volume 20, no. 1 spring 2008 The University of Regina Magazine

TheUofR Graduate who was almost Prime Minister of Australia

Luther College student Jeremy Buzash was among the competitors at the Regina Musical Club’s recital competition on May 10 in the Luther College Chapel. The competition included performances on piano, violin, flute, percussion and vocals. Up for grabs was a $1,000 scholarship. The winner was soprano Mary Joy Nelson BMus’01. Nelson graduated summa cum laude in 2006 from the vocal performance program at the University of Kentucky where she is completing a doctoral degree in voice. Photo by Trevor Hopkin, AV Services.

Degrees spring 2008 1 Although you’ll find “The I read with interest your I was interested to read the Who’d have thought, after all University of Regina tribute to Professor Duncan fall 2007 article by Marie these years, that two issues in Magazine” on our front cover, Blewett in the Fall 2007 issue Powell Mendenhall on the arowofDegrees would have that moniker is not entirely of Degrees. I thought that I legacy of Duncan Blewett. I content that struck so close to accurate. That’s because in should balance the emphasis was one of a few hundred home? the truest sense Degrees is on psychoactive drug research students in his Psychology 100 I was an undergraduate your magazine. Of course we in the article with a story class in about 1969. I don’t and graduate student at the enjoy bringing you the stories about one of Professor remember what he looked like then University of of the terrific people who Blewett’s other interests. or how he dressed but I vividly Saskatchewan Regina Campus have an association with the In the winter of 1984, I took recall his charisma and from 1967 to 1973, and U of R, but we can’t do it in a graduate reading course in powerful stage presence. intimately involved in student isolation—we depend on your consciousness with Professor At the start of each class affairs. As a member of the input. We were thrilled with Blewett. He had read Gary he would ask for estimates of SRC (and president for a while) the number of letters and Zukov’s book The Dancing We our group psychic energy level in the late 60s, the Carillon emails we received in Li Masters and wanted to talk and then decide whether he crisis and the surge of student response to the Fall 2007 about the interface of needed to raise it or not. If it activism became a defining issue of Degrees.It’sso quantum mechanics and was too low, he would part of my life. A few years gratifying when the stories we consciousness. Every week he increase it by standing at the later, when I was a grad pursue strike a chord with asked me to explain to him front of the stage and slowly student, Duncan Blewett was a our readers. Please, keep basic ideas in quantum raising his hands, palms major influence and mentor, those emails and letters mechanics and its upwards. Believe it or not, it and a member of my thesis coming. Tell us what we are relationship to consciousness. worked; I always felt better committee. He and June doing right and let us know Then, after a while, we afterward and I think everyone became friends, and I where we can make would break off that line of else did too. remember paddling into their improvements. Send us your discussion and we would talk He must have had some remote Lac La Ronge island story ideas or just drop us a in a far ranging manner about kind of power over the one summer, unannounced, to note and tell us what you’ve the nature of consciousness. department too, for although a very warm welcome. The been up to lately. You’ll find I ended up writing my term we had an expensive textbook, enthusiastic reception might all our contact information on paper about quantum I don’t recall that he ever have had something to do the facing page. We look mechanics and human mentioned it or anything in it. with the fact that we had a forward to hearing from you consciousness and it ended Instead, we heard a great deal supply of rolling papers, and and trust you will enjoy up getting published in about his theories of they’d run out. reading this issue of Degrees. Physics in Canada. It was my consciousness. There are a lot of stories still first academic publication! I was appalled when he to be told about those heady Greg Campbell Since then I have gone on to “spray painted” Einstein’s days on campus, and I hope Editor write numerous articles and famous equation to match the that you will continue to tell four academic books. And for décor, like something from a them—without neglecting the the past 20 years I have been garage sale, and hung it on present, of course. Life does teaching consciousness at the bare wall of his go on. consciousness theory classroom. King’s University College, If it was just a teaching Best regards, courses that have always method, it worked, for I Ron Myhr BA(Hons)’71, MA’73 been popular with students. remember it almost 40 years But it is only recently that I later. Dr. Blewett’s classes were have returned to the often outrageous and In Degrees, (Vol.19 #2, pg. 19), substance of those sometimes infuriating, but they I am included in your cover of discussions with Professor were always well-attended and alumni represented by the Blewett and have gone back never boring. Assiniboia Gallery of Regina. to looking at the quantum The article states that I have mechanics and consciousness Randall Osczevski BSc’73. an MEd’96. Sadly, this is not interface. This is a rich area the case. It must belong to of investigation that is someone else, but the thought gaining in prominence, but I’ve recently re-connected with is flattering. Thank you for whose importance was the University and got my first your attention. appreciated by Professor copy of Degrees today (Fall Blewett already back when I 2007). I was stricken to find Terry Osborne BFA’74, BEd’81 was still a doctoral student at an article about the life and the University of Regina. death of my teacher and friend, Duncan Blewett, and Sincerely, bemused to find an article Imants Baruss PhD’89 about student activism back in Professor the 60s and 70s, in the online archive version of Spring 2007.

2 Degrees spring 2008 Editor Greg Campbell ’85, ’95

Communications Director Paul Corns

Alumni Association Board 2007-08 Loni Kaufmann ’95 President The University of Regina Magazine Charlene Banjac ’98, ’06 First V-P Spring 2008 volume 20, no. 1 Sean McEachern ’03 Second V-P

Colin Woloshyn ’99 V-P Finance

Brian Munro ’96 Past-President On the cover: John Hewson MA’69 was poised to become prime minister of Australia as Janet Sinclair he led the Liberal Party into the 1993 federal election. What happened? Read Catherine Margaret Dagenais ’87, ’91, ’97 Armitage’s compelling story beginning on page 24. Teresa Drew ’01 Rebbeca Gibbons ’99 Neil Jacoby ’74 Richard Kies ’93, ’03 Jay Kirkland ’99 Scott Nicholson ’93 ’96 Christy Ross BPAS’93

Contributors Catherine Armitage Phillip Charrier Don Hall Trevor Hopkin Brian Miller ’89, ’95 Brenda Oliver David Sealy 8 12 24 Lisa Maree Williams

All photos by AV Services unless otherwise noted. Original design and layout by features Bradbury Branding and Design. departments The miner’s daughter 8 Degrees is published twice a year by External Relations at the University of Meet Vianne Timmons, the Feed Back 2 Regina. The magazine is mailed to alumni University of Regina’s seventh President’s Note 4 and friends of the University. Ideas and president and vice-chancellor. opinions published in Degrees do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, the Around Campus 5 Alumni Association or the University of Dream project 12 Regina. Letters and editorial California filmmaker Chrystene Spot Light 17, 44 contributions are welcome. Advertising inquiries are invited. Ells uprooted her life and Focal Point 22 moved to Regina to begin a film she had been dreaming about Alumni News 36 To reach us: making for almost two decades. Class Notes 38 Editorial/Advertising/Letters Degrees, External Relations The earnest emergence 360 Degrees 42 210 North Residence, University of Regina of queer studies 18 3737 Wascana Parkway Regina, SK, S4S 0A2 Queer studies is slowly finding Ph: (306) 585-4402 Fax: (306) 585-4997 its way into Canadian Email: [email protected] university classrooms. This Address Change winter, Cultures of Queer, the Alumni Relations first U of R class offered in the 210 North Residence, University of Regina discipline made its debut. 3737 Wascana Parkway Regina, SK, S4S 0A2 Ph: (306) 585-4112 Fax: (306) 585-4997 A man for all seasons 24 Email: [email protected] John Hewson spent less than a Toll-free: 877-779-4723(GRAD) year at the University of Regina (in Canada and U.S.) in the late 1960s yet his University of Regina homepage experience in Regina left an www.uregina.ca indelible mark on the man who Publication Mail Agreement Number would later vie for the office of 40065347 prime minister of Australia. Return undeliverable magazines to: External Relations 210 North Residence, University of Regina A conversation with 3737 Wascana Parkway Rob Norris 32 Regina, SK, S4S 0A2 Degrees sits down with Rob ISSN 0843-7092 Norris, Minister of Advanced Education, Employment and Labour, to talk about his vision for post-secondary education in the province.

Degrees spring 2008 3 President’s Note Just over a year ago, I Strategic Enrolment universities expect the new University, we have assumed the office of the Management (SEM): Alarmed school to be in operation by accomplished much to be president of the University. A by a disturbing downward the fall of 2008. proud of in the past year. I good deal has happened in trend in enrolments in recent feel confident that Vianne the interim, and I welcome years, I was determined to Fee sharing with Federated Timmons, the new president this opportunity to reflect on develop an SEM plan to help Colleges: In early 2006, there and vice-chancellor, joins a where the U of R has been the University reverse this was a very public university that is positioned and where it may be going. trend by attracting more new confrontation between the for future success on all students and retaining a University and two of its fronts. My first task as president was higher proportion of those federated colleges, Campion to try to instil a sense of calm already enrolled. Jim Black, and Luther Colleges, about the It was an honour to have been and stability after a period of president and CEO of apportioning of tuition fees asked to serve the University upheaval in the senior SEMWorks, was engaged as a among the three institutions. A of Regina as its president and administrative ranks. I have consultant. Working with Don stop-gap arrangement it has been a privilege to work written and spoken repeatedly Clark, special advisor to the considerably reduced tensions with and have the support of during the past year about the president on SEM, five teams for the 2007-08 academic year, the campus community, alumni gratitude and humility I have of faculty and staff, and the and I’m optimistic that a more and community leaders during felt as a result of many SEM Management Committee, permanent arrangement will be my short term in office. To expressions of support for me Jim Black produced a draft in place before I leave office. President Timmons, I offer and the executive team. This SEM report that was rolled out every good wish for success. support played a key role in to the University community in These initiatives, while re-establishing a calm and late April. important, barely touch the Jim Tomkins purposeful atmosphere on surface of the achievements of campus. Branding Initiative: In an age the University during the past of increased competition for year. The successful The Board of Governors was students, staff and faculty, it is completion of the Building clear in its expectation that I important that the U of R Dreams and Futures Campaign would be more than a present a consistent and clear and the receipt of the largest “caretaker” president. This image to the world. To this single donation in the coincided with my own end, Barbara Pollock, vice- University’s history—$10 preferences but, at the same president (External Affairs), million from Mr. Paul Hill—are time, I thought it was and Paul Corns, director of two other signal events. To be important for me to restrict my communications, are working sure, the past year was not all plans to initiatives that either with a consulting firm, clear sailing. The strike by could be completed in 15 Stamats, to develop the support staff last November months or ones that were of University’s “brand.” This had generally negative effects clear strategic benefit to the project will continue into on the entire campus University, lest I unnecessarily 2009. community and it reminded us circumscribe my successor’s all that there is no room for plans. Fortunately, there was School of Public Policy: In June complacency with respect to no shortage of such initiatives; 2007, the University of labour relations in pursuit of I will briefly review four of Saskatchewan and the U of R the University’s overall goal of them now: agreed to merge their public being a preferred place to policy programs to form a work and study. On the whole, single, provincial school: The through the efforts of faculty, Johnson-Shoyama Graduate staff, students and School of Public Policy. The administration of the

4 Degrees spring 2008 Far right: Students from the Paul J. Hill School of Business celebrate their second place finish at the JDC West business competition.

