McGill Tribune Vol. 33 Issue 13

CURIOSITY DELIVERS

The Throwback Issue

Table of contents

Editor-in-Chief Carolina Millán Ronchetti editor@mcgilltribune.com

The end of the year is a time for reflection. As we turn the page on 2013, the Tribune looks back at themes throughout our community’s history while also keeping an eye on the future. We hope you enjoy our Throwback issue.

— The editorial board

Managing Editors Ben Carter-Whitney bcarterwhitney@mcgilltribune.com Erica Friesen efriesen@mcgilltribune.com Jacqueline Galbraith jgalbraith@mcgilltribune.com Production Manager Steven Lampert slampert@mcgilltribune.com News Editors Jessica Fu, Emma Windfeld, and Samuel Pinto news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editor Abraham Moussako opinion@mcgilltribune.com

NEWS

3

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Science & Technology Editor Caity Hui scitech@mcgilltribune.com

Student Living Editor Marlee Vinegar studentliving@mcgilltribune.com

Turning over a new page: McGill libraries 6 The Master Plan: campus planning 9

OPINION

15

A Campus Conversation: sexual assault 16

STUDENT LIVING

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Arts & Entertainment Editors Max Berger and William Burgess arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Mayaz Alam and Remi Lu sports@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editors Alexandra Allaire and Wendy Chen photo@mcgilltribune.com Creative Director Alessandra Hechanova ahechanova@mcgilltribune.com

21

A new Chapter for the Greeks 22

FEATURE Revitalizing indigenous languages 27

Features Editor Jenny Shen features@mcgilltribune.com

Design Editors Yael Chapman and Maryse Thomas design@mcgilltribune.com Online Editor Brontë Martin online@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Adrien Hu copy@mcgilltribune.com

27

Advertising Executives Spoon Jung and Daniel Kang ads@mcgilltribune.com Publisher Chad Ronalds

TPS Board of Directors

Shadi Afana, Anand Bery, Jonathan Fielding, Abhishek Gupta, Adrien Hu, Steven Lampert, Chris Liu, Carolina Millán Ronchetti, Elisa Muyl, and Simon Poitrimolt

31

Then and now: the poliovirus epidemic 34

Staff Writers

Prativa Baral, Max Bledstein, Wyatt Fine-Gagné, Osama Haque, Eman Jeddy, Alycia Noë, Kia Pouliot, Aaron Rose, Julie Vanderperre, Elie Waitzer, Diana Wright, and Cece Zhang

Contributors

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

38

Venue histories 40

SPORTS

Remembering the Redmen 51

47

Nada Almaghrawi, Rebecca Babcock, Laurie-Anne Benoit, Meghan Collie, Abhishek Gupta, Aislinn Kalob, Paniz Khosroshaty, Andrea Katiadis, Frances Lash, Emma Lee, Hayley Lim, Anna Ma, Krishanth Manokaren, Jack Neal, Ben Reedijk, Sam Reynolds, Matthew Shepherd, Zikomo Smith, Kieran Steer, Christine Tam, Esther Vinarov, Lauren Wildgoose, Ruby Xia, Leyang Yu, Ruidi Zhu The McGill Tribune is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Société de Publication de la Tribune, a student society of McGill University. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of The McGill Tribune and the Société de Publication de la Tribune, and does not necessarily represent the views of McGill University. reflect the opinions of the McGill Tribune, its editors or its staff. Please recycle this newspaper.

NEWS

McGill responds to sexual assault policy critiques Admin to hire co-ordinator to increase initiatives, host forum on sexual consent Erica Friesen, Managing Editor The creation of a co-ordinator position and a public forum on the topic of sexual consent were two measures announced by the administration last Thursday in response to recent criticism of McGill’s policies regarding sexual assault.

Thursday’s announcement follows criticism from members of the McGill community about the administration’s response to an ongoing case involving three former McGill football players charged for allegedly sexually assaulting a former Concordia student in 2011.

When a Nov. 1 article in the Montreal Gazette made the case public, Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Ollivier Dyens told media that McGill did not learn of the incident until May 2013. According to Dyens, McGill did not take action against the students at that time because the incident did not take place in “the McGill context” and was therefore under police jurisdiction.

“We understand […] that our overall response did not meet our community’s expectations,” Dyens’ announcement reads.

“We did not fully recognize the effect that such events, even if they take place off campus, can and do have on our student population.”

The three measures Dyens announced last Thursday include hiring a full-time coordinator to spread awareness and develop educational programs about sexual assault, hosting a forum in January about sexual consent, and holding an annual Dean of Students Forum on Safe Space every October.

According to Dyens, January’s forum

will serve as the basis for a discussion on ways McGill can improve its resources.

“We want this conversation to help us figure out where exactly are the pressure points, where do we need to act, who needs to do what, and according to what timeline,” he said.

Joey Shea, co-chair of January’s forum and vice-president university affairs for the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU), said she hopes the forum will engage a diverse range of people. “[The administration] want[s] it to be a community-wide discussion, not just among specific groups where that discussion has been going on for many years,” Shea said. “[They want it to] include those who may not understand the issues behind sexual assault and the systematic forms of oppression that happen.”

In addition, Dean of Students André Costopoulos will oversee the process for reviewing McGill’s current policies and procedures, which will begin in January.

In particular, Dyens said the administration will look to clarify the definition of “the McGill context” in current policies and generate discussion about the responsibilities of students who serve as ambassadors for the university.

Last Friday, Concordia University’s Centre for Gender Advocacy led the second annual “Take Back the Night” march to oppose gendered violence, which denounced McGill’s initial response to the case. Julia Nadeau, one of the organizers of the march, said McGill’s recent announcement is a positive sign, but it is essential for the university to follow through with tangible re-

sults. “[For example], this case specifically shows that it is necessary to have consent workshops for athletes and sports teams, because sports and athletics can be a hub for hypermasculinity [and] rape culture,” Nadeau said.

While Dyens said the forums could result in initiatives concerning sexual consent for varsity athletes, he said varsity athletes will not be required to attend the forums.

“These issues are of interest and importance to the entire McGill community,” Dyens said. “This is not about Athletics.”

Camille Tastenhoye, external co-ordinator for the Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society (SACOMSS), said McGill has not shared plans with them for how the centre will work with the new coordinator position.

While SACOMSS commended McGill for taking action, Tastenhoye said the administration needs to follow through by creating of a sexual assault policy.

“This needs to be created immediately so that in the future, McGill will have an institutionalized way of responding to these incidences in a way that empowers and protects the survivor,” she said.

Dyens said the creation of such a policy is possible, but the administration will first need to re-evaluate its existing documents.

“If the community says ‘we absolutely need this type of policy’ and we look around and see that we don’t have that type of policy or our current policies do not govern these things, then yes, we’ll sit down and draft such a policy,” Dyens said.

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

4 | NEWS

Senate takes official stance against Charter

Profs oppose new class scheduling system for prioritizing instruction over research Sam Pinto, News Editor Opposition to the proposed Quebec Charter of Values, as well as the effects of a new class scheduling system were the subjects of debate at McGill Senate’s Nov. 20 meeting.

Resolution on the Charter Senate unanimously approved a resolution presented by Principal Suzanne Fortier to condemn Bill 60, the Parti Québécois’ recently tabled Quebec Charter of Values.

“While the McGill Senate supports the secular spirit of Bill 60, it strongly objects to the restrictions on the right to wear religious symbols, as described in Article 5 of the draft legislation, which run contrary to the university’s mission and values,” the resolution reads.

While senators expressed support for the spirit of the resolution, some senators called for the university to take a harsher stance.

“I agree with what the Principal said; however, I would encourage you to use stronger language,” Faculty of Medicine representative Daniel Bernard said. “As an educational institution it is our responsibility to educate the people [....] because this sort of bigotry comes from ignorance.”

Faculty of Arts Representative Catherine Lu proposed that McGill stipulate that the university would not enforce any disciplinary measures on those at McGill who did not abide by the law should Bill 60 pass in Quebec’s National Assembly.

The resolution passed in its original form.

Class Schedule Parameters Senate also discussed a new system of class scheduling developed in Summer 2013 and to be implemented Fall 2014, which allows the university to control how class schedules are organized. The new system is organized

(Maryse Thomas / McGill Tribune) based on scheduling requests by deparments and availability forms that professors would fill out for university approval—rather than giving professors the freedom to choose the hours when they are available to teach.

In the current system, faculty have more flexibility when scheduling their class time,which allows them to properly organize their research hours.

However, this created a series of issues related to class scheduling, including increased constrants on student class choices, inequities in departmental schedules, and a misuse of class spaces.

According to Deputy Provost (Studen Life and Learning) Ollivier Dyens, the new scheduling system aims to create a fair system for using instructional time and space, to streamline course requirements by making these courses more available to students, and to enhance students’ accessibility for courses they need to graduate. The system takes into account class durations, weekly meeting patterns, and which faculty the course is in.

In a letter to faculty in October, Dyens explained the schedule’s priorities and the goals they aim to achieve.

“Instructors identified thousands of hours during which they were not available to teach,” Dyens wrote. “This,

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

along with the intricacy of the scheduling process, creates a great strain on the system, especially on students’ ability to graduate on time and on the use of space for teaching, research, and other purposes.”

Some senators expressed concern that the new prioritization of class times over other professorial functions—would limit their ability to organize their own schedules and would ultimately affect their time to conduct research.

“Why has the university chosen to solve a classroom access problem by impinging on the freedom of faculty to organize their time around research, and will it not create a bigger problem among the professoriat than the one it is meant to solve?” asked Faculty of Science representative Timothy Moore.

Lu asked if the university was placing less importance on research.

“Are faculty expected now to do research only after the needs of teaching and service have been fulfilled?” She asked.

Dyens responded that the class scheduling system was organized to maximize time for other universityrelated activities, but explained that student access to courses had to be prioritized.

NEWS | 5

BoG answers student questions on transparency Highest governing body defends lack of divestment Lauren Wildgoose, Contributor On Nov. 18, McGill’s Board of Governors (BoG) met with students to address student concerns including budgetary issues, investment ethics, and transparency.

Co-hosted by Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) President Katie Larson, Post-Graduate Students’ Society of McGill University (PGSS) Secretary-General Jonathan Mooney, and BoG Chair Stuart Cobbett, the meeting was modeled after a similar event hosted last year.

“It went really well last year, and we [were] hoping for more dialogue this time to get a sense of the scope of the work the BoG does,” Larson said.

Comprised of 25 voting members, the BoG makes final decisions with respect to the maintenance and administration of the university. The BoG makes many of its decisions in confidential sessions, which has led some students to question the transparency and accountability of the body.

“How does the BoG consider the student experience in their decision making?” Mooney asked. “They’re this ‘otherworldly organization,’ and there’s no community interaction.”

Cobbett said the BoG is addressing transparency, but the issue is complex.

“In the past, there were fewer items in the open than perhaps could have been, so we are putting more and more in the open,” Cobbett said. “We are trying to be more transparent, but there are some things that by their very nature we cannot be transparent about.

The university’s budget, for instance, we debate in closed session every year.”

Cobbett also said it is important to understand the difference between the BoG’s role and that of the administration.

“We are a governance body,” Cobbett said. “We give advice on strategic priorities, but it is very important to

Board members addressed student concerns. (Wendy Chen / McGill Tribune) remember that the university is run by the principal and administration.”

Other questions focused on the BoG’s commitment to environmental concerns. Some students asked board members to explain their policies on sustainability issues ranging from efficient heating to ethical investments.

“McGill has a really strong reputation as an innovative leader,” said a student who could not be identified. “What kind of ways can we use that power we have now to address climate change, especially on this question of fossil fuel divestment?”

Cobbett responded that divestment was a complicated issue that has been addressed by the BoG before. Given the university’s current budgeting constraints, Cobbett stressed that it is important for the investment committee to remain concerned with generating revenue, as opposed to divesting from the fossil fuel industry.

“Ethical investments often […] underperform in the market as a whole,” Cobbett said. “It’s tough enough to make money, and for our investment managers to get a decent return on our endowment, without telling them what they can and can’t invest in. I’m not saying we haven’t done it, or that we won’t do it in the future, but it’s something

that we have to consider very carefully.”

Other students questioned the effect of the university’s recent budget cuts on staff and professors, class sizes, and the availability of academic resources. Students voiced concerns about the feeling of anonymity at a large university like McGill.

“Is the number of undergraduate and graduate students going to continue increasing if we’re changing the ratio of students to teachers?” one graduate student asked.

“There is absolutely no intent to increase our revenues by dramatically increasing the size of our student body,” Cobbett responded.

Cobbett said he is optimistic about McGill’s financial situation and confident that the situation will improve within the next five years.

“It’s a tough time at McGill, but I don’t want anyone to think we’re teetering on the brink,” Cobbett said. “We have a fabulously strong institution with wonderful people.”

Organizers of the event said they were pleased with the participation of the McGill community.

“Very few universities do this sort of thing,” Mooney said. “It shows that the governors want to be engaged–it’s fantastic.”

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

6 | NEWS

Turning over a new page The role of digitization in shaping the future of the McGill libraries

Jessica Fu, News Editor Old as the university itself, McGill’s library system has undergone an almost continuous process of restructuring and adaptation since its foundation. While changes such as renovations are often McGill-specific in nature, some of the recent adaptations the library has undertaken point to growing trends and challenges faced by academic libraries across the world.

With diverse factors such as budgetary constraints, physical limitations, and an increased use of technology, the future of libraries is often difficult to predict by librarians and students alike, and can involve difficult choices with far-reaching consequences.

As the McGill Library system prepares to conduct a feasibility study in the upcoming months to address the possibility of future changes to the current system, the Tribune takes an indepth look at McGill libraries, including how they have evolved over the university’s history, and how they are moving into the future.

History of McGill’s library system The history of libraries at McGill begins with the founding of the Life Sciences Library in 1823. As the first medical library in Canada, the Life Sciences Library was the result of McGill’s acquisition of the Montreal Medical Institute, which owned a collection of medical texts that became the library.

The construction of more libraries followed: Redpath Hall was established in 1893 as a reading room, the Macdonald campus library was opened in 1907, and Birks Reading Room began as a cooperative with the Joint Board of Theo-

logical Colleges in 1912.

Individual departments also developed their own collections, due to a continual increase in the availability of print materials, according to Richard Virr, Head and Curator of Manuscripts who has worked in McGill’s library system for 30 years.

“By the 1950s, you had something like 45 or 50 libraries at McGill,” Virr said. “Whatever department, they might have their little working library because there just wasn’t any space in the main library.”

The future of the library predicts the future of the university.

To address the need for more space, the McLennan Library Complex was built in 1969. Originally slated to serve as a library for graduate students, it currently serves as the largest library at McGill.

In the 1990s, research libraries across North America experienced more changes due to the increased availability of digital resources.

“We saw massive changes because of our exponential growth of electronic information, electronic journals, electronic books, digitization of photographs and images, and archives,” Lizabeth Wilson, dean of university libraries at the University of Washington, said. “For the first time, we started talking about buying access to the world’s

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

knowledge through digital means.”

According to the records of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), an organization that monitors trends of its member research libraries, including McGill’s, library expenditure on digital materials increased every year between 1991 and 2011.

Current state of the system The two most recently opened libraries at McGill, the Nahum Gelber Law Library and Marvin Duchow Music Library, were completed in 1998 and 2006 respectively. Their designs reflected a new priority in libraries.

“They had library [book collections] for years, what had happened was they needed space,” Virr said. “We’re returning almost to the time when libraries had major reading rooms, because that was student space.”

This past summer, 232 seats were added to the McLennan-Redpath library complex as a measure to address the growing need for student space.

Similar changes are being undertaken in the Life Sciences Library and the Education Library, whose collections were merged with other branches earlier this year, and which now serve as study space.

“Libraries in general [are] moving away from physical books to online collections; and looking at open study spaces with internet collections and plugs rather than stacks,” Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) VicePresident University Affairs Joey Shea said. “The more direct thing that you can point to with this issue is obviously the budget cuts.”

NEWS | 7 The provincial government’s $38.2 million cuts to McGill’s operating budget last December led to a $1.8 million reduction to the library budget.

France Bouthillier, director of the School of Information Studies, said libraries worldwide are undergoing a shift in role, and budget cuts have merely sped up this inevitable process at McGill.

“Financial constraints […] accelerate the need for change,” Bouthillier said. “Libraries have been changing constantly. It’s just a shock for people […] to realize how drastic changes can be, but when you look at the evolution of libraries over at least the last 15 years, there’s been constant change.”

McGill libraries are not alone in facing changes. In Baltimore, Maryland, the Welch Medical Library at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) was recently redesigned to convert its library space from an access point for books to an open study space for the students and faculty that it serves.

Sheridan Dean of University Libraries and Museums at JHU, Winston Tabb, said the decision went against other suggestions to simply close the library.

“We spent most of 2012 in a large group thinking of the future of the library, including a lot of students and faculty,” Tabb said. “That’s when we discovered how many people really wanted to be able to use the library, but […] not for coming and consulting books.”

According to an ARL study of the past two decades on growing digitization, the number of library users has increased by 33 per cent while initial circulation of physical materials—including books and DVDs—has decreased by 37 per cent.

As a result of similar patterns of use at McGill, the library has developed a policy for removing books from shelves.

All science books that have not been circulated for 10 years, and medical books that have not been circulated for five have been moved to storage in the Currie Gymnasium.

Cook stressed that the library’s current use of the gymnasium is only temporary until they develop a long-term

Redpath Hall was established in 1893. (archives.mcgill.ca)

Open spaces in the Law Library, completed in 1998. (Laurie-Anne Benoit / McGill Tribune) plan.

“There’s been a recognition for at least the past 20 years that there are real issues with library spaces,” Cook said.

“It’s just that right now, a concatenation of events—less money for people, the fact that we have almost doubled our holdings because of digital books [and] digital resources within the past five years […] and the social learning needs of a different generation of students—have all come together.”

The unforeseeable future In the upcoming months, the McGill Library will conduct a feasibility study about possible changes to the current

system. The study aims to address the changing needs of students as well as the space constraints and budgetary concerns the libraries currently face.

Coordinated and managed by Associate Vice-Principal (University Services) Robert Couvrette, the study will consider the options for adaptation that McGill’s library system has.

According to Diane Koen, McGill Library’s Senior Director of Planning and Resources, the study will not consider fine details of the future of the library system; rather, it will examine big-picture options.

“It’s high-level; it doesn’t get right into the weeds of ‘it will look like this,’”

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

8 | NEWS Koen said. “We’re [considering a] scope of ideas and potential prices.”

One such idea pertains to a highdensity storage system that would be able to consolidate McGill’s library collections in a manner that will ensure that it remains inexpensive yet accessible.

According to a 2010 study done by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), book storage on an open shelf costs $4.26 USD per year, while high-density storage would decrease the cost to $0.86, due to factors such as building maintenance and operational costs.

“Taking this economic reality into account, academic libraries around the world are merging print collections capitalizing upon the capabilities and conveniences afforded us by automation, the internet, and [the] proliferation of electronic content,” Koen said.

An example of such storage can be found at the James B. Hunt Jr. Library of North Carolina State University (NCSU), which opened in January 2013 and spans over 221,000 square feet. The library features a $4.2 million robotic book retrieval system, bookBot, which automatically locates, retrieves, and delivers requested material from its high density shelving system within five minutes.

“When we learned about automated storage and retrieval systems that could condense two million of our volumes into one-ninth the space, […] that was an obvious answer to us—to keep our collections on site, not have to send them offcampus for storage, but also to be able to maximize the amount of floor space we could use for study space and collaborative areas,” Carolyn Argentati, Deputy Director of Libraries Administration at NCSU, said.

After an analysis of needs and constraints for projects such as these, McGill’s feasibility study will undergo a process called ‘going-to-tender,’ which refers to contacting architects for suggestions and pricing.

