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04 /27 2012 / 09 volume 67

Take a look - it's in a book The Literature Issue Layoffs at the Winnipeg Free Press What does it mean for the future of print media? news  page 3 The pen is mightier Activism and the written word comments  page 7 One boy's guide to the classics Indicator Indicator's Sandy Taronno lists his five favourite books arts  page 9 02 The Uniter September 27, 2012 www.Uniter.ca

Looking for listings? Cover Image CAMPUS & COMMUNITY LISTINGS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES  page 4 PHOTO BY DYLAN HEWLETT Exploring the merits of The art of zines MUSIC  page 10 FILM & LIT  page 14 In The Uniter's first theme issue of 2012/2013, fantasy literature we take a look at literature. GALLERIES & MUSEUMS  page 14 Literature-themed stories start on page 3. culture  page 13 comments  page 7 THEATRE, DANCE & COMEDY  page 14 AWARDS & FINANCIAL AID  page 14

People Worth Reading About UNITER STAFF

Refining the East Exchange Managing Editor Hermanos co-owner Noel Bernier has a vision for downtown Winnipeg Aaron Epp » [email protected] Business Manager Geoffrey Brown » [email protected] This spirit drives Bernier to such ambitious heights. PRODUCTION MANAGER Ayame Ulrich [email protected] After ending a career that spanned more than » 20 years at several energy and agricultural corpo- copy and style editor rations, the Fisher Branch native kept his roots Britt Embry » [email protected] in Manitoba, opening Hermanos restaurant and Photo editor wine bar. Dylan Hewlett » [email protected] A frequent visitor to South America, Berni- er’s foremost influences originate from Argen- news assignment editor tina and Brazil, two nations represented by his Ethan Cabel » [email protected] latest restaurants: Corientes and the soon-to-be- news production editor opened Carnaval. Matt Preprost » [email protected] Both located on Bannatyne, Corientes is an Argentinean pizzeria that provides diners with arts editor Nicholas Friesen [email protected] a “slice of Buenos Aires,” and Carnaval will be » Winnipeg’s only Brazilian barbecue when it CULTURE editor opens its doors on Dec. 1. Dunja Kovacevic » [email protected] “Most restaurants in this area are serious prop- comments editor ositions,” reminds Bernier. “They are destina- Katerina Tefft » [email protected] tions, and meant to attract the whole city to fill them up. ... Our business plan (for Bannatyne) listings co-ordinator didn’t require a big clientele from all over the Ken Prue » [email protected] city. But, if they do come, we want them to feel CAMPUS BEAT REPORTER the East Exchange and what it’s all about.” Amy Groening » [email protected] The rapid development of Waterfront Drive and the impending completion of the Canadian BEAT REPORTER Carson Hammond [email protected] Museum for Human Rights haven’t hurt Berni- » er’s cause. BEAT REPORTER Part of a $20-million downtown CentreVen- Alex Paterson » [email protected] ture project that includes housing and com- ARTS REPORTER mercial space, Carnaval will take advantage of Kaeleigh Ayre » [email protected] nearby developments such as an 85-unit entry- level condominium that is nearly complete. online editor “Carnaval is in a brand new building,” Bernier Harrison Samphir » [email protected] Cheyenne Rae said. Noel Bernier, co-owner of Hermanos on Bannatyne Avenue, calls the East Exchange the next epicentre of downtown “There was real excitement when we CONTRIBUTORS: development. approached the owner and other stakeholders to turn it into a restaurant. It’s such a signature the East Exchange as a friendly borough that location.” Harrison Samphir proudly shares its storied history and architec- Business is always front-and-centre for Aranda Adams, Danelle Online editor ture. Bernier, an entrepreneur who has found suc- Cloutier, Daniel Crump, Cynthia “There are very few neighbourhoods in Can- cess not just in a neighbourhood he partly envi- Holowachuk, Laina Hughes, ada that have such a unique dynamic where sioned, but in the people who are around him Chris Hunter, Erika Miller, To Noel Bernier, the streets and shops of the you see the meeting of the old with the new,” every day. Stephanie Poruchnyk-Butler, East Exchange are Winnipeg’s exciting new resi- he said. “Part of the reason we are able to continue Cheyenne Rae, Jesse Rodgers, dential epicentre and the source of a strong com- “I live around here, and I wanted to build this dream of building the neighbourhood is Deborah Remus, Michael Welch munity with a vision of the neighbourhood’s something that is reflective of the area and its that people around us are incredibly positive and future. people.” supportive,” he said. “People here have an appreciation for an The East Exchange is downtown Winnipeg’s “We have an amazing team of people who urban lifestyle,” said Bernier, a local resident fastest-growing area, and has matured through believe in the vision. That makes it a much more and co-owner of Hermanos on Bannatyne Ave- the vibrant entrepreneurialism at its core, spear- exciting journey.” The Uniter is the official student newspaper of the nue, who has played a major role in redefining headed largely by Bernier. University of Winnipeg and is published by Mouseland Press Inc. Mouseland Press Inc. is a membership based organization in which students and community members are invited to participate. For more BY ETHAN CABEL information on how to become a member go to www. uniter.ca, or call the office at 786-9790. The Uniter is a Q: How do you feel about the future of print jour- member of the Canadian University Press and Campus nalism given the recent Winnipeg Free Press layoffs? The Plus Media Services. SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES, LETTERS, GRAPHICS AND PHOTOS ARE WELCOME. Articles must be submitted in Uniter text (.rtf) or Microsoft Word (.doc) format to editor@ Kyra Leib, Soma Cafe Rémi Fontaine, uniter.ca, or the relevant section editor. Deadline for employee fourth-year student, WEB EXCLUSIVES submissions is 6:00 p.m. Thursday, one week before “I’m not a big fan of the classics publication. Deadline for advertisements is noon Friday, Winnipeg Free Press so I don’t “It doesn’t look Log on to www.uniter.ca to read six days prior to publication. The Uniter reserves the right to refuse to print submitted material. The think it’s a big loss anyway. I promising given the the following articles: Uniter will not print submissions that are homophobic, would prefer good print jour- demographic that was misogynistic, racist, or libellous. We also reserve the nalism to bad print journalism laid off.”  Never-before-published right to edit for length and/or style. and if that’s on the internet I’d rather get it from there.” poetry and short fiction by a CONTACT US » variety of new Winnipeg writers General Inquiries: 204.786.9790 Advertising: 204.786.9790 Editors: 204.786.9497  A review of Paul Thomas Fax: 204.783.7080 E-mail: [email protected] Anderson's new film,The Master Web: www.uniter.ca Wade Nelson, assistant Nora Labongo, LOCATION » professor, rhetoric, writing second-year student, Room ORM14 and communications kinesiology University of Winnipeg 515 Portage Avenue “Newspapers have had a “If people are getting CORRECTION Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9 decade to react to digital laid off that’s bad, but media. It seems that the I think it’s a good thing The article "An athletic leap" (Sept. 20, page Free Press had been making if things are moving 6) indicated that the University of Winnipeg’s some progress with regard online.” department of modern languages lost several Mouseland Press Board of Directors: to taking steps to address tenure track faculty positions due to budget Ben Wickstrom (interim chair), Peter Ives, their digital shortcomings, cuts. This is false. The department lost no ten- Robert Galston, Sara McGregor, Justin Leblanc, Lindsey Wiebe, Melissa Martin, and thus the elimination of ure track positions. these positions can be seen Emily Guttormson, Chris Hunter and as regressive.” The Uniter regrets the error. Shannon Sampert. For inquiries e-mail: [email protected] News 03 www.uniter.ca September 27, 2012 The Uniter News Winnipeg Free Press faces major layoffs Union under fire for strict seniority provisions

Ethan Cabel News Assignment Editor

In a surprise move last week, Manitoba's largest print media organization laid off seven editorial staff members, causing many to question the viability of print journalism in Winnipeg. At 4:00 p.m., Sept. 18, the Winnipeg Free Press announced it had laid off what amounts to 8 per cent of its newsroom, according to the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP); the union representing staff at the Free Press and several other Manitoba newspapers. The seven laid off staffers include deputy online editor John White, web pagina- tor Mark Lowe and reporters Alison Mayes, Lindsey Wiebe, Rob Williams, Adam Wazny and Melissa Martin. The cuts precipitated a flurry of social media commentary, with laid off reporters actively tweeting their disappointment, questioning the future of the Winnipeg Free Press as a renowned Canadian newspaper. Among the most vocal critics was Melissa Martin, a 30-year-old former general assignment reporter at the Free Press. “When you treat your content like it's disposable, like it's time limited, are you really so surprised that people don't want to Daniel Crump pay for it?” she said. Melissa Martin was one of five reporters abruptly laid off by the Winnipeg Free Press Sept. 18, a move that shocked news junkies in the city. By cutting editorial staff so drastically, Martin added, the Winnipeg Free Press is ultimately sending the wrong message to its (CBA) with newspaper management. and revolutionary change such as we're in layoffs,” he said, adding seniority provisions readers who pay for quality content. The seniority provisions within the CBA now, that seniority system is a big barrier for will not be on the table when the next Free Martin argues the layoffs will make day- ensure any layoffs occur by classification in the new … people,” he said. Press collective bargaining agreement comes to-day reporting significantly more diffi- reverse order of seniority, according to Aldo “I'm not blaming management, I'm not up in July 2013. cult for the paper now that the organization Santin, the president of CEP local 191. blaming the union; I'm saying both sides “Just because a reporter may be a little bit retains only four general assignment report- This means that, if management seeks to need to get together and figure out how to older, that doesn't mean they're unable to ers - the bare minimum to cover the day- lay off a staffer classified as a reporter, they get past that.” do their jobs, evolve and grow and lead the and-night shifts that make up the lifeblood must lay off the newest hire first. In the case McMonagle sees the future of print jour- paper into the future. It's insulting to those of a daily newspaper. of the five reporters laid off last week, all five nalism as something constantly evolving. people to say that.” And with the daily grind becoming more constituted the Free Press's most recent hires While high-paying jobs such as those at Santin maintains the Free Press has been onerous, she said, cuts to investigative and in reverse order of seniority. the Free Press may be going away, the lower- facing layoffs incrementally since 2009, with feature content will inevitably follow. Martin argues the union has done a great paying entry-level jobs are numerous, he cuts to the newspaper's circulation depart- “This is the time that mainstream media deal in terms of ensuring a quality wage and argues, estimating nearly all the roughly 17 ment and other areas. Over the course of the outlets need to have faith in their content,” other benefits. However, those benefits have annual journalism graduates at Red River past year, he estimates the Free Press has lost Martin said. “They need to draw a line in at times come at the expense of new talent come out of the Creative Communications 10 per cent of its total newsroom. the sand and say … we are going to teach and have ensured there is a preponderance program with jobs in the industry. These layoffs are coming because of a our readership this is valuable and keep of white men in the newsroom. Aldo Santin, the president of CEP local reduction in profits since the 2008 eco- teaching them until they believe it.” “(It's) not deliberate discrimination, but 191 and a justice reporter who has worked nomic crisis, he said, adding the Winnipeg Martin estimates that, with the recent discrimination nonetheless,” she said. for the Free Press for 26 years, argues senior- Free Press is still making money and should layoffs, the vast majority ofFree Press report- Duncan McMonagle, a journalism ity is a crucial part of trade unionism and have actively consulted the union and the ers are now white men over 45. instructor in Red River College's Creative blames the layoffs on poor management. public about the recent layoffs. “The fact the union protects this is frankly Communications program who used to “The principle of seniority is sort of “They still make money and I still believe discriminatory and unjust,” she said. work at the Free Press, agrees. embedded with trade unions … Seniority is they are one of the healthiest regional news- The CEP local 191, which represents Free “As a manager at the Free Press, I signed a there for a reason. People put in their time papers in North America,” he said. Press staffers, retains tight seniority provi- collective agreement that said the seniority and they're protected for that and its just a Free Press publisher Bob Cox was unavail- sions in its collective bargaining agreement system prevails, but in a time of dramatic fact of life in every industry that there are able for comment before press time. Don’t close the book on them yet Independent and used bookstores still have staying power, owners say

