McGill Tribune Issue 19

Volume No. 32 Issue No. 19

TRIBUNE THE mcgill

Published by the Tribune Publication Society

curiosity delivers

sustainability fund P 10 valentine's day p9

montreal theatre p 14 redmen hockey p 17

@mcgill_tribune ­ • www. mcgilltribune.com ­

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Redmen muscle past UQAM P 19

McGill’s men’s basketball team defeated UQAM 83-68 on a weekend on which Martlet basketball, and Martlet and Redmen hockey all recorded wins. (Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune)

McGill begins to plan for $19.1 million budget cuts Masi points to government’s unpredictability as barrier to effective planning; cuts may carry over to 2014-2015 Erica Friesen News Editor On Feb. 11, Provost Anthony Masi hosted three Town Hall meetings to provide the McGill community with information about the university’s current financial situation, and to receive feedback about how to deal with cuts of $19.1 million to McGill’s 2012-2013 operating budget. The Quebec government announced these cuts last December, and Quebec universities maintain that they were given no prior warning.

McGill’s deficit could rise to approximately $38 million in the 2013-2014 fiscal year unless the university reduces its spending.

Masi emphasized that, while no decisions have been made at this point, all units of the university will likely be affected by the cuts.

“We’re looking at every pos-

sible way of reducing our expenditures,” he said. “We’re going to look at every single aspect of this university’s finances, and when we have better information we will bring it forward to the [McGill] community.”

Masi said McGill received additional information from the provincial government last Friday that suggested the budget cuts may not last longer than two years, but will definitely continue into 2014. According to Masi, the government has threatened to withhold the last instalment of McGill’s funding from the government for the 2014 fiscal year if the university is not able to meet at least 50 per cent of the cuts by that time.

The majority of people who attended the meetings were faculty and staff members. Participants offered many suggestions for how the administration could cut down on

McGill’s expenses, including reducing the length of the academic term to 12 weeks from 13 weeks, allowing staff members to take voluntary unpaid vacation time, and making cuts to services that are unrelated to the university’s academic mission, such as food services and residences.

Pointing to the fact that the Parti Québécois (PQ) have a minority government that could face an election as early as this year, PGSS Secretary-General Jonathan Mooney asked the administration to take more of a “long-term perspective” when making cuts this year.

“We need to be very measured and very cautious in our approach, because we don’t know how long this government is going to be in power … and the proposed reinvestments aren’t totally clear right now—what effect they’re going to have, what time frame they’re going to have,” he said.

However, Masi emphasized that the government’s unpredictable decisions and the lack of clarity in their communication make it difficult for McGill to know what to expect from government funding in the coming years. Since McGill’s budget was approved last spring, the university experienced tuition increases, the revocation of these tuition increases, and, most recently, the imposition of $19.1 million budget cuts, although the PQ government has pledged to reinvest in the university system in the future.

“We cannot treat these cuts as if they are temporary, because … four times in a single year, the government has changed its mind about the way in which it plans to fund universities,” Masi said. “Promising that they are going to reinvest again in 2016 is not something on which we can bank, so we need to do something today to make sure that we

don’t aggravate an already tenuous situation for McGill’s finances.”

Masi suggested the cuts are a political move by a provincial government.

“If we find $19.1 [million] in cuts, then [the government will say] we had excess in our budgets all along and we’re not underfunded,” he said. “If we don’t find those cuts … [they’ll say] we’re simply unable to manage universities appropriately. Whatever the outcome, politically the government will appear to be winners, but they’re really threatening the entire university system.”

Some participants expressed concern with the way Masi referred to the PQ, including his description of the cuts as an “arbitrary” and “callous” decision.

“The Parti Québécois is a democratically elected government,” See “Budget cuts” on p. 2

NEWS

Budget cuts Continued from cover Nancy Crowe, a library assistant at McLennan Library, said. “I feel … a little bit like they’re being demonized.”

The majority of speakers, however, expressed frustration with the PQ for imposing these cuts on Quebec universities. Associate Librarian Marc Richard said the university could make a political statement through the way they choose to implement the cuts.

“There is probably some political advantage to choose things that will cause high visibility damage,” Richard said. “If [we] say we’ll decrease the contributions to the pension plan, that’s an actual thing .…

[But] let’s say we were to close the medical school, and this caused a 20 per cent decrease in the number of doctors being produced in Quebec—it’s absurd, but the point is that certain types of damage can have [a] political advantage.”

Masi emphasized that the university has to avoid making a political statement at the expense of

Motion Regarding Creation of the ssmu Equity Fund Referendum question

Highlights from the Feb. 7

SSMU Council

by Cece Zhang

students and employees. He encouraged the community to express their comments on “the Red Blog,” email budgetcuts@mcgill.ca, or talk to their chair, dean, or unit head.

“We know what our priorities are and we have to try to protect them in order to ensure that the university will come out of this not weakened to the point of having to collapse,” he said. “We have to come out of this crisis stronger than we went in.”

Jason Opal, a history professor who attended one of the meetings, said he thought they did a good job of presenting McGill’s position on the cuts.

“I think the Town Halls will be very useful for understanding the financial predicament McGill now faces,” he said. “I just don’t know how useful or or influential they will be in terms of coming up with possible solutions. That remains to be seen.”

—Additional reporting by Bea Britneff.

The beginning of Thursday evening’s Council meeting involved discussion on how the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) addresses equity. SSMU Equity Commissioners Justin Koh and Shaina Agbayani reported on the work of the Student Equity Committee this past academic year, and guest speakers Sara Houshmand and Gauthamie Poolokasingham from the McGill Diversity and Equity Research Lab presented on the lack of quantitative and qualitative research showing the effects of racism on campus.

These presentations provided councillors with information relevant to the first motion discussed that evening. When the motion came up for debate, councillors voted to approve a referendum question about creating a SSMU Equity Fund, consisting of an opt-outable $0.50 fee per semester for all SSMU members. The fee would go towards creating and pursuing initiatives that support equity at McGill.

Several councillors expressed optimism that the creation of this fund would have positive effects on equity on campus, such as showing that SSMU not only supports equity, but is also committed to a position of leadership on the topic.

Following discussion, Council passed the motion. McGill students will be able to vote on this question in the Winter referendum period, which runs March 15 -22.

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

Motion Regarding a greener mcgill One contentious motion called for SSMU to present the university with a letter expressing its support for the university’s “divestment from companies in the tar sands, fossil fuels, and the financial institutions supporting those companies.” The motion further asked SSMU to “firmly lay out the Society’s position on divestment from companies that do business on the traditional territories of Canada’s First Nation and Inuit peoples without democratic community consent and the financial institutions supporting those companies.”

motion regarding increasing the diversity of student representation of the mcgill senate

A third motion passed by Council called for SSMU to amend its by-laws to prioritize the reallocation of vacant senator seats to students in minority programs at McGill in the event that seats are left unoccupied following the nomination period for the McGill Senate.

Student positions on Senate are typically filled by election, with

SSMU Vice-President Finance and Operations Jean Paul Briggs asked about at what point SSMU would have to oppose the university’s engagement in shareholder action with companies involved in the Oil Sands and fossil fuels production. Chris Bangs, a spokesperson of Divest McGill who presented the motion, explained that it would only encourage engagements that result in more drastic improvements, as needed for the current stage of climate change.

Councillors also questioned the role of student groups—most notably Divest McGill—in the ongoing campaign for divestment.

Science Representative David Chaim expressed concern about each faculty holding a specific number of seats. Now, any vacant seats after the nomination period will be “reallocated first to programs … including the Schools of Physical/Occupational Theory, Nursing, and Social Work, and the Interfaculty of Arts and Science, in descending order according from the program with the most students enrolled to the program with the least.”

According to SSMU President Josh Redel, this means that if no one runs in the Faculty of Religious Studies, for example, then someone

the execution of the campaign led

by Divest McGill, saying that it does not have a proper corporate structure with mandates, and suggested that SSMU become the official leader of the campaign instead.

Other councillors pointed out that Divest McGill has no authority to mandate SSMU actions.

Councillors voted to table the motion for the following Council meeting to allow for more extensive amendments.

(Eliza

beth

Flann

ery /

McGil

l Trib

une) from a smaller faculty will then have the chance to run, rather than giving the new seat first to someone from the science or engineering faculties.

Before it passed, Arts and Science Representative Victor Lam, who was among the movers of this motion, also amended the motion.

The amendment limits these faculty senators, when collecting signatures for their nomination, to only soliciting students from their own faculty.

Curiosity delivers. |

NEWS

| Tuesday, February 12, 2013

city

3

Demonstration against Plan Nord stopped by riot police Hundreds marched in Montreal to oppose government plans to develop northern Quebec; protest lasted two days

Protestors braved the snow to demonstrate against the government’s Plan Nord. (Anna Katycheva / McGill Tribune) said.

Samuel Pinto Contributor Last Friday, about 200 students, activists, and other Montreal citizens braved the snow to gather in Victoria Square to protest against the Quebec government’s Plan Nord, a project intended to develop the mining, tourism, and lumber industries in northern Quebec.

Protestors marched to the Palais des Congrès, where a job fair on employment in the natural resources industry was taking place in the convention centre. The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) immediately declared the protest illegal for violating Law 12, which states that the organizers of a protest must file a street plan with the police in advance.

Riot police officers told protestors to disperse after several protesters sprayed graffiti on police cars and buildings, and set off small fireworks. According to The Montreal Gazette, protestors also broke a window of the Palais des Congrès. Étienne Brossard, a student at Montreal’s L’École de technologie supérieure who attended the protest, said most of his criticism against Plan Nord relates to the mining companies and the project’s ramifications for the environment.

“The environmental consequences are so bad, that when the world looks at Canada and Quebec, they will say that this country does not care about the environment,” he

According to the Parti Québécois (PQ), Plan Nord is intended to be the world’s largest economic development plan in recent generations. Launched in 2011 by the former Liberal government, the project is estimated to bring in over $80 billion in investment, as well as creating or consolidating over 20,000 jobs annually over a 25-year implementation.

While the government promises that environmental protection is a primary goal in their decisionmaking, many have criticized the project for encouraging industrial development at the expense of the environment. Critics have also spoken out against the project for showing a lack of respect for Indigenous land rights.

One protestor, who asked to remain anonymous, carried a green and black flag that he said represented “ecological anarchism.” He encouraged people to be more aware of the effects of Plan Nord.

“It doesn’t have to directly affect me—the problem is that everyone is just waiting for these things to affect us,” he said. “It will directly affect all of us soon enough when they choke up the rivers, [and] when we have more ecological disasters.”

Benedict Boyle, a Montreal citizen who attended the protest, argued that the public has not been properly informed of everything involved in Plan Nord.

“There was a lack of consulta-

tion with the people,” he said. “[The project] is very nearsighted, [intented] just to make capital gain.”

Boyle said he also believes that the decision-making involved in the plan was “biased,” and not made with adequate attention to the younger generation.

“When people are involved in it for the money, and not for the future, it will affect everyone,” Boyle said.

Robin Reid-Fraser, vice-president external of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU), said up to several hundred McGill students planned to attend Friday’s protest. She said McGill students often have conflicting views towards Plan Nord, due to the many details involved in the plan.

“A lot of students have concerns with Plan Nord, mostly for environmental reasons, or what it’s going to mean for Indigenous sovereignty around the land,” Reid-Fraser said. “Others might think it is a [beneficial] opportunity for resource expansion and economic development.”

Another protest against Plan Nord was held on Saturday morning outside the Palais des Congrès, where Friday’s forum was continuing. Saturday’s protest was also deemed illegal by the Montreal police because the route was not previously disclosed. Riot police dispersed the crowd of several hundred protestors, and arrested at least 30 people, according to CTV.

The tribune publications society is accepting applications for 2013-2014’s editor-in-chief. to apply, please drop off a cover letter, a cv and three relevant writing or design samples at the tribune office to the attention of tps chair jacob hardy. all tps members may apply, but preference is given to applicants with tribune-related experience. shatner 110 mONDAY, February 25, 5pm.

For more information, contact Elisa Muyl at editor@mcgilltribune.com

We’re looking for a news editor. contact editor@mcgilltribune.com

Curiosity delivers. |

NEWS

| Tuesday, February 12, 2013

campus

4

AUS advising consultation sessions marked by low attendance Organizers say students given short notice of sessions; AUS executive looking for student opinions on advising system Christos Lazaris Contributor Last week, the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) held a series of consultation sessions regarding upcoming changes to advising in the Faculty of Arts. Sessions were held for students in separate years, as well as specific student groups, such as international students. However, consultation sessions failed to achieve a high student turnout.

The purpose of the consultation sessions was to receive student input on potential changes to the advising system and to deal with common and recurring problems that students face every semester. The AUS emphasized that these sessions were unrelated to last month’s announcement regarding the faculty’s plan to spend more on advising and

less on classes in the 2013-2014 academic year.

“The purpose of these consultation sessions is to … figure out how students want to experience advising and to ensure that students actually know where they’re going,” AUS President Devon LaBuik said.

“If that information isn’t available at this point, [we want] to make it available [and] ensure that it’s actually clear to students.”

According to AUS Vice-President Internal Justin Fletcher, changes to advising are part of a bigger plan to reorganize the way services are offered by the university, and to increase their efficiency with fewer employees, as outlined in McGill’s Workforce Planning Initiative. The initiative was introduced last May after the provincial government mandated that universities reduce

What happened last week in Compiled by catherine-Laure Juste

Canadian penny retires The Royal Canadian Mint officially stopped distributing the penny on Feb. 4, almost a year after Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty announced the penny’s discontinuation in the federal budget of March 2012. According to CBC News, one penny cost the government 1.6 cents to produce, and a plausible reason for its withdrawal was a drop in its purchasing power. The government expects to save approximately $11 million annually due to the penny’s discontinuation.

