A quick video about the lederhosen photo shoot and how you can get involved with peak photography.
Filmed by: Dwight Jantzi
Edited by: Julian Giordano
Contact [email protected] to get involved!
CUPE pickets, TSSU withholds grades, SFU silent
Job action escalates as both CUPE and the TSSU attempt to come to a collective agreement with the university
By Graham Cook
By Alison Roach
Photos by Graham Cook
Tensions between Simon Fraser University and both the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3338 and the Teaching Support Staff Union continued to rise over the past week, as neither union has been able to reach a collective agreement with the university.
Both the CUPE Local and the TSSU have strike mandates from their membership and have begun engaging in job action to try to put pressure on the university administration during the collective bargaining process. Though they are separate bargaining units, both organizations have implemented overtime bans, meaning no member of the union is able to put in more than their required time at work. In addition, on Oct. 12, CUPE members held a silent protest outside of the library and Maggie Benston Centre, and on Oct. 19, they walked off the job and picketed the SFU Vancouver locations, including the Harbour Centre and Woodward’s campuses. No plans have been released by the organization to picket the Burnaby or Surrey campuses.
Neither Simon Fraser University administration nor CUPE Local 3338 provided a comment at the time of print, with the exception of the former directing The Peak to a recording from the Safety and Risk Services website and the latter confirming that the Burnaby campus would not be picketed on Oct. 19. However, Derek Sahota, a spokesperson for the TSSU, spoke to The Peak, explaining that, while they would respect any CUPE picket lines that were set, the Teaching Support Staff Union itself needs to hold a follow-up vote of its membership in order to walk off the job. In addition, he stated that they are working to make sure that their job action will have minimal effect on undergraduate students.
The TSSU hosted a job action town hall meeting last Thursday in order to publically explain what has led up to the decision to escalate job action by withholding grades, and address any concerns that citizens of the university have. The meeting started out with presentations from the TSSU contract committee and strike committee, which were then followed by a round of Q+A. The contract committee gave a brief rundown of the current teaching conditions and an outline of the TSSU bargaining proposals. All their source data and proposals can be found on the TSSU bargaining website.
It was reinforced repeatedly by presenters that the TSSU feels they have found little to no cooperation with the employer at the bargaining table, even saying that the SFU bargaining team was acting in bad faith. After TSSU members voted with a 91 per cent majority on a strike mandate this summer, mediation started and continued throughout August and September with “basically no progress,” according to Derek Sahota, a physics TA and representative of the contract committee. Shortly after job action started in October, SFU invited the TSSU back to the bargaining table. Jeff Zurek, an earth sciences TA also on the contract committee explained, “Unfortunately, that didn’t really get us anywhere. They tabled something way out of left-field, had a bunch of new concessions, and it just wasn’t indicative of someone actually trying to get to an agreement.”
While still rejecting the TSSU’s proposals, SFU did propose a change in the hiring priority system. That system would promote hiring graduate students first for sessional positions, hiring graduate students from outside of the department as opposed to graduate students more advanced in their studies, and a monetary increase of about one third of the amount that the average graduate student would pay in increased tuition over the course of the contract. It was explained by the strike committee representatives that after these new demands they felt that a reasonable conversation was not happening, and that further job escalation was necessary. This led to the decision to withhold marked grades from the administration.
Starting Friday, Oct. 18, TSSU members are still able to give students feedback on exams and assignments but without a numerical or letter grade that could be entered into the system. This job action will continue on indefinitely and there are no set plans for further escalation. Said Ben Levy, an active TSSU volunteer, “We’re going to need to put pressure on the employer as a community.” Zurek said he believes that the SFU administration is “looking for any opportunity to split the community and turn us against each other. . . . Instead of being an engaged community we’ll be a community at war.”
The meeting then opened to address questions and concerns from those in attendance, from specific grading questions to rumored incidents of SFU campus security tearing down TSSU strike posters. Levy stated that some TSSU members had seen the latter happening, though there is no written record. The impact of withholding grades on students was also addressed. Presenters stressed that the increased job action was designed to keep negative impacts on students to a minimum.
