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2010 / 03 / 25 24 Why you shouldn’t run for mayor COMMMENTS page 8 Orthodontic art The tormented world of Kris Row ARTS & CULTURE page 15 Who’s watching out for you downtown? NEWS page 3 02 The Uniter www.Uniter.ca March 25, 2010 Syvixay re-elected ...And other results from this month’s UWSA general elections campus news page 7 You know that movie 8 Mile? Looking for listings? These guys lived it arts & culture page 11 Campus & community listings and volunteer opportunities page 7, Music page 12, film & lit page 14, Galleries & museums page 15, theatre, dance & comedy page 15, awards and financial aid page 18 Cover Image “Tower of Babel” by Kris Row from the exhibition Tormented Dentist, on display at Medea Gallery until March 27 See story on page 15 Photograph by Cindy Titus UNITER STAFF News Will Earth Hour 2010 make a difference? Melody Morrissette Global effort happens Saturday, March 27 Laura Kunzelman Volunteer Earth Hour 2010 is a global effort led by the World Wildlife Fund to get people to turn off non-essential lights and appliances for one hour to draw attention to climate change. This year, millions of individuals and businesses worldwide will honour Earth Hour on Saturday, March 27 from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Here in Winnipeg, The Fairmont will shut its lights off for the hour like last year, and hotel guests will dine by candlelight. Patti Regan, acting director of public works for the City of Winnipeg, said the city is getting involved for the third year in a row with four civic buildings confirmed to turn out non-essential lights. These buildings include City Hall and the Confederation Building at 457 Main St. Next week the city will release a public service announcement making people aware of Earth Hour and climate change. There will also be outdoor signage on buildings and a wide range of posters at civic facilities encouraging Winnipeggers to Things to do during Earth Hour Go for a walk. Have a bonfire. Sing or play your guitar or harmonica. Play games. Hide and seek in the dark will be 10 times more fun. Host a poker tournament. Paint or knit. Do some yoga. Take pictures. Take a nap or snuggle. Prove that you can go one hour without YouTube and Facebook. Debate whether one hour can trigger change. turn their lights off. As other cities have done, they may film the lights being turned off at some locations to put on the Earth Hour website. A representative from the Winnipeg Police Department expressed their support for Earth Hour, but they are “unable to shut off lights due to operational requirements.” As for the University of Winnipeg, the lights are already low in the evening as there are “only security guards in the building.” Taking to the streets, however, it was hard to find Earth Hour supporters. “Turning your lights off for one hour isn’t going to make a huge difference. For a real change to occur, we have to change our lifestyles. It is really up to what you do every day that counts,” said Red River College student Nicki Dola. Kyle Jahns, a communications Things you can do for the environment every day Choose energy-efficient appliances. Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs. Plug the electronics that don’t need to be on all the time into a main power bar and switch it off before you head to bed at night. Walk, bike, carpool or take public transit to school or work. Take care of your trash: compost and recycle. Choose foods that are local and organic whenever possible. Make the most of seasonal foods. Start a garden in your backyard and grow some of your own food. Don’t just turn out your lights for one hour a year, do it every time you leave a room. student at the U of W, is also not too optimistic and said he won’t be observing Earth Hour. “It does not achieve anything. Raising awareness is hardly necessary,” he said. “The world is already aware about climate change, so switching off the lights is almost meaningless.” Q: Given that there are so many people patrolling downtown, do you think downtown is safe? Paul Pinola security guard, G4S “I’m not 100 per cent confident on that. The Downtown BIZ are not prepared for emergencies. The issue was brought up about having police cadets patrol. They’d better be trained.” Business Manager Please contact [email protected] PRODUCTION MANAGER Melody Morrissette » [email protected] copy and style editor Chris Campbell » [email protected] Photo editor Cindy Titus » [email protected] news assignment editor Andrew McMonagle » [email protected] news production editor Karen Kornelsen » [email protected] arts and culture editor Sam Hagenlocher » [email protected] comments editor Andrew Tod » [email protected] listings co-ordinator J.P. Perron » [email protected] Campus beat reporter Courtney Schwegel » [email protected] beat reporter Ethan Cabel » [email protected] Beat reporter Samuel Swanson » [email protected] beat reporter Kristy Rydz » [email protected] culture reporter Vacant CONTRIBUTORS: by Andrew McMonagle Andrea Hrenchuk third-year biology “I never notice the patrols. I take night classes and I feel safe downtown.” Managing Editor Aaron Epp » [email protected] Freddy Monkman volunteer, Winnipeg Harvest “Yeah, if we had more patrols. I just got robbed on my bike on St. Matthews & Agnes by someone with a baseball bat wrapped with barbed wire.” Jon Sorokowski, Laura Kunzelman, David Seburn, Brooke Dmytriw, Chris Hunter, Emily A. Ternette, Antoinette Dyksman, Paul Figsby, Jonathan Dyck, Matt Austman, Katerina Tefft, Brittany Maria Thiessen, Alana Westwood, Rachael Hosein, Lee Repko, Marshall Birch, Karlene Ooto-Stubbs, Cassandra Anderson, Sagan Morrow, James Culleton, Courtney Brecht, J. Williamez, Kathleen Cerrer, Will Gibson. 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. The Uniter is a member of the Canadian University Press and Campus Plus Media Services. SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES, LETTERS, GRAPHICS AND PHOTOS ARE WELCOME. Articles must be submitted in text (.rtf) or Microsoft Word (.doc) format to editor@ uniter.ca, 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 publication. The Uniter reserves the right to refuse to print submitted material. The Uniter will not print submissions that are homophobic, misogynistic, racist, or libellous. We also reserve the right to edit for length and/or style. » Kaylyn Rheault first-year psych nurse “I’ve never felt unsafe downtown. I’ve never encountered the patrols or seen them engage anybody.” Cadry Williams third-year industrial education “I don’t really think so. There are a finite number of people to patrol downtown. It doesn’t necessarily make it safer.” Leah Borchert first-year general “I don’t think it makes a huge difference. I live around here and am not especially scared.” CONTACT US General Inquiries: 204.786.9790 Advertising: 204.786.9790 Editors: 204.786.9497 Fax: 204.783.7080 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.uniter.ca » LOCATION Room ORM14 University of Winnipeg 515 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9 Mouseland Press Board of Directors: Michael Rac (chair), Shawn Coates, Courtney Berthelette, Clayton Winter, Devin King, Alex Freedman, Shannon Sampert, Brian Gagnon, Meg McGimpsey, Kelly Ross (UWSA representative). For inquiries e-mail: [email protected] News www.uniter.ca A creative co-op in the Exchange District Cindy Titus Businesses at 91 Albert work toward buying the building Kristy Rydz Beat reporter The Old Market Autonomous Zone (A-Zone) is taking activism to a new level by establishing the framework for the first co-operative building ownership model in Winnipeg. “In some ways we’re creating something new,” 12-year Mondragon collective member Eton Harris said. “We might be taking some things from a housing co-op here and some from a workers co-op there.” The A-Zone, founded in 1995 to represent the tenant businesses of 91 Albert St., has been working toward buying the building from the current owner and founder of Mondragon Restaurant since Paul Burrows officially decided to sell earlier this year. With the historic Exchange District building and its businesses deeply rooted in anti-fascist organizing and class struggle fights, Harris explained the goal was always to run the structure as a collective entity, but the legal structure needed to be created. With a “one vote, one voice at the table” per tenant group, the A-Zone began meeting monthly in November to hammer out the financial and theoretical goals of the purchase. Specific financial implications have yet to be decided, though Harris estimates the A-Zone would require approximately $500,000 to $600,000 to purchase the build- Mondragon Bookstore and Coffeehouse is one of the businesses currently occupying 91 Albert St. ing. Money for the down payment would hypothetically come from an investment of around $1,000 from each of the 12 tenants. Harris and the other members of the collective are looking to the community through a fundraising campaign that kicked off March 20 to come up with the remainder. Working with the City of Winnipeg to create the legal agreement and register as a tenant cooperative within the next 30 days, Harris acknowledges that the work isn’t over. “It is more work for everyone, but we’re trying to run it in a directly democratic way,” Harris said. “If we couldn’t purchase the building, it would go on the open market, and then it’s just another adversarial struggle with the landlord. It’s nickel-and-diming and general landlording.” That sense of security and the ability to voice opinions are just a few reasons the Junto Local 91 anarchist lending library is on board with the purchase, according to longtime volunteer Brock Gatien. “There’s no fear of having to shut down or have a landlord kick us out if we can’t pay our rent. There’s a dialogue that can be built on,” Gatien said. Focusing on rare, radical and relevant publications and media, the volunteer-run Junto inhabits the second floor of 91 Albert St. along with organizations like Canadian Dimension magazine and the Canada-Palestine Support Network. In the eyes of the Exchange Business Improvement Zone (BIZ), the building has always seemingly been run as a collective, but the legality is a positive step. “I expect the group is really thinking it out, and that’s great,” Exchange BIZ executive director Mal Anderson said. He notes that many groups with common goals and visions congregate together in the Exchange District, such as in the Artspace building. Anderson has seen the potential of a co-op structure in his past involvement with the Canadian Co-operative Association Canadian Co-ops Around 9,000 co-ops exist in Canada, providing services and products to over 17 million members. Co-operatives have approximately $275,000 in assets, owned by the members and communities they serve. In the late 19th century, farmers in Quebec, Ontario and Atlantic Canada developed co-operative creameries and cheese factories to meet the needs of the growing dairy industry. A variety of sectors of the economy, from agriculture, retail and financial services to housing, child care, funeral services and renewable energy have embraced the concept of co-ops. Co-operatives employ 150,000 people and are led by 100,000 volunteer directors and committee members. The Co-operative Union of Canada, which became the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) in 1987, was the first national organized association for the Canadian cooperative sector. Source: http://www.coopscanada.coop and would encourage the development of well-run co-ops that are focused on the needs of their individual groups. “What happens with the co-op philosophy is that it’s not that you aren’t there for profit but it’s that you’re there to operate in a way that benefits its members. But you still have to make a profit,” Anderson said. Safety and security in downtown Winnipeg Samuel Swanson Beat Reporter Downtown residents and workers have surely noted the presence of uniformed men and women on patrol. Whether they are police officers, private security or the red-jacketed Downtown Business Improvement Zone (BIZ) Patrol, CORRECTION In the March 11 issue of The Uniter, Home Street Recording Company owner/operator Jeff Patteson was wrongly identified as Jeff Patterson. In our March 18 issue, incorrect information appeared in the story “Motivationally speaking” (page 4). Hart Peikoff has not spoken at Grant Park High School, nor has he spoken at the Manitoba Youth Centre. The Uniter apologizes for these errors. some may be unaware of the roles, responsibilities and differences of each group. The Downtown BIZ patrols are broken into two categories: watch ambassadors and outreach patrol. The BIZ currently has 133 volunteers, 10 outreach patrol, as well as 14 watch ambassadors. The watch ambassadors have been walking downtown Winnipeg streets since 1995. Their job is a goodwill service, providing directions, tourist information and emergency assistance, including first aid. The outreach patrol are different in that they have the power to arrest publicly-intoxicated individuals. Outreach staff begin as volunteers, said Stefano Grande, executive director of the Downtown BIZ. The best volunteers will get hired as watch ambassadors, and the best watch ambassadors are promoted to outreach officers and receive a two-week training course at the Winnipeg Police Academy. Downtown BIZ volunteer positions “attract primarily individuals who have aspirations of getting into the fields of law enforcement or social justice,” said Grande. Grande estimates that six to 12 BIZ patrols per year go on to join the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) or Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The ground covered by the BIZ is contained by Higgins Avenue to the north, the Osborne Street bridge David Seburn Downtown BIZ acts as an extra eye and ear for Winnipeg Police Service The Downtown BIZ patrol consists of both watch ambassadors and outreach patrol. Although these volunteers are not considered actual security, they provide active support for those working and living downtown. to the south, Main Street to the east and Spence Street to the west. This territory crosses zones with some private security jurisdiction, such as Portage Place Shopping Centre and the University of Winnipeg (U of W). “We have a good working relationship with the Downtown and West End BIZ,” said Chris Rarick, acting director of security services at the U of W. “We’re right at their two borders on Spence Street, so both overlap. The Downtown BIZ actually helps us out a lot because of their outreach program.” U of W security calls the outreach workers at the Downtown BIZ for intoxicated individuals when necessary, according to Rarick. “They don’t engage in any kind of physical activity unless it’s quite serious and they have to defend themselves,” said Grande. Grande also emphasizes that the outreach officers are not security. “I know having people walk around in red uniforms with all the good things that we’re doing around safety probably creates that impression that we’re security, but really we’re anything but security,” he said. Despite not actually working as security guards, some local residents consider the BIZ’s presence a much-needed one. Jazmin Villalta is a downtown resident who recently moved from West Broadway to the city’s West End. “I do feel safer,” Villalta said about the presence of the BIZ patrol. “More so in the sense that I know if I’m walking home from work, I’d feel more comfortable just knowing that if something happens, it’s their job to call it in.” The red jackets of the BIZ patrol have become a symbol of safety for her. “Especially at nighttime, if I see them up ahead, I’ll follow their path,” Villalta said. March 25, 2010 03 The Uniter Local News Briefs Compiled by Ethan Cabel Former Winnipeg Blue Bomber wants meth charges lifted Eddie Blake, a former Winnipeg Blue Bomber and nightclub owner, wants his drug conspiracy charges lifted because the case has taken too long to get to trial. Blake was one of 17 people arrested in 2004 for allegedly buying large amounts of ephedrine – the key ingredient in methamphetamine – for sale on the black market. He was charged with two counts of conspiracy to produce methamphetamine. On March 19, 2010, he argued that the unreasonable trial delay should result in the charges being lifted and his name cleared. Blake formerly had stakes in local hip-hop radio station, Flava 107.9 FM, and once ran Phat Daddy’s, a McDermot Avenue nightclub. Before that he was an offensive lineman with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Greyhound gets millions from provincial government After threatening to withdraw bus service from several routes in Manitoba and issuing nearly 200 layoff notices to provincial employees last fall, Greyhound and the provincial government have decided to let bygones be bygones – for now. On Friday, March 19, the NDP government handed over $3.12 million to Greyhound to keep Manitoba routes going over the next year. However, the province will begin consultations this spring with rural and Northern communities to assess more long term options for intercity bus travel that may or may not include a deal with Greyhound. “We understand there are challenges related to the sustainability of the current bus system. We encourage Manitobans to become a part of the solution, we want to hear from them,” said minister of transportation Steve Ashton in a press release. Manitoba gets tougher on lottery ticket retailers Effective Thursday, April 1, Manitoba business owners dealing in lottery ticket gaming will be accountable to the Manitoba Gaming Control Commission (MGCC), an independent agency that ensures gambling complaints are heard and irregularities are investigated. On Thursday, March 18, Dave Chomiak, the minister responsible for the Gaming Control Act, announced that amendments to the act would make dealers in lottery tickets on par with casinos and VLT owners. The amendments will require lottery tickets retailers to register with the MGCC. The amendments will also give the MGCC the power to set the conditions by which retailers must operate and will make them subject to regular inspections. St. B expands recreation centre with big government stimulus cash The Conservative government has made yet another investment to infrastructure as part of their Economic Action Plan, this time setting its sights on the Conservative riding of St. Boniface. On Friday, March 19, it was announced that the Southdale Community Centre has received $4 million in funding through a joint investment by the federal Conservatives and Manitoba’s NDP government. The investment was geared toward an expansion of the current facility, including a new hockey rink, pleasure skating rink, more locker rooms and overall renovations to the facility. The expansion was justified by several years of neighbourhood population growth that has heightened the demand for recreation services. Portage Place welcomes the ancient art of chess The Manitoba Chess Association, the Downtown BIZ and Portage Place Shopping Centre are hosting weekly chess blitz tournaments on the second floor of Portage Place every Thursday until April 29. Games are five minutes per player, with four to five rounds depending on the turnout. There is no entry fee but participants must sign up shortly before noon to get involved. Prizes are donated by Downtown BIZ affiliated businesses. The winners of the March 18 tournament received prizes donated by Globe Cinema and the IMAX Theatre in Portage Place. 