McGill Tribune Volume No. 35 Issue No. 6

The McGill Tribune T curiosity delivers

wednesday, October 14, 2015 Volume No. 35 Issue No. 06

Editorial: strategic vote influences student voice in 2015 election pg. 5

feature: an affront to humanity By sofia misenheimer pg. 8 - 9

m c gilltribune.com @m c gilltribune

COMMENTARY

parties struggle to stay focused on Youth issues David Watson Contributor

The McLennan-Redpath Complex is due for an improvement in study spaces (Jack Neal / McGill

Library Master Plan renovations to cost McGill $180 million LIF addresses need for more student study space SARA CULLEN Contributor Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President (VP) University Affairs, Chloe Rourke, announced during the Oct. 1 Council meeting that the Library Master Plan, an ongoing project that aims to increase student study space on campus

and make changes to the McLennan-Redpath Complex, will cost approximately $180 million to complete. The group, made up of library administrators and the Library Improvement Fund (LIF) Committee, recently completed a feasibility study and has drafted plans for the future of the McGill’s library.

The group began develop-

Be h i n d t h e Be n c h Morgan Alexander Managing Editor Misogyny is alive and thriving in the boys clubs of sports and sports journalism. Three female reporters were temporarily barred from entering the Jacksonville Jaguars’ locker room after the team’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts by an usher who, according to Graham Watson of Yahoo Sports, was unsure whether women were allowed in the room

ing the Library Master Plan last year. During its creation, the LIF Committee, which oversees all smaller projects and renovations in McGill’s libraries, represented the student body in negotiations with the library administration.

LIF Coordinator Evan Vassallo explained the co-operative relationship that the LIF has with the library administration.

“[The library administration has] worked with us to better reach out to students to get feedback, [and the LIF worked] closely with [the McGill] administration to get quotes for projects and to get an understanding of the libraries’ needs,” Vassallo said.

Continued on pg. 2

Last week, as federal parties continued to court the youth vote, students at the University of Calgary got a strange surprise.

Photos quickly surfaced online of a controversial Conservative pamphlet being handed out on campus: “Let the lefties run your campus. Help the Conservatives run the country,” boasted one side. The back featured photos of a family looking way too stock to be real, a bomb-laden fighter jet, and a grimy jail cell, with the caption: “Dropping taxes for families. Dropping bombs on ISIS. Dropping crooks in jail.”

With its cheap shot at unnamed campus leftists and its flippant remarks about crime and terrorism, it’s easy to see why some found the pamphlet upsetting. But the pamphlet is worrisome for another important reason as well. In a campaign that has seen all three major parties go to great lengths in order to win youth support, it’s an example of how some of the promotional material they aim at young voters still lack the substance and seriousness needed to be effective.

Continued on pg. 6

L a d i e s i n t h e l o c k er r o o m

because, “you know how guys are.”

The media relations teams for both the Jaguars and the Colts swiftly apologized to the women, but the incident is an unsettling reflection of today’s sports media landscape.

There’s a pervasive myth that sexism in sports journalism doesn’t exist to a serious extent, despite the fact that angry men on Twitter have made it perfectly clear that they think women don’t belong in the sports world. Even when female

journalists are not being sent rape threats and called vile names over disagreements about the predictive stats of a minor player, they’re often being objectified—particularly if the women in question are television personalities. The top Google result for “female sports journalists” is an article from Men’s Fitness titled 40 hottest female sports reporters. The introduction to the piece proudly includes the disclaimer: “Some of the most attractive and charming women

in the country are filling up the sidelines with awesome commentary and interviews—though we are often too distracted to notice.”

Beyond these blatant objectifications and threats of physical violence are the multiple incidents of sexual harassment that female reporters face daily. There are multiple cringe-worthy videos depicting Erin Andrews, a FOX Sports broadcaster, being harassed by interview subjects, from 50

Cent attempting to kiss her on air to a college football player grinding on her in the middle of a sideline report. In a piece published on Sports Illustrated, multiple female reporters who chose to remain anonymous recounted incidents where they were invited to players’ hotel rooms, denied interviews because they had rejected players’ advances, or were sent seuxally explicit messages from coaches.

Continued on pg. 16

2

NEWS

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Meet the federal candidates

By Shrinkhala Dawadi, Laura Hanrahan, Aislinn Kalob, Jenna Stanwood The Communist Party of Canada interview is available online

Marc Miller - The Liberal Party Ville-Marie- Le Sud-Ouest-Île-des-Soeurs

Allison Turner- New Democratic Party (NDP) Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Sœurs

How will the Liberals help graduates find entry level jobs?

students facing debt upon graduation?

How will the NDP help graduates find entry level jobs?

We’re aware of the increasing challenges students face. The unemployment rate [... in] the general Montreal area is 11 per cent. If you’re a youth, it gets up to 26, 27 per cent. So these are huge challenges for this generation [...] not based on the quality of the students, based on the job market and the recession we’re in.

[This] is extremely important, and it’s a big issue to tackle as a politician.

Our undertaking [is] to invest over a billion dollars over three years, to create 40,000 jobs per year. It’s multiple times the undertaking of any party that has offered a solution.

Those will be jobs working through Employment Canada, [and] summer jobs—a component 5,000 of which per year will be green jobs with Parks Canada. The other initiative [...] is [investing] several hundred million dollars [to make] sure that the most needy students can have up to $3,000 in bursaries. We also have initiatives for making sure that employers start hiring students. Forgiveness of employment insurance [and] no requirement to pay employment insurance for people between 18 to 25.

For the number of people looking for a post-secondary education, which is key in this economy, key in this city—my riding has some of the foremost institutions in Canada, and perhaps arguably the world—those are game changers for the most needy in society.

For the workforce generally, we’ve seen the cutting of funds through our provincial-federal agreements for skills training [....] So we’ve agreed to increase funding to [...] $750 million. Five hundred million dollars through provincial-federal work agreements, $200 million for base skills, and $50 million for indigenous initiatives.

The first pillar is our undertaking to invest $60 billion over 10 years in infrastructure in three aspects—bricks and mortar infrastructure; social housing, which is a huge issue in this area; and what we call green infrastructure, which would attempt to remedy some of the problems Montreal is having today with its wastewater, for example.

[We’ve proposed] a requirement [that graduates] pay only when [they] make over $25,000 [....] I don’t understand why students are seen more negatively than some corporations in terms of their ability to get rid of debt. I think we have to have more faith in our students. Let’s be clear, someone earning under $25,000 is not making a tremendous amount of money. We hope to be able to do better, but those are the platform elements on the table and we hope that will make the difference.

We [...] want to work very closely with municipalities, industry, [and] band councils in order to have a certain number of jobs reserved for students or young people coming on to the job market [....] We also are going to be specifically investing in infrastructure [... and will] reserve a portion of those jobs for students, as apprentices or other young professionals entering the market having anything to do with the infrastructure programs and projects that will be going on [....] We additionally want to put an end to unpaid internships. The NDP is the only party that put forward legislation during the last parliament in order to put an end to the abusive practice of unpaid internships.

How will the Liberals help

What are your priorities in your riding?

Ville-Marie- Le Sud-Ouest-Île-desSoeurs [is] a vast riding with many disparities.

It’s the hotbed for all the issues around gentrification - massive gaps in revenue for the very wealthy that are living on the new residences on the Lachine Canal, and old [residents] that are being pushed out.

The biggest immediate challenge is making sure that money is getting into the pockets of people that need it the most. We have an envelope of $20 billion over 10 years that will go directly into social housing. Little Burgundy faces some of the highest density levels of social housing [...] of close to 40 per cent. We’re going to do a full inventory of federal lands to see where we can build more social housing, because there’s a 2,000-person wait list. That will be a game-changer for people in this riding. As a federal representative, obviously, acknowledging the problem is important, but [so is] the ability to work with your provincial counterpart, your municipal counterpart [...] to make sure the agreements we’ve signed with them are implemented There’s the Champlain Bridge [...] it’s a multi-billion dollar infrastructure project, it needs to be done right [...]—it’s Canada’s busiest bridge. The point to take away from all of this is that if you’re not a candidate that knows the riding, if Montreal’s not in your heart, and you’re not willing to work like a dog, you have no business being a candidate federally.

How will the NDP help students facing debt upon graduation?

What we are committing to is eliminating interest on student loans at least as a start [....] I understand the huge and daunting reality that students face, and I would even say it might have been easier 20 or 30 years ago to pay it off. We didn’t have as many unpaid internships as are available today.

What is the NDP’s plan for the economy?

The general backdrop to the NDP’s plan when it comes to the economy [...] is to switch the focus from [subsidies for] the oil and gas sector to [creating winning conditions for] small and medium sized businesses. The way we’re going to do that is by reducing the tax rate [on small businesses] from 11 to nine percent, and by providing tax refunds or incentives when it comes to innovation, research and technology, and the purchase of equipment.

A part of our focus [...] also includes green technologies. The NDP wants Canada to be a leader when it comes to green technologies. Our vision is to have small and medium sized businesses, and

especially the green technologies sector, thrive and prosper.

How does the NDP plan to balance the federal budget while maintaining and increasing social programs?

[With] social programs, it’s a matter of reallocating the resources that already exist [... and having] different priorities. When you’re not subsidizing the oil and gas sector you’ll be putting the money to places where it should go [....] You don’t need to run the country into a $10 billion deficit when you do already have the revenue coming from a myriad of different sources, you just need to have the right priorities, which the NDP has.

What are your priorities in your riding?

Montreal [...] needs to have its economy kick started. That’s priority number one, we need more jobs and you can only have more jobs when you have a prosperous economy.

It’s not easy to make a living or to make ends meet for anyone, especially youth, [so] what the NDP wants to do is [...] render more accessible public transportation [....] We’re going to be investing $1.3 billion a year for 20 years [....] Montreal’s share would be a portion of that but I’d fight to get as much as possible. What we want to do is to have [an] environmentally clean public transportation system [that’s] cheaper or more accessible. Service fees charged by banks, [we want] to lower those, so we just want to make the daily experience of students and anyone else who’s not making hundreds of thousands of dollars, easier.

What should students know before election day?

The NDP wants to see more people come out and vote. We understand that fewer students, proportionally speaking, come out to vote. This is why it’s all the more important. We need to inform ourselves more about civil society sooner rather than later

3

NEWS

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Richard Sagala The Conservative Party Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Westmount

for which you have a passion. This way, you will happily put in the energy and the hours to make you excel.

How will the Conservatives help graduates find entry level jobs?

Simon Marchand - Bloc Quebecois Hochelaga

How will the Bloc help graduates find entry level jobs?

We want to lower the taxes for small businesses; lowering the taxes will make sure that they can afford hiring additional people on their teams. Small businesses, they represent 80 per cent of the jobs here [....] For big corporations, with over 200 employees, we want to raise taxes, but there’s also a tax credit that we’re bringing in for research and job creation [....] We want to encourage the big corporations to move forward and to generate more activity in Montreal: that means green technologies, That means transportation, aeronautics, you name it [....] In the end, you need more job opportunities.

How will the Bloc help students facing debt upon graduation?

As I said, the one plan is free tuition, so there’s no more student debt problem to have there. I think that you also have to take some part of responsibility as a student, and that might mean a summer job, that might mean just doing your part. We do have subsidies in our budget to make it easier for companies to hire students during summer, to make sure that they can pay for an internship.

How will you address the quality of education in Quebec?

We are not spending our money right. We are spending our money on F-35 planes, which are going to cost $900 million or more per plane, when one plane is the cost of free tuition [....] It’s not going to create any jobs in Quebec, because those planes are going to be built in the United States and the boats are being constructed

in Vancouver and Halifax, [and] we’re paying for 25 per cent of the bill [....] We’re basically just wasting money when we could invest in our universities [....] It’s easy to see how we’re underfunded [...] because the Conservatives did go with successive cuts in the budgets for research [....] You cut student services [...] and the students are the first ones to pay for that. We want to take the money back and invest it where it counts.

