08 10 / / 06 VOLUME 64 2009 Fight for your right The Skateboarding Coalition of Manitoba advocates on behalf of skateboarders in the province — and there's a lot of work to do arts & culture pages 14-15 Attacked for fun Will new initiative curb violence? news page 2 Plus: Shattered sounds Musician debuts new material at the U of W arts & culture page 13 02 The UniTer OctOber 8, 2009 www.UniTer.ca "i love Disney world and colonialism? what colonialism? looking For liStingS? Cover Image have done it every year campus & community listings and for the past 15 years." Harper gets by with a volunteer opportunities page 6 Photograph of wind coil little help from hypocrisy music page 12, Film page 18 sound flow, an installation by Meet local entrepreneur galleries, theatre, Ken Gregory at Gallery 1c03, Daren Jorgenson dance and comedy page 17 University of winnipeg. literature page 18 news page 5 comments page 8 Photo by cindy Titus news UNITER STAFF ManaGinG eDitor Aaron Epp » [email protected] BUSiness ManaGer Maggi Robinson » [email protected] PrODUcTiOn ManaGer Senseless violence continues Melody Morrissette [email protected] » can new strategy make a difference? cOPy anD styLe eDitor Chris Campbell » [email protected] Cin Photo eDitor CaITlIN laIrd D y Ti Cindy Titus » [email protected] BeaT reporTer tus newS assiGnMenT eDitor Andrew McMonagle » [email protected] Following a string of violent inci- newS PrODUcTiOn eDitor dents linked to gang activity – such Cameron MacLean » [email protected] as the summer's grisly wedding re- ception shooting and the more re- arts anD culture eDitor cent occurrence in Wolseley where Vacant » [email protected] a man was set on fire – pressure cOMMents eDitor has been mounting on officials to Andrew Tod » [email protected] respond in some way to the issue Listings cOOrDinator of Winnipeg’s gang problem and J.P. Perron [email protected] youth-related crime. » In response, justice minister caMPUS BeaT rePOrTer Dave Chomiak has announced a Courtney Schwegel » [email protected] one-year pilot project called "Gang BeaT rePOrTer Awareness for Parents." This ap- Caitlin Laird » [email protected] proach has left some questioning whether this initiative and others BeaT rePOrTer like it are merely a Band-Aid ap- Ethan Cabel » [email protected] proach to a deeper problem, like BeaT rePOrTer economic disadvantage. Samuel Swanson » [email protected] “Increased policing is useless un- The government's "Gang awareness for Parents" program may only be a Band-aid solution to a larger problem, critics say. culture rePOrTer less you address the underlying eco- C. Jordan Crosthwaite [email protected] nomic issues at the local level. Our » state spends money on more po- lice and new prisons which employ "the guy who street with another individual to arrested three weeks after the in- the middle classes. The sole biggest jumped us ... didn’t watch for the attacker and again cident, but the other one remains CoNTrIBUTORS: predictor for crime reduction (in- they were jumped by the same in- free. cluding gang involvement amongst try to take anything dividual and another youth, armed Kim, who wishes to keep her last Maria Laureano, Kip Guenther, youth) is economic prosperity. from us. he attacked with knives. name private, has lived in Wolseley Jonathan Dyck, alexander Kavanagh, More police and more prisons us for fun.” “People on campus need to be for eight years and was frightened Brooke Dmytriw, Karlene Ooto- does not create economic prosper- aware of how dangerous it is around when the fire incident made the Stubbs, wesley Johnston, Brian rice, ity,” Kristen Kramer, University of - eMiL here. You never think it will happen news. She thinks that a paren- aranda adams, Sam hagenlocher, Winnipeg sociology professor, said to you until it does,” he said. tal awareness-based gang strategy Mike Duerksen, Brandon Bertram, via email. Emil believes one of the factors "sounds like a lot of talk." Lee repko, amie Seier, Mark reimer, University of Winnipeg science turned around to find the youth in youth crime is the media's glam- "If you have parents who don't cindy Doyle, adam Klassen, Timothy student Emil, who did not wish to repeatedly hitting his unconscious orization of a so-called “gangster care it won't make much of a dif- Penner, Lynnette McLarty, will reveal his last name, was attacked friend with the bat. The youth was lifestyle” and gratuitous violence. ference ... I definitely don't walk Gibson, Sagan Morrow, J. williamez, by an armed 19-year-old male mere also armed with a machete. Emil “The guy who jumped us seemed around here late at night," she Kathleen cerrer. blocks from campus. Emil and his said he believed their attacker had to be trying to