2014 by The Peak

FIRST PEEK

January 6, 2014 · Volume 146, Issue 1

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FIRST PEEK

Society is reflected in how it treats its poorest citizens, the most vulnerable who could often use a hand up when they’re knocked down by the trials of life. Abbotsford has been the subject of much disapproval and speculation due to the recent behaviour of its government, police force, and certain residents this past holiday season. Christmas is a time for giving, a time to be spent safe and warm, yet Abbotsford seems to be edging some of its citizens away from what little luxuries they have created for themselves. On December 20, the BC Supreme Court announced that the homeless camp set up in Jubilee Park had to vacate by Saturday the 28. Each night this park became a shelter for 30 to 40 homeless men and women, with their tents and wooden barricades protecting them from the harsh winter elements. The decision to take down the camp came after the lawyer for the city stated that there is ample space for these citizens inside shelters. City officials cited health and safety concerns to justify forcing the camp to be vacated. However, ample space doesn’t mean that these people will all accept shelters as their place

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of residence during the holiday season. Furthermore, the lawyer representing the homeless camp has publicly questioned whether or not there truly is enough space for all of these displaced Abbotsford citizens, especially during the busy Christmas season. This is not the first time that the city of Abbotsford has challenged its homeless population. This past summer, city workers attempted to rid the park of its residents by spraying chicken manure at the homeless camp, leading to a lawsuit filed in November by residents and activists. Two weeks after this event, residents of the area alleged that police slashed and bear-maced tents assembled in the camp. After forcing these people out, who is going to help them? The average person doesn’t want to get involved, either out of fear

or simple disregard. Perhaps gatherings like these hit too close to home for some. By witnessing these large groups together, people are forced to truly see the homeless that are around them on a daily basis. This challenges the barrier many put up, making it more difficult to keep the homeless population a distant background thought as opposed to the very real occurrence that is homelessness in the lower mainland. This attitude of “not in my backyard” isn’t going to solve anything. The members of the community, the local government, and the police force should be working together to find a solution or a space for the homeless, rather than constantly displacing them. An “out of sight, out of mind” mentality does not solve anything.

NEWS

After months of deliberation and consultation with students, Build SFU has chosen the Crossroads site as the location of the new Student Union Building. The SFSS Board of Directors recommended the Crossroads location to the Joint Steering

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Committee on Dec. 4 after considering the responses of 4,166 undergraduate students to the online survey, distributed in September. Marc Fontaine, Build SFU general manager, commented on the decision, saying, “We’re really excited about the site selection and agree with students that the Crossroads site makes the most sense for our campus. It is right in the middle of campus and as close as possible to the majority of classrooms and lecture theatres.”

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The initial project proposal for the SUB was presented to undergraduate students in Spring 2012. Last summer, the SFSS, along with architects from Perkins+Will, began investigating three potential sites for the

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student union building, which were narrowed down to two in November: Crossroads (located between the AQ and MBC) and Main Street (located above the Transportation Centre bus stop). From the survey, it was concluded that students preferred the Crossroads location primarily based on its proximity to classes, as it is located further east than both Treehouse (the first site eliminated, located at the old Shell station) and Main Street. Forty-six per cent of respondents indicated that they spend a majority of their time on the east side of campus in the AQ and the Applied Sciences Building. Only 25 per cent said they spend most of their time on the west side in WMC, while 29 per cent prefer to hang out in the library, MBC, and the rotunda. Comments on the centrality of Crossroads occurred often in the survey, with students labelling it as “the heart of SFU,” a convenient and frequented location, and “near the centre of everything.” Only 3.5 per cent of respondents commented that the SUB should provide a respite away from campus, affirming the belief that the majority desire an accessible, central location.

Leah Bjornson associate news editor news@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

Fontaine stressed that the Build SFU architects also valued student opinion when deciding how to allocate space in the new SUB. The survey showed the lack of study space, lounge space, and affordable food as the main issues that prevent students from spending more time on campus.

To remedy these issues, the space programming draft — a potential floor plan for the SUB — has designated one third of the space for lounge space; one third for student organizations, clubs, and DSUs; one quarter for meeting and multi-purpose rooms; and the remaining space for food and SFSS admin offices. Despite napping space being described as something that would entice students to spend more time on campus,

Melissa Roach

Fontaine is reluctant to allocate lounge space for that purpose. “We’re not quite sure how to make that happen. Going into the selling of sheets and things gets complicated,” shuddered Fontaine. “It’ll probably be really comfortable couches.” Regarding the space assigned for meeting and multipurpose rooms, “Mostly it will be group study areas, rather than individual study cubicles,” explained Fontaine. “The building is intended to be a lively, active place where people can interact and make connections.” There is less space allocated for food services in Crossroads than in the plans for Main Street, however Fontaine feels that connecting the MBC food court to the new SUB will prove satisfactory. “I think this site allows the existing food vendors to thrive and to improve their services,” said Fontaine. While this decision ends the site selection phase of the Build SFU project, the next step is to refine the space program for the site. Once this is finalised, the architects will move into the design phase of the building, which is expected to be completed December 2014.

NEWS

A National Energy Board Joint Review Panel, put in charge of deciding the fate of the proposed $7.9 billion (formerly estimated at $6.5 billion) Northern Gateway pipeline, has given the project the thumbs up. On Thursday, Dec. 19, the Panel posted their approval of the pipelines, which will carry bitumen (distilled crude oil) from Alberta’s oilsands to tankers on the coast of British Columbia, with 209 conditions attached. “After weighing all of the oral and written evidence, the Panel found that Canada and Canadians would be better off with the Enbridge Northern Gateway project than without it,” the Panel said in a statement. The decision came following months of public hearings, in which the Joint Review Panel heard submissions from more than 1,450 participants in 21 communities. Proponents of the project have argued that the proposed pipeline is critical for the province of Alberta to get its oil to emerging markets in Asia, a point with which the Panel agreed. As reported in the Huffington Post, the panel stated, “We have taken the view that opening Pacific Basin markets is important to the Canadian economy and society.” If constructed, the pipeline would carry 525,000 barrels of oil a day from Alberta to the West Coast. In a statement, Alberta Energy Minister Diana McQueen called the panel’s decision “an important step” towards establishing Canada “as a true global energy superpower.” The proposal has long been objected to by various environmental and First Nations groups concerned for the protection of British Columbian land, and the ever-present danger accompanying all pipeline: spills. Although the Panel found a large spill to be unlikely, they continued on to say, “We further found that a large spill would initially have significant adverse environmental effects on ecosystems and we accepted the scientific evidence that indicates that the environment

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would ultimately recover and return to a functioning ecosystem similar to that existing prior to the spill.”

One of the conditions of the proposal’s acceptance requires Enbridge to maintain $950 million in liability coverage, as well as “unfettered access” to $100 million within 10 business days of a large spill from any component of the project. The current

cost estimate of a major oil spill is between $5 to $22 billion. Despite these stipulations, major concerns have come up during the Panel’s review that Enbridge has massively underestimated the risk of oil spills associated with the project, and has not shown that they will effectively be able to respond to oil spills if they occur. A study led by Tom Gunton, SFU director of Resource and Environmental Planning, found that there is a “95 to 99 per cent chance of a tanker oil spill from the Northern Gateway Project, over the operating life of the project.” Gunton explained in a previous interview with The Peak that a tanker spill on the coast would have a much greater impact on the surrounding environment than a pipeline spill. One of the central critiques of the Northern Gateway proposal

was the actual product that would flow through the pipeline, which is oilsands crude. However, the review panel did not agree with arguments that stated that oilsands crude is more corrosive and abrasive than conventional crude.

The BC provincial government had previously set five conditions for the pipeline project, and BC Environment Minister Mary Polak stated that the Panel’s report “means they are part-way to getting the first condition,” explaining that the project needs to pass a federal environmental assessment.

Al Monaco, CEO of Enbridge, was pleased with the decision, but recognized the work still to be done if the pipeline is to become a reality, according to the Huffington Post. “The decision today comes down to confirming that we have a sound project from a commercial, technical and safety and environmental point of view. That’s all good, and it’s all subject to the conditions and we are proud of that . . . but we are not celebrating,” Monaco stated. He continued, “We know more work needs to be done with some Aboriginal communities. Over the last year, I can assure you we’ve been listening very carefully to both British Columbians and aboriginal groups to address concerns.” The final decision now lies with the federal government, which has 180 days, approximately six months, to decide whether to give the project final approval.

