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Volume 58 , Issue 25 m arch 25 , 2004

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T H E O F F I C I A L W E E K L Y S T U D E N T N E W S P A P E R O F T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F W I N N I P E G

Dead AgainPage 12

Dead Again

CIS Championship Photo Gallery - page 20

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Threatening Signals? See- Communications

Legislation Page 2

Threatening Signals? See- Communications

Legislation

Communications LegislationDeemed Discriminatory

Swap Until You DropEco-Mafia Initiative Fights Consumerism

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Volume 58, Issue 24March 25, 2004

S T A F F

Jonathan TanEditor In [email protected]

Michelle KulyManaging [email protected]

A. P. (Ben) BentonNews [email protected]

Cheryl GudzFeatures [email protected]

Jeff RobsonA & E [email protected]

Leighton KlassenSports [email protected]

Stu ReidProduction [email protected]

Julie HorbalListings [email protected]

Chandra MayorCopy Editor

Ted TurnerAdvertising [email protected]

Scott deGrootBeat Reporter

Kent Davies Diversions Coordinator

M.D.CohenDiversions Coordinator

Joe MylesDistribution Manager

THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS

Ed Cheung,Jeanne Fronda,

Dan Huyghebaert, Christine Esselmont,

Sara Loftson, Sheri Lamb, Sarah Hauch,

Jan Oakley, James Paskaruk,

Lindsay Brown, Daniel Blaikie,

Julie Moore, Gregory Hebert, Mr. Wallace,

Brian Chaze, F. Mushrifa Mubarak Ali,

Jude Kasas

Cover Photo : Daniel Larson

The Uniter is the official student newspaper of the University ofWinnipeg and is published by the University of WinnipegStudents' Association. The Uniter is editorially autonomous andthe opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those ofthe UWSA. The Uniter is a member of the Canadian UniversityPress and Campus Plus Media Services. Submission of articles,letters, photos and graphics are welcome. Articles should be sub-mitted in text or Microsoft Word format to [email protected] for submissions is noon Friday (contact the section's edi-tor for more information). Deadline for advertisements is noonFriday, six days prior to publication. The Uniter reserves the rightto refuse to print submitted material. The Uniter will not print sub-missions that are homophobic, misogynistic, racist or libelous. Wealso reserve the right to edit for length or style.

Contact UsGeneral Inquiries: 204.786.9790

Advertising: 204.786.9779Editors: 204.786.9497

Fax: 204.783.7080Email: [email protected]

The UniterRoom ORM14

University of Winnipeg515 Portage Avenue

Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9

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BY GREGORY HEBERT

The end of another academicyear at the University ofWinnipeg signifies the final

Stuff Swap for 2003-2004. TheStuff Swap an event co-ordinatedby the Eco-Mafia here on campus,began out of "Buy Nothing Day,"in November, and has been heldon the last Wednesday of everymonth subsequently.

The Stuff Swap has providedstudents and staff with the oppor-tunity to clean out their closets anddrawers of unwanted and unuseditems, while giving them thechance to acquire cool ‘stuff’ inexchange. Most importantly, alltransactions are made withoutcash, debit, or credit, just old-fash-ioned bartering. The most com-mon items found at the Stuff Swapare clothes, as well as books,games, tools, and toys.

Eco-Mafia director EricaYoung describes the Stuff Swap asan "alternative economy" project-ing the "fight against con-sumerism." Her hope is for theevent to become, "a model forcommunity exchange," on cam-pus. She expressed some surpriseat the reactions people have in,

"getting something for nothing."Frequently a person can simplyacquire ‘stuff’ by simply express-ing interest in it, and theexchanges made do not have to befor items of perceived equal value.Students, however, are stillencouraged to bring articles toswap.

March's Stuff Swap will alsofeature "Skill Swapping." Some ofthe skills exchanged will includehaircuts, a knitting workshop, signlanguage lessons, and chain mailmaking. Students and staff whohave skills they would like toshare are encouraged to partici-pate.

The final Stuff Swap for 2003-2004 will take place onWednesday, March 31st from12:00-3:00 PM in the BulmanCentre multi-purpose room. Adrop-off box for donations to theevent can be found outside theEco-Mafia office, also in theBulman Centre (follow the signs).For any questions call the Eco-Mafia office at 786-9189 or [email protected]. So startyour spring cleaning and come outto make this year's final StuffSwap an enormous success! Itwon't cost you a penny.

B Y S A R A L O F T S O N

Politicians and ethnic groupshave charged that a proposedamendment to Bill C-2, the

Radio Communication Act, pro-tects big communications compa-nies but threatens Canada’s cultur-al diversity.

Bill C-2 was a reaction to anindustry-sponsored report whichestimated that between 500,000and 750,000 satellite systems inCanada receive unauthorized U.S.satellite signals. Bill C-2 legislatedthat subscribing to U.S. satellitechannels was illegal and alsoaimed to prevent theft of satellitesignals of both foreign and domes-tic origin. The Canadian broad-casting industry was in favour ofthe bill which was intended to actas a safe guard against an estimat-ed $400 million annual loss of rev-enue.

Some Canadians, however,would prefer to obtain satellite sig-nals from U.S. suppliers such asDirecTV and EchoStar (DishNetwork) who offer a much widerselection of popular, foreign-lan-guage and religious programmingthan Canadian satellite providers.The Canadian Islamic Congress

(CIS) has mounted an informationcampaign to point out the bill’sshortcomings before the billbecomes passed into law.

“If Canadians can subscribe toforeign magazines and newspa-pers, why does the Martin govern-ment want to punish them for sub-scribing to foreign TV channelsthrough an American distributorwhen they are not available here?”demands Dr. Mohamed Elmasry,National President of the CanadianIslamic Congress.

Alexa McDonough, the formerNDP leader, now MP for Halifax,called the Radio CommunicationAct amendment “fundamentallyflawed” in an open letter to sup-porters and constituents.

McDonough notes that C-2,Paul Martin’s first bill as PrimeMinister, continues the Chrétiengovernment’s tradition of favour-ing corporate party donors, includ-ing Bell Canada and ShawCommunications (owners of BellExpress-Vu and StarChoicerespectively), the only authorizedsatellite signal providers inCanada. The two companies havecoincidentally donated over$320,000 to the Liberal Party ofCanada.

“Bill C-2 assumes that peoplewho currently ‘pirate’ satellite [sig-nals] have the option to purchase,legally, the programming theywant to see, but this is not alwaysthe case…. This Liberal bill wouldmake [consumers] criminals—sub-ject to fines of up to $25,000, oreven imprisonment,” statesMcDonough in her open letter.

The purpose of the legislation,however, is not to target the aver-age Canadian citizen who merelyreceives unauthorized signals. Atmost, such offenders could befined $1,000. Instead, it seeks tointroduce harsher punishments forindividuals and businesses thatobtain and sell decoding devicesand equipment for commercialgain.

In June 2003, the House ofCommons Standing Committee onCanadian Heritage released a studyof the state of the Canadian broad-casting system. After examiningthe satellite market in Canada, theCommittee recommended “that theCRTC permit Canadian broadcast-ing distribution undertakings tooffer a wider range of internationalprogramming, while being respect-ful of Canadian content regula-tions.”

Philippe Tousignant, mediaand parliamentary relations man-ager for the Canadian Radio-televi-sion and TelecommunicationsCommission (CRTC), an inde-pendent agency responsible forregulating Canada’s broadcastingand telecommunications systems,acknowledges that the Bill and theissue of foreign satellite signals,both require further discussion.

“We are not oblivious to thefact that we need to take contentfrom international sources. Thishas to be balanced with the factthat we have to give priority toCanadian services. It’s a compro-mise.”

Still, Ms. Wahida Valiante,national vice-president of theCanadian Islamic Congress, wor-ries that several ethnic communi-ties who watch foreign TV chan-nels to stay in touch with their cul-ture will suffer if this bill is legis-lated.

“This amounts to open waragainst Canadian multicultural-ism,” says Valiante. “We ask allCanadians who care about freedomof religion and freedom of expres-sion in this country to contact theirlocal MPs and urge them to stopthis bill.”

Uniter Classifieds HIRING FOR SUMMER JOB! $30/hr. Guaranteed by contract. DirectCD sales to commercial accounts. Sales experience preferred.12-week summer employment available in major cities acrossCanada. Vehicle, computer/internet required. Email resume withreferences to [email protected] by April 2.To place a classified ad, call Ted at 786-9779 or [email protected]

City Council Replaced with Grade 2 Class— City Prospects Bright

In the Wednesday,March 10th issue of

the Winnipeg Free Press there wasan unusually uplifting article thathas since caused a bit of a buzz. Inthe article, entitled “Little Girl,Huge Heart,” Gordon Sinclair Jr.told of eight-year-old girl namedHannah Taylor who undertook amission to help homeless people inWinnipeg.

This Grade 2 Student ofBalmoral School began her cam-paign when she was six and encoun-tered a man eating ravenously froma garbage can. The incident upset

her until her mother suggested thatit might make Hannah feel better ifshe did something to help. Twoyears and hundreds of personallyhand-painted ladybug jars haveseen Hannah raise what JohnMohan of Mohan’s Siloam Missionestimates to be $50 000 in support.

But Hannah’s enterprising spiritdidn’t stop at distributing ladybugjars and donating the proceeds toMohan’s mission. She has givenspeeches, appeared on radio shows,had a business lunch with andgained the support of Crocus Fundhead-honcho James Umlah, gottenthe Bank of Montreal involved toset up a trust for the donations, laidthe groundwork for what willbecome The Ladybug Foundation,and had requests from the

University of Manitoba to speak ina leadership course for teachers andprincipals.

For most of us, it isn’t news thatWinnipeg has a high poverty rate.As I walk along Portage Avenue,passing the new arena’s construc-tion site, continuing past PortagePlace on my way to the U of W; oras I go into the exchange district toenjoy its many entertainment ven-ues; I am asked more and moreoften for some spare change, or oflate, simply for something to eat.I’ve been frequenting these areasfor years, and without a doubt, thefrequency of this type of occurrencehas been on the rise. I can only con-clude then, that the level of povertyin this city is on the rise. No stretchof intellect there. An eight…excuse

me…at the time six-year-old girlrealized that. Unlike many of usthough, Hannah has chosen to dosomething about it…something sig-nificant. Remarkable though it be,this is not what struck me as I readthe Free Press article. What struckme was that when we suffered therecord-breaking cold snap inJanuary, Hannah called Mayor GlenMurray at home to ask him to openup an unused building and heat it sothat the homeless had somewhere tosleep that night. The Mayor did notreturn Hannah’s phone call, and hasnot acknowledged her campaign atall to date. And upon reading this, Ibecame dumbfounded at just howcommitted Mr. Murray seems to bein ignoring the growing issue ofpoverty in Winnipeg. There are peo-

ple sleeping on City Hall’sdoorstep, quite literally at times, butit doesn’t faze anybody there. Justwhat does it take for the Mayor toacknowledge that there is a povertyissue in this city and to do some-thing about it? Granted, he is verybusy planning what “wonders” tobuild in his very own simcity—are-nas, bridges, fancy entertainmentmultiplexes that rob communities oftheir neighbourhood pools, gymna-siums and libraries. But let’s try toremember that one of the Mayor’smain platforms was downtown revi-talization. I’m not an urban planner,but it seems evident to me that inorder to revitalize the downtown,we need to take steps to eliminatepoverty. An eight-year-old girl getsit…why doesn’t the mayor?

F O O D F I G H T P A R T 2 :

Student Reactions to Food Services BidB Y S C O T T D E G R O O T

In issue 22 the Uniter ran a newsstory on the UWSA’s ambitiousplan to bid for the U of W’s Food

Services contract when the AramarkCorporation’s term expires later thisyear. If successful, the bid would seeFood Services run by the UWSA as anot-for-profit student cooperativeuntil at least 2009.

In the article, UWSA PresidentChris Minaker asserted that U of Wstudents have “a great deal of dissat-isfaction with the way Aramark han-dles food services.” It was this claimwe felt needed further investigation.How do students on campus reallyfeel about the cafeteria status quo?What was their reaction to theUWSA’s bid?

The mild response revealed thatthe majority of respondents wereunhappy with Aramark and generallysupported the UWSA’s proposal.Statistically, 71% were in favour,while only 29% were opposed.

“I think [the UWSA’s] idea totake back cafeteria is great!” wroteMysti Lutz, expressing strong sup-port for the UWSA’s plan. “This willhave a domino effect in a positiveway. There are just too many positiveoutcomes for the earth, our bodiesand the community to not take thisleap forward.”

Many, however, did not refer tothe plan directly, but were happy tohear there was a possibility forchange regardless of how it wasachieved. A sampling of commentsexpressed frustration with Aramark’sprices.

“If I’m going to pay tons ofmoney for food, I at least want thatfood to be good,” wrote KatherineGall. “I like to eat healthy, and all of[Aramark’s] food is full of greaseand fat. I would like to see ANYONEbut Aramark operating the food serv-ices on campus.”

Others used stronger wordingstill. “I’m sick of paying ridiculousprices for complete and utter crap,which I can only force down my

throat if I’m ravenous,” wrote JoelBoyce. “Aramark’s pre-packagedgarbage sucks.” And one studenteven reported jubilation upon learn-ing of the bid. “I get so excited aboutgetting rid of Aramark that I startjumping in my seat,” wrote AlanaLajoie-O’Malley.

But some students were on thefence over the issue. Lindsey Wiebe

expressed trepidation that althoughthe UWSA could do a good job offood services if the right students ranthe cooperative component, such aventure may not be relevant here.“[The] U of W doesn’t have any kindof degree that involves food prepara-tion (such as the Culinary Arts diplo-ma at Red River College),” Wiebesaid.

Richard Liebrecht pointed to theUWSA’s lack of business experienceas a cause for concern. “Frankly, Idon’t think the UWSA could do it.Buying chairs and handing outcheques is one thing. With a bunch ofamateurs running and funding it, thefood services could only get worsethan they are now,” he said.

By far the most outspoken critic,

however, was Paul N. McCulloch,who cautioned that it can be a dan-gerous business when “activists gettheir way and run rampant in relationto food services.” McCullouch feltthat food quality and value formoney were factors in favour ofleaving food services the way theyare. “If the price of my burger, chick-en fingers, or poutine goes up, headswill roll! Vegetarian and vegan alter-natives [are] all well and good aslong as they do not overtake the restof the menu,” he said in reference tothe UWSA’s proposal to provide veg-etarian options.

Despite being in the minority atthe U of W, McCulloch’s views mayalso be in the minority when com-pared to students attending other uni-versities. Nowhere was this clearerthan at California’s Pomona Collegein 2000 when a group of students,supported by the students’ union,chained themselves to an administra-tion building in protest of the work-ing conditions faced by Aramark’sstaff. As a result, ClaremontMcKenna College, the parent institu-tion of Pomona College, canceled allAramark contracts in its affiliatedcolleges.

And this has not been the onlyincident. In 1999, 125 students con-tracted food poisoning at PomonaCollege from eating at the schoolcafeteria, and the company has beenimplicated in the deaths of two sen-iors at a Clifton, New Jersey nursinghome. There are also ongoing allega-tions that the Corporation pays lowwages and gives dismal employeebenefits, despite annual revenues inthe billions, and has discriminatoryand illegal labour practices. Despite the negative buzz, Aramarkis still ranked #1 in the OutstandingServices category in FortuneMagazine’s Most AdmiredCompanies in America.

For more information on thereactions to Aramark at ClaremontMcKenna College, check out the stu-dent’s website at http://www.cmcstu-dents.com/classic/aramark/

Iabsolutely support a non-profitfood service enterprise. I’m

sick of paying ridiculous pricesfor complete and utter crap, whichI can only force down my throat ifI’m ravenous. Aramark’s pre-packaged garbage sucks.Joel Boyce

Frankly, I don’t think theUWSA could do it. Buying

chairs and handing out cheques isone thing. Trying to provide foodfor how many thousands of peopleis a huge task. With a bunch ofamateurs running and funding it,the food services could only getworse than they are now.Frankly, if there’s a problem withfood, there’s always the ExtremePita.Richard Liebrecht

Iget so excited about getting ridof Aramark that I start jumping

in my seat. I feel like environ-mental and health issues related toour food services on campus willbe much better addressed by stu-dents, and I hope to help out asmuch as possible to make it hap-pen.Alana Lajoie-O’Malley

Ihave but one real question, whatis so wrong with the food serv-

ices on campus? This may comeas a surprise to many, but I like thefood here. It is tastes fine, comesin decent quantities, and is cheap.

I always hear people going onabout vegetarian and vegan alter-

natives, that is all well and good aslong as they do not overtake therest of the menu, I mean let’s faceit, vegans and vegetarians are stillin the minority. Great, bring insome different ethnic dishes… butif the price of my burger, chickenfingers, or pountine goes up, headswill roll! I have seen what happenshere in Manitoba when the activistsget their way and run rampant inrelation to food services. At the Uof M there are some areas wherethe only meat you’ll find is a fivedollar hamburger, cheese is another75 cents, and a four dollar Caesarsalad is nothing but lettuce, dress-ing and a bare sprinkling of cheese.It is infuriating.

