Issue 17 - January 26 2012 by The Newspaper

se of In defen Robarts Page 4

Students dress in their best bibs & tuckers Page 5

the newspaper The University of Toronto’s Independent Weekly

Since 1978

SAMANTHA CHIUSOLO

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VOL XXXIV Issue 17 • January 26, 2012

A tale of three cities

In cities across Canada, the gap between haves and have-nots has grown steadily over the last two decades; Toronto is no exception. In the fourth lecture in the Toronto In Question series organized by the U of T Cities’ Centre, former mayor David Miller and David Hulchanski, professor of housing and community development at U of T, examined rising socioeconomic inequality between Toronto neighbourhoods. They argued that if this trend is left unchecked, the city risks becoming polarized between rich and

poor. In his study of development trends in Toronto based on census data, Hulchanski describes the GTA as three “cities”—or groups of neighbourhoods—in one: an affluent City #1, middleincome City #2, and poorer City #3 (see map on right). Since 1970, the relatively wealthy and well-educated residents of City #1 have grown richer, while the poor in City #3 have become poorer. “All countries and societies will be unequal in various ways,” Professor Hulchanski said, “the question is how much

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Geoffrey Vandeville

?????????? HELENE GODERIS

Former mayor David Miller and Prof David Hulchanski warn of rising inequality between Toronto neighbourhoods.

A storefront in Cabbagetown, with David Hulchanski’s “Three Cities” map superimposed.

Concerns over sex-selective abortion prompt call for a ban on disclosing sex until 30 weeks into pregnancy Aberdeen Berry

A recently published article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) has called for a ban on disclosing the sex of fetuses to expectant parents until the 30-week mark has passed. Behind the controversial proposal is Dr. Rajendra Kale, Interim Editor-in-Chief of the journal. Kale based his arguments on a forthcoming study that uses census data to demonstrate that in Indian families with two girls, it is twice as likely as would be expected that the third will

be a boy, providing evidence of the selective abortion of female fetuses. Kale argues that female feticide is a serious problem in some Asian immigrant communities in Canada and suggests the best response is to forbid doctors from informing expectant parents of the sex of their child until the pregnancy can be considered late-term. While sex-selective abortion is not a widespread problem in Canada and will not produce a demographic crisis, Kale believes that the practice is sufficiently problematic to warrant

intervention on the part of the Canadian Medical Association. Professor Robert Dickens, Professor Emeritus of Health Law and Policy at the University of Toronto, offered several criticisms of the proposal and its implications. First, he noted that the parameters of the proposal pose a few problems. As a professional regulation, rather than a law, the policy would not be directly subject to the constitution; however, this could still leave doctors open to charges of professional misconduct if they

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Inside this issue...

NICK RAGETLI

Controversial proposal aims to stop feticide in Canada

The spy who bored me.

page 3

THE NEWS

from ‘three cities’ and in what direction—and it’s no secret that we’ve been moving in the wrong direction.” Changes in income have naturally influenced urban development. Neighbourhoods that once were home to workingclass families, including many parts of the old City of Toronto, are slowly becoming gentrified. Some areas, such as the northwest of the city, are undergoing an opposite transformation. They have gradually gone from middle- to low-income neighbourhoods. Relocated to the outskirts of the city, poorer families have worse access to public transit. Contrary to Toronto’s official motto, “Diversity is Our Strength,” most of the families left behind belong to a visible minority or are of an immigrant background, whereas City #1 is 82 per cent white. David Miller examined the causes of socio-economic inequality, including the neo-liberal reforms of the 1980s and

90s. “These are the results of deliberate political choices made by Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan and Brian Mulroney,” he said. To reverse this trend toward greater inequality, he, like Hulchanski, recommended improving access to public transport in poorer neighbourhoods. Transit City, a plan Miller devised during his mayoralty and which his successor Rob Ford suspended, would have improved services to these neighbourhoods. Miller also praised the Tower Renewal project to renovate aging concrete apartment complexes, which are home to many low-income families. “If we believe in a society in which people have equal rights and responsibilities,” Miller said, “if we believe in a society where we judge ourselves by how well we treat those who have the least, and if we believe that government is how we come together to solve those common problems—if we believe that, then we need to act.”

