McGill Tribune Vol. 32 Issue 24 by The Tribune

Volume No. 32 Issue No. 24

TRIBUNE THE mcgill

Published by the Tribune Publication Society

curiosity delivers

feature Language discrimination in healthcare p 10

Student Living Top 10 Spring Fashion Trends p 12

@mcgill_tribune • www. mcgilltribune.com

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Brian Farnan, Tyler Hofmeister, Katie Larson, Samuel Harris, Stefan Fong, and Joey Shea celebrate their win on Friday night. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune)

Larson wins SSMU presidency with 60 per cent of the vote Elections SSMU announces 2013-2014 SSMU executive, several campaigns end in neck-and-neck race Bea Britneff News Editor On Friday night, Elections SSMU released the Winter 2013 elections and referendum results to a crowd assembled at Gerts Bar. Katie Larson, Joey Shea, Brian Farnan, Samuel Harris, Tyler Hofmeister, and Stefan Fong will comprise the 2013-2014 Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) executive team. Larson was elected SSMU President with 59.5 per cent of the vote to opponent Chris Bangs’ 40.5 per cent, and Tyler Hofmeister defeated Thomas Kim for the position of Vice-President (VP) Finance and Operations with 71.7 per cent in favour of Hofmeister. While Larson and Hofmeister claimed solid majorities, the battles for VP University Affairs and VP Internal were neck-and-neck. Shea beat Sam Gregory for the position of VP University Affairs by only 184 votes—or 52.1 per cent of the over-

all vote— for VP University Affairs. Farnan was elected VP Internal after beating Julia Kryluk by only 160 votes—amassing 51.8 per cent. Students elected VP External candidate Samuel Harris and VP Clubs and Services candidate Stefan Fong—both of whom ran unopposed—to their positions with 89.3 per cent and 88.5 per cent in favour, respectively. The campaign The winning candidates expressed excitement and relief following the announcement of results. Many of them, despite their extreme post-campaign fatigue, said they enjoyed the campaign period. “The best part of the entire campaign … [was] the opportunity … to meet with people and go to buildings or classes I hadn’t been into before,” Larson said. “I [was able to] sit and have a conversation with a student for 20 minutes about what they’re up to, what they think the university should be … that was

so interesting and so valuable. It was a great experience.” Some candidates chose to avoid conventional campaign methods, such as posters and classroom announcements, and emphasized the importance of interacting with students face-to-face. “The main tactic that I used was to go talk to as many clubs as I could,” Fong said. “I thought it was really important for them to get to know me. I didn’t [put up posters], I didn’t do any talking in classrooms… the majority of it was really getting into contact with as many people as I could.” Like Fong, Hofmeister did not invest in campaign flyers. “I know that a lot of people swear by [flyers], but I was really, really happy that I didn’t,” he said. “Campaigning didn’t actually cost me all that much because I didn’t flyer … and because I didn’t [post flyers], I just talked to people.”

Surprising voter turnout 6,040 students, or 29.1 per cent of the student body voted in the Winter 2013 elections and referenda. Elections SSMU Chief Electoral Officer Hubie Yu and several of the candidates expressed satisfaction with the overall turnout. “I was pleasantly surprised for sure,” Yu said. “There were not as many candidates [this year] … I was also concerned because two positions were unopposed. [But] we matched last year’s [turnout], so I’m pretty happy overall.” “I think [the turnout was] great,” Larson said. “The fact that … many people [voted] was a testament to how hard everybody worked.” However, Yu still hopes for larger turnouts in future SSMU elections, and highlighted several tactics used this year that gave visibility to the referendum periods and the elections, such as Elections SSMU contests and the executive candidates’ meet-and-greet, where attendees were provided with free food and

refreshments. Looking forward to next year Now that the results are out, both Larson and Farnan said they were excited about working with the new SSMU executive team, while Shea and Hofmeister are anxious to get started on their portfolios. “I’m excited to start implementing my platform,” Shea said. “I’m really excited to work on Equity stuff …[and] on wait times for student services. That’s a main priority for me.” “I’m just thinking of all the cool, little things that happen at McGill, that I wouldn’t normally be privy to, that I can learn about, and be like, ‘Wow, people do that? That’s awesome!’” Hofmeister said. “And obviously, [I’m excited for] helping [to make these projects] happen.” The new SSMU executive will work with the current executive See “SSMU Elections” on p. 3

NEWS

campus

Proposed Leacock reconfiguration incites controversy Administrative staff and professors to be relocated; Arts professors fear loss of departmental collegiality, community

The new Leacock?

By Andra Cernavskis | News Editor

Space configuration plans courtesy of www.mcgill.ca

Scenario

Total moves 68 MOVES + 1 CFI lab + JWST + 4 EMERITUS PROFS

9 8 7 6 5 4 3

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 HIST-CLAS: History and Classical Studies; PHIL: Philosophy; SOCIO: Sociology; ECON: Economics; JWST: Jewish Studies; PHIL: Philosophy; ANTH: Anthropology; POLI: Political Science; CFI: Canadian Foundation for Innovation; FST: Financial Service Team; AO: Administrative Officer; SIS: School of Information Studies Image from www.mcgill.ca

Over the course of last week, top administrators in the Faculty of Arts began to address concerns from students, faculty, and support staff about the Faculty’s “People, Processes & Partnerships” project. This new plan proposes changes to departmental space configurations in the Leacock building. Currently, a project team of 75 people—55 of whom are part of the administrative and support staff, 10 students, two faculty members, the dean, an associate dean, the director of administration, a department chair, and three people from without the Faculty of Arts—has proposed two possible scenarios, both of which involve relocating upwards of 55 offices within Leacock or to the row houses on McTavish Street. Each scenario involves moving the department of Jewish studies from McTavish into Leacock, and relocating administrative staff within Leacock. However, the significant difference between the two is that the prior seeks to locate all department chairs on one floor, removing them from their respective departments. According to Dean of Arts Christopher Manfredi, space reconfigurations will also occur in the 688 Sherbrooke and the Ferrier building in the future. He explained that Leacock will be addressed first because it involves the most ambitious and complicated change.

Total moves 57 MOVES + 1 CFI lab + JWST + 4 EMERITUS PROFS

The Town Hall Manfredi presented the logic behind Leacock’s reorganization to a crowd of 100 at a Town Hall in Redpath Museum last week. He cited the need to consolidate services for efficiency, and the need to adjust to a new university policy McGill announced last spring, which dictates that, for every two administrative staff members that leave McGill, only one replacement can be hired. This policy is in line with the Quebec government’s Bill 100, which requires that universities reduce spending on administrative staff. In order to address these two goals, both scenarios suggest that the Faculty of Arts use the third and sixth floors of Leacock for administrative services. As it stands now, each department within the Faculty has its own administrative officer (AO) on each floor who takes care of students registered in that department. As a result of the proposed changes, AOs would move to the sixth floor and be cross-trained, so that they can help students from outside their departments as well as from within. According to Manfredi, the idea of space reconfiguration was first discussed at a faculty meeting on Sept. 25, 2012, and the project was publicly launched in October. It was also discussed again at a November faculty meeting. “There is nothing being kept secret about this,” Manfredi said, noting that very few professors at the Town Hall came to the faculty

meetings in question. For the majority of the Town Hall, Manfredi listened to professors’ concerns about the proposed scenarios. A professor, Grierson Chair in Visual Culture, and Graduate Program Director of art history at McGill, Amelia Jones, spoke of a similar experience she had while working at a university in England. “I moved here from [the] University of Manchester,” Jones explained. “I left the UK because the University of Manchester had consolidated the administration and staff, and it created, really, a completely dysfunctional non-collegial community. … I know that your plan seems to be different, but there are enough similarities that I’m really concerned about it.” Jones said that after consolidation, the academic staff became the only possible interface between the University of Manchester students and their departments. According to Jones, the staff was also burdened with administrative tasks, and although administration was centralized for efficiency purposes, the staff was not able to develop the same degree of specialization. In response, Manfredi told Jones that the Faculty of Arts does not want to replicate bad experiences that occurred at other universities. Laure Spake, vice-president internal and events of the History Students’ Association (HSA), and one of the few undergraduate at-

tendees at the Town Hall, spoke from the students’ perspective. “This has been promoted as a move where we will have student services in one area as a [one-stop shop],” she said. “[However,] the department floor … is already a ‘one stop’ [for] students. We can go see our professors. We can go see our … [teaching assistants]. We can receive our students in [the HSA] office, which we hold very dearly.” “I don’t want to be running between three floors of Leacock, two floors of Ferrier, the McTavish row houses … it’s difficult for us,” Spake added. Professors continued to offer alternative solutions to the restructuring plan. Sandra Hyde, chair of graduate admissions and associate professor of anthropology, proposed that the Faculty have an AO who acts as a “floater”–someone who can serve the different departments when their AO is unable to do so. Manfredi also told the Town Hall attendees that the Quebec government-imposed budget cuts on universities could also now play a role in how space is allocated in the Faculty, citing the fact that McGill plans to implement a policy of voluntary retirements for administrative and support staff across the university. The voluntary retirement plan, to be released this week, will be offered to people above a certain age. Manfredi said that there are 15 people in the Faculty of Arts

who might fall into that age group, which he thinks will include people around 60 years and older. “If all 15 of those people are eligible, and they all decide to take the voluntary retirement plan, that would be a fairly big impact on our Faculty and individual units,” Manfredi explained. “It’s about resiliency, about trying to spread the shock of these kinds of things … across a wider swath, a wider group of people, rather than having it simply felt in a single unit.” Moving Forward Two days after the Town Hall, Associate Dean (Academic Administration and Oversight) Gillian Lane-Mercier addressed a room of student representatives at the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) Council meeting to explain the need for the project. “The Faculty of Arts lacks space in general,” Lane-Mercier said. “[That’s] just the way it is.” All students who spoke and asked questions expressed skepticism about the plans. “Why can’t it stay as it is?” Michelle Shames, vice-president external of the Sociology Students’ Association (SSA), asked LaneMercier. “It seems to be working very effectively. Students [and] faculty members, as well as staff in my department, have voiced an extreme amount of concern about the loss of soft knowledge.” “We can’t keep the status quo because we are in for big administrative changes,” Lane-Mercier

Curiosity delivers. |

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said in response to Shame’s inquiry, pointing to the looming budget cuts and the urgent need to implement McGill’s policy of voluntary retirements. Manfredi has estimated that the cost of the project could reach $2.5 million, but Lane-Mercier told AUS Council that this was a very rough estimate, and is unlikely to hold. She also noted that the project will not be put into effect for another year and a half. Manfredi said that follow-

ing the feedback he received at the Town Hall, he now plans to expand the 75-person project team, and have Lane-Mercier conduct further consultation with individual departments. “I was very pleased with attendance at the Town Hall, as well as with the constructive comments and feedback we received,” he said. “I was pleased to see general agreement that the Faculty has real challenges that need to be met, and that there is a willingness of individuals

to get involved in the process of finding ways to meet those challenges.” “There are clearly deep concerns about how changes to administrative structures and space may affect departmental cultures and autonomy, and these concerns need to be taken seriously,” Manfredi continued. Mandredi also stated that more scenarios are being developed, and will be presented to the community “in an appropriate form” when ready.

NEWS

| Tuesday, March 26, 2013

SSMU Elections Continued from cover during a month-long transition period in May, and will begin their term on June 1, 2013. All referendum questions pass The Elections SSMU referendum results also revealed the new faculty student senators for the 2013-2014 school year. In addition, students voted in favour of the $7.25 increase of the Athletics Ancillary

Fee, the $8.50 increase of the Student Services Ancillary Fee, and the adjustment of both fees to inflation. Students also voted in favour of the creation of a McGill Writing Ancillary Fee, as well as a SSMU Equity Fund. The renewal of the $0.75 Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society (SACOMSS) fee passed with an overwhelming majority of 83.4 per cent.

national

Candidates go head-to-head in final Liberal leadership debate Six Liberal leadership hopefuls discuss and debate student debt, the environment, Canada’s relationship with Quebec Emma Windfeld News Editor On Mar. 23, liberal leadership candidates – Martin Cauchon, Deborah Coyne, Martha Hall Findlay, Karen McCrimmon, Joyce Murray, and Justin Trudeau – met for the fifth and final debate of the 2013 federal Liberal Party of Canada leadership race at the Palais des congrès in Montreal. The afternoon featured several three-way debates among candidates, addressing questions submitted by the Quebec Liberal Party. Afterwards, candidates were given the opportunity to pose questions to each other in numerous one-on-one debates. A particularly divisive topic was the possibility of party cooperation to avoid vote-splitting in the next federal election. Murray advocated co-operation among the Liberal Party, the New Democratic Party (NDP), and the Green Party, in order to defeat the Harper government in 2015. “It’s time to set aside politics based on division ... I’m the only candidate who has put forward a concrete plan for co-operation that will avoid vote splitting,” Murray said. To avoid what Trudeau called a “hodge-podge that’s about winning at all costs,” Hall Findlay and Trudeau argued against uniting the three parties. “I understand we all want to replace Stephen Harper,” Hall Findlay said. “[But] we are in third place ... [so] if this were to work, we would replace Stephen Harper with [NDP leader] Thomas Mulcair.” Other major topics at Saturday’s debates included youth, seniors, energy, the environment, international development, and legal justice.

Issues facing youth Candidates put forward their plans to address the financial issues students face. “One of the main things we have to do is address student debt,” McCrimmon said. “If we don’t make the investments, we’re not going to prevent the tragedy of having a generation that doesn’t have the same opportunities that their parents do.” Hall Findlay wants to give provinces more autonomy over education issues. This proposition serves as a response to the federal government’s plan to require the private sector to put forth $5000 for each employee’s training—an amount that the provincial and federal governments would be required to match. “I like the idea of matching educational institutions and the private sector; that actually makes a lot of sense,” Hall Findlay said. “But it doesn’t make sense to never have a conversation with the provinces before you go and start ramming this stuff down [their] throats.” Coyne emphasized the federal government’s role in specifying how provinces are to use the federal funds allotted to them. “There’s a lot of money that goes to universities for research— [perhaps] we’ve got to get … the provinces [to] say, ‘Look, this [money] is for bringing down the cost, for looking at the costs of students attending post-secondary, it’s for expanding access, and it’s for ensuring that innovative things are going on,’” she said. Candidates also addressed the low youth turnout rate in elections, and discussed ways to make politics more relevant to younger generations. Trudeau noted that young people are more aware of political issues than ever before.