Right: Steve Kirkland.

Bottom: Polo Diaz, Susan Johnston and John Conway.

Briefly they enjoy skiing, kayaking and teaching, research and public management information the outdoors generally. In service—and are jointly funded systems, entrepreneurship, On May 1, Mo Bundon, chair of recent years, she has taken up by the University of Regina finance, accounting, strategy the Board of Governors, marathon running. Alumni Association and the and human resources. In the announced the appointment of University. Department of individual business case Vianne Timmons as the seventh This spring convocation’s English faculty member Susan competition, the University of president and vice-chancellor of honorary degree recipients are Johnston is the recipient of the Regina finance team was the University of Regina, (See violinist Eduard Minevich; Award for Excellence in crowned as JDC west finance story page 8). Timmons comes Bonnie Dupont BSW’76; group Teaching. John Conway BA’66, champions, while the accounting to the University with a wealth vice-president, Corporate MA’68 of the Department of team finished second in its of academic and administrative Resources, Enbridge Inc.; and Sociology and Social Studies division and the management experience as well as a history mathematician Robert Moody. will receive the Award for information systems team of community engagement. Minevich is a respected Excellence in Public Service. finished third. Prior to coming to the performer and teacher and And, the Award for Excellence in University of Regina she was serves as the concertmaster for Research goes to two faculty On May 6, the University of the vice-president of Academic the Regina Symphony Orchestra members: Polo Diaz from the Regina’s Seniors Education Development at the University and Regina Chamber Players. Department of Sociology and Centre and Seniors’ University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI). DuPont has worked in both the Social Studies and Stephen Group honoured David Suzuki A professor of education, she grain and the energy industry Kirkland from the Department with their Distinguished has served as chair of the and is accountable for of Mathematics and Statistics. Canadian Award. Suzuki is an Education Department at St. Enbridge’s Corporate Resources award-winning scientist, Francis Xavier University and function, which includes Forty-four students from the environmentalist, broadcaster dean of Education at UPEI. Information Technology, Public Paul J. Hill School of Business and co-founder of the David Timmons spent her early career and Government Affairs, Human proved they have what it takes Suzuki Foundation. Each year in Alberta and British Columbia Resources, Governance and to compete with other business the Seniors Education Centre and moved to Atlantic Canada Corporate Social Responsibility. students across Canada when and Seniors’ University Group in 1992 to join St. Francis Moody is a celebrated they took home second place honour a Canadian who has Xavier University. She has been mathematician and is an Officer honours at the JDC West contributed to Canadian life at the University of Prince in the Order of Canada. business competition held at with the Distinguished Canadian Edward Island in Charlottetown the University of Lethbridge in Award. Past recipients include for the last 13 years. Simmons The recipients of this year’s January. During three days of Lynda Haverstock, Maria and her husband, Stuart, have Alumni Association’s Awards for competition, more than 500 Campbell, Lloyd Barber and T.C. been married for over 25 years. Excellence have been selected. students participated in nine Douglas. They have four children and The awards reflect the three business case challenges two grandchildren. As a family, primary roles of the University— including marketing,

Degrees spring 2008 5 Mary Hampton James Pitsula William Hales Anne Lavack

Three University of Regina Veawab and Aroonwilas’ project resources to address family History professor James Pitsula engineers who have developed involves using low-quality violence and examines the BA’73 celebrates the students several CO2 capture and feedstock such as cooking oil social, legal, psychological, of the 1960s and their legacy storage technologies are the and animal fat to produce health and financial problems in New World Dawning, 2008 recipients of the Award of biodiesel. By using these violence creates for tens of launched in March. The book Innovation. The award was sources rather than high- thousands of Canadians. was published by the presented to Raphael Idem, quality and high-cost sources RESOLVE was established at Canadian Plains Research Paitoon Tontiwachwuthikul and such as virgin vegetable oil, the University of Manitoba in Center. All royalties from the Don Gelowitz, members of the their work could develop a 1992 and has satellite offices sale of New World Dawning University of Regina Process lower-cost biodiesel whose in Saskatchewan and Alberta. will be donated to the Systems Engineering group. The production and availability are In her new role, Hampton will Carillon, the student award was presented at the not affected by crop-growing act as a liaison between newspaper on campus. Regina Chamber of Commerce’s variables such as drought, frost academic researchers and the Paragon Awards banquet on or poor harvest. Idem’s broader community. David E. Smith, Senior Policy April 3. research involves finding an Fellow with the Saskatchewan economically viable way of With the April 2 opening of Institute of Public Policy Raphael Idem was also part of producing hydrogen fuel from the Interactive Media and (SIPP), has been named the a group of three professors to renewable and non-purified Performance (IMP) labs, the winner of the 2008 Donner be awarded just under biomass sources. This process University unveiled one of the Prize, the award given $600,000 to work on two would involve using waste most unique centres of study annually to the author of the different but related projects from biodiesel production as on the continent. The labs best book on Canadian public designed to develop new one of the feedstock materials, house a multi-media DJ policy. Smith’s award-winning methods of producing biodiesel and would have the added interactive studio workshop book The People’s House of and hydrogen fuel from environmental benefit of and performance space, a Commons: Theories of renewable resources. Idem, Amy removing CO2 that already beat-making and electronic Democracy in Contention, Veawab MASc’95, PhD ’00 and exists in the atmosphere. music production studio, an examines the major questions Adisorn Aroonwilas MASc’96, ethnomusicology lab and of parliamentary governance PhD ’02 all professors in the Mary Hampton, professor of research offices for graduate facing Canadians today. The Faculty of Engineering, have psychology at Luther College at students and post-doctoral book outlines the historical received three-year Strategic the University of Regina, has fellows. The labs offer U of R foundations of Canadian Project Grants from the Natural been appointed the students and researchers one parliamentary, constitutional Sciences and Engineering Saskatchewan Academic of the few opportunities in and electoral democracy, and Research Council (NSERC), the Co-ordinator for Research and North America to study DJ considers the ramifications of federal granting agency that Education for Solutions to technologies, DJ music cultures many of the changes currently funds research in the natural Violence and Abuse (RESOLVE). and the social worlds within being proposed to Canada’s sciences and engineering. The research network pools which they thrive. political system.

6 Degrees spring 2008 William Hales BFA’78, MFA’00, gas emissions, we will also have Director of the University of in the 1970s and a formative an instructor in the Department to adapt our thinking, decisions Regina’s Office of Energy and member of the Department of of Theatre, has been busy and behaviour in order to Environment Malcolm Wilson Media Production and Studies recently with The Only Animal mitigate the many risks can count himself among at the University. Throughout theatre company’s NIX in associated with climate change. those who have contributed to the ’70s and early ’80s, he Whistler, B.C. and Calgary, Alta. Among the report’s conclusions: winning a Nobel Peace Prize. taught film history and NIX is described as a fairy tale • The climate of the Prairies is Wilson was one of the lead aesthetics and inspired a for the end of the world and warming faster than the authors of a special report on generation of Saskatchewan centres on a handful of global average; carbon dioxide capture that filmmakers. survivors who take refuge in a • Future projections are for was released by the snowdrift. Next January, NIX will more frequent drought, but Intergovernmental Panel on The University of Regina’s new premiere as part of playRites also increased precipitation, Climate Change (IPCC). As a director of Enterprise Risk result of the report, the IPCC, Management is David Boehm ’09 (in Calgary) and in 2010 will especially in winter and along with former U.S. vice- MBA’02 a long-time Regina be one of the central pieces of spring, but generally longer, president Al Gore, was jointly resident and formerly the the Cultural Olympiad that will drier summers; awarded the Nobel Peace director of Saskatchewan be part of the Vancouver Winter • Major shifts in the Prize. Agriculture and Food’s Policy Olympics. distribution of ecosystems and water resources; Branch. Boehm also served as • The Prairies are losing some For the past year, Saskatchewan the acting associate deputy Anne Lavack, dean of the residents—as well as people minister for Saskatchewan Faculty of Business advantages of our cold winters such as limiting from around the world—have Agriculture and was formerly Administration, has been pests and diseases, and been touring the province from director of Sask Ag’s Financial reappointed by Tony Clement, facilitating winter operations their own homes using the Programs Branch and the Minister of Health, to the Board in the forestry and energy online version of the University Statistics Branch. of Directors of the Canadian sectors. of Regina’s Encyclopedia of Centre on Substance Abuse The report can be found at: Saskatchewan. The results are English department faculty (CCSA). She has been on the member and Emily Dickinson http://adaptation.nrcan.gc.ca/ass impressive—since the Board since 2002. In addition encyclopedia first became scholar Cindy MacKenzie has ess/2007/index_e.php. to her position with CCSA, available online last April, the just published Wider than the Lavack also served on the website, www.esask.uregina.ca, Sky: Essays and Meditations on Two University of Regina faculty has received more than one the Healing Power of Emily Ministerial Advisory Council on members have published a million hits. Dickinson. The book is a joint Tobacco Control, a national report that ranks 17 effort between MacKenzie and committee also reporting to the industrialized nations in terms Media Production and Studies her co-editor, American actress Minister of Health that serves to of their food safety faculty member Mark Wihak’s and children's author Barbara work with Health Canada on performance. Sylvain BFA’90 film RIVER won three Dana (who was married to Alan the design and delivery of the Charlebois, a marketing awards at the Canadian Film Arkin for 37 years). MacKenzie Federal Tobacco Control professor in the Paul J. Hill Fest in Toronto at the end of has just signed another book Strategy. Lavack’s current School of Business, and Chris March. RIVER received the contract, and will publish research focusses on the social Yost, a biology professor who is implications of tobacco William F. White Reel Canadian another book on Dickinson in also the Canada Research Chair Indie Award, The Meridian Artists 2009. She is the only Canadian marketing and promotion. in Microbes, the Environment Best Screenwriting Award and member of the Emily Dickinson and Food Safety, have just the Best Actor Award for Adam International Society and has Four University of Regina released Food Safety Budd. The film had its U.S. persuaded the Society to hold researchers—David Sauchyn, Performance World Ranking. premiere in April at the their annual conference in Polo Diaz, Elaine Barrow and The study benchmarks Minneapolis/St. Paul Regina in July 2009. Next year’s Norm Henderson BA(Hons)’83— Canada’s performance relative International Film Festival. conference will culminate with spent two years helping to that of other Organisation Last October, a seat plaque in The Belle of Amherst, a one- research and write the Canadian for Economic Co-operation and memory of fine arts professor woman play based on Prairies section of a report on Development (OECD) countries emeritus Jean Oser was unveiled Dickinson’s life and works climate change and adaptation in four major areas: consumer in the RPL Film Theatre prior to staring Dana. The play will be for Natural Resources Canada. affairs, biosecurity and trades, the Regina debut of RIVER. produced in co-operation with Entitled From Impacts to governance and recalls, and Oser was an internationally the University of Regina’s Adaptation: Canada in a traceability and management. known film editor and Oscar- theatre department. Changing Climate 2007,the Here are the countries that winning dramatic filmmaker report concludes that the effects hold down the top ten who worked with such talents Thomas McLeod died in of climate change are already rankings: United Kingdom, as Garson Kanin, Burgess Victoria, B.C., on January 1, apparent in Canada and Japan, Denmark, Australia, Meredith and Jean Renoir. He 2008. He served as dean of throughout the world. As a Canada, Finland, United States, was a catalyst in the Arts and vice-principal at the result, in addition to taking Switzerland, Norway and development of the University of Regina from 1964 action to reduce greenhouse Germany. Saskatchewan film community to 1971.

