ISSUE 2007/10/250VOLU7ME 62 INSIDE 02 News 07 Comments 09 Arts & Culture 15 Listings uniter.ca 18 Sports » EB W HE T N O [email protected] » E-MAIL . 07 . ss I L. 62 L. O V OCT 25, 200725, OCT EEKLY W T DEN TU DENIED ENTRY AMERICAN PEACE ACTIVISTS HELD BACK AT BORDER F WINNIPEG S F WINNIPEG 03 O Y CANADIAN MOTHERS BARE ALL T 09 LOCAL AUTHOR CHANDRA MAYOR TELLS THE TRUTH ABOUT MOTHERHOOD ERSI V THE ART OF ENERGY EXHIBIT EXPLORES YOGA PRACTICE AND ZEN PHILOSOPHY NI 11 U HEAD SHOTS IN HOCKEY DEBATING VIOLENCE IN CANADA’s fAVOURITE PASTIME THE THE 18 ♼ October 25, 2007 The Uniter contact: [email protected] 02 NEWS UNITER STAFF NEWS EDITOR: STACY CARDIGAN SMITH NEWS EDITOR: KSENIA PRINTS E-MAIL: [email protected] E-MAIL: [email protected] MANAGING EDITOR News Jo Snyder » [email protected] BUSINess MANAGER James D. Patterson » [email protected] American peace activists PRODUCTION MANAGER Sarah Sangster » [email protected] detained at the Canadian border PHOTO EDITOR MOTIVes BEHIND seCURITY POLICY IN QUesTION Natasha Peterson » [email protected] COPY & STYLE EDITOR Jacquie Nicholson » [email protected] Since 9/11, the Canadian and U.S. governments have NEWS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR Stacy Cardigan Smith » [email protected] collaborated on a number of intelligence-sharing initiatives. News PRODUCTION EDITOR According to the CBSA Ksenia Prints » [email protected] website, www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca, COMMENTS EDITOR these include: Ben Wood » [email protected] • Dec. 2001, the Smart Borders ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Declaration – Signed in the wake of Whitney Light » [email protected] the Sept. 11 attacks, this declaration contained a 32-point action plan for LISTINGS COORDINATOR identifying and addressing security Kristine Askholm » [email protected] threats, which included intelligence- sharing and enforcement cooperation SPORTS EDITOR measures. Kalen Qually » [email protected] • Dec. 2003, the Canadian Border BEAT RepORTER Services Agency – Amalgamated Jenette Martens [email protected] Canada Customs and Revenue Agency » COURTESY OF MEDEA BENJAmiN with Citizenship and Immigration BEAT RepORTER Medea Benjamin is co-founder of Code Pink, a women-initiated grassroots peace movement opposed Canada and Canada Food Inspection Cameron MacLean » [email protected] to the War in Iraq, she was refused entry into Canada. Agency. Created in part to respond to criticisms Canada was not doing BEAT RepORTER enough to ensure the security of Dan Huyghebaert [email protected] North America. Adopted the Smart » NDP MP Olivia Chow wrote to the Canadian consul CAMERON MACLEAN Borders Declaration, established In- general in Washington. BEAT REPORTER tegrated Border Enforcement Teams BEAT RepORTER “In Canada, peaceful protest is not a crimi- James Janzen [email protected] with the U.S. to develop a coor- » nal activity, despite how some U.S. agencies may dinated approach to identify and stop regard it,” she says. arlier this month, Canadian border officials the flow of high-risk travelers across According to the Council of Canadians, this detained two leading American peace activ- the border. ists as they attempted to cross the border incident is simply the result of a series of initiatives THIS WEEK ’ S CONTRIBUTORS E to attend a meeting of the Toronto Stop the War aimed at harmonizing Canadian and U.S. secu- • June 2005, the Security and Prosperity Coalition. Medea Benjamin and Ann Wright were rity policies as part of the Security and Prosperity Partnership – A trilateral initiative Laura Kunzelman, Marleah Graff, Joe Kornelsen, Partnership of North America. Under the SPP, Brook Dmytriw, Dennis Vrignon-Tessier, Curran Faris, refused entry to Canada because their names ap- between Canada, U.S., and Mexico which began in 2005, one key role of the CBSA is to Kenton Smith, Don Moman, David Alexander, Christopher peared on an FBI criminal database called the to increase security and enhance trade Harder, Sasha Amaya, Aaron Epp, Tom Llewellin, Dan Verville, National Crime Information Centre. “collaborate to establish risk-based screening stan- within North America, this agreement Cory Falvo, Daniel Falloon, Nicole Timko, Brittany Budzen The Canadian Border Services Agency is dards for goods and people that rely on technology, seeks to harmonize security and charged with the task of protecting Canadians information sharing and biometrics” to facilitate trade regulations between the three cross border trade and travel. countries and integrate security and The Uniter is the official student newspaper of the University of from external threats. However, in light of this in- Winnipeg and is published by Mouseland Press Inc. Mouseland cident, some are questioning the motives behind “The Security and Prosperity Partnership was intelligence systems. Press Inc. is a membership based organization in which students and community members are invited to participate. For more some CBSA policies. supposed to be about easing the flow of ‘low-risk’ information on how to become