Tribune The McGill
Published by the Tribune Publication Society Volume No. 31 Issue No. 16
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Nov. 10 police report Almas Jiwani Editorials Time-wasting websites Marc Tessier-Lavigne Atwater Poetry Project Pack the House
2 4 7 12 13 14 17
MIKE BABCOCK, pages 10-11
SSMU suspends Judicial Board, citing legal concerns
SSMU President Maggie Knight abstained from voting on the decision to suspend J-Board. On Jan. 19 she disclosed potential conflicts of interest with the case. (Elisha Lerner / McGill Tribune)
By Carolina Millán Ronchetti News Editor Last Thursday, the SSMU Board of Directors (BoD) suspended the Judicial Board indefinitely due to legal issues arising from its current structure. The structure of the J-Board was reviewed by the Bylaw Committee Jan. 30, and the committee’s findings will be discussed in a meet-
ing of the BoD this Thursday, Feb. 2. On Jan. 30, the J-Board was scheduled to hear a case proposed by students Zach Newburgh and Brendan Steven on the constitutionality of the fall referenda. “We first went to talk to our lawyer about this case because [SSMU] had never had a case where a J-Board case had to determine whether a vote by members needed to be overturned or not,” VP Uni-
versity Affairs Emily Yee Clare explained to the Tribune. According to the SSMU Constitution, the J-Board is the highest authority in SSMU, capable of overturning any decision made by any other body within SSMU. However, under the Quebec Companies Act, the Board of Directors has to be the highest governing body in SSMU and nothing can limit the power of the BoD.
If the J-Board had ruled to overturn the student referendum, the decision would negate the role of the BoD as maximum authority and therefore violate Quebec law. Because the structure of J-Board was not revised in the SSMU Constitution since the BoD was instituted as the highest legal authority by law, its existence has also been illegal since then. Additionally, SSMU is bound
as a student union by the Quebec Accreditation Act. Under this act, every member of SSMU has the right to a binding and representative vote through referenda. Overturning the vote would also involve retroactively taking away students’ right to vote. By invalidating a vote, any student who had voted in the referendum could sue SSMU for not following its constitution or Quebec See “J-BOARD” on page 3
News CAMPUS
Nov. 10 according to the police Independent Student Inquiry acquires police report
By Kyla Mandel Managing Editor This past week, the Independent Student Inquiry made available to the Daily, Le Delit, and the Tribune a set of eight documents from the Montreal police regarding the events of Nov. 10. Multiple police officers completed the documents, giving individual accounts of events. The Tribune has compiled the information to provide insight on the events of Nov. 10, specifically the use of tear gas on the McGill campus. All information and quotations below have been translated from French. 5 p.m. Police were asked to perform crowd control manoeuvres at McGill University, and at the intersection of University and Milton. They reported around 200 “aggressive students and non-compliers.” Another report by Sergeant Martin Destrempes estimates around 400 individuals. One officer, Mike Brown, recounts that a group of approximately 10 students started to resist police efforts. Some sat on the ground while others started to grab the shield of a police officer. He prepared to use tear gas. 5:15 p.m. At the east exit of the
McGill campus and the intersection of Milton and University, Officer Brown used tear gas. “This action had the desired results,” he wrote in the report. “The individual released the shield and left with friends. He was bothered since he was coughing and rubbing his eyes.” Sergeant Bruno Bolduc’s report gives further information regarding the use of tear gas toward protestors. He confirms Brown’s use of tear gas on the individual who grabbed the police shield. A second usage of tear gas was described at the intersection of Milton and University. “When we were making an advance on the south side of the road, there was a pocket of resistance that was using signs with pieces of wood and were pointing at the line of police officers,” Bolduc writes. “So, I used [tear gas] at this moment. The result was the same; the crowd distanced itself from our line.” Sergeant Martin Destrempes describes observing a group of 25 individuals who refused to disperse. He describes the group as being made up of mostly men, aged 18-25. “I saw multiple individuals in this group push police officers with their hands against their shields, yelling at the police with their hands in the
air and then hitting and grabbing the police and their equipment.” He reports that the police gave at least 10 verbal warnings in both French and English for the protestors to move back. Following the verbal warnings, police are described as using their shields to push back the protestors as well as using batons to put pressure on the arms and shoulders of protestors. All of this occurred at the upper level of the steps in James Square. Destrempes then reports that “considering that they found themselves on the highest level, and given that if the police officers effectively pushed the protestors they would fall to the lower level of the stairs and cause certain injury, I brought out my container of chemical irritants [section blanked in report] and I sprayed the group.” Destrempes called for the arrest of these individuals, however they dispersed too quickly into the larger crowd and he was unable to proceed with their arrest. 6:30 p.m. The police operation ended. In total, these documents reveal the use of tear gas in at least seven different instances by multiple police officers. One document titled “Use of Chemical Irritants—crowd control”
Nov. 10 in numbers
Timeline of police activity
1:30 PM
Use of tear gas authorized
5:00 PM
Police called to the scene
5:15 PM
Tear gas was first used
6:30 PM
Police operations ended
Crowd control data
4 0
Number of arrests— the report shows the number four overwritten with a bold zero
Total numbers of injuries according to the report
at least 7
10
Number of reported uses of tear gas
Source: Montreal SPVM, data courtesy of Independent Student Inquiry.
reveals that the use of tear gas was authorized at 1:30 p.m. that day. In addition, it states that a total of
10 individuals were injured from these events.
CITY
Bob Rae encourages youth to get involved in Liberal party Interim leader of the Liberal party addresses crowd at event held at Concordia University
By Natasha Fenn Contributor The Honourable Bob Rae, the interim leader of the Liberal party, completed his five day tour of Quebec with a speech at Concordia University on Friday, Jan. 27. As he crosses the nation, Rae aims to remind Canadians of what the Liberal party represents, restructure the party, and open it up to regrowth after their defeat in the last federal election. In his speech, Rae encouraged students to speak up while the Liberal party is under renovation. “This is a generation that says ‘I don’t hear you talking about the things that matter to me … persuade me that [your opinion] was important,’ ” he said. Earlier this January, at the Liberal Biennial Convention, 3,300 delegates attended to vote on the Liberal Constitution. Among them were members of Liberal McGill such as Matthew Ballek, a U1 arts student who said he attended because of the
possibilities the party has to offer. “The Liberal party lost so many votes that [they] have nothing to lose,” Ballek said. “They’re open to change … youth can have a huge impact.” MP Mark Garneau, who fielded a question and answer period with MP Justin Trudeau after Rae’s speech, expressed the current state of the Liberal party best. “I like to compare the Liberal party to a body, and on the third of May, it was like a body being wheeled in on a gurney into an ER. They had to put the paddles to us,” Garneau said. “Today I’d say the Liberal Party has a heart beat … but we have a heck of a long way to go.” Rae’s speech emphasized that the Liberal party is not having an “identity crisis,” as the other parties in the House of Commons would like to portray. “Governments and authority must explain and justify itself to people who have the means … to insist that the world must make sense to them. People today are dying for
this idea … and it is the essential idea of the Liberal party,” Rae said. Some of the speakers questioned whether the current government is sufficiently accountable. “Our great concern [about Harper’s] process is … [how he’s] pushing meetings into closed doors … using the power of the majority to quash dissenting voices,” Trudeau said. Miranda Bradley, a U2 student in the faculty of arts, chose to attend the event though her family traditionally supports the NDP. “I have to respect that the Liberals aren’t afraid to leave [traditional] methods,” Bradley said. “They are trying to avoid doing things simply because that’s how it’s always been done.” As the leadership election draws closer, there have been rumours that the Liberals need a younger leader to represent the rebirth of the Liberal party. Rae said that he has not decided whether he is going to run, but is hopeful for the future of the party. “I always remind people, the
Bob Rae calls for party renovation. (Duncan Hood / McGill Tribune) one thing that is certain about public opinion is that it will change. And it changes in response to leadership … in having an idea of where you want to go,” Rae said. “That is where our
party has always been at its best … and that’s where we need to be again.”
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Tuesday, January 31, 2012
J-Board frozen continued from COVER law, Clare explained. The Board of Directors was instituted as a separate body by the SSMU General Assembly in fall 2011 due to Quebec law, which requires a board comprised of only Canadian citizens or permanent residents for the society to retain its liquor license. Currently, the BoD is comprised of SSMU executives and council members, meets during SSMU Council, and typically ratifies decisions made by the Council. Clare received a memo from SSMU’s lawyer on Wednesday Jan. 25 outlining the legal issues and decided to bring the matter to Council. During Council, debate centred on whether to allow the J-Board hearing to continue and then review the legality of the process, or to reform the structure of the J-Board first. Law Senator Ian Clarke expressed concerns about suspending the J-Board. “I don’t think we should set the precedent that whenever council feels uncomfortable with a decision they should just overturn it,” he said. Other councilors argued in favour of suspending the J-Board. “Currently our organizational structure is not legal … I don’t think we can just put that [on] the back burner,” Adam Winer, Clubs and Services Representative, said. “[We should] first clarify our constitution so everybody is aware of who has final authority, and if petitioners want to reapply to the JBoard, they can do so,” Sam Latham, management councilor, said. After much debate, SSMU Council voted to suspend the JBoard with 13 votes in favour, six votes opposed, and four abstentions. Clare emphasized that SSMU intends to restart the J-Board. “It’s important to have some form of J-Board and we don’t want to completely remove that from SSMU,” Clare said. “We just want to make sure that it’s functioning, it protects our members, and it protects the interests of SSMU in the long run.” The By-Law committee met Monday Jan. 30 to begin a review
process to restructure the J-Board. SSMU President Maggie Knight outlined the commitee’s initial suggestions, which include a referendum question to amend the SSMU constitution and clarify the role of the J-Board, its relationship to the BoD, and its compliance with Quebec law. In the short term, SSMU intends to allow the current J-Board case to proceed soon, possibly before the referendum question that would amend the constitution. “What we’re trying to do is [reach a decision] in the shortest time possible so that everything can proceed in a way that is fair for everybody,” she said. Justices surprised by suspension “The SSMU’s decision caught us off-guard. Before receiving this email, we had no reason to believe that the J-Board would be suspended,” David Parry, Chief Justice of the SSMU J-Board wrote in an email to the Tribune on behalf of the entire J-Board. “We have requested justification from the SSMU for their decision, and are still waiting for a satisfactory explanation,” he added. “As more information becomes available, we will decide what steps, if any, need to be taken, bearing in mind that many people have put in extensive work in the case to bring it this far.” Parry added that the members of the J-Board requested to participate in discussions regarding the JBoard’s future, but that SSMU requested that they only be present for the first portion of the discussion. Petitioner Brendan Steven could not be reached for comment at the time of press. Case respondent and Elections SSMU CEO Rebecca Tacoma declined to comment on the suspension of the J-Board. She noted that the J-Board case may not affect the winter referendum period. “It has to be kept in mind that simply because allegations are made, this does not necessarily mean they are valid,” Tacoma said.
CAMPUS
AUS GA to vote on joining CLASSE McGill could join provincial organization in tuition hike fight By Erica Friesen News Editor
On Jan. 27, approximately 100 university and CEGEP students created a human barricade outside the Montreal offices of the Ministry of Education to protest the Quebec government’s proposed tuition fee hikes. The protest was organized by the Coalition Large de l’Association pour une Solidarité Syndicale Étudiante (CLASSE), a temporary coalition of student associations. McGill students may vote to join this coalition in the AUS General Assembly on Jan. 31. In addition to the vote to join CLASSE, other GA motions, if passed, would aim to make the AUS eligible to do so. For example, CLASSE requires that the AUS take an official position in favour of free education and against all tuition increases. The motions were submitted by members of the Mobilization Committee (Mob Squad), an organization dedicated to combating inequity and defending accessible education.
Kevin Paul, U3 arts student and member of the Mob Squad, said that the benefits of joining the Quebecwide student movement would be worth the extra steps required to become eligible. (Full disclosure: Kevin Paul is a contributor to the Tribune’s opinion section.) “The government does not negotiate with individual student associations from one university, but it will negotiate with a coalition representing tens of thousands of students [who] are acting collectively,” Paul said. “[It] means that when CLASSE negotiates with the government, the interests of McGill Arts students will be represented.” According to an email from Mobilization Committee members, the AUS has also accepted their petition for a Special Referendum to amend the AUS Constitution in order to make the society eligible to join CLASSE. The proposed changes would extend some powers currently held by the council to the General Assembly. Students will have the chance to vote on the referendum in early February.
