McGill Tribune Vol. 32 Week 4

TRIBUNE

THE Mcgill

Published by the Tribune Publication Society

pop mtl WRAP-UP P 14 REDMEN SOCCER P 19

drink recipes P9

pow wow P3

curiosity delivers

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Volume No. 32 Issue No. 4

@mcgill_tribune ­ • www. mcgilltribune.com ­

Montrealers take to the streets for free education R O D E O

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Check out the Tribune’s first crossword! p 12

Despite the persistent rainfall, protesters marched downtown on Saturday Sept. 22 in a demonstration organized by Coalition Large de l’Association pour un Solidarité Syndicale Étudiante (CLASSE).

(Luke Orlando / McGill Tribune)

CLASSE calls for further action following tuition freeze, SPVM disperses crowds after physical confrontations Bea Britneff News Editor On Saturday, students from several Montreal universities and CEGEPs participated in a demonstration for free education organized by the Coalition Large de l’Association pour un Solidarité Syndicale Étudiante (CLASSE).

The Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) declared the demonstration illegal, and riot police in the downtown area dispersed demonstrators at around 4:00 p.m., putting an end to the march.

The march began at Parc Lafontaine Avenue and Cherrier Street, where demonstrators gathered at 2:00 p.m. The dem-

onstration was considered by many to be a celebration of the Parti Québécois’ (PQ) recent cancellation of the tuition increase proposed by the previous liberal government, as well as a march towards the broader goal of free education for all.

“This demonstration is about bringing forward a project—to maintain and improve accessibility to higher education [by] bringing down any kind of tuition fees,” Jérémie Bédard-Wien, CLASSE finance secretary, said. “[We want to] improve our university system and make it answer the needs of the population, rather than corporate interests.”

Many students present at the demonstration expressed similar

opinions to that of Bédard-Wien.

“What I think a lot of people have failed to realize [is] that for many of us, it wasn’t about tuition fees from the get-go,” Kyle McLaughlin, a third-year anthropology student at Concordia University, said. “It was about trying to build the society that we want to see.”

“I think [education] should be free for everybody,” Jasmine Latendresse, a first-year science student at Collège LionelGroulx, said. “It’s a right, and we shouldn’t have to pay for that.”

Bédard-Wien offered suggestions for how free education could become a reality in Québec. “[Free education] is not a radical idea, as it is often painted

by [the] media,” he said. “We could fund such a project [by] improving our fiscal taxation system, [and] perhaps by establishing a capital tax—a very small tax—on financial transactions, that would allow us to bring down user fees in public services, including education. There are also several improvements that can be made in the [financial] management of universities.”

CLASSE did not publish the route of the march in advance, which prompted the SPVM to declare the demonstation illegal, based on municipal by-law P-6— the “prevention of disturbances to the peace, public security and public order.” On their Twitter account, the SPVM confirmed

that participants could continue demonstrating, provided that no criminal acts were committed.

SPVM policemen followed the march on foot from the sidewalks.

Until it arrived at the McGill University campus, the demonstration was predominantly peaceful. However, several masked demonstrators dressed in black hurled rocks at police cars parked in front of the Schulich School of Music Building, and jeered at riot police stationed in front of McGill’s Roddick Gates.

Physical confrontations between police and demonstrators broke out at the intersection of Peel and Sherbrooke, causing the See “Demonstration” on p. 2

NEWS

Demonstration demonstration to halt temporarily. Several demonstrators hit and chased police vans on Peel; riot police responded by pursuing the demonstrators in question into the larger crowd.

Following the confrontations, demonstrators reassembled and continued down Drummond Street, where riot police blocked access at several intersections, forcing the march to disperse.

Now that the PQ has frozen tuition, many students are looking to the summit on education—to be held by the PQ in the near future—for more progress. However, many participants in the demonstration had doubts about the intentions of the newly elected government.

“I think governments have to be pushed to have students’ interests in mind,” Bédard-Wien said.

“The PQ … wants to index tuition fees to the cost of living, [but] students earning the minimum wage

Continued from cover

know very well that minimum wage is not indexed to the cost of living. If we are to go to the summit—which has not yet been decided—[we will convey] that any kind of indexation [is] opposed by students.”

“Some could see [the PQ] as an ally, but I personally think that they are still part of the old guard of political parties in this province who have a history of…corruption,” McLaughlin said. “I think they did what was required to get them elected.”

Many participants made it clear they would continue to voice their opinions in the coming months and, perhaps, years. “[The cancellation of the tuition hikes] is a big step forward for the students, but it’s not where it should stop,” Latendresse said.

“The struggle is not over, and the struggle won’t be over until everyone has access to education everywhere,” McLaughlin said.

want to learn HOW to be a reporter?

Come to Journalism 101: A writers’ this wednesday, sept. 26 at

workshop

8:30 p.m. in Shatner Room b-29

NEWS

in brief

Former MUHC director of human resources under investigation for fraud Stella Lopreste, the former director of human resources for the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) super-hospital project, is under investigation by the Unité permanente anti-corruption Québec (UPAC) for allegedly defrauding the facility of $1.6 million.

Last Tuesday morning, UPAC searched the downtown office of the MUHC for information on the handling of contracts for the new superhospital. This 217,500 square-metre structure is in the process of being built at the former Glen Railyards in Montreal, close to the Vendôme metro station.

Lopreste held her position from 2000 to 2011. According to the CBC, Lopreste allegedly used MUHC funds from 2000 to 2010 to finance personal expenses, such as luxury clothing, independent travel, and electronics.

Additionally, some of the companies working on the super-hospi-

cludes the construction of the superhospital, as well as renovations and expansion to the Montreal General Hospital and the Lachine Hospital.

Anne-Frédérick Laurence, a spokeswoman for the police anticorruption squad, confirmed that investigators seized documents and interviewed staff members during the Tuesday raid. She did not provide further details about what they were looking for.

In a public statement, MUHC confirmed that UPAC came to their offices, requesting information related to the awarding of the contract for the super-hospital public-private partnership.

“The MUHC is cooperating fully with the investigators and has no further comments at this stage,” MUHC Spokesperson Richard Fahey said.

— Christy Frost

tal have been accused of corruption in the past. At the time of press, Lopreste has not been charged.

Affiliated with McGill, the MUHC is a health centre made up of five hospitals throughout Montreal.

The super-hospital is a project that will relocate different hospitals—including the Children’s Hospital and the Neurological Institutes—into one complex, so that patients won’t have to travel to different hospitals for specialized care.

Construction began on the super-hospital two years ago, and the entire framework for the hospital complex is complete. Over 1,400 workers and some 350 professionals were working on the project over this past summer.

The UPAC was established in 2011 in order to deal with allegations of corruption, and is investigating some of the contracts awarded in MUHC’s massive $2.35 billion re-development project, which in-

City

STM unveils new metro cars to be installed in 2014 New metro fleet “Azur” features increased capacity, mobility between cars, and wheelchair access Carolina Millán Ronchetti Managing Editor On Sept. 21 and 22, the Societé de Transport de Montreal (STM) displayed a full-sized model of Montreal’s upcoming metro trains, named “Azur,” on McGill College Ave. The exhibit was part of “Go Green,” which was held to promote public transportation as well as preview World Car-Free Day, an event held by the STM every Sept. 23 since 2003.

The provincial government granted the contract for 468 new metro cars to the BombardierAlstom consortium in Oct. 2010, bypassing the normal bidding process. According to a statement from Quebec Transport Minister Pierre Moreau, the project is expected to generate nearly $400 million in net value added to Quebec’s gross domestic product.

According to Marianne Rouette from STM public affairs, the new metro cars will be delivered beginning in March 2014 at a rate of one train per month, with an expected completion date of Sept. 2018.

“The new “Azur” metro trains

will be available [for passenger use] on the Orange line as of Jan. 2015,” Rouette said in French.

The current metro fleet has been in use since 1966—when the metro was first unveiled—and carries an average of 850,000 passengers every weekday. The new metro trains are expected to last a minimum of 40 years.

The metro cars’ new design features larger doors to facilitate the flow of passengers, as well as the possibility of passenger circulation between the metro cars. According to the STM, the latter feature allows for an increase of eight per cent capacity in the metro.

The interior lighting of the metro cars has also been modified, now providing indirect lighting and LED accent lights. A signal built into the doorframes lights up neon green to warn passengers when doors are about to close.

According to Rouette, the design of the new metro cars incorporated feedback from online surveys accessed by over 24,000 commuters, in addition to mechanics, engineers, and other metro staff.

Some students said they appreciated the chance to walk through

the model of the updated metro cars.

“I liked the new metro train—it is very clean and new and it considers a variety of [needs], such as those of handicapped people,” Hannah Aronoff, U3 Latin American studies, said.

Although the new metro trains provide open spaces to accommodate wheelchairs, strollers, and bicycles, some critics have noted that many metro stations still do not have elevators—which prevents certain users from accessing metro stations in the first place.

The current design includes two fold-up seats in each car and 28 fixed seats. Aronoff noted that the design could have made better use of the space by incorporating more fold-up seats, which would increase the seating space while remaining adaptable to universal accessibility requirements if needed.

Roxane Kar, a student visiting Montreal, praised the ergonomic seats.

“The seats are really comfortable—they don’t look that comfortable, but they really are,” Kar said.

“Also, the seats stayed plastic, which is good, because when they are not plastic, they get really gross.”

“Azur” in numbers Financing of the new metro cars 75%

25%

Quebec Transport Ministry

Urban Agglomeration of Montreal

Construction details 100%

Energy supply Hydroelectric

The new doors are 27% bigger than in the previous metro cars

Statistics from the Societé de Transport de Montréal

Photo from www.montrealgazette.com

92.5%

Materials Recyclable

60%

Manufacturing Canadian products

The new metro can accommodate 8% more passengers

Curiosity delivers. |

NEWS

| Tuesday, September 25, 2012

3

CAMPUS

Senate meeting addresses effects of tuition freeze on students Other topics include improvements to McGill’s advising system, harassment and discrimination complaint procedure Erica Friesen News Editor Last Thursday, McGill Senate convened for the first time this academic year. The meeting included discussion of the Parti Québécois’ (PQ) education platform and its impact on McGill, improvements to the academic advising system, and the annual report on McGill’s policy on harassment, sexual harassment, and discrimination.

Principal Heather MunroeBlum opened the meeting with remarks on the education platform of the minority PQ government elected during the Sept. 4 provincial election. On Sept. 20, the PQ officially cancelled the previous liberal government’s planned five-year tuition increase, even though universities had already implemented the increase for the fall semester.

Before the official cancellation, Provost Anthony Masi stated that a

decree for universities to refund the students would have severe consequences for McGill, as the projected increases were included in the university’s budget plans. According to Masi, the expected total losses for McGill are $90 million, once all five years of the original tuition increase are taken into consideration.

“While we are studying several unpleasant scenarios, until we actually see the alternatives that the new [Quebec government] will put on the table for providing additional revenues to Quebec’s already cashstrapped university system, I am not in a position to indicate the magnitude of cuts that … McGill will have to endure,” Masi said.

At Senate, Munroe-Blum expressed concern for the effects of the losses on the university and its students if the current government does nothing to make up for the gap in the budget.

“A decrease in overall tuition

revenue will impact [student support],” she said. “Our current budget is unsustainable.”

Although she did not give exact numbers for the effect on students, Munroe-Blum noted that the loss of tuition revenue will have the greatest impact on out-of province and international students.

“Students who are not from Quebec are not eligible for Quebec student aid, even though a certain percentage of their tuition [goes to Quebec student aid],” Munroe-Blum said. “$55 million net of McGill students goes to the Quebec system.”

Munroe-Blum also emphasized the importance of lobbying the government to ease McGill’s financial situation. According to MunroeBlum, goals this year include applying for a Special Mission Grant, as well as a Special Infrastructure Grant because of McGill’s unique and historical position in Canada.

Later in Senate, Associate

Provost (Policies, Procedures, and Equity) Lydia White presented the annual report of the policy on harassment, sexual harassment, and discrimination. White emphasized the advantages of the university’s internal system, which helps deal with complaints.

“The assumption is that if someone has a complaint [and] is not happy with the outcome, there are other recourses available to them,” White said. “It’s always better to try internal recourse before you go outside. In serious cases they would be referred outside.”

Munroe-Blum added that a strong internal system is advantageous at McGill because of the university’s high international population, since those who are unfamiliar with Quebec law are often more comfortable with pursuing a resolution at the internal level.

Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Morton Mendelson

also presented a report to Senate on advancing academic advising at McGill. According to Mendelson, the university has made many improvements in advising in the last two years.

Mendelson said improvements include the creation of an Advising and Mentoring Board and an expansion of the advising website.

The administration has also created a student-staff mentoring program, an Aboriginal students advisor, and in-residence advising programs to make advising more accessible to students at times of year when it is in high-demand.

“We have established a platform to go forward,” Mendelson said. “[We need to] seize that moment [and] make strides to go forward in advising, mentoring, and graduate supervision.”

CAMPUS

11th annual Pow Wow opens Aboriginal Awareness Week Students invited to participate in various activities organized to highlight Aboriginal cultures and traditions Jimmy Lou Contributor On Sept. 21, McGill’s First People’s House held their 11th annual Pow Wow on Lower Field.

With traditional singing and dances, this year’s Pow Wow included a variety of cultural activities to engage students and raise awareness about Aboriginal cultures.

Catching the attention of many passing students, the Pow Wow started off in high spirit, and was an auspicious start to the upcoming Aboriginal Awareness Week, running from Sept. 24 to 28.

“Every year, Pow Wow is getting bigger and better,” Paige Isaac, interim coordinator of McGill’s First People’s House and one of the key organizers of the event, said. “[This year], we did a better job at planning, promotion, and finding new artists… The head dancer, Chris Wysote, actually drove all the way from my community [Listuguj Mi’gmag] just for this event.”

