T Lethbridge Community College E Sliideiili^cMiiicctiiHi Vol: XXXV Issue: 9 Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000 Santa brings smiles LCCJoins provincial energy group By Shawne Mohl Endeavour Staff Rising energy costs have forced LCC to join with other insti­ tutions across the province to form a consumer group. The Public Institutional Consumers of Alberta (PICA) was . formed in an attempt to control energy costs for its members when deregulation takes effect Jan. 1. Memebership in PICA is completely voluntary and includes colleges, universities, public schools and health authorities, including hospitals from throughout the province. The consumer group has a goal to provide its members with the means to secure electrical supply with predictable and bel­ ter than market rates. Sixteen Alberta power companies were invited lo tender for energy supply to the member institutions. 'The two companies that PICA chose were Epcor (Edmonton) and Em-on (Texas)," said Rick Buis, vice president of corportate services at LCC. Although Epcor was picked as the preferred supplier by other members of PICA, the Board of Govemors at LCC decided Nov. 28 to enter into a five-year purchase contract beginning Jan. 1, with Enmax, a Calgary-based energy provider. This decision came just before an announcement from Alberta Premier Ralph Klein to freeze the provincial Energy Utilities Board surtax On natural gas and electricity in an effort to give Albertans temporary relief from spiralling energy costs. ^gA*»- What's Inside College Nems Suicide season? p.3 Comments TliInk before you drink p.4 Features Hotnefront p.12 PHOTO BY MELISSA OLSON Entertainment Old Saint Nick and a hard-working elf take gift suggestions from an excited Christtnas parties and traditions p.19 group of childrien from the LCC daycare. Santa stopped by LCC on his way tothe North Pole. Sports Joel Martin profile p.30 THURSOffy SflTURDflV SOUTHERN AIBERTA'S #1 NiGHTClUB $1000 THURS. no PARTYH WWSCBMfmaamlama When! something BIG UCANEATWINGSI lOnly <S a|piate (MOPNI is aliways happening! •i.:i^i;ri.-.J...,.^.-. 2 • WEDNESDAY, DEC. 6, 2000 COLLEGE NEWS THE ENDEAVOUR Suicide: Christmas myth, January reality society today is becoming more superficial and province of Alberta. BY STEVE KUNO focused on the individual. This attitude often leaves In 1997, 115 people took their lives in the area iMiiivtMrSiifl people contemplating suicide, in an isolated position, classified as rural north, which does not include Edmonton. In the Lethbridge area, classified as rural Suicide is the number one cause of injury related and the expression of their thoughts of death, more south, 82 people killed themselves. death in Alberta and is the second leading cause of easily expressible. Wright attributes this to the isolation the residents death amongst Canadians age 10-24. Dube also expresses concem over the amount of of northern Alberta experience. Alberta has the second highest rate of suicide per knowledge society has about suicide and it's causes. "There's a lot to be said about the amount of serv­ capita in the country after Quebec. "We don't equate mental stress and difficulties to ices available," she says. It remains a persistent myth that the rate of suicide physical difficulties," he said, "If someone breaks In the latest statistics available, dating from 1997, increases over the Christmas holiday season. their leg you can actually see it." Mental pain, he 402 Albertans committed suicide. According to Hilde Schlosar, executive director of says remains covered. According to Dube this number does not reflect the Samaritans, the extra protective factors that go Because of the hidden quality of mental anguish, the greater, potential reality. into place during this time help keep the amount of Dube says more money needs to be invested in the suicides at an average level. services available to people in distress. Single vehicle accidents and senior citizens over­ dosing on medication are just two examples of death "Even the most lonely people will be reached out "Counselling services are grossly under-funded," that could fall into either the accidental or intentional to," said Schlosar. Dube said. category. She says extra donations going to the food bank, While many Albertans do pay premiums for health "It is important that people be aware that these the giving of money to other charities, and people care, visiting a doctor and receiving treatment for a numbers are people," Dube says. generally being kinder to each other are some of the physical problem at the hospital remains essentially reasons for the level rate of suicides during this time. free. Although Dube stresses that because someone If the rate of suicide remains at average. Alberta can expect roughly 400 deaths this year. This rate, "It's after the