2 AT A GLANCE P.2: LIFE
P.6: EDITORIALS
The Pinetree Post
STAFF GUEST CONTRIBUTORS Coco Chen, Zohreh Rezaiemanesh, Alice Zhou, Sherry Zuo
Senior Sale 2015
Battle Comics: Marvel VS DC
P.14: COMMUNITY P.26: HUMOR
MANAGEMENT Russell Kim, Felix Guo PT POST PET SLAVES Emily Liang, Elaine Gao JOURNALISTS Elaine Gao, Jeff Feng, Beverley Fung, Hannah Im, Emily Liang, Henry Liu COLUMNISTS Emily Liang, Elaine Gao, Felix Anonymous LAYOUT DESIGN Elaine Gao COVER AND GRAPHICS Emily Liang WEBSITE DESIGN Jordan Liu, Zhen Zhen Tsai SPECIAL THANKS TO Counsellors, Mr. McCullough, Mr. Lau, and our faithful readers
Election 2015: The Who, the What, and the Why
Of Alliance and Alliteration
SUBMIT CONTENT TO THE PT POST! Every issue, the Pinetree Post’s staff writers take on assignments based on what is relevant each month, ie. our “required content”. This is unimportant. What is important is the submissions we receive from guest contributors. They don’t just write on what’s given, they take the initiative to make
their topic relevant. What do you think is underreported on? What are you passionate about? How much do you want to fight Russell Kim? Submit a an editorial, an open letter, a question, an article, a comic, or any type of content to thepinetreepost@gmail.com to see your work in glorious print.
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At A Glance EDITOR’S NOTE
Pinetree Post turns PI
RUSSELL KIM SAID Some quotations regarding Pinetree Post “I was not consulted about this at all.” “I don’t micromanage.” “Don’t blame me! I was not involved in any of this!” “She said she was doing something.”
Russell Kim’s food critic pout.
It’s obvious “PI” stands for Private Investigator. Russell Kim Editor-in-Chief I suppose that, as high school students, we’re all still pretty insulated from the nitty gritty of real life. The problem with that (from a purely journalistic-and probably selfish- standpoint) is that it doesn’t make for very interesting reading, merely reporting on events that have happened, are happening, and will happen. That’s why we at the Pinetree Post have decided to get our feet wet (or just dive in, really) into the world of investigative journalism. I know, it’s one of those ‘hotwords’ thrown around everywhere as clickbait (or open-bait? page-turn bait?) and
Elaine Gao/Pinetree Post
the actual story happens to be about something so banal and uninteresting that it probably wouldn’t keep your attention for much longer than the fascinating topic of Bill-120 and all its registered savings accounted-ness would. We’re delving into the topics of school safety and overworked counselors this issue, and they’ve turned out to be pretty fruitful. It turns out that counsellors are among the staff with the highest workloads, especially when they’re deluged under the mountain of students begging for course changes. Senior Sail also occurred recently, providing plenty of material for us to report on; the first grad event of the year had some hiccups at the beginning, but was ultimately a great experience for all. Enjoy our October Issue! 2
“[says “central media hub” five times in the same sentence]” “I’m not at home; can you get someone else to do it?” “I’m part of the great second Triumvirate.” “I wrote a haiku about the weather.” “Why didn’t you mention [Young Lee’s] date: me?” “It’s hard coming up with creative titles.”
#Justrussellthings
4 STUDENT LIFE HONEST REPORTING
Senior sale 2015
Sara Strestha (left) and Crystal Tse reluctantly smile for my intrusive camera.
A completely unbiased recount of Senior Sail from my personal perspective. Elaine Gao Journalist Newsworthy occurrences don’t happen unless you’re there, so when I tasked myself with writing a recount of senior sail for the school newspaper, I immediately went about deciding what my secret missions would be for the duration of the event, in order to maximize the number of interesting things I could write in this article. Immediately after that thought, I promptly put my ideas aside until the long bus ride to Coal Harbour recalled this project to my memory. This likely explains the completely pointless and unhelpful nature of these missions I took on: I rode the bus to Coal Harbour with Felix, so therefore I decided to follow him all night as his personal photographer. I’d interview sail attendee Young Lee, the student body
Elaine Gao/Pinetree Post
president of rival neighbouring school Port Moody Secondary. Finally, I’d meet Rachel of Qatar; A new student at Pinetree whom, as her title suggests, moved to Coquitlam from all the way from Qatar. Plainly put, this was going to be a really exciting night. Dinner was lasagna, served as we trundled onto the boat. This culinary choice made a lot of sense me, because I can’t think of anything cleaner and more dignifying than a saucy plate of Italian engineering when I’m dressed to the nines. As the night progressed, several more of these peculiar experiences found their way into my careful report. First, I had never worn heels for longer than three lengths up and down a shoe store, so my toes were unaccustomed to the somewhat unpleasant sensation of being crammed
“My parents would pay fifty dollars to expel their rebellious teenager.”