The intermittent rain did little to dampen the excitement afforded by numerous scheduled programs such as Inter-Tribal Dances, Inuit Throat Singing, and Round Dance.

Aided by loud speakers, the drumbeats echoed across campus and drew an increasingly large crowd as the event progressed. At the cen-

tre of the event, the Aboriginal performers from various North American reserves danced complex steps, wearing patchwork dresses with feathered garments.

The word ‘Pow Wow’ is derived from the Narragansett word ‘powwaw,’ meaning ‘spiritual leader.’ Originally a gathering of North American Aboriginals, it has evolved in recent decades into an event promoting interactions between Aboriginal and non-Aborginal people. Through dances, songs, and speeches, participants were not only exposed to Aboriginal culture, but also encouraged to socialize without the constraints of social barriers and stereotypes.

This year’s Pow Wow sought to pursue such goals with interactive performances such as the Round Dance. In this dance, audience members are encouraged to join hands with performers and dance in circles. Rather than observing from afar, students participated hand in hand with first nations dancers.

In addition, Pow Wow organized a special workshop to introduce students to a contemporary Aboriginal DJ group, “A Tribe Called Red.” The artists in the group—DJ NDN, DJ Shrub, and Bear Witness—combine traditional drumbeats and throat singing from Cree culture with modern rhythm and

The 11th annual Pow Wow featured workshops and traditional dances.

(Josh Walker / McGill Tribune)

melody. The result is a unique style of club music that bridges traditional music with hip-hop, electronica, and house music.

“Traditional Cree drumbeats

generally try to get people to dance as wild [sic] as they can, so in a way, it’s perfect for remixing with music today,” DJ NDN said during a question and answer period. “Our

process in making music is in many ways trial and error…We synthesize different tones and beats, and keep editing them until they’re ready.”

DJ NDN also emphasized the importance of social media in helping to promote their music.

“The feedback has been very positive,” he said. “We haven’t gotten any bad stereotypes or negative comments on our native influence.”

Outside the workshop, vendors sold a variety of hand-made crafts, accessories, and clothing. Each item had unique patterns, and passing students were intrigued by their creative design and Aboriginal significance.

In an interview with the Tribune, Isaac expressed excitement for the upcoming Aboriginal Awareness Week.

“Everything went according to plan in this year’s Pow Wow,” she said. “We were very happy with the results.”

Pow Wow volunteer Brennan Gordon, U2 arts, said that he’d seen several students volunteering at the event.

“Pow Wow’s been fun,” Gordon said. “This is my first time volunteering [but] I think this helps McGill students find out more about indigenous culture.”

4

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 |

NEWS

| Curiosity delivers.

student government

SSMU hosts session on future of Quebec student movement CLASSE spokesperson leads informal discussion about student strikes, tuition, and upcoming PQ education summit Laura Douglas Contributor On Sept. 18, students gathered in the Student Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) Clubs Lounge for an informal discussion about the recent student strikes in Quebec.

The discussion was led by Jérémie Bédard-Wien, finance secretary of the Coalition large de l’Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (CLASSE). CLASSE is one of Québec’s largest student union coalitions, and has played an active role in the student movement against the tuition increases planned by Jean Charest’s liberal government last year.

The 2011-2012 academic year was marked by months of largescale student protests and strikes in response to the proposed tuition increase of $1,625 over a period of five years. Tuition for out-of-province and international students was also raised, as these tuition rates are based on the Quebec fee.

However, a minority Parti Québécois (PQ) government ousted Charest’s liberals in the Sept. 4 provincial election. On Sept. 20, the new government officially cancelled the tuition increase, and PQ leader Pauline Marois announced her intention to hold a summit on educa-

tion in the upcoming months.

Last Tuesday’s discussion focused on how the student movement can continue to fight for free education and promote the interests of students, now that the general strikes have ended.

“I think that it’s very important for people to come and be part of this kind of conversation, because there are people who were affected in very different ways by the things that [happened] last semester,” SSMU Vice-President External Robin Reid-Fraser said.

Bédard-Wien stressed the importance of maintaining the atmosphere of student activism that grew during the months of demonstrations against the tuition increases. He also praised the “democratic union culture” that has appeared on anglophone campuses—an atmosphere in which students are able to participate through smaller student unions, like departmental associations.

Many of the attendees at Tuesday’s round-table were skeptical about the promises made by the newly elected government.

“The PQ has a long history of making promises they don’t keep, and [they] are certainly no friend of any progressive social struggle,” Bédard-Wien said. “We must still be prepared to face [a] hike.”

Discussion also focused on the proposed summit regarding Quebec education. It is currently unknown how students will be represented at the summit, and to what extent the interests and values of students will be taken into account.

“We want the summit to be something that involves [the] university community, rather than outside interests; [that] has proper representation for students; [and] that allows us to address governance and privatization,” Bédard-Wien said.

“Of course, these demands are not likely to be met.”

Students expressed concern about the merits of the summit, and suggested possible plans of action, such as a refusal to take part or the possible creation of an alternate, student-organized summit.

“I think that those discussions about what we want the summit to look like shouldn’t start from the assumption that we are actually going to be at the summit,” Kevin Paul, first-year law student, said. “The forum will lose legitimacy if a large part of students don’t participate, and we can use that to demand certain things.”

Other topics of discussion included the importance of strengthening communications between student groups, workers’ unions, and

CLASSE Spokesperson Bédard-Wien spoke with students about tuition.

(Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune)

other movements, as well as ways in which student groups can ensure the inclusion of out-of-province and international students.

According to Reid-Fraser, SSMU will likely hold similar events in the future to encourage continued awareness of current events amongst the McGill student body.

Bédard-Wien emphasized how the events of the past year show the power that students have to connect

with and aid other political movements.

“This is the first time in many years that a mass movement organized on a union basis has managedto reach across to other movements, and to really engage with other sectors of society,” he said. “We must see strikes as a platform for other kinds of political action and debate to take place.”

CAMPUS

Student-run Wildcard Montreal expands beyond McGill

Revamped business offers nightlife member platform and smartphone app, sponsors several Montreal froshes Natasha Fenn Contributor

Wildcard Montreal Beta, a nightlife membership platform that is free to acquire and activate, made its return to the McGill and Montreal scene this fall. A revamped studentrun business, Wildcard is managed by co-founders Tom Zheng, U2 arts, and Randeep Singh, U2 engineering.

Established two years ago by former McGill student Adam Hirsch, Wildcard began as a member card that allowed subscribers into nightclubs at a reduced rate, or for free. Hirsch passed the company off to Zheng and Singh during the summer of 2010.

Prior to taking over Wildcard, Singh and Zheng had independently worked on a smartphone application that would inform students of local nightlife events and discounts. According to both directors, the combination of that vision with the original Wildcard was an ideal project.

“[The fusion means] no complications and easy access,” Singh said. “It [also] simplifies night-life [by letting you] know where your friends are going.”

Singh and Zheng got the new Wildcard off the ground with the help of Singh’s father, Parminder Singh—former managing director of Microsoft Canada. Along with providing baseline financial support, Mr. Singh became Wildcard Beta’s Business Advisor; he offers mostly technical strategies, while Singh and Zheng manage large company decisions.

During his experience working with Singh and Zheng, Mr. Singh stressed the importance of discipline and control when building a company.

“As newcomers to [the business world], they’re not exactly sure how it all works and how all the pieces fit … It’s about forcing [them] into discipline,” Mr. Singh said. “You [can’t get] emotional in business… too

many entrepreneurs become emotionally attached and fail to make good logical judgments.”

In addition to achieving and maintaining disciplined practices, the entrepreneurial industry offers many other challenges to business hopefuls. Mr. Singh predicts that one of the greatest challenges facing Wildcard will be the young age of its co-founders.

“Having to become entrepreneurs is a challenge unto itself,” Mr. Singh said. “They’re going to make mistakes, and [the real test will be] just how fast they recover from those mistakes.”

Zheng echoed Mr. Singh’s sentiments. “[It’s hard] to get people to take you seriously,” Zheng said. “When you meet someone who’s twice your age … they see someone who’s passionate, but they wonder if you don’t know what you’re doing.”

In order to fulfill their vision of Wildcard, Singh and Zheng sought

sponsorship from many popular nightclubs and venues in Montreal, as well as local businesses that attract student clientele. To date, Wildcard has secured sponsorship from Club Entourage, La Mouche, Stereo, and Yeh! Yogurt, among many others.

Yeh! Yogurt CEO Jean-Daniel Nadeau spoke positively of Yeh!’s partnership with Wildcard, and even encouraged other local businesses to team up with Wildcard for mutual benefit. “[For] any company with an audience of teenagers to 35-yearolds, [Wildcard] is a great marketing tool,” Nadeau said. “[Partnering with Wildcard] is better than advertising in any magazine since it [goes] straight to the students.”

Nadeau was also surprised when he learned both Singh and Zheng were students.

“I never [saw] them as students … I saw them as entrepreneurs,” Nadeau said. “They’re really mo-

tivated and passionate about their product.”

Wildcard has already attracted much student attention in Montreal over the past month. The company sponsored the faculty of arts frosh at McGill, with every first-year student receiving a Wildcard in their frosh bag. They were also involved with froshes at Concordia, Université de Montréal, HEC Montréal, and École Polytechnique de Montréal.

U0 arts student Kareem Ibrahim, although new to Montreal, is already thrilled with the product.

“I love the Wildcard program, no doubt,” Ibrahim said. “It’s costefficient, and a great way to both encourage people to go out and have a good time while saving money.”

Though Wildcard is already fully functional, it will officially launch in mid-October. The Wildcard smartphone application will be released in two weeks.

Curiosity delivers. |

NEWS

| Tuesday, September 25, 2012

5

City

Montreal-based website reveals new form of plagiarism Unemployedprofessors.com sells custom-made papers to students Elliot Herzig Contributor Academic personnel and services are reacting to the recent surfacing of www.unemployedprofessors.com, a Montreal-based website through which students can pay unemployed professors to write their essays. Students use the website to post their essay on a bidding forum, and the lowest bidding ghostwriter wins the project.

Established in the fall of 2011, unemployedprofessors.com currently involves approximately 30 professors. The website helps potential plagiarizers avoid the challenges posed by anti-plagiarism websites, such as turnitin.com, by offering high quality, original papers—although A’s are not guaranteed.

“This business is a result of the overproduction of PhDs, as cheap labour, by the contemporary university system,” a public relations

representative for the website, who asked to remain anonymous, said in an email to the Tribune. “Unemployed Professors fills a void in the market for custom private sector research solutions.”

“Given the overproduction of doctorates, specifically in the Humanities and Social Sciences, there is a glut in the number of reasonable research and teaching jobs available to well qualified individuals holding PhDs,” the representative continued.

“As such, in response to a university system that shunned them, [unemployed professors] have begun doing this.”

Websites such as unemployedprofessors.com underscore the growing problem of academic integrity in colleges and universities today.

According to Associate Dean of Arts (Student Affairs) André Costopoulos, McGill confirmed approximately 136 cases of cheating

last year. This pales in comparison to cases in other universities. For example, Concordia University had 400 reported cases of cheating last year, while at Harvard University, 125 students are currently under investigation for collaborating on a take-home exam written this past spring, as reported in the Montreal Gazette.

“Students are here to learn,” Costopoulos said. “I don’t mean to sound preachy, but professors design courses with the students in mind, and ultimately, [the students] are only hurting themselves.”

McGill has several policies and services in place to help students avoid plagiarism and to learn to cite material properly, such as the McGill Writing Centre. Located on the first floor of Redpath Library, staff at the centre work to review students’ papers to ensure ideas are cited correctly and structured appropriately.

Furthermore, professors are

required to remind students of McGill’s policies and procedures by including them on every class syllabus. The McGill Library website also offers access to online citation managing software, such as EndNote and RefWorks—programs that allow students to store citations while conducting research.

Professors can also invite McGill librarians to come to classes and conduct workshops for students on how to cite, paraphrase, and conduct research properly.

“There are two types of plagiarism—accidental and purposeful,” Megan Fitzgibbons, liaison librarian at the Humanities and Social Sciences Library, said. “The intent is different with accidental plagiarism and that is where a librarian can help.”

Despite widespread criticism from the Montreal academic community, the spokesperson for unemployedprofessors.com insisted that

their business is perfectly ethical.

“We do not engage in plagiarism,” the public relations representative said. “We provide custom research to any individual willing to and capable of paying for it ... the ethical burden lies squarely on the shoulders of the student.”

The website also offers essaywriting tips for students experiencing difficulties writing their own papers.

A U3 McGill arts student, who wished to remain anonymous, feels the issue was trivial, because users of unemployedprofessors.com ultimately lost out on their educational experience.

“It seems to me that the students who write their own papers have the advantage because they can [use] that skill [in the future], whereas an essay purchaser may not.”

speaker on campus

Lecture explores relations between Canada, U.S., and Mexico Political economist Stephen Clarkson presents “Why has North America failed?” at McGill Faculty Club Christos Lazaris Contributor Last Thursday, the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada hosted renowned political economist Stephen Clarkson in a guest lecture titled “Why has North America Failed?” Clarkson, who has spoken at McGill in the past, answered the question by analyzing the United States and its economic relationship with Canada and Mexico, as well as the North American economy and its position on the global stage.

The event, which took place in the ballroom of the Faculty Club, was attended by both McGill faculty and students. William Straw, director of the Institute, provided context for the lecture.

“In [Clarkson’s] view, Canada and Mexico sustain and support American power, and the United States really depends on [those] two countries for their power and place in the world,” he said.