HART HOUSE HAIR PLACE Finest Cutting and Style Colour and Highlights

7 HART HOUSE CIRCLE

January 26, 2012

SAMANTHA CHIUSOLO

from ‘feticide in Canada’ do not disclose the information to parents. “The Supreme Court states that patients have a right to access all the information in their records,” Dickens explained. The doctor should play the role of trustee with regard to medical records, and is therefore required to serve the interests of the patient. Dickens did offer the caveat, “if doctors don’t look for the sex, then there is nothing to disclose.” While Dickens does not deny that in some communities, sexselective abortion is a real prob-

lem, he argued that Dr. Kale’s proposed solution would also result in a variety of unintended consequences. “Just because a decision is based on sex doesn’t mean it’s sexist,” he stated. “In most cases the decision isn’t based on [systematic] preference for one sex over another, but simply family balancing.” In this case, the decision to abort, or not to abort, does not lead to pernicious demographic outcomes. Dickens also expressed skepticism towards the idea that selective abortion of female fetuses would lead to long-term problems in Canadian immi-

grant communities. “Even if it is important for families to have sons, wives are required at some point,” Dickens said. He added that after a generation or two, a shortage of girls will lead to an increase in their social value, thus mitigating the problem. Furthermore, if there is concern that societies insufficiently value women, it is improbable that ensuring women carry female fetuses to term would resolve the underlying issue. Given these parameters, Dickens argued that a ban on disclosing the sex of fetuses will neither be a useful nor an effective policy. The sex-selection of fetuses points to an undercurrent of deeper cultural concerns; in this case, it would be more effective to deal with the root causes. While Dickens acknowledged that Dr. Kale “brought the issue up in an appropriate way” to the relevant communities, the proposed legal solution is illfitted to the problem. Further, because the practice is very limited, it would not be appropriate to make a national policy of it. “This is the tail wagging the dog,” Dickens said. He concluded by suggesting that, “withholding the information you have is at best paternalistic,” and not appropriate for a democratic society.

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the newspaper the newspaper is the University of Toronto’s independent weekly paper, published since 1978. VOL XXXIV No. 17

Editor-in-Chief Cara Sabatini

Arts Editor Vanessa Purdy

News Editor Geoff Vendeville

Illustrations Editor Nick Ragetli

Associate News Editor Yukon Damov

Contributors Liat Aharoni, Miriam Arbus, Aberdeen Berry, Bodi Bold, Samantha Chiusolo, Dan Christensen, Helene Goderis, Talia Gordon, Chris Pugh, Vanessa Purdy, Nick Ragetli, David Stokes, Margot Thomaidis, Geoffrey Vandeville, Andrew Walt.

Photo Editor Bodi Bold Associate Photo Editor Nana Arbova Web Editor Andrew Walt Design Editor Samantha Chiusolo

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THE NEWS

Tinker Sailor Soldier Spy

Potential leak of Canadian government secrets could “result in pretty frosty international relations,” says Prof Wesley Wark Andrew Walt On the evening of November 14, 2006, a Russian agent who called himself Paul William Hampel was arrested at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. In his possession were the iconic hallmarks of globetrotting espionage; forged papers, thousands of dollars in various currencies, a shortwave radio, and multiple cellphones with password-protected SIM cards. The story of Canadian naval intelligence officer Jeffrey Delisle, however, does not seem quite so glamourous. Accused of selling secrets over the weekend of January 14, our very own international man of mystery doesn’t seem to have enjoyed smoky cafés on cobbled European streets or caches of foreign banknotes and doctored passports. After his arrest by the RCMP at his suburban Halifax home, merely his charge and a trickle of his domestic details have emerged

