McGill Tribune Vol. 34 Issue 9

EDITORIAL

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Divisive General Assembly yet another sign of SSMU-student disconnect pg. 8

Volume No. 34 Issue No. 9

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SSMU GA p. 2

Raptors match preseason win record in Montreal

NBA Canada series continues to draw crowds to the Bell Centre ELIE WAITZER Sports Editor

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(L-A Benoit / McGill Tribune)

Fall General Assembly sees heated debates, over 700 in attendance Student files Judicial Board petition against SSMU executives, Board of Directors, Elections SSMU

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NOAH SUTTON Contributor

n Sept. 22, U3 Arts student Alexei Simakov filed a Judicial Board (J-Board) petition against the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Executives, Board of Directors, and Elections SSMU, claiming that SSMU had violated its bylaws and constitution by

failing to appoint Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ben Fung through a Nominating Committee and a ratification by the Legislative Council.

“The contract of Mr. Ben Fung in the capacity of CEO expired on 30th May 2014, and was automatically rehired by President of SSMU, against article 2.4 of SSMU bylaws,” Simakov’s petition reads.

According to SSMU President Courtney Ayukawa, however, Fung was rehired for the 2014-2015 year by the previous executives after the job position had opened and he had reapplied.

“The decision was made before the current, 2014-2015 SSMU Executives’ terms had even started,” Ayukawa said. “Based upon a plain reading of the bylaws, the 2013-2014 Executive Com-

mittee’s decision to renew Ben Fung’s contract did not require a meeting of a Nominating Committee, given that the contract was a renewal, not a new hire.”

Fung affirmed that he was not a part of the processes by which he was rehired, stating that he merely applied for the position after it had reopened.

Continued on pg. 7

fter a two-year hiatus, Canada’s team returned to the Bell Centre to play an exhibition game against the New York Knicks in Montreal this past Friday, Oct. 24.

The Raptors came into the game blistering hot, and did not leave the sold-out crowd disappointed, scratching out an 83-80 win despite poor shooting performances from several key players.

With the win, Toronto finished off the pre-season sitting atop the league standings with a record of 7-1—tying its franchise record for most pre-season victories. For Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, the heartbreak and agony of last year’s Game 7 loss is quickly receding into the distance.

The Raptors are ready to shed their underdog identity and embrace the ways of a winning franchise.

Montreal was the second stop in Canada for the Raptors this preseason, after facing off against the Sacramento Kings in Vancouver on Oct. 5. Toronto’s General Manager Masai Ujiri hopes it will not be the team’s last visit.

Continued on pg. 24

Pop rhetoric: The death of dialogue MAX JOSEPH Staff Writer

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he Death of Klinghoffer, composer John Adams’s opera about the Palestinian Liberation Front’s 1985 hijacking of passenger ship MS Achille Lauro and subsequent murder of handicap passenger Leon Klinghoffer, began its run at New York’s Metropolitan Opera Monday night. It was greeted by hundreds of protesters demanding that the company cancel the opera on

the grounds of it being anti-Semitic and sympathetic to terrorists. Despite the protestors’ noble intentions, there are several major problems with this.

First of all, as cited by classical music critic Fred Plotkin in his WQXR article “The Depth of Klinghoffer: What Does the Controversy Say About Freedom of Expression,” most of the protestors have not seen the opera staged, heard its music, nor read its libretto. Without having experienced the work, there’s simply no way for the

protestors to fairly assess whether or not it’s anti-Semitic. Their unfamiliarity with it means that they are judging the opera solely based on second-hand accounts, which themselves are likely to be highly biased. The protesters’ lack of understanding also makes it difficult to engage them in dialogue, because their opinions are drawn from emotional instincts rather than facts.

They’re calling for censorship, but they have a limited conception of what it is they want to censor. Rather, they are

operating based on the sort of thinking that has fuelled censors for hundreds of years—they want to suppress art solely based on its potential to propagate opinions contrary to theirs.

Of course, not all of the protesters are wholly unfamiliar with Klinghoffer, but the arguments of the more informed dissidents are still unsettling.

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, in his Daily Beast article “Why I Protested The Death of Klinghoffer,” claims to have listened to a re-

cording of the opera and read its libretto multiple times. Though he admires the music, he refers to the libretto as “factually inaccurate and extraordinarily damaging to an appropriate description of the problems in Israel and Palestine, and of terrorism in general.” His disgust led him to join the protestors in calling for the Met to cancel their scheduled stagings.

Continued on pg. 17

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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

NEWS

Fall General Assembly sees heated debates, over 700 in attendance

Motion to support people of Palestinian territories postponed indefinitely

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JENNY SHEN Editor-in-Chief

ast Wednesday, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) General Assembly (GA) saw extensive debate over motions such as “Calling on SSMU to Stand in Solidarity with the People of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.”

With 739 students in attendance, GA was hosted in the SSMU Cafeteria, with overflow held in the Ballroom, the Lev Bukhman room, and other rooms in the building. This GA discussed six motions, two of which were added from the floor during the assembly— one calling for solidarity with student protesters in Hong Kong, the other against the provincial budgetary cuts to the university. Four of the motions passed, including the motion for the nomination of the Board of Directors. All passed motions will require further ratification in two weeks by all SSMU members through an online vote.

Motion Calling on SSMU to Stand in Solidarity with the People of the Occupied Palestinian Territories Hundreds of students expressed that they attended the Fall GA in order to voice their opinions on this motion.

“I think it’s a very important issue that should not be pushed under the rug the way it always has been,” U2 Engineering student Sara Albouz said. “I think it’s time […] for a student body like McGill’s to lead by example.”

Other students expressed concern over SSMU taking a stance on external politics in representation of the student body.

“I believe that SSMU […] should not take a stand on divisive political issues,” U1 Arts student Jordan Devon, one of the coordinators for the “No” campaign against the motion, said. “I think social justice is incredible […] but we should be taking a stand that represents all students.”

Ameya Pendse, U3 Arts, motioned to postpone the motion indefinitely, arguing that SSMU should not take a stance on the issues in Palestine and should therefore not consider the initial motion for debate.

“If we vote now to postpone this motion, we can actually come together on this issue and say ‘We don’t want to touch this,’” Pendse said.

Students who insisted that the debate on the initial motion was necessary emphasized the importance of having an open discussion about the motion itself, rather than removing it from consideration altogether.

“I find it ironic that people are arguing to postpone this debate in the name of free speech, when in fact shutting down this debate is shutting down anyone […] who has anything to say about this issue,” a U2 Arts student said.

The motion to indefinitely postpone the original motion was passed 402-337, after which the majority of students left the assembly.

“Around the world, people don’t have the chance to talk about these issues in an open environment […] without being judged,” Youcef Rahmani, U4 Arts, said. “[There were] peer support [volunteers] who are here, McGill [which] is a safe space itself, [there is] all of this framework and institution to facilitate this discussion [….] I think it’s just a shame to [have been] barred from talking about it.”

Other students noted the role of the GA in student engagement.

“Regardless of the outcome of the vote, I think one thing that was really salient throughout the debate was that a lot of debate was devoted to the GA itself,” Ryan Mitton, U3 Arts, said. “I think that if we can take one thing out of this […] it’s that while the GA remains the most perfect way at this moment to engage students at McGill, we should always be looking at how we can make it better for student engagement.”

700 students attended the Fall SMMU GA, where controversial motions such as a call to stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine were discussed. (L-A Benoit / McGill Tribune)

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Motion Regarding Action on Climate Change Students voted in favor of the motion regarding action on climate change, which called for SSMU to join he Étudiant(e)s Contre les Oléoducs (ÉCO), a student coalition that demands blockage of pipeline projects in Quebec, termination of fossil fuel extraction, and recognition of Indigenous sovereignty over their territories and veto power over extraction projects.

“There is a very clear correlation with building pipelines and emission of [carbon dioxide,]” said SSMU VP External Affairs Amina Moustaqim-Barrette. “We cannot be complicit in the funding of fossil fuel industry [...] and the destruction of our climate. It is time that students impose a strong voice against this.”

Moustaqim-Barrette was one of the movers of the motion and the individual who would be responsible bringing a policy regarding action on climate change to Council in Winter 2015.

Eric Taylor, U0 Engineering, spoke against the motion, stating the blockage of pipelines would only result in Quebec seeking overseas oil sources.

“This motion does not make a real change on climate change,” Taylor said. “I would much rather Quebec purchase its oil [domestically]. Real change needs to come from removing our dependency on oil, not from preventing our access to oil.”

Medicine Senator David Benrimoh said passing the motion would be moving in the right direction to change the current situation.

“We need to make it difficult to survive on oil,” Benrimoh said. “It’s going to be difficult to change people’s minds on things. Not building more pipelines makes the status quo more difficult to maintain.”

The motion passed 111-17.

Motion in Support of a Campus Free from Harmful Military Technology Development Students voted in favor of the motion to require SSMU to renew its stance against the development of harmful military technology at McGill, and support campaigns to this effect.

Supporters of the motion emphasized that a university should not be conducting harmful military research that could be used in wars at all.

“Right now, we must start at the fact that a university is not a tool of war,” one student stated. “That’s why we must address this issue.”

Other students cited economic advantages to conducting military research, with individuals raising concerns that there was no contingency plan for finding other sources of future funding.

Jonathan Mooney, first-year Law student, voiced concerns over what the term “harmful” would entail.

“How do we distinguish between harmful and non-harmful military research?” he asked. “I think it’s a great motion, but not specific enough […. For example,] Drones are used to monitor weather [....] I want to get a better sense of what specifically we will be opposing.”

Two amendments to the original motion were brought forth by U2 Arts student Ca-

dence O’Neal. The first amendment called for SSMU to stand in solidarity with those affected by harmful military technology, and the second called for SSMU to publicly condemn human rights violations by states, such as the U.S., Canada, and Israel, involved with McGill’s research on military technology. The first amendment was adjusted and added to the motion; the second amendment was later rescinded by the initial mover.

Tensions rose in response to the amendments, and many returned to the GA in order to vote. The motion passed 146-11.

“I feel very happy that the motion was able to pass,” said O’Neal. “[But] I feel disappointed that my original amendments were not able to be included, because it would make SSMU take a stronger stance.”

Motion to Stand in Solidarity with Students and Protesters Demanding Democratic Government in Hong Kong Students voted to postpone this motion, brought forth by Benrimoh, which called for SSMU to issue a statement of solidarity with the protesters in Hong Kong, to condemn repression, and to educate McGill students on the issue.

Some students expressed the opposition to the motion, stating that universal suffrage is not currently the default for all countries.

“Is this a perfect democracy? No. But this is progress,” U2 Arts student Eddie Lin said. “Should SSMU condemn other countries that don’t have universal suffrage?”

AUS President Ava Liu moved to vote against the motion because, as the motion was brought from the floor during the GA, “it lack[ed] appropriate measures” to ensure that those who wanted to voice their opinions on the issue would be able to attend the GA. Students voted 105-77 to postpone the motion, with many stating that it should be discussed at a later date due to a lack of awareness about the motion and in order to give other students an opportunity to give their opinion.

Motion for Solidarity against Austerity Students passed a motion brought forth on the floor by Moustaqim-Barrette and other councillors, which called for SSMU to “denounce the provincial government’s austerity measures against McGill and other post-secondary institutions.”

McKenzie Kibler, U3 Arts, expressed concern that if passed, the motion could implicate pre-strike intentions, although Moustaqim-Barrette clarified that the motion would not be able to mobilize a strike as it stands.

Mooney cited a past campaign called “Je suis Michele” that also lobbied against the Quebec government on budget cuts that achieved change yet did not result in a strike.

“I think it is possible to take a stance on a motion like that and not go to strike,” Mooney said. “It means we’re going to stand up and say ‘We don’t agree with these cuts.’”

The motion passed 142-14.

The GA ultimately adjourned at 12:26 a.m., with SSMU President Courtney Ayukawa stating that she was impressed with the turnout and engagement during the GA, but that there are improvements to be made to the process.

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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Media@McGill Hosts Glenn Greenwald as Annual Beaverbrook lecturer Award-winning journalist discusses the state of mass surveillance

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AISLINN KALOB Staff Writer

lenn Greenwald, awardwinning journalist and this year’s Beaverbrook lecturer, spoke to McGill students and members of the Montreal community this Thursday, commenting on the recent terrorist attacks in Ottawa and Quebec and his work with National Security Administration (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Greenwald began his lecture by addressing the attacks in SaintJean-sur-Richelieu and Ottawa— where two soldiers died in two separate assaults last week—and the discourse surrounding them.

“I kept reading all these accounts in Canadian press and hearing discussions on Canadian television along the lines of ‘It is shocking that there could be such brutal and savage violence in such a peaceful community in Canada,’” Greenwald said. “There is very much this sense [that] it’s difficult to understand why somebody would want to engage in active indiscriminate violence that way other than because there are

extremist versions of Islam that cause people to be inherently violent.”

He deemed the acts of terrorism unsurprising, given Canada’s active involvement in wars overseas alongside the United States since 9/11.

“Regardless of whether you’re for it or against it, Canada has spent 13 years essentially involved in various wars—including the very long and not very constructive war in Afghanistan, the NATO intervention in Libya, which has left that country in hideous shape, and now this new bombing campaign in Iraq?” Greenwald said.

“A country that is actively participating in military action in three countries in 12 years is not a country that can, in any sense of the word, be described as peaceful.”

Greenwald also questioned the democracy of nations that used systems of mass surveillance on their citizens and on the rest of the world. In 2013, Greenwald published documents that Edward Snowden revealed regarding the NSA in the United States, and Communications Security Estab-

lishment Canada (CSEC) surveillance efforts.

“The goal of the NSA and its partners in the Five Eyes Alliance—which includes CSEC—is nothing less than collecting all human electronic communications that take place on the planet,” he said. “[My] most stunning revelation is the subversion of democracy that comes from hiding these programs—equally stunning is the breadth and scope of the surveillance that is being done.”

Greenwald continued to elaborate on how secretive masssurveillance programs undermine governments’ accountability.

“How are elections meaningful, as opposed to symbolic rituals, if we have no idea what the most consequential policies are that are being implemented by our governments?” Greenwald questioned.

“I think it really underscored how much secrecy we’ve allowed in our governments in the name of fighting terrorism, to the point where it really has imperiled democracy in a very profound way.”

He also highlighted the negative effects surveillance has on

citizens who now, as a result of his work, know they are being watched.

“When we as human beings believe that we are being watched [...], our behaviour changes fundamentally,” he said. “Even those of us who think that we’re not being harmed by surveillance are [...] harmed in all sorts of fundamental ways. A [...] pervasive surveillance state creates a prison in the mind.”

Greenwald believes the publication of Edward Snowden’s documents changed the world and taught an important lesson about the power of individuals.

“It changed the way hundreds of millions of people around the world think not just about surveillance, but about privacy, government secrecy, journalism, and [the] role of the individual in relationship to the state,” he said. “Any institution built by humans­ —no matter how entrenched or formidable it might seem—can always be reformed, attacked, undermined, or destroyed and replaced by other human beings, as long as the conviction and the will on the part of

even the most ordinary individuals is there.”

The Beaverbrook Lecture, which invited Greenwald to McGill, is the annual flagship event hosted by Media@McGill, a research and scholarship hub that focuses on issues and controversies within media.

“This year’s lecture is in line with last year’s, where Al Gore commented on the surveillance activities of the NSA, saying they were ‘outrageous’ and ‘completely unacceptable,’” Project Administrator for Media@McGill Sophie Toupin said. “Media@McGill believes it is important for the Canadian public to know what is at stake with surveillance in Canada and abroad.”

Jesse Stein, first-year journalism student at Concordia University, praised the lecture.

“I really respect what [Greenwald] has to say. I look at the type of work that he does, and it reflects a lot on the kind of work that needs to be done,” Stein said. “Personally, that hits a chord. I really feel like I got a lot out of it.”

Workshop speaks to rise in youth unemployment

Addresses effects on economy disparity between higher education and marketable skills

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LAUREN WILDGOOSE Staff Writer

ast Friday, a discussion and workshop on combining global and local perspectives on youth unemployment was co-hosted by the Aga Khan Foundation of Canada (AKFC) and the Institute for the Study of International Development (ISID). The AKFC is a non-profit international development agency that works to improve health, education, rural development, and civil society in Africa and Asia. The panel of speakers at the event included Abdul Malik, general manager of the Aga Khan Rural Support Program in Pakistan; Erin Markel, principal consultant at MarketShare Associates; and Darlene Hnatchuk, director of Career Planning Service (CaPS) at McGill University.

The panel held a moderated discussion following an introduction by Co-organizer and AKFC Public Affairs advisor Sarah Power and a presentation on definitions of youth unemployment and underemployment by Markel. The attendees then participated in a workshop to generate solutions to the global and local problems surrounding youth unemployment, such as incorporating job search skills into school curricula and taking advantage of social media as a platform for shar-

ing ideas. “[Youth unemployment] is a growing issue, but it also doesn’t just affect youth themselves,” Markel said. “It has a huge economic and social cost to communities as well as to governments and nations, so a lot of people are starting to pay close attention to this on the global scale.”

Markel explained that according to the International Labour Board, young people are more than three times more likely than adults to be unemployed, and about 13 per cent of all young people in the world are unemployed. She also brought up the issue of underemployment and youth inactivity as factors contributing to the global youth unemployment phenomenon.