Liberal leadership candidates Trudeau, Cauchon, and Hall Findlay debate on Saturday. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune) “When you look at demonstrations for example ... a few days ago, the first anniversary of the demonstrations here in Montreal by young people ... [shows] that [they] want to forge the world around them, but they really don’t think that politics is the right way of doing this,” Trudeau said. “We aren’t building the world they dreamed of, so we have to get them involved in politics; and that’s how things will change.” Canada’s fossil fuels Murray positioned herself against Hall Findlay’s support of the Canadian Oil Sands industry. “I presented in the House [of Commons] a bill to prevent crude oil traffic on the west coast because of the risk of oil spills, and you vocally opposed my bill,” Murray said to Hall Findlay. “Are you supporting the interests of Calgary’s oil community over the interests of British Columbians?” Hall Findlay restated her stance in favour of maintaining Canada’s oil industry for the sake of the economy.

“The prosperity that we derive from the Oil Sands benefits all Canadians, and we suffer right now a price discount of about 30 per cent because we can’t get that oil to our world markets,” Hall Findlay responded. Liberals in Quebec Cauchon and Trudeau debated how to best restore support for the Liberal Party in Quebec. The only two male candidates agreed on the need for the inclusion of Quebec in Canadian politics, but proposed different ways of doing this. “We have to ensure we have a long-term view with a position on federation ... which will ensure that one day we can bring Quebec into the constitutional family,” Cauchon said. However, Trudeau suggested that Quebecers were more concerned with issues other than signing the Constitution. “For far too long we’ve tried to buy Quebec, rather than tried to get them involved ... in building ... [a] prosperous, united country,”

Trudeau said. Closing remarks The debates ended with a reminder that the next and final event in the Liberal leadership race will be the candidates’ speeches in Toronto on Apr. 6—the day the voting period opens. The new leader will be announced when polls close on Apr. 14. Mike Crawley, president of the Liberal Party of Canada, expressed excitement over the number of Canadians involved in this election. “This is the leadership race within the history of this party that has had the greatest participation,” Crawley said. Of the 300,000 Canadians who signed up as supporters of the Liberal Party, less than half have completed the additional step of registering to vote. The majority of registered supporters are over the age of fifty, and Quebec contains just over one tenth of all supporters.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013 |

NEWS

| Curiosity delivers.

campus

Campus cafeterias now serving sustainable seafood options McGill Food and Dining Services certified by Marine Stewardship Council; new choices at no extra cost to students Cece Zhang Contributor McGill Food and Dining Services (MFDS) recently received a Chain of Custody Certification by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). MSC, an independent, nonprofit organization, helps to promote an increasingly sustainable seafood market by recognizing and presenting awards to sustainable fishing practices, and certifying fresh wildcaught seafood. The Chain of Custody Certification allows MFDS to use the MSC “eco-labels” for their fish products. McGill is the first Canadian university to receive the MSC certification. In keeping with MFDS’s Strategic Plan on Sustainability, MFDS have been committed to supplying affordable sustainable options since the plan’s implimentation in 2011. The MSC Chain of Custody Certification serves to provide a clear, accountable recognition of the sustainable seafood source. “Without certification and the use of the MSC eco-label, the students, faculty, and community at large will not know that the seafood they are ordering [from] or consuming [at] McGill is from a fishery that met the rigorous MSC environ-

mental standard, and [that it] can be traced back to the harvester who is fishing responsibly,” Maggie Beaton, an MSC representative, said. MFDS Executive Chef Oliver De Volpi explained that, initially, MFDS had not set out to become certified, but that the process of pursuing sustainable choices eventually led to MSC certification. However, De Volpi explained that for MFDS to become MSC certified, its suppliers needed to receive MSC certification first. Therefore, MFDS worked with suppliers Sysco and GFS Canada, as well as contract caterer ARAMARK, convincing them to attain MSC certification. De Volpi explained that once a supplier receives MSC certification, this facilitates their clients’ shift to sustainable practices as well. “Because [GFS and Sysco] are certified [with MSC], in theory, other restaurants, hotels, [and] institutions [that they supply] could complete the certification process much easier,” De Volpi said. In its pursuit towards adjustment to sustainable practices, MFDS also worked with a group of students from the environment (ENVR) 401: applied students research class. The ENVR 401 students undertook a research project that analysed which seafoods in the industry were

optimal choices for McGill based on factors such as budgetary constraints and sustainability. Their research was financed by the Sustainability Projects Fund—a fund granted by McGill’s Office of Sustainability to projects that help build a culture of sustainability on campus. Professor George McCourt, an ENVR 401 instructor, was the supervisor for this particular student research group. “We were going to look at what the certification of seafood meant,” McCourt explained. “The research was to extract the most applicable aspect of each seafood certification body to create a McGill specific certification process, which would help them inform their seafood purchasing program.” The students completed their research in December 2011, and composed a realistic guide of sustainable seafood options for MFDS. Following a review of the research results, MFDS adopted the findings and implemented them in April 2011. De Volpi especially commended Will Agnew (BA ‘11), who was part of the student research team, and remained an active force in McGill’s process of becoming MSC certified even after graduation. According to De Volpi, the switch to MSC certification will not

McGill Food and Dining Services advertises new, sustainable seafood options, now available at four of McGill’s cafeterias. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune) greatly impact students price-wise, as MFDS will be absorbing any additional cost by making portion sizes of other dishes slightly smaller or using less expensive items in the place of more expensive ones. “Perhaps the portion becomes 150g down from 165g, or perhaps we eliminate roast leg of lamb and replace [it] with roast beef, [which makes] 50 per cent savings,” said De Volpi. Students reacted positively to the news of MFDS’ certification. “I think people will be more willing to eat the seafood, knowing that it’s certified [and] coming from a reputable source,“ Christine Gan-

non, U1 Arts and Science, said. “I’ll feel like I’m making the right choice when I [consume those products].” “It’s an achievement to be proud of,” Alan Chen, U1 Arts and Science, said. “I think they should extend [that] transparency to our other foods. It’s a good first step, but we do need to take further steps to making things more sustainable.” These sustainable seafood choices will be available at four residential dining halls—Bishop Mountain Hall, Carrefour Sherbrooke, New Residence, and Royal Victoria College—with MSC certified wild species accounting for 40 per cent of all seafood served.

campus

Senate adopts Statement of Values for protests on campus

Student, faculty senators continue to criticize document; Deputy Provost Mendelson reports on student mental health Samuel Pinto Contributor Statement of Values and Operating Procedures adopted McGill Senate passed a motion to adopt the “Statement of Values and Principles Concerning Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Peaceful Assembly” with an overwhelming majority on Mar. 20. The Statement of Values was created by the McGill administration in response to a student occupation of the James Administration Building in February 2012. The document is intended to provide guidelines detailing how protests, demonstrations, and occupations may be carried out on McGill’s campuses. Although Ashraf Ismail, associate professor in the department of food science and agriculture chemistry, moved to table the entire motion and many senators voiced their criticism of the document, the motion passed. Provost Anthony Masi reminded Senate that there were two consultation periods to discuss the

Statement of Values, and said that the feedback received at the Consultation Fairs made it clear it was necessary that the university possess a document that states its principles on peaceful assembly. Dean of the Desautels Faculty of Management Peter Todd agreed with Masi’s statement. “[It’s necessary to] strike a balance between those who want to study and learn and those who are expressing dissent,” Todd said. Many of the student senators criticized the Statement of Values. “[An] attempt to define peaceful expression is ideologically dangerous,” Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) President Josh Redel said. “Peace is personal, [and] defining it in two sentences lacks in empathy.” Associate Professor of Political Science Catherine Lu, who has been a long-time critic of the Statement, told Senate she thinks that the Statement of Values is unnecessary. “If we were the University of Tehran we would need this, but we aren’t, so I don’t see why it is need-

ed,” Lu said. Following the motion’s approval, Senate discussed the Statement of Values’ accompanying document, known as the “Operating Procedures Regarding Demonstrations, Protests and Occupations on McGill University Campuses.” The Operating Procedures outline the measures that the university and Security Services will take in the event of a protest or demonstration. Unlike the Statement of Values, the Operating Procedures are not subject to Senate approval. Associate Professor of Political Science Derek Nystrom asked why Senate was not allowed to vote on the approval of the Operating Procedures. Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance) Michael Di Grappa explained that normal Operating Procedures for campus security services do not require Senate approval. The Statement of Values will need to be approved by the Board of Governors (BoG) before coming into effect, which will likely happen at the Apr. 26 meeting of the BoG. The Operating Procedures are cur-

rently in effect. edX and mental health discussed Another major topic of debate at Wednesday’s meeting was McGill’s participation in the edX consortium—a not-for-profit enterprise comprised of several universities that offer free Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). EdX was founded by Harvard and MIT. McGill joined edX on Feb. 20 without approval from Senate. Provost Anthony Masi explained that approval from Senate was not required to join edX, as Senate had already approved the Achieving Strategic Academic Priorities (ASAP) plan, which had an entire section on technological pedagogy, under which edX falls. Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Morton Mendelson also led a discussion on both student mental health at McGill and studentprofessor interactions. Mendelson said that mental health issues at the university are on the rise, citing the fact that last semester there was a 20 per cent

increase in drop-in visits at the McGill’s Mental Health Services Clinic. He also noted that 14 students were hospitalized at the McGill University Health Centre last semester due to mental health issues—a number much higher than the average two hospitalizations that usually occur in a semester, on average. Wait times are also a concern, according to Mendelson, as students sometimes wait weeks or months to see a counselor. “Mental health should be the top priority for student services,” said Mendelson. Mendelson said that his team has explored several solutions in order to curb mental health issues. One would be to restructure the calendar so as to provide for a longer winter break to alleviate stress, while another option sought to create a mental health work group, which would “advance the overall health of students,” according to Mendelson.

Curiosity delivers. | campus

Highlights from the Mar. 20

PGSS

NEWS

| Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Post Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) hosted its Annual General Meeting annual The(AGM) in the Thompson House Ballroom last Wednesday evening with students, staff, and PGSS members in attendance. Six motions were passed general McGill before the meeting lost quorum. Meeting

Emma Windfeld | News Editor

PGSS Council Before the AGM began, PGSS held a Council meeting to vote on the appointment of Colby Briggs to the position of Chief Returning Officer (CRO) on PGSS Council. “I did run elections at Concordia for their Arts and Science Federation of Associations,” Briggs, a Concordia graduate and former Concordia Community Assistant, said. “I know they faced many of the issues that I’ve heard go on here, so I think I’ll be more than able to bring my experience there to the McGill environment.” The room voted in favour of his appointment.

due to Bouchard and Mooney’s failure to comply with a request passed down to them from last year’s AGM last March, which asked them to contract an independent company to audit McGill’s securitization of campus. Cawley argued that, despite Bouchard and Mooney’s lack of compliance, censuring them was unnecessary. “These executives have conducted themselves in accordance with regulations, diligently worked to complete their project, and a motion of censure is completely reprehensible,” Cawley said. Cawley’s motion passed, and the motion to censure was struck from the agenda.

Motion to censor removed PGSS Member Services Officer Elizabeth Cawley began the AGM by motioning to remove an item from the agenda that called for the censure of Academic Affairs Officer Adam Bouchard and SecretaryGeneral Jonathan Mooney. The motion to censure arose

Differential Fee Waivers Differential fees—the tuition supplements for international students—were addressed in the third motion of the evening, which called upon McGill to advocate for Differential Fee Waivers (DFW) based on graduate students’ financial needs. Mooney mentioned that the

What happened last week in Compiled by bea britneff and andra cernavskis

the Board, but why are we only talking about women?” PGSS Internal Affairs Officer Michael Krause asked. “[I agree that] we should actively reach out to more women and [to] more diverse members … but I think as the motion stands now, it is not feasible and not fully encompassing what the PGSS should do.” Cora-Lee Conway, a doctoral student at McGill and a mover of the motion, emphasized that it seeks to diversification the Board. “My motivation was to bring this motion forward as an entry point to discussion about the values we have here at the PGSS about representation,” Conway said. “[PGSS] Council … has over 50 per cent female membership, [yet our] Board, up until today, did not have any female representation.” The motion passed after it was amended to encourage increased diversity rather than exclusively female representation on the Board.

Oil Sands investments A motion for PGSS to lobby McGill to cut off its investments in Canada’s Oil Sands industry passed after some issues were addressed, including concern over the feasibility of persuading McGill to divest from these companies, and whether the tax revenues from these companies benefit students. Divest McGill Spokesperson Lily Schwarzbaum spoke to PGSS, insisting that divestment from Oil Sands interests is a feasible and necessary step for the university to undertake. “Divestment is a concrete target to symbolically make the statement [against supporting fossil fuels] along with other universities in North America,” said Schwarzbaum. After it lost quorum, the AGM adjourned amidst debate on the seventh motion, which concerned tuition indexation. It was decided that PGSS will appoint a researcher to further look into the issue of tuition indexation.

TVO pulls online game that shows pipeline bombing

Manitobans suffering from flood damages Sue Province

one-man Hunger Strike begins in Vancouver

Following heavy criticism from the premiers of Alberta and B.C., public broadcaster TV Ontario (TVO) has decided to remove an online game that features the bombing of gas pipelines. Ontario Education Minister Liz Sandals and two appointed individuals will review the game and determine whether it meets the broadcaster’s programming standards. According to the Globe and Mail, TVO paid to have the game developed, with the intention of including it in a documentary highlighting the heated public debate over Enbridge’s proposed Northern Gateway pipeline project. The Gateway pipeline would transfer raw bitumen from the Alberta Oil Sands, through B.C., to the West Coast. “It’s disappointing to see a taxpayer-funded game and organization depict the blowing up of pipelines,” Alberta Premier Alison Redford said in a public statement. “It’s exactly opposite of Canada’s interests given all of Canada benefits from a strong and diverse energy sector.” TVO spent approximately $100,000 on the production of the game and the documentary, according to the Globe and Mail.

