The Mark

Volume II . . . No. 6 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2014 FREE.99

Remembering Why We Play
We know that physical activi-
ty is good for the body, but it also
has many benefits for the mind
and soul. This month at Quest, it
provided students with two op-
portunities to energize their inner
selves. A memorial run put on by
the family of Daniel Rezmer and
a world record-breaking volley-
ball game in the Kermode gym
helped to remind us of all the ben-
eficial things exercise can bring.
A year ago our community
experienced a tragic loss when
Quest student, Daniel Rezmer,
passed away. On September 14,
2014, Rezmers peers, friends and
family gathered here in Squamish
to participate in a run honouring
his memory. The event was titled
the Youth Run for Pure Good, af-
ter one of his mothers favourite
memories of her son attempting to
define happiness: for me, its pure
good. Fourth year student Jeannie
Rakamnuaykit, who participated in
the run, remembers a positive at-
titude amongst the participants.
Rakamnuaykit noted that the mark
Rezmer left was made clear after
hearing speeches from loved ones:
While speakers mourned for Dan-
iel, the prevailing emotion at the
event was gratitude. Thank yous
flowed as steadily as tears as we
celebrated Daniels life and legacy.
Martin Parnell, a representa-
tive from Right to Play, embodies
the spirit of Rezmer who, accord-
ing to the Youth Run for Pure Good
Facebook page, saw running as an
Two events this month remind community of the
diverse benefts of physical activity
expression of freedom and passion
for life. Parnell, a Right to Play am-
bassador who ran 250 marathons
in 2010, was here to spread the
message that activity is essential
for happy and healthy develop-
ment, something Rezmer would
most definitely have supported.
On September 19, 310 of us
broke the world record for the
largest indoor volleyball game in
an event organized by the Right
to Play club. While it was easy to
get caught up in the excitement
of bumping, setting, spiking, and
watching Quest tutor Glen Van
Brummelen hustle around the
court, one particular person in
the gym served as a constant
reminder of the purpose of the
event. Sitting in the top left section
of the bleachers or setting on the
court was Martin Parnell, who is
starting an important fundraising
journey right here in Squamish.
This year, as a part of his
Quest for Kids, Parnell is trav-
elling to ten universities across
Canada in an attempt to break
ten world records for the biggest
games of various sports. Talking
to him, however, it was clear that
breaking world records was not
his only priority. Obviously its
great that were about to break
[the record of] 300 people, he
said, but today is all for the kids.
The donations raised on Fri-
day and at Purnells next nine
stops will go to training commu-
nity leaders all over the world to
spread Right to Plays message.
Its mission, to empower youth
to overcome poverty, conflict and
disease, helps children in many
developing regions to realize their
potential. Parnell illustrated how
ambassadors work with local
leaders to facilitate this realization
through a story about a visit to
Benin, a country in West Africa.
Leaders had a group of children
surround an individual and in-
structed the children to prevent
another group from entering the
circle. Because malaria is a serious
problem there, the activity was a
metaphor for the way the immune
system resists viruses. Games like
this, combined with positive en-
ergy, help to encourage healthy
practices that can save lives.
This past month at Quest has
demonstrated how physical activi-
ty can be a source of human good-
ness and positive energy. When
play becomes competitive, partic-
ularly because of money, its mes-
sage of pure good can be swiftly
compromised. However, events
like these emphasize the good that
activity can bring and represent
in a community and in the world.
Presidential
Search
Continues
The final year of Da-
vid Helfands presidency has
begun, but Quests search
committee has yet to see
a defined candidate pool or set
a deadline for the position an-
nouncement. Isaacson Miller,
the executive search firm hired
by Quest, has been working on
identifying candidates since con-
sulting with student focus groups
back in April, where Isaacson
Miller received feedback about
integrating community beliefs and
values into the job description.
Isaacson Miller, who prides
themselves on their commitment
to diversity, is continuously ex-
panding and refining said can-
didate pool. However, search
committee member Eric Gorham
explained that no one from Quest
will see any resumes until their
meetings with Isaacson Miller on
September 19 and October 21. After
that point, the committee will refer
back to the job description - craft-
ed with the aforementioned stu-
dent feedback in mind - while de-
bating candidates and narrowing
them down to a group of finalists.
Gorham noted that while
confidentiality has been the most
frustrating part of the process
for him, it is less of a personal
choice and more about respect-
ing the fact that candidates may
NEWS & OPINON
Equity & Diversity
View From Here
PAGE A2
OPINION
Power of Plants
October Briefs
PAGE B1
SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT
Squamish Estuary
PAGE B2
Michi and the Bees
By TRISTAN KLINE &
KENDRA PERRIN
Michalina Hunter, a fourth year
student better known as Michi,
started learning about bees after
her second year at Quest Univer-
sity Canada. It was while WWOOF-
ing (World Wide Opportunities on
Organic Farms) in New Zealand
that she first had the opportuni-
ty to don a bee suit, open up the
hives, and extract the sweet honey.
She has been hooked ever since.
Reminiscing about her first
time working with bees, she said:
I was incredibly nervous when
we opened up the hives I think
I was shaking! But seeing the
amazing creatures working away
quietly under the lid of the hive
was so beautiful. And the smell
of the hives was so heavenly; Im
still trying to figure out a way to
capture that smell in a perfume...
Upon returning from New Zealand,
Michi started helping beekeepers
around her home on the Sun-
shine Coast in hopes of learning
more about her new fascination.