Price rounding, which takes place after taxes have been added to a purchase, started the same day as the penny’s demise. Shelly Glover, the parliamentary secretary to the Flaherty, stated that businesses have the final say on whether or not they accept the coin.

According to the CBC, “the government recommends rounding the total bill to the nearest $0.05 or $0.10.”

Despite being the smallest denomination of the Canadian currency, the penny has remained in demand in artistic circles. Renee Gruszecki, owner of a jewellery business based in Halifax, has spent the last year saving pennies and turning them into different accessories and designs.

“The maple leaf is synonymous with everything Canadian,” she told the Canadian Press. “We [Canadians] all identify with it.”

their administrative and support staff by hiring fewer staff members when employees voluntarily leave their positions.

However, the consultation sessions had low attendance from students. Only one student attended the first two sessions of the week. Another session only had two students attend.

Peter Ashlock, U3 anthropology and the only student who attended Tuesday’s session, raised specific issues he had with the Faculty of Arts’ advising system regarding his exchange to Keio University in Japan last year.

“McGill was unaware [of] when [the] Japanese university terms started and ended, and would ask me to turn in paperwork on a timeline that was completely impossible … which led to some difficul-

ties registering for courses while in my final year [at McGill],” Ashlock said. “I’m sure that they’ll work on figuring out the … schedule mismatch issue …. It’s an obvious problem that’s easy to fix with no cost.”

Ashlock also shared his thoughts on why so few students attended, commenting on the ineffectiveness of merely sending out notifications by email. “[The] McGill administration has a reputation for not caring about students at all,” he said. “That’s not really true: there are administrators at McGill who care, and ones that don’t. But I think most people either don’t read the emails regarding these sorts of events, or if they do, they feel like it would be futile to attend, since ‘everybody knows’ that McGill doesn’t value undergraduates.”

The AUS executive confirmed

that they were aware of the lack of attendance throughout the week, and plan to deal with the issue for future events and consultation sessions.

Possible improvements include sending out emails earlier to give students more than a day’s notice before the event.

“I think that maybe there wasn’t enough notice about the sessions, and it’s always a busy time [of year], Fletcher said. “We re-evaluated the strategy that we use to contact the students, so I think that there will be better turnout for the later sessions.”

Consultation sessions will continue until Feb. 14 for international, U0, first year U1, and interdisciplinary students.

Government of Canada launches intitiative to improve mental health in the work place

Federal government to appeal Métis and non-status Indians court case

Canada?

Air Canada appeals to court over Aveos facilities

Canada scores a ‘B’ in social report card

Last Monday, the Quebec Superior Court sided with Quebec’s former Liberal government in a lawsuit against Air Canada. The ruling obligates the airline company to keep their maintenance facilities in Montreal open, following debate on changes to Air Canada’s business model.

In March 2012, Air Canada subcontractor Aveos Fleet Performance Inc. went out of business and announced plans to liquidate the company’s assets. Following this, Air Canada began to eliminate specialized jobs in Canada and replaced them with similar jobs abroad. Quebec’s former government argued that a federal law passed in 1988 requires that the airline keep these jobs in Canada, and that significant changes to Air Canada’s business model can only come about through legislative change.

Air Canada, however, has pointed to contrary legal advice that the company received from the federal Ministry of Justice. The company also argues that it followed the 1988 federal law. They cite a ruling in the Ontario Superior Court, which concluded that Air Canada had respected the law by having its own maintenance operations and overhaul facilities in Canada. According to a spokesperson for Air Canada, the company plans to appeal the Quebec ruling.

Canada received an overall “B” grade for economics and public policy in the Conference Board of Canada’s annual social report card. This put Canada in 7th place out of 17 developed countries that the Conference Board assessed. The Board is a non-profit independent organization that focuses on national “economic trends, public policy, and organizational performance,” according to their website.

Although the report found Canada to be successful in areas such as serious crime and tolerance of diversity, its grade was lowered due to high poverty rates for both children and working-age adults, where it obtained a “D” grade. Growing concentration of wealth in the hands of fewer people and the wage disparity between men and women also played a part in Canada’s results.

The study notes that “since 1990, the richest Canadians have increased their share of total national income, while the poorest and middle income groups lost share.”

President and CEO of the Conference Board of Canada Daniel Muzyka stated that a large gap in income levels and high rates of poverty can “mean a weakening in labour force attachment and social cohesion.” Brenda Lafleur, program director at the Board, expressed more optimism, noting that the indicators where Canada has been falling behind could be fixed “through public and political will.”

Last week, the federal government announced the introduction of a national standard to help businesses improve their employees’ mental health. This move came in response to a 2011 federal study, which determined that 800,000 workers in Canada are prevented from working by mental health barriers.

With the new standard, the federal government aims to create a healthier workforce and work environment, while also improving productivity. Furthermore, this initiative could potentially reduce the estimated $50 billion spent annually on mental health.

The 2011 study, conducted by Risk Analytica for the Mental Health Commission of Canada, revealed that Canadian businesses lost $6 billion each year in absenteeism (when a worker is regularly away from work without good reason) and presenteeism (when a worker is physically present but unproductive due to health barriers). Deadlines and workloads are contributing factors to an unhealthy and high-stress environment, as stated by researchers at the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction.

The Government of Canada announced last Wednesday that it will file an appeal to a higher court following a federal court decision stating that Canada’s Métis and non-status Indians are considered “Indians” under the Canadian Constitution, and therefore fall under federal jurisdiction. The original federal court decision, made in January, follows over 13 years of legal debate on the topic, and affects approximately 200,000 Métis and 400,000 nonstatus Indians.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan explained that the government has sent the decision to a higher court because “the decision raises complex legal issues.”

He said it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that it is fiscally sustainable to continue programs and support for Aboriginal people. Betty Ann Lavallee, national chief of the Congress of Aboriginal People, which represents off-reserve Aboriginals, said she was disappointed by the government’s choice.

“This decision comes at the expense of Métis and non-status Indians, who for far too long have been the ‘Forgotten Peoples’ of Canada, struggling for recognition of their constitutional rights, equality, dignity, self-worth and fairness,” she said in a public statement.

opinion editorial

THE Mcgill

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

Bringing the issues back to student politics According to Montreal city councillor Marvin Rotrand, municipal voters show far more interest in local issues—such as bike lanes and urban farming plans—than in selecting their representatives in local government. A recent proposal put forward by Rotrand would follow this logic, and seek to increase voter turnout by putting referendum questions on municipal election ballots.

A look at the landscape of McGill’s student politics shows the opposite problem; voter turnout is markedly lower on Fall referendum ballots— which do not include student elections—than for their Winter counterparts. This issue that our campus political system faces derives from the nature of student government and a culture that has emerged of putting personality before substance.

A major obstacle that both our student electoral and referendum system face seems to be inherent to the particular nature of student politics, and will not be resolved by means such as electoral reform. Due to the limited period of time that we spend at McGill, students have much less invested in the political process than they might otherwise. While a Montrealer can be highly motivated to go out and vote for a long-term environmental initiative, students of McGill often have less than four years remaining before they are no longer influenced by what occurs on

columnists Forgetting facts

Joshua Freedman

Commentary

Perhaps the most important factor in considering a university education is that it equips one with a set of facts and knowledge that would otherwise be hard to come by. Indeed, we enter class expecting to be bombarded by a wealth of ideas, and we expect that the information we retain will later prove useful, and remain current. However, Samuel Arbesman, a professor of Mathematics at Harvard, has recently coined a term for a set of facts that slowly change over time, with deep implications for our education.

Arbesman categorizes facts into three categories. One kind of facts are those likely to be unchanged in our lifetime, such as the fact that Ot-

Production Manager Sam Reynolds sreynolds@mcgilltribune.com

While these are problems that stem from the nature of our system, they also have a grounding in the established political culture, and now seem to be accepted as the norm.

Student candidates regularly run on platforms of vague ideals, neglecting to focus on specific goals or tangible deliverables. Rather than outlining what can be done and what they hope to accomplish during their time in office, candidates’ election campaigns revolve around notions such as ‘openness’ and ‘ac-

countability.’ While these are noble concepts, they lose value when everybody is espousing them, and there is no incentive for candidates to differentiate themselves from opponents on the actual issues—nor is it often clear what these issues even are. When such differentiation is not made, elections ultimately boil down to a popularity contest.

As a result, we have seen a marked lack of progress once our representatives do take office. Our elected leaders appear tentative to undertake larger projects and follow them through, satisfying themselves with a focus on regular day-to-day business. All of the energy and enthusiasm that is put into promoting the Winter elections disappears by the time the Fall referenda roll around. Students, having elected their representatives, don’t feel any particular connection to their student government or its operations, and disengage.

However, these issues of electoral participation, representatives’ motivation to effect change, and student engagement in the process during the year are all correlated.

There are a number of ways to address them. At Queen’s University, teams of executives seeking different positions run as a slate, identifying common ideals and goals upon which to construct their campaign; once the candidates are forced to

think about these matters, so will the students electing them. There are other advantages that accompany this: running as a team means that the group of people going into office together know each other, are well-suited to work as a team, and share a common agenda. They will be more motivated and equipped to enact their vision. There are downsides to this approach, however, as it leaves no room for a multiplicity of perspectives nor beliefs to be represented at once.

While this approach may not be the right one for McGill, we need an increased focus on policy in our upcoming elections. Though change could be brought about through reform, our leaders and candidates ultimately need to buy into it, and be the ones to set the precedent. This Winter, as potential candidates for the upcoming SSMU elections consider tossing in their hats, we urge them to have a vision. The popularity contest aspect of the elections may be inevitable, but if they want to have an impact, they must present clear policies, implementation plans, and priorities. It is up to them to decide what kind of McGill they want to see, and work to help get us there. With this vision, and a clear set of goals, our representatives will be well equipped to leave behind a tangible legacy at McGill.

tawa is the capital of Canada. Other facts are incredibly transient, such as the closing prices on the stock market, they change every day. The third and most interesting category of facts are what Arbesman calls ‘mesofacts,’ facts that will change over time.

Academically at least, this means that we cannot rest on our laurels after graduation. Our fields are constantly changing, with new ideas and theories likely to quickly replace what we have learned in school. Arbesman points out that articles printed in physics journals become cited half as often after every 10 years. Facts that we learn about diseases are also typically found to be overturnedovert after a generation or two. We see new scientific studies every single day, purporting to say that a food or vitamin is essential to our health, only to have a different study say the opposite a few years later. The social sciences are also littered with information that we may accept as fact at the time, then obliviously continue to believe, even once it shown to be untrue.

Last year was especially politically volatile, as the US election took place. I heard dozens of conversations where the two sides responded to one another with facts that were simply outdated. This naturally complicates productive debate, as stalemate becomes inevitable if both sides are not up to date with the most relevant information.

Reflecting upon this idea, I have started to see that mesofacts fittingly apply to campus debate as well, whether the discussions are about the outside world, or are strictly campus focused. When it comes to campus issues, students are prone to apathy, and form opinions predicated by old facts about disputes going on between the student body and the administration. To their great credit, campus newspapers and activists are usually up to date about all the latest happenings—the recent changes in the administration’s onerous restrictions on demonstrations being a current example. This willingness to battle against old facts is imperative; because if students recall only mistreatment at the hands of the admin-

istration, and potentially ignore new and better developments, studentadministration negotiations will continue to remain at an impasse.

Arbesman suggests some ideas to get around the problem of mesofacts. Students should be taught that what they learn is not absolute, and they should expect education to continue throughout their life.

Given this, we should be humble about our ideas when engaging in debate with others, as we can never be sure whether our facts are up to date. Additionally, it would also seem to make sense to engage with classic works. If an academic or cultural work has withstood the test of time, it is likely that learning about this phenomenon will not prove to be trivial in the near future.

While none of these things alone can stop the slow decay of the ‘half-life’ of facts, it is important to realize that many of the things we learn will not remain etched in stone, and we must always be vigilant about maintaining our educational standards.

their campus.

A similar mindset can be seen in our student representatives once they are elected. The transience of a one-year term leaves little room for a focus on specific initiatives and substantive projects. Seeing this to be the case year after year, students lose faith in the potential outcomes of student politics. What this means for elections is that there seems to be less at stake, and interest predictably dwindles.

“There is no incentive

for candidates to differentiate themselves from opponents on the actual issues—nor is it often clear what these issues even are

”

News Editors Bea Britneff, Andra Cernavskis 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 Creative Director Susanne Wang design@mcgilltribune.com Senior 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 Jacob Hardy (Chair): chair@mcgilltribune.com, Bea Britneff, Elisa Muyl, Jonathan Newburgh, Maria Surilas

Contributors

Mayaz Alam, Max Berger, Will Burgess, Karen Chen, Elizabeth Flannery, Joshua Freedman, Abhishek Gupta, Catherine-Laure Juste, Evie Kaczmarek, Anna Katycheva, Chris Lazaris, Remi Lu, Liam Maclure, Abraham Moussako, Luke Orlando,Samuel Pinto, Cassandra Rogers, Alanna Sokic, Kieran Steer, Diana Wright, Hubie Yu, Cece Zhang

Tribune Offices Editorial Shatner University Centre Suite 110, 3480 McTavish Montreal, QC H3A 0E7 T: 514.398.6789

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

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

6

columnists University governance: students and stakeholders

Abraham Moussako

Commentary

McGill University, like all universities, has an administrative superstructure and an academic structure overlaid one on the other.

As with many universities, this superstructure is generally ignored by much of the student body. The spate of recent controversies over the administration and student input, from the recent course cuts to the Provisional Protocol regarding Demonstrations makes this a good time as ever to talk about how our university should be run.

