Photo by Cole Breiland

Practical tips for maintaining your sanity during exams

Christina Battaglia

Alas, classes are quickly coming to an end. Students are rushing, staying up late, and pulling long hours to get their last assignments completed. This means it is time once again for exams.

Students may experience the anxiety trips, panic attacks, and of course the sleepless nights due to the stresses of exams. There are three major factors that can help during “crunch time” that may benefit students.

Avoid or loosen stress levels

Try to stay away from stressful situations, like taking on a massive work load. Make sure to give yourself enough time for studying so you’re not panicking frantically at the last minute. It is essential to have time-management skills for planning days with a few hours dedicated to studying, as well as enough time for breaks to unwind any built-up tension. A helpful tip is to have notes written down on a board or a calendar of the subject to study.

Allow a minimum of two hours dedicated to one subject with a one-hour break before the next two-hour block of studying. This will avoid cramming everything in and will still allow you a few hours of free time to run errands – or even have a bit of a social life.

If you feel that tension persists, it may be time to visit a doctor. Students can access services at the Student Health and Counseling centre located on campus, or a walk-in clinic.

Take care of your health

A proper diet and exercise can increase your odds of staying healthy. Many students use the excuse of exam time to indulge in pizza, poutine, and brownies or the ten cups of coffee to pull an all-nighter – only to later realize that none of the information read was retained. Try to avoid high levels of caffeine; instead, drink water to stay hydrated and remember, plenty of sleep is key.

As a young energized student, stay active when taking a break from studying. Enjoy the fresh air and beautiful weather by going on walks. Being determined in a regular exercise routine can improve your mood and could defeat the physical effects of stress.

Other relaxation techniques, such as focusing on breathing and relaxing muscles by stretching arms, shoulders, back, and legs, can be done indoors. Maintaining a healthy body will provide for a healthy mind, and ultimately better results.

Keep a solid study environment

Exams are a whole year’s worth of knowledge condensed into a couple of hours. Having an organized study environment is important. Try to study in smaller doses over a long period of time. Having a wide timeframe will help make it easier to break down all the notes from the course. Be aware of all the information that was given throughout the course. If any concerns about the material arise, make sure to contact your teacher for clarification.

The last and final piece would be to avoid missing your exam. You may think it couldn’t happen, but it does. Whether your study habits involve working alone or in a group, sitting in silence or listening to music, just be aware of your physical and mental needs. Engage in lots of relaxation exercises and a stress free environment for a positive outlook going into exams. Best of luck to everyone!

Community has the chance to shape Thunder Bay culture

Amy Szybalski

News Writer

For the first time, the city of Thunder Bay is forming a municipal plan to direct the cultural path the city will take over the next ten years. Municipal culture planning is a process that leverages a community’s cultural resources to support economic development and integrate culture across all facets of local planning and decision-making.

The process will try to look at every aspect of Thunder Bay culture, both from the point of view of an outside consultant and through the eyes of its citizens. It will then be decided what steps need to be taken to protect and develop our culture to highlight the great diversity that exists here.

On March 29^th and 30^th, public forums were held in the Community Auditorium. The event on the 29^th was an open house where community members came to hear speakers discuss what course the plan would take.

“It’s wonderful to see the members of our community out and supporting our cultural centres,” said Leah Bayly of the city’s Cultural Services department in her opening speech.

Mayor Lynn Peterson was also thrilled to see so many people come out to the event. The mayor described the municipal culture plan as “an exciting project for our city that will serve to identify needs and priorities relating to culture, and understand the role of the cultural sector in sustainable development.”

Peterson continued that the city “is thrilled to extend the opportunity to the public to engage early in the planning process to help create shared vision for the future of culture in Thunder Bay.”

The next step in the plan is dealing with the “seven drivers for change” identified by the steering committee. These elements will dictate the direction taken in the next stages of the plan. These include enabling leadership, fostering arts heritage, and attracting youth and young professionals, among others.

In addition to the speeches, attendees at the open house also took part in an interactive panel session. Participants got to tell the committee what cultural assets they see in Thunder Bay, as well as what assets they believe could be better highlighted in the future.

This community input, as well as what came out of the sessions that followed on the 30^th, will help to form the foundation of the strategic plan. A draft of the plan should be drawn up in the fall, and the city is hoping to launch the plan next spring.

The band prepares to rock Kilroy’s for the second time on their Blood, Steel & Fire tour

Derek Wall

A&E Editor

In early March, Omega Crom rolled through Thunder Bay and performed an intense live set at Kilroy’s. For those who missed this up and coming heavy metal act out of Vancouver or would love to catch them again, you have another opportunity this Wednesday.

The band is enjoying life on the road, but it hasn’t always been a smooth ride for the West coast group. Since the late 90’s, Omega Crom’s lead vocalist and founding member, Johnny Ketlo, has had a hard time getting the band launched. But after years of members leaving and joining the group, and even recovering from a few break-ups, Omega Crom is finally on the road publicizing their first full-length album release, Blood, Steel & Fire. The Argus was able to catch up with Omega Crom’s guitarist, Wayne Holden, enjoying some downtime in Toronto.