Here is my dilemma, this foodservices change is more then like-ly to happen. Why? Because in auniversity setting anyone wholikes the status quo has to keepsilent, or be accused of beingbackward and stubborn. Here atthe U of W, change is the Law bywhich we stand. The people whodon’t really mind the food servic-es are badgered and lobbied andcoaxed into voting to changethem. Activism is the buzzword ofthe times. The simple fact is thatnot all change is good, and most ofthe time we don’t realize this untilit is too late.

I say, fight the changes to thefood services here! Make a standagainst rampant change! Paul N. McCulloch

Ithink your idea to take backcafeteria is great! My mother

always told me that food wasour medicine and I truly believeit. This will have domino effectin a positive way. There are justtoo many positive outcomes forthe earth, our bodies and thecommunity to not take this leapforward. Mysti Lutz

My main complaint withAramark is that they

charge super high prices for badfood. If I’m going to pay tons ofmoney for food, I at least wantthat food to be good. They alsodon’t offer any sort of low fatoptions. I like to eat healthy,and all of their food is full ofgrease and fat. I would like tosee ANYONE but Aramarkoperating the food services oncampus. Katherine Gall

If the UWSA could do a goodjob running food services,

and if we have students who areenthusiastic, interested andqualified to run it themselves,I’m all for it. However, sincethe U of W doesn’t have anykind of degree that involvesfood preparation (such as theCulinary Arts diploma at RRC),I’m not really sure how thiswould benefit the UWSA,except for providing a few addi-tional jobs for students.Lindsey Wiebe

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C O M M E N T

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C O M M E N TOn the Many Waysof Skinning a Cat

Why the Day of Action has to change

Wake Up andFace Urban

Realities, OttawaB Y D A N I E L B L A I K I E

This year has seen The Uniterpublish a number of articlesand editorials regarding the

UWSA’s raison d’être, its success orlack thereof to date, and the direc-tion it should take in the future.What our president has called “TheGreat Tuition Fee Debate” seems sofar to be subtended by two sides:those who support the UWSA andthe aggressive CFS campaign forthe reduction of tuition fees, andthose who support neither. Thisdivision is misleading. As Mr.Hajer pointed out, there are manygood reasons to have a studentunion on campus besides having alobby for lower tuition. However,the majority of that same articlewent on to argue for lower tuitionfees. While there is nothing wrongwith this - the UWSA certainly hasmade lobbying for lower tuition acentral part of its mandate - it con-tinues to blur the line totally ignoredby Mr. Kumar in his optional mem-bership – or “open shop” – proposalfor the UWSA. That line separatesthe debate around reducing tuitionfees and the debate concerning theusefulness of a UWSA. Denyingthe importance of a tuition feereduction does not necessarily entailrejecting the idea of a student union.Nor does supporting the UWSApreclude disagreeing with its posi-tion on tuition fees. There should beroom within both the UWSA andthe CFS for disagreement on policy.Partisanship without self-criticismcan be a dangerous thing indeed.

As it happens, I support theUWSA, the CFS, and a reduction intuition fees. However, I do believethe time has come for some criticaldebate within the CFS on strategyand that the UWSA should be tak-ing the lead in this regard. In par-

ticular, the Day of Action campaignshould be changed to better reflectthe attitudes of students and gathersupport outside the student commu-nity.

It is only in talking to peopledirectly involved in the planning orexecution of the Day of Action thatI have encountered any genuineenthusiasm for the campaign.Outside that small circle of peopleresponses range from half-heartedsupport to outright disdain. Somemembers of the disdaining grouptend to think that tuition is actuallytoo low and should be raised. Eventhough I may disagree, there aresome good arguments on their side.It has been the mistake of the CFSnot to take their opponents moreseriously, writing them off as sim-ply “not educated enough on theissues.” Many of those undecidedon the tuition issue I am sure wouldhesitate to support a group implyingthey are “uneducated” or ignorantfor seeing points of merit in theother side’s argument. However,my interest here lies not in makingthe ultimate case for lower tuition,but in how the CFS can attract thesupport of those undecided peoplewho might like to endorse tuitionreduction but are turned off by theDay of Action campaign.

At this point one might rightlyask what it is about the Day ofAction that is so problematic. Inprinciple, keeping the cost of tuitionlow seems a noble goal. What Ibelieve puts a sour taste in so manypeople’s mouths is the belligerenttone adopted by the campaign. Likeit or not, the debate around tuitionfees is not taking place in a politicalvacuum. Students are aware, andmany a part, of a political culturethat scorns deficit spending.Moreover, it is hardly a secret thatthe Manitoba government is cash

strapped afterlosing millionsin transfer pay-ments from thefederal govern-ment while atthe same timetrying to ame-liorate condi-tions withinour healthcaresystem. Foranyone whotakes thoseconsiderationsinto account, acampaign thatu l t i m a t e l yresults in achorus of boosfor a govern-ment that haskept a fouryear freeze ontuition in spiteof those chal-lenges appearsmore like self-ish whiningthan a theresult oft h o u g h t f u l ,well consid-ered policy.

The irony is that the CFS doeshave interesting, thoughtful policyrecommendations. Anyoneinvolved will refer you to CFS liter-ature that discusses alternativemeans of student loan delivery. Itproposes something like the CanadaHealth Act for education. Also, theliterature draws attention to the crit-ical role played by Paul Martin indecimating the amount of publicfunds available to universities andstudents. But none of these thingsare brought to light by angry cries atthe steps of the Legislature.

I understand that part of theidea behind the Day of Action is forstudents across the country to standin solidarity with one another. Thisis not just a good idea; solidarity isa critical factor in determiningwhether or not a group can take suc-cessful political action. However,at different times and places thereare messages and issues that canserve to better unite a politicalgroup. As a national campaign, theDay of Action should assert a mes-sage pertaining to issues fallingwithin federal jurisdiction. Strictlyspeaking, tuition fees are a provin-cial issue. The Day of Action as itcurrently stands prevents provincialCFS organizations from building astrong working relationship withcooperative governments by forcingthem to adopt an antagonistic stanceon the CFS’ most important day ofthe year.

This does not mean that thefight for lower tuition should be for-gotten or shelved. Quite to the con-trary, I believe adopting a newapproach is the only way to long-term, sustainable success in thatregard. I would like to see a Day ofAction whose explicit focus is on aCanada Education Act, or repealingthe cuts made by the Liberal Partyto equalization payments for theprovinces. Or perhaps the CFSmight use a Day of Action to illus-trate the link between the rising costof pharmaceuticals, courtesy ofoverzealous patent laws, and thedrain on the public purse which isthreatening public healthcare andeducation alike. Reducing thosepatents and allowing generic pro-ducers to create a competitive mar-ket sooner would free up more gov-ernment money, thereby allowingfor increased funding to hospitalsand universities without having thedebate reduced to squabbling over‘more tax or less tax’.

Framing the tuition debate interms of broad based policy objec-tives rather than the simple alloca-tion of existing financial resourcesis the only way to succeed in gettingtuition lowered. It is not likely thatmany people other than studentswill rally around the cry, “Moremoney for students!” However, ifthe CFS is able to present lowtuition as part of a larger politicalprogram, its potential base of sup-port can extend off the universitycampuses. The CFS has begun thework of incorporating this principleinto its policy, now it is time for thatprinciple to be worked into its cam-paigns.

B Y S C O T T D E G R O O T

There is a growing consensus thatCanadian cities are confrontingdire challenges in the 21st cen-

tury. Unprecedented levels of povertyand homelessness, massive deficits ininfrastructure, and urban decay areamong these. As students of theUniversity of Winnipeg – accosted forchange on our way to school and bor-dering decaying Portage Avenue – weknow this well. I’d like to be opti-mistic, but due to the budget cuts madeby most levels of government over thepast decade, the situation is gettingworse, not better.

Urban decay is not a problemunique to Winnipeg, however, in factfar from it. Toronto needs millionspoured into affordable housing forcity’s growing homeless population; sotoo does Montreal; and Vancouver’snotorious Lower East Side boasts thehighest per capita drug addiction ratesin the country. It has also become clearthat smaller centres like Halifax andSaskatoon are no longer immune towhat were once considered ‘big cityproblems.’

The downsizing of the Canadianwelfare state throughout the 1990s is atleast partially to blame; billions wereremoved from our social safety netsduring Paul Martin’s quest to balancethe budget, and thousands now call thestreets home as a result. While theremay be truth to the argument that thecuts were necessary because Canadawas living beyond its means, it’s not anargument I want to debate here. Insteadit’s more constructive to look at wherewe are now, and realize that municipaland provincial governments cannotaddress civic problems alone; morehelp from federal government isrequired.

With roughly two thirds ofCanadians inhabiting cities with popu-lations over 100,000, and half living injust four urban centres – GreaterToronto, Greater Montreal, Vancouver/ Lower Mainland, and the CalgaryEdmonton Corridor – civic problemsare not simply ‘local matters.’They arenational problems that the federal has aresponsibility for; a postion many civicpoliticians, including Winnipeg’sMayor Glen Murray, Vancouver’sLarry Campbell, and Toronto’s DavidMiller, have been increasingly vocal inadvocating.

At first glance, Paul Martin seemsto be responding to the pressure. “Nomatter how long it takes,” he plans togive municipalities a share of the feder-al gas tax, which rakes in $4.8 billionannually. While this is a step in theright direction, important questionsremain unanswered. How much doeshe plan to give? When does he plan to

give it? On these questions he has beenevasive.

While $4.8 billion seems impres-sive, even if half were committed –much less than our cities will likelyreceive – it spreads rather thinly overmunicipalities from Victoria to St.John’s. And aside from the proposedgas-tax money, the Liberals have onlypromised 3 billion dollars to cities overthe next decade – quite a laughablesum, really. Clearly more is needed.

However, I’m not saying thatincreased federal funding is a panacea– far from it in fact. Provinces andmunicipalities must take a central role.Local governments should exploreinnovative possibilities, such as GlenMurray’s New Deal, to break theirunhealthy property tax addiction andincrease revenue. Although the NewDeal – essentially killed this fall – didhave potential problems – one frequentcritique was it would adversely affectthe poor – it at least raised awarenessthat the current tax base is unsustain-able. It’s a reality we can’t ignore for-ever.

Strategies to revitalize our down-towns are also important, but large-scale infrastructure projects, such asWinnipeg’s new arena (the unfortu-nately named MTS Centre), will notaccomplish this. It has been shownagain and again that these projects havelittle impact on the lives of downtownresidents, and simply sweep povertyproblems under the rug. Just look toPortage Place Mall, touted in the1980’s as the magic bullet of down-town revitalization, for an example.

Instead cities should pursue moreinnovative community economicdevelopment strategies, which allowlocal residents to make productiondecisions and retain profits. And citiesshould contemplate creative responseto social problems, such as LarryCampbell’s safe injection sites inVancouver. This type of action musttake place at the local level.

But the federal government stillhas a role to play; it can facilitate localaction through increased funding andimplementing coherent national poli-cies. For example, unlike the UnitedStates and the United Kingdom,Canada has no national policy and nolong-term national programs to addressaffordable housing.

In closing, the vitality of Canada’scities is more than just a local issue; itdeeply affects the nation as a whole.Cities are our economic engines, theyare where the majority of us live, andthey are the key to our competitivenessand success in the future. Ottawa mustwake up and face the urban realities ofthe 21st century by better engaging inthe ongoing process of civic revitaliza-tion.

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The Merriam-Webster onlined i c t i o n a r y

defines pluralism as, “a state of societyin which members of diverse ethnic,racial, religious, or social groups main-tain an autonomous participation in anddevelopment of their traditional cultureor special interest within the confines ofa common civilization. Tolerance is acrucial feature of successful pluralismand as far as nation-states go, Canada isa leader in the world, with a diverse mixof ethnic, racial, religious, social andpolitical identities co-existing peaceful-ly. To many we are seen as a model ofhow to integrate different cultures andbeliefs into a multi-cultural mosaic, withmuch of our success resting on the factthat people who were involved in con-flicts in their country of origin are large-ly expected to leave their differences athe border. This doesn’t mean that theyare forbidden from holding certainbeliefs, only that they exercise reasonand restraint to avoid turning foreignconflicts into domestic ones, insteadusing it as a safe third space to debateissues away from the conflicts them-selves. Domestic debates based on his-tory, religion and culture and arbitratedby a secular government and everyone’srights are protected under the Charter ofRights and Freedoms, as interpreted bythe Supreme Court of Canada.

Pluralism forms some of the basisfor the concept of human security,which sought to protect the individualrights of all people, no matter whatnationality, race or creed. Human secu-rity provided a solid foundation and

direction for Canadian Foreign Policyduring the multi-lateral honeymoon thatcame with the end of the Cold War.However the changes in the world order,particularly surrounding the War onTerror have put this dream of a harmo-nious pluralistic world on hold indefi-nitely as we draw the lines of conflictalong cultural and religious lines ratherthan the traditional wars between politi-cal nation-states.

Harvard professor SamuelHuntington in his essay, and later book“The Clash of Civilizations,” theorizedthat future wars would be fought alongcultural lines rather than ideological orpolitical ones, and that non-state actorswould play a central role in these wars.This type of conflict is what al-Qaeda issaid to be trying to create, and the rhet-oric from Washington about this being awar between civilization and barbarism,in which all actors must choose to bewith civilization or against it, exacer-bates the problem. A world integratingthrough Globalization is being forced topick sides; the differences between theWestern world and the Muslim worldare being portrayed as fundamental andirreconcilable, something that requiresthe destruction of the other. This frame-work dangerously groups conflicts thatwould previously have been consideredcivil or intra-state conflicts, such as therenewed ethnic violence in Kosovo orthe Muslim separatists in thePhilippines, into the larger Global con-flict between Freedom and Terror.Meanwhile conflicts which don’t fit theMuslim versus Civilization mould, evenif they involve the use of terrorist tacticsor asymmetrical warfare, continued tobe considered domestic, such as the caseof Northern Ireland.

While the world divides itself,

Canada is struggling to maintain thestrength of pluralism in our society. Weare torn between requests to join our“Friends and Allies,” on each new anti-terrorist crusade, and the maintenanceof an international reputation as an hon-est broker, or somewhat neutral thirdparty. In an effort to appease Americansecurity concerns, we have adoptedanti-terrorism legislation that allowsracial profiling, pre-emptive incarcera-tion, which reverses the presumption ofinnocence upon which our justice sys-tem is built, and denies detainees andthe public, access to the evidence andthe process. This is alarming becausewithout public scrutiny, it is impossibleto know whether detainees CharterRights are being ensured by the secretproceedings.

The Charter has played a crucialrole in upholding pluralism in Canadiansociety; it safeguards the rights andfreedoms of minorities and groups, pro-tecting diversity. It is also crucialbecause it tackles issues that parliamenthas no political will to address. Thiswas the case when Canada’s Lawsagainst abortion were repealed; thecourts stepped in and saved any politi-cal party from having to take a stand onthe issue. The Law protects citizens’rights even when and if they are at oddswith the status-quo. This brings me tomy point, healthy pluralism relies on adiversity of viewpoints and on an open-ness to debate so that as a societychanges, so too does the status quo, inorder to accommodate this diversity, inother words, we need a big tent.

Students have traditionally chal-lenged the status-quo, campaigning forpublic awareness and lobbying the gov-ernment on a variety of issues fromeducation to foreign policy. It is impor-

tant to remember however that if thestudent government is a microcosm ofgovernment generally, it too has a sta-tus-quo, one that should be open tochallenges from a diversity of view-points. This week the UWSA Board ofDirectors again denied student groupstatus and funding to a Pro-Life group.The group, whose proposal had previ-ously been denied, requested an oppor-tunity to present to the board. TheBoard denied the application oncemore, on the basis that the UWSA is aPro-Choice organization and that coun-selling services for potential mothersare already available as well as the sup-port in the Womyn’s Centre.

Being Pro-Choice, this decisionappeals to my desire to avoid the often-offensive campaigns for which Pro-Lifegroups are now famous for, but under-lying issues remain. My mother is adevout Catholic, and as such, shebelieves strongly in the Pro-Life move-ment. Her beliefs are based in her faith,which although dogmatic, is very gen-uine, and the topic arose during severalheated dinner table debates. Her argu-ment is rooted in faith and love for thesouls of the unborn babies and for themothers, the fact that to Pro-Choicers,the arguments are misogynistic, deny-ing the rights of the mother, doesn’tmake her concern any less genuine.What I got from those dinner tabledebates was an improved understandingof a point of view that I disagree with,and a better ability to present the argu-ments of my point of view. Of course, acertain comfort came from knowingthat it is unlikely the Courts would everallow the re-criminalization of abortion,even if a socially conservative govern-ment was elected, because the individ-ual rights of women, and all citizens are

entrenched in the Charter meaning theprotests of one group should never leadto the oppression of another.

