McGill Tribune Wekk 19

Tribune The McGill

Published by the Tribune Publication Society Volume No. 31 Issue No. 19

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

UQAM protest Chilean activist interview Editorial Echoer launches app Chez Serge Steve Aoki McGill hockey sweep

2 4 6 8 13 14 17

monkeys a threat to barbados farmers (10 & 11)

Raging Grannies protest asbestos (p. 3)

Protestors continue to voice opposition to the asbestos industry in Quebec. (Sam Reynolds / McGill Tribune)

Admin accepts J-Board invalidation of fall referendum Erica Friesen & Carolina Millán Ronchetti News Editors On Tuesday Feb. 14, the SSMU Judicial Board (J-Board) invalidated QPIRG’s fall referendum question.

The J-Board ruled the question to be unconstitutional because it dealt with two separate questions, asking students to simultaneously support QPIRG’s continued existence, and a change to make the organization’s fees opt-outable only in person.

In an email to the Tribune, Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Morton Mendelson said

that he accepts the J-Board ruling as consistent with the administration’s view of the fall referendum. He suggested that the J-Board ruling may signal the end of negotiations with QPIRG. “As I understand it, the JBoard’s decision means, in effect, that there are now no valid referendum results, so that leaves us with nothing to discuss [with QPIRG],” he said.

Kira Page, McGill alumnus and member of the QPIRG board, said that negotiations with the administration continued via email before reading week, with no indication that

the administration had been affected by the J-Board ruling. According to Page, QPIRG did not submit a question for the winter referendum.

“By the time the J-Board decision came out, we would have had to write a referendum question, have it approved by Morton Mendelson and Elections McGill, and collect 700 signatures in two days, so that was not actually doable at that point,” Page said. “It wasn’t an option we were able to go forward with. But I think the reason we weren’t doing that in the first place was that we stand by the referendum results from last semester.”

Regarding the J-Board results, Page said that QPIRG is “dismayed and disturbed” by the ruling. The group has not yet released an official public response to the ruling.

Petitioners Zach Newburgh and Brendan Steven stated in a press release that they are “satisfied” with the results of the J-Board hearing.

However, the decision cannot be finalized until it is ratified by SSMU’s Board of Directors (BoD). In their press release, Newburgh and Steven call on the board to affirm the J-Board’s decision.

“The integrity of the SSMU’s referendum process demands [the

decision’s ratification],” they said.

“The SSMU cannot set a precedent, which allows referendum questions to stand when they do not provide members of the SSMU with a clear choice when voting.”

According to SSMU President Maggie Knight, the BoD will debate the ruling during their Mar. 1 meeting, and the decision will be ratified unless 4/5 of the directors vote against it.

The J-Board, however, did not fully support Newburgh and Steven in all aspects of their petition. The decision rejected the second part See “J-BOARD” on page 2

NEWS

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Senate discusses James Admin occupation and its causes Principal Heather Munroe-Blum discusses her response to Dean Jutras’ recommendations on Nov. 10 Anand Bery Science & Technology Editor The Feb. 15 meeting of McGill’s Senate included discussions on Principal Heather MunroeBlum’s responses to Dean Jutras’ recommendations regarding the events of Nov. 10 and the administration’s refusal of the CKUT and QPIRG fall referenda results.

Closed to the public, the senate meeting appeared to be a response to events on campus surrounding the James Administration Building occupation, which had ended a few days earlier. Only senators and one representative from each campus media source were permitted entry to the meeting’s chambers. While the proceedings were live-streamed to a viewing area in the Redpath Museum, the content was not recorded or saved for later viewing.

The governing body voted first to approve the closing of the chambers and the live-streaming of the meeting to Redpath.

Senator Barney questioned whether there was a reason to believe that a threat of disruption existed to justify the closing of the chamber, but the vote passed.

NEWS

In her opening remarks, senate chair Munroe-Blum reiterated her intention to serve as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of McGill until the end of her term in June 2013.

“Rumours of my resignation have been greatly exaggerated,” she said.

Munroe-Blum went on to address the recommendations of Dean Jutras’ investigation into the events of Nov. 10. She told senate that the senior administration has accepted all six of the report’s key recommendations, notably those which call for a change to how security services deals with protests and occupations, and those which call for a discussion of how dissent may be expressed on campus.

She put the recent James Administration Building occupation into the context of the administration’s plan to move forward from Nov. 10. “[The] occupation is not the way differences in opinions are expressed,” Munroe-Blum said. “At the time of eviction, there had beenfive days of disruption to university activities, with 300 employees in [departments like] finance and graduate research displaced. After numerous discussions, [both parties]

were no closer to a resolution.”

“The decision to evict was not an easy one ... [but] we are glad it went peacefully,” she said. “Even as we value [the right to freedom of expression and speech], everyone has the right to study or work in a place where they feel safe and secure, and we have a responsibility to ensure that they have this.”

“The staff in James Admin remain on edge,” she added.

Munroe-Blum also updated senate on developments to the Strategic Reframing Initiative (SRI)— a process led by the principal which aims to take steps to maintain McGill’s place as a world-leading academic institution. The project, which began in October 2010, calls upon the voluntary help of former alumni—now consultants with McKinsey & Company­—to review and streamline the university’s operations and management of resources.

Munroe-Blum cited initiatives like energy audits, pilot projects on alternative budgeting approaches for faculties, and increased fundraising efforts as examples of changes that have been made.

Arts Senator Jason Leung brought forward a motion regarding

Olivier Lamoureux, a secondyear graduate student in sociology at UQAM explained that the protest followed a General Assembly vote to initiate the unlimited student strike.

According CLASSE spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, each student association can vote for or against the strike in a General Assembly or a referendum.

“Classes [are] suspended but only for the time that students want [them] to be suspended,” he said.

“Students vote if they want to go on strike and vote for the duration of the strike also. All the decisions are democratically taken.”

Whether each administration participates in the student strike and cancels classes is up to each university, but Nadeau-Dubois noted that so far, most universities have cancelled class in accordance with the vote.

Miriam Gaumond, a photography student at Concordia who marched through McGill, said that she supported the unlimited student

could agree with one of these statements, but not the other, and since they had no way to indicate that, the process was undemocratic.

More generally, he explained that the administration is not bound by these referenda, since questions that “may be viewed as linguistically problematic, confusing, not implementable, or addressing issues over which students do not have authority” cannot be accepted.

Senator Barney, who also sits on the board of CKUT, compared the referendum questions to the first motion passed at the senate meeting, which also contained two questions in one vote, as the motion simultaneously closed the senate chamber and broadcasted its proceedings. “[We are] sending mixed messages about what we demand in terms of clarity,” he said.

At the time of senate, an agreement with CKUT had already been reached, and the referendum vote from last term will be accepted to affirm the group’s existence. To change their funding, CKUT is running a question in the upcoming winter referendum. QPIRG is still in negotiations with the administration and will not be running a question in the winter referendum.

J-Board cont.

in brief

UQAM protest marks start of unlimited student strike

On Feb. 14, approximately 300 student demonstrators marched through McGill’s downtown campus following UQAM’s vote for an unlimited strike. UQAM is one of many universities and CEGEPs in Quebec that have voted to go on an unlimited strike to protest the Quebec government’s plans to increase university tuition fees for local students by $1,625 over five years.

According to numbers from the Coalition Large de l’Association pour une Solidarité Syndicale Étudiante (CLASSE), by Feb. 27 over 65,000 students in Quebec were on strike, and more student associations are scheduled to vote in upcoming weeks.

“UQAM, McGill, same struggle,” the demonstrators chanted as they marched through campus. The students protested in front of the James Administration Building and marched through the McConnell Engineering Building before continuing the protest through McGill College Ave. and down St. Catherine Ave. towards UQAM.

the recent QPIRG and CKUT referenda which questioned how to best guarantee that democratic decisions made by students can be assured in the future.

In an extended statement before Senate, Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Morton Mendelson reviewed in detail the history of online opt-outs at McGill, past precedents of student referenda which requested continued existence of organizations, and reasons for the administration’s refusal of last term’s referenda.

Mendelson noted that, in most years, student groups consult his office on the viability of their questions.

“CKUT and QPIRG did not do so before proceeding,” he said.

“When the questions were published, [the groups] were informed by my office that they were problematic.”

He went on to explain how, in the view of his office, the questions are problematic because they ask more than one thing, requesting a change in how opt-out fees are collected while simultaneously asking whether the groups should continue to exist.

Mendelson noted that students

strike.

“We are already in the red, so in five years it’s going to be much worse,” she said. “The problem is we don’t have parents who help us, we are independent. The government helps us, but not that much, and if the government raises the price of university, I don’t know how I [will] make it.”

Although McGill is currently not part of CLASSE, the students in the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) recently voted in a special referendum in favour of amending the AUS Constitution to make the General Assembly the highest governing body of the student society, making the AUS eligible to join CLASSE in accordance with the coalition’s bylaws.

On March 2, McGill’s Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) will hold a General Assembly that will discuss the formation of a strike committee, among other motions.

—Carolina Millán Ronchetti

continued from COVER of the petition, which questioned the impartiality of Elections SSMU chief electoral officer Rebeca Tacoma’s actions throughout the fall referendum period.

“Where an administrator with a level of expertise is making a decision within his or her jurisdiction, the decision must be given a high level of deference,” the J-Board’s final judgment read. “It is unrealistic to assume that a CEO, a student, with the help of a few staff members, can be everywhere at once … [to judge her based on this assumption] would be impractical and unfair.”

Tacoma said she had mixed feelings about the J-Board’s decision. While she was relieved that the J-Board supported her decisions throughout the fall referendum period, she acknowledged disappointment that QPIRG’s referendum question was ruled unconstitutional.

“It’s been a very long process, and although it was not the most pleasant process for me personally to go through, I think [the case] was important for SSMU because now we’re realizing a lot of flaws in the system that we didn’t realize [were there], because this kind of case has

never really happened before,” she said.

Tacoma listed the extension of the case beyond the fall semester and the temporary suspension of the J-Board’s activities in January as problems arising throughout the case that have caused SSMU to look more closely at the system. However, Tacoma doesn’t feel that the results of the case will have much effect on the upcoming referendum period.

“The ruling really only creates a precedent for questions where there might be two issues involved, and that’s not really common,” she said.

SSMU President Maggie Knight said that the case has been a learning process for everyone involved.

“This case has presented many challenges in terms of the current Judicial Board system and highlighted the challenges that I came into office intending to fix but which I had not been able to change before this petition started proceedings,” she said.

“It’s a controversial issue that touches many people deeply and evokes a lot of emotions.”

Curiosity delivers. |

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| Tuesday, February 28, 2012

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Raging Grannies protest Quebec asbestos industry Campus demonstration sparked by presence of asbestos exporter in the Board of Governors Enbal Singer Contributor On Feb. 15, a group of Montreal activists called the Raging Grannies staged a singing protest at the Roddick Gates to condemn the asbestos industry’s influence at McGill. The Grannies sang about the harmful effects of asbestos and criticized the use of Canadian taxes to support projects like the planned reopening of the Jeffrey Asbestos Mine in Asbestos Quebec, which would facilitate the export of asbestos to countries where its use is not regulated.

“Fee, fie, fiddlie-i-o, our taxes have better places to go,” the women chanted.

They also condemned the asbestos industry with chants like “stop exporting death from Quebec!”

The protest follows anti-asbestos activists’ call for the removal of asbestos exporter Roshi Chadha from the McGill Board of Governors. Chadha took a leave of absence from the board in early Febru-

ary, following two letters to McGill calling for her removal—one from medical doctors and health care researchers and one from individuals who have lost family members from asbestos-related diseases. Chadha is the director of Seja Trade Ltd., a company that exported asbestos from the Jeffrey Mine in Asbestos, Quebec, until the mine’s operations were suspended last fall. Her public relations agent has stated that the company is not responsible for what happens as a result of the asbestos once it is overseas.

Elizabeth Vezina, one of the Raging Grannies, said that she was very concerned about what effect asbestos has outside the McGill and Montreal communities. Companies like Chadha’s export asbestos to developing countries like India, where the material is used for purposes such as cement roofing in schools.

While the use of asbestos is outlawed in Quebec, there are no regulations stopping mining companies from exporting it elsewhere.

“There’s no such thing as safe handling of [asbestos],” Vezina said.

“We’re sending it to countries that don’t have the same regulations as we do here. We’re spreading misery.”

The protest comes following demands for an independent investigation into McGill’s ties with the asbestos industry. In 1965, the Quebec Asbestos Mining Association (QAMA) partly funded the research of McGill Professor of Epidemiology J.C. McDonald on chrysotile asbestos, which makes up 95 per cent of asbestos sold in the world and 100 per cent of the trade in the past two decades.

This research has been criticized for minimizing the negative health effects of asbestos, and for its continued use by lobbying groups to defend mining and exporting asbestos. Dr. David Eidelman, VicePrincipal (Health Affairs) and dean of medicine issued a statement about the controversy.

“It is true that Prof. McDonald drew different conclusions about the possible safe use of asbestos than most authorities do today,” Eidelman wrote. “Holding scientific

views that are different from those of the majority does not constitute research misconduct.”

Eidelman recently announced an internal investigation of the research, to be led by Prof. Rebecca Fuhrer, chair of the department of epidemiology.