“Underemployment refers to people who are overqualified for their work,” she said. “Youth who tend to be described as inactive also tend to be at the highest risk of remaining inactive, or at the highest risk of poverty in the long run. This means young people who are not employed and aren’t in school.”

During the moderated discussion, Malik explained the role his program plays in helping improve local economic infrastructure, sector development, and entrepreneurship in remote areas of northern Pakistan. He also described the is-

sues faced by unemployed young people in Pakistan and compared them to the ones facing Canadian youth.

“In terms of challenges for young people in finding jobs, one is the obvious issue of finding economic opportunities,” Malik said. “The second [problem] is the issue of skills.

The educated youth who come out of schools come out with a lot of degrees, but not necessarily with marketable skills. A third issue is of social norms. Particularly for women, some parts of the area where we work is very conservative and when it comes to women, their mobility tends to be limited.”

The problem of youth lacking employable skills is one faced in Canada as well, according to Hnatchuk.

“There is an expectation or assumption that graduates will have specifically relevant experience to the job that they are applying for,”

(Eleanor Milman / McGill Tribune) Hnatchuk said.

However, ‘soft skills’ appear to often be the missing link between youth and employers, according to Hnatchuk.

“It’s not necessarily always the technical skills that [employers are] missing,” Hnatchuk said. “CEOs, hiring managers, human resources—they’re saying that their priorities in terms of hiring are looking for people who have interpersonal skills, communication skills, problem solving skills, and analytical skills.”

U3 Arts and Science Alicia,

who attended the event said she was impressed with how the conference addressed the global context of unemployment, but expressed concerns about career resources and opportunities in Canada.

“I’m also in the job market right now, and I’m finding it frustrating because I was under the impression that the degree I’m getting would [involve] enough tangible skills to be able to fit in the job market,” she said. “But those tangible skills don’t translate into what I want to do.”

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

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News

SSMU Council discusses discretionary funding, library hours, and GA

Students pass motion supporting #ConsentMcGill and action against sexual violence CORRINA VALI Contributor

Motion on restricting discretionary funding

The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council tabled and discussed a motion titled Amendment of the Clubs and Services Portfolio By-Law Book at its meeting last Thursday.

Originally moved by VP Finance and Operations Kathleen Bradley and VP Clubs and Services Stefan Fong, the motion sought to limit discretionary funding for projects and events that were in accordance to the services mandate and directly affected students.

Fong elaborated on the bylaw’s purpose.

“The money that is raised by students [through service fees] should be given back to students through the provision of services,” he said. “If the service would like to donate money toward a project that does not directly benefit students, they are welcome to do the fundraising toward that goal and donate the money that is raised off of their efforts.”

An amendment requiring the VP Finance and VP Clubs and Services to present a report regarding the breakdown of each service’s use of discretionary funding at the end of each semester was also passed and added to the motion.

“I do not see this to be an approval process but merely a way of reporting,” Bradley said in response to concerns over potentially infringing upon the services’ financial autonomy. “It is not a judgment of the Council, but more like a transparency process.”

The motion has been postponed until the next Council meeting for the SSMU services to be consulted regarding the amendment.

Discussion on funding for library extended hours

VP University Affairs Claire Stewart-Kanigan explained that students had helped fund extended library hours during exam season for several years.

“All the hours after midnight that the library is open for has been funded by the SSMU Library Improvement Fund for 10 years now,” Stewart-Kanigan said. “There have been concerns over the lack of consideration of these largely security-based expenses as operational costs that the university should be funding.”

The Library Improvement Fund, to which students and alumni contribute, amounts to $650,000 a year. The fund comprises of contributions of $8.50 per full-time student and $4.25 per part-time student each semester, matched equally by alumni donors. According to Library Improvement Fund Coordinator Erin Sobat, the library’s extended hours cost $250,000 a year.

“Students might not be aware that it’s student money that has been running this,” Stewart-Kanigan said. “The option of using this $250,000 for student projects or specific initiatives to improve the library experience [has been overlooked] because of something the university should be funding.”

There was a general consensus that students must be made aware of SSMU’s funding of the extended hours, and should also be encouraged to explore other initiatives that the Library Improvement Fund could sponsor.

SSMU President Courtney Ayukawa further emphasized the importance of students speaking to the administration about a change for extended hours to be recognized as a part of McGill’s operational budget.

“In my opinion, when students care about something loudly enough,

SSMU Council met to discuss libraries, last week’s GA, and #ConsentMcGill (L-A Benoit / McGill Tribune) the administration does listen and make changes,” Ayukawa said. “However, I would hate for this demand to be loud enough for the university to care [only] after the 24-hour library access has been lost.”

Informal discussion on last week’s General Assembly

The Council agreed that the GA last Wednesday was a success, despite some logistical and procedural issues.

Physical and Occupational Therapy representative Yasmine Hadifi raised concerns about students’ lack of procedural knowledge regarding Robert’s rules. In response to Hadifi, Engineering representative Anikke Rioux suggested better access to Robert’s Rules for the students.

“Hosting some sort of online tutorials to explain Robert’s rules beforehand would be conducive to a more fluid GA,” Rioux suggested.

“Assigning councillors certain duties and having us wear an identifiable co-

lour of t-shirts at the GA to help students with questions would [also] be helpful.”

VP Internal Daniel Chaim argued that students’ interest in the motions affected participation in the GA. “The real conflict wasn’t about the mandate or the program, but that most people were only concerned with one motion,” Chaim said. “A lot of people were upset, but what the SSMU was mandated to do was to entertain the students’ right to voice their opinions at the GA.” Arts & Science Senator Chloe Rourke applauded the GA’s turnout.

“Being in a building for 10 hours with nearly 800 people is excessive [and] is not really expected of average students [who] showed their commitment towards student politics,” Rourke said.

Arts representative Alexander Kpeglo-Hennessy also commented on the activeness demonstrated by students at the GA. “[My] constituents were happy

that they went in spite of the result because it was an excellent example of students actively participating in a democracy,” Kpeglo-Hennessy said.

Motion to support the #ConsentMcGill campaign

The Council passed a motion supporting the #ConsentMcGill campaign and taking action against sexual violence. Apart from reaffirming SSMU’s support for the campaign, the motion encouraged SSMU to lobby the McGill administration to institutionalize the position of sexual assault response coordinator and to host consent campaigns, education projects, and initiatives based around action against sexual violence in collaboration with student groups on an annual basis. The motion was passed with unanimous support and Council also agreed to be codified as a policy by the end of the year to ensure that its reach remains wide-ranging and effective in the long run.

Completion of construction along McTavish to be delayed by a month Technical difficulties and permit conflicts cited as reasons for project’s extension

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JESSICA FU Managing Editor

onstruction along McTavish Street has been delayed by a month, and is now set to conclude by the end of November, according to a press release from the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Communications and IT Director Ryan Hughes. The release cites multiple technical and logistical reasons for the delay.

“These delays announced by the city are, in part, explained by the following: Late start of the project, technical difficulties encountered during the construction [... more] bedrock excavation than anticipated, [and] imposed work stoppage due to permit conflict,” the release reads.

The construction, which had been delayed to begin after Spring convoca-

tion, was originally set to be complete by the end of October.

“The site should be paved and some fencing should be removed by mid-November,” the release now notes.

Students expressed disappointment at the delay, noting that it would prolong the challenges they face in getting to class and navigating campus.

“I don’t like the fact that construction has been delayed, because as a pedestrian, it’s just hard to walk through,” Tiffany Okotako, U1 Science, said.

“It’s difficult to get to classes, it’s difficult to get to the library; it’s a valley of construction. It’s also really difficult to walk along Doctor Penfield, because the cars need to go through, I need to get through, but I need to not get hit— the crossing guards are not always there.”

Completion of construction on McTavish Street will yet again be delayed. (Jack Neal / McGill Tribune)

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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

PGSS General Assembly passes bylaw reform package, opposes austerity measures

Society encouraged to take action on protesting budgetary compressions for universities

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CECE ZHANG News Editor

t the Post-Graduate Students’ Society’s (PGSS) General Assembly (GA), held on Oct. 22, students participating in the meeting voted on a reform package of PGSS bylaws, the ratification of the appointment of directors, and discussed the possibility of participating in a protest against provincial austerity measures.

Bylaw reform package

The bylaw reform package was presented by Secretary-General Juan Pinto to the GA. “This reform package seeks to redress critical issues arising from the composition and jurisdiction of the current Appeals Board,” reads the bylaw package. Other modifications to the package include changes to the number of members of the Internal Affairs Committee and creation of a Vice-Chair position for the Executive Committee.

Karim Bouayad-Gervais of Psychology voiced his concern over a change to bylaw 6.5.3.1, which stated that a judge would be nomi-

nated by the Graduate Law Students’ Association for the Appeals Board.

“I don’t think this is a good solution for the root problem we have,” Bouayad-Gervais said. “What we’re doing here is giving a preference for a student association to nominate one member on that committee.

If you deem that students from the Law Students Association are more competent because of training to be on this committee, then they should apply like any other members of the Graduate Student Association (GSA) and be selected based [on] competence and not based on what part of the GSA they are coming from.”

In response, Pinto said the reality is the majority of students with legal training will be from the Law Students Association, and stressed that the procedure would not appoint the student to the Appeals Board directly, the procedure would simply result in a nomination.

“We’re not giving the power to one GSA just because we think they fit the criteria better or not. The reality is if you want to find someone who has legal training, who can ex-

plain the procedural rules, you will find that the decisions that are being rendered are being rendered in a better way,” Pinto said. “By having a lawyer or having someone with legal training, the procedural matters that are coming forward are easily solvable because in this procedure, the judges are not going to be appointed […] only nominated [….] The Appointments Board reviews the C.V. and decides, and then Council approves it.”

PGSS members voiced concern over certain changes to the bylaws, including sections 6.5.3.1 and 6.5.5.3, as well as sections 9.16 and 9.17, which required consultation by the Chief Justice for most legal actions taken by the PGSS. Motions to vote on those sections separately were not passed, however, and the General Assembly decided to vote on the package as a whole. It was approved by a two-thirds majority.

Austerity measures

The Assembly also passed a motion to oppose the austerity measures imposed by the provincial government on universities and pub-

lic services and undertake actions in the spirit of the motion.

Andrea Palmer, a graduate student in the School of Social Work, presented the motion to the GA, asking members to vote for PGSS participating in a strike against the budget cuts on Oct. 31.

“Be it resolved that the PGSS oppose the budgetary compressions imposed on universities throughout Quebec, notably McGill as well as on public and social services in general,” she quoted from the motion. “Be it resolved that the PGSS endorse and participate in the Oct. 31 protest against the Liberal budget cuts [... and hold] a one day strike on that day and that PGSS support the strike by disseminating information and encouraging PGSS members at large to take part in it.”

The stikes will be organized by student groups and unions. Palmer emphasized the importance of austerity measures on society.

“I’m a social worker, so I know how these cuts can affect our most vulnerable population, including students; our future generation where education is a right [....]” she

said.

External Affairs Officer Julien Ouellet expressed concern at the implications of committing PGSS to a strike, and whether the rally was in line with the society’s image and values.

“I don’t know much about this particular rally, and rallies in Quebec have [a tendency] to get out of hand,” Ouellet said.

The Assembly voted to strike two clauses from the motion that encouraged PGSS members at large to take part in the motion and mandated PGSS to participate in the Oct. 31 protests. A clause stating that the external affairs committee should be encouraged to organize actions in the spirit of the motion was also added. The revised motion was ultimately passed.

Board of Directors

The General Assembly also ratified the appointment of three new Board members to the Board of Directors: Marc Lemieux, Regine Debrosse, and Karim Bouayad-Gervais.

Senate discusses safer campus, graduate student advising, and Senate composition Further budgetary cuts to be requested by provincial government

P

PHILIPPE DUMAIS Staff Writer

rincipal Suzanne Fortier opened Wednesday’s Senate meeting with remarks on the Quebec government’s recent announcement of further budgetary cuts for the university sector.

“With regard to McGill, we believe that it means a decrease of approximately 15 million [dollars] that we already know about,” Fortier said. “Earlier this month, [the government has] also advised us that they will impose further reductions, probably at the beginning of the new year. We don’t know the figure of the new reductions yet, nor how it will affect McGill [....] We had a budget that had been approved by the board with a projected deficit of 7 million.”

According to Fortier, the university will be challenged to meet it’s projected deficit within a year with this new reduction to its funding. McGill faces additional troubles, as the provincial government is asking for universities to have a balanced budget.

Other universities in Quebec are having similar difficulties meeting the expectations of the provincial government, according to Fortier.

“We also see more and more universities requesting more flexible approaches to the funding formula, certainly a simpler funding formula that would allow us to recruit additional funding to

our institutions,” she said. “I think there [is] openness to review that by [the Quebec] government.”

Promoting a safer campus

The Senate also discussed a question from SSMU Senators VP University Affairs Claire Stewart-Kanigan and Law Senator Dan Snyder regarding the recent allegations concerning a member of the McGill Redmen football team.

“How will McGill help student athletes meet [...] their obligations to uphold the high standard of conduct that comes with their position as student ambassadors and role models?” they asked in a document addressed towards the Senate.

They further asked Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Ollivier Dyens if more resources will be allocated to the prevention of sexual violence, and whether “a culture of consent and gender equity” will be addressed by the upcoming review of McGill’s rules and regulations governing participation in varsity sports by a working group made up of administration and students.

“Our recent experience with frosh made it clear that collaboration, partnership, and teamwork are the best ways to address issues of concerns for the whole campus,” Dyens responded. “Three new sections were added to the guide for varsity sports for student athletes: Responsibilities and Commitments of the Varsity sport Program, The Varsity Student-Ath-

lete Context, and Varsity Sport Guiding Principles and Policies.”

According to Dyens, these measures, along with last semester’s appointment of a Harm Reduction Coordinator, will increase both campuses’ awareness of consent, more clearly increasing and defining the responsibilities of studentathletes in terms of behaviour and conduct. The Deputy Provost also referred to the #ConsentMcGill campaign that happened from Oct. 20 to Oct. 24 as a “respect campaign directed at all students and all members of the McGill Community.”

Graduate student advising

Presented by Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Professor Martin Kreiswirth, recommendations on graduate student advising and supervision were debated during the Senate session. The recommendations follow reports from the previous ombudsperson from 2010-2013, Professor Spencer Boudreau, and the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) from 2012 to 2014. They were also made in consultation with, amongst others, the Academic Policy Committee, the Council of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS), and the secretary-general of PGSS. “Graduate supervision at McGill is rated below the high standard of achievement that characterizes other academic and research measures for

the university,” Kreiswirth said in the statement. “Furthermore, the repeated call from the ombudsperson for an orientation for supervisors at McGill has remained unanswered [....The reports] indicate that supervision is a frequent cause for complaint.”

The recommended regulations and guidelines aim to standardize the relationship of supervision between professors and graduate students, so as to settle disputes if needed between the supervisor and the supervisee. Professor Catherine Lu expressed her concerns regarding the proposed recommendations.

“Unlike the title says, the recommendations contain no regulation and [do] not define the role of the supervisor, the advisor, [or] the academic units,” she said. “There is no delineation and role assignation.”

Professor Alenoush Saroyan from the Department of Education also outlined the difficulties of having someone to fulfill the roles as indicated.

“There is reference that [a] supervisor should have competence in the student proposed area of research,” Saroyan said. “Recently, there [was a] situation [...] where the person in charge of the supervision had left the university and there was nobody in that unit to supervise the student.”

Senate reform

The Senate approved the revisions proposed by Masi following the appro-

bation on May 2014 of the report and recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee to Review the Composition of Senate. The reform increases the total number of Senators from 107 to 113 and proposes to change the number of seats allocated to each faculty proportionate to their size. The number of seats allocated to the Faculty of Education was decreased from four to two. The number of undergraduates student seats remains at 13, while the graduate student seats reached a total of five senators.

“Why [wasn’t the] opportunity taken to entertain increase student representation on Senate?” Stewart-Kanigan questioned. “For example, University of Alberta [has] 35 per cent of representation of students. At Concordia, there is 29 per cent, whereas McGill is currently around 16 per cent and has dropped over this last review.”

Masi explained that the Ad Hoc Committee had not given any recommendation that the university should increase the proportion of student seats at Senate above its present levels.

“The ad hoc committee did look at different ways of composing Senate and the decision was taken to more or less keep the student representation as it is and to make these shifts,” Masi said.

“For example, graduate students go up in this representation because of the increased number of graduate students presently at McGill.”

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

7

News

Panel discusses building consent culture on campus Event part of week long #ConsentMcGill campaign

Student files Judicial Board petition against SSMU excutives Petition questions constitutionality of appointment of Chief Electoral Officer NOAH SUTTON Contributor

(Continued from page 1)

Student panel discussed how to build a campus of consent culture. (Jack Neal / McGill Tribune)

S

JACK TOKARZ Contributor

tudents hosted a panel discussion on “Building a Culture of Consent on Campus” last Thursday as part of #ConsentMcGill, a week-long event organized and run by McGill students and administration.

The panel responded to broad questions relating to the idea of a consent culture before opening up discussion with the audience of about 30 students. #ConsentMcGill was a campaign during Consent Week that sought to educate and increase campus awareness of consent in not only sexual activity, but also as it applies to students’ daily lives. The week included workshops on different aspects of consent and inclusivity on campus, as well as booths providing information to students.

The panel comprised of Alice Gauntley, U2 Arts; Roma Nadeem, U2 Arts; and Jean Murray, U3 Arts, as well as Carrie Rentschler, Director for the Institute for Gender, Sexuality and Feminist Studies (IGSF). The first panel question asked what a culture of consent on campus would look like.

