JOURNAL The deadline for
creative writing submissions for juice
7, a University of Winnipeg creative
writing journal is Jan. 15, 2007. Send
us your fiction & creative non-fiction:
10 double-spaced pages maximum;
poetry: 6 poems maximum,; and
drama: 20 script page maximum. To
be considered, all submissions must
include: your name, U of W student
#, complete mailing address, phone
number and email address. All submissions must be in 8 1/2 x 11 format,
numbered & include the author’s name
on every page. Submissions must
be in.doc, .rtf, or .txt file format. NO
EXCEPTIONS. Drama submissions
must be in script format. Email you
submissions as digital attachments
to [email protected]. PLEASE
NOTE: we only accept submissions as
digital attachments via email.
AROUND TOWN
WII CHIIWAAKANAK LEARNING CENTRE VOLUNTEER
OPPORTUNITIES Do you need
volunteer hours on your resume? Do
you need volunteer hours for a class?
Come and volunteer in the Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre. The Community Learning Commons is located
at 509-511 Ellice Ave. Please submit
your resume to: Christine Boyes,
RBC Community Learning Commons
Coordinator, Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre, The University of Winnipeg.
Phone: 789-1431; Fax: 786-7803;
Email: [email protected].
THE WRITERS’ COLLECTIVE
is always looking for contributions for
our bimonthly journal, The Collective
Consciousness. We publish poetry,
short fiction, short non-fiction, screenplays, plays, articles, interviews, book
reviews, and more. All submissions
should include a brief (roughly 3 lines)
personal biography. We prefer email
submissions to avoid inaccuracies in
retyping text for the journal. Submissions should be emailed to [email protected] with “Collective
Consciousness submission” in the
subject line. By mail: mark as Collective Consciousness submissions, and
sent to: The Writers’ Collective, 4th
Floor Library, University of Winnipeg,
515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB
R3B 2E9.
ART HISTORY STUDENTS’
ASSOCIATION All students are
welcome at our meetings, Thursdays at
12 p.m. Meet in the History Common,
Room 3rd Floor Ashdown. If you want
to discuss arts & culture and meet new
friends, check us out! It’s also a great
opportunity to get involved in student
projects, from arts writing to campus
socials.
SIXTY STORIES reunion tour kick
off show. Dec. 1 Royal Albert Arms.
Featuring Anthem Red (also kick off
tour). Guests TBA. $6 at the door.
GRUBBS “PLAGUE CITY” CD
RELEASE PARTY Nov. 29 Royal
Albert Arms. Featuring Grubbs, Deepcave, Sideroad Records. $5 at the door,
$10 plus CD.
SIMUNYE AIDS INITIATIVE
PRESENTS: HOPE FOR HILLCREST Nov. 29 West End Cultural
Centre, 8 p.m. With Easily Amused,
Jodi King, Sheena Grobb. All proceeds
going to Hillcrest AIDS Centre in South
Africa. Tickets $15 and available at
WECC, Grant Park McNally-Robinson,
Answers – U of M Campus.
SIMUYNE AIDS BENEFIT
CONCERT WITH SHEENA
GROBB Nov. 29 West End Cultural
Centre, 8 p.m. Tickets TBA.
CONCERTS
BARNEY BENTALL PRESENTS THE GRAND CARIBOO
OPRY Nov. 23 West End Cultural
Centre, 8 p.m. Featuring the likes of
Rob Becker, Ridley Bent, Romi Mayes,
Leeroy Stagger and more. Tickets $25
at WECC, Folk Fest Music Store, McNally Robinson, Music Trader, Into the
Music and Yellow Dog Tavern.
XAVIER RUDD W/ NDIDI
ONUKWULU Nov. 24 Burton
Cummings Theatre, 8 p.m. Tickets
$30/25.50 through Ticketmaster.
EXCHANGE
COMMUNITY
CHURCH BENEFIT Nov. 24 at the
Exchange Community Church, 84 Albert St., 8 p.m. With Sortie Real, Kram
Ran. Ticket prices to be announced.
INSINGIZI Nov. 24 West End Cul-
tural Centre, 8 p.m. Three member acapella group from Zimbabwa. Tickets
$17 at Ticketmaster and WECC.
FEAR FACTORY Nov. 29 Garrick
Centre, 7 p.m. With Hypocrisy, Suffocation, Decapitated. Tickets $25 at
Ticketmaster and Into the Music.
Garrick Centre 6:30 p.m. With Shadows Fall, Bury Your Dead. Tickets $32
at Ticketmaster.
THAT 1 GUY Dec. 2 West End
Cultural Centre, 9 p.m. Tickets $14
in advance at Music Trader, Into the
Music, Ticketmaster, Winnipeg Folk
Fest Music Store and WECC.
COMEDY
at the Cavern. Every second Wednesday. Next one is Nov. 29.
THE KING’S HEAD PUB 120
INSINGIZI
Three-man a-capella group
Insingizi from Zimbabwe
performs at the West End
Cultural Centre on Nov. 24.
JAW, INFRACTION, XPLICIT
Nov. 24 Label Gallery, 7 p.m. All Ages
show, Tickets $8 at the door.
THE BARRYMORES CD RELEASE PARTY Nov. 25 Label Gallery, 8 p.m. With The Crackdown and
The Spades. Tickets $5 at the door.
ARTIFACTSERIES PRESENTS
PAPER A Collistion of Hip Hop, Phi-
losophy & Art featuring Brace, Ness,
Gruff, Suture & David Stubell reciting
the writing of Jacques Derrida, Terry
Eagleton, Jean Baudrillard & Charles
Taylor. Nov. 25 Graffiti Gallery, 10 p.m.
$5 or $3 with a non-perishable food
item.
HIGH FIVE DRIVE CD RELEASE Nov. 25 West End Cultural
Centre, 8 p.m. With Lives of Many,
Asado, The Cease Fire. Tickets $8 at
Salon Venator, Into the Music, Sk8.
REMEMBERING
NEIL:
A
TRIBUTE TO NEIL HARRIS
Nov. 26 Sturgeon Creek United Church
207 Thompson Dr., 7:30 p.m. Former
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra conductor, Bramwell Tovey, is returning
to Winnipeg to serve as co-host a
special concert to raise funds for the
Neil Harris Bursary at The University
of Winnipeg. Tickets are $25 ($15 for
students) and are available through the
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra Box
Office at 949-3999 or McNally Robinson Booksellers. Donations to the Neil
Harris Bursary will be gratefully accepted by The University of Winnipeg
Foundation, 705-491 Portage Ave.,
Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E4.
ADHERE AND DENY Presents
‘Elegy for Khlebnikov’ until Nov. 25 at
8 p.m. nightly in its pocket theatre at
315-70 Albert St. Admission is $10,
seating is limited. To reserve, call
774-6334.
BLACK HOLE THEATRE CO.
University of Manitoba. Tickets
available at 474-6880. Until Nov. 25:
‘Beyond Therapy’.
CERCLE MOLIÈRE 340 Provencher Blvd.Tickets available at 233-8053
or visit www.cerclemoliere.com. Until
Dec. 9: ‘La Boutique au coin de la rue’.
TARA PLAYERS IRISH THEATRE COMPANY 654 Erin St.
Tickets available at 772-9830. Nov.
23 – 25: The ‘Last of the Last of the
Mohicans’.
MANITOBA THEATRE CENTRE
174 Market Ave. Tickets available at
942-6537. Until Dec. 16: ‘Orpheus
Descending’.
MANITOBA THEATRE CENTRE
WAREHOUSE Third floor, Portage
Place. 140 Rupert St. Tickets available
at 942-6537. Until Dec. 2: ‘Summer of
My Amazing Luck’.
King St – King’s Head Happy Hour
Weekly Comedy Night, Tuesdays at 9
p.m. Nov. 28: Jack ‘Um and Attack ‘Um
Improve with host Ron Moore.
LAUGH RIOT Local comics take
a crack at breaking the ever-cynical
crowd at Mondragon. Nov. 23, 8 p.m.
Free admission.
FILM
CINEMATHEQUE 100 Arthur St.
Nov. 24, 7 p.m.: That Beauty, curated
by Vicky Chainey Gagnon for Loop
Collective. Nov. 25-30, 7 p.m.: Berg’s
Deliver Us From Evil, 2006. Nov. 25,
9 p.m.: Mavericks and Alchemists:
Lavut’s Remembering Arthur, 2006.
Nov. 26, 2 p.m.: Wendy Wersch Memorial Lecture Series by Toronto visual
artist Jane Buyers. Nov. 26-30, 9 p.m.:
Mavericks and Alchemists: Gelmini’s
Anger Me: A Portrait of Avant Garde
Filmaker Kenneth Anger, 2006.
ELLICE CAFÉ & THEATRE 585
Ellice St 975-0800 Neighbourhood
theatre and restaurant. Free movie
nights Monday – Wednesday.
PARK THEATRE 698 Osborne St
478-7275 Neighbourhood theatre and
venue. Monday nights: Monday Night
Football.
THEATRE, DANCE &
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
THE GRIND First Thursday of the
month at Ellice Café & Theatre (585
Ellice Ave) The Grind, a venue to
encourage and develop performers
and their ideas through the presentation of scenes, sketches, monologues,
spoken word, short film, stand-up and
music in front of a live audience. 7p.m.
$4 per person.
November 23, 2006
17
WINNIPEG CLASSICAL GUITAR SOCIETY International Artist
Concert Series with Alexander Dunn
solo and champer recital. Dec. 2, 8 p.m.
at the Manitoba Museum Planetarium
Auditorium 190 Rupert Ave. Please
call 667-5250 or 775-0809 for tickets
or more info. Tickets $15/$10/$5 and
available at the door.
WINNIPEG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Concerts almost weekly
during the fall. Call 949-3999 or visit
the WSO box office at 555 Main Street.
LITERARY
McNALLY ROBINSON GRANT
PARK Nov. 23, 7 p.m.: Serena
Keshavjee and Herbert Enns signing
copies of Winnipeg Modern: Architecture 1945 – 1975. Nov. 23, 8 p.m.:
Carmelo Militano reading and signing
The Fate of Olives. Nov. 27, 7:30 p.m.:
Hugh Segal reading and signing The
Long Road Back: The Conservative
Jouney, 1993-2006. Nov. 27, 8 p.m.:
Catherine Hunter is launching Queen
of Diamonds. Nov. 28, 7 p.m.: Andrew
Nikiforuk will be talking about his
book Pandemonium: Bird Flu, Mad
Cow Disease and Other Biological
Plagues of the 21st Century. Nov. 28,
8 p.m.: Dennis Cooley launching his
poem The Bentleys. Nov. 29, 7 p.m.:
Cooking with WOW! Nov. 30, 8 p.m.:
Eva Wiseman launches Kanada.
