January 2014

the newspaper

VOL XXXVI Issue 5 • January 15, 2014

The University of Toronto’s Independent Publication

Since 1978

2

Jan 15 - Feb 12, 2014

the newspaper Politics of 2013 P10-11

the

Fifth issue

The ideal Mayor P8

Where to get hot ...fast P5

Inside

Girls is the most irrelevant show on TV p16 January–February Calendar p18 Would you give your TA a failing grade? p17 e Ic m stor s stat P4

Music for

2014

P14-15

NICK RAGETLI

thenewspaper.ca

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Jan 15 - Feb 12, 2014

4

ICE

STORM of

600 000

Number of customers in Southern Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick who were without power, including more than 300 000 in the Greater Toronto Area.

2014

The cold hard facts

The Alberta floods remain the biggest Canadian weather story of 2013.

Tips for surviving this winter semester What to do when you’re broke, cold and feeling the winter blues

A

fter counting down so eagerly to Christmas break and the end of first term both have come and gone like door-crashers on Boxing Day. Folks, second term is upon us. As is snow, cold and disheartening nostalgia for home-cooked meals and above all the elusive “free time”. With everything that second term brings with it, it’s easy to succumb to the anti-productive, anti-everything “winter blues," but fear not! the newspaper won’t let them take you.

One third of Toronto Hydro’s customers were without power.

Some streets have lost as much as 50 to 80 per cent of their tree canopy.

1. Find some way to appreciate winter. Take a stroll through Queen’s Park after class, dig out your skis/snowboards/ sleds, or as a last resort, take to Instagram. Yes, it’s cold, but an equally cold attitude will do nothing to change that.

2. Speaking of cold: bundle up. You might have a less miserable day if you opt for a scarf, a pair of gloves, and a winter-appropriate wardrobe. If you’re still not prepared for the below-freezing temperatures, slush and snow, put some of that Christmas cash towards post-holiday clearance priced gloves, hats and scarves -especially if you’re walking from McLennan Physical to Carr Hall and back again.

3. If that walk is giving you trouble after cheating on your diet over the holidays, or staying in bed all day through the aftermath of the icestorm, consider dropping by the athletic centre or committing to a class at Hart House. Physical activity will quickly rid you of your post-holiday bloating and do wonders for your mood and energy level. Win, win, win.

20 The city has estimated that 20 per cent of the urban canopy was lost from ice dragging down branches and limbs.

A few tips for getting through these first few winter weeks of second semester:

$

30

On December 21, 30 millimetres of freezing rain fell on Toronto

10

The province had projected to distribute $200,000 worth of gift cards to those in need of groceries lost in the storm, but they have since quadrupled that amount.

Overall, more than $835,000 worth of gift cards had been distributed.

There is a $75 million plan to clean and repair the thousands of damaged tree limbs and branches throughout the city.

600 city staff and contractors will work 12 hours per day, seven days a week across the city to clean up.

4. Get involved! It’s a new semester, take advantage of one of the endless opportunities the University of Toronto has to offer. Make some new – preferably more optimistic – friends and keep yourself busy. You’ll only be shorter on time as the semester progresses, take advantage sooner rather than later. Visit the UTSU Clubs and Summer Job Fair on January 14th in the dome if you’re not sure where to go.

5. Go to class and be present. You just endured a number of midterms and finals, think about how much easier those could have been if you paid attention, did the assigned readings and coursework, or even just attended the lectures.

Do something today that you’ll thank yourself for tomorrow.• Annette Latoszewska

On average, a single power outage call takes one hour to fix in an emergency and up to four hours otherwise.

Ten days after the storm, 100 homes were still without power.

thenewspaper.ca

LET’S GET

HOT

5 Grace,

Sociology and Anthropology

FAST

“Probably going to France and Germany. I went to Berlin for an anthro course and then I went to visit a friend in Paris. I also stayed with my host family, and my host-sister broke her arm, and then she got sick and couldn’t have anesthesia. She had to have her arm operated on with just local freezing—so that wasn’t too great.”

T

he new year started off as what appeared to be a poorly done Roland Emmerich movie.

Streets layered in ice and trees that could shatter with the slightest touch, the city was one of untempered and fragile glass. This winter Torontonians endured everything the Universe could make-up; from frost quakes to polar vortexes Nature was on a creative binge. Too cold to even contemplate leaving your bed, but too tempting to stay in all day, here is a list of some great spots on campus to keep warm and connected while in wait for the oncoming apocalypse.

1

The Mechanical Engineering Building Maybe it's a bad joke or maybe they actually can't fix the vents. No matter what month of the year it is, scolding summer or frosted winter, you can count on good 'ol MC to keep you warm (maybe even too warm.) With a number of classrooms filled with over 150 students you can definitely find a spot in the back where no one will find you (except for the UofT wifi).

Keyvan and his friend “Rob Ford”

2

Graham Library – Trinity College It's not often the words “Trin” and “Hot” are used in the same sentence but Graham Library takes home the gold! This stuffy, enclosed, dungeon-esk library is filled with couches that are pleasantly positioned in front of, behind, and even on-top of the hottest vents on campus. Bring your laptop, connect to the internet, but don't forget to wear something underneath your sweater.

3

Sid Smith Stairwell It doesn't make sense; with its cream tiled floors and cream brick walls Sid Smith should be the coolest place on campus—but it's not.

The SS steamboat will having you gasping for air by the time you make it to the second floor. Be warned: bring water or buy some from the Second Cup because the classrooms aren't any better.

4

Third Floor of Kelly Library St. Michael's College I have found the gateway to hell and it is in Kelly Library. What a perfect cover? Hiding in a Catholic-affiliated college. The rest of the building is fantastic and the wifi never seems to quit! I guess Satan needs his daily dose of Reddit, as well.

5

Top Floor-Carr Hall The human beings that discovered that hot air rises were sitting in the top floor of Carr Hall. Although the building has a fine internet connection, there appears to only be two outlets for the entire floor. So don't forget to come charged.

Edit: Turns out it was the Montgolfier brothers. That makes sense.

• Paulina Saliba

PAULINA SALIBA

Campus Comment Shery and Luke, Linguistics

“We made our professor cry.”

Crying happy?

“Crying happy. It was Professor Welch. It was a language validation class, and we did a project on dying languages.

Ours was tlicho yatii, a language from the Northwest Territories.”

What was your most memorable moment of 2013?

Simone,

Political Science and Psychology “I was elected the director of the Hong Kong students association.

Or, when my friends came to visit from the state. A lot of my high school friends went to school there.

It is so nice to see those people, you know?”

Catherine, Psychology

“I went on the train from Toronto to Vancouver - I’ve wanted to go since I was a child, and we came around the corner and I saw the Rockies for the first time.”

Did you cry?

“Well—no. But I did cry a few days later when I went whale-watching. I once went when I was nine years old, and apparently 99 per cent of the time, you see whales. But I didn’t, and I was so afraid I wouldn’t see them this time. But just as the sun was setting, almost a hundred killer whales crested. I totally cried and just watched the sun and didn’t take a single picture.”

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Jan 15 - Feb 12, 2014

Professor Nick Mount on the value of working for free Unpaid internships in the economy of the “vulnerable generation”

A

lex Korchynski, an art history major at the University of Toronto, began working a three-month unpaid internship at Sharp Magazine to gain career experience before graduation. Korchynski wrote two articles per week for Sharp Magazine without pay, yet felt that she was being compensated with experience. “[Sharp Magazine] taught me what I didn’t know about writing editorial copy, never made me go on a coffee run, and even sent me to parties and events,” she said.

Korchynski later began freelancing for the magazine, which she was paid for. “I don’t think I’d write for free anymore,” Korchynski said.

Many students and graduates have accepted that working for free, writing without pay, and running coffee errands is our generation’s postgrad reality. We accept that this is better than the unemployed alternative.

But should we be giving up our hard-earned and costly degrees for free? Or are the advantages of career experience high enough for us to grin and bear it for the time being?

In Canada neither the federal nor the provincial government keeps data on unpaid interns. In July 2013, the CBC reported that 100,000 young Canadians were interning without pay. In October, two university graduates cooperating with the Canadian Intern Association found that as many as 300,000 individuals may be working unpaid internships in Ontario alone.

The increase in university graduates working unpaid internships coincides with the unemployment level among young adults, which is twice

the average national unemployment rate. Liberal MP Scott Brison has called for legislative reforms to help our so-called “vulnerable generation.”

For Nick Mount, Professor of English at the University of Toronto and fiction editor at The Walrus, internships must be a two-way street and function as a mutually beneficial relationship. Mount believes that in order for this relationship to work certain conditions should be met.

“The employer benefits from an ever replenishing pool of fresh minds and ideas. The intern gets—should get—experience and connections at a level well above what he or she could expect to get at the stage in his or her working career,” said Mount.