6 NEWS

Two first-year SFU students are putting our university’s motto of “engaging the world” to practice, as each have been awarded a $60,000 scholarship for their community service while in high school. Now environmental science major Deven Azevedo and biomedical physiology major Andy Zeng were awarded the Schulich Leader Scholarship at the end of November. The scholarship targets recently graduated high school students who are heavily involved in their community and who intend to enroll in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) faculty. Winners are selected based on social involvement or business acumen, as well as academic excellence or financial needs. Selected from a pool of 1,000 nominees, Azevedo and Zeng are two of the total 40 Canadian winners. SFU is one of 20 participating

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Canadian universities in the Schulich Leader Scholarship, in addition to five in Israel. For both Azevedo and Zeng, their commitments to their communities were fueled by environmental and humanitarian interests. During high school, Azevedo raised $45,000 in monetary and in-kind donations to construct a

40-bed community garden in Fort Langley, which will soon have the possibility of providing produce for a cafe in Fort Langley run by Kwantlen First Nation people. Azevedo also initiated a composting system at Langley Fine Arts School, where he attended high school. Now at SFU, he is the vicepresident of SFU 350, a club that

raises awareness about SFU’s role in mitigating climate change. The group has most recently called for the Board of Governors to stop investing SFU’s endowment fund in fossil fuels and to eventually divest from fossil fuel companies. Azevedo’s personal interest lies in resource management and issues, particularly “where

the economics of large natural resource extraction companies appears to be in conflict with society progressing into a sustainable one.” He hopes to go into environmental law after graduating. Biomedical physiology major Andy Zeng raised $5,000 for his high school’s Red Cross Club to build a well in Kenya, and has continued his work with the Red Cross at SFU by founding an SFU Red Cross Club. Zeng is also part of Phi Delta Epsilon, a fraternity for medical students, with whom he regularly organizes trips to the blood donation clinic. As a high school student, Zeng was a research assistant to SFU associate professor Julian Christian, whose research is focussed on the genetic and physiological mechanisms that create diversity within species. Christian was quick to sing his former assistant’s praises to The Peak. “I’m delighted to hear that Andy is receiving this award, but I’m not surprised. As a high school student volunteering in my lab, he was incredibly quick to pick up concepts and displayed maturity beyond his years,” said Christian. “He’ll do well in research if that is what he pursues, and I’d love to have him back in my lab as a graduate student.”

NEWS

On Dec. 20, the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC), made the unanimous decision to strike down Canada’s anti-prostitution laws. The ruling was made on the case Canada v. Bedford, brought forward by Ontario sex workers Terri-Jean Bedford, Amy Lebovitch and Valerie Scott in 2010, which challenged the constitutionality of anti-prostitution laws in Canada. These laws were found to infringe on the rights of sex workers to the security of the person as outlined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. According to associate professor for SFU’s Department of Political Science, Genevieve Fuji Johnson, “This was a very important ruling for the advancement of human rights.” She continued, “All of us have rights that should not be violated by the Criminal Code or any other piece of legislation.” Prostitution is not technically illegal but laws surrounding the act were in place in order to prevent it including prohibiting common bawdy-houses, living on the avails of prostitution and communicating in public for the purposes of prostitution. Fuji Johnson explained, “This dualism puts sex workers into very precarious positions in which they are not able to work in safe locations, work with others, hire security guards or drivers, or negotiate with prospective clients.” She also pointed out that if sex workers are victims of violence, these laws make it very difficult for them to seek police help. The SCC’s media release states that anti-prostitution legislation “prevents the implementation of safety measures that could protect prostitutes from violence.” John Lowman, SFU professor of criminology and expert witness in the case said that these laws “make little sense as a package.” Lowman adds that this advancement may press the

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government to criminalize the buying and/or selling of sex once and for all. The federal government was given a total of 12 months by the SCC to redraft the laws.

Various women’s groups with aligned views came together as intervenors in the case under the name “The Women’s Coalition for the Abolition of Prostitution.” Their particular view is that Canada should follow the example of other countries,

such as France and Sweden, and adopt a similar legislative model — a model in which the purchase of sex is criminalized, but not the sale of it. This ‘Nordic model’ was put forth to the SCC but was not adopted. One criticism offered by Lowman is that this model assumes that all prostitutes are forced into the trade. He said, “In order to accept the Nordic model, you have to treat women involved in sex work as the equivalent of children . . . I believe that women have agency.” Fuji Johnson also believes that this model “falls short.” Instead of creating protection, she argues that this would only exacerbate the problem; “Even when criminalized, buying and selling sex happens. Criminalization tends to push prostitution

further underground, where sex workers are more vulnerable to violence and exploitation . . . [it] only disempowers and hurts sex workers.” She also feels that this system overreaches by criminalizing sexual activities among consenting adults. Instead, Fuji Johnson suggests we look more at providing the funding for housing, health, and social programs necessary to enable those who personally articulate an interest in leaving the trade. Fuji Johnson concluded, “I think it’s very important for members of the SFU community to think clearly and seriously about these issues . . . It’s always important to have an informed opinion concerning the laws and policies that govern us, especially when lives are at stake.”

8 NEWS

On Nov. 28, the Board of Governors unanimously approved Andrew Petter’s reappointment as SFU’s President for a second five-year term, to begin on Sept. 1, 2015. The Committee to Review the President Prior to Reappointment surveyed student, faculty, staff, administration and decanal representatives over the past few months when considering Petter’s interest in retaining the position. In the end, the Committee found that the responses indicated “a very broad measure of support for the President’s reappointment . . . [demonstrating that] Professor Petter had achieved a high degree of success in fulfilling the mandate that he had been given when he was initially appointed. ” In an announcement, Brian E. Taylor, board chair, expressed his personal support for Petter.

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“President Petter has been an excellent President to date and has the clear potential to become a great President,” wrote Taylor. He continued, “The feedback, both positive and negative that was received by the committee and provided to President Petter, will greatly assist him in the coming years.” “It’s important not to stay at an institution unless you sense that changing them from oneway traffic to two-way traffic, and constructing a multi-use pathway for cyclists and pedestrians. there is support for you to do so,” Petter told The Peak last Friday. “We’ve kind of set the stage for doing things, and there’s more to be done. And my feeling was that [there was] probably more to be done than could be accomplished in one and a half years.” “Not to sound too self-serving, but I was surprised at how positive the response was, because in these kinds of processes the people who respond are people who are least happy, and there was some of that,” said Petter. He continued, “There were a few comments that made you say, ‘oh wow, I didn’t know

people saw it that way,’ either for better or for worse. But yeah, I’d say maybe the absence of surprises was the most surprising.” Since Petter finalised his vision statement of the “engaged” university in 2012, he feels that the university has made great strides concerning improved food services (student satisfaction has risen from 44 per cent to 74 per cent without raising prices) and indigenous student initiatives. Major projects like Build SFU and increasing access to courses are still to be supported, but the same challenges that have always faced SFU, such as being a commuter campus, remain. For Petter, the solution to this problem lies not in change, but in reevaluating our assets. “It’s a matter of not trying to be who we aren’t, a liberal arts college nestled in an ivy league building and celebrating its 200th anniversary, but the university that we are, and try to make that the strength,” said Petter. Petter explained his vision for the SFU’s future as being a school that can take the dimensions of a classic university education and

make them work for the benefit of society in a way that actually adds value to education. “I would really like to think that we could become the exemplar of how universities can contribute much more in the future than the so-called ivory tower has aspired to do in the past,” said Petter.

“I think there is a culture that runs through this university, within the faculty, the student body, the staff here, that people really want this university to do more and to be seen to contribute more than a traditional university would, and that’s what keeps me going every day.”

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OPINIONS

January 6, 2014

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In June 2013, former American National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden exposed a series of government-led, top-secret surveillance programs that collected data and supposedly breached the privacy of unaware American citizens. This led to a public outcry, and increased scrutiny of the government of the United States and its allies. In response, the Canadian public soon learned that the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC), and the more commonly known Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), might similarly be able to monitor phone conversations and collect data as an act of public surveillance on Canadians. These warranted but discreet programs are protected by Canadian government policies and are considered lawful. Canadians are concerned that their civil liberties are being compromised and their privacy invaded through government surveillance. Surveillance and policing are, overall, not well-received in our democratic society, and for good reason: one needs to only look to George Orwell’s 1984 for drastic repercussions of constant surveillance. If exploited and used with the wrong intention, surveillance can have adverse effects, especially

Joel MacKenzie opinions@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

towards society and its citizens. But, given the right situation, government surveillance and the collection of data can be positive to society in the scope of public and national threats. Consider the work that antiterrorist organizations like CSIS and CSEC do for Canada. Some argue that they are irrelevant, considering that the last prominent successful terrorist relatedevent in Canada was the Air India Flight 182 in 1985. But consider this: there have been no incidents since because of the work that these government agencies do. Their successes are simply less publicized; they remain discreet in order to keep similar operations and investigations running. If they were overt about these operations, then terrorists would know how to evade authorities.