MCNALLY ROBINSON PORTAGE PLACE Nov 23: Gail Sidonie
Records and The Union Nov. 30
Empire Cabaret, 9 p.m. With guests
Solidaze and Sarah Michaelson, Dr.
P and Oxide Tickets $10 available at
Union Events, Urban Bakery, Urban
Boutique, Ticketmaster.
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE Nov. 30
The Uniter
LISTINGS @ uniter.ca
KASKADE presented by Balanced
TOAD IN THE HOLE / THE
CAVERN 112 Osborne St – Comedy
KAPATID IN-SCHOOL MENTORSHIP PROGRAM Partnering
university students with Filipino new
comer high school students as inschool mentors. Weekly Mondays to
Thursdays from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Learn how to become eligible for the
UWFSA Bursary. To volunteer email
the University of Winnipeg Filipino
Students’ Association at [email protected] for more information.
SARAH SLEAN Nov. 27 West End
Cultural Centre, 8 p.m. Tickets $18 in
advance at Ticketmaster and WECC.
Sobat signs and reads from The Book
of Mary at 7 p.m. Nov. 30: Open Mic
night at 7 p.m.
SUMMER OF MY
AMAZING LUCK
Based on Manitoba writer Miriam
Toews’ novel of the same name,
the MTC Warehouse’s production
of Summer of My Amazing Luck
runs until Dec. 2
PRAIRIE
THEATRE
EXCHANGE Call 942-5483 or visit
www.pte.mb.ca. Until Dec. 3: ‘Mom’s
the Word 2: Unhinged’.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MUSIC AND DANCE?
Find out how thin the lines are when
ethnomusicologist/violinist Parmela
Attariwala, dancer/ choreographer Gitanjali Kolanad and pianist/composer
Diana MacIntosh along with other local musicians bring “An Experimental
Fruit” to the Eckhardt-Gramette Hall
at University of Winnipeg, Nov. 23
at 8 p.m. A rich tapestry of sounds
woven into movement combining
classical and contemporary western
and eastern rhythms brought to you
by GroundSwell and the India School
of Dance, Music and Theatre Inc.
Tickets: McNally Robinson Books,
GroundSwell 943-5770, India School
of Dance, Music & Theatre 256-7812
or at the door.
CAMERATA NOVA presents Nova
Noel, an innovative Christmas concert
featuring Renaissance music on Nov.
25, 2 p.m. & 8 p.m. at Union Station.
Free admission.
GROUNDSWELL
CONCERT
SERIES Call 943-5770 or email
[email protected] for tickets. Next Concert is ‘Of Experimental Fruit’ on Nov.
23, 8 p.m. at Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall,
University of Winnipeg.
MANITOBA CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Call MCO at 783-
7377 or pick up tickets at McNally
Robinson or Ticketmaster. All concerts
begin at 7:30 p.m. at Westminster
United Church. Next concert is on
Dec. 5.
MANITOBA CONSERVATORY
OF MUSIC & ARTS Scholarship
Fundraising Recital: The Three B’s.
Nov. 24, 7:30 p.m. at 211 Bannatyne
Ave. Tickets $15 and benefit the
Conservatory’s scholarship fund. Call
943-6090 or visit www.mcma.ca.
VIRTUOSI CONCERTS presents
“Classical & Latin* with Papa Mambo
and Alma Petchersky, piano. Dec. 9, 8
p.m. Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, University of Winnipeg. Tickets: $29 adults
/ $27 seniors / $17 students. Contact
786-9000 or www.virtuosi.mb.ca. Free
Parking available in the CBC Lot, accessed via Young Street.
SPEAKING CROW OPEN-MIC
POETRY First Tuesday of the month
at Academy Bar & Eatery.
AQUA BOOKS 89 Princess St The
Stone Soup Storytellers’ Circle, veteran
Winnipeg storytellers, meets for storytelling once a month on Saturdays at
7:30 p.m. Next get together is on Dec.
9. All are welcome. ideaExchange:
Aqua Books, in conjunction with St.
Benedict’s Table, is pleased to present
our award-winning monthly conversation series dealing with issues of faith,
life, theology and pop culture. Dec 2:
Jaylene Johnson, “Christian Music:
Cultural Phenomenon or Subcultural
Blip?” Nov. 29: Book Launch by Helen
Toews and Dorene Meyer at 7:30 p.m.
OUT LOUD is an open mic opportunity for you to give your words voice.
Every two weeks a special guest will
kick off the evening after which the mic
is open for your words of any genre in
five minutes or less. Third Thursday of
the month at the Millennium Library at
251 Donald. Sign up is at 7 p.m. Open
mic at 7:50 p.m. Free.
AD LIB is an evening of improve-style
word games. Every night is guaranteed
to be different and full of laughs. From
round stories to fridge magnet poetry,
from opening lines to creating new
endings, there’s no limit to the places
these games – or your writing – can
go. First Thursday of the month at the
Millennium Library at 251 Donald at
7:30 p.m. Free.
DROPPING THREADS DISCUSSION & READING With three
bestselling compilations, Dropped
Threads has become a publishing
phenomenon. Women, men, old and
young have all recognized themselves
in these intimate and personal stories.
Hear the voices of the Dropped Threads
series with co-editor and author Marjorie Anderson, and Dropped Threads
contributors Jennifer L. Schulz and
Deborah Schnitzer as they read short
pieces and discuss how being part
of Dropped Threads has affected our
lives, offering testimony to the power
and importance of personal stories.
Nov. 27 at 12 p.m. at the Millennium
Library, Carol Shield Auditorium.
GALLERIES &
EXHIBITIONS
IN PLAIN VIEW Winnipeg Studio
Tour 2006 A group of Winnipeg
artists have organized two weekend
self-guided studio and gallery tours
to take place on the weekend of Dec.
2 & 3 from 12 noon to 6 p.m on these
days. Visit www.inplainviewwinnipeg.
com for info.
LNovember
istings Coordinator: N ic k W e ig e l dt
23, 2006
The Uniter
18
Phone: 786-9497
ACE ART INC. 290 McDermot St
944-9763 Tues-Sat 12-5. Until Dec. 9:
‘Crumpled Darkness’ Haraldur Jónsson and Steingrímur Eyfjörð. Curated
/ Organised by Hannes Larusen and
Birna Bjarnadóttir. 2nd annual Winter
Warmer, an event that encourages the
community to buy their work at a fair
price for all. Dec. 2 – 9. Contact [email protected] for info.
ADELAIDE MCDERMOT GALLERY 318 McDermot Ave 987-3514.
Dec. 1 – 7: Art Confrontations #9 with
many artists in all media.
THE ANNEX GALLERY 594 Main
St 284-0673 Tues-Sat 12-5. Contemporary art.
ARTBEAT STUDIO INC. 4-62
Albert St 943-5194. Community-based
contemporary art.
ART CITY 616 Broadway Ave
775-9856 Mon 5-8 ,Tues-Fri 4-8, Sat
12-4. Featuring high quality artistic
programming for kids and adults.
THE EDGE ARTIST VILLAGE
AND GALLERY 611 Main St.
Grand Opening: Featuring exhibits by
Winnipeg artists Christian Worthington and Kelvin Adair Free. Dec. 2 &
3: Recent Works by Mary Krieger and
Jordan Miller.
FLEET GALLERIES 62 Albert
KEN SEGAL GALLERY 4-433
River Ave 477-4527 Tues-Fri 10-6, Sat
10-5. Showcase of original contemporary art. Until Nov. 25: ‘The Treaty
3 Suite (Outside Promises)’ by Tim
Schouten. Nov. 30 – Dec. 22: ‘Gardening the Planet’ by Richard Holden.
LA GALERIE at the CENTRE
CULTUREL FRANCO-MANITOBAIN 340 Provencher Blvd 233-
8972 Mon-Fri 8am-10 p.m. Sat-Sun
12 p.m. - 10 p.m. Until Jan. 21: Brigitte
Dion, ‘Virage’.
LA MAISON DES ARTISTES
219 Provencher 237-5964 Mon-Fri 95. Until Jan. 16: ‘Mouvance’, a collaborative art project by two Quebecois,
Gilles Prince and Yvon LaFontain, and
two Manitobans, Michel Saint Hilaire
and Nathalie Dupont.
LABEL GALLERY 510 Portage Ave
772-5165 Tues-Sat 12-5. Volunteer
artist-run non-profit art centre showcasing works of community artists.
On now: Annual Photography Show.
Opening Nov. 23 at the Graffiti Gallery:
‘Good Ol’ Hockey Game: A look at the
Canadian Pasttime.’
MANITOBA CRAFTS COUNCIL EXHIBITION GALLERY
214 McDermot Ave 487-6114 Tues-Fri
11-5, Sat 11-4. Contemporary arts and
crafts.
St 942-8026 Mon-Thur 8:30-5:30,
Fri 8:30-5, Sat 9:30-4:30. On now:
‘Women Reflect’ by Leona Brown,
Huguette Snodgrass, Brenda Warner,
Mary Anne Rudy.
MARTHA STREET STUDIO 11
GALLERY 1C03 Centennial Hall,
St 453-1115 Mon-Sat 10:30-5, Sun
1-4. Until Dec. 2: Amanda Philipson
Graham, ‘Back to the Garden’.
University of Winnipeg 515 Portage
Ave 786-9253 Mon-Fri 12-4, Sat 14. The Gallery provides the campus
community and general public with
opportunities to learn about visual art,
thereby reinforcing and emphasizing
the educational mandate of the University. Until Dec. 2: Lynn Richardson’s
‘Inter-Glacial Free Trade Agreement.
ca’.
GALLERY 803 - 803 Erin St 489-
0872 Local artists featured. Until Jan.
4: Recent works by Winnipeggers
Craig Love and Cliff Eyland.
GALLERY LACOSSE 169 Lilac
St 284-0726 Tues-Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5.
Small neighbourhood gallery. Until
Nov. 29: ‘The Newest & Latest’, Marim
Daien Zipursky and Jayne Nixon.
GALLERY ONE ONE ONE Main
Floor Fitzgerald Building, School of
Art U of Manitoba 474-9322. Showing and collecting contemporary and
historical art at the U of M. Until Jan.
5: Exhibition featuring works by local
artists Eleanor Bond, Aganetha Dyck,
Wanda Koop and Diana Thorneycroft.
GRAFFITI GALLERY 109 Higgins
Ave 667-9960. A not-for-profit community youth art center, using art as a
tool for community, social, economic
and individual growth. Until Jan. 12:
In conjunction with Label Gallery,
‘‘Good Ol’ Hockey Game: A look at the
Canadian Pasttime’.
HIGH OCTANE GALLERY, OSBORNE VILLAGE CULTURAL
CENTRE 445 River @ Osborne St
284-9477. Local community art gallery. Currently showing work by Mirek
Weichsel, “Flatlands”.
Martha St 772-6253 Mon-Fri 10-5.