As an asbestos exporter, Chadha is seeking to reopen the Jeffrey mine, which provided more than half of the funds for QAMA before its activities were suspended last fall. However, there is strong opposition to the project. The Quebec Medical Association has stated that this project goes against public interest and will lead to asbestosrelated deaths, and all of Quebec’s Directors of Public Health agree that the project will increase asbestosrelated diseases.

Although plans to reopen the Jeffrey mine continue, Vezina feels encouraged by growing opposition to asbestos use in India.

“There are many groups in India working very hard to get the import banned, so once they get the mine up and running, hopefully they

won’t be able to export [the asbestos] anyway,” she said.

While asbestos might not be a daily concern for McGill students, Vezina feels that it is nonetheless important for them to know what is going on at their university.

“Students have all kinds of things they should be standing up to; we really hope that your generation will start to make some differences.

The corporations’ control over finances of the university and over the government is too much; we need to start saying no,” she said.

Lotfi Gouigah, a second-year graduate student in communication studies who observed the protest, agreed with the Grannies.

“I think it’s important to be graduating from a university that is not linked to big lobbies that influence its research findings,” Gouigah said. “We should make sure that research is independent. Students should take a stand.”

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Mondays, Shatner 110 @ 5:30 pm CITY

Protest against public service privatization turns violent Protesters blockade the Montreal Exchange; police disperse crowd using pepper spray Kegan Chang Contributor On the morning of Feb. 16, students and other activists gathered outside the Montreal Stock Exchange to protest the privatization of public services in Quebec, including issues such as rising Hydro Québec prices, healthcare costs, and tuition fees. The protest culminated with police pepper spraying some of the the activists.

The activists united as one group under the title “The Coalition Against User Fees and Privatization of Public Services.” According to their website, the coalition is composed of 156 community organizations, unions, and student and feminist groups.

The group hoped to raise awareness for its causes by preventing employees of the stock exchange from arriving to work for the day.

The protest began at approximately 8:00 a.m. and quickly spread from

the front of the Montreal Exchange to the adjacent Delta Centre-Ville Hotel.

In front of the Exchange, a crowd of a few hundred students and other social activists held up banners and signs while chanting slogans, placing themselves in front of all entrances and denying entry to the building.

“We’re here to contest the raise in tuition,” a protestor from the Université du Québec à Montreal’s (UQAM) student union AFESH (L’Association Facultaire Étudiante Des Sciences Humaines) who requested to remain anonymous, said.

“It’s about accessibility—we have a lot of parents at UQAM, and we’re fighting strongly for them so they can support their kids and have an education also.”

The group was carrying a banner and had positioned themselves to block the entrance of the underground parking area connected to the Exchange.

“We want education to be accessible for everyone and that’s our main goal,” Anne Sarah Brian, a student from Collège de Maisonneuve, said. “We want the government to return to the fees of 2007.”

“We want the government to tax the natural resources of this country ... it’s not a lack of funds. It’s the fact that the funds are not put in the right places,” Corinne Trubiano, another protestor, said.

Around the back of the building, the situation was less peaceful.

Many employees of the Exchange had been using the attached Delta Centre-Ville Hotel to reach their workplace, so protesters had blocked it as well. By 11:00 a.m. there was a tense standoff between police and protesters, with police cordoning off the hotel entrance from two groups of protestors who had gathered in the driveway.

“This is really where the main confrontation is,” McGill student Becca Yu said. “We’re hoping that

by shutting down this building for the day, it’ll put pressure on the government to reverse these policies ... without actually directly blocking the building, it’s so easy to just ignore a big crowd of people.”

By 11:30 a.m. the Montreal police decided to extend the cordon around the hotel in order to allow hotel guests to enter and leave. Starting on the right side of the entrance, they pushed protestors back out of the driveway so that guests, including a children’s hockey team, could leave the hotel.

At roughly 11:45 a.m. this tactic was repeated on the other side of the hotel entrance, but police met greater resistance and were actually pushed back by the crowd of protestors for some time. After addressing them through a megaphone, police used pepper spray to clear the protesters.

“They pushed us further and further away,” Dan Parker, coordinator of 99%, the official publication

of Occupy Montreal, said. “Some of the more militant activists started pushing back and of course that’s when the pepper spray came out and people started running for it. Fortunately, there [are] medics here and they’re taking care of people with Malox.”

By 12:15 p.m., the protestors from the front of the Montreal Exchange joined those who had been blockading the entrance to the Delta Centre-Ville, and proceeded to march around the area, stalling traffic for a while.

“University is a good time [for students] to get involved, and especially to fight the tuition costs being raised,” Parker said. “I would invite all students to find out from their local organizations who are mobilizing around the tuition fees to find out how it relates to the privatization of our services ... Education is a right, and we shouldn’t watch more people get more in debt and lose their access to education.”

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Tuesday, February 28, 2012 |

NEWS

| Curiosity delivers.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Chilean movement leader talks student empowerment

Camilo Ballesteros discusses experiences as a student leader and his thoughts on the student movement in Quebec

Throughout 2011, the Chilean student movement made headlines with its large-scale protests, creative demonstrations, and student strikes to reform the largely privatized education system. The movement, which at its apogee included between 500,000 and a million demonstrators, was described by some as one of the strongest movements since Chile’s return to democracy. Although the movement did not achieve all of its objectives, it led to a cabinet shuffle and to a dramatic fall in national presidential approval.

Camilo Ballesteros, former president of the University of Santiago Student Federation and one of the key leaders of the student movement, travelled accross Canada this February to meet with various Canadian protest groups. The McGill Tribune had a chance to ask him a few questions about his experiences leading the student movement in Chile and his thoughts on the student movement in Quebec.

What was it like mobilizing so many people?

People mobilize as a reflection of a need. This means that failed government policies are what mobilize people.

We really did receive a lot of support, though. Once, something really striking happened, and that’s that the march’s main banner wasn’t heading the protest, but was in the middle, because the protest had

started way before [the organizers] arrived, there were that many people. It got to the point where we questioned to what extent the support had exceeded the institutionalism of the student movement, and if our institutions could respond to the demands of the participants.

Someone once said that the student movement was like throwing a glass of water on a cat, but a lion had woken up. It was complex, and sometimes we didn’t have answers to what we needed to do. But we tried—you’ll imagine that meeting four times a month for 12 hours, we started finding some solutions … we realized that the student movement wasn’t ready for the amount of support we received, and needed to expand. For example, the Confederation of Chilean Students did not represent students in private universities [who were also protesting].

That was something that changed.

What did you learn in your time as a leader of the student movement?

Many, many things. First, I learned about the need to be humble and listen to the rest. Listen, because one may be making mistakes—one may be making mistakes every day.

The need to understand that if we want to make real change, we need to do it as a collective. That each one of us contributes a grain of sand, but that each one’s grain of sand matters in forming something much bigger.

I also learned about the need to re-

spect what others say. It’s really fundamental to understand and respect the diversity of opinions.

I’ve learned that a lot of what I thought was important doesn’t actually matter so much. Before, my vision of what makes a movement go forward was a lot more closedminded, but now it’s more open. It looks to generate majorities so we can move towards concrete objectives.

What are the next steps for the Chilean student movement?

I think the first step is to look back and analyze that it isn’t necessary to repeat last year. We want to keep moving forward, but that doesn’t mean doing exactly what we did before. It means competing with last year, even. At the same time, we need to continue the will to keep moving forward and generate majorities. That’s really the main thing the Chilean movement has to do.

What were your impressions of the student movements you saw in Canada?

I think there’s an annoyance that has been building up slowly. It seems that this society wasn’t so interested [in the issue] but it has been receiving a lot of information. Seeds are definitely being sown and will give fruit when the time comes.

I thought they were quite different [from the Chilean movement].

Something that really surprised me was how structured the marches are.

Ballesteros addresses a crowd. (Carolina Millán Ronchetti / McGill Tribune) Everyone has similar signs, everyone is very organized. In Chile, it’s a lot more disorganized, a lot more Latin American. Of course, that has pros and cons. The pros are that each one goes to a protest to do what they want and represent what they think is important, of course respecting collective spaces. And this leads to a majority that identifies with the mobilization, this could be emulated in Quebec. Well, I don’t know if it would have the same results.

What would you tell students who have not yet taken a stance on education reform?

I would say that we have one opportunity in life. We are young

just once, we can be more rebellious just once, we can be more obstinate, and we dream more. I think we need to take advantage of that opportunity. Once, [former Chilean president] Salvador Allende said “to be young and not be a revolutionary is almost a biological contradiction.” I think that’s true. We may make mistakes, but it’s worst to feel that we had a chance to do something and did not, than to know one made a mistake.

Sometimes you have to make a gamble and try to build history.

—This interview has been compiled, condensed, and translated from Spanish by Carolina Millán Ronchetti

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Mod Squad meeting aims to represent “silent majority” Creators of “The James 6th Floor occupiers do NOT represent me” Facebook group hold first meeting Julia Chu Contributor On Thursday, Feb. 16, the ‘Mod Squad’ formally convened for its first meeting to discuss the need for moderation in the face of rising campus radicalism. A movement initiated through Facebook by Beni Fisch, McKenzie Kibler, Harmon Moon, and Brendan Steven, the Mod Squad aims to work towards the restoration of a non-confrontational, peaceable atmosphere on campus and in the student body.

“After the ‘We Are McGill’ event, we realised that these radical students were more organised and more willing to be more spectacular in what they were doing, and the people who disagreed with them weren’t organised enough. And that’s when we started planning,”

Moon said. “The James Building occupation sparked … massive support that we tapped into … This is the moment for the majority to stand up, and we’re riding the tiger on that and just not letting go.”

Many students voiced disagreement with the tactics of the recent occupation of the James Administration Building, which lasted from Feb. 7 until Feb. 11, and the ‘Mod Squad’ intends to lend a voice to what they call the “silent majority.”

A diverse number of students attended the meeting to express their dissent, including elected Arts Representative Isabelle Bi and former SSMU President Zach Newburgh.

“I think it’s quite disrespectful that some people are hijacking the institution that I am proud of,” Jesse Kuri, a U3 political science and economics student who attended the

meeting, said.

Introductory in nature, the meeting focused on defining in more explicit terms the direction of the organisation. Hoping to fundamentally differentiate themselves from the ‘Mob Squad,’ a student-run mobilization committee, the meeting discussed changing the organisation’s name to one that is more collaborative in nature than antagonising. It was continually stressed that it is not the motivation behind the ‘Mob Squad’ that’s considered misguided, but the tactics.

The ‘Mod Squad’ discussed a more long-term goal of establishing a platform for open and reasoned discussion in lieu of confrontational tactics.

“We have to focus on bringing back a sense of calm. A lot of what has been going on in February, espe-

cially what happened in November too, [has generated] a sense of hysteria … that this is Egypt, that this is the Arab Spring … that we have to bring down the administration. This [organisation] is acting as a counterforce to that,” Moon said.

After raising concerns about the way a “vocal minority” monopolises debate at General Assemblies, the meeting also focused on a more representative and less “co-optable” SSMU. “We want a more collaborative relationship with the administration … many people wouldn’t like occupiers to be on the SSMU council … Matthew Crawford [an occupier] is a senator on the front-line, representing the arts faculty, negotiating with the administration. Obviously this compromises his representative position,” Steven said.

Bi collected signatures for a referendum that asks that, in the instance that an elected representative violates the McGill Student Code of Conduct, their position in SSMU would automatically be forfeited.

Afterwards, the organisers expressed satisfaction with the meeting.

“I’m very happy with how this went. It was really good to get everyone in a room,” Moon said.

Attendees also expressed hope for what the movement could accomplish for the student body.

“I just hope that once we have this dialogue going, we can let the student body know what we stand for, and offer an aspect of truth, a perspective amidst everything that’s happened,” a student who wished to remain anonymous said.

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AUS Council votes against creation of strike committee Motion to take an official position against the tuition fee increases was also defeated Kyle Ng Contributor On Feb. 15, AUS council focused its discussion on issues revolving around the motion to create an AUS strike committee, and the accessible education motion for the AUS to take an official position against tuition increases. Although often close to losing quorum, the semester’s lengthiest council meeting resolved the debate with a majority voting in opposition to both the strike committee motion and the accessible education motion.

Those in favour of the motions sought to promote accessibility, to protect those who cannot afford higher education, and to counter the consumer ethos of the current state of education.

“I voted yes [to the creation of a strike committee] because I believe non-action on tuition hikes is synonymous with being pro-tuition hikes,” Hyun-Soo Lim, VP Internal for the African Studies Students’

Association, said. “I do believe these hikes may be that difference that prevents a willing student from pursuing higher education. While I know there are many on campus that won’t be as adversely affected by these hikes because they can afford it, we simply can’t ignore the grievances of a significant population who will be forced to give up education.”

Others sought to amend the motion for the strike committee, even though the original movers were not present, in the hope that a majority of councilors would vote in favour of it. Although a straw poll taken in the middle of an informal discussion session showed that a majority of councilors did not agree with the motion, councilors debated several amendments, including the creation of a fixed space for the committee and the creation of an anti-strike committee. Although the amendments did not enable the motions to pass, AUS President Jade Calver noted that the discussion process

matters most in order to defuse the tension on campus.