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Student Life into an acute angle crevice for four hours. I also took some time to wonder why it had never occurred to me that nightclubbing on a boat would be a good idea, but the music beat my nerves senseless and I never completed that particular train of thought. Here are some words of wisdumb for those readers considering a profession in personal photography: The experience is akin to taking 62831853071 selfies without the instant gratification of seeing yourself in the resulting photo. What makes it worthwhile to me is the aspect where you do a lot of yelling at people to “stop blinking your dang eyes.” Felix himself proved to be a ruthlessly efficient subject. Whether that is a compliment or not will be left up to interpretation, but I admit that he was a pleasure to work with. He pulled off the incredible feat of looking exactly the same in every single one of the two hundred and thirty four photos I took of him. PMSS student president and guest Young Lee was generally a delight, save for the fact he likely found
YOUNG LEE SAID
Some quotations noted by Elaine Gao during Senior Sail 2015 “I could be at home studying physics right now,” postulates Young Lee, physically sick of Senior Sail. “I take film class in school,” promulgates Young Lee, binge watcher of The Office. Iron-fisted dictator Young Lee allegates, “I’m chill. But yeah, you can just tell people I’m mean, I guess.” Corny question about Young Lee enunciates, “What is someone named Young doing at a senior sail?”
Rachel of Qatar ft. hover.
Elaine Gao/Pinetree Post
me extremely irritating. I suppose one can’t blame him: I was indeed, extremely irritating. I texted two people to come help me ask him to take a selfie with me because I chickened out myself, but he was a really good sport. At around nine o’clock, a disturbing epiphany hit me as hard as the overwhelming collective scent of perfume and cologne: What if we were being shipped away? The more I thought about it, amidst the earsplitting music and the dizzying foot pain, the more the theory made sense. My parents would pay fifty dollars to expel their rebellious teenager. We were trapped on this boat like a bunch of senior sardines. “Sail” is a homonym of “sale”. I got increasingly worried for my wellbeing. Were we really just sailing around in Vancouver Harbour for four hours? Were last year’s senior sale returnees were just clones? Is it really me writing this article right now? I digress. What happened with Rachel of Qatar’s leg of the mission? I succeeded in meeting her with Felix’s help. She was incredibly courteous, showing no signs of being absolutely creeped out by the fact that an unfamiliar student had just greeted her by name. I’ve since added her on Facebook. Did I mention that she comes from Qatar, which is located in the Middle East? Very cool. Since this is exactly what Senior Sail 2015 was like without any bias, I think I can speak for everyone in saying that it was, well- it was memorable. A respectful thank you goes to all the adult chaperones that organized and supervised this event all night at the expense of their own time. .
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Student Life
RUNNING ON HOPE
Terry Fox run
Analyn Purcell shares her story with a hushed crowd.
Emily Liang/Pinetree Post
Terry Fox. When she was entering surgery to have her leg amupated, she remembered feeling ecstatic. “I felt like after today, the cancer would just be gone from my body.” However, a check-up scan several months after her amputation showed a potentially malignant spot on her lung. When she went back under for surgery to ensure that it was nothing major, her doctor found two small nodes of cancer that went undetected by the x-ray. If she had waited any longer, the cancer would have metastasized uncontrollably into a more serious issue. “I’m alive today because he decided to operate that day. Dr. Ken Brown saved my life, twice.”
This year’s annual run saw students braving the rain in the name of cancer research. Elaine Gao Journalist Despite running the Terry Fox run every year since we’ve entered grade school, Terry’s story remains inspirational and poignant. To keep his spirit alive this year, former Pinetree student Analyn Purcell shared some motivational words about her battle with cancer, recounting the pain and emotion she felt as she progressed towards recovery. At 14, she was just another student of Mr. Adair’s, and she was also admitted to BC Children’s Hospital with three other cancer-stricken teens for a pain in her knee that turned out to be cancer. The other teens would lose their lives the following year. She had osteosarcoma in her right leg, just like
“She was just another student of Mr. Adair’s.”
It’s not raining on Shireen’s (blue) parade.
Emily Liang/Pinetree Post
It’s difficult not to run as hard as you can after words like those. Despite the drizzling rain, Pinetree students pledged their support to cancer research by conquering the 3.7km course. Following the run, students and teachers pitched in to raise an additional $100 in donations, with the incentive of having a bucket of ice water dumped over Mr. McCullough. It was yet another one of his countless contributions to Pinetree. September’s event was once again a resounding success, thanks Ms. Vanderkraan’s continued dedication. Terry’s dream lives yet another year. 2
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Emily Liang/Pinetree Post
Student Life
Emily Liang/Pinetree Post Emily Liang/Pinetree Post
Mr. Wallace pondering Students reach for cups of freshly stirred what the rain symbolizes. orange Gatorade after a long run.
Emily Liang/Pinetree Post
Nothing can dampen Colin’s (left) spirits, but it sure can mess up Eric’s (right) hair.
Ms. Martino giving Mr. McCullough a sample of what is soon to come.
Emily Liang/Pinetree Post
Chaska (left) and Leah (right) race to the finish.
8 EDITORIALS BATTLE COMICS
Marvel vs DC
Marvel’s famed Avengers.