The student’s association doesn’thave a Supreme Court designed to pro-tect individual student’s rights, only agoverning body, the Board of Directors,to interpret and implement the wishesof the students. The status-quo for theorganization is set by the Board ofDirectors, which is elected each year instudent elections. This year’s electionshas just passed, a total 909 studentsvoted, from a population of over 8000,meaning the Board of Directors is offi-cially endorsed by roughly ten per centof the student body. The proposed Pro-Life group would have been made up ofstudents, all of whom pay their studentassociation fees and are entitled to thesame rights as other students. The factthat they were denied funding and sta-tus on the basis of ideological differ-ences with the UWSA raises the biggerissue of whether any group of studentscan form a student group that disagreeswith the status-quo of the UWSA. Itwould appear that progressive, leftist,institutions like the UWSA are no morewilling to re-open debates they feelthey’ve won than the federal andprovincial governments they criticize.Their arguments for the Pro-Choiceposition are likely more robust, reason-able and widely appealing than thedogma of the Pro-Life group, but bydenying them status, the UWSA hasshut down debate before it be re-hatched on campus, something it wouldno-doubt criticize other organizationsfor doing. Canada may still be a leaderin the world as far as Pluralism is con-cerned, but it is important to not becomplacent, to constantly ask how bigour tent really is.

J O N A T H A NT A N

Editor In Chief

Sit or Stand?B Y J U L I E M O O R E

So there I am, seated quietly at a localshopping mall rest bench, flippingthrough a batch of freshly developed

film, when the sounds of a struggling child,followed by the throaty droppings of F-bombsrevise my attention. As I snap out of photo-land, I look up to see a little boy, no older thanfive years old, being dragged vigorously downthe hall by a raging Fubar inspired woman.(Not a brisk shuffle.....a full on, red-wagonstyle drag!) I conducted a brief inner debate asto whether or not I should speak up against theharsh exhibit, but my passive side prevailed.Keeping with conventional citizen protocol, Iremained silent and simply shook my head indisgust of such brutally unnecessary disci-pline. I continued on with my task at hand,while still amply aware of the cursing andchaos. I widdled it down to the fact that kidsact up, parents snap, whatever; yet this seemedbeyond that rational standard. Enter bystander.My attention was shifted a second time bywhat looked like my failed activism come tolife- a woman who voiced her protest. Herattempt at scolding the overly aggressivemother quickly elevated into a heated scream-ing match. I stood up, offering a some kind of“yeah, I got your back” presence, but thebrawl was cut short when Mr.Fubar appearedlike a bat out of hell, spewing out threats at themediator and ordering her to mind her ownbusiness. (I've skimmed the profanity fat heresomewhat) The mediator gathered her son,who she had told to wait in a nearby store priorto the scuffle. She looked at me and saidbrashly, “Was I wrong?” I replied with a stern

styling of the word no. She, who I will forev-er refer to as “the ballsy mediator”, shoveledout an armload of reasons as to why shebelieved that such forceful discipline consti-tutes child abuse. She went on to foreshadowthe young boy (close to her own sons' age) asdeveloping into an abusive man himself, beingraised under such severe negative stimulus. Ifelt compelled to hearing out the mediator, iffor no other reason than simply I respected heraudacity and balls that I seemed to have left athome that day. Moreover, she was also a moth-er herself, raising a son of a similar age. It allseemed to boil down to social prerequisites.The very fact that a twenty-something girlspending her Saturday morning looking atphotos has no more right to intervene with afamily-spun conflict than Paris Hilton con-demning bargain shopping. Both Paris Hilton,nor I have the slightest clue what it's like to beon the flip-side, so we keep quiet. (well, I'llspeak for myself anyways.)

Perhaps that explains why so many peopleturn a blind eye to public displays of fierceinappropriateness; and I'm not talking aboutpublic makeout sessions, squabbles, or low-key disciplinary measures...those are a dime adozen. All opinions and beliefs have merit, butdo they have sway enough to validate directintercession with a complete strangers' affairs?With this in mind, I still wonder if it reallymatters who you are and what you are address-ing in actual situations, such as the aggressionboil-over I witnessed that day. It's easy to saywhat action you would take in a hypotheticalscenario, but when sh** gets real, that divid-ing line between assistance and interferencetranspires. Taboo or not taboo?

E d i t o r i a lOn the limits of Pluralism

Denial of student Group Status to Pro-Life Group raises important questions


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Managing Editor ($19,000 salary, 1 year term commencing April 19, 2004, 30-40 hours per week)

Duties:

• Act as a representative on the Uniter Board of Directors

• Liaise with the University of Winnipeg Students’Association (UWSA), the publisher of the Uniter Newspaper.

• Attend all meetings of the Uniter Editorial Board and meetings of staff.

• Maintain regular office hours and otherwise take strides to make her/himself reasonably available to other members of staff, clientsand readers.

• Act as the newspaper’s business representative in a dignified, respectful, tactful and diplomatic matter.

• With the Editor in Chief, ensure all members of staff have access to and act in accordance with the newspaper’s constitution, code ofethics and other relevant documents.

• With the Editor in Chief, work to ensure that The Uniter office remains an open, safe and welcoming environment for all members of staff, volunteer and visitors.

• Actively encourage members of the University of Winnipeg and wider Winnipeg communities to participate in the production of the newspaper.

• Undertake at all times to act in the best interest of the newspaper, its staff and its readers.

• In consultation with the members of staff and the Board of Directors, establish and abide by an annual budget.

• Work with the UWSA Business Manager to keep accurate and up-to-date records of all financial transactions and perform bookkeeping tasks in the office.

• Coordinate and oversee the activities of the Distribution Manager.

• Work with the UWSAAdvertising and Sponsorship Coordinator todevelop positive relationships with potential and current advertising clients.

• Be a contact for advertising inquiries as well as seeking new clients in consultation with the UWSA Ad and Sponsorship

Coordinator.

• Work with The Uniter Production Manager on ad design and oversee final ad copy.

• Develop positive relationship with Campus Plus, The Uniter’s national Advertising Agency.

• Provide computer technical support to staff for Mac OS 9, Mac OSX, MS Windows 2000, and network file and printer sharing on these platforms.

• Manage the staff usage of The Uniter’s equipment resources, including computers, cameras, telephones, desks, mail and fax services.

• Take responsibility for performing, or arranging to have performed, all other tasks that may from time-to-time arise to ensurethe newspaper is at all times best serving its diverse readership

• Undertake to ensure The Uniter consistently serves its readers andclients with fairness and respect

• Accept primary responsibility for all matters pertaining to The Uniter’s documentation, equipment, finances, payroll, and budgets.

Applicants should have experience with advertising sales, budgetplanning, handling accounts, managing personnel, and assisting oth-ers with computer use. Sales skills, customer service and/or manage-ment experience is an asset. Superior communication and time man-agement skills are essential.

Editor in Chief ($19,000 salary, 1 year term commencing April 19, 2004, 30 to 40 hours per week)• Act as the liaison between The Uniter and student groups on

campus.

• Act as a representative on The Uniter Board of Directors.

• Chair all meetings of The Uniter Editorial Board and meetingsof staff.

• With the Managing Editor, ensure all members of staff have access to and act in accordance with the newspaper’s constitution, code of ethics and other relevant documents.

• With the Managing Editor, work to ensure that the Uniter office

remains an open, safe and welcoming environment for all members of staff, volunteer and visitors.

• Maintain regular office hours and otherwise take strides to make her/himself reasonably available to other members of staff, clientsand readers.

• Offer training when applicable to contributors/staff in the areas ofstyle, writing, reporting, and research, and ensure that all writing meets CUP standards.

• Attempt to recruit and maintain contributor involvement, and set aside time to meet with staff and community members.

• Act as the newspaper’s primary public representative in a dignified, respectful, tactful and diplomatic matter.

• Worked with all members of staff to continually improve individuals’ skills, providing feedback in a formal setting at least once per semester.

• Coordinate the efforts of the other editors, assigning tasks when necessary.

• Check the final proof each publishing week for factual inaccuracies, libel, misquotations, spelling and grammatical errors,inconsistencies, missing stories or advertisements, layout problems, and for anything else that would detriment the quality ofan issue.

• Edit editors’submissions for style, content, structure, grammar andspelling to ensure the overall high quality of the newspaper.

• Determine, with input from Editorial Board, the front-page contenteach publishing week.

• Write a weekly editorial.

• Edit and comment on letters submitted for publication.

• Work with Editorial Board and Staff in goal-setting and long-termplanning for The Uniter.

• Liase with Canadian University Press (CUP), ensuring Uniter input for CUP membership decisions.

• Identify training opportunities for staff and develop skill-building workshops.

• Accept primary responsibility for all matters pertaining to The Uniter’s editorial content.

The primary role of the Uniter newspaper is to report on issues and events ofimportance and/or interest to the students of the University of Winnipeg, and to pro-vide an open forum for the discussion of these issues and events. The Uniter newspa-per upholds the principle that the Uniter must be a free and responsible press, pro-viding fair and objective coverage of news and politics, the arts, culture, social affairs,

sports and other matters affecting the newspaper’s diverse readership. The Uniter alsoserves as a training ground for journalists.

Towards these ends, all Uniter staff members agree to abide by The Uniter’s codeof ethics, constitution, and other relevant policy documents, including the job descrip-tions set out below:

The Uniter is Hiring!


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The following Editorial positions are based on a32-week term, beginning August 16, 2004 and

terminating March 31, 2005. Successful candidatesfilling editorial positions will be expected to spendsubstantial volunteer hours over the summer monthsfamiliarizing themselves with the position and plan-ning for the year ahead. In addition, editorial staffmembers are expected to attend weekly staff andeditorial meetings, and actively engage in constitu-tional review and planning throughout the course oftheir employment.

News Editor ($150 per week)

The Uniter is looking for an organized individual with excellentleadership skills to coordinate a comprehensive four- to five-page news section that will examine university issues, as well aslocal, national and international news relevant to The Uniter’sdiverse and knowledgeable readership. In addition to demon-strating a critical eye for news content, the News Editor will beresponsible for assigning, writing and editing news stories, whileproviding volunteer and staff writers with support and develop-ment. The News Editor will also chair The Uniter sub-commit-tee on Recruitment for the duration of his or her term. This posi-tion represents a time commitment of 20+ hours per week.

Features Editor ($150 per week)

The Features Editor will be responsible for organizing a 4-pagesection consisting of in-depth reporting on a wide variety of topics,including current events, social issues and cultural phenomena.Candidates should have previous experience with feature writingand interviewing. The Features Editor will work in conjunctionwith the all section editors as well as volunteer and staff writers toresearch and write compelling articles and critical exposés with aparticular focus on activities relevant to or occurring within the uni-versity community. The Features Editor will chair The Uniter’ssub-committee on Alumni for the course of his or her term. Thisposition represents a time commitment of 20+ hours per week.

Arts & Culture Editor ($150 per week)

We are seeking a multi-talented individual with a diverse back-ground in all things artistic to fulfill the position of Arts &Culture Editor. The successful candidate should be capable oforganizing a four- to five- page section that will incorporatetimely coverage of a broad range of local, independent and orig-inal arts and entertainment topics. The Arts & Culture Editorwill work closely with volunteer and staff writers to preparewell-written commentary on music, film, art openings and soon. This candidate must also work to cultivate good workingrelationships with promoters, record labels, artists and publicrelations departments locally, nationally and internationally.The Arts & Culture Editor will also help coordinate U of W andcommunity events listings and act as co-chair of The Uniter’ssub-committee on Fundraising. This position represents a timecommitment of 20+ hours per week.

Sports Editor ($150 per week)

The Sports Editor will provide the Uniter readership with com-pelling sports coverage, with a specificfocus on campus sports events,clubs, and activities. He/She willedit, assign and write sports commen-tary and analysis as well as developand maintain positive working rela-tionships with campus athletic teams,departments and directors. Coverageshould reflect a broad range of sports,fitness and leisure activities. Successfulcandidates will work closely with thePhoto Editor to provide superb visualcontent to accompany written content.The Sports Editor will also act as co-chair of The Uniter’s sub-committee onFundraising. This position represents atime commitment of 20+ hours per week.

Comment Editor ($75 per week)

The Comment Editor will coordinate a weekly 2-page sectionfull of compelling arguments and opinions on a variety of cur-rent events and issues. The successful candidate will ensure allcommentary and analysis is fair and balanced and in accord withthe mandate of The Uniter. He or she should be familiar with awide variety of campus, local, national and international issuesof relevance to The Uniter’s readers. The Comment Editor willbe responsible for editing stories in the section for grammaticalerrors and will work with the Editor in Chief to edit articles forlibelous content. The Comment Editor will co-chair The UniterResearch and Story Development sub-committee. This positionrepresents a time commitment of 10+ hours per week.

Humour Editor ($75 per week)

The successful candidate for Humour Editor will be responsiblefor all things funny in The Uniter, organizing and generatingcontent for a weekly 1-2 page Humour Section. The HumourEditor will work closely with the Photo and Graphics Editor(s),Comment Editor and volunteer contributors to solicit and devel-op humourous written and visual content for the section as wellas for other sections of the newspaper. He or she will be respon-sible for editing all submitted material for grammatical errorsand libelous content. The Humour Editor will act as vice-chair ofThe Uniter’s Recruitment Committee. This position represents atime commitment of 10+ hours per week.

Photo Editor ($75 per week)

We want photos! Lots of them! Show us how you see Winnipeg,the U of W, and student issues. We’re looking for an individualto take, solicit and organize photos to accompany articles, to beused as cover images, and for photo essays. Candidate will coor-dinate photo assignments from section editors as well as devel-oping visual content in conjunction with our Graphics Editor.Photos can be taken with an SLR or Digital Camera. Candidatesmust be familiar with Photoshop and Mac OS X. The photo edi-tor will also liaise with the Photo Club and volunteer photo con-tributors. This is a 10+ hour per week commitment.

Graphics Editor ($75 per week)

If you are a visual or graphic artist who is interest in giving TheUniter a graphic edge and identity let us know. We’re looking fora talented individual to work with our Photo Editor to developand improve visual content in the newspaper. The GraphicsEditor would work with section editors to build strong graphiccontent to accompany articles and themes, as well as workingwith the Humour and Comment Editors to recruit design andgraphic volunteers. This is a 10+ hour per week commitment.

Web & Network Manager ($75 per week)

The successful candidate will be responsible for giving TheUniter its first official web presence, updating the site with newcontent from each issue. Applicants should be proficient inDreamweaver, and be familiar with Mac OS X operating sys-tems. The Web & Network Manager will also be responsible forensuring The Uniter computer network runs efficiently and isbacked up on a regular

basis. Theselected can-didate willact as thep r i m a r yt e c h n i c a ls u p p o r tperson forthe office.

The following positions are based on a 32-weekterm, beginning the week of August 16, 2004 and

terminating March 31, 2005. Successful candidatesfor will be expected to attend a volunteer training andplanning session over the summer in preparation forwork commencing in fall term.

Beat Reporter ($50 per week)

The Beat Reporter will work closely with the News, Photos andGraphics Editors to write two assigned news stories per week andarrange for corresponding visual content. The chosen candidateshould demonstrate a critical eye for news content and should pos-sess superior writing and interviewing skills and works well underpressure of deadlines. A familiarity with the university and studentissues is an asset. The Beat Reporter must be able to work well ina collaborative environment as well as individually.

Copy & Style Editor ($50 per week)

The Uniter is looking for an individual who demonstratesexceptional technical editing skills to fill the position of Copy& Style Editor. The successful candidate will assist the EditorIn Chief in completing final edits for the newspaper during theweekly production of the paper. He or she will check the entirecopy for grammatical and stylistic errors. The Copy and StyleEditor will also be charged with compiling newspaper styleresources for staff, and developing and refining a Uniter StyleGuide over the course of the year. Applicants must be availableto edit copy in The Uniter office.

Listings Coordinator ($50 per week)

The Listings Coordinator will be responsible for collecting andcompiling on- and off-campus event listings for The Uniter'scomprehensive Listings Section. The Listings Coordinator willalso be responsible for familiarizing faculty, student groups orother interested parties on and off campus with the proceduresfor submitting listings. The successful candidate will be anorganized individual with ready Internet access.

Distribution Manager($100 per issue for each of 25 issues)As the person primarily responsible for distributing 6,000 + copiesof the Uniter on and off campus, the Distribution Manager willrequire a valid Manitoba Drivers License and a car, as well as anopen schedule on Thursdays, The Uniter's publication date.Newspapers will be couriered to the university in the morning andthe Distribution Manager will be responsible for distributing news-papers to drop points on and off campus every Thursday afternoon.As part of this weekly routine, the successful candidate will beresponsible for keeping track of The Uniter's newspaper stands andmaintaining their good condition. The Distribution Manager will beasked to note the effectiveness of drop points, manipulating news-paper drops to maximize the paper's pickup. The position will alsodemand that the successful candidate assist the Managing Editor inacquiring new ad clients by promoting the paper at our businessdrop-off points and cultivating positive working relationships withthese potential clients. The successful applicant will have provencapable of working in a setting demanding reliability and independ-ent work.