To say that terrorism does not exist in Canada is just ignorant. In 2006, in what is now called the Toronto 18 case, 18 individuals conspired to conduct a series of terrorist attacks in Toronto and Ottawa. Canadian homegrown terrorism became real when the plotters allegedly planned to pack 14-foot U-Haul trucks with fertilizer bombs and detonate them outside the Toronto Stock

Exchange, and storm government buildings, including Parliament Hill and CSIS headquarters. After intense undercover investigations and surveillance by CSIS, the RCMP were brought in to make the arrests. As a result, aside from seven released earlyon, eleven people involved admitted guilt or were found guilty in court, and the rest signed peace bonds as a corrective measure. Without government surveillance, these terrorist attacks could have easily had devastating effects and repercussions. More recently, in April 2013, two individuals were arrested after allegedly plotting to attack a VIA rail train in the Greater Toronto Area. According to a counter-terrorism investigation held by the RCMP, this plot is the “first known al-Qaeda planned attack . . . in Canada.” Police have yet to release specific details of the investigation, however the men in question are facing terrorism charges. How would our government have known that these plots existed had it not been for public surveillance? How would they know before it was too late? Yes, Edward Snowden’s actions have sparked some much needed debate in Canada, which has led a call for the re-evaluation and analysis of said “comprehensive measures” warranted by Canadian law. I have no problems with this; we are a democratic nation, and it is our role to keep our government accountable. But, as a society, let us not negate the fact that these operations are meant to keep our nation safe.

10 OPINIONS

January 6, 2014

If you felt beyond stressed in the recent past, right now is the time to deal with the problem head-on. My situation taught me that I’m a little in love with the anxiety of stress, because it makes me feel constantly in the process of something. This state has its positives, surely. It must drive some of the most proactive, ambitious individuals out there. But when it consumes your life, like it did mine, then it’s more a problem than an advantage. As it’s the most relaxed part of the semester right now, I suggest you ask yourself what was

Thousands of Brazilian teachers and students continue to act as the vanguard against austerity measures by President Dilma Rousseff’s government. In reaction to the hollowing out of public services and rampant corruption, protesters have rallied, marched, confronted the police, shut down highways, and camped in city squares to put pressure on the government. A common factor at some of these events, as Vancouver Sun’s Bradley Brooks pointed out, has been the presence of an apparent group called “black bloc.” People participating in a black bloc wear all black, including masks, and

are often shown clashing with the police. Black bloc is not an organized faction. Rather, its members are people using a particular tactic of protest — they are regular people, who probably spend most of their time in the calmer settings of activism and work. Black bloc, then, is not an underground organization, but a tool used to ensure anonymity when protesters know there will be conflict with the police.

Often, in light of media images of black bloc activists smashing windows and burning banks, the concept of anarchy is aroused. Unfortunately, anarchism as mere destruction reduces a proper analysis

of what it, as a type of political thought, represents. More than being about destruction, anarchism is about establishing ideas and solutions that meet the needs of everyone involved, all with the equality that comes from a lack of central leadership. Anarchism’s anonymity was central to the Occupy movement, which the media found so difficult to cover precisely because its protesters did not have a unified voice conveyed through leaders. This type of organizing is called “direct democracy,” the cornerstone of anarchist politics. Direct democracy does not entail a complete lack of authority, but authority upon which everyone can agree. Justifying anarchy’s ideals should not be that foreign, at least to western Canadian residents. Central to anarchist’s ideals is a strong distrust of party politics; this is something we need only to look to the provincial leaders of BC and Alberta to justify.

BC’s Christy Clark and Alberta’s Alison Redford just agreed about building the Northern Gateway oil pipeline across the provinces, without the approval of the public — polls show that a majority of BC residents do not approve the project. Rather than hope to elect a candidate that will better serve the public next time, anarchists simply acknowledge that, for decades now, politicians have failed to serve the interests of the public. Rather than wait for politicians to better people’s lives, let alone stop catastrophes like climate change, anarchists prefer to try to do it themselves. They organize to make collective decisions about actions to take — actions which sometimes lead to conflict with the police and governments. Whether anarchists can organize to offer tangible alternatives to the current state of affairs remains to be seen. However, it is worth remembering

happening the last time you were stressed, how you could have changed it, and how the situation might have changed if you did. In school, for instance, could an essay have come from somewhere more honest if you were relaxed while researching it? Could you have found more time for friends and fun, enabling you to enjoy the school that you’re paying a whole lot to be in? Your calendar can’t be entirely filled with work. If it is, you’re kidding yourself. Pencil in some down time, if not for the efficiency it creates, then for your own sanity.

that these efforts are driven by a sense of despair. Many people who have tried to do everything right, worked hard, gone to college, etc., are finding themselves evermore burdened with debt and poor job prospects. The current system is incredibly good at wasting human resources. In Canada, for example, most students expect to graduate with over $26,000 in debt, while the youth unemployment rate is almost double the national average. Rather than condemning anarchists, we should take a moment to step back from the media images which portray them as inherently violent, and realize that behind the scenes is a complex network of people working in whatever way they can — as activists, volunteers, or teachers — to change the world for the better. These are people, like you and I, who struggle to be successful in a world where the odds are against them.

OPINIONS

So you’re standing in a room surrounded by several of your friends, drink in hand, and grinning from ear to ear. Perhaps you’ve taken in some fireworks, or even had a special New Year’s kiss. There is something about the atmosphere on New Year’s Eve that inspires hope, and many decide to make resolutions to make themselves better people. The “New Year, New Me” Facebook statuses start rolling in, along with emphatic goals that are broadcasted to the world: “I’m going to lose ten pounds!” or “I’m really going to start being on time for things,” or “This year, I will eat healthier and exercise more!” While admirable in theory, this tradition really results in shallow resolutions for which

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people quickly lose motivation. Most goals I see people set in order to “better” themselves are superficial, usually focused on improving physical appearance. Accordingly, the number of people who actually keep their resolution beyond the first couple weeks into January is pretty close to zilch. A year is a long time to work on a goal and one that is associated with shallow crap isn’t going to cut it. This is precisely what makes New Year’s resolutions so meh…they are made in naive hope and are then quickly forgotten. Why does this resolve to change only come around during New Year’s anyway? Shouldn’t we strive to be our best every day of the year? To live while we’re dying, and, as Oprah says, to live our best life? Why do we settle for creating clichéd goals that are based on wispy fantasies of what we want to achieve but are too lazy to pursue? Resolutions in themselves are completely unnecessary.

For the people who make them and say, “new year, new me,” I say, well of course! So much can change in a year — you’ll be meeting new people, visiting new places, having new experiences. Most of this newness is

unplanned and spontaneous — much like life in general. Improving oneself is a combination of conscious decision and a subconscious response to the events that have taken place in one’s life. Learning from whatever

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life throws at you is the best way to become a better person. The only resolution that should be made is to resolve to have the best year possible by riding through life’s ups and downs. That’s truly the best way to ring in the year.

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12 OPINIONS

Over the Christmas break, I received a surprising piece of mail. It was a letter from the federal NDP, wondering which of the party leaders I believed was best suited to lead our nation. I thought this was odd, considering that the next federal election is scheduled for 2015, well over a year away. Delving deeper, I discovered that Tom Mulcair, Leader of the Opposition, suggests that the prime minister will call for new elections as early as the January throne speech, and is thus preparing his party for an election in the spring of 2014. This is a vain effort to make his name known, though, because the Conservatives will most likely not call for an election. Unlike his predecessor Jack Layton, Mulcair is relatively unknown to many Canadians. In political conversations I had over the holidays, for instance, he was most often referred to as “the other guy.” While Harper continues to make headlines simply by being in office, and while Justin Trudeau turns heads with admiration for China’s dictatorship and alleged comments to teens about why marijuana should be legalized, Tom Mulcair seems absent from the political news of the country.