For Michi, bees are not just
honey producers. In fact, hon-
ey bees account for only one of
around 450 native species that
live right here in beautiful Brit-
ish Columbia. If you thought that
was a staggering number, read
this: there are roughly 20,000 spe-
cies of our little buzzing buddies
in the world. According to Michi,
native bees are extremely import-
ant in balancing the local ecolo-
gy by pollinating native flowers.
Thanks to Michis hardwork
and clever navigation of Squamish
bylaws, there have been bees on
Quests campus since last April.
They came from New Zealand
in cardboard tubes of several
hundred bees and a queen in a
cage. We put them in their box-
es one night, and they have been
If You Build it, They
Will Come
In recent years, the idea of
a Quest campus pub has been
bounced around amongst alum-
ni, students, and administration.
The first people to voice this
idea were former Quest students
Brad Klees and Tucker Sherman.
Over the past year the two have
worked through the initial diffi-
culties of getting the pub off the
ground and are now watching their
idea evolve into a real possibility.
The first obstacle that Klees
and Sherman overcame was con-
vincing the Quest community a
pub would be a positive addition
to campus. The two believe a pub
would provide a space that is for
students to unwind, and while
unwinding can mean different
things for different people, Klees
and Sherman believe the pub can
fit these different needs. The pub
would serve alcohol on weekends
and because of a recent law passed
by British Columbia minors would
still be allowed in the bar. The pub
would also serve as a performance
space where students could host
various events. It is even possible
that the pub could house a caf,
a corner store, and a bike rental
shop. These extra business en-
deavors would be run by Squamish
companies, an arrangement which
would encourage more interaction
between the people on the hill
and the rest of the community.
In a recent Facebook poll,
Klees and Sherman demonstrated
student support for the pub. Stu-
dents arent the only ones enthu-
By MICHAELA SLINGER
LULU GRIMM
By KEVIN BERNA
Helfands fnal year as
president begins; new
leadership remains unclear
thriving since then! said Michi.
The beekeeping club started
up shortly after the arrival of the
bees and, ever since, members
have been checking in on the
bees every week or two to en-
sure that all is well in hive-land.
They must make sure that the
queen is laying eggs, that the hive
is healthy and disease-free, and
that the bees have enough food
to last through the chilly winter.
Bees are seasonal creatures
and, just like us, they start spend-
ing more and more time inside
when it starts getting rainy and
cold outside (but with less Netflix).
When Father Winters icy knuck-
les come knocking and refuse to
stop, the bees will bundle them-
selves in a big, buzzing ball and
take shifts in an insulating crust
to keep their comrades warm.
Now that you are practical-
ly an expert on bees, come out
to join Michi (and the bees) be-
tween 10 am and 3 pm this Oc-
tober 5 as she leads a workshop
packed with business, buzziness,
waxiness, workiness, and learning.
If this candle-dipping and hang-
ing with the hives (they really
are quite friendly!) catches your
fancy, then consider joining the
Quest beekeeping club. Michi ex-
plains, the most rewarding part
for me is getting interested people
in bee suits and showing them
the hives ... it has been so great
getting people into the beekeep-
ing world and sharing the stoke!
There is always work to be
done when you are a beekeeper.
The bees keep us as busy as they
keep themselves. So you, Michi,
and the bees, will have plenty to do.
If you truly are interested in
joining Quests Beekeeping Club or
have any questions for the bees (or
Michi!), feel free to send an email
to michalina.hunter@questu.ca
Yes, it sounds like a band name, and maybe one day it
will be, but in this case, were talking about exactly what
we say: Michi and the (many many native) bees.
Despite obstacles, a pub on Quests campus is still a
possibility.
By LIZA STONER & LEENA LAMONTAGNE-DUPUIS
siastic about the pub either; the
Quest administration also seems
on board with the idea. However,
they need to see a firm proposal
before taking a definitive stance.
Through the process of putting to-
gether a definitive proposal, Klees
and Sherman have had to evaluate
many possible ways of financing
the construction. They conclud-
ed that working with the Student
Representative Council is the best
chance for getting the pub built.
The SRC could hold a referendum
which, if passed by the student
body, would allow them to take
out a loan to finance the pubs con-
struction. The money to pay back
this mortgage would come out of
the SRCs budget for the next twen-
ty years. Because this would tie up
SRC money for such a long time, it
is a decision which the SRC and stu-
dent body will likely take seriously.
This year could be the turn-
ing point for the future of Quests
pub. David Helfand, Quests es-
teemed president, wi`ll be leaving
at the end of the year, and Klees
and Sherman are aware of the pos-
sibility that Quests next president
may not be as open to student
initiatives as Helfand has been.
If the student body comes to-
gether and continues to push for
a pub on campus, ground could
be broken on construction by the
summer of 2015. By this time next
fall students could be sipping a
brew, discussing class topics with
tutors in a pub they helped create.
currently hold positions at other
academic institutions. Applica-
tions will likely be more abun-
dant if those interested need not
worry about their colleagues or
students discovering that theyre
seeking out other positions.
For this same reason, there is
not yet a calendar date to mark
down regarding the presidential
announcement. The only dead-
line that Gorham could concretely
identify was Helfands departure in
the summer of 2015. The transition-
al process between old president
and new president remains equal-
ly ambiguous, as it hinges on the
candidate chosen for the position
as well as Helfands own wish-
es for ending his time at Quest.
