The Calgary july 2013 Journal FREE

david rutherford:

A LOOK BACK AT the 40-YEAR career of a radio firebrand

PAGE 8

stampede volunteers rock ‘n’ roll flood relief ready for kickoff

A look at the people who help Five concerts to attend DeVone Claybrooks talks make ‘The Greatest Outdoor in support of disaster coaching, the defensive line Show on Earth’ possible recovery for our city and what fans should expect PAGE 3 PAGE 6 PAGE 20 THIS ISSUE

j uly 2013 Editor-in-Chief Kristine Saretsky

Girls in online editor games BAJ Visser Page 11 Copy editor Shane Flug

Layout & design editor Jordan Simpson

Photo & Graphics editor Season Karry Taylor

Preview reporters Page 27 Hannah Cawsey Ian Epslen

Supervising Editor, Production & Advertising Brad Simm Scones! ph: 403-440-6946 Page 20

Left photo by Kristine Saretsky/CJ Middle photo by Hannah Cawsey/CJ Right photo courtesy of Canescast

Our City c algary voices c algary arts Volunteers Women with tattoos The Hungry Ghosts Page 10 | Online blogger insults Page 23| Shyam Selvadurai’s extraordinaire females with ink new novel explores bad karma Page 3 | Find out about the hard and the perseverance of love work that goes into making Travelling with Mom Stampede memories Page 12 | A die-hard solo As the winner of the traveller takes a trip with her sports 2010 Pacemaker award for Scholarships lacking mother North American newspaper Page 7 | Few opportunities for Racing for another excellence from the Associated sexual minority students seeking Collegiate Press, the Calgary Page 25 | Nanton’s Lindsay Sears post-secondary education Journal reports on the people, THING S TO DO faces tough completion and issues and events that shape our even tough circumstances as she city. It is produced by journalism chases her second buckle students at Mount Royal healthY living Coke twist University. Page 19 | Add the popular pop to your baked beans What are their chances? Contact the Journal: Summer Fitness Page 27| Find out how [email protected] Page 16-17 | A look at places to Red and white defensive line coach DeVone 403-440-6991 explore in Calgary Page 20 | Chocolate and fruity Claybrooks feels about the scones are a great treat Stampeders this season

This month’s cover: Photo by BAJ Visser

2 ju C lyAL 2013gary JOURNAL.ca Our City

p eople matter Volunteers heart of Calgary Stampede Western Showcase Committee members bring 50 combined years experience

Ian Esplen [email protected] very year the Calgary Stampede provides lasting memories to everyone that pass- es through the gates and into Stampede Park. Whether it’s spending the day on the Mid- Eway eating mini donuts, waiting in line for hours to get into Nashville North, admiring the artwork in the Western Showcase or even meeting a real cow- boy or cowgirl for the first time; we all have our own memories of the greatest outdoor show on earth. But what often goes unnoticed are the hours of work that the more than 2,300 volunteers, making up 47 committees, willingly give up to make those memories happen. “It’s like having a full-time job at certain points of Left to right: Marjie Fenton, Pat Guillemaud and Anne Platz have volunteered or worked at the year, ” said Pat Guillemaud, head of the Grade the Calgary Stampede for more than 50 years combined. At times the trio feels like they are 12 art scholarship, which is part of the Western Art working a full-time job. photo by ian esplen/calgary journal Auction. Guillemaud, along with Marjie Fenton and Anne Platz have been volunteering or working the volunteers. mittee oversees – from the arts and crafts show to at the Calgary Stampede for over 50 years com- “During a 24-hour period, I can account for every serving as the chairperson for the “Window of the bined between the three of them. While working hour and the whereabouts of every volunteer on West” stage. on the Western Showcase Committee, the group the committee,” said Fenton about the tasks ahead But Platz’s passion for the Stampede runs in the estimates each of them volunteer an average of of her on Thursday, July 11, the day of the art auc- family. 40 hours a week during May and June. tion. While Platz was born and raised in Calgary, she Guillemaud’s role with the committee has been Aside from watching her friends compete in the had a late uncle from Great Britain who was at the to organize and award the Western Art Grade 12 Stampede Rodeo riding broncos in her younger first Stampede in 1912. While there, he purchased scholarships, which are arranged into two catego- days, Fenton’s favourite Stampede memory came a some postcards by the legendary Stampede pho- ries: Calgary schools and rural schools. few years back when she was a given a Spur Award tographer Marcus “Doc” Marcell. The winners of this year’s top prizes of a $2,000 by a fellow volunteer for staying well after her shift Before his passing, Platz’s uncle gave them to her scholarship were Michelle Ku of Sir Winston had ended to give a couple from Scotland a tour of mother and the post cards found their way down Churchill Senior High School and Nicole Hudye of all the art exhibits. to Anne. Springbank Community School. “I was supposed to be off at 3:00 p.m. and I don’t About 10 years ago the Stampede archives were “Seeing the kids succeed and go on to use their think we ended until about 5:30 p.m. or so because looking for postcards and Platz graciously donated scholarship is the biggest reward I get for the work we were having such a good time seeing every- hers. I do,” said Guillemaud. thing, talking with the artists and learning about One might argue that the Western Showcase Marjie Fenton has also volunteered with the the artwork,” said Fenton would not run as smoothly without these three Western Showcase committee and may be the And with such a time commitment, one may lovely ladies lending hours of their time. most versatile volunteer within the walls of Stam- think that the volunteers would get tired of being When asked what the Stampede would be like pede Park. at the Calgary Stampede, year after year. But Anne without the Western Showcase, they unanimously Fenton describes her current position as Platz actually feels the opposite. agreed that it would be pretty boring with only the “multi-tasker.” She handles everything from the “I don’t ever get tired of coming to the Stampede. rodeo, chuckwagons and the Midway. pins and the art auction packages, which are I love being part of it and that’s why I volunteer For more information on the Western Showcase made up of gate passes, auction paddles, tickets every year,” said Platz, who has volunteered with or to purchase an art auction package visit west- and a catalogue of all the artwork to scheduling nearly every area that the Western Showcase com- ernshowcase.com

c algaryjournal.ca july 2013 3 Our City

hearty hat-trick Playing street hockey to fight hunger Five Hole for Food volunteers hope to raise record amount of food

ian esplen cjournal [email protected] unger is a feeling many people have experienced at one point or another. Hockey is a game that’s a part of our national identity and most of us are also familiar with as well HVancouver’s Richard Loat took note of both those traits during the 2010 Olympics and used the two together to create Five Hole for Food – a yearly street hockey touring event, where Loat and his team, travel coast -to -coast, challenging any and all skill levels to play hockey for food. “Hockey nets were set up along Granville Street and people loved it. It was at that time, when I real- ized that hockey has the potential to be this vehicle for social change across Canada,” said Loat while recalling the first moment he noticed that Canadi- ans’ love for hockey could be used for a larger good, Left to right: Vic Lo, Richard Loat (founder) and Captain Scott Chant faceoff in Five Hole channeled into help elsewhere. for Food’s first ever hockey game on a boat while traveling from Newfoundland to Nova And so, it was around this moment that Loat Scotia during the 2011 tour. Loat and his team will be at Eau Claire Market playing hockey would recruit a couple of his friends and they for food on July 16th. Photo courtesy of Five Hole for Food would start to plan their cross- Canada summer tour, with the goal of raising 2,000 pounds of food for various food banks. However the record was short-lived as Vancou- According to Food Banks Canada’s Hunger- ver raised over 43,000 pounds of food less than Count 2012 report, more than half of Canadian “Will you play a week later, which brought the tour’s total to food banks have had to cut back amounts giv- a whopping 133,000 pounds raised in roughly en to clients in the past year. In Alberta, 53,512 hockey for food on three weeks. people — almost half of them children — used a July 16th at Eau And as for how Loat is hoping to make top- food bank in March 2012; an almost 60 per cent ping that number a reality this year, he aspires to increase since 2008. Claire Market?” have donation boxes in 7-Elevens across Canada. By the end of Five Hole for Food’s inaugural richard loat, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson also issued a tour, Loat and his team had played nine games founder of Five Hole for Food challenge to mayors across Canada to make time in 11 days and travelled over 6,000 kilometres. for the event and play a little hockey for a good The end result - the team had raised more than DECENT RECORDS cause, which will help towards the goal. double the 2,000 pounds they had hoped for and That special memory Loat hopes will be surpassed “Calgary’s Mayor Naheed Nenshi is one of the in the process increased awareness of hunger by a new one this summer as he and his team set more active mayors on social media and I’d love amongst Canadians. out to raise 250,000 pounds of food for Canadian to see Calgarians tweet him the million dollar By the time the second tour had begun, word food banks – Calgary’s beneficiary is the Calgary question, which is, ‘Will you play hockey for food of Loat’s and the team’s efforts had reached as Inter-Faith Food Bank. on July 16th at Eau Claire Market?’,” said Loat. far back as Newfoundland where he was asked At last year’s stop, Calgary set a new single stop Aside from the possibility of seeing Mayor Ne- to set up a game on a ferry’s helipad while they record of over 27,000 pounds of food. nshi playing hockey, the event has drawn West- were travelling to Nova Scotia – a moment that “Last year it was the perfect coming together of ern Hockey League players and local celebrities still stands out as one of Loat’s best memories. the local community and the corporate communi- in the past as well. “That was a special moment getting to play ty. We had a record turnout in terms of people and The event goes July 16th from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 hockey there. And I think that moment is very we also had some corporate partners that decided p.m. at Eau Claire Market and there haves been indicative as to what we do, which is we will play to contribute in a matching manner and that really more than enough sticks on site in the past if you hockey anywhere that we can.” helped amplify the donations,” Loat said. forget yours. All ages and skills welcome.