Unfortunately for him, this probably won’t change anytime soon. An election will most likely not be called by the Conservatives, simply because an early election poses too many disadvantages for them. For starters, the Conservatives are not in a position to lose control of the government without an election, and unlike previous years, the Opposition parties do not have the votes in Parliament to force the issue. When Harper had a minority government, calling a new election was a strategic move designed to increase Conservative power within the House of Commons, eventually leading to the majority government he now enjoys.

Having now won that hardfought victory, why gamble it all away before you have to? With public confidence in the Harper government still smarting in the wake of the senate scandal, a spring election would surely cost the party their majority, something they will certainly try to hang on to as long as possible. Furthermore, an election in the spring would upset many of the long-term policies of the Harper government, the most

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important of which being the balancing of the federal budget. Currently, according to both the conservatives and Jim Flaherty, the Minister of Finance, Canada has the strongest economy of the G7 nations, and is on track to balance the budget and continue to lower its national debt, barring another economic crisis. Elections are expensive undertakings, with the preliminary estimated cost of the last federal election coming in at $291 million dollars, according to the Report of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada on the 41st General Election of May 2, 2011. Having been elected on a platform of fiscal responsibility, it is hard to imagine the Conservative government using that kind of money to call an election that will not likely win them another majority. Finally, waiting another year gives the Conservatives more ammunition when it comes to pointing out the flaws in their opponents. Every day that Justin Trudeau leads the Liberal party is another day in which he shows how little he is capable of doing so, and both NDP and Conservative supporters are likely looking forward to seeing how Trudeau sticks his foot in his mouth in 2014. Likewise, I am sure they will start looking at Mulcair to see if they ever should deem him a threat in the political arena. So for all those Canadians out there, including Mulclair, hoping to get rid of Harper early, 2014 is not your year.

OPINIONS

January 6, 2014

So you’ve got the latest phone and have just downloaded all the latest apps. Aside from the basics — Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter — you’ve decided to socialize with trendier programs like Snapchat and WhatsApp. Everyone knows that what you post on the internet technically always exists out in cyberspace, but what about when you use apps that supposedly have “no trace?” Snapchat, an app that has been steadily rising in popularity as a form of instant messaging, allows users to send pictures to their friends that get deleted automatically after a pre-determined delay. The premise of a self-destructing photo allows users to communicate with a sense of security; they won’t negatively affect their reputations, friendships, careers, etc. It also has become an increasingly

popular platform for sexting, as the app will not store any data you send. It is pretty clear why Snapchat has become such a popular messenger; however, I’m afraid I have to say sorry to Snapchat, as their idea isn’t so iron clad. Friends that receive your pictures can still screenshot whatever you send, and although the original application had built in warnings when a screenshot was taken, new iOS updates of the app do not show such warnings anymore.

In addition, many websites and programmers now have access to all those dirty pictures you might send. Snapchatleaked.com, for example, cultivated and published a collection of screenshots users took while using the app. Richard Hickman, a 24-year old forensics examiner, can retrieve Snapchat photos despite the

disappearing photo magic Snapchat claims, in a procedure that takes about six hours. His private firm based in Orem, Utah will recover photos for $300 – $500 for anyone from lawyers to parents to the police. Most of us probably have nothing to worry about, other than some hideous selfies we have taken to express mundane life events to our friends, but I am sure that you’d think twice about a nude pic or incriminating photo if you realized how accessible those images really are. Of course, Snapchat’s privacy policy explicitly states that there is no guarantee your data will always be deleted, so they aren’t too concerned if one of your picture messages happens to be let loose. As far as they know everyone reads those terms and agreements before using an application, right? Society has groomed us into taking multiple selfies a day, and constantly craving the attention for more “likes,” no matter what the social media platform. We focus so heavily on celebrities and try to recreate the claim to fame on a micro scale. We constantly update our statuses, tweets, and photos in a frantic state of social connectivity, without fully realizing the fundamental reasons driving us to do so. Snapchat is merely a reflection of a larger societal problem — the need to be recognized and gratified instantly. Who cares about privacy, when the very people we worship publicly display their private lives? Who cares about the effects of our sneaky Snapchats being found — when “all publicity is good publicity?” Snapchat reveals that we are more concerned about our perception of social connectivity online than the actual consequences of our online actions. How can I tell this? Despite reading this article, regular Snapchatters will probably sign away their privacy by posting or sending a picture within hours. But don’t worry, it’s not our problem: it’s society’s, right?

READ THE PEAK’S NEW DRAFT CONSTITUTION! Change is coming to your student newspaper: we want to replace our Constitution, and we want your input on the new document. We’ve placed the full text of the current and draft constitutions on our web site with a simple explanation of the changes, and we want your thoughts. Leave your mark on this organization for the coming decades at: Be like James Madison!

the-peak.ca/constitution

16 FEATURE

January 6, 2014

FEATURE

January 6, 2014

6:00 6:30 7:00

7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00

New Dimensions

Modern Rock Shoegazin’

Radio Ecoshock

11:30 12:00 12:30

The Downliners Crypt

3:00

4:30 5:00 5:30 6:00

8:30 9:00 9:30

10:00 10:30

6:00

Symphonic Overdrive

Nasha Volna

Zucchini Brothers

7:00

Tell Us A Tale

7:30

Russian News, Music, Events

Bioneers

8:00

Shortwave Report

8:30 9:00

Americano

Toast and Jams

Jumbalaya

Spoken Wheel

Latin Salad

Country Music

Terra Informa

Spoken Word Surprise

The City

The Hit Parade

Wild Salmon Warrior Radio

This Way Out

Science for the People

5:30

6:30

9:30

10:00 10:30 11:00

Nation to Nation

Democracy Now!

Jumbalaya

Euanator Radio

Wandering Rhythms

Jumbalaya

SFU Ideas and Issues

Hot Fried Chicken Show

Jumbalaya

That Chinese Show

12:00

World Rhythms

New Music (Open Format)

Smitten By The Written

Jumbalaya

Symphonic Overdrive

Chinese News, Music, and Culture

1:00p

African Connection

2:00

Music, Culture, and Issues

3:00

11:30 12:30

1:30

Il Sole Italiano

Folk the Man

Around the World in 60 mins

Radio Goethe

Sustainable Futures

Italian Language Programming

Artsindy Crossroads

Golbang

Jumbalaya

Agents of Karma

Franco Délice

Beautitudes of a Thoughtless Mind

Future Talk

Groundwire/ SpokenWord

Dish It Out

World Community Forum

Voice of the North

Pirates of the Caribbean

4:00

The Interview Show

Endeavours

The Downliners Crypt

The Arts Show

Jumbalaya

Soca, Dancehall, Merengue, Salsa & Reggae

5:00

Arts Show: LP/ Pop-O-Pie Planet

Snuff

Art’s Edge

6:00

Music and Spoken Word

Yuca Stereo

Strep Throat Radio

Surf and Garage Rock

Intra Venus

WINGS

The Jazz Spectrum

The Swan Song

Sound Therapy Radio

Sons Lusitanos

The Vancouver Mixtape

The Metal Meltdown

Melodies In Mind

Portuguese Music, Culture, and News

W.I. Culture Shock

Power and Metal Fusion

Conscious Folk Music

West Indies Culture, Music, and News

The Undie Scene Underground + Indie Music Cranked Up

PCP

Where Monsters Dwell

Prerecorded CJSF Programming

Comic Books

This Is What You Want Modern Rock Shoegazin’

PCP

1:30 PCP

2:305:00a

Beyond That

Tana Radio

Underground Hip-Hop

BC Punk Rock

Hip-Hop and its Relatives

The Metal Meltdown

Maximum RocknRoll Radio PCP

5:30

7:00

7:30 Straight No Chaser

Breakin’ Silence

The Interview Show

Gamers Forum

Jambalaya

Rad Radio

4:30

6:30

Althernating Weekly

Hip-Hop

2:30

3:30

Bonnie Be Good

Latin Alternative Music

12:30

2:00

Global Research News Hour

Toast and Jams

11:30

1:00a

World Rhythms

Outlaw Jamboree

11:00 12:00

On the Tracks

Countdown

Jumbalaya

7:30 8:00

5:00a

And girls are from Venus...