While finding new leadership
has been a long and complicat-
ed journey, Gorham believes that
new blood is a wonderful thing
for any institution -- the new pres-
ident will not be like David, and
that can be a very good thing.
Gorham continued on to note the
direct benefits of the change for
Quest students, as it may gener-
ate new ideas, new practices, new
ways that we can relate to each
other as a campus community.
Gorham is still open to con-
versation and input regarding the
search. Even if its not with a spe-
cific candidate in mind, students
should continue to share their
thoughts on what they believe
will constitute a strong and effec-
tive president at Quest. With the
incoming class having only one
quarter of their university expe-
rience led by Helfand, they may
bring a fresh perspective to the
search that will be less influenced
by their interactions with him.
Suggestions can be emailed
to Eric at eric.gorham@questu.ca.
EUAN SADLER
A2
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2014
The Mark NEWS & OPINION
Five academic projects students
worked on last summer
By ANDREA PRUDENCIO CARRIAGA & BENJAMIN GOLDSTEIN
In the Quest Summer Fellows
Program, five Quest students take
on academic projects requiring
creative and original thought. Fel-
lows report to a host faculty mem-
ber who works with them through-
out their project and receive
about $4000 minus taxes, plus
on-campus accommodations. Last
summer Mabel Vautravers, Ty-
ler Heilman, Gillian Pool, Andrew
Ross Laird, and Jenna Treissman
worked about 35 hours per week
for over three months, while living
together in a Swift Creek condo.
Vautravers wrote a sci-fi no-
vella with themes of norm-defi-
ance in representations of identity.
Her novella began as a two-page
story written for her Identity and
Perspective class, but after the
summer its seventy pages and
Vautravers may turn it into her
keystone project. Vautravers said
Living on campus over the sum-
mer sometimes felt isolating, but at
the same time I couldnt imagine
a better circumstance for myself.
Laird modeled water inflow for
a reservoir. His biggest task was to
create a program for identifying the
yearly spring inflow period, when
far more water enters the reservoir
than during the rest of year. Laird
said programming involves a ton
of reading ... and I really liked get-
ting a chance to get deeper into
[it], since I usually dont have a
chance to while attending Quest.
Heilman, who is interested
in climatology and meteorology,
built a weather station for use by
BC Parks. Although he encoun-
tered several difficulties within his
project, he said large periods of
frustration are a necessary part
of self-directed learning... and
when you finally overcome those
moments its the most satisfying
feeling. This month Heilmans
weather station was flown by he-
licopter to Garibaldi Park, prov-
ing his frustrations worthwhile.
Treissman, who is interested in
pre-conceptive health, constructed
a survey to determine the prev-
alence of STIs on campus. The
anonymous survey will be out in
October. Treissman, like most of the
fellows, is considering submitting
her fellowship project as a Keystone.
Pool monitored human and
wildlife presence on trails near the
sea-to-sky gondola using infrared
cameras. She spent her days trav-
eling the trails to re-locate cameras,
replace batteries, and download-
ing images before the cameras
became full. Pool recommended
the program. It was a fun envi-
ronment, with lots of headspace...
the commitment to the project
was really motivating. Heilman
agreed, It was really good to live
with all of them; [the fellows] I did
not know any of them going in. I
had misconceptions about them
before the summer, but we end-
ed up getting along very well.
Although none have finished
their projects yet, all the fellows
enjoyed their experience. The
deadline to apply for next years
summer fellows program is next
February, and applications can
be found in the Quest Portal.
Diversity & Equity
Report
cia tree, ate delicious nyama cho-
ma and assiduously debated pol-
itics with a Quest students family.
I visited a dilapidated rural school
to observe a reproductive health
lesson. I ate avocados half the size
of my head in Fig Tree Market. I
traveled by matatu, bus, taxi and
official government escort. I wept
at times, and danced at others. I
could go on.
Yet the most impactful mo-
ment of the trip was standing in
front of the church, atop the bones
of the murdered. I heard a sound
behind us two young boys, aged
10 and 11 emerged. They lived
around the corner, and came to
observe the curious strangers
who had lumbered into the middle
of nowhere. They asked us what
we were doing, and we did the
same. They were on their way to
the shop. They told us that they
were around the church when the
fire started, that one of them had
almost been hit in the eye by an
arrow when he was four years old.
They also told us that they
loved football. One of them sup-
ported the Super
Eagles he was
my favourite. Da-
vid and I sat on the
car bonnet and lis-
tened to them talk
for a while. One
wanted to become
a doctor, the other
wanted to write
books. They were
both doing well in
school, and liked
the subjects they
were taking. They
asked us for a lift
to the store, less
than a mile up the
grassy path, and
we obliged. We
gave them 30 bob
(37 cents) each
for biscuits, and
headed toward the
road.
I learned a lot
of things in Kenya:
the value of con-
By JESSICA OSULLIVAN
By TARI AJADI
View From Here
Summer Fellows 2014
With the student population
finally stabilizing and the number
of applications going up each year,
Quest University Canada is be-
coming less worried about bring-
ing in students and more worried
about who those students are.
How does a university approach
the multi-faceted condition of
equality and diversity on campus?
This is why the Equity and Diversi-
ty Committee was formed.
As Quest grows, the students,
faculty and staff are finding the
need to grow with it. With the stu-
dent population exceeding 600,
new questions are emerging about
the direction of the university. The
Diversity and Equity Committee is
an intentional committee whose
goal is to unite the staff, faculty and
student body in creating conversa-
tion around what it means to have
a diverse community. They pursue
questions regarding who we ad-
mit, who we hire, how to deal with
the oppression of both visible and
invisible minorities, and how our
implicit biases affect our decisions.
