McGill Tribune Issue 15

Volume No. 32 Issue No. 15

TRIBUNE THE mcgill

curiosity delivers

Published by the Tribune Publication Society

new year's resolutions P 14 mtl homeless p 12

Album reviews p 19 women's bball p 20

@mcgill_tribune ­ • www. mcgilltribune.com ­

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

McGill reacts to recent budget cuts Idle No More Quebec government slashes postsecondary funding by $124 million reaches Montreal P3 & 6

Christy Frost Contributor

Pauline Marois and Heather Munroe-Blum at odds over budget cuts. (Ben Ko / McGill Tribune)

Protestors denounce federal omnibus Bill C-45 Christy Frost Contributor Approximately 1,500 people gathered in front of the Palais des Congrès last Friday to show their solidarity with Canadian First Nations and Chief Theresa Spence, who has been on a hunger strike for the past month in protest of the federal government’s stance on Indigenous rights. Following a traditional round dance, the crowd marched through downtown Montreal.

This event was part of Idle No More, a growing grassroots movement advocating for Indigenous rights in Canada. The movement began last November, when four women in Saskatchewan used Facebook and the title “Idle No More” to draw attention to the ways in which Bill C-45—commonly known as the second omnibus budget bill— erodes Indigenous communities’ control over their land.

Bill C-45 changes legislation for more than 60 government acts.

The main concerns of the Idle No More movement are the changes made to the Indian Act, the Environmental Assessment Act, and the replacement of the Navigable Waters Act with the Navigation Protection Act. These legislation changes speed up the approval process for leasing Indigenous land, and remove protection from the majority of Canada’s rivers so that pipeline and power-line installation firms no longer need to prove that their activity will not damage a navigable waterway.

Friday’s protest attracted a diverse, multi-generational crowd.

A group of elderly women were among the demonstrators, wearing

brightly coloured hats and holding signs demanding that Prime Minister Stephen Harper listen to Indigenous Peoples’ concerns. “[This movement has] been a long time coming,” a senior participant, who would only be identified as Marguerite, said. “The government and private corporations have a duty to always consult with First Nations.”

In front of Palais des Congrès on Friday, the crowd joined hands and formed a series of circles where participants turned and stamped in time to the beat of hand drums.

Two students from Dawson College handed out red felt feathers to protestors. Jeffrey Graham, an executive of Dawson’s student union, explained that he had found the ideafor the feathers online.

“We just converted a few of our red squares in our office into red feathers,” Graham said. “[Idle No More] is kind of like a continuum to the Occupy movement and the student movement,” a student in the Concordia School of Community and Public Affairs, who would only be identified as Crystal, said. “[But it is] different because it is in response to a direct attack on First Nations people.”

Crystal also explained that she wanted to take part in the Idle No More movement because she is of Métis descent.

“My family doesn’t practice Aboriginal [customs], but I feel really connected to the land, like all Canadians I guess,” she said.

For many supporters of Idle No More, Indigenous people’s concerns are integrally linked to Canadian environmental concerns.

“We really feel strongly that our resources need to be protected, See “Idle No More” on p. 2

NEWS

Idle No More Continued from cover and [First Nations] peoples have always been advocates for our land,” Graham said.

The Facebook event for Friday’s protest emphasized the importance of seeing Idle No More as an inclusively Canadian movement, rather than one aimed only at Indigenous populations. “[This is] a movement that is ready to demand an end to Harper’s relentless legislations that amount to nothing less than an outright assault on the fabric of this country,” the Facebook event page said.

Over the past two months, Idle No More protests, rallies, and teachins have taken place nation-wide.

One of the movement’s more controversial tactics has been blockades of railway lines.

Reactions to Idle No More’s protest tactics have been mixed.

U3 environmental science student Maida Hadziosmanovic’s VIA Rail train was delayed for four hours

on her way back to Montreal from her home in Oakville, Ontario after Christmas.

“Though I support the cause, I did not support the protesters as they were affecting people who have nothing to do with Harper’s decisions,” Hadziosmanovic said.

“There are many other ways of getting the government’s attention,” she continued. “In my opinion, they probably ticked off a lot more people than they would have if they approached the movement differently.”

SSMU Vice-President External Robin-Reid Fraser attended Friday’s protest. She said SSMU does not have an official position on the Idle No More movement, but students will have the opportunity to learn about and discuss the issues during the “Intro to Quebec” week SSMU has planned for Jan. 21-25.

The protest began with a drum circle. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune)

Follow us on Twitter! @mcgill_tribune

Come share your views online! Visit us at www.mcgilltribune.com

Curiosity delivers. |

NEWS

| Tuesday, January 15, 2013

campus

3

McGill student files grievance over protocol on protests Eli Freedman condemns administrative document for stepping on students’ rights, calls for removal of draft protocol Bea Britneff News Editor On Dec. 11, 2012, U3 Philosophy student Eli Freedman filed a complaint with the McGill Senate Committee on Student Grievances against the draft of a permanent McGill protocol on demonstrations, assemblies, and protests. The grievance calls for the draft protocol to be nullified immediately, and for Vice Principal (Administration and Finance) Michael Di Grappa and Provost Anthony C. Masi to issue a formal, public apology to the McGill community.

The draft protocol is an evolution of a provisional protocol implemented on Feb. 12, 2012, following a five-day student occupation of the sixth floor of the James Administration Building. The draft protocol, which was released to the McGill community on Nov. 30, outlines permanent parameters for how protests and similar activities may occur on University premises, and under what circumstances they would or would

not be condoned.

Critics of the draft protocol, including Freedman, have condemned the document as vague, open to interpretation, and for stepping on the rights of McGill community members to express political dissent.

Freedman argues that it potentially violates “students’ human rights covered under international and provincial law.”

“It clearly follows from … the Charter of Students’ Rights that there exists a special fiduciary responsibility between the University and students to ensure that students’ rights are not infringed upon through administrative decisions,” Freedman wrote in the document submitted to the Committee on Student Grievances.

“It is an unacceptable breach of trust on behalf of the respondents to restrict the fundamental freedoms of all students in response to the actions of a small number of students,” he argued.

Freedman explained that his motivation for filing a complaint

goes beyond the nullification of the draft protocol.

“The protocol really just makes [explicit] what was already implicit—[the McGill administration’s] lack of will to tolerate disruption,” he said. “The goal is to … get rid of what is explicit, [but also] to change what has [been] and still is implicit … to make it possible for protestors in the future to create [change].”

Freedman described his experience with compiling and filing a student grievance as “very frustrating.” Freedman met separately with McGill Ombudsperson Spencer Boudreau on Feb. 12, and former associate dean of arts (student affairs) Andre Costopoulos on Oct. 17, to discuss the provisional and draft protocols, respectively. “[My meetings with them] were pretty fruitless,” Freedman said. “It’s quite ambiguous what the actual [draft] protocol means … [Costopoulos] told me that, in his capacity as Associate Dean, he would never even use the protocol, because it’s unclear what it means or

what level of authority it has.”

Freedman is currently waiting for an official response to his complaint from the Senate Committee on Student Grievances.

In the meantime, Freedman has taken further action, and requested that Costopoulos—who is now Dean of Students—and Professor Paul Thomassin, chair of the Committee, ask that the Board of Governors (BoG) delay their vote on the adoption of the protocol, which is scheduled for Jan. 29.

“There’s no rush to make the Protocol permanent,” Freedman said. “[The Board] shouldn’t vote on a [protocol] that [does not] meet McGill’s requirements now that it’s been challenged.”

As he has not yet recevied an official response from the Committee, Freedman does not believe Di Grappa and Masi have read his grievance.

Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) President Josh Redel said he and SSMU VicePresident University Affairs Haley

Dinel—who both sit as student senators on McGill Senate—are working on their reaction to the draft protocol’s presentation to Senate on Jan. 23.

“We are working on ways of figuring out what more students think before saying [our position],” he said. “I am confused as to the need to have a protocol such as this, especially one that attempts to define ‘peacefulness.’ I think trying to define ‘peacefulness’ in such a dynamic environment … is an exercise in futility.”

Freedman said he believes student senators will form a strong opposition to the protocol on Jan. 23, and he hopes that McGill professors will also stand up against the document.

According to Freedman, a protest against the protocol is planned for Jan. 23.

The McGill administration could not be reached for comment.

campus

Budget cuts could increase McGill deficit to $30 million

McGill community members express outrage over timing and nature of cuts, say PQ government gave no prior notice Erica Friesen News Editor On Dec. 6, the Parti Québécois (PQ) announced that it expects Quebec universities to cut $124 million from their cumulative operating budgets by April 2013. According to McGill Principal Heather MunroeBlum, the cuts amount to 5.2 per cent of universities’ operating grants, but their introduction, two-thirds of the way through the fiscal year, makes them equivalent to 15 per cent.

Members of the McGill administration say they will lobby the Quebec government to reverse the government’s decision to retroactively cut $19.1 million from McGill’s operating budget, before making any decisions as to which university services could be affected by the cuts.

The McGill Board of Governors (BoG) approved the university’s 2012-2013 budget last March.

This budget included a $7 million deficit. According to Munroe-Blum, the additional cuts could push this year’s deficit to over $30 million.

The PQ claims the previous Liberal government had planned similar cuts, and that universities

should have been made aware of them earlier in the fiscal year. University leaders across the province have denied receiving such notice.

“The effect of taking such a cut would be to transfer a portion of the government’s deficit to the university system, while undermining dramatically the important educational, economic, research, and social contributions of the University,” Munroe-Blum wrote in an email to the McGill community on Dec. 14.

The BoG passed a resolution on Dec. 13 that condemned the cuts as “excessive” and “injurious” for both universities and Quebec society, and insisting that the government reverse the decision.

“We will take every measure necessary to persuade the government to withdraw these harmful and ill-timed cuts, and to give us the degrees of freedom we need to fulfill our mission—to serve Quebec and Quebeckers at the highest level,” Munroe-Blum wrote.

Last Thursday, Provost Anthony Masi told the Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) Legislative Council that Munroe-Blum and Vice-Principal (External Relations) Olivier Marcil are working

with other universities to prepare a proposal for the government.

“We’ve made no plans because we want to have the conversation first,” Masi said. “We’re not going to the government with a plan saying ‘here’s how we’re going to make the cuts.’ We’re going to the government saying ... ‘can we convince you that this is not a good thing to do?’”

Reactions across campus Although more than a month has passed since the PQ’s announcement, groups and individuals across campus continue to react to the proposed cuts.

Shortly after the announcement, the McGill Association of University Teachers (MAUT) passed a council motion condemning the cuts. MAUT President Alvin Shrier emphasized the need for coordinated efforts to pressure the government into reversing their decision.

“Everybody’s going to pay the price, because at the end of the day, these kind of cutbacks are not going to help the quality of our education,” he said.

Jonathan Mooney, secretarygeneral of the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) pointed to the

budget cuts as a direct contradiction of the PQ’s support for education when they were elected in September 2012.

“They were elected on the platform that they wanted to protect students, make sure that they have a good experience, and that they valued education,” he said. “[The decision is] really bad for the government because it undermines their credibility.”

Mooney also said that groups may withdraw from the Quebec summit on higher education planned for February.

“The whole idea of the summit was that we were going to have a conversation with all the stakeholders—staff, professors, students, administrators, people from the community, business leaders,” he said.

“Now it’s like [the PQ has] already made their decision.”

Other students showed their opposition to the cuts by protesting at the Dec. 13 BoG meeting. According to one protestor, the demonstration also intended to “propose and enforce an unlimited general strike of the McGill administration” against the government.

“In the printemps érable, we

Come share your views online! Visit us at www.mcgilltribune.com

saw that an unlimited general strike is the only avenue for creating an effective power relation with the government, and we want to share that lesson with the administration in its time of need,” the protestor, who asked to remain anonymous, said.

The protestors attempted to enter the BoG meeting to deliver their motion, but were denied access by McGill Security. SSMU President Josh Redel, a member of the BoG, said he disagreed with the tactics of the protestors, whose presence delayed the start of the meeting and caused the board to relocate to a different room. He expressed concerns over the initial joke-like manner of the protest.

“My frustration is that the initial framing of the protest as a joke or ironic is childish, especially at a time when we’re facing something so real,” Redel said. “$20 million isn’t a joke. Today’s discussion was crucial and has a direct impact on students … You can be very powerful in protest but still show respect.”

4

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 |

NEWS

| Curiosity delivers.

CAMPUS

Brown professor David Egilman questions asbestos research

McGill professors defend the university’s internal investigation on former professor McDonald’s controversial research Andra Cernavskis News Editor On Jan. 4, David Egilman, a clinical professor in the department of family medicine at Brown University, debated members of the McGill community on the topic of asbestos research at McGill. The presentation, which Egilman called a “counter-conference,” meant to address a talk given by McGill Epidemiology Professor Bruce Case earlier that day.

According to Egilman, the purpose of the counter-conference was to “present critical information to the public regarding McGill’s ongoing refusal to address damning evidence of asbestos research improprieties, and improper conduct by former Chair of McGill’s Epidemiology Department, Dr. [John] Corbett McDonald.”

Egilman focused primarily on discounting the body of research done by McDonald and his team of researchers into Quebec asbestos mines from the 1960s to the late 1990s. In a paper published in 1998 that McDonald co-wrote, he indicates that, when taken at face value,

the data he collected proves there is a protective effect of asbestos.

“That means asbestos protected against the effect they were studying, and the effect they were studying was lung cancer,” Egilman said.

According to Egilman, McDonald’s research is still used today by asbestos companies to advocate for the use of asbestos in countries like Brazil and India.

“This is a policy problem,” Egilman said. “This is not some esoteric academic issue. Asbestos is being sold, and mined, and dumped in developing countries.”

Egilman expressed his belief that the only way to prevent this research from being used by asbestos companies is for McGill to withdraw the 1998 paper.

McGill professors who attended Egilman’s talk debated with Egilman on this point, arguing that Egilman is targeting the wrong place to get the paper withdrawn.

“Your job now is no longer with McGill University,” Eduardo Franco, McGill’s interim chair of oncology, said. “If this is truly an important job at hand for the advocacy you propose, which I think is misdi-

rected, I would work in a different direction with advocacy groups and with professional sciences … [your job] is with the journals.”

Franco also expressed the belief that the university should not withdraw the paper because it can provide insights into research flaws that could be helpful for the future.

Egilman alleged that certain data linking asbestos to cancer was disregarded in the study, which he said altered the results significantly.

“When the data started to show asbestos caused lung cancer rather than protected against lung cancer, [McDonald’s team] stopped,” Egilman said. “If they couldn’t delete the data that didn’t make sense, they just threw it away … This is not arbitrary. This is done with a purpose.”

According to the CBC, McDonald received nearly one million dollars from asbestos companies as funding for his research. CBC released a documentary in February 2012 that argued that asbestos companies influenced McDonald’s results.

Last year, McGill conducted an internal investigation into McDonald’s research. The investigation

was led by McGill’s Research Integrity Officer Abraham Fuks, who concluded that no research misconduct had occurred. Some McGill professors defended McDonald’s research when Egilman argued that the results of the research in question may have been manipulated.

“McGill has already investigated itself, and has come up with the final conclusion that there was no evidence of wrong-doing,” Franco said. “This was based on the reality of how you [conducted] research back at that time.”

Wayne Wood, an occupational health lecturer at McGill, also expressed concerns with Egilman’s accusations. He accused Egilman of twisting the words of McDonald’s conclusions.

“I think the presentation is flawed,” Wood said. “I didn’t react with the same amount of outrage as [Egilman] simply because I do not over-interpret the statements as [saying] something that they were not intended to say.”

Wood pointed to Egilman’s accusation that McDonald had said there was a “protection factor” with asbestos exposure.

“[McDonald] didn’t say there is a protection factor,” Wood said. “He said ‘taken at face value’—in other words, if you didn’t know better and you just looked at the data, it might suggest there is a protection factor.

But he didn’t say there was a protection factor. You did.”

Egilman said he was pleased with the debates that occurred during his presentation following the talk. He also said it has been difficult getting his message through to members of the McGill community.