Before we talk about how McGill‘s governance, the most basic question to ask is: what is McGill’s purpose? At its most fundamen-

Stand up to climate change, stand up for our future

Christopher Bangs Guest commentary

400-foot tall sheets of ice falling into the ocean, a glacier taller than skyscrapers and wider than islands collapsing in minutes, spikes pushed 600 feet into the air just as quickly as they fall again: the reallife, real-time calving of a glacier was caught on camera by some act of chance. Its fall reminds us that climate change is here, and that warming is accelerating across the globe.

As students at 234 universities across North America launch campaigns calling on their schools to divest from fossil fuels, the question is not, “Will they divest?” but instead, “Who will go first?” and, “What happens if we do not take action?”

Unity College and Hampshire College, two small liberal arts colleges

tal level, the answer is to deliver a post-secondary education and award certificates certifying completion of such an education, but even that is an incomplete description. Different post-secondary institutions have radically different aims; a small liberal arts school may not share priorities with a vocational school, and as such, they need to be governed in different ways.

Indeed, a chief purpose for McGill is to be a global research university. Whether this should be the case is a separate question—­one that probably is inextricably tied with the bundle of factors that influenced our individual decisions to attend this institution. That said, we return to the question of student involvement in campus issues. The size and scale of this institution—over 22,000 full-time undergraduates and over 6,500 full-time graduate students, not to mention the faculty, buildings, or monetary holdings and investments—make it large enough to justify having a rank of dedicated administrators.

How these administrators should relate to the student body is another question. Transparency is critical; while the university should not be obligated to follow the demands of any group of students, it should at least make available information on its activities. In that respect, the university’s recent attempts to exempt itself from Access to Information requests filed by a variety of students is problematic.

The two realms of decisionmaking where student input should be taken most seriously are those relating to teaching and pedagogy, and those relating to student life (e.g. residences, clubs, etc.). Here, the university should not only clearly explain policies and solicit feedback, but actually mould policies based on student input, especially on issues where a representative sample of students would have an opinion.

A case in point would be the recently announced course cuts to the Faculty of Arts; administrators should not only consult with students—as they have to a limited extent—but

should be willing to make substantive policy changes based on student concerns. However, they are not obligated to do so.

in the U.S., have taken the step. Now it is McGill’s turn.

On Feb. 1, Divest McGill formally submitted its request to the Board of Governors (BoG) of McGill. With over 760 signatures from students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and with our fully-argued social injury briefs, we have put combating climate change on the agenda of this school.

Secretary-General Steven Strople was extremely gracious and received our petition in person, and indeed, Divest McGill has found strong allies so far in the University.

Many sectors of the administration seem genuinely excited about the prospect of divestment, and we are grateful for all of the support we have received.

Divestment alone will not solve climate change, but it can, and will precipitate larger action. As Canada accelerates the exploitation of the tar sands of Northern Alberta, and as the U.S. continues practices of hydraulic fracturing and mountain top removal, constituent power and citizen action is the only way forward.

McGill is a moral beacon for Canada, and its successes and mistakes garner national interest because Canadians hold the institution in the highest regard. When McGill chooses to divest, when it holds its investment policy to the same environmental standards to which it holds the rest of its practices, it will create shockwaves in the energy sector and should shake us out of our addiction to fossil fuels. Vision 2020 summarized the feelings of the McGill community in this way, writing: “Our decisions and actions reflect our role as part of nature and our duty to current and future generals and the planet…. At McGill, we strive to be one of the best universities in the world by doing our best for the world.” Let’s live up to that commitment. Divest McGill is still accepting signatures on its petitions, and we will do our best to make sure your interests and convictions are carried forward.

In the meantime, the conversation around divestment opens up tremendous creative possibilities. Students’ Society of McGill University

(SSMU), which fully endorses divestment, is considering an Alternative Investment Case Competition, where students can use their knowhow to plan what SSMU could do with its investment fund to better promote the interests of students.

That could mean a Green Revolving Fund, where money is invested in efficiency improvements, and the savings are carried forward, or it could mean investing in affordable housing, or even creating a venture capital fund to promote student entrepreneurialism. That’s up to students.

Another conversation brought forward by divestment centres around alternatives: we all know that the tar sands will employ many McGill alumni, especially in the sciences and engineering, and Divest McGill certainly does not want to make it harder for graduates to find a job, but why not expand connections with companies in renewable engineering, green transportation, or sustainable construction? Let’s have green job fairs in addition to the existing relationships with employers, so that graduating students truly

Be our political cartoonist!

E-mail design@mcgilltribune.com

“The university should not only clearly explain policies and solicit feedback, but actually

mould policies based on student input

”

This approach would be more appropriate on issues such as university finances and investments.

The most recent example of this is the campaign to divest McGill’s finances from various fossil fuel companies, a movement I have commented on previously. The administration recently received petitions from Divest McGill, with a promise of a review process. Whatever the result of the review process, the university will have fulfilled its obligation to the students, in the sense that

it provided an avenue of dialogue, and reviewed the substance of student claims.

The basic point here, obvious as it may seem, is that university administrations, especially those that manage large research institutions like McGill, should receive and listen to student input, but not be obligated to actually tailor their actions to the substance of these demands.

Full student management is certainly feasible, and probably desirable—in a small liberal arts university, where it would not be unwieldy to have the student body involved in day-to-day decision-making beyond a consultative role. However, the main point we must remember when talking about university governance is that a university is not a nation, but an institution that can easily be opted out of. As such, the social contract that the administration enters into with students (and vice versa) carries fundamentally different standards of obligation.

have opportunities and the freedom to pursue whatever sort of career they want. Too often, engineering and science students enter university wanting to make a difference in the world, but end up working for fossil fuel companies because the alternatives are not very clear. We can do better than that.

This is the chance of a lifetime, literally. We are reaching the point of no return, after which runaway climate change is a certainty. Here at Divest McGill, we know that action is needed, and divestment is one tool in a broader struggle. But it is an important one, an exciting one, and with the help of the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and, yes, administrators, McGill can lead the way to a carbon-neutral Canada. Let’s stand up to climate change and stand up for our future. Let’s divest.

Christopher Bangs is a spokesperson for Divest McGill.

Got an eye for design?

Join the design team.

E-mail design@mcgilltribune.com

Student living the student ofweek

with Jacqui Galbraith

Q: What’s your dream job?

A: This is the nerdiest answer you’re ever going to get—I really just want to work in a lab and do lab things; like wear a lab coat and look in my microscope.

Q: What’s one book you think everyone should read?

A: Obviously, the Harry Potter series. My boyfriend [said], “I hate Harry Potter,” and I [said], “I don’t know if this is going to work out.” I have the whole series on our bookshelf in our living room, and I just love it. It’s like something you grow up with.

Q: What’s your secret talent?

A: I have a bunch of random biology facts that I drop on everyone sometimes. You know when you like someone’s body odour?

Like, sometimes people are attracted to body odour….and that’s good because it actually shows that your immune systems would be compatible if you had kids. You recognize the smell of their immune system, so if you’re not disgusted by it, it means that your immune systems are compatible—or different enough—that you’ll have a kid with a really good immune system.

MELANIE SIMON

MAJOR: BIOLOGY MINORS: ANTHROPOLOGY AND ENGLISH LITERATURE, U2 (ALEXANDRA ALLAIRE / MCGILL TRIBUNE)

Recipe: Cheese

Q: If you could trade lives with anyone for a day, who would it be, and what would you do?

A: Probably the Long Island Medium. I would just have the biggest hair and be so obnoxious, going up to people in the grocery store being like “Who passed?” And they would cry, and it’d be awesome.

Q: What’s your least favourite sound in the world?

A: You know those winter jackets you used to have as a kid that were really starchy and hard? Those big colourful kids jackets that are really rough and hard to touch? The sound that they make when they rub together. It’s the worst sound. It actually makes me so uncomfortable; it makes me want to throw up.

Q: Describe midterm season in three words.

A: Anything but studying.

Q: If you could create a new national holiday, what would it be?

A: Apparently, last week was national Pancake day in the US, and IHOP was giving out free stacks of pancakes; I would be down to do that in Canada.

Q: What word or phrase do you most overuse?

A: I’m going to have to say ‘poo.’ Usually I use it to censor myself from saying other words though, to be fair.

Q: What technological development do you hope to see in your lifetime?

A: Selfishly, teleportation. The thing is, I always leave for class late, and I live like two seconds from campus, so it’s not fair that I do that. It’s not okay, because I’m always there at 10:36 when I could have been there before the class started. But [more altruistically], I would say cures for diseases.

Q: If you were an alcoholic beverage, which one would you be?

A: I would be a Corona with a slice of lime on a hot day.

(cup)cakes

Jacqui Galbraith Serves 12

Ingredients: 1 box graham cracker crumbs ¼ cup margarine, melted 1 1/2 packages of cream cheese [8 oz. packages], softened ½ cup white sugar 1 ½ eggs ¾ tsp. vanilla extract 1 package chocolate chips (for garnishing) 12 cupcake liners

Process: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Mix together melted margarine and graham cracker

crumbs following the directions on the graham cracker box for exact ratio.

In a separate bowl, combine softened cream cheese and white sugar using a large spoon, until mixed fairly well.

Add in eggs and vanilla extract, and beat together with an electric mixer until smooth.

Spoon a thin layer of graham cracker mix into each cupcake liner, and pack down firmly.

Pour cheesecake mix into each cupcake liner, but leave a little bit of room for cupcakes to rise in the oven.

Add chocolate chips to the top of each cupcake, or substitute any other topping you prefer.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking often. Cupcakes should look a little undercooked when they come out of the oven, as they will set further as they cool.

Cool to room temperature, and store in an air tight container in the fridge.

We have a problem...

We’re looking for an advice columnist!

Think you have a solution for us?

Email studentliving@mcgilltribune.com

Q: What’s one thing you would change about McGill?

A: More tunnels. Heated in the winter, and cold in the summer. With maps everywhere.

And an app [with a map] that you can check in the tunnels, and Wi-Fi in the tunnels. There you go.

Q: What’s your lucky charm?

A: I always use the same pencil to write all my notes for a final, and [then] I use it for the final.

Q: What happens if you lose the pencil?

A: Disaster. Apocalypse.

Q: What reality TV show are you perfect for?

A: Give me forty years, and I’ll be perfect for Extreme Cougar Wives. Or Keeping up with the Kardashians. I want to be one of the Kardashians.

Q: Who would star in the story of your life?

A: One time a guy told me I looked like Natalie Portman, as like, trying to hit on me, and I laughed for like ten years. So probably not Natalie Portman. Ellen Page? No that’s bad, I don’t like her that much. April from Parks and Rec. Aubrey Plaza.

Q: Why are you an asset to McGill?

A: I’m the largest revenue builder for Sinfully Asian.

This week’s student was nominated for her work in the biology department, and because it was her birthday yesterday.

8

Tuesday, February 12, 2013 |

STUDENT LIVING

| Curiosity delivers.

title

McGill hosts first ever “Sex Week” on campus

The Shag Shop brings you a week of workshops, guest speakers, and safe sex education Jacqui Galbraith Student Living Editor Monday, Feb. 11 marked the start of McGill’s first ever Sex Week, presented by the Shag Shop. Despite her hectic schedule, the event’s organizer, Monika Viktorova, found time to sit down with the Tribune and give us a rundown on exactly what we can expect from the event.

McGill Tribune: How long has Sex Week been held at McGill? How did it begin?

Monika Viktorova: The health promotion team at the Shag Shop has had sexuality fairs in the past.

But ... this is kind of the first year we’re branding it ‘sex week.’ A bunch of other universities do have ‘sex weeks.’ The most famous ones are Harvard’s and Yale’s, because they get a lot of controversy. Last year Harvard’s almost got shut down—there’s just a lot of controversy about workshops they were running. It’s usually in that time period, that first couple weeks of February, to coincide with Valentine’s Day and make it romantic.

MT: Do you know what in particular was controversial about Harvard’s Sex Week?

MV: When I took a look at the programming for some of the sex weeks in the States, [I saw that]

X vs.Y

some of them centre around sex and religion. It’s a topic that’s kind of more specific to the States, and more controversial in the States; so I think that’s where some of the controversy arose.

MT: How does McGill’s Sex Week programming compare [to Harvard’s]?

MV: I have to say it’s not anything like it. When we were first kind of starting to sit down to plan Sex Week, we wanted to look at other models for how they were run. What we found was that the issues discussed [at Harvard and Yale] were campus specific … so we wanted to make sex week specific for the McGill community and the Montreal community.

MT: What kind of events does McGill’s Sex Week offer?

MV: We’re running a bunch of hour-long workshops that we do in the residences. The Shag Shop has a bunch of workshops developed. On Monday [we held a workshop on] sex positivity; just kind of breaking the barrier of talking about sex, discussing sexual stigma, and discussing health and contraception choices.

Then, [today, on] Tuesday we’ve got a trans 101 workshop, which Queer McGill is running for us. Again, just breaking down stigma and opening up dialogue, so people are aware of

transphobia. Wednesday, we’ve got a talk by the head of the IGSF, the Institute for Gender Sexuality and Feminist Studies, Professor Groanfeld, and she’s talking about sex and disability. So again: just de-stigmatizing the many different sexualities that are out there. And Thursday, we have a really cool workshop on kink and consent. So if people are thinking about kink, or are involved in the kink community, [they can] discuss consent culture. Then on Friday, we have a polyamory workshop. The facilitator of the workshop is coming in to talk about her experiences with polyamory; her relationships, and how she manages them. [We’re trying to] open up a conversation about what [people] think polyamory is, and the normative nature of monogamy in society.

MT: Can you tell me more about ‘One Night Shag?’

MV: One Night Shag is our grand finale for Sex Week. It’s on the Friday evening at Gerts at 8 p.m.

