McGill Tribune Vol. 32 Issue 9

TRIBUNE

THE Mcgill

Published by the Tribune Publication Society

pumpkin tart recipe p 14

vampireS P9 Mtl superheroes P 12

nba preview p 21

curiosity delivers

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

@mcgill_tribune • www. mcgilltribune.com @mcgill_tribune ­ • ­www. mcgilltribune.com ­ ­

Volume No. 32 Issue No. 9

CKUT and M-SERT to run fee increase referendum questions Both groups cite increasing operation costs as obstacle to expanding services; campaign period begins Nov. 1

The referendum campaign period runs from Nov. 1 to 11, and polling will take place between Nov. 5 and 11. (Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune) Jimmy Lou Contributor This fall’s referendum period for the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) will include questions on increases in SSMU base fees for both the McGill Student Emergency Response Team (M-SERT) and CKUT, McGill’s campus-community radio station.

The campaign period runs from Nov. 1 to 11, and polling will take place between Nov. 5 and 11.

Last year, the administration invalidated the results of two referendum questions by CKUT and QPIRG after deeming the questions’ phrasing to be “unclear”. The questions addressed both the organizations’ existence and a proposed

change to make their fees only optoutable in person. While CKUT was able to negotiate with the administration for the continued recognition of its existence, QPIRG ran another question during the Winter semester.

SSMU Chief Electoral Officer Hubie Yu said these concerns about the clarity of referendum questions have affected the way Elections SSMU, students, and the administration interact this semester.

“Students interested in submitting questions approached me early in the semester, and I’ve been working with them to ensure that questions each deals with only one issue,” she said. “In addition, the office of the Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) has a new form approval process to ensure that

questions are implementable.”

CKUT Following the invalidation of its 2011 referendum question, CKUT ran another, asking for its fee to become non-opt-outable. This referendum was unsuccessful. This year, CKUT seeks to increase its opt-outable student fee by $1, to be implemented in January 2013.

“The opt-outable fee hasn’t gone up since 1988, and the cost of running the station has gone up a lot since [then],” Carol Fraser, chair of CKUT’s board, said. “The $4 fee hasn’t increased with inflation, and we need increased funding [to maintain] our utility fees, staff, equipment, and transmitter.”

Currently, student fees are the largest source of revenue for CKUT.

An increase in student fees would substantially affect CKUT’s operations.

CKUT Funding and Outreach Coordinator Caitlin Manicom emphasized CKUT’s benefits to students.

“CKUT provides great programming, extensive training, internships, work study positions, free concerts on McGill campus, free tickets to other Montreal concerts, and more,” she said. “It truly offers so much to the McGill community, and also helps promote McGill’s name in Montreal and across the world.”

M-SERT Like CKUT, M-SERT is seeking a fee increase in this referendum period. Its question asks for a $0.50

increase for all full-time and parttime undergraduate students studying at the downtown campus, starting in the Winter semester of 2013.

M-SERT is the only studentrun volunteer service that provides emergency first aid to McGill students and the Montreal community.

It is regularly stationed at McGill residences, and covers McGill activities such as frosh, faculty association events, and intramural hockey games, as well as other events around the city. M-SERT also offers Red Cross first aid courses throughout the year.

Ahan Ali, director of M-SERT, said the increase will help offset costs the group has incurred from See “Referendum” on p. 2

NEWS Referendum

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

SSMU GA motions ratified

13 per cent of undergraduates vote online

Continued from cover further investment in responders’ training.

“We are looking to continue to improve our service, and the supplies and equipment available at each of our response stations, [including] residences, main office, [and the] hockey arena,” Ali said.

“We [also] want to restructure the allocation of our finances such that revenue [from our first aid courses] can be used to continually improve the quality of our [these] courses.”

Currently, M-SERT receives $0.25 per student each semester as part of the “Safety Network” fee within SSMU. It has also independently generated approximately 60 per cent of its operating costs

through its Red Cross first aid courses, but its growth over the past five years has added “more and more financial strain,” according to Ali. “We are currently operating at a sufficient level to provide quality first aid care to the McGill community,” Ali said. “The concern we have is being able to maintain [this quality] in the long term as we continue to expand.”

Ali said M-SERT is important for the McGill community because of its commitment to student life.

“M-SERT has responders on shift in Molson, covering Upper Rez, and in La Citadelle, covering Lower Rez, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. every night of the academic term,”

he said. “We are dispatched through security to medical calls, and we carry oxygen, an automated external defibrillator, epi-pens, and many more first aid supplies regularly required when responding to the various incidences we are called to.”

M-SERT has formed a ‘Yes’ committee of roughly 20 people, and the committee chair is finalizing the methods and strategies for the campaign.

At the time of press, no ‘No’ committees had been organized for either question.

campus

J-Board upholds AUS Referendum

Bangs vs. Calver and Cheng verdict rules in favour of Elections AUS Erica Friesen News Editor Last week, the Judicial Board (J-Board) of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) ruled to uphold the Winter 2012 referendum for the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS). Chris Bangs, U3 arts, filed the case against former AUS president Jade Calver and former AUS Chief Returning Officer (CRO) Victor Cheng last March.

“We recognize that the Respondents were at fault for violating the by-laws,” the verdict reads. “However, we do not find that these violations were so severe as to undermine the voting system and require the invalidation of the AUS Winter referendum.”

In his petition, Bangs raised concerns about alleged violations of six AUS by-laws. He argued that these violations compromised the results of the election, and asked that the J-Board invalidate the two questions for which he chaired the ‘No’ committee. One motion mandates the online ratification of decisions made by the AUS General Assembly (GA), and the other increases the number of votes needed to amend the AUS constitution to a two-thirds majority.

The J-Board found that three of the six alleged by-law violations were justified. The AUS failed to ratify motions in both French and English, to give a minimum of six days for campaigning, and to advertise the elections in a student publication.

The J-Board explained that the third violation is “serious.” The AUS advertised the information in its listserv, which does not count as a student publication, according to AUS by-laws.

“Listservs, unlike newspapers, are not a medium through which students can voice their opinion,” the verdict reads. “Listservs do not have a reply mechanism equivalent to letters to the editor, for example.

The very informational nature of listservs is therefore not conducive to debate in the way that newspapers are.”

However, the J-Board found these three violations provided insufficient grounds for the invalidation of the referendum, because the “reasonably informed voter” would still have had sufficient time to learn about the issues. In addition, the AUS by-laws allow Elections AUS to exercise its discretion when dealing with violations.

“The Respondents’ conduct, though not free from scrutiny, was indicative of a person mindful of its role in preserving the integrity of the elections all the while ensuring that the process runs smoothly,” the verdict reads.

Bangs expressed concerns over the verdict after the ruling was issued. In its consideration of the AUS’ failure to ratify the motions in both languages, the J-Board argues that Bangs did not submit the referendum questions, which meant that the J-Board could not assess the differences between the two.

“I do not have an official copy

of the referendum questions, which were never sent out to the members,” Bangs argued. “That is something the decision did not recognize—I could not submit copies of the motion to the Judicial Board.”

Bangs said he is grateful the case has been resolved, but is also worried about the implications this ruling has for the AUS. “While the CRO cannot, according to the Judicial Board, just ignore the by-laws, the J-Board believes that it falls on the members of the AUS to inform themselves of the minutia of the by-laws and document complaints at every infraction,” he said. “This leaves the AUS unaccountable for poor decisions.”

AUS President Devon LaBuik said that the J-Board case only affects the AUS in that this semester’s referendum period and GA were delayed. If the J-Board case had been successful, the delayed referendum period would have allowed movers of the invalidated motions to re-submit their questions.

LaBuik said the case has also affected the AUS’ approach during the referendum period.

“We’re being much more careful in acknowledging … the electoral by-laws,” he said.“We’re being very careful this time around and ensuring we’ve followed every rule in the book.”

Calver and Cheng could not be reached for comment.

Bea Britneff News Editor Last Thursday, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) released the results for SSMU’s first online ratification period, in which students voted for motions passed at the Oct. 15 SSMU General Assembly (GA). Both motions were ratified—one calling for the installation of a bouldering wall in the SSMU Building, and the other regarding renaming the SSMU Breakout Room.

Introduced this fall, the online ratification process allows students to vote on motions passed at the GA. Through the Elections SSMU website, students could watch a video of debate on a motion at the GA and then vote on its ratification.

The voting period ran from Oct. 18 to 25. According to the Elections SSMU results webpage, 2,931 (13.3 per cent) of 21,975 eligible voters cast a ballot, exceeding the 10 per cent quorum.

SSMU President Josh Redel was pleased with the online voter turnout, considering that online ratification is a new practice.

“I think that for … the first time, the rate was decent,” Redel said. “I certainly hope more people will turn out in the future, both in person and online.”

The motion regarding the bouldering wall—a student initiative moved by members of the McGill Students’ Outdoors Club (MOC)—passed, with 79.2 per cent of voters in favour of the motion.

According to MOC President Sarah Solnit and past president Mark Kojima, MOC has been working on the project since last March.

The motion proposed that SSMU install a bouldering wall that is “accessible in price and location to all McGill students” in the SSMU Building. According to Solnit, the volunteer-run wall will most likely be located in the sub-basement of SSMU, although the official location has yet to be decided. For now, MOC is focusing on getting funding and creating a design for the wall.

“We’re about to start working with SSMU’s Vice-President Operations [and] we’re currently working on getting external funding,” Solnit and Kojima wrote in an email to the Tribune. “The MOC will be responsible for the initial financing. We’ll also be covering the running costs—largely insur-

ance—which we will accomplish through some sort of fee system.”

Solnit also shared MOC’s plan to keeping the bouldering wall accessible to McGill students.

“Right now, we’re looking at charging a very cheap yearly membership rate and a collective-style operation, and also having open rock climbing sessions and workshops for a nominal daily fee,” she wrote.

“Our prices would be a small fraction of what you’d find anywhere else.

We’d be a service, not a business.”

Solnit said MOC hopes to get the wall up and running for the Winter semester, if possible.

The motion regarding the SSMU Breakout Room passed with 81.3 per cent in favour and proposed that SSMU rename the Breakout Room to the ‘Madeleine Parent Room,’ after the Quebec labour leader, gender equity activist, feminist, and McGill graduate. Parent devoted her life to battling social injustices and is particularly famous for organizing textile workers in the 1940s. She passed away in March.

SSMU Vice-President External Robin Reid-Fraser said that no other names were considered for the room, and explained the reasoning for proposing Parent’s name.

“We felt that because Madeleine Parent was a particularly significant figure in the history of Quebec and Canada, and because she passed away so recently, she would be a suitable person to honour with this gesture,” she said.

Details surrounding the official renaming of the Breakout Room have not yet been announced.

In order to encourage higher participation rates at future GAs and during online voting, Redel expressed interest in pursuing some additional strategies, such as introducing a new style of GA report and having better publicity about the purpose and benefit of GAs. The Oct. 15 GA lost quorum after passing the bouldering wall and Breakout Room motions. As a result, four additional motions—regarding SSMU opposition to Plan Nord, ethical investment at McGill, opposition to Canadian military involvement in Iran, and support for accessible education—were passed by the assembly as a consultative forum.

According to Redel, the next steps for these four motions will be discussed at the SSMU Council meeting this Thursday.

0.005%

GA Vote turnout 101 of 21,975 eligible voters

13.3%

ONLINE Vote turnout 2,931 of 21,975 eligible voters

Curiosity delivers. |

NEWS

| Tuesday, October 30, 2012

3

CAMPUS

SSMU plans for McGill education summit move forward Summit will encourage student feedback on issues to be discussed at provincial education summit in early 2013 Andra Cernavskis Contributor On Oct. 22, members of La Table de Concertation Étudiante du Québec (TaCEQ) met for a preliminary meeting in Quebec City to discuss the upcoming Quebec education summit, which the provincial government has slated to occur in early 2013. The meeting also prompted discussion at McGill on upcoming faculty-led education summits of the university.

TaCEQ is a federation of students associations—of which the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) is a member—that aims to promote the interests of Quebec students regarding post-sec-

ondary education. Other members of TaCEQ include Laval University and Sherbrooke University.

“Universities are crucial for the future development of Quebec,” TaCEQ General Secretary PaulÉmile Auger said in a press release in French. “It is necessary to identify the real issues and get to the heart of the challenges facing post-secondary education. The actors who will tackle this challenge will put forward the interests of Quebec … this is the only way we can identify priorities for the future.”

While the Quebec education summit is still in its preliminary planning stages, and does not yet have a definite date, SSMU VicePresident External Robin Reid-Fra-

ser said that SSMU is moving ahead with plans for an education summit at McGill. This would consist of several events taking place throughout November.

On Oct. 19, Reid-Fraser met with executives from the undergraduate societies for law, music, science, arts and science, and physical and occupational therapy to discuss the roles that faculties could play in McGill’s summit.

Reid-Fraser said the discussion resulted in a goal to have smaller, more informal events hosted by faculties during the first few weeks of November. Following these events, Reid-Fraser will bring a list of themes to SSMU council, which will represent the main topics students

want to see discussed at the education summit. SSMU would also use these themes as the basis for a series of formal sessions that will resemble last year’s Strategic Summits.

“Most of [the faculty executives] feel like their members wouldn’t necessarily come to a big, structured SSMU [event] but might be down to stop in for coffee and a chat,” Reid-Fraser said. “They can at least start to get a bit more of a sense of the issues that their members are thinking about.”

Reid-Fraser also expressed hope for an interactive website or blog that McGill students could access during the events, although this is still in preliminary stages.

SSMU will then compile the

information collected at McGill events into a document which they may either present to TaCEQ, or to the Quebec education summit itself, if SSMU is invited to participate.

Finola Hackett, president of the Bachelor of Arts and Science Integrative Council (BASiC), said BASiC Vice-President External has been holding office hours to hear students’ opinions on tuition increases and other topics of discussion for the Quebec education summit.

“It’s important for us to get a good idea of what BA.Sc. students’ views on the issues are before taking further steps on BASiC’s involvement in the summit,” she said.

campus

Daily Publication Society to hold referendum in winter The McGill Daily, Le Délit to run question independently of Elections SSMU Erica Friesen News Editor The Daily Publication Society (DPS), the student-run publisher of the McGill Daily and Le Délit, will not run its existence referendum until the Winter semester, at which time it will do so independently of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU).

McGill requires student associations to hold existence referenda every five years to renew their Memorandum of Agreement (MoA)—a contract with the university that covers issues such as an association’s student fees. These referenda are usually run through Elections SSMU, which holds one referendum period each semester.

According to SSMU Chief Electoral Officer Hubie Yu, the DPS can run its referendum separately from SSMU because of its structure.

“The DPS is structurally different from SSMU clubs [and] services, as they’re a legally separate entity, and have their own MoA with McGill,” Yu said. “Clubs and services exist legally as part of the SSMU and are included in the SSMU MoA, so they won’t really be running their own questions.”

Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Morton Mendelson said his office will work with the DPS before they run the referendum.

“We only learned late last week about the [DPS] running a referendum question independently from SSMU, and we are now looking into that issue,” he said.

www.mcgilltribune.com

We’re accepting applications for Le Délit prepares its weekly issue at the office of the Daily Publication Society. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune) DPS Chair Sheehan Moore said that the DPS has run two independent referendum questions in the past—an existence referendum in 2008, and a fee increase referendum in 2010.

“SSMU’s by-laws aren’t really designed for newspapers to run existence referenda through them, since editors aren’t allowed to serve on referenda committees under SSMU’s rules,” Moore said. “As an independent society we have membership that exceeds SSMU—for instance, we have some grad students.”

For the 2008 independent referendum, the DPS drafted its own by-laws for referenda, which they based on the SSMU by-laws. It also

requires someone to act as an independent agent for their referendum.

This year, the DPS has chosen Faraz Alidina, the elections coordinator of Elections SSMU. Moore said the DPS made the decision to hold the referendum next semester based on time considerations.

“We wanted to make sure we had enough time to organize with our CEO, and familiarize ourselves with the process and our by-laws,” he wrote. “At the same time, we wanted to avoid conflicts with SSMU’s referendum schedule, students’ midterms, exams, etc.”

However, holding the referendum in the Winter semester does pose some risks for the DPS. If com-

plications arise regarding a question, a failure to meet quorum, or a majority vote against the question, there may not be time to run a second question. Moore did not express concern regarding these possibilities.

“We’re in contact with the administration to ensure recognition of our result, and we’re confident that students will continue to support the existence of Le Délit and The Daily,” he said. “Ultimately, all that matters is that McGill recognizes the result, and that’s what we’re aiming for.”

—Additional Jimmy Lou.

reporting

by

News EDITOR! Deadline is

nOV. 6 EMAIL EDITOR@MCGILLTRIBUNE.COM for more information

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Tuesday, October 30, 2012 |

NEWS

| Curiosity delivers.

campus

McGill students host “Who Needs Feminism?” week

Participants draw attention to long-standing issues like gender inequality by participating in photo shoots on campus Jessica Fu Contributor The launch of McGill’s first “Who Needs Feminism?” week—an event organized by McGill students, took place last week. As part of the event, photographers took photographs of students and members of the McGill community holding signs reading, “I need feminism because…” followed by their personal explanations of its importance.

Inspired by a similar event held last spring at Duke University in North Carolina, organizers promoted the event through their Facebook page, and then conducted photo sessions around campus and within university residences. They uploaded the photos to their tumblr blog, wnfmcgill.tumblr.com.