However, even if the AUS GA votes on Tuesday to request to join CLASSE, Paul says that the power to strike will remain in the hands of McGill students. “The only votes for a strike will come when there is a Strike General Assembly and students pass a motion to stop going to class,” he said. Joël Pedneault, SSMU VP External, is uncertain whether students will vote to strike, but thinks that it would be effective at this stage in the student movement. “I don’t know if people are convinced that [a strike’s] something that they want to do right now ... but I think there might just be a critical mass of people who understand that we’re at that point right now,” Pedneault said. “The government’s still not backing down, so what’s going to work right now if going on a strike.” -The AUS GA will take place at 6:00 on Jan. 31 in Stewart Biology S1/4. Students need a McGill arts student ID to vote.
–Additional reporting by Erica Friesen
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CAMPUS
Business leaders share success with students
Student-organized 32nd Management Achievement Awards allow students to learn from entrepreneurs
By Enbal Singer Contributor On Jan. 27, students, faculty, administration, and alumni came together at the Omni Hotel for the 32nd Management Achievement Awards. The event honoured four individuals in the business world who had exemplified entrepreneurial skills, using their success to give back to the community. The event also provided a unique networking experience for those in attendance. “It’s one of those things you can’t learn in a classroom. This is hearing [advice] from people who have done it, who have experienced it, and who have succeeded in doing it,” Keith Chan, U3 international management and chairman of the event, said. In a brief speech, the dean of the Desautels faculty of management, Peter Todd, commented on the appropriateness of the award’s recipients, who were chosen by the student organizers. The selection aimed to recognize community entrepreneurs who would serve as a good example for other management students. A subcommittee of the Management Undergraduate Society had been organizing this event since June. Management undergraduate
Cora Tsouflidou, founder of Chez Cora. (Sam Reynolds / McGill Tribune) students who attended the event also benefited from the presence of representatives from major Canadian companies such as Ernst & Young, Sid Lee, PWC, and KPMG. “For students, they have a chance to meet [company representatives] and chat informally in an environment they might have not otherwise had,” Jason Paseli, a McGill alumnus now working for KPMG, said. While the event was ideal for
students to network, Samantha Butler, U3 accounting and chairwoman of the event, explained that it was designed for students to gain more than ordinary networking opportunities. “This is business-meets-students and in a really interesting way, not just networking but having award winners share their stories. That’s not something you get with networking, where you’re trying to just sell yourself and [you can’t] just
... put that aside and listen to people who made it to the top,” she said. President and CEO of Dundee Corporation Ned Goodman, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, spoke about how students should proceed in the business world, showing students that success is about more than just large investments. “There are people who say my success and career has been lucky, and they’re right, it has been lucky, but luck only comes from being associated with the right people. I have been lucky to surround myself with people who are smarter than me,” he said. Having spent over 50 years in the natural resource investment industry, Goodman’s advice was not always specific to business. “We live in a world that has confused regulations and rules with cultural principles,” he said. “Rules can always be bent but principles are forever … [You should] always finish what you start, when you’re riding through hell, keep riding, and never give up.” Another award winner was Cora Tsouflidou, founder and chair of the board for Cora Franchise Group Inc. This franchise was created when Tsouflidou, a single mother, bought an abandoned diner in Mon-
treal that later became Chez Cora. “Cora doesn’t come from a business background but possesses a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Look [at] what she has accomplished; she has taken her passion and built a great enterprise. It gives hope to students to take what they love and run with it,” Michaela Hirsh, U1 finance and director of operations and logistics of the event, said. Bertrand Cesvet, chairman and chief strategist of Sid Lee, was ecstatic about being able to give back to the Desautels community. “McGill changed my life; I really think that none of what I accomplished in my life could have happened if I had picked one of the other schools I was looking at,” he said. The event emphasized that being a successful business leader is about more than securing investments and major projects. “The news often paints corporate executives as monsters, but there are many people who share their success and I think that undergraduate students should see that,” Hirsch said. “When you work towards something, you’re not working just for your own personal gains but for the community at large.”
CAMPUS
UN Women Canada president calls for gender equality Almas Jiwani and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau address students and encourage grassroots activism
By Shannon Kimball Editor-in-Chief Roughly 100 students gathered last Friday, Jan. 27, in Shatner’s Lev Bukhman room to listen to speeches by Almas Jiwani, president of the UN Women Canada National Committee, and humanitarian activist Sophie Gregoire Trudeau. Hosted by the newly created McGill chapter of UN Women Canada, both Jiwani and Trudeau addressed the issues of gender inequality and raised awareness of UN Women Canada. Jiwani opened her speech with a fundamental question. “What is gender equality?” she asked. “We hear this phrase quite often, but do we ever spend the time to figure out what this really means? It is a state of society in which men and women are able to share equally in the distribution of power and influence.” She then discussed the economic and educational disparities between men and women. “Women account for two thirds
of the 1.4 billion people living in poverty,” Jiwani said. “Women make up 64 per cent of the 774 million illiterate adults in the world.” She added that women around the world continue to be the victims of abuse, discrimination, and oppression. “Ignoring the rights of women is an inexcusable injustice against humanity,” she said. “Human rights are women’s rights. Women’s rights are human rights.” According to Jiwani, respecting gender equality is more than a moral issue. She quoted a recent study which found that the Fortune 500 companies with the highest number of women on their board were significantly more profitable than those with the fewer women. “Make no mistake: it has been proven time and time again that the empowerment of women leads to tangible gains in society as a whole,” she said. Jiwani suggested that activists focus on creating space for women in political participation, in science
and technology, as trade and peace negotiators, and as heads of corporations. “It is inconceivable to have progress without involving more than half of the population,” she added. Trudeau focused on Canada’s role in empowering women and addressing issues of gender inequality on home soil. She shared the story of an Iranian woman she met recently who had been forced into marriage at the age of 12 and was subsequently abused. This woman explained to Trudeau that “I have resilience, I have courage, I’ve seen what is out there, but [because] I’m a woman, I’m going to make it through anything, and I’ve found a new life here in Canada.” Trudeau emphasized that problems such as sex trafficking aren’t limited to the third world, and can occur in places like Montreal. Trudeau concluded her speech with a line from the movie the The Help: “‘Sometimes courage skips a
Almas Jiwani addressed students. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune) generation.’ I have chills thinking that this generation is not us and it’s not the generation that we’re going to raise as well.” Celine Ciara, president of the McGill Chapter of UN Women Canada, noted Jiwani’s personal quali-
ties and her ability to serve as an advocate for women. “I was touched by her strength, tenacity, and passion, and I felt that she embodied the spirit and generosity of UN Women Canada.”
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Tuesday, January 31, 2012
News in brief McGill and Tribal Nova partner for literacy research Researchers from McGill’s School of Communication Sciences and Disorders have conducted research toward developing a prototype iPad application which focuses on interactive and participatory reading for children. The app was produced in partnership with Tribal Nova, a designer of online content for children, and Harper Collins publishers. It should be ready for testing in the spring. The research was conducted by Dr. Susan Rvachew, associate professor at the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders at McGill, and her research lab. Tribal Nova approached Rvachew’s lab to develop e-books with interactive elements for parents because of Rvachew’s experience in teaching parents shared reading techniques. Shared reading is a collaborative reading approach in which a child reads with an experienced reader, usually aloud. The books contain animations designed to
elicit responses from the children, so that parents can use the books as platforms for teaching language and literacy. This has been shown to be beneficial for the development of children’s literacy skills. The research was conducted in two randomized controlled trials with children at risk for delayed acquisition of literacy skills. Parents were taught to use shared reading techniques with the goal of facilitating vocabulary learning and emergent literacy skills. “In these studies, it took many hours to teach the parents to use the techniques. We are hoping that the iREAD with books to be implemented on the iPad will encourage parents to use these techniques without having to learn the techniques in special classes,” Rvachew said. Research has shown literacy skills to be very important for children’s development in the long term, and that adequate language skills when entering school are crucial for
academic and vocational success. Research conducted in Ottawa by Dr. E.B. Beitchman and colleagues found that children who start school with a language impairment are five times more likely to have a reading disability in grade three, two times more likely to have attention deficit disorder at age 12, and two times more likely to have been arrested at age 19, compared to children who have adequate language skills at school entry. As a speech-language pathologist, Rvachew aims to improve language skills in preschoolers. “We hope that new digital technologies might help families provide the best language inputs to their kids, so that they have the best chance to succeed at school,” she said. –Nathaniel Finestone
CAMPUS
Admin, students discuss safety Consultation Fair provides forum for campus dialogue By Jimmy Lou and Kyle Ng Contributors On Tuesday, Jan. 24, SSMU, PGSS, MCSS and the Office of the Deputy Provost held a consultation fair in the SSMU ballroom to facilitate conversations between students and school administrators on various campus issues, including personal safety, consultation methods, and free speech. Participants were divided into small groups of around 10 to 15 people that rotated around different tables, allowing groups to concentrate on the topic of each table and to exchange ideas on how to improve the administration and campus life. While specific topics varied greatly, from the lighting on campus to safe spaces in the classroom, the events of Nov. 10 remained the key subject throughout discussions. Several discussions became heated, including occasional accusations and table banging, but generally the dialogue was civil and constructive. Both students and the administration expressed a desire to improve upon the status quo, especially in light of the three-monthlong MUNACA strikes and the Nov. 10 police presence on campus. Using a personal anecdote to highlight the problem, a student who preferred to stay anonymous ex-
plained his concerns. “I was involved in the demonstration in November and afterwards I received a letter saying I was found in violation of certain codes. I was unaware of this code, and since it was the time of finals, this was quite stressful,” he said. “I think there should be more awareness and information given to the students on the part of [the] administration so that this sort of thing doesn’t happen again.” This story sparked constructive feedback and encouraged a positive dialogue between the students at the table and Professor Jane Everett, the dean of students. VP University Affairs Emily Yee Clare, one of the student organizers of the fair, commented on the effectiveness of the event. “I think it’s going well. I think there are some heated tempers, as you witness … but I think that’s part of the process,” Clare said. “I don’t think you should come to a meeting like this and expect everyone to be happy. There are definite, real issues at McGill and people want to and have a right to be heard. This is definitely a very good environment for dialogue.” Lily Han, an executive for PGSS, echoed Clare’s sentiments. “I think it’s a good attendance and I’m happy to see all the tables
are filled,” she said. “I think there’s been issues raised that there isn’t enough dialogues between the administrators and the students, so I think this is one of the things to change that.” A series of brief sessions for the exchange of ideas took place during intermissions, where students discussed topics like the nature of the university and the McGill community’s aspirations for the future. Tension was palpable while participants discussed ideas such as the respect for student referendums and free education for all. Many students cited their discomfort with some of last fall’s events, requesting to remain anonymous and not to be recorded. The events of Nov. 10, the MUNACA strike, tuition hikes, and the invalidation of the QPIRG referendum were mentioned as additional points of friction that had increased tension to levels unprecedented in recent memory. “I don’t really want to speak and I think that is pretty representative of how uncomfortable free speech is on campus,” an anonymous student said in a discussion with Provost Anthony Masi. “I mean this is only 12 of us and it’s become this hostile. … I don’t feel comfortable enough to bring up my difference of opinion.”