Degrees spring 2008 7 The miner’s daughter By Greg Campbell BFA’85, BJ’95 Photos by AV Services

On May 1, Vianne Timmons was introduced as the seventh president of the University of Regina. The teacher, researcher and university administrator has spent her entire career striving to make the world a better place. Now she’s turning her sights on helping to make the University of Regina the envy of universities across the country.

Left: The Timmons clan (back row, left to right) David, Gary, Richard; (front row, left to right) Linda, Shannon, Vianne. Centre: The young Timmons had a penchant for books and learning from an early age. Right: Timmons intends to strengthen the connection between the University and the community under her leadership.

Growing up in a close-knit family in the time. Even now, when we get said Bundon at the announcement. Labrador City, Newfoundland and together, it’s not uncommon to see all of “She has a love of teaching and Labrador, Vianne Timmons learned at us reading.” research and a commitment to an early age the importance of family The spark that was ignited while students has been evident throughout and hard work. Her father, an iron ore reading books in a small Labrador her professional life. Through three miner, and her mother, a coal miner’s mining town has turned into a blazing rounds of interviews and a great deal of daughter, also instilled in their children career that has taken Timmons across interaction throughout the search a love of learning and education. Those the country—from Nova Scotia to B.C. process, she impressed the search lessons were not lost on the six And now, after a rigorous presidential committee to the point where she Timmons children as all would pursue search, she has landed in Regina, where distinguished herself from among a higher education and go on to earn on May 1 Board of Governors Chair Mo very, very impressive group of university degrees. Bundon introduced her as the seventh applicants.” “We never had a television until I president and vice-chancellor of the Timmons’ career path really started was in my teens,” recalls Timmons. “My University of Regina. to take shape while still in high school parents spent money on books. We “Dr. Timmons’ academic when she volunteered to give were turned on by learning and reading. accomplishments and exemplary swimming lessons to people with I can remember the kids sitting and record of senior administrative intellectual disabilities. The experience reading—that’s what we did. We read all leadership made her the ideal choice,” was profoundly influencing and led

8 Degrees spring 2008 Vianne Timmons, the University of Regina’s new president and vice-chancellor. Photo by Trevor Hopkin, AV Services.

Degrees spring 2008 9 Timmons and her family were all smiles after the announcement of her appointment on May 1. Shown here (left to right) is daughter Taylor, husband Stuart and son Sam. Timmons also has two grown daughters, Nancy and Kelly, and two grandchildren Logan (1) and Chiara (4). Photo by Trevor Hopkin, AV Services.

her to pursue studies in English and learning assistance teacher in Granisle, in rehabilitation at the University Psychology at Mount Allison B.C., teaching children on the Babine of Calgary. That led to her first University in Sackville, N.B. While First Nations Reserve. It proved to be university teaching position at St. earning her undergraduate degree she another experience that deepened her Francis Xavier University in spent summers working at an resolve to help the disenfranchised and Antigonish, N.S. institution for children with underserved. In 1993, Timmons found herself intellectual disabilities, another “During my time in northern British heading St. FX’s Education Department affirming experience that would lead Columbia I became passionate about during a colleague’s sabbatical. Her her to Acadia University where she Aboriginal education. I was seeing the timing couldn’t have been worse. A earned a BEd in Special Education. same kinds of things that I saw rationalization study recommended “I saw such resilience and potential working with children with the termination of teachers’ education in the children I worked with,” she intellectual disabilities. There was such programs at three institutions in the says. “The majority of these children potential in the children I worked with province, including St. FX. were abandoned. They were segregated from the Babine First Nation and yet “I was untenured, a brand new and kept out of the mainstream. The their potential was so under realized. It faculty member, had moved my family sense of injustice was overwhelming only added to my sense of frustration.” from Calgary, left a secure teaching to me. Children with special needs Fuelled by her teaching experiences, position and dropped $20,000 in became my passion and inclusive Timmons went on to earn a MEd in salary,” Timmons says. “I was thinking, education became my field of study.” Special Education in 1983 at Gonzaga what am I going to do?” In 1980, with degree in hand, University in Spokane, Wash. A decade What she did was dig in her heels. Timmons headed across the country later, she completed a PhD in Working closely with Nova Scotia’s for her first real teaching job as a Education Psychology specializing Mi’kmaq First Nation, she went to

10 Degrees spring 2008 work on a proposal to revitalize the St. on student engagement if we want our doing things. I feel that in Regina—like FX teachers education curriculum by graduates to have the best university I have never felt in any other city. I feel specializing in Mi’kmaq education. The experience possible. The only way that a real connection to Saskatchewan—I plan worked as the community rallied can happen is if we give them lots of feel at home.” around the proposal and the decision opportunities to get them connected to Though she will continue serving to shut down the program was our campus. Student employment gets as vice-president (Academic overturned. The program remains students connected, arts and culture Development) at the University of strong to this day. connects students, so does athletics, Prince Edward Island, Timmons will “That’s when I realized that you can and our professors connect with travel to Regina periodically to work make a difference as an administrator,” students each day in classrooms. I’m a with current president Jim Tomkins she says. great believer in constantly assessing through a transition period lasting She’s looking forward to making a and enhancing student engagement.” until Sept. 1. She will be formally similar impact at the U of R. In part, Despite the adage “once a installed as president and vice- because so many of the University’s Maritimer, always a Maritimer,” chancellor at fall convocation institutional priorities mirror her own Timmons does admit to being ceremonies in October. D areas of interest and expertise. She cites enamoured by her visits to Regina as examples an emphasis on the throughout the presidential student-focussed university recruitment process. She and her experience, the importance of an family are looking forward to living in institution connecting with its the Queen City and she goes as far to community, and her passion for say that in her observations Maritimers internationalization as areas where she and Prairie people seem to share a wants to help make a real difference. kindred sprit. “For a person to be successful at “We fell in love with Regina and university, and I don’t mean with the people,” she says. “In the academically, I mean as an experience, Maritimes as well as Saskatchewan they have to be connected in some that community support for each other way,” she says. “We have to be focused is deeply embedded in peoples’ ways of

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Degrees spring 2008 11 Props, including photos taken for the film, dot a table in Ell’s studio. Photo by Don Hall, AV Services. California filmmaker Chrystene Ells uprooted her life, moved to Regina and began to make a film she had been dreaming about making for almost two decades. Her film, Sisu, is the story of the last hours in the life of FinnishD immigrant and shipbuilderr Tom Sukanen. The film’s title comes from a Finnish word that roughly translates “to have guts.” Ells has demonstrated her own sisu through the ups and downs of making a feature film on a shoestring budget. And though she’s faced her share of challenges she has never let them derail her dream project. Tom Sukanen, for one, would be proud.

12 Degrees spring 2008 reamproject by B.D. Miller BA(Hons)’89, BJ’95 Photos by AV Services and courtesy of Chrystene Ells

Degrees spring 2008 13 Meanwhile, during a visit to Alberta, she first heard the story of Tom Sukanen, as told by a family friend as they sat by a campfire near High River. “I heard about this guy who had built a ship on the prairie, worked on it for a decade, but he wasn’t accepted by the local people and they vandalized the ship. And I immediately said, ‘Oh my god, I have to make this into a film.’”

niversity of Regina filmmaker and MFA candidate computer-generated imagery. “I was a dinosaur,” she says. “At Chrystene Ells moved halfway across a continent the age of 32, I had to retire from my career.” to tell the definitive story of a prairie legend— Meanwhile, during a visit to Alberta, she first heard the pioneer and shipbuilder Tom Sukanen. Along the story of Tom Sukanen, as told by a family friend as they sat way, she’s learned that separating the myth from by a campfire near High River. “I heard about this guy who Uthe man can be as elusive and challenging as, say, building a had built a ship on the prairie, worked on it for a decade, but steamship on the Saskatchewan prairie and sailing it to he wasn’t accepted by the local people and they vandalized Finland. the ship. And I immediately said, ‘Oh my god, I have to make Ells was born in Fresno, Calif., but grew up near this into a film.’” Calgary, the daughter of a psychology professor. In her early Years passed, but Ells never gave up on her dream of 20s, she returned to California, settling in San Francisco one day filming Sukanen’s story. She eventually pitched the where she established a career in the motion picture special idea to some of her movie contacts in California. “I knew effects industry. She worked as a character fabricator, making puppets for Star Wars creator George Lucas’s people who were producers for Lucas, people who knew the company Industrial Light & Magic. While in San Francisco, film industry. Down to the last person they said ‘Why do she contributed to a number of feature films, including Tim you want to make this dusty story about some guy in the Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Depression that ends tragically in a place no one’s ever In the early 1990s, two things came together that heard of?’” She was advised to go to Hollywood instead and would change Ell’s life. First, the digital revolution in “find some chick action flick to direct, that’s what you need filmmaking made her skill set as a special effects artist to do.” And so she realized she couldn’t make the film in obsolete, with puppets and scale models largely replaced by California.

14 Degrees spring 2008 Chrystene Ells in her studio in the Riddell Centre. Photo by Don Hall, AV Services.

At the same time, Ells was hoping to enhance her and character development,” she says. “He was integral in education and academic credentials as a filmmaker. She helping me develop the way that I tell the story.” looked for an MFA program in western Canada that might Ells shot the bulk of the footage over 11 days in August allow her to “make this film my thesis project and kill two 2007, followed by a supplementary winter shoot in March birds with one stone and come out with a film and an MFA 2008. She is currently completing post-production editing, degree.” She learned about the MFA program in animation, special effects and audio mixing and hopes to Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Regina and have the film ready to première in March 2009. The film will knew right away that it was the perfect fit. She was accepted be called Sisu, the Finnish word for “courage or tenacity until into the program in 2006 and moved to Regina with her death.” husband, Raul Viceral, who worked with her on the film as Ells shot the film on a shoestring budget of about assistant director. $25,000, a portion of which came from her own savings. The Interdisciplinary Studies program allowed Ells to Some of the cast and crew donated their time in exchange tap into the expertise of no fewer than three MFA for a percentage should the project ever make any money. supervisors while making her film: faculty members Mary Others simply worked for food—the meals that were Blackstone (Theatre), Leesa Streifler (Visual Arts) and Gerald provided during the shoots. Ells also benefited from the Saul (Media Production and Studies). Ells worked with generosity of the community. Donations to the film Blackstone for two semesters developing the script. included various period costumes and props, such as antique Meanwhile, she consulted with Streifler on developing the cars and a threshing machine. She also received permission look of the film and with Saul on how to storyboard and to film for free at various locations. She estimates the budget shoot the various scenes. “Gerald comes from a visual of her film would have been about $1.8 million if she’d paid storytelling background and he’s also really good at story “bottom of the barrel” rates and wages for everything.

