Nic hole H uckÕ s - University of...

The University of Regina Magazinevolume 19, no. 1 spring 2007

entrancing storyof refugees

displaced by Burma’sforgotten civil war.

Nichole Huck’s

Degrees spring 2007 1

The University of Regina Cougars track and field team enjoyed anotherrecord-breaking season in 2006-07. The women’s team finished eighth(previous best finish was 15th) in the country and the men’s team sent 14student-athletes to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championshipsin Montreal. Rookie Janine Polischuk won a gold medal in the CIS triplejump, a silver medal in the long jump, and finished in fourth place in

high jump. If that wasn’t enough, she was also a member of the 4X400-metre and 4X200-metre relay teams. On the men’s side, Gerod Weinsfinished in sixth place in the CIS in the 60-metre hurdles and Wade Huberfinished in fourth position in the CIS long jump. Shown here (left to right)are team members Paul Laxdal, Eric Clark and Kyle Green. AV Servicesphoto by Don Hall. Photo manipulation by Trevor Hopkin.

Degrees spring 20072

It’s a small world—but Iwouldn’t want to paint it.

I heard the great understatedcomic Steven Wright utterthose words some 20 yearsago. In this, the second issueof Degrees, we get a glimpseof just how small the worldcan seem and how some ofour U of R colleagues aremaking a difference on thispetite planet of ours.

There’s a lot of deliberationthese days about the futureof our fragile blue-green ballas it continues to spin aroundthe sun. With the help ofsome of the University’sclimate change experts at thePrairie Adaptation ResearchCollaborative (PARC),Governor General’s LiteraryAward-nominated authorTrevor Herriot gives us a newperspective on the greatglobal warming debate.

Having a centre of excellencelike PARC at the Universitymeans our researchers canbring critical knowledge toissues that affect us all. PARCresearchers for instance findpractical options to adapt toclimate change in WesternCanada. And there are closeto 20 other research instituteson campus in fields asdiverse as particle physicsand gerontology.

Also in this issue, we take alook at justice studiesprofessor Nick Jones whoseresearch has taken him onseveral occasions to thebattered African country ofRwanda. Jones is studying thecountry’s court system as itstruggles to serve up justicefollowing the murder of750,000 Rwandans by theircountrymen.

It’s in classes like Jones’human justice course wherestudents can connect to theworld through our faculty’s

first-hand expertise. You canhear a pin drop when Jonesdescribes walking alongcreaky pews to avoidcrushing the human bonesthat still litter the floors ofsome Rwandan churches.

It was in just such aclassroom that an idealisticyoung journalism student wassitting when she met aBurmese refugee named BJwho would change her life.Not long after that meeting,Nichole Huck found herself inThailand helping to get amessage out to the worldabout the injustices faced byBurma’s ethnic minoritiesdisplaced by civil war. Shereturned home with somearresting photos of her visitsto Thai refugee camps andorganized an exhibit to shareher story with the Reginacommunity. One of Huck’simages graces our cover.

Whether it is Rwanda orThailand, or, as is the casewith our story about FatherNeil Osiowy, Holdfast,Saskatchewan, these storiesbring colour to our world. Insmall measure that’s what weat Degrees are doing. We aretelling your stories and, withapologies to Mr. Wright, weare painting this small worldof ours one incredible storyat a time.

Greg CampbellEditor

Just received the newmagazine Degrees within thelast couple of weeks. While theextra large colour photos arenice—and give the magazinean expensive, slick look, I feltthat the issue was greatlylacking in content. The ThirdDegree always seemed to bejam packed with a wide varietyof stories and this first issueonly had a handful of articles,just a few snips of previousyears grads and where theyare now, etc. I trust mycomments provide food forthought.

Sincerely,Rena Denise Ramsay-MackenzieBA’89Neilburg, Saskatchewan

I just finished reading the fallissue of Degrees. Mycongratulations for excellentinformation packaged in veryfew pages. As one of the firstinternational students to cometo Regina I am thrilled to readabout internationaldevelopments on the campus. Once again thanks for keepingus informed and in touch.

Best Regards,Arun K.Garg MSc‘68New Westminster, British Columbia

I am now a retired member ofthe U of R biologydepartment—I worked with Dr.Ledingham for 40 years on theU of R campus and I was SOpleased to see your article inthe Fall 2006 issue—I hope hedid see it before he left us! THANKS very much!

Gwen Jones BA’63, MSc’67(retired)

(Editor’s note: The last issue ofDegrees featured a story aboutthe 60 years of contributionsby George Ledingham, thefounder of the University’sherbarium. Ledingham passedaway October 18, 2006 justdays before Degrees wasprinted.)

Ohhh, I'm so disappointedwith the new alumni magazine.I always thought The ThirdDegree was the catchiest titleof all my alumni mags (4).Sorry, but I just don't get thenew title.

So many magazines arereinventing themselves latelywith various degrees ofsuccess. This is unfortunatelythe worst effort I've seen tocreate a new look. It's not allbad but generally, my reactionis thumbs down.

There was a lack of interestingcontent—you've had somegood articles in the past—what happened?

Forgive me for being sonegative but please, go backto the drawing board and tryagain. I'd rather give arahrahrah for my alma mater!Unfortunately I just can't withthis version.

Sheri Torgrimson, BMusEd’84Warsaw, Poland

I've been away since the endof August and arrived home tofind the new Degrees. Way togo—it has a great feel, both inlook and content.

Best Regards,Darren Foster BAJ&C’89Regina, Saskatchewan

We welcome your cheers andyour jeers. Let us know what’son your mind. Send your lettersto:Degrees University of Regina 210 North Residence 3737 Wascana Parkway Regina, Sask.S4S 0A2. OR [email protected]


Spring 2007volume 19, no. 1

features

The Times They Were aChangin’ 8 The University of Regina was the Canadian university campusfor an anti-establishmentstudent POV in the 1960s. Sit-ins, demonstrations, rallies,protests. Why was the U of Rcampus so radical? Was it thewater?

Changing Climate, ChangingEthics 14Governor General’s LiteraryAward nominee Trevor Herriotexamines an emerging ethic inthe great Saskatchewan climatechange debate.

Rebirth of a Nation 20Justice studies professor NickJones’ research takes him toRwanda the central Africancountry shattered by one of themost atrocious episodes inhuman history.

The Resurrected Life of NeilOsiowy 26A troubled greeting cardsalesman reinvents himself andfinds happiness as a Catholicpriest in small townSaskatchewan.

departmentsFeed Back 2

President's Note 4

Around Campus 5

Spot Light 13

Focal Point 24

360 Degrees 40

Alumni News 42

EditorGreg Campbell '85, '95

Communications DirectorPaul Corns

Alumni Association Board 2006-07Brian Munro '96

President

Michael Tomka ’96First V-P

Charlene Banjac ’98 Second V-P

Loni Kaufmann ’95V-P Finance

Lisa King ‘95Past-President

Mike BurtonMargaret Dagenais ’87, ’91, ’97

Neil Jacoby ’74Teresa Drew ’01

Sean McEachern ’03 Anita McLennan ’96

Scott Nicholson ‘93, ‘96Brenda Oliver

Greg Swanson ’76Colin Woloshyn ’99

ContributorsBill Armstrong

Erin Brown ‘06Trevor Herriot

Nichole Huck ’05Karen LongwellAngel McDowell

Marie Powell Mendenhall ’80, ’88, ’01Brenda Oliver

David SealyBryan Sentes ’86

Shanan Sorochynski ’02

All photos by AV Services unless otherwise noted.

Original design and layout by BradburyBranding and Design.

Degrees is published twice a year byExternal Relations at the University of

Regina. The magazine is mailed to alumniand friends of the University. Ideas andopinions published in Degrees do not

necessarily reflect those of the editor, theAlumni Association, or the University of

Regina. Letters and editorialcontributions are welcome. Advertising

inquiries are invited.

To reach us:

Editorial/Advertising/LettersDegrees, External Relations

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Email: [email protected]

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Regina, SK, S4S 0A2ISSN 0843-7092

148 26

On the cover: U of R journalism graduate Nichole Huck’s photograph of Burmese

children in a refugee camp in Thailand. Huck traveled to southeast Asia after meeting a

Burmese refugee studying at the U of R. Huck organized her photos into an exhibit

called “Life Inside” which opened in Regina last fall. Many of the images from the

exhibit can be seen in Huck’s story starting on page 32.

The University of Regina Magazine


President’s NoteFirst, I would like to takethis opportunity to thankthe University of ReginaBoard of Governors forappointing me as Presidentand Vice-Chancellor. Since1969, I have enjoyed thesatisfaction of serving theU of R; first as aninstructor in the classroom,then as a departmenthead, and finally as asenior administrator. It isindeed a privilege to servethe University as President,and I look forward withenthusiasm to contributingto the University’saccomplishments in theyear to come.

In the nearly four decades Ihave been a part of theUniversity, I have seenmuch growth and change.The one thing that hasn’tchanged is the abundanceof individuals whose talent,dedication and tirelessefforts help to make theUniversity of Regina thedynamic institution that itis today.

The University of Regina,like all universities, has athree-fold mission. One, ofcourse, is to teach. Thesecond is to foster aresearch enterprise. And,the third is to connect the

University’s expertise to thecommunities we serve.

The University’s BuildingDreams and Futurescampaign has now come toa successful conclusion. Iam pleased to say that thecampaign has exceeded its$75 million goal and hasgreatly strengthened ourability to fulfill ourmissions of teaching,research and communityservice. Our earlyachievement prompted usto add a separate, $25million planned givingcomponent to thecampaign.

The campaign has creatednew scholarships andbursaries that supportstudents in all fields ofstudy. Its success alsoallows us to increase theopportunities for threestudent groups that play acritical role in theUniversity’s strategicdirection: international,Aboriginal and graduatestudents.

The University of Reginahas achieved internationalrecognition for its researchenterprise. Now, thanks toresearch funding fromBuilding Dreams and

Futures, U of R scholars arerealizing increased levels ofresearch activity, newpartnerships and newopportunities.

The campaign alsosupported the University’smajor role in the 2005Canada Summer Games.The Centre for Kinesiology,Health and Sport, whichplayed host to some of theGames’ principal events, isalso a legacy of theBuilding Dreams andFutures campaign.

The monies raised duringthe campaign will also helpthe University meet itsneeds with respect to newand emerging priorities.

I would like to personallythank all the individuals,families, organizations, andcorporations thatcontributed to this mostambitious campaign. Iwould also like toacknowledge the countlessmembers of the U of Rfamily—alumni, faculty,staff, students, andretirees—who laid thefoundation for success andtook the campaign beyondour doors into thecommunity.

As well, I would like torecognize the efforts of mypredecessors in this officewhose commitment to thecampaign helped ensure itssuccess.

The conclusion to thecampaign marks asignificant step forward inour capacity to deliver onour three-fold mission. Italso solidifies theUniversity of Regina’simportant two-fold rolethat should not beforgotten—as a builder ofdreams and futures.