“You learn how to overcome lots of diversity,” commented Holden when asked about what the band might have gained from their tumultuous past. “We all kind of got together and persevered through it all… There was a time when releasing an album and going on tour seemed pretty far-fetched.”

Holden and the rest of the Omega Crom most certainly have some words of wisdom for anyone aspiring to be a professional musician: “No matter what happens, keep on going, and eventually good things will happen.”

It would seem that in today’s musical climate, being a part of a heavy metal outfit comes with more than the usual challenges normally associated with making music for a living. There are a few additional challenges that are unique to the genre.

“Cities like Vancouver have been shutting down all of the good [heavy metal] venues and turning them into nightclubs,” explains Holden. In fact, he stated, one of Vancouver’s most popular metal venues, The Coal Vault, was recently reconfigured into a nightclub. Holden further mentioned that when the quality venues get shut down, the only other options for performances are often dirty, run-down basements: “It’s tough finding good quality venues.”

With a past like the one that lies behind Omega Crom, one suspects they are especially looking forward to what the future holds for them. They are in the planning stages for a Western tour later on in 2010, as well as another Canadian tour coupled with an East coast tour in August.

The show happens to fall two days after the official CD release date on April 5^th so concertgoers can expect spirits to be high.

Also performing at Kilroy’s will be Rusted Dawn, Jagstog, D.E.A.D., Minotaur, and Last Boss.

Art by Christi Belcourt

Thunder Bay Art Gallery to host reception Friday

Kenneth Lloyd

The Thunder Bay Art Gallery’s current exhibition “Celebrating the Creators” focuses on art created by Aboriginal artists across North-western Ontario. The work of 55 artists will be available for the public’s viewing, as will as the art of Christi Belcourt.

Joanne Arnott refers to Belcourt on the gallery’s official webpage as “a Métis visual artist with a deep respect for the traditions and knowledge of our people. The majority of her work explores and celebrates the beauty of the natural world.”

Belcourt’s art revolves heavily around the natural and the spiritual. The artist’s webpage (www.belcourt.net) explains the nature of her creations – no pun intended. “From the core of Mother Earth to the infinite Universe,” she writes, “all that we need as human beings spiritually is already here. Our spiritual selves exist among, within, and in full partnership with the other spirits that exist in this realm. Spirits that are everywhere; within the waters, within the plants, within the rocks, and by our sides as Spirit Helpers.

“The Creator is within each and everyone of us, in fact we exist not only in this physical realm, but dually in the spiritual realm at the same time. We need not look further than what exists around us, or perhaps more accurately, we need not search outside of ourselves.

“And we need not await death in order for the mysteries of our world to be known to us, for what we need is already within and around us. At every moment we co-exist with the spirit world in the present. We are more powerful as human beings than we realize because we are complete with all the knowledge of the Earth and Universe.”

On Friday, April 12^th, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery will be hosting a reception for the Celebrating The Creators exhibit and Belcourt will be on site to give a talk on her art.

The reception will also have a performance from Little Bear Singers and a screening of the portrait series by Adrian Fox-Keesic and Brent Wesley, I Am Indigenous.

Local wind energy project is dividing Thunder Bay residents

Ian Kaufman

Features Editor

To many people, the idea of opposing a wind energy development seems ludicrous. Wind farms, from their name up, conjure a compelling mix of pastoral and futuristic images: verdant fields and iconic, shining white structures often described as sleek and elegant. They are used to symbolize the growing sustainability and environmental movement. When Barrack Obama made wind energy a noticeable part of his platform during the 2008 election campaign, it seemed to epitomize his appeal: fresh, forward-looking, and idealistic, but practical and serious at the same time.

It is against this backdrop that a Toronto-based company, Horizon Wind Inc., recently announced their intention to build an 18-turbine facility in Thunder Bay. The company is looking to lease a 17,000 acre property on the Nor’Wester mountain range neighbouring the Loch Lomond ski hill. They say the development, named the “Big Thunder Wind Park”, will power 9,000 Thunder Bay homes.

A rough estimation of Thunder Bay’s energy situation puts the city’s potential generation around 1500 megawatts. Of that, hydro makes up about 700 mW, coal 525 mW, and natural gas 150 mW. With the McGuinty government’s plan to phase out coal by 2014, potential generation would be reduced to around 900 mW – still almost twice the peak energy use, which sits just over 500 mW.

The proposed wind project has divided many of the residents of Thunder Bay. While a facebook page supporting it has drawn over a thousand fans, but it has equally generated concerns and an organized resistance.

Wind’s green cred means that critics of wind projects often get pigeonholed as paranoid, anti-environment wingnuts. Meeting with some of the opponents of the Big Thunder project is enough to dispel this preconception. Anna Marchese, a member of the Nor’Wester Mountain Escarpment Protection Committee, lives near the proposed development with her family. Like many other critics of industrial wind power, she initially welcomed the idea.