“I think it’s hard to call the emperor out,” Egilman said, in reference to McDonald. “I’m not going after McDonald. I am trying to get the truth out about a study in a way that ... will make sense.”

Egilman paid for a room in the Faculty Club himself in order to speak. Six scientists from both the United States and Canada sent a letter to Joseph Cox, the coordinator the Epidemiology Seminar Series, requesting that Egilman be given time to present alongside Case. The request was not granted.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

SSMU Council calls on TaCEQ to demand États Généraux

États Généraux would consist of broad consultations across the province on the role of education in Quebec society Andra Cernavskis News Editor During the Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) first Legislative Council meeting of the semester, Council called for the Quebec Student Roundtable (La Table de concertation étudiante du Québec, or TaCEQ), of which SSMU is a member association, to organize an États Généraux on the role of education in Quebec society, separate from the Education Summit scheduled by the provincial government for February.

An États Généraux is a broad consultation about a specific issue commissioned by the government.

SSMU Vice-President External Robin Reid-Fraser presented the motion to Council.

“I’ve reached the conclusion— and I think there are a lot of groups who feel similarly—that the process of the Education Summit that we have going on right now is not as big as it could be,” Reid-Fraser said.

She also expressed disappointment with how little time the Parti Québécois (PQ) has given student

associations and other groups to prepare for the Summit by announcing it in November. Reid-Fraser further expressed frustration with the Summit’s apparent lack of structure at this point–despite the many meetings that have been held by the PQ with various student associations, and other members of the education community to create a framework.

“I feel like we are at this really important time in a lot of ways, and the conversations we are having [in these meetings hosted by the government] are just not enough,” ReidFraser continued.

Reid-Fraser originally wanted Council to call on TaCEQ to hold an alternative education summit, but came up with the idea of organizing an États Généraux, after talking with Simon Charonneau, a SSMU political attache and press secretary.

She explained that the États Généraux would be put on by the National Assembly, and would be a much longer process—one that could take up to twelve to eighteen months, or as long as the consultations need to be completed. According to Reid-Fraser, consultations

would occur across the province with many different groups from the university community.

A few councillors expressed concerns about calling an États Généraux at this time. “[An] États Généraux may make sense. But I think we ought to be far more prepared before we call on the government to conduct one,” he said. “We ought to think carefully about what we would like to get out of it, who we would like to be heard, and what areas we would like the États to focus on.”

SSMU Vice-President Clubs and Services Allison Cooper said she would like more information on what an États Généraux would entail. She motioned to send the original motion back to the External Affairs Committee to be re-examined.

Cooper’s motion did not pass.

Music Representative Katie Larson supported both the original motion and the idea of an États Généraux.

“I think this is the most moderate, logical … way of going about the education issue,” Larson said.

“I don’t see what the problem is,

Council sits for the first time in 2013. (Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune) honestly. If you are going to represent students on Council, I think we should easily be passing this.”

Reid-Fraser also brought forth a motion that would call on TaCEQ to demand an audit of spending for all universities in Quebec at the government’s Summit in February.

“The idea with this [motion] is that there would be a process to fully see where universities use money, where they are spending the money that they have right now, does that make sense, and comparing universities across Quebec,” Reid-Fraser said.

Science Senator Moe Nasr pointed out that the university already undergoes an audit, and that

a better alternative might be to look into government university funding.

“Why don’t you add [to the motion] to request the government to have an impartial third party audit on its university funding management because … the issue isn’t where university spending is going—it’s how funding is being mismanaged,” Nasr said.

After a discussion of whether or not an audit is the appropriate measure to be called for, ReidFraser proposed that the motion be tabled indefinitely, so that she could conduct further research and consultations.

Curiosity delivers. |

NEWS

| Tuesday, January 15, 2013

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

5

PGSS hosts education summit to prepare for PQ summit Principal Heather Munroe-Blum among speakers at a panel on university financing Erica Friesen News Editor Students, faculty, administrators, and other members of the educational community within, and outside of McGill debated diverse aspects of the role of post-secondary education in Quebec, and at McGill, in early December. The two-day education summit was organized by the Post-Graduate Students’ Society of McGill University (PGSS), and the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU).

According to PGSS Secretary General Jonathan Mooney, the summit was intended to promote discussion on topics that will be under scrutiny at the upcoming Quebec summit on higher education, which the Parti Québécois has said will be held in February.

“We felt that in the aftermath of last year’s conflicts and in anticipation of the Quebec summit, it was important to have a nuanced discussion about important topics regarding higher education in Quebec,” Mooney said. “It’s valuable to hear different perspectives on these top-

ics because it offers stakeholders a chance to explore these complexities, and try to think of creative solutions.”

PGSS Vice-President External Errol Salamon said the PGSS originally intended to create a document based on discussion at the summit, but have changed their plans due to low attendence and the cancellation of several guests, such as representative from ASSÉ.

“That said, we are reviewing some of our policies (and hoping to create policies) about key issues, including tuition and ancillary fees, which we hope to pass in Council this semester,” he said. “The summit will certainly inform our positions.”

In one panel, Mooney moderated a discussion that focused on the question of who “should” finance universities. Panellists included McGill Principal Heather MunroeBlum, SSMU Vice-President External Robin Reid-Fraser, former PGSS Vice-President External Mariève Isabel, and Professor John Galaty, the former president of the McGill Association of University Teachers (MAUT).

What happened last week in Teacher strike cancelled in Ontario

Harper meets with Assembly of First Nations

On Jan. 9, Ontario Education Minister Lauren Broten imposed a two-year contract on teachers and support staff under Bill 115, a controversial anti-strike bill. Ontario teachers’ unions argue that the legislation is unconstitutional, and have declared their intention to contend it in court.

Elementary school teachers initially announced that they would stage a one-day “political protest” against the decision last Friday, but the plans were discontinued after the Ontario Labour Relations Board ruled that the protest would be illegal. Under Ontario labour laws, engaging in illegal strike actions can result in a penalty of up to $2,000 per person and up to $25,000 for a trade union.

The timing of the ruling, which came at 4 a.m. on the day of the planned protest, caused confusion among parents and school boards, since several schools had declared closure in anticipation of the protest. As a result of the ruling, many boards decided to open schools, with only eight of 72 Ontario school boards opting not to hold classes on Friday.

Last Friday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with members of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) following nationwide protests as part of the Idle No More movement.

Attending First Nations leaders included Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence, whose hunger strike has been raising awareness of Indigenous issues and support for the Idle No More movement since it began in December 2012.

After the meeting, AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo expressed optimism about their progress, saying that “for the first time, [Harper] provided a clear mandate for highlevel talks on treaty implementation.”

However, some Chiefs have criticized the government for failing to meet their demand for a joint meeting with both Harper and Governor General David Johnston.

During the meeting, demonstrations continued across Canada in support of the Idle No More movement. Leaders have said there will continue to be protests in the coming weeks, and Spence will continue her hunger strike until her original demand for a joint meeting is granted.

Much of the discussion focused on how tuition costs affect students’ ability to attend university. ReidFraser argued that increasing tuition prices decrease accessibility, and pointed to higher tuition as a barrier for the social mobility of those from lower income families.

“Even if you have financial aid, there is … the fear of accumulating debt, particularly in a position where the economic picture is not very stable; and it’s not guaranteed that students coming out of university with an undergraduate or graduate degree are going to be able to move quickly into the workplace and pay off that debt,” she said.

Galaty, however, argued that free or low tuition is “inequitable” in certain ways.

“What the present tuition system represents is a massive benefit to those families that are more wealthy, because essentially, they are able to achieve a level of tuition payment, which is equivalent to those who have true financial need,” he said. “If you have a very low, stable tuition fee, what you’ve done is provide tuition relief to all those

Canada?

who don’t need it.”

As a way to potentially minimize this problem, Galaty pointed to American university applications, where students must submit a form that allows the university to identify those who are in need of financial assistance. He said another option is to give tax credits for tuition on a graduated scale that refunds money to those of lower income backgrounds.

According to Isabel, society as a whole benefits greatly from the education of students. She cited a study by the Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec (FEUQ), which states that every dollar the Quebec government invests in a graduate student returns $5.30.

Munroe-Blum expressed agreement that certain groups of students should receive financial support, including research, masters, and PhD students, as well as “qualified students” who can’t afford to pay otherwise. She said students should pay “to the best of their ability,” but also emphasized the diverse factors that affect a student’s ability to go to university.

“The social milieu has a far greater impact on who goes to university than tuition,” Munroe-Blum said. “Frankly, I am very concerned about the results of the educational system, and I think something we really need to focus on is actually looking at who graduates. Do those who are the first in their family to go to university graduate?”

Reid-Fraser concluded by drawing attention to the complex nature of barriers to secondary education, and the need to extend the discussion of accessibility beyond tuition.

“Financial barriers are a very important thing to continue to talk about, but another long-term project is to re-envision how we make the information ... available [here] to people who maybe can’t sit through lectures every day or learn from a book as easily,” she said. “I know a lot of friends who did not go to university, simply because their learning style is not suited to being in a classroom, and yet, there is so much valuable information that we get when we’re in a classroom or at a university.”

Compiled by Jimmy lou

Applebaum fights corruption In the next few weeks, Montreal will have a new anti-corruption unit designed to investigate city affairs, according to an announcement made by Mayor Michael Applebaum on Jan. 11. The group, which will be the first of its kind in Canada, will consist of 20 members. Although most employees will be Montreal police officers, the unit will exist and act independently from the city.

The new unit is called Escouade de protection de l’intégrité municiaple (EPIM, or the Squad to Protect Municipal Integrity). Estimated costs for its first year of operation are $3 million, including costs for paying staff and establishing EPIM’s headquarters.

With this move, Applebaum said he seeks to send a warning to “profiteers and schemers,” who attempt to manipulate construction contracts to their benefit. Although some members of the official opposition party Vision Montreal have asked if this step comes too late given the history of corruption in Montreal, many members have praised Applebaum for creating an additional barrier to the spread of corruption in the city.

Government bureaucrats caught cheating

Military planes may have defects

According to documents uncovered last week, Ottawa officials reprimanded almost 60 federal bureaucrats for allegedly plagiarising on an exam in a 2010 job application for a government position in the information technology sector.

Instances of plagiarism are normally kept confidential due to privacy concerns. However, one applicant decided to challenge the accusation in federal court, causing the records to be released.

The exam was distributed over the Internet to more than 2,000 applicants. Although applicants were allowed to use the Internet during the test, they were prohibited from copying and pasting text into their exams. Those who marked the test alleged that almost one in every twenty people who filled out the test had plagiarised in this manner.

The bureaucrats were not fired for their actions; however, they received reprimands, and were halted in any potential job advances. In addition, the government informed the applicants’ superiors of their plagiarism on the exam. Critics point to this incident as an indication that plagiarism in government is a greater problem than acknowledged.

Questions arose last week regarding the threat posed by counterfeit Chinese parts in the cockpits of some of the Hercules planes recently bought by the Canadian military.

CBC News alleges that the counterfeit electronic chips could cause the instrument panels of the aircraft to turn blank during flight.

If these parts become defective, Canadian military pilots risk flying blindly into combat zones without important information such as altitude, speed, location, or fuel supply.

The CBC says it has received documents, indicating that the military became aware of the counterfeit parts as early as July 2012; but the military has not disclosed the information, despite a CBC News investigation. The Department of National Defence denies that the parts pose a threat, but notes they will replace the parts as necessary.

Neither the manufacturer nor the electronics company that made the system has provided comments on the allegations.

opinion editorial

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

Budget cuts no different from tuition increases

Last December, we saw a very different side of the Parti Québecois and the students that helped vote it into office than we came to know in 2012. Elected on the shoulders of the student movement, and a recent advocate of accessible education, the PQ struck a major blow against the same issues it once stood for with its plan to cut $124 million in university funding. The students, meanwhile, have watched this happen with little coherent response. The Tribune decries the government’s evasive and dishonest behaviour, and urges students and administration to come together in opposition.

This move represents a sudden departure from the government’s stated priorities. Its new budget, released on Nov 20, bore no mention of any cuts, only championing the end of the tuition hikes. Two weeks later, the government revealed sizable cuts without any warning to students or schools. This reversal indicates a thorough disrespect for students and student issues, as well as a willingness to use these issues for political gain. In Sept 2012, with the election on the line, and student movements engaging as relevant political actors, the PQ heralded edu-

cation as a top priority. Now, with a budget blasted by opponents, and a need for fiscal responsibility, education is the first to face cuts.

As for the students, whose response to last year’s planned tuition hikes started out as a rumble and built to a roar as protest after protest took to the streets, this new development has been met with near silence.

Some major student groups have spoken out against it, but no cohesive plan of action has emerged.

The student reaction was also hampered by the placement of the announcement late in the year, as most schools were in the midst of exams, or finishing up for the holidays. Especially in light of the ongoing government advocacy for accessibly education right up until the announcement, its timing should be seen as strategic. This has severely limit reaction to and discussion of the issues surrounding these cuts.

Those opposing the tuition increases cited concerns for accessibility of education. While higher tuition does make education available to fewer people, these cuts will, indirectly, have the same adverse effect.

When McGill’s budget was passed last spring, under the assumption that

the tuition hikes would take effect, a substantial portion of the school’s revenue from the additional tuition was to be put towards student financial aid and emergency assistance.

These are the sorts of investments a school can make when it has money.

Conversely, when budgets are cut, the first things to go are those which most directly impact students.

One explanation for the lack of outrage now is that the budget cuts don’t take money directly from students’ pockets in the way a tuition hike does. However, it is important to remember that the net outcome is the same. A smaller budget means that a school is able to provide fewer services and a lower calibre of education. While the amount that we are paying may not be higher, the value of what we are paying for is diminishing. Whether the cuts are reflected in student services and resources (such as advisors or Service Point), facilities, libraries, or directly to the classroom, it is once again the student who loses out.

Among the greatest differences between this and the events in the spring of 2012 surrounding the tuition hikes is that students and the administration are now aligned in

Production Manager Sam Reynolds sreynolds@mcgilltribune.com

their interests. These budget cuts are bad for the university community as a whole, and to see them rescinded should be a universal priority. It is the administration that is in the best position to do this. Our Board of Governors includes members who carry enormous influence both within and outside of the university. Although some of these individuals’ presence on the board has been a point of tension between students and administration, they are well-placed to advance the school’s cause. As an institution, we carry political clout. McGill can make a difference, and it is from the top that it can most efficiently effect change.

The Board has already passed a motion denouncing the budget cuts, and Principal Munroe-Blum has been vocal in her opposition to the cuts. These are a good foundation, but we need something more.

We need to see a message sent to the government that education must be prioritized, and educational institutions will stand up for themselves, even if it will not. If there has ever been a time for the university to take action and speak on behalf of each and every one of its members, that time is now.

News Editors Bea Britneff, Andra Cervnavskis and Erica Friesen news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editor Ben Carter-Whitney opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editor Caity Hui scitech@mcgilltribune.com Student Living Editor Jacqui Galbraith studentliving@mcgilltribune.com Features Editor Sara Espinal Henao feature@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 H. Lee design@mcgilltribune.com Online Editor Victor Temprano online@mcgilltribune.com Social Media Editor Lisa Yang socialmedia@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Adrien Hu copy@mcgilltribune.com Advertising Manager Myriam Richard cpm@ssmu.mcgill.ca Publisher Chad Ronalds

TPS Board of Directors

1993.6 advisors

OR

27 Service Points

OR

124,000 psychology student RAs

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

Contributors Mayaz Alam, Hrant Bardakjian, Will Burgess, Tom DiNardo, Christy Frost, Abhishek Gupta, Roger Hamilton, Christian Hertzer, Evie Kaczmarek, Mike King, Ben Ko, Peter Laing, Jennifer Lee, Jimmy Lou, Remi Lu, Krishantgh Manokaran, Bronte Martin, Abraham Moussako, Alycia Noë, Luke Orlando, Cedric Smith, Kristal Spreadborough, Kieran Steer, David Stein, Susan Westfall, Leyang Yu

Tribune Offices Editorial

Shatner University Centre Suite 110, 3480 McTavish Montreal, QC H3A 0E7

27

T: 514.398.6789

Advertising Brown Student Building Suite 1200, 3600 McTavish

= 1 service point

what

= 10 advisors

1993.6

$124 million can buy

Montreal, QC H3A 1Y2 T: 514.398.6835

= 1000 psychology student RAs

124, 000 Information from mcgillreporter.com, mcgill.ca, nacada.ksu.edu

Infographic by Susanne Wang

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.