At The Walrus, Mount hires an unpaid intern who reads and rejects stories the publication receives, occasionally providing recommendations. Through the internship, he or she receives experience that is not otherwise available to them. In this sense, Mount believes that the unpaid intern’s professional experience is “roughly equivalent” to the paid employment that same young employee would have had.

Sarah Boivin, a former intern at The Walrus, in this sense agrees with Mount: “I saw [the internship] as J-school condensed into six months that I didn’t have to pay for. The inside look into Canadian journalism and solid training was ultimately well worth it.”

In addition to fact checking and proofreading, Boivin also wrote and shadow-edited at The Walrus. For her, writing for free is about practice and

SAMANTHA CHIUSOLO

The debate over unpaid internships is not over.

exposure. Boivin recognizes that the company did benefit from her unpaid labor, but through the hard work, she is “much more hireable now.”

If interns do not receive significant career benefit, Mount believes that students and university graduates should avoid unpaid internships on a matter of principle: “I will leave it to you to guess which party usually wins and

which usually loses.”

The losers know who they are. In June 2012, Matthew Leib and Lauren Ballinger—two former interns at the Condé Nast publications The New Yorker and W Magazine—filed a lawsuit against the media company. Leib and Ballinger claimed that they were paid less than minimum wage, at a rate lower than one dollar an hour.

According to their lawyer, New York State prohibits employers from hiring unpaid workers. New York is, however, subject to six federally regulated conditions in order for an intern to qualify as unpaid, much like Ontario. Condé Nast response to the pending case has been to kill its internship program.

In the case of Condé Nast’s interns, one could say that Leib and Ballinger waived their right to a fair wage in order to gain invaluable experience in exchange for an exclusive internship at a top media publication. If adhering to Mount’s recommendations, the value of Leib and Ballinger’s blood, sweat, and tears are dependent on the amount of practical knowledge they gained during their time at the magazines.

In 2012, The University of Toronto Students’ Union wrote a letter to Labour Minister Yasir Naqvi asking to prohibit “all forms of unpaid labour that benefits employers.” In Ontario, interns are not considered employees and are therefore not entitled to the protections under the Employment Standards Act, including the provincial minimum wage.

Employers hiring unpaid interns need to meet six conditions, otherwise the intern will legally be considered an employee, and would therefore be entitled to minimum wage.

The conditions required to legally hire an unpaid intern include: the intern receive training similar to what is taught at a vocational school, the training is for the benefit of the intern, and the intern does not replace someone else’s job.

However, because the enforcement of these six conditions is

entirely complaints-based, the Ministry of Labour has not or cannot take any serious action against employers breaking the law. Interns filing a complaint could jeopardize working in the industry altogether, in addition to losing reference letters and contacts.

“It sucks that Condé Nast and other publications have dissatisfied interns” said Korchynski, the UofT art history student.

“They probably do get abused with coffee runs and stupid errands, but they’re not realizing the career and networking potential they’ve been given when they’re hired.”

For Mount though, unpaid interns are one component of a more complicated problem: the issue of individuals writing for free.

“Who needs a newspaper when its journalists are constantly tweeting for free?” asked Mount.

An average entry-level position in journalism earns between $25,000 and $35,000 per year whereas the average entry-level salary in a profession such as marketing (which requires a similar degree of schooling) is approximately $37,569.

In our society, writing is heavily undersold or, worse yet, not even understood as a commodity. Furthermore, the expected pay for writers is likely to decrease in the new year with the increase in unpaid writing.

“If writing were more expensive, we would value it more… writing should cost commensurate to its labour, like any other skill,” said Mount. • Yasmine Laasraoui

thenewspaper.ca

7

U of T student declares candidacy for Jane-Finch City Councillor Jane and Finch: “You are not a constituency of victims”

A

U of T student hailing from Jane-Finch may be earning over $100,000 as a city councillor come October, 62 per cent of which, he says, will be given to charity.

If elected as councillor of Ward 8, Thomas Barclay will peg his salary to $39,000, the average income of a Ward 8 resident. It is an obvious thing to do, says Barclay, who asks, “how can I represent a constituency where I am making more than twice as much as everyone? … I don’t need you to tell me the roads aren’t salted because I already slipped.”

Barclay’s would-be ward includes well-known areas like Jane-Finch and York University.

The 30-year-old student is running for councillor while finishing the last 1.5 credits of his degree in International Relations and Political Science. Barclay started at U of T five years ago after working for the sporting goods store Champs. In his managerial years, Barclay was earning $53,000 a year plus bonuses, yet he knew with only a high school education, he would eventually hit a ceiling.

“I went to U of T so I could get all the opportunities available. And then, it’s on me. I just never wanted to be a victim.” In the next several months, Barclay intends to move from downtown back to his grandfather’s condominium near Jane-Finch. “I want to tell Jane-Finch that you are not a constituency of victims.”

To help remove the “victimhood” from Jane-Finch, Barclay wants to work with the police to eradicate racial profiling from his neighborhood.

Several friends of Barclay’s were put in the criminal system for minor charges, while he has never even been stopped by the police.

“And I know why: I’m white.”

In 2007, the current Ward 8 councillor, Anthony Perruzza began rebranding the Jane and Finch neighbourhood as University Heights, saying, “Jane and Finch is an intersection, it’s not a name.”

However, Barclay embraces the Jane-Finch name, and says of Perruzza, “he probably calls it the Rogers Centre, but I was born and raised in Jane-Finch and I go to the SkyDome.”

Although Barclay is currently the single candidate nominated for councillor in Ward 8, many others will likely follow, including Perruzza, who was an MP from 1990-1995 with the NDP. Perruzza will likely have the support of the NDP’s unionized employees throughout his 2014 campaign. NDP workers and employees are paid to assist with municipal campaigning, yet do not have be declared in campaign expenses as stipulated in section 66.2 of the Municipal Elections Act. Expect Barclay’s campaign to involve a lot of personal grunt work, and to centre on personal meetings with

constituents at the Jane-Finch Community and Family Centre. Barclay hopes to arrange over 5,000 one-onone meetings.

Raising monetary capital is not a concerning part of the campaign for Barclay, “[our campaign] has the greatest amount of capital, and that is human capital.”

As for what concerns Barclay most?

“Not doing a good enough job,” he says. “I don’t like disappointing people. … But here’s the thing, I wouldn’t run if I didn’t think I could do a better job than Perruzza.”

During Barclay’s high school years he played football under the direction of coach Rob Ford at Newtonbrook High School. With a straight face, Barclay describes Mayor Ford as an amazing football coach, yet an individual who absolutely cannot admit to being wrong.

“You can’t be like that as a leader.

When I’m wrong, I’ll be the first person to say ‘wow, that was a bad idea.

Okay, let’s fix this.’”

Raised by his mother and grandfather, Barclay explains what his first measure in office would be: “there is a No Frills right across from my building—where my mom still lives—and right in front, there has been some uneven pavement for years, and all the carts tip over.”

“People complain about it; my mom complains about it. So either individuals don’t know their city councillor; they don’t know he is responsible; or they do call him and he doesn’t help them.”

Barclay’s campaign gaze seems to be focused on the Jane-Finch community, yet in October 2013 Barclay founded a charitable foundation called Aequus which assists individuals both within and outside of his community. Barclay also began to set up a micro-lending project that gives out small interest-free loans to help locals fund the initial costs for starting a business.

With his personal experiences in mind, Aequus began developing a cookbook for single mothers with low cost and relatively inexpensive recipes which can also be made by young people.

Through his Aequus initiatives, Barclay was inspired to run for city councillor. Last year, as it was approaching Christmas-time, Barclay imagined Jane-Finch lit up like the main streets of Yorkville. Barclay began buying outdoor lights to light the balconies of the apartment buildings of five, 10, and 25 San Romanoway.

Barclay soon realized that his vision was marred by municipal red tape, and limited by his own lack of local authority.

“I don’t want to have limits to the amount of good I can do for the neighborhood.” • Marsha McLeod

PAULINA SALIBA

date

FINE ART

JAN 15-17

FANTASY

place

SIDNEY SMITH BUILDING hours

WILDLIFE GIANT-S IZED POSTERS

MUSIC

9-7 las t day

FRAMES & HANGERS

9- 5

PHOTOGRAPHY 1000S OF P OSTERS

TH E

POSTER SA LE

FILM

Jan 15 - Feb 12, 2014

8

Meet

the

Challengers C

ampaigning season has begun for the 2014 Toronto mayoral election in October and Mayor Rob Ford has vigorously pursued a second-term.

In 2010 he successfully pitted his own brand of broad and simple suburban straight-talk against his interpretation of the current downtown elite. In place of the elites, Ford promised “respect for taxpayers”.

But such populism is not new and has worked successfully for politicians on the right and left, said Zack Taylor, assistant professor at U of T’s Cities Program. “In this sense, Ford’s claim to authentically speak for and represent ‘the people’ is not that different from John Sewell’s in the 1970s, or Jack Layton’s in the 1980s and 1990s.”