4 j c ulyal garyj2013 ournal.ca Our City

purposeful anger Calgary group members of international movement

Raging Grannies dispel is found in the clothing they wear when singing sense of community is at the heart of the Raging and protesting. “It is usually a flowered hat that Grannies’ work. Group member Penny Clipperton stereotypes, build becomes gradually covered with pins for various says the Raging Grannies strive to support the activ- community and advocate causes, a shawl, a longish skirt and boots or run- ist community in Calgary.”For the most part, what ners,” Vida says. Although the outfits are designed to we do is support other activists in their various en- for social causes play into — and poke fun at — stereotypes of older terprises,” Clipperton says. “So we get to meet and women, they also serve a deeper purpose.”I guess mingle with and learn from a range of people.” karry taylor the ‘message’ might be to deconstruct the granny The camaraderie among the Grannies themselves [email protected] stereotype that we just sit and knit, and to use the is also an important aspect of the group. “The fun hey arrive at meetings, protests, and other respect people might have for older women that and laughter, the warmth and friendship and the events decked out in long, flamboyant they may have some wisdom to offer,” Vida says. opportunity for creative inspiration mixed in with skirts, shawls,, aprons and flowered hats. The Raging Grannies compose the songs they a little bit of theatre make this participation very Sometimes they are invited; sometimes sing while protesting. The songs are carefully important to me,” Clipperton says. they just show up. They re-write lyrics to crafted to suit the causes that the group supports. Sharon Montgomery, another Granny, agrees that Tfamiliar songs to impart their social concerns. They Vida says singing is a very effective means of ad- the group offers a unique opportunity for women are witty, self-depreciating, and concerned with so- vocacy for both the Grannies and the audience.”It’s concerned with social justice issues to engage with cial justice. They are the Raging Grannies. a lot more fun to do and to witness than lengthy each other — and with other groups and communi- The Raging Grannies represent a social justice speech-making or marching with a sign. All of us ties — in a meaningful manner. “We are old enough movement that began in Victoria, B.C. in 1987 when were activists of some sort before joining up, and to know that it doesn’t matter what people think of a group of older women joined together to protest wanted to get in on the fun while drawing attention us,” she says. “We are who we are, and we are just the presence of United States Navy vessels in Cana- to causes,” she says. fine. dian waters. “Being part of the “The original Rag- Raging Grannies tells ing Grannies in Victoria me I am not alone in were all ‘of a certain age’ my opinions, and what as we say, and thought I have to say has value. they might draw more It means I’m not a lone attention by dressing voice in the wilderness; up,” Sandra Vida, mem- I am part of the world, ber of the Calgary Rag- and I matter,” Montgom- ing Grannies says. “The ery says. stereotypical ‘granny’ was just a brainwave of BECOMING that moment. They did INVOLVED get attention and kept Vida says she believes it up.” the reason some people The idea of using the shy away from activism persona of angry old The Calgary Raging Grannies believe in peaceful protest and use satirical songs to address isn’t simply due to apa- women as a tool for social, environmental, and other concerns. Photo by karry taylor/calgary journal thy. “I think people feel advocacy caught on. It isolated and disem- has spread across Cana- powered, and it is usu- da and the world. Local, self-contained chapters of Vida says that by calling attention to them, the ally good for the agenda of, for instance, a majority the Raging Grannies are called “gaggles.” A gaggle Grannies bring awareness to social issues that affect governing party if they stay that way,” Vida says. was established in Calgary in 1998 and currently marginalized groups as well the wider community. She encourages Calgarians to seek out oppor- has a core group of about eight to 12 members, “The songs get attention, are often recorded by tunities to engage with others who share similar according to Vida. the media, and get the point across quickly and ef- concerns. “The Grannies work because we are like- fectively. People are drawn to the music, and then minded women with generally similar experience HUMOUR AND SONG FUEL ADVOCACY might consider the message,” she says. “Homeless- and values. Coming together makes us stronger,” “Using humour and song,” the mission statement ness and poverty are big local causes for us, and Vida says. “I’d say anyone can talk to their friends and of the Calgary Raging Grannies reads, “our objec- we support Take Back the Night and other local family about issues, they can write to their elected tive is to communicate our message, to charm and initiatives.” representatives. And they can, at least, vote.” challenge our audiences to become involved and The Calgary Raging Grannies are always recruit- participate in bringing about social change.” STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY ing new members. The group’s page can be found A great deal of the Grannies’ humour and charm Developing a network of support and building a on Facebook.

c algaryjournal.ca JULY 2013 5 the road to recovery

PHOTO COURTESY OF JAMES TWOROW/FLICKR Alberta Flood Relief rock ‘n’ roll Fundraisers If you’re looking to help, here’s five shows around town to help turn the tide against the flood of the century — while having a rocking time

United Yyc: Flood Relief Benefit Concert event is free, but donations are accepted and encouraged.

When: June 30, 6:30 p.m. Where: Royal Oak Victory Church, 450 Royal Oak Dr. N.W What: A showcase of many different genres of music, including STAMPEDE ROCKABILLY ROMP rock and hip-hop. Bands include The Path Less Travelled, Kreflo FOR FLOOD RELIEF Evans and A.O.N., and other local acts. Tickets are $15 at the door. When: July 8, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Where: Belgo Brasserie, 501 8 Ave. S.W. SOUTHERN ALBERTA FLOOD RELIEF BENEFIT What: The Stampede Rockabilly Romp is now donating all pro- ceeds to support the Southern Alberta Emergency Relief Fund in METAL SHOW cleaning up areas affected by flooding. Participating bands include When: July 1, 6:30 p.m Bigfoot Rocketship, The F-Holes, KGB (Kabuki Guns Burlesque) Where: Dickens Pub, 1000 9th Ave. S.W. and Cowpuncher. Tickets are $55. What: A concert benefitting the Red Cross flood relief efforts through the power of metal! Bands include Frightenstein, Hellraze, Sacred Savage and Skymir. Tickets are $8 or $5 with a donation. FUNDRAISER CONCERT FT. GO FOR THE EYES When: July 15, 6 to 10 p.m. CBC BACK IN THE SADDLE BLOCK PARTY Where: Cardel Theatre, 180 Quarry Park Blvd. S.E. What: Concert and silent auction to raise money for Alberta flood When: July 4, 6 a.m to 6 p.m. relief. Bands are being booked, but Go For the Eyes have been con- Where: CBC Calgary, 1724 Westmount Blvd. N.W. firmed. Items for the silent auction include a guitar signed by Sarah What: CBC Radio will be broadcasting outside the building and McLachlan, COBS bread for a year, and much more. Ticket price to accepting donations to help rebuild communities affected by the be announced. flood. A Stampede Breakfast will be held from 7 to 10 a.m. The — COMPILED BY KRISTINE SARETSKY

6 JUL cY a2013lgaryjournal.ca Our City

lgbtq post-secondary Alberta scholarships for queer youth lacking

Few opportunities for sexual rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and alco- to the idea of coming out and being honest to their hol and drug dependence in the LGBTQ popula- family and themselves, they are putting their liveli- minority students tion. The fact sheet cites studies suggesting that hood at risk in the process. Kristine Saretsky minority stress, which is “the accumulated stigma, “I think that’s why you have such high rates of [email protected] prejudice and discrimination” that minority groups homelessness for queer students. But not just that, are exposed to, could be a factor putting youth at you know, [there are] students that are having to hile scholarships exist for at-risk risk for these behaviours. forego their education in order to stabilize their life, minorities in Alberta, there are few LGBTQ-identified youth are also more likely to because they cannot be both out and have their targeting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, experience homelessness, with numerous studies parents support them through university.” transgender, queer or questioning stating that they are overrepresented in the home- (LGBTQ) population, which has less population. A study in Toronto found that al- SCHOLARSHIPS IN ALBERTA Wbeen documented as facing more risks on aver- most one third of street youth identified as non- A list compiled by the Alberta Distance Learning age than their heterosexual peers. straight and about three per cent as transgendered. Centre [ADLC] shows that there are a small amount Scholarships and bursaries offer an incentive Joshua Cadegan-Syms, the president of the Pride of scholarships and bursaries available for LGBTQ- for students to attain a higher level of education. Club at Mount Royal University, says that coming identified students in Alberta. A scholarship is typically awarded for academic out to family members is still a risk for LGBTQ youth The University of Alberta offers the Michael Phair achievement, while a bursary is given on the basis and could result in a loss of financial support for Leadership Award for LGBTQ students and is the of financial need. their post-secondary aspirations if their parents first queer-specific award in the history of the Uni- A multitude of scholarships and bursaries exist don’t respond well to the truth about the sexual versity of Alberta. in Alberta for students to take advantage of. Many orientation of their child. The John M. Kerr Memorial Scholarship Award is of these monetary awards assist groups in society a yearly scholarship of $500-$750 given to gay or that face disadvantages that could prevent them lesbian students enrolled in post-secondary pro- from pursuing or completing a post-secondary grams in Alberta. education. At Mount Royal University, the Students’ Asso- Visible minorities, women, single parents and ciation offers a gender and sexual diversity enrich- people with disabilities such as hearing impair- ment award. ments and vision loss are among the groups tar- A search conducted by the Calgary Journal at the geted by scholarships and bursaries. Scholarships Canada website did not uncover any Entrance scholarships awarded by Mount Royal other LGBTQ scholarships in Alberta. University include the BMO Aboriginal Entrance The list compiled by the ADLC showed that On- Scholarship, which awards $6,000 for academic tario is the province with the most scholarships and achievement preferably to a graduate from an bursaries available to LGBTQ students, with a total Aboriginal Education Program, which prepares of seven scholarships. students of Aboriginal ancestry to receive a post- Cadegan-Syms says that higher education is key secondary education. to social mobility and that is why scholarship and The Sam and Betty Switzer Foundation Bursary bursary availability is so important for minority awards $6,000 to returning students with a pref- groups. erence given to single parents. The Alan Dyment “We have these scholarships for women and vis- Bursary awards a variable amount to a student with ible minorities because we have recognized the fact a disability and enrolled part time or full time in that these are minority groups and these are groups their second, third or fourth year of university. The Pride Centre at Mount Royal that are prone to say, poverty, prone to suicide, that However, there are few scholarships and bur- University offers peer counselling are prone to systematic forms of oppression within saries in Alberta that target LGBTQ youth, despite for LGBTQ students who are facing society and we’ve created these scholarships in or- studies showing this group faces a significant risk difficulties. Photo by Kristine Saretsky/calgary journal der to elevate them. of experiencing homelessness, bullying, depression “I think it’s about empowerment, and I think and suicide. these scholarships and education is a way to em- “When you’re 18, you’re 19…you might think power people.” YOUTH AT RISK you’re slightly emancipated from your parents but He is uncertain of the possibility of more scholar- A fact sheet released by Rainbow Health Ontario, you’re not, you’re quite dependent on them,” he ship opportunities for LGBTQ youth in the future. in partnership with the Centre for Addiction and says. “A lot of the time when students are in uni- “I would hope that this need would be met. I Mental Health, states that the risk of suicide in versity they’re dependent on their parents for their don’t know how it would, to be honest. There might LGBTQ-identified youth is 14 times higher than in tuition, room and board, spending money, these not be scholarships out there specifically for queer their heterosexual counterparts. sorts of things.” youth, but I’m sure there’s other ways in which we Additionally, Canadian studies have found high He states although that a lot of people are drawn can sort of appropriate those [other] scholarships.”

calgaryjournal.ca JULY 2013 7 politics

cover story Going out guns blazing After 41 years, CHQR 770’s contentious talk-show host David Rutherford signs off

baj visser [email protected]

t had been planned as a graceful retirement, a capstone on a varied and far-ranging ca- reer. Instead, Dave Rutherford’s colourful ra- dio show came to an unceremonious halt on June 24, just one month before his planned Iretirement on July 26. While the exact details of what ended the 64-year-old’s talk show haven’t been officially re- vealed, Rutherford bluntly stated “don’t criticize the management” in a tweet revealing that some conflict existed between him and his employers, Corus Radio, who took him off the air. On his last show, Rutherford expressed his “pro- found disappointment” with Corus Radio for direct- ing its resources to music radio stations during the flood in June instead of CHQR News Talk 770, which broadcasted his show. As the Bow River began to rise, the station pro- ducing News Talk 770 was evacuated in downtown Calgary and then directed its news feed through a sister station in Edmonton, 630 CHED, while music On his last show, Rutherford expressed his “profound disappointment” with Corus Radio continued to be played on other Corus stations in for directing its resources to music radio stations during the flood in June instead of the city. CHQR News Talk 770 news. Photo by BAJ/Calgary Journal “I’m just very upset about it,” protested Ruther- ford on his show. “Professionally and personally. There are other ways I think information could have Kerri Conner, who has worked as Rutherford’s been broadcast on 770, but it was not.” producer since the mid-90s, refers to radio as “the theatre of the mind,” adding that “it touches RIGHT ON THE SPOT people more than possibly any other journalistic “I’ve been to Biloxy, Shortly before being let go from Corus Radio, Dave medium. Rutherford sat down with the Calgary Journal “It’s always been really exciting, there’s that Mississippi to cover refelcting on his career and his decision to retire. adrenaline that comes with deadlines, of doing “I recently saw my age in the paper, and just something new every single day,” states Conner. Katrina, I’ve been to seeing it in black-and-white made me ask, ‘Oh my “Sure there are stumbles, but I love being able to Bosnia, I’ve been to gosh, am I that old?” ponders Rutherford. “I really create something new every day, and Dave just don’t feel old.” does a great job with the material.” Rwanda. It’s been Rutherford’s father, Walt Rutherford, was also a Conner claims Rutherford doesn’t script any- talk radio personality on CJOC in Lethbridge and thing – not even his intros or outros. “Our morning incredible.” with Edmonton’s CJCA. “When I was a kid, I had no meetings are incredibly important in his thought idea what he did as a living,” remembers Rutherford. process and how he links things, but everything dAVID RUTHERFORD, “I had no desire to follow in his footsteps, but it that you hear is right off the top of his head.” former talk-show host turned out I did.” On hectic days, Conner says the news team fran- Rutherford chose to enter news because “I want- tically hands Rutherford information, and he gets ed to be the one who told you about things, and to it “right on the spot.” One trip which really sticks out in both his mind, tell you first. I don’t know why that is, if it’s genetics and Conner’s, was the Unity Rally in Montreal, dur- or some Freudian thing, but it goes back to what MONTREAL 1995 ing the 1995 Quebec independence referendum. makes a good newsman.” Over the course of his radio career, Rutherford has “It was a couple of days before the rally, and Rutherford’s first days behind the microphone travelled around the world, from war zones to di- Canadian Airlines was offering incredibly reduced were in September 1971, a mere month after Peter saster areas. “I’ve been to Biloxy, Mississippi to cover rates to attend the rally,” Conner recalls. “We were Lougheed led Alberta’s Progressive Conservatives Katrina, I’ve been to Bosnia, I’ve been to Rwanda. in the office, and when we heard this, we realized, to a sweeping win. It’s been incredible.” ‘We’ve gotta go to that!’”