The Diversity Committee is
composed of three faculty mem-
bers, three staff members, and
three student liaisons. The three tu-
tors elected by the faculty are John
Reid-Hresko, Mai Yaisue and Curtis
Wasson. The three staff members
are Melanie Koenderman, Rachel
Cabrera, and Krista Lambie. Of the
student liaisons, one will be an SRC
minister, and the rest of the com-
mittee will choose the other two.
All decisions made by the commit-
tee are consensus driven. The role
of the student liaisons will be an
important aspect of the commit-
tee, as students have information
and access to the Quest commu-
nity that the faculty and staff dont
have.
Through a survey sent via
email earlier this month that is due
October 2, the committee hopes to
gather data on the state of diver-
sity and equity on campus. We
need to have the policies we pur-
sue come out of data that way
they are based in reality, says Re-
id-Hresko. Once the data is collect-
ed, it will be cleaned of any iden-
tifiable markers that might break
confidentiality. The committee will
release this data back to the Quest
community in Spring of 2015. vThis
information will be available and
used to inform future decisions
made by the committee. The
survey will be administered inter-
mittently throughout Quests exis-
tence, so that decisions are made
using relevant information.
In upcoming years, the com-
mittee will be focusing its attention
on diversifying incoming faculty
and students. We have the possi-
bility for driving policy and change
in ways supported by the majori-
ty, Reid-Hresko explains. We are
hoping that this committee has
the potential to affect members of
our community besides faculty,
namely staff and students [...] that
means that we can achieve broad
consensus across a variety of inter-
ested parties as we move forward.
That is the rationale behind their
involvement.
By including insights from
many factions of the Quest com-
munity, the committee aims to
shape a systematic approach that
reduces the impact of the hiring
committees implicit biases. More
specifically, one of their goals is
to mitigate an often subconscious
prejudice against minority groups
and women. In the future, the com-
mittee hopes to apply a similar ap-
proach to student admissions.
Any student interested in be-
ing a liaison is encouraged to apply
through the Quest Portal. All appli-
cants are required to have letters
of support from a faculty or staff
member who is not on the com-
mittee, and a fellow student.
Whether you are a seasoned
adventurer or just learning to walk
in the woods, Squamish is any
hikers playground. Known as the
outdoor recreation capital of Can-
ada, our backyard offers trails that
take you from the sea to the sky,
through pristine alpine forest to
glacial lakes and panoramic views
of our coastal mountains.
Heading up Highway 99 to-
wards Whistler youll find Brohm,
Cat and Alice Lakes. All are easy to
access (two minute walks from the
parking lots) and offer great swim-
ming spots, places to camp, and
wooded walking trails that loop
around their shores.
A well worn Squamish trail
winds steeply up the backside of
the Stawamus Chief, branching off
about halfway up to a selection be-
tween first, second and third peak.
This one requires intermediate to
extreme levels of stoke the incline
has been known to dampen spir-
its momentarily. Once you reach
the top, however, youll be flood-
ed with the realization that it was
worth every step; the spectacular
view overlooks all of the Squamish
Valley and Howe Sound. Shannon
Falls can also be accessed by the
Chief trail. Shortly after beginning
the hike youll come to a small
bridge that branches off and takes
you over to the waterfall.
For those of you who are
looking to hike up into the moun-
tains, Garibaldi Provincial Park is
literally in Quests backyard. Trails
to Red Heather, Elfin Lakes, The
Gargoyles, Opal Cone and Mam-
quam Lake all begin at the trail-
head at the end of Garibaldi Park
Road, about a 30 minute drive up
the dirt road past the Swift Creek
condos. From there, the trail starts
Exploring our great backyard
By ELISE PEARSON
Get Outside
They were chased here, to the
Kenya Assemblies of God church
in tiny Kiambaa village, when
the violence started six years
ago. Women and children main-
ly, though there were a few men
in their midst. The church was
burned down; the fire hastened by
the onrushing mob, who fueled it
with rotting grass and crops from
the now luscious fields surround-
ing the site. Some estimates say up
to fifty people were killed. I counted
far fewer headstones in the grave-
yard. Later, I visited the mortuary
where bodies from the fire were
still stacked in a large refrigerated
crate, waiting to be claimed by
families long gone.
David, the man who showed
me around Eldoret, Kenya that
day went quiet when he began
to discuss that wretched time on
New Years Day, 2008. No words
were needed. The church ahead of
us was a two room hut surround-
ed by acres of maize and a small
plot for the victims final resting
place. There was a flimsy gate,
half-a-dozen goats, a meandering
cow and a woman tending to the
fields. I paused for a moment be-
fore heading inside the compound.
Shouldnt there be a monument
for what happened here? Some-
thing that reads Never Again or a
similar sentiment? I wondered.
Before those words left my
mouth, I knew the answer.
My plans for Kenya before I
travelled were decidedly vague. I
knew I would be spending six or
more weeks at the African Lead-
ership Centre in Nairobi. I knew I
would be researching the role of
identity in political conflicts fo-
cusing specifically on ethnicity,
and on the post-election violence
of 2008. I knew Id collect some sto-
ries, then eventually leave. Beyond
that, I was content to absorb and
react.