Degrees spring 2008 15 Director Ells on the set of Sisu. Crew members prepare for a scene Ells takes a break from shooting with Don Wood, near the ship’s hull which was the actor who plays Tom Sukanen. constructed by U of R workshop technician Chris St. Amand for the flim.

In any biopic, the actor playing the lead role is crucial. someday come back to Finland a rich man piloting his own In this case, Ells chose San Francisco-based actor Don Wood. ship and that he would bring her to America. “I used to be a theatre director in San Francisco and worked “There’s the story, if that’s true,” Ells says. “It was the with Don for years. He’s an amazing actor, one of the best journey. And that’s what I’m interested in with this project. I I’ve ever worked with. And he even looks like Tom think the journey started the day he made the decision to Sukanen.” take his destiny into his own hands and become who he was Ells says Wood demonstrated a commitment to the really meant to be. The journey started when he started to project to match her own. He donated his acting time and build that ship.” D took a month off work during the August shoot. He also paid Updates on the film as it moves through post-production, as his own way to join Ells on a research trip to Finland. “It’s well as the announcement of its premiere and other cost him so much money to be in the film,” she concedes. screenings, will be posted on Ell’s website at “But he says it’s the role of a lifetime.” www.chrystene.com/sisu.htm. The role came with its share of physical challenges. The film is set in Sukanen’s mind as he lies dying in a mental hospital in North Battleford. “As the film progresses, he B.D. Miller is a Regina-based playwright, fiction and non-fiction starts going on these astral travels, out of his body into the writer whose work has appeared in numerous magazines and past,” Ells says. “So he’s in his hospital gown on the prairie. anthologies and on CBC radio. His historical drama, Kobyla, And we were all completely bundled up against the wind about the life and death of convicted war criminal Hermine and Don was out there in this thin little gown. He never Braunsteiner, will receive a staged reading as part of the once complained. Every day he was just grateful to be Saskatchewan Playwrights Centre’s 2008 Spring Festival involved in the project.” of New Plays. Commitment verging on obsession is something that both Ells and Wood seem to share with their subject matter, Tom Sukanen. During her research for the film, Ells learned that Sukanen’s fixation with building a ship and sailing it to Finland was more about the journey than about returning to his homeland. In fact, she discovered that he probably worked his way home to Finland on a merchant ship in 1929, only to return to Saskatchewan later that year to start building his own ship. According to one version of the legend, Sukanen had promised his mother that he would

16 Degrees spring 2008 Jean-Marie Nkongolo-Bakenda, is a professor of International Business and Strategy and the driving force behind the transport of a 40-foot shipping container packed with farming equipment and other tools destined for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The container left Regina in March travelling by train to Montreal, and then by ship to Europe, the Middle East and Tanzania before making the final leg by rail to the Congo. The equipment will help villagers increase their agricultural output which includes crops like corn, coffee beans and peanuts. Nkongolo-Bakenda left for Africa on May 14 and helped reassemble the equipment upon its arrival.

D Where did the idea to send To break the vicious circle of poverty farm equipment and tools to the and dependency in this rural African Democratic Republic of the Congo community. The project will assist come from? the community to be aware that it can overcome its poverty and take The idea came during a research trip care of itself, if its members can to the region back in 2006. I visited start acting in concert with each the Territory of Gandajika that I had other for their economic, social and visited forty years ago. I was cultural development. At the same shocked by the ruinous conditions time, it will serve as a model that of the social and economical can be duplicated by surrounding infrastructure. For example, children communities. were spending two days a week working on the teacher’s plantation. D What about the Democratic Women had to walk three hours to Republic of the Congo would get 20 liters of water and men were surprise most Canadians? in despair. Most Canadians would be surprised D How will this equipment by how poor the Congolese people change lives? are despite the potential wealth of their country. With the equipment currently in use (hoe and machete), the most D Finish this sentence: The productive family could cultivate greatest personal satisfaction from only one hectare of land. I believe this project will come when I…? that the use of equipment like the ones we bought could allow them to I see that members of the increase their productivity by as community of Bena Mpiana can much as five times. With the increase generate ideas for their own in family revenue, parents will be development, when children will able to pay for their children’s school not longer be required to work two supplies and other expenses and, if days per week before they can organized in co-operatives, pay for attend school, when women will other additional equipment for have more time for their own farming activities and even water education. In the longer term, when distribution. One of the many I will see that this project has benefits of such productivity contributed not only to the improvement will be that the development of the spirit of children will devote more time to entrepreneurship, self-reliance and classes instead of working in their independence among the members teachers’ farms! of this rural population, but also has become a model that can be D What is the long-term goal of duplicated in surrounding this project? Congolese and African communities.

Degrees spring 2008 17 “I've now realised for the first time in my life the vital importance of being earnest.” Jack, The Importance of Being Earnest, Act III. The earnest

When The Importance of Being Earnest debuted in London in 1895, the play’s author Oscar Wilde was about to go on trial for gross indecency regarding his relationship with the Marquis of Queensbury’s son. More than a century later, Wilde and the play prove good fodder for the groundbreaking Cultures of Queer, an interdisciplinary course being offered for the first time to U of R students. Photo by AV Services. 18 Degrees spring 2008 emergence of queer studies By David Sealy Photos by AV Services

There’s a new listing showing up in academic calendar indexes under “Q.” Alongside “qualitative research methodology” and “quantum physics” is a discipline that’s slowly finding its way into university classrooms across Canada—queer studies. Queer studies is the study of issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity. This winter the first class ever offered in the discipline made its U of R debut. Can a full degree program be far behind?

scar Wilde regarded and Wilde’s roller-coaster life. When class studies gay, lesbian, bisexual and theatre as the greatest of The Importance of Being Earnest transgender (GLBT) histories, as well as all art forms and the premiered in 1895, Wilde was on the queer art, cinema, literature and audience inside the cusp of a series of trials that ushered in, theatre. Riddell Centre’s as Pearce says, “radical change and a Rogers is an original member of OUniversity Theatre is inclined to agree. rethinking of sexual identity.” the University of Regina Queer A handsomely mounted production of Essentially, Wilde became embroiled in Initiative (URQI), an ad-hoc Wilde’s play The Importance of Being a legal dispute with the Marquis of organization formed to foster Earnest has transported the capacity Queensbury over Wilde’s relationship communication between queer faculty crowd away from the no-show spring with the Marquis’ younger son. members and researchers on campus. of 2008 to an English high summer in As Pearce indicates, the Among its activities, the recently the previous century. Onstage, subsequent testimony in Wilde’s gross established group has created an Algernon and Jack debate the indecency trials exposed the “tawdry endowed fund to promote awareness significance of the inscription on Jack’s side of his existence. Suddenly the light and support queer scholarly and cigarette case—an argument that was shone on all of it. The trial became creative projects and launched the “In foreshadows the unravelling of Jack’s about class, ethnicity, and sexuality.” and Out Speaker Series” co-ordinated double life. Seated in the audience are The concept of the modern by Pearce. URQI members were also 30 students enrolled in the University homosexual was on the way to being instrumental in developing Cultures of of Regina’s groundbreaking Cultures of born, and Pearce says, “Many of the Queer. Queer course. artists of the time who had assumed a Rogers is justifiably proud of Prior to the play, the students are foppish, aesthetic, effeminate identity Cultures of Queer, which is the first gathered in a classroom listening to were denigrated and reviled, regardless full course of its kind at the University. instructor Randal Rogers attend to some of their actual sexual identity and Rogers notes other offerings have housekeeping—assignments due and inclination. You can’t paint everyone contained queer elements, such as the upcoming events. The atmosphere is with the same brush, but no one was Women’s Studies course “Mapping relaxed but attentive as guest speaker listening.” Sexuality,” but Cultures of Queer takes Wes Pearce BA(Adv)’88, BFA’92, head of Cultures of Queer, a first-time a more detailed look. “We’ve gone the University theatre department, offering at the U of R, examines this through a history of queer speaks of the significance of Earnest long-time bias. The interdisciplinary representation from the medieval to

Degrees spring 2008 19 University of Regina Queer Initiative members (left to right) James McNinch, Randal Rogers and Wes Pearce.

the contemporary period. We’ve normativity and brings queer Hillabold says, “I’d be interested to thought about the kinds of institutions in line with the hear someone talk about the politics of communities that need queer institutions of heterosexuality. Judith being bi or transgendered and how this representation, and some of the Butler (an American philosopher who gets expressed in art, literature, film— theoretical framework.” is a major contributor to modern queer any of the arts.” Queer theory soundly rejects theory) would call gay marriage part of Certainly the Cultures of Queer stereotyping people by gender or the heterosexual matrix. You can’t be class has proved popular. Rogers says, sexual identity, postulating that sexual queer when you’re inside. Queer “My baseline for the course is that if identity is individual and fluid. demands outsider status; it demands you’re here you want to learn Originally used as a derogatory term, change at all times.” something about the subject of the queer was re-appropriated by activists The very fluidity of queer theory course. And I don’t think you get here and theorists in the ’90s as an umbrella implies that at some point its concepts by accident; the class is easily term for virtually any sexual identity will become outmoded. Rogers says, identified by its subject matter. It’s for outside the heterosexual norm. “Perhaps we can no longer think about everybody: if you want to come and Rogers says, “The taking back of queer ideology in the grand sense feel like you’ve found a home, this the word queer was an important one because it encompasses too much that class is for you, but if you’re here to the political establishment of queer is able to be expressed when we have a because you want to learn more about studies in the 1990s. Of course it comes one-on-one relationship. There is a your brothers and sisters, then you’re directly out of AIDS—where gay men whole realm of theory now around welcome here as well.” were positioned as already dying. AIDS individual perception—around feeling, The instructor-student dynamic in did a lot to disempower but it also around effect—that is bringing a new the course has moved beyond the bought queer people together into a level of intimacy to queer studies. At conventional, Rogers says. “I saw it as a cohesive whole around an issue that the same time, there’s a more broad- lecture course but it’s quickly turned then expanded into a much broader based theoretical framework into a discussion course. Students are movement around rights and developing.” engaged in the class in really representation.” English professor and URQI fundamental ways. Queer students Although developments such as member Jean Hillabold BA’77, don’t get addressed explicitly very the legalizing of gay marriage seem to BAHC’79, MA’89 thinks that gay and often. And when they do, they have indicate queer is entering the lesbian identities have received the expectations of what the address will mainstream, Rogers says the jury is still most attention traditionally, but it’s be. They tend to be critical. The out. “The question would be is gay inevitable that other groups will raise relationship between professor and marriage something that is queer at all their profile in the future. Considering student is somewhat upset because because it’s a movement that is around the In and Out Speaker series, they have all kinds of incredible

20 Degrees spring 2008 Above: The Department of Theatre’s Fourth-Year Company stage The Importance of Being Earnest at the University Theatre in March.