Ebooks appeal to a certain crowd, but independent stores. McNally will have to “It’s a threat out there the same way that Amy Groening Peake doubts they will be able to replace the find another way to stay in the ebook market getting cancer or being struck by lightning Campus beat reporter physical book. by January of next year. might be,” Boyko said. “Revenue is down, “There’s always a market for signed books, McNally opened 15 years ago, about the but I wouldn’t say we’re suffering.” rare books, first editions, collectibles, leather- time the book market exploded. Now it may Aimee Peake has seen many bookstores close bound books ... those things aren’t going any- be at its saturation point, said Hall. Book Fair their doors in the 11 years she’s been in the where,” she said. “For the first eight years (we were open), 340 Portage Ave. business. “You can’t replicate the experience of book sales were booming. People were find- Judy Weselowski opened Book Fair in As the owner of Bison Books, one of sev- opening a beautiful old book on an electronic ing books they never knew existed. Now, peo- 1977. eral well-established used bookstores in Win- device.” ple have a lot of books they have yet to read While sales have been suffering lately, she nipeg’s core, Peake has survived the market- that they bought over these years,” he said. attributes the decrease in customers mainly ing slump that has threatened to consume McNally Robinson to the lack of parking downtown. small bookstores throughout the city. 1120 Grant Ave. Red River Book Shop “I think we’re hurting more just because of While blame is often put on the ebook One independent bookstore that has taken 92 Arthur St. our location right now,” she said. trend and popularity of big box bookstores, advantage of the ebook market is McNally Dennis Boyko has gone from selling Book Fair may be moving in a few years Peake said smaller stores need a certain Robinson. records to cassettes to CDs and VHS tapes when the lease at its downtown location runs amount of adaptability to stay in business. Ebooks are just one of the many products to DVDs in the 35 years he’s been selling used out. Until then, there are enough people who “Historically a lot of bookstores have been McNally has to offer to prop up its bottom books and media out of the Red River Book love the feel of a real book as opposed to an part of this cliché, you think of the elderly line. Shop. ebook, and enough die-hard comic collectors gentleman owner with the pipe who’s cranky “We’ve always been diversified - sold gift- But Boyko isn’t sure how to approach out there, to keep the store in business. and rude to customers,” said Peake. ware, had a restaurant, sold music (and) we ebooks as a used bookstore. The store offers options to buy, sell or trade “If you’re that way now, you’re going to hold events, too,” said Chris Hall, McNally’s “Is it possible to sell used ebooks?” Boyko books, which keep book and comic lovers fail.” senior inventory manager. said. “What are the rights on that?” coming back for more, said Weselowski. Good customer service skills, a fresh and “No one shops in physical stores now, but At this point, any damage ebooks could “People come in from out of town to diverse book stock, along with online mar- we’re a place to go beyond shopping.” do to the physical book market has already shop because they’re saving money on used keting help keep secondhand bookstores up- However, Hall noted Google has been done. He doesn’t plan to fret over such books.” to-date and in business, she said. announced it is ending its partnership with an unpredictable trend. 04 News The Uniter September 27, 2012 www.Uniter.ca

Local International of an upcoming talk by environmentalist David disagreement has erupted over whether each Suzuki and economist Jeff Rubin. At a press union should receive the addresses of mem- News Briefs News Briefs conference in Toronto, the two announced a bers in rival unions so they can send them Compiled by Matt Preprost Compiled by Matt Preprost cross-country speaking tour, calling for the promotional literature. The Manitoba Labour environment to stop taking a back seat to eco- Board rejected this, despite precedent, intend- nomic concerns such as jobs and growth, the ing to proceed with balloting in each of the U.S. marines face discipline Demand for pesticide ban growing Canadian Press reported. Financial and politi- three newly merged health regions. The MGEU for urination video Environmental and health groups continue cal decisions must incorporate environmental has filed an injunction to place a hold on the UNITED STATES: Two United States to push the province to ban the sale and use sustainability, Suzuki argues. Rubin, former balloting. A hearing has been set for Oct. 10. marines face court martial for their of cosmetic pesticides. Last week, more than chief economist for CIBC, calls endless growth 1,000 people had added their names to an on- “short-sighted,” given the finite supply of the CTF questions spiritual role in a video of troops urinating health project on Taliban corpses that surfaced line petition by Cosmetic Pesticide Ban Mani- world’s resources and the environmental toll online earlier this year, the BBC re- toba, according to CBC Manitoba. The group is of consumption and industry. Suzuki and Ru- The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is tak- ports. Video of the two marines, who expected to present the petition to the prov- bin will be in Winnipeg Monday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m., ing aim at Manitoba’s new spiritual healthcare were not named, was posted online ince Monday, Oct. 1, when public consultations at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. Tickets project, the Winnipeg Sun reports. Colin Craig, in January. The Marine Corps says on the issue will end. The province has con- are $15 and available at McNally Robinson or director of the CTF prairie region, is question- it will provide details of disciplinary firmed a ban on the cosmetic use of lawn pes- by calling 204-475-0483. ing the province’s Health and the Human Spirit actions against the two at a later ticides, but how it will be applied is still being strategy, a four-year plan that includes seven determined, the CBC reports. Research shows Manitoba unions compete for coordinators to help Manitobans connect with date. Three other marines were dis- healthcare worker bounty ciplined in August for their role in human health, along with aquatic ecosystems, spiritual supports. “I think the average Joe the clip. The incident is believed to is endangered by pesticide use. Seven prov- Manitoba unions are vying for some 7,000 can find Buddha, Allah, Jesus or something have taken place in July 2011, during inces have restrictions on lawn pesticides. rural healthcare workers following the prov- else that interests them on their own,” Craig a counter-insurgency operation in The pesticide industry maintains pesticides ince’s decision to amalgamate regional health said. The province told the Sun there will be Afghanistan's Helmand Province. Two are safe and federally regulated. To submit authorities, the Winnipeg Free Press reports. no cost to the program, saying the plan uses staff sergeants, Joseph Chamblin and your thoughts, visit http://tinyurl.com/Uniter- The workers are represented by three different existing resources to allow the healthcare sys- Edward Deptola, also face discipline Pesticide. unions, including the Manitoba Government tem respond to the spiritual needs of patients. and General Employees Union, the Canadian Craig says the plan will cost money, even if it for “being derelict in their duties” in Suzuki brings ecology, supervising the junior marines. Union of Public Employees and the Manitoba doesn’t involve new hirings of coordinators or economics talk to city Association of Health Care Professionals. A other personnel, the Sun reported. No more Google for Iran Ecology and the economy will be the focus IRAN: Iran has restricted access to Google and its popular email service Gmail, Al Jazeera reports. The news LISTINGS broke via mobile phone text mes- local crafts. edge of bicycle repair and maintenance Volunteers generally help us one day per sage after a government minister COMMUNITY EVENTS accessible to the public, is looking for bike week for 2.5 hours each shift. NLI Volun- announced on state television that The finalRI VER HEIGHTS FARMERS’ MARKET ON CAMPUS mechanics and all-around bike enthusiasts. teers are expected to be fluent inE nglish, the sites would be blocked "within happens on Friday, Sept. 28 from 1 p.m. to 6 No experience required. Come out to a vol- open to learning about different cultures THE HISTORY STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION will a few hours.” Ali Hakim-Javadi, Iran’s p.m. at the River Heights Community Cen- unteer orientation and learn how you can and very supportive of adult learners. Vol- be meeting on Oct. 3 at 12:30 p.m. in room tre and features vegetables, fruit, bison get involved. Contact the WRENCH at pro- unteers should also be patient, open- deputy communications and tech- 3A39 at the University of Winnipeg. nology minister, said the move is the and crafts. [email protected] or 204-296-3389. minded and flexible. THE EMPLOYEE AND FAMILY ASSISTANCE first phase of connecting Iranians The WAG will celebrate its 100th birthday The UWSA BIKE LAB has launched a new If you are interested in volunteering, con- PROGRAM is available to all regular Uni- through a national Intranet network. on Sept. 29 with FAMILY FUN DAY. The day website. On the new site, users can find tact Wade Parke at [email protected] or give versity of Winnipeg employees. As part includes tours, art making workshops, face information on current programming, com- him a call at 204-943-8765, extension 23. Government agencies and offices of this program, Shepell-fgi offers a wide painting, clowns and jugglers and a spe- munity links, how to get involved, shop have been connected to the national range of seminars on a variety of physi- To volunteer for the UNIVERSITY OF WIN- cial performance by AL SIMMONS. Also try drop-in hours and contact information. information network in recent weeks, cal, emotional and general well-being top- NIPEG STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION fill out an and make it down to Memorial Boulevard Visit http://uwsabikelab.ca. ics. All seminars are lunch ‘n’ learn format, application on their website, theuwsa.ca, or with access rolling out to civilians in for the 100-YEAR SKIP-OFF at 3 p.m. and see 60 minutes in length, with a facilitator on The CIBC RUN FOR THE CURE is looking for grab an application from their office in the coming weeks, he said. Iran previ- 100 people with 100 ropes do 100 skips all site. Human Resources at the U of W would volunteers. Please contact Donna-Lynn Bulman Centre. ously blocked access to Google at the same time. Guagliardo at [email protected], 204- like your feedback on which seminars you To volunteer for the UWSA FOOD BANK and Gmail in February ahead of the 231-4885 or register to volunteer at cbcf. NIKOS SALINGAROS will be lecturing at St. would be most interested in attending. Visit email [email protected], or grab an country’s parliamentary elections in org. The run takes place on Sunday, Sept. Margaret’s Anglican Church on Oct. 15. The http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/hr-benefits- application from the UWSA office in the 30. March. YouTube has been censored topic of his lecture will be common space/ education for more details. Bulman Centre. since mid-2009, and Facebook and sacred space. WAYFINDERS is an in-school and after- For years, University of Winnipeg SHIN- THE UNITER, the weekly rag you are hold- Twitter are also regularly blocked. school mentorship program that provides GREEN ACTION CENTRE is presenting free ERAMA has been raising funds for Cystic ing right now, is looking for contributors. high school students, who come from backyard composting workshops during Fibrosis Canada’s CF research and care pro- See your words in print or your photos and SARS-like virus causes diverse backgrounds and reside in the WASTE REDUCTION WEEK. Workshops are grams through its annual Shinerama Cam- drawings on the page. Email Aaron at edi- global alert Maples, with the supports and encourage- taking place Oct. 15 at Henderson Library, paign. Become a shiner today! Visit shin- [email protected]. SAUDI ARABIA: The World Health Or- Oct. 16 at St. James-Assiniboia Library, erama.com or contact uofshine@gmail. ment needed to graduate high school, and ganization has issued a global alert Oct. 17 at St. Boniface Library (workshop in com. make a successful transition to post sec- CKUW 95.9 FM is seeking volunteers for the French) and Oct. 18 at St. Vital Library. Visit ondary training or education. Wayfinders music and news departments, and as hosts after discovering a new SARS-like greenactioncentre.ca for more information. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES is looking for individuals who would like to for programs. Email [email protected]. virus in the Middle East, the Mail & use their educational and/or professional Guardian reports. The agency issued LEAF MANITOBA’s 22nd annual PERSONS Donate blood at the University of Winni- training to tutor high school students in THE WEST BROADWAY YOUTH OUTREACH the alert following the infection of a DAY BREAKFAST will be held Oct. 19 from peg (2nd floor of DuckworthC entre) on social studies, history, math, physics, geog- CENTRE is always looking for more volun- 7:15 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the WINNIPEG CONVEN- teers to help with a variety of programs 49-year-old Qatari man who had re- Wednesday, Oct. 31 and do your part in raphy and other high school subjects. If TION CENTRE. This year’s topic is EQUALITY helping others get the treatment they interested, please contact Awit Marcelino including sports, tutoring and other pro- cently travelled to Saudi Arabia be- DELAYED. Tickets are available at McNally need. at 204-801-7136 or awit.marcelino@7oaks. grams to benefit inner-city youth. Call 204- fore being struck by a coronavirus, Robinson for $25. org. 774-0451 or stop by 222 Furby St. to offer Steve Braun is lacing up his sneakers for your skills. which comes from the same family THE MANITOBA CRAFTS MUSEUM & LIBRARY the third annual 157 km WALK TO BENEFIT as SARS. A man with an almost iden- THE PLUG IN ICA is looking for enthusiastic is holding their third annual fundraiser, WOMEN’S SHELTERS and he is asking you to and reliable volunteers to help in a number THE SPENCE NEIGHBOURHOOD ASSOCIATION tical virus has already died in the MADE BY YOU, on Saturday, Oct. 20 from 1 join him. For more information visit www. of areas of our operations. Volunteers gain is looking for volunteers to help with their country. However, there is no imme- p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Canadian Mennonite walkfortheshelters.com. valuable experience and meet artists and programming. Interested volunteers can University, 600 Shaftesbury Blvd. Partici- download a volunteer application form at diate cause for concern, according to Do you want to meet a new friend and other interesting people. Email michelle@ Britain's Health Protection Agency. pate in mini craft workshops, browse the plugin.org for more information. spenceneighbourhood.org or call 204-783- silent auction and enjoy the company of learn about a new culture? Do you have an 5000 for more information. Health authorities are watching out other craftspeople. Tickets are $20, or $10 hour to spare each week? If so, consider THE IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE COMMUNITY RUPERT’S LAND CAREGIVER SERVICES RING- for any signs of the virus spreading. for children. Contact 204-487-6117 or info@ becoming a language partner as a part ORGANIZATION OF MANITOBA (IRCOM) is A-RIDE PROGRAM needs drivers to take cli- SARS emerged in 2002 and killed 800 mcml.ca for more information. of the University of Winnipeg’s LANGUAGE seeking committed individuals to help out ents residing in South West Winnipeg to people. PARTNER PROGRAM. Contact Julie McKirdy with our Newcomer Literacy Initiative (NLI) THE WOLSELEY FARMERS’ MARKET is open at 204-982-1151 or visit uwinnipeg.ca/index/ program. The NLI is a program that offers appointments, shopping and social outings. Hitch-flying pilot busted to the public every Tuesday and Thurs- elp-partner for more information. English as an Additional Language (EAL) Compensation for gasoline and parking is day from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the R.A. Steen classes and childcare to newcomer families provided. For more information please call ITALY: Police in Italy have arrested Community Centre until Nov. 1. The mar- THE WRENCH, a non-profit organization 204-452-9491 or email [email protected]. that strives to make bikes and knowl- living at IRCOM and in the broader neigh- a man for allegedly using fake ID ket offers fresh produce, artisan food and bourhood. and a disguise to hitch a free flight inside the cockpit of a commercial flight from Munich to Turin in April, News: Al Jazeera reports. The man was ar- Get involved at Ethan Cabel, News Assignment Editor— [email protected] rested at Caselle airport in Turin on The Comments: suspicion he used the ruse to con- Katerina Tefft, Comments Editor— [email protected] vince crew he was a pilot to get the Uniter Arts: ride. The 32-year-old unemployed Nicholas Friesen, Arts Editor— [email protected] man, who wasn’t named, passed himself off as “Andrea Sirlo,” a Lufthansa Culture: The Uniter's editors, reporters and volunteer contributors Dunja Kovacevic, Culture Editor— [email protected] pilot. The man did not touch the are students, alumni and community members— just like you. controls while in the cockpit during Anyone is welcome to get involved with The Uniter. You won't Features: the flight, authorities said. The ruse find fame and fortune, but you'll likely end up with some great Aaron Epp, Managing Editor— [email protected] extended as far as Facebook, where work experience, a kick-ass portfolio and some pretty awesome the man created a fake profile with Don't like to write? We're also looking for artists to create (if not slightly eccentric) friends. fake flight attendant friends. Au- illustrations and graphics for the paper. Email Ayame Ulrich at thorities had been following the man The Uniter publishes news, comments, arts, culture, sports, [email protected] for details. for months and recently found him in features— pretty much anything you can think of. the bar of the Caselle airport dressed We're also looking for photographers, so email our photo editor, If you know which section you'd like to write for, here's who you Dylan Hewlett, if you're interested: [email protected] in a generic pilot’s uniform. should contact: News 05 www.uniter.ca September 27, 2012 The Uniter Our writing is all over the land The breadth of indigenous literature extends back to creation