“At first, neighbours called [with concerns], but I didn’t think anything of it. I thought, so? It’s a windmill. Nothing to worry about. After two or three phone calls, I thought maybe I should start digging around. I went on the computer, I started asking other neighbours, I started asking my husband’s doctors.” What Marchese’s digging unearthed was surprising. Wind farms face a slew of criticisms on financial, technical, political, health-related, and even environmental grounds.

Financial

Wind energy is certainly more expensive than conventional energy; the province pays producers 13.5 cents per kilowatt-hour, compared to the average provincial cost of about 6 cents. “Wind and solar are great sources: they’re green, they’re clean. But they can be expensive,” says City Councilor Larry Hebert, who served as General Manager of Thunder Bay Hydro for 20 years.

“Ontario is very encouraging, under its programs, to get into those things, but there’s a cost to pay – and that’s starting to come home with the hydro bills that are coming out. It’s shown on the bills as ‘Provincial Benefit’ right now, and there’s a number of things that go into it, but one of them is the cost of green energy.”

Of course, factoring in “external costs” – the incalculable social and environmental costs associated with fossil fuels – may well justify this added expense. The city of Thunder Bay will receive $275,000 in taxes if the wind park land lease is approved. If so, it will be the first wind farm in Ontario on municipal lands – usually they are located on privately-owned agricultural land. On the flipside, critics counter that this sum will be counter-balanced by a drop in tax revenue with the possible devaluation of the homes near the wind farm.

Technical

The technical criticisms of wind power mostly focus on its unreliability. Birbal Singh, a Lakehead professor of Mechanical Engineering, explains the dilemma: “You cannot design a power plant for the normal demand;” rather, it must be designed for peak capacity. “The problem with wind is, if you want to guarantee 10 mW, you have to design for 100 mW, because sometimes it’s only running at %10 capacity. With oil and natural gas, if you want 10 mW, you get 10 mW, guaranteed.”

This unpredictability means that other sources of power will still be required as backups. Some charge that the resulting fluctuation in output on the part of the backup sources makes them less efficient, resulting in increased carbon emissions and energy use. In the case of the Horizon project, with its potential generation of 27 mW, this compensation would be minimal. This could, however, become an issue in the future.

Singh brings up a neglected angle in the wind debate: our energy expectations. Growing up in India gives him a different perspective on the issue. “Back home, we get electricity for three hours a day, and that’s not even guaranteed. People are used to that. Here, if you supply people three hours of electricity – first thing, they will freeze to death. But even in the summer, nobody will tolerate that. Wind power in India is increasing, and it’s a great idea. People are happy to get three hours a day.”

Political

The recently-passed Ontario Green Energy and Economy Act (usually referred to simply as the Green Energy Act) has stirred some controversy, especially with municipal authorities. The Act gives the province increased power over energy issues, at the expense of municipalities.

“They took away meaningful local input from the community,” says City Councilor Linda Rydholm. “So now we’re in a situation where the province has changed the rules; now approval for this energy project rests between the company and the province.”

Health-related

Health concerns surrounding wind farms may be the most divisive of the criticisms of wind farms. People who have lived in close proximity to wind turbines sometimes claim effects including heart arrhythmia, headaches, stress, and loss of sleep; however, there is a paucity of scientific evidence to back up these claims. Wind’s critics say that there simply has not been sufficient time to study these issues; defenders counter that anecdotal evidence is insufficient, and that health complaints are either psycho-somatic or attempts for fiscal compensation from wind companies.

Horizon is unequivocal in its dismissal of this anecdotal evidence. In a 2008 Media and Councillor Information Kit, they state: “In over twenty-five years and with more than 68,000 turbines installed around the world, no member of the public has ever been harmed by wind turbines.”

The health effects, if valid, stem from the noise generated by the rotation of the propellers. In the case of large turbines, like those proposed at Big Thunder, low-frequency sound is generated – often low enough that it falls below the human level of audibility. It is possible that the repetitive vibrations from the turbines disturb human health.

Says Marchese: “Doctors are not agreeing; some are saying it can’t make people sick, some are saying it can. Our position is that, if you don’t know, then you invoke the precautionary principle and you do a third-party study to find out.”

Currently, Ontario requires turbines to be a minimum of 550 metres from residences. Other jurisdictions have pegged the distance (known as “setback”) anywhere from 300 metres to 1.5 km. Marchese calls the legitimacy of the province’s number into question. “Ontario studied [setback distances] 18 months ago, but noone knows what reason they have for that distance.”

Environmental

The Nor’Wester Mountain Escarpment Protection Committee believes the proposed Big Thunder wind park is not as eco-friendly as it is marketed to be. They allege that the $75 million project will devastate the landscape with access roads and construction, threatening the structural integrity of the mountain and the health of the watershed, as well as posing a danger to birds and bats.