TSSU presenters stated that the withholding of grades is being implemented to put pressure on the university, while still hopefully coming to a resolution before final marks are needed in December. If it comes to that, students who have a specific reason for needing their grades — to graduate, for example — will be able to go directly to the TSSU and request that their grades be released. The TSSU will hold all grades on hard copies in their effort to keep them away from the administration. If these measures do not yield results, it was said that the next logical step would be some form of picket line, though no strict plans have been put in place.
Though concerns have been raised over whether the withholding of grades would delay the graduation of some upper year students, the TSSU has stated on their website that this will not be the case and that they hope to have the bargaining process completed within this semester. If the process does extend past the fall semester, the TSSU will allow TAs to submit grades for graduating students. Future job action plans were not disclosed to The Peak by either the TSSU or CUPE.
University Briefs
By Graham Cook
Trinity Western faculty contemplate unionization
Faculty members at Trinity Western University have informally approached the Christian Labour Association of Canada to discuss how they could make changes within their workplace. According to employees, the university administration would rather not have a unionized faculty at TWU and the process is still in its early stages. If 45 per cent of the proposed bargaining unit signs union cards, the Labour Board will hold a vote within ten days.
With files from Mars’ Hill
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University of PEI campus hit by pro-life chalkings
Pro-life student group Students For Life left anti-abortion messages and drawings in chalk for students of The University of Prince Edward Island on the morning of Oct. 9. The messages included phrases such as “Life is Beautiful,” “Right to Life,” and “I am happy you were born!” In addition the groups drew a development of a fetus during its time in the womb along one walkway. The message was apparently poorly received by the student body, some of whom commented that it was difficult to relate to and too “in-your-face.”
With files from The Cadre
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Anti-police brutality march in Montreal remains calm
The protest against police brutality, which saw around 200 activists gather at Place Emilie-Gamelin in Montreal on Oct. 6, stayed very peaceful, with only one arrest recorded. The protestors marched through the streets of downtown Montreal to condemn the dismissal of complaints levied against the behaviour of police officers during the tuition protests. Though the protest was declared illegal due to its lack of a submitted march route, it ended up being authorized as long as it remained peaceful. The lone arrest was apparently for setting off a flare, and the offender was released with a ticket.
With files from The Concordian
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McMaster University serversí security breached in ëhacktivistí protest
In alleged protest of the decline of post-secondary education along with the increase of tuition rates, a group of anonymous hackers compromised the servers of 100 universities worldwide, including Ontario’s McMaster University. According to McMaster Public Relations, the information that was accessed was generally older and, in some cases, publically available. There is no sign of confidential credit card or user information being disclosed, though degree dates were. The attack was apparently part of Project WestWind carried out by hacking group Team GhostShell.
With files from The Silhouette
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Crown appeals sentence of UBC student charged in Stanley Cup riot
For his role in the 2011 Stanley Cup riot, UBC student Alexandre Peepre was charged with assault and taking part in a riot. The 21-year-old political science student was sentenced to 60 days in jail in September. However, the punishment came with the stipulation that the time is served from 7 p.m. on Fridays to 5 p.m. on Sundays, so that Peepre would be able to finish his degree. During the riot, peeper helped flip a 1996 GMC Sierra truck and punched Cameron Brown, a man who was trying to put out a trash-can fire.
With files from The Ubyssey
JumpStart helps students create businesses
JumpStart is a portion of Simon Fraser’s SEY program
By Graham Cook
Students from the group Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) at Simon Fraser University, the local branch of the international not-for-profit organization, have decided to launch a new component to the SFU Entrepreneur of the Year program. JumpStart — The SEY Accelerator allows student entrepreneurs to fast track and get information about how to forward their ideas.
Sessions have been held every Saturday since Sept. 15, and tackle topics that are important to startups. These include product and customer development, marketing, metrics, and how to find funding. Each project team will be assigned their own mentor from the local entrepreneur community to help them develop their ideas. In addition, SIFE Simon Fraser will bring in two or three speakers each week, and hold occasional speed-mentoring sessions that will see another four or five mentors spend 20–30 minutes with each venture team. Lunches will also be held in order to build up the social aspect of the group.
