By News Editor Aislinn Cottell
For the most part, Glenda Hunter is very happy with the university at which she works. A professor of chemistry and biology in the Adult Basic Education department, Hunter loves the community, values, and environment of the VIU campus. However, in December of 2016, she faced a dilemma. When walking past one of the new construction zones, she saw several workers surveying a grove of five Douglas Fir–“skam-alk”–trees. When she inquired as to their intention, she was informed that the trees were to be removed to make way for the new Health and Science Centre ...
By Arts Editor Cheryl Folland
Light, fun, soulful, and engaging. Countermeasure a cappella vocal group used their 14 voices to entertain around 80 guests March 14. With a mixture of originals and well-known covers, attendees were taken on a musical journey that was both touching and comedic at times. Nanaimo was the third stop on Countermeasure’s first tour through British Columbia. In August last year, they competed in Edinburgh, Scotland-—to have them on home turf was a feast for the eyes and ears. With dynamic teal costumes, choreographed numbers, and up to 14 part harmonies, it was ...
The fleur de lys, found on the Quebec flag, is a symbol for francophones everywhere. ???? Catherine Charlebois
By Production Manager Catherine Charlebois
French Canadians and anglophones have a fairly long history of disagreement, and though it has largely died down, small snippets of longstanding unease remain throughout society. From snide remarks in schools to gaps in service, being a francophone on Vancouver Island has its struggles.
I moved from Montreal when I was five, and have lived in BC for the past 16 years, but I still consider myself Québecoise. Though I may have been ...
Above: ???? Courtesy youngfoxband.bandcamp.com
By Chris Adam
Young Fox was founded in 2012. After two years of writing and honing their craft, the band released their Predecessors EP in July 2014. Nearly three years later, the next evolution of the band is here. March 10 marked the release of their debut full-length album Sky Beats Gold via Spartan Records. The Pittsburgh natives know how to create a catchy, yet moody, alternative rock album.
Sky Beats Gold kicks off with the song “Sometimes the Monsters Win”, beginning with a dark and groovy guitar riff. As the chorus hits, ...
Above: ???? via Pacific Threads Youtube
By contributor Krista Meckelborg
After listening to hours of lectures each week, it’s understandable if you choose to avoid your professors outside of classes. But doing so can prevent you from accessing one of the greatest assets you have while at university: mentors.
VIU student, Andrew Labun, and recent graduate, DJ Levy, recently began an online clothing company called Pacific Threads. Their new brand celebrates self-expression through personalized apparel. The two partners started the business from the ground up, overcoming many ...
Above: Vancouver-based dance group OURO Collective. ???? Body Talk
By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler
Every year, the Crimson Coast Dance Society hosts a Body Talk dance workshop. The week-long workshop runs from March 27 to April 1, and ends with a performance on April 2 at the Port Theatre.
“The goal of Body talk is different depending on who you talk to,” Jamie Black, Body Talk’s Community Engagement Faciliatory says. “The goal for the youth themselves is to have creative expression, and to connect with each other. Another goal is to provide a high calibre experience of ...
Above: ???? Courtesy trailers.apple.com
By Emily Hingston
This article contains spoilers.
I had seen no trailers and managed to avoid the plethora of spoilers on Facebook and other social media. I am a Marvel fan but I went into this movie knowing nothing. I went in completely blind.
Logan is set in the year 2029. Mutants are all but extinct, except a few that are in hiding. James Howlett (Logan/Wolverine) is a limo driver. He uses his money to help buy medication for Professor Xavier, who he has isolated in Mexico. As Xavier’s health deteriorates, his mind goes into seizures, ...
Robert and my mom on their wedding day in 1979. ???? Courtesy Molly Barrieau.
By Managing Editor Molly Barrieau
Disheveled hair sits forlorn above a thin and angular face. Long fingers grip the seat of the chair beneath him, as the sinew and muscles seize from wrist to shoulder blade in one swift uncontrolled motion.
“I feel like a puppet, and someone else is pulling the strings,” he says, indignant.
