Student union rescinds call for forensic audit, apologizes to student body
CRAIG ADOLPHE, STAFF
At its March 24 meeting, the University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) council called off a forensic audit of its finances and apologized to the student body for what it called a hasty decision concerning allegations of misuse of funds by UMSU president Jeremiah Kopp.
Earlier this month, the council passed a series of three emergency motions after former vice-president student services Jessica Morrison levelled allegations that Kopp misused union funds through an executive credit card.
The first emergency motion made public a package of financial documents, including credit card statements that showed $29,000 of expenses incurred on the president’s card, $14,000 of which Morrison alleged were unapproved; the second called for the forensic audit; and the third cut off Kopp and vice-president internal Zachary LeClerc from use of executive credit cards for the remainder of the term.
Morrison resigned later in the same meeting.
At the start of the March 24 meeting, council passed a motion preventing UMSU executives from firing any staff for the remainder of the term. The motion also temporarily made general manager Thomas Blumer and accounting manager Ron Davey report to council rather than the executive.
Later in the meeting, Blumer and Davey presented to council in an hour-long closed session. At the end of the closed session, law student representative Karas Elbardisy put forward a motion – citing the advice of Davey – to cancel the audit and apologize.
Council’s apology and retraction
Elbardisy’s motion was later split into two separate proposals: one calling off the audit and one issuing an apology.
The motion to cancel the forensic
audit included a stipulation that the next annual audit of UMSU finances expand its scope based on the input of the general manager and accounting manager, with the aim of developing recommendations for operational and bylaw changes.
The apology motion passed in an amended form. Instead of apologizing to Kopp specifically, UMSU council issued an apology to the entire membership “for the rash reaction of the original motion as the actions of the time took no consideration for the effects on various council members’ reputations and the more serious effects on the student body.”
“The forensic audit wouldn’t give us ‘was this right, was this wrong?’ And what the councillors know now is that the policies don’t prohibit what happened, they tend not to speak on it one way or the other”
– Karas Elbardisy, MLSA rep, UMSU council
Speaking to the Manitoban following the meeting, Elbardisy explained his reasoning behind proposing the motion to halt the audit and apologize to Kopp.
“The apology was for the rashness of the decision,” Elbardisy said. “It wasn’t for asking questions or questioning Jeremiah or questioning the executive. Council has absolutely every right to do that, and I encour-
age that. But I just felt that this blew up fairly quickly, and it affected his reputation in a very negative way prior to having all the facts.”
Speaking in general terms about the information provided by Davey and Blumer in the closed session, Elbardisy said council was advised the audit would be costly and wouldn’t provide the answers they were looking for.
“It wouldn’t give us ‘was this right, was this wrong,’” he said. “And what the councillors know now is that the policies don’t prohibit what happened, they tend not to speak on it one way or the other, and that’s an issue.”
“That’s something that council has tried to fix tonight,” Elbardisy added, referring to the expanded mandate of the annual audit. Another motion passed at the end of the meeting calls for an administration committee – comprising key staff members, including Davey and Blumer – to develop a report to council on recommendations for expenditure processes.
“UMSU chamber isn’t a chamber that can pass judgment,” Elbardisy said. “And so when we were told that the forensic audit wouldn’t help, we’re free to make moral judgments: we can say Jeremiah shouldn’t have spent money on X or Y, he shouldn’t have gone out to Joey that night, but we can’t pass judgment where the policy and bylaws don’t give us the power to pass judgment.
“As a council we can’t make a moral judgment and say ‘you’re wrong,’ or ‘you’re right,’ but we can say we don’t want this to happen again and we’re going to implement policies to stop it from happening.”
Kopp’s reaction
Kopp said he was encouraged by the council’s decisions.
“I think it reflects sobriety,” he said.
“It reflects a good understanding of the issues and I’m just glad to see the allegations were in fact confirmed to be baseless.”
Kopp also confirmed the decision was informed by advice from Davey
and Blumer, who had consulted with audit firms.
“I think UMSU council felt that the previous meeting’s decisions were unwarranted and that it did significant undue harm to my reputation,” Kopp said. “But what I’m very happy about is that they chose to apologize to all UMSU students who were provided incomplete information and were subject to rumour-mongering, and hopefully this will set the record straight.”
“The genesis of these rumours, the genesis of these allegations, were found to be severely lacking in terms of evidence,” he said.
“This is students’ money that was spent in a way that concerns students – I think rightfully so.
And to say that we’re going to apologize to Jeremiah, I think that’s ludicrous” –
Reanna Blair, ASBC rep, UMSU council
“They were passing value judgements, and really, what everyone can agree on is there’s a need for a bylaw and operational review, and it’s important some policies are considered to make sure nothing like this happens again. But I think what tonight says is that UMSU council certainly recognizes that the decision made last week was not made on facts, but rather based on emotion.”
In addition to UMSU council’s apology to the student body, Kopp also used his presidential report –provided earlier in the meeting – to make his own apology for “the state
of the union.”
Student opposition
UMSU arts representative Reanna Blair opposed the motion to rescind the audit and told the Manitoban she wanted to hear from neutral third parties about the audit.
“We should be speaking to unbiased people who were not within UMSU, who would have no connection to these charges that were incurred,” she said.
“That’s who should be presenting it to council. Because, even now, I don’t think council has a clear idea of what an audit can and cannot do. And to get rid of the audit in such a hasty fashion when it was voted on by more students than what were [here] now, I think was a huge issue.”
Blair added that she had concerns about the length of the meeting, which ran for nearly five and a half hours. Attendance, which started with roughly 70 people at 6 p.m. had dwindled to 30 by the time the motions were voted on, around 10 p.m.
“I think that when you get to these meetings that are incredibly long in length, people start leaving whose voices need to be heard on council,” Blair said.
Blair also took issue with the idea of an apology to Kopp.
“It’s actually hilarious,” she said. “This is students’ money that was spent in a way that concerns students – I think rightfully so.”
“And to say that we’re going to apologize to Jeremiah for something that happened that I think students responded in a way that was natural and normal in this instance, I think that’s ludicrous.”
Blair said that while she disagreed with the original wording which apologized to Kopp directly, she also disagrees with the amended apology to students because she doesn’t feel the audit should have been called off.
PHOTO BY CAROLYNE KROEKER
UMSU set to run roughly $300,000 deficit, says vice-president internal
T
he University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) revealed at last week’s annual general meeting that the union has accumulated a deficit, based on financial data from May 1, 2015, to the end of February 2016.
The union’s vice-president internal, Zachary LeClerc, confirmed in an interview that UMSU will be running a deficit of roughly $300,000 this year.
“I don’t think anyone expects to run a deficit or wants to run a deficit,” LeClerc told the Manitoban, reflecting on his time in office.
“But decisions were made as a team and I’ll stand with that moving forward until the end of the year [...] If I was to give recommendations to people next year it would be, for social programming in particular, to better plan in advance to make sure that you get people out to these events.”
LeClerc said that more specific details would be presented to UMSU council at its April 14 meeting. However, he added one of the primary contributing factors to the deficit was a $76,000 loss on the union’s annual Frosh Fest.
“We use an external company to run this instead of using our events coordinator, which we hire in-house full-time, which I think is absurd,” LeClerc said.
“I really hope next year’s executive doesn’t hire externally because we know how the money was spent now, we have the records, we just need to use the information and move forward.”
For the last two years local firm Prairie Promotions has been commissioned by the union to organize the event and book acts.
In 2014, Tiësto was the festival’s headline act. This past year, the festival featured American DJ Dillon Francis. It was held in the university’s Max Bell Centre, which holds a capacity of just under 4,000 students.