7

columnists Divest what?

The flawed thinking behind university divestment Abraham Moussako

Commentary

A large part of the difference in the policy prescriptions that we see from the Left and Right can be attributed to the logic they apply to political and policy problems. In terms of social issues, we see that those on the Right tend to frame problems within an absolutist moral framework, and anything that falls short of this standard is vigorously opposed. An obvious example is the insistence of the American religious right on “abstinence only” sex education, on the grounds that teaching contraceptive use would promote immorality. Those on the Left, meanwhile, tend to frame the same social issues in terms of “harm reduction.” That is to say that even if

Cedric Smith

Commentary

Why Idle No More is good for Canada

It is easy for some to give in to a knee-jerk response to the Idle No More movement and regard it as a petty squabble over access to federal funds, or to look at Chief Theresa Spence’s four-week ‘hunger strike’ of water and fish broth, and see no hunger strike at all.

Right or wrong, this focus misses the point. Idle No More has grievances beyond the realms of funding, many of which are reasonable. The movement suffers from a marketing problem, namely a terrible spokesperson in First Nations Chief Theresa Spence. Although charges of corruption and embezzlement in the Attawapiskat First Nations community she leads have not

you don’t like teenagers having sex, or people using drugs, these things are happening; therefore we should teach contraception, or have safe injection sites, because the best intervention the state could engage in would be to reduce the harms of the activity, as opposed to vainly trying to eliminate them altogether.

Ironically, when we shift to environmental issues, we can see the more absolute moral framework being applied by left-wing activists.

The recent spate of campaigns by left-wing campus groups to get universities to divest from companies linked to climate change have occurred on campuses across North America, including McGill. On our campus, from General Assembly (GA) resolutions to petitioning university administrators, students have argued that McGill, as an institution that has shown commitment to sustainability, should not invest any of its money in companies or financial institutions involved in natural resource extraction.

The problem with these cam-

paigns is that whether or not divestment will actually produce any changes in the behaviour of these companies is at best, a secondary consideration. The text of the resolution put forth at the Fall GA shows a document rooted mostly in normative argumentation, with many appeals to McGill and SSMU’s (Student Society of McGill University) stated principles on the environment. This is in many ways falling into the trap social conservatives fall into when advocating against harm reduction strategies. They focus on the moral stand their own actions are making against the societal wrong, with little consideration of how this stand affects overall occurrences of the wrong; if company X continues to exploit the environment after divesting, their logic seems to be, ‘at least we removed our money and can clearly say that we aren’t playing a part in it.’

This sort of stance is certainly respectable in the abstract, but is dubious in the real world. If you take a stand against investing in a com-

pany, or stock portfolio based on whether or not they derive profits from activities you find socially objectionable, where do you draw the threshold? How do you quantify the level of social harm, and decide who loses money accordingly? It may be easy to say that the oil rig operator is engaged in an unethical activity that should be divested from, but what about the bank that financed the drilling expedition? The company that built the drill? A close reading of the SSMU GA divestment resolution—which passed in the Fall GA as a consultative body—would suggest that there is no threshold. The resolved clauses push for divestment from companies involved in the oil sands, and “other companies that have negative impacts on their social, political, economic and environmental surroundings,” which is an incredibly nebulous standard; any company larger than a ‘mom and pop’ business can be construed to have some “negative” impact on its “surroundings.”

The flip side of the coin, and the

real problem with a divestment strategy is that, by removing university stock from any or all of these companies, the university also removes its main means of direct influence over their activities. Publicly traded corporations respond first to their shareholders, and the likelihood that the public attention generated by university divestment will make companies change their behaviour more than any action universities as shareholders could take is dubious at best. Public outcry has limited and brief effectiveness as a tactic against the actions of large corporations.

So when we look at the issue of divestment, we must question the logic behind it. Are we simply trying to register our own opposition to a social harm, or will our action tangibly reduce the social harm? Being able to say that you aren’t a part of a social harm has little real value if your action does little to change the behaviour of the actors that matter.

been proven. Nevertheless, Spence’s fiscal management of her community to economic catastrophe, despite annual federal grants of more than $15 million, makes the entire movement vulnerable to ad-hominem attacks.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s omnibus Bill C-45 is the root of these protests. In his typically authoritarian manner, Harper has melded together a number of policy proposals into one behemoth piece of legislation. This has discredited media scrutiny of the unsavory aspects of the bill, and has restrained the ability of Conservative Party backbenchers to vote with their conscience. MPs against policies that would deteriorate environmental protections, for example, may vote for them if they are bundled with legislation that would benefit their own constituencies.

Lorraine Land, partner at OKT Barristers and Solicitors and a specialist in environmental and Aboriginal law, has made a list of the aspects of Bill C-45, along with other

current Canadian legislative proposals, which negatively affect Indigenous peoples. While some of these points are tenuous, it is undeniable that Harper’s policies will have a negative effect on the environment.

Bill C-45 itself has scrapped environmental assessments required for the construction of infrastructure projects on bodies of water for the vast majority of Canada’s lakes and rivers, opening them up to potentially harmful practices. Bill C-38, another Harper omnibus bill, proposes a wider range of detrimental changes to environmental policy.

These include increasing the ease with which Canadian companies can dump waste into the ocean and decreasing protections for a number of endangered species. An exhaustive list can be found on the website of the Green Party of Canada.

Environmental protection is highly important for most Indigenous peoples, whose histories and cultures tend to emphasize a spiritual connection to nature. Idle No More goes beyond environmental

grievances, however, and centers on the sense of being left out by the government from decisions important to those affected. Bill C-428, for example, another recently proposed piece of federal legislation, has made fundamental changes to the Indian Act of 1876 with little to no consultation with the Indigenous peoples. When they speak about feeling overlooked or invisible, they are being absolutely sincere.

Many may argue that Canada’s Indigenous peoples, often seen as government-reliant, do not deserve a bargaining position equal to that of Ottawa. This may be a fair point, but Harper’s actions have a pattern to them. His attempt to run roughshod over Indigenous opinion in matters directly impacting them fits right in with his two prorogations of Parliament, his consistent suppression of scientific research, and his funding cuts to public organizations that dissent from the Conservative Party orthodoxy.

Changes to Canada’s environmental regulations may turn out

to be necessary for its economic growth. All members of society tacitly accept the need for some trade-off between preserving the environment and attaining economic growth—even Canada’s Indigenous peoples. There is an increasing number of First Nations who agree to share in the profits of ventures that exploit the natural resources of their reserves, a trend that began with the Fort McMurray First Nation in northern Alberta.

The Idle No More protests, however, will force greater scrutiny in the changes proposed by the Conservative Party of Canada and will spark a public debate on the extent to which we are willing to accept those trade-offs. It is certainly refreshing to see Canada’s Indigenous peoples stand up and provide a roadblock both figuratively and very literally to Harper’s authoritarian style of governance.

Write to us! opinion@mcgilltribune.com

8

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 |

OPINION

off the board Creating (and fighting) for a more heavenly Adam Sadinsky campus Managing Editor This Christmas Day, my family found ourselves in the Old City of Jerusalem, the historical intersection of the world’s three great monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Although we are Jewish, we walked to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to see what Christmas was like at one of the religion’s holiest sites. On the way, we ran into a priest from France, who gave us directions to the church. As we parted, he left us with a blessing: “I will see you all again in Heaven. Not just in the real Heaven, but in the heavenly Jerusalem.” The experience that day was indeed close to heavenly, walking from such a holy Christian site, to the Kotel or Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism while hearing the muffled sound of the muezzin— the Muslim call to prayer—emanating from the al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest shrine in Islam.

The peace of that day led me to reflect that despite the friction and constant upheaval in this most coveted of lands, there was a feeling of an unlikely tolerance above it all.

Yes, later that day, we read reports of an Ultra-Orthodox Jew fighting with an Armenian priest, and breaking his 16th-century cross; later, stories came out of conflict between Palestinians and soldiers of the Israel Defence Forces in East Jerusalem.

From my perspective, however, that day was noticeably calm, and the tolerant words of the priest stuck with me.

One memory from before my trip kept re-entering my mind. It was the story of a fellow McGill student, Alex, who’d had an opposite experience—not in the Middle East, but in McGill’s “safe space.” Sitting in the Redpath cafeteria during the most recent flare-up of the Arab-Israeli conflict, Alex—wearing a kippa, or skullcap—said he was accosted by a group of students wearing blackand-white checkered keffiyehs, the

symbol of the Palestinian resistance movement, who he had not provoked. One of the members of the group pointed to Alex’s kippa and then drew his finger across his throat, a universal symbol. Regardless of whether it was serious, Alex saw this as a death threat. According to Canada’s Criminal Code this was a crime, inspired by his religion.

It was a hate crime. Like Arab and Muslim students who are unfairly targeted and branded as ‘terrorists’ due to baseless hatred and ignorance, Alex experienced something that we cannot accept.

It is particularly troubling that a hate crime occurred on our campus; and not only did no one do anything about it, no one knows about it. We don’t know about it because Alex did not know where to go, and did not think he could actually achieve a positive resolution or be treated fairly because he was on “the Israeli side.”

We cannot let events like this go unnoticed nor unmentioned. “We” here takes three separate meanings: I personally use the word “we” as a member of the campus media; a member of the Jewish community; and a member of the broader McGill community. When we see hate, we must stop it. When we experience hate, we must report it. And when we believe that something is fundamentally wrong, we must take action against it.

From a media perspective, we need to remember that fair and honest reporting does not involve pretending that all sides are right, and steering away from controversy.

This case of anti-Semitism should have been reported, as should other acts of hate be they against women, homosexuals, people of other races, or anyone else. If students are not forthcoming, as in this case, it is our job to find these stories, to write them down, and to make them known. If one student like Alex cannot tell his or her story to every student at McGill, a student journalist can.

From a Jewish perspective, “we” as a community must re-find our voice. For decades, Jewish students were known as activists who

| Curiosity delivers.

took on causes they believed were right and made a difference. The movement to help Soviet Jewry escape from the galvanized Jews on campus was successful. Jewish leaders marched with the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in the ‘60s.

Today, many of us shy away from controversy, and we let things slide, rather than take up a fight that might be difficult. Apathy has never been part of our culture. This includes the fight against anti-Semitism, but our values go beyond our own people.

“We” must pursue justice and prevent hate not just against our own people, but wherever it takes place in the world.

Finally, from a campus perspective, “we” not only need to be more tolerant, but we also need to be more accommodating of everyone who experiences hate and discrimination, on all sides of a given issue or conflict, despite what the media decides to report. Alex did not know where to turn to find help, he felt like he was alone. Students should know that there is a welcoming, comforting place to tell their stories regardless of their political views. The equity complaints process and resources such as the McGill Counselling Service and the Legal Information Clinic (just to name a few) need to be better publicized so as to be used by anyone who needs help. Based on the prevailing campus rhetoric on the Arab-Israeli conflict, Alex felt that he would not have received fair treatment. If we claim that McGill is a safe space where everyone is heard, we cannot apply a double standard. Picking and choosing is not justice.

Regardless of which category you fall into, as you return to class this semester, ask yourself if you are as tolerant as you think you are. Ask what you do to promote and preserve justice. Take up a cause that you believe is right and fight for it.

Others may disagree with you, but do not be deterred. When we all do that, our campus will be as peaceful as the visions of the French priest in Jerusalem on Christmas Day. Let’s make that happen in 2013.

The tribune is accepting applications for

Rent with us and $AVE! • Affordable studios, 1, 2 & 3 Bedroom Apartments • 5 min from downtown Montreal • Located on beautiful Nuns’ Island • Close to transit, shopping and more!

Up to 2 months FREE on select units! (limited time offer)

450 chemin du Golf

514-769-8982 www.msirentals.com

Live Jazz

Tue, Wed, Thu , Fri 6pm-8pm

Live classical music every Sunday 6pm - 8pm

DJ’s Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat from 10pm Complete listings

www.bilykun.com NoW air CoNDiTioNNeD! 354 Mont Royal Est 514 845-5392

design editor.

Send 3 samples of your work to design@mcgilltribune.com

mcgilltribune.com

Write to us! opinion@ mcgilltribune.com

Curiosity delivers. |

science & technology

| Tuesday, January 15, 2013

9

TECHNOLOGY

Quantum computers: science fiction brought to life D-Wave releases the first commercial quantum computer Kieran Steer Contributor Constructing the fastest computer has always been a huge challenge posed by technology. In the past, computer developments werheld back, as the machines, though extremely fast, could only perform one binary operation at a time.

Today, this is no longer true.

In May 2011, computing company D-Wave released the first commercial quantum computers, which run on complex physics principles to perform multiple tasks simultaneously.

Deep inside a common computer’s system, all operations boil down to 0’s and 1’s—like an “on” and “off” switch—in the programs.

For example, a computer solves the basic numeric operation of 2+2 with a series of 0s and 1s in varying patterns, that will eventually be converted by the machine to print the symbol 4 on the screen. This set of instructions is known as binary code.

The speed of computer operations has been hampered by the fact that it takes time for a machine to go through the lists of 0s and 1s to accomplish a task. Though 2+2 is virtually instantaneous for a modern machine, current computing systems pose a serious time efficiency issue regarding large tasks requiring billions of operations.

Quantum computers, however, have the ability to perform multiple binary tasks simultaneously.

As stated on D-Wave’s website, “the laws of quantum physics, which govern the microscopic world, allow bits of matter to be in two states simultaneously…. [Quantum computing] put[s] bits of information into their 0 and 1 states at the same time.”

Promoters of the invention were skeptical at first, finding the idea esoteric and far-reaching. However, a research group from Burnaby, British Columbia made immense progress in this technological field, making the product a reality.

“At first I thought, ‘this sounds like science fiction’… and many

people had told them over the years that [it] is impossible,” said Vern Brownell, CEO of D-Wave, in an email to the Tribune. “But they have really accomplished a miracle to get this far.”

These quantum computers are among the most predominant breakthroughs in worldly applications of deep quantum physics. Numerous corporations are supporting the promotion of these computers, showing a strong public interest in the new technology.

According to a D-Wave press release, “[As of 2010], Lockheed Martin purchased serial number 1, completing the historic first sale of a commercial quantum computer.”

Since then, D-Wave has received support from Goldman Sachs, Harris & Harris, the Business Development Bank of Canada, and others.

The press release stated the company had over 100 pending patent applications worldwide, related to quantum computing and superconducting electronics.

Beyond a magnificent techno-

logical innovation, these computers show how science on the smallest scales is rapidly becoming more applicable. According to data released by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, the number of companies and organizations involved worldwide in nanotechnology projects has reached 1,200—an increase of 50 per cent since 2011.

With this immense support and the percent increase in corporations involved, science on the nano and quantum scale is likely to bring rise to more of these “science fiction” innovations previously deemed impossible.

According to ScienceNews, incredible quantum effects, such as the ability to change the outcome of an event after it has happened, quantum teleportation, and quantum computing are properties that are currently being taken advantage of by researchers. These properties could lead to further discoveries that reach beyond basic human understanding.

Another practical use of quantum mechanics recently developed

is the nearly perfected secret messaging technology known as cryptography. Based on the principle that a photon of light—a particle carrying light radiation—changes once observed, the code can catch any person trying to intercept the message. Observation of the photons would change the code and alert those on the receiving end to its interception.

The list of developments of recent quantum technology goes on.

As the science expands, the previously esoteric quantum mechanics will continue to influence other fields of science, as well as spur invention. D-Wave computers are just the first of several small-scale innovations that lead to large-scale changes in life as we know it.