“One of the goals was to begin conversation and dialogue around feminism—and it has, on so many different levels and within all [these] different groups around campus,” Courtney Ayukawa, U2 arts and science and an organizer of the event, said. “In that sense, I think [the event has been] a huge success.”

Many students reacted positively to the event, and the demand for photo shoots exceeded original expectations. Many supporters spoke in favour of bringing attention to

Participants of “Who Needs Feminism?” week wrote personalized signs for the photo shoots. (wnfmcgill.tumblr.com) feminism, which they viewed as an issue worthy of more discussion.

“I think it’s a great initiative,” Ethan Zmenak, U0 management, said. “It points out stuff that you don’t realize all around you and how inequality still happens.”

The initiative also reached students at other universities, such as Mafisa Kap, an art history student at Concordia.

“The thing about gender inequality … is that I find that it’s something that’s so institutionalized, so systematic, that it’s hard for women to even necessarily be able to point out when they’re not being treated like equals,” Kap said.

“Feminism doesn’t just look out for the equality of women, it looks out for all marginalized people, whether those are people of low or middle class, whether those are people of colour, whether those are people of sexual or gender differences,” Kap added.

Participants also commented on various situations in which inequalities—both economic and cultural— continue to present themselves in modern society.

“I think that the wage discrepancy is just astounding,” Elizabeth Flannery, U2 arts, said. “When you’re raising a child as a single woman, and there’s such a huge dis-

crepancy, it’s just terrifying.”

Flannery also addressed the complex connotations associated with feminism today.

“What I see feminism as is fighting for equality,” she said.

“Feminism has proven to me [that] I can do things like start my own business. I should really thank the people who started the feminism movement, because we wouldn’t be where we are without their help.”

Despite the widespread support and enthusiasm demonstrated by participants, the initiative also received some negative critiques.

“We’ve gotten criticism for not having an exceptionally high level

NEWS

of understanding of the background of feminism,” Brooke Nancekivell, U2 arts and another event organizer, said. “But from our angle, the whole point is to start these conversations, and [the event’s] accessibility and openness has allowed for that.”

Looking forward, organizers expressed both short and long term goals for future events and dialogue on the topic of feminism.

“Something we have talked about [for next semester] is … [having] a series of workshops, film screenings, critical discussions on feminism, feminist issues, [and] women’s issues, and how they relate to our society,” Nancekivell said.

“The dialogue about feminism that this campaign has started will hopefully lead to people learning about other forms of privilege and structural oppression, and really start thinking critically about their role [within] it,” Ayukawa said.

“Hopefully, this is just an entrance to all of the things in our society that can be really looked at again and again and again.”

On Tuesday Oct. 30, the event will conclude with a McGill community discussion on feminism in the Shatner Ballroom of the Students’ Society of McGill University building.

in brief

NEW eus SENATOR APPOINTED after previous senator’s resignation

MMPA

Master of Management & Professional Accounting

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

www.utoronto.ca/mmpa

Write for News! news@mcgilltribune.com

Last Tuesday, Nikhil Srinidhi was appointed as another one of two student senators representing the Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS) following the resignation of the previous senator, Edward Chiang, on Oct. 3.

Chiang resigned because his internship this semester at Research in Motion in Ottawa made it difficult for him to attend EUS and Senate meetings. Haley Dinel, VicePresident University Affairs for the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU), said she and Chiang had attempted to work around his schedule throughout September.

“I worked out a plan with [Chiang], during the summer months ... to [arrange] a feasible schedule, with the understanding that he would be on probation during Sep-

tember,” Dinel said. “During that month, I consulted with EUS [executives] and council, as well as Senate caucus—which informed my decision to ask for his resignation.”

Chiang agreed with the decision and is appreciative of Dinel’s and EUS’s cooperation throughout the process.

“Not being physically on campus was becoming an issue,” Chiang said. “I tried to Skype in on the first EUS council, but it was hard to communicate properly. It was impossible for me to travel to Montreal from Ottawa twice a week. The general consensus from EUS [was] that I simply [could not] fulfill my role effectively.”

According to Dinel, the resignation of senators has occurred frequently in the past. Although

faculty representatives to Senate are usually elected, the SSMU bylaws mandate that, in the case of a resignation, a new senator is chosen through an application process.

SSMU senators interview candidates, and then select someone for the position by a majority vote.

Srinidhi said he looks forward to working on the Senate, and that his goals include improving the classroom experience of engineering students.

“I believe this will be the perfect way for me to work with likeminded colleagues at the helm of the student body,” he said. “I want to be a voice for the students at McGill— a voice through which they can see their concerns being addressed in a sincere yet effective way.”

—Nicole Sawin

Curiosity delivers. |

NEWS

| Tuesday, October 30, 2012

SPEAKER on campus

5

Expert discusses Bo Xilai in context of Chinese legal system Pitman Potter notes the importance of analyzing corruption in China without discourses of Western cultural norms Chris Liu A&E Editor Last Tuesday, the Asia Pacific Law Association of McGill (APLAM) hosted Pitman Potter for a lecture on the criminal case of Bo Xilai and the political and legal issues that surround it. Bo Xilai, a former Chinese politician who is now at the centre of the country’s biggest political scandal in decades.

Potter is a legal professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and HSBC Chair in Asian Research at UBC’s Institute of Asian Research. Holding advanced degrees in political science, law, and theology, Potter’s research focuses on Chinese trade and investment, dispute resolution, intellectual property, and human rights.

Known for both his charisma and ruthless ambition, Bo Xilai served as the Communist Party secretary of the Chongqing municipality until March, when he was re-

moved from his post. Allegations against Bo include corruption and abuse of power. In August, his wife Gu Kailai was found guilty in the murder of Neil Heywood, a British citizen and family friend of the Bo’s.

On Friday, the Chinese news agency Xinhua announced that a formal criminal investigation into Bo Xilai’s actions is underway.

In his lecture, Potter used the Bo Xilai scandal to exemplify the many ways in which political, social, and legal processes interact in China, which often differ from these interactions in the West. Much of the talk focused on dichotomies in the Chinese system, such as balancing guanxi (personal connections) with the desire for a legitimate and objective legal system.

“Guanxi tends to be a gap-filler for the imperfections in the regulatory system,” Potter said. “There has always been this tension between how much you can bind officials by formal regulations, and how much

you allow officials to have discretion in their decision-making, based on their training [and on] on their virtue.”

Another debate involves the health of markets versus public well-being.

“China places great attention on the right to development and the right to subsistence ... which invites us to think about what sort of development [we are] talking about,” Potter said. “Are we talking about accumulation, or are we talking about distribution?”

Potter also highlighted the ways in which Western norms deviate from traditional Chinese social practices.

“If we look at the governance structures of [international institutions], they tend to be driven by European and North American norms of liberalism,” he said. “But that norm ... is not universal. And it certainly [is] not traditional in China.”

“In the liberal paradigm, gov-

ernments are responsible to the people,” he added. “In China, governments are responsible for the people.”

According to Potter, corruption is one aspect that is different in Chinese culture from Western cultural norms.

“We need to understand the embeddedness of [corruption],” he said. “And we need to understand without making value judgements ... I think we have to look at local conditions, and we have to be very careful not to be judgemental about it because there’s a discourse in the West that says ‘all corruption is bad’ ... I’m not saying it’s good, but I think we have to be really careful in understanding the embeddedness of this in a historical context.”

Many audience members reacted positively to the lecture. Colin Monk, third-year law, was particularly interested in Potter’s argument of the need to contextualize corruption.

“I liked when he was talking about how we should not understand corruption and transparency through our Western eyes,” Monk said. “We shouldn’t judge corruption as an [automatically] bad thing.”

Kai Shan, a second year law student and Vice-President Events for APLAM, said she approved of Potter’s method of inquiry, noting that his approach was “explanatory … instead of a judgmental one.”

“I really liked how Professor Potter used the Bo Xilai case to ... contextualize the legal system of China,” Shan said.

Potter also offered some recommendations for those seeking to work and live in China.

“Always be [alert] to the fact that local conditions are not going to fit neatly into our little conceptual frameworks—and that’s a powerful and liberating experience.”

Come share your views online! Visit us at www.mcgilltribune.com 2011 short-form census may skew language data

donation to alberta’s conservative party receives criticism

Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s decision to replace Canada’s mandatory long-form census with a voluntary survey may have skewed new language data derived from the 2011 short-form census.

Last week, Statistics Canada languages expert Jean-Pierre Corbeil analyzed the data, and observed a shift in the established patterns of linguistic change in Canada over past decades. The new data from the 2011 census indicates that between 2006 and 2011, the number of Canadians who speak neither of the country’s two official languages at home increased by 100,000. However, during that five-year period, more than 1.2 million immigrants moved to Canada.

Meanwhile, the number of people claiming to speak English or French, in addition to another language at home, grew by more than a million. According to the Globe and Mail, this discrepancy may result from the omission of questions regarding place of birth, citizenship, and immigrant status in the 2011 short-form census.

These new numbers may make it difficult to assess Canada’s linguistic development and to measure change in the country. Experts have warned that these data shifts will grow more complicated once Statistics Canada receives results from the voluntary survey next year.

Alberta’s official opposition party, the Wildrose Party, has called on the province’s Chief Electoral Officer, Brian Fjeldheim, to launch an investigation into the provincial Conservative Party’s 2012 election campaign finances.

According to the Globe and Mail, Edmonton billionaire and Oilers owner Daryl Katz gave the governing Conservatives a singlecheque donation for $430,000 in April. Alberta permits donations of no more than $30,000 to a political party during an election.

“The limits we have in place are designed to ensure nobody can exert undue influence … on those elected to government,” Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith wrote to Fjeldheim in a letter dated Oct. 25. “Their proper enforcement is essential to the health of democracy in Alberta.”

Further complicating matters is Katz’s role in the proposed construction of a $450-million hockey arena in Edmonton, as the NDP has accused Katz of buying the Conservative Party’s support. However, Alberta Premier Alison Redford has long opposed directly funding the project.

In response to calls for an investigation, Redford’s government has announced it will co-operate with an Elections Alberta investigation of the matter.

What happened last week in Compiled by bea britneff

Canada?

Stm 2013 budget includes fee increases

Nova scotia questions racespecific elections

This past Friday, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) tabled its 2013 budget, which outlined increases in transportation fees for Montreal commuters. This will be the 13th consecutive fee hike since Mayor Gérald Tremblay took office in 2002.

The cost of an STM monthly pass will rise from $75.50 to $77.75, and the reduced monthly pass will increase from $43.75 to $45.50.

However, the price of a single fare— currently $3—will not be altered.

According to the Montreal Gazette, STM Vice-Chair Marvin Rotrand said the fee increases will help offset the cost of over 100,000 additional hours of bus service in 2013, which will assist STM in reaching its goal of increasing ridership to 540 million by 2020—up from 405 million in 2011.

Municipal opposition parties have criticized the proposed price increases, arguing that they will not result in improvements in transportation, despite Rotrand’s claims.

Non-African Nova Scotians are facing blame for allegedly defrauding the regional election of an African-Nova Scotian school board representative in the southwest of the province. As a result, the province has begun to re-evaluate the logistics of holding race-specific elections.

Nova Scotia has reserved political seats for minority groups since 1991, and is unique among the Canadian provinces for doing so. In Saturday’s election, citizens of African descent, or parents of children who are of African descent, were permitted to vote.

This past Saturday, 920 people voted in the election—a number, according to the losing candidate, Michael Alden Fells, that is almost larger than the population of eligible African-Nova Scotian voters in the region. According to the National Post, there are currently “no checks in place to prevent ineligible voters from casting a ballot.”

The current provincial NDP government released plans to end race-specific elections back in January.

Canada suspends flu shots Health Canada has decided to suspend the distribution of Novartis flu vaccines across the country, following the pharmaceutical company’s discovery of tiny groups of viral proteins in several batches of vaccines produced at its plant in Italy.

All the flu vaccines purchased

by Canada from Novartis—which are sold in the country as Fluad and Agriflu—come from the Italian production facility. Health Canada will launch an investigation into the situation, and has told doctors and clinics to stop administering Novartis flu shots in the meantime.

Although Novartis has agreed to hold off on the distribution of its vaccines while Health Canada carries out its investigation, the company is confident that its products are safe, having passed quality inspections.

“The aggregation of these proteins is not unusual in vaccines manufacturing,” the company said in their official statement.

Germany, Italy, and Switzerland have also suspended the distribution of Novartis products; however, no cases of illness linked to the vaccine have been reported in Europe to date.

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TRIBUNE www.mcgilltribune.com

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

Allocation of international fees must be considered in context On Oct. 19, McGill Principal and Vice-Chancellor Heather Munroe-Blum spoke at an event hosted by the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations, and called for Quebec to increase international student enrollment. In her speech, which also highlighted the advantages international students bring to Quebec, Munroe-Blum brought attention to the the way the province handles the allocation of international tuition fees.

As it currently stands, most of the tuition paid by international students at McGill does not stay at the university. Instead, McGill only receives the portion of fees corresponding to in-province tuition. The rest—often upwards of $10,000—is

retained by the province and redistributed across all Quebec universities.

Some critics of this system assert that universities should keep most, or all, of the international fees.

They cite a number of advantages to reform. For one, international students would benefit more directly from the steep rates they shell out per semester, since their fees would go directly to their own university.

Furthermore, because recruiting and retaining international students is expensive, many—like MunroeBlum on Oct. 19—argue that universities like McGill, with a large proportion of international students, should profit more from their investment in attracting international stu-

dents.

To come to a thoughtful conclusion on this subject, one must consider the purpose and role of Quebec’s higher education system.

Above all, the system’s goal is to educate the entire province. The current model reflects this: just as inprovince tuition fees and provincial taxes are distributed evenly among the province’s educational institutions, all Quebec universities currently benefit in equal measure from international student investment.

Addressing the situation is not as simple as just asking for international student fees to be returned to individual universities. One must place the issue within the greater Quebec context. Quebec’s values are

defined by a sort of social communitarianism, and education is hardly an exception. These past months of student activism have clearly demonstrated the value Quebeckers place on post-secondary education that all citizens have access to. An egalitarian distribution of international funding across all universities reflects this philosophy.

When international students choose to come to Quebec, they become, in some measure, guests of the local system. Quebec society prides itself on an accessible education system that does not favour some institutions over others. We must take this into consideration as debate continues on this issue.

Who is responsible for making the GA more relevant to students?

On Oct. 23, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) released the results of the online ratification for its fall General Assembly (GA). The online vote ratified two motions—one to rename SSMU’s Breakout Room, the other to build a rock climbing wall in the SSMU building. Compared to the disappointing voter turnout for the GA itself, which failed to maintain a quorum of 100 students, nearly 3,000 people voted in the online ratification, surpassing the required quorum of 10 per cent of the student body. By requiring approval from a much larger percentage of the student body, the online vote acts as a check on a forum potentially dominated by a small, impassioned group of students well-versed on a specific issue. The online vote has acheived this by making the vote easier and more accessible to students unable or unwilling to attend the Assembly.

At the same time, more could be done to make this form of participation more relevant and visible. While quorum was exceeded by three per cent, a remaining 87 per cent of students still did not participate in the online vote. The Tribune’s editorial board was split on the following question: does responsibility for ensuring greater participation rest on SSMU, or with the student body itself?

point

better participation must come from students The online vote’s success proves that the GA reforms of

President Josh Redel and the SSMU executive have come to fruition.

Certainly there are always improvements to be made, but the fact is more than 13 per cent of undergraduate students voted online this year. In previous years, voting was limited to live participants at the GA. SSMU frequently struggles to attract even one per cent of the student body to attend in person for the whole evening.

The ratification’s success also shows that students respond to improvements in the voting process.

Anyone who voted online knows that it took less than three minutes, and was easily accessible through the new SSMU GA website, which has information on the motions and legislative process.

The question is how much easier students need voting to be.

SSMU, it seems, has done its part in encouraging those it represents to vote. While there could always be more publicity, more outreach, and more communication, the onus now lies with students to share their opinion, if they have one.

The truth is that most students do not have strong opinions about changing the name of the SSMU Breakout Room. And while a rockclimbing wall would certainly be an exciting addition, the issue is not likely to attract the attention of over 21,000 students. Perhaps this points to a problem in the kinds of motions presented at the SSMU GA, but as it stands, the GA merely reflects the initiatives of those willing enough to submit a motion.

Essentially, SSMU is the voice of the student body. It should not

be their job to make students have a voice; their job is to make it easier for students to share their voice.

Considering that students can now vote online, watch livestreams of the GA, express concerns to the GA “mood watcher,” learn about motions on the website, and do all of these things from their smart phones, it’s now time for students to participate in the dialogue. They have no reason not to.

counterpoint

ssmu still has more to do

While a seamless ratification is certainly a success for SSMU’s reforms to the GA, it is not enough.

The online vote is a necessary but insufficient step in the right direction. Voter turnout of 13 per cent is an improvement, but it is not an accomplishment. The onus remains on SSMU to make these motions more visible and relevant to students.

This begins and ends with SSMU demonstrating motions’ relevance to students. Beyond a series of emails, the small percentage that voted did so without any other prompting by SSMU: there were no posters calling for participation, elucidating that a rock-climbing wall was at stake. The key to increasing student involvement is not only to clarify how a motion is submitted— which the SSMU’s website does— but to transcend each motion’s “whereas” clause to communicate to students what is really at stake.

A broader discussion needs to take place about why students should care about their student gov-

ernment. This discussion needs to come from SSMU, and not only because this is appropriate and within its purview as a group elected and funded by students. SSMU is the only group that is in the position to have this discussion; out of all of the groups on campus, SSMU has the funds, the reach, and the mandate to engage and represent all students.