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Opinion On the Record
James Gilman
jgilman@mcgilltribune.com
A true fix for the GA? The Students’ Society’s Winter 2012 General Assembly takes place tomorrow, and we’ll have the chance to see the newly-reformed GA in action. After a semester-long reform process SSMU Council approved a package of changes at their Dec. 1 meeting. The adopted reforms, however, didn’t go as far as introducing online ratification of GA motions. The GA has been a problem for years, and various reform efforts have tried and failed to fix it. Part of me would prefer to see it scrapped for good. But perhaps putting decisions to an online vote could be a
Compass Rose Noah Caldwell-Rafferty noahcr@mcgilltribune.com
The chaos, it seems, has passed Last semester I remember walking by countless campus tours, the huddled crowds of eager high schoolers and their skeptical but silent parents, and thinking to myself, “God, they came to visit at the wrong time.” MUNACA clamoured at the gates, masked students marched and occupied, and armored riot police had made at least one campus appearance. To the parents on tour with their innocent young-
Chronicles of a Curioso
Tara Richter Smith trichtersmith@mcgilltribune.com
Google and I are calling it quits The new year dawned on me along with a hangover that made me wish it hadn’t. I was uninspired to write any new year’s resolutions while still stuffing my face with Christmas cookies and eggnog in the days leading up to no-longer-2011. Instead, I had planned to debauch all I wanted until the ball dropped and only then sit down on the first of January and list the ways in which I might, for ideally at least a month, resolve to make my life a
solution to the GA’s problems. This has the potential to preserve the GA as a forum for direct democracy and open debate while limiting its flaws and increasing its legitimacy. That could only be a plus for student democracy. Since 2006, when mandatory biannual GAs were introduced, GAs have generally been divided into two sorts. When dealing with controversial motions they’ve tended to turn into shouting matches between polarized groups, the most notorious example being the Winter 2009 GA, which dealt with a motion condemning the bombing of educational institutions in Gaza. The rest of the time they struggle to reach or maintain quorum—just 100 students (spread among faculties) from an overall population of over 20,000. GAs have failed to meet or have lost quorum six times since 2006, and have been criticized for low attendance on a number of other occasions.
GA reform has been an issue every year since 2006. Referenda questions dealing with reform were on the ballot three years in a row before last year, when a motion to abolish the GA was debated but not put to referendum. None of these reform efforts did the trick, and the GA’s fundamental problems have remained. One of these problems has to do with the logistics of GA meetings. Although not central to how the GA functions, the fact that GA attendance is usually limited by the size of the room it’s held in has been an issue on more than one occasion. Denying students their right to vote because of room capacity is clearly problematic. And while everyone would love to see higher attendance at GAs, there’s a (theoretical) attendance limit, after which it becomes logistically impossible to run a meeting. This means the decision making at a physical GA is always
limited to a very small proportion of the student body. Yet by far the biggest problem is that the GA is a fundamentally unrepresentative body. The GA provides a forum for self-selected, vocal minority groups to push through policy that would often be rejected by the student population as a whole. It has become clear that small groups motivated by specific issues are able to outnumber and drown out the majority, who time and time again vote with their feet against the GA by not showing up. At its worst, the GA is nothing more than a way for special-interest groups to dictate policy. This is fundamentally undemocratic, and it’s a far less representative institution than SSMU Council or referenda questions. This fall’s referenda were voted on by almost a quarter of undergraduates, versus the approximately 0.6 per cent who voted on motions at the last GA.
Introducing online voting on all GA motions could just be a way of finally addressing these issues. Done right, this would ensure that decisions are made by a larger and more representative group than at present Hopefully, it would ensure that controversial motions are decided not by polarizing minority groups but by a broader cross-section of students. There are questions about the constitutionality of online voting, but a referendum question changing the constitution would open the door to such a reform. Online GA voting isn’t a new idea, and it isn’t a guaranteed solution to the GA’s ills, but it’s the best option if we want to give the GA another chance. If it works, then the GA can be preserved as the SSMU decision-making body. If not, there will be no sensible choice left aside from abolishing the GA and moving on.
sters, “chaos” was surely what first came to mind. But now, a new year beckons. Whether by the therapy of vacation or the simple passage of time, a new word now seems best suited to describe our campus: reconciliation. Let’s look first at the language being used then and now. In the fall, sign-boards and picket lines were speckled with admonishing phrases predicting the end of academic freedom and access through forceful suppression of speech and a rise in tuition. All of this was valid and concerning. But while surely there are those of you out there waxing nostalgic for a continued gloves-off bout with The Man, the general discourse now has changed. Take, for example, Heather Monroe-Blum’s email correspondences regarding Dean Jutras’ report
on the events of Nov. 10. Collective discussion of both the event and the report are prioritized; such cooperation will lead to, in her words, a “more inclusive and stronger” campus in the long run. Students are persuaded to send in any comments and concerns about the handling of such a delicate post-campus-trauma scenario. And, the first of the recommendations given by Dean Jutras’ report calls for a “forum open to all members of the university community to discuss the meaning and scope of the rights of free expression and peaceful assembly on campus.” Considering that one of the main concerns of protesters last fall was the lack of voice students have in McGill’s affairs, this language is monumental. The report doesn’t ask for any change in the governance of the university, but then again I for
one am more than happy to let administrators be administrators and students be students. Other signs of reconciliation abound. The McGill Daily has published one commentary piece on how tuition increases will not harm access to higher education, and another commentary on how the fifth floor occupiers created a tense environment because they wore masks. Granted, the Daily is sticking to its old guns in its editorial on the inadequacy of Dean Jutras’ report. But the overall message is clear: it’s time for a less hysterical and more holistic discussion of student-administration relations going forward. Put into three-word clichés, the winter break gave us all a chance to let off steam, cool our jets, and take it easy. And, if you’ll permit one more, we now see the calm after the storm.
This clarity in tone and discourse is not unexpected. The passing of another year inherently implies a fresh start. Looking at McGill as a complex system, we can see that last semester the campus hit a threshold of tension, after which a new equilibrium of discourse was reached. The civility we now see is akin to the peacefulness after the fight of a squabbling couple or an irate pair of siblings. It’s a shared feeling that further words must be tempered with a renewed understanding of the situation at hand. As our principal wrote on Dec. 19, “the holiday will be a most welcome pause and a chance to regroup after a challenging fall.”
better place to live. Unfortunately, severe brain dehydration left me unable to write these resolutions on the day they were supposed to go into effect. My friends went to the gym while I spent the day making multiple trips to the john. I had missed the bandwagon. Here’s the good news: as January winds down, the majority of my friends who did make new year’s resolutions have already broken them. I’m writing mine just in time for the Chinese new year based on a “minipiphany” that struck me on the head with the force of a Newtonian apple: Google is taking over the world, and I don’t like it. Jan. 28 is Data Privacy Day. Data privacy as a concept reminds me of Santa Claus: a nice idea in theory, but he’s not actually anywhere I can see him. I fully felt the threat to my data privacy over the summer, when I found two profiles
on Facebook in my name, both with a profile photo of me, but only one of which was actually mine. My identity had been stolen, albeit my credit card bill was intact. From that moment, I began to see Big Brother everywhere. Mark Zuckerberg owned incriminating photos that would make running for office a little tricky. My student loan company, benignly named Sallie Mae, managed to track me down overseas in a country that didn’t have any record of me being there. In London over winter break, I was watched on every street corner by a video camera. There is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Google maps has satellite footage of every inch of the globe. And then it hit me: Google is the biggest of the Big Brothers. Besides being the world’s number one search engine, Google owns Youtube. Google owns Blogspot.
Google owns GoogleDocs, Google maps, Google calendars, Google books and Google chat. Put succinctly, Google owns my soul. It knows what I search for, because it makes recommendations based on my history. It knows the content of my emails, because when I write a joke about genitalia to a friend, sneaky advertising banners on the right side of the screen offer enlargements for appendages I don’t even have. It knows my major, my date of birth, my banks, my family, my friends, my vacations … it knows everything about me. On Jan. 24, Google announced a change in its privacy policy that, from what I understand, basically allows them to gather more information in order to target its users’ interests more. Despite the fact that it already shares a great deal of our information with advertisers, everyone still seems to trust Google.
When I tried to explain to my roommates my desire to extricate myself from Google’s clutches, they laughed. My father said, “But I love Google.” I used to love Google, too, with its smooth, no-nonsense interface, its quirky homepage changes on holidays, and its oh-so-simple search engine. But our love affair has run its course, and I am already moving on: I use a different search engine now, and have sacrificed my Gmail in favor of an email service that does not give my information to advertisers—or so it tells me. Google’s changes to its privacy policy go into effect March 1, and I hereby resolve that by the end of February, Google and I will be broken up.
Tribune
7
The McGill
Editorial
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Editor-in-Chief Shannon Kimball editor@mcgilltribune.com Managing Editors Kyla Mandel kmandel@mcgilltribune.com Ryan Taylor rtaylor@mcgilltribune.com Production Manager Iain Macdonald imacdonald@mcgilltribune.com News Editors Erica Friesen and Carolina Millán Ronchetti news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editor Richard Martyn-Hemphill opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editor Anand Bery scitech@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editor Nick Petrillo arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Steven Lampert and Christopher Nardi sports@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editor Sam Reynolds photo@mcgilltribune.com Senior Design Editor Kathleen Jolly kjolly@mcgilltribune.com Design Editor Susanne Wang design@mcgilltribune.com Online Editor Victor Temprano online@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Marri Lynn Knadle Advertising Manager Corina Sferdenschi cpm@ssmu.mcgill.ca Publisher Chad Ronalds
The prime minister’s blinkered vision Speaking last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper announced his vision to “undertake major transformations to position Canada for growth over the next generation.” These include changes to pension funding and immigration policy, along with a shift in focus towards selling more of Canada’s natural resources to Asian markets. Delivered in the remote safety of Swiss neutrality, his speech is another instance of the prime minister dipping his toes into controversial measures as far away from Ottawa as possible. Much like his speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in Peru four years ago in favour of a controversial bout of Keynesian stimulus, his Davos address represents a foreshadowing of what will likely become a concrete set of policies. The Tribune believes this form of policy introduction is disrespectful to the Canadian public.
Commentary
TPS Board of Directors
Kevin Paul
Contributors
Towards an unlimited student strike at McGill
James Gilman (Chair): chair@mcgilltribune.com Johanu Botha, Kathleen Jolly, Shannon Kimball, Iain Macdonald, Alex Middleton, Zach Newburgh
Rebecca Babcock, Noah Caldwell-Rafferty, Graeme Davidson, Jeffrey Downey, Natasha Fenn, Duncan Hood, Jacqui Galbraith, James Gilman, Elisha Lerner, Chris Liu, Jimmy Lou, Sofia Markusfeld, Elisa Muyl, Kyle Ng, Kevin Paul, Simon Poitrimolt, Adam Sadinsky, Linda Sarvi, Alex Shiri, Enbal Singer, Tara Richter-Smith, Wendy Speakman, Lucas Topham
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Advertising Brown Student Building Suite 1200, 3600 McTavish Montreal, QC H3A 1Y2 T: 514.398.6835 F: 514.398.7490 The McGill Tribune is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Société de Publication de la Tribune, a student society of McGill University. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of The McGill Tribune and the Société de Publication de la Tribune. and does not necessarily represent the views of McGill University. Letters to the editor may be sent to editor@mcgilltribune.com and must include the contributor’s name, program and year and contact information. Letters should be kept under 300 words and submitted only to the Tribune. Submissions judged by the Tribune Publication Society to be libellous, sexist, racist, homophobic or solely promotional in nature will not be published. The Tribune reserves the right to edit all contributions. Editorials are decided upon and written by the editorial board. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the McGill Tribune, its editors or its staff. Please recycle this newspaper.