a member go to www.uniter. ca, or call the office at 786-9790. The Uniter is a member of the Medea Benjamin is co-founder of Code Pink, travelers across borders,” says Stewart Trew, re- Canadian University Press and Campus Plus Media Services. a women-initiated grassroots peace movement searcher and writer for the council. “If peace activ- SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES, LETTERS, GRAPHICS AND ists are ending up in the ‘high risk’ category, what PHOTOS ARE WELCOME. Articles must be submitted in opposed to the war in Iraq. Ann Wright is a retired Canadian consulates in several U.S. cities. Several text (.rtf) or Microsoft Word (.doc) format to [email protected], does that say about whose ‘security’ the SPP is trying MPs have invited the two to speak before a parlia- or the relevant section editor. Deadline for submissions is United States Army colonel and state department 6:00 p.m. Thursday, one week before publication. Deadline for to protect?” mentary committee about the issue. However, this advertisements is noon Friday, six days prior to publication. The official. She resigned in protest of the U.S. inva- Uniter reserves the right to refuse to print submitted material. sion of Iraq, and now works full-time as an anti- Repeated attempts by the Uniter to contact would rest on the CBSA granting them temporary The Uniter will not print submissions that are homophobic, misogynistic, racist, or libellous. We also reserve the right to edit war activist. Both women are outspoken critics of the CBSA were met with no response. amnesty to enter the country. for length and/or style. the Bush administration, and have been arrested a There has been an outpouring of support for “Our concern right now is not just us get- number of times on minor misdemeanor charges the two activists. An online petition on the Code ting into Canada for just one time,” says Benjamin. CONTACT US » Pink website has drawn almost 14,000 signatures, “Our concern is to change the policy.” General Inquiries: 204.786.9790 related to their activism. Advertising: 204.786.9790 Even so, they insist that they are not crimi- including the likes of country singer Willie Nelson, Editors: 204.786.9497 nals. “We have committed very minor misdemean- author Noam Chomsky, and Ben Cohen, co- Fax: 204.783.7080 founder of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, as well as ac- Email: [email protected] ors, we have paid our fines…we don’t have any reason to be treated like criminals in the United tivists and average citizens. LOCATION » States,” says Benjamin. Benjamin and Wright say they will continue Room ORM14 to fight to be allowed into Canada, and to have their University of Winnipeg Rather, they say this move by the Canadian 515 Portage Avenue and U.S. governments is an attempt at “political in- names removed from the FBI list. As of press time, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9 timidation.” demonstrations were planned for Oct. 23 in front of There is a tradition in the U.S. and Canada of MOUseLAND PRess BOARD OF DIRecTORS: recognizing civil disobedience as a legitimate form Mary Agnes Welch, Rob Nay, Nick Tanchuk, Ben of political protest which has been undermined by Wickström (chair), Dean Dias, Daniel Blaikie, Vivian these actions, says Wright. Belik, Brendan Sommerhalder, Brian Gagnon “I think the message in the United States is CORRECTION a very chilling one, which is, ‘Don’t get involved in For inquiries email: [email protected] political activities; don’t get involved in anti-war activities,’” says Benjamin. The Bush administration, Wright adds, “is October 18,2008, issue no. 06, vol. 62, COVER IMAGE saying, ‘If we can’t deal with you to our satisfaction p. 05 article entitled “ Government Legisla- through the U.S. court system, we’ll just…get some tion seeks to ease immigrants employment CYRUS SMITH other countries to help make your life miserable.” woes.” The current head of the Ethiopian UNTITLED The move was met with swift condemnation Society in Winnipeg is called Mr. Amare from individuals and groups on both sides of the Shero, not Ali Saeed. For further informa- from exhibit “Drawing Attention” border, including several Canadian MPs. tion, call or visit the Ethiopian Society showing now at the Graffiti Gallery “I am alarmed to learn that Canadian border Community in Winnipeg located at 595 Mixed media police are enforcing rules that have been deter- Notre Dame, Winnipeg, Manitoba. mined by the FBI and other U.S.-based agencies,” contact: [email protected] The Uniter October 25, 2007 NEWS 03 Saskatchewan makes headway on living wage: Manitoba remains undecided JOE KORNELSEN Frankel explains that an increase is impor- tant because minimum wage workers are often single parents who lack the time or the mobility to ETERSON P find better paying jobs. A ith the cost of living in Canada in- H creasing across the board, some prov- “Children are vulnerable with parents with- W inces are taking a proactive stance and out benefits, savings, [and who] can’t take days NATAS raising the minimum wage.