In order to attract the remaining 87 per cent of the student body, SSMU’s first goal should be to facilitate participation from all groups on campus. This includes a more active role from the rest of the SSMU councillors, in particular faculty representatives, in directly engaging their own constituents in the voting process. It also includes fostering a culture of participation among first years—reaching out to residences and holding student government workshops, or allowing students to vote before grabbing dinner by setting up a station in residence lobbies.

It will always be incumbent upon student government to demonstrate why students ought to engage in student politics. SSMU built the GA, and SSMU uses the GA as one of its ways to pass motions. The student society derives legitimacy from the active and direct engagement of its constituents in such a forum. As such, it is SSMU’s job to continue to work towards a solution to the GA problem. We can complain about the lack of student engagement until we’re blue in the face, but that will change nothing—particularly as students most likely will not be listening.

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The faults—and merits—of anonymity in ‘hacktivism’ Ben Carter-Whitney

Commentary

A hacking group calling itself Team Ghostshell recently unveiled “ProjectWestWind,” a leak of 120,000 files taken from the servers of post-secondary schools globally. The list of 100 institutions whose servers were compromised included the University of British Columbia and McMaster University.

The group posted the leaked files alongside a statement encouraging a discussion of the direction in which higher education is headed.

This sort of ‘hacktivist’ action has grown popular in recent years, following the example of high-profile groups such as Anonymous and WikiLeaks. These groups work outside the scope of the law, which is generally vague in this realm due to lack of legal precedent. They justify their actions on a moral basis, but

Democracy’s weakest link: uninformed voters

Abraham Moussako

Commentary

As the presidential election campaign in the United States reaches the home stretch, one thing has become abundantly clear—barring any truly egregious mistakes by either campaign, this election is going to be particularly close.

Thanks to the quirks of the Electoral College, the results in what are popularly known as ‘swing states’ are acutely important. However, the voters that are still in play in most of these states, ‘undecided voters,’ are, by many accounts, generally under-informed about the campaign.

Typically, they consider themselves too busy to actually keep up with the

A viewpoint on language politics in Quebec Tiffany Lam Commentary

Two weeks ago, the Canadian Press reported on the Parti Québécois’ controversial educational reforms. These have centered on plans to extend the provisions of Bill 101, Quebec’s legislative piece regarding its language policy.

The PQ’s Education Minister, Marie Malavoy, wants to hold off on the Liberal plan to implement intensive English in grade six in all public schools, a program that was supposed to be fully in place by 2015. In addition, the PQ government also wants to abolish mandatory English classes for grade one and two students, and make small changes to the high school history curriculum to emphasize the sovereignty debate, as reported by the CBC on Oct. 12. Malavoy has rejected accusations that she is trying

there is always an element of risk when working on the fringes of legality.

As a result, many of these organizations—Team Ghostshell included—work under a veil of anonymity. Most notably, Anonymous has succeeded in garnering considerable attention in the mainstream media.

Working in anonymity allows such a group to execute and advertise its projects on a large scale without having to fear for their own personal security. These projects are not lucrative, and those who take them on have lives outside hacking—day jobs, families, and friends. Obscuring their identities allows them to avoid compromising these other components of their lives.

Other organizations have chosen to put forward a public figure to represent the group—the most notable example being WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Throughout the height of his organization’s release of leaked diplomatic cables, classified videos and correspondenc-

es, Assange was immensely visible in the media. He made appearances on talk shows and presented a human face for the world to associate with WikiLeaks. The risks of this approach are evident, as Assange is currently trapped in Ecuador’s embassy in London, which has granted him diplomatic asylum while he sorts out his legal struggles.

Despite the risks, there are some undeniable advantages to Assange’s method. Many of these groups claim to seek increases in government accountability and transparency—a bit of a contradictory stance for organizations that are shrouded in secrecy.

Julian Assange gave WikiLeaks a sense of legitimacy that demystified it, and his voice advocated the organization’s cause to the public. By contrast, Anonymous’ press releases and announcements are delivered in a robotic, ominous voice, one that would not be out of place in a dystopian science fiction movie. This inaccessible delivery of their message precludes them from much of the

media attention they might receive otherwise.

A further issue with operating in secret is the communicational disconnect in an organization without specific hierarchical structure. In many of these organizations, members may be anonymous even to one another. In such an environment, all those involved certainly share a common ideological standpoint, but risk failing to advance the discourse beyond ideology. Team Ghostshell’s recent large-scale hack was a chance for it to spark discussion and have its ideas heard, but rather than a pointed critique, it offered a generic, disjointed message which only spoke of change in the broadest terms.

When a hacking group circumvents the law on ideological grounds, it needs to cover said grounds as incisively and effectively as possible.

Failure to do so brings into question the validity of the organization, and takes out of the question any notion of its place as some sort of purveyor of vigilante justice. As with any

other company or organization, if it is unable to carry out its purpose, a restructuring or changing of priorities is in order.

In many cases, the condition of anonymity is an impediment both to a group’s ability to construct a coherent message, and to the public’s reception of this message. While not every group will have a member willing to throw himself or herself into the spotlight in the way that Assange did, there are certainly steps to be taken to soften the image of the shadowy, anonymous organization. It begins with specifying how change needs to happen.

In a world where online presence and social media have made self-marketing easier than ever before, it is not unrealistic to expect these groups to follow through on their projects with a clear, coherent statement regarding what they are seeking to prove. If nobody understands their message, then what’s the point?

issues, but still vote out of a sense of civic duty.

The first question this prompts is: how are these voters deciding?

According to a trove of political science research, voters with ‘low information’ on the candidates, policy proposals, or the campaign itself, often use heuristics—mental shortcuts—to narrow down their choices.

Much of this academic research has focused on what these heuristics are. In general, they include partisan party identification, visible physical characteristics, such as gender and race, candidate job occupations, and most disturbingly, ballot positioning. Past research has found that the order of candidates’ names on the ballot can influence voters’ decisions.

Political campaigns have come to believe that ‘low information’

voters can be swayed by even more trivial cues. In the tightly contested 2008 Obama-Clinton Democratic campaign, strategists put a concerted effort into getting candidates onto ‘soft’ entertainment and lifestyle television programs, based on the belief that a decisive group of voters would be swayed by their haircut and clothing preferences, among other things.

So what can be done? Many of the historical ‘checks’ on American democracy were crafted with the express purpose of preventing the rule by an uninformed mass. Some have argued that a renewed fear of uninformed voters is simply a new manifestation of this old elitist loathing for the common man. However, the point of democracy, especially as opposed to a more totalitarian form of government, is not simply

that citizens will vote in elections.

Rather, the point is that a representative mass of the population, armed with proper information on policies, would reach generally better decisions than an autocratic dictatorship.

So what is to be done? The inevitable first response is to improve civic education at the primary level, but education can wear off as people age. The more immediate solution, at least in the case of the United States, would actually be to eliminate the Electoral College and replace it with a raw popular votebased system. This would bring the entire country into play, instead of a select few states with particularly fickle populaces, and solve or at least ameliorate the problem of ‘low information’ voters in two ways. First, candidates would have to talk to a larger cross section of the country,

rather than ignoring states with clear party leanings. This would revive voter engagement by making their votes matter more substantively.

Second, the area in play during the election would be extended from a group of about seven states, thereby reducing the influence of easily persuadable ‘low information’ voters in ‘swing states’ to begin with.

The optimal solution to this whole problem of the ‘low information’ voter is not to keep them from participating in elections, as the harm of such efforts would far outweigh any benefit gained. Rather, we should give them the information to participate more gainfully, or to reduce their influence to the point that they aren’t the decisive demographic in our elections.

to politicize the province’s school system, instead crediting the change to staffing issues and concerns about the impact on students with learning disabilities.

Despite these allegations, it’s clear that the PQ government needs to address the issue of language politics, which has manifested itself at a more grassroots, individual level. Last week, a paramedic in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, was reported to have flatly refused to speak in English to a man whose daughter had gone into a febrile seizure. While this is simply one incident, not addressing this fundamental issue within Quebec reflects badly on the government, as it won’t address domestic sources of tension among its citizens.

French carries a significant value—not only in Quebec, but also within the International Organization of La Francophonie (IOF), an affiliation of 56 Francophone countries and 19 observers from all around the world, unified around “humanist values promoted by the

French language,” according to its website. Notably, the header title of the IOF website, “La voix de la diversité” (literally translated to “The voice of diversity”), does not have an English translation on the IOF’s website; this voice of diversity is French! Subtle hints such as these allude to a resurgent French cultural movement. After all, in the 17th century, French was considered the language of diplomacy and international relations in the world. To my knowledge, no other language has been as collectively and actively unified for its maintenance on a global level.

As such, just arguing that the issue in Quebec is linguistic and cultural is inadequate. The tension is specific to Quebec because of its historical context. Though Canada was founded as a French colony, the French actually ceded Quebec, then New France, in the Treaty of Paris (1763). After a brief period of an interim, non-military administration, the British ratification of the Quebec Act in 1774 officially man-

dated Quebeckers to become British subjects. At the same time, it sought to retain and protect most property as well as the religious, political and social culture of French-speaking Canadians.

The Constitutional Act, which essentially created a geographical divide between British and French subjects in Upper and Lower Canada respectively, replaced the Quebec Act in 1791. Upper Canada received British laws and institutions, while Lower Canada fell under French law and institutions. Herein arguably lies the first sources of tension that still exist today—French Canadians felt overshadowed by English subjects, while the English found that FrenchCanadians still had too much political standing.

While it’s certainly possible to appreciate the historical roots of the Quebec sovereignty movement, it’s also possible that it’s an outdated cause. Canada’s identity has definitely changed drastically since the 18th century.

Therefore, if the issue is still

Quebec’s political status in Canada, the PQ should stop trying to implement its antagonistic, and arguably isolationist, language policies. On the contrary, open dialogue to incite understanding for Quebec’s reasoning should be adopted so that people understand Quebec’s role in history.

If there needs to be greater recognition of the official bilingualism of Canada, or even a greater understanding of sovereignty history, laws cannot just be passed within Quebec, but also the rest of the nation.

It must be up to all Canadian citizens to make an informed choice, and perhaps Quebec is within their right to demand secession. But with no mutual understanding of why that is, and by equipping just the members of Quebec with this knowledge, no fruitful political action can be taken between Quebec and the federal government. Rather, this discussion needs to be placed in a historical context.

Science & technology SCience

Why leaves change colour during the fall The science behind autumn colours Sam Reynolds Production Manager There is always a sense of childlike wonder that is evoked by staring at that vibrant, multi-coloured silver maple en route to work. Indeed, why trees change their colour during the fall is the kind of question a father might have to answer for his curious five-year-old daughter. Yet changing leaves is such a basic part of our year that many may be quick to overlook it.

All plants rely on photosynthesis to convert sunlight into chemical energy. This process occurs in the cells of each leaf, where chloroplasts turn carbon dioxide and light into sugar for food.

Chlorophyll, a chemical present in chloroplasts, is responsible for the leaf’s green colour, as well as for capturing sunlight and triggering the photosynthetic process. When there is more sunlight, plants produce more chlorophyll to absorb it. This

This week in

explains why trees are green during the summer.

This green pigment in chlorophyll masks two other pigments in the leaf: carotenes and xanthophylls.

Xanthophylls contain oxygen and produce a yellow colour as they absorb sunlight and stabilize chlorophyll. Carotenes contain no oxygen and produce an orange colour.

Unlike chlorophyll, the carotenes and xanthophylls are present in the leaf year-round, whereas leaves’ levels of chlorophyll depend on the amount of sunlight it receives.

As the weather worsens and daylight decreases, so do chlorophyll levels in plants. When the seasons change and sunlight becomes scarcer, leaves begin to store their food rather than photosynthesize it. The green from the chlorophyll fades at the end of summer, revealing the yellow-orange hue of carotenes and xanthophylls during the fall.

Interestingly, the redder tones

research

Compiled by Leigh Miller Flightless birds Flightless birds are an evolutionary puzzle. The most befuddling aspect of these seemingly-related animals is their dispersion across far corners of the earth, because, well, they’re flightless.

Two opposing ideas seek to explain the far-reaching origins of these birds. In one, Charles Darwin suggested that a common ancestor flew to new locations, where it then lost the ability to fly. The second theory proposes that flightless birds split away from each other on diverging continents. The discovery of three separate flightless ancestors, dating before Gondwana—a super continent that comprised most of the current the Southern Hemisphere—

supports the second theory.

However, several years after this discovery, DNA evidence demonstrated that moa—extinct flightless birds from New Zealand, which stood up to 3.6 metres high—were closely related to a flying bird in South America, suggesting that they had a flying ancestor.

Last week, Royal Ontario Museum researchers released new information showing that both theories may be right. By analyzing moa DNA, researchers discovered that the bird started to evolve along several different paths after Gondwana split apart, but at least two ancestral lines were founded later by birds that flew to new locations. This new discovery highlights the nuance of evolutionary biology.

The moa bird of New Zealand. (cfzaustralia.com)

of fall are less easily explained.

Biologists know that the red colour comes from anthocyanins—a chemical which, like chlorophyll, is not present in the leaf year-round.

Rather, anthocyanins are produced only during the fall, as chlorophyll is broken down.

Its function is less clear. Some hold that anthocyanins act as a kind of sunscreen, protecting nutrients in the leaf from sunlight and keeping it on the branch longer. William Hoch, a professor at Montana State University, conducted an experiment in 2001 using mutant trees that could not produce anthocyanins. He placed them in bright sunlight and cold temperatures, and found that leaves from these trees fell while they were still green.

According to Hoch, leaves are redder when external conditions are harsher. When temperatures are colder and the sun is stronger, a leaf requires more anthocyanins to provide it with the nutrients that keep

it on the branch. With less sunlight and more rain clouds, trees need less anthocyanins and are therefore less red.

Leaves’ hues depend on the amount of external stressors; nutrient levels in the soil, pollution, and exposure to sunlight are just some of the elements that determine anthocyanin production. The main debate surrounding anthocyanin is how it responds to these different environ-

mental stimuli. Experts are still at odds over which conditions produce the reddest leaves.

In any case, the spectrum of colours that emerges during the fall does so as green chlorophyll fades, revealing yellow xanthophylls and orange carotenes. Red anthocyanins are produced to protect nutrients and keep the leaf on the tree. Once the leaf runs out of moisture and nutrients, it falls to the ground.

volcanic eruptions

global food security

Volcanic eruptions start small: gas bubbles form in magma, heat and expand, then finally shatter the surrounding rock with explosive force. Whether these explosions are small and mild, or large and catastrophic, depends largely on the first ten seconds of bubble formation.

This month, McGill Earth and Planetary Science Professor Ron R. Baker, in collaboration with an international team of scientists, examined this phenomenon in the lab, modelling the volcanic bubble formation process in basaltic rocks.

After using a laser to super-heat the rock, the team was able to observe the bubbles growing with a specialized X-ray microscope—essentially, an ultra-precise CT scanner. By using the images to measure bubble size and wall thickness between bubbles, they were able to determine the explosive potential of different formations.

Extremely explosive basaltic volcanoes are rare—Hawaiian basaltic volcanoes are considered mild, despite the fact that they can shoot lava up to nine kilometres into the air—but understanding more about bubble formation will allow scientists to start chipping away at the problem of determining what conditions cause these catastrophic events to occur. This should lead to more accurate predictions of volcanic eruptions. Their findings are outlined in a recent paper in Nature Communications.

Is it possible for the earth to produce enough food to feed its massive, multiplying population, or should we begin our move to Mars?

A joint study by researchers at McGill and the University of Minnesota published in the interdisciplinary journal Nature last month provides hope that humans can stick around if we manage our resources wisely.

Using a broad analysis of global farm production, the researchers compared overall crop yields from both high and low-performing farms in certain regions. Their analysis suggests that using existing farms to their full capacity could bolster global food production by anywhere from 45 to 70 per cent for most crops. This means increased agricultural output doesn’t have to come at

the expense of pristine forests and ecosystems.

In addition, the study revealed that increasing productivity will not require an increased use of fertilizer, which is associated with pollution and drinking water contamination.

Nitrogen and phosphorous usage, two of the biggest culprits in agricultural pollution, could in fact be reduced by 28 and 38 per cent respectively worldwide, without negatively impacting yields for major crops such as wheat, corn, and rice.

While the study seeks to present a general picture, rather than delving into the details of implementing such sweeping changes, the dramatic findings allow for optimism on this serious and timely (seven billion people and counting) problem.

As leaves stop producing chlorophyll, they begin to change colour. (www.mooseyscountrygarden.com)

Increasing agricultural efficiency to solve food insecurity. (rmcguirephoto.com)

Curiosity delivers. |

science & technology

| Tuesday, October 30, 2012

9

REsearch

Global epigenetics project granted millions in funding Funding for epigenetics research leading to global advances in fields of medicine and biology Kieran Steer Contributor Last week, scientists came one step closer to understanding the human body on a new level—down to each type of body tissue and its specific stages of phenotypic development. Through Genome Canada and the Government of Quebec, the Government of Canada finalized an agreement to supply $41 million towards epigenetic research—the study of changes in cellular and genetic phenotypes that are not caused by a direct change in the sequence of DNA nucleotides.

This funding will strengthen Canada’s leading role in epigenetic sequencing research. It has also sparked new ideas for projects amongst researchers at McGill—one of the two main centres in Canada for epigenetics, alongside the University of British Columbia.