Experience an asset. The ability to consistently perform wellunder pressure is essential.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS ISApril 9 AT 12:00 PM.Applications Forms are available at the Uniter office, or viaemail. For further information call 786-9790 or [email protected] . Resumes, references and portfoliosshould be attached to applications. Mail or deliver applica-tion in person to The Uniter Office, ORM14 Bulman Centre,515 Portage Avenue, Wpg, MB R3B 2E9.

Only those applicants selected for interviews will be con-tacted. Applications are encouraged from all interested par-ties, including aboriginal people, people with disabilities,and visible minorities. International students may also apply.

Production Manager ($150 per week)

The Uniter is looking for a hard-working, creative, and talented individual totake on the responsibilities of Production Manager. The successful candidatewould be responsible for the overall design and final layout of the newspa-per on a weekly basis. Must be proficient in Quark, Adobe InDesign andPhotoshop using a Mac OS X platform. Applicants must be available forproduction in The Uniter office from Sunday – Tuesday. Some additional addesign will be required and paid accordingly. The Production Manager mustfeel comfortable instructing staff and volunteers interested in learning moreabout production and design. Time commitment is 20+ hours per week.

The Production Manager position is based on a 32-week term, beginning the week of August 16, 2004 andterminating March 31, 2005. The successful candidatewill be expected to spend several volunteer hours overthe summer months familiarizing themselves with theposition and planning for the year ahead.


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l i s t i n g sON CAMPUS COMMOTIONWHATS WHAT AT THE U DUB

EXPLOSION OF FORMS ANDTEXTURES: ART OF THE 1960sFROM THE BAS-SAINT-LAURENTMUSEUM'S COLLECTION

Gallery 1C03 Until March 27

FUCK MORGUE, UNDER PRESSURE, RAMPAGE, BURIEDIN THE BACKYARD, CINQUEDA

Bulman Student CentreMarch 26, Tix $4 @ Into the MusicMusic Trader, Mondragon, SK8

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:2nd Annual University of WinnipegStudent Film FestivalFestival Dates: Thursday, April 29 - Saturday, May 1, 2004Location: Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall (3rd Floor Centennial Hall), University of WinnipegEligibility: Students registered at a post-secondary institution in Manitoba between April, 2003 and April, 2004Entry Fee: No ChargeDeadline: Monday, April 12, ‘04

CAREER RESOURCE CENTREGraham Hall - 0GM09Open 9-4:30 Mon-FriAssistance available for researching jobs, internships or post-graduate education, as well as developing resumes and cover letters.

U of W FITNESS CLASSESMon - Hi/LoWed - Boot CampFri - Core Body12:30-1:15Tue - Step/HiLo ComboThu - Tae-Box12:05-12:50Register at the Duckworth Centre Desk

GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONALSTUDIES APPLICATION EXPENSES BURSARY

Applications in Awards Office

AUCC AWARDSSee www.aucc.ca/programs/scholarships

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THEBLIND SCHOLARSHIPS

Visit www.nfb.org for applications and infoDeadline March 31

CANADIAN JAPANESE MENNONITE SCHOLARSHIP

$2,000 for student pursuing graduate studies in protection of minority rights in CanadaInfo in Awards OfficeDeadline April 1

JOHN GYLES EDUCATIONAWARDS

Up to $3,000 Visit www.unb.ca/scholarships/undergrad/jgles.pdf for infoDeadline April 1

PROVINCE OF MANIOBA ROUNDTABLE FOR SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIP

$1,000 each to an undergrad and graduate studentVisit www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/susresmb/scholarshipDeadline April 2

CANADIAN FRIENDS OF THEHEBREW UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS

Up to $5000 for students wishing to attend 6 week/1 year program at Hebrew University in JerusalemInformation and applications in Awards Office, Deadline April 2

NATIONAL ABORIGINALACHIEVEMENT FOUNDATIONSCHOLARSHIPS

Visit www.naaf.ca for info and applications

2004 OSLER, HOSKIN & HARCOURTNATIONAL ESSAY CONTEST

$1,000-$5,000 PrizesEssay topic: "How can Canadians improve their standard of living without sacrificing what they hold to be distinctly Canadian values?"Open to all F/T university studentsVisit www.rotman.utoronto.ca/essaycompetition for infoDeadline April 5

CANADIAN RETAIL INSTITUTESCHOLARSHIPS

Ten $1,000 scholarships to business-related studentsInfo and applications at www.retaileductation.orgDeadline April 16

LUCENT GLOBAL SCIENCESCHOLARS AWARD

For 1st year students majoring in computer science, computer engineering, electronic engineering, specialized technical telecommunications major. Deadline April 15Applications at www.cbic.ca

PHYLLIS P. HARNS SCHOLARSHIP

$2,600 to a F/T undergradInfo and applications at www.ppfc.ca. Deadline April 15

GREAT CANADIAN MAPPINGCHALLENGE SCHOLARSHIP

Submit a paper that uses GIS Tools and DMTI Spatial datasets. Regulations at www.dmtispacial.comDeadline April 30

MILLENIUM EXCELLENCEAWARD PROGRAM

National In Course Awards$4000-$5000 to 3rd year students working at 80% course load. Info & applications in awards office. Deadline June 21

HELEN BETTY OSBORNE BURSARIES

Applicants must have financial need, dedication to field, commitment to volunteerism, & proof of Aboriginal ancestry

Info at www.helenbettyosbornefdtn.ca. Deadline May 30

HARRY JEROME SCHOLARSHIPSBlack Business and Professional Association scholarships for Black African/Black Caribbean students between 17-30 with Canadian citizenshipInformation and applications at www.bbpa.org/Harry/scholarship-criteria.htmlDeadline May 30

RWF HUNT SCHOLARSHIP$500 scholarships for students devising a business plan for Thompson and its trading areaInfo and applications in Awards Office. Deadline May 31

MADD CANADA BURSARY PROGRAM

Up to $2,000 to a student whose parent/guardian has been killed in an impaired-driving related crash. See www.madd.ca for info and applicationDeadline May 31

PERCY LANHAM BURSARIESApplications in Awards OfficeDeadline July 15

UKRAINIAN CANADIAN FOUNDATION OF TARASSHEVCHENKO

$25,000 Kobzar literary award in recognition of Canadian literature represented through a Ukrainian Canadian themeInfo & applications at www.shevchenkofoundation.caDeadline May 13, 2005

SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATIONwww.scholarshipscanada.comwww.millenniumscholarships.cawww.finaid.orgwww.studentawards.com

ROUND THE PEG PURSUITSWHAT'S WHAT AROUND WINNIPEG

Thurs March 25SoundsNEKEN, HALO, DISCONNEX

Pyramid Cabaret (176 Fort - 957-7777)

MANITOBA SONGWRITERS CIRCLE

West End Cultural Centre (586 Ellice Ave - 783-6918), 8pm

WordsDONNA G SUTHERLAND

Reading of Peguis: A Noble FriendMcNally Robinson Portage Place

DramaCAFFE

U of M Black Hole Theatre, 8pmTix $11 adult/$9 student/senior @ 474-6880

SERAPHIN POUDRIERLe Theatre de la ChapelleTix $19.75-$21.50 @ Franco Manitoban Cultural Centre or 233-8053

MATING DANCE OF THE WEREWOLF

MTC Warehouse(Rupert & Lily)Tix $11.77-$39.50 @ MTC

THE WINSLOW BOYMTC Mainstage, (174 Market)Tix $10.70 - $49.22 @ MTC

I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT,NOW CHANGE

PTE(3rd Floor, Portage Place)Tix $11.77-$29.96 @ PTE

Fri March 26SoundsWARSAWPACKW/THE HOME TEAM


DREADNAUT, INWARD EYE,TRUE TILL TOMORROW

The Zoo (Osborne Village Inn)

SISTER DOROTHY TRIOMcNally Robinson Portage Place, 6:30pm

JAMES WALZAK & MARTY GREEN

McNally Robinson Grant Park, 8pm

WordsHENRY ROLLINS

Burton Cummings Theatre, 7:30pmTix $24.50 @ Ticketmaster

CARLA FUNKReading of Head Full of SunMcNally Robinson Grant Park, 8pm

MovementHOW TO LIVE ALONE

PTE Colin Jackson Studio(3rd Floor, Portage Place), 8pmTix $10 @ Roca Jack's / door

DramaCAFFE




MTC Warehouse (Rupert & Lily)Tix $11.77-$39.50 @ MTC

THE WINSLOW BOYMTC Mainstage (174 Market)Tix $10.70 - $49.22 @ MTC


PTE (3rd Floor, Portage Place)Tix $11.77-$29.96 @ PTE

Sat March 27SoundsDANNY MICHEL

West End Cultural Centre (586 Ellice Ave - 783-6918), 8pmTix $12 @ Into the Music, WECC, Music Trader, Ticketmaster

FABULOUS KILDONANS, THE FLOOR

Collective Cabaret (108 Osborne - 475-2239)

LOCO FAREWELL SHOWThe Zoo(Osborne Village Inn)

PHILIPPE MEUNIER DUOMcNally Robinson Grant Park, 8pm

ASHLEY FRIESENFuel Coffee House(470 Osborne)

WordsWORLD THEATRE DAY READINGS

The Toad on Main(172 Main Street), 9pm

SightsSTYLE AND THE CITY FASHION SHOW

Empire Cabaret, 8:30pm



DramaCAFFE







PTE (3rd Floor, Portage Place)Tix $11.77-$29.96 @ PTE box office - 942-5438

Sun March 28SoundsLOCO FAREWELL SHOW

The Zoo (Osborne Village Inn)



DramaSERAPHIN POUDRIER

Le Theatre de la ChapelleTix $19.75-$21.50 @ Franco Manitoban Cultural Centre or 233-8053






C o m p i l e d b y J U L I E H O R B A L , L i s t i n g s C o o r d i n a t o r

DANNYMICHELSaturday,March 27West EndCulturalCentre

Mon March 29WordsMARIE SCHNERCH & LIBBYSIMONS

Reading of A Cup of Comfort for Courage, 8pmMcNally Robinson Grant Park,





THE WINSLOW BOYMTC Mainstage(174 Market)Tix $10.70 - $49.22 @ MTC


PTE, (3rd Floor, Portage Place)Tix $11.77-$29.96 @ PTE box office - 942-5438

Tues March 30SoundsBEAUTIFUL GIRLS, ALEX MURDOCH, FOUR ROADS


WordsROBIN CONNOR

Launch of The Expanding World of Physics at ManitobaMcNally Robinson Grant Park, 8pm





THE WINSLOW BOYMTC Mainstage (174 Market)Tix $10.70 - $49.22 @ MTC box



Wed March 31

WordsROBERT HILLES

Reading of A Gradual RuinMcNally Robinson Grant Park, 8pm








Thurs April 1WordsMY LIFE…OUR TIMES - WOLF BLITZER

Winnipeg Concert Hall, 8:30pmTix $45-$75 @ Ticketmaster








ON THE WALLSWHAT'S WHAT INWINNIPEG'S GALLERIES

COLLECTORS SHOWCASERare & vintage Aboriginal paintingsWahsah Gallery(302 Fort Street - 942-5122)Until March 27

WANDERING THROUGH THE INSIDE

By Ruth MaendelMain/Access Gallery(121-100 Arthur - 956-2089)Until March 27

CROSSCURRENTSMartha Street Studio(11 Martha - 779-6253)Until March 26

MUG SHOTBy William EakinThe Annex (290 McDermot - 284-0673)

UNRAVELLING TIME By Judy JohnsonMedea Gallery(132 Osborne - 478-7233)Until March 27

PENTIMENTO<Site> Gallery (55 Arthur - 942-1618)Until May 31

ANGST - GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM

Winnipeg Art Gallery (300 Memorial Blvd. - 786-6641)Mezzanine GalleryUntil April 25

THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILDWinnipeg Art Gallery (300 Memorial Blvd. - 786-6641)Gallery 1 Until May 16

IN THE CLUBSWHAT'S WHAT INWINNIPEG'S HOTSPOTS

BLUE AGAVE (365 Donald - 9435538)Live music & DJs

BRAEMAR VILLAGE BAR &RESTAURANT

(349 Wardlaw - 949-7200)Live entertainment & dancing

CHAOS CHAMELEON(2nd floor - 108 Osborne - 475-3328)Thu - 80s and 90s NightFri - Twisted w/ Brian St. ClairSat - Loaded Mod & Soul NightSun - Goth/Industrial Night

CLUB 200 (190 Garry - 943-6045)Tue & Sat - Go Go Dancers & DJ WillieWed - Karaoke Thu - Wild & Wacky Bar GamesFri - DJ Willie

DJANGO'S(3740 Portage - 837-5831)Sat - Jim HumpageSun - Blues Jam w/ Mark Conroy Band and Magic of Christopher

EMPIRE CABARET(436 Main)Thu-Sat - Roman-themed dance club

GIO'S(155 Smith - 786-1236)Fri & Sat - GLBT Dance PartyWed - Karaoke, DJs Kris, Ian & Big DThu - DJ Perry

HAPPENINGS(274 Sherbrook - 774-3576)

Thu - DJ MarcusFri - Lipstick Lounges drag showSat - DJ Kris

LATIN GARDEN(500 Portage - 774-8440)Fri & Sat - Oscar y su Grupo Sabor

PHAT DADDY'S(165 McDermot - 284-7428)Thu-Sat - Hip Hop

PONY CORRAL(444 St. Mary - 942-4414)Mon - Monday Night RawFri-Sat - Danny KramerSun - Hospitality night

ZEN LOUNGE(333 Portage - 944-8881)Thu - RCW WrestlingFRI - Wet Fridays feat. R&B, Hip Hop, Reggae

IN THE PUBSWHAT'S WHAT IN WINNIPEG'S CHILL SPOTS

CHOCOLATE SHOP KARAOKEBAR & GRILL

(268 Portage - 942-4855)Nightly - Karaoke 10pm-2am

EDDY'S GARAGE (61 Sherbrook - 783-1552)Wed - Brent Scott BandEvery other Thu - Mike & the Eastwood GangFri & Sat - DJ Dubb

FINN MCCUE'S IRISH PUB(The Forks - 888-6900)Mon - Open jam nightWed - Trivial nightThu-Sat - Live Celtic music

KINGS HEAD KNIGHT'S PUB(120 King - 957-7710)Thu - The Knights of Jam Band

POCKETS(171 McDermot - 957-7665)Wed - KaraokeSun - Curtis Newton w/ Blair Depape, David Caissy, Steve Broadhurst

REGAL BEAGLE PUB(331 Smith - 942-6411)Live music on weekends

ROCA JACK'S(2037 Portage - 897-7622)Tue - Live musicFri - Live local music

TOAD ON MAIN(172 Main St - 942-8623)Monday Night Improv Supper Club7:30 & 9:30

WINDOWS LOUNGE(161 Donald - 975-6031)Fri & Sat - Brian Paul

PSAsYOUTH EMPLOYMENTSERVICES

Free employment counseling, job training & postings, resume writing services330-267 Edmonton St.www.youthemploymentservices.com

MUSIC FOR YOU & ME Weekly music classes for parents/kids age 2-4 Manitoba Conservatory of Music & Arts(105-211 Bannatyne)Call 943-6090 for info

COMMUNICATE IN NEW LANGUAGES FOR BUSINESS, TRAVEL ORPERSONAL INTEREST

Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish and ESL (pronunciation, conversation, and grammar & writing)Register by calling 982-6633

BECOME A MENTOR FOR THEIMMIGRANT WOMEN'SASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

Call 989-5800 or [email protected] for info


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D I V E R S I O N SBlurred Vision

B Y K A D

Hmmm.

That’s some fence.

Blurred VisionB Y K A D

It’s a good thing.

Tales From a MuiriteBY M.D. COHEN & KENT DAVIES

Dr Muire Coined the phrase,“Don’t mess with TEXAS.”

But originally Texas was hisgang name.

Jeff Robson: What the heck areyou doing playing in Altona?Aaron Booth: Well, it’s Canada,you know? There’s lots of big gapsbetween the towns. We actuallyplayed there a couple of years agoand had a really great time. Therewere lots of people there, and it’snice to play a show where every-one’s into it. Lots of the places youplay in big towns are in bars and it’swhoever decides to show up thatnight and get drunk and stuff. Butwe’ve always had good shows inAltona.

JR: For those that aren’t familiarwith you already, introduce your-self.AB: Well, I’m a singer/songwriter.I’m from Toronto. I’m from Calgary,actually, but I’ve lived in Toronto forthe last couple of years. I’ve touredacross Canada a couple of times.I’ve put out some CDs, mostly onmy own, independently. I’ve playedin lots of different bands. This tour,I’ve got Snailhouse with me and aguy from The Young Ideas, andwe’re heading across Canada.

JR: Your first solo CD,Transparent, ended up doing pret-ty well for you, didn’t it?AB: It did really well! It actuallycharted really high; it went to num-ber six on the national charts. Forhaving no prior history or label back-ing me at the time, I was prettypleased with that. We did a big tour;

that time, we actually toured coast tocoast; we did Newfoundland toVictoria. We covered a lot ofground, met a lot of people, andthings have been going great eversince then.