The Quebec student movement is gearing up for a winter of action against the government’s proposed tuition hike. In coming months, an unlimited general strike will play an essential role. McGill can and must be a part of it. The Quebec government seeks a $1,625 raise in the annual base fee paid by all students, to be imposed in increments over five years, starting this fall. That’s a 75 per cent hike for Quebec students, and the government has left open the possibility of steeper increases for out-ofprovince and international students. If we allow the hike to come into effect, university education will become less accessible. Groups that tend to have more difficulty paying for university will be the most affected by the hike, worsening social inequalities. Since available financial aid will remain inadequate, students will face surging debt burdens, which act to channel us into high-paid corporate jobs, rather than work we might find more fulfilling. Education is a right, not a privilege. In fact, Quebec agreed to respect this principle when it signed a 1976 UN declaration holding that “higher education shall be made equally accessible to all, on the
It is also an example of glittering rhetorical phrases being used as sequins to distract public eyes from cuts to core public services. It is not a tough task to see the intention for cuts nestled in euphemisms like these: “for those elements of the system that are not funded, we will make the changes necessary to ensure sustainability.” And it was just as disappointing to note that Harper remained vague about the exact measures he intends to put in place, preferring for the most part to blandly state generic platitudes like “innovation is going to be critical” and “a long term culture shift has to happen.” We hold that these methods of obfuscation are equally disrespectful to Canadians. Furthermore, the Tribune believes Mr. Harper’s vision that he laid out in Davos is both narrow and flawed. His notion of raising the retirement age from 65 to 67 would further limit the job opportunities for young workers looking to get onto
the careers ladder, leading to greater youth unemployment; it would create a less competitive environment where it is difficult to retire workers who are no longer at the top of their game as well as preventing those out of work at 65 from being able to start taking out their pensions. Through his new policy to “limit the growth of spending” on pensions, it’s evident that he is making overtures to cut back Old Age Security, a government benefit system for all retired workers. If he goes ahead with this, it will deprive many retired workers of a vital source of income. His plans to use the Asian markets as a motor for economic growth is also a problematic strategy. It is reliant on the continued growth of the Asian economies as well as on an outdated paradigm of fossil fuel energy use. Canada ought to be focused more on spearheading the renewable energy movement through research into alternative energy resources and more sustainable forms of infrastruc-
ture. Foreseeing the phasing out of oil in favour of cleaner, more efficient technologies would be a more prescient move and one that prioritizes a sustainable planet. Mr. Harper needs to realign his priorities towards a more far sighted and broader minded approach than what he has offered from the Swiss Alps. Research and development in new technologies are more important than oil exports if he really wants to create a long term plan of sustainable growth; fair distributions of pensions at a reasonable age of 65 is not only sustainable, it is also desirable out of a sense of decency. Harper’s ideas are outdated, restrictive, and punitive for those who, despite having worked for their pensions, are now vulnerable and exposed. Policies based on unfair and dated principles will not lead to long-term Canadian prosperity.
basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education.” Yet government officials and Principal Heather Munroe-Blum, a vocal proponent of the tuition hike, argue that budgetary constraints leave them no option but to seek more revenue from students. In fact, funding for education is a question of government priorities. A study by research institute IRIS shows that Quebec could afford free postsecondary education for all were it to both raise its corporate capital gains tax rate from zero per cent to 2.4 per cent and its top-bracket income tax rate by 1.4 per cent. Munroe-Blum has also promised that the tuition hike would produce tangible benefits for students. But tuition hikes in Quebec have historically been accompanied by cuts to public education funding, meaning they serve to change how education is funded, not increase funding. Tuition hikes shift the cost of education from the society which benefits from the production of knowledge to students, imagined as individual consumers. Some may object to tens of thousands of students marching through downtown Montreal against a tuition hike when their degrees would remain among the cheapest in North America. But the fact that fees are higher elsewhere is not an argument for raising them here. In some parts of the world, such as Denmark, Finland, and Brazil, postsecondary education is free. If anything, the comparisons drawn with other provinces and across the border heighten
the urgency of defending Quebec’s relative accessibility, as a model of a North American society that values higher education as a public good. Tuition is low here only because students, working alongside broader social movements, have fought again and again to keep it that way. Why an unlimited general strike? Through years of negotiations, rallies, and marches, Quebec students have expressed to the government that tuition hikes are unacceptable. The government has failed to change course. An unlimited general strike is necessary because all other options have failed. In 1996, a strike beginning on Oct. 24 and numbering around 100,000 students at its peak lead to the reversal of a planned 30 per cent fee increase. Most recently, in 2005, the government tried to cut $103 million from financial aid. By March 15, over 230,000 students were on strike—over half of Quebec’s student population. On April 1, the Minister of Education agreed to restore all $103 million in cuts. Unlimited general strikes work because of the economic pressure they exert on governments, which cannot afford the delay in the annual influx of tax-paying workers, or the additional classrooms and instructors needed to accommodate a cohort of students repeating a semester, just as a new cohort arrives. The strike The prospect of classes postponed indefinitely this semester is understandable cause for anxiety. Moreover, it may be unclear exactly how an unlimited general strike will
work. Once a special General Assembly of AUS or another student association votes for a strike mandate and the strike is initiated, the association will meet weekly to re-approve the continuation of the strike. In other words, no single vote mandates an unlimited strike, but typically it continues until student demands are met. In any case, the semester will not be lost. Because the costs of accommodating the additional students in the following semester are too high to the government, at no time in the long history of Quebec student strikes has a semester been canceled. Classes will resume where they left off once the strike is over, extending the end of semester and exams into May, if necessary. For graduating students, a strike delays but does not jeopardize degree conferral. Raising a GA ballot card in the air to vote “yes” to a strike can be a moment of shared empowerment without equal. As scenes of collective action sweep Quebec campuses this winter, we at McGill have the chance not only to defend our own future, but to build relationships of mutual support that extend far beyond the Roddick Gates to show bureaucrats and administrators across the province and the world that students, united, will always prevail. Visit tuitiontruth.ca or bloquonslahausse.com for more information. A General Assembly of the AUS will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 6 p.m. in Stewart Bio S1/4, to debate and vote on several motions critical to the preparation for a strike.
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Student Living Fashion
Has McGill apparel gone too far?
A few warnings to remember before purchasing that hoodie
By Wendy Speakman Contributor On any given day at McGill you can spy an endless range of labels, prints, textures, trends, and styles, giving this campus an eclectic but trendy appearance. You would expect, or at least hope, that McGill apparel would uphold our campus’ fashionable reputation. However, as I have learned over the past few months, you would be wrong. While standing in the never-ending line that has come to define the bookstore in the first few days of Add/Drop, I found myself face-to-face with fashion’s worst nightmare: McGill jeggings. Plagued by the horrors of this garment, I saw it fit to call attention to this pressing issue. I narrowed the bookstore’s problem down to three principle concerns. I hope you will consider the following simple rules when it comes to the integration of these items into a normal Montreal wardrobe. Rule 1: Ask yourself, what’s wrong with red? First and foremost, there are far too many colours available at the bookstore. Chaos inevitably ensues from this sort of selection. An innocent first year walks into the bookstore with his eyes set on a classic red hoodie. After being brutally accosted by pink and orange (which, might I add, clash awfully with Mc-
Gill’s primary colour) this innocent student finds himself back in his room with a blue plaid zip up sweater, his brow furrowed in confusion. In my opinion, the only acceptable options for sweatshirts and sweatpants are red, white, and neutrals such as black, grey, or even navy, on occasion. Purchasing a McGill item gives the impression that you are a proud member of school. Why would you buy it otherwise? Why pay more for the McGill insignia if your purple hoodie makes you look like you go to Bishops? If you are in desperate need of sweatpants and the bright green McGill ones start to look appealing, pass back through those double doors before things get ugly. Rule 2: One is often enough. Sometimes people in McGill apparel appear just a little too proud to be a member of our university. Unless you are an athlete or on your way to a varsity sporting event, there is absolutely no need to wear more than one McGill item at a time. A full red suit is not necessary for an ordinary day at the library. I must confess that I have, on occasion, paired my red McGill umbrella (bought only out of desperation) and my red McGill sweatshirt on my way to the gym. Please note the key word in this sentence: gym. I can respect trying to be comfortable at school, but I promise, a full McGill
sweat suit is not your only option. Rule 3: Say no to hybrid styles. In recent months, there seems to have been an influx of multifunctional McGill apparel around campus: namely, a light purple crewneck-hoodie hybrid. With a wide neck and substantial kangaroo pouch on the front, this item is hard to miss. This is an odd union. The best part of a crewneck is its simplicity, and the best part of a hoodie is the hood. Along the same vein of hybridism are the McGill jeggings. Although I have come to warm up to jeggings in general, I will remain forever opposed to the McGill variety. In both the navy and grey option, the pants are the sum of all the wrong characteristics of their parts. Too thin to be jeans, too tight to be sweatpants, and too many pockets, both real and decorative, to be ordinary tights: the McGill jeggings take precedence as the worst hybrid offender. I suggest abiding by this rule: if a store doesn’t also sell jeans, do not buy their jeggings. Much of the McGill Bookstore’s clothing is doing students a disservice. If you can get through the bombardment of baby clothes or themed blankets at the front of the store, remember, stick to basics, wear one item at a time, and don’t ever let the McGill jeggings win you over.
Recipes Tasty Tex-Mex black bean burger By Kyla Mandel Managing Editor When I became a vegetarian, one thing I missed was eating hamburgers. There’s nothing quite the same as biting into a hearty burger to satisfy your hunger. That’s why I was thrilled to learn how to make my own bean burgers. Rich in protein and fibre as well as iron, black beans are extremely valuable in a vegetarian diet. Not only are these burgers extremely simple and quick to make, but they’ve even been known to win over the most dedicated carnivore.
Ingredients (makes at least four burgers): 1 can black beans ½ cup bread crumbs Salsa (I recommend medium to
spicy as that adds more flavour) Salt and pepper to taste Hamburger buns Your favourite burger condiments and toppings
Directions Rinse the black beans in a colander and put them into a large bowl. With a potato masher (a fork can work as a substitute), mash the black beans to break them up. Don’t mash them into a paste however; you want make sure to leave some texture so that the burger holds together. Next, add the bread crumbs, salt and pepper, and a tablespoon of salsa. Mash some more. Test the mixture by taking a small handful to see how well it holds together. You don’t want it to be too wet or too dry, so adjust by adding more salsa or bread crumbs until you are able to
form a patty. Once your mixture is done, heat some oil in a frying pan. Form the mixture into patties, and fry in the pan. Once cooked, assemble your burger and enjoy. My favourite toppings include cheese, red onion, avocado, and some more salsa for a TexMex flavour. Left-over cooked patties also make excellent sandwiches. Use toasted bread, mayo, mustard, and your favourite sandwich toppings, and you have an easy and filling lunch to bring to school the next day. (ccpalate.blogspot.com)
LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM
Leadership Skills Development Workshops If you are a student involved in campus activities as an executive, organizer or event planner, you qualify for the Leadership Training Program’s FREE Skills
Development Workshops. Develop and build your leadership skills. Attend a minimum of five workshops throughout the 2011/12 academic year and receive a certificate of completion. The next workshops are...
Knowing, Being and Doing: Improving Your Leadership Wednesday, February 15, 17:30-19:30 A participatory workshop to explore the foundations of being a great leader: knowing oneself, being principled and inclusive, and doing or acting. Explore the relational leadership model through dialogue and action and be prepared to delve deeper into your own personal journey!
Inspiring Teams: Values-based Leadership Wednesday, February 29, 17:30-19:30 Extraordinary team results are achieved when team members are inspired to reach beyond the ordinary. Valuebased leadership inspires teams and builds togetherness, focus and synergy. In this workshop, you will be introduced to some basic aspects of value-based leadership, including how to create a charter, vision and mission for the team. Registration is available here: www.mcgill.ca/firstyear/ leadertraining/workshops. For more info, drop by the First-Year Office in the Brown Building, Suite 2100, or call 514-398-6913
Image from thehockeynews.com
By
Steven Lampert & Christopher Nardi
Defining
Mike Babcock
“I’m just a guy from Saskatoon, I am so regular it’s not even funny.” “Regular” is not a word to describe Mike Babcock. It’s the opposite of regular to be the only coach in NHL history to have won an Olympic gold medal, a World Championship gold medal, and a Stanley Cup. In the eyes of professional sports, Mike Babcock is anything but regular. The Tribune sat down with Babcock, a McGill graduate, for an exclusive interview to discuss his hockey roots, life as a Red Wing, his Olympic experience, and life off the ice.