8 JULY 2013 calgaryjournal.ca politics

Rutherford and his team could only get a flight to what we say more than the oil we pump. I better Rutherford claims. “They’re the progressives of the Toronto, so they rented a car and drove the rest of now reflect what the audience feels than when I Progressive Conservatives, the conservatives have the way. “It had Ontario licence plates on it. Yikes,” started out. I’m closer now to the pulse of the public all moved over to the Wildrose. Rutherford laughs. “There were guys swearing at us than maybe some politicians.” “We’ve had this kind of running battle. She’d ig- and cursing and giving us the finger. It was visceral, “There’s no mistaking his political beliefs,” said nore the show, I’d criticize her, and then the com- it felt almost like another country.” Richard Sutherland, a professor of policy studies munications department of the premier’s office Back in 1995, the team needed to plug a tele- at Mount Royal University who specializes in media would take shots at me, back-and-forth and back- phone wire into their equipment to be able to and politics. “Though the rise of the Wildrose may and-forth.” broadcast live. However, their phone line ended up have complicated things, he has been a staunch Until the last few years, Sutherland said that being located on the far side of the plaza. “We were Progressive Conservative, in the Alberta sense, for Rutherford provided the Progressive Conservative looking at at least 200 metres across this park that years.” government with “a fairly sympathetic context in we had to get this piece of wire all the way across,” Sutherland recalls listening to a show years ago which to communicate.” Rutherford recalls. where Rutherford was interviewing a Liberal critic, “For a long time that context worked, and he had The team walked the wire straight across the par- and the Progressive Conservative minister phoned access to ministers, but now that door’s been shut ka, and it just reached the media podium — a park, in and “pre-empted the whole show.” in his face.” Rutherford and his team would soon find filled with Sutherland alleges, “It wasn’t exactly objective, However, a chance encounter at the Prime Min- thousands of Canadians. fair, and balanced, but he had those connections, ister’s barbecue at Heritage Park in 2012 resulted “You’re talking about 100,000 people plus media,” and he had that respect within those circles. He’s in a hug and an offer for coffee from the premier. says Conner. “That one phone cord was our lifeline one of the few journalists who has a real rapport “Some people at my table were terrified, wonder- to Alberta, and nobody ever stepped on it, nobody with Stephen Harper, which is fairly unusual.” ing what would happen,” says Rutherford about the pulled it out. It was amazing.” situation. “But the premier opened her arms wide. The wire was not the only hiccup the Rutherford And so we’re embracing underneath this spotlight Show experienced. “I was standing on the podium, in the middle of a tent filled with a thousand con- staring across at this mass of people and the speak- servatives. It was amazing.” ers started speaking French.” “He’s one of the few Although Rutherford says, “We’ve never had the A uni-lingual Albertan broadcasting to an audi- coffee.” ence of Anglophones, Rutherford found himself in journalists who has “His career’s been an interesting one,” affirms a bind. “However, this Francophone from Alberta Sutherland. “He’s definitely an Alberta phenomena. crawled up and said, ‘Hi Dave!’ and I dragged him a real rapport with I don’t know if he’s that exportable.” onto the platform and he translated the entire Within the province, however, Sutherland sees thing for us. Everything just came together,” chuck- Stephen Harper, him as “fairly unassailable,” adding, “Rutherford, and les Rutherford. “And that wire never came out.” which is fairly QR 770, really owns their audience.” At the same time, Sutherland points out that the PULSE OF THE PUBLIC unusual.” talk radio format, which dominates American air- When he started hosting the Rutherford Show on waves, doesn’t have a strong audience in Canada. AM 770, “The West Wants In” was a popular slogan Richard Sutherland, He also sees that audience becoming smaller and across the province, and Preston Manning’s upstart Professor of policy studies, less valuable. Reform party was on the verge of electoral break- Mount Royal Univeristy “It’s interesting to see some of the discussion through. around his retirement being the station chang- “I go back to an old cartoon, and I go back to ing direction. It shows that the demographics of a picture of a cow standing over Canada, and the Rutherford admits this connection hasn’t always Alberta may be beginning to shift politically, and cow’s face is in Alberta, and the udder is over On- been there. “When I started out, I wasn’t really cer- there’s probably more lucrative things QR can do tario,” Rutherford laughs. “There may be still some tain about the principles that I believed in.” But with that media property.” of that thought.” three hours of air time on a daily basis and being Since then, politics in Canada has gone through a challenged by his audience helped Rutherford dis- THE FUTURE seismic shift — the rise of the Conservative Party of cover his own “comfort zone” of beliefs. “I don’t think, in my business, most people start out Canada, the demise of Liberals, historically referred “It was a public evolution, in a way, of what I be- to build a legacy,” says Rutherford. “I do the job, I tell to as Canada’s ‘natural governing party,’ and the lieved in. And once I got very comfortable with that, the story, I want to inform people about things.” unexpected turmoil in Alberta’s provincial politics I just carried it through, and that formed my basis Conner says that while the end was fast ap- thanks to the insurgent Wildrose Party. for a lot of my discussion.” proaching, she was excited for what the future “Canadians finally got around to economic stew- Reflecting on those strong beliefs, Connor feels it might hold for Rutherford. “He is such a young ardship as a political reality,” says Rutherford. made Rutherford “very genuine, and very authen- and active guy. He’s not one of those guys who Rutherford attributes the actions of Manning and tic,” adding “the guy you know on the air is that guy will retire and put his feet up.” his fiscal sparring partner, Liberal finance minister in real life.” While rumours recently swirled around about Paul Martin, to creating a “mindset shift” among “That doesn’t mean he’s strident,” adds Conner. a potential run for mayor, including a grassroots Canadians. “He is open to different opinions, different people, “Draft Rutherford” campaign, Rutherford recently “It was amazing to see, back in ‘93, [Premier different kinds of conversations, and that maybe quashed them, telling the Calgary Sun that he was Ralph] Klein and [Liberal leader Laurence] Decore, doesn’t come across in the radio in the day-to-day “never running for mayor.” both leaders talking about cuts,” recalls Rutherford. experience.” As for now, Rutherford is being contacted by “Now, it’s become something we expect.” listeners who he has touched over his years on In the years since, some in the media see Ruther- NO STRANGER TO CONTROVERSY the radio, many of whom he says are thankful for ford as an informal voice of Alberta — a man with On account of political beliefs and outspoken na- “teaching them so much.” his finger on the pulse of the province’s populace. ture, Rutherford has been at the center of contro- He reveals, “That’s very gratifying. I’m glad I was “It wouldn’t have happened 20 years ago,” Ruth- versies numerous times before. His most recent a journalist, but I think I might like, in another life, erford notes. “It’s been an evolution. Only in the past feud has been with Alison Redford’s provincial to be in a classroom, maybe teaching political sci- five years or so has some of the media really begun government. ence or social studies.” With that, he leans back to look at Alberta differently and maybe appreciate “The premier and I disagree on a lot of things,” and laughs, “Maybe next time.”

calgaryjournal.ca JULY 2013 9 calgary VOICES

Wrongful Judgement Online blogger takes aim at women with tattoos Post indicates societal stigma still an issue

hannah cawsey [email protected] he WordPress.com user known as karam- azov1989 recently closed his account to the public eye after posting a brutally biased blog post about women with tat- toos called Tattoos and Other Easy Ways Tto Ruin Your Body. “Women, let me tell you something that your friends and many guys will not. Your tattoos are ugly. We do not like them,” writes Karamazov in their post. “We respect you less for them. We think you’re a pawn without a sense of solidarity in a world that pressures you to conform.” The post went viral after upset readers shared their concerns over social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. Among many unfounded allegations, the blogger claims that any woman with a tattoo is “exceptionally easy to conquer sexually with minimal effort,” while adding piercings are no different. I am an individual with a handful of piercings and tattoos and I had trouble reading this post. What really bothered me about the user’s claim was the assumption that women with tattoos are horrible individuals who are riddled with diseases. “Hmm. My first three adjectives would be Reporter Hannah Cawsey’s tattoo is a reminder of her grandfather’s sacrifices and service ‘loose,’ ‘kinky,’ and ‘*likely* diseased (use con- during World War II. The Italian phrase translates to “I will never forget,” and the doms).’ Wassamatta? Not down with some inked numbers were his on dogtag. Photo by hannah cawsey/calgary journal skank?” writes Karamazov. “You are just some old-fashioned fundamentalist bigot. Well, your brother, Karamazov happens to be old-fashioned someone who doesn’t know I exist that assumes was growing up,” said Hickli. at the age of 23.” that, as a woman with tattoos, I sleep around “According to this writer, one’s body art makes But Karamazov doesn’t just stop at the endless and have no morals. them sexually promiscuous. I would like to argue insults to women; he goes all the way to say men My tattoos are pieces that mean a lot to me. I that tattoos are an adaption or change to one’s with tattoos will never have respect. have an Italian phrase and my grandfather’s “dog bodily appearance and would fall into the same “Like sleeping around, the detrimental effects tag” number from the Second World War. It is a category as other body alterations such as hair- of a guy doing this are much less severe. It’s not reminder every day of the sacrifices he gave so cuts, shaving, nail polish, jewelry, and clothing,” fair, but neither is child leukemia. Understand I could live a free life. Hickli added. that certain men, like myself, will automatically I have a poppy right beside the words, which Hickli’s tattoo is a reminder of her childhood. respect men with tattoos less.” symbolizes remembrance, not some Bat-Signal Hickli, myself and many other women and men The writer ends the post saying women with to the public that I’m a loose individual. were inadvertently labelled as something we tattoos are societal mullets that can’t be shaved I am not the only person to be hurt by this are not because someone decided to publish off and any female with a tattoo will forever have post. Calgarian Laura Anne Hickli was shocked an ill-informed blog online without thinking of a lower social value than those without one. that someone attempted to relate artistic ex- who it will hurt. pression to sexual tendencies. Karamazov’s WordPress account is blocked to TATTOOS MORE THAN “My tattoo has two mayday flowers on top of the public but copies of the original post can be SOCIAL MULLETS lilac leaves. It’s on my wrist. The flowers remind found on newswithtags.com. My issue with this entire post is being judged by me of the tree I used to climb every day when I

