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ISSUE 12006/11/16 VOLU0ME 61 INSIDE 02 News 06 Comments 09 Diversions 10 Features 12 Arts & Culture uniter.ca 18 Listings » 21 Sports N THE WEB O [email protected] » E-MAIL E 10 U SS I L. 61 L.61 vo 2006 16, NOV BILLBOARD RELIGION 02 CAN AN AD CAMPAIGN SAVE A DECLINING MEMBERSHIP? DENT WEEKLY U 10 PRATT: PROFILE OF A PAINTER INNIPEG ST INNIPEG W F COMING TO A LAWSUIT NEAR YOU O 16 BORAT LEAVES THE LINE A MILE BEHIND ERSITY V WESMEN SURVIVE TEST AGAINST CANWest’s best NI Winnipeg’s saVOURY REVENGE ON REGINA COUGARS U 21 HE T ♼ November 16, 2006 The Uniter contact: [email protected] 02 NEWS UNITER STAFF NEWS EDITOR: RICHARD LIEBRECHT SENIOR REPORTER: DEREK LESCHASIN NEWS EDITOR: WHITNEY LIGHT E-MAIL: [email protected] E-MAIL: [email protected] E-MAIL: [email protected] MANAGING EDITOR News Jo Snyder » [email protected] BUSINess MANAGER James D. Patterson » [email protected] Student pursues justice NEWS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR Richard Liebrecht » [email protected] News PRODUCTION EDITOR in rental housing dispute Whitney Light » [email protected] KENTON SMITH of filing the claim in the first place. COMMENTS EDITOR » [email protected] STAFF REPOrtER “Obviously, money wasn’t the issue,” says Bland. “It was the principle.” Unfortunately for DIVERSIONS EDITOR Bland, the cost of principle was something he Matt Cohen » [email protected] t has taken almost an entire calendar year, would soon have to be unexpectedly weighing but satisfaction may finally belong to local once again. ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Ph. D. candidate Jason Bland. In early May, Jeremy Plett, Property Mike Lewis [email protected] I » On Oct. 24, the housing dispute that Manager at J & R, sent the RTB a letter stating Bland has been embroiled in came to a head that Bland had broken his lease agreement, LISTINGS COORDINATOR at a public hearing of the Residential Tenancies Nick Weigeldt » [email protected] which specified a one-year term, but had paid Commission. Bland, a doctorate student in no sublet fee. Also claimed in the letter was that SPORTS EDITOR Physics at the University of Manitoba, had ap- Bland had failed to give due notice before vacat- Mike Pyl » [email protected] pealed a decision made against him by the ing the apartment, resulting in the suite remain- Residential Tenancies Branch in August. That ing unoccupied for an entire month. Finally, it COPY & STYLE EDITOR decision had awarded Bland’s former landlord, was alleged that Bland had paid no rent for the Brendan Johns » [email protected] J & R Property Management, compensation in month of October. Shortly after sending the the amount of $638.21 for claimed loss of rent, letter, Plett made a claim against Bland, and a PHOTO EDITOR hearing was scheduled for August 25. Natasha Peterson » [email protected] Bland, however, says he knew nothing of these developments until he happened to call PHOTO: NATASHA PETERSON SENIOR REPORTER Derek Leschasin » [email protected] Obviously, money wasn’t the Branch on Aug. 23, inquiring as to the status Jason Bland was a dissatisfied tenant at of his file. He was informed of the hearing, but 190 Balmoral Street. STAFF RepORTER the issue. It was the principle.” told that the Branch could not provide a copy Kenton Smith » [email protected] of Plett’s claim, as that was the landlord’s re- –JASON BLAND, sponsibility. At the hearing, Plett’s representa- vide further comment. BEAT RepORTER FORMER TENANT OF J&R tive, Ms. Christine Lougheed, insisted that J & R Bland was also able to provide evidence Ksenia Prints » [email protected] PROPERTY MANAGEMENT had made Bland aware of the proceedings, but of rent payment for the month of October, and could produce no records to prove it. Aware that further supporting his story was an admis- BEAT RepORTER Michelle Dobrovolny » [email protected] he could appeal any possible judgment against sion from the caretaker that past tenants in the him, Bland waived his right to be served notice, building had month-to-month agreements. PRODUCTION MANAGER & GRAPHICS EDITOR late payment fees, costs of filing the claim, and allowing the hearing to go forward. For these reasons, Bland claimed in his appeal Sarah Sangster » [email protected] additional expenses. Lougheed presented an invoice for a clas- that Plett had presented falsified evidence, However, no representative of J & R showed sified ad purchased in the Winnipeg Free Press, and requested that the RTC consider whether up at the appeal hearing to contest Bland. Even an ad claimed to have been necessary after J & the landlord is guilty of an offence under sec- THIS WEEK ’ S CONTRIBUTORS more significant was the panel’s statement R was left without a tenant to occupy the apart- tion 195 (1)©—the criminal section of The that, had a J & R representative been