Breaking Down Our Student Fees

By Lily Hodgson, Editor-in-Chief

Being a student is expensive. Not only do we face the constantly-rising costs of rent, groceries, textbooks, and other necessities, along with paying expensive tuition – a lot of the time, we don’t even know exactly what we’re paying for. The financial information breakdown on the BU Student Portal is full of mysterious fees like the “WUSC Fee” or the “Building Fund”. While it’s easy to glaze over these fees as insignificant but necessary evils, they really add up. The average full-time domestic student pays over $1200 a year in incidental fees alone, not including class tuition or the optional BUSU Health and Dental plan. This is a significant amount of money for most students!

So, what are these fees actually doing? Do they genuinely serve to improve the quality of our university experiences? I reached out to Financial and Registration Services and BUSU to try and understand exactly what BU students are paying for. For domestic students at Brandon University, there are six student fees managed by the university, seven managed by BUSU, and one managed by the Healthy Living Centre:

University Fees:

  1. Renew BU Fee - $35.70 per course

    • “To fund the ongoing costs of the new administrative software system for the University.”

  2. Technology Fee - $22.65 per course

  • “To help with computer labs, Moodle, [and] webmail.”

  1. Student Services Fee - $13.50 per course

    • “To support Student Services and the programs they offer such as writing classes, tutoring, etc.”

  2. Copyright Fee - $2.70 per course

    • “A fee charged for photocopying of materials that are protected by copyright laws.”

  3. ID Card - $28

    • The ID Card Fee pays for each student’s photo ID card. These cards allow entry to certain buildings, as well as containing the BUSU U-Pass and PawPass technologies.

  4. Registration Fee - $17.70

    • A single yearly fee that replaced the previous system, which charged students each time they registered for a class.

BUSU Fees:

  1. BUSU Membership Fee - $109.20

    • “This is the core membership fee that funds BUSU’s operations and services. It goes toward things like student services (e.g., health and dental administration, events, clubs support, Bailey’s Café programming, PawPass, etc.), advocacy efforts, and the overall administration of the student union.”

  2. Building Fund - $105.63

    • “This fee supports the long-term upkeep, maintenance, and improvements of the Knowles Douglas Student Centre. It ensures that BUSU can maintain a safe, accessible, and functional space for students.”

  3. U-Pass - $50

    • The U-Pass fee provides all students with affordable access to the Brandon Transit bus system – all you have to do is tap your student ID on the bus console to ride. The U-Pass is an affordable way to ensure all students have reliable, eco-friendly transportation around Brandon.

  4. Canadian Federation of Students Fee - $18.76

    • “This fee covers BUSU’s membership with the Canadian Federation of Students, a national student advocacy organization. Membership provides students with access to advocacy campaigns, services, and collective bargaining power on a provincial and national level.”

  5. Quill Levy - $15.20

    • The Quill Levy funds The Quill, the second-oldest student newspaper in Western Canada (and the one you’re reading right now), allowing independent student journalism a secure place at Brandon University.

  6. World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Fee - $15

    • “This fee directly funds BUSU’s participation in the WUSC Student Refugee Program, which helps sponsor refugee students to attend Brandon University and continue their education here in Canada.”

  7. BUSU Health and Dental Plan - $350 (optional)

    • The only optional fee of this list, BUSU’s Health and Dental Plan provides insurance coverage for medical care, prescription drugs, vision care, dental care, and practitioner treatments at an affordable rate. The plan can also be upgraded to support families up to six.

HLC Fee:

  1. Student Fitness Fee - $95.80

    • The membership paid by the Student Fitness Fee gives students access to the following spaces for a significantly reduced price compared to what a community member would pay: Fitness Centre, Walking Track, Mezzanine workout space, open gymnasium time, Bobcat games, and fitness classes at a reduced or free cost.

Despite these explanations, I’m left with more questions than answers. For example, is the quality of the university’s tech – in my experience, professors are constantly fighting with computer and projection systems that refuse to work properly – really worth $22.65 per class, per student? Why are we paying so much for the upkeep of the Knowles-Douglas Centre, when everything above the ground floor seems to be utterly neglected? How does the university determine the costs of these fees, and could more of them be optional? And honestly, that the university continues to charge students the Renew BU fee after last year’s 6-million-dollar project failure is nothing more than astonishing. I sincerely hope that BUSU, as our Union, are in constant conversation with Administration & Finance, advocating for BU students and our wallets.

If you have any questions or concerns about student fees, or about anything else on campus, please get in touch. Anyone can submit a letter to the Quill’s editor at eic.thequill@gmail.com – your voice matters!

Netflix’s New Split-Release Model (IS IT REALLY NECESSARY?)

By Peter Odeyemi, Junior Reporter

Recently, we've seen a change in the release schedules of Netflix shows, with a split-season release pattern replacing all-at-once or weekly drops. This is not a new phenomenon, but the real question is, is this appealing to the viewers, and is it a good approach to boost viewership for these shows?

In the last couple of years, Netflix has leaned more into split-season releases with a season of, say, ten episodes split up into two volumes and released within a few months of each other. We’ve seen this with very popular and highly anticipated Netflix releases, like “Stranger Things” Season 4, “Bridgerton” Season 3, “Cobra Kai” Season 6, “Outer Banks” Season 4, “The Witcher” Season 3,“The Crown” Season 6, and “Emily in Paris” Season 4.

Breaking down seasons like this isn’t exactly fun for viewers, as they're forced to wait weeks, sometimes a month, between episodes, and forced to remember multiple different premiere dates. A perfect example is the highly anticipated Stranger Things Season 5, which is set to release in three parts, across three different weeks, for an eight episode season (November 26, December 25, and New Years). As a viewer myself, this was pretty displeasing, considering we waited three years for a release. WHY IS IT BEING SPLIT INTO THREE PARTS, AND IS IT REALLY NECESSARY???

Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, Bela Bajaria, in an interview with Deadline, said, “A lot of times it’s been creator-driven. Peter Morgan on ‘The Crown’, Shonda Rhimes on ‘Bridgerton’, there was a way that they wanted to structure or write it because they felt it was an actual, natural emotional break. So, there’s no set way; it depends on what’s best for the show.” She also explained that the split-season model was initially driven by pandemic- and strike-related production delays. It was, she said, a way to get new episodes to audiences faster rather than waiting for the entire season to be completed.  Kevin McEwan, a media director for Bonding Agency, told Cosmopolitan in 2024 that breaking seasons into separate parts is “a way to keep viewers’ attention on shows” for longer.

Still, not everyone believes that artistic intent is the primary motivator. As Forbes pointed out, Netflix now almost exclusively reserves split seasons for its most successful shows— ones that are most likely to keep fans subscribing month after month. I believe this approach to keeping viewership is just a cash grab. Releasing episodes a few weeks apart rather than all at once stretches a single show's cultural moment and, more importantly, its presence on a user’s billing cycle. Fans are still racing to get through episodes to avoid spoilers, and now they’re doing it twice, sometimes in less than a month. Going this route also elevates clunky, middle-of-the-season cliffhangers that only exist to keep people engaged until the second part drops at a later date. In my experience, this often has the opposite effect, and I find myself forgetting to watch the second instalment of shows because the time in between is inorganic.

There is no denying that the age of streaming television has fundamentally changed how audiences consume entertainment. While other streaming platforms such as Disney+, Prime Video, and Max are still noted for releasing their biggest shows as weekly episodes, many viewers find that the week-by-week release format is a dated strategy that owes its origins to broadcast television and an increasingly outdated 24-episode per season production model. The weekly episodic format is better for sustained subscription, but Netflix is built into the binge model, so they created this method of keeping their shows in the zeitgeist longer.

While adopting another multipart release strategy for “Stranger Things” Season 5 could conceivably allow audiences to begin watching the first few episodes earlier, Netflix’s other experiences have shown that such a move only works best when the season also provides a natural break in the storytelling. Whichever way the streamer decides to go, hopefully, the final decision will echo Bajaria’s words and ultimately do what’s best for the show, and keep the viewership & fanbase alive enough to be possibly renewed.

