The McGill Tribune Vol. 25 Issue 19

P U B L I S H E D BY THE S T U D E N T S '

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S O C I E T Y OF M C G I L L

UNI VERSI TY

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V o l. 25 Issue 19 I Tuesday, January 31, 2006

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A 20-year-old T re n t student visiting friends at McGill is shot and killed just blocks from campus. T w o months later, his m urder remains unsolved, leaving his friends and family looking fo r answers.

An amazing human being'

L IZ A L L E M A N G On Nov. 27 at approximately 3 a.m., Aidan Lumley, a Trent University student, was shot and killed outside o f Vinyl Lounge, a club on Bleury just below Sherbrooke.

It has been ju s t over tw o m onths since his murder, and the case rem ains unsolved. W ith so m any questions left unanswered, the fe w w ho are privy to the little infor­ m atio n available on Lum ley's heartrending death struggle to make sense o f something so senseless.

Lumley, a third-year physics stu­ dent and star sw im m er attending school in Peterborough, Ont., came to Montreal to celebrate the birthday of one of his McGill friends. He had been busy the week prior to his trip, com peting at a swim m eet where he qu alified fo r the O ntario Senior Swim m ing Championships in 100m etre breaststroke. He had also logged several hours studying for and writing exams. He had just been named Trent's athlete o f the w eek for

See ADEATH, page 14

S tu d e n ts se e re d Protest shuts down blood’drive T R A C I J O H N S O N and N IA L L M A C K A Y ROBERTS H ém a-Q uébec shut dow n a blood drive on campus Wednesday in response to a student protest against the organization's ban on donations from men w ho have had sex with men (MSM).

At 2:3 0 p.m. Wednesday after­ noon, 15 to 20 students arrived out­ side the doors of the donation centre located in the Shatner ballroom. As 'Tainted Love" cranked from a nearby boom-box, the protestors—some of w hom staged an im prom ptu kiss-in during their wait—stood in line to fill

out blood donation questionnaires.

By 3:30 p.m., the blood drive was shut down, three hours before its scheduled closure.

According to blood drive director Pierre Julien, Héma-Québec was con­ cerned that donors were lying about their sexual history. Campus posters advertising last week's action suggest­ ed that sympathetic students identify them selves incorrectly to HémaQuébec nurses. An e-mail from the

See RADICAL, page 7

T h i s W e e k in M c G ill A t h le t ic s F r i., F e b . 3

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Cover photo courtesy of ELAINE LUMLEY

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W RAPUP

M c G ill s tu d e n t s w e ll r e p r e s e n t e d t o fe d s ?

SSMU lobbies in Ottawa without CASA MIKELIS STEPRANS W hile cam pus reaction may be mixed regarding Stephen Harper's m inority win last week, Students' Society executives expressed confidence tha t the voice o f McGill students w ill be effectively represented to a new, Conservative government.

SSMU says its principal goal in future dealings w ith the federal governm ent w ill be increasing federal spending on post-secondary education.

"W ith tu itio n and education being a provincial issue, w e w ill be m aintaining our figh t fo r 4.9 billion m ore per year from the federal governm ent, and then dem and that the provincial governm ent use it properly," said SSMU President Adam Conter.

The Conservatives' precarious m inority may help students' cause. Harper's party holds o n ly 124 seats in th e H ouse of Com m ons, which puts it 31 short of the m a jo rity req uire d fo r passing legislation unchecked.

"In a m in o rity g o ve rn m e n t situation, everyone wants to hear w h at w e have to say," said Aaron Donny-Clark, SSMU vice-president com m unity and governm ent affairs, "especial­

SHATNER

ly w hen it's clear that som ething w ill be done about post-secondary education."

Phillippe O uellette, National Director of the Canadian Alliance o f Student Associations, agreed that m inority governm ents were per­ fect fo r student lobby groups, both fo r provid­ ing m ultiple access points to the political sys­ tem and fo r allow ing parties to be played against one other.

SSMU voted to leave CASA last O ctober after com plaints that the lobby group had failed to achieve results fo r its m em b er organ­ izations.

Conter argued th a t SSMU was doing m ore than m ost student associations and lobby groups to influence federal education policy. He noted in particular th a t SSMU has m a in ta in e d con tact w ith th e fo rm e r Conservative education critic.

"With these connections and our fo o t in the door, w e w ill be sure to rem ind the m that education is a priority," he said.

Conter also cited SSMU's recent televi­ sion publicity campaign as a lobbying success.

SSMU shared the $ 3 ,200 cost o f tw o ads, which aired tw o weeks ago on CTV and sought to draw attention to university funding prior to the election.