LeClerc also provided an update on the union’s various businesses.
While GPA’s convenience store, IQ’s café, and the copy centre are all profitable for the union, the Hub and UMSUshi are both losing money. Degrees restaurant turned a profit of about $10,000, LeClerc said.
While the union instituted several cost-cutting measures to help prod the Hub towards turning a profit, LeClerc said the bar lost roughly $40,000 between May 2015 and February of this year.
“Considering where it was at last year, that is a turnaround for a restaurant,” he said.
Credit card, CFS-MB discussed at UMSU AGM
Easter Monday meeting sees high turnout, fails to meet quorum
SHREYA GHIMIRE, STAFF
Roughly 85 students showed up to the University of Manitoba Student’s Union’s (UMSU) annual general meeting (AGM) March 28 to raise concerns about the state of the union.
The union took flak over the time and date of the AGM, which some allege was calculated to avoid tough questions surrounding president Jeremiah Kopp’s allegedly inappropriate union credit card spending.
The reports and questions for Kopp took up a majority of the meeting, extending for over an hour.
Kopp has been under fire ever since an UMSU council meeting several weeks ago where former vice-president student services Jessica Morrison alleged that he had inappropriately spent $14,000 on an UMSU credit card. Kopp expressed disappointment at the AGM that most questions directed towards him were regarding the release of his UMSU credit card statements, noting that the projects and campaigns successfully conducted by UMSU throughout the year were being overshadowed.
“I do wish people looked at the fee levies we implemented that will help indigenous students from vulnerable circumstances, undergraduate research, funding for child care spots, and renovations to the heart of our campus. But at the same time I am always happy to answer any and all questions about the union,” Kopp told the Manitoban
UMSU council has since formally apologized to the student body, in part for denigrating council members’ reputations after the credit card issue surfaced. The council also voted to cancel a planned forensic audit into the union’s expenses.
CFS-MB censure
Another concern raised was UMSU’s recent condemnation of the Canadian Federation of Students-Manitoba (CFS-MB) for partisan activity.
At the last UMSU council meeting, councillors voted to denounce CFS-MB for publicly endorsing the policies of the Manitoba NDP during the ongoing provincial election.
“Even students who are engaged did not know when or where the event was because UMSU, beyond sending an email with the information and using their Facebook page to make an announcement, provided really no promotion for the event” – Kieran Labossière, senior stick, Faculty of Music Students’ Association
At the AGM, Faculty of Music Students’ Association (FMSA) jazz studies representative Anatol Rennie called on the UMSU executives to refrain from publicly endorsing or campaigning for any political party in order to avoid hypocrisy given their stance on CFS-MB.
Rennie said if UMSU executives cannot promise to do this or view it to be unacceptable, then they should rescind the motion condemning CFS-MB and apologize.
Because the AGM failed to meet quorum of 200 members, Rennie’s motion will be forwarded to UMSU council for consider-
ation at their next meeting.
Rennie told the Manitoban that UMSU’s denunciation of CFS-MB misrepresented the issue because CFS-MB did not formally endorse any political party. He added that there was a lack of debate on the motion before it passed in council.
“This is the CFS’s job: to evaluate policy and advocate on behalf of students,” Rennie told the Manitoban
Rennie also noted that the original motion was harmful for the already strained relationship between UMSU and CFS-MB.
“There’s been a lot of bad blood between UMSU and the CFS,” Rennie said.
Rennie also expressed concern that the original motion to denounce was brought forward by Darius Hunter, a council member who worked as a staffer for the provincial Progressive Conservatives, noting that the decision to bring forward the motion could have also been politically motivated.
Lack of promotion
Some students expressed concern over the fact that many of them would never have known about the AGM if an unofficial Facebook event had not been shared during the weekend ahead of the meeting.
The meeting was held on the Fort Garry campus at 9 a.m. on Easter Monday, at a time that spans at least two class periods. The AGM drew a crowd of about 85 people, which was noted to be a much higher turnout than previous years.
Kieran Labossière, senior stick of the FMSA, created the event in order to encourage students to attend.
“Even students who are engaged did not know when or where the event was because UMSU, beyond sending an email with the information and using their Facebook page to make an announcement, provided really no promotion for the event,” Labossière said.
“All their other events are much better promoted. This one was mysteriously lacking. It was also rescheduled on very short notice. So I felt like I should take the initiative to try and get students out because they have a chance to have their voice heard and should be able to take advantage of that.”
Kopp claims the UMSU executive promoted the AGM adequately, pointing out that students were invited via their email, it was put up on the UMSU Facebook page, and discussed at the union’s governance meeting.
“The AGM was a really great opportunity for students to vocalize any concerns that they had and a good opportunity to clear a lot of misinformation that had been out there over the past couple weeks” –Jeremiah Kopp, president, UMSU
“Some people are skeptical of everything. The reality is that it was a logistical consideration. There’s only so many places on campus that fit 200 people, and whether you have it at 9 a.m. or 5 p.m. or 10 p.m., people are going to have things on the go,” he said.
“We did the best we could to notify students and get them out for a robust democratic conversation.”
ETHAN CABEL, STAFF
Progressive Conservatives pledge to bolster Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative
PC leader Brian Pallister pledges to double funding to $20 million through increased private investment
GARETT WILLIAMS, STAFF
If elected into office April 19, a Progressive Conservative government will double the Manitoba Scholarships and Bursary Initiative to $20 million through increased private sector investment, leader Brian Pallister announced at the University of Manitoba March 27.
At a media event on the Fort Garry campus March 28, Pallister said a PC government would increase public support for the program to $6.75 million from the current $4.5 million and leverage the remaining two-thirds from private contributions.
“I want the barriers to post-secondary education and training to be lower, not higher,” he said, accusing the incumbent NDP government of decreasing support for the program, which currently gives students access to about $9 million in scholarships and bursaries that are administered through the province’s public universities and colleges.
Pallister said he has held discussions with Manitoba chambers of commerce and said there is a backlog of would-be donors looking to participate in the program. He didn’t
comment on whether a PC administration would maintain Manitoba’s student loan program – which struck interest from loans beginning in 2015 – saying his goal is breaking down the barriers keeping students out of postsecondary in the first place.
“I think it’s putting the cart after the horse, in a sense, to address the follow-up situation before you address the actual barrier,” he said. “We want to reduce the barriers for entry. That’s where we’re focused.”
Pallister said the bolstered initiative would aid 3,500 additional high school graduates with more than $2,500 in support each.
“My concern is also that for many people that come from, in particular, not-advantageous financial circumstances, it’s important that they be able to consider this [post-secondary] as a viable option,” he said, noting the program is largely based on need.
“Scholarships and bursaries will help - they can make the difference for young people.”
The announcement came a week after the incumbent NDP announced its intention to convert Manitoba stu-
dent loans into non-repayable grants, a plan supported by the Manitoba chapter of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS-MB).
“I understand that they are fully in support of the status quo here in Manitoba and, of course, I’m disappointed to hear that,” Pallister said of the student organization, closing his press conference.
Michael Barkman, chairperson of CFS-MB, wouldn’t respond directly to Pallister’s remarks but said the students’ federation has been lobbying for debt-free university and college education for years.
“We think public education must remain a public good – and publicly funded – and government needs to invest in post-secondary education,” he said.
Barkman said the Progressive Conservative proposal raises questions and said he wonders where the private investment will come from and whether a PC government will reach the entire target of nearly $13 million.
Claiming students in Manitoba face a crisis-level $20,000 debt upon
graduation, Barkman said the proposal falls short of the kind of government investment the CFS would like to see.
“We really need to see some strong leadership in addressing this,” he said, “and I don’t think this amount of money is going to quite adequately address the student debt crisis.”