04 The Uniter News March 25, 2010 www.Uniter.ca International News Briefs Compiled by Brooke Dmytriw Dentist under investigation for using paper clips in root canals FALL RIVER, Massachusetts: A former dentist is accused of using paper clips during root canals and billing Medicaid for the stainless steel posts that should have been used for the procedure. The attorney general indicted Michael Clair two weeks ago. The charges against Clair included assault and battery, false claim submissions to Medicaid, illegal drug prescription and larceny. According to MSNBC, Clair was investigated by Medicaid for fraud in 2002 when he allegedly hired other dentists and filed claims under their numbers. He has also been accused of illegally prescribing drugs to his staff. Library book returned after 45 years Indians provide list of proper manners NEW DELHI, India: In anticipation of hosting the Commonwealth Games this fall, New Delhi tourism has put together a list of dos and don’ts for its citizens. The actions enumerated are “don’t spit,” “don’t urinate in public,” “don’t litter,” “keep public transport safe” and “keep houses and shops clean.” The tourism board plans on advertising good manners through billboards, websites, pamphlets and various other audio-visual means. According to Reuters, the board does have concerns about starting the campaign too early, lest it lose momentum. The games will occur Oct. 3-14, 2010. The New Delhi administration wants to present itself as a truly global city and hopes tourists will identify it as sophisticated. Railway posts false explosion on website PARIS, France: The French railway operator SNCF accidentally posted a statement on its website saying over 100 people had died in a train explosion. SNCF was conducting a training exercise and a staff member accidentally posted the mock scenario on the Internet. The supposed catastrophe took place in Macon, in the Burgundy region. BBC News reported the message stated a high-speed TGV train on the Paris to Dijon line had exploded and 102 people were confirmed dead, with 380 people injured. SNCF became aware of the posting when journalists started inundating customer service operators’ telephone lines inquiring about the accident. The railway then released another statement explaining the misunderstanding. Car sex leads to death MOSCOW, Russia: A Russian couple died after having sex in their car. Moscow police said the couple went to have sex in their Volkswagen which was parked in a small enclosed garage, where they likely turned on the engine to stay warm and inhaled exhaust fumes, reported the Edinburgh News. They likely died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Most Russians keep their cars in small iron garages, where an enclosed, running car could be lethal. A retrospect on Israeli Apartheid Week Chris Hunter Volunteer Dedicated to discussing Israeli racial segregation issues, Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) took place at the University of Manitoba campus for the very first time from Monday, March 8 to Friday March 12. Controversy regarding the event arose when the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg issued a statement declaring the IAW’s tactics “bigoted, racist and a wholesale condemnation of Israel and its people.” Organizers call IAW an anti-racist event, seeking to inform the public of ArabPalestinian discrimination. The group accuses the Israeli government of racially-based building permit approval, confiscation of Palestinian land for Jewish use and discriminatory policing. IAW defines apartheid as, “Any measures, including legislative, designed to divide the population along racial lines.” Meanwhile, the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg (JFW) contends that accusing Israel of apartheid is, in itself, racist. Their public statement declares that by using such a term, the organizers demonize Israel by comparing it to apartheid in South Africa. Furthermore, they believe the event is an insult to Canada’s relations with the state. Bob Freedman, CEO of the JFW, states that the organization’s concerns stemmed from problems that arose during apartheid weeks held at other institutions, like York University and the University of Toronto. “On other campuses some very disturbing things have happened,” says Freedman. “Jewish students who were going to class were yelled and spat at. We were worried about this happening at the U of M.” Riyad Twair, one the IAW organizers, states that the group was unaware of such problems but, nonetheless, took steps to avoid any prejudice at the events. “We do not condone anti-Semitism or any sort of prejudice under any circumstance. At the beginning of every panel, we clearly state this to the audience,” he said. Freedman contends that using the term apartheid this way is misleading and wrong. He says the Arab minorities in Israel have representatives in the judicial system, elective officials and access to democratic press; the black minority in apartheid South Africa had none of these things. “Anyone can give examples of unequal treatment in Canada of minorities. This does not give us reason to call it an apartheid state though,” Freedman said. Twair says that the group used the United Nations definition of apartheid and that the definition applies to the situation in Israel. Freedman says that although the JFW believes that IAW misleads people, they will make no move to ban the organization. However, Conservative MLA Heather Stefanson plans to introduce a private member’s resolution to condemn IAW. To prevent the proposal, IAW organizers have put together a petition. They plan to hold another apartheid week next year, assuming Stefanson’s proposal does not pass. Canada ratifies the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Emily A. Ternette Volunteer On March 11, 2010, Canada ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. It is estimated that 650 million people live with a disability worldwide, and almost 16 per cent of Manitoba’s population lives with a disability, according to MLA Jennifer Howard, the minister responsible for persons with disabilities. “Manitoba is proud to be home to internationally recognized advocates and organizations who have worked for many years towards this day,” she said. In 2006, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities after many years of negotiation. The last five years have seen the process of creating the CRPD. Canada was among the first countries to sign the Convention in March of 2007. According to the CRPD, its purpose is “to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.” The recent ratification of the CRPD reaffirms that persons with disabilities have the same civil, political, social and cultural rights as anyone else, as set out in international law. The CRPD’s core obligations relate to non-discrimination, reasonable accommodation (for example, in the workplace), inclusion in education and accessibility. The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) is a national human rights organization of people with disabilities working for an inclusive and accessible Canada. Some of their priorities include poverty alleviation, human rights and increased employment for persons with disabilities, to be achieved through law reform, litigation, public education and dialogue with key decision-makers. “This [ratification] was a true moment of history for the disability movement,” Steve Estey, chairperson of CCD’s International Committee, said in a column in Nova Scotia’s The Chronicle Herald. “Ours has been described as the last civil rights movement. On March 11, at the UN, we finally came of age.” Longtime Winnipeg disability activist Jim Derksen said that Manitobans with disabilities aren’t likely to notice an immediate effect as a result of the ratification, but that it will make a difference. “There will be a gradual effect of transforming programs and infrastructures that Manitobans with disabilities find themselves in. Areas that will be affected positively include accessible format information, education and employment,” he said. Derksen commented on the issue of closing the Manitoba Developmental Centre in Portage la Prairie which houses many people with intellectual disabilities. It has been shown that people with intellectual disabilities, with the proper supports in place, do well and even thrive living in the community. In fact, community living organizations throughout the province have been attempting to have the institution closed since 2003, according to a Community Living Manitoba newsletter. Ontario closed the last three of its institutions on March 31, 2009. “Now, if someone were to establish a court case against the institution in order to get a person out into the community, the case would have teeth because this ratification makes their rights legally binding,” Derksen said. Disability organizations across the country such as the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities and the Disabled Women’s Network are pleased with this historic action and look forward to seeing people with disabilities participate as equal citizens in society. cindy titus LONDON, Great Britain: A first edition of the paperback Quatermass and the Pit by Nigel Kneale was returned to Dinnington library after it had been absent for 45 years. The identity of the borrower is still unknown. The book arrived as an unmarked package in the mail. Its checkout date was Sept. 24, 1965. Staff believe the book originated from the former Dinnington library, located in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, which closed in 2000. Reuters reported a library assistant initially assumed it was a regular return until she started examining the book and realized its age. Controversy, criticism and confusion Activist Jim Derksen says Canada’s actions in New York will make a difference. “ ” Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. William Butler Yeats Application Deadline Extended Apply Today Enhance your university degree by expanding your skill-set through the One-Year Bachelor of Education program. Increase your employment opportunities with a professional credential in just eight months. 1-800-465-3959 [email protected] www.bachelorofeducation.ca News www.uniter.ca Canada’s changing face Cindy titus The realities of an increased population of visible minorities Kristy Rydz Beat Reporter Even though his legal name is Roberto Kasala, when the Filipino immigrant was applying for Canadian jobs, he purposefully used his nickname – Bobby. “When I wrote my resumé, sometimes I changed my name to Bobby because Roberto could sound a little Latino, a little foreign,” Kasala said. Kasala’s attempt to appear more “Canadian” may or may not be needed by 2031, according to a recent Statistics Canada report. The study, “projections of the diversity of the Canadian population,” found that between 29 to 32 per cent of Canadians could be visible minorities within 20 years. Notably, StatsCan also projects that Canada’s foreign-born population will grow approximately four times faster than the rest of the population. Despite working good jobs in the Philippines, Kasala and his wife chose to immigrate to Canada in 2004 to give their two children a better education and more job op- According to a study by Statistics Canada, visible minorities could make up 29 to 32 per cent of Canada’s population within 20 years. portunities. However, after only two months, Kasala couldn’t afford to support everyone and soon found himself alone while his family returned to their home country. With no relatives and without knowing how to take the bus or open a bank account, Kasala eventually found his feet and a job in a call centre. After a string of low-paying jobs including work as a security guard, the university graduate with a bachelor of science in statistics was hired as a policy research analyst for Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives. In 2007, he could afford to have his family rejoin him. While he was determined to find work, Wishing you Success The Uniter paredness over community, then we will have people who are ready to enter the workforce but will be unable to integrate into the community,” she said. “The fear is that we will have cities divided … one group of people speaking one language in this area and another group speaking another in that area.” Some experts speculate additional diversity in languages may also spur the evolution of Canada’s economic sector. “It’s increasing where people come to Canada and not only don’t they speak English or French, but neither are their mother tongue,” said James Townsend, University of Winnipeg assistant professor of economics. While many immigrants that choose to come to Canada for economic reasons rather than for refugee status already hold credentials and work experience, but language is a barrier to employment. An inability to communicate adequately in a common language within a group setting, such as writing reports or having ideas heard in meetings, will most likely hinder success in a workplace, according to Townsend. While he can’t predict the outcome 20 years down the road with many immigrants coming from non-traditional locales such as Asia, Townsend does see a potential shift in the future. “We could have English, French and something else,” he said. “We may end up changing the language of commerce.” Manitoba organizations at war with diabetes Child health scientist looks at preventing Type 2 diabetes in youth Supplied photo with Exams & Final Papers the lack of a social network made the struggle more trying. “Although there is a big Filipino community here, we come from different regions so we speak different dialects and we have to speak to them in English,” he said. The lack of social programming, such as English as an additional language courses, for immigrants will increasingly become an issue if the government doesn’t begin to plan for the increase in the foreign-born population, according to Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) program co-ordinator, Dorota Blumczynska. “If we continue to promote labour pre- March 25, 2010 05 Ethan Cabel Beat reporter rob altemeyer MLA for Wolseley 775-8575 sharon blady MLA for Kirkfield Park 832-2318 dave chomiak MLA for Kildonan 334-5060 jennifer howard MLA for Fort Rouge bonnie korzeniowski MLA for St. James ron lemieux MLA for La Verendrye gord mackintosh MLA for St. Johns theresa oswald MLA for Seine River andrew swan MLA for Minto 946-0272 582-1550 889-8073 255-7840 878-4644 783-9860 The Uniter: Did you know? ➠ New blogs are posted daily at www.uniter.ca ➠ You can follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheUniter ➠ We’re publishing two summer issues after April 1: one in mid-May and one at the end of June. ➠ We’re hiring. See page 17 or go to www.uniter.ca/jobs for more info. ➠ There’s always chances to get involved at the paper. E-mail [email protected] to find out how. Organizations across Manitoba are fighting back against a disease that alters hundreds of thousands of Canadian lives every year. “Type 2 diabetes is very prevalent among youth in Manitoba,” said Dr. Jonathan McGavock, a scientist with the Manitoba Institute of Child Health. McGavock is attempting to root out and prevent diabetes among young people through the Power Trial program, a research study whereby Manitoba youth undergo a strenuous exercise regimen in order to correct past lifestyle mistakes. “The rates of diabetes among our youth are 12 times higher than anywhere else in Canada,” he said. “[With the Power Trial] we wanted to look at the role of exercise in preventing Type 2 diabetes.” The goal? To determine the best dose of physical activity for preventing the disease among youth. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Diabetes Association, diabetes has been diagnosed in nearly 1.9 million Canadians as of 2005-2006. That number is expected to increase up to 3.7 million by 2020. Only 10 per cent of those diagnosed with diabetes have Type 1, a non-preventable form of the disease. The remaining 90 per cent have Type 2 diabetes, where the body becomes resistant to insulin, a natural hormone that absorbs and helps convert glucose into energy. Type 2 diabetes has been linked to lifestyle choices that are preventable. It can result in a series of health complications as glucose builds up in the blood, including heart attack, stroke and premature death. “Although all results are preliminary, we have seen a correlation between higher intensity exercise and an improvement in insulin sensitivity,” said McGavock. The Power Trial is available for eligible adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18. Upon being admitted into the trial, the kids partake in six months of hour-long exercise sessions three times a week at YMCA locations all over Winnipeg. However, more than just Manitoba adolescents are at-risk for Type 2 diabetes. Dr. Jonathan McGavock, a scientist with the Manitoba Institute of Child Health, is doing his part to take control of Type 2 diabetes in Manitoba youth. The Canadian Diabetes Association estimates that Canadian aboriginals are three to five times more likely than non-aboriginals to develop Type 2 diabetes. Elma McKay is the physical research coordinator for the Wa Wa Tay Fitness Centre located north of Winnipeg in the Garden Hill First Nations community. She knows firsthand about the effect diabetes can have on First Nations communities, particularly in the North. The fitness centre has tried desperately to curb diabetes rates in her community. “A quarter of our community is diabetic and the rest are at-risk ... it’s up to us to educate [them] on what diabetes is all about,” she said of the centre, which is funded by the Manitoba Health Research Council. Exercise participants have their blood sugar levels tested before and after they exercise. Employees promote that exercise through various weight-loss challenges, she said. Others argue that the provincial government could do more to stave off the diabetes epidemic. “Aboriginal communities need more subsidies for transporting foods to make healthier options in the North more available [and affordable],” said Nicole Choptain, a nutritionist with Natural Essentials, a holistic health centre in Osborne Village. McKay estimated that a bag of potato chips in Garden Hill costs around $5, while a bag of oranges or apples would set a family back between $13 and $14, due to higher transportation costs and a lack of government food subsidies. The Power Trial is set to end by January – March 2012 and is currently looking for 60 more eligible adolescents to enrol before that date. Visit www.thepowertrial.com/contact-us for information. 06 The Uniter March 25, 2010 www.Uniter.ca Campus News Know your university: The battle of the beds A look at napping culture at the University of Winnipeg Antoinette Dyksman Courtney Schwegel Campus beat reporter Despite the noise, the mezzanine level of the Bulman Centre is one of the top places to nap at the U of W. Just bring headphones. on campus,” he said. However, nappers do become bothersome if they make too much noise. “We’ve actually had to wake people up because they are snoring,” Rarick said. But before you go ahead and close those heavy lids, take a look at two of the most popular nap spots on campus. 1 – The Beddy-bye Bulman With dimmed lighting and cushy chairs, the mezzanine level of the Bulman Centre lends itself well to tired students in desperate need of some shut-eye. On any given day, one can count several students dozing on makeshift beds of pushedtogether lounge chairs. Saydak deems the mez to be one of the prime napping spots at the university. “It would be nice if there were more rooms like this,” she said, adding that because of its popularity, it sometimes proves difficult to snag a spot. Although it is a prime place, the mez has its faults when it comes to its nap-ability. “It sometimes gets way too noisy in here,” Saydak said. When this is the case, Saydak simply pops in her earphones and lets her music lull her to sleep. If public displays of affection give you nightmares, steer clear of the mez, as it also happens to be packed with spooning couples. Katherine Simonsen, a first-year education student who frequently studies in the mez, said she witnessed a couple engaged in some risky behaviour on the sofas. “She had a weird look on her face and he had a weird look on his face ... and he was thrusting,” she said, adding that she ended up calling security who came to break 2 – The Lights-out Learning Commons The learning commons near the library is another popular spot for sleepy students. “That is easily the best spot because no sex acts happen there, and it is dead quiet,” said Tim Coates, a first-year physics student. “When I do nap at school, that is where I sleep.” And while it may be remarkably free of spooners, the so-called quiet room is not a napper’s utopia. Coates explained that a big drawback is its sub-arctic conditions. Saydak agreed. “The quiet room is way too cold,” she said. “I’ve been meaning to bring a blanket.” The brighter and more open environment of the learning commons also makes for a safer place to nap. When it comes to napping safety, Rarick said that the more public the place, the better. He also cautioned students from dozing in low-traffic areas of the university. “There is definitely a personal safety factor involved in students sleeping on campus,” he said, adding that they could be vulnerable to theft. But Saydak said she doesn’t worry at all. “I don’t think I really get deep sleep. Its kind of just dozing,” she said, adding that while she naps, she hangs on to her belongings and remains aware of her surroundings. Antoinette Dyksman To nap or not to nap? You see them everywhere – dozing in corners of the library, napping on their notes in lecture halls and snoozing on various sofas. For stressed out students, sleep is a precious thing. While some students would never dream of dozing off at school, others have mapped out the best nap spots at the University of Winnipeg. Third-year politics student and seasoned university napper Amy Saydak is someone who often catches a wink between classes. “School is so stressful and tiring,” she said. “I can’t get through a day of class after class without a break.” Chris Rarick, acting director of security services at the U of W, said that students are free to nap at school if need be. “I’d personally recommend they get a good night sleep ... but we are not annoyed by students napping things up. Rarick said that when this happens, security intervenes. “We have had to talk with people in the past,” he said. Simonsen said she doesn’t mind that students nap on the sofas, but spooning is a whole other story. “They are spooning and taking up space for people who actually need to study,” she said. Although the learning commons may be a little chilly for napping, it is definitely ’spooner’ free and provides a bright open atmosphere. Tell People What To Do From software and equipment manuals, to the assembly instructions You’ll learn how to research, write, design and produce technical for your new Swedish-built bookcase, technical communicators can documents, plus you’ll get paid work experience in a technical break down complicated information and make it understandable for communication setting. Great job prospects are available in a non-technical audiences. number of growing industries, including aerospace, agriculture, software development, healthcare and manufacturing. If you’re interested in technology or science, and have a knack for writing and presenting, Red River College’s Technical Communication Classes start in late August. For more information on this exciting Diploma program can teach you the skills needed to succeed in this career option, visit www.rrc.ca/techcomm or call 949-8306. dynamic field. Campus News www.uniter.ca The students have spoken Sam Hagenlocher UWSA executives and board members start new term in May Your 2010/2011 UWSA Executives President · Jason Syvixay VP Advocate · Katie Haig-Anderson VP Internal · Ava Jerao VP Student Services · Lana Hastings Board of Directors Courtney Schwegel Campus beat reporter After a week of intense campaigning and four days of voting, the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association (UWSA) has a new executive team and board of directors. However, only 9.1 per