6:30 7:00

Classical Guitar Alive

Sound Therapy Radio

3:30 4:00

Wandering Rhythms

Vinyl From Mars

1:30

2:30

Earshot Top 20

Classical Guitar Alive

The Jazz Spectrum

1:00p

2:00

Saturday

Radio Goethe

Surf and Garage Rock

10:30 11:00

Maximum RocknRoll Radio

Friday

Classical Music

9:30

10:00

This Is What You Want

Wednesday Thursday

Music

5:30

SubGenius Hour of Slack

Tuesday

Spoken Word

5:00a

Monday

The E.D.M Show Electronic Dance Music

Spirit ANML

8:00 8:30 9:00

Shout!Clap!Slam!

9:30

Mirch Masala

10:00 10:30

South Asia

11:00 11:30

Krispy Bisket

12:00 12:30

Power and Metal Fusion

Full Spectrum House

PCP

Hip-Hop

1:00a 1:30

PCP

2:00 2:305:00a

Music and Spoken Word

Sunday

YO U R ART S + POLI T I CS + M U SIC STATION DIV ERSE - I N D EP E N D E N T - YO UR S

VIS IT WWW. C JS F. C A

19+

EDM AT THE HIGHLAND PUB

ROIIC DJ MARCSHAKE STILL I RIZE MONOLOQ JAN 15 TIX $5-10 DOORS AT 8 ticket s available at the SFS S g e ne ral offi ce lh

ARTS

January 6, 2014

arts editor email / phone

Daryn Wright arts@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

20 ARTS

January 6, 2014

In terms of plain and simple fun this year, no record beats Days Are Gone. From its opening synths, which are as warm and cheesy as baked macaroni, the three Haim sisters — along with drummer Dash Hutton — indulge in 11 tracks of comfort food pop, from the angular guitars of “Forever” to the disco chorus of “Don’t Save Me.” Each track conforms to a tried and true verse chorus verse format but, Haim’s knack for instant classic songwriting keeps the record from seeming stale. There’s a devil may care spirit to each track, and, even better, a sense that all three sisters are having a blast making it.

I am every person mentioned throughout Cerulean Salt, and if you’re a university student reading this, you probably are, too. Katie Crutchfield, formerly a member of the band with the Greatest Name Ever (P.S. Eliot) has condensed her considerable pop punk chops down to the bare essentials: catchy melodies, straight-faced deliveries, and lines that land like gut punches. On her second solo album as Waxahatchee, Crutchfield’s quarter life crisis is told in miniature tableaus — dreams of lazy mornings, sleepless nights and undiagnosed depression. Each track is a snapshot of millennial malaise told with just enough

Anxiety is a record for your high school boyfriend who called you at three in the morning to make sure everything was okay. It’s a record for the girl who slipped love notes inside your locker with locks of her hair. It’s a record for everyone who has stalked Facebook pages or blog histories. Arthur Ashin’s hair-raising falsetto PBR&B as Autre Ne Veut expresses all the hopeless devotion

Where many of 2013’s best records were intimate, serious and challenging, Days Are Gone was the FM radio pop antidote none of us knew we needed. I’ve probably listened to “The Wire” more than any song this year — I know each word by heart. Some might accuse Haim of relying too much on the soft rock touchstones of the mid 70s, but writing music this enjoyable and generous is harder than it looks. Whether you’re making a heartsick mixtape or looking for something to crank on a Summer road trip, Days Are Gone will, from now on, be the obvious choice.

empathy to know she must be one of us. But Cerulean Salt doesn’t use its singer’s youth as a crutch — the songs range from indie heartthrob folk to riot grrrl style punk rock, and each one is as musically adept as it is quietly moving. “Swan Dive,” one of the record’s best songs, is a particularly cynical take on happily ever afters: “I’ll keep having dreams about / Loveless marriage and regret.” But despite her heartbreaking and sometimes bleak lyrics, Crutchfield’s songs often shine with potential and — gasp! — optimism, in spite of themselves. Maybe there is hope for us, after all.

and unhealthy obsession of love and longing without sparing us the grisly details — the protagonists of his songs are hung up and hairbrained, and each song finds Ashin exploring another angle of uncertainty and existential angst. At first listen, the songs on Anxiety — whose dramatic flair and intoxicating melodies would make Beyoncé blush — don’t seem to be hiding any dour subtext. But Ashin’s crisp songwriting and dance floor beats are occasionally and brilliantly upset by dischord: a saxophone skronk here, some squealing feedback there. These moments add an almost subconscious tension to Anxiety that help keep its grandest and most maudlin moments in check. Ashin’s populist pop casts a spell which is as disquieting as it is exhilarating — never before has anxiety sounded so good.

“See how I’m faking my side of it / I’m a liar, I say I make music.” These are the first lines Devon Welsh sings on Impersonator, his second album as one half of Majical Cloudz. Backed by producer and multiinstrumentalist Matthew Otto, Welsh’s lyrics only get more direct from there — his rich, thick baritone masks his unflinching confidence, the mark of an artist unafraid to bare all. The songs are catchy and (mostly) radio friendly, but the duo is unconcerned with anyone other than those who are directly affected by their stories of love and loss, hope and failure. The simple beauty of Otto’s electronic ambiance and

Chancelor Bennett was still a teenager when he recorded Acid Rap, his second self-released mixtape and his first since graduating from high school. Despite his youthful cadence and gleeful enthusiasm, Acid Rap is a record beyond its artist’s now twenty years, an impressive balance of snarky wordplay, socially conscious manifestoes, and idiosyncratic charm. Featuring an enviable troupe of guest stars — from Ab-Soul to Childish Gambino — Acid Rap’s thirteen tracks see the rapper commenting on the gang violence in his Chicago hometown, haunted by the ghost of his deceased friend, and longing for the days of diagonal grilled cheeses and Rugrats VHS tapes. What’s most impressive about

“It’s not as good as Loveless!” I know. But how many records are? Kevin Shield and company’s much anticipated follow up to their 1991 shoegaze masterpiece may not hold a candle to its predecessor — but don’t let that obscure m b v’s quality, which is tremendous in its own right. mbv shares Loveless’ fuzzed out dynamic and whispered vocals, but it also injects a few modern kinks into the band’s DNA. Tracks like the drum-heavy “Nothing Is” and the bizarre closer “Wonder 2” keep m b v fresh and unpredictable, even though its analogue production and nineties flavour seem downright anachronistic. What inspired Kevin Shields to finally release the record, which he has been tinkering with for over two decades, is still unclear — his perfectionism has become indie rock legend, which led many to believe m b v would

Welsh’s conversational tone give Impersonator an emotional directness that help make its heaviest moments palatable. Though it may lack the immediate gratification that’s come to define the biggest successes of the social media age, the record’s patience and opaqueness are hardly flaws — Welsh is happy to repeat a line ad absurdum to make sure it really sinks in, and Otto creates tonal atmospheres which shifts only subtly throughout four minute runtimes. Impersonator is inviting, but it doesn’t beg for your attention. Majical Cloudz didn’t make this record for you, but you’re more than welcome to sing along.

the record, and Chance himself, is the amount of effort he puts into each verse — the rapper is constantly pushing himself, testing his limits in an effort to prove his worth. The result is one of the most confident and awe-inspiring performances on a hip-hop record in years, and one that has catapulted Chance from relative obscurity to Kendrick Lamar levels of reverence. Like that emcee, whose inventive approach to the genre may be the most prominent influence on Acid Rap, Chance’s music feels like a reinvention of the form, a mix of styles old and new that never once feels like a retread of old ground.

never be released at all. But the record’s charm is that it seems to exist both in the present and the past. It’s distinctly a 2013 record, but in an alternate universe it could well have been released in 1993 and few would have batted an eye. My Bloody Valentine’s shoegaze supremacy has not dimmed in twenty-two years — let’s face it, longer than most of you reading this have been alive. That’s something.

ARTS

Neko Case has become alt-country’s Poster Girl because she’s as good a storyteller as her honky tonk progenitors. Each of her songs has a strong sense of personality, whether she’s writing from the perspective of a murderer or a tornado. But The Worse Things Get… is the best album of Case’s career because she’s writing from her most interesting point of view yet — her own. Even when spinning yarns in third person, Case’s playful humour and dynamic personality have always shone through, and on The Worse Things Get…, Case’s singular charm is finally given a well-deserved moment in the spotlight.

