Violence on the rise
Just in this past month, Edmonton has witnessed multiple attacks on cab and bus drivers, raising the question of their safety on the job.
Riders on the 10 Clareview that December 4th morning will probably never forget their ride to school or work, as Gary Edwin Mattson allegedly punched and than dragged the bus driver outside where he continued to stomp on the skull of the 58-year-old driver, all over a dispute over bus fare.
A few weeks following that beating and yet another bus driver was attacked over bus fare again. This involved two teens near the at the Coliseum transit center during the morning rush hour.
Two teenagers are accused of arguing with the bus driver and than pepper-spraying him before running off.
And just days after that, five teenagers have been arrested and may be charged in connection with a cab driver who had both his wallet and cab stolen.
Both the police helicopter and the canine unit were used to catch all five suspects, and luckily the cab driver didn't receive any injuries.
These are just a few examples of dangers that drivers meet on a day to day basis. And these attacks just occurred in the month of December. The total number of attacks on bus and cab drivers may result in a quick change.
January could lead to more protection for all drivers, with Plexiglas installed in more cabs and buses to protect their workers.
Is Edmonton becoming too violent? Or should we just abolish bus fare? Are we asking too much from our city's cab and bus drivers?
Too many questions will no answers put the pressure on ETS and cab services in Edmonton to come forward with the right solution.
And the winner is...
And 2009 always gives way to “Best of the Year” lists, and we too at Full Metal Pen, could also not resist. After flipping through papers and scanning through websites, we have the Best News Quote of 2009.
And seeing as how 2009 was as eventful as any other year, it's a toss up between a story that happened in the beginning of the year, and a fatal car crash that happened just yesterday.
The first was during the trial of Kenneth Butler, who was accused of second-degree murder and aggravated assault on a cab driver.
In court, the cab driver recalls the events of that night and told the court what Butler had allegedly said to him.
“Take me anywhere. It doesn't matter. I'm going to kill you no matter what.” The cab driver said in court, at what Butler had supposedly told him. “I just killed my sister-in-law and now I'm going to kill you.”
A line that seems more fitting in a horror film than reality, nothing is more real than the three month long coma that the cab driver suffered through after the brutal attacks.
The second “Best News Quote of 2009” goes to Walter Romaniuk, who witnessed a fatal crash in Calgary on December 27th. While his wife performed first aide on a lady who later died, Romaniuk chased after two men who fled from the truck that was involved in the collision.
In the excitement of the chase, Romaniuk was able to yell at the two men.
“I suggested he go back to the scene of the accident he caused,” Romaniuk told the Canwest News Service.
Pretty calm words for someone who allegedly just caused a fatal highway crash.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
Colvin becomes government's number one enemy
An all-party federal committee has been given the serious task of getting down to the bottom of Richard Colvin’s serious allegations put forward on Oct. 14.
Colvin accuses the Canadian military of knowingly transferring prisoners of the war in Afghanistan to certain torture carried out by Afghanistan officials. In his 16-page documented report, he says that all prisoners handed over in 2006 and 2007 to the Afghan police were tortured.
This all-party committee will undoubtedly be torn between both sides of the story; much like the House of Commons and the nation is right now. Those who haven’t chosen a side between Colvin and the Canadian military will soon need to, because this is shaping up to make Canadian military history.
Colvin’s accusations are extremely important for a few reasons.
First of all, Canada’s peacekeeping persona and mandate may be tarnished if charges are carried out. If the committee decides to hold a trial, those who were involved may face war crime charges, including some high ranking and prominent political figures. Not to mention handing over a prisoner of war to certain torture is in direct contradiction to our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I for one would strongly ridicule our government if they say they are fighting for freedom in an oppressed nation and then break their own charter.
Secondly, this is important because there were many warning signs presented to our government in the past about torture in Afghanistan. According to Global Research, a Canadian organization, both Colvin, Amnesty International Canada and British Columbia Civil Liberties Association brought these accusations forward in 2007, but were ignored or shut down immediately.
Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay argues that Colvin’s professionalism is not credible enough to make such strong allegations. In an interview with David Akin for Canwest News Service, MacKay made himself perfectly clear that Colvin’s evidence was not sizeable.
“I’m saying evidence that has been presented thus far does not substantiate the claim. It does not prove that any detainees - Taliban prisoners - transferred by Canadian Forces were tortured,” MacKay said.
Sounds as if MacKay is trying to downplay Colvin’s evidence that now has the whole nation watching. But MacKay may want to take a different approach than under estimating Colvin’s professional credibility, because this isn’t Colvin’s first time up to bat.
A senior diplomat for over a year and a half in Afghanistan, Colvin was then chosen to become a senior diplomat in Washington, Canada’s biggest and arguably most important embassy. Not quite the job for someone who is not professional credible.
MacKay also needs to stop and wonder, what does Colvin have to benefit from these accusations. The simple answer? Nothing. By blowing the biggest whistle in Canadian military history, what has Colvin received? A long and strenuous committee hearing, nothing that is too coveted. So why would Colvin feel the need to lie about these accusations if he would not personally gain anything out of it? He wouldn’t, which is exactly why our Defense Minister should be a little worried that all this finger pointing may have some merit to it.
What should also be noted is a statement coming from a prison warden in Afghanistan. What started off as a possible defense for the Canadian military, the latest out of Afghanistan may undoubtedly dig them a little deeper. Chief warden Col. Abdullah Bawar of a prison in Kandahar told Canwest News service stated that Colvin’s abuse accusations were over exaggerated, and the torture levels weren’t that high.
Oh that’s good news, not all the prisoners were having their rights violated, only a few were. Well last time I checked, a human rights violation was a human rights violation, regardless of the number of people who were being abused. One single act of this cruelty should have all those involved held responsible, including any Canadian soldiers who knowingly handed prisoners over to this fate.
So stay tuned to hear the decision of the still debating all-party committee, because you can also bet MacKay and the rest of the Conservatives will also be awaiting to hear what has been decided. Of course I would never wish such dirt to be kicked on Canada’s peacekeeping name, but I would certainly hope for a little accountability in our military who is carrying out a mission that many citizens of Canada already have low spirits over.
Colvin accuses the Canadian military of knowingly transferring prisoners of the war in Afghanistan to certain torture carried out by Afghanistan officials. In his 16-page documented report, he says that all prisoners handed over in 2006 and 2007 to the Afghan police were tortured.
This all-party committee will undoubtedly be torn between both sides of the story; much like the House of Commons and the nation is right now. Those who haven’t chosen a side between Colvin and the Canadian military will soon need to, because this is shaping up to make Canadian military history.
Colvin’s accusations are extremely important for a few reasons.
First of all, Canada’s peacekeeping persona and mandate may be tarnished if charges are carried out. If the committee decides to hold a trial, those who were involved may face war crime charges, including some high ranking and prominent political figures. Not to mention handing over a prisoner of war to certain torture is in direct contradiction to our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I for one would strongly ridicule our government if they say they are fighting for freedom in an oppressed nation and then break their own charter.
Secondly, this is important because there were many warning signs presented to our government in the past about torture in Afghanistan. According to Global Research, a Canadian organization, both Colvin, Amnesty International Canada and British Columbia Civil Liberties Association brought these accusations forward in 2007, but were ignored or shut down immediately.
Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay argues that Colvin’s professionalism is not credible enough to make such strong allegations. In an interview with David Akin for Canwest News Service, MacKay made himself perfectly clear that Colvin’s evidence was not sizeable.
“I’m saying evidence that has been presented thus far does not substantiate the claim. It does not prove that any detainees - Taliban prisoners - transferred by Canadian Forces were tortured,” MacKay said.
Sounds as if MacKay is trying to downplay Colvin’s evidence that now has the whole nation watching. But MacKay may want to take a different approach than under estimating Colvin’s professional credibility, because this isn’t Colvin’s first time up to bat.