cent of the student body cast votes (849 ballots), a decrease of 4.2 per cent from last year’s general elections. “I was expecting [voter turnout] to increase,” chief elections commissioner Jenna Myles said. Myles said because there were fewer contested executive positions on this year’s ballot, some students may not have been inclined to vote. Second-year business student Matt Friesen hit the polls primarily to vote for the contested position of business and economics director. Friesen said he hopes that relations between the Business and Administration Students Association (BASA) and the UWSA, which he said have been slightly turbulent in the past, will be improved next year. “I wanted the best representation in the UWSA for BASA,” he said. In addition to improving relations with student groups, Friesen hopes that next year’s UWSA executive team and board members will work hard to publicize campus events. “This year was pretty good,” he said, noting that this year’s campus activities were certainly advertised better than they were in the past. “I think students are starting to realize that there are more opportunities outside of class.” Re-elected president Jason Syvixay said he is pleased with the results of the election, as his entire slate was elected. “We campaigned so hard, so it is a sweet victory,” he said. Syvixay is looking forward to working with his executive team and board of directors in the new term, which begins in May. “We are very positive about the new year and we want to get stuff done,” he said. Myles said she thinks the new executives are well prepared for their term. “I feel that they’re going to start off really well,” she said. “They seem to get along really well and they understand what their positions entail.” COMMUNITY EVENTS SUMMER JOBS COLLEGE PRO PAINTERS is presently looking for responsible / hardworking University or College students for: Full-Time Painting Positions May - August No experience required, we will train you to paint. Positions available in your area. If interested call 1-888-277-9787 or apply online at www.collegepro.com Heal mind, body, and spirit The first program of its kind in western Canada to receive full government approval, Grant MacEwan University’s Acupuncture program reflects the highest standards of competency and practice. This program provides three years of comprehensive study in acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, preparing you to become a Registered Acupuncturist. Find out more, visit www.MacEwan.ca/acupuncture www.uniter.ca Vic Hooper will give a workshop for artists and performers entitled MARKETING: MORE THAN A POSTER at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 26 in the Millennium Library’s Buchwald Room. Thursday, March 25, Friday, March 26 and Saturday, March 27, the Winnipeg International Children’s Festival will hold a free noon-hour magic and performance series, DOWNTOWN CLOWN AROUND, in Portage Place. DROP THE NEEDLE is a monthly party series that combines handmade DIY crafting with music curated by guest DJs. On Sunday, March 28 head on down to the Lo Pub for an origami workshop with the Paper Planes Posse and music by DJ Penny Lane. There is a HAITI EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUNDRAISER with fresh vegan baking and original artwork at the Rudolf Rocker on Saturday, March 27. St. Mary Anglican Church in Charleswood will be holding a GIANT GARAGE / RUMMAGE SALE on Friday, March 26 and Saturday, March 27. Meet every Thursday for CHESS IN THE COURT in Kennedy Court on the second floor of Portage Place, throughout March and April. FREE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS CLASS. An opportunity to meet with other students and Canadian friends while learning English and the Bible. Takes place on Sundays from noon until 1:30 p.m. at Elim Chapel, 546 Portage Ave. For more information call Val & Veda Chacko at 257-1670. ON CAMPUS The Global College Student Advisory Council is inviting Afghan youth from across Winnipeg to participate in an open dialogue on Afghanistan at the University of Winnipeg in the Duckworth Centre on Sunday, March 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. The UWSA Food Bank will be holding a Menstrual Product Drive from Monday, March 29 until Thursday, April 1 in the Atrium in front of Riddell Cafeteria. Donate feminine hygiene products such as sanitary napkins, tampons and menstrual cups. Relax between classes by attending a free YOGA class on Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. in 0T19, the Theatre Building, or a free MEDITATION workshop Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. in the UWSA Boardroom. The program ends Thursday, March 25. Science Director Brent Gali Arts Director John McLeod Arnould CFS Liason Director Daniel Gurevich Community Liason Director Daniel Gowryluk International Students’ Director Max Van Ommen Recreation and Athletics Director Evan Neduzak Status of Women Director Lauren Bosc Environmental Ethics Director Jazmin Villalta LGBT* Students’ Director Justin Charleton Adaptive Services Students’ Director Danielle Otto Director of Student Living Rebecca Bock-Freeman Business and Economic Director Vidhur Sharma Source: Jenna Myles, Chief Elections Commissioner The Urban Aboriginal Strategy and the Comprehensive Community Initiative of Winnipeg present a three-day gathering where youth, Elders and their supporters will share cultural and ceremonial knowledge and practices to strengthen and support individuals, families and communities to heal from addictions. Friday, March 26 until Sunday, March 28 in the University of Winnipeg’s Riddell Hall. The UWSA Food Bank will be holding a fundraising bake sale on the second floor of Centennial Hall on Thursday, March 25 and Friday, March 26. The University of Winnipeg Professional Studies program area is holding an information session for individuals interested in pursuing careers in the Public Relations, Marketing Management or the Human Resource Management field on Tuesday, March 30 at 4 p.m. in room 4 on the 14th Floor of 275 Portage Ave. Domino Film is pleased to announce that REEL INJUN will be screening at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 25 in Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall at the University of Winnipeg, in conjunction with the Winnipeg Aboriginal Festival’s Outreach Initiative. The UWSA SAFEWALK PROGRAM is looking for volunteers to walk students, faculty and staff to their cars, bus stops or residences within a reasonable distance. Each four-hour shift will receive an $18 honorarium. Every Wednesday from 12:30 to 1 p.m. there is an interfaith university chapel service in the Carl Ridd Sanctuary in Bryce Hall. All are welcome. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Volunteer Manitoba will host the 27th Annual Volunteer Awards Dinner on Tuesday, April 20 during National Volunteer Week at the Winnipeg Convention Centre. The West Broadway Youth Outreach Centre is always looking for more volunteers to help with a variety of programs including sports, tutoring and other programs to benefit inner-city youth. Call 204-774-0451 or stop by 222 Furby St. to offer your skills. Do you have a few hours a month to spare? Want to help make our community a place where women and children are safe, healthy, valued and empowered? Become a volunteer board member at Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre. Call 477-1123 or visit www. fgwrc.ca for more information. March 25, 2010 07 The Uniter Campus News Briefs Compiled by Ethan Cabel A fair trade coffee break On Friday, March 26, the Bulman Centre mezzanine will have free fair trade coffee available from 10:30-11 a.m. while playing host to special guest Ian Hussey, the founder of the Canadian Fair Trade Network. Your morning cup of joe will be accompanied by an interactive event on how students can support fair trade on campus. Hussey has an impressive resumé as a fair trade activist, including being the founder and national co-ordinator for the Canadian Student Fair Trade Network (CSFTN) from 2004-2007. He will be joined by Derryl Reid, the roaster and importer of Green Bean Coffee Imports. Theatre department wraps up with Anne Frank performance The University of Winnipeg theatre and film department will wrap up its 20092010 season with the true story of Anne Frank. The play, which documents the experience of 13-year-old Anne Frank as she hides with her family in a secret annex against Nazi capture, will be directed by Ann Hodges and performed by the students of the Acting IV: Honours – Acting Style and Genre class. The production will receive technical support by the department’s design and production students. It will run at 8 p.m. nightly from Tuesday, March 30 to Saturday, April 3 at the Gas Station Theater. There is no charge for tickets, but reservations are recommended. Atheist student group to give presentation ’debunking’ God The University of Winnipeg Atheist Students Association is holding a presentation by its members on Wednesday, March 31 with the goal of educating the public on what it means to be a non-believer. It will be held in an open-forum style, with a questionand-answer session at the end of the presentation. Presentations will focus on a wide range of topics, including the discrimination of atheists by believers, definitions of various forms of secularism, a discussion of morality and a presentation debunking an old theistic argument (“Pascal’s Wager”). The event will be held during the free period, from 12:30-1:30 p.m., in room 3D01. Mayor, U of W partner for aboriginal business development Early in March, Mayor Sam Katz, Wayne Helgason (president of the Aboriginal Business Development Centre) and Michael Benarroch (dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics at the U of W) announced funding for the Virtual Business Innovation Centre, a joint project between the Aboriginal Development Centre and the U of W. The Virtual Business Innovation Centre will serve aboriginal Winnipeggers of all stripes. Participants in the program receive comprehensive business training and any other management consulting services that are needed. The funding announcement of $50,000 will help support the beginning of up to three to five new businesses and create numerous jobs in Winnipeg this year. Wesmen to offer new, exciting summer camps The University of Winnipeg Wesmen basketball and volleyball teams are offering two new summer camps to complement their slate of day-, weekand month-long fitness camps. Over the course of July and August, the Wesmen will host the new Steve Nash Youth Basketball and Multi-sport AllDay Camp, a full-day camp that offers a morning of rigorous basketball training, while letting kids experiment with sports ranging from volleyball to racquet ball in the afternoon. The other new offering is the Adult Basketball or Volleyball Camps, a camp that runs one night a week for four weeks and offers adults over 18 years old the opportunity to hone their skills in either of the two sports. 08 The Uniter March 25, 2010 www.Uniter.ca Comments Thinking about running for mayor? Don’t. Plethora of candidates will only weaken the left vote Paul Figsby Volunteer Staff Jonathan Dyck Circle your calendars folks, Winnipeg’s next civic election will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010. Although municipal elections don’t normally get a lot of attention, this one is destined to receive plenty. A lot is at stake here in sleepy Winnipeg, and whether you care about sustainability, taxes or privatization, the upcoming showdown should have something for everyone. To date, only two people are confirmed candidates for mayor – the incumbent, Sam Katz, and longtime city councillor Lillian Thomas. However, you can be certain that in the seven months, there will be more names added to that list. Already, those publicly considering a run include Winnipeg MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis and Transcona councillor Russ Wyatt. Normally, I would be overjoyed to hear that Judy Wasylycia-Leis is even considering a run for mayor. Having met her on a few occasions, I know that she is unbelievably qualified to run this city. But as history shows, anyone taking on the incumbent faces an uphill battle. Only once in Winnipeg’s history has a sitting mayor been defeated, and in the last election Katz won by more than double the vote of his nearest rival. If a new mayor is to be elected, raising the voter turnout (from just 38.2 per cent in 2006) will be essential. Mayor Katz currently has the benefit of voter apathy, as the people most likely to vote are the people most likely to vote for him. Therefore, any challenger with a hope of winning must engage the disenfranchised, especially youth and those with lower incomes. Most importantly, Katz has the added benefit of a disorganized opposition. There is no clear alternative candidate and most of his competition comes from the left. Considering history and the current political landscape, there is al- most no way that anyone can beat Katz if the left vote is split. So, for the sake of Winnipeggers, the candidates must sit down and just choose one person to run against Katz. Under Katz’s direction, Winnipeg has privatized garbage collection, taken a step closer to selling off our water, delayed rapid transit by five years and demolished community centres in areas that need social programming the most. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the shortlist. To be fair though, he is bringing us an IKEA. This election will also decide who represents us on city council and, based on the city’s organization, this may well be more important than the mayoral race. Anyone who observes city politics will tell you that it’s not necessarily the mayor who governs, but those on council. Katz has been able to implement a “privatize everything” agenda largely because he has the support of a majority of councillors. But if he loses just one of his allies – I’m looking at you Jeff Browaty – then Katz will no longer have a majority of votes at City Hall, and the goal of privatization will hit a wall. This city is in desperate need of vision. If there was ever a time to commit to one, the time is now… Or at least in October. A lot is at stake here in sleepy Winnipeg, and whether you care about sustainability, taxes or privatization, the upcoming showdown should Paul Figsby is fed up with municihave something for pal politics, as usual. everyone. Announcement — Annual Meeting of the Membership — Mouseland Press Inc. 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 14, 2010 — Bulman Student Centre Boardroom Agenda: 1. Welcome and Introductions 2. Approval of Agenda 3. Approval of previous meeting’s minutes 4. Managing Editor and Business Manager Reports 5. Approval of 2010-2011 Budget 6. Nomination of new Board of Directors 7. Election 8. Election of Chair and setting of initial BoD meeting 9. Presentation to outgoing board members 10. Adjournment The following people are nominated to sit on the Mouseland Press Board of Directors: Caroline Fisher Kelly Ross Ben Wickstrom — Election will take place at the AGM. If you have contributed to three or more issues of The Uniter during the 2009/2010 school year, you are automatically a member of Mouseland Press Inc. and have voting rights at this meeting. Comments www.uniter.ca March 25, 2010 09 The Uniter Greece’s economic turmoil Given the level of government mismanagement, an anarchist response is not that surprising Matt Austman Volunteer Staff When you put together a $486 billion deficit, sweeping cuts to the public service, fiscal conspiracies with Goldman Sachs, widespread police brutality and wage cuts, the situation is right for a growing movement aimed at anarchist revolution. This, in short, describes Greece’s political climate today, and it can all be traced to greed and Wall Street collusion. The movement against the economic decisions of the country’s successive governments, which has been loosely termed anarchist, is actually not at all surprising or unjustified. Anarchy in Greece has played a significant role in shaping Greece’s political landscape and society. Originating in 1860, anarchism has tugged ever since at Greek political, social and economic life. Arguably, it has been vital to Greece retaining its (comparatively) socialist system, as compared to its European counterparts. However, with its deficit now at 12.7 per cent of its GDP, the government of Greece is facing immense pressure from the European Union to balance its books. Since it abandoned its own currency for the Euro in 2001, Greece is at risk of seriously damaging the value of the currency if it doesn’t soon balance its budget. As a result, it has already pledged to reduce its deficit by 8.7 per cent this year. But this means huge cuts to public services and overall government spending. Such policies have consistently shown to disproportionately hurt the most vulnerable. An example is the growing gap between the rich and the poor since Canada adopted the same cost-cutting policies in the early 1990s to slash its deficit. The most vulnerable are not protected by enhancing free market economics, yet that is exactly what the Greek government is being told to do if it is going to receive a bailout from its European The selfishness of religious charity Doing good to do well in the afterlife is not as admirable as you think Katerina Tefft Volunteer A few weeks ago, my father and I had a rare debate about religion. The debate began when my father, who is a Christian, expressed his view that religious people are inherently more charitable and selfless than atheists. In my experience, my father is not unique in this belief. There undeniably exists a stereotype in many cultures that religious people are charitable and compassionate, while nonreligious people are selfish and hedonistic. I find this phenomenon deeply offensive. Unfortunately, it seems that a great many people have internalized this misunderstanding of how charity and morality relate to religious affiliation. In reality, there are certain aspects of religion that in fact promote selfishness, while atheism neither encourages nor condemns selfish behaviour. Religious conviction, or lack thereof, has very little to do with the frequency with which one performs charitable acts. I have known many religious and atheistic people alike who care deeply about the world around them and act accordingly. I have also known many people from both categories who are solely concerned with obtaining personal success and happiness. Separating humanity into two categories (religious and non-religious) and using these categories as a basis for determining people’s general charitableness is absurd. However, when you compare charity performed by an atheist with charity performed by a Christian, there are certain fundamental differences. (I use Christianity as an example because it is my father’s religion of choice, but these arguments apply to nearly all religions.) The first difference is that when a Christian acts charitably it is at least in part because he or she believes that such actions merit a reward in the form of an afterlife spent in a utopian Heaven. In contrast, when an atheist performs acts of charity, he or she expects nothing in return. It seems to me that performing acts of charity solely for the sake of helping others is a great deal less selfish than doing so because one expects a divine reward. When a Christian missionary performs acts of charity, he or she often does so for a price. There are many instances in which Christianity, and other religions as well, have used charity as a facade for mass conversions. Entire cultures and communities have been utterly destroyed as a result. Certain Christian organizations are quite open about their desire to convert the masses. For example, Youth For Christ include the proselytizing of inner-city youth in their mission statement. Their number of conversions is tallied up at the end of the year as a measure of success. Other organizations have genuine intentions that do not include conversion, although it must be said that even among these groups there is often a tendency to distribute their religious literature, which is merely a subtler way of manipulating vulnerable populations. These crucial differences between atheists and religious people demonstrate that atheists are, in fact, less selfish than religious people in respect to charity, contrary to what many religious people would like to believe. I would encourage you to think twice next time you hear someone make a remark that continues to propagate the inaccurate and offensive stereotypes of the charitable Christian and the hedonistic atheist. Stereotypes like these are the enemies of progress and we must always challenge them if we are to move forward in constructive debate between the religious and non-religious communities. Katerina Tefft is a first-year politics student and a member of the University of Winnipeg Atheist Students Association. The group will be holding a presentation and open discussion on Wednesday, March 31 in 3D01 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. counterparts. The Greek public has banded together courageously to prevent its recently elected socialist government from adopting such free market, right-wing policies. Teenagers, students, workers, public servants and even the elderly have banded together to protest the governments cuts to workers’ wages, pensions and the increase in the retirement age. Just last month, two million Greeks went on strike to protest government austerity measures. An easy response to the protesters is that the government has no choice besides fiscal prudence. But analysis shows a much deeper story. There are alternatives to cutting benefits for the workers. Greece’s debt today is the same as it was in the year 2000. Global investment and securities firm Goldman Sachs helped conceal Greece’s debt, which enabled the country to adopt the stronger