Following the completion of the study in summer 2014, a proposal for the future of the library system will be placed in a queue alongside many other

Each book on an open stack (above) costs $4.26 USD per year to maintain, while a book stored in a high-density storage facility (below) costs $0.86.

(poetryfoundation.org)

(ncsu.edu)

Hunt Library at North Carolina State University opened in January 2013 (ncsu.edu) proposals from other departments—all of which have undergone feasibility studies, as well. The proposal will require the approval of senior administration plus adequate funding, which will include money raised by the library and university through grants, loans, gifts, among other resources. Wilson emphasized the important role that libraries play within the university system.

“The future of the library predicts the future of the university,” Wilson said.

“Libraries have gone through many different technological changes, and done so very successfully. The first part of the university to adapt to the web was the li-

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

brary [and] the first part of the university to use automation back in the 1960s was the library. So we’re always out there on the edge and a good place to pilot different kinds technology.”

Virr said that although the future of the library remains unclear, flexibility and adaptability are important considerations.

“I do not know what the library in 2030 is going to look like, except that it’s not going to look like it does today,” Virr said. “Maybe by 2030, students will not want group study spaces at all; who knows? But one can only extrapolate and [try] to create spaces that are adaptable.”

NEWS | 9

The Master Plan

Bikes, buildings, and barriers: the road to McGill’s physical evolution Emma Windfeld, News Editor

Bike gates, a pedestrian-friendly campus, and a car-free McTavish Street are more than just factors of everyday life at McGill.

They are all guided by the university’s Physical Master Plan, a document adopted in 2008 that outlines priorities for the development of McGill’s downtown and Macdonald campuses. ­ The Physical Master Plan The plan lists nine core principles, including preserving historical buildings, keeping campus accessible, and upholding the university’s academic mission. With an overarching principle of sustainability, the plan directs infrastructure, transit, and landscaping at McGill.

Before the Master Plan was adopted, only disjointed, short-term strategies guided development projects on campus. For example, a large influx of students in the mid20th century led to the rapid construction of many buildings that fill campus today, including Leacock, Stewart Biology, McLennan Library, and the three upper residences.

“Back in the 1960s, there was huge enrollment growth, so the university was forced to plan major expansion very quickly

without a definite vision,” said Chuck Adler, director of Campus and Space Planning (CSP) and a member of the task force behind creating the Master Plan.

To address McGill’s lack of a long-range plan, John Gruzleski, outgoing dean of Engineering at the time, was appointed chair of the task force formed in 2004 to generate a long-term development strategy. Gruzleski began a consultation process to collect input from thousands of people in the McGill and Montreal communities, as well as recommendations from design and planning experts. After two consultation processes over a four-year period, the collected information was distilled into the 75-page document that guides all planning today.

According to Adler, the space constraints of McGill’s downtown location pose specific difficulties. Since the university must purchase nearby property to expand the campus beyond its current borders, the real estate market’s unpredictability makes it impossible for McGill’s future development to have a fixed layout.

“Since we have to evolve outside our own territory, we cannot predict where we’re going to be in 10 years,” Adler said. “So the

McGill requires cyclists to walk their bikes on campus. (flickr.com)

principles [in the Plan] say what’s important to us, and when opportunities come up we can see if they align with those principles.”

Development projects at McGill do not go forward unless they align with the principles of the Master Plan. First, all new projects undergo an evaluation by CSP and University Services. They then receive final approval from various McGill authorities depending on their value—the Board of Governors (BoG) (if value exceeds $5 million), the BoG’s Building and Property Committee (more than $4 million), or senior administration personnel (less than $4 million).

Pedestrianization When the city of Montreal took an interest in reducing car traffic in the downtown area, McGill seized the chance to pedestrianize campus in accordance with the principles of the Master Plan.

“The university had been talking to the city about this for about 40 years, to make McTavish Street an enlargement of the campus and to make it a better public space,” Adler said. “It wasn’t really planned—it was just an opportunity.”

McGill struck a deal with the city for the university to receive control of McTavish Street in 2010, agreeing to reduce vehicle use on that street and the rest of lower campus.

In May 2010, the new pedestrian-friendly campus debuted with restrictions on car and bike use, and deliveries limited to between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

“People really wanted to have a greener, more sociable campus where pedestrianization and safety came through as the main priorities,” said Dean of Engineering Jim Nicell, who led the second consultation for the Master Plan. “There was a fair amount of opposition to [the restriction on bike access].

However, there was almost no opposition to the removal of vehicle access from the lower campus.”

However, some students at the time

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

10 | NEWS found it difficult to adapt to the restrictions of a pedestrianized campus. Tom Fabian, vice-president internal of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) in 2010, told the Tribune at the time that the restriction on deliveries brought some challenges. “[Pedestrianization] has caused tons of hell for us to not have any cars on campus during frosh and Open Air Pub,” he said.

“We don’t know when [deliveries are] going to arrive.”

According to Nicell, the pedestrianization of campus was not without its costs.

“It has negatively impacted the university in a financial way, due to lost revenue from parking,” he said. “[But] we accomplished something that will change the face of our university for the next hundreds of years. It will be taken for granted, but it will be incredibly valued.”

The bike gates Prior to McGill’s pedestrianization of McTavish, the bike path along Milton Street ended at the McGill campus with no connection to the Montreal city centre. This left cyclists with the option of riding against the flow of traffic along University Street for two blocks until they reached the next bike path, or taking a shortcut through the McGill campus.

In 2010, the city built a two-way bike path along University Street to divert cyclists from riding through campus. Since then, McGill has required cyclists to walk their bikes on campus.

Martin Krayer von Krauss, manager of McGill’s Sustainability Office of Campus and Space Planning (CSP), said the rule was created because cycling on campus was deemed “incompatible” with the Master Plan.

“The concern was [...] that the safety

of pedestrians on campus [and] the speed at which mounted cyclists would travel on campus was incompatible […] with the vision of our campus as a sanctuary within an otherwise hectic urban environment,” he said.

In September 2013, a set of metal swing gates was added to the pedestrian walkway at McGill’s Milton Gates entrance. Associate Vice-Principal (University Services) Robert Couvrette said the bike gates were intended to increase pedestrian safety.

“If cyclists did what the signs asked and dismounted at the entrance, everyone would be very safe,” Couvrette said. “Cyclists who decide to try to ride through the gates or get around them without dismounting are choosing a riskier option.”

The gates, however, received negative attention from some students, including executives from the Arts’ Undergraduate Soci-

The evolution of campus All campus planning before 2008, including the rapid expansion of the 1960s, took place without a master plan.

1961: Gardner, McConnell and Molson Residences

1936: Douglas Hall

2003: New Rez

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Milto Original

2010: Pedestrianization of campus

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1965: Leacock

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1970: Burnside

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1969: McLennan Library 1971: Bronfman Maryse Thomas / McGill Tribune

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

NEWS | 11 ety (AUS) and SSMU. “These gates [make campus] so inaccessible for everyone who isn’t an ablebodied person,” said Joey Shea, SSMU VicePresident University Affairs. “The bike gates sent a bad message to the Milton-Parc community, and more importantly to the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD).”

Although the administration originally planned to remove the gates this winter to ease snow removal, they were vandalized and taken down prematurely in October.

Using the bike gates as a starting point, a working group—including students, faculty members, urban planning experts, and representatives of the OSD and the student-run Flat Bike Collective—is revisiting whether McGill should allow and accommodate cyclists on campus.

Couvrette said more input from the community is necessary before making further moves regarding cycling on campus.

“We are very aware that many people view these gates as a barrier, even though they are not intended to serve that purpose,” Couvrette said. “In evaluating the effectiveness of this pilot project, we are taking those views into account, bearing in mind that we are committed to the idea of an open, accessible campus.”

Harald Kliems, a member of the Flat Bike Collective, said he is in favour of lifting the restrictions on bikes on campus.

“I strongly believe that it is possible and desirable to create a shared space on campus where pedestrians and cyclists alike can safely co-exist,” Kliems said.

Krayer von Krauss, who chairs the working group re-considering bike use on campus, said financial limitations pose a problem in terms of possible outcomes.

“Money will be an issue,” Krayer von Krauss said. “At this point, McGill could simply not afford, for example, to build a proper cycle path from one end of the campus to the other, if this is what was required.”

However, Nicell emphasized that safety is a bigger issue than the budget when considering the creation of a formal bike path across university property.

“It’s not a funding issue; it’s about what we’re here for as a community,” Nicell said.

“We’re not anti-cyclist; we’re pro-safety. We have a history of very dangerous situations

Cars, bikes, and pedestrians shared McTavish Street until 2010. (flickr.com) [involving bikes]. McGill is incredibly supportive of cycling, and we’ve created [...] the infrastructure that’s required to support it.”

Next steps This February, the city of Montreal will excavate McTavish St. to repair the water main leading from the city’s reservoir, which will leave the street closed off in sections until its tentative completion date in Summer 2014. According to Adler, this repair is an ideal starting point to redevelop the surfaces and functions of lower campus in a more pedestrian-friendly and green way in the next few years.

“We were able to get the cars off lower campus, but we haven’t gone that next step to re-landscape and reorganize lower campus,” Adler said. “[McGill is] trying to partner with the city to make McTavish a showcase for how to re-develop urban streets as green spaces.”

In addition, McGill continues to look into options for expansion by keeping an eye on the real estate market in the area surrounding campus.

“We’re at the end of being able to be master of our own destiny because we’ve pretty well exhausted all of our own land resources,” Adler said. “So we have to be dependent on the marketplace, and we are actively finding out what’s available in the

immediate vicinity and whether we can afford to acquire it.”

That could include purchasing nearby properties that are about to become available, such the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH), which is set to be empty within two to three years once its facilities are relocated.

“There [are] a lot of people who have a stake in its long-term use, [but] there’s a wide-spread acknowledgement that McGill would be the best occupant of that space because we’ve been very good stewards of our land and our buildings,” Nicell said.

Since the hospital resides within one of Montreal’s cultural heritage zones, Nicell said the university would be under obligation to the city and the Quebec government to repurpose or renovate the RVH within the restrictions of such a zone.

Whatever the future holds, any decisions McGill makes regarding development—from purchasing a hospital to implementing bike gates—will be guided by McGill’s Master Plan.

“If it wasn’t for the Master Plan […] we’d be in a very different place now,” Nicell said. “Some people see it as a wishful document, but no—it’s guiding the goal over the long term so that every step we take leads towards our long-term vision.”

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

12 | NEWS

SSMU Executives

MIDTERM REVIEWS

At the end of each semester, the Tribune assesses SSMU executives based on their progress, engagement at SSMU Council, and presence at public events. Overall, we have found this year’s executives generally uncommunicative with the media. Additionally, SSMU Council documents are not often made publicly available in a timely fashion. Since both communication with student media and online documentation are important methods that allow students to keep executives accountable, we urge executives to address these issues in the Winter semester.

Katie Larson President

It has been a busy year for Shea’s portfolio, with mental health initiatives and the sexual harassment policy at the forefront of campus conversation. The administration’s recently announced plan to coordinate forums on sexual harassment and the role of a university presents an exciting opportunity to reform McGill’s policy and open a wider discussion at McGill. We look forward to her leadership in this area next semester.

Additionally, Shea has been active in discussions on mental health at different

Stefan Fong VP Clubs & Services

Larson’s tenure so far has met tangible milestones, such as passing the new constitution. We hope that her work on the lease negotiations—which have taken almost four years and a considerable toll on the SSMU budget—will translate into a fair lease for both SSMU and McGill.

Although Larson organized a well-executed GA in October, SSMU’s lack of initiative in promoting the event resulted in poor attendance. However, the success of quorum at the Special GA demonstrated that participation can be achieved when its importance is effectively communicated to students.

We encourage Larson to use the strategies behind this success to seek greater student engagement next semester.

Sustainability is another important part of the president’s portfolio, and we hope

Larson will find ways to continue sustainability work at SSMU, given that the position of sustainability co-ordinator was cut from the budget for this year.

Larson has acknowledged that her communication skills, especially through email, need improvement. We feel that increased communication will enable us to provide better reporting on issues important to students in the new year.

While we recognize that the job of SSMU President is often thankless, Larson has also rarely shown enthusiasm regarding her work at Council or other public events.

At a university where student apathy is a recurring issue, it is important for the student president to take the lead in showing disengaged students why they should care.

levels in the university.

Shea also successfully organized a town hall on libraries this semester and worked in partnership with the VP Internal Affairs to create an “appropriate costumes campaign” that prevented the use of blackface and other racist and culturally insensitive appropriations at SSMU events.

We applaud Shea for her willingness to facilitate communication when necessary.

Joey Shea VP University Affairs Fong’s portfolio involves the highly administrative task of managing the SSMU Building with the General Manager, Pauline Gervais, as well as sitting in the Board of CKUT—McGill’s campus-community radio station—and the SSMU Daycare.

One successful initiative by Fong this semester was the implementation of a time period during which internal SSMU groups have priority over external

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

groups in room booking. However, some club leaders have been concerned by an erratic communication system, with emails sent often too close to upcoming deadlines.

Next semester, we hope Fong will be able to put out the long-awaited guides on how to run a club and continue working towards his campaign promise of ensuring that clubs have easy access to financial and administrative information.

NEWS | 13

VP Finance & Operations

Although Hofmeister ultimately succeeded in balancing the budget for this year, this resulted in the removal of two positions: the sustainability coordinator and the political attaché, two important positions in SSMU’s mandate.

Additionally, Hofmeister has been consistently reluctant to explain details of the budget. Communication with him is difficult, as he does not grant in-person interviews and is largely unresponsive via email. Lack of communication with student press appears to be indicative of larger issues of transparency. Councillors have complained publicly that he is disorganized. Looking forward, we hope

to see Hofmeister make an effort to improve communication and promote transparency regarding his portfolio.

The Student-Run Café (SRC) is a major part of the VP Finance and Operations’ portfolio, and it appears to be well on track to open in January. After years of discussion, we’re excited to see this project materialize.

However, questions have been raised regarding the transparency of the project, as students were not made aware of the project’s progress until three months before its implementation. Furthermore, the positions of SRC manager and head chef were already filled before the project was announced to students.

In terms of communication, Farnan succeeded at creating a Communications Guide and Strategy for SSMU, which has been followed by timely and regular listservs—a much-needed improvement from last year. Although the implementation of “Soapbox” in the SSMU website is promising, so far it has scarcely been advertised.

The 4Floors Halloween party was well-organized and did not run into major issues this year. We commend Farnan for his work with the equity commissioners to take active steps in

promoting appropriate costumes and preventing situations like last year’s presence of blackface at the party.

A main component of Farnan’s portfolio involves the organization of frosh. Although this year’s frosh successfully provided more alcohol-free alternatives, the overall event saw a $21,000 loss in student funds due to avoidable budgeting issues. We urge Farnan to take advantage of the accounting department within SSMU when planning similar large-scale events next semester.

Brian Farnan VP Internal Affairs

Sam Harris VP External Affairs

The most contentious event in Quebec politics this semester is undoubtedly the proposed Quebec Charter of Values. While SSMU Council took a stance against this issue, we would have liked to see Harris use this bill to encourage attendance at the first General Assembly of the semester.

SSMU’s student federation TaCEQ has been interesting to watch this semester, particularly as REMDUS—a coalition of University of Sherbrooke students—is holding a referendum on whether they want to remain a member of the student federation. If this vote passes, this may be an important chance for SSMU

to reconsider the benefits of being a part of this student association. We hope that Harris will spearhead a critical discussion of the implications of staying or leaving, and ensure that students know and understand what TaCEQ is, its financial cost for students, and its role in the province.

In terms of outreach to the wider community, Harris has continued ongoing events like Community Engagement Day and street teams during frosh to promote communication and awareness of the interconnectedness of the community. We look forward to seeing what new initiatives he can come up with in this aspect of the portfolio for next semester.

Tyler Hofmeister

Photos by Alexandra Allaire, McGill Tribune.

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

14 | NEWS

Undergrads in limbo: divided TA protection

Undergrad TAs lack coverage in McGill-AGSEM Collective Agreement

Meghan Collie, Contributor Students typically understand education at McGill at two levels—graduate and undergraduate studies. However, not every faculty at McGill is as clear-cut as this system appears; in the Faculties of Law and Medicine, students are considered undergraduates even though most applicants have already completed an undergraduate degree.

Students in law and medicine are considered undergraduates across Canada and in much of the world, although students can also receive a graduate degree in either faculty by completing an additional degree.

Being an undergraduate in these faculties does not alter the daily life of students, according to executive President of the Medical Students’ Society (MSS) Carl White Ulysse.

“We are still treated a little differently from most undergraduates,” Ulysse said.

“For example, we only pay 72 per cent of the SSMU fee as per article 1.2 of their constitution, and we have access to the Thomson House like ‘real’ graduate students. In the end, we will get the same degree.”

Marc Roy, vice-president academic of the Law Students’ Association (LSA), said the system of undergraduate classification can create discrepancies between the education levels of entering students, since Quebec students can apply directly from CEGEP. “A significant part of the class each year is admitted from [CEGEP] applicants,” Roy said. “They go through a very similar application process to students with previous university study, but CEGEP applicants are at the same stage in their education as most students from Quebec entering other undergraduate degree programs.”

CEGEPs offer two-year programs between high school and university from which students can apply for admissions directly to the McGill School of Law and with reduced credit requirements for the School of Medicine.

However, undergraduate status can

Although considered undergrads, law students have access to Thomson House. (flickr.com) cause problems for some students in these faculties, especially those looking to work in positions similar to Teaching Assistants (TAs). Undergraduate students are not included in the definition of a TA set by the collective agreement between McGill and the Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM).

“AGSEM was accredited in 1993 to represent graduate TAs, and our current TA Collective Agreement defines a TA as a current graduate student,” Justin Irwin, a delegate of AGSEM, said.

Irwin said this can be a harmful situation for both graduate and undergraduate students.

“Graduate students miss out on jobs and the pedagogical experience that goes with them, and undergraduates have no protections on the job,” he said. “The current situation allows McGill to hire nonunionized employees, both undergraduate students and graduate students, to do various teaching support work like grading.

This work is often done for low and inconsistent pay without many of the rights unionized workers have, including paid pedagogical training.”

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

According to Irwin, AGSEM would like to expand to represent undergraduate students, to ensure that the current situation changes.

“We want to see fair rules that balance finding the best candidates with improving the quality of education, and that protect everyone doing teaching support work at McGill,” Irwin said The Collective Agreement expires in June 2014.

Of 5,555 CEGEP applicants to McGill in 2012...

319 entered Law

576

entered Medicine

opinion editorial

McGill must deliver on proposed sexual assault measures Last Thursday, McGill University finally gave a much-needed response to concers over its handling of sexual assault incidents. The message, a Media Relations Office email sent on behalf of Ollivier Dyens, deputy provost (Student Life and Learning), represented a first step towards the administration heeding the calls for change that have been heard on campus in the wake of reports revealing that three former Redmen football players had been charged with a sexual assault that took place in September 2011.

Thursday’s statement announced a set of important changes: the hiring of a new co-ordinator reporting to the Dean of Students, a public forum to be held in mid-January on sexual consent, and a promise to hold annual forums each October on issues of safe space policies.

Most importantly, the message promised to clarify the meaning of “the McGill context” with regards to disciplinary policies—this is particularly important because this concept was used by the administration to justify its evasive initial response to the situation following the original Gazette report.

Even more notable in the message was a statement acknowledging the importance of the presumption of innocence in the criminal justice system, and how that is not at odds with taking accusations and survivors of sexual assault seriously. Had this been the administration’s original response to the situation, the reaction on campus—and perhaps

the stance of our editorial board—might have been different. In the message, even Dyens recognized the inadequacy of the initial response.

“However,

our praise of this response is tempered by the need for the university to deliver on the promises made.