SCIENCE

Newborn computer games prevent elderly dementia The PONDER project provides free online brain training exercises Jennifer Lee Contributor The feeling of hitting your maximum capacity to remember facts is not a foreign concept to students— especially the night before an exam.

Fortunately, one’s cognitive reserve is far from rigid. Recent research has shown that keeping your cognitive faculties active may be instrumental in preventing the age-related neurodegenerative diseases that affect one in every 11 Canadians over the age of 65.

Today, online brain-training programs like Lumosity are at an all-time peak in popularity. Youth and adults alike are more eager than ever to find ways of keeping their minds active and sharp as they age, while enjoying the immediate daily benefits that accompany heightened mental agility.

Now, thanks to McGill’s Dr. Jens Pruessner and his team at the PONDER project, the public can access these online brain training exercises for free, while contributing invaluable data to ground-breaking neurological research.

PONDER—Prevention of Neurological Diseases in Everyone at Risk—is a free, personal mental training program, available to

anyone with computer and internet access. Interactive applications accessible through the PONDER website prompt the user to perform challenging memory tasks, designed to improve cognitive function, such as reproducing sequences of picture patterns in the right order.

In conjunction with the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, the McGill Centre for Studies in Aging developed PONDER in hopes of documenting and characterizing successful aging, identifying participants at risk of cognitive deterioration, and preventing the onset of disease where possible. The project has already attracted thousands of participants.

The team at PONDER hopes to achieve its goals through the program’s computer games designed to improve the participants’ attention, along with their working, verbal and long-term memory. Users are also asked to take an online assessment every six months to monitor changes as they age—similar to a doctor’s check up. This assessment allows researchers to harvest longitudinal data—data over a period of time— for further investigation.

“By starting to observe subjects in their 30s or 40s, we can identify sub-groups of participants at risk

of developing dementia earlier on,” Pruessner said. “We want to gain a better understanding of each person’s individual trajectory or slope.”

Normally, data is collected through cross-sectional testing—a study of many subjects at the same point in time. The downfall of this method is that it takes much longer for the performance of brighter-than-average individuals to fall below the expected norms. Consequently, their dementia may go undiagnosed for far longer.

“It’s possible that your cognitive reserve has declined, but that you may still be above average for your age group,” Pruessner explained. “[Doctors] will believe nothing to be wrong, when this is not actually the case.”

This problem is the reason why there is now a greater need for longitudinal studies, like PONDER, in the field of neuroscience.

Pruessner believes that descent into dementia is like passing a threshold that defines the boundary between normal and impaired cognition. If one’s cognitive reserve is large enough to start, one is more likely to die from other means before ever reaching that threshold.

“Statistically, that’s why higher IQ may be correlated with lower

Online brain games may prevent cognitive degeneration. (mindblogs.smartandstrong.com)

incidences of dementia,” Preussner said. “You would probably see it later, but for some people, that later never comes.”

The team behind the project is therefore hoping to change the way we think about prevention, shifting the focus away from finding a cure for Alzheimer’s to learning about lifestyle changes that can help slow the effects of cognitive decline.

However, the most daunting challenge in combating cognitive deterioration is the fact that diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s can develop inconspicuously in the brain for up to several decades before manifesting themselves as irreversible but detectable symptoms.

Misfolded proteins in the brain, such as beta-amyloids, induce the misfolding of adjacent proteins in a domino effect. These then aggregate into plaques that inhibit proper cell

function. However, this process can last up to 20 years before the individual starts noticing a difference.

All too often, we brush aside misplaced keys and forgotten names as a normal and inevitable part of growing old, and it’s often difficult to delineate neurological disease from the natural process of aging.

“This is really the holy grail of modern neuroscience,” Pruessner explained. “How do we differentiate changes that are part of ‘healthy’ cognitive aging, and when do we start to see these changes as more than just normal?”

It may be worthwhile to trade that Facebook scrolling habit for something to keep the cogs in the brain turning instead. Visit ponder. mcgill.ca to enroll for free today, and help McGill researchers combat neurodegenerative disease, one game at a time.

10

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 |

science & technology

| Curiosity delivers.

technology

Wearable computing at a glance Google’s Project Glass may change the way we see the world Abhishek Gupta Contributor Imagine window-shopping down Ste. Catherine on a crisp Sunday morning, when a stunning suit on display catches your eye. Beep! Brand: Arrow; Size: M; Price: $700—all this information pops up in front of your eyes in the flash of a second. This is the future of shopping, as Google envisions it, by introducing Glass.

Glass is a head-mounted, augmented reality display set developed

by Google X Labs, which works on other futuristic projects, such as driverless cars. In simpler words, Glass is a pair of glasses that contain a computer, which can provide information about any object, viewed through, the lens.

“Augmented reality”—a term used to describe a live view of a real world environment, whose elements are amplified by computer-generated

information—is not a new idea. However, with Glass, there is a real possibility of this concept being integrated more into everyday use.

Glass has a minimalistic design.

The glasses include a light titanium frame with lenses replaced by LED displays. This minimalism makes it easy to use Glass as daily wear, part of a technological trend currently referred to as “wearable computing.” “[Glass is about] allow[ing] people to connect to others with images or video,” said Babak Parviz, head of the Google Glass project.

Parviz went on to explain that one of the primary goals of the project was to bring more of the “visual” to social computing.

With this technology come many advantages. From ‘Instagraming’ that delicious carpaccio at the local Italian restaurant without digging out your smartphone, to quickly accessing any information on the web through eye

and motion gestures, Glass opens up new applications of computing.

But Glass is more than just a webcam mounted on trendy-looking glasses. With this fashion-oriented foray into wearable computing, Google has opened up a new platform to access and create social content in a manner relevant to the individual user.

In a world where online social networks are incredibly popular, Glass gives the consumer a new tool: a faster way to share life moments and ideas with friends. Unlike other social networking technologies, Glass allows others to view your experiences through the same lens as your own.

Google X Labs are exploring a new territory in terms of how users integrate information streams within the real-life context. It will be interesting to see how consumers will respond when this technology is released in 2014.

Project Glass makes wearable computing a future reality. (digitaltrends.com) For a preview, Sergey Brin, CEO of Google, walked down the catwalk with celebrated fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg in her show in New York for her Spring 2013 line, sporting these brightly coloured glasses. Diane’s models wore them on the ramp, and recorded the show through their perspective in a video called “DVF through Glass.”

TIME magazine also listed Glass as one of the “Best Inventions of 2012,” alongside other scientific marvels like the Mars Curiosity Rover.

However, with all this excitement buzzing around Glass, it is important to take a step back. There are a few drawbacks to this project, which are not quite as evident at first glance.

Having a display screen so close to the eyes for extensive periods of time can strain the optic nerves, and such harmful effects have yet to be properly investigated. Besides, with the constant bombardment of technology today, switching off for a while is not a bad idea.

Yet, with the advent of this kind of wearable computing, it might become even harder to go offline.

“Here’s where human behaviour comes in,” Christopher Rims from the MIT Technology Review explained.

“We are really bad at ignoring distractions that are at hand. And the more accessible they are, the more addictive and distracting they can become.”

RESEARCH

Promising solution for those with poor taste Bone marrow stem cells used to bio-engineer salivary glands Krishanth Manokaran Contributor For people without a functional salivary gland, food tastes like it is rolled in sand, says Dr. Simon Tran, Faculty of Dentistry and Canada Research Chair in Craniofacial Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering.

Based on a recent paper by Vijayendra Kumar for the Indian Journal of Stomatology, up to 1.5 litres of saliva is produced in and secreted from the salivary glands every day.

Composed mainly of water, saliva contains enzymes and lubricants that help the digestive system break down food, and make speaking, chewing,

ASK

By Caity Hui

Why you should eat more curry What exactly is Alzheimer’s?

Often referred to as “Old timer’s disease,” Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that affects nearly 36 million people worldwide. It causes problems with memory, thinking and behaviour, and is classified as a progressive illness, which means that symptoms will gradually worsen over time. Whereas someone with early stage Alzheimer’s might only be subject to memory problems, by the later stages of the illness, the same person could have lost the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment.

and swallowing more comfortable.

“Without functioning salivary glands, these actions would prove very difficult,” explained Tran, who has been working on clinical therapies to regenerate lost salivary gland tissue.

Two of the most common reasons for a dysfunctional salivary gland are the result of therapeutic irradiation treatment of patients with head or neck cancer, as well as the autoimmune disease Sjögren’s syndrome.

“Approximately 500,000 new cases of head and neck cancer occur each year worldwide,” Tran said.

“Sjögren’s is estimated to affect as

many as 4 million people in the United States alone, with nine out 10 patients being women.”

Tran’s lab, based at the Strathcona Anatomy and Dentistry Building, looks to bio-engineer new salivary glands by using bone marrow stem cells. So far, Tran has tested the use of bone marrow cells to bio-engineer salivary glands by means of mice models in the hope of restoring saliva flow. His experiments have been successful, and now Tran is looking ahead to restore salivary flow in humans.

“It’s harder,” Tran said. “The salivary glands, in terms of complexity, are somewhere between skin tissue

and the heart.”

Understanding the therapeutic effect of bone marrow stem cells in restoring saliva flow is one of many areas of research on Tran’s list.

Tran and his colleagues have also built a prototype artificial salivary gland using a biodegrable polymer. A small tube-like structure, it is coated with human salivary cells, which would rest in the mouth near the salivary glands. The aim of this prototype is for the cells to form a “basement membrane,” which can lead to the stimulation and regeneration of the salivary tissue cells.

“Meanwhile, there are short term ‘reliefs’ for patients,” Tran said,

explaining that artificial saliva or saliva substitutes can be prescribed and are regulated by the FDA as medical devices.

Artificial salivas are used to moisten and lubricate the mouth, but do not stimulate the salivary glands to make saliva, since they have no chemical action. The FDA has also approved several prescription drugs to relieve dry mouth caused by certain medical treatments or conditions, such as Cevimeline for Sjögren’s syndrome and Pilocarpine for radiation of head or neck cancer.

SCITECH Alzheimer’s has remained a major research focus, not only due to the large amount of people afflicted by the illness, but also to the fact that no effective diagnoses or treatments have been discovered. Presently, the only way to diagnose Alzheimer’s with certainty is through an autopsy, and there are currently no treatments available to halt its progression.

While no effective Alzheimer’s treatments are yet on the market, there are many different methods of prevention. Although most of these preventative measures are dubious—avoiding flu shots and silver dental fillings to name a few—there are some easy and unexpected steps that can be taken, which are backed by scientific research.

Alzheimer’s prevention plan: 1) Eat more curry According to research conducted by Sally Frautschy, associate professor of medicine at UCLA, turmeric—a major component of curry powder—might be protective against Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists first became interested in curry powder when they noticed that India had an unexpectedly low rate of Alzheimer’s cases.

Curry, a dietary staple in India, is also used as a household remedy to treat conditions for which Western cultures typically use anti-inflammatory drugs. Since recent evidence suggests Alzheimer’s may also have an inflammatory component, scientists suspect that this anti-inflammatory property of curry may aid in

treating the disease.

Alzheimer’s disease involves a buildup of a protein known as beta-amyloid in the brain.

These abnormal deposits then cause inflammation, destroying cells as a result. If curcumin — the major ingredient in turmeric — were to have anti-inflammatory components, it makes sense that it may help with the treatment of Alzheimer’s.

Frautschy’s research showed that, when beta-amyloid was injected into the brains of rats to mimic Alzheimer’s, rats fed a diet rich in curcumin showed a reduced accumulation of the troublesome protein. It is possible that curcumin binds to beta-amyloid and deactivates it, thereby reducing the chances of these deposits building up to cause Alzheimer’s.

2) Brush your teeth with your other hand In an interview with the McGill Reporter, Jens Pruessner, director of the McGill Center for Studies in Aging, stated: “The old adage ‘use it or lose it’ really applies to your brain.”

Cognitive training has been shown to preserve high cognitive function at an old age.

Even exercises that involve adding variety to your daily mental routine can prove beneficial.

One easy exercise with which to experiment is alternating which hand you use to brush your teeth. Simple brain stimulating switch-ups, such as putting a watch on the other wrist, activate brain regions that might otherwise go unstimulated.

Student living Should I drop this course?

By Jacqui Galbraith

No

Is it relatively important to your degree that you take this course this semester?

Will this course suck any less if you take it a different semester?

Do you dislike he content/subject?

No

Yes

Yes

Save it for another term.

Replace it with something you’re actually excited about.

Yes

Go to a couple lectures and see if you can get past it. Decide if the content makes up for the professor or not.

Are you willing to change your major?

Yes

No

Yes

Is the course harder than you expected?

Keep the course.

Four months isn’t really that long.

Are you taking this course because it’s a bird course?

Give it a shot. If nothing else, you get to listen to an interesting and entertaining lecture two to three times a week.

Yes Is this course simple enough to make up for your lack of interest in the content?

No Drop it. There’s not too much of a chance that you’ll suddenly fall in love with the material.

No

No Yes

Yes Is it at an inconvenient time?

Is it more than you can handle this semester?

No Keep it. Embrace the challenge.

Yes

No

Yes Drop it. You can always take it later, maybe when you have a lighter course load.

You must really hate this course; drop it.

You might as well get it over with. Keep the course, and reward yourself with an ‘easy A’ elective.

No Is the professor talented enough to make up for that?

Do you dislike the professor’s teaching style?

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

Is this a required course?

How much does that really matter to you? If everything else about the course is great, keep it.

Drop it. Find a different elective that at least sparks your curiosity.

Keep it. Save your energy for the courses you’re passionate about.

Then there’s absolutely no reason to drop this course.

Around montreal

Streets of Montreal to welcome gourmet, mobile fare Starting summer of 2013, food trucks will be found all around town at appealing prices Alycia Noë Contributor Walking around trendy neighbourhoods in New York City or Chicago, you’ll pass many food trucks on street corners, serving meals as distinct as the cultures represented in each city. Initially, many may think the trucks offer a lower-quality last option. The trucks actually offer plenty of gourmet and affordable fare, and they can be ideal for those constantly on the go. Food trucks have also increased the availability of a broader range of ethnic foods and quirky, but delicious combinations of cuisines. The trucks provide access to dishes previously unavailable if not unimaginable and are soon to crop up all around Montreal.

Starting in 1947, when food trucks were first under consideration in Montreal, the Quebec government refused to authorize the operation of such enterprises, citing concerns for food safety and quality. But after the successful launch of numerous food

trucks in other big cities, it became impossible to oppose the establishment of Montreal’s own signature brand of street food. Food trucks will be approved and should rapidly begin to appear this summer.

To date, six food trucks have been approved by the government, and will be available for our enjoyment before the summer.

Two original food trucks pushed the margins of the old law and are indisputably the real deal: Grumman’s ‘78 and Noveau Palais.

Grummans ‘78’s imaginative tacos provide the city with authentic Mexican food. According to the owners, “the food is fresh, healthy, affordable, locally-sourced, and locallyowned,” according to their website.

Customers can purchase two generously sized tacos for $7.50. Grummans ’78 began the revolutionary “food-truck” idea in downtown Montréal. Under the old law, Grummans had to limit their presence to a few days per year. Finally, after numerous struggles with the old law,

this truck will now be available for all to enjoy.

Nouveau Palais serves miniature burgers, cookies, and milk out of a Winnebago, as if sent to satisfy the hunger pains that accompany late night studying. This truck operated just within the old laws by serving food outside their restaurant on West Bernard and Parc, in the wee hours of the night. Now, the Nouveau Palais truck will serve food in the daytime as well.

In addition to these classics, newer options have cropped up at Montreal’s yearly Jazzfest are worth exploring. Crêpe-moi is famous for its fabulous paper-thin crêpes and unlikely fillings, like chorizo and goat cheese. Purists need not fear— it also carries the classics, such as sugar and lemon crêpes. La Mangeoire, a gourmet sandwich truck, serves unique and tasty combinations. Popular choices include an enormous falafel sandwich, and the ‘Ribwich’ (BBQ ribs and coleslaw).

Their most indulgent concoction,

Keep an eye out for trucks like this. (Alexandra Allaire/ McGill Tribune) the Decadent, combines peanut butter, Nutella, and bacon.