Our colleague Kristin has been organizing it, and she’s very involved in it. It’s kind of an evening of performance, so a lot of the dance groups on campus are coming out to perform. All of the donations are going to support the ACCM which is an AIDS organization in Montreal.

MT: Had there been a pre-existing

You can visit The Shag Shop in the Brown Building (Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune) collaborative relationship between the Shag Shop and these other organizations?

MV: Some of the groups we’ve worked with before. Queer McGill we’ve worked with in the past, and they’re fantastic; so I really wanted to bring them in, so that the week was queer-friendly. In terms of getting in touch with speakers and stuff, we reached out to a bunch of different people. We wanted to make it as broad as possible….I’m definitely hoping that as we see how the event goes, and decide about whether it becomes an ongoing thing year to year, [as] we get more of the groups on campus involved with us, and kind of make it a very collaborative effort.

MT: What do you hope Sex Week will accomplish this week?

MV: I guess the overarching goal is the de-stigmatization of having a conversation about sex. That’s something that’s really important to me, and to everyone who works at the Shag Shop. We kind of work towards that, to just have open and honest dialogue about sex, and that’s something I think McGill could use.

MT: Where can students go to get more information?

MV: If they just look up ‘Sex Week at McGill’ on Facebook, it’ll come up with the whole event page.

We’ll also be handing out little cards with schedules on them all of this week.

Sex Week runs Monday Feb. 11 to Friday Feb. 15. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ events/129897910512965/

Two of Montreal’s best burrito joints go head to head

Mission Quatre Ilia Blinderman

One of my longstanding gripes with Montreal’s claim to the title of ‘City of Culinary Delights’ (and I have many—try experiencing food in Australia, and then talk to me) is the dearth of Mexican food.

I don’t necessarily mean authentic Mexican; I’m neither a purist, nor a connoisseur, nor even a former visitor to Mexico. My criteria are more ‘Growing Boy’ than ‘Michelin Star’: quick, filling, and delicious, along the lines of the chain of Chipotle Mexican Grills in the U.S. With Mission Quatre (M4) Burritos’ opening last summer, I happily abandon my former criticism.

For anyone who’s been to Chipotle, M4 will be a familiar sight. The aesthetic is brightly lit, industrial

chic, with sharp lines, orange seats, and steel all coming together into an environment which seems perfectly adequate for a fast-food eatery. The menu, which forms the basis of the name, is simple: choose the type of dish, the meat, the salsa, and the sides. Choosing a burrito which I found best suited to my array of skills, I opted for the chicken with a medium-hot salsa.

With prompt service and polite staff, the transaction proved to be a painless endeavor. I received a large burrito bursting with chicken; I feared that incorrect handling would lead the volatile food pocket to burst, but managed to sate a sizeable hunger without making a mess.

I happily report that it was, despite its chain-like feel, a highly palatable experience.

Winner: Burrito Shop For bringing authentic Southern Californian cuisine to the great white North, Burrito Shop takes the title. But both are inarguably worth a visit.

burrito shop Sam Reynolds

Burrito Shop is exactly the kind of Mexican restaurant one would expect to find in Southern California. Its location on Saint-Laurent is small and inconspicuous; its prices are incredibly cheap, and its food is spectacular.

The menu is straightforward; if you don’t want a burrito, you can get tacos, quesadillas, nachos, salads, or tortilla soup. The owner, Jacomo Del Rosario, recommended I get the ‘cocinita pibil,’ or marinated pork.

The food seems very simple, but the preparation is complicated. Jacomo wakes up early to prepare the meats fresh every morning. He told me that my cocinita pibil was left overnight in a mixture of orange juice and achiote, then covered with banana leaves and roasted in the oven.

The second time I went to Burrito Shop, I ordered the carnitas—caramelized pork. As the name implies, the pork is caramelized and left to

soak overnight in herbs and milk.

In the morning, Jacomo fries it with juices, oranges, and coca-cola.

The shop also offers a homemade Jamaica (pronounced ha-mai-cha), a Mexican tea with hibiscus leaves and sugar that tastes like a mild cranberry juice.

What’s most impressive about Burrito Shop is that it brings local, homemade burritos to a city with a blatant lack of Mexican food.

Jacomo moved from California to Montreal and was hesitant to open up a restaurant. He originally wanted to call it California Shop because of that simple, cheap, and delicious style of burrito the West Coast is known for, but was unsure how Quebeckers would respond. He opened the store, but changed the name, and business has been impressive ever since.

The first time I went to Burrito Shop, I was shocked that my burrito and Jamaica were under $10. Better yet, students get 10 per cent off their meal with a valid I.D.

By Karen Chen

Curiosity delivers. |

STUDENT LIVING

A

Karen Chen Contributor

s a fashion-obsessed U0 in my first year in Montreal, it was only natural for me to pounce on the opportunity to score a ticket to Montreal’s annual Fashion Week. Upon browsing the website, I was ecstatic to find that not all of their shows were exclusive, and that some were available for general admission. The ticket prices weren’t through the roof either—tickets ranged from $15 to $25 (plus taxes and fees), depending on the designer. The line-up featured mostly unknown designers, but Martin Lim’s collection preview caught my eye.

Well-known or not, the fashionista within me squealed with joy as I purchased my ticket.

Showtime was approaching, and I hurried out to catch a taxi— there’s no such thing as being fashionably late to a runway show! The venue was at Montreal’s Arsenal, a converted shipyard built in 1846 that now showcases contemporary art on the west side of the island along the canal. The Arsenal whisked me out of the cold, unwelcoming Montreal winter and into a world of style and glamour. Pieces of art adorned the Photos from Karen Chen and urbanexpressions.ca

Valentine’s Day: A celebration over history, in its different iterations

by Elisa Muyl

Valentine’s Day stats (courtesy of Statistics Canada)

16,084,490 — The total number of persons living in a couple (including married spouses and common-law partners) aged 15 and over in Canada, 2011. $3.2 billion — The value of jewellery and watches sold at retailers in Canada. 2011. $2.4 billion — The value of cosmetics and fragrances sold at retailers in Canada, 2011. $2.9 billion — The value of stationery, office supplies, cards,

gift wrap and party supplies sold at retailers in Canada, 2011.

470.0 million litres — The volume of wine sold at wineries, liquor stores and agencies in Canada, 2010-2011 $110 million — The value of sales of chocolate and confectionaries manufactured from cocao beans in Canada, February 2012.

10.5 million — The number of stems of roses produced in Canada, 2011.

C

hocolates, flowers, heartshaped cards, and cheesy compilation movies with too many famous actors and too few lines—all these things signal the rapid approach of Valentine’s Day. But beyond all of these cliches lies an old, sugar-free legacy.

The Catholic Church recognizes at least three saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred early in the first millennium. The most famous of these was Valentine who performed marriages for Christians—under threat of persecution—when the practice was banned for all Romans. He was thrown in jail, where he is rumoured to have wooed the jailer’s blind daughter and given her back her sight. The night before his execution, Valentine sent a note to his once-blind love. He signed it “From your Valentine,” and the rest, as they say, was history.

Well, not quite. Valentine’s Day wasn’t included in the Catholic calendar until around 500 A.D., when Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 a day in honour of the martyr(s).

According to many, the celebration was intended to co-opt the existing celebration of Lupercalia, a pagan fertility rite. Lupercalia had persisted into the early rise of Christianity, but only lasted until the fifth century, when it was declared ‘un-Christian.’

Classically, it was associated, as most Saints’ days are, with religiosity and fervor. The first known

| Tuesday February 12, 2013

walls, chic furniture filled the room, and impeccably dressed guests chatted along an open-concept bar at the back of the venue. Martin Lim’s show was to be held in the Main Hall, and the queue for the muchanticipated collection was buzzing with excitement.

I was lucky to secure a seat in the third row even with general admission. Electronic, trance-like music opened the runway show, and soon, models filled the stage—at first two by two, then, one by one.

The collection began with a flourish of eclectic pieces, and foreshadowed the fringe fest to come; fringe, as well as silk cords and flaps, adorned countless pieces in cool, refined shades from grey-mauve to vivid cerulean. For footwear, each model sported the same chunky wedge wrapped in grey fabric, providing an element of consistency among the wide and creative range of clothing.

The minimalist clothing and barely-there makeup on the models stood in stark opposition against their extravagantly styled hair. As a finishing touch of femininity, Martin Lim’s signature free-flowing layered evening commemoration of Valentine’s Day with love was made by Gregory Chaucer, in the 15th century: “For this was on seynt Volantynys day/ Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make” —The Parlement of Foules.

The first documented written Valentine was sent by the Duke D’Orleans—from prison—to his wife in the 15th century. The practice gained traction in 1797, when the Young Man’s Valentine Writer featured generic verses for those unable to write their own. A drop in the price of postage rates, as well as the ability to mail cards anonymously, facilitated the rise of mailed Valentines. Before long, premade cards began to be assembled in English factories. These were exported to the United States in 1847 by Esther Howland. The Greeting Card Association has been giving out the ‘Esther Howland Award for a Greeting Card Visionary’ every year since 2001.

Today, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on Feb. 14 in various denominations. It was booted from the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints in 1969, and left up to local or national calendars “since, apart from his name, nothing is known of Saint Valentine except that he was buried on the Via Flaminia on February 14,” reads that year’s decree of the Vatican Council.

In South Korea and Japan, the holiday’s practices has been lost in translation. On Feb. 14, working women in Japan are expected to give chocolate to the men in their offices. The amount of chocolate is

9

dresses appeared near the end of the show, showcasing the designer’s great attention to detail. I particularly liked the high-low evening dress in black and cerulean silk chiffon, with a low back tastefully cut in a V. Martin Lim’s Fall 2013 show comprised of a modernist, chic rendition of style. Lim refers to the fringe as a look back in time, referring to the flapper fashion trend of the roaring ‘20s that has been bordering the attention of many designers for a few seasons recently. The ambiance of the show was one to remember, and the image of a smoky runway bathed in a wide array of cool colours lingered in the minds of its audience. The promising work of these young up and comers keeps the fashion crowds waiting for his next collection—what will Martin Lim offer for Spring/Summer 2014?

Here’s to another queue of anticipation and excitement for the upcoming season. Living in such a vibrant city certainly has its perks, fashion or otherwise, so get out there and take advantage of it. contingent upon how much the woman likes her coworkers—the bare minimum is called ‘obligation chocolate.’

In other countries, the celebration is seen as a highly controversial Western import. In India, the holiday has been the object of postcolonial criticism as a practice that heightens income inequality and aids in the creation of a falsely-Westernized middle class. For Muslim countries, like Saudi Arabia, the holiday is opposed or banned for its Christian roots. A similar celebration of love has emerged in other countries, such as Israel’s Tu B’Av and Iran’s Sepandarmazgan, but are unrelated to Valentine’s Day. In the U.S., Valentine’s Day has become a suitable rallying point for the civil rights movement in favour of same-sex marriage. In 2012, same-sex couples were married atop the Empire State Building first the first time in history, following New York’s passage of the Marriage Equality Act. In Illinois, same-sex marriage legislation is expected to come to a senate floor vote this Thursday, Feb. 14.

In fact, the holiday takes on a broader meaning than just chocolates, flowers, and soaring Hallmark profits. Beyond a crowded Lola Rosa, Valentine’s Day at McGill will feature a ‘break-up’ with the Fossil Fuel industry by Divest McGill; V-Day McGill’s annual production of the Vagina Monologues, and other events that strive to raise awareness, money, and spirits in the fight against gender-based violence.

So this Thursday, ignore the chocolate and romantic implications and make Valentine’s Day whatever you want it to be.

The Nature of Things:

the quest for a greener campus

11

By sara espinal henao

FARMERS S t u d e n t

INITIATIVE Sustainability

T

hroughout the past academic year, McGill students have certainly shown their green thumb: they cultivated 15,721 kg of food to provide fresh and organic produce to local communities; educated 21,000 people about sustainability through presentations, workshops, exhibits, and fairs; created 100 sustainabilityrelated student jobs; and saved the environment from 26,636 plastic water bottles through the setting up of water fountains on campus. This year, hundreds of McGillians have risen to the occasion, reaching for a higher standard of sustainability on campus. The food we eat, the energy we consume, and the research we undertake have all been influenced by these outstanding individuals. Nonetheless, they have not been alone in their ventures. For every ecological solution, there is a vision; and for every vision, there is now a sustainability group sponsored by the Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF).

The Sustainability Projects Fund was established in 2009, when McGill’s three student societies formed a partnership with the administration to create a program that would subsidize

FARMERS Lifestyle

estyle

something bout susainability

INITIATIVE

Sustainability

LIFESTYLE

Lifestyle

sustainability projects on campus. The proposal was submitted to a referendum in November 2009 and, in nearrecord numbers, 5,300 students turned up to oppose or endorse the creation of the fund. 79 per cent of voters at the downtown campus and 88 per cent at the Macdonald campus voted in favour of the non-opt-out-able student fee of $0.50 per credit to finance the SPF’s existence. Endorsing this support, McGill’s administration rose to the occasion and matched dollar for dollar the funds raised by the fee. This combined effort has provided the Fund with approximately $840,000 annually over the past three years. Now in its third year of operation, the Fund’s continued existence will be submitted to a referendum on March of this year.According to SPF administrator Lilith Wyatt, “When we ask students about their biggest limitation [to engage in sustainability projects], we usually get two main answers: one is, ‘I have an idea, but no one to help me with it.’ The other one is, ‘I don’t have an idea, but I want to help someone with theirs.’ So I think that connecting those two kinds of people, and ex-

GO GREEN

McGill’s Edible Campus has furnished the campus walls with exhuberant greenery.

panding the niche of those involved is our main effort.”

As a result, the SPF’s ultimate goal is to ensure that those with outstanding ideas have the tools to succeed, and allow those with the will to help find venues to contribute.