Gauntley stressed the importance of consent in all aspects of students life, citing social activities that may be undesired such as drinking.

“A consent culture should apply in all of our social relationships on a campus, and when that happens on a campus that creates a ripple effect in the larger community,” she said. “ In a culture of consent, we no longer think it’s okay to pressure our friends, to pressure our froshies into drinking more than they want to. I feel like a culture of consent removes the social acceptance behind any manipulative behaviors.”

One discussion question asked how a culture of consent on campus would address issues of sexual violence in the community and beyond McGill. In response, Murray commented that the community is created by the arbitrary merging of many diffuse communities.

“Everybody who comes here was almost certainly raised in a context of normalized gender and [...] sexual-based violence,” Murray said. “We must work to create a new collaborative setting where this is not the case through a lot of education and a complete paradigm shift in the immediate community as well as [in] the surrounding area.”

Rentschler brought up the issue of how a large number of sexual assaults on campus are performed by a small number of people, and that a strong consent culture may not help as much in this regard.

“Does this prevent the small group of people who are doing most sexual assault on campus from doing what they do?” Rentschler questioned. “I’m not sure it does. So then there’s the question of how do we mobilize this way of thinking into a convention strategy that actually says ‘This has to stop.’ If we can’t do this through training on how to consent in a relationship,

then we need an alternative strategy for doing that as well. I think we build off of this consent culture to do that.”

Murray agreed and gave examples of action which have already been taken, such as including sexual assault education in frosh leader and server training.

“This needs to be an institutional change, it needs to be more than a group of people talking in a classroom,” she said.

Another question raised what advice the panelists could give for cultivating consent on campus, Nadeem said that although most of the focus is on large-scale campaigns, there are individual person-to-person changes people can make to enhance consent on campus and to normalize this amongst young people. “[Things] such as bodily autonomy [and] asking people if you can give them a hug,” Nadeem listed as examples of ways to enhance consent. “Things like asking a friend if it’s okay to vent to them, if they’re in a good space to hear you rant.”

Murray emphasized the importance of active listening.

“Active listening is huge and it is one of the best things you can do to help people,” she said.

Rentschler said that ideally, people should take responsibility for mistakes or correcting others as a form of education, not shaming.

“We all need to learn how to do this and continue learning,” Rentschler said. “I see consent as a constant process and [....] It’s about ways of being responsive, so if you do do something you should not, you know how to respond.”

A final question asked what the role of accountability is in this possible culture. Gauntley affirmed that everyone is accountable for promoting a culture of consent.

“We are all accountable […] not to perpetuate a culture where consent is not present […] and to find ways to bring it into our lives by offering support for friends,” she said. “It is important that we are all accountable for each other in this culture that we are developing.”

Murray agreed with this sentiment but further emphasized that in the context of McGill hierarchy, more responsibility would lie on those in positions of power.

Following the organized questions, audience members began a dialogue on related topics such as the difficulties involved in holding perpetrators of sexual violence accountable, and how to prevent barriers to access within a culture of consent. The back and forth between panelists and audience members exhibited the interest and understanding developed from this event.

Another lesson audience members agreed upon was that being safe is more important than being comfortable, and sometimes having difficult conversations is necessary if it can prevent future violence.

“Given Mr. Simakov’s petition mainly addresses the process by which Elections SSMU staff were appointed and not any specific actions of Elections SSMU, we won’t be responding to the petition as a respondent, but rather we will be indicated separately as a mis-encause,” Fung said. “We were not involved in the renewal of our contract in any way other than sending a re-application to SSMU HR just like any student applying to the job would have.”

According to Simakov, the elections and referenda carried out in the absence of an appropriately appointed CEO should be declared invalid, including the first Fall 2014 referendum—which included the Creation of the University Centre Building Fee—as well as this year’s First-Year Council (FYC) elections. “[The] appointment of Elections SSMU staff, against the Bylaws and the Constitution, by the Respondents [should] be declared invalid,” the petition includes in its list of remedies sought by Simakov.

“The positions of all Elections Staff [should then] be opened to all SSMU members [in favour of] employment equity.”

“All of his actions are illegitimate, as he is not the constitutionally recognized chief electoral officer of SSMU,” Simakov’s “Chief Adviser” McKenzie Kibler, U3 Arts, said.

Ayukawa explained that the bylaws are outdated and are currently undergoing reform as part of a multi-year project in order to more accurately reflect SSMU’s current operations. “[For example, a] Certified Human Resources Professional (“CHRP”) now works for SSMU as a Human Resources Advisor,” she said. “I have searched through old documents relating to SSMU hiring process and cannot find evidence of the selection process outlined in By-Law Book I—[with a] Nominating Committee selecting the CEO and bringing that recommendation to Legislative Council—being followed for at least the past [five] years.”

Ayukawa further expressed concern about the remedies sought

by Simakov.

“The Petitioner’s desired remedies are out of proportion with the alleged procedural irregularities that he describes in his declaration because of the grave effects it will have on many students, such as the new FYC Executives, and the SSMU,” she said. ”At this point, we would like the Judicial Board to declare the CEO’s renewed contract valid and dismiss all of the petitioner’s requested remedies.”

The respondents to this case are required to deliver a response to the J-Board by Oct. 29, while a J-Board hearing is scheduled for Nov. 3.

Simakov elaborated on his reasons for bringing the case forward.

“This is a violation of the constitution that is not about electoral politics,” Simakov said. “This is simply a matter of [SSMU] violating the constitution, which is something that everybody can agree is not acceptable. No one wins or loses except students.”

With additional reporting by Abraham Moussako.

WRITE FOR NEWS EMAIL NEWS@MCGILLTRIBUNE.COM MEETINGS MONDAYS @ 5:30PM SSMU ROOM 110

8

Opinion

Tuesday October 28, 2014

editorial

THE Mcgill

Divisive General Assembly yet another sign of SSMU-student disconnect connected to such a clearly farcical suggestion suggests the presence of a pent-up outrage towards SSMU, which the apparent mismanagement of the GA ignited. Furthermore, between the obvious divisions on the

“

lash—the degree to which students are almost completely unaware of the role SSMU plays on campus at all, to the point of not even understanding that the association manages Gerts, or misstating which employees are

None of this is to imply that SSMU isn’t in need of reform, but that students need to be informed before they can reform.

“

Last Wednesday’s General Assembly (GA) of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) was every bit as big an event as anticipated; with an attendance of over 700 students, the GA drew several times the attendance of several previous assemblies—which often hover around the 100 person quorum. Chief among the reasons for the turnout was the “Motion Calling on SSMU to Stand in Solidarity with the People of the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” which sparked the creation of spirited advocacy campaigns on both sides, ultimately driving the turnout.

In the wake of the GA, which was marked by overcrowding, raucous debate, and even some students being turned away, due to space constraints and safety concerns, a Facebook event calling for the replacement of the SSMU Building with a noted children’s arcade chain gained widespread attention, with attendance numbers rivaling and surpassing those of events associated with the GA itself. What the event, as well as the GA itself demonstrated, was the degree to which our campus was and is intractably divided. The fact that students

substantive Israel-Palestine issue, there is also a pronounced divide on what the role of SSMU should be.

Much of the opposition to the resolution stemmed from suspicion about the idea of the association, student dollars in hand, taking stances on controversial international issues.

Some of that suspicion is well founded, and informed the endorsement we offered on that very resolution last week. However, another thread has become clear in the back-

paid. Oftentimes legitimate outrage and suspicion is enveloped in a cloud of misinformation; while there was justified outrage over the election invalidation last year and the apparent collusion in bringing charges against the initially declared victor, there also was a lack of knowledge as to the fact that the SSMU bylaws forced the presidency to be awarded to the runner-up instead of the running of another election. None of this is to imply that SSMU isn’t in need of reform, but

that students need to be informed before they can reform.

There at times is an institutional culture among student politicians to distrust these periodic eruptions of complaint, and this culture is bolstered by the lack of information that drives these episodes. Students are busy and are well within their rights to not be perfectly versed in SSMU operations, but sporadic engagement without prior research isn’t productive for anyone.

What SSMU can do to alleviate this disconnect remains to be seen.

There are platitudes about ‘engagement’ and ‘consultation’ that get thrown around every time this sort of issue comes to the fore, but perhaps a bigger change is needed. Will SSMU stay in its current state, lacking broader student engagement, or will attention from a broader cross section of the student body lead to fundamental changes in how the association organizes itself? The latter would be preferable, but it remains to be seen.

In order to seek that change, students and SSMU must cooperate and reach a mutual understanding on the issues at hand.

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News Editors Shrinkhala Dawadi and Cece Zhang news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editor Abraham Moussako opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editor Chloe Nevitt scitech@mcgilltribune.com Student Living Editor Natalie Wong studentliving@mcgilltribune.com Features Editor Caity Hui features@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editors Max Berger and Morgan Alexander arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Elie Waitzer and Wyatt Fine-Gagné sports@mcgilltribune.com Design Editors Domitille Biehlmann and Cassie Lee design@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editors Jack Neal and L-A Benoit photo@mcgilltribune.com

TPS Board of Directors

The previous November “Justin Unplugged” fundraiser happened in an atmosphere of a patronizing, stereotypical ladies’ night.

“Who are your real life heroes?” seemed to be the kind of question

A woman’s grievances are not limited to her grievances as a mother, sister or daughter—they extend far beyond. What about the economy, domestic issues and Canada’s foreign policy? “

put it on the end of a stick and roast it over a campfire,” as pundit Rex Murphy described.

What this article actually ends up doing is confusing an attractive candidate with a good one. But, most importantly, it is implying that somehow women are ready to vote for a man whose main quality seems to be fatherhood—a conclusion as poorlytimed as Trudeau’s jokes on ISIS. Trudeau’s strong stance on abortion policy and the right of women’s choice over their bodies was certainly a powerful message, and portrayed the candidate as women-friendly. But is he?

Creative Director Hayley Lim hlim@mcgilltribune.com

Publisher Chad Ronalds

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Justin Trudeau, the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, has been surfing on a wave of popularity. He seems to be the leader that the Liberal Party has been waiting for, bringing the party back from the brink of irrelevance. Dynamic, strong and friendly, he has come to embody the whole party in media coverage. Trudeau’s mistakes have become the party’s mistakes, and his monopoly on the party’s image backfired several times, as with the poorly-timed jokes on ISIS, and, more recently, an article in Chatelaine magazine.

Chatelaine is a lifestyle magazine primarily targeting women and features healthy recipes, home décor, beauty tips, and fashion. On Oct. 16, Carol Toller met Trudeau at his house and interviewed him. The article, featuring numerous lovely pictures

Production Manager Sam Pinto spinto@mcgilltribune.com

Advertising Executives Eliott Demelier, Daniel Kang, and Mingye Chen ads@mcgilltribune.com

Trudeau, far from ideal

Cècile Richetta Contributor

Managing Editors Mayaz Alam malam@mcgilltribune.com Jessica Fu jfu@mcgilltribune.com Remi Lu rlu@mcgilltribune.com

Copy Editor Adrien Hu copy@mcgilltribune.com

COMMENTARY of the Trudeau’s family, is sweet and bright, extensively describing the joyful atmosphere—photos on the fridge—and women’s “ideal” candidate. “An article so sweet and delicious you could

Editor-in-Chief Jenny Shen editor@mcgilltribune.com

women would ask their favourite candidate. And, no matter how powerful his stance on abortion is, emphasis on it can also be seen as treating women as a uniform voting block. But the Chatelaine’s article was the icing on the cake. A woman’s grievances are not limited to her grievances as a mother, sister, or daughter— they extend far beyond. What about the economy, domestic issues and Canada’s foreign policy? “Is Justin Trudeau the candidate women have been waiting for?” unfortunately seems to portray women as superficial voters, overly concerned with family is-

sues and prone to easily forget Trudeau’s recent mistakes. It infantilizes them, and looks overly demagogic and blends with other Liberal failures to look like a women-friendly party.

Canada is still struggling to achieve gender equity in politics. In July 2013, it ranked 46th worldwide on gender equality in politics. An ideal candidate would try to address these issues. Trudeau should probably be careful in his choice of interviews and avoid magazines like Chatelaine, which would certainly deliver a pretty, but substance-less portrayal. The mistake is both on the magazine and on Trudeau. Women’s votes are plural, opinionated, diverse, and complex. They are as serious as men’s votes, and certainly not so easily influenced by a sugary article. Now, more than ever, is the time to address both the gender gap in politics the issues with media representation of women as voters. In the wake of recent campaigns, featuring #ConsentMcGill, Emma Watson’s speech at the United Nations, and Malala Yousafzai’s Nobel Prize, the Chatelaine article does not serve to seek gender equity for women.

Yael Chapman, Jacqui Galbraith, Adrien Hu, Alycia Noe, Sam Pinto, Jenny Shen, Maryse Thomas, Nicolas Tuech

Staff Writers & Illustrators Cordelia Cho, Philippe Dumais, Max Joseph, Evelyn Kaczmarek, Aislinn Kalob, Tiffany Le, Chris Lutes, Claire Lyle, Hailey Mackinnon, Eleanor Milman, Alycia Noë, Laura Plamondon, Aaron Rose, Elli Slavitch, Zikomo Smith, Julie Vanderperre, Wilder Walker-Stewart, Lauren Wildgoose

Contributors Abdulaziz Atta, Dina El-Baradie, D.J. Gilbert, Cory Goldstein, Keah Hanson, Sarah Ibrahim, Natalie Jennings, Alexandra Konkina, Johnny Mater, Harry McAlevey, Cécile Richetta, Dan Rozenblum, Joshua Shapiro, Mira Silver, Noah Sutton, Jack Tokarz, Corrina Vali, Andy Wang

Tribune Office Shatner University Centre Suite 110, 3480 McTavish Montreal, QC H3A 0E7 T: 514.398.6789

The McGill Tribune is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Société de Publication de la Tribune, a student society of McGill University. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of The McGill Tribune and the Société de Publication de la Tribune, and does not necessarily represent the views of McGill University. Letters to the editor may be sent to editor@mcgilltribune.com and must include the contributor’s name, program and year and contact information. Letters should be kept under 300 words and submitted only to the Tribune. Submissions judged by the Tribune Publication Society to be libellous, sexist, racist, homophobic or solely promotional in nature will not be published. The Tribune reserves the right to edit all contributions. Editorials are decided upon and written by the editorial board. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the McGill Tribune, its editors or its staff. Please recycle this newspaper.

The speaker that raised the motion to postpone indefinitely during the Fall 2014 Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) General Assembly (GA) said that by postponing indefinitely, “we’re saying we don’t want to touch this,” he said. “Let’s postpone this [until] forever.”

There’s a reason why some students did not want to discuss this topic, and it’s because it’s bloody, horrible, and confronting that reality is uncomfortable. The “No” campaign claimed that this motion, if passed, would make some students feel uncomfortable.

As reiterated, time and time again, this motion did not seek to negate Israel’s right to exist nor condemn the Israeli state as whole—but only that which is beyond a doubt indisputably condemned by the international community: The inhumane war and siege on Gaza, which has cost thousands their livelihoods, homes, right to education, health, and lives, as well as the illegal expansion of Israeli settlements, which have created hundreds of thousands of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Failure to recognize these horrific events is agonizing. If recognizing

Postponing solidarity, silencing conversation them makes some students feel un- motion. Moreover, openly trivializ- cially when students already feel comfortable, then that is ultimately ing 60 years of human rights abuses uncomfortable expressing pro-Paland violations of international law estinian sentiments on this campus? a shame.

Other supporters of the post- displays a shameful level of privi- Furthermore, claiming that there are more appropriate channels for ponement argued that this issue leged apathy.

Continuously, supporters this debate is implying that students “did not affect students at McGill,” just want to and that SSMU should “talk about be using its time and the conresources on matters flict,” with “more relevant,” such as no intended the construction on McCanada currently runs an annual trade deficit of outcomes.

Tavish. This complete $30 billion with China—encouraging its investors What if we disregard for students and guaranteeing the safety of their assets is the are tired of at this university who way to start narrowing that gap. simply talkare directly affected by ing about the this ongoing conflict, conflict, and and who have lost famwe are ready ily, friends, and homes at the cost of the occupation—stu- of the postponement argued that to take action? The motion prodents who are here now, and are they would entertain a debate, but posed two very tangible outcomes being denied their right back into that SSMU was not an appropri- that SSMU could deliver, and it their land, is nauseating. Saying ate channel through which to do would have been beneficial to hear that this issue does not affect stu- so. However, SSMU claims that the constructive opinions of others dents at McGill not only dismisses it offers a safe space. The speaker from the community on what those the experiences of our fellow Pal- enforces safe space to the best of resolved clauses would have meant estinian and Israeli students, but his/her ability. There is security on- and done for them.

A Palestinian friend of mine it also blatantly disregards our hand throughout the building. And complicit roles in the conflict by even then, students were heckled, thanked me today. He said he paying tuition to an institution that insulted, and disrespected at this knows he never supports or attends helps to develop harmful military year’s GA. If this is how our stu- any events surrounding the issue, technology used in the occupation, dent body conducts itself in a space but it is only because he is unable despite the fact that it was brought where this policy is enforced, how to emotionally cope with comments up several times in the debate, as will we conduct ourselves through He thanked me for “the work” we well as through an entire separate other unmediated channels, espe- were doing for Palestine. On Octo-

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Dina El-Baradie Contributor

9

Opinion

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

ber 22, an unfortunately large part of our student body refused to acknowledge the plight of the Palestinian people. As a student body, we failed to uphold our duty as privileged and educated “leaders” in matters of human rights and social justice. Instead, prioritizing our own comfort and privilege, we chose to postpone it indefinitely.