Roots Babcock began his playing career at the University of Saskatoon, but took a gap year to pursue his dream of becoming a profes-
sional hockey player. Realizing his chances of playing in the NHL were slim, he decided to resume his academic and university hockey career at McGill as a visiting student following heavy recruiting by Head Coach Ken Tyler. Babcock doesn’t take his McGill experience for granted. “I’m proud to have gone to McGill. When I was here, I didn’t know what McGill was about,” Babcock explained. “I didn’t know that everyone I met studied harder than me and had a plan way different than mine. That affected my life. I’m thankful to have been part of something bigger.” After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1986 and brief playing and coaching stints in the Western Hockey League (WHL), he landed a coaching job at the little-known University of Lethbridge in Alberta. He didn’t expect much from the opportunity, but the experience turned out to be a launching point for his career. “That wasn’t my dream job, that was the only job I could get,” Babcock said. “The Lethbridge administration were cutting their program. We went there; they had never been in the playoffs. We won the national championship. It was a miracle. That was the best job in coaching I’ve ever done. Things just came together. That gave me impetus.” His improbable success in leading Lethbridge to the CIS championship propelled him back to the WHL before being selected as Head Coach of Team Canada during the 1997 IIHF world junior championship. They won gold and his success opened doors to
the NHL. He was hired as the bench boss of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in 2002. From the onset of his NHL coaching career, Babcock found success. He guided Anaheim to the Stanley Cup finals in only his first season behind the bench, and his existing relationships with the Red Wings’ front office from coaching their American Hockey League affiliate in Cincinnati led to his hiring in Detroit in 2005.
Life as a Red Wing Hard work is what brought Babcock to Detroit, and over the years, this same principle became the foundation on which the Red Wings’ organization is now built. One of these principles, particularly stressed by Babcock, is a team-first environment. “The Red Wings is bigger than anybody … it’s about the team. When you come to our team, the veterans run the show, not the guy you trade for. He doesn’t affect the culture. He just fits in,” he said. “What we try to do is create a demanding, supportive environment.” Working in a city known as Hockeytown, Babcock is fully aware of the expectations for his team and the pressure that accompanies it. The Red Wings currently hold the record for the longest streak of postseason appearances in all of North American professional sports (1991-2011). Yet, this doesn’t seem to faze management, the players, or Babcock. “There is pressure, but what pressure in life means is that you have a chance. If you’re 15 teams in the league, there’s no pressure. Is that what you want?” Babcock asked. “To me, pressure is a great thing, makes things exciting. We have a chance because we
have good players, we’re well-structured, have good management, and that leads to healthy pressure.” Though Babcock underplays the role of pressure in such a hockey-crazed city, it inevitably remains a strong presence in the locker room. Playing through a gruelling 82-game season, with extra exhibition and playoff games, Babcock consistently needs to find ways to motivate his team in order to bring them together on a nightly basis. “Motivation, in my mind, is ‘what’s in it for me?’ Now, how do you get 23 people to find what’s in it for them and be on a team? You give up some individual rights for team rights, but the reality is, they all still want to be important. That’s what I do, I manage people.”
The Olympic Experience His ability to bring together such a dynamic group of talented players is what earned him the trust of Team Canada’s management team. He was named Head Coach of the men’s hockey team for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Once the roster was set, Babcock began the difficult task of turning 23 star players into the world’s best hockey team all the while keeping egos in check and managing the tremendous expectations from Canadians. “It wasn’t an all-star team, it was a team,” Babcock explained. “The best team wins at the Olympic games, not the best talent.” To illustrate this point, Babcock recalled a story from the summer player selection camp that set the tone for the rest of the journey. “Steve Yzerman said something unbelievable at the summer camp. He said to the guys, ‘The management team, Ken Holland has more experience than I have, and so do Doug Armstrong, Kevin Lowe, and they’ve been willing to take the title of assistant. Ken Hitchcock has more experience than I have, and so do Lindy Ruff and Jacques Lemaire, and they’ve all been willing to take the title of assistant. If you think your ego is getting in the way of anything going on here, you’re wrong. It’s cut off now.’” Despite the pressure, Babcock was overwhelmed with the immense support Canadians offered him and his team throughout the Olympics. Following their loss to the US during the preliminary rounds, Babcock spoke about how each player’s family offered immeasurable support, which combatted the intense negativity of the Canadian media. “When we lost to the US, we went to the Hockey Canada House that night where the families were waiting, and I always joke that we won something that night. The people were unbelievable.”
Photo by Sam Reynolds Thanks to the incredible support they received, members of Team Canada were able to turn the pressure of winning into the impetus behind their run to the top of the podium. The loss to the US served as a reminder that there were other teams who were driven by the same forces. “Every championship we’ve ever won, something went wrong and we got through the adversity, we stuck together and we got better because of it,” Babcock noted.
Babcock beyond the game Babcock stresses the fact that work has never become a burden because it’s his passion. “It’s all about finding something you love so much that you don’t work, because you can’t work as much as you need to in order to be the best … It’s impossible, because the amount of hours you have to put in, you can’t do it if it’s work. You have to live it.” He is aware of the heavy time commitment that his job demands, so he feels the need to give back to his family and create lasting moments. One of these moments came in 2009, when the Chicago Blackhawks welcomed the Red Wings to Wrigley Field to participate in the annual NHL Winter Classic, the league’s only outdoor event. For Babcock, the experience was unforgettable in many regards, from being able to play in such a renowned field to having the opportunity to
skate with his family before the game. These opportunities were his way of giving back to his family and, in the meantime, celebrating the game of hockey. “Memories to me are about moments in your life. You don’t remember half of the stuff, but you remember moments. That’s a moment. That’s what you’re trying to do, you’re trying to create moments in your life. That’s what you think of.” There are rumours that next year’s Winter Classic will be held in Detroit, something that Babcock would love to experience.
Defining Babcock Throughout his life, Babcock always earned his opportunities. With his incredible success, it would be simple for him to be satisfied with his accomplishments and become complacent. Yet, what defines Mike Babcock is not what he has accomplished, but the fact that he has never lost sight of the principles that have guided him. In turn, he has always managed to transfer his disposition onto his players and coaching colleagues, translating attitude into success on every level. “There are a lot of coaches [and] players that do it one year and don’t work the next year. I’m not interested in that. Every single year we have to find a way to make it happen. If we do what we did last year, that’s not good enough. That’s the other thing. As soon as you get complacent, people are going past you. That’s life, but it’s exciting.”
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odds and ends
Procrastinate more efficiently with these websites A review of some of the most popular time-wasting websites at your disposal
By Jacqui Galbraith Contributor Take a minute or two to check out these popular time-wasting websites Let’s face it, there’s never a bad time for the Internet. But even when your term paper is due in eight hours and you’re only two pages in and every ounce of the reasoning capabilities you possess screams at you to ignore Facebook and just get down to work, you can’t help but procrastinate. Whether facing the final countdown to an exam, or simply killing time between classes, students find plenty of interesting ways to navigate the online world. Although procrastinating is a time-honoured student tradition, lately it seems that it is easier than ever to spend countless hours surfing the net. Everyone has their favourites, their go-to websites, that one page you check as soon as you open your laptop, without even thinking about it. And, while Facebook and TextsFromLastNight still reign supreme, here is a short list of some of the newer, more popular procrastination websites used by university students today. It is by no means a comprehensive overview, but here’s a look
at the exciting virtual world that awaits you if that assigned reading isn’t looking so inviting right now. Up first, 9gag.com. It’s a humorous photography website where users can upload cartoons or pictures of cute animals, usually with some sort of witty commentary, and more often than not, sexual innuendo. 9gag launched in 2008, and has been going strong ever since. The website is perhaps best known for its use of Internet memes, its comedic take on current political events, and common stereotypes. Best of 9gag: For the most part, the captions are pretty darn funny. Worst of 9gag: The occasional ridiculously long, self-indulgent post. Another popular image-based
website is Quickmeme.com, which allows users to create and post internet memes such as Socially Awkward Penguin, Philosoraptor, and Good Guy Greg, just to name a few. The general format is one line of text (lead-up) at the top of the photo, central image, and one line of text at the bottom of the photo, completing the joke. Users can also create memes from photos they’ve uploaded themselves, usually of their friends. Pretty straightforward, but it’s easy to completely lose track of time while browsing the home page.
Best of Quickmeme: realizing how relatable some of the memes are. Worst of Quickmeme: When personal memes are made of people without their consent. Next, for those of you out there who enjoy fantasizing about party planning, home decor and fashion, check out Pinterest.com. The site is quickly spreading throughout the twitterverse and companies and celebrities are even known to participate in it. Here is how it works: you create an account and then when you browse photos online you can “pin” them to your board – a virtual cork board or scrapbook essentially – so that all those lovely photos are in one spot for future browsing. You can also re-pin pictures from others’ accounts. Best of Pinterest: Over a dozen different categories to browse
and it’s constantly updated, so there are always new photos to look through. Worst of Pinterest: You must request an invite to join. Some more websites worth checking out include: Iwastesomuchtime.com, Damnyouautocorrect.com, Dearblankpleaseblank. com, Twitter.com, and Tumblr. com. Happy procrastinating, mcgillmemes.tumblr.com.
Odds and ends
New low cost mobile carrier made available in France Similar to innovative Canadian wireless companies, Free Mobile transforms the French Market
By Elisa Muyl Contributor For many cell phone users in North America, wrangling companies’ hefty monthly rates and paying for add-ons like voicemail and caller ID has become a necessary evil. Until very recently, the same used to be true for cell phone users in France. A new cell phone operator, which hit French markets on Jan. 10, has transformed the way French consumers think about and pay for their phones and plans. The carrier, which operates under the only slightly exaggerated moniker “Free Mobile,” offers cell phones and data plans to French consumers at a fraction of the cost of the country’s other carriers. It was unveiled with much media hype at the beginning of January, during France’s semi-annual national sales. Much of this anticipation was due to the success of the carrier’s parent company, an Internet service provider known as Free, which overhauled France’s home Internet market. The company’s founder and
majority shareholder, Xavier Niel, who also owns the French daily newspaper Le Monde, has been engaged in the Internet market since 1999, when his service provider dramatically lowered the cost of French broadband packages in 2002 by forcing competitors to match its low rates. Like most North American phone carriers, France’s major providers, operate on a contract model, where the up-front cost of phones are heavily subsidized at the expense of long-term—and often pricey— service commitments. For example, a $549 iPhone 4S costs only $99 in the United States with a mandatory two year contract. Free Mobile, on the other hand, offers contract-free plans starting at 2 Euros a month for 60 minutes and 60 text messages (within France), compared to the industry standard 10 Euros, Niel told the French channel itélé. The provider also offers unlimited international calls, text messages, and 3G access for only 19.99 Euros per month. Free Mobile’s competitors are
trying hard to take advantage of the new provider’s lack of subsidized phones, but to little avail. According to some estimates on French technology blogs, one million consumers have already switched over to Free from their current providers. Free itself noted on its Facebook page that within hours of announcing its rates, its websites had racked up 4.6 million hits. This may be in part due to the flexibility the provider offers French consumers, who can typically keep their current phones and numbers in switching over to Free, as well as the provider’s low rates. Free Mobile’s success should come as no surprise to folks from major Canadian cities like Toronto and Vancouver. The innovative French carrier bears considerable resemblance to new entrants to the Canadian wireless market like WIND Mobile and Mobilicity, which have transformed the wireless landscape and forced the big three—Rogers, Bell, and Telus—to treat consumers more fairly. Quebecers are still waiting to benefit from new Canadian
(cnetfrance.fr) providers as new competitors were outbid by Vidéotron and the other major carriers in the last auction for wireless spectrum in the province. Industry minister Christian Paradis is expected to release the details of
the next major spectrum auction this week, which may pave the way for lower prices as new carriers can begin operating in Quebec.
Science & Technology campus
Neuroscientist Marc Tessier-Lavigne speaks at McGill
McGill alumnus and Rockefeller University president talks research and the future of neuroscience
By Anand Bery Science & Technology Editor World-renowned neuroscientist and McGill alumnus Dr. Marc Tessier-Lavigne spoke to an audience of science undergraduates on Friday evening. Tessier-Lavigne was formerly executive vice president of research for the biotechnology firm Genentech, and is now president of The Rockefeller University, a prestigious university in Manhattan devoted to research in the biological sciences. The talk, hosted by the Science Undergraduate Society as part of their Academia Week, focused on Tessier-Lavigne’s career and his work investigating the wiring of neural circuits during development—pivotal research in the field of neuroscience. Over the course of his physics degree at McGill, Tessier-Lavigne became interested in the biological sciences, and chose to use his Rhodes scholarship to complete a second undergraduate degree at Oxford in physiology and philosophy. From there, he went on to complete a PhD in neuroscience from University College London.