“The election may be won by someone else purely on the basis of Ford fatigue,” Taylor added. “I would wager that to win big, a candidate would have to tap into the same populist vein.”

Ford Nation, while resilient, clearly do not speak for all of the suburbs. Conservatives may favour Ford’s actions, but they fear his personal trials will reverse their progress.

CAITLIN TAGUIBAO

Toronto’s 2014 mayoral candidates, and what threat (if any) they pose to Rob Ford

by Dylan Hornby

Denzil Minnan-Wong

John Tory

WHO?

David Soknacki

Karen Stintz first announced her campaign for mayor on October 26, just days before the Ford crack scandal completely unraveled. Stintz is currently a city councillor and the chair of the TTC since 2010.

For years, it’s been a socialist fantasy for Jack Layton’s wife, former city councillor, and current Trinity-Spadina MP Olivia Chow to run for the city’s top job. While she hasn’t officially announced anything yet, at this point it would be surprising if she didn’t announce her candidacy in the upcoming months.

David Soknacki is a former Councillor from Scarborough who served as David Miller’s conservative budget chief while he was mayor.

Denzil Minnan-Wong is a city councillor who has hinted at a mayoral run. He used to be a supporter of Rob Ford “until I discovered he lies, smokes crack and associates with criminals.”

Since then, things between the two have gotten sour as Minnan-Wong became Ford’s top critic in council.

John Tory was a close second to becoming Toronto’s mayor in the 2003 election. After losing to Miller, he went on to lead the Ontario PCs to a crushing defeat in 2007, losing his own seat to future premier Kathleen Wynne. He now hosts one of Toronto’s most popular radio talk shows.

POSITION?

Olivia Chow

Stintz leans to the right on council, agrees with Ford on most spending-related issues, and laments the possibility of a return to David Miller-era Toronto.

Chow’s 20-plus years experience on Council and in Parliament speak volumes regarding her preparedness for the city’s top job. The question is whether her politics match what Torontonians want to see. Chow effectively represents a return to the left-wing politics of the early 00s that led a frustrated Toronto to elect Ford in 2010.

Soknacki is running as a fiscal conservative, but his campaign is centralized around re-building a positive agenda at City Hall, and restoring responsibility in the mayors office.

Minnan-Wong’s father was an influential member of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives, as was Rob Ford’s father. He has notably differed from Ford after learning how to ride a bike in 2009.

Minnan-Wong has since advocated for the expansion and construction of new separated bike lanes in the city.

While his electoral record is embarrassing, John Tory is an intelligent and highly respected political voice.

He is known as a Red Tory, with conservative views on finance, but progressive views on social issues.

CHANCES?

Karen Stintz

The fact Karen Stintz would continue Rob Ford’s popular policy agenda, minus his unpopular use of hard drugs makes her a legitimate threat in 2014. She can be appealing both to moderate and educated right-wing Torontonians, groups who support Ford’s politics but not his character. However, Stintz will undoubtedly have a tough time pulling Ford Nation supporters away from supporting their ubiquitous underdog.

Chow’s chances are good so long as she isn’t challenged by anyone else on the left.

Chow may be a hero for Toronto’s downtown artsy/ hipster/counterculture demographic, but her tight connections to the NDP, David Miller and a prospending agenda limit her appeal to suburban voters, which she may need to win.

Soknacki acknowledges that he is currently an unknown figure for most Torontonians, but he also has 10 months to change that. David Miller pulled that stunt in 2003, and it’s not impossible for Soknacki to do the same thing. When the Toronto Sun’s Don Peat asked if he ever smoked crack, Soknacki joked “no, I’m not nearly that interesting.” Since he’s not the most charismatic pick, Soknacki appeals to any opponent of the personalitydriven circus the Fords have brought to City Hall.

Minnan-Wong would appeal to moderates as a more progressive version of Rob Ford. Despite his PC roots he wouldn’t appeal to Ford Nation, which has now vilified him. Progressives may agree with him on a few issues, but he is by no means their first choice.

The third time may be the charm for John Tory.

Many Torontonians know who he is, and many listen to him daily already. He shares many common views with the mayor, but has an intellect Ford can only dream of. Tory’s campaign must be aimed at people who want Ford gone, but don’t want Olivia Chow instead- and there’s a lot of them.

thenewspaper.ca

9

Kerry kills Monroe Doctrine Terminating the 200 year-old Monroe Doctrine changes little for the United States

O

n Nov. 18, 2013, United States Secretary of State John Kerry announced the end of a nearly 200 year-old United States foreign policy. In a speech Kerry delivered to the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C., he declared, in no uncertain terms, that “the era of the Monroe Doctrine is over.”

This announcement has received lackluster play in American media, but if we are to take Kerry’s word that the policy has indeed ended, this represents a surprising turn in American foreign policy.

In his speech, Kerry described the history of the Monroe Doctrine as beginning when, “President James Monroe declared that the United States would unilaterally ... act as the protector of the [Western Hemisphere]. The Doctrine that bears his name asserted our authority to step in and oppose the influence of European powers in Latin America.

And throughout our nation’s history, successive presidents have reinforced that Doctrine and made a similar choice.”

Citing the Monroe Doctrine, the United States has legitimized interventions in Central and South America, and Europe. The ostensibly Americas-focused doctrine has been used to protect small Central and Southern American countries from European colonialism in the 19th century, and to bring down Latin American governments that threatened the interests of the United States’ throughout the 20th century. Prominent examples include American-sponsored regime changes in Panama, Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.

Applications of the Monroe Doctrine have not only been confined to the Western Hemisphere, but also used to underpin American intervention in World War I, II and the Cold War; America was determined to prevent the potential rise of a European hegemon. The United States feared that a European nation may rise with the power to challenge America’s position in the world, leading to a regional superpower in Europe or the establishment of an imperialist foothold in South America. Either option would present a threat to America’s vision of being a safe, unchallenged, and lone world

ments are targeted towards them in particular. The idea that Kerry could be pandering to their interests to win support is relevant. After the speech, the response from Central and South American states has been overwhelmingly positive, obviously—none of these governments have been encouraging the United States to hold onto policy that can and has been used to undermine their governments.

However nice the gesture is, the actual effects of revoking the policy will be unsubstantial. It’s not as if the United States would accept intrusions into South America by another world power nor would they work alongside an imperialized country—as equals—to rectify the issue.

Monroe Doctrine or not, if any foreign power were to make aggressive moves in the Western hemisphere, America would bring the hammer down on them, and they would be

“The renouncement represents little more than a show of political goodwill”

PARKER BRYANT

Kerry kills the Monroe Doctrine, but its spirit is alive and well.

hegemon ruling from their protected domain in the Western Hemisphere.

If one considers how the Monroe Doctrine was historically applied, it seems odd that America would choose this moment to revoke it.

The United States continues to apply economic, political and military pressure across the world in the name of national security. The idea that the United States can extend its influence into foreign matters—to protect the Western hemisphere—is the central purpose of the Monroe Doctrine.

Look at America’s current policy

on drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen. The United States is quite literally raining Hellfire missiles down on people that they alone decide are threats to national security. These people are not enemy combatants in a traditional sense—they do not belong to any nation’s military— but are still being killed by a foreign power. Washington feels that it has the authority to extend its power and reach across the globe to protect what it alone has decided a threat; it has killed over 2000 people in different countries using drones—in spite of international and domestic con-

demnation.

This image is much more prevalent than one that Kerry endorsed in his speech, positioning America as an on-the-level team player. Kerry stated that “It’s about all of our countries viewing one another as equals, sharing responsibilities, cooperating on security issues, and adhering not to doctrine, but to the decisions that we make as partners to advance the values and the interests that we share.”

Admittedly, Kerry was addressing a largely Central and South American crowd, and these com-

leading the action.

If, for instance, Russia were to establish military installations in Venezuela (the two countries share close military ties, including the sale of jet fighters, arms and billions in loans), the United States would not stand for it. Whether they have the support of regional countries or not, America would be swift in taking measures to end what they would undoubtedly see as an act of aggression against the United States.

So what is really changing?

In the end, the renouncement of the Monroe Doctrine represents little more than a show of political goodwill, while doing nothing to change the status quo of American foreign policy. The United States will continue to see the Western Hemisphere as their sole domain, will view any intrusion into it as an act of aggression, and will take measures— unilaterally, if need be—to quash the threat. • Phil Metz

Jan 15 - Feb 12, 2014

10

United States

Threat Beginning his second term in 2013, President Barack Obama’s polls reached a new low point. the government shutdown in October and the uncovering of the National Security Agency’s spying programs were two main sources of controversy and criticism.

Hope In 2013, the American stock market reached its best year since the 1990s and on December 20, Obama announced that 2014 could be “a breakthrough year for America.”

Challenge Despite the United States’ recent discussions surrounding gun-control, shootings continued throughout 2013, namely at the Washington Navy Yard, Arapahoe High School, and Sparks Middle School.