Clarkson’s main thesis was that North America has failed to meet certain standards.

“I don’t think it’s highly contested, but let me lay out what I think is normal criteria of success of a region in three dimensions: economic, political, [and] security issues,” Clarkson said.

He described the areas in which

Stephen Clarkson delivered a lecture about the issues North America is currently facing.

(Karla Stasiak / McGill Tribune)

North America has moved toward meeting those standards, but mainly focused on its shortfalls, such as security. For example, the United States makes it extremely difficult for people from Mexico to migrate north, despite Mexico’s membership in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

In recent years, economic and political changes in the United States, Canada, and Mexico have affected their relationships with one another. Mexico is seeking to form better relationships with countries to its south, and Canada is looking across the Atlantic Ocean. Both countries are attempting to form

alternate free-trade agreements to cope with the slowly declining U.S., on whom they have been so dependent in the past.

This brings up the question of what North America is—and what it ought to be—economically and politically.

“For many years now, we’ve

lived in the context of NAFTA, but does that mean anything to us anymore?” Straw said. “There are great dreams of North American integration, but … people might say that a lot of those dreams have been blocked, disappointed and so on, so I’m very interested in anyone who addresses the question of ‘what does North America mean?’ ” Following the lecture, wine was served in another room, where the audience socialized amongst themselves and posed questions to Clarkson.

Audience members were impressed by Clarkson’s extensive knowledge on the subject of North American politics and economics, and were grateful for the opportunity to hear him speak.

“I expected a renowned member of the academic community to give a thrilling talk about economics, [and] it was quite impressive,” Ben Palevski, U2 engineering, said.

“Including the fact that it was accessible to pretty much anyone who wanted to go, the speaker seemed very well-versed in his material. It didn’t even look like he had prepared—[it appeared as if] he just got up and started talking about his research.”

opinion

THE Mcgill

TRIBUNE www.mcgilltribune.com

Editor-in-Chief Elisa Muyl editor@mcgilltribune.com Managing Editors Carolina Millán Ronchetti cmillanronchetti@mcgilltribune.com Adam Sadinsky asadinsky@mcgilltribune.com

editorial

Aboriginal Studies program at McGill long overdue Last Friday’s fantastic Pow Wow brought an explosion of native culture to McGill’s campus.

The events of Aboriginal Awareness Week bring the discussion of First Nations issues to the forefront, and though the week has only just begun, it has already rekindled calls from students and faculty for McGill to institute an undergraduate program in Aboriginal Studies.

Aboriginal issues continue to be a major concern for Canada. Few internal Canadian affairs receive as much international scrutiny as the record of our country’s dealings with First Nations peoples. Last February, a United Nations committee condemned the existing health and education gap between First Nations communities and the rest of Canada. The panel pointedly asked why more progress had not been made.

Data from Aboriginal communities over the past decade hardly show improvement. Aboriginal students are four to six times more likely to drop out of high school than non-Aboriginal Canadians.

Compared to the general population, five to six times as many Aboriginal people live in overcrowded conditions on reserves and in northern communities. Recurring reports of the lack of access to the most essential of needs—such as clean drinking water and basic medical care on reserves and in the North—put Canada to shame.

Such neglect reflects how removed these issues remain from the Canadian political sphere. Canadians need to be more aware of the state of some of their country’s most marginalized citizens. If McGill hopes to develop the future leaders of Canada, the challenges faced by

Aboriginal communities cannot go unaddressed in its curricula.

The Tribune urges the faculty of arts to develop a major—or at the very least, an interdisciplinary minor—in Aboriginal Studies. Such a program is feasible in part because it would not necessarily require the development of new courses. Rather, it would involve piecing together relevant, existing classes from disciplines like Canadian studies, anthropology, history, social studies of medicine, and political science.

Such a program would give interested students tools to make informed decisions about the future of Canada—and the role this continent’s first people must play in shaping that future.

An Aboriginal Studies program has both a symbolic and practical role. On one hand, investment in such a program would re-affirm

McGill’s commitment to Aboriginal affairs and heritage, and would broaden the scope of its involvement in improving the livelihood of First Nations people. On a more pragmatic level, such a program would provide interested students with a comprehensive survey of Aboriginal history, culture, and politics, as well as a holistic understanding of how Canada can best serve that growing population. Only from there can true activism, outreach, and political change begin to take place.

With clear student interest— and a pressing need to educate a new generation about the mistakes of an earlier one—there is no longer an excuse for McGill to let yet another year, and another Aboriginal Awareness Week, pass without a structured academic program in Aboriginal Studies.

Adam Sadinsky Managing Editor

Cheering for Israel in the World Baseball Classic? It’s not just my imagination Benedict Anderson, political scientist and scholar of nationalism, defines a nation as an “imagined community”; a group of people too large to have all met but with bonds—including any or all of blood, language, a common history, specific territory, and so on—that allows them to believe that they are travelling through history together.

Coincidentally, in a week in which I have studied Anderson’s theory in two courses, I have confronted my own questions about which nation, or nations, I belong to.

On Wednesday, the Israeli baseball team played its first game in the qualifying round for the World Baseball Classic in 2013. While Israel has, in the past, patched together national teams to compete in small tournaments like the European Championships, nothing compares to the money, prestige, and media attention of baseball’s marquee international event. Qualifying meant

News Editors Bea Britneff and Erica Friesen news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editor Anand Bery opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editor Leigh Miller scitech@mcgilltribune.com Student Living Editor Jacqui Galbraith studentliving@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editors Chris Liu and Ilia Blinderman arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Steven Lampert and Jeff Downey sports@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editors Alexandra Allaire and Simon Poitrimolt photo@mcgilltribune.com Senior Design Editor Susanne Wang design@mcgilltribune.com Design Editor Heather Lee design@mcgilltribune.com Online Editor Victor Temprano online@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Adrien Hu copy@mcgilltribune.com Advertising Manager Myriam Richard cpm@ssmu.mcgill.ca

off the board a chance to compete with teams from the United States, Japan, and the Dominican Republic, as well as an opportunity to be crowned World Champions.

But this Israeli team was special. International baseball rules require not that a player be a citizen of a country, but that he have the ability to become a citizen of the nation he wishes to represent. Israel’s immigration laws, recognizing the fundamental Jewish character of the state, allow anyone with at least one Jewish grandparent to immigrate and become a citizen. This stands as a legacy of the brutal Nuremberg Laws of Nazi Germany, which used that criteria as an answer to the question, “Who is a Jew?” Israel’s laws, therefore, mean that any Jew in the world can represent it in baseball on the international stage. Although the team does boast three Israeli-born players— pitcher Shlomo Lipetz made it into the ninth inning of the team’s first game—it is essentially a collection of the best Jewish baseball talent not playing in the Major Leagues. If Israel had qualified for the Classic (they lost an extra-inning thriller in the final game against Spain), these players would likely have been replaced by household names like Ryan Braun, Ian Kinsler, and Kevin Youkilis, who are all Jewish. This has led to a rallying effect from significant parts of American Jewry to get behind the

Production Manager Sam Reynolds sreynolds@mcgilltribune.com

Publisher Chad Ronalds

Israeli team in its efforts to qualify.

As a sports fan, a political science student, and a Jew, this essentially consumed my life all week.

By Anderson’s definition, the Jewish people are a nation. Though these are baseball players I have never met and likely will never meet—Lipetz did accept my Facebook friend request (creepy or legitimate expression of pride? You decide)—I feel a historic connection to them and to their quest for baseball glory. This is not merely a religious connection. Orthodox Judaism—which recognizes only those with a Jewish mother as being “legally” Jewish—would not consider many of these players as “members of the tribe.” However, the fact that they have chosen to wear the Star of David on their hat is enough for me.

They are representing me on that field because we are members of the same nation, connected by language, blood, a shared history, and a love of the game of baseball.

What I’ve learned, however, is that one person can have more than one nation. Whenever I go back home, my bed is covered with news clippings on the exploits of both Jewish and Canadian athletes my father feels I should know about.

As fervent as I was in my support of the Israeli team, I closely followed the story of the Canadian squad as it successfully qualified from the Regensburg, Germany bracket. I

share something with those players as well: two languages, a common history, and a love of baseball (and hockey).

Much has been made of the connections between sports and politics, and particularly nationalism.

This week, my geography professor asked how many students supported their countries at the Olympics this summer and nearly everyone raised their hand. While Anderson might argue that nationalism is an “imagined” social construct, the responses of the students in that class and the thousands of American Jews following the Israeli baseball team confirm that the feelings associated with it are real, and that they can be positive. In an interview with the Palm Beach Post, Lipetz said that hopefully the efforts of this team will lead to “one less tank and one more baseball.” In our lifetime Shlomo, in our lifetime.

This time of year on the Jewish calendar, the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, calls for one to reflect on her or his life and to take stock of how we can grow in the upcoming New Year. While I experienced this in synagogue, atoning for my sins and determining how to become a better person, one of my greatest revelations may have come in front of my television: I am a member of both a Jewish and a Canadian nation … and I love the game of baseball. And that is good.

TPS Board of Directors Shannon Kimball (Chair): chair@mcgilltribune.com, Bea Britneff, Jacob Hardy, Elisa Muyl, Jonathan Newburgh, Maria Surilas

Contributors

Mido Assran, Rebecca Babcock, Hrant Bardakjian, Laura Douglas, Natasha Fenn, Eliyahu Freedman, Christy Frost, Emma Hambly, Eliot Herzig, Caity Hui, James Hutchingame, Cecilie Jensen, Anna Katycheva, Mike King, Alex Kpeglo-Hennessy, Peter Laing, Christos Lazaris, Jimmy Lou, Bronte Martin, Lauren Mokry, Abraham Moussako, Phi Nguyen, Luke Orlando, Sarah Papadopoli, Shyam Patel, Cassandra Rogers, Bharat Srinivasa, Karla Stasiak, Meaghan Tardif-Bennett, Josh Walker, Susan Westfall

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Advertising Brown Student Building Suite 1200, 3600 McTavish Montreal, QC H3A 1Y2 T: 514.398.6835 F: 514.398.7490 The McGill Tribune is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Société de Publication de la Tribune, a student society of McGill University. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of The McGill Tribune and the Société de Publication de la Tribune, and does not necessarily represent the views of McGill University.

Letters to the editor may be sent to editor@mcgilltribune.com and must include the contributor’s name, program and year and contact information. Letters should be kept under 300 words and submitted only to the Tribune. Submissions judged by the Tribune Publication Society to be libellous, sexist, racist, homophobic or solely promotional in nature will not be published. The Tribune reserves the right to edit all contributions. Editorials are decided upon and written by the editorial board. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the McGill Tribune, its editors or its staff. Please recycle this newspaper.

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columnists Where’s representation when you need it?

In defence of a student-run café on campus

Shyam Patel Guest commentary Last year, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) hurried to finalize plans for a studentrun café project, both in response to the closure of the Architecture Café and due to high student interest.

The Student-Run Café (SRC) has been highly discussed and anticipated in recent years. It first gained widespread support, then was temporarily put on hold—in response to concerns raised at an internal level—without adequate student consultation. In 2007, SSMU Council decided to sub-lease a space to Café Supreme, rather than selecting one of the student-run alternatives. Following this decision, 2008-2009 SSMU President, Kay Turner, invested substantial time in trying to revive the project, only to be faced with the resignation of the VP Finance and Operations. Since

Turner’s tenure, subsequent SSMU executives have discussed the concept, but it never got off the ground.

That all changed when last year’s team ended the hiatus by striking a Working Group and establishing a case competition to realize the project.

Through my own experience with SSMU, I realized, and now admittedly confess, that discontinuity between the society and the student body is characterized by hurdles of red tape and unnecessary bureaucracy. The SRC would help cut away some of that red tape by creating a sense of community and collectivism. It would also empower students to be a part of the decision-making process without having to deal with bureaucracy. This is something the SRC Working Group, established to create a business plan and conduct research before the 2013 launch,

Moral Superiority and Student Politics On the sanctimoniousness of student radicalism

Abraham Moussako

Guest commentary

As this term progresses, many of the usual routines of the year are fast returning to focus. Due dates are beginning their slow, inexorable evolution from abstractions printed on syllabi to concrete time commitments and nights of lost sleep. Libraries are, again, beginning to fill with students, and class schedules are now set in the stone of the Minerva menu.

One of the things that has not come back with such speed is student politics, and for this we should be thankful. Sure, we’ve once again been subjected to the tiresome debate over whether frosh is an incubator of racist, patriarchal rape culture, but in general, the mood around campus is pretty calm compared to this time last year, when the MUNACA strike was giving campus opinion pages

more than enough fiery rhetoric to work with.

And so, in this time of calm, I thought it would be useful to examine one of the main streams of thought that runs through the ranks of the more politically-minded on campus. There’s a prevailing view that involvement in student politics—and only on one ideological side—is not simply one of many perfectly legitimate and fulfilling uses of time, but an action that is on a higher moral plane than any other.

Before we look closely at this phenomenon, let me unequivocally announce that there is no moral virtue to campus politics. The stakes of most political debates on campus are astonishingly small; a student café here, a symbolic condemnation there, and even in the cases where they are not—as in the cases

strongly believed to be lacking at the student union level.

To move forward with this project, I really believe that the endeavour should not solely focus on product differentiation, but instead, should set itself apart in the services it offers. The space must go beyond coffee and tea; it can be used to facilitate fundraisers for student groups, create meeting spaces, serve as a forum to display art, and establish working opportunities. The café needs to be branded from a community perspective, and it helps that there has already been an outcry for SSMU to move forward with the SRC. What are we so scared of, then?