Far Left: Krista Baliko

Left: Jean Hillabold

experience and knowledge about young transsexual student in the work to have a use, I want it to inform various areas of queer life—material Catholic school system who was facing people and spread out to people who that I could never cover as an discrimination issues. The stories had need it the most. Somehow I would individual in the classroom. I’ve had to positive outcomes. “In both instances, like the work to effect a change for the change the organization of the course what came out of it was a broader and better for youth and for communities because there’s a lot that needs to come a wider understanding between them in general.” out all the time.” (the students) and their families. One As for the performance of The Krista Baliko BA’00 is currently of the parents approached me after the Importance of Being Earnest, Baliko finds enrolled in the class. She is designing a drag king story and said, ‘Thank you, it no overt queer subtext in the work, but graduate degree in queer interdisciplinary really explained to me what my the context of the play and the studies with the help of various faculty daughter was going through.’” treatment of Wilde prior to and after members including Randal Rogers. Baliko then worked with U of R his gross indecency trials exemplify the Baliko has a journalism background Education professor James McNinch on approach of the Cultures of Queer and is interested in queer youth and a First Nations University project class. “You’re looking at Oscar Wilde’s the difference in queer experience in a interviewing two-spirit youth in past, his history, and what happened to rural versus an urban environment. Saskatchewan. Baliko hopes to him and it’s still relevant. It’s “When people come from Regina examine the concept of two- important to look at the context of a or Saskatoon, they want to get out and spiritedness and its place in play, for people to realize all the areas go somewhere bigger where they feel Saskatchewan more in the course of that queer theory touches on. You go to more comfortable and there’s a lot her graduate studies. a play, you go to a movie, you read a more happening.” After speaking with “The definition of two-spiritedness theorist and it’s all connected a student who had just arrived on- is different for different people and it’s somehow. It’s all interdisciplinary and campus after living in a small town, still changing. Basically it’s the belief eclectic. People need to realize that the Baliko realized that happiness is that precontact there were people in topics queer studies examines affects relative. “He thought he’d landed in the First Nations tribes who embodied everyone.” D biggest centre and couldn’t be happier; both the female and male spirit. And there was so much more freedom here. when contact was made, that was no David Sealy is a freelance writer living in It was actually really dangerous in the longer accepted. And now there’s a Regina. When he’s not writing, he wishes town where he came from and he faced reclaiming of that name, so I’m looking he was. His latest play is Runaway all kinds of discrimination and at that.” Barbies. violence.” Baliko hopes to do more with Baliko has done stories on gay media representations of queer issues. youth, including a drag king—a “Maybe every grad student says this, woman performing as a male—and a but when I’m done I want my body of

Degrees spring 2008 21 F o cal Point

Top: Traditional Nàx house, Lijiang. Centre row (left to right): Longtime companions, Chuxiong, Yunnan Province; Internet café at 6 a.m., Chuxiong; shop behind Beijing Dance Academy. Bottom: Water taxi, Jinxi Village, Suzhou.

22 Degrees spring 2008 F o cal Point

Far right: Zhongshanlu open market, Xiamen. At top: Backstreet, Haidian District, Beijing. Above: Yunnan-Tibet Highway, near Yunhe.

Last spring, 14 University of Regina students took the road less travelled and received the educational experience of their lives. “Hands on China” was a three-week study abroad course led by associate dean of Graduate Studies and Research Dongyan Blanchford and history professor Phillip Charrier. Students conducted a wide variety of research and participated in discussions with Chinese academics and government representatives. They were also partnered with Chinese university students at Chuxiong Normal University and Xiamen University of Technology. Charrier’s daily walks yielded these photographs which he has assembled with other photos and excerpts from the students’ journals into a book tentatively called Saskatchewan Pirates in China. Says Charrier, “The book came together slowly, as a kind of hobby, but it is now ready to go out to prospective publishers. In the end I realized that the story it tells is not so much one of China as one of Saskatchewan: it was a surprise to discover the extent to which the young adults on the course drew from their own local and family identities in negotiating the challenges they faced in China.”

Degrees spring 2008 23 by Catherine Armitage Photos by Lisa Maree Williams A man for a

University of Regina graduate John Hewson came within a whisker of becoming the prime minister of Australia in 1993. These days the self-described investment banker likes to relax by puttering around in his historic garden located in Exeter, New South Wales. Photo by Lisa Maree Williams.

24 Degrees spring 2008 all seasons

In 1968 John Hewson MA’69 left his native Australia for the Canadian Prairies to further his education. Just 11 months later he left the Regina Campus of the University of Saskatchewan with a master’s of arts in economics in his hand and ventured off to see what life had in store. As it turned out, the future held a few surprises: In his early 30s he became one of the youngest professors ever appointed in Australia. By the time he was 40, he was one of the wealthiest men in the country. But it was as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia and his loss of the 1993 federal election, an election some pundits thought he couldn’t lose, that came to largely define the man. Yes, life did have lots in store for John Robert Hewson but through it all he never lost the soft spot in his heart for Regina and he never lost sight of the lessons he learned there as a young man.

Degrees spring 2008 25 At an early age Hewson aspired to be a bible translator until missionary friends persuaded him he could do more good as an economist. Photo by Lisa Maree Williams.

niversity changes people and the University of True, Australian Aborigines lived in shocking Regina changed John Hewson more than most. disadvantage then as now, but his strict Baptist upbringing in In many ways, his life journey from scholar the placid orthodoxy of suburban Sydney of the 1950s had not economist to maverick politician and prominent brought him into contact with them. Hewson, a church businessman began on the Canadian Pacific as it deacon at age 12, aspired to be a bible translator in the then- Urolled into Regina in the early morning dark 40 years ago. Australian colony of Papua New Guinea, until missionary A future of distinction lay ahead. He was to complete friends persuaded him he could do more good as an his master’s of arts in record time (11 months). Later, after economist. another master’s and a PhD at Johns Hopkins University and Restless for knowledge, he’d started writing abroad for a stint at the International Monetary Fund, he was graduate study opportunities in the U.S. while working as an appointed one of Australia’s youngest ever professors at the intern at Federal Treasury in the Australian national capital, University of New South Wales, at age 31. He then became Canberra. He was too late to catch the start of the U.S. rich in banking and business before entering politics, where academic year, so looked to the United Kingdom and Canada he was elevated in record time to leader of Australia’s main for a stop-gap solution. “The opportunity in Saskatchewan conservative party, the Liberal Party, after just one three-year was more interesting than other places, so I did that,” he term in Parliament. explains. But back in Regina in 1968, the brilliant 21-year-old For Hewson, it was a feast of firsts. There were new foods economics honours graduate and his wife of one year, (corn and prawns), new sports (ice hockey, shooting, fishing) Margaret, emerged blinking from the train into the blue and new friends. There were passionate debates into the early prairie sky. He vividly recalls seeing Aboriginal men in the hours at the home of economics professor Art Hillabold: “He station, “so visibly poor and so visibly drunk.” “I remember would break out the Scotch and everyone would get stuck in, commenting how tragic it was,” he says. though I didn’t drink at the time”.

26 Degrees spring 2008 Some professors and teachers like Jack Boan, Bob “It was a time when big government was thought to be Anderson, Anatol Murad and Alex Kelly he got to know the solution. I thought a lot about whether it was the right “extremely well.” Many opened their homes for classes while way to go…I guess I was in transition from whether the campus, then a branch of the University of Saskatchewan, government was always the solution or whether it had was under development. Hewson taught undergraduate become part of the problem.” classes and tutored in macroeconomics and microeconomics The evident poverty of Aboriginals, not just in the train while writing his thesis on the demand for money in Canada, station but downtown where he and Margaret got by in a building on the ascendant theories of Milton Friedman and tiny basement flat, haunted his thinking. “In Saskatchewan the monetarists. The workaholic tendencies for which he was you had the contrast between significant social disadvantage later notorious came to the fore. “I found the climate and a centralized socialist government which should have taken care of these people better than any other system, if conducive to work. It was so damned cold, what else are you the system was right.” going to do?” He concluded that Saskatchewan had it wrong. Hewson was fascinated by the principled passion of His PhD at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore was on how conscientious objectors among his teachers who had moved regulatory controls distorted the workings of international from the U.S. to avoid the draft. “I thought that was a pretty financial markets, and his views have not changed in significant stand…People were very passionate, so much so essence since: “I believe that markets are fundamentally that they would leave home, for example, grow up in Idaho important: if market forces run their course and economic and end up a professor in Regina.” Among his teachers, the processes are as true as they can be, you will get the best work of health policy guru Jack Boan on universal health care efficiency outcome. If politicians decide the distribution particularly resonated, he explains: “At the time aspects of that are not attractive, or if the market is failing or Saskatchewan had the only fully socialized medical system in certain groups are being disadvantaged, the government can the world. step in and provide assistance.”

Degrees spring 2008 27 Today, Hewson spends weekends comfortably in a Tudor house close to Sydney. Photo by Lisa Maree Williams.

Saskatchewan has left its mark on much he has done economics thesis. It detailed Hewson’s radical plan for a since. As a staff advisor to the Australian Liberal government broad-based 15 per cent tax on goods and services (GST) and in 1982, Hewson used Canada’s 1964 Royal Commission on deep cuts to universal health care, among other measures, Banking and Finance as a model to draft the terms of a similar with a suite of personal tax cuts and increases in pensions and Australian inquiry for the Federal Treasurer. That inquiry was benefits for the poor. a blueprint for the transforming deregulation which opened It cost him the March 1993 election and his political Australia to global capital flows in the 1980s. career. His opponent, the incumbent Labor Prime Minister Hewson’s zealous determination to make a difference led Paul Keating, ran a successful scare campaign against him to run for a seat in Federal Parliament in the harbour-side economic rationalism, dubbing Hewson the “feral abacus.” Sydney electorate of Wentworth, one of the wealthiest in The Liberal Party dropped him as leader in 1994, despite an Australia, and win. The Liberal Party’s desperate search for a earlier undertaking that he would have at least two terms in leader to unseat the 10-year-old Labor government ended at which to campaign for the prime ministership. He resigned Hewson’s door in 1990. from Parliament in February 1995. In 1991 he released the policy package known as “He was naïve and trusting in terms of his own political “Fightback!” which he took into the notorious election relationships and in assuming that the good sense of the campaign of 1993. It was as close as a policy could be to an electors would see the policy for what it was,” says Norman

28 Degrees spring 2008 “Politics didn’t change him at all,” says David Harley, a former senior bureaucrat and close friend for nearly 30 years. “John wants to change things, wants to do good. He thought that economics and finance would play a great role in the future of Australia and was hell bent on achieving that.”