Mexico

Threat The Mexican Drug War—which began in 2006—continues to rage on, with reports suggesting that at least 6800 people were killed in 2013 through drug-related violence.

Around the World in les 150 Words

the newspaper provides your cheat she

By: Dylan Hornby, Marsha McLeod, Phil Metz, Yasmine Laasraoui, Laura Charney, Yuko

Hope Mexican authorities captured a number of high-ranking drug cartel kingpins in 2013, such as Miguel Angel Treviño Morales—leader of the Zetas cartel.

The Zetas are one of the largest and most violent drug gangs in Mexico.

Challenge Mexico was hit by devastating hurricanes—Ingrid and Manuel—in late September which caused extensive damage and triggered mudslides. The village of La Pintada was hit the hardest, where mudslides claimed over 100 lives.

Iran

Threat Early 2013 appeared grim for Iran: US economic sanctions were at an all-time high, crippling the Iranian economy.

Hope Campaigning on a promise of moderation and Iranian engagement in the international sphere, Hassan Rouhani won the June presidential election. President Rouhani offered to speak with the US about Iran’s uranium enrichment program and on November 24 an interim deal was reached in Geneva. The deal arranges for Iran to freeze its nuclear development program for a period of six months in return for reduced economic sanctions.

Challenge On December 25, 2013, a group of Iranian lawmakers sought to increase uranium enrichment to levels beyond the level of the Geneva agreement.

Central African Republic (CAR)

Uruguay

Threat In 2013, Uruguay made headlines worldwide when it was announced “country of the year” by The Economist for being “modest yet bold, liberal and fun-loving.” The legalization of marijuana and same-sex marriage are among a number of liberal reforms that have been backed by President Mujica.

Hope Uruguay became the first country in the world to legalize all aspects of the growth and sale of marijuana. The new law, coming into effect in early 2014, will allow registered adults to buy up to 40 grams of marijuana a month from government pharmacies or grow up to 6 plants at home.

Challenge If Uruguay can continue to withstand international pressures to reverse their cannabis policy, it will serve as a liberal case study and model for cannabis reform in coming years.

Brazil

Threat Following the death of four construction workers in November—who were readying the country for the 2014 FIFA World Cup—construction delays have caused much skepticism. In December, riots broke out at a league game in Rio de Janeiro, seriously injuring fans.

Hope Brazil has two chances to impress the international community, as the nation is also hosting the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Challenge Doubts are being raised as to whether the country can successfully meet the June 2014 deadline for the World Cup.

Venezuela

Threat The death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in March 2013 marked an end to his 14-year rule and raised questions over Venezuela’s future.

Hope While many celebrated Chavez for his empowerment of the nation’s poorest citizens, his critics denounced his use of democratic institutions to circumvent international scrutiny over the increasingly authoritarian nature of his government. The incoming president, Nicolas Maduro represents a change of face.

Challenge A question remains for 2014: can Maduro navigate the political climate amid economic downturn to steer Venezuela away from potential social unrest and economic collapse?

Threat In March 2013, politician Michel Djotodia seized control of CAR from President François Bozizé and named himself president. The coup was aided by Séléka, a rebel group which includes fighters from Chad and Sudan.

As many as 1,000 people were killed in December 2013, and many more displaced. Inter-religious fighting has intensified, and the conflict does not appear to be nearing resolution.

Hope On January 10, Michel Djotodia and his vice-president stepped down, which may help to assuage Christian militias who used violence to attempt to remove him.

Challenge Despite CAR’s valuable resources in diamonds, gold, timber and oil, the nation is one of Africa’s poorest. CAR has witnessed five coups and many rebellions since its independence from France in 1960.

Egypt

Threat In May 2012, Mohamed Morsi of the Freedom and Justice Party—the Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing—won the Egyptian presidency with 51 per cent of the vote, yet many revolutionaries believed that President Morsi and his party “stole” the revolution of the previous year.

Challenge On the one-year anniversary of President Morsi’s election, Egyptians gathered in record numbers to call for his removal from power. The military deposed him and installed an interim government, which has cracked down heavily on political dissent.

Hope A presidential election is slated before July 2014 and a constitutional referendum is scheduled for Jan. 14 and 15.

South Sudan

Threat On December 15, 2013, conflict began in the nation’s capital, Juba, between government forces, controlled by President Salva Kiir, and rebel forces.

As of early January, the conflict had displaced 81,000 people.

Hope When South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in June 2011, there was much international speculation that South Sudan would become a positive example of peaceful secession and viable resource development.

Challenge There are concerns that the conflict between the rebel forces and the Kiir military is a warning sign for possible conflict between Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups.

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11

Russia Challenge Russia’s immediate concern is the Sochi Olympics February 7-23, an event which has been called the “most expensive olympics ever” and has western media like Maclean’s publishing long headlines such as “Why the Sochi Games have made all of Russia a target for terrorists”.

e

ss than

Threat Former KGB officer and President Vladimir Putin is the country’s most polarizing figure, and for western critics Russia’s most dubious democrat.

Hope That Russian olympic managers and politicians have sorted out a viable way of paying its hefty bills—and that terrorist concerns are overblown.

s

eet to ongoing conflicts

on Damov, Poppy Sanders

Britain Threat A debate about the effects of an influx of Bulgarian and Romanian migrants rages on in the British press as the country opened its work policies Jan. 1, 2014.

Bulgaria Challenge Into the end of 2013 Bulgarians had been protesting daily for more than six months in front of their parliament in Sofia, while students had barricaded the capital’s main university since October. Discontent due to high costs of living, austerity measures, and corruption were exacerbated by an intransigent government which refused to step down.

Hope Proponents say the migrants will spur its economy and foster further European Union integration.

Challenge Some British politicians and media fear that the migrants will strain the welfare system. A few weeks into the year, fewer than expected newcomers have arrived.

China Hope Chinese president Xi Jinping recently released a document entitled “Chinese Dream,” which outlines his intended socio-economic reforms, such as relaxing the one-child policy and decreasing the government’s role in determining interest rates.

Threat An uncertain future beckons for the European Union’s poorest member, as it teeters on the brink of deflation and ultra-nationalist and far-right parties gain influence while the social fabric strains at the seams.

Threat November 23, China designated an Air Defense Investigation Zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea. An ADIZ declaration requires any aircraft wishing to enter the area to give notice to the Chinese authorities and submit to their regulations.

The US responded to this Chinese ADIZ designation by sending in two B-52 bombers to the region. The US’ fleet was joined shortly after by aircraft from South Korea and Japan.

Hope Should the current government step down, new elections might be the first step in Bulgarians regaining a more functional democracy.

Challenge China’s aggressive actions have redefined its discourse with the US and heightened the security concerns of its immediate neighbors.

Syria Threat In March 2011 civilians began to protest for the removal of President Bashar al-Assad, prompting al-Assad’s forces to attack protesters with snipers and tanks in April. Several months later, Syrians opposing President al-Assad formed the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and have been battling the government ever since.

Hope UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an international conference between the warring parties in hopes of achieving stability. The conference will convene on January 22 in Geneva.

Challenge The Syrian government insists that a resolution to the conflict will not involve the removal of President al-Assad as per the demands of the FSA.

Israel-Palestine Threat 2014 marks over sixty-five years of violent conflict in the region. Violent tensions between Israel and Palestine have rarely subsided have and led to generalized insecurity in the Middle East.

Hope Diplomatic talks resumed last July between both governments. While a solution isn’t in sight, an interim agreement is.

Israel has also released 104 Palestinian prisoners since the talks began.

Challenge Since Israel’s victory in the Six Day War in 1967, over half a million Jews have moved into illegal settlements on the West Bank. Israel’s current plan to build 1,400 new settlements for Ultra-Orthodox Jews has threatened to halt peace talks with the Palestinians entirely.

Philippines Threat Typhoon Haiyan struck the provinces of Samar and Leyte on November 8, causing an estimated 6166 deaths and devastating the coastal city of Tacloban.

Challenge The typhoon destroyed local government structures, prompting the central government to take control of the recovery of Tacloban. The continued disruption of power and communications services, coupled with damaged airport infrastructure, is making the distribution of aid a logistically difficult task.

Next Steps Typhoon Haiyan devastated agriculture in the Philippines, affecting over one million farmers of rice, sugar cane, and coconut.

The Food and Agricultural Organization is asking for $24 million to aid the recovery of the critically important sector.

Thailand Threat On November 25, protesters led by Suthep Thaugsuban stormed Thailand’s Finance Ministry in Bangkok to oppose Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s recent attempt to pass an amnesty bill absolving cases of corruption. The bill was designed to pardon the crimes of Prime Minister Shinawatra’s older brother, who was a former Prime Minister.

Hope Thaugsuban’s proposed “people’s council” would mean the end of the Shinawatra family’s monopoly on Thai politics.

A presidential election has been called for February 2, yet with increasing support for Thaugsuban it is questionable whether Shinawatra will hold power until February.