”

This message represents a refreshing hint of the changes we hoped for in our first editorial of the year. From what we can see so far, administrators seem to be taking student opinions more seriously than in the past few years; recognizing and consulting with student-run resources like the Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society (SACOMSS) is a positive first step. It should be noted that staffing a new position in this time of budget cuts is a demonstration that the university at least seems to be taking these issues seriously However, our praise of this response is tempered by the need for the university to deliver on the promises made here. How effective will this new co-ordinator be, and will the person be held accountable to their stated duties?

What will come out of the forum next month, or the promised annual forums?

As demonstrated by last year’s forums

soliciting comment on the Provisional Protocol on Protests, oftentimes “consultation” consists of forums that are, as this newspaper said at the time, “poorly publicized, poorly timed, and poorly attended.” The documents that emerged from these purported consultations were, for the most part, barely changed. It’s easy for the administration to say that it is listening to students. Hopefully, it will also be taking notes.

Much as the administration needs to deliver on these promises, students also need to hold their end of the bargain; students should be empowered to continue to tell administrators what to do about these issues, and students should attend these forums. In the end, what we think does not matter as much as what you think, and the values you want this university to adhere to in these matters.

While much of the attention in the wake of this particular case has focused on athletes and a supposed “sports culture,” students and the administration must be careful to avoid tailoring policies to the specifics of this case, disregarding the numerous other settings and situations in which sexual assault can and does happen. Not only would such a focus be unfair, it would prevent us from turning this incident into a catalyst for broader positive change in the university’s disciplinary policy.

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

16 | OPINION

A Campus conversation:

Sexual Assault policies

EDITOR’S NOTE

Last week, McGill announced a new set of strategies to confront the issue of sexual assault and build a more cohesive policy on the matter. This comes in the wake of campus debate over the past month, stemming from reports linking three former McGill Redmen football players to a sexual

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

assault incident alleged to have taken place in September 2011. For our final Campus Conversation of the term, we convene voices from across campus discussing how McGill should handle similar issues in the future.

17 | OPINION

Sexual assault policies must be inclusive, comprehensive Advocacy Branch

Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society

Here at the Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society’s Advocacy Branch (SACOMSS A-Branch), we commend the stance that McGill has taken towards the recent incidents emailed out on Nov. 21. We are happy that they are committing to creating a co-ordinating role to support survivors of sexual assault, and to consulting more fully with the student population on these matters through forums. A-Branch is happy to be heard by the McGill administration, and would like to continue to co-operate with them to achieve the aim of a safer campus and university culture for all.

With this in mind, we have some recommendations for a future sexual assault policy. McGill has a responsibility to articulate a policy ensuring the protection of its members and freedom from sexual assault at the level of both the individual and the community. We believe that any such policy should be tailored to the empowerment of survivors—we firmly emphasize the need for a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual assault and sexual misconduct on campus. By zero-tolerance, we mean a strong and actively preventative approach to the issue of sexual assault, but we are unable to comment on disciplinary measures at this time.

Regarding McGill’s most recent commitment to hire a co-ordinator to further the dissemination of information addressing sexual assault within the McGill community, A-branch recommends that this role include supporting survivors, receiving complaints, and providing information regarding the university’s policy and other support resources. Such a person should have previous experience supporting survivors of sexual assault and a working knowledge of McGill’s relevant policies and support services.

All of the McGill community (including

other employees) ought to be able to consult with a designated member of McGill staff on matters of sexual violence and feel that they are informed and supported in these matters.

We are glad that McGill is looking towards the work of projects such as Rez Project, which can be further improved to address the norms of student life, upon which power imbalances that contribute to sexual assault culture can be perpetuated. We hope that projects like these will continue to cultivate sensitivity to, and understanding of, the issues surrounding sexual assault.

“

Any policy must avoid blame culture at any cost and actively encourage survivors of sexual assault to feel comfortable coming forward with their experiences.

”

Any new policy must be easily accessible on McGill’s website. The website itself should include an individual section that contains information on the policy itself, as well as resources for survivors such as McGill Counselling and McGill Mental health services on-campus, as well as other Montreal services. Additionally, SACOMSS services, such as Drop in and Line (DIAL), Advocacy Branch, and Support Groups could be highlighted for those seeking more information.

We recommend that the policy be formulated to be receptive to and empower survivors, by allowing them to define their own experiences and empowering them to make their own decisions on how best to deal with those experiences. Any policy must avoid blame culture at any cost, and actively encourage survivors of sexual assault to feel comfortable coming forward with their experiences.

Strong policies are written in consent-based language, as opposed to legalistic or overly technical language. Consent must be defined as a positive consent—i.e. saying ‘yes,’ as opposed to the absence of a ‘no.’ We would also like to see a policy that avoids overly complicated language in favour of clarity and accessibility. Columbia University’s Gender Based Misconduct Policy uses examples and definitions to clarify terms such as sexual assault and consent for readers who are unsure. This is just one of many examples of how a policy can be made clearer.

A-Branch expects a policy fully inclusive towards persons of LGBT*QI identities, which includes but is not limited to gender neutral language. If the policy does refer to examples of sexual assault, we expect that the breadth and diversity of experiences of sexual assault will be respected. The policy should not restrict itself to heteronormative conceptions of sexual assault or any other stereotypes.

A-Branch is committed to advocating on behalf of survivors of sexual assault and their allies, and is open to contributing as much as possible to the continued review and formulation of policy in order to ensure that people receive the most support possible at McGill University. We also provide support to students who seek to navigate the McGill Policy on Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Discrimination.

For more information about A-Branch email: advocacy@sacomss.org For help, support or information with experiences of sexual harassment, sexual assault or discrimination, get in touch, or drop in at SACOMSS. http://sacomss.org

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

18 | OPINION

Hasty judgments hazardous in response to sexual assault Ben Reedijk

SSMU Arts Representative

Three members of a varsity sports team are accused of sexual assault by a woman who does not attend their university. The story becomes public and, predictably, outrage ensues. Groups on campus pressure the coach to discipline the players. The suspects are charged, and a trial is pending—but observers have no time for that. Members of the school community publish material that implies that the accused are guilty. Some even suggest that guilt is certain, due to the systematic inequalities that exist in society, and that in cases like this, we really ought not presume innocence.

I know what you’re thinking—this sounds familiar. That the male athletes I’m talking about are three former McGill football players; that the pressure came in the form of anger over the coach not reporting the charges to the McGill administration; that the observers who have no time for legal proceedings are the members of the Union for Gender Empowerment, who published a petition demanding “action against these perpetrators.” You probably think that those suggesting the presuption of innocence should not apply include writers like Lily Hoffman, who wrote in the Nov. 18 issue of the Daily.

All of those assumptions, however, would be wrong.

The individuals I’m talking about

are three Duke lacrosse players accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a party in 2006. The pressure was on the coach for not reporting a lewd email. The material published that assumes guilt was the infamous letter by the Group of 88, faculty members who rushed to condemn the players. Notably, no law professors were among them. The person who believed guilt to be a certainty, nevermind that pesky presumption of innocence, was African Studies professor Wahneema Lubiano, who believed the accused to be “almost perfect offenders.”

“Removing the

protections to the accused does not solve the problems that make accusers vulnerable.

”

It must have been awkward, then, when the charges were dropped, the men declared innocent by the State Attorney General himself, and the prosecutor of the case disbarred. Oops.

Stories like this one make us grateful for civil liberties and for due process.

And yet the argument made so far at McGill, in light of the allegations against the three athletes, suggest that process is for other crimes.

Campus groups and activists need to rethink this tactic of presuming guilt.

First, because it’s a pretty dubious idea that making the survivor of sexual assault

ONLINE ONLY! NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

also the judge, jury, and executioner will make reporting easier. Removing the protections to the accused does not solve the problems that make accusers vulnerable.

But even if you disagree with that, there is another reason why we ought to abandon the presumption of guilt for sexual assault cases. Trying to take away basic civil liberties is a battle that cannot be won. One glance at the reaction to the Daily article will tell you this. People are rather fond of the presumption of innocence.

Referring to the suspects as perpetrators and calling for their heads without even lip service to due process concerns many who value our judicial system. Following that up by explicitly attacking a fundamental right is downright alarming.

Doing so takes potential allies and turns them into opponents by creating a false dichotomy: a choice between the status quo and a world without the presumption of innocence.

It is impossible to convince students that they should have no recourse, and no rights, as soon as they are accused by anybody of sexual assault. But they can be convinced of the importance of combating rape culture, of the importance of consent, and of creating a safe space for survivors.

That’s the battle that can be won, and the battle that must be fought.

Ben Reedijk is an Arts Representative to the Students’ Society of McGill University. The views presented here are his alone.

SSMU VP University Affairs Joey Shea joins the Conversation mcgilltribune.com/category/opinion

19 | OPINION

Off the board

Our fragmented campus

Abraham Moussako Opinion Editor

A term we often hear from time to time—sometimes in the pages of this newspaper—is the idea of the “McGill Community.” While this works best as a tidy phrase to lump together disparate stakeholders—students, faculty, employees, the administration, and alumni—in most instances, there is no such “McGill community,” so much as a collection of young and older adults united by the coincidence of attending the same educational institution.

On some level, considering the size of this university, just over 20,000 fulltime undergraduate students alone, the idea that McGill comprises any sort of community is dubious on its face. Still, comparably-sized campuses elsewhere in Canada and the U.S. seem to cultivate a sense of “school spirit”, or a “community.” At other universities, students show up to the sporting events, and wear the symbols of these institutions for life­.

While one certainly sees students wearing McGill apparell, there is a noticiable lack of ritualistic expressions of pride that exist at some other campuses. What

makes this university different?

Perhaps the most noticeable aspect of the McGill student body is how fragmented it is. While there are certainly specific rituals that are common to many students—complaining about Minerva, for instance—there are vanishingly few shared activities or experiences that could be generalized to a supposed “average” McGill student that actually exclude large portions of our campus. The debate over the value—and values—of frosh, which rewinds itself every Fall like clockwork, stands as a case in point.

For all the hand-wringing as of late over this lack of cohesiveness—witness the recent debate over the lack of a sports culture, at McGill­ —there is much to love—or at least tolerate—in this status quo. For one, there isn’t much of a social hierarchy on campus. With the possible exception of those who live in residence in their first year—another oft-generalized experience that ignores many—it is relatively easy to find a niche of likeminded students, and stick to that niche.

This is particularly useful for those who may have felt excluded from the main social groups in previous stages of life.

Still, a feature of the student body, less of a whole and more a collection of much smaller, like-minded communities in miniature, does lead to sharper divisions and conflict when forced to interact.

The spaces of tension can vary—conference sessions in some departments, or even the pages of campus publications

like this one—but the results are the same.

When confronted with the reality— subconsciously acknowledged but never explicitly pointed out—that we share a campus with others who see the world differently, contempt, derision, and sometimes vitriol, are almost natural reactions.

From passive-aggressive (and sometimes fully aggressive) responses to contrasting views in classes, to comments expressing a desire to humiliate an author of a seemingly controversial commentary piece—to take the example of a reaction to a piece from earlier this year, vomit on the person­­ —the thread that unites these responses is the same. It’s not just an offence at the opinion or worldview, but a sort of meta-offence at the idea that someone with such views has to share a university, and perhaps even a classroom with oneself.

Even considering these brief flares of divisiveness, the alternative is not necessarily an improvement. A more robust conception of ‘school spirit’ is really just an attempt to patch over these underlying divisions with a happy-seeming caulking.

A more honest university culture would be one that embraces the fact that we all see things—from the big picture to the seemingly simple—differently, and tries to work around it. On some level, while attempts to make McGill a university with more ‘spirit’ are well guided, they might amount to an attempt to shove a square peg in a round hole.

Have your say:

Continue the Campus Conversation.

Comment online or send your response to

opinion@mcgilltribune.com McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

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www.parl.gc.ca/guides NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

for all of their hard work this semester.

Good luck on your future adventures!

STUDENT LIVING | 21

STUDENT LIVING

whipping cream 1. Slowly add 1 tbsp sugar while beating whipping cream, slowly adding 1 tablespooon sugar until peaks form.

2. Boil water in a medium sized pot. Stir in cocoa powder and remaining sugar.

3. Add peppermint schnapps and stir.

4. Pour into individual mugs and top with whipped cream.

5. Garnish with candy cane and enjoy!

—Marlee Vinegar

Apple cinnamon doughnuts INGREDIENTS 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp salt pinch of nutmeg 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast ¼ cup sugar ¾ cup apple cider 2 egg yolks 1 tbsp apple butter 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp unsalted butter 8 cups vegetable oil ½ cups sugar 1. Place flour, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl and whisk. Set bowl aside.

Coat a second bowl with vegetable oil.

2. Place yeast and one teaspoon sugar in a medium bowl. In the microwave, heat half a cup of apple cider until warm and stir into yeast and sugar mixture. Let sit for approximately five minutes, or until mixture foams.

3. Whisk remaining sugar, apple cider, egg yolks, apple butter, and vanilla into yeast mixture.

4. Add yeast mixture to the first bowl. Stir until the dough begins to form a ball.

5. Transfer the dough to a lightly-floured surface. Cut unsalted butter into pieces and distribute throughout the dough. Knead for about eight minutes until the butter is fully incorporated.

6. Form dough into a ball, and place in oiled bowl, coating dough in oil. Cover bowl with damp towel and let dough rise for about two hours.

7. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

8. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and roll out until a quarter of an inch thick.

9. Cut out three-inch diameter circles of dough and place on baking sheet about ¼-inch apart. Repeat with any remaining scraps of dough.

10. Cover dough with a damp towel and let rise for another 30 minutes.

11. Heat eight cups of oil in a pot over medium heat. Fit a wire rack over a second baking sheet and set aside.

12. Add four pieces of dough to oil and fry for about two minutes, flipping half way in between, until golden brown. Remove doughnuts with slotted spoon, place on rack, and repeat with the remainder of the dough. Between each set, use tongs to take the cooked doughnuts and coat with sugar, then return to rack.

13. Let doughnuts cool before eating!

—Matthew Shepherd

Peppermint schnapps hot chocolate INGREDIENTS 4 oz peppermint schnapps 5 tbsp sugar 4 cups water 4 tbsp cocoa powder 4 candy canes

Gingerbread popcorn INGREDIENTS 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 cup popcorn kernels ¾ cup butter 1 cup brown sugar ¼ cup molasses 1 tbsp ground ginger 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp cloves ½ tsp salt ½ tsp baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 200o F. 2. Warm oil in a large pot on medium heat and drop three “test” kernels in until popped. Add the rest of the popcorn, shaking the pot constantly.

3. Once popped, remove from heat and set aside.

4. In saucepan, combine butter, sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt over medium-low heat until mixture looks syrupy.

5. Let the mixture bubble, stirring constantly so it does not stick to the pan, and add baking soda.

6. Pour over popcorn.

7. On a baking sheet lined with parchment, spread the popcorn evenly and bake for 1 hour, gently mixing it approximately every 15 minutes.

This will be the best thing you will ever eat this holiday season, and the seasons after.

— Alessandra Hechanova

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

22 | STUDENT LIVING

The evolution of fraternities and sororities at McGill

Although they largely go unnoticed by McGill students today, McGill’s Greek-letter societies are among some of the oldest student groups on campus.

The first fraternity at McGill, Zeta Psi, was established over a century ago in 1883. Chapter histories and mandates state that the societies were founded on ideals of friendship, philanthropy, scholarship, and leadership.

Decades ago, however, McGill’s fraternities and sororities were perceived as elitist groups where foolhardy behaviour flourished. From as early as the first half of the 20th century, illustrations in Old McGill yearbooks indicate negative perceptions of Greek life, with images denoting the societies’ secretive natures, traditions like paddling, and excessive alcohol consumption.

To better understand McGill’s Greek life today, the Tribune looks back to the 1980s, when a series of contentious events changed the way sororities and fraternities exist at McGill.

By Marlee Vinegar, Student Living Editor

At the time, Barrett worked at Gerts (then known as Gertrude’s), which was located where La Prep and the student lounge are in the SSMU Building today.

“Gerts was jam-packed every weekend from Thursday, it was just crazy,” Barrett said. “[Afterwards], staff would head out to a frat party [….] You can bet almost every weekend there would be a frat party.”

According to Barrett, each McGill sports team associated themselves with a fraternity house. These buildings were owned by McGill and scattered throughout the Milton-Parc Community.

Sororities and fraternities also encouraged philanthropy and extracurricular involvement on campus, such as highly publicized blood drives. In this manner, Greek societies and McGill created a stronger feeling of community within a big city like Montreal.

“There’s a line by Gordon Lightfoot that says: “The city that you live in may be quite large, but a circle is small,” and that was the circle at McGill,” Barrett said.

The eighties

The ’80s were a period when sororities and fraternities flourished at McGill.

For cross-country and track and field head coach Dennis Barrett, who was a graduate student at McGill in the ’80s, their popularity was tied to a student body that was generally more engaged in a much more active university sports culture.

The Decline

By the end of the ’80s the parties escalated. McGill fraternities acquired a negative reputation and were losing support from the

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

university community.

“You get an inch; some people take a foot, and some people take a mile,” Barrett said. “It just got too crazy after a while.”

In 1987, the Tribune reported tense relationships between the Montreal police (SPVM) and fraternities due to unruly parties and the sale of alcohol without a liquor licence.

Barrett recalls one particular incident where one of the last fraternities threw a beach party in their McGill-owned house with sand lining the floor. When the tenants forgot to clean up the sand after the party, the floors were destroyed.

“I think it was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” said Barrett. “There were some incidents that happened in a couple frats, [and] McGill started to really clamp down.”

On Feb. 2, 1988 the Tribune reported that, with the housing leases of Delta Kappa Epsilon, Psi Upsilon, Delta Upsilon, and Phi Delta Theta ending in 1988 and 1989, the university’s Board of Governors decided to end McGill’s role as landlord for the fraternities.

“The need for more residence space (to attract the best students); the poor return on McGill’s investments (only two per cent) and fraternity problems (liquor law infractions, bad house conditions) [are] reasons for the decision to evict the fraternities,” the article states.

Perhaps most significant among the incidences was the sexual assault of a female student by fraternity members at a frat party in 1988. The event spurred sexual assault awareness campaigns on campus and led to the creation of the student-run McGill Sexual Assault Center, the predecessor to the Sexual Assault Center of the McGill Student’s Society (SACOMSS).

The incident provoked major criticism of not only fraternities, but also the prevailing culture at large, although the woman who was assaulted said she did not blame the fraternity. “[It was] not [the fault of] the fraternity, […] not the building, not the institution,” she was quoted as saying in the Tribune. “I can’t blame an entire house for something that occurred with three individuals and a handful

STUDENT LIVING | 23

1910

1920

1930

Images from the Old McGill Yearbook depicting fraternities. (Old McGill) who watched.”

Additionally, changes to SSMU’s equity policy caused SSMU to cut ties with the Greek societies in 1989 by revoking the Inter Fraternity Council’s SSMU club status due to their gendered and exclusionary nature.

Today

Since the ’80s, Greek life at McGill has dwindled, with societies remaining unaffiliated to McGill until the Inter Greek Letter Council (IGLC) became a SSMU club in 1999. Currently, there are four sororities and eight fraternities in the council.

According to Brendan Edge, IGLC executive of fraternities, Greek societies today struggle to have students understand them as groups that do more than just party.

“That stereotype still persists—thanks Animal House— and that’s something that we’re working really hard to counteract,” Edge said.

Unlike in the United States where the legal drinking age is 21 and campus social life is dependent on fraternities, sororities, and school athletics, Montreal has more than enough to keep students busy.

“When I joined two years ago, I didn’t join to get with girls or party hard,” Sigma Chi President Christopher Peake said. “I joined specifically for networking purposes.

I knew it was an international fraternity with over 300,000 initiates who could help

me in the future.”

Another important part of Greek life is philanthropy. Peake’s fraternity recently held a gala to raise money for the Huntsman Cancer Institute. The fraternity invited New Democratic Party political figures to the event, which honoured deceased Sigma Chi member Jack Layton.