Countries across the globe are involved in the huge task of mapping

the epigenome of normal human tissues, or creating models of the changes of the normally functioning human tissue. They use these maps and models in epigenetic development as a reference for comparison with diseased or malfunctioning tissues.

“The goal of the global project is to map thousands of these epigenomes,” Tomi Pastinen, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in human genetics, said. “The role of Canada is to take care of about 200 of those epigenomes.”

The largest portion of the new funding will be allocated towards creating models of cell change, also known as reference epigenomes.

With these, the potential for further research and discovery of diseases and malfunctions of various tissues should skyrocket.

“Let’s say we have generated at McGill reference epigenomes for a [healthy] human,” Pastinen said. “[If] there is a group who is inter-

ested in studying a common autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, they can extract t-cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and carry out epigenome analysis on those t-cells and then compare the results to the reference epigenome.

If they see a difference there… it gives you clues about the disease.”

Epigenome mapping will reveal information about diseases as well as provide a deluge of information on normal cell development.

The research will not only further epigenetic discovery, but also provide insight into all fields of biology.

All information on the reference epigenomes will be made public.

In an effort to integrate the investigations on epigenome maps with a pervasive understanding of normal cells and tissues, all of the maps will be fully accessible to hospitals, labs, and other researchers around the world who need them.

The rest of the funding will further direct research in the field. Mc-

Gill professors Tomi Pastinen, Mark Lathrop—also Scientific Director at the McGill University and Génome Québec Innovation Centre—and Michael Meaney, James McGill Professor and Associate Director of the Douglas Institute Research Centre, have already begun to delve into promising epigenetic research.

In early research, the group of McGill professors discovered that events early in life can alter the way rats behave in later years. The phenomenon suggests that stressful early experiences can alter the rat’s epigenome and tissue development, and progressively lead to anxiety and depression.

The team hopes to delve into building human models, possibly pinpointing specific stages of development of these disorders occurring later in rats’ lives. Using the reference epigenomes of the human brain tissue, the researchers will be able to compare the stages of change in brain development between normal

and depressed subjects. They could possibly find a way to prevent these detrimental changes from happening.

“This [research] is one of the great promises we have,” Pastinen said. “[But the projects] will only be launched early next year, because the funding has not yet been decided and is currently being reviewed by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).”

The new funding initializes an important step in biology research, marking the beginning of a new stage in epigenetic study.

“If the human genome sequencing took 15 years to realize, understanding how the sequence works will take 50 years to realize, so there will be lots of work to do,” Pastinen said. “We can use sequencing technologies [to acquire an epigenetic map], but understanding what it means in going to be the challenge for years to come.”

Research

Vampires: more science than fiction

Frightening disease may be the historical basis for the mythological vampire Caity Hui Contributor On Halloween, the streets will be filled with children dressed up as witches, vampires and other frightening creatures. For the past fifty years, research has speculated that the myth of one of these monsters can actually be traced back to a medical disorder.

Vampires are typically characterized by sensitivity to sunlight, pale complexion, and a diet of human blood. Some scientists have speculated that there is a link between these traits and the symptoms of porphyria. It appears that the age-old vampire could have been no more than a victim suffering from this disease.

Porphyria is a collection of related diseases that involve pigments known as porphyrins, which accumulate in the skin, bones and teeth.

One of the best-known porphyrins, and the agent of this disease, is heme—the pigment in red blood cells and a component of the oxygen transporter hemoglobin.

Essentially, all versions of porphyria result from faults in the body’s production of this pigment.

Heme is made in a sequence of eight steps, each equally important and

catalyzed by a separate enzyme, as in a factory assembly line. If any of these steps is disrupted due to a mutation or an environmental toxin, the entire assembly line is halted. As a result, products of earlier steps, including some porphyrin intermediates, can build up to toxic levels.

The problem occurs when these porphyrins accumulate in the skin and other organs. While porphyrins are benign in the dark, they are transformed into corrosive, flesh-eating toxins when exposed to sunlight.

Porphyrins readily absorb both visible and ultraviolet light in order to transfer energy to oxygen molecules. Through this process they form singlet oxygen. Due to its reactivity and interactions with the skin, this derivative of oxygen can cause the symptoms suffered by victims of porphyria.

Along with an acute sensitivity to sunlight, the disruption of heme production means that the body cannot produce enough heme to form normal red blood cells, eventually leading to hemolytic anemia.

The type of porphyria that some researchers believe to have inspired vampire tales is known as congenital erythropoitic porphyria. It’s one of the worst forms of the disease, and causes symptoms such as gum and

skin disfigurement.

Dr. Joe Schwarcz, the director of McGill’s Office for Science and Society, examined this connection between vampires and porphyria. In his article, “The Myth of Vampires and Porphyria,” he noted that Dr. David Dolphin, one of Canada’s top chemists, suggested the porphyria victims’ sensitivity to sunlight, and the possibility that receding gum can give the appearance of fangs. He believes this could have led to the creation of the myth of vampires.

However, while there are some links between porphyria victims and the mythological vampire, many aspects of the vampire-porphyria hypothesis do not hold up to scientific scrutiny.

For instance, Dr. Schwarcz mentioned that some researchers have suggested that “[as] porphyria now is treated by injection of blood products such as hematin that will interfere with porphyrin synthesis, at one time victims may have attempted self-treatment by drinking blood.”

Unfortunately, the ingestion of blood on its own, as opposed to the infusion of the pigment and blood product of hematin, would not provide any treatment for the disease.

Nonetheless, while science

Was Count Dracula just a man with porphyria? (www.thescifiworld.com) has yet to come to a consensus as to whether or not the porphyriavampire hypothesis holds true, it is not uncommon for mythology to be derived from medical causes or natural disasters of the past. People crave explanations for unknown phenomena, and most often these explanations take the form of story

and myth. Whether or not porphyria is the link to the creation of vampire stories, it is not unlikely that there were some medical or other natural phenomena that caused the ancient Chaldeans in Mesopotamia—the people to whom the first vampire myth can be traced—to tell tales of such a creature.

Student living

pro tips

How to survive Post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy

Everything you need to know to be prepared for the next disaster to hit Montreal this October Jacqui Galbraith Student Living Editor In the midst of Hurricane Sandy, heavy rain is expected in Southern Quebec, and western parts of the expecting possible snowfall.

About 75 millimetres of rainfall is expected in the area, and winds may reach up to 100 kilometres per hour.

With such conditions, power outages are a definite possibility for students here at McGill. So, the Tribune has compiled a comprehensive hurricane survival guide to get you through the potential storm.

To start, store some water and non-perishable food in your apartment. Keep a few jugs of water and a small supply of groceries on hand, enough to get you through a week.

Things like granola bars, cans of soup, dried fruit, crackers, peanut butter, trail mix, juice boxes, and

most importantly, marshmallows are all good choices. As a perk, all the candles around your apartment mean lots of opportunities to make s’mores. Also, try to open your refrigerator as little as possible to make your perishables last longer.

As far as other supplies go, batteries are your best friend. No power means chargers are useless, so keep those cell phones and iPods fully charged whenever possible, because you never know when your electricity could go. You’re going to need batteries for flashlights, portable clocks, and radios, which are essential for keeping yourself informed when your phone and laptop run out of power.

That brings us to the next point.

Keeping yourself updated via radio, on power outages around the city, the status of the repair crews working on power lines, and any other is-

sues that may arise from the harsh weather conditions, is extremely important. Knowing when you can expect your power back will be a huge priority—especially when you have to take those cold showers.

A basic first-aid kit is something every apartment should have in any event. If you haven’t had time to get one together yet, you might want to make sure you do that before the storm hits. A simple first-aid kit should include Band-Aids and gauze dressings of different sizes, tweezers, scissors, painkillers, a tensor bandage, an anti-septic cream like Polysporin, disinfectant wipes, tape, safety pins, and disposable gloves.

Check online for a more detailed list, but these are the basics you should have in your kit. Go ahead and put a kit together now, so you’ll have it in case anything happens due to Sandy, and if nothing

does, then you’re prepared for the next year or so, should anything else come up.

During a strong storm, it’s suggested that you turn off all electronics except for one light, so that, when the power goes out, you will know when it comes back. This may be a bit extreme considering the storm we’re expecting, but just be careful around your electronics. Be sure not to light candles pre-emptively though, because they present a fire hazard if knocked over. Instead, wait until you have definitely lost power, and then light however many candles you need. Just be sure to remember where all the candles that you lit are located.

Should this hurricane prove to be nothing more than some heavy rain by the time it reaches Montreal, most of us will continue about our routines normally. However, heavy

rains can affect driving conditions drastically, and as a pedestrian or cyclist, this can make travelling even more dangerous. At least the people in the cars have all that metal for protection; what’s sheltering you from the hydroplaning car careening towards you while you try to catch that yellow pedestrian light? Use more conservative judgement when crossing, because despite the best intentions of the always cool, calm, and collected Montreal motorists, lots of rain means horrible braking conditions, so it’s up to you to keep yourself safe. Take these tips, use your trademark McGill good judgement, and you will come out the other side of this storm as beautifully as you did that devastating earthquake.

restaurant review

Locals love Lafayette’s delicious Greek delicacies Terrasse Lafayette provides an authentic taste of Greece right here in Montreal’s own Plateau Alycia Noë Contributor Are you in the mood for Greek food? If you’re craving souvlaki or a gyro, a walk through downtown Montreal will yield a multitude of Greek options.

While Greek food is plentiful and abundant in this metropolis, quality is sporadic and difficult to pinpoint. Too often, Greek food can be overly salty and oily. What is it that distinguishes mediocrity from excellence? Simple: authenticity.

Hidden deep within the Plateau is a small family-run restaurant called Terrasse Lafayette, or known to regulars as ‘Lafayette’s’. This restaurant serves a mixture of different cuisines, attracting a wide variety of customers: one can order pizza, pasta, burgers, various vegetarian dishes, and most importantly, genuine Greek cuisine. Others seem to enjoy the whole menu, but I would recommend avoiding the mediocre Italian and American dishes, and opt for the Greek selections.

It may seem like an obvious notion, but Greeks just make the best Greek food. The owners of this restaurant are from Greece, and know how to season and cook satisfying dishes. This is the type of comfort food you crave on a weekly basis.

Without fail, I order in once a week, usually the same thing: a chicken pita with French fries.

The cozy exterior of Montreal’s ultimate Greek cuisine destination. (terrasselafayette.com) The chicken pita contains moist and delicately seasoned chicken that is grilled to perfection on a skewer. It is then topped with crisp chunks of tomato, plenty of fresh onion slices, and a smooth, not too garlic-y tzatziki sauce, no mint. In fact, I cannot remember having a good authentic tzatziki that contains mint. The sandwich wrap is slightly

thicker and a little breadier than the average pita, and provides the perfect contrast of textures: the soft pita, the tomatoes and onions adding some crunch, and moistness from the chicken and smooth tzatziki.

Bonus tip: chilling an extra souvlaki overnight, and eating it for lunch the next day offers yet another tasty experience.

With regards to the French fries, it is challenging, in my opinion, to make French fries crave-worthy, but Lafayette’s manages to do just that.

If I do not eat these fries weekly, I experience withdrawal. In addition, Lafayette’s is always willing to accommodate special requests. I order my French fries extra crispy and without salt, exactly how I enjoy

them. The fries are always the ideal texture, without being oily.

Terrasse Lafayette encourages both delivery and dine-in eating.

The restaurant is relatively small in size, but is newly renovated and extremely clean. The washrooms are some of the nicest I have found in the city. It boasts a warm atmosphere and friendly service. Occasionally, the service can be slow due to the small number of staff, and a frequently-packed restaurant. If you visit during the off-hours between lunch and dinner, it makes for a much calmer experience.

In my opinion, delivery is the way to go; it’s free and usually takes 45 minutes. However, at peak hours it can take as long as an hour and a half. Be ready to wait, but take my word—the food is worth it. Even if the food does take a while, it always arrives steaming hot. The price is reasonable, and one chicken pita with fries costs less than $10 (minimum $10 for delivery).

I absolutely love Greek food and am admittedly a tough critic, but Lafayette’s undeniably has the best Greek food I’ve encountered in Montreal.

250 West Villeneuve, Montreal, Quebec Open Daily from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

(514)-288-3915

Curiosity delivers. |

STUDENT LIVING

| Tuesday October 30, 2012

Student thoughts on...

11

Halloween: how much is too much?

When Halloween becomes Halloweek, maybe it’s time to re-assess the holiday Adam Sadinsky Managing Editor These kids have no idea what they’re missing. If someone told me when I was a child that as I got older, Halloween would get progressively longer I’d have smiled a smile big enough to rival a late October full moon. You might not have seen the smile because I would have been covered with a white sheet with eyes cut out—an extremely frightening ghost—but it would have been there.

As I have gotten on in age, Halloween has in fact gotten longer. It has also become the target of much of my post-midterm frustration.

When you’re young, Halloween takes place on the 31st day of October, not before, not after—just one day. It also only takes place at night, specifically in the hours that the parents in your neighbourhood deem it safe to roam the streets.

In university, Halloween includes every day deemed appropriate by McGillians for going out—essentially every day but Tuesday and Wednesday —within a week of Hal-

low’s Eve. Some students have even taken to calling this period of festive costuming as ‘Halloweek.’ This year, Halloween falls on a Wednesday, directly between two weekends.

I wouldn’t be surprised if I see superheroes, political figures, and sexy [insert word here]s walking through the ghetto even after the calendar has turned to November. It’s all just too much.

The sheer length of this ‘holiday season’ affects another one of my gripes with Halloween: the stressful process of deciding on and creating multiple costumes. Who would be caught dead strutting in a dollar-store pirate outfit twice? The aforementioned buccaneer must also dress as a binder full of women, a police officer, and Bjorn Borg in order not to look like they’ve worn the same thing twice. Thought coming up with one great costume idea was tough? Try doing it four times.

And don’t do what everyone else is doing. Rehashing a costume you wore when you were seven years old (but likely sexualizing it a tad) is fine, but no one will compli-

ment you on your getup. You think you’re clever and cultured by emulating a big newsmaker or internet meme? Ask anyone who dressed as a Chilean miner in 2010 or ‘the 99 per cent’ in 2011 how clever they felt when they realized that they were just as creative as about 99 per cent of the population.

Do something too out there though, and you risk being questioned all night about what you are.

Dressing up as Mitt Romney as CEO of the Salt Lake City Olympics shows that you are creative, and have read a couple of articles in the New York Times. Then again, you’ll be explaining all night that you’re “not just Mitt Romney” and pontificating that there’s more to the Republican candidate than meets the eye—probably not.

And what’s the point of it all anyways? As a trick-or-treating kid, everyone respects your costume— whether it’s unique, dated, or on the wrong side of the political spectrum—and there’s a solid reward for your hard work: candy. When a kind soul at Sunday’s Alouettes game

student Q: What is your secret talent?

A: I can sing, but nobody knows that.

Q: If you could say one thing to your hero, what would it be?

A: One of my heroes is Nelson Mandela. I would ask how he managed to survive his imprisonment without going insane.

Q: What’s your signature drink?

A: This is going to be really weird.

Every night before I go to bed, I have a glass of milk with Baileys in it.

Q: What’s your go-to stressbuster?

A: When I’m stressed out, I pump up the music, lock my door, and dance insanely.

Q: Who’s your favourite NHL player?

A: The Sedin twins. Not just one. If I’m naming one Sedin twin, I have to name both Sedin twins. I have to be loyal to my home city.

Joy Lizette Aguilar Poli sci/intl development U1 (Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune)

Q: If you were a course at McGill, which one would you be and why?

A: Art of Listening. Just kidding! I’d be POLI 227 – Developing Areas, because I’m studying International Development. Plus, Rex Brynen teaches it; that’s important.

Oppan Gangnam Style. (ibtimes.co.uk) tossed out candy to the spectators, I was reminded that there used to be an end to the madness, the equivalent of getting presents after a long month of enduring cheesy holiday music. Once you get to the point where your costume reflects how much you know or how little you can wear, the rewards disappear.

But you do it because you

of the

week

with Jacqui Galbraith Q: Name a book you’ll never get sick of reading.

A: Can I name three? Blindness by José Saramago, The Killing Joke by Alan Moore, and The Fabric of the Cosmos by Brian Greene.

Q: What are you going to be for Halloween?

A: I don’t even know if I’m celebrating Halloween. I think I will curl up in bed instead. With Baileys and milk.

Q: Describe McGill in 3 words.

A: It is fun.

Q: If you could go back in time to any historical event, which one would you go to and why?

A: Hmmm…There’s a lot. The beheading of Queen Anne in the White Tower. I think it [was] early or mid1500s, I’m not quite sure. I’ve visited the White Tower, so I think it would be cool to see one of King Henry VIII’s wives get beheaded there. I have a fascination with the White Tower.

Q: What fictional character would you most want to get a drink with?

A: Rorschach from Watchmen. That would be very, very interesting.

Q: What would you talk about with him over drinks?

A: The meaning of life. I would love

have to and because everyone else is doing it. So I’m going to put on my suit and oddly shaped sunglasses and dance like I’m riding an invisible horse. Everyone else might be dressed as Gangnam Style’s PSY, but I came up with it first. You’re all unoriginal. Happy Hallo-two-weeks and remember that we used to get candy for this!

nominate a student of the week!

Email us at studentliving@mcgilltribune.com

[for] him to give me a tutorial of how he made his mask.

Q: What’s your favourite song of 2012?

A: “Punching in a Dream” by the Naked and the Famous. I don’t think it came out this year, but I just listen to it a lot.