That said, financial support has been granted to numerous staff and student initiatives with the potential to generate change.

“There’s been a huge wealth of people who are rising to the challenge, going above and beyond to change how McGill works, and to work together as a community to improve it,” said Wyatt. “Since the Fund started allocating money in 2010, we’ve funded 93 projects, which amount to about 2.3 million dollars.”

The array of initiatives that has received the Fund’s support is endlessly diverse, ranging from bike racks, waste management, and energy consumption optimization, to curriculum development, research, and symposia.

In an effort to better understand the objective and inspiration behind these enterprises, the Tribune spoke with the organizers of two notable

sustainability initiatives on campus.

Though dramatically different in their objectives, both projects have one thing in common: their commitment to the creation of a culture of sustainability within the McGill community.

by to fill their fridges with a week’s worth of fresh vegetables, while others are simply looking for a healthy snack to munch on between lectures. In either case, the market’s colourful stands invite all to get a taste of fresh and organic products. This eight-week-long event brings seasonal produce cultivated by local farmers and artisans to downtown McGill during the warm months of September and October, bringing an atmosphere of freshness and abundance to Rue McTavish.

To Selina Liu, one of the Market’s organizers, the Market is more than a place of exchange. It is an educational outlet that promotes healthy living.

“We don’t only provide sustainably cultivated produce to the community, we try to promote a culture of sustainability among students on campus, and encourage them to choose a healthy lifestyle,” Liu said.

One of this project’s greatest successes has been its ability to engage in partnerships with other student groups working on sustainability initiatives.

One of its providers is the Macdonald Student-Run Ecological Gardens (MSEG), a McGill farming initiative that brings forth ecological and sustainable agriculture by cultivating 1¼ acres of organic vegetables.

Now in its fifth year of operation, the Farmers’ Market has experienced significant growth, and has big plans for the future.

“Our goal is to become financially

self-sufficient, and increase our campus presence by having the market work all year long, not just for eight weeks out of the year,” Liu said.

McGill’s food-lovers would certainly not object to that idea.

Bringing sustainability to the classrooms: the Chemical Laboratory Curriculum Development initiative This staff-coordinated initiative aims at integrating sustainability considerations to the everyday life of chemistry students at McGill. It aims to make laboratory work match the administration’s commitment to create more sustainable and energy efficient chemistry and science departments.

“The Otto Mass building has been completely renovated. It used to be that [it] used 12.5 per cent of all the energy on campus; now it’s down to 5.7 per cent,” said Professor Jean-Phillip Lumb, co-organizer of the Curriculum Development Initiative. “We’ve just received all this money to make the infrastructure of the building better. But what we need to do is reform the curriculum itself. We need to actually see whether or not we can improve sustainability by thinking about the projects that we’re having students work on.”

It was then that professor Lumb turned his attention to undergraduate chemistry labs.

“Especially in the context of [these]

labs, there is an enormous opportunity that is currently not being exploited.

Our goal is to provide the undergraduate labs with another way of doing research,” he said.

With the SPF’s support, professor Lumb initiated a pilot project that involved six undergraduate summer researchers with the expressed purpose of developing new labs that would address sustainability issues.

“The restrictions that we put on the project were that the [participants] would have to use starting material from a renewable resource [in their experiments],” he said. “The second one was that [the participants] would do several steps in their synthesis, and each one of those steps would have to factor in waste [and] efficiency, so that the process of making the end target would be more sustainable than the experiments that were currently being run [by the department].”

The end objective was to use these new and improved sustainabilityconscious laboratories to substitute less environmentally-friendly ones. The project’s success was immediate. Following its pilot experiments, three modules were incorporated into the next academic year’s curriculum for the course CHEM 392.

“We’re 100 per cent certain that the experiments that we’re putting into the labs are more sustainable. They are more efficient,” he said.

Not only were the experiments

executed sustainably, but they also reduced waste by generating material for future experiments.

“What the undergraduates [makes] at the end of the day ought to be material that we could use for graduate level research, so that not only [do] you improve the sustainability of the synthesis, but at the end of the day, you make material that gets used at the graduate level,” professor Lumb said. “That generates a perfect cycle. It reduces the amounts of reagents that are purchased by the graduate level researchers, and it allows us to capitalize upon the efforts of undergraduates. You save money. You save time. You save energy.”

Professor Lumb has big plans for this project.

“We started this with a small lab. Our dream is to get this to the big chemistry labs. We have some labs where there are at least 1500 students per day going through those labs, and if you think about that, there’s potential to make a massive impact,” he said.

Like many others, these existing initiatives, though different in their approach and mission, are both open invitation for student engagement, and empowerment. As Professor Lumb rightly asserted, “The most important thing for students to realize is that the Sustainability Fund allows them to get involved in projects that ultimately benefit their own university. The campus will only go as far as their involvement.”

When sustainThe Bellair’s Recycling Program contributes abilto builiding a culture of sustainability by ity meets encouraging greener habits. gastronomy: Mcers’ Market is perhaps one of the most Gill’s Farmers’ Market Founded in 2008, McGill’s Farm-

visible student-run sustainability initiatives on campus. Some students drop

The Famer’s Market provides McGill students the opportunity to purchase fresh, organic and locally cultivated produce during the months of September and October.

Photos courtesy of The Sustainability Projects Fund

Science & technology Why do we fall in love?

For some, the key to success on Valentine’s Day consists of an amalgamation of romantic gestures, boxes of chocolate, and dinner dates. However, no number of roses, Laura Secord truffles, or Chardonnay can amount to the necessary spark in our brains to fuel love.

While common notions of romance suggest that it is the heart that falls in love, many studies have found that love is a quantifiable process, in which the brain releases measurable euphoria-inducing chemicals.

One such study, conducted

by Syracuse University professor Stephanie Ortigue, suggests that love elicits a similar elated feeling to using cocaine. When a person falls in love, twelve different areas of the brain work together to release euphoria-inducing chemicals

such as dopamine, oxytocin, and adrenaline.

Studies of the brain with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) also show why love causes such remarkable feelings. The earliest fMRIs of brains in love were taken in 2000. These revealed that the sensation of romance is processed in several areas, starting with the ventral tegmental—a clump of tissue in the brain’s lower regions. This region produces dopamine in the body, a chemical that regulates reward.

“This little factory near the base of the brain is sending dopamine to higher regions,” said anthropologist Helen Fisher in an interview with Time Magazine. “It creates craving, motivation, goaloriented behavior, and ecstasy.”

However, if love can be broken down into a chemical phenomenon—butterflies in the stomach are actually the result of a chemical signal—it raises the question as to why certain individuals can elicit

such a response from others.

Contrary to popular belief, love, according to our genes at least, is not a necessary aspect of life. Your principle job while alive is to conceive offspring, provide them with nurture, and then, obligingly, die so you don’t consume resources needed by the young. If our primary purpose is to breed, what drives humans to write poetry, buy flowers, and act impulsively in the name of love?

The answer lies in the fact that, while humans are designed to reproduce often, the survival of their offspring is also important.

For this reason, as soon as humans reach adulthood, they begin to look for signs of good genes, and reproductive fitness in potential partners.

Smell is one of the most primal indicators that a potential partner is reproductively suitable.

ASK

By Caity Hui

Humans, like all animals, have an intuitive understanding of whether a partner smells right. However, the distinction between someone who smells “good” or “bad” is less of a reflection of perfume, and more of an indication of good genes.

One set of genes that controls the adaptive immune system is known as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). In terms of genetics, it is more beneficial for people to have diversity in their MHC genes. In fact, conceiving a child with a partner whose MHC is too similar increases the risk of a miscarriage.

In a study conducted by the University of Bern in Switzerland, women were asked to smell different T-shirts worn by anonymous males, and then pick the ones that appealed to them. The results showed that women chose T-shirts

worn by men with a genetically different MHC, suggesting that it is the desire for reproductive fitness that fosters attraction. If smell is not enough of an indicator, taste definitely is. Saliva also contains the MHC compound. According to associate professor of psychology at UCLA, Martie Haselton in an interview with Time Magazine, “kissing might be a taste test.”

It seems the hunt for reproductive fitnessBy spurs the mating rituals attributed to falling in love. The elaborate practice of dating can be likened to a screening process— only once the right person has been found does the process pay off. At this point, the euphoria-inducing chemicals are released and love finally hits.

SCITECH

tech REVIEWS apple alternatives BY ABHISHEK GUPTA Alien M14x A true blend of aesthetics and exquisite craftsmanship, the M14x from Dell’s line of Alienware computers is the weapon of choice for dedicated gamers and multi-taskers.

Designed for high-performance gaming, the laptop doesn’t fail to deliver in portability and performance. Under the hood, it packs the latest Intel i7 processor, coupled with 16 GB of Dual Channel DDR3 RAM running at 1600 MHz, as well as a 2 GB DDR5 NVIDIA GT 650M graphics card. This means you could watch a video, use Photoshop, play HD games, run design software, and of course post updates on Facebook— all at the same time.

In addition to processing power, the M14x is completely customizable. Dell allows users to personalize almost all aspects of their laptops, such as the colour of the hood, controls on the keypad, and the central processing unit.

The colour of the backlit keyboard, along with the lighting of the front-end grill of the computer—it looks like the front of a race car—is also completely customizable. Choices range from Valentine pink to alien green—any colour from the pallet can shimmer through the ergonomically designed keyboard and touchpad.

While the M14x is a bit chunkier than other laptops currently on the market—6.45lbs is on the heavier side for laptops, especially in comparison to the MacBook Air—it sacrifices sleekness in design for dependability, remarkable performance, and sheer capacity.

If you’re looking for a reliable gaming computer, or just one with processing horsepower, Alienware M14x is an excellent choice.

samsung galaxy SIII Just after Apple wowed us with the release of the iPhone 5, Samsung’s Galaxy SIII transcended the boundaries that define a smartphone.

“Designed for humans,” and “inspired by nature,” as Samsung advertises, this phone has a sleek and minimal design that is reflected in its smooth and gentle curves. The 4.8-inch HD display does a stunning job of displaying crisp photos and videos, and with the recent Android Jelly Bean update, the interface is even more intuitive than before. In other words, the SIII is aimed at helping users quickly access applications without searching through a cascade of menus.

Another feature of this gadget is the robust hardware that resides below the Corning Gorilla Glass screen. The Exynos Quad Core processor ensures that the experience of using the phone is never hampered, even if there are several applications running in the background.

While software makes this phone run well, its features make it stand out.

Equipped with an 8 MP camera that can capture burst shots—a multi-frame function whereby the camera takes many consecutive photographs in a single click—the SIII lends itself to beautiful, high quality photographs. It also contains the ability to share large files quickly through a technology called Near Field Communication (NFC) S-beam.

In addition, the phone exhibits an impressive intelligence. Features, such as “Smart stay,” which detects your gaze to maintain the brightness of the screen as long as you are looking at the phone, and “Direct call, ”which dials a selected number automatically when the phone is lifted to your ear, truly epitomize the phone’s tagline “Not just smart. More human.”

Photo credit: alienware from gadgetmix.com, www.wired.com

Curiosity delivers. |

science & technology

SCIENCE

| Tuesday, February 12, 2013

13

SCITECH

A bitter pill to swallow: Zoloft’s inefficacy ASK

Pfizer sued over allegations concerning effectiveness of antidepressant pill

By Kieran Steer Ilia Blinderman Arts & Entertainment Editor Pfizer, the world’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturer in terms of revenue, is being sued by a woman who claims that the antidepressant drug Zoloft is no more effective than a placebo pill. The plaintiff, Laura Plumlee, alleges that Zoloft failed to alleviate her depression in spite of a three-year treatment course.

Pfizer responded by saying the lawsuit was frivolous. Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, president of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), agreed.

“As a class, antidepressant medications are highly effective.

They alleviate substantial amounts, if not complete symptoms in 50 to as high as 80 per cent of patients treated who suffer from major depression,” he said in a statement to the Washington Post.

However, Plumlee’s claims have firm scientific grounding. A series of analyses spearheaded by As-

sociate Director of the Program in Placebo Studies at Harvard Medical School Dr. Irving Kirsch, have cast serious doubts on Zoloft’s efficacy.

Kirsch’s research claims that Pfizer released the medication with full knowledge that it is no better than a placebo for treating mild to moderate depression.

In addition to examining all openly available data on Zoloft’s efficacy, Kirsch requested Pfizer’s unpublished data through the Freedom of Information Act. He discovered that, while the company had supplied two studies showing Zoloft’s superiority over placebo, as per requirements of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), it failed to publicize the majority of its research, much of which suggested Zoloft’s inefficacy. After taking into account the publication bias—the tendency for significant findings to reach academic journals while non-significant results (those that do not support the research) remain unpublished—into account, Kirsch found that 75 per

SCIENCE

cent of Zoloft’s effect vanished.

Worse yet, Kirsch believes that much of the remaining effect stemmed from poor study execution.

Successful clinical trials are supposed to keep both the clinicians and the patients in the dark regarding who receives the placebo and the real treatment, through a process referred to as a “double-blind trial.”

If certain patients discover that they are consuming the treatment, their expectancies regarding its effects may influence their response; Kirsch suspects this is what occurred in Pfizer’s case.

The lawsuit, which was filed in California, asked a California judge to approve two class-action lawsuits—one for California residents, and one United States-wide. It asks Pfizer to reimburse patients for drug costs, and to cease making claims of the drug’s efficacy. While drug companies frequently face lawsuits from doctors and clients, this may be the first instance of a lawsuit demanding reimbursement due to an ineffective

drug. The case may face dismissal, however, because of a previous Supreme Court decision stating that an individual may not recover damages they incurred by alleging a drug manufacturer elicited FDA approval for their drug through fraudulent means.