Pas d’Cochon dans mon Salon and Lucky’s Truck are both known for their comfort food and barbecue.

Finally, out of an understated trailer, HotBullDog serves homemade sausages, including a tomato-basil sausage.

The development of a network

of food trucks in Montreal is undoubtedly exciting. These six trucks are, hopefully, only the beginning of healthy, imaginative, and affordable meals for students. They will eventually be allowed to freely roam the city; but will first be spotted during festivals in the Quartier des Spectacles and on First Fridays at the Big O.

No home,

no hope; Who are the homeless of Montreal? by roger hamilton Photos by Simon Poitrimolt and Sam Reynolds

For most people in Montreal, a walk through the city’s downtown area is part of the daily commute to school or work. Immersed in their routine, most commuters will not notice— or will pretend not to notice—the long-faced strangers sitting along the sidewalks, holding their cups in hope of a few cents from a passer by.

It is so commonplace to see homeless men and women sitting on the pavement asking for money, or sleeping in small corners and down alleyways, that they fade into the background.

The constant threat of violence and exposure to the elements is inherent to their way of life. The Montreal winter is harsh, and these are the people who will feel it the most. And in the summer, the risk of dehydration can be just as fatal as the winter’s biting cold. Many congregate in places like Berri Square, where drugs and alcohol make for a dangerous environment, or take refuge underneath bridges, in desolate parks, or in the ruins of an abandoned building, living in the most degrading and unsanitary of conditions.

The transitory nature of homelessness makes it difficult to put a number on how many people are without homes in a city. However, according to Matthew Pearce, the general director of the Old Brewery Mission (OBM)— the largest organization for homeless men and women in Quebec—there are “between four and five thousand people on the street in Montreal at the moment. OBM provides services to around four thousand per year.”

“All kinds of people stay here at the shelter, not just the stereotype.

Doctors, mechanics, lawyers, blue collar workers, white collar workers. Everyone has a story to tell,” said Dave, resident of the Old Brewery Mission. For five years, he has been staying on and off at the Webster Pavilion, a shelter of the OBM located just off St. Laurent by old Montreal, where he has a place to sleep and an evening meal.

Homelessness in the city of Montreal develops and spreads alongside wealth and prosperity. Every year, thousands of students and young professionals migrate into the city, attracted by its economic dynamism, its reputation as a center of higher learning, and the promised advantages of living in a welfare system that ensures the wellbeing of its citizens.

Yet, while Montreal’s towering skyscrapers and constant activity serve as reminders of its wealth, it is unavoidable to ask: how is it that so many people are still hungry and living on the streets in such an affluent city?

The common perception that homelessness is caused by personal failings belies the complex relationship that exists between personal circumstances, such as disability and mental illness, and societal factors that are entirely out of the individuals’ control.

Each year, poorly treated mental health issues draw hundreds of people

to the streets, Pearce explains. “People with mental health issues form about 50 percent of the entire homeless population.”

Although it seems counterintuitive that those with mental illnesses are left to fend for themselves, this abandonment is the norm rather than the exception. It is the direct result of a policy of deinstitutionalization that has been prevalent in North American healthcare since the 70s.

The advent of drugs that manage psychotic episodes among those who suffer from mental health disorders, or developmental disabilities has replaced, to some extent, long stay psychiatric hospitals with less restrictive mental health services. The policy was meant to emancipate the mentally ill from straitjackets and stigma, but in some cases it seems to have simply relocated them to begging for food in the streets, or getting incarcerated for their conduct.

Sylvain, another OBM regular, can account for the harm done with this transition.

“I suffer from mental illness and that is the reason for my staying at the Old Brewery Mission. I endured years of torment after being misdiagnosed and using medication that worsened my situation,” he said.

Though prevalent, mental health is not the only reason why thousands of people find themselves living on the streets of Montreal today. When asked what the biggest barrier to sustainably reducing homelessness in the city is, Pearce answered: “insufficient affordable housing.”

According to the international public policy firm Demographia, housing affordability in Montreal has steadily deteriorated in recent years.

This increase in costs is a reality to which OBM resident Dave can attest.

“My mom lives in Montreal. She developed Alzheimer’s disease a few years ago, so much of my time is spent here. I can’t afford any kind of accommodation [in the city], so I have to stay at the Old Brewery Mission,” he said.

Dave’s situation is just one example of how a lack of affordable housing makes many Montrealers resort to staying at one of the few shelters in the city. With this in mind, the Mission is making changes to its service. Aside from being a shelter, it also offers transition programs to help the homeless integrate back into society, which includes providing affordable housing for homeless individuals. In the last five years, the organization has increased the number

of housing units available to homeless people from 30 to 74; but there is still much to be done.

Insufficient housing in the city has affected Montreal’s Indigenous population disproportionately.

The last 12 years have seen a rise in Inuit migration to Montreal, and this has gone hand in hand with their increasing over-representation among Montreal’s homeless. The Inuit account for 10 percent of the Indigenous population in the city, and around half of the Indigenous homeless.

Donat Savoie, the legal representative of Quebec’s Inuit people, sees the rise in Inuit homeless in Montreal to be closely related to the acute housing crisis which has been occurring in Inuit communities in Quebec over the past few years. This housing crisis goes some way to explain why there are so many homeless Inuit in Montreal.

Savoie describes Nunavik, a large region in Northern Quebec, from where around two thirds of homeless Inuit in Montreal originate, as “toxic.” It is not uncommon to find 12 to 15 people per house in the 14 coastal communities there. According to Savoie’s latest report, the housing crisis is so severe that 1,000 homes are needed urgently.

However, the difficulty of transporting materials makes for high building costs, and the federal government has yet to implement a catch-up program to help the Nunavik communities.

This overcrowding is a breeding ground for physical and sexual abuse against women and children, and one reason why Inuit are attracted to Montreal is to escape poverty and abuse at home. The current situation is becoming all too familiar—the Inuit, stifled by conditions in Northern Quebec, come to Montreal in search of security, but find the city unwelcoming and end up without a job and on the street. Over half of all adult Inuit in Montreal are currently unemployed, and this situation is worsened by minimal community support and lack of knowledge of French.

What kind of future awaits for the homeless of Montreal? The fact is, there is little political payoff in committing resources to bring people out of homelessness. The Old Brewery Mission has expressed in its latest annual report a need for more government funding, but few votes are won by helping such an ostracized group. It remains to be seen whether provincial authorities will adopt a more active stance towards helping the Inuit of Nunavik, and all those in Montreal who remain without a home.

14

Tuesday January 15, 2013 |

STUDENT LIVING

| Curiosity delivers.

POINT COUNTERPOINT New Year’s resolutions revamped VS

Keep it classic Set a goal: Step one may sound idiotproof, but it can be harder than it looks. Setting a goal is the easiest thing in the world to do, but making a plan and—here’s the kicker—trying to actually stick to it, is deceptively tricky. Yes, many of us would like to be able to run a marathon after only two weeks of training, but setting reasonable, reachable goals is the best way to actually succeed.

Setting smaller milestones, under a reasonable timeframe, allows you to better track your progress and schedule rewards (sweet, savory, or otherwise). Flip on your motivational switch and internalize why you want to achieve your goal. Write it down, memorize it, chant it, post it beside your bed—do not let the idea leave you.

Grab a buddy: The problem with setting personal goals is that you are more likely to cheat yourself. If you use the buddy system, and advertise your goals to your family, friends, and roommates, you are more likely to be encouraged, or policed, into keeping at it. Tip: advertise your goals and your progress in a clearly visible place. This is a great conversation starter and a good way to boost your motivation every time someone asks you about your resolutions.

Work out at home: The vague goal of “getting fit” can leave you not knowing where to start. Instead of buying a gym membership and meaning to show up every day, try to incorporate small things into your day to increase your physical activity. Establish a homeworkout routine, including skipping rope, yoga, and weight-bearing exercises (push-ups, sit-ups, planking, squats). If you need inspiration, search for ‘at-home workouts’ on YouTube to get programs and music you can follow along to, for free!

Cardio is key, but do not forget those

weight-bearing exercises. Building extra muscle improves metabolism, and increases the number of calories that you burn when working out.

One step at a time: In order to become conscious of your daily activity, you may also want to invest in a pedometer. You can chart your daily steps, and strive to increase your activity by walking to class or work, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Treat your body well: For those who have resolved to diet, don’t focus on skipping meals, but on eating properly and proportionally. You do not want to be ravenously hungry, nor do you want to indulge. Spread your caloric intake out over the day, and strive to have at least three different colours of fruits and vegetables for a nutritional boost. Another healthy suggestion is to increase your water intake.

Simple, and effective, water is indisputably good for you, your skin, your metabolism, and your mind.

Focus on friends: Another healthy resolution to make this year is to improve your social bonds. Take the time, and make the effort to reconnect with those old friends you may have been losing touch with. You can also expand your circles by joining a new club, or volunteering in the community.

Smile: Finally, strive to smile and be happy! People with positive emotions live longer, happier, and fuller lives. Resolve to look at yourself in the mirror every morning before you have breakfast, and simply smile.

Try adopting a mantra, or short saying like “I am a happy person” or “My life is full of happiness” to internalize positive emotions.

—Susan Westfall

Y

es, it’s that time of the year again. If you’ve made a New Years resolution this month, you are engaging in an ageold custom. According to a study by Virgin Mobile Canada, a whopping 51 per cent of Canadians make resolutions — 19 per cent of which fail within the first 24 hours of the New Year.

This year, the Tribune has come up with two different approaches to a hopefully different 2013.

STUDENT LIVING CALENDAR SSMU Minicourses registration extended ‘From Arabic to Zumba,’ try your hand at a number of extracurricular classes offered by SSMU at a much lower rate than their real-world counterparts.

Where: Register online at ssmu. mcgill.ca/minicourses or in person in the Shatner lobby after 12 p.m.

When: Registration closes Jan 18

You need new goals Year in and year out, popular New Years resolutions relate to fitness, money, and other lifestyle overhauls: lose weight, stop smoking, get a better job, learn to budget money, and get organized.

Instead, set more meaningful objectives this year. If you really want to make a change, then be honest with yourself, and make better resolutions.

Instead of: “Get better grades.”

Try: “Getting off of Facebook in class.” No, it’s not just for a minute, or to check one notification. If you want to do well, you need to be present and engaged in lecture. What else are you sitting there for?

Instead of: “Don’t stress.”

Try: “Managing stress by giving your brain some down-time.” Avoid TV show marathons, and clicking through Reddit or Twitter for hours.

Use the time you spend away from glowing screens to let your mind wander. Daydreaming can help you to actually process feelings and information, which is crucial in keeping your head clear.

Try: “Prioritizing.” Choose a couple of issues you care about and think about how you can get involved.

Let those priorities shape your plans after McGill, rather than the other way around.

Instead of: “Get ‘involved.’”

Try: “Helping others.” Sign up for a volunteering organization. It may be new and awkward at the beginning, and you may not know what you’re doing, but throw yourself into the new task. Once you’ve gained your bearings, you’ll be surprised by how much you learn, and wonder why you never got involved in the first place.

Instead of: “Look better/lose weight/get ‘fit’” Try: “Cutting the extras out.” Stop getting advice in bullet point form.

Don’t expect the advice from ‘top ten’ lists to change your life! We’re good, but we’re not that good. Use this semester to think about what’s important to you, and don’t worry about the rest.

—Elisa Muyl

Instead of: “Find the perfect job.”

SSMU Winter Activities Night Another shot at redemption for those who didn’t get the chance to visit the Tribune’s booth at Fall Activities Night.

Where: SSMU Ballroom (3rd floor) When: Monday, January 28, 4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

CKUT General Orientation Learn how to make a podcast, and channel your inner Ira Glass by heading down to 3647 University.

When: Every Thursday in January, and every third Thursday for the rest of the semester, 12p.m., 3p.m., and 6p.m.

Add-Drop Closes Jan. 22 is your last day to shift around your courses and drop that 400-level linguistics class.

Get a jump start on 2013. (www.lifehack.org)

Curiosity delivers. |

STUDENT LIVING

student week of the

Q: If you were a mode of transportation, which would you be?

A: I’d probably go with a sidecar.

Not the motorcycle itself, just the sidecar. It’s cooler, it’s safer. I’ve always wanted to be the guy with the goggles and the scarf; and I’m always a good sidekick.

Q: What’s the best reason to visit your hometown?

A: I live in the northern suburb of Chicago: Wilmette. ‘Thrill-mette’ as I like to call it....A New York minute’s like 20 seconds, a Wilmette minute’s more like 20 minutes....I actually really love my hometown, and Bill Murray’s from there. I run the Facebook page of my town, it has a thousand or so likes on it. Also it has the Baha’i temple—there’s [only] one in North America, and it’s in Wilmette.

bEN PERCIFIELD Arts undeclared U0 (Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune)

Q: What’s your recommendation for a bird course at McGill?

A: It’s not a bird course, but a course that people should take [is] PSYC 180. It’s called Critical thinking: Biases and illusions. The professor [Amir Raz] is a magician. As he explains it, he’s a mentalist. He plays

with Jacqui Galbraith

mind tricks on you. It’s a three hour lecture once a week, and he just takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, and he weaves magic tricks into his lectures.

Q: Who do you think should take over as principal when HMB leaves?

A: Can we go with Joe Biden? I mean, I’ve always loved Joe Biden.

We all really know who’s pulling the strings in this Obama administration: Joey B. I’ve really just supported any vice president ever, being a vice president myself [VP Internal of Gardner Hall]. I feel like … he’d settle in nicely.

Q: What word or phrase do you most overuse?

A: I use a lot of interjections, so I’d probably go with ‘drat!’ I use drat a lot, probably too much. I’m a very energetic type of guy, so even when things don’t really need a ‘drat’ to be given, I still do it.

Q: If you could say one thing to Leonard Cohen, what would it be?

A: ‘Great music. You wanna hang

| Tuesday January 15, 2013

15

This Student of the Week was chosen for his enthusiastic work in the Gardner Hall council, as well as within the larger McGill community.

out sometime? Please?’

Q: Name one movie you’ll never get tired of watching.

A: Truman Show, 100 per cent. [It’s my] favourite movie of all time. I watch it actually once a year. I cry every time. It’s not really a movie to cry during, but it’s just so good. It’s so great.

Q: What’s your biggest pet peeve?

A: When people crumple money. I guess with the Canadian money, you can’t crumple it. Like the fifties and the hundreds are plastic now; and the twenties as well? Looks like I moved to the right country. Solving my biggest pet peeves. Thank you, Canada!

Q: What’s your party trick?

A: I have two different sized hands, which is one of my party tricks. And recently, my ability to speak Chinese.

It’s cooler when I bust out the hand trick though.

the Gardner floor crawl that we did for Halloween. From being on council to being one of the leaders of the groups, it was cool to see [how the event was created], to be in it, and to watch the entire progression of it. I really played all sides of the field on that one.

Q: Describe Add/Drop in three words.

A: ‘This class sucks’, or, ‘temporary woes, stress’.

Q: What is your new year’s resolution?

A: Probably to call my mother more, and tell her that she is a lovely woman.

Q: What technological or sociological advancement do you hope to see during your lifetime?

A: Do you remember the movie Clockstoppers? I just want to turn on a hose, clockstop, and just bat those water droplets out of the air. That was the coolest part of the movie.

Q: Name your favourite McGill event this year so far.

A: Probably gonna have to go with

nominate a student of the week!

Email us at studentliving@mcgilltribune.com

arts & entertainment Music

McGill alumnus, marching to the beat of his own drum

Efa Etoroma Jr. sits down with the Tribune; shares life as a professional musician and full-time student

For Etoroma, the world is his stage. (Evan Shay / Courtesy of Etoroma) Evie Kaczmarek Contributor You live in Upper Rez. You have an 8:30 a.m. class at the bottom of the hill and you’re just rolling out of bed at 8:15. You throw on your shoes, dash outside, and sprint down

the steep, slippery, slush-covered University Street. As you slide into your seat in the nick of time, you realize you forgot your homework.