Alex Paterson looking at their clothes and looking at the Beat reporter symbols they present, Kulchyski explains. “Writing is anything from the footsteps you leave on the land, to the clothing you It is often assumed that indigenous culture wear and identify yourself with, to the petro- is built around oral storytelling traditions forms throughout southeastern Manitoba,” rather than a proper literary tradition before he said. contact with Europeans. “The Eurocentric notion of literature goes According to aboriginal scholars, this is back to the Renaissance and their preference dead wrong. for manuscripts and books. “The idea of simply having an oral liter- “But it ignores the other forms of writing ature is made up,” said Niigaanwewidam that were part of European cultures to that James Sinclair, a professor of native studies point. We had writing in vases, aqueducts and creative writing at University of Mani- and runes,” he said. toba. Kulchyski sees the refusal to acknowledge “Writing has to be understood as any mark a historic indigenous literary tradition as part that says you were there on the land.” of the colonial myths about aboriginals being without god, politics, farming - and without “Writing is anything from literature. The idea that indigenous people have no the footsteps you leave on literature has been the most persistent myth, the land, to the clothing you similar to the idea that the lower classes were wear and identify yourself without a literary tradition because books were a marker of prestige and class. with, to the petroforms Many current indigenous authors and throughout southeastern poets are drawing on oral literary tradition in Manitoba.” form and content for their works today. Kate Vermette, a Métis poet from the - Dr. Peter Kulchyski, professor of native North End, is part of the urban experience studies, University of Manitoba era in indigenous literature and a member of the Aboriginal Writers’ Collective. Aboriginal poetry is “often based in story, Sinclair is the co-editor of Manitowapow: detailing a personal journey. It is often a Aboriginal Writings from the Land of Water, an crossover with storytelling,” she says. anthology that presents the literary tradition Vermette sees poetry, though written in of indigenous peoples of Manitoba through preparation, as a performance art. Poetry the early historical period to the present. must be spoken and heard, Vermette says, According to Sinclair, writing has to mean because when read out loud, it is never heard something more than books, as civiliza- the same way twice - each performance is tion has written in many forms for centuries alive, given breath. before books. Dr. Alexander Freund of the Oral History For instance, the Anishinabeg have used Centre at the University of Winnipeg sees all birch bark scrolls to record the migratory his- narratives as being incorporated into individ- tory of the early historical Midewiwin and ual consciousnesses. the medicinal properties of many plants. “They can tell you about your own expe- Dylan Hewlett Dr. Peter Kulchyski, another professor of rience and can shape your own memory,” he University of Manitoba native studies professor Dr. Peter Kulchyski says indigenous culture has a broad native studies, agrees. said. definition for writing, from footsteps we leave on the land, to our clothing, to the petroforms that populate the Among the Inuit, one can read where a “We are not autonomous. We draw on southeastern part of the province. person is from and who they are socially by symbols and stories we have heard.” Fact into fiction, fiction to fact Exploring Winnipeg through novels by Winnipeg writers

Carson Hammond written numerous works dealing with the Beat Reporter city. Fox (1991), her first novel, offers a fiction- alized account of the Winnipeg General How much can we learn about the histor- Strike of 1919 (which, incidentally, sets the ical character of Winnipeg through its lit- backdrop for Durkin’s aforementioned ear- erature? lier work, The Magpie). According to Colin Russell, who teaches “A lot of writers work towards creating a courses on Manitoba literature in the Uni- book of origins,” she said, explaining that versity of Winnipeg’s English department, for her and other authors, the pulling-force fiction provides readers with alternative per- of the homeland is often irresistible in terms spectives of the historical past that focus on of setting. subjectivity. Sweatman cited her own series of authors “It’s a representation of (the writer’s) she finds important to Winnipeg, including lived experience,” he said. “It’s an attempt Margaret Laurence who, born in Neepawa, by authors to say, ‘This is what it was like became well-known for her fiction and for me.’” poetry, such as 1949’s North Main Car, in So, just what was it like for our city, col- which a tapestry of one of the city’s most lectively speaking? culturally diverse areas is woven though Russell noted a few texts he thinks are the voices of various characters seen from a among Winnipeg’s most important, includ- streetcar. ing Ralph Connor’s The Foreigner (1904), Not to mention Carol Shields who, Douglas Durkin’s The Magpie (1923), Gabri- though an American, would later move to elle Roy’s Street of Riches (1955) and John and write about Winnipeg. Marlyn’s Under the Ribs of Death (1957). Sweatman noted various themes relating What’s interesting about the above list, to the aboriginal experience in Winnipeg as however brief and spontaneously formu- being among the most important. lated it may be, are the thematic common- Beatrice Culleton Mosionier, an aborig- alities that run through the various texts. inal Winnipeg-born author herself, is per- Two examples are the immigrant expe- haps best known for her novel In Search of SUPPLIED rience - such as that illustrated in Marlyn’s April Raintree (1983) and memoir Come Walk Margaret Sweatman, an English professor at the U of W and published author, has written numerous works Under the Ribs of Death, in which a young with Me (2009), which both deal extensively dealing with Winnipeg. Hungarian struggles to assimilate in Win- with the above themes. nipeg’s North End - and the related theme “I experienced a lot of racism when I first of cultural intersection (the protagonist of moved to Winnipeg,” said Mosionier, who problems that surrounded her. taken up an attitude of increased pride in Roy’s novel is a francophone Canadian liv- spent her childhood in St. Norbert. “Some Métis people who could pass for their cultures upon reading her novel. ing in St. Boniface, which was not a part of According to Mosionier, she wrote In white had done so until they read In Search Perhaps a city’s literature isn’t just shaped Winnipeg then). Search of April Raintree - now read widely of April Raintree,” said Mosionier, who by its past - the craft of fiction, it seems, Margaret Sweatman, an English profes- in Winnipeg high school and university explained she was aware of some exam- sometimes has the power to shape its future, sor at the U of W and published author, has courses - as a way of addressing the social ples in which aboriginal Winnipeggers had too. 06 Campus The Uniter September 27, 2012 www.Uniter.ca Campus ‘The commodification of education’ U of W’s strategic review process under fire Alex Paterson from Simon Fraser University and expert on Beat Reporter the commercialization of education, noted faculty-generated revenue is part of a larger economic shift in universities. The University of Winnipeg is facing criti- “The commodification of education, in cism over the structure and mandate of its the sense of commercialization of research, strategic review process. is a danger to the social sciences and human- Dr. Pauline Pearson, president of the Uni- ities,” he said. versity of Winnipeg Faculty Association, is calling for more meaningful accountability, “We are very concerned our transparency, and democracy in the strate- roles are being redefined gic review process, including the immediate release of consultation submissions so fac- and we are going to have ulty and students can see whose voices are to become fundraisers being heard. for the university rather “We want a real, open, and transparent consultation process,” she said. than just be educators and “We are very concerned our roles are researchers.” being redefined and we are going to have to become fundraisers for the university rather – Dr. Pauline Pearson, president, University of than just be educators and researchers.” Winnipeg Faculty Association On Sept. 13, the university announced it was changing its strategic review process to “It can create a hierarchy of faculties based include faculty-based consultations. Sharon Leonard on the dictates of the market rather than “Each faculty will be tasked with con- University of Winnipeg president Dr. Lloyd Axworthy has asked faculties to devise ways they can generate money based on the public good.” sidering how it can generate revenue it will as budget pressures continue to squeeze the university. These developments go hand in hand keep internally,” said university president with the people imagining the student as a Dr. Lloyd Axworthy said in an interview creating the Masters in Development Prac- dents’ Association (UWSA), echoed Pear- client or product, a trend that has developed with The Uniterlast week. tice in Indigenous Development, a program son’s call for the disclosure of consultation over the last 30 years, Angus warned. The change comes on the heels of Axwor- that utilizes significant online learning. Fan- submissions. “What other client has to do so much thy’s state of the university address on Sept. ton is also the former President of the New Sexsmith added that the discussion of work and be graded on it?” he said. 7, outlining four of the university’s key objec- School for Social Research a leader in com- post-secondary funding concerns should not “University doesn’t fit the contractual tives, which include a move towards inno- munity engagement. be lost in the pursuit of revenue creation. model well.” vative online learning and a more entrepre- Pearson is concerned over how the sep- “The move towards faculties being encour- As universities become more tied to neurial approach to funding. arate consultation processes were intended aged to develop revenue generating projects, the market and cost cutting, they begin to Many of the university’s decisions and to interact. It appears Axworthy’s objectives whether a fair idea or not, is a symptom of degrade the quality of teaching, Angus said. objectives have been made with budget pres- and the Fanton consultations might be shift- the larger issue of underfunding post-second- “PowerPoint and standardized learning sures in mind, Axworthy said. ing the nature of the strategic review process, ary education in this province,” she said. are all forms of passive education that elim- Pearson says there are too many review, she said. Lauren Bosc, President of the UWSA, was inate the student as a shaper of their own objective setting, and consultation processes “From the beginning, the process has concerned that Axworthy's objectives out- education,” he said. occurring simultaneously. Further compli- been constrained by administration,” Pear- lined in his speech were not approved by the “The student becomes a product for oth- cating the review process are results obtained son said. Executive of the Board of Regents, nor the ers not someone prepared to engage criti- from Jonathan Fanton, an advocate of online “They set the goals for us and they con- entire Board of Regents. Instead they were cally for themselves.” learning strategies. tinue to. We want far more meaningful par- approved by only the Officers of the Board The University of Winnipeg released the Fanton was a former colleague of Axwor- ticipation.” of Regents. This body has no student, fac- consultations submissions online on Tues- thy’s at the Macarthur Foundation, which Laura Sexsmith, vice-president of student ulty, or support staff representation on it. day Sept. 25 2012, after these interviews were provided the start-up grant for awarding and services for the University of Winnipeg Stu- Dr. Ian Angus, a humanities professor conducted.