We in the Conservative Party [believe] in entrepreneurship. Being an entrepreneur myself in the knowledgebased economy, I see a lot of value-added jobs there. When deciding on a career profile, students, in my opinion, should think about where their passion lies. Being an entrepreneur is about value creation. You can start a for-profit - or a nonprofit if this suits you best; the path is the same. It is about offering a product or service that can be of value to somebody. To differentiate, you will have to be very good at what you do. This is easier to achieve when you study in a field

How will the Conservatives help students facing debt upon graduation?

As for student debt, we have the lowest tuition fees in North America here. It would make sense when embarking [on] a study program to think about making a cost-benefit analysis. See it as an investment. An investment can be a sound one even if it requires a substantial amount to do it.

The reverse is also true; an investment can be of a lower grade even if the amount invested is low because the future earning power mirrors it.

Daniel Green Green Party Ville-Marie- Le Sud-Ouest-Île-des-Soeurs

What are your main environmental concerns?

We suffer from [low] oil prices.

When the oil price goes up, the jobs in the manufacturing industry are cut almost immediately. We’ve lost 34,000 jobs in Quebec due to the barrel price from Alberta, and now the Conservatives, NDP, and the Liberals, they want to go forward with the energies pipeline, which we oppose firmly [....] Quebec says no [to the pipeline], and it’s going to go through anyway.

Why? Why should we be the ones taking risks with our rivers considering there’s no tangible return for us? [...] It’s the first time in history that Quebec has the possibility [...] to stop the significant increase in oil production.

What is your stance on the platform of Quebec independence?

There’s that myth that the Bloc is only there to demonstrate that Canada cannot work [....] We’re not here to disrupt the Federal government’s work, we’ve never done so [....] When Harper decided not to sign Kyoto, Quebec was ready to do it, and we wanted to do it, but we were not allowed. [We’re] basically saying we should have the right and the legitimacy to negotiate our own economical or environmental treaties with the other nations of the world.

How will the Green Party help students facing debt upon graduation?

Education is not a privilege but a right. We cannot continue having the youngest adults in our society being saddled with incredible debt at 25 to 30 years old. I cannot imagine me at 25 starting my life with $50 or $60,000 of debt.

We are proposing a cap on existing student debt [of] up to $10,000 dollars maximum. That existing debt will [also] be payed back interest free. We all know that people [who] live in provinces also pay general taxes, so part of our provincial taxes goes to federal government. What we’re proposing is just to give back federal income tax with a program aimed at making tuition free. This of course will free, hopefully, provincial money to also invest in post-secondary education.

How will the Green Party help graduates find entry level jobs?

Of course the biggest challenge for a young graduate is getting an entry-level job, or at least getting the entry level experience, and this is why the Green Party of Canada is going to propose the creation of what’s called a Youth Core, which is essentially a program offering young graduates [an] entry-level job in the domain of environmental resource and environmental management. If you look in Quebec, information technologies provide […] an economy that’s $10 billion, versus the mining and forestry sector which is around three billion dollars. By investing in the green sector and providing paid internships—we are of the belief that students shouldn’t work for nothing—our objective is to create 160,000 positions over four years for young graduates [through the] Youth Core.

How does the Green Party plan to balance the federal budget?

We will raise corporate taxes from 15 per cent to—depending on the sector—17 to 19 per cent, of the big corporations. This [revenue] will be reinvested in the Youth Core approach that will create thousands of jobs. There may be some displacement from the oil and gas sector because we will remove the $1 billion plus subsidy we give to resources in the extraction sector. We’re also proposing a carbon fee of $30 per ton of carbon produced. That will produce a $22 billion income revenue.

What is your stance on Bills C-51 and C-24?

They should be repealed. A clause-by-clause analysis that the Green Party has done shows clearly, ironically, that C-51 might make Canada less safe because it gives extraordinary powers to CSIS. C-24 creates two classes of citizens. If Canada wants to be an open country to immigration, having C-24 hanging over people is just not a way to attract qualified immigrants that want to work in Canada.

What challenges do you foresee?

Clearly, there [are] challenges. We have less money, less volunteers, less signs, less organization than the big parties. But there is, on the other side, some good news because we are not going to be forming the government, we know this, and this permits us to propose innovative ideas. Ideally, the Green Party of Canada wants the other parties to steal our program and to steal our good ideas.

If it’s a minority government, a Liberal minority or an NDP minority, we might be working with that party in collaboration and hopefully some of these ideas will be stolen and will be implemented, and that’s how we hope the Green Party can make change happen.

4

NEWS

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Library Master Plan renovations to cost McGill $180 million LIF addresses need for more student study space SARA CULLEN Contributor Continued from page 1.

The Master Plan has yet to secure funding, and Rourke says that the project will not break ground before financial contributions have been finalized.

“The Libraries have expressed a desire to seek out multiple sources of funding in order for this plan to become a reality,” Rourke said. “My impression is that they will be actively seeking out a major donor this year in order to get the project off the ground.”

According to Rourke, another option that is being considered is to secure funding from students.

“There is also a possibility that they will be asking for students to contribute through a student fee submitted to referendum; however, no requests have been made at this time, nor has SSMU been presented with any specifics such as how much students would be asked to contribute,” Rourke said.

In order to better assess the

needs of library users, the Library Administration commissioned a feasibility study last fall, which was completed with the help of outside architectural firms. “[The McGill Library Administration] consulted with students and worked with architects who toured the campus thoroughly,” Vassallo said. “[They] are now producing this [Library] Master Plan, which from my understanding, is a vision of what the library will look like in the coming decades.”

Michael Moore, Communications Officer at McGill Libraries and Archives, explained the current state of space available to students within the library buildings.

“Fifty-one per cent of the floor space is currently allocated to the physical collection across the library system,” Moore said.

“We did a study in 2013 that found that almost 40 per cent of our print collection hadn’t been circulated in the last 20 years.

Currently, there’s seating for 12 per cent of the student body, but […] if you look at the amount of square-feet for each student, it’s

below optimal.”

Rourke spoke to the aspects of the Library Master Plan design that will create more student space and maximize storage within the libraries.

“One thing that they would like to install is an underground storage system with a robotic arm that could retrieve books in a timely manner,” Rourke said.

“This system is a much more efficient method of storing books and would considerably free up room for student-centred spaces.”

Colleen Cook, dean of Libraries, explained that during the proposed construction, the Library will work to keep all services and collections available to students. “[Implementation of the Library Master Plan] will happen […] in a series of phases,” Cook said. “The first thing we would do is move out collections, [which…] opens up space, and as soon as you open up space, you can maintain the services that you have.”

There will be an open forum held on Oct. 15 to present the Library Master Plan to the Mc-

Gill community. Vassallo stated that the library administration is still open to student input.

“The master plan, as far as we know, is very much a conceptual plan [.… The administration] will be consulting with us and we will be ensuring that student opinion will go into [the] details [of the plan],” he said. “We feel very strongly about that and the administration is very open to our input.”

According to Cook, smaller details of the master plan have yet to be decided upon, such as what books will remain in the library’s open stacks.

“We know that we would keep some materials in open stacks, [but] we have to work with users on deciding what those materials would be,” Cook said. “Ongoing conversations will happen until the day the [renovated space] is moved into, and [even after that] because we’re always in communication with our users.”

Infographic by Hayley Lim

AUS anounces $6,000 Frosh surplus Improvement from $30,000 deficit of 2014-2015 James wARD Contributor The Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) announced at their latest council meeting that they are projecting an approximate surplus of $6,000 from this year’s Arts Frosh. This comes as a distinct contrast to last year’s $30,000 deficit.

AUS Vice-President (VP) Finance Mizra Ali Shakir and VP Social Christine Koppenaal were responsible for preparing the Frosh budget.

According to Shakir, AUS intends to use the profits to fund events and programs for first-year Arts students.

“One of the main reasons for the surplus this year was a revamped Frosh budgeting process that was more thorough and more integrated than past years,” Shakir said. “The VP Social and I prepared a comprehensive budget for Frosh and updated it at least twice a week. Additionally, we ran Frosh very systematically this year in the sense that we spent what we got from ticket sales. Frosh sold out and we ended up selling more tickets than what we had projected.”

Arts Frosh brought in nearly $218,000 in revenue, $177,000 of which came from ticket sales. The remaining revenue came from fees paid

by Frosh leaders and orientation staff,

as well as $20,000 in sponsorships.

“We placed a lot of emphasis on sponsorship to mitigate our costs,” Shakir said.

The single largest Arts Frosh expense was a concert at New City Gas, which cost upwards of $46,000. Other major expenses included the two boat cruises, which together will amount to nearly $38,000, and the Montreal Alouettes game, which cost $18,000 at a price of $11 per ticket. To account for the cost of these events, ticket prices were raised, and overall expenses per day were lowered. “[Frosh] ticket prices were raised to $145 from $125 last year to account for the extra day,” Shakir said.“Revenues per day this year amount to $43,600 compared to $38,500 last year, while costs per day this year are $42,400 versus $46,000 last year.”

AUS bylaws state that if there is a surplus in the Frosh budget, the money will be allocated to events planned for first-year students by the VP Social in collaboration with the First-Year Events, Academic, and Representative Council (FEARC).

“This article was included in the Frosh bylaws because as an event planned primarily by first-year students and funded mainly by tickets sold to first-year students, the surplus should be returned to first-year

students through events later in the year planned specifically for them,” Shakir said.

While Frosh events prior to 2014 have returned significantly greater profits than this year’s $6,000, Shakir explained that the nature of the AUS makes a smaller profit more ideal.

“As a non-profit corporation, the AUS is mandated to break even and that we aim to keep ticket prices—our main Frosh revenue source—as low as possible,” Shakir said. “A profit of five to 6,000 dollars is better [...] because we are much closer to breaking even.”

U3 Arts Frosh leader Rhiannon Turgel spoke to the management of this year’s Frosh.

“This year was my third Frosh and I felt as though it was better organized than past years,” she said. “I felt like the coordinators realized [what] had gone wrong in previous years and made it better.”

The Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) also ran a surplus for Frosh, explained SUS President Jeremy Goh. “Our surplus was around $18,000, and previous years also ran surpluses, as SUS usually doesn’t run deficits for Frosh.” Goh said. “The money will be used to complete logistical audits, [and] new initiatives like [...] the career fair, and give more money to our current events.”

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5

OPINION

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

editorial

Strategic vote influences student voice in 2015 federal election First-past-the-post encourages strategic voting in multiparty systems, a practice where citizens might base their electoral choice on who they believe has a chance of winning, thereby sacrificing their preferred candidates. Voters will consider who they perceive as capable of forming a government that comes close to their overall preferences. While such an explanation reduces Canada’s complicated federal story, its implications remain clear. Strategic voting has become a salient feature of the current election, creating a unique space for first-time voters—in particular, students.

Canada inherited its electoral scaffolding from the United Kingdom, where first-past-thepost reigns supreme. In this system, the leading candidate can win with a simple plurality, which means candidates can earn their seat in the House of Commons by a single vote, and not need a majority share of the vote. Such a system works smoothly when there are only a few viable candidates.

The current electoral field is split along the lines of the three major parties: The Conservatives, the Liberals, and the NDP. Thus, the available choices split those

who are left-leaning. For those interested in replacing a Conservative member of parliament, strategic voting may be necessary.

For McGill students, such a decision can be more complicated. Out-of-province students may have their choice of two ridings— where their family lives, or where they live for school—at the ballot box. To illustrate the point, consider a McGill student who lives in Outremont but is from a riding such as Calgary Centre or South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale. The latter two ridings typically go Conservative, whereas Outremont is home to Thomas Mulcair, leader of the NDP and official opposition. Should a strategic movement exist within the student’s home riding to support a progressive candidate, that McGill student may consider casting an out-of-province vote. In short, out-of-province students may be able to decide where their vote will have the most power in creating a certain federal outcome.