Challenge Protests have intensified in Bangkok since soldiers and politicians from Thaugsuban’s support base stormed the police headquarters and cut power lines.

Jan 15 - Feb 12, 2014

12

Is Ukraine’s fight for democracy led by democrats?

MYKHAILO LIAPIN

Ukranians gather to protest the rule of President Viktor Yanukovych

A

Nov. 21 fallout in Ukrainian–European Union relations has led hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians to protest the alleged autocratic rule of President Viktor Yanukovych and his failure to reach an economic deal with the EU. Yanukovych has expressed interest in European integration since his 2010 presidential campaign, but wanting to avoid EU austerity demands has reverted to his party’s established connections with Russia.

Ukraine’s protestors have faced violent police repression. Unsurprisingly, pro-European, anti-Russian, liberal Westerners, including U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, have chided the Ukrainian government for oppressing demonstrations.

While it’s right to call out this violence, liberals should not identify too closely with the Ukrainian opposition, which is peppered with a range of corrupt and reactionary political tendencies.

The centre-right UDAR and Batkivshchyna parties head Ukraine’s opposition. Batkivshchyna’s leader, gas-tycoon-turned-politician Yulia Tymoshenko, helped lead the 2004 Orange Revolution, a movement that briefly empowered pro-EU parties but then failed to improve living standards, mediate ethnic divides, or quell corruption. She is now in jail on politically tainted, but somewhat legally and popularly legitimized, corruption charges.

Another leading group in Ukraine’s opposition is Svodoba, a far-right party with roots in the neo-Nazi movement. Its leader, Oleh Tyahnybok, has raved about the threat of the “muscovite-Jewish mafia” and “Jewish Bolsheviks.”

The far-right showed its influence when demonstrators pulled down a statue of Lenin; neither Viktor Yanukovych nor Vladamir Putin follow Lenin’s socialist example. From a Russophobic, fascist perspective, however, all three are equally involved in a conspiracy to destroy Ukraine.

But Ukrainian opposition is winning the propaganda war in the West because of two key cognitive biases.

One of these biases is the natural tendency to side with proponents of Western-style liberal values—people who protest for free speech, democracy, etc. This not only applies to Ukraine, but also to the recent cases of Libya and Syria.

While liberal principles can serve a diversity of people for many reasons, the struggle for pure liberalism is not at the heart of Global South conflicts. The ideas of liberalism resonate in the West because many affluent Westerners can sustain the blow of having a political party come to power that does not serve their interests. The same cannot be said in countries where economic crises hit harder and ethno-religious divides manifest more directly.

In Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria, supposed freedom fighters proved to be reactionary, religious militias.

In Ukraine, where people’s voting interests often align with their ethnic background and leading political parties are accused of large-scale corruption and varying degrees of reactionary nationalism, it’s also a mistake to present conflicts as simple fights between liberals and oppressors.

Western political perceptions tend to view the enemies of “liberal” movements as distinct evils. While

there is certainly reason to denounce the Ukrainian government’s crackdowns on protests and its links with various oligarchic financial structures, Yanukovych and the Party of Regions should be viewed in the same way as loathed domestic politicians.

On Nov. 30, riot police performed what has been described as the most violent police crackdown in Ukraine’s history. Armed with tear gas and truncheons, they reportedly injured 79 people and arrested nine.

As abhorrent as this sounds, it is not an act our own governments could not have committed: according to a police report on the anti-G20 demonstrations in Toronto, 1,118 people were arrested and 39 arrestees reported being injured.

By viewing the Yanukovyches of the world not as cartoon villains but as Stephen Harpers (or any flawed Western politician of your choice), one can form nuanced conclusions about their political legitimacy. This kind of analysis, for instance, makes it possible for one to sympathize with some demands of the Ukrainian protesters while still maintaining due concern about the role of Svodoba and other reactionary political forces in their movement.

Ukraine’s Orange revolution won great praise in the West despite its ultimate failure to satisfy even its most ardent domestic supporters.

Westerners who are willing to learn from history should continue to ask questions about Ukraine’s demonstrations and learn to scrutinize their support of popular movements, no matter how liberal they may seem. • Zach Morgenstern

thenewspaper.ca

Mutual Benefit’s true debut Jordan Lee talks life, love, and music

M

utual Benefit, comprised of Jordan Lee, quietly released its album, Love’s Crushing Diamond at the beginning of October 2013 before it was picked up by a number of music blogs. The album has an ethereal beauty to it; the heartache-inducing lyrics intertwine with sounds from a number of sources, ranging from more typical folk instruments and violins to wind chimes, childrens’ Artist Jordan Lee talks to the newspaper about his newest album Love’s Crushing Diamond and all the magnetic poetry, suisidal career choices, and honesty that went into it. toys, and laughter.

Lee: Whether a song is easy or hard to the newspaper chatted with Lee about refrigerator magnet poetry, suicidal write is just more dependent on the headThis interview was condensed and edited for the print issue. Find the entire interview at www. career choices, and telling your friends how space you’re in. I was living almost in isolathenewspaper.ca. much you love them, as well as the new al- tion in St. Louis and I just really didn’t have a crush on anyone [laughs] so it would have bum and upcoming tour.

Mutual Benefit plays January 15th at the Drake Underground. the newspaper: Before this point you’d been actually really difficult to write a very released a number of smaller albums through traditional love song. I was more so having an Bandcamp. Does Love’s Crushing Diamond existential crisis and so that’s what came out. tn: You’re playing many different types of feel different compared to past projects?

Jordan Lee: Whilew I was making it it venues on this tour, what spaces do you enjoy felt mostly the same. There was this point in playing the most?

Lee: I suppose everything has its good and where my friend Jake came and played violin on it for about a week and then I started to bad elements to it. You play a basement show feel like it sounded way better than my other and you probably don’t have a sound person stuff. I figured I’d give it a shot to try and get so you’re at the mercy of whatever PA is down wider distribution for it. My friends that I was there and it could sound really bad but you living with got a tax return back that was pret- could have a lot of fun. But then you can play ty good so they just used the tax money to put a bar and people are there because they read about you on Pitchfork and there’s no emoit out on vinyl. tn: How have things changed recently tional connection—but I think my favourite with the buzz you’ve received on Pitchfork kinds of shows are ones where money is not an important part of the equation. If you play and other music blogs?

Lee: I’ve played enough shows for five a bar then there’s a booking person and a propeople in an empty room that I know that moter and a talent buyer and they have to pay this is just a weird phase of my life where for a the sound guy and the bartender is hoping minute people are interested in this record. I people will come so they get tips and so monguess the most important thing is before I was ey is ever-present. When you play at someworking off of limitations like, “Oh, we only one’s house then you’re just hoping to get have a mini van to tour with so it needs to be your gas money paid for and maybe enough a three-piece band” or “My amp broke so I money to eat… well. But it’s a lot more pure guess this is going to be acoustic.” We played of an interaction. I suppose at the end of the the Pitchfork party last week and I was able day, even though it’s a suicidal career choice, I to play with two violinists and it was one of prefer house shows to bars. tn “Love’s Crushing Diamond”—what the first times I’ve had a string section so I was very excited to have that kind of opportunity. does that mean to you?

Lee: Well that was one of those things tn: The songs on Love’s Crushing Diamond explore ideas of love that don’t nec- where it was a group of words that I couldn’t essarily fall under conventional romantic get out of my head. I was just doing magnetic relationships and heartbreak. In the music in- poetry on a friend’s refrigerator and that was dustry, why do you think people are quick to one of the lines in this silly emo poem. I actuassume love songs are about romance and not ally wasn’t planning on going with that for the other types of love (e.g. friendship or family)? album because it just seemed kind of pompLee: Maybe it’s a little more marketable ous. But then it really started to mean somewith those feelings. A lot of people kind of thing. In a sense love is a diamond because it’s feel like there’s sexual love and there’s hippie the most important thing and it’s just what love and I think it’s a lot more subtle than makes you feel human but then in the same that. Maybe I skew towards the latter but my way it totally can mess you up. It was one of friends and I will say “I love you,” and I just the first times in my life where I experienced think it’s a cool way to interact positively with the dark side of really caring for people. • Jane Alice Keachie the world. tn: Is it harder to write songs about more complicated types of love, not just infatuation but friendship and familial bonds?

13

14

Jan 15 - Feb 12, 2014

Play it

backwards Electronica

Rock

After the stumbling rises and dirty drops that timestamped dubstep of 2012, electronica in 2013 wore a cloak of a very different nature. With subtle minimalism taking the place of ostentatious climaxes, apparent were artists carefully placing off-putting samples into their music like Oneohtrix Point Never or making classic techno a deeply textural affair like The Field. Complemented by the dramatic opaque ascensions and deafening instrumentation favoured by Tim Hecker and The Haxan Cloak, what they all shared was a blending of genre specific sounds, creating affecting hybrids along the way Bringing the raw appeal and body initial reaction back to electronic dance, Jagwar Ma, DFA torch carriers Factory Floor and London wunderkinds Disclosure thrived under their “retro” distinction with astute song structures, irresistibly earworming grooves and the same type of crystal clear production that dominated 90’s house.