soccer teams. On Sept. 22, the Wesmen Columbia next weekend to face off against registering 10 shots compared to Alberta’s 16 September 21: Wesmen 3, faced off against the University of British Victoria and Fraser Valley. and Wesmen goalkeeper Tyson Farago making Thompson Rivers 0 Columbia Thunderbirds, registering just five saves compared to six stops for the Golden three shots on goal compared to 23 from Men’s soccer team shut Bears. On Sept. 23, the Wesmen took on the September 22: Wesmen 3, Regina 0 Wesmen Briefs the B.C. product. Going into the half, the Golden Bears again, this time being beat badly Compiled by Ethan Cabel T-birds had secured only a marginal one- out twice by Alberta on their home turf. Not only did third-year Alber- September 22: Wesmen 2, Manitoba 3 goal lead against the Wesmen in the face of ta striker Marcus Johnstone register a hat trick, September 23: Wesmen 3, Alberta 2 windy conditions throughout the afternoon. September 22: Wesmen 0, players Mohamed Teilani and Jonah Feil added After the half-time break, the match broke Alberta 3 two singles to the score. Alberta had 20 total The Wesmen women’s volleyball team came Women’s soccer team wide open when UBC managed to find the September 23: Wesmen 0, shots compared to just seven for Winnipeg. The out ahead after an invitational pre-season “schooled” by B.C. back of the net in the 62nd, 84th and 87th Alberta 5 two combined losses bring the Wesmen men’s tournament last weekend, winning 4 games minutes of play. On Sept. 23rd, the Wesmen record to 2-3-1 so far for the season. The men will and losing just one against a variety of op- September 22: Wesmen 0, UBC 4 took on another B.C. team in the Trinity The Wesmen men’s soccer team was shutout host Trinity Western and UBC next weekend. ponents. The tournament does not count Western University Spartans, experiencing in two matches last weekend against the #1 as part of their regular season record. The September 23: Wesmen 0, a similar shellacking at the Memorial Soccer ranked University of Alberta Golden Bears. Wesmen women’s volleyball team begin their Women’s volleyball regular season on Oct. 25 at home against Trinity Western 6 Field in Winnipeg. The Spartans registered On Sept. 22, the two teams faced off in a come out 4-1 after three goals in each half of play, completely match that saw the Golden Bears’ fourth- the Manitoba Bisons. The Wesmen women’s soccer team expe- outshooting the Wesmen by 25-3 in total year midfielder Zenon Markevych score all 5-game tournament rienced a thrashing last weekend, failing shots and 17-3 in shots on net. The two three goals over the course of the afternoon. to score a single goal over a weekend losses bring the Wesmen women’s record Despite Markevych’s stellar performance, the September 21: Wesmen 3, Calgary 1 at home against two British Columbia to 0-5-1 as they prepare to head to British stats show a closer contest with the Wesmen

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www.Uniter.ca Comments 07 www.uniter.ca September 27, 2012 The Uniter Comments A handbook for rebellion Literature and theory are critical for effective activism

Michael Welch Volunteer staff

It is difficult to overstate the role of the written word in helping to form and foster the idealism that has sparked activism in our society. Whatever the cause, be it climate justice, indigenous solidarity, labour activism, Pales- tine solidarity, feminism, etc., there is very often a book or books that have helped to shape the dialogue around today’s societal challenges and moulded today’s shit disturb- ers. This literary dimension to activism is, I suppose, part of what has given rise to and sustained the Junto Radical Lending Library, the Mondragon bookstore, and Fernwood Publishing, not to mention the annual Anar- chist Bookfair. During last weekend’s Anarchist Bookfair in the A-Zone at 91 Albert St., a panel con- Tim Brandt vened in which voices familiar to the activist Complementing each entry is a list of the tactic, theory and principle. Winnipeg mayor and a federal government and arts scene in Winnipeg were presented. principles and theories behind the action, So, for example, in the case of the anti- apparently hostile to their concerns. These individuals were there to share with which are listed in separate sections in the WTO protests in Seattle in 1999, the key The Occupy movement, the transition their audience the “books that rocked their book. tactic was the blockade. It was animated movement, the boycott of the forestry com- world.” Principles are hard won insights that by the principle of moving formerly fringe pany Weyerhaeuser logging in Grassy Nar- Had I been offered a seat at that discus- can inform a particular creative action as issues into the mainstream. rows First Nations territory, the fight against sion, I would have been tempted to suggest opposed to a theory, which is a big picture Theories underlying its success included the deportation of Kimberly Rivera and a very recent book published just this year concept like capitalism or the motivation of revolutionary non-violence, points of inter- other Iraq War resisters, the struggle to get by OR books. It’s called Beautiful Trouble: A peer groups that informs the way the world vention and action logic. proper funding for Osborne House to pro- Toolbox for Revolution. works and gives clues as to how it can be Complementing this entry is a “debrief” tect women and children from abuse and so As the title suggests, this 450-page volume changed. explaining what worked and what didn’t many other worthy causes require effective is a comprehensive list of the various tactics For example, “creative petition deliv- work. citizen mobilization. and strategies at the disposal of people who ery” invokes the theories of “action logic,” In this instance, the breakdown of non- A veteran organizer once told me there are wish to change the world. But more than where the purpose is immediately obvious to violent discipline allowed Black Bloc tac- two kinds of activism: the kind that makes that, the book brings into focus the various onlookers. tics of smashing and vandalizing property to you feel good, and the kind that actually principles and theories underlying a specific “Point of intervention” is where the trigger a violent response against all partici- ends up making a difference. action. action physically or conceptually disrupts pants while giving the mainstream corporate If you are of the latter persuasion, I believe The section on tactics details the various the smooth functioning of a system. The media the ammunition “to tell the story they you will find Beautiful Trouble an indispen- forms of action we have all come to know key principle in play would be “making the wanted to tell.” sible reference. well, and even a few that are more obscure. invisible visible,” whereby an abstract issue is There is no question that over the last The 31 tactics listed include mass street given a physical and visual presence. couple of years, people working toward pro- Michael Welch is a University of Manitoba action, advanced leafleting, banner drops, Later in the book, a number of case stud- gressive change have had occasion to won- science student and news director at CKUW petitions, occupations and “creative disrup- ies are documented in which past actions are der if their selfless actions really are making 95.9FM. tion.” highlighted and viewed through the lens of a difference in the face of the re-election of a Self-love and bad grammar What I’ve learned from making zines

small scale and were easy enough to distrib- Stephanie Poruchnyk-Butler ute among friends and communities. Volunteer Notorious for being deeply personal, zines have a way of capturing people in a specific moment of their lives when they are feeling I started writing zines when I was 16. most creatively aroused. As with most projects, this one required Much like picking up an old snapshot or more work than I had ever imagined. How- lost journal, you may never know the per- ever, unlike forgotten knitting projects and son who made what you are holding and yet math assignments, I finally finished. there is often a strong connection there. It took me five months to write Glitter The reader becomes a part of the process Zine #1. by taking on the writer’s stories. That dem- I suppose I had too many ideas bouncing onstrates a part of the magic of literature on around my head as a feminist teenage girl a smaller scale: the idea that you share the with a newfound love for sharing my opin- same experiences with someone you have ions. never met and that perhaps we are all more When you are as used to abandoning proj- similar than we think. ects as I am, it is surprising to finally get one While I mainly write to maintain a cer- off your back. I had never been more proud tain level of independence, a lot of my work of myself - I held a couple of freshly printed as a feminist touches on empowering and pages, folded them and leaned over the pho- inspiring other people. tocopier to admire my work. I started Glitter as an outlet for talking Making zines is a unique and exciting about the oppressive beauty standards that SUPPLIED experience. affected me. The idea of people being exposed to your I grew up a chubby kid with acne and it that you never have to know. There is no per- student at Collège Churchill and the creator work is terrifying. The thought of people dis- took me until recently to come to terms with fect way to do it. It is a medium perfect for of Glitter Zine. liking it is even worse, but then it is impor- those facts. By writing about my emotions rebellion and the exploration of one’s self. tant to think back to why you started. toward my body, I became a more confident There is no reason why we cannot scratch I write for myself, to get some clarity in woman. out words, paste in images or make spelling my life. I do not put my articles out in the Since sharing my work, I often receive mistakes. world to impress anyone else. emails and letters saying I’ve helped people Having a final product that simply says I write to feel free. work through their own insecurities. “this is where I am in my life right now” Zines represent a certain “don’t care what Communication and conversation are my is liberating because we realize there are no other people think” attitude. greatest inspirations, and the zine commu- wrong answers to the questions you are ask- Known to many DIY punk movements, nity filled the void I felt as an out-of-place ing. like us on facebook making independent, self-published books 16-year-old girl with female bonding, craft Embracing the mess and enjoying the or magazines was a cheap and easy way to parties and zine trades. chaos is half the fun, and finding inspiration www.tinyurl.com get your opinion out in the world, to spread As our parents and teachers often remind or empowerment on the journey is just the /TheUniter awareness for a cause or to share your art- us, we must do what we love in this world. icing on the cake. work with others. I am still not sure if writing is what I love They could be produced on a large or to do, but the best part of making zines is Stephanie Poruchnyk-Butler is a Grade 12 08 Comments The Uniter September 27, 2012 www.Uniter.ca In print Ebooks will always lose to the old-fashioned print book