in lieu of any concrete answers. “He worked at a communications hub in Halifax called HMCS Trinity,” said Wesley Wark, professor at the Munk Centre for International Studies, of the few facts known so far. “He also spent some time in the office of the Chief of Defence Intelligence in Ottawa, so he’s someone who over the course of his career has had access to a lot of sensitive Canadian--and probably Allied-information.” What exactly this sensitive information is has caused widespread speculation since the story broke nearly two weeks ago. “It may be that the government doesn’t know the exact details of what he had access to,” continued Wark. “We don’t have a job description for him, we don’t know what he gave away. But whatever it was, it’s something that the Canadian government regards as very damaging.” The fragmentary nature of the evidence has created

a contrast rather curious in the public eye typically more interested in the romance of espionage than in stuffy procedure. The Russian spy ring exposed in New York 18 months ago touted its very own Bond girl in Anna Chapman (born Anna Kushchyenko), and it recently came to light that the Brits bugged a Moscow street with a glorified pebble seemingly willed from the fictional Q Branch in early 2006. But Delisle is neither a femme fatale nor a crafty piece of future tech. He is a troubled man, once bankrupt and now divorced, with custody of three children. Bereft of fantasy, what is there to do beyond search for the truth? Delisle’s case is a humanly tragic spy caper, one the media has mired in pathos for lack of anything substantial to anchor it. “We’re all speculating about what he could have had access to and what he might have sold,” Wark said, mindful that “lots of mysteries still sur-

round the case.” Despite many outlets, including both The National Post and The Toronto Star, eyeing Russia as the “foreign entity” with which Delisle was sharing secrets, Wark is keen to note that it “has been confirmed neither by the Canadian government nor by the Russian government.” While what little truth known of Delisle’s alleged espionage may not quite be stranger than fiction, his charge will nevertheless have considerable repercussions. “[This case] is going to test The Security of Information Act— legislation which has never been used since it was passed in 2001—so there are legal issues of potentially great significance depending on how the legislation stacks up in the court process,” Wark added. As regards Canada’s international relations, Wark believes there is going to be “some period of friction between a government that has been spied on and the government doing

the spying.” More troublesome is how Canada has many secrets that are not necessarily made in Canada. “If some of that material leaks out, then our allies are going to be very concerned about what it is exactly that Paul Delisle gave away and how this could happen,” Wark cautioned. Although the facts may presently be few and far between, nevertheless there is hope that all will be revealed. “A lot is bound to emerge once this case is in court because there’s a fair trial process that has to take place,” Wark concluded. “The government loses control of the secrets of this case, and it becomes a matter of the courts to decide what’s in the public’s interest to know.” Fortunately for us, courts tend to recognize such pervasive public interest, and government claims for secrecy are often stretched.

THE INSIDE

January 26, 2012

Ode to a peacock “The Case for Saving Ugly Buildings,” a recent article published on the website of The Atlantic Cities, uses an image of Robarts Library as its lead photograph, and derides our beloved Fort Book as “oppressive, [a] stone Transformer with little access to sunlight.” - has perpetuated Robarts’ reputation for ugliness, and has even implied that its design was a mistake. Ignoring Robarts’ many merits, the article instead tapped into but a single side of the debate surrounding one of Canada’s most polarizing structures. Where some may see a “hideous monstrosity,” others see a beautiful landmark. Few buildings are as audacious as Robarts, and structures like it are a necessary antidote to the common complaint that the city suffers from dull architecture. Robarts and its fellow “Brutalist” brethren— City Hall, the CN Tower, and the Ontario Science Center, to name but a few—are some of the city’s most iconic structures. In comparison to these titans, the new Rotman building has about as much character as a desktop computer. Robarts, on the other hand, certainly demands your attention. Frequently said to possess the outline of a peacock, the unadorned lines of the building are as likely to evoke the serrated wings of a spacecraft as they are the grandeur and permanence of a cathedral. Its exterior is at its most pleasing when late afternoon sunlight warms the concrete with an amber glow that harmonizes with a blue sky. Even in the least favourable light, through squinted eyes it may seem less like a building and more like a mountain range. Robarts can be sublime, ridiculous or subtle, depending on your vantage point. The design of Robarts was meticulously planned to accommodate a diversity of uses. Among other facilities, Robarts houses three other self-contained libraries, a suite of offices, teaching labs, and a government office. Its triangle design was selected to provide unobstructed access to its endless rows of stacks, while concrete was for its affordable and malleable qualities.

