NEWS BRIEFS

First farmers’ market a success

Fresh produce, meat and baked goods could soon be a regular sight on the Fort Garry campus. A farmers’ market — the first of many more to come if UMSU GSA representative Jason Kelly can help it — was held in the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) lounge on Jan. 24.

The market included a Manitoba Beef vendor, as well as baked goods and information on food security from the Manitoba Food Charter. While a produce vendor was unable to attend, there are plans for fresh fruit and vegetables at future markets.

Kelly said that the market is invaluable for providing students with a convenient source of fresh food, free of pesticides and growth hormones.

“There is a big convenience portion as well, as we all spend hours a day at school, and going for groceries is often very inconvenient,” he said, adding that it will also provide residence students with an alternative to the food options on campus.

Kelly said that the market was very successful, and hopes to attract even more vendors for future markets. Although there was no set date at press time, plans for the next market are already in the works. The market was organized with ARAMARK, the university, UMSU and the GSA.

Blood drive at McGill shut down after protest

Sarah Colgrove
The McGill Daily
(McGill University)

MONTREAL (CUP) — Héma-Québec shut down its on-campus blood drive at McGill this week after students lined up in drag and blasted “Tainted Love” to protest the collection agency’s policy that excludes men who have had sex with men (MSM) from donating blood.

About 30 demonstrators gathered on Jan. 25 to protest Héma-Québec’s screening policy for potential donors. The current policy permanently bans any man who has had sex with a man since 1977 from donating blood, whereas a woman who has had sex with an MSM is excluded for only one year.

“Why can an MSM who has always worn protection not give blood, whereas a woman who has always had unprotected sex can?” asked Jamie Cudmore, a second-year international development studies student.

Students planned to lie about their sexual past to test whether Héma-Québec would allow them to donate. As a result, Héma Québec director Pierre Julien said that he had no choice but to close the blood drive.

Marcel Beaudere, who has volunteered for eight years with Héma-Québec, reiterated Héma-Québec’s stance that MSM are the highest-risk group for HIV infection, and that excluding them from donating blood protects blood recipients. He added that nurses may mark a donation if they think that a recipient is lying, and that it may be thrown away.

One Héma-Québec employee, who spoke under the condition of anonymity because employees are not allowed to speak to the press, speculated that the blood drive was closed to save money: each bag of blood that needs to be thrown away costs $300 to $400.

Wilfrid Laurier students can’t say good-night to bed bugs

Laura Scott
The Cord Weekly
(Wilfrid Laurier University)

WATERLOO, ON. (CUP) — Pim Brouwers and his roommate at Wilfrid Laurier University have been fighting an uphill battle with bed bugs since the end of September.

Brouwers’ roommate — who asked that his name not be released — was the first to be affected by the insects. He “began waking up every morning with [red bumps] covering his neck, forearms and side.”

“At first [we] suspected hives,” recalled Brouwers, who then suggested his friend should go to the school clinic. There he was misdiagnosed and given anti-histamines to suppress the “hives.” Soon after, Brouwers found he, too, was waking up with an unusual rash.

As the infestation grew worse the roommates started to see the bugs.

“We began finding the bugs in our clothes, shoes, and were waking up with more and more . . . bite marks each day, ” said Brouwers. He described the bite marks left behind by the bed bugs as “viciously itchy,” leaving a “burning sensation.”

Unfortunately, as Mike Belanger, director of Laurier’s residential services, pointed out, because the “infestation was left unchecked the problem became large” and it is proving to be a challenge to get rid of the blood-thirsty insects.

The room is now scheduled for its fifth spraying. But this is not where the problems end for the students of this suite. Since the sprayings have started, Brouwers claims that he and his roommates have all started to suffer from “headaches and respiratory problems.”

Over the past 30 years there have only been two incidents of bed bugs at Laurier.

Sessional profs talk contract with university

Chelsea Moore Staff

Last week, the last conciliation meeting was held between the administration of the University of Manitoba and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3909 to negotiate a new contract between sessional instructors and the university.

On February 8-9, union members will vote to see whether proposals for a new contract will be rejected or ratified.

The previous collective agreement between the two parties was set to expire in August of 2005, but because concerns were raised about the provisions of the contract, CUPE’s negotiating committee is seeking a new agreement.

Ana Vialard, a sessional instructor who has been at the U of M for about eight years and who currently sits on the union’s negotiating committee, said that the new proposals made by the university were received on January 23, but it is too soon to say whether or not they will be accepted.

“The university has made some movement, but the movement is slight,” said Vialard.

Last spring, sessionals participated in a survey to shape the new contract. The survey found that many sessionals would like to have a certain type of job security and recognition of past labour so that, for example, they may have a “right of refusal” over a course they have successfully taught many times before.

Vialard noted that the need for entrenched wage increments over time are an important issue.

The CUPE 3909 bargaining team will be meeting on Wednesday to outline and evaluate the university’s proposals for a new contract. Vialard said the team will be recommending that union members reject the proposals at this time.

UPEI professor faces
disciplinary action for
offering free grades

William Wolfe-Wylie CUP
Atlantic Bureau Chief, and
Ray Keating, the Cadre (UPEI)

SACKVILLE, N.B. (CUP) — University of Prince Edward Island lecturer David Weale’s plan to reduce the size of his history of Christianity class has been met with disciplinary action from the university and scorn from many students.

The deal, known as the “January Clearance,” would have awarded students who accepted the offer a final grade of 70 per cent (a B-minus at UPEI) provided they promise not to attend his class.

While most students chose not to accept the offer, approximately 20 did. When word of the deal reached the ears of administration, dean of arts Richard Kurial said, “There won’t be a free pass, this university prides itself on teaching excellence.”

“I felt it was in everyone’s best interests, certainly; by eliminating the overcrowding in the room it provided an enhanced learning environment for the approximately 70 students who were really interested in the course and not just the credit. That surely is worth a few raised eyebrows,” Weale said.

The University of Prince Edward Island administration and the UPEI Faculty Association, however, isn’t as enthusiastic about Weale’s approach to class sizes. Weale has been suspended from teaching the course and an investigation into the matter is now underway and could take upward of a month to complete.

Under the proposed deal, students still had to pay the registration fee for the class and notify Weale of their intentions via email.

While some students are empathetic to the situation, said Ryan Gallant, president of the UPEI students’ union, most are in agreement with the university.

“He has been a great professor for many years,” said Gallant. “But some students find this inexcusable.”

- With files from Sean Molloy