Probably the finances. SSMU has an investment portfolio of $2.3 million. As a not-for-profit, SSMU established a long-term financial plan last year with a list of projects to be covered through this fund. This includes initial costs of the university’s decision to offset utilities costs to the SSMU and an SRC. The most consistent argument against the SRC that I’ve heard is heavily related to

funding, and this worry is understandable. However, students have proven that they can manage budgets and work proactively to tackle fiscal concerns. Furthermore, it’s interesting to consider that the SSMU has put a halt to the SRC project due to monetary issues, after the 20102011 team granted the Gerts Renovations project about $450,000 in funding, fully aware of the SSMU’s lease issues (SSMU has entered its fourth consecutive year of lease negotiations with the university). It baffles me how money is found for so many projects, while the SRC just takes a back seat every time.

Learning from the past is indispensible. It seems that anyone who opposes the SRC always takes it back to Haven Books—the student-run bookstore that went under in early 2010, after running a near $200,000 deficit. I admit Haven Books was the epitome of a poor operation; however, its downfall was central to location and mismanagement. SSMU should learn from its mistakes and finally adopt an SRC concept over sub-leasing spaces to

commercial tenants; especially since rent from tenants is not the main source of SSMU’s revenue stream.

Mini Courses is SSMU’s only fully student-run operation, and it has managed to perform quite well. I think this result can be replicated by the SRC. Furthermore, other student unions in Quebec, such as Université Laval and Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), have established successful models for their SRCs. It’s a real shame that SSMU has been unable to respond to one of the most reverberating student demands. I think we need to stop stalling and move forward with this development. You’d hope that five years of student demand and effort is more than enough justification.

I will discuss—the issues are complex, morally ambiguous matters of economics and politics that students have a perfect right not to care about. Simply paying tuition at this institution does not obligate one to attend a General Assembly, and the low turnout at most of these events is a very democratic demonstration of people voting with their feet, and with their time.

We start our look back with the MUNACA strike. Anyone reading campus media immediately after the strike began would have been besieged with exhortations to join a labour action that “ideologically parallels students’ struggles against tuition hikes and austerity measures.”

(McGill Daily, Sept 8., 2011) Such language made clear a moral implication. To not support MUNACA wasn’t simply a decision to ignore or reach a different conclusion on the merits of a labour dispute. Rather, it was a decision to turn one’s back on a critical front in some sort of social justice struggle.

The turn to winter and the spec-

tre of the provincial student strike merely served to raise the volume of such moralizing. A group attempting to put forth a strike vote in the Faculty of Science argued, in an open letter, that “being politically neutral does not mean withdrawing from a situation, but, rather, being inactive when injustices are committed.” The writers went on to proclaim that university students have a “duty” to engage in their politics, which in their case, meant voting for the strike.

And engage in politics students did, packing the AUS to vote on the strike, just as they were exhorted to—again, as a moral obligation— by activist forces on campus. There, the script took an unexpected turn, and students narrowly rejected the strike motion. Suddenly, the rhetoric changed. Participating in campus politics was not a sign of an advanced political consciousness or a deeper understanding of global injustice. Instead, the decision was seen as merely a temper tantrum of a privileged majority at McGill. A student columnist in the days afterward

went as far to argue that a minimum quorum passage of the strike vote would have been better than “McGill students being unusually politicized for six hours.”

This reveals the contradiction at work. It would be bad enough if these ideologues viewed any participation in campus politics as morally superior to doing other things, but it seems only participation on a particular side is virtuous. Those who would organize from somewhere closer to the political mainstream are “destructive,” as was said of last year’s QPIRG opt-out campaign.

On some level, this is unsurprising. When you approach the world from the sort of stark, good vs. evil viewpoint that would make Rumsfeld and company proud, it’s pretty easy to see anything less than strident advocacy in your favor as a grievous moral lapse. As the political skirmishes of this year begin to shape up, it would be instructive to see if we will again be subjected to these sanctimonious appeals.

through the tremendous enthusiasm the Sustainable Case Competition had last year, the anger around the Architecture Café’s closure, and general awesomeness of cheap, vegetarian food cooked by students in the Shatner building. I very much hope the SSMU Executives reverses their decision, turning our stumbling blocks into stepping-stones. I

hope students play an active role in pushing their elected representatives to fight for this delicious, worthy cause!

Shyam is the former SSMU VP Finance and Operations. He spearheaded the Student-Run Café initiative last year in this capacity.

letter to the editor As a former SSMU Councillor, two-time meal plan holder, and frequent visitor of the Shatner Building, I was extremely disappointed to read of the current SSMU executives’ plan to delay the creation of a Student-Run Café in the Shatner building. A Student-Run Café is about social and environmental sustainability; it’s about equity, and

offering cheap, healthy, vegetarianfriendly food to hungry students; it’s about further entrenching McGill students’ efforts in supporting local and sustainable food systems; it’s about creating a culture of students doing it ourselves and building community as opposed to being reliant on others. It is about mason jars, cheap coffee, rice and beans,

food co-ops, local farmers, comfy couches, and good vibes. It would be nice if we turned a profit, but it would be even better if we refused to pay increased utility fees or otherwise found a way to make the project viable.

I am confident McGill students will continue to push for the development of this project, as seen

­—Eliyahu Freedman U3 Arts Former SSMU Councillor 2010-2011

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ACROSS 1. Engineers folly? two words continued on 12 down 6. Tadpole embryo 14. Part of the heart 15. Colloquial for ‘gave consent’ 16. “a dump” (Swedish) 17. Fizzy drink 19. OAP venue 22. Sports clothes, Nike 23. Movie about robot boy (2001) 24. Fried Chicken 27. Believes others are inferior 30. 25 down for Arts 35. Greek mythology: Goddess of sea and sky 37: “Circular Market” in heart of New Delhi, India 39: Flattery 40. Economic mineral deposit 41. 25 down for Management 43. CO(NH2)2 44. Slavic monarch 46. Han 47. Half 48. Lilo&Stich: experiment 001 50. Two of the same 52. Abbr. Air mail between two countries, but surface mail at origin 53. Internet country code for Republic of Niger

55. Large body of water 57. August 28th, 2012 event 64. Make amends 65. Seeker for the Irish National Quidditch Team; _____LYNCH 66. 25 down, with Turtles 69. Dori actress 70. Original exercise bike 71. City in West Yorkshire, England.

DOWN 2. Promise 3. A room connector 4. Make a mistake 5. Semi-aquatic mammals 7. To lash/rush out (French) 8. Rumor about others 9. Capt. of a Winter Olympic Sport 10. Grocery shop near Concordia 11. Yes! (Arghh) 12. See 1 across 13. Abbr. of Capital of India 16. Abbr. of Holiness 17. Pressure unit 18. Seed mistaken for vegetable 20. A game with randomly drawn numbers 21. Jungian psychology term 24. Scotland apparels 25. Social “orientation” at McGill 26. Fall beverage

28. Accident noise 29. Unknown underwater frequency detected by U.S. NOAA in 1997 31. Abbr. for rock magazine 32. Nostrils 33. Tan espresso layer 34. Digital courier 36. Font Tails 38. “Queen of Jazz” 42. First open-source religion.

45. Tin 49. ‘Misbehaving’ yarn 51. 2012 remake that features “the Fall” 54. UK automobile magazine 56. Quick and coordinated 57. The second French word one learns 58. Abbr. of cancelled 59. Organic chemistry suffix 60. Common in 34 down 61. Idea (French) 62. Aircraft and famer common ground 63. e based.

66. “___, myself and I” 67. Okinawan martial arts suffix 68. Abbr. The Natural State

Edited by Leigh Miller

Solutions available at www.mcgilltribune.com

EVENT

Third annual Science and Policy Exchange

Conference allows grad students to learn about, and weigh in on the future of science policy in Quebec these reports called for improved health care system management.

Theriault believes students will play an important role in ensuring adequate implementation of these policy changes in the future.

“Students are the future policy makers, future politicians and future business leaders—this is the demographic group that should be most concerned about the future,” he said.

Bharat Srinivasa Contributor On Friday, Sept. 14, a group of graduate students, professors, policy-makers, and entrepreneurs gathered in the McGill Faculty Club ballroom to attend the third annual Science and Policy Exchange.

The conference featured panel speakers from government, industry, and academia. The sessions covered three topics: sustainable policymaking, the 2014 health care reform, and science literacy in Quebec.

According to Janet Prince, director of the Science and Policy Exchange organization and PhD candidate in neurology and neurosurgery at McGill, the mission of the conference was “to give students an opportunity to discuss [science and policy issues] with decision-makers in Quebec and at a federal level.”

“You can have people at a government and industry level that never hear the voice of students, and vice versa,” she said.

Vasanth Ramamurthy, a PhD student in his final year in experimental medicine at McGill, attended the conference hoping to learn how his research could be used on a larger scale, and how businesses and policy-makers look at the work being done by PhD students.

“Events like these are a great way for students to learn how they can apply their talents to the bigger picture,” Ramamurthy said.

The Science Policy Exchange is an annual event. The organization is run by a team of volunteers, graduate, and postdoctoral students from McGill University, Université de Montréal, and Polytechnique Montréal. The board of directors has members from both McGill and Concordia.

Laurin Liu at the Science and Policy Exchange (Cassandra Rogers / McGill Tribune) Sustainable Policy-Making Accoring to a recent report by the World Economic Forum, Canada placed 14th out of 17 developed countries in innovation.

Federally-appointed panelists at the Science and Policy Exchange focused on the disconnect between sustainable technology breakthroughs and commercially available products, as well as their impact on Canadian innovation.

“Despite strong research, breakthroughs are not leading to commercialization and investment because Canada lacks an innovation policy,” CEO of Polytechnics Canada and member of the Jenkins panel Nobina Robinson said. The Jenkins panel was charged with leading a review of federal support to research and development.

In 2011, the Jenkins panel published a report, calling for changes in tax policy and trade, in addition to stronger government focus on developing the research it funds into commercial products.

According to Laurin Liu, NDP member of parliament and McGill aluminus, the problem stems from a lack of support for researchoriented companies.

“Cutting science funding is a debt we are leaving for future generations,” she said of federal programs like Canada’s Major Resources Support.

Health Care Reform Despite a common assumption that Quebec’s aging population is the largest financial burden on the health care system, panelists agreed that other factors, such as improper management, costly novel technologies, and the privatization of certain aspects of health care account for the burgeoning costs.

The health care reform, slated for 2014, will be based on 18 reports generated over the last 15 years, outlining problems facing the system. Louis Theriault, director of health economics at the Conference Board of Canada, says half of the 432 recommendations in

Science Literacy In general, students are showing less interest in science, according to Johanne Patry, an expert in education and chair of Science on Stage Canada. She partly attributes this lack of interest to a failure by teachers to impart a passion for science to students.

“Rather than reaching [out to] students, we should reach teachers, since that reaches a thousand students,” Patry said.

Quebec’s first Chief Scientist Remi Quirion, was the panel’s keynote speaker.

Quirion chairs the board of directors for the three Fonds de Recherche du Quebec (FRQ), which work to ensure that Quebec retains its best researchers and students.

Quirion said that Quebec is working to create an environment to attract the best students with challenging programs and by making sure that the research is well-funded.

According to Quirion, schools in Quebec can “give the best minds an edge—in Quebec, given our culture, bilingualism, or maybe speaking three languages, can give you an edge.”

Curiosity delivers. |

SCIENCE & TECH

| Tuesday, September 25, 2012

RESEARCH

9

Some smokers’ genes make it harder to kick the habit Researchers investigate the role of nicotine metabolism in addiction Lauren Mokry Contributor According to Health Canada, approximately 37,000 deaths each year in Canada can be attributed to tobacco use, racking up $4.4 billion in hospital bills. Although the adverse health effects of smoking are well-known—thanks in part to the government’s anti-smoking campaigns—many have difficulty quitting, despite a variety of available cessation drugs. New research demonstrates that this may have to do with smokers’ genetics.

A recent study at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (the Neuro) focuses on the role that genetics play in the ability to stop smoking, and that information can be used to help more people quit successfully. It is well established that nicotine is the driving agent in smoking addictions. Studies have shown that smokers can be grouped into two genetic categories: those who metabolize nicotine quickly, and those who metabolize it slowly.

Dr. Alain Dagher, a McGill researcher at the Neuro, is among those examining the implications of these genetic traits of smokers.

A recent experiment he conducted

sought to highlight the differences in response between fast and slow nicotine metabolizers, and how this variability could play a role in an individual’s struggle to quit smoking.

Nicotine is believed to work through the brain’s reward pathway.

The reward pathway is the body’s way of encouraging good evolutionary behaviour. Activities like eating or having sex trigger the release of chemicals in the brain that give us a feeling of pleasure. Nicotine causes the brain to release the same chemicals.

A fast nicotine metabolism is characterized by a surge in blood nicotine level after smoking a cigarette; this is fleeting, and nicotine levels begin to normalize within minutes.

A slow metabolism means nicotine levels stay constant throughout the day. Slow metabolizers have a mutation in the enzyme that breaks down nicotine; this means their body is less efficient at breaking down the chemical compound.

Fast metabolizers become conditioned to this pleasure hit over time, and their brain associates nicotine surges with cigarettes. The close association renders this subset of the smoking population more reactive to smoking cues, such as images of

cigarettes.

However, in the case of slow metabolizers, “there is never an explicit pairing in the brain between smoking and nicotine levels” Dagher said, because the nicotine levels stay constant. This variability between these two genetic pools of smokers means different cues drive them to reach for a cigarette.

Dagher tested this hypothesis by exposing each metabolic group to a smoking video and measured participants’ brains’ response through a functional MRI. He found that fast metabolizers’ brains had more active responses to cigarette cues than those of slow metabolizers. The more intense the brain’s response to smoking cues, the less likely that a smoker will be able to quit successfully.

