OVER THE EDGE _ February 28, 2007 — Well-Read, Hard Fou CBC Competition Offers anata Some Guidance on JAMES BROTHERIDGE THe CARILLON (UNIVERSITY OF REGINA) REGINA (CUP) -- The liter- ary crowd has their own Super Bowl. When the shortlists for the Giller or the Pulitzer are released, there are some who show some mild interest and some who will get downright heated over who they believe will win. CBC’s Can- ada Reads competition inspires a bit of that. Started in 2002, it’s an annual set of radio debates put together and broadcast by the CBC. For each session, five prominent Can- ucks from inside and outside the literary community each choose a book by a Canadian author. Then, they vote off one book at a time until only one is remaining, which is.then named the book that Can- ada should read that year. Hosted by veteran journalist, CBC regular and all-around ami- able guy Bill Richardson, the de- bates usually have a very casual -- if occasionally heated -- tone, CFUR Approved for Broadcasting License Jeremy JOHNSON | Sarr WRITER What began as a- streaming internet radio station in 2000 was CFUR, UNBC’s on-campus radio station, has become something more — and in a big way. In 2001, _ CFUR expanded from the internet _ into a small community radio sta-_ tion on 88.7FM under a “develop- ment license” awarded by the CRTC in September. While it was a good start, it was not enough to sustain the station. So, CFUR made a ref. erendum in 2002 for students fo support the station with a levy — paid through tuition. After the levy was put in place, the station was able to hire a full-time sta- tion manager, Even with the levy, additional funds needed to be raised, So CFUR regularly holds fundraisers to make up additional costs for maintenance. Currently, the station hoe a5 watt antenna to broadcast their content throughout Prince George. The aim is to get a 510 watt ERP antenna to cover all of Prince George. But with CFUR still on a development license, this is not possible -- at least until today. In a preliminary announce- ment issued by the station manger ‘Christopher Earl, CFUR ben hoping to get a new — Cope radio license to’ poe the developmental license fea On Friday, the CRTC approved ‘our application!” = ‘What this means is that CFUR is now “allowed [to] install the equipment to broadcast at a much higher wattage 10: instead of 5). The higher wat: age will allow all the residents of Prince George to hear us — - in stereo, even, because we will replace the mono transmit- fer we're using not with the con- siderably more powerful stereo _ transmitter’ waiting in storage.” _ While all this set the wheels gradually grew. in 2003, CPUR : in motion, nothing will bei instant. What is needed is a new antenna array so it can be installed “on the Lab Research Building”. The old _ antenna is on the library building, “We must get Industry Canada to test it, and we must inform the CRTC that Industry Can- ada has approved it before the CRTC will issue us our broad- cast certificate officially ap- - proving the whole lot.” Chris- topher said, “I've been waiting for approval from the CRTC; _ now that | have it, | can get to work, You will be informed as soon as | have a timeline put — together.” with arguments straying from purely academic language that might otherwise be used to de- scribe these books. That is sure to be the outcome this year, as 2007’s competition is the all-star edition, where the winners of the past five years will now compete against each other with new book selections. Steven Page was the first to triumph back in 2002. Page, singer/guitarist for the Barenaked Ladies, managed to hold his own against such Can-Lit classics such as “The Stone Angel” by Margaret Laurence and “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood, secur- ing victory for the significantly more current “In the Skin of a Lion” by Michael Ondaatje. This year, he will be defend- ing David Bezmozgis’s “Natasha” (2004, HarperCollins), a collec- tion of short -- and heartbreaking -- stories dealing with East-Euro- pean immigrants in Canada. Providing the a dash of bi- lingualism to this multi-cultural bazaar is journalist and author Denise Bombardier, who brought Hubert Aquin’s “Next Episode” (“Prochain episode”), the en- grossing story of a 1960's extrem- ist Quebec separatist writing his memoirs in prison, to the attention of the Canadian public. She’s pre- senting “Children of My Heart” (“Les enfants de-ma vie”) by Gab- rielle Roy (1979, McClelland & Stewart), the tale of her eit as a teacher. Aside from supporting his new solo album, Jim Cuddy, lead singer of Blue Rodeo, will also be lending his talents to Canada Reads, as he did in 2004 when, through quiet perseverance, his selection, “The Last Crossing” by Guy Vanderhaeghe, was chosen. He may try to use that same magic for early-favorite “Stanley Park” by Timothy Taylor (2001, Vintage Canada/Random House), a novel of culinary and family intrigue. Author Donna Morrissey may well steal the show, though. In 2005, her regional favourite, “Rockbound” by Frank Parker Day, came through in the end. PUB & ight to Read “The Song of Kahunsha” by Anosh Irani (2006, Vintage Can- ada/Random House) is already a strong contender, despite its lack of Canadian content. It instead deals with a 10-year-old orphaned boy trying to survive in Mumbai on his own. Finally, we come to John K. Samson, lead singer for the highly literate Weakerthans. In 2006, his silent charm allowed him to work his way to the top with “A Com- plicated Kindness” by Miriam Toews, anovel whose protagonist has been referred to as a female Holden Caulfield. His latest selection, “Lullabies for Little Criminals” by Heather O’Neill (2006, HarperCollins), is emotive and heart-wrenching tale of a young girl in Montreal who eventually falls into the world of child prostitution, losing her hero- in addict father in the process. ’ The competition runs Feb. 26 to March 2 on CBC Radio and on the CBC’s website. RESTAURANT It’s Time to Take a Break!!! And we're just minutes away!!! | Every Wednesday Night Sex & Tunes Trivia Hosted by Mike Mann Come in and WIN!! age? BSS BGR SR EGE SS SCRE EOE ERSTE RE RE * Join us here for every PPV : Sand Televised Canucks game. Sninih'none Rood wks Unmet ee nic een! Rbuth vei Bring in you Sradent ID card and Receive 1% off Any regularly priced Menu item Rafiers Pub & Restaurant is located at $911 O'Grady Road behind Can: Ph. 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