Photo Courtesy of Cpcache.com
MARVEL: THERE’S A REASON FOR THAT NAME Marvel is far better than DC, and even DC seems to know it. Alice Zhou Street Fighter
Captain America 2 from Marvel Studios and Batman vs Superman were originally set to come out on the same day. Guess which company changed their release date because they knew they would be outcompeted? It was DC, and they were right to be afraid. DC was hip in the seventies, but Marvel is clearly the more evolved comic company, spreading its influence across a wide variety of media, from TV series to Netflix shows to a new comic universe full of alternate storylines. While DC has come up with some memorable movies recently, it’s the villains that drive their stories, not the heroes. The Joker has more depth and complexity than Batman, whose defining characteristic is his moping. The few well known DC superheroes
“Marvel is continually reinventing itself.”
are overused so much that they become symbols instead of relatable characters.To elaborate, DC has had a cyborg Superman, Superboy-Prime, communist Superman, Bizarro (basically Superman on opposite day), and Ultraman (super evil Superman), without really experimenting with new ideas. “We’ll stop beating this dead horse when it runs out of money” seems to the sentiment among DC higher-ups. In comparison, Marvel is continually reinventing itself, with new comic superheroes such as Ms. Marvel, a Muslim American superhero, reimaginings of classic characters (Jane Foster as the new Thor is a prime example of this), and seven new TV and Netflix shows currently on air or to be released soon. Marvel can be dark and gritty, but unlike DC, it also knows how to tell a meaningful story with humor. For instance, the new Daredevil series focuses on grim street-level crime fighting and moral issues that come with being a masked vigilante, while the blockbuster movie Guardians of the Galaxy features a talking raccoon and a sentient tree, among other wacky characters. In short, DC may have done well in the past and led the comics industry into the Dark Age, but Marvel is the herald of the Renaissance. ,
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Editorials
DC’s ancient Justice League.
Photo Courtesy of Deviantart.com
DC: GRADE A WASHINGTON APPROVED DC over Marvel, all day, any day.
known as “the Dark Age”. Such a moniker is fitting, with seminal Batman titles like Batman: The Dark Emily Liang Knight Returns and Arkham Asylum: A Serious House Featherweight Contender on Serious Earth allowing the character a level of psychological DC Comics, Inc. was founded in 1934, five years before depth Marvel was born as Timely Comics, making it the previously oldest major comic book publisher still active today. absent. The non Without DC, there would be no Golden Age. It began DC-Universe in 1938 with Action Comics #1, the first appearance publications of of Superman. From that day onwards, American this time, like entertainment welcomed a new heroic archetype to its Watchmen and ranks: the superhero. V for Vendetta Can Marvel claim any character so emblematic were equally as captivating. DC legitimized the of the entire superhero genre as Superman? Or superhero genre, and even comic books in general, as a Batman? Or Wonder Woman? Supervillains like the form of interpretive literature. Joker, Lex Luthor, and Catwoman are heroes too, Unlike other comic book publishers, DC has in their own respect; their presence has shaped the matured alongside the industry at a natural pace. It nature of all comic book antagonists thereafter. DC’s lineup kickstarted the Golden Age of Comic Books, an doesn’t rely on nostalgia to sell comics (although the epochal figures it has created certainly help) and never influence that still defines the industry today. DC’s role as a luminary in comic books doesn’t shies away from challenging readers. DC is a company that balances everything needed for good storytelling: stop in 1938. The mid to late 1980s saw a period of the earnestness of the Golden Age and the complexity publication in DC that not only embraced but created of the Modern Age. , the next era of comic books: The Modern Age, also
“DC legitimized the superhero genre.”
10 Editorials TO BE HONEST
Rethinking integrity
Atticus Finch of To Kill a Mockingbird epitomized Integrity. DISCLAIMER: As an editorial article, this piece does not reflect the views and beliefs of the Pinetree Post as a whole. Opinions included in submissions are the responsibility of the guest contributor, and the Pinetree Post provides a neutral platform for this expression. Henry Liu Journalist The word “Integrity” is a central part of the identity of every Pinetree student. As a school, we follow Mr. McCullough’s lead in creating a school worthy of this slogan. However, as the word becomes more and more commonly used, the values behind the word become degraded. To understand Pinetree, we must first understand the meaning of Integrity. Everything in our school revolves around Integrity. From the Integrity Highway courtyard to the backs of everyone’s school planners, one cannot walk through Pinetree without seeing the word “Integrity” at least once. Through this widespread use of the word, the meaning of it is lost altogether. When asked the question “What is Integrity?” students are more likely to talk about Mr. McCullough and tokens rather than about the ideas behind Integrity itself. With the promotion of activities such as spelling Integrity, we completely miss the meaning behind
Photo Courtesy of Huffingtonpost.com
the word and focus on its appearance instead. Such senseless advocacy of the word dissolves it of its meaning. This definition of Integrity destroys any attempt to educate the students of Pinetree on the virtue of morality. In our school, even the best and brightest often choose to focus on their own glory rather than on what is good and righteous. This compromises the school environment and creates an entire generation who believe that Integrity is merely something to fake. Some people in our school are even annoyed by the usage of the word. The negative effects of the over-promotion of Integrity can be seen throughout the school. There is without a doubt that a large percentage of the student population does not possess the traits of Integrity. A few days ago, some students
“A large percentage of the student population does not posess the traits of Integrity.”