“With regards to the strike committee question, I felt that it was important to support arts students in their initiative, and that supporting the question would have helped to close the gap within the student body over the current tuition hike and strike debate,” Calver said of her ‘yes’ vote. “I hope that, even with all the tension on campus, students in the faculty of arts will be able to come together through constructive dialogue.”

However, those in opposition did not agree that these issues should be discussed indefinitely, especially issues such as the accessible education motion, which has been presented before in a similar form. Those in opposition said that students should realize that we need to play an equal part in providing for a world class education. While education should remain accessible, it should also not be unreasonably cheap, to the point of refusing indexing to inflation or

increasing funding to student aid.

“I have repeatedly mentioned in council, noting that we cannot beat this horse any deader than it already is,”` Michael Scwhartz, co-President of the Jewish Studies Students’ Association, said. “I am gratified to see that I am far from alone [in] my views. Many other councilors … have echoed my position, noting that while they do not like paying tuition fees they recognize that we students must be willing to pay [our] fair share to continue receiving the firstrate education for which McGill is justly renowned. Let’s also recall that 30 per cent of the proposed increases will go to student financial aid. I think that’s important to note.”

Other motions of note included a motion to create a new Arts Dry Frosh event next year. While the Dry Frosh motion is not binding on next year’s executive, Justin Fletcher, the proponent for the motion, hopes that it will inspire new leadership from next year`s executive to increase accessibility to underage participants.

(Sam Reynolds / McGill Tribune) “My vision is an event which anyone can attend—underage [or] of age,” Fletcher said. “I believe that AUS should take a leadership role among faculty associations in planning such an event. It sets up a framework for planning an event that is not exclusive based on age.”

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Event addresses McGill’s impact on environment Sustainability XChange session focuses on the university’s greenhouse gas emissions and ways to reduce them Jonny Newburgh Contributor On Feb. 16, McGill's Office of Sustainability held the third of four Sustainability XChange sessions, discussing the McGill community's impact on climate change and ways to reduce its overall carbon emissions.

Jerome Conraud, an Energy Manager at McGill, opened the session with a presentation on McGill University's level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the year 2010.

Currently, definitions of the scope of emissions are not finalized, and many categories of emissions are loosely defined, leaving room for interpretation. Conraud emphasized that his office is examining the process.

Conraud stressed that McGill's greatest burdens on the communityat-large are “scope one” emissions which include emissions from heating, ventillation and air-conditioning systems (HVAC), refrigerants, McGill-owned vehicles, and livestock. These emissions cause over three fourths of McGill's total emissions making them the most environmentally damaging.

“If [emissions are] “scope one,” then we are directly responsible, and

we should report on that,” Conraud said. “The goal is to show that we are a good part of the community.”

Emmanuelle Lapointe, a visiting faculty member with McGill's faculty of engineering's school of architecture, explained that McGill requires distributors of construction materials to make information about their impact available to McGill via the Internet. This measure increases accountability when planning campus-wide renovations or construction projects.

“All distributors of construction materials who provide to McGill ... can go on that website and input their products,” she said. “It gives us their environmental and health [risks].”

Lapointe added that McGill reuses as many materials as possible.

While various federal, provincial, and municipal governments require in-depth reviews of McGill's GHG emissions, the university has also cultivated ties with other schools in reporting to various environmental NGOs. Conraud added that he hopes to present a review— one more thorough and accessible than all others—for the McGill community.

Kathleen Ng, McGill's Environmental Officer, argued that the

(Victor Temprano / McGill Tribune) provincial government, which provides McGill with the majority of its funding, increasingly makes the job of the Office of Sustainability more difficult as McGill's environmental performance consistently exceeds provincial expectations.

“Because our operating budgets for electricity are given by the Ministry of Education, and we do not use all the money allocated, they cut our budgets,” Ng said.

In addition, while the university continually decreases its ecological footprint at a minimal cost, McGill has had to search for cheaper energy. A number of attendees raised

concerns after viewing Conraud's presentation over the sources of energy used by the university.

“Approximately 50 per cent of all the energy we consume [comes from] fossil fuels, and the answer [to why that is the case] is that it is cheaper … Some students were promoting carbon neutrality, but that would be expensive,” Conraud said. “McGill as an institution and a community needs to define what our goals are.”

Ng underlined the need for student intervention. McGill staff seek change in the McGill community, but students, she said, who carry the

most weight, rarely participate in discussions.

“We used to have a committee on the environment with students, staff, and faculty to brainstorm ways to keep the lines of communication open,” Ng said. “What we are interested in seeing is getting students engaged ... towards finding alternatives to what we already have.”

As the university's clients, she continued, students' suggestions and concerns often carry more weight on campus than those from staff and faculty.

“Sustainability is everyone's job,” Ng said.

opinion

Tribune The McGill

www.mcgilltribune.com

Editor-in-Chief Shannon Kimball editor@mcgilltribune.com Managing Editors Kyla Mandel kmandel@mcgilltribune.com Ryan Taylor rtaylor@mcgilltribune.com

editorial

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Picking up on the real prospects of picketing More than 65,000 students from CEGEPs and universities across Quebec are currently on strike in opposition to the Quebec government’s plans to raise tuition fees. Classes at the University of Montreal, BerriUQAM, and Laval have been cancelled. The key question is: should McGill join the strike?

The idea of a student strike is not without support. The Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) has recently amended their constitution to make it possible for the AUS to join the Coalition Large de l’Association pour une Solidarité Syndicale Étudiante (CLASSE), the union organizing the Quebec student strikes.

Similarly, the Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) will be voting on whether to set up a strike committee at an SUS General Assembly (GA) this Friday, March 3.

However, a strike is more unlikely than it would seem. Both societies need to call a strike General Assembly and reach a quorum of 150 people for the AUS and 500 people for the SUS in order for a strike to take place. And if reached­—an outcome which failed to happen at the AUS Winter GA­—there is a strong chance of three obstacles preventing

a successful strike at McGill.

The first: there will almost certainly be a lack of political impetus from the student population at large.

A quorum of 150 people would not necessarily represent an accurate sample of the student body’s opinion of the strike. Many who may not be attending the potential AUS or SUS GA strike vote will still be keen on attending class, working towards graduation, or hoping for their university semester to finish on time. Without a majority of students refraining from crossing the picket lines, the strike will come undone.

The second obstacle is even more critical: the administration is unlikely to recognise the strike in any way. Instead, class attendance will be insisted upon, pressuring students to continue to go class for fear of failure. Few will be prepared to risk their GPAs, especially considering that McGill has a large proportion of out-of-province and international students who pay much higher tuition already, and feel obliged to work hard to justify such a large investment.

The third obstacle is the fact that professors at McGill are not unionised, and therefore have no

legal protection if they choose to cancel their classes. Not only do they have a great deal to lose from cancelling their classes without the administration’s permission, but many professors would be reluctant to cancel classes they enjoy teaching. With the continuation of classes rather than their cancellation, the administration will be in a strong position to wait for the strikers’ resolve to fade.

The Tribune is skeptical that a successful strike at McGill is possible, and we believe therefore that McGill students should not join in the strike. This is not a call to apathy, but rather, the reasons for this stance lie in our problems with the strike’s timing, tactics, and strategy.

The timing is too close to midterms and finals, demanding sacrifices from many students who are trying to get the most out of the fees they have paid—either off their own backs, or on student loans—to study at McGill. The tactics are also too polarizing. An effective strike against rising tuition costs would demand wholehearted support. Students should not be categorized as defectors in support of raising tuition fees by merely attending a

lecture. This would be an unfair and alienating dichotomy a campus polarization that we should be seeking to close.

The strategy of the strike is too uncompromising. Instead of refusing to accept any rises whatsoever, the student movement should be more aware of the practical reality: rises in tuition costs are on their way. What is important now is making sure that what the government takes with one hand, it gives with the other. Put more clearly, the government may be granted the money, but only on a clear set of conditions.

These conditions should demand that the money is channelled directly back into improving the quality of teaching; that the government works to improve the accessibility of student loan funding; that universities increase funding pools for financial aid; that summer schooling programs are expanded; and that Quebec universities are compelled to create larger amounts of bursaries and scholarships for those less able to afford the fees. The best way to strike, the Tribune therefore suggests, is to strike a compromise.

The fate of these pages lies in your hands.

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columnists Oh, Canada?

Johanu Botha

jbotha@mcgilltribune.com

We don’t need to fight a 200-year-old battle to know who we are It is the year 1812. Yankee soldiers, some waving gigantic versions of the Red, White, and Blue, storm northwards under the auspices of a Greater Power. As a blazing sun sets on Upper and Lower Canada, budding Canadians everywhere yield to the call to keep their True North strong and free. They bravely escort Uncle Sam out of their back-

Abraham Moussako

amoussako@mcgilltribune.com

The view from Tuesday The danger of the anecdote

The anecdote has its place. It is sometimes the only way to illustrate stark, numbing statistics to a reader. The problem with the anecdote, however, is when it takes over from hard data and honest analysis.

In such cases, the anecdote becomes a pernicious a tool for lazy, deceptive, and distorting argument, on a par with any skewed statistic or appeal to fear.

Perhaps the most prevalent

yard, and chase him all the way to his, where they gloriously—but no doubt politely—burn down his White House. Once home, the Canucks tell America to go shove its Manifest Destiny, before settling down for an amiable game of Scrabble. And so, a nation is born.

Such myth making is an age old gimmick in the toolbox of nationalists, and unfortunately, it works pretty well. The kind of fervour that comes with a nationalistic sense of a collective purpose has inspired some of the most horrific feats of the 20th century. What makes this especially tragic is how blatantly paradoxical nationalist rhetoric is. Historian David Bell put it succinctly when he wrote that nationalism “makes political claims which take the nation’s

existence wholly for granted, yet it proposes programs which treat the nation as something yet unbuilt.”

It might be tempting for some Canadians to take this year, the 200- year anniversary of the War of 1812, as some sort of galvanizing historical event that should sprinkle the maple leaf with pride, and enhance Canadian identity. They will do well, however, to remember that this country is now made up of more than seven million first generation immigrants, people whose roots on this continent go back, at most, a couple of decades. Some of them have left states where the myth making in nation-building was rampant, and where the intolerance that comes with trying to constrain identities was a part of everyday life.

Canada’s history is a rich and exciting one to study, and certainly there are many moments of bravery and courage to celebrate. But do we need a war, one that was fought when a sizable chunk of current Canadian’s ancestors were making their lives overseas, to strengthen or define who Canadians are?

Choices are made when constructing identities; asking to take the War of 1812’s patriotic potential with a grain of salt is a realistic plea to find ourselves in some sort of objective reality. It is a demand to look at what constitutes Canada today, and that is a country of immense diversity.

A sizeable chunk of Canadians are new, and hail from far too varying histories to grasp onto 1812 as

an important marker. And ‘old’ Canadians appear to celebrate these varying histories as well. A recent Environics Institute survey suggests that most Canadians feel that recent immigrants are just as likely to be good citizens as people who were born here, and that most Canadians don’t have problems with multiple identities, as manifested through dual citizenships.

The same poll illuminates values that might indeed bind all Canadians together. Treating people equally, protecting the environment, voting in elections, and obeying Canada’s laws were among the top behaviors associated—by both ‘old’ and ‘new’ Canadians—with being a Canadian citizen. These are things we can all celebrate in 2012.

use of the anecdote in the public debate—at the expense of any sort of hard facts—is the nasty and acrimonious affirmative action debate.

In light of the U.S. Supreme Court deciding to revisit the issue, it is worth noting that the debate has been characterised as a dichotomy between “hard-working” white kids not getting into top universities because “less deserving” minorities were favoured by admission policy.

Looking at the issue through this lens favours the anecdote over the reality. It allows us to imagine this “victimized” kid instead of evaluating the bigger picture and evaluating the policy on its stated goals: is it correcting social inequities in education? If not, how can it be improved?

Is this a worthy goal? Is the problem it is supposed to correct real? These are the questions that need to be asked of affirmative action, not dis-

cussing the policy in terms of individual students.

Another realm in which the anecdote can wreak havoc on reasonable policy is government spending.

Spending pools like science or arts grants can easily be targeted. For example, an initiative spearheaded by the House Republicans after their election in 2010, fittingly called “YouCut,” sought to give voters the tools to dig through the morass of science projects to find grants deemed “wasteful”—namely projects in the social sciences, as part of an attempt to delegitimize the larger science funding scheme.

The problem is that by pinpointing a $750,000 grant being used to study a subject one does not immediately find useful does not imply that the entire grant system, or even the allocation of grants, is wasteful.

Even worse, politicians often use

such arguments about these grants to argue that cutting these programs will balance the budget. A familiar sight in these sort of crusades is an upstart congressman holding a press conference backed by an easel board with the titles of such projects (“$5,000 to study the mating habits of Chesapeake Bay Crabs”) to show a supposed need for toughness on government spending.

Staying on the subject of government spending, perhaps the most infamous example of the anecdote taking over the policy discussion is the “welfare queen.” Popularized by Ronald Reagan in the late seventies, the story spoke of a woman who had “80 names, 30 addresses, 12 Social Security cards … [and] income alone is over $150,000.” In the intervening decades since, there has been much handwringing among both academics and civil rights advocates

over whether this term played into white racial resentment of the poor (yes, in my view), but this story— apocryphal, as it turned out, demonstrates the problem with anecdotes.