“It’s nice for the McGill campus to be brought back into a smaller community through Greek Life and be able to get together and give back as one entity,” Ali Bethlenfalvy, IGLC president, said.

Peake said that misconceptions prevail with respect to initiation rituals. Fraternities and sororities at McGill have been actively taking a stance against hazing for more than three decades, including a “no-hazing” policy that dates back to the 1977 National Panhellenic Conference.

“Because [initiation] is shrouded in secrecy, people think it’s something really bad,” Peake said. “The whole process was really inspirational and it focuses you to be introspective and reflect upon yourself and what kind of man you want to be.”

While Peake said he thinks issues such as sexual abuse and excessive drinking are endemic to society and not just Greek life, he sees the societies as environments in which these issues can be addressed.

“When I joined, there were huge parties and the cops would come and shut [them] down because of noise complaints— our house is right next to Greenbriar—but this semester we’re running a dry house,” he said. “We’re promoting responsibility towards drugs and alcohol; there’s a zero-tol-

erance policy.”

While this policy is part of a probationary measure dictated by the Grand Chapter, the international governing body of Sigma Chi, Peake also emphasized his fraternity’s strong stance on promoting respect for women and building leadership qualities.

Edge said he views the evolution of Greek letter organizations as necessary in a society that is changing quickly. Edge’s own fraternity, Delta Lambda Phi, is designed for gay, bisexual, transgendered, and progressive men.

“We are [a] very special form of organization,” Edge said. “Most of the fraternities in Canada and the United States are open to gay and bisexual men and transgendered as well. But they weren’t originally and that was why we were created.”

In addition, Cyrena Gerardi, IGLC executive of external affairs and Kappa Kappa Gamma member, noted the sororities’ tradition of furthering female empowerment.

“For sororities, we like to promote a lot of women in leadership opportunities and philanthropy that has to do with women empowerment,” she said.

These days, McGill’s Greek letter societies are on the rise, particularly for the sororities, who have doubled their recruitment from last year and have their highest retention rate for members.

“The more consistency we have with large sorority recruitment, the more possibility there is of us adding on a fifth sorority,” Bethlenfalvy said. “[The Greek-letter community] is ever-growing and it’s ever changing, so it’s exciting.”

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

24 | STUDENT LIVING

“Procrasti-baking” and other tips for reducing stress Alycia Noë, Staff Writer Finals are rapidly approaching.

Although stress is inevitable, there are many ways to successfully push through these tough times and make it to Winter break salvation. In anticipation of exam period, the Tribune set out to discover how some of our fellow students relax during the hectic finals season.

For many students, staying organized is key to keeping stress down.

Even when classes end, it’s useful to stick to a routine because it helps staying productive and allows you to take a little me-time. As a U3 biology and international development studies student, Peyton Oosterman has a packed finals schedule, but over her years at McGill she has discovered the best way to handle stress is to outline when you will study. “[Make] sure to plan in time for breaks; that way, you have some wiggle room,” she says.

Stepping back from your studying every once in a while is also important to give your eyes a break from staring at that computer screen or those piles of papers.

These breaks can be pretty much anything you want them to be, but if you’re looking to boost your productivity, try getting active. Physical activity is a common and effective way of managing stress. It may seem counter-intuitive, but it can actually reinvigorate your study efforts and provide you with more energy due to the endorphins that pump through your body.

Lamia Elias, U2 biology, takes 10-minute breaks to get up and stretch after sitting for extended periods. Although you may feel that these breaks will derail or take away precious time from studying, they can be incredibly beneficial.

“Studies have shown that taking a 20-minute walk increases brain activity, which boosts academic performance,” Cynthia Travaglinin, U2 industrial relations, said. “I get some phys-

(Old McGill)

ical activity out of it, so it’s a win-win situation.”

Besides staying active, it is important to never forget about the activities you normally like to do. For example, if you find cooking relaxing, take the time to make a nice dish for dinner.

Brittany Davis, U2 English literature, said her love of food helps her get through exams.

“I always include a little time to do enjoyable activities to de-stress, like baking, because working for hours on end can be very stressful,” Davis says.

Similarly, Aimée Wattiaux, U2 biology, likes to “procrastibake” as she puts it, and blasts Christmas music to lighten the mood while studying.

Tiffany Burger, U2 biology, loves her study spot for convenient Tim Horton’s runs. She emphasized

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

the value of remembering to stay well-fed and hydrated.

“Don’t just get [so] overwhelmed with studying that you even forget to eat,” Elias says.

Lastly, having support during finals— whether it is your parents, friends, or roommates—is important. For Burger, it is her library support system.

“There’s a group of kids who always study in Schulich on the sixth floor, and the moral support really helps,” she says.

Everyone has his or her own ways of reducing stress. Finding out what works best for you is key to remaining positive, entering your exams with confidence, and believing that everything will work out in the end.

STUDENT LIVING | 25

Exposing how to adjust light on your camera Alexandra Allaire, Photo Editor A camera is nothing but a box with a hole in it. The hole opens and closes, allowing light to enter the box, and this light is recorded onto film.

You can control how much light, called the “exposure,” your camera uses through three basic functions: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. The aperture is how big the hole in your camera is; the shutter speed is how long you leave the hole open; and the ISO is your camera’s sensitivity to light.

The right balance of these three functions will produce the perfect exposure and a good-looking photo; but getting your head around these functions is not a snap. To understand how they work, it’s easier to think about light through “the window analogy.”

Pretend you’re in your living room, looking out your window. Now imagine that your window is the aperture, which determines how much light enters your camera. Depending on the size of your window, the amount of light will change. A big window will let in more light, whereas a small window will let in less.

Your window also has some shutters on the outside. The shutter, of course, is the shutter speed of your camera. It represents the amount of time your camera’s shutter stays open and lets light into your living room. If you close your shutters quickly, less light will

shine through the window, so your room will be less well-lit (your photo will be darker). But if you close them slowly, then more light will be able to come through over time, which will make your room more well-lit (and your photo lighter).

In case the light gets too bright, you also have your sunglasses with you. Your glasses are the ISO, which determines the camera sensor’s sensitivity to light. If the room is too bright, you would wear your sunglasses and your eyes would desensitize to the light.

Together, the size of your window, the amount of time you keep your shutters open, and whether you wear sunglasses or not will all determine the exposure of your photo.

Let’s say that you’re taking a photograph on Mount Royal at night and you really want to lighten up the Montreal skyline. To do that you would need to make a bright exposure— you could widen your aperture, increase your ISO number, or choose a slower shutter speed.

Be careful not to overexpose your photo too much; you want to find the exposure that’s just right. In a situation where the light may already be too bright, you would want to use a narrow aperture, a low ISO number, and a high shutter speed.

Experimenting and playing around with

these three functions will help you get the exposure you want to produce a great photograph!

f/1.4 is considered a wide aperture, and as the numerical value of the aperture increases, the actual size of the aperture decreases. An f/8, for example, is a narrower aperture than an f/5.6.

An ISO number can range anywhere from 100-56,000. A high ISO like 1,600 makes your camera very sensitive to the light whereas the lower the ISO number, the less sensitive your camera is to light.

The typical range of your shutter speed ranges from the fastest being 1/1,000 of a second to the slowest being 1 second.

Give a little bit If you’re cleaning up before going away for the holidays, consider donating some of your excess. There are several locations within walking distance of campus to donate clothes, books, non-perishable food, and toys.

1. Donate clothes—“Echo” bin, Place Montreal Trust 1500 rue McGill College 2. Donate clothes—McGill Chaplaincy, Suite 2100, Brown Building, 3600 McTavish, only Fridays 9am-4:30pm 3. Donate adults’ coats—coat rack outside Room 4400, Brown Building, West Wing, Peel & Dr. Penfield 4. Donate money or non-perishables for vegan lunch—Yellow Door, Fridays 12:30-3:30, 3625 Aylmer, downstairs 5. Donate books—near entranace of McGill Bookstore, 3420 McTavish 6. Donate toys—drop box near Currie Gymnasium entrance, 475 des Pins You can also call (514) 764-0147 to arrange for Big Brothers & Sisters of Montreal to pick up donations of clothing, household items, or furniture from your home or office.

—Nada Almaghrawi, Andrea Kotiadis, Emma Lee

(Ruby Xia / McGill Tribune)

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

2014

Political Book

PRIZE Submissions are now being accepted

LOOK OUT FOR POSITIONS IN OUR EDITORIAL BOARD OPENING UP IN JANUARY

More than $7,500 in prizes The National Assembly will award prizes for the best theses and dissertations on QuĂŠbec politics, including a new prize this year for the best scientific text.

Submit your work now!

Deadline: January 31, 2014

For information: assnat.qc.ca/prixlivrepolitique

assnat.qc.ca/mediassociaux

McGill Tribune / 3,90 x 8,90 po / 1/4 de page / publication le 26 novembre 2013

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

The Tribune will be hiring for the positions of Arts and Entertainment Editor Web Editor Email editor@mcgilltribune.com for more information

FEATURES | 27

languages

Initiatives, challenges, and cultural importance Is learning a new language at a young age really the most beneficial?

On a scientific level, perhaps. After all, research studies have shown that doing so can enhance a child’s cognitive development, and that there is a critical period for language acquisition at younger ages. But for Indigenous language learners, the focus is not just for children, but for the community at large.

Quebec is home to 11 distinct nations of Indigenous peoples, which include the 10 First Nations as well as the Inuit. Together, they account for approximately 71,000 individuals, constituting nine per cent of the total Indigenous population in Canada.

Forty-seven per cent of the Indige-

nous population in Quebec identified their native language as their respective mother tongue.

However, such statistics by nature are no more than numbers, and they fail to reflect stories of the thousands of people in Quebec facing the challenges of learning their Indigenous language. These stories, after all, do not belong to numbers. They belong to people.

Chelsea Vowel is of Métis descent from the Plains Cree-speaking community of Lac Ste. Anne, Alberta who recently moved to Montreal. Although Vowel’s first language was not Cree, she recalls hearing a small handful of Cree words every once in a while within the community she grew up in.

“It wasn’t until my Law degree at [the] University of Alberta when I started taking a Cree class [that…]

I realized that the broken English [I heard as a child] was Cree syntax in English,” Vowel said. “A lot of the things that people were saying and the way they were saying it was because

By Jenny Shen

they were translating directly [from Cree]. For me, it proved that […] it was about people speaking English as Cree people. And that was a really big revelation for me and for my confidence about it—for the way that I felt about the language.”

After learning Cree, Vowel now commits herself to Indigenous language education in Montreal.

“I always knew that I needed to teach it to other people,” Vowel said.

“My kids first, but other people as well. Right now, I do a lot of writing, a lot of educating, but I spend a fair amount of time gathering Cree resources.”

However, Vowel has recognized some of the difficulties that arise with

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

28 | FEATURES

Speakers at the Indigenous Languages: Heritage and Spirit panel. From left to right, Vowel, Stacey, Mahkewa, Tremblay, Halfe. (Courtsey of Leonor Daigneault)

this task.

“That’s a little difficult here because Plains Cree is not the Cree that’s spoken in Quebec. So I felt sort of intrusive in that way. The Indigenous languages that are being taught in Montreal should represent the Nations that are here in Quebec.”

This divide is one of many challenges people like Vowel face in revitalizing Indigenous languages. With 11 nations of Indigenous people and many dialects from each First Nations language, finding the resources to be able to effectively teach all these languages is no easy feat.

“People […] want to teach Cree, [but] which Cree?” Vowel said.

“There’s this […] push to standardize [....] When you have six different dialects, people tend to pick the biggest one, the one that’s represented by the most; [but] we don’t want to get rid of [that] diversity.”

Allan Vicaire, the Indigenous education advisor at the Social Equity and Diversity Education (SEDE) office at McGill, works closely with programs such as Indigenous Awareness Week and workshops targeting students and faculty in order to educate the McGill community about Indigenous people in Canada. Vicaire explained that while the school will hopefully be offering an Indigenous Studies minor

in the near future, there are still challenges with incorporating a comprehensive language component. “[There could be a] resource program [at McGill] in Mohawk, or maybe Inuit or Cree,” Vicaire said. “But most of the times, [groups will] only offer programs in the surrounding communities. Not all languages will be taught

The language is what holds our culture together [....] When you take the language away, you take away the culture. at McGill because there are so many.”

Recently, the First Peoples’ House (FPH) at McGill has started to offer a Mi’gmaq language class in an attempt to provide more learning opportunities within the McGill community.

Janine Metallic, a Mi’gmaq from Listuguj and PhD candidate in McGill’s Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE) and Mi’gmaq language consultant in McGill’s Department of Linguistics, was approached

by Vicaire and Paige Isaac, FPH coor-

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

dinator, to teach the class.

“For the first time ever, there is an opportunity on campus for language learners to get together and learn Mi’gmaq,” Metallic said. “Many of the language learners are Mi’gmaq staff members and students who work and study in various parts of the McGill community. My hope is that having a Mi’gmaq class on campus will provide something that doesn’t exist anywhere else in Montreal—a common space to hear and speak the Mi’gmaq language.

The larger goal is to provide a place where we can work toward Mi’gmaq language revitalization, especially among the youth.”

But learning a language—in any dialect—comes with a slew of challenges.

Leith Mahkewa experienced these obstacles firsthand after deciding with her husband that they would raise their children to be first-language speakers in the Kanien’keha (Mohawk) language, despite the fact that both Mahkewa and her husband had learned English first, and Mohawk second. Mahkewa now works as the Mohawk culture and language facilitator at Step By Step Child and Family Centre, and sits on the Board of Directors of the Kanien’keha:ka Onkwawen:na Raotitiohkwa Language and Cultural Centre. In her work, she strives to re-

FEATURES | 29

vitalize Indigenous languages in the Mohawk Nation Territory, just southwest of Montreal. Mahkewa explained that second language learners—those whose first language is English or French rather than their respective Indigenous language—often feel apprehensive toward learning a new language.

“I think everyone wants to [learn], but for whatever their circumstance is, there doesn’t seem to be a commitment,” Mahkewa said. “If it was equivalent to going to university, if it was appreciated as much […] then maybe people would be more apt to do those language-learning courses.

The community as a whole has to be dedicated to that. The learning of the language can’t be forced, but people need to know how important it is for [not only] themselves but also for the community.”

Mahkewa further noted that learning a new language, like any endeavour to learn a new skill, will always lead to a hint of self-doubt.

“People are afraid to make mistakes,” Mahkewa said. “They don’t want to feel judged. People feel safe [wherever it is that] they’re learning, but a lot of times it takes more confidence to go out and speak in public.

But if you don’t use it, you lose it; so you have to engage with people outside of your comfort zone and speak the language.”

Another pressing challenge that these language learners face is funding.

Mahkewa works at Step By Step, where Indigenous language learning is emphasized. (Courtesy of Step by Step)

Anna Daigneault, the Latin America project coordinator and development officer at Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages (an organization dedicated to the preservation of endangered languages) highlighted the amount of effort and funding that have to go into programs to teach these languages.

“Language revitalization and documentation require the same components as any big undertaking,” Daigneault said. “It’s going to take time, coordination, scheduling, money, organization, and communication.”

Though these hurdles still exist, Vowel explained that the rise of the Internet has been helpful in creating resources and programs for learning

Indigenous languages.

“I think with some of the tools we have now [online], I’ve seen resources becoming more plentiful and representing different dialects, whereas before […] it’d be expensive to put out a small line of books and do that for six different dialects,” Vowel said.

But solely learning online is not optimal. This has led to the development of “language nests”—programs where adults and children within a community come together to learn in a total immersion experience. The focus of these language nests is to provide a place for learners to interact in the language in order to enhance their learning process.

“You can’t learn in an isolated en-

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

30 | FEATURES

Vicaire coordinates several programs with the FPH at McGill . (Courtesy of Paige Isaac)

vironment,” Vowel said. “Isolation is the number one language killer.”

Regardless of the volume of difficulties that might arise, many like Vowel and Mahkewa are still taking the initiative to revitalize Indigenous languages in whatever capacity they can manage. For these individuals, the importance of maintaining the language will remain at the forefront of their priorities.

In Daigneault’s experiences working with Living Tongues, she had observed that preserving a sense of self-identity will often supersede any difficulties an individual might face when learning a new language.

“It’s very important on the cultural and identity level for the in-

dividual,” Daigneault said. “If the [learner] has a very strong connection with their heritage, then no matter what the potential obstacles are, [that] person will overcome the obstacles to learn their language. And [this] goes beyond the price that it may cost. For a lot of people, learning their language is very important on a spiritual level; it is related to their belief systems and their connection to their own ancestors.”

Amidst all these rising programs and initiatives to revive Indigenous languages both in Quebec and in Canada, there is a constant awareness amongst Indigenous people with regards to the undeniable importance of maintaining these languages.

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

“When we lose our language, we lose our laws,” Vowel said. “And we lose our ability to access our sociopolitical order. Because the very way that our languages are structured tells us about how we relate to the world.

When we use English to translate our concept, we lose something, and we also import something that doesn’t belong there. When we translate, we are doing a disservice to those concepts.”

Moe Clark, whose background is Métis, and who began learning Cree this past summer, kept those concepts in mind when she worked with Daigneault to assemble an Indigenous language panel this month, featuring many who are involved with language revitalization.

“Preserving Indigenous languages means keeping the entire cosmology, ceremony and culture of a people alive,” Clark said. “In a language exists an entire history of information, of stories—a collective ‘narrative memory,’ as Neil McLeod puts it.

Each language informs us of our past, present, and future.”

“We need to go back to our languages,” Vowel said. “The language is what holds our culture together like glue. There is no separation in my mind. The language is the culture; it’s how we express ourselves. When you take the language away, you take away the culture.”

Science & technology

First malaria vaccine en route for 2015 RTS,S vaccine candidate shows promise after 20 years of development Krishanth Manokaren, Contributor According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Malaria causes an estimated 660,000 deaths each year worldwide. Presently, there is no available vaccine for this mosquito-borne disease— only preventative measures, such as bed nets, insecticides, and anti-malarial pills, which have had a limited effect. However, in a considerable step forward, the British drug company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced that they were seeking regulatory approval for the world’s first malaria vaccine: RTS,S. According to David Poland, senior communications officer at the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) Malaria Vaccine Initiative, RTS,S is the scientific name given to this malaria vaccine candidate. The name represents its composition. Poland explained that the aim of the RTS,S vaccine is to trigger the immune system to defend against the deadly malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum when it enters the bloodstream.

It’s designed to prevent the parasite from infecting, maturing, and multiplying in the liver, after which the parasite reenters the bloodstream and infects red blood cells, leading to the disease symptoms.

“Among the many components found in the RTS,S vaccine, the specific combination of a protein known as the Circumsporozoite protein (CSP) with the hepatitis B antigen is what appears to make it efficacious,” Poland said.

According to Poland, the RTS,S vaccine has been in development for more than 20 years. The vaccine was created in

1987 by scientists working at the GSK laboratories, and it wasn’t until 1995 that the first clinical tests for the vaccine began in the United States. In January 2001, GSK and the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI), with grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, entered into a public-private partnership to develop an RTS,S-based vaccine for infants and young children living in malaria-endemic regions in sub-Saharan Africa.

Before the vaccine is introduced, the candidate drug must be assessed for its safety and efficacy profile. This is accomplished through a clinical trial. Specifically, there are three trials (Phase I, II, and III) that evaluate the safety and efficacy by testing the vaccine on various sample sizes. The trials must be designed in consultation with appropriate regulatory authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO). Each phase can be thought of as a pole vault—when the vaccine clears one phase, the bar advances to a higher height, until either the vaccine fails to prove efficacy, or it clears all three phases. According to Poland, the company is at Phase III of the clinical trial.

