ISSUE 022007/09/13 VOLUME 62 INSIDE 02 News 06 Comments 08 Features 10 Arts & Culture uniter.ca 14 Listings » 18 Sports EB W HE T N O [email protected] » E-MAIL . 02 . ss I VOL. 62 VOL. SEPT 13, 2007 SEPT 13, EEKLY W T DEN TU A DIGITAL APPEAL FOR DARFUR VIDEO REPLACES THE OLD FASHIONED LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN F WINNIPEG S F WINNIPEG 03 O Y IN CALEDONIA... T 08 THE LAND DISPUTE BECOMES A BATTLE FOR CANADA’s cONSCIENCE ERSI SKA AND REGGAE SHAKE THE CITY V 12 FESTIVAL HOPES TO RAISE PROFILE OF UNDERGROUND MUSIC NI U ASPIRATIONS TO PADDLE IN 2012 CANADIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS STILL ON HIGH FROM PAN AM THE THE 18 ♼ September 13, 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] PRODUCTION MANAGER Downtowner to get a facelift Sarah Sangster » [email protected] COURTESY OF HOSTELLING INTERNATIONAL CANADA PHOTO EDITOR DAN HUYGHEBAERT Natasha Peterson » [email protected] BEAT REPORTER COPY & STYLE EDITOR Jacquie Nicholson » [email protected] hile the Bell Hotel closed down in late August, the Downtowner NEWS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR Motor Hotel on 300 Kennedy Stacy Cardigan Smith [email protected] W » is being given a new lease on life by its new owners, the Winnipeg-based chapter of News PRODUCTION EDITOR Ksenia Prints » [email protected] Hostelling International Canada. “We wanted to be downtown,” says Bob COMMENTS EDITOR Summers, spokesperson for the HI board of di- Ben Wood » [email protected] rectors. “The building itself is unique for hos- telling. It is an international, modern building ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR with a good urban design.” Whitney Light [email protected] » The Canadian Hostelling Association of Manitoba was looking for a new facil- LISTINGS COORDINATOR ity throughout Winnipeg, including in the St. Kristine Askholm » [email protected] Boniface area, but found it would be more ex- The new Downtowner will hopefully attract more travelers and more students. pensive to build from scratch, Summers says. SPORTS EDITOR Kalen Qually » [email protected] The Downtowner was built in 1958 in the midst of a downtown construction boom, with a Learning Centre for Peace, which would “We do want to see some students in the BEAT RepORTER a contemporary design and plenty of window make it the only hostel in Canada with that pub,” says Downtowner manager Mark Klassen, Jenette Martens » [email protected] space. Gordon Hotels were the building’s latest distinction. adding that he also hopes to decorate the pub owners, until the recent decision to sell it and “We’re optimistic about it,” Summers with paintings by local artists. BEAT RepORTER renovate other properties. says. Other changes at the Downtowner will Cameron MacLeod [email protected] » be new walls, floors and paint, as well as the PHOTO: NATASHA PETERSON addition of a walled-off prairie green space BEAT RepORTER Dan Huyghebaert » [email protected] so guests can have their own private patio. A common kitchen will be added where the park- BEAT RepORTER ing stalls are now located. James Janzen » [email protected] THIS WEEK ’ S CONTRIBUTORS I’m excited to be a part Renee Lilly, Sepher Cadiz, Julienne Isaacs, Aaron Epp, of the rebirth and revitalization Erin McIntyre, Tom Llewellin, Jonathan Villaverde, Steven Kotelniski, Dan Verville, Scott Christiansen, Brooke Dmytriw, of downtown” Ariel Whitehill, Conrad Sweatman, Graham Podolecki, Kelly Nickie – MARK KLASSEN The Uniter is the official student newspaper of the University of DOWNTOWNER MANAGER 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 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 Canadian University Press and Campus Plus Media Services. SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES, LETTERS, GRAPHICS AND “I’m excited to be a part of the rebirth and PHOTOS ARE WELCOME. Articles must be submitted in The old Downtowner on 300 Kennedy awaits a facelift. text (.rtf) or Microsoft Word (.doc) format to [email protected], revitalization of downtown,” Klassen says. or the relevant section editor. Deadline for submissions is 6:00 p.m. Thursday, one week before publication. Deadline for With the acquisition of the Downtowner, advertisements is noon Friday, six days prior to publication. The HI sold its other hostel location, the Ivey House Uniter reserves the right to refuse to print submitted material. The Uniter will not print submissions that are homophobic, HI took control of the building on June The location was ideal for HI, with its close on 210 Maryland Street. Guests staying at the misogynistic, racist, or libellous. We also reserve the right to edit for length and/or style. 