Jim Tomkins


Comings and Goings

Long-serving faculty memberand University administratorJim Tomkins was appointedpresident by the board ofgovernors for a 15-month termbeginning March 26. Tomkins,who has spent 37 years in theservice of the University, wasvice-president(administration)for seven years and alsoserved as head of theDepartment of Mathematicsand Statistics. He chaired theUniversity of Regina FacultyAssociation and was a memberof the committee overseeingthe University’s academic andadministrative pension plan foralmost 35 years. Tomkins alsospent nearly four years on asecondment to the provincialgovernment, serving as asenior policy analyst on post-secondary education. He willserve as president while acomprehensive, one-yearsearch takes place for newfull-term president. He replacesRobert Hawkins who resignedin December.

George Maslany BA’66, MA’68,associate dean of the Faculty

of Social Work has beenappointed acting vice-president(academics). Maslanybegan his U of R career in1972 as a research associatein the Faculty of Social Work.In 1974 he was appointedassistant professor and waspromoted to professor in 1983.In 1990 he was appointedassociate dean of graduatestudies where he served until1999. He also served asdirector of the Social PolicyResearch Unit and theSaskatchewan PopulationHealth and EvaluationResearch Unit. Maslany was arecipient of the SaskatchewanCentennial Medal in 2006 andcontinues to be an activeboard member of the PhoenixResidential Society and serveson the Ranch Ehrlo Societysenate.

David Gauthier was appointedvice-president (research andinternational) on March 1.Gauthier’s academic careerbegan at the University ofRegina in 1985 as an assistantprofessor in the Department ofGeography. In 1992 he wasappointed associate professor

and was promoted toprofessor in 1993. He foundedthe Centre for GeographicInformation Systems (GIS) andin 1995 was appointed theexecutive director of theCanadian Plains ResearchCenter (CPRC). For the past 11years he administered theCanadian Plains Studiesinterdisciplinary graduateprogram, the University’sCanadian Plains Press, theCPRC Research FellowshipProgram, the CPRC GISresearch and serviceoperations and the WoodrowLloyd Lecture Series. Heorganized the first graduatecourse on transdisciplinaryapproaches to environmentalsustainability and led theUniversity’s involvement in theestablishment of the PrairieAdaptation ResearchCollaborative (PARC) focusingon climate change adaptationresearch. (See story page 14).Gauthier was a recipient of theSaskatchewan CentennialMedal for his leadership onthe Encyclopedia ofSaskatchewan and was nameda President’s Scholar in 2002.

William F. Ready has beenelected as the University’sseventh chancellor effectiveJuly 1. Ready practiced law inRegina for nearly 50 yearsbefore retiring in 1998. For 11years he was a trustee servingon the Regina Public SchoolBoard of Education (vice-chairman for two years andchairman for two years).

Marsha Barteski-HobergBEd’94 was elected as thesenate representative forDistrict 7 and Patrick MazeBA’92, BEd’96, MEd’05 waselected by acclamation as thesenate representative forDistrict 2.

Awards and Recognitions

The spring convocationceremony honorary degreerecipients are Victor CicanskyBEd’65, BA’67 and ThomasCourchene. Cicansky is aceramicist and sculptor whosework is collected around theworld. Courchene is one ofCanada’s pre-eminenteconomic scholars. He haspublished prolifically on

Right: Acting Vice-President(Academics) George Maslany.

Far right: Kim Dorsch, one of the U ofR researchers conducting a study on

the stresses faced by hockeyofficials.

Bottom: President Jim Tomkins (right)with Springboard West Innovations’

Chair Randy Brunet.


myriad policy issues and hasbeen much in demand as aspeaker, writer and advisor.His work has greatlyinfluenced Canadian publicpolicy for over 30 years,particularly monetary andfiscal policy.

This year’s Alumni AssociationAwards for Excellence winnersare: Shaun Fallat, Departmentof Mathematics and Statistics,recipient of the Award forExcellence in Teaching; RobertAnderson, Faculty of BusinessAdministration, recipient of theAward for Excellence inResearch; and, Murray KnuttilaBA’73, MA’75, Department ofSociology and Social Studiesreceives the Award forExcellence in Public Service.The awards are co-sponsoredby the Alumni Association andthe University.

Engineering professor GordonHuang has received twoStrategic Project Grants fromthe Natural Sciences andEngineering Research Council(NSERC), the federal grantingagency that funds research inthe natural sciences and

engineering. The twosimultaneous grants is a firstfor a University facultymember. Huang’s NSERCgrants, which total $560,000over three years, are for twodifferent projects—one is todevelop a risk managementsystem for natural and human-induced disasters, and theother is for watershedmanagement under changingclimatic conditions.

Nick Forsberg BEd’84, amember in the Faculty ofEducation, received the R. TaitMcKenzie Award of Honour bythe Canadian Association forHealth, Physical Education,Recreation and Dance.Forsberg received the awardfor his commitment to theadvancement of health andphysical education in Canada,during his nearly 20 years ofservice at the U of R.

Thomas Hadjistavropoulos, aprofessor of psychology anddirector of the University’sCentre on Aging and Healthhas received a 2006Saskatchewan Health ResearchFoundation (SHRF)Achievement Award. The award

recognizes his important workas an expert on pain amongseniors and a leading thinkeron the ethics of painmanagement.

Xue-Dong Yang, a facultymember in the Department ofComputer Science, anddoctoral candidate OrlandHoeber are the recipients ofthe 2007 Innovation Award fortheir continuing work toimprove the process ofconducting Internet searches.Yang and Hoeber received theaward for their HotMap andWordBars web search softwarewhich allows computer usersto take a more active role inthe Internet search process.

Lead investigators BonnieJeffery BSW’75 (U of R Facultyof Social Work) and NazeemMuhajarine (U of S College ofMedicine) and theirSaskatchewan PopulationHealth and EvaluationResearch Unit research teamwill receive $300,000 eachyear for the next three yearsfrom the Saskatchewan HealthResearch Foundation’s HealthResearch Team Grants.

Jean-Marie Nkongolo-Bakenda,associate professor in theFaculty of Business Administration, wasnamed president of theCanadian Council for Small Business andEntrepreneurship (CCSBE).

Briefly

University of Regina Ramsreceiver Chris Bauman wasselected first overall by theHamilton Tiger Cats in the 2007CFL Canadian Draft. Baumanbecomes the highest draftedRams player since JasonClermont BAdmin’06 who wasselected fourth overall in 2002.

The largest educationalpublishing project in theprovince’s history, theEncyclopedia of Saskatchewan,is now online for the world tosee. It features approximately2,300 entries about theprovince with more than 1,000accompanying charts, graphs,maps, tables and photographs.Visit the Encyclopedia ofSaskatchewan atwww.esask.uregina.ca.

Engineering faculty member Gordon Huang.

Thomas Hadjistavropoulos receivesSHRF Achievement Award.

Aaron Wesaquate speaks at a Dec. 12, 2006 news conference announcinga $225,000 donation to establish the CIBC KKââssppoohhttaammââttoottâânnMentorship Program. The program connects elementary and high schoolAboriginal students with their U of R counterparts.


The University has partneredwith SpringBoard WestInnovations to help bring thework of U of R researchers tothe marketplace. SpringBoardwill help clients accesscommercialization programsand services, and will developcourses, workshops, seminars,networking sessions,tradeshows and majorconferences. For moreinformation visitwww.springboardwest.ca.

Among the “green” features ofthe University’s new LabBuilding is a roof covered withvegetation that will helpinsulate the building andextend its longevity. Thebuilding also features passivesolar construction to maximizeheat from the sun in the winterand minimize it in the summeras well as a free-coolingsystem. This system allowsinterior heat to be conductedthrough a heat sink, reducingcooling costs for the entireUniversity. The provincialgovernment recently announcedan additional $23.6 million inproject funding to offsetunforeseen cost increasescaused by hyperinflation in theconstruction industry. Thebuilding will be one of themost modern teaching andresearch facilities in Canadaand will feature laboratory andteaching space for more than30 research teams includingapproximately 100 graduatestudents.

On a similar note, Energyefficiency upgrades to fivebuildings on the University ofRegina campus over thecoming year will result inenergy savings ofapproximately $345,000annually. The year-long projectwill involve the EducationBuilding, the Ad-Hum Building,the Dr. John Archer Library, theRiddell Centre and the HeatingPlant.

Faculty of Kinesiology andHealth Studies researchers KimDorsch and Harold Riemer arepart of a team involved in athree-year study of stress onhockey officials. During thefirst year of the studyresearchers plan to survey asmany as 10,000 officials fromacross Canada. The researcherswill ask officials what theyperceive as stressors, assesstheir hardiness and copingstyles, and ask them to statehow satisfied they are withtheir performance, usingvarious measures.

The U of R and the NorthernTeacher Education Program(NORTEP) have signed amemorandum ofunderstanding to establish thefirst community-basedmaster’s of education programin the province. The La Ronge,Sask.-based program is thelargest of its kind in theprovince and is designed forteachers outside the U of R’snormal geographicalrecruitment range. In additionto providing a high qualityprofessional developmentopportunity for teachers innorthern Saskatchewan, thegraduate degree program willbe located in the community,and the instruction will have astrong focus on issues facedby students and teachers inthe northern part of theprovince.

A new mentorship program atthe U of R will help increaseAboriginal student enrolmentand support Aboriginalstudents’ transition from highschool to university life. TheCIBC KKââssppoohhttaammââttoottâânnMentorship Program wasestablished by a $225,000donation from CIBC to the Uof R’s Building Dreams andFutures campaign and willconnect elementary and highschool Aboriginal studentswith their universitycounterparts. The Cree wordkâspohtamâtotân means

“passing knowledge from onegeneration to another”. Theprogram will increaseawareness of opportunitiesand services available oncampus; act as a primarysource of information abouthigher education for first-generation university students;provide pre-admissioncounselling; and improveretention at the elementaryand high school levels.

U of R researchers could havea hand in determiningfundamental questions aboutthe origin of the universewhen they participate inATLAS, the largest experimentever undertaken in thephysical sciences. The ATLASexperiment is based at theLarge Hadron Collider (LHC), anew particle acceleratorlocated near Geneva,Switzerland at CERN—theworld’s largest particle physicslaboratory. The U of R is oneof only 11 Canadianuniversities that will haveaccess to the data which willbegin to be collected thissummer. According to RandyLewis, head of the Departmentof Physics, the project willessentially re-write the bookon elementary particle physics.

CMA Canada (Saskatchewan) issupporting the dreams andfutures of businessadministration students with a$100,000 gift to the University.The organization’s generousgift supports the Faculty ofBusiness Administration’sExcellence ProgramScholarships. The programenables students with a highschool average greater than 85per cent to enter the facultydirectly as fully qualifiedstudents and receive a varietyof benefits, including entrancescholarships. CMA Canada’sdonation will help build anendowed fund to supportthese scholarships.

Helen Caldicott, a Nobel PeacePrize nominee and one of theworld’s most renowned anti-nuclear advocates, deliveredher message to a U of Raudience as part of the SocialPolicy Research Unit’s“Rethinking Productivity”lecture series.