People who owned property on Lake Manitoba prior to the flood of Apr. 2011 flood filed a lawsuit on Mar. 23 against the province for $260 million, saying that the government relocated too much water into the area that had already been damaged extensively by flooding. According to CBC News, the government of Manitoba had committed to providing multi-year compensation for floods from 2011 onwards. Many property owners on Lake Manitoba initially received compensation for the flood. However, they claim that they have not received anything more since 2012, despite remaining property damages. “The government needs to fess up that they dumped a pile of water in there, and it had nowhere to go,” Alice Dent, one of the plaintiffs in the case who lost her cottage due to the excess water, told CBC News. “I don’t think you can talk to anybody that doesn’t understand that we were sacrificed for Winnipeg.”

On Mar. 22, a Vancouver resident, who calls himself “The artist formerly known as Homeless Dave,” began a hunger strike to protest the gentrification of the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood in Vancouver. According to the Globe and Mail, his specific demands include that the city’s government deny a permit to build condominiums at 138 Hastings Street E.; that social housing be built on the site of a former police station on Main Street; and, that the entire neighbourhood be deemed a “social justice zone.” The man only plans to drink sage tea and juice until his demands are met, the Globe and Mail reported. This is the latest instance of protesting against the alleged displacement of low-income residents in the Downtown Eastside. Earlier last week, a group that identifies as “Anarchist” stole a sign from an eatery in the neighbourhood that they had deemed to be a “prominent piece of gentrification propaganda.”

dean of Graduate Studies continues to pay 70 per cent of the differential fees of each international PhD student the department admits, but the dean of each faculty has discretion over whether they allocate this money towards the students’ differential fee or not. “It’s this weird system where you’re getting money based on how many international students you attract, but sometimes you don’t use it to actually make the experience good for them,” Mooney said. After some debate, the motion passed with a strong majority. Gender Equality The fourth motion on the agenda addressed the lack of gender parity on PGSS’ Board of Directors, and called upon the Board to have female candidates fill at least 50 per cent of positions. Most participants agreed with the spirit of the motion, but some expressed the opinion that it needed further refinement. “Overall, it’s good to diversify

Canada?

Montreal police crack down on one-year anniversary protest

cree group to finish 1,600 KM trek in support of idle no more movement in Ottawa

Last Friday, protestors gathered at Place Émilie-Gamelin to commemorate the one-year anniversary of a historic march against tuition increases that took place on Mar. 22, 2012. However, the Montreal police (SPVM) intervened quickly, and arrested over 250 people. Several demonstrators criticized the police for dispersing them before the protest truly began, and the march’s organizers pointed to the SPVM’s behaviour as “increasingly systemic repression,” according the National Post. CBC News reported that Québec Solidaire member Manon Massé said that her party is requesting an independent public inquiry into police conduct during demonstrations and protests in downtown Montreal. Friday’s march, which saw hundreds of attendees—a number that came nowhere close to the tens of thousands of students who paralyzed the streets of Montreal last year—was the latest in a series of protests that have occurred following the Quebec government’s decision to index tuition by three per cent a year.

A group of Cree youths will soon complete their 1,600 kilometre march to Ottawa in support of the Idle No More movement. The group, originally comprised of six young adults and a guide left their James Bay community of Whapmagootsui, Quebec, in January. Many people from other Cree and Algonquin Communities have joined them since their departure, increasing the group’s membership to 200. The group has been travelling in the winter weather conditions only by snowshoe. Throughout the duration of the march, 22 of the walkers suffered from foot injuries and had to seek medical attention in Kitigan Zibi, Quebec. Three required further treatment and were sent to a hospital in Maniwaki. David Kawapit, an 18-year-old Cree youth, told CBC News that the group has received a lot of support along their journey. The group, who has called their trek “The Journey of the People,” arrived in Ottawa on Monday.

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

Communication problems underlie the Leacock space debate For context, please read “Proposed Leacock reconfiguration incites controversy” on page 2. The Mar. 18 Town Hall regarding a proposed reallocation of space in the Leacock building played out in a scene that’s become increasingly familiar—both students and faculty turned up to voice their opposition to a proposal from the administration. The plan in question involves a restructuring of Leacock, in which all administrative officers (AOs) would be grouped together on one floor, and be cross-trained to help students from other departments. While there is merit to the debate itself, this issue comes back to the administration’s lack of communication. Students’ opposition to the proposal stems mainly from the fear that a group of interdepartmental AOs will lack the specialized knowledge and authority to help them in the same way they are able to now. It is unrealistic to expect AOs to gain the level of expertise in every department that each currently holds in their own—for students, this could mean a decreased quality of service, even if that service is more easily accessible and centralized. Professors, for their part, take issue with the fact that the reallocation will split up departments across different floors, with chairs potentially being completely separated from their departments. This, they

Letter to the editor Ensuring the quality of our own education

A topic that weighs heavily on the minds of all students, professors, staff and administrators is the $38 million budget cut imposed by the Quebec government over the next two years. As student leaders, we have witnessed the tireless, albeit lonely, efforts made by Principal Heather Munroe-Blum and her team in lobbying the government to change its position. The Faculty of Engineering, which is already running on a tight budget, has cut teaching assistants’ (TA) hours, labs, and course sections, and is also in jeopardy of losing funding for its Student Centre. At the Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS), we cannot help but feel concerned for the quality of our students’ education, and have decided to take action.

fear, will damage their departmental cultures, fostering a more corporate, impersonal, and disjointed atmosphere. Among the professors who showed up to speak against the plan was Amelia Jones, who claimed to have left the University of Manchester as a result of restructurings similar to these. As a reaction to McGill’s voluntary retirement policy, which will reduce the number of AOs on staff, and to Bill 100, which will limit the faculty’s ability to hire more in their place, this move makes sense. Spreading out the workload amongst all of the remaining AOs will effectively minimize the impact that a reduced number of administrators will have, ensuring that students always have quick and easy access to somebody who can help them. We are in a period of financial strain, and the university is going to have to undergo numerous cost-cutting measures. Compared to other cuts that could be made, this is far from the worst option for students and professors. The criticism of the administration’s proposal speaks more to the way that it has handled this process than to the severity of the issues at hand. The matter was apparently initially brought forward in previous faculty meetings, which Manfredi claimed at the Town Hall suffer from notoriously poor attendance. As a result, the faculty members feel that they were not consulted, while the

administration claims to have done due diligence. Meanwhile, departmental students’ associations, whose office space stands to be affected by these changes, expressed outrage at

In our recent referendum, undergraduate engineering students voted with a clear majority to approve an emergency fund, called the Engineering Undergraduate Support Fund (EUSF). The EUSF will amount to approximately $200,000 per year, scheduled to terminate after two years. This fund will be raised through a new non opt-outable student fee, effective September 2013, and managed by a committee. This committee will be chaired by the President of the EUS ,and will have a majority student representation, but will also include faculty members from each of our seven departments, as well as the dean of engineering. Both the fee and the governing committee of the EUSF have been modeled after an existing student fund, the Engineering Equipment Fund, which has proven to be highly successful in supplementing lab equipment, computers, and even furniture for engineering students since 1987. The vision of the EUSF

is similar: to allow professors from all departments to apply for funding, whether for additional TA hours that were cut from their course, for more support in terms of lab TAs, or even for the Student Centre to apply for funding to ensure that no staff or advisor has to be let go. Once all of the proposals have been collected, members of the EUSF committee will deliberate and eventually vote on each.

“The criticism of

the administration’s proposal speaks more to the way that it has handled this process than to the severity of the issues being brought forward.

”

not having even received a formal invitation to the Town Hall. Clearly, the issue here is communication. The administration seems unwilling to properly inform the community when these issues are at play, and yet, continues to appear genuinely puzzled when students or faculty claim not to have been consulted. The issue is certainly not capacity—we constantly receive emails informing us of oncampus events and initiatives much of which is entirely trivial. We want to see this same level of communicative initiative being used in the planning of these Consultative Fairs and Town Halls. The overwhelming attendance at last Winter’s Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) General Assembly (GA) proved that when

“At the Engineering

Undergraduate Society (EUS), we cannot help but feel concerned for the quality of our students’ education, and have decided to take action.

”

To date, the EUS executives, along with the presidents from each departmental student association, have been spreading the word about

people are given context for the issues at stake and the options available, they will show up. Consultation is only of any use when people know that it’s happening. Beyond the method of communication, timing is also a critical element. Rather than being held in the Gall, when there could have been a full discussion of options, the Town Hall was only put together once the administration had narrowed its options down to two very similar scenarios. A discussion that takes place once the majority of options have been taken off the table looks very different to one which is unreservedly trying to arrive at the best solution. Once again, this is not true consultation. There must be a better way to engage the community than we are seeing right now. Town halls should be held as an actual step in the decision-making process, not just a retroactive measure. Raising awareness should be a priority in this process, not as an afterthought. With ongoing uncertainty regarding its budget, McGill is going to have to make a number of unpopular decisions; for these decisions to be informed and respected by the community, the administration should be making every effort to hear what its stakeholders have to say.

this new fund to our students. We will continue to work closely with the faculty in finalizing details regarding the EUSF, such as evaluation criteria and timeline for funding. While this is an imperfect solution for a problem that should not be the students’ responsibility to bear, we firmly believe that the EUSF is a step in the right direction. It is actionable, realistic, and it will yield direct benefits for engineering students, from engineering students. We hope this fund will inspire other student associations to take an active role in preserving the quality of their students’ education.

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Contributors Mayaz Alam, Karen Chen, Shen Chen, Wendy Chen, Victoria Dillman, Matthew Dobkin, Chantelle D’Souza, Joshua Freedman, Abhishek Gupta, Emily Jacobi, Evie Kaczmarek, Remi Lu, Ailisha Macharia, Liam Maclure, Colleen Mcnamara, Jennifer Moh, Alycia Noë, Samuel Pinto, Veronica Rozynek, Meghan Sauer, Jack Tokarz, Marlee Vinegar, Diana Wright, Tracy Yuen, Cece Zhang Tribune Offices Editorial Shatner University Centre Suite 110, 3480 McTavish Montreal, QC H3A 0E7 T: 514.398.6789

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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 ciety 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.

columnists The vicious cycle of protests

Victoria Dillman

Commentary

Almost a year ago now, I was a prospective student touring McGill for the first time. I remember the excitement, the nerves, and the shock of seeing more than a hundred people protesting outside the Sherbrooke gates. For the dozen students on my tour, it was our first impression of McGill and, to be honest, it was a bit of a deterrent. I recall a parent of another student on the tour inquiring how disruptive the protestors were for classes—it had been a

New pope brings no guarantee of progress

Meghan Sauer

Commentary

White smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Mar. 13, declaring to the world that the papal conclave had chosen a pope to succeed Benedict XVI, who resigned after declaring his inability to govern in old age. Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, represents many firsts for the Catholic Church’s papal legacy: he is the first to take the name Francis (after Saint Francis of Assisi), the first pope of the Jesuit order, and the first coming to the Vatican from the Americas—

Taking steps to reach our full potential

Ailisha Macharia

Commentary

It has long been said that the social structure of the job industry must grow to better represent minorities. However, this institutional change has come too slowly, and notable improvements in female-tomale ratios in the workforce have failed to manifest. Nonetheless, according to Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer, there is real change that women can realize in their own lives. Sandberg recently made the cover of Time Magazine for her new perspective on why fewer women are attaining high-level positions

serious concern of theirs and many others. Of course, we were assured that it was not disruptive at all, and that the protests had very little to do with McGill. That alleviated the concern in my mind, but I am sure that it was not the case for others. In the past few months, I have been receiving emails from friends back home who are currently in their graduating year of high school, and are now attempting to navigate the confusion of choosing a university. While I have gotten the classic questions—“How are the professors?” “What’s the nightlife like?”—the one theme that keeps coming up is the student movement. My friends’ concerns include not only how protests affect classes, but whether they are violent or too intense. I have assured everyone asking the questions that the protests are not an issue;

they stay out of McGill’s way, they are not violent, and they do not affect the classrooms. Despite my assurances, many still expressed doubt and declared it would still be a consideration in their decision. These kinds of questions show a consistent perspective that protests are a major deterrent and one that seriously influences students’ choice of school. In the World Reputation Rankings of 2013, McGill has been ranked in 31st place—a serious drop from the previous year’s 25th. These rankings are subjective, but they seem to accurately show the international opinion of a university’s reputation. Reputation is a serious factor—not only for decisions of attendance, but also job prospects for McGill graduates. If McGill’s reputation continues to fall, the consequences could be serious. Such a fall

calls into question what, precisely, led to this slip in rankings and what we can do to help fix it and repair McGill’s reputation. The continued concerns of potential students may be indicative of this issue. Universities, in part, gain their reputation from the amount of demand from students. If students no longer choose McGill, and would rather attend a university of lower ranking to avoid the complications of protests, it would be surprising for McGill not to experience a fall in rankings. Students are a key resource for a university to prosper, and when they choose to attend other institutions, it becomes an issue the school must address. Certainly, the protests have a cause; they are not senseless. Looking at the issues at hand, they are not an unreasonable reaction. The

unfortunate reality, however, is that these protests are hindering, rather than helping McGill’s situation in the long run. A fall in rankings because of protests can lead to lower interest in enrollment at McGill. This decrease will lead to an even larger fall in rankings, and even less money and resources for McGill and other universities—the precise issue many are currently protesting. It becomes a vicious cycle that should be stopped sooner rather than later. The protests do, of course, combat real issues; but in order to help fix the situation, there needs to be a different, more cooperative way to help repair it. The protests are simply causing more damage than they’re worth.