With that being said, this was not a loss. Bringing this motion to the GA has put Palestine on the forefront of campus media and discourse, and the frantic efforts of a group of students to sweep it under the rug has raised the eyebrows of many. Since the GA, over a dozen students have reached out to actively join the cause, while many more have expressed new or renewed solidarity. With these continued efforts of raising awareness, peer-educating, and conducting open discussions and forums, I am confident this movement will grow. And hopefully, in the near future, our student body will be more open to taking a proactive stance on this issue of injustice, or at least, be more open to discussing the possibility of doing so.

Moving beyond nuclear stereotypes

Harry McAlevey Contributor The announcement by Lockheed Martin this week that it is developing a comparatively cost-effective nuclear fusion reactor was met with immediate skepticism by environmental groups.

Greenpeace called the revelation a “safety and security nightmare” in a press release. Though there are legitimate concerns over the company’s optimism that it could get a reactor up and running in 10 years, it is clear that the blowback has little to do with the plan and more to do with unwavering and dated anti-nuclear stereotypes. Instead

of immediately dismissing nuclear energy as dangerous and harmful to the environment, those concerned about climate change and greenhouse gas emissions should instead encourage the safe and comprehensive expansion of nuclear power as a part of a greater shift away from fossil fuels.

It is clear that environmentalists are correct in asserting that a shift from using fossil fuels for electricity to renewables is needed; however, it is much less clear how and when exactly that shift can happen. In Germany, the hasty shutdown of all national nuclear reactors following the Fukushima disaster led to a predictable gap in energy production, forcing the country to burn more toxic coal and natural gas. Nuclear energy is the key to filling the gap between effective but harmful fossil fuels, and friendly but currently inefficient renewable energy.

The primary concern environmentalists have with nuclear power is the

supposedly unsafe nature of its production. The biggest accidental disasters in nuclear history, namely the ones occurring at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima, have instilled a lingering and unwarranted distrust of nuclear power among environmentalists and the public alike. In comparison, little attention is given to other environmental disasters caused by energy production. In 2013, more than 1.15 million gallons of crude oil spilled from trains in the U.S. alone. Nuclear power is still a much safer method of generating baseload electricity than fossil fuel production, and new generation reactors are much safer, smaller, and more cost-effective.

Groups like Greenpeace have also pointed out that there is a significant concern over where to put nuclear waste generated as a byproduct from reactors.

While this is a genuine concern, advances in technology have greatly helped to alleviate this problem. New generations of reactors are much more efficient, pro-

ducing significantly less waste and even reusing spent fuel rods. Currently, five per cent of the cost of nuclear production is attributed to dealing with nuclear waste; increasing that number to 10 per cent or more would lead to crucial and necessary research and potentially finding a permanent, international location for waste storage.

Another oft-cited notion by environmentalists is the idea that renewables like wind and solar are a cheaper and more efficient alternative to nuclear.

However, studies by British and American energy commissions found that wind and solar are more expensive per kilowatt/hour than advanced nuclear reactors. Apart from hydroelectric or geothermal generated power, nuclear is the cheapest among non-fossil fuel power sources. Nuclear energy is also more effective and reliable, with no variance in production based on the weather, and renewables are challenging to integrate into the existing power structure.

Apply to be the Tribune’s Opinion Editor Send three writing samples, a CV, and a brief letter of intent to editor@mcgilltribune.com by November 2nd

Further research can and should be done on both renewables and nuclear energy production. Studies show that the cost of wind power will drop 25 per cent over the next two decades and that the cost of solar production will be cut in half by 2020, indicating that eventually renewables will be cheap enough to bear the load of increasing energy demands. For now though, nuclear energy is a consistent, reliable, and ecologically friendly way for countries to wean themselves off fossil fuels. Yet instead of looking for sensible solutions to solvable problems, environmentalists immediately seek to discredit and vilify any attempt by scientists or engineers to advance nuclear power. Environmentalists need to stop using stale rhetoric to demonize nuclear energy because of a few high-profile mishaps, and embrace nuclear energy for what it is: An intelligent, transitory solution towards a greener, healthier planet.

10

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Pierre Compere U1 Political Science (Shehryar Bajwa / McGill Tribune)

Student Living

Student ofBy the Week Alycia Noë Although most students are still searching for their purpose at university, Pierre Compere, a U1 political science student, has found his calling to make an impact in the world through pursuing creativity and sharing his vision of beauty in the world through his work.

As the head of marketing for Word and Colour—a journal challenging stereotypes regarding minorities, women, and other marginalized groups—Compere is driven not only by the creativity behind the journal, but the themes behind the journal’s work.

“Our goals are to [direct] readers to question their assumptions while also delivering creative, gorgeous, and original e-collaborations,” Compere said.

Originally from Clermont-Ferrand, France, Compere grew up in Waitsfield, Vermont. As a child, his family regularly visited Montreal. It wasduring these visits that Compere fell in love with the city. He decided to study at McGill so that he could be surrounded by the youthful energy and thriving art scene.of Montreal.

“I am fascinated by art because of the creativity it allows for,” Compere said. “To me, the idea of capturing a moment or sentiment and freezing it in time through any artistic medium is fundamental to the human condition.”

An ambitious student, Compere was determined to get a job at Word and Colour. Liam Lachance, the head of Word and Colour, needed a

social marketing intern for the summer. Although he had little experience, Compere managed to get an interview. He was determined to walk out of the interview with an internship, and has been working at Word and Colour ever since. Though the promotion to head of marketing was recent, Compere is excited to include even more of his ideas in the journal.

Word and Colour inspired Compere to pursue a job in entrepreneurship. As a witness to Lachance building the electronic journal from the ground up, Compere developed a desire to go into business.

“I’m going to be an entrepreneur,” he said.

“If you have an idea, there’s nothing stopping you from manifesting it.”

Compere is looking forward to the excitement of starting a company, pointing out the creativity and vision required for success, and the positives of the freedom that will come from working for himself.

“I’d rather create my own [business],” Compere said. “I don’t like being limited by a set of rules.”

This inclination for a creative workspace has inspired Compere a to pursue a future in the arts.

“I see myself pursuing art in the sense that I see myself pursuing creativity and design,” he said.

“I’ll never be a painter or a saxophone player, but I’ll incorporate my vision into everything I do.”

McGil Tribune (MT): What’s your favourite ice cream flavour?

Pierre Compere (PC): Cookie dough.!

MT: What’s your favourite spot in Montreal?

PC: Pikolo Espresso Bar. Amazing coffee and atmosphere. I’ve got a lot of cool memories in that place.

MT: Where would you like to be stranded for the rest of your life?

PC: Maybe Paris or Rome. Somewhere with history.

MT: What’s your favourite food?

PC: Chef on Call, chicken parm sandwich with spicy mayo inside the sandwich. The key is the spicy mayo. Don’t forget it! You might not believe me now, but if anyone actually orders this when they get home at 3:00 a.m. after a night on SaintLaurent—I told you so.

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student of the week!

Email us at studentliving@ mcgilltribune.com

Celebrate Halloween with respect AUS and SSMU raise awareness for repercussions of insensitive costumes Laura Plamondon Staff Writer The upcoming weekend of Halloween festivities is bound to stir up a great storm of parties, costumes, and treats. While it is easy to get caught up in the fun of being able to dress up as whatever one desires for this weekend, it is important to recognize the potential consequences of students’ choices for costumes.

The Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) Equity Committee and Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Equity Committee have implemented certain regulations regarding Halloween costumes that may be deemed inappropriate at the SSMU 4Floors Halloween Party, and all other McGill-related events.

According to AUS Equity Commissioner, Vareesha Khan, the movement to bring an awareness to the implications of various costumes began around two years ago when SSMU became aware of the potential problems of certain costumes, and decided to take an active stance towards eliminating such controversies.

The instigating event oc-

curred when a student showed up at the 4Floors SSMU Halloween event with a painted black face.

This incident brought to light the issue of ethically correct costumes, and propelled the SSMU Equity Committee to implement a rule prohibiting students from wearing costumes deemed racially insensitive. As such, the SSMU Equity Committee encourages party-goers to stray away from ethnical or cultural costumes as a whole.

For the upcoming 4Floors event, the SSMU Equity Committee decided that each costume would receive a colour-code, red or green. The red would mean that the student was not allowed into the building with his or her costume, whereas green would mean the student would be free to enter “I think the AUS Equity Committee and SSMU Equity Committee are right in implementing such rules,” said Corentin Hinz, U1 Management. “It’s a shame that it’s not already obvious for students […] when they decide on which costumes they want to wear. It shows that our society and our culture still has

some way to go before calling itself socially equitable.”

One of the larger problems that the AUS Equity Committee is fighting against is having costumes that sexualize certain cultures.

“If you always see a group of people in a sexualized way, this represents the entire culture as promiscuous, which leads to further stereotypes and makes these individuals seem always eager for sexual encounters,” said Khan.

“In the worst case scenarios this can end with rape and non-consensual sexual encounters.”

Students around McGill seem to agree with these arguments.

‘I think it’s a good idea, since people don’t think of consequences when they dress up,” said Estelle Chappert, U3 Management. “Halloween is sexualized enough, without having costumes that solidify stereotypes about other cultures.”

However, the issue of what is and is not appropriate for costumes is still an area of debate among McGill students.

“I find it very difficult to draw the line between what can

be judged inappropriate or disrespectful towards other cultures […] during Halloween,” said Yumen Gu, U3 Science. “When students are buying their costumes, I don’t believe they are intentionally trying to offend other students. However, I do agree that within a university with so much diversity among students, it is difficult to ensure that all students are sensitive to what can be seen as fuelling […] new stereotypes.”

The SSMU Equity Committee understands that claiming a costume has negative implications is a delicate affair and that this issue is plagued with grey areas.

“What do you say to a person that is mixed or from a certain culture and is wearing a costume that interprets such a culture?” Khan said. “You can’t tell this person that he can’t wear a costume that represents his own identity. Also, there is an issue with individuals that simply want to give respect to their favourite celebrities and Disney princesses and by doing so, inadvertently pushes a stereotype.”

The SSMU Equity Com-

mittee does not want people to completely disengage themselves with learning about other cultures. They encourage students to interact with individuals from diverse cultures and help eliminate stereotypes.

Both the AUS and SSMU Equity Committees are collaborating to educate students on the effects of stereotyping through costumes towards different cultures.

In order to spread awareness, the AUS Equity Committee hosted a forum on Oct. 27 to enlighten students on the underlying issues of a seemingly superficial choice of costume.

“Last year, the forum on cultural preparation happened after Halloween, and even though the forum has positive feedback from students, it wasn’t preventive,” Khan said.

The Equity Committee will also display informational posters, creating videos describing real life experiences and detail precise guidelines when selling tickets and giving out entry bracelets for the SSMU 4Floors event.

11

Student Living

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Searching for the perfect fit

Close and affordable locations to find a unique Halloween costume Natalie Wong Student Living Editor

Halloween is fast approaching, and so is the need to find the perfect costume. With midterms, it’s no surprise that students have little time to search for the ideal costume. Read below to discover a list of stores near campus for last-minute Halloween costumes.

EVA B 2015 Saint-Laurent This gem of a store is a wonderland of thrifting treasures. It consists of three floors and offers clothing, costumes, a bar, a sitting area, and a stage for shows. As customers walk in, they are greeted with free tea and seasoned popcorn. While it may seem like the store is overwhelming given the quantity of goods offered, Eva B is strategically set up, with the clothes and costumes organized in such a way that individuals have an easy time browsing for items. There is a floor dedicated to costumes, with wigs, masks, mustaches, gloves, full costume pieces, and more. The store also provides costume rentals. Even

those who enter Eva B without a clue of what costume they want are bound to come out with a costume in hand.

The pricing of items is extremely reasonable, and prices go as low as $1. Employees are friendly and helpful, and the ambiance of the store is quirky, creative, and positive. In fact, for the weeks leading up to Halloween, employees are dressed up in their own choices of costume, enhancing the inspiration that Eva B seeks to give its customers.

LOL Party Centre 3715 Saint-Laurent This store offers party supplies and costumes all year. LOL Party Centre is the store for those who are searching for an easy costume that is generic, yet still a party classic. Offering a rack of masks and an aisle dedicated to costumes for males, females, and children, this store has a wide array of choices and accessories for last-minute costumes. Moreover, for those who want to get a full costume without having to worry about buying different pieces for the costume, this store offers full costume pieces that range from $20-$80.

Masks on display at Eva B. (Cordelia Cho / McGill Tribune)

Cul-de-Sac 3966 Saint-Laurent This shop is perfect to find pieces to compile a unique costume for Halloween. There are a large variety of styles and sizes for both men and women, with high quality items. The pricing is great for students who wish

to spend less, with items available for as low as $5. The store is neatly organized—making it easy to navigate through—and the store owner is friendly and helpful. These highquality vintage items are perfect when dressing as an iconic character from movie classics, and will guarantee a unique costume that no one else will

Crossword Corner: Halloween Edition

Sweet and Savoury Pumpkin Recipes

By Keah Hansen

Find the answer key at: www.mcgilltribune.com

Illustrations by Cordelia Cho Pumpkin is an incredibly versatile ingredient to work with—these two recipes are easy to make and celebrate the potential of pumpkins. One is sweet, and the other savoury, but both are healthy and chock full of vitamin A and fiber. Stack up a few cans of pumpkin at the local grocer and enjoy cooking.

Pumpkin chickpea veggie burgers Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked chickpeas 1/2 cup canned pumpkin 1 onion, diced 1 egg 1/2 tsp curry powder 1/2 tsp garlic 2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1. In a pan, sauté the onion in 1 tbsp of the olive oil until soft and translucent.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, add the chicpeas, pumpkin, egg, cooked onion, and spices,and mix until combined and chicpeas are partly mashed.

3. In the same pan, heat the other tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.

4. Form the pumpkin mixture into two paties.

5. Cook both patties in the pan, flipping once until golden on the first side.

6. Serve warm with a green salad or on fresh hamburger buns.

have. The outfits purchased are not exclusively set out for the Halloween season—there are accessories to dress it up or down for other occasions as well. This is a great store to explore and seek out costumes that will give an edge to your costume at a party, and ensure that there will not be a clash of outfits.

Down:

Chocolate coconut pumpkin squares

1. 1975 musical comedy horror film 2. Flying mammals 3. October 31 5. Disguise 7. 242 William Street’s headless wanderer 8. Type of sarcasm 9. Hordes of the undead 13. Kang’s accomplice 14. Writer of the The Sixth Sense 16. Folkloric monster or evil spirit

Serves 9

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats 1 cup oat flour (can be made by blending oats in blender) 2 cups canned pumpkin 1/2 cup coconut milk 1/2 cup maple syrup 2 tbsp molasses 1 egg 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips 1 tsp cloves 1 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. Blend all ingredients together in a large bowl until well mixed 3. Pour into a greased baking dish and sprinkle a few more chocolate chips on top for present tion.

4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

5. Let cool for approximately 10 minutes.

6. Cut into squares and enjoy.

Across: 4. Friendly and lonely ghost 6. Eerie 10. Witch's pet 11. Killer that enters your dreams 12. The modern Prometheus 15. Framework of bones 17. 1979 Ridley Scott film 18. Carved pumpkin 19. 1987 Gothic horror novel 20. Here's Johnny!

21. American thriller film based on Peter Benchley's novel

Created by Cory Goldstein

TRANSCENDING THE TEXT The changing landscape of publishing Shrinkhala Diwadi n 2011, Amazon announced that the sales for its Kindle ebooks had surpassed those of their physical books, with 105 e-books sold for every 100 print copies. According to the Association of American Publishers (AAP), e-book sales amounted to $63.9 million in 2008. In 2013, e-book sales accounted for $3 billion—a 47 per cent increase in five years.

The past decade has also seen the emergence of e-reading devices in mainstream markets. Prominent models include the Kindle, produced

by Amazon; the Nook, produced by Barnes and Noble; and the Kobo, produced by the Canadian company Rakuten Kobo Inc. E-readers are actually seeing declining sales, from $25 million in 2012 to a projected $7 million in 2014, according to analytical group Forrester.

However, the digital print culture that e-readers and ebooks compose is having surprising effects on the diversity of work that is both digitized and accesible to the public, in addition to providing new opportunities for publishing.

Blare Coughlin, a Montreal-based author and McGill student, says they publish their work through the e-book format because of the medium’s accessibility.

“It’s just not feasible, cost-wise, to produce something physical,” they said. “Plus, it’s easier to reach a wider audience. If I [was] printing physical copies of my e-books, [they] would only reach the downtown Montreal area, but this way I can reach people all over the world with the right publicity.”

Coughlin is also drawn to the mutability of the e-book medium itself.

“You can put whatever you want in an e-book and call it that,” Coughlin said. “Some people make e-books that are basically digitized zines, [a self-circulated online magazine.] Other people make very slick and design-heavy work that might not even have any writing actually in it.”

Because of their digital nature, e-book production is often rooted in online communities. Coughlin cites this as another advantage of the e-book format.