Abjorensen, political scientist at the Australian National wife Jessica and his teenage daughter Suzannah from his University and Hewson biographer. “He lacked that cunning marriage to prominent Sydney banker Caroline Simpson. side a politician needs.” That marriage split in his wilderness years after defeat. He has Hewson believes that his was the most detailed policy publicly expressed regret at spending insufficient time with ever to be put before voters in a national election anywhere the three children of his first marriage when they were young; and as such established a precedent and a principle. these days, family has higher billing in his nevertheless “I think I stand as someone who has always stood for frenetic life. principled policy decisions and been prepared to fight for How would he sum up his time in Regina? “In terms of them,” he says now, reflecting on the past from the bringing me out of a very narrow, highly religious, very boardroom of the finance company he now chairs in a glassy disciplined conservative background, the experience of tower building overlooking Sydney’s ports. He admits, Saskatchewan did more than just about anything you could though, that “it is probably a failing in politics to worry too imagine,” he says. much about the detail.” “It caused me to question things, to restudy things. These “Politics didn’t change him at all,” says David Harley, a are values I have instilled in my students. Don’t just read what former senior bureaucrat and close friend for nearly 30 years. you are assigned; pursue your interests.” “John wants to change things, wants to do good. He thought “I am glad I went there and not anywhere else.” D that economics and finance would play a great role in the future of Australia and was hell bent on achieving that.” Catherine Armitage is a writer and consultant based in Sydney, These days Hewson, 61, describes himself as an Australia. investment banker. Apart from the finance company, he chairs a charity on osteoporosis and has a portfolio of directorships including, in recent years, in the fields of health and aged care, biofuels, waste management and insurance broking. Governance and corporate social responsibility are two key focus areas. He has a weekly column in the financial press and is frequently called on by the media as a commentator. It is a source of personal pride that he “calls a spade a spade,” dishing out criticism of Liberal and Labor policies with equal vigour. Hewson might have had a greater role in public life but for the enmity between him and John Howard, the man who led the Liberals back to power in 1996 and was prime minister for 11 years until his defeat by Labor’s Kevin Rudd last November. Howard brought in the GST in 2000. Speculation that Hewson missed out on a seat on the Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia because of his outspokenness is “probably true”, Hewson agrees. But “I never imagined I would be offered anything by the Howard government,” he says. He has taken up rose cultivation with characteristic zeal at his country house where he spends weekends with his new

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THE FACULTY OF ARTS & THE FACULTY OF SCIENCE congratulate

THE 2008 ALUMNI EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS

EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC SERVICE DR JOHN CONWAY, Department of Sociology and Social Studies, Faculty of Arts. Dr Conway is a distinguished scholar and tireless contributor to public life. In his books and many refereed articles Dr Conway approaches issues with a view to the promotion of social justice and the articulation of voices often unheard in our society.

EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING DR SUSAN JOHNSTON, Department of English, Faculty of Arts. Johnston is a teacher of exceptional commitment and energy. She devotes an impressive amount of energy to her students within and beyond the classroom, challenging them to make the enterprise of learning their own. Saskatchewan’s Only Four Diamond Property EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH DR HARRY (POLO) DIAZ, Department of Sociology and Social Studies, Faculty of Arts. Dr Diaz is one of the University’s pre-eminent researchers. His research in the fields of sustainable development, * Convention and meeting facilities resource security, agriculture, and climate change consistently demonstrates a concern for the world’s most vulnerable. * Luxurious suites and guest rooms EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH * Contemporary and casual dining DR STEPHEN KIRKLAND, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science. Dr Kirkland is a distinguished researcher of * Spa and Romance packages tournament matrices, algebraic connectivity for graphs, and Markov chains. His prolific publication and extensive editorial and board * Essence of EnVogue Day Spa work makes him one of the University’s most distinguished researchers. Radisson Plaza Hotel Saskatchewan 2125 Victoria Avenue, Regina, SK S4P 0S3 306.522.7691 1.800.333.3333 www.hotelsask.com

Degrees spring 2008 31 A conversation with Rob Norris

e sat down with Rob Norris, Saskatchewan’s Minister of Advanced Education, Employment and Labour, to W talk about the state of post-secondary education in the province and where it’s going. Norris has university

Photos by AV Services AV by Photos experience as both a student and an instructor. He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Lethbridge where he was also a teaching assistant within the Native Studies program. During grad school, Norris was a teaching assistant at the University of Saskatchewan and taught courses focussing on Canadian government for SIAST and the University of Saskatchewan Extension Division. Between 2004 and 2007, he served as the co-ordinator of Global Relations at the University of Saskatchewan.

32 Degrees spring 2008 Rob Norris, Saskatchewan’s new Minister of Advanced Education, Employment and Labour.

You’ve been both a student and an What role do you see the province’s world. But we need to do it on terms instructor in a university classroom. universities playing in the future, that put Saskatchewan at a strategic What’s the gift that a student receives especially considering the burgeoning advantage. We need to be saying to in a classroom? Saskatchewan economy? people around the world if you are I look at the transformational effects We are moving toward an increasingly interested in energy and the that advanced education gave me. I knowledge-based economy and in the environment, and I don’t know too guess I am of the opinion that we Canadian context our universities will many jurisdictions that aren’t, then you remain students regardless of where we play leading roles. This is where our need to take a closer look at one of the go and what we do. What that demands universities are going to shine. Those best centres of excellence in Canada and is making a commitment to the universities that do this as nimbly as that’s at the University of Regina. discipline of learning. I see it as a possible are going to be at the forefront. continuum where individuals at various Not only do I think there is an To what extent should the universities stages of their life actually participate opportunity for Saskatchewan post- rely on international student through various institutions in lifelong secondary institutions to become recruitment? What are the benefits learning. Not only will this equip worldwide centres of excellence, but I and disadvantages of looking beyond people to participate in our economy think there is an obligation to do this. our borders for students? but it also betters our communities. We are going to be working It’s absolutely essential. We see collaboratively with the University of enrolment challenges at both the What do you see as the fundamental Regina and the University of University of Regina and the University role of the university? Saskatchewan and other stakeholders of Saskatchewan. There needs to be a The fundamental role of university and ask how we maximize much greater focus on Saskatchewan’s education relates to citizenship. The opportunities. place in Canada and Saskatchewan’s University of Regina is obviously a very place in the world. What does that significant and successful contributor to What do you see as the strengths of mean? We have pretty remarkable that notion of citizenship in the University of Regina? centres of excellence that people across Saskatchewan. As part of the U of R When I look at the University of Regina Canada and around the world need to vision statement says, the University of I see growing opportunities for know more about. We need to do a Regina is in the business of “facilitating excellence. I see some best practices and much better job telling the the development of thoughtful, I see innovation. That innovation is not Saskatchewan story. The Saskatchewan creative, adaptable, contributing and story in the 21st century is a much just in the University’s research and humane citizens.” different story than the Saskatchewan development areas but also in its story of the 20th century. innovative programs like its co- What is the Saskatchewan Party’s operative education program, for vision of post-secondary education in When the Saskatchewan Party was instance. I also see the University as a the province? elected last November, the premier place that is inclusive, affordable and The focus of our ministry is really issued a letter that outlined several of accessible. threefold: We need to ensure that more his expectations with regard to your people across Saskatchewan have the portfolio. With respect to one of those, What about the University of Regina’s skills training and formal education to what is the status of the Saskatchewan role as it relates to our areas of participate in, and benefit from, our scholarship fund which would see the economic growth. Second, we need expertise in energy and environment? government match scholarship funding more people in Saskatchewan, and When we think about Saskatchewan in raised by the University? third, we are working to ensure there is the future, obviously, energy and the We are just beginning the dialogue with a fair and balanced labour environment. environment are key areas. I ask the our partners, including the University All of these come under what I call question, have we reached our research of Regina. It’s yet another instrument meeting our talent challenge. That’s and development potential? I think we that we want to utilize to ensure we are really the purposeful tack that we take are just getting started. We are the keeping advanced education as within our ministry. We want more stewards of our resources, we need to affordable and accessible as possible. I inclusive, more accessible, more take ownership over these resources expect it to be out in the 2009-2010 affordable education in the province. and we need to engage the outside budget cycle. D

Degrees spring 2008 33 CONSULTING EPCM SERVICES TECHNOLOGIES OPERATIONS SUPPORT A great place to work in Saskatchewan

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Degrees spring 2008 35 Alumni Association President’s Message This is my last message as I would also like to Remember, this is your Alumni president of the U of R Alumni congratulate Vianne Timmons Association. As a graduate of Association as my term will on her appointment as the the U of R you are eligible for end later in June. I want to University’s seventh president all the benefits membership start by saying what an and vice-chancellor and brings. Let us know how we honour it has been to serve formally welcome her to the U are doing. Give us your the fabulous alumni of the of R family. Vianne’s feedback to help us make our University of Regina during the appointment came after a programs and services even past year. Although my time as vigorous search process which better. Call the office at 1-877- president has been brief, it included former Alumni 779-GRAD or in Regina at has truly been satisfying to Association president Lisa 585-4503 or, visit us on the work with a group of such King. Dr. Timmons has a Web at www.uregina.ca/alumni dedicated board members. It’s wealth of academic and and give us your thoughts. a testament to the individuals administrative experience as We’d be happy to hear from who make up the Board that well as a history of community you. we were able to achieve the engagement which I’m sure goals we set one year ago. I will afford her many On behalf of the entire Board would also like to express my opportunities to get to know of Directors, I would like to gratitude to the many others our outstanding alumni in wish the very best that the who have contributed in Regina and around the summer has to offer to all meaningful ways to the country. I know each of our alumni, their family, and success of the Association’s board members is looking friends. initiatives over the past 12 forward to working with months. Vianne as we continue to strive to make ours the Loni Kaufmann As U of R president Jim strongest alumni association in Tomkins prepares to step away Canada. from the senior leadership team, I would like to express It is with some reluctance that my appreciation for all his I step away from the role of support of the Alumni president at what I see as the Association. Jim has cusp of a most exciting time generously offered his time, for the University. In particular, counsel and enthusiasm to I believe that the Strategic numerous Association Enrolment Management Plan endeavours and I would like and the branding initiative to personally thank him and hold great promise for the wish him the best of luck in future and will allow the his future undertakings. University to build on past successes and move forward with renewed purpose. Coupled with the opportunities and challenges of a booming Saskatchewan economy, these are indeed invigorating times for the U of R.

36 Degrees spring 2008 Right: President Jim Tomkins addresses alumni at a reception held during 75th anniversary celebrations of the STF. Far Right: (left to right) Dick White, athletics director; Alumni Association president, Loni Kaufmann; Adrienne Nolon, Donor and Alumni Relations director; and, Cougars women’s basketball coach Dave Taylor enjoying the slam dunk reception.

