Strength training People of all ages have joined a a Marpole gym to train in the sport of powerlifting. P8 Satisfied or not? B.C. Student Outcome Survey results show a drop in Langara student satisfaction. P3 Get up and move Movement can counteract what some experts call sitting disease. langaravoice.ca PRODUCED BY LANGARA JOURNALISM STUDENTS | WWW.LANGARAVOICE.CA MARCH 12, 2020 > VOL. 53 NO. 03 > VANCOUVER, B.C. Langara prepares COVID plan The disease is now a pandemic, according to the WHO By LINA CHUNG, KRISTEN HOLLIDAY A s the World Health Orga- nization (WHO) declared the international outbreak of COVID-19 a pandemic Wednes- day, Langara College confirmed it is preparing a contingency plan. On March 10, Seth Abramson, an American attorney and Newsweek columnist, tweeted a list of over 100 American universities and colleges that are heading to online-only instruction immediately or immi- nently because of the virus. The list included Harvard, Stanford, and MIT, among others. “The College has convened its Emergency Operations Centre and is preparing for any eventuality,” a Langara College spokesperson said in a written statement to The Voice. “We're reviewing all events to be held on campus in the coming weeks and conducting risk assessments as required.” In a statement to media, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said as of March 11, there were over 118,000 cases of COVID-19 in 114 countries, with more than 4,000 deaths. Please see COVID UPDATE, page 2 7 new cases were diagnosed as of Wed. March 11, bringing the total to 46 in the province. 22 cases of COVID-19 are within Vancouver Coastal Health's boundaries. Only one patient is in acute care at this time. SOURCE: B.C. MINISTRY OF HEALTH Mairi Mallett, a nurse practitioner at Langara, holds various types of contraceptives. The most effective birth control can often have high up-front costs, making them less ~ for students. SAFOURA RIG I-LADIZ PHOTO A high price to pay MSP coverage would remove barriers faced by students when accessing contraceptives By SAFOURA RIGI-LADIZ he recent motion put forward by Vancouver City Council to have prescription contracep- tives covered through MSP could impact young people and students by removing emotional and finan- cial barriers. Mairi Mallett, a nurse practitioner at Langara, said if contraceptives were covered through MSP, @ it would create fewer barriers for young people [ to have access to hem thcare, je Mairi Mallett Oung People —_ LANGARA NURSE sometimes find PRACTITIONER it difficult to access health services. They may not feel comfortable going to their family doctor, so having birth control covered would give people more options,” Mallett said. “If they could go to any healthcare provider they feel comfortable with, it would create less barriers for accessing services.” Marina Adshade, a UBC profes- sor specializing in economics of sex, gender and fertility, said she has been lobbying the provincial government to cover contraceptives for years. Adshade said the most effective types “Having birth control “Just because someone has a uterus, they incur more costs in order to exercise choices over their body,” Bondaroff said. “That’s a matter of equality.” Coun. Christine Boyle, who pushed for the motion alongside councillor Jean Swanson, said contra- of contracep- covered would give ceptive cover- tives, such as : " age would give ae pave people more options. people choice ten Up ven —MAIRI MALLETT, NURSE PRACTITIONER AT hod: their ord costs and can LANGARA COLLEGE odies, regard- be quite expen- less of age or sive for students. income. “The most important change that could happen here is people switch- ing from less reliable, intermittent contraceptives to more longer acting, more expensive contraceptives that are more reliable,” Adshade said. Teale Phelps Bondaroff is the chair and co-founder of AccessBC, a campaign that advocates for contra- ceptive coverage in B.C. Bondaroff said the issue of equal- ity is central to fair coverage. “It’s a fundamental piece of repro- ductive choice that you should really have regardless of income or other barriers,” she said. Boyle said students who are vocal about their support for contraceptive coverage can really make a differ- ence. “Students can get involved in that way and tell their provincial MLA why this would make a real differ- ence for them in their life.” Walk-out highlights need for education Wet'suwet en supporter says Canadians must inform themselves on Indigenous rights By LUCAS JORNITZ he media and educational institutions need to do a better job of informing the public about the reasons why people are demonstrating in support of the Wet’suwet’en, said student organizer Tanis Wilson. Wilson was an organizer for the March 4 walk-out demon- stration on the Langara campus, part of a national movement in which students from post-second- ary campuses like SFU, UBC and the University of Victoria left their classes to walk in support of the Wet’suwet’en. Speaking at last week’s Langara protest, which attracted some 60 demonstrators, Wilson told fellow activists not to talk to the media. In an interview with The Voice, Wilson said Canadians should use resources available to teach themselves about the rights of Indigenous people. “It’s Canadians’ responsibility to take the time to learn the truth,” Wilson said. “Indigenous people can't keep constantly trying to teach you guys about this.” Rima Wilkes, a UBC professor who specializes in the media and First Nations, felt media coverage of the Wet’suwet’en protests has improved on past coverage. However, Wilkes, who has researched Oka, said there are still contentious issues around how reporting on the conflict has been handled. She said while the protests are in the public interest, upholding one’s rights shouldn't be questioned. “Asking people what they think about Indigenous rights is inherently problematic because what they think is irrelevant,” she said, adding the topic was difficult as the protestors are very courageous, but also that the issue raises tensions. “If you have rights, whether the majority agrees with your rights or not is beside the point.” Kesley Pepion, a supporter who demonstrated last week at Langara, emphasized that the demonstrations were about more than just the pipe- line route, there were greater impli- cations. “It’s a bigger cause. It’s not just the pipelines. It’s about Indigenous rights and respecting our treaties.”