A senior diplomat for over a year and a half in Afghanistan, Colvin was then chosen to become a senior diplomat in Washington, Canada’s biggest and arguably most important embassy. Not quite the job for someone who is not professional credible.
MacKay also needs to stop and wonder, what does Colvin have to benefit from these accusations. The simple answer? Nothing. By blowing the biggest whistle in Canadian military history, what has Colvin received? A long and strenuous committee hearing, nothing that is too coveted. So why would Colvin feel the need to lie about these accusations if he would not personally gain anything out of it? He wouldn’t, which is exactly why our Defense Minister should be a little worried that all this finger pointing may have some merit to it.
What should also be noted is a statement coming from a prison warden in Afghanistan. What started off as a possible defense for the Canadian military, the latest out of Afghanistan may undoubtedly dig them a little deeper. Chief warden Col. Abdullah Bawar of a prison in Kandahar told Canwest News service stated that Colvin’s abuse accusations were over exaggerated, and the torture levels weren’t that high.
Oh that’s good news, not all the prisoners were having their rights violated, only a few were. Well last time I checked, a human rights violation was a human rights violation, regardless of the number of people who were being abused. One single act of this cruelty should have all those involved held responsible, including any Canadian soldiers who knowingly handed prisoners over to this fate.
So stay tuned to hear the decision of the still debating all-party committee, because you can also bet MacKay and the rest of the Conservatives will also be awaiting to hear what has been decided. Of course I would never wish such dirt to be kicked on Canada’s peacekeeping name, but I would certainly hope for a little accountability in our military who is carrying out a mission that many citizens of Canada already have low spirits over.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
8 tips for Student Home Decorating
Here is a link to my feature article for Intercamp on student home decorating. It gives 8 tips from local experts, from interior designers to students who went through the process of decorating their place, to help anyone planning to make their living space their own.
Hat Trick in the Edmonton Journal today
Here are links to three stories I had published for the Journal today. One was for the paper, and the final two were for the website.
This one was on a Halo 3 marathon to beat the world record.
The second article is about Alberta Health Services announcement to provide seasonal flu shots again starting Monday which I wrote with Andrea Sands.
And the final story is on the success of the 15th annual Stuff a Bus campaign.
This one was on a Halo 3 marathon to beat the world record.
The second article is about Alberta Health Services announcement to provide seasonal flu shots again starting Monday which I wrote with Andrea Sands.
And the final story is on the success of the 15th annual Stuff a Bus campaign.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Intercamp article on Immigration Hall
Read my article on Hope Mission's newest service, Immigration Hall in downtown Edmonton.
Later this week on FMP:
-Pen Fluid #3
-more tweets from the Edmonton Journal Newsroom
Later this week on FMP:
-Pen Fluid #3
-more tweets from the Edmonton Journal Newsroom
Friday, October 23, 2009
FMP in Intercamp
Check out my story in this week's Intercamp online, or find one kicking around any Grant MacEwan campus. It's about everyone's favorite demonic barber, Sweeney Todd!
Pen Fluid #2- Ross the new boss, Smith the new face of Albertan politics? and the Maple Leafs lose their maple
Former Olympian takes a stab at politics
If you don’t know who Ross Rebagliati is, I question your support of Canadian sports. But for those of you who do remember, Rebagliati was the first ever Olympic gold medalist in snowboarding, when the sport was introduced in the ’98 Nagano games.
But Rebagliati, 38, is trading in his jacket and board for a jacket and tie as he announced that he would be seeking the federal Liberal nomination for the Okanagan-Coquihalla riding in the next election. Yup, you heard that correctly, it’s the age old story of Olympian wins gold, then becomes an MP.
Oh, was it mentioned that the current MP for Okanagan-Coquihalla is Conservative cabinet minister Stockwell Day?
Rebagliati may have a tough time defeating Day in a general election, but at least gaining the Liberal nomination shouldn’t be too difficult. In the 2008 election, Liberal candidate Valerie Hallford only received fewer than 12 per cent of the vote.
Hopefully if Rebagliati wins the Liberal candidacy, it won’t be taken away a few days later if they find marijuana traces again.
Smith vs. Stelmach. IS ON.
It’s official. Smith wants Stelmach’s job.
From a right-wing no name party, to the “unofficial” official opposition in a matter of months, Danielle Smith is the ready and willing leader of the Wildrose Alliance Party.
Smith has been quoted in many interviews that the party’s next step will be to decide on a platform and make it be known to the public.
But deciding that platform may be harder than they thought, since the leader of this right wing party is also a supporter of gay marriage and abortion.
I know what you’re thinking.
That can’t be right…
You’re right, it’s left. Very left So how will the party decide on its social and economic policies if they don’t agree with their leaders beliefs? Let’s wait and see.
Poor, unfortunate Leafs
Hockey fans in western Canada will rejoice at this news. Toronto fans will have nothing to argue about. But it hasn’t been a month into the NHL’s regular season and CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada is already discussing dropping the Maple Leaf’s coverage every Saturday night.
Hockey Night executive producer, Sherali Najak, said that CBC doesn’t have a problem with dropping the Leafs, who haven’t won a game yet this season. This will give the national spotlight to other teams like Montreal and Ottawa, who have early Saturday games, but often get put on the broadcasting backburner for the Leafs game to air coast to coast.
In the last Leaf loss, a 4-1 futile struggle against the Rangers, fans reportedly booed their team off the ice again. Many even wore paper bags over their head, too embarrassed to be a Leafs fan.
The Leafs have been bad these last couple of years, but this is a whole new level.
If you don’t know who Ross Rebagliati is, I question your support of Canadian sports. But for those of you who do remember, Rebagliati was the first ever Olympic gold medalist in snowboarding, when the sport was introduced in the ’98 Nagano games.
But Rebagliati, 38, is trading in his jacket and board for a jacket and tie as he announced that he would be seeking the federal Liberal nomination for the Okanagan-Coquihalla riding in the next election. Yup, you heard that correctly, it’s the age old story of Olympian wins gold, then becomes an MP.
Oh, was it mentioned that the current MP for Okanagan-Coquihalla is Conservative cabinet minister Stockwell Day?
Rebagliati may have a tough time defeating Day in a general election, but at least gaining the Liberal nomination shouldn’t be too difficult. In the 2008 election, Liberal candidate Valerie Hallford only received fewer than 12 per cent of the vote.
Hopefully if Rebagliati wins the Liberal candidacy, it won’t be taken away a few days later if they find marijuana traces again.
Smith vs. Stelmach. IS ON.
It’s official. Smith wants Stelmach’s job.
From a right-wing no name party, to the “unofficial” official opposition in a matter of months, Danielle Smith is the ready and willing leader of the Wildrose Alliance Party.
Smith has been quoted in many interviews that the party’s next step will be to decide on a platform and make it be known to the public.
But deciding that platform may be harder than they thought, since the leader of this right wing party is also a supporter of gay marriage and abortion.
I know what you’re thinking.
That can’t be right…
You’re right, it’s left. Very left So how will the party decide on its social and economic policies if they don’t agree with their leaders beliefs? Let’s wait and see.
Poor, unfortunate Leafs
Hockey fans in western Canada will rejoice at this news. Toronto fans will have nothing to argue about. But it hasn’t been a month into the NHL’s regular season and CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada is already discussing dropping the Maple Leaf’s coverage every Saturday night.
Hockey Night executive producer, Sherali Najak, said that CBC doesn’t have a problem with dropping the Leafs, who haven’t won a game yet this season. This will give the national spotlight to other teams like Montreal and Ottawa, who have early Saturday games, but often get put on the broadcasting backburner for the Leafs game to air coast to coast.
In the last Leaf loss, a 4-1 futile struggle against the Rangers, fans reportedly booed their team off the ice again. Many even wore paper bags over their head, too embarrassed to be a Leafs fan.