Q: What’s your biggest pet peeve?

A: When people don’t give firm handshakes. Limp hands. When you’re trying to shake a limp hand, that’s not very welcoming.

Q: Where is next on your traveling bucket list?

A: Since I’m coordinating the next trip for IRSAM [International Relations Students’ Association of McGill], I’m looking into either Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, Costa Rica, or the Philippines.

Q: What reality TV show are you perfect for?

A: Amazing Race! That would be so cool!

Q: What’s the first word you think of when I say Halloween?

A: Slutty pumpkin! What else…Firefighter outfits, Watercan, and more slutty costumes!

Q: Name one movie you’ll never watch again.

A: American Psycho. I will never watch American Psycho ever again, nor will I watch A Clockwork Orange.

Kind of a one-time viewing kind of thing.

Q: Describe your most recent awkward moment.

A: I do this a lot. When I feel like there’s no one on the same street as me, I sing loudly to my iPod, or I talk out loud to myself. But there’s been times where there have definitely been [other] people on the street. I wouldn’t be surprised if they thought I was half insane.

Q: Who’s your favourite talk show host?

A: I have to say Stephen Colbert. I’ve been meaning to try his Ben and Jerry’s flavour, but I don’t know if they still make it.

Q: Why are you an asset to McGill?

A: Financially speaking...I’m an asset because I pay the tuition fees that keep this place running. Also, I love getting people involved with international development and philanthropic causes.

Photos 1-2 courtesy of Adam Scotti (McGill Reporter) Photos 3-5 courtesy of Montreal Drop Zone

Everyday heroes take the leap for a good cause —

O

n Sept. 22, 60 ‘superheroes’ rappelled down a 22-storey Montreal skyscraper in support of a worthy cause: to promote the development and community engagement of the nation’s children with disabilities.

This impressive display of courage and commitment, organized by Montreal’s Drop Zone 2012, took place at the BNP Tower, a building best known for the memorable monument, “The Illuminated Crowd,” which stands at the its entrance.

The money raised was used to support Easter Seal Quebec, an organization that helps children with special needs gain confidence and become active members of society. This is done through community engagement opportunities, such as summer camps. It also provides equipment, normally too expensive for most families, that allows their children to make the most of their capabilities.

Since 2005, more than 2,300 ‘superheroes’ have joined the Superhero Club for Easter Seals, raising more than $3.76 million to help people with disabilities across the country. This year, the Drop Zone event has taken place in 15 different Canadian cities. By scaling down prominent skyscrapers, many remarkable individuals have worked to raise more than $2 million dollars for the foundation.

Among these superheroes was McGill’s Associate Vice-Principal (University Services) James Nicell. Trying to match the feats that thousands of disabled children and their families accomplish every day, Nicell rose to the occasion and raised more than $4,000 for the cause.

Rather than looking for the opportunity to undertake such a challenge, it was the opportunity that came knocking on Nicell’s door—or in his particular case, his window.

“I was sitting in my office [located on the 11th floor of the CIBC building], and suddenly somebody goes by my window... and I thought ‘wow that’s pretty neat.’”

Impressed by the undertaking of that courageous climber, Nicell and the University Services group decided to contribute to the Drop Zone’s endeavor.

“I think we’re a pretty tight community of people, and so I pitched this idea to a bunch of people who work with me [at University Services].”

Nicell never planned on scaling down the building

1 himself.

“The idea … was that people [would] nominate those who [they thought] would [do it]. Those people would then choose whether to accept the nomination. Then, we would all vote. Whoever would get the most votes [would get] this opportunity, and we would raise the funds to make it happen,” recalls Nicell.

“I went on vacation and while I was away … someone decided it should be me that goes on the side of the building.

When I arrived back on Monday morning after being away for two weeks, my assistant Clara had a big smile on her face. I think my heart just fell off my chest at that point.”

While overwhelmed and surprised, Nicell found the strength to rise to the challenge. “I had never seen myself doing this...but I kept thinking to myself: ‘if I don’t do it, I’m gonna regret it. It’s a good cause and it’s the adventure of a lifetime.’”

Those who know Nicell would agree that he is not the type of person that one would expect to see casually dropping down a 22-story building. “I had never done anything like this before. I’m not comfortable with amusement parks, and I’m afraid of heights,” he said.

In addition, Nicell had no previous climbing experience whatsoever. He had no option but to learn all that there is to know about rappelling with only a few days left until the event.

“There was a practice day down to a rock climbing place, and they gave me about 10 minutes of training [on] how the gear worked,” he said.

Nicell practiced by dropping off a 40-foot high rock; nothing comparable to the 300-feet-tall Tower from which he would later have to descend.

“I went down those 40 feet, and then they just told me ‘alright, you’re done. See you on Thursday.’ It was a little over 20 minutes total that I spent.”

What, then, gave Jim Nicell the courage to undertake such a challenge? Easter Seals Quebec is a cause that is dear to his heart. “My wife and I have always said that we’d like to give back … as a family, we have all the resources of the world, but there are families around me struggling without any resources,” said Nicell.

“Unlike going down one side of a building, which is over in 10 minutes, families with children with disabilities know that they’re in it for life. It’s not something that you can just cure or take a certain bit of therapy and the problem goes away.

It’s not like that at all. They need all our support in any way.”

It was this motivation that drove Nicell to take his first

steps down the 300-foot high building, entrusting his life to a two-inch thick rope. Standing at the roof’s edge with a McGill flag fluttering on his back, Nicell recalls experiencing one of the most intense moments of his life.

“The hardest part was when they call you over ... I could hear the noise of the crowd at the bottom as I was standing on the edge.

Putting your feet on the edge and then just [letting your body] go, just holding on to your life with a rope, that was really something,” Nicell said.

After taking this first step down, Nicell began his descent. The building mirrored a scenic view of the city as he hesitantly pulled himself down. “Some people had told me when I said I was afraid of heights, ‘don’t worry, just look at the surface in front of you [as you go down].’ But what they didn’t account for was the fact that this [was] a mirror-glass building. When you’re looking at the surface, you see your face and you see the wide horizon.”

At mid-point, he was told to wave at the crowd below, an action that left him almost breathless.

“Just the act of taking your hands off the rope and turn around and wave, to let go and turn around … looking straight down on the floor, while looking at the mirror surface on the building gave the impression, almost like I was floating.”

After 10 minutes of great tension, Nicell’s feet finally reached the ground, followed by applause from his family and friends. Looking back, this warm support, as well as the satisfaction of having contributed to such a worthy cause, made Nicell feel fortunate to have had this experience. “It was a phenomenal experience. I don’t regret doing it.”

James stresses, however, that this was in no way a one-man initiative. “This was a team event that was put together by some wonderful considerate people in University Services. They made it all happen … I’m incredibly proud of the support of the group here. Having all of them standing below ... was really nice. It feels good to be part of a supportive community,” Nicell said.

He also praised the courage and achievement of Montreal’s heroes and heroines, who collectively raised over $125,000 for Easter Seals Quebec.

4

2

5

“Unlike going down one side of a building, which is over in 10 minutes, families with children with disabilities know that they’re in it for life”

By Sara Espinal Henao 3

montrealinpictures.wordpress.com

14

Tuesday October 30, 2012 |

STUDENT LIVING

viewpoint

Life on exchange

An Australian exchange student gives us the inside scoop on studying abroad

The University of Melbourne is one of many student exchange destinations. (wikipedia.org)

Amy Fogarty Contributor The symptoms: sleeping in lectures, cramming for exams, dreaming about the holidays instead of writing your term papers. The diagnosis: you are officially stuck in a rut. The cure: exchange.

Choose your destination, sign the forms, and never look back.

Being a student at McGill brings you endless opportunities to study all over the world. Just imagine what is out there waiting to be discovered.

I am currently on exchange this fall semester from the University of Melbourne, one of the many institutions with which McGill is partnered. I embarked on this journey to satisfy my craving for adventure.

I had zero ties to Canada, let alone McGill; it is miles from my home, and most importantly has a completely opposite climate to which I am acustomed.

Choosing McGill was a spontaneous decision; I was browsing the catalogue when I came across a picture of the Roddick gates in the winter. Mesmerized by the snow, I made my decision right then and there. As an arts student my degree is very flexible, so I was able to go basically anywhere. Depending on your faculty, this may require some more research.

1. Applying.

The application process has multiple steps, but none of them are too difficult. Knowing that each

form you complete brings you closer to escaping abroad makes the whole process that much easier to bear.

I had to choose courses at McGill equivalent to my degree and my major, and each was assessed by a faculty advisor. This part requires the most research. If possible, I would recommend taking courses that are new and different from classes you’ve taken before.

Stepping out of your comfort zone is what going on exchange is all about, after all. Just because your major is political science, doesn’t mean you should not take a course in African drumming! After the list of courses is approved, the rest of your application is pretty much smooth sailing.

2. Housing.

You’ve picked your university and the flights are booked. What’s the next step? A place to live ranks pretty high on the list of priorities.

McGill does not offer any on-residence living—unless you are a firstyear or a floor fellow—so it was up to me to find it myself. A combination of Craigslist, timing, and pure luck provided me with an awesome apartment in the McGill ghetto with great roommates.

However, this will not always be the case for everyone, so I have some important tips. If the school that you have applied for does not offer housing, and you are required to find it yourself, start early, send thousands of emails, and check daily.

This will give you the most options and choices for places to live. It’s a

Movember Kickoff U.S. Presidential Election Charity Event

Thursday, November 1st

Tuesday, November 6th

Y intersection

6 p.m.

Join the Movember McGill execs for bacon grilled cheese, free razors, shaving cream, and deodorant to start off Movember.

Gerts

Join the PSSA and B. Refuge for cupcakes, a raffle, and drinks. All proceeds go to Project Refuge, part of the Montreal City Mission which funds Maison Haider, a home for recently arrived refugees.

afternoon

McGill Students for China Care Friday November 2nd 6 p.m. -8 p.m.

SSMU Ballroom

Campus calendar

Come by to try your hand (or voice) at various board games, karaoke, and have a bubble tea to raise money for the China Care Foundation.

much more favourable position than living out of your suitcase for the first two weeks in a hostel, or spending your days exploring apartments instead of your new city.

Alternatively, if you are offered residence, just be sure it is what you want. If you cannot picture yourself in a dorm with overly enthusiastic first year students, then maybe finding a student apartment is a better option.

3. Take advantage.

Now that that the housing box is checked off, you are ready to embrace your new life and your new school. It’s terrifying, but amazing! I have been here for two months, and every day I still look forward to the surprises Montreal has in store.

In order to make the most of your stay, I would suggest jumping on every opportunity. Take advantage of weekends and get onboard all of the trips offered by your school’s exchange students group. Try not to think about money too much if you can avoid it. Money can be made later, but these experiences are a once in a lifetime. When it comes to the studying, this is entirely dependent on your degree. Many students will be taking classes on a pass/fail basis as part of their exchange, so when a 65 per cent means the same as a 95 per cent, make the most of this. Complete the work that is required of course, but your weekend destinations should be new and foreign cities, not your desk or the library.

It is never too early to begin researching, comparing, and deciding potential exchange destinations.

You may not consider yourself the exchange type, but with so many options there will be something out there that suits you. So go ahead and immerse yourself in a brand new place. Good luck, and safe travels.

| Curiosity delivers.

Pumpkin tart Recipe This tasty recipe is a nice twist on the classic pumpkin pie, and perfect for sharing with roommates, study buddies, or anybody else you may need a favour from in the future.

Prep time: 10 minutes Baking time: 20 minutes Ingredients 14 oz. sweetened, condensed milk 1 ¼ cups canned pumpkin purée (if you carved a jack o’lantern this Halloween, you can always make your pumpkin puree from scratch, but this recipe caters towards us lazy chefs, and we will be using the canned variety.)

2 tbsp. brown sugar (dark) 1 egg ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg (you can play around with the ratios of spices to your liking.)

24 unbaked tart shells (3 inch) (again, you can make the shells from scratch if you’re feeling ambitious, but this particular recipe aims to be short and sweet.)

2 tbsp. dark or spiced rum (adjust amount to taste.)

1 cup heavy cream 1 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Mix together condensed milk, pumpkin, brown sugar, egg, spices, and rum in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth.

3. Pour into tart shells, and bake for about 18 minutes.

4. Test to see if they’re done with a toothpick—centre should be just set, and shell should be golden.

5. In another bowl, beat heavy cream until peaks start to form, while tarts are left to cool completely.

6. Beat in sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form, but be careful not to overbeat or whipped cream will become lumpy.

7. Top your tarts with the whipped cream (you’ll be glad you didn’t opt for a can, I promise), and garnish however else you’d like (I would recommend sprinkling some extra spices on top).

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arts & entertainment

music

Dan Deacon on smartphones, classical music, and America Electronic artist’s latest album celebrates home country; plans for live shows include technological fanfare Zoe Power Contributor When I finally reach Dan Deacon after a frustrating number of dropped calls, he apologizes for the poor reception, and tells me, in high spirits, that he’s “somewhere rural.”

Deacon is currently traversing North America in support of his third album, and Domino Records debut, America. As the title suggests, the album deals with land and landscape—in particular, with travel, including jaunts to the frontiers of mobile reception.

America is inspired by the sweeping scope and immense diversity of the country Deacon calls home. Its very name possesses, according to the album’s press release, “an infinite range of connotations, both positive and negative.”

Deacon, moreover, appreciates the novel aspects that touring across the country brings to his music.

“Travelling with new people, and some people who haven’t travelled before, brings a newness and a freshness to it,” says Deacon; the experience has only reinforced his ideas about the diversity of the land.

This freshness, and its consequent broadening of horizons, seems to be a recurring theme for both the man and the album. Indeed, a good deal of media attention has focused on the changes evident in America, a record which moves away from the energy-charged pop intensity of Deacon’s hit debut Spiderman of the Rings. The changes, however, are less drastic than critics may suggest.

Sophomore record Bromst (2009), while lacking the amount of song-suite-epicness in this latest offering, marks an indubitable transition from the pop ecstasy of former

Dan Deacon’s latest delves into exploration and discovery. (www.reeperbahn.com) days. Deacon began work on America as soon as Bromst was finished, and shows have featured material from America for quite some time.

The live performances, however, won’t differ too much from what fans have come to expect.

“There’s largely the same energy to the show,” says Deacon. “It’ll be pretty sweaty... people dance quite a bit.”

The break between Deacon’s last two releases can, in large part, be attributed to the fact that he’s been rather busy. His diversions have included scoring Francis Ford Coppola’s Twixt, and several classical music projects, including two compositions which were performed at Carnegie Hall earlier this year.

“They changed the way I think

about sounds, instruments, music … they definitely had a big influence,” Deacon says of his side projects. He has a real interest in working with different media, wanting “to try as many different forms as possible ... they all have their own forms, settings, contexts.”

When it comes to working with someone else’s vision, such as during the Coppola project, Deacon is amazingly positive—perhaps surprisingly so, for a man who custombuilt a recording space for one of America’s tracks to ensure full creative control.

“It’s always nice to work within limits,” he says. “It gives you something to push the boundaries of.”

This penchant for experimentation is not limited to Deacon’s lesser

known projects. Audiences on his present tour will be treated to some Deacon-style performance innovation, such as his concert mobile app.

“If you think about [smartphones as] lights and speakers … you can synchronize and utilize those in a way that adds to the performance,” says Deacon.

Having just last week been implored by Dan Mangan to “all put away our phones and just be here,” I can’t help but comment to Deacon that his embrace of smartphones runs counter to the impatience and frustration many other artists express.

His response is that the app “changes the way that people think about the phone. That’s what I like about it. It’s no longer about the in-

dividual phone ... Our app is deliberately not interesting if you use it by yourself. You can’t really use it by yourself, you have to use it at a show … it needs a critical mass of people to make it work, to make it exciting.”

This latest experiment certainly should be; it’s the latest in a long line of crowd-participation techniques from a man who’s long been known for the unified energy and synchronized dancing of his live shows— Deacon even performed earlier this year to energize crowds at the Occupy protests. This current tour is just the beginning—he is “still figuring out how it all works” this time around, but already looking ahead to writing music specifically to be used with the app in the future.

But where does this interest in getting folks involved come from?

“Ah… I don’t know… I think it’s just a weird neurosis that I have,” Deacon replies.

Whatever the source of his talent, working up a crowd is something which the man has mastered.

Deacon’s tour hits Montreal on November 10, and a fantastic time is all but guaranteed.

For those who don’t have a smartphone, fret not.

“It sounds cheesy,” Deacon admits, “but the light literally shines on us all… we don’t all need to have the phone.”

Of the show itself, Deacon says, “it’s better to go with an open mind and with no expectations, people might have a better time that way.”

Dan Deacon plays on November 10 at the SAT (1201 Boulevard Saint-Laurent.) Tickets are $17 advance, $20 at the door.

could be good theatre Hamlet

Film Masterpieces in 35mm

Film Wine From Here

Audio Art Lounge

dance La Danseuse Malade

Is your life short on Shakespeare? Fear not! Over the next week and a half, Persephone Productions will be performing Hamlet, perhaps the bard’s most resonant play. If you miss out, you may have to wait for a few decades—the last time Montreal had an English production of Hamlet was 1976.

In the upcoming week, Cinema du Parc revives a set of classic 35mm films. The menu opens with Joseph von Sternberg’s The Blue Angel, which marks his first collaboration with the great Marlene Dietrich. Luis Bunuel’s surrealist masterpieces, Un Chien Andalous and L’Age D’Or follow.

