Gradzette the university of manitoba’s graduate student magazine
may 2013
Food sovereignty in Western Canada A new researcher profile on page 4
Gradzette THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA’S GRADUATE STUDENT MAGAZINE Gradzette c/o The Manitoban Newspaper Publications Corporation 105 University Centre University of Manitoba Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2 General inquiries and advertising Phone: (204) 474.6535 Fax: (204) 474.7651 Email: editor@gradzette.com Editor: Ryan Harby Copy Editor: vacant Designer: Marc Lagace Contributors: Sheldon Birnie, Beibei Lu, Marc Lagace The Gradzette is the official student magazine of the University of Manitoba’s graduate student community and is published on the first Monday of each month by the Manitoban Newspaper Publications Corporation. The Gradzette is a democratic student organization, open to participation from all students. It exists to serve its readers as students and citizens. The magazine’s primary mandate is to report fairly and objectively on issues and events of importance and interest to the graduate students of the University of Manitoba, to provide an open forum for the free expression and exchange of opinions and ideas, and to stimulate meaningful debate on issues that affect or would otherwise be of interest to the student body and/or society in general.
Cover photo by: Beibei Lu
The Gradzette serves as a training ground for students interested in any aspect of journalism. Students and other interested parties are invited to contribute. Please contact the editor listed above for submission guidelines. The Gradzette reserves the right to edit all submissions and will not publish any material deemed by its editorial board to be discriminatory, racist, sexist, homophobic or libelous. Opinions expressed in letters and articles are solely those of the authors.
Freelance! The Gradzette is always looking for keen students who have a passion for writing and would like to put that passion to good use! If you are interested in freelance opportunities available through the Gradzette, please contact editor@gradzette.com for more details.
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The Gradzette is a member of the Canadian University Press, a national student press cooperative with members from St. John’s to Victoria. All contents are ©2013 and may not be reprinted without the express written permission of the Manitoban Newspaper Publications Corporation. Yearly subscriptions to the Gradzette are available, please contact publisher@gradzette.com for more information.
News and notes from the GSA by Ryan Harby
New GSA website, contact information It appears May has brought us not only a new slate of GSA executives, but also a brand new GSA website. No longer umgsa.ca, as of May 4 the official UMGSA website will be located at umgsa.org. This move, as the GSA administration explains, is the result of decisions that were made at the Oct. 30, 2012 Special General Meeting. Along with the sleek new look of umgsa.org, students will notice that the email addresses for GSA executives have also changed. The following list reflects the newly updated contact information for the GSA executive as well as the GSA office: President: Monika Wetzel - pres@umgsa.org VP Academic: Mehdi Rahimian - vpa@umgsa.org VP External: Crystal Cook - vpe@umgsa.org VP Internal: Farhoud Delijani - vpi@umgsa.org VP Health Science: Melissa Rabb - vphsc@umgsa.org Senator: Calistus Ekenna - senator1@umgsa.org Senator: Gustavo Mejicanos - senator2@umgsa.org Senator at HSGSA: Emeke Okeke - senator3@umgsa.org Office Manager: Ruth Prokesch - gsa@umgsa.org Office Assistant: Trish Kelley - assistant@umgsa.org HSGSA President: Melissa Rabb - president@hsgsa.org VP Internal: Jessica Forbes - vpinternal@hsgsa.org VP External: Kamilla Kosciuczyk - vpexternal@hsgsa.org VP Academics: Amrit Boese - vpacademics@hsgsa.org VP St Boniface: Alison Muller - vpstboniface@hsgsa.org VP Marketing Events: Andrew Stalker - vpmarketingevents@hsgsa.org
As the application states, the awards are “designed to recognize the important contributions graduate students make to society through scholarship and community involvement.” “The awards have been made possible by the generous contribution of Dr. James Burns, a levy applied to all graduate students approved through a GSA referendum, and a contribution made by the Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative.” Students are asked to submit their applications to their own department, each of which is eligible to nominate one master’s level student, one PhD level student, and one part-time student. Among the available GSA awards are two for master’s level students ($12,000 each), one for doctoral students ($16,000), and two for part-time students ($5,000 each). In addition to the above listed GSA awards, nominations are also open for the 2013-14 University of Manitoba Graduate Student’ Association Teaching Award. The teaching award ($500) is given to one individual who, in the estimation of their graduate students, has made “a significant contribution to their teaching profession.” Applications for the awards can be found at all graduate departments, as well as www.umgsa.org/our-services/ umgsa-awards/. Inquiries regarding the awards can be directed to vpa@umgsa.org. The deadline for all GSA award applications/nominations is Monday, May 27.