The Phase III efficacy trial of RTS,S started in May 2009 and is still underway at 11 sites in seven African countries (Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania) with 15,460 infants and young children participating. According to the MVI, this is the largest malaria vaccine trial in Africa to date. Outlined in the press release published last month by GSK and MVI, researchers enrolled two groups of par-

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

ticipants: infants aged 6 to 12 weeks and children aged 5 to 17 months. The participants initially received three doses of either RTS,S or a “control vaccine,” allowing researchers to evaluate the efficacy of the vaccine on a large scale, while continuing to monitor safety and potential side-effects during the 18 months of follow up.

“To date, this trial has indicated that the RTS,S vaccine candidate is safe to administer to young children and provides some protection against malaria disease,” Poland said.

Specifically, the trial has shown that the RTS,S vaccine candidate has an acceptable “safety and tolerability profile” and that based on 18 months of follow-up after their third injection, it reduces clinical malaria cases by 56 per cent in young children 5-17 months of age and by about 31 per cent in infants 6-12 weeks of age.

“The potential public health impact is noteworthy,” Poland added.

“The next steps in RTS,S development come in 2014, when we expect to complete this trial and fully analyze the data” Poland explained. “In 2014, the pharmaceutical partner on RTS,S development, GSK, will also be filing for a regulatory opinion with the European Medicines Agency (EMA).”

“If the opinion is supportive, the World Health Organization has indicated that a policy recommendation for the RTS,S malaria vaccine candidate would be possible as early as 2015,” Poland said. “[This will] pave the way for decisions by African nations regarding large-scale implementation of the vaccine through their national immunization programs.”

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | 32

Delving into the laser lab Interview with Luke Matus Caity Hui, Science and Technology Editor

Known for its excellence in research, McGill University is home to a host of professors and scientists whose work contribute to scientific innovation. In tribute to the amazing research conducted within McGill’s walls, each month Science & Technology will feature student researchers who have helped contribute to the cutting edge science conducted at the laboratories. This series hopes to shine a spotlight onto the hard work of undergraduate students who dedicate themselves to research in the lab.

Enclosed within the Wong building is a laser lab—and in between homework and clasess, this is where Luke Matus spends the majority of his time.

“I am in chemical engineering, so I had no experience in lasers or surface engineering,” said Matus, a U2 engineering student. “I was just interested in getting into research in general, and I had talked to the professor about it.”

Matus became involved with the biomedical service-engineering lab through the Summer Undergraduate Research program for Engineers (SURE), where he works under the supervision of associate professor Anne Kietzig and the PhD student Jorge Lehr. After spending this past summer at the lab, Matus decided to continue his involvement the following year.

Currently, he is finishing off parts of his summer project, and he will complete a research course at the lab next semester.

Matus explained that joining a team when he had no experience in the field was a challenging task.

“The first two weeks of the project were [focused on] reading all of the papers published about lasers and about their surfaces and wetting behaviour,” Matus said. “There was a huge learning curve, and continued as I went along.”

Despite the initial challenge, the experience pushed Matus to develop his problem solving skills.

“A lot of times, you have to learn onthe-go, and if you don’t know how to do something yourself, it takes way longer,” he said. “You [figure out] how to do things yourself, [which] speeds up your project

as you learn how to solve the small issues that always arise in research.”

“If there is a problem with the laser, I don’t troubleshoot the laser,” Matus joked.

Matus’ project involved a infrared femtosecond-pulse laser set-up, which performs infrared labeling. By mounting titanium samples on a stage in front of the laser, he can use the laser to alter the surface of the sample. Then, Matus changes the properties of the samples and tests them to see how the laser affects these new surfaces. Matus explained that he is looking to design the samples to have specific wetting behaviour—the ability of a liquid to maintain contact with the surface—on the surfaces.

“There is a big box [in the lab], which is the laser,” Matus explained. “Then there are a ton of equipment and different boxes that run different programs within the laser—they have different functionalities [....] Once you have everything set up you open [the laser] and there are samples on the stage. The stage is controlled by a computer and you have a program that completes whatever pattern you want.”

While Matus enjoyed his time at the lab, he is thinking of applying to an industry job next summer. “I really like the research […] but I want to try something else.” He explained that research might be a possibility for his future, but is still eager to explore many fields of engineering to find out what fits best for his career path.

That said, Matus found his work at

the lab highly rewarding—both in terms of how it pushed him as a student and the results he acquired.

“I guess one of the things that stuck out was that […] one of the conclusions that I came to sort of reflected on this paper [on which I had based my research], and I proved [an additional part of it] in my own research,” Matus said. “It was like ‘Oh, I looked at this PhD or grad student work and I actually contributed something, even if it’s not published.’ It was rewarding.”

Luke Matus, U2 Chemical Engineering (Wendy Chen / McGill Tribune)

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

33 | SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Technology: a year in review

Promising new developments pave road for the new year Abhishek Gupta, Contributor

assets.nydailynews.com

Wearable computing Between Google Glass and the smart watch— including the models Galaxy Gear and Pebble, wearable computing is a rising trend. Pebble was founded by Eric Migicovsky and released in 2013. Originally, Migicovsky wanted a device that would allow him to use his smartphone without crashing his bicycle; from this stemmed the idea that a watch could serve as a notification hub for the smartphone in his pocket.

Pebble was designed keeping in mind that more complex tasks are left to a phone. Unlike Google Glass—a wearable computing head device that seeks to replace the smartphone—Pebble acts as a simple accessory for people to use to supplement the functionality of their phones.

Building intelligent machines Starting in 2011, Watson—IBM’s Jeopardy winning computer—wowed the world with its sharp answers that ousted Ken Jennings, the record holder for the longest winning streak on this question-answer game show. One of the reasons for Watson’s success was “deep learning”, the driving force behind machines able to recognize objects, translate speech, and do many other things that come naturally to the human mind. Google has become a hub for this field; one of Google’s deep learning systems was shown ten million images from YouTube videos, and it proved to be almost twice as good as any previous image-recognition systems. Furthermore, this October, Rick Rashid, Microsoft’s chief research officer, put on display a new system that Microsoft had been working on which could take speech, transcribe it into text, translate it into another language and then voice the text in the translated language, in a simulated voice. Deep learning is an increasingly interesting field that has immense scope for improvement and will definitely be something to watch out for in the coming year.

Ephemeral messaging The world’s attention was captured this year by Snapchat—an app that allows you to send an image or a video with a short text for a limited period of time to a friend. The novelty of this app is that people can send embarrassing photos or messages without having to worry about them being saved.

With most people having used social networks for a few years now, there is a wealth of messages and posts from our digital pasts that we probably don’t want on the Internet. This ephemeral messaging and sharing concept is helping restore a sense of privacy in the way we communicate, as not everything we say is recorded. In other words, it is restoring candidness in conversations and our online interactions—just like in the real world.

3D printing As 3D printing gradually becomes less expensive and more accessible, the potential for its use is rapidly increasing. Until recently, 3D printing was only used as a manufacturing technique to produce small-scale items for consumer use. However, the company General Electric (GE) is pushing to produce fuel nozzles for new aircrafts using this technique. This is the first endeavour into mass-producing a significant product through 3D printing. The benefit of using this technique over the traditional manufacturing methods is that it uses fewer raw materials to produce and is hence cheaper for the manufacturer.

As a result, the parts are lighter, give greater fuel efficiency, and are more economical for the aircraft operators. If this turns out to be successful, we could see this methodology of using 3D printers to produce parts percolate into other industries as well.

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

redorbit.com

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | 34

Then and now: the poliovirus epidemic Technological developments call into question the future of vaccination Caity Hui, Science and Technology Editor By the 20th century, few diseases frightened parents more than the fever, chills, and paralysis delivered by the poliovirus. In response to the epidemic, we saw the development and distribution of two polio vaccines that drastically helped eradicate the virus. Unfortunately, this improved technology has its consequences.

As vigorous vaccination programs target the last few countries still suffering from endemic polio, polio is now also the first virus to be recreated in the lab. After all our efforts to eradicate this virus, the question arises: when do you stop vaccinating?

Polio—a gastrointestinal virus—infects and multiplies within the digestive tract. Depending on the virus, it may leave the digestive tract and move into the bloodstream from where it can attack nerve cells. Although only one to two per cent of patients who contract polio become paralyzed, the polio epidemic of the 20th century caused a widespread fear in North America.

While polio has plagued humanity in the past—archeologists found an Egyptian carving from around 1400 that depicts a man with a leg deformity similar to those caused by polio—the virus reached epidemic proportions at the start of the 20th century. Ironically, this occurred while the prevalence of other viruses, such as diphtheria and typhoid, decreased.

“That is sort of the contradiction for polio,” said Jose Teodoro, assistant professor and researcher at the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Centre in Montreal. “It is one of these diseases that emerged in the 20th century when hygiene and sanitation got better.”

Teodoro explained that this phenomenon was largely due to the fact that polio is spread through the fecal-oral route.

“Before [the 20th century], children were exposed to polio [earlier] because there were no sanitation systems, so people used rivers or [other places] and that is

where they got rid of fecal matter [….] When children at a very young age were exposed to [polio] they were already protected by [their mother’s antibodies if breastfed] and were able to develop a good immunity to it when they were young,” Teodoro said.

“We fast-forward to the 20th century and modern sewage systems that disrupt the fecal-oral route, and children become exposed to it much later—after they already lost their mother’s antibodies,” he added.

In response to this epidemic, Western countries saw two major breakthroughs with regards to eradicating the poliovirus.

Within 10 years, two vaccines were developed— the Salk vaccine that consists of an inactivated poliovirus, released in 1955, and the Sabin vaccine, also known as the oral polio vaccine (OPV), licensed in 1962. “[The Salk vaccine] worked, and for all of its flaws—it was not the perfect vaccine—it started to reduce the cases of polio immediately,” Teodoro said. “The Sabin vaccine that came later was the live attenuated vaccine. It is dropped into the mouth and goes into the gut to confer a powerful immune response to the replicating virus causing the disease.”

According to Teodoro, although both vaccines were huge steps in the direction of eradicating poliovirus, the Sabin vaccine (OPV) had the biggest impact on the eradication of the virus. For the first time in the history of polio vaccination, developing countries were able to acquire and distribute the vaccine due to its more accessible cost.

These technological developments were huge breakthroughs with regards to eradicating the poliovirus. Still, Teodoro explains that the biggest barrier right now is geopolitics. Countries such as war-torn Syria and Afghanistan are difficult to reach, and as a result, these countries are the last ones where endemic polio is still rampant.

Many of the vaccination programs are spearheaded by Western organizations;

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

however, these countries facing endemic polio are often too dangerous for workers to effectively run their programs.

Teodoro notes that the cost of the vaccine will become a problem in the future.

“Cost will become an issue because OPV is the method used to vaccinate people—it is the cheapest way—but to truly eradicate polio you have to go to the injectable polio vaccine (IPV), which is much more expensive.” Teodoro said.

An even bigger question faced today is the role that improved technology will have on the vaccination programs of viruses like polio. Recently, scientists recreated the poliovirus in the lab by plugging in the nucleotide sequence (the genetic code) of the poliovirus into an oligonucleotidesynthesizing machine. Using the nucleotide sequence, the machine generated a fully functional infectious polio agent.

“With polio—and almost any virus that you start eradicating—it is so easy to bring [it] back,” Teodoro said. “Any malicious group could synthesize it and make a real virus and introduce it into the population— a population that has not been vaccinated anymore. Even though we have eliminated the virus, do we now render the population defenseless against it?”

Teodoro proposes that the simplest answer to this question is to keep vaccinating. However, he also acknowledges that as we begin to eradicate more and more diseases, we may come to a point where we say “enough is enough.”

“Technology is a double-edged sword,” Teodoro said. “You can do great good with it but also you can do great harm if that is what your intention is to do. It enables both [...]; should we be getting a vaccine for a potentially eradicated virus? It may be something that we have to keep doing, [or we may reach a point where] we just hope for the best. If something comes up, you deal with it—but we hope it never comes to that.”

35 | SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Universities face ‘study drug’ abuse

A look at drug use on campuses in response to competitive environment Prativa Baral, Staff Writer From papers to midterms to group projects, university life is not a breeze. In addition to academics, students are being asked to perform what may seem like an overwhelming amount of extracurricular activities. It’s not a surprise so many students have to deal with a jam-packed schedule alongside the pressure of choosing their majors and their careers.

A common solution to dealing with the hurdles of school-related stress is caffeine.

Bitter or sweet, caffeinated drinks are probably omnipresent in campuses across North America. However, what happens when caffeine is simply not enough for that late-night bout of essay writing? For many students today, the answer lies in study drugs.

Study drugs are prescribed to individuals dealing with disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to help them focus and calm down. For those without a diagnosable attention disorder, these drugs, also known as “campus crack,” cause hyperactivity and what can be interpreted as productivity.

Alan DeSantis, a professor at the University of Kentucky, tracked the use of ADHD drugs at his university. He reported to CNN that, “[they are] abused more than marijuana, and [they are] easier to get.” According to his research, 80 per cent of the upperclassmen were users. Canadian universities follow a similar trend. The Globe and Mail reported in a recent article that more and more students across Canadian universities are taking them on a regular basis.

“I use Adderall especially during midterms and during finals,” said a third-year B.Sc McGill student. “I remember when I first took it: two papers done in a couple of hours when normally that would probably have taken me two weeks to do! But then, I had a friend who took it because she had a huge organic chemistry final the next day, and she told me it was just terrible for her.

She couldn’t sleep for two days straight after taking it; so I guess it really depends on the person.”

Evidently, the effect of these drugs—just like most drugs—is individual-oriented. While these stimulants may seem like magic bullets for your GPA, the adverse effects of taking Ritalin, Adderall and Cancerta exist and are numerous.

When a student has a condition like ADHD, Adderall releases a combination of stimulants like amphetamine and dextroamphetamine that restore the balance of neurotransmitters to allow the user to focus.

The dosage varies based on the medical condition of the patient. However, for un-prescribed students, this dosage is hardly regulated, and can cause serious side effects such as withdrawal reactions. These include Study drugs can have adverse effects dependchanges in mood and in sleep pating on the user. (Christine Tam / McGill Tribune) terns, as well as fatigue. are finding ways of staying focused to excel.

The U.S. federal government lists Adderall as a schedule II drug, mean- My guess is that the colleges where Adderall ing it is one with “the highest abuse potential overuse is becoming a big problem are also and dependence profile of all drugs that have places where mental health issues are skyrocketing.” medical utility”.

According to the same article on the According to the Director of the McGill Office for Science and Society Joe Schwartz, Globe and Mail, campus mental health prothese drugs do allow for greater concentra- fessionals say they cannot police the use of tion, but he emphasizes, “[I am] not in favor study drugs and instead suggest educating students about time management, stress, of using drugs for that purpose.”

Aabha Sharma is a PhD candidate in and mental health. “[A] healthy lifestyle will give you a Life Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University in Chicago, healthy mind, and help you focus and excel with a particular interest in these ‘study in your work,” Sharma said. “Prescription drugs’ and their effects on society. Sharma drug-abuse might seem like it helps for the says she has seen a fair share of her friends short term, but the long-term adverse effects use these stimulants despite being knowl- might not be worth the price.”

It should be noted that taking or buying edgeable of the risks involved.

“While it is important to control over- drugs without prescription is illegal. Beyond use of Adderall, especially in colleges, under- that, this debate of using drugs to forcibly standing why students are resorting to such improve cognitive function for better grades dangerous prescription drug abuse is equally while harming one’s body should raise imimportant,” Sharma said. “The world today portant questions into the values our society is getting more competitive, and survival associates with the pathway to success. Is of [...] the smartest is the reality which puts harming one’s body acceptable in the name students [under] a lot of pressure. In order of getting a 90? to cope with the high standards […] students

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | 36

MCAT 101

What you need to know before you take the test Kieran Steer, Contributor

What is the MCAT? The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) is the main entrance exam for medical schools in Canada, the U.S and other countries, administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). It is computer-based and currently composed of three sections: Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, and Biological Sciences. The Writing Section was removed in the winter of 2012.

Each section is bell-curved from 1 (low) to 15 (high) for a composite score range between 3 and 45. A 30 is generally considered competitive for medical school, a 35 being around the 95th percentile, and 40+ being between 98th and 99.9th percentile.

Though the MCAT tests facts and knowledge, it is largely passage-based and focuses on analyzing random experiments and research articles. Test takers are then required to answer questions using reasoning and basic chemistry, physics, and biology principles.

When should I write the MCAT? There is not one specific time to write the MCAT. Test takers range from first year undergraduate students to those in their last year of graduate school. That said, here are some courses that are recommended to prepare for each section before writing the MCAT: Physical Sciences: Introductory physics and chemistry (PHYS 101, 102; CHEM 110, 120).

Verbal Reasoning: no prior knowledge needed. This section is entirely skillbased. (Note that this does not make this section easier, and it is often considered the hardest to prepare for as a result).

Biological Sciences: Introductory molecular and cell biology, physiology, ecology, and organic chemistry. BIOL 111, 112; BIOL 200; PHGY 209, 210; CHEM 212, 222—including the material learned in or-

ganic chemistry labs (experimental methods like distillation, chromatography, and H NMR). Don’t worry, only certain parts of these courses are tested.

How to register for the MCAT You can register for the MCAT through the AAMC website. The MCAT is administered several times a year, but spots fill up quickly so it is ideal to register at least a few months in advance.

Test prep companies AAMC: This company writes the actual MCAT and also offers practice tests and selfevaluation packages. The majority of material is taken from previously administered MCATs. Kaplan: One of the main test-prep companies, it offers courses, books, and practice tests. Kaplan has a very comprehensive program that gives a detailed review of MCAT material. However, some people find that it focuses too much on facts, which are often not as important because the MCAT passages usually give you the details you need to attack the questions.

The Princeton Review: Another major test-prep company that offers courses, books, and practice tests. The tests are often more difficult than the real MCAT, but can be effective for diagnosing weak areas.

Examkrackers: This company provides a variety of services, but they are mostly known for their 1001 MCAT questions books and the EK 101 Verbal passages book—one of the most widely used resources for MCAT prep. Verbal passages are generally considered to be representative of the actual Verbal Reasoning section on the MCAT. Gold Standard: Among its many services are 10 full-length practice tests, equating to hours of practice.

Other companies, like Prep101, Berkeley Review, and other online sources also provide preparatory services.

A source of information and support Students and doctors across North America post discussions in online forums, namely the Student Doctor Network (SDN), which address almost any question you may have about the MCAT. There are some extremely useful posts about various test-prep strategies on SDN.

New MCAT In spring 2015 the MCAT will be changing its sections to include: “Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems, Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems, Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior, and Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills.” The major change is the addition of psychology and sociology.

The AAMC has posted further information about the 2015 MCAT. Students may need to write the new version depending on when they plan on applying to medical school.

A final personal word of advice Though it is tempting to try to cram vast amounts of information, remember that the MCAT is largely a skills-based test—learn to write the MCAT, not a biology exam. Unlike university finals, most marks lost are those from passage analysis and not lapses in knowledge. Therefore, be sure to practice MCAT passages as much and as early on as possible.

Many experienced MCAT test takers will agree that the MCAT is different for everybody. Each test taker has to find what works for them. A full prep course could be extremely valuable for one person, but a waste of time for another. As different approaches and test-preparation methods work for different people, try to expose yourself to as many prep companies and students who have written the test as possible to find what will help you reach your desired score.

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

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Arts & Entertainment

McGill’s underground art show

Fridge Door Gallery packs Leacock’s basement Arts Lounge for Fall Vernissage Max Berger, A&E Editor

Prior to last Wednesday, the only type of event I had ever attended at the Arts Lounge—located in the basement of McGill’s Leacock building—were a handful of the weekly Bar des Arts (BDA) gatherings, which always promise a boisterous crowd of tipsy students. The Fridge Door Gallery (FDG) Fall 2013 Vernissage—one of the bi-annual art exhibitions organized by the McGill student-run FDG—offered a similar if slightly less boisterous experience.