Showcasing the fine art of printmaking.
MEDEA GALLERY 132 Osborne
MAWA - MENTORING ARTISTS FOR WOMEN’S ART 611
Main St 949-9490. Supporting women
artists at their new home on Main
Street.
OUTWORKS
GALLERY 3rd
Floor 290 McDermot Ave 949-0274.
Artist-run studio and exhibition space
in the Exchange.
Academy Rd 947-0700. Until Dec. 16:
‘Couleurs de la Belle Province’ featuring five artists from Quebec.
evening beginning at 8 p.m. Nov. 23:
Broken Halo. Nov. 25: Steve Kirby
Trio, Michael Johns, DJ Spitz. Nov. 28:
Scotty Hills. Nov. 29: Andrew Neville.
Nov. 30: I-Witness.
BARS, CAFES & VENUES
THE
ACADEMY BAR & EATERY
414 Academy Rd. Nov. 23: Alexander
McCowan. Nov. 24: The Monty Yanks.
Nov. 25: Baltimore Road. Nov. 23:
Alexander McCowan. Nov. 24: The
Monty Yanks. Nov. 25: Baltimore
Road. Nov. 28: Meghan Pierce. Nov.
30: Janine Gobeil.
THE CAVERN / TOAD IN THE
HOLE 108 Osborne St. Tuesdays:
3pm w/ Pat Wright, Spyder, Steve
Broadhurst. Second Wednesday of
the month: Comedy at the Cavern.
Sundays: Debra Lyn Neufeld and Gord
Kidder. Nov. 23: Andrew Neville & The
Poor Choices. Nov. 25: Groovy Moustache. Nov. 29: Little Boy Boom. Nov.
30: The Upsides.
CENTRE CULTUREL FRANCOMANITOBAIN 340 Provencher
Blvd. Tuesdays: Le Mârdi Jazz. Nov.
28: Anna Kirby.
COLLECTIVE CABARET / DIE
MASCHINE CABARET 108
Osborne St. Thursdays: Good Form,
Indie Club Night, $3. Hosted by DJ
Font Crimes and Rob Vilar. Fridays:
Punk/Hardcore Night w/ Fat Mat &
Scott Wade. Saturdays: Goth/Industrial
Night. Nov. 24: Malice, Legion, Dia
Dolor, Illusive Mind. Nov. 25: The
Dunes. Nov. 26: Tokyo Police Club.
Dec. 1: Malice. Dec. 2: Red Blanket,
Ham, Hot Live Guys, Cheering for the
Bad Guy.
ELEPHANT & CASTLE PUB
350 St Mary Ave. Thursdays at 8p.m.:
PubStumpers. Sundays: Student night
with live entertainment.
ELLICE CAFÉ & THEATRE 587
Ellice Ave. Neighbourhood café and
theatre showing films and showcasing
local talent.
FINN’S PUB 210-25 Forks Market
Rd, Johnson Terminal. Tuesdays: Ego
Spank, 10:30 p.m. Wednesdays: Guy
Abraham Band.
PLATFORM (CENTRE FOR
PHOTOGRAPHIC AND DIGITAL ARTS) 121-100 Arthur St 942-
FOLK EXCHANGE 211 Bannatyne
ander Ave E. 942-0218. Until Nov. 25:
‘Convergence’ art exhibit and sale.
8183 Tues-Sat 12-5. Photo-based
media. Until Dec. 8: ‘Pripyat Floors’ by
David McMillan.
PLUG-IN ICA 286 McDermot Ave
942-1043. Nov. 23 – 25: Fabulous
Fakes: Pop Art with a Twist! Plug In
ICA’s premier fundraising event of
the season. Party, Silent Auction, &
Reception: Saturday, Nov. 25 at 7:00
p.m. View the works on display online
at www.plugin.org. Opening Dec. 8:
Sarinder Dhaliwal’s ‘Record Keeping’.
SEMAI GALLERY Basement Corridor, 264 McDermot Ave 943-2446.
URBAN SHAMAN 203-290 Mc-
Dermot Ave 942-2674. Contemporary
Aboriginal art. Until Dec. 1: Nadia
Myre: ‘The Want Ads & Other Scars’.
Until Dec. 1: Dana Claxton’s ‘The
Patient Storm’.
VIDEO POOL MEDIA ARTS
CENTRE 300-100 Arthur St 949-
Ave. Traditional Singers’ Circle (third
Monday of each month, $2 at the
door). Drumming Circle (fourth Monday of each month, $2 at the door. Folk
Club (first Monday of each month,
$4.99 at the door). Tickets for all Folk
Exchange concerts are available at the
Festival Music Store (231-1377), or at
the door.
GIO’S 155 Smith St. Wednesdays:
Karaoke. Thursdays: Bump n’ Grynd.
Fridays: DJ daNNo dance party. First
Saturday of the month: Womyn’s night.
Q-Pages Book Club, 5 p.m. Nov. 25:
Fabulous Drag Show.
HEMP ROCK CAFÉ 302 Notre
Dame Ave. Local and touring acoustic
and punk shows.
HOOLIGAN’S NEIGHBOURHOOD PUB 61 Sherbrook St.
Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays: Karaoke.
Wednesdays: The Perpetrators. Thursdays: Andrew Neville and the Poor
Choices. Sundays: Blues Jam with
Scotty Hills and Curtis Newton.
9134. Contemporary media art. Until
Dec. 8: Reasonable and Senseless: The
Technical Disaster by Donna Szoke. On
display in Jazz Winnipeg’s Arthur St.
window space at 100 Arthur St.
Dermot Ave. Musical Keepsakes: Live
music every Saturday evening. Dec. 2:
Christmas Open House.
WAH-SA GALLERY 302 Fort St
KING’S HEAD PUB 100 King St.
WAYNE ARTHUR GALLERY
186 Provencher Blvd 477-5249. Gallery for Manitoba-based artists. Until
Nov. 29: ‘In the Beginning…’ Quilted
art wall hangings by Judith Panson.
WINNIPEG ART GALLERY 300
KEEPSAKES GALLERY 264
McDermot Ave 943-2446. A nonprofit gallery promoting handmade art,
crafts, pottery, cards and more.
WOODLANDS GALLERY 535
OSEREDOK GALLERY 184 Alex-
942-5121. Aboriginal artwork.
HIGH OCTANE
Mirek Weichsel’s photographs, in
an exhibition entitled ‘Flatlands’,
are currently showing at the High
Octane Gallery at the Gas Station
Theatre in the Village.
Memorial Blvd 786-6641. On now:
Masters of Inuit Sculpture. Until Dec.
3: Masterworks of Inuit Sculpture. Until Jan. 1: Exhibition of Sculptures by
Auguste Rodin. Until Jan. 7: Exhibition
of the works of Christopher Pratt. Until
Jan. 21: Peter Winkworth Collection of
Canadiana: Vast New Lands – Canada’s
Northwest. Until March 25: Mammatus
– An Installation by Max Streicher.
KEEPSAKES GALLERY 264 Mc-
Tuesdays: The Original Comedy of the
Kings Head. See Comedy for details.
Sundays: All The Kings Men. Nov. 25:
Athavale.
MONDRAGON BOOKSTORE
AND COFFEEHOUSE 91 Albert
St. Political bookstore and vegan
restaurant hosting readings, speakers
and concerts. Wednesdays: Wobbly
Wednesdays. Nov. 23: Laugh Riot.
Nov. 25: Freaks and Geeks Marathon
Part II. Nov. 29: Wobbly Wednesday
Film night. Nov. 30: Electro Lounge.
OSBORNE FREEHOUSE 437
Osborne St. Mondays: The Cool
Monday Night Hang, 8 p.m. First set
followed by a jam session. Acoustic
Night every Tuesday and Thursday
PARK THEATRE 698
Osborne St. Mondays: Monday Night
Football on the big-screen, free admission. Nov. 23: 3D Ladies Cinematic
Society, 7 p.m. Nov. 24: Jazz @ 8, 8
p.m. Nov. 25: Jazz @ 8, 8 p.m., Jacob
and Lilly, 11 p.m. Nov. 29: Most Basic
Help: An Art for AIDS Fundraiser. See
Community Events for details.
PYRAMID CABARET 176 Fort St.
Thursdays: The Mod Club. Nov. 24:
Sons of Butcher with The Great Orbax
Sideshow. Nov. 26: Jordan Cook. Dec.
1: Big John Bates w/ guests.
REGAL BEAGLE 331 Smith St.
Tuesdays: Hatfield McCoy. Wednesdays: Open Mic Nite. Weekends:
Blues.
COMMUNITY
EVENTS
(see also On-Campus Events)
SKYWALK CONCERTS & LECTURES 2006/07 Wednesday Lec-
tures: Leading teachers and researchers
from the University of Winnipeg will
inform, engage and challenge you on
topics of broad historical, political and
scientific interest. Thursday Concerts:
We present a showcase for some of
Manitoba’s finest musicians - from jazz
to folk and classical to contemporary.
Free admission, Carol Shields Auditorium, 2nd Floor Millenium Library
downtown, 12:10-12:50 p.m.
SAG (SPECIAL AREA GROUP)
CONFERENCE Supporting War-Af-
ROYAL ALBERT ARMS 48 Albert
fected Children. Nov. 24 at Knox Centre, 406 Edmonton St. Sponsored by
the Institute for War Affected Children
and Global College at the University of
Winnipeg. For complete details on the
workshops available and registration
information go to the Manitoba School
Counsellors’ Association website at
www.msca.mb.ca/sag.shtml.
SALSA BAR & GRILL 500 Por-
LITE’S ANNUAL WILD BLUEBERRY PANCAKE FUNDRAISER Nov. 24 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the
St. Nov. 23: None The Wiser. Nov.
24: Barrymores CD Release with the
Fabulous Kildonans and Universe.
Nov. 25: Quagmire, Ruffnecks, Breath
Grenades. Nov. 30: The Geek Street
Band and guests. Dec. 1: Sixty Stories
reunion tour kick off with Anthem Red
and guests.
tage Ave. Thursdays: Urban Hip Hop.
Fridays: Salsa/Top 40. Saturdays:
Salsa. Sundays: Reggae and Calypso.
SHANNON’S IRISH PUB 175
Carlton St. Sundays: Nate Bryski.
Mondays: Jeremy Williamez. Thursdays: 80s Night. Nov. 24: Barry Player.
Nov. 25: Machine.
TIMES CHANGE(D) HIGH AND
LONESOME CLUB Main St @ St.
Mary Ave. Sundays: Blues Jam with
Big Dave McLean. No cover charge.
Nov. 23: Campfire Night. Nov. 24: Big
Dave McLean and The Muddy-Tones.
Nov. 25: The Uncas and The D-Rangers. Nov. 30: The Perpetrators and
Johnny Sizzle. Dec. 1 & 2: Deep Dark
Woods and Andrew Neville & The Poor
Choices.