The Social Policy ResearchUnit’s 2006 Report Card onChild Poverty in Saskatchewanindicates that the province’schild poverty rate has changedvery little over the past year.The report says close to onein five Saskatchewan childrenlives at, or under, the povertyline, which is unchanged fromlast year. To view a copy ofthe report visit the SocialPolicy Research Unit’s websiteat: http://www.uregina.ca/spr/

We Remember

Duncan Blewett the founder ofthe University of Saskatchewan(Regina Campus) Departmentof Psychology passed away onFeb. 24 in Nanaimo, B.C.Blewett taught in thedepartment from 1961 until hisretirement in 1986. In the1950s, Blewett and hiscolleagues at the WeyburnPsychiatric Hospitalrevolutionized the use of LSDin the treatment of psychiatricpatients.


Afield of concrete,steel, and glass risesup from a field atthe southeasternedge of Regina. The

University of Regina,founded in 1910, has grownup to house more than10,000 full- and part-timestudents, divided into nineacademic faculties, 14research centres, and threefederated colleges (Campion,Luther, and First NationsUniversity of Canada).

In 1959, known as theUniversity of Saskatchewan,Regina Campus, it boasted ayoung, progressive facultywith a strong focus on thesocial sciences. The youngcampus would quicklybecome known as one of thehotbeds of student activismin 1960s Canada.

“There was, I think, anoptimism that we couldchange the world,” says JohnConway, sociology andsocial studies departmenthead, who transferred fromSaskatoon to Regina in 1965to complete his honours andmaster’s of arts degrees.

He found Regina morepolitically active, possiblybecause it lackedSaskatoon’s moreconservative professionalcolleges. Regina’s courseofferings fostered criticalthinking and social analysisin what Conway refers to asthe “first wave” of privileged,post-war students.

“We had grown up withall the benefits ofhospitalization, and thewelfare state, and in the1960s the move towardmaking universitiesaccessible.” Studentsresponded to the “culture ofactivism” shared amongtheir generation acrossNorth America.

The 1960s and early1970s were marked bydemonstrations, studentmarches, and other peacefulprotests by University ofRegina students. As editor ofthe Carillon studentnewspaper, for example,Conway made editorialdecisions that won himnotoriety with the campusadministration. Hepublished critical articles,and refused to take ads foralcohol, cigarettes, or themilitary. Finally, he ran afull-page photo essaycontrasting the zanyactivities of students at the‘Frosh’ day parade (an eventthe paper was forced tocover) with world eventssuch as poverty, starvation,and children ravaged by war.

Social activism was notthe norm, however, and theStudent RepresentativeCouncil (SRC) fired him.“But it turned the Carillonaround,” Conway adds. “Ilost, but ultimately we won,because the Carillon becamea more [socially andpolitically] relevantnewspaper from then on.”

Conway went on to studyat Simon Fraser University,and returned to the U of R asa faculty member in time foran event that entered themythology of the University.In 1972, a group of studentsoccupied the offices of thedean of Arts and Science,and the dean of GraduateStudies and Research.Among their demands wereautonomy from Saskatoon,lower tuition fees, and“parity” (an equal number ofstudents and faculty) ondecision-making boards.

One of the participantswas Murray Knuttila, whowent on to become dean ofarts from 1995 to 2002, andis now working at theSaskatchewan PopulationHealth and EvaluationResearch Unit. At that timefaculties like sociology hadparity already, but it was notthe case in all faculties.“There came a moment inwhich the right of studentsto have representation at thelevel of faculty was seriouslyquestioned and seemed to beon the verge of being lost,”he says.

The week-longoccupation wasspontaneous, and made upof a number of differentgroups from the radical tothe more conservative. Hewas one of a group ofstudents who came in andlocked the filing cabinets to

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Flower power…psychedelia… the Vietnam War—the sixties was a time of shifting mores, sweepingsocial and cultural change and a burgeoningyouth consciousness that defined a generation.More than most North American campuses, theUniversity of Regina was a hotbed of studentprotest and anti-establishment tenor. AlumnaMarie Powell Mendenhall looks back at theactivism of the sixties and sets out to find if thatlegacy still exists on today’s campus.

A group of groovy students hang out under the arches of the Dr. John Archer Library. Photo courtesy of University Archives and Special Collections


prevent access to the faculty’spersonal documents.“Quite frankly some of usplayed the role of keepingthe lid on things, of makingsure that nothing stupidhappened,” Knuttila adds.Finally, University presidentJohn Archer offered to meetwith the students, andeventually struck acommittee to study parityand student representation.For the students, Knuttilasays, it felt as if “this is asgood as we’re going to get.This is a concession that wecan live with.”

Roberta Lexier, is a U of Ralumna now working on herPhD in Alberta. She says thestrong “sense of difference”was part of the fabric of theRegina campus, andcontributed to its earlyactivism. Her master’s thesiscovered Regina’s earlyactivism, and her currentthesis will compare Reginawith Simon Fraser and theUniversity of Toronto.

“There was this sensethat because something newand different was going tobe created and students

were going to be involved,” Lexier says. “So [students]started to demand a say inhow the Universityfunctions and how theUniversity operates.”

Through the actions ofits activist core, University of Regina students gained asay in course evaluations,teacher evaluations, andcurriculum development,she adds. The Universityalso obtained autonomyfrom Saskatoon, to becomethe University of Regina in1974. “Part of what forcedthe government to take

action and split the twouniversities apart was theactivism on campus,” Lexieradds, “and the fact that theU of R was so different fromSaskatoon.”

Today, studentrepresentation in decision-making remains strong, says Kathleen Wilson a formerStudents’ Union vice-president of external affairs."I think that we do havepower in numbers when weorganize."

Top issues for studentstoday include the rising

U or R faculty member JohnConway.

Conway addresses a student powerrally in the late 1960s.

Murray Knuttila

Freedom of the press? Editor John Conway’s constant politicizing in the student newspaper finally cost him his job when the Student RepresentativeCouncil fired him. The October 22, 1965 Carillon headline heralded the news.


costs of tuition, theaccessibility of education foreveryone, and the quality ofeducation—including theoveruse of sessionals andlack of security forprofessors, she says.

She is aware of the U ofR’s activist history through astudent-organized event inFebruary 2007 that includedtribute bands, and speechesfrom those involved. Shetalks wistfully about theStudents’ Union being ableto arouse 60 per cent of thestudent body back then:“That would never happennow.”

“We’re becomingdisengaged from all theprocesses. There’s a hugedisconnect there.”

At a rally earlier this year,about 400 students showedup to protest the high costs of tuition. InApril, when cabinet ministerWarren McCall's interimreport on post-secondaryeducation recommendedlowered tuition fees, thestudents took it as a victory.

“I think that’s a directresult of the lobbying that’sbeen done by students andthe strong activist feelingsthat are around now,” saysKevin Miller, who wasLuther College director onthe Students’ Union lastyear. Miller brings upanother victory for studentactivism: the 2006occupation of thepresident’s office to protestan enrollment limit toLuther and Campion

Colleges as a result of afunding shortfall.

Unlike the 1972occupation, only 17 studentstook part. These bleary-eyedstudents met on the greenon the day after the end ofclasses last April, Millersays. They walked across theAcademic Green, past the AdHum pit and finally to thepresident’s office, carryingpillows, blankets, snacks,and everything they mightneed for a long siege. Sincethey knew the president wasat the University that day—they had bumped into himon the way over—thestudents hunkered down towait.

“We had finals comingup, so we spent most of ourtime studying and playingtravel scrabble,” Millerremembers. “It was a veryorderly but firm sit-in, I’dsay.”

After only two and a halfhours, the students werepromised a meeting withadministration on Mondayto discuss the situation. Itwas a "good outcome,"Miller adds, and attractedmost of the local media. As aresult, enrollment was limited in 2006-07 butthe limit will be lifted in2007-08. The University andfederated colleges areengaged in an ongoingdialogue now, on how tomanage the distribution ofenrollment in the future.

“I’d never thought oforganizing a sit-in,” Milleradds, although he was aware

of the U of R’s 1960sactivism through a courseon the subject. “We werejust concerned about whatwas going on and didsomething about it.”Activism is cyclical, Millerpoints out, and occurs whenan issue warrants aresponse.

“I don’t think it’s asstrong today, but I thinkthat there’s definitely stillan activist movement thatwill always be alive instudents. When somethinglike the class cuts situationcomes up, it brings all thesepeople that normally don’tget involved. They seesomething that they wantchanged and all of a suddenthere’s a ground swell ofopposition to something.”

Today’s student has morework, more worry, and moredebt than the 1960-70’sequivalent, commentsKnuttila. Many havefamilies, or need full-timejobs during University tofund their studies. On thewhole, students may beactive in anti-globalization,anti-poverty, and otherlarger issues, but they aregenerally less active in localissues than the averagestudent of the early 1970s.

Conway suggestsstudents today “are muchmore progressive” as agroup. “What’s different Ithink is the students back inthose days thought theycould change the world.

“There was a sense that ifwe did our work as amovement that thesepoliticians who weresensible would move on theissues. They did it enoughtimes that it seemed tomake it worthwhile.”

Today students tend totry a personal response toissues,” he adds.

For Wilson, activism isthe result of a personaldecision. “I think people canmake a change if they getinvolved. I think our voicesare important.”

“I think the 60s showedthe power of non-violentprotest,” adds Miller, “inachieving goals andbringing attention to issuesthat need attention given tothem.”

“You don’t need trainingto be an activist,” saysMiller. “I think it’s good toget new people involved asthey come to university sothat they know what theissues are and they knowwhy the fight’s being fought.But I think that’s how theyfight the fight—it’s justsomething you learn alongthe way.”

Marie Powell Mendenhall is anaward-winning writer basedin Regina. Her first bookDragonflies are Amazing!was published last year byScholastic.

Kevin Miller Kathleen Wilson The 1973 Students’ Representative Council included (left to right) BillWells, Ted Leaker, Larry Kowalchuk and a young Pamala Wallin (secondfrom left).

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What about your role asChancellor brought you the most joy?

The highlight of being a Chancelloris to preside over the annual springand fall convocation ceremonies toshare with family, friends and facultythe formal recognition of thedegrees and certificates conferredon our graduates. I especiallytreasured conferring honorarydegrees to individuals whom I knewpersonally.

We all have a special personwho has been a major influence onour life. Who is that person in yourlife and why?

Al Johnson, recognized as one ofCanada’s pre-eminent publicservants, was the person whoattracted me to the Saskatchewanpublic service. I was in mygraduating year at the College ofCommerce at the University ofSaskatchewan, when he (at thattime deputy provincial treasurer)met with us and described theopportunities in the public service.While in the position of secretary ofthe Treasury Board in Ottawa, hepersuaded me to apply for aposition with the federalgovernment. As a result of hisinfluence, I spent 38 years as acareer public servant.

Who was one of the moreinteresting people you met in yourrole as Chancellor?

I had the privilege of beingassociated with the former presidentDavid Barnard during most of my

term as Chancellor. I admired andwas impressed with his intellectualcapacity and leadership, hisadministrative and managementstyle, and tireless commitment anddedication. I particularly creditDavid for strengthening theUniversity’s relationships andpartnerships with the widercommunity by demonstrating thesignificant contributions that theUniversity makes towards the social,cultural and economic developmentof our society.