Unfortunately, there’s not much we can do as viewers. If we don’t watch these shows, they will be canceled, and no one wants that. I just hope Netflix realizes that they’re only hurting themselves and at least tries to release one of their major shows weekly. “Outer Banks” would have been the perfect series to test this out with, given its diehard fandom, but sadly, that didn’t happen. The strategy doesn’t seem to be going away soon, as Netflix still has major shows upcoming with the same two-part release pattern. What do YOU think about this approach?

POWER-UP OR UP THE POWER? By Scott Blyth of Sustainable Brandon

Recently, I was horrified to learn that the coal-burning electricity generating plant in Brandon was turned back on.

My horror increased when I learned that the coal plant had been converted to run on natural gas. As you may know, natural gas is 80% methane!

This was deemed necessary because we didn’t have enough electricity to meet our own demands. Now, think about that: Not enough electricity! How can that be? This is Manitoba, the province that prides itself with having an abundant, adequate, supply of green power in the form of hydro electricity. We have a number of hydro-electricity generating plants, most of which are in northern Manitoba. Hydro-electric power is generated as a result of the flow of water moving a turbine. That, we have been led to believe, would be providing more than enough electricity - in fact, there was enough to be able to sell our excess to the U.S.A. and neighbouring provinces!

What happened? The explanation provided is that due to drought conditions, the water level was lower, which led to a decrease in flow across those turbines, resulting in less electricity generated. Okay. So what’s the backup plan? Or, better still, why isn’t there an eco-friendly backup plan?

One of Manitoba’s claims to fame is that the vast majority of our electricity is from a ‘green’ source — hydro — and NOT from fossil fuels. It is really concerning then that we have needed to resort to using natural gas (again, 80% methane!) to “make up the difference”.

There are many other options that our province could invest in instead of natural gas. For example, what about nuclear power? A few facts for you: 30% of energy needs in the U.S. come from nuclear. Ontario has a large portion of its energy needs met by nuclear. There are 500 nuclear power plants worldwide. There have only ever been three major melt-downs. Recent advances have developed using small modular reactors (SMR); nuclear waste is a huge concern, but there is a ton of research going on to figure out how we can use the waste as a source of fuel — leaving very little waste overall.

For another example, the Manitoba government has released the Manitoba Affordable Energy Plan. Wab Kinew has spoken to this plan by indicating Manitoba supports providing monies to help develop renewable energy projects, especially in partnership with Indigenous groups. My idea: What about the slogan “Wind farms, every reserve should have one”? Why not create an Indigenous Energy Corporation as a branch of Manitoba Hydro?

And what about energy efficiency and building retro-fits? Manitoba has a crown corporation called Efficiency Manitoba. It currently offers 40 different programs to help fund energy efficiency related changes to your home, buildings and community structures. If anything, there should be consideration to expand these programs.

But instead of any of these, we have recently heard from Adrian Sala (the minister responsible for Manitoba Hydro) that there are plans to build two new energy-generating plants, that will — his words — “burn something to generate power.” When pushed, he said: “Most likely natural gas.”

It will take about 4-5 years to build these plants. The disappointing part is that there is no mention of any soon-to-be-started, real plans, for initiating renewable energy projects or alternate energy projects such as biofuel or nuclear. Natural gas is a fossil fuel, and it is the burning of fossil fuels that has led to the greenhouse gas increase that is THE cause of the climate change crisis we find ourselves in. Yes, it is a direct cause and effect! This move also goes against the Manitoba government’s goal of reaching net- zero emissions by 2035, and to not be using or increasing the use of fossil fuels.

Is it asking too much to have some way of predicting what our future energy supply needs could be? A recent editorial in the Brandon Sun (Feb.25/25) points out that when new industry wants to come to Manitoba, they will need a substantial, guaranteed supply of electricity. At this time, we have to say “Sorry, we barely have enough to meet our own needs!”

For context, you might be wondering what other provinces are doing. Would it surprise you to know that Alberta - yeah, the oil province - was, at one time, first in Canada in approving renewable energy projects? They have an abundant supply of wind and solar power. Ontario has 98 wind farms - Manitoba has two. In Texas - yeah, the oil state - they have a 15 sq. km. solar farm!

So… let’s power up our approach and responsibility in Manitoba to take action on climate change and divest ourselves of fossil fuels. The province should look to invest in wind, solar, small-scale hydro, geothermal, and alternate sources to meet the growing electricity demand. This change represents a huge opportunity to build home-grown green industries, create well-paying jobs, advance reconciliation, and build healthier homes, buildings, and communities! Planning a well thought out, planet-first energy policy NOW will ensure there is enough for not only us, but future generations as well!

Interview with Country Artist Jason Blaine By Daniel Buzhor, Junior Reporter

Country star Jason Blaine recently took the stage in Brandon, bringing his signature sound to The Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0 tour. A multiple CCMA, SOCAN, and CMAO award winner with over 20+ radio hits, six full length albums, over 25 million digital streams, Jason has built a strong presence in the country music scene.

Following his concert, I had the chance to chat with Jason about his journey in music, the future of his songwriting, and what’s next for him.

Q: You've been busy on your tour with The Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0. How's it been treating you?

It's been a great time. We've been having a blast going across Canada on The Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0 with Jason McCoy and Chad Brownlee.

Q: How was your concert in Brandon?

It was a great show—we had such a great time in Brandon. The fans were incredible, and we absolutely loved it.

Q: I’ve got a few questions lined up, but feel free to take the conversation wherever you'd like. To start, what are your plans for this year?

My plans for this year are to release a bunch of new music. I’ve got a new record that's essentially done. It’s really a follow-up to my single The Road That Raised You Up and Boy Mama. Those songs will be on the record, along with a bunch of new songs. I’m really excited to get that music out. We've got more shows lined up; we got this tour of course. I’ve got a big show on August 30 in Ontario called Sauble Beach Country Fest.

I also have my charity golf event happening in June, and I’m excited about that. 

Beyond that, I’d love to carve out some time to get back in the studio and work on more music in the vein of Diamonds in the Desert. That album leaned more into traditional roots, country, and blues, and it’s one of my favourite records I’ve done. I worked with my pal Jay Tooke on it, and I’d love to record more in that style—it’s not necessarily commercial country radio-type stuff, but more traditional roots, even Americana, blues. It’s shaping up to be a pretty cool year.

Q: How did your golf charity initiative come to life?

It started in 2013 when I began attending charity golf events, including one hosted by my friend Gord Bamford. It was a really cool event, with NHL players and country artists coming together for a great cause.

That experience got my wheels turning, and I thought, I’d love to do something like this in my hometown. So that same year, I launched my own event, with Gord as my first guest.

Now, a decade later, we’ve raised over a million dollars for local charities like the Boys and Girls Club, the local hospital, and the Robbie Dean Mental Health Crisis Center.

Q: Your music journey took off during your college years. Can you tell me more about how it started?

I grew up in Pembroke, Ontario, and had a band in college while attending Algonquin College in my hometown. My band included my dad on bass, my brother on drums, and two other local musicians. We played whenever we could—different local events—that’s how it all started.

My dad still plays. He turned 70 this year and is still part of a local band in Pembroke, and I jam with him whenever I get the chance.

Growing up, I watched my dad’s band perform, and he taught me how to play guitar. We still share a mutual love for The Eagles. He introduced me to them—they were his high school band, and when they reunited in 1994 with Hell Freezes Over, they became my high school band too.

There are so many similarities between The Eagles and modern country. They’re just the best. We used to jam to Take It Easy and Peaceful Easy Feeling around the campfire. I grew up camping a lot, and there would always be a group of guys around the fire with acoustic guitars and a six-pack of beer.