Indian & Metis Friendship Centre, 45
Robinson at Dufferin. Tickets $10 or $4
for low income residents. For tickets or
more information, contact 942-8578.
Sponsored LITE (Local Investment
Towards Employment).
SEMI-ANNUAL
MEETING
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OF
WOMEN OF MANITOBA With
Panel Discussion on Human Trafficking: What do we know, and what can
we do? Also, special luncheon speaker
Dr. Shannon Sampert, Department of
Politics, U of Winnipeg on: The major
issues facing women as a result of
recent changes by the federal government. Nov. 25, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.,
Wolseley Family Place, 691 Wolseley
Ave. Registration is $15 and includes
a continental breakfast and lunch; subsidies are available. Concact pcwm@
mts.net or 992-2751 for more info.
CONQUER
THE
GLOBE:
STAIRCLIMB FOR CLEAN AIR
2006 Step up to the Challenge! ParTIMES CHANGED
The Perpetrators come home from
Europe to play their local roots
club, Times Change(d) High &
Lonesome on Nov. 30.
WEST END CULTURAL CENTRE Ellice Ave @ Sherbrook St. See
Concerts for details. Nov. 23: Barney
Bentall presents The Grand Cariboo
Opry. Nov. 24: Insingizi. Nov. 25: High
Five Drive CD Release with Lives of
Many, Asado, The Cease-Fire. Nov. 27:
Sarah Slean. Nov. 29: Simunye AIDS
Benefit Concert. Dec. 2: That 1 Guy.
WINDSOR HOTEL 187 Garry St.
Tuesdays: Jam with Ragdoll Blues.
Wednesdays: Jam with Big Dave
McLean. Nov. 23 – 25: Tim Butler. Nov.
30 – Dec. 2: Clyde Roulette.
WOODBINE HOTEL 466 Main St.
Historic downtown hotel bar.
THE ZOO / OSBORNE VILLAGE
INN 160 Osborne St. Thursdays: New
Band Showcase – No Cover. Nov. 23:
Distortion Klinic, Rock of Ages, The
Nods, Coda. Nov. 24: Hyena (Rancid
tribute), The Hearsemen, 3 Day Binge,
Dead City Disease. Nov. 25: Whole
Lotta Angus, Duel Exhaust, B.U.M.P.
Nov. 29: None the Wiser. Nov. 30:
Idle Sons, Marrianna’s Trench, Coda
& Ghosts on TV. Dec. 1: Igor & The
Skindiggers. Dec. 2: Knuckleduster,
Ashland Court, Lovechild.
ticipate in an exciting new event happening in Winnipeg, Sunday, Nov. 26.
This exciting new event will challenge
participants to CLIMB UP 29 floors
(580 stairs) to raise funds to support
Manitobans living with a lung disease.
Participate as an individual or get 3
friends together to enter as a team of
4. Registration is only $25 per person.
CanWest Global Place (at Portage &
Main) from 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Visit
www.mb.lung.ca. All funds raised will
go to support research, education and
awareness for those Manitobans living
with a lung disease and those at risk of
developing one.
EMPLOYMENT
EQUITY
– MYTHS & REALITY Will
provide human rights information on
employment equity. Nov. 29, 12 p.m.
– 1:15 p.m., 7th floor, 175 Hargrave
St. Everyone welcome, free admission.
For more information or to register,
phone 945-3007.
MOST BASIC HELP: AN ART
FOR AIDS FUNDRAISER 2006
marks the 25th anniversary of the
emergence of HIV/AIDS. Join in an
evening of edible, visual and musical
art in celebration of life both here at
home and half a world away. All proceeds will go to AIDS relief in Africa.
Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m. The Park Theatre,
698 Osborne Ave.
TRLABS TECHNOLOGY OPEN
HOUSE Learn about current research
projects being performed by grad
students at TRLabs Winnipeg. Nov. 29
from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at 135 Innovation Drive, Winnipeg (SmartPark
on the U of Manitoba Fort Garry Campus). For further info contact www.win.
trlabs.ca or 489-6060.
GENDER & HIV/AIDS: The
Global is Local with Guest Speaker:
Margaret Haworth-Brochman, Executive Director, Prairie Women’s Health
Centre of Excellence and Delegate at
the XVI International AIDS Conference
in Toronto. Dec. 1, 11:30 a.m. – 1
Listings Coordinator: N ic k W e ig e l dt
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
p.m., Concourse Level, 155 Carlton St.
Everybody Welcome. Free Admission.
Bring a brown bag lunch - coffee and
muffins will provided by the Manitoba
Women’s Advisory Council.
‘NAME YOUR PRICE’ ANNUAL
ART AUCTION at the Forum Art
Institute, 120 Eugenie Street & Tache
Ave., 235-1069. Friday, Dec. 1 from 2
– 8 p.m., Saturday & Sunday, Dec. 2
& 3 from 10 – 4 p.m. Many fine artists
have created original works in acrylics,
watercolours & sculpture in a variety of
styles & sizes for you to choose from.
Your home or office will be complete
with art or it would make a great gift.
Ask us about the gift of art classes.
Free – all welcome - browsing encouraged, door prizes, free parking and
wheelchair access. Visit us at www.
forumartinstitute.ca.
THE LIVES OF
CLAIMANTS: A
REFUGEE
Millennium
Library Information Session. The Millennium Library is proud to present
David Matas and Janine LeGal in an
information session on the challenges
that refugees face as they try to settle in
Manitoba. What are refugee claimants
and where do they come from? What are
the steps involved in making a refugee
claim? Who decides whether someone
is a “legitimate” refugee? What happens to people who are denied refugee
status? Why do refugees sometimes
seek sanctuary in churches? Why do
we need to care about these issues?
Millennium Library, Carol Shields
Auditorium, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.
SUNRISE MEMORIAL: Day of
Remembrance & Action on Violence
against Women. To remember the 14
women killed in Montreal on Dec. 6,
1989, as well as all women affected
by violence and to commemorate
Canada’s Day of Remembrance and
Action on Violence against Women.
Unwrapped toys are being collected
for children and gifts for women in
shelters during the holiday season.
All contributions are welcome. Dec.
6, 7:30 a.m., Manitoba Legislative
Building, Refreshments to follow in the
Rotunda.
GAS STATION THEATRE Annual General Meeting on Dec. 9 at the
theatre. Doors will be open to renewing
members at 12 p.m. with the meeting
being called to order at 2 p.m. For
further information please contact the
theatre at 284-9477. After the meeting
there will be an informal gathering in
the lobby hosted by the Board and
featuring live entertainment by theatre
members.
ANNOUNCEMENTS &
OPPORTUNITIES
DO YOU LIKE WORKING WITH
NEWCOMER CHILDREN? Do
you believe you can change our community? If you said yes, consider volunteering with some of our programs.
The Citizenship Council of Manitoba
Inc. International Centre is looking for
student volunteers to help new arrivals to Canada learn English and feel
welcome in our country. Opportunities
exist for volunteers to give their time
and support to the Centre’s Immigrant
Children and Youth Programs including Sports Activities for Newcomer
Kids, Empowerment with the Girl
Guides, Newcomer Buddy Welcome
Program and our After Class Education Program. If you’d like to help out,
contact Si-il Park at 943-9158ext 285
or 688-1941.
THE HEART AND STROKE
FOUNDATION OF MANITOBA
needs 6,300 volunteers for its annual
door-to-door campaign during Heart
Month in February, 2007. HSFM
hopes to raise almost $800,000 and
warm hearts all over Manitoba during the month-long event. Much of
the funding HSFM receives comes
from volunteer-based events like
Door-to-Door. Ninety percent of funds
raised stay in Manitoba to support the
Foundations mission “to improve the
health of Manitobans by preventing
and reducing disability and death
from heart disease and stroke through
research, health promotion and advocacy.” To volunteer for the door-todoor campaign, or any other Heart and
Stroke Foundation event, visit www.
heartandstroke.mb.ca/ or call toll free
1-888-473-4636.
Listings Coordinator: N ic k
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
W e ig e l dt
THE LATE LUNCH SHOW Atten-
tion independent artists and producers!
Arts and Cultural Industries Manitoba
(ACI) presents the Late Lunch Show,
a series of 9 fabulous workshops
designed specifically for the selfemployed. With topics ranging from
Healing Through the Arts to Financial
Management, each hour-long session
provides an opportunity to connect
with professionals, network with other
independent artists/producers, and
gain valuable knowledge about the
cultural industry. Registration is $5.00
and includes a delicious lunch, so call
927-2787 to reserves your spot today.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A
CAREER IN FILM? Manitoba¹s
growing film industry is looking
for people who are hard working,
self-motivated, and have strong communication skills to become members
of Manitoba¹s film crew. To learn
more about working in Manitoba¹s
expanding film industry, attend a free
Monthly Information Session the first
Wednesday of every month from 5:306:30 p.m. at Film Training Manitoba,
100-62 Albert Street. For more information call 989.9669 or visit www.
filmtraining.mb.ca.
2006 PRAIRIE FIRE PRESS MCNALLY ROBINSON WRITING CONTESTS (Bliss Carman
Poetry Award - Judge: Lorna Crozier,
Short Fiction - Judge: Sandra Birdsell,
Creative Non-Fiction - Judge: Stan
Dragland). $5,250 in prizes. Deadline: Nov. 30, 2006. For information
contact: Prairie Fire Press, 423-100
Arthur Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B
1H3. Phone: (204) 943-9066, E-mail:
[email protected], www.prairiefire.ca.
WITH ART, a community-based
program for collaborative art projects
between community groups and artists
in Winnipeg. The program is based on
the belief that WITH ART communities
can explore issues, express identity
and create dialogue by working with
professional artists on a shared goal.
Artists will be matched with community groups to create a project plan
with an emphasis on the art-making
process. WITH ART is interested in
artists working in all art forms such
as visual, performing and literary arts.
Deadline for receipt of expressions
of interest is Dec. 15, 2006. Criteria,
requirements and selection process
available at www.winnipegarts.ca or
call 943-7668.
PLAN YOUR WINNIPEG: Get
together with your class, your friends
or on your own, and come up with
the next best concept that will forever
change the city. If your idea is selected,
we’ll help you finalize it with all the
bells and whistles including blueprints
and those cool scale models if needed!
The winner of each category will get
$1000, with $500 for second place.
The deadline for initial submissions
is Dec. 16. Visit http://plan-your-winnipeg.uwinnipeg.ca.
MANITOBA WRITERS’ GUILD
INC. Celebrating the 25th Anniver-
sary of the MWG, ‘Friends: A Contest
for Writers’ Tell us what it means to
you to be a friend. Your original, unpublished writing should demonstrate
the importance of friends. Fiction and
non-fiction: max 5000 words. Poetry:
max 25 lines. Submission forms may
be downloaded, and more information
obtained, from www.mbwriter.mb.ca.