The Leafs have been bad these last couple of years, but this is a whole new level.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Full Metal, meet the Edmonton Journal. The Journal, this is FMP
Yes ladies and gentlemen, I have gone pro. Well, a little bit. My freelance article was published in last Saturday's Edmonton Journal, and if you missed it, I have it for you right here
Friday, October 16, 2009
Pen Fluid #1- Iggy needs to learn the bass, Obama for the win and Stelmach strikes back
..And Harper on the keys!
Earlier this month, many had a laugh at Stephen Harper show off his surprisingly impressive piano and vocal skills at a Yo Yo Ma concert (It's not that bad actually), but even more are applauding the Canadian Prime Minister at showing the public that he has a little character to him.
Even though it seemed like fun and games, suggested by his wife, it was a huge political move that gained Harper and his rising Conservatives some serious popularity.
Now if only Ignatieff could formulate some sort of a response.
Poor old Iggy is losing ground faster than McDonald’s did after Super Size Me came out. Dion was a problem because he wasn’t liked as a leader, and Ignatieff was supposed to solve that.
Can the Liberal leader can make himself known to the public before they lose all their support, only time will tell. The only conclusion that can be reached is that they are in some serious trouble.
Where’s Trudeau when you need him.
Obama for Most Valuable President
Friday the 9th had everyone talking about the controversial decision to award the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to everyone’s favorite black president, Barack Obama (Read the New York Times story here).
Many are debating the fact that Obama really hasn’t done anything, but that he’s simply just alluded to possibilities in the area of peace and his urging of feuding countries to cooperate.
The crowd gasped in Norway, mostly in disbelief, when he was announced the winner.
They didn’t even give him a chance to fail yet.
And I don’t know what the big deal is. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. won it in 1964, and all he did was have a dream.
Stelmach steals primetime
Our beloved Premier made a television address on Wednesday for his plans to aide the economy (See Part One here).
I thought the recession started a year ago, why is our government making plans to make it through these difficult times now?
Stelmach hasn’t had a television address in two years, and some can argue he hasn’t done much since then. With a leadership review on the horizon, this could be his last ditch effort to get in the public’s good books.
In the address, he asked for the public servants of Alberta to take a voluntary pay freeze, and I’m sure you can guess how that turned out (Editors Note: See “Voluntary freeze gets cold shoulder”)
Whatever Stelmach has planned, he better do it quick. The leadership vote for the new conservative Wild Rose Alliance is tomorrow, and then Alberta’s newest party will be ready to make big moves.
Politics in Alberta is interesting; it seems we choose a party to govern to near tyranny, than kick them out with another right wing group before you know it. We had the United Farmers for 14 years (a party to be proud of, I’m sure), Social Credit for 36 years and the P.C. for the past 38 years.
Maybe it’s time to elect the Wild Rose Alliance until 2049.
Earlier this month, many had a laugh at Stephen Harper show off his surprisingly impressive piano and vocal skills at a Yo Yo Ma concert (It's not that bad actually), but even more are applauding the Canadian Prime Minister at showing the public that he has a little character to him.
Even though it seemed like fun and games, suggested by his wife, it was a huge political move that gained Harper and his rising Conservatives some serious popularity.
Now if only Ignatieff could formulate some sort of a response.
Poor old Iggy is losing ground faster than McDonald’s did after Super Size Me came out. Dion was a problem because he wasn’t liked as a leader, and Ignatieff was supposed to solve that.
Can the Liberal leader can make himself known to the public before they lose all their support, only time will tell. The only conclusion that can be reached is that they are in some serious trouble.
Where’s Trudeau when you need him.
Obama for Most Valuable President
Friday the 9th had everyone talking about the controversial decision to award the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to everyone’s favorite black president, Barack Obama (Read the New York Times story here).
Many are debating the fact that Obama really hasn’t done anything, but that he’s simply just alluded to possibilities in the area of peace and his urging of feuding countries to cooperate.
The crowd gasped in Norway, mostly in disbelief, when he was announced the winner.
They didn’t even give him a chance to fail yet.
And I don’t know what the big deal is. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. won it in 1964, and all he did was have a dream.
Stelmach steals primetime
Our beloved Premier made a television address on Wednesday for his plans to aide the economy (See Part One here).
I thought the recession started a year ago, why is our government making plans to make it through these difficult times now?
Stelmach hasn’t had a television address in two years, and some can argue he hasn’t done much since then. With a leadership review on the horizon, this could be his last ditch effort to get in the public’s good books.
In the address, he asked for the public servants of Alberta to take a voluntary pay freeze, and I’m sure you can guess how that turned out (Editors Note: See “Voluntary freeze gets cold shoulder”)
Whatever Stelmach has planned, he better do it quick. The leadership vote for the new conservative Wild Rose Alliance is tomorrow, and then Alberta’s newest party will be ready to make big moves.
Politics in Alberta is interesting; it seems we choose a party to govern to near tyranny, than kick them out with another right wing group before you know it. We had the United Farmers for 14 years (a party to be proud of, I’m sure), Social Credit for 36 years and the P.C. for the past 38 years.
Maybe it’s time to elect the Wild Rose Alliance until 2049.
Cardinal on the rise in Edmonton, but what's his true story?
Lewis Cardinal is busy, period. But as he frankly puts it, he’s used to it.
Early this year, Cardinal announced that he would be running for the federal New Democratic Party in the next election in the Edmonton-Centre riding. Combine that with the fact that he is the president of his own consulting business, attempting to get his Ph.D. in education and the board for over 20 organizations, and one can only wonder how he finds the time to balance all of these priorities.
But Cardinal believes that fighting for the people is worth the 60-80 hours per week it takes to keep a federal campaign afloat, as well as keeping his under endeavors balanced.
Born in High Prairie, Alberta in 1962, near Sucker Creek, Cardinal moved to Edmonton with his father and brother in 1971. Most of this aboriginal family still lives in that area. He graduated from St. Joseph’s High School in downtown Edmonton before getting three undergraduate degrees from the University of Colorado, a Bachelor of Science in Journalism, an honours degree in English and a BA in film studies. In 2007, Cardinal lost his bid for Councilor of Ward 4, but by an extremely slim margin.
Cardinal finds in ironic about himself that he never wanted to get into the world of politics. His family line is full of political forces in the Alberta area dating back to Treaty 8, but he never wanted to be a part of it. He believes that his strong values instilled in him by his role models drove him to take on the voters.
“People say it’s no wonder you are here but I tried to stay as far away from politics as I could, I really did,” he said. “But I remember my grandmother and grandfather saying you can’t stand by and let these things happen if you know they are wrong.”
And Cardinal believes too much is going wrong in today’s society for him not to take action as a Member of Parliament. He feels that issues of housing and homelessness, and education funding are going unnoticed in Edmonton.
The driving question of how these problems will get addressed is one of the reasons why Cardinal chose to run with the federal NDP’s in the next election. Not only did the NDP’s ask Cardinal to run for their party, but so did every other party on both the federal and provincial level. All though he lost in the civil election in 2007, it seems he impressed a lot of people.
“I found that the NDP parallel my own value systems. The tradition of my people, my warrior ethic, my personal commitment parallels the values of the NDP. They care about the little person. They care about the underdog and they support social infrastructure that we need for our community to survive.”
So with his party chosen and his goals outlined, Cardinal must face the competition, which is no easy task. Conservative MP Laurie Hawn is the current elected member for Edmonton-Centre. Hawn, former Lieutenant Colonel of the Canadian Air Force has had a few federal elections under his belt and is the appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Peter MacKay.
So bluntly, it would seem like Cardinal is the long shot here. Hawn is more experienced, known on the national level and has been around the block a couple of times. Many believe that Cardinal’s inexperience on the federal scale is his biggest downfall, but he doesn’t seem to be worried about it at all.
“Politics has been in me for a very long time, I just came to the realization that I love public service,” Cardinal explained.