European single currency. In return, Goldman Sachs collected 192 million Euros in a complex transaction that allowed Athens to borrow one billion Euros without it being marked as a loan. Since then, Goldman Sachs has paid next to no taxes for its operations in Greece. This means that one of the world’s most powerful banks has nearly free reign to operate in the country while the workers are faced with the threat of wage cuts and tax increases. Now, a socialist government is forced to pursue fiscal conservatism because previous governments got in bed with a multinational banking firm. Even now, a former Goldman Sachs banker is heading an investigation into the government’s fiscal crisis, even though the firm is largely responsible for the debt crisis. It is absurd. There are obviously forces of influence operating behind Greece’s decisionmakers. As a result of this utter lack of judgment and a bank’s quest for power, millions of Greeks are being punished. If they lie down and take it, the government will continue to slash workers’ benefits, wages and pensions. If they lie down and take it, poverty will increase in Greece. Due to this, the concept of anarchy is uniting many Greeks along a common purpose of fighting a fiscally-conservative ideology. Matt Austman is a politics student at the University of Winnipeg. Priding ourselves Although the Olympic flame has been extinguished, Canada’s sense of national pride has been ignited Brittany Maria Thiessen Volunteer Staff I have discovered a newfound sense of national pride and patriotism after Canada’s tremendous success at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. I am sure many Canadians have had similar feelings. No event on Canadian soil has ever united this nation together or has had such an impact as the Olympics have. We may not have “owned the podium,” but the Olympics is not all about winning the most medals. These Olympics especially, since they took place in Vancouver, have ignited a new appreciation for Canada. The Olympics mean more than just the amount of medals a given country wins. They are about the stories behind the athletes who won them, about what they have accomplished to get to this point in their careers and about how they demonstrate determination, dedication and courage. Even though Canada placed third in the overall medal count with 26 medals (Germany came second and the United States first), the country still broke many records that have more value than just winning the most medals. Canada broke the record for possessing the most gold medals (14) ever won by a single country in any Winter Olympics. Canada also won more medals in total (26) than it has ever won in any Winter or Summer Olympic Games. These are records to be proud of. The stories of our many medal-winning athletes have touched Canadians across the country. In my opinion, there were four defining Canadian Olympic moments. The hockey final was the ultimate Canadian Olympic moment. The men’s hockey team triumphed over the United States in the gold medal game, where Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal in overtime, making it 3-2 after a tied game. Across the country, 16.6 million people watched the entire game and 26.5 million watched some part of the game, making it the most watched television broadcast ever in Canadian history. National pride overflowed. When Alex Bilodeau won Canada’s first gold medal in men’s moguls, it was a proud moment for Canada. His story touched many, as his older brother Frederic, who suffers from cerebral palsy, cheered Bilodeau on from the sidelines during the performance. Bilodeau said that his brother has been his primary source of inspiration throughout his life. Figure skater Joannie Rochette winning bronze only two days after her mother died of a heart attack was a truly touching story. She was also awarded the Terry Fox Award for embodying the same spirit as Fox, after she demonstrated determination and courage in the face of pain. Finally, it was amazing to see Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue scoring gold after their flawless performance in ice dancing. At only ages 20 and 22, they are the youngest Olympic ice dancing champions in history. They were also the first North American couple ever to win gold since ice dancing became an Olympic event in 1976. These are the first Olympics that I have watched religiously, capturing my attention from beginning to end. They have instilled in me a new appreciation for our country and pride for all that we have accomplished. I never grew tired of hearing our national anthem. We may not have reached first place in the total medal count, but Canada accomplished so much more. With the records that we broke, combined with the emotional and inspiring stories and the victories of so many athletes, these Olympics have truly been amazing. I am so proud to be Canadian. Brittany Maria Thiessen is a sociology and criminal justice student at the University of Winnipeg. 10 The Uniter comments March 25, 2010 www.Uniter.ca Incommunicado no more? New technology adds wrinkle to decisions regarding severely braindamaged patients Alana Westwood Volunteer Staff rachael hosein Imagine lying on your back, aware of questions being asked of you, but completely unable to move and speak. As recent studies show, this is the reality for some vegetative patients. They are literally trapped in their own bodies. Now, there may be reason for hope, as advanced brain imaging is being tested as a means of communication. Brain scanning has been used to detect neural activity for over a decade and brain-scan results are often important factors in decisions about a patient’s future. Though many patients with severe brain injuries regain consciousness, some never do. Recent technological advances are bringing new insight into the awareness levels of patients, while also raising serious moral problems. Patients are diagnosed as being in a vegetative state if they are unable to follow objects with their eyes or respond to commands. A collaborative inter-university study in Belgium, headed by Dr. Adrian Owen, used a brain-scanning technology known as functional magnetic resonance imagery (fMRI) to scan the brains of vegetative and minimally-conscious patients. Of the 54 patients in the study, neural responses to the researcher’s questions were detected in five. Of these five, four were vegetative. One of the vegetative patients, a 29-year old male, was able to have a conversation with researchers. This patient was asked to associate one visualization of playing tennis with the word “yes” and another, of navigating familiar streets, with the word “no.” Recalling these scenes when responding to questions produced brain activity in different areas of the brain, which were detected by the fMRI. Using this identification method, the patient was also able to correctly answer biographical questions, such as identifying his grandfather’s middle name. Though it is not yet clear whether or not patients can answer more complicated questions, there is potential for communication. Does this mean that patients who can communicate in this way can make decisions about their own care? Could a vegetative patient ask to be unplugged? Dr. Stephen Smith, assistant professor of neuroscience at the University of Winnipeg, notes that it is important to distinguish between different causes of vegetative states. In patients suffering traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) there is brain damage, but some areas of function may be preserved. However, in vegetative states induced by oxygen deprivation, often almost all higher brain function is lost. This is an impor- tant distinction, as vegetative states from TBIs are fairly rare and, even amongst these cases, awareness can only be detected using an fMRI in a very small subset. “We should not dramatically alter the way patients are cared for based on one study,” Dr. Smith cautions. “Asking patients to make decisions about their own care is implying deep philosophical questions. Would you ask someone who has significant portions of their brain damaged to make these kinds of judgments?” Dr. Smith suggests that with the given level of technology, serious decisions are best left to doctors and family members who presumably have intact, healthy brains. Though the technology is prohibitively expensive, pressure from doctors and researchers may force more studies of the type done by Dr. Owen and his team. This would allow for more information that can help with care decisions. Despite the ethical problems fMRI technology poses, Dr. Smith points out that one of its greatest benefits is hope: “People need that hope. And if a detailed scientific study shows that there is no response in the patient, it may help allow families to let go.” Alana Westwood is an evening-andweekend philosopher whose blog can be found at http://gapingwhole. wordpress.com. Research Assistant, Office of the President Job Vacancy # E07.10 The Opportunity: The Office of the President is seeking a motivated, energetic professional to take on the role of Research Assistant in a term capacity until March 31, 2014. Under the direction of the Sr. Executive Officer and Advisor to the President, the successful candidate will support the President & Vice-Chancellor in researching and writing papers, articles and speeches on a broad range of subjects. This is a unique opportunity to work closely with a high-level official with a national and international profile. The incumbent will come into contact with a variety of individuals, governments and organizations both locally and from around the world, and must be capable of establishing and maintaining positive working relationships with all external and internal constituents. The Research Assistant must be able to exercise sound judgment in assessing situations and use discretion as they frequently work with confidential information. Qualifications: As the ideal candidate, you will possess an undergraduate degree, preferably from The University of Winnipeg, or one close to completion. You must have experience in researching and writing papers or articles for publication. Preference will be given to candidates who have experience working in an academic, public policy or senior management environment. You must have excellent organizational and communication skills, both verbal and written and have experience dealing with a wide variety of highly confidential matters. You are also a team player with strong interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to use tact, discretion and professionalism. You have the ability to cope with varying demands for attention and changing priorities, and to deal accurately and effectively with a variety of work, often under tight deadlines. You are also able to work varied hours and the ability to speak a second language would be an asset. Application Deadline: Please submit your cover letter and resume to Human Resources by April 5, 2010 at 4:30 p.m. Be sure to quote Job Vacancy # E07.10 in your cover letter and/or email subject line. Email: [email protected] Fax: (204)774-2935 Office: 2Mc22S (Reception), 368 Spence Street Mailing address: University of Winnipeg, Human Resources 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9 The University of Winnipeg is committed to employment equity, welcomes diversity in the workplace, and encourages applications from all qualified individuals including women, members of visible minorities, aboriginal persons, and persons with disabilities. In accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, this advertisement is initially directed to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada. 11 www.uniter.ca March 25, 2010 The Uniter Arts & Culture Inevitable hip-hop experimentation Local trio Magnum K.I. mixes it up on new album “I was under the impression you couldn’t call yourself an MC if you couldn’t hold your own in a hip-hop battle.” Aaron Epp —Rob Crooks, Magnum K.I. Managing editor Courtesy of Must Be Santa Ask the guys in local hip-hop trio Magnum K.I. where they’re from and they’ll tell you they’re products of the battles. MCs Ismaila Alfa and Rob Crooks developed their skills while participating in freestyle battles where participants faced off against one another to determine who the best rapper was. Meanwhile, DJ Kutdown first made a name for himself in his native Thunder Bay as a battle DJ. “It was really fun, really pure,” Crooks said of being a 17-year-old participant in the competitions that were an integral part of local hip-hop events, like the annual Peg City Holla. “I was under the impression you couldn’t call yourself an MC if you couldn’t hold your own in a hip-hop battle.” Crooks, now 27, recalls facing off on a few occasions against Alfa. Alfa, seven years older than Crooks, usually won. “But we don’t battle anymore,” Crooks said with a smile. “It would be too much of a clash of the titans.” While they may no longer compete, Crooks is quick to point out the way freestyle battles shaped the music that’s on Magnum K.I.’s new self-titled, full-length CD. “(Battling) shapes the way you perform. You want to make sure that what you’re saying is being heard and that you’re saying something that’s worth hearing. We don’t just throw away words (in Magnum K.I.). We want to say something that’s meaningful.” Released in January, the new album is the follow-up to the group’s 2008 debut EP, Gun Shy. Over the course of 10 songs, the trio mixes jazz, reggae and pop elements into its hip hop, and features guests like Peanuts & Corn MC John Smith and jazz-folk songstress Suss. Crooks says that while he used to look to traditional New York hip hop as the epitome of the genre, he sees the trio’s experimentation as inevitable. “As you mature as an artist, you want to make something that’s your own. We explore different things (musically) that are maybe more natural to us (and) reflective of the life we live.” For Crooks and Kutdown, who teach hip-hop production and scratching at drop-in centres through Graffiti Gallery, and Alfa, an on-air personality at CBC Radio, that means including a positive outlook in Magnum K.I.’s lyrics. “When we got to a show, it’s about having fun and vibing out,” Crooks said. “I do like depressing music sometimes, but I want to have fun when I’m making music and I want people to have fun when they’re listening to our music.” Alfa and Kutdown first collaborated in 2000 when the latter joined Frek Sho, the legendary hiphop crew Alfa joined forces with in 1993. In addition to touring North America together, the duo has released 10 CDs and two vinyl EPs together. They added Crooks to the Magnum K.I. line-up after he contributed significantly to the writing and recording of both Gun Shy and the self-titled full-length. While the group is focused on its plans for the future, which include Going green: Rob Crooks (left), Ismaila Alfa (centre) and DJ Kutdown (right) make up Magnum K.I. touring in May, memories of past freestyle battles come up every once in a while, Crooks says. “Ismaila and I joke about it all the time … but we’re not trying to prove we’re the best rappers anymore. We’re just trying to make the best music we can.” See Magnum K.I. perform with a live band at The Academy on Saturday, March 27 Krazy Kingz will also perform Magnum K.I. is available now on Foultone Records Visit www.myspace.com/ magnumkimusic There’s always room for cello Vivien Leung — The Link Former Gazette reporter displays suite skills in new book The Uniter Fashion Streeter is an ongoing documentation of creative fashion in Winnipeg inspired by the Helsinki fashion blog www.hel-looks.com. Each issue will feature a new look from our city’s streets and bars in an attempt to encourage individual expression and celebrate that you are really, really good looking. Kitty “I think fashion epitomizes freedom, individuality and self-expression, especially for women.” Megan Dolski The Link Cindy Titus MONTREAL (CUP) – Classical music is often misconstrued as the exclusive pleasure of brainy music majors and gangly old men in turtlenecks with wiry, ponytailed grey hair. While classical music may have its die-hard fans, scholars and quirky virtuosos, that doesn’t mean it’s beyond the reach of today’s pop and rock crowd. Eric Siblin offers the uneducated music lover a peek into the world of classical music in his first book, The Cello Suites: J.S. Bach, Pablo Casals, and the Search for a Baroque Masterpiece. It won him the McAuslan First Book Prize at the Quebec Writers’ Federation Literary Awards this past November. Prior to writing the book, Siblin didn’t consider himself classical music-savvy. “I had zero knowledge,” he explains. “My background was totally in the rock world.” Siblin plays guitar and is a former pop music critic for the Montreal Gazette. He says he tried to write a book for people like him: those who love music yet know nothing of the classical genre. Despite his initial lack of expertise on the subject – or perhaps because of it – The Cello Suites is incredibly well-researched. Siblin’s findings led him to Bach concerts, conventions and finally to Europe. He even attempted to learn how to play the cello as part of his all-inclusive Bach extravaganza. Siblin described this experience as one comparable to learning calligraphy, archery and golf simultaneously. Siblin tells the story through three separate narratives which inter- twine as he unravels the dense trail of mysteries surrounding Bach’s Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello. The book also follows the tale of Pablo Casals, who as a young boy rediscovered the suites and saved them from obscurity. The third narrative is comprised of autobiographical tidbits in which Siblin inserts anecdotes from his own quest to learn the story behind the suites. Siblin’s personal comments are fresh and entertaining and keep the reader from overdosing on facts or falling into a history-induced coma. After an engrossing five years spent familiarizing himself with Bach and classical music in general, Siblin is happy to have broadened his musical horizons. “I’ve become more of a balanced listener who can now listen to Bach as well as to Beck, Bjork, Bono and Bob (Dylan),” he says. Siblin’s work is thorough, informative and unlike anything you’ve ever read. If you don’t enjoy reading The Cello Suites, you can at least use all of your newly acquired knowledge to brag about your intellectuality to all of your Top-40 friends. The Cello Suites is available from House of Anansi Press for $29.95. Visit www.ericsiblin.com. 12 The Uniter Arts & Culture March 25, 2010 www.Uniter.ca MUSIC LISTINGS CON’T... Shine on SUNDAY, MARCH 28 The SHINE ON MUSIC FESTIVAL is a weekend of fun that takes members of the local music scene and puts them on a farm in southern Manitoba for a hootenanny of epic proportions. In preparation for this year’s festival, the organizers are holding a fundraiser at the Pyramid on Friday, March 26 featuring country-folk band PRAIRIE WIND, bluegrass trio BOG RIVER and funky roots-reggae group THE AFTERPARTY. Jailhouse Blues with performances by BILLY JOE GREEN and THE MAGNIFICENT SEVENS is a fundraiser for the John Howard Society at the West End Cultural Centre. Suicide Tribute DJ PENNY LANE spins tracks while you attend an origami workshop at the Lo Pub. 7 p.m. A special performance from Chinese flute master XIAO-NAN WANG at McNally Robinson. 3:30 p.m. Saddle up to the bar and listen to BAD COUNTRY at the Standard. Jeremy Gilbert Blues Jam with BIG DAVE MCLEAN at the Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club. ALL THE KING’S MEN are all at the King’s Head. MONDAY, MARCH 29 ENJOY YOUR PUMAS and THESE THREE CITIES play at Le Garage Café. PROTEST THE HERO, HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS, THE SET and ELIAS perform at Snocore in the Garrick Theatre. THE MACLEAN BROTHERS play at the Royal George Hotel. The incomparable J. WILLIAMEZ performs at Shannon’s Irish Pub. New York No-Wave duo SUICIDE have influenced artists with their unique, dark synthesizer swagger. Now Big Smash! Productions is asking local musicians and artists to pay homage to Alan Vega and Martin Rev by playing a couple of cover songs or submitting a short film to be aired for the tribute event at Into the Music on Saturday, March 27. Participants get a 15 per cent discount at the store and a chance to win David Nobahkt’s book SUICIDE: NO COMPROMISE. You can sign up on the spot, but there is already a roster of fine local talent including SLATTERN, SOFTCOPS, MICRODOT, MR. GHOSTY and THE WHITE LIGHT MACHINE. Watch James Brown run from the bar to the turntable at the VINYL DRIP in the Cavern. Karaoke at the Standard. Open mic with MATT WARD at Sam’s Place. Open mic with MELISSA PLETT at Le Garage Café. NEIL PINTO at Shannon’s Irish Pub. TUESDAY, MARCH 30 Soul Night with The SOLUTIONS at the Cavern. BIG CITY FILTER play at Shannon’s Irish Pub. THURSDAY, MARCH 25 THE NERVOUS LUGERS, CANIFORM and THOSE GUYS FROM LAST NIGHT play at Winnipeg’s most infamous watering hole the Royal Albert Arms. JAMES STRUTHERS releases his album Nadia at the Pyramid Cabaret with guests THIEFS and DJ ERNIE BOOMS. CAMERON LATIMER and REUBEN DEGROOT play at Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club. DEUXIEME TAKE with the KEITH DYCK BAND at the Park Theatre. Join the packed floor dancing to DJs ROB VILAR and MIKE in the Lo Pub at GOODFORM. GODSPEED is performing at the Academy. CHRIS NEWTON is the entertainment at Le Garage Café. MOONBEAM JAZZ at the King’s Head. ROUTE 59 Jam Night at the Cavern. CRASH KARMA is at Silverado’s. READYMIX with DJs DAN L and DIAL UP at Ozzy’s. Open Jam Night at the Standard. DAVID BART Celtic night at Shannon’s Irish Pub. NEIL PINTO plays at Saffron’s. FRIDAY, MARCH 26 THE EXPERIENCES take the stage at the Royal George Hotel. TIM MCGRAW, LADY ANTEBELLUM and THE LOST TRAILERS will perform at the MTS Centre. Blues jam with Debra Lyn Neufeld at Le Garage Café. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31 HEDLEY, FEFE DOBSON, STEREOS and BOYS LIKE GIRLS are bringing their hits to the MTS Centre. FLYING FOX AND THE HUNTER GATHERERS and guests do their annual Jesus Christ Superstar Tribute at the Park Theatre. ANDREW NEVILLE & THE POOR CHOICES are playin’ at the Standard. DON’T BE SHY live open mic at the Regal Beagle. DIM LIZARD plays at the Academy. SASSY JACK is at the Royal George. BIG CITY FILTER play at Shannon’s Irish Pub. WILD AND WICKED WEDNESDAYS at Ozzy’s. THURSDAY, APRIL 1 KENNY SHIELDS and STREETHEART are at Silverado’s. THE ANGRY DRAGONS, SUBCITY and THE LEGION OF LIQUOR are playing at the Royal Albert Arms. THE FUGITIVES return to the West End Cultural Centre with guest JESSEE HAVEY. THE LONELY VULCANS release their album Night Date at the Royal Albert Arms alongside WOODSHED HAVOK and THE SMOKY TIGER. ON THE FLY is performing at the Osborne Village Zoo. Metalfest 2010 at the Osborne Village Zoo features NEURAXIS, DREADNAUT, NINJASPY, TYRANTS DEMISE and ANNEX THEORY. THE EARDRUMS are playing at Aqua Books alongside comedy acts. 7 p.m. PEACEMAKER, ARCHAGATHUS and TU SUFRES play at War On Music. Join the packed floor dancing to DJs ROB VILAR and MIKE in the Lo Pub at GOODFORM. KATE MAKI and BRENT RANDALL are performing at the Folk Exchange. MOONBEAM JAZZ at the King’s Head. PRAIRIE WIND ROOTS JAM play at the Pyramid Cabaret. FLYING FOX AND THE HUNTER GATHERERS and guests do their annual Jesus Christ Superstar Tribute at the Park Theatre. ROUTE 59 Jam Night at the Cavern. READYMIX with DJs DAN L and DIAL UP at Ozzy’s. ANDREW NEVILLE AND THE POOR CHOICES are joined by THE SWEET ALIBI at Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club. Open Jam Night at the Standard. SIT DOWN TRACY plays a homecoming show at the Academy with local buddies CHEERING FOR THE BAD GUY and THE EMPTY STANDARDS. NEIL PINTO plays at Saffron’s. DAVID BART Celtic night at Shannon’s Irish Pub. MOSES MAYES funkifies the Lo Pub. Jazz Winnipeg presents GEORGE COLLIGAN at the Park Theatre. DOW JONES rocks the party at Hi-Fi. SATURDAY, MARCH 27 MAGNUM K.I. and KRAZY KINGZ are spitting rhymes at the Academy. JASON COLLETT, BAHAMAS and ZEUS, April 3 at the West End Cultural Centre. There’s a tribute show to legendary New York synth duo SUICIDE at Into The Music, featuring performances by SLATTERN, ELECTRIC CANDLES, MICRODOT, MR. GHOSTY and THE WHITE LIGHT MACHINE. COURTNEY WING and ROYAL CANOE, April 6 at the West End Cultural Centre. TOM and PAT KEENAN each release an album at the West End Cultural Centre. LULLABYE ARKESTRA, April 9 at the Royal Albert Arms. BIG JOHN BATES & THE VOO-DOO DOLLZ and THE ANGRY DRAGONS, April 12 at the Pyramid Cabaret. DEL THE FUNKY HOMOSAPIEN, April 20 at the Pyramid Cabaret. THE PROSTITOTS, MCNASTIES and THE UNTALENTED play at the Royal Albert Arms. BABY DEE, April 20 at the West End Cultural Centre. Manitoba Metalfest 2010 continues at the Zoo with ear-splitting performances by BRUTAL TRUTH, MALEFACTION, HEAD HITS CONCRETE, ELECTRO QUATERSTAFF and EVIL SURVIVES. ROB ZOMBIE and ALICE COOPER, April 26 at the MTS Centre. NOFX, April 26 at the Burton Cummings Theatre. KAZZOSHAY is performing at Ozzy’s. HOLLERADO and THE BESNARD LAKES, April 28 at the Royal Albert Arms. Purple Party, with a dress code in effect, dons the red carpet at the Pyramid Cabaret. PLANTS AND ANIMALS and SAID THE WHALE, April 28 at the West End Cultural Centre. GHOSTKEEPER, LES JUPES and THE BALCONIES are entertaining at the Lo Pub. SIMON AND GARFUNKEL, May 5 at the MTS Centre. RUDE DALE and WILL GRIERSON play at Le Garage Café. IRON MAIDEN, June 30 at the MTS Centre. DJ KEE$H spins at Hi-Fi. THE SADIES, May 25 at the Pyramid Cabaret. CD REVIEWS PATRICK KEENAN Washed Out Roads Independent TOM KEENAN Romantic Fitness Independent Patrick and Tom are brothers, both officially releasing their new albums on the same day, at the same CD release show - Saturday, March 27 at the West End Cultural Centre. It would be easy to compare the two by virtue of those facts, but in reality, the albums are quite different. What they do have in common, though, is that each album is a well-crafted collection of songs put together by an accomplished artist. Patrick’s Washed Out Roads pulses with energy and manages to improve on his critically acclaimed 2004 debut, As Constant As the Northern Car. His bio describes him as “roots-rock,” but the emphasis on this record is definitely the latter. From the jaunty opener Pill Store, to the lilting Cloud Formation and the guitar battle of If You’re Curious, Patrick’s piano-based songs are more straightforward than those on Northern Car. He slows things down on the title track as well as on the ballad Lois, which features haunting trumpet and female vocal lines. Tom Keenan is probably better known in Winnipeg for his day job as an actor (most recently, he appeared in Sean Garrity’s controversial film Zooey and Adam), but his musical career dates back to 1996. Romantic Fitness, his debut album, is a song cycle about “the hopes and frustrations and sadnesses of trying to keep in romantic shape.” Produced with Matt Peters (The Waking Eyes) and Dave Quanbury (Twilight Hotel), the 10 guitar-based songs are charming and whimsical. Standouts include the simple, sweet 100 Hours and the rootsy River St. Both Washed Out Roads and Romantic Fitness are solid, compelling discs you'll want to listen to repeatedly. Check them out. —Aaron Epp EVIL SURVIVES Powerkiller War On Music It goes without saying that this band has a healthy obsession with all things Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. They go so far as to credit every riff to those two bands, as well as Mercyful Fate. Vocals that reside in the stratosphere, killer guitarmonies and a driving rhythm section all combine to bring you soaring ’80s power metal that was defined by the likes of the aforementioned metal gods. Lyrically they live up to their name, hailing their main songwriter (Satan, herself) with nothing less than their souls. Shorter ragers (Judas Priest Live) mix it up with the 15-minute epic B-side The Descent into Hades to bring you 42 minutes of intense, classic thrash and New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM). Extra points for making this a limited edition cassette and vinyl release while offering a stellar 320 kbps digital release of the album for free on their website (www.evilsurvives.com), available Friday, March 26. —Lee Repko GHOSTKEEPER Ghostkeeper Flemish Eye Records “I-I-I I’m gonna leave by morning” has never sounded so catchy, which makes the charm and ease of Ghostkeeper’s storytelling impressive. Lead vocalist Shane Ghostkeeper has a wispy, XaviorRudd-meets-Dave-Matthews, ironically-cordial approach, like, “I met a couple on the street / chit chat this that / well well well” and “Your schools / You fools / Are nothing but a babysitter.” Originally from Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement in northern Alberta, Ghostkeeper’s tracks have a subtle influence of aboriginal rhythms with a noisy, grunge blues style pop. Self-described as having a “healthy irreverence towards standard song structure,” Ghostkeeper’s drumming is definitely a standout, with an unidentifiable, deep-clanging instrument (keg/barrel?). There’s a bit of a repetitive mid-disc lull, which might have you checking for a disc scratch. Otherwise, Ghostkeeper’s efforts are complicated, impressive and cheeky. —Lynnette McLarty WINTERGREEN Someday Old Flame Records You may know L.A. alt-rockers Wintergreen for their Atari-themed breakout song When I Wake Up, off their 2007 debut LP (Around &) Around Again. The song’s video became a minor Internet phenom thanks to the retro appeal of its storyline, which follows the demise of the infamous E.T. video game. (Large quantities were disposed of in a real life New Mexico landfill after the game flopped in ’82.) Someday, the first single of the band’s recent sophomore effort Rebel Shout, is similarly appealing and similarly predictable. The best parts of the track are where the band channels Dinosaur Jr. with ’90s angst and low-fi guitar solos. The downside is that these elements are overshadowed by lead singer Drew Mottinger’s everyday vocals and painfully poor lyrics. “Don’t sell your soul to the fire / Don’t give your love to a liar” Mottinger repeats over the song’s chorus, leaving the listener with a sense of dread that the chorus might reprise (it does). Too bad. Download Someday at www.tinyurl.com/ wintergreensomeday. —Sam Hagenlocher Arts & Culture www.uniter.ca March 25, 2010 13 The Uniter Brothers gonna work it out Courtesy of Crooked Brothers For local threepiece The Crooked Brothers, the journey has just begun Marshall Birch Volunteer Staff Winnipeg is a city packed to the brim with old-time/country/folk/ bluegrass groups. This abundance of genre acts makes the struggle to rise above and garner attention that much greater, and all the more intimidating for those just starting out. So when local folkers The Crooked Brothers released their debut album last fall, even after years of playing together in the city, it seemed their day had finally come. The three-piece is a concise, collaborative effort of singers, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists. Matt Crooked, the youngest, plays the banjo and guitar and sings with a low growl of a voice that audiences won’t soon forget. Darwin Crooked, the eldest, plays guitar, dobro and harmonica. He’s someone who will tell an audience he’s gone sober and then sing three songs about drinking. Down with daisies! Local folk siblings The Crooked Brothers released their acclaimed debut album Deathbed Pillowtalk last November. Jesse Crooked, the middle brother, plays mandolin, harmonica and some of the best dirtyblues-funk guitar this side of Marc Ribot. Biological or not, Brothers they are. This past fall, the band secluded themselves in a cabin where they set to work recording their debut, Deathbed Pillowtalk, which was released this past November to much acclaim. “We recorded it ourselves and tried to bring out the sound of the room more so than typical recordings,” Jesse explained via e-mail. “I think it gives it a warmer feeling. in the country knows full well. “We got snowed in in Mortlach, Sask. with some (members) of the Deep Dark Woods for three days,” Jesse explained. “Eight-foot snow banks formed overnight – no joke.” This spring they’ll tour in a bit more style. The Brothers will be hopping aboard an eastbound train, playing shows in Toronto, Hamilton and Kingston. Despite the threesome’s old-time bluegrass roots, the band will not be sleeping in boxcars to get there, but will be seated safely and legally inside their cabins. Like other Canadian artists before them, they will be singing for their supper and passage, performing in the dining car on their way to and from Ontario. On Saturday, April 17 the Brothers will be back in town to play a show at the Times Change(d), with British Columbia contemporaries Fish & Bird. The cabin was heated by a wood stove and we stayed warm with bourbon and fire.” Since the release of the album, the Brothers have toured across the country from Montreal to Victoria and back again. December isn’t always the best time for a Canadian tour, as nearly every touring band See The Crooked Brothers Saturday, April 17 at the Times Change(d) High & Lonesome Club Fish & Bird will also perform Visit www.crookedbrothers.com for more information Read The Uniter’s four-star review of Deathbed Pillowtalk at www.uniter. ca/view/1817 MORE MUSIC THIS WEEK Leif Norman Do Canadian bands get balloon grants or something? Seriously, enough with the balloons already: Eastern Canadian indiepsychedelic-pop-maker Brent Randall and his Pinecones. Brent Randall and his Pinecones Enigmatic East Coast psychedelic pop artist Brent Randall first caught national attention six years ago when he and his newly-formed band, the Pinecones, released their debut EP Quite Precisely to critical acclaim. After the sudden success, Randall and his group took some time off to hone their cabaret pop act, and spent years performing previews of songs for an upcoming LP, which didn’t fully materialize until four years later. The result was the deep and colourful We Were Strangers in Paddington Green, released in 2008. Now Brent and his Pinecones have not wasted any time in their bid for a three-peat success, which has culminated in their newest album SAGE. With SAGE, Randall woos listeners with the feeling of being enveloped by an Audrey Hepburn movie, where his silky voice narrates the plot. Randall is currently touring the country on a national double-album release tour, sharing the stage with Sudbury psychobilly artist Kate Maki. The twosome will be bringing their unique show to the Folk Exchange on Friday, March 26. The sleepy set is sure to include pricelessly lush crescendos and powerful songwriting. Visit www.justfriends.ca/brent for more information. —Karlene OOto-Stubbs Masked and Albertan: Calgary-based blues/pop band Ghostkeeper are currently touring their self-titled sophomore record and will be stopping at the Lo Pub March 27. Ghostkeeper Ghostkeeper is a band that wears its origins on its sleeve. The band’s founding members, Shane Ghostkeeper and Sarah Houle, hail from a Métis community in Northern Alberta. The isolation of their youth, combined with their love of old folk and blues, heavily influenced their music as the duo gradually expanded into a foursome. Their sound is a marriage of traditional storytelling, outsider blues and noisy pop, with distinct geographic and new wave influences. The foursome is currently touring the country on the steam of their sophomore record, Ghostkeeper. “Trying to not be a cliché is a big part of our writing intent,” Shane Ghostkeeper said in an interview with Toronto’s Eye Weekly. “The music community across the board is so saturated with power chords – we refuse to play them. I try to make phrases with the guitar instead of strumming or chugging. My big challenge is that I write a song and I can’t play and sing it for a few months. It’s an intentional challenge: every song has got to be something I can’t play yet.” Come check out their challenging musical foray March 27 at the Lo Pub. Tickets available at the door. Winnipeg ink: Acclaimed local singer Jessee Havey has a busy spring ahead of her, with a recording session and numerous tour dates planned. Jessee Havey It’s been three years since Jessee Havey left her post as lead singer in acclaimed local roots band The Duhks. So what’s new? “This is a really good time to ask that question,” Havey said by phone earlier this week. “The ball is officially back moving and rolling at a good, steady pace.” After playing four shows at the Suwannee Springfest in Florida at the end of the month, Havey will return to Winnipeg to open for Vancouver’s The Fugitives at the West End Cultural Centre on Thursday, April 1. That show will also mark the release of a new EP, titled Bittersweet Tooth. The sound she’s focusing on these days is deeply steeped in roots music. “It’s country-soul,” said Havey, whose parents were folk musicians. “I’m really focusing on my background, and putting some gospel stuff on there eventually too.” In May, Havey will head to Nashville to record at the Music Producers Institute. There, she’ll work with two producers: Steve Fishell, whose credits include playing Dobro for Emmylou Harris; and David Leonard, who engineered and mixed Prince’s Purple Rain. “He wants to work with me and not get paid,” Havey said. “So I’m feeling very spoiled right now, but extremely grateful. I’m just vibrating most of the time right now.” —Karlene Ooto-Stubbs visit uniter.ca/listings for more of what’s happening —Aaron Epp 14 Arts & Culture The Uniter March 25, 2010 www.Uniter.ca FILM Neil Young performs a live concert acoustically and with accompaniment by his raw rock band Crazy Horse in THE NEIL YOUNG TRUNK SHOW, onscreen at the Cinematheque Friday, March 26 until Thursday, April 8. CINESANITY is a free monthly movie screening for the general public and for persons concerned with issues of mental illness and addiction who are in some way involved in the recovery process. The films will be shown at Micah House at 1039 Main St. on the fourth Monday of every month at 7 p.m. This Monday, March 22, RABBIT PROOF FENCE will be shown. Sweatin’ to the oldies Jonathan Demme gets a second take on a Canadian music legend in Neil Young’s Trunk Show Larry Cragg Big Smash! Outsider Asylum presents RENE, a documentary film about a man who spends his life in and out of prison. Thursday, March 25 at the Ellice Theatre. 8 p.m. film review Cassandra Anderson Volunteer Staff Neil Young’s Trunk Show Directed by Jonathan Demme, 2009 120 minutes Plays at the Cinematheque March 26, 27, 31 and April 1 at 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m., March 28 at 7 p.m., and April 2, 3, 7 and 8 at 9 p.m. Henri-Georges Clouzot’s film INFERNO about a jealous husband driven toward insanity is onscreen at the Cinematheque Thursday, March 25 at 7 p.m. Domino Film is pleased to announce that REEL INJUN will be screening at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 25 at the University of Winnipeg’s EckhardtGramatté Hall, in conjunction with the Winnipeg Aboriginal Festival’s Outreach Initiative. The Winnipeg International Jewish Film Festival runs until Saturday, March 27. Visit www.radyjcc. com for information on the films and show times. There is a call for submissions for the eighth annual University of Winnipeg Student Film Festival. Forms can be picked up at the UWSA info booth. Deadline is Monday, April 5 at 4 p.m. The films will be screened at the festival from Wednesday, April 23 to Friday, April 25. Teenagers love horror films, so here’s a chance to enrol your kids aged 14-18 in a film criticism course on some classic flicks. The program will take place from Tuesday, March 30 until Thursday, April 1 at Aqua Books. For more information, visit the Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies at www. big-smash.com. At 64, Canadian music legend Neil Young may just be a hair younger than his musical contemporaries. But when the man with the heart of gold gets onstage, as anyone who has seen him can attest, he gets a whole lot younger. Neil Young’s Trunk Show is the second Young doc in four years by fan-auteur Jonathan Demme (Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense), who previously captured his performance at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in 2006’s Neil Young: Heart of Gold. Nonetheless, Trunk Show will be an incredible trip down memory lane for some, and a welcoming red carpet to new fans. There is nothing old about Young here, as he continues to jump around the stage, breaking out a sweat while swaying to the tempo. His continuous passion for peace and poetry shines through in every word he utters. Demme’s keen eye and countless camera angles succeed in providing the audience with the experience of being onstage with the legend himself. Even the drummer’s viewpoint is captured. Demme takes a unique approach here, allowing the audience to watch the crowd from a performer’s point of view, capturing every fan in their seat as they become completely entranced by each melody. The painted picture of true musical genius I bet your Grandpa can’t rock like that: Neil Young performs in director Jonathan Demme’s latest documentary (and second Young flick) The Neil Young Trunk Show. lifts you up and satisfies every inch of anyone’s love for folk music. The emotional stone-cold backdrop takes you back to the ’60s, while you watch “The Sultan” paint music to canvas. This artistic show has everything a Neil Young fan could ever ask for. The very few backstage clips come at just the right time to ease you over to the next song. Demme chooses to let Young’s work speak for itself, with little discussion with the man himself, which may leave some viewers longing for more intimate moments. Those looking for a deeper exploration into the mind and beauty that only Young can explain may not find it here, though perhaps, as Demme knows the man well, those things are best explained through his performance. “I’m just a dreamer, but you are just a dream.” Like a Hurricane is just one of the many magnificent performances in this 90-minute concert, though Young staples such as Hey Hey, My My or Out on the Weekend are surprisingly absent. But as a compromise, Demme does capture an incredible, jawdropping 20-minute guitar solo in the midst of Oh Hidden Path, something you likely won’t see anywhere else. All and all, folk music is given a new twist of wonderment through Demme’s steady lens. Young said it best: “Rock and roll will never die.” THIS IS WHAT YOUR TAX REFUND COULD LOOK LIKE: LITERATURE Bestselling author Ross King will speak on his forthcoming book about Canadian artists the Group of Seven at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 25 at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. The launch of Allyn M. Manuel’s bookMorning Calm: A Tell-All Tale of When Cultures Cross takes place on Thursday, March 25 at McNally Robinson. 8 p.m. NEWSPAPERS: Telling Tales Spoken Lit Series presents Whale Tales to Balaam’s Ass: Bringing Out the Animal in the Old Testament with storytellers Anne Morton and Rebecca Hiebert takes place at Aqua Books on Friday, March 25 at 7 p.m. An average refund with us is $1,000. We get you an average of $1,000 on your tax refund, so you can do more of what you want to do. Get It Right. Launch of When the Other is Me, the long-awaited book from one of the most recognized and respected scholars in native studies today, Dr. Emma LaRocque. 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 25 at McNally Robinson. SM Student Tax Prep 2995 $ Aqua Books’ monthly Anthology Reading Series takes place on Saturday, March 27 with Manitoba authors Melissa Steele, Brenda Hasiuk and Todd Besant. 7 p.m. plus FREE SPC Card.