10 Ju calgaryly 2013 journal.ca calgary voices

miss-representation

allowed the player to make this choice ever since. THE PRESENT LANDSCAPE The virtual OF THE GAMING WORLD GROWING UP WITH GAMES A quick glance at the world of video games today As I grew older, my taste in video games expanded reveals that the representations of women in video to include many games, but my favourites were the games are changing. More games, such as Skyrim feminine Legend of Zelda series, the Golden Sun series, Final and Diablo 3 allow the player to choose the gender Fantasy, Silent Hill and Diablo. of their character. Female characters in video In The Legend of Zelda, the main motive for the The reboot of the Tomb Raider series redesigned adventure in the majority of these games remained sex symbol Lara Croft to look like a normally pro- games have evolved the capture and rescue of a female character close portioned woman. as I’ve become older to Link. However, there are still very few games centred My favourite character in these games was Tetra, on female characters, in comparison to the vast a hotheaded, bossy and fearless pirate girl who ap- amount of male-centred video games. Sarkeesian Kristine Saretsky pears in two games – although she still managed recently tweeted that Microsoft’s Xbox One event [email protected] to be kidnapped. I also looked up to Impa, Zelda’s featured no female protagonists in the games pre- edia critic Anita Sarkeesian, who uploads bodyguard in Ocarina of Time, as someone brave sented at the 2013 E3 conference. videos under the name Feminist Frequency and strong, although ultimately she couldn’t rescue Despite this, I hope the video game landscape M to YouTube, started a series titled Tropes vs. Zelda. will continue to evolve to the point where young Women in Video Games to analyze the roles of fe- My interactions with female characters in games girl gamers have an abundance of female male characters in games, with a central focus on included more than just damsels in distress. Ma- protago- nists to look up the “damsel in distress” trope. jor female characters appear in Golden Sun and to in the future. The website TV Tropes provides the definition: “a Golden Sun: The Lost Age, developed by Camelot trope is a convention. It can be a plot trick, a setup, and released for the Game Boy Advance in 2001 a narrative structure, a character type…” and 2003. Sarkeesian describes this specific trope as “a plot Although part of the motivation to go on the device, in which a female character is placed in a adventure to rescue the protagonist’s childhood perilous situation from which she cannot escape on friend, Jenna, other female characters appear in her own, and must be rescued by a male character, the game. usually providing the core incentive or motivation One of the main antagonists was the first ex- for the protagonist’s quest.” tremely powerful female character I encountered Sarkeesian states that the prevalence of this in a video game and I found her to be the most storytelling device is problematic because “at its fascinating. heart, the damsel trope is not really about women Additionally, more women play a part in at all. She simply becomes the central object in a the second game – some help the protago- competition between men…most often becoming nist and one acts as another antagonist. or reduced to a prize to be found, a treasure to be I have mixed feelings about the female won or a goal to be achieved.” characters in the Final Fantasy series. On one Sarkeesian’s analysis of this popular trope in hand, they’re some of the most well-known char- video games got me thinking about my own in- acters in the video game world. teractions with female characters in video games However, I can remember talking with a friend as I was growing up. about the release of Final Fantasy X-2, when her little brother interrupted to tell us that it DISCOVERING VIDEO GAMES was a game for guys only, because of the IN CHILDHOOD scantily-clad outfits worn by the female My first experience with video games happened protagonists of the game. when I was five years old. My grandparents had an Similarly, when you get the option to original Nintendo Entertainment System from the play as a female character in Diablo 2 you 1980s and I spent time playing Super Mario Bros. get the choice between playing a sorceress 3 on the console. or amazon, both scantily clad in the official Princess Peach was my first encounter with a dam- artwork for the game. sel in distress character. I don’t have any memory of Silent Hill 3, released in 2003, is one of my her in the game, most likely meaning that I didn’t favourite games and also happens to be one find her presence in the story to be meaningful. featuring a complex, realistic female protago- When Pokémon Red and Blue came out for Nin- nist. Heather Mason is a hotheaded, stubborn tendo’s portable Game Boy system, I saved up to teenager who struggles her way through the buy a Game Boy Pocket and a copy of Pokémon horrific alternate world of Silent Hill to exact Red. revenge on the woman responsible for killing I noticed, even at a young age, the lack of female her father. protagonists in the game. This didn’t really bother I looked up to each of the characters I men- me however, since my sights were set on becoming tioned above, despite in some cases never being the best Pokémon master of all time. able to live up to the ideals they represented, In 2001, Pokémon Crystal was released, and with simply because they were examples of women it came the option to choose the gender of your with active roles in a game. character. Each new addition to the game series has — ILLUSTRATION BY HANNAH CAWSEY/CALGARY JOURNAL

calgaryjournal.ca JULY 2013 11 C algary voices

mother knows best Tips for travelling with your mom

A die-hard solo traveller COLLABORATE ON TRIP PLANNING for everything: meals, taxis, and the “correct” kind One day, as we were beelining through multiple of bug spray. As a habitual low-budget traveller, learns to share, compromise Paris museums, my mother sat down on a bench this was a novel — and initially quite enjoyable and laugh and told me she was done looking at art. While — experience for me. I ate much better than I I was enjoying the sprint to cram as many mu- had budgeted for and found I enjoyed air-con- seums as possible into one day, my mother had ditioned taxis much more than smelly subways. karry taylor [email protected] reached her museum exhaustion threshold. The Then guilt set in and I started to deflect my moth- root of the problem: we had different expecta- er’s attempts to pay. Try to split costs equally. Let or several years, I had been coaxing my tions of the day. your mother pay for a few meals, but return the mother to take a trip to Europe with This isn’t necessarily unique to travelling with favour when you can. me. “It will be fun to spend time alone your mother, but be upfront about what you together,” I promised. “It will be an ad- each wants to see and experience. Everybody has FIND WAYS TO DE-STRESS venture.” After resisting my overtures for their own idea of what makes a great holiday. Travel, especially overseas, can be inherently Fsome time, she finally agreed to accompany me Have a conversation about it well before your de- stressful. Clumsily navigating through language on a trip to Paris. parture date. Make some plans — always keep- barriers, warily tasting unknown food and deal- In the weeks leading up to the trip, I pictured ing in mind that when travelling, nothing ever ing with unfamiliar (and often bewildering) us eating cheese and sipping wine, strolling goes exactly as planned. plumbing are just a few travel challenges that along cobbled boulevards and spending lazy Be flexible. Be willing to compromise. Have can leave both you and your mother over- afternoons at sidewalk cafes. We were going realistic expectations of everybody’s time, en- whelmed, irritable and prone to starting point- to Paris — the City of Light — one of the most ergy and willingness to, for example, visit five less arguments with each other. beautiful and fabled cities in the world. We would museums in one day . Find ways to relax and take the edge off, even be creating memories together. Expectations if it means just sitting down with a coffee and a were high. LET YOUR MOTHER BE A MOTHER book. Resist the urge to do and see too much. There were, however, two wrinkles in this plan. You may think that, as an adult, you are fully ca- Acknowledge and accept the (somewhat disap- The first was that I had grown quite accustomed pable of dressing appropriately for the weather pointing, but true) fact that it isn’t possible to see to happily travelling on my own. The solo travel- or applying your own sunscreen/bug spray prop- everything. And, last but not least, build some ler pleasures of doing whatever you want, when- erly. This is wrong. The maxim “once a mother, solo time into your scedule. ever you want and wherever you want should always a mother” holds true regardless of how never be underestimated. old you are. REMEMBER TO LAUGH The second was that while my relationship We held a running conversation about how I Our trip had its share of comically difficult events with my mother is very good, it also — perhaps should be doing things. My simple advice for not — misreading a bus schedule and finding our- like many other mother-daughter relationships letting maternal over-protectiveness ruin your selves stranded 42 km from our weekend camp- — has its share of difficult moments. It often holiday: breathe. Have patience. Wait a moment site; misplacing our luggage on a train; foregoing takes a lot of patience on both our parts to make or two before responding. Humour your mother, a proper electrical convertor and blowing our it work. We are just too different. Or perhaps we recognizing that she really does just want the hotel’s breaker,. are just too much alike. best for you — even if it drives you absolutely None of these mini-disasters, among many I think it’s fair to say, though, that there was a crazy. others we experienced, were funny at the time. time when travelling overseas together for weeks Also recognize (even if you don’t really believe Truthfully, they caused considerable friction be- would have been unthinkable. But 20 years after it) that you might also be annoying her with tween us while they were occurring. But having we last took a trip together — a family vacation some of your own quirks and habits. the ability to laugh at yourself and your follies is to Disneyland when I was a teenager — we set essential when travelling. off for Europe for a session of overseas mother- SPLIT COSTS Without being too sappy, remembering to daughter bonding. An extension of a mother’s need to correct and laugh is perhaps the best way to turn inherently Most things about our trip went very well. overprotect is the natural inclination to try to pay stressful experiences into bonding opportunities. Others, to be blunt, did not. Like many other starry-eyed tourists, I fell victim to having too high expectations of Paris. The postcard perfect views are accompanied by rainy days, obscene prices and trash bobbing in the Seine. But Paris — when accepted on its own terms — is a truly wonderful city. My expectations of the trip as a mother-daugh- ter bonding experience were also perhaps a bit too high. Used to travelling solo, I had to adjust. But once we both accepted Paris — and each other’s travel-related idiosyncrasies — we had a very enjoyable time. ILLUSTRATION BY KARRY TAYLOR/CALGARY JOURNAL We have tentative plans for another trip to- gether.Next time around I will keep in mind a few things:

12 Ju 2013 calgaryjournal.caly healthy living

boozing on the rise Alberta on a bender Despite minimum pricing policies, statistics suggest binge drinking increasing

Olivia Grecu [email protected] ive years ago, the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission, or AGLC, increased the base prices at which alcohol can be sold in an attempt to curb the occurrence of binge drinking in Alberta. FHowever, according to Statistics Canada, the number of Albertans who partake in binge drink- ing at least once a month has increased since the province’s minimum pricing policies came into effect, Statistics Canada defines binge drinkers as: “Population aged 12 and over who reported hav- ing 5 or more drinks on one occasion, at least once a month in the past 12 months.” The number of Albertans aged 20-34 jumped to 35.6% in 2012 from about 30.1 per cent When asked about the apparent failure of in 2008 . Photo by olivia grecu/calgary journal that initiative among young drinkers, commis- sion spokesperson Tatjana Laskovic said, “When these measures were introduced, they reflected drinkers in Alberta. INITIATIVE FOR CHANGE the government’s wish to improve safety in and He says that governments that have a more Most recently, according to Laskovic, the AGLC around licensed premises.” direct hand on the liquor industry may be able to and municipal partners in both Edmonton and But experts interviewed by the Calgary Journal implement regulations governing it with greater Calgary have introduced the Bar None Program, have suggested the commission needs to look at ease. which encourages licensees to raise their stan- factors other than pricing if it wants to reduce dards of operation. binge drinking. SOCIAL PRESSURE TO DRINK The program is geared towards promoting pa- Tim Dyck, who is a research associate at the But Dorothy Badry, assistant professor PhD at tron safety and responsible liquor service. It will Centre for Addictions Research of British Colum- the University of Calgary’s Department of Social address factors such as responsible liquor ser- bia, lists the issues of privatization and outlet Work, says society’s perception of alcohol con- vice, security of patron management, drugs and density as examples. tributes greatly to its misuse. first aid, as well as issues related to the premises Outlet density refers to the number of places “People tend to think of alcohol as a social or patron transportation. that have liquor available for retail sale, such as habit versus a toxin,” says Badry. “People see it “The Bar None initiative strikes me as a very liquor stores, in a given area. as almost a right to be able to relax, have a few promising one,” says Tim Dyck. It will address fac- As of December drinks.” tors such as responsible liquor service, security 2009, there were Dyck shares similar of patron management, drugs and first aid, as 1,158 liquor stores in viewpoints, saying well as issues related to the premises or patron Alberta, according to “Alcohol is our that “alcohol is our so- transportation. the AGLC. ciety’s favourite drug In addition to knowing when someone’s drink- In addition, unlike society’s favourite outside of coffee and ing becomes a problem, as well as encouraging the other Canadian we consume it with a responsible and moderate consumption, Dyck provinces, Alberta has drug outside of sense of appreciation suggests a societal change in viewpoint towards entirely privatized li- for its benefits.” the bottle could help in reducing binge-drinking quor retailing. Every coffee.” Badry points to peer numbers: “We tend to view alcohol in our society other province retains pressure and group as something of a centre-stage attraction. If we Dorothy Badry, at least part govern- mentality as another were to instead look at it as a useful stage prop, assistant professor PhD ment ownership of the factor that encourages I think we would be situating it better and be liquor industry. binge drinking. helping ourselves to a more wholesome overall For example, the B.C. government’s Liquor Dis- “If you’re in a group that’s doing heavy drink- outlook around alcohol.” tributing Branch operates 195 B.C. Liquor Stores ing you’re more likely to engage yourself in “There does need to be a reminder that there and, according to the B.C. Liquor Control and Li- heavy drinking,” she says. are issues with alcohol when it is used inappro- censing Branch, there are around 700 privately- Those social pressures and attitudes are dif- priately, at times when it shouldn’t be, or in ex- owned stores. ficult to change. But there are some promising cess,” he says. Dyck points to total privatization as another initiatives on the horizon that could reduce binge “Encouragement to drink in responsible and potential factor in the growing numbers of binge drinking. moderate ways are really helpful.”