In a letter to the Chronicle-Journal, Lakehead President Fred Gilbert – never hesitant to voice an unpopular opinion – puts himself squarely in this camp. “The Nor‘Wester location is an ecologically sensitive area representing the northernmost extension of the Great Lakes Hardwood Forest, with attendant species not found elsewhere in Northwestern Ontario…

“The potential for habitat impact in an ecologically sensitive area is high with the Horizon Wind Inc. development and should have been considered seriously. It is now too late for sober second thought but city council ‘blew’ this one!”

However, some are more skeptical of these claims. Dr. Philip Fralick, professor of Geology at Lakehead, dismisses the concerns about the Nor’wester’s structural integrity, pointing out that the weight of the turbines is miniscule compared to that of the mountain, even considering that it is made up of relatively “light” rock.

Notwithstanding the numerous concerns brought forward by its opponents, Big Thunder wind park Project Developer Nhung Nguyen believes that the proximity of the turbines to people’s homes is the real sticking point. “I think all of the concerns about wind projects really boil down to setback distances,” she says. This is one thing upon which Horizon and its critics can seemingly agree.

“That’s our concern,” Marchese . “If you move [the turbines] away from people, it doesn’t interrupt their view-shed, it doesn’t interfere with their health, they’re not going to [contaminate] the water, they’re not going to destroy the mountain. If you put them further back, it’s problem solved.”

So is there any chance Horizon will compromise on this decisive issue? The company is set to make an announcement on Wednesday, April 7^th that Nguyen hopes will satisfy those who are concerned about the project.

“We’ve been really thinking about all of people’s comments. So next week, we’re going to be making an announcement,” she says. “We think that this will be a good response to people’s concerns.”

Will this mysterious response involve changes to Horizon’s contentious plans, or simply a rhetorical volley with the company’s critics? “It will be a modification of the plans,” Nguyen confirms. “With this change to the proposal, we hope that we’re being very accommodating. As to whether [those opposed to the project] will be satisfied with it, I can’t speak to that. But I can certainly say that we’ve tried our best.”

Although Nguyen could not reveal what that “modification of plans” will entail, the most obvious possibility is to move back the turbines closest to homes in the area – some will be within about 600 metres. This week could see the resolution of the conflict over this energy development – stay tuned.

Photo by Cole Breiland

Thunderwolves men’s basketball coach and OUA West coach of the year talks with The Argus

Lyle Morissette

Sports Editor

Argus: Prior to this past season, you stated one clear goal: making the playoffs. Clearly the team far surpassed that goal. Are you at all surprised by what transpired this year? And, as a result, will the team’s goals be on the loftier side for next season?

Morrison: If you would have told me in the pre-season that we would be playing in the Final 8 as the #6 seed, I would have been pleasantly surprised. However, as our team took shape throughout the season, each win grew our confidence and our belief that the opportunity to exceed our goals was knocking at our door.

In respect to next season’s goals, they haven’t changed much in my mind. We began the 2009/10 season working on a two-year plan to raise a banner in the Thunderdome. While this goal has not yet been reached, the experience gained this year will only help us as we continue to work towards that ultimate goal next season.

A:   The team’s balanced scoring must have been a delight for both you and the players, what with everybody factoring in on almost a game-by-game basis.

M: I think we have found a winning formula in the sense that we want to build our team to be versatile and deep. We can sacrifice individual talent for a balanced group that is hard to contain. The factoring of each player provides an opportunity to foster closeness on the team, which has always been one of our strengths at Lakehead.

A: What has it meant to you to be named the OUA West conference’s Coach of the Year?

M: The Coach of the Year award is the biggest ‘team’ award out there as it reflects on the progress and success of the program. Because of that, it was special to accept on behalf of the players, assistant coaches and staff. Personally I look at it as a sign of respect from my peers within the conference for some hard work put in over the last 7 years.

A:   The team’s one individual award that seemingly sticks out is that of Greg Carter winning OUA West defensive player of the year. Just how important was Greg’s defensive wall to the team’s performance on a nightly basis?

M: Greg’s ball pressure usually sets the tone for us on every defensive possession as he makes it difficult for the opponent to get into their offense while having to deal with him buzzing around. He also contains the opponent’s top perimeter scorer every weekend. These two qualities were both major factors in our major defensive improvement as a team from 2008/09 to 2009/10.

A: 6-16 to 17-5 in the regular season? To what do you attribute that?

M: Many factors have contributed to our stronger season, including finding the right mix of players who are willing to commit themselves to being better as a unit. We made sacrifices as a team all season long in order to be better prepared to win each weekend, and those efforts paid off in a major way. The key now will be to raise the bar for next year so that our success level will also be to the next step.

A:   Looking towards next season, do you have any particular recruitment plans or voids to fill with players graduating?

M: In CIS basketball, a program must always grow and develop or risk being pushed to the bottom. We return most of our roster and as a result have adjusted our recruiting patterns slightly for this season. In the past we focused on young players with potential and time to develop in order to form a strong core unit. This has been accomplished and now we are looking to bring in 1-2 more experienced players that can fit in with our personnel and help us get to that next level.

A:  After this year’s successes, will anything below what you accomplished this year be a letdown, in your opinion?