What is your favourite movie?

My favorite movie is The Sting. Ienjoyed the performances by Paul Newman and Robert Redford (thecon men) and Scott Joplin’s ragtime music. I was completely “stung”.

What are your plans now thatthe role of Chancellor won’t betaking up your time?

I will have the flexibility to travelmore; to sightsee and visit familyand friends. I may have time forsome “outside” reading, instead ofplowing through the voluminousdocuments in preparation forSenate, Board of Governor, andcommittee meetings.

The thing about you that wouldsurprise people is?

I used to play the violin.

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Art Wakabayashi has served as the Chancellor of theUniversity of Regina since 2001. Under his watch he hasconferred over 13,500 degrees, diplomas andcertificates to graduating U of R students. He has heldsenior positions with the federal and Saskatchewangovernments and is a graduate of the University ofSaskatchewan and Harvard University. Wakabayashi isa member of the Order of Canada and the HonoraryConsul-General of Japan at Regina. His last convocationceremony as Chancellor was early in June.

By Trevor Herriot


Changing Climate, Changing Ethics

Photos by Don Hall, AV Services

When naturalist and author Trevor Herriot wentlooking for answers about global warming andadaptation to climate change he turned to theUniversity’s Prairie Adaptation ResearchCollaborative. What he found was an emergingethic, one informed both by science andculture. As Herriot discovered, adapting toclimate change demands that we embrace anew relationship with the land—our very futuremay depend on it.


“The land doesn’t know what the people want anymore. And the people have forgotten what the landneeds. The elders say even the water feels differentthese days, and the thunderbirds, when they areheard at all, are making an unfamiliar sound. . . .They say we are losing our medicinal plants. . . .Things are changing rapidly, and it’s creating adeficit, a void that makes it difficult to adapt andremain connected to the land.” Willie Ermine

e, Changing Ethics

Phot

o by

Kar

en L

ongw

ell


Even over the phone I could seehim shifting easily, gracefullybetween the two worlds that he

spans with his work as a First NationsUniversity of Canada ethicist andresearcher. Willie Ermine has beenworking with the network of climatechange researchers stationed at thePrairie Adaptation ResearchCollaborative (PARC) on the U of Rcampus, to bring to light the adaptation

challenges faced by First Nations people in the forestedregions of the province.

The gap between Western science as it is practiced byclimate change experts and the traditional knowledge ofWoodland Cree elders and ancestors seems so vast and yetPARC—with people like Ermine and his non-Aboriginalcolleagues—are bridging that chasm with great humilityand courage.

A few weeks before our talk, I spent part of an afternoonlistening to presentations by PARC scientists at a workshopon climate change on the Prairie. It was part of a three-dayconference on Prairie conservation and endangered species.Hundreds of people had gathered from points aroundWestern Canada to share their research and programmingall aimed at addressing the long list of problems faced by ourgrassland species and ecosystems. There is no shortage ofbad news at such a gathering, but I went in part hoping tofind some small encouragement in the efforts of those whohave not yet given up the struggle to protect wildness on thePlains.

At the coffee break before the climate change workshop,one delegate who works with endangered rattlesnakes inLethbridge, told me that drier landscapes might allow thePrairie rattlesnake to expand its range northward in Canada.That was something to hold onto, but moments later aveterinarian pathologist from Saskatoon said that he isexpecting tick-borne diseases and other parasites to moveonto the Canadian Plains from the south and east.

Then the workshop began, first with Elaine Barrow ofPARC outlining the future climate scenarios based oncomplex mathematical calculations, 40 of them in fact,known as “Global Climate Models” or “GCMs”. The differentGCM-based scenarios for the Prairie provinces spell a drierclimate and a seasonal shift in the distribution ofprecipitation, leading to possibly more in winter and less inthe summer. As Dave Sauchyn, PARC’s research coordinator,said when he took the podium, the net result, withtemperature trumping precipitation, would most likely beless moisture available for the land and lakes and rivers, anddroughts of greater length, frequency, and severity.

Norman Henderson, PARC’s executive director, stood todescribe the severe changes to the landscape under such amoisture regime (see sidebar). The workshop went on itsway, with several more scientists linked to PARC rising tocontribute futures extrapolated from their portion of theclimate change research spectrum.

Climate change work, particularly on the adaptationside of things, forces us to look at the future over a longerterm than we are accustomed to considering. For a culturethat is run on the five-year plans of business andgovernment policy-makers, the future has always been acomfortable destination, a place where growth anddevelopment would satisfy our indeterminate desires forimprovement. Now, even the most callow of planners arehaving to think about the next 50 or 100 years whenecological realities will increasingly dictate economic andsocial realities. And some are beginning to see thatunchecked growth is, if anything, a threat to the future.

The day I visited Dave Sauchyn at PARC’s offices, wetalked about the recent shift in public awareness of climatechange and the need to adapt. Sauchyn remembered a groupof young environmentalists who were going through town afew years ago on a cross-country bike ride to call for betterclimate change policy. “We offered a donation to their cause,but they refused it. They said ‘we don’t want money fromyou—you’ve given up.’ They didn’t like our message thatclimate change can’t be entirely reversed.”

As we discussed the adaptability of rural people—fromfarmers who are changing over to sustainable methods tothe group of crop-sprayers who are finding ways to use lesswater and reduce spray-drift—it became clear that, althoughPARC is necessarily dominated by the mindset of Westernscience, their interdisciplinary approach is casting a netwide enough to encompass other modes of adaptation.

“You should talk to Willie Ermine,” Sauchyn said, “Hehas a different perspective on all of this.”

An eight hundred kilometre trip to Prince Albert andback to interview someone about climate change wouldhave released an embarrassing load of carbon into theatmosphere, so we talked over the phone.

“Context is important.” Ermine began telling me abouthis work with Shoal Lake Cree Nation east of Nipawin andJames Smith Cree Nation, near Melfort on the southernfringe of the boreal forest. He spoke about the changes elders have seen, not merely from their own life spans reachingback to the 1930s but from the oral tradition and itstestimony of an era long before agriculture and forestrycame to their lands. Somewhere in that elder-history there isa baseline representing the normal life of the forests, rivers,and lakes that once sustained Woodland Cree people.

Trevor Herriot


Ermine quickly recounted the decades of drought andflood up to 2006, when the people suffered both calamitiesin the same year. “The thunderbirds, the people say, have adifferent sound to them. The hydrological cycle is changing.Water tends to run off the land faster. We’re not just talkingabout climate change. All of the changes to theenvironment—clear-cutting and other forestry practices,agriculture—affect how the water moves. Because ofagriculture, the water rushes off and there is little seepage.

“We can’t draw a line between climate change and allthe other changes—not only to the environment but socialand cultural changes too.” It was surprising to learn howsuddenly these changes have come to the people of ShoalLake and James Smith. He said that most of this upheavalhas happened within the memories of the elders he workswith.

“Not long ago, there were no roads in these areas.Everyone depended upon the land. People could read theland, see when the weather was going to change, tell whatkind of season they would have, what things the land wouldoffer. People hunted and trapped and they were incommunication with the land—it was a reciprocalrelationship: the land knew what the people wanted and thepeople knew what the land wanted.”

He described this reciprocity as communication thatinvolved talking and listening. An elder using a medicinewould go to where the plant lives and address it properly as

a sentient being, a “responsive creature.” Listening is theonly way to learn its terrain, its purpose in healing, andwhat it expects from us. The elders have told Ermine thatwhen this bond is maintained well, with respect for theother intelligent beings in the land, then the earth takespleasure in its bond with the people.

Instead, during recent decades, roads, industrializedagriculture, forestry and the modern comforts and privateattainment they offer have made it nearly impossible for thepeople to stay in contact with the land—and with oneanother. Ancient traditions of communal cooperation andownership have broken down, and young people are driftingaway from traditions and beyond the influence of elders.There is a new void, Ermine said, between the people andthe land that has fed them for thousands of years. Nevermind future scenarios of climate change, this void arisesfrom devastation already visited upon the indigenous peopleof our forests. Floods and droughts are merely a playing outof a hand we dealt long ago.

Even so, Ermine believes that adaptation is possible ifwe make the right choices and foster an ethic of reciprocityand respect. Up to now, the wrong kind of adaptation hasbeen encouraged amongst First peoples.

“James Smith First Nation adapted to agriculture but didit really enhance their lives? I would call it a maladaptation.Mining is the same for northern communities—if they latchonto that, it too will become another maladaptation.”

Last year a team of scientists from the University of Texas studying Greenlands’s ice cap (pictured) found evidence of accelerated melting consistent withincreases in global warming. The melting ice has already increased global sea levels and is beginning to change the composition of the ocean's saltwater currents flowing past northwestern Europe. If completely melted it could raise sea levels by seven metres—more than enough to drown all theworld's low-lying islands and even some entire nations, like Holland. Photo: CP/John McConnico


Over the long run, successful adaptation will bring allpeople back into right relationship with other beings. This,Ermine said toward the end of our conversation, is the question the elders leave us with: How do we build a culturethat has an ethic of right relationship with the earth?

The words may not carry the rigour of a researchquestion, but it encompasses much of the inquiry facedevery day by the scientists at PARC. On the face of things, thePrairie Adaptation Research Collaborative is a collection ofthe usual specialists—geographers, biologists, andecologists—researching narrow questions in separate silosof expertise. But it is more than that when it reaches out tocross cultures and disciplines and at least considers thepossibility of a renewed ethic guiding our reciprocity withthe land.

In the end, that may be what seems most hopeful in thework of PARC: the recognition that adaptation research is asmuch about ethics and culture as it is about managingresources and posting future scenarios; and that the wayforward for Prairie people and the grasslands, forests, andwaterways that give us life.

Trevor Herriot is a naturalist and writer who explores thelandscape and the human relationship to the land. His first bookabout the Qu'Appelle River Valley, River in a Dry Land: a PrairiePassage received several national awards and a nomination forthe Governor General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction. His bookin progress, Grass, Sky, Song: the Gift of Grassland Birds, willbe published by HarperCollins.

• Closed-basin lakes such as Redberry Lake, Old Wives Lake, Quill Lake, Manitou Lake and others may well disappear.

• Under drier conditions some ecozones may shift northward resulting in the southern boreal forest becoming more like aspen parkland; the southern aspen parkland becoming more like moist mixed grass prairie; the southern mixed-grass prairie becoming more like mixed-grass prairie; the mixed grass prairie becoming more like short-grass and so on.

• Some wetlands would evaporate.• Island forests, such as those at Cypress Hills and

Moose Mountain Provincial Park may be partially or completely lost.

• Wildlife corridors could bring unwanted and invasive species into the region.

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Prairie AdaptationResearch

CollaborativePossible

Scenarios as aResult of Climate

Change in Saskatchewan

What is the future for Saskatchewan’s diverse landscape under the threat of global warming?


REBIRTHof a Nation

Justice studies professor Nick Jones sits with children at a ggaaccaaccaa court in Kigali, Rwanda.