The case may also have important implications for medicine in Canada. While the brunt of prescription occurs in the U.S., recent survey data suggests that Canadian psychiatrists are six times more likely to prescribe sub-therapeutic doses of antidepressants than non-psychiatrist physicians, thereby harnessing the placebo effect.

The lawsuit brings to light a recurring question of accountability in the drug industry. While pharmaceutical companies marketed Zoloft heavily, with very positive-ads targeting consumers, the company failed to publish all of their findings and, as a result, lacks transparency.

A single bond between glucose molecules determines the difference between wood and potatoes

Building a house out of French fries seems like a bad idea, but fried potatoes and lumber are, chemically, very s i m i l a r.

Only one bond distinguishes the food we enjoy from the wood with which we build.

Potatoes, made from starches, and lumber, made from cellulose, are both derived from the same sugar molecule: glucose. In order to form carbohydrates, the small glucose molecules bond with each other to form large chains of repeated glucose molecules called polymers in a process known as polymerization. Once these molecules are bound together, they

form carbohydrates that can be broken down by our bodies into energy. This polymerization process creates distinct patterns in the glucose chain structure, which is the key difference between the wood we use as lumber, and the food we eat.

When glucose molecules in starch or cellulose bond together to form long chains, they join by either an alpha (α) or beta bond (β), which refers to the configuration of the molecules in the chain. Based on the type of bond formed, the resulting polymers will have an entirely different function.

Starches, known as glycogen in animals and amylopectin in plants, are characterized by alpha linkages between each molecule. This bond ensures that all the glucose molecules in the long chain are positioned in the same direction, facing outwards. Due to this orientation, these atoms can welcome additional bonds in the molecule to form side branches. These side branches grow very large, as more glucose molecules join in; and eventually, the chain forms a giant web of glucose polymers—although not a very strong one.

In contrast, cellulose—the stuff we build houses with—is made up of glucose bound by beta linkages. These bonds, however, alternate the position of each molecule in the polymer, largely blocking any side bonding atoms. Whereas the alpha linked glucose chains in starches welcome side branching, the beta linkages in cellulose are better for packing linear glucose strands side by side. Unlike a starch’s weak glucose web, cellulose is composed of strong linear chains of glucose that pack together like a bundle of pencils.

By

Analyses suggest Zoloft is no more effective than a placebo pill (www.app.com).

Full disclosure: the author is a graduate student whose research dealt with placebo effects.

CAPSULE

By Kieran Steer

Thanks to the difference in this single bond, humans can digest French fries rather than wood—even though both of these substances are composed of glucose monomers. The branching caused by alpha linkages results in a starch molecule with weak bonds, meaning it is not difficult for the body to digest starch. Furthermore, humans possess the enzyme amylase (a protein that helps break down starch) to be used in the digestion of glucose.

This enzyme only has the capability to digest alpha linkages; meaning humans cannot break down cellulose in wood to use as a source of nutrition.

Therefore, although our appetites appreciate the soft web of glucose in potatoes, our minds and our houses can appreciate the shelter that a strong beta glucose linkage offers in trees.

arts & entertainment Theatre

A History of Violence

Lessons of colonialism still ring true today

Chris Liu A&E Editor “Empire does not require love, only loyalty.”

With this, the stage is set. Waiting for the Barbarians is decidedly anti-love, presenting instead a steelcold latticework of power relations and authoritarian abuse. For Empire imprisons all semblance of humanity, then throws away the key. Treading a thin line between provoking masochism and empty misanthropy, the Segal Centre’s latest is an unrelenting look at the violence of colonialism as it echoes throughout the ages.

A co-production with Mopo Cultural Trust, and adapted from the novel by South African Nobel Laureate J. M. Coetzee, Waiting for the Barbarians centres on the spectacular fall from grace of an unnamed Magistrate, who begins to question the Empire that he serves. This personal awakening parallels the Empire’s increasingly paranoid war efforts, led by the sadistically efficient Colonel Joll. The storyline bears a thematic fraternity with Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell’s masterful critique of authoritarianism. Both treat sex as less an act of love and more a vehicle for political agency, and in both, the protagonist’s swan song is wrenching, painful—a testament to the anguish and despair that countless millions have felt at the hands of an empire’s inhumanity.

As Colonel Joll, Nicholas Pauling delivers his lines with nuanced tones, a combination of enunciated venom and smooth seduction that invokes a bone-shattering chill. Joll speaks of torturing prisoners as one would speak about biting into a juicy piece of tenderloin—Pauling’s portrayal leaves the impression that, for Joll, the two are not dissimilar. The sunglasses he wears are a simple but effective touch; whether this is an element in the script or a result

Even the purity of snow isn’t enough to cover the bloodshed—Grant Swanby as the Magistrate and Chuma Sopotela as the Girl. (Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune) of Craig Leo’s intelligent costume design is unclear, but the resulting juxtaposition between Joll’s jovial airs and the terrifying evil lurking behind the lenses is immensely powerful.

Grant Swanby’s Magistrate is enduring and sympathetic, tackling an often-wordy script with amiable effort. Chuma Sopotela, whose character is simply named ‘Girl,’ radiates strength, grace, and courage. A significant virtue of the story is its refusal to allow the Girl to be objectified by various tropes of ‘barbarian’ nations, and Sopotela brings dignity to the role.

Of the many laudable aspects of this production, the most praiseworthy is its resistance to historicization. All too often colonialism is dismissed as a particularly hideous artifact of the past. In keeping the Empire nameless, Coetzee reminds audiences to be aware of the ways in which past imperialist violence con-

tinues to affect the present world, as well as the ways in which syndromes of racism have evolved to remain active in contemporary society. This focus on relevancy is evident in all aspects of the production, but particularly its technical elements. Leo’s costume design suits the roles while remaining beyond national identification, while his set—a stylish tessellation of glass and wood—serves extremely well at resisting historicism with its post-modern aesthetic.

At the same time, the production avoids heavy-handed political commentary. Philip Glass, who adapted an opera from the novel, pointed out how the Iraq War bears striking similarities to the events in the story. There are also fertile sources to draw upon in political theory, which has seen renewed interest in the concept of ‘Empire’ in the past decade. Indeed, it would have been all too easy for director Alexandre Marine, who also adapted

the novel, to make explicit parallels between this production and American conquests, expansion of global capitalism, or any other number of contemporary events. That he does not is perhaps the correct choice; the audience has enough to endure with the suffocating levels of violence on stage. However, one hopes that viewers will be able to connect the pain portrayed with pain in the present world, without overt indicators that this is so.

Despite these successes, certain elements of the production warrant amelioration. While understanding that the story winds to a fever pitch in the second act, this critic maintains that the ratio of shouting to speaking in certain moments is decidedly less than optimal. The Magistrate’s narration is written in chilling, penetrating, but also florid prose—one better suited to the armchair reflections of a student of philosophy than a man clutching at the shattered remnants

of his worldview. It takes finesse to steer a bleak tale away from the black hole of nihilism.

Still, Waiting for the Barbarians weaves a nightmarish web of hierarchy and violence. The voyeuristic position of the audience visà-vis the Magistrate makes it next to impossible to leave the performance without reflecting on the pedestal of pain upon which Western civilization is founded. ‘Anyone can be a barbarian’ and ‘everyone is a barbarian’ are two different claims, and the production doesn’t quite succeed in making this distinction. But one supposes that getting people to reflect on such concepts at all is a triumph in itself.

Waiting for the Barbarians is running until Feb. 17 at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts (5170 Cote-Ste-Catherine). Student tickets $24.

could be good MUSIC Emilie & Odgen

THEATRE Philoktetes by Sophocles

ART FILM A Shroud to Hold the Light

THEATRE Oroonoko

PUBLIC TALK Conversations in Contemporary Art

Relax and unwind to folk singer Emilie Kahn’s angelic voice, as her lithe and delicate fingers play the harp with influences from Joanna Newsom. Accompanied by simple rhythm and percussions, this Friday marks her EP launch.

Set during the Trojan War, master Athenian playwright Sophocles dissects moral dilemmas and the trauma of suffering. A production of McGill Classics Play, which seeks to give students the opportunity to experience Western Classics first-hand.

An “avid chronicler of the quotidian,” Toronto filmmaker John Price captures the intimate and the personal on 16mm and 35mm film stock with beauty and poetry.

Price himself will be in attendance.

Based on the novel by 17th century author Aphra Behn, the first female professional writer in English literature.

The show explores feminism and racism through the story of an African prince sold into slavery.

A multi-disciplinary artist, Erika Adams explores how power and meaning are embedded in text and form, drawing inspirations from social behaviours of insects and birds. Part of the on-going series of public lectures at Concordia.

Friday, Feb. 15, Le Cagibi (5490 SaintLaurent). Admission $5.

Wednesday, Feb. 20 - Saturday, Feb. 23, 8 p.m., Montreal, arts interculturels (3680 rue Jeanne-Mance). Student tickets $8.

Friday and Saturday, Feb. 15 and 16, 8:30 p.m., Cinémathèque Québécoise (335 de Maisonneuve). Student admission $7.

Showing until Feb. 17 at Montreal, arts interculturels (3680 rue Jeanne-Mance).

Student tickets $20.

Friday, Feb. 15, 5:30 p.m., Room 114, Concordia Visual Arts Building (1395 René-Lévesque). Free admission.

Curiosity delivers. |

arts & entertainment

| Tuesday, February 12, 2013

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

15

A legendary film dynasty unveils its prince

Roman Coppola talks family dynamics, Moonrise Kingdom, and working with Charlie Sheen Chris Liu A&E Editor Charlie Sheen is clutching a bottle of vodka in one hand, and $800 worth of caviar in the other.

The two alternate in entering his mouth. These are comfort foods— the taxi driver was unable to supply the “coke” and “grass” that Sheen initially requested.

No, this isn’t TMZ’s latest update. Rather, it’s a scene from Charlie Sheen’s blazing return to film.

In A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, written and directed by Roman Coppola, Sheen plays the titular role of a graphic designer who’s stuck in a rut. His midlife crisis is catalyzed when his girlfriend Ivana (Canadian actor Katheryn Winnick), fed up with Swan’s womanizing ways, leaves him for greener pastures. The cast is rounded out by Bill Murray (whose deadpan is as deadly as ever) and Jason Schwartzman (with a ‘fro that has to be seen to be believed).

The similarities between Charles Swan and Charlie Sheen— the name, the shenanigans, the alcohol consumption—are all too appar-

ent. But Coppola insists that the role went to Sheen for other reasons.

“I didn’t cast Charlie because of all that public stuff, I cast him because he’s a great actor,” Coppola tells the Tribune. “He’s charming, he’s funny ... he’s got rebel charisma, and incredible depth and acting chops.”

Coppola’s relationship with Sheen can be traced back to his time on the set of his father Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now (1979), when Coppola was just 11 years old.

Universally regarded as one of the most influential and powerful war films ever made—it makes an appearance on venerated critic Roger Ebert’s top ten list—Apocalypse Now stars Charlie Sheen’s father, Martin Sheen. The children of these two greats hit it off, and have kept in touch ever since.

“A friendship made at that age is very enduring,” Coppola says.

Charlie Sheen isn’t the only big name with whom Coppola is close.

In addition to directing Apocalypse Now, Francis Ford Coppola brought The Godfather Trilogy to screen, forever cementing his reputation as one of the greatest American film-

makers. Roman Coppola’s sister, Sofia Coppola, has directed a string of hits, including Lost in Translation (2003), for which she won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

Though one can only imagine what it’s like to have such cinematic giants around the dinner table every night, Roman Coppola is clearminded and down-to-earth.

“You know, people are very curious about [my family],” he says, chuckling. “I always want to give a good answer to enlighten or something, but the answer isn’t quite as satisfying.”

He continues: “My sister, my dad—these are just people in my family. All the unusual experiences that I’ve had ... you just take it all in and it just becomes your life and who you are.”

Coppola is also on track to follow in his sister’s footsteps, having just been nominated for an Academy Award for co-writing Moonrise Kingdom with the darling of American indie film, Wes Anderson, a friend with whom he is “in sync with creatively.” Coppola’s involvement with the film was, as he describes it, rather fortuitous:

Roman Coppola’s latest opens Friday. (www.lejournaldelaphotographie.com) “It was something [Anderson] was thinking about, but he couldn’t quite find its form,” Coppola says.

“It was all kind of there, gestating; all the raw materials were in his mind, but he couldn’t find how it all went together.”

“I was asking as a friend, ‘Hey, what do you have?’ He played some music, read me a few early scenes, and when he did that, it became very clear in my mind: ‘Oh, okay. I totally get it.’” The result is a wildly

imaginative feature that, for Coppola, was also “a lot of fun and a great experience.”

So what’s next for Coppola?

“I don’t really know,” he replies, as modest and level-headed as he has been the entire interview. “I’ll allow myself just a little moment to let things occur to me.”

A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III opens Feb. 15 at the Cineplex Forum (2313 Ste-Catherine West).

THEATRE

Hosanna: flaunting convention one dress at a time

McGill’s TNC Theatre explores gender identity and social attitudes through one drag queen’s personal journey

Daniel Carter as Hosanna. (Emily Murphy / Courtesy of TNC) Alanna Sokic Contributor The ’70s were a time of societal progress; Quebec’s Quiet Revolution irrevocably altered the political and civil landscape, giving members of the LGBTQ community a foothold in metropolitan life which they had previously been denied. It is at this time of great socio-political up-

heaval that the title character in Michel Tremblay’s Hosanna reaches the height of her tumultuous journey of self-discovery.