M: Our goal since 2003 has been to raise a men’s basketball banner in the Thunderdome. This year we had an opportunity to do so for the first time but fell just short. Next season’s preparations have already started and the goal will remain the same but with more experience on hand to reach that goal than ever before.

A:   Any regrets from this year?

M: There were many mistakes made by everyone on the team this year including myself. So far we have handled them well and become stronger as a result each time. My only regret would be if in the future we forget these learned lessons and repeat our mistakes.

A:  And finally, your pick for NBA champions this year?

M: Knicks in 2010-11; while we are waiting I hope Toronto gets to the Conference finals.

Photo by Cole Breiland

Budget ratified and CUPE challenges board

Stacey Goyan

News Editor

Vice-president finance drama erupted at board on Thursday night when issues surrounding VP finance-elect Chris Vaillant’s ability to fulfill his term were brought to light.

Outgoing Chief Returning Officer, Tomas Valiquette, distributed packages to the board containing emails received from Dr. Phillip Allingham, an associate professor in the Faculty of Education.

The emails revealed that because Vaillant did not complete one of his crucial education courses, he is required to retake it before being allowed to do his teaching placement.

While Vaillant would be permitted to take courses as a LUSU executive, if he took his placement later than March 2011, he would be forced to graduate in November of that year and be unable to teach until September of 2012.

Valiquette presented the board with two options: first, the board could vote to allow Vaillant an additional 15 days of holidays above the 10 that are allotted, and the second option would be for Vaillant to either put off graduation or resign the position of VP Finance.

Vaillant argued that he felt able to fulfill his responsibilities as VP finance despite having to complete his placement.

President-elect Mike Snoddon admitted he was torn regarding the situation, but stressed that the board should think of students when making their decision.

Concern was raised around the precedent set if Vaillant was allowed the additional time off. Some members of the board argued that if Vaillant were permitted the additional time off, then this would allow both present and future executives to have extended time away from the office.

The board explored various options, including revoking pay for the days off, or requiring Vaillant to make up the time. Once the question was called, the board decided in a tight vote not to allow Vaillant the additional days off. The vote was 7 for, 6 against, and 1 abstention.

Vaillant agreed that he would notify LUSU of his decision by Monday.

CUPE talks back

In response to last week’s decision to revoke their space, members of CUPE came to board to question their decision.

CUPE president, Ron Berg addressed the board, offering that they were willing to share space with the chemistry club, despite concerns about confidential documents that the union houses.

VP finance, Josh Kolic, admitted that he did not know that a chemistry club existed prior to the controversy. Kolic noted that he had not received a constitution or club package from a chemistry club, or permitted them to have the space.

Despite this, the VP Finance revealed that after meetings with the chemistry club, it was agreed that the two groups would share the space until the end of the year. LUSU would then look into a new space for either the chemistry club or CUPE. Kolic said this would be decided when the two clubs meet with LUSU to discuss the issue.

Berg retorted that the chemistry club has been using the space for study purposes, while CUPE has used it to run their day-to-day operations. He argued that not all faculties have access to exclusive study space.

Vice-president student issues Trevor Cava felt that it was inappropriate to privilege CUPE’s work over the chemistry club’s work.

Budget frozen, approved, but not available online

Kolic presented board with next year’s operating budget to be ratified. The VP Finance stated that despite small increases, the budget will be frozen, or relatively unchanged from last year. Kolic noted that any increases in the budget were made to reflect the actual costs of the budget lines, as opposed to what had been projected.

One exception was a substantial cut from $50,500 to $18,000 in the sustainability budget. Sustainability’s budget returned to the original $18,000 that was provided by the referenda, after a $27,000 grant that allowed the initiative to operate full-time expired.

Director Louise Haukeness argued that the board should take a week to review the budget, because many board members had only received it a few hours before the meeting.

Kolic pointed out that with the last meeting of the year taking place the following week, board could risk ending the year without a ratified budget. The board voted and accepted the budget.

Representative from BDO Dunwoody, Blair Smith, attended the meeting to discuss the feasibility of putting LUSU’s operational budget online.

Smith said that it is not common practice among student unions and non-profit organizations to put operational budgets online, because it could release confidential information such as wages, which are protected by privacy laws

As well, Smith pointed out that making budgets for The Outpost, and The Study available online could give important information away to competitors, hurting business.

The board voted down the motion to put the budgets available online later in the meeting.

Photo by Cole Breiland

Lakehead’s president reflects on the last twelve years before stepping down

Stacey Goyan

News Editor

After twelve years at Lakehead University, President and Vice Chancellor Dr. Fred Gilbert will be stepping down at the end of July 2010.

Since Dr. Gilbert took office in 1998, Lakehead has seen the introduction of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, the Advanced Technology and Academic Centre (ATAC), the Orillia campus, and a strategic plan for Lakehead’s future. At the same time, Gilbert’s term has not gone without controversy, including international attention regarding the “Yale Shmale” campaign and the ban of wireless technology on campus, and local criticism regarding the land swap deal in 2007.