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Editorials even stole t-shirts from the supply room. These students do not care for Integrity because they do not see the meaning behind the word. Integrity, once the pride of Pinetree, has turned into yet another problem in our school. Despite all this, Integrity is still a very important trait. The word is an important part of our school and it deserves its recognition. So how do we promote Integrity without making it dull and boring? There are many ways of promoting integrity, including rewarding those who do good deeds. A reward system would be much more helpful in promoting the virtues behind Integrity than the current method. With this method, people would be much more inclined to learn the values behind the word rather than focusing on the word itself. The benefits of Integrity can be seen through practice, rather than just broadcasted over the TV screens. Integrity is not a skill, Integrity is a lifestyle. One can only develop Integrity through practice and dedication. While many go through life without Integrity, they live their entire lives fighting their consciences. However, one who live his life with Integrity is rewarded with a lifestyle that enriches the lives of everyone around them as well as themselves. This, I believe, is a much better way to live. 2
ANONYMOUS ASK
Ask Felix
Not written by anyone actually named Felix. Felix Anonymous Columnist Dear Felix, Why are you so sexy? --Secret Admirer Secret Admirer, I often ask myself that same question. How can a single human be so absolutely perfect? It is because I am not human. I am a god. How is that possible? --SA Well, it is. I know - it’s unfair. Just the other day, I was walking into a human store. One of the peasants asked if “I needed any help”? Isn’t that cute? My minions wish to help me. Clearly, I am a god. If that’s not enough to convince you, then let me tell you about the land of ‘Costco’. I was simply walking, minding my own business. When, get this - they were giving me offerings. How god is that? Free food. Just - handing - it - out. Clearly, I am a god. Oh so yes, why am I so sexy? Because I am perfect. If you would like to learn the secrets to sexiness, follow me on instagram where I post avocado toast and squats. @ felixthehooman Follow me!
Dear Felix, Describe and proove [sic] explicitly that you’re not a cat, because I don’t believe that you’re human. --Dubious Dear Dubious, I know that you are curiously awaiting the answer to my true nature. However, just wait a meownute. I need to let my hooman Russell pet out. I don’t think I even have to prove this. Isn’t it proof enough that I walk around on four I mean two legs and have people flocking to admire me? Isn’t that what Facebook is for? I do perfectly hooman things. I eat cheezburgerz everyday. I pee in a sandbox. I mean what more do you? Cheez, make sure you know what you’re talking about before you ask stupid questions. Dear Felix, Who be [sic] ur Husbando? --Curious Dear Curious, I do not believe in monogamous relationships. If I were to have only one husbando, it would be unfair to my harem fans. Have a question? Send it to thepinetrepost@gmail.com. Sincerely, Not Felix 5dfd
12 COMMUNITY CLUB FAIR
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A tour of the fairgrounds The 2015 Pinetree Club Fair was the first that this school has seen for years. Here, we present a brief glimpse into the two hectic days of non-stop clubbing.
First Aid First Aid
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Coco (right): “More people use food banks than you think; the people that are in need are all around- Alice, Alice! There’s another piece of tape there!”
PTP: “Have you ever broken any equipment?” Beverley (right): “No.” Anika (left): “Yes, but I fixed it.
An M ime an & ga
Pr Adincip vis al’s or y
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Emily Liang Interviewer, Photographer
Timothy: “We’re champions!”
Dana: “Our group is project based; if you’re interested in NGOs, you should join us!”
Team & Aid First Team
League of Legends
Club 180
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Community
YM 1 M De UN & ba te
a ph s Al olve W
Russell: “Central media hub!”
Damir (right): “For a long time, Pinetree hasn’t won an award, but last year, I was awarded Outstanding Delegate at CAHSMUN. When they announced it, everyone was slapping the table and cheering my name in support. People really appreciate you in MUN.”
EF
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Bu PTP: “Will this club make you rich?” Cindy: “If that’s your goal, we can accomodate that.”
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Jason, Hiking Club (right): “My most vivid memory is when I climbed Crystal Falls and my buddy sprained his ankle, so I had to carry him all the way back.” Solomon, Delta Wolf (left): “No tears, only dreams.”
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Pinetree Post
Key Club
Book Lounge
Entrance
Maria: “Now that I think about it, I don’t know why I do this.”
14 Community ELECTION 2015
The who, the what, and the why
Fig. 1: This chart highlights a major flaw in the First-Past-the-Post system. Photo Courtesy of Engageland
Trust me, this concerns you. Zohreh Rezaiemanesh Guest Contributor
With the Federal election coming up this month, you might be just as confused as most of us here at Pinetree Post are when it comes to politics in Canada. But never fear! We’ve got expert political analysts on our team to make things more clear. How does Canada’s voting system work, anyway?
When my parents vote, they’re voting for party leaders, right?
At the moment, Canada has what’s called a ‘first past the post’ system of voting. Each electoral district features candidates from various political parties. These candidates take up what we call ‘seats’ in Parliament. Simply put, the Party with the most ‘seats’ wins the election. The First Past the Post system is highly efficient because it’s so simple- you pick a candidate on you ballot that you support, and that’s all. You may say that the whole process works seamlessly, but the graph above (see fig. 1) shows some issues within the system that we use. There is some talk about changing to proportional representation, but we’ll save that topic for another time.
Do your parents vote directly for Mulcair or Harper to become the next prime minister? Well, I’m sorry to say that this isn’t actually correct. When your parents vote for a candidate in your riding, they’re basically putting in a seat for that specific party. The party itself, however, picks who leads them through a vote. For example, your parents decide to vote for a candidate from the square party. The square party then chooses a specific leader for their party to represent them in debates and other political happenings. In a way, your parents vote for who gets power, and the party decides on who leads them.
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Community I’m not old enough to vote, so why should I care?