Whether or not this supposed “welfare queen” existed doesn’t actually have any bearing on how much welfare one should benefit from, or how long one can stay on the system. Maybe the system did need reform. Maybe there should have been an even bigger benefit.

What made the “welfare queen” story so unconscionable, aside from the obvious race baiting, was the fact that it changed the terms of debate from whether it is economically efficient to whether there are people abusing the system. If there are people “abusing” the welfare system, this does not actually matter as long as the net economic effect is a positive one.

McGill, there are some stumbling blocks.

As we saw with the MUNACA strike, tensions arose between the

sented voting process which began the strike in August. Surely if the concerns raised at the AUS General Assembly are any indicator of these same trends, and thus future tensions, then the student strike movement is off to a shaky start.

I also fear that the divide already existing among students will widen if a portion of McGill students go on strike. It is important to remember that although Arts students would be on strike, other faculties would still be following through with their academic studies.

Resentment could brew between the studiers in the library and the drummers outside.

In addition, the timing is dreadful. Few graduating students will want to postpone their graduation date by a month or more. The term ‘unlimited’ is unsettling, and no student wishes to be in a state of limbo, unsure about when they will graduate. Furthermore, when appli-

cation deadlines for post-graduate programs are strict, postponing midterms, finals, and graduations could hinder opportunities. Also, any plans students may have already made— like internships, or summer jobs— which require them to have finished class by May will have to be altered.

And those students relying on summer classes remaining on schedule could also be adversely affected.

As students begin to recognise these practical realities, the strike will lose its numbers, and therefore its strength. I’m not arguing against fighting increases in tuition, but I am saying that better strategies are needed. Certainly, other techniques such as protests may not have been successful, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a strike turn the tables. A successful student movement takes careful organisation and strategy.

This means having a dedicated and fully informed student population behind it.

off the board Kyla Mandel Why I’m against an unlimited student strike

The proposal of an unlimited student strike by arts students is certainly cause for concern. On Jan. 31, the AUS General Assembly saw heated debate regarding the creation of an AUS strike committee. One of the biggest concerns raised was the issue of whether or not students actually want to go on strike.

As is the difficulty with all General Assemblies, with only two per cent of Arts students needed to reach quorum, it can be argued that only a minority of voices make an

appearance, and it therefore cannot accurately depict the entire student body’s opinion on the subject.

Another point is the issue of information. While I commend those in favour of an unlimited strike for their efforts in disseminating information, how are students supposed to understand the full picture when only one half of the information is being put out there? It seems the catch phrase of this semester is “creating a dialogue,” so I encourage everyone to do just that, by truly looking at both sides of the coin.

In my opinion, following through with an unlimited student strike this semester is a plan with many holes. McGill University has recently seen the end of MUNACA’s three month long strike, various occupations, riot police, and demonstrations. While some may argue that the widespread student activism of recent months gives momentum to the idea of a student strike at

“I’m not arguing against fighting increases in tuition, but I am saying that better strategies are needed.” opposing parties. Not only that, but there were members from MUNACA itself who voiced their opposition to the strike, citing misrepresentation of information from the union’s executives to its members as well as a flawed and underrepre-

Science & technology research

Genetic breakthrough made in childhood brain cancer

McGill scientists find two mutations in human histone H3 as molecular drivers behind development of Glioblastoma Lauren Mokry Contributor

Dr. Nada Jabado, an associate professor of pediatrics at McGill, recently led an international cohort of scientists in search of the genetic factors behind the onset of childhood brain cancer. The study, published in Nature, uncovered two important mutations that affect the regulation of the genome.

Glioblastoma multiforme, a type of brain tumor, is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in children. It is a feared diagnosis, as the vast majority of patients succumb to the disease within a few years despite intensive medical intervention.

“For these children, Glioblastoma is a death sentence,” Jabado said.

Jabado’s research strove to reveal the disease’s molecular agency and address the cancer’s unresponsiveness to conventional therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation.

Interestingly, the research identified mutation H3.3, a histone structure variant, as the molecular driver behind this form of brain cancer.

This mutation was initially striking to researchers due to the universal nature of the histone, which is conserved not only amongst humans but

DNA coiled around a nucleosome. (chemgapedia.de) also across a wide range of species.

Histones are a category of DNA-binding proteins that facilitate DNA compaction so that mass quantities of genetic information can fit

into each microscopic cell. Histones play a universal and essential role in gene regulation—the addition of a molecular tag to the histone tail can determine if a gene will be ex-

pressed or not.

The discovery of a cancer-causing mutation to a histone protein differs from the common consensus of what initiates the development of cancer. In the past, scientists believed that the source of the disease was a mutation to the underlying gene, not its epigenetic regulator.

Jabado’s research is also significant in that it illustrates how the characteristics of a cancer can vary between children and adults, even when the resulting tumours are indistinguishable.

“What we found was that there was a different molecular signature in children,” Jabado said. “In adult cancers, there are usually multiple drivers but in children there might be a single one.”

This research sheds light on the need for a more individualized approach to medicine; tumours in adults and children do not arise in the same way, and they should therefore not be treated in the same way.

Despite this genetic breakthrough, there is currently no viable treatment option that can specifically target these histone mutations.

Jabado hopes to take on that problem next, by lobbying for targeted therapies.

Even though there is no imme-

diate solution for the inherent genetic contribution to childhood brain cancer, the results of this study bring hope for the future. By deciphering the genome, the search for a cure is “not a blind process,” as Jabado explained.

“Genetics can identify the cause, which you can then act on,” she said.

Jabado predicts that the future of cancer therapy will be much more individualized, where each patient will receive a specific treatment program designed around two targetable mutant drivers. If this becomes reality, researchers believe that we will not only see better therapeutic results, but also a reduction in the number of wasted resources. Simply put, the information provided by our genome can transform the treatment of cancer into a much more efficient process.

In an era of skyrocketing medical costs, this could prove to be immensely beneficial to our health care system.

When asked how future scientists should approach big problems, Jabado urges McGill students “to stay curious, [for] what is true today, might not be true tomorrow.”

technology

Montreal-based firm unveils new crowdsourcing app

A potentially game-changing new application helps smartphone users interact with those in their immediate vicinity Anand Bery Science & Technology Editor Have you ever wondered what others around you in public spaces are thinking? Ever wanted to let fellow mall-goers know just how terrible you found a meal at the food court?

A Montreal-based startup has just launched an innovative new mobile application which hopes to forever change the face of social media.

Echoer, released last week as a free app for iPhone, aims to foster real-time, local conversation by channelling messages between users in the same location.

Users post thoughts, known as Echoes, which are then amplified, or made more popular, by other users.

This amplification makes the Echoes spread more rapidly.

Echoes are made more relevant through grouping within virtual geographically-oriented spaces known as echo chambers.

The app values relevance, in addition to popularity, in how it represents thoughts to users. The user interface is dynamic—echoes are presented visually as bubbles which change in size and move over the screen.

“Visualisation was key. Information seems to be presented now very much in streams,” Echoer cofounder Daniel Cowen said. “We wanted to bring it to life. We really wanted people to feel the thoughts around them. “ “And we wanted to key in relevance. We wanted you to be able to tell what mattered most to the people around you, not just what they were saying.”

Interaction between fans at sports events, concerts, and art exhibits will be some of the first promoted uses for the network. While at the stadium or in a museum, users enter the event’s echo chamber via the app on their smartphone and can instantly share their views on the

event in real-time.

In the coming weeks, Echoer will be working with the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts to encourage visitors to comment on the current Feininger exhibition.

The inspiration for the application came from the personal experiences of one of the project’s cofounders.

“You can be on Facebook, you can be on Twitter, and you can see what your friends and the people you follow are thinking, and yet we don’t know what the people in the same places as us are thinking at a given moment in time. We don’t know how they’re reacting to the same experience that we’re having.”

“It’s almost the irony [in] the world of social networking. We can know what people are doing every second of the day, and yet the people in the very same places as us we’re still kind of in the dark about what their views are or what issues matter to them most.”

Groups like bands, student unions, media outlets, and local businesses can set up their own echo chambers at their physical location on Echoer’s map to channel their fans’ and customers’ feedback.

Cowen envisages the app changing how we interact with those around us, even among those within the same broader community.

In the coming months, Cowen in his team will invite McGill students studying in the library to communicate silently with those around them during exam period. He feels that the combination of the stress of exam period, the need to procrastinate, and the app’s ability to help students break from the confines of the quiet space of the library will combine to give some interesting interactions between users.

“We thought the whole library twist was a really interesting one.

It’s one of those spaces where you’re not meant to speak, and you’re not really meant to be on your phone,”

Echo chambers are location-based groupings of users’ thoughts. (echoer.com) Cowen said. “We figured there would be some comedic thoughts going around the libraries during exam time.”

Curiosity delivers. |

SCIENCE & Technology

9

| Tuesday, February 28, 2012

campus

Online game gets real work done Phylo channels human problem solving to help sequence genes Farah Hanani Sam Contributor Completing a multiple sequence alignment—a way of arranging the sequences of DNA, RNA, or protein to identify regions of similarity—is an age-old problem in genetics. To tackle this task, two bioinformaticians at the McGill Centre of Informatics have employed a somewhat unconventional method. They decided to make an online puzzle game out of the sequencing problem and let players compete with each other on the web to produce better solutions.

That is how the Flash-based game called Phylo (short for phylogenetics) was born. Phylo is built upon the premise that the human brain is inherently light-years ahead of computers when it comes to color matching and visual pattern recognition.

Jérôme Waldispühl, a bioinformatics expert and one of the project leaders of Phylo, discussed the motivations behind the creation of the game.

“Humans are good at solving, and enjoy solving visual puzzles.

With the right setup, interface, and if the science of the game can be abstracted in a way that is fun enough, then anybody will want to play it,” Waldispühl said. “We [could then] have access to a huge number of people who can contribute to solutions that may be better than the existing solution.”

Producing such an alignment is traditionally done using a computationally complex heuristic algorithm, which does not guarantee an optimal solution. There is only so much the computer can quantify before it becomes prohibitively expensive to perform the computation.

This is due in part to the sheer size of the genome, which consists of roughly three billion base pairs.

In Phylo, instead of arranging

real nucleotides, players align four colourful blocks of squares—representing the four nucleotides of DNA—in a column to find the best alignment between snippets of DNA from two different species. Players compete against the computer, as well as others, to get the best possible score on each puzzle, with scores determined by how closely the coloured shapes are arranged. When a puzzle is solved, the information is analyzed and stored in the University of California, Santa Cruz’s genome browser, a database that catalogs the billions of stretches of genetic information and makes them available for scientists in the form of a usable visual digest.

Despite the amusing nature of the game, which is complete with a jazz soundtrack, project leaders insist that players solve real sequences and make legitimate contributions to science. All solutions contributed from players are useful data.

“When people play casual games like Tetris or Minesweeper, they are actually performing computations,” Waldispühl said. “However, after all that trouble of achieving efficiency and getting the highest score, nothing comes out of it [except] killed time. For us computer scientists, this is a waste. Phylo provides a good mechanism to ‘recycle’ the computations that are already made by the human brain, from being un-utilized into meaningful data.”

Optimal solutions to sequencing DNA can be pivotal to finding clues about diseases that are have some genetic basis, like breast cancer. According to Mathieu Blanchette, also a McGill bioinformatician and another Phylo project leader, mutations are common when sequencing DNA, but detecting which mutations are potential cursors of diseases requires looking at sequence alignments.

“One powerful way to determine whether a piece of human mu-

tation is relevant is by looking at the corresponding region in the genome of this species across evolution. Geneticists detect whether this type of mutation is well conserved or more variable across evolution in different species. Good alignment helps in this endeavor,” Blanchette said.

Since Phylo’s inception in November 2010, the results have been very positive to date. Blanchette pointed out that not only are the game’s solutions better than those returned by a computer, but they also give rise to a diverse set of solutions. At the very least, solved puzzles—even non-optimal ones— contribute to better initial data or a starting point that can be fed into a computer for further completion that may lead to better computations.

“We go back to the biologists and ask whether the solutions helps.

They have said solutions have been exponentially better,” Blanchette said.

Phylo is taking advantage of the Facebook and Google+ communities to help spread the word and promote the game. After all, taking on the sequencing of the human genome of three billion base pairs is no small feat. The project leaders have also completed a version that is available as an app on mobile phones and the iPad. In the future, the team is hoping to build a Phylo open source community at McGill and across the web, where individuals can help contribute to improving the game.

Waldispühl has always been driven by the idea of attempting to solve scientific problems by involving non-scientific communities.

“My dream is to build a dedicated community that is devoted to building casual games that not only solve biological problems but other suitable problems as well,” he said.

“I would like to see more games that are built and played to make a difference in this world.”

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Screenshot of Phylo, an online game which helps use human problem solving skills to sequence genes . (phylo.cs.mcgill.ca)

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Monkeys threaten crop production in Barbados

E

very two years McGill’s department of geography sends a group of McGill students on an environmental field

By Noah Caldwell-Rafferty

green monkey seems purely ecological and isolated from larger scale issues. But all things in Barbados are inherently linked, unable to escape the dynamic interconnectivity of an island so small. Rampant coastal development has displaced monkeys, forcing them into new areas and more confined spaces. The extremely adaptable green monkeys have wasted no time acclimating to new feeding grounds, which are almost exclusively farmers’ fields. Unequivocal government support for the expanding tourism industry has taken the policy spotlight away from agriculture, leaving small-scale farmers to their own devices as they struggle to endure both the rising cost of living and the loss of crops.