The structure of our political system means that federal elections have a somewhat indirect impact on the student experience, which casts a shadow over the potential for student engagement.

Under sections 91 and 92 of the

constitution, education is delegated to the provinces. Yet policies pertaining to, for example, internships and youth employment are on the federal agenda. More

“

Proportional representation would enable issues to coalesce around the student voice.

broadly, how the different parties envision the electoral system itself could have an impact on students. The Liberals have promised to develop recommendations for democratic reform, and the

NDP has promised a change to proportional representation out right. The Conservatives have made no such promise.

Proportional representation would enable issues to coalesce around the student voice. In firstpast-the-post, students can engage in strategic voting in order to create change. But this is not the best option. First-past-the-post can be disingenuous as it encourages voters to make their decision based on calculations rather than their political convictions or policy outcomes. For students, this may mean compromising on their political ideology or the stance of political parties in order to ensure a certain change of government. Proportional representation would mean that non-Conservative voters do not have to choose between the NDP and Liberals, as the percentage of votes would translate directly to the number of seats for each party.

Strategic voting is not unique to students. Indeed, it is only worthwhile when a large proportion of the population behaves the same way. Yet students have distinct opportunities to engage in elections depending not only on who they decide to vote for, but also where.

commentary McGill’s response to Syrian refugee crisis lacking Maya reid Contributor Over four million refugees are facing unparalleled violence and uncertainty due to the Syrian Civil War and other armed conflict in the Middle East. Additional resources must be deployed to alleviate suffering and provide opportunities for Syrian students.

McGill University and other higher learning institutions throughout the world are in a unique position to help and must consider diversifying their support for refugees.

In the midst of debates waging across the world in domestic legislatures and supranational organization assemblies, local communities can circumvent the politicization of refugees to enact considerable change.

Now it is time for McGill to follow the example of other Canadian universities and make a concerted effort to provide quality education and safety for vulnerable populations. The administration should build on its longstanding history of global justice advocacy, as seen through establishments like the Institute for the Study of International Development and the Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, to aid the Syrian people.

Scholarships and sponsorships through independent programs and university policy initiatives will create educational opportunities that extend past traditional asylum services.

The Canadian government’s resettlement program supplies basic needs to refugees for up to a year; however, university settings provide a sense of community that allows people to be vibrant participants in society.

Academic success empowers refugee students to forge new futures and improve conditions in their home countries. This branch of peace and hope also extends to their families, creating pathways out of poverty traps.

McGill can build upon programs and frameworks already established on campus and in Canada. The McGill Student Refugee Program (SRP), a student-led initiative to provide full financial aid for refugees during their first academic year supported by the World University Service of Canada (WUSC), is an integrated solution and deserves additional funding. By forging partnerships between private donors, local NGOs, student volunteers, and post-secondary education institutions, WUSC supplies a lifeline out of refugee camps. Organizer’s of McGill’s WUSC should be ap-

plauded for their decision made in late September to triple the number of refugee students it admits from two to six; however, there are still hundreds of qualified refugees waiting to be placed abroad. According to a comprehensive study at the University of California Davis on Syrian university students in Jordan, “displacement of faculty and students is a generally unacknowledged and unmet component of the larger civilian Syrian humanitarian disaster.” Although well qualified, this ‘lost generation’ cannot continue their education due to lack of programing as well as logistical problems such as not having access to transcripts, test scores, or personal identification. WUSC has screened 19 of these accomplished Syrian students ready to arrive in Canada for Fall 2016, and are looking to add even more for the subsequent year.

The small 50 cent fee paid by students each term to sustain the Student Refugee Program fund should be increased to meet heightened demand. Additionally, the McGill administrations response to the crisis severely lags behind other universities in Canada. The University of Alberta, which already sponsors students in partnership with WUSC, recently established an award

that will cover tuition and living costs for 10 undergraduate or graduate Syrian refugee students. The University of Toronto also felt compelled to act, citing their duty to share responsibility and extend compassion. They expanded their “Scholars-At-Risk” program, which “offers support to academics and graduate students who have fled conditions of political oppression,” by increasing funds to one million dollars awarded over the next 10 years.

University of Toronto, York University, and the Ontario College of Art and Design partnered to support Ryerson University’s “Lifeline Syria Challenge,” a program to sponsor 25 Syrian families (approximately 100 people) in Canada. McGill has the opportunity to join this coalition of schools while developing a program exclusively for refugees through the Scholarships and Student Aid Office.

The Syrian refugee crisis is a humanitarian catastrophe that will require global unity to solve. As shown, McGill has the collective power to implement real change at relatively low costs, and there is a moral imperative to join other Canadian universities as they stand in solidarity with Syrian students by providing critical education opportunities.

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Opinion C O M M E N TARY

Zachary carson Columnist Major Canadian news outlets pay extensive attention to who is currently winning the election. Either through the use of extensive polling data detailing which party is in the lead (sometimes by a fraction of a per cent) on any given day or by analyzing which federal leader won the most recent debate, the media seems to be obsessed with which party is currently winning prior to the actual election day on Oct. 19. Although Canadians are naturally interested in this, the focus on which party is currently

C O M M E N TARY

david watson Contributor

Continued from Page 1 The approach behind the Conservative pamphlet, for example, is clear: Appeal to a generation that Tory strategists see as obsessed with Twitter, Snapchat, and Vine, the Conservatives felt the need to cut their message down to byte-sized form.

This format, combined with the cringeworthy attempts to seem casual (When would Stephen Harper ever use a word like “lefties?”) is an ineffective way for the Conservatives to get their message across. In their platform,

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Horse race or federal elections? winning is eclipsing the question of which party Canadians think should win. As put by Luke Savage in his recent article for Canadaland, this focus discourages Canadians from thinking about the reasoning behind their preferences—the what? obstructs the why?

Polling data and analysis eats up a large portion of election coverage in Canada. For example, CBC’s Poll Tracker allows you to follow how parties are polling to the tenth of a percentage on a weekly, if not daily basis. This is likely to change the mindset of a typical Canadian voter. A party that better represents a Canadian’s interests may look less appealing if you can see that it is behind in the polls.

This changing mindset has been exacerbated by the fact that articles supposedly covering policy mainly reference polling data.

Thus, even campaign promises are perceived within the lens of how parties are currently polling instead of what parties are promising to do.

Debates also contribute to

the tendency to frame the campaign in terms of winners and losers. At the close of each debate, a panel of political pun-

Even campaign promises are perceived within the lens of how parties are currently polling instead of what parties are promising to do

dits seeks to answer the same question: Who won? Even when pundits moved from discussing which leader won to what they actually said, analysis was still

constantly drenched in data. This was especially evident in the three English-language debates, where the head of Facebook Canada provided info on which leader was discussed most over Facebook, as well as which specific moment in the debate was most talked about. The public increasingly depends on social media for a summary of the debates.

This takes away from what leaders actually said, or what was actually discussed in that moment, instead focusing on how many Canadians talked about it.

The tendency to view elections as a horse race has been further exacerbated by the nature of the debates this election.

Because the Conservative Party pulled out of the consortium debate this election, it was replaced with five smaller debates hosted by different Canadian news organizations. Although there have been four more debates than usual, they were not broadcast

by CBC or any other Canadian broadcaster (although they were offered for free). Because the debates were more difficult to

view, the number of Canadians who watched live broadcasts was a fraction of the 10.6 million viewers in 2011. In this election, only 3.8 million viewers tuned in to the Maclean’s debate. More Canadians rely on post-debate analysis, which focuses on who won rather than the issues and policies discussed.

There needs to be more discussion of policy absent polling data to allow Canadians to formulate opinions outside of the optics of the political horse race.

More coverage should be given to what parties and their leaders promise outside of the lens of how they are polling. Polling could also include questions about why Canadians are voting for a certain party, thus putting what? and why? on more equal footing. Ultimately, it all comes down to what you perceive as being an effective democracy.

Voting is only truly effective when people vote with their conscience for the party that best represents them, rather than based on who is winning in the polls.

Parties struggle to stay focused on youth issues the Conservatives promise to double educational grants to low and middle-income students, but for some reason “dropping crooks in jail” seemed a more relevant slogan for a pamphlet aimed at students. The resulting pamphlet sounds less like a summary of the Conservative platform, and more like a George W. Bush attempt at a haiku. At least the last line has five syllables.

While the Conservative pamphlet is definitely the worst offender, the Liberals and the NDP also struggle to get their message across when marketing to young voters. Despite solid groundwork from local candidates, and engaging rhetoric from party leaders, some promotional material lack the substance needed to attract the youth vote. In order to reach young voters, both the Liberals and the NDP have set up dedicated youth websites. Yet these websites, which would be a great way for parties to present youth issues, are instead superficial and off-base.

On the Liberal youth website, the guiding philosophy

seems to be that every bit of content aimed at youth needs its own social media tie-in. The site itself, called #GenerationTrudeau, features tabs such as #ReadyToVote, and numberless pleas to share

“

Some promotional material lacks the substance it needs to attract the youth vote

every last detail on Facebook or Twitter. There’s even an endorsement for their Facebook and Twitter accounts within a larger endorsement for their Instagram page; however, #Generation-

Trudeau does deserve some credit: After sifting through the sea of hashtags, one can find a clear and concise rundown of Liberal policy promises. Nonetheless, the implicit message that drives their site—that youth only care about something if it has a hashtag— is disappointing to see coming from the party with the youngest leader. Justin Trudeau and his fellow Liberal candidates have been doing a good job of engaging young voters by addressing issues they care about, such as putting a price on carbon emissions, managing student debt, and legalizing marijuana—and these should be the focus of their online efforts as well.

The NDP’s youth website, Young new democrats, takes a different approach. The homepage features a large picture of a backpack, captioned “What’s Stephen Harper putting in your backpack?” It’s followed by a brief paragraph criticizing the incumbent prime minister, then ends: “Keep Stephen Harper’s hands off your backpack and your future.”

The backpack metaphor is a lame

write for opinion

Email opinion@mcgilltribune.com for more information Meetings in the Tribune office (Shatner 110), Mondays at 6:00 p.m.

cliché, and the heavy-handedness of it almost makes it seem as if the NDP really believes young voters are incapable of grasping abstract concepts like ‘the future’ without repeated reference to backpacks.

Yet unlike #GenerationTrudeau, there is no NDP policy proposals to be found anywhere on the site.

How they hope to woo young voters with a site that offers no real content remains a mystery.

Perhaps what’s most surprising about this lacklustre promotional material is how much it clashes with the parties’ other attempts to attract youth voters. Party leaders and candidates alike are willing to discuss youth issues seriously and in depth; at last week’s CKUT debate on campus, candidates held a substantive and focused discussion on how their parties’ policies would impact young Canadians.

Targeted advertising campaigns, like pamphlets and websites can be a great way to get young people involved, but only if parties stop focusing on distracting hashtags and dumbed-down slogans instead of presenting policy content that will engage and excite youth.

Science & technology The unexpected applications of military research Wednesday, October 14, 2015

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A scientific perspective on Demilitarize McGill and the Shockwave Physics Group DANIEL GALEF Contributor Demilitarize McGill is one of the most well-known and controversial groups on campus.

Those unfamiliar with Demilitarize McGill from their ubiquitous stickers and posters will have heard about their Remembrance Day protest last year, which drew large amounts of media attention in. Their goal was continues to be the condemnation of military research and associated programs on campus.

During these campaigns, Demilitarize McGill’s main concern has been with research solely with military applications. The group recognizes that several modern technologies such as GPS and the internet have come from what was originally military research; however, it believes this does not apply to the military research at McGill.

“The forms of broad, fundamental scientific research that led to the development of technologies like the internet can be clearly distinguished from projects going on today at McGill—projects that aim to improve the versatility and lethal capabilities of specific weapons systems in use by Western militaries,” the Demilitarize McGill website reads.

Alternative applications of military research can be hard to see, however, they do exist. Research with only one purpose is rare.

Often, a closer look at some of these projects is necessary to see what other uses they may have.