calgaryjournal.ca JULY 2013 13 the LENS

Katie Ohe’s Puddle I is a bronze Showcasing Calgary’s art, cast sculpture completed in 1976. The piece was cast in Verona, Italy. It is a companion piece to Venetian Puddle, a steel and chrome plated sculpture cast by Ohe in 1977-78. decade-by-decade Photo courtesy of the Glenbow Museum

Glenbow Museum’s latest how artistic community seized on the vibrancy installations, including on Prince’s Island park and of Calgary in the 1970s to explore and embrace the campus of the University of Calgary. exhibit explores city’s 1970s new mediums of expression. Ohe has also taught countless young artists artistic boom The exhibition is the second installment of at Alberta College of Art, where she has been a a planned year-long celebration of artists who sculpture instructor since 1970. Ohe attended Ron Kostyniuk’s Relief KARRY TAYLOR [email protected] have lived and worked Calgary over the last 50 the school herself in the 1950s and also studied Construction is on years. An exhibit focusing on the 1960s ran earlier sculpture in New York. exhibit as part of the he oil boom of the 1970s ushered in a peri- this year. Two more exhibits — one covering the Made in Calgary: The 1970s runs until Aug. 11. Made in Calgary: The od of political, economic and social change 1980s, and other the 1990s — will debut later The third installment of the series — Made in Cal- 1970s. Kostyniuk has T in Calgary as both population and skyline this year. gary: The 1980s — will open on Sept. 8 and be been teaching in the of the city grew. Among the many Calgarians Calgary artist Ron Moppett, a 1967 graduate curated by Jeffrey Spalding, executive director of Department of Art at the welcoming the city’s newfound confidence and of the Alberta College of Art, curated the exhib- the Museum of Contemporary Art Calgary. University of Calgary energy was the city’s artistic community. Made it. The works of sixty local artists are on display, since 1971. His work in Calgary: The 1970s — a new exhibit current- including sculpture Katie Ohe. Several of Ohe’s has been exhibited ly running at the Glenbow museum — explores pieces can be found around Calgary as public art throughout Canada, the United States, Asia and Europe. Earlier this year, a collection of his work was exhibited by the Ukrainian Museum in New York City. Photo courtesy of the Glenbow Museum

The work of 60 Calgary artists is showcased in Made in Calgary: The 1970s. Photo courtesy of the At 192 cm high and 276.5 cm wide, Joice Hall’s Summer Garden is one of the exhibit’s larger pieces of art. Completed in 1979, Summer Garden Glenbow Museum is one of many landscape paintings completed by Hall that are now part of various public art collections across Canada. Hall graduated from the Alberta College of Art in 1965. Photo courtesy of the Glenbow Museum

14 JULY 2013 ca lgaryjournal.ca ca lgaryjournal.ca JULY 2013 15 healthY living

SUMMER FITNESS Top walks in Calgary Outdoor areas to explore this summer

s the weather warms up and the sun starts to appear from behind the clouds in Calgary, outdoor exercise becomes an alternative to the same old rou- tines at the gym. The sunlight, fresh air, sights and sounds of outside will add something new to the routine each time, and leave you feeling satisfied. A Here is a look at some of the popular and accessible spots to walk in the city this summer. — PHOTOS AND TEXT BY KRISTINE SARETSKY

NOSE HILL PARK At 11 square kilometres, Nose Hill Park offers many hiking trails through its grasslands environment. Created in 1980, the park is a home to native plant life, most notably the Trembling Aspen, and wildlife such as deer, coy- otes, porcupines and hawks. The terrain in the park varies, from hilly areas to flat expanses – so it of- fers different levels of exercise de- pending on the path chosen. Sights you may see during your walk in- clude stone circles, or tipi rings left behind by Aboriginal peoples long ago. Entrances to the park include loca- tions at 64th Avenue, Edgemont Bou- levard, Berkley Gate, 14th Street and Brisebois Drive. Nose Hill Park is open to the public 24/7 and the pathways The pathways in Nose Hill Park are suitable for vigorous exercise as well as slow walks to enjoy the are suitable for vigorous exercise as nature in the area. Photo by Kristine Saretsky/calgary journal well as slow walks to enjoy the nature in the area.

THE UNION CEMETERY & READER ROCK GARDENS The Union Cemetery is the oldest burial ground in Calgary, established in 1891. Located on 28th Avenue and Spiller Road, the presence of the Erl- ton C-Train station nearby makes it easy to access through city transit. With an area of 19.1 hectares, the cemetery boasts a number of paved paths that run through the grounds. Sights on this walk include the tower- ing old trees planted in the cemetery, the lilac bushes that add a touch of colour to the pathways and of course the many historic headstones. The Reader Rock Garden is lo- cated next to the cemetery, with stone pathways running through the bright, flowering foliage. Both areas are open from sunrise to sunset and lend themselves well to a quiet, re- The lilac bushes add a touch of colour to the pathways that wind through the Union Cemetery. flective afternoon walk. Photo by Kristine Saretsky/calgary journal

16 JUL 2013 calgaY ryjournal.ca healthY living

CENTRE STREET north on the street, neighbourhoods Centre Street cuts through the middle such as Tuxedo Park, Crescent Heights of Calgary, dividing the east and west and Thornecliffe can be accessed. sectors of the city. The southern sec- Centre Street can be easily reached tion of the street begins at the Bow via Calgary Transit. The C-Train stops River, and runs through Chinatown at a station on Centre Street down- and downtown Calgary, ending at the town and many buses travel along Calgary Tower. the street. The terrain is flat for the There are many attractions to see most part, making it an easy walk while walking down Centre Street along the paved sidewalk. South, such as Dragon City Mall in Chinatown, the Encana Bow Tower and the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Further

The southern section of Centre Street begins at the Bow River and runs through Chinatown and downtown Calgary, ending at the Calgary Tower. Photo by Kristine Saretsky/calgary journal

ALONG THE BOW RIVER and longboarders. The paths travel The Bow River Pathways span 48 kilo- through scenic neighbourhoods metres, connecting recreational areas such as Bridgeland, Kensington and such as Bowness Park, Edworthy Park Inglewood. and Prince’s Island Park. Pearce Estate Buses travel around the Bow River, Wetland, the Inglewood Bird Sanctu- making it easy to get off at one of the ary and the Calgary Zoo can also be stops and walk along the pathways. accessed through these pathways. Because of the high level of traffic Beginning construction in 1975, along the network of paths and the today the pathways are well main- gentle terrain, setting a quick pace is The paths along the Bow River travel through scenic tained and a popular destination suggested. neighbourhoods such as Bridgeland, Kensington and Inglewood for joggers, cyclists, rollerbladers Photo by Kristine Saretsky/calgary journal

KENSINGTON cafes and restaurants line the pedes- Located downtown, the commer- trian-friendly streets, and tall trees cial Kensington area is concentrated shade the area. The loop setup of around the junction of Kensington the two main streets makes it easy Road and Tenth Street N.W. The Sun- to walk laps, like an outdoor track. nyside C-Train station provides easy The streets of Kensington are usu- and immediate access to the district. ally quite busy, so an energetic walk The oldest building in the area is is suggested, with plenty of time to the Plaza Theatre, constructed in the enjoy the scenery of the vibrant en- 1920s and still in use today. Shops, vironment.

Shops and restaurants line the pedestrian-friendly streets of Kensington, and tall trees shade the area. Photo by Kristine Saretsky/calgary journal

STEPHEN AVENUE into a restaurant in the present day; Stephen Avenue is located down- Ashdown Hardware Store, con- town, along Eighth Avenue S.W. structed in 1891 and converted to Stretching from First Street S.E. to an arts and crafts gallery; and the Fourth Street S.W., common sum- Alberta Hotel, constructed in 1888 mer sights along the street include and converted into shops, restau- performers, buskers, live music and rants and office spaces. public art. Calgary Transit along Centre Many historic buildings line the Street provides access to Stephen Many historic buildings line Stephen Avenue, which were avenue, which were constructed Avenue. A leisurely walk is recom- constructed from 1880-1930. Included among them is the from 1880-1930. Included among mended, to fully enjoy the sight of Dominion Bank, constructed in 1911 and converted into a them are the Dominion Bank, the shops, restaurants and historic restaurant in the present day. Photo by Kristine Saretsky/calgary journal constructed in 1911 and converted buildings along the way.

calgaryjournal.ca JULY 2013 17 listings

july jubilations Festivals, festivals, festivals Despite the recent devastation, the show(s) must go on!