Sounds like a pretty standard morning for a first year.

But imagine—in addition to

this—that you had spent the preivous night, from midnight to 4 a.m., in the recording studio. Later that day you’d be practicing with both of your music groups and then at night you’d have a gig at a well-known jazz venue in Montreal. Juggling school and a professional music career? Not so standard. But just five years ago, this was the life of drummer, composer, and now McGill alumnus, Efa Etoroma Jr., who is set to appear on the cover of the upcoming issue of Muzik Etc./Drums Etc. magazine.

Raised mainly in Edmonton, Etoroma came from a musical family that first noticed his talent at age three, when he started banging out rhythms on his father’s head. By the end of high school, he had received numerous music awards, traveled throughout Canada and the United States to perform and study, and was on his way to McGill’s prestigious Schulich School of Music.

Etoroma looks back at his years at McGill as a time of great inspiration. Joining fellow jazz students, Dan Reynolds (piano) and Conrad Bass (bass), Etoroma started the Efa Etoroma Jr. Jazz Trio, which eventually went on to play at the Montreal Jazz Festival main stage in 2011.

“Within the first few months

of being at McGill, we just kind of made a connection,” Etoroma says about the trio.

Focusing on acoustic jazz, the group recorded an album called Before and After, a compilation of traditional, smooth jazz with a hint of modern flair.

Etoroma is “always looking for new sounds,” which led to the establishment of his second music group—an experimental hip-hop collaboration called Rukus. Their album, Round One, is an upbeat blend of hip-hop, jazz, funk, soul, electronica, and Latin music.

“It was a fusion of different styles into this contemporary version of hip-hop,” Etoroma explains.

The members of the group would incorporate different sounds that were inspiring them at the time into their compositions to form an unique amalgamation. One unceasing source of excitement for Etoroma was Montreal itself.

“It was a challenge, you know, to stay focused in a really exciting city,” Etoroma sighs. “But it was inspiring at the same time.”

He recalls fondly some of his favourite places in the city to hear music, including Upstairs Jazz, Jello Martini Lounge, Brutopia, and of course, the many stages of the Mon-

treal Jazz Festival.

The past few years have been a whirlwind of success for Etoroma.

Two years ago, he played for the Montreal Drum Fest, a prestigious annual festival that showcases some of the best percussionists in the world. For Etoroma, playing for this specific community consisting solely of drummers was a challenging, but extremely important moment in his career.

“It was a big step for me,” he chuckles, recalling that the members of the drum community “are supercritical … because they know what’s up.”

Due to this exposure, Etoroma just signed an endorsement with Yamaha Drums Canada. In doing so, he has joined an incredible rank of drummers—several of whom are internationally famed. Being a part of this group will, without a doubt, open a number of doors for the young artist.

Today, Etoroma is based in Edmonton, where he leads a new group—the Etoroma Trio. Along with his brother on vocals and guitar and a bassist, Edwin Alvarado, Efa is exploring a more pop-oriented sound than he has before. Keep an ear out—for you’ll undoubtedly hear from from Etoroma in the future.

Haiku Reviews: Holiday Films Chris

ilia

Life of Pi

The Hobbit

Zero Dark Thirty

Django Unchained

Shot with utmost care, Every frame is priceless art; Beauty incarnate.

One book—three films. Why? Jackson’s winded, winding tale: All filler, no fun.

Steely, steel-cold work; Not war song, but elegy.

Apolitical.

Slavery and race Subject to Q’s mockery— Shameful; a disgrace.

VS Hyde Park on Hudson

This is 40

Gangster Squad

Borderline incest, In plot like flat June champagne.

King George visits too.

Turning forty, huh?

Near broke; wife nags; Viagra.

At least you’re not dead.

Riddled with bullets Made of highest grade boredom.

Gosling still handsome.

Waltz, DiCaprio Make love to the camera; Foxx penis steals show.

could be good FILM Classic films on 35mm

COMEDY The Laugh Pack Late Show

FILM TIFF’s top 10 Canadian Films

MUSIC Orkestara Kriminal + Brassmob + Ichka

DRAMA In Denial

This week presents a rare opportunity to watch Breathless, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and A Clockwork Orange in beautiful 35mm film.

Described by The Gazette as “one of Montreal’s hottest indie stand-up nights,” the show promises an uproarious evening.

Over the next two weeks, catch the best Canadian selections from the renowned Toronto International Film Festival. Best of all? Screenings are free!

A rowdy mix of world music, jazz, and klezmer, spanning all musical eras that’s guaranteed to get you up and dancing.

In its latest production, TNC Theatre brings audiences a comedic story of a twenty-something female clown trying to figure out just who she truly is.

Jan. 11 - 17, at Cinema du Parc (3575 avenue du Parc).

Thurs. Jan 17, 9:30 p.m. Segal Centre (5170 Chemin de la Cote-Ste-Catherine). Admission $5.

Jan. 14 - 27, PHI Centre (407 SaintPierre). Free admission. http://phicentre.com/ for more info.

Thurs. Jan. 17, 8:30 p.m. Club Lambi (4465 St-Laurent). Admission $8.

Jan. 16 and 18, 8 p.m., TNC Theatre in Morrice Hall (3485 McTavish). Admission $6.

Curiosity delivers. |

arts & entertainment

| Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Literature

17

A Valentine’s day sentence: an author’s fight for freedom

Salman Rushdie’s struggle with censorship, religious extremism, and his own government Ilia Blinderman A&E Editor On the morning of February 15, 1989, two unknown men knocked on Salman Rushdie’s door. The day before, a mortally ill despot in Tehran had issued an edict condemning all those involved in the production of Rushdie’s most recent novel, The Satanic Verses. The Valentine’s Day fatwa concluded in a morbid command: “I ask all the Muslims to execute them wherever they find them.”

When the author answered his door, the two men explained that they were members of the Metropolitan Police’s A Squad, the division responsible for all personal protection in the UK. A journalist told Rushdie that Ayatollah Khomeini’s fatwas were a dead letter. The men, however, explained that his life was now under serious threat—one level below that of the Queen.

Rushdie’s recent memoir, Joseph Anton, chronicling his stateguarded life over the course of 12 years, is unceasingly captivating.

Beginning with his upbringing as a scholar and an atheist, through to

Salman Rushdie, a man on the run. (www.thesamueljohnsonprize.co.uk) his attempts to examine Muhammad in a distinctly human light, Rushdie writes of the intellectual curiosity which spurred his penning of The Satanic Verses. To his pain and surprise, less than a fortnight after its

publication in Britain the Indian government buckled to pressure from two Muslim MPs, and banned it.

In the next six months, India would welcome Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and (in a

rare show of unity) Pakistan to its comity of censorship. In most of these cases, it is almost certain that no native language translations were available, and that few officials had made even the most cursory examination of the book.

Western liberal democracy issued an even more timorous response. Barring a small group (writers, friends, and politicians, whose ranks included Susan Sontag, Gunter Grass, and Vaclav Havel), many declared Rushdie’s work to be disrespectful, and therefore, rightfully convicted by the laws of cultural relativity. In a show of admirable religious solidarity, the Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and several eminent rabbis all declared Rushdie in the wrong. The Prince of Wales, not to be outdone, stated that the author was a bad writer who cost Britain too much to protect. One couldn’t help but wonder just what exactly it was that Prince Charles had accomplished to merit not only his inordinately costly safekeeping, but his complete financial support.

The author, forced to choose a new name (Joseph Anton is the

amalgamation of Joseph Conrad and Anton Chekhov) and scuttle from one property to another, writes his recollections with brilliant, vivid indignation. In beautifully melodic passages, Rushdie wonders how an Iranian theocrat could sentence a British national to death. Milton once wrote, “He who destroys a good book, kills reason itself.” Had his fellow writers forgotten these prescient lines? Using third person, and thereby largely avoiding the solipsism that a slighted man’s memoir may lapse into, Rushdie describes the nightmare of daily life with admirable honesty.

By and large, the whole affair was handled—be it on the part of writers such as John le Carré or politicians such as Tony Blair—with a craven servility. Another of Rushdie’s books provides an alternate, yet equally apt title for this tale: Shame.

Joseph Anton is available from Random House, $34.95

Visual Art

Where the wild things are

Canadian artists re-imagine and re-incoporate the spirit of landscape aesthetic Will Burgess Contributor Landscapes have always been a natural muse for Canadian artists, and interpretations of such an inherently stable subject have always been a welcome challenge for those who want to capture its grandeur in a unique way. The Group of Seven painted vistas abstractly, but still captured the native beauty of Canada. More recently, photographers such as Edward Burtynsky have captured the stunning, but often dark work of “manufactured landscapes”—beauty present in industrial settings, however unintentional.

Three new exhibits at Montreal’s Art Mûr put three different spins on natural landscapes, all exploiting the tension between the enduring beauty of the subject and the creative imprint that is left by any artist attempting to capture it. The result is a series by Quebec and Ontario artists that revisits familiar spaces with unfamiliar methods, often with an uncanny effect.

Featured in the window of Art Mûr is Judith Berry’s oil-on-canvas Doubt, in which striped green scrubbrushes and 3D oval structures sur-

round a sink-hole that presumably gives the work its title. As with the rest of the series, titled Duped / Duplicata, the perspective can be seen as minuscule in scale, suggested by the microbe shapes that dominate the large canvases, or expansive and aerial, like a shot of crop circles in a field. Indeed, all of the paintings seem to suggest paranormal environments and alien worlds, apparent in the objects’ organic fluidity of the objects, as well as in the artist’s choice of perspective.

Berry is at her best when painting wholly recognizable, faintly politicized landscapes, like a Japanese field in Outlook (I Dream of Japan), and adding a dimension of weirdness, playing with shapes in an abstract, topographical way. However, her paintings are underwhelming both aesthetically, with dull colours and lines, and conceptually—the juvenile, “trippy” patterns fail to travel through the mind’s uncanny valley for very long.

Holly King’s Grand Canyon: Unseen is installed on four walls in the adjacent room, and the photos are the clear standout of the three new exhibitions. King has created tiny, 8x12 models from the memo-

ry of her spring trip to the Canyon a few years ago, in which a bizarre May snowstorm prevented her from seeing the traditional postcard vista.

The result is a happy accident, as the detail and contrast expressed in the large-format, black and white photos of the scale models is mesmerizing.

Each photograph contains the deeply textured foreground of a precipice, with a photo of the Grand Canyon printed on a transparency, serving as the background. The visual result is seamless and jarringly real; at first, the prints appear to be photographs of actual terrain. The somewhat clever irony in the fact that a grand landscape is miniaturized as a facsimile, and expanded once again, is obvious. But what gives these prints such magnetism is the alluring mixture of uncanny fantasy, the mysterious nature of the perspective from which we see the cliff’s edge, and the size of the photographs.

Finally, Eric Lamontagne’s Road Paintings depicts ‘side-ofthe-road’ landscapes that are digitally warped to create melting earth, static water, and blank skies. The displaced space is visually interesting, but it is hard to see these as Kerouacian, as suggested by the

Holly King’s Scenic Delirium. (Courtesy of Art Mûr) exhibit brochure’s On The Road tiein—perhaps an attempt to build on the hype of the upcoming movie advertised on posters a block away. A vinyl road stretched across the floor of the room leads up the wall to a painting, which, in turn, depicts a road leading to a cul-de-sac. Early in the exhibit’s vernissage, the installation was amusingly improved by a toddler, who stood on the highway and looked back at her mother while she made small talk with the artist.

When she left, however, the fake asphalt seemed to be all the more exposed as a thematic gimmick. It’s

a shame—the pretty roadside paintings don’t need its support.

If you’re a collector with an interest in alternative depictions of landscapes or a lover of Canadian art, this trio of exhibits is certainly worth a look. King’s work aside, however, the casual observers are likely to be underwhelmed by the majority of the works.

Duped / Duplicata, Grand Canyon: Unseen and Road Paintings are on display from Jan. 12 to March 2 at Art Mûr (5826 St. Hubert).

18

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 |

arts & entertainment

| Curiosity delivers.

Film

Strength of heart Vancouver filmmaker shocks with an astonishing tale of a former LRA captive Bronte Martin Contributor Recalling my encounter with Invisible Children’s KONY 2012 campaign, I reflected on this healthy reminder to be a critically thinking consumer. For those who are not familiar with the experiment, KONY 2012 was a thirty-minute online video released in an attempt to make “an obscure war criminal famous”—that criminal being none other than Joseph Kony, leader of the Ugandan thugs known as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

Some 3.7 million viewers pledged their support (as did I) in a helpless (and dare I say, lazy) effort to arrest Joseph Kony and to bring a permanent end to LRA atrocities once and for all. As bystanders, we felt as if we were making a difference by liking, sharing, or hashtagging #KONY2012, but how effective can participatory social media acts be?

Fast forward to Monday, January 7, 2013. Acclaimed Vancouverbased filmmaker Jodie Martinson re-ignites our lapsed interest in the mystery that is Joseph Kony. While Invisible Children took a transnational approach to exposing the realities occurring in Uganda under Kony’s control, Martinson teamed up with a talented animator named Kunal Sen, as well as The National Film Board of Canada, to create an animated short titled Stronghearted.

The film tells the story of a twelve year old girl named Evelyn Amony, who was kidnapped and made one of Joseph Kony’s wives.

As the press release describes, Stronghearted blends a “haunting first-person interview with woodcut-style animation” to create a shocking, yet intimate picture of the LRA’s history of rape and kidnapping.

Looking back on her experiences while being interviewed, Amony is emotional when discussing her torturous 11-year experience with Kony. Providing a novel perspective on the controversial topic, Martinson and Sen work together to enlighten viewers on this chapter

of African history; in this instance, however, with the accuracy and truthful intentions that the KONY 2012 team was criticized for lacking.

Released simultaneously with Jodie Martinson’s full-length documentary of Amony’s experience, titled To Have and To Hold, the depth these films reach is impressive. After spending four extensive years retracing every single step in Amony’s experience with both the LRA and Kony himself, it is safe to say that along with her noteworthy past experiences in film and journalism, Martinson creates a commentary that is rich in substance, and ultimately, one which we can trust.

Exposing Evelyn Amony’s individual story is Martinson’s way of approaching the Ugandan conflict.

Amony recalls a pivotal memory of crossing the Acwa River in 1994 and coming face to face with Kony, a moment powerfully portrayed by Sen’s rich animation. We not only sense that Evelyn receives closure in the telling of her story, but also gain insight into her experiences ourselves.

Martinson focuses on this very moment of Amony’s story, making us step back, and ask the ultimate question: can this ruthless man be both her abuser, as well as her savior? The inconceivable question begs an inconceivable answer— Amony remains alive, in spite of her maltreatment. We are left craving to learn more than the five-minute documentary presents.

Stronghearted’s approach is both thoughtful and thought-provoking, weaving together a commentary of “testimony and memory.” Jodie Martinson creates an unforgettable depiction of one woman’s struggle for survival, direction, and understanding in dire circumstances.

Through a groundbreaking medium, we are able to gain reliable knowledge from a first-hand account with the harsh realities of central Africa and Kony himself.

Stronghearted is free to view at www.nfb.ca/film/stronghearted

www.mcgilltribune.com

Be a propagandist.

A&E is looking for an editor.

Submit your C.V., letter of intent, and three writing samples to editor@mcgilltribune.com “All art is propaganda.” — George Orwell

Curiosity delivers. |

arts & entertainment

Album

music

reviews

The New Familiar Goldenboy

(III) Crystal Castles

Hummingbird Local Natives

Universal

Frenchkiss

Arts & Crafts

Hot off their critically-acclaimed 2010 release Gorilla Manor, Local Natives return with Hummingbird, bringing with them a new sense of maturity and complexity. Although still possessing an authentic feel, Hummingbird presents a dramatic shift in sound, trading light, airy tones for heavy, intimate tracks that reflect the group’s coming-of-age.