EBIRTH

Justice studiesprofessor Nick

Jones’ researchtakes him to

Rwanda where hediscovers first-handRwandans’ efforts toput back the pieces

of their shatteredcountry.

of a Nation

Looking around the bar, U of Rjustice studies professor Nick Jonescouldn’t shake the question that wasswirling around in his head. He was inKigali sitting in the Chez Lando Grill, alush-open air restaurant that waspartially destroyed in the 1994Rwandan genocide, a tragedy that sawthe death of nearly a million people injust 100 days.While there were hero stories of Hutuswho saved their Tutsi friends andneighbours during that time there arealso 750,000 Hutu now on trial forcommitting atrocities.

Jones was in a room where bothgroups were sharing plates of goatbrochettes and herb-stuffed tilapia fish. He turned to his friend, a professor atthe National University of Rwanda.“Look around. Can you tell the Tutsisfrom the Hutus in this restaurant?”

His colleague laughed. Because ofthe historically noted intermarriage

between the two groups there is oftentimes no great physical distinctionbetween the two. The ethnic divide andlevel of tension between the Hutus andTutsis was institutionalised duringBelgian colonization.

Jones was in the central Africancountry researching the interactionbetween Rwanda’s community-basedcourts, the national court system, andthe International Criminal Tribunal forRwanda (ICTR) and how they arehelping the country come to termswith the most infamous period in itshistory. The community-based courts or gacacas(pronounced ga-cha-cha and literallymeans “justice on the grass”) are at thefront-lines of Rwanda’s challenge tobring the majority of the accused totrail. They often consist of no morethan a tarp, a few chairs, and a long

By Shanan Sorochynski BA’02Photos courtesy of Nick Jones


table for the nine people who serve asthe court’s judges. These men andwomen are the community’sinyangamugayo—its people of integrity.

Traditionally in Western societyrestorative justice practices are notapplied to serious offences so Jones wasinterested to see if a community-basedcourt would be able to effectivelyadjudicate murder cases in a way thatsatisfied the community and thevictims and yet uphold the rights ofthe offender.

While there has been criticismfrom groups such as AmnestyInternational about prison conditionsand the lack of legal representation forthe accused Jones sees potential in howthe system emphasises communityinvolvement.

“Without accountability, withoutaddressing the crimes it is moredifficult to move forward,” Jones says.“Part of addressing the crimes isrecognizing the suffering the victimshad and giving credence to theirsuffering and bringing closure. Is this ameans for community building, thegacaca court? Quite possibly. If it canget rid of or at least reduce ethnictension its worthwhile. Rather thansplitting and dividing it can bringpeople together.”

But it is a small step for some.Rwandans are cognizant of the fact

that even if convicted, the most seniorplanners and organizers of thegenocide, adjudicated at theinternational level (ICTR), will live amore comfortable life than thesurvivors.

“The international prisoners getthree meals a day,” says Jones. “Theyhave beds. They have shelter. Theyhave access to the internet and canwatch television. That’s just not areality for 95 per cent of Rwandans.”

Others are frustrated with thedouble standard imposed by the newgovernment. When the RwandanPatriotic Front (RPF) fought the civilwar it took office and ended thegenocide with its victory. However,during this time it has been reportedthat the RPF also carried out reprisalkillings against the perpetrators of thegenocide, the Hutus. Even though themurders fall within the mandate of theInternational Criminal Tribunal forRwanda, not a single member of theRPF has been indicted for the crimes.

This was Jones’ first research trip.He expected to get on a plane,experience body-numbing jet lag, talkto all the appropriate people, visit allthe necessary places and then turnaround and come home again—unaffected. He soon discovered thatdetaching himself from the cruelreality of Rwanda’s past was hardlypossible—even for a well-intentionedacademic.

“I thought I’d go over as anobjective researcher,” Jones says.“When I filled out my ethicsapplication to do the research Iconcerned myself with the subjects ofmy research, who I would talk to andhow I would approach them andconcerns for anonymity, what impactit would have on them. And oneprofessor at the U of Calgary pointedout ‘Well what about you?’ I hadn’tthought about it.”

Everywhere he went Jones saw thevestiges of the genocide.

He stood at memorials, in front oflong clotheslines of blood-stiff shortsand shirts that were used to identifythe dead. He toured an orphanage withbare cupboards and 400 children underits roof. He visited the Church of

Nyamata, a small building, its ceilingstill stained with blood, where bulletholes squint through the doors andshards of shrapnel have ripped throughthe walls letting a shower of light pourin. He walked on creaky church pewsto avoid stepping on the human bonesthat littered the floor. And he inhaled adankness that can be found no whereelse on earth.

Despite these horrendous incidentsJones also experienced grand humanmoments where the resiliency of theRwandan people was on full display.On one of those occasions he visitedwith a poor family who insisted Jonestake a bag of corn with him. Hereluctantly accepted the gift and leftwith a profound sense of Rwandanpeople’s generosity and spirit.

“I don’t know how they do it. Thestrength and internal fortitude of someof these people is mind boggling. Somepeople say that maybe the hope forRwanda doesn’t lie in this generation orthe next one but maybe the onefollowing, given progress that there is achange in how they view themselves.”

The Rwandan educational systemhas already begun to address the highlevel of tensions between Hutu andTutsi. The country’s youth are learningfrom the mistakes of previousgenerations and are being taught at anearly age that while they are eitherHutu or Tutsi—they are all simplyRwandans.

Shanan Sorochynski graduated from the Uof R with an English degree in 2002. Afteryears of chasing down leads in Manitobafor her hometown’s newspaper, theDauphin Herald, she returned to her almamater, to write for the U of R Report, thefaculty and staff newspaper.

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A stained glass window inRwanda’s Genocide MemorialCenter represents the prospect ofhope.

Jones makes new friends inRwanda.

Photographs of loved ones lost inthe genocide.


“I don’t know how they do it. The strength andinternal fortitude of some of these people is mindboggling. Some people say that maybe the hopefor Rwanda doesn’t lie in this generation or thenext one but maybe the one following, givenprogress that there is a change in how they viewthemselves.”

Jones standing next to human remains at Nyamata.


Foca

l Poi

nt

When Todd Mintz BAdmin’90 isn’tpreparing or analyzing financialreports he can most often be foundin a wetsuit pursuing his hobby—underwater photography. The 39-year-old accountant has beensnapping underwater pics since1996 when a friend lent him anunderwater camera. In 2002 hebegan entering his photos incompetitions and, well, thingsstarted to click. He has amassed ashelf-full of awards and honoursand won numerous diving tripsaround the world. To see whatdepths Mintz will go to get a goodphoto visit his website at:www.pbase.com/yahsemtough.

Top: Mintz during the 17-dayIndonesian dive trip he won afterreceiving Best in Show at a 2004San Francisco competition. Photoby Jen Hayes.

Top right: A trip to Fiji in February2007 yielded Mintz many imagesincluding this shot of a diveramidst the soft coral. Above: Adecorated warbonnet photographedoff Vancouver Island. Left: Acamera-shy fimbriated moray eeltakes exception to a photo taken.


Foca

l Poi

nt

Top left: A Caribbean reef shark circles menacingly close in this photo fromMintz’s trip to the Bahamas. Right: Mintz’s photo of an anemone, alsoknown as a clownfish, has received a number of honours including theHighly Honoured Winner in the Oceans category at a Nature’s BestPhotography magazine contest. The photograph was also part of the 2006Natures Best Photography exhibit at the Smithsonian Natural HistoryMuseum and a Grand Prize winner in the 2007 Scuba Diving Magazinephoto contest. Above centre: A giant Pacific octopus taken in 2003 offPort Hardy on Vancouver Island. Above: A playful group of Atlantic spotteddolphins photographed in the Bahamas in 2004.


TheResurrectedLife of Neil

OsiowyBy David Sealy

Photos by Don Hall, AV Services

It’s a late afternoon in April in Holdfast, Saskatchewan.The sun is sinking behind the town’s only remaining grainelevator and the day’s warmth recedes—spring may beimminent, but it’s taking its time.

Fresh from a visit with a few local townspeople atHoldfast Community Café, Father Neil Osiowy BAdmin’93strides briskly down Main Street toward Assumption of theBlessed Virgin Mary Church, an impressive building that sitson the edge of town, overlooking brown, fallow fields. It wasconstructed in the 1920s when Holdfast, like many other smalltowns was larger, more viable and vital.

It’s almost time for his ritual 7.5-kilometre run. Osiowy istalking about the tools of his trade—specifically anaspergillum, or holy water sprinkler, which will be used aspart of the baptismal ritual at the coming Easter Vigil.

“The stainless steel ones don’t have much range—onlyabout two feet,” Osiowy explains. “And we have a big church. Iwent looking for something that would throw more water andbring more delight to people. I found a bamboo wok cleanerworks well, reaching nearly 25 feet. My mom said, ‘Oh, peopleare going to get soaked.’ But I have a lot of fun with it. To me,Easter is about joy, it’s about life. I was taught to use bigsymbols and big gestures.”

The five years after Osiowy’s graduation proved to be achallenge—there were struggles with alcohol and a hunger forspiritual fulfillment. Nonetheless, the personable and dynamic38-year-old has emerged all the stronger from these travails.

A former greeting cardsalesman turns his life

around and finds hiscalling as a Catholicpriest in small town

Saskatchewan.


Father Neil Osiowy.


Although he was raised in a strong Catholichousehold, Osiowy’s religious beliefs offeredscant consolation. “I felt I was just anotherperson walking the earth and no one cared. Iwasn’t even sure that God cared about me. Ibegan to wonder about the bigger meaning ofexistence.”

Osiowy gives communion at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Holdfast, Sask.


He entered the seminary in 1998 and was ordained in2004. He served as associate pastor for two years at St. Martinde Porres and St. Anne parishes in Regina. Since the fall of2006, he has been the pastor to three rural parishes—Dilke,Holdfast, and Craik—and to say he has made a positiveimpression on his parishioners would be an understatement.

Upon his graduation it seemed that Osiowy wouldfollow a predictable path. “I looked to the example of mybrother and my father who were both accountants,” he says.“I thought I’d get married, have a nice house and family—the usual aspirations of young people in the 90s.”

Osiowy landed a job as a sales rep with a greeting cardcompany serving southern Saskatchewan. He rememberstelling his parish priest, about his new job. The priest’scomments proved to be prescient. “Father Ken said, ‘Ohgreat, a sales job. That’ll help you sell the good news someday.’ I thought, this man doesn’t know what he’s talkingabout.”

“Neil got along with everybody,” says Don Hutmacher, aco-worker of the day who witnessed Osiowy’s excellentpeople skills first-hand. “He went out of his way to help you.All the customers enjoyed Neil’s company, even though hehad some misgivings about his job.”

In turn, Osiowy appreciated his customers, “They wereliving in small towns because they wanted to be there, andthey invested a lot of effort to keep their communities alive.”

However, he was less comfortable with his owncircumstances. “My friends all seemed to have better jobsand were making more money than me. I thought myproduct was overpriced in a declining market and I wasselling it to communities in decline.”