The image of a cigarette or a person smoking is therefore more likely to trigger the desire to smoke in a fast metabolizer, while the slow metabolizer’s desire would stem from withdrawal symptoms when nicotine levels fall below a certain threshold.

Thus, fast metabolizers are more likely to relapse when exposed to smoking situations. These include exposure to images of cigarettes and

Cigarette images may cause cravings for some. (thebetterwaytosmoke.com)

stressful situations. In addition, fast metabolizers are unlikely to benefit from the majority of cessation products, such as Nicorette, which work by providing a slow release of nicotine into the blood stream. “[Fast metabolizers] might benefit from behavioral therapy, where they learn how to deal with their cravings,” Dagher said.

Conversely, slow metabolizers, who smoke to maintain nicotine

levels, might find cessation products helpful in their quest to quit.

Dagher believes that the future of smoking cessation involves tailoring a quitting regime to a patient’s genome. Identifying how they metabolize nicotine will help quitters succeed. According to Dagher, the nicotine metabolizing enzyme is “easy to test for, the test just isn’t widely available.”

TECHNOLOGY

How social media is changing science Facebook catalyzes collaboration, science literacy, and a sense of wonder Caity Hui Contributor Early in 2011, Ichthyologist (fish biologist) Brian Sidlauskas led an expedition to catalogue biodiversity in a remote river in Guyana. His goal was to bring back over 5,000 fish. According to Guyana’s customs laws, in order remove specimens from the country, each must be documented and identified. This presented an obstacle for Sidlauskas, considering the number of specimens he wished to obtain.

To complete this task, Sidlauskas appealed to an unlikely tool: Facebook. Rather than spend months cataloguing and documenting fish, Sidlauskas uploaded all of his photographs to Facebook and tagged researchers from around the world who might be able to help identify the fish. In less than twenty four hours, Sidlauskas and his team were able to identify all 5,000 specimens.

The general proliferation of social media has had interesting implications for scientific research.

In addition to cutting cumbersome research corners, social media has also become an important tool for improving scientific literacy.

Until recently, the general public’s access to science has been limited to few channels: thick journals tucked away on library shelves, intimidating research papers, or scientific documentaries on TV. While documentaries like Planet Earth and magazines such as Scientific American are evidence that, for decades, scientists have attempted to make their areas of expertise more accessible, the scientific community continues to be perceived as inaccessible to many. This issue is not limited to those considering dabbling in the field—even students studying science have struggled to find methods of maintaining an up– to–date understanding of the subject without an excessive time investment.

However, social media has begun to improve the public’s user interface with science. Websites such as Facebook and Twitter are not only changing how scientific

discoveries are perceived, they are also making these ideas much more accessible, providing resources by which information is readily available in short, condensed formats, social media allows anyone with even a remote interest in the subject to access this knowledge in a matter of seconds.

The Facebook page ‘I Fucking Love Science’ is one testament to this development. The page describes itself as a “community built for the posting and sharing of scientific updates, quotes… and photographs…dedicated to bringing the amazing world of science straight to your newsfeed in an amusing and accessible way.”

The page features quirky posts accompanied by eye-catching images. Furthermore, each blurb is written in layman’s terms. This is a conscious choice to avoid overburdening the site with scientific terms—or defining them if they must be used— allowing just about anyone to appreciate the information.

The intertwining of social media with science has a good

A meme featured on IFLS. (facebook.com/IFeakingLoveScience) chance to break down the barrier between the public and the scientific community. The web has allowed science to grab the attention of a much larger audience; 1.1 million people ‘like’ the ‘I F***ing Love Science’ page, and the Mars Rover’s Twitter account, @MarsCuriosity, has about 1.2 million followers.

Whether it is a Facebook page dedicated to presenting scientific updates, or funny Tweets by a space rover, this popularization of science has increased interest in people of a variety of ages and backgrounds interested in new discoveries.

imolt, r t i o P Simon atycheva y b s o t o K Ph , Anna g n i K e Mik

o M p o P

l a e r 2 1 t 0 2 n

student living student

Q: WHY ARE YOU AN ASSET TO MCGILL? A: Because I add to the culture on campus.

Q: IPHONE OR BLACKBERRY? A: Blackberry. Actually, I have a flackberry.

Q: WHICH NEW REALITY TV SHOW WOULD YOU RATHER WATCH—THE ONE WITH CLINT EASTWOOD’S WIFE, OR THE ONE WITH THE JONAS BROTHER? A: Oh man. Clint Eastwood’s wife.

‘Cause like, Clint Eastwood’s crazy.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR SECRET TALENT? A: I can bend like the first knuckle of my middle finger without bending the second one at all. It’s super important.

Meghan McNeil U1 Arts Anthropology (Carolina Millán Ronchetti / McGill Tribune)

Q: IF YOU COULD HIGH FIVE ANYONE, DEAD OR ALIVE, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? A: Oh. Do they have to be real?

Definitely Edward Scissorhands.

of the week with Jacqui Galbraith Q: WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE CHILDHOOD TELEVISION SHOW? A: Dude. Adventure Time’s pretty great. But from my childhood? All That. I watched All That like it was nobody’s business.

‘Cause like, I go hard.

Q: IF YOU WERE A PIECE OF FURNITURE IN THE SSMU LOUNGE, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU BE AND WHY? A: I’ve never actually been in the SSMU lounge, so…

Q: WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO STRESSBUSTER? A: Miss Pettrigrew Lives For a Day— it’s a movie.

Q: IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME TO ANY HISTORICAL EVENT, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU GO TO AND WHY? A: That’s actually really difficult. I’d probably go back to when they were making the cave paintings.

Q: NAME ONE BOOK YOU’LL NEVER GET SICK OF READING. A: Twilight. It’s awesome.

Q: NIKE OR ADIDAS? A: Adidas

Q: WHO WOULD STAR IN THE MOVIE OF YOUR LIFE? A: Married to Will Smith… Jada Pinkett Smith.

Q: BON IVER OR ARCADE FIRE? A: I don’t really know either of them. I live in a hole…

Q: WORST WAY TO OPEN UP A CONVERSATION? A: “Have you met…?” (How I Met Your Mother-style).

Q: WHERE IS NEXT ON YOUR TRAVELING BUCKET LIST? A: I really want to go to Morocco, but I feel like I have to do a lot more homework on it before I go. So it’s not going to be soon.

Q: WHAT REALITY TV SHOW ARE YOU PERFECT FOR? A: I want to say 16 and Pregnant, but I missed the deadline for that one.

Q: WHO’S YOUR FAVOURITE NFL PLAYER? A: Troy Polamalu, from the Head and Shoulders commercials.

Q: NAME ONE FASHION TREND YOU’LL NEVER TRY AGAIN. A: Gaucho pants. They look like a skirt on each leg and they’re hideous and nobody looks good in them.

Q: WHAT’S YOUR SIGNATURE DRINK? A: Gin and Tonic.

Q: WHAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN I SAY MCCONNELL? A: Ew. Q: DESCRIBE MCGILL IN THREE WORDS. A: Cold, hipster, awesome.

Recipes

Three quick, easy, and tasty desserts

Your new go-to desserts when ice cream just won’t cut it Jacqui Galbraith Student Living Editor

Chocolate candy cups You will need: 2 bags chocolate chips (amount varies depending on how many you want to make) 1 bag balloons Parchment paper Baking sheet Your favourite candy This recipe requires a little more finesse, as the balloon factor can be tricky. You might lose a few cups in the process, but if you practice enough, I guarantee you can perfect this technique and add a cute, unique dessert to your repertoire. First, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Next, blow up however many balloons you need to correspond to the number of cups you want to make. Each balloon should be about the size of an orange. Melt the chocolate chips, either in the microwave or by double-boiling (the latter will yield better results but requires more effort).

Once the chocolate is melted, dip the bottom of each balloon into the bowl until they are thoroughly coated. Place each coated balloon on the baking sheet, chocolate side down.

Leave until thoroughly cooled and hardened. Now comes the hardest part: popping the balloons. I recommend simply poking a tiny hole and letting the air stream out slowly, but just popping them can be more fun.

Once the air is out of the balloon, carefully peel it out of the chocolate shell, and voila! Now, fill your chocolate cups with whatever takes your fancy: candy, more chocolate, fruit, ice cream, whipped cream — the opportunities are endless!

Chocolate-covered

kiwi pops Frozen smoothie cubes: You will need: Your favourite fruit A Blender Ice tray (empty) Tooth picks This could not be faster or more idiot-proof (for those of us who feel not exactly at home in the kitchen). Simply add your favourite fruit or mix of fruits into your blender, and blend it to a smoothielike consistency (don’t forget to put the lid on). Pour the smoothie into an empty ice tray; if it is already thick enough, stick a toothpick in each cube right away. If not, put the tray in the freezer and wait 15 minutes to half an hour, then add the tooth picks. Leave in a freezer until completely frozen, and remove as you would an icecube—whenever you want a tasty frozen treat!

You will need: Kiwis (1 will make about 5 pops) 1 bag chocolate chips Popsicle sticks Baking sheet Parchment paper This recipe is simple, easy, and borderline healthy. Just take your kiwi, peel it, and slice it into pieces about half an inch thick. Put a popsicle stick about half-way into each

slice, trying to keep it as close to the centre as possible. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the kiwi pops on top. Next, melt the chocolate chips (for best results, use the double boiling method, but microwaving works too in a pinch).

Once your chocolate is melted and fully liquid in form, pour it into a shallow bowl or plate. Take one kiwi slice at a time and coat each side evenly with chocolate. Once coated, lay each kiwi pop on the parchment-covered baking sheet.

When you’ve filled your sheet, place it in the freezer, and leave until fully frozen.

Photos from opensourcefood. com, chockohlawtay.blogspot.ca, sweetannas.com

Curiosity delivers. |

STUDENT LIVING

| Tuesday, September 25, 2012

13

restaurant reviews

Montreal’s favourite vegetarian digs The Tribune tells you where to go to get your veggie fix Susan Westfall Contributor

Lola Rosa Location: 545 Milton Price: $10-$15 per plate If you have not discovered Lola Rosa yet, you should visit soon. Packed from open to close, this bistro is situated in the heart of the ghetto, and serves succulent vegetarian cuisine with both American and international flavours. Lola Rosa offers veggie burgers, quiche, chili, savoury phyllo-pastries, curries, and features desserts to die for such as the key-lime pie and vegan chocolate cake. Lola Rosa’s fresh, generous portions and offer a taste bursting with flavour, it will always leave you coming back for more.

Plan ahead as this cozy gem nearly always requires a reservation. During peak hours, although the service can be slow at those times, the historical notes in your table’s drawers provide whimsical entertainment.

If you’re looking for a taste of Lola Rosa on campus, you’re in luck!

Lola Rosa Express is now open in the SSMU building.

Aux Vivres Location: 4631 Boul. St-Laurent Price: $10-$15 per plate

ambiance threaten you—it adds to the experience of authentic Indian cuisine.

Classic and fresh, the staple of Montreal’s vegan scene has to be Aux Vivres. Choose from a variety of meat substitutes or indulge in the famous bowls filled with organic brown rice, an array of crunchy vegetables, tofu, and a sauce bursting with flavour. Aux Vivres is definitely an indulgence on the vegan side of the Plateau.

ChuChai Location: 4088, Rue St-Denis, (corner of Duluth) Price: $15-$25 per plate

Pushap Location: 5195 Rue Pare, 975 Rue Jean Talon Ouest Price: under $10 per plate Indian cuisine is full of complex vegetarian flavours. Pushap is both a restaurant and a well-known gold mine of Indian sweets, laden with sugar, milk and ghee (clarified butter). Not only is the food authentic, spicy and bursting with a North Indian flair, but it is also incredibly cheap. Get a multi-course meal with a couple of dishes, bread, rice and dessert all for about $10, then take home a dozen of the best samosas that Montreal has to offer. Don’t let the first impression of the hectic

ChuChai is a Thai paradise for vegetarians to bring their meat-loving friends. This is the place to find the best veggie dishes that look like meat, smell like meat, and even taste like meat. Highly recommended are the ‘duck’ dishes, which may fool even the most weathered fowl connoisseur. Delicately prepared and thoughtfully delivered, the masterful vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes are moderately priced. Still, it’s worth every penny for the peace of mind afforded by the fact that the secrets of Thai cuisine can be captured without fish sauce or small meaty surprises.

Crudessence Location: 2157 Mackay Price: $15-$25 per plate The raw, the vegan, the glutenfree—crudessence offers the ultimate indulgence for those with a

Delicious vegetarian cuisine is served at Lola Rosa. (mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca) very particular palate. This trendy restaurant offers a new definition of healthy and cleansing foods. Dishes are made from the freshest, locallyproduced, and organic vegetables, artistically assembled to tempt any vegetarian’s taste buds. If you think ‘raw’ and ‘vegan’ mean salads with flavourless dressings, think again.

In addition to the raw soups and colourful salads bursting with unique aromas and succulent tastes, ChuChai offers raw pad thai and lasagna, vegan crepes, and spaghetti. Most

importantly, this place gives vegans and raw dieters the opportunity to indulge in cheesecake, brownies, crême brulée, chocolates, and cookies to satisfy their sweet tooth. Finally, this vegan haven gives you a healthy benefit with hearty smoothies and lunchtime specialties, including ‘egg’ burritos, smoked ‘salmon’ bagels, and much more!

Drink Mixes

By James Hutchingame

Root Beer Magic This is a drink for those who have a lot of money to spend on an awesome concoction for pre-drinks and parties. I cannot take full credit for this one, as it is a drink largely invented by former executives of Fight Band—McGill Alumnus Kolya Kowalchuk and SSMU President Josh Redel.