* The 2010 Prairie Fire Press and McNally Robinson Booksellers Literary Contests will be awarding $6,000 in cash prizes. For full contest rules or more information, visit www.prairiefire.ca or call 204943-9066. Click, call or come over. | hrblock.ca | 800-HRBLOCK www.uniter.ca © 2009 H&R Block Canada, Inc. *$29.95 valid for regular student tax preparation only. Student tax preparation with Cash Back option is $34.95. To qualify for student pricing, student must present either (i) a T2202a documenting 4 or more months of full-time attendance at a college or university during 2009 or (ii) a valid high school identification card. Expires July 31, 2010. Valid only at participating H&R Block locations in Canada. JOB NAME: CAMPUS NEWSPAPER Award-winning novelist Joan Thomas launches her new book Curiosity on Thursday, April 1 at 8 p.m. at McNally Robinson. DOCKET/AD#: 09-HRB-067-BW-SE-9 Tuesday, March 30 sees the launch of I Will Shine: From Darkness to Light by Diane Bender and Mary Ann Petriw at McNally Robinson. 8 p.m. Arts & Culture www.uniter.ca Paradise flossed The Woodlands Gallery underwent a facelift and will now play host to LIVING RHYTHM, a new exhibition by CONNIE GEERTS, running until Saturday, March 27. MONIQUE LAROUCHE’s paintings in the series PAYSAGES D’OISEAU, or BIRDS LANDSCAPES, will be on display at the Wayne Arthur Gallery until Wednesday, March 31. THE ART OF WARNER BROTHERS CARTOONS is a collection of classic WB images at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, on display until Thursday, March 30. ARTARAMA 2010, featuring 46 Manitoban artists, takes place at Mary Mother of the Church From Saturday, March 27 until Monday, March 29. Sagan Morrow Graffiti Art Programming will be bringing CEY ADAMS to Winnipeg for an artist talk and workshop for the annual Art Break at the Graffitti Gallery on Sunday, March 28 and Monday, March 29. Staff Writer CONVERGING INTERESTS featuring the artwork of ANNE MARIE LAYMAN, GEORGE TANNER and JOHN MILLS opens at the Cre8ery at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 25. The exhibit will be on display until Tuesday, April 6. Handsome artist ADRIAN WILLIAMS is showing an exhibition of brand new works at Golden City Fine Art until Friday, March 26. “Orthodontic Crucifixion” (left) and “Full Mouth Reconstruction” (right), from Kris Row’s Tormented Dentist. photos by cindy titus viewer’s expectations, playing with our expectations of society and of art. He paints the weird in a surprisingly aesthetic way. Deep reds contrast with inky black, setting an ominous backdrop for the pile of bright blue braces in the above mentioned “Babel.” “The Bridge,” an oil-on-panel painting, depicts a rickety bridge suspended across solitary teeth over a vivid blue body of water. Skulls frame the water, but a break in the dark clouds shows the sun shining through to illuminate the hard workers below, suggesting that there is yet hope. The recurring motifs of skulls and exhausted dentists in his artwork may appear a somewhat chilling theme, but the playful structure of turning dentistry into art casts the series in a friendlier light. Dentistry-as-art is not a subject most people would think to hang a painting of in their home, but Row’s work is worth checking out. Morphing history with spirituality with politics with dentistry, Kris Row is a true original. His use of vibrant colours is eye-catching and certain to draw any passerby to give his art a closer look. Row isn’t afraid to make fun of himself, either. A pen-and-ink illustration of the artist himself leaning wearily on top of a pile of books with proportionally large dentistry materials scattered around the tired figure completes Row’s eerie satirical collection. Tormented Dentist is on display at Medea Gallery (132 Osborne St.) until Saturday, March 27. Visit www.medeagallery.ca and www.osbornevillagestudio.com. Food for thought 13 WHO KNEW... featuring a wide range of local art at the Graffiti Gallery is on display until Thursday, April 22. Wake up and wear your pajamas to the Winnipeg Art Gallery to watch classic Warner Brothers cartoons on Saturday, April 3, meeting in Eckhardt Hall on the University of Winnipeg campus for a pancake breakfast at 9 a.m. THE BEATLES! BACKSTAGE AND BEHIND THE SCENES is an opportunity for Fab Four fanatics to see the collection of unpublished photographs of the Beatles. On display at the Manitoba Museum until Sunday, April 11. Submit your artwork on the subject of bikes for the next exhibit at the Lo Pub, I Want To Ride My Bicycle, which will open Wednesday, May 26. WRITING HOME, the art of Bonnie Devine, and BECOMING UNWRITTEN, John Hupfield’s exhibit, will be on display at the Urban Shaman Gallery until Saturday, March 27. THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD, the Winnipeg Art Gallery’s annual exhibition featuring work by children and teens who have taken fall and winter art classes at the WAG, runs from Saturday, March 27 to Sunday, May 2. Celebrate the colour of winter with the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library’s exhibit WHITE WORKS. Artists work in a variety of mediums but no colours. The exhibit will be on display until the snow fades to brown dirt in early May. The Costume Museum of Canada will display bridal wear from the First and Second World Wars in their exhibition WARTIME WEDDINGS. Teaming up with the Urban Shaman Gallery and Jenny Western, the Museum will also put on display a collection of NATIVE/AMERICAN APPAREL. Both exhibits run until Sunday, April 4. Veteran artist Robert Pasternak provides plenty of things to sink your mind into with new exhibit Visual Chew The Winnipeg Art Gallery hosts DELICATE BEAUTY: THE RUBY ASHDOWN PORCELAIN COLLECTION. These decorative art pieces were donated to the WAG by Ruby Ashdown and come from 18th and 19th century Britain. The exhibition is on display until Sunday, April 18. The Forum Art Centre offers spring classes beginning on Monday, April 5. Visit www.forumartinstitute.ca for more information. James Culleton Volunteer Staff Robert Pasternak’s latest artistic offering Visual Chew: Original novelties, art multiples and packaged thoughts is currently on display at Martha Street Studio. In this unique exhibition, Pasternak utilizes his skills as a printmaker, with individual silk-screened packaged wrappers and offset printed booklets of his work. At first glance the pieces are quirky and playful, but many also carry their own messages. For instance, Pasternak’s packages of dried leaves and apple cores hint at the everyday consumption of bottled water or the purchase of soil, drawing attention to how these natural things have all been packaged for profits. “I do think we consume too much,” said Pasternak when asked about his pieces that speak directly to our roles as consumers, like his candy bar titled Eat-Less. Pasternak’s Fun Gum, fashioned after Bazooka gum, is not gum at all but a small square of modeling clay that comes packed with a comic that either educates or instructs the viewer to make something with the clay. The artist’s Chiclets gum boxes contain miniature candy-coated booklets filled with artwork, a collaborative piece with artist and graphic designer Ron White. Pasternak, who has been making art for about 30 years, suggests that his work has evolved simultaneously and the variety of The Uniter GALLERIES & MUSEUMS Brace yourselves for a brush with hell in visual artist/orthodontist Kris Row’s surreal exhibit, Tormented Dentist Not many dentists have the opportunity to be creative with their work, but Kris Row is no ordinary dentist. An artist with a flair for bright colours and figurative style, Row’s imagination runs wild in his Tormented Dentist exhibit, currently on display at the Medea Gallery in Osborne Village. Injecting his knowledge of orthodontics into his artwork is particularly evident in “Full Mouth Reconstruction,” an intriguing oil-on-canvas piece which demonstrates the intricacies of the human mouth. Row portrays the delicate work required by skilled hands, which are represented by the tiny dentists hard at work in this painting. The subjects climb scaffolds, drill into gums and chisel away at crooked teeth as they work together to reconstruct the mouth. Incorporating social dynamics into his collection, suggestions of political issues and societal pressures linger thematically in nearly all of his paintings. Industrialism is alluded to by the buildings in the background of “Full Mouth Reconstruction,” smoke unfurling across a sea of red towards the wide open, gaping mouth in the foreground. Politics are also explicit in pieces such as “Tower of Babel” and “Orthodontic Crucifixion,” giving historical religious events a modern dentistry twist. Row pushes boundaries along with the March 25, 2010 15 15 MINUTES is a showcase of local art happening the first Thursday of every month at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Local artists can submit their work for the series to [email protected]. THEATRE, DANCE & COMEDY GIRLS ONLY is an original comedy that celebrates the honour, truth, humour and silliness of being female. Onstage at the MTC’s Tom Hendry Theatre until Saturday, April 3. Artist Robert Pasternak used his skills as a printmaker to design packaged wrappers that comment on consumerism for his latest exhibition, Visual Chew. photos by cindy titus work in his portfolio has developed in unison. Each switch of method and medium arrives at another style of work, which Pasternak would say all comes from the “Nakfactorium” – a word he has created to help describe where all his work comes from. “And then it’s like Kaboom!” exclaimed Pasternak, describing the different aspects of his work as they collide and unite to create an exhibition. “They inform each other.” His studio, much like his practice, is multifaceted, filled with ideas in progress and knick-knacks from floor to ceiling. Pasternak, who started making art in the early ’80s, is best known for his illustrations, paintings and films. His first short film was selected for the Venice Film Festival in 2003 and was the only Canadian film to the play the festival that year. Pasternak feels the inspiration for his films have come from many places, including Canadian film great Norman McLaren and artist Bertram Brooker. “I’m a cosmic surrealist,” Pasternak explained. “To forever be a blossoming flower,” he added, quoting a Yes song, when asked about his current ideals as an artist. Considering each new exhibition that he has moves his work in a new direction, this slogan is apt. Visual Chew is on display at Martha Street Studio (11 Martha St.) until Friday, April 23. Visit www.printmakers.mb.ca. The University of Winnipeg Department of Theatre and Film’s 2009-10 season concludes with THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, running from Tuesday, March 30 through Saturday, April 3 at 8 p.m. nightly in the Gas Station Theatre. Willy Russell’s play about the will to learn, EDUCATING RITA, will be onstage at the Manitoba Theatre Company’s John Hirsch Theatre until Saturday, April 10. Adhere and Deny is presenting STILL WALKING in its pocket theatre at 315-70 Albert St. from Thursday, March 25 to Saturday, March 27 at 8 p.m. nightly. The Forks Market becomes a performance space full of magicians, comedians, games, clowns and more tomfoolery in the annual FESTIVAL OF FOOLS from Saturday, March 27 until Saturday, April 3. Free admission. April Fool’s Day at Aqua Books features comedians AL RAE, DEAN JENKINSON and RYAN MCMAHON. 7 p.m. Comedy night with SCOOTS MCTAVISH every Thursday at Shannon’s Irish Pub. Sunday night open-mic comedy at the Cavern, featuring JOHN B. DUFF. Every Tuesday night head down to the King’s Head Pub for a free comedy performance. 16 The Uniter Arts & Culture March 25, 2010 www.Uniter.ca theatre review The stylist and the souse Bruce Monk MTC’s production of Willy Russell’s Pygmalion update Educating Rita is a fast-paced theatrical romp with heart unique to this production comes in the form of the distinction of time. The pupil’s sessions are on a weekly basis, divided by nostalgiafilled blackouts in which iconic images and sounds of the late ’70s are displayed. Rita manages to effortlessly storm into Frank’s office in a completely different outfit each time, her style maturing, along with her outlook. Willy Russell’s play offers an interesting presentation of the politics of academia that may resound in the university crowd, but the comedy seems to be geared ironically towards an exclusive high-brow academic audience. All in all, Educating Rita entertains with performances that will leave audiences with the impression that maybe, sometimes, students really do make the best teachers. Courtney Brecht Volunteer Staff Educating Rita Directed by Steven Schipper Presented by Manitoba Theatre Centre Plays at the MTC John Hirsch Theatre (Mainstage) until Saturday, April 10 Rita wants to be educated; she wants to know everything. From the minute Rita stumbles into Frank’s office, the audience is barraged with her “dead seriousness” regarding her earnest pursuit of knowledge. Manitoba Theatre Centre’s production of Educating Rita, directed by MTC artistic director Stephen Schipper, focuses on the relationship between a boisterous Liverpudlian student and her polar-opposite poet professor. MTC veteran Mairi Babb (It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play, Pride and Prejudice) dawns hairdresser Rita’s giant auburn ‘do, while Andrew Gillies’s (Emerald City, The Taming of the Shrew) lanky frame decorates the scene with distinction. This modern day My Fair Lady focuses around the value of an education and the importance of remaining true to yourself in an academic society in which conformity and status quo are considered most valuable. There are only two actors and one small Devil in a denim dress: Andrew Gillies as Frank and Mairi Babb as Rita in Educating Rita, now playing at the MTC John Hirsch Theatre. set in this piece, but the pace never slackens in this class-based comedy. The timing is essentially what drives the production forward as Babb’s lightning-fast retorts never waver despite the play’s length. Frank’s mounting, secret alcoholism culminates in a show-stopping scene in which a liquor commissions’ worth of booze is revealed to be stashed behind his Dickens and Chaucer. One of the most poignant features comes in the interplay of space with the characters. In the beginning Rita barges into, and comments on, any and all relics that innocuously lie in the professor’s quarters. Also, the positions in which the characters occupy are metaphorically represented by the two sides of the desk. Nearing the end of the production, the roles are physically reversed as Rita’s hard work and unabashed nature have propelled her into the role of the teacher. An interesting stylistic element that is Make your claim on your income tax return! Live Here. Save Here. Receive a 60% Rebate on your eligible post-secondary tuition fees Start saving with the Manitoba Tuition Fee Income Tax Rebate The Winnipeg Art Gallery presents CANNES LIONS 09 RERUNS The World’s Best Commercials March 19–April 3 Winnipeg Art Gallery • 300 Memorial Blvd Muriel Richardson Auditorium Mar 19 • 7pm and 9:30pm Mar 23, 24 • 7pm Mar 26, 27 • 7pm and 9:30pm Mar 30, 31 • 7pm Apr 1 • 7pm and 9:30pm Apr 3 • 2, 7 and 9:30pm Member $7 • Adult $9 • Senior $8 • Student $8 Advance tickets available at the WAG Info Booth and all Ticketmaster outlets • Charge-by-phone: 204.780.3333 • Order online: ticketmaster.ca (additional fees for phone/internet orders) • Rating: 14A By providing post-secondary graduates with a 60% income tax rebate on their eligible tuition fees, the Tuition Fee Income Tax Rebate helps young Manitobans like you pay for your education while living and working here in Manitoba. Reduce your Manitoba Income Tax If you graduated with a degree, diploma or certificate from a post-secondary institution recognized by the Canada Revenue Agency on or after January 1, 2007 and now work and pay taxes in Manitoba, you can benefit from the Tuition Fee Income Tax Rebate. It doesn’t matter if your post-secondary training took place in Manitoba or elsewhere. You can make your claim on your income tax return. How it works You are entitled to receive a 60% income tax rebate on your eligible tuition fees to a maximum of $25,000. You can claim your rebate over as little as six years or as long as twenty years. Here are some examples of what this rebate could mean to you: Sample Tuition Fees 60% Rebate $ 40,000 $ 24,000 $ 25,000 $ 15,000 $ 5,000 $ 3,000 Find out more To find out more about how Manitoba’s Tuition Fee Income Tax Rebate can help you put money in your pocket as you put down roots in Manitoba, please visit manitoba.ca Winnipeg Art Gallery 300 Memorial Boulevard • Winnipeg, MB • 204.786.6641 • wag.ca Tuition Fee Income Tax Rebate Publication: The Uniter Arts & Culture www.uniter.ca March 25, 2010 17 The Uniter Job postings Business Manager The University of Winnipeg’s student weekly is seeking a dynamic and motivated individual to take over the business operations of the newspaper. This individual should have at least two years progressive responsibility in management. They must possess a solid understanding of the publishing industry and the needs of a controlled copy urban weekly that suits the needs to both the campus and downtown community. This individual will be responsible for all business aspects of the paper including advertising, circulation, finances and business development. The following job opportunity is a 30-hour per week part-time position for a one-year contract beginning April 15, 2010. The position has a two-week holiday period as well as a Christmas break (approx. two weeks). It is based upon a $21,000 salary per year with a chance for increased wages April 1, 2011 (with contract renewal). Please note this is not an editorial position. Skill requirements: • Ability to prioritize tasks, make decisions and work independently, act with a high degree of integrity and professionalism. • Excellent communications skills, both oral and written. • Knowledge and familiarity with Macintosh operating systems, computer software for Word Processing, Spreadsheet, Database management, e-mail and Internet, and accounting. • Ability to manage the newspaper’s circulation, advertising and event contracts. • Ability to oversee and co-ordinate financial management of the newspaper. • Familiarity with publishing, web publishing and new media including the ability to oversee production of a weekly newspaper. • Familiarity with grant writing, budgeting and project co-ordination a must. Duties: • Administration: Responsible for all office communications, by mail, phone, fax and email, finances, advertising, production, promotions and fundraising, etc. • STAFF SUPERVISION: In association with the managing editor, the business manager will oversee all staff and execute the organization’s human resources policy of a safe and healthy workplace. • CIRCULATION: Manages the newspaper’s circulation records by consistently updating, monitoring and optimizing new and existing circulation drop points. Maintain a mailing list for The Uniter. • ADVERTISING: Acts as the newspaper’s advertising representative, recruiting new clients and managing current clients, preparing contracts, proposals and packages, revising rate cards, invoicing and collecting revenue. • MENTORING: The business manager of The Uniter will be responsible for providing a mentoring environment for all staff of the paper and will from time-to-time be consulted upon for editorial advice and publishing expertise. The individual must also be able to assess, strategize and react to changing climates in the publishing industry as it relates to the newspaper’s niche market. • FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT: Oversees the finan- cial management of newspaper, including payroll. Must prepare and submit annual budgets and actuals to the board of directors. • PRODUCTION: Oversees printing and mailing of magazine issues, and acts as a liason with the printer and the production manager. Manages printing contract. • DEVELOPMENT: Works in conjunction with the board of directors to execute the Strategic Plan of The Uniter. • PROMOTIONS / SPONSORSHIP AND SPECIAL PROJECTS: With input from the board of directors and staff, the business manager will plan and execute activities that engage the readership of the newspaper. This includes the speaker’s series of Mouseland Press Inc. The business manager will administrate all sponsorship opportunities of the organization. • REPORTING: The business manager will attend all Board and committee meetings and prepare reports for all board meetings on the newspaper’s finances, circulation, advertising, results of promotions, and other information as needed by the Board. Interested parties should submit a resume including references, a covering letter and a oneto two-page essay detailing the importance of independent media by 6 p.m. on March 26, 2010. Interviews will take place the week of March 29. Application packages should be sent to [email protected]. Questions can be addressed to interim business manager James Patterson at business@ uniter.ca or 786–9790. Production Manager ($400 per week) The Uniter is looking for a hard-working, creative and talented individual to take on the responsibilities of Production Manager. The successful applicant will be responsible for the overall design and final layout of the newspaper, in co-operation with the section editors and Managing Editor, on a weekly basis. The Production Manager is also responsible for uploading content onto The Uniter’s website each week. This person must be proficient with Adobe Creative Suite, comfortable using a Mac OS X platform and possess a sound understanding of design principles for a weekly print publication. The Production Manager must be available to work Sunday to Wednesday. Some additional ad design will be required and paid accordingly. Some office hours are required. Time commitment is 25+ hours per week. The