18 and began renovations immediately. The proximity to the University of Winnipeg and the Ivey were transferred to the Downtowner. Ivey organization hopes to complete the building bus station. Onsite student housing is another House will now serve as both a treatment center CONTACT US » by December, retaining its ‘50s-style architec- option they are looking into, Summers says. and a rooming house. General Inquiries: 204.786.9790 Advertising: 204.786.9790 ture. HI is also looking into receiving a United The hostel will also boast an onsite restaurant With the move of the hostel, HI will expand Editors: 204.786.9497 Nations designation for the Downtowner as and pub. its capacity from 36 to 120 beds. Fax: 204.783.7080 Email: [email protected] LOCATION » Room ORM14 University of Winnipeg WHICH DOWNTOWN BUILDING SHOULD BE SLATED FOR 515 Portage Avenue DEMOLITION OR RENOVATION NEXT, AND WHY? Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9 MOUseLAND PRess BOARD OF DIRecTORS: Mary Agnes Welch, Rob Nay, Nick Tanchuk, Ben Jenny Henkelman Danny Reiser Ian Scott Wickström (chair), Dean Dias, Daniel Blaikie, Vivian (1st year Stylus editor): (2nd year Education) (4th year International Develop- Belik, Brendan Sommerhalder, Brian Gagnon “The Grey’s Auction building “Add more buildings where ment Studies/ Religious Studies) in the exchange. It has been excess parking lots are, “Renovate the Masonic For inquiries email: [email protected] empty for years, but it’s a and have more parking Temple. Businesses have cool building that could be underground. We need to been trying to in the past, renovated, although a lot of brighten up the area.” and it needs a facelift.” COVER IMAGE money would be needed.” Joseph Gerbasi Charlie Lefevbre Kandyce Jaska “Art Lover” (2nd year Philosophy) (2nd year Education) (2nd year Education) “U of W, because they “Build a bigger arena for an “Don’t demolish anything. Any building that has by Aleem Kahn didn’t use real pie for NHL team so Wpg will stop historical significance should be renovated and showing at Outworks Gallery, the pie throwing contest. whining about the Jets.” used for something new. Only get rid of places Third Floor 290 McDermont Ave. Show It says a lot about our if they are a health risk or safety issue.” closes Sept. 16 school – you only get the whipped cream.” PHOTOS BY RENEE LILLEY contact: [email protected] The Uniter September 13, 2007 NEWS 03 City seeks public advice on choosing new chief THE seARCH HAS BEGUN FOR WInnIPEG’S neXT CHIEF OF POLICE BEN WOOD JENETTE MARTENS Clive Wightman, the director of the Community BEAT REPORTER ANNITTA L. STENNING, CHIEF Services department, and Janet P. Schmidt and AdmINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR THE CITY, Adrian Challis from Facilitated Solutions. HOPES TO FIND A CHIEF Stenning assures community members that he City of Winnipeg kick-started the she is not taking her decision in hiring a new chief hiring process for Winnipeg’s new chief whose leadership would lightly, and says she hopes to find a chief “whose Tof police last Tuesday with commu- leadership would inspire confidence.” nity discussion forums and a session with one inspire confidence.” Cyril Keeper of the Spence Neighborhood of Winnipeg’s former chiefs. Association, says that “Where I live, it often feels Community consultation meetings were like a war zone.” held on Sept. 5 and 6, where community mem- was retired police chief David Cassels, agreed He stresses the importance of involving the bers were encouraged to describe what leadership that there must be a relationship between officers community with the police, and encourages the skills and characteristics they felt were important and community members. city to look for a police chief who has run a police in a chief of police. Cassels believes the lack of communication force and worked with the community before. The message resonating from the com- between police and the community is the main Tremaine Burrows, executive director of the munity discussions was that a chief committed problem in many neighborhoods. The traditional Osborne Village Business Improvement Zone, to community policing and preventive action is a model of policing is reactive and not proactive, echoes the desire for a chief who believes in com- David Cassels speaks at community panel. priority for the citizens of Winnipeg. he explains; it is a quick solution that doesn’t deal munity policing. He says there are various prob- Others supported stronger punitive measures. with the root problems in the community. lems in his neighborhood, such as petty drug deal- Glenn Stanley, a neighborhood watch captain for Community policing, on the other hand, is ing, aggressive panhandling, and vandalism. litical pressure. almost 30 years, thinks that the new chief should a proactive solution that assigns certain officers “Finding solutions to these problems requires Steek also feels strongly about the loca- enforce stronger discipline.