From Crisis to Campus

FREE.WEEKLY. VOLUME 70 // ISSUE 07 // OCT.22 07 // ISSUE 70 VOLUME FROM CRISIS TO CAMPUS Student refugees share stories of how they found their way here TRANSISTOR 66 IF YOU CAN DODGE TRANSIT COPS HITS 100 P6 A WRENCH... P13 P17 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG YOU COULD WIN PASSES TO SEE TO ENTER EMAIL: [email protected] THE UNITEr // OctobEr 22, 2015 03 ON THE COVER Musa Talluzi (centre), a Syrian KEEP ON refugee, pictured with World University Service of Canada staff. KEEPIN’ ON Maybe we’re the only ones who are counting, but this is our seventh issue of the year – our midpoint for the fall term. On campus, it seems like people have adjusted to their new routines, and here at The Uniter we’re hitting our stride with our weekly production schedule too. The whole city feels like it’s settling down for the next few months as a chill creeps into the air. Most of the leaves have blown off the trees, and there are far fewer festivals in the city with every weekend that passes. But settling down, whether from seasonal changes or other routines, doesn’t have to mean complacency. We heard that you wanted more sports coverage, so we’re working on integrating this into our rotation with our own local twist. You may not read much about the Jets in these pages, but we will share stories of your local dodgeball league upping their game, as well as the shifts and changes to our Wesmen teams. If you’re part of an off-the-beaten-track sports team (or a group that’s kind of sports-ish), let us know. We’d love to hear about what you do to keep moving throughout the fall and winter. Sometimes, while it looks like things are staying the same, they’re actually in steady decline. Like our local Handi-Transit service, which – according to a complaint filed to the Manitoba Ombudsman – is becoming less and less accessible. And while the transit union, along with a Winnipeg city councillor, have argued that they need police on buses to help with fare evasion, not all Winnipeggers are convinced by this idea. Other local folks are taking what they know well and pushing it to the next level. Local designers William Rhys are in good company as the latest locals to launch their wares in a bustling fashion scene. Kai Chochinov broke the fourth wall and then went a step further in an experimental theatre offering called Deadly Politics, and local label Transistor 66 kept doing what they do best until they hit a landmark 100 releases. In this issue, we’re fine-tuning and moving forward. And hopefully, just like the communities and individuals profiled in these pages, we’re helping to make this city a little better and livelier this fall. – Anastasia Chipelski ONLINE EXCLUSIVE READ OUR Q&A WITH SHAWN KATZ (WHO’S SPEAKING AT THE U OF W ON OCT. 23) ONLINE AT UNITER.CA. @THEUNITEr @THEUNITEr FACEbOOK. COM/THEUNITEr David Suzuki says he will move to Mars and shit in cups for the rest of his life. Find out why on page 17. PHOTO BY CORY ARONEC SUBMISSIONS OF ARTICLES, LETTERS, UNITER STAFF CONTACT US » GRAPHICS AND PHOTOS are encouraged, CONTrIbUTOrS General Inquiries: 204.988.7579 however all new contributors (with the Advertising: 204.786.9790 PHOTO EDITOR exception of letters to the editor) must Daniel Crump » [email protected] Shanae Blaquiere, Greg E-mail: [email protected] Gallinger, Tessa Gauthier, Justin Web: www.uniter.ca attend a 45 minute volunteer orientation MANAGING EDITOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Ladia, Victoria Pereira, Luke workshop to ensure that the volunteer Anastasia Chipelski » [email protected] Simeon Rusnak » [email protected] LOCATION Rempel, Matthew Rodriguez and » understands all of the publication’s BUSINESS MANAGER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER r oom OrM14 basic guidelines. Volunteer workshops Margaret Howison » [email protected] Mike Sudoma » [email protected] Samantha Secter. University of Winnipeg 515 Portage Avenue take place Wednesdays from 12:30-1:20 CREATIVE DIRECTOR FEATURES REPORTER Winnipeg, Manitoba in room ORM14. Please email volunteer@ Scott A. Ford » [email protected] Thomas Pashko » [email protected] r3b 2E9 uniter.ca for more details. Deadline Treaty One Territory for advertisements is noon Friday, six NEWS EDITOR ARTS REPORTER Homeland of the Metis Nation Jessica Botelho-Urbanski » [email protected] Samantha Sarty » [email protected] days prior to publication. The Uniter COMMENTS EDITOR NEWS REPORTER reserves the right to refuse to print Tim Runtz » [email protected] Vacant » @uniter.ca material submitted by volunteers. The COPY & STYLE EDITOR CAMPUS REPORTER MOUSELAND PRESS BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Uniter will not print submissions that Danielle Da Silva » [email protected] Elena Spitcyna » [email protected] Kent Davies (interim chair), Andrew Tod, Erin Yaremko, Raegan Hedley, Jack Walker, Dylan are homophobic, misogynistic, racist or Chyz-Lund, Anifat Olawoyin and Peyton Veitch. libellous. We also reserve the right to ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR Meg Crane » [email protected] Alana Trachenko » [email protected] For inquiries e-mail: [email protected] edit for length/style. 