1.HERITAGE PARK What to expect: Pop music performed by Murat When: July 21 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Toy, stage performances by Whirling Dervishes Where: The junction of 10 St. and Kensington Rd. CELEBRATES DOMINION DAY / and Bluestar Dance Group, a selection of tradi- N.W. CANADA DAY tional food and drink, and vendors offering a What to expect: The salsa competition guar- variety of wares in a bazaar-like setting. antees that there will be a wide variety of salsas Who: Anyone interested in experiencing Canada Why you should go: For the opportunity to to try out, offered by local vendors. Stages with Day as it was celebrated in the past, known as sample Turkish coffee and tea with foods such different performers are located throughout the Dominion Day. as donairs, shish kebabs and baklava, all while area, and activities such as mini-bike racing and When: July 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. experiencing aspects of Turkish culture including mandala painting are open to everyone. Where: Heritage Park Historical Village, 1900 music and dance. Why you should go: Along with the amazing Heritage Dr. S.W. How much: Admission is free. salsa, the shops and restaurants in Kensington What to expect: Canada is turning 146 this year make it an interesting place to explore in a day. and Heritage Park has planned a special party. At- How much: Admission is free. tractions include children’s crafts, old-fashioned 4. FIESTAVAL LATIN family games, mini-chuckwagon races, a parade FESTIVAL down Main Street and much more. Guests Who: Anyone interested in experiencing the 7. CALGARY FOLK through the gate before 10:30 a.m. will be served cultures of Calgary’s Latin American community. a complimentary pancake breakfast. When: July 20-21 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. FESTIVAL Why you should go: Guests with an interest in Where: 228 - 8 Ave. S.E., at Calgary Olympic Who: Music lovers and bands such as the Ala- history will enjoy this celebration. The offer of Plaza. bama Shakes, Steve Earle and the Dukes, as well birthday cake and the chance to decorate your What to expect: A family-friendly event that as Kurt Vile and the Violators alongside many own wagon for the parade is also tempting. celebrates the arts and entertainment of Latin more. How much: Regular summer admission rates American culture in Calgary. Performances When: July 25-28 apply. include dance and music. Food vendors are also Where: Prince’s Island Park, 698 Eau Claire Ave. available. S.W. Why you should go: To meet the diverse Latin What to expect: Great music, good food, a beer 2. SPRUCE MEADOWS NORTH American communities in Calgary and enjoy garden, and a craft market. AMERICAN aspects of their cultures, including music and Why you should go: To experience some of dance. the best folk music from around the world by Who: The best athletes and horses in show jump- How much: Admission is free. talented artists, and back in the sun. ing from around the Americas. How much: A four-day single user pass costs When: July 3-7 $175. Single day passes vary in price from $55 to Where: Spruce Meadows, 18011 Spruce Mead- 5. CREEKFEST $65. ows Way S.W. Who: Families and individuals interested in learn- What to expect: Fierce competition as the riders ing about water conservation and celebrating and their horses face off for the championship the outdoors. 8. CALGARY INTERNATIONAL title. Other attractions include pony rides, face When: July 21 from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. painting, wagon rides and music from the Where: 15975 Bow Bottom Tr. S.E. at Fish Creek BLUES FESTIVAL Calgary Stetson Show Band. Provincial Park. Who: Music lovers and bands such as Matt Why you should go: Covered seating guaran- What to expect: A guided nature walk, per- Minglewood, Martha Reeves and the Vandelles, tees guests will be comfortable whether it is formances by local band Blue Rambler, theatre Sista Monica and many others. raining or the sun is shining. A variety of food op- troupe Mountain WIT and Juno award winning When: July 29-August 4 tions exist if you get hungry while watching the children’s performer Peter Puffin’s Whale Tails. Where: Shaw Millenium Park and the Kerby competition. Also, you have the chance to watch Education concerning the protection of the creek Centre, 1133 - 7 Ave. S.W. talented athletes and their horses compete in a for future generations will also be provided. What to expect: Some catchy music, an arts fascinating sport. Why you should go: To get outside and enjoy market that sells local pieces, merchandise tent How much: $5 for general admission. nature, while learning some simple ways to pre- for festival souvenirs and an area for performers serve nature for generations to come. to sign autographs after the show. Food, drink How much: Admission is free and beer garden available on site. 3. Calgary TURKISH Why you should go: To enjoy the blues scene FESTIVAL firsthand in a laid-back environment and maybe Who: Anyone interested in experiencing Turkish 6. KENSINGTON SUN AND SALSA pick up some neat merchandise or artwork. culture and cuisine. How much: $129 for a four-day pass, $30 t0 $50 When: July 5-7 FESTIVAL for a single day pass. Where: 2 St. and 2 Ave. S.W. at Eau Claire’s festival Who: Anyone who enjoys sun, salsa and street plaza. performances.

18 JULY 2013 calgaryjournal.ca T HINGS TO DO

Stampede baking Coca-Cola Beans A family favourite recipe just in time for the Stampede

HANNAH CAWSEY [email protected]

riginally found in the Atco Blue Flame Kitchen, this recipe has been altered to become a family favourite. The cola adds a sweet, caramel twist O to baked beans that serves 12. Ingredients: 4 cans of baked beans 1 can pineapple tidbits, drained 1 1/2 cups purée tomato or salsa 1 cup Coca- Cola 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 2 tsp dry mustard 1 tsp instant coffee granules 1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker., Cook on high for three hours. Stir until desired consistency.

Editors note: Do not use fresh pineapple as a substitute. Do not use Pepsi or Diet Cola. Baked Baked beans are a key ingredient, whether they are cooked in vegetarian or pork sauce. beans can either be in pork sauce or tomato. Photo courtesy of wikimedia commons/

Pancakes and bacon are key items for most Stampede breakfast gatherings, but why serve them sepa- rate when you can mix them together? This recipe is a personal favorite that has family and friends wanting more and can be made with different ingredients depending on your dietary range. It makes four large pancakes and can easily be doubled.

Ingredients: 3/4 cup of milk 2 tbsp of white vinegar 1 cup of all purpose flour/ whole wheat flour/ coconut flour 2 tbsp of white sugar/ brown sugar OR 1 tablespoon of honey 1 tsp of baking powder 1/2 tsp of baking soda 1/2 tsp of sea salt 2 tbsp of cinnamon Bacon 1 egg 1/8 cup of butter, melted Canola oil invasion 4 strips of bacon (regular, chicken, beef and turkey bacon all work) A new take on a Directions: Start cooking the bacon Mix together milk and white vinegar together is a small bowl, set aside for breakfast favorite five minutes. Melt butter and set aside. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk egg into the milk and white vinegar mixture. Add the cooled down melted butter, do not mix if the butter is still hot or it will cook the egg. Combine the wet ingre- dients into the dry and mix until the batter is lumpy, do not over mix. Once the bacon is done, crumble and mix into pancake batter, add canola oil to a frying pan on medium heat. Add a quarter cup of batter to the pan. Flip pancake over, once both sides are brown serve with syrup and a citrus fruit and enjoy. — HANNAH CAWSEY

c algaryjournal.ca JULY 2013 19 th ings to do

July baking Canada day scones Tart and sweet make up the flavours for this baked good

HAnnaH Cawsey [email protected]

hese red and white scones are an excellent snack for your Canada Day celebration. Whether you bring them to a picnic or barbecue, they will be T enjoyed by all. Ingredients: 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 cup milk 3 cups all-purpose flour Photo by hannah cawsey/calgary journal 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 tbsp baking powder Directions: 3. Gently knead in cranberries, if the batter is too 1/4 tsp each, baking soda and salt 1. Preheat oven to 220 C (425 F). sticky, sprinkle some flour into the batter and 1/2 cup soft butter, cut into cubes 2. In a bowl, stir lemon juice into milk; set aside. In continue. 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, cut in half if a large bowl, combine 2-3/4 cups of flour, sugar, 4. Sprinkle the extra ¼ cup of flour onto a clean sur- large baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut butter in face and place dough on top. With a cookie cutter, 1/4 cup white chocolate chips small squares and add to the dry ingredients and cut dough until it is used up. stir until mixture is crumbly. Pour in milk mixture; 5. Bake for 18 minutes. Let cool for five minutes. stir until a soft, sticky dough forms. 6. Melt the white chocolate and with a fork, drizzle over the cooled-off scones.

July is Stampede season, and along with it comes Stampede breakfast time: -- the the yearly Calgary ritual of filling your face with pancakes and sausages. While 9:00 a.m. is a little early for most people to have a shot after a long, hard night of raising hell, it’s Photo by ian esplen/calgary not too early to mix a little Jack Daniel’s in your morning sausage. journal Here is a delicious homemade apple sausage patty recipe [source?] to impress friends and acquain- tances with during those magical 10 days in July where diets don’t matter.

Ingredients: 1lb. of ground chicken ½ tsp of finely- chopped fresh sage 1 apple (finely diced) 1 tbsp of applesauce 4 oz. of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey ½ tsp of dry mustard You don’t ½ tsp of pepper ½ tsp of salt know Jack 1 to 2 tbsp of cooking oil or cooking spray Directions: 1. In a small bowl, combine the diced apple and Jack Daniel’s and mix. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 to about sausage 15 minutes. 2. In a medium bowl, combine the ground chicken, sage, applesauce, dry mustard, pepper, salt, and the bowl of apples and Jack Daniel’s mix. Massage the mixture together with your hands until it is Add a few shots of the famous blended and all the ingredients are dissolved and spread evenly throughout. Place the mixture into whiskey to kick up your the fridge for a minimum of one hour (overnight works the best). 3. Roll the mixture into golf ball-like balls and squish them so they are about a half inch thick. You now Stampede breakfast have your patties for frying. 4. Lightly line a frying pan with cooking oil or cooking spray and heat the pan at medium-to-high heat. Cook the patties in the pan for roughly 15 minutes or until they are brown on the outside and no longer pink inside. — IAN ESPLEN

20 JULY 2013 calgaryjournal.ca BOOKS

SUMMER READING ‘Yaqui Delgado Complicated Wants to Kick friendship central Your Ass’ : to ‘Summer Sisters’ 5"+,)&2"))"60&%1/)0& The main tension in the novel a tough but 2/"7&*/1')0&"2&891)(: comes from the friendship between Caitlin and Vix. Caitlin is determined 9""(&*"&'(#)*9""( to be di!erent no matter what and when they graduate from high school entertaining she leaves to travel Europe. Vix re- ever Be Ordinary, or “NBO or main behind, receiving a scholarship die!” is the childhood motto and acceptance to Harvard Univer- N of Caitlin Somers, a girl from a sity. The years go by before they see read well-o! family who sweeps classmate each other again, with Vix turning Victoria ‘Vix’ Leonard away to spend down each of Caitlin’s invitations to !"#$%&'(#)*&$"+,)& her father, who her mother never talks the summer with her by the ocean. come visit with her in favour of keep- about. Some of the most moving parts Vix is at "rst in awe of Caitlin, whose ing up with her studies and maintain- ,-.)"/,0&/,')1*1,0&"2& of the novel are when she recounts family seems to have so much more 3#))41$% how she used to play a game when than her own, and quickly grows to she was little, when she would pretend be her best friend. strangers were really her father com- Judy Blume, the author of Summer !"#$%&'($)*++$ iedad ‘Piddy’ Sanchez is a smart ing to see how she is doing. She has to Sisters, is the also the author of well- girl, almost at the top of her class abandon her safe fantasies about her known young adult books such as Are #'$)**,-$#."$ P in her old school. Her mother perfect father in order to discover the You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret and works long shifts at a warehouse and truth about who he really is. Blubber. Published in 1998, Summer /#'&0$#1234"/$ her father ran o! before she was born. The third thread of the story focuses Sisters is one of Judy Blume’s adult When the staircase collapses at the on the relationship between Piddy and novels, on the ‘summer picks’ shelf at /567"2#/$/52.$ run-down apartment building that her her childhood friend Joey Halper, who the Calgary Public Library this month. family lives in, her mother decides to has become a teenager that never goes A coming-of-age novel, the book 1/$/"85149#0-$ move to a di!erent building in a dif- to school and designs his own tattoos, follows the lives of the two girls from :"1#.$1;:$ ferent neighbourhood, forcing Piddy imprinting them onto his skin with the time that they are 12 years old to switch schools. homemade equipment. The two had until they are in their 30s. Set from #."$:9<9/9';/$ As a new student at Daniel Jones grown apart but they become closer as 1977 to 1996, the story tackles sub- High, it isn’t long before she attracts the Piddy begins skipping school to avoid jects such as sexuality, death and 6"#="";$#."$ attention of local tough girl Yaqui Del- bullying. the divisions between the rich and gado, leading to a struggle between The characters in the novel are all the poor. &92.$1;:$#."$ the two that lasts the whole year and well written with vivid personalities Two relationships sit at the centre culminates in an inevitable confronta- and storylines. The only character of the novel – the friendship of Caitlin >''&? tion. that feels one-dimensional is Yaqui and Vix, and the romantic relation- !"#$%!&'$#%($)*+,-.$$ Author Meg Medina tells the story Delgado herself — a stereotypical ship between Vix and Bru, a boy who /01234567526 in the "rst-person, weaving together a bully from the bad side of town. The lives on the island. The novel begins narrative from past and present events narrative style never really allows for with a grown-up Caitlin calling Vix to ing a romantic relationship with Bru, in the life of Piddy Sanchez. The narra- her to develop a personality, history tell her that she and Bru are getting which is faltering despite her e!orts. tive voice is very believable, relaying or interests outside her animosity to- married. The narrative then #ashes The story continues up to the point the events of the story in a sometimes wards Piddy. However, the vibrancy of back to the past to build upon the where Vix receives Caitlin’s surprise strong, sometimes funny, always poi- the other characters makes up for her relationships between these three invitation to attend the sudden wed- gnant manner. lack of personality. characters. ding between herself and Bru, a few There are three main storylines re- The novel is a tough but often- Told from the perspective of Vix, years after they had broken o! their curring throughout the novel. The "rst entertaining read, with Piddy’s life the story also contains snippets of relationship. The chapter is almost a and primary focus is the battle of wills falling to pieces as Yaqui Delgado an- the perspective of other characters word-for-word match to the introduc- between Yaqui Delgado and the nar- tagonizes her at school and her life at – family members, friends, and lovers. tion, which feels a bit repetitive. The rator. Starting out with verbal threats, home su!ers. Piddy proves that she is While these snippets can help build narrative after this event chronicles the words soon escalate to physical a tough girl too throughout the course insight into the actions of the main Vix’s attempt to reconcile with the violence. of the novel, "ghting to put her life characters, occasionally they feel jar- changed relationship between the The second storyline focuses on Pid- back together after it comes crashing ring and like an unnecessary inter- two most important people in her dy’s desire to "nd out the truth about down around her. — KRISTINE SARETSKY ruption of the main narrative. life. — KRISTINE SARESSKY