specifically, Latin America. From one perspective, Pope Francis is representative of significant changes within an essentially static 2,000 year-old institution. The majority of practicing Catholics live the southern hemisphere, as more and more Catholics leave the church in Europe and North America, where secular society increasingly defines politics. Demographic shifts characterize today’s Church, and with the appointment of Pope Francis, its political motives are increasingly evident. While the Church has indicated its acknowledgement of its most ardent followers—South American Catholics account for 80.66 per cent of South America’s population, and 27.87 per cent of the world’s Catholics—the appointment is, nonetheless, indicative that the Church’s motives aren’t so much geared toward reform as they are to-

ward policy. Though some cite “laziness” or “youthful rebellion” as the reasons for which increasing numbers of young people are leaving the Church, this can be linked to shortcomings on the part of the institution itself. Social issues like gay marriage are important to younger demographics today, but the inability for women and married men to become priests also limit the Church’s accessibility, as well as its potential for growth. While going to church is not exactly every college student’s ideal Sunday morning, their lack of incentive is enhanced by outdated Church doctrine. According to CNN’s Belief Blog, one in 10 Americans is an ex-Catholic. 2001 census data shows that more than 80 per cent of Quebecers still declare themselves Catholic, but only about 6 per cent of these declared Catholics at-

tend mass weekly, demonstrating the increasingly popular ‘pick and choose’ approach to modern faith. The child sex abuse scandals which the Church has been slow to address have certainly not encouraged “fallen-away” Catholics to return either. Even as it trends away from institutionalized belief, the Western world celebrated the newly chosen bishop of Rome. Church bells rang out mid-afternoon in Montreal, the press was abuzz worldwide, and even Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement welcoming the new pope. Despite growing tension between the spiritual individual and the institution, and general indifference toward religion in Europe and North America, we appear to celebrate, and in fact, amplify an event that will not affect many of us at all—Catholic, non-Catholic, or non-

religious. Given the decision to elect a pope only nine years younger than Pope Benedict, it doesn’t appear that the Vatican is interested in making any major differences to the papal post. Though we can only speculate right now, it is likely that the views of the man leading the Church will not align with North America’s 173 million Catholics. If this gap widens, and the Church fails to address issues facing Catholics in North America and Europe, only more followers will lose touch with their faith. While perhaps a decisive geo-political move, the accumulating ignorance toward Western social changes will inevitably hinder the Vatican’s political and religious power in these locations should Pope Francis follow in Benedict’s, and others’, footsteps.

in the workforce. Sandberg invites women to take an introspective approach by calling attention to three points. “Sit at the table”: women tend to attribute their success to external factors, underestimating their capabilities, and thus do not negotiate for themselves in the workforce. “Make your partner a real partner”: in society, men are pushed more to succeed, whereas women tend to take responsibility over house and childcare. This engenders imbalanced relationships, and yields women who are not as invested in their work in contrast to their male counterparts. “Don’t leave before you leave”: when women start to think about having children, they lean back, Sandberg says. They start making room for their child at work when they may not even be pregnant yet. Thus, they do not take on new challenging projects, or accept promo-

tions with more responsibility. As a result, says Sandberg, women find themselves disengaged in their job and have less incentive to return once they become mothers. Reflecting upon my own life, I have been accountable for my own unrealized potential because of behavioural humility. After working as a lifeguard for my municipal district for a year, my boss called me into his office to offer me a promotion to the position of supervisor. To my own surprise, I rescinded the offer because I lacked confidence in my lifeguarding skills, and the failed to realize I was in the ranks of my superiors. In retrospect, I realized that the reason he was offering that position was due to his confidence in my abilities, and belief that I was an asset to the staff. Whether I exhibited the same symptoms that Sandberg diagnosed is debatable. The fact is I don’t have a legitimate reason as to why I turned down that

promotion. A few weeks later, a less experienced male took the position instead. There is much-needed institutional and social change, so that an employee’s ability is not negated by complacent behaviour. However, these changes will not occur as immediately as it is needed. Sandberg’s points offer us suggestions to remedy these partial constructs. She gives us a quick-fix in which we can change our approaches and attitudes. Sandberg asks us to be aware of ourselves—not just girls and women, but everybody whose behaviour is shaped by society—and calls for more self-vigilance. This is what is needed for more successful careers, more deserved recognition and a more representative demographic in every job industry. Women are, without question, the most oppressed group in the world. In any society, women have had to overcome disadvantage, prej-

udice and underestimation. Sandberg’s points address something that is unjust, yet real: certain socially manifested tendencies are constraints to women’s advancement in the workplace, and these preferences are deeply embedded in the employment industry. Thus, one interprets Sandberg’s advice as a change from the inside-out. Once those disadvantaged come into a position of power in which they can change the institutions that oppressed them, social progress can happen. This is very important. Top-tier jobs are an undoubtedly influential factor in the future of invention, innovation, and development. If we continue to dismiss the misrepresentation of minorities, and fail to address the social issues so deeply sanctioned in society, much needed potential progress will be lost in negligence. This is progress we can no longer afford to lose.

science & technology

COMMENTARY

Prescription addiction: Canada’s growing drug problem McGill researchers examine the negative side effects of off-label prescriptions Marlee Vinegar Contributor There’s a drug problem in Canada. Part of it involves the recreational misuse of drugs, but another large aspect stems from drugs that doctors prescribe as treatment. Utilizing drugs for their unintended purposes cause deaths and health consequences throughout the country. Termed “off-label” prescriptions, a study from McGill released last April found that 11 per cent of prescriptions are used to treat illnesses for which they haven’t been approved by Health Canada. The McGill study used the Medical Office of the XXI Century (MOXXI) electronic health records in Quebec to document and link treatment indication to the prescribed drug. The McGill researchers found the underlying causes for off-label prescription to likely be doctors’ lack of knowledge about drugs, and a scarcity of approved or effective medication. It was also found that anticonvulsants (66 per cent), antipsychotics (44 per cent), and antidepressants (33 per cent) are the most commonly used drugs for unregulated purposes. For example, anxiety medication may be prescribed to treat someone with

ASK

By Abhishek Gupta

insomnia. Dr. Robyn Tamblyn, scientific director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and a researcher here at McGill, recognizes that off-label prescriptions are a reality in the health care system, but thinks that there is insufficient research on the topic. Further inquiry is important, she says, because of the drugs’ potentially lethal side effects. The drug tiagabine, for instance, is an anti-convulsive medication, meant to treat seizures; but when used as a treatment for pain, it has the side effect of causing seizures. Another example is a treatment for acne, which has been linked to nine deaths in Canada since 2000 when used as birth control. At the Senate committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology earlier this month, Tamblyn proposed the idea of a monitoring system for regulating drug prescriptions. Despite previous rejection for regulation by Health Canada, Tamblyn will propose the idea to the body again later this month. A major impediment to creating a monitoring system is that, in most provinces, save for Quebec, doctors are not required to indicate what a prescription is for. A monitoring system in the works would require doc-

Dr. Robyn Tamblyn will propose a monitoring system for regulating drug prescriptions to Health Canada later this month. (images.lpcdn.ca, mcgill.ca) tors and pharmacists to make note of whether a drug is off-label, and the reason for prescribing it. Provinces already keep administrative data of which drugs are dispensed to the population. However, some sort of overarching national-level cooperation is crucial to developing this monitoring system. Allowing the provincial databases to share information would help researchers track the effects of drugs, such as if they

SCITECH

How does the internet work? The internet, a network of networks, is often thought to have an ethereal existence—an illusive virtual web that somehow enables a message to travel from your McGill email to an account in London, or a tweet to circulate around the globe. What is surprising, however, is the tangible basis of the internet. Even when a computer is connected to it wirelessly, there is a router sitting somewhere in the vicinity, quietly humming away and sending data back and forth between this virtual web of unimaginable proportions, and the screen in front of you. One of the defining images helpful for visualizing the internet is a huge web that looks strikingly like the Milky Way. This web shows connections between nodes (computers at the ends of a network) as lines that are colour coded to represent communica-

tion protocols (a system of digital messaging formats and rules for exchanging messages between computing systems). This image was conceived by Barrett Lyon in his project called the Opte Project. The plan’s aim was to create an accurate representation of the internet using visual graphics. This iconic image, housed in a permanent collection at the Boston Museum of Science, is in some ways representative of how large the Internet has grown, and its sheer complexity. The history of the internet can be traced back to the founding of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET), which led to the development of protocols for inter-networking, the practice of connecting a computer network with other networks through communication protocols. The first two nodes (computers at the ends of a net-

work) were Leonard Kleinrock’s Network Measurement Centre at UCLA’s School of Engineering and Applied Science and Douglas Engelbart’s NLS System at SRI International in Menlo Park, California. Today, we have not only computers, but also all sorts of devices that can connect to the internet. Smartphones, home automation systems, and GPS make up only a few of the many wired and wireless devices available to us. The physical infrastructure that drives these internet connections ranges from satellites zooming across the globe in outer space, to deep-sea fibre-optic cables that run through the Atlantic. Fibre-optic cables form the backbone of the Internet. Even though the material science and computational technology behind this process is incredibly complicated, the physical process is shockingly simple: light goes in on one end of the ocean and

have negative side effects, or could potentially treat a different condition. From a financial perspective, creating a database may be beneficial for the provinces. Sharing information on the side effects of drugs will allow doctors to avoid causing unintended harm through drug prescription, and allow them to make better use of the resources already at their disposal.

“It will give us a very novel way of looking at the safety and effectiveness of drugs,” said a contributing McGill researcher, Dr. Tewodros Equale, in an interview for AlumniOnlineCommunity. Regulation of off-label prescriptions could lead to the next big medical breakthrough; but the bottom line is that regulating off label prescriptions will help protect the health of Canadians.

comes out on the other. The phenomenon which is known as ‘total internal reflection’ keeps the light from escaping these thin, hairlike strands of glass that serve as conduits for the information which drives our world today. Fibre-optic cables connect through buildings called landing stations that are tucked away inconspicuously in little seaside neighbourhoods. Each of these cables can carry data at astoundingly fast rates, the basic unit being 10 gigabits per second—a thousand times faster than regular home internet connections. Moreover, the bundles of cables have 50 to 60 such wavelengths, and therefore, carry tens of thousands of video streams in parallel, which is essential to keep pace with the rate at which content is growing online—hours of YouTube videos are uploaded, and thousands of pictures are posted on Facebook every second. Such enormous undertakings to create the “physical” internet are not limited to remote corners of the globe. There are about a dozen data centres in the world that consume about as much en-

ergy as the cities that they sit in. A striking example of such a mammoth centre is located at 60 Hudson Street in lower Manhattan. This building, in particular, has more networks of the internet that connect to each other than anywhere else in the world. 60 Hudson Street is an example of that physical intimacy of the internet. It is where the wires from the routers of Facebook, for instance, plug into the wires from the routers of, say, Google. It houses more than half a dozen of the world’s most important networks, in particular the ones that service the undersea cables connecting Europe and North America. Though the internet might seem intangible, these connections are an unequivocally physical process. Science fiction author Neal Stephenson, says that wired people should know something about wires. We, too, should know where the internet—the virtual web that physically connects us all—meets reality.

Curiosity delivers. |

science & technology

| Tuesday, March 26, 2013

SCIENCE

Viruses develop a life of their own

New research demonstrates viruses possess complex immune systems, providing further evidence that they are living

Viruses contain both living and non-living characteristics, making them difficult to classify. (static.ddmcdn) Veronica Rozynek Contributor Researchers have hotly debated the topic of viral classification for the past several decades. While scientists are still undecided as to whether or not viruses should be considered “living,” it is clear that these organisms do not meet the classical definition of life—maintenance of homeostasis, cellular organization, metabolism, growth, adaptation, response to stimuli, and reproduction. Viruses are complicated assemblies of molecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids; however, they lack

some of the defining characteristics of life, such as the ability to replicate without the assistance of a host cell. Recently, researchers have encountered convincing evidence that demonstrates that viruses may possess more complex immune systems than previously explored. This discovery adds to the ambiguity surrounding the nature of viruses, and presents the possibility that viruses may be gradually evolving into living organisms. In an interview with Discovery News, Andrew Camilli, a molecular biology and microbiology professor at the Tufts University

School of Medicine, noted that his recent research with cholera bacteria might possibly add to the argument that viruses exist as living entities. Camilli’s research focused on the feasibility of this bacteria’s role as a viral predator. However, while analyzing DNA sequences of phages taken from stool samples of Bangladeshi cholera patients in the lab, postdoctoral fellow Kimberley Seed was presented with persuasive evidence that could potentially accelerate the virus’s classification as a living species. Seed discovered genes in these phages, usually present only in a fully operative immune system of different types of bacteria. In search for further evidence, Seed and her fellow team conducted experiments with viruses that did and did not contain immune related genes to infect another new strain of cholera bacteria. The results demonstrated that only the phages with a fully functional immune system were able to successfully kill the cholera bacteria. The team also conducted research demonstrating that viruses have the capacity to acquire the immune systems of bacteria dur-

ing their primary stage of infection. Essentially, the virus acts like a thief that invades the home of another living organism, stealing its efficient immune system, and transforming it, so that it is capable of providing an immunologic function for the virus itself. In NBC’s interview with Gustavo Caetano-Anollés, a researcher at the University of Illinois, further evidence was presented in favour of the virus as a life form. In Caetano-Anollés’ lab, researchers conducted a census of protein folds, present in over 1,000 organisms. They sampled from the three conventional branches of life: bacteria, eukaryotes, and microbes. Different types of large viruses were also present in the study, in order to compare their genomes with genomes of the different life forms sampled. The proteins and enzymes found in the viruses rivaled some of those of bacteria. For example, a virus called Crov, which originates in the ocean contains genes that repair themselves. Moreover, the virus may produce sugars that aid in the repair of its genome, and this allows it to gain more control over

the equipment in host cells that allow the virus to replicate itself. The research team also looked at the different characteristic features of life forms, and compared them to the structure of a virus. They found several ancient protein folds—present in different living organisms, also in the viruses examined—which exhibited more proof that a virus contains the origins of life. While the ongoing debate has caused many scientists to ponder over whether viruses are more than simple genetic material, recent advancements are proof enough that viruses may be gradually, but efficiently moving towards being classified as a form of life. On one hand, they are considered parasites because they require the bodies of host cells to survive. However, viruses meet all of the requirements of life when living within the host cells, so some researchers have gone as far to classify them as the simplest living organisms. As for now, in the midst of controversy, viruses seem to exist in a purgatory between living and non-living, containing characteristics from both classifications.