This is the most common question out there when it comes to young people and politics. In a nutshell, the political party that comes in power through this election will be basically shaping our future for at least four years. Whether this means higher taxes, better healthcare or lower student debt, the votes your parents make are truly important to your future as an adult. By being politically engaged and aware of what’s going on in the world-especially during the election campaign- you have the ability to influence your parent’s votes. So go ahead: Read up on political ideologies, watch some debates, and maybe start a debate of your own at the dinner table if you want a challenge. Most importantly, try to convince your parents to at least vote for a party this election, and to take your future into consideration. Make democracy work for you. To find out where you fall on the political compass, go to http://www.votecompass.com/. Here are your options:
STEPHEN HARPER Conservative Party of Canada/Parti conservateur du Canada Natural Habitat: Parliament Hill, Ottawa- He’s been there for over 9 years! Also can be found at his strip mall office somewhere in Calgary.
Reigning Champ.
Zohreh Rezaiemanesh/Pinetree Post
Ideology: The conservatives are a right-wing party, meaning that they support traditional values. Conservatives do not support many ‘new’ aspects of culture such as abortions or the LGBTQ+ community (Harpers conservatives haven’t attended any Pride events this year), and value a stable economy over everything else. There is also a strong emphasis on military power and national security.
Can be found: • Saying “Obviously” “Let me be clear” or “I’ve been clear”. • Referring to Trudeau as “Justin”. • Mentioning Canada’s “Strong, stable” leadership. • Accusing Trudeau of wanting to put weed into the hands of small children. • Accusing the opposition of wanting to impose a tax on carbon/Netflix/freedom. • Staring coldly at the camera.
Recent Activity: Steven Harper recently vowed to introduce legislation that would make it a criminal offence for Canadians to travel to parts of the world under the control of extremist groups like ISIS if he is reelected. According to Harper, travel to such regions for reasons other than humanitarian aid is “not a human right”. It’s not clear who would decide on which parts of the Middle East would be closed off, but Iraq and Syria are included on the list. The Controversy: The conservative party recently introduced Bill C-51 (which recently passed in parliament), which gives CSIS (like the FBI of Canada) additional access to citizens data without any oversight by outside groups such as the RCMP.
16 Community THOMAS MULCAIR New Democratic Party/Nouveau Parti démocratique Natural Habitat: Question Period in the House of Commons
Santa Tom.
Zohreh Rezaiemanesh/Pinetree Post
Ideology: The NDP is a left-wing party, with a strong emphasis on social-democratic change. They are open to progressive and non-traditional values and support programs that benefit unions and the working class. Current promises include a $15 minimum wage and a decrease in our dependence on fossil fuels.
Can be found: • Promising national daycare programs. • Saying Stephen Harper has the worst economic record since WW2/ The Great Depression/The War of 1812. • Saying Canada is “Ready for change” • Awkwardly trying to smile. • Waving his hands around to emphasize points.
The Controversy: The NDP’s stance on pipelines has been widely criticized. While the NDP agrees with the expansion of the Kinder Morgan Pipeline, they oppose other projects such as the Northern Gateway Pipeline, which runs from Alberta to Kitimat. David Suzuki has referred to the NDP as “not taking things seriously”, while the NDP argues that opposing all pipelines would stall the economy.
Recent Activity: The NDP recently promised to repeal Bill C-24, which degrades immigrant families to a ‘Second Class’ status and allows their citizenship to be revoked at any time. Mulcair stated: ”I find it lamentable that in a free and democratic society someone takes joy in saying we’re going to have two levels of citizenship. A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian.” Meanwhile, the Conservatives argue that the bill protects Canadians from homegrown terrorism.
ELIZABETH MAY Green Party of Canada/Parti vert du Canada Zohreh Rezaiemanesh/Pinetree Post
Can be found: • Throwing shade during debates. • Bringing up pipelines. • Bringing up climate change. • Thanking First Nations for their land at the beginning of debates. • Making passive-aggressive comments on not being invited to some debates.
Potent in the spring. Natural Habitat: A meadow with pretty flora and fauna. (What did you expect?)
Ideology: The Green Party is a primarily left-wing party with a focus on the environment. Their main ideology includes opposition towards fossil fuels and pipeline expansion, as well as making Canada a global leader when it comes to tackling climate change.
The Controversy: Despite its possible benefits, the Green Party put itself in a vulnerable position by opposing the expansion of all pipelines in Canada. Many party leaders such as Harper argue that Canada’s economy is so dependent on oil that it would simply collapse if we halted the expansion of the tar sands. The party’s decision will be a key factor in ridings that will be directly impacted by pipeline expansion. Recent Activity: The Greens promised to cut tuition fees for students and families without adequate financial means. This means forgiving loans over ten thousand dollars and getting rid of interest on loans. Other parties have raised questions on how the Greens would be able to accomplish their goals.
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Community
Natural Habitat: Probably the hair salon. Ideology: Although traditionally left-leaning, the Liberals of this year’s election are more of a centre-right party. This means that they still value “national security” (they voted for Bill C-51) and a strong economy, but are open towards change and nontraditional values such as a lower dependence on fossil fuels.
Can be found: • At Pinetree Secondary (He used to be a substitute teacher here!) • Saying “Hope and hard work”, “My hardworking/fellow Canadians”, “Middle Class Canadians” • Talking about bringing “Real change to Ottawa” • Taking overdramatic pauses to emphasize points. • Screaming “Nobody believes you, Mr. Harper!” during the McLean’s debate.