Osiowy became increasingly reliant on alcohol to helphim cope with the dissatisfaction. “My partying was up and

my work performance was down. My priorities were wayout of whack.”

Although he was raised in a strong Catholic household,Osiowy’s religious beliefs offered scant consolation. “I felt Iwas just another person walking the earth and no one cared.I wasn’t even sure that God cared about me. I began towonder about the bigger meaning of existence.”

After failing to meet his sales quota, Osiowy was firedfrom his job.

He took time to re-evaluate his life. “I met Father JoeBalzer through Alcohol and Drug Services. He did a sessionon spirituality and the recovering alcoholic. I talked to himabout where God was pulling me.

Osiowy also sought the advice of other priests. Then,when Father Joe suddenly passed away two months later, hefinally got “the kick in the butt I needed to get off the fenceand do something. What I came to see in church andthrough addiction support was that God had placed peoplearound me to help me become the kind of person that Hewanted me to be.”

Osiowy decided on the priesthood. “It wasn’t necessarilya burning bush event. At first I wanted to help people likemyself who had struggled with alcohol addiction. Then itoccurred to me that I could help people in all walks of life asa priest. Somehow, the seeds that had been planted in thepast began to take root.”

After a six-year stint at St. Peter’s Seminary in London,Ontario that was sponsored by the Archdiocese of Regina,Osiowy earned a master of divinity degree from theUniversity of Western Ontario. His new life came to fruitionand he returned to Saskatchewan.

Part of Osiowy’s routine involves a lengthy run around the Holdfast townsite or countryside.


Spring and renewal are evident everywhere along theroadsides that Osiowy drives weekly between Holdfast andDilke. A hawk patrols the ditch as large flocks of geesedisperse and reform on the horizon. A meadowlark trillsfrom a weathered fence post.

St. Boniface Church in Dilke is sturdy and well-kept. Itwas a welcome addition to the community in 1945;previously services had been held in a private home and apool hall.

The congregation sings “Praise to you Lord in thineeternal glory.” A parishioner reads from Isaiah: “Do notremember the former things or consider the things of old. Iam about to do a new thing; now it springs forward, do younot perceive it?”

A young, Saskatchewan-born priest in ruralSaskatchewan is a rarity, and Osiowy has a high profile.

“He’s a breath of fresh air in our community,” saysBernadette McWilliams, the financial secretary for theHoldfast parish. “He’s a friend to all. He drops by the schooloften and the kids see that a priest can just be like anyoneelse. He plays ankle-bender hockey on Monday nights; hehas coffee with the older guys at the café. Everybody knowshim.”

Osiowy knows that community outreach is animportant part of his duties. “There are a lot of faith-filledpeople in the parish, but there are also people who aren’tregularly practicing their faith. And I’m working on gettingthem back.”

A good priest has to connect with his audience, andOsiowy knows both his showmanship and salesmanship. “Ilook at popular trends in the media and try and drawconnections to our faith. Jesus used parables to sell thekingdom of God. I like to use images from movies,advertising, and the media to explain the kingdom to ourpresent age.” A recent homily on the concept of sin andforgiveness cited Conrad Black and Martha Stewart asexamples of high-profile transgressors.

The use of props also helps convey his message. “Forone homily, I used a handheld mirror and a full-lengthmirror. With the handheld mirror, we can look at the spotswe like and avoid the spots we dislike. Lent calls us to stand

before the full-length mirror and look at our whole beingand say, am I a reflection of Christ?”

Marketing faith to parishioners is a complex process.Osiowy says, “Sometimes as priests we try to find out what itis that the people want or need. I think that’s getting intodangerous territory because only God knows what we need.We are not consumers of God’s grace. The real question ishow can we be relevant and bring the greatest amount ofmeaning to the people we serve.”

Osiowy knows all about this search for meaning. Hesmiles. “I struggled a lot in my life, comparing myself toothers: I felt that I had to do what others did; I wanted tohave what my friends had. When I went to the seminary, Ilost my old self and began to gain a whole new identity.Now, when I lie in bed at night, I get a glimpse of the backcorner of the church through the window. I can seesomething much bigger than me. There is great satisfaction.I have found my place in the world, and I know that I amdoing what God wants me to do.”

This Easter Vigil night, on the church’s front sidewalkover 100 people are circled around a fire burning in a smallbarbecue. A flock of geese in flight calls out against the stars.As the wind strengthens, Osiowy lights the Paschal candle.“Make this new fire holy and inflame us with new hope,” hesays. Parishioners enter the church, each lighting tapersfrom the Paschal candle.

The church nave is candlelit and songs of praise rise tothe vaulted ceiling. The parishioners keep their outsidejackets on, but soon warmth infuses the room. Osiowychants the Exultet, or Easter Proclamation: “Night trulyblessed, when heaven is wedded to earth and we arereconciled with God.”

As the vigil proceeds, Osiowy waves a censer. The smellof incense wafts through the church. The “aspergillum” is agreat success and every parishioner receives their fair shareand then some of holy water.

David Sealy is a freelance writer living in Regina. When he's notwriting, he wishes he was. His latest play is Runaway Barbies.

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Whether delivering the word of God or enoying a cup of coffee with parishioners, Osiowy has found happiness in small town Saskatchewan.


BJ Wadee Wilasphaingern is fromthe Karen ethnic group in Burma. He issmall and unassuming. At 5 feet 2inches—he stands a good five inchesshorter than me. But what he lacks instature, he makes up for in intelligence,sense of humour, and kindness.

And it was those qualities thatfirst struck me when we sat beside eachother in an introductory human justiceclass never imagining what an impacthe would have on my life.

He spoke softly, but with thewisdom of someone three times hisage. During the breaks I bombardedhim with questions about his life.

He told me about life inThailand—about sneaking into Burmato gather stories of human rightsviolations. He told me about theboredom of life in a refugee camp.

I was overwhelmed—overwhelmed by the thought of howmuch he had experienced at such ayoung age. And overwhelmed by thisworld he was describing that seemed soforeign to me.

I knew virtually nothing aboutBurma, had never been overseas, andhad never dreamed that our liveswould become so entwined. I was abudding journalist and curious aboutthe world around me. And BJ’s passionfor human rights work and peace inBurma was contagious.

I tried to understand and learn asmuch as I could from him—but Icouldn’t fully wrap my head aroundthe places or people he talked about. Ibegan making plans to go to

BJand MeWhen Campion College student

Nichole Huck met Wadee (BJ)Wilasphaingern, a Burmese

immigrant attending the Universityof Regina, her life took a dramatic

and unexpected turn. Severalmonths later she found herself in

Thailand working to bring theplight of Burma’s ethnic minorities

to the world’s attention. Here isher story and the photographs she

took in Thai refugee camps ofthose displaced by Burma’s

forgotten civil war.

Stor

y an

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otos

by

Nic

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e H

uck

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Wadee (BJ) Wilasphaingern andNichole Huck pose for a photo onthe Thailand/ Burma border.


Huck’s photos of the Mae La refugee camp in Thailand.


Thailand—but I had no tangible planfor when I would go or how I wasgoing to pay for it.

In my final year of journalismschool I was given an incredibleopportunity to make that dream areality. I won a traveling scholarship togo to Thailand and work with a mediaNGO that makes video documentariesabout Burma.

I spent the first five monthsworking with a Thai NGO calledImages Asia. I had just finished editinga documentary on landmines and wasin the middle of making adocumentary about a youth centre forstreet children, when I received an e-mail from BJ saying he was inThailand.

He hadn’t planned on returning. Hehadn’t been home in the four years Ihad known him. But his mother was illand he came to get her the medicalattention she needed.

I took a bus from Chiang Mai tothe border area where BJ was staying.The Burma Issues office was alreadyoverflowing with live-in workers andfamily members who had come tovisit, but they thought nothing ofhaving me stay there as well.

Watching BJ in this environmenthelped me understand him better. Hejoked easily with his friends in theKaren language, and reverted to thetraditional style of eating—using noutensils, just a hand to scoop the riceand curries to his mouth.

Traveling with BJ enabled me to seethings I otherwise would have neverhad access to. We hired a driver whowas well known to the Thai refugeecamp guards—so they asked fewquestions when we entered the campwithout the proper passes. He took meto Ompheum refugee camp. He neverlived here—the camp he grew up inhad been burned down by the Burmesearmy—but this camp housed many ofhis school mates and the family of ourfriend who was going to the Universityin Regina.

There was one more place BJwanted me to see before we parted ways. He arranged for us to visit a Karen rebel army camp just across the

Early in the morning we met one of thecommanders at his home. The large housedoubles as an orphanage and infirmary. Injuredsoldiers, children whose parents have died inbattle, and teachers and NGO workers fromnearby, form a steady stream of people comingand going.

Women washing clothes at aschool in the Mae La refugeecamp.


border inside Burma. What better wayto understand why the Karen fightthan to talk to the people who havetaken up arms in the quest for selfdetermination? What better way tounderstand the use of landmines thanto talk to a commander who ordersthem planted?

Early in the morning we met oneof the commanders at his home. Thelarge house doubles as an orphanageand infirmary. Injured soldiers,children whose parents have died inbattle, and teachers and NGO workersfrom nearby, form a steady stream ofpeople coming and going.

Today a shipment of supplies werebeing loaded to take to the base.Massive bags of rice, tins of oil, salt andchilies filled the back of the truck.

A small wooden boat was waitingfor us when we got to the borderdividing Thailand and Burma. Weloaded it with food and medicines andmade our way down the river…guardedby a soldier with a gun.

The army base was not what I wasexpecting. We were greeted by childreneager to help carry the supplies up thesteep sandy embankment. There wereyoung soldiers patrolling thegrounds—wearing green army gearand with KNU scrawled across theirhats in black marker. Old gunsscrounged up over the years slung overtheir shoulders. The young soldiersprotect the small school and hospitalthat nearby villagers rely on.

Many of the children’s parents areeither dead or fighting in the army.Many work as medics—traveling deepinto the jungle to supply villagers withmuch needed medical attention andmedicine. Their parents are consideredpart of the jungle rebels that pose sucha threat to the ruling Burmese militaryregime.

BJ helped me interview a youngsoldier whose friend was injured by alandmine the day before. A harsh reminder of how close we were to war.

We went back to the school andreflected on how different life is herethan in Canada. BJ told me of hisdreams of returning and helpingrebuild his country when there isfinally peace in Burma.

All too soon BJ had to return to hisjob in Canada, and I returned to mywork in the city of Chiang Mai. Butboth of our hearts remained at theBurma Issues office.

While BJ was back in Canada hismother’s health further deteriorated.She had horrible pains in her stomachmost of the time. I spent hours at thehospital with his sister and his mother.I helped with some of the medicalexpenses but I was useless in thelanguage department.

His younger sister wasoverwhelmed with the responsibilityof caring for their dying mother, so inJune BJ returned to Thailand for whatwould prove to be his last visit with hismother.

That month we found out thatmore than 130 Karen people from oneof the refugee camps along the borderwould be moving to Regina in the fall.

The timing seemed incredible. Iwould be returning home soon andwould be able to continue my workthere. I knew that people would wantto understand where the new Karenarrivals came from and the situationthat brought them to Canada.