JR: Transparent was much morelo-fi than the new CD. Were youtrying to do something differentthis time around?AB: Yeah. Transparent was sort of atransitional record for me. I record-ed it while I had just moved toToronto and had moved away fromCalgary. I had sort of uprootedmyself from all of my past historyand musical connections and bandsand that. It was the first time I’dreally gone out on my own. It wassort of an introspective record. I wasexploring different sounds and see-ing what would emerge from that. Itwas a pretty organic record; I justtook my songs into the studio anddidn’t really have any grand schemeof what I wanted it to sound like. Ijust wanted to make a record.

This one was more of a deliber-ate effort to create sort of an idealsound that I had in my head. It wasmore of a pop sound. I’ve playedpop music in the past, in Calgary, indifferent bands and stuff, but I had-n’t really explored that as a soloartist. After touring for a couple ofyears, I found that the way I wasplaying my music live was the waythat I wanted to record it for my newalbum. So I made a pop record and I

think I’ll do that for my next coupleof recordings. Who knows?

Albums for me are sort of likemoods or something, I just feel whatI’m feeling when I do them. Everyone’s going to be different from thelast one. I’m at least going to berecording a few more pop songs formy next release. We’re putting outan EP in the summer, one of the IPXreleases [an Endearing series calledthe International Pop Exchange,which pairs two bands from two dif-ferent countries on one CD], with aFinnish band called Treeball. We’llkeep going with that pop sound for awhile, anyway.

JR: Were you at all nervous aboutdoing something different afterthe first one worked so well foryou?AB: Not really. I don’t see it as thatdifferent. The songs are essentiallyconstructed in the same way. Theyhave the same attitude as far as thelyrical schemes and images that Iuse. As far as composition, they’renot totally radical changes. It’s just adifferent mood. I don’t think it’s thatmuch of a stretch. Some people havebeen surprised, but they don’t knowme very well or know my past histo-ry, which has been pretty eclectic.I’ve done all sorts of different[music]. I’ve done experimentalmusic and music for dancers and allsorts of soundscapes and stuff. I’veplayed post-rock music and math-rock, all sorts of stuff. Jazz music.This is just what I feel like makingright now.

JR: This record sounds like itincorporates some of the greatpop influences from past.AB: If you were to see my recordcollection, you’d see lots of 60s and70s music in it. I’ve always reallyliked that sound, that kind of organ-ic, rootsy rock sound. I’m a huge fanof Brian Wilson’s work. I love popmusic, especially really sophisticat-

ed pop music; it really inspires me alot. I’m sure you’ll find some ofthose sounds and inspirations in mysongs.

JR: How did you get hooked upwith the folks at EndearingRecords?AB: I’ve known Blair, the managerof Endearing, for the last couple ofyears. We’ve always helped eachother out as far as getting shows;he’d help me out when I came toWinnipeg and I’d help him out if hehad a band coming to Toronto.We’ve been aware of each other andit seemed like a good fit. I’ve alwaysliked Endearing and liked the pop. Ialways thought it would be a goodlabel for me to work with.So I just sent them a demofor this new record and hewas into it, so here we are.

[The album] officiallycomes out not even foranother week or so. Weswitched distributors, sothere was a bit of a lag. Ithink it’s officially out onMarch 30, but we’ve gotall of the CDs and we’reselling them off stage. It’sbrand new.

JR: What’s the goal forthe record?AB: Same goal as any. Ijust try to do my best topromote it and tour it asmuch as I can and makesure that as many peoplehear it as possible. Afterthat, it’s out of my hands.You put it out there and ittakes on a life of its own.

JR: I understand one ofthe new songs, “FallOver Me Satellite,” isincluded in the upcom-ing Party of Five DVD.Is this an old song thatwas used in the show

years ago, or what?AB: The deal is that a lot of the orig-inal artists [whose music was usedin the show], a lot of them don’twant to be used on the DVDs,because it’s a different licensingdeal, because it’s an actual productthat’s being sold, rather than justbeing played over the public air-waves. A lot of them don’t go forthat, so they pull their songs in theend and they find less expensiveindie artists like me to fill the gaps.

Aaron Booth and his band return toWinnipeg to play The Collective onApril 3, with Nathan. www.aaronboothmusic.com ,www.endearing.com


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a & eAaron Booth More Upbeat on

new Endearing Release

If you’re lookingfor great, intelli-

gent pop (note the word intelli-gent. That crap you hear on com-mercial radio and Much Music isa different story) and power-poprecords, one needs look no furtherthan Winnipeg’s own EndearingRecords. The label has a verystrong roster of some of the mostexciting and innovative energeticpop music in the country. It’shome to notable acts like TheHeavy Blinkers, Paper Moon,Novillero, and others, and hasbeen the starting place ofChristine Fellows and TheWaking Eyes, who have gone onto sign with bigger labels. For themost part, Endearing releases areusually pretty rockin’, upbeatalbums (with the notable excep-tion of one of my favourite bands,Radiogram, which is ultra laid-back). But when I heard thatEndearing had signed asinger/songwriter named AaronBooth, I had to wonder if the labelwas getting a little soft.

Aaron Booth’s last CD, his2002 debut, Transparent, is a verylo-fi, mellow, introspectivesinger/songwriter record. It’s beencompared to Ron Sexsmith’s earlywork, and rightly so. The songsare thoughtful and gorgeous, but

let me repeat, mellow. The CDwent on to gain Booth some muchdeserved attention at campus &community radio, and with thehelp of a heavy touring schedule,he developed a strong audienceand did very well for himself withhis elegantly simple songs.

But it seems like the move toa power pop label is not unfitting,because Booth’s new release,Our Last Escape, is a much moreupbeat and orchestrated collec-tion. The songs on OLE borrowfrom the great pop sounds of thepast, harkening back to bandslike The Beach Boys and TheByrds, and introducing a greatmodern sound and feel. His biog-raphy accurately states, “thealbum features 10 jangly roots-pop songs with expansivearrangements for horn, flute, key-boards, vibraphone and har-monies, showcasing Aaron’s newlevel of confidence and creativityin the studio.”

The album doesn’t officiallycome out until March 30, butBooth has already hit the roadwith his band, which includes for-mer Winnipegger and now mem-ber of Toronto’s The Young Ideas,Greg Millson, and The WoodenStars’ Mike Feuerstack, akaSnailhouse. I spoke to Booth as hewas on his way to a gig in, of allplaces, Altona, before heading toWinnipeg for a couple of shows.The band will return to Winnipegon April 3.

CKUW Campus/Community Radio 95.9 FM

Top 10 CDs - March 14-20, 2004! = Local content, * = Canadian ContentLW TW

NE 1 ! GREG MACPHERSONMaintenence G7

2 2 ! PIPI SKIDFunny Farm Peanuts & Corn

9 3 * CONTROLLER, CONTROLLERHistory Paper Bag

NE 4 * NEIL YOUNGGreendale Reprise

NE 5 ELECTRELANEThe Power Out Too Pure

NE 6 THE UKRANIANISMIstoria: Best of... Omnium/Zirka

NE 7 60 CHANNELS Supa CrucialCovert Moments

13 8 * VARIOUS ARTISTSZombie Night in Canada Stumble

15 9 AIRTalkie Walkie Source/Virgin

4 10 * EVAPORATORSRipple Rock Mint

J E F FR O B S O N

Arts Editor

BLAIR MORAISMeasured TimeBY BRIAN CHAZE

Blair Morais has crafted the perfectrock album for watching white

lines trickle by on a westbound prairiehighway. Songs like “Hurricane” and“Read the Signs” are imbued with thesubtle wisdom of a man who haslaboured long and hard away fromhome and loved ones. The album’s sec-ond song, “Music is my Life,” makes itclear that Morais pretends no poeticinnovation. However, where his lyricslack the flair of originality, his musiccompensates with tremendous heart andtasteful instrumentation. The standoutditty is “No Place Like Home,” whereChrissy Klaas shows considerablerestraint while backing Morais with herbeautiful voice. When I head west thissummer, Measured Time will be inheavy rotation on my car stereo alongwith Don Henley and Counting Crows.If this album isn’t an arrow throughyour heart, just spend 20 years workingin northern Manitoba mines. That’swhat Blair Morais did. (Independent, www.BlairMorais.ca)

B Y M R . W A L L A C E

Peep Show, recently present-ed by Out of Line Theatre, isa hilarious, side-splitting

comedy about naughty, eroticPeepshows. Hugo And Sabina,played by Ian Seth Mozdzen andMia Star van Leeuwen, take us onan exploration of our sexualendeavours, or perhaps of ones thatwe never knew we had. Using awide variety of mediums andstyles, such as dance, music, pho-tography, physical theatre, and psy-chological realism, the show bringsus to this world of erotic and queerfantasies.

I normally don’t go to theatrealone, and maybe I shouldn’t have

made an exception with this pro-duction, becuase the man sittingnext to me was breathing quiteheavily with his mouth wide open.I suppose this would be a compli-ment to the actors, which besidesarousing, were really lively onstage, and portrayed fascinatingcharacters.

The show makes the audiencemembers feel like they werePeeping Toms, by using alternativelighting. My favourite part of theplay was when Hugo was mastur-bating while standing on a chairand Sabina turned on the houselights. Not only was Hugo embar-rassed, but so was the audience. Ifelt especially like a Peeping Tom,since the venue, on the third floor

of the Artspace building, had norisers and I was in the third rowlooking through an old girlfriend ofmine, who was in the second rowand a very large man was in thefirst. I was moving side to side try-ing to see through, and sometimes,when thing where about to getquite naughty, I felt naughty tryingto get a better look. Plus, I reallydidn’t want to lean to close to theman next to me.

Out of Line Theatre did anexcellent job of dealing with inter-esting queer/erotic themes, whichis all too rare in this city. It’s toobad that this show is over, but afew of the shows sold out, so likemany, I’ll keep an eye out forfuture productions.

a & em arch 25 , 2004 page 1 1unitert

he

Play Allows Viewers toBecome Sexual Voyeurs

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B Y D A N H U Y G H E B A E R T

I’ll say this and I’ll say it once:Bruce Campbell is God.The star of Sam Raimi’s Evil

Dead series returns in what can onlybe described as a role tailor madefor him: The King of Rock’n’Rollversus The King of the Dead.

That’s right. Bruce Campbellplays an old Elvis Presley, stuck in aTexan retirement home, mullingover such life affirming notions aswhy there’s a growth on the end ofhis penis, and whether his daughterwould love him if she knew he wasstill alive. It seems Elvis was feelingempty about his life, so he made adeal with an Elvis impersonator toswitch lives. The impersonator diedon the toilet and their contract wentup in flames, thanks to a strangebarbecue accident. So we see Elvis,walker and all, trying to deal withold age and anonymity, while wehear a noiresque narrative by TheKing on the soundtrack. Hebefriends an African American in awheelchair (a very dead pan andhilarious Ossie Davis of Do TheRight Thing) who claims he’s JohnF. Kennedy. This guy is full of con-spiracy theories (“They dyed me

this color!”) and claims that anEgyptian mummy is slowly stealingthe souls of the elderly at the home.His proof? Graffiti Egyptian hiero-glyphics in the bathroom stall, ofcourse. So Elvis and JFK devise aplan to rid the retirement home ofBubba Ho-Tep.

As you can tell this movie is notone to be taken very seriously,although there is some social com-mentary to be made. Writer/directorDon Coscarelli (Phantasm, TheBeastmaster) delivers all of the Bmovie goods, all the while com-menting on how the elderly aretreated in retirement homes. This istheir chance to fight back, however,and they are represented by the twogreatest American heroes of theirgeneration. But the story here isBruce Campbell, who literallyembodies the King. His ability tosnap off one liners (“Never fuckwith the King”) is legendary, and hischarm carries this film a long way.His Elvis accent is dead on, butplease forgive him for not havingthe same sexy moves. Elvis broke ahip falling off the stage during oneof his impersonation concerts, yousee, but even this does not stop Elvisfrom providing some kung fu enter-

tainment. Bruce Campbell IS Elvis,and I was literally on the edge of myseat waiting for his next line,whether it be those one liners or hislamenting of not being there forPriscilla.

The retirement home provides aperfect setting, giving the film aneerie and lonely quality to the char-acters’ lives. It also provides forample comedic gems, from a manthinking he’s The Lone Ranger to theconversations we hear between themen responsible for carting away thesoulless bodies. And then there arethe hieroglyphic subtitles.....

Films that are this much fun arefar and few in between. Be fore-warned, the fun is very contagious.It can be lewd and crude, but it is allin a fun, matter-of-fact, elderly sortof way. I was a Bruce Campbell fangoing into this movie and his repu-tation just keeps growing for me. Heis probably the most under-ratedactor in film today. Am I laying it ontoo thick here? Perhaps, but hedeserves it.

Bubba Ho-Tep plays at theCinematheque, 100 Arthur St.,March 26-April 8 @ 9:00 PM.www.winnipegfilmgroup.com

Campbell Proves that He’s theKing in Hilarious New Film

a & e

B Y D A N H U Y G H E B A E R T

Let me clarify some miscon-ceptions about this film:1. This movie is not a remake.

2. This version does not retainthe same social commentary that theoriginal has.

3. Sarah Polley does kick butt.4. This movie is a damn good

horror flick.When I heard about the planned

remake for one of my all timefavourite horror films, GeorgeRomero’s 1978 classic, Dawn of theDead, and then saw the trailer, Ivowed I wasn’t going to supportsuch heathenistic remakes. But, in amoment of weakness, and in my direneed for horror and gore, I venturedout to see director Zack Snyder’svision.

I came away impressed, espe-cially by the first 15 minutes. SarahPolley stars as Ana, a nurse whoreturns home from her job at a hos-pital in Everett, Wisconsin, makeslove to her husband and wakes upthe next morning to find out that allhell has broken loose. Snyder’s han-dling of the ensuing chaos adds tothe brutal and already explicit vio-lence. (This includes how the movieshows us the utter unpredictability ofsuch an event, all the while borrow-ing Speilberg’s talent for quick andunflinching violence from SavingPrivate Ryan. The rag doll effectSnyder employs on the zombies, aswell as the human Polley’s tumble ina bathtub, is as about as painful asanything I’ve seen recently) Anasoon encounters Kenneth (VingRhames), a mean ass cop, as well asan expectant couple (Mekhi Phiferand Inna Korobkina), and Micheal(Jake Weber), a man with a goodsensible head on his shoulders. The

five make their way over to the localmall, where they hope to procuresome supplies. Unfortunately forthem, the mall is already occupied.

I say this is not a remake, forSnyder and Romero’s versions arequite different. Whereas Romero’szombies are clumsily slow and voidof any spirit or energy, Synder’sfiends are more like the onesencountered in 28 Days Later. Theyare quick, furious, and relentless. Itis because of this detail that thesatire of the original is lost, as

Snyder focuses more on action andintensity than making a smart, com-plex horror movie. Romero’smetaphor of lifeless zombies wan-dering the mall endlessly was notlost on a generation of horror fans,as a lot of the fans of the originalfilm (such as myself) decried such aneed for a remake. But Snydersmartly does not make his film any-where near Romero’s, and whyshould he? Romero’s story is time-less. His story structure is there, butany other resemblance ends there.

Screenwriter James Gunn (ScoobyDoo, Tromeo and Juliet) deletes thehelicopter and there is no invadingbike gang with seltzer bottles toinject some comedic relief (althoughthere is a cameo by Tom Savini,make up and stunt man from theoriginal film - look for a couple ofother original cast members incameos).

Gunn expands the core ofactors from four to eight and thensome. What he loses in intimacy hegains in group dynamics, as the sur-

vivors must learn to deal with eachother before they can deal with theproblem at hand. The focus here isdread and helplessness (all with abudget surpassing all of Romero’sfilms combined, most likely). This isnot to say that this movie is withoutits comic relief - look for a couple ofother ‘celebrity’ cameos. I couldhave done away with the endingthough, for it bordered too much onBlair Witch territory.

I wish more malls would end upthis way.

This Dawn of the Dead is Different


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a & e

B Y L I N D S A Y B R O W N

It is all too often that we findourselves so bombarded withmovie trailers and advertise-

ments for the latest multimilliondollar blockbuster that excellentsmaller films may often slip rightpast us. At some point during thelast few months, I’ve found myselfbecoming more and more frustratedwith the amount of - for lack of abetter word - crap that is being ped-dled off as entertainment by the

huge Hollywood studios. So, Ibegan somewhat of a quest. A questto seek out some lesser known titlesto see if the reason for my dissatis-faction with films was really just aside effect of becoming so jaded, orif I was really just looking in thewrong places. Luckily for me, I dis-covered it was the latter.

Upon this discovery I thoughtto myself, “It’s too bad I can’t telleveryone about these awesomemovies.” So here it goes. I’ve com-piled a list - mind you, in no partic-

ular order - of a few films I haveenjoyed recently that receivedeither a limited theatrical release orwere released straight to video.May a force greater than theHollywood machine be with you.