04 THE UNITER // OctobEr 22, 2015 WHOSE HOUSE? STEFANIE’S HOUSE 1 PHOTOS BY SIMEON RUSNAK THOMAS PASHKO @THOMASPASHKO FEATURES REPORTER Stefanie Blondal Johnson is a name and voice that music nerds should take note of. As one half of the indie rock/pop duo Mise en Scene, Johnson’s chiming rhythmic guitar work and lyrics full of 2 longing brought acclaim to the group’s 2012 LP Desire’s Despair. The group has since toured extensively across North America, Europe and the United Kingdom. Johnson and her husband Tomáš Kubalčík’s have called their Crescentwood house home for a little over a year. The house is full of antiques and artwork the two have collected over the years, and they’re thrilled to finally have a house to decorate with them. “The amount of things that would come 4 3 home from Value Village,” Johnson says, laughing in her living room, “and my mom would be like, ‘Why did you buy this?’ ‘Because one day I’m going to have a house where I can put it somewhere and it’ll work.’” “Stef and I are similar in the ways we’ve been accumulating shit over the years,” Kubalčík says. “I’m originally from Australia, but even in my travels, I’m like, ‘Fuck it. No matter how much this costs to ship here, I’m getting it.’” That ethic has paid off. Both artists and musicians, their house now boasts a home 5 studio and a functioning darkroom. 1) MINI 3) BASEMENT PAINTING AND 5) CATS (HANK AND SAL) Kubalčík: “My first car was a ’72 Mini, and I just got FIREPLACE Kubalčík: “We just treat them like roommates.” the bug. I had this one when I was living in Ireland Johnson: “When Jodi (Dunlop, drummer for Mise and had it shipped to Canada when I came here.” en Scene) and I were at the Banff Centre writing 6) BEDROOM DESK WITH ANTIQUE music, this painter lady saw us and loved us. She TELEPHONE 2) SARANOHAIR wanted to paint us. When she found out Tom and I Johnson: “We had this desk in the studio, but Johnson: “Saranohair is a book my aunt (Gillian were getting married, she sent me a painting.” there was no room to jam or do anything, so we Johnson) wrote about me and my sister a long moved it to the bedroom. Having it here is my time ago. She’s a wonderful illustrator. She 4) RECORD COLLECTION attempt at writing more. I got that phone at a just came out with a book called How to Draw Johnson: “We keep our records in this cabinet. secondhand place when I was 13-years-old. It still Everything that’s really amazing. I actually We found this little record player out of town for works, but it doesn’t hang up.” 6 become a hat in this book.” like $40.” ARTS THE UNITER // OctobEr 22, 2015 05 in Winnipeg is beginning to strengthen its revival. “It’s nice to see that people here are not only just starting things, but are also STRIKING pushing hard. Like, Tony Chestnut is pushing really hard, and even Lennard Taylor opened up his own store now. It’s MINIMALISM nice to see that people are making an emphasis and we just came in at the right The Style Exhibition launches the time,” Joseph says. “Because we have such a demand newest collection of William Rhys for everything, everyone is like ‘Yes, let’s support each other,’ as opposed to VICTORIA PEREIRA competing against each other in a large city. That’s the beautiful thing about this VOLUNTEER STAFF community,” Jones says. “Just because this city isn’t booming and it isn’t filled Rachel Lynne Jones and graphic artist with a strong fashion community doesn’t Calvin Joseph believe that the role and mean that it can’t one day be a niche function of style should be viewed as a SUPPLIED PHOTO here.” means to express and shape individual Clothing by William Rhys. If coming together under one roof and identities. connecting over an art form isn’t enough Stemming from the motivation to feature DJs Andy2K and Jordan Vothra. They have been combining their personal to entice you, the designers urge you to create the perfect unisex T-shirt, the “It’s not a fashion show,” Jones says. creativity ever since. still come simply to dress up. designers behind local fashion line “We’re inviting guests to come dress “My background is graphic design “If you want the opportunity to just William Rhys demonstrate that fashion uniquely and express themselves that way and designing and art, so I really like the go out and be crazy, maybe wear your has no gender.

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