on Women’s research t h g i l t o Extreme, observable physics Sp Tracy Yuen Contributor In honour of “Women’s Month,” the Tribune is profiling different female researchers at McGill, and the story behind their work. Imagine walking into a classroom filled entirely with people of the opposite gender. McGill Physics Professor Dr. Victoria Kaspi remembers her shock at the overwhelmingly male cohort during her undergraduate studies at McGill. While a part of the minority, her gender was never an issue until she started graduate school. During her university orientation, she attended a “Women in Physics” luncheon. At the time, Kaspi was surprised by the need for such an event, but in retrospect, she sees it as a hint of the challenges she would later face in her career. As a faculty member, Kaspi is more aware of these issues than she was as a student, and she is not alone. The need to address gender inequal-

ity in the physics department is also felt by her colleagues. The department started a “Women in Physics” program that aims to mentor and foster the community of women in the field. Through organizing various speaker events, including breakfasts featuring host speakers from other universities, students can learn more about the challenges faced by, and opportunities available to women in physics. What’s more, these events provide students with the chance to hear about the career paths of other female physicists, building a stronger sense of community amongst the women enrolled in the physical sciences at McGill, and their professors. At the faculty level, the proportion of female professors in the physics department at McGill is higher than average. While the department is always interested in more female applicants, Kaspi stressed that there’s no compromising on quality. “Ultimately, it comes down to research excellence, and teaching ability,” Kaspi said. With over 200 publications and numerous scientific awards, Dr. Kaspi

embodies both of these qualities. Along with her role as a physics professor, she holds the positions of the Lorne Trottier Chair in Astrophysics and Cosmology, Canada Research Chair in Observational Astrophysics, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society, a group of scientists, engineers and technologists from the UK and the Commonwealth, all of whom are elected for life on the basis of excellence in science. Kaspi’s research focuses on neutron stars—highly dense stars that are the close cousins of black holes. “It’s a way to study something in an extreme environment, and [with] extreme properties: extremely high density, such that it’s higher than the atomic nucleus; extremely high gravity, so that regular gravity as described by Newton doesn’t work—you need Einstein’s theory of relativity, and extreme magnetic fields, highest in the universe and stars,” Kaspi explained. “You get to study a lot of extreme physics, but [neutron stars] are observable, so it’s not like a black hole, which is hard to observe.” One subject of Kaspi’s research is pulsars, a type of neutron star charac-

As a faculty member, Kaspi recognizes the challenges faced by female physics students. (Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune) terized by the light they emit at precise time intervals. Based on Kaspi’s research, these stars could potentially act as beacons to guide spaceship navigation in the future. “They rotate really fast and with a beam of light, almost like a lighthouse,” said Kaspi. On top of her impressive research accomplishments, Kaspi is also the mother of three young children. She commented that while she has now struck a great work-life balance, juggling her children with her career was one of the hardest challenges in her

life that she has faced—and one she never anticipated. While Kaspi points out the challenges of being a female in the field of physics, she does not mean it as a deterrent. Her career has allowed her to travel all over the world, and engage in amazing opportunities. “[I’ve been to] mountain peaks in Chile, and spent months in the outback of Australia,” Kaspi recalled, noting that she has also met amazing colleagues through her work. “I feel totally blessed doing it, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Beyond Medicine: Battling the Disease of Linguistic Discrimination in Quebec

workers, made no effort to accommodate to our language discrepancy. Whenever I asked her a question, she would reply to me in French. Then, informing her that I could not understand what she was saying and requesting English, she replied, “Yeah, I can, but you speak too fast.” Aside from the illogical nature of responding to someone in a different language as a punishment for his or her apparent speediness when talking, keep in mind that the swelling of my throat forced me to utter only a couple of words at a time, stretching my mouth as open as possible to annunciate words without igniting too much discomfort. Ten minutes after I asked to have a caretaker that I could communicate with, I was removed from my single room, which was directly across from the nurse’s station, to the back corner of a narrow hallway right in front of a door. As the nurse stormed away from our heated attempt at trying to speak to one another, I assumed her frustrations would be eased by a break or a breath of fresh air—not by forcing me out of my room altogether. When the hospital staff pushed my bed to its new location, she sarcastically waved and smiled goodbye to me. One would assume that the snobbery elicited from using the English language in a typically French area would be limited to places such as restaurants, clothing stores, and government offices—in other words, places where clear communication could not mean the difference between life and death. My tumultuous encounter with the nurse had given me a new perspective of language discrimination for Anglophones in Quebec. I wanted answers. It began with a quest for stories similar to mine. Telling my hospital-gone-bad story to friends and fellow students, tales ranged from one student recalling a time he hopped in a cab to get to the closest hospital, HôtelDieu, and a cab driver warning him that, although it was further, driving the extra mile to the Royal Victoria Hospital would be much better, considering his lack of French. Most other students interviewed attended Royal Victoria Hospital instead as well, regardless of its distance from their homes. As one student put it, “I feel more comfortable [at Royal Victoria] because I know it’s associated with the school, so I just assume there will be English speakers there. Although the search for a first-hand account similar to my own yielded returns in which most students talked about intense wait times, further research proves that language discrimination in Montreal hospitals is significant in the field of medical ethics today. “Dialogue McGill,” a two-day conference held this March to explore communication issues in Canada’s health care system addressed the question of language minorities—especially those who speak English—in Quebec. Keynote speaker Antonia Maioni, associate professor of the department of political science, stressed the strong relationship between health care and politics, emphasizing that changes in the greater Canadian political climate are bound to spill over and affect health care services, noting that “these language questions don’t exist in a vacuum.” She pointed out that in order to fully understand the complexities of protecting minorities in public services, such as health care, broadening the lens of analysis to account for the country as a whole is essential for understanding. Specifically, Maioni believes the current federal

By Colleen McNamara

t began as your typical run-of-the-mill wintery sore throat. The slightly inflamed tonsils, scratchy throat, and minor shivers did not prove worthy of a lengthy emergency room wait, much less a painfully early morning, cued up in the cold to snag an appointment slot at the McGill clinic. But a couple of days of home remedies including Halls, fluids, and multivitamins failed to ward off the storm brewing in my brain. As pain increased and the sensation of thick skin amassed from the bottom of my nose to the top of my collarbone, the inability to distinguish my chin from my face or neck pushed me out the door towards the nearest hospital, Hôtel-Dieu. As the Canadian healthcare algorithm goes, the more serious the issue, the shorter the wait time. I waited only a few minutes between my examination by the triage nurse and my meeting with the emergency room doctor. Taking a look at my throat, he spewed out a multitude of causes for the colony of lymph nodes protruding before him, comically casting my throat as “Nothing like I’ve ever seen in my 25 years of work!” and inviting all residents over to take a look at my freakishly swollen face and neck. My first impressions of the hospital were nothing but positive. Clean, accommodating, friendly and efficient— what more could one ask for in such a vulnerable physical state? I was attended to by pleasant health care professionals, each assuring me that I would be able to fully open my mouth sometime soon, that this vial of blood should be the last, and that the intravenous would do its job. However, an inability to pinpoint the infection that plagued me extended my stay at the hospital from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. While the prolonged visit allowed me to emerge from the hospital healthier and with a heavy dose of antibiotics flowing through my veins, it also became the first time I felt the weight of discrimination. At first, everything was going fine, until my English-accommodating roster bequeathed to their homes for a rest in between shifts. When dealing with them, the doctors, nurses, and I would meet each other half way with broken versions of French and English to come to an understanding. One nurse even sought out another co-worker to do my blood work because of her inability to communicate with me. But the new night nurse assigned to me, unlike her co-

Illustration By Ben Ko

government’s lack of special interest in social policy, combined with its tendency to stay out of provincial matters cultivates a “phantom federalism” in which the government will only pop up into matters as needed. This, mixed with the Parti-Québécois’ focus on keeping provincial doors tightly closed, and Canada out of Quebec’s health care, jeopardizes the protection of minority rights in a publicly funded service. In essence, this lack of leadership on the part of the federal government, Maioni believes, has a high impact on minorities. Despite health care services being a provincial matter, the country’s commitment to spending so much public money on providing health care services insinuates the promise of an equitable service; if all persons are expected to shell out cash for a service, they must have equal rights, and equal services. In an effort to confront the challenges of providing equitable health care, health care professionals and researchers in the field are seeking to implement innovative strategies to accommodate for the fact that, upon arriving to Canada, 42 per cent of immigrants speak neither English nor French. Preliminary findings in research conducted by Eric Jarvis, Rana Ahmed, Andrew G. Ryder, and Laurence Kirmayer presented at Dialogue McGill suggest that language discrepancies in the Quebec health care system have a lasting impact: patients are less likely to return for additional care, or follow-up appointments if they speak a minority language. Considering this, the discoveries suggest that, although health care in Quebec and Canada is fundamentally a publicly provided service, only a portion of the population feels comfortable reaping the benefits. While the statistics may cast a negative shadow over Canada’s already scrutinized health care system, practical solutions can be put in place to lessen the impact for minority language speakers in Quebec. Jarvis et. al suggest employing different avenues for professional interpreters to make themselves available on-site for clinicians and patients. Similarly, inducting new language teaching materials for nurses to boost confidence and efficiency in communicating in second or third languages will pave way for a clearer exchange. Elizabeth Gatbonton and Leif French of Concordia University, and University of Quebec at Chicoutimi respectively, call for a greater focus on garnering confident language abilities for nurses today, noting that in an already highly-sensitive communicative sphere, providing nurses with practical language tools will increase effectiveness in patient to clinician relationships. In the complicated abyss of Canadian public healthcare, the fundamental feature of its true purpose is often forgotten: caring for the health of someone, and in doing so, considering all individual aspects that this encompasses in order to provide the best treatment possible. Further, in the midst of an increasingly tumultuous linguistic playing field in Quebec, public services that are contributed by all must be equitable in access. As Maioini eloquently put it at the conclusion of her keynote address, we must not forget the most basic principle of what health care means, and why it is such an integral value to Canada at large. “Health care is beyond medicine,” she said. “Health care is about taking care of people— their language and culture are essential to their overall health.”

42 per cent of immigrants speak neither English nor French They are less likely to return for follow up if speaker of minority language Few linguistically diverse patients are currently offered the services of an interpreter As of now, few language teaching materials are specifically designed for nurses to better communicate with linguistic minorities

Student living Mug Cake Recipes

Sometimes you just need something sweet, but you may not have the time to make a batch of cookies, let alone an entire cake. Thankfully, through years of baking I have discovered microwavable mug cakes. I was first introduced to the concept by my grandmother, who gave me her own chocolate mug cake recipe. He recipe is tried and true, but the opportunities are endless. For a quick, simple, and delicious treat, a mug is all the equipment you’ll need! By Alycia Noë

Coffee Cake:

Bubbie’s Famous Chocolate Cake: 3 tbsp. canola oil 3 tbsp. milk 1 egg ¼ tsp. vanilla extract 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour 4 tbsp. sugar 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder 3 tbsp. chocolate chips Method: In a mug, combine oil, milk, egg, and vanilla. Add flour, sugar, and cocoa powder. Stir chocolate chips into mixture. Microwave for 2 minutes.

www.cookingclassy.com

Banana Bread:

Cake: 1 tbsp. unsalted butter 2 tbsp. sugar ½ beaten egg 2 tbsp. milk 1/8 tsp. vanilla ¼ cup all-purpose flour 1/8 tsp. baking powder

5 ½ tbsp. all-purpose flour ¼ tsp. baking powder 4 tbsp. sugar ¼ tsp. cinnamon 2 tbsp. plain Greek yogurt 1 egg 4 tbsp. milk ½ mashed banana

Crumb topping: 1 tbsp. unsalted butter 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour 1 tbsp. dark brown sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon

Method: Stir all ingredients together in a mug until mixture is smooth. Microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds.

Method: In a mug, soften butter in the microwave for 10 seconds. Stir in sugar until consistency is creamy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla. Combine with flour and baking powder. In a separate bowl, mix together ingredients for crumb topping. Add crumb topping to mixture in mug. Microwave for 1 minute and 20 seconds.

Spring 2013: The Top Ten After a flourish of fashion weeks in the greatest cities in the world (New York, Paris, London, Milan, and of course, Montreal), spring is brimming with new trends that are sure to revamp your wardrobe. Here are the top ten.

Serious Stripes

Feeling too timid to try some of fashion’s most daring trends? Never fear—spring’s big, bold, uncomplicated stripes certainly took a prominence on the runways this season. Worn with denim, they’ll be classic girl-next-door; with navy, they’ll be nautical; worn head-to-toe, (in moderation!) you’ll be the star of the show. Make sure your stripes are minimal and slim; ones that are too big won’t be chic!

Peekaboo Cutouts

This season, you won’t have any problems finding the perfect date night outfit—daring cutouts, sky-high slits, and sheer fabrics are all the rage. Designers like BCBG and Diane von Furstenberg loved this trend, and you can be sure to find more cutout pieces at Topshop, Editorial, or online at ASOS.com and NastyGal.com.

Put Your Back Into It

A plain sweater can transform into a fashion statement when there’s a little detail at the back. In Aritzia’s new spring collection, back detail is just brimming off the shelves! Whether it’s a scooped, low-cut back, or just a slit from the bottom, you’ll be sure to steal the spotlight. Local retailers such as Zara, Urban Outfitters, and Forever XXI have taken on this sultry trend as well. The best part? There’s a cutout for every body shape (and level of modesty).

Amazing Lace

After countless seasons of hype both on and off the runway, lace continues to be a major fashion trend. Used both as a subtle accent or the main attraction, it can be suited to any style. Go for the Kate Middleton, classic ladylike lace look, or channel your inner Rihanna, and wear it as an edgy, provocative piece.

Statement Sunglasses

As the sunny days get longer, a pair of sunglasses not only protects your eyes, but makes for a huge style statement. This season, sunglasses in every shape and size hit the runway, each one bolder than the last. Even the plainest of outfits will burst with

style when you add a pair of edgy sunnies. Beyoncé’s Prada Baroque sunglasses are one of the most notable this season—so why not channel your inner Queen B?

For the Love of Ruffles

Flirty ruffles are everywhere from sleeves to hemlines on the spring runways of Balenciaga, Ralph Lauren, and Gucci. Used thoughtfully and in unexpected ways, the latest ruffle trend isn’t only for the typical girly-girl. Our favourite ruffle, called the anemone neckline—since it resembles the flowers of the same name—makes ravishing waves that outline the entire neckline of dresses and tops.

