/03 10 2011 / 11 volume 66 Ragpickers set to close theatre and bookstore Mental illness, news page 3 social critique and beauty The work of artist William Kurelek arts page 10 Will a sports, hospitality and entertainment district revitalize downtown? news page 5 Plus: Sarah Slean Tom Wilson Oh My Darling arts pages 11-13  02 The UniTer NOveMber 3, 2011 www.UniTer.ca Looking foR Listings? Cover Image CAMPUS & COMMUNITY LISTINGS AND Part of housing controversy VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES page 4 god is in the tv MUSIC page 12 “This is the Nemesis” on campus FILM & LIT page 14 by WilliaM KureleK GALLERIES & MUSEUMS page 15 Mixed Media on Masonite, 1965 THEATRE, DANCE & COMEDY page 15 campus news page7 comments page9 AWARDS & FINANCIAL AID page 18 see story on Page 10  PeoPle WortH reading aBoUt Blog delves into the lives of Manitoba’s missing and murdered women UNITER STAFF ManaGinG eDitor reNee LILLy aaron epp » [email protected] volunteer BUSiness ManaGer geoffrey Brown » [email protected] It took 10 days for Winnipeggers to help track PrODUcTiOn ManaGer ayame Ulrich [email protected] down Lauren Chopek, a 14-year-old who went » missing after school in early October. cOPy anD styLe eDitor And right at the centre of it all was Shel- Britt embry » [email protected] ley Cook, whose blog chronicling the plight of Photo eDitor missing and murdered women in the province dylan Hewlett » [email protected] helped bring Chopek home. “I just want to make sure these women are newS assiGnMenT eDitor never forgotten,” said Cook, author of the Miss- ethan Cabel » [email protected] ing and Murdered Manitoba Women blog and a newS PrODUcTiOn eDitor recent graduate of Red River College’s Creative Matt Preprost » [email protected] Communications program. Cook’s interest in the issue began in 2003 arts anD culture eDitor nicholas friesen [email protected] when two women, Dru Sjodin and Sunshine » Woods, went missing. cOMMents eDitor Sjodin, a 22-year-old college student, van- trevor graumann » [email protected] ished from a mall parking lot where she worked. Listings cO-OrDinator Woods, a 16-year-old aboriginal girl, disappeared Kent davies » [email protected] from a downtown hotel. CAMPUS BEAT REPOrTER “I wanted to know who these amy groening » [email protected] women were, who their BEAT REPOrTer Chris Hunter » [email protected] families were. I wanted to tell BEAT REPOrTer their stories and show them anne thomas » [email protected] as the people who loved them ARTS REPOrTer knew them.” DYLAN HeWLETT Kaeleigh ayre » [email protected] - SheLLey Cook Shelley cook founded her blog Missing and Murdered Manitoba women as a way to tell the stories of those chronicled. cULTURE REPOrTER aaron snider » [email protected] Sjodin’s case seemed to gain more media nation of who they really were. In Canada, the number is estimated around attention and even had Winnipeggers going As part of a school project, Cook launched 600 and climbing, she said. CoNTrIBUTORS: across the border to help search for her. Woods’s Missing and Murdered Manitoba Women, a That’s where Cook comes in as an unofficial case, meanwhile, was largely forgotten. blog dedicated to telling the stories of Mani- watchdog, researching progress on the issue and Though she was angered by the disconnect toba’s missing and murdered women and their doing her part to hold the government account- Fatemah al helal, Leah Borchert, between the two cases, Cook felt powerless to families. able. Jessica Botelho-Urbanski, clara make a difference. “I wanted to know who these women were, In 2009, RCMP stated they would create a Buelow, Danelle cloutier, Melanie Fast forward to 2008, when Cook was back in who their families were. I wanted to tell their task force dedicated to searching for these miss- Dahling, Kaitlyn emslie Farrell, school, and three Manitoba women went miss- stories and show them as the people who loved ing women. As of last year, the task force had yet Jared Gauthier, carson hammond, ing: Jennifer Catcheway, Amber McFarland and them knew them,” said Cook. to be formed, Cook’s research found. Claudette Osborne. Alongside the blog is a Facebook page, which “It falls on the government and other divi- David Jacks, Olena Kozel, Stephen “I remember wanting to read all I could about Cook created to raise awareness about the issue. sions to get together and create a clear agenda. Kurz, Derek Loewen, Brit McLeod, these cases and I wasn’t satisfied with the sto- The page has 1,650 likes. They need to be more transparent also,” she Meagan Mound, adam Petrash, ries I was reading,” said Cook, noting that most There are more than 70 missing women in said. Pamela roz, Jon Sorokowski, women were portrayed as victims, judged by Manitoba, though Cook notes there is