Difficult to classify, both Darkside, the project of Nicholas Jarr and guitarist Dave Harrington and Burial wrestle oversized themes into their individual releases; confrontational confidence from the former and sexuality and self-acceptance in the latter. Combining everything from black lit disco over uncomfortable snares to delicate tones submerged in bubbling ambience, they represent rave music reimagined for introverts.

Of particular interest is The Inheritors by James Holden (cited by both Fuck Buttons and Jon Hopkins as their album of the year) which over it’s near-perfect 75 minutes, takes the listener on a sonic odyssey through dense feral drums, sleek industrialism and breathless peaks, the destination different each time.

2013 was a big year for comebacks in rock. The most monumental comeback, however, was My Bloody Valentine’s, m b v, an ecstatic shoegaze masterpiece that took twenty-two years to arrive, but almost worth the wait.

Nostalgia was as big as ever this year too, whether it was for garage rock, post-punk, or grunge. The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die’s Whenever, If Ever is an excellent throwback to classic emo and is as ambitious and life-affirming as the band’s name suggests. Kurt Vile channels 70s nostalgia into the Wakin on a Pretty Day, the quintessential summer album of the year.

While some artists looked back, others continued to push frontiers this year: Chelsea Wolfe’s “Pain Is Beauty” sits where gothic rock, industrial, and doom metal converge, and Japanese noise rock legends Melt-Banana’s “Fetch” manages to be extremely catchy and abrasive at the same time.

It was also a great year for metal – Deafheaven’s “Sunbather” has been highly praised, and rightfully so, for turning the conventions of black metal on its head. Those who scoff at the idea of San Franciscan sunbathers playing black metal may prefer “Abandon All Life” by Nails, a seventeen-minute blast of grindcore that destroys everything in its path.

Key Releases: Immunity by Jon Hopkins, Virgins by Tim Hecker, R Plus Seven by Oneohtrix Point Never, River Dealer EP by Burial, Psychic by Darkside, Factory Floor by Factory Floor, Settle by Disclosure, Cupid’s Head by The Field, The Inheritors by James Holden, Excavation by The Haxan Cloak

Upcoming in 2014: Underneath the Rainbow by Black Lips, Lost in the Dream by The War on Drugs, Self-Titled by Warpaint Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything by Thee Silver Mt. Zion Orchestra, Benji by Sun Kill Moon

Upcoming in 2014: Ghettoville by Actress, Divine Ecstasy by Supreme Cuts, Wave 1 EP by Com Truise, Awake by Tycho M.V.

Key Releases: m b v by My Bloody Valentine, Whenever, If Ever

by The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, Wakin on a Pretty Daze by Kurt Vile, Pain is Beauty by Chelsea Wolfe, Fetch by Melt-Banana, Sunbather by Deafheaven, Abandon All Life by Nails"

J.L.

thenewspaper.ca

and

forwards The best albums of 2013 and notable 2014 releases By: James Li, Michael Baldanza and Melissa Vincent

Rap

Pop

In 2013 rap was, as always, engulfed in contradiction. Souls were sought by J. Cole and Mac Miller, drugs and strippers by Juicy J and Young Thug. Ka delivered his sophomore album, The Night’s Gambit, as painstakingly honed and perfectly executed as last year’s excellent Grief Pedigree. Action Bronson and Party Supplies followed last year’s “five minute beats, one-take raps” masterpiece with Blue Chips 2, equally raw but not nearly as tasty.

On Old, Danny Brown split himself in two, with one testing the possibility of obtaining a better future out of his dark past, the other falling deeper into substance abuse. On Nothing Was the Same Drake matched his arrogance with self-loathing, contending with pleasure’s lack of fulfillment. On the other hand, with Magna Carta Holy Grail, Jay-Z avoided introspection through the celebration of his wealth and achievements, finding that money and family fill all voids.

But internality and externality, meticulousness and imprecision, affirmation and negation, collided in Kanye West, who channeled it all into Yeezus. The vicissitudes of Kanye wept and gnashed their teeth, bared their collective soul, and proclaimed it holy. It raged and stomped over sparse industrial beats and grinding post-brostep synths until it found its eternity in a warped soul sample. In the end was West, and West was with God, and West was God.

2013 is the year of pop triumphant. The independent music press, formerly comprised of rockists championing the resentful and chauvinistic underground, finally, unreservedly, embraced ‘pop’ in all its inauthentic, sanitized, and uncool glory. Lana Del Rey, Sky Ferreira, and Charli XCX, three of the most discussed— and often beloved—popstars amongst ‘indie’ folk, have all been pruned for pop success by their (very major) labels; CHVRCHES are like Purity Ring, but without the carnality or drug-addled glitchiness; Haim owe a heavy debt to Fleetwood Mac, Shania Twain, and other pop successes of the 80s and 90s.

But despite all these qualities, or, perhaps, on account of them, pop acts delivered many of 2013’s best albums, and without a doubt its best songs: Sky Ferreira’s “Heavy Metal Heart” is a pounding anthem about the joy and freedom of seclusion, and the power in ownership of one’s self; CHVRCHES’ “Night Sky” records two lovers’ vows of devotion, and the extent and reason of their connection; Miley Cyrus’ “We Can’t Stop” transforms teenage angst and rebellion into a kind of religious experience; Autre Ne Veut’s “Play by Play” mines 90s R&B for an explosive and emotional display of dependence and uncertainty; Vampire Weekend’s “Ya Hey” provides reassurance to God, by which love for music is sublimated into religious feeling; Lorde’s “400 Lux” chronicles a teenage love that is at once transcendent and deeply uncertain.

Key Releases: Yeezus, by Kanye West; Nothing Was the Same, by Drake; The Night’s Gambit, by Ka; Acid Rap, by Chance the Rapper; Run the Jewels, by Run the Jewels; My Name Is My Name,

by Pusha T; Old, by Danny Brown; Trap Lord, by A$AP Ferg; Doris, by Earl Sweatshirt; B.O.A.T.S. II: #MeTime, by 2 Chainz

Key Releases: Modern Vampires of the City, by Vampire Weekend; Night Time, My Time, by Sky Ferreira; Pure Heroine, by Lorde; The Bones of What You Believe, by CHVRCHES; Days Are Gone, by Haim; The 20/20 Experience, Part 1, by Justin Timberlake; Cupid Deluxe, by Blood Orange; Woman, by Rhye; Wondrous Bughouse, by Youth Lagoon; Beyoncé, by Beyoncé

Upcoming: Oxymoron, by Schoolboy Q; Mastermind, by Rick Ross M.B.

Upcoming in 2014: Self-Titled by St. Vincent, After the Disco

by Broken Bells, Little Red by Katy B, No Mythologies to Follow

by MØ, The Drop Beneath by Eternal Summers M.B.

15

Jan 15 - Feb 12, 2014

16

GIRLS

is the most

irrelevant show on TV and that is a

good thing

M

iranda July thinks that women talking about themselves and their friends are risking irrelevance.

“I think it’s one of the most belittle-able of forms: women speaking very honestly about themselves and their friends,” the artist and filmmaker said to Lena Dunham, herself an artist who knows a thing or two about women talking to each other.

Creator of the hit TV show, Girls, Dunham is part of a community of women whose work is considered irrelevant banter to some, yet to others, the voice of our generation. The possibility that random banter is the voice of my generation is a somewhat unsettling, yet deeply exciting proposition.

Girls has sunk into the typical bingewatching routine of both women and men, likely due to its notoriously honest depiction of sex, boyfriends, virginity, and the sometimes crippling anxiety of everyday life.

Christina, a remaining close friend from high school, explained her fervent dislike of the show’s second season via text message: xtina: season two sucked marsha: what why? xtina: it was just so low, like everyone fucking hit rock bottom marsha: ya but that was the point - it’s meant

to be like, real. and besides, if you took my actual life and videotaped it and then showed it back to me i would cringe to death xtina: well i know. it’s just that my own life is already so cringey, so i don’t really want to watch someone else’s cringey life In addition to her work on Girls, Lena is writing a book entitled Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She’s Learned, earning $3.7 million from Random House in the process.

In response, an online commenter wrote,“Sylvia Plath is rolling over in her grave.

As is every substantial author who tried to get notoriety with substantial work.”

On one account, Dunham is outrageously popular for a certain kind of writing (“and it’s not like your publisher is a dummy,” noted July). Yet, by another common account, Dunham is excluded from the category of “substantial writing.” Maybe witty, maybe smart, and yes, funny, but not substantial.

In the trailer for the upcoming third season of Girls (the first episode aired January 12), Dunham’s character Hannah and her on and off again boyfriend Adam, casually yell at each other across a table: “It’s not that I don’t like your friends, I just don’t care about anything they say,” Adam says.