“The medium allows [...] very quick editing and cooperation that isn’t possible with other media,” Coughlin said. “Since [...] many other people who write online live […] outside of Montreal, it doesn’t even hinge on you knowing the right people. You can just do things with your friends, and not worry about money or possible producers and investors. It’s very freeing.”

Although online self-publishing may be less selective than traditional methods, the variable nature of the e-book medium does not translate into increasing the diversity of products that are commercially available, especially at large retailers such as Chapters, said Larissa Dutil, programming and outreach coordinator at the Concor-

dia co-op bookstore.

“Publishers have paid Chapters to promote one book over another,” Dutil explained. “In those kinds of stores, there’s really only a certain kind of book that’s being pushed to you [...] the best-sellers, or the next big thing.”

Dutil added that this gatekeeping effect is also felt by smaller publishing companies.

“If you go to a Chapters, you’d be harder pressed to find a lot of the […] smaller independent publishers that aren’t a part of, or distributed by a larger conglomerate,” she said. “In a way, that’s making it harder and harder for small presses to get their material out there.”

Dutil stated that she did not discount the services that a publisher provides to authors. Instead, she highlighted the balance between the resources of institutionalized publishers and the freedom of the selfpublished, e-book medium.

“Almost anyone [...] can turn their written work into an e-version that they can sell on various sites,” she said. “[However], there’s a lot of marketing, publicity, and communication with bookstores that publishers are doing [that] is very difficult in terms of reaching a wide audience.”

Local author Guillaume Morissette, whose novel New Tab is being published by Véhicule Press, also spoke to the balance between resources that publishers can provide and the importance of an online presence, arguing that the latter can be influential for less well-known authors.

“Unlike Stephen King, I rarely get premium placement in large bookstores, so I have to use different strategies to promote and market my stuff,” he said. “I view online as my main opportunity to sell books, and physical bookstores, readings, and touring as secondary, or in support of that.”

Morissette also described the complicated relationship between large retailers such as Chapters and local authors—especially with regards to the selection of works available in print versus those online as an e-book.

“It seems a little terrifying to me to think that only a few executives at Chapters decide which books the entire chain will feature,” Morissette said. “It seems like a lot of writers I know have a kind of adversarial relationship with [Chapters] , in that they feel mostly ignored by it. At the same time, a store like [Chapters] only has a finite amount of retail space, so it makes sense that they carry the books they can.”

Morissette explained that the availability of New Tab as a Kobo e-book through the Indigo website is beneficial for his outreach.

“If Kobo were to choose to spotlight or feature New Tab , it would probably be exposed to an audience that might not have heard

of it otherwise,” he said.

Beyond the creative process, digital culture has also influenced the academic landscape. McGill libraries are currently undertaking various digitization projects—including the retro-thesis project, which aims to digitize every graduate thesis produced at McGill since the university’s inception. According to Associate Dean of McGill Library’s Digital Initiatives Jenn Riley, the university currently spends 80 per cent of its $16 million collections budget on electronic resources.

“We have e-book subscriptions to all major university presses for the most part, [and] we don’t get those in print any more,” Riley said. “Almost all academic libraries have made this shift [....] We are very committed to this shift because we get more bang for our buck. A title that would cost 100 or 200 dollars per book is 30 or 15 [dollars] per book in the electronic version.”

To illustrate this point, Joseph Hafner, Associate Dean of Collection Services, explained that the library previously subscribed to 18,000 print journals. Now, McGill provides access to 90,000 e-journals.

According to Sarah Severson, digitization and delivery coordinator for McGill Library’s Digital Initiatives, more resources are being digitized in the humanities than in the sciences.

“We do so much of our work based on user demand, [and] there’s less user demand in the sciences for public domain books, whereas in the humanities, [there are] lots of people studying 18th century literature, which I can totally digitize and provide,” Severson said.

The lower prices of digital resources have affected the scope of both literary and academic writing in similar ways.

For literature, customers’ lower expectations of prices have led publishers and retailers to cut costs so that publishers don’t have to take risks on works that aren’t slated to sell well. Riley explained that in academia, most institutions subscribe to identical digital collections.

“It used to be that we all had different collecting areas, different strengths, and that’s evening out a little bit,” Riley said.

“McGill is very heavily [STEM focused…] and our collections represent that. However we have some strong humanities departments and they need collections. Different campuses have different academic strengths and libraries to make sure they can provide the resources that those faculties and departments need.”

Riley also spoke to the challenges created by digital culture, such as issues with copyright and accessibility of online media.

Although some works can be digitized, their dissemination can be restricted because of copyright laws.

“So many of our vendors introduced digital resource management into the queue so that people can’t copy and steal the books, but this often results in a very difficult user experience,” Riley said. “If a person wants to get an e-book on [a] device, as opposed to reading it off [of an internet browser,] it’s hard. ” In spite of these challenges, the digitization of collections has afforded researchers novel ways of examining their work, such as text-mining algorithms—where students can search for keywords within papers—that can be applied to many documents.

Professor Tabitha Sparks, who specializes in 19th century British novels, says that the digitization of rare books has changed the very definition of expertise in her field. Before

these initiatives, the canon of Victorian literature—the books that are still in print—would consist of 20 to 30 authors. According to Sparks, the number of novels published during that time is closer to 13,000. Recent efforts in digitizing the books have drastically improved the accessibility of these novels, influencing the very composition of the canon.

“If you’re going to be grappling with a field where there are going to be thousands and thousands of books available [...] you can’t just rely on coverage anymore, and you have to ask different questions about how novels have an afterlife, if they become part of the canon, and why they don’t,” Sparks said.

The addition of so many books to the canon of Victorian literature has also highlighted how gender and class has affected what novels were considered to be good literature by later scholars. “[There are] whole publishing lines, especially of popular literature written by women, that were best selling at the time, but never made it into a third edition,” Sparks said. “And it’s that area [that] I think has been […] most dramatically resurrected [....] I’m really interested in what average people read in the Victorian era and less interested in what the critics thought, and that’s a total about-face from what I [used to] be able to do, even in grad school.”

This influx of novels that are accessible online has also affected Sparks’ classes. Some works are so new that her students are among the first to write critically about them. In the future, Sparks explains that digitization will affect both academics and publishers.

“In the old style with books being published […] in print, I think there was more gatekeeping,” she said. “[It’s] not necessarily a bad thing that that’s going away, and it will definitely change the way we think about things like originality, plagiarism, and access to works that are perhaps officially owned or copyrighted by some people.”

According to Riley, the nature of librarians’ roles at McGill will have to shift from service providers to research partners.

“The idea is that we can help people understand methodologies for doing their research [with software that] can help them find the data, [and] deposit the data once they’re done,” she said. “So we’re a part of every step along the way rather than just providing a catalogue.”

With regards to the future of literature, Coughlin explains that digital publishing has lent a new platform to social issues.

“Right now there’s an intense push towards writing from more feminist perspectives and criticizing patriarchy, racism, and transphobia in culture,” they said. “I’m personally very for this shift: It adds legitimacy to a lot of what people have been saying for years, and now others are actually listening, which is incredibly powerful.”

As for print novels, Morissette argues that although literary culture is evolving away from books—to the form of articles, websites, and apps—regardless of if they are online or in print, they have the capacity to transform a reader.

“I don’t think the novel is going to die,” he said. “I think the novel will probably evolve or change, but there’s still something unique, enjoyable, and necessary about the novel as an art form [....] Books exist because someone gave a lot of mental attention to a series of events or a specific subject matter or something, and a well-written book, I think, can both teach us and entertain us.”

14

Science & Technology

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Bilinguals get a boost Speaking two languages sharpens the mind guage acquisition in school settings.

“Several factors contribute to a person’s ability to learn a language,” Genesee said. “Learning a language related to one [that] a person already knows is much easier because patterns can be spotted and followed.”

Fluency—complete control of a language—can vary among individuals and is usually hard to reach.

According to Genesee however, learning a language gets easier as you go.

“People who have learned another language already [are] likely better at learning languages in general since they’ve [already] learned how to learn a language,” Genesee said.

Research supports the theory that language acquisition is better at an earlier age, when the brain is more plastic. The neural structures for language are still developing, and different language patterns are more readily accepted and assimilated.

Yet there are exceptions to this trend, namely people who

speak many languages: Polyglots. These are individuals who demonstrate remarkable mastery in languages—despite beginning the acquisition of a language in adulthood. It is thought that language acquisition is akin to athletic ability and musical talent: Some people are born to run the 10-metre dash in less than 10 seconds, while others train for it over time.

“Individuals who are uninhibited—people who are not shy and are willing to try new things—are likely to be better language learners,” Genesee said.

The benefits of learning another language cannot be overstated. The most ostensible is the ability to communicate in another language.

“It helped me understand that there is more than one way to approach a problem,” said Divij Mehra, U2 Mechanical Engineer. “Different people express things differently [because of their language.]”

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Select from over a dozen specializations including entrepreneurship and leadership, energy studies, healthcare engineering and advanced water technologies.

(Elli Slavitch / McGill Tribune)

Andy Wang Contributor A recent study conducted at Anglia Ruskin University in the U.K. has once again demonstrated the benefits of bilingualism.

Bilingual children of various languages (Polish, Russian, French, and Italian) with English as their primary language, were able to maintain better focus on a task in a noisy environment. When the bilingual primary school children were evaluated on sentence structure recognition in English, background noise—from Greek and English recordings—was played, and the scores of the children’s results measured.

The results demonstrated a significant advantage when Greek— a language none of the children spoke—was played. However, when English was played, children who spoke more than one language exhibited only slightly better selective attention.

Linguists believe this might be due to executive control in the cerebral cortex. Since bilinguals have two names for everything, the constant inhibition of one language and the simultaneous activation of the other forces the brain to be constantly working. As a result, those who speak more than one language tend to be better at focusing.

Dr. Fred H. Genesee, from McGill’s Department of Linguistics, researches bilingualism and lan-

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A NEW VISION FOR HIGH-PRECISION ROBOTICS VERONICA MARIN wants to give robots high-precision eyes, capable of sensing the world around them in 3D, using only low cost, off-the-shelf components, such as a simple video projector and a camera. As a PhD student in Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, she is using the structured-light technique to create a novel 3D vision system with microscopic accuracy. To accomplish this, Veronica is developing new modelling approaches and computer algorithms that maximize the measurement accuracy of the 3D vision system without requiring sophisticated, expensive hardware. This places high-precision 3D vision within reach for a new generation of visionary entrepreneurs, start-ups and inventors, to develop revolutionary applications in many areas including healthcare and advanced manufacturing.

Visit gradstudies.engineering.utoronto.ca

UTEngineering_fall_McGill Tribune14 141002-F.indd 1

2014-10-02 11:08 AM

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

15

Science & Technology

Federal science demands democratic reform Alexandra Konkina Contributor

Dr. Shvedov and Dr. Hnatovsky adjust their tractor beam. (Photo courtesy of The International Business Times) Clare Lyle Staff Writer

Physicists transport marbles with optical tractor beam The tractor beam—a long-distance invisible attraction beam—is a legendary staple in science fiction. In real life, moving objects using only light seems absurd, if not impossible. However, in a paper published in Nature Photonics, a team of Australian and American physicists successfully transferred glass marble ten centimetres using only a laser beam.

Light is composed of tiny packets of energy called photons and it is through these that light can move objects. Each of these packets of energy has an associated momentum, so when they hit an object, their momentum is transferred to the object, nudging it forward slightly.

Like rolling a bowling ball by throwing billions of dandelion seeds at it, scientists can use these photons to move microscopic objects—but only in the direction of the photons’ velocity.

To move the marbles backward, the team used a different approach. They fired a donutshaped optical beam that heated up the beads. As the back of the beads heated up, the surrounding air pressure lowered and the beads moved backward. When the researchers adjusted the laser’s polarization, they could change whether the marbles moved forwards or backwards.

This technique may eventually be used for remote particle sampling or even for removing air pollutants.

Jet Lag, bacteria, and obesity Jet lag may cause more than just fatigue.

In mice, at least, it also makes them more prone to obesity, according to a study published in Nature last week.

Every life form has an internal clock that keeps track of daily cycles, which are known as circadian rhythms. A team of researchers, led by Eran Elinav at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Isreal, has found that these cycles may be connected to weight. The biologists observed that the composition of gut microbes in both hu-

mans and mice changes depending on the host’s circadian rhythm.

The team then tested the effect of jet lag on these populations. They simulated jet lag by disrupting the feeding and sleeping cycles of mice, so that the mice were eating when they would usually be sleeping. These chronically jet-lagged mice gained more weight and displayed an increased risk of diabetes compared to the control group. When researchers analyzed fecal samples, they found that the usual fluctuation in the composition of gut microbiota was disrupted in the mice whose internal clocks had been shifted.

This research may help explain why shift workers have a higher risk of diabetes, as well as the association of disrupted sleep with diseases like cancer, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.

High-speed evolution in Florida lizards Competition between two species of lizards in South Florida has produced a remarkable example of evolution. A study by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin documented how over the course of just 15 years, green anoles in the area have responded to pressure from invasive brown anoles by developing feet that are better at gripping branches.

The change in the lizards’ physiology may not have turned them into an entirely new species, but it is far from insignificant.

“To put this shift in perspective, if human height were evolving as fast as these lizards’ toes, the height of an average American man would increase from about [5’9’’] today to about [6’4’’] within 20 generations—an increase that would make the average U.S. male the height of an NBA shooting guard,” explained lead author Yoel Stuart.

The scientific term for this phenomenon is called character displacement, and describes how species in competition with each other evolve to take advantage of different resources.

In the green anole’s case, this means climbing higher up on branches than any nearby brown anoles. The speed with which this evolution has occurred makes it one of the few well-documented examples of character displacement that biologists have observed.

I’d like to think we live in a country where democracy is valued—a place where all groups are represented equally. Why then, is the Canadian government continuing to overhaul scientific communication policies while cutting the funding for important research programs?

Recently, more than 800 scientists from 32 different countries signed an open letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper highlighting what they called a rapid decline in both the freedom and the funding allowed to federal scientists. The letter states that this decline has made it consistently more difficult for them to communicate scientific information and collaborate internationally—as well as to actually conduct research. The restrictions imposed on the scientists have been described as burdensome and excessive, with $2.6 billion in funding cuts to the top ten science-based government departments and ministries between 2013 and 2016.

In addition, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, which represents 15,000 scientists in 40 federal departments, has determined that 90 per cent of its scientists do not feel they can speak freely to the media— and effectively, the public—about their work.

This isn’t a recent phenomenon. The effective muzzling of federal scientists has been a known and disputed problem since Harper entered office. There is considerable consistency in terms of what scientific information requires the highest level of governmental control in terms of the accessibility of information—tar sands, climate change, and the oil and gas industries. This is not a coincidence.

Canadian politicians are explicitly tied to large businesses with interests in the resource extraction industry, geared towards making Canada the next global energy superpower—a nation that supplies enough resources to influence world markets. This has happened despite the constant urgings from international scientists to scale back carbon emissions and reliance on fossil fuels. Canada is dependent on ecologically and economically unsustainable oil and gas resources— but evidence to support this runs almost directly against the government’s agenda regarding Canada’s role as an energy superpower.

The culCONTACT ture of science aligns directly with the culture of theorized democratic governance.

Consistent attacks on government scientists’ ability to communicate freely with the public and other scientists on an international scale must be seen as a larger attack against democracy as we fundamentally know it. In the absence of accessible scientific information, there is a lack of an informed public. Effectively, decision-making becomes increasingly geared towards the preferences of those in power.

As citizens, these restrictions leave us blind to the realities of the natural world on both a local and global scale—which, whether we’d care to admit it or not, severely and negatively impacts our ability to make reasoned judgments on public matters. The public has the responsibility to demand information, as our own ignorance feeds directly into policy decisionmaking. Scientific knowledge should not be seen as explicitly prescriptive, and should not directly determine the policy decisions made by the government. However, it must inform those decisions, as good decisions should rely upon evidence—which is effectively produced through scientific inquiry. Tolerating the increasing restrictions on science in Canada isn’t far from tolerating a suppression of democracy itself.

Those in science must reason together as a community. This means dealing with incomplete evidence as well as forming conclusions that everyone can agree upon. Science can only thrive in an open and free environment in which its actors can collaborate across real and intangible barriers. The very nature of the scientific community as one in which everyone fights and argues as hard as they can for what they believe—while respecting both the tradition and the community itself—can feed into a discussion about societal democracy.

There is a real relationship between the ethics of science and the ethics of democracy.

The democratic community is a network of relationships, and the politics affecting this network ideally function as a way to achieve a better society. Unfortunately, this continues to not be the case for the Canadian scientific community.

Individuals with ICHTHYOSIS are needed for a research study in Montreal involving an approved topical treatment. Reimbursement will be $300 for four visits.

derek.ganes@ganespharma.com

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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Criminal fails to evolve past story-telling tropes Darius Monroe’s debut documentary lacks exposition, plot development CHRIS LUTES Staff Writer Arguably, the most difficult subject to talk about objectively is yourself. Darius Monroe’s debut documentary feature Evolution of a Criminal confirms this idea. Though he places himself squarely at the centre of the film’s narrative as the titular criminal, Monroe evades revealing the motivation behind his actions, resulting in a film that can be maddeningly vague while still being worthwhile—albeit for reasons that aren’t immediately clear.