What you’ll need:

• 26 oz. bottle of Jägermeister® • 26 oz. bottle of Goldschläger® • 2L bottle of Root Beer • Vanilla (Optional)

Method

Mix all three bottles in a large bowl and serve in the fashion of Sangria, or mix individually with one part Jägermeister®, one part Goldschläger®, and two parts root beer. Feel free to add vanilla if you want an extra kick. The ratio is completely up to your discretion.

The Screamer This one may ruin the innocence of your childhood memories, but I’m going to tell you about it anyway. .

What you’ll need:

• 2L bottle of Root Beer • 1 tub of Ice cream (Vanilla or something similar) • 26 oz. bottle of Vanilla Absolut® • 26 oz. bottle of rum (any kind will do)

Method

Start with a tall glass (such as a mug or Collins Glass) and pour in 1 ¼ oz. of rum. Next up is the root beer—fill the glass with about two inches to spare at the top. Follow with a generous scoop of hard ice cream. Before adding the ice cream to the glass, scoop a small hole into the ball itself, so it can work as a sort of shot glass.

Finally, fill the hole with Vanilla Absolut®, but don’t stop when it’s full. Instead, let it run down the ice cream into the drink. Try to take a shooter of vodka out of the ice cream with your hands behind your back—it’ll be like bobbing for apples, only cooler (pun intended).

Photo from www.welovedc.com

arts & entertainment Ilia Blinderman A&E Editor

Grimes (Anna Katycheva / McGill Tribune)

I don’t order bottle service at clubs. Nor do I have ‘hook-ups,’ know ‘a guy,’ or am part of anything exclusive apart from opt-in emails regarding sales at The Gap. A media pass to POP Montreal was, therefore, a revelation. For those unlucky souls who have yet to step

onto a red carpet, this consisted of an exquisitely laminated card with my name and press affiliation, beneath a powerful bold print: ‘MÉDIA.’ My VIP grab bag included some magazines, a keychain, a bicycle bell (a prerequisite which too many grab bags often lack), and a trucker cap

(minimalist black). VIP, indeed.

Excitedly, with my lanyard adorning my heretofore-plebeian neck, I went off to see Grimes for my first show of the week. Arriving at Club Soda 15 minutes before the show, I walked up to the door and casually thumbed my pass at the bouncer.

“Media.”

In reply, he feigned interest by tugging at my lanyard and glancing in the direction of my wristband before letting me through. I entered the empty club, and assumed a spot in front of the stage.

MYTHS, the opening act, immediately made me regret this cavalier decision. Cult-like moaning, which would have been appropriate at some form of religious ritual, shrill shrieks, and one of the band members’ warning of “We’re just experimenting on you guys!” proved for an excruciating set.

The second opener, a chubby young man with unruly hair who went by the nom-de-guerre of Elite Gymnastics, was little better. After coming out in a stupor (‘Drunk or High’ is rarely a fun game to play

at concerts), Elite Gymnastics proceeded to smash a guitar on the ground following his first song, only to promptly sit down and tell us that he was uncomfortable in social situations—my apologies for gauchely coming out to see you, friend. By the time that Grimes came on, I was left with ten minutes before I had to go see another show. After a half-hour’s walk to the venue, I was so tired and frustrated at what I’d just witnessed that I decided to call it a night.

The next day, I awoke with a smile. Last night’s disappointments were no longer relevant—I was going to see St. Vincent and David Byrne perform at the Church of St. Jean Baptiste, a beautifully ornate venue. I walked along, soaked by the rain, my spirits high with the knowledge that I was about to immerse myself in a musical spectacle. When we arrived, I made sure to wonder aloud to the Tribune’s photographer: “Do you know where the press line is?”

Two girls turned around, and seeing the glint of the laminate, moved out of the way. I shot an apologetic, tight-lipped smile—

one of those arrogantly sympathetic “Sorry love, duty calls,” types. Had I a hat, I would have tipped it. When we walked up to the ticketing table, I wearily flashed the pass again.

“We’re full.”

Tipsy with the ephemeral power of exclusivity, I pressed on.

The man was clearly confused. I sympathized.

“We’re covering the show.”

“Yeah, we don’t have any more press spots. It’s full,” he said, with an alarming dose of lucidity. It seemed that I was the one who failed to grasp the situation’s finer points.

Supplicating with this gatekeeper got us nowhere. Impotent and dejected, my inflated ego feeling the pain of the proverbially hard fall, we slunk away through the rain.

There were no more shows that I had time to see. At the church, St. Vincent began to play with David Byrne. Meanwhile, I sat—once more amongst the huddled masses—trying to sate my sadness with a plate of Romados chicken.

Wrap-up Chris Liu A&E Editor My POP Montreal this year had a slow start in two ways. One: I made the decision—in retrospect, a wise one—to spend Wednesday catching up on some work (sorry Wild Nothing.) Two: the Grimes show.

Not to say that Grimes herself had a poor performance. The exMcGillian had the sold-out crowd at Club Soda roaring with approval and screaming for more. Crowd-surfing and mass-jumping ensued. The problem was with the two prior acts.

Opener MYTHS employed a bewildering mix of shrill harpie screeches and meaningless synth drone, while Elite Gymnastics, who otherwise creates good music, made the perplexing decision that smashing and punching his guitar, then moping to the audience about it after, was a good idea. My fellow A&E editor texted me, suggesting that we had accidentally stumbled across not a music venue but performance art.

I laughed, but he was more or less right.

On to Friday. I arrived at Caba-

TOPS (Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune) ret du Mile-End, damp in both body and spirits; the former due to the drizzle, and the latter to the nearempty room before me. By the time TOPS started, only a small crowd had materialized, but the intimate setting suited the dream pop quartet just fine. Acts like TOPS remind me why I love live music. In person, the bass and the guitar sounded sharper; the vocals, while suffering minor pitching issues, were nevertheless

more dynamic than their recorded counterpart. Overall, the performance was polished and confident— impressive, considering how recently the band formed.

I left the venue with high hopes for Austra­ —hopes which were quickly dashed upon sight of the line. Free shows are popular? Remarkable discovery, I know. Retreating glaciers move quicker than that line did. The only thing thicker than

the cloud of cigarette smoke was the general sense of desperation. Entering the basement venue at Mission Santa Cruz at last was like entering a sauna—one filled with respiration and sweat. All these complaints dematerialized when Austra took the stage. A set that oscillated between electro-pop and the club-floor ready kept the packed crowd in a frenzy— although how much of that delirium could be attributed to the lack of oxygen remains unclear.

A breather was needed after that, which is what Saturdays are for.

Despite the needed rest, I was kept breathless anyway, out of anticipation for Sunday’s show, the ‘Show I Would Commit Murder To See’: Grizzly Bear. The crowd at The Olympia—less jumpy than those at previous shows, but no less enthusiastic—had a healthy number of true Grizzly Bear fans. Opener Unknown Mortal Orchestra performed admirably, and clearly were having a great time themselves; but for whatever reason, their instruments had the un-

fortunate habit of bleeding together.

The result was the trading of the crisp arrangements on their album for a set that lurched too-often towards drone.

Grizzly Bear, however, elicited the loudest and most sustained cheers of any of the shows I’ve seen at POP this year. The set balanced a mixture of songs across the group’s four albums, and every individual member also juggled a variety of instruments. Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen’s vocals were a wonder to experience live; the former haunting and piercing, the latter raw and multifaceted. Everything about the experience was nothing less than surreal.

Leaving Olympia that night, I consoled myself in regards to the mountain of work waiting back home with two thoughts. One: I have enough coffee. Two: I can sleep when I’m dead. But I should add one more, the most important sentiment of all: thank you POP Montreal.

Curiosity delivers. |

Arts & Entertainment

| Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Cecilie Jensen Contributor Ever heard of Rodriguez? I hadn’t, and if it hadn’t been for POP Montreal, I probably never would have.

‘Despair’ had been my initial reaction after looking over the lineup for POP Montreal—the prospect of choosing an act from the hundreds listed seemed a torturous task.

Mustering my exchange-studententhusiasm to experience as much as Montreal has to offer, I consulted the less extensive list of free events, and rather randomly chose to attend a screening of the documentary Searching for Sugar Man, directed

by Malik Bendjelloul.

The film tells the remarkable story of American singer Rodriguez—praised as highly as his contemporary Bob Dylan by the 1970’s music elite, yet somehow failing to

Rodriquez (www.lostinthemultiplex.com)

attract the attention of the broader American public. Despite his lack of North American recognition, Rodriguez’s albums were a massive suc-

cess in South Africa—so much so that he became a mythical figure to the thousands of South Africans protesting against the apartheid regime,

15

who used his lyrics as an anti-establishment anthem. Rodriguez himself, however, was unaware of his overseas popularity, and the South Africans, being unable to find any information on their American idol, soon believed him to have suffered a tragic rock-star death.

Following in the footsteps of two dedicated South African fans, the documentary relates their efforts to trace the life (and supposed death) of this mysterious character, reaching a spectacular finåale that will leave you itching to get your hands on the nearest Rodriguez album.

Thank you, POP Montreal, for introducing me to Rodriguez—one of my most enjoyable experiences in Montreal so far.

Meaghan Tardif-Bennett Contributor

Elite Gymnastics (Anna Katycheva / McGill Tribune)

“From his

heartbreaking ballads... to his soultransforming acoustic numbers, Howard brought everyone to their feet.”

On the final evening of this year’s POP Montreal, one of Tribune’s Arts and Entertainment editors passed on the message that there was a ticket available for Ben Howard’s sold-out show that night—if I wanted it. I had been suffering from a bad cold for five days with no end in sight. However, when I was presented with such an opportunity, the only real choice I had was to go and have an absolute blast. I readily agreed.

Soon after, I arrived at Metropolis, ticket in hand, and began scouting for a slot in the front row.

First came Nashville’s home-grown Gill Landry to warm the crowd. His blues beats and vocals were good— but my fever was kicking in, and I was fading fast. As they started changing the equipment for the main act, I was debating on heading home. Debating, that is, until Ben Howard stepped on stage. The audience ignited in cheers and whistles that shook the walls—we could tell Ben was ready. From his heartbreaking ballads which left the crowd in silent awe, to his soul-transforming acoustic numbers, Howard brought everyone to their feet. Involving the audience in the echoes of his lyrics, Ben constantly seemed amazed at every response, sharing his gratitude as he left the stage, saying he “will remember this night forever.”

I exited the venue with a set list in hand and a serene calmness after the moving performance. Ben Howard not only cured my cold; he made my POP Montreal.

Ben Howard (Michael King / McGill Tribune)

16

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 |

A

Arts & Entertainment

lbum reviews

music

In concert: Passenger Jacqui Galbraith Student Living Editor

The Noble Thiefs Beyond the 11th Deck

Christopher Smith Earning Keep

Paper Lions At Long Creek

Pipe and Hat

Boompa Records

Self-released

We live in an age of the retrospective—of Adele, sampling, and electro swing. The challenge for vintage-inspired artists is updating oldies to the tastes of the 21th century. The Noble Thiefs, a Winnipegbased band, are foraying into vintage-modern territory by combining a gaggle of genres. Their debut album, Beyond the 11th Deck, mixes ‘50s/’60s era soul with reggae, rock ‘n’ roll, doo-wop, and punk.

In an ideal world, this would be a vintage music-lover’s dream: old favourite styles, in a single package, at a fabulous low price. But Beyond the 11th Deck leaves us longing for the originals. The Noble Thiefs’ tracks lack the vivacious spirit of mid-century music. Excepting the odd quirky riff and groovy solo, the guitar can be distractingly basic.

The slower songs—would-be reggae slow burns—lack fire, and fizzle out. The Noble Thiefs are renowned for their galvanizing, punky live shows—their debut recording could have used a jolt of that electricity.

Still, the album holds promise. Standout tracks “Trapped Up,” “Drive In,” and “Rise Above It” are creative and spirited. Myron Dean’s tart yet smoky vocals are captivating, full of personality, and a total throwback to dynamic soul singers of the past. Dean’s voice, and the Noble Thiefs passion for eclectic jukebox hits brim with potential. If the stars align for their sophomore album, the Noble Thiefs will have something that makes you want to swing, twist, and slam dance all at the same time.

Christopher Smith is more than just a musician. Hailing from Vancouver, Smith began as a visual artist but found the the medium’s boundaries too constricting. Naturally, he transitioned to music, and now works as a singer-songwriter.

Moving away from the sound of his previous album, The Beckon Call (2010), Earning Keep features an atmospheric, elegant assembly of neo-jazz tunes. Fans of Beirut, Patrick Watson, and Thom Yorke: pay attention.

Accompanying the expansive quality of Earning Keep are Smith’s haunting, angelic vocals. In standout songs such as “Pillars and Pyre” and “Samson,” they delicately combine with soft jazzy cymbals, trumpet, and mellow fingerpicking on the guitar. Playing around with pitch and harmony, the complexity of his songs isn’t noticeable; Smith conjures an air of nonchalance.

Although there seems to be a shared theme of affection and the notion of distance, a number of tracks seemed to be out of place.

“Chapped Lips of the Mouth Breather” seemed reluctant to succumb to Earning Keep’s overall feel. However, this distinctiveness worked in the last song, “No Light Could Pass Through Me So I Have A Shadow,” as it perks the ears of electronica and dance fans with synths and distorted electronic effects.

With a few diamonds in the rough, one can tell that Christopher Smith is still trying to find his true sound among other up-and-comers.

Earning Keep is almost there, but not quite.

Indie-rockers Paper Lions’ new acoustic EP, At Long Creek, is only one of the exciting ventures the Prince Edward Island band is embarking on this year. Other projects include the release of a full-length sophomore album this winter, and the video for their song “Travelling.”

