ISSUE 12007/01/25 VOLU6ME 61 INSIDE 02 News 06 Comments 08 Diversions 10 Features 12 Arts & Culture uniter.ca 17 Listings » 21 Sports N THE WEB O [email protected] » E-MAIL E 15 U SS I L. 61 L.61 vo 2007 25, JAN DENT WEEKLY FEDERAL ANTI-GANG FUND U 03 WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR MANITOBA? WEARING THE VEIL TONE GIRL’s stORY OF THE HIJAB INNIPEG ST INNIPEG 10 W F O COOKIES, CREAM PUFFS, AND A NEW CD 16 THE WAY TO A Fan’s hearT IS THROUGH THEIR STOMACH ERSITY V WILL THE WESMEN GET A HOCKEY TEAM? NI U 22 BARRIERS TO CAMPUS TEAMS KEEP THE RINK CLEAR FOR NOW HE T ♼ January 25, 2006 The Uniter contact: [email protected] 02 NEWS UNITER STAFF NEWS EDITOR: RICHARD LIEBRECHT SENIOR REPORTER: DEREK LESCHASIN NEWS EDITOR: DEREK LESCHASIN 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] Canada’s drug strategy a NEWS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR Richard Liebrecht » [email protected] failure, report claims News PRODUCTION EDITOR Derek Leschasin » [email protected] of the strategy could be measured. also disperse drug scenes, further separat- COMMENTS EDITOR Ben Wood » [email protected] CAMERON MACLEAN According to the report, in the first half ing drug users from health and prevention VOLUNTEER STAFF of 2005, “over 20 per cent of newly recorded services. DIVERSIONS EDITOR HIV infections in Canada were associated Multiple reports from the Auditor Matt Cohen » [email protected] with injection drug use.” Of these, it is be- General of Canada (2001), the Senate anada’s drug strategy has failed to lieved that a large percentage of new in- Special Committee on Illegal Drugs (2002), ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR reduce many of the most deadly fections are acquired in prison. Aboriginal and Special Committee on Non-Medical Whitney Light » [email protected] Cconsequences associated with il- people appear to be particularly affected. Use of Drugs (2002) have called for greater licit drug use, according to a new report In addition to the health risks asso- coordination of efforts to address prob- LISTINGS COORDINATOR published by the B.C. Centre for Excellence ciated with drug use, drug-related harms lems related with substance abuse, and for Nick Weigeldt » [email protected] in HIV/AIDS. present a considerable economic burden better accounting and responsibility. SPORTS EDITOR The report, published in the HIV/ to Canadians. In 2002, national health care In spite of all this, in 2004-2005, 73 per Mike Pyl » [email protected] AIDS Policy and Law Review, critiques the costs directly related to illicit drug use were cent of actual Federal drug strategy expen- Federally-funded drug strategy renewed estimated to be over $1.13 billion. Also, sick ditures went to enforcement tactics. The COPY & STYLE EDITOR in 2003. The authors conclude that the days taken as a result of illicit drug use are remaining 27 per cent was divided up be- » [email protected] strategy has focused overwhelmingly on estimated to have cost $21 million in lost tween treatment (14 per cent), coordina- anti-drug enforcement and supply-reduc- income in that same year. tion and research (7 per cent), prevention PHOTO EDITOR tion initiatives, which the authors claim Again in 2002, policing costs and cor- (3 per cent), and harm-reduction (3 per Natasha Peterson » [email protected] have failed to reduce the availability of rectional services costs associated with il- cent). The Federal government refused to and demand for illegal drugs, and which, licit drug use combined are estimated to extend Vancouver’s safe injection site — SENIOR REPORTER Derek Leschasin » [email protected] in many cases, exacerbate drug-related have totaled over $2 billion. Despite these the only one in North America — beyond harms. At the same time, Canada’s drug efforts, drug consumption rates in 2002 its initial pilot phase, claiming that there STAFF RepORTER strategy has neglected new and innovative were found to have been higher than ever is a lack of understanding around the im- Kenton Smith » [email protected] harm-reduction methods, such as needle recorded. Rather than reducing the supply pacts of the facility. Needle exchanges are exchange programs and Vancouver’s safe- and demand for illegal drugs, the authors only available in 14 communities in British BEAT RepORTER injection site, which have proven to be ef- argue that anti-drug enforcement activities Columbia. Furthermore, no reports or eval- Ksenia Prints [email protected] » fective. The report goes on to argue that increase many of the harms associated with uations of the effectiveness of the strat- there is a lack of leadership, coordination, drug use by destabilizing markets, leading egy have been made available. Addictions BEAT RepORTER Michelle Dobrovolny » [email protected] accountability, and