Nevertheless, the band does not entirely abandon their youthful vigour, as demonstrated by tracks like “Breakers” and “Black Balloon.” On this sophomore effort, Local Natives beautifully embrace a new arena-filling sound, utilizing a more streamlined feel and form-fitting syncopated drum patterns. The band is now writing more multifaceted sentimental pieces that lend Hummingbird a long lasting satisfaction, allowing the listener to dig deep into these emotionally layered tracks, offering something new with every listen.

Beginning with “You & I,” Hummingbird progresses into a mournful trip. The album explores despondent youth, while embracing a melancholic atmosphere reminiscent of The National (whose guitarist co-produced). On Hummingbird, one will not find the likes of Gorilla Manor’s fast-paced garage rock, but rather moody ballads like “Three Months.” Themes of uncertainty and inadequacy surface throughout the album as well, such as on “Breakers,” the album’s lead single, where singer Kelcey Ayer croons, “Waiting for my words to catch like I’m trying/ To strike a match that’s soaking wet,”—a desperate cry to be understood.

Hummingbird may be a less melodic and vibrant record than Gorilla Manor, but this sacrifice of youthful glamour is not unwarranted. The adoption of intimacy and complexity in Hummingbird establishes Local Natives as serious, versatile songwriters who are here to stay.

— Cristian Hertzer

As the title suggests, The New Familiar delivers on its promise to be everything familiar in a brand new album. Goldenboy, led by vocalist and guitarist Shon Sullivan, have released four albums since first bounding into the spotlight with Blueswan Orchestra a decade ago.

Blueswan Orchestra was re-released last month as a warm-up act for The New Familiar—but rather than foreshadow their latest work, it overshadows it.

The New Familiar begins with “The Walking Song,” with vocals blending effortlessly with the development of guitar and drums, suggesting a stylized approach to the remainder of the album. Unfortunately, this prediction rings all too true.

“Today is the Day” is too repetitive, coming off as directionless. “Steal Your Face” doesn’t give any respite from the endless abyss of sound with its all-too-frustratingly familiar mix of strumming patterns and instrumentals. While Goldenboy are known for their catchy guitar riffs, what The New Familiar delivers here is too much of a good thing.

“Soho’s Empty” feels like a turning point in the album, and along with “Starlight Town,” it is the highlight of the 40 minutes. “Starlight Town” is a clever combination of sound and lyrics and, like “Soho’s Empty,” refreshingly axes the repeat signs, adding a bit of contrast.

The New Familiar does not lack musicality or sensitivity; it lacks direction. Undoubtedly, Goldenboy is sticking to what they know best.

This is a band with a great sound, but it is time for a change. Give me Blueswan Orchestra any day.

If Crystal Castles’ duo of Alice Glass and Ethan Kath danced near the edge of despair in their first releases, (I) and (II), in their latest effort, (III), they take the plunge.

Producer Kath toys less with the bleepy 8-bit sound that characterized their debut, which had a threateningly manic feel, like a party animal about to snap. Instead, both he and frontwoman Glass—who tends to alternate between screaming and warbling—have made a record that sounds like a natural extension of the ideas they introduced in their sophomore effort. The background noise is still characterized by electronic synths, but they are smoother and more subdued, shifting midway through songs and progressing melodically. Glass’ vocals sound submerged and sad, often hiding behind Kath’s enveloping mix. This makes them fit into Glass’ suggested theme of “being oppressed”; her vocals do not fight the synthesized loops, but rather, submit to their persistence.

Crystal Castles’ success has always stemmed from their ability to twist the characteristically upbeat genre of electronic dance music into something dark and melancholy, and (III) pulls off this combination in a sonically exciting way. The songs aren’t as radically inventive as before, but this helps them sound more assured and balanced, rather than stale.

Overall, a pattern has emerged in the duo’s album structure, which (III) maintains with an abrasive, dissonant track (“Insulin”), a catchy single (“Wrath of God”), and a languid, lullaby ending (“Child I Will Hurt You”). (III) continues to prove that Crystal Castles is unrivalled in their ability to make their listeners enthusiastically nod their heads to such depressing material.

— Will Burgess

| Tuesday, January 15, 2013

— Kristal Spreadborough

19

Worship the Ex-Cult Memphis band to open for Ty Segall

Ex-Cult during one of their raucous live performances. (facebook.com)

Leyang Yu Contributor A city deemed the birthplace of both rock and roll and blues, Memphis, TN is fertile ground for cultivating musical talent. Cue ExCult—a musical project that brought together five local musicians. Drawing influences that transcend several decades, the members have woven psychedelic, garage, punk, and other terms that precede the word “rock” into their distinct sound, all the while engrossing modern audiences.

Ex-Cult (Sex Cult, before the band discovered that a New York techno label had already laid claim to the name) is what the members describe as a “meaningless” name for this up-and-coming punk band. Since their conception, ExCult have been working their way through small local venues, house parties, and Gonerfest 8 and 9—an annual music festival in Memphis.

Ex-Cult also made a notable appearance at SXSW last year in Austin, where things suddenly clicked with fellow musician Ty Segall. The quintet had been good friends with Segall before their SXSW appearances, and it came naturally that Segall later produced their debut LP. “A lot of people think we saw [Ty Segall] for the first time at SXSW, and he just agreed to do an album with us,” says lead singer Chris Shaw, pointing out that they’d been friends and mutual fans of each other’s music for about a year before Ex-Cult played at the festival.

For the band, making music has become so integral to their lives that the process of doing so no longer requires much planning; it just happens.

“We make music individually and we make music together,” says Shaw. “Then, when we come together in real life, we combine all of it.”

UK artists Television Personalities and Brian Eno, as well as fellow Memphis punk band Useless Eaters are among the artists that have shaped the sound of Ex-Cult’s debut album. Recorded in a small studio in San Francisco’s China-

town, the self-titled release features 12 tracks, all of which are distinctly aggressive, while remaining masterfully controlled.

Gritty vocals are backed by Ex-Cult’s true driving force: instrumentation. Songs like “Better Life Through Chemistry” and “Don’t Feel Anything” bring a sense of wild exhilaration—the kind that sweeps you off your feet and never lets you back down. With relentless energy, the band plows their way through 30 minutes of hard-hitting music, while listeners try to keep up. The rawness of the album, both musically and lyrically, strikes a parallel with the down-to-earth personalities of the members themselves.

With so much intensity stuffed into a single LP sleeve, one can only imagine the kind of damage this band could do at a live concert. Luckily, Montreal is one of the stops on their tour across the US and Canada this month. They’ll be playing 21 shows in 23 days—an impressive number for a band going on its first extended tour. It’ll also be the band’s first time visiting their northern neighbours, alongside none other than Ty Segall.

When asked which other artists they would like to work with in the future, Ex-Cult says they wouldn’t mind a chance to perform with San Francisco experimental rockers Chrome. Although they currently have new music in the works, the band says they’re not focused on looking for producers right now.

Like everything else about Ex-Cult, there’s nothing really definitive, nothing too clear-cut about whatever it is they’re doing. This is Ex Cult’s strength—there’s always something you can’t quite put a finger on, which makes them worth looking out for.

Ex-Cult is performing with Ty Segall and K-Holes on February 5th, 8 p.m., Cabaret Du Mile End (5240 Avenue du Parc). Tickets are $15 advance, $20 at the door.

19

SPORTS

Basketball — Martlets 71, Laval 62

Sylla seals game for Martlets, records double-double McGill extend winning streak to three; Head Coach Ryan Thorne stresses work left to be done Tom DiNardo Contributor Since returning from the winter break, the McGill Martlets have won both of their contests after a shaky start to the season. After the Martlets dominated the Concordia Stingers 75-44 on Jan. 10, they turned their attention to the Laval Rouge-et-Or on Sunday at McGill’s Love Competition Hall. After a hard-fought battle, McGill sealed a 71-62 win, thanks in large part to their steadfast defence and the production of first-year forward Mariam Sylla, who logged a double-double with a game-high of 29 points and 11 rebounds.

From tip-off, it was clear that the two teams were evenly matched.

Fans watched as the ball went from one side of the court to the other without a single basket until 7:52 into the game, when Martlet pointguard Dianna Ros tallied the first field goal. McGill’s presence under the rim along with the offensive and defensive rebounding efforts of Hélène Bibeau and Françoise Charest contributed to their unyielding first half lead. They entered the break with a 35-31 advantage. “[Rebounding] is something we’ve been talking about for a while now… it’s something we’ve looked at and focused on, and I think you

Around the

Charest leads the offence during the Martlets’ 27-point fourth quarter. (Mike King / McGill Tribune) can see the fruits of our labour right there, both against Concordia and today,” Head Coach Ryan Thorne said after the game.

McGill began the second half with a 7-0 run, but Laval was able to fight back. A technical foul on Sylla with 2:44 left in the third quarter allowed Rouge-et-Or guard Jannie Jacques to tie the game with two

W

ater cooler

In case you were too busy gymming, tanning, or laundering, here’s what you missed this past week (or so) in the world of sports …

free throws. In the last minutes of the third quarter, the Rouge-et-Or gained the lead; then closed out the third quarter 48-44.

“We got down in the third quarter just by miscommunication,” Thorne said. “They changed up some things; they put four guards out there and so it kind of messed us up on the perimeter and we had

to adjust. I think the girls made the adjustment.”

McGill stepped back on the court with renewed vigour in the fourth quarter. After three quarters of excellent play, Sylla further stepped up her game and gave a huge offensive effort. She scored a number of layups and muscled defenders in the paint for rebounds.

HOCKEY — In KHL action … wait, what? Hockey is back?

HOCKEY IS BACK! Rejoice, Canadians and those few Americans. We all thought the season was doomed, but on Jan. 6, the players and owners agreed to a new 10-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

A few highlights in the new CBA: 50-50 revenue sharing between the players and owners (down from 5743); revenue sharing amongst teams in the league; and length caps on player contracts. The shortened 48game season will get underway on Jan. 19, with us sitting glued to our television sets. Remember when some fans were rallying together and promised to boycott the first set of games when the league resumed play? Total jokes, guys.

cos thanks to a late-game Peyton Manning interception. In the NFC, San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick ran for a postseason record 183 rushing yards and accounted for four touchdowns, as the 49ers took down the Green Bay Packers.

Finally, a clutch drive by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan sent the Falcons to the NFC Championship game, after Seattle overcame a 20-point half-time deficit.

NFL FOOTBALL — The Divisional round of the NFL Playoffs took place this past weekend. To no surprise, the New England Patriots easily handled the Houston Texans 41-28. The Patriots will duke it out with the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game, after the Ravens defeated the Denver Bron-

NCAA FOOTBALL — Bowl season came and went over the holidays, culminating in the BCS Championship game last Monday night that pitted No.1 Notre Dame against No.2 defending champs Alabama. It wasn’t much of a contest, as Bama routed the Irish 42-14, thanks to MVP running back Eddie Lacy’s 140 yards on the ground. Bama quarterback A.J. McCarron threw for 264 yards and four touchdowns, but he was overshadowed in the media by his girlfriend, and 2012 Miss Alabama USA, Katherine Webb—cool.

Head Coach of Alabama Nick Saban has led the program to three BCS titles in four years; so I think we

“I got a technical foul in the third quarter and I was kind of frustrated, but I just didn’t stop and didn’t get discouraged. I told myself ‘We have to win this game,’” she said.

With the lead changing hands throughout much of the last six minutes of play, McGill finally regained control for good, thanks to a three pointer knocked down by Françoise Charest with 3:46 left in the game.

Fittingly, a huge block from Sylla with 1l seconds left in the game sealed the deal for the McGill Martlets, and they claimed the win.

Overall, Coach Thorne was happy with the results of the game but he stressed that the team isn’t exactly where he wants them to be.

“I think we have got to get better at everything every day, and that’s why we practice,” Throne said. “I think we can definitely be better at our shot selection and our ability to guard people one on one without bringing a whole bunch of help and support … and then when we had to double team, we had trouble with out rotation so those are two things defensively that [we need to improve upon].”

The Martlets will be looking to extend their three game winning streak when they travel to Bishop’s on Jan. 16.

can conclude that he’s pretty good at coaching college football.

BASKETBALL — We’ve almost hit the midway point of the NBA season, and there’s plenty to talk about. The Los Angeles Lakers’ chances of making the postseason are dwindling game by game, as the team has yet to develop any hint of chemistry. Dirk Nowitzki isn’t happy in Dallas—another struggling team—and suggested this past week that he may want to be traded. The New York Knicks have slowed down ever since Amar’e Stoudemire returned from injury. Meanwhile, Carmelo Anthony is now picking fights with Kevin Garnett, who is probably the most intimidating player in the league—really smart, Melo. Miami leads the Eastern Conference, and Oklahoma City is tied with the Los Angeles Clippers (ahem, not “Lakers”) for tops in the West. And what about those Raptors, you say? Well, they’ve won 10 of their past 14.

Playoff push, here we go!

Curiosity delivers. |

sports

| Tuesday, January 15, 2013

21

Volleyball — Sherbrooke 3, Martlets 1 (25-18, 28-26, 19-25, 26-24) • Martlets 3, Laval 2 (16-25, 27-25, 25-18, 15-25, 16-14)

Work in progress: Martlets split weekend bouts McGill falters against Sherbrooke; bounces back over top-seeded Laval Jeff Downey Sports Editor

Captain Geneviève Plante beats Sherbrooke wall. (Remi Lu / McGill Tribune)

It was another rollercoaster weekend for the Martlets—a recurring theme in the 2012-2013 campaign. Starting with Sherbrooke on Friday, McGill lost in four hardfought sets 18-25, 26-28, 25-19, 24-26, before rebounding on Saturday against the tough Rouge-et-Or, triumphing in a nail-biter five setter 16-25, 27-25, 25-18, 15-25, 16-14.

Inconsistency proved to be the Martlets’ downfall against Sherbrooke. Their sporadic offence, combined with a few costly serving errors thoroughly hindered the team throughout the contest. Such mistakes have plagued the squad all season. After the game, many of the Martlets looked disheartened, as the loss dropped them to 7-8 on the year, and kept them in last in the RSEQ. Third-year veteran Virginie Hébert spoke about the team’s struggles.

“It was definitely a tough loss, emotionally and physically. All sets were hard-fought, and it could have

gone either way since both teams were presenting outstanding defence and offence tonight,” Hébert said.

“This team is really talented, but experience might be lacking due to the number of young faces [we have].

Despite that, we are constantly improving throughout the season, and results will come eventually with the hard work.”

On Saturday, however, McGill finally put together a total team effort. Laval entered the contest atop the RSEQ and was nursing a five game winning streak. Rookie middle Ashley Norfleet dominated on the attack, accumulating 16 kills and 17.5 total points. Norfleet’s performance could be a signal that the team’s many rookies are starting to hit their strides and improving to the level required in the tough RSEQ. If that is the case, the final four contests of the regular season could be a chance for McGill to move into one of the top positions in the league—and with it, a chance to battle for the division title.

“It felt like a true team win and

a final accomplishment to all the efforts we put in in practice,” Hébert said. “Everybody contributed to this [win] one way or another, and I think we proved to ourselves that we could beat any team in the RSEQ conference playing that way.”

Head Coach Rachèle Beliveau admitted that the team still needs to play with more consistency.

“Our league is very competitive and strong within the CIS. We are playing very good matches, and yet are still fighting to get a place into the series,” she said. “Since our team is young, we do not have the consistency in our play to prevent it. At our level, there is not too much room for mistakes and learning opportunities.”

With the win against Laval, McGill climbed back to .500, at 8-8, and into striking distance of the neighbouring 10-6 Montreal Carabins.

The Martlets next contest is important for their playoff hopes, as they hit the road to take on the Carabins on Jan. 25.

Basketball — Redmen 72, Laval 64

Redmen redeem themselves after blowout loss Strong second half showing led by Clark, Bibeau, Imperador; McGill moves to second in RSEQ Remi Lu Contributor Following a tough 83-65 blowout loss to Concordia on Thursday night, the McGill Redmen took to the court again on Saturday at Love Competition Hall to face-off against another Quebec rival—the Laval Rouge-et-Or. The Redmen bounced back in a big way, with 17 points from Adrian Hynes-Guery to defeat the Rouge-et-Or 72-64, moving them into second place in RSEQ conference play.