GSA awards open for application Grad students looking to garner a little more funding for their education would do well to check out the recently opened 2013-14 University of Manitoba Graduate Students’ Association Awards. Continued on page 8... Gradzette
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Food sovereignty in Western Canada
Researcher profile: Tabitha Martens by Sheldon Birnie
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That “full picture” includes initiatives from commuabitha Martens is passionate about food, but “food” is a term that means much more to Martens than a nity kitchens and freezers, from hunters and trappers assistance programs to regional traditional food confersimple Webster’s definition might suggest. “When I talk about food, I’m not just talking about ences, from community gardens to culture camps. Culfuel or sustenance,” Martens told the Gradzette one af- ture camps, which a number of communities take part in ternoon at Neechi Commons on north Main Street. “I’m annually or multiple times throughout the year, can take talking about love, and life, and sharing, and being ac- a number of forms. In very broad, general terms, culture tive in your food system. I’m talking about where it came camps tend to involve spending time on the land, learning from and how it was grown. I’m talking about the peo- from elders, and reconnecting with Indigenous culture. ple whose hands touched it all along the way. I’m talking about who cooked it and who you shared it with. That’s what I mean when I talk about food.” Martens is deep into her master’s research at the University of Manitoba, working out of the faculty of environment and geography under Stephane McLachlan. Her research focuses on Indigenous food sovereignty in Western Canada and attempts to shed light on and share information on food initiatives taking place in Western Canada amongst the communities involved.
“Food sovereignty to me, and particularly Indigenous food sovereignty, is being actively engaged in your food system.”
“In my first phase I talked to local and regional experts “I don’t think when I started this that I understood who could speak to what Indigenous food sovereignty is,” how important [culture camps] were for food sovereignMartens explained, “what it means, what it looks like, ty,” Martens admits. “There are a lot of communities, why it’s important.” through their own food sovereignty initiatives that are “[In] the second phase of my research I took a look at working on translating a lot of their education materials 20 of those projects” and food programs into traditional languages as a way of By asking regional experts and doing plenty of her own continuing the support for that and revitalizing both of digging online, Martens identified 20 varied Indigenous those. Revitalizing their language and their food systems, communities across Western Canada, from Vancouver Is- and rightly so; the two are interconnected.”
land to northern Manitoba, who are all involved in interIndeed, the very notion of what “food sovereignty” esting and unique food initiatives. means to Martens and the communities she has been One of the most common food initiatives Martens working with has shifted substantially since she began her research. found was community gardens. “I could have done all community gardens,” she said. “I think they play this incredibly important role in bridging the gap between nothing and a start. They also play a hugely important role in youth involvement, which has become a really strong theme in my research. I don’t want to discount the community gardens, but at the same time I wanted to create a full picture of what Indigenous food sovereignty looks like.” 4
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“When I started off I was like, ‘Who am I going to find that is food sovereign? Everyone depends on the store,’” Martens recalls. “Now, food sovereignty to me, and particularly Indigenous food sovereignty, is being actively engaged in your food system.” “It’s a tricky term, food sovereignty,” admits Martens, “and I’m not sure everyone is ready to have that conversation.”
Finding it difficult to connect in some communities using what she herself describes as “researcher terms” like “food sovereignty,” Martens found more success by broadly discussing food initiatives. “Once I dropped those terms,” she recalls, “people were like, ‘Oh! We have a green house and we have a hunting assistance program. We do trapper education, we have a goose camp, etc., etc.’” Another common academic concept Martens found she had to abandon in pursuit of her research was that of a “linear trajectory.” “That doesn’t work when you’re looking at Indigenous research,” Martens said, “and rightly so.” Instead, Martens found that through the course of her research, she was constantly finding herself turned “every which way” by new and unforeseen influences arising from conversations with experts, community members and elders. “All those outside influences [ . . . ] have been so rewarding,” Martens told the Gradzette. “Those are the moments I have been an observer and a participant. Those are the moments elders have shared with me. Those are the moments people invite me to participate in ceremony, or an event or workshop. Those are the special moments when a linear approach wouldn’t work.”
“I’ve always loved plants,” explained Martens, “which probably informs my research now. I love learning about medicinal plants. I love learning about edible plants. So that’s something I maintained as an interest for years when I wasn’t in university.” A mature student, Martens only recently returned to university. In the meantime, she worked – and continues to work – in Indigenous education.
“My day job in Indigenous education kept me involved in that, in that there was education around traditional knowledge and plants. I’d been involved in education around water and wildlife with FN communities. All this was kind of simmering and waiting for the right time The result of following these influences where they for me to look at it.” may lead, rather than sticking to a rigid research plan, has “My goal has always been to carry these stories with been a more organic, holistic understanding of what Indigenous food sovereignty looks like, from a community the utmost humility, honesty, and truth as I can,” Martens said. “I’m so blessed that in the end I will have talked to based, Indigenous perspective. almost 50 people who have shared their stories with me. I want their stories to remain with them. I just want to tell [them] on their behalf and to look for themes and those “I’ve always loved plants,” exoutliers that may exist, to create a bigger picture.”Students interested in volunteering for any of these positions plained Martens, “which probably should contact pres@umgsa.org for more information.
informs my research now.”
“If I’m truly doing this on behalf of and for Indigenous communities,” she explains, “it should reflect their benefits and not my benefits as a researcher. So that’s something I’m trying to balance right now.” Holding an undergraduate degree from the University of Winnipeg in environmental science, Martens has always been interested in food. With her current research, she was able to make a connection to her field of undergraduate study: botany. Gradzette
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Play ball!