Q: You once mentioned that you used to write up to 200 songs a year, but only a few made it to release. Has your songwriting process changed over time?

Yes, I don’t write that much anymore, but at the time, I probably was writing five days a week, sometimes twice a day. So, yeah, I wrote a lot, but you could only release a few per year to radio or elsewhere. Now, I write less, but focus more on recording and releasing. A lot of it was the 10,000 hours rule—constant writing makes you better. Not that everything I write today is great, but it’s better.

Now, I just try to write with more intention and purpose. I save up ideas and write when I think they’re strong. I still collaborate with other artists when they reach out for projects, but in recent years, my focus has been on writing for my own career and releases.

Q: Would you say that's because you've gotten better at writing, or why has it changed?

Yes, I think so. You improve over time. And honestly, I’ve put out a lot of music already. I’ve covered a lot of ground thematically and subject-wise, so I don’t need as much new material. I already have a solid show with songs people know. Now, it’s about adding really strong songs rather than writing just to write.

Q: Yeah. When you write songs, what is the hardest part—the part that takes the most time and effort?

Songwriting is like solving a puzzle—you first need a great idea, then put all the pieces together to make sure you write it in the best possible way.

Then, there’s the recording process. You want to serve the song in the best way and really bring it to life. I enjoy it all. It’s really fun.

I call it the circle of the song. First, it starts with writing—bringing something brand new into the world from nothing, from a blank sheet of paper. That’s exciting. Then, in the studio, you bring it to life. It evolves beyond a rough demo and takes on a real character. And when it reaches fans—whether on Apple Music, Amazon, YouTube, or radio—they start to connect with it. And finally, the last and most important part: when you perform it live and hear fans singing along. Then the circle of the song is complete.

Q: Is there a song in your catalog that means something different to you now compared to when you first wrote it?

I’d say Dance With My Daughter. When I first wrote and released it, my little girl was nine or ten years old. Now, ten years later, she’s 18 and off to college. The lyrics definitely hit differently now.

As she moves on to college, and as my other daughter grows up too—it really resonates in a new way. She was just three or four when we did the music video.

And then, I think certainly They Don’t Make Them Like That Anymore. You know, at the time we shot that music video—that was way back in 2012. Since then, both my grandparents have passed away and gone to be with the Lord in heaven. So now, singing that song night after night hits a little different. But it’s still special. It’s still a treasured memory.

Q: If you could only listen to three albums for the rest of your life, which ones would you pick?

I would pick The Eagles’ Greatest Hits, John Mayer’s Continuum, and George Strait’s Greatest Hits.

Q: You’ve worked with some really amazing artists. Is there someone you would love to collaborate with in the future?

I’ve been lucky to collaborate with one of my all-time heroes, Steve Wariner, and we’ve been talking about writing together again this year.

There are so many artists I’d love to work with. A dream collaboration for me would be Ryan Adams - I don’t think he’d ever do it, but he’s one of those guys who could come to Nashville and write with anyone. That would be incredible.

Another would be Vince Gill. I’d love to have him on a record, maybe playing guitar or even writing and picking some with me.

Q: What’s the best advice another artist has ever given you?

Oh, good question. Best advice another artist has given me…

Steve Wilkinson of The Wilkinsons told me years ago:

"Everything’s already been done. Every subject has been covered, every idea has been sung about. The only thing that matters is how you do it."

Just because someone wrote a hometown or breakup song doesn’t mean you can’t. It’s all been done—but not your way. That was his point.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be? Let’s say ten years ago.

I would have taken more time deciding what to release first.

Your first songs shape how the public sees you as an artist, so you have to be mindful of that. I had a few early hits that were fun and got me on the road, but they didn’t fully represent who I wanted to be. Luckily, my career lasted beyond those first songs. But if you’re a one-hit wonder, you better be sure it’s the right hit. I’m proud of all my music, but my advice to new artists would be: Your first releases define you, so choose wisely.

Building the Past: The J.R. Brodie Science Centre By Kaelyn Delaurier

he article series about the history of the buildings on our campus continues! For this article, I have stepped out of the chronological order and decided to focus on the J.R. Brodie Science Centre. As with the other articles, this article focuses on the history of the Brodie Building and the person it is named after. The aim of this series of articles is to help everyone understand how our campus has evolved over the years and to learn about the people – whether controversial or not – that made it happen.

After the completion of the A.E. McKenzie Building and J.R.C Evans Theatre in 1960, Brandon University continued their construction boom with a steam plant, dining hall, two residences, a music building, a gymnasium, and the Education Building. The Centennial Auditorium was also built not long after in 1969. In the 1970s, though, Brandon University added two massive buildings to campus, the J.R. Brodie Science Centre and McMaster Hall. Supposedly, more was spent on construction in Brandon in 1971 than in all of Saskatchewan, mostly due to Brandon University’s new buildings.

The J.R. Brodie Science Centre’s construction began with a sod-turning ceremony on May 26, 1970. Queen Elizabeth II visited the construction site on July 12, 1970, and a stone was placed to celebrate her visit. The building officially opened to students and staff on May 8, 1972.

John Robert Brodie – who the Brodie Building was named after – was born in Quebec on July 3, 1879. He was an avid hockey player and supposedly was a member of the Montreal Stanley Cup and World Championship winning teams of 1901-1902 alongside Lester Patrick. In 1902, Brodie moved to Brandon and owned a grain brokerage business in the city in the early 1900s. He also bought a silver mine in Cobalt, Ontario in 1903 and founded The Great West Coal Company in 1912 in Winnipeg. With this company, Brodie owned many of the mines in Saskatchewan and some in other provinces. He would charge 8% commission to sell coal, which essentially meant he was charging his own company to sell their own coal. He also attempted to control the market by selling coal to his competitors.

One mine in particular that Brodie’s company might have owned has recently caused some issues. The Black Diamond coal mine near Edmonton was converted into a park. In 2023, a black tar-like substance was reportedly oozing out of the ground near the park, which posed a health risk to people. There were many mines in the area, and the city even used the site as a landfill at one point, so the toxic substance was not necessarily from the coal mine. Furthermore, there is a possibility that another Great West Coal Company existed and owned the Black Diamond mine. However, if Brodie’s company was the one that owned the mine, the topic of climate change was not as prevalent as it is today when the mine was in operation. While deemed irresponsible by today’s standards, the lack of care for the environment was not condemning, or even unusual, back in Brodie’s time. I am not saying that destroying the environment was good at any point in history, but it was not always viewed so negatively by society.

While living in Brandon, Brodie married Mabelle (Mabel) Agnes Gillespie on June 12, 1907. He also had another wife, Edna, that he married closer to the end of his life, although I could not find any records of her maiden name. With Mabelle he had a son named John Malcolm Brodie who was born in Brandon in 1920 and went on to manage The Great West Coal Company. Throughout his life, John R. Brodie enjoyed hunting, fishing, forestry, and geology, as well as hockey. He left Brandon in 1920 and died in Pheonix, Arizona in 1962. He gave Brandon University $250,000 to build the science centre we know today as the J.R. Brodie Science Centre, or Brodie Building.

Now, as the science centre was completed over half a century ago, Brandon University has recently recognized the dated technology and setup of the building. In 2015, Professor Bernadette Ardelli brought up the issue of the need for renovations on the building, and in 2018 an assessment was conducted and supposedly brought forth to the BU Board of Governors in March 2019. However, it wasn’t until March of last year, 2024, that any further news of the building’s renovation was revealed. There is now a plan to renovate the Brodie Building and add a six-storey research annex building at an estimated cost of 55 to 77 million dollars, although there has been no additional information on this plan, nor has a timeline been released yet.