To witness the indirect hazards of development so far from its source—which is mainly the coastal zone, miles away from Mt. Hillaby—is to see the real product of a nation’s “progress,” as it is considered by those in power. Increasing human-wildlife conflict due to development leaves farmers economically vulnerable too. Direct loss of crops, time spent eradicating pests, and money spent on mitigation measures all add up to substantial economic dents in a small farm-

destroy his fruit and vegetable crops. Living next to a gully, he is especially vulnerable to the area’s high primate population, which can destroy up to 50 per cent of a plot’s planted vegetation.

Although the government offers one solution—a bounty of $15 for the tail of any unlucky monkey caught unaware by an embittered farmer—alternative methods of mitigating the problem are often employed.

For Reverend Ward, it’s an aloe and hot

study in Barbados.

Led by Professor Thom Meredith this year, 14 students touched down on Feb. 18 to spend reading week studying in the field, albeit on a tropical island known for its rum. As the week passed, the students donned the outfits of zealous environmentalists, eager to show the island their own brand of socially responsible stewardship.

I was part of a four-person subgroup which interviewed farmers about crop damage inflicted by the island’s most notorious pest—the green monkey—seeking a better understanding of the different obstacles facing farmers in Barbados. Driving through a narrow pass cut away from the surrounding coral limestone, our van bucked and whined, climbing the last hill before depositing us on the side of Mt. Hillaby, the highest point in Barbados. Dotted with tumbledown windmills and decrepit farmhouses, these hills used to be home to vast fields of sugar cane. However, the nation’s agricultural economy has recently been overtaken by tourism, signs of which we gratefully left behind us as we climbed higher away from the coast. Arriving in the village of Hillaby, we came at last to the land of the green monkey, a cunning invasive primate whose penchant for crop destruction we were researching.

The van came to a halt beside a threeacre field of cabbage, tomatoes, yams, and countless other crops winding their way up the steep slope of Mt. Hillaby. Eying us curiously, the plot’s farmer, Reverend Ward, approached and beckoned us along to tour his land. Like other farmers in the area, the Reverend battles every day with green monkeys, which indiscriminately eat and

“Increasing hu-

man-wildlife

con-

flict due to develop-

ment leaves famers economically nerable too”

vul-

pepper spray which deters the pests. For other farmers and gardeners we met later on, the methods were often more elaborate or more gruesome: guard dogs which will attack the aggressive monkeys found in each roving group; home-made and improvised traps; and, in one instance, stringing up a dead monkey’s body to caution any future intruders.

At first glance, the problem of the

(Noah Caldwell-Rafferty / McGill Tribune)

“Rampant coast-

al development had

displaced monkeys, forcing them into new areas” (travelpod.com) (inspiritmagazine.net)

(Noah Caldwell-Rafferty / McGill Tribune)

er’s operation. This further hinders the island’s ability to maintain diverse sources of livelihood and avoid becoming solely a service-based tourism economy.

Needing only slight coaxing to speak with us—being the untanned out-of-place academics that we were—the locals all chatted freely about the unabated destruction at the hands of the green monkey. One pair of colourful characters, whose language regarding the pest was unpublishable to say the least, produced for us a writhing, panicked young monkey which had been caught recently. Holding it firmly around the neck and tail, the taller one explained the animal’s prospects: death, which would reward its captor with the government bounty; being sold to the Barbados Wildlife Reserve for $50; or being sold at a higher rate privately, prolonging the miserable creature’s imprisonment. The proud holder said he had yet to make up his mind.

Demonstrating the peculiarities which ecological and economic change can produce, the two Barbadians summed up their view on the green monkey: “I love them, they make me money,” the captor said gleefully. “I hate them,” the other scoffed back, “they cost me money.”

Two years ago he had lost his farm partly due to the monkeys’ unbridled devastation of crops.

Fleeing the afternoon heat, our four-person research team piled into a rickety yellow bus, packed in like ruddy sweating sardines, and headed for the capital, Bridgetown. Reaching downtown, we walked on to Queen’s Park, where the country’s prime-time weekend event, Agrofest, was being held. Horticulturalists, livestock raisers, small farmers, government ministries, and the public all swarmed the park, perusing exhibits or purchasing plants and other amenities. Scanning the crowd of thousands, I found it hard to believe Barbadian agriculture had any problems whatsoever. Of course, the problems are myriad, and the green monkey is just one. But the interest at Agrofest showed the brave stubbornness of a people whose history was built upon agriculture—a sentiment echoed by a smiling plant nursery owner who told us, “In some ways it is worse than ever. But we’ll stay on top of it, each and every day, just like we always have.”

Student living fashion

odds and ends

Three Friperies to keep your closet happy

Pro tips for the average McGill scholar heading into exam season

Hidden fashion gems How to study smart, not hard Grace Grosvenor Contributor

T

his week, faced with the prospect of a ‘clothes swap’ a friend was organizing, I decided to confront my problem with clothes. You see, I have a shopping disorder. I behave in a sensible and frugal fashion until I feel suitably deprived, which usually takes a little under a week, give or take.

Most Saturdays, this deprivation, in conjunction with a hangover and the perpetual guy troubles, flips the switch that sends me into a self-pity fuelled shopping tailspin. One such weekend saw me slinking back up the stairs to my apartment, laden with bags knowing full well the inevitable embarrassment that waited for me upstairs in the form of my roommate-come-sensible-motherfigure, who would undoubtedly chastise me for being so frivolous, I had a reality check. I needed to look for a more rational way to clothe myself.

The clothes swap seemed to be just what the doctor ordered, minus the fact that it meant I actually had to give away my clothes. Crouched on the floor sifting through my garments, I just couldn’t bring myself to part with any of them. The crop tops that remains laughably unsuitable for this climate brought back romanticized memories of summer bonfires and heavenly vacations.

Even my collection of oversized Pretenders t-shirts and bootleg jeans were just too entangled with my utopian teenage past that, in defeat, I decided to just try again next time.

With the failure of that plan, I decided to peruse some friperies as a study break. Aside from the sullen faced shop assistant shooting me judgmental glares for not being hipster enough (there was one in every place I went), I managed to find some gorgeous bits and pieces.

Friperie St. Laurent, on the corner of St. Laurent and Duluth, was a little pricey, but I managed to pick up some kitschy coasters.

I ventured down to Eva B on lower St. Laurent, which I have always walked past and dismissed as a decidedly dubious-looking costume shop or haunted house. I entered with my preconceptions and was pleasantly surprised despite them.

I was offered a tea and left to putter around. There was so much stuff.

I was very much intrigued by the clothes pit, an intimidating pile of clothes which could only be tackled by removing one’s shoes and being launched in. While this was fun, as I was suspended in the massive heap of fabric, the paranoid part of my brain did start to remind me of the insects, fungus, and dust probably hidden within. That said, I still found a sweatshirt in there that I couldn’t be without.

I then visited Friperie Kilo, on St. Laurent and Pins, which had an equally unique premise: you buy clothes by weight. This friperie was very reasonably priced and is doing very great business since opening last year, making it well worth a look. The staff was friendly, and ready to help you sift through some of the more outrageous garments.

On my way back, plastic handles digging into my mittens, I felt content after my afternoon study break. I proudly displayed my newly-procured goods to my roommates instead of covertly smuggling them into my room, something that I haven’t done in a while. Knowing that these pieces had memories attached to them just like my Pretenders t-shirts and knowing that I dug around in that clothes pit added another dimension of appreciation, which made me feel even more satisfied than my average shopping trip.

Interested in life on campus?

Write for Student Living! features@ mcgilltribune.com

Marri Knadle Copy Editor It’s a busy, hectic time of year.

Exams are breathing down your neck, and papers and reading are piling up impossibly in your planner and on the floor of your apartment.

During this last push, it’s critical to make sure your study environment and habits are helping you instead of hindering your success. Implementing a few organizational and atmospheric changes now may seem like just another chore crammed into an overloaded day, but it’s actually a great way to breathe fresh air back into your study routine, providing a burst of new found motivation when the going’s gotten rough.

You do have a planner, don’t you? A major source of procrastination comes from feeling overwhelmed, which comes from losing track of short- and long-term tasks.

A planner can give you a sense of temporal perspective, helping you determine when you have windows of time for play rather than work.

Experiment and determine whether you prefer an app on your smartphone, a plain or lined Moleskine, a day-by-day agenda, or some combination thereof.

In order to feel like working, your workspace needs to be inviting. I convinced myself that I was content to work in organized chaos,

but after trying out the tidy side, I’m never going back. A clutter-free surface for your notebooks and/or your laptop is a must, followed by a comfortable upright chair (definitely not a bed or a sofa) and a window view or at least a poster you like, for resting your eyes when you’re in the zone. If you have the means, some accordion file-folders or decorative cardboard boxes for overflow papers and returned assignments will help keep the surface clear.

If you find that you’re still having difficulty settling in to study or write that essay, evaluate your prework ritual. It’s tempting to work from the comfort of your own room, where there’s limitless access to snacks and you don’t have to change out of your pyjamas to tear through an assignment on Sunday. But by making study into a kind of work by getting dressed and even going out to a coffee shop or library, you cue your brain into recognizing that it’s work time, not relaxing time.

To prevent the days from blending together into a hopeless sea of unfinished tasks, keep a work log. This will make it easier for you to hold yourself accountable when you’ve gone a week without studying, but it will also make it easier for you to celebrate your successes.

More importantly, as you continue your education, you’ll gain a sense of how long certain tasks actually

take, and this will help you plan your time in the future.

If you still find your brain digging in its hooves and refusing to budge, use a little carrot-and-stick psychology. Tempt yourself to work hard with a reward that’s proportionate to the task (and your budget). For getting a good grade on a big essay, treat yourself to a concert or an evening in with friends. For mediumeffort assignments, a meal out or a piece of clothing will suffice to light the fire. If even little things are slipping by unaddressed, appeal to your sweet tooth or your love of stamps (whatever works for you) to pull you through. Make sure there’s also a stick to push you from behind; not only will you not buy yourself that concert ticket if those ten thousand words aren’t written, but you’ll have to opt out of some plans you already made for the weekend.

Finally, be honest and gentle with yourself about what works for you and what doesn’t. Working habits often take years to iron out in the changeable, temptation-filled university environment. Just do your best, and keep your mind attuned to winning strategies and old habits that don’t serve you well.

Now, if I could only practice what I preach.

Hours:

Monday-Friday: 10:00am - 4:30pm Contact Us:

Phone: 514-398-2087 3511 Peel, inside the Student Health Clinic, follow the footprints.

The Shag Shop is your on-campus safer sex boutique. We sell condoms, lubes and other safer sex products at rock-bottom prices. We also sell alternative menstrual products, massage products, non-hormonal contraceptive methods, books and more.

For more information on our products, visit our website at www.mcgill.ca/studenthealth/boutique/ The Shag Shop is your place on campus to get info on sexual health - contraception, STIs and safer sex. Stop by to have your questions answered by one of our staff.

Curiosity delivers. |

Student Living

| Tuesday, February 28, 2012

13

Bar Review

Take the bull by the horns at Chez Serge

Whimsical drinks and an old-school feel make for a great night out at this St. Laurent staple Jacqui Galbraith Features Editor

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here in Montreal can you find the obscure combination of drinks served in sand pails, ‘90s rock music, and a mechanical bull? If the answer isn’t obvious, let me tell you about the existence of the charming little establishment known as Chez Serge. For those who are unfamiliar with its name, it is widely known as “the bar with the mechanical bull”.

For some, that is reason enough for a visit. But if you need some more convincing, consider the above statement about the sand pails.

Chez Serge serves just about everything, but the highlight of the menu are the six ounce mixed drinks served in buckets with multiple straws. They’re perfect for sharing with a friend or two (or, if you’re feeling ambitious, you can enjoy one to yourself). They come in a wide variety of alcoholic combinations, with delightfully inappropriate names like “the Orgy” (think more kinds of alcohol than a Long

Island Iced Tea).

But the main attraction is, of course, the mechanical bull. Chez Serge is one of the few places in Montreal that offers bull riding.

While it’s completely acceptable to go to Chez Serge for other reasons (they host a mean Habs game), the appeal for many is the chance to get up in front of a crowd of strangers and try something new. It’s the same basic idea behind karaoke, just slightly more country. For the price of one drink, you can get in touch with your inner cowboy/cowgirl.

And, if you’re not sure you’re up for it, mechanical bull riding makes for a great spectator sport.

It took me a trip or two to Chez Serge before I could work up the nerve to try it, but I still had a blast cheering my friends on and watching everyone give it a shot. For a pretty repetitive pastime, it somehow never gets boring watching person after person get thrown onto the inflatable mat, and sometimes, you’ll get the occasional bar patron who doesn’t know which end of the

bull is up. Should you decide to go for it, just remember: one hand only, and prepare yourself for some bruises the next morning, and maybe a few embarrassing photos. For those patrons who are feeling particularly adventurous, the bar also comes equipped with a few poles, should the urge for a coyote ugly moment arise.