Tessier-Lavigne, a Rhodes Scholar, is pictured here speaking at a cancer center in New York. (mskcc.org) He concluded his talk by discussing a major obstacle facing neuroscientists today—the age-old problem of regeneration in the central nervous system, or CNS, which consists of the brain and spinal cord. Unlike nerves in the peripheral nervous system, outside of the spinal cord, severed projections in the CNS cannot regenerate and neural activity is lost after nerve damage from injury, stroke, or disease. Tessier-Lavigne ended on a
quote by late-19th century neuroscientist Ramón y Cajal, who, despite having just come to the harsh conclusion that recovery is not possible in the CNS, maintained an optimistic view of future progress. “‘It is for the science of the future,’ for all of you, ‘to change, if possible, this harsh decree. Inspired with high ideals, [science] must work to impede or moderate gradual decay of neurons,’” he said, quoting Cajal.
“I hope that the [recent developments shown] will make you agree that in this prediction, like so many others, Cajal was on the money.” In the open question and answer session that followed, participants asked Tessier-Lavigne about his view of the future of the field of neuroscience, the differences he observed between working in both academia and industry, and even how he felt about his time at McGill. “My professors [at McGill]
were incredibly supportive,” he said. “What was very striking was they really cared about the students ... I spent hours talking to professors ... as you can see I jumped around a lot—physics, philosophy, physiology. I can assure you I bent a lot of ears. I got a huge amount of mentoring. There’s some great science happening here—there’s just a great tradition in so many different departments.” “There are similarities and differences with academia,” he said of his time at Genentech. “The major difference of course is that for the bulk of your work, it’s not something that you just decide to do. It’s negotiated—it’s a collective enterprise and people have to agree on the goals. So you have to be excited about the mission of the company and believe in the mission of the company. If you’re of the phenotype that can agree with that, it can be the best thing in the world ... I loved both, and I found it exhilarating at Genentech.” “Be open to the fact that you might be looking for one thing at one stage in your career and something different at another stage,” he said.
national
CEOs leave RIM as company struggles to regain position Blackberry smartphone creators Balsillie and Lazardis resign amid pressure from stockholders
By Lucas Topham Contributor The Canadian technology firm Research in Motion (RIM), maker of the Blackberry smartphone, lost its two top executives on Jan. 22, amid the company’s continuing efforts to restructure in light of recent struggles. Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazardis acted as co-CEOs and co-chairmen of RIM for more than two decades, and will stay on as members of the board. Investors and crackberry addicts alike are now looking to the new CEO, Thorsten Heins, to see what he can do to bring the Blackberry back to dominance in the smartphone market. Mike Lazardis and Jim Balsillie voluntarily resigned their positions on Sunday. As co-CEOs they formed a strong partnership, with Lazardis handling the technical aspects and Balsillie heading the business side of the company. They created the Blackberry smartphone together in 2003, and introduced it to the business world where it quickly became as ubiquitous as the suit and tie. Blackberry had the smartphone market nearly to itself for almost
four years before Apple and Google entered the industry. The Blackberry is now struggling as it dips in market share and stock value. Blackberry currently makes up less than a fifth of the consumer smartphone market and lost 75 per cent of its stock value in the last year alone. In 2008, RIM was Canada’s most valuable company with shares worth $148 each. Its current stock price is under $18 a share, an indication of the company’s troubles. The recent resignations come as no surprise. Pressure from unhappy stockholders to make changes at the top has been mounting for months. Their influence won’t be too far removed, though, as both men are to stay on the board of directors. Karl Moore, a Desautels professor who specializes in management leadership, notes that their vision and experience are still extremely valuable and shouldn’t be neglected. “As the founders and visionaries, it is quite difficult to step aside from your creation,” Moore wrote in an email to the Tribune. “It is potentially very helpful to have them on the board, [so] they can bring their
experience and genius to RIM as it makes its way to what, I hope, is a brighter future.” Moore also cautions the new CEO and chair to control the influence of the previous leaders. RIM needs to consider all options to return to the top, including some that Lazardis and Balsillie may disagree with. “The new CEO must remain the central decision maker,” he said. Heins, the newly appointed CEO, entered his position after working at RIM for four years and acting as COO for the company since August. His background is more technical than business-oriented, having served at Siemens AG as chief technology officer before coming to RIM. The next six months are critical for Heins, as many shareholders think that the leadership change isn’t large enough and want to bring in an outsider. Vic Alboini, a major shareholder, has said that he considers the new CEO only as part of a transitional team unless Heins can turn things around. Getting Blackberry back on track might not be the Herculean trial that many investors make it out
RIM’s new acting CEO, Thorsten Heins. (financialpost.com) to be. The groundwork for RIM’s recovery is already laid, with the new Blackberry 10 operating system and a new line of phones in development. Heins may need to crack the whip in the coming months if these projects fall behind schedule, but their release should keep Blackberry up-to-date and competitive. Blackberry is still immensely popular among professionals who value the convenience of Blackberry Messenger and the security of RIM’s
encrypted networks. If RIM releases its new products soon and can patch up its spotty messenger network, it should at least be able to stop its backwards slide. Licensing their platform and allowing other phones to access their networks could serve as an added and much needed source of revenue. The next six months will prove telling for Heins and Blackberry, and we’re likely to see them sink or swim together.
A&E Poetry
Atwater Poetry Project showcases Canadian talent
Matt Rader and Russell Thornton readings offer distinct poetry experiences By Linda Sarvi Contributor Last Thursday, I ventured over to the Atwater library to watch notable Canadian poets Matt Rader and Russell Thornton recite their selected works as part of the Atwater Poetry Project. Originally founded in 2004, the Atwater Poetry Project offers audiences the chance to hear their favorite authors speak about their work and to introduce readers to material they may have not known otherwise. An unlikely string of coincidences and events led poets Matt Rader and Russell Thornton to follow the same path. Having come across some of Rader’s works at a poetry event in Vancouver several years ago, Thornton instantly related to Rader’s allusions of natural landmarks and the scenic beauty of British Columbia, a theme echoed in much of Thornton’s own work. After their first several encounters, Thornton took Rader under his wing to help mold him into the poetic sensation he has become today. The simple and modest set up
inside the quiet Atwater auditorium created an intimate setting between the audience and speakers using only a single podium and several rows of old wooden chairs. The diversity of the audience members was testament to the power that poetry has to connect with people on a universal level: from eclectically-dressed university students to senior citizens of a notably urbane background, I felt that we all were equally engaged with every word that the poets read aloud. Matt Rader was the first of the two to stand at the podium. He recited from his newly published book, A Doctor Pedalled Her Bicycle Over the River Arno. I appreciated the dense and multilayered references Rader incorporated in his poems, which illustrated vivid images relating to both his Italian heritage in Canada, and the natural elements found in British Columbia. However, the lack of enthusiasm and monotony in his oration dulled the impact of his poetry, rather than enticing the audience to fully appreciate the details in his poems. It was an underwhelming start to the po-
Matt Radar reads excerpts from his latest book. (Sofia Markusfeld / McGill Tribune) etry session, which may just reflect the fact that Rader’s writing is far suporior to his oratory skills. The mood of the second half of the session shifted after Russell Thornton took the stand. Perhaps he was simply more comfortable with public speaking as a seasoned poet, but he immediately exerted a command over his words that proved to be enchanting. Reciting poems mostly from The House Built of Rain, Thornton also interjected an-
ecdotes about his experiences of living both in Montreal and Vancouver and his difficult childhood with a single mother raising four sons, which inspired the most poignant poem of the evening, Aluminum Beds. One of the poems that still resonates with me is his supremely loving portrait “My Mother and the Rain,” which shows how his mother attempts to convey wonder and delight to her four young sons by ushering them out to the back porch to
listen to magical and musical sounds of heavy rainfall. The Atwater Poetry Project gave me more than anticipated: I came in expecting to learn about poets I had never heard of before, but I ended up leaving with a newfound appreciation for the Canadian poetry scene. The next Atwater Poetry Project features Sue Goyette and Darren Bifford on Feb. 23 at the Atwater Library (1200 Atwater Ave.)
film
Heigl flick proves it’s all for the money One For the Money panders to the lowest common denominator By Chris Liu Contributor There are few pleasures in life that come close to seeing a good film. At its best, cinema can elicit profound sentiments, change one's view of the world, or simply get one through a crappy day. This makes it all the more disheartening when one has the misfortune of enduring a film that not only fails to do any of the above, but goes as far as having the opposite effect. Fortunately, there are often warning signs that can steer the astute viewer away from this kind of soul-crushing sludge. Take the aptly named One For The Money, in which the film’s only purpose is stated right there as its very title, for your convenience. It’s a film that borders on fraud, a (not-so) clever transfer of your pocketbook to Lakeshore, Lionsgate, and Katherine Heigl. And with what is the viewer left? An insipid, joyless, numbing experience, the climax of which is the moment the credits roll. Strangely enough, One For The Money probably deserves some careful study, for it represents the logical progression of the populist trend in North American cinema. The film is stripped of exposition,
leaving a skeletal framework of voiceovers by Heigl to tell us about how down-on-her-luck she is (I've picked my metaphors carefully, for Heigl relays these narrations with all the vigour of a corpse). But alas! How awesome would it be if her character found a new job that was completely contrary to her nature as a white, middle-class woman? Like, say, as a bounty hunter? “I was shooting a gun; how hot is that?” she ask-exclaims at one point, but she's fooling no one. The script plays around with the white-girl-can't-do-badass-things dimension listlessly, like a kid with spinach on his plate, before moving on to the other racial stereotypes that have been so popular in mainstream cinema these days. Look! Latino gangsters and sassy black girls! The way these stereotypes are repeatedly trotted out and affirmed by the film is nauseating. Of course, the greatest blight in the film is reserved for Heigl herself. Coming off a year full of strong, Byronic female protagonists (Charlize Theron's Mavis Gary in Young Adult; Brit Marling's Rhoda Williams in Another Earth), Heigl's Stephanie Plum is a disappointment at best and a disgrace at worst; despite spending so much of the film
Heigl and co. pack heat, but the film does not. (thelastreel.blogspot.com) trying to convince both the characters around her and the audience to take her seriously, she is constantly bailed out by macho-men, one situation after another. When she does get a takedown, she is guilt-ridden instead of celebratory. Apparently, the logic of this film dictates that white girls can't be badass after all— though Heigl’s character is so easily seduced by the same guy (Jason O'Mara) who took her virginity on a diner floor when she was 16 and never called again. Plus, Heigl is simply not very
funny. In fact, not much of the film was. There are scenes in which the music could have been lifted right from a porno. Some lines are so bewilderingly awful (“we're ancient history—like the pyramids, baby!”) that one feels embarrassed for the actor, in what are possibly the only moments of sympathy in the film. The eccentric grandmother trope is now officially dead, as is the trope of the tough guy who cooks to show his sensitive side. What this whole steaming pile of clichés and repulsiveness amounts to is an insult, if
not outright attack, on the viewer's intelligence. The best thing about the film is its length. At an hour and forty minutes, the film isn't long enough to ruin your entire night. Watching movies like One For The Money makes you grateful for the little things like that. Heigl's newest release represents everything wrong with contemporary Hollywood, and gets nothing right.
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Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Happenings in TV-land Mid-season TV Previews
By Alex Shiri
Touch
The River
ALCATRAZ
Monday, March 19, 9 p.m. on FOX
Tuesday, Feb. 7, 9:00 p.m. on ABC ABC has been seeking a replacement for its supernatural thriller LOST since it ended in 2010, and The River may be the answer. The show tells the story of a famed explorer and TV personality who disappears deep in the Amazonian rainforest. Six months later, his son leads a search team to find his missing father. Although the show is relatively unknown, there are some big names working behind the scenes, namely Stephen Spielberg as the executive producer. The mysteries surrounding The River surely won’t be solved after the first episode. Expect a formula of cliffhangers and plot twists.