With the possibilities of the science centre’s renovations, the question of whether to keep Brodie’s name for the building is important. Changing the building gives us an opportunity to change its name. While Brodie was not an outright controversial figure, and his generous donation was the reason for the science centre’s creation in the first place, his business schemes were not always good. Furthermore, the lack of care for how his company left mine sites, although not unusual at the time, is certainly criticized today. In fact, some people in Saskatchewan consider him a “shadowy figure,” especially since so little is known about him for all his successes. I will leave it up to you all. Should we continue to honour Brodie and keep his name on the science centre building after the possible renovations? Or is it time for a fresh start?

Sources: Manitoba Historical Society, The Brandon Sun, Brandon University, Public History on the Prairies, S.J. McKee Archives, Doug Gent’s History Pages, CBC News.

The Best Classes to Fulfil Your Liberal Education Requirement By Lily Hodgson, Editor-in-Chief

First of all, what is the Liberal Education Requirement? At BU, this requirement means that anyone taking their Bachelor’s of Science or Arts must take six credit hours in each of three categories: the Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences. These credit hours may also apply to your major or minor, meaning you shouldn’t have to worry about at least one of these three categories. For example, I am an English major and a Psychology minor –  My English courses fulfil the Humanities requirement, and my Psych classes fulfil the Social Science requirement, meaning I only had to actively pursue the six credit hours of Natural Science. If you have any more questions about the Liberal Ed Requirement, check out pages 40-41 of the Course Calendar or get in touch with one of the university’s Academic Advisors!

For many university students, venturing outside our comfort zone of familiar, preferred subjects can be uncomfortable. The Liberal Ed Requirement can be a great opportunity to study those subjects that appeal to you, but that may not fit in to your regular degree requirements. So, take the following suggestions with a grain of salt: the most important thing is that the courses appeal to your interests! That being said, I’ve gathered recommendations from several later-year Brandon University students to suggest the least intimidating courses in each category. If you have any suggestions that didn’t make the list, be sure to email eic.thequill@gmail.com to have your course recommendations featured in a future issue!

Humanities

30:145 Contemporary Literature – Maybe I’m biased, but the English department is really amazing. If you like to read, I think you should absolutely take a literature course, even if it’s just for fun! Contemporary Literature is a great introduction to this field of study, because the material is fairly modern and easy to grasp. You can’t go wrong with any professor, but Dr. Rose is my personal suggestion. (30:147 Literary Traditions is also a fantastic course, especially with Dr. Robson, but it might be a little more difficult due to the older texts!)

67:130 Music History Survey 1 – This course provides a brief overview of multiple eras of music, starting around the Baroque Period. According to our AEIC May, it’s a good course if you want to build your musical ear and be introduced to a wide variety of instrumental works, especially by canon composers like Haydn and Mozart.

36:162 Making Sense of Gender – Making Sense of Gender is a really interesting course that challenges students to think in new ways. No matter what your current perspective is on topics like gender roles and gender diversity, you will come out of this course with a new, deeper understanding. In addition, this course usually has a relatively light workload, making it easy to balance with your other courses.

86:158 World Mythology – Religion is a really neat department that is often overlooked. This course, which is usually offered over the summer, covers the myths and folklore of peoples ranging from Ancient Egyptians to the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island. Dr. Medd is a great professor, and any of her online asynchronous summer courses are a great way to lighten your fall/winter courseload.

Social Sciences

38:192 Environment and Society – This is another course that will seriously change the way you think about the world. The usual professor, Dr. Malcolm, is a really great teacher, and his classes are always super interesting. He always ties in current and local environmental concerns, encouraging students to think critically about our impact on the world around us.

90:154 Introduction to Sociology – Sociology, the study of human behaviour and institutions, is a wide-ranging field covering many interesting topics and ideas. Dr. Schneider is one of the highest-recommended professors at BU – the students I spoke to described him as incredibly passionate, knowledgeable, and caring, and his classes as uniquely engaging and fun.

68:151 Introduction to Native Studies 1 – Most students would recommend taking at least one course in the Faculty of Native Studies. Not only will it fulfil both the Liberal Ed Requirements and the newly-instated Indigenous Content Course Requirement, it will also serve to change your perspectives. The diverse richness of Indigenous culture is really beautiful, and spending a semester learning about the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada will open your eyes and change the way you think about the country in which we live.

82:160 Introduction to Psychology – Psychology is a huge field of study, with topics ranging from neuroscience to counselling approaches to cognitive processes like memory and perception. Intro Psych touches on each of these subjects, providing an overview of all the many possibilities within the field. Dr. Gadbois is the most-recommended professor for this course from the students I spoke to.

Natural Sciences

74:184 Solar System Astrology – This course is many people’s go-to Natural Science recommendation, for good reason! It is a super interesting course, and Dr. Foster is a phenomenal professor. The course is structured planet by planet, so by the end of the semester you’ll know a lot of random fun facts about everything orbiting our sun. Be warned that there is a little bit of math involved, but all in all, it is pretty manageable. (The sister course, 74:185 The Galaxy and the Universe, is also an amazing course, but Dr. Foster’s engaging style of teaching really makes Solar Systems legendary.)

15/42:180 The World of Dinosaurs – The World of Dinosaurs is definitely a bit of a niche subject, but students assured me that it is a really interesting course! The course considers topics like anatomy, diversity, and fossil geology, all in a 66-million-years-ago Mesozoic setting.

15:162 Cells, Genetics, and Evolution – This may be a controversial choice, because this course isn’t exactly known for being easy, but one student that I spoke to seriously enjoyed it. They said that the three professors knew how to make the course really engaging, and that the labs in particular were super interesting.

Study Tips By Daniel Buzhor

The second semester has already started and with the beginning of it comes university life: new events, clubs and of course studying. While everyone already has a developed set of habits for studying, it’s always worthwhile to think about fundamentals again or try something new to increase your productivity while studying. In this article we will present different “tips” which you could just think about or apply to your studies.

Set goals. Avoid vague or unrealistic goals, such as “study chemistry” or “do 100 practice problems”. For example:

- “Review and summarize chapters 3 and 4 in biology textbook.”

- “Solve 10 practice problems on u-substitution and check the solutions.”

- “Create flashcards for 15 key terms in my history class.”

  • “Write a practice essay for the upcoming English exam.”

It is the key to set your goals specific and realistic. Small steps often produce more consequential progress than you expect.

Create a schedule that works for you. For us the key to success is consistency and the key to consistency is planning your dedicated study time ahead. Block out study time and don’t forget to include breaks. These breaks shouldn’t morph into hours of doom-scrolling. Instead, try something quick and restorative, like grabbing a snack or stepping outside for some air.

Study in the right environment. A quiet place without distractions is ideal. The library is always a solid choice. While studying at home make an effort to minimize distractions in whatever way you can. If a perfectly quiet space isn’t available, try using noise-canceling headphones or background music to maintain focus.

Incorporate active learning. Engage with the material in a way that forces you to think critically. Write things down in your own words, explain concepts aloud, or teach the material to someone else. Explaining topics not only refines your understanding but also highlights areas you need to review.

Take breaks. It’s very challenging to study for hours without breaking focus. Additionally, the perspective of indefinite effort might feel overwhelming and discouraging. The Pomodoro Technique can help—25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break. Breaking down your session into blocks of 25 minutes (you can alternate the time) enhances your productivity, as well as assists with mental component of the task.

Stay organized. Scrambling to find notes or worksheets mid-study is a barrier that can be avoided easily. Keeping your materials well-organized, ensures that everything you need is within arm’s reach when you need it.

Prioritize understanding over memorization. Don’t just memorize facts; attempt to understand the “why” behind them. Every minute spent in active thought greatly deepens your understanding even if it is not immediately obvious. This deeper comprehension not only improves retention but also prepares you for applying the concepts in new contexts, exams in particular.

Test yourself occasionally. Quizzes, flashcards, and self-made questions are excellent tools to evaluate how well you retained the material. Testing helps to point out weak spots that need extra attention and strengthens the knowledge you already have.