Love him or hate him, Dr. Gilbert has had a profound effect on Lakehead University. The Argus sat down with Lakehead’s fifth president to reflect on the last twelve years.

Argus: So how do you feel coming to the end of your term?

Fred Gilbert: Mixed emotions I think anyone would have. A sense of both relief and disappointment I guess, disappointment that it’s over, because it has had its moments, no question about it. Relief that I can actually do something different and not have the obligations, and there are an awful lot of obligations that go with the position that are always there and always part of my personal agenda.

A: Do you feel that anything has been left unfinished?

FG: Well the one thing that’s still unfinished is the law school and there’s no question that it’s going to happen sometime. It would have been nice to have it in place by now. The other thing we’re still working on is research building. So in terms of the kind of agenda that I had set out in terms of my expectations of finishing major things before I step down, those are the two important ones, in my mind, that are still outstanding.

A: What are your plans for retirement?

FG: I don’t have any. I think the worst thing you can do while you’re still working is plan for your retirement. I don’t intend to stop working. I’ll find something else to do. I’m not someone who’s not going to go into a life of leisure now. I’ll find some things that I find personally attractive and put my energy into those. Some of those may be consulting opportunities, some of those might be opportunities to engage in things that I find particularly relevant and important to pursue.

A: What do you consider your greatest accomplishment over the last twelve years?

FG: The University has changed over the last twelve years. I think its more confident institution. I think that the expectation that the university now has is perhaps greater than it was when I first arrived. I do believe that all relates to people. Not to say there’s anything wrong with the people who were here when I arrived, it’s just that they had different expectations at that time than they might have now. So [my] greatest accomplishment might be attracting people, including students, to the university.

A: How would you describe that change in thinking?

FG: We’re now truly a research-intensive university. I think we’re a full dimensional university. The university always had broad programming but it was predominantly undergraduate. To ensure that you have all of the attributes of a fine institution, you have to have that research component. You don’t put it above the teaching, but you have an expectation that your faculty are engaged in meaningful research. I think we’ve reached that and we’re still looking to grow even more in that direction.

A: Looking back, if you could have done something differently, what would it be?

FG: I would like to have been able to fully explain tri-party proposal for the high school on the Thunder Bay Country Club, and in effect, the provision of some land temporarily for the country club. This is the key component that we couldn’t make public at the time, with the expectation built into any legal arrangement, that the university would have the first right of refusal on any country club when it went up for sale and in some time in the future its’ going to go up for sale.

What that would have done was two really important things for the university. One was land for expansion, land that would meet any needs that we could foresee for the institution for any time in the future. Secondly since much of that land is flood plane land, it would allow the opportunity to grow the natural area on the campus. [What] most people could see at that point in time was the short term potential losses opposed to the long-term gain. Since it was tied up in the legal discussion at the time, I couldn’t make that part public. It would have been nice to have been able to somehow get the full message through to both this community and the Thunder Bay community in terms of what the long-term benefits were.

That’s one. Other things that I might do differently… this position engages so much of your time that you don’t have the opportunity to spend as much time just interfacing and interacting with individuals around the campus. In a less fraught and less demanding environment it would be nice just to go around on a regular basis and interface with people on the campus. Most of what I get is a “hi” to people as I walk around campus from one meeting to another meeting, as opposed to dropping in and seeing how things are going in particular labs and in classrooms. I think that’s the part that maybe I find most disappointing in terms of the last twelve years.

A: So on this topic, you’ve had your share of controversy, including the land swap deal, wireless, the faculty closure. Do you think students will remember you for your successes or your controversies?

FG: People tend to remember the things that impact them the most. I suspect that it’ll likely be the wireless controversy that I’ll [be] remembered for, primarily with the students. I think that history will determine whether the president was right or whether the students were right. I feel very confident that we did make the right decision in invoking the precautionary principle, because all the evidence has simply mounted to indicate that there are long-term health issues that are there. If you can do some things that avoid the accumulating exposure that people are having to EMF microwave radiation, then you’re doing a service. All the students [can see], for the most part – and there are exceptions– that we’re making things inconvenient, and in their minds there isn’t an issue. I can assure you there is an issue, and the issues will become more clear and more pronounced as we start to get into litigation just as we did with tobacco in the early days.

A: What’s something that student’s don’t know about you?

FG: They don’t know a lot about me, some of them don’t even know who I am. At the end of the day we are all individuals with our own foibles, our own strengths and our own weaknesses. I don’t think very many students got to know me as a person, and for whatever it’s worth, I think that I’m not ogre, I’m not a egomaniac. I’ve done what I’ve done hopefully to try and make Lakehead University a better place everyone.

A: Any parting words for students?

FG: You’ll never have the level of freedom and opportunity for growth in your life again, whether it’s at the graduate and undergraduate level, that you’ll have as a student. So many students don’t appreciate that and don’t take advantage of that. The social opportunities, the learning opportunities are wonderful and you don’t’ realize just how important those opportunities are until you are locked into a job later on. All of those freedoms tend to become constrained by the job itself. So the advice to students is to appreciate, enjoy and take advantage of the opportunities, whether they’re academic or social, that you have as a student.