I ended up staying with four
different families across the coun-
try, meeting ambassadors, village
elders, policemen, market women
and bus drivers. I planted an aca-
versible spaces when interacting
with issues of human security,
and the value of antibiotics after
eating in a sketchy but delicious
restaurant in Machakos, to start.
But these boys knew more about
the lives they were living and the
question that I was studying than I
could dream. Their presence hum-
bled me. I would be a fool to think
I could tell their story, or the story
of their home, with any meaning.
My life has been a matrix of sim-
plicity and comfort, and yours has
too. No monument could capture
the suffering of people across the
country, no matter what ethnicity,
who died or whose livelihoods are
silently decaying under a myriad
of circumstances. No monument
could capture their joy and their
aspirations, their successes or their
brilliance either. And so I was re-
signed to leave after a quick prayer
for the deceased with solemnity in
my heart, a couple of coins in my
hand and a ringing endorsement
of Ahmed Musa in my head. So it
goes.
off with an easy incline and winds
its way to the Red Heather ski hut.
Continuing along the trail will bring
you up to the ridge, where youll
be encompassed by a panoram-
ic view of the coastal mountains.
Another six kilometers from Red
Heather, and 11 kilometers from the
trailhead, youll reach Elfin Lakes.
The Elfin campground provides
easy access to the Gargoyles and
Opal Cone. If youre really amped
on hiking in further, continue along
the trail past Opal Cone to Mam-
quam Lake, 11 kilometers from Elfin.
Garibaldi Lake is another
sweet destination. The trailhead
starts at the Rubble Creek parking
lot just south of Whistler. Switch-
backs through the alpine forest
takes you up for six kilometers
where a fork in the road either
takes you down to the lake or over
Taylor Meadows, nestled below
Black Tusk. From the meadows
you can continue up Black Tusk
or towards Panorama ridge. The
ridge is about 15 kilometers from
the Rubble Creek trailhead, where
youll find glorious views overlook-
ing the lake.
These trails are fantastic to ex-
plore year round, but they become
increasingly less accessible after
October dress appropriately and
prepare accordingly (snowshoes,
layers and toques recommended);
be safe out there and have a wick-
ed time in the mountains. Check
out vancouvertrails.com for more
information about distance, esti-
mated time, elevation gain and de-
tailed trail maps.
TARI AJADI
ELISE PEARSON
OPINION
B1
By CALEAH DEAN & ANDREA
PRUDENCIO CARRIAGA
Getting Off
Welcome back Questies! We
thought wed kick off the year with
a fun and positive topic: toys! Sex
toys can enhance pleasure and
allow you to explore different di-
mensions of your sexuality. You
can have magnificent sex without
toys, but you might be surprised
by how much fun you can have
if you decide to try them. Sex is
supposed to be fun, and allowing
yourself to explore different ways
of having it can create a unique
and thrilling experience.
Below are some of the most
common misconceptions about
sex toys we encountered in our
conversations with Quest stu-
dents, and some of the responses
that we concocted to try and clear
them up.
Myth #1: Theyre something to be
hidden and ashamed of.
Yes, privacy is important,
but you should never have to be
ashamed. Infact, being open about
your toys will reduce the fear of
someone discovering them and al-
low you to relax and enjoy yourself
more fully. Additionally, being open
with a partner about your toys and
what gets you off will most likely
lead to a more pleasurable experi-
ence for you both.
Myth #2: Sex toys are mostly for
women.
Hell no! There is everything you
never imagined out there. Yes,
vibrators are a classic lady favor-
ite, but they can please men too!
And there are a slew of other pos-
sibilities out there for both guys
and girls, such as cock rings, anal
beads, dildos, and masturbating
sleeves, just to name a few.
Myth #3: They replace a partner.
R. MARIS WINTERS
Toys might be a great source
of pleasure if you want to explore
your sexuality in solo mode, but
being reluctant to introduce them
into a partner relationship for fear
of being supplanted doesnt make
much sense. As a third year stu-
dent put it, [thinking that a sex toy
can replace a partner] is like peo-
ple being afraid of being replaced
by computers at work, [...] maybe
if the sex toys get really good, you
might not be needed as a lover
anymore, but loving someone is so
much more than just making love
anyway. Following the computer
analogy, it makes more sense for
people to incorporate their com-
puters into their work to increase
their productivity. Plus, no ma-
chine can replace creativity, con-
nection and affection.
Myth #4: Sex toys are for long term
partners who are getting tired of
the same old thing and want to
spice things up.
True, that is one good use for
sex toys, but it is far from the only
use. They could be just for you, or
they could also be for wonderful
hookup sex, as long as all parties
are comfortable and you keep
your toys clean.
Myth #5: Sex shops are filthy, grimy
places, filled with S&M material,
and scantily-clad women.
This could not be more wrong.
Sex shops, at least the ones we
would encourage you to visit, look
like any other store, except that
the products they sell happen to
revolve solely around sex. If you
are interested in buying, or even
just learning more about toys, con-
doms, bondage material, lingerie,
lube, porn or anything else that
may serve to change your sex life,
you should try visiting a sex shop.
We recommend the queer friendly
and super interesting Little Sisters
Book & Art Emporium on Davies
St., Vancouver.
Myth #6: Sex toys are way too ex-
pensive.
Not necessarily! We wont say
that a fancy sex toy isnt a good in-
vestment (because it is!), but there
are many cheaper options out
there. London Drugs has a small
but reasonable selection of mainly
vibrators. If thats still more than
youre willing to spend, there are
many phallic shaped household
objects that could work, just so
long as they have no sharp edges
and are very well sanitized.