Upcoming Alumni Events Looking Back

Alumni Association Annual Alumni Enjoy Slam-Dunk of an Alumni attend product launch Professional Etiquette Series General Meeting Evening in Calgary for Students & Alumni Join us on Thursday, June 19 More than 60 alumni, family HTC Purenergy launched the The University of Regina as the U of R Alumni and friends came out to world’s first commercially Alumni Association invited Association hosts its annual support the Cougars available CO2 capture system students and alumni to attend gathering at the hottest new basketball teams on January on January 29 in Calgary. HTC two events as part of their restaurant in Regina—Beer 19 at the Centre for is in partnership with the Professional Etiquette Series: Bros. Bakery & Cuisine on the Kinesiology and Sport. University of Regina’s “How to Avoid Being a Scarth Street mall. We will be Coaches James Hillis and Dave International Test Centre for Cocktail Weenie” and sampling a flight of beer with Taylor offered inside Carbon Dioxide Capture, a “Professional Dining unique tastes and information to the alumni major international research Etiquette.” characteristics and pairing before the game at a pizza institution dedicated to CO2 each with upscale, delicious reception hosted by the capture research. Sixty alumni, Approximately 100 students morsels of food. The cost is Alumni Association. energy industry, private and and alumni were entertained just $20 for alumni and public sector stakeholders in and informed on business students and $30 for friends. Educators reunite to reminisce Canada’s carbon economy communications by Canada’s RSVP by June 12 by calling In celebration of the 75th attended the event which was etiquette expert, Lew Bayer. 585-4503 or toll free at 1-877- anniversary of the held in conjunction with the Those who attended found the 779-4723. Or, email us at Saskatchewan Teachers’ the Canadian Institute’s second sessions to be “entertaining, [email protected]. When Federation, the U of R Alumni annual CO2 Capture and interesting, excellent, fantastic, registering please let us know Association hosted receptions Storage Conference. and a wonderful experience.” if you have any special dietary in Regina and Saskatoon in needs. conjunction with the annual conferences. More than 50 6:30 p.m. Alumni Assoc. education alumni came out to Annual General Meeting meet members of the 7:15 p.m. Beer Tasting Education faculty and the U of Beer Bros. Bakery & Cuisine R Alumni Association. 1801 Scarth Street, Regina

Degrees spring 2008 37 Let us know what you’ve been Alliance Atlantis conferences, has been Moffat and his wife also up to and we will tell the Communications, Bolen was interviewed by Peter Gzowski operate a rescue for large world! Share your responsible for all on "Morningside," played at a breed dogs. accomplishments and commissioning, acquisitions Royal visit and performed for, milestones. Please direct your and scheduling for 13 specialty two weeks at EXPO 2005 in items to [email protected] channels in Canada including: Aichi, Japan. He is a member or send them the old HGTV, The Food Network of the Board of Directors for 1980-1989 fashioned way to our mailing Canada, Showcase, History the Northern Arts and Cultural address (see page 3). We’ll Television and National Centre, the premiere David Halstead PGDC&I’82, publish your photos as well. Geographic Channel. He was performing arts venue in the MEd’90 facilitates professional Just ensure they are the also responsible for all new NWT. Lacey married Dawn Ione development workshops for highest quality digital photos media and web content. Bolen Walker BEd’90 in 1972. Walker educators on two topics—the your camera can muster. Of also serves as the chair for the is also a member of Ceilidh application of relative brain course, we reserve the right to Banff World Television Festival Friends. The couple has three research in the classroom and edit! And don’t forget Degrees Foundation and is co-chair of children, Caitlin, Adrian and researching neuroscience to is also posted on the the Hot Docs International Bryan William Michael Lacey get a greater understanding of University of Regina website. Documentary Festival. BFA’07. behaviour development. His work has taken him across Linda Dodd (née Vail) BEd’74 Canada, into the U.S., New 1960-1969 has retired from Regina Public Zealand and Australia. He has 1970-1979 Schools, where she was the published two books: Putting Gerry Carline CD BEd’68, BA’73 consultant for outdoor the Brain into the Classroom: lives in Moose Jaw with his Ron Myhr BA(Hons)’71, MA’73 environmental education for 39 Brain Facts and 231 wife, Gail Carline BEd’87. He is a psychologist living near 23 years. She lives in Regina Teaching Strategies and The has worked as a consultant for and working in Toronto. After and is a Cougars season ticket Bully Around the Corner: 20 years in the oil, gas and obtaining his master’s in holder. Dodd played for coach Changing Brains—Changing power utilities industries. He Regina, he completed a PhD at Sue Higgs when they were Behaviours. also served 32 years in the the University of Toronto and known as the Lady Cougars. www.brainpowerlearning.com Saskatchewan Dragoons, went on to a career in She works part-time for the Canadian Forces Reserve, in professional psychology. He Saskatchewan Watershed Kerry R. Johnson BMusEd’82 Moose Jaw from which he was a long-time council Authority working with their lives in Moose Jaw and has retired with the rank of member and president of the environmental education been teaching music, history honorary lieutenant colonel. College of Psychologists of programs. and law for the past 25 years. He enjoys military history and Ontario and now works in For the past seven years he writes, records and films industrial/organizational Barb Byers BSW’75 is the has also been involved in stories of Canadian war psychology as strategic representative of Canadian training educators and parents veterans. He also has a accounts director for SHL labour on the Governing Body in drug use recognition and master’s in organization Canada, an international of the International Labour drug awareness. He and his development from Pepperdine consultancy specializing in Organization, the only tri- wife Debbie have two children. University in Los Angeles. employment-related partite body of the United Their son is in Grade 11 and assessment for selection and Nations. It is part of her role their daughter is finishing her On January 16 Norm Bolen development. as executive vice-president of second year of elementary BA’69 was appointed to the the Canadian Labour Congress. education at the University of Board of Directors of mDialog, Stephen William Gerald Lacey Regina. one of the Internet’s newest BEd’72, CESEd’87 taught high Andrew Moffat BAdmin’79 lives web video 2.0 platforms to school in Saskatchewan for 16 in Ottawa. After graduating, he Sharlene McGowan emerge for independent years before moving to served 21 years as a military BMusEd’83, MEd’96 is a filmmakers, amateur video Yellowknife, NWT, to continue officer in the Canadian Forces. teacher of at-risk youth with enthusiasts and production his teaching. He is a member Upon his military retirement he Regina Public Schools. She is companies. Bolen is one of of the folk quartet Ceilidh founded an information also a freelance writer and Canada’s veteran media Friends and The Gumboots technology company that was editor for education publishing executives, serving in trio. Lacey has recorded four sold to a U.S. technology companies in Canada as well numerous executive positions albums and appeared at music company in 2004. Moffat is as the United States. with the CBC prior to starting festivals and concerts opening founder and chairman of three his career at Alliance Atlantis for such performers as Murray information technology Elizabeth Raum MMus’84 in 1997 as vice-president of MacLachlan, Connie Kaldor companies, sits on a number wrote the original score for programming for History and Stephen Fearing. He was of boards and is a member of “Carmen, The Passion” Television. Later, as executive showcased at two North the Ottawa Mayor’s choreographed by Mauricio vice-president for content at American Folk Alliance eGovernment Task Force. Wainrot and created for the

38 Degrees spring 2008 Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Raum embarked on a new path in 2000 the national anti-poverty Chris Beingessner BEd’01 and moved to Regina in the early March 2007 as the owner of coalition and the national wife Brenda Baisley BEd’05 1980s with her husband, Chocolates Plus in Qualicum Coalition for Women’s Equality taught in Cambodia for two Department of Music faculty Beach, B.C. and Human Rights. Lysack was years and have returned to member Richard Raum. She is the nominated Liberal Regina where they are teaching the principal oboist with the Brenda Beckman-Long MA’93 candidate for the federal riding and have bought a house. Regina Symphony Orchestra. presented “Secrets and Lies: of Regina-Lumsden-Lake Centre Identity and Politics in Starlight in the last federal election. Charles Anderson BA’03 was Conrad Baum BEd’86 teaches Tour” and “Right to Remain awarded the 2007 John in Unity, Sask. and his wife, Silent: A Night to Remember” Jacob Lehman BEd’98 is Kenneth Galbraith Literary Hydee Baum BEd’97 teaches in at the academic conference, teaching high school English Award for his short story Von Lloydminster, Sask. The Congress 2007. and Canadian history in Nelson Claire and the Tiger. The prize, couple’s daughter Kailey is House, Man. He is married to which consists of $1,000 cash following in her parent’s Donna Hamilton BEd’93 has Heather Crichlow. and an engraved pewter footsteps and is studying just finished her master’s medallion, was presented on education at the University of degree in education from the Randy Mosiondz BSC’98 October 13, 2007, at the West Regina. University of British Columbia. worked in the IT field Elgin Performing Arts Theatre in Her research involved getting concentrating on business Dutton, Ont. Von Claire and the Brent Buechler BA’86, CIA’96 students with learning applications in Regina and Tiger relates the story of an has joined Imagine Canada in disabilities to peer tutor Saskatoon before moving to elderly professor of English Calgary as the director of younger students facing similar California to make video who is eaten by a tiger, Development and Outreach. challenges. Hamilton has been games at Cryptic Studios. He survives the mishap, and from Imagine Canada is the teaching mathematics at the worked as a game designer on within the belly of the beast leadership organization for Fraser Academy, an the award-winning massive- engages in a philosophical Canada’s charitable and non- independent school in multiplayer online role-playing debate with the animal as to profit sector. Previous to his Vancouver for people with game (MMORPG) City of why he should be released appointment, Buechler was the learning disabilities. Heroes franchise and is unscathed. The story was manager of Marketing and currently working on an published in weekly Communications at the Claudia Klausen BEd’94 lives unannounced project due for installments in The Chronicle, Glenbow Museum in Calgary. in Winnipeg where she is a release next year. an Ontario newspaper. Since Prior to relocating to Calgary he teacher-librarian. She is graduating Anderson has was the communications/public finishing the last course of her Allison Stein BEd’99 and Jason worked full time as a freelance relations officer with the master’s in education in Stein BSC(Hons)’99, BEd’03 are writer for both adults and Saskatchewan Science Centre in Teacher Librarianship from the parents to the 2008 New Year’s children, having written (chiefly Regina. University of Alberta through baby born at Regina General under the pen name Rolli) over distance learning and will Hospital. Baby Olivia is their 500 stories, poems and Jacklynn Holmes BAdmin’88 has convocate in the fall. Klausen fourth daughter. The couple articles, many of which have joined Marketing Directions, a is married to David Klausen. live and teach school in appeared in publications such Calgary consulting company, as Turtleford, Sask. as Byline, Grain, Spring, Spider, a senior consultant. After Jason Lee BAdmin’97 lives and Cricket, Jerry Jazz Musician, obtaining her MBA through the works in downtown Vancouver Poesia and dozens of others. University of Phoenix’s FlexNet where he is a project manager He lives in Southey, Sask. program in July 2007, she is for an international direct 2000-Present now teaching business courses marketing firm. He is married Jordan Keller BSc’03 and Julia online for the University of to Sophia and enjoys golfing Linda Aksomitis BV/TEd’00, Keller BSc(Hons)’03 have Calgary. Holmes has been and snowboarding. MV/TEd’07 teaches for moved back to Saskatchewan married nine years to her Credenda Virtual High School from Calgary where they now husband Chris and has two Monica Lysack BEd’97 lobbies in Prince Albert, from her home enjoy a more laid-back pace of sons Noah (6) and Jonah (3). for public policy affecting in Qu’Appelle. She is teaching life. They both work on the children and family/work a library certificate program to University of Saskatchewan balance. She has been a Northern library staff. Aksomitis campus—Jordan as a technician national spokesperson in her also has four children’s books with the Department of Health, 1990-1999 role as executive director for scheduled for fall 2008: Safety & Environment at the the Child Care Advocacy Longhorns and Outlaws, University of Saskatchewan, Deborah L. Herrler BSW’91 Association of Canada. She Science Solves it All: Sports and Julia as the lead After a career with both federal was also a member of the Champions, Issues that technologist in the Analytical and provincial government federal-provincial governments’ Concern You: Teen Driving, Laboratory of the departments in disability Early Childhood Development Issues that Concern You: Saskatchewan Research management, Working Group, Campaign of Choosing A Career. Council.