Ask for help when needed. Professors are there to help you succeed, and they often are the most effective way to acquire knowledge or understand material you struggle with. Their expertise and ability to address your specific questions can clarify complex concepts in ways that general resources cannot. Don’t hesitate to approach them—they are a valuable resource dedicated to your learning.

Review consistently. Knowledge fades if it’s not revisited. This idea is the most relevant to subjects that require consistent practice, like Math and Physics. Schedule regular review sessions to keep the material fresh in your mind. This habit also prevents last-minute cramming, which is both stressful and ineffective.

Make it enjoyable. Studying doesn’t have to be a monotonous slog. With some planning and a willingness to experiment, you can find techniques that not only work but also make the process more pleasant. Studies show that people are far more likely to stay consistent and dedicate time to activities they enjoy. It sounds obvious, but very few people look at studying from this perspective. If there’s only one thing you remember from this article, let it be this: with a bit of thought and effort you can find a way to make the process more welcoming.

Easy Recipes You Can Make in Your Dorm By Daelyn Fefchak, Junior Reporter

Easy Recipes You Can Make in Your Dorm

By Daelyn Fefchak, Junior Reporter


As the term goes on, you may be missing home-cooked meals. Maybe you miss cooking and baking, confined by residence rules against various appliances. But making your own snacks is still possible! Here are two treats you can make in your dorm. You can find these recipes online, but I’ve simplified them a little bit.


Banana Bark

Find the recipe online: https://pinchmegood.com/banana-bark/

Materials:

  • Plate

  • Parchment paper

  • Knife & cutting board

  • Freezer

Ingredients: (measurements are approximate, feel free to measure with your heart!)

  • One banana

  • ½ cup chocolate chips

  • ¼ cup peanut butter

Instructions:

  1. Cut the banana into small coins. Lay them flat on a plate lined with parchment paper.

  2. Melt the chocolate chips (in a microwave safe container) in 20 second intervals, stirring between each interval.

  3. Spread the peanut butter over the banana slices. Depending on the brand of peanut butter, you may want to melt it slightly so it’s easier to spread.

  4. Spread the melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer. Make sure to reach the edges!

  5. Place the plate in the freezer for 1-2 hours in order to set.

  6. Once it’s set, cut it up into pieces and enjoy!

Tips:

  • Store the leftover banana bark in the freezer. It should be good for about a week.

  • You can add any other toppings to the top of the chocolate! Some ideas include: pretzels, peanuts, shredded coconut, sea salt, M&M’s, or chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. The possibilities are endless!

  • You can replace peanut butter with other seed or nut butters, such as sunflower seed butter.



Energy Bites

Find the recipe online: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/

Materials:

  • Mixing bowl

  • Plate

  • Refrigerator

Ingredients:

  • ⅓ cup honey

  • ½ cup peanut butter

  • 1 cup rolled oats

  • ½ cup chocolate chips

Optional additions (measure with your heart!):

  • Chia seeds

  • Ground flaxseed

  • Shredded coconut

  • Dried cranberries

  • Protein powder

  • Cocoa powder

Instructions:

  1. Add all the ingredients into a bowl.

  2. Mix until well combined.

  3. Place a spoonful of the mixture into your hand and roll it into a ball.

  4. Place the energy bites onto a plate and let them set for 1-2 hours in either the fridge or freezer.

Tips:

  • The energy bites will be good for about a week in the fridge and up to three months in the freezer!

Healthy Coping

The idea that the ones closest to us will eventually leave this earth is a major aspect of life to grasp and come to terms with. We as humans want to believe that the people around us will live forever. While death is inevitable, it can also give life its beauty.

In my personal experience, understanding grief and loss has been such a long journey that is always changing. In the past couple of years, I have experienced a great deal of people close to me passing, and it has been an extremely difficult and emotionally tolling experience. When it comes to grieving, it is important that people find effective ways to cope. I have accumulated a list of ways that may help someone in need of a solution: maintaining boundaries, practicing relaxing strategies like deep breathing and meditation, physical activity, setting goals, or having a creative outlet.

Many detailed resources can be found online from helpful professionals about what grief might look like and healthy ways to cope. One highly recommended source is, “Coping with Grief and Loss-Stages of Grief, the Grieving Process, and Learning to Heal” by Melinda Smith, M.A., Lawrence Robinson, and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. These effective strategies can help those grieving find a positive outlook while navigating through emotional challenges.

Personally, I have found comfort in processing my feelings through poetry. Using poetry, I can use symbols and metaphors to explain my feelings that I cannot quite put so easily into simple terms. The poem I wrote below was inspired by my grandpa's passing and captures my struggle to grasp the idea that he is gone and what that means. I found myself in a continuous loop, asking myself the same questions. Is there an afterlife, and is he there? What does the afterlife look like for me if I find myself not in line with religion?

My poem's purpose is to promote asking questions in times of uncertainty. Like when one may feel like they do not align with specific beliefs, or the thought of an afterlife may seem scary and perplexing. I hope that my poem can help someone out there who may be having the same feelings and can find comfort in not being alone.

The Encompass of Brumal Fear

By: Kylee Botten

Frozen lie the bodies,
Fearful, shivering with regrets.
Unbeknownst to the truth of death.
What becomes of souls?
Those who do not reside in the assurance of
a creator—
Those seeking more than the muse of religion.
Do they find comfort in the same After existence?

The unanswered questions loom:
Where will I go if not where you go?
What is the difference between my stature and yours? Those who believe in more than what is perceptible Live without hesitation about their After.

Yet, frozen, desolate,
Still lie the bodies of the fearful,
Uncovering nothing of what they believe to be their After.

When time comes—
And there is no doubt that it shall—
Will they commiserate with their past selves, Or indulge in the unknown of the After?

The Disappearance of Sapphic Spaces By Lily Hodgson, Editor-in-Chief

It is April 2024, and I am on the basement dancefloor of Twisted Element, a gay bar in Calgary. Club music is blasting; fog and colourful lights fill the room; there are rainbow flags and murals on every wall. This should be a space where I feel safe to be out, proud, and 100% myself. But I’m not. I am a queer woman, surrounded mostly by big, drunk, shirtless, bearded men, and I hardly feel more comfortable here than I do at Houston’s or Roadhouse back home in Brandon.

My experience is not unique. Throughout time, lesbians and queer women have been constantly excluded from LGBTQ+ spaces. When I visited Calgary in April, Twisted Element had weekly gay-men-oriented “F*ck Me Fridays” – but no equivalent for the sapphic community to be found. Misogyny is a real issue in the LGBTQ+ community, and it always has been, but it often goes totally unnoticed by the queer people (usually men) who perpetuate it – and since these people are often the most vocal members of the community, the “lesbophobia” extends to society at large without anyone even realizing. For example, if you ask a random person to picture a queer couple, a pair of gay men almost always come to mind first. Even in our brains, lesbians are secondary - an afterthought.

Lesbian bars used to exist all over the world, including nearly every major Canadian city. These were once spaces for women (and non-binary folks who love women!) to socialize, dance, get drunk, have fun, and feel completely safe in their identities. Today, there is not a single lesbian bar in all of Canada. In some places (rarely) there are lesbian-oriented nights at gay bars. And, in cities like Montreal (even more rarely) small groups of queer women and non-binary people have popped up to organize sapphic-oriented events – but these groups usually end up hopping from location to location, without any permanent space to call their own. Permanent, physical spaces for queer women are important! Just like many LGBTQ+ people might feel uncomfortable at a typically straight bar like Roadhouse, I imagine hosting a WLW night at a similar “hetero-bar" that houses these negative associations would not be attractive to many queer people. These people could probably benefit from the same event, if only it were in a safer, more comfortable space.

In the United States, there are less than 20 lesbian bars remaining - compared to over 800 bars oriented mostly to gay men. Here in Canada, there are literally zero lesbian bars left in our country, and around 50 gay bars. Lavender Menace, the most recent lesbian-oriented bar I could find, closed its doors in 2022. A combination of factors led to its closing - financial difficulties following the pandemic was the main cause, but an increase in homophobic violence was also a major concern. It is very hard to stomach that homophobes played a big part in taking away the last of these spaces from our community.