The Shockwave Physics Group The Shockwave Physics Group (SWPG) is the most frequent target of Demilitarize McGill’s attacks, as its areas of research include detonation, the initiation of detonation, and combustion synthesis.

“The Shockwave Physics Group (SWPG) at McGill University [...] has a long history of the study of [...] detonation phenomena,” the group wrote on its website.

One of their researchers is Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Andrew Higgins. Higgins specializes in shock waves, blast waves, and explosions, and his work has covered things ranging from hypervelocity launchers to developing new fuels for ramjets and scramjets. Faster than turbojets, but slower than rockets, ramjets and scramjets are engines that have a prominent place in missile development. Although they have potential for spaceflight, they are

primarily used in weapons, and have been said to be able to target anywhere in the world in one hour.

Hypervelocity propulsions, implosions, and explosions are frequenty used by the military; however, this work is also valuable in other fields.

Space debris and the McGill Launcher The SWPG is trying to decrease the amount of space debris in the atmosphere. To do this, the lab has created a ‘gun’ called the McGill Launcher, which fires dense projectiles at velocities of up to 10 kilometres per second in order to simulate the effects of orbital collisions. The McGill Launcher is not being sought by any arms dealer.

The ‘gun’ contains no gunpowder, can only be operated in an enormous vacuum chamber bolted onto the floor, and has no potential military application—because it is not a weapon. The entire launcher is totally destroyed after each firing, and, if the gun were ever to be fired outside a near-total vacuum, the projectile would instantly vaporize like a shooting star.

Powdered metals as hydrocarbon alternatives In 2001, Higgins published a paper titled Powdered Metals as Fuel for Hypersonic Ramjets. The paper, which was mentioned by Demilitarize McGill as an example of McGill’s military-sponsored research that they protest, evaluated the use of metals as energy sources.

The Shockwave Physics Group attempts to understand the pneomena of detonations (publications.mcgill.ca) McGill Launcher is also showing this works, and they get this fullpotential application in a surprising scale device to work, this will be field: Nuclear fusion.

General bigger than the discovery of fire.”

Fusion, a British-Columbia-based company working toward using fusion power as a practical energy Fundamental and source, is funding the SWPG applied research to develop a new type of fusion reactor.

Higgins explained that university The idea is to fill a sphere research groups conduct research with liquid lithium and lead and based on fundamental principles, spin it until a cavity is formed simply to learn, as opposed to in the centre. The cavity is then applicational research, which injected with a 10-million-degree has a goal in mind. The results plasma of deuterium and tritium— produced by labs like SWPG isotopes of hydrogen—and tend to be the first step towards pounded with shock waves from designing a product that can have hundreds of steam-driven pistons. various different applications.

These waves collapse the cavity, “You come to a department of raising the temperature to 100 engineering and you might expect million degrees, and the plasma [there to be] professors trying to undergoes fusion, releasing build better car engines [or] trying neutrons. The neutrons then heat to make robots that can work in up the lead and lithium, which can assembly lines faster,” Higgins be used to create steam and turn said. “Engineering professors turbines, similar to a conventional don’t really do any of those things. fission reactor.

What we do is probably closer Right now, the team is to what you do in math. We tend trying to stabilize the process by to focus on really fundamental determining how to prevent the things. We study phenomena.” tiny imperfections in the geometry In Canada, where funding is of the machine from interfering shifted more towards application, with the shockwaves. The machine researchers are forced to make do itself is years away, but the SWPG with what they can. is using the knowledge garnered “[The Natural Sciences and from from projects Demilitarize Engineering Research Council McGill swore could only be used of Canada] NSERC [is] under for military use. Nuclear fusion more and more [pressure] to make requires a huge amount of energy sure they fund things that have and work to achieve, but the math application,” explained Higgins.

“You can’t just fund people to Magnetized Target Fusion shows it’s worth it.

“You get 10 times more pursue their own curiosity. It This same explosives and power out [than you put in],” said always has to strike a balance.” detonation research that led to the Higgins. “If they pull this off, if Research for this was funded by the Department of Defense and later the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

This past December, McGill Mechanical Engineering Professor David Frost, another researcher from The Shockwave Group, published a paper in Applied Energy titled Direct Combustion of Recyclable Metal Fuels for Zero-Carbon Heat and Power. The paper examined powdered metal as an alternative fuel source to hydrocarbons.

Fine dusts of aluminium, lithium, and iron are mixed into air and combusted, leaving metal oxides as waste. Of these, iron proves to be the most promising; tests show it provides more energy by volume than gasoline, and instead of carbon dioxide, this combustion produces nothing but iron oxide—rust—as a byproduct. Because rust doesn’t escape into the atmosphere, it can be easily collected and processed back into iron.

The idea has a broad application. According to Higgins, research into the use of metal dusts as fuel, would not have materialized without the preliminary research conducted by the SWPG. “It’s a direct outcome of [the 2001 paper],” Higgins said. “The expertise was developed while we were doing [the] work funded by the Department of Defense.”

An affront to Humanity: Syria’s cultural heritage under fire

By Sofia Misenheimer

A

brutal war is grinding Syria’s magnificent cultural heritage into dust. In addition to the conflict’s horrific human toll—with over 220,000 killed to date, according to the United Nations—remarkable monuments that have stood for millennia are currently threatened or under fire. Syria’s historical treasures such as the ancient Norias of Hama, and the medieval Citadel of Aleppo encompass irreplaceable structures and artifacts that document a thousand years of Roman and Byzantine civilization, the first years of Islam and Christianity, and successive periods of great achievement by many cultures.

As the war in Syria rages through its fourth year, the country’s humanitarian catastrophe overshadows media coverage of the continuing destruction of cultural heritage sites. But the ongoing assault on Syria’s historical legacy must not be forgotten, nor accepted.

“The protection of cultural heritage is inseparable from the protection of human lives, and should be an integral part of humanitarian and peacebuilding efforts,” said Ghalia Elkerdi, vice president of the Syrian Students’ Association at McGill. “The destruction of our precious heritage gravely affects our identity and history and all humanity.”

This sentiment reflects a worldwide consensus dating back to the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. The international treaty, which was written in response to The Second World War, articulates that, “damage to cultural property [is] damage to the cultural heritage of all mankind.” Syria is a signatory of the Hague Convention and the two protocols that have amended it over the years. Yet in Syria today, there is no evidence of the Convention’s fundamental affirmation that the protection of cultural heritage is a global

responsibility.

Six Syrian World Heritage Sites remain inscribed to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) List of World Heritage in Danger—the most in any one country worldwide. And no international initiatives seem slated to prevent the further demolition of Palmyra, a World Heritage Site no longer simply under threat, but already partially lost.

In May, when Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) forces seized control of Palmyra, militants took sledgehammers to statues, tombs, and shrines, pulverizing some of the most well-preserved relics of Greco-Roman, Byzantine, and early Islamic culture in the world. They declared the antiquities were idolatrous, according to ISIS’ strict interpretation of Islamic law, although the group continues to profit from the looting and black market sale of such artifacts.

Islamic State fighters later tortured and beheaded Khaled al-Assad, the 82-year-old Palmyran chief archaeologist and site caretaker, for refusing to reveal the location of hidden antiquities. They detonated explosives within the Temple of Bel and Temple of Baalshamin last month, razing both 2,000 year-old structures to the ground. Just last week, militants also blew up the iconic Arch of Triumph that once welcomed visitors to Syria’s oasis city, a renowned cultural centre of the ancient world.

“The disgusting affront to cultural heritage in Syria is reflective of many war patterns throughout history,” said Marion Hunter, U3 Arts. “The Nazis [destroyed] and stole an immense amount of art during World War II, and many private cultural belongings were sold in the black market. The global community reprimanded the Nazis for this war crime, yet the same thing is happening today in Syria.”

Palmyra’s cultural treasures, including those alAsaad protected with his life, represent part of the collective human history that binds global citizens.

They represent the continuity of human existence and commemorate the contributions of past cultures to the development of modern beliefs, social values and technologies.

“Civilizations are built upon landmarks that hold the identity of cities and cultures,” said Hunter. “When longstanding pieces of architecture are destroyed, it wipes out not just the physical landmarks, but also the history behind them.”

The degradation of cultural property during conflict has long been a means of asserting cultural dominance and inflicting maximum damage on an opposing side. For instance, the capture of Constantinople—now the city of Istanbul—by the invading Ottoman army in 1453, resulted in the destruction of Christian heritage sites dating back hundreds of years.

“Currently, scholars are trying to find remnants of the old Christian city, but it’s inaccessible because a whole new civilization was built on top. Finding the old city would mean destroying the current one that has been built upon for centuries,” Hunter said. “History shows that protecting Syrian cultural heritage is of utmost importance, because of how simple it is to wipe out centuries of history during war.”

This view was shared by

Philosopher Emer de Vattel, who wrote in his influential treatise, The Law of Nations, “For whatever cause a country is ravaged, we ought to spare those edifices which do honor to human society [….] It is declaring one’s self to be an enemy of mankind, thus wantonly to deprive them of these wonders.”

Over 200 years later, his words still ring true. But the list of cultural property in Syria deserving both the attention and protection of the global community remains extensive. If action is not taken to prevent the further loss of Syria’s cultural heritage, it is unlikely that future generations will enjoy the same tangible connection to Syria’s unique and diverse history as those in the past.

Syria’s rich cultural harvest For centuries, Syria was a popular destination for the devout, the scholarly, and the adventurous, eager to connect with humanity’s history. Among the most notable of Syria’s 19th century visitors was Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, best known today as the first European to encounter the city of Petra, in what is now Jordan. Burckhardt’s 1812 excursion to Petra was a side trip from Syria,

where he resided for several years while documenting historical sites throughout the country. His depiction of Syria’s lush cultural landscape in Travels in Syria and the Holy Land (1812) makes for painful reading against the backdrop of today’s war.

Burckhardt recounts his sojourn in and around the northwestern city of Idlib, frequently in the news over the past four years as an early opposition stronghold captured by Syrian regime forces in 2012. Since the outbreak of the conflict, ongoing clashes in Idlib have resulted in countless casualties and the urban centre has been mostly levelled. Today, Idlib’s strategic location as a provincial capital ensures that it will remain a locus of conflict, and nearby antiquities are under constant threat.

But in Burckhardt’s time, the city of about 1,000 houses was a regional hub for textiles with a thriving industry in olive-based soap, as well as home to a diverse population of Arab and Turkish Muslims, and Christians of Armenian and Greek Orthodox communities.

Burckhardt reported on rivalries among prominent local families, and noted that local industry paid an annual percentage to defray the expenses of the holy cities,

(Photos courtesy of Paul Stocker/FlickrCC, Alessandra Kocman/FlickrCC, Eusebius/FlickrCC, Lucy Caldicott/FlickrCC, and Ed Brambley/FlickrCC) Mecca and Medina. The payment was traditionally sent with the annual pilgrim caravan, which Burckhardt once accompanied as a convert making the Hajj pilgrimage.

Burckhardt’s later travels brought him to a crowded corner of the Hama souk, where he chanced upon an elaborately carved stone with striking inscriptions he couldn’t decipher. Unable to attribute the artifact to any known ancient civilization, Burckhardt recorded his discovery and moved on.

Nearly six decades later, Syriologist William Wright tracked down the stone and three others similar to it. He arranged the transfer of the “Hama stones” to a museum in Istanbul for further study.

Subsequent scholarship determined that the petroglyphs were among the first proofs of a previously unknown advanced Hittite civilization that had flourished in Hama over two millennia prior. The Hama stones were the first fruits of a rich harvest of Hittite language artifacts from an ancient culture that used the earliest known Indo-European language with hieroglyphic and cuneiform scripts. The stones demonstrate that each antiquity is an irreplaceable clue to humanity’s past.

Few places on earth rival Syria for the wealth of clues that it holds.