Although we are firm believers
in the power of sex toys, they may
not be for everyone. If sex toys ar-
ent your thing, dont be ashamed
of that either! For those of you
who are toy lovers, or interested
in trying them out, remember to
communicate and lubricate! (No
silicone based lube with your sili-
cone toys!)
Play safe,
Caleah & Andrea
If your friends tell you that
growing houseplants inside your
home is not rocket science, tell
them that it is!
In a landmark study, a NASA
scientist found that indoor plants
not only remove pollutants but
re-oxygenate the air inside space-
crafts. Rather handy for the astro-
nauts, since such plants keep them
alive and healthy.
On Earth, the same applies to
us. In fact, there are also measur-
able positive psychological bene-
fits to keeping houseplants. People
actually feel happier around plants
than in lifeless indoor spaces.
Sure, plants make us feel good
in space, but since we are on Earth,
why not just get a puppy? The
puppy would provide you with
more oxygen through day-to-day
walks and make you significantly
happier, right?
Yes, but can a puppy, howev-
er adorable, be your ever-reliable
air cleaning machine? With the
amount of built up CO
2
and toxins
in our homes, we are all in desper-
ate need of these fresh air circula-
tors.
Not only do plants such as
ferns, ivy, and palms absorb lethal
toxins, they also release oxygen
and naturally humidify our air,
making it significantly harder to get
a cold or flu.
If you still find a puppy more
desirable, consider Kamal Meat-
tles research in New Delhi.
On September 8, 2008, the
New Dehli government marked the
Paharpur Business Center as the
healthiest building in the entire city.
Over 15 years, the center has incor-
porated more than 1,200 plants for
its 300 employees. Meattle shares
the results: 9% reduction in asth-
ma, 24% reduction in headaches,
34% reduced respiratory irritation,
52% reduced eye irritation, 20% in-
crease in human productivity, 42%
probability of ones blood oxygen
going up by 1% after 10 hours in the
building, 15% reduction of energy
cost (lower ventilation costs).
The most significant impact
may lie in the reduced energy cost.
Today, buildings consume 40% of
the worlds energy. Considering
that the UN estimates that 70% of
the world population will be living
in cities by 2050, these carcino-
gen-consuming and ultra friendly
plants will benefit all of human-
kind, as they have for thousands
of years.
If you think about it, you could
maximize your joy and health by
getting a puppy AND a few plants.
Just make sure you put your
plants where you spend most of
your time -- inside the living quar-
ters please!
Hurry and begin growing your
own fresh air!
By ISABELLA
THORSTEINSDOTTIR
The Power
of Plants
Benjamin Booker Benja-
min Booker. The latest self-titled
album from Benjamin Booker is
a drum- and guitar-heavy ga-
rage-blues rock anthem. Hailing
from Detroit, Booker is a contem-
porary garage-blues artist that has
inspired the likes of Jack White.
His song Wicked Waters uses
the contrast between loud guitar
and quiet, calm vocals to create a
great indie song. Always Waiting,
which starts with a strained guitar
drone, quickly changes into a pop-
blues track with slightly cracking
vocals that fit the song perfectly.
His frantic strumming and magical
melodies will send tingles up your
spine.
Recommended track: Violent
Shiver
Pickwick Cant Talk Medi-
cine. Deep, dark, grungy and 60s
esque, these bass and organ laden
tracks from Pickwicks latest album
find their way through your ears
and into your mind. The whole
album was recorded in the bands
living room on an 8-track, picking
up a few bumps and bruises that
add to the overall raw sound the
album. This is definitely a band to
look out for throughout this year.
Recommended track: Staged
Names.
Sea Wolf Song Spells: No.1:
Cedarsmoke. Alex Churchs fourth
album is an indie landscape of
crackling wood, windswept coast-
lines and tall foggy mountains.
Almost every track is just vocals
and guitar, making it a step down
in tempo compared to his other
albums. The overall feeling of the
album is very warm and relaxed.
Wait a month or two for when the
weather becomes inclement, and
then you will appreciate the whole
album.
Recommended track: The Waters
Wide
Darkside Psychic. Nicolas
Jarr, a Chilean producer educated
at Brown University, partnered up
with Dave Harrington, a jazz guitar-
ist, and created a wild exploration
of sound titled Psychic. The album
ranges from tribal drums with wild
synths to a beautifully simple blues
track called Paper Trails. The gui-
tar cuts through the mix, making
the record sound much more or-
ganic and raw, a treat to listen to.
The electronic beat in Metatron
is an interesting combination of
electronically created sounds and
samples. If you have a long drive
ahead of you, plug this into your
stereo and take a cruise.
Recommended song: Paper Trails
Album Reviews: A Fall Sampler
By JACK LAMBERT
Geological History of
Squamish
Thursday, October 9, 2014 from
7 to 9pm
Has your wandering soul led you
to discover the Brackendale Art
Gallery in all its rustic beauty?
Only a ten minute drive from cam-
pus, this quaint venue offers an
ever-changing art display and is
the host of countless local events.
On the evening of October 9, you
can pour over the geological his-
tory of Squamish in this specially
curated event. Plus, Quests own
geology tutor, Steve Quane, will be
speaking on the geological foun-
dation of the Sea to Sky Corridor.
From 7 to 9pm, come learn about
the physical environment in your
tantalizing backyard. Admission is
by donation.