As a first-time FDG attendee with little idea of what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised to find that such a large and upbeat group of students had come to check out the exhibition. The cheerful student presence was juxtaposed with eerie yet engrossing experimental musical performances interspersed throughout the vernissage.

Sleek, well-designed programs were waiting for people as they walked through the doors of the Arts Lounge, as well as a large printed board that stated and explained the Vernissage’s theme and title, Diffusion | Distortion. Its broad goal as stated in the program was to celebrate artworks that “explore the fluidity of perception.” Nearly all of the artwork was arranged hanging in front of the lounge’s long wall. Lamps were set up to illuminate the various pieces, and ample viewing space was available, with the usual couches that line the room bunched together off to the side, where the pool table is.

The event’s starting time was 6 p.m.; when I came in at 6:15, the majority of guests had already swarmed the table where refreshments were being distributed. I took advantage of that rush to get a first glance at all of the art, positioning myself right in front of it without any competition— in what proved to be a Pyrrhic victory. Since almost all the cheese and crackers were gone by the time I was ready to sample, I only ended up with some grapes, and veggies with dip.

Though I wasn’t drinking, the organizers still

Oh my, look at all that exposed brick! (Wendy Chen / McGill Tribune) seemed to be going strong with their generous wine and sangria supplies.

Considering that McGill has no fine art program, I was very impressed with the FDG selection. There was a diverse mixture of paintings, photography, sketches, and digitally-designed work. Staying true to the theme of the night, many of the pieces displayed distorted images, and images that diffused different artistic styles, especially the digital images. One of the standout photos by art history alumnus Elisa Penttilä, called “Evening Haze,” manipulated evening streetlights beautifully, so that they appeared as “near-perfect semi-opaque circles.”

My favourite paintings were a small grouping called “Toxic Trees,” created by U4 Education student Madeleine Williams-Orser. Her unusual natural depictions of forestry and bodies of water are the product of an effort to make her landscapes “look the way that they feel.” The results were distorted landscapes built with wispy shades of green. It was a fascinating interpretation—a complete 180 from traditional Canadian Group of Seven paintings, despite the similar subject.

FDG had arranged for undergraduate Music student Ryan Kelly, who is also pursu-

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

ing mathematics and linguistics degrees, to perform at the vernissage. Shortly after the event began, the organizers diverted everyone’s attention towards Kelly, and he began to play from a set called around_me that the program clarified “is meant to be extremely uncomfortable for both the performer and the listener.” Given the way the event had unfolded, with students happily socializing and enjoying the complementary items, it was a drastic mood change, and felt like a bit of a misguided effort. However, everyone was respectful and engaged as he revealed his impressive and spooky sounds, which utilized an amplified closing and scratching of a textbook in its arrangement.

By most accounts, Diffusion | Distortion felt like an absolute success; the art was excellent and the vibe was very positive— creepy music notwithstanding. According to the vernissage’s Facebook event, 195 people were expected to show up, and by my estimate, the actual turnout seemed to be right around that—an admirable feat in this era of mass, impersonal online invitations to student events. I’m already excited for the spring vernissage, to which I’ll be promptly arriving at with a mandate of eat first, admire later.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 39

Behind green eyes Segal Centre numbs nuance and underscores trivialities in Shakespeare’s Othello Diana Wright, Staff Writer In his early 17th century play Othello, Shakespeare coined the phrase “green-eyed monster.” The phrase, used to describe jealousy, enjoys popular use to this day, and refers to one of humankind’s most irrational, yet common, emotions. Similarly, theatre companies remount Othello year after year, attempting to refresh and rejuvenate the timeless tale of jealousy and madness.

Unfortunately, director Alison Darcy’s interpretation, in collaboration with the Segal Centre and Scapegoat Carnivale Theatre, dwells too much on the play’s obviously tragic elements—Suicide! Adultery!

Racism!—instead of the emotions leading up to them. As a result, the play ends up feeling overwrought and superficial.

For example, Othello’s lead actor, Andrew Moodie, who in limited moments portrays the play’s titular character with sensitivity and heart, spends three quarters of the prodution yelling somewhat hoarsely and gesturing too obviously, instead of drawing the audience in and connecting with his character on a deeper level. Consequently, it’s often difficult to identify with Othello, and, strangely, to feel any true grief when he is completely ruined at the end of the tragedy.

Sean Arbuckle, who plays Iago—the conniving mastermind who convinces Othello that his wife Desdemona is committing adultery, and effectively leads him on a path of devastating jealousy—portrays his role just as shallowly as Moodie. Specifically, the reasons behind his betrayal of the master he once admired are not fully

clear—and this was not because Shakespeare omitted them from the script.

Arbuckle also prances around the stage in an irritating elf-like manner during many parts of the play. Unsurprisingly, this becomes rather distracting and takes away from some of the lines he delivers with adequate menace, as well as the sick, evil aspects of Iago’s character.

It appears, then, that these interpretations are the result of Darcy’s directorial choices, and not necessarily those of the main actors. Unfortunately, Darcy’s vision often falls flat—at least with the male characters of the play.

Female leads Amanda Lisman and Julie Tamiko Manning, as Desdemona and Emilia, respectively, redeem the production—to a certain extent—with their intelligent, nuanced interpretations of the unfortunate wives of Othello and Iago.

Although Desdemona’s anti-feminist characteristics leave much to be desired, Lisman plays her sympathetically. As a result her death is much more affecting to watch than that of her easily duped husband.

This production also highlights the reciprocal friendship between Desdemona and Emilia, and in doing so breathes new life into two characters who could easily be forgotten.

After reading the play’s program notes, it appears that Darcy wished to emphasize the symbolic importance of water in the play, and particularly its mercurial, shifting properties. Much like water can change from calm to destructive in a short period of time, Othello does so over the course of the play.

However, the only way this symbolism clearly manifests itself is in a bizarre deluge of water that covers the stage during Desdemona’s death scene and thereafter. Although this use of theatrical special effects lends the play an updated, modern edge, it seems unjustified; the water’s symbolism is not emphasized enough throughout the play to be effective.

In fact, d u r ing another scene, when a blue light facing down on the stage is meant to represent a pool of water, some characters realistically navigate around it, while others walk directly through it, completely eradicating its crucial symbolism.

Overall, it is this inconsistency that plagues this production of Othello from its very first scene, and prevents its audience from being entirely drawn into the depths of the play’s—usually—passionate betrayal.

Othello is being performed at the Segal Centre (5170 Côte St. Catherine) until Dec. 1 at various times listed at www.segalcentre.org. Tickets start at $24.

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

40 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

From the West end to the Mile End, Montreal is home to entertainment venues that make its prolific cultural presence possible. The Tribune’s Arts & Entertainment team dug up the histories of some of the city’s notable venues for a look at how they became what they are today.

The Corona Theatre

The Virgin Mobile Corona Theatre that I’ve come to know during my time at McGill—through incredible live performances

by Shad, Hey Rosetta!, and The Arkells—is the product of more than a century of evolution, vastly changed from what it once was.

The Corona Theatre was built in 1912, long before Virgin founder Richard Branson was running his billion-dollar empire—or even alive. Catering to the entertainment of the era, it housed showings of silent movies accompanied by music, and light comedy shows.

Up until the 1960s, the theatre flourished as a landmark of the south-west Montreal district of Little Burgundy. Then, however, its owners ceased to maintain it properly, and it was threatened to be demolished on several occasions.

Towards the end of the 1980s, the little-used building underwent a significant revival as a location for movie filming. A greater breakthrough occurred in 1997 when a non-lucrative arts corporation bought the theatre, began a renovation process, and had it reopened by 1998. More renovations occurred between 2003-2004, and Virgin Mobile became the official sponsor in 2012.

Today, the Corona Theatre is best

known as a concert venue that treads between intimacy and spectacle. It also welcomes rental groups to make use of its space.

Through the years of change and uncertainty, it has retained most of its core design features: the upper balcony seating and the distinctive arch that creates a grand presence on Rue Notre Dame Ouest. It’s off the beaten track for most McGill students, but it’s well worth the metro trip to take in a show.

— Max Berger

Metropolis

At the heart of Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles, our famous entertainment district, you’ll find Metropolis.

The building that we know and love today as one of the city’s most popular concert venues has undergone many a transformation since its construction over 100 years ago. Opened in 1884 as a skating rink, it was renovated as a theatre. With the rise of cinema in the 1920s, the venue was renovated to house a movie theater and then reverted to a playhouse in the early 1930s. From 1960-1981 it underwent a blue spell, playing host to an adult cinema. The venue closed its doors to the public from 1981 to 1987, but ended the sixyear shutdown with a grand reopening as a popular discothèque.

When L’Éqiupe Spectra—a company devoted to developing and raising the profile of the Montreal cultural scene—acquired the venue in 1997, it became the place we know today. Under its current guise Metropolis has featured hundreds of entertainers from all ends of the spectrum. Showcasing huge stars and up-and-comers alike, Metropolis’ acts have ranged from Aziz Ansari to Ziggy Marley. While hosting live performances re-

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

mains its lifeblood, it occasionally lends itself as a reception hall for launches, corporate parties and events of all sorts.

— Kia Pouliot

Resonance

Resonance melds live music and the warm atmosphere of a small coffee shop into an appealing package.

The venue was founded by McGill alumni Martin Helsop and Colin Power in October 2012, based on an idea they had started seriously planning in January of that year. Helsop and Power, a bassist and saxophonist respectively, were inspired to create the venue by their love of performing and their desire to give more musicians a platform for self-expression.

Though Resonance does not identify as a club for one particular type of music, Power and Helsop aim to book more experimental and creative acts. While they tend to showcase mostly acoustic instrumental music, they’re open to having different types of artists, particularly ones who may not yet be getting many opportunities at other venues.

“I want to remind them of their personal reason for existing,” Helsop says.

The venue employs a pay-what-youwant rule for most of their shows. Helsop sees this as a way to encourage people to come without feeling any pressure.

“I hope that people will feel that they can come here on any given night; the audience will be very friendly, and they’ll get exposed to music that they wouldn’t otherwise get exposed to, all with a very low barrier for entry,” Helsop adds.

— Max Bledstein

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 41

Cinema du Parc

Despite Cinema du Parc’s current status as a hub for independent and foreign films in Montreal, the theater didn’t always operate under its current aesthetic. Cinema du Parc was founded by the Famous Players Film Company under the name Famous Players du Parc. After going through a variety of name and personnel changes, the art house was reopened under its current name by legendary cinephile Roland Smith. Smith invented the idea of “repertory cinema” (where venues can choose each film they want to show individually, rather than having to show a whole package of them), a method which he instituted at the theatre.

Cinema du Parc distinguishes itself in Montreal through its attempt to bring the Parisian style of cinematic programming, where many different kinds of current films and retrospectives are shown to the bilingual market of Montreal.

Cinema du Parc also plays a big role in the Montreal cinematic scene through its hosting of film festivals. They offer an affordable rate for festivals to rent out their theatres and show films that otherwise would struggle to find an audience in the city.

“What matters most to us is the quality of the film,” says head of press relations Rafaël J. Dostie. “Without us, a lot of films would never get shown.

— Max Bledstein

Theatre Rialto

Theatre Rialto was built between 1923 and 1924, and originally functioned as a movie theatre. Its Neo-baroque architecture, which was designed by Montrealer Joseph-Raoul Gariépy, was inspired by Paris’ Palais Garnier, a large opera house built in the latter half of the 19th century; the large columns on Rialto’s exterior es-

pecially mimic those of its Parisian counterpart. Building on the French grandeur of the facade, Rialto’s interior was built by famous Canadian theatre director Emmanuel Briffa, and its various elegant ornaments, balustrades, cartouches, and pilasters are crafted in a Louis XVI style.

The impressive facade and illustrious interior of Rialto were the main reasons the theatre was designated as a National Historic site in 1993. The inclusion of a ballroom, a billiards room, a bowling alley, and a rooftop garden added to its grandeur, and its total of 1,370 seats made it an all-around entertainment destination in Mile End. However, the building ceased operation as a theatre in 1990, and its subsequent designation as a site of cultural and historical significance may have been part of an effort to preserve it from the fate of its old-school contemporary Theatre Seville, which was abandoned in 1985 and demolished in 2010.

In the 2000s, Rialto’s theatre seats were removed, but re-imaginings of its business purpose, including the proposals of a steakhouse and a nightclub, were short-

Clockwise from left: Resonance, The Corona Theatre, Metropolis, Theatre Rialto. Photos courtesy of Cafe Resonance, montreal.tv, Pierre Bourgault, and Theatre Rialto.

lived. After years of sitting on the property, with no offers of purchase from either the city or private developers, owner Elias Kalogeras finally managed to sell it to businessman Carosielli Ezio, owner of daycare company Le Groupe Merveilles Inc. Now, it plays host to a wide variety of events, including tribute band performances, live author interviews, dance nights, and even speed dating.

— Will Burgess

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

42 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

For every cover like Jimi Hendrix’s rendition of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watch Tower” that gives a classic song a fresh and worthy interpretation, there are efforts like HIlary Duff’s take on The Who’s “My Generation” that should be banned from the airwaves. Here’s how some of 2013’s prominent song covers stack up against the original recordings they were inspired by.

Rolling Stones (1976): When the Rolling Stones decide to take a break from their blues-heavy rock and roll to write a ballad, they usually do a pretty good job. Like Stones classics “Angie” or “Wild Horses,” “Fool To Cry” slows things down and brings out a ton of emotion.

Its soulful combination of guitar and electric keyboards gives the music a Hall & Oates-type feel, but there’s no mistaking Mick Jagger’s distinctive vocals for those of Darryl Hall. On this track, Jagger does a lot of talk-singing, which matches the measured pace of the music. However, the final minute of the song features an edgier breakdown that feels a bit unnecessary given the earlier mood.

Tegan and Sara (2013): Before they were approached by Lena Dunham to do a commissioned cover of “Fool To Cry” for the hit television show Girls, the female Canadian duo had actually never heard of the song. Considering that, and the challenge of emulating a ballad in which Mick Jagger croons about the woman he goes to make love to in the poor part of town, Tegan and Sara do a fantastic job with their cover. They switch up the verse rhythm by making the only prominent instrument a soothing finger-picked electric guitar, and add more texture to the chorus by harmonizing together on the hook, “Ooh, Daddy you’re a fool to cry.”

Also, the breakdown gets cut in this version.

Verdict: This is a matchup in which there’s really no wrong choice. The Stones’ original sets the bar extremely high, and brings more than its fair share of soul to the table. But Tegan and Sara hit the mark on every one of their stylistic changes, and it all comes together surprisingly well. By the slightest edge, this one goes to the girls. Thank you, Lena Dunham!

— Max Berger The Bee Gees (1967): “To Love Somebody”

was released during 1967’s “Summer of Love,” and has been loved by artists ever since, becoming a pop standard that has been covered by the likes of Janis Joplin, Leonard Cohen, and many others. The Bee Gees’ original opens with a signature riff before marching ahead into a verse that embodies the era’s psychedelic musical vibe. Things come to a flourish in the chorus with a horns section that complements the passion of the Gibb brothers crying out the refrain, “You don’t know what it’s like.”

Michael Bublé (2013): Bublé keeps a lot of the song’s key elements the same. The tempo remains upbeat, and the instrumentation is pretty similar. It features a much more prominent bass line, however, and seems Motown-esque at times. There are a frequent number of fills in between bars, and it makes for an enjoyable variety of short licks and calland-response vocals. However, the chorus underwhelms in comparison to its predecessor, and the voices of Bublé and his backing singers don’t mesh nearly as well as the Bee Gee harmonies do.

Verdict: In this competition, it’s The Bee Gees that stay alive. Bublé doesn’t do a bad job, but there’s no exclamation mark that lifts the cover enough to surpass the original. The 1967 “To Love Somebody” is groovy, soulful, and absolutely lives up to its strong reputation.

— Max Berger

Michael Jackson (1982): Holding the 58th spot on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, Michael Jackson’s angsty lament, “Billie Jean” is an R&B/dance-pop gem. Sung from the point of view of a man being harassed by a woman claiming to be pregnant with his baby, this track keeps listeners attentive with its engaging lyrics and driving bass line. The song has all Jackson’s trademarks, from the finger snap to his iconic vocal hiccup, and plenty of satisfying synthesizer, a staple of ‘80s pop.

The Civil Wars (2013): The darkly seductive harmonies of folk-pop-country duo Joy Williams and John Paul White of The Civil Wars are perfectly suited to the tone of “Billie Jean,” which they cover seamlessly. They have stripped the song down to its bone, with noth-

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

ing but their haunting vocals and an acoustic guitar. The well-timed twangs of the guitar, captivating vocal dynamics, and palpable chemistry between Williams and White makes for a mesmerizing listen.

Verdict: The Civil Wars are just a band that says they’re the one. Their rendition of “Billie Jean” is a great listen, but you can’t beat the King of Pop. — Kia Pouliot

The Beatles (1967): “All You Need Is Love” has become an anthem for Beatles fans, and its title, a slogan. As far as pop songs go it falls outside the box, but stays very much in line with the many artistic liberties The Beatles were taking at the time. The sound on this track feels like a cross between Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys and a royal symphony; there’s orchestral backing, lots of vocal harmonies—and a George Harrison guitar solo to remind you that you’re listening to a rock band. The Fab Four’s timeless message is delivered loud and clear over an equally timeless musical arrangement.

The Flaming Lips (2013): Never straying far from their signature psychedelic sound, the Flaming Lips have remade the Beatles classic “All You Need is Love” into something that can best be described as a revelatory slice into a post-apocalyptic world. The song opens on a bed of strings and harp, carrying listeners into the Flaming Lip’s fantastical vision of such a world. The whole concept of love being all that you need does in retrospect seem questionable, but is well played off in this contemporary rendition. The only thing that’s really missing is a sense of resolution. What comes off as the start of something new instead finds itself closing their latest album, left to finish prematurely and unexpectedly.

Verdict: Both concepts are so clearly opposite—any remnants of a Beatles influence have long been lost between the layers of distortion— yet work well on their own. But ultimately, the original would have to take the cake for its overall cohesiveness that makes it what it is— memorable enough to be remade now, and probably again in the future.

— Leyang Yu

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 43

Amy Winehouse (2006): The title track of Amy Winehouse’s Grammy-award-winning album released in 2006, “Back to Black” is about Winehouse’s relapse into drinking and depression after the loss of a lover. The simple drums and keys play background to Winehouse’s powerful vocals, which intentionally stand out in the mix, even oncew strings make an entrance. The song itself is one of the biggest, most encompassing statements of Winehouse’s troubled career—which is perhaps why it resurfaced on the top 10 of the UK singles chart after her death in 2011.

As a modern classic, does a cover for a movie soundtrack do it justice?

BeyoncÉ feat. Andre 3000 (2013): This cover brings covers full circle—it was done for Baz Luhrmann’s remake of The Great Gatsby (2013)—and, with performances from Andre 3000 and Beyonce, literally brings Amy Winehouse’s culturally-appropriated Motown style ‘back to black.’ Three Stacks deadpans “You with your head high, and your tears dry / get on without your...guy” over slow wobble bass. On certain lines, he shifts the octave of each couple words he sings, which is creative, but also slightly silly. After

a twangy guitar bridge, Beyoncé sings a sultry second half, which is more of an attempt at imitating Winehouse.

Verdict: Listing to both versions of “Back to Black” back-to-back is pretty impressive—“Back to Black” is a vocals-centric song, and the voices of Winehouse, Beyoncé, and Andre 3000 are three of the most interesting in post-2000s popular music. However, the cover produced for The Great Gatsby lacks the signature tormented belting that Winehouse was famous for, and her passion makes the original the clear superior.