Kanye West didn’t record Yeezus aiming for critical adoration or popular fanfare, although he probably knew he would get both anyway. From its opening moments — a disarming barrage of static buzz — West’s astronomically anticipated sequel to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy announced itself as anything but. Kanye is all id here, challenging listeners to like him as his most depraved, destructive and ruthless misogynistic self. “Soon as they like you / Make ‘em unlike you,” he quips in “I Am a God,” and it may as well be the album’s mission statement — even the song’s title is a thinly veiled provocation. Yeezus also abandons Kanye’s signature maximalism

January 6, 2014

The songwriting on The Worse Things Get… is also Case’s strongest — the tightest and most vital chemical formula of her charismatic alt-country we’ve yet to see. The choruses are catchy, the genre experiments all click, and Case’s commanding vocal presence is as intoxicating as ever. The record has the added bonus of being endlessly quotable, as Case is also in top form lyrically — most of the album’s earworms would be incomplete without her unique brand of bite-sized wit. Case’s latest record is the culmination of 16 years of twangy talent and unabashed awesomeness, and it’s about time we took notice.

in favour of cacophony, anachronism and contrast. It’s a record of dualities, pairing aluminium beats and shallow production with harmonic interludes and fearless confessions. Kanye’s po-mo pastiche is reflective of his own manic depressive public image: the megalomaniacal monster and the sensitive sonneteer meet at Yeezus’ heart, but they’re unable to find common ground. This tension propels the LP through ten tracks of hubris and hangover, and in the end there’s no clear resolution — but Yeezus’ brilliance is ultimately in its denial of easy answers and happy endings. Kanye West is living in the now. He is the nucleus.

After one of the most elaborate PR campaigns for a record in recent memory, is it any surprise that backlash was waiting on the other side of Arcade Fire’s release of Reflektor? Shouts of disappointment were never far from the record’s release — as quintessential indie rock exemplars, the band’s fairweather followers were quick to find flaws in the record’s sprawling runtime, genre experiments, and pretentious lyrics. Sure, Reflektor doesn’t share Funeral’s poignancy or The Suburbs’ radio-friendly swing, but it’s the most inventive and fascinating release the band have put out since their magnum opus nearly 10 years ago. Indebted to the rhythms of Haiti, Berlin Trilogy Bowie and the dance punk expertise of co-producer James Murphy, Reflektor’s thirteen tracks are alternatively life affirming, world weary and bitterly critical. Kierkegaardian analyses and Greek mythology are the closest Reflektor gets to a singular

If you could go back in time to last January and tell me that Vampire Weekend would find its way to the top of my Best Albums list, I would have laughed. Up until the release of the band’s sublime third record Modern Vampires of the City, their Afrobeat ebullience and rich kid narratives did nothing for me. Now, I think of them as one of the best bands working today — musicians who did some much needed growing up with elegance, intuition and flat out brilliance. Modern Vampires is a distinctly thirty-something record, exploring faith, youth and culture with hyperliterate charm and unpretentious frankness. Ezra Koenig’s tenor has mellowed and his lyrics have deepened, asking questions about God and growing up with a poetic twist that befits the band’s straight laced pop rock aesthetic. The band has also abandoned their world beat crutch, incorporating pitch shifted vocals, unconventional instrumentation and more spontaneity. Where the band’s earlier records felt stuffy and micromanaged, Modern Vampires is given room to breathe and reflect — notably on the record’s striking centerpiece, “Hannah Hunt.” Each song has a distinct tone, but all contribute to the overall thesis of the record, which is one of modesty, maturity and subtle cynicism. Who knew they had it in them?

concept, but Arcade Fire’s music was never about grasping a single message — the brilliance is in the band’s remarkable chemistry, distinctly uncool embrace of sentiment, and oldfashioned songwriting talent.

Reflektor has its share of oddball songs and left field quirks, but the band retains a sense of unity and identity throughout, making the record another in a long line of home runs for the Montreal sextet.

22 ARTS

If you’ve ever wanted to expand your taste in film and are sick of the selection on Netflix, this is a good place to start. The Cinematheque — one of the last remaining independent theatres in Vancouver — is offering a few retrospectives that highlight cinema’s masters through January, February, and March. Included is a four-day-long showing of work by Claire Denis, who has been called one of the most daring filmmakers to come out of France; Canada’s Top 10 will feature some of the best of the year’s Canuck cinema, as selected by TIFF; and Jean-Luc Cinéma Godard will celebrate the early career of one of the most important artists in the field, with screenings of Breathless and Weekend.

January 6, 2014

One of the most cutting edge performing arts festivals in the city, PuSh brings 150 different shows to several venues across the city. And what better way to wind down after the holidays than to settle into some great storytelling arts? Highlights include Gob Squad’s Kitchen, a reimagined version of Andy Warhol’s Kitchen — which starred the pop-icon’s muse Edie Sedgewick — where we’re transported back to the underground cinemas of New York City in the 1960s through a mix of live video and performance techniques. Also, be sure to check out L.A. Party and An Evening with William Shatner Asterisk, two shows conceived by New York theatre artist Phil Soltanoff, featuring collaboration at its finest and a big screen with Captain Kirk’s face.

Here’s a good new years resolution to keep: get into the arts in Vancouver, because there’s good stuff here. A good way to start is to check out the Vancouver Art Gallery, which usually has something to satisfy any art lover. A few things coming soon include A Terrible Beauty: Edward Burtynsky, an exhibition of works by the Toronto-based photographer who captures images of nature and man-made landscapes; Myfanwy Macleod, Or There and Back Again is a presentation of the Vancouver-based artist who examines the male fantasy as associated with Led Zeppelin and J.R.R Tolkien. Plus, a few months down the road in May, Douglas Coupland: everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything will become the first major survey of the beloved author and artist’s work. That’s reason enough for a membership renewal.

The people who brought you the Eastside Flea are now rolling out a new vintage market, which will take place at the red-velvet draped Biltmore Cabaret. On January 26 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the cabaret will become a “labyrinth of counterculture,” bringing out a hand-picked vendor roster focusing on the psychedelia and design cues from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and a bit of the 90s. Expect to find posters, antiques and collectibles, records, taxidermy, retro lamps, small furniture, cameras, and some one-of-a-kind vintage clothing items. There will also be drink specials, an afternoon food happy hour, a photobooth, and a DJ spinning some tunes to match.

DIVERSIONS / ETC

January 6, 2014

Across

1. A legal or religious answer to a question of Islamic faith 5. An unexpected ending to a film 9. Number one in Japan 12. Jazz age slang for â€œin the knowâ€? 13. Rowing tool 14. To file a lawsuit 15. Narrow strips of iron or steel 16. With Uzi, Chasâ€™ other son in The Royal Tenenbaums 17. Doctor Who star Billie 19. Kisses on the bus 20. Cease and ______ 21. Precocious indie pop sub-genre 22. Fictional Road Runner brand name 25. A characterâ€™s development throughout a story 28. 2013 Danny Brown album featuring â€œKush Comaâ€? 29. Generic scream of terror 31. Canadaâ€™s credit rating 33. War-torn Middle Eastern nation 35. Ukrainian soup made from beetroot 36. The central part of the human body LAST WEEKâ€™S SOLUTION ,

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39. A resort offering health, beauty and relaxation services 40. The Greek god of nature; companion to the nymphs 42. A quick snooze 43. Arrested Development actress Whitman 45. A footwear accessory which covers the instep and ankle 46. A paste made of ground meat and fat; French in origin 47. The Sun Also Rises author Hemingway 52. 1940 novel ___ Whom the Bell Tolls 53. TV on the Radio vocalist Adebimpe 56. A musical pair 57. Canadian serial killer Clifford 59. American tax collecting agency 60. A type of beer brewed from malted barley 61. â€œTelephone Lineâ€? musical group (abbr.) 62. Popular citation style 63. The only bone in the thigh 64. A samurai with no master