McGill’s Tuesday Night Café (TNC) Theatre’s production of Hosanna, directed by Scott Leydon, is an admirable telling of one of Tremblay’s most famous pieces. The script, controversial at the time of its conception, incorporates mature

themes and language without giving way to cheap vulgarity. Although Tremblay’s style is monologueheavy and driven by indirect action, a method most famously employed

by Anton Chekhov, it refuses to become too wordy and has the ability to keep the audience hooked.

The intricate tale explores gender and sexual identity, centring on Hosanna, a drag queen ardently devoted to Elizabeth Taylor, and Hosanna’s relationship with her husband Cuirette. The story, bitingly humourous at times yet also intensely thought-provoking, coupled with Leydon’s courageous choices as a director, make for a unique night at the theatre.

The role of Hosanna presents a challenge to any actor, amateur, or professional. Daniel Carter skillfully navigates the multi-faceted character, enabling the audience to truly sympathize with the person hiding behind the makeup and gaudy dresses. Gaining momentum in the second act, the most impressive aspect of Carter’s performance is his use of his body; the seductive swaying of his hips as he walks, and the way in which he holds his head high during moments of profound vulner-

ability reveal his commitment to the role. There were a few instances in which he could have slowed down his speech or held specific moments slightly longer to maximize the impact of Tremblay’s words, but Carter redeems himself with his noticeable investment in a role many actors would shy away from.

Rounding out the small cast is Cameron Oram, who plays Cuirette, Hosanna’s cigarette-smoking, motorcycle-riding husband. Oram’s commanding stage presence, paired with his characterization of Cuirette’s nostalgic biker, makes for a performance loaded with range and depth. The two leads play off each other beautifully, maintaining eye contact in critical moments and allowing each other the theatrical space to execute their personal dramaturgical choices. Oram’s ability to play up the contrast between his brusque character and Carter’s delicate Hosanna is just one of the nuances of this meritorious production.

The technical elements of this production also play an important role in recounting Tremblay’s tale of self-discovery. Chloe Bernert’s set design is reminiscent of a time capsule; Hosanna’s apartment is chock-

full of ’70s furniture, right down to the animal print throw blanket and beaded curtain. The apartment is also representative of Hosanna herself: chintzy, yet undeniably warm.

Jackson Humphrey’s lighting appropriately reflects the mood of each scene without overpowering the quaint theatre. A standout moment occurs during Hosanna’s monologue about Elizabeth Taylor, when the intensity and direction of Humphrey’s design effectively help to bring about the desired intimacy.

One of the most pleasing aspects of Tremblay’s story is its ability to transcend time and to continue to be relevant today. Leydon’s ability to make this unconventional story so accessible to audience members, including a cheeky reference to the recent flood, is highly commendable. The bold choices made by both the actors, as well as the technical team, boil down to a triumph for student theatre.

Hosanna runs until Feb. 16 at the Tuesday Night Café Theatre (Morrice Hall, 3485 rue McTavish).

Student admission $6.

16

Tuesday, February 12, 2013 |

arts & entertainment

Album

| Curiosity delivers.

Visual Art

reviews

MTL: then and now

(Alain Leloup—Boulevard Saint-Laurent. 1980-1982 / Courtesy of CCA)

Hilotrons At Least There’s Commotion

Fleetwood Mac Rumours (Reissue)

The Reason Hollow Tree

Rhino / Warner Bros.

Anthem

Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 classic Rumours is the best break-up record ever made, as it chronicles the breakdown of relationships between bandmates John McVie and Christine McVie, Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. This month, the band is reissuing the album to coincide with a tour of the U.S. and Canada in the spring. The reissue features Rumours’ original songs alongside a compilation of early studio cuts, live tracks, and instrumental versions.

Although it seems difficult to get sick of Rumours, this reissue is unnecessarily overloaded with new versions of the album’s original songs. In fact, some of the rough studio cuts are rather tedious. In particular, the early versions of “Go Your Own Way” and “I Don’t Want to Know”—parts of which feature banal, improvised lyrics and noises—are grating and almost impossible to listen.

Despite some of its underwhelming tracks, Rumours’ stand out songs include an early cut of “Dreams” and an acoustic duet between Nicks and Buckingham on “Never Going Back Again.” These gems strip down the production of their album counterparts, and expose the beauty of the songs’ lyrics.

A demo of “The Chain” contains totally different but compelling verses sung by Nicks, taking the track in a completely different—but no less stunning—direction than the original.

Ultimately, this reissue of Rumours is a must-have for a Fleetwood Mac fiend—but for the casual fan, it’s probably unnecessary.

The Reason, a Canadian fivepiece rock group based in Hamilton, Ontario, has created quite a buzz across the country in the last few years following the success of their 2010 album, Fools. With their freshly released 2013 EP Hollow Tree, the band has taken its sound a step further, with catchy rock tunes that are upbeat and radio-friendly, but by no means ordinary.

The entire compilation seems to hover around a pop-punk sound, reminiscent of Fall Out Boy, and a deeper, alt-rock feel, comparable to Kings of Leon or The Black Keys.

Particularly noteworthy is the third track, “Grow Up,” which incorporates maracas and a horn, offering a jazzy feel that is refreshing, especially to listeners who are somewhat tired of traditional rock. The next track, “Just So You Know,” provides contrast with a heavy beat, and stronger, darker vocals. “Drive Me Home,” on the other hand, is light, and has a tinge of folk, spurring images of speeding down the interstate with the top down; Hollow Tree is certainly varied enough to have something for everyone.

The band’s willingness to explore is evident in their third EP. This is definitely a step in the right direction for The Reason; the tunes are palatable and diverse, but the album could have used a little more of the funky brass sounds that listeners only get a taste of. The future is bright for The Reason—especially so if they embrace the quirky, unique sounds that they only occasionally tap into.

Kelp Hilotrons come storming back from a five-year album break with a furiously charged, eclectic new release. At Least There’s Commotion’s 11 tracks weave through various genres, tempos, and themes, undergoing a metamorphosis every time listeners think they have the album figured out.

While At Least There’s Commotion begins with the funky, percussion-driven “Venus at My Backdoor,” it quickly shifts towards a traditional rock ‘n’ roll sound infused with some electric modernity.

“Runaway Heart,” the album’s first single, is a soulful lament about a lost woman who ran away to the city and “will never be a small town girl.” It is followed by “Not There Tonight,” a simple, mellow tune about an absent lover.

Lead singer Michael John Dubue has a voice eerily reminiscent of Tom Petty, and sometimes, when he sings in lower registers, Bruce Springsteen. It gives the rock songs a traditional authenticity, despite the presence of more experimental sounds. Yet, when the musical content drifts away from the standard rock schema, Dubue takes on an identity that is all his own. This erratic quality is on full display on “Uncontrollable Me/Uncontrollable You,” one of several songs where he belts about strange, modern relationship difficulties.

Fans of Genesis, Vampire Weekend, and fellow Canadians Arcade Fire, will certainly want to give At Least There’s Commotion a listen.

The album stays true to its title by avoiding static moments at all costs, always keeping you guessing about which musical direction it will head in next.

— Evie Kaczmarek

— Diana Wright

— Max Berger

Be a student rep for the Tribune’s Board of Directors!

To appy, e-mail editor@mcgilltribune.com

Will Burgess Contributor ABC:MTL’s urban series is in the final stages of the alphabet, with a collection titled Streetview now showing alongside a third wave of projects exhibited at the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA).

While the months-long ABC works have been crowd-sourced from the Montreal masses, the photos in the exhibit have been selected from material in the CCA collection, and feature artists’ nostalgically tinged perspectives on the city. The chosen photographs, all 20th century prints predominantly in black and white, honestly display Montreal’s lovably bizarre pastiche of old and new architecture, gritty dilapidation, and natural beauty.

Parts of Montreal are instantly recognizable, yet obviously aged. A wall on the east side of the octagon

by Alain Leloup displays Boulevard Saint-Laurent’s early ’80s commercial diversity. The photos feature head-on pedestrian views of a Spanish bookstore, a Portugese record store, and an Italian bike shop; their international origins proudly displayed on loud shop signs. Across the room, a series of 1958 shots by André Blouin hint more aggressively at rapid change. The series gives a panoramic perspective of Boulevard Dorchester, but the individual frames that compose the series appear as if they were taken from the window of a speeding car, perhaps due to the prominent asphalt foreground.

On the other hand, the age of some subjects is only betrayed by the colour tone of their prints. A series of black and white ’70s residential architecture prints by David Miller, Gabor Szilasi, and CCA founder Phyllis Lamert features handsome houses with humble titles: 41784185 Avenue Parc-Lafontaine, or Angle Rue Drolet et Rue Gilford.

The houses’ aesthetics are all that is displayed here; cultural context and people are removed from the scene, lending a certain permanence to the structures. One hopes it is still possible to enter the names of the works

into Google Maps, and witness this architecture in the present day.

This sentiment is present in the remainder of the works: photographs of the Old Port and Mount Royal.

Melvin Charney’s 1956 canals and factories have an ominous grandeur that one still senses when walking by the St. Lawrence, or through Mount Royal park on a foggy evening, the latter of which is captured by Robert Burley in the large Chemin Olmsted.

Burley’s other views of the hill are gentler, capturing the dreamy beauty of shadow setting down its slope, or its winding forest paths in ’90s colour prints. At the end of the Mount Royal series is Szilasi’s Angle Rue Cote-Des-Neiges et Avenue Des Pins, a hillside view from the ’70s, with people bustling underneath a mixture of old housing and brand new commercial offices. It serves well as a final photo in the series, reflecting a literal intersection between nature, culture, and business that defines the metropolis.

On the first page of ABC:MTL’s guestbook, a visitor on its opening night complains, “Why are your exhibition walls dirty and unfinished?

Do you have $$$ for sandpaper and paint? This does not look like a finished exhibition.” While the octagonal gallery which hosts Streetview is finely polished, ladders and fixtures lean against unused walls in the recently installed “Stage C” of ABC:MTL, which opened simultaneously. Another guestbook scribbler gives the CCA the benefit of the doubt, asking “are Montreal’s walls finished?” and he’s right—whether because of urban planning, graffiti, or delayed construction scandals, Montreal seems to be in a state of perpetual development. Streetview’s success lies in its selection of photographs that lay bare a sometimes banal, often broken, but always beautiful city, giving a historical context to the ultramodern displays in the rest of the project.

Streetview runs alongside ABC:MTL at the Canadian Centre for Architecture (1920 rue Baile).

Free admission for students.

19

SPORTS

HOCKEY — ­ REDMEN 4, RYERSON 1

Redmen claim violent clash against Rams

Heated third period amounts to 135 total penalty minutes, three-game suspension for Guillaume Langelier-Parent Mayaz Alam Contributor In their final homestand of the 2012-2013 season, the McGill Redmen (17-7-4) ended on a high note, emerging victorious over the Ryerson Rams (12-16) by a score of 4-1 on Friday night. This final stretch marked the culmination of a relatively tumultuous season for the Redmen, who were inconsistent for much of the year.

The injury bug remained pervasive in the New Year, and McGill lost four out of their last five heading into Friday’s tilt. Though, this was not a cause for concern for Head Coach Kelly Nobes.

“Three of them were in shootouts, [and] as a coach, I don’t really count those in my head. … Essentially, we ran out of time to win and losing in shootouts isn’t the same as losing in regulation, as we’re still picking up a point,” Nobes said.

The Redmen put together quite the exhibition of slick passing and physicality against Ryerson. As a result, McGill jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first 10 minutes behind goals from Trevor Braun and Nicolas Biniek. McGill’s aggressive forecheck was noticeable throughout the period because it kept the Rams on their heels. Coach Nobes was pleased with the team’s start.

“We had good structure in the neutral zone, and we countered well off of their turnovers while being opportunistic,” Nobes explained.

First-year forward Max Le Sieur rushes up from the right wing. (Liam Maclure / McGill Tribune) Goaltender Hubert Morin was especially impressive in the first period and continued the strong effort for the remainder of the contest, turning aside 22 shots to earn the first star of the game.

The second period was a back and forth affair. Although the Redmen had multiple opportunities on the power play, they ultimately went 0-5 on the night and generated few scoring chances. The special teams

THIRD MAN IN Golf has a reputation around the sporting world as one of the most boring and serious sports out there. However, the fans at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona beg to differ.

There is nothing in golf quite like this tournament, which takes place every year around the end of January. It is appropriately appraised as “the greatest show on grass,” with some going as far as describing it as a four-day party, featuring some golf in between.

The tournament’s atmosphere and traditions are unmatched by any other competition on the PGA Tour.

Much of the excitement results from the newly renovated par-three, 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale. While there are many famous par-three holes in the United States, the course’s 16th is neither challenging nor beautiful. However, it is the only fully enclosed hole on Tour. During the

play was not particularly inspiring in the second, as the Rams capitalized on McGill’s man advantage, after a sloppy Redmen turnover.

This seemed to light a fire under the Ryerson players, but their momentum was quashed midway through the period as a cross-ice pass from David Rose—who finished with two assists—found Mathieu Pompei, who sniped a shot into the top right corner past Rams goaltender Troy

Passingham.

This proved to be the turning point in the game, as the Redmen held control for the remainder of the contest, even after their potential fifth goal was disallowed. The final stanza of the game was marred by chippy play. Even though McGill and Ryerson aren’t heated rivals, the looming presence of the postseason play intensified the game’s proceedings.

Third-year Redmen forward Benoit Lévesque commented on the gritty third period.

“They’re fighting for a playoff spot, [so] things were chippy. They have a few players with heated tempers and they were running around trying to injure some of our guys,” he said Unfortunately, the Rams were successful. Redmen left-winger Justin Ducharme laid on the ground for several minutes after being hit to the head mid-way through the third.

He struggled to get back on his feet and eventually left the ice. The body count continues to pile up for the Redmen, whose numbers are dwindling at an alarming rate. Hopefully ,this doesn’t come back to bite them in the postseason.