Some have argued that lesbian bars are no longer needed, due to changing social norms that allow queer couples to be visible in straight-dominated spaces, like our very own nightclubs here in Brandon. If that were true, wouldn’t gay bars no longer be needed either? I think the folks who claim lesbian bars are unnecessary are likely the same people who would cringe if they walked into Stons on a Saturday night to see a bunch of queer people making out on the dance floor. They don’t want us to be in their spaces, but they don’t want us to have our own spaces; they want us to stay home and be invisible to them.

Queer women have always, always been overlooked. We’ve used this to our advantage; in several historical contexts, sapphic identity and sexuality flourished in silence, because gay men were seen as the bigger threat to society. But just because we were forced to be invisible then doesn’t mean we should be invisible now or ever.

I don’t have an answer for this question. I’m certainly not trying to argue that gay men should not have spaces where they feel proud and comfortable to be themselves. They absolutely should! But I’m frustrated, because so should we.

The Evolution of the Internet By Danil Buzhor

At its roots, the Internet was as a place for enthusiasts to share information and learn from each other. As it became more accessible to the general public over the years, it has been used more and more as a means of generating profit through sales and entertainment. We are now witnessing a third phase—AI-generated content is beginning to reshape the web.

Nowadays, AI-generated content fills social media in unexpected ways - stories, videos, images, and posts. It's not some Skynet; people use AI to produce as much content as possible to maximize their profit. Humans have always tried to optimize their output/input ratio, but this time, it might be more transformative to the world.

Just recently, I saw a post on Facebook featuring two pictures of a “couple”—one from now and one from 80 years ago. They were allegedly happily married for this long. Of course, these people didn't exist; AI generated both images, which was noticeable due to minor details in the images. While it was possible to differentiate the fakes in this instance, many AI-generated images appear entirely normal and indistinguishable from real ones. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you’ll be able to recognize a fake—you won't.

If this is what's happening now, can you imagine how it will improve in 5 or even 10 years? The Internet is slowly turning into a Matrix, and we can observe this in the present day. If you Google “baby peacock,” you’ll find that half the images on the first page are AI-generated. And you can’t be sure about the ones that appear to be real.

"Dead Internet" Theory

Some speculate that already, the internet is well on its way to becoming what is called the "Dead Internet": where all information is not created by humans anymore, but by automated bots and AI. It's a theory that suggests much of what we may be meeting online could actually be artificially generated in ways to create an illusion amongst us of a busy and diverse digital world, when in reality, the content we’d be viewing is void of any genuine human origin. That's an interesting, unnerving hypothesis—the Internet is gradually becoming an illusion network, wherein human voices are in danger of being drowned under fakes.

Misinformation and Influence

In the wrong hands, if someone is willing to put their time and mind into it, AI can be easily used to spread misinformation through social media, support political views or even create cults. With AI's ability to generate at-first-look believable stories, it’s straightforward and too easy to influence public opinion.

Consider political propaganda. It’s not just about catchy slogans or flashy ads; it’s about how carefully crafted messages can steer our thoughts and emotions. These AI-generated posts can slip into our feeds and shape our perceptions without us even realizing it. Over time, the lines between what’s real and what’s fabricated will begin to blur. We might find ourselves questioning the very information we consume.

Ethical Implications of AI Content Creation

Putting aside problems of credibility and power that AI can give to anyone, there is an issue of ethics involved in AI flooding over social media. Is it ok to enjoy content created by the use of AI (or rather very soon created by AI) or is that something humanity should stay away from?

First off, there’s the big worry about authenticity. When we consume content, we often (even if we don’t realize it) are looking for a connection to other people's thoughts and feelings. But with AI-generated content, that human touch is missing. It’s like enjoying a meal that looks delicious but has no flavour—there’s no real emotion or intention behind it.

Then there’s the impact on human creativity. Think about all the artists, writers, and creators who pour their hearts into their work, infusing it with their unique perspectives and experiences. In contrast, AI creates content based on algorithms and data, which can lead to a bland feeling of ideas, which might discourage people from pursuing their own passions. We also must consider the ethical side of things, particularly when it comes to exploitation. Some companies have already began relying heavily on AI for content creation, resulting in job losses for the brilliant people who depend on their creativity for a living.

The Potential of AI

I am not throwing shade at AI without admitting that it can be used for good on the Internet - this article is more of a philosophical pondering and raising the awareness of possible problems that come with such rapid technological advancement. There is a lot of good AI could do for content and art of all sorts.

Considering how we’ve dealt with similar changes in the past is helpful and instructive. Take photography, for example. When it first hit the scene, many artists worried it would spell the end for traditional art forms like painting. But instead of disappearing, painters adapted, using photography to inspire new styles and ideas. The same goes for film—initially, there were fears that it would shallow storytelling. Despite that, it opened up new ways to share stories, blending visuals, sound, and motion. Just as with photography and film, AI is a tool that can inspire creativity rather than stifle it.

Building the Past – The Original Building and Clark Hall By Kaelyn Delaurier

The following is the first in a series of articles detailing the history of each of the buildings on Brandon University’s campus. These articles will focus on the history of each building, their impact on campus, and the history of the person the buildings are named after. Questions of whether or not we should view these names with pride or disdain will arise. The purposes of these articles are to understand how we got to where we are today – taking both the negatives and positives into consideration – and whether or not we need to act as students to change the names of buildings, to appropriately reflect the values and diversity of our campus, instead of glorifying potentially controversial historical figures.

Of course, these articles are speculative, and for any real change to happen, we would need to bring the idea to BUSU, who would then bring the issue forward to the council of unions. We would not be alone, though. “BUFA would welcome plans to research and possibly rename the buildings on campus to reflect our diverse history. The core of the movement follows the types of actions we have enshrined in our new collective agreement,” says Ariane, the Vice President of Equity for the Brandon University Faculty Union who advises the association on all matters relating to equity, inclusion, and diversity. The renaming of buildings and streets is a hot topic in recent years, after all, especially with the Truth and Reconciliation movement, and we as the BU community should not ignore this topic. So, to start off the article series, we will look at Brandon University’s first two buildings: The Original Building and Clark Hall.

In 1899, the McKee Academy, formerly known as Prairie College, moved to Brandon and became Brandon College. Mr. William Davies and his sister-in-law Mrs. Emily Davies pledged $25,000 to establish the then-Baptist college in Brandon. Mrs. Davies herself laid the cornerstone for the Original Building on July 13, 1900. The building was completed not long after and officially opened October 1, 1901. Hugh McCowan, a Winnipeg architect, designed the building made from locally produced bricks and Manitoba limestone with a Romanesque appeal. There was a chapel at the centre of the interior where the bell tower sits. The university only offered theology, commercial, and high school departments at first.

On October 27, 1906, Clark Hall joined the lonely Original Building. William Alexander Elliot designed the building to blend with the preexisting Original Building, giving it a less grand tower at its centre. This building was originally used as a women’s residence, which was admirable seeing as women did not even earn the right to vote until 1916 in Manitoba. The new building included a gymnasium, reception offices, a dining hall, and a music studio that was the beginnings of the School of Music. A man named Dr. Charles Whitfield Clark donated $30,000 of the $40,000 it cost to build Clark Hall, and he was honoured with the building being named after him. Some sources name a Dr. W. S. Clark as the basis for the name of the building, but since I found no W. S. Clark in relation to Manitoba, Charles Whitfield Clark is the more likely candidate for the naming rights of this building.