Erika Miller on “one-million free ebooks.” Volunteer staff “One-million books are more than I’ll ever read in my lifetime,” I sneered. But then it struck me. You could say I’m a book snob. You can spill coffee on it and the pages Over the summer, I tried hard to keep won’t yellow or ripple. from reading the series of books no one could My heart pumped a little faster. stop talking about - The Hunger Games. I wasn’t expecting to warm up to the idea I ignored all the advice everyone was giv- of an e-reader, just like I wasn’t expecting to ing me: “No, really, you should read it. You’ll warm up to idea of reading young adult nov- be surprised.” els. I walked past the books at Chapters all the But when I stopped to think about it, I time and wrinkled my nose. came to see that the ebook has advantages “Ugh, YA (Young Adult) novels. Those are over the classic printed novel. Yet, despite for teenagers.” those advantages, I don’t believe it will ever Then one fateful night, I caved. defeat the tangible, printed book’s reign. I was at work and a copy of the book was Why would the ebook lose to the old- lying around. I had a long overnight shift school book? ahead of me, so I reluctantly cracked it open Because people like me will still want and immediately got sucked in. bookshelves full of hardcover novels and ornately designed textbooks because books People like me will still are beautiful. want bookshelves full No one is going to build a computer room to display their Kindle books. With a Kindle, of hardcover novels and you can’t show off your copy of Sun Tzu’sThe ornately designed textbooks Art of War in all its shiny, red fabric glory. because books are beautiful. That’s just sad. Although I’ve undergone a bit of a change of perspective on ebooks and e-readers, I can’t By morning, I was a quarter of the way say I’ve had a change of heart overall. through the second book in the series when I I love ordering a cardboard box of books realized everyone was right - it was an enter- Aranda Adams from Amazon and ripping off the packing taining read. tape to see my printed copies of Stephen I’m snobby because I’m incredibly picky I shook my head. “Look what the world is However, I’m stuck in the middle ages. King’s latest works nestled inside. about the fiction I read and I have never been coming to.” I still carry my textbooks around and crush I believe the books you read tell people too fond of 21st century literature. Yet the ebook is just one of those things them in my bag, and spill coffee all over them, who you are. I want to share and display However, one of the biggest things I’m a that you can’t escape in our day and age. marring their pristine, just-bought beauty. my tastes with the world and not over social snob about is the actual type of book itself. You see people happily reading their copy I battle with myself all the time, feeling media. I like hardcover books over paperbacks. of Fifty Shades of Gray on their Kobo on the shame and guilt for the battering my books So, the book snob lives on. I love brand new, stiff-spine-never-been- morning bus to work. get on a daily basis. cracked books. I enjoy tangible, hold-in- Med students download copies of their Then the other day I got an email from Erika Miller is a first-year student in Creative your-hands paper books so much so that anatomy textbooks to their Kindle or iPad Chapters, advertising their newest version of Communications at Red River College. when Amazon came out with the Kindle, I and don’t have to lug around three pounds the Kobo - the Kobo Mini. This little baby scoffed. When Chapters’s Kobo was lauded, of paper. is pocket sized, making it “the world’s small- I laughed. The ebook age has made reading easy and est and lightest full-featured eReader.” It’s got www.Uniter.ca “Who wants to read a book on a tablet?” accessible anywhere. access to Wi-Fi and you can get your hands

Alphonso Lingis is an internationally renowned philosopher, photographer, writer, world traveler, and translator. His innovative work, esteemed both for its profundity and for its accessibility to a general audience, spans phenomenology and existentialism, art, architecture, sculpture, animality, and embodiment.

2012-2013 GESA Tuesday, October 2, 2012, 7:30 p.m. Robert Schultz Lecture Theatre, St. John’s College, University of Manitoba Reception to follow ECO-GRANT

The Geography and Environmental Students Association (GESA) Wednesday, October 3, 2012, 2:30 – 5:15 p.m. would like to invite you to apply for the 2012-2013 Eco-Grant. Room 307 Tier Building, University of Manitoba Funded by GESA’s efforts, this Eco-Grant will award a student, staff, faculty or community member of the University of Winnipeg with up to $2000 to work on a sustainability-focused project at the University of Winnipeg. Applicants are invited to apply with their project ideas by Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Pennsylvania State University, Dr. Lingis’s books include Excesses: Eros and Culture (1984), Libido: The French Existential Theories (1985), filling out the application form. Deadline for application is Tuesday, Phenomenological Explanations (1986), Deathbound Subjectivity (1989), The Community November 20th, 2012. To access the application form or see what of Those Who Have Nothing in Common (1994), Abuses (1994), Foreign Bodies (1994), else GESA is up to, contacts us! Sensation: Intelligibility in Sensibility (1995), The Imperative (1998), Dangerous Emotions (2000), Trust (2004), Body Transformations: Evolutions and Atavisms in Culture (2005), E-mail: The First Person Singular (2006), and Violence and Splendor (2011). [email protected] In the process of journeying to such places as Brazil, Bolivia, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Papua‐New Guinea, Bangladesh, Bali, and India, Lingis has attempted to articulate a Find us on facebook! theory of community not rooted in some privileged ideal of sameness, always publishing http://www.facebook.com/groups/gesastudents/ his results in hybrid forms – for example, the beautifully bound book, Contact (2010), We look forward to reading your submission! which features 199 photos he took over forty years, along with his recollections of the contacts made with the people he photographed. This visit is sponsored by Mosaic, a journal for the interdisciplinary study of literature. Mosaic acknowledges the financial support from the Office of the President, the Departments of Classics, English, Film & Theatre, History, Religion, and Sociology. Arts 09 www.uniter.ca September 27, 2012 The Uniter Arts One boy’s guide to the classics Required reading from Indicator Indicator’s Sandy Taronno

Nicholas Friesen Arts editor

After releasing five EPs, one LP and touring extensively with his pop-rock band Quinzy, local singer-songwriter Sandy Taronno required a diversion. Enter Indicator Indicator, his solo project with brother/Quinzy bandmate James Taronno and Red Mars Trilogy musical brother Matthew Harder (House of Doc). by Kim Stanley Robinson The six songs that make up the trio’s debut EP 3 are surreal, lush and refreshing. From the pop per- “I cannot even explain how rich and awesome these books fection of January First to the effortless grandi- are. Robinson is a scientific polymath, a shrewd psychol- osity of the wistful Back Into the Fire, Taronno ogist and gifted novelist all at once. Deep science, deep takes his love of artists such as Ben Folds, The fiction.” Flaming Lips and Spoon and sprinkles these tunes with blips and layers, coating it all Tao Te Ching translated with one of pop/rock’s finest voices. by Stephen Mitchell Before taking off on an Ontario tour this 4 October, Indicator Indicator will give the EP a “The little collection of parables and platitudes that is proper release show at the Park Theatre on Sun- tough, wise, lovely and pragmatic. Damn good med- day, Sept. 30 at 8 p.m. with special guests Federal icine.” Lights. To tide you over until then, the well-read Taronno was gra- The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass cious enough to share his thoughts on his five favourite novels. 5 by Stephen King “It’s the fourth novel of his bad-ass and borderline insane epic series The Dark Tower, but it’s also an Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates entirely self-contained story-within-a-story. And by Tom Robbins despite literally spraying the entire world with 1 more prose than maybe any other author, King’s “I’ve heard that whichever of his novels you read first will quality control is surprisingly strong, so when he’s always remain your quintessential Robbins. This seems true, at the top of his game, as he is here, he’s an under- and so despite whole-heartedly loving his entire oeuvre (partic- rated master.” ularly Skinny Legs and All and Jitterbug Perfume), I’ll go with the big, silly, messy, beautiful ode to contradictions that is his seventh  See Indicator Indicator at the Park Theatre on Sunday, novel - if only for Switters’s soliloquy about pumpkins.” Sept. 30 Galapagos/Bluebeard  Federal Lights will also perform  Tickets $8 in advance at the Park, Into the Music and 2 by Kurt Vonnegut www.indicatorindicator.com, or $10 at the door  Visit www.indicatorindicator.com “The mighty Vonnegut. The man’s style - so perfectly clear and childishly simple - is the perfect delivery system for a devastatingly dark and cynical world-view. But as with any pessimistic voice, he can’t hide the fact that he’s just a thoughtful optimist who’s seen some shit.”

Supplied Dreamy like a sober drug trip Winnipeg rock band They Say set to release debut EP

Deborah Remus recording. Volunteer Josh Ayers, who used to play in local bands such as Red Riot, is officially They Say’s drummer. While They Say hails from Winnipeg, the The titleDisguises comes from a lyric found band actually started to form across the bor- on the EP’s third track, Jettison. der at Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennessee. “I think that’s the lyrical theme for a lot of Vocalist Jonathan Broeska and guitarist Jay the songs,” Broeska says. “Calling out people Smith had met a few times through a room- trying to be something that they’re not.” mate, but they traveled separately and didn’t Still continues to be Smith’s personal favou- consider forming a band until after the festi- rite track. It clocks in at almost nine minutes val was over. and showcases some of the previously men- “We had just seen John Fogerty and were tioned pop. walking back to our campsite,” says Broeska. “I’m a laid back kind of guy, I love long “It took 45 minutes, it was a horrible walk jams,” he says. “It’s kind of dreamy and I just and we just started talking.” get lost in it, which is what I really like about Back in Winnipeg, the two kept in touch music. It’s like a sober drug trip.” and started writing music while looking to Even though the music sends you on a recruit other members, such as Jesse Ives on big trip, the local music veterans are realistic guitar, Kevin Kornelsen on drums and Kurtis about the band and its aspirations. Wittmier on bass. “It’ll be a slow ride for the next couple of Broeska sang in The Nods for seven years, years,” Broeska says. “I’m going to school, Kornelsen was in JAW, Wittmier was in Hot so we just hope to write songs and get bet- Live Guys and Smith was in a death metal ter. You’re nothing without the material you band for a while, but everyone viewed They write. It’s not about the name, it’s not about Say as a fresh start. the clothes and it’s not about the haircuts." Citing alternative rock titans such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Queens of the See They Say perform at the Park Theatre on Fri- Stone Age as influences, the band also admits day, Sept. 28 there is more that went into the songs that Supplied  Jicah, The Secrets and Enjoy Your Pumas will also has been penned so far. Step up to the microphone: The members of They Say hang out with one very content feline. perform “We’ve got shredding guitar solos - Ozzy  Show starts at 8 p.m. Osborne style - and at the same time we take The band played its first show at the Cav- at Empire Recording.  Tickets $8 in advance or $10 at the door a lot of elements from the pop music you’d ern in February, which set the ball rolling for The result is a batch of songs the band is  Visit www.everythingtheysay.com hear on Hot 103,” Smith says. the debut EP recorded with Tony Katsabanis proud of, but the lineup has shifted since 10 Arts The Uniter September 27, 2012 www.Uniter.ca