Chez Serge’s music ranges from current club hits to classic M.J. to ‘90s gems from Blink 182 and Bloodhound Gang. Despite the DJ’s somewhat eclectic taste, the atmosphere remains a unique marriage of rowdy energy and laid-back comfort, without one overpowering the other, which works for whatever kind of night you have in mind. One gets the sense that you can get exactly what you need at Chez Serge, be it a hockey game with the guys, a wild night out with the girls, or just a relaxed drink with an old friend.

Chez Serge boasts $3 coat check and no cover, it’s one of a precious few themed bars in Montreal owned by Paul Branco, the master-

odds and ends

Thinking of an animal house?

What to consider when searching for a cuddly little sidekick Kyla Mandel Managing Editor We’ve all been there, standing in front of the pet store, staring at those tiny balls of fur we call kittens, watching them roll about, or at the SPCA staring into the eyes of a puppy that’s begging you to take him home. But, as a student who’s low on cash and has a fussy landlord, having a pet isn’t always the easiest option.

This realization didn’t come to me as I was buying dog food, cat food, and cat litter, both pricey and heavy purchases for my own pets. No, it came while on the bus listening to a girl arguing with her friend about why she shouldn’t buy a pig. Some of the most entertaining comments included “How will you sound looking for an apartment when you say ‘I have two dogs and a pig?’” and “Pigs don’t move like cats, and do you know how much they smell? You can’t just make them use a litter box.”

And, while I am certainly a victim of the teacup pig craze, having Googled pictures one or 12 times, I stifled my laugh and got to thinking about the practicality of own-

ing pets. For those of you who have roommates who may seem more pig-like than human, you probably aren’t tempted to go out and purchase a puppy on a whim. But for those of you entertaining the thought of getting a pet to keep you company on those late study nights, here are some things to consider.

The first obvious hurdle is money. Not only do you have to buy the animal and any accessories they need such as cages, collars, or food, but you also need to get them fixed and be able to pay for any unforeseen, and potentially expensive, vet bills that may arise in the future.

One way around this can be striking a deal with your parents and sharing the costs. Another option is to buy a less cash-intensive pet.

I’m not suggesting you must go out and buy a fish, who offers virtually no more affection than a marble, but perhaps something like a guinea pig or hamster is better. Since it’s hard to see too far into the future, it’s important to consider the lifespan of the animal. Blunt, I know, but when you don’t know where you’ll be in two years—be it a semester abroad or pursuing a master’s program or new job in a foreign country—it’s

important to consider the weight a pet might put on your decisions.

Finally, make sure you have the time to devote to your new pet.

Dogs require walking and cats require clean litter boxes. Baby animals are always tempting and seem like they’ll give you endless hours of entertainment. And they will. The toughest phase is when the routine of caring for them seems to eat into your free time. But once you manage to move past that and realize the value of their companionship, you’ll never look back. Just be sure you won’t be tempted to sell your pet to someone else or bring it to the SPCA when it feels like too much work.

And so, while money might feel like the biggest issue at the beginning, the commitment might prove the toughest hurdle in the long run.

But if none of this has scared you off and a fuzzy little friend is just what the doctor ordered, then go forth and pour your love into those big, beautiful eyes. Check the classifieds and the SPCA first for animals in need and avoid pet stores that rely on puppy mills. Next step: choosing a name and potty training.

Check out the main attraction at Chez Serge. (twimg.com) mind behind Candi Bar and Gogo Lounge. So do yourself a favour and check out Chez Serge, if only to see

for yourself that there are, in fact, portions of the walls covered with what, as far as I can tell, is Astroturf.

arts & entertainment music

DJ ascends to the throne of popular music Steve Aoki understands electronic music’s growing appeal to university audiences Nick Petrillo A&E Editor Electronic music has always maintained a modest yet comfortable position in mainstream music’s landscape, but the recent explosion of electronic’s various subgenres— particularly house, dubstep, and breakbeat—has turned what was once a novelty into music that is now viewed, alongside pop, as pure social necessity. To what (or whom) does electronic music owe its newfound mainstream success? If live performances explain the genre’s recent surge in popularity, then Steve Aoki has assumed the status of de facto leader, whether he realizes it or not.

“Being able to showcase our live show to all these people is … really fucking awesome,” Aoki says.

“We’ve done 36 shows so far, and we’ve only had two days off.”

The electronic genre’s new reputation comes in part from the artists’ willingness to put on grandiose live performances and festivals, many of which are capable of selling out entire arenas. Since the typical fan’s attendance usually goes hand in hand with a mixture of alcohol and recreational drugs, it’s no surprise that styles like house and dubstep appeal mainly to younger audiences who find themselves increasingly intrigued by the abrasive DJ lifestyle. The university demographic has shown its willingness to invest in household sound systems, turntables, and mixing equipment all in an attempt to replicate the intense

Aoki stands at the forefront of electronic music’s popular appeal. (Dove Shore) audio and visual stimuli of these concerts. It might be easy to scoff at these ham-handed ventures, but for Aoki, it’s an enormous compliment.

“When I got into punk and hardcore at 13, the first thing I did was shave my head. I was going to hardcore shows; it was my life. So when kids discover something that’s so exciting that it becomes their lifestyle, [it’s] going to change who they are.”

Aoki isn’t repulsed by his awkward teenage years either. In fact, he considers it a stepping-stone in his musical career. By age 19, he

had already established his multigenre label Dim Mak Records, which currently manages alternative contemporaries like Dada Life, MSTRKRFT, and the Bloody Beetroots. He even acknowledges that completely embracing his favourite music was the impetus behind Dim Mak’s founding.

“It was the hardcore lifestyle,” Aoki says. “And that [was what] emboldened the spirit of starting a label.”

Just 10 years after founding Dim Mak, Aoki’s presence would gain traction in the Los Angeles

electronic scene, and would eventually come to dominate much of the culture of dance music.

Despite this, there still remains the question of electronic music’s longevity. While house and dubstep are a serious presence in modern music, who’s to say that these subgenres won’t be just as vulnerable to death by over-exposure, or won’t succumb to the finicky and everchanging tastes of audiences around the world? If fans continue to show dissatisfaction or disinterest toward popular music’s status quo, these concerns might not even matter.

“There’s no more music on TV, the radio’s playing the same 20 recycled songs, people are discovering on their own,” Aoki says. “That’s why the underground is just getting bigger and bigger.”

The release of Wonderland, Aoki’s first album, seems to confirm that electronic music’s ascendancy is legitimate. In a genre where DJs and performers are known only by remixes and singles, Aoki’s decision to release an entire album of material is a venture into uncharted territory.

“DJs are defined by songs; bands and hip-hop artists are defined by albums,” Aoki says. “The top 10 DJs in the world don’t even release albums.”

In today’s musical climate, where album sales are quickly eroding in favour of 99 cent digital downloads, his release is a foray that is uncharacteristic of house music.

Aoki defends the perseverance of electronic music not just on the shortcomings of pop, but on the public’s insatiable appetite for discovering unique, good music. His attitude might seem flippant, but the faith he holds in electronic music is thoroughly sincere. And if the impact he’s had upon college campuses is any indication, Aoki has plenty of reason to believe that electronic music isn’t just supplementing popular music—it is popular music.

Steve Aoki plays Metropolis (59 Ste. Catherine St. E.) this Saturday at 9 p.m. Tickets start at $42.

literature

Tackling the health issues of the developing world

Doctors Peter A. Singer and Abdallah Daar argue for genetic engineering in The Grandest Challenge Akiva Toren Contributor Written in an extraordinarily accessible and infectiously optimistic style, The Grandest Challenge: Taking Lifesaving Science from Lab to Village argues for the advancement of biotechnology, specifically genetic engineering, in order to solve the plethora of health issues that plague the developing world.

Echoing the sentiments of recent years, Dr. Peter A. Singer and Dr. Abdallah Daar argue that the incredible gap in health between rich and poor nations needn’t be so vast; science can help.

The authors touch upon the many issues surrounding such an aspiration, including scientific re-

search, ethical and social obstacles, and the necessity of creating a sustainable infrastructure for research in developing countries.

Daar and Singer take the reader through a global tour of incredible advancements and obstacles, from the innovative creation of insecticide-infused bed nets to protect children from malarial mosquitoes in Tanzania, to the cheap, locally developed hepatitis B vaccine in India.

They introduce dozens of prominent and charming personalities from all over the world. Rather than a mishmash of information and scientific ideas, the book reads like a story, highlighting Daar’s and Singer’s scientific, social, and political discoveries.

At first it seems that infectious

diseases pose the greatest threats; malaria and AIDS account for millions of deaths each year. One is almost dizzied, maybe even numbed, by the unfathomable statistics presented in this book. For example, malaria kills a child every three seconds, on average.

However, the authors also reveal that non-communicable diseases pose just as great a threat to health in the developing world. Urbanization is accelerating around the world, resulting in both shorter commutes and easier access to cheap, sugary foods. Thus, in sub-Saharan Africa, both heart failure and malnutrition are pressing issues. The primary concerns surrounding global health not only touch upon scientific research, but also upon political and

social behavior and education.

Those interested in philosophy will find the ethical issues particularly interesting. They discuss the critical issue of community engagement, retelling the controversy surrounding Gilead Sciences, a Californian pharmaceutical company which tested a new drug on sex workers in Bangkok infected with HIV without the consent of the community or city.

Furthermore, there is a prominent suspicion of genetically modified foods in Western Europe—a distruct that the authors aim to battle. They provide numerous positive arguments for scientific research and innovation, providing example after example of scientific success.

However, they rarely address argu-

ments of those they call, somewhat condescendingly, “the activists,” instead treating them with a blatantly dismissive attitude. For example, many oppose genetic modification because the ecological consequences are unforeseeable. Though Daar and Singer persuasively argue for genetically modified foods, more time directly addressing its critics would have been appreciated.

The book is thought provoking, expansive, and incredibly informative, whether one is interested in politics, science, ethics, or business.

As the innovation gap continues to grow between the West and the rest, the topic is becoming increasingly important.

Curiosity delivers. |

Arts & Entertainment

| Tuesday, February 28, 2012

15

music

Plants and Animals take their time

With The End of That, Montreal indie-rockers discover humour in personal crises Alex Knoll Contributor Montreal has become recognized for producing some of the best musicians of the past decade, and Plants and Animals is certainly no exception. The band’s first fulllength album, Parc Avenue, was shortlisted for the 2008 Polaris Music Prize and nominated for two Junos in 2009. Not bad, right? It’s also not too surprising; their selfdescribed “post-classic rock” sound is unique and conducive to whatever mood you’re in.

What started as a purely instrumental project blossomed into a collaboration that utilized the vocals of all three band members. Initially, the band enjoyed playing and producing improvised 15-minute sets, but eventually felt their music needed something more.

“Those were the early days of Plants and Animals,” drummer and singer Matthew Woodley says. “It happened gradually. It started with all three of us singing ‘oohs and aahs’ and kind of using our voices as instruments, and then it just grew more into lyrics.”

The stylistic switch paid off.

After six years of playing in bars around Montreal, Parc Avenue caught the ears of some high-profile

musicians, and Plants and Animals were invited to open for the likes of Gnarls Barkley, Broken Bells, and the National, propelling them to headlining their own gigs throughout North America and Europe.

“It sort of happened over time … enough time [passed] that we could adjust … it was really exciting to feel like now we’re one of the bands in the world! In a small way, but in a way that we can tour and draw people to come see us in other cities and not just our group of extended friends in our own city,” Woodley says. “It’s exciting; it’s what we wanted. We wanted to be able to make a life out of playing music the way that we like to.”

Following Parc Avenue, the band jumped back into studio and made 2010’s slightly darker La La Land. Once again they toured internationally, this time hitting up many major music festivals around the world.

Two years later, the band has finished The End of That. After recording their previous album in a rush, the band found it refreshing to have more time and energy to invest in writing and recording.

“We spent a bit more time developing this album. We tried to get the songs shaped really as final products before we went in and recorded

Plants and Animals’ third album finds middle ground between light and dark. (secretcityrecords.com) them, and we were successful in a lot of ways doing that,” Woodley says.

While The End of That may appear to be an even darker release than La La Land, this wasn’t the band’s intention.

“We didn’t create the music with too much heaviness; a lot of it was done genuinely, with a smile,” Woodley explains. “I find the music on The End of That to be a little bit lighter.”

“We’re talking about ‘the end of something’ and crises and life

changes but it’s with a lot of humour, and it’s with kind of a feeling of celebration, and that’s the way we approached it.”

This tongue-in-cheek cynicism shows in the lyrics. On “Crisis,” lead singer Warren Spicer joyfully speaks about everyone around him getting married and being in different places in life, singing, “I thought there would be time to make arrangements and adjust to the existential crisis that now secretly controls us.”

In fact, much of the album is influenced strongly by the events

of Spicer’s life over the past couple years, adding an element of heartfelt authenticity to the album.

Still, the band is looking forward. “2010 is over,” sings Spicer on the track of the same name, but three albums in, Plants and Animals are just beginning. The End of That could be the start of something better.

The End of That is out today (Feb. 28) on Secret City Records.