Tayfun Bilgin, a PhD. student in the Department of Near Eastern Studies in the University of Michigan, says the prevailing pro-Greek bias in the West tends to obscure the fact that Ancient Syria was home to highly sophisticated cultures long before the Greeks of Ionia

began to hit their stride late in the seventh century BCE. “The written history of Syria goes as far back as the third millennium BCE. Many civilizations developed in the region prior to the Greeks,” Bilgin said.

“Coastal city states of the Syro-Palestine area were rich trading centres throughout the second and first millenniums.”

As such, they were prized targets over the centuries for surrounding empires looking to expand their boundaries through conquest. The incredible multitude of artifacts in Syria illustrate this storied past.

Ancient cultural achievements versus contemporary cultural atrocities For more than a thousand years the Omari Mosque in Daraa remained practically unblemished, as one of the first Islamic monuments in Syria. With a square minaret and arched entryways, this seventh-century structure exemplified an architectural style seen only in first generation mosques erected during the initial expansion of the faith. Due to its historical and religious significance, the mosque became a symbolic centre of popular peaceful demonstrations at the onset of the Syrian war in 2011 and was later used as a hospital for wounded protesters. But bombardment by the Syrian Army two years later toppled the mosque’s ancient minaret and reduced its façade to rubble.

Not only have the rate of physical attacks on cultural sites increased in Syria over the last few years, but so has the unprecedented scale of organized looting, illicit trafficking, and sale of cultural objects.

“The looting is even worse than the shelling,” said Dr. Rafah Jwejati, a scholar of late antiquity and early Christianity, who received her PhD from McGill in 2009. “It tears away our history forever.

When it’s gone, it’s gone.”

A Damascus-born Montrealer, Jwejati is personally familiar with the adverse effects of the war on Syria’s cultural heritage. She remains connected to her country of origin through her work on Syria’s early Christian artifacts. But one by one, the artifacts that Jwejati specializes in have disappeared.

One early Byzantine mosaic Jewjati studied for over a decade, featuring a fifth century CE representation of the Holy Sepulchre, a highly sacred Christian site, was stolen from the Hama museum and presumably sold on the black market.

While Jwejati provided authorities with the only image of the ancient mosaic, one taken for her work, she has little hope that the artifact will be found and returned to the museum.

Syria remains largely unexplored, with thousands of unstudied archaeological sites, leaving a vast selection of undocumented artifacts at risk of illicit trafficking. Although the practice has been ongoing since before the conflict, the pace of looting has increased at vulnerable sites. According

The looting is even worse than the shelling

magnet for years, but has become nothing more than a crossroads for tanks. While the ancient ruins of Apamea, which housed centuries worth of stunning mosaics, have been ransacked and thieves have bulldozed priceless artifacts. These episodes are mere pages in the book of international human patrimony that have been shredded by conflict.

Syria is a unique repository of irreplaceable treasures drawn from the shared legacy of the human race and home to a diverse population directly affected by the erosion of the country’s cultural patrimony.

“Syria’s cultural heritage is a source of national identity and pride,” said Jwejati. “Our land houses memories of the first human settlers; our past reflects on the character of the people. Beyond cultural or political divides, our humanity is at stake.”

As the wellbeing of Syria’s people must be an urgent priority for the international community, so too must the preservation of their culture and heritage.

For now, however, Syria’s war continues, and those targeting museums and ancient sites for looting and destruction clearly have the upper hand. The already devastating effects of the war on Syria’s cultural heritage demand urgent action.

It’s not too late, but the loss is already beyond reckoning.

It tears away our history forever.

When it’s gone, it’s gone to the Association for the Protection of Syrian Archaeology (APSA), at least one third of Syria’s archaeological sites are ISIS-controlled and have been largely emptied of valuables.

Can the lost past live again?

Syria has survived the passage of many forces that have strewn the landscape with ruins, making her citizens undeniably resilient and carving a strong reputation for the country as a crossroads of civilizations. But the tragic humanitarian consequences of the Syrian war are unfortunately all many know about the country.

Idlib gained attention at the start of the conflict as a brutal combat zone, but the region is actually one of great archaeological significance. The ancient city of Palmyra was a global tourism

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY FROM THE BRAINSTEM RYAN KUNG Contributor

The last several years under Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s term have been intolerable for the scientific community. Described by the media as the “War on science,” Harper has muzzled government scientists in an effort to control how and what information is disseminated to the public. These policies are a form of censorship. They have pushed Canada into a scientific recession where little information is exchanged and funding for certain programs has been cut or eliminated entirely.

By 2017, Environment Canada’s budget will have decreased by 28.6 per cent, and considering their role in the conservation and restoration of Canadian landscapes, water, and wildlife, the effects this will have are worrisome.

Currently, federal scientists are required to acquire approval from a governmental communications officer (GCO) before discussing their work with the media. If they don’t, they risk losing their jobs. Spokespeople from governmental organizations such as Health and Environment Canada have refused to be interviewed to discuss matters such as radiation poisoning and global warming. And when media outlets try to contact specific scientists,

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

discovering scientific serendipity in the upcoming geNeral election

they are often unable to get interviews.

When The Canadian Press attempted to schedule an interview with Max Bothwell, a federal scientist who was conducting research on algae, they were met with checkpoints and hurdles. Bothwell had worked on Didymo, a species of algae that was potentially invasive, and his work was useful for environmentalists. The Canadian Press exchanged over 100 emails with 16 different GCOs to try to schedule a meeting with Bothwell.

Ultimately, The Canadian Press ended up dropping the interview and published their article without any of Bothwell’s insight on the subject.

These issues have shifted attitudes about researching in Canada.

Dr. Robert Brownstone, a Canadian researcher who examines motor control pathways has shed light on paralysis and helped the lives of thousands. But roughly three months ago, Brownstone said that he would be leaving Canada to work in England.

His reason: The Canadian federal government has prioritized funding applied research over more basic research.

“I think there are significant changes in our funding bodies and those changes are going to have significant impact on research and, more worrisome, on research training,” he said in an interview

with CBC News.

“Attitudes toward research by our federal government have not been particularly encouraging.”

In light of these issues, Evidence for Democracy—a nonpartisan group that hopes to educate the public about issues such as the muzzling of federal scientists and funding allocation— approached the current party nominees with a questionnaire to evaluate their stances on certain issues in the scientific community.

The current candidates will need to address issues raised by the scientific community. (May Lim / McGill Tribune) The Liberals have promised over $20 million Party, the NDP, and the Liberal Party This means the reinstatement of the towards national parks. The Green of Canada have similar views and long form census, which provides Party has promised $75 million to intentions. All three are committed necessary statistical data to the federal employ scientists at Environment to cleaning up Harper’s tyrannical government, giving it a better idea on Canada, Health Canada, and Fisheries policies on science. All three want to how to allocate taxes, fund, and plan and Oceans. The New Democratic allow open scientific communication. certain programs.

If the newly elected party Party (NDP) plans to implement a This means recreating a government tax break for small businesses—an office specifically for advising the keeps their promises and makes the Innovation Tax—to help them invest parliament in science related issues, necessary changes, then the future requiring government of science in Canada is bright. If not, in the equipment needed for research. without While the Conservative Party of checkpoints. This means no more Canada risks losing some if its greatest Canada did not respond, Harper is not GCO’s—their function will be minds to other countries where their changed into officers that advise the work can be openly discussed, funded, expected to change his policy.

For the most part, the Green parliament and federal scientists. and respected.

Paralyzed man walks using brain-wave systems Direct brain-wave control can help restore mobility Esha kaul Contributor Researchers from the University of California, Irvine, successfully created a system of artificial electrical signals to circumnavigate a paraplegic man’s spinal injury. The man’s name undisclosed for privacy reasons. As a result, the 26-year-old was able to walk for the first time in five years, making him the first paraplegic to walk without relying on manually-controlled robotic limbs.

Published in the Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation this September, the work used Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES)—a system that sends electrical signals to nerves innervating damaged areas like muscles—to give the man control of his legs.

“The concept of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) has been around for probably 40 years,” explained McGill Neurology Professor Samuel David. “What they have done [in this study] is taken FES to the next level. There’s still electrical stimulation like you would have in [normal] FES, but here the patient can initiate the signals [themself].”

FES signals were read and understood by a computer, a process called a Brain Computer Interface

A person’s brainwaves can be interpreted by a computer. (Elli Slavitch / McGill Tribune) (BCI). In order to use this technology, the patient had to generate recognizable ‘walking’ signals in his brain, which would then be picked up by the computer.

“The person has to consciously think to walk,” David explained.

“Usually when we walk and talk, we don’t think about walking. But [in the patient’s case], if they don’t think [about walking,] they won’t be able to walk.”

To practice making these signals, the patient first worked in a virtual environment. Then, he practised walking

while suspended five centimeters above the ground. Following a 19 week-long process, with help from a walker and harness, the patient was finally able to walk a distance of about four metres.

During the entire process, the patient had to wear a cap with a builtin Electroencephalogram (EEG).

The EEG read his brain waves and transmitted them to a computer system that interpreted them as signals to either rest or walk.

“What [the researchers] are doing essentially is collecting the electrical

activity from the skull and [introducing it] to the computer that triggers a preprogrammed software,” David said.

The computer turns on an electrical stimulator that creates alternating muscle contractions in either one of his legs, making the person walk. When the thoughts stop, so does the walking.

The beauty of technology like this is that it can bypass damaged areas—like the spine—and directly reach a target muscle and stimulate a nerve reaction.

“Once we’ve confirmed the usability of this noninvasive system, we

can look into [more] invasive means, such as brain implants,” explained Dr. Zoran Nenadic, the lead researcher on the study to ScienceDaily. “We hope that an implant could achieve an even greater level of prosthesis control because brain waves are recorded with higher quality. In addition, such an implant could deliver sensation back to the brain, enabling the user to feel their legs.”

Some issues still need to be addressed, however, before this type of technology is accessible to a larger audience. In laboratory tests, the computer mixed up signals for balance and stabilization with walking.

“Even though they say ‘walking,’ the person still [does not have the] ability to balance, which is why they used a harness during the trial,” explained David. “So, electrical stimulation is being sent to the muscles, but there’s no proprioceptive feedback yet and you can’t have balance.”

More research needs to be done before this type of technology can be accessible to more patients, but it’s a step in the right direction.

“You’re not really solving the biological problem, but it doesn’t mean it’s not good,” said David. “To help people with neurological conditions, we have to approach the problem in all sorts of ways.”

11

Arts & Entertainment

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

PEER REVIEW

CHORAL COMPREHENSIVES IAN RODGERS Contributor For many undergraduates at McGill, graduate students can seem separate from everybody else, little more than strange entities that touch down to mark papers and run conferences. Choral Comprehensives is a reminder that like any other student, grad students need activities outside of class to stay sane, serving as the first graduate-only a cappella group at McGill.

“Most of the groups on campus are quite competitive,” founder Natasha Larivée explained.

“Being in grad school […] everyone’s in a similar stage in life,” added co-founder Leora Frimer.

“Other a cappella groups are mostly undergraduate focused, which represent a pretty large difference in terms of age and maturity.”

Getting the group started was a difficult process, however, as advertising for the group didn’t come easily.

“We wanted to be a graduateonly student group,” Larivée said, explaining the origins of the club.

Rhetoric

“We don’t have access to office space or the clubs fair like we would if we were in [Student Society of McGill University] (SSMU).”

Further, it’s easy to imagine that graduate students, considering that they’re older and more established in their fields, would already have pursuits that they were focused on.

But for Choral Comprehensives, that turned out not to be the case.

Word-of-mouth and networking have created a good deal of excitement for the group, as reflected in its size— Choral Comprehensives has nearly 25 members. The group attracted a large number of applicants, which were then pared down at auditions in late September to the current roster. The result is an unusually large a cappella group, one that is still on the hunt for male performers.

Bringing people together is a priority for the group, who is trying to counter feelings of isolation that can pop up in thesis-based graduate schools. Choral Comprehensives is committed to working collectively, making decisions collectively about which performances to book. On a social level, members are getting

Pop

has drake gone too far?