This allowed the architects to eschew the monotony of a box-like building rather easily. Though large enough to hold over 4.5 million books, the building occupies only a modest one-third of its site, thereby accommodating ample green space around its base. Despite its concrete walls, the building remains soft at heart, with a hollow core designed to maximize study space. There is an extremely high level of foot traffic in the building, with over 300,000 visits this past November. Yet thanks to its careful design, students go about their business with little mind that Robarts is often more populated than many small towns. If renowned Swiss architect Le Corbusier thought of buildings as “machines for living in,” then Robarts meets this definition. Is there any better place to churn out four essays in a single week? Recent renovations to Robarts bringing in more natural light and creating more student space have made it a more pleasant place to cram. Designed and built during the lead-up to Canada’s centennial year in 1967, Robarts embodies this historical moment of national pride with confidence and daring. From above, Robarts resembles a maple leaf, our national symbol adopted for our flag just prior to its construction. Its futuristic design is like a snapshot of the hopes and dreams of a generation. More new Canadians meant more new students, who required a library befitting of a truly cosmopolitan university. Robarts’ unusual form poses a challenge to us on a similar scale to that of democracy through diversity. In as much as “it’s ugly” is often the initial reaction to Robarts (as it has been since the very beginning), a deeper familiarity with it elicits a more sympathetic response. Like so much of Toronto’s multicultural identity, Robarts reveals its graces slowly and through openness and exposure. Instead of deriding the library or accepting the pejorative judgments of uninformed, distant critics, U of T would do well to appreciate the careful planning, inclusive optimism, and expressive vigour of the building at the heart of our campus in the centre of our city.

WearAbouts Bodi Bold brings you U of T’s stylish side

This week, building on essential and classic pieces is the best way to keep things simple while standing out at the same time.

BODI BOLD

David Stokes

NICK RAGETLI

Robarts might ruffle a few feathers, but it’s no “oppressive” blunder

who >> Rusty, Coffee Connoisseur what >> The perfect white crochet vest and combat boots look even better with a pair of high-waisters. where >> Caffiends, Victoria College

who >> Corrie, 4th year Visual Studies and Art History student what >> laid back “at the office” ensemble wool tights and sweater contrasted with a classic button-down where >> FASU office, Spadina 1 Crescent

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THE INSIDE

Aggressor gives us the breakdown

Ontario metal band discusses touring, latest album Beyond All Reckoning In light of the upcoming release of their new album Beyond All Reckoning, the newspaper sat down with Harut Savchenko, Chris Stephenson and Brian Stephenson from Ontario’s heavy metal band Aggressor to discuss the finer things in life: beer, climbing walls whilst nude, and live musical experiences. The metal band won over our hearts with their long flowing locks and sunny dispositions. the newspaper: How did Aggressor form? Brian: Well this is a really shitty story; my dad has a ball sack full of sperm and he shot it into my mom and then we [Brian and Chris] were born. And uh… we started playing music when I was 14 and Chris was 12. We just kinda started jamming and then moved to Canada from Germany and we formed it from there. Chris: Basically because of this whole heavy metal scene in Germany, we were introduced to it at a very young age. tn: Chris and Brian, you both recently migrated to Toronto from Ottawa. Considering the metal scene in both cities, which do you like more? Brian: It’s a very intimate and close, small scene in Otta-

wa. The metal scene in Canada itself is very stagnant. There are a lot of really great bands out there but it’s not like every weekend you’re gonna see a great show. Here in Toronto you can go and see the same band play every single weekend. I love the Toronto scene here as well because there are