(tbivision.com)
With a heavy promotional campaign exploiting Kiefer Sutherland’s role on 24, FOX seems to be hoping he’s enough to draw in viewers. The promotion might be all about Sutherland, but the show itself has promise. Sutherland stars as a former journalist whose wife dies in the 9/11 attacks. His son is mute and can predict future events. It’s a combination of Heroes and 24, with Danny Glover playing the son’s doctor. FOX aired a special preview event last week, but the show is set to officially premiere later in the midseason on March 19.
Smash
“On March 21st, 1963, Alcatraz officially closed. All the prisoners were transferred off the island. Only that’s not what happened. Not at all.” The tagline FOX uses for its new sci-fi series Alcatraz obviously raises the question of what happened to all those bad, bad prisoners. The show is performing well following its two-hour premiere. With J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions producing, and Jorge Garcia of LOST starring, the show has what it takes for FOX to compete this season. Only three episodes have aired thus far, so there is still plenty of time to catch up on this sci-fi drama.
Cougar Town
Monday, Feb. 6th, 10 p.m. on NBC
(blogs.orlandosentinel.com)
Mondays, 9:00 P.M. on Fox
This musical drama is being called a more “adult” Glee, and it arrives on NBC at an optimal time to potentially steal some of its competitor’s audience. The show centres on the production of a Marilyn Monroe Broadway musical, and focuses on the key figures putting the project together. With names like Debra Messing, Angelica Houston, and Katherine McPhee attached, Smash has benefitted from major buzz, and critical enthusiasm for the pilot episode suggests a promising first season.
Tuesday, Feb. 14, 8:30 p.m. on ABC After a long hiatus, ABC has set Cougar Town’s premiere for Valentine’s Day. Fans have been waiting for many months to see Floridian, wine-drinking, non-cougar Jules (Courtney Cox), finally get married to Grayson (Josh Hopkins), her boyfriend of two seasons. Lucky for viewers, a reduced episode count means the show will be forced to condense a season surrounding a proposal and a wedding into a refreshingly realistic time frame. Creator Bill Lawrence will be bringing in help from his Scrubs friends to join the cul-de-sac gang, as Zach Braff and Sarah Chalke are set to guest star. This third season is a crucial period for this relatively undiscovered comedy gem, determining whether it stays on air or suffers a fate similar to Community, an intelligent comedy counterpart whose airings were suspended just a few months ago.
Cancelled before their time
By Graeme Davidson
Television shows exist to make money, and critical acclaim or devoted fan-bases are poor substitutes for advertising revenue. Number of viewers aside, here are five shows that didn’t deserve their cancellations. All of these selections ran for twenty episodes or less; while shows like Arrested Development or Deadwood might have had plenty left in the tank, they produced many more episodes than these five before the economics cut them short.
TERRIERS Saddled with an incredibly vague title (and advertising to boot), this noir/comedy about two scruffy San Diego private detectives lasted just one season of 13 episodes. The good-natured chemistry of the two leads (Donal Logue and Michael Raymond-James) and their increasingly high-stakes misadventures drew in critics, but few viewers. In spite of its limited runtime, the show managed to hit its stride, produce some great episodes, and wrap things up nicely, something most one-season shows fail to accomplish.
CLONE HIGH
FIREFLY Perhaps the epitome of a show cancelled before its time, Firefly was a campy, exciting science-fiction show. Following the adventures of the crew of the spaceship Serenity, it had a good-natured sense of fun, knowing when and when not to take itself seriously. It struggled to find an audience, but nevertheless accumulated a devoted one: fan support following its cancellation was sufficient to cause the commissioning of a follow-up movie that provided some closure for fans.
A bizarre, self-aware, animated sitcom, Clone High made the most of its ludicrous premise—a high school populated by the teenage clones of various historical figures—by being a pitchperfect satire of teen dramas. Its 13 “very special” episodes are chock full of proms, life lessons, topical issues, and general inanity. To some, the cliffhanger ending might seem disappointing, but a ridiculously stupid twist was the perfect way for the show to end.
FREAKS AND GEEKS
PARTY DOWN
(deniath.com)
Running for a scant 20 episodes over two seasons, Party Down chronicled the experiences of a group of down-on-their-luck caterers; failed actors and writers who alternated trying to make it in Hollywood with wondering when to give up. Despite being critically acclaimed, its weekly audience declined to mere tens of thousands by the end of its second season. Regardless of the dearth of viewers, the show provided significant career boosts to stars Adam Scott, Lizzy Caplan, and Jane Lynch.
(wikipedia.org)
(fanpop.com)
Sometimes, cancellation can have a silver lining; many popular shows continue to produce episodes past the point of diminishing returns, an especially big risk in a high-school setting. While few would turn down more episodes of this gem, the quality and poignancy of its 18-episode run was never compromised. Ironically, this is one show that seems like it was never cancelled, given the career success many of its cast members and executive producer Judd Apatow have enjoyed.
16
Curiosity Delivers. www.mcgilltribune.com
JANUARY 31- Febuary 6
Could Be Good
The Great Digital Film Festival
MEDIAFILM.ca’s Ciné-Bazar
Telus Theatre, 1280 St. Denis
Scotiabank Theatre, 977 Ste. Catherine West
Saint Stanislas de Kostka Church, 4816 Garnier
Friday, Feb. 3, 10 p.m.—3 a.m.
Friday, Feb. 3—Thursday, Feb. 9.
Saturday, Feb. 4, 9 a.m.—4 p.m.
The White Panda
T
he Science Undergraduate Society brings this Chicago-based duo to Montreal for a night of mash-ups featuring the likes of Far East Movement, 2 Live Crew, and, amazingly, Rick Astley. Tickets start at $15.
F
or a limited time, fan favourite movies will be returning to the big screen. Classics like the Back to the Future trilogy, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Big Lebowski, Scarface, and many more will be playing all week in crystal clear Cineplex digital. $5.99 general admission.
M
EDIAFILM.ca hosts their 5th annual Ciné-Bazar film fair. Film enthusiasts from across Canada will gather to buy discount DVDs, VHS tapes of rare films, vintage movie posters, and autographed memorabilia from Paul Newman, Joan Crawford, Brigitte Bardot, and more. Free entry.
In Concert Smith Westerns Taking the stage to Jay-Z and Kanye’s “Niggas In Paris,” Chicago’s Smith Westerns’ performance on Saturday night oozed a casual confidence fitting of the entrance music. Drawing primarily from last year’s critically-acclaimed sophomore album “Dye It Blonde,” the band turned Il Motore into a sweaty dance party for the enthusiastic, and noticeably intoxicated, crowd. Set highlights included “Imagine Pt. 3,” “Smile,” and closer “Dye the World.” The band played two new, as-of-yet untitled songs, which didn’t show any noticeable growth, but continued their style of glam-garage rock. Their songs may nod to the past, but here’s hoping Smith Westerns continue on to the future.
(Sofia Markusfeld / McGill Tribune)
www.mcgilltribune.com
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Sports BASKETBALL — Martlets 77, UQAM 52
Redmen 71, UQAM 61
McGill teams sweep UQAM in playoff push
Martlets and Redmen start fast and finish strong in annual ‘Pack the House’ games By Rebecca Babcock Contributor
Martlets
On Thursday Jan. 26, the annual ‘Pack the House’ basketball doubleheader took place at McGill’s Love Competition Hall, with both the Martlets and the Redmen emerging victorious over UQAM, with scores of 77-52 and 71-61, respectively. Lately the Martlets have been sluggish out of the gate, but finish strong. Winning their past four games in the fourth quarter, the Martlets have mastered the art of the comeback. This time though, the women’s team came out on fire in the first, and never lost hold of the lead during the game. Marie-Eve Martin was an early threat to UQAM, hitting three 3-pointers in the first quarter. Unfortunately, some foul trouble early in the first half sent Martin to the bench, minimizing her impact. The same cannot be said for Anneth Him-Lazarenko. Though Him-Lazarenko is a major scoring threat, and had been double-teamed for most of the past few games, UQAM could not stop her on Thursday as she scored 15 points and six rebounds despite heavy defensive attention. Although the Martlets led the entire game and came out victorious, Head Coach Ryan Thorne expected much more from the women’s basketball team. “The game went according to plan; [we won] but it was sloppy and we allowed them to hang around,”
The Martlets and Redmen swept their weekend games. (Alexandra Allaire and Sam Reynolds / McGill Tribune) Thorne said. “We actually lost in the second quarter, and this is a team that should not beat us at any point. Although we were subbing pretty liberally, we have enough depth on our bench that we should be able to maintain and extend that lead.” McGill picked up the pace and gained a seven-point lead in the last four minutes of the third quarter. They continued to dominate on both ends of the floor, extending their lead to 25 points by the end of the game.
Redmen
The Redmen then took to the court and maintained the lead through the entire game in their best all-around effort of the season. The first half was characterized by amazing ball movement on offence with McGill getting open looks and sinking shots as a result. Nicolas Langley, a forward who netted three 3-pointers, had a total of 11 points and played a large role in McGill’s offensive sets. “In the first half, we had a lot of ball movement and we kept our turnovers down,” Langley said. “In terms of shooting, it’s a matter of
taking good shots. I happened to be open and I hit them.” Another star on the court was Winn Clark, a guard known for his hustle, quick feet, and intensity on defence. The Redmen’s defence was key in preventing UQAM from gaining any significant momentum, with their help defence and excellent communication forcing UQAM into frustrating offensive series. “We stepped up our game in the first half and we made them take shots. We relaxed a little bit at the end of the shot clock but aside from that, it was great. As long as we keep up the good defence and take good
shots and limit our turnovers we should be looking good for the rest of the year,” Clark said. The Redmen faltered slightly in the third quarter and saw their 20-point lead cut in half, making for a heart-pounding fourth quarter. Although UQAM brought intense pressure, McGill held their own and extended their lead. Vincent Dufort, a first-year point guard, was another standout, as he scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds. “This game shows what this team is capable of doing. We took care of the basketball and in the first half we only had four turnovers and that’s important with a team where turnovers can be our fatal flaw,” Head Coach David DeAveriro said. “Throughout the season we have been working on our offence. Today we shot well, moved the ball well, and we plan to keep on building our offence as we approach playoffs.” Both McGill basketball teams played again on Saturday Jan. 28 against Concordia University. The Martlets won 61-50, putting them in first place in the RSEQ standings. The Redmen followed suit, winning 73-67, keeping them in second place with a 6-4 record. With only six more regular season games remaining, the wins this week put both teams in good positions as the RSEQ playoffs approach. The teams play at home again on Feb. 4 against Laval.
Third Man in Man vs. Cave I’ve been through the heart of darkness: I’ve sat through an entire New England Patriots game with my dad and his buddies. I’ve seen Tostitos get double-dipped, heard grown men refer to the Patriots as Brady’s Bunch, and witnessed 50-year-olds go for high fives only to whiff completely, attempt a do-over, and then awkwardly laugh it off like it never happened. I’ve survived perhaps the worst idea the male sports fan has ever had. I have witnessed the horror of the man cave. If you didn’t know, the man cave is supposed to be every middleaged man’s inner sanctum. It’s the one place in the house (i.e. the basement) where a guy can escape the
troubles of the real world, get away from his wife’s “incessant nagging,” and just enjoy the game in peace for a few hours. The popularity of the man cave has increased steadily in the past few years, so much so that its very concept has been warped into a self-serving exercise in demonstrating how masculine the cave dweller is, and how much sports memorabilia he can fit onto his basement walls. In a society where the average middle-aged man is often belittled on cable television, where his talents are shown to be exclusive only to fantasy football, knowledge of domestic beers, and his ability to do basic do-it-yourself home repairs, I can’t blame today’s male fan for trying to reclaim his masculinity, but it all seems so unnecessarily forced. Just like wearing pink polo shirts or
quoting lines from Entourage, building a man cave is simply the newest in a long line of asinine behaviours that guys have arbitrarily declared to be things that “real men do.” When we were 10 years old, it was beyond cool to sleep in a bed shaped like a racecar. When we’re 50, it will be just as cool to accumulate as many beer koozies, dartboards, championship pennants, team blankets, and mini fridges as our basements can withstand. There are a few common knowledge Man Laws all the guys must follow when in the man cave. When a penalty flag is thrown, the Know-It-All Guy has to tell the rest of the guys what the penalty is for, and for how many yards. When the cheerleaders come on the screen, all the guys must say something cringe-worthy about their attire,
while using the word chick, or babe, or other various outdated vernacular. And finally, all guys must spend the entirety of the 30-second Geico commercial pontificating on how today’s Geico commercials aren’t as good as the old Geico commercials. But it’s about time that somebody says what needs to be said: the man cave is not an emblem of the 21st-century sports fan. The sad truth is that the man cave is nothing more than a pillow fort for grownups, a secret club with a secret password, and the one room that the man can call his own. But that’s not how the average male fan sees it. To him and his buddies, it’s all-masculine, all the time. Look out, everybody— the guys are down in the man cave and they can’t be bothered with anything else. To my knowledge, some men even go so far as to bar women
from the man cave. These husbands, at best, will meet their wives at the top of the stairs to grab the plate of chicken wings—wings that they selfishly didn’t even make the effort to prepare themselves. I know these man caves well enough to avoid them completely and just watch the game upstairs. But I also know them well enough to understand that, as hard as they may foolishly try, this glorified basement shouldn’t be the masculine sanctuary that men intend it to be. What we men need to realize is that we all have the power to build a decent place to watch sports. But do we really need to try this hard? —Nick Petrillo
18
Curiosity Delivers. www.mcgilltribune.com
Super Bowl
Giants
XLVI
Patriots
Two contributors give their take on the rematch of Super Bowl XLII by identifying the key offensive and defensive matchups while giving their own X-Factors ...