Music Listings SMASHING PUMPKINS are coming to town on we have. Roar, but never cry.” - Martin Sheen Oct. 2 to kick off October the only way they King Sr. With guests THIS HISSES and JICAH. know how - like a bald man playing music your EXTREME METAL TOUR! Come watch SEPTIC older brother, for some reason, still loves. FLESH, KRISIUN, MELECESH, EX DEO, INQUISITION WEDNESDAY, OCT. 3 and LAIKA at the Park Theatre as they conquer the world on Oct. 12. MONEY FINGER’s playing the Pal and your mom called to say she needs a ride earlier so she THE WINNIPEG JAZZ ORCHESTRA performs The can catch the whole show. Music of Woody Herman and his Thundering Herds to kick off their 2012/2013 season Oct. 14. ANDREW NEVILLE and THE POOR CHOICES will be rocking out like they’ve been doing every MATT MAYS plays the Pyramid Cabaret on Oct. Wednesday since The Rose and Bee was Hoo- 14 with THE MEDS. ligan’s. ROYAL WOOD plays the West End Cultural Cen- tre Oct. 15 - said the actress to the bishop. UPCOMING EVENTS SEND + RECEIVE will be happening Oct. 17 to The guys in SHOUT OUT OUT OUT OUT have Oct. 20 this year. The line-up has just been decided the legal battle they’ve been in with announced. Visit www.sendandreceive.org for their label over their band name isn’t worth details. the cash so much to the dismay of everyone, they’ve decided not to change it. They BIEBER fever punches Winnipeg in the preteen also decided to play the Pyramid with JICAH face Oct. 18 at the MTS Centre. on Oct. 4. MATT EPP launches his new album at the West RAMBLING DAN FRECHETTE will be twanging End Cultural Center with CATHERINE MACLEL- away the night at the Park Theatre on Oct. 4 to LAN. promote his tenth album this year. PROPAGANDHI performs with HEAD HITS CON- On Oct. 4, WIDE MOUTH MASON will be heading CRETE and THIS HISSES Oct.19 at the West End to Canad Inn to support of their latest release Cultural Centre. No Bad Days. This just in - BOYZ II MEN are not dead! They STILL LIGHTS plays Ozzy’s with MITTEN CLAPS are coming to Winnipeg Oct. 25 to wow you into Oct. 5. comfort and relaxation at the McPhillips Sta- tion Casino. His looks are gone but Victoria still asked him Solidarity Rock, an artist-run organization that collects instruments and musical equipment for Cuban rock bands, presents ARRABIO live at Neg- to dance - BOB DYLAN is back in town doing The Winnipeg Folk Festival presents BAHAMAS ative Space on Tuesday, Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. The hardcore band hails from Trinidad, Cuba. Whereas it was once illegal in Cuba to play or listen to rock that wonderful thing he does at the MTS Cen- with special guest JASON COLLETT at the Mil- 'n' roll, this four-piece has been at the forefront of creating a DIY rock 'n' roll revolution in Cuba, a country hungry for something new. Cost is $10 tre Oct. 5. lennium Library Oct. 27. at the door, or $5 for low income. Warsaw and The Pink Slips are also on the bill. Visit www.solidarityrock.com for details. Come down to 555 Osborne to help support PRAIRIE OYSTER brings you their acquired taste THE PERMS fund their European tour on Oct. 5. and texture at the McPhillips Station Casino Oct. 28. THURSDAY, SEPT. 27 you, your friends, your family and everyone Karaoke is happening at the Rose and Bee. On Oct. 7 the GRACIAS CHOIR will be back in else you might know out to Frame Arts Ware- SCYTHIA will folk/prog your brains off at Ozzy’s Winnipeg to perform at the Calvary Temple NOEL GALLAGHER and SNOW PATROL are at the DJ SHADOW is at the Pyramid Cabaret. house (318 Ross) for the official release of their with VATHEK, SPILL THE BLOOD, HALF DEAD Church. Centennial Concert Hall on Oct. 30. new CD, Senna. ULTRA MEGA and ANIMAL TEETH DJ HALLMARK is at 555 Osborne. HUSKY and EINARR. will start the night off right. On Oct. 7 JUCIFER plays Ozzy’s again. PACK A.D. with guests TOPANGA blast through FRIDAY, SEPT. 28 Head down to the Centennial Concert Hall for Winnipeg Oct. 31 at the West End Cultural Cen- Come out to the Park Theatre and help THEY COOLIO the man behind the rap anthem will an evening with JANN ARDEN. tre. TIA MCGRAFF plays St. Paul’s Anglican Church SAY promote their debut album Disguises with not act, not produce but perform! at the Pyra- in support of Crossed Hands Refugee Com- JICAH, THE SECRETS and ENJOY YOUR PUMAS. ATOMIC CANDY is at Alive on Oct. 1. mid Cabaret Oct. 8. THE STANFIELDS with GLORYHOUNDS play the mittee. Zoo Oct. 31. SATURDAY, SEPT. 29 NO LABEL COLLECTIVE plays the Rose and Bee If you don’t like the original version of any of LEFT OF CENTER plays The Zoo in support of Pub. your favourite songs from grade school “WEIRD MAYWORKS presents the musical version of their new album with guests TROUBLE SHOOT ELECTRIC SOUL plays the Rose and Bee. AL YANKOVIC” is changing it up in the most Democracy Now, DAVID ROVICS. The peace poet hilarious way possible Oct. 8 at the MTS Centre. and troubadour of our time will be playing The and THE JUNK. Country darling KATHLEEN EDWARDS plays the TUESDAY, OCT. 2 Winnipeg Irish Club on Nov. 10. Amy Goodman Garrick. On Oct. 11 the most exciting show in the history MAMA CUTSWORTH plays 555 Osborne. SAVE THE SERMON plays the Rose and Bee Pub. likes him, so why wouldn’t you? of exciting shows hits The Pyramid. TAV FAL- THE VINCE TONES are at the Rose and Bee. SUNDAY, SEPT. 30 If you missed Monday night karaoke this week CO’S PANTHER BURNS is coming to Winnipeg - Last but not least we have NEIL YOUNG and hit it up again today at the Rose and Bee Pub. Roaming blues musician and poet RAY BONN- The SUNNER BROTHERS do the Rose and Bee. can you believe it? This great show reminds me CRAZY HORSE playing at the MTS Centre on EVILLE plays the West End Cultural Centre. Gourd prices are going to hit an all-time high of a quote: “The time has come for all of us to Nov. 16 with LOS LOBOS, EVEREST and THE MONDAY, OCT. 1 long before anyone actually needs them. The look inward and find that panther we all know SADIES. Local heavyweights MAHOGANY FROG invite

Winnipeg International writers festival presents THIN AIR 2012 September 21 to 29 septembre

IT’S FOR READERS! www.thinairwinnipeg.ca Arts 11 www.uniter.ca September 27, 2012 The Uniter Open the floodgates Will local writer/musician Sheldon Birnie’s debut novel make waves? nated with me.” Eventually all good stories find their way into the hands of others, and with interest piqued, Birnie took the next step. “I'd passed around some drafts for people to read and felt like it was something that shouldn't die on the vine,” he says. “I found a buddy who was doing his master's in English and asked him to give it a once over.” After some firm but fair criticism, the novelist decided to release it online as an ebook. “Of course I always wanted to have a paper copy because I like books, I like records and stuff, but not making use of that technology at this point is kind of backwards,” he says. “The response was good enough that it warranted the extra investment in (publishing hard copies).” The response to Down in the Flood has been positive. However, the grounded Bir- nie is keeping his head strictly out of the clouds when it comes to his aspirations for the book. “Ideally, I'd like anyone who's interested in the story to pick it up,” he says. “I don't expect the demand to outweigh my supply. I'd like it to have a life of its own and not just Supplied be something forgotten about.” Local musician and writer Sheldon Birnie wrote his debut novel, Down in the Flood, over the course of five years. As for what’s next, writers are always writing. “I've got another couple stories in my Nicholas Friesen The story of a few “good time” buddies love interests and hazy booze-filled times, the brain and one that I'm working on when- Arts editor who want something more out of life isn’t book is mostly about friendship. ever I get time. I have to keep doing what directly influenced by anything that hap- “It's a breakdown of this guy and how he I'm doing now and hopefully the audience pened to the 29-year-old author, but there are deals with it ... or doesn't deal with it.” will grow and people will enjoy the book if Victoria, B.C. born, Dawson Creek raised moments pulled from Birnie’s own life. Since Birnie is a busy guy, the book is a they come across it.” and current Winnipeg resident Sheldon Bir- “The story itself is just a story that came real back-of-the-drawer project. He started nie is known to many locals as the singer/gui- to me,” he says. “There's a bit of myself and a the first draft over five years ago. Sheldon Birnie will read from his novel, tarist for Cheering for the Bad Guy and edi- reflection of people that I know in the char- “It's sort of removed from myself at this Down in the Flood, at 7 p.m. on Thurs- tor of Stylus Magazine. acters. There's maybe a couple incidents in point in time,” he says. “If I were to sit down day, Sept. 27 at Kustom Kulture. Down in He’s also an accomplished fiction writer, the story that were lifted out of real life and and write a story now this likely wouldn't be the Flood is available at Kustom Kulture, recently releasing his debut, self-published the names changed around.” on my radar, but at the point where I was first McNally Robinson and Mondragon. You can novel Down in the Flood. Taking place in a summer among floods, writing it, it was definitely a story that reso- also find it online at www.sheldonbirnie.com. This is not your ordinary cinema Experimental film festival WNDX is back for another year of weird

Supplied Kaeleigh Ayre Asmundson. and may never be again. tival’s programming. Arts reporter Involved with the festival serendipitously Asmundson is ecstatic to see legend- Once again, a crowd favourite is back with since its creation in 2005, Asmundson is the ary underground film writer Jack Sergeant's the One Take Super 8 Event. As the festival Cinematheque director at the Winnipeg Film selection on Beat Cinema, all shown in their program says, “Good things come in small “You will see no big brand McMovie at our Group, as well as a filmmaker himself. original 16 or 35 mm formats. packages.” fest. Independent cinema is not a bulk for- “At the time we started WNDX, the land- Asmundson says that experimental film Thirty participants were given the oppor- mat experience, served a billion at a time.” scape for film presentation in Manitoba was can be a much more personal art form than tunity to shoot a film using the seemingly In its seventh year, the WNDX experi- mainly focused on drama and there were not traditional narrative film. archaic medium of super 8. The only rule the mental film festival remains faithful to its many opportunities to see video art, under- “It allows filmmakers to experiment with filmmakers had? No cuts or splices could be mandate. ground film and experimental media in this fresh ideas, new techniques and different made in their film. According to the non-profit festival’s web- context,” Asmundson says. “It is very excit- forms of exhibition aside from the single- Interestingly, many of the films created for site, “WNDX places special attention on the ing to chat with people who have never seen channel work,” he says. “These experiments this event have gone on to screen at festivals most innovative and ground-breaking work this type of work and hear how it has inspired can also provide filmmakers working in other around the world. by Canadian filmmakers and video artists, them, opened their minds or just plain pissed genres with inspiration for alternative tech- Not bad for a little pack of tape. with a special focus on the work of Manitoba them off.” niques to express their vision.” and prairie artists.” Clearly more people are being inspired Audiences will have the opportunity to WNDX runs Wednesday, Sept. 26 to Sun- They “celebrate the impetus to create in than turned off, with attendance and submis- check out Deco Dawson’s short Keep a Mod- day, Sept. 30 at several locations in Winnipeg. motion pictures as a means of artistic expression numbers multiplying year over year. est Head as part of the “Stories from the City, Visit www.wndx.org for the schedule and fur- sion and bring to the forefront works that “This year we received nearly twice as Stories from the Sea” program, at 3 p.m., ther details. Single admissions are $8, or $6 may be overlooked by the mainstream.” many submissions than the previous year, so Sept. 29 at Cinematheque. for students. Festival passes are $20, or $15 for In other words, don’t expect any three- I can only hope that this is reflected in our The Winnipeg filmmaker recently took students and available at the Artspace Build- hour summer blockbusters. attendance (this year),” Asmundson says. home the award for Best Canadian Short ing at 100 Arthur Street. The festival of moving images celebrates An exciting aspect of WNDX is the oppor- Film at the Toronto International Film Fes- film made for the love of film, and has been a tunity to bring in films and artists that Win- tival for this film about late French Surreal- labour of love for festival programmer Jaimz nipeggers may never have been exposed to, ist Jean Benoit, which fits right in to the fes- www.Uniter.ca 12 Culture The Uniter September 27, 2012 www.Uniter.ca Culture Five books English majors love to hate (or hate to love) Notes from a recovering English major

Laina Hughes Volunteer staff The Great Gatsby The Canterbury Tales many critics believe attempts to recreate the by F. Scott Fitzgerald by Geoffrey Chaucer experience of sleep and dreams.” If that pas- sage sounds familiar, it's likely because that's Jude the Obscure Didn't we already read this in high school? No matter how many times your prof waxes exactly how you started your essay on this by Thomas Hardy Blegh. How many times do we have to talk poetic on the lilting beauty of the original book. It's also the first few lines of its Wiki- about the eyes of T.J. Eckelberg standing in Middle-English verse, it still sounds like pedia entry, you plagiarizer, you. But I mean This behemoth of a novel is full of dreary, for the eyes of God? Come on, Fitzgerald - gobbledygook to you. No matter - there really, the thing is more than 600 pages and depressing scenery and dreary, depressing more booze-filled sex romps, less contem- are plenty of translations (and free online Wikipedia wasn't foolin' about that idiosyn- characters. It stars an earnest young chap plation of the delicate nature of the human resources) available out there, explaining cratic language. Yikes. named Jude Fawley, who begins a torrid love condition, please. English majors hate this the whole mess in layman's terms. And hey, affair with his cousin Sue. You'd think the book because it inevitably makes them jeal- some of the tales are actually kind of enter- Fifty Shades of Grey juiciness of an incestuous relationship would ous they weren't alive during a time of fla- taining when you get into them. Sex and fart by E.L. James be enough to spice up this 400-plus page grant wealth, ever-flowing liquor and flap- jokes? Don’t mind if I do. Victorian beast, but alas, good old Jude is too per dresses. Start paying more attention to This little treasure has been popping up on busy thinking too darned much about every- your American history courses and discover Finnegans Wake reading lists for Popular Lit classes all over the thing. Hey, Jude - don't take it bad (I had the good times were not there to stay for by James Joyce place. It may be filled with enough raunch to to). Take a sad book and make it better? Not those freewheelin' new-moneyed folk - the make you blush during class discussion, but likely. The best part about this snooze-fest is Great Depression was right around the cor- “Finnegans Wake is a work of comic fiction with such terrible writing, it's just a painful the introduction to the word bildungsroman, ner. Bummer. by Irish author James Joyce, significant for read. Did Ms. James even have an editor? Or which is a fancy German term for "com- its experimental style and resulting reputa- a thesaurus? What the hell is an "inner god- ing-of-age story" that your profs adore. It's a tion as one of the most difficult works of dess," and why is she such a moron? Eng- handy word to plop into an essay when you fiction in the English language. The entire lish majors, especially those focusing in cre- want to use a big word and sound smart. book is written in a largely idiosyncratic lan- ative writing, have a secret love for the Fifty guage, consisting of a mixture of standard Shades trilogy because it reinforces their faith English lexical terms and neologistic multi- in their own writing skills. There's also a lot lingual puns and portmanteau words, which of sex scenes, so, yeah. Is popular literature destroying our culture in unprecedented ways, or have we seen it all before?