Pieces of April (2003)directed by Peter Hedges

This independent film boasts atalented cast: Patricia Clarkson

(The Safety of Objects, Far fromHeaven), Oliver Platt (Simon Birch,TV’s The West Wing), and KatieHolmes (destined to always be rec-ognized from TV’s Dawson’sCreek), and has humorous cameosfrom both rapper Sisquo (of“Thong Song” fame, of course) andWill and Grace’s Sean Hayes. It isthe story of a dying mother, heroverly understanding husband, theblack sheep daughter, and their col-lision course towards a seeminglychaotic and hellish Thanksgivingdinner. Holmes gives a sincere por-trayal of a daughter who desperate-ly longs for the love of her familybut is too stubborn to admit it toanyone, and Clarkson (in herOscar-nominated role) plays Joy,giving us brutally honest look at thedifficulties faced juggling a family,her own desires, and a terminal ill-ness. This film is a definite must-see if you’re looking for somethingmoving, but that still makes roomfor a laugh here and there.

Capturing the Friedmans(2003)directed by Andrew Jarecki

This documentary actually beganas an exploration of birthday

party clowns - entertainers thattravel up and down the streets ofthe most well-to-do New Yorkneighbourhoods to perform at birth-day parties. The story took a dras-tic turn however, when directorJarecki discovered a much darkerstory in the life of New York’s topclown, David Friedman. The audi-ence is catapulted into a world ofmisunderstandings, family turmoiland community outrage whenDavid’s father and his youngerbrother are accused of childmolestation. This powerful filmnever really gives any answers,which is one of the reasons I foundit so intriguing; you must decide thetruth for yourself.

Spellbound (2002)directed by Jeffrey Blitz

Upon hearing about the topic ofthis documentary – 8 children

and their quest for the NationalSpelling Bee Championship - I willadmit that I scoffed a little, but mypreconceptions did a drastic 180∞turn upon watching the film. Itshonest and moving characters drawyou in, and by the time the climaxof the film hits, you find it difficultnot to cheer these kids on with allof your might. I found myself tense,and anxiously awaiting the resultsof the contest. This film speaks notonly to stereotypes about the kidsinvolved in these types of spellingbees, but to the side of these kids’lives that you don’t see on theESPN broadcast - their parents andthe pressure they put on theseyoung children. I have to say Ifound it - once again for lack of abetter word - spellbinding.

Some other very honourable mentions:

Camp (2003)directed by Todd Graff

The Station Agent (2003)released to video in late Aprildirected by Thomas McCarthy

Manic (2001)directed by Jordan Melamed

Thirteen (2003)directed by Catherine Hardwicke

Most of these films, unless other-wise noted, can be found in yourneighbourhood Rogers Video orBlockbuster, and likely in some ofyour smaller neighbourhood videostore. Also, if you haven’t yet, checkout the films playing at either theGlobe Cinema or Cinematheque, theseare both theatres that showcase bril-liant smaller and independent titles.

BY DAN HUYGHEBAERT

Warning: the following review givesaway the ending of this movie, butit’s so bad, you’ll thank us for it.

“Ishould have stayed inWinnipeg.”This vintage line of dia-

logue is spoken by Costa (EthanHawke), an artist from Montrealwho has just found out from an FBIprofiler Agent Scott (Angelina Jolie)that he is the next targeted victim ofa serial killer who assumes the iden-tity of his prey. Unfortunately this isthe only good dialogue in the movie.In fact, aside from Ethan Hawke, itis the only good thing about themovie, PERIOD.

The film opens well, however.Two alienated teenage boys befriendeach other on a bus bound for any-where but home, and soon findthemselves stranded on the side ofthe road. The friendship is soon shat-tered when one of them pushes theother in front of an oncoming car.The car then inexplicably flips endover end over end over end. Theentire movie goes downhill fromhere, as these lapses of reason aredotted through out the film. We aretold that the film takes place inMontreal, but we see Quebec City’sChateau Frontenac in the back-ground. We are told that AngelinaJolie is an FBI Profiler, but I don’tbuy it for a second. She has quite theenigmatic personality, which isprobably better suited for Lara Croft

than for an FBI agent. And theclichés! If I see one more FBI profil-er that surrounds herself with grislycrime scene photos to gain that everso elusive insight into the mind ofthe killer, god help me, I will getAngelina’s name tattooed on by butt.

Director DJ Caruso (The SaltonSea) tried so hard to make this filmlook like Se7en, but the familiarityof that film works against him here.Sure, the cinematography is gor-geous, but the story is quite ineptand the dialogue damn atrocious.For instance: “Is that how they teachyou to rile up the deviants in FBIschool?” Or something to that effect.You get the picture. The pacing ishorrible, and the terrific French sup-porting cast are wasted in horriblecop roles. I found myself rooting forthe killer, for he seemed to be theonly person in the film who had anytrue character.

But this is a serial killer movieafter all, all of which nowadays musthave that plot twist with the red her-ring to make us keep guessing as towho actually did it. Now, I don’tmind the guessing games, as longthe movie keeps me somewhat inter-ested. This movie did not. The redherring was not even a red herring, itis poorly executed and the decoyonly shows up in the film for 5 min-utes. You call that suspense?

Do yourself a favour and go seeSecret Window instead. Let me saveyou the trouble of seeing this movie:Ethan Hawke did it.

I should have stayed at home.

Taking Lives TakesTwo Precious Hoursof Reviewer’s Life

Embrace the Limited Release

From top to bottom: Katie Holmes in Pieces of April, The Friedmans, Spellbound

B Y J O N A T H A N T A N

“This book will alter yourperception of poetry,”-states the back cover of

Jon Paul Fiorentino’s latestpoetry collection HelloSerotonin (Coach House),and it doesn’t lie. TheWinnipeg/Montreal poet,often seen in the U of W’shalls, wields the word like asword that cuts straight to thesynapses. It could be that mystatus as a poetic neophyteleft me elated by the pre-science and ingenuity ofHello Serotonin, but I’d beshocked if more well readpoetry fans were disappoint-ed.

His syntax and vocabu-lary challenge the reader tomake synaptic jumps, bridg-ing in the mind the missingportions of a sentence or athought. The book is dividedinto three sections: NEURO-T R A N S M I S S I O N S ,HELLO SEROTONIN, andHOMECALLINGS. Thetitles of the book’s sectionsreveal common threads that runthroughout each of them. Many ofthe poems in the book have previ-ously been published in other for-mats, including in the U of W’s ownJUICE in the Featured Writer sec-

tion. This book is great both aestheti-

cally and in content, the paper stockmakes you look forward to openingthe book and turning the pages, and

the poems’ allure stronger. One standout piece for this new poetry fan was“This Poem Is Andy Kaufman,”which takes the reader through threerevisions of JPF’s poem and three of

his letters to the deceased comedian.Kaufman’s humour is evoked in thepiece, which was so good it inspiredme to read it aloud to several friends,none of them English majors or avid

poetry fans, but they allwere drawn in by the“emblematic structure”and sheer brilliance of thepoem. The 90 page bookis easy to read and readagain between finishingyour last papers andstudying for final exams,remember, this is thera-peutic poetry, take thetime to treat yourself andyour synapses right.

The book launchwas held in conjunctionwith the launch ofChandra Mayor’s newnovel Cherry. Fiorentinocaptivated the crowd withhis seasoned delivery ofpoems and honest, humor-ous interludes, includingone recalling his firstpoetry reading. Thelaunch had a personal feelto it, with both authors’parents present, and a

room filled with friends and fansalike. The book is available now atMcNally-Robinson stores for$16.95, far cheaper than filling pre-scriptions.


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HenryRollins

Modern Day Renaissance ManB Y J A M E S PA S K A R U K

Henry Rollins is as close aswe get, in this age ofdecay, to a renaissance

man. In the 80s, he was the singerof the now legendary band BlackFlag. After the demise of BlackFlag, he came back with a one-two sonic punch as both the leaderof the Rollins Band and as a sur-prisingly eloquent and entertain-ing spoken word artist. He is alsoa prolific writer of verse and poet-ry (though he bristles at beingcalled a poet), owner of a publish-ing company and record label, andpossessor of the most tirelesswork ethic known to man. He willbe coming to town for a spokenword date on Friday, March 26.

The Rollins Band, over thecourse of the first few albums,took the aggressive riffs andnihilistic rage of Black Flag andchanneled that energy into asteamroller fusion of influencesthat included blues, funk, jazz andclassic Metal and Rock ‘n Rollsounds. The band’s classic lineupfeatured Andrew Weiss on bass,Sim Cain on drums and ChrisHaskett on guitar. The popularityof this lineup peaked in 1991 withThe End of Silence and the open-ing spot on Perry Farrell’s inaugu-ral Lollapalooza festival.Popularity has rarely been themeasure of a band’s success,though, and the ensuing yearsbrought forth more strong materi-al, with Weiss replaced by MelvinGibbs, who added even more jazzand funk to the mix.

Rollins replaced the old line-up, in a Neil Youngesque move,with indie band Mother Superior,resulting in two albums with amore bluesy feel. However, he

says over the phone from Denver,the next Rollins band album willbe something new. “I’ve got someother people signed on that I’minterested in working with, andeverybody’s on board. It looksgood on paper, but as far as whenthe rubber meets the road, wedon’t know yet.” Rollins wasn’tnaming names on the phone.“We’re gonna test it out over thesummer, and see if it holds water.At best it’s some music; at worstit’s a fun weekend that everyonecan laugh at.”

Rollins has always been out-spoken on just about any issueyou’d care to name, and politics isno exception. When he came totown last year, he apologized onbehalf of his home nation for thebehavior of their (un)electedleader, and he will be devotingtime to the upcoming US electionthis summer. “Absolutely, becausewhen the president speaks, it’sreally too funny to ignore.” Askedif he’s chosen any particular affil-iation, he is as yet undecided. “Idon’t know. My vote will be themost anti-Bush vote I can muster.”Presumably, then, we can expectlots of humorous Dubya contentthis Friday.

Those who’ve experienced aRollins spoken word date knowwhat to expect, those who havenot will have to see for them-selves. Expect to hear a lot oflaughter and a lot of “Preach on,brother Henry!”

Henry Rollins appears inWinnipeg for an evening of spo-ken word on Friday, March 26, atThe Burton Cummings Theatre.Tickets are $24.50 atTicketmaster.www.henryrollins.com

Fiorentino’s Hello Serotonin

tickles the synapses


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F E A T U R E S

BY CHRISTINE ESSELMONTWith F. Mushrifa Mubarak Ali &

Jude Kasas

Q: What is the official name ofyour group?A: M.S.A. or Muslim StudentsAssociation.

Q: For how long have you been inexistence @ UW?A: From what we know, the grouphas been here since at least 1982.

Q: What is the purpose of having agroup like yours at university?A: The main purpose of MSA is to bea service provider for Muslims oncampus. Two important things that we do forMuslims students is to ensure thatthere is a place for them to carry outtheir daily prayers, and also, to helpthem recognize their rights asMuslims on campus. On the otherhand, another duty that we have is tohelp create awareness about Islam,especially during these times. Sobasically, we provide support forMuslim students on campus, and arealso a source of information for thenon-Muslim.

Q: Is there any concept that youthink the majority of your groupwould hold to as a unifying belief?A: I would say that faith, faith in theoneness of God, and in Islam itself.We believe in the prophets such asAbraham, Moses, Jesus, and specifi-cally in Mohammed. Most people inour group also recognize that Islamencourages us to carry out our wor-ship: prayers, fasting etc. in groups.Unity is a very important concept inIslam.

Q: What are some examples of top-ics that initiate strong differencesof opinion concerning issues withinyour group?A: There are many different schoolsof thought within Islam, but mostly,the differences in opinion arisebecause of a difference in culturalbackground. People often practicetheir Islamic traditions differentlydepending on what country theycome from. The Muslim students onthis campus come from all over theworld; there are probably no two stu-dents from the same country, exceptmaybe from larger countries such asPakistan and Indonesia. Sometimesthere are people who are too stub-born about their culture, and theythink that their cultural traditions arepart of the religion when really,they’re not. Culture is where manymajor differences come from. Yetthere are[specific] rules within Islamin that we believe in, so understand-ing these rules help us clarify whichpractices are cultural, and which arepart of the faith itself.

Q: Are there any special eventsthat happened recently, or arecoming up?A: We just recently hosted an eventcalled “Islam 101” which was part of

the annual MSA conference. This isone of our biggest events of the year.For now, we’re breaking from eventsbecause of finals, but after they’redone we’ll probably have picnics andsocial events outdoors.

Q: As a visitor, what would be thebest event to attend?A: Islam 101 is probably the bestevent for anyone who is interested inknowing more about Islam, but real-ly, everyone’s welcome to come toany event! Every Friday we haveprayers in room 2C16 at 12:45, andwe often have potlucks that everyoneis welcome to attend. I recommendthe potlucks! We also have socialevents that include different sports,games, and always food. The eventsare usually advertised in advancewith posters, but the best way to getinformed about the events would beby visiting www.uwmsa.org, ourofficial website. On this website youcan find information about ourupcoming events.Other events include the youth halqa[Arabic word for “study circle”] forthose 12 and up. The study circlesare presented in collaboration withthe U of M MSA, and we have aremodified to be more of a fun night,but still with some education as well.

Q: When do you have theInterfaith room on the rotationschedule? (if applicable)A: The Interfaith room was usedmore last year, under last year’sMSA president, but we are hoping touse it somehow this year as a placewhere people can drop in and askquestions about Islam. We haven’tdecided on a day of the week yet,because we want it to be a day onwhich other faith groups are avail-able to come by. If using the inter-faith room doesn’t work out, thenwe’ll probably use the MSA prayerroom (ORM03) for that purpose.

The reason that MSA has theirown room is because students need aplace to do their daily prayers. It’scompulsory for every Muslim topray, and it’s great to have a placelike this to come to in the midst of abusy school day. Knowing that youcan set apart some time to be with

God…it’s something very beautiful,and relieving. You get that little“boost” of energy and then go backready to face your busy world.

Q: Please name some reasons whypeople might join the MSA, andsome key ideas that drive yourorganization.A: I think mainly, the thing thatdrives people to come together to thisorganization is the daily prayers thatare compulsory for every believingMuslim. The prayer room is used toprovide a place for these prayers. Asmentioned earlier, we also havemany social activities that studentsoften enjoy. The social aspect of thereligion is important. In addition tothe congregational prayers, the MSAhelps people share the light that weclaim God has bestowed on us, anaction that brings about reward inthis life, and in the hereafter. Thisidea keeps us motivated to work, andbe active in creating future events.

Q: Can you highlight some aspectsof your faith and /or culture thatyou see as being commonly misun-derstood or misinterpreted? A: Number one is the issue of terror-ism, terrorism that today is every-where, and is carried out by groupslike Al-Qaeda, and people like binLaden who present themselves as agood Muslim, and a scholar. This canlead to misconceptions because peo-ple then apply generalizations, andthink that because [self-proclaimed]Muslims are carrying out these acts,that they can then call Islam a “ter-rorist religion”. If Bush [continues]what he’s doing in Iraq, and manypeople are brutally killed, can I callall Americans “terrorists”? In com-parison, Bush has been elected torepresent the Americans, but BinLaden was never elected by anyone.We can’t make hasty generalizations.Islam condemns violence, and it’speople who are wrong, not the faith.

Another misconception is thatIslam suppresses human rights, andwomen’s rights. Again, that is often aresult of the impact of SOME cul-tures. For example [says Jude], I wasborn in Syria, and also lived in Saudifor awhile. The standards for Muslim

women in Syria are totally differentfrom the standards in Saudi, but forsome reason, the media tends tofocus on the Muslim woman as beinglike only one of these cultures. Inreality, the woman from a Bedouintribe probably has a different statusbecause of her culture, not because ofwhat Islam teaches.

Some people also believe thatIslam is full of unfair rules and regu-lations. As believing Muslims, welook at these rules to control chaos,just as traffic rules help us control the[potential] chaos on the roads. Theaim of the rules is really to bringabout the best for ourselves, and theothers in society. The rules are notthere simply make your life difficult,but rather, are there to help you.

Islam can often be perceived tobe a strict religion with “dos” and“donts”, where most things are for-bidden. The truth is that, in Islam youcan have fun; you can have every-thing in life, but simply, in the prop-er way. For example, let’s use theexample of sexual pleasure. Sexualpleasure is recommended in Islam,but within the bounds of certain reg-ulations about the proper way to seekthis pleasure. Or Money, Islam isbetween capitalism and communism.Islam believes that people have aright to possessions, but not in thesame way that capitalism says so,and so, it tries to achieve a balancebetween the two extremes.

Another thing to mention is thatour religion encourages and com-mends righteousness. Righteousnesscan be found in all different types ofpeople, including those who don’teven believe in God.

Q: What is the nature of your rela-tionship with other faith groups oncampus?