voice. He has a nice acoustic voice… there’s more singing and harmonies. Harut: To the average, nonmetal listening person I think that’s the first difference you pick up, the first record is all screaming, now it’s more singing. tn: What’s your favourite

so many opportunities and we’re just babies right now here in Toronto. tn: This new album that is coming out, what is different and unique about it in comparison to your last ones? Chris: This one’s more melodic and Brian really uses his

song from the new album? Brian: If I had to choose one I’d say the song “Redemption,” the last song on the album, because you only have to endure one more song and then it’s over and it’s awesome and you can go on to a better album to listen to! But no… creatively it was a lot of fun to make...

BODI BOLD

Margot Thomaidis

tn: Is there a personal story behind it? Brian: Yeah I’ll be totally honest about it I have anxiety or whatever and I have to take medication for it and stuff and it sucks balls so I felt like this was at a point when it was starting to break and I wasn’t taking anything for it... and music was like therapy for me. tn: Any funny stories from recording this album in the studio? Brian: I get naked when I drink. I’ve always done that ever since I got drunk the first time when I was twelve. There was this 14 foot wall in the middle of the studio kitchen and I got naked and jumped up there one time when we were staying at the recording studio overnight. tn: What’s the best part about being on the road? Brian: It’s weird because you can go city to city and just always be somewhere different and you learn so much more than staying in one spot. It’s just about different people you meet and you learn from their experiences and experience things yourself… it’s the best thing ever. Harut: Essentially it’s your own group of friends, which you can also call family because you pretty much live together for a long time. It’s

kind of a cool feeling where you share that togetherness as a group. tn: Would you say the live experience has always been the most important part of metal music? Chris: Sometimes you go see a death metal show and you find that really it’s just a bunch of noise, like, they’ll be doing something really technical and cool, but just noise. Brian: Cookie monster noises. Harut: The most important thing is just to have fun when you’re playing. If you’re not having fun the crowd’s not having fun. It’s kind of like a bounce effect and on a good night it’s pretty intense. tn: Which is better, beers or babes? Brian: Personally, I’d go books… Chris: Well Harut and I both have girlfriends, so beers. Brian: …I’d actually have to say with complete honesty, beer. She’s a great companion.

ant, Adaptation) when the actor is not turning out one mediocre low budget action film after another. While an academic study of the appeal of Nicolas Cage has never been conducted and maybe never will, I truly do believe his unique style of acting deserves recognition. Just last year, while doing publicity for Drive Angry, Cage declared “I had realized that I’d developed my own style and process and school of acting which is called ‘Nouveau

Shamanic.’ That’s the new style of acting and at some point I’ll have to write a book.” While his statement may be construed as self-serving, it is also true. No other actor in Hollywood will emote like Cage does, and even if you don’t like his nose-turning attitude toward naturalism, you must admit that it does take balls to scream “Not the bees!” and still expect to be taken seriously.

Aggressor will be playing at Sneaky Dee’s on Friday, February 3 for their album release party, along with three other Toronto metal greats; Diemonds, Fatality and Shotgun Cure. $10 19+. http://www.facebook.com/aggressivemusic

A case for Cage at the TIFF Bell Lightbox Alan Jones When Werner Herzog’s wonderfully titled The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, starring Nicolas Cage, premiered at TIFF in 2009, critics were quick to praise the complimentary stylistic traits of both director and actor. Herzog has always had an interest in exploring the absurdity of excessively obsessive characters (most obviously seen in Fitzcarraldo), and Cage’s most compelling performances have been as characters that take obsession to absurdly excessive levels (most obviously seen in Vampire’s Kiss). Although, I can’t help but wonder if the degree to which the two talents have been said to “collaborate” has been ex-

aggerated. Is it possible that the brilliance of The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans may be due to a more observational relationship between Cage, as the famed eccentric, and Herzog, the famed documentarian? The possibility I bring forth to you is that Herzog simply allowed Cage, with his frightening intensity, to perform freely without restrictions. Perhaps Herzog’s genius was simply in letting the cameras roll whilst allowing Cage to be Cage. It seems that at least someone at the TIFF Bell Lightbox feels strongly about Cage’s work, and about his retrospective potential. That is why, starting this Saturday with Valley Girl,