$15 entry fee; Deadline: Dec. 31, 2006.
Mail entries to 206-100 Arthur St,
Winnipeg, MB, R3B 1H3.
The Uniter
November 23, 2006
19
AWARDS & FINANCIAL AID: INFORMATION
UNIVERSITY
OF WINNIPEG
INTERNAL AWARDS:
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT
BURSARY:
International students who are attending The University of Winnipeg and
who have financial need may apply for
bursary assistance. The value of the
award is
$1000 - $3000 per term. Maximum of
$5000 over the Sept.-July academic year.
Criteria includes:
be an international student attending
the University of Winnipeg on a Student
Authorization
have documented financial need
registered on a full-time basis:
minimum 60% course load (18 credit
hours) for Fall/Winter academic year
or 9 credit hours for a single term
show satisfactory academic progress:
successfully complete at least a 60%
course load
maintain satisfactory academic standing: maintain regular status or a “C”
average (2.0 GPA)
Interested students should complete
the International Student Bursary
application form which includes a financial need assessment form. Applications are available at the Awards
office located in Graham Hall, Student
Central located in Centennial Hall, and
the International Office at 311 Balmoral
Ave. Deadline: Dec. 20, 2006.
UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG
BURSARY APPLICATIONS:
Application forms are now available in the Awards office located in
Graham Hall or at Student Central in
Centennial Hall. Bursaries are small,
supplementary financial assistance
awards, normally $300 - $750 in value.
In order to be considered, you must
prove financial need and you must be
making satisfactory academic progress
(i.e. maintaining a “C” average). Because funds are limited, not everyone
who qualifies will receive a bursary.
Many of our University of Winnipeg
bursaries are available to our students
in any year of their program. Return
completed applications to the Awards
office in Graham Hall. Deadline date:
Jan. 31, 2007.
EXTERNAL AWARDS:
FRANK KNOX MEMORIAL
FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM:
These awards are open to Canadian
citizens or permanent residents of
Canada who have recently graduated
or who are about to graduate from an
institution in Canada, which is affiliated
to AUCC (the U of Winnipeg is affiliated
to AUCC). The Fellows will be required
to devote the major part of their time
to study in one of the Faculties of
Harvard University: Arts and Sciences
(including Engineering), Business Administration, Design, Divinity Studies,
Education, Law, Public Administration
(John F. Kennedy School of Government), Medicine, Dental Medicine and
Public Health. Eligibility requirements
are as follows:
Open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada who have
graduated no earlier than the spring
of 2005 or will graduate before Sept.
2007 from an institution in Canada.
Applicants to the Harvard Law School
should have graduated no earlier than
the spring of 2004.
Candidates are responsible for gaining
admission to Harvard University by
the deadline set by the various faculties. Candidates should note that the
competition is very keen and that only
candidates with extraordinary records
should apply.
The value of the award is $20,000 U.S.
plus tuition fees and student health
insurance. Up to three awards for
graduate studies (Master’s and Ph.D.)
will be offered. The normal duration
is for one academic year however,
students in degree programs may be
eligible for renewal. Please note that
all applications and supporting documents must be submitted in English
only. For more information, please
visit [email protected]. Deadline: Nov.
30, 2006.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II SILVER
JUBILEE ENDOWMENT FUND FOR
STUDY IN A SECOND OFFICIAL
LANGUAGE AWARD PROGRAM:
All disciplines are eligible, except
translation. Applications are by nomination by the candidate’s university.
One nomination per university. Return
your application to the Awards Office
in Graham Hall in advance of the
deadline date.
Eligibility requirements are as follows:
Candidates must be Canadian citizens
or permanent residents and be enrolled
in the second or third year of their first
undergraduate university program.
Candidates attending a Quebec institution can be in their first year of a first
undergraduate program.
The value of the award is $7,000, plus
travel costs. A minimum of two awards
will be given and non-renewable. For
more information, please contact
[email protected].
MANITOBA EDUCATION AND
TRAINING: YOUTH SERVES
PROGRAM:
Youth Serves Manitoba (YSM) encourages post-secondary students
to engage in meaningful, part-time
community service with incorporated
non-profit or registered charitable organizations. Upon successful completion of at least 100 hours or service,
approved students will receive a $500
bursary towards tuition or student
loans. For more information and an
application form, contact jfast@gov.
mb.ca or 1-800-282-8069 ext3560.
Deadline: Jan. 9, 2007.
SHASTRI INSTITUTE MOUNT
ALLISON UNIVERSITY SUMMER
PROGRAMME:
The Shastri Institute and Mount Allison
University are pleased to announce the
Summer Programme in India. Students
who have completed two years of undergraduate study and have completed
a substantial component of India Studies coursework, or have a particular
academic interest in Indian Studies may
apply. The total cost of this programme
is $5945 which includes application
fees, tuition, airfare, room and board,
materials, health and field trip costs.
Provide a statement of purpose no longer than 300 words outlining how this
programme will benefit you, an official
transcript of all post-secondary studies and a complete application form.
Applications are available by visiting
our website www.sici.org. Deadline:
Jan. 15, 2007.
SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL
OF THE AMERICAS FELLOWSHIP
AWARD:
The Fellowship Award may be awarded
to any women who:
Deadline: U of W Awards office at Dec.
4, 2006.
Resides in the Northwest Region
of Soroptimist International of the
Americas
SOROPTIMIST WOMEN’S
OPPORTUNITY AWARDS:
Is established in business or one of
the professions.
Do you find yourself going back to
school later in life? Do you ned financial
assistant to complete your education?
Women’s Opportunity Awards are cash
awards that assist women in obtaining
the skills and education they need to
improve their employment status.
Recipients may use the awards for any
expenses related to their educational
pursuits.
Conducts her business or practices her
profession
To be eligible you must meet the following criteria:
be a female head of household (single
or married, with the primary responsibility of supporting yourself and your
dependents)
attend an undergraduate degree
program or a vocational/skills training
program.
have financial need.
If you have further questions, contact
Heather Menzies, 1204 - One Evergreen
Place, Winnipeg MB, R3L 0E9 or phone
475-2526. Applications are available
in the Awards office located in Graham
Hall. Deadline: Dec. 15, 2006
THE SITRIX FUND:
Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders. The Sitrix Fund’s grants can make
the difference – providing deserving
students the financial tools they need
to excel and prosper during university
and after graduation. This year, registrations will be accepted until Dec. 31st
2006 for the 2007-2008 academic year
applications. Go on-line to www.sitrix.
org to register. Deadline date: Dec. 31,
2006.
A female
Canadian citizen or landed immigrant
Accepted registrant in a graduate
studies program (Masters or PhD)
or professional program at a similar
level (medicine, law) in an accredited
Canadian University, at the time of the
application deadline (Jan. 31).
Pursuing a course of studies which will
lead to a career mainly of service to
women.
Intending to spend a minimum of two
years in such a career in Canada.
Intending to use the award for
academic studies in the academic year
following receipt of it.
Contributing to your community
through volunteer service.
Needing financial assistance.
THE DATATEL SCHOLARS
FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS:
you can provide proof of acceptance
(with transcript of marks)or are already attending a university or college
listed in the Directory of Canadian
Universities, in a discipline relevant
to the banking industry (e.g. business,
economics, computer science)
The University of Winnipeg is a new
Datatel client institution and as such,
Datatel is offering unique scholarships
ranging in value from $1,000 to $2500
to students from our institution.
Datatel Scholars Foundation Scholarships – for outstanding students currently attending eligible Datatel client
institutions.
Returning Student scholarships – for
outstanding students currently attending eligible Datatel client institutions,
who have returned to higher education
after an absence of five years or
more.
Nancy Goodhue Lynch scholarships
– for outstanding undergraduate
students majoring in Information Technology related curriculum programs at
eligible Datatel client institutions.
Application Process:
Presents a plan of worthwhile post
graduate study at an accredited
college or university leading to an
advanced degree or to enhanced
standing or competence in her business or profession.
1. A student attending an eligible
Datatel client institution may apply via
the online application form between
Sept. 1, 2006 and Jan. 31, 2007. (NOTE:
applicants must submit their completed
application with two letters of recommendation by Jan. 31, 2007 in order to
be considered for nomination.)
Applications are available in the
Awards office located in Graham Hall.
SOROPTIMIST FOUNDATION OF
CANADA GRANTS FOR GRADUATE
STUDIES
The Soroptimist Foundation of Canada
annually offers several $7,500 grants
to female graduate students in Canada
to assist them with university studies
that will qualify them for careers that
will improve the quality of women’s
lives. Examples include but are not
limited to: proving medical services,
providing legal counselling and assistance, counselling mature women
entering or re-entering the labour
market, counselling women in crisis,
counselling and training women for
non-traditional employment, and
positions in women’s centres. To be
eligible you must meet the following
criteria:
ROYAL BANK ABORIGINAL
STUDENT AWARDS:
Value: Five students will receive $4,000
for education expenses to a maximum
of four years at university. Eligibility:
The Datatel Scholars Foundation online
scholarship application process is as
follows.
Soroptimist members and their immediate families are not eligible for any
Soroptimist monetary awards available
to the public.
The purpose of this award is to offer
financial assistance and recognition to
hard of hearing and deafened students
registered in a full time program at a
recognized Canadian college or university, in any area of study, with the
ultimate goal of obtaining a diploma or
degree. Two awards of $2000 each will
be granted. Applicants are requested
to read the criteria for eligibility and
to provide all the information required
to complete the application. Applications are available either in the U of W
Awards Office located in Graham Hall,
or on-line at www.chha.ca/. Deadline:
Jan. 31, 2007.
Applicants may apply in either English
or French. Applications are available in
the Awards office located in Graham
Hall. For more information contact
Heather Menzies, 1204 – One Evergreen Place, Winnipeg MB, R3L 0E9.
Holds a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree
from an accredited college or university.
Provides such other information as
the Fellowship Committee may deem
necessary.
CANADIAN HARD OF HEARING
ASSOCIATION:
2. The scholarship administrator
from each participating Datatel client
institution reviews, evaluates, and
nominates applicants between Feb. 1,
2006 & Feb. 15, 2006.
3. Nominated student applications
are forwarded to the Datatel Scholars
Foundation review committee for final
evaluation and award determination in
the spring.
For more information go to their
website or email scholars@datatel.
Deadline: submit online at www.
datatel.com/dsf by Jan. 31, 2007.
MARITIME DAIRY INDUSTRY
SCHOLARSHIP
Students who have completed at least
two years of post-secondary education
and are currently enrolled in a program
that has application to the dairy industry are eligible to make application for
this scholarship. Two scholarships of
$2000.00 will be awarded. For more
information email [email protected].
Applications are available on-line at
www.dairygoodness.ca. Deadline: Jan.