no offi- To follow Cook’s blog, visit www.missing- John Van Laar, Kuzema Valerija, their lifestyles or looks and there was no expla- cial list. manitobawomen.blogspot.com. eva wasney By olena Kozel Q: What do you think of the state of doWntoWn deveLoPMent in WinniPeg? is the The Uniter is the official student newspaper of the University of winnipeg and is published by Mouseland city successfuLLy RevitaLizing the doWntoWn? Press inc. Mouseland Press inc. is a membership based organization in which students and community members are invited to participate. For more information on how to become a member go to www. uniter.ca, or call the office at 786-9790. The Uniter is a member of the canadian University Press and campus Plus Media Services. amanda Remond, second- hollie swart, second- chris saniuk, civic year Red River college year student, environ- employee SUBMiSSiOn OF ARTicLeS, LeTTERS, GRAPhicS AND PhOTOS ARE WELcOMe. articles must be submitted in student, graphic design mental studies “i think with all the text (.rtf) or Microsoft word (.doc) format to editor@ “i think the ideas the city “i think the city new development in uniter.ca, or the relevant section editor. Deadline for has are underdeveloped. is making definite the exchange district submissions is 6:00 p.m. Thursday, one week before they have good intentions, progress. But in saying and surrounding area, publication. Deadline for advertisements is noon Friday, but need to incorporate the that, there are such we’re doing a great job six days prior to publication. The Uniter reserves the right to refuse to print submitted material. The needs of residents of the large issues that need with revitalizing the Uniter will not print submissions that are homophobic, downtown in their long term to be addressed before downtown, and making misogynistic, racist, or libellous. we also reserve the plans.” it is a complete suc- it a place where people right to edit for length and/or style. cess.” want to be again.” CONTaCT uS » General inquiries: 204.786.9790 advertising: 204.786.9790 editors: 204.786.9497 Fax: 204.783.7080 doug shand, owner, vinay iyer, owner, gen Boken, second- e-mail: [email protected] vintage glory casa Burrito year student, science Web: www.uniter.ca “i think that the “no. People don’t even want “i feel that the city is lOCaTiON » to go to the south side of trying, but not neces- development of the room OrM14 Portage because they’re sarily in the best ways. downtown is bringing university of Winnipeg accosted by pan-handlers it could be happening more life and attrac- 515 Portage avenue every 10 feet, and i see in a way that is help- tion and is working Winnipeg, Manitoba r3b 2e9 it everyday outside my ing local businesses towards putting store. the things the city is instead of having a Winnipeg back on the building need to benefit all corporate takeover.” map.” residents of the downtown.” Mouseland Press Board of directors: Michael rac (chair), alex Freedman, Ben wickstrom, Kelly ross, Karmen wells, Peter ives, robert Galston and Sara McGregor. For inquiries e-mail: [email protected] News 03 www.UniTer.ca NOveMber 3, 2011 The UniTer News ragpickers set to close theatre, bookstore Future of the main floor clothing shop remains uncertain, says owner eThaN CaBeL NewS AssigNmeNT edITor After nearly 10 years of operating a popu- lar independent theatre, Winnipeg Fringe venue and expansive bookstore, Ragpick- ers Antifashion Emporium will be closing down its top floor by Thursday, Nov. 15 while the future of the main floor clothing store remains uncertain. “I believe what I’m doing is actually a ser- vice to people,” said Kristen Andrews, an independent entrepreneur who has owned Ragpickers since 1990 and was involved in the early stages of developing the business in 1988. “When I add up all the people that have seen shows in that space, all the years as a Fringe venue, we were sometimes getting upwards of 500 and 600 people a day see- ing shows.” Ragpickers operates under two separate leases in an old Exchange District building at 216 McDermot Ave. “We’re looking for a Brit McLeod landlord that is interested in Kristen andrews, owner of ragpickers antifashion emporium, is looking to establish a retail co-operative in a new location after the closure of her theatre and bookstore. the long-term development ested in the long-term development of the The cooperative was asked to vacate with He did not return more recent calls before of the neighbourhood.” neighbourhood,” she said. 40 days notice after the building owner press time and Andrews insists she has had “How many times have we seen spaces decided to jump on the dot-com band- no problem paying her rent since Nava took -Kristen anDrewS, Owner, raGPicKerS get tons of money dumped into them ..