At Long Creek is a cheerful acoustic album full of feel-good moments. The EP opens with “Ghostwriters,” a reflection on the relationships that engulf and define our lives; the song’s upbeat opening almost comes to a standstill with its poignant denouement. “Travelling” is a particular standout. The track tells the story of someone on “an open road with golden trees.” The palpable desire to explore is perhaps indicative of the experience of playing 1,300 shows around the world.

At Long Creek ends on a more sombre note with “Polly Hill.” A softly strummed guitar and evocative singing demonstrate the bittersweet feeling of leaving a small town.

Overall, the album is enjoyable and incredibly catchy. Despite this, the six songs can seem incohesive, with no overarching theme. The EP demonstrates why Paper Lions are growing in popularity, but have yet to hit the mark. These songs encapsulate a sense of weightlessness, and are a definitely worth a listen while waiting for their upcoming album.

— Emma Hambly

| Curiosity delivers.

— Alex Kpeglo-Hennessy

— Bronte Martin

www.mcgilltribune.com

At first listen, Michael Passenger—who performs under his last name—sounds akin to a mix of Ray LaMontagne, Marcus Mumford, and Ed Sheeran. Even this comparison, however, fails to do justice to his unique musical style.

There’s something hauntingly familiar, yet unplacable about his vocals, which could lead you to spend an entire concert wondering exactly who he reminds you of. Although raspy and soulful, his voice is also higher-pitched and borderline nasal at times all of which contributes to his signature, accessible sound.

Passenger’s unique vocals are matched by a mastery of guitar that shifts from raucous and upbeat to

MMPA

slow and steady as his set progresses, creating an energetically folksy vibe that feels both like a campfire and a house party, all in one show.

For songs like “Let Her Go” and “Travelling Alone,” Passenger asks the audience to dial back the noise with him, which creates an intimate atmosphere and gives him the space he needs to demonstrate exactly what he can do vocally—his switch to a cappella in “Let Her Go” was a show-stopper.

Like Ed Sheeran, who is headlining the tour, Passenger opts for crowd participation during his faster songs, and has everyone screaming along by the second chorus. The show was thoroughly enjoyable, performed by a truly professional talent who seemed genuinely excited and humbled to be on stage.

Passenger’s latest album, All The Lights, can be found on iTunes.

Master of Management & Professional Accounting

• Designed primarily for non-business undergraduates • For careers in Management, Finance and Accounting • Extremely high co-op and permanent placement To learn more about the MMPA Program, attend our information sessions: Friday, October 5, 2012 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Room 5001, Brown Student Services Bldg, 3600 McTavish, McGill University Friday, October 19, 2012 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Room 5001, Brown Student Services Bldg, 3600 McTavish, McGill University Wednesday, October 31, 2012 11:30 am – 1:30 pm Room 5001, Brown Student Services Bldg, 3600 McTavish, McGill University

www.utoronto.ca/mmpa

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Curiosity delivers. |

Arts & Entertainment

| Tuesday, September 25, 2012

17

film

The long arm of the law is dripping with blood Dredd serves up violence, but falls short in nearly everything else Chris Liu A&E Editor “It’s a fucking meatgrinder,” says one soon-to-be meat patty towards the end of Dredd. He is talking about Mega-City One, the dystopian cesspool of violence and despair in which the story is set, but he might as well have been referring to the film itself. At its best, the action scenes are dazzling, the closest that blood spatter will come to approaching the sublime. At its worst, the violence is disturbing and rather sad, an unenjoyable experience for any, save the sadomasochist. And if violence is not exactly your cup of tea, well, unfortunately, Dredd offers little of anything else.

An opening voice-over introduces the post-apocalyptic megacity to the audience. The 800 million residents of Mega-City One suffer 90 per cent unemployment rates, constant and bloody gang warfare, and an urban hellscape that is surprisingly drab. The only semblance of justice, we are told, is in the form of Judges: a group of men and

women tasked with dispensing law in the streets. In the opening scene, the titular Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) does exactly this, charging and convicting a criminal with “attempted murder of a Judge,” then delivering the associated sentence of death in fiery fashion. This is “judge, jury, and executioner,” interpreted in the idiom’s most literal fashion.

Undoubtedly, few people enter such a film expecting more than violence and gore, but given the premise of the story, one cannot help but sense a missed opportunity. Where do the Judges get their legitimacy?

Where do the laws that they carry out come from? Where is the state?

Is there a state? These are not difficult questions, yet they remain unasked. The comic series on which the film is based explores such political themes in detail; the film is stripped of such cerebral fancy, and what little elements do remain are either diluted or ham-fisted.

Most of the film locks Judge Dredd in a life-and-death struggle with Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), a psychopathic former-prostitute and cur-

rent gang-and-drug lord. Headey creates a terrifying and enrapturing villain, one who rivals the role she is most famous for—Cersei Lannister of Game of Thrones—in her confident and callous brutality. Urban’s Dredd combines crisp enunciation with a delivery that is bankrupt of emotion. This passes as deadpan during a few of the screenplay’s oneliners (which fail as often than they succeed), but most of the time it adds to the monotony one feels toward the protagonist, a sentiment mostly rooted in the fact that Dredd’s face is perpetually obstructed by a helmet.

The use of the drug Slo-Mo (which allows the user—and the audience—to experience exactly what the name suggests) provides a golden opportunity for innovative action sequences, an opportunity the film takes full advantage of. It’s not every day that one can describe the slow eruption of blood from a bullet exit-wound as being beautiful.

At the same time, the film’s utterly senseless violence can be incredibly sad. Ever wanted to see multiple Gatling guns used on the innocent

The wrong end of the law is also the wrong end of the gun barrel in Dredd. (www.blogs.coventrytelegraph.net) and the poor? Dredd is for you.

The gratuitous 3D glasses, as always, dimmed everything onscreen, and added little perceptible effect outside of the slow-motion shots. The bordering-on-garish lighting would not be out-of-place in a Joel Schumacher Batman film.

Drugs, violence, and death are the only means of escape available for

the wretched citizens of this world, and after watching Dredd I can sympathize. Hobbes must be rolling in his grave.

Dredd is currently showing at Cineplex Scotiabank Theatres, 977 Ste. Catherine Ouest.

film

A tale of human bondage

The Master reveals an intricate, multifaceted story worthy of multiple viewings Ilia Blinderman A&E Editor Paul Thomas Andersen is one of a handful of studio darlings whose films win big at both the box office and the awards circuit. Assuming dual roles of writer and director, Andersen is among an even smaller group that can weave a seductive story with absolute, creative precision. This control, when combined with Andersen’s uncanny sensitivity to nuance in virtually every aspect of filmmaking, allows him to craft films that combine the cerebral and the visceral. With The Master, Andersen artfully spins a web of subtle hints and cryptic allusions around a story which draws his viewers in with visceral intensity.

The Master begins with Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), a PTSDriddled Navy veteran returning from WWII. After equivocating his way out of the psychiatric hospital, Quell begins his new as life as a department store photographer, while mixing viciously potent cocktails out of whatever chemicals he finds in the darkroom. Thanks to Quell’s instability, however, he quickly loses his job, and drifts aimlessly until he chances upon a ship, which he

Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) and Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman) engage in a cat-and-mouse game of domination and asubjugation. (www.aceshowbiz.com)

sneaks aboard, and passes out. Upon waking, he meets the larger-than-life cult leader Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who immediately warms to Quell and offers him work.

The remainder of the film centres on the relationship between Dodd and Quell. The two men are, in many ways, ideal counterbalances. Quell, who Phoenix masterfully portrays with a jittery volatility, is a man buffeted about by the winds of his passions: his interest in women extends only so far as his lust; when upset, his spindly frame lashes out

with volcanic fury. Hoffman, who shared Venice’s Best Actor award with Phoenix, plays Dodd with grandiose aplomb. Hoffman imposes his large frame on each scene, dominating all, save his wife (Amy Adams), with a combination of confidence and psychological insight. If Quell is the primal id, Dodd is the superego—slowly and forcefully repressing any animalistic notions in his followers with sheer mental strength. These two forces clash and grind, attempting to bend each to the other’s will. Whether it’s subjugation to our own nature or another’s

will, Andersen skillfully uses the men to show that we are never really free—not even when we are the ones subduing others.

Like Andersen’s previous works, The Master is no less an exercise in cinematography than in storytelling. Mihai Malaimare Jr.’s camerawork invariably finds beautiful compositions in every shot; from Phoenix warily gazing from beneath a combat helmet, to him drinking moonshine below the decks of a Navy ship, one is struck by a pervading sense of visual weight and proportion. The lighting (which many

directors woefully relegate to differentiating between night and day) is equally important to Andersen, who deftly employs the contrast between light and dark to underscore a character’s nature, or drastically increase a scene’s intensity.

The film’s symbolic elements are, perhaps, its most enjoyable aspect. The process of examining seemingly trivial remarks is, in itself, an exercise to be relished—Andersen is too meticulous a filmmaker to leave things to chance. It is rare for a film to approach its topics so adroitly, with such light strokes, as to abstain from walloping the viewer over the head with the point (I’m looking at you, Black Swan).

Good films are almost never a one-off encounter. The first watch tends to be too captivating to appreciate the details of its composition; it’s only on the second viewing that one can begin to appreciate the more delicate nuances. With The Master, Andersen offers a beautifully complex story crafted with rare skill— plan on watching this one again.

The Master opens in theatres on September 28.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2012 |

SPORTS

| Curiosity delivers.

FOOTBALL — Laval 69, REDmen 0

Back to reality? Redmen disappoint with lack of effort After winning their first game in over two seasons, McGill falls in a 69-0 shutout loss to the Laval Rouge et Or Peter Laing Contributor “Ugly, just ugly,” is how one Redmen fan aptly described McGill’s performance last Friday, when they played host to the Laval Rouge et Or in a rain-soaked match up at Molson Stadium.

Riding high off their first win in almost three years, the McGill Redmen (1-3) failed to deliver a successful follow-up against the No. 4 ranked Rouge et Or (4-0), who proceeded to shut out the Redmen 69-0 in front of a crowd of just over 600, that quickly thinned out after halftime.

The Redmen managed to hold the Rouge et Or to three points in the first quarter, despite playing the majority of it in their own half of the field. McGill’s inability to cut down on penalties and careless mistakes, along with injuries to two linebackers and key offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, provided the necessary spark in the second quarter for a potent Laval offence.

The Rouge et Or opened the scoring flood in the second quarter with a 20-yard rushing touchdown.

On the following possession, Redmen quarterback Ryne Bondy threw the first of his two interceptions—

Around the

The Redmen were completely outmatched by Laval on both sides of the ball. (Mike King / McGill Tribune) resulting in a 35-yard touchdown by a Laval defensive end. Bondy was anything but the offensive catalyst he’d proved to be the previous week, managing to only complete 12 of 32 attempts for 143 passing yards.

However, McGill’s lacklustre performance was a result of poor play by the entire team. Penalties, dropped passes, and poor defensive play continued throughout the second quarter, leaving fans wondering

W

ater cooler

In case you were too busy moshing, rocking, or slowly nodding your head at POP Montreal, here’s what you missed this past weekend in the world of sports …

BASEBALL — With just about a week remaining in the regular season, things are heating up. The National League is fairly well-decided

with Washington (keeping it together without Strasburg ... gasp), Cincinnati, and San Francisco holding the divisional crowns, while Atlanta

if the team had any intensity. The coaching staff echoed the frustration of the spectators. Defensive coordinator Mickey Donavan and offensive coordinator Patrick Boies pulled their lines aside multiple times throughout the game in passionate attempts to get their players to wake up and focus.

Head Coach Clint Uttley was quick to explain that the lack of effort that plagued the entire team

trickled down from the senior leaders, who appeared to be demoralized and uninspired in the face of Laval’s domination and injuries to important players on the squad.

“There was [a] point where [Laval] put in four touchdowns in eight minutes and then [we] just [gave] up,” Uttley explained. “It’s unfortunate too, because we have a lot of young talented kids, but we need our seniors to not quit when

and St. Louis are looking good for the two wild card spots. In the AL, the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles are in a tight division battle, as each team is vying to top the mighty AL East, with the Yanks currently holding a one game advantage. Regardless of who takes it, both will likely make the postseason courtesy of the top wild card spot. In the AL Central, Chicago and Detroit are battling for first, engaged in a tight half-game race with the White Sox currently holding the advantage.

For those who have given up on this MLB season (notably Blue Jays and Red Sox fans), this week has provided a bit of a respite, with qualifiers taking place for the 2013 World Baseball Classic. With a win against Great Britian and two against Germany, Canada qualified for their third Classic. The story of the week, however, was the Israeli team that came up just short in a five-hour, extra-inning thriller in the final game against Spain. Two more qualifying pools will play in November to round out the field for the third installment of the WBC in March.

table with 13 points over five matches, holding a slight advantage over Manchester United’s 12 points in as many matches. Last year’s champions, Manchester City, are struggling to get going, but have thus far averted disaster, holding nine points—good for a share of fifth place. Rather hilariously, once-powerful Liverpool is sifting in the cellar with an abysmal two points. When asked about its slow start to the season, Liverpool admitted to being quite distracted by Wayne Rooney’s now fully grown hair plugs and have therefore found it difficult to focus on the pitch.

SOCCER — In the sport that everyone loves outside of North America, Chelsea currently tops the

FORMULA 1 — In another sport popular across the pond, a revitalized Sebastian Vettel claimed his second race of the year last Sunday, winning the Grand Prix Singapore. The victory placed him second overall for the World Championship with 165 points. Spanish Ferrari racer, Fernando Alonso, still sits atop with 194 points. The boys will push the pedal to the medal again on Oct.7 in the Land of the Rising Sun for Grand Prix Japan.

they are challenged. They need to step up.”