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popularized by Doom 2. Everyoneâ€™s favourite student newspaper (2 wds.) 3. Some Like It Hot writer/director Billy 4. Avatar: The Last Airbender pet 5. Princess Peachâ€™s most loyal attendant 6. Jimmy Corrigan graphic novelist Chris 7. Overplayed 1998 Goo Goo Dolls single 8. A waiterâ€™s goal 9. AT&T, AOL e.g. 10. An actressâ€™ signal 11. 2013 Spike Jonze flick starring Joaquin Phoenix 18. Boot-shaped Southern European nation 21. Korean martial art ___ Kwon Do 23. Nearly obsolete musical medium 24. Geological period 26. To divide language into grammatical parts 27. Controversial French psychoanalyst Jacques 28. Film score (abbr.) 30. Rock sub-genre popularized by Jawbreaker and Sunny Day Real Estate 32. Venomous snake in ancient times 34. Turn of the century journalist Tarbell 35. Jazz subgenre charac-

terized by fast tempo and improvisation 36. Shatnerâ€™s Star Trek (abbr.) 37. DNA partner 38. Fully satisfied 40. Nobel Prize-winning Canadian prime minister 41. Maiden name precursor 44. The Greek god of music and poetry 48. Australiaâ€™s Great Barrier ____ 49. Semi-hard spherical Dutch cheese 50. Star Trek Lieutenant Hikaru 51. This Earth of Mankind author Pramoedya Ananta 52. Everything is Illuminated author Jonathan Safran 53. The Shawshank Redemption star Robbins 54. Web address (abbr.) 55. American intelligence organization 58. A female member of a religious community; sister

15: WEDNESDAY EDM PUB NIGHT CJSF and the SFSS sponsor a night of electronic dance at the Highland Pub. Featuring ROIIC, MONOLOQ, DJ MARCSHAKE, and STILL I RIZE. Iâ€™m not sure if theyâ€™re all supposed to be all-caps, but it wouldnâ€™t surprise me. 9:00 p.m. - closing, Highland Pub. Tickets between $5 and $15.

Hope Â to Â see Â you Â there!

SPORTS

January 6, 2014

sports editor email / phone

Adam Ovenell-Carter sports@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

The Clan women look to carry their momentum into 2014 Jade Richardson Peak Associate

PEAK MEMBERSHIP As an SFU student, you are a member of the Peak Publications Society. As a member, you get access to a weekly copy of The Peak filled with news and views of interest to you. Additional privileges of membership include the opportunity to run and vote for the Board of Directors, place free classified ads, publish your work and opinions in The Peak, become eligible to be paid for your contributions, and nominate yourself to become an editor. In addition, your contribution helps provide jobs and experience for other SFU students, maintain an archive, computer lab, and web site, and support the Canadian University Press. Students who have paid their tuition fees and do not wish to support their student newspaper may request a membership refund from the Business Manager, but MUST provide a copy of their REGISTRATION SUMMARY, RECEIPT, and STUDENT ID between Monday, January 6, and Friday, January 17 at 5:00 p.m. No refunds will be given out after this period, and students claiming refunds will lose all privileges of membership for the semester. Questions? Call 778-782-3598.

As students return to school for the spring semester, studentathletes everywhere are still in the thick of their competition schedules, having paused only for a quick holiday visit with family and friends. The women’s basketball team returned to competition on Dec 30, the first day athletes were allowed back after a short Christmas break, beating former CIS rival Trinity Western University 65–41 in a slow but methodical non-conference game. The game served as a way to get back on the court and prepare for their first Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) games of the season. The Clan got their conference schedule on the right foot, handing defending GNAC champions Western Washington University (WWU) an early season loss. A strong team performance and solid defence were the keys to the Clan’s 62–58, home-court victory, led by captain Erin Chambers who tallied 27 points on the night. Katie Lowen added 12 points and four steals to the campaign and Marie-Line Petit had 10 points and three steals of her own as well. It was the ninth match between the two teams since SFU joined the GNAC, with WWU having edged the Clan in six of the previous eight meetings but this time around, the Clan’s momentum in the second half gave them the edge to pull away with the victory.

Unfortunately they were unable to come away with the same result later in December when they faced West Texas A&M, ranked 10th in the NCAA’s Div. II, losing the lead with minutes remaining in the game to fall 77-73 on neutral ground in Washington. Despite the loss, senior Chelsea Reist had a breakthrough game scoring a season high 18 points, as she found the confidence and consistency that fans have come to expect.

Although the loss of Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe was a source of worry for fans and statisticians, the Clan women have been able to come together in the early moments of the season and prove that a strong team effort can help patch the hole left by the All-American’s departure. Ranked fourth in the pre-season GNAC poll, the Clan have already upset the pre-season runner-up WWU, and will look to continue their winning ways into 2014. The first games of the calendar year will prove a good test to see how the Clan can carry that momentum, as they embark on their first road trip of the new year. As long as the Clan women come ready to play to each game and don’t take any GNAC opponents for granted, the 2013-14 season has the potential to see repeat success from a year ago. As head coach Bruce Langford said early on, “It is anyone’s game in this conference.”

SPORTS

digits with 11 — but the lack of offence early on hamstrung the Clan’s chances. Two days later, the Clan took on Western Oregon in a fast paced and highly competitive game, but couldn’t come through in the final moments, dropping their second straight match 87-83. It was Dunn who led the team again in points with 25, followed by Cole with 20 and Page with 10.

Sophomore Matt Staudacher was forced to step up into the point guard position with Niang

out due to injury, leading both teams in minutes with 34, and netting a season high seven points for the Clan. His team struggled in the second half after Gebru fouled out, but was able to showcase their newfound depth, staying tight with the Wolves the entire game, playing their entire bench. In their last game before Christmas, the Clan bounced back with a non-conference win, beating Capilano University 10072 at home to close 2013 on a high note. But in the New Year, the Clan embark on their first road trip of the season, having already lost to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks and the 23rd-ranked University of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves. Last season, SFU took their sole conference victory in an upset victory over Alaska Anchorage, but were unable to duplicate the result this year, dropping a

67-58 contest. If the Clan can overcome their slow starts, it won’t be long before they find their first victory of the young season. With

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Following a dominant non-conference start to the season, the SFU men’s basketball team dropped their first two Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) games of 2013-14 in early December. While the men have struggled since joining the NCAA, 2013-14 still holds the possibility of being their best season since 2010. Comeback attempts in both contests fell short as the team was unable to best the Saint Martin’s Saints and the Western Oregon Wolves in conference play, dropping to 0–2 in the GNAC early in the season. The Clan’s losses came in large part from a lack of momentum early in the games, as the team struggled to come together in the first 10 minutes of each match, allowing their opponents the opportunity to run away early on. Despite these losses, the team on the court is head-and-shoulders above what we have seen in recent years, and the addition of transfer athletes Sango Niang and Justin Cole from Chaffey Community College as well as Darius Page from Columbus State University has proven very beneficial to a team that has long struggled with limited depth. Strong performances from seniors Taylor Dunn and David Gebru have also added to the team’s backbone and, heading into 2014, the men will be looking for their first conference victory of the season and the chance to showcase their ability to come together as a fiveperson unit on the court. Against Saint Martins University (SMU), the Clan struggled early on, but that didn’t stop Dunn from netting 19 points and shooting 8-17 from the floor to lead his team in the 78-62 loss. Gebru, with 16 points of his own, wasn’t far behind, and Cole also hit double

January 6, 2014

confidence and depth that hasn’t been visible in years, one win could be all the team needs to get the ball rolling.

THE NORA A ND TED STERLING PRIZE IN SUPP ORT OF CO NTROVER SY was established at Simon Fraser University in 1993 to honour and encourage work that provokes and/or contributes to the understanding of controversy. The Sterling Prize Committee is looking for work that challenges complacency. The Nora and Ted Sterling Prize in Support of Controversy is awarded annually to a recipient whose work presents new ways of looking at the world, ways that are daring and creative. Whether a student, a staff member, or an academic at SFU, or a member of the community who has a connection to the University, the prize winner is selected for decidedly unconventional and distinctly untraditional work that provokes a wide audience. The winner receives a cash award of $5,000 and makes a public presentation at the Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue.

CALL FOR N OMIN ATIONS The Committee formally calls for nominations for the Sterling Prize, to be submitted to the Sterling Prize Committee, c/o the Vice-President, Academic office, no later than January 31 each year. Nomination forms and submission guidelines can be found at:

www.sfu.ca/sterlingprize

HUMOUR

humour editor email / phone

January 6, 2014

Brad McLeod humour@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

Eleanor Qu / The Peak

great stress trying to maintain his career while also trying to keep up his newest challenging, extremely difficult stunt.