His love for public service cannot be a fabrication, because he is truly dedicated to the community through his involvement. Some of is works include the Edmonton Solution to Homelessness, he is on the board of governors for the Bissell Centre, help found the Racist Free Edmonton, and he also sits with the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, and that’s only naming a few.
As he explained his work with these organizations, his phone would ring many times, going unanswered. All his missed calls in that short a time span only goes to show how involved he really is.
Cardinal explained that he has a large role in over 20 organizations, which can become very politicized. Therefore, all this hard work with these organizations has prepared him for the next step.
With his job set out before him, and an election always on the brink with Canada’s minority government, Cardinal knows what’s next, and it’s extremely simple. Get out there and listen.
“I’m going out a few times a week, knocking on doors, and letting the people know that I’m out there. The secret to door knocking is listening to what the people have to say,” Cardinal said.
Campaign Manager for his federal run, Brain Stokes, believes that’s listening is one of Cardinal’s strongest qualities.
“He is very pragmatic, and part of that is he listens to people very well and will make sure to weigh in what they have to say,” Stokes said. “He is a great leader because he takes into account what people have to say.”
And if you would like to follow Lewis Cardinal a little more closely, find him on Facebook to see what he's currently up to.
Early this year, Cardinal announced that he would be running for the federal New Democratic Party in the next election in the Edmonton-Centre riding. Combine that with the fact that he is the president of his own consulting business, attempting to get his Ph.D. in education and the board for over 20 organizations, and one can only wonder how he finds the time to balance all of these priorities.
But Cardinal believes that fighting for the people is worth the 60-80 hours per week it takes to keep a federal campaign afloat, as well as keeping his under endeavors balanced.
Born in High Prairie, Alberta in 1962, near Sucker Creek, Cardinal moved to Edmonton with his father and brother in 1971. Most of this aboriginal family still lives in that area. He graduated from St. Joseph’s High School in downtown Edmonton before getting three undergraduate degrees from the University of Colorado, a Bachelor of Science in Journalism, an honours degree in English and a BA in film studies. In 2007, Cardinal lost his bid for Councilor of Ward 4, but by an extremely slim margin.
Cardinal finds in ironic about himself that he never wanted to get into the world of politics. His family line is full of political forces in the Alberta area dating back to Treaty 8, but he never wanted to be a part of it. He believes that his strong values instilled in him by his role models drove him to take on the voters.
“People say it’s no wonder you are here but I tried to stay as far away from politics as I could, I really did,” he said. “But I remember my grandmother and grandfather saying you can’t stand by and let these things happen if you know they are wrong.”
And Cardinal believes too much is going wrong in today’s society for him not to take action as a Member of Parliament. He feels that issues of housing and homelessness, and education funding are going unnoticed in Edmonton.
The driving question of how these problems will get addressed is one of the reasons why Cardinal chose to run with the federal NDP’s in the next election. Not only did the NDP’s ask Cardinal to run for their party, but so did every other party on both the federal and provincial level. All though he lost in the civil election in 2007, it seems he impressed a lot of people.
“I found that the NDP parallel my own value systems. The tradition of my people, my warrior ethic, my personal commitment parallels the values of the NDP. They care about the little person. They care about the underdog and they support social infrastructure that we need for our community to survive.”
So with his party chosen and his goals outlined, Cardinal must face the competition, which is no easy task. Conservative MP Laurie Hawn is the current elected member for Edmonton-Centre. Hawn, former Lieutenant Colonel of the Canadian Air Force has had a few federal elections under his belt and is the appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Peter MacKay.
So bluntly, it would seem like Cardinal is the long shot here. Hawn is more experienced, known on the national level and has been around the block a couple of times. Many believe that Cardinal’s inexperience on the federal scale is his biggest downfall, but he doesn’t seem to be worried about it at all.
“Politics has been in me for a very long time, I just came to the realization that I love public service,” Cardinal explained.
His love for public service cannot be a fabrication, because he is truly dedicated to the community through his involvement. Some of is works include the Edmonton Solution to Homelessness, he is on the board of governors for the Bissell Centre, help found the Racist Free Edmonton, and he also sits with the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, and that’s only naming a few.
As he explained his work with these organizations, his phone would ring many times, going unanswered. All his missed calls in that short a time span only goes to show how involved he really is.
Cardinal explained that he has a large role in over 20 organizations, which can become very politicized. Therefore, all this hard work with these organizations has prepared him for the next step.
With his job set out before him, and an election always on the brink with Canada’s minority government, Cardinal knows what’s next, and it’s extremely simple. Get out there and listen.
“I’m going out a few times a week, knocking on doors, and letting the people know that I’m out there. The secret to door knocking is listening to what the people have to say,” Cardinal said.
Campaign Manager for his federal run, Brain Stokes, believes that’s listening is one of Cardinal’s strongest qualities.
“He is very pragmatic, and part of that is he listens to people very well and will make sure to weigh in what they have to say,” Stokes said. “He is a great leader because he takes into account what people have to say.”
And if you would like to follow Lewis Cardinal a little more closely, find him on Facebook to see what he's currently up to.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Grant MacEwan becomes a University, but do you know how?
The electricity and excitement can still be felt on every Grant MacEwan campus. MacEwan is finally recognized worldwide as a university. But as nearly all the students and staff of MacEwan are excited, many have no idea of the legal and bureaucratic efforts that took place before the official change on September 24.
Most students, like Jaimie Ironstone, were surprised to find out about the milestone as it happened with a special ceremony with Mayor Stephen Mandel and Premier Ed Stelmach on September 24.
"I had no idea until the day is happened and they started making announcements throughout the school," Ironstone said, who is a first year General Studies student.
Even Students' Association President Nils Holmgren couldn't comment on the change, because all though he is fully aware of what the transformation will mean for students, he was in the dark when it came to the official process.
Luckily for us, we have someone like David Beharry. Beharry, a major playing in the conversion process as the University Spokesperson for Grant MacEwan, said the ball was in motion nearly four years ago.
"In 2005, the province approved for us to offer full four year degrees," he said. "There was talk with the governance council and the Student's Association to change it into a university and there was resounding support to move forward."
With the support of both the faculty and the students in the form of the Students' Association, it was only a matter of time.
"Legislation was passed by the province in spring with an amendment to the post secondary act where Mount Royal and Grant MacEwan could add the word university," Beharry explained.
The majority of the student body, including third year Bachelor of Commerce student Shirley Wong, was completely unaware of the complete process.
"I heard about it last school year, but I had no idea it would happen like that," Wong said.
But as students like Ironstone and Wong may not know about the transformation, they do know that there are still some concerns with being a university student.
"I'm afraid to see higher tuition prices and larger class sizes," Ironstone said.
Wong's fears were along the same lines.
"I'm afraid to see a change in the teaching environment. If it's going to be a university, I would think that classes would be bigger too, and there won't be that much one on one interaction with students anymore," Wong said. "I'd hate for them to get rid of old programs and focus only on university degrees."
But Beharry strongly reassures students that there is little to fear.
"Grant MacEwan is a unique institution. We will offer four year programs, as well as many diplomas and certificates with the same value in teaching," Beharry said. "We have no intention to phase out any diplomas or certificates."
MacEwan first opened its doors in 1971 as a community college, but became Grant MacEwan College in 1999.
Most students, like Jaimie Ironstone, were surprised to find out about the milestone as it happened with a special ceremony with Mayor Stephen Mandel and Premier Ed Stelmach on September 24.
"I had no idea until the day is happened and they started making announcements throughout the school," Ironstone said, who is a first year General Studies student.
Even Students' Association President Nils Holmgren couldn't comment on the change, because all though he is fully aware of what the transformation will mean for students, he was in the dark when it came to the official process.
Luckily for us, we have someone like David Beharry. Beharry, a major playing in the conversion process as the University Spokesperson for Grant MacEwan, said the ball was in motion nearly four years ago.
"In 2005, the province approved for us to offer full four year degrees," he said. "There was talk with the governance council and the Student's Association to change it into a university and there was resounding support to move forward."