Drake drys his tears with stacks of cash. (Stephanie Ngo / McGill Tribune)

Choral Comprehensives jumps for joy. (Hayley Mortin / McGill Tribune) along well and finding connections based on their mutual love for music.

“Two days after the first rehearsal, someone invited [the whole group] to his birthday party,” Frimer said.

Larivée echoed Frimer’s sentiments. “We’re really, really happy where the group is going,” Larivée added. “The people who self select to be in these groups tend to be similar [...] and there’s a bonding experience in that.”

Currently, it is performing arrangements lent to them by an a cappella group at UBC. Its

APRIL BARRETT Contributor “Hotline Bling” was released this summer, peaking at number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and becoming Drake’s highest rated single since 2009’s “Best I Ever Had.” Maybe the reason “Hotline Bling” gained so much popularity was its tenderness, especially when compared to Drake’s other summer singles, the cocky Meek Mill diss tracks, “Back to Back” and “Charged Up.” “Hotline Bling” is refreshingly smooth, moody and tropical; the production is what makes the song charming, with its slow, electronic cha-cha beat. Still, the lyrics should be given some credit in explaining its popularity. Pitchfork called the track “an old-model Drake song.”

It’s classic Drake, all up in his feelings again, reminiscing about an ex who used to call him late at night. Drake’s sensitive persona proves itself meme-worthy time and time again, but “Hotline Bling” takes this persona to the next level.

This time, the lyrics don’t feel like a thoughtful meditation on how Drake just can’t make love work, instead, they are a scathing reprimand of an ex-girlfriend whose behaviour is making him anxious. And as loving concern begins to come across as obsessive and controlling, one has to wonder if Drake really is the ‘nice

repertoire contains works from a wide background, from James Brown to Justin Bieber. The group is working on adding new elements to the songs, fulfilling the role of an a cappella troupe by molding individual songs to the strengths and blends of different vocal ranges.

The group has a lot of musical talent, but still maintains a relaxed, non-competitive feel. In their first year, its focus was on establishing itself and creating new opportunities for grad students. That said, Choral Comprehensives still has performances lined up at Thomson

House for holiday parties. They’re also committed to charity performances, and will be helping out at the geriatric ward of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) for the purpose of musical therapy.

Overall, Choral Comprehensives is a unique new space for graduate students to help avoid the alienation of endless hours of research. Establishing a new group is a tough process, but it are well on the way to creating an organization that will provide lasting benefits for grad students. Choral Comprehensives has found a tune for multiple graduates to sing along to.

guy’ of rap that we can all relate to.

The song is allegedly about Drake’s ex, Nebby, a stylist who he dated on and off when he still lived in Toronto. Drake moans on verse one: “Ever since I left the city, you / started wearing less and going out more/ glasses of champagne out on the dance floor/ hanging with some girls I never seen before.” His ex has a new group of friends, is dressing sexily, and is obviously living a kind of lifestyle that would afford her bottle service. It’s a lavish lifestyle, but it certainly isn’t a problem. The accusations just get weirder from there: “You got exactly what you asked for / running out of pages in your passport.” In verse two, as if Drake is personally offended that Nebby would take advantage of her opportunities and travel. All of this might seem a little less out of line if Drake himself wasn’t spending time expressing joy at his own bottle-popping, jet-setting lifestyle.

While Champagne Papi justifies his extravagance by claiming that he’s on his worst behaviour, he denies his exes the chance at enjoying the same kind of revelry in being a little bit bad.

Drake solidifies the distinction between sensitive and manipulative in the bridge. Drake’s real stake in the issue is clear in the line: “Doing things I taught you, getting nasty for someone else.” Drake’s investment in Nebby’s life, after so much has

changed between them, reveals an anxiety around the idea of her not belonging to him anymore. He criticizes her for never being alone and praises her for staying home in the past. Even the potential idea of her with another man is indicative that she is in fact not the ‘good girl’ that she used to be.

Why is “Hotline Bling” different from Drake’s other fine whines?

It’s in the tone and the position from which Drake is talking. He’s not convincing as a nice guy from Toronto anymore; instead he sounds more like a spoiled king. More than totally killing her vibe, he’s shaming his ex for expressing her sexuality in a way that isn’t directly for his enjoyment. “Hotline Bling” is obviously misogynistic, but because of Drake’s image as a sensitive creature whose insights into the trials of love make him a moral voice in rap music, it’s too easy for listeners to ignore the bad taste that this track should leave in their mouths.

Even if Drake is slut shaming with confidence, it’s questionable whether the song still can be justifiably enjoyed. If the selfishness of the lyrics can be bared, listeners can still appreciate Drake’s consistency in making honest, emotional rap music. “Hotline Bling” can be taken as a reminder to be critical of entertainment idols and how they influence the way people think about the world.

12

ARTS & Entertainment

FLASHBACK

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

AFter hours (1985)

Christopher Lutes Arts & Entertainment Editor As the bars start to close and people settle into bed for the night, a different type of person emerges from the shadows and takes to the streets. The world becomes populated with insomniacs, shift workers, and club-goers; their lifestyle is fundamentally different—not just because of their nocturnal nature, but because the night seems to work on a different moral schedule than the day. The followers of this code are the characters that fill After Hours, Martin Scorsese’s often-overlooked 1985 black comedy. “Different rules apply when it gets this late,” says a shop owner early into the film. He doesn’t know how right he is.

The story follows Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne), a rather average upper-Manhattan word processor who is lured away from his humdrum lifestyle by the possibility of sex with Marcy (Rosanna Arquette), a woman he met in a coffee shop. Paul treks out to SoHo to meet her at her apartment, and things start to go wrong almost instantly. All of his money flies out of the window of the cab he takes, and after his date quickly goes south,

he decides to journey home. This turns out to be much more difficult than expected, and he spends the rest of the night getting into a series of increasingly surreal situations with strangers.

Scorsese once again manages to capture New York City in a way that hadn’t been done before or ever since. Shot on location in SoHo, the streets are scuzzy, slicked with rain, and nearly deserted. Despite being a symbol of the trendy art world, the neighbourhood looks like an unforgiving wasteland of shuttered windows and closed signs. Lending to the mood is Howard Shore’s wiry, dissonant score, syncopated with the sound of a ticking clock, and reflecting the distressed edge that the film radiates.

There are no protagonists or antagonists in this film, just a world governed by blind karma and coincidence. Minor transgressions that Paul commits end up coming back to haunt him later: For instance, taking brief shelter in a woman’s home ends up with him getting mistaken for a burglar, and subsequently hunted by an angry mob. Things that should be easy for anybody—like making a phone call or scrounging up subway fare—are

Paul Hackett is haunted by the creatures of the night throughout After Hours (Photo courtesy of The Geffen Film Company) whose attempts at breaking the cycle of flipping through TV channels and eating alone at restaurants fail miserably, and this empathy simultaneously makes his situation more understandable and less forgivable. A lesser film would have ended with Paul coming to enjoy his night of danger, and learning to live a little, but instead, he becomes more irate and beaten down.

The vulnerability that comes with being in such a desperate situation leads Paul to have an unexpected level of intimacy with a number of people he meets through circumstance. Most of these interactions are with the opposite sex; and nearly every time, Paul is made

powerless, echoing his inability to connect with Marcy that began his journey in the first place. Part of his lack of agency comes from being out of his element—the film nails the discomforting feeling of being in the home of a total stranger and the sensory overload that comes with it. Through these moments, the feeling persists that things are not going to work out for Paul.

Frequent references to burn victims and castration crank up the symbolic tension, but the films ends without ever alleviating that conflict. Thus, the audience is left to contend with the Kafkaesque nature of the world after dark—in the chaos of fire and the scars it leaves.

Arms looks into the impacts of gun violence on civil society. (openbooktoronto.com)

Furthermore, although Arms attempts to holistically explain gun culture in the United States and Canada, Somerset focuses almost entirely on radicalized elements within the subculture.

The less fanatical—but still influential—voices are ignored, and the book does not discuss how more commonplace gun usage affects culture. The end result is an enforcement of a rigid dichotomy between what is presented as wellreasoned liberal beliefs and crazy far-right extremism. Society’s issues surrounding gun control are more nuanced.

Regardless of readers’ personal positions on firearms issues, nobody can deny the relevance of Arms today. Horrific mass shootings have characterized the American sociopolitical landscape. Guns have been presented as both the cause of and solution to these tragedies.

Additionally, Somerset reminds Canadians that they are not exempt from these problems.

“These ideas have come across the border and taken hold in Canada, even as the mass of the Canadian public congratulates itself on living where there is no gun culture,” he writes. Arms offers a well-researched perspective on political and cultural issues that are constantly developing, and provides entertaining insights into gun culture that can appeal to gun rights novices and those who are already well-versed in this debate.

complicated by circumstance, and create an unbearable amount of tension when the sheer weight of each event stacks up over time. The editing lends to this ethos, cutting between shots a little too quickly, which gives even standard conversation scenes an eerie cadence.

At the centre of this mess is Paul, who feels like a living embodiment of the colour beige. He’s a ‘nice guy’ but not necessarily a good guy—his veneer of politeness quickly drops away whenever he has an obstacle to face, making it seem like an act to get what he wants. Still, he remains an interesting contrast to the typical sociopathic Scorsesian anti-hero. It’s easy to sympathize with someone

BOOK REVIEW

Maya reid Contributor A.J. Somerset blends a barrell full of personal anecdotes with historical analysis in Arms: The Culture and Credo of the Gun to explore the rise of gun culture in North America.

Somerset, a former Canadian soldier and avid sport shooter, offers a unique perspective into how and why guns have morphed from a tool of war, hunting, and protection to a polarizing symbol. Deeply critical of the political ideologies connected to gun usage, Somerset looks to differentiate himself from other self-identified gun enthusiasts.

“Although I like guns,” he writes in his introduction, “I do not like gun nuts.”

The rest of Arms follows this general theme, criticizing rightwing extremism and dogmatic positions on gun control. By tracing the lineage of gun lobbying, Somerset explains in detail how the National Rifle Association (NRA) and Canadian lobbying groups like the National Firearms Association (NFA) were able to exercise control over legislation and court decisions.

Their advocacy is increasingly divorced from mainstream thought, but their supporters still represent a powerful constituency.

Somerset does not limit

this book just to issues of public policy. The notion of a national ‘gun culture’ expands beyond how the term is usually used in public discourse. He provides the context for how the United States developed “a culture that declares the gun to be as American as mom and apple pie, and as sacred as Jesus himself.”

Somerset’s exploration of the psychology behind gun ownership is where Arms truly shines. The later chapters examine the way media, politics, and historical perceptions have carved out the social space for this culture to thrive. Highlights include the chapter “Kingdom of Fear,” an analysis on self-defense preparation

and mass paranoia, as well as a section titled “A Woman’s Right,” a more methodical examination of how gun advocates appropriated feminist messaging. The chapter in which Somerset argues “gun control in the United States was about race from the start” is also particularly thought-provoking due to the current political and social climates.

Throughout the book, Arms includes anecdotes and metaphors to enhance his arguments. Sometimes these personal stories are refreshing and insightful because they sharply deviate from traditional non-fiction prose on this topic; however, other times they muddy up his reasoning and make Arms difficult to follow.

13

Student Living

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

O u t o n t h e t ow n

Self-guided walking tours in Montreal

By Karina Alibhai Montreal is undeniably a city that has its own unique charm, from its mountainous surroundings, to its crowning waterfront location. The historic and modern blend seamlessly in the city. It is rich with culture and history, and it would be a waste to not go beyond the ‘McGill bubble’ and explore this incredible city. Here are two self-guided walking tours to explore Montreal.

Tours obtained from: http://www.jazzhostels.com/blog/9881-free-self-guided-walking-tours-of-montreal/

Old Montreal (Vieux Montreal)

The Plateau (Le Plateau-Mont-Royal)

This tour explores Old Montreal. It begins at Canada’s furst bank, The Bank of Montreal, which was established in 1817. Across from the bank is Place d’Armes. The monument, dedicated to the city’s founders, is in the heart of the city and offers a striking historical panorama.