In November, the Manitoba Liberals announced their own plan to invest $10 million currently set aside for loans into developing a nonrepayable grant program.
UMSU condemns CFS-MB over alleged partisan position
Motion passed criticizing Canadian Federation of Students-Manitoba of NDP bias
DIANA-ABASI
UBOKUDOM, STAFF
The University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) condemned the Manitoba chapter of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS-MB) at its March 24 meeting, passing a motion criticizing the advocacy group for expressing political favouritism toward the provincial New Democrats.
Arts Student Body Council representative Darius Hunter, who proposed the motion, said recent comments from CFS-MB in support of NDP campaign proposals do not reflect the views of all UMSU members.
Hunter, who also works for the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba, told the Manitoban that criticizing the policies of one party while accepting those of another “is equivalent to endorsement.”
CFS-MB chairperson Michael Barkman appeared at an NDP campaign event March 20 where Premier Greg Selinger announced a campaign pledge to replace student loans with non-repayable grants and provide free tuition for students in foster care up to age 25. Barkman supported the proposal
and told the Manitoban at the time, “It’s something that students have been asking for for a long time from all political parties.”
Hunter also took umbrage with the CFS speaking to media and making statements in favour of NDP policies on behalf of students, arguing such opinions are subjective.
Hunter further questioned the rationale behind the CFS’s decision to back the policies of the NDP and not the Liberals, who similarly proposed converting student loans into grants through a $10 million investment.
“Will the CFS still support the policies of the NDP if another party makes similar promises?” Hunter said in an interview.
Barkman told the Manitoban he was cautiously optimistic and supportive of the Liberal plan when it was announced in November.
Responding to the accusations of partisanship, Barkman said the student federation endorses and promotes policies and proposals but doesn’t back individual candidates or parties.
“What we do as a student union
is support policies – and not parties – and inform our members of those policies,” he said.
Leading into the April 19 provincial election, each party’s postsecondary platform is posted on the CFS-MB webpage and the federation actively encourages students to cast ballots in both provincial and federal elections.
Barkman said that although the NDP and Liberal parties have each committed to expanding grants available to students, the New Democrats’ program goes further toward supporting returning and low-income students, which he argued opens post-secondary education to a wider population.
At a press event on the U of M campus March 28, the Progressive Conservatives promised to increase post-secondary scholarships and bursaries to $20 million by bumping the provincial investment into the program to $6.75 million and raising the remaining two-thirds through private investment.
PC leader Brian Pallister was introduced at the event by Hunter, who acknowledged he was an UMSU
representative and went on to say, “We’re very excited to see what a Progressive Conservative government will bring to Manitoba and we do know, we are confident, that it’s a better plan for a better future in Manitoba.”
Incoming UMSU vice-president internal Adam Pawlak also stood in a crowd of students assembled behind the candidate.
UMSU president Jeremiah Kopp said the decision to issue an official endorsement during an election campaign is an ongoing conversation within student unions but he added it would be acceptable provided the move carried the support of union membership.
“Each member can express personal support for a particular party, but when it comes to making that decision as an organization, there should be that agreement,” he said.
Although UMSU is keeping neutral through the current campaign, many of its executives have direct personal affiliations with the parties seeking to form government.
Union endorsement?
David Camfield, associate professor of labour studies and sociology at the U of M, said if a student union finds that the policies of a party resonate with their own priorities, it can offer its support, but he urged that endorsement should be developed through a democratic process.
“If student unions democratically decide that because of the policies that they support they should endorse a political party, then that’s legitimate,” he said, adding “If CFS-MB or UMSU chooses to take a position on calling for a vote for a political party, there’s nothing inappropriate about it, [it’s] just a question of the process.”
“If they believe that one party’s policies were much better for students than the other party’s, then they could say something about that,” he said.
“I think that there is no reason or principle why student unions should not take a position when it comes to elections.”
PHOTO BY GARETT WILLIAMS
GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST
COMIC BY KELLY CAMPBELL
GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST
COMIC BY NICOLETTE NUYTTEN
COMIC BY ROBERT PASTERNAK
STEREOSCOPE BY NAKFACTORIUM
GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST
GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST
Arts & Culture Editor: Seamus Hamilton-Pattison
Contact: arts@themanitoban.com
Musical mashup of old and new
Local band Towodo blend genres, modern and traditional instrumentation
OLIVIA MICHALCZUK, STAFF
Towodo, the self-professed “electro-infused psychedelic trip-hop” act from Winnipeg, formed in jam room 2-0-2 above the Goodwill Social Club in 2009.
The band formed with the intent of creating a rhythmic, hypnotic sound that would make people move – incorporating Xavier Rudd influences, a didgeridoo and dobro, and crafting songs heavy on percussion and bass.
Their evolving sound and changing music has been due to a changing line-up over the past two years, but Towodo is now comprised of six close-knit members: Mike de Groot (didgeridoo/turntable/electronic percussion), Stephen Barkman (bass), Chloe Shindruk (keyboards/ vocals), Liam Karp (lyricist/rapper), Nick Turnbull (drums/vocals), Robert Turnbull (guitar), with Scott Campbell assisting with live projections at shows.
The collective sound of all six members’ musical expression can be heard live and on their debut album, The Depths. Writing on a spectrum from funk to hip-hop to electronica to jazz to psychedelic rock, Towodo’s inclusive sound has given all members the opportunity to bring their ideas to the table, and jam them out to see what comes of them.
The recording process for Towodo’s first album took place in three different Winnipeg locations. After whittling down their recording list to 11 songs, the members began to create the pieces they would soon puzzle together to create The Depths
Band members and life partners Stephen and Chloe refer to their album as a “sonic journal.” Liam’s experience in Shilo, Man. on the Afghanistan-modelled set for locally filmed movie Hyena Road contributed to some of the lyrics for songs
like “Ghoul Room Waltz” and “Fire Burns,” carrying themes of war.
“Lying in wait, we have a full wheelhouse of grooves, progressions, and melodic ideas that are just waiting to be spun into something”
– Stephen Barkman
Mike de Groot brings a lot to the table in Towodo, with bassist Stephen Barkman referring to him as their “secret weapon.” A percussionist by training, he applies his skills
’Toban turntable
Summer-ready folk and BC-bred space-rock
Black Mountain IV
4.5/5
Black Mountain’s IV – the band’s first release in six years –sounds for all the world like a union of Black Sabbath and a less-flashy Yes, with an organ and synth-heavy aesthetic reminiscent of pioneering 60s space-rockers Hawkwind. IV opens with the slow-burning, ominous “Mothers of the Sun.” The song feels like a constant crescendo, with duelling male and female vocals over swelling organ chords interspersed with a bluesy, distorted guitar riff, and a spastic, winding lead break that could make Tony Iommi crack a smile. Not only is “Mothers of the Sun” one of the album’s strongest tracks, but it’s a bold choice for an opening track to boot – one doesn’t usually expect an album to kick off with an eightminute dirge, but Black Mountain deserves hearty praise for pulling it off this well.
A few faster, more concise tracks – “Florian Saucer Attack” and “Defector” – follow this up with equally strong execution. Female vocalist Amber Webber takes lead on the former and with her belted, punk-influenced vocals soaring overtop driving guitar chords, it almost sounds like The Pack A.D. or Sleater-Kinney – but with far more elaborate dynamics and instrumentation.
While there’s a good mix of short and long tunes throughout the entire album, it’s safe to say that
Black Mountain excels at more epic numbers. “You Can Dream” sports a half-chanted, half-harmonized vocal shared by the group’s two lead vocalists, and accompanied by monstrous, wall-of-sound style guitar chords and synth washes.