The band plays Cabaret Mile-End on March 10. Tickets are $17.

film

Ghost Rider sequel crashes and burns in stunning 3D Nicolas Cage returns for more substandard superhero fare Chris Liu Contributor There are some films which one enters with such low expectations that, by the grace of Providence, the movie manages to just barely surpass them. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance is one such case. Like a resuscitated drowning victim, the few elements of the film that worked coughed and sputtered along, allowing the enterprise to gasp desperately for air until the guillotine sweep of the credits could end its misery.

These few elements were more or less actor Idris Elba and the landscape of Eastern Europe. Everything and everyone else was dead weight.

Don’t worry if you managed to duck the first movie; the origin story of Ghost Rider is summarized here in a scant 60 seconds: motorcycle stunt driver Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage) makes a deal with the Devil and becomes possessed by a titular demon. Now years later, Blaze is hiding away from the light of day

in the industrial ruins of Eastern Europe until contacted by gun-toting priest Moreau (Idris Elba), who asks him to rescue—what else?—a demonic child.

And so Blaze rides along, through sets that combine the barren beauty of the land with an industrial/medieval grunge aesthetic, lovely locales that are unfortunately considerably dimmed due to the 3D glasses. In this way, the release of this film in 3D was a clear case of shooting oneself in the foot.

Blaze turns into Ghost Rider when “evil is near,” but is exceedingly disappointing. Besides invulnerability, one of the two principal superpowers of Ghost Rider is sending out chains that burn its targets to ash upon contact. Cool in theory, but in practice, there is little pleasure to be derived from watching CGI-Cage stand in one place, playing a brief game of demonic S&M with the bad guys laid out in a semi-circle before him. Fortunately, Ghost Rider’s other power—to appropriate and

possess machinery—was put to better use; the scene in which a gigantic flaming gear roars up then crashes down upon its victims was likely the most enjoyable “action” moment of the film.

The somewhat lack of imagination with which superpowers are treated here reflect the deeper, fundamental problem of the script.

Generally, those which are collaborations of three (or more, dear God) writers are weak, and two of the three who produced this screenplay have only mainly worked in television. It should perhaps surprise no one, then, that their product is rife with unabashedly cheesy dialogue, moral discussions of the kindergarten variety, incoherent character relationships, and not one but two deus ex machina.

Yet the biggest problem of the film may be the star himself, Nicolas Cage. Unlike Idris Elba—who jovially makes the best out of a bad script situation, including tackling some stereotypes that randomly appear in

Ghost Rider offers another dose of Cage Rage. (filmbuffonline.com) the final act—Cage seems to revel in the awfulness. His performance cannot be termed “colourful,” since the awkward mid-sentence pauses and the high-pitched kookaburra laughter have become such a Nic Cage staple by now that it is merely different shades of the same-old grey.

More applicable adjectives include “tired,” “schizophrenic,” and “sad.”

As a result, those same adjec-

tives apply more or less to the piece as a whole. A film is truly in dire straits when the rock formations in the background are more interesting than the story acted out in the fore.

The unfortunate individuals who find themselves watching Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance would be wise to not expect more than a mediocre product.

16

Tuesday, February 28, 2012 |

Arts & Entertainment

| Curiosity delivers.

film

A Separation stands alone Film strikes an emotional chord with a look at modern day Iran Ilia Blinderman Contributor Oscar-winning A Separation is a movie that discreetly avoids the inveterate handicap plaguing largescale commercial films. While Hollywood blockbusters typically attempt to tell cinematic epics scaled to Homeric proportions, they falter when sincere subject matter is lost amidst the one-upsmanship clashes between special effects, sentimentality, or the primordial intensity of the leads. I don’t bemoan the lost days of artistry in cinema, but merely note that most films communicate with us through a rudimentary vernacular of plot and visual elements.

This approach necessitates that movies be neutered of the simplest and most candid events with which viewers can identify. Although there are on-screen attributes and acts which ignite in us a backyardfireworks sort of excitement, there is rarely a consistent emotion or idea we can relate to. If something man-

Album R eview

Girls’ Generation: The Boys The first North American album release by Korean dancepop group Girls’ Generation (or SNSD), The Boys caps off SNSD’s five-year rise to stardom since their Korean debut in 2007, landing them a label spot with Universal—home to Lady Gaga and Eminem.

The titular track is the album’s flagship, and the song that SNSD is performing in high places like Jimmy Kimmel Live, but it’s one of the weakest songs SNSD has

ages to rise above the fray in these films, it seems to me to stem from the supporting talent and the wings rather than the leads.

By comparison, A Separation is surprisingly refreshing. Asghar Harhadi, who wrote and directed the film, tells the story of a middle-class family’s dynamic thrown asunder by an opportunity to leave Iran. While Simin (Leila Hatami), the mother of the family, is insistent on using this chance to give their teenage daughter a more promising future, her husband, Nader (Peyman Maadi), refuses to abandon his decrepit father, who requires constant attention. The discord leads Simin to leave her husband, and Nader is forced to hire a pregnant woman as his father’s ward, whom he physically throws out due to negligence. The bulk of the film plays out after she miscarries and Nader is charged with the murder of the unborn child, with Harhadi clearly interested not in the antecedents, but in the trial and the reactions it elicits. offered in a long time. One can’t help but wonder if the attempt to appeal to a North American audience will negatively shape SNSD’s music henceforth. The Boys suffers from choppiness, a flat chorus, and lacklustre lyrics in both English and Korean. Rapping is not SNSD’s strength, and it falls to two of the nine members (Hyoyeon and Sooyoung) to try and pull it off.

“Trick” and “Oscar” carry the album, showcasing SNSD’s talent and their gradual move towards a powerful, mature pop sound. They accomplish the sound well, and one wishes more of the album were like these tracks. Lead singer Taeyon’s vocal dexterity is out in full force with high notes in “Oscar,” and the other eight girls find moments to shine in its low pulse. The inescapable, put-it-on-loop “Trick” is a song that’s built to buoy SNSD’s renowned choreography while it dominates your playlist.

Follow us on Twitter @mcgill_tribune

—Marri Lynn Knadle

The film’s singular strength is its distaste for grandiosity. Whether this modesty stems from the Iranian cinematic tradition, the script, or the direction is uncertain. I am, however, averse to the “foreign cinema is art” trope, and believe that credit is due to Harhadi. The film is a testament to the impressive effect that abstemious storytelling can have when combined with a calm portrayal of events.

Despite my enjoyment of A Separation, one can’t help but suspect that some of the characters were simple cutouts. Harhadi uses his actors as one-dimensional tools to depict modern Iran’s mix of secularism and religion amidst unfortunate happenstance. Nader, despite being accused of murder, never raises his voice above the volume typical to the retelling of any dinner party anecdote. His daughter, too, is somewhat insipid throughout the whole ordeal. It is regrettable that Harhadi focused on the circumstances within the script so pedantically while at-

A Separation wins Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. (metropolefilms.com) tempting to tell his story, and that he did not see fit to (or perhaps could not) hone these performance mainstays. If you can keep yourself from paying attention to this, the film is much more enjoyable.

Considering the surfeit of pre-

tentiousness in a good deal of today’s films, A Separation is worth seeing. Even if you pledge allegiance to more traditional Western fare, it’s always nice to cleanse the palate.

Write for A&E! Meetings Tuesdays @ 5:30 in Shatner 110

SPORTS

HOCKEY — Redmen win OUA East Semi-final series 2-0; Marlets win RSEQ Semi-Final Series 2-1

Redmen and Martlets prevail in semis over Ottawa Both McGill teams move on to defend their respective conference championships Christopher Nardi Sports Editor The Redmen and Martlets were in playoff mode during reading week as both teams began their respective quests for their league championships.

The Redmen began playoffs with a semifinal best-of-three matchup against the Ottawa Gee-Gees.

The first game began with a scare as Ottawa scored two goals within the first four minutes on their first two shots. McGill held a 7-3 advantage in shots in the first twenty minutes, but Ottawa goalie Russel Abbott kept his team in control of the lead.

Ottawa tallied just 13 seconds into the second period when Alexandre Touchette scored Ottawa’s third unanswered goal, and his fifth of the season. That goal proved to be the motivation the Redmen needed as McGill’s Hubert Morin was perfect in nets from there on out while Marc-Andre Daneau and Nicholas Therrien scored to bring the Redmen within one goal at the end of the frame.

The Redmen lived up to their full potential in the third period, peppering Ottawa’s goaltender with 13 shots, with goals from Hugo Laporte, Maxime Langelier-Parent, and Vincent Bourgeois giving McGill a 5-3 win over the Gee-Gees. In the end, five different skaters scored for the Redmen, who were missing three regulars due to injury.

McGill seemed to have learned their lesson after the first game and came out of the gate strong for game

The Redmen cruised past Ottawa, while the Martlets rebounded after a game one scare. (Ryan Reisert / McGill Tribune) two. Evan Hossen scored the first goal of the game just a minute before the end of a very physical and undisciplined first period.

The Redmen put on a clinic in the second period as Nicolas Therrien, Marc-Andre Daneau, Nicolas Biniek, and Max Langelier-Parent each scored for McGill, ending the period with a 5-1 lead. The GeeGees attempted a comeback in the third with two goals, but it was too little too late, and the Redmen prevailed to sweep the series 2-0. The Redmen now set their sights on

THIRD MAN IN There’s no room for complacency in Red Sox Nation. It is a proud, knowledgeable, and dedicated fan base that expects greatness from their team (i.e. a World Series Championship annually). There’s no denying Boston’s status as a great sports town: the Big Four have all won championships during the past decade and remain competitive to date. Nevertheless, the Red Sox own Boston. The iconic Fenway Park has been sold out for every game since May 15, 2003. For a decade, fans have been flocking to Yawkey Way to cheer on their beloved Red Sox. On the verge of Fenway’s centennial, fans are clamouring for title number eight.

The elephant in the room head-

ing into last year’s off-season was the disastrous September collapse.

The Sox had a firm hold on the wild card and were a shoe-in to make the postseason. Even Fox thought a playoff berth was a foregone conclusion by featuring Big Papi belting a homerun in a 2011 MLB post-season commercial.

In the days following the debacle, reports surfaced that certain starting pitchers drank beer and ate fried chicken in the clubhouse instead of supporting their team in the dugout. Fans bombarded the airwaves, voicing their discontent and demanding a change. Ownership granted their wish by dismantling management. Terry Francona and Theo Epstein were shipped out and

UQTR in the OUA East finals.

The Martlets were also paired up against the Ottawa Gee-Gees, and opened their Quebec semi-final best-of-three on Wednesday night.

They too were successful in advancing, winning their series 2-1.

Game one, however, ended in a shocking 2-0 Gee-Gees victory, ending their 33-game losing streak against McGill. The Martlets put pressure on Ottawa goaltender Stephanie Mercier throughout the game with a variety of scoring chances, but they couldn’t find the

back of the net as Mercier saved all 37 shots she faced.

Ottawa’s Elarie Leclair scored a powerplay goal with just under two minutes to play in the third period to break the tie and send the game into a frenzy. McGill tried to answer with a last offensive push, but it was to no avail, and the Gee-Gees added an empty-netter to cap off the upset.

The Martlets entered game two trying to stave off elimination and came out with an extremely strong effort. They prevailed in a lopsided 8-0 affair, with offensive output

from all four lines and a standout performance from goaltender Charline Labonte.

The Gee-Gees played a particularly undisciplined game and McGill tallied goals on half of their ten penalties. Senior Jordana Peroff played an excellent game both offensively and defensively, scoring two goals and adding two assists. McGill dominated throughout, taking 43 shots on Mercier who was unable to contain the lethal Martlet offence.

The win placed McGill and Ottawa in an elimination game for the right to move on to the RSEQ finals. McGill responded with another dominating effort, claiming the series 9-1 and putting aside any notion that the team was not ready to compete like their first game of the series suggested. Peroff added two more goals, while first-year Melodie Daoust continued her strong rookie year with two goals and two assists on the afternoon.

After a 1-1 tie in the middle of the first, McGill’s offence exploded with three more goals before the end of the frame, and continued the onslaught by scoring three more to lead 7-1 heading into the third. The GeeGees played another undisciplined game, committing nine penalties.

The two closing games reassured the Martlets’ first-place standing in the conference, and will now look to defend their RSEQ title against the second-place Montreal Carabins on Feb.29.

May the truth be told Bobby Valentine was shopped in as the new skipper, along with Ben Cherrington as general manager.

Ownership didn’t stop there; they were critical of their players’ performances and called them out.

Some may question this public criticism. Sure, airing out dirty laundry can lead to a tense relationship but doesn’t it actually foster accountability? Players now need to take responsibility and redouble their efforts for the 2012 season. Their lacklustre performance was unacceptable for the great Red Sox Nation. The players had to be held accountable in order to avoid slipping into a state of complacency.

Moreover, blaming owners for calling out their players is ridicu-

lous. After all, they are the ones writing the cheques. They owe it to us, the fans, to put a quality team out on the field. And Boston is no regular baseball town; it’s a hotbed. Players are fortunate to be in a market where even the recently called-up minor league player is recognized out on the street. Some of these athletes may take their newfound fame for granted and perceive fans’ support as unconditional. If being called out will light a fire under their bellies then so be it.

Athletes know that this is an entertainment business. Do you expect your employer to pat you on the back if you perform poorly at work?