Produced by legendary director Spike Lee, the film tracks filmmaker Darius Monroe’s life from childhood until today, trying to reconcile his past with his present. Though he is now a burgeoning filmmaker from the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, Monroe was first a kid living in extreme poverty in urban Texas. After a burglary worsened his family’s already dire financial situation, Monroe decided to help however he could—though he had a steady job, he began supplementing his income through petty theft. This early thievery culminated with him and two of his friends robbing a bank. He was eventually caught and tried as an adult—despite being 17 years old when the robbery took place—and took a plea-bargain that allowed for reduced time in prison.

Evolution of a Criminal takes the Errol Morris approach to documentary, combining highly stylized re-enactments of the past with present-day interview

footage. Monroe interviews family members, classmates, teachers, accomplices, victims, and criminal prosecutors, all of whom display different degrees of sympathy for his crime and how willing they are to forgive him. This aspect is, by far, the best part of the film—the emotional rawness that anyone related to Monroe had about his actions is compounded by the fact that he is also the one interviewing them. Subjects on camera refer to him directly, but the fact that we don’t see the filmmaker’s face in these scenes puts the audience member directly in his shoes.

The flashback and establishing shots throughout the film are remarkably well composed.

Scenes from his hometown are shot with a striking orange filter that convey both the nostalgia that comes from reminiscing and the dread that springs from the realization that you can’t change the mistakes of the past, no matter how you frame them.

The editing is also uniquely done for what could have been a straightforward documentary.

Darius Monroe explores his life as a criminal and as a man seeking redemption. (chicagofilmfestival.com) In one of the film’s most powerful moments, Monroe’s drive to prison is intercut with shots of the friends and family he would leave behind, staring pensively away from the camera.

This focus on the supporting players in his life is my main qualm with the film: It never really does what it purports to be doing—which is to show Monroe evolve. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see the evolution of an innocent youth trapped by circumstance into a bank robber, or that of a convicted felon into a talented filmmaker. The problem is that a disproportionate amount of

the film’s running time is spent focusing on his bank robbery and the immediate aftermath, allowing no time to delve into how Monroe got from point A to B. Crucial expository information is almost entirely absent—we never find out how much time he spent in prison, what his upbringing was like outside of the fact that he lived in poverty, or how he came to turn his life around. As a result, we never get insight into the crucial decisions that came to define his life beyond a few clichés and platitudes.

Monroe’s strengths as a filmmaker seem to lie more in

teasing the emotional truth out of others rather than engaging in deep introspection. Because of this, Evolution of a Criminal can’t claim that it shows the evolution of a criminal—instead it paints a vivid picture of the way one person’s actions affected those around him, something that is emotionally effective in its own right.

Evolution of a Criminal runs until Oct. 30 at 8 p.m. at Cinema du Parc (3575 Parc). Student tickets are $10.

Godard says goodbye to cohesion

Goodbye to Language innovates and challenges with its fragmented narrative MAX JOSEPH Staff Writer

Whereas other filmmakers have used 3D as a way to immerse us in their worlds, legendary director Jean-Luc Godard utilizes it to emphasize disconnect in his latest film, Goodbye to Language . While you can’t help but feel close to the dogs, flowers, and nude bodies that pop out at you, Godard simultaneously detaches us from the action onscreen through his use of unconventional shot angles, narrative fragmentation, and a plethora of different cinematographic styles. At the same time, the film is deeply naturalistic and cinema verite like, thus forming a fascinating contrast.

The result is less a traditional narrative than a cinematic montage of thematically related ideas. Josette (Héloise Godet) and Gédéon (Kamel Abdeli) are a pair of lovers who discuss the tenuous nature of their relationship (she’s married to someone else and he’s single) and muse on life in often compromising situations. As he sits on the toilet while she stands naked in front of him—which happens frequently throughout the film—Godard grants the audience a voyeuristic look at the relationship, which the 3D serves to exaggerate.

At the same time, we don’t learn much about this pair, due to the frequent cuts to other vignettes and images: A dog travels between town and country, seemingly unsure of his

proper home; a couple prepares for their international travel on a cruise ship. Documentary footage is interspersed throughout, as various voice-overs explain details about Hitler’s rise to power and other historical events. The music of composers ranging from Beethoven to Sibelius fades in and out throughout these sequences, and the shots fall on a wide spectrum between hyperrealistic and deeply Impressionist.

Naturally, this chaotic approach doesn’t yield much in the way of narrative continuity, but that doesn’t seem to be what Godard is going for here. Rather, the film is about the feeling of existence—you can’t hope to understand what’s going on, but you grasp the emotions that

are being conveyed. This works particularly well in the handheld, digital video-like segments, which effectively mimic the folksy appeal of home movies.

The use of 3D accentuates realism without undermining it through the inherent flashiness of the added dimension.

Goodbye to Language showcases a unique approach to 3D filmmaking, and one that more directors, hopefully, will have the courage—and funding—to attempt. While films like Gravity and Avatar use the technique to place audience in wholly unfamiliar situations, Godard adopts it strictly in the realm of the everyday. However, the discontinuity throughout the film’s 70-minute running time makes the mundane settings feel

bizarre and obtuse. Everything onscreen is recognizable, but rendered foreign thanks to Godard’s constant juxtapositions.

Goodbye to Language dramatizes the feeling of our increasingly paradoxical relationship with each other in the contemporary world—though we are closer than ever to each other thanks to the ties of technology, the digital world simultaneously alienates and isolates us. This makes for uncomfortable viewing, but an experience well worth having.

Goodbye to Language runs until Oct. 30 at 8 p.m. at Cinema du Parc (3575 Parc). Student tickets are $10.

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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

The death of dialogue MAX JOSEPH Staff Writer

(Continued from page 1) Of course, not all of the protesters are wholly unfamiliar with Klinghoffer , but the arguments of the more informed dissidents are still unsettling. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, in his Daily Beast article “Why I Protested The Death of Klinghoffer,” claims to have listened to a recording of the opera and read its libretto multiple times. Though he admires the music, he refers to the libretto as “factually inaccurate and extraordinarily damaging to an appropriate description of the problems in Israel and Palestine, and of terrorism in general.” His disgust led him to join the protestors in calling for the Met to cancel their scheduled stagings.

Art, and music in particular, has the potential to be dangerous, captivating, and inspi-

rational—and that’s a beautiful thing. Those who want to deny the world of that beauty seem to understand this concept better than anyone: Just look at Josef Stalin’s censorship of composer Dmitri Shostakovich. As a society that constitutionally protects free speech, we should be encouraging the expression of various viewpoints.

Of course, these viewpoints include opinions such as those of Giuliani—but the problem lies in what he hopes to gain from his dissent. Critique is a perfectly legitimate way to react to art, but calls for censorship are not.

Giuliani and the rest of the protestors could stand to learn from the feminist video game critic Anita Sarkeesian, who has been mistakenly dismissed by the “GamerGate” movement as arguing in favour of censorship. In the compelling and enlightening videos on her YouTube channel Feminist Frequency, she analyzes the harmful stereotypes and tropes of women that have been present in video games since the

birth of the medium. She doesn’t call for an outright ban of any of the titles which she criticizes; rather, she merely draws viewers’ attention to their flaws.

Sarkeesian’s approach is ultimately more beneficial to her aims than that of the Klinghoffer protestors, because she allows impartial viewers to see the

People gather to protest anti-semitic themes in John Adam’s opera. (cbc.ca) problems which she illustrates. the country’s history of racism By contrast, the protestors’ goal through once acceptable forms of shutting down the opera— of entertainment, such as Al Joleven if it were truly as anti- son’s minstrelsy in his film The Semitic as they claim—would Jazz Singer . Freedom of artistic allow its ideas to gain power by expression allows for both the cloaking their supposed insidi- positive and negative aspects of ousness. Thanks to the lack of a given time period to become censorship in the United States, part of historical record. Let’s we have a powerful chronicle of not suppress it.

Lena Dunham’s new book offers insights, few surprises HBO star dishes on the personal experiences that have shaped her work on Girls HAILEY MACKINNON Staff Writer Fans of Girls will rejoice that Lena Dunham’s recently published book, Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She’s “Learned,” offers readers the same self-deprecating humour, laugh-out-loud one liners, and stories almost too erratic to be true that made its author’s popular HBO show a megahit.

The book is marketed as a middleground between a memoir and a prescriptive book: Tidbits of advice for young women are laced in and out of essays in which she tells intimate stories that touch on themes of sex, feminism, and body image. By recounting her experiences, Dunham hopes to inspire her readers to learn from the mistakes she openly admits to have made. In her introduction, she states, “And if I could take what I’ve learned and make one menial job easier for you, or prevent you from having the kind of sex where you feel you must keep your sneakers on in case you want to run away during the act, then every misstep of mine was worthwhile.”

Dunham certainly does not posit herself as the ultimate insider—even though her credentials could have allowed her to take such an approach.

Dunham has been nominated for eight Emmy awards and won two Golden Globes for Girls, and she is the first female to win the Director’s Guild of America Award for a comedy series.

In other words: She has been doing something right. And yet, in her book she spends more time on personal topics than on her public achievements— emphasizing that she is consistently overweight, that she rarely says what is appropriate when it is appropriate to say, and that she admits to using therapy to ease her life-long bouts of chronic anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder.

At the same time, these factors are essential to the underlying thesis of her book, which is embedded in her statement, “There is nothing gutsier to me than a person announcing that their story is one that deserved to be told, especially if that person is a woman.”

Dunham, who has been castigated for her priviledged upbringing and her frequent on-screen nudity in spite of her un-idolized body, contends that her story deserves to be told no matter how unglamorous it may be. To Dunham, telling an imperfect story of an imperfect woman is inspiring and important.

Despite taking a light and humorous stance for the majority of the text, Dunham does tackle serious issues such as sexism in the entertainment industry. In her essay “I Didn’t Fuck Them but They Yelled At Me,” Dunham recalls encounters with men she calls “sunshine stealers”—men in the industry who are dismissive of powerful female artists, who say things like, “You’re prettier than you let yourself be” and, “I just want to protect you.”

Dunham says that in order to prevent

Lena poses for her new memori. (independent.co.uk) being seen as silly and non-threatening, she pushed herself to move past her discomfort with these men and stand tall against their jabs. It is in these moments that we see Dunham’s strong sense of self and her unbridled ambitions.

However, Not That Kind of Girl is not without flaws. Although the intimate stories serve as important means of inspiration, in some cases they feel over-extended and weakly supported.

In one chapter titled “Body,” Dunham chronicles what she ate each day for five days, what she vows to cut back on, and what she feels guilty for consuming.

Presumably this is to demonstrate that Dunham, whose public image is largely based on the fact that she does

not care what people thinks about her body, used to suffer from a tumultuous relationship with food. Yet any lessons about her anorexic behaviour or advice for readers having similar experiences are buried beneath piles of rambling.

Dunham’s insistence in writing down every thought she has about a certain topic before she moves past it makes the book seem, at points, more like a self-indulgent, frantically-written diary than something worthy of a $3.5 million book deal.

One of the most interesting parts of Dunham’s novel was, surprisingly, the things she did not include. She spends an entire chapter chronicling her childhood internet boyfriend, but does not address

any response to her newfound fame, or the intense and widespread criticism she and her show have garnered, including charges of racism and navel-gazing.

Although Dunham refers to herself as someone who has trouble keeping her private life private, it is evident that what she makes public is carefully constructed and planned out. Approaching the memoir is similar to that of meeting a friend who will ramble on endlessly about their life, good or bad. For some, Not That Kind of Girl will feel long, drawn out, and pointless. But for those willing to sit down and experience life right along with Dunham, the novel may just fly by.

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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

The great meld of art and sport Ricardo Cavolo’s soccer-themed solo exhibition hits Station 16 joyful hip-hop CHRIS LUTES Staff Writer

Eye Know

Artist: De La Soul Album : 3 Feet High and Rising Released: March 3, 1989 This is perhaps the most unabashedly romantic song in the history of rap. De La Soul, the original hippies of hip-hop, crafts a song that tracks the trajectory of a relationship from courtship to marriage with the sincerity that only love can bring. Prince Paul’s production puts the song over the top, laying a whistling refrain over a simple, Steely Dan-sampled beat that simultaneously reminisces about the excitement of falling in love while providing a guiding light for the future.

School Spirit

Artist: Kanye West Album: The College Dropout Released: February 10, 2004 Before the beautiful narcissism that has come to define Kanye’s recent work, there was “School Spirit,” a song that serves as his victory lap over higher education and the thematic centrepiece of his debut album. He’s dropped out of school and he couldn’t be happier— now his real life can begin. The soul samples used earlier on the album to sympathize with socioeconomic reality that adult life brings are turned into the stuff of dreams on this track as Kanye triumphantly sinks his teeth into every hypocrisy that he faced in school.

Every Ghetto, Every City

Artist: Lauryn Hill Album: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Released: Auguest 25, 1998 Cheesy? Maybe. Similar in content to Kanye’s “School Spirit”—though not in tone—this song takes a deep look into the past and sends a thank you note rather than a poisonpenned letter. Mixing rap, soul, and R&B in a way that only Hill can, she reflects and expresses gratitude for the things that made her who she is today, from the car jackings and economic strife to Saturday morning cartoons and playing in the park. Carlos Santana’s bouncing guitar keeps the song upbeat as Hill tells the listener that where you come from makes you who you are—for better or worse. You can practically hear her smiling the whole time.

The World Is Yours

Artist: Nas Album: Illmatic Released: April 19, 1994 Offering a respite from the mostly depressing content of the rest of Nas’ debut album, “The World is Yours” sees Nas delve into his dreams and take an optimistic look towards the future. Though he struggles throughout the song to reconcile the bleakness of today with the beauty of his tomorrow, the song’s refrain encourages the idea that the world is yours and you can make it whatever you want it to be. The darkness of Queens’ that Illmatic presents may seem inescapable, but hip-hop always offers a way out.

MIRA SILVER Contributor When you mention football in Europe, you set yourself up for a conversation about the sport played with a black-andwhite ball, instead of the one most North Americans are more familiar with. While football-soccer terminology difference is pretty common knowledge, a less-known part of the game is the common ground it shares with art. In this new unique fusion of cultures, Montreal’s The Burgundy Lion pub and gallery Station 16 launched Gol, Carajo!, a solo exhibition from Spanish artist Ricardo Cavolo centred completely around the sport.

The connection between soccer and art may seem distant, but after a secondary look, art has an implicit presence in soccer—and other sports for that matter.

Everything from the club logos to the face-painted fans have elements of art and design. Paul Desbaillets, owner of The Burgundy Lion, discussed how that idea shaped the exhibit. “[It’s about] the sport of football, [but] not just about the game, the 90 minutes, and the player,” said Desbaillets. “[It’s] really about the culture and everything that it means. So that means fashion and art [....] If you are a football fan you carry your scarf, you carry your colors.”

Desbaillets had a particular vision for the project and was looking for the perfect collaborator. After approaching Station 16 about collaborating with a potential artist, Cavolo—a known soccer fanboy who had Cavolo’s Studio 16 exhibition blends soccer and art in a glorious combination. (Mira Silver / The McGill Tribune) the opportunity to paint a mural for his favourite team, FC Barcelona—was the clear choice for the project.

“Even in Europe, you can’t find the connection between art and football,” said Cavolo. “It’s rare. People disconnect them.”

However, for the artist, the relationship between the art and the sport is fluid.

“My thing is art—it’s painting,” explained Cavolo. “I was born in my father’s painting studio, so I’ve always been in this world. And if I couldn’t become an artist, I would have done something with football.”

Cavolo seamlessly took to working with portraits and was naturally inclined to paint portraits of soccer players.

“I enjoy working with portraits,” he said. “I just wanted to choose players that I really like; I enjoy how they play, how they are out from the stadium.”

The symbolism of tattoos is another Cavolo’s exhbiition features paintings on canvas and soccer balls. (Mira Silver / The McGill Tribune) driving force in visually translating the story of Ricardo Cavolo’s favourite Cavolo explained the symbolism behind recent mural at the Montreal Canadiens HQ which was produced in a collaborative the emerging dragon found in the work. footballers.

“He was raised in a dangerous ghetto partnership with Montreal-based artist “[The] intention is to give more information about the guys,” explained in Sweden and he became a true fighter in Eric Clement and LNDMRK, the team that Cavolo. “I used the tattoos to give you the stadium,” he said. “To me, he is a kind created the city’s MURAL festival. Art and sports aren’t as much of an odd couple as information, it is not about a fashion of Batman—a dark hero.”

A true artist and soccer fan to the they initially appear to be, and hopefully choice—it’s a code.”

It is a code in the same way Eastern core, Ricardo Cavolo, along with his their marriage is one that we see more of European criminals document their collaborators at Burgundy Lion and Station in Montreal. criminal history on their bodies using 16, helped highlight the intertwined Gol Carajo! runs until Nov. 5 at Station tattoos. Pointing out his favorite piece— worlds of art and sports. In Montreal, we triptych painted on found-wood inspired by have started to see a budding partnership 16 (111 Rue de Louvain Ouest).

Swedish soccer player Zlatan Ibrahmovic— between the two. Take, for example, the

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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

ALBUM REVIEWS T.I. - Paperwork

Columbia / Grand Hustle Records

If T.I., known as the King of the South, has accomplished anything with his latest album, Paperwork, it has arguably been nothing more than demoting him to the title: “Prince of the Disjointed.” The album features a broad spectrum of techniques and musical genres culminating in an uneven sound that is tied together only by the presence of T.I.’s voice.