“(Over and Over) the Chain” –IV ’s other eight-minute odyssey –unquestionably sports the album’s greatest guitar work with a chilling extended outro solo that features excellent use of feedback, and screeching vibrato.
An underused rhythm section is all that keeps IV from a perfect score. Perhaps Black Mountain’s bassist and drummer are simply doing what the songs require of them but still, there are small intricacies to the drum and bass throughout the album that could have been emphasized more
through both dynamics and production, but weren’t. That all said, those in search of a modern psychedelic rock band that hasn’t been lightened by overt indie-pop influence can stop looking now.
This is a hazy, menacing release that’s truly deserving of the term “headphone album” – there’s a lot to take in here, so pair this one with your favourite lava-lamp or beanbag chair, kick back, and get dazed and confused by Black Mountain’s IV
Black Mountain is coming to Winnipeg’s Pyramid Cabaret on Sunday, May 15. Tickets are $20 in advance and available via www. ticketfly.com
www.blackmountainarmy.com
and knowledge to his turntable, drum machine, synthesizer, and didgeridoo.
The influence of the electronic realm aided in the evolution of Towodo’s earlier organic djembe-and-didge sound to what can be heard on The Depths
“His contraption or set-up – which we affectionately refer to as ‘The Coffin’ due to its large, ominous carrying case – has evolved due to his influences and the accessibility of new gear and programs which he explores,” Barkman said of de Groot.
With the members of the band starting young families, touring is not in their near future. However, they still plan to play summer festivals across Manitoba in addition to booking shows in the Winnipeg area to share their music.
Despite busy life schedules, they have allowed time for rehearsal once or twice a week and have been composing new music for another upcoming album.
“Recording The Depths really helped us hone our writing, arranging, and ability to craft songs,” explained Barkman.
“Lying in wait, we have a full wheelhouse of grooves, progressions, and melodic ideas that are just waiting to be spun into something. Our long-range plan is to start recording next fall or winter for our sophomore album, which we anticipate will continue to exhibit the traits of Towodo: a fusion of multiple genres and influences to create a unified sound that explores the depths of common human experiences including love, life, and death.”
Check out The Depths on Towodo’s Soundcloud or YouTube channel. Physical copies can be purchased at shows or by contacting To wodo at towodo. music@gmail.com
The Strumbellas Hope 4/5
If you’ve tuned into mainstream indie/alternative radio in Canada at all lately, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve been bombarded by The Strumbellas’ latest single “Spirits.” Stations like Winnipeg’s own 99.1 Fresh Radio have been bumping this tune like no one’s business – and with good reason. It’s a great song that encapsulates the best things about the genre, with a real earworm of a chorus. Even if it was your first time hearing that song, you were probably singing “I’ve got guns in my head and they won’t go, spirits in my head and they won’t go” by the end of it.
The Strumbellas seem to know how much they excel at this brand of commercial, folksy indie – and they play it up to great effect all over Hope
Sounding like a more rootsy Vance Joy or a less melancholy Head and the Heart, Hope is full of anthemic shoutalong choruses, tasteful guitar/violin leads, subtly nuanced drumming, and songwriter Simon Ward’s pitch-perfect, impeccable vocals.
Ward’s vocals are at their best on “Shovels & Dirt” and “Wars,” with “Wars” specifically featuring an unexpected break before the penultimate chorus that features a harmonized chant of “There’s a soldier, soldier in my mind” against nothing but muted acoustic guitar, drums, and a snare roll that rhythmically apes a military snare march – it’s a sudden, drastic break that makes the drop into the song’s last refrain sound absolutely immense.
Other highlights from Hope include
“We Don’t Know” and “Young & Wild” – both of which give the more driving, indie-rock-influenced folk of bands like Shred Kelly and Boy & Bear a run for their money with jangling electric guitar riffs set against swelling synthesizer washes (unlike most contemporary indie groups, these are kept in the background, and thankfully don’t overtake the entire mix).
It seems there’s a significant impetus on indie bands today to do something ever so subtly different with their sound – to do something sufficiently weird enough within the constraints of their genre so as to stand out amongst the pack.
It’s refreshing to hear that The Strumbellas have done anything but that on Hope – this is a band very comfortable with their identity as an ultra-sleek, radio-ready indie-folk band, and it’s an identity they’ve leaned into hard, and executed incredibly well on this release. Make sure this one’s in your CD-changer for the long drive out to Folk Fest this year.
www.thestrumbellas.ca
SEAMUS HAMILTON-PATTISON, STAFF
SEAMUS HAMILTON-PATTISON, STAFF
The THREADS that bind us
Multidisciplinary
arts show hopes to encourage collaboration amongst local artists
TOBI NIFESI, STAFF
Amultidisciplinary arts showcase, THREADS, will take place at the Graffiti Gallery (109 Higgins Ave.) on April 8. The event promises to celebrate Winnipeg’s art scene by bringing together some of the city’s finest artists and creators.
“There will be a hairstyling showcase by Lovely Kitty of Berns & Black Salon, a fashion show by Lennard Taylor, a clothing showcase from Greg Blagoev of Szoldier, a live organic improv band featuring special guest artists, a visual arts exhibition on the walls of the Graffiti Gallery space – with works for sale from eight emerging visual artists – and a funky dance party to end off the night with DJ Maverick,” said multidisciplinary artist and event co-organizer Nereo Jr. Eugenio (a.k.a. Nereo II).
The showcase is a collaborative effort between VA Productions’s Arturo Orellana and Love Life Productions’s Niki Trosky, with the help of Nereo II.
“This event is a way to shine a spotlight on people who are working hard on their creative paths. We are not alone in this. We have over 43 volunteers working with us,” Trosky told the Manitoban
“The plan was proposed by Arturo, who contacted Niki and myself after attending two events that we each hosted,” said Nereo II.
“Arturo was very impressed with the quality and content of both of our events, but the only critique he had was in regards to the lack of media attention our shows were receiving. He expressed a lot of interest in wanting to work together, so we organized a meeting to visualize what we potentially could create with the combined efforts of our individual specialties.”
Nereo II has made a name for himself in the Winnipeg arts community over the last 16 years. He specializes in a number of art forms – spoken word, visual arts, dance, and painting amongst others – and has performed at events across North America, Europe, and Asia.
With the THREADS show, Nereo II hopes to share his passion with local artists and push them to appreciate various art disciplines and the local arts community.
“It feels right to say that all these disciplines balance me. Each of them serve as both creative inlets and outlets, and the relationship between each one is so close that they naturally complement each other,” said
Nereo II.
“Me and the Winnipeg art scene have a very loving relationship with each other. I love it, and it loves me [...] I’m all for any event that pushes towards expanding community circles and intermingling all kinds of cultures together. Constantly pushing creative boundaries and maintaining a wholesome, classy, fun, feel-good vibe is the goal.”
Both Orellana and Trosky share Nereo II’s vision.
“Collaborations are fun. There is more power in co-creation. The benefits include expansion of self and understanding,” said Trosky.
“Not only do the artists get to riff off each other, but also the audience gets to watch the process of creativity. That’s where the gold happens. It’s in the making of something great.”
Together, these three artists and entrepreneurs are creating a basis from which they can build on and play their parts in creating the Winnipeg they would like to see.
“Constantly pushing creative boundaries and maintaining a wholesome, classy, fun, feel-good vibe is the goal” – Nereo II
“Winnipeg is small, but our talent is huge. Our climate breeds extreme people. We have six months out of the year to stay indoors and get really good at whatever our craft is,” explained Trosky.
“The talent in this city won’t change, but perhaps our ability to support them will. As a community we need to support each other. Without art the world grows dull.”