When I arrived in Regina Istarting putting together a photoexhibition of pictures inside therefugee camps. The first showcoincided with the arrival of the newKaren people. And in the months thathave followed countless other peoplewho are involved with the newfamilies requested to see the photosand the videos made by my friends sothey can understand their new familiesbetter.

Since the new Karen familiesarrived, both BJ and I have had majorchanges to our lives.

BJ now works with the Open DoorSociety and helps the new Karenfamilies settle. He has become asurrogate father to some of the youngmen who came without parents. Hisdays are filled with finding people jobs,locating homes, arranging medicalappointments. His nights are filledhelping with homework, frequentvisits to all the families, and late nightphone calls from people looking foranswers. In the few months he hasbeen working with the settlementagency he has already touchedhundreds of lives.

I am now a host to one of the newKaren families, and frequently speak tochurch groups, students andorganizations that want to know aboutthe situation in Burma and how theycan help the new people who havearrived.

It’s been an incredibly rewardingyear and when I reflect on how I’vechanged and what I’ve learned, I owe itall to one incredible person, my friendBJ Wadee.

Nichole Huck is a graduate of theUniversity of Regina School of Journalism.She is currently working with CBC Radioand is a host to one of the new Karenfamilies in Regina.

If you want to help budding journalists likeNichole Huck realize their dreams ofmaking the world a better place, consider agift to the University’s School ofJournalism. To find out more, phone306.585.4024 or visit us online at:www.uregina.ca/campaign.

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The smallest suffer the mostunder the harsh conditions ofthe Thai refugee camps like(left) Mae La and (right)Ompheum.


The University’s Building Dreams and Futures campaignhas drawn to a successful close. With more than $82

million raised, the campaign has exceeded expectations.So what’s the legacy of this ambitious campaign? From a

University and a community perspective, BuildingDreams and Futures is all about creating leaders.

By Bill Armstrong

A LEGACYof leaders

Photos by AV Services


Y Since the U of R'sBuilding Dreams andFutures (BDF) fundraisingcampaign was formallyannounced in September2004, thousands ofindividuals and corporationshave come forward tosupport the University as itlives out its motto, “As OneWho Serves.” Now, as theBDF campaign closes, we arecelebrating success—havingsurpassed the $75 milliontarget—and praising donorswho recognized the need tosupport the U of R andenrich its students'educational experience,equipping them to be futureleaders in economic,cultural, artistic, scientificand social development,throughout Saskatchewanand around the world.

“The individuals andcorporations who donated tothe BDF campaignrecognized the needs withinthe five priorities that we setout when it was launched,”observes Barb Pollock, theUniversity's vice-president,External Relations. “Theyoften displayed ingenuityand creativity in supportingthose priorities. Inparticular, the willingnessby individuals and familiesto show leadership in thisregard encouraged us to adda $25 million planned givingcomponent to the BDFcampaign,” Pollock says. “Bycommitting to a gift nowthat will be realized throughan estate plan later, peopleare making a clear statementof their desire to leave alasting legacy to theUniversity, its faculty, itsstudents and the largercommunity we serve.”

The benefits of thecampaign are, quite literally,unending. The campaign ishelping to create studentleaders—critical-thinking,humane citizens, who,through extra funding, areable to make importantcontributions to ourcommunities. It helps putnew programming inplace—and allows theUniversity to lead ininnovating programs andinstruction. Here’s just a quick look at afew of the ways thecampaign is making theworld a better place.

Extending the reach of thelong arm of the law

One of the fastest growingprograms at the Universityof Regina happens to beunique in Canada—the U ofR is the only university tooffer both a bachelor of artsand a master of arts in policestudies. The program isleading in educating policeofficers who are able to deal with the complex social andjustice issues. With the helpof BDF donations, theprogram has expanded. TheLaw Foundation ofSaskatchewan donated$750,000 to establish aresearch Chair in PoliceStudies. The donationunderlined the LawFoundation's understandingof the importance ofresearch into current andfuture policing needs inSaskatchewan.

Jeffrey Pfeifer, a professorof psychology at the U of R,is the first Chair of PoliceStudies. He reflected on the

leadership role the Chairwill play when he said,“Among other things, thegoal of the Chair is to workwith the police, thecommunity and theUniversity of Regina to helpfoster a number of positiveinitiatives related to issuessuch as First Nations andpolicing, public attitudestoward the police, and theprofessionalization ofpolicing.”

The Law Foundationdonation to the BDFcampaign will provideannual funding for the Chairfor up to seven years.

Kenneth Levene—leadingby example

When Kenneth Levenemade his $4 million gift to the University of Regina,then president DavidBarnard described Levene asa “leader in transforming theway we think about giving.Leadership in philanthropyenriches the entirecommunity, whether theUniversity of Regina oranyone else is the directrecipient.”

Levene's gift to BuildingDreams and Futures remainsthe largest donation by anindividual to the University,although he made thedonation to honour hisfamily, which operated abusiness in Regina forseveral decades.

Levene's donation led tothe creation of the KennethLevene Graduate School ofBusiness, a major boost forthe Faculty of BusinessAdministration. The facultynow encompasses the

Top: Moose Jaw police chief TerryColeman (at right) becomes the firstgraduate to earn a master’s degree

in Police Studies.

Above: Kenneth Levene’s $4 milliondonation becomes the largest

philanthropic gift in U of R history.The donation establishes the

Kenneth Levene Graduate School ofBusiness in the Faculty of Business

Administration.


Undergraduate School ofBusiness, the LeveneGraduate School and theCentre for ManagementDevelopment, which offerscontinuing education inprofessional management.

In recognizing thedonation Dean GarnetGarven of the Faculty ofBusiness Administrationnoted that Canada isproducing fewer businessgrads than other developedcountries. “There's a need toprepare the next generationof leaders for the globalmarketplace,” he says. “Through this donation theFaculty is better able to helpfill that need.”

The leader of the bands

One of the mostmemorable—and certainlythe most musical—donations to the BuildingDreams and Futurescampaign was the gift of theRegina Lions Band musiclibrary. The Regina LionsBand handed off one of theprovince’s largest musiclibraries, which included6,397 titles, some of whichare limited-edition scores aswell as out-of-print musicand one of a kind marchingshows, to the Faculty of FineArts, Department of Music.The Regina Lions Bandchose the University tohouse the music in hopes

that its history would bepreserved and it will serve asa great resource to futuregenerations, who will leadin musical performance.

“This gift will help ourstudents develop theirtalents, pursue their dreams,and showcase their fineeducation,” says Universityof Regina President JimTomkins.

Just as the Regina LionsBand program has helpeddevelop leadership qualitiesin thousands of youngpeople, through its generousdonation to the BDFcampaign, it will continueto help develop the leadersof tomorrow.

Leading edgeenvironmental research

As concerns over theeffects of climate changecontinue to intensify, wewill look to researchers likeSuzan Lapp to help usunderstand theconsequences of globalwarming. Lapp iscompleting her PhD ingeography at the U of R, andis one of two PhD studentssupported by NexenFellowships through BDF.Each year Nexen Inc., a largeoil and gas company,provides two $25,000fellowships to graduatestudents pursuing researchprojects in environmentaland energy fields of study.

With the support of thefellowship, Lapp spent partof the summer of 2006collecting core samples fromtrees in the Rockies as partof her research into watersupply and futureprecipitation levels in theSouth Saskatchewan Riversystem. She's alsoexamining past climatevariability in the SouthSaskatchewan Basin. Lappwill use all the informationshe's gathered to developfuture climate scenarios.Thanks to Nexen and BDF,her research into climatechange has the potential todeliver direct benefits notonly to Saskatchewan, butthe entire region where theSouth Saskatchewan Riverflows.

Leading the way in thenorth

Integrated mental healthservice delivery in FirstNations communities.Improved HIV/AIDS supportstructures in northernSaskatchewan Aboriginalcommunities. Communitycollaboration to improvehealth care access ofnorthern residents. Theseare some of the researchprojects in rural andnorthern studies currentlyunderway at the Universityof Regina.

The U of R is the onlyuniversity in Canada to offerundergraduate social workcourses focused on rural andnorthern issues to studentsin the northern territories,via distance education. Theresearch program received amajor boost when the BMOFinancial Group donated$225,000 through BDF toestablish the FellowshipProgram for Rural andNorthern Studies. Theprogram will providefunding over a five-yearperiod, helping to attractand retain outstandinggraduate studentsconducting research into theissues affecting rural andnorthern communities.

“Research has a lot toteach us about theknowledge and creativitythat exists in northernpeople,” said then-U of Rpresident Robert Hawkinswhen the donation wasannounced in 2006. “Theresearch undertaken by ourgrad students under thisfellowship program willhelp build understanding,partnerships andsustainable solutions tobenefit us all. We are proudthat BMO Financial Grouphas come forward to supporta new generation of leadersin this exploration.”

Bill Armstrong is a freelancewriter in Regina.

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Far left: Brent Ghiglione, director ofthe U of R band program andRegina Lions Band past-presidentSusan Hardy pose in front of one ofthe most unique donations of theBDF campaign—one of theprovince’s largest music libraries.Left: Suzan Lapp is one of two PhDstudents supported by NexenFellowships through BDF. Lapp’sresearch on climate change willhelp us better understand theconsequences of global warming.


On September 13, 2006, about 12:30 p.m., just as thewind was picking up in downtown Montreal, agunman in a black trench coat burst into the DawsonCollege cafeteria with a Beretta Cx4 Storm semi-automatic rifle and opened fire on unsuspectingstudents. The commando-style rampage injured 20people and killed 18-year-old Anastasia De Sousa, aninternational business student who loved the colourpink. U of R graduate and Dawson College Englishprofessor Bryan Sentes reflects on the events as theyunfolded before his eyes that late summer afternoon.

Asked about my experience of what I have come to call“9/13”, I always tell the same story. I’d just left by the samedoor the shooter was to walk through and hadn’t gottenmore than ten metres when I heard what sounded like astring of firecrackers. I turned, ready to give someone alesson about setting off fireworks in front of the school.Students scattered in every direction. One lay on his back onthe street near the curb, his friend crouching over him, onehand on his stomach, her cellphone in the other, screaming

for an ambulance. A tall lanky fellow all in black slouchedtoward the door with what to me looked like an Uzi. Apolice cruiser pulled up, doors flung open, cops alreadyhalfway out, guns in hand. I’d heard gunshots do sound likefirecrackers, but before I knew whether I was seeing a jokeor a student film project or the real thing, the shooter—andpolice—were already in the school.

What to do? I wasn’t so much disoriented as unoriented.What was clear was there was nothing I could do, so, asstrange as it seems in retrospect, I continued the way I wasgoing, to pick up a book I’d ordered from around the corner.Around that corner, another two police stood over anotheryouth, cuffed, face down on the asphalt. Had a drug deal orbank job gone wrong and one of the suspects fled intoDawson? I walked on. Seeing my office mate and somefriends through the window of an Indian restaurant, I wentin and told them I thought there’d been a shooting atDawson, gave them my tentative explanation, then carriedon to get my book.