With the support of both the faculty and the students in the form of the Students' Association, it was only a matter of time.
"Legislation was passed by the province in spring with an amendment to the post secondary act where Mount Royal and Grant MacEwan could add the word university," Beharry explained.
The majority of the student body, including third year Bachelor of Commerce student Shirley Wong, was completely unaware of the complete process.
"I heard about it last school year, but I had no idea it would happen like that," Wong said.
But as students like Ironstone and Wong may not know about the transformation, they do know that there are still some concerns with being a university student.
"I'm afraid to see higher tuition prices and larger class sizes," Ironstone said.
Wong's fears were along the same lines.
"I'm afraid to see a change in the teaching environment. If it's going to be a university, I would think that classes would be bigger too, and there won't be that much one on one interaction with students anymore," Wong said. "I'd hate for them to get rid of old programs and focus only on university degrees."
But Beharry strongly reassures students that there is little to fear.
"Grant MacEwan is a unique institution. We will offer four year programs, as well as many diplomas and certificates with the same value in teaching," Beharry said. "We have no intention to phase out any diplomas or certificates."
MacEwan first opened its doors in 1971 as a community college, but became Grant MacEwan College in 1999.
Monday, September 28, 2009
CJSR turns 25, and hopes this year's FunDrive is as monumental
88.5 CJSR's annual FunDrive is off to a successful start last Wednesday, which many volunteers and staff believe is due to the major changes seen over the past year.
Edmonton's only independent radio station kicked off their fundraiser on September 23, with key amendments put in place Lesley Vaage and Desiree Schell, the Fun Drive coordinators, after a rather unsuccessful event last year.
"We didn't reach our financial goal last year, which is always disappointing," Schell said. "Volunteerism was low because of issues with the station, and then you have the economy."
So with 2008 being a tough year for most charities, Vaage and Schell arranged for a drastic overhaul to structure the event to be more fruitful. Schell has arranged for bigger and better giveaways and swag to be ready for the donating public, as well as making sure all the volunteers have an assignment.
"Everything is a lot more structured. Everyone is more organized this year," Schell said. "If you can put more structures in place before the event, you can be more flexible during the event. Something will bite you in the ass, you don't know what, but something will. Being more flexible can help that out a lot."
Even many of the other volunteers can see the new changes and excitement around the radio station, including "25 to Life" hosts Aaron Levin and Andrew Keenan, who are participating in their fourth Fun Drive.
"This FunDrive, volunteers have come to the forefront. I wish we had this much volunteer support year round," Levin said. "It seems everyone is coming out of the wood work and stepping up to the plate."
The great start to the fundraiser is extremely important, because financially speaking, the station couldn't stand another poor year.
"We would be able to keep going, but at a drastically reduced level," Schell said. "I hate to say it, but less staff cost less money, and that means more work for everyone."
But with the continued growth of corporate broadcasting, Edmonton needs an independent station like CJSR to be working at full capacity, rather than a "reduced level." Volunteers like Keenan believe that the community needs an independent voice, for an alternative view.
"Aaron and I need a public forum. It's important for people like us to have a creative outlet and voice. It's really nice to have a space to be this creative," Keenan said.
Both Keenan and Levin feel very strongly about the role of CJSR in society, both stating that the station’s unique option has become a part of Edmonton after 25 years on the air.
"Every city needs an organization that can act as a counter cultural epicenter that brings people together on the measures of society," Levin said. "CJSR is the best for that."
The FunDrive runs from September 23 to October 3 and as of Sunday night, have raised nearly $48 500.
*** AND LISTEN TO YOURS TRULY ON AIR, THIS WEDNESDAY AT 9AM. MAKE SURE TO CALL 780-492-CJSR TO DONATE AT THAT TIME AS WELL***
Edmonton's only independent radio station kicked off their fundraiser on September 23, with key amendments put in place Lesley Vaage and Desiree Schell, the Fun Drive coordinators, after a rather unsuccessful event last year.
"We didn't reach our financial goal last year, which is always disappointing," Schell said. "Volunteerism was low because of issues with the station, and then you have the economy."
So with 2008 being a tough year for most charities, Vaage and Schell arranged for a drastic overhaul to structure the event to be more fruitful. Schell has arranged for bigger and better giveaways and swag to be ready for the donating public, as well as making sure all the volunteers have an assignment.
"Everything is a lot more structured. Everyone is more organized this year," Schell said. "If you can put more structures in place before the event, you can be more flexible during the event. Something will bite you in the ass, you don't know what, but something will. Being more flexible can help that out a lot."
Even many of the other volunteers can see the new changes and excitement around the radio station, including "25 to Life" hosts Aaron Levin and Andrew Keenan, who are participating in their fourth Fun Drive.
"This FunDrive, volunteers have come to the forefront. I wish we had this much volunteer support year round," Levin said. "It seems everyone is coming out of the wood work and stepping up to the plate."
The great start to the fundraiser is extremely important, because financially speaking, the station couldn't stand another poor year.
"We would be able to keep going, but at a drastically reduced level," Schell said. "I hate to say it, but less staff cost less money, and that means more work for everyone."
But with the continued growth of corporate broadcasting, Edmonton needs an independent station like CJSR to be working at full capacity, rather than a "reduced level." Volunteers like Keenan believe that the community needs an independent voice, for an alternative view.
"Aaron and I need a public forum. It's important for people like us to have a creative outlet and voice. It's really nice to have a space to be this creative," Keenan said.
Both Keenan and Levin feel very strongly about the role of CJSR in society, both stating that the station’s unique option has become a part of Edmonton after 25 years on the air.
"Every city needs an organization that can act as a counter cultural epicenter that brings people together on the measures of society," Levin said. "CJSR is the best for that."
The FunDrive runs from September 23 to October 3 and as of Sunday night, have raised nearly $48 500.
*** AND LISTEN TO YOURS TRULY ON AIR, THIS WEDNESDAY AT 9AM. MAKE SURE TO CALL 780-492-CJSR TO DONATE AT THAT TIME AS WELL***
Friday, September 18, 2009
Full Metal Pen starts off a new season with a visit to the raceways!
Participants of the Bracket Championship and Oval Track Championship test and put the final touches on their ride early Friday morning at Castrol Raceway. The drag race teams work hard in anticipation for the this weekend, as the Bracket Championship is on Saturday the 19th, and the Oval Track Championship is on Sunday the 20th at Castrol Raceway near the Edmonton International Airport.
Friday, May 1, 2009
What is the real cost of cosmetic surgery?
Botox clinics and patients have shown little concern about Health Canada’s official warning in January of the dangers of Botox.
Jacqueline Laine, manager of Urban Body Clinic on 11528 Jasper Ave., believes that Botox is still the safest and most efficient form of cosmetic procedures, despite Health Canada’s warning of the injections made on January 13th.
“You hear a lot of horror stories when it comes to Botox, but the media likes to play things up. Our physicians are certified doctors, not somebody off the street,” Laine said.
Botox injections utilize the botulinum toxin, which is the most toxic protein known. Extremely small and diluted amounts are injected into the skin where they obstruct nerve impulses to the muscles, numbing and forcing them to relax.
Since it is such a deadly toxin, over injections may cause the toxin in the body to spread, which Health Canada warns about. Symptoms include muscles weakness, difficulty swallowing, speaking or breathing, pneumonia, and in the most extreme cases, death.
These procedures can be used cosmetically by relaxing the skin and getting rid of any wrinkles. But they can also be used for medical reasons, such as joint pain relief, headaches or limb spasms.
“Our clinic mostly does cosmetic Botox procedures, but we also do a lot of medical injections,” Laine explained. “We use Botox to relieve serious headaches and TMJ pains.”
In addition, these Botox injection recipients are extremely pleased with the outcome, some recipients admit that their pleasure outweighs their fear of the procedure going wrong.
"[The Health Canada warnings] probably won't stop me from getting Botox again. The effects are too great," Stefanie Raschke said.