Fresh Floral

The freshest of flowers are no longer simply muted or hidden in abstract prints. This season, bright and bold floral prints were blooming at full capacity on spring’s runways. For an off-the-runway look, try silk floral shorts, or an edgy black top with floral embellishments. Look for this fresh trend at Forever XXI, BCBG, and aritzia.com.

Imagse from scene7.com, supre. com, westblvd.com, fansshare.com

singing-blue.blogspot.com

By Karen Chen

Luxe Leather

Always a classic, a luxe leather piece is a definite spring staple for your wardrobe. Minimal and chic, the newest leather pieces that stormed the runway looked modern and relevant. Invest in a leather skater skirt, or a peplum top for that extra fashionista mile. Find this trend at American Apparel, or online at NastyGal.com.

Black and White

Spring trends may typically consist of pastels and delicate prints, but this season, designers like Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang and Jason Wu shone the spotlight on strong black-and-white looks. Fitting to wear all year round, easy to pull off at any price tag, and sleek enough to go from your evening lecture to a hot date, this trend is the definition of wearable.

Pointed Toes

Sexy ’90s pointed toe shoes are back, and have been modernized with dainty ankle straps and ladylike heels. Tired of your fourinch pumps? Re-invent your spring wardrobe with a pair of these shoes with slouchy boyfriend jeans or Bermuda shorts to brunch with your girlfriends.

Back detail, Lace, Pointed toe shoes, and Statement sunglasses.

Curiosity delivers. |

student living

| Tuesday, March 26, 2013

advice column

Got problems? E-mail us at

studentliving@mcgilltribune.com. Serves ??

Ask

y b b i r T

Dear Tribby, I’ve been dating this girl for a couple of months, and I’m just not into it any more. I want to break things off, but I’m pretty sure she thinks things are a lot more serious than they really are. We have a few of the same friends, and I don’t want to look like the bad guy here. How do I end it, but still let her down easy? —Trying to be a Nice Guy Dear “Nice Guy,” Breaking up with a girl from the same group of friends is always tough. First thing’s first: my advice for you is to take her out to a place where you can be left alone to talk things out rationally. If she seems to be taking the relationship more seriously than you are; you guys need some serious work on your communication. Don’t ignore her or go MIA to break it off. Since both of you have mutual friends and you don’t want to mess up this friendship, you should just talk it out. Maybe she isn’t as into the relationship as you thought she was, or perhaps she’s thought of ending it as well. The bottom line is to communicate. Tell her how you feel, and what you want. Don’t be afraid to tell her the truth—it’ll hurt more if at the end. both of you suffer from a messy breakup, especially if things end up ruining the friendship along with it. That said, ending a relationship is never easy, so don’t expect her to take it particularly well when you do tell her. But if you still want to be friends with her, use your actions over your words. Prove to her that you are a “nice guy” and that being friends would work for both of you. If dating her had been lots of fun, then there must be something about her personality that you like—which means that being friends can also be a lot of fun. Remember, just because you break up with her doesn’t mean that you two will never talk to each other again, or that your friends will think of you as a jerk. If you still want to stay friends, or at least in friendly terms with her, then you will have to work at it. Yours truly,

Tribby

Dear Tribby, I’m trying to figure out if I should stay in Montreal or not this summer! I could just go back to Edmonton and work my usual summer job, but a few of my friends are staying here and want me to as well. I don’t think I could find a job that’s as well-paid, but I could take summer courses, and I’ve always heard the city’s beautiful that time of year. —Should I stay or should I go? Dear “Should I stay or should I go?” Stop this second and ask yourself, “what do I want?” Sure, your friends are staying in Montreal for the summer, and it would be fun to explore the city and hangout with them, but do you really want to stay? If none of your friends were staying in Montreal for the summer, would you still stay? If the answer is no, then I think your opinion might be mostly influenced by what your friends are doing. If you can get a better job back home in Edmonton, why not go home for the summer, and hang out with family, or use the time to catch up with old high school friends? However, if you feel like you want a change from your usual summer job, staying in Montreal is a great experience. You’ll encounter the part of Montreal that you don’t see during the cold harsh winters, with great outdoor activities, like the Jazz festival. But first, do some more research on jobs and summer courses in Montreal. Make sure you plan out your break before you decide where to go. I’m sure there are plenty of opportunities for you in Montreal, but you will need to take the time, and do your homework on this. As for summer courses, look online, and see what courses are available, and which ones interest you. Check Minerva to find out what summer courses McGill is offering, or go talk to an advisor about classes from other universities that will still give you credit for your degree. Just be careful you don’t end up accidentally taking courses that won’t give you transfer credits. Either way, don’t rush this decision. For instance, it might not be a bad idea to talk to your parents about it. Do they have any family plans for the summer? Also, think about the cost of either choice—would going home and working at your usual summer job be cheaper? Or would staying in Montreal to take summer courses be more economical? Keep in mind, the two options aren’t mutually exclusive. You could always just take a few courses in May, and then go home and work at your usual summer job if that works out. Yours truly,

Tribby

Long Weekend Lowdown

By Karen Chen

As sunny hours begin to stretch long into the evening, spring is right at our fingertips. It’s hard to find the motivation to finish that paper or lab that’s due next week—let alone begin studying for finals. The long weekends of Easter and Passover are upon us with their extra tempting days of relaxation, so here are some tips on how to handle your workload without falling (too far) behind.

BE ORGANIZED

Whether you’re planning to spend your nights blowing off steam, or having some quality family time at home, planning ahead will ease the stress that will inevitably come after your long weekend. Identify your main goals for the week following the break, and try to get major projects and timesensitive work out of the way before you go out. Make sure to break tasks up into chunks—don’t try to do everything in one day. Allow yourself to work a little bit over the span of the four days, so you still have time to go out, or catch a few extra hours of sleep.

BE REALISTIC

Plan out how long it should take to get an assignment done. When it comes to time management, we often set ourselves overly optimistic goals. Be honest with yourself when it comes to planning a schedule. Make an effort to follow it, and don’t waste time on those tempting Facebook pages (we know you want to check Overheard at McGill). If you feel like you might need some help with your self-control, you can always try out apps like StayFocusd or Self Control that block your site usage for a certain amount of time.

SET AN ALARM The McGill Tribune is looking for members for its 20132014 editorial board! We are now accepting edi-

tor applications for the following sections:

News, Opinion, Student Living, Science & Technology, Features, Arts & Entertainment, Sports, Design, Photo, Copy, and Social Media, as well as for Creative Director.

To apply, send three relevant writing, photo, or design samples, a CV and a cover letter to editor@mcgilltribune.com by Tuesday, March 26 at 5pm. Please direct any questions to Elisa Muyl at editor@mcgilltribune.com.

With a long weekend ahead of you, it’s tempting to just forget about your alarm, and let yourself wake up when you want to. This is a bad idea—when you end up waking up at three in the afternoon, you’ll have wasted the entire morning and afternoon. Set a reasonable time for yourself and allow yourself enough hours in a day to work before you

decide to relax or go out. If you’re spending a night out with friends, or even at a family celebration, then be careful about the time you want to get home. If you come back in the late hours of the evening, chances are, it’ll be impossible to get up the next day. You can ditch your alarm in five weeks for the post-exam coma.

CHANGE IT UP

Work becomes tedious and boring when you’re at McLennan or Schulich on the same floor all the time. Spice up your study space and go to a different location—the Law Library, Presse Café, and Chapters make great alternate study spots. You might be more inclined to go somewhere different if you bring a friend along—just make sure the two of you can actually get work done together. If you’re going home for the weekend, know which places you can and cannot work in. If it’s impossible to get something done in your room, go to a local library or Starbucks.

EAT WHILE YOU WORK

Got your attention yet? Who doesn’t like food—and it can be beneficial too, especially when you’re working! Having something healthy like a fruit salad, a smoothie, or nuts can actually sharpen your focus and improve memory. Be creative with your snacks. Try “ants on a log”—celery with peanut butter and a few raisins on top. And while it may be tempting, it’s important to avoid greasy or fried foods like chips, fries, and donuts because they will make you sleepy and groggy— save those guilty treats for the party tonight!

Image from desireemahr.wordpress.com

arts & entertainment Interview

McGill student brings Seattle sensibility to the Montreal music scene Celebrating his album release today, Schulich student Antoine Martel discusses his influences and ambitions Evie Kaczmarek Contributor It seems that Seattle has delivered yet another gem to the Montreal music scene. Up-and-coming singer-songwriter and McGill music student Antoine Martel, who hails from the rainy city, recognizes the long line of talent that has arisen from his hometown. Leading a self-named band, Martel laughs as he lists the great number of his musical influences that happen to be from his hometown—Fleet Foxes, Eddie Vedder, and The Head & the Heart, to name just a few. Martel’s folk rock album, Cough Drops in Autumn, has a calming acoustic sound, with complementing elements of classical and jazz. It is clear that Martel’s extensive musical training has had an impact on his songwriting. His compositions are far from ordinary. They are detail oriented, and clearly musically complex, replete with intricate melodies, woodwind, and fiddle solos, and topped off with his

powerful lyricism. As a child, Martel’s parents always encouraged him to get involved in the arts. He began classical piano training at age five, and continued for 11 years. Although these lessons gave him an unmatchable musical foundation, his motivation was low at the time. “I didn’t actually like [piano], which is strange to think back upon now,” he chuckles. After years of arguments over practicing, his parents made him a deal: he could quit, as long as he promised to pick up another instrument. So Martel finished learning one last piano piece, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and made a quick switch to guitar. Now, five years later, Martel is studying music composition at McGill’s prestigious Schulich School of Music, where he finds himself surrounded by an immense amount of talent. “My band members are all way better musicians than me,” he humbly admits, saying that he only needs to bring his songs to them once be-

fore they are ready to perform. He raves over his band, which consists entirely of McGill musicians: Guillaume Pilote on drums, Alan Mackie on bass, Neil Heaton on piano, Alex Cherney on guitar, Devin LaCasce on flute, and Gareth Dicker on violin. Martel himself leads on guitar and vocals. Martel draws inspiration from the city of Montreal, and his experiences as a student. “Montreal has shaped this album in a lot of ways,” he says. Two tracks on his new album, “The Fire” and “How Things Change” were actually inspired by a funny experience he had as a first year student. In March 2011, a fire broke out in New Residence Hall, only a few floors directly above Martel’s dorm room. As a result of the damage, he and 17 other inhabitants were relocated out of residence for a month, and given temporary rooms at the downtown Delta hotel. “I had this great balcony [at the Delta],” Martel says. “I sat on that balcony, and wrote a lot of tunes.” He is similarly sanguine when

McGill’s own Antoine Martel. (Wendy Chen / The McGill Tribune) discussing his music writing process. “It changes … but it usually involves me with my acoustic guitar, around four in the morning, not being able sleep,” Martel says. “That’s where most of the things start happening.” He confesses that writing lyrics is the most difficult step for him, crediting Ben Harper and Alexi Murdoch as two artists he looks to for inspiration. Though Martel is continuing to write and record, he’s mainly looking to get his music out there.

“You can have it for free, I really don’t care,” he jokes as he talks about his new album. What’s next for Martel? He continues to enjoy all that Montreal has to offer, including places to perform. It’s evident that his future is bright, as he works to join the ranks of the other brilliant Seattle born musicians before him. Coughdrops in Autumn is available online, pay what you can. Album release show on Mar. 28, 8 p.m., at L’Alize (900 Ontario est). Tickets $5.

Opera

Mozart opera production toots its own flute

Vibrant performances shine through despite lacklustre backdrop projections in Opera McGill’s staging of The Magic Flute Carolina Millán Ronchetti Managing Editor Mozart meets the Industrial Revolution in Opera McGill’s final production of the 2012-2013 season, The Magic Flute—a joint performance with McGill’s Chamber Orchestra in Pollack Hall, presented on Mar. 21 and 23. In the celebrated opera, Prince Tamino wanders into a distant land, and is asked by the grief-stricken Queen of Night to rescue her daughter Pamina from the evil Sarastro. Accompanied by the bird catcher Papageno, Tamino begins a fantastical journey, in which he learns about the importance of virtue, brotherhood, and love in this allegory of the Enlightenment. The performance of the all-

student opera company is marked by strong characterization. From the sass of the Queen’s three ladies, to the playful child-spirits, the performers bring considerable enthusiasm and humour to the fairy tale opera. Ginette Grenier’s complex costume design adds a steampunk aesthetic that helps most characters stand out from the bare stage. Only the Masonic priests seem less dignified than their roles require, dressed in Victorian overalls, while the wise King Sarastro barely stands out from the rest of his priests. Vincent Lefebvre’s set is minimalist, with a very sparse use of props. Rather, images projected onto a large screen behind the orchestra set the scene, displaying different environments as metaphors for the various characters. For example, the

Queen of Night’s realm is a frigid snowscape, while Sarastro’s singing brings spring. Although the concept has potential, the execution is shaky. The images projected onto the screen are disappointingly pixelated; obviously looping videos distract from the action on stage. Additionally, the choice of imagery used to portray Sarastro’s Masonic Temple of Reason mostly consists of turning gears, grinding clockwork, and ambiguous shapes, failing to create a sense of location for much of the performance. Opera McGill director Patrick Hansen continuously toys with the separation between the audience and the performance, with actors often singing from the centre of the auditorium. Lighting by Serge Filiatrault also plays a role in this breakdown

of boundaries, as lights are projected on the sides of the auditorium in addition to the main stage. Perhaps a response to the spatial challenge of sharing the stage with the orchestra, this artistic decision keeps the audience engaged, and even amused, as when one of the three child-spirits tugs playfully at the suit of conductor Boris Brott. Having the orchestra on stage further allows the audience to become more aware of the musicians, and their role in the opera. Under Brott’s artistic direction, McGill’s Chamber Orchestra executes the acclaimed score flawlessly, without upstaging the talented members of Opera McGill. Papageno (Geoffrey Penar) steals the show with his refreshingly comical performance, all the while executing a challenging score. Rebecca

Woodmass also shines as the Queen of Night, impressing the audience with the strength of her delivery of one of the most famous arias of all time. Her thunderous portrayal of the crutch-holding Queen surrounded by bodyguards adds layers of depth to the role. Aaron Sheppard plays a gentle Tamino, and displays much chemistry with soprano Vanessa Oude-Reimerink’s charming Pamina. Opera McGill’s rendition of The Magic Flute chooses to emphasize the comedic rather than the philosophical in Mozart’s masterpiece. Although the set leaves much to be desired, the talent on stage carried the performance with humour, and ultimately succeeds at creating a performance as refreshing as its ensemble.

could be good Poetry Festival Mile End Poets’ Festival

Performance Art 19 Works

Film The Act of Killing

Concert Sigur Rós

Film Landscape and Technology: Chris Welsby

The third edition of this neighbourhood festival includes music, poetry, and dance performances in a variety of Mile End venues.