Laval started off strong, dominating McGill defensively and leading throughout the first half.

The Rouge-et-Or played tenacious defence, forcing turnovers and breaking the flow of the Redmen offence. The club effectively used screens to free up their guards for some quality shots, resulting in a 33-27 advantage for the Rouge-etOr at halftime. “[In the] first half, we were slow, both offensively and defensively … we just couldn’t hit shots. … [At half-time,] we got back together, regrouped in the locker room, and we were ready to go,” Redmen captain Winn Clark said.

McGill certainly was ready

Forward Aleksandar Mitrovic drives past a Laval defender. (Luke Orlando / McGill Tribune) to go, as the team came into the second half a completely different team. On defence, the Redmen applied airtight pressure and forced Laval into awkward shots and turnovers, which McGill promptly converted into easy buckets on the other end.

Clark, along with guard Simon Bibeau and forward Rodrigo Imperador, led the comeback for McGill, highlighted by incredible defensive efforts and hustle. With 3:11 remaining in the third quarter, Imperador stole the ball off of an errant Laval pass and layed it into the

basket to give McGill its first lead of the game.

The Redmen continued their stellar play into the last quarter, immediately getting off to a hot 7-0 scoring run to start the fourth. However, their offence quickly cooled down, and allowed the Rouge-et-Or to mount a rally halfway through the period, spearheaded by Laval’s Antoine Beaumier. Nonetheless, McGill managed to close out the contest, thanks to Hynes-Guery’s clutch late baskets. Bibeau sealed the game at the free throw line and McGill claimed the win.

The decisive factor in the victory was McGill’s second half resurgence—an effort that the team was missing against the Stingers on Thursday. As seen in this recent slate of games, defence, rebounding, and precise offensive execution are crucial for success.

“Concordia dominated us on the glass [Thursday]. I thought we did a better job rebounding the ball today. We did a better job moving the ball and sharing the ball,” McGill Head Coach David DeAveiro said. “We missed a lot of open shots today that are going to drop for us.

I was pretty pleased with the ball movement.”

“In the second half [today] we really picked it up, [but] against Concordia, we couldn’t pick it up in the second half. That was our key difference,” Clark added.

Looking forward, it is essential that the Redmen establish their identity in the next couple of weeks and put together some consistent efforts on both ends of the floor every night. They must peak in time for the playoffs, especially if they are to make a deep run in the postseason. Signs are pointing in a positive direction at the moment, as the team works itself towards competitive playoff shape. “[Our] team chemistry is awesome. We do basically everything together, whether it’s on or off the court. We’re always hanging out … We’re just really close on this team,” second-year shooting guard Vincent Dufort said.

McGill squares off against the first place Bishop’s Gaiters on Jan. 16 in a game that will have heavy playoff implications. The Redmen then battle fourth placed UQAM on Jan 19.

MCGILL TRIBUNE’S

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic division New York Rangers: After finishing first in the East and advancing to the conference final, the Rangers fell short to their division rivals, the New Jersey Devils, last May. In response, the team made the biggest acquisition of the off season in trading for star winger Rick Nash, who should help bolster a lineup that has struggled offensively. The back-end remains virtually the same as last season. But goals against shouldn’t be a problem for the Rangers because Henrik Lundqvist is a rock in net. Expect the Rangers to finish first in the Atlantic and make a deep playoff push in June.

Pittsburgh Penguins: An annual cup favourite, the Pittsburgh Penguins look to bounce back after exiting the playoffs in the first round last season. They dealt centre Jordan Staal to Carolina, but still have a depth in their roster that few teams possess. Tomas Vokoun was signed in order to help stabilize the goaltending position behind

NHL

Marc-Andre Fleury. As long as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin stay healthy in this shortened season, the Pens will be right up there with the league’s best.

Philadelphia Flyers: The Flyers enter 2013 with virtually the same roster that advanced to the second round last season.

They failed to land star defenseman Shea Weber, who would have given them a boost in this division. However, they have four strong lines and are led offensively by emerging star Claude Giroux. If goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov can bounce back and regain the form he once had in Phoenix, then the Flyers will have the ability to beat any team in the NHL.

New Jersey Devils: After riding Martin Brodeur all the way to the Cup Final in 20112012, the New Jersey Devils will surprise no one in the East this year. Despite whispered rumours of Brodeur’s retirinment at the end of last sea-

son, he re-upped with the team for two years. However, the Devils lost offensive leader Zach Parise to Minnesota in free agency, and will need Ilya Kovalchuk, and playoff star Adam Henrique to shoulder more of an offensive load. This could turn out to be a let-down year for the Devils.

New York Islanders: In a division loaded with star-studded teams, the only virtual lock seems to be that the Isles will finish last in the Atlantic. Not all is lost on Long Island, though, as the team is building a roster that features some really talented young players—notably John Tavares, Michael Grabner, and Nino Niederreiter. The Isles will struggle on the other end of the ice, as they feature little defensive presence and are shaky in goal. Their move to Brooklyn could not come sooner.

­—Steven Lampert

northeast division Boston Bruins: With Tim Thomas taking a leave of absence this season, Tukka Rask will be relied upon to deliver the goods in goal for the Bruins. His experience as a starter in 20092010 should benefit his team. Additionally, the balanced combination of a steady defence and a quick strike offence make the big-bad-Bruins the favourite to win the Northeast division.

Buffalo Sabres: After a disappointing

season for Buffalo in 2011-2012, the Sabres will show that they have what it takes to be a playoff team. With an above-average defensive group, and an elite goaltender starving to prove his critics wrong, the Sabres will finish second in 2013. Despite the lack of top-end production on the offensive side, Head Coach Lindy Ruff may squeeze enough out of Tomas Vanek and Jason Pomminville for a successful season.

Montreal Canadiens: Following a disastrous 2011-2012 campaign that resulted in a last place finish, the Habs will show that they have reason to be optimistic about the future. With a healthy Andrei Markov, the Canadiens should receive a boost on the back-end, especially on the power play. Furthermore, after missing games last season, Brian Gionta will help the Canadiens offensively on a second line with Tomas Plekanec. In goal, Carey Price will be relied upon after signing a six-year, $39 million contract last May. If things fall into place, Montreal will finish third in the Northeast and should compete for a playoff spot.

Ottawa Senators: Although the Sens had a very positive season in 2011-2012, Ottawa will take a bit of a step backwards in 2013.

Despite featuring stars like Jason Spezza and Erik Karlsson, Ottawa’s lack of depth will

prove problematic should they run into injuries. While Craig Anderson was stellar for Ottawa in its postseason series against the Rangers last May, there are still question marks in goal after an inconsistent regular season.

Toronto Maple Leafs: After the controversial firing

of general manager Brian Burke last week, Dave Nonis is faced with the daunting task of trying to get Toronto into the playoffs for the first time in eight years. However, with holes on defence and below average goaltending, the Leafs will struggle to make it there. While the Leafs may have improved offensively with the addition of James Van Riemsdyk, without a competent NHL goaltender, Toronto will ultimately finish last in the Northeast division.

—David Stein

southeast division Washington Capitals: Head Coach Adam Oates takes over a Capitals team that struggled to find an identity under Dale Hunter. The core of the team remains the same; the main change is that Mike Ribeiro replaces enigmatic forward Alex Semin, who bolted for division foe Carolina. If youngsters like John Carlson and Brayden Holtby take further steps in their development, the Capitals should be the best in what has become a very tough division.

Carolina Hurricanes: The sexy pick to

take the Southeast in 2013, the Hurricanes made major strides in the offseason by signing Jordan Staal and Alex Semin. Joe Corvo returns to Raleigh once again and will be his usual offensively prolific self on the blueline. Cam Ward should be solid as always and should lead Carolina back to the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Time is run-

ning out for McGill alum and Lightning Head Coach Guy Boucher, whose team failed to qualify for the playoffs last season, after making the Eastern Conference Final the year before. General manager Steve Yzerman brought in a lot of above-average talents in Matt Carle, Sami Salo, and B.J. Crombeen, but the biggest uncertainty will be in goal, where Anders Lindback replaces Dwayne Roloson.

Lindback put up good numbers as Pekka Rinne’s backup in Nashville, and he will have to maintain those stats on a regular basis if Tampa is to return to the postseason.

Florida Panthers: The Panthers were surprising winners of the Southeast last season, after completely remodeling their roster with average big name players. This offseason was more relaxed, which is troubling since the other teams in the division have improved. Peter Mueller and Filip Kuba replace Mikael Samuelsson and Jason Garrison, and star prospect Jonathan Huberdeau may

break through. The Panthers will hope that retaining a similar nucleus will help them overcome the quick schedule in 2013, especially as a limited training camp gives other teams fewer opportunities to mesh.

Winnipeg Jets: After over a decade without a team, Jets fans are used to waiting for their season to begin. It’s a good thing that they really love their team, because sadly, it just isn’t good enough to be competitive in what has become a deep Eastern Conference. Newly-signed Olli Jokinen and Alexei Ponikarovsky bring some extra punch up front, but Ondrej Pavelec will be tested again in net.

Playing the entirety of the season in the East will mean heavy travel tolls for the geographically-challenged Jets; but at the same time it should also help them maintain home-ice advantage against their Southeast rivals.

—Adam Sadinsky

PREVIEW

western CONFERENCE

CENTRAL division St. Louis Blues: All indicators point towards another dominant season by the Blues.

St. Louis posted the lowest goals against average in the league last year, and the squad touts a roster full of players on upward trends. Brian Elliot and Jaroslav Halak are a shutdown goalie duo and will split time again this year. Look for the Blues to come out of the gate strong and make a significant push into the playoffs.

Chicago Blackhawks: After bowing

out in the first round last year, the Chicago Blackhawks return this season with Stanley Cup potential. Provided Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews are not hampered from last season’s concussions, the team’s offence should remain one of the most lethal threats in the league. The Blackhawks’ talented blueline, headed by Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, remains intact from the previous year.

Goaltending will be an issue heading into the season though, as Cory Crawford will need to prove he can han-

dle being a first string goalie.

Detroit Red Wings: The Niklas Lidstrom era has finally come to a close in Detroit and the team will certainly miss his presence. Fortunately for the Red Wings, they still have significant fire power in Johan Franzen, Henrik Zetterberg, and Pavel Datsuyk, despite the loss of Tomas Holmstrom. The team’s defence is a cause for concern. Nikolas Kronwall must live up to his Norris candidate potential, and Jimmy Howard needs to prove to the world that his success between the pipes wasn’t just a result of having Lindstrom in front of him.

Nashville Predators: The current Nashville Predators roster is full of question marks. Gone are forwards Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn. Yet, most notably, the Preds lost all-star defenseman Ryan Suter to the Minnesota Wild. The saving grace of the offseason was matching the deal Philadelphia offered Shea Weber, ensuring that he

remains Nashville’s property for years to come. Whether or not rookies Ryan Ellis and Roman Josi can step up and fill the void created by Suter’s departure is yet to be seen.

While netminder Pekka Rinne may steal a few games, there’s too much up in the air to guarantee this team a playoff spot.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Coming into the 2013 season, the Columbus Blue Jackets will be fighting for the first overall pick—not a spot in the playoffs. The Blue Jackets unloaded franchise player Rick Nash to the New York Rangers—in return for a motley crew of players—­ all of whom are unlikely to make any difference for the perennial cellar dwellers. With a high amount of divisional games in this shortened campaign, a season in the tough Central will hurt the Blue Jackets and send them to the basement of the conference.

—Peter Laing

northwest division Vancouver Canucks: The back-to-back President’s Trophy winners return to the ice with what has proved to be a talented veteran roster. The Sedin twins should return to their scoring ways, while waiting for fellow star Ryan Kesler to recover from injury. Defensively, Jason Garrison joins Keith Ballard, Kevin Bieksa and Dan Hamhuis to provide depth and toughness to the blue line. However, the major story surrounds All-star goaltender Roberto Luongo’s future with the club, which could derail this major contender’s hopes for the Stanley Cup. Minnesota Wild: The presumptive winners of the free agency period are betting the bank on big name free agent signings, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, to lead the team to the playoffs for only the fourth time in franchise history. Joined by veterans Mikku Koivu, Danny Heatley, and Devin Setoguchi, Minnesota has the foundation for a high-octane offence to make up for defensive pairings that show

promise, but are inexperienced. If all the pieces meld together, look out, because the Wild could make noise come June.

Edmonton Oilers: The recipient of countless draft lottery jokes over the past three years, the Oilers finally look poised to stop accumulating top draft picks and to shed the rebuilding label. Look for this young, fast, and exciting team, headlined by the wunderkind trio of Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to improve as the season progresses. If the mediocre D-line holds up its end of the bargain, and goaltender Devan Dubnyk delivers on his potential, the Oilers will push for a playoff spot.

Calgary Flames: The Flames ended last

season behind the Canucks, coming in second place in the division, thanks to a strong late season showing. Led by Jarome Iginla, Alex Tanguay, and Mike Cammali-

eri, the Flames are a veteran team with little upside and virtually no serviceable depth. In addition, they are riddled with underachieving defenceman with bloated contracts. Look for this team to play spoiler down the stretch, but don’t expect them to be in the hunt for Lord Stanley.

Colorado Avalanche: The Avalanche are an unproven commodity with a bevy of exciting young forwards—namely Matt Duchene, Paul Stastny, and last year’s Calder Trophy winner, and new captain, Gabriel Landeskog. The ageless Milan Hejduk joins the offence, but little else in terms of NHL level talent exists past him. Erik Johnson is a solid defenseman, but has little talent backing him. In net, look for a timeshare between Semyon Varlamov and J.S. Giguere, as neither has proved to be number one material. Overall, this should be a bleak season in the mile high city.

—Mayaz Alam

pacific division Phoenix Coyotes: Phoenix will prove that last year’s playoff run wasn’t a fluke. A relatively unchanged team, the ‘Yotes should benefit from familiarity in this shortened season. The club’s most underrated move this off-season was the re-acquisition of defenseman Zbynek Michalek.

A shot blocking machine, Michalek was constantly injured and wasn’t a great fit in Pittsburgh. Expect him to rekindle his previous success in a more defence-minded system. Of course, having Mike Smith protecting the crease is always reassuring.

Los Angeles Kings: Los Angeles will finally raise a championship banner after a lengthy lockout. The Kings face adversity early this season, as star centre Anze Kopitar is sidelined with a knee injury he sustained overseas. His absence may prove costly if Mike Richards and Jeff Carter can’t improve on last season’s paltry offensive totals.

L.A. can’t afford another slow start with fewer scheduled

games. Goaltender Jonathan Quick should ease the pain, however, as the reigning playoff MVP looks to continue his stellar play.

Dallas Stars: The Stars sacrificed Steve Ott’s grit for some much needed firepower.

A lineup featuring Jamie Benn, Michael Ryder, Loui Eriksson, Derek Roy, Jaromir Jagr and Ray Whitney is very impressive. These are all players who possess a high-end offensive skill set. The defence, though not flashy, doesn’t have to be with Kari Lehtonen between the pipes. A top 10 goaltender in the league, he posted a career best .922 SV per cent and 2.33 GAA last year. If the stars align, Dallas might just squeak into the playoffs in 2013.

San Jose Sharks: The Sharks have been a consistently great regular season team, but continually fail to impress in the playoffs. Their goaltending must be addressed

via trade. There aren’t enough games this year for Antii Niemi to find his groove, and backup Thomas Greiss simply isn’t the answer. San Jose has one more shot at making a deep run before key offensive players are shipped out for younger prospects. San Jose has a decent team, but an overall competitive division means it will miss the playoffs.

Anaheim Ducks: Teemu Selanne will be

a hot commodity at the trade deadline, as the Ducks will find themselves too far out of a playoff spot. He might not be the only superstar to leave Anaheim either, since the Ducks face the difficult task of resigning both Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry at the season’s end. The addition of Scott Niedermayer to the coaching staff is a nice, sentimental touch, but one which is unlikely to have an impact, record-wise.

—Hrant Bardakjian

Idle no more Photos by simon poitrimolt