31, 2007.
a status Indian, Non-status Indian,
Inuit or Metis
you are a permanent resident/citizen
of Canada
you maintain a full course workload
leading to a recognized degree, certificate or diploma
you are in need of financial assistance
to pursue your education
Process: An independent committee of
aboriginal academics reviews all applications and makes its final selections
based on each individual’s financial
need. In addition, recipients who indicate an interest in pursuing a banking
career are considered for summer and
postgraduate employment at RBC.
Apply on-line at www.rbc.com and
send your documentation to:
RBC ROYAL BANK ABORIGINAL STUDENT AWARDS RBC Royal Bank 330
Front Street West, 10th Floor, Toronto,
Ontario M5V 3B5 Fax: (416) 348-6455
Deadline: Jan. 31st 2007.
Surfing for more Dollars?: Try these
websites for more possibilities! These
two sites will lead you through Canadian based scholarship searches.
www.studentawards.com
www.scholarshipscanada.com
MANITOBA STUDENT AID
PROGRAM (MSAP):
REMEMBER… please make sure you
get your Pre-Study Confirmation of
Income form to Manitoba Student Aid
to facilitate calculations for Jan. loan
documents.
DO YOU KNOW... you can still apply for
a Government Student Loan on-line for
the 2006-2007 academic year. Go to
website www.studentaid.gov.mb.ca.
If you have questions, phone the MSAP
office at 204-945-6321 or surf their
website mentioned above. Their office
is located at 1181 Portage Avenue, 4th
floor in the Robert Fletcher building
(Portage and Wall St.).
DO YOU KNOW... you can check the
status of your student aid application,
find out what documentation is still
outstanding, update your address
information and much more on line?
Go to www.studentaid.gov.mb.ca. Link
to MySAO to log into your existing
account.
DO YOU KNOW... Manitoba Student Aid
staff can be on campus on Fridays from
1 - 4p.m. To meet with a representative, you need to set up an appointment time. Come to Student Services
to book an appointment or phone Tanis
Kolisnyk at 786-9984.
November 23, 2006
20
The Uniter
Sports Editor: M ik e P y l
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
Sports
Sports
Lions and Alouettes and media hounds…oh my!
Scrums occur on, off field during Grey Cup week
Daniel Falloon
Volunteer Staff
Where there’s a spectacle, there’s a crowd.
Where there’s a crowd, there are practical restrictions upon people, such as space and security.
Where there are restrictions, there are people
that can’t make it out to see an event live.
Enter the media.
With few Canadian spectacles larger than the
Grey Cup – the 94th edition of which occurred last
Sunday when the BC Lions defeated the Montreal
Alouettes 25-14 at CanadInns Stadium– the media
was out in full force. Representatives from several
national media outlets, such as CBC, The Score, TSN,
and the Globe and Mail, as well as local press from
coast-to-coast, descended on the city in swarms, and
grew in number throughout the week.
With these personalities wandering the west
sideline all week at practices, as well as popping up
at the week’s several press conferences, it was obvious that no player, coach or waterboy would leave
Winnipeg unquoted.
Blue Bomber legend Milt Stegall remembered
media week from when he played in the 2001 Grey
Cup in Montreal.
“You get media from all over the country.
Usually it’s just your town, and the town you may
be playing in. Around Grey Cup, they’re coming from
Saskatoon, Vancouver, Toronto, Lethbridge, Medicine
Hat, everywhere,” said Stegall.
With the paparazzi, parades and parties, is it
possible for the players to focus on practice and pigskin?
Stegall’s answer: “If you’re down to earth about
it…and you enjoy it, it’s not much of a problem.”
Players and coaches alike tended to echo
Stegall’s nonchalance about the media during Grey
Cup week.
“It’s a little more difficult than the norm, but
I think everybody has to transcend that,” said Lions
coach Wally Buono. “It’s one of the things that comes
with the Grey Cup.”
“For me, either way, it [media presence]
doesn’t help, it doesn’t hurt. Once I step on the field,
it’s just me, my snapper, my holder, and the guys on
the field,” said Alouettes place-kicker Damon Duval.
“I really don’t even read papers.”
“It’s good for the league for guys to get things
out to the media – to find out how players react in
situations,” Duval added. “[But] it’s not really a hin-
PHOTO: AARON ELKAIM VINCENT
drance.”
The only real complaint came from Montreal
quarterback Anthony Calvillo:
“I get tired of repeating myself sometimes,”
said Calvillo. “Sometimes I wish everybody was able
to hear what I have to say, but it’s normal for myself
because I’ve dealt with this. You deal with it all week
long, but it doesn’t bother me.”
Despite the claims that the media has no affect,
the Thursday practices of both teams were off-limits
to the media.
“You just want to have a day where you don’t
have million eyes on you. You don’t want cameras
picking up stuff,” said Lions defensive back Mark
Washington. “Every company has closed-door meetings, and we’re a company. We’re having a closeddoor meeting.”
a little bit. But when you’re at this point in the game,
you have to deal with it every day.”
The American media
In addition to Boulay, several players have
sharpened their public relations teeth in the United
States.
After four seasons in Calgary with the
Stampeders, Lions quarterback Dave Dickenson toured
the NFL with the San Diego Chargers before reuniting
with coach Wally Buono with British Columbia.
“I didn’t deal with the American media much. I
did a little bit, but I think you’re definitely in a fishbowl more down there. I think there’s bigger business. They probably even overanalyse things,” said
Dickenson.
Another player who is familiar with the American
media is Alouettes backup quarterback Jesse Palmer,
probably better known, at least to the ladies, as the
Language and the media
Alouettes coach Jim Popp explained how his
team was especially prepared for the week of reporter-player interaction.
“To be honest with you, we’re used to a bunch
of media in Montreal, so it’s not abnormal,” said
Popp. “Maybe not this much, but we probably experience twice to three times the amount of media that
most players do because of the Anglo and French
media, combined with a big city. It’s not a lot of difference for us.”
Alouettes backup quarterback Nealon Greene,
of Yonkers, New York, described how his dealings with the media are different in Montreal from
his other CFL stops with Toronto, Edmonton and
Saskatchewan.
“I think it’s the French culture, and a lot of
French-speaking,” said nine-year CFL veteran Greene,
of his first season in Quebec. “There’s a language
that’s tough with pronunciations, so it’s sometimes
hard for them to understand [me].”
For native Montrealer, and Alouette linebacker
Etienne Boulay, the language situation was reversed
for him, now having to communicate with a predominantly English-speaking media.
“It’s great. I get to do interviews both in French
and in English. I’ve gotten pretty good in English in
the past couple years, being in the States. But it’s
great, I love it,” said Boulay, who played college
ball with the University of New Hampshire Wildcats,
before being selected in the second round of the
2005 Canadian College Draft. “There’s more media
than there was in college, so at first, I had to adapt
The Uniter
November 23, 2006
sports
21
star of the 2004 season of the ABC reality show “The
Bachelor”. Palmer, a native of Nepean, Ontario, also
spent four NFL seasons with the New York Giants and
San Francisco 49ers.
“I think, more than anything, you’re forced to
become prepared,” Palmer said of how the show,
as well as playing in “The Show”, aided his media
skills. “So many times, athletes are unprepared for
the media, for the questions and that, and they don’t
necessarily project the opinion that they wish to give
to the public.”
“[Playing] in the NFL, and New York City, the
media capital, it forced you to try to anticipate certain questions and prepare better answers for those
questions.”
“Certainly, I think that team [the Giants] is the
central focus for [New York],” added Palmer. “The
Yankees and the Giants are the two big sports franchises in that city, so there was a lot of attention.”
In regards to the media scrums at the week’s
practices: “It was like this everyday,” said Palmer.
“Every day at practice, it was like this going to the
locker room.”
Players in the media
The media at this year’s Grey Cup included several former CFLers, including ex-Bomber Chris Walby,
as well at the duo voted the greatest quarterback-receiver connection in CFL history, Stegall and quarterback Khari Jones. Walby and Jones are both analysts
for CBC, while Stegall works for The Score.
“I’d much rather be playing, but I’m having a
great time. I did it last year in Vancouver and I’m
happy they asked me back to do it again,” said
Stegall.
“It’s crazy that all the guys I’m interviewing
now are teasing me about everything, but it’s fun.
Whenever I retire, I may think about getting into
broadcasting, because talking about something I
know – I can definitely do that.”
Jones spoke about how the Grey Cup is a different experience being in the media.
“Being on the media side, you get a feel for
more of what’s going on. Whereas, when you’re a
player, it’s more about the practice, and preparing as
a team, and trying to do all the things that you normally do.”
With the media being unavoidable at the best
of times, and particularly magnified during Grey Cup
week, players have found their own individual ways
to cope. Toronto Argonauts coach, and celebrated
kick returner Michael “Pinball” Clemons explained
how he became comfortable.
“Me, I just like people, I don’t consider it talking to the media. I’m talking to my friends. So I
just talk to you like I’m talking to my friends,” said
Clemons.
He even joked like a friend, saying that his parents and several other relatives were all involved in
the media before laughing and correcting himself.
Alouette tackle, and former Blue Bomber, Dave
Mudge uses the attention as motivation.
“If anything, it’s a reminder that it is such a big
game. The whole country’s watching.”
November 23, 2006
22
The Uniter
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
Sports
SI.com
CFL To Expand Coast to Coast?
Atlantic Schooners Hold Party to Promote Expansion to the East
Wikipedia.org
Jonathan Oliveros Villaverde
Volunteer Staff
Smith a Star on Field, Stage
His nimble feet helped the Dallas
Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles and the
league’s all-time rushing yards title.
But they also helped Emmitt Smith garner
one more equally-impressive accolade: Dancing
With the Stars champion.
Smith upset favourite Mario Lopez, aka
AC Slater from Saved by the Bell fame, to take
home the glittering trophy awarded by ABC’s reality show, which pairs a celebrity with a professional dancer.
“It is awesome! It is awesome!” declared
Smith, hugging partner Cheryl Burke. “We came
a long way, we really have.”
“What’s so great about you is you are the
everyday man who became a dancer in our eyes
in the past 10 weeks,” judge Carrie Anna Inaba
told Smith after his victory was announced.
In addition to Lopez, Smith managed to
out-dance such notables as former Blossom star
Joey Lawrence, talk show host Jerry Springer,
and political pundit Tucker Carlson (SI.com).
Flutie named CFL’s Best Ever
While his native US will remember him
for one famous Hail Mary pass during his collegiate days at Boston College, his adopted home
of Canada will remember eight seasons worth of
memorable plays.
Last week, TSN announced its list of the
CFL’s Top 50 Greatest Players of the modern era
as part of its extended Grey Cup coverage, with
Doug Flutie topping the list.