Toronto’s repertory behemoth will be commencing Late Night: Bangkok Dangerous: The Cinema of Nicolas Cage, a weekly programme of Cage-starring films. While the titular Bangkok Dangerous has been snubbed, the programme hosts a wide breadth of Cage’s movies. It starts with a teen comedy, where the actor’s career began, but the programme also features his experimental fare from the late 80s and early 90s (Raising Arizona, Vampire’s Kiss, Wild at Heart), his two best Jerry Bruckheimer action blockbusters (The Rock, Con-Air, Face/Off), along with later genre films (Snake Eyes, The Wicker Man), and a sampling of the quality work he has done in the last decade (The Bad Lieuten-

CHRIS PUGH

These films won’t bring back your goddamn honey!

THE ARTS

January 26, 2012

Artists rethink Black History Month in 28 Days

Barnicke Gallery exhibit challenges notions of the monthly observance As February 2012 approaches, many cultural institutions are preparing for the upcoming Black History Month. On the U of T campus, the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery is currently showing 28 Days: Reimagining Black History Month. The works come together to provide an inquisitive and pervasive approach to acknowledging, questioning, and re-cognizing Black History Month. Curated by Pamela Edmonds and Sally Frater, the exhibit features an extensive collection of artists including a diverse group of Canadians, as well as contemporaries hailing from the United States and the United Kingdom. 28 Days explores questions of representations, history, memory, visual culture and identity. The ex-

hibit also addresses concepts of Black identity and “postblackness,” a theoretical standpoint that has been raised and continues to be debated within contemporary aesthetic discourse. Celebrated in the US and Canada throughout the month of February (and during the month of October in the UK), Black History Month has become a contentious and sometimes controversial event. Although the importance of the Month is recognized, there is much debate surrounding the value of having a month dedicated to commemorating the history of one particular race. As its title suggests, 28 Days is intended to offer a space in which to confront established notions, and to re-think how and what this month-long

event signifies in our contemporary frameworks. Curator Sally Frater explained, “When we were first discussing the exhibition we were particularly invested in the idea of having artists respond (critically) to the practice and notion of Black History Month, and in creating dialogue that centered around this topic.” 28 Days takes an interested approach to understanding the ways in which the work of Black artists is framed and consumed within the context of Black History Month exhibitions, and examines what it means for an individual artist to choose to exhibit work within the framing of this event. “Within the institution of the museum...we hope to raise discussion around this,” Frater emphasized.

The exhibit also challenges considerations of African diasporic and Black expressive cultures, and the interrelations between culture, and global contemporary art. Frater explained the importance of the relationships formed between representation and experience. “Now it seems as though the show has shifted to a point where the focus is more about the engagement with history and memory in relation to representation and how this is performed and/or manifests itself in the practices of the involved artists.” The highly attended opening reception took place on January 18. The overall atmosphere reflected a deep sense of appreciation and inspiration, as visitors, artists and curators alike lingered on past the

scheduled 8:30 closing time. Artist Denniston Ewan described his sculptures as functioning within the thematic structure of the exhibition. “Playing with interrealities, mixing the surreal, and the imagined, with the histories of experience. Bringing the sculptural, which is the imagined, into real life.” His intentions reflect the potential offered by 28 Days. The video works are especially seductive, enticing the viewer to stay for hours and become viscerally engaged in the narratives. 28 Days is a space for contemporary artists to respond to the practice and notion of Black History Month, and involves a dynamic variety of sculpture, prints, photography, video-art, and graphics.

Students explore Black History Month through art at the Barnicke Gallery. 28 Days: Reimagining Black History Month, Justina M. Barnicke Gallery, Hart House January 19-February 19

BODI BOLD

Miriam Arbus

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THE ARTS

Who’s Tyranno-sorry now?