Do you feel that these inter-faith connections (if any) should befurther fostered?A: Definitely. There have been someinformal suggestions put forward bysome of the Christian groups to dosomething that gets the groups inter-acting. We’re all for that. It’s reallygood to have people come togetherand try to understand each other. It’svery important to learn to respect

each other, and to see the world withanother person’s eyes. I think thatvery soon (maybe next year), weshould organize an event like anopen dialog, where each faith grouphas a representative on the panel, andstudents can ask their different ques-tions to the different faith groups inan open, and free manner. Every faithcould then address the same questionfrom their point of view, an eventlike this would probably aid in clear-ing up some of the misconceptionsnot just about Islam, but about otherfaiths such as Christianity, Judaism,and Sikhism.

Q: A lot of people are confusedabout the word “jihad” - is jihad alegitimate part of Islam?A: Not only is it a legitimate part ofIslam, but it one of the most impor-tant concepts in the Islamic faith.“Jihad” is actually an Arabic word,and though I can’t translate it exact-ly, it basically means a “self strug-gle” in following the way of God. Itdoesn’t mean specifically what it istranslated to mean in English, that is,“war”. “Jihad” refers to the struggleto keep yourself daily on a straightpath, which can be very hard, espe-cially in relation to daily prayers: it’sdefinitely a struggle to get up beforesunrise to say the first prayer, or toundertake fasting. Many peopleoften understand jihad as going ourin the battlefield to fight against non-Muslims, but that’s not only whatjihad refers to. It is true that there is amilitant aspect of jihad, and thatIslam sometimes justifies war whenit thinks it’s needed to protect anation or certain rights. Yet in con-temporary circumstances, the mili-tant aspects of jihad have beenoveremphasized, to the point wheremost people only understand jihad as“holy war”.

Q: Is the hijab [head covering] achoice or a commandment forMuslim women? Why do manyMuslim women wear the hijab?A: Once you believe in Islam, thereare commandments to obey, in orderto obey God. One of the command-ments is that all the believing womenhave to cover themselves.Interestingly enough, the hijab is notjust for women, but is also for men.When you ask whether it’s an obliga-tion or a choice, it goes back to issueslike the issue of daily prayer. Whenyou’re a Muslim, you have to pray,but not everyone does. It’s a choicethat you make. Similarly with thehijab, it’s a commandment, but want-ing to follow the command mustcome from your heart. If you just fol-low a command because you have to,then there are no rewards. The mainpurpose of the hijab is to cover one’sbody, and to promote modesty.Although the way that the hijab isworn varies from culture to culture,its purpose is still the same. Mostvaluable things in the world are hid-den –diamonds, and gold for exam-ple. Even more precious are women,and so we cover ourselves. One ofIslam’s prime objectives is to directsociety, and protect it from potentialproblems. In the case of the hijab, itis used to help guard against the typeof sexual desire that can be a prob-lem if not guided in the proper way.Hijab is more about a concept, thanabout the coverings used to promotethis concept.

Contact the Muslim StudentsAssociation at: [email protected]

T A B O O S

Q & A with the MuslimStudents Association

F. Mushrifa Mubarak Aliand Jude Kasas of the

Muslim StudentsAssociation.

B Y J E A N N E F R O N D A

If you’ve been gathering dustbecause no one’s touched you inthat special way recently, it’s

time to treat yourself with a littlesolo sex.

Turn off the lights (or not) anddo what comes naturally whenyou’re in your bedroom, in theshower, in the back of your car, orwherever you want to get in themood. Masturbation is nothing to beashamed of. In fact, it not only feelsgood, but it’s good for you.

Uniter Features Reporter, JeanneFronda talked to several studentsabout getting hands on with oneself.

“If you’re horny and there’s noone around, then go for it,” saysSuzy Taylor. “Sexuality is a normalpart of human life. People need tostop being afraid of it.”

But not every student feels thatway,

One student doesn’t think mas-turbation is the way to go if you’relooking for some release.

Nana Ansu, a second-yearapplied computer science student,says people are supposed to have sexwith other people and not with them-selves.

“It’s not natural, man,” he says.“Jerking off is definitely not natu-ral.”

First-year student Naomi Sirotasays masturbation should be up tothe individual.

“Personally for me I don’t like it.“As for whether it’s right or wrong,it depends on the person. It dependson a person’s lifestyle. I’m not God.I can’t judge. If it (masturbation)exists there has to be a reason—nat-ural or not.”

Although it’s easy to say peopleshouldn’t be afraid of their sexuality,it seems there’s a double standardwhen it comes to talking openlyabout masturbation.

One student I spoke withbelieves it’s more socially accept-able for men to talk about masturba-tion than for women to talk about it.

“I think it’s seen as more accept-

able because guys are seen as moresexual creatures,” says CeciliaDavies, a first-year student.

“You will never hear a girl say, ‘Imasturbated last night.’”

Never say, “never.” One studentdidn’t beat around the bush—no punintended—when she told me howshe feels about masturbation.

“I love to masturbate,” saysTanya McFadyen, a women’s studiesstudent. “Who doesn’t?”

McFadyen says women shouldtalk about it and not be ashamed toget to know their bodies.

“It seems more socially accept-able for guys to talk about it (mas-turbation). And with girls it isn’tacceptable,” she says. “God forbidwe even look at our vaginas.”

Sue McGarvie would agree. Shesays we should not only be lookingat our genitals as often as possible,but we should be touching them.

McGarvie, a sex therapist fromOntario who has hosted her ownradio talk show for ten years, saysmasturbation is a normal part of yourhealth.

“It’s natural, healthy, and goodfor you,” she says. “It’s directly cor-related with your genital health.”

She says masturbation is goodfor both men and women becauseit’s a way to clean our bodies. Forwomen, masturbation helps to cleanout the cervix. She says there arestudies that have found women whomasturbate often have fewer infec-tions and are healthier in generalthan women who don’t masturbate.

“It cleans out bacteria and oldsperm cells,” she says.“Masturbation and masturbating toorgasm cleans your body. Yourcervix is cleaned out. It’s like anorgasmic sneeze.”

McGarvie also says that womenwho don’t masturbate often enoughwill find that their genitals becomevery itchy. Often, a doctor will try topromote masturbation by prescrib-ing a cream that has to be vigorous-ly rubbed in the genital area.

As for men, McGarvie says it’sabout healthy sperm. Men shouldmasturbate to remove older spermfrom their bodies in order to makeroom for the newer sperm. And men

who don’t masturbate regularly willfind that their bodies will find itsown way to remove sperm.

“If you don’t masturbate you’llstart having wet dreams,” she says.“If you haven’t masturbated youwon’t have healthy sperm.”

Although everyone knows aboutmasturbation, McGarvie says thereason people don’t discuss it isbecause we’re told not to talk aboutit let alone partake in the activity.

I think that most people are told

to stop it (masturbating). If younever talk about it then people thinkthere’s something bad about it,” shesays.

“I mean, if you take diapers offkids then kids immediately startplaying with themselves. Most par-ents flip out. I think you learn veryquickly that it’s something bad. It’ssomething like picking your nose.[Masturbation] is a guilty pleasureand it shouldn’t be. It’s a normal partof your health.”


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F E A T U R E S

Masturbation Every Day Keeps the Doctor Away

T A B O O S

”Masturbation andmasturbating to orgasm,cleans your body.... It’s like an orgasmicsneeze.”

-Sue McGarvie, radio sex therapist

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s: A

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Jac

kie

You met yourmatch: anattractive and

mature intellectual. You share manycommon interests, and you have somuch to talk about. Plus, you’re pret-ty confident s/he likes you back.

So you mull over the ‘what ifs’and the ‘why nots’, and decide therewould be too many obstacles to over-come in this encounter. And yet, youcan’t put this person out of yourmind. One question left to ask your-self: should I ask out my teacher?

There aren’t many ‘taboo’ topicsleft at university, but one topic stillhas some wishing to keep theiranonymity: student-teacher relation-ships.

Are They or Aren’t They?

People love to talk about taboosubjects — especially in relation topeople they know — and student-teacher liaisons is one of those sub-jects on which everyone has an opin-ion.

One student who wished toremain anonymous, found out thehard way that she was an object oflewd speculation for her classmates.

“A few years ago I was takingtwo classes with the same professor.We spent a lot of time together in theclassroom and our relationshipbecame a friendly one because weshared a lot of similar views,” saysthe Arts student. “In one particularclass, he would regularly make refer-ence to our ‘outside’ conversations ortease me because of something I hadsaid or done in our other class. Hewas also a snappy dresser, so I oftenwould comment on his clothes at thebeginning of a session. It became arunning joke between us: ‘Do you like my shirt?’“One day, out of nowhere, a studentapproached me and asked if we weredating. I was shocked. First of all, hewas married and second of all, I washis student. I completely denied it,but my classmate seemed suspicious.I didn’t think we had done anythingto make people think we were havingan affair.”

Because other students were hes-itant to participate, she contributedfrequently to the discussion. Her par-ticipation was appreciated by herprof, but she thinks this recurrentdynamic prompted at least one class-mate to suspect erotic undertones.

“The student who approachedme seemed to think it was amusing orthat she had uncovered a dirty secret.

I felt as though people had brandedme as the ‘teacher’s pet’.”

Although, her classmate mightnot believe her, the accused Arts stu-dent thinks students and teachersshould engage in intimate relation-ships with caution.

“I believe it’s perfectly accept-able for a student and teacher tosocialize, but to maintain certainboundaries. Sexual activity betweena prof and student raises questions ofclassroom ethics. For instance, wouldhe or she ever be able to unbiasedlygrade his or her student/lover? Wouldthat intimacy put other students at anunfair disadvantage?

Using Common Sense

Tom Dorey, a student at theUniversity of Winnipeg for the lastfive years, says he has never beenaffected by student-teacher relations— in fact he has never personallyknown anyone involved in such arelationship.

“Student-teacher or student-pro-fessor consensual relations have notever troubled me at school. I havealways figured that it must happenfrom time to time - people becomeinvolved in relationships with thepeople they come in contact withoften, usually at places like school, atwork, or through friends - but to thebest of my knowledge it has made noimpact on my schooling.”

Dorey, an Honours English stu-dent thinks if student-teacher consen-sual relations are handled in a matureand un-biased way then they areacceptable — particularly if they takeplace after the shared class.

“If I did find out that one of myfellow students was involved in arelationship with our professor, Imost likely would be wary at first andprobably hyper-sensitive to anyfavoritism. However if the situationwas handled with maturity and dis-cretion the parties could keep theclass as unbiased as possible.”

Student-Teacher ConsensualRelations: Harassment?

A look through U of W docu-

ments such as the RespectfulLearning and Working Enviromentdocument and the UWFA CollectiveAgreement makes no explicit men-tion to student-teacher consensualrelations.

In fact, this is a reality on mostcampuses, says Naomi Levine, the Uof W Harassment Officer. She saysthat discouragement of these relation-ships are inferred in the harassmentand conflict of interest sections.

But Levine says that’s notenough. Student-teacher consensualrelationships have no place in the uni-versity. She believes they are alwaysa conflict of interest and stronglybelieves the University should have apolicy against student-teacher con-sensual relationships.

“It’s just common sense. In noway could a professor grade impar-tially.”

Levine, who began her job in1991 in conjunction with the imple-mentation of the harassment office,says the University of Winnipeg hasnever had a policy forbidding theserelationships.

“It is a harassment issue, whetheror not it’s a harassment policy.”

In her role as Vice PresidentAdvocate of the UWSA, CathyHamilton is prepared to counsel andadvise students who have receivedunwanted attention from instructorsor other students.

Although nowadays, the scenariowhere a professor blackmails a stu-dent into sexual relations in exchangefor good grades is less prevalent,Hamilton says one student has cometo see her about sexual harassmentfrom a teacher in the past year.

“I haven’t dealt with a lot of them— which doesn’t mean that it’s notgoing on, because not every singlestudent will talk to me or is comfort-able talking about it.”

Hamilton is prepared to provide asupportive ear so that a student canfeel empowered again.

“My protocol is listening to theirstory, and making sure I understandthe situation. There are different waysto approach it depending on the situ-ation.”

If a student feels their grades arebeing affected by their refusal tocomply with unwanted sexualadvances Hamilton explains that sev-eral options available.

“In those cases, it’s good to fol-low the final grade appeal option andyou can also supplement that with fil-ing a harassment complaint. But ifthe two are linked, which quite oftenthey are, it’s good to keep themtogether and make the chair of thedepartment aware of it.”

Lustful Liaisons

A mature student who wished togo by the name of “Ann Marie,”recalls her friend’s relationship with amale professor at the U of W in theearly 80s. The friend, who was in herlate 20s was enrolled in his econom-ics class.

“Things started out the usualway...flirtation, coffee, drinks, untilshe was hooked. He didn’t wear aring and gave her a sob story abouthis evil ex. She really thought he wasthe one.

“He told her that his wife had lefthim with the kids, and the kids werereally broken up about it so she was-n’t able to come over to his place orphone. After a year, she decided tophone his place on a Friday night,and low and behold, his wife

answered the phone. They talked forthree hours and compared notes. Itturns out she had never left.”

Certainly not all student-teacherrelationships end up in lies anddeception. A closer look at U of Wfaculty and administration will revealhappily partnered couples who havemet under the student-teacherdynamic.

It’s not surprising, then, that alove for learning and discovery isequated with erotic or intimate rela-tionships (see sidebar). Knowledge issexy and can see past age or evenacademic accomplishments.

Joanne Boucher, a professor whoteaches in the Politics departmentthinks that human desire is too com-plex to regulate in a formal way.

“I don’t think you can legislatethese things. I don’t think anyonewould object to having policy againstgenuine sexual harassment, youknow quid pro quo wheresomeone asked to have sexfor a good grade. Thatshould not be allowed.The difficulty is thatwe’re dealing withadults…relationships cannot be governed by legisla-tion.”

When asked whether she thinksit is a conflict of interest when a stu-dent and professor in the same classpursue a relationship, Boucher says,“I think so. It puts the teacher, the stu-dent, and other students in an awk-ward position. But, I’m not sure youcan outlaw such things. You hope thatpeople use common sense. That’swhat you hope for.”

Boucher adds that there are non-sexual conflicts of interest that canaffect partiality like friend-ships, histories and sharedideologies. Yet these privi-leges are not seen asunethical as erotic rela-tionships.

Graduating English student,Tom Dorey also believes that stu-dents and profs should socializetogether.

“Out of the classroom, interac-tion between students and teachershelps to lessen the hierarchy imposedby the nature of the university struc-ture…. I think that the gain of profes-sors and students connecting as con-temporaries, as peers, and as friendsfar outweighs the dangers it poses.

“There are power [differentials]in almost any relationship, but theycan always be worked through pro-vided both sides make an effort.”

“Out of the class-room, interaction

between students andteachers helps to lessenthe hierarchy imposed bythe nature of the univer-sity structure…. I thinkthat the gain of profes-sors and students con-necting as contempo-

raries, as peers, and asfriends far out-

weighs the dan-gers it poses.”

- Tom Dorey, Honours English

student


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F E A T U R E ST A B O O S

Books BringNew Meaning to“Sex Education”B Y J A N O A K L E Y

Many people would arguethat a sexual relationshipbetween a student and a

teacher is a bad idea, even if it iscompletely consensual. Besides theinherent power imbalance in such arelationship, it could lead to studentfavouritism, emotional discomfort,and for the teacher, job loss. But forsome people the line that separatessex and education is less clear-cut.Here are three books that addressthe theme of passion in pedagogy:

PlatoPlato’s Symposium imagines a

high-society drinking partyin Athens where each

guest takes a turn deliv-ering a speech inpraise of eros, theGreek word for pas-sionate love. Each

speaker addresseshomoerotic love between

an older man and a youngerman, a relationship form that wasde rigueur in ancient Athens. Insome Greek thought the act of pen-etrating and infusing semen into ayoung man’s body was considereda way of imparting knowledge andwisdom unto him, and thus openinghis mind to higher learning.

The Marquis de SadeMarquis de Sade’s Philosophy

in the Bedroom recountsthe story of the educa-tion of fifteen-year oldEugénie de Mistival, avirgin and neophytewho is initiated simul-

taneously into theworlds of philosophy and

sexual debauchery. Sexualteachings comprise a large part ofEugénie’s curriculum because herteachers’ goal is to corrupt her andconvert her into a sexual libertinewho rejects religion, morality, andvirtue (all of which Sade consid-ered false). By the end of her two-day initiation Eugénie is well onher way to libertinage, which Sadeunderstands as freedom.

Jane GallopJane Gallop’s Feminist

Accused of SexualHarassment is the auto-biographical accountof a University ofWisconsin professorwho, in 1993, was

accused by two of herstudents of sexual

harassment. Gallop, whoslept with her students and alsowith two of her professors whileshe was a student, likens such rela-tionships to a consensual love affairwhere the professor embodies theknowledge that the student desires.Gallop argues that the academy hasno place imposing bureaucraticconstraints around consensual stu-dent-professor sexual relationsbecause intellectual liberationinvolves playing with institutionalroles, rather than being limited bythem.

Forbidden Love in the Academy

Students react to taboo relationshipsC H E R Y L

G U D ZFeatures Editor

“It is a harassmentissue, whether or not

it’s a harassmentpolicy.”