clearly defined targets to increased levels of violence and unsafe Foundation of Manitoba CEO John Borody and goals against which the effectiveness injection practices. Destabilized markets agreed with the author’s conclusions. He PRODUCTION MANAGER & GRAPHICS EDITOR said that the emphasis on enforcement Sarah Sangster » [email protected] methods of combating drug use in Canada follows the focus of many international policy leaders out of the United States and THIS WEEK ’ S CONTRIBUTORS the United Nations. He also stated that term lengths for most governments have Kristy Rydz, Jenette Martens, Renee Lilley, Erin McIntyre, an influence on the kinds of measures gov- Dan Hugyebaert, Deanna Fair, Brooke Dmytriw, Adrienne ernments are willing to take in dealing with Fainman, Graham Podolecki, Bora Kim, Brenden Sommerhalder, NOTICE OF drug related problems. Al Crow, Sam Mclean, Jonathan Oliveros Villaverde, Scott Christiansen, Daniel Falloon, Brad Pennington “When you look at governments and how long they’re in power, they’re trying to have an impact on this within the time The Uniter is the official student newspaper of the University of Winnipeg and is published by Mouseland Press Inc. Mouseland they’re in power, which is usually in four- Press Inc. is a membership based organization in which students and community members are invited to participate. For more year stints. And when you’re talking about 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 BOARD MEETING prevention activity, you’re talking about Canadian University Press and Campus Plus Media Services. SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES, LETTERS, GRAPHICS AND a longer-term strategy. You might not see PHOTOS ARE WELCOME. Articles must be submitted in text (.rtf) or Microsoft Word (.doc) format to [email protected], dramatic changes in four years.” or the relevant section editor. Deadline for submissions is The AFM, which operates a needle 6:00 p.m. Thursday, one week before publication. Deadline for advertisements is noon Friday, six days prior to publication. The exchange program on Sherbrook Street Uniter reserves the right to refuse to print submitted material. The Uniter will not print submissions that are homophobic, across from the Misericordia Urgent Care misogynistic, racist, or libellous. We also reserve the right to edit for length and/or style. Centre, takes a harm-reduction perspec- The Mouseland Press Board of Directors will be meeting Saturday Feb. 3. 12:30 tive, Borody said. CONTACT US » “I think one of the good things about General Inquiries: 204.786.9790 Advertising: 204.786.9779 p.m. in room 3M58. Everyone is welcome to attend, though only members of the (Canada’s drug strategy) is that it started Editors: 204.786.9497 a national discussion around what they Fax: 204.783.7080 Email: [email protected] board will be able to vote on agenda items. call the framework of that strategy, and it brought a lot of us together to start looking LOCATION » Room ORM14 at how we can be a part of this, which they University of Winnipeg never had before,” Borody said. He went on 515 Portage Avenue If you have any questions about Mouseland Press, please contact the chair of the Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9 to say that where the Federal government board, Ben Wickström at [email protected]. can help now is in the area of leadership, by setting the overall direction for dealing MOUselAND PRess BOARD OF DIRECTORS: with drug related issues. He also said that Mary Agnes Welch, Rob Nay, Nick Tanchuk, Ben Wickström (chair), Dean Dias, Daniel Blaikie, Vivian the Federal government should make more Belik, Brendan Sommerhalder, Brian Gagnon resources available to the provinces to de- velop local strategies for dealing with illicit For inquiries email: [email protected] drug use. In the words of the report’s own au- COVER IMAGE thors: “Canada’s Drug Strategy’s stated overarching goal is to reduce harms asso- ciated with substance use, yet the strategy ART BY KATHLEEN FONSECA makes no provisions to ensure availability SEE STORY PG. 12 of key services, such as needle exchange, Photo by Whitney Light on a country-wide basis.” They want use on the internet for free, indefinitely… it just won’t wash.” – ROB MACKLIN, ACTRA contact: [email protected] The Uniter January 25, 2006 NEWS 03 Feds commit $16 million to anti-gang programs GROUPS DIVIded OVER FUndIng’S EffeCTIVeness youth get back on track.” prevention, and that bothers me,” says Holmes. members, once initiated it is very difficult for DEREK LESCHASIN However, Charette lamented the short dura- “I think sometimes that the people in Ottawa, in youth to escape the lifestyle, should they choose to NEWS EDITOR tion of the funding, arguing that the government the beautiful buildings there, don’t realize what’s do so.