Raschke had her injections done at the Urban Body Clinic. She received injections in her forehead and upper lip to "prevent aging through wrinkles and crease lines."
The lack of fear amongst the patients in clinics is due to the amount of regulations and measures that credible clinics go through to protect the people.
Laine explains that botched Botox procedures aren’t by accident, but are the fault of the injector. They may use too much of the solution when they inject, use unsanitary tools or do not mix it properly.
“Using too much Botox in the mix or not cutting it with 100 per cent pure Botox may cause problems,” Laine said. “But normally, there are very few side effects. Too much may cause a little droop in the eyelids, but nothing permanent.”
Those who oppose Raschke and her openness to Botox injections include Suzanna Martin, Raschke’s roommate. Martin is not against Botox for any major health risks or the Health Canada warning, but rather for its moral reasons.
“The warning doesn’t scare me. There are warnings about everything,” Martin said. “I decided not to get Botox because after visiting a clinic, I didn’t like what I had seen.”
The botulinum toxin was first used for cosmetic reasons due to the work of Canadian physicians Dr. Alastair and Jean Carruthers in 1987.
Jacqueline Laine, manager of Urban Body Clinic on 11528 Jasper Ave., believes that Botox is still the safest and most efficient form of cosmetic procedures, despite Health Canada’s warning of the injections made on January 13th.
“You hear a lot of horror stories when it comes to Botox, but the media likes to play things up. Our physicians are certified doctors, not somebody off the street,” Laine said.
Botox injections utilize the botulinum toxin, which is the most toxic protein known. Extremely small and diluted amounts are injected into the skin where they obstruct nerve impulses to the muscles, numbing and forcing them to relax.
Since it is such a deadly toxin, over injections may cause the toxin in the body to spread, which Health Canada warns about. Symptoms include muscles weakness, difficulty swallowing, speaking or breathing, pneumonia, and in the most extreme cases, death.
These procedures can be used cosmetically by relaxing the skin and getting rid of any wrinkles. But they can also be used for medical reasons, such as joint pain relief, headaches or limb spasms.
“Our clinic mostly does cosmetic Botox procedures, but we also do a lot of medical injections,” Laine explained. “We use Botox to relieve serious headaches and TMJ pains.”
In addition, these Botox injection recipients are extremely pleased with the outcome, some recipients admit that their pleasure outweighs their fear of the procedure going wrong.
"[The Health Canada warnings] probably won't stop me from getting Botox again. The effects are too great," Stefanie Raschke said.
Raschke had her injections done at the Urban Body Clinic. She received injections in her forehead and upper lip to "prevent aging through wrinkles and crease lines."
The lack of fear amongst the patients in clinics is due to the amount of regulations and measures that credible clinics go through to protect the people.
Laine explains that botched Botox procedures aren’t by accident, but are the fault of the injector. They may use too much of the solution when they inject, use unsanitary tools or do not mix it properly.
“Using too much Botox in the mix or not cutting it with 100 per cent pure Botox may cause problems,” Laine said. “But normally, there are very few side effects. Too much may cause a little droop in the eyelids, but nothing permanent.”
Those who oppose Raschke and her openness to Botox injections include Suzanna Martin, Raschke’s roommate. Martin is not against Botox for any major health risks or the Health Canada warning, but rather for its moral reasons.
“The warning doesn’t scare me. There are warnings about everything,” Martin said. “I decided not to get Botox because after visiting a clinic, I didn’t like what I had seen.”
The botulinum toxin was first used for cosmetic reasons due to the work of Canadian physicians Dr. Alastair and Jean Carruthers in 1987.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Edmonton and Fashion go hand-in-hand
Many volunteers and participants in Edmonton Fashion Week are pleased with the event this past week in our city.
Most helpers and designers seemed impressed with the improvement of the event that took place from April 2 to 9 at the Transalta Arts Barn on 10330-84 Ave.
Fiona Fung, a participant in the Emerging Designers Contest and a volunteer was extremely satisfied this year.
“They definitely didn’t have as much funding, but they stepped it up from last year with more shows, with over 2000 people attending,” she said.
Fung believes that all the positives came out of how organized and professional the event planners were, and how they used their volunteers.
“They were really organized and creative this year, “ Fung said. “They found their new home at the Transalta Arts Barn on Whyte, which is a plus because in previous years, they have been floating around venues.”
Maggie Chan, a first time volunteer, said she found out about the event quite easily and had lots of work to do once she got there.
“I like fashion, and I found out about the event by just searching the Internet,” Chan said. “I helped out in front of the event with info, passing out pamphlets or raffle tickets. I also helped photographers in the back take pictures of collections and models.”
All though she had tremendous amounts of work to do, Chan didn’t feel stressed out or displeased with giving up so much of her time. She even hopes to take on more work at the next Fashion Week.
“I do plan to get involved next year, but I hope to do a larger role though, like help plan the actual event,” Chan said.
The volunteers don’t walk away empty handed though. The experience they get will help them greatly down the road, especially with Fung.
“I’m interning as a production assistant for Zac Posen in New York this summer,” she said. “They will be preparing for their Spring 2010 Collection and Edmonton Fashion Week really helped me understand the whole fashion industry and people in the community.”
Edmonton Fashion Week will be expected to elevate themselves again this Fall, as they set up the runway again from September 17 to 24.
Most helpers and designers seemed impressed with the improvement of the event that took place from April 2 to 9 at the Transalta Arts Barn on 10330-84 Ave.
Fiona Fung, a participant in the Emerging Designers Contest and a volunteer was extremely satisfied this year.
“They definitely didn’t have as much funding, but they stepped it up from last year with more shows, with over 2000 people attending,” she said.
Fung believes that all the positives came out of how organized and professional the event planners were, and how they used their volunteers.
“They were really organized and creative this year, “ Fung said. “They found their new home at the Transalta Arts Barn on Whyte, which is a plus because in previous years, they have been floating around venues.”
Maggie Chan, a first time volunteer, said she found out about the event quite easily and had lots of work to do once she got there.
“I like fashion, and I found out about the event by just searching the Internet,” Chan said. “I helped out in front of the event with info, passing out pamphlets or raffle tickets. I also helped photographers in the back take pictures of collections and models.”
All though she had tremendous amounts of work to do, Chan didn’t feel stressed out or displeased with giving up so much of her time. She even hopes to take on more work at the next Fashion Week.
“I do plan to get involved next year, but I hope to do a larger role though, like help plan the actual event,” Chan said.
The volunteers don’t walk away empty handed though. The experience they get will help them greatly down the road, especially with Fung.
“I’m interning as a production assistant for Zac Posen in New York this summer,” she said. “They will be preparing for their Spring 2010 Collection and Edmonton Fashion Week really helped me understand the whole fashion industry and people in the community.”
Edmonton Fashion Week will be expected to elevate themselves again this Fall, as they set up the runway again from September 17 to 24.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Photo of the Week Apr 5-11
Arashi-Do Martial Arts held their city-wide tournament at the Alberta Aviation Museum on April 4th and had a huge turn out. This is Rahul Deol as he competes in his first Men's Jiu-Jitsu tournament.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
PATs just don't make the grade.
Teachers and parents are in full support of the MLAs decision to look into abandoning the Grade 3 provincial achievement tests after the motion was voted on Monday March 23.
MLAs voted 29-18 in favor of the motion proposed by Genia Leskiw, an MLA from Bonnyville-Cold Lake, which could see the end of standardized testing at the Grade 3 level.
Teachers and parents seem united with Alberta Teachers’ Association President Frank Bruseker on the matter, who believes that these achievement tests have become futile and fruitless.
“Evaluation using paper and pen guidelines simply don’t work and that’s part of the concern we have had with the whole provincial achievement testing regime,” Bruseker said. “They impose these tests and we don’t feel they address all of the learning outcomes.”