Both C onter and D onny-C lark claim that McGill students are better represented in governm ent w ith o u t CASA. "CASA was unable to provide the services w e could provide fo r our­ selves," said Conter. "We have... been able to get better meetings in Ottawa than CASA was ever able to get us. We are a very unique student society, we carry a very strong name, and w hen we use th a t correctly, w e see results. We are confident tha t our efforts at the In Parliam ent, is SSM U's bite b ig g e r than its bark? federal level are substantive."

Donny-Clark agreed that the stu­ points o f the students they represent on the dent body is better off w ith o u t CASA repre­ federal scene." senting it at the federal level.

SSMU may have an occasion to be heard "Students sho uldn't lose any sleep over in late February’ at the S um m it on Posthaving gotten out o f CASA," he said. "If any­ Secondary Education and Skills Training in thing, they should sleep better."

Ottawa. According to Donny-Clark, SSMU is According to O uellette, however, students trying to secure an invitation to participate at should be worried. the sum m it, and it will also be rallying outside "One o f the big things is that Harper has to reiterate its dem and for an annual $4.9-bilbeen unwilling to m eet w ith interest groups. lion reinvestm ent in post-secondary educa­ But he has opened up for CASA fo r the past tion. tw o years," O uellette said. "No other student —With files from Nia I I Mackay Roberts group has been, invited to m eet w ith Harper. It w ill be difficult fo r them to get across the

CAMPUS

BUZZ

BUZZ

T h e y ta lk e d th e ta lk ,

S tu d e n ts m o u th o ff

b u t d id t h e y w a l k it?

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SSMU execs reveal how they voted in last week’s federal election The Students' Society spent a lot of m oney in the past tw o m onths encouraging McGill undergraduates to get involved in the political process. The voter tu rn o u t am ong young people is typically low, but SSMU exec­ utives (all w ho were eligible, at least) prac­ tised w hat they preached and cast ballots in the federal election last week.

A d a m C o n te r, p re sid e n t "I have voted Liberal ever since I could, though I'll adm it, I am interested to see how the first year o f this governm ent w ill be. ...

The m ost im portant thing is that w hen it comes tim e to get rolling, the m oney w e need fo r post-secondary education gets invested properly. We look forward to pressuring the new governm ent on this issue."

Eric van Eyken, vice -p re sid e n t fina nce and op era tions "I ended up voting in m y old riding of Marc-Aurèle Fortin, which is on the north shore o f Montreal. I drove 45 kilom etres up to Rosemere, where I looked at the ballot and decided to spoil it, being unable to bring m yself to vote for anyone."

Roz Freem an, vice -p re sid e n t co m m u n ic a tio n s and events "I voted Liberal, not because I w ant to see Martin back in office but because I w ould rather have him tha n Harper and th e Conservatives. ... I considered voting fo r nei­ ther and throw ing m y vote to a smaller p a rty the N D P -o r even to an independent because I w ould like to see som e m oney go to them to help build up our political party system."

“ H o w do you th in k th e n ew C onservative g o v e rn m e n t will affect education funding?”

"I'm not super o p tim istic ab o u t the [Conservative m inority government's] effect on education. I don't think much will be done."

-N a o m i Sebbag, U3 Education "I don't ever expect much from the gov­ ernment, so I voted Liberal because I never felt there was a problem and it didn't affect me personally."

—Annika Pires, UO Nursing

M a x Reed, vice -p re sid e n t u n iv e rs ity affairs "I voted NDP, because they are the only party that has prom ised to restore the $4-billion transfer payment. They are also in favour o f creating a system o f national grants fo r stu­ dents, which will help make education m ore accessible. Their record is also stellar, as even w ith only 18 MPs they were able to deliver m uch needed m oney fo r education, transit and affordable housing in the last budget."

Vice-President External Aaron DonnyClark and Vice-President Clubs and Services Leon M wotia are not Canadian citizens and therefore were not eligible to vote. ■ —C om piled by Lisa Varano

"Education is not Stephen Harper's No. 1 priority. I can't see how tax cuts will help improve funding to education."

—Eva Boodman, U l Philosophy "I don't think students will be affected because all governments are corrupt and they are all going to steal from us. I voted Green because at least if they're going to steal from us they'll spend it on trees."

-R ic h a rd Stern, L14 C om puter Engineering

"I don't think the new government is going to get a chance to do anything."

—Julia Laframboise, U3 Education "I don’t think m uch will happen with the new government. If you w ant to make a differ­ ence, you have to make it on your own.”