Degrees spring 2008 39 After premiering last fall at the Ben Barootes BA(Hons)’06 Toronto International Film completed his mater’s of arts Great ideas start here... Festival, a short drama by at Acadia University in August Saskatchewan filmmaker Adam 2007. His thesis, “Fallen Away: Proud to represent Saskatchewan industry in the protection of their Budd BFA’03 had its inaugural Post-lapsarianism in Tolkien’s intellectual property, at home and around the world. Call us today to American screening at the Saga of Jewels and Rings,” discuss how we can assist with the protection of your patents, trademarks, copyright or other intellectual property. 2008 Slamdance Film Festival received the Governor in Park City, Utah. The Whole General’s Medal for best www.furman-kallio.com

Day Through follows a young overall thesis. Barootes Regina 347-0007 Saskatoon 931-4410 couple (Mark and Mel) over returned to the University of one day in the starkly Regina to teach English at beautiful prairie landscape. Luther College in the 2008 When an event from the past winter semester and will be puts their future in doubt, they starting a doctoral program at Trusted Financial Advice must decide what to forgive McGill in September. and forget. The project was Rod Tyler, CFP, R.F.P. released by Arid Sea Films, a Maya Batten-Young BFA’07 production company founded won the Best Actress Award for in rural southwest her performance in RIVER in Saskatchewan by childhood the Borsos Competition at the friends Budd, Simon Financial Services 2007 Whistler Film Festival. Nakonechny and Lea 2330 McIntyre Street, Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 2S2 The film was directed by Fine Nakonechny. (306) 525-5250 • Toll-free: 877-225-5250 Arts faculty member Mark Wihak BFA’90 and was shot in Crystal Howie BFA’03 returned Regina, St. Louis, Mo., and The Station Arts Centre - Rosthern presents to Regina to work in the TV Eastend. and film industry as a set Anne of Green Gables - a Musical decorator/buyer. Howie created Adapted by Donald Harron Music by Norman Campbell Ryan Healey BSc’07 recently From the novel by L.M. Montgomery the three by nine metre mural took a position as a located on the Regina Union Director Stephen Heatley Musical Director Deborah Buck Centre building in 2003. She leukemia/lymphoma laboratory July 3 - August 3, 2008 then studied Japanese at scientist at Foothills Hospital Kyushu Women’s University on in Calgary working in the area of flow cytometry, which is a scholarship before moving to Pre-show dinners Gallery Exhibit the UK where she became diagnostic cancer science (306) 232-5332 involved in theatre from 2004- based heavily on cellular 07. Howie is moving to biology and immunology. He Esterhazy for three months to says his experience with do research and development Biology Department faculty for a residency at Mosaic members Harold Weger and Potash Mines. Lauri Lintott prepared him for the job. Vanessa Chesters (née Stewart) BAdmin’04 and Jessica Ann Myren BA(H ons)’07 husband Ryan celebrated the is marrying Derrick Deringer in birth of their second son Ogema, Sask. on August 16, Marcus, born October 10, 2008. 2007. Chesters is a research advancement analyst at the University of Saskatchewan.

Tao Eliza Chamberlin BACEd’05 married and bought a house in 2007. She helped to establish a professional growth group for French teachers and is working on a high school history project. She teaches in the Saskatoon Public School Division.

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Degrees spring 2008 41 The two faces of hope My brother-in-law accepted cancer as a death sentence, while my mother never stopped looking for a cure.

By Stefan Riches BA’97 Illustration by Chris Jordison, Coventry Design.

January 16, 2008—My sister called in August, crying and coached his oldest son's hockey team and fixed everything around scared. I have bad news, she said between tears. I braced myself. the house. He did the laundry and cooking. He treasured playtime The words Ken, cancer, esophagus, spread, inoperable came with his two-year-old son. crashing down, her sobs rendering further speech impossible. A When I arrived in Regina two days after my sister's call, like doctor had just delivered her 47-year-old husband a death sentence. everyone else I looked for signs of hope, only to find none. The A successful oil-and-gas land agent, Ken ran his demanding doctor's report stated that his cancer was in stage four—there is no business with the energy and passion you would expect from stage five—and the oncology tests proved it to be an extremely someone who loved his work. He rode a Harley, aggressive form.

42 Degrees spring 2008 It didn't take a medical professional to see how sick Ken Hope is “deceitful,” wrote French author François de La was. He'd lost 25 pounds. Every movement caused him pain Rochefoucauld. I'm sure Ken would have agreed. that even morphine couldn't soothe. He had thrown up blood. But in the same sentence, La Rochefoucauld also observed There was brief talk of flying to the Mayo Clinic for that hope is of “good use to us, that while we are travelling chemotherapy, but Ken knew it was too late to fight. I can't through life it conducts us in an easier and more pleasant imagine the courage it took to decide to live the rest of his way to our journey's end,” words to which my mother would days doing the things he loved: late-night talks around the have no doubt attested. fire at the cabin with family and friends; taking the boat out Did Ken’s lack of hope render him ineligible for a on the lake; watching his young son grow. Chemo might miracle cure, in the eyes of whoever doles them out? In light buy him a few more weeks, but it would erode the quality of of my mother’s experience, surely not. “I'm not dying,” she the little time he had left. told a friend only weeks before she died. “I'm just sick.” People, feeling helpless, offered what they could. A By that time, she was in a wheelchair, her legs swollen, her friend brought over a bottle of concentrated blueberry and face emaciated. Yet still she talked of coming home, of pomegranate juice, the label boasting its antioxidant power. returning to teaching, of finishing her latest book. Hope may The gesture came from a place of love, even though it have made her journey more bearable, but it didn't spur any seemed like handing someone on the Titanic a champagne miracles. flute and saying, “Here. Bail.” I wanted to be angry with my mother for not being Someone else suggested to me that Ken drink his own honest with us, or herself, about how sick she really was. I urine, assuring me it tastes better if you haven't been also wanted to be angry that Ken gave up hope when, consuming alcohol, meat or greasy foods. Later that day I perhaps, he could have fought for his life. watched Ken eat a dinner of steak and potatoes washed But I can’t be angry with either. My love for them down with rye and Coke. I didn't mention urine. doesn't work that way, and who am I to know what would In 1994, my mother, a poet and teacher, passed away at have happened if they had chosen different paths? 52. First breast cancer, then colon, then everywhere. Her Mom’s and Ken’s experiences have left me wondering death sentence had come a few years before her death, the who was right. If one day I am faced with the same death word “terminal” written on a report similar to the one Ken sentence, should I bravely battle my disease with the blind had received. Chemo, radiation, surgery—nothing had hope that a cure is imminent? Or should I equally bravely worked. A few months before she died, having given up on plan my wake and suck the marrow out of my final days? conventional therapies, she left Regina for Vancouver to My only hope is that I will have the courage, as Mom and immerse herself in its alternative-healing environment. She Ken did, to take control of the time I have left in whatever way I need. D would be back, she assured us. She would beat cancer. My mother died long before the pomegranate craze hit, and I Stefan Riches graduated with a BA in English (Distinction) from don’t know if she ever drank her own urine. But she would the University of Regina in 1997. He currently lives and works in have been receptive to such suggestions. Her hope had Toronto and is completing the UBC Optional-Residency Creative opened her to endless possibilities. Writing MFA program. Stefan’s essay originally appeared in Facts “Dear God,” she wrote in her journal as she watched and Arguments in The Globe and Mail. game three of the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers Stanley Cup finals on television, “Let me resist the temptation to say, ‘If the Canucks win, I shall be healed.’” Ken died a week after Saskatchewan captured the Grey Cup last November. I’m sure, as he lay in his deathbed, he didn’t pin any hope on the Roughriders saving him from his fate. In his mind, his death sentence was a death sentence.

Degrees spring 2008 43 Professor emeritus Don Clark has been a fixture at the University of Regina for almost four decades. His teaching career began in the Faculty of Physical Activity Studies (now Kinesiology and Health Studies) in 1970. The same year he began his 15-year tenure as head coach of the Cougars men’s wrestling team. Despite his retirement in 1999, Clark never strays too far from the U of R. He is the academic advisor for the Rams football team, was the U of R liaison to the 2005 Canada Summer Games and served as special advisor to the president on strategic enrolment. Every year, the Dr. Don Clark Scholarship is awarded to the K&HS undergraduate student with the highest grade point average in the Fitness and Lifestyle program.

D What is your fondest memory D You have spent a great deal of from your 38 year association with your time volunteering for various the U of R? University and community events and projects. What about volunteering I get a great deal of pleasure from appeals to you? seeing former students enjoy successful careers and contributing to The opportunity to work with and our community. My role as a co- learn from people from all parts of our founder of the Dr. Paul Schwann community. The networking that Applied Health and Research Centre, occurs from volunteering makes our and in particular the Cardiac community a better place to live and Rehabilitation Program, is something work. of which I am very proud. The successful hosting of the 2005 Jeux du D What was the main thing from Canada Games by the University and your coaching experience you were the City of Regina provided an able to apply in the classroom? opportunity to showcase our institution to young Canadians from If you are going to achieve success you coast-to-coast. have to be organized. Planning provides for your best performance on D Even through you retired from the playing field and in the classroom. teaching in 1999, you continue to find yourself involved with the D What do student-athletes bring University in various capacities. What to their studies that maybe other keeps you coming back? students lack?

The opportunity to give back to an Time management skills; the time institution, that allowed me to have a demands to be successful at the very rewarding career. I enjoy the Canadian Interuniversity Sport level experience of working with people are high and at the same time from all areas of the campus to academic eligibility must be contribute to the continued maintained. The ability to find the right development of our University. balance between athletic and academic pursuits and other parts of D If I say “Don Clark, outstanding their lives must be developed. lineman for the U of S Huskies,” what comes to mind? D Your wife Ann was a varsity basketball player for the U of S. If Many great memories of both athletic you had a free throw shooting and academic activities during my competition against her today, who undergraduate days. I thought I was would win? big at 235 pounds, today our U of R Rams players at my position are all Don’t bet on me, Ann still has the over 300 pounds. touch.

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