Heading into the second half, Laval had the Redmen at a 33-point deficit and, much like the skies above, Laval scores continued to rain down on McGill.

Taking full advantage of the Redmen’s even worse second half play, Laval capped off its scoring run at the beginning of the fourth quarter, when a Laval linebacker trucked through almost all of the Redmen’s gassed offence for a 47yard interception return, finalizing the score at a whopping 69-0.

At the conclusion of the match, McGill had lost nine players to injury. Ironically, the game’s opening kick-off was done in honour of a hundred years of Sports Medicine and Kinesiology at McGill.

Clearly disappointed in his squad, Uttley dismissed the team for the weekend in an attempt to allow the players—specifically the seniors—to “get over it and move on.”

After what will surely be an intensive week of practice, the McGill Redmen look to redeem themselves as they travel to Lennoxville to take on the Bishop’s Gaiters on Sept. 29.

SCOREBOARD (Scores since Sept.18 )

REDMEN BASEBALL Lost 7-5 @ Ottawa Won 7-5 @ Ottawa REDMEN X-COUNTRY Placed 11th of 14 @ Western Invitiational International Meet MARTLET X-COUNTRY Placed 4th of 15 @ Western Invitiational International Meet MARTLET FIELD HOCKEY Lost 6-0 vs. Guelph Lost 7-1 @ Toronto Lost 2-0 vs. Queen’s REDMEN LACROSSE Won 12-11 vs. Queen’s Won 19-0 vs. Concordia REDMEN RUGBY Won 27-15 @ Bishop’s MARTLET RUGBY Won 74-0 @ Bishop’s REDMEN SOCCER Won 1-0 vs. UQAM Lost 1-0 @ Laval MARTLET VOLLEYBALL Won Bronze @ Challenge Carabins de Québec-Ontario

Curiosity delivers. |

Top 10

SPORTS

T

he owners are crying poor, the players are rebelling, and the fans are suffering the most. What else is new? Here’s an ingenious list of activities that are bound to keep you occupied and distracted in ways which Grapes’s flamboyant suits could never do.

NHL lockout things to do during the

#8. Learn to skate.

#1.

| Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Can’t Beat us?

Join Us.

Get a new hobby.

You must be really bored if you made it all the way to #1. For your sake, I hope the lockout ends soon.

Email sports@mcgilltribune.com for more details.

By Hrant Bardakjian

Practice what you preach and actually learn to play the game. See, it’s not that #3. Troll the Habs. easy. There’s a reason they call hockey the fastest game on two feet—and why we love If you thought makit so much. In addition, all of that time sit#10. Wash your jerseys. ing fun of the Leafs was ting around watching hockey has probably fun, wait until you start Sports fans cherish their jerseys. It caused you to put on a couple of kilos ... it’s targeting the Bleu, Blanc, shows their allegiance as well as the mus- never too late to put on a skate. et Rouge. tard stains from that ridiculous, but delicious, $7 hotdog bought at the game. We normally refrain from washing it, but an exception should be made as we usher in a new agreement. Everything should start fresh. #7. Follow your favourite NHL stars in Europe.

The NHL season is not in play, but that does not mean your favourite players are on #9. Save your sick days at the sidelines. Many NHL stars have already work for a real emergency. headed to Europe, and more will surely join them. If the time difference bothers you, Studies have shown a positive watch your team’s future stars play in the correlation between the use of sick AHL or CHL. days and games between divisional rivals. This is the perfect time to impress your employers and start an attendance streak that will make #6. Go viral. former NHL ironman Doug Jarvis proud.

Make another YouTube lockout video, because there just aren’t enough of those already. Show that you care! However, be warned that using Nickelback as background music is justification to have your account banned forever.

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#2. Study.

Get that A you always wanted. Impress your friends and family with a sparkling 4.0 GPA.

Meetings on Wednesday at 6:00 PM in Shatner 110

#4. Troll the Leafs.

Nothing is more enjoyable than bashing Toronto’s mediocrity. I’ll even get you started on a few topics: Kessel’s lack of physicality; James Riemer, the human sieve; or my personal favourite, the team’s 45-year cup drought.

#5. Free your mind.

Do something mind-numbingly boring, and direct your bottled up frustration and anger towards it. My suggestion: watch some soccer.

Photos from cbc.ca, wokv.com

SOCCER — Montreal 2, REDMEN 0

Fans pack pitch, McGill lacks punch in 2-0 shutout loss Redmen drop to 1-2-2 after falling to Montreal in the “Pack the Pitch” game Mido Assran Contributor On Thursday evening, the McGill Redmen soccer team hosted the Montreal Carabins in the annual “Pack the Pitch” game. The Redmen were looking for a win that would send them to the top of the RSEQ standings, but unfortunately, it was not meant to be. Montrealwas better throughout and defeated the Redmen 2-0. With the loss, McGill dropped to a disappointing 1-2-2 start on the year, and stretched its losing streak to four games.

Both teams came out with energy, seeking a quick goal to put pressure on the other. Each team aggressively lobbed balls over the top in an attempt to hit the runner behind the defence. However, this high-risk, high-reward style of play caused problems with positioning, as neither team was able to find a rhythm.

The players were clearly frustrated, and this all came to a head in the 20th minute, when McGill’s James Allester toppled a Montreal player in a tussle for a 50-50 ball. Despite the physical move, no card was levelled against Allester, and this ferocity set the pace for the remainder of the match.

In the 34th minute, Montreal appeared poised to score, unleashing a targeted volley from inside the 18yard box. McGill keeper Max Leblond made an excellent save, and soon after, the Redmen were on the counter. They had a near chance on goal, although they were unable to convert. Roused by this save and the ensuing chance, McGill picked up its offensive attack, and had another chance on goal in the 38th minute, when Jeremy Hurdle received a pass at the top of the 18-yard box. He faked a touch on the ball and let it run by his body, opening him up into

the box where he unleashed a great strike; unfortunately, the shot was blocked by the Montreal goalkeeper.

Despite the action at the goalmouths, neither side could break through completely, and the match remained scoreless at the half.

Following the intermission, Montreal came out hard, and ambitiously tried chipping Leblond from 49 yards out, only four minutes after the half. Although Leblond was beaten, the crossbar was not; the attempt ricocheted harmlessly away from the action. Finally, in the 67th minute, the Carabins scored the opening goal after receiving a free kick in a promising position. The ensuing low-slung cross took a deflection and was converted, making the score 1-0. As the game edged closer towards the finish, McGill made a change to their formation and began employing a more attack-oriented style, leaving only three men behind

McGill lacked the finishing touch on Thursday night.

(Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune) to defend.

This strategy proved ineffective. In the 89th minute, the Carabins attempted another chip from just inside half, as the unsuspecting McGill goalkeeper was caught off his line. Montreal buried the final tally, and the game ended 2-0 with the crestfallen Redmen looking blue.

The Redmen look to get back on track and end their losing streak on Sept. 28, when they take on Sherbrooke at Molson Stadium.

19

SPORTS

SOCCER — Martlets 2, Montreal 1

Martlets stun No.1-ranked team in CIS

McGill can’t be stopped in the early season; remain undefeated in RSEQ play Rebecca Babcock Contributor “It all starts in the back” was the motto hammered into the McGill Martlets before their important match against the No.1-ranked Montreal Carabins. If the final result were any indication, the Martlets must have fully embraced this philosophy. McGill decisively shut down the mighty Carabins 2-1 last Thursday evening at the annual “Pack the Pitch” game.

Although Montreal appeared to be in control of the ball for the first ten minutes of the match, this was in large part due to McGill’s defensive strategy.

“Today, we were defending with low pressure, meaning we gave them a lot of time in the back,” McGill forward Daphnee MorencyRoussin explained. “I think that maybe they weren’t really used to that ... and that was a good technique.”

What Morency-Roussin implied was that Montreal’s defense could pass freely between themselves, but when the Carabins attempted to make a move forward, McGill would meet it with a stead-

fast defence. As a result, the Carabins had to move the ball back to their defence time and time again.

Once their defence was established, the Martlets went on the offensive, using the quickness and agility of their forwards advantageously. Their efforts were rewarded when, in the 14th minute, McGill lobbed a ball deep into opposing territory and Montreal goalkeeper Martine Julien tried to make an aggressive play by grabbing the ball while still airborne. She fumbled it, leaving the goal mouth empty, and Morency-Roussin calmly sent it in, giving the Martlets a 1-0 edge.

Following their initial success, the Martlets continued to work as a unit as the first half progressed. This all started with confident goalkeeping by McGill’s Victoria Muccilli who, unlike her Carabins counterpart, made her presence known by punching crosses out of the box.

Additionally, the Martlet defenders also played a smart game, supporting Muccilli brilliantly by clearing anything that came into harm’s way.

The difference in the contest however, can be credited to the midfield, as Montreal had no answer to the Martlets and consistently al-

lowed through balls past its backline. Midfielder Hannah Rivkin played an especially astounding game, as she assumed a key role in setting up many scoring chances throughout. After the game, Rivkin offered her take on creating offensive opportunities.

“It usually builds up. It starts with a good solid pass to my feet from someone in the back and then it ends with someone making a beautiful run”.

Unfortunately, this complete style of play was lost early in the second half, and McGill allowed Montreal to break even in the 55th minute.

“The problem was [that] we panicked and sent the ball in the air,” Head Coach Marc Mounicot said.

“For two to three minutes we were panicking and [Montreal] finished because they are a good team.”

Neverthless, the Martlets were quick to respond and were able to regain their advantage. They scored their second goal just eight minutes later, in the 63rd minute, as Rebecca Green passed to Julia Conzon who then powered it home. Coach Mounicot gave his thoughts on the goal.

“It was a trademark of the way

The Martlet midfield led the way. we play and the way we can play which is passing the ball, a combination play, and a nice finish”.

Throughout the game, Montreal became more aggressive. Three yellow cards were given to the Carabins as they took their frustration out on McGill. Morency-Roussin discussed the increased physical aspect of the game.

“I think we kept our composure pretty well ... that’s the key in those

(Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune)

types of games, because if you lose your composure, it becomes a blood battle, and it’s not even soccer anymore.”

The Martlets followed up their statement win with another victory against Bishop’s, 8-0. They return to the pitch on Sept. 28 to take on Sherbrooke.

POP Montreal

Hitting shots and notes for a good cause

Stars and student athletes battle in the second annual POP vs. Jock charity basketball game

The other side of the Green Monster Steven Lampert Sports Editor

Love Competition Hall was busier than ever on Saturday afternoon, as big music stars squared off against members of the McGill and Concordia basketball teams in the second annual POP vs. Jock charity game. All proceeds from the game went towards DJ Sports Club, a non-profit charity organization that promotes and offers sports programs and recreational activities for youth between seven and 17. The Founder and Executive Director of DJ Sports Club, Dexter John, played as a member of team POP. The game itself was quite the spectacle. Fans were given cutout faces of either Michael Jackson or Michael Jordan, depending on whether their allegiance lay with team POP or team Jock. The atmosphere was electric, and the participants seemed to enjoy the encouragement. Régine Chassagne of Arcade Fire and Kid Koala provided music and beats during the game.

Both performers were dressed in

All smiles at POP vs. Jock. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune) exuberant animal suits—Chassagne in a bear suit and Mr. Koala in—you guessed it—a koala suit.

In addition to Dexter John, team POP included the Butler brother duo—Win and Will from Arcade Fire—Martin Starr of Freaks and Geeks and Party Down, Nikolai Fraiture of The Strokes, and professional basketball player Luke Bonner, among others. The Jock team was composed of both the men’s and women’s basketball teams from McGill and Concordia. Second-year Martlet guard Dianna Ros started the game for the Jocks.

Surprinsingly, Team POP han-

dled the Jocks in the first half, with Win Butler and Luke Bonner carrying the way. The first half ended with team POP down only 46-43.

The halftime show opened with a fan giveaway that was shortly interrupted by an impromptu yet intense roller derby game. Afterwards, former Talking Heads lead singer David Byrne led Fraiture and the Butlers in a small set, which included a particularly inspiring rendition of the ever classic “That’s the Way (I Like It).” Once Byrne was finished, children dressed in their own animal suits joined Chassagne and Kid Koala on the court, dancing to

Koala’s childish theme song, “Open Close.”

Following the break, the intensity of the game increased. Team POP maintained a lead until midway through the fourth quarter when members of the Concordia team started increasing the tempo. Nevertheless, team POP held their own and with just 20 seconds remaining, had narrowed the Jock’s lead to three points. Then, controversy ensued—Ryan Leier, of team POP, hit a three-pointer to tie the game with only seven seconds left, but the referee blew the whistle just before he released the ball. The officials initially ruled no basket much to the dismay of team POP and the fans.

Win Butler took the microphone and asked the crowd whether the basket should have counted—and shockingly, the fans said it should.

Accordingly, the referees counted the points, and at 93-93, team Jock had the ball with seven seconds remaining. They ran a pick-and-roll leading to the game-winning three ball and prevailed 96-93.

For McGill athletics—spe-

cifically the basketball teams—this event not only promoted an important cause, but also granted the teams great exposure according to McGill Martlets’ Head Coach Ryan Thorne.

“I think anytime you get to showcase our sport, it’s a great opportunity,” he said. “I’ve known Dexter John for a very long time and what he’s doing is for a good cause. The DJ Sports program helps promote basketball in Montreal, and also has different programs to help kids stay off the streets. It means a lot to have something like that housed in our building.”

With the loss, game organizers Dexter John and Win Butler are now 1-1 in these charity games, leaving little doubt that this rivalry has just begun. After the medals were given out to each of the teams, Butler thanked the fans for the support and announced that they will be back for the third annual POP vs. Jock game in 2013.