Guilt, forgiveness, regret, anger: all par for the course in Paddy Considine’s debut feature Dan Christensen If it is true that we only hurt the ones we love, and a dog is man’s best friend, then it makes perfect sense that this film kicks off (quite literally) with our “hero” drunkenly punting his dog to death. Joseph (Peter Mullan) soon finds a source of salvation, after childishly ducking behind a rack of second-hand clothes in the local charity shop. Enter Hannah (Olivia Colman), the soothing and maternal store clerk who offers Joseph a prayer and brings him to inebriated tears. That maternal quality comes into focus when, upon Joseph’s return to the shop, Hannah confides in him that she has had trouble getting pregnant. Unfortunately, this is not the end of her problems at home. We go home with her one night to find her fallen asleep on the couch, waiting for her husband. James (Eddie Marsan) arrives piss drunk in the

wee hours to have a wee—as the British might say—on his wife. A couple of days later Hannah returns to the shop with a black eye from “a fall in the tub.” Tyrannosaur does not stop there. It is in the company of even darker deeds that Joseph and Hannah’s relationship continues to flourish. First time writer/director Paddy Considine reflects these pervasive animal instincts in the title, as well as the title of his short film Dog Altogether, from which the current story and characters (and actors) have been adapted. At first glance, it does not appear to be a film brimming with characters of “inner beauty.” However, by the time the credits began to roll, I had trouble remembering a film I had seen over the last year that displayed such a level of humanity, let alone capacity for forgiveness and redemption (Christian or otherwise). Typically we would find

the more negative approach; where we’re shown a world with beauty on its surface, only to discover the murky complexities that lie beneath. As the film’s audience, we move from innocence to experience. In aligning us with Joseph off the bat, a character wearing his anger like a thick coat, Considine moves us in the opposite direction—sort of. He takes for granted that we understand the hideous world that Joseph inhabits. At this point Considine’s job

is simple. He must convince us that perhaps this world is not so hideous after all. Or, alternatively, that we’re more familiar with that hideous world than perhaps we’d like to admit. Neither task seems fit for a rookie writer or director. Yet for my money, this rookie manages to accomplish both with gravity and style, no doubt thanks to a couple of staggering career performances from Mullan and Colman. My advice: go see this movie, before you’re left to dig it up on DVD.

Joseph (Peter Mullan): “God ain’t my fucking daddy, my daddy was a c--” [This film contains course language, parental discretion advised]

The Crossword Across 1. Military bed 4. Wise bird 7. Be in debt 10. Guarantee 13. Cake alternative 14. At a distance; ___ away 15. Religious building 1 10

16. Conclusion 17. “Where there’s smoke, there’s ___” 19. Sawbuck 20. Master 22. Plaything 23. Father 26. Path 27. “___ are you?” (1957 3

15 19

20 23

35 38

Sinatra album) 29. Of Rome’s country 32. Listens 33. Victoria, Trinity, Woodsworth, etc. 35. Bizarre 36. Affirm; say ___ 37. Adjust to conditions 39. Taxi

53 56

42. Jedi ___-Wan Kenobi 44. Pirate’s buried booty 47. Practice 49. Tweaked 50. Robbery 51. Upper appendage 53. Dine 54. Moist 55. Falter 57. Broadcast 60. Leave out 62. Excavated 63. Place for desk work 66. Epoch 67. Volcanic output 68. Tilted 69. Gender 70. New York opera company 71. Possess Down 1. Drinking vessel 2. Raw mineral 3. Speak 4. Tosca or Rigoletto 5. Blustery 6. Directed 7. Not on 8. Restaurant job 9. Mistakes 10. Play a part 11. Feminine pronoun 12. Summer footwear 18. Ocular organ 21. Dominated, slangly 24. Each and every 25. Be killed 27. Marry 28. “I’ve been ___”; be

fooled 29. Slippery 30. Little piggy 31. Once more 32. Best Western or Hilton 34. Enjoyed a seat 38. Strollers 39. Window shade 40. “Who do you think you ___?” 41. Place for sleep 42. Lummox 43. Iota 45. Consumed, as food 46. The Caspian one is

actually a lake 47. Motifs 48. Give up work due to old age 50. Pair 51. Delight 52. Just 56. Go it alone 58. Hockey surface 59. Become enraged; see___ 61. Service fee 62. Beaver building 64. Not many 65. Cooling device