The Controversy: Although it may not be typical elections news, the Liberal promise to legalize marijuana has brought approval from some and raised eyebrows from others. Trudeau has defending his point by saying that a Canadian system of controlling and regulating pot would make it harder for young people to buy it while keeping profits from going to organized crime and street gangs.
Zohreh Rezaiemanesh/Pinetree Post
JUSTIN TRUDEAU Liberal Party of Canada/Parti libéral du Canada
Nice hair!
Recent Activity: Former Calgary-Nose Hill candidate Ala Buzreba recently withdrew from her position when racist and homophobic remarks she made at the age of 16 resurfaced on twitter after profusely apologizing for the comments. Liberal leader Justin Trudeau said during an appearance that he’s “glad to see she has unreservedly apologized”, but offered no other comments on the situation.
GILLES DUCEPPE Bloc Québécois Zohreh Rezaiemanesh/Pinetree Post
Can be found: • Saying things en français. • Talking about Quebec sovereignty.
LES POUTINES. Natural Habitat: Standing in front of a fleur-de-lis, eating poutine.
The Controversy: The party platform of the Bloc can be seen as controversial on its own, as the history of Canada is speckled with Francophone vs. Anglophone events. The party isn’t completely clear about how Quebec would become its own country- would it keep Canadian currency? What about travel between the countries? Realistically speaking, it’s nearly impossible for the Bloc to rise to power in Canada. However, they have great power to influence votes within Quebec, where votes are divided between the Bloc and the NDP.
Ideology: The Bloc Québécois is a separatist party in Quebec. Their main goal is to increase the voice of Quebec in parliament, and to eventually become their own country.
Recent Activity: The Bloc Québécois recently released a controversial campaign ad aimed to gain votes in Quebec. The campaign ad features points against the wearing of the religious face-covering (the niqab) and has been called aout as racist and Islamophobic by some, while others argue that the niqab poses a security risk when it comes to voting and taking the citizenship oath.
18 Community WISE COUNSEL
In the counsellor’s office
How well do you know your counsellor?
Special thanks to our contact in the counsellor’s office, as well as the other counsellors for all they do in the school.
Emily Liang/Pinetree Post
helping students with problems at home or outside of school, helping students cope with emotional and psychological issues, and mediating between students, teachers, and parents. counsellors can also provide guidance on careers and post-secondary, both being intimidating topics that students are wary of. Regular schedules are thing of myth for Emily Liang counsellors. Their work days vary wildly depending on Journalist the time of year. Months that involve course planning or course changes are always saturated with activity, Pinetree Secondary is home to four counsellors: Ms. so February to May and the month of September are Dhillon (S-Y, International students), Ms. Hamilton very busy for counsellors. “The hard part is trying (Lee-Q), Ms. Johal (A-F, Z), and Ms. Starr (G-LED, to get students motivated to do work,” says one R). Despite their important role in the affairs of daily counsellor on working with students at this time of school life, many students are unaware of the full year. extent of their work outside of course planning. In Much like the workload, the amount of accordance with the counsellors’ aim to “make the students that counsellors see on a day to day basis learning environment the best [they] can for students,” fluctuates wildly depending on month. When school reporters from the Pinetree Post set out to discover the begins in September, the number of students that truth behind the office door. each counsellor must attend to each day can go to an Counsellors do indeed work extensively with upwards of one hundred. On a slower day, like the one students on course changes, but they also fill traditional that Pinetree Post interviewed a counsellor on, there counselling roles. “My job is to be a helper; that’s what might only be twenty students knocking at the office it’s all about,” explains one counsellor. This includes door. Report card times are also hectic for counsellors
19
Community because of the students concerned about their marks and wanting to drop certain courses. The influx of students is dependent on the needs of the school at the time. Although Grade 9s are often encouraged to visit their counsellor at least once throughout the year, the Pinetree Post’s contact reports that Grade 9s are rarely seen in the counsellor’s office. Even when introduced on the first day or at assemblies, these new arrivals to Pinetree are still hesitant to approach because they are unsure of the counsellors’ roles at the school. “In Grade 10, they get to know you a little bit more, and in Grade 11 they start to come around. They realize, ‘Yeah. She’s not so bad, says one counsellor, with a laugh. Grade 12s are the most commonly seen around the counsellor’s office because they have the time to gain trust in their counsellor and have more needs at the senior level. Grade 12s at Pinetree are particularly concerned about post-secondary and career options, which they go to the counsellors for. Counselling requires a great deal of multitasking in highly critical situations. This means, for example, juggling students with serious mental health issues who require the right services, helping students in difficult home situations relocate, along with balancing the everyday demands of other students, teachers, and administration. “It’s emotionally draining,” one counsellor admits. Despite the obvious difficulties, being a counsellor can still be enjoyable. Such an occupation allows a counsellor the chance to bond with others and develop friendships with students. “I enjoying teasing [the students] a little bit, and I have nicknames for people, like ‘Smiley’ and ‘Princess Sophia’. I enjoy the relationships,” says one counsellor, “And I feel good about it at the end of the day when I’ve helped people and made their lives easier.” Clearly, for counsellors, the real payoff is the breath of relief that students breathe when they step out of the counsellor’s office. 9
“My job is to be a helper.”