The tour leads to two different churches: the Notre-Dame Basilica with its Gothic Revival architecture, and the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, which translates to “Our Lady of Good Help.” In addition to walking past the churches from the 17th and 18th centuries, the tour will take one on a historical and political journey. Located on Rue Notre-Dame are the Old Courthouse and City Hall. For centuries, this is where different, and often conflicting, visions of the city have been championed, and where trials have been heard and decisions made.

Three courthouses from different periods appear along the street and can be seen on the walk.

Additionally, the tour leads to the Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal’s Museum of Archaeology and History. The museum has collections of artifacts from First Nations that illustrate how various cultures coexisted and interacted around present-day Montreal. In addition, it showcases how the French and British regimes influenced the history of the territory over the years. The museum has been included in National Historic Sites of Canada since 1998, and the entrance fee is $12 for students.

The final destination is Old Port, which became the gateway to Canada in the early 17th century when French fur traders used it as a trading post. There are many events held throughout the year at Old Port, and it has become a tourist destination with a variety of cafés, restaurants, and shops. By following this route, one can learn more about Montreal’s rich history and explore one of Canada’s most historic towns. This tour can be completed in a couple hours; however, to fully enjoy the experience a whole day is recommended.

A map for the Old Montreal tour (frommers.com)

Many McGill students live in Plateau Mont-Royal, but rarely have time to explore their own neighbourhood.

This self-guided tour explores the Plateau, beginning at the Mont-Royal metro station. The first part of the tour is Rue Saint-Denis. This street is one of the most animated and culturally diverse streets in Montreal.

Lined with over 300 storekeepers and restaurants, it is a major north-south thoroughfare. While the map highlights some stores, many more retailers can be spotted on the strip, as well as cafés, shops, and various other service. There are two theaters on Saint-Denis in addition to a variety of bars and bakeries.

The street is currently lined with “La Grande Terrasse Rouge”—a long, continuous red terrasse that runs along the street between Rue Roy and Avenue Mont-Royal. The terrace has been built by the city to help compensate the owners of the street’s 109 businesses for the upcoming road work that is expected to last more than a year.

Branching off of Saint-Denis is Rue Duluth, which leads to Parc la Fontaine. This 40-hectare grassy gem is located in the center of the Plateau. The park includes two ponds with a fountain and waterfalls, an open-air theater, a cultural centre, sports fields, and tennis courts. It is a great spot to rest on the tour and a good place to enjoy the natural escape in the middle of the bustling city.

The final leg of the tour is on Boulevard Saint-Laurent. This commercial artery and cultural heritage site, nicknamed “The Main,” is packed with clubs, bars, boutiques, shops, and restaurants. As the map highlights, Schwartz’s, the famous smoked meat deli, is located along the street.

The tour ends at Saint-Louis Square, which has a water fountain in the centre and is surrounded by park benches and Victorian style residence buildings. This guided walk is perfect for those who want to explore the Plateau and experience the urban and natural duality. Furthermore, the Plateau is rich in French and European culture which is not often found in downtown Montreal. The tour can be completed in a couple hours; however, meandering through stores along Saint-Denis and exploring the Parc la Fontaine are highlights of the tour and require more time.

Thrift shopping on Saint-Laurent A look into Montreal’s alternative fashion hub

By Ariella Garmaise Rue Sainte-Catherine is Montreal’s shopping mecca, boasting mega brands like H&M, Zara, and American Eagle; however, often overlooked is Boulevard Saint-Laurent, a street that has more to offer than just Frappe and Biftek. With Urban Outfitter’s hipster energy and Forever XXI’s cheap prices, Saint-Laurent thrift shopping provides a far more eclectic look for your dollar.

T . Westcott

Cul-de-Sac at 3966 Boulevard Saint-Laurent (montrealinpictures.wordpress.com)

KILO Fripe

Cul-de-Sac

KILO Fripe neighbours Cul-deSac, and the two often collaborate by hosting fashion shows together. Kilo Fripe, however, is noticeably more eccentric. It hosts a similar jacket collection, but also flaunts a rack of sequin tops, a shelf of cowboy boots, decorative ties, a pair of seventy dollar wolf-print pants. The decision to be expansive is intentional, explained sales assistant Penelope Hard.

“The customers are all ages, French, English, tourists,” she said. “You have to be openminded, and the clothes are a reflection of that.”

Cul-de-Sac is a store ideal for university students—it exudes an alternative vibe not dissimilar to that of cult classic shows like Freaks and Geeks and My So Called Life. Cul-de-Sac has an impressive coat collection; the back half of the shop showcases denim, leather, army, and letterman jackets.

“I prepare all the clothes; I wash, sew, repair—I like the process,” explained store owner Melissa Turgeon, who is particularly dedicated to her stock. “New is new—you have to do nothing. Here, you have to work on it.”

The Beatles and The Police blast over the sound-system—just like with her clothes, Turgeon creates an aura that is retro, but not obnoxiously so.

Terry Westcott’s eponymous secondhand bookshop is perhaps the most picturesque storefront on Saint-Laurent, reminiscent of quaint British boutiques.

His store is filled with books from wall to wall, novels dripping over the checkout counter, and reference books tripping customers as they scuffle through the walkways. Westcott’s genuine dedication to literature is a revolt against the faceless Barnes and Nobles and Indigos that use their square footage for faddish gimmicks and spaciously frivolous displays.

“I just love reading,” said Westcott. “I was tripping over books in my apartment and my landlord was giving me the evil eye.

So, I opened up a store.”

T. Wescott offers an expansive range of books—“The books just have to be interesting,” said Westcott in reference to the only qualifier for the books he shelves. Customers can find everything from Pretty Little Liars, to a McGill sociology course pack; from Shirly MacLaine’s autobiography to Agatha Christie novels.

La Boutique Du Collectionneur The “La Boutique Du Collectionneur” knick-knack shop is whimsically disorienting; random suitcases, baskets, and chairs hang on the front window, and the sign is obstructed by a poster for the ’90s French film Laura Cadieux.

A good place to find furnishing for an apartment or windowsill trinkets for a dorm room, the store has older, less fashionable light fixtures, but also zany finds, like an exit sign or the bottom half of a mannequin. Most alarming, however, is a wall of Nazi paraphernalia, an aisle that tends to unease customers.

“I’m actually Jewish,” explained storeowner Ivan Botines.

“I think it would be a big mistake if everyone buried and forgot these historical items. It’s a sin—it’s part of history and it’s evidence.”

Botines’ whole shop is a family business, and he maintains the philosophy of holding on to the past.

Friperie Saint-Laurent Friperie Saint-Laurent is cozy and warm. The interior is papered in tiger-print wallpaper, Montreal Canadiens memorabilia line the ceiling, and the salespeople are helpful and personable. The store only sells merchandise that predates the ’70s, so items that are stereotypically ‘thrift shop’ are slightly underwhelming—the letterman jacket collection is limited, and the shoe rack is dedicated mostly to monotonous pointed-toe kitten heels; however, they also have more unique and flashy buys like a rack of gorgeous ’60s shift dresses, and Oxford slip-ons. Unlike their counterparts, Friperie is willing to haggle, offering exciting bargains.

“When you go to the Gap it’s cold; people are scrambling to find something very straight,” storeowner Dider Duram said, beaming. “Here, people come freely looking for items that are unique and funny, or even to say ‘Why not?’”

14

Student Living

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Understanding why McGill residences are the most expensive in Canada The rising price of McGill residences

C os t o f R e s i d e n c e UBC

McGill

$8,748

LOWEST University Hall Place Venir

HIGHE S T

$10,303

A VE R A GE

Inforgraphic by Cassie Lee

$9,400

La Citadelle Marine Drive Building 5

$7,175

“The living costs [at Evo] are similar to those established by McGill, but the nature of supply and demand has inflated the quality of off-campus residences to compete,” said Zack Month, ambassador at Evo Centre-Ville. “Evo not only has floor fellows, but also fulltime employees dedicated to improving the living experience.”

Month also argues that many offcampus residences such as Evo can actually offer a more unique and broader experience than a McGill residence.

“Evo attracts students from all of Montreal’s universities, creating a new opportunity to learn from neighbours,” stated Month. “Evo offers events from Yoga nights in our gym, to cooking competitions in our dining complex, to viewing parties, and more.”

Many students also choose to living in an apartment off-campus, which is typically much less expensive than living in residence. In terms of pure accommodation costs (residence fees excluding the mandatory meal plan), apartments within walking distance of McGill are often half the price of a McGill residence.

However, there are several distinguishing features of living in a McGill residence. The rez community presents an incredible opportunity to build lasting friendships while having access to crucial support systems. Perhaps most significantly, McGill Rez Life is a trailblazer in consent education, anti-oppression training, and inclusivity.

“We are at the leading edge of some of the programming and social educations of students that are happening in Canada,” Johnson said.

“We’re driving our students to understand what it really means to have a place in the larger community.”

While Johnson acknowledged that the high price of residence creates financial access barriers, for many past residents, living in a McGill residence ultimately provides much more than student accommodations. The availability of exceptional resources and the diverse community fostered within a McGill residence is arguably unmatched by most other universities or any offcampus housing options.

“I understand that some families can’t afford rez, and that’s totally understandable,” remarked states Jemark Earle, Royal Victoria College floor fellow, and a former resident at La Citadelle, said. “But despite the cost, the experience is invaluable.”

$6,223

the inability for the residences to house adequate cooking facilities, and the belief that communal dining areas for residences promote a sense of community.

There are many access barriers associated with the high cost of living in residence. For many students and families, residence is simply unaffordable; for others, it requires significant financial sacrifice.

“Absolutely it creates access barriers,” Johnson noted. “At some point, we’re going to price ourselves out of the market, and we have to be sensitive to that.”

But perhaps there already have been indications that the cost of McGill residences have begun to dissuade an increasingly greater number of students.

In June 2015, SHHS extended the application deadline for residence as not all vacancies were immediately occupied for the following academic year.

This has been rare in previous years, and the deadline extension is potentially indicative of a decreasing demand to live in residence.

The disparity of cost amongst different residences also creates certain access barriers. The difference between living in McGill’s least expensive and most expensive residence is nearly $4,000.

According to Johnson, SHHS makes every effort to minimize socioeconomic divisions by strategically distributing overall maintenance costs— and also major renovation costs— across all residences.

“One of the things that we have chosen to do […] is to not necessarily directly pass on the cost of one change in a building just to the students of that building,” Johnson said. “We spread the operating costs so that [they are] increasing out over the whole system.”

For example, New Residence has renovated a few floors over the past two years. While students living on a renovated floor pay slightly more than students in non-renovated rooms, the overall living fees are increased throughout all of New Residence. Furthermore, the price of other residences is also increased in order to mitigate the financial impact on one demographic of students.

Nevertheless, McGill residences are notoriously expensive in contrast to other living options. Evo and Varcity515 are two alternative student housing options that have been growing in popularity. Many of these off-campus residences offer a familiar sense of community, support services, and opportunities to form friendships.

University Hall is cheap by McGill standards but would be higher than the average at UBC (mcgill.ca)

$11,533

M

cGill University has a reputation as one of the most prestigious schools in North America, attracting thousands of outof-province and international students each year. However, the complete university experience, including living in residence, is becoming gradually less affordable for many first-year students.

In fact, McGill residences are now some of the most expensive in Canada.

Student housing is comprised of 16 McGill residences which, in total, house over 3,000 new students each year. Many first-year students choose to live in residence for a variety of reasons including convenience, location, and the opportunity to make new friends from across the world.

Including housing and meal, the current total cost of living in a McGill residence for one academic year is approximately $15,000. Over the past decade, the cost has continued to increase anywhere from two to seven per cent each year. Inflation rates, the recent acquisition of new buildings to be converted to hotel-style residences, and building renovations are all factors in the rising cost of residences.