Like Bruseker, Grade 3/4 teacher Arlene Bujold from Fort Assiniboine School believes that the achievement tests cause more harm than good.
“It puts a lot of stress on all parties involved,” Bujold said.
She believes that standardized testing places a focus on student success rather than actual learning.
“There needs to be more of a focus on an assessment for learning instead of an assessment of learning,” she said. “These evaluations should be ongoing throughout the year.”
Parents don’t seem to be worried about the disbandment of the achievement tests, such as Kali Kirby, a mother of four children. As they all enter elementary school, Kirby says she looks for more than just academic success measured by achievement tests.
“I focus on the atmosphere and moral teachings of the school,” Kirby said.
Kirby is not afraid that there will be no accountability from the teachers towards students and parents. She believes that teachers will always continue to strive for their students learning.
“If you are a good teacher, you’ll do it for the students. You will make sure they do better,” she said. “You will just want your students to do the best.”
Even though the MLAs voted in favor of the motion on Monday, Bruseker reminds the public that changes will not be made over night.
“We aren’t suddenly going to see an instantaneous change. We will still have a provincial achievement test at the end of this year and we’ll probably have one at the end of the next school year,” Bruseker said.
There are no current plans yet for any new diagnostic tests to replace the current 40 multiple-choice standardized exam.
MLAs voted 29-18 in favor of the motion proposed by Genia Leskiw, an MLA from Bonnyville-Cold Lake, which could see the end of standardized testing at the Grade 3 level.
Teachers and parents seem united with Alberta Teachers’ Association President Frank Bruseker on the matter, who believes that these achievement tests have become futile and fruitless.
“Evaluation using paper and pen guidelines simply don’t work and that’s part of the concern we have had with the whole provincial achievement testing regime,” Bruseker said. “They impose these tests and we don’t feel they address all of the learning outcomes.”
Like Bruseker, Grade 3/4 teacher Arlene Bujold from Fort Assiniboine School believes that the achievement tests cause more harm than good.
“It puts a lot of stress on all parties involved,” Bujold said.
She believes that standardized testing places a focus on student success rather than actual learning.
“There needs to be more of a focus on an assessment for learning instead of an assessment of learning,” she said. “These evaluations should be ongoing throughout the year.”
Parents don’t seem to be worried about the disbandment of the achievement tests, such as Kali Kirby, a mother of four children. As they all enter elementary school, Kirby says she looks for more than just academic success measured by achievement tests.
“I focus on the atmosphere and moral teachings of the school,” Kirby said.
Kirby is not afraid that there will be no accountability from the teachers towards students and parents. She believes that teachers will always continue to strive for their students learning.
“If you are a good teacher, you’ll do it for the students. You will make sure they do better,” she said. “You will just want your students to do the best.”
Even though the MLAs voted in favor of the motion on Monday, Bruseker reminds the public that changes will not be made over night.
“We aren’t suddenly going to see an instantaneous change. We will still have a provincial achievement test at the end of this year and we’ll probably have one at the end of the next school year,” Bruseker said.
There are no current plans yet for any new diagnostic tests to replace the current 40 multiple-choice standardized exam.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Photo of the Week March 29-April 4
Everyone's favorite wonder dog, Fonzie, has trouble walking through the snow after last night's flurry added to our already huge collection. Over a week into Spring and Edmonton is still receiving consistent snowfall. But don't get angry, Edmonton had snow storms and nearly -30 weather up until the end of April last year. Maybe this year's Spring will involve a little more Spring weather...one hopes.
Later this week on Full Metal Pen:
The Alberta government has decided to look into abolishing Grade 3 Provincial Achievement Tests. Who influenced them and what could this mean for elementary schools? Find out tomorrow!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Kweli does Edmonton
Talib Kweli showed Edmonton why he's one of rap's best lyricists last Friday at the Edmonton Events Center.
The 38-year-old Brooklyn native made a rare Edmonton stop on March 20th at the rather large venue in West Edmonton Mall.
Fans of Kweli had rather mixed feelings on the event. Although he finally added this city to his solo tour stop, he was only on stage for less than an hour. The crowd seemed confused when the stage cleared out as soon as it did, and left everyone feeling disgruntled because of how abruptly it ended.
But while on stage, he was quick to give the fans a taste of Brooklyn. Flawlessly performing tracks from albums ranging from Ear Drum to back to his Blackstar and Reflection Eternal days, Kweli gave a full Ed's what they wanted...a little "quality" music.
Many highlights of the night included Kweli's stage antics, as well as a great show put on by the city's Urban Metropolis.
Halfway through the show, Kweli told the security guards to back off and allow all the "b-boys and b-girls" to get on stage and dance with him. Before security could realize what had happened, three young men, with plenty of break dancing talent, were on stage. Edmonton fans are quick to let you know if they are displeased, as seen during any Oilers losing streak, but the fans in the crowd wildly applauded as these amateur dancers put on quite an impromptu show.
And an unusual surprise from Urban Metropolis was a great DJ show put on in between artists. More than your usual Saturday night club mix of the same old and mundane Top 40 music, DJ Kwake took the crowd on a vivd tour of classic hip hop tracks , and had the audience questioning "what ever happened to rap?" Spinning immortal hits from Method Man & Redman, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, The Notorious BIG and Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, the in between artist show greatly outshone the sub par opening acts.
Urban Metropolis was also proud to announce that they would be bringing Chicago based rapper Common to our city at an unconfirmed date. That's right, everyone's second favorite rapper from the City of Wind is on his way here.
So even though the show was extremely short, Talib Kweli still rocked the venue to the best of his unique ability. The fans of Edmonton came out and supported a great artist who deserved the praise he recieved while on stage. But as a few members of the crowd complain about the short lived hour, we should remember what he's all about: quality over quantity.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
"Photo of the Week"- March 15-21
Fiona Fung, Human Ecology student at the University of Alberta, poses with her mannequins in the fashion and design lab on campus. Look for Fiona at the upcoming Edmonton Fashion Week running from April 2-9. For more information on the event, check the official website at http://www.edmontonfashionweek.com/ or follow Fiona’s personal blog at http://girlofbirthday.blogspot.com/ where she’ll be updating often!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Edmonton cartoonists are not priceless, but they aren't worthless.
In the madness that is the San Diego Comic Con, I couldn’t help but find myself lost in the electricity and excitement this past July. The annual summer event plays host to some of the biggest names and companies in popular culture and comic fandom, so without question and simply put, the place was packed. As I pushed past Batman and stepped on the foot of Boba Fett, I made my way into the exhibition hall, where promoters, writers, artists and the sort gather to bring their product to the clawing fans. I spent hours walking around in the exhibition hall, gazing at booths and displays from Marvel Comics, Lucas Arts and…Edmonton’s own Stephen Notley? In a quieter corner of the hall was the Edmonton native, promoting his own and well known comic strip, Bob the Angry Flower. Although Stephen may be from a comparatively small city, and not have quite the six figure budget that Sony Entertainment or DC Comics may have, he does not let those barriers get in the way of continuously producing a great strip week after week. Now that the convention season is about to kick start again, I had the opportunity to catch up with Notley, and another Edmonton based cartoonists, Chris Krause. Krause, who hasn’t had as much commercial success as Notley, has had multiple comics published in the University of Alberta’s Gateway. Most notable is his work with his strip Peanut and Circle. We had a chance to talk about the difficulties of being an independent and freelance writer from a small location like Edmonton. Following my chats with Notley and Krause, I realized they both had the same thing to say: the comic industry is difficult enough to break into in the first place, and your location has little to do with your work. Both Notley and Krause had come to learn from their work that other factors played important roles in receiving success for your efforts.