present, ment Bland had vacated. According to the Residential Tenancies Act. The RTC panel in- Aaron Epp, Gerald Stephen, Erin McIntyre, Stephen Spence, it would likely have had no bearing on the out- RTB’s official Reasons for Decision, said invoice formed Bland that he would have to refer that Daniel Falloon, Salai Za Ceu Lian, James Johnston, come—there was no reason, the panel stated, was, apart from Bland’s lease, the only actual request to the police. Brooke Dmytriw, Matrt Urban, Aaron Elkaim Vincent, to disbelieve the evidence already submitted by documented evidence presented by Lougheed The RTB is the body which administers Micheal Banias Bland to support his appeal. The panel’s ruling to support Plett’s assertions—the record notes the Act in Manitoba, educating tenants and will not be official public record, however, until that only a verbal statement was given to prove landlords about their respective rights and re- the involved parties are informed in writing. a loss of rent. sponsibilities, as well as mediating disputes. The Uniter is the official student newspaper of the University of Winnipeg and is published by Mouseland Press Inc. J & R, which has no alphabetical listing in Unprepared to present any response sup- When necessary, it is the RTB’s prerogative to Mouseland Press Inc. is a membership based organization in which students and community members are invited either the Winnipeg White or Yellow Pages, has ported by documented evidence of his own, investigate, render judgment, and issue orders to participate. For more information on how to become a neither answered or returned The Uniter’s re- Bland could only reply that it had been his regarding conflicts over security deposits, re- member go to www.uniter.ca, or call the office at 786-9790. The Uniter is a member of the Canadian University Press and quests for comment. belief that, based on conversations he had had pairs, the terms and conditions of tenancy Campus Plus Media Services. Bland’s troubles first started in the fall of with the on-site caretaker, the lease was in fact agreements, and notices to move (including SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES, LETTERS, GRAPHICS AND PHOTOS ARE WELCOME. Articles must be submitted in last year, when he found himself without heat on a month-to-month basis, in spite of what notice for non-payment of rent, noise, privacy, text (.rtf) or Microsoft Word (.doc) format to [email protected], living at #2-190 Balmoral Street, a block away was actually stipulated in writing. He also in- and payment of utility bills). or the relevant section editor. Deadline for submissions is 6:00 p.m. Thursday, one week before publication. from the University of Winnipeg. Forced to rely sisted that he had given the caretaker a month’s At present, Bland is unsure of whether he Deadline for advertisements is noon Friday, six days prior to publication. The Uniter reserves the right to refuse to print on space heaters and even the apartment’s oven, notice when he made the decision to move. will revisit the matter; after spending untold submitted material. The Uniter will not print submissions Bland finally contacted the City of Winnipeg. Unfortunately for Bland, his protestations hours researching his appeal, he says he is re- that are homophobic, misogynistic, racist, or libellous. We also reserve the right to edit for length and/or style. After a public health inspector took readings at were for naught: the RTB upheld Plett’s claim. lieved to be free to now focus on his thesis. the site and contacted the building owner, the Bland quickly responded by filing an appeal Upon completion of that, however, Bland will CONTACT US » heat was turned back on the next day. This inci- with the RTC in September, while simultane- be devoting time to assist other Winnipeg General Inquiries: 204.786.9790 dent precipitated Bland’s decision to move out, ously gathering evidence to refute Plett’s asser- property tenants with grievances. To that end, Advertising: 204.786.9779 Editors: 204.786.9497 which he did on October 31, 2005. tions. A search performed by Bland in the re- he will be working on a pro bono basis with Fax: 204.783.7080 However, Bland’s problems were far from verse MTS phone book uncovered that some- Natasha Thambirajah, a former counselor of Email: [email protected] over. Attempting to retrieve his security de- one was living in Bland’s former suite, and the U of M Graduate Students’ Association, LOCATION » posit, Bland says he called J & R several times subpoenas of Manitoba Hydro records indi- who assisted Bland in researching his appeal. Room ORM14 over the next several weeks, but received no re- cated that the person had been residing there “It’s my opinion that some property man- University of Winnipeg 515 Portage Avenue sponse whatsoever.

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