GSA organizing softball league for graduate students by Marc Lagace
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The league is wide open to anyone interested regardless his summer graduate students will get the opportunity to take some time out of their often-stressful of skill level or access to equipment. The GSA has investschedule and get active while socializing with their fel- ed in all the necessary equipment so that even individuals low grad students through the time-honoured tradition who might not own a baseball mitt can participate. of softball. Last year roughly 170 graduate students and staff were After successfully implementing the inter-departmen- divided into ten teams and played out of King’s Park, lotal slo-pitch softball league last summer, members on the cated just south of the Fort Garry Campus. GSA executive have deAround the month of cided to bring it back for March, interest began to a second year. League play grow from graduate stuwill run from mid-May undents at both the Fort til August, capped off with Garry and Bannatyne a social at the season’s end campuses regarding the where trophies and awards reformation of a softball will be handed out. league for the upcoming
summer. Jennifer Chen is one of a small group of organizers for the league, and is also the outgoing GSA Vice-President Academic. The rest of the 2013 softball league organizing group includes: Melissa Rabb, Andrew Stalker, and “We don’t have a ‘graduate student house’ or ‘pub’ or incoming GSA senator Gustavo Mejicanos. “We started to plan the league in early April, including central point where graduate students can meet and unwind, and this too often makes it a challenge to meet oth- contacting the field, reviewing league rules, and seeking er graduate students outside of your home department. sponsorship,” Chen explained. “It is a fun recreational league, meant to engage and connect graduate students This was a unique opportunity to address this issue.” “My main motivation when first proposing this league to Council back in the winter of 2012 was to enhance the graduate experience at the University of Manitoba,” explained outgoing GSA senator Olivier Gagne.
“It is a fun recreational league, meant to engage and connect graduate students and give a fun forum to meet and network with their peers.” – Jennifer Chen
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and give a fun forum to meet and network with their peers.” Teams are made up of 13-15 individuals with a minimum of three women per team. Non-grad students are also welcome to participate, but three out of every four players must be grad students. Registration is free and all participants will be required to sign a waiver form. If you’re interested in organizing a team, make sure to include all confirmed players and the contact information for a team captain. Games appear to be partially scheduled based on team availability, so it might be wise to include any potential scheduling conflicts. The official deadline for team registration was set for May 6, so while there may not be ample time to organize an entire team, Chen states that participants can sign up individually as free agents. All applications and inquiries should be sent to vpme@hsgsa.ca as soon as possible.
“Last summer the GSA also organized a one-day soccer tournament, which has been a long standing event. It was a well-attended and successful event, too. Graduate students show high enthusiasm for sporting events. I’m glad to see graduate students get some rest, relaxation, and active living away from their studies.”a One thing that should be emphasized is that actual softball skills are not required. The league is purely recreational, with its focus mainly on building and maintaining relations between graduate student departments. “Graduate students are also often confined to labs and offices,” Gagne explained, “so it is nice to have an outdoors sporting event to look forward to at the end of a day every week or two.” The window for registration is closing fast, so to get in on the fun, make sure to get your information to the organizing parties as soon as possible. The preferred method of contact is through email, at vpme@hsgsa.ca.
The co-ed softball league is not the only summer sporting activity organized by the GSA.
Last summer, Geology (team pictured above) won the league trophy by defeating Psychology in the championship game. Gradzette
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Springtime on campus Photos by Beibei lu
Continued from page 3 Call for Senate committee members The GSA is inviting students to get involved and join one of the various Senate committees currently in need of members.
Among the committees with vacant positions are: the Senate Committee on Academic Freedom, the Senate Committee on Admission Appeals, the Senate Committee on Awards, the Senate Committee on Instruction and Evaluation, the Senate Committee on Academic Review, the Senate Committee on Admissions, the Senate Committee on Academic Dress, and the Senate Committee on Nominations . “This is an opportunity for you to influence academic policy at the U of M, gain firsthand experience, and receive recognition on your record,” says GSA president Monika Wetzel. The students’ association is also seeking to fill vacancies on the Faculty Council of Graduate Studies. Needed are two students from humanities, two students from social sciences, two students from natural sciences, two students from health sciences, and two students from agricultural sciences.
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We ’r e h i r i n g ! The Manitoban is currently looking for section editors for the 2013-14 publishing year. Openings include: News Editor, Arts & Culture Editor, Comment Editor, Sports Editor, Science Editor, Managing Editor, Copy Editor, Design Editor, Graphics Editor, and Photo Editor. The Manitoban is the official student newspaper of the University of Manitoba. It is published monthly during the summer and each week of regular classes during the academic year by the Manitoban Newspaper Publications Corporation. For submissions to News, Arts, Comment, Sports, Science, Copy, and Managing, please send a resume, cover letter, and three (3) writing samples to hiring@themanitoban.com by 11:59 p.m., May 22, 2013. For submissions to Design, Graphics, and Photo, please send a resume, cover letter, and portfolio to hiring@themanitoban.com by 11:59 p.m., May 22, 2013. More information on all available positions can be found online at themanitoban.com/job_listing/section-editor-positions.