“I don’t care about anything they say either! That is not the point of friendship!”

As is the same with Girls. I don’t necessarily care about anything the girls say, but somewhere between Hannah’s OCD, Marnie’s aloof escapism, and Shoshanna’s dependency kick, I realize: the show is giving me what I want, just like friends who keep each other around even though they are not sold on each other’s personalities.

What do I want? I want more female artists, writers, and actors choosing to risk irrelevance by talking about their lives— because it’s in their irrelevant shit that I get to see a reflection of myself.

My search for the stochastic has even lead me to embrace a website intended for teenage girls.

Headed by fashion blogger, Tavi Gevinson, Rookie is an ultra-personal, confidential, and chaotic website, where the illustrations and images are as candid as the writing. In the section titled “live through this,” the posts range from a somewhat self-indulgent story about sisters who once hated each other, to tips on how to make being sober not suck.

In Gevinson’s monthly editorials, she does not struggle to prove a certain literary seriousness, and includes long passages from phone calls as well as quotes from her own journals. She does not hesitate to make liberal use of caps lock and italics.

Editors do not normally use their aboutto-go-bed personal journal voice to write editorials. But what’s wrong with reading an

article that sounds more like a text exchange than a Reuter’s news report?

In her January editorial, Gevinson responded to the negative criticisms of Rookie: “When Comme des Garçons first showed in Paris, fashion critics were so confused by how dark it was because it was the ’80s and everything else was bright/colorful/gaudy/ flashy/ YSL/Versace.”

“Then the ’90s came and everyone caught on and minimalism and asymmetry and all-black was everywhere. Rei Kawakubo said she’s concerned when people love her collections right away, because that means she isn’t ahead of the times.”

Gevinson is taking a risk and winning.

Despite the slight Ask Aunt Abby vibe of the website, Rookie is not a smarmy teen publication giving advice, it’s no Seventeen.

Rookie is much too smart and diverse for that.

This year, I want more mundane boring stuff and I want more rock bottom and more neurosis. I want more night-time journal voice, and texting voice, and over-coffee voice—it’s all ahead of its time.

Just please, don’t give me substantial, because I am starting to feel that substantial is becoming irrelevant.• Marsha McLeod

Top 5 trends of 2013 and their 2014 counterparts

2

013 was a year of harlem shaking and baby making.

On that note, let’s say out with the old and in with the new—but not quite yet.

Here is the newspaper’s roundup of who and what was trendy in 2013, and what queens will be taking over this year.

1. The Fame Baby Although North West and Prince George are still only infants, they were the stars of 2013 even before they were born. Kanye unceremoniously broke the news of Kim Kardashian’s at one of his concerts, yelling, “give it up for my babymomma” to the crowd. On the other hand, decorum prevailed when Will and Kate produced an heir to the throne.

It is already clear that a certain two-year-old will be the centre of attention in 2014; Blue Ivy killed it in her video debut. Whether she’s sporting a kick-ass mini-leather jacket or upping Queen B’s cool factor it is clear that Blue Ivy is claiming her media throne.

2. The Notable Politician 2013 was the year of suck-and-blow politicians. The world watched as Weiner and Ford made Clinton and Spitzer look like the Kings of Honesty. The Weiner and Ford media scramble showed that private life is often no longer private; however, Weiner’s quiet resignation from the New York City mayoral race demonstrated

that a politician’s fall from grace doesn’t need to be as sensational as Ford’s.

In 2014, the new mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio, may restore citizens’ faith in politicians. He appears to be ethical in his politics and refreshingly human in his personal life. De Blasio showed his progressive perspective as he encouraged his 18-year-old daughter to talk openly about her substance abuse and depression, and attempted to hold landlords accountable to their tenants.

3. The Fad Diet “Gluten-free” proved to be 2013’s dieting tagline. The overwhelming popularity of Dr. William Davis’s book, The Wheat Belly, in 2013 points to the increase of wheat hating. While people gawked at and aspired to Miley’s gluten-free body, medical professionals saw the increasing acceptance of the diet as a cause for concern.

2014 appears to be ushering in The Alcorexia Diet. This diet favors alcoholic beverages over food consumption in an effort to avoid gaining pounds. Clearly unhealthy, the diet is likely to gain popularity as it allows people to retain their hard partying lifestyles and their hard bods.

4. The “Never Again” Conflict In 2013, the media’s gaze was mainly focused on Syria, yet the world did not intervene amidst brutal civil violence. The Syrian Government used chemical weapons

on their own people, and no foreign government intervened despite President Obama statement that the use of chemical weapons crosses a “red line” and that intervention was a necessity.

There is no doubt that 2014 will also have an intervention question. The sectarian violence between Christian militias and Muslim fighters in the Central African Republic has barely made the headlines, yet widespread internal displacement will likely act to exacerbate conflict. The UN is hesitating to deploy a peacekeeping mission, which indicates the lack of international attention this crisis may receive.

5. The Rebel Miley Cyrus defied the world’s notions of appropriate behavior in 2013. Her exaggerated sexuality either attracted or angered people, but for better or for worse, she twerked her way to being 2013’s cultural icon.

In 2014, Pope Francis will likely continue to defy what the church has long idolized by going against his predecessors. Through his revolutionary behavior, Pope Francis is modernizing and popularizing the Catholic Church. Despite declaring abortion “horrific,” Pope Francis’ views on the historic condemnation of homosexuals are in clear opposition to many members of the Church. • Camille Leon Angelo

thenewspaper.ca

If students were

17

UTSU HEALTH AND DENTAL PLAN

marking, TAs would receive a failing grade

For Winter-Only Registrants (Students Starting In January)

BLACKOUT PERIOD: Although coverage is effective from January 1, new plan members will not be able to receive reimbursements until their accounts are activated at the end of February.

OPTING OUT: You may opt out of the Health portion and receive a refund of the fees if you are covered by another comparable plan.

Anyone may opt out of the Dental portion. Opt out online at: studentplans.ca/UTSU. Deadline: January 31, 2013.

The lows of the TA-centric grading system

Note: this is only available to students starting their school year in January 2014.

ENROLLING DEPENDENTS: You may purchase family coverage to enrol your dependents under your Plan. Please visit utsu.ca/health (then click Family Coverage) for more information. A completed form and # ! ! % ! enrolment period.

OPT-OUT/ENROLMENT PERIOD: January 6 to 31, 2014.

Students enrolled in the fall session are not eligible for the winter optout/-in period. Applications were to be submitted between August 26 to October 4, 2013.

Refund cheques for all eligible applicants will be mailed in March.

For more information contact: UTSU Health & Dental Plan Coordinator 12 Hart House Circle M-F 9-5 ! ! $

" www.utsu.ca/health

KARILYN XU

There’s a cap on the admission of dunces this year, but we may have to add one more.

T

eaching assistants: your greatest support or worst grievance. TAs incite joy when they give you an A on a paper worth 35 per cent, but they can be the root of anxiety when red pen covers your entire essay.

During the short time I have attended university, I have already observed that the grading system is extremely subjective.

No matter how many times high school teachers taught you how to write a “proper paper,� university flushes that method down the toilet. Receiving ones very first mark is akin to being thrown into the academic deep end.

Many TAs don’t understand that most firstyear kids are coming from a high school system which, in most cases, does not prepare students for the workload and critical reasoning skills required for university.

In a conversation with my peers, one thing is agreed on: TAs should be your mentors, but

very few take the initiative to guide their pupils.

If a TA in first year sat me down for 20 minutes and told me how to write a clear, concise paper, that first grade I received wouldn’t have felt like the end of the world.

TAs also tend to focus on the nitpicky problems and grade harsher than the professor teaching the class. TAs who focus on the seemingly less significant issues, are often the reason students experience so much anxiety over their grades.

Discrepancies between professors’ expectations and TAs’ expectations also cause student angst.

Students are heading into a far more competitive and stressful world. If TAs took more time to assist and mentor students I believe they would create more engaged and active participants in their academic pursuits. • Fairy Einstein

Jan 15 - Feb 12, 2014

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January SUNDAY 12

MONDAY 13

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Leslieville Flea 10AM-5PM Distillery District Monthly flea market showcasing vintage and crafty finds from Toronto’s east end.

Neutral Milk Hotel (90s indie) @ Kool Haus 8:30PM $35.50

26

14

20Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Reverend Horton Heat (Psychobilly Rock) @ The Hoxton 9PM $26 The Strypes @ Lee’s Palace 8PM $15

27

Trin re-enacts the coronation of King George II @ Trinity College Chapel 7:309:30 10$ Students

TUESDAY

Jay-Z - Magna Carta World Tour @ ACC 8PM $50 min.