Charles Whitfield Clark was born in 1845 in New Brunswick. He moved to Ingersoll, Ontario at the age of two with his family and later studied medicine in Aylmer, Ontario before completing further schooling in the United States. He made his way back to Canada, and in 1882 moved to Winnipeg, becoming the city’s first homeopathist. His career as a doctor spanned the length of 72 years, with only a two-year break in 1912 when he moved from Winnipeg to Toronto due to poor health. Clark and his wife adopted their nephew in 1882 after the death of the boy’s mother, and they had a son who died at the age of 8 in 1884 due to diphtheria.

Clark was interested in athletics, and some sources claim he was a major supporter of women’s right to education, fittingly providing money for the women’s residence at Brandon College for this cause. However, he was also a part of the Freemasons, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. All three of these organizations were fraternities. If you are not familiar with fraternal orders, that is a rabbit hole you can discover on your own, but to put them in brief terms, they have been around for centuries and most, including the ones noted above, completed charity work and wanted to better their communities. Such organizations were also heavily controversial, as they had ritualistic ceremonies to accept new members, and most of the members allowed into the organizations were rich white men, save for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows who created a women’s organization in the mid-1800s. Some of their practices were so ritualistic, churches condemned association with them, such as the Catholic Church did with the Freemasons. Real human skeletons have been found in Odd Fellows lodges in the United States, that appear to have been dug up for ritualistic purposes. There are even claims that Odd Fellows took part in witchcraft and worshipped Satan. To say the least, while these fraternities helped their community, they were secret societies for the male elites. One almost wonders if their ‘charity’ organizations didn’t start as a way of flaunting power. In the 20th century, these organizations did change to be more inclusive, and today most fraternities focus on charity with minimal rituals. In Clark’s time, though, these were the realities of the organizations he associated himself with.

Moving back to the history of these two buildings, Clark Hall and the Original Building underwent massive renovations in the late 1990s. They were completely gutted and reconstructed, save for the brick exterior. They expanded the fourth floor, created more space in the basement, and added an expansion with a skywalk connecting to the George T. Richardson Centre. Although the architects tried to blend the expansion into the original design of the two brick buildings, if you look closely, or even from a considerable distance, you can very easily tell where the expansion starts and the old exteriors of Clark Hall and the Original Building end. The two buildings now house the Faculty of the Arts with classrooms, study spaces, offices, and Financial and Registration Services.

Now that you know the history of the Original Building and Clark Hall, here are a few questions to leave you contemplating the history of our campus. Considering Clark’s association with the controversial fraternal organizations, is it right for Clark Hall to bear his name? Or is it right for his generous donation and advocacy for women’s education to be immortalized through Clark Hall? Could the Original Building’s name be changed? Would, say, Mrs. Emily Davies be a good candidate, since Brandon University only has two buildings on campus named after women? Or should the Indigenous peoples who were the first peoples on this land be acknowledged in the name of the first building on Brandon University’s campus? After all, why must we keep the names of buildings for hundreds of years, when we as a society and school have changed so drastically?

(Sources used in researching this article include the Manitoba Historical Society, the Brandon University Archives, the Winnipeg Architecture Foundation, history.com, and the blog messynessychic.com.)

Do You Have Fake 20s? by Josephine

Counterfeit money has been an issue for years, and its impact continues to be felt in small communities across Canada. Recently, Brandon, Manitoba, has seen an increase in the circulation of counterfeit $20 bills, creating unease among businesses, customers, and financial institutions. As someone who works as a cashier at a local supermarket, I’ve had firsthand experience dealing with these fake $20 bills, and the ripple effects of this issue are undeniable.

Working as a cashier has opened my eyes to the real impact of counterfeit money. About a week ago, while scanning groceries for a customer, I received a $20 bill that just didn’t feel right. At first, I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was wrong, but something about the texture and colour raised alarm bells. I didn’t realize it was fake until closer inspection.

I was shocked. This wasn’t just some hypothetical scenario I read about online; it was happening right in front of me. But it got me thinking, how many fake bills had already passed through our registers unnoticed? How much money had businesses in Brandon already lost because of these counterfeit notes?

While the exact source of the fake $20 bills flooding Brandon is still unclear, many local businesses have reported similar experiences. The issue is particularly concerning because $20 bills are so commonly used for everyday transactions, making it easier for fake bills to circulate without raising immediate suspicion.

If you’re like me and handle cash frequently, knowing how to identify counterfeit bills is crucial. Canadian currency is equipped with various security features that make it harder to counterfeit than other currencies. Some of the key features to look out for in a genuine $20 bill include:

Raised Ink: The large number “20” on the front of the bill should feel raised when you run your fingers over it.

Holographic Strip: Canadian bills have a clear holographic strip on the front with portraits and numbers that should change when viewed from different angles.

Transparent Window: Real $20 bills have a transparent window with intricate details, such as a portrait of the Queen and a building.

UV Light: A real $20 bill will have certain sections that glow under UV light. Counterfeit bills may not have this feature, or the glow will appear inconsistent.

Personally, for me I check for the inclusion of tactile markings, often mistaken for traditional Braille, which helps visually impaired individuals identify the bill. These tactile dots are unique to genuine banknotes, and counterfeit bills often fail to replicate them accurately. Authentic Canadian $20 bills have tactile dots in the top left corner of the front side of the bill. On a real $20 bill, there are three distinct groups of six raised dots. You should be able to feel these dots clearly under your fingertips. Counterfeiters often overlook this detail.

While these features can help, counterfeiters are becoming more sophisticated. Some fake bills may include a mix of real and fake elements, which can make detection tricky for the untrained eye.

The presence of counterfeit money in Brandon is not just an inconvenience, it has real financial consequences for businesses. For every fake bill accepted, that business loses money because they cannot deposit the counterfeit note at a bank. This can quickly add up, especially for small businesses operating on tight margins. Imagine a local bakery or coffee shop unknowingly accepting several fake $20 bills in a week, those losses could significantly impact their bottom line.

But the circulation of fake money doesn’t only hurt businesses; it also impacts consumers. For instance, someone might unknowingly receive a fake $20 bill as change during a transaction. When they try to use that money for their next purchase, they could face embarrassment and frustration if it is detected as counterfeit.

Additionally, consumers might become more hesitant to use cash, opting instead for debit or credit cards to avoid the risk of unknowingly accepting fake bills. This shift away from cash transactions can affect businesses that rely heavily on cash payments.

Beyond Brandon, counterfeit money remains a persistent problem across Canada. According to the Bank of Canada, although instances of counterfeiting have decreased significantly in the last decade due to enhanced security features on polymer bills, it hasn’t been entirely eradicated. Criminal organizations continue to find ways to produce fake money, often focusing on smaller denominations like $20 bills because they’re less likely to be scrutinized as carefully as larger bills.

For communities like Brandon, where the economy is driven by local businesses and personal relationships, the presence of counterfeit money undermines trust. It creates tension between customers and businesses, as no one wants to be accused of knowingly passing a fake bill, but it’s also difficult to prove where the money originated. This erosion of trust can damage the sense of community that small towns rely on to thrive.

Businesses and consumers must remain vigilant. Training staff to spot counterfeit money, investing in detection tools, and reporting suspected fake bills are all critical steps to mitigating the impact of this issue.

It’s time to ask yourself: Do you have fake $20s in your wallet? Be aware, be cautious, and let’s work together to put an end to counterfeit money in our community.

I Forgot a Child Louise Pascua

I encountered two children in their birthday suits, in their semi-fenced backyard happily jumping on their trampoline. It was a sunny morning, and I was out walking my dog around the block when I encountered this innocent but shocking view. The boys, roughly around 2-5 years old, waved happily to me and asked what my dog’s name was while ignoring their three dogs chasing each other around the perimeter of the circular trampoline.

I encountered this scene often in the next coming weeks and, while bizarre to get used to, I found it endearing and a rare sight to see nowadays. With the rise of tablet-kids and pre-teens exposed to sexual innuendos and porn-induced fashion and body trends, two undressed children happily enjoying the summer sun was an outlier. In their world there was nothing else but play; no malice and no shame. I found myself trying to think when was the last time I felt that way. When did I last unabashedly enjoy being alive and being able to laugh without the consequence of living out the rest of the day?