successful applicant will work on The Uniter’s two summer issues (May and June) and then begin their term in late August. Please send your resume and a cover letter to [email protected]. The deadline for this application is Friday, April 2 at 12 p.m. We thank all applicants, however only those short-listed for an interview will be contacted. The following positions are based on a 30-week term running Aug. 9, 2010 to Dec. 3 2010 and Jan. 3, 2011 to April 1, 2011. Successful applicants will be expected to spend volunteer hours during the summer familiarizing themselves with the position, attending a mini-journalism conference organized by The Uniter, and planning for the year ahead. Staff members are expected to attend weekly staff meetings and actively engage in the development of their position throughout the course of their employment. For further information, call 786-9790 or e-mail editor@ uniter.ca. References and at least three writing samples must be attached to resumes. Only those applicants selected for interviews will be contacted. Applications are encouraged from all interested parties. Mail, or deliver resumes in person, to The Uniter, ORM14 Bulman Centre, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E9, or e-mail your application package to editor@uniter. ca. Application deadline for all positions below is April 23 at 12 p.m. Interviews will take place during the week of April 26. News production editor ($110 per week) porter generates story ideas and works closely with the news assignment editor to ensure coverage for a two- to three-page section. They also research and write weekly stories and blog entries, and co-ordinate compelling visuals with the photo editor and production manager. closely with the arts and culture editor to develop story ideas that examine cultural trends of relevance to readers of The Uniter. Along with the arts and culture editor, the culture reporter ensures sufficient content to fill four- to five-pages. They also work closely with volunteer writers to develop story ideas and provide support when needed. In addition, the culture reporter writes and researches at least one story per week, and regularly contributes to the online blog. The Uniter is looking for a hardworking individual who possesses superior editing and writing skills to take the position of news production editor. The news production editor edits all content for an eight- to nine-page news section. Working closely with the news assignment editor, the news production editor aids in generating story ideas and helps writers to develop and write news stories. A strong understanding of journalistic style is mandatory. The news production editor is also responsible for researching and writing news stories and blog entries. Weekend work is required. Campus reporter ($60 week) The campus reporter ensures the goings on at the University of Winnipeg are covered in The Uniter. The successful candidate must have a keen eye for news and a knack for knowing what matters to readers. Liaising with students, the UWSA and faculty and departments is a necessity. The campus re- Beat reporter ($60 per week) Beat reporters work closely with the news team to write two assigned stories per week and arrange for corresponding visual content. They must also regularly write blog entries on The Uniter’s website. The chosen candidate will demonstrate a critical eye for news content, possess superior writing and interviewing skills, and work well under the pressure of deadlines. The beat reporter must be able to work in collaboration with others and well as independently. Culture reporter ($80 per week) Are you a pop culture junkie? The culture reporter works Copy and style editor ($100 per week) The Uniter is looking for an individual who demonstrates exceptional editing skills. The successful applicant assists the managing editor in final edits for the newspaper. The copy and style editor checks the entire copy for stylistic and grammatical errors. They are also responsible for compiling stylistic resources for staff. The successful applicant must be available to edit copy on weekends. When in England, it’s probably you who’s driving on the wrong side of the road. Save $100 on any flight to Europe with Transat Holidays. BOOK BY MAR 30 Europe for less, ISIC student discounts only at Travel CUTS. Visit your local Travel CUTS or book online at travelcuts.com 473 Portage Ave. (University of Winnipeg), 204.783.5353 The Uniter is publishing two summer issues after April 1: one in mid-May and one at the end of June. Save $50 per person, per segment (max. $100) on new bookings made until Mar 30, 2010. Travel period from Apr 1 to Oct 31, 2010. Promotion for students only (ISIC card required). Cannot be combined with any other promotion. Not applicable on child rates, last minute bookings (bookings made 21 days prior to departure). See travelcuts.com for full details and gateways. ON–4499356/4499372 | BC–33127/34799/34798 | QC–7002238 | Canadian owned. 18 The Uniter Arts & Culture March 25, 2010 www.Uniter.ca AWARDS & FINANCIAL AID THE UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG AWARDS: http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/services-awards GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL STUDIES APPLICATION EXPENSES BURSARY The purpose of this bursary fund is to provide some assistance to students with respect to the high costs associated with applying to Graduate and Professional Schools. Application forms are available from the Awards & Financial Aid Office in Student Services (first floor Graham Hall) or on our website. Students may apply any time during the Fall/ Winter academic year, provided that funding is available for this bursary. Applications will be evaluated on a first-come, first-serve basis. AWARDS OFFERED BY EXTERNAL AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS: RABIN SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF PEACE & TOLERANCE 2010-2011 This award of $13,000 US provides an opportunity to spend one academic year in Jerusalem, Israel at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Applicants must be Canadian citizens and enrolled in an accredited doctoral or post-doctoral program focusing on areas relating to the pursuit of peace and/or the enhancement of peaceful forms of social life. For further information or to receive an application package, please call 1-888-HEBREWU or 1-416-485-8000. Fax: 416-485-8565 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.cfhu.org Deadline: March 25, 2010 SIRC RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AWARD The 2010 SIRC Research Development Award designed to encourage development of research writing skills with an emphasis on preparing research reports that are comprehensive and yet can be disseminated and understood throughout the sporting community. SIRC invites Canadian undergraduate students to submit their literature review research papers in consideration for the 2010 SIRC Research Development Award. Winners will receive $1,000 each, as well as media exposure throughout the Canadian academic and sporting community. This year the 2010 SIRC Research Development Award has two categories. Your submission must fall into one of these two categories: Health and Sport or Participation and Sport. Eligibility: The Awards and Financial Aid staff of the University of Winnipeg provides the student body with current information on award opportunities. This information is updated weekly. Alexander Fraser Laidlaw Fellowship – The Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada established the Laidlaw Fellowship to honour Dr. Alexander Fraser Laidlaw, the father of the non-profit co-operative housing movement in Canada. An outstanding Canadian adult educator and co-op leader, Dr. Laidlaw served the cause of the co-operative movement for over 40 years. The Laidlaw Award, valued at $1,000, is available to graduate students only. The award is based on the applicant’s academic record, as well as on the importance of the proposed research activities to the development of the co-op movement in Canada or abroad. ROBERTA BONDAR GIRL GUIDES SCHOLARSHIP Amy and Tim Dauphinee Scholarship – The Ontario Credit Union Charitable Foundation established the Amy and Tim Dauphinee Fellowship in recognition of the outstanding contribution these two leaders made to the development of the credit union movement and the Ontario Credit Union Charitable Foundation. The award, currently valued at $3,000, is available to graduate students only. The award will be based on applicants’ academic records and on the importance of the proposed research activities to the development of the co-op movement in Canada or abroad. Note: Application forms will not be faxed. Faxed or e-mail applications will not be accepted. Lemaire Co-operative Studies Award – Available to both undergraduate and graduate students, the Lemaire awards are intended to encourage students to undertake studies which will help them contribute to the development of co-operative in Canada or elsewhere. Eligible candidates will have been involved with co-operatives, must demonstrate reasonable knowledge and understanding of co-op principles and their application, and be able to indicate how the proposed studies will contribute to the co-op movement. Full-time or part-time students, taking full- or partial-credit courses at any university or university-equivalent college are eligible to apply. Eligible candidates must take a minimum of one course about co-operatives. The bursaries will be awarded in multiples of $1,000 to a maximum of $3,000. The amount of the awards will be proportional to the significance and contribution of the studies to the advancement of co-operatives. For all three scholarships, applicants must either undertake studies at Canadian universities or university-equivalent colleges (regardless of citizenship) or be Canadian citizens or landed immigrants studying at such institutions outside Canada. To be eligible to receive the award, recipients must undertake their proposed study within one calendar year of the fellowship being awarded. Application forms are available from their website www.coopscanada.coop or from the Awards & Financial Aid office on the first floor of Graham Hall. Deadline: March 31, 2010 DESMOND CONACHER SCHOLARSHIP This scholarship is available to any currently-registered member of the Girl Guides of Canada who is continuing their education in science, applied science, mathematics or technology at a Canadian institution. It is awarded to full-time students entering their third or fourth year of post-secondary studies. Visit www.girlguides.ca for criteria and application forms. Application forms are to be submitted by regular mail or courier. Deadline: April 1, 2010 PROGRESSIVE ECONOMICS FORUM ESSAY CONTEST There are two competitions, one for undergraduate students and one for graduate students, open to all Canadian students, studying in Canada and abroad, as well as international students presently studying in Canada. The definition of “student” encompasses full-time as well as part-time students. Students eligible for the 2010 competition must have been or be enrolled in a post-secondary educational institution at some point during the period of May 2009 – May 2010. A cash prize of $1,000 will be awarded to the winner of the graduate competition and $500 will be awarded to the winner of the undergraduate competition. Entries may be on any subject related to political economy, economic theory or an economic policy issue, which best reflects a critical approach to the functioning, efficiency, social and environmental consequences of unconstrained markets. For more information or details on essay submission, please visit their website: www.progressive-economics.ca. Deadline: April 30, 2010 PHYLLIS P. HARRIS SCHOLARSHIP This scholarship is an annual award of $2,600 endowed in the memory of Phyllis P. Harris. For over thirty years Phyllis Harris was an inspiring presence in the world of family planning, volunteering both her time and services in Edmonton and throughout Canada. To be eligible, you must be enrolled as a full-time student in third or fourth year at the undergraduate level at a Canadian University during the 2010-2011 academic year. Applicants must also be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant. All applicants must have previous work or volunteer experience in the general field of human sexuality with the intent to pursue a degree in the field of family planning or population issues. The field is broadly defined to include biology, education, history, medicine, political science, psychology, international studies, social work or sociology. To apply, you must include your most recent academic transcript, a 500-word typed essay outlining your relevant background education, objectives and plans for the future. Candidates must also clearly state their support of the values and beliefs of the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health. Your name, address and telephone number must appear at the top of the application. In addition, the application must also include the name, address and telephone number of two (2) referees supporting your application. Referees should send their letters of support to the office of the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health. Please send your essay and most recent academic transcript to: SIRC’s mailing address: 180 Elgin Street, Suite 1400, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2K3 This scholarship is offered in memory of Desmond Conacher, formerly Professor of Classics at Trinity College, Toronto, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and Honorary President of the Classical Association of Canada. Its purpose is to assist and encourage a young scholar entering graduate studies in classics. The scholarship is administered by the Classical Association of Canada through its Awards Committee. One award of $2,500 is offered each year. Applicants must be Canadian students (citizens or permanent residents) intending to enter the first year of graduate studies in a classics or similar program at a Canadian university. Specializations within the general area of classics, such as ancient history, ancient philosophy and classical archaeology, are eligible. Applicants must be less than 28 years of age on Jan. 1 of the year of application. The main criteria are academic achievement, professional promise and an appropriate undergraduate preparation. For more information or application procedures and form, please visit their website: http://cac-scec.ca, or the Awards & Financial Aid office on the first floor of Graham Hall. Deadline: March 26, 2010 Deadline: March 31, 2010 Telephone: (613) 241-4474 FAX: (613) 241-7550 BUSINESS COUNCIL OF MANITOBA CANADIAN JAPANESE-MENNONITE SCHOLARSHIP Website: www.cfsh.ca The scholarship was created as a tangible symbol of co-operation between Canadian Japanese and Canadian Mennonites, subsequent to a formal apology that was offered to Canadian Japanese by MCC Canada on behalf of Canadian Mennonites. It is intended to assist the protection of minority and human rights in Canada and to reduce the potential for abuse of cultural minorities, such as that suffered by Japanese Canadians during the Second World War. The $2,000 scholarship is awarded to a student who is enrolled in a graduate degree program, a Canadian citizen studying at a university in Canada and is engaged in research that will assist the protection of minority or human rights in Canada. To obtain an application package or for more information visit their website: http://canada.mcc.org/scholarships, or the Awards & Financial Aid office on the first floor of Graham Hall. BRAIN INJURY OF CANADA (BIAC) BURSARY - The applicant must be a Canadian citizen currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at a Canadian university or college. - Your paper must be written in English or French. - Your paper must be a minimum of 2,500 words and up to a maximum of 3,000 words (excluding references). - Your paper must include an executive summary. Research papers are electronically received by [email protected]. In addition, a complete hardcopy of the applicant’s submission, which includes a bio, an abstract, a photo of the applicant (passport photo) and the signed SIRC Content Licence agreement and eligibility outline, with original applicant signature, must be received by 4:30 p.m. EST. Forms are available from the website: www.sirc.ca. If you are of Aboriginal ancestry, you are eligible for a Business Council of Manitoba Aboriginal Education Award, provided you meet the following criteria: - You are a citizen of Canada and permanent resident of Manitoba, having resided in Manitoba for the last 12 months - You plan to attend a Manitoba public post-secondary institution in any discipline in the 2010-11 academic year - You plan to maintain full-time status (at least a 60% course load) - You are in need of financial assistance If you are receiving funding from other sources, including band funding, you may still apply for this award to cover additional costs. Application forms are available in the Awards Office (on the first floor of Graham Hall) and Student Central (first floor of Centennial Hall). Please submit to the Awards & Financial Aid office by March 30, 2010. RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP IN HONOUR OF STUART NESBITT WHITE The PS Research Fellowship in Honour of Stuart Nesbitt White promotes Canadian expertise, education and research capacity in emergency management. Each year, up to eight students are awarded fellowships of $19,250 each. These awards are available for graduate-level research in emergency management. This includes work in one or more of the four pillars of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Research focused on the all-hazards approach to emergency management is encouraged, as are studies in cyber security, disaster management and critical infrastructure protection and assurance. Multidisciplinary work is preferred in disciplines such as regional planning, engineering, environmental studies, computer science, geography, sociology, economics, risk modeling and system science. Application and evaluation procedures are administered by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). Interested students can view the application poster and procedures on the AUCC web site: www.aucc.ca. Deadline: April 1, 2010 Canadian Federation for Sexual Health 1 Nicholas Street, Suite 430 Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7B7 Deadline: April 30, 2010 The BIAC Bursary Program is intended to assist students living with an acquired brain injury to pursue educational opportunities in English or French post-secondary institutions or apprenticeship/trades programs. Two bursaries of $2,000 each will be awarded for each school year: one for studies in English and one in French. To be eligible for a BIAC Bursary, you must: - be a full-time student or be eligible to attend a Canadian post-secondary institution in a recognized program leading to a degree, certificate or diploma or a recognized apprenticeship/trades program - have sustained an acquired brain injury RETAIL AS A CAREER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM - be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person, within the meaning of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act Retail Council of Canada, in partnership with industry sponsors, will award more than $75,000 in scholarships and benefits to students entering or currently enrolled in a business, marketing or retail-related program at a Canadian post-secondary institution. Students who receive the scholarships will not only benefit from financial assistance for their post-secondary education, but will also attend STORE 2010 in Toronto where they will have the opportunity to engage with the brightest professionals in the Canadian retail industry. A $5,000 scholarship will be awarded by Interac Association to the top Retail as a Career Scholarship applicant, whose name will not be disclosed until STORE 2010. This year, 26 scholarships are available and one $5,000 Interac Scholarship in addition to 25 $1,000 Industry-Sponsored Scholarships. To be considered for one of the scholarships applicants must meet the following criteria: Please note that receiving a bursary may affect your eligibility for other forms of provincial financial assistance. If you wish to be considered for a bursary, you must complete the entire BIAC online application or BIAC’s Application Form for Full-Time Students, available from the Awards & Financial Aid office, room 1G05 on the first floor of Graham Hall. Information provided on your application will be shared with the Selection Committee panel in order to determine your eligibility. Please send the Application Form and supporting documentation to: C.A.S.C. SCHOLARSHIPS - Enrolled full-time or part-time at a Canadian college or university in Fall 2010. - Pursuing a retail, business or marketing-related program. - Currently working part-time or full-time within the retail industry. The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) is calling for applications for the three Canadian Association for Studies in Co-operation (CASC) scholarships: For application forms and instructions, please visit their website: www.retaileducation.ca, or the Awards & Financial Aid office on the first floor of Graham Hall. Deadline: March 31, 2010 Phyllis P. Harris Scholarship Committee Deadline: April 1, 2010 BIAC-ACLC Bursary Program 28 Caron St. Gatineau, Quebec J8Y 1Y7 Telephone: 1-866-977-2492 Fax: (819) 595-2458 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.biac-aclc.ca Deadline: April 30, 2010 MARTIN MOSER SOCIETY FOR THEOLOGICAL STUDIES BURSARIES Two bursaries in the amount of $1,500 are being offered to students enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate degree in theology or ministry. The applicant must be of Christian denomination, enrolled or accepted in a recognized Canadian theological school with plans to exercise his/her ministry in Canada. For application forms and instructions, please visit the Awards & Financial Aid office, room 0GM05 in the Mezzanine of Graham Hall. For inquiries, e-mail: [email protected]. Deadline: April 30, 2010 JOHN GYLES EDUCATION AWARDS The John Gyles Education Awards of up to $3,000 are available each year to post-secondary students enrolled in any area, studying in either Canada or the United States, who are full Canadian or American citizens. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required and criteria other than strictly academic ability and financial need will be considered in the selection process. Applications and information are available online at www. johngyleseducationcenter.com. Deadline for mailing applications: May 1, 2010 MANITOBA ROUND TABLE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIP The Sustainable Development Scholarship assists postsecondary students who pursue studies or undertake research that embraces the spirit and principles of sustainable development. The scholarship is open to students in any field of study offered at an approved Manitoba post-secondary institution who will be attending full-time (60% or higher course-load) in the 2010-2011 academic year and have a GPA of at least 3.5. These scholarships are not available to employees of the Province of Manitoba or their spouses, common-law partners or dependants. The scholarship consists of single, non-renewable awards of $6,000 for a graduate student and $1,500 for an undergraduate or college student. Application forms are available from the Awards & Financial Aid office, room 0GM05 in the Mezzanine of Graham Hall, or from the following website: http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/ susresmb/scholarship/apply.html. You must maintain the appropriate minimum course load for your study period in order to retain your student assistance eligibility. Registration at Another Post-Secondary Institution If, in addition to University of Winnipeg courses, you are registered and taking courses elsewhere during the academic year for credit towards your University of Winnipeg degree, you must present proof of registration to the Awards & Financial Aid Office before your student assistance document can be authorized and released to you. Fee Payment Your fees will be deducted from the student assistance document when it is electronically approved by the university. Government student aid is used first to meet educational costs. All overdue fees and emergency loans as well as fees for the current study period will be deducted from the student aid document. If your student assistance does not cover your required fee payment, you will have to make payment on your own by the fee payment deadline. Credits for scholarships you may be receiving will reduce the amount of fees deducted from the student aid document. Missing Information If any documentation requested by the MSAP, such as summer income or study-period income verification, has not yet been submitted, electronic confirmation of your loan document will not occur and your loan funds will not be in place at the beginning of the Winter Term. Revision to your Needs Assessment Deadline: May 7, 2010 You should be aware that new information, such as verification of your summer or study-period income, may increase or decrease your MSAP needs assessment and the resulting loan amounts you are eligible to receive. Similarly, if your current course load is different from that on your Notice of Assistance letter, the amount of loan you are eligible to receive may change. AUCC AWARDS Fee Deferral The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada provides 150 scholarship programs on behalf of the Federal Government, domestic and foreign agencies, and private sector companies. Check out their website www.aucc.ca and look under the heading Scholarships and Internships for Canadian Students. The Awards & Financial Aid Office can defer your fees if you have applied for government student aid but have not received your confirmed assistance document by the fee payment deadline. Fee deferral means that your registration will not be cancelled because of your failure to pay by the deadline. However, you will be charged the late payment fee unless you have submitted your Student Aid application in sufficient time for it to be processed by the payment deadline. Deadlines: Various IDRC/CRDI AWARDS The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is a Canadian crown corporation that works in close collaboration with researchers from the developing world in their search for the means to build healthier, more equitable and more prosperous societies. Various research and academic awards are available for application. Please visit their website for more information on their award programs: www.idrc.ca/ awards. MANITOBA STUDENT AID PROGRAM (MSAP) Manitoba Student Aid is now accepting applications for the 2010 Winter session. Students can apply online at www. manitobastudentaid.ca. New to the Student Aid program this year are a series of grants and bursaries: - Canada Student Grant for Students from Low-income Families - Canada Student Grant for Students from Middle-income Families - Canada Student Grant for Students with Dependents - Rural/Northern Bursary These grants are the first money students will receive in their financial aid packages, before any loans are awarded. Many students may, in fact, receive the majority of their financial assistance in the form of grants. The Awards office will begin taking names for the fee deferral list for students registered for only the 2010 Winter term starting Jan. 4, 2010. If your name is on the Awards & Financial Office fee deferral list but you withdraw from university courses, you will be responsible for the fees you owe until your actual date of withdrawal. If you are out of funds before your next disbursement of Government Student Aid occurs, you can arrange for bridge financing from the University in the form of an emergency loan. Please call 786-9458 for an appointment. DID YOU KNOW... That Manitoba Student Aid staff can be on campus on Fridays from 1 – 4 p.m. To meet with them, you need to set up an appointment time. Come to Student Services and book an appointment, or phone 786-9458 or 786-9984. DID YOU KNOW... You can check the status of your student aid application, find out what documentation is still outstanding, update your address information and much more online? Go to www.manitobastudentaid.ca and then to MySAO to log into your existing account. DID YOU KNOW... If you are a student who has had past Government Student Loans and are currently a full-time student but do not have a student loan this year, you can fill out a Schedule 2 document to remain in non-payment status. Please come to Student Services in Graham Hall, where front-counter staff can help you with this form. OTHER AWARD WEBSITES: Be sure to apply early and to submit all requested documentation as soon as possible to ensure that you receive all the grant funds for which you are eligible. Canada Student Loan program & other important information on finances and budgeting: www.canlearn.ca PROCEDURES: Surfing for dollars? Try these two websites: Confirmation of Enrolment & Release of Government Student Aid Documents www.studentawards.com Approximately three weeks before classes begin, the Manitoba Student Aid Program (MSAP) will begin printing official assistance documents for students whose MSAP documentation and university course registration are in order. MSAP will mail the documents to students at the addresses they have provided on their MSAP applications. The document you receive already will have been electronically approved by the Awards & Financial Aid Office. It will indicate the fees you owe to the University of Winnipeg. These fees will be deducted from your student aid. If the document is a Canada Student Financial Assistance document, you should take it to an approved Canada Post outlet for forwarding to the National Student Loan Centre. If the document is a Manitoba Student Aid document, you should forward it to the MSAP Loan Administration Department. The National Student Loan Centre of the MSAP Loan Administration Department will process the document, transferring the fee payment portion directly to the university and depositing any additional balance to your account. Instructions on these processes will be included in your student aid document package. Course Load The minimum course load for which you must register to be eligible for any form of government student assistance is 60 per cent of the maximum course load required for your study period: - Fall/Winter academic year – 18 credit hours - Fall Term or Winter Term only – 9 credit hours which begin and end within that term Manitoba Student Aid Program: www.manitobastudentaid.ca www.scholarshipscanada.com Arts & Culture www.uniter.ca March 25, 2010 19 The Uniter Good & Evil Crossword Puzzle 24 Solutions to crossword and sudoku will appear in next week’s issue. with J.Williamez The merits of muzzling the media bestcrosswords.com Across 1- Author Horatio 6- Black, in poetry 10- Beget 14- Protuberance 15- Ditto 16- Mid-month times 17- Unsoiled 18- Barbershop request 19- Canvas shelter used on camping trips 20- Ice cream topped with syrup 22- Rapid-fire 24- Curator’s deg. 26- Chairs 27- Dramatic dances 31- Resistance unit 32- Mixed bags 33- Japanese form of fencing 36- Bounder 39- Studies 40- Black tea 41- Dynamic beginning 42- Compass pt. 43- Effluent system 44- Dress style 45- Average guy 46- Male turkey 48- Rectangle having equal sides 51- Pothook shape 52- Violent mischief 54- Having only magnitude 59- “The Time Machine” race Listen to your body when it comes to deciding which foods to eat Sagan Morrow Staff writer Have you ever wondered why you are drawn to some foods over others? Besides your preference of ice cream over vegetables? Some people can and do eat bananas daily. Others can’t get enough of almonds. One of the reasons for our various cravings could be due to food energetics. In traditional Chinese medicine, food is often used to aid in healing because food has thermal properties. When we are ill or diseased, it is because there is an imbalance in the body. You may require warming or cooling 60- Archer of myth 62- Writer Jong 63- Bluesy James 64- Eye sore 65- Wander 66- Zoologist Fossey 67- Foot covering 68- Singes foods depending on the symptoms and the type of illness that you are suffering from. “Warming” foods include foods such as chicken, shrimp, garlic and cinnamon. They alleviate imbalances in the body when we have too much “cold” energy. We also crave warming foods in the winter more frequently because our bodies need them to adjust to the temperature. Examples of “cooling” foods include apples, spinach, eggs and watermelon. We tend to eat more of these in the summer; they also promote perspiration, making it easier for us to adapt to the weather. But we don’t desire different foods only based on the season. Some people have more “cooling” energies, while others have more “warming” inner temperatures. If you find yourself more inclined to reach for cooked foods over raw foods, it likely means that overall your inner temperature is “warm.” You likely thrive when you eat oats, sweet potatoes, walnuts and sunflower seeds. People who have a “cooler” inner temperature are more likely to feel comfortable when the weather gets colder. If you are one of these people, eating yogurt, cucumber, brown rice and tomatoes will help to energize your body. In general, dense foods have more warming properties than Down 1- Basics 2- Corker 3- Secluded spot 4- Mild oath 5- Christens anew 6- Cornerstone abbr. 7- Obstructs 8- Drops 9- Roundworm 10- Half-hour funny show 11- Model 12- Leases 13- This, in Tijuana 21- Baby newt 23- Silver salmon 25- Crooked 27- Portend 28- Some are pale foods with high water content. This also means that dried and cooked foods are “warmer” than fresh foods. Knowing the reasons why we gravitate towards some foods and not others allows us to understand the best food for our body to reach optimal health. If you identify more with one inner temperature over another but still really enjoy a food that may not be ideal for your body type, you can “neutralize” it by combining it with another kind of food. Sprinkling cinnamon on apples, for example, will balance out the warming and cooling properties of each of these foods. How the food is grown and processed can also influence the effect it has on people. Grainfed animals are typically warming. Wild animals are cooler than farm-raised. Keep in mind as well that antibiotics and hormones increase thermal temperatures of a food. So what does constitute a balanced diet? In the end, it is eating what feels right for your body and eating the foods that energize you that are the healthiest choice. Food energetics is all based on the individual’s needs. Listen to your intuition. University of Winnipeg student Sagan Morrow writes a health and wellness blog. Check it out at http://livingintherealworld. net/healthy. 29- Queue 30- Acapulco article 34- Barely make, with “out” 35- Norwegian name of Norway 36- Overlay with wood 37- “Rule Britannia” composer 38- Active one 40- Unmatched 41- Long-sleeved linen vestment 43- Work up lather 44- Gathering of pus in body tissue 45- Caesar’s ___ calendar 47- CIA forerunner 48- Conductor Georg 49- Allotted quantity 50- 71% is under water 52- Give eats 53- Spoollike toy 55- Commedia dell’___ 56- Currency of Turkey, and formerly of Italy 57- Rent-___ 58- Beams 61- Date Solutions to puzzles from March 18. The Uniter: Did you know? ➠ We’re publishing two summer issues after April 1: one in mid-May and one at the end of June. ➠ There’s always chances to get involved at the paper. E-mail [email protected] to find out how. If you are alive, like many others, you are probably well aware that the world is shit and life sucks ass. This may seem a little pessimistic, but like every good pessimist, I prefer to call myself a “realist.” That way, I get to call anyone who disagrees with me an idealistic goddamn hippie. If you don’t believe me when I say that life is shit, then consider the following: There are babies with AIDS, cigarettes are more than 10 bucks a pack and Bil Keane, the guy who draws the Family Circus cartoons, is alive and well at the ripe old age of 87. Still not convinced? Well how about this: Nickelback. Now that we all agree, I think we can move on to trying to figure out why life sucks so much. Everyone is always trying to pinpoint the downfall of Western Civilization, but few people have ever been insightful enough to actually figure it out. If you haven’t yet picked up on the implication I’m making, let me spell it out for you: I am insightful enough to know what’s wrong with the world. Not only that, but I’m willing to share this valuable information with all of you nice people for the low, low price of nothing but the time it takes you to read this. So are you ready to hear what makes our lives suck so much? It’s the freedom of the press. This might sound strange at first, coming from someone like me, who is right in the middle of exercising the freedom of the press. Let me explain before you get your panties in a bunch. The reason I think that the freedom of the press is making our lives so shitty is entirely because of people like me. I truly believe that your life would be much better if you weren’t reading this stupid article right now. Let me illustrate my point further. Because of the freedom I have in this column to get up on my soapbox and announce whatever crackhead opinion might sneak its way into my head, I can say stuff like this: If you are reading this then you suck and I think you should fuck yourself. Are you better off now that I’ve told you to fuck yourself? Are you going to take my advice and get a cheap hotel room with yourself (under a fake name, obviously) and go to town and ravage your own body in a fit of aggressive sexuality? I doubt it. Is your life going to be better because I told you to fuck yourself? Probably not. In fact, you’re probably wishing that you could have the last five minutes of your life back right now. You know what? I am too. That’s why I fully support total censorship of the press. Sure you’ll hear a lot about how great a job Sam Katz is doing, but at least you won’t have to read any of my stupid bullshit. J. Williamez both loves and hates his intellect, because it leads him to conclusions like this. 20 The Uniter Arts & Culture March 25, 2010 www.Uniter.ca Modeling generosity Eric Kwan Miss World Canada contestant combines fashion with charity Kathleen Cerrer Staff Writer Fashion with a Purpose is a local fashion show organized by third-year University of Manitoba pharmacy student Angel Bhathal. The event is set to take place on Friday, April 23 at Stereo Nightclub and will feature local designers and boutiques in support of the children’s charity Variety. The local fashion scene in Winnipeg continues to grow and, with continued interest and support, more charitable events will be able to take place in this artistic and cultural city. The many boutiques in Osborne Village such as Hush, Paramix, Shout, Mixtape, Foxstar and Out of the Blue will present at the show, as well as independent design- U of M third-year pharmacy student and Miss World Canada nominee Angel Bhathal will be presenting Fashion With a Purpose, a fashion-themed charity event at Stereo Nightclub April 23. The event will feature local independent fashion and proceeds will go to support Canada’s Variety. ers, displaying the variety and diversity of Winnipeg’s fashion scene. Along with the local fashion being showcased, entertainment from Vicki Shae and Dance will also feature at the fundraiser event. Amongst the support Bhathal has already received in making this event possible, Winnipeg Insurance, her main sponsor, has also contributed in making a difference. “They can expect to see some of the trendiest fashions from local Osborne boutiques, and Winnipeg independent designer’s spring and summer collections,” Bhathal said when asked what guests can expect at the fundraiser. Being the only contestant from Manitoba for the Miss World Canada 2010 pageant, Bhathal will use every opportunity to spread awareness about Variety, hoping to raise funds to support children with special needs. “I understand how important it is to help others. Variety helps children with special needs, it improves the quality of life of less fortunate children, which can go a long way and help these children reach their dreams and goals.” Fashion is something Bhathal is sur- rounded by with her friends’ involvement in the industry. “I have been surrounded by my close friends (who) are extremely talented designers, and I have had a lot of opportunities to organize and participate in many local fashion shows for different organizations, such as the Manitoba Museum, the Children’s Foundation, Ginny Dolls, Osborne House and the MAC AIDS fund,” Bhathal said. Although it is a pageant, the criterion needed to succeed involves fundraising, involvement in charitable organizations, as well as intellect and talent. “I chose to be a part of the Miss World Canada pageant because I was very intrigued by the ways in which the pageant is a fundraiser for Variety. It focuses on inner beauty and it empowers women to make positive changes in their communities. I admire the pageant’s cause.” Fashion with a Purpose begins at 8 p.m. at Stereo Nightclub. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at Canad Inns Windsor Park front desk (1034 Elizabeth Rd.). University of Winnipeg Chancellor BobHonourary Silver & Kim Silver Co-Chairs invite you to Tuesday, april 13, 2010 Canad inns polo park individual TiCkeTs: $85.00 all proCeeds benefiT sTudenT sCholarships ($40.00 Tax reCeipT) and bursaries: CorporaTe sponsorship: $1000.00 • ($640.00 Tax reCeipT) inCludes: • Seating for eight with Corporate Name on Table in Select Location • • Recognition in Dinner Program • • Recognition on the Evening’s Powerpoint UWinnipeg Opportunity Fund UWinnipeg Wesmen Athletics Scholarships Funds UWinnipeg Alumni Scholarships FOR TICKETS OR MORE INFORMATION CALL 415.2472 OR EMAIL [email protected] UWinnipeg student Ayan Salah, Opportunity Fund recipient. The University of Winnipeg is committed to helping youth dream big. Since 2008, UWinnipeg has been able to offer almost 300 students fast-track bursaries thanks to generous private donations to the Opportunity Fund. The fund is unique in Canada, set up specifically to offer financial support to youth who are underrepresented on campus including Aboriginal students, young people from war-affected areas and refugee populations, and youth from inner-city neighbourhoods. Ayan Salah is in her first year at UWinnipeg, studying sociology and bio- statistics. Born in Somalia, her family was forced to flee the war-stricken country when she was an infant. Ayan spent her first 15 years living inside a guarded compound at the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. She arrived in Winnipeg 4 years ago, with a grade two education, speaking no English. “All I knew how to say was hi,” says Ayan. “But I love to study and I went to after-school programs and then I discovered the Global Welcome Centre at The University of Winnipeg where I got help with my homework. I never thought I would go to university. The $770 I received from the Opportunity Fund helped me make my decision. Now I can study parttime and work part-time.” Ayan lives with her mother and two brothers and helps to support her family financially working as a waitress. Her goal is to obtain a university degree and work in international development, drawing on her experience as a refugee. “Canada is amazing,” she says. “Here you can work hard and earn money and go to school. I feel I have a really good opportunity in life now.”