Chantelle Buffe, SEY’s project manager and a student with an entrepreneurship focus at the Beedie School of Business spoke to The Peak about the new JumpStart program, saying, “In the past years, the SEY has been really focused on competition and bringing out entrepreneurs who already have established businesses or are already on their way to building up their ventures.“ She added that, “JumpStart is kind of my way of giving back to people who were once in my position . . . it’s really helping the people who just have an idea or are just starting up but don’t know the next step, they really have no idea which direction to go in in terms of where to take their idea or who to talk to.”
“The JumpStart program began on Sept. 15, we’re actually right in the middle of it right now,” said Buffe of the program. “My whole goal is to kind of launch these people and their ideas.” Though Chantelle Buffe said that the Business Faculty has been the most active in terms of support, student participation in the program has been widespread. She said that students with academic backgrounds in areas such as communication and computer science have shown interest in the program, among many others.
Buffe stated that “the program is going quite good. Initially we only expected to get like 10 applicants, but by the end we got 25.” The program will be wrapped up with a competition in which teams will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges from local businesses, in order to turn their ideas into reality.
The competition will be held at the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel on Saturday, November 24 from around 1–6 p.m.
University of Windsor axes convocation prayer after athiest lobbying
The atheist society’s concern about the phrase began in 2010
WINDSOR (CUP) — The prayers of atheists have been answered by the University of Windsor, with the removal of Christian prayer from convocation ceremonies in favour of a personal moment of reflection.
Holly Ward, chief communications officer for the university, confirmed the change.
“It’s definitely a tradition of the University of Windsor to use a prayer, as it has been a tradition to use prayers at most universities nationwide,” she said. “Having a moment of reflection is not unusual. It’s changed because we have a changing campus. We have a lot of diversity on our campus . . . we want to make sure you feel included.”
“The decision was made at the president [Alan Wildeman’s] level because concerns had come to his office,” Ward added.
Shawna Scott, student and president of the Windsor-Essex County Atheist Society, had lobbied for the prayer’s removal and feels validated by recent decision.
“I’m really proud of the university for making this change,” she said.
Scott challenged the line of the convocation prayer, which refers to an “eternal God” as “the source of all goodness, discipline and knowledge,” explaining that “the end result of us graduating is a product of our hard work, support from our family and friends and everyone working really hard to build our own success. To us, it doesn’t come from a deity . . . it makes it really awkward to be there and feel excluded like that.”
Scott founded the atheist group in 2010. Its 170 members fundraise for charities and provide a network of non-believers with resources and support.
“The sentiment of a prayer is a beautiful one,” said Paul Anderson, a member of the atheist society. “However, it’s impossible to write it in such a way that can accommodate all faiths, including those who don’t believe in god.”
“Or even those who believe in more than one god,” Scott added.
Scott first expressed concerns about the prayer following her undergraduate graduation in formal letters to the university in 2010, and again in 2011. She never received a reply from administration. In preparation for the fall 2012 convocation ceremony, where Scott would be recognized for obtaining her master’s degree, she wrote the university once more, suggesting a moment of personal reflection as an alternative to the traditional prayer.
A month after the letter was sent, Ward confirmed the change to The Lance.
According to the new script, Reverend Mary Templer of the University Community Church will ask the graduates to “take a moment to reflect on those who guided you along your path of learning, to appreciate our families, our teachers, our peers, the world in which we live and all that inspires us.”
“There’s another piece that people miss,” pointed out Kaye Johnson, director of the university’s human rights office. “There is a lot of diversity within Christianity and the type of prayer is not reflective of all of Christianity. There was discomfort that’s not only within people who have a different faith, but also of Christian faith.”
“The thing with public prayer in a context like that, it also imposes words onto people,” Johnson said, explaining that even those who wish to pray at convocation cannot choose what is being prayed to and why.
Jordan Legg of the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship is not troubled by the change. “I’m more concerned about people actually engaging with who Jesus is and loving him completely with their words and actions rather than giving him lip service at a convocation ceremony,” he said.
Legg explained that his group talks about Christianity with students on campus, and for him “teaching others to love Jesus” is more important than maintaining a campus tradition.