9/13The Media and

their Message: anaccount of the

Dawson CollegeShooting

By Bryan SentesBA(Hons)’86


I went back to Dawson to see how things turned out. Acrowd of students, many I recognized and some I spoke to, milled about, uncertain, bemused, shocked. Manyteary-eyed, frantically tried to call friends or parents on theircellphones, the sheer number of their calls jamming thenetwork. There were rumours of another shooter in PlaceAlexis Nihon, the mall across the street. My theory seemedconfirmed. I talked with teachers and administrators, trying,like everyone, to figure out what exactly was going on.Marked and unmarked police cruisers and emergencyvehicles roared by. A police or news helicopter chatteredoverhead.

I wasn’t to get “the full story” until I got home, turned on thetelevision and checked the Internet. Not two hours after I’dheard those first shots I came home to emails and phonemessages from friends and relatives as far away as Europe.Though a witness, I had, like anybody else, to access thenews media to find out what had happened. At the speed oflight the entire planet knew something had happened atDawson College in Montreal, and only an on going buzz ofspeculation after that.

The next day, Thursday, when what had basically happenedhad been determined—one student killed, 20 wounded(three who had studied with me)—I was briefly interviewedby a talk radio show in Saskatchewan. One question standsout. I was asked how I felt as I witnessed the event, “dideverything start to go in slow motion?”. No, because I wasn’twatching TV or a movie: there were no special effects, no

jump-cuts, no soundtrack. I didn’t know what I was seeing.Unless one has had first-hand experience of this kind ofviolence, one lacks the context to even perceive the event forwhat it is. Though we “witness” countless hours of violenceon the news, on television and cinema, the stereotypicaldepictions we absorb are not “the real thing”, which,surprisingly, is impressive for its underwhelming banality.One of the wounded was so distanced from the event that hestood on a balcony overlooking the scene and took half adozen shots with this cellphone while the shooter fired back.

Seven days, to the minute, after the first shots were fired, ina widely-reported rite, the students took back their school.All their actions—the memorials inside the school, theirreturning when and how they did—all seemed, mostly, toexpress a healthy resentment toward this murderousintrusion by an absolute outsider. Like the tragedy atVirginia Tech, 9/13 was in every respect uncanny, “out of ourken”, outside our acquaintance and beyond our grasp.Despite the on going police and journalistic investigation, itremains so, and should.

Bryan Sentes is a literature professor at Dawson College inMontreal. His latest book of poetry Ladonian Magnitudes ispublished by DC Books (www.dcbooks.ca).

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Far right: Students at DawsonCollege flee the building after

hearing reports of a gunman onSept. 13. Photo: CP/Montreal La

Presse-Ivanoh Demers. Right:Flowers from the public memorial indowntown Montreal. Eighteen-year-old Anastasia De Sousa was killed

when a gunman with a semi-automatic rifle opened fired on

students. CP/Ian Barrett.


Let me start by sayingwhat a pleasure it hasbeen to serve as presidentof the University of ReginaAlumni Association duringthe past year. I haveenjoyed my experienceworking with all of youwho have given your timeto help strengthen theAssociation.

I would especially like toacknowledge the efforts ofthe members of the board.They are, to a person,dedicated to making theUniversity of Regina AlumniAssociation the best alumniorganization in Canada

From the vantage point ofthis office it has been anexciting year—one rich withchallenge and reward.

One of my first tasks aspresident was to presentElaine McNeil with theLifetime Achievement Awardat the 2006 AlumniAssociation CrowningAchievement Awards. Whatan honour it was to meetElaine and the other awardrecipients and to share thatspecial evening with them.It has been satisfying tosee the growth of theprogram and I look forwardto seeing more deservingalumni recognized in theyears to come.

While the CrowningAchievement Awards

honour some of our bestand brightest graduates,we should remember thatthere are thousands of Uof R grads who are makingtheir mark on the worldevery day. In doing so,these graduates are notonly making valuablecontributions to ourcommunities but they areenhancing the reputationof the University as well.

And speaking of theUniversity’s reputation, itwas really given a boostwith the recentannouncement of thesuccessful conclusion ofthe Building Dreams andFutures campaign. Thanksin part to the generosity ofour alumni, the Universityhas exceeded its $75million goal and hashelped to establish alegacy that will benefitstudents, researchers, theUniversity, and thecommunity for decades tocome.

I know that many alumnirallied around this mostimportant endeavour. Iwould like to personallythank all those graduateswho were engaged in thecampaign and contributedto its success in whatevermanner they could.

The Alumni Association waspleased to be involved inthe campaign with a

donation of $260,000. Thelargest portion of thefunding will go towardsupporting studentsthrough scholarships. Aswell, a significant portionwent to furnish the readingroom in the Dr. John ArcherLibrary.

The past year has alsobeen a time of growth forour many programs andservices. Whether it wasco-hosting special eventswith our many partners—Student Affairs, Rams,Cougars and severalfaculties, getting anotherissue of Alumni E-newsonto grad’s desktops,networking and careerenhancement opportunities,or just getting togetherwith other alumni forfellowship and fun, it’sbeen a busy andproductive year. We’vehighlighted some of ourrecent events on thefollowing pages.

Let us know how we’redoing. As a graduate of theU of R you are a memberof the Alumni Associationand eligible for all thebenefits membershipbrings. But we depend onyour feedback to make ourprograms and serviceseven better. Call the officeat 1-877-779-GRAD or inRegina at 585-4503 or visitus on the internet atwww.uregina.ca/alumni and

give us your thoughts.We’d be happy to hearfrom you.

Even better, come out toour annual gathering andmeeting on June 21. Meetwith our outstanding boardmembers and lend yourvoice in selecting our newboard members andpresident. Even though myterm as president hasended I will continue towork with the board aspast-president. Followingthe success of our Wineand Tapas Tasting last year,we have asked our friend,Doug Reichel to give us arepeat performance withnew wine samplings andfood pairings. I lookforward to seeing many ofyou out to celebrate oursuccesses.

On behalf of the entireboard of directors I wishyou and your families allthe best that summer hasto offer.

Brian Munro

Alumni Association President’s Message


Reaching out to Alumni

TorontoYoung alumni from the greaterToronto area gathered at theC-Lounge spa club to “ChillOut” on Feb. 22. U of RAlumni Association Toronto-based board member, NeilJacoby hosted the event. TheToronto film industry was wellrepresented as a number ofFaculty of Fine Arts alumnidropped by. There were alsoalumni from the Faculty ofBusiness Administration andFaculty of Science.

In April, members met inToronto to discuss how toinvolve more alumni ingatherings in Toronto, whichhas the fourth largestconcentration of U of R alumniin Canada. While there, theyhad the opportunity to meetPresident Jim Tomkins and seea presentation by alumnusGeorge Anderson on hissuccessful climb of Africa’sMount Kilimanjaro in supportof literacy in Tanzania.Anderson offers leadershipconsulting services to privateclients through his firm, GACorporate Services.

SaskatoonThere are over 900 alumnifrom the Faculty of SocialWork living in the Saskatoonarea. U of R President JimTomkins, Dean of the Facultyof Social Work David Schantz,and Alumni Association Vice-President Charlene Banjacwere delighted to meet some

of these warm individuals at anetworking event in Saskatoonon April 19.

CalgaryThe University of Reginapartnered with SaskatchewanIndustry and Resources andthe University of Saskatchewanto host approximately 200 ex-pats at a reception and multi-media presentation,“Innovative by Nature” inCalgary on Feb. 1. Vice-President of External RelationsBarb Pollock greeted alumniand invited them to comeback to Saskatchewan.Association Vice-PresidentMichael Tomka joined Dean ofthe Faculty of BusinessAdministration Garnet Garvenand Dean of the Faculty of ArtsThomas Chase in chatting withalumni and guests.

On May 2, alumni attended atrade fair in Calgary hosted byThink Regina! The concept forThink Regina! is to get Calgaryresidents to consider Reginaas a place to live. A delegationof more than 40 Reginabusinesses and agencies,including the U of R, traveledto Calgary to promote career,investment and businessopportunities.

As geologists from acrossCanada gathered in Calgary forthe Canadian Society ofPetroleum Geologists annualconference, the AlumniAssociation hosted anetworking reception at a localEnglish pub on May 15. Faculty

members from the Departmentof Geology were also there tosee how their former studentswere doing.

VancouverU of R alumni attended theSaskatchewan Industry andResources “Innovative byNature” event on Feb. 8.

On March 8, more than 30alumni gathered in a quaintdowntown wine bar to meetalumnus Dale Eisler and hearhis presentation on thethemes of his recent bookFalse Expectations: Politics andthe Pursuit of theSaskatchewan Myth. The bookasserts that much of howSaskatchewan perceives itselfto be and what it can achieveas a province is based on amyth. A good time was had byall.

ReginaAlumni remain proud of theirU of R teams as witnessedwhen more than 100 alumni,family members and friendscame out on a cold Januarynight to attend a Cougars pre-game reception and night ofbasketball. Head coach of thewomen’s basketball team DaveTaylor and men’s head coachJames Hillis welcomed alumniinto the inner circle andadvised them on what theyshould keep their eyes onwhile watching the game.

The first annual URBusinessShowcase, held on March 1,highlighted the work being

done in the Faculty ofBusiness Administration. Morethan 200 business leaders andalumni came out to networkwith students and facultymembers and celebrate theaccomplishments and discussthe future direction of thefaculty. Congratulations to theURBusiness Students Societyfor its organizing prowess onthis top class event.

Annual Gathering in ReginaWine expert Doug Reichel isback by popular demand onJune 21 to teach guests aboutperfect pairings in his fun andinformative presentation,“Food, Friends and Wine”.Take some time to celebratethis year’s accomplishments,meet the alumni board, andre-new acquaintances withyour fellow alumni. For moreinformation visitwww.uregina.ca/alumni/e-ae.

Call for applicationsThe annual general meeting ofthe University of ReginaAlumni Association (URAA) willbe held on campus on June21, 2007. All alumni arewelcome. The URAA is seekingboard members for a two-yearterm starting June 22. Formore information, contact theAlumni Relations office at 1-877-779-4723.

Right: Toronto-based alumni cameout for an April 11 event that

included a presentation by AlumniCrowning Achievement Award

Lifetime Achievement recipientGeorge Anderson MA’74 on his

climb of Africa’s Mount Killimanjaro.Far right: Dale Eisler BA’71 was the

special guest of an alumnigathering in Vancouver on March 8.Eisler was on hand to speak about

his recent book.

It’s time to uncork the celebration of the year! Join us for an evening of camaraderie and a sampling of fabulous wines and tapas.

Thursday, June 21 - Multi Purpose Room Riddell Centre, University of Regina

6:30 p.m. 2007 Alumni Association AGM “Food, Friends and Wine”, a fun and informative presentation by wine expert Doug Reichel.Free Admission

7:00 p.m.Wine and Tapas Tasting$20 alumni$30 friends

RSVP by June 14 by calling (306)585-4503, toll free 1-877-779-4723 or by email: [email protected] parking in Lot 8.

Tickets cannot be purchased at the door.

ALUMNI ANNUALGATHERING & MEETING

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