Whistler Writers Festival
Friday, October 17 to Sunday, Oc-
tober 19, 2014
A weekend of readings, workshops
and seminars will entice writers at
Quest to make the trip to Whistler
from Friday, October 17 to Sunday,
October 19. You can responsibly
enjoy a glass of wine while listen-
ing to Giller prize-winning novel-
ist, Joseph Boyden, read from his
book, The Orenda. Or maybe you
would prefer to learn from the
award-winning Steven Galloway in
a workshop on writing descriptive
By ERIKA SERODIO
October Briefs
prose. A variety of events will take
place all throughout the weekend
and range in price from $12 $30.
Check out the full schedule and
buy your tickets at whistlerwriters-
fest.com.

Trail Running Clinic
Every Monday from now through
November from 4:45 6pm
Our backyard is overflowing with
trails that are just waiting for you
to set foot on them, but getting out
there can be intimidating at first.
Fortunately, our new coordinator
of recreation, Jean-Francois Plouffe,
is guiding clinics for runners of all
skill levels. Jean-Francois (J.F.) will
focus on running gait, tempo and
speed techniques, running posi-
tion, and ascending and descend-
ing. This is a great chance to get
sweaty, get out on the trails and
make some new friends! The clin-
ics run every Monday for the next
three months from 4:45 to 6pm.
There is a maximum of twenty
people allowed in each clinic, so
make sure to sign up ahead of time
on the Rec Plex bulletin board.


The Paperboys
Sunday, October 26 from 8 to
10pm
Have you early birds made plans
for the October block break yet?
Spend the last night of your break
enjoying the fusion of Irish, Mexican
and Roots music at the Brackend-
ale Art Gallery. The JUNO Award
winning band, The Paperboys, will
be playing an intimate show at the
gallery on Sunday, October 26. You
can buy your tickets downtown at
Xocolatl or at the Brackendale Art
Gallery for $20.
TARI AJADI
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2014
The Mark
The Mark
CALEAH DEAN, Editor-in-Chief
JONATHAN VON OFENHEIM, Editor-in-Chief
ALESSANDRO TERSIGNI, News Editor
ZACHARY KERSHMAN, Opinion Editor
KENDRA PERRIN, Arts & Culture Editor
KEVIN BERNA, Sports Editor
R. MARIS WINTERS, Production Manager
JORDAN ROSS, Media Guru
TARI AJADI, Editor-at-Large

May 26, 2014 -- Quest University
catalogued biodiversity in the
Squamish estuary to assess the ef-
fect the expansion of a natural gas
pipeline, needed to supply natural
gas to the proposed Woodfibre
LNG facility, will have on the sensi-
tive intertidal zone.
The Squamish estuary is an
extremely delicate and complex
ecosystem. Wildlife ecologist and
Quest Tutor Denise Gabriel ex-
plained, 80% of marine life visits
the estuary at some point in [its]
lifecycle ... The estuary is a vulner-
able system and a disruption to a
portion of this ecological process
could cause the collapse of many
other aspects of it.
However, a disruption in this frag-
ile ecosystem is likely. Fortis BC, a
company that distributes electric
power and natural gas throughout
the province, is planning on ex-
panding a 52km natural gas main
to deliver the substance to the
proposed Woodfibre LNG facility
west of Howe Sound. The pipeline
routing is dependent on where
Fortis BC ends up building the
15,000 horsepower compressor
station. If the compressor is built
on Fortis property near Pioneer
Way, it is likely that the pipeline
will cross the Squamish estuary.
This May, Gabriel has made it
her mission to teach a class that
discusses why biodiversity is im-
portant to assess, understand, and
protect in the light of development
projects such as the pipeline.
Will plants still be there? Yes. Will
animals still show up? Yes. Where
there is energy, there is life. But in
terms of being a supportive eco-
system to the extremely varied
species that visit estuaries, that
kind of disruption might cause
larger consequences.
Choosing which ecosystems need
to be conserved requires a norma-
tive assessment. The assessment
B2
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2014
The Mark SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT
Squamish Estuary: Hot Spot, Hot Topic
Biodiversity in Squamish Estuary sampled by Quest students to spark discussion about why the estuary is a valuable ecosystem that
should be protected from pipeline construction
of biodiversity occurs in a double
uncertainty: scientific (how to
conserve) and normative (what to
conserve). Finding ways to study
normative uncertainties within the
field of conservation science is just
as important as discovering new
methods of conservation. How
much value is placed on biodiver-
sity can determine what ecosys-
tems are conserved.
How much value does the Squa-
mish estuaries have in terms of
biodiversity?
To find out, Gabriel led a team of
students to sample biodiversity
at the estuary. An estuary is the
transitional area between salt-wa-
ter ecosystems and freshwater
ecosystems. The estuary acts as
a nursery for fish and a foraging
ground for wildlife. It is rich in
nutrients, home to many migra-
tory species and provides for the
resting and breeding needs of
many wildlife species.
On May 22nd, 2014, Gabriel led
the Quest students down to the
estuary where they split into four
small groups to sample the forest,
wetland, meadow, and riparian
areas in the estuary. The students
measured species richness and
abundance in each zone. Within
the forest zone students found the
highest species richness farthest
from the gravel road, a good
example of how habitat fragmen-
tation affects the distribution of
species within an ecosystem.
Within the wetland students
recorded observing 189 birds over
three timed periods, 16 distinct
plant species, and 7 invertebrate
species.
Laura Finkler, one of the wetland
group members was particularly
excited about the seagrass and
rushes found in the ecosystem.