—Bernard Tong, UO Civil Engineering "All politicians have promised to make education cheaper, but that still hasn't hap­ pened, and I don't expect anything to change -A m in a Ibrahim, U2 International D evelopm ent Studies "H ow are the Conservatives supposed to get the m oney to fund education when they are promising tax cuts?"

- H e id i Hofbauer, U3 M anagem ent "I support the Conservative Party, but it's Harper I'm not sure about. I'll have to wait and see."

—Sebastian M aier U2 History -C o m p ile d b y M argaux Carson

the mcgill tribune J 3 i . 1.06) news

CITY

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‘M o d e l ’ s t u d e n t s p la y U N d r e s s u p High achievers flock to Montreal for snow, sex and Security Councils KAYVON AFSHARI

said Iranpour. "Because she said it, I think that the spirit o f this confer­ ence has just skyrocketed, and the McGill M odel United Nations level o f debate w ill be absolutely hosted its 16th annual assembly, amazing." the largest gathering o f its kind in Some attendees remarked on Canada, from Jan. 2 6 to Jan. 2 9 at th e som e w h at controversial ele­ th e M ontreal Sheraton H otel. m ents o f the Princess' speech.

McMUN, managed jo intly by Luma "I th o u g h t it was a great Q ad oum i, U3 M an ag em en t and speech, but I thin k it may have p u t a Political Science, and U3 Political fe w people off," said David Prieto, a Science student Liz W iseman, con­ student o f international relations at ducts internationally attended sim u­ Tufts University in Boston. "Some lations o f United Nations com m ittee people m ight have fe lt that it was debates. Last week, university stu­ too incrim inating to certain coun­ dents split into 23 groups to discuss tries and certain ethnicities. I'm per­ cu rre n t events w ith th e event's sonally not a s u p p o rte r of 1400 participants from 80 universi­ [President] Bush, but there were ties around th e world. very strong attacks on the adm inis­ Thursday night's opening cere­ tration and the decisions m ade by m ony featured Her Royal Highness the United States Princess Badiya government."

El Hassan o f P rincess H assan fo rc e fu lly B uilding on Jordan as d e n ie d t h a t e x tre m is t Is la m is t her discussion o f keynote speaker.

Princess Hassan, g ro u p s , o p e ra tin g u n d e r a m u lt ila t e r a lis m , Princess Hassan w ho holds a BA n o m in a lly M u s lim id e o lo g y , also argued th a t w ith honours re p re s e n t th e t r u e n a tu re o f m isconceptions o f fro m O xford Islam in the con­ University, as Islam , text o f recent ter­ w ell as an LL.M. rorist activity have prevented a clear in international law from the London understanding o f the religion. She School o f Economics, spoke to a fo rc e fu lly d e nied th a t extrem ist crowd o f over 1400 on the im por­ Islamist groups, operating under a tance o f m ultilateralism in the inter­ nom inally M uslim ideology, repre­ national com m unity. sent the true nature o f Islam. In par­ W hile Princess Hassan adm it­ ticular, Princess Hassan em phasized ted th a t the term s "m ultilateralism " that the Koran includes an "unequiv­ and "international com m unity" in ocal ban against the killing of inno­ today's world seem like m ore o f an cent people." abstraction than a reality, she tried A ud ie nce response to th e to emphasize the com m o n prob­ Princess' discussion o f Islam was lem s con fro ntin g m o d e m states. varied.

For exam ple, Youssef Princess Hassan the n called fo r Iskandar, a Coptic Christian from increased m ultilateralism , coopera­ Cairo fe lt that she had presented a tion and interdependence as an skewed portrayal o f the reality of ideal solution to future conflicts.

Islam.

"When I thin k o f us-and-them "W hat she said about religion scenarios I d o n 't thin k o f Muslim over there does n o t reflect the versus non-M uslim or Islam versus truth," said Iskandar. "I live there, the West," she said. and every Friday the y have the "I thin k o f the sane, th e civi­ prayer. This is in a fairly wealthy lized, and the educated from all com m unity, and you'd thin k that the places and cultures versus extrem­ serm ons w ould be fairly moderate. ists, the brainwashed and the bigot­ But I've heard stuff about sinners ed, which exist on th e fringes o f all and how they should be killed... as cultures." well as extremist preaching about The central th e m e in th e w om en. After 9 /1 1 and th e Afghani Princess' speech, however, was the war started... they said that killing in rise o f in te rn a tio n a l terrorism . the nam e of religion was allowed, Princess Hassan argued that th e uni­ and it doesn't matter, because peo­ lateralism typified by th e United ple are sinners."