Rarely do the edges of his mouth curl anymore, as synthetic dopamine now replaces the long dead cells, directing his tired brain. The drugs kick in and he can no longer sit.
Parkinson’s ...
By contributor Kelly Whiteside
After five months of rushed planning and heated debate regarding the proposed Nanaimo Event Centre, it appears that the spontaneous project has been rejected by the public. The referendum, held on March 11, resulted in 80.3 percent of votes favouring the “no” side.
Voters were asked at the referendum if they were in favour of the “Loan Authorization Bylaw 2017 No. 7237”, which would authorize city council to borrow up to $80M to build an events centre on waterfront property, with the primary function of being home to a possible WHL team.
There was a ...
Above: ???? Aislinn Cottell
By News Editor Aislinn Cottell
In celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary, Nature Canada is launching the Young Nature Leadership Grant. The 1K bursary will be given to a young Canadian under 30 years old who is looking to develop and implement a project inspired by the Canadian Parks Council’s The Nature Playbook, a recently published “how-to” guide for young nature conservationists. Recipients of the grant will have the opportunity to be mentored and coached on this project by Women for Nature, a philanthropic initiative of professional women across ...
Above: ???? CTV
By Associate Editor Natalie Gates
As you know, the Liberal party has been head of BC government for the past 16 years. This came after 10 years straight of NDP leadership. Before this, premiers of the Conservative party dominated the mid-twentieth century.
Today, Christy Clark stands in a close campaign against the NDP and its party leader, John Horgan. The polls have been tight with both the NDP and Liberals taking turns with slight leads, but issues yet to be debated could still have a substantial impact. Meanwhile, the Greens and Conservatives trail behind with ...
Above: Ammonite Falls ???? Kris Mutafov
By Kris Mutafov
I always hated the rain. It would get my bag wet, it would get my hair wet, my feet wet, and frankly, it would dampen my spirit. So logically, I moved to Nanaimo this September.
I had heard the stories from my roommates before it began; clouds upon rain upon more rain and more clouds. Rinse and repeat, literally. But joyous September sun brought with it much rock climbing, kayaking, and fantastic late summer vibes.
I was oblivious.
Then came October. I remember opening up the seven-day weather forecast on my computer ...
Above: ???? momtastic.com
By Production Manager Catherine Charlebois
For many, March is a stressful month, crammed full of exams, final projects, and essays. Before you let those last few weeks before summer freedom get to you, make this stress putty—I guarantee, you’ll be squishing away stress you didn’t know you had. Easy to make, and customizable, this little ball of dough is excellent to let out that extra surge of nerves.
Ingredients
• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup salt
• 3 tbsp cream of tartar
• 1 tbsp oil (almond, canola, or coconut, whichever you prefer)
• ½ cup boiling water
• ...
Above: Noelle Hanuse, who is from the Oweekeno and Klahoose First Nations, is the latest member of VIU's Counseling Services team. ???? VIU Communications
By Jenn McGarrigle, VIU Communications
Noelle Hanuse is on a quest – to reach out to Indigenous students at Vancouver Island University (VIU); those who may not be aware of the counselling services available at the university, or might have previously hesitated to access those services.
One of VIU’s core values is to provide a welcoming and culturally relevant environment for Indigenous students. As part of supporting this ...
By contributor Vinci Lam
Whether a creative writing, digital media, or business student, there is an opportunity for you to play a part in the creation of a magazine, before you even complete a degree. Portal magazine is VIU’s very own student-published literary magazine, with 100 percent student-created content, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, art, and book reviews. Maybe a less known fact to those outside the Creative Writing program is that the creation of the magazine is done through a year-long process with an instructor, as course requirement for CREW 430/431 (Publishing ...
By Managing Editor Molly Barrieau
If you can believe it, the final assignment for First Nations Studies 102 is a portfolio. Not just any portfolio, but a scrapbook narrative portfolio. The idea is to research your family’s history, display such, and comment on your story and its connections to Canadian colonialism.
Seems easy enough, right? No essay, no rifling through dusty VIU books to find quotes, no citing. I should be dancing. Yet, the further I dig into each side of my family, the more I am beginning to feel very un-Canadian. Turns out my superbly British side has been in ...