Nereo II would like to see downtown Winnipeg in particular become more artsy.
“I would love to see more support and better recognition for the importance of the arts, and an increased drive towards the revitalization of Winnipeg spaces,” he said.
“Why not have more young, hip graphic designers and artists and architects design interesting installations in back-alley spaces? Why not spend less money priming walls, and provide more opportunities for young,
talented emerging artists to prove that they can transform Winnipeg into a beautiful, attractive city? Let’s give people a reason to want to come downtown with cameras, and take photos.”
Trosky warned that guests of Friday’s showcase should by no means come expecting the quiet, reserved
atmosphere typical of an art gallery.
“[Artists and audience can expect] to have some fun. This isn’t a typical art show where you come and sip wine and chat quietly with your friends. This is a party. It is a chance to let loose, check out something new, and hit the dance floor.”
To purchase tickets for the THREADS, visit www.eventbrite.ca/e/ threads-tickets-23071611812
To find out more about the event and the production companies behind it, visit www.vaproductions.ca and www. lovelifeproductions.ca
U of M alum brings Borealis to Winnipeg’s big screen
U of
M grad and award-winning actor
OLIVIA MICHALCZUK, STAFF
M alumnus Jonas Chernick has written, produced, and starred in his latest upcoming film, Borealis – set to debut in Winnipeg on April 15 at Grant Park Cinema. Borealis is a film about a pathologically lying, gambling-addicted, and debt-ridden father who is determined to ensure his daughter sees the northern lights before she loses her sight. 15-year-old rebel Aurora is
aware of the seriousness of her condition but her father is untruthful about how long she will still be able to see. In a last attempt to give his daughter something she will appreciate, he decides to take a road trip to Churchill, MB, shadowed along the way by his lies, addiction, and debt.
The film is unique, emotional, and humorous. It is well led by Chernick and young actress Joey King and you
Jonas Chernick has racked up an impressive resume
feel very attached to the characters and storyline. The themes of the movie are very heavy, so the humour tends to be dark, but it is so honest and relatable (even if many of those in attendance haven’t experienced either characters’ struggle personally).
Your sympathy is traded off between characters because they’re not only struggling with their own issues, but the issues of their family as well – another relatable theme. It’s beautiful, unpredictable to the last minute, and well-made. I do not compare this to other small-scale films but all films when I say that this is a great movie.
Jonas Chernick – Bachelor of arts (theatre & film studies), 1995
Since graduation, Chernick has racked up quite the resume – including acting roles in films and television, as well as writing and producing award-winning pieces.
Chernick wrote, produced, and starred in My Awkward Sexual Adventure , which had its world premiere at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and was subsequently named one of TIFF’s Top Ten Films of 2012.
My Awkward Sexual Adventure
went on to win the People’s Choice Award at the 2012 Calgary International Film Festival, the Audience Award at the 2012 Whistler Film Festival, and picked up a few Canadian Comedy Awards. Chernick was nominated for an ACTRA Award for Outstanding Male Performance for his work in the film.
Chernick also won a 2015 Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Actor in a Mini-Series for his portrayal of Daniel Addison in the CBC’s critically acclaimed The Best Laid Plans
His recent appearances include the 2012 feature Blood Pressure, an episode of season two of FX’s Fargo, and a guest star role in the upcoming second season of the SyFy series Dark Matter
In May, Chernick can be seen in the comedy film How To Plan an Orgy in A Small Town , which recently screened at the Slamdance Film Festival.
Chernick says that the department of English, film, and theatre at the U of M has helped him to continue his art by creating an encouraging community where he could find his voice, explore the media, and take chances. He learned to think about
film critically in the film program and through his analysis, he was able to identify and create his own aesthetic.
Chernick was also cast in the lead role of the first play he auditioned for at the U of M’s Black Hole Theatre Company.
“This was, to say the least, transformative,” said Chernick.
“It was an unparalleled confidence booster, a springboard that encouraged me to take risks and trust my instincts. I met so many people over those four years who inspired me, who influenced me, and with whom I collaborated on a multitude of projects with – many of whom remain my collaborators today.”
Chernick lives by the Winston Churchill quote “success is walking from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”
“I love this quote. Life as an actor is filled with rejection. That’s the nature of the beast. You have to love it unconditionally, and not allow your happiness in life to be tied into whether you got the part or not. And you have to give yourself the freedom to take risks, joyously, regardless of the outcome.”
To learn more about Borealis , visit www.borealisthemovie.com
Batman v Superman starts strong at box office, ultimately falls short of expectations
Divisive new superhero flick succeeds with simple action amidst problematic plot
JESS KOSTUIK, VOLUNTEER STAFF
Blockbuster season has kicked off early this spring with the first instalment of a potential DC Comics cinematic universe: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. With a reported mega-budget of US$250 million, the movie initially dominated the box office, having taken home over US$170 million domestically in its opening weekend – though reports
now state the movie took a colossal dive of 70 per cent over the following week.
Despite an initially impressive opening, the movie has left critics and audiences split over the quality of the movie. This amount of division has been so far unseen in the comic book movie world. If I could give advice to anyone before watching this
humongous spectacle, it would be this: manage your expectations.
Just as the title suggests, Batman v Superman’s main appeal comes from pitting two of the world’s biggest and most beloved superheroes against each other.
British actor Henry Cavill reprises his role from Man of Steel as Superman. Cavill’s depiction features Superman as a righteous and noble figure. Once again, Cavill does a fine job at portraying the Son of Krypton, however, not everyone believes Superman’s outward impression to be true; primarily, Batman.
Ben Affleck is the latest actor to step into the role of Batman/ Bruce Wayne. Affleck takes over for Christian Bale, who played the caped crusader in Christopher Nolan’s fantastic trilogy. It’s tough shoes to fill, and although Affleck doesn’t fit the role as well as Bale, he does an adequate job. Affleck’s Batman is a grizzled veteran vigilante, having kept the streets of Gotham safe for 20 years. Those familiar with Batman’s “one rule” (he doesn’t kill) may be surprised when he doesn’t hesitate to gun down bad guys.
The film kicks off by revisiting
the final events of Man of Steel, in which Superman and General Zod battle, wreaking incredible havoc and destruction on the city of Metropolis while doing so. This time, we see the events from the perspective of Bruce Wayne. He rushes through the streets, just in time to see the destruction of Wayne Tower and the death of many of his employees.
It is the events in Metropolis that put Bruce Wayne/Batman on a mission to stop Superman at any costs before any more damage can be done. It’s an appealing concept, showing the previously seen battle from a different perspective, and one that the film gets right. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for many other portions of the movie.
To be fair, it is quite the task laid out for director Zack Snyder ( 300, Watchmen) and screenwriters Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer. Introducing a new Batman into the existing world of Superman while also setting up the upcoming Justice League film (set to hit theatres in 2017) is a lot to handle. The film attempts to juggle a lot, so naturally not every aspect succeeds – sadly, the plot is one of these aspects.
The script is scrappy, with Terrio and Goyer jumping from unexplained plot pieces and storylines, attempting to mimic the complex and dark films created by Nolan. Don’t kid yourselves, guys. Although the film often takes itself too seriously, eventually it meets the demands of the fans by succumbing to mind-numbing action and special effects.
Snyder, who doesn’t possess a single ounce of self-restraint in his being, lays it on thick with over-thetop battle sequences and violence. I found the titular fight between Batman and Superman to be a disappointment, but for the most part Snyder knows how to handle the action, often composing beautiful and well-choreographed shots. Unfortunately, these moments do not make up for the many parts of the film that fail. Beyond the action and visual effects, Batman v Superman does not offer a lot, leaving fans and critics alike disgruntled. Although it’s unlikely Snyder will be pulled from the project this late in the game, he has a lot work to do if he hopes to win back audiences after this disappointing venture.