Nevertheless, Coach Nobes was adamant that the Redmen would ride the momentum they received off of this tough victory, and the team did just, defeating RMC (3-22-3) 2-1 in overtime on Saturday in their regular season finale. McGill will need to carry this momentum against Nipissing (14-12-2) in game one of the opening round of the OUA playoffs, on Wednesday night.

Despite all the injuries, the Redmen should be ready to start their CIS Championship defence.

“We’re trying to repeat what we did last year,” Lévesque said. “It’s a big challenge, especially with all the [injuries], but there’s no fun when there’s no challenge.”

Who says golf is boring?

Phoenix Open, the hole becomes a stadium filled with 20,000 wild and enthusiastic golf fans, giving it the well-deserved name of the loudest stop on the PGA tour. Fans let the players know when they’ve made good tee shots, as rowdy cheers and chants erupt from the stands. In 1997, when Tiger Woods made his famous hole-in-one, the spectators were sent into a frenzy as Woods made his way to the green. Tiger eventually responded with a subtle “raise the roof” move.

However, the players do not always appreciate the rowdy crowd.

When a player hits a bad shot, the crowd mercilessly heckles and boos—a behaviour that is frowned upon in any other tournament on the Tour. If players fail to hit the green, they are required to throw out souvenirs to the fans as they walk to the green. Then, the boos turn to cheers, as players toss hats, footballs, and

the like, into the crowd. The 16th hole also features the famous caddy race tradition, from the tee to the green. They run, they tackle, block, trick, somersault, and ultimately dive onto the green to beat the other caddy to the putting surface.

While this hole adds a fun, exciting dimension to golf, some players dread it. Many compare their experience to a gladiator entering the Roman Coliseum, where they are expected to perform well and satisfy the fans’ expectations. As a result, many young players refuse to play here, as the environment and atmosphere can be too much to handle.

Three-time tour winner John Rollins said, “It’s the most nerve-racking short iron you’ll ever hit.”

Some other golf traditionalists are not fully supportive of the hole’s atmosphere, as it ruins the sport’s pristine image as a quiet ‘gentlemanly game.’

Phil Mickelson tees off at the famous 16th. (bostonherald.com) On the other hand, some players make sure to include this tournament on their bucket list, since there is nothing that matches its atmosphere. Hopefully the Phoenix Open will continue to bring in more en-

thused fans, and give golf a fresher, younger, and more energetic reputation. Think golf is boring? Watch this tournament and think again.

—Hubie Yu

Curiosity delivers. |

sports

| Tuesday, February 12, 2013

standings standings

rseq hockey (W) Team

W

L

OTL

PTS

z-Mcgill

18

0

0

36

y-MOntreal

15

4

0

x-ottawa

6

9

x-carleton

6

concordia

2

Team z-uqtR

W 21

rseq basketball (W) Team W L OTL PTS x-McGill

10

3

0

20

30

x-Concordia

9

4

0

18

4

16

x-UQAM

8

5

0

16

12

1

13

x-Laval

5

7

0

10

16

1

5

Bishop’s

0

13

0

0

oua east hockey L 6

OTL 1

PTS 43

18

rseq basketball (M) Team

W

L

OTL

PTS

x-Bishop’s

9

4

0

18

y-carleton

19

7

2

40

x-McGill

9

4

0

18

y-mcgill

17

7

4

38

x-Concordia

7

6

0

14

y-ottawa

16

8

4

36

UQAM

4

9

0

8

x-toronto

13

9

6

32

Laval

3

10

0

6

x-nipissing

14

12

2

30

x-Queen’s

10

11

7

27

x-Ryerson

12

16

0

24

Concordia

8

15

5

21

rmc

3

22

3

9

z- Denotes home ice/court advantage throughout playoffs y- Denotes first-round home Ice/ court advantage x- Clinched playoff berth images from cis-sic.ca

(Mike King / McGill Tribune)

Look out for the Tribune’s next special issue hitting stands on Feb. 25! In the meantime, visit us at www.mcgilltribune.com

Around the

W

SOCCER — A Europol investigation uncovered a match-fixing scandal orchestrated by organized crime syndicates last week, which fixed—or tried to fix—hundreds of soccer matches around the world over the past few years. According to the report, up to 680 games were compromised, including World Cup qualifiers, European Championship qualifiers, and two UEFA Champions League games. An ESPN report noted that the probe found almost €8 million (10.9 million CAD) in betting profits and €2 million Euros (2.7 million CAD) in bribes to both players and officials. Europol refused to release the names of any suspected to be involved. Its director, Rob Wainwright said that the scandal undoubtedly “threatens the very fabric of the game.” So essentially, the sport is corrupt. Forgive us for not being too surprised.

ater cooler

In case you were too busy booking your reservation at Lola Rosa for Valentine’s Day, here’s what you missed this past week in the world of sports …

COLLEGE BASKETBALL — It’s madness in the college hoops world! For the fifth straight week, the nation’s topranked team lost. This time around, it was the Illinois Fighting Illini who took out the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers after a last second layup by Tyler Griffey. In other crazy results, the No. 11 Louisville Cardinals fell to the No. 25 Notre

Dame Fighting Irish in a five(!) overtime thriller on Saturday, after the Irish made a late rally at the end of regulation. It was recorded as the longest game in the Big East conference’s regular season history. Also on Saturday, Wisconsin upset No. 3 Michigan in overtime, after tying the game with a buzzer-beating half-court heave by Badgers’ guard, Ben Brust. In other words, have fun filling out your NCAA tournament brackets next month.

BASKETBALL — The Rudy Gay era in Toronto is officially underway as the 6’8’’ highlight reel forward made a pretty good impression during his first week as a Raptor. While the team hasn’t improved much in the wins column, Gay sent Raptor fans into a frenzy after nailing the game-winning shot against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. In other Raptor news, Terrence Ross was chosen to compete in the Sprint Slam Dunk competition at All-Star weekend in Houston. Check him out on YouTube if you haven’t already—the man can fly.

Also, Andrea Bargnani is back, which is good because we missed our scapegoat. Let’s just hope he isn’t—or is, I guess—being moved to Chicago, as reports hinted late last week. South of the border, the Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, and San Antonio Spurs are all fighting

for the top spot in the league heading into the All-Star break this weekend. Here’s a suggestion: fill out an NBA playoff bracket in order to win back all the money you lost on the NCAA; it’s a whole lot easier.

HOCKEY — We’re almost at the quarter mark of the NHL season. So soon, right?

Somehow, the New Jersey Devils sit atop the Eastern Conference. We shouldn’t be surprised considering they’re the defending conference champions; but after losing Zach Parise, many thought the team would struggle to score on a consistent basis. That doesn’t seem to matter when you have the ageless wonder Martin Brodeur behind you. In the West, the Chicago Blackhawks look like the real deal and should compete for the Stanley Cup after a couple of disappointing years. They lead the league with 22 points and still have yet to lose in regulation. The Canucks are silencing any critics about their two-headed goaltender situation, as both Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider are putting up impressive numbers. Finally, the Toronto Maple Leafs won their third straight after crushing the Montreal Canadiens 6-0 on Saturday night. The Tribune sports team is divided on whether such a result is a good or bad thing.

Curiosity delivers. |

sports

| Tuesday, February 12, 2013

BASKETBALL — REDMEN 83, UQAM 68

19

No Bibeau? No problem, Redmen cruise past Citadins Nathan Joyal integral in victory; crucial date with division rivals Bishop’s Gaiters looms Remi Lu Contributor The McGill Redmen have played the UQAM Citadins three times this season, and each time, they’ve prevailed. McGill played host to the struggling Citadins at Love Competition Hall over the weekend, routing UQAM 83-68 in the final regular season meeting between the two teams. Secondyear forward Nathan Joyal led the way for the Redmen, matching his season-high total of 17 total. The victory extended the team’s winning streak to three games, despite the absence of key players Adrian Hynes-Guery and Simon Bibeau, both being out due to injury.

The teams traded baskets for much of the first quarter as McGill looked a bit hesitant to start. In the second quarter, however, the Redmen played excellent defence, and they closed out on jump shots, forcing UQAM into some sloppy possessions. The Citadins were limited to just five perimeter attempts after taking nine in the first quarter, and were held to only 31 per cent shooting overall in the quarter.

McGill began executing more precisely on offence in the seventh minute, sparked by Rodrigo Imperador’s three-pointer at the 7:20 mark.

Joyal was brilliant in this stretch, and he led the offence with drilling two threes and nine points in the last five minutes of the quarter. Captain

Aleksandar Mitrovic looks to score from the top of the key. (Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune) Winn Clark sank a foul-line jumper at the buzzer to close out the half, ending a 25-7 scoring run, putting the Redmen up 48-29.

McGill Head Coach David DeAveiro stressed the importance of the team-first approach that has guided the Redmen to first place in the RSEQ. Four Redmen players finished in double figures, and McGill’s bench outscored UQAM’s 33-10.

“We’re not about one or two guys. We’re a team. So when [op-

ponents] are preparing to play us, they can’t key in on one or two guys, they have to key in on the [whole] squad,” he said.

However, the second half turned out to be a completely different story for the Redmen. The Citadins attacked McGill’s defence straight out of the break. UQAM also held the Redmen scoreless for the first three minutes of the third quarter, en route to a 6-0 run. The Citadins applied pressure using a

Sports briefs Swimming — RSEQ CHAMPIONSHIPS McGILL CLAIMS 2nd, 3rd Place

Can’t Beat us? Join us. sports@mcgilltribune.com

By Jeffrey Downey

19 SWIMMERS TO ATTEND CIS NATIONALS in march Both swim teams took a dip over the weekend at the annual RSEQ Championships.

Disappointed slightly by the teams’ results at the Quebec Cup IV, both squads rebounded, claiming second place in the women’s division and third in the men’s.

Adding to the positive results was the qualification of freshman Sami Eid for the CIS Nationals in Calgary on Feb. 2123. Qualifying in the 200m backstroke, he became the 19th McGill swimmer to make the cut.

First-year star Katie Caldwell stole the show, lassoing three gold medals, two silvers, and a bronze, en route to swimmer-of-the-meet honours.

BASKETBALL—MARTLETS 72, UQAM 52

Martlets hold onto TOp Seed in RSEQ SYLLA, CHAREST IMPress The Martlets notched another big win on Saturday to solidify their first place RSEQ ranking. This time, the

full-court press and forced McGill into multiple turnovers. Two free throws by UQAM’s Philippe Tamba brought them within seven points at the three-minute mark; the third quarter ended with McGill’s large halftime lead trimmed down to 10, 63-53.

“They came out and hit some tough shots on us [early],” Coach DeAveiro said. “I didn’t think we came out with the same intensity to start the third. … I thought about

calling a time-out, but I wanted to see if we could fight through this and get together as a team, [to] take care of it on the floor without [calling] a time-out.”

Coach DeAveiro’s strategy appeared to work, as the fourth quarter unfolded perfectly for McGill.

Led by second-year point guard Ave Bross, the Redmen proceeded to address the errors that plagued them in the third and re-established their dominance. Joyal started the rout with a three-pointer, followed by jumpers from Bross and Clark.

Te’Jour Riley and Imperador added a layup each in the 11-0 scoring run, and UQAM was forced to call a time-out. The Redmen were on cruise control from there.

Bross played within the flow of the game, creating open shots for teammates and delivering pinpoint passes. This was crucial for a team missing Bibeau and Hynes-Guery, both prolific offensive players and point guards who create opportunities.

“I think we [have] figured out how to play without [HynesGuerny] right now, and other guys are stepping up and fulfilling that role. … Bross did a good job in the second half [running our offence],” added Coach DeAveiro.

The Redmen have three games left before the playoffs begin and currently sit atop the RSEQ. McGill battles the tied-for-first Bishop’s Gaiters on Feb. 16.

In addition, her 200m and 400m IM swims were both McGill and RSEQ records.

Taking a much needed break from now until Nationals, McGill’s top swimmers look to make moves in Calgary.

Amongst McGill’s top prospects are Stephen Bielby (200m, 400m IM), Caldwell (200m, 400m IM), and Pierre-Alexandre Renaud (200m butterfly, 400m freestyle).

UQAM Citadins played the losers, falling 72-52 in Donald Love Competition Hall.

The win moves McGill to 10-3, with three games left to play before the postseason. The team’s primary goal will be to hold onto that position into the playoffs and perhaps even take the

HOCKEY—MARTLETS 6, RAVENS 2

Two Games from Perfection, McGill Improves to 18-0 TOp line continues to dominant competition It was business as usual for the dominant Martlets, who improved to a spotless 18-0 on Sunday, following a 6-2 victory against the struggling 6-12 Carleton Ravens.

Also in line with season norms was the commanding play of Mélodie Daoust. Daoust added two more goals and an assist to her CIS leading points total. With the three tallies, she climbs

Conference. The goal is attainable, especially if point guard Françoise Charest and rookie sensation Miriam Sylla keep up their strong play.

On Saturday alone, the pair combined for 32 points; Sylla carried the majority of the burden, with 18 points of her own. Charest has moved the ball

to 51 points over 19 contests.

Only two games remain for McGill to cap off a flawless season, with a date against division foes the Montreal Carabins on Friday, then the season finale on Saturday against Concordia.

From there, the playoffs commence on the Feb. 20, culminating in the CIS Championships in Toronto on Mar. 7-10.

Follow us on Twitter @mcgilltribsport well, over the past couple of affairs, which has created chances for McGill’s big scorers, like Sylla, or Anneth Him-Lazarenko.

McGill battles the winless Bishop’s Gaiters next Saturday, Feb. 16, in what should be an easy, yet essential, victory.

Winter

colours Photos by Elizabeth Flannery, Katrina Gibbs, Cassandra Rogers