States has been ineffective and that O thers w h o a tte n d e d th e a m ore m ultilateral approach, com ­ speech w e re im pressed by the bining both soft and hard power, Princess' defence o f Islam. w ould be necessary to bring about a "I th in k it was really amazing perm anent resolution. (that) she pointed o u t... that not all "Nation-states m ust realize the M uslim s are terrorists. That's totally depth o f the challenge o f interna­ true, and I thin k that the w orld bases tional terrorism and m ust acknowl­ judgm ents unfairly on the religion," edge th a t solving the roots o f the said Gauravi Shah, U1 Mechanical problem is not 'appeasing the terror­ Engineering, w ho served as director ists,"' said Princess Hassan. o f M cM UN 's International Atom ic McMUN attendees responded, Energy Agency sim ulation. fo r the m ost part, in a positive way UN com m ittees were not the to th e Princess' speech. Arya only groups whose debates were Iranpour, U1 Political Science and sim ulated over the course o f the C h em istry and M cM U N d e p u ty events.

The W orld Trade chargé d'affaires, said Princess O rganization Reform C o m m itte e Hassan provided an excellent intro­ was also included, as were a num ­ duction to the four-day event. ber o f historical institutions, includ­ "[The speech] reiterated to m e ing th e 1970 cab in et o f Pierre all the im p ortan t points this confer­ Trudeau. ■ ence means and is w orking for,"

DANIELA ROESSLER

Apparently, this is the princess, speaking forcefully on terrorism.

PEER A D V IS E R S W A N TED !

The Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) and the Science Undergraduate Society (SUS), in conjunction with the Student Affairs Office of Arts and Science, are looking for Peer Advisers!

RESPONSIBILITIES Helping fellow students in decision making, explaining drop/add procedures, referrals to other campus resources, and more. Accepted volunteers are expect­ ed to make a commitment for the full academic year, and will receive a letter of recommendation from the Faculty attesting to the services provided.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED Successful applicants must have a minimum CGPA of 3.00, be at least a U1 student, be prepared to commit a maximum of 2 hours/week, and attend training sessions in March 2006. Listening skills, the ability to respond in a non-judgmental manner, and compassion for others are also valuable assets.

HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE? Contact Adrian Angus or Marina Lagodich at AUS at: academic@aus.mcgili.ca.

Applications will be available in the lobby of Dawson Hall as of January 31, 2006. Completed applications must be submitted to Dawson Hall, Room 110, in an envelope labelled "Peer Advising" by February 27, 2006.

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news | 3 1. 1.06 | the mcgill tribune

CAMPUS

S u s ta in a b le M c G ill r e p o r t c a lls f o r c h a n g e ‘Crunchy granola kids’ seek cleaner campus MATT CAMPBELL Last w e ek th e Sustainable McGill Project officially launched its Ecosystem assessment o f the McGill com m unity. In the Douglas Hall piano room, student coordinators gave a presentation on th e 80-page report, stressing the im portance of their findings and w hat the y mean for the campus.

The report prim arily examines McGill's ecosystem and how envi­ ronm entally efficient the dow ntow n campus is. Sophie Mazowita, one of the students w ho coordinated the project, exp la ine d som e o f the report's underlying goals.

"We really w ant this to be a starting po in t fo r an in-depth assess­ m ent," she said. "We w ant to make som e changes at the university poli­ cy level—[M cGill] should have a com prehensive strategy to reduce our greenhouse gas em issions for energy consumption."

Adela Maciejewski, also a proj­ ect coordinator, gave an overview of the report. McGill does not currently measure its w ater consum ption and, as part o f the report's findings, she suggested th a t b e fore th e city begins charging based on consum p­

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r e a k fa s t a n d

tion levels, McGill should start to use the m eters that are already installed in m any buildings. The report further advocates the collection o f storm w ater for use in cam pus wash­ rooms.

However, the report goes far beyond water consum ption. It also focuses on fou r other areas includ­ ing materials, energy, air and land.

M aciejew ski explained th e group's founding principles.

"The main focus o f our group is to get an idea o f where McGill stands in term s o f sustainability and to w ork w ith students, faculty, adm in and staff to try and bring about change at the university," she said.

The report calls fo r increased perm eable surface coverage around campus, in an e ffort to reduce drainoffs into the St. Lawrence river. The report also fou nd that, based on 70 per cent o f collected data, McGill faculty and staff fle w m ore than 2 2 m illio n kilom etres last year.

Maciejewski said th a t the num ber am ounted to 59 trips to the m oon and back.