holidays when we tend to see a rise is suicidal it does not mean that they have a mental altered for changes in population, has remained in the number of suicides," Schlosar said. illness. He says people suffering from depression and approximately the same since the 197Gs. She said it is when people retum to their usual rou­ manic-stress disorder are not necessarily going to get tines that the suicide rate begins to rise. free treatment. Counselling services charge on a slid­ People who are contemplating suicide have servic­ es available to them. Statistically, the largest number of self-inflicted ing scale from nothing to over $50 an hour. deaths occur in fall and spring. "We're one of the few countries in the world that The Samaritans, a 24-hour crisis phone-line (320- 1212), gives people under stress someone to talk to. "Christmas is the time of highest depression and doesn't have a strategic suicide plan," says Joan The Samaritans does not take part in direct inter­ lowest suicide," says John Dube, Lethbridge Family Wright, executive director of the Canadian vention but can direct a crisis team to prevent and Services program director He adds that the number Association of Suicide Prevention. assist anyone considering taking their own life. of suicides actually dips below average during this "More dollars need to be put in education," she Lethbridge Family Services and Crossroads time. says. Counselling offers more long-term care. "It's a sad fact of today's society. We want instant Alberta is not uniform in the amount of suicides friendship. When people ask 'How are you doing?' which occur by area. The north suffers from a signif­ They recommend seeking the services at they don't really care, they don't really want to icantly greater number of suicides than the rest of the Lethbridge Regional Hospital emergency department know," said Dube for an example, describing how province says the chief medical examiner for the in extreme cases where there is a threat to life. Monday morning collision leaves two injured BY E. A. LAGASSE EndeairoBf staff • Two men were taken to hospital with minor injuries and later released following a collision on College Drive on Monday. Witnesses at the scene say a white Pontiac travelling south tumed from College Drive into the Sportsplex entrance in the path of a grey Olds 88 heading north, shortly before 10 a.m. Emergency services transported the male driver of the Olds to hospital on a sti-etcher. He suffered Emergency medical minor facial injuries. technicians prepare The driver of the Pontiac had lacerations to his to transport the hand. Neither vehicle was carrying passengers. injured driver of an No charges have been laid and police are still Olds 88 after a colli­ mvesUgating the incident. sion on College Drive Perry Albert, head of campus security, says the on Monday morning. location of the collision is just north of the cam­ Tha driver wa^' pus boundary which ends at Tudor Boulevard. Although the speed limit on campus is 30 km/h, released from hospi­ the spot where the collision occurred would be the tal the same day. standard city speed limit of 50 km/h. PHOTO BY E A LAGASSE Karasle isl Thursday 9f eveiy mei lAR a 6RIL1 HOME OF THE FATS DOMINO, DEUCE COUPE a THE T^i POWER BURGERS 3040.!2AVE.N; •::, PHONE-327^999 LETHBRIDGE rnwiHc oi^/-**=757» S'A'fi'r:/-^^ THE ENDEAVOUR CAMPUS BEAT WEDNESDAY, DEC. 6. 2000 • 3 Aates <^v^ents and up Agriculture Trades The Beef Feedlot The trades recently Operations course is set to received a new trailer used start up again in January. This for Heavy Equipment month sees the completion of Technician apprenticeship the first of this course to be training and Ag/Heavy /Duty offered here at LCC. Animal students. Sciences instructor, Byrne John Crook, Heavy Cook says the program Equipment Technician, appears to be a success. designed an air brakes simu­ "If employees set out in the lator demonstration board. industry with this behind Mechanic department them, they know what the job technician Waine Madson involves and, we hope, are built it. more likely to stay in it." General Dec. 8 is the date for reg­ istration for new and retum­ ing general studies students. PHOTO BY SONYA STATHAM Crimilial Justice Alyscia Herauf, renewable resources student, examines an aquatic bug under a microscope during a lab. Criminal Justice students will be IVCF volunteering their time for the Exotic Travel Light Tour on Dec. 17. On Dec. 7 there will be a club meet­ The students will be directing traffic ing in the Sunflower room. for the tour, which begins at Sp.m. at Afterwards the club will go food- the Enmax Centre. For. more informa­ First Nations drive carolling for the food bank in Tudor Estates with the other LCC tion on the tour contact Steve Koch at Dean Stetson, Dean of Student Exotic Travel.