This is not to suggest that each song is approximately three minutes of wasted talent—“New National Anthem (ft. Skylar Grey)” and “On Doe, On Phil (ft. Trae The Truth)” each make excellent use of the

Caribou - Our Love

The rumours about Taylor Swift’s latest release are true—the album has absolutely no hint of her usual country twang, with all of its production grounded in electronic, synthesized rhythms and layered with energetic claps, snaps, snares, and poppy, self-aware lyrics. The change pays off, and aside from a few missteps, 1989 is filled to the brim with immensely refreshing and experimental work.

or not, girl/ It’s at ya own risk if you’re kicking with me.”

T.I. claims that Paperwork will be the first instalment of a musical trilogy focused on experimentation and the rapper’s musical development. Let’s hope that in the next two albums, T.I. spends a bit more time focusing on aural unity, allowing for a sound united in its uniqueness, as opposed to divided by its diversity.

pull the listener into a song that feels like a diary entry.

The intimacy and the power of the lyrics only continue to impress in “Silver,” as whispers of “Where you gonna go without me tonight?/ Don’t you know what that means to me?” echo through the listener.

R&B overlays bring a distinct flavor to Our Love that was absent in Swim. While Swim satiated the listener’s need for twitchy beats and an unnerving presence, Love gives the listeners an escape from the anxious rhythms with chocolaty vocals.

The album’s name draws from its fourth

track “Our Love,” which, despite the lyrical deficit—“Our love” being the only two words on the track—Sanith manages to astound, using drums, violins, maracas, and a considerable amount of bass to get the listener moving.

Our Love’s only flaw is “Second Chance,” a cacophonic mess that proved that some R&B beats should not be synthesized and slowed down.

Snaith’s latest album has hands down been his most danceable, and as he continues to shift his sounds, I’m excited for what’s ahead.

are up, but her guard has never been lower, which she displays confidently with her nonchalant digs at heartbreakers and exes and their girlfriends and fakers, and all the haters in between.

The album is more mature as well.

“Wildest Dreams” is breathtakingly ethereal, with its gentle heartbeat backdrop and nostalgic imagery. Channeling Lana Del Rey circa Born to Die (2012), Swift moodily singsong whispers: “He’s so tall, and handsome as hell/ He’s so bad, but he does it so well.” Don’t they all, Taylor, don’t they all.

As usual, Swift has employed a powerhouse of talented collaborators, this time including rising star Jack Antonoff of Bleachers fame. Antonoff’s influence is undeniable in “Out of the Woods,” whose warped, thunderous production helps the song to stand out as one of her best ever.

Other memorable songs include “Style,” whose experimental, textured layers of chaotic, stormy, and passion give us a glimpse into that relationship,

and “Blank Space”, which is essentially the reckless, self-aware over-the-shoulder glance you give to someone you probably shouldn’t give it to. Although its syrupy chorus is overly reminiscent of Marina and the Diamonds’ distinct style, and its lyrics—“Oh my god, look at the face/ You look like my next mistake/ Love’s a game, wanna play?”—are occasionally a mirror of Red’s “22,” it’s worth every replay.

“Clean” is the perfect outro for the album. Gentle, soulful, and overflowing with hope, it points to loose ends tiedup, coming to terms with yourself, and contentment after a storm: “When I was drowning, that was when I could finally breathe/ And by morning, gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean.”

1989 is the beautiful, blazing sonification of a girl getting stronger. And it shines at nearly every angle from which it rings.

— -Morgan Alexander

Merge / City Slang Canadian composer Daniel Snaith has followed the success of Swim (2010) with his sixth studio album, Our Love. Snaith, known by his stage name Caribou, continues to push the edges of experimental electronic music. Upbeat hip-hop vocals overlaid with gritty beats creates a Drakemeets-James Blake vibe that pushes listeners to the edge of their seats.

Our Love, like Swim, draws listeners in with “Can’t Do Without You”—an earthy, and upbeat song that sets the stage for the rest of the album.

All of Our Love, but particularly the opening track, is Snaith’s tribute to his fans— he relentlessly uses masterful mixes with breathy vocals to

Taylor Swift - 1989

featured artists’ talents for a smooth track with a strong beat and catchy hooks. Unfortunately, the entirely different feel each track has crosses the line of versatility into the realm of messy confusion, forcing what could have been T.I.’s most mature album to date seem more like a singles compilation.

Tip makes his fatal flaw by wasting Usher’s vocal talents on “At Ya’ Own Risk.” To think that T.I. would have learned his lesson about writing lyrics with rape-undertones after “Blurred Lines” was clearly wishful thinking, as he had Usher warble out, “I don’t care if you’ve got a boyfriend

— -Chloe Nevitt

Big Machine Let’s start by getting the letdowns out of the way: Album opener “Welcome to New York” is deeply disappointing. Any potential that could have been salvaged from its clichéd lyrics and knock-off Robyn production—which isn’t much—is completely overshadowed by the gilded, privileged, one-dimensional vision Swift has of the city. It’s formulaic in its own right, compared to any of the city’s many odes, and to the rest of the album.

Two other songs fall prey to unoriginality: “All You Had To Do Was Stay” and “How You Get the Girl” are boring; both lack any sense of depth and are atmospherically inconsistent. “I Wish You Would,” while lavish in its production, is thematically too similar to Red’s (2012) “I Almost Do” and Speak Now’s (2010) “If This Were a Movie” to be praised. That’s where the disappointment ends.

Lead single “Shake it Off,” for example, is an energetic, flippant dismissal of the criticisms Swift’s fended off over the course of her career. Her lyrical defences

—

Jessica Fu

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Sports WESTERN Confrence

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Season

Pacific Division Los Angeles Clippers

Ever since trading for Chris Paul in 2011, the Clippers have been competitive in a loaded Western Conference, but have somehow always fallen in the playoffs. That being said, this season feels like their best chance to change that. Although they lost Darren Collison and didn’t add any significant role players besides Spencer Hawes, the continued development of Blake Griffin—who has vaulted himself into the discussion of the best NBA player outside of LeBron James and Kevin Durant—gives them a real shot to finally dethrone the aging Spurs and win the West.

Golden State Warriors

Rather than breaking up the electrifying ‘Splash Brothers’ duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and pulling the trigger on a deal for Kevin Love this summer, the Warriors opted to stick with the core they have—for better or for worse. While Golden State does have one of the best starting lineups in the league, as well as a bench with some intriguing pieces, it enters the season as a fringe contender at best.

However, its ceiling remains high, and if new Head Coach Steve Kerr can tap into his roster’s enormous potential, the Warriors could make a deep run in the playoffs.

Phoenix Suns

Last season, the Suns emerged as the perfect foil to the shamelessly tanking 76ers, ignoring their terrible projections and improbably scrounging together 48 wins in the cutthroat Western Conference. Despite being the league’s feel-good story, Phoenix failed to secure a playoff berth and may find itself in that position again this year. Adding talented point guard Isaiah Thomas and promising rookies Tyler Ennis and T.J. Warren gives them more firepower, but they’ll miss the unique contributions of sharpshooter and pick-and-pop specialist Channing Frye.

Los Angeles Lakers

As Tim Duncan enters the final phase of his career with a solid chance to earn a sixth ring, Kobe Bryant enters his twilight years with a ragtag cast of teammates and—barring any unlikely trades—essentially no hope of adding a sixth to his collection. Carlos Boozer is too old, rookie Julius Randle is too young, and Nick Young and Jeremy Lin are too inconsistent to inspire optimism around this team. If last year’s Mavericks taught us anything though, it’s that a seasoned superstar with the right group of misfits can sneak into the daunting playoff field—but don’t hold your breath with these Lakers.

Sacramento Kings

If things go right for the Kings, they will probably finish ahead of the Lakers, but it’s hard to count on anything going right for this franchise. It’s been almost a decade since they’ve won more than 30 games and there are lots of question marks hanging over this year’s roster.

Fifth-year centre DeMarcus Cousins has blossomed into one of the premier young, big men in the NBA, but he has yet to show the leadership that is required to carry a young team to the playoffs in the West. If he and teammate Rudy Gay can build on the success they had with team USA this summer, and youngsters Ben McLemore

Northwest Division Portland Trailblazers

The Trailblazers have risen to be a top tier team in the West. Damian Lillard is one of the best point guards in the league, and at the young age of 24, who knows how high his ceiling is. Pair such a skilled and poised player with LaMarcus Aldridge, a mid-range threat, and you have the makings of a post-season dark horse. Robin Lopez and Nicolas Batum will continue to disrupt the opposition with their length, while sharpshooting Wesley Matthews will space the floor. The biggest flaw for this team is their lack of depth, but the Blazers could take this division on the strength of their starters alone.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder will suffer a drop in productivity this season simply because the reigning MVP, Kevin Durant, will be out for the first six weeks of the season with a fractured foot. Durant is one of the best scorers in NBA history, and removing such a key component will undoubtedly hurt this team on both ends of the floor, despite the efforts of point guard Russell Westbrook and big man Serge Ibaka. Westbrook is capable of single-handedly carrying this team in Durant’s absence, but the team’ grip on the division title has loosened.

Denver Nuggets

Lightning-quick point guards Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson provide more than enough energy for the Nuggets.

In the frontcourt, they have the ‘Manimal,’ Kenneth Faried, arguably the most hard-working forward in the NBA, and J.J. Hickson, a very skilled offensive centre. The Nuggets need Javale McGee to come back from injury in time to contribute on the defensive end, because that is where Denver will suffer this season. They are stacked with great scorers, but lack elite rim protection and key interior defenders outside of Faried, whose energy can create turnovers and cause chaos in the paint.

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves look great on paper with the addition of two dynamic young rookies in Zach Lavine and Andrew Wiggins.

Pass-first point guard Ricky Rubio, burly centre Nikola Pekovic, and Kevin Martin—the second leading scorer of the team last year behind Kevin Love— will look to take on an increased scoring. However, youth and inexperience plagues this team, and will lead to inconsistent play and difficulty while facing the more experienced teams in the division.

Utah Jazz

This team has two key players that can score in Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks. Derrick Favors, the third overall pick in the 2010 draft, is finally starting to grow into a strong, reliable post player. However, Utah lacks depth on its bench—especially at power forward and centre. Rudy Gobert is still very raw despite his immense length, but he can be a special player in the NBA if Utah is able to develop his shooting. Expect the Jazz to struggle this season in this tough division.

Southwest Division San Antonio Spurs

The annual pre-season doubting of the ancient Spurs has toned down following their title run. Could injuries haunt Manu and Duncan? Yes. Could the younger players struggle in increasingly bigger roles? It’s very possible. Could fulfilling their revenge on the Heat lead to an uninspired start to the season, even with Popovich at the helm? Certainly.

But until the Spurs actually show any reason to doubt them, it’d be best to not wager against them. Their brand of basketball last post-season was incredibly impressive, and with almost the whole squad back together, don’t count on anything to change.

Dallas Mavericks

Adding Chandler Parsons to the strong core of Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis is a recipe for a scoring onslaught every night in Dallas. The return of Tyson Chandler plugs some of the holes down low for one of last year’s worst defensive squads. The loss of sharpshooting floor manager José Calderón to the Knicks will hurt, but Jameer Nelson, Raymond Felton, and Devin Harris are all capable ball handlers. Pushing last year’s NBA Champions, the Spurs, to seven games in the first round gives Head Coach Rick Carlisle’s improved Mavericks team added motivation to make a legitimate playoff push.

Memphis Grizzlies

Last year, this team finished seventh in defensive efficiency with 50 wins despite defensive stalwart Marc Gasol missing 23 games. With the ever-efficient Mike Conley and Zach Randoph alongside him, this is a tough team that nobody is going to look forward to facing on a nightly basis. Courtney Lee and Tony Allen together fill the shooting guard role admirably as the Grizzlies live up to their ‘grit and grind’ personality once again. Health permitting, they’ll earn another bottom-half playoff seed and maybe even make a splash in the early rounds.

Houston Rockets

After landing superstar divas James Harden and Dwight Howard in consecutive summers, the Rockets’ front office finally struck out by missing out on Chris Bosh and losing Omer Asik, Chandler Parsons, and Jeremy Lin to conference rivals. The return of defensive-minded wingman Trevor Ariza and promotion of the stingy guard Patrick Beverly will improve the starting squad’s defence, but leaves them completely depleted on the bench. Terrence Jones may grow, and Donatas Montiejunas will help Howard in the paint, but ultimately, this team has regressed from last year.

New Orleans Pelicans

Pairing a liberated Omer Asik with a blossoming Anthony Davis gives the Pelicans one of the more potent defensive front courts in the league, forcing Ryan Anderson into the sixth-man role for a team in need of depth. If Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans, and Jrue Holliday can stay consistent and, more importantly, healthy, this team could threaten the bottom of the Western Conference bracket. However, that’s a pretty big ‘if.’

And if not, which of the guards behind them do you trust? Darius Miller? Jimmer Fredette? Another year of playoffsless growth awaits this team, but success looms in the not-too-distant horizon.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Pre vi ew

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Sports Eastern Confrence

Contributors: Abdulaziz Atta, Max Berger, DJ Gilbert, Johnny Mater, Aaron Rose, Dan Rozenblum

Atlantic Division

Toronto Raptors

The defending division champions return as the favourites this time around after taking the league by surprise last season. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have emerged as part of one of the top backcourts in the league, and big man Jonas Valanciunas should take another leap forward and become the player he has shown flashes of the past few seasons. This team has the talent to make a deep playoff run in the East, and with Drake on the sideline and a little bit of luck, the Raptors might bring a championship to Toronto long before the Maple Leafs do.

Brooklyn Nets

After a bizarre off-season in Brooklyn, which featured a failed power play by Jason Kidd and his subsequent departure to Milwaukee, new Head Coach Lionel Hollins will bring a steady hand to a moderately talented roster. Paul Pierce is gone, but Brook Lopez should be featured heavily in Hollins’ system as he returns from an injury-plagued year. Croatian import Bojan Bogdanovic will provide some bench scoring off the wing, and veterans Joe Johnson and Deron Williams should be able to lead this team to a low playoff seed.

New York Knicks

Can the ‘Zen Master’ do it again in New York? This time he’ll be behind the scenes, but Phil Jackson will surely have a hand in helping first-year Head Coach Derek Fisher implement his famous triangle offence. After trading Tyson Chandler and replacing him with the corpse of Samuel Dalembert, they’ll be relying on the likes of Amar’e Stoudemire and Andrea Bargnani for production down low, which doesn’t bode well for their playoff chances. Carmelo is as talented a scorer as there is in the league, but he’ll have to have an MVP-caliber season to carry this group into the post-season.

Boston Celtics

The Celtics enter another rebuilding year with some new pieces that seem to have them on the right path. Sixthoverall pick Marcus Smart is a tough, smart guard who will develop into an exciting player under second-year Head Coach Brad Stevens, and fellow first round pick James Young was one of the better steals of the draft. All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo is entering the final year of his contract, and trade rumours will surround him all year.

The team will once again struggle to score consistently, and would be wise to move Rondo in order to angle after another lottery pick.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are not an NBAquality team. Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel are probably the only two players on their opening night roster who should be playing in the league.

This could be the worst team in the history of professional basketball, and Sixers’ management could not be happier.

The tanking continues in Philly, where third overall pick Joel Embiid will likely sit out the whole season while a rotating cast of nobodies gets beaten up by the entire league. The Sixers avoided losing on draft lottery reform this off-season, but if the basketball gods are just, they won’t end up with the first overall pick this year.

Central Division Chicago Bulls

Derrick Rose is back—again. After almost two full seasons, Chicago fans finally get to see their MVP hit the court. Now the question is: What is Rose going to look like in 2014?

The Bulls went through a bit of a makeover last season, shipping Luol Deng to the Cavaliers and upgrading at power forward with the acquisition of Pau Gasol. There is no doubt the Bulls will be stout on defence, but injuries will make or break this team’s season. If Chicago can stay healthy, don’t be surprised if they beat out the Cavaliers and represent the East in the NBA Finals.

Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James had Cavaliers fans wishing they had never burned their old jerseys when he decided to return home this off-season. In August, the Cavaliers sent first overall picks Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett to Minnesota for Kevin Love. It will be up to first-year Head Coach David Blatt to fit all these stars together, and prevent a slow start in Eastern Conference’s toughest division.

We know LeBron is capable of carrying the Cavaliers deep into the playoffs, but questionable defence is this team’s weakness. Look for the Cavs to make the Eastern Conference Finals, but ultimately fail in its championship asipirations.

Detroit Pistons

Last year was a complete failure for the Pistons, ending in the firing of General Manager Joe Dumars and Head Coach Maurice Cheeks. While Detroit didn’t do much to improve their roster this offseason, bringing in Stan Van Gundy to coach will certainly add some complexity to this team’s game. Detroit has solid pieces on paper, but it has too many egos to become a serious threat in this division. The Pistons may try to trade away either Josh Smith or Greg Monroe, but it will be tough to get anyone to bite given their terrible contracts. Don’t be surprised if the Pistons squeak into the playoffs in a comparatively weak Eastern Conference.

Milwaukee Bucks

After winning a league-worst 15 games last season, Milwaukee selected Jabari Parker with the second overall pick in the NBA draft. The Bucks are an exciting, up-and-coming team, but their main issue is that the team’s best point guard also happens to be their new Head Coach Jason Kidd.

Look for Kidd to mix-and-match the Bucks line-up throughout the year while trying to find the right fit for each of his players. If Larry Sanders can maintain his focus on the court, and Giannis Antetokounmpo takes a few steps forward in his development, good things could be brewing in Milwaukee.