CONDENSED Q&A
Words of counsel A counsellor shares thoughts and guidance on her work. Beverley Fung Interviewer
Q:
Other than course changes, which is the main thing that people associate with counsellors, what else does your job consist of ?
A:
My job consists of giving some guidance, helping students that are having problems outside of school, helping students that have emotional and psychological issues, and helping them cope with these issues, mediating between students and other students or students and teachers or students and parents, like a mediator, and also helping with career and post-secondary decision making.
Q:
How does counselling Grade 9s differ from counselling Grade 12s?
A:
Grades 9s generally don’t come down here very often, because they don’t know who we are, they don’t know what we do, and they’re a little bit hesitant to come down to see people. Grade 12s, over the years, they get to know who you are, to trust you and to develop a relationship, and they have more needs at Grade 12. They wanna know about post-secondary, they wanna know about jobs, they wanna know about a variety of things, so you tend to meet the Grade 12s a lot more. 5
20 COMMUNITY PLAYING IT SAFE
Pinetree’s school safety
What’s up with the security crackdowns at Pinetree?
The prologue to the Pinetree Post’s first ever multi-part series on local school safety and security. Emily Liang Journalist Pinetree is fortunate to enjoy a reputation of being a rigorously academic school, thus, its focus is on educational intents rather than the more unpleasant aspects that being a secondary school intrinsically presents. For some, this illusion allows them to focus more on the values of Pinetree. The Pinetree Post could not disagree more. Catalyzed by the arrival of a school liaison officer where there had been none before, student reporters set out to investigate the scruffier side of Pinetree. Unsavoury aspects are too often tucked away in the hopes that people will forget. When kept in the dark, simple misdemeanours turn into rumours and misconceptions. The truth is paramount, even if we have to do some grunt work to get to it. Instead of doing a standalone feature, the Pinetree
Photo Courtest of Opoa.org
Post is launching our first ever multi-article series on the issue of school safety. Over an arc of several months, we will investigate the ins and outs of security at Pinetree using a variety of sources and formats. We hope that this series will excise the facts from fiction and reveal a side of Pinetree yet unseen. Before delving into the reality of the matter, the Pinetree Post decided to ask a specific demographic what they thought about the school. Although only indirectly involved with Pinetree, this group forms strong assumptions based off of the tales that students bring home, or from what students don’t say openly. These people are the parents of Pinetree. Possessing the potential to influence school conduct but not the first-hand information to guide their actions, Pinetree’s parents are in a fascinating position. To properly gauge parent opinions, we asked attendees of the Parent-Teacher Interview Night to fill out a survey about their thoughts on Pinetree. Presented opposite is the collected data. Keep in mind that these statistics represent only the impressions of parents who filled out the survey, and are not facts about Pinetree or a representation of all Pinetree parents. 4
21 Parents gave Pinetree a score of
4
.
2 7
21%
of parents thought that
Truancy
was an issue of concern at Pinetree. out of 5 when asked how safe they felt their child was at school.
15%
of parents thought that
School security
was an issue of concern at Pinetree.
Parents of older students gave an average safety score
0.3
points higher
12%
of parents thought that than parents of younger students.
64% of parents believe that Pinetree is dedicated to improving school issues.
Substance abuse
was an issue of concern at Pinetree.
30%
of parents thought that
Student apathy
was an issue of concern at Pinetree.
22 COMMUNITY Q&A WITH MR. MCCULLOUGH
Liason officers and the police force Hark, he speaks!
To clear up confusion about the roles and presences of school liaison officers in the district, Mr. McCullough was kind enough to answer these interview questions. Emily Liang Journalist Pinetree Post: What has changed so that we now have a school liaison officer? Mr. McCullough: We’ve always had one. We’ve had one for over 10 years, and every school in the district has one, but students haven’t seen one around for a long time because they’re always short on staff and there’s no time to come by. There are currently five officers assigned to SD43, and each one is allotted certain schools. Pinetree share a school liaison officer with Gleneagle and a few other high schools. PTP: Who funds the school liaison officers? Mr. M: The officers are actually part of a police program that is funded by the city and the province. It also depends on where you’re situated in British Columbia. We here at Pinetree use the RCMP, while PMSS uses the Port Moody police force.
Emily Liang/Pinetree Post
PTP: Who is our school liaison officer? Mr. M: The one assigned to Pinetree is Constable Matt Erickson. He hopes to be here a few days every week, but he hasn’t been able to recently because he injured his back. Matt is from Prince Rupert and he’s actually new to the force. PTP: Is being a lisaison officer a permanent post? Mr. M: Most liaison officers are fresh recruits, and they usually don’t stay in this line of work very long. They do assignments in schools for two to three years, and they they move on to other police work. PTP: How often are school liaison officers called in to school for policing? Mr. M: They’ve been called in for incidents at Pinetree a few times a year. It’s usually for issues like missing students, or occasionally, drugs. Other than that, the school liaison program has mostly shifted in focus. Officers now provide more of an educational role than an enforcing one. Their priority now is to be proactive and teach students about the law and the police force rather than doing practical policing. In the old days, I could call in an officer directly and get help with many issues, but now, we’re told to call 911 if there’s a police problem.
24 Community SCHOOL REVIEW
Pinetree’s new cafeteria
This is what we used to sell: Dear, sweet poutine.