Andrew Walt

The Sudoku 3 6

8 5 2 4

7 5 3 6 2 3 1 7 4 5 8 2 9 4 9 2 6 7 2 6 9 3 4 8 7 4 2 3 6

THE END

the mixtape

Dear Suzie

Just around the corner: Life after a break-up Dear Suzie, I’m in my first year of graduate school, and broke up with my girlfriend of four years around the end of October. There were a lot of unresolvable problems and the breakup was amicable, but I’ve been feeling dejected ever since. I have lots of wonderful friends in my department and I’m really close to my family, but I still feel pretty hollow. Between my research and TA duties, I have plenty of distractions from my worries but precious little time to meet new people. It also doesn’t help that I have poor self-image and most single women my age don’t seem to be interested in a relationship. What do you think I should do? Should I suck it up and wait for Ms. Right to eventually come into my life? Or muster up my fragile ego and try to find her myself? I’m sure you get these kinds of questions all too often, but I could really use your help!

Let’s be honest — You’ve probably given up on your New Year’s resolutions by now. What song justifies your lack of self-discipline? Visit thenewspaper.ca to listen. Bodi - Happy Mondays, “24-hour Party People” David - Cat Stevens, “Can’t Keep It In” Nick - Editors, “Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors” Suzie - Otis Redding, “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay” Vanessa - The Lonely Island, “Lazy Sunday” Talia - Barenaked Ladies, “Alcohol”

Signed, Overworked and Insecure

Visit thenewspaper.ca for this week’s food column:

Sal(i)vation

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January 26, 2012

Talia Gordon dishes on Rob Ford and makes some Alimental Lentil Soup

Dear Overworked, Before we tackle the search for your dream girl, let’s put things into perspective. You’ve just come out of a long-ass relationship, and no matter how amicable the breakup, that kinda shit is never easy. Your desire to love again bespeaks to your emotional maturity, but before you go looking for love, you have to spend some time with yourself. Think of it as quality time. Please excuse the corniness, but you basically have to become your own best friend. How do you expect a new person in your life to love you unconditionally if you and yourself are mere acquaintances? The task of learning to like yourself is not an easy one, but it is a possible one. You can start by making time to see the awesome people in your life that you mentioned in your letter. They can help you see things to like about yourself. In order to give yourself another boost of confidence, try to get really good at a new activity or sport. Even just a few hours a week spent honing new skills will give your brain a chance to rest from school and will let you get out of your own head for a little while. As for the girl of your dreams, she’s already waiting somewhere, just around the corner. Don’t go looking for her just yet, because at this very moment, you’re not totally ready. The universe has a way of making things appear to us when the time is right. Sincerely, Suzie

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Want to ask Suzie a question? Email Suzie at suzienewsie@gmail.com, or submit (anonymously, of course!) at www.thenewspaper.ca, in the blue box on the lower left.

the campus comment

the newspaper asked: If Robarts weren’t full of books, what could we do with the building?

JACOB Sociology and Philosophy “I would dig Robarts up and put the building in the middle of rural Canada”

AFTAB Double major in Psychology & Global Health “Use it as a service center for the youth, with a portion dedicated to the arts.”

CHRIS Accounting “Make it into another residence”

JENNIFER English “We should use the building as one big food court”

KATIE Life Science “I would throw one of the faculties in the building”

LIAT AHARONI

SEUN Communications, culture and information technology major “We should turn it into a music auditorium”