A follow-up on PD measurements
Further questions and answers in the world of prescription eye wear
By Mark Konstantinov
Photos by Mark Burnham
In May of this year The Peak ran an article entitled “Optometry retailers have students seeing red”. The article introduced readers to the world of Optometry and the issues surrounding the purchase of glasses in store or online, and the fees and measurements associated with both. The measurement in question was that of the PD measurement, and how it was charged for during glasses purchases. A broader look at the issue revealed that the selling of the PD measurement was a reaction to a much bigger issue both provincially and nationally regarding the battle between the medical establishment and online outlets in regards to the selling of prescription eye wear.
Are glasses in the realm of medical devices? Are they an accessory? Should you need a prescription for glasses? Should it be the consumers’ responsibility to ensure their prescriptions are up to date?
Such questions are at the forefront in the debate regarding the deregulation of eyewear in British Columbia and have been since then-Health Minister, Kevin Falcon, changed the health regulations in May 2010. Deregulation has given rise to numerous concerns about the risk to the public now that glasses or contacts can be dispensed by anyone, and without the seller requiring a physical prescription.
At the time, Antoinette Dumalo, president of the British Columbia Association of Optometrists, made her concerns clear in a letter to members on April 30, 2010. She wrote, “Deregulating eye exams, allowing opticians to independently provide automated refractions and allowing the unregulated sale of eyewear will most certainly put British Columbian’s eye sight and health at risk.”
That was in 2010. The national battle lines for this debate however, have reignited in recent months, and the end game for either side may be rapidly approaching.
With British Columbia heading for an election on May 14, 2013, this election could swing the argument for one side or the other. If Adrian Dix is successful in his campaign for premier, this policy may be revisited by the NDP; there is no visible indication that the opinions on this policy by either the NDP or the BCAO have recently changed.
From a business perspective, letting the free market decide this game seems natural, as technological development is changing the way business is done. That belief has been reflected in the ministry of health office, where Kevin Falcon wass quoted as saying, “With advances in technology and more consumers turning to the Internet, it makes sense to modernize a decades-old system to give British Columbians more choice while maintaining public safety.”
In the political arena, it has been argued that this regulation was only to the benefit of one company. This is a result of deregulation that allowed Vancouver based Clearly Contacts to dispense eyewear without validation of a prescription. At the time of its unveiling, Kevin Falcon faced allegations of a conflict of interest by the NDP: the Liberals had received a party donation from Clearly Contacts; and an email from Roger Hardy, founder and CEO of Clearly Contacts, was leaked asking his customers to join the Liberal party and vote for Kevin Falcon as the next premier.
On the other side of the nation, the discussion is also reaching a pinnacle. A quick search of the Ontario lobbying registry reveals that Coastal.com (formerly Clearly Contacts) has registered this year in Ontario, which may indicate an broader push to deregulate eyewear there.
Residents of other provinces can already get around regulation. This is because eyewear from online companies is subject to the regulations of the province the firm is registered in. For example, residents in Ontario can take advantage of B.C.’s deregulation by ordering from companies like B.C.-based Coastal.com. If Ontario follows suit, it would ensure two of the country’s biggest markets will have deregulated prescription eyewear.
At this point, what happens in Ontario or B.C. could determine the fate of the other and the direction of the industry at a national level. Whatever occurs, it appears that May 14 2013 may be the date that decides the fate of eyewear regulation in Canada.
The art of doing nothing
Don’t hang around and let your problems surround you, road trip
By Mark Burnham
Photos by Adam Ovenell-Carter
Shit. As soon as I turned my phone on I knew it was a mistake. Notifications, missed calls, voice mails, texts and emails came in, my phone seismic with activity. My corner booth in the A&W became a business centre. Most are garbage, and the most pressing is a missed group assignment. I’m left with no option other than to stress about it, the very last thing I wanted to do on this trip. I’m 1,200 km north of Vancouver with a few more days of nothing more to worry about than putting in the miles between stops and the hunger levels of my squished buddies in the Tetris stage that was my Corolla.
The plan: head north. That’s it. No destinations, timelines, deadlines or power lines. At my age, the day is filled with nothing but plans and goals, a lame attempt to define the future. Every student knows the constant pressures of deadlines, so much so that during the semester relaxing comes with a side of guilt. We had the long weekend to put it all behind us and see where the unknown would take us. Relax. This article isn’t a pretentious, nose up, eyes down rant of how my weekend was better than yours. Rather, it’s a reflection on being a student and how hard it is to disconnect and get away from it all these days.