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PHOTOS PROVIDED BY JONAS CHERNICK
GRAPHIC BY JONDELL COOMBS
Crease commitments
Bisons goalie Amanda Schubert’s mental game has taken her to new heights in the CIS
ANDY CHE, STAFF
I
t’s a cold Sunday night in Saskatoon.
All is quiet, but there is action aplenty at Rutherford Arena with the University of Manitoba Bisons visiting the Saskatchewan Huskies in a do-or-die playoff matchup. The Bisons and Huskies are entering a record-breaking fifth overtime and deadlocked at 1-1 in game three of the Canada West quarterfinals.
The Bisons eventually won the longest game in Canada West history through Venla Hovi. But during that historic game, another story unfolded. Goaltender Amanda Schubert made an astounding 66 saves for the Bisons, capping off one of the most memorable nights of her career. Even more significantly, the game was a testament to her commitment to stopping pucks.
“That game in itself felt like an entire three-game series. It’s something I’ll definitely never forget,” said Schubert. “I have a lot of faith and trust in my teammates and I never did have a doubt in my mind that we would win that game.”
She was the difference-maker on that occasion and assembled the type of performance a young goalie could only dream about.
Hockey history
Ever since she hit the ice for the first time at the age of seven, Schubert has embraced rising to the occasion as the “X-factor” during a game. For the entirety of her hockey career, she never had to question herself regarding her passion for her position.
“I always wanted to be a goalie ever since I started playing hockey,” said Schubert. “My mom asks me every year if I am sure I still want to be a goalie. Of course my answer is always yes.”
Save after save, committing numerous counts of larceny on her opponents and playing off their reactions eventually confirmed her commitment for goaltending.
“What cemented my decision to be a goalie was the love of being such a difference-maker in a game, or seeing the look on their face when they realize you made that save,” Schubert said. Her monumental performance marked one of the highest stages at which a goaltender can play at the CIS level. Four years earlier, her chances of playing in such a high-caliber matchup looked slim. Schubert first joined the Bisons ineligible for competition as a redshirt – a decision which allowed her to progress up the team’s depth chart in the following years.
“I definitely think that year of redshirting was the best thing I ever did in regards to development of my game,” said Schubert.
Even head coach Jon Rempel was unsure of Schubert’s ceiling when the now-third-year native of Winnipeg began her time with the Bisons.
“When I recruited Amanda, I didn’t exactly know what I was getting,” said Rempel. “Originally I recruited her as a depth goaltender but I realized in the last couple of
years that she is a very good big game player.”
Goaltending tandem
This past season, Schubert shared net assignments in a goaltending partnership with Rachel Dyck. Adjustment to a starting role on a more consistent basis is never easy, but Schubert’s mental approach to the position had given her an edge in tackling the heavier workload.
“For me there is not one player in that room I don’t trust, and that’s a huge weight off when talking about pressure” –Amanda Schubert
“As a goalie, your goal is to get that starting position so I think you always have to prepare like you are going to be playing the next game, and to stay mentally ready. I think that made the transition [from backup to starter] a lot easier.”
Starter or not, Schubert takes a team-oriented approach to her position, rather than the individual route. Having a positive relationship with fellow goalie Dyck made goaltending easier for whoever was starting or finishing a game.
Both Dyck and Schubert have combined forces in the Bisons’ goal since 2013-14, collectively recording 41 wins in 73 games along with 10 shutouts.
“There was never any animosity, only support. I think that’s the beauty of our partnership.” said Schubert. “Of course we are competing against each other for the number one spot, but no matter who is in that position, we always have each other’s backs.”
Their tandem hit a high point during the 2015-16 regular season as both goalies combined for three consecutive shutouts in a streak lasting 247 minutes. It was the first time in seven seasons that the Bisons had accomplished a shutout streak of that longevity.
Even though it’s been no secret that Schubert has lived up to the billings of a big-game goalie, Rempel praised her elevated level of performance toward the end of the campaign.
“In the second half of this year, she took her game to another level and was incredibly solid,” said Rempel. “She was one of the biggest reasons why we were able to go on the run we did this spring. It was nice to see someone who has put a lot of time into the program rewarded with the outcomes that happened this year.”
Role models
Off the ice, Schubert had looked up to different figures growing up. Manitoba native Ed Belfour was among her hockey heroes. Perhaps her choice was fitting. Like Schubert, Belfour was a relatively unknown prospect who worked his way up a team’s depth chart to become one of most iconic goalies among his colleagues. As for her current role models, she did not have to look that far away.
“As I started to grow up I think my idols started changing. The biggest people I model myself after now are
my parents,” said Schubert. “What they have given me is something bigger than any celebrity or professional athlete could ever teach me.”
What’s next?
With two years of eligibility left in her CIS career, Schubert will be looking forward to improving even more next season. She finished the year with just nine goals conceded in nine games, a 0.943 save percentage and three shutouts – all CIS career highs.
The pressure will be on the fivefoot-two goaltender to maintain that form heading to next season, especially with her dominant display as one of the top netminders in last year’s playoffs.
When asked how she handled the pressure during the playoffs, Schubert suggested it wasn’t an individual solution, but a team effort.
“I hear that question a lot and it’s always a hard one for me to answer. Handling pressure is about taking things one puck at a time and trust-
ing your teammates,” said Schubert. “For me there is not one player in that room I don’t trust, and that’s a huge weight off when talking about pressure.”
Of course, goaltending comes with the unwanted component of responding when things don’t go the right way, which adds even more pressure on both the player and their team. But pressure can be taken as a positive for a goaltender as well. In that case, having the right mentality plays an integral role. It appears as though Schubert has had the right mentality for her entire hockey career. “Having a right mentality is part of the position, and that can be the reason some goalies have a bad game or a bad year,” said Schubert. “Of course, being a goalie, everyone sees your every mistake and there is a lot of pressure but pressure is a privilege and I definitely see being a goalie as a privilege.”
PHOTOS BY JEFF MILLER
The next wave of talent
Analyzing the 2016 Bisons football recruiting class
MIKE STILL, STAFF
With Bisons football spring camp quickly approaching, the Manitoban decided to take a positional look at some of the new recruits entering the fold and what they’ll be bringing to the table for the herd both this season and in the years to come.
Quarterback
To say that the Bisons are loaded at the pivot position would be an extreme understatement. With Theo Deezar, Foster Martens, Julian Wytinck, and Billy Hart already in the fold (granted, one of the latter three may be headed to the Rifles), Manitoba went out and added even more talent by nabbing two of the top quarterback prospects in the country in local product Colby Kyliuk and Alberta native Des Catellier.
Both players are sure to redshirt this season, but represent the future for the herd in two-to-three seasons. Each individual is naturally athletic and can make plays both inside and outside of the pocket. Kyliuk has the size, a slightly stronger arm, and an effective three-step drop. But Catellier is the more well-rounded pivot, displaying tremendous accuracy and rarely making mental errors due to his diligent film study. It’s
going to be exciting to see how these two elite prospects develop in their time at the U of M.
With three open positions at wide receiver, the incoming recruiting class will have a chance to mimic what Jesse Walker did last year and start immediately
Offensive line
As usual, head coach Brian Dobie recruited hard on the offensive line, continuing to prove why the Bisons have the most depth in the conference when it comes to the trenches.
In securing Anthony Daley and Aarmin Purewal, Dobie was able to get two junior football veterans who can step in and play immediately.