Students chime in about the new cafeteria. Coco Chen Guest Contributor
First returning to Pinetree after two and a half months of vacation, students discovered that the school was not as they left it. The timetable was different, new employees joined the ranks of Pinetree staff, and the school cafeteria, beloved for its array of constantly available food, was no more. Students who did not bring lunches from home had to go off school grounds to purchase their food, and Pinetree was not the only school where this was the case. Five out of eight high schools in the district were forced to close down their cafeterias due to budget cuts. The vetoing of cafeterias was an expected part of the BC education system’s economic situation, as
Henry Liu/Pinetree Post
SD43 middle schools have not had cafeteria services since 2014. However, a new cafeteria service has been selected for SD43 high schools, Canuel Catering. Canuel Catering is a catering service that is located in Surrey, and also provides service to 54 high schools across the province, focusing in the Lower Mainland. All of the food items are made fresh on-site daily, which includes, burgers, sandwiches, and soup. They are dedicated to promoting health within school settings, and to “come
“The burgers are probably not worth the 3 dollars unless it’s an emergency.”
25
Community up with healthy choices that are still exciting for kids and adults to eat”. The cafeteria change posed many questions. To answer a few very common ones, tokens are still applicable, the prices have not changed much, the highest price being $5.25, and as everyone discovered when the cafeteria opened, the Pinetree-famous poutine is no longer available. Here are some opinions from students about the new cafeteria: Leo He (Grade 11) thinks that the burgers are “probably not worth the 3 dollars unless it’s an emergency,” and wants to remind everyone to never forget the sauce. Manesh Sandhu (Grade 12) is pleased that the new cafeteria is much healthier than the old one. Simon Shou (Grade 10) thinks the prices for the sandwiches aren’t bad, but the other things, such as the $3 aloe vera and $4 instant noodles aren’t worth it. He says the things are pretty expensive, and that overall, he’d rather have the old cafeteria back. Shirley Zhang (Grade 11) had a different outlook on the prices, and dislikes the packaged vegetables. She says that “the staff is very nice and friendly, and the food is slightly cheaper, but I don’t get why we have to put the mayo and lettuce on the burger ourselves... the lettuce is in plastic packaging which is unsustainable.” Colin Wang (Grade 10) said that the cafeteria is “cheap but expensive”, and that the cashier goes by a lot faster and the service is better than before. Vivian Zhou (Grade 12) thinks that the prices have become more reasonable, though is sad that “the beloved poutine is gone”. Sherry Zuo (Grade 11) agrees that the cafeteria staff are nicer, saying that “the new cafeteria staff welcome[s] [you] in”. She highly disliked the packaged vegetables, saying that “you have to put on the tomatoes and lettuce that are packaged in yourself, which are manual labour to eat”. She was, like many, upset about the fact that there are no cookies or poutine anymore, saying that “the cafeteria food is drier, blander, but healthier”. She also states that “the whole obsession with the health food thing is like, we can go to Tim Horton’s.” The new cafeteria opened on Thursday, September 24th, and now runs from 8:00am-1:30pm. 7
CONDENSED Q&A
Cafe chatter
I interviewed one of the cafeteria workers, Michelle, who has worked at Pinetree since last year, and just joined the ranks of Canuel Catering. Coco Chen Interviewer
Q:
Have you worked at any other schools?
A:
Yes, I have worked at almost all the high schools and junior highs in SD43.
Q: A:
How are you liking Pinetree?
Oh, I love it here. You guys here are much more polite.
Q: job?
What is the best thing about your
A:
You guys!
Q:
What is the hardest thing about your job?
A:
You guys! And the timing. 5
26
Humour
Comic Corner Guest contributor Sherry Zuo subjects readers to some medieval punishment.
Emily Liang’s Sticks and Squares makes a return.You might think it’s #deep, but it’s really just censored.
27
EVENTS & DIVERSIONS Sunday
October 2015
Monday
4
Tuesday
5
12
Wednesday
1. Photo retakes 2. Mock MUN after school
6
Friday
Saturday
1
2
3
7
8
9
10
14
15
16
11
Thanksgiving Holiday
18
1. WYNS sale 19 @ Cafeteria 19-21 2. Grad Photos begin. 3. University fair
1. Mock MUN 20 after school 2. Grad clothing order froms due
21
22
1. Pro D Day 23 2. Global perspectives Auction/Reunion Night
24
1. Grad photos 25 begin
26
27
28
29
1. Halloween Festivities
30
1. UNICEF 31 Money Collection 2. Me to We Food drive
1. Grad group photos
13
Thursday
1. Grad group photos
1. Key Club Garage Sale 9-5PM
17
MAIN LEVEL Camera icon = Recent point of ambush for Humans of Pinetree
Office (see page 10) The heart of Integrity.
Gym 1 (see page 20) Parent-teacher interview night point of survey attack.
A102 (see page 8) Marvel vs DC, where the fight first began. (see page 18)
Counsellors’ office (see page 18) No password required- other than your last name, that is.
Cafeteria (see page 24) Now catering to some of your needs!
Gym 2 (see page 12) Go partying at the club fair... or drop off a question to Felix.
Percy Perry Stadium (see page 6) Throwback to actual exercise and the ice bucket challenge.
Gym 3 (see page 14) Possible future polling station?
UPPER LEVEL
Library (see page 26) Where else to find Of Mice and Men?