I couldn’t remember when, but I knew that I experienced it multiple times in my childhood days. As I grew up and encountered relationships, felt new emotions, and created ambitions, along the way I forgot to listen to Me. The Me that was here first, before anything else. The young me, the child version of me, or whatever you may call it. This is not an original experience. As we grow, we are often told to ‘wise up’ or to be ‘more mature,’ and many of us equate that to leaving our childish tendencies behind.

Children can be selfish: demanding that their favourite toy be given at this very moment. Children can be annoying: bothering adults for attention to show ‘what they can do’. Children can be loud: crying when they are hurt or scared. As we turn into adults, we are taught to ‘fix’ these traits, and for good reason. It is not appealing to anyone involved to see an adult throw a tantrum in public (ahem Karens ahem). However along with these traits many of us forgot to value ourselves, in order to be selfless, agreeable, and quiet.

We forgot to say that we want to have a better life, and for our leaders to fix social crises now! We stop ourselves from stomping and flailing our arms and yelling “I DON’T WANT IT!” to whoever is in charge. We downplay our feelings and suffer in silence because we were discouraged to ask for attention. Our big feelings of excitement or sadness we assumed to be irrelevant to the world of serious people when, in fact, they should be celebrated or soothed. We forgot to cry when we are tired and overwhelmed, often exclusively reserving it for traumatic milestones in our lives.

Maybe we forgot how to live our lives like those two boys on the trampoline because we don’t consider ourselves children anymore. But are we happier for it? Is the child in me truly gone or buried somewhere, told to stay in the corner and be quiet? These are philosophical questions that many distinguished people and branches of studies have forever debated on, and I don’t have any answer to dutifully report to you. However, as I turned the corner of my street, leash in hand, my eyes lingered on the boys. Their laughs ringing in the silent waking neighbourhood. A small smile on my lips and a tinge of jealousy in my heart: I want to play too.

Sustainable Brandon By Yensy López

I had the opportunity and pleasure to sit with Scott Blyth and discuss the group Sustainable Brandon to learn what they’re all about. Sustainable Brandon is a group of caring individuals who have a mutual goal of helping the planet, by helping Brandon become sustainable in all areas.

Blyth stated that the aim of Sustainable Brandon is to “Encourage and enable the city of Brandon and its residents to address the current climate crisis. Moving towards environmental sustainability as quickly as we can, and do so in ways that benefit marginalized community members who are most vulnerable to harms from climate change.”

Sustainable Brandon does a variety of things, such as working with provincial and city officials, workshops, strikes, city clean-ups, and Earth Day events. They have many achievements, one being working with the Riverbank Discovery Centre and helping with the process of installing solar panels on one of their buildings. They are also involved in a project involving the wetland that is south of Brandon, making sure it is acknowledged when expansions are considered.

Many feel hopeless about the climate crisis, but it is important to remember there are always ways to help individually, and as a community. Change is achieved as a collective, and Sustainable Brandon is a great group to be a part of. Some personal ways you can help the climate crisis are: walking/biking, taking public transportation, recycling, composting, consuming less meat, consuming less in general (not buying unnecessary things), and educating yourself and others on the climate crisis.

Everyone is welcome to join Sustainable Brandon! If you are interested, contact Madeline Robinson at bdnclimateaction@gmail.com. You can also follow them on Instagram @sustainablebrandonmb.

Sustainable Brandon By Yensy López

I had the opportunity and pleasure to sit with Scott Blyth and discuss the group Sustainable Brandon to learn what they’re all about. Sustainable Brandon is a group of caring individuals who have a mutual goal of helping the planet, by helping Brandon become sustainable in all areas.

Blyth stated that the aim of Sustainable Brandon is to “Encourage and enable the city of Brandon and its residents to address the current climate crisis. Moving towards environmental sustainability as quickly as we can, and do so in ways that benefit marginalized community members who are most vulnerable to harms from climate change.”

Sustainable Brandon does a variety of things, such as working with provincial and city officials, workshops, strikes, city clean-ups, and Earth Day events. They have many achievements, one being working with the Riverbank Discovery Centre and helping with the process of installing solar panels on one of their buildings. They are also involved in a project involving the wetland that is south of Brandon, making sure it is acknowledged when expansions are considered.

Many feel hopeless about the climate crisis, but it is important to remember there are always ways to help individually, and as a community. Change is achieved as a collective, and Sustainable Brandon is a great group to be a part of. Some personal ways you can help the climate crisis are: walking/biking, taking public transportation, recycling, composting, consuming less meat, consuming less in general (not buying unnecessary things), and educating yourself and others on the climate crisis.

Everyone is welcome to join Sustainable Brandon! If you are interested, contact Madeline Robinson at bdnclimateaction@gmail.com. You can also follow them on Instagram @sustainablebrandonmb.

Tyla's Historic Win: A Milestone for African Music on the Global Stage

In a landmark moment for African music, Tyla, the 22-year-old South African sensation, has made history as the inaugural recipient of the Best African Music Performance Grammy Award. Her chart-topping hit, "Water," which seamlessly blends elements of amapiano with Afro pop influences, triumphed over a field of established names in African music at the 2024 Grammy Awards. This victory not only underscores the Recording Academy's commitment to showcasing diverse musical talent but also highlights the evolving landscape of African music in the global arena.

While Tyla's win represents a significant step forward in recognizing African cultural significance, it also sheds light on the complexities of representation within the industry. "Water," with its incorporation of Western pop sensibilities alongside African rhythms, raises questions about the balance between authenticity and marketability in African music. While the track's crossover appeal undoubtedly contributed to its success on the international stage, it also prompts a broader conversation about the authenticity of African sounds in a globalized music industry.

Despite these complexities, there is no denying the impact of "Water" on the global music landscape. The track's unprecedented success speaks volumes about its universal appeal, topping charts and sparking viral trends across continents. From its No. 1 position on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs and Hip-Hop/R&B charts to its historic entry into the Billboard Hot 100, "Water" has solidified Tyla's position as a trailblazer in African music and propelled her to unprecedented heights of fame and recognition.

At the heart of "Water" lies a fusion of musical influences that transcends geographical boundaries. Tyla expertly combines the smooth melodies and production techniques of American R&B and pop with the infectious rhythms and instrumentation of South African amapiano, creating a sound that resonates with listeners worldwide. This fusion not only showcases the diversity of African musical traditions but also highlights the interconnectedness of global music cultures in an increasingly interconnected world.

While Tyla's Grammy win marks a significant achievement for African music, there is still much work to be done in terms of representation and recognition within the industry. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. acknowledges the need for deeper acknowledgment of lesser-known genres within the continent and emphasizes the importance of fostering cultural exchange through collaborations and artist relations. As the global music landscape continues to evolve, there is a growing opportunity to celebrate the richness and diversity of African musical traditions on a broader scale.

Tyla's historic win holds particular significance for young female performers in Africa, who continue to navigate a male-dominated industry. Her success serves as a beacon of hope for aspiring female artists across the continent, demonstrating that talent and creativity know no gender boundaries. From Ayra Starr to Bloody Civilian, Tyla's win has paved the way for a new generation of female voices to be heard and recognized on the global stage.

Despite the dominance of Nigerian artists in the Best African Music Performance category, Tyla's win underscores the contributions of South Africa to the global music scene. While artists like Wizkid and Burna Boy have undoubtedly played a significant role in popularizing African music on the international stage, there is a collective responsibility to ensure that the authenticity of African sounds is preserved and celebrated.

In essence, Tyla's historic Grammy win represents a milestone moment for African music, signaling a new era of recognition and appreciation on the global stage. As the industry continues to evolve, there is an opportunity to embrace the richness and diversity of African musical traditions, transcending geographical boundaries and cultural barriers in the pursuit of musical excellence.