The wetland vegetation acts as
a water filtration system through
absorbing nutrients like nitrates
and phosphates from freshwater
before it enters the oceans, she
explained.
In the meadow zone students
noticed that the plant species
were evenly distributed within the
selected zones. It was hard to take
an accurate sample of biodiversity
in the area because of the how
large the meadow was, though.
Each observed zone only made
up a small percentage of the
entire meadow, and a lot of the
observations made were depen-
dent on the random location the
group chose to observe.
Cadia Chen, a group member
studying the area recalled being
amazed at how the biodiversity in
the estuary was apparent to the
untrained eye; a blue heron, gar-
den snake, and eagle were spotted
while taking samples. But when
they tried to sample biodiversity
in the selected quadrants, they
came up with fewer results than
expected. This is a good example
of how the sampling methods
used in the field can sometimes
be limiting when conducting a
study in a large area.
In the riparian zone, the Western
Red Cedar and Pacific Yew were
sighted and recorded among the
vegetation present in the area.
Western Red Cedar regulates
calcium concentrations in soil,
and the bark on Pacific Yews can
be harvested and used in cancer
chemotherapy.
Chen enjoyed getting to know the
Latin names of BC species, learn-
ing how to identify plant species,
and understanding the role of bio-
diversity in sustaining ecosystem
function. When asked about the
possible impact the pipeline might
have on the estuary, she replied,
Well, I think that theres no doubt
that it will have some repercus-
sions, even if its on one species.
What weve learned in class is that
the more species that disappear,
the less stable the environment
is. Its so easy for a population
to make decisions that wouldnt
affect their environment, but
because weve seen the beauty
of the estuary, it worries me that
there is that possibility with the
LNG Plant. Because if one species
gets affected, the whole ecological
cycle is shifted.
One might ask, so what if the
ecological cycle shifts? Why is
ecosystem function important?
And furthermore, why is biodiver-
sity important?
Ecosystems provide us, as
people, goods and services that
enable us to function as living be-
ings in a natural system. Gabriel
is referring to the benefits that hu-
man populations receive directly
or indirectly from ecosystem func-
tions such as gas regulation, water
supply, disturbance regulation,
climate regulation, nutrient cycling
etc. Its not often we attribute
these goods and services to the
level of biodiversity in an ecosys-
tem. However, consider pollination
as an example: the transfer of
pollen is done by abiotic factors
such as wind and water, or biotic
factors such as animals, insects, or
people. One third of the food we
consume is a result of pollination
from animals.
The UN has recognized that bio-
diversity is an important aspect
of our global society and the way
our earth functions. The earth is
not a stagnant closed system; its
ups and downs in climate and
glaciation, water levels all of
these things have changed over
time and its the species that are
present and living that enable
that system to maintain a balance
through all of those changes,
Gabriel explained.
Furthermore, she warns that the
rate of change in ecosystems is
increasing: Adaptation occurs
over time, and evolutionary time
is very long. Now that we are
speeding up the rate of change
of the pressures affecting life, life
might not be able to catch up.
Therefore biological diversity not
only helps to maintain a healthy
and balanced ecosystem where
interspecies competition is even,
it also helps to sustain ecosystem
stability in the light of environ-
mental fluctuation.
Biodiversity in British Columbia,
similar to the rest of the world,
is also at risk. Taking Natures
Pulse: The status of biodiversity
in British Columbia states that
there are six major stresses to
biodiversity in BC: ecosystem
conversion (conversion of natural
ecosystems to human made land-
scape), ecosystem degradation
(change to structure of natural
ecosystems as a result of activities
such as forestation), alien species
(introduction of species foreign to
natural ecosystems due to human
activity), environmental contam-
ination (release of contaminants
into natural ecosystems), species
disturbance (change in species
behavior due to human activity),
and species mortality (direct
killing of individual organisms).
These stressors threaten the sta-
bility of BCs ecosystems, as well
as ecosystems around the world.
So what can the individual do?
The deterioration of biodiversity
in natural ecosystems starts to
seem like an unsolvable problem
when you consider all of the
human activities that interfere
with the natural processes that
need to occur for an ecosystem
to function. The estuary is just
one example of a sensitive and
complex ecosystem put at risk
by proposed development plans.
It starts to feel pretty futile when
you think of the big picture.
Gabriel is confident that the big
picture is made up of little pieces
held together by local communi-
ties like Squamish. It becomes the
value of recognizing that eco-
system function is so essential in
our world, and applying that to a
very small scale. If we can say we
need to make sure our environ-
ments continue to function at their
optimal capacity, to make sure
that water control and erosion and
all of these elements stay intact,
we need to do it at local scales.
Its not going to work on a global
scale. We need to recognize on a
local context, which ecosystems
need to be maintained. The estu-
ary is one.
By SAMANTHA THOMPSON
In May of this year I had the opportunity to partake in the Biodiversity of BC foundation course as a teaching assistant, with Quest teaching fellow Denise Gabriel. She handed
me the reigns for a few days of class and even allowed me to replace existing assignments with those of our combined creation.And, as I am wont to do, I incorporated
journalism into the course environmental journalism.The following is a sample outcome of one of those assignments. Its on a local, current topic one that the Mark
continues to cover and sources student research through student reporting. Stay up to date on this topic, talk with your fellow students who are involved at varying capaci-
ties, and see how this new industrial development progresses.
Jonathan von Ofenheim
SAMANTHA THOMPSON
SAMANTHA THOMPSON