Named the league’s Most Outstanding
Player a record six times, the former quarterback of the BC Lions, Calgary Stampeders,
and Toronto Argonauts received 35 of 60
first place votes as determined by a panel of
60 past and present executives, players and
media who sorted through an original list of
185 candidates.
“It brought the fun back to football for
me, coming up to Canada to play,” said Flutie.
“I spent eight years up here... maybe I should
have spent my whole career up here because it
was so much fun to play.”
“You’ve got to understand,” he said in response to those who felt his prime would have
been better spent in the NFL, “I loved those
days. I enjoyed it and the whole thing about
coming back to the NFL was just something for
me. I wanted to prove something to myself.”
George Reed (1963-75), Jackie Parker
(1954-68), Mike Pringle (1992-04), and Warren
Moon (1978-83) rounded out the top five.
Eight Blue Bombers cracked the top 50,
beginning with John Helton at 12 followed
by slotback Milt Stegall (15), Chris Walby
(22), Less Browne (23), Leo Lewis (29), Matt
Dunigan (39), Tom Clements (47) and Bill Frank
(49) (WinnipegFreePress.com).
Wesmen Take Lumps Out West
While BC Lions fans rejoiced over their
team’s performance in Winnipeg last weekend,
the Wesmen were not quite as successful out
in Vancouver.
Both the women’s and men’s basketball
teams headed out to the Left Coast for a backto-back, visiting the UBC Thunderbirds on
Friday, then crossing the Georgia Straight for a
Saturday date with the Victoria Vikes.
The men fell 80-78 to UBC despite a valiant effort against the no. 2-ranked team in the
CIS. Down by 19 at one point in the second
half, their comeback fell just short, despite
three Winnipeg posts fouling out. Captain Erfan
Nasajpour filled out the stat sheet quite nicely,
dropping a game-high 32 points, while adding
eight rebounds and five steals. The next night,
they could not match their effort 24 hours prior,
dropping their matchup with Victoria, 78-66.
The women struggled against UBC, losing
to the Thunderbirds 80-70, but responded well
the next night, taking it to the Vikes 81-61. Fifth
year guard/forward Uzo Asagwara particularly
enjoyed her time on Vancouver Island, lighting up the scoreboard for 38 points, and adding
seven steals.
Halifax was awarded a CFL franchise in 1984, but it fell
through when a stadium could not be built.
“I believe our league should be represented coast
to coast,” commented Wright. However, he added at the
State of the League address, “I think it’ll take some time.
The ideal number of franchises for our league is ten.”
Currently, the league has eight teams, meaning the
Ottawa Renegades would have to gain re-entry into the
league. However, the team’s last attempt to lasted only
four seasons, as they had to fold due to financial woes.
Ottawa, being the capital, looked to be a huge market, but
Ryerson would beg to differ.
“Ottawa is not a football city - they are a politics
and business city.”
“I think that the CFL would do their homework,” said
Phoenix Formula
Full of Faults
Why the Toronto Raptors’ New Philosophy is Doomed to Fail
Mike Pyl
Sports Editor
Prior to the start of the 2004-05 season, few
pundits and media members were giving much
thought to the Phoenix Suns, figuring there would
be little improvement on their 29-53 record from
the previous season.
Any basketball fan could tell you what happened next.
The Suns became the class of the league,
accomplishing it in style. Phoenix reintroduced
the Run-n-Gun offence to a league that, since the
days of Run-TMC Golden State, or maybe even the
Showtime Lakers, had been stuck in a perpetual
state of walk-it-up-the-court point guards and mindnumbing isolations. Paced by would-be MVP Steve
Nash, they ran at every possible opportunity, creating fast breaks by simply beating their opponents
down the floor. While they would eventually lose in
the Western Conference finals to San Antonio, their
style became all the more appealing when they duplicated their success the following year, even with
superstar forward Amare Stoudemire sitting out essentially the whole season after microfracture surgery. Journeymen Boris Diaw and Raja Bell suddenly became household names.
The Suns were winning, they were playing the
league’s most entertaining brand of basketball, and
they were doing it with seemingly interchangeable
players.
In professional sports, it is fashionable to emulate success. After their 1995 Stanley Cup victory,
the New Jersey Devils and their neutral zone trap
nearly made hockey nearly un-watchable. In 2003,
the Tampa Bay Buccaneers saw their Cover 2 defence duplicated dozens of times by dozens of opponents the season after winning the Super Bowl.
With a proven, entertaining playing style now
available, and having acquired the former Phoenix
GM who had put together the archetype in Bryan
Colangelo, the stage seemed set for the Raps to
finally gain some teeth this off-season. Colangelo
acquired his new “Steve Nash” in T.J. Ford, filled the
wing positions with shooters, and urged head coach
Sam Mitchell to run their opponents off the court.
However, with a disappointing early season
record of 2-7 as of Sunday, they seem to have
tripped over the starting blocks.
Toronto is finding out first hand that, if it looks
to good to be true, it probably is. Success under
the Phoenix formula has simply not arrived, and will
not, for one glaring reason: talent.
Colangelo brought in nine new players in
the off-season and, invariably, it was a major upgrade over last season’s roster. He combed through
Europe and uncovered two of the continent’s best
in Jorge Garbajosa and Anthony Parker, signed athletic combo guard Fred Jones, and drafted versatile
big man Andrea Bargnani, who should blossom into
a star one day.
Unfortunately, quantity does not equal quality. Over the last two seasons, Phoenix has been
able to win the way they have been winning because they’ve had incredible talent. Consider this:
two seasons ago, their FOURTH best player was
Joe Johnson, currently averaging 28.9 ppg for the
Atlanta Hawks.
Is it possible to win 62 games with less talent?
Yes. Is it possible to win with less talent, Phoenixstyle? No way.
What’s particular about the way they play is
the little regard they give to defence. They figure
they have enough star power to practically eschew
half the game of basketball all together, challenging their opponent to keep up with their scoring.
The Raptors’ problem is that they simply lack
the offensive prowess to pull this off. Judging by
talent alone, Toronto may in fact be good enough to
make the playoffs—but that assessment does not
take into account their scheme. To succeed with the
Phoenix Formula, your players better be exceptional
scorers, so good that they can survive with minimal
defensive effort. This, the Raps lack.
To see what Phoenix would look like with subpar talent, check out a Toronto game. The Raptors
are plagued with atrocious perimeter defence, lead-
TSN.ca
NFL legend Smith (right) cut up the dance floor like it
was the New York Giants’ front seven.
If you were at the Grey Cup game or at any parties,
you probably heard tons of cheers for different teams,
and not necessarily just for the Lions or Alouettes either.
Maybe you even heard “Go Jets Go” a few times.
However, did you expect “Go Schooners Go”?
In 1984, the Atlantic Schooners were supposed to
be Halifax’s expansion team but they folded because the
owners, led by J.I. Albrecht, could not commit the money
to build a new stadium.
In an attempt to create enough attention for Halifax
to get their own CFL team, John Ryerson organized the
Down East Kitchen Party at the York Hotel Friday and
Saturday night in hopes of creating enough attention for
Halifax to gain their own CFL team.
“We want people to think, ‘Hey man, these guys
won’t go away’,” said Ryerson, who started organizing
these parties for the last three years.
John Ryerson is a diehard CFL fan that is optimistic
the league will expand to the east.
“[With the current number of teams] it sends the
message that the country ends in Montreal.”
Among the people attending the party was
Commissioner Tom Wright. He has been very influential
in attempting to get a Halifax team.
Wright, who will no longer be the commissioner of the CFL
by Dec. 31st. He believes that the league will not allow the
Schooners to suffer the same fate as the Renegades.
One of the biggest problems for the Atlantic
Schooners is that they do not have a stadium. In an exhibition game played between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and
the Toronto Argonauts in Halifax in 2005, tickets sold out
quickly at St. Mary’s University’s Huskies Stadium—however, the capacity of that place was only 11,000. Obviously,
a larger stadium would be required to support a CFL franchise. As of right now, no one will put forth the $65 million
required to build such a stadium. However, a hope comes
in the form of the Commonwealth Games.
In Nov. 2007, the site of the 2014 Commonwealth
games will be chosen. If Halifax is selected, then a stadium will be built.
“If they have a stadium, then I have every confidence that they’ll have a team there in the early 2010s,”
said Wright.
Ryerson has similar hopes.
“Within two years, providing Halifax get the
Commonwealth games, ownership will line up.”
Another problem is the price for travelling coast to
coast, since football teams are much larger than hockey
teams. However, Ryerson believes it doesn’t even matter.
“If that’s what is preventing Halifax from having a
team, then the CFL has bigger problems.”
TJ Ford and the Toronto Raptors are simply not good
enough to not bother with defence.
ing to endless drive-and-dish opportunities that
leave one wondering why opponents are always
hot against Chris Bosh and crew. Speaking of Bosh,
while he has been monster on the boards in leading
the league with 13.9 per, the rest of the team is still
struggling in an area they’ve struggled with over the
past two seasons.
On offence, they have become far too reliant
on the three ball, leaving them vulnerable to prolonged stretches where nothing drops. Phoenix is
guilty of this on occasion, too—the difference is,
however, that they have the weapons to dig themselves out of it later in the game. But when the Raps
start going cold, they’re often done for the night.
In order to start winning games, Toronto must
address this hideously unbalanced ratio of emphasis between offence and defence. They have proven
capable in small spurts, but they must do it consistently. Right now, nearly all their perimeter players are struggling to contain dribble penetration,
sending the rest of the team into rotational chaos.
This team does have playoff-calibre talent on its
roster, particularly in a mediocre-at-best Eastern
Conference. Sam Mitchell just has to find a way to
get some stops when their shots aren’t falling.
Despite all of the drastic off-season changes,
the 2006-07 campaign is looking a lot like last
year—the Raps still can’t play any defence. And
unless they do, a shot at Greg Oden, the most coveted big man entering the NBA Draft since Tim
Duncan, may be the best Toronto fans can hope for.
Phone: 786-9497
Fax: 783-7080
NFL Picks
Every week hundreds of thousands of
Dustin Addison-Schneider is the starting setter for the Wesmen men’s volleyball team.
Thomas Asselin is co-host of the University of Winnipeg’s only sports radio talk show, the
Ultra Mega Sports Show, broadcasting every Monday at 4:30 p.m. on CKUW 95.9 FM.
most pivotal matchups. They scour web-
Kalen Qually is a regular contributor to Uniter Sports, and NFL Picks defending champion.
sites, watch the sports networks’ tickers
at the bottom of the screen, dial pricey 1-
Dan Verville is a columnist with Red River’s Projector, as well as a regular voice
on the Call-Ups, which can be heard Wednesdays at 7pm on 92.9 Kick FM.
900 numbers, all in search of the particu-
Nick Weigeldt is The Uniter’s very own Listings Coordinator.
lar insight that will guarantee them a big
(2-4, 3rd in Great Plains,
unranked)
Each week we preview five of the
team of analysts will show you the way.