Fancy a movie and a drink? Look no further than the screening of Wine From Here, a documentary dealing natural Californian wineries, their histories, and their goals. Afterwards, take part in a winegrower-led panel discussion, taste some wine, and sample the canapés.

Inspired by 1950s-era Montreal piano bars, Lounge delves into what the act of listening entails. The performance features Seth Horvitz’s “Eight Studies for Automatic Piano,” and Laura Cetilia’s cello.

After a whirlwind tour of Japan and Indonesia, Jocelyne Montpetit’s La Danseuse Malade is returning to Montreal. Named Best Dance Performance of 2011 by La Presse, Montpetit returns with her exploration of Japanese choreography, or butoh.

Hamlet runs at the Calixa-Lavallée Theatre (3819 Calixa-Lavallée), November 1-10, and Victoria Hall (4626 Sherbrooke Street West), November 17-18.

Student admission $12.

Lounge takes place at the PHI Centre (407, Saint-Pierre Street), at 9 p.m., NoCatch the one-off showing of Wine From vember 10. Admission is free with a pass, La Danseuse Malade will be playing at The Blue Angel will be showing Novem- Here next Monday, Nov. 5, at Cinema du available at the PHI Centre. the Segal Centre for Performing Arts ber 2-4, at 9:15 p.m. Un Chien Andalous Parc. Admission is $20, and includes one (5170 Chemin de la Côte-Ste-Catheand L’Age D’Or will be showing Novem- movie ticket and wine-tasting. rine), on November 8, at 8 p.m. Admisber 5-7, at 9:15 p.m. sion is free. Warning: onstage nudity.

16

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 |

arts & entertainment

| Curiosity delivers.

music

From the sticks to the limelight

Mother Mother talks about their musical coming-of-age and return to Montreal Leyang Yu Contributor After the recent launch of their fourth, full-length album, Vancouver indie band Mother Mother is back, kicking off a nation-wide tour on November 7. While the band has been on and off the road this year, opening for Our Lady Peace, appearing at summer festivals, and headlining shows of their own, the upcoming tour will mark the first time they draw material from their latest album, The Sticks.

“Releasing a record is like letting free a caged bird,” says lead singer Ryan Guildemond. “It flies away, quickly out of eye shot, and you start to forget all about it. Going on tour is our turn to be a bird in a cage, doing tricks. The only thing that matters in a day is getting better at our tricks.”

While every band needs to practice their tricks, Mother Mother is no stranger to the business of touring. While continuing to deliver quality tracks, they’ve consistently toured every year since the release of their first album, Touch Up, in 2007. They’ve even garnered

Mother Mother tours its latest album, The Sticks. (Todd M. Duym / www.mothermothersite.com) enough attention to tour internationally several times—a milestone for every indie band.

“It’s the difference between getting invited to a sort-of-friend’s party where you don’t really know anyone, and throwing your own party where you know everyone,” says Guildemond, when asked about how recent shows compare the recent shows to their early gigs. “The former, you have to execute your

gestures with grace and precision to win ‘em over. The latter, you have more leeway to blunder. That said, no one really likes a sloppy host, so we tell ourselves that every additional impression is a first impression.”

In between dominating the nation’s indie-music industry, touring, and experimenting with reverb chamber closets in the studio, it’s hard to imagine that Mother Mother

actually has time to sit down and write music.

When asked where the inspiration comes from, Guildemond responds, “Music is a very fun medium of creative expression that offers a wonderful escape from the mundanity of the everyday. Once you experience that, you realize that staying prolific is to the soul’s benefit, so you best not be lazy.”

Mother Mother’s music falls

somewhere along the spectrum of “a random clash of pop and rock that just happened to sound amazing,” and plain noise. They have standouts that stick in listeners’ ears long after the first listen, as well as tracks which border on the quickly-forgettable; both darker songs that experiment with multi-dimensionality, and those for easy-listening.

“How we come off to others [in terms of] challenging versus easy music is likely to show inconsistencies, and which of the two I prefer, I don’t really know. I just want to do what appeals to me and the band, because you can’t please them all,” says Guildemond. “The indie-diehards will say we’re banal while the mainstreamers will say too weird, and therein lies the meaningless subjective beauty of art.”

Still, their repertoire is broad enough—it’s a little bit of what mainstreamers love, and just enough of what indie kids don’t.

Mother Mother play on November 21 at the Corona Theatre (2490 Notre-Dame West). Tickets are $26.90.

Dance

When language fails

Filipino artists explore colonialism through interdisciplinary media Cecilie Jensen Contributor

As a university student studying English literature, I am a firm believer in the role of language as a mode of cross-cultural and cross-temporal expression. Yet, if there is one thing I have also learned after more than two years of engaging critically with different literary forms, it is the obvious incapacity of the written word to accurately communicate certain experiences. Language simply falls short, for example, when trying to say something meaningful about a preliterate society that was dependent on entirely different verbal and natural modes of expression.

The MAI (Montreal, arts interculturels) is a venue for interdisciplinary art practices that seeks to overcome this shortcoming by exploring non-verbal media for intercultural dialogue. From October 25 to 27, MAI staged the multi-sensorial trans-cultural dance-theatre production, Colonial. The show, which toured globally, uses the human body, music, and visual arts

to tell the complex story of the colonization of the Philippines by the Spanish in the 16th century, and the American occupation three centuries later. Colonial is a collaboration of five Filipino artists, each using their artistic talent to address their cultural heritage, and explore how to align it with a modern Philippines that now identifies with Western ideals.

The first of the production’s three parts transports the audience back to the pre-colonial jungles of the Philippines. Filipino-Canadian dancer-choreographer, Alvin Erasga Tolentino, gracefully dances on the small stage; a long and narrow mask covers his head, preventing him from seeing the audience or noticing anything beyond the small natural world of jungle sounds and shrubbery he moves in. Gradually, the background music swells in intensity, the rustling of leaves and birdsong are replaced by beating drums, and the sound of church bells makes itself heard in the distance, announcing the arrival of the Spanish colonizers.

The production’s second part begins with Tolentino crawling onto the stage and throwing himself into an uncontrolled, maniacal dance, as images of European and American cultural artifacts surround him on all sides, relentlessly imposing themselves on his natural space.

In contrast to this overt expression of the individual’s battle against overwhelming external influences, the production’s third and final act features a Tolentino who seems to have regained a state of inner equilibrium, his dancing becoming more controlled: we’ve returned to the present, in which the Philippines has gained its independence, but remains irreversibly changed by its colonial past.

Colonial is a fascinating and innovative interpretation of the past and present of the Philippines, and an excellent example of the interdisciplinary artistic vision of the MAI. The MAI is located at 3680, rue Jeanne-Mance, bureau 103. For more information visit http://m-a-i. qc.ca/en.

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arts & entertainment

| Tuesday, October 30, 2012

17

Literature

Move over, Edward Cullen—there’s a new undead in town Next book in hit vampire trilogy The Passage is worth sinking your teeth into Kristal Spreadborough Contributor The Twelve is the second book in Justin Cronin’s compelling trilogy about a pseudo-vampire apocalypse, brought about by the volatile combination of ambition and stupidity on the part of several rogue scientists.

Following The Passage (2010), The Twelve begins in the aftermath of the second uprising of the virals, or vampires. The storyline takes several chapters to settle in, but it’s worth the effort. What sets Cronin’s work apart from other novels in this genre is his realism: there are believable resolutions to different situations.

Familiar characters die; such portrayal makes the story much more

engaging.

The prologue opens with a brief recap of the virals’ rise, and introduces Amy, the leading lady chosen

by God to save the earth. As one might expect in a story about good and evil, Cronin vividly illustrates the conflict between God and the Devil. Thankfully, this dimension does not overpower the storyline.

From then on, Cronin enlists average Joes to wage the second war on the ghouls. From his scenes of harvesting in the communal corn fields with the constant threat of being “taken-up” (converted) by a rogue viral, to those of working in the oil refineries on the Texas coastline, Cronin creates a world we could believe ourselves a part of. The most

intriguing aspect of the book is the introduction of a mysterious cloaked woman who, though sharing human features, is working with the virals to destroy the remnants of mankind.

Alicia, who was infected with the virus at the end of The Passage, rendering her viral-human hybrid, also blurs the line between her human allegiances and her newfound viral blood. Just when readers relax, the tables turn, and, in Cronin’s words, “you’re running for the hard-box.”

As an English professor at Rice University, it is little wonder that Justin Cronin knows how to craft a trilogy with the power to stay. His home in Houston, Texas, provides the real-life setting that inspired the small southern towns of his novel.

The remote settings in the book add to the sense of isolation that mark the characters’ plight, and help Cronin to focus on developing each character’s story with no extraneous detail.

The Twelve’s best feature is its breadth of story. Jolting the reader between characters and plot lines, Cronin teases readers with openended stories so that one is never completely sure of who lives, who dies, and who goes viral. That said, when Cronin focuses on one character at a time for several hundred pages, the book can become mundane and tedious. These sections lack the pizzazz we have come to expect from him—it’s a good four pages of action packed, into fifteen

chapters.

Although the story assumes an end-of-days tint, don’t let all this talk of the humanity’s demise deter you from picking up Cronin’s latest.

It’s actually an optimistic story: “Everything that deals with ‘the end of the world—is actually a creation story,” says Cronin in an interview with The Independent. “Otherwise, it’s completely nihilistic and nobody would read it.”

At some 1500 pages already invested in this trilogy, this is a creation story not to be breezed through. So pace yourselves. But remember: when in doubt, run.

music

Montreal trio on new beginnings

Plants and Animals prepares to record a follow-up to The End of That

Plants and Animals looks ahead. (jemzz.wordpress.com) Bronte Martin Contributor Montreal’s own Plants and Animals are no strangers to the music scene. The talented trio, consisting of Warren Spicer, Matthew “Woodman” Woodley, and Nicolas Basque, met at Concordia University and took what seemed like the natural step forward to form an indie-rock compilation.

In the beginning, the trio was heavily reliant on improvisation, taking small stages around Montreal. Spicer (vocals) was quite shy at first, and it was only when he allowed his silence to grow into his signature melodic vocals that the band really took off.

“We’ve become something like a chicken sandwich. Warren is the meat, Woody is the bread that holds us all together and I like to think I’m the sauce that tends to get all over the place,” says Basque.

The majority of their inspiration stems from music in the ‘60s, as well as modern theatre and dance.

“It’s really tough to pinpoint what inspires you musically as a band,” says Basque. “We all have many creative friends, such as Katie Moore and Michael Bryan, that radiate wild, loose, and experimental

waves. We find that kind of exposure very healthy.”

Since their formation in 2002, Plants and Animals released a selftitled debut album, in 2003, followed by an EP and three full-length albums. Basque explains that the band’s three newest albums are meant to resemble the transitions between childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

“Parc Avenue (2008) definitely has a naïve aspect to it, along with it being precious and welcoming. La La Land (2010) is much darker and psychedelic, and reflects the experimental stage in someone’s teenage years. We then finally arrive at The End of That (2012), which radiates a certain sense of nakedness, maturity, and simplicity.”

Though each album’s sound was developed quite differently, each one is recorded close to home.

“We love to record and rehearse at the Treatment Room here in Montreal. All of our gear is there, we know the place like the back of our hand, and we know the people so well. It’s home to us,” explains Basque.

When asked to describe Plants and Animals’ signature sound in a few words, Basque calls it a “vibrant and real with an organic quality.” It

is something that “moves a lot, and moves together simultaneously as the chemistry is sonically dynamic.” Compression and saturation in order to please radio standards is something they shy away from, and instead strive for the notions of experiment and surprise.

The End of That sparked an undeniable buzz in Montreal, as well as other provinces, eventually catching on across borders. Previously touring with Wolf Parade, Gnarles Barkley, and Grizzly Bear, Plants and Animals have shown a ready appeal to national audiences.

Following the end of their tour, which winds down in mere weeks, the trio plan to buckle down and get back to rehearsing.

“The direction in which our sound is now going is really exciting for us. We want to try to do something with more texture and depth that is challenging both for us and our listeners,” says Basque.

No matter where this new direction takes them, their sound is nothing short of accessible. What will remain constant are the recurring emotional curves that emerge when listeners least expect them.

“Our ideal fan is someone who can party to one of our groovier songs, and mellow out during a slower one,” Basque says. “Whoever can keep up with the highs and lows of our pieces is welcome at any show of ours.”

Plants and Animals are playing Nov. 16 at The Corona Theatre (2490 Rue Notre-Dame West.) Tickets are $20.

Are giving you the chance to win 1 of 5 amazing SKYFALL prize packs that includes the official poster and t-shirt.

One lucky winner will also receive A double pass to attend the highly anticipated screening of

SKYFALL Wednesday November 7, 7:00pm at the Scotia Bank Theatre.

E n t e r n ow Email cpm@ssmu.mcgill.ca Subject: Skyfall http://www.skyfall-movie.com/site/ *Film subject to classification

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18

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 |

arts & entertainment

Album Macklemore & Ryan Lewis The Heist Macklemore After Macklemore & Ryan Lewis partnered up to bring us the acclaimed The VS. EP in late 2009, some fans feared a sophomore slump. Instead, the duo’s latest release, titled The Heist, plays like a veteran rapper’s ‘best-of’ compilation.

In a surprising turn for a rap album, The Heist provides an invigorating instance of straight talk.

In direct contrast to the belief that ostentatious displays of wealth and bravado are de rigeur in rap (see Zadie Smith’s interview with JayZ), Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, writes only what he knows. The record’s subjects range from the agonizingly candid “Starting Over,” where Haggerty struggles with the shame and disappointment of relapsing into cough syrup use, to the jaunty “Thrift Shop,” an ode to second-hand stores. Haggerty’s songwriting, however, is at its peak in “Neon Cathedral,” the young rapper’s elegy to the solace that drinking provides the hopeless. The theme of substance abuse is well-trodden ground for an artist whose most personal track prior to The Heist was “Otherside,” a song lamenting the cough-syrup epidemic stifling both hip-hop and his own life. The tone, however, never verges on the moralistic—Haggerty readily admits that he’s not a judge, only a storyteller.

Lewis, the duo’s producer and DJ, plays an invaluable part in this process. Since the two began working together, Lewis has coupled Haggerty’s tracks with some of the most captivating beats in recent memory, often employing dense, intricate layers, with his own skill on show in the instrumental “BomBom.” With Haggerty’s incandescent delivery, and Lewis’ expert production, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis have brought out the most impressive record of 2012. Welcome to The Heist—you’ve pulled it off.

— Ilia Blinderman

| Curiosity delivers.

theatre

Horrors of war still hit close to home

reviews

Trench Patterns finds solace in the metaphysical

Mellowhype Numbers

Wintersleep Hello Hum

Odd Future

Roll Call

Unless you’re a well-versed hip-hop fan, it’s possible that your familiarity with rappers Left Brain and Hodgy Beats only stems from their frequently cited Odd Future involvement. The pair of artists, however, also make up the separate rap group Mellowhype, which recently released their third studio album, Numbers. In comparison to their previous work, the album features toned-down and introspective tracks, and showcases the pair’s recent shift away from adolescent antics to musical, and perhaps even personal, maturity.

In other words, Numbers is less hype, more mellow. In some instances, this leads to artistic breakthroughs, such as with “Under 2,” in which Left Brain touchingly raps about his newborn son. Other times, however, the mellowness is monotonous, leaving longtime fans wishing for some of the adolescent anger and intensity present in their earlier work. Frank Ocean’s appearance on “Astro” adds some star power to the album; the track features beautiful crooning by Ocean with a great Left Brain beat. Earl Sweatshirt, on “P2,” adds excitement as well, though disappointingly mumbles throughout much of his verse.

In sum, the album could use more energy and variety in its use of beats, sounds and features. As the first effort of a more cultivated Mellowhype sound, however, it can be considered a step in the right direction.

—Tara Boghosian

Although the Juno award-winning Wintersleep has been lauded as having released ‘the album of their career’ with Hello Hum, not much has changed from their previous work. The band brought producer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips; MGMT) aboard for their fifth fulllength album, although his presence is not especially noticeable.

With melodies beautifully backed up by intricate guitar picking, the album’s instrumentals remain on par with Wintersleep’s sound in past albums. Lead singer Paul Murphy’s nasally vocal tone, highly reminiscent of Interpol’s Paul Banks and We Are Scientists’ Keith Murray, acts as a distinct instrument woven through each song. Matching perfectly with the tones of the rest of the band, Murphy’s vocals are essential to the creation of their seemingly effortless sound.

Most peculiar is that Wintersleep were able to stay true to their old-school rock sound while adding hints of synths to their music. With soft, elaborate instrumentals and full choruses, it’s hard to tell whether Hello Hum disappoints, in that it has not shown enough progress from their past work, or if Wintersleep is just so musically adept that listeners fail to realize that there’s work being done.

— Vanessa Salvo

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Patricia Summersett as Jacqueline. (Susann Hofgraef / Infinithéâtre) Tim Tsang Contributor The premise is intriguing enough: Jacqueline, a female combat officer who served in Afghanistan, wakes up in a dark hospital cell complaining of a phantom pain in her amputated leg. What follows, however, is more phantasmagoric— the brilliant Zach Fraser enters the stage as Jacqueline’s French-Canadian great-grandfather, who was unjustly shot for desertion in WWI. Alyson Grant’s Trench Patterns is an immersive spectacle. The lighting and sound are outstanding, and Guy Sprung’s direction in this Infinithéâtre production does full justice to the piece’s haunting experience. The play itself seldom departs from the hospital cell setting, which effectively facilitates a “brain in a vat” exploration of Jacqueline’s febrile consciousness. One by one, hallucinatory figures from both wars appear on the platform—vignettes that each pledge the case of abject humanity.