Further, the research fo r the report discovered that each campus com m u nity m em b er uses approxi­ m ately 1,563 sheets o f paper per

m o r e

Welcome to new and returning students!

year. The authors o f the report sug­ gest halving that number, fo r exam­ ple by using double-sided printing.

Recent McGill graduate Rosa Kouri, now director of th e Sierra Youth Coalition, was one o f the fo u n d e rs o f th e project. She described som e of th e joys and dif­ ficulties o f working w ith the McGill adm inistration in researching infor­ mation.

"At first it was like 'Whoa, w ho are these crunchy granola kids?"' she said. "We were trying to explain [that] w e're doing serious research, and w e w ant to do som e serious change w ith it. We're very forward thinking and cutting edge."

The Sustainable McGill report is the first phase in a tw o-part plan to id en tify th e university's strengths and weaknesses. The second report w ill examine McGill's people sys­ tem , encom passing issues such as ethical investment, the level o f gen­ der diversity, racial diversity and the sustainability o f the people system.

■ For m o re in fo rm atio n on the S u sta in a b le M c G ill p ro je ct, visit www.sustainable.mcgill.ca.

S tud ent coordinators chat d u rin g th e u n ve ilin g o f th e ecosystem report.

D o n ’t fo rg e t your h a m b u rg e r a n d b re ak fa st cards.* *Sept. to end of April

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the mcgill tribune | 3 1. 1.06 | news

C A M P U S

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A little lu c k g o e s a lo n g w a y TV personality tells students not to follow the herd S A R A H FRASER Discovery Channel host Jay Ingram took a day off from his popular science show The D aily Planet to share his life experiences, dispense advice and sign books for eager McGill students.

His talk last Monday evening was the first in a series o f lectures that was part o f th e Science Undergraduate Society's Academia Week. More than 100 students turned up for Ingram's stimulating, hum orous and inspiring lec­ ture.

The Daily Planet is in its 11 th sea­ son and Ingram has been with the show since its inception as @Discovery Canada. As a popular television scientist, Ingram covers stories that have scientific m erit w hile maintaining a captive audi­ ence.

"It's not enough that the story be interesting,", he said, "but the person w ho tells it has to be interesting. A com ­ pelling person with a good story to tell is the combination."

Ingram pointed out that the show producers constantly have to worry MEAGHAN HOYLE about keeping the attention of a largely Jay Ingram : th e sexiest scientist on The D iscovery Channel. non-scientific audience. To do so, the

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It was club day Thursday at Students' Society Council, as 10 Pin Thursdays and the Unitarian Universalists at University Unite were am ong fo u r clubs approved fo r interim status. Try saying that last one 10 tim es fast. • M ore controversially, Council debated w hether Christian group CRU should receive full club status which w ould, am ong other privileges, allow the m to apply fo r an office in th e Shatner building and receive fun din g for activities from SSMU. Vice-President University Affairs Aaron Donny-Clark and Vice-President Finance and O perations Eric van Eyken spoke against the club's approval.

Donny-Clark said tha t the type o f activities in which CRU is involved w ith are m ore suited fo r a church and should not receive SSMU support. Music Representative and Clubs and Services C om m ittee chairperson Sean Waugh said that the issue should be referred back to com m ittee to address out­ standing issues and concerns. However, m any councillors dis­ agreed w ith the idea that club m em bers have been prosely­ tizing, finding it difficu lt to draw a distinction between that and another d u b sim ply recruiting m embers. Council ended up approving the club. CRU President Jessica Zetzman said that she hadn't anticipated all the controversy over the club and its activities. • Council also spent som e tim e dealing w ith Board o f Governors issues. Under a new arrangem ent w ith the adm inistration, President Adam Conter has been given his ow n seat on the Board, allowing another undergraduate rep­ resentative to take SSMU's seat. However, after changing the SSMU constitution last year to elim inate the position o f BoG representative, students m ust now approve yet another am e nd m ent to th e constitution reinstating the position. Only if th e am e nd m ent passes w ill a student be able to run for the post. This means that Council m ust appoint a representative until an election can be held in the follow ing school year. • Finally, Council was served notice of a series o f referendum questions fo r discussion, w hich w ill make for a full spring bal­ lot for students. If Council approves the questions at its next m eeting, students w ill vote on w hether to make student-run radio station CKUT a part o f SSMU instead o f an independent group, w hether to increase the current CKUT fee, and w hether the discontinued daycare fee should be reinstated, in addition to any constitutional am endm ents that are brought forward. ■

CORRECTIONS The photo credit fo r last week's cover photo was inadvertently om itted—