While not universally panned by critics at Carson Hammond the time of its publication, it was referred to Beat reporter by one reviewer as “sheer unrestrained por- nography”- after which point, it met record sales in the U.S. in its first few weeks on the On the shelves of grocery stores, gas stations market. and airport newsstands, amid the nearby cop- Did all those people rush out to buy it ies of Cosmopolitan, they find their homes. because they heard about its sharp, witty style, Judged, and condemned even, by the side- and dazzling prose, or because it sounded long glances and upturned noses of pass- racy? You decide, Fifty Shades of Grey gener- ersby. ation. Well, judged and condemned by those, Either way, Lolita is now widely consid- among us, deserving of the label “snob,” any- ered one of the best novels of the 20th cen- ways. tury. These texts are sold where they are, due Charles Dickens, easily the Victorian era’s to sales-proven appeal, to individuals who most famous writer, enjoyed immense pop- might not frequent bookstores, but still want ularity in his time - his novels were fero- the occasional read. ciously consumed by the masses of newly Whether it’s Harry Potter, The Hun- literate middle-class Brits - but was praised ger Games , the latest Tom Clancy novel or much more sparingly by contemporary crit- something by Jodi Picoult, the reception of ics and peers. Oscar Wilde, William Words- mega-successful commercial books by vari- worth and Henry James were among those ous demographics are hardly unpredictable. who vocalized their lackluster assessments of If the masses go nuts for it, it seems, the the popular writer. literary-types are less inclined to follow suit. So, have we really entered a new era of lit- But are the laments of the latter warranted, Stephen Kurz erary decline brought about the rabid pop- when declaring that “low-brow” super-sellers novel as a popular literary form - the Victo- According to Burke, Lady Audley’s Secret ularity of “low-brow” books, or do we sim- represent a decline in the overall quality of rian Era acts as an appropriate “way-back- is now “increasingly one of the most popu- ply fail to sense the merry-go-round of his- popular literature? Is it really possible that, when” comparison to our own time in terms lar texts to teach in Victorian period (univer- tory turning beneath us; repeating the same as a collective culture, we’ve had our reading of popular literature. sity) classes.” cultural trends in new form? tastes spoiled by the mass commercialization “If there’s a lesson that the Victorian period Other examples of texts that, though once “The lesson in this regard is that you of the written word? teaches us about popular texts, it’s that (what thought salacious or - gasp - “common” in shouldn’t try to out-guess history,” says Dr. Andrew Burke, an English profes- ends up being popular) is just wildly unpre- their own times and now enjoy the approval Burke. sor who teaches a course on Victorian and dictable,” says Burke. of the bearded tweed-clad the world over, are “You never quite know what rehabilita- Edwardian literature at the University of Citing the example of Mary Elizabeth easy to come by. tions (of texts) are going to happen further Winnipeg, says that some clues to unraveling Braddon’s Lady Audley’s Secret- a sensational Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov’s 1955 novel in down the road, and it’s likely that they’ll hap- the truth about popular contemporary texts novel that held a decidedly low-brow status which the main character is a pedophile who pen to the most unexpected things.” might be found in the past. despite its popularity when it was published kidnaps and subsequently abuses the 12-year- Better get your kids started on Twilight A boom era for relatively widespread read- in 1862 - Burke noted that, sometimes, per- old daughter of a woman he marries (then early - one day they might need it for their ing culture in the West - in parts due to the ception of a literary work can undergo a shift murders), certainly fits the bill for the prior master’s thesis. growth of a middle-class and the rise of the over time. category. Culture 13 www.uniter.ca September 27, 2012 The Uniter The grand tale On the merits of dragons, pointy ears and magic

Ayame Ulrich

Chris Hunter “Literature is basically writing that matters - we don’t think you know.” Volunteer of grocery recipes as literature,” she said. “It is texts or materi- “Everyone says write what you know, but you should also als that are meaningful or will be meaningful.” never stop finding new things to know,” he said. “The more For Brown, literature is an all-encompassing force. you experience, the more it will influence and add to your Stigma plagues fantasy fiction like a dwarven mine overrun “To me, literature is writing, and writing is literature,” he writing.” with goblins. Naysayers denounce the genre as escapist, ado- said. “When I hear that term, I think of a body of scholars Brown believes the fantasy genre supplies authors with a lescent and unbelievable. However, there is much reason to that have decided on classifications.” larger artistic palette than other genres. think otherwise. Defining fantasy is an equally daunting task. Chadwick “Mainstream fiction has a set of limitations, but fantasy is According to Chadwick Ginther, McNally Robinson’s sci- believes big ideas and invention are central to the genre. a medium that allows unrestrained expression,” he said. ence fiction and fantasy section manager, fantasy now out- “The way I see it, all fiction is fantasy,” he said. “An author Although unrestrained expression might be related to sells general fiction at the store. is always producing on what they are feeling and what they some of the genre’s criticism, Brown thinks this problem only “George R. R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones has consistently are thinking, regardless of weather its based on events that applies to a certain sub-grouping of fantasy. been the highest selling title for the last year and a half,” he happened.” “I’m not a fan of being able to do whatever you want,” he said. “There has been an explosion in teen-marketed science said. “Writing fantasy is challenging because there are lots of fiction and fantasy.” “Can fantasy be literature? Heck yes.” options for wandering off in the wrong direction - especially And fantasy’s popularity is hardly limited to Winnipeg. when it comes to dealing with magic.” In January 1997, the British National Library asked the - Christina Fawcett, English professor, University of Winnipeg The key to good fantasy writing, for Brown, is in carefully English-speaking world what the greatest novel of the 20th established character limitations. Limitations incite a sense of century was. The survey’s results pointed to the Lord of the Fawcett’s definition is more extensive: fantasy involves unpredictability, and help readers relate to the novel. Rings. Two years later, Amazon users voted Tolkien’s master- alternate worlds or realities, races like elves and dwarves and “Throughout Tolkien, Gandalf does unreal things, but he piece the greatest book of the millennium. supernatural elements, such as magic and monsters. maintains limitations so the characters cannot rely on (only) Even academic scholarship concerned with the fantastic “It is a speculative space of commentary and exploration - him,” he said. “Sometimes in the superficial forms of fantasy, has become commonplace. but that applies to most literature,” she said. you see a lack of limitation. I don’t read a lot of that.” Christina Fawcett, University of Winnipeg English pro- And for Brown, fantasy and literature, in some cases, are fessor and resident Tolkien scholar who wears a replica of the inseparable. one ring forged by the dark lord Sauron, explains academic “I think of fantasy as literature,” he said. “But like any art, interest in fantasy has blossomed over the last 20 years. any medium, it can be done poorly.” “We are starting to recognize the literary merit of these Fawcett agrees. texts,” she said. “Fantasy always has some sort of political “Can fantasy be literature? Heck yes,” she said. “Is all commentary, and critics and readers are starting to notice fantasy literature? Heck no, but there are bad writers in all this in a much more supportive way.” genres.” For local author Graeme Brown, fantasy was a literary So, if everyone defines genres differently, why worry about gateway drug. them at all? “When I was a kid ... I hated reading,” he said. “In Fawcett regards them as a tool for markets and readers to Grade 8, a teacher introduced me to fantasy and everything more efficiently identify the attributes they most enjoy in a changed.” book. Writing fantasy soon became an outlet for Brown. Now “Genres exist partly for markets, partly for readers,” said he’s published a novella titled The Pact, and has his sights on Fawcett. “They are a nice and easy way to help people find publishing a full-length fantasy series. what they like reading and what they don’t like reading.” With public and academic acclaim at its back, fantasy’s In light of this, Ginther believes fantasy is challenging the reputation as a medium for simple boyish adventure need way readers think about genres. not subsist. Still, the stigma remains. Perhaps, though, it is “There has been so much muddying of the waters since possible that this myth has been prolonged by the way book- Harry Potter,” he said. “Adults reading children books, and stores categorize novels. children wanting to read more advanced stuff. This is a good thing.” The great genre debate Composing other worlds Traditionally, literature sections are meant to house novels of lasting value. But Fawcett contends otherwise. Brown offers some timely advice for aspiring fantasy writ- “Bookstores organize literature as texts that don’t fit into ers: write a lot. And when you’re done writing a lot, write other genres. They are designated as literature because they some more. In addition, befriend people who are also insane have nowhere else to be slotted,” she said. “You also find writ- enough to write books. ers that are more established in this section. I don’t think this “Attend a lot of conferences and book launches,” he said. makes them any more valuable than anything else though.” “This is where you meet writers and publishers, and stop feel- Bookstore genre categories are not indicators of a book’s ing like an island.” quality, Fawcett notes. Ginther offers a new take on the old axiom “write what 14 Culture The Uniter September 27, 2012 www.Uniter.ca

AWARDS & FINANCIAL AID The Awards and Financial Aid staff of the University of Winnipeg provides the student body with current information on award opportunities. This information is updated weekly.

UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG AWARDS: Application to Manitoba Student Aid for the 2012 Fall Term or The minimum course load for which you must register to be Aid to pay your tuition fees, please read the important 2012-13 Fall/Winter Session is still open. Students can apply eligible for any form of government student assistance is information below. The following application is available to download online. online at www.manitobastudentaid.ca 60% of the maximum course load required for your study Those who have been assessed and approved for Manitoba Once you complete it, submit it in the red drop box located period: on the first floor of Centennial Hall (Student Central): Be sure to apply early and to submit all requested documen- Student Aid by August 22, 2012 will automatically have tation as soon as possible to ensure that you receive all the • Fall or Winter Term only - 9 credit hours minimum their tuition fees deferred for one month. You will receive Scholarships grant funds for which you are eligible. web-mail notification stating this. No action is needed. • Fall/Winter Session - 18 credit hours minimum Deadline Oct 15, 2012 Confirmation of Enrolment & Release of Government Student If you do not apply for Manitoba Student Aid at least 3 weeks You must maintain the appropriate minimum course load for Aid Documents before the start of classes, you will not be on the fee deferral http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/services-awds-current- your study period in order to retain your student assistance list and must make a payment arrangement with Student continuing Approximately 3 weeks before classes begin the Manitoba eligibility. Central to avoid registration cancellation. You will be subject Student Aid Program (MSAP) will begin printing official Work Study Program Registration at Another Post-Secondary Institution to late fees. assistance documents for students whose MSAP documenta- Deadline Nov 12, 2012 tion and University course registration are in order. MSAP If, in addition to University of Winnipeg courses, you are If you are a recipient of out-of-province student aid, most will The Work-Study Program provides on-campus part-time job will mail the documents to students at the addresses they registered and taking courses elsewhere during the academic require Awards office staff to sign your forms before they opportunities for eligible full-time University of Winnipeg have provided on their MSAP applications. The document you year for credit towards your University of Winnipeg degree, can be submitted. We will collect your name as we sign your undergraduate students. These jobs are available during receive already will have been electronically approved by the you must present proof of registration to the Awards & documents for the Tuition Fee Deferral list. If your documents the Fall/Winter (September to March). Various faculty and Awards & Financial Aid Office. It will indicate the fees you owe Financial Aid Office before your student assistance document do not need our signature, please email your name, student administrative departments participate in this program so to The University of Winnipeg. These fees will be deducted can be authorized and released to you. ID, and the province you receive aid from to awards@ there is a broad range of jobs from which to choose. from your student aid. uwinnipeg.ca. This will ensure you are added to our list of Fee Payment deferrals. We will try our best to make sure you are captured, • if the document is a Canada Student Financial Assistance The application to apply for Fall/Winter 2012-13 positions is Your fees will be deducted from the student assistance docu- however, it is not guaranteed. available online: document, you should take it to an approved Canada Post outlet for forwarding to the National Student Loan Centre. ment when it is electronically approved by the University. DID YOU KNOW... You can check the status of your http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/services-awards-work-study- Government Student Aid is used first to meet educational student aid application, find out what documentation is still • if the document is a Manitoba Student Aid document, program costs. All overdue fees and emergency loans as well as outstanding, update your address information and much you should forward it to the MSAP Loan Administration fees for the current study period will be deducted from the more on-line? Go to www.manitobastudentaid.ca and then to Department. AWARDS OFFERED BY EXTERNAL AGENCIES AND student aid document. If your student assistance does not MySAO to log into your existing account. ORGANIZATIONS: The National Student Loan Centre of the MSAP Loan cover your required fee payment, you will have to make DID YOU KNOW… If you are a student who has had past Administration Department will process the document, payment on your own by the fee payment deadline. Credits There are many external award opportunities to apply for. Government Student Loans and are currently a student transferring the fee payment portion directly to the for scholarships you may be receiving will be will to reduce Please check out our External Awards page here for more but do not have a student loan this year, please fill out a University and depositing any additional balance to your the amount of fees deducted from the student aid document. information: “Schedule 2” document to remain in non-payment and/ account. Instructions on these processes will be included in Tuition Fee Deferral or interest-free status. Please come to the Awards Office to http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/services-awd-external your student aid document package. obtain and complete a form. MANITOBA STUDENT AID PROGRAM (MSAP): Tuition fees for registered courses are due by the start date Course Load of every term. If you are relying on your Government Student

LISTINGS

FILM between people and their surroundings in the 1940s and exhibition is being held at the WAG until Jan. 25, 2013. THE BRINK by ELLEN PETERSON is playing at the Prairie 1950s. The launch takes place Sept. 27 at McNally Robinson. Theatre Exchange from Oct. 11 to Oct. 28. THEATRE, DANCE & COMEDY This year’s WNDX Festival of Moving Image runs from Sept. The AFTERNOON BOOK CHATS are the perfect excuse for a On Saturday, Nov. 3, the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre is 26 until Sept. 30 and has a great selection of Canadian coffee break. The central characters in new novels by DAN- Canada’s ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET is pleased to present holding the annual BLACK AND WHITE BALL, an evening of independent and experimental films on almost every big IEL ALLEN COX and ANAKANA SCHOFIELD wrestle with what DANCE DOWNTOWN on Sunday, Sept. 30. Dance Downtown is elegance, sophistication and style in support of MTC. Tick- white wall in town. Negative Space will be showing CATH- they should and cannot do when their worlds turn upside a free public open house being held as part of the national ets for the gala fundraiser are now on sale. Visit www.mtc. ODE RAY REMISSION on Sept. 29. Cinematheque is showing down. They’ll explore this issue and more in conversation Culture Days 2012 weekend. Visit rwb.org/dancedowntown mb.ca for more details. THE MEMORY PALACE Sept. 27. Check out www.wndx.org for with THIN AIR’s Charlene Diehl on Sept. 27 in the Atrium at for more information. MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET is playing at the John full listings and information. McNally Robinson. Bolero Dance Theatre, in collaboration with Amar Egyptian Hirsch Theatre at the MTC Mainstage from Nov. 22 to Dec. LITERATURE BEV PELLICK will be launching her new book DAILY EATING: Dance, presents CLEOPATRA on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m. 15. Visit mtc.mb.ca for more information. GLUTEN AND DAIRY FREE Sept. 30 at McNally Robinson. and Sunday, Oct. 7 at 2 p.m. at the Centre Culturel Franco- THE PRAIRIE DANCE CIRCUIT at The Rachel Browne Theatre, THE WINNIPEG INTERNATIONAL WRITERS FESTIVAL Manitobain. hosted by Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers, presents TANIA announces its 16th fall literary festival. THIN AIR 2012 A FEW GOOD MEN, the story of a young American lawyer ALVARADO on Dec. 7 and Dec. 8. Visit www.winnipegscon- runs until Sept. 29, with events throughout Winnipeg and who defends two Marines accused of murder in a Guan- temporarydancers.ca for more information. beyond the perimeter. For more information visit www.thi- tanamo Bay hazing incident gone wrong, is playing at the nairwinnipeg.ca. John Hirsch Theatre at the MTC Mainstage from Oct. 18 to KAREN DUDLEY playfully reinvents a classical hero in her Nov. 10. Get your tickets at mtc.mb.ca. new book FOOD FOR THE GODS. Head down to her book launch Oct. 3 at McNally Robinson. GALLERIES & MUSEUMS GALLERY LACOSSE presents AS ORDER SURFACES, a two- week exhibition encompassing bold new works by ceramic artist CRYSTAL NYKOLUK. The show runs until Sept. 29 at 196 Lilac St. and can be viewed during regular gallery hours. URBAN SHAMAN: CONTEMPORARY ABORIGINAL ART GALLERY presents MONSTER: STORIES OF WOMEN by SHELLY NIRO. Often stories about native women are bleak and serve only one purpose: to perpetuate native women as losers and JAMES KOSTELANIUK launches his new book, LAST CHILD non-producers, often taking away from the common good ON THE PRAIRIES: WHEN CHILDREN WERE STILL CONNECTED of this society. With this exhibition of images, Niro’s goal is TO NATURE, written as a memoir of the lost connection to create another kind of image of Native North American Women. Our legacy starts in the skyworld. Through an act of accident, we are now inhabiting a world where we faced Solutions from last week’s issue. those everyday challenges and have found ways to thrive and survive. The exhibition runs until Sept. 29. The third annual NUIT BLANCHE is happening in Winnipeg on the streets and in the galleries from 6 p.m. on Satur- day, Sept. 29 to 6 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 30. Visit www.nuit- blanchewinnipeg.ca for all the venues, hours and exhibitions. THE WINNIPEG ART GALLERY presents THE WAG CENTURY, an exhibition to commemorate the WAG’s 100th anniver- sary. The exhibition explores the complex and exciting history of the Winnipeg Art Gallery from 1912 to the present day and runs until Sept. 30. MY WINNIPEG, organized by PLUG IN ICA with multiple institutional partners, is an exhibition project presenting artwork by more than 70 artists who have worked, lived or had an association with the city of Winnipeg. The exhibition playfully and critically conjures diverse interpre- tations of Winnipeg through contemporary art and reference to ephemeral, archival and historical materials. MY WINNIPEG depicts the city as a mytho-poetic territory of reverie, catastrophe, carnal desire, and (sub) conscious 3 8 7495216 inspiration. The first part of the four part series, HERET ’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME runs until Oct. 7. 2 9 1637584 Gallery 1C03 at the University of Winnipeg is proud to present STORYTIME, a two-person exhibition of new col- 5 6 4218379 laborative book works and short animated films created by GLEN JOHNSON and LESLIE SUPNET. Stemming from 8 7 6329145 their mutual interest in the tradition of illustrated stories and a shared affinity for anthropomorphizing in their 4 3 2571698 respective practices, Johnson and Supnet transform Gal- lery 1C03 into a mock library reading room. The exhibition 1 5 9864723 runs until Oct. 8. CLINT ROSCOE is having his first solo exhibition SHOW ME 9 2 3746851 SOME TEETH at ART BEAT STUDIO. The Show runs from Oct. 15 to Nov. 10. Don’t miss the official openingN ov.1 from 5 6 1 8952437 pm to 9 pm. THE STAFFORD COLLECTION OF INUIT SCULPTURE consists 7 4 5183962 of 121 sculptures mainly from the 1980s to the 2000s. The Culture 15 www.uniter.ca September 27, 2012 The Uniter Crossword Puzzle & Sudoku 04 Solutions to this week's puzzles in next week's issue.

bestcrosswords.com Across 38- Prior 2- Image 40- Standard of perfec- 41- Billboards, some say 3- "Born Free" lion tion 1- ___ yellow ribbon... 43- Fear greatly 4- Outback resident 41- Samuel's teacher 5- In conflict with, with 44- Beer 5- Friendly 42- High school "of" 45- Employ 6- Fish appendage memento 10- Jack of "Rio Lobo" 46- Actor Davis 7- Advanced in years 44- Foofaraw 14- Rights org. 47- Distance across a 8- Come together 48- Debussy's "La ___" 15- Pooh's creator circle 9- Get to know 49- Draw out 16- Carry 50- Too 10- Words to Brutus 51- Living in flowing 17- A pitcher may take 53- Seminary subj. 11- Rich soil water one 54- Lacking depth 12- On the peak of 52- Swagger 18- Gandhi's land 58- Brainy 13- Interlock 54- Cong. meeting 19- New Mexico art 62- I could ___ horse! 21- Stumble 55- Drag colony 63- Forbidden 23- Magazine copy 56- Suit to ___ 20- Momentarily 66- Coconut-husk fiber 25- NFL scores 57- Hog fat 22- Victory 67- Plaintiff 26- Hives 59- Vanished 24- 401(k) alternative 68- Playground retort 27- Approaches 60- Sibilate 25- Sawbucks 69- Not ___ many words 28- Ventures 61- Horse's gait 26- Bid lower than 70- Hill toy 29- Comparative suffix 64- Heat meas. another 71- Large piece 31- Surgery sites, briefly 65- Suffix with ball 30- Lathers 72- Trial 32- Circa 35- "Michael Collins" 33- Analyze a sentence actor Down 34- Scoff 36- Bandleader Brown 1- Anklebones 39- China's Chou En-___ 37- Living in a city

sudoku Skill level: challenging 5 9 7 824 2 3 4 8 6 1 3 825 1 9 7 6 849 2 7 Check out The Uniter on Facebook www.tinyurl.com/TheUniter 9

www.pdfpad.com/sudoku NUIT BLANCHE Tyler "I like shopping at thrift stores and secondhand shops." Sat, Sept 29, 6pm to Sun, Sept 30, 6am A free all-night contemporary art event! • Public opening of Winnipeg Now at 7pm—featuring new works by 13 Winnipeg artists • Panel discussion with Winnipeg Now artists at 8pm • Reverend Rambler, Dirksboro, Les Jupes, and This Hisses on the ramp • Random Acts of Opera with the Little Opera Company • Exegesis, a performance by Michael Dudeck Witchdoctor • Winnipeg Fashion Incubator presents Luminosity the Fashion Show on the rooftop at midnight • Screening of Art & Stone, Paula Kelly’s film about the iconic WAG building • Collaborative mural painting with Graffiti Arts Programming • Synthetica—the latest interactive installation by PO-MO See more Centennial exhibitions and events at wag100.ca

CENTENNIAL SPONSORS

MEDIA SPONSOR The Uniter Fashion Streeter is an ongoing documentation of creative fashion in Winnipeg inspired by the Helsinki fashion blog www.hel-looks.com. Each issue will feature a new look from our city’s streets and bars in an attempt to encourage individual expression and celebrate that you are really, really good looking. Winnipeg Art Gallery 300 Memorial Boulevard • Winnipeg, MB • 204.786.6641 • wag.ca

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