Above: ???? Courtesy of independent.co.uk
By Megan Wolfe
I was absolutely one of those people. As of midnight on March 3, I had Divide downloading on Apple Play. Since then, I’ve been listening to the album on repeat. The lyrics from his latest album hit me harder and closer to home than any of his previous albums or EPs. The sentiment of being ‘straight fire’ comes from many of my friends. Though Divide left a few fans wanting the old Sheeran back, missing his rawness in songs like “A-Team” and “Give Me Love”, and thought this album left something to be desired. Hearing these ...
Above: ???? Courtesy of Huffington Post
By Arts Editor Cheryl Folland
Buzzfeed, Saturday Night Live, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Facebook memes, and parody Twitter accounts have been pumping out satirical images and articles for years. It’s arguable that this past year contained some of the largest political scandals in recent memory, from the Black Lives Matter movement to the election of Donald Trump, there have been an abundance of hyperbolic media. One can scarcely go 24 hours without seeing a jab at President Trump, a clapback from Obama supporters, or an objectifying ...
Above: ???? viu.ca
By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler
Chloe Gummer, Forward
In her first year as a Mariner, Chloe Gummer was named a PACWEST All-Star for her high scoring season.
Chloe was among the leading scorers in the division, finishing the season with six goals. In the Mariners’ final match at Nationals, Chloe scored a hat-trick, and was named player of the match.
“I want to continue with this success,” she says. “I plan to work hard this summer to be at the same level by next year.”
For the off-season, Chloe is focused on her studies. She plans to go ...
By Associate Editor Natalie Gates
It’s a pretty normal day for this point in the semester; you know the drill. I wake up determined to get EVERYTHING done, to take the day by storm—crank out my work hours, learn something in class, squeeze in some exercise, meals, and tackle those damn presentations like no one’s business. I’ll tie up those essays into tidy 3000-word packages in no time.
Of course, things don’t go as smoothly as expected and I spend most of the day slightly on edge, constantly telling myself, “It’s okay, it’s okay, you’ll get it all done, it’s fine, don’t worry, it’s ...
By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler
Riding high off their performance at the PACWEST provincials, the Mariners headed into the CCAA National Volleyball Championships with momentum on their side.
The women’s team placed 3rd at nationals, and returned home with bronze medals. They won their first match against the Cavaliers de Bois-de-Boulonge 3-0. In their second match against the Lakeland Rustlers, the Mariners lost 3-0. The Mariners then defeated the Lynx d’Edouard-Montpetit 3-0 to get into the bronze medal match. The Mariners then beat the Grand Prairie Regional College ...
Above: ???? Prism international
By Arts Editor Cheryl Folland
With the spring semester coming to an end, it’s time for one of the best things about summer—the summer reading list. It can be difficult to know which books to add to the roster. Thankfully, the BC book prize shortlist, released earlier this month, gives readers many titles to choose from. With books ranging from non-fiction to children’s literature, there is something for every reader. Be on the lookout for these titles at libraries and bookstores near you.
Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize awarded to the author of the best ...
By News Editor Aislinn Cottell
WHAT
On March 28, the city is holding an informational session for volunteer beta testers interested in reviewing their new website.
WHERE
411 Dunsmuir St., Service and Resource Centre Boardroom 5 – 7 pm.
RSVP at feedback@nanaimo.ca.
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
Beta testing is a chance to make suggestions so the city can incorporate feedback from the public on how to make their new site as user friendly as possible.
WHAT
On March 30, the regular VIU Board of Governors meeting will be held, open to the ...
Above: ???? Wikipedia
By James Chumsa-Jones
The only disappointment I had with Rogue One after seeing it in theatres, was that Jar Jar Binks never showed up in the film. As someone who has been a fan since I was a youngling, I was delighted to be brought back to a familiar galaxy far far away. I also discovered new planets, locations, and stories I never new existed in the rich universe of Star Wars. It was an exciting adventure to witness on the big screen. One I enjoyed even more the second time I saw it, making it one of my favourite Star Wars films. Released in theatres last ...