- Naomi Levine, Harassment Officer, on student-teacher

consensual relations


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s p o r t s

This year was my secondyear working in the

offices of The Uniter sportsdepartment, and althoughmy confidence was cement,

my enthusiasm ecstatic, and my experience sea-soned, there was nothing that could of prepared mebetter for the CIS championships than experiencingit firsthand.

I entered the Duckworth on a Saturday after-noon, approximately an hour before the Wesmen’ssemi final game verses the Regina Cougars, to befronted with an arena bursting at the seams withfans young and old- armed with noise makers,Wesmen programs and the latest special CIS pre-view edition of The Uniter. Actually, scroll back atad, omit the ‘special CIS preview of The Uniter’.As I chiseled my way through the herds of fans and-walked up the stairs to the entrance of the court, Ichecked up on the supply of Uniters on our stand,

and I was instantly shocked. What I was expectingto see flying off the stands, was rather being colo-nized by Winnipeg Free Press papers- a stack ofthem directly set in front of the remaining Uniter’son the stand the clearly had our trademark ‘Uniter’emblem tattooed on it. For something that I takegreat pride in; something that I work so hard onweek after week, I was outraged to say the least.So, I appropriately took the Free Press’s off, placedthem back on their own Free Press stand, and read-justed our Uniter papers. And although I was ratherupset, I didn’t begin to point any fingers at whomight have committed the act, and I tried to be opti-mistic towards the ordeal being a mistake of stupid-ity. But unfortunately, I was wrong.

After I nestled in to my reserved seat at themedia desk, I went back up to the front lobby, toonce again find Free Presses strategically set infront of The Uniter’s. Once again, I repeated thesame ‘fixing’procedure. To make a long, repetitivestory short, I did the same thing on four separateoccasions in a matter of an hour. Somebody appar-ently doesn’t think university press is important.Somebody also doesn’t think it’s important to give

the sports editor a photo credit on a photo that sub-mitted by the athletic department to the CIS dailynewsletter. (The CIS newsletter is a two-page foldnewsletter that comes out every day of the CIS tour-nament).

Cut the cord on the bad news, time to dial inon the good stuff- the player interviews. Althoughthe athletes were the ‘stars of the show,’ I had asmall moment of stardom in my experience. WhatI anticipated to be a reporter war zone following theconclusion of games- every man and woman forthemselves, was in reality a rather friendly environ-ment, and, it was surprisingly led by me. In manyoccasions, it was me, the lowly university sportseditor, who was running the tab on questions firedat athletes and coaches. In fact I remember in onespecific interview with Joanne Wells where afterabout four questions, I decided, out of respect, thatI should pass over the interrogation to the othermedia. Well, apparently, TSN, A-channel, CTV,Global, CBC, and CTV, were lost for words- theyall looked directly at me, with puppy dog eyes andall, to keep asking questions. So, answering to the

call, I rounded off a few more questions to completethe interview.

Speaking of interviews, not all of them werepleasant, unfortunately. After a heartbreaking lossto Regina, head coach Tanya Mckay was unavail-able for comment so athletic director Bill Wedlakerepresented her in front of the media. As all mediaoutlets split up to interview alternate players andcoaching staff, I saw one of our reporters interview-ing Wedlake on a one on one basis. As Iapproached, it became clear that there was a slightdispute. Wedlake, slightly frazzled, upset, andalmost panicky, had some sort of mind blank, andquestioned what ‘The Uniter’ was and is. He evensaid this with me standing right in front of him,who, he sees every weekend at games, and he alsofailed to recognize the other reporter who has hadhis name in the paper almost every week. It wasrather insulting. He must read Free Press over theUniter.

But the experience was undoubtedly one of akind. I still am in awe at the amount of time; thesystematical, production line fashion, that the TSNcrew can set up a courtside studio, with lights, aT.V., makeup and all, in about forty seconds flat.And it seemed as though the entire experience; anexperience that we all waited for all year long, theCIS championships was here and gone in forty sec-onds flat. Nonetheless, it was in fact an experiencethat had its ups and downs, its good times and bad,and its excitements and disappointments, but theCIS championships are in fact a flavorful spectacle-I can’t wait until next year!

Fact & FitnessB Y S A R A H H A U C H

Try a Variety of Classes, and PracticeBasic Skills.

Remember that all classes are not alike.Training in the water is muscle and function-specific. Once in the pool, ensure your com-fort and safety by learning the fundamentals.For instance, how to scull for balance (mak-ing figures of eight with your hands) and howto recover to a stand, or vertical position, withcorrect posture.

Your instructor should encourage you togo at your own pace and teach you how toprogressively increase and decrease theintensity of each exercise. The pool canalmost be considered a liquid weightmachine. The harder you press, the moreintense your workout is, so you have greatcontrol of your exercise program.

Know Your Goals. This may be the most important key to hav-ing an effective water fitness experience.Look for classes that focus on some, or all ofthe following, depending on the results you'dlike to achieve:

*Cardiovascular Health and WeightManagement. To provide these benefits, aclass should focus primarily on working thelegs while using the arms, with webbedgloves on the hands for balance. Intervaltraining is the ideal method to achieve suc-cess. You should be able to adjust your speedand effort as needed to create a progressivetraining program.

*Muscular Endurance. To improve muscu-lar endurance, a class should work isolatedmuscle groups along with the muscles thatstabilize the joints and body. Shallow-waterjumping, buoyancy devices, an aquatic step,or surface area equipment such as giant san-dals (called Sloggers) may be used to addoverload.

*Functional Fitness. If your goal is func-tional fitness, look for exercises that targetthe activities of daily living. For example,aquatic step exercise can improve stair climb-ing, and a program that includes dynamicreaching and leaping can enhance range ofmotion and flexibility. Your instructor shouldteach proper postural alignment for eachactivity.

*Sports Skills. Do you want to hone yourskills on the court or field? Check for sport-specific drills that will improve your abilityto run, jump, change directions, etc.

*Physical Therapy. If you need rehabilita-tion, you should seek a licensed therapist foryour water fitness program.Postrehabilitation can be conducted by atrained water fitness professional who is will-ing to work closely with your health careproviders and can design progressions to helpyou regain function.

I hope this interests you. Remember toplease send your topics and questions to thementioned e-mail address. And remember,there’s fun in fitness.

Are you frustrated by the astronomical amount of “get in shape” slogans out there? Don’t knowwhat to believe or where to start? Well, I’m here to let you know the truth about the myths andfacts of fitness. As a second year student in the faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Studies,I have the inside info and want to show you just how simple ‘being in shape’ can be.

If you would like to ask a fitness question, or comment on anything related to fitness and getting into shape, email Sarah Hauch at [email protected], or leave a message at 786-9497.

Q: I really enjoy swimming and I was wondering if it is an effective way to improvefitness and receive health benefits?

A: Are you considering a water fitness program? More people than ever are exploringpool activity program for many health beneficial reasons. Water fitness can improvestrength, flexibility, and cardiovascular health, help decrease body fat, facilitate rehabil-itation, improve functionality for daily living, and even enhance certain sport skills.Water fitness classes today offer more variety than ever before, but how do you find theright class for your goals, interests and skills?

Isat anxiously, encompassed in a cult of ear piercing screams protruding from fanscoughing up their voice boxes, stat paper scattered like spilled milk on every media desktable, leaky pens, riot like crowds, lights-camera-action; cameras everywhere, electri-cal cords slithering like snakes before and after games on the wood paneled court, shut-

ters of cameras popping like fire crackers from beneath the nets and on the sidelines, soundsof thunder penetrating from the rafters where fans madly stomp, microphones, and hand heldrecorders serving as pitchforks, spring loaded coaches, and a half eaten boiled hot dogplaced in front of me. It was indeed quite the experience.

L E I G H T O NK L A S S E N

S p o r t s E d i t o r

The Experience- Reporting on a National Event

Veterans + Rookies = SuccessM E N ’ S V O L L E Y B A L L S E A S O N W R A P - U P

Lost OpportunitiesW O M E N ’ S V O L L E Y B A L L S E A S O N W R A P - U P


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s p o r t sS E A S O N W R A P - U P S

B Y S H E R I L A M B

With a mixture of veter-ans and rookies, theUniversity of

Winnipeg Wesmen men’s volley-ball team volleyed their way intothe playoffs during the 2003-04season after a year’s hiatus frompost-season action.

After a late season strugglewhere the team posted a 0-4record during their matches inFebruary, the Wesmen wouldfaced the challenge of a toughplayoff match-up versus the sec-ond-seed University of AlbertaGolden Bears. The Wesmenpushed the Bears to the limit inthe best of three series, but the

15-5 Golden Bears proved toopowerful on home court for the 9-11 Wesmen and ended their sea-son in the first round of the play-offs.

With the graduation of sec-o n d - t e a m C a n a d i a nInteruniversity Sport (CIS) all-star Steven Ens, along with mid-dle Cam Dobie and libero ShawnScarcello, the men will be look-ing to their five rookies to take ona leadership role next season.

Ben Schellenberg, aninductee to the CIS all rookieteam, was one of the Wesmen’stop performing rookies this year.But the success of the Wesmen’srookies was spread out to theremaining four where Dustin

Addison-Schneider, an inducteenamed to the Canada West allrookie team, performed in similarparameters with fellow rookiesMartin Rochon, Marshall Jonesand Trevor Shaw, who are allexpected to lead the team for thenext four years.

“I expect all of them to haveproductive off-seasons that willresult in them being even betterplayers next year,” coach LarryMcKay says of his young players.

The decision to play fiverookies with the three veteransover the last season came after adisappointing end to the 2002-03seasons and a high turnover ofplayers in the off-season lastsummer.

Despite an early exit from theseason from a first round playoffelimination, the Wesmen wereconsidered a strong performer inthe Canada West where there sea-son was highlighted by a week-end exhibition series in mid-November in Chicago versusNCAA champion LewisUniversity. After dropping thefirst match in straight sets, theWesmen pushed the U.S. schoolto five sets on the second night,including a marathon emotionalfinal set.

Overall, McKay is pleasedwith how his team performedthroughout the season and theeffort that they put in duringevery practice and game.

2004 CIS Men’s Volleyball All-Canadian Teams

Second team all stars – Stephen EnsAll-Rookie team – Benjamin Schellenberg

Canada West 2004 All Stars1st Team – Stephan Ens

Rookie Team –Ben SchellenbergDustin Addison-Schneider

The Wesmen finish the season ranked 6thin CIS standings with a 10-13 record

overall (9-11 conference play)

T E A M T I D B I T S

B Y S H E R I L A M B

An inability to topple theUniversity of ManitobaBisons during the regular

season cost the University ofWinnipeg Wesmen women’s volley-ball team in their drive to capturethe nation’s attention for a secondyear.

After a fairy-tale ending to the2002-03 volleyball season where anoverachieving Wesmen team cap-tured the Canadian InteruniversitySport silver medal on national tele-vision (TSN), this year’s squadfailed to make it out of the CanadaWest quarter-finals.

Despite a disappointing post-season coach Diane Scott feels thisyear’s team played more consistent-ly throughout the season, whileachieving better tournament results.Besides finishing second to theUniversity of Regina in their ownBOB FM tournament, the womenwind up the season with a bronzefrom Regina and a gold medal fromtheir Christmas tournament at theUniversity of Toronto.

“Last year we over-achieved,when this year we came up short.We only lost one more match thenwe had [last season],” says Scottpointing to the Wesmen’s 8-12overall record being only one lessvictory this year than last year.

The fierce competition of theCanada West Conference meansevery match counts and unfortu-nately for the Wesmen this seasonthey missed out on several opportu-nities to get that extra win thatwould’ve meant a Canada Westfinal four berth.

An early November sojourn inRegina where the flu-ravagedWesmen dropped two matches isone of the “lost opportunities” theteam talks about this season, buttheir failure to knock off their cross-town rival Bisons even once is whataccounts for their post-season mis-ery.

In four matches versus theBisons the Wesmen were 0-4 (4-12

sets) this season and since the teamsfinished the regular season withidentical records, this accounts forwhy the Wesmen were forced intothe quarterfinal match up againstthe top-ranked and CIS championUniversity of Calgary Dinos.

The failure to beat the Bisonsalso cost the women a chance at theCanada West final four inSaskatoon, since after both schoolslost their quarterfinal matches, theBisons were invited due to having abetter head-to-head record betweenthe two.

Needing to improve their con-sistency next season is one of theareas she is working on during theoff-season Scott says, “There willbe some roster changes, as that isthe reality of sport, always strivingto put together the best team of ath-letes possible.” Scott points out thatsome of this year’s athletes willneed to work harder and some haveto mature into their roles if the teamis going to accomplish their goalsnext year.

“We have to improve on ourconditioning, our motivation andour consistency. We will make somechanges and we will continue tostrive to compete and perform atour highest level,” Scott says of thechallenges she faces over the sum-mer to put together a winning teamnext season.

New Season, New Players= New Attitude?

Disappointed with her team’slack of consistency and their abilityto maintain that “killer” attitude onthe court, coach Diane Scott sayschanges are afoot for the Wesmenwomen’s volleyball team over thesummer.

Coming off a season whereevery member of the starting sixstruggled with her game at times, itleaves the door open for other play-ers to step up and stake her claim toa starting position.

In life, death and taxes are cer-

tainties, while on the 2004-05Wesmen women’s volleyball teamthe only two players that are guar-anteed spots are AndreaCharbonneau with her lethal serve,going into her fifth season and theacrobatic Jocelyne Roy, who’ll bein her fourth year of eligibility. Thesteely Aynsley Laluk, heading intoher fifth season, could also be con-sidered a “lock” for a starting posi-tion next season.

Charbonneau and Laluk will bethe first fifth-year players on thewomen’s squad in over five years.

That leaves three positions upfor grabs and several players com-peting to fill the final three slots.

Kristin Brisebois should be con-sidered the frontrunner to hold on toher job, with her biggest challengeover the summer being to find away to maintain focus and concen-tration throughout an entire match.

Fellow fourth-year playerLauren MacKenzie should keepBrisebois on her toes as she looksfor an opportunity to earn a startingposition with the team. Going intoher fourth year after spending herfirst three coming in off the bench,next year will likely beMacKenzie’s last shot at crackingthe starting line-up.

Christina Loschiavo, who suf-fered a debilitating back injury dur-ing her second year with the teamand missed the entire 2002-03 sea-son and most of last season, will beback to challenge for a starting rolewith the team. If she stays healthyLoschiavo, who Scott refers to as“the hardest worker” on the team,looks to have an inside track fornext year.

Christa Desrochers found her-self in a both a dream situation anda nightmarish one last year duringtraining camp. Entering her secondseason with the Wesmen,Desrochers was thrust into the start-ing setter’s role when TalithaLemoine chose to leave the team tostudy in France. The setter’s job is to maintain con-trol of the game, something that

overwhelmed Desrochers at timesduring the season and while sheperformed admirably a lot of thetime, she just as often struggledwith her game. With a valuable yearof experience under her beltDesrochers will face the challengeof holding onto her starting positionwhen another setter is brought innext season.

Third-year Manon Paquin whoearned a starting job on this year’steam is in tough to keep her spotnext season. Paquin whose perform-ance lacked intensity much of theseason will need a strong off-seasonand training camp if she has anyhope of starting next year.

Other players who looked goodduring limited action during the2003-04 season and should put upa good fight for a starting job areKaitlyn Jackson and LeeHrenchuk, both going into theirthird seasons.

Kira Gilchrist, Laura Meisnerand Corrie Gaudry all will be look-ing for an opportunity to break intothe rotation next season, coming offspending most of this year on thebench. Gaudry “red-shirted” thisseason, so she is still in her first

year eligibility. With a strong core group of

players already, Scott will be look-ing to fill the remaining slots withplayers who have a positive attitudeand are willing to work to provethey belong on the 2004-05Wesmen team.

2003-4 CIS WOMen’s Volleyball

All-CanadiansFirst Team All StarAndrea Charbonneau

2003-4 Canada WestWOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

All Stars1st Team

Andrea Charbonneau

2nd TeamAynsley Lakluk

Jocelyn Roy

T E A M T I D B I T S


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s p o r t s2 0 0 4 C I S C H A M P I O N S H I P S M A R C H 1 2 - 1 4

Ph

oto

s: L

eig

hto

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en

The Jump Ballat theChampionshipgame- Reginavs UBC

WesmenJanetWells

blocks aReginaCougar

WesmenHeatherThompsonabout toscore abasket inthebronzemedalgame

The small butflamboyantRegina crowd

Uzo Asagwarain mid flight

A media frenzy

The legendary Dancing Gabe

Sally Kaznicajumps for abasket

The exuberant Wesmen crowd

The Wesmen pose forpictures in the 2nd floor of

the Duckworth after theirbronze medal victory

JoanneWells isstoppedby TwoRegina

players inthe semi-

finalgame

The Player of theyear, Regina’sCymoneBouchard holdsback tears on thebench as herteam loses thegold medal toUBC

Documents

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