Notley, who has been working on his comic strip since 1992, knows all too well what it takes to get noticed, and is a firm believer that coming from a comparatively small city has no effect on whether your work receives commercial success or not. “Ultimately, it depends on the quality of work,” meaning well done work will eventually get the recognition it deserves. Krause, who hasn’t generated as much recognition as Notley for his comic, still held the same views on the matter. When asked how difficult it is for a relatively small city writer to receive commercial success, he replied “it’s very difficult, but I’m not sure if it’s any more difficult than for cartoonists in other places.” They mutually believed that this line of work is difficult to impact regardless of location. And I’m sure that the few and remote people who have had influence on the industry have their skills and talents to thank, not a large metropolis upbringing.
Both also agreed in the powerful use of the Internet in their line of work. Who would have thought that the Internet could be used for other reasons then downloading music and movies? Krause understands that he has such a small fan base because he has yet to make use of the Internet as a huge tool, saying “I think almost any cartoonists hoping to see his work go somewhere these days probably needs to get his work onto the Internet as well to reach a wider audience.” Notley, on the other end of the spectrum, makes full use of this tool, often updating his own personal blog, where he posts the latest Bob the Angry Flower strip for literally the entire world to access. On his website, he is also able to promote himself as a writer. The visitor is able to read about any current news on Notley’s upcoming works or books, or even purchase these books directly from the website. In prehistoric times, or at least before the wide usage of the internet, it would be extremely complex for one to generate a large fan base for their strip, regardless of how impressive the work was. But now, according to Notley, “the internet has erased these basic difficulties.” Using the internet as a medium, he has been able to reach beyond the small sphere of Edmonton, and reach anyone in the world who would care to listen. Making use of this tool has allowed Notley to provide a larger audience with an easier access point. That being said, the internet must have worked quite well for him, because even though the modest and unpretentious Stephen wouldn’t admit the success his comic has received, his writing style, skills and mounds of published work would speak otherwise.
Although “Stephen Notley” may not be an international household name, he has become quite well known within the cartooning community. His work with Bob the Angry Flower has generated 6 anthologies and counting, and he has been attending popular conventions for the strip for nearly a decade. While at these popular culture conventions on a regular basis, Notley has quite the barrage of tactics he uses to sell his product and snatch attention. After being present at prominent cartooning conferences such as the Small Press Exp, the Alternative Press Expo and Comic Con in Canada and America, Stephen says he simply has “a package” that he has for his display. “I have a table, a banner and wear a big flower hat. Comic con is a mad house basically, so the flower hat attracts attention, and as people pass by, I just try to arouse their interest.” And arousing their interest is exactly what happens. Many try to hide their smile while others even stop and talk to the grown man in a giant foam flower hat in front of a giant banner of an annoyed anthropomorphic flower. This is exactly what Notley wants, possibly adding another person to his fan base simply by interacting with them at these fairs. When asked if traveling or the convention life was difficult to become accustomed to, Notley simply replied, “you get used to it after you have done it a couple of times. You have a package, you know what you need and it becomes simple.” I think it’s safe to say it has come simple for this seasoned veteran, as he has no immediate plans to stop his convention appearances or comic strip production.
Krause has never considered taking his Peanut and Circle strip to a major popular culture convention, but that hasn’t stopped him from putting out a great strip on a weekly basis. Even though he hasn’t received much commercial success for his comic, Krause hasn’t let that hinder his spirits. “Ultimately, you do cartooning because you like it. It makes you happy” he said. And love them he must, because while juggling a social life and finishing up his final years of medical school at the University of Alberta, he still finds the time to write and draw his strip. When asked how he puts effort into a hobby while still trying to balance his life, he jokingly answered “I lose a lot of sleep cartooning, because if there isn’t time in the week, I have to stay up late to make time. But I love comics and when I come up with ideas or jokes, I really want to express and share them. I just want to make myself and my friends laugh.” Unfortunately, Krause leaves his cartooning at just a hobby. Unlike most fanboys who would leap at a career as a comic producer, he says that “if I had to choose one or the other, I would probably pick medicine.”
While Edmonton cartoonists may not have major contracts with comic giants such as Marvel or DC Comics, they still continue to put out their best work possible, week after week. Whether they be of the amateur variety like Chris Krause, whose Peanut and Circle is more of a past time and hobby then anything else, or Stephen Notley, who frequents comic conventions all over the continent, armed with his Bob the Angry Flower work and foam flower hat, they do not let their small city upbringing stand in the way of doing what they enjoy. Rather, both cartoonists focus on producing great and remarkable work, because like both of them believe, an outstanding strip will produce it’s own success.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Avenue, Sweet Avenue. OSBA assures that Whyte isn't changing.
Even after another independent business is forced to close its doors on Whyte Avenue, the Old Strathcona Business Association is confident that the area will remain unique.
When Pharos Pizza shuts down this June after over 40 years at the venue, executive director of the Old Strathcona Business Association (OSBA), Shirley Lowe, will still believe that locally owned restaurants and boutiques will always have a spot on Whyte Avenue.
“I think they are safe if the property owners make them safe. Our niche is independent, and as long as we can influence that, we will try,” she said.
Patrons on the other hand believe that Whyte Avenue is becoming too commercialized, and is losing this independent feel that Lowe boasts about.
Long time customer of Pharos Pizza, Laura Chee, is worried that chain restaurants and coffee shops will do away with the long history of the Old Strathcona area.
“Whyte Ave. is one of the oldest areas in Edmonton. There are so many independent and unique boutiques, but it is slowly losing its authenticity. I’m afraid that commercializing it will wipe out the history,” Chee explained.
The OSBA and Lowe couldn’t disagree more. She explained that the local businesses on Whyte Avenue still live and thrive, but the general public only notices the branded stores.
“Think of what you are trained to see. You’re trained to see the McDonalds, the fast food chain restaurants. Our local shops are less visible because they are not branded constantly,” Lowe said.
Real estate developer John Day, like Lowe, also believes the history of Whyte Avenue will still be preserved. He has owned the Garneau building since 2007, where Pharos Pizza is located. All though he is moving the restaurant out along with other surrounding businesses, he hopes to maintain the culture of the Old Strathcona area.
“The heritage is very important. We are working with the city and community to come up with eligible plans,” Day said.
He intends to keep the Garneau theater up and running, but alter the neighboring shops. They are still developing working proposals.
“There are no new tenants yet. The plan is evolving but nothing has been decided yet,” he said.
Since 2005, a Chilli’s, Subway, Starbucks, Marble Slab and Second Cup have all opened on the corner of 104 St. and 82 Ave. While that may seem like a high concentration of chain restaurants on one corner, Lowe provided a few opposing statistics.
“Pretty close to 90% of the stores are locally and independently owned, and 80% for restaurants. With over 80 places to eat, that is a pretty high percentage of independent restaurants,” she explained.
The customers, including Chee aren’t so easily convince though and are near bitter about the whole ordeal.
“Nothing will be as good as Pharos Pizza.”
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Hello! My name is
Welcome one, Welcome all. My name is Yonathan and I’m taking Journalism at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton, AB. I decided to start posting my writing pieces because so many of you demanded to read my works! Ok, well nobody demanded, but I like to share, so love it.
This is not just your average blog. My aim is to present these writings in the most professional and credible way possible, separating me from a lot of the bloggers out there. As a result, don’t call me a blogger, because reporting is what I do.
This site will include a ton of different components.
- Articles I have written. Topics include news, education, health, sports, reviews and previews and longer features. Since I value fairness in all writing, I’ll often interview different people who have strong opinions or stakes in the matter.
- Opinion pieces. If you haven’t heard, I’ve had a pretty eventful life, and therefore have a few stories to tell. And some of my stories just need to be told.
- Photographs I’ve taken. Check the “Photograph of the Week” section for my favorite picture of the week. All pictures have been taken by yours truly.
- I’ll add more features and ideas to my blog when they come to mind…and when I also learn how to use this site.
So let’s have some fun, I’ll do what I do, and hopefully you’ll like it. If you don’t, please don’t say anything. I don’t take criticism very well. I'll update at least once a week, so check often for new business!
Welcome to the Full Metal Pen.
Yonathan
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