— Will Burgess

McGill a capella group chimes in on upcoming show The clock TXs down to Tonal Ecstasy’s “Feel Good” concert Kia Pouliot, Staff Writer Fourth-year students, best friends, and Tonal Ecstasy lifers Tanja Nachtigall and Eleanore Catenaro—musical director and president respectively of McGill’s oldest a cappella group—are part of an eclectic singing crew. They describe Tonal Ecstasy—fondly referred to as TX—as the place where the “most random assortment of students” has grown into “a little family.”

When asked to describe their musical style to a newbie on the a cappella scene, both are quick to highlight the democratic aspect of their song choice decision-making. Voting takes place at the beginning of each semester when just about everything is fair game. In fact, it seems likely that whatever your musical taste, you’ll find something that suits you in TX’s diverse repertoire.

“All of our music is entirely, 100 per cent representative of the people in the group,” says Nachtigall proudly. “We’ve played everything from Bon Jovi to Flight of the Conchords.”

TX definitely takes their musical work seriously, but that’s not to say they don’t know how to kick back and have a good time. Building a positive group dynamic is key to a good performance. Catenaro ex-

plains that one way TX fosters close bonds is through regular group activities.

“Every Wednesday after rehearsal we go out for drinks, no matter what. We love to, you know, kind of calm down after rehearsal with a pitcher—or five.”

Giving back to the community is also important to TX. McGill’s Centraide campaign raises funds to help improve the living conditions of people in the Greater Montreal Area by financing locally based agencies and projects and promoting community engagement. For the last two years, Tonal Ecstasy and Centraide have joined forces, leading to what Nachtigall called “a really cool collaboration” in which TX has lent their voices­ —and dance moves—to promotional videos and entertainment at campaign events.

The group performs at all sorts of venues; everything from the traditional concert hall to a synagogue for a Bar Mitzvah.

Nachtigall described the location of this recent venture as their “dream performance venue.” As far as unconventional performances go, Catenaro and Nachtigall, both smiling, recall a memorable stint.

“We got asked last year, along with the other two a cappella groups at McGill, Effusion and Soulstice, to collaborate with

them to sing The Temptations’ “My Girl” for a marriage proposal,” says Catenaro.

“It was kind of a flash mob setting at the Y-intersection. Just like the ones you see on YouTube! [….] We ambushed the couple and she started laughing and crying. [….] It was a really a good experience” Their next show, the “Feel Good” concert, is sure to live up to its name, as Catenaro explains.

“It’s right before finals, so we want to say that it would be a good study break. It’s only an hour and a half and the theme is— obviously­—‘feel good,’ which people need this time of year.”

“We’ve got something for everybody,” Nachtigall comments. “Last year, our theme was ‘In the Spotlight’ because we really wanted to put on a show where we were sparkling and really at our best.

Now that we’ve set that tone, ‘Feel Good’ is really about showing you a little bit about TX, and songs that made us as a group feel really good to sing together. We’re hoping to share those feelings with the audience.”

Tonal Ecstasy performs at 8 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.) on Dec. 1 at Café Campus.

Tickets are $10.

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

44 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Heaven on earth?

McGill English Drama & Theatre production Cloud 9 contrasts colonial and contemporary Britain Frances Lash, Contributor The director’s note uses the words “oppression” and “repression” to describe the McGill English Drama & Theatre Program’s play Cloud 9, and those two words couldn’t have summed up the production more accurately. Cloud 9 explores these main themes within two separate but thematically connected spheres; the first act takes place in Victorian-era colonial Africa, and the second one is set in 1970’s punk London.

The contrast between the two time periods is central to its production. Each actor plays a role in both acts as a way of bending the norms of gender, race, and sexuality. The first act opens with a family headed by a colonist, Clive, singing a tongue-in-cheek song about their idyllic Victorian life. This sets the tone for the play, as from this point on, the Victorian ideals they sing about devolve into a manic destructive spiral. Suddenly, extramarital sex and references to homosexuality, homophobia, and pedophilia appear with abandon.

The second act takes place about 100 years later. Issues of homosexuality and marriage still arise—however, instead of pedophilia, the taboo topic of this act is incest. We are so involved in the show’s reality that we forget the incest occurring on stage is wrong; here, right and wrong are no longer clearly defined. Seemingly a more liberal and free narrative—characters admit their homosexuality, their extramarital affairs, and their sexual habits openly—we see that they actually contain their emotions and actions out of fear.

Unlike the first act where fear comes externally, it surfaces here from an anxiety about their true selves.

The play is self-aware in that it questions itself and what it does. In the first act, the play references the traditional veneer of the characters when the actors break the flow of narrative and stiffen up like puppets, moving as if they were attached to strings from above the set. In the second act, the characters’ frustrations explode into a rage of electronic-punk fu-

Punks take to the park in Cloud 9’s second act. (Owen Egan / McGill Department of English)

elled song. The play toys with the viewer’s expectations of theatre in more ways than one, by choosing actors to play characters that rupture the norms of gender and race.

Cloud 9 tries desperately to get a message across: things turn ugly when you reject your true identity.

To communicate this message, the actors walk a fine line between drama and comedy, and stray away from the completely ridiculous via moments of earnestness. In act one, Joshua (Leo Imbert), Clive’s black servant, exhibits the struggle of identities within his character. He breaks from his happy caricature of a man and tells Clive’s son Edward a ‘bad’ story of how mankind grew from a great spirit, who threw mud to create the moon. Joshua quickly stiffens up, smiles, and says: “Adam and Eve is true.” The play is full of moments of ‘truths’ like this one.

Although the nuances of the actors’ portrayals of their characters are ultimately successful, the gender-bending in the first act is disappointing. Betty, who is played by Harrison Collett, is too absurd to take seriously. Collett is never convincingly feminine, and the attempts to make her so detract from the point of making a

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

man play her role. Oddly enough, in the second act, Collett’s portrayal of Edward, a gay young man, is more feminine than his portrayal of a woman.

Ultimately, Cloud 9 is a success because of its actors’ ability to bring levity to the themes it presents. It is a complex, engaging, and boundless production. When its characters run off the stage in search of refuge or to find someone, they are so convincing that their world does not end with the edge of the set. The temporality within the show is interesting, as characters from the first act appear in the second, and one actor even wears a t-shirt with Kate Moss’ face in act two. The show seems to say that time is without bounds: the past blends into the present, and therefore, history informs our actions. Identity, which is at the center of this play, is never really one’s own, and this makes internal conflict endemic to the human experience.

Cloud 9 continues to run from Nov. 28-30 at 7:30 p.m. at Moyse Hall Theatre in the McGill Arts building. Tickets are $10.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 45

The Dieppe code Historian David O’Keefe’s new WWII revelations create a book to remember Esther Vinarov, Contributor Released right before Remembrance Day, David O’Keefe’s new book, One Day in August, is an account of the Allies’ tragic raid at Dieppe with a twist— it introduces new evidence that claims to solve an important World War II mystery and put to rest a legacy of unease and confusion.

Until now, history has remembered Dieppe (Operation Jubilee) as the most catastrophic amphibious attack ever carried out. The intrigue surrounding the raid is the apparent lack of rationale behind the entire mission—it was “an operation seemingly devoid of tangible purpose and intent.” As a result, a “legacy of sorrow, bitterness, and recrimination has developed to frame the collective Canadian memory.” One Day in August delivers on its promise to finally address the burning question: why?

Jubilee was ultimately driven by the “four-rotor crisis”—the desperate necessity for British Intelligence to crack Germany’s Enigma code, which was encrypted through the Enigma machines as a means of delivering secret messages. The machines had recently been upgraded from a three to four rotors system, introducing an added layer of complexity that was nearly impossible to decode. For intelligence analysts working on Ultra at Bletchley Park headquarters, the only way to crack the code was to obtain, via “pinch” operations, various cheat-codes that could unlock top-secret Enigma messages. The raid at Dieppe was meant to be that “pinch.”

(canadianmilitaryhistory.ca)

O’Keefe’s narrative is divided into two sections. First, he introduces the extensive British intelligence organization, whose inner workings must be intimately understood to appreciate the anxiety to decipher Enigma—even Winston Churchill is described as having a sort of addiction to his daily dose of Ultra-secret intelligence. O’Keefe does justice to this fascinating area of British history; his use of primary sources (including 100,000 pages of archival material) brings to life the various personalities of WWII—among them Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, and also a competent British Intelligence officer in his own right.

Fleming turns out to be the key to unlocking the Dieppe puzzle, reappearing in the second part when O’Keefe showcases his skill as a military historian. The overview of Operation Jubilee from conception to conclusion is explained with precision and detail. Now, we can understand Dieppe for what it truly was—even if many who fought that day could not. Had they been successful, they would have obtained material that “in cryptographic terms was the proverbial Holy Grail.” Fleming, waiting on board one of the ships to bring the pinched codes back to Bletchley Park, was the final link for exposing Dieppe as a veiled pinch operation.

Pinches were required so that there appeared to be another driving force behind the raids, in order to prevent German suspicion of the missions’ true ob-

jectives. Only information as sensitive as Enigma codes would have warranted the loss of so many lives, but since no one could know that crucial reason, the staggering loss of life has understandably confused and distressed the world for so long. With this new information, there is finally an explanation for the massacre of August 19, 1942.

The most serious shortcoming of One Day in August is O’Keefe’s clear sense of pride in his work. Evidently, he has invested many years into the book and is excited to have solved a WWII mystery, but his personal feelings at times infringe on this serious non-fiction in a way that is almost ludicrous.

In addition, there is a redundancy of explanations; this leads to the sense that at best, O’Keefe was condescending to us as readers, or worse, that he wrote haphazardly and then failed to edit closely enough to smooth out overlaps in information. These faults detracted from an otherwise exceptionally well-written work.

One Day in August is a tremendous addition to the legacy of World War II history, with the added excitement of solving a mystery and the satisfaction of resolving decades of national unease.

It proves that WWII remains a dynamic and fascinating part of history that we may never completely understand. For all lovers of history, cryptography, warfare, intelligence, or even conspiracy theories, O’Keefe’s work definitely deserves a read.

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

2014 WINTER INTRAMURAL SPORTS PROGRAM REGISTRATION : NOVEMBER 25, 2013 - JANUARY 7, 2014

LEAGUES OFFERED

All full-time McGill University students are eligible to participate. McGill staff and alumni who have purchased a Sports Complex Membership may also compete in intramural activities.

Players are required to present their McGill identification card to the timer prior to each game. Failure to comply with this rule will prevent the individual from participating in that game.

ELIGIBILITY All full-time McGill University students are eligible to participate. McGill staff and alumni who have purchased a Sports Complex Membership may also compete in intramural activities.

Players are required to present their McGill identification card to the timer prior to each game. Failure to comply with this rule will prevent the individual from participating in that game.

ABOUT THE 2014 WINTER PROGRAM Games are scheduled on weeknights as of 17:00 hrs and weekends as of 9:30am. The regular season in all sports consists of a 6-game schedule.

The top teams in the competitive and intermediate divisions will advance to a single elimination playoff.

HOW TO ENTER Individuals are encouraged to form their own teams. Teams may come from the same faculty, department, residence or any other group. Captains must enter their team by paying the team entry fee on-line prior to the entry deadline. Teams are taken on a first come first served basis.

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

Delegate one member of your team to register. www.mcgillathletics.ca - click on the “On-Line Services” link and login Click on ‘Browse’ under ‘Leagues / Tournaments’ Select the sport and league from the first two drop down menus.

Following the payment of the team entry fee, you will receive an email with instructions on how to submit your roster.

SPORTS

Rugby— McGill 16, Concordia 6

Redmen dynasty shows no sign of stopping

Five McGill players named to All-RSEQ squad in eighth straight championship

Both teams struggled to fight off the rain, but a strong first half led the Redmen to victory. (Laurie Anne-Benoit / McGill Tribune) Elie Waitzer, Staff Writer A crowd of almost 700 packed themselves under the overhang at Molson Stadium for shelter from the rain to watch the McGill Redmen rugby team defeat Concordia 16-6 to take home their eighth consecutive RSEQ championship on Friday Nov. 22.

The Redmen jumped out to an early lead the same way they have done throughout the season—on the back of an impressive kicking game by senior fullback Cameron Perrin.

Junior wing Robert Ashe added a try to push the team ahead in the first seven minutes.

With the lead in hand, McGill stifled the speedy Stinger backs, crushing rally after rally with long kicks out of the Redmen zone. When Concordia was finally able to charge the ball down to Redmen territory, the Stingers met stiff resistance in a pivotal scrum on the five-meter mark.

With the first half winding down, the Redmen put together a long run down the sideline after an excellent grubber kick left three McGill backs in space. A beautiful, fast-paced passing sequence led to a Redmen try just before the half expired, but it was recalled by the referee due to a penalty seconds before the conversion.

Through the first half, both teams had difficulty scoring; the wet field slowed down the pace and movement of the game and turned it into a physical affair. Caught up in frequent rucks, penalties were being called throughout the game, with yellow cards handed out to Redmen players Noam Berson and Patrick Mulherin. However, McGill clearly outmatched Concordia in strength, speed, and agility as the ball was kept in the Stingers’ zone for the majority of the game.

“We knew it would be wet and hard to get a good spin on the ball,” said sophomore prop Mtchell Cuillerier. “We focused on kicking it out and pinning them in their zone, and our forwards did a great job carrying the ball and keeping it tight in the back.”

The match’s physicality resulted in a scary moment as Concordia winger Caleb Jordan suffered a head-to-head collision with a McGill player early in the second half and had to be taken off the field in a stretcher.

Play resumed after a 25-minute delay.

Perrin continued his terrific play in the second half, padding the lead with a penalty kick from 30 yards out with 18 minutes to go. In the backfield, the Stingers were

stumped time and time again by McGill’s powerful group of forwards, anchored by the RSEQ Rookie-of-the-Year Spencer Paveck.

“He was huge—such a pivotal player,” Cuillerier said, on Paveck’s contributions to the team. “He hits hard [and] he’s got size and speed. He’s been a huge part of this team’s success.”

As time wound down, the Stingers grew increasingly desperate and disordered, coughing up the ball in their own zone. McGill’s Thomas Stokes finally put the nail in the coffin with a long penalty kick to put his team up by a final score of 16-6.

The win is especially sweet for the Redmen; the last time McGill fell in a championship match was in 2005 against Concordia.

It also marks McGill’s RSEQ-leading 14th conference championship, a number that Cuillier expects to grow as McGill looks to defend its title in the coming year.

“We’re not losing that many guys,” Cuillerier said. “I think we have six graduating this year. Our system is going to be the same, and we have a lot of talented young guys on the team.”

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

48 | SPORTS Basketball­— McGill 44, Concordia 34

Martlets defence suffocates Stingers Sylla snags fourth double-double of the season Osama Haque, Staff Writer

Helene Bibeau steps up to the line. (Laurie-Anne Benoit / McGill Tribune) The McGill Martlets stormed Love Competition Hall for their home opener against the Concordia Stingers on Nov. 21.

McGill looked to extend its undefeated start and its nine-game winning streak against the Stingers. The Martlets did not fail to impress, and stuck with their game plan to beat Concordia in a decisive 44-34 victory.

The team came out strong from the tipoff. McGill immediately looked to feed the post down low, as the Martlets took advantage of their height to score easy points in the paint and make their way to the free-throw line early in the game. More important, however, was McGill’s stifling, aggressive defence. The Martlets forced a shot clock violation on the Stingers’ first offensive trip of the game, and proceeded to force Concordia to shoot 16.7 per cent from the field for the first half.

The home team’s aggressive play masked its own shooting deficiencies in the first half.

McGill shot a measly 23.5 per cent from the field through the first two quarters, and only scored 20 points in the first 20 minutes of play. However, this was enough to get by in the first half as the Stingers netted a mere 16 points. The Martlets’ defence kept them in the game by clogging up the middle and forcing the Stingers into turnovers and ill-advised shots. Sophomore forward and reigning CIS Rookie-of-the-Year Mariam Sylla was the

lynchpin of the stout defensive showing. She denied any easy lay-ups and cleaned the glass all night en route to 11 rebounds at the end of the game.

The second half mirrored the first, as both teams continued to struggle from the perimeter. However, McGill’s persistence in getting to the free-throw line paid dividends.

By the end of the game, the Martlets had shot twice as many free throws as Concordia, finishing 11-16 from the line. Both Sylla and senior point guard Francoise Charest finished with 11 points to lead the team.

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

With another win in the books, the Martlets are 3-0 in season play. The only cause for concern right now is their shooting woes. Following the game, Martlet Head Coach Ryan Thorne reflected on his offensive weaknesses.

“I expect we should be more efficient offensively,” Thorne said. “We have the experience., we [just aren’t] coming together.

It’s probably coaching, and we need to tweak some things and get players [in] better places [to score].”

The Martlets have a long way to go if they wish to fully realize their potential. A third straight RSEQ Championship is a very attainable goal, but a medal at CIS Nationals will require consistent improvement. McGill’s defence has kept it afloat as the team has only lost one game to CIS opponents all year, but the squad needs to focus on getting its offence up to par.

“It was good to get the win,” Thorne said. “It is what we are trying to do; but the big thing here is we should be trying to do better. I am not sure if we got better from this game.”

The Martlets look to continue their streak against Bishop’s on Nov. 28 at Love Competition Hall before traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada for the Frontier College Las Vegas Shootout over the winter holiday.

SPORTS | 49 Basketball­— McGill 80, Concordia 62

Redmen rule the roost in home opener

Freshman guard Ogundokun shows precocious versatility with team-high16 points Aaron Rose, Staff Writer

Ogundokun takes it up strong against a Concordia defender. (Sam Reynolds / McGill Tribune) The journey to repeat as RSEQ champions is well underway for the no. 7 ranked McGill Redmen, who looked to stay undefeated in conference play during their home opener against the Concordia Stingers on Thursday evening. The Redmen fought through a tough and physical game but never relinquished the lead en route to an 80-62 victory.

The Redmen had no shortage of scoring, topping their season average against an aggressive Concordia defence. Freshmen guard Dele Ogundokun set the pace with a season-high 16 points and nine rebounds. Ogundokun also led the game in both steals and assists. “[I was] just finding my teammates and shooting when open,” Ogundokun said after his breakout performance. “[I was just] trying to do the best things for the team.”

His efforts didn’t go unnoticed—Head Coach David DeAveiro commented on the freshman’s stellar showing after the game.

“Dele was fabulous for us,” DeAveiro said. “He made big shots and hustle plays today.”

The team’s bench contributed 29 points, led by Brazilian centre Rodrigo Imperador who tallied an efficient 11 points in his 12 minutes on the court.

The team’s emphasis on protecting the paint paid off as the Redmen out-rebounded the Stingers 62-42. Freshman Francois Bourque pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds and

ended the contest one-point short of his third career double-double.

DeAveiro was impressed with the team’s ball movement in light of the Redmen’s a season-high 24 assists.

“I think that when we are successful in games it’s because we are moving the ball and sharing the ball, [so] everyone’s a threat,” DeAveiro said.

The ball seemed to constantly run through captain Simon Bibeau’s hands. The fourth-year guard accounted for five assists, and fortified the Redmen’s lead after Concordia went on a run late in the third-quarter. According to Coach DeAveiro, McGill’s response to Concordia’s 12-point run was a crucial moment in the game.

“We knew they were going to make a run at some point,” DeAveiro said. “I thought

the thing I was most proud of was that when they got [the margin] down to eight we brought it right back to 16; we scored the next eight points.” The team showed their ability to cope with adversity, which will be needed in their upcoming game against Bishop’s.

Coming off last season’s success, DeAveiro knows the magnitude of this next game against Bishop’s University. “[They’re] the team I predicted to win the conference,” DeAveiro said. “It’s going to be another dog fight […] but if we play hard, I think we have a chance to be successful.”

Ogundokun echoed DeAveiro’s statements. “I’m excited to go head-to-head against the other top team in the conference.”

Ogundokun and the rest of the young freshmen—there are currently nine rookies on the roster—are going to need another spirited performance if the team wants to stay unbeaten.