On the surface, the play questions the paradoxical concept of a “just war” and the “good soldier”— nothing new there. Yet what is new, is an ambitious creation a character distressed by a double-stranded memory, which oscillates between her great grandfather’s tragic fate in WWI, and her own participation in the Afghan conflict. It certainly baffles temporal and spatial logic to enact scenes from both wars, almost a century apart, in a hospital ward­­­­—unless this straddling of time occurs in a character suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Even so, the show requires some willful suspension of disbelief.

This is especially necessary in Jacqueline’s imaginary conversation with her great-grandfather, and her evocation of painstakingly real scenes from WWI. Of these, she has no first-hand experience—after all, she has only read about them

in history books. The audience’s bewilderment mirrors Jacqueline’s disorientation in a play that, for the most part, operates at the expense of logic. Were it not for Patricia Summersett’s riveting performance as Jacqueline, the play may have failed to convince on a structural level— however surrealistic in tone Grant intends it to be.

However, it is Jacqueline’s hallucinatory plunge into history that rescues the binding theme the play desperately needs. In her introduction, Grant notes that her play is about “how a past family member’s life … can shape those in the following generations.” It is Jacqueline’s attempt to reconcile her identity as a soldier with her particular familial history that ultimately rewards a genuine comprehension of what the play alludes to.

Throughout, Jacqueline is either stuck in bed, propped up in a wheelchair, or limping across the stage; all states generate sincere pathos. The title of the play derives its name from the often twisted and zigzagged patterns of the communication trench in WWI. Jacqueline’s road to recovery, thus, requires not only the psychiatrist (also played by Zach Fraser) and her mother (Diana Fajrajsl) to understand her, but also the audience, to make sense of her long recuperative process, physical and mental, as she interrogates both her past and present.

Grant is evidently an able playwright. Commendably, there is an almost Beckettian tinge to the wonderfully conceived character of Jacqueline. Yet Trench Patterns is very much just a demonstration of potential, raw talent on display; on the whole, it is much too ambitious, and consequently falls a little flat.

Trench Patterns runs through Nov. 18 at Bain St-Michel (5300 StDominque); Tuesday to Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Student admission is $20.

19

SPORTS

Soccer — Martlets 8, Bishop’s 1

Riding high into playoffs, McGill routs Bishop’s Seven Martlets score in the victory; McGill advances to RSEQ semifinal Rebecca Babcock Contributor Fired up after a 3-0 win over UQTR earlier in the week, the McGill Martlet soccer team came ready to play Bishop’s on Friday night.

The Martlets defeated the Gaiters in their last home game of the regular season by an 8-1 margin.

Despite the large goal differential, Head Coach Marc Mounicot was slightly disappointed with his team’s effort.

“Our goal was to score as many goals as we could,” Mounicot said.

“Yes, we scored eight goals today, but we should have beaten that team by more.”

McGill started the first half quickly, moving the ball well and creating many scoring opportunities.

Just 15 minutes in, forward Kristina Pearkes launched the first goal of the game, opening the floodgates for other Martlets. Minutes later, Margaux Sleckman scored the second goal from 25 yards out. Selena Colarossi and Stephanie Avery eached chipped Bishop’s goalkeeper Marie Pierre Harvey to pad McGill’s lead.

Second-year defender Jenna Holdham tallied yet another, heading it past Harvey in the 36th minute.

Entering halftime, McGill found itself ahead 5-0. The Martlets’ large lead allowed complacency to set in. They stopped moving their feet, which gave Bishop’s free shots on net. The Gaiters scored in

Kristina Pearkes scored a goal and added two assists during the Martlet victory. (Luke Orlando / McGill Tribune) the 62nd minute, denying McGill a shutout.

After some substitutions for McGill, the Martlets picked up the tempo. Meghan Bourque came off the bench and scored two quick goals within six minutes of each other. Another substitute, Melissa

THIRD MAN IN When I first started playing rugby, my parents were worried I was at risk of serious injury. I argued that sports like hockey— which both my brother and sister played—or football were more dangerous, despite the padding used. After a lot of pleading, my parents reluctantly agreed to let me play.

As I grew older and past my rugby prime, I began to wonder whether rugby is, in fact, safer than football. However, based on my experience and some investigative research, I can conclude that rugby is safer.

The first thing rugby players are taught is how to hit properly without equipment. Players are supposed to aim their shoulders for the opponent’s hip, wrap their arms around the knees, and keep

St-Onge, scored the final goal of the game in the 90th minute, sealing the Martlet victory.

Sitting in third place in the RSEQ, the Martlets have secured a playoff position. However, Mounicot believes the Martlets must improve in a few areas if the team

wants to contend for a conference title.

“I was not happy that we gave up a goal,” Mounicot said, as it was just the Gaiters’ fourth goal of the season. “We have to keep working on our set plays, [our] finishing, and controlling the tempo of the game.

When we are in control, we [create] better shots, and when we don’t have control, we need to concentrate and get that control back.”

The players, however, were more enthusiastic about the outcome. Bourque explained that it was important to give all the Martlets some playing time.

“It was great. Once we warmed up, we got into a groove and everyone got a chance to play. It was important to come out and score lots of goals, both for stats, but also for confidence,” Bourque said. “I don’t get a lot of opportunities to score, so getting these two goals puts me in a great confident position for our upcoming games.”

One of McGill’s strengths is the ability to get offensive output from many players of all positions. Even Holdham, a defender rarely in a position to score, managed to add one in the game.

After the match, she reiterated the importance of momentum.

“Scoring lots of goals and proving ourselves out on the field will be important for playoffs,” Holdham said. “We’re going to come up against Sherbrooke, who beat us in the semi-finals last year. We’re going to have to carry this type of play over, and take it to them.”

The Martlets tied Sherbrooke on Sunday afternoon, and will get another crack at the Vert-et-Or in the RSEQ semifinal on Nov. 2.

Football too violent? Try rugby

their heads to either side of the torso in order to prevent the opposing players from falling on their heads. Theoretically, this tactful approach to tackling reduces the likelihood of serious injury.

While proper tackling is also taught in football, it is not emphasized to the same extent, and does not require the same amount of precision. This is because football players have padding for protection in the case of a poorly executed tackle by an opposing player.

Conversely, rugby players are constrained by their lack of padding. A rugby tackler will not run full tilt at the opposition, as he or she, too, wants to avoid injury upon impact. Football players seem to believe that their padding is a magical layer thatprotects them from the force of the

hit. While it is true that padding absorbs some of the impact, these chronic forces still take a toll on players’ bodies. It is almost as if the padding solicits more vicious hitting.

Protective headgear also presents another issue in football.

Helmets are sometimes supported behind the neck with a neckroll, which, in principal, makes it “safer” for football players to use their heads as a weapon in a tackle. While concussions are a hot topic in football, particularly in the NFL, efforts to reduce head injuries haven’t panned out in practice—players are still just as vulnerable to head injuries.

Finally, it is statistically proven that football players sustain more injuries. A study published in 2008 by The British

Journal of Sports Medicine found 847 injuries occurred in 73,834 Collegiate Rugby Union practices and games. These numbers were lower than rates reported by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Injury Surveillance System for American football.

The lack of padding not only makes rugby a more controlled and safe sport. In fact, it has other rules that enforce a safer game overall. For instance, any semblance of a high tackle results in a penalty. In stark contrast, changes in football rules often create a dangerous environment. For example, the NCAA implemented a rule that if a player’s helmet comes off during a play, then the play is immediately stopped. While this seems to promote a safer environ-

ment, teams have begun to use this rule strategically. Helmets are now being intentionally ripped off of players’ heads to stop the play, leading to some perilous head and neck injuries, and sullying the rule’s original purpose.

Put simply, football can be an uncontrolled game. Players are more likely to throw their bodies around with the safety of padding, and the rules are failing at making it safer for the players. In the future, if my children ask me to play rugby, I’ll give them my blessing.

Football on the other hand, is just too physical. My parents made the right call.

—Rebecca Babcock

Curiosity delivers. |

sports

| Tuesday, October 30, 2012

HOCKEY — Martlets 6, Carleton 0

20

Martlets making magic early on, win home opener Leslie Oles, Melodie Daoust lead the way with two goals apiece; McGill remains undefeated Steven Lampert Sports Editor The season may be young but the McGill Martlets look like they’re in mid-season form. On Saturday afternoon, the Martlets defeated the Carleton Ravens 6-0 thanks to a complete team effort. McGill didn’t give the Ravens a glimmer of hope, and outmatched Carleton in every aspect of the game from the opening face-off.

Martlet Head Coach Peter Smith has a ton of confidence in his roster, and the results justify his faith.

“We’ve got four real good lines [and] six strong defencemen. When everyone is skating and using each other, we’re a pretty dangerous team to play against. That was showcased against Carleton,” Smith said.

After a sluggish start, the Martlets picked up the pace midway through the first period, as first-year forward Gabrielle Davidson opened the scoring with eight minutes to go in the frame. Davidson has been a useful addition to the Martlet lineup, as her speed and ability to create scoring chances present matchup problems for the opposition.

McGill has no shortage of offensive weapons up front, led by a first line of second-year centre Melodie Daoust, and third-years Katia Clement-Heydra and Leslie Oles.

The line generated scoring chances almost every time it was on the ice, and finally capitalized, as ClementHeydra buried a goal past sprawling Carleton goaltender Eri Kiribuchi

Fourth-year forward Chelsey Saunders fights for position in front of the net. (Michael Paolucci / McGill Tribune) with just eight seconds remaining in the frame.

Smith praised his first line and their dominant offensive performance.

“That line of Daoust, ClementHeydra, and Oles is just a great line.

They have a real sense of where each other are,” Smith said. “They’re just so dynamic. They’re great skaters with good puck skills, and see the

ice well. They’re exciting to watch.”

The line connected again in the second period, as Daoust scored her first of two goals on the night.

She finished with three points in the game. They carried their momentum into the third, as Daoust struck again, followed by a powerplay goal

by Oles, who finished with four points in the contest.

The Martlets fired 42 shots at

Kiribuchi in comparison with Carleton’s 19 shots at McGill goalie Taylor Salisbury. Salisbury has taken over this year for long-time Martlet goaltender Charline Labonte, and the results speak volumes about her talent—she has allowed just two goals in three starts this season. Despite the void left by Labonte, Smith is pleased with his team’s current goaltending situation.

“We’re a different team without Labonte in net. There’s no getting around it [but] we know that,” Smith said. “I think our goaltending now matches up with anybody in the league.”

Oles netted the Martlets’ final tally late in the third, thanks to a superb set up by Clement-Heydra and Daoust. Carleton was clearly gassed and created few scoring chances, as McGill preserved the shut-out victory.

Though the Martlets have had little competition thus far this year, it is important that they do not become complacent. However, Smith isn’t too worried about his group— they know how to focus and take one game at a time despite the long season.

“The beauty of our team is that [the players] want to hear about it.

They want to know what they do well [and] what they need to do better,” he said. “We know that this season is a process … they’re very focused on that process of getting better.”

The Martlets followed up their dominant effort against Carleton with another victory on Sunday afternoon against Concordia. Oles added a hat trick to her hot start to the season, while fourth-year backup goaltender Andrea Weckman was credited with the win after stopping 14 of the 17 shots she faced. McGill has a pair of away games next weekend before returning to McConnell Arena on Nov. 10 for a rematch against Concordia.

Lacrosse — CUFLA Wildcard Playoff

Redmen Qualify for nationals

Sports briefs rugby — Redmen 45, Bishop’s 14 McGill Ends Regular

Season with win

The Redmen continued to roll on Friday night, concluding their regular season schedule by defeating the Bishop’s Gaiters handily, 45-14.

Third-year forward Ian CarvalhoCampos, who converted two tries in the victory, led the Redmen with a total of 10 points. Fellow third-year fullback Cameron Perrin matched Carvalho-Campos with 10 points,

The McGill Redmen lacrosse team earned a trip to Nationals on Saturday, following a playoff win against Carleton in the CUFLA wildcard playoff game. The Redmen defeated Carleton twice this season in resounding 17-3 and 15-9 victories. This match, with much higher stakes, was a little more tense. On the heels of a pair of hat-tricks from Ryan Besse and Alex Rohrbach, and a two goal game by captain Jishan Sharples, the Redmen left Molson Stadium with a 10-8 victory. It was the 100th career win for Head Coach Timothy Murdoch. With it, McGill heads to Peterborough, Ontario next weekend looking to win its first CUFLA East Finals.

By Steven Lampert and Jeff Downey

scoring five conversions. Five other Redmen tallied tries in the match, including Zechary Miller and Quentin Pradere. The Redmen sit third in the RSEQ at 4-4, and will meet the winner of the Concordia-Bishop’s game in the conference semifinal on the road, on Nov. 11. The RSEQ final takes place a week later.

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The Redmen earned a berth at Nationals. (Luke Orlando / McGill Tribune)

eastern conference atlantic 1. Boston Celtics The ‘Big Three’ era in Boston officially ended as Ray Allen’s left for Miami this past summer. While the Celtics will miss Allen’s clutch 3-point shooting, they have gone a long way to filling the void by bringing in fellow sharpshooter Jason Terry. Boston’s best decision this offseason was to lock up defensive all-star Kevin Garnett to a three-year deal. ‘The Big Ticket’ will provide his usual snarl, and groom the Celtics’ future in Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger. Rajon Rondo, one of the best point guards in the league, is expected to take on a bigger offensive role. The Celtics also solidified their bench—a weakness last season—by acquiring shooting guard Courtney Lee in a trade. Expect a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals against Miami.

central 1. Indiana Pacers The Pacers return this season with the same starting lineup of George Hill, Paul George, Danny Granger, David West, and Roy Hibbert that led them to a 42-24 record in 2011-2012. Combine them with a solid supporting cast, and Indiana may be able to make a deep run in the postseason. Moreover, Hibert’s continued development will be crucial for the Pacers this year.

Although Indiana is not a flashy team, solid team play will place the Pacers atop the Central Division this season, especially with the Chicago Bulls missing Derrick Rose.

NBA NBA

preview

By Hrant Bardakjian, Michael Ghofrani, Peter Laing, Johnathan Lin, Remi Lu, Filippo Furlano

2. Brooklyn Nets Pro sports are back in Brooklyn and the Nets are relevant once again.

The superstar ownership tandem of Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov and Jay-Z has put forth its best effort in creating a competitive team that will immediately challenge for a playoff spot. Much to the delight of the crowd at the new Barclays Center, Jay-Z will be dropping some beats to the tune of Deron Williams and newly acquired Joe Johnson, who should make a strong duo in Brooklyn. The Nets were wise to give up their pursuit of Dwight Howard and all the accompanying drama. Brook Lopez should do an admirable job as starting centre at a fraction of the cost. The emergence of the Brooklyn version of the Nets has strengthened the Atlantic Division.

2. Chicago Bulls With Derrick Rose out with a torn ACL, Chicago is a completely different team from the one that’s finished atop the East the past two seasons. The Bulls will have to compensate for their lack of star power by trusting Head Coach Tom Thibodeau. It will also be crucial to see how well Kirk Hinrich will fill in for Rose, and whether or not Carlos Boozer can finally silence his doubters and live up to expectations. The Bulls seem like they will spiral downwards in the 2012-2013 season, though it wouldn’t be surprising if they finished first in the Central. It’s unlikely that Rose will be fully healthy this season, so the Bulls find it tough to advance past the first round of the playoffs.

3. New York Knicks The Knicks have long been New York’s team, but they might just lose their beloved title to the Nets. The truth is that GM Glen Grunwald has assembled a patchwork group that shows little promise. Knicks management seem to be experts in making bad decisions. Jeremy Lin might be an unpredictable talent, but replacing him with an old, oft-injured Jason Kidd is not the solution. Amar’e Stoudemire spends too much time on the injured reserve to be of any help to Carmelo Anthony. Even when the two are healthy, Melo prefers to create opportunities for himself, rather than rely on ball distribution. This team has too many question marks and chemistry issues to succeed.

3. Milwaukee Bucks The major question for the Bucks as they enter the 2012-2013 season is whether or not the Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis can co-exist in the backcourt. Ersan Ilyasova will be key to the Bucks’ success if he can build on his surprising season last year. It will be important to trace whether Head Coach Scott Skiles can convince his team to buy into improving their defence, especially with defensive anchor Andrew Bogut gone. Despite their explosive backcourt, it appears that the Bucks will be doomed to ninth- or 10thseed mediocrity once more.

4. Philadelphia 76ers Philly pulled off a gutsy move in shipping out Andre Iguodala in in exchange for the second-best centre in the NBA, Andrew Bynum. The biggest issue with Bynum is health. His knees have taken a major beating in his career and the big man is scheduled to miss the start of the season with more knee problems. Nevertheless, the 76ers had to take a chance, because Iggy never materialized into a true, team-carrying star. Now it’s up to coach Doug Collins to build on last season’s improbable run, which ended in a game seven Eastern Conference semifinal loss to the Celtics.

4. Detroit Pistons The Pistons have successfully rebooted their franchise. With a young core, consisting of Andre Drummond, Brandon Knight, and Greg Monroe, the Pistons will enter the season looking to reinvigorate the Palace of Auburn Hills. Monroe has improved in relative anonymity in Detroit, but his talent is very real and will be needed this season. The spotlight will also be on Drummond, the Pistons’ first round pick. He has both high bust potential and high star potential, but has looked good so far in the preseason. Expect the Pistons to contend for the eighth spot in the East or land just outside of the playoff bracket.