Concordia’s Intermedia/Cyberarts program presents 19 artworks by students, including live performances, videos, and interactive installations.

Director Joshua Oppenheimer focuses on black market movie-ticket dealers turned genocidal executioners in the wake of a 1965 military coup in Indonesia.

Icelandic ambient act Sigur Rós play one of Montreal’s biggest venues, in the wake of announcing their new album Kveikur last Friday.

Originally a painter and art student from England, Chris Welsby emerged in the ’70s with his landscape films, which have been shown at galleries worldwide.

Festival kickoff Thursday, Mar. 28, 8:30 p.m., Café Resonance (5175a Ave. du Parc). Admission $8.

Friday, Mar. 29, 7 p.m., La Elastica (4602 St. Laurent). Admission is free.

Thursday, Mar. 28, 7 p.m., Cinéma Excentris (3536 St. Laurent). Student tickets $8.50.

Wednesday, Mar. 27, 8:00 p.m., Bell Centre (1909 Montreal Canadiens Ave). Tickets $63.00.

Saturday, Mar. 30, 9 p.m., Cinémathèque Québécoise (335 Maisonneuve). Student tickets $7.

Curiosity delivers. |

arts & entertainment

| Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Film

A portrait of the artist as a cranky old man Bert Stern: Original Mad Man is a deeply flawed yet intriguing portrait of a man who indelibly left his mark Diana Wright Contributor Before Don Draper, there was Bert Stern—a man who forever shaped the way we looked at consumer products. Bert Stern: Original Mad Man takes an intimate look at one of the most influential fashion and celebrity photographers of the 20th century. Stern was a pioneer in the field of commercial photography, reimagining advertisements and fashion magazines alike with a modern and minimalistic eye. The documentary closely examines Stern’s life, but often its story is sequentially unfocused. It shifts from the present day, replete with lawsuits and the travails of old age, to the past, by way of Stern’s memories. Stern undoubtedly lived an extraordinary life, and is still lively and entertaining at the age of 94. Known primarily for shooting The Last Sitting of Marilyn Monroe six weeks before her death, Stern is a self-professed womanizer, who claims that women are his “favourite thing in the world.” Starting out as the assistant to an art director at an advertising firm in New York City, Stern eventually moved into the realm of fashion and celebrity photography. This is what he is best known for today, having

The vaulted subject of Bert Stern: Original Mad Man. (www.floridafilmfestival.com)

shot Monroe, Twiggy, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and more recently, Kate Moss and Lindsay Lohan—the latter in an infamous recreation of The Last Sitting— throughout his long career. The movie details Stern’s relationships with many women, but most notably his volatile marriage to American ballet dancer Allegra Kent. The focus on women lends

the film an almost misogynistic tone, as it appears that instead of loving women and praising them in his pictures, Stern instead used the medium of photography to dominate and own them. Although Stern is not an unlikeable subject, some of his opinions are dated and sexist, and sit uncomfortably with a modern audience. Director Shannah Laumeister is

a close friend of Stern’s, and sometimes her relationship with the legendary photographer gets in the way of the film’s narrative. For example, the documentary tends to focus on their oddly sexual yet platonic friendship, instead of the more interesting, dynamic aspects of Stern’s life, such as his beginnings in advertising, and his relationship with his family. Removing the sections that feature Laumeister and her relationship with Stern would have created a much more focused and consistent direction for the film. The director’s close relationship with the subject also allows for a large amount of bias, as more unsavoury (yet important) aspects of Stern’s personality and life are only casually revealed near the end of the documentary, only to be immediately swept away. One of the most notable examples of this is Stern’s descent into mental illness in the ’70s, which is framed in a bizarre way that undermines the severity of the breakdown. Instead of portraying Stern’s illness as a cautionary tale against heavy drug use, its importance is downplayed. Similarly, Stern’s estranged relationship with one of his daughters is hinted at near the end of the film, but her absence is given absolutely no explanation from Stern himself—

Laumeister simply skims over the surface, instead of exposing any true familial emotion beneath Stern’s tough exterior. Interestingly, Stern’s son is not interviewed in the film, for reasons that also go unacknowledged and unexplained. Despite the documentary’s subject’s extremely exciting life, Bert Stern: Original Mad Man becomes depressing. “I shouldn’t have been so happy [when I was young], I should have saved it for now … when I need it,” Stern states in the film. It seems that even with all of his experiences within the world of celebrity, the lack of close personal relationships in Stern’s life has come back to haunt him. His isolation is a topic which is conspicuously missing from the film, and it might be the cause of his estranged relationship with at least one of his children. It’s unfortunate—although he caught many beautiful moments on film, Bert Stern seems to have neglected to pursue them in his own life outside his studio. Bert Stern: Original Mad Man opens Mar. 29 at Cinema du Parc (3575 Avenue du Parc).

Interview

Breakout Montreal comedian aims for baskets of laughter Concordia marketing graduate takes a chance with a self-produced show this Easter weekend Jack Tokarz Contributor Comedy is not typically thought of as a strenuous field. Performers go on stage, talk for a few minutes about their lives, and get paid. However, Andrew Searles, the energetic and affable comedian performing a special show called C’est Moi! C’est Chocolat! at Théâtre Sainte Catherine this weekend, does much more than the average performer. A recent marketing graduate from Concordia University, Searles has always possessed a love for comedy performance. After graduating, he decided to follow this passion, and bravely committed to an attempt to break through the glass ceiling of professional comedy in Canada. Although he admits the decision to deter the acquisition of a “real career” was also strongly influenced by a love for “sleeping until 1 p.m. and then watching Fresh Prince all day,” he has been working tirelessly to stand out in stand-up.

Even so, creating a reputation is “time-consuming and mentally exhausting,” says Searles. Even after several years of surviving purely off his performance, he is frustrated by clubs’ refusal to let him perform his own special show, one dear to his heart. So he personally rented out Théâtre Sainte Catherine, set up the entire weekend, arranged opening acts, and marketed the upcoming event in an attempt to circumvent big business and succeed independently. His material ranges from his own lifestyle as a visible minority in Canada, to the antics of female “army units” in clubs. During the brief interview, he effortlessly caught this writer out of breath with laughter due to his quick wit and eloquence. However, he explained that being funny is not enough to be a comedian. “You have to be flexible and adapt to the audience,” says Searles. “If they’re older, don’t talk about Facebook. If they laugh at a dick

joke, then keep telling dick jokes. What people don’t realize is that the audience always controls the show.” Searles can be a goofy guy—to promote his event, he did a photo shoot of women smearing chocolate pudding all over his suit—but his vision is the true cause of his success. He not only created the idea for the shoot, but organized the cameramen, models, rentals, and the distribution of flyers, as well as all other aspects of promotion. “My marketing education has been instrumental for every step of the process,” he insists. This upcoming weekend will feature five shows, and every detail of each were completely coordinated by Searles himself. “This show is my baby, it’s something I’ve had in my head for about three years,” explains Searles, with obvious excitement. His only regret about this show is that he’ll have to miss Bal en Blanc—Montreal’s annual Easter rave party—but he seems confident his performance

Andrew Searles hopes to break through comedy’s glass ceiling.(myspace.com) will be even better than his favourite artist Armin Van Buuren’s. Searles makes a strong pitch. “I can guarantee you’ll be laughing,” he says, with regard to his performance as well as those of his two openers, Rodney Ramsey and Guido Cocomello. To entice an Easter weekend audience, everyone will get a free chocolate bunny with

admission. But one suspects that the offer of chocolate isn’t necessary to make C’est Moi! C’est Chocolat! a hit with the crowd.

Andrew Searles’ C’est Moi! C’est Chocolat! runs Mar. 28 to 30 at Théâtre Sainte Catherine (264 St. Catherine). Tickets $15 advance, $20 door.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013 |

arts & entertainment

Album The Besnard Lakes Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO

| Curiosity delivers.

Film

Admission: denied

reviews

Bonobo The North Borders

Phosphorescent Muchacho

Ninja Tune

Dead Oceans

Bonobo is back, and he has evolved. The North Borders, the British producer’s first album of original material since 2010’s Black Sands, boasts a heavily modern UK garage sound with inflections of fellow garage artist Burial. Simon Green, also known as Bonobo, is the most popular guy on the Ninja Tune label. This album will only further solidify his status as one of the UK’s go-to producers. The North Borders is exciting and vibrant, and begs to be played over and over again. Fans of the producer will not be disappointed with a track that features Erykah Badu, as well as songs that involve many new voices. Standout tracks include single “Cirrus” and “Emkay,” the latter featuring a somewhat slouchy, loungey intro that evolves into a fast-paced garage track. “Cirrus” (presumably named after the type of cloud) reaches lofty heights, transporting the listener to an airy, otherworldly realm with layers of light synths and chimes. Album closer “Pieces” (with vocals by Cornelia) is a charming ditty, bordering on ballad territory. However, Bonobo maintains a heavy feel with the track—not surrendering completely to the pretty, whimsical sounds of the vocals. All in all, this entire album is stunning, without even one dud track. It takes a couple of listens to fully get into some of the songs, but once you do, it’s definitely worth it.

Phosphorescent’s Matthew Houck has hit a career high with the release of his sixth full-length album, Muchacho, which creates the perfect blend of electronica and Americana. The album opens with bubbling electro synth and harmonized vocals in “Sun, Arise!,” which, along with its sister song “Sun’s Arising,” bookend the album. Don’t be fooled, however—they are a far cry from the eight other songs that come in between. The remarkable feat Houck has accomplished with this album is managing to balance perfectly arranged instrumentals—creating a lush and monumental sound—with his strained, reedy, and hiccupping vocals. Rather than detracting from the music, Houck’s poignant and passionate voice drips with heartache and lost love, adding a very familiar and relatable human element that resonates with listeners. Even if you’ve never had your heart broken, when Houck croons, “I’ll fix myself up to come and be with you” in “Muchacho’s Tune,” he might as well have been reading a line out of your personal diary. Muchacho’s breakout track is arguably “Song for Zula.” With its resonant synths and pedal steel guitar, this song contains some of the best lyrics of the album. It is obvious this troubled troubadour has seen some trying times as he sings, “Oh but I know love as a caging thing / Just a killer come to call from some awful dream.” Nevertheless, Muchacho is not without its upbeat, foot-stomping moments as well. In particular “Ride On, Right On” and “A Charm/A Blade” recall earlier works and speak to Phosphorescent’s versatility, a mastery that seems to have come with time.

Tina Fey and Paul Rudd vehicle is full of holes and disappointing clichés

Outside Music Coming off the heels of their second appearance on the Polaris Prize shortlist, The Besnard Lakes are back with Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO, another collection of orchestral slow burners. Husband and wife bandleaders Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas and their bevy of collaborators have created eight dreamy, textured songs that shift and evolve over their many minutes. The songs are formulaic, opening with pulsing drones followed by Lasek and Goreas’ lilting voices alongside drums, guitars, and keys. The instrumentation blossoms into full-blown orchestral grandeur, while the vocals are eventually washed out. While the instrumentation is intricate, several of the tracks fail to make an impact due to the lack of discernable hooks. The standout track of the album, “And Her Eyes Were Painted Gold,” uses Lasek’s vocals to control the song among the percussion, strings, keyboards, and guitars. While the vocal tracks are usually lost amidst the roaring instruments, this track avoids that pitfall, dodging the potential of being used as mere background music—a fate that unfortunately befalls most of the album’s other songs. Seven-minute album closer “Alamogordo,” for instance, fails to make an impact despite heavy percussion and synthesizers, and has little substance beyond sheer volume. The album is technically impressive, and the songs are calm and easy to listen to. This is by no means a bad album, just one that occasionally drifts into the background of the mind. — Matt Bobkin

— Diana Wright

—Chantelle D’Souza

Admission’s standards are disappointingly low. (www.wired.com)

Emily Jacobi Contributor

Admission is a film that should probably end up in the “deny” pile. Directed by Peter Weitz (About a Boy) and starring Tina Fey, the film begins in the ivy-embellished halls of Princeton University. Fey plays Portia Nathan, a member of Princeton’s prestigious admissions department, where her job is to decide who, among thousands of applicants, gets in. The film introduces Fey’s character as an uptight, play-by-therules, “boring” career woman, stuck in the same underwhelming job and uninspiring relationship. As the yang to her yin, Paul Rudd plays John Pressman, a former college classmate of Portia and the over-the-top, free spirited principal of an alternative school out in the country. In John’s world, adventurous outside-of-the-box thinking, suspicion of institutions, and mastery of sustainable living are all intrinsic aspects of a good education. In McGill terms, John’s ideal school would be a mix of Macdonald Campus and Rad Frosh. These two worlds collide when Portia stumbles upon John’s school on an admissions tour. John introduces her to Jeremiah Balakian (played by the charming Nat Wolf), a student prodigy and self-proclaimed “autodidact” with a shaky academic record, but nevertheless equipped with charisma and quirk. John is convinced that Jeremiah would succeed at a school like Princeton if given the chance, and that he may also be of particular personal interest to Portia. Admission bravely wants to be

a few different things. It definitely wants to be silly and lighthearted— the casting of Rudd and Fey as costars tells us that much. It wants to critique the rat-race nature of the U.S. university admissions process, which, as we see in the film, unfortunately degenerates into a game of whose application combines the most tear-jerking story with the best academic record. The irony is driven home without subtlety. In all its attempts at being holistic and all-examining, the U.S. admissions process does end up overlooking the real essence of the students it tosses into the accept or deny piles. Admission wants to talk about the power of knowledge at a moment when a higher education doesn’t equate to employment, and more and more kids opt to travel and postpone university altogether. And it certainly, at its core, wants to be about that process of self-discovery, of finding oneself, and about believing in the oddball. Unfortunately Admission’s comedic appendage feels forced, the plot is full of holes, and the characters seem shallow and overridden with cliché prototypes. Rudd, Fey, and newcomer Wolf had endearing moments, but Admission is oversaturated in sap and sweetness without any sustained heart. It does not outright fail in the themes it encounters, but we’ve all come to expect brilliance from Fey and Rudd. Admission should never have been admitted to the screen. Admission is currently playing at Cineplex Banque Scotia (977 SteCatherine).