Tack on Tom Clarkson – a University
of Nevada-Las Vegas grad and older brother of fellow lineman Matt – and Manitoba will have an interesting battle on their hands to see who can slot into the starting five. Matt Kaneski – the best offensive lineman in the WHSFL this past season – will probably redshirt but provides even more reliability for the future.
Granted, Reid McMorris, Matt Clarkson, and Zack Williams will all have something to say as to who steps in and starts due to their experience as current members of the squad.
Receiver
With three open positions at wide receiver, the incoming recruiting class will have a chance to mimic what Jesse Walker did last year and start immediately.
Kyle Patchell, a veteran of the Okanagan Sun, headlines the crop of talent entering the mix. He has previous experience playing with Theo Deezar during their time with Okanagan and will provide valuable leadership for a young group.
Aside from Patchell, Manitoba went out and got arguably the two best local products from 2015 in Conor Nedelec and Liam Grace. Nedelec’s greatest strength is his abil-
ity to use his body to his advantage to get inside positioning on defenders and, if groomed properly, he could be a very effective wideout in a few seasons.
Grace was unquestionably the best receiver in the province this season, and does everything right. He runs every route effectively. He’s sneaky, athletic, and fights for every ball. He’ll likely redshirt in 2016 but has a strong future ahead of him.
“Arguably the best receiver in the WHSFL, Liam brings his experience to our program looking to fill a void,” said Bisons assistant recruitment co-ordinator Francesco Principe. “I had the privilege to watch Liam play countless times and it was not hard to tell that he was a leader and an outstanding athlete. He runs great routes and is a very smart football player.”
Defensive line
For the most part, Manitoba is sitting pretty in the front four – specifically at defensive end. It’s borderline impossible to replace a game-changer like David Onyemata, but Coach Dobie did an effective job of finding a few prospects who could develop into stars on the interior side of the line.
Local product Bojan Stevanovic is a player who stands out because of his versatility. He played on both sides of the ball and could slot in at either tackle or end. He’s a fierce worker with a relentless attitude and high motor.
“Bojan is a big addition to our program. At six-foot-three, 290 pounds, he brings his versatility as he played on the offensive and defensive line at Miles Macdonell,” Principe said. “In the past Miles Mac has produced great players and I can’t wait to see what Bojan can transition into.”
Out of all the players signed for 2016, B.C. native Demarius Henderson is probably the one I’m most excited to see perform. He may not see action in 2016 due to the cluster of talented players already slotted in at defensive end, but the sky is the limit for the future. Henderson’s speed-power combination is nothing short of impressive and much like Stevanovic, he’s a tireless worker.
Defensive back
Marcel Arruda-Welch and Keenan Onyebuchi are the future for the herd in the secondary. Again, both will likely redshirt in 2016, but with Cam Teschuk’s time coming to a close and Tyler Fong’s CFL draft year quickly approaching, it won’t be long until both are slotted into the starting lineup.
“Marcel was easily the most entertaining player to watch when he had the ball in his hands and we are ecstatic to have him as a Bison” –Francesco Principe, assistant recruitment co-ordinator, Bisons football
Arruda-Welch has been the best athlete in the province for two straight years and was unquestionably the top DB this season.
“Marcel was easily the most entertaining player to watch when he had the ball in his hands and we are ecstatic to have him as a Bison. It will be fun to watch him develop,” Principe said. “Out of the entire group of recruits Marcel can make an impact in our program immediately.”
Onyebuchi is a proven winner and his positivity and drive are impossible to ignore.
“I’m very happy to have Keenan as a Bison. He brings his athleticism and leadership to our program and will certainly develop into an outstanding athlete and adult,” Principe said.
“Keenan was the best safety in the WHSFL and has proven he’s a winner with two straight championships in the WHSFL and MMFL. After getting to know Keenan personally, you can tell he is a confident young man whose ceiling is limitless.”
PHOTO BY CHRIS ZUK
Hot Takes with Steltsy and Still
Discussing proper discipline in the NHL and the lack of access media now have to athletes
MIKE STILL AND RYAN STELTER, STAFF
This week, Ryan broke down the state of bodychecking in the NHL while Mike was back at it again discussing the media and athletes.
Clean hits should not be punished
This past week, Winnipeg Jets fans were treated to a monster hit delivered by Dustin Byfuglien on Mark Stone. It was a clean hit on the blue line, a perfectly executed shoulder to chest contact. However, Big Buff was met with a fury of fists from angry Ottawa Senators players. There was no reason to be angry. Stone was rightfully caught with his head down. There was another instance where Patrick Kane was cutting across the neutral zone with his head down and Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba made him pay by delivering a solid hit. Nothing dirty about it, but Dumba then had to answer to Artemi Panarin trying to fight him. Later, Andrew Shaw would square off with the Wild blueliner.
I do not agree with this, as in both instances they were clean hits with no intent to injure and no blatant head shot. Why should guys who deliver big, clean body checks have to fend off half of the opposing team just because they sent a guy into next week?
It makes no sense in my eyes because there is a way to fix those types of hits: keep your head up. How many times are young hockey players told this? Almost constantly. This violent, fighting culture we have in the game of hockey is poisoning it. It does not allow players to go for big, clean hits because they know they will have to answer the call.
I know most NHLers would not
agree with me but maybe tell your teammates to look up more often.
PR personnel are affecting the media’s ability to do their jobs
We are currently in the age of social media and therefore almost every sports team has a Twitter
account. Now, this can be a good thing in terms of keeping fans up to date with scores and results, but it’s a major hindrance when it comes to the media’s ability to get special interest stories out to the public.
Most teams have hired PR personnel, and one of their jobs is to show the athletes off to the fans. This is
done with pre- and post-game interviews as well as special interest video profiles and stories on the team’s Twitter account or website. These are all things that the media is typically responsible for and can no longer do to the same effect as the story they may have wanted to write is already available to the public on social media.
It’s also become increasingly hard to gain access to professional athletes in general, and therefore the media has to fight and claw just to get a general story out to its readers. Naturally, the media will have to adapt, but there should be a give-andtake relationship with team PR, and that’s not currently the case.
GRAPHIC BY BRAM KEAST
From British Columbia to the Boatmen
Detailing the football journey of Bisons wide receiver Malcolm
Williams
MIKE STILL, STAFF
For Malcom Williams, timing has been everything. A two-sport athlete growing up, the Maple Ridge, B.C. native had to make the difficult decision after his grade 12 season at Pitt Meadows Secondary School as to whether or not he wanted to continue with football or basketball heading into university.
William’s original choice was basketball – where he played a year with UBC.
“Coming out of high school, I only had one scholarship offer for football and that was UBC. They wanted me to do both [football and basketball],
which I wasn’t wanting to do, so I had to make a decision on which sport to play there,” Williams said.
After one season, though, he began to miss being on the gridiron and made the shift back to football just one year later – strapping the pads on for the Langley Rams of the Canadian Junior Football League. It turned out to be the right move at the right time for the six-foot-three wide receiver, who had three stellar seasons with the Rams and got his name on the radar of numerous CIS teams.
William’s accomplishments with the Rams included a British Columbia Football Conference championship in 2014, as well as being named a conference all-star in both 2012 and 2013. His personal recognition was all the more impressive considering the fact that he’d taken time off from the sport and also hadn’t had the highest level of competition when playing high school football.
“The intensity and the speed of the game [were the biggest adjustments], because I had previously only played AA high school football,” Williams said. “Going to the junior level and taking football more seriously and being in a more serious football environment really helped.”
After his third year with the Rams, Williams decided the time was right
to take the next step in his football journey and committed to the U of M for the 2015-16 season.
“When I was at UBC, the university-sport environment was so much fun for me and so great that after a couple years of junior I couldn’t wait to get back in that same environment,” Williams said. “After my three years, I wanted to go to the next level and that was the Manitoba Bisons.”