CALGARYJOURNAL.CA JULY 2013 21 books

american annexation What if the U.S. invaded Canada?

Graphic novel explores the merger. On top of that, the dominated for- Prize — gives with an outline of the history of the mer citizens of Canada find themselves forced often-strained relationship between the U.S. and idea of the ‘United States to deal with food shortages and martial law. All Canada, providing a juxtaposition of real history of North America’ this inspires a rebellion within Canada, with the with the novel’s speculative version. insurgents seeking to restore the Canadian flag, USNA has another local connection: Alberta karry taylor ideals and identity. College of Art and Design graduate Dave Casey [email protected] “It’s a very provocative idea,” Stanleigh says. provided the novel’s artwork. Casey came on “The idea of the United States and Canada amal- board after the authors’ attempts to work with t all started with a strange vision screen- gamating has been in the back of people’s minds another artist fell through. writer David Longworth had sometime in for a long time. The United States has a long his- “Dave turned out to be great, as you can see the mid-1980s of armoured tractors and tory of Manifest Destiny— the idea that Ameri- by the quality of the art,” Stanleigh says. “It was combines converging upon a group of cans are destined to govern all of North America.” a huge project for him. It’s not one page, one soldiers in a wheat field. The machinery Stanleigh says the novel is “an action story that drawing. It’s one page, six drawings.” Ihad the letters USNA written on them. Unsure has political undertones” to it. Part of Casey’s task was to bring the novel’s what to make of it all, Longworth shared the “It’s true that there isn’t much rhetoric out myriad of characters to physical life — among vision with his writing partner Allan them Carol Wheeler, the novel’s Stanleigh. machine-gun toting protagonist “He didn’t know what the letters whose search for information re- meant,” Stanleigh says. “But we real- garding her murdered son ends up ized that this was the seed of an idea with her leading a group of Cana- — the people’s revolution in North dian rebels determined to engineer America. Canada’s independence from the “We just took off from there with USNA. the concept of the United States and Stanleigh says that the authors Canada amalgamating after a rebel- liked the idea of having a strong lion.” female lead character. Longworth’s vision — and the let- “We have never been into the ters written on the sides of the ar- idea of the male character who con- moured farm equipment —morphed trols everything and is the big hero,” into a screenplay written by him and Stanleigh says. Stanleigh called USNA: The United “We wanted a character who States of North America. Harry Kalen- evolved from being innocent about sky, the original bass player for the what was going on around her, to band Trooper, later joined the pair in someone who would come to un- their screenwriting ventures and also derstand the values that the rebels contributed to the script. were espousing by actually being a The screenplay was never made part of it.” into a movie. Stanleigh says that Canadian film companies cited the Long road to fruition high costs required for such a proj- Now that USNA has been pub- ect, while American film companies lished, Stanleigh and his partners perceived the tone of the script as too are hopeful that the possibility of anti-American. USNA was shelved — the original screenplay becoming but not forgotten — by its authors. a movie will surface again. In the meantime, they are at work Idea Resurrected USNA imagines a future where Canada and the U.S. on a second graphic novel that will With the hope of a movie deal stalled, have merged into a single country — the United States serve as both a prequel and sequel Stanleigh and his partners moved of North America. to the work. on to other screenplays and writing Photo courtesy of USNA Publications Inc. “The prequel will be how about projects. Encouraged by the interest the U.S. and Canada become a new generated by films such as Sin City country,” Stanleigh says. “The sequel and Road to Perdition, both which will focus on what happens after originally started out as graphic novels, the trio there today about Canada and the U.S. amalgam- those tractors meet up with the soldiers in the decided to return to USNA long after Longworth ating. But there are always questions about how field.” had that initial vision. different Canadians actually are from Americans. Although the road to USNA’s publication was The result is a 200-page graphic novel that The novel goes into that.” “a long journey,” Stanleigh says it’s been worth it. details a dystopian future where the U.S. and “For me personally, it was a very emotional Canada have joined into a single country. Much Calgary connections experience to finally hold the book in my hand. of the novel’s tension revolves around the fact In the novel’s forward, Calgary author Will Fer- In a way it’s like seeing your baby born. that the U.S. has gotten a much better deal in guson —winner of the 2012 Scotiabank Giller “That’s a very gratifying thing as a writer.”

22 JULY 2013 calgaryjournal.ca books

Reminiscent ruminations Past and present collide in new novel Memories haunt in Shyam never know if I am succeeding or failing at it. So surprise you in some way. They should always have this ends up taking a lot of my energy and time. an element of mystery to them. I feel that if a book Selvadurai’s The Hungry is absolutely clear to me in how it is supposed to Ghosts Where did the character of Shivan come be written, I am not getting it right. It’s going to be from? a boring book. I knew I wanted to write a book about Canada. I There should always be something about it that karry taylor liked the idea of writing a gay protagonist because I don’t understand — some knot that I am trying [email protected] I am gay, and I don’t see why a gay protagonist to pick apart when I am writing. egardless of how hard one tries, it is shouldn’t be as universal as a straight one. I can impossible to shed the past. This is a identify with straight or lesbian protagonists, so How much of your own life experience realization that Shivan Rassiah, the there is no reason why it can’t be the other way informs your writing? protagonist of Shyam Selvadurai’s around. He just grew on his own from there. A lot of it informs my writing. I think I am an auto- latest novel, The Hungry Ghosts, must I suppose what surprised me was that the rela- biographical writer. I used to feel very defensive grappleR with. tionship with his grandmother took up so much of about being called an autobiographical writer after As the novel opens, Shivan — who emigrated Funny Boy because I wanted to be taken seriously from war-torn Sri Lanka to Canada as a young man as an artist. — is preparing to travel back to the country of his But then I read novels by Marcel Proust, who is birth to bring his ailing grandmother to Ontario. also an autobiographical writer. I thought, “‘He’s But as he prepares for his departure, Shivan finds taken his life and made it into art”’ — even if the himself haunted by memories of loss, desire and writing was not exactly what his life was. his grandmother’s domineering presence in his life. There can be many variations of one’s life experi- Born in Sri Lanka in 1965 to a Sinhalese mother ence, and I think you can draw new material from and a Tamil father, Shyam Selvadurai immigrated to that. I think that I have been gifted with good life Canada at the age of 19. His parents were members material that I can turn into art. of Sri Lanka’s conflicting ethnic groups — a major A creative writing professor once said to me that theme that underlies Selvadurai’s writing. talent is only 10 per cent of what makes a writer — Selvadurai’s debut novel — 1994’s Funny Boy — along with 50 per cent perseverance and 40 per was shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and cent subject matter. So I asked myself, “‘Since I am won the Books in Canada First Novel Award. He blessed with wonderful life material, why don’t I followed that up with the short story collection Cin- draw from it?”’ I do like to draw on my own life, but namon Gardens in 1998. Currently living in Toronto, I don’t like to write memoir myself. Memoir doesn’t Selvadurai’s latest novel — The Hungry Ghosts — interest me as an art form. took him 13 years to write and is his first novel to be set in Canada. What role do you think that fiction can Outside of his own writing, Selvadurai heads play in helping to universalize and ex- Write to Reconcile, a project designed to give plain unfamiliar experiences, people and young Sri Lankan writers a platform to write about places to readers? memory, reconciliation and war in a manner that During the writing The Hungry Ghosts, In a polarized society like Sri Lanka, where every- challenges official government versions of that Shyam Selvadurai became interested in thing is black or white and where all the ethnic country’s civil war. He plans to publish an anthol- Buddhist philosophy — something he communities have their own version of what hap- ogy of the project’s writing this fall. incorporated into his novel. pened in the civil war — the majority thinks they Selvadurai recently sat down with Karry Taylor Photo courtesy of kevin kelly are right, and the minorities think that they are of the Calgary Journal to discuss writing, memory, right — I think that fiction can introduce a lot of and the role of fiction. greys into the whole thing, which is a good thing. the book. Initially, she was supposed to appear in Fiction can bring the human experience to it. So Your first novel, Funny Boy, won several just one chapter. you are not just looking at a photograph of hun- literary prizes. Has that caused you to But once I created her sitting on her bed polish- dreds of people milling on the road on their way feel any pressure about that following ing her silver teapot, there was no way that I could to escape a bomb;, you are looking through the up that success with the books you have get her off the stage. She was there to stay, and eyes of one person in the crowd. By doing that, you written since then? then the book itself changed. humanize everybody else in the crowd. So I think that is very important role that fiction can play — it Yes, I did feel that pressure — especially with my What surprised you the most about humanizes things. second book Cinnamon Gardens. But I think, on this book? Was it the grandmother’s some level, that I always feel pressure because I am role? Editor’s Note: Questions and answers have been always trying something new with writing and I Yes it was. But, as an author, books should always edited for length and clarity.

calgaryjournal.ca JULY 2013 23 SPORTS

Stampede rodeo Nanton woman aims for second Stampede buckle Lindsay Sears is one of Canada’s three hopefuls in women’s barrel racing IAN ESPLEN [email protected]