I know many people who wouldn’t find it appealing to sit in a car for hours on end and head up north, but in the end, it’s like watching a movie. It’s easy to sit back mindlessly, allowing yourself to be distracted. The relaxation comes with removing yourself from stress. Mind you, the roadie also has the benefit of adventure, unforgettable memories, and a ton of laughs, but I won’t let my nose creep up too high.
With the technology around today, we can have all of the deadlines, events, and conversations in our lives at our fingertips. With the touch of a button we can switch from news feeds to ©News Feeds and access the deep abyss of Google knowledge. Sure, it’s incredibly easy to get in touch with people, to keep track of deadlines and plan out your days. But the downside of all of this is the dissolution of business hours: we’re reachable as long as we’re next to a phone, computer, or tablet. And we expect people to be reachable, too. It’s a lame excuse to say you didn’t have your phone on you, or didn’t check your email. We can now see if a person has read our messages, and had the nerve not to respond immediately. You could say “Mark, just turn off your phone.” Grow up Peter Pan, we’re far past those days. The closest you can get to freedom is when your batteries die. Even better is losing cell reception.
We ended up popping a $12 bottle of Baby Duck at Carbon Lake, our most northern point. The long southern road home was a rewinding of autumn and a Frisbee break on a side field saw us witnessing a local grow from volatile land owner to charmed farm folk. We spent our last night eating pecan pumpkin pie and camping by the river. Heading past Whistler, the notifications started to come in, but Mumford was drowning them out. If nothing else, the trip was a distraction from our daily responsibilities. But these distractions are important. Though harder now to do than ever, removing yourself helps put life into context and, at the very least, lets you catch your breath.
Children don’t need leashes
When kindergarten becomes the off-leash kiddie area, we’ve got problems
By Tara Nykyforiuk
Photos by Mark Burnham
The bus ride to class has introduced me to an unsettling but increasingly common sight. What at first appears to be a group of dogs on a walk are really groups of young children being restrained by leashes attached to their backs.
These leashes are by no means a new innovation; we’ve been using them for decades to maintain control of our canine companions, and there have been parents using them on their children for a number of years now. In the past, the witnessing of these child leash contraptions was an uncommon occurrence, and was really more of an oddity than anything. But what disturbs and sickens me is how this act of child confinement is increased to trend status. Not only are these kiddie leashes available in a variety of lengths and colours, but there are now multiple child options allowing for an entire class of kids to be dragged down the street by negligent parents and older siblings.
While out on the street or shopping at the store, I’ve watched in sadness as parents use the leash as an excuse to ignore their children’s cries, content to let the leash hold their son or daughter in place while they continue trying on clothes or fussing over food labels. But as soon as a new checkout line opens up, I watch as this child, reduced to animal status, is quickly jerked to the side, completely at the whim of whoever is gripping the leash.
I know deep down that they treat their dog better.
I have not mentioned what the leashes are primarily marketed as — a means for parents to ensure that their children are safe in crowded public spaces. I’ve spoken with parents who fear what might happen if their child darts away from them, and who have trouble making their children sit still while they run their errands.
While I myself am not a parent of a small child, I can see that the education system and media have influenced people to use leashes unnecessarily. For instance, the news exaggerates the frequency of kidnapping, often following up these stories with excessive warnings to parents about the dangers that strangers pose to their children’s safety. Furthermore, daily physical activity levels among children are declining, with many schools reducing or removing time dedicated to recess and physical education in favour of academic instruction. Combined with sedentary leisure activity such as video games and internet usage, children simply aren’t exerting enough energy every day to remain calm at the store.
We need to discourage placing restraints on problems we ourselves have had a part in creating, and instead take active roles in unleashing issues that have caused them, like hyperbole in journalism and poor changes to grade school curricula. We also need to remember why we began using the leash in the first place.