“Our fees, without question, are amongst the top in Canada for housing,” managing director of Student Housing and Hospitality Services (SHHS), Janice Johnson, said. “As long as I’ve been at McGill, we’ve always been top of the heap.”

McGill residences now rival traditionally expensive real estate markets at schools such as University of Toronto and University of British Columbia.

In comparison to the majority of other Canadian universities, McGill students pay significantly more to live in residence. Given that McGill’s main campus is located in the centre of downtown Montreal, the property expenses associated with an urban location are naturally quite substantial.

Another major price factor for SHHS is simply the cost of building maintenance and renovations.

“One of the reasons why our fees are so expensive is that our buildings are really old and cost a lot to maintain,” Johnson explained. “We have buildings that need millions of dollars’ worth of work on them.”

Yet another major expense for students is the mandatory meal plan, which at $5,350 comprises one-third the cost of residence. Interestingly, the meal plan is made mandatory for students at nearly all residences, excluding Solin Hall and More housing. This can be attributed to

by Jordan Snider

15

Sports

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

NHL Season Preview Go online to read our Pacific and Metropolitan division previews

by Nick Jasinski

Metropolitan The Metropolitan Division featured a huge 42-point difference between its top and bottom teams last season. It’s a gap that should shrink this year with increased competition at the bottom of the division. The New York Rangers, last season’s President’s Trophy winners, will be challenged by the New York Islanders, the Washington Capitals, and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

While neither the Carolina Hurricanes, the Philadelphia Flyers, nor the New Jersey Devils are quite ready to compete as yet, all clubs have made significant improvements over the off-season.

The Islanders will once

again boast staggering offensive depth in their new home at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The stellar first line of John Tavares, Kyle Okposo. and Josh Bailey followed by the equally successful second line of Anders Lee, Ryan Strome and Brock Nelson, then Frans Nielsen, Mikhail Grabovski, and Nikolai Kulemin rounding out the third unit, leaves the Islanders with more quality wingers and centres than a hockey club could possibly know what to do with.

On defence, Nick Leddy, Johnny Boychuk, Travis Hamonic, and Calvin De Haan are a potent topfour. The main issue for Islanders is between the pipes. The goaltending of Jaroslav Halak was less than stellar last sea-

son. He was 17th in the league amongst starting goalies with a .914 save percentage and a 2.43 goals against average. It’s been 22 years since the Islanders last made the conference finals, but their time may finally arrive after their move to Brooklyn.

Their championship window is certainly closing, with Nielsen, Strome, Nelson, Leddy, de Haan, Grabovski, and Boychuk all in or approaching their 30s. This deep and talented roster could very well claim the division title.

The Rangers, one game away from making consecutive Stanley Cup finals last season, remain solid across the rink. Offensively, Rick Nash, Mats Zuccarello, Derek Stepan, and Derick Brassard will skate circles around

opposing defences while Dan Girardi, Marc Staal, Ryan McDonagh, and Keith Yandle will prevent other teams from doing the same to them. Team leader and elite goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will make life difficult for opponents foolish enough to try to sneak the puck past him all season, so long as he can stay healthy. New York will miss the offensive contributions of Carl Hagelin and Martin St. Louis, as well as Cam Talbot’s backup goaltending. Overall, the Rangers have aged slightly and lost a couple of important cogs from last year’s team, but will remain a force to be reckoned with.

The Washington Capitals arguably boast the best top-six offensive squad of any team in

the NHL: Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, T.J. Oshie, Justin Williams, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Marcus Johansson. Braden Holtby will continue to excel in net, and the Capitals will try to build on last season’s momentum to become a true contender in the Eastern Conference.

The Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in a similar state to the Capitals: Top-heavy and on the brink of breaking through to elite status. Phil Kessel will join Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz this season to create a formidable top line, with Evgeni Malkin continuing to lead the second line. Marc-Andre Fleury will need to provide a steady presence in net to give this talented team a chance to shine.

(samepageteam.com, espn.com)

Central The Central Division should be the deepest division in the NHL for a second straight year.

Last season, five of the division’s seven teams made the playoffs, and every team had a winning record. The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, and three other Central teams finished with over 100 points. This year, the division has only gotten better across the board.

The defending champions will contend for their fourth Stanley Cup in seven seasons under Head Coach Joel Quenneville. This off-season, the Hawks bade farewell to veteran Patrick Sharp, Johnny Oduya, Brandon Saad, Brad Richards, and Kris Versteeg due to salary cap re-

straints, but the star-studded core of the team remains intact. Captain centre Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa, and right winger Patrick Kane—subject of an ongoing criminal investigation—will be joined by youngsters Marko Dano and Artemi Panarin to provide the Hawks’ offensive punch.

The defensive trio of Duncan Keith, Niklas Hjalmarsson, and new assistant captain Brent Seabrook will be among the best in the league once again. Lack of depth and fear of injuries remain key issues for the Blackhawks’ defence. In particular, Keith, Seabrook, and Hjalmarsson had to play superhuman minutes during last season’s playoffs. But overall, the team’s returning core of superstars will allow the Blackhawks’ dynasty to remain at the top of the Central Division

and a serious part of the postseason conversation.

Elsewhere, last year’s division-winning St. Louis Blues are going to make Chicago’s job a little more difficult this year. In the last four seasons under Head Coach Ken Hitchcock, the Blues have more points (389) than any other NHL club but have come away with only one playoff series win in that time span. This season, the Blues hope to finally deliver on their potential. They will feel the loss of T.J. Oshie to the Washington Capitals, but will still boast arguably the most formidable group of players up front. Alexander Steen, Jaden Schwartz, Paul Stastny, and David Backes will be joined

by Vladimir Tarasenko, who just signed an eight-year, $60 million contract. The 23-year-old Rus-

sian tank could be the greatest weapon the Blues have this season, and could reasonably raise his last-season goal tally from 37 to somewhere in the 40 to 50 range.

The Nashville Predators, a potential leader in any other division, will be shown no mercy in the cutthroat Central. Finnish Minister of Defence Pekka Rinne will once again be a candidate for the Vezina Trophy, and the Predators will look for improvement from their younger players this year. Unfortunately for Nashville, a winning record is not good enough in the Central, and they will struggle to make the playoffs.

The Minnesota Wild’s greatest strengths this season will be defensive depth, elite penaltykilling, and solid goaltending.

Their failure, however, to make the necessary improvements on offensive depth over the off-season prevents them from rising to true competitor status in 20152016. Expect another playoff berth and early exit for the Wild this year.

Rounding out the Central Division, the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche will fail to succeed in a stacked division.

The Stars will learn that the potency of Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin—fourth and sixth, respectively, in the NHL in pointsper-60 at five-on-five in 20142015—cannot carry the entire team. The Avalanche will be the ‘best-worst’ team in the NHL; a division cellar-dweller that will nonetheless post a winning record and likely score 90 or more points for the season.

16

Sports

Wednesday, Ocobter 14, 2015

Behind the Bench

Ladies in the locker room Female sports journalists fight for respect Morgan Alexander Managing Editor Continued from page 1.

This is happening in spite of the fact that multiple universities across Canada are fighting to hire female varsity coaches, and that high-level female athletes, such as unstoppable UFC Champion Ronda Rousey and 21-time Grand Slam Winner Serena Williams, are receiving increasingly positive coverage.

It seems that though barriers are being torn down for women in professional sports, female reporters still face an uphill climb.

This situation is exacerbated by a prevailing argument that women simply aren’t interested in becoming sports journalists, hence the dearth of female

Redmen Rugby

reporters. That type of logic is a self-fulfilling prophecy, as potential female role models in the field of sports journalism are often pushed to the sidelines, both literally and metaphorically.

Women are then delegated to sideline reporting, where they are generally limited to just a few minutes of screen-time asking basic questions of the players, not delivering critical analysis.

There are only a handful of women who serve as anchors on TSN and ESPN, and those who do in-game analysis are subjected to mindless criticism. This is a sorry state of affairs considering that female reporters had to fight numerous legal battles to get the same access to the players as their male counterparts—Melissa Ludtke won the right for female journalists to enter the locker

mcgill

Melissa Ludtke won women access to enter male locker rooms. (afterellen.com) room in 1978. Though sideline reporting is important, it is far less inspiring for young girls who have an interest in journalism.

Often, the reason there isn’t talk of the consistent harassment and irritation faced by female sports journalists is because the women are simply tired of talking about it. Women who are vocal about their experiences in the

26 - 14

boys club may receive messages claiming they just aren’t cut out for this field. And women will have to contend with working in male-dominated newsrooms geared towards pleasing a male readership.

It’s unfortunate that after years of fighting for equal access and opportunity for female reporters, three more were barred from

a locker room. Unfortunately, these women will join the ranks of many others who deal with daily discrimination on the job; but it’s necessary that their story be heard. Hopefully, this incident will inspire more female professionals to speak out against direct misogyny and ultimately smash through the glass ceiling that has kept them

Bishop’s

Redmen dispatch Gaiters, remain undefeated Freshman centre Augustus Hill’s kicking made the difference Play of the game Alexander Russell received the ball on the sideline in the 37th minute.

He demonstrated excellent footwork manoeuvring past a defender.

Russell, seeing space behind the Gaiter’s defence, chipped the ball 25 metres forward and out-sprinted his nearest challenger to touch the ball down for a try.

Stat of the game Hill was a perfect 6-6 on all of his kicks.

The dominant Redmen are unbeaten thus far. (mcgillathletics.ca)

Zikomo smith Sports Editor There are three interpretations of McGill’s (5-0-0) 26-14 victory over Bishop’s (3-2-0) last Friday at Molson Stadium: One, McGill’s 26 first-half points ran Bishop’s out of the game. Two, centre Augustus Hill’s 12 penalty kick points were the difference between the two sides; Bishop’s made McGill sweat with 14 unanswered points in the second half. Three, the Redmen re-affirmed their no.1 RSEQ spot, but the Gaiters highlighted some of McGill’s weak spots.

Among these interpretations, the third one holds the most truth— The undefeated Redmen comfortably leads the RSEQ, scoring an astonishing 177 points and conceeding only 30 points so far this

season. McGill’s dominance was characterized by quick ball out of the rucks, a good use of the wings, shiver-inducing tackles, and disciplined defensive lines.

“We worked on [defence] this week, same thing as usual,” Backs coach Matt Garston said. “[We made] sure we don’t go offside. We did really well in the first half.”

McGill’s defensive pressure consistently corralled Bishop’s into the 22-metre line and forced four penalties in the first 40 minutes while Hill proved to be a force.

“Today, if he hadn’t made those penalties this game would be tied 14-14,” Garston said. “He kicked four penalties and that basically won us the game.”

McGill’s first try started two minutes into the game with number-eight Sebastien Boyer breaking

three tackles on his way to the fivemeter line. The Gaiters bunched around the ruck, resulting in McGill passing the ball down its huge overlap for winger Thomas Stoke to finish in the corner. Fullback Alexander Russell scored the second McGill try with an astonishing chip and chase in the 37th minute.

The Gaiters, down 26 in the first half, were unfazed. They saw their game plan of pressuring McGill’s goal line with kicks deep into Redmen territory was rewarded in the second half with a 52nd minute try. Bishop’s kept McGill on the back foot with incisive running and better organization in the Gaiter’s defensive line. Furthermore, the visitors stopped conceeding penalties, taking Hill’s kicking abilities out of the game.

McGill ultimately weathered

the storm with one more try conceded in the 70th minute; their 26 first-half points provided an adequate buffer. The Gaiters demonstrated that success against McGill required limiting penalties and attacking the Redmen goal line.

McGill, however, will be confident going into next week’s matchup against the Montreal Carabins (4-1-0). The RSEQ is McGill’s to lose; they have the most disciplined side and well-rounded squad in the league.

Sound Bites “First half, we were in their half the whole half, and second half they were in our half the whole half.”

Coach Garston on a match of two halves.