It should be no different in the world of sports. I understand that it can

be stressful for players to live up to fans’ lofty expectations and to earn their record-breaking contracts, but if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Ultimately, however, winning is all that matters. All will be forgiven and forgotten in Red Sox Nation if the 2012 Boston Red Sox hit the ground running en route to a fabulous season and a championship banner. They must prove their critics wrong and overcome adversity for the sake of the fans, the centennial season, Wally the Green Monster, and their legacy.

– Hrant Bardakjian

18

Tuesday, February 28, 2012 |

Sports

| Curiosity delivers.

Swimming — CIS CHampionships

McGill swimmers capture three bronzes at nationals Redmen and Martlets combine to break 10 school records; finish in seventh and 12th place, respectively James Maladena Contributor As this year’s CIS swimming championships drew to a close on Saturday, it was clear that the University of British Columbia’s Thunderbirds had dominated. The threeday swim meet at the University of Montreal CEPSUM pool saw the TBirds win both men’s and women’s banners as well as several individual awards, with Olympian Savannah King and Tommy Gossland being named women’s and men’s swimmer of the year.

The McGill teams were not as prosperous, but both still had strong showings during the weekend. After day one, the men were in 13th place out of 18 while the Martlets were tied for 12th with the University of Manitoba. However, by the end of the three-day meet, McGill earned a respectable three bronze medals and broke an outstanding 10 school records.

Steven Bielby was the McGill highlight of the tournament, claiming McGill’s first bronze of the meet by tying for third in the 400m individual medley (4:18.18) on the first day. The RSEQ Men’s Swimmer of the Year had more success during the 3-day meet, winning another bronze on the final day in the 200metre individual medley (2:01.47).

With this second bronze medal,

McGill swimmers wrapped up a successful 2011-2012 season with a strong showing at nationals. (Adam Scotti / Flickr) Bielby became the most successful swimmer in McGill history, owning a school record 11 CIS medals.

Head Coach Peter Carpenter praised the swimmer’s contributions to the entire McGill swimming program.

“Steven has been the face of McGill swimming for the past four years, and has accomplished so much both academically and athletically,” Carpenter said. “It is so gratifying for me to see him have that success and to be recognized as the

most decorated swimmer in McGill history. I am very proud to call him my swimmer.”

Bielby’s teammate Marc-Andre Benoit also won a bronze medal on the final day in the 100m freestyle (49.56). More impressive was Benoit’s knack for destroying school records all tournament long. In total, he broke five school records in five different events, three of which were individual (including the 50m butterfly, 100m butterfly, and 100m freestyle).

Other Redmen also broke school records. Teammates Matthew Khatchadourian and Michael Luck broke three collectively, while the team of Benoit, Bielby, Joseph Toops, and Pierre-Alexandre Renaud set a new mark in the 4x200 freestyle relay (7:25.91).

As for the Martlets, freshman Valerie De Broux broke the school’s only record in the 200m breast (2:33.25).

By the end of the meet, the McGill Redmen finished seventh in the

first round pick. The trade only confirmed the fact that the Blue Jackets have, without a doubt, the worst administration in the league as the Kings unequivocally won the trade.

Furthermore, elite winger Nash was not traded, much to the despair of fans across the league awaiting a blockbuster trade. Honestly though, Nash was probably the most disappointed of all. Finally, Habs fans were delighted to hear that Pierre Gauthier managed to trade underperforming sniper Andrei Kostitsyn to Nashville for second and fifth round picks, reuniting him with his brother Sergei.

points against no defence. Minnesota Timberwolves star Kevin Love won the three-point contest, and Utah unknown Jeremy Evans won a painfully boring dunk competition.

Finally, the Western Conference took down the Eastern Conference 152-149 in the third-highest scoring All-Star game ever to cap off the weekend’s unbelievably insignificant and lacklustre festivities. If any of you watched all of the events, you need some NBA withdrawal.

standings, a very respectable finish for the team. The Martlets tallied a total of 50.5 points, finishing 12th.

Both results left McGill Head Coach Peter Carpenter satisfied.

“As far as the McGill swim team’s performances, I have to say that I am quite proud,” Carpenter said. “One of the major team goals at the beginning of the year was to have our combined men’s and women’s results place us in the top 10 nationally and we ended up 9th overall (seventh in the men and 12th in the women), so I am very happy about that.”

Although the McGill teams could not match the dominance of UBC’s performance, this year’s tournament was an overall success for both teams. Both the men’s and women’s swimming teams improved from last year’s meet, moving up four spots and two spots respectively from last year’s final standings.

Furthermore, it showcased the depth of talent in the CIS. “What I was most impressed about was the incredible depth that now exists in the CIS,” Carpenter said. “It is really exciting to see, and to imagine where this league might be in ten years if Canadian schools continue to have some success at keeping our top athletes here in Canada.”

ance. Braun is back at spring Training Camp and insists that he was a victim of a failed system. And we thought the steroids and baseball relationship had simmered down— what a shame.

The other side of the Green Monster

Around the

W

ater cooler

In case you were too busy wondering why The Artist had no words, here’s what you missed this past week in the world of sports ...

HOCKEY — As the trade deadline looms, the hockey world is abuzz with rumours about who will go where. Two players were at the center of those discussions: Jeff

Carter and Rick Nash, both stars of the failing Columbus Blue Jackets.

Stunningly, Carter was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for defenceman Jack Johnson and a

BASKETBALL — With any major professional sports league, the midway point marks the time where the league steps back, and showcases its players’ talents to all of its fans. At least that’s the intention, and so the NBA All-Star activities took place this past weekend in Orlando.

Team Chuck (led by “coach” Charles Barkley) defeated Team Shaq (led by “coach” Shaquille O’Neal) 146133 in the Rising Stars Game behind Kyrie Irving’s ability to score 34

BASEBALL — Spring hasn’t even arrived, and yet the MLB was subject to controversial rulings this past week. 2011’s National League MVP Ryan Braun was relieved of his 50-game suspension after winning his appeal against charges of a positive drug test. In October, Braun learned that a urine sample he gave following a playoff game was found to have a high level of testosterone, thus putting his credibility and his MVP award into question. However, he continuously insisted that he was innocent, and with the ruling he became the first major leaguer to win a drug-related penalty in a griev-

FOOTBALL — The NFL Combine kicked off on Wednesday with the future stars of the league ready to show off their talent to the 32 NFL teams through countless drills, interviews, and medical exams. For devout football fans, the Combine marks the “start” of next season. For non-devout fans, wasn’t the Super Bowl only three weeks ago? Star quarterback and consensus number one overall pick Andrew Luck showed off his athleticism and strong arm, solidifying himself as the top player in the draft for many NFL scouts and analysts. However, Heisman-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III stole the headlines of the first workouts by running the 40yard dash in 4.41, a time comparable to top running backs, thus solidifying his reputation as an athletic freak of nature.

Curiosity delivers. |

SPORTS

| Tuesday, February 28, 2012

19

VOLLEYBALL — Martlets 0, Montreal 3 (23-25, 17-25, 23-25)

Martlets’ Cinderella season falls short in RSEQ finals Despite the loss, McGill heads to nationals for the first time in 15 years Rebecca Babcock Contributor For the third time in school history, the McGill Martlets volleyball team earned a chance to play in the RSEQ Championships. Playing the second game out of a best-of-three series, the Martlets took to the court having already lost the first game against the favoured Montreal Carabins. Unfortunately for McGill, the Carabins were too dominant and won in straight sets (23-25, 17-25, 23-25) to claim the RSEQ Women’s Volleyball Championship.

The Martlets expected a tough series, winning just once in four meetings with Montreal this season.

In that game, McGill played their best of the season, and knew they’d have to play at the same level to defeat Montreal in the playoffs. Unfortunately, Montreal made few errors and controlled both games.

“We did some good things against Montreal, but Montreal is a tough and physical team and we needed a different tactic with this team because they have a lot of power,” Head Coach Rachele Beliveau said. “We didn’t serve as well today as we do in practice, and I

think we can do better in that sense.

Montreal served very well today and they passed much better than they normally do so it was hard to capitalize on their weakness.”

Both teams came out a bit sluggish in the first set. McGill’s usually top-notch defence was exposed at first, but luckily, Montreal’s star player Marie-Sophie Nadeau made some critical hitting mistakes. McGill kept their energy high and picked up their game with some amazing three touch attacks.

However, the difference in the first set was made by the teams’ serving proficiency. Whereas Montreal only missed one serve, McGill made four serving errors, giving Montreal easy points, which ended up costing the Martlets the set.

Serving continued to be a problem for McGill and Montreal as they made four and three serving errors respectively throughout the second set. Nadeau started to pick up her game and made her hits count. On one attack, Nadeau jumped so high and hit the ball with such power that it almost landed within the three meter front line, an incredibly difficult task to accomplish. Montreal continued to pick up their offensive

pace, while McGill started to flag in energy and focus, leading to a 17-25 second set victory for the Carabins.

McGill undoubtedly played their best volleyball in the third set, being just one set away from elimination. The game seemed over, when McGill, down by five points, started a great rally, cutting the Montreal’s lead to 23-24. Unfortunately, Montreal pushed and earned that last point, ending McGill’s comeback, and clinching the set and championship.

McGill’s Kaiva Mateus was a key contributor in keeping her team close in each set. She strategically placed her hits in the open gaps and Montreal struggled to deal with her attacks. She ended up with 10 kills, two aces, and two blocks for the game.

Victoria Pelletier also played a strong game. In the semi-final series against Laval, she came off the bench to make eight digs, six kills, one ace, two blocks, and earned a perfect 3.0 passing ratio. In this game, she earned the start and supported Coach Beliveau’s decision with some great attacks, making only one hitting error.

“There were a lot of first touch

McGill failed to contain Montreal’s attack. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune) errors, either serving or passing, but I think we tried hard and gave it our all,” Pelletier said. “We are also very excited about nationals and to see how it is to play against the best and to hopefully do well.”

Despite losing out on the RSEQ championship, the Martlets earned a berth to CIS Championships for the first time in 15 years with their semi-

final series win over Laval on Feb. 12. Thanks to their strong performance in the RSEQ, the Martlets are seeded fifth overall for the CIS tournament and are matched up against the AUS champion Saint Mary’s Huskies. The quarterfinal match is on March 2 at McMaster University.

From the cheap Seats Up close and personal at the Bell Centre The third period was more than half way through, and the Habs had just tied the game at three against their detested rivals, the Boston Bruins. The crowd around me were on their feet and sounding their satisfaction towards the home team’s strong play during the second half of the game. “The season might be in the dumps,” one fan told me, “but at least we ain’t gonna lose to the Bruins.”

“The Habs have finally begun to play with the intensity needed to compete with one of the league’s top teams it would seem,” I begin to reply, before being momentarily distracted by the glass in front of me vibrating dangerously. I looked up, only to meet the gaze of Canadiens player Alexei Emelin, whose face was crushed against the protective glass two feet in front of me. Behind him, a fierce Shawn Thornton skates off, leaving behind both Emelin and me, dazed.

In Montreal, few things are prized and flaunted more than managing to acquire tickets for a Cana-

diens game. Considering all the obstacles one must face throughout the acquisition process, whether it be the countless scalpers who mysteriously land thousands of tickets every season (when you can’t even get one), the incredibly dysfunctional virtual waiting room, or the fact that tickets sales start at the counterintuitive hour of 10 a.m. and not noon, it really is a herculean feat worthy of immeasurable praise by hoping-toget-invited friends and family when you manage to nab four tickets to a game.

One can thus imagine my stupefaction when, in an act of immeasurable generosity, a friend offered my girlfriend and I two tickets to the Habs-Bruins game. In the second row on centre ice, no less. Forgoing the usual Kleenex box to counter the nosebleeds I get from my usual seats, we marched down to our row past the aristocrats of the Bell Centre and claimed our seats next to the tunnel leading to the visiting team’s locker room. As I looked around, I found myself face-to-face with my

own reflection. Little did I realize that it was not a mirror I was looking at but the perfectly shaved and waxed head of Pierre McGuire, legendary hockey commentator notorious for his ridiculous comments and disrespect for personal space. The one person I had hoped to avoid by attending the game was standing right next to me, spewing nonsensical hockey information for any person willing to listen.

Fortunately, my night was saved when Tuukka Rask, the Bruins backup goaltender, appeared with a stool and sat in the tunnel right next to McGuire (and myself) to watch the game. Not only was I in awe of being so close to the Finnish sensation, but I was also able to laugh at the drunken ravings of some Habs fan two rows behind me trying to heckle Rask—“Eh Tuuuuuuukka, why you no look at me Tuukka?

Why you no show me some love Tuuuukka?” Alongside the Bruins win, that man was definitely the highlight of the night.

Many would expect such ex-

Some cheap seats are better than others (Francois Lacasse / NHLI) pensive seats to be surrounded with disinterested businessmen looking to make a strong impression on foreign clients. Fortunately, the Bell Centre isn’t the Air Canada Center, and throughout the game I was treated to much yelling, jeering, cheering, and of course, 23,273 boos whenever the refs called a penalty against the Habs. People in the reds are just as loud and obnoxious as the poor students in the Molson Ex Zone.

The difference is that, once in a

while, those fortunate enough to sit so close to the ice get the opportunity to stare at one of their favorite players in the eyes as he gets drilled into the boards. If not, then one can hope to have one of their raucous comments slip onto NBC’s national broadcast over Pierre McGuire’s ravings.

— Christopher Nardi

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