(As to which way is anybody’s
guess.)
Game #2: Chicago @ New England
Game #4: New Orleans @ Atlanta
“This game looks to be the top matchup of
the week. In my opinion, this could be the Super
Bowl preview right here. Although Tom Brady
and the Pats looked almost unbeatable against
Green Bay last weekend, they will not look the
same against the Monsters of the Midway. This
game will be close – however, the Bears’ defense
will win them this game as long as Grossman
doesn’t have another meltdown like his Monday
night performance against Arizona. Look for the
Bears to try and keep their turnovers to a minimum by running the ball with Thomas Jones.
Bears will win this game but it will be a closely
fought battle!” – Dustin Addison-Schneider
“Is there a harder game to pick in Week
11 than the Falcons - Saints? Hard not because
both teams match up against each other step
for step, or because they’re both bottomfeeders, but hard because we don’t know exactly which teams are going to show up to
play on Sunday in Atlanta. The Saints team
that has been burned in big ways by Willie
Parker and Chad Johnson in the past two
games or the one that has taken the city of New
Orleans onto their backs, instilling some civic
pride after a dreadful year last year? Or the oftbrilliant flashes of talent that the Michael Vickled Falcons can produce, only then to lay sinkers at the hands of the hardly-mighty Lions and
Browns. Consistency, people, consistency; it’s
all I’m asking for. It’d make my job a lot easier
(albeit less interesting). Take Atlanta because,
well, why not?” – Nick Weigeldt
Addison-Schneider says: Chicago
Asselin says: Chicago
Pyl says: Chicago
Qually says: New England
Verville says: New England
Weigeldt says: New England
Game #3: Cincinnati @ Cleveland
Game #1: Arizona @ Minnesota
“Vikings’ new coach Brad Childress was
supposed to bring discipline and a new attitude
to a team that had none of one and too much
of the other. And for a brief period it seemed to
be working as they started 4-2. Now 4-6, they
are in desperate need to right their sinking ship
and what better time to do so than against the
Cardinals (2-8)? Especially after losing to Miami
(4-6), Green Bay (4-6), and San Francisco (5-5)
in the previous weeks. Expect them to show up
at home.” – Kalen Qually
Addison Schneider says: Minnesota
Asselin says: Minnesota
Pyl says: Minnesota
Qually says: Minnesota
Verville says: Arizona
Weigeldt says: Minnesota
“Last week, Ohio State quarterback Troy
Smith put the finishing touches on his brilliant
senior season which will almost undoubtedly
yield a Heisman Trophy in little over a month.
Carving up the no. 2-ranked rival Michigan defence like his Thanksgiving (American) turkey
this week, the pivot threw for 316 yards and 4
TDs. With only the BCS National Championship
Game left in his collegiate career on January 8,
his sights will soon turn to the NFL. The Browns
seem a natural fit, given the team’s near-guarantee of a high draft pick, their lack of a long-term
answer under centre (sorry Charlie Frye), and
the fact Smith hails from Cleveland. The countdown is delayed a week, but the Buckeyes’ #10
will surely be on the fans’ minds…” – Mike Pyl
Addison-Schneider says: Cincinnati
Asselin says: Cincinnati
Pyl says: Cleveland
Qually says: Cincinnati
Verville says: Cincinnati
Weigeldt says: Cincinnati
Wesmen Fight a Losing Battle
Women struggle without star player
Josh Boulding
Volunteer Staff
It was another lonely night for the Winnipeg Wesmen
as our women’s volleyball team hosted the University of
Calgary Dinos this past weekend. The Dinos stomped the
Wesmen in three straight to take both games on Friday
and Saturday night.
Friday night seemed to spell doom early for the
struggling Wesmen as a tight break at the first technical
quickly opened to a Dinos lead by the second, with Calgary
finishing the set neatly ten points over the Wesmen at 2515. The second and third sets (25-21, 25-22) finalized the
evening with the Dinos fending off the Wesmen with ex-
The Score
Men’s Basketball
payday. Well, look no further.
Uniter Sports will be your Bible. Our crack
23
THE PANELISTS
Mike Pyl is The Uniter's Sports Editor and founder of the paper’s NFL Picks.
If NFL football is your Sunday religion,
November 23, 2006
SPORTS
fans spend hours scrutinizing the week’s
league’s juiciest matchups of the week.
The Uniter
cellent defenses.
Saturday night’s match was pretty much the same
as the Dinos began a game that seemed to echo times of
a recent past, as the Wesmen trailed only by two at the
first technical, but seemed to, again, succumb to chaos on
the court while the Dinos capitalized on errors to find another 25-15 victory over the Wesmen. Oddly enough, both
Friday and Saturday night’s first sets posted the same
scores at both technical time-outs and the final.
The second set repeated much of the firsts’ mistakes for the home team and while the Wesmen seemed
to almost come together a points, there just wasn’t
enough there to keep a steady enough drive up to catch
a charging Calgary team. The Dinos put the Wesmen two
points behind at the first technical and again five points
Addison-Schneider says: Atlanta
Asselin says: Atlanta
Pyl says: New Orleans
Qually says: Atlanta
Verville says: Atlanta
Weigeldt says: Atlanta
Game #5: Philadelphia
@ Indianapolis
“Philadelphia is reeling after the loss of
quarterback Donovan McNabb for the rest of
the season. Even with McNabb, the Eagles have
been struggling to win games in recent weeks.
Indianapolis will be looking to start another
winning streak after they were defeated in an
upset by the Cowboys. If the Colts can string together another nine straight wins, they’re Super
Bowl champs. A McNabb-less Eagles will be
no match for a still very good Colts team.” –
Thomas Asselin
Addison-Schneider says: Indianapolis
Asselin says: Indianapolis
Pyl says: Indianapolis
Qually says: Indianapolis
Verville says: Indianapolis
Weigeldt says: Indianapolis
behind at the second, finishing the set by only giving up
three more points to the Wesmen before closing the set
down 25-18.
A common time for teams to rally together is in the
final moments of a losing struggle and unfortunately for
the Wesmen, this was their time to shine. At least for a
few moments in the third set, it was the Wesmen, rather
than Calgary, putting successive points on the board. Kills
from Nicola Dirks, who finished the weekend with 25 more
kills under her belt, Dayna Kiesman and service ace from
Kaitlyn Lewis allowed Winnipeg to come within one point
late in the set (21-20 Dinos leading). However, Calgary
finished strong and took the final four of five points to
finish the weekend with a 25-21 set victory to finish the
match off.
The losses on the weekend leave the Wesmen with
a 1-6 record and an 8th overall CIS ranking while the 3rd
ranked Dinos move to a perfect 6-0.
Missing from the court was Marlee Bragg, the
Canada West Rookie of the Year in the 2005/2006 season
who was also named to the CIS all-rookie team last year.
Friday, November 17
UBC 80
Wesmen 78
Saturday, November 18
Victoria 78
Wesmen 66
Women’s Basketball
(4-2, 1st in Great Plains,
no. 7(tie) CIS Coaches’ Poll)
Friday, November 17
UBC 80
Wesmen 70
Wesmen 81Victoria 61
Women’s Volleyball
(1-6, 6th in Canada West,
no. 8 CIS Coaches’ Poll)
Friday, November 17
Calgary 3
Wesmen 0
(25-15, 25-21, 25-22)
Calgary 3
Wesmen 0
(25-15, 25-18, 25-21)
Men’s Volleyball
(3-2, 5th in Canada West,
no. 4 CIS Coaches’ Poll)
COMING UP
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Home vs. Trinity Western – Nov. 24 (8:00)
Home vs. Simon Fraser – Nov. 25 (8:00)
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Home vs. Trinity Western – Nov. 24 (6:15)
Home vs. Simon Fraser (no. 3) – Nov. 25 (6:15)
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Away @ Simon Fraser – Nov. 24 & 25
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Away @ Trinity Western (no. 1) – Nov. 24 & 25
Sitting on the bench, forced to watch her teammates fight
a losing battle at the net with a large black brace supporting her left knee.
After injuring her ACL against the Manitoba Bisons
three weeks ago, the second-year hope of the Wesmen
has been awaiting an MRI and the possibility of surgery
on her knee to repair the damage.
“Maybe December of next year (2007)?” said Bragg
after the game on Saturday. “If all goes well [with the recovery].”
Damage to knees have some of the longest recovery times in sport injuries and tearing a ligament generally means at least 12 months of recovery and rehabilitation. With Bragg out for the rest of the season and possibly some of next year, the Wesmen have to fall back on
their less celebrated players to pick up the slack.
“We’re really diverse,” commented Bragg. “Jamie
Menzies sometimes plays and she’s a utility player, able
to play both left and right sides.”
“We can just…mix things up,” said Bragg.
November 23, 2006
24
The Uniter
LAST PUZZLE'S SOLUTIONS
Across
Crossword puzzles provided by www.BestCrosswords.com.
Used with permission.
1- Comic Foxx
5- Prices paid
10- One of the Channel Islands
14- Sheltered, nautically
15- Conjunction
16- Islamic call to prayer
17- Deep hollow
18- 4th letter of the Greek alphabet
19- Indian exercise method
20- God of Islam
22- Act of seizing authority
24- Niger neighbor
27- Incline
28- Casing or covering
32- Hired parker
36- PC key
37- Hindu ascetic
39- Rub out or remove from memory
40- Actual
42- Plain writing
44- Swedish pop band whose hits include “Waterloo”
45- Mistake
47- Mountain ridge
49- Lever for rowing
50- Shorthand taker
51- That which a person owns
53- Greasy residue
56- Agitated state
57- Finishing stone of a structure
61- Abyss
65- Four Corners state
66- Cooperative race
69- Actress Chase
70- Bull
71- Intervening, in law
72- Coconut husk fiber
73- Petty quarrel
74- Snow conveyances
75- Hardens
Down
1- Hindu music
2- 12th month of the Jewish religious calendar
3- Big name in PCs
4- Slander
5- Cow chew
6- Single unit
7- River sediment
8- Sum
9- Reptile
10- Farewell
11- Northern arm of the Black Sea
12- Anger
13- Knot in wood
21- Poor actors
23- Roof overhang
25- Jump
26- Chief of the Vedic gods
28- Worries
29- Attentive, warning of danger
30- Gaze fixedly
31- Hamlet
33- Toil
34- Convocation of witches
35- Weeping
38- Consumers
41- Unlikely to be successful
43- School founded in 1440
46- Defeat decisively
48- Long poem, such as those attributed to Homer
52- Morals
54- Standards
55- Propose, perhaps
57- Intersects
58- Riding
59- Graph prefix
60- Otherwise
62- Tropical plant
63- Parody
64- Roman god of war
67- Besides
68- Affirmative answer

inside - The Uniter

Transcription

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