The eligibility issue
Williams headed to the ‘Peg for training camp in August of 2015. At that time, one of the wideout spots was vacant and he had a great chance to step in and start immediately. Despite an impressive performance over the next two weeks of camp, Williams was forced to redshirt due to being academically ineligible from his time at UBC in 2011.
“When I was at UBC, I didn’t get the 18 credits I needed to be eligible to play the next year, so that was kind of the loophole that I was struggling with when I came [to Manitoba],” Williams said.
Much like William’s delay to the start of his junior career, the small roadblock on his path to the CIS ended up working out for the best.
CFL contract
This past January, Williams
noticed a missed call on his phone from a Toronto area code. It turned out to be the Argonauts, who had first scouted the B.C. native two years earlier and then stumbled upon him again at 2015 training camp when a few scouts dropped by to identify future talent.
“One day I just woke up from a missed call from the GM of the Toronto Argonauts, Jim Barker. He was just saying how he’d been scouting me for a couple years in Langley and that he wanted to offer me a contract,” Williams said.
Had Williams played even one game for the Bisons this season, he wouldn’t have had the chance to sign. Instead he would’ve had to go through the regular CFL draft process like every other CIS eligible player.
“It was a situation where I didn’t know I was eligible to be signed. Because I redshirted this year, I kept my junior status which made me eligible to get signed, because at the junior level, at 22, you’re done and you age out,” Williams said.
“The fact that I didn’t play this year was rough to find out at the beginning of the year, because I had no idea, but then at the end of all that, finding out that that [eligibility] was the only reason I was able to get signed with the Argos kind of was a blessing in
disguise.”
The next step
It’s not often that a player gets signed to a pro contract without playing a single regular season snap at the university level. Thankfully for Williams, his time in junior was enough to convince Toronto that he had what it takes to go pro and now he’ll have a shot to prove himself in the CFL.
“I’m in a situation where I’m going in just like any other player on the roster, just fighting for a spot,” Williams said.
Williams will stay at the U of M until April and will then head to Florida for mini-camp, before reporting to Toronto at the end of May for rookie camp where he will hope to crack the active roster for the 2016 season.
PHOTO BY JEFF MILLER
PHOTO BY TARA MILLER
The best from the brown and gold
A quick recap of some of the major award winners from the Bison Sports year-end banquet
MIKE STILL AND RYAN STELTER, STAFF
This past Saturday night, Bison Sports handed out some major hardware at the annual brown and gold awards banquet. Below are the individuals who received major awards.
Male athlete of the year: David Onyemata, football
This was a pretty obvious choice, as the six-foot-three native of Lagos, Nigeria had a stellar season for the Bisons football team – racking up 34 tackles and five sacks. He also represented Manitoba at the East-West Shrine game where he shone. The big man was named the J.P. Metras Award winner as well, for being the best down lineman in all of Canada.
Onyemata’s season was capped off with an NFL pro day at the U of M, where 17 scouts came to see him perform. He will very likely be selected in the upcoming NFL draft this summer.
Female athlete of the year: Kimberly Moors, swimming Moors capped off a phenomenal five-year career with the herd in 2015, earning a silver medal at the CIS National Championships in the 50 metre butterfly, and was named team MVP for the third straight season. She also captured a bronze medal at nationals the year prior and became
the first female swimmer since 2006 to achieve such a feat.
Schepp was the odds-on favourite to win this award and it came as no shock when his name was called
Male rookie of the year:
Brett Stovin, hockey
The first-year forward from Stony Mountain excelled this season for the Bisons men’s hockey team. He scored at almost a one point per game pace in his first year at the CIS, tallying 27 points in 28 games (13 G, 14 A). Stovin also had the second-longest point streak in the Canada West this year, garnering points in 11 straight games.
With his strong season, Stovin was named to the Canada West All-Rookie team, along with teammate Adam Henry. Stovin slotted in comfortably on the Bisons’ top line and was relied on heavily to provide offence for the herd.
Female rookie of the year:
Sydney Booker, volleyball Booker had a fantastic first season for the women’s volleyball team, earning a spot on the Canada West All-Rookie team. She played in 19 of 24 conference games and 61 out of 94 sets. She finished 13th in the Canada West conference with 6.44 assists per set and 12th in the conference in total
assists with 393. She also tacked on 18 blocks and 11 service aces. Booker was a stud for the Bisons in the middle and has excellent hands to boot.
Coach of the year: Kirby Schepp, men’s basketball Schepp was the odds-on favourite to win this award and it came as no shock when his name was called. He led the herd to a 15-5 regular season record – the best finish in program history since the 1977-78 season. The squad also advanced to the Canada West Final Four for the first time in team history.
The powerplay quarterback
Bisons blueliner Adam Henry and his exceptional rookie season
RYAN STELTER, STAFF
The term quarterback in hockey has been graciously borrowed from football to describe a defenseman who has an offensive mindset and is the driving force in a team’s powerplay. Normally, this is a player who is adept in puck control and has great vision in order to make passes with surgical precision – perfectly represents Bisons rookie defenseman Adam Henry.
The five-foot-eleven Winnipeg native is coming off a fantastic season with the herd, where he played in all 28 regular season games, finishing with two goals and 14 assists. Henry earned himself a spot on the Canada West All-Rookie Team as well as the CIS All-Rookie Team for his efforts.
“The award was a complete shock to me – I did not expect that at all and I was super honoured,” Henry said. “Just to be recognized at the national level it was a real honour and it feels good, definitely giving me confidence going into next season.”
Henry bounced around the WHL for the better part of four seasons prior to coming to the Bisons and said that playing in “the dub” was well worth it.
“I loved it. I think it made the experience 10 times more enjoyable for me,” Henry said. “I got to play on four different teams and meet four different groups of guys, I got to experience it all.”
“The goal is to win a national championship. It would be awesome to experience that, and that is our number one goal” – Adam Henry
In his final WHL season, Henry was traded to the Portland Winterhawks, who were stocking up on talented players in an attempt to make a run for the Memorial Cup. Unfortunately, the team was eventually defeated in the conference finals by the Kelowna Rockets. Henry played a big part in that
playoff run for the Winterhawks, racking up 15 points in 17 games and even scoring a few against his former team, the Seattle Thunderbirds. He had to fight to earn his spot on the top powerplay unit with Portland, something that he looks back on as a positive.
“That was awesome for me, to go play with guys like Nic Petan and Chase De Leo,” Henry said. “I started out playing on the second unit, and it made me work harder to get onto the top unit.”
The experience of playing on a high-powered offence definitely helped Henry excel this year with the Bisons, where he slotted into the Bisons’ top defensive pairing and anchored the top powerplay unit.
Playing for Manitoba
After a successful and lengthy junior career, Henry decided to come home to Winnipeg and play for the Bisons.
“There was a lot of different interest from a lot of different schools, but for me it was a no-brainer,” Henry said. “I had my heart set on coming home, plus I am interested in getting into
business and I know the Asper school of business is a renowned business school in Winnipeg so it made sense.”
There was an adjustment period when Henry first hit the ice for Manitoba, but he managed to overcome the challenges he faced early on in the season.
“It was a very big adjustment, the first half of the season – everything was so new to me,” Henry said. “A different league with a different style of play with a lot of bigger, stronger, and older guys.”
With this being his rookie season, there are many more years we get to see Henry patrol the blueline for the herd and he is determined to help bring a national championship to Manitoba.
“We performed above expectations this year and we are not going to lose a chunk of guys this year,” Henry said. “The goal is to win a national championship. It would be awesome to experience that, and that is our number one goal.”