GRANVILLE ISLAND— A local street performer who has spent the last five years of his life putting in over 60 hours a week working at his juggling act is having a difficult time managing to keep that up and also juggle seven chainsaws. Rodney Pipers, a 35-year old struggling juggling artist told The Peak that he has been caused

“It’s mostly just the ‘juggling seven chainsaws part’ that’s been really hard,” Pipers explained. “The career part is fine, that’s pretty simple but I even struggle juggling seven balls and those won’t even decapitate me if I screw up.” Pipers isn’t quite sure how he’s going to juggle everything he has

going on right now and has said when you throw family into the mix it gets even more difficult. “I’ve got three kids to support on top of all this” he complained clutching his forehead in stress. “If I make a mistake juggling them, the court might take them away . . . and the ‘three kids, two fireballs’ trick is the crown jewel of my act!” While Pipers still doesn’t have a plan on how he’s going to maintain the delicate balance between spending time on his career, spending time with his family and juggling seven running chainsaws, he says the problem isn’t really that complicated. “Again, it’s pretty much just the chainsaw thing that’s a problem, the other stuff is fairly straight-forward.”

If there’s one season that really wreaks havoc on SFU, it’s winter. Spring, summer and fall usually pass by without too much of a ruckus, but every year around December 21 and March 20, the talk of how dangerous it’s going to be up Burnaby Mountain reaches extreme highs. For the most part, the actual conditions aren’t that bad but if you want to sleep in or have an excuse to hand in papers late you better be prepared to be overly precautious. Here’s a few safety tips on being dramatic about safety in the snow, winter driving and more mostlyimagined problems. -Listen to weather forecasts and if the word “snow” is used do NOT attempt get out of bed (this applies even if you live in residence) -Even if the word “snow” is used in the sentence “there shouldn’t be any snow today” you still shouldn’t leave your home as the mere mention of snow could cause you to walk timidly and fall. - If the word “snow” is not in any weather reports but you think it’s implied because they talked about rain or clouds which are related to snow, you should definitely not travel and are advised to watch season 1 of The Wire all day instead. -The best way to avoid getting stuck while driving up the hill is to never drive to school and get started on season two of The Wire. - Don’t go outside at SFU without at least five layers of clothing and a winter-jacket. If you don’t own these you should go out immediately while it’s still nice and purchase seasons three, four and five of The Wire. -The weather can change in a flash so you should probably just stay home all semester watching acclaimed TV dramas. - To ensure that you avoid getting stuck while driving, you are best advised to quit school and move somewhere less dangerous. -If you do get stranded in your car, remember that drinking alcohol hastens the loss of body heat so you should have already dropped out of SFU, moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where you could be hammered and be half-way through Breaking Bad by now. (illustrated by Rachelle Tjahyana)

HUMOUR

January 6, 2014

Oh boy, what a crazy year 2013 was for year-in-review countdown lists! There were just so many ridiculous, crazy countdown shows and magazine articles that happened this year (especially in December) it’s hard to fit them all into one list! Anyway here’s a countdown of some of the most memorable countdown lists of 2013! WHOVILLE — The man who was believed to be responsible for having literally stolen Christmas from the quiet mountain town of Whoville was allegedly executed in a violent, public demonstration. According to police reports, a 53-year old man who called himself “the Grinch”, snuck into every single person’s house on Christmas Eve and stole all their gifts, toys, decorations and food. Strangely however, he did not steal any furniture, appliances or wiring. “He stole everything . . . even the crumbs,” said one of the residents who lost everything, “how do you even steal crumbs?”

Previous to this incident, “the Grinch” had no criminal record, and was not seen often by residents as he lived up the mountain. However, the few times he came down the mountain, his presence disturbed some residents. “Well, he’d scare the children, always going on about how much he hated Christmas, and going on long winded rants about corporations and consumerism” said one devastated Whovillian. On top of the initial crime, for unknown reasons, “the Grinch” returned Christmas morning and gave back all the presents

to the community. Not realizing that he was responsible for the theft, they invited him for their Christmas feast. “We kind of just assumed that he must have beat up the robber or something, we wouldn’t think that somebody would not only rob us on Christmas, but come back and taunt us, flaunt his luck,” one Who was quoted as saying. However, there was one witness who saw the Grinch during his robbing spree, a little girl, and immediately after the Grinch had cut the roast beast realized that it was he who had stolen her Christmas tree, having claimed that he was taking it back to the North Pole. Stories of what happened next change from person to person, but all Whos willing to talk agreed that he was at least burnt, hanged, beheaded and defecated upon. Police did confirm that they had a burnt head in their

possession but would not confirm it was that of “the Grinch.” Some accounts suggest that as he was being dragged to his death, he cried for mercy, claiming that he had a change of heart and that he had realized the true meaning of Christmas. He claimed it was their forgiveness and happiness that made him change his tune. However, the Whos, not being idiots, didn’t buy it considering his violent demise. “He thinks he can steal from us Whos and get away with it? Well, I’m sure he thinks different now,” said one angry Who, “well actually he probably doesn’t think at all considering he’s dead, but at least justice has been served.” Police would like to remind the public that vigilantism is not justice and that justice requires due process. In addition, they state that the Whos were promptly executed for their crimes.

28 LAST WORD

features editor email / phone

Max Hill features@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

If genetics dealt you a bad hand and hairlessness looms in your (near?) future, 2014 might just be the year for you. In a 2012 article for The Telegraph, scientist George Cotsarelis claimed that an over the counter anti-baldness medication would likely be hitting the shelves in two years. The key is an enzyme called prostaglandin D2, or PGD2, which tells follicles to stop producing hair — scientists now claim to be able to stop this process, abating hair loss in men and women. Similarly, scientists at Columbia University Medical Centre have been researching a way to generate hair growth in cells in order to cure baldness and facilitate skin grafts for burn victims. Whether or not either of these approaches will work remains to be seen — just don’t lose any hair over it!

At least, we think they will. The Russian Federation has been no stranger to controversy in the past year — they’ve enacted anti-gay legislation, imprisoned riot grrrl rockers, granted asylum to an NSA whistleblower, and weakened relations with the Western world in the process. More recently, Russia has been the target of two (possibly linked) suicide bombings in a two-day span, raising questions over whether the nation is fit to host the games at all. However, Vladimir Putin is nothing if not persistent — expect Hell to freeze over and Siberia to melt before old Vlad lets a few human rights violations or domestic terrorist attacks get in the way of Russia’s spotlight on the world stage. With February fast approaching, get ready for even more controversy once the international competition gets underway. At least we’re bound to win some medals this time around.

January 6, 2014

The War in Afghanistan has been one of the defining conflicts of the 21st century — from its beginnings as a civil war between the Afghan government and the Taliban to the intervention of NATO following the September 11 attacks, any discussion on foreign policy in the past two decades has inevitably included a mention of this ongoing war. December 31, 2014 will officially mark the end of the United States and Great Britain’s involvement in the conflict, 13 years later. Though both nations plan to maintain a peacekeeping presence in Afghanistan — similar to Canada’s choice to do so two years previous — for many, this date means the homecoming of long absent mothers, fathers, daughters and sons.

Say it to yourself out loud: twenty fourteen. It seems downright crazy that the human race has made it this far. Then again, the twerktastic year we’re leaving behind is hardly one most of us are likely to miss — we lost Nelson Mandela and Lou Reed, and in return we gained a devastating typhoon, a government shutdown and, well, Rob Ford. In an effort to get that lingering 2013 taste out of our mouths, we’ve listed five things to look forward to in the upcoming calendar year.

Whether you’re a film buff or a celluloid critic, chances are you’re sick and tired of hearing about who’s going to win Best Picture, who’s a shoo-in for Best Supporting Actress and who’s going to wear what on the red carpet. For those of you who actually enjoy awards season, here’s a public service announcement: the Academy is 94 per cent white, 77 per cent male and has an average age of 62 — not exactly representative of film viewers as a whole. However, this one is a double-edged sword: as soon as the dust settles on 2013 Oscar winners, the harsh reality of the post-awards season sets in. Expect a lot of cheesy action movies, teen lit adaptations, and Sandra Bullock vehicles.

As any Star Trek fan will tell you, holograms have always been one of science fiction’s coolest tropes. Who wouldn’t rather speak with a holographic 3D image of a loved one, rather than using a video messaging service like Skype — or, worse yet, phoning them? Thankfully, scientists have been hard at work gradually making our sci-fi dreams a reality: holographic telepresence, a process where your 3D image is transmitted into multiple locations at once, may become a common feature of computers and smartphones by the end of this year. Those of you who’ve seen Tupac Shakur’s posthumous holographic performance at last year’s Coachella festival will know that these holograms are a far cry from the pixelated miniature Princess Leia of the Star Wars trilogy. In 2014, science fiction is well on its way to becoming science fact.