Alice in Wonderland is a mixed bag of nuts

Derek Wall

A&E Editor

There is much to like about the film Alice in Wonderland, aesthetically speaking; Tim Burton has added his unique flair to all of Wonderland’s inhabitants, including the Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat, and The Jabberwocky to name a few. The Cheshire Cat especially, and the way he vaporizes in and out of scenes, is particularly breathtaking. If this was a stand-alone film, I might have been thoroughly satisfied.

However, Alice in Wonderland is not a stand-alone film, it is the sequel to Lewis Carroll’s classic novel from 1865, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

And that was one of the first issues with the script, or rather the title. Despite being entitled “Alice in Wonderland,” the title that Carroll’s novel is often nicknamed and the name of the classic Disney cartoon that is based off of said novel, Burton’s “Alice” takes place 13 years after the original story. This would be like titling Spielberg’s sequel of Barrie’s Peter Pan as “Peter Pan,” not “Hook.”

Speaking of Hook, Burton’s Alice draws many parallels to Spielberg’s film. They are both sequels of classic works of children’s literature, for a start, but they also both feature a protagonist that returns to their childhood fantasy world yet cannot recollect their initial visit.

Another issue with the script is that it feels as though Burton’s Alice has a difficult time remembering what exactly it is a sequel to. Whereas Barrie’s Peter Pan focused on the dichotomy between childhood and adulthood, as did Hook but added the additional layer of adult Peter struggling to remember his childhood and the importance of it. Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland” is primarily about language.

Aside from the episodic and often unrelated experiences Alice has in Carroll’s novel, the story offers young readers insight into limericks, wordplay, puns, riddles, and fables. However, none of that was present in Burton’s adaptation. I am not suggesting that the scenes in the film should have been detached and episodic like the book, as I understand that a film needs to have an arc and complete story in order to appeal to an audience, but none of the wordplay found in the original novel was brought forward to the film.

The movie was also plagued by the formulaic staleness that seems to have been haunting Tim Burton lately. Many have commented on the repetitive qualities Burton’s movies have taken on lately. Johnny Depp has appeared in the last four consecutive films by Burton making a grand total of seven appearances in Burton’s entire filmography. Depp is also scheduled to appear in the next film directed by Burton, Dark Shadows. Helena Bonham Carter (also Burton’s wife) has been appearing a bit too regularly in Burton’s film.

Speaking as one who considers himself a true Burton fan, the repetitive nature his films have taken are quite saddening. While growing up, the prospect of a new Burton film being released was akin to being invited to meet with an old insightful friend. The magic and morbid curiosity that was Tim Burton’s trademark was something that I felt spoke to me directly. I recall the sense of wonder that washed over me after completing Edward Scissorhands, the sheer horror that surged through me during Sleepy Hollow, and the dark morbid side of my own sense of humour that Beetlejuice wrung from me.

I still consider myself a Burton fan and I do still look forward to his upcoming features. I hope that Burton returns to a method of experimentation rather than sticking to a successful (or not so successful) formula. The future also foretells that next year Burton will be directing an animated feature film entitled Frankenweenie based on the short film Burton created in 1984.

A food-lover’s guide

Ian Kaufman

Features Editor

There are many reasons to take stock of how we eat, ranging from the grandiose to the personal: an interest in combating the environmental and social destruction that so often accompany the production of our food, health concerns, or simply a penchant for deliciousness. An answer to many aspects of these issues is the relocalization of food. Local food is by no means a cure-all for environmental or social ills, and it is not necessarily any healthier or more delicious – but it certainly tends in all of those directions.

Localization can create stable regional employment, as well as reducing dependence on fossil fuels used in food production and distribution. Aside from the economic advantages, it also means forging relationships in the community. Buying food from a local farmer (or growing it yourself) is far different from grabbing packaged goods at Safeway or Walmart. It affords us an awareness of the food’s quality and its social and environmental impacts – and it can be a lot more fun and satisfying.

Realistically, though, it can also be a lot harder. The siren song of convenience, in the form of fast food and well-stocked, 24-hour grocery chains, makes it difficult to stick to resolutions of local, healthy diets. With the right information and a little planning, however, you can steer clear of the neon glow of the Metros and McDonald’s of the world, eat better, and help foster a sustainable local economy. This guide lays out some of the best ways to go local in Thunder Bay: visiting farmer’s markets, frequenting stores and restaurants that stock local food, participating in CSAs and community gardens, and growing and preserving some of your own food.

Farmer’s markets

Country Market

The first and easiest stop for local food is the Country Market. If you do it right, you can pick up a significant portion of your groceries here. If it can be grown, raised, or made in the region, you will likely find it here: fruits and veggies, cheese, meat and fish, flour, bread and other baked goods, jams and preserves, honey, and a lot more – all produced within a few dozen kilometers of Thunder Bay.