live up to that life- said. friend Derek were walking to meet the intention of killing his friend. style, in the way he was dressed Emil believes that tougher conse- friends at around 9:30 three Fridays Emil and Derek escaped to and the things that he said. He also quences for repeat offenders would The Uniter is the official student newspaper of the University of winnipeg and is published by Mouseland ago, when Emil was hit in the head a friend's apartment after Emil didn’t try to take anything from us. help deter youth crime. Press inc. Mouseland Press inc. is a membership with an aluminum bat. rushed their attacker and exchanged He attacked us for fun.” based organization in which students and community Shocked and disoriented, Emil heated words. Emil returned to the Emil and Derek's attacker was 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 PhOTOS ARE WELcOMe. articles must be submitted in text (.rtf) or Microsoft word (.doc) format to editor@ uniter.ca, or the relevant section editor. Deadline by MariA Laureano for submissions is 6:00 p.m. Thursday, one week Q: Do you Feel safe wAlking ArounD tHe univerSity? before publication. Deadline for advertisements is noon Friday, six days prior to publication. The Uniter reserves the right to refuse to print submitted material. The Uniter will not print submissions that are homophobic, misogynistic, racist, or libellous. we also reserve the right to edit for length and/or style. Marika Prokash Mekala wickramasinghe Sheilana de la Cruz Fifth year, english Fourth year, business Fourth year, sociology "For the most part, but it administration and psychology would be nice to see the "Daytime, yes. nighttime, only "yes, why not ... with a cONtACT US » area more populated." areas with cameras or if i am bunch of people ... i'm General Inquiries: 204.786.9790 with a group or SafeWalk." here everyday." Advertising: 204.786.9790 editors: 204.786.9497 Fax: 204.783.7080 e-mail: [email protected] Web: www.uniter.ca LOcAtION » room OrM14 University of Winnipeg randy Adams Sam engelking roger gaudry 515 Portage Avenue merchant, Jojo's emporium owner, Casa Burrito reception/security, CBC Winnipeg, Manitoba r3b 2e9 (vancouver island) "i've never heard any is- Manitoba "From the newspaper it's not sues so i feel safe ... i think "yes, i think security is safe to walk around Winnipeg, the UW campus is safe." pretty good around the but we've been here before university and CbC." and have not been troubled." Mouseland Press Board of directors: Michael rac (chair), Shawn coates, courtney Berthelette, clayton winter, Devin King, alex Freedman, Shannon Sampert, rob nay, Brian Gagnon, Meg McGimpsey, Kelly ross (UwSa representative). For inquiries e-mail: [email protected] NEws 03 www.UniTer.ca OctOber 8, 2009 The UniTer local one great city after all News Briefs winnipeggers compiled by Kip Guenther may have an rCMP StePPing uP SeAt inferiority complex, Belt enForCeMent During the month of October, Manitoba but there are royal canadian Mounted Police will be setting up check stops throughout the benefits to this city province in an effort to crack down on motorists not wearing seatbelts and not using child restraints. RCMP will be especially present during the CaITlIN larId weekend of Oct. 9 to 12. BeaT reporTer check stops will include traffic units from detachments across the province. “Our aim is to remind the driving From tongue-in-cheek Simpsons ref- public not only that wearing a erences to The Weakerthans' iconic seat belt and using child restraints proclamation, “I hate Winnipeg,” reduce serious injury and death, at times it feels as though the joke but also that it’s the law,” said is perpetually on the residents of assistant commissioner Bill robinson, this city. Add this to the fact that commanding officer, RCMP “D” Winnipeggers aren’t exactly quick Division. to rush to the defence of the sup- posed “one great city.” Residents CHurCHeS ban HAndshakeS seem to have developed something To stop the spread of the h1n1 virus of an inferiority complex for a place and help curb fears, catholic churches that is more akin to a prairie town that examined our feverish desire to the problem now is the economy. Toronto and attempt to duplicate have been advised by the catholic archdiocese to take preventative than a bustling metropolis. score an IKEA outlet. When infrastructure is scrambling it. Winnipeg is very unique. There’s measures during church services. But this collective sense of “Winnipeg may in fact be one of to accommodate new communities definitely a positivity and beauty instead of shaking hands during shame may be misplaced, espe- the least hard-hit areas in the world it can be hard to manage.” that comes out of it.