JD Samson and MEN @ The Garrison 8PM $18 Poetry Slam @ The Drake 7PM $5

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY 15

Orthodox New Year Jake Bugg - Sound Academy Clubs & Summer Job Fair Varsity Centre 11-2 pm Lecture: Iran and the Middle East - Munk Centre 5-6:30 pm

Mutual Benefit @ The Drake 8PM $12 5-Buck Lunch at Hart House

21

22 Former Prime

Cate LeBon (Welsh Songwriter) @ The Drake 8PM $12.50 Weekend @ The Garrison $10.50

28

John Tory @ UofT Faculty of Law 12:15PM

Minister Paul Martin @ Hart House 6PM

Hart House Art Tour 3-4PM - 650 pieces!

Johnny Flynn @ Lee’s Palace 9:00PM $15

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16 U of T idol @ Hart House Trombone Shorty @ Phoenix Concert Theatre $39 The Digs @ The Drake 11PM FREE

23

St. Lucia @ The Hoxton 8PM $19.45 80 Queen’s Park FREE Lecture: The Israeli Condition: 2014 by Ari Shavit, Israeli journalist @ Munk Centre 5-730pm

30 Toronto’s Free

Concert Series Tour De France 12-1PM Canadian Opera Company - FREE Pieces from three rarely heard French composers, Désiré-Émile Inghelbrecht (Sonatine), Jean Cras (Trio) and Jean-Michel Damase (Quintet).

New Politics (Denmark Rock) @ The Opera House 7PM $16

FRIDAY 17

3

4

5

Groundhog Day

9 Kuumba (Feb 7-9) Black history month art/ music/poetry exhibition at the Harbourfront Centre.

11

Hancock Lecture 2014: “Game On or Game Over: How To Be a Public Policy Player” @ Hart House Theatre, 7pm Lecture: Judith Butler @ University College 4:30PM

12 Lecture: What Is Wrong With Europe? The Union in Crisis @ Munk Centre 5-8PM

Drunk Macbeth @ The Tranzac Club 292 Brusnwick Ave. (at Bloor) $15-20

Alex Metric @ The Hoxton 10PM $15

24

Campus Democracy Unconference hosted by Dave Meslin @ Hart House East Common Room 1-5PM Panel discussion: The Fate of Euromaidan in Ukraine @ Munk Centre 4-6PM

25

Chinese New Year Extravaganza at the ROM 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM - $10-19 Stage performances, arts & crafts, calligraphy lessons and museum tours to ring in the year of the Horse.

31

Chinese New Year UC Follies presents Sweet Charity @ Hart House Theatre 8PM (UofTtix) Shad Frank Soda Frankie and the Rodeo Kings Pup

1

Toronto Tea Festival UC Follies presents Sweet Charity @ Hart House Theatre 6PM (UofTtix) Brrr Winter Music Festival

6

7

UC Follies presents Sweet Charity @ Hart House Theatre 8PM (UofTtix) Elton John ACC John Butler Trio

10

18

The Jim Jones Revue @ Horseshoe Tavern 10PM $13.50

February 2

SATURDAY

13 Justin Timberlake ACC

UC Follies presents Sweet Charity @ Hart House Theatre 8PM (UofTtix) Winter ConcertVic Chorus Illustration Down with Webster Kim Mitchell

14

8 UC Follies presents Sweet Charity @ Hart House Theatre 2PM and 8PM (UofTtix DJ Skating Nights at Harbourfront Centre - Free

thenewspaper.ca

the newspaper Editor-in-Chief Yukon Damov Managing Editor Dylan Hornby Design Editor Odessa Kelebay News Editor Isaac Thornley Online News Editor Marsha McLeod Associate Online News Editor Yasmine Laasraoui Arts Editor Carissa Ainslie Associate Arts Editor Jane Alice-Keachie Comment Editor Zach Morgenstern Features Editor David Stokes Senior Copy Editor Sydney Gautreau Associate Design and Copy Editor Samantha Preddie Associate Design Editor Daniel Glassman Photo Editor Grant Oyston Illustrations Editor Nick Ragetli Video Editor Ted Rawson Business Manager Anna Afshar Ad Sales Representative Tommy Wilson Events Coordinator Chelsea Hirons Cover Image & Centrefold Odessa Kelebay and Daniel Glassman

Copy Editors

Phil Metz Grant Oyston Samantha Preddie Anna B. Roach Poppy Sanders

the newspaper is published

by Planet Publications Inc., a non-profit corporation.

256 McCaul Street, Suite 106 Toronto, ON M5T 1W5 thenewspaper@gmail.com All of U of T community members, including students, staff, and faculty are encouraged to contribute to the newspaper.

the editorial Isaac Thornley

L

et us not talk about flat fees in the past tense because they haven’t left us completely. Let us hope, however, that when we look back on our times as undergrads that we can sigh with a mix of relief and bitterness, that we were but a small segment of youth in the history of Ontario’s post-secondary education system to be charged for courses that were never taught to us.

Controversially introduced to U of T in 2009, the flat fee system was phased into its full 60 per cent threshold form by 2010. For the last four years every undergrad taking three courses a year has paid the same as those taking five or more.

The rationale for the U of T administration in the midst of economic recession was fairly simple: “We need more money.” The financial impetus was essentially twofold: the more students there are paying for full-time tuition, the more money there is coming into the school from students. Secondly, since flat fees motivate students to take more courses in a term, and since the provincial government subsidizes education based on the number of courses taken rather than the number of students enrolled, more courses taken means more money from the government.

So after restructuring its tuition framework to appease the government, the U of T administration has now been met with another road block; on December 5 the province announced that it would be implementing new guidelines across the board to address issues of tuition fairness at Ontario universities. By fall 2015, students taking 3.5 courses will be considered full-time, and by fall 2016 students taking four courses will be considered full-time.

The policy changes will also allow students on OSAP to receive their financial aid before having to pay tuition in August, and students with disabilities will be billed on a per credit basis, regardless of how many courses they take per term.

These policy changes have been met with both criticism and applause. For many of the students unions, (UTSU, ASSU, and CFS) flat fees have been a hot button topic since 2009. Generally their perspective is that these changes are certainly positive, but that more must be done to ensure the fairness of tuition. Per credit billing is the only fair way to charge tuition to students, they argue.

For those opposed to these policy changes the big issue is the question of how the funding gap will be filled. U of T President Meric Gertler has publicly stated that without the flat fee structure UofT will lose about $16 million per year. As for how this will be addressed, there are currently no concrete answers, though In a recent opinion piece published by The Varsity titled, “In defense of flat fees,” the argument is made that the current tuition structure is both useful and fair since “in effect, students who are slacking off subsidize those who work for a more rigorous education.” The article, which appeared both in print and online, has been met with backlash. the newspaper understands that these views published in The Varsity do not reflect the editorial position of the publication, but seeing as the article contains several points defending the legitimacy and fairness of the flat fee system, we as a publication feel it necessary to respond and make clear our own editorial position.

The fact that many U of T students must work part-time or full-time throughout the completion of their degrees cannot be overemphasized. A recent Statistics Canada survey of post-secondary graduates found that 52 per cent of Canadians aged 20-24 relied on employment to finance their education, approximately half of which relied on job income as their primary source of funding.

UofT is diverse in many ways, culturally, ethnically, with regards to sex and gender, with regards to faith and religion, with regards to the courses and programs offered, but also with regards to its socio-economic make-up. Perhaps it is easy or tempting for some U of T students to assume that those who make-up their immediate surroundings must also make up the majority or entirety of the school. U of T is a large place; people form pockets niches, it is to be expected. It is difficult or nearly impossible to be in touch with all of the realities and experiences on campus.

For many students, however, flat fees have been and continue to be a very negative force. The classic vicious cycle they set up goes something like this: the reality is that one must both work for money and work academically to complete a degree. In order to compensate for the loss of hours to income, one may take fewer courses to maintain good grades. Yet, by taking fewer courses one is sacrificing the ability to get the full “bang for one’s buck. ” One essentially loses money for no reason; and since one is losing money one must continue to work, and maybe work more. And the cycle continues.

To those bemoaning the funding gap caused by these new government policies, we ask the following questions: why is it the responsibility of students in the first place to ensure that the university isn’t losing money? Why are students in 2013, those paying the highest tuition in the history of the province, expected to make up for the university’s funding gap? If students are being charged the highest tuitions in history is it not justified, at the very least, to give them the right to complete their degrees at their own pace, and to only pay for courses for which they are receiving education in return?

Students did not cause the unfortunate economic situation that both the university and province now find themselves in. Tuition was high before flat fees and tuition is high now. Flat fees clearly privilege any student that is not required to work during the course of their education. Students that work during the course of their educations are more likely to have less money than students that don’t. It follows then that flat fees disproportionately disadvantage students from lower middle class and working class backgrounds, precisely the students that are in need of more support not less. the newspaper approves of the new policy measures to phase out the current unfair 60 per cent flat fee threshold.

Furthermore we call on the government to require universities to adopt per-credit billing, as this is the only fair tuition system given the current economic and educational environment. •

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Jan 15 - Feb 12, 2014