With three first-years starting Thursday’s game against Concordia, Coach DeAveiro acknowledged the tough situations he had put his freshmen into.

“We’ve been throwing them into the fire and they’ve been responding,” DeAveiro said.

With this many new players being worked into the rotation, it should scare opposing teams to see that the Redmen are undefeated. After the game against Bishop’s University, the team will go on Winter break before returning to Love Competition Hall to play Laval on Jan. 9.

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

50 | SPORTS Ice Hockey- McGill 3, Wilfrid Laurier 4

Hawks soar as penalties plague Redmen

Coach Kelly Nobes faces former team for first time since taking the reins at McGill Wyatt Fine-Gagné, Staff Writer

Redmen struggled against an aggressive Laurier attack. (Laurie-Anne Benoit / McGill Tribune) The ‘Loo came to town this weekend, with the Redmen hockey team hosting both the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks and the Waterloo Warriors. Friday night’s contest saw the Redmen lose 4-3 to the Golden Hawks, who currently sit last in the West Division.

It was the first game between the two teams since Head Coach Kelly Nobes left Laurier for his current job with McGill. Although the Redmen outshot and outplayed the Hawks, the team was unable to top their opponents on the scoreboard. Inconsistent play and penalty trouble meant that McGill was battling from behind for much of the game.

“Clearly that put us behind the eight ball,” Nobes said. “You know, I thought there were certainly some soft calls [...] but at the same time, we put ourselves into some bad positions [...] where we allowed [them] to call penalties on us.”

The two teams traded goals in the first period, with the Hawks scoring twice on four powerplay chances. Sophomore Mathieu Pompei tallied two assists on the night, but his late first-period tripping penalty ended up being a costly mistake leading to a Laurier goal that tied up the game. Pompei looked dangerous all game and had a solid night with the exception of a few bad giveaways. McGill spent most of the second stanza on the attack, but the Hawks capitalized on their chances

and potted two goals late in the period a mere 75 seconds apart. Despite having the upper hand in both possession and shots, McGill couldn’t crack Laurier goaltender Duncan Long, who picked up just his second win of the year.

Sophomore winger Jonathan Brunelle scored on the powerplay to bring the Redmen within one-point with 10:11 to play in the third on a slapshot that beat Long blocker side, but it was too little too late. The late minutes of the game were frantic, but the Redmen couldn’t quite break through. With 5:28 left in the period, both the Redmen and the crowd thought they had a goal, but the referee waved it off, signaling that the puck didn’t cross the line. That was as close as McGill would come to tying the game. Plays that developed were always one pass or shot away from a scoring chance, but the Redmen were unable to capitalize on these opportunities. Ultimately, it was the goaltending that separated the two teams. First year Jacob Gervais-Chouinard got the start between the pipes for the Red-

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

men and was uncharacteristically weak. Gervais-Chouinard allowed four goals on just 22 shots and did not give the Redmen key saves when they needed them. Nobes felt, however, that the team just did not have the effort on Friday that was required to win.

“Our bread and butter as a program is how hard we work and how relentless we are,” Nobes said. “And if we don’t bring that, it doesn’t matter if we’re playing the first place team or the last place team.”

McGill bounced back Saturday night against Waterloo with a 4-1 victory, but now sits in second place behind a surprisingly strong Queen’s squad. McGill has just two games left on their schedule before the Winter break: the “Score With School” morning game against Concordia on Nov. 26 and another at home against Laurentian on Nov. 30.

“When you play a 28-game schedule every game is important; and looking at our division in the East, you can see how tight it is,” Nobes said. “Nobody is giving anything up.”

The game against Concordia is part of annual series that brings students under Montreal’s English School Board to McConnell Arena. The two games are crucial as the team starts the New Year with five games on the road against the top teams in its division.

51 | SPORTS

Remembering the Redmen

How McGill football won its only national championship Remi Lu and Mayaz Alam

T

he post-game scrum had been relocated from the hot and crowded COTC lounge to the gym. Family members and media milled about, sipping lukewarm beer as they waited for the team to emerge. Inside the locker room, the Redmen players peeled off their equipment, catching their breath after the game’s tough result. While the rest of the team showered, starting quarterback Bryan Fuller moved to the centre of the room. He was seething. “Mark my words, we will not lose another game this year.”

The date was Saturday, Sept. 25, 1987, and the McGill Redmen football team had just dropped its second match against the OQIFC(Ontario-Quebec Intercollegiate Football Conference) leading Bishop’s Gaiters. McGill’s record was now 1-2. The Redmen hadn’t made the playoffs in six years. But Fuller’s words would mark the turning point for the most incredible team in McGill Athletics history, as the Redmen would go on to sweep their remaining games en route to winning the 1987 Championship Vanier Cup. “I remember, as early as spring camp before the season, what struck me [was] for my first time in all my years at McGill, I looked at our various positions [...] and I couldn’t find a weak area,” Gary Kirchner recalls.

Kirchner, now a teacher at John Abbott College in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, sounds reflective over the phone. It was 26 years ago that he was the defensive line coach for the championship McGill football team, but it is clear that the season still stands out in his mind.

“In previous years, we had a very good group of linebackers, or a very good running back—but what struck me was the whole package. I was looking around and thinking, ‘Wow, everybody’s good!’ It’s not like we were a bunch of all-stars, but we were solid [and] we didn’t have a weak defensive line.”

The Redmen entered the 1987 season in

the wake of another disappointing year in which the team had failed to make the playoffs. In 1983, a new academic policy at McGill created speculation that the university no longer had a chance at a top-level football team. The resulting flurry of resignations forced Head Coach Charlie Baillie into hiring a new coaching staff. Yet, in an ironic twist, that same year also saw the arrival of freshmen Wayne McRae, Bryan Fuller, and Bruno Pietrobon—key players who would later have crucial roles in helping the 1987 team win the Cup. After starting the season 1-2, Fuller’s prescient speech kicked off what can only be described as one of the most incredible regular season runs in Canadian University Football history. In the games to follow, the Redmen would post staggering triumphs: a comeback win after being down 14-2 at halftime against Carleton, and narrow victories against Concordia, Queen’s, and Ottawa—games which McGill won by an average of only three points.

The wins spoke to the tight-knit nature of the team, which returned 44 veterans to the 1987 roster. McRae, now a financial advisor at Wood Gundy in Montreal, remembers the unbelievable display of team chemistry that was on the field every night.

“It was our character and [the] maturity that our players had on the team, and how strong we were mentally to win those games [that]

made the difference,” says McRae. It started with the “Crazy Dogs”.

The bizarrely named offensive line— christened after Fuller’s tendency to feed the players Milkbone Dog Biscuits at halftime—made the local papers and television.

“My offensive line, the Crazy Dogs, were a group of veteran boys,” says John Kesson, then the offensive line coach and now a high school

(photos on page 51 via Old McGill)

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

52 | SPORTS teacher in Pointe Clare, Quebec. “They were absolutely nuts. They were a free-wheeling, very intense bunch of guys [....] It was just unbelievable, that group. It was an eclectic mixture of people.”

Rounding out the locker room personalities were the Power B’s (defensive backs), the Duke Backers (linebackers), and the French Connection (the defensive line).

Fuller and McRae, the starting quarterback and defensive captain respectively, were both in their fourth year at that point. Adding to their efforts were two star sophomore running backs, Mike Soles and Gerry Ifill, who carried the Redmen through the season on multiple 100-yard-plus games. However, as Kesson put it: “[For this team], the whole was greater than the sum of the parts.”

It wasn’t until a pivotal matchup against the Queen’s Gaels in the OQIFC semifinals that the Redmen believed they had a shot. McGill and Queen’s had historically been fierce rivals, but when the games mattered the most, the Gaels always had the Redmen’s number. McGill had not beaten Queen’s in a playoff game in nearly two decades, and at the half, the Gaels seemed poised to extend the streak with a 24-7 advantage.

Kesson remembers the game fondly for the team’s halftime turnaround.

“Queen’s scored 24 straight points, which was unheard of on our defence,” recalls Kesson. “I remember going in at halftime, and all the coaches were sort of disheartened and everything, and [defensive co-ordinator Larry] Ring [was] sitting at his desk in the corner, and all he said was, ‘They aren’t going to score again.’”

The Redmen rose to the challenge—McGill

managed to score 20 unanswered points in the final 30 minutes to win the game, 27-24.

Ring was just one member of the outstanding group of coaches that Baillie had on his coaching staff. Pat Sheahan, that year’s offensive co-ordinator, went on to become the head coach at Concordia, where he led the Stingers to a Vanier Cup appearance. Sheahan is now the head coach at Queen’s, where he won a Vanier Cup in 2009. Ring went on to win his own Cup in 1997 as head coach at the University of Ottawa.

Kirchner remembers the staff as a unique combination of committed individuals.

“The coaching room was one of the most pleasant I’ve been involved with,” Kirchner says. “There was no pressure; everybody was just there doing a job and enjoying it.”

Waiting for McGill in the OQIFC championship game were the Bishop’s Gaiters, the team that had given the Redmen their only losses that season. However, McGill flipped the script on the Vanier Cup favourites, beating their conference rivals with ease. The final

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

score: 32-16.

The season of destiny continued in the Atlantic Bowl as McGill faced off against the St. Mary’s Huskies for the right to play in the Vanier Cup. The Huskies, led by their star quarterback and future Canadian Football Hall-of-Famer Chris Flynn, held a two-point lead with a minute and a half left in the game. McGill’s ruthless defence intercepted Flynn on a late fourthquarter bomb, and Fuller brought the offence out for the chance to win the game.

“We were marching down the field, and there were three times where we were at threeand-ten, and we went for it and made it all three times,” McRae recalls. “Our field goal kicker [Chuck Petitpas] had missed this short 25-yard field goal [earlier in the game, but] with basically two seconds left on the clock, he kicks this 40-yard field goal with zero seconds to win it by a point.”

They had made it. The Redmen were in the big game that nobody thought they deserved to be in.

The 1987 season is surrounded by an

53 | SPORTS aura of mystique because many across Canada believed it to be a Cinderella story come true. Joe Nemeth, then a freshman offensive lineman and now a member of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), remembers how the team coolly handled the backhanded comments that wrote off its efforts prior to the championship game. The University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds—the reigning Vanier Cup Champions—hadn’t lost a game in two years. “[UBC] was a 14-point favourite and [people were] like, ‘Do you guys even deserve to be on the field?’” Nemeth recalls. “We actually played to that very well [by saying], ‘Oh no, no, we’re very honoured,’ […] but inside the locker room we knew we could [win] it.”

The Thunderbirds had a high-powered passing attack with which they had racked up points all season. This time, however, they only managed one touchdown on the night—and it was achieved long after the game had been decided. McGill dominated UBC, blowing out the reigning champions 47-11.

Soles ran for 203 yards and two touchdowns; Ifill had 122 yards and three touchdowns; McRae returned an interception 67 yards for a touchdown; and Ring designed a defence that simply grounded the Thunderbirds.

This was no underdog. This was a team that had out-worked its opponents and would not settle for anything less than the best.

It has been 26 years since Fuller made his season-changing declaration. In that time, the McGill football team has failed to reach the conference championships, and the program has fallen to the bottom of the RSEQ. No Redmen football team has come close to replicating the success of the 1987 team.

McRae, now the president of Friends of McGill Football, understands that today’s league is drastically different from the one that he played in years ago.

“Now, the french universities are dominating right across Canada, [which] makes the league very tough,” he says. “A few years back, the average [age] of the McGill Redmen was 17 years old, whereas the average age on Laval was 24. Huge difference—men and boys.”

The 1987 team was a perfect mix of veteran leadership, great coaching, talent, and wild locker room personalities. It was a group of young men that worked hard and refused to

The 1987 Redmen football team raises the Vanier Cup banner with pride.

back down when faced with difficult odds.

McGill students—much as they are today—were impartial to campus athletics back then. However, the incredible 1987 championship Redmen football team transcended the normally apathetic student body and brought the community together in ways that are almost unimaginable today.

The Redmen have scheduled reunions every five years, with the team’s 30-year banquet approaching quickly. While the players and coaches from that special ‘87 Redmen team have gone on to pursue drastically different careers, a connection like the one they forged that season is not easily broken.

“Ultimately, it feels like it was yesterday,” McRae says. “The most memorable post-season reception we had [that season] was when the whole team got together in this little cement room underneath the stands to say our final goodbyes to each other. That was the most emotional and memorable one. It was fun to be recognized on stage, on camera, on radio, and all the different public events, but that evening when it was just the players and the coaches saying goodbye to each other was probably the one that was most special. [We were strong] because of the bond we had for each other.”

— Additional reporting by Ben Carter-Whitney

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

54 | SPORTS

POINT

COUNTERPOINT

Professionalism

Faster. Higher. Stronger. This is the motto and the purpose of the Olympics: to see who is the best in the world. If professional athletes are prohibited from competition, then the athlete who wins succeeds in a competition that has age and skill restrictions­— not a competition that actually determines the best of the best.

How does playing in a professional league— and being paid—make athletes unqualified to compete? Just like amateur athletes, these individuals have put in thousands of hours of training and hours of playing time in order to make it to the Olympics. The Olympics are the highest level that an athlete can play at, regardless of whether they are a professional or an amateur. It is a collection of the world’s greatest athletes under one roof, creating an environment for the best games and performances.

Furthermore, just because they are professional athletes does not make them a shoo-in for

The modern Olympics were created after Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee in 1894. De Coubertin had envisioned the Olympic Games as an international stage for amateur athletes to showcase their skills, but through the years, professional athletes have slowly been integrated into the Games. Two contributors weigh in on whether professionals should be allowed to participate in the Olympic Games.

the finals. Everyone points to the 1992 American basketball Dream Team as the prime example for why professionals should not be allowed to play because of their overt domination of their opponents. But that instance is the exception. European basketball teams still give the United States a run for their money. In hockey, Canada— despite producing the most NHL players— has only won gold twice since professionals were allowed to play. Having professional athletes compete is not a negative component to the Olympics. Upsets happen on a regular basis and having these athletes present makes the competition that much more exciting.

As for the managers and owners of professional teams who worry about their players getting injured: that risk is a part of the game. It is present every time a player is in practice, in a game, or in training.

Finally, professional athletes raise the cred-

ibility of certain sports. Figure skating, gymnastics, archery, and bobsledding benefit immensely from professional athletes competing. Athletic celebrities make sports more popular among fans. As a result, there is more support from society and from sponsors which only helps the building of a strong foundation for a variety of sports. This also helps the standard of competition for the future.

Yes: professional athletes have the opportunity to represent a team every day of the year, whether it be the Buffalo Bills, the Chelsea Football Club, or the Toronto Raptors. However, to have the chance to represent their country is an honour that comes to a select few. If they have the talent, then they should have the opportunity to don their country’s colours and bring home a medal.

— Rebecca Babcock

For example, the Soviet Bloc’s state—sponsored athletes were professionals in all but name, but by the definition of amateurism could not be banned from the Olympics. I would partially agree: amateurism has been used far too often as a tool to segregate the upper from working-class athletes—the latter who did not have the luxury to hone their craft.

Furthermore, the likes of Avery Brundage, the fifth president of the International Olympic Committee, have twisted it in order to diminish certain athletic achievements—such as refusing to reinstate Jim Thorpe’s stripped gold medals from the 1912 Olympics, which he lost his medals after it was found that he had temporarily played minor league baseball. However, Coubertin—who was pragmatic in his views of amateurism—believed that rules regarding amateurism should be shifted according to the social times. Celebrating sport is what the Olympics is about, and the definition of amateurism with regards to the

Olympics should reflect that.

Finally, the argument that professional athletes help to popularize sporting participation is just dead wrong. Olympic success drives funding in many countries. The recent failure of the British basketball team has done damage to the program’s grassroots funding, despite the presence of the American superstars at London 2012. People need to be shown that they can play sports; not be shown famous people who do play sports.

It is not naïve to believe we can have a worldwide event that encourages mass participation and celebrates physical activity; there are many of these in the artistic and scientific fields. Indeed, it is important to have an Olympics that embodies these values. With the presence of professional athletes, the Olympics are indistinguishable from any other international sporting event.

— Zikomo Smith

Amateurism An idealist with a vision created the Olympics.

An educator at heart, Coubertin was inspired to create the Olympics, an international festival of sport where international and class boundaries were broken down as all celebrated the art of physical pursuits.

Professionals do not celebrate this ideal; rather, they are paid to win and to provide a spectacle for the public. They are not indulgent in the way an amateur is. There is no celebration of physical pursuits and the character traits that are present within the amateur.

Professional sports discriminate in the sense that coming first is what matters. The Olympics were envisioned as anything but discriminating; it is about what happens on the journey in the quest for the number one spot, not the spot itself.

However, some may counter that amateurism is an outdated and classist concept that recognizes no subtlety, and that professionalism should be expected when performing in an event such as the Olympics.

Editors’ pick: professionalism

VS

Although professional athletes have historically had a tumultuous relationship with the Olympics, the Games are, at its core, an exhibition for the best athletes in the world. To exclude professionals from the Olympics does not benefit the overall advancement of sport, and penalizes those athletes who want to represent their country.

NOVEMBER 27, 2013 | McGILL TRIBUNE

Holiday Wishlist

SPORTS

55 | SPORTS

Now that he’s on an NHL team’s active roster, all I ask is for Ilya “Mr. Universe” Bryzgalov to go back to getting the media attention he so rightfully deserves. My love for that guy is humongous big.

—Ben Carter-Whitney, Managing Editor

I want Lebron I James to three-peat and wish for this season’s win another MVP award along Super Bowl in New York to not the way; all hail the King. I would be ruined by a snowstorm. Playing also love for Lebron’s football team, under extreme weather conditions will Liverpool, to finish in the top four of lower the overall quality of play and both the Barclays Premier League while teams will just resort to running the ball. I also avoiding any Luis Suarez mishaps. wish that us Canadians will be able to finally —Zikomo Smith, This comwatch some good American commercials durContributor ing year, I hope to see two ing the game and not have to watch CTV things. First, I hope to see Derrick promos and the same Subway commercial Rose come back from his knee surgery over and over. and lead the Chicago Bulls to the promised —Johnathan Lin, land that has evaded them since Jordan’s retireContributor ment. Second, I want to see a new Air Bud movie.

This holiday seaI would be happy if either of these happened this son, I wish for the speedy coming year, but the shared joy that another Air recovery of Blue Jays catcher Bud would bring to movie goers everywhere J.P. Arencibia who seemed to have would be too much to pass up. lost the ability to walk at some point —Osama Haque, Staff Writer during last year’s tragic season. As a Besides seeing the New Blue Jays fan, it would be awesome to England Patriots hoist the Lombardi have a catcher who could make it to trophy this upcoming February, nothing first base on a semi-regular basis. would make me happier than watching the —Elie Waitzer, Alabama Crimson Tide roll their way to a third When Staff Writer consecutive NCAA Football championship. Althe Florida Panthers though it is only 2013, this modern-day first last qualified for the playoffs, would put this Alabama dynasty as the fronboth Montreal and Toronto did not trunner for team of the century. make the cut.

I wish for Florida to make —Joshua Schulman, the playoffs again.

I also wish for the NorContributor wegian Curling team to make it to the gold medal game of the Winter Olympics and outdo their outfit from the 2010 Olympics, so that when they play Canada in the finals, their pants will get the media attention they In the deserve. new year I hope that the —Rebecca Babcock, Brooklyn Nets find the founContributor tain of youth and make the playoffs.

I didn’t go through a 12-70 season and lose the lottery just to watch Jason Kidd be the most useless coach in NBA history. If the Nets do continue at their abysmal rate, I All I want for the just want to make sure that we get a topnew year is for Georges five pick to take us into the future. Oh St-Pierre to be able to take a wait… break if he wants one.

—Mayaz Alam, —Jacqueline Galbraith, Sports Editor Managing Editor

McGILL TRIBUNE | NOVEMBER 27, 2013

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