In the summer, Derek Lucchese of Both Hands Bread serves pizza, freshly baked out of his innovative wood-fired oven/trailer; you can sit and enjoy breakfast from Nature’s Choice and a coffee from the Great Northwest Coffee Co. all year round. The market additionally hosts local potters, woodworkers, knitters, and other craftspeople.

Where: Dove building on the CLE grounds (Memorial St., beside Silver City theatre)

When: Saturdays 8am-1pm, Wednesdays 4pm-8pm

Downtown Artisan and Farmer’s Market

A relative newcomer, this market has quickly made a name for itself, helping to add some spice – literally and figuratively - to downtown Fort William. “You can see the front door of City Hall,” points out market owner Jim Garriock. “When towns first started, that’s where farmer’s markets were, in the hub of the city.” The market brings thousands of people through the downtown core, says Garriock. Although its focus is more on local craftspeople and artisans, it hosts its share of local food producers as well – mainly small farmers and bakers.

Where: 507 Victoria Ave. E

When: Saturdays 9am – 3pm

Community Supported Agriculture

Boreal Edge Farm CSA

Based out of Nolalu (40 km west of Thunder Bay), Boreal Edge has brought the increasingly popular Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model as an option to area residents. Members buy a share in the year’s harvest and receive 14 weeks of produce, which conveniently enough is dropped off at the university every Wednesday. Shares cost $600, which breaks down to just over $40 per week. Boreal says that shares comfortably provide a week’s vegetables for a family of four. But for those looking to save money, there is the additional option of a work share, which substitutes a weekly four hours of work for the cost of a share.

The farm offers a smattering of other options: they are partnering with other local food producers to provide bread and eggs with their shares for those who want them; for students who leave for the summer, there are “fall shares” that provide $100 worth of food at their Country Market booth for $85; there are also “storage shares” at that time including preserves, honey, and crops like potatoes, carrots, and onions for winter storage. There are still shares remaining for this year – check out their website (http://sites.google.com/site/borealedgefarm/home).

Community gardens

Every spring, Thunder Bay residents have the option of participating in a community garden. While some of these gardens operate on a principle of work-sharing and harvest-sharing, most prefer to allot individual plots within the garden. Some are free, and some charge a marginal cost. Here at the university, we have the campus community garden, a Food Security Research Network (FSRN) project. The campus garden offers over a hundred plots on a first-come, first-serve basis and is already booked for this year. If you are interested in an on-campus plot for next year, you would be well-advised to sign up early! The garden welcomes beginners as well as experienced gardeners.

Other community gardens are springing up more or less informally across the city. More information on these emerging opportunities for urban agriculture can be obtained through the city’s Community Garden Collective on the Thunder Bay District Health Unit website.

Grow it yourself!

Of course, there is always the option of starting your own impromptu vegetable garden in a backyard or a planter. Herbs like basil, mint, and parsley are a good place to start for beginners; tomatoes and beans are also relatively low-maintenance, and can be grown indoors by a windowsill.

Grocery stores

Despite paying lip service to organic and local food, large grocery chains have yet to really follow through. Smaller local operations are a little more open to the idea. George’s Market, for example, distinguishes itself by carrying local produce in the summer as well as local cheese, meat, and eggs. Baking is done on the premises. Maltese grocery, meanwhile, features some local meats, including lamb, rabbit, and beef. You can also find herbs, Thunder Oaks cheese, and baked goods.

Eating out

Thunder Bay’s restaurants, like its grocery stores, have yet to catch on to the growing demand for local food. There are a few exceptions, however. Partnerships between Thunder Bay’s farmer’s and some of its more imaginative restaurants have begun springing up.

The Growing Season Juice Collective

Don’t let their name fool you – The Growing Season offers a lot more than juice. They offer fresh, local pizza and bread courtesy of Both Hands Bread. Other baked goods are provided by Renate Nitsche of Nature’s Choice, who is also behind the Country Market Café and The Study’s baked goods. Local cheese and veggies are supplemented by sprouts grown in-house, and sometimes, local elk sausage.

The Organic Garden Café

A well-kept secret mostly known for their Friday veggie burgers, the Organic Café also serves a fair amount of local food. Besides a partnership with Both Hands Bread, the café apparently grows much of their own produce. Worth a visit, especially for the vegetarians and vegans walking amongst us.

Caribou Restaurant & Wine Bar

Although its higher prices mean students usually reserve their visits for special occasions, Caribou finds itself among the handful of restaurants making an effort to incorporate local produce into their menu. In the summer months, they use produce from Belluz farms and Debruin’s greenhouses, while Thunder Oaks’ famous gouda graces some dishes, including their popular mushroom crepes. They have also recently added beef from Terrymore Farms (located in South Gillies) and local maple syrup for desserts.

The Good News Café

Another good option for local dining is the Good News café, located in downtown Fort William. With a cozy atmosphere and a moderately fancy tone, it’s a comfortable compromise between fine and casual dining. It’s also vegetarian-friendly.