Clan football cages the Cougars
Clan put on offensive clinic and meet a GNAC record
By Bryan Scott
After putting together a stellar performance against the Dixie State Red Storm, the Clan football team was at it again. This time they victimized the Great Northwest Athletics Conference’s newest team, the Asuza Pacific University Cougars. They did it in impressive fashion, tying a GNAC record for most points in a game in their 66–38 victory over the Cougars.
Despite the lopsided final score, the game was close until the final quarter. The Clan only managed to muster up a field goal in the first quarter, and trailed 7–3 after one. The Cougars extended their lead with another field goal before Clan wide receiver Jamal Kett caught a pass from quarterback Trey Wheeler to get the Clan back on track, tying the game at ten. The Cougars pressed again, pushing in another touchdown just two minutes later to regain the lead. Running back Bo Palmer and receiver Lamar Durant scored two touchdowns to end the half. One of the extra point kicks was blocked, so the Clan led 23–17 at halftime.
Early in the third quarter, Palmer punched in his second of three rushing touchdowns on the day, to give the Clan a 12-point lead. The Cougars responded, closing the gap to five. The Clan added another field goal, then got a touchdown from an unlikely source. “I’ve been waiting five years for that to happen,” said defensive back Kyle Miller after completing a pick-six for his first collegiate touchdown, giving the Clan a 38–24 lead. The Cougars tightened the game just 19 seconds later with an astonishing 70-yard touchdown pass from Cougar quarterback Nick Owens to Nick Perez.
The Clan stopped messing around in the fourth quarter. Durant caught a 37-yard pass from Wheeler seven seconds in. Palmer changed it up, scoring through the air on a 70-yard pass from Wheeler. He completed the rushing touchdown hat trick with a 67-yard rush. He posted four touchdowns for the second straight game, and had 299 total yards for the Clan ,which is the 2nd best individual performance in GNAC history. Azusa would add a touchdown late, but it wasn’t even close.
Trey Wheeler was awarded the Red Lion Offensive Player of the Week for the GNAC. He was 32–47 for 378 yards, and had four touchdowns. He only had one interception in the game. The Clan offence has been impressive this season, leading the GNAC in passing yards. It was evident in this game, as they put up 654 total yards; 200 more than the Cougars’ season-best.
The win puts the Clan at 3–3 overall, and 2–3 in conference play. They have the same overall record as Western Oregon, but are trailing by one win in conference play, which is more important for playoff implications.
Clan beats Vikings in close match
SFU keeps the ball rolling with victory in Washington
By Bryan Scott
The Simon Fraser men’s soccer team traveled to Bellingham, Washington to battle the Western Washington Vikings last week in front of 190 fans. Clan goaltender JD Blakely started the game in net for the Clan but was replaced by Hide Ozawa in the 27th minute. The game was scoreless at the time, and the Vikings had not registered a shot on net. Just four minutes after the change in goaltenders, the Vikings struck first with their first shot on goal. Viking forward Andrew Weishaar headed in a Kurtis Pederson free kick from 12 yards out to give the Vikings a 1–0 lead. They would keep that lead until halftime, despite being outshot by the Clan 9–1. The Clan had a lot of pressure, including six corner kicks, which they did not convert on.
The game was chippy in the second half. Clan midfielder Chris Bargholz received a yellow card in the 61st minute, but this did not hinder the Clan attack. Two minutes later, Justin Wallace picked off a pass from the Vikings defense, and buried his sixth goal of the season from 20 yards out past Viking’s goaltender Keegan Rogers. With the game tied, the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s best team was not going to let the game slip away. In the 72nd minute, Ryan Dhillon took a pass from fellow midfielder Alex Rowley, took it down the left side and fired it far-side to give the Clan a 2–1 lead. That was all they needed to win the game. Three more yellow cards were handed out near the end of the game, including one to Ozawa with seconds remaining in the match. The Clan outshot the Vikings 21–6 in the game. This game marked head coach Alan Koch’s 100th win as a collegiate coach. However, he had the future on his mind. “I am glad that we pulled off the win, but we need to be better if we want to achieve big success this season,” he said after the win.
The Clan has their eyes set on winning the GNAC title for the third straight year. They are on the right path. They sit at 10–1 on the season and 7–1 in the conference, they are first in the conference.