At this year’s Calgary Stampede, barrel racer Lindsay Sears of Nanton, Alberta will be a rare breed. Because of the selection process the Calgary Stampede uses to invite competi- Ftors for women’s barrel racing, Sears, along with two more Alberta competitors, Cranna Roberts of Lacombe, AB. and and Nancy Csabay of Taber, AB. will be the only women wearing the maple leaf in the 20-athlete field. “In my opinion, three Canadians, out of 20 com- petitors is sad,” Sears said while reflecting on the competition she will be facing on her home soil at this year’s Calgary Stampede Rodeo. Sears also went on to point out that when she competes in the United States she is generally one of the few Canadians competing against a much larger number of Americans. Under current Stampede rules, barrel racers are invited based on the following criteria: one spot to the Stampede champion, one spot to the Dodge truck champion, 14 spots based on various types Nanton Alberta’s Lindsay Sears rounds a barrel on her No. 1 horse Martha. Sears is still of results on the Women’s Professional Rodeo As- unsure of how much action Martha will see at the Stampede. Photo courtesy of COWBOY IMAGES sociation and four spots based on the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association results. A lack of Canadians heading south to compete in they fix the ground and make it decent, then yes, And two, that special attitude toward competition the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, com- you might see her in Calgary,.” Sears said. that all great athletes seem to have. bined with a rising number of Americans coming “The least I can do is take the best possible care “Horses are just like human athletes; you can north to compete in the Canadian Professional Ro- of her and not put her in a position where it’s going have two people who are equally athletic, but one deo Association has lead to the decrease in Cana- to be risky.” is a better competitor because mentally they’re dian talent qualifying for the Stampede Sears also began doing embryo work with Martha tougher. Martha just loves to compete is what it The Calgary Stampede did not respond to inter- this past year, and for this reason it generally isn’t boils down to. ” view requests about the selection process at the good to have her competing regularly – and that is time of publication. largely why the 2008 Barrel Horse of the Year Award Winning the Stampede again winner hasn’t raced since February, in San Antonio. But even without Martha, one thing that Sears does Obstacles to Success The process isn’t a quick one, but one of Martha’s have in her favour is the unpredictability that the But the steep competition from the south isn’t go- embryos was placed inside a recipient mare in early Calgary Stampede offers and the fastest horse go- ing to be the only thing standing in Sears’ way of June and Sears hopes to do some more work on ing into the event is not always a shoe-in to win. winning her second Calgary Stampede buckle in it sometime in July. At that point she will make a “Calgary’s a hard rodeo to gage because of the six years. decision on whether Martha will race at all this year. ground conditions. Calgary in the past has had Perhaps the biggest obstacle she faces is trying And if all goes well with the embryo work, Sears terrible ground and so it’s really hard to gage how to win without her No. 1 horse Martha – a 13-year- may have a new No. 1 horse down the road to take you’re going to do there. It all depends on how your old sorrel mare, which she has shared most of her the reigns from Martha, which she originally stum- horse handles the ground in Calgary.” success with aboard. bled upon by fluke. And that unpredictability certainly gives Sears, Despite her past victories riding with Martha, “It wasn’t an accident, but I definitely got very the 2008 Calgary Stampede barrel racing champion, Sears isn’t sure it’s worth the risk of running her lucky getting a horse like Martha,.” Sears reflected. a chance during this year’s Stampede no matter best horse on the Calgary Stampede’s unpredict- And as for what has made Martha the horse she what horse she rides with. able ground after an unfortunate slip injured Martha is today, that comes down to a couple of things. You can cheer on Lindsay Sears, Cranna Roberts in last year’s final. One, the many long days Sears put in years ago to and Nancy Csabay in women’s barrel racing at the “It really depends on the ground conditions. If teach Martha to run to the left barrel first. Calgary Stampede on, July 5-14, 2013.

24 JULY 2013 ca lgaryjournal.ca sports

athlete profiles High school rugby stalwarts graduate on high note

Standout players “Brandon is the more playful of the two, with an OPPORTUNITIES extremely outgoing character,” Gough says. “He is Both Lesage and Waeyen are appreciative of the complement each other always laughing and smiling and creates an atmo- opportunities that the sport has provided to them. on and off field sphere of fun.” Waeyen says that the sport “means a lot” to him. Walker Rice, who has been a teammate of the “It’s given me a lot of opportunities to make new KARRY TAYLOR pair over the past four years, says that he has thor- friends and to travel the world, and has provided [email protected] oughly enjoyed playing with alongside Lesage and educational opportunities too,” Waeyen says. or Ben Lesage and Brandon Waeyen, the Waeyen and their generous natures. Last summer, the pair were selected to represent last rugby game of their high school ath- “Ben is very good at taking the time to get to Alberta in Japan — an experience that both cher- letic careers was somewhat bittersweet. know individual players and with helping them to ish. “We played great rugby, but it was also amazing After playing for the Henry Wise Wood improve their own skills,” Rice says. to experience another culture that we had never High School team for the past three years, “Brandon’s just an all-around great team leader. If seen before,” Lesage says. Fthe pair was chosen to take part in the Calgary Se- we are losing a game — or even if we are winning nior High School Athletic Association’s Rugby Se- — he does what he can to keep our morale up.” BRIGHT FUTURES lects game — an end-of-season showcase of the Gough says that the pair “complements each Gough, who served as the coach of South Calgary best high school players in the city. other in a ‘business-casual’ sort of way. team in the Rugby Selects game, shares in the emo- Their appearance in the Selects game capped “Without thinking about it, they make the perfect tion that Lesage and Waeyen felt towards their final off a season that saw Lesage and Waeyen lead the pair of leaders. Brandon makes everyone comfort- high school game. Wise Wood team to a gold medal in the city high able, and Ben makes everyone productive,” Gough “I am proud of what they’ve accomplished. To see school rugby championships, followed up with sil- says. them move on is bittersweet, but I know they have ver medal at the provincial championships. great futures ahead of them,” Gough says. Although both plan to continue playing, the Se- lects game represented a turning point: as gradu- ating Grade 12 students, they will both be leaving Calgary in the fall to attend university — Lesage at UBC and Waeyen at the University of Victoria. “It’s sad that it has come to an end, but I think we ended on a good note,” says Lesage, who was presented with the 2013 Joe Massey Award as the top male student-athlete in Calgary’s high school rugby league.

‘QUIET LEADER’ Brent Gough, who has coached both players at Henry Wise Wood over the past three years, says Lesage and Waeyen are both dedicated and “natu- ral athletes” who love the sport. Lesage served as captain of the Wise Wood team this year. Gough says that Lesage is a “calm, quiet leader” who was a “natural” choice for team captain. “Ben is very humble and not intimidating in the least. I’m sure that makes him very approachable to other student-athletes.” Gough says Lesage brings “athletic consistency”. “In situations where we are down in points, Ben is the guy who will take responsibility for making breaks and ultimately setting up points.”

MORALE BOOSTER Waeyen began playing rugby at the age of 12 and says that he “instantly fell in love” with the sport. Brandon Waeyen (left) and Ben Lesage led the Henry Wise Wood High School rugby team While Lesage leads by quiet example, Waeyen’s ex- to a city championship, as well as a silver-medal in the provincial championships. troverted nature is something valued by his former Photo by Karry Taylor/Calgary Journal coach and teammates.

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growing interest

Touch, tackle, try Calgary high school rugby players end season with all-star game

KARRY TAYLOR letic Association adopted rugby as a sanctioned in and of itself, is a celebration of the elite athletes [email protected] sport eight years ago. Four years ago, the Calgary from every program, Gough says. “Most of all, it Senior High School Athletic Association created the gives the athletes a sense of what playing rugby ugby has always been more of an ob- Rugby Selects game — a north vs. south Calgary surrounded by high-calibre players feels like. scure sport in Calgary,” says Brent Gough, match that brings the best players from 23 high For many the Rugby Selects game marks the end “R a rugby coach with Henry Wise Wood schools together to end the rugby season. Sepa- of their high school athletic careers. Walker Rice, a High School. “It’s very popular with those in the rate Selects games are held for male and female Grade 12 student from Henry Wise Wood, says the rugby community but under the radar for most players. game meant a lot to him. “It was fun to be out there Calgarians.” Gough, who coached the North team during the and not playing for any titles or medals or trophies Despite that Gough says that the sport has boys’ game, says that the Rugby Selects game is — it lets you get back to the basics of the sports “grown greatly” over the past 15 years, both at the his “favourite” high school rugby event of the year. and play with some of the top players in Calgary,” club and high school level. The Alberta Schools Ath- “It caps a busy season of intense competition and, Rice says. “It was a great way to go out.”

26 JUL cY al2013garyjournal.ca sports

game on Stampeders ready for kickoff DeVone Claybrooks on talks about coaching, the defensive line and what fans should expect

Ian Esplen what are some of the Stampeders’ goals do. My job is to teach them, so that they get better. [email protected] for this season? Their job is to listen so that they grow as players. Our goal every day is to get better. As a defensive line, we just want to be one of the best in the CFL. Is it more work preparing for a season At the end of the day we might not have the most now that you’re a coach as opposed to talented guys, but nobody’s going to work harder when you were a player? than us or put forth more effort. And if we can build Actually, yes, it’s a lot more work and I didn’t realize off those two platforms, I think we’ll be successful. that before I started coaching. But, it’s one of those things that is part of the job and I love it. I’ve had Last year the Stampeders finished sec- this job a little more than a year now and I haven’t ond in the CFL in sacks. Will this year’s had to go to work yet. So, to me, it’s the perfect job. defence try to build on that and lead the The greatest reward I get from coaching is when league? you see your player do something that he maybe We’re in a “what have you done for me lately” busi- couldn’t do before, but through listening to you, ness, so if I live on our laurels and the defensive line they improve and do it. For me, that’s just as fulfill- lives on theirs, then we all better start getting our ing as getting a sack back when I was playing. resumes ready. But the funny thing last year was everyone asked I want our defensive line to get vertical and get me if I missed playing. What I always used to tell up the field. If we’re doing that thean the sacks will them is you don’t have time to miss it as a coach. come. When I was a player I only had to worry about get- But, sacks are, in my opinion, the most overrated ting where I needed to be. Now as a coach, I have stat in football because a quarterback can fall and to worry about the whole group being where they someone touches him they get a sack. Do that five have to be. times in five games and you got five sacks, and the perception is you’re a good rusher. And lastly, the Grey Cup is always every- one’s ultimate goal at the start of each So with that in mind, how big of an effect season. What do you think the Stamped- does a player like Corey Mace have on ers’ chances are this season? the game? We’re just looking to win games and get better. He has a great impact on a game. The inside guys Right now, every team is zero-and-zero and thinks are the forgotten ones because all you hear about they have a chance to win the Grey Cup. are the defensive ends. Corey Mace is just like hav- In training camp we’re laying the foundation and ing a coach on the field and he leads by example. that rolls over into weeks. The weeks than turn into He’s always the first one to the meetings and he’s months and before you know it you’ll be playing in Stampeders head coach John Hufnagel always the first one onto the field. I really can’t ask Saskatchewan playing for the Grey Cup. (back) watches practice during training for much more out of him. camp. The Stampeders opened the regular Editor’s Note: Answers have been edited for length season at home against the B.C. Lions on Every season there is always a player or and clarity. June 28. Photo by ian esplen /calgaryjournal two that breaks out and takes that next step as a player. Who should Stamped- ers’ fans watch on the defensive line that eVone Claybrooks has lived the game of might be ready to take that next step and football and knows it well. move forward in their career? Before hanging up his cleats last It’s still early, so it’s tough to tell at this point, but season to pursue a job as the Calgary honestly, I expect big things out of all of the guys. Stampeders’ defensive line coach, the I love the group we got. I think we did a great job Dsix-foot-three, 300 lb.pound Claybrooks played in of meshing some older guys with some new guys both the CFL and NFL – winning a Super Bowl with and I expect all our players to have a good season. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002. In his second season coaching with the Stamped- Was it a hard adjustment last season ers, Claybrooks took a bit of time during training transitioning from player to coach? camp to talk about what fans can expect out of the It was a hard adjustment because now I’m not only team this season, as well as insight as to what it is their friend, but now I’m also an authority figure. like to coach the defensive line. But, we do a good job at separating the two. I Stampers all-star slotback Nik Lewis goes still talk to them about their family and care about through drills at training camp. Every year there is always goals for a them as friends. Photo by ian esplen /calgaryjournal team, besides winning the Grey Cup, However, at the end of the day, we all have jobs to

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