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SPORTS

POINT COUNTERPOINT E

FOR NCAA BASKETBALL The debate between college sports and professional sports rages on year after year. For basketball, however, that discussion can be easily put to rest. College basketball is better than its professional counterpart, because of the relatability of the athletes at the college level, and the quality of its post-season. Some argue that the NCAA product may be diluted, due to the vast disparity in talent between the perennial powerhouses and the low-major minnows. However, this talent gulf exists in the NBA to an even greater extent. For instance, in the past 30 years, the Larry O’Brien trophy has been lifted 25 times by just five teams. Essentially, if your team is not located in a major television market (Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles), there is a miniscule chance that they will have any post-season glory. Another prominent argument in favour of the NCAA is the fact that the players are not paid. In the NBA, financial motivation can significantly alter a player’s ambitions. In a contract year, for instance, a player may give his all in order to earn a higher paycheque the following summer. Once that player is paid, however, the incentive to provide a full effort every game is diminished. In college, while some are playing primarily to make the NBA, most student athletes are playing because of their pure love for the game. However, the most glaring indicator of why the NCAA is better, has to do with the cultural phenomenon that is sweeping the continent at this very moment: March Madness. A league

Around the

should place a premium on the quality of its playoffs, and the NCAA has arguably ,the best post-season of any major sport. There is typically little to no drama or suspense surrounding the NBA Playoffs. This trend continues this year as Miami, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City are the only realistic title contenders. On the other hand, the structure of March Madness is far more watchable and exciting. If you lose, you’re out; it’s that simple. As a result, the tournament is almost completely unpredictable. One only needs to fill out a bracket to realize that anything is possible when there is only one game on the line. The biggest players rise up to the occasion, and the phonies shy awsportay from the bright lights—the mentally strong are the ones who survive. Moreover, coaching takes on a far greater importance as the X’s and O’s actually make a difference in comparison to the thousands of isolation plays in the NBA playoffs. There are no Cinderellas in the NBA—just corrupt, wicked step-sisters who only care about making sure that their numbers are balanced. The players in the NBA may be more talented, but the NCAA allows each and every one of us to fall in love with a bunch of no-names who have the guts to deliver blow after knock-out blow to Goliaths. It gives us something to relate to, something to believe in, and reminds us that any one of us can have our own shining moment.

—Mayaz Alam

VS Winner

NBA Basketball

inner is .... NBA Basketball. Although March Madness is an incredible tournament and exhibition of skills, the lack of interest of most fans throughout the regular NCAA season hinders its popularity. Meanwhile, in the NBA, excitement throughout not just the entire season, but also the off-season, coupled with the league’s explosive talent make it the undeniable winner.

HOCKEY — More Shanahan shenanigans on Thursday have left fans and players alike scratching their heads. Leafs winger Joffrey Lupul was slapped with a two-game suspension for a hit to the head of Victor Hedman, while Rick Nash avoided punishment for a similar attack on Tomas Kopecky. Lupul expressed his anger via Twitter following the news; however, it’s unclear if he was reacting to the league’s suspension, or the displeasure of having to play for the Maple Leafs. In the standings, the Blackhawks remain atop the league, while in the East, the Canadiens and Bruins continue to battle Pittsburgh for the number one seed. With about a month left to play, nothing is certain, except that Florida is really bad. Also, the Tampa Bay Lightning fired Head Coach and McGill graduate Guy Boucher on Sunday after the team’s disappointing 13-17-1 start. So we’re all sad here at the Tribune.

ater cooler

In case you were too busy finishing up midterms, or preparing for Passover, here’s what you missed last week in the world of sports ...

ach year March Madness offers countless baskbetball fans a glimpse into the world of college basketball. The popularity of this event speaks volumes for the allure of NCAA basketball, but is it more appealing than its professional NBA counterpart? Two contributors weigh in on the better level of ball.

FOR NBA BASKetBALL Russell. Wilt. Kareem. Bird. Magic. Jordan. Kobe. LeBron. These are the names that have elevated basketball to its current status as an international sport juggernaut. These players’ standings as singular-name icons is a testament to the growth of NBA basketball and its presence in our everyday lives. While some of these basketball greats used the NCAA as their stepping stone onto the sports scene, the NBA is where they truly cement their legacies and turn into basketball legends. This is due to the nature of the league itself, where only the best of the best from around the world play every night. Those who thrive in the NBA play against the top competition possible, and, as such, are justly awarded a place in the history books. On the other hand, while college basketball certainly has its fair share of skilled players, very few would claim that it boasts the world’s best players—not even the most ardent fans of the college basketball scene. The NCAA consists primarily of American players coached and raised with the same playing style. As athletes directly out of high school, the skill levels for the majority of students are still raw. Furthermore, the extremely high player turnover rate in the NCAA does not provide enough time for players to establish a legacy for themselves. In comparison, the athletes of the NBA are famous for their career storylines and the twists and turns organic to them. They build themselves a legacy. In addition, the lack of international variety amongst the amateur league’s roster is blatant. When was the last time the NCAA featured a pleasantly melliflu-

FORMULA ONE — The crazy individuals who drive cars fast were in Malaysia over the weekend for the second event of the year. Last year’s champion Sebastian Vettel claimed the race, edging out fellow Red Bull teammate Mark Webber. Sparks flew in the post-race talks between the duo, as Vettel admitted to ordering Webber to concede first so he could stand atop the podium. Although he finished second in the race, Webber most certainly won the award for iciest stare-down, callously displaying his displeasure for Vettel afterwards. A similar story unfolded in the Mercedes camp between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Hamilton eventually took third, but his finish was overshadowed by his pit-stop blunder in the early goings of the race. Hamilton apparently forgot that he switched from the McLaren team to Mercedes at the end of last year, entering his ex-team’s pits for a tire change. Evidently, old habits die hard. NCAA BASKETBALL — Madness! Each year the NCAA tournament ruins the lives of those foolish enough to think they have what it takes

ous name such as the likes of Bismack Biyombo or Ricky Rubio? Yet the NBA has one of the greatest displays of diversity on a nightly basis. The vast international audience allows the league to reach out to countries all around the world and create a wider viewership of the games. This coming in stark contrast to the intense hunt necessary to catch a rare glimpse of an NCAA game during the regular season. While both the NCAA and NBA are suffering from the commercial gigantism of the sport, the NBA does have greater media accessibility, providing fans simpler means to connect with their favourite teams or players. Ultimately, the debate between NCAA and NBA basketball comes down to the fan experience. While supposed basketball purists may tout the college game’s “rugged” playing style—which is, quite frankly, another way to say that it’s boring—the NBA features offences and defences of every kind, including those that resemble the team-oriented approach of the NCAA. Furthermore, the NBA is famous for its elite athleticism on display every night, which makes for an incredibly enjoyable experience for the fans. There is a reason why March Madness is the only time of the year when the NCAA scene really comes alive. It occurs just prior to the NBA playoffs, and acts as a brief burst of excitement during the ‘dog days’ of the NBA regular season. The real test of NCAA and NBA basketball popularity is obvious: if March Madness coincided with the NBA playoffs, which one would fans watch? The answer is easy.

—Remi Lu

to fill out a bracket. This year, the collapse came in the form of National Championship contenders Georgetown. The second-seeded Hoyas ducked out in the round of 64 to the 15th seeded Florida Gulf Coast, which sounds more like a retirement home than a full-fledged bracket buster. Florida Gulf Coast offered a repeat performance on Sunday, beating San Diego State to become the first 15 seed to make the Sweet 16, which is pretty … well … sweet. They’re matched up against Florida in the next round, which should be pretty exciting for all the Gulf Coast players who probably wished to be recruited by the Gators. No.1 seed Gonzaga dropped their third round match to the Wichita State Shockers, consequently becoming the first top seed to exit the tournament. Canadians Kelly Olynyk and Kevin Pangos represented their country well, however, and should continue to showcase the advancement of Canadian basketball next season. Fellow No.1 seed Indiana survived a bit of a scare against Temple University to advance to the Sweet 16.

19 Tuesday, March 26, 2013 |

The Tribune’s

sports

| Curiosity delivers.

Top 10 fantasy baseball tips

The boys of summer are poised to make their return in 2013. Here’s the guide to claiming your fantasty pool

Baseball stadiums across North America are set to explode after a winter of inactivity, including Rogers Centre in Toronto (commons.wikipedia.org)

Joshua Freedman Contributor After a long winter, the greatest (and original) fantasy sport is back: baseball. Here are some tips for all of you gamers out there, planning on joining a pool for the 2013 MLB season. Do not become too enamored with the youngsters Notwithstanding Mike Trout and Bryce Harper’s amazing seasons last year, most rookies and second-year players need time to develop in the big leagues. Don’t be the person drafting Jurickson Profar, Oscar Tavares, and Manny Machado way too early. Instead, focus on reliable veterans such as Paul Konerko, Adrian Beltre, and Derek Jeter.

Be aware of last year’s performances Given the luck inherent in baseball, it is possible that many players over and under-performed last year (I’m looking at you, Cliff Lee), relative to their true talent ability. Be sure to look at some more underlying statistics like Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP), Line Drive Percentage (LD%), and Fly Ball Percentage (FB%) to see if your player is due for a repeat performance. Stay away from injury risks in the early rounds The early rounds are the time to build a core group of players who will generate points for your team. This means avoiding players who have spent a lot of time on the disabled list in the past, which is the

THIRD MAN IN Bill James first pioneered it for baseball in the 1980s, Moneyball made it popular, and now it is playing an increasing role within the dealings of NBA teams. Sports analytics, as it is known, is fuelled by self-described sports-loving stat geeks, and is the go-to metric for professional sports teams to get ahead of the competition. It has taken sports by storm, and given PhD scholars and die-hard analytical fans a place in the same front office as old-school executives. To plan new strategies, to better evaluate player performance, to improve overall outcomes—this has become an extensive, numbers driven game. Analytics uses data to formulate models to make forecasts about future outcomes, however

best predictor for future injuries. It’s also important to keep track of any spring training injuries. You don’t want to take Chase Headley, Curtis Granderson, or Mark Teixeira as top guys when they’re injured. Chase the K’s Make sure to draft pitchers whose strikeout rate hovers around nine per nine innings. Not surprisingly, many of these pitchers are also great contributors in the WHIP and ERA categories. Wait on closers There is incredible turnover of closer jobs during the year, meaning that if you are quick on the waiver wire, they can grab these new save contributors. Do not take closers in the first 12 rounds, when you can be building other areas of your team.

Generally ignore spring training performance It is unlikely that Julio Teheran and Rick Porcello will be the best pitchers in the big leagues this year. That being said, keep away from Ricky Romero and Roy Halladay; their springs have been alarmingly bad. Head-to-Head tips Do not draft starting pitchers, but instead focus on getting two-tofour of the best closers in the game, basically ensuring you win Saves, ERA, and WHIP categories every week. Also, by avoiding starting pitchers, you can stack your offensive lineup. Try out the Auction system For those who haven’t tried, an

auction draft gives every team a set budget and then lets all the league managers bid on the players they want. You can draft the team you want, but keep in mind that it does take a very long time to complete this type of draft. Players I like for 2013 Domonic Brown, Alex Hicks, Cliff Lee, Jose Reyes, Will Middlebrooks, Jesus Montero, Andrelton Simmons, Anthony Rizzo, Ben Revere, Ryan Howard, and Justin Upton. Players I don’t like for 2013 Ryan Braun (possible 50 game drug suspension), Josh Hamilton, Hunter Pence, Adam Jones, Aramis Ramirez, and Jonathan Papelbon.

The mathematics of sports

specific the domain may be. It goes beyond the scope of traditional box-scores to gain an edge over the competition. The vast amounts of data are all there; the hidden truths and patterns lie within. It is what Nate Silver, an influential political forecaster who started out as a baseball analyst, refers to as “the signal in a universe of noise” when making predictions. Do these models, then, make instinct and in-game decisions and out-of-date plays irrelevant? No, to the contrary. Analytics can either validate or dispel those intuitions with numbers from collections of big data: from 82 games, to outcomes of shots taken from the same spot, to tendencies of a pitcher at certain distinct situations, to data points from the

same combination of players on the court—the possibilities are endless. One of my favourite basketball analytical tidbits is that not all three-point shots are created equal: the corner three is generally scored at a significantly higher rate than other spots, a statistically validated fact. To Gregg “Pop” Popovich, head coach of San Antonio Spurs, this means more plays drawn for “corner three specialists” like Danny Green or retired shooting specialist Bruce Bowen. Since the threepoint line is two feet closer to the basket from the corner than it is from the perimeter, it is no wonder that players tend to shoot at a higher efficiency. Shane Battier of Miami Heat is another example of a corner three specialist, who

lives and breathes from the corner. That is how he (mostly) earns his $3M yearly salary, by knocking down those shots, and in doing so, spreading the court and space for LeBron to dominate the paint. While it may be tempting to be consumed by such models and detailed statistics—trust me, there are plenty to browse through on a leisurely Sunday afternoon—it is equally important to keep in mind that these models, while useful, are not black-boxes to the future. There is, and will always be, some form of inherent randomness. When Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A’s took charge in Moneyball, he had far fewer financial resources to play around with than his competitors, yet he still had to compete against high-payroll teams

like the New York Yankees. As the modern pioneer of analytics, he trusted numbers and data over traditional methods of scouting and watching. His goal was to find undervalued players who contribute distinct value to the team and come together to provide a good return on the team’s small investment. The A’s, a small market ball club, performed well and Beane’s theories were defended in practice. The victory wasn’t only beneficial for the franchise, but it also changed the field of sports analytics. At that point, the revolution had just started. Now, it’s moving to the forefront of sports management—a reality that will change sports for the better. —Shen Chen

Whereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my

spring

? by Simon Poitrimolt and Alexandra Allaire