Indiana Pacers

For the second consecutive season, the Miami Heat ousted the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Unfortunately, a gruesome leg injury to superstar Paul George will likely prevent the Pacers from making the playoffs in 2015. The Pacers will look completely different in 2014 after trading away Danny Granger at the trade deadline, and losing shooting guard Lance Stephenson to the Bobcats through free agency. With new addition Rodney Stuckey looking like this team’s biggest offensive threat–which doesn’t say much–expect the Pacers to trade away David West before the All-Star break as they try to rebuild for next season.

Southeast Division Washington Wizards:

Led by the young, dynamic duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal, the Wizards were one of the more surprising stories in the league last year as they advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2005. They made more noise later in the off-season when they acquired veteran forward Paul Pierce. If Wall and Beal continue to develop together, the only thing that could possibly stop Washington from claiming this division and securing home court advantage in the first round is the injury bug.

Atlanta Hawks

In what was supposed to be a rebuilding season for the Hawks, Atlanta still managed to earn a trip to the post-season last year thanks to all-star Paul Millsap and the ostensible lack of competition in the Eastern Conference. As great as Millsap is, Al Horford, who has solidified himself as one of the premier centres in the NBA, will likely decide the fate of the Hawks. The key here is health—Horford has only played 114 of 246 games in the last three years.

Charlotte Hornets

Excluding Cleveland, Michael Jordan’s Hornets had the best offseason in the league. They found a way to steal promising guard Lance Stephenson from the Pacers in free agency, and draft high-value prospect Noah Vonleh out of Indiana University. With the dominant presence of Al Jefferson down low and an improved season from point guard Kemba Walker, the Hornets should be able to best last season’s campaign, which saw them go 43-39 en route to the playoffs.

Miami Heat

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The Heat suffered a devastating blow when it lost four-time MVP LeBron James to the Cleveland Cavaliers. With a talented but hobbled Dwayne Wade now beginning to show his age, the Heat will now rely on ex-third wheel Chris Bosh to take them back to the playoffs. Though Bosh can still play at a high level, whether he’ll be able to effectively lead an offence like he could in his Toronto days remains to be seen. This team will struggle to gel early on, and will have to fight to grab a playoff spot.

Orlando Magic

With the amount of young talent on its team, the Magic certainly have the potential to become something special somewhere down the road. For now, they are merely that: A group with potential. As it stands, Orlando is too inexperienced to even be considered a threat in the Eastern Conference. Aaron Gordon and Victor Oladipo are both tremendous athletes, and Elfrid Payton may be the steal of the 2014 draft, but aside from that, the team will have very little tangible success to offer its fans for the next couple of years.

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Abraham moussako Opinion Editor Major League Soccer is hard to compare to anything—one might say it stands alone, but in the least superlative sense possible. To compare it to its peer leagues in Europe would be to instantly render this article useless—the gulf in playing quality is noticeable even to someone whose entire knowledge of soccer comes from playing video games.

A comparison to other North American professional sports leagues would, be similarly dubious.

This past weekend, I went to the Montreal Impact’s season finale against D.C. United, a meaningless match for both teams. The Impact was already out of playoff contention, sitting in the bottom of the Eastern Conference, and United was safely at the top.

The day began with the long walk along Sherbrooke to Stade Saputo, a small corner of the Olympic Park complex with space for 20,000 fans.

The real event of the game was the retirement of Marco Di Vaio, an Italian player formerly

of Juventus and most recently Bologna Football Club 1909, who joined the Impact in 2012 for the team’s inaugural season as an MLS team. The tribute to Di Viao, which drenched every aspect of the game—the match program, tweets shown on the stadium screen, and so on—began with a tribute clip of Montreal citizens and luminaries signing the player’s jersey, complete with the heart-string-tugging music, culminating in the team presenting Di Vaio with a painting before the game. The whole spectacle felt distinctly forced.

After a moment of silence for ‘the victims’—neither the St-Jeansur-Richelieu nor the Ottawa attacks victims were mentioned by name—and the anthems, the game kicked off.

At that point, the skies opened up, dumping first a drizzle, then a torrent on the stadium. Our seats were in the general admission area, behind the goal on the western side of the stadium. This was also the area occupied by the team’s ‘supporters club,’ the Ultras Montreal.

Impassioned chants, loud drums, and clapping were concentrated in this section. To their credit,

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

while most of the other spectators, myself included, retreated to the dry upper stands, the Ultras remained in the rain, chanting and clapping away. At the start of the match, some of the chants The Impact tie D.C. United in anti-climactic affair. (Photo f e a t u r e d slipped a bit too frequently in vague fascist gestres, such as synchronized the rain, and the play was often arm-straightening, but that likely anemic. In a lonely corner of the reflects the relative rarity of this stands opposite the other goal expression of fandom in other were the District Ultras, the supsports in North America. Still, it porters group for the United, occasionally waving a team flag. created quite the atmosphere.

Perhaps their cheering had The game itself wasn’t much to write home about. After an some effect. In the 86th minute, early spell of possession, D.C. just as the game looked to be headUnited seemed to play catch-up ing towards an uninspiring vicfor most of the first half, conced- tory, United scored. The crowd ing a goal to Di Vaio in the 26th booed lustily, but it seemed to minute. The visitors didn’t get off bring a spark to the final minutes a decent shot until near the end of of the game, with spirited attacks the first half. The second half was from both teams. Di Vaio walked no better. Players missed passes, off the field before the end of the

courtesy of Geoff Burke / USA Today) game to a standing ovation and a pause from both sides. Afterwards, the play continued into five frantic minutes of stoppage time. After one too many attempts at goal, a United ball fell to an Impact player dashing down the field. He struck the ball, and it floated left of goal, harmlessly going out of bounds to end the game. It was a fitting metaphor for the play on offer as a whole.

And with that, we left the game, drenched, with the chants for Di Vaio echoing in the distance.

Hockey — Martlets 3, Carabins 0

Martlets raise banner, shut out rivals Carabins in home opener Smrke records shutout behind stout defensive effort Zikomo smith Staff Writer The no. 1 ranked McGill Martlets (2-0) defeated the Montreal Carabins (1-1), cross-town rivals and the second-ranked team in the nation, 3-0 in front of a passionate crowd at the McConnell Arena.

Before the Martlets’ dominant performance, the crowd was treated to the unveiling of the 2013-2014 championship banner and the ring presentation. It was a fitting reminder of how excellent this team has been under Head Coach Peter Smith’s tenure, with an impressive 401-143-31 record over 14 seasons. It was also a reminder of the huge expectations resting on the Martlets’ shoulders for this season.

The Montreal Carabins were a fitting opponent for the season opener. The Carabins have been the main thorn in the Martlets’ side over the past two years. They knocked McGill out of playoff contention in 2012-2013, and beat them in the RSEQ Championship game in 2013-2014. McGill got the last laugh with a thrilling vic-

tory over the Carabins in the CIS Championship game—but it took two tense overtime periods to bring home the title. The Martlets knew not to underestimate their opposition.

McGill was more than up for the challenge. The team played with a high level of intensity at both ends of the rink. They were one of six on their own power plays, and shut the Carabins out on their five power plays. Kelsie Moffatt, U3 Education, was effective on defence. Two minutes into the second period, she intercepted and cleared two Carabins attacks. Moffat’s energy also contributed to many counterattacks, and she ably supported sophomore goaltender Brittany Smrke.

Smith was happy that his more experienced players stepped up on the penalty kill. Moffatt, Leslie Oles, Brittney Fouracres, Stefanie Pohlod, Katia ClementHeydra, and Gabrielle Davidson have all been in the program for at least three years. They kept the team calm in the face of a physical Carabins attack and formed a ruthlessly efficient lineup when

Martlet Captian Katia Clement-Heydra fights for possession of the puck. (McGill Tribune / Jack Neal) on the ice together.

Despite their phenomenal defence, the Martlets were inconsistent on offence. They netted only three goals on 20 shots.

The Carabins shut out McGill in the second period by getting their bodies behind the McGill attackers, and by cutting off the space behind the goal. McGill also only converted one of their many oneon-one opportunities in the third

period, when Leslie Oles assisted senior Fouracres on a counterattack. Rookie forward Alexandra Serpico was a bright spot on the night notching two assists in the first period, setting up Pohlod in the third minute of the game and Davidson in the seventh minute.

McGill’s game was clearly sharpened by its tough pre-season against NCAA teams. The Martlets have made a huge statement

in defeating the number two in the nation, and showed why they are the number one team in Canada.

The Martlets defeated the Ottawa Gee Gee’s (1-2) by a score of 4-3 on Sunday to round out their weekend , and will look to start their season 3-0 with a win in their rematch against Ottawa at the McConnell Arena on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 3 p.m.

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Tuesday, October 28, 2014 BASEBALL — Redmen 6, stingers 1

Redmen take fourth National Championship to end dream season Hot-hitting Welence named tournament MVP Wyatt fine-gagné Sports Editor It had been four years since the McGill Redmen baseball team won the final game of its season, but they were able to do just that Sunday afternoon, beating Concordia 6-1 in the CCBA National Championship Final. This is the fourth national title in team history and the first since 2010.

McGill finished the season-ending tournament with an overall record of 4-1, its only loss coming against the Université de Montréal Carabins in the final game of round robin play. The depth that led the Redmen to the top of the standings in the regular season was on full display during the tournament.

The team’s pitchers were dominant throughout, and staff ace Ryan Kramer was not forced into action until the tournament semifinal.

Kramer struck out 13 Carabins hitters in the semifinal game on his way to a complete-game shutout. The Redmen had plenty of fresh arms left for

the final against Concordia, and elected to start left-handed Tim Jones. He was also able to go the distance, tossing a complete game on 114 pitches, 79 of which were strikes, against a tough Concordia offence.

McGill’s offence came from familiar sources; standouts such as Jamie Fuoco, Rob Sedin, and Tyler Welence continued to post big numbers in tournament play. Welence, a fixture at the top of the Redmen lineup, batted .529 over the course of the five games, and was named tournament MVP. For certain players, the championship marks the end of their McGill career. For senior starting pitcher Elliott Ariganello, it is a fulfilling reward after four years of hard work for the team on the field and the program as a whole.

“The program has changed considerably over my time with the team,” Ariganello said. “A new and committed coaching staff, a continuous supply of high level players, and increasing support from McGill Athletics have all contributed to a drastic culture change

The Redmen within the team that is now exclusively focused on winning National Championships.”

As far as games to end a career on, they can’t be scripted much better than this. McGill sealed the victory on their home field, and did so against a team that had regularly defeated the Redmen over the past few seasons. In fact, just a few weeks ago, the Redmen fell to Concordia in the CCBA Northern Conference Finals. Early into Sunday

celebrate their championship on the field. (Photo courtesy of McGill Athletics) afternoon’s game, however, it was clear that any sacrifices made along the way that McGill would not be finishing be- were more than worth it in the long hind the Stingers for a second time this haul.

“There were definitely many ups season. The Redmen scored early, took the lead in the second inning, and never and downs throughout my time with the Redmen, both personally and as a looked back.

The CCBA season is a short one, program. But being to hoist that chambut it certainly doesn’t feel that way for pionship trophy at the end of it all made players. In just under two months, Mc- every sacrifice worthwhile,” Ariganello Gill has played more than 30 games. said. “Being able to do so while ConBy winning their most important game cordia looked on from their dugout of the year, the Redmen have ensured made it all that much sweeter.”

Athletes of the Week Redmen Hockey A road trip through northern Ontario netted the Redmen two wins over the weekend: A 5-2 victory over Nippissing and a 3-2 win against Laurentian. Centre Cedric McNicoll continued to add to his point totals, picking up two assists in each game, as McGill improved its record to 4-2-0 this season. Head Coach Kelly Nobes opted to give each of his goalies a start, putting backup Karel St-Laurent in net against Nippissing Friday, and starter Jacob Gervais-Chouinard between the pipes against Laurentian. St-Laurent stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced, while Gervais-Chouinard was slightly less impressive, allowing two goals on 22 shots. The road trip was especially impressive considering the previous weekend, during which McGill split home games against the same opponents.

Connor Goodwin

Catherine Amyot

Goodwin makes his second appearance as Athlete-ofthe-Week this issue. The veteran co-captain was sensational on Saturday in his squad’s 15-7 victory over Trent, tallying two goals and seven assists. Goodwin, a two-time all conference selection and current team leader in assists, has been the engine that keeps McGill’s offence moving forward. The victory secured a second consecutive undefeated regular season for the Redmen, who will now advance to the CUFLA East playoffs and host the University of Ottawa Gee Gees.

Amyot led the Martlets in points and kills over the weekend in four victories against Atlantic University Sports (AUS) teams, despite not starting any of the games. The super sub started off slow with only two points against Cape Breton but soon started dominating games, tallying a combined 32 points in her next three games. The high point came in a 14 kill performance against Dalhousie. Amyot showed versatility defensively as well as she notched 26 digs over the weekend, tied for third on the team.

Redmen lacrosse–Midfielder Senior, Engineering

Martlet volleyball–Power hitter Junior, Engineering

Power play goals scored by the Redmen hockey team in their 3-2 win against the Laurentian Voyageurs on Saturday.

3

Martlet Volleyball The Martlets did not drop a single set this past week, going undefeated in four road games against East Coast schools. McGill beat Cape Breton, Dalhousie, Acadia, and Saint Mary’s handily, allowing more than 20 points in a set just twice total. Setter Yasmeen Dawoodjee dictated the pace for McGill’s attack against the latter three opponents, including 32 assists in the win against Dalhousie. First-year middle Myriam Robitaille had perhaps the most impressive single-match performance of the week, racking up 15.5 points against Dalhousie, including 11 kills and one ace to go along with seven blocks. Robitaille also led the Martlets in points against Saint Mary’s, but did not play a major role in either of the team’s other wins. McGill continues its season with two more road games this week against Sherbrooke and Montreal.

Redmen Lacrosse Co-captain Connor Goodwin netted two goals and a handful of assists in a 15-7 win over the Trent University Excalibur on Saturday night as the dominant Redmen finished the regular season undefeated for the second consecutive season. Eight different Redmen players scored, with junior midfielder Jake Gutman leading the way with an impressive four goals. McGill will ride a tremendous crest of momentum going into the CUFLA East playoff game against the University of Ottawa Gee Gees, and will once again set its sights on the gold medal game of the Bagattaway Cup.

Number of seconds separating McGill’s firstplace finisher Jullien Flynn from Laval’s Marguerite Plante-Dube in Saturday’s six-kilometre RSEQ cross-country Championship race.

Number of National baseball Championships won by McGill’s Redmen baseball team as of this Sunday. Previous titles were captured in 1994, 2006, and 2010.

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Sports

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Raptors match pre-season win record in Montreal NBA Canada series continues to draw crowds to the Bell Centre ELIE WAITzER Sports Editor

(Continued from page 1) “We want to be Canada’s team, and we feel the welcome everywhere we’ve been,” Ujiri said. “It’s not just Toronto—we are ‘One team, one country.’ We’re blessed […] with this unique opportunity […] and we have to turn it into an advantage instead of crying that we’re the only team in the NBA that’s not in the [United States].”

Indeed, the atmosphere in the Bell Centre could have been mistaken for a home game at the Air Canada Centre, with thousands of Raptors fans and Montrealers coming out to see their team win. Carmelo Anthony, however, had other plans, draining jumper after jumper as the Knicks entered the half up by eight points. Anthony would finish with a game-high 24 points, shooting a robust 47 per cent from the floor on the night.

Coming out of halftime, there was a noticeable increase in the level of intensity from Toronto’s players. After sitting out most of the first half, sparkplug point guard Greivis Vasquez came onto the floor and immediately had an impact as the Raptors held the Knicks to just 11 points through the third quarter.

Last season, the combination of Lowry and Vasquez yielded incredible results, outscoring opponents by 14.9 points per 100 possessions, and defending at a level on par with Indiana’s league-best defence.

After watching veteran power forward Amar’e Stoudemire air ball a wide-open shot towards the end of the third quarter, new Knicks Head Coach Derek Fisher became visibly upset, pacing onto the court and looking anxious to sub into the game.

“The effort tonight was where we want it to be,” Fisher said. “But we

need to focus on our attention to detail.

We let it go in the third quarter. We got frustrated with the ball not going in [on] our offensive end, and our defence got really poor.”

The Knicks managed to pull even in the fourth quarter, but a gutsy fadeaway shot from newly acquired shooting guard Lou Williams quelled the New York rally. Minutes later, a Shane Larkin turnover would seal the game for the Raptors.

Aside from being in the same division, the Raptors and the Knicks are closely connected by a long history of trades. The Knicks roster for this exhibition game featured a handful of former Raptors, including Andrea Bargani, Jose Calderon, and Quincy Acy. Acy, a fan-favourite in Toronto last season, had a big game for the Knicks, pulling down a game-high 10 rebounds.

Notorious for throwing down thunderous put-back dunks with the Raptors,

Acy showed off a new facet of his game on Friday, making an impact with his shooting. “[I’ve] been working on my game this summer, expanding my range,” Acy said. “If I’m open I’m taking the shot.

This is my third year [in the league] so I’m trying to see what it’s going to take for me to stick around.”

He gave credit to Coach Fisher’s confidence in him for the transformation.

“He wants me to keep up the energy on defence […] and [he] wants me to step up and take the open shots when they come,” Acy said.

Toronto will host the Atlanta Hawks in its home opener at the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

The Knicks will face the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Oct. 29 to kick off their season.

(All photos by Remi Lu / McGlil Tribune)