Offence The talk about quar-
terbacks leading up to the Super Bowl will undoubtedly favour the prowess of Tom Brady, but the fact of the matter is, Eli’s no slouch either, and he doesn’t wear Uggs to the office. He was ranked fourth over the regular season in passing yards and sixth in touchdowns. His postseason stats have been even better, amassing almost 1,000 yards to his name and an NFL leading eight touchdown passes, albeit over three games to the Patriots’ two. Statistics aside, Manning has something that can’t be quantified: his mental and physical toughness. With him, it’s always a war of attrition, and he always finds a way to come out on top. Last week alone against the 49ers, he was sacked six times, hit while throwing an additional 20, knocked down, and rushed countless more times en route to his second NFC championship. Conversely, the Super Bowl will see Eli and the simply spectacular Victor Cruz up against the second worst defence in yards/game this season. The passing attack, coupled with the dynamic rushing duo of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs, will lead to a huge game for the G-men’s offence.
Defence
If nothing else, the 2011-2012 post-season has lent considerable credence to the ageold adage “offence sells tickets, but defence wins championship,” and Super Bowl XLVI will be no different. Entering the playoffs, offensive juggernauts like the Saints or Packers seemed destined to emerge from the NFC, but both eventually fell prematurely to more defensivelysound teams like the Giants. Moreover, the G-men’s defence appears to be peaking at exactly the right time. Following a frustratingly inconsistent regular season, the Giants now possess the lowest points per game in post-season play along with the second lowest yards per
game average. And although the Patriots’ offence at times appears prodigious and untouchable, they are not, in fact, an exception. Building a 13-3 season around man-handling mediocre defences, they have often failed to stack up against stronger defences, with last week’s somewhat fortunate besting of the Ravens seemingly an exception. The game marked the two teams’ only meeting of the season, and the Patriots managed only 20 points—their second worst performance of the year. Additionally, Tom Brady was picked off twice—a sixth of his yearly total. Given that New York’s defence has already subdued the Pats once— during the 2008 Super Bowl—and that it’s now firing on all cylinders, it’s not hard to imagine a repeat performance next Sunday.
X-factor
X-Factor? The Giants ARE the X-Factor. Toss it up to pure dumb luck or an insatiable desire to win, whatever you want to call it, New York never ceases to come up with a helmet catch (remember that? The Pats sure do) when it’s needed most. This season alone, the Giants have six fourthquarter comebacks, including one of 15 points and one against these Patriots. They limped into the playoffs toting a modest 9-7 record and then dominated the seemingly unbeatable Packers before out-grinding the gritty 49ers. And, most notoriously, who can forget the 2008 Super Bowl, where a sticky helmet and a sensational comeback drive rocked the Patriots and dashed their hopes of an undefeated Super Bowl season. The Giants live for the David versus Goliath scenario, and it’s that determination that wins championships.
Final Score
New York 27, New England 24
Offence This year’s version
VS Winner:
Patriots
While the Giants are the hottest team in America, Brady and his wide array of weapons in the passing game will overwhelm New York’s secondary. Eli will put up points against a less-than-mediocre Patriots’ defence, but New England will win a tight contest and gain revenge for their unexpected loss in Super Bowl XLII.
of the most successful NFL franchise of the new millennium has mastered what thousands of Madden players have been doing for years: throw the ball A LOT and treat your tight ends like other receivers. The result: an offence that scored 30 or more points in 12 out of its 16 regular season games and a tight end in Rob Gronkowski who caught more TD passes in one season than any other tight end in history. Although Tom Brady looked mortal against the Ravens in the AFC Championship Game, the Pats’ success handing the ball off to BenJarvus GreenEllis against Baltimore should help open up the pass. Brady should turn it around, however, as the dome in Indianapolis will be easier to throw in than the crisp Foxborough air. The Giants held New England to 20 points in their meeting in November, but look for New England’s offence to get back on track in Indy.
Defence
Heading into the AFC title game, Patriots fans were hoping that the old adage that “offence sells tickets, but defence wins championships” would become a thing of the past. New England was able to win the game, but surprisingly the young defensive corps played a large part in the victory. The late-season return of Patrick Chung and Brandon Spikes revitalized a unit that ranked second last in the NFL in total defence. The front seven, led by Vince Wilfork were dominant against the Ravens, sacking Joe Flacco three times, hitting him another seven, and I’ll refrain from mentioning the way they toyed with prodigy-turned-laughingstockturned-miracle-worker-turnedlaughingstock Tim Tebow. Although New England’s defence is vulnerable over the top for big passing plays, they epitomize the notion of
—Jeffrey Downey
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“bend but don’t break,” evidenced by Sterling Moore’s two game-saving plays on the Ravens’ unsuccessful last comeback drive. After all, this team only lost three games all year, the defence clearly didn’t kill them. If the Patriots can prevent Eli Manning from beating them deep, they should have an easy time with a Giants offence that ranked last in rushing.
X-factor We’re going to cheat here and call the Tom Brady/Bill Belichick combination New England’s X-Factor. Since the two Hallof-Fame locks got together in Foxborough in 2001, the Patriots have only lost twice to the same team in a single season. The evil genius and his golden boy hate losing more than anyone, and will be looking for revenge both for their loss to the Giants earlier this year (the low point of what has otherwise been a banner season) and for the stunning loss in Super Bowl XLII in Glendale. A win would further solidify Brady and Belichick’s places as all-time legends while a loss would extend the Patriots’ Super Bowl draught to seven years and lead to questions about whether the Patriots can still get it done when it counts. Adding to Brady’s motivation will be the fact that he will be getting dressed in Peyton Manning’s locker (the Patriots are the designated home team and will use the Colts’ locker room), and will certainly be relishing the opportunity to hoist his fourth Lombardi Trophy on the turf of his archnemesis. Brady still has it, New England still has it, and you can count on the NFL’s greatest duo to let the world know in Indianapolis. Final Score
New England 34, New York 27 —Adam Sadinsky
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Super bowl predictions
19
The Tribune’s editorial board weighs in on who they think will take home the Lombardi trophy next Sunday…
Steven Lampert,
Sports Editor: Giants 24, Patriots 21
Christopher Nardi,
Nick Petrillo,
A&E Editor: Patriots 49, Giants 24
Richard MartynHemphill,
Opinion Editor: Giants 14, Patriots 7
Sports Editor: Patriots 35, Giants 24
Ryan Taylor,
Managing Editor: Patriots 26, Giants 23
Shannon Kimball,
Tribune News Editors,
Clint Uttley,
McGill Redmen Head Coach: Giants 27, Patriots 20
Mike Babcock,
Detroit Red Wings Head Coach: Giants 31, Patriots 26
Giants 32, Patriots 24
Bonus Predictions Earl Zuckerman, Athletics and
Editor-in-Chief: Giants 35, Patriots 28
Iain Macdonald,
Recreation Communications Officer: Patriots 27, Giants 24
Production Manager: Patriots 1, Giants 0
tournament and she is now ranked number one for the first time in her promising career. Former number one Caroline Wozniacki is now ranked number four in the world.
Around the
W
ater cooler
In case you were too busy building a moon colony, here’s what you missed this week in the world of sports ... TENNIS — The Australian Open wrapped up this past Sunday. The men’s semifinals consisted of the four top-ranked players (Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray). Federer lost to Nadal in a tight four-set match while Djokovic beat Murray in five sets. The gruelling final match that lasted 5 hours and 53 minutes, the longest final in a major in the open
era, ended with Djokovic defending his title. The women’s semifinal saw Victoria Azarenka defeat Kim Clijsters and Maria Sharapova edge out Petra Kvitova. Much was on the line in the final, as the champion would also become the top-ranked women’s player. Azarenka dominated Sharapova in the end with a 6-3, 6-0 match that lasted just over an hour. It was Azarenka’s first win at a major
WOMEN’S SOCCER — This past Friday, the Canadian women’s soccer team earned a berth to the 2012 London Olympics by defeating Mexico 3-1 in a critical Olympic qualifying match. Canada, led by their captain Christine Sinclair who scored two goals in the match, will be making their second appearance in the Olympic games. Their previous try came at the last summer Olympics in Beijing, where they finished a disappointing eighth place. This time, however, the team looks stronger and is carrying a lot of momentum after winning gold at the Pan American Games in October. The 2011 season wasn’t all perfect for the women’s team, as disputes between the players and the Canadian Soccer Association over the control of the program dominated much of their year. This clearly hasn’t impeded their drive, as they look hungry and ready for London. BASEBALL — The MLB offseason started with a bang, with Albert Pujols’ signing with Los Angeles and Yu Darvish bolting for Texas, but news has quieted down since then. On Thursday, however, another huge (as in 280 pounds huge) splash came in Detroit, as the Tigers signed all-star and mammoth
first baseman Prince Fielder to a nine-year, $214 million dollar contract. Not bad. The Tigers became interested in Fielder’s services after their current catcher/first baseman Victor Martinez was announced out for the year. The Tigers lineup looks extremely dangerous and rivals that of the Rangers, Yankees, and Red Sox—not exactly what the Jays need right now. The Blue Birds made some news as well by signing Cinicinnati’s former closer Francisco Cordero to continue their rebuild of last year’s porous bullpen. According to Yahoo! Sports, Cordero only weighs 245 pounds. What a shame. HOCKEY — The NHL all-star break occurred this past weekend in Ottawa, to the delight of many fans in the nation’s capital. Despite the excitement, controversy marred the NHL last Monday, as Bruins goaltender, and last year’s Stanley Cup MVP, Tim Thomas, upstaged his teammates and President Obama by not attending the Bruins’ day at the White House. Thomas cited his opposition to many of the president’s policies as the reasoning behind his ‘political statement.’ The move garnered a massive media reaction, as most major news outlets reported it while Twitter basically exploded. Thomas did attend the all-star festivities in Ottawa, so I guess Prime Minister Harper’s policies weren’t enough to scare him away—to each his own, right?
SCOREBOARD (Scores since Jan. 24) REDMEN BASKETBALL Won 71-61 vs. UQAM Won 73-67 vs. Concordia MARTLET BASKETBALL Won 77-52 vs. UQAM Won 61-50 vs. Concordia REDMEN HOCKEY Won 7-2 vs. Ottawa Lost 4-2 @ Carleton MARTLET HOCKEY Won 7-1 @ Ottawa Won 10-0 @ Carleton MARTLET INDOOR SOCCER Tied 2-2 vs Sherbrooke REDMEN INDOOR SOCCER Lost 4-2 vs Sherbrooke REDMEN TRACK & FIELD Finished 8th of 22 @ McGill Team Challenge MARTLET TRACK & FIELD Finished 8th of 22 @ McGill Team Challenge
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