5. Toronto Raptors Let’s make one thing clear: the Raptors won’t make the playoffs. In a division chock-full of stars and quality veteran players, Toronto will be hard-pressed to stay afloat 20 games into the season. This team is built with complementary players forced to shoulder the load of a star-less squad.

Toronto’s unimpressive line-up of Andrea Bargnani, Landry Fields, DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, and Jonas Valanciunas is understandable given the team’s difficult task of luring free agents to play in Canada. A more realistic goal for the Raptors is to improve on last season’s miserable 23-43 record. This group of players must now learn to play together and blossom into a competitive team.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland is rebuilding in the right direction. 2011-2012 Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving’s continued excellence on the court will be the cornerstone of this franchise as it moves forward in the post-LeBron era. Irving’s ability to stay injury-free will also determine the Cavaliers’ fate this season. After being drafted fourth overall, Dion Waiters will be under much scrutiny. The Cavs are excited about Waiters and his ability to put the ball in the basket, so it will be interesting to see whether he lives up to the hype. Depending on Irving’s health and Waiters’ scoring ability, the Cavs may end up battling for the eighth seed in the East.

southeast 1. Miami Heat Miami is by far the best team in this division, with talent and depth throughout their entire lineup. The ‘Big Three’ will continue to dominate this season, and the addition of veteran guard Ray Allen will only make the Heat an even tougher opponent for the rest of the teams in the Southeast division. One player to keep an eye on is Mario Chalmers. The 26-yearold had an impressive showing in the playoffs last year and will look to continue his success in the 20122013 season.

2. Atlanta Hawks The Hawks had a busy offseason, trading away Joe Johnson and bringing in Devin Harris. In the end, neither trade has really made them more of a threat to overtake the Heat for the division title. That said, the Hawks did address their issues at the point guard position, and by trading Johnson, they have freed up some cap space. Expect the Hawks to have no trouble making the playoffs, but unless they acquire a huge star via trade or free agency, they will be in the Heat’s shadow for the foreseeable future.

3. Washington Wizards Third place in the Southeast is a toss up between the final three teams, but the Wizards seem to be the only one of those teams that is trending upwards. John Wall will continue to be a dominant force in the backcourt, and sophomore forward Jan Vesley will be looking to improve upon a solid rookie season. The real X-factor for the Wizards is 2012 first round pick Bradley Beal. He has been touted as a potential Rookie of the Year candidate, but it remains to be seen whether he can contribute enough to help the Wizards reach the postseason.

4. Orlando Magic It was a tough summer for Magic fans and it’s only going to get worse.

Orlando finally ended the year-long drama with star center Dwight Howard when they traded him for multiple first round picks and other assets. This season marks the beginning of what will likely be a long rebuilding effort to restore the franchise’s image. Truth be told, the only interesting thing to observe about the Magic is how long it takes the fans to call for the coach’s head. Fewer than 20 games seems a likely time frame.

5. Charlotte Bobcats The Bobcats are a mess. After finishing with the worst winning percentage in NBA history last season, the Bobcats also managed to lose out in the draft lottery, and settle for the second pick. The franchise didn’t make any significant roster changes over the summer, so expect the same sort of miserable performance this year. There are two things to pay attention to here: will the Bobcats break their own record as the worst team in NBA history, and how long will it take before Michael Jordan comes out of retirement to help his own cause?

WESTERN conference

pacific 1. Los Angeles Lakers The Lakers always seem to end up acquiring great players, and the addition of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash immediately make them title contenders. Howard is much more dynamic than Andrew Bynum, and Nash will help Kobe by controlling the ball and getting him open looks.

The bench, however, remains an issue. Steve Blake and Chris Duhon figure to play a lot as Nash’s minutes will be reduced, but they will have no answer for some of the league’s top point guards. Like Miami, when it first assembled the ‘Big three’, the Lakers will take some time to gel. But when they do, look for them to be in the NBA Finals.

2. Los Angeles Clippers Year two of Lob City is about to get underway. The Clippers added a bunch of new players, and it will be hard to distribute the bench minutes between Grant Hill, Jamal Crawford, Matt Barnes, and Lamar Odom. Even though L.A. seems like the perfect place for Odom, he appeared out of shape during training camp and struggled in the preseason. Interior defence continues to be a problem for the Clippers, as both Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan struggled against quality big men last year.

With Chris Paul running the point, the Clippers should be a playoff team, though they will struggle against the Lakers, Thunder, and Spurs.

3. Phoenix Suns It will be hard to replace firstballot Hall of Famer Steve Nash, but it was inevitable that he would leave Phoenix at some point. Nevertheless, the Suns have added a few good pieces to their roster: they stole the amnestied Luis Scola off the waiver wire, signed Goran Dragic, and traded for Michael Beasley and Wesley Johnson. In addition, their first-round draft pick Kendall Marshall should be a serviceable backup to Dragic. Centre Marcin Gortat was a splendid surprise last year, averaging a double-double. If the new guys mesh together early and the team improves its defence, they could contend for the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference.

4. Golden State Warriors The Warriors will have a tough time making the playoffs this year.

Instead, they should focus on the rehabilitation of their point guard Stephen Curry and centre Andrew Bogut. After trading Monta Ellis last season, Klay Thompson stepped up nicely, averaging 18 PPG as a starter.

David Lee continues to play well offensively, but his defence is a liability.

Rookie Harrison Barnes should be a productive scorer in the NBA, and will compete with Brandon Rush for a starting spot. If their roster remains healthy, the Warriors should be a decent team—but that’s a big ‘if.’

5. Sacramento Kings Good news: the Kings are staying in Sacramento for the time being.

Bad news: they’re not very good.

Tyreke Evans, Demarcus Cousins, and Jimmer Ferdette each have their own question marks. Evans had a great rookie season, but has struggled since and could be traded this year.

Cousins, on the other hand, improved dramatically last year, but still has some maturity issues. Jimmer was so bad in his rookie year that he may not even be in the league after his first contract expires. On the bright side, there is a lot of young talent on the roster with the backcourt tandem of Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Thornton. First-round draft pick Thomas Robinson should help the team. The present is pretty bleak for the Kings.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves Between Ricky Rubio’s retro style and Kevin Love dominating the paint, the Timberwolves were a lot of fun to watch last season. Many analysts believed that Minny was poised to make the playoffs this year, until Love broke his hand a few weeks ago. He will be out for a few months and Rubio is also still recovering from his torn ACL and doesn’t expect to be back until January. Relying on Derrick Williams to replace Kevin Love is a toss up. Poaching Brandon Roy out of retirement could prove to pay big dividends, and Andrei Kirilenko should help a lot on defence. This team will be flat out scary when fully healthy, but for now with the present injury situation, the T-Wolves are in some trouble.

4. Portland Trailblazers Portland is still feeling the effects of Brandon Roy’s departure, but the Blazers are showing signs of recovery, and could rise to contender status very soon. Rookie point guard Damian Lillard is intriguing; critics were wary of his coming into the draft, as he did not play at an elite level of competition in college. Lillard will start right out of the gate, and if he turns out to be a gem, Portland is going to compete in this division.

LaMarcus Aldridge is one of the best and most consistent power forwards in the league. Nicolas Batum is quickly turning into a potent small forward, and Wes Matthews will spread the court with his deadly three-point shooting ability. Don’t be surprised if Portland is in contention past the AllStar break.

5. Utah Jazz Utah has looked toothless since former Head Coach Jerry Sloan stepped down, and a turnaround isn’t likely this season. Star center Al Jefferson consistently puts up good offensive numbers, but unfortunately for Utah, he simply cannot protect the rim. The Jazz have a bright spot in Derrick Favors, who has shown glimpses of becoming an elite player.

If he takes the next step this year, Utah could surprise. He will be fighting for minutes on a nightly basis with other young big-man Enes Kanter, which may limit his production.

northwest 1. Oklahoma City Thunder OKC looked set to repeat a very impressive 2011-2012 campaign with another chance at winning the Larry O’Brien trophy. However, its hopes came crashing down when they traded their super-sub James Harden this past weekend. The Thunder are still arguably the best team in the Western Conference, but this move definitely hurts their chances against teams like the Lakers. Without Harden, the Thunder will struggle to generate their drive and kick offence.

Jeremy Lamb—one of the players they received for Harden—is much too young to start. The move may turn out well in the future, but for this season, their chances have taken a severe hit.

2. Denver Nuggets The Nuggets got in on the Dwight Howard trade by acquiring Andre Iguodala, one of the premiere defensive shooting guards in the league. This team is a defensive powerhouse and perhaps one of best in the league. Kenneth Faried is entering his second year with a lot of promise, Ty Lawson is becoming one of the best point guards in the league, and Danilo Gallinari’s dynamic offensive game should come together this season. Pair them with Andre Miller and Iguodala, and this may be one of the best teams in basketball. The Nuggets are an exciting team and will probably be for years to come.

southwest 3. Dallas Mavericks 2. Memphis Grizzlies 1. San Antonio Spurs The Dallas Mavericks avoided This could be the last chance After leading the Western Conference with 50 wins last season, the for the Grizzlies’ elite group of Zach any serious financial commitments San Antonio Spurs chose to preserve Randolph, Rudy Gay, and Marc Gasol over the offseason, but still manlast year’s roster over the offseason. to take Memphis deep into the post- aged to completely change their The veteran trio of Tim Duncan, Manu season. The franchise currently sits roster. After missing out on coveted Ginobili, and Tony Parker return with $3 million over the salary cap, and a All-Star point guard Deron Williams, Boris Diaw and Kawhi Leonard change of ownership is pending. All the Mavericks managed to land free rounding out the Spurs core rotation. signs point to a complete restructur- agents Chris Kaman, O.J. Mayo, and With Coach Gregg Popovich putting ing of the team if the three cannot Darren Collision. While the Mavs a focus on defence this season, there prove that they can lead a team past have a number of interesting pieces, is little doubt that the Spurs will be the first round of the playoffs. Over the success of the season again rests one of the best teams in the confer- the offseason, the Grizzlies lost O.J. on the shoulders of Dirk Nowitzki. If ence. However, the San Antonio’s Mayo, but managed to sign former the big man can recover from knee championship aspirations are ques- Raptor Jerryd Bayless to help the oc- surgery and return to the court soon, tionable. The Western Conference casionally lacklustre offence. While a the Mavs will have a serious shot of is extremely deep, so the team will playoff berth is highly likely, the cur- finishing in the top five in the conneed someone to step-up come play- rent scenario does little to promise a ference. Without Dirk, however, the team will struggle to contend with deep run in the playoffs. off time to win a title. the West’s best teams.

4. New Orleans Hornets After another inactive offseason, it looks as though the Hornets have turned to their own roster in order to fill the void left by Chris Paul’s departure. Luckily for the Hornets, there is no shortage of options. Their core is made up of two borderline all-stars, Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson, alongside the 2012 number one draft pick Anthony Davis, and high scoring prospect Austin Rivers. As a young club, the team will need to endure some inevitable growing pains. How talents like Davis and Rivers react and learn from these challenges will ultimately determine whether this young group can surprise this season and become a major threat in the future.

5. Houston Rockets After a botched attempt to secure Dwight Howard this offseason, the Houston Rockets have been left with a roster destined for failure. In an attempt to make room for Howard, the Rockets unloaded the majority of its roster and were left with a mismatched lineup filled with young, unproven players. The addition of James Harden will help, but he has yet to prove he can carry a team. The Rockets also managed to snag Jeremy Lin from the Knicks; and while Linsanity may fill seats, he isn’t likely to fill the win column. Expect the Rockets to take up residency in the basement of the Southwest.

Curiosity delivers. |

sports

| Tuesday, October 30, 2012

23

Soccer — UQTR 2, REDMEN 0

Two losses seal fate as Redmen miss playoffs

Lack of offensive production plagues McGill throughout season but Head Coach Valdes excited about future of club Jeff Downey Sports Editor With their backs against the wall and two matches remaining in the regular season, the struggling Redmen desperately needed a win as they faced the fourth-ranked UQTR Patriotes last Tuesday. Only the top four teams will advance to the playoffs, and the stakes were high as fifth-placed McGill was tied with Patriotes going into the match.

Two small mental blunders at the back were all it took to sink the Redmen, and they fell to the Patriotes in a heartbreaking 2-0 loss.

McGill failed to register a goal, despite three efforts that clanged off the posts and a number of acrobatic saves by UQTR keeper Raphael Belanger-Vaillancourt. This lack of offensive production has been the club’s major flaw all year. McGill exits the 2012 campaign with only 12 goals—tied for second-last overall in the RSEQ. Despite the disappointing loss and the goalless effort, there were bright spots for the Redmen. They dominated the possession of the ball all game, consistently dictating the contest’s flow against their physically smaller opponents. In the end, the difference between the two teams was simply the winning team’s ability to finish.

The loss hit harder for certain

Around the

The Redmen dominated ball possession, but couldn’t fill the scoresheet. (Mike King / McGill Tribune) senior Redmen, who were playing their final games at Molson Stadium.

Captain Jeremy Hurdle, two-time All-Canadian Alexis Pradié, and Winston Pool are all graduating.

A crestfallen Hurdle articulated this feeling after the game, and weighed in on his time at McGill.

W

ater cooler

In case you were too busy dressing up as a Dollarama pirate, a deranged Santa, or Pauline Marois (maybe that one’s a stretch...), here’s what you missed this past week in the world of sports...

“It’s a heartbreaking loss. I thought we didn’t play too badly, but we didn’t have the finishing touch.

[UQTR] is in a hot streak right now; they finished their chances and we didn’t. Credit to them,” he said.

“Right now, it sucks, but overall, five years, I’ve loved every second

of it. I wish it could have ended on a better note, but I’ll never forget playing for this team.”

First year Head Coach Jose Valdes lauded the three graduating players and all their work for the team after the game.

“I’m sad I only had them for

BASEBALL — Another long season of Major League Baseball ended on Sunday night as the San Francisco Giants won their second World Series crown in three years.

Touted as an elite offensive team, the American League Champion Detroit Tigers mustered just six runs in the four game sweep. The Giants were led by World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval—affectionately known as “the panda”—who tied a World Series record with three home runs in the first game of the series.

Only Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and Albert Pujols had accomplished the feat before Sandoval’s virtuoso performance. The Giants were led by the dominant starting pitching of Barry Zito, Madison Bumgarner, Ryan Vogelsong, and Matt Cain, and a bullpen anchored by Sergio Romo.

The title is the Giants’ seventh overall and second since moving to California in 1957.

perfect 7-0 record, while the Texans are the cream of the AFC crop at 6-1.

It should be no surprise to anyone that the New England Patriots have scored more than any other team in football, but sit at a “disappointing” 5-3 after some close losses caused by a porous defence. The Chicago Bears have surpassed expectations, leading the NFC North at 6-1 and allowing the fewest points in the NFL. The resurrection of the Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings—2011’s also-rans—has fans in those cities excited, while Detroit Lions fans wonder how their team is back in the NFC North basement.

FOOTBALL — The NFL reached its halfway point this week and the contenders are starting to separate themselves from the pretenders. The Atlanta Falcons are the kings of the league so far, boasting a

SOCCER — Montreal’s first season in Major League Soccer came to an end. The Impact played their final home game against the New England Revolution on Saturday, losing 1-0 on a late goal. The loss, coupled with a Vancouver Whitecaps win, means that Montreal fell short of the all-time record for points by a Canadian MLS club and the top seed in next year’s Amway Canadian Championship. Vancouver will head on the road this week to face the Los Angeles Galaxy in the

one year. I only took over in January ... so this was my only fall season I had with them,” Valdes said.

They’re great guys, great leaders inside the room, good guys to know and good friends too. I thank them and I wish them the best.”

In spite of the loss, a heavyhearted McGill still had a chance for a playoff berth. They needed a blowout win over Sherbrooke, in addition to a win by their foes, the Patriotes.

Unfortunately, this too fell short as the Redmen fell 3-1 to the Vert-et-Or on Sunday.

With the season now over, Valdes and Hurdle discussed the future prospects for the team.

“We’ve been able to move the ball around even with a bunch of new guys, so it’s promising for the indoor season coming up and future years as well,” Valdes said. “The keeper Max Leblond ... Will Hoyle ... and Olivier Lacoste, those [three] guys are the exciting core going forward.”

“We have a very young team this year,” Hurdle said. “If they stick on the team and keep working hard, in a couple of years. I’m sure this will be one of the best teams in Quebec.”

— Additional reporting by Adam Sadinsky

first ever MLS playoff game involving a Canadian team. The Caps can provide a glimmer of hope to a nation of soccer fans that has gotten all too accustomed to bad news of late.

HOCKEY — Thursday came and went without a deal, as the NHL and NHLPA remain deadlocked in negotiations over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The stalemate has caused the league to cancel all regular season games through Nov. 30. Hockey is still being played in other places, however, as the American Hockey League is benefitting from an influx of NHL-calibre talent. The Charlotte Checkers, affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, are leading the way with a 6-1-0-1 record, and are led by forward Zach Boychuk, who has nine points. Edmonton Oilers rookie Justin Schultz has the early advantage in the AHL scoring race, with six goals and six assists for the Oklahoma City Barons. The Toronto Marlies sit ninthplace, just out of a playoff spot, which should be good practice for when the NHL returns and they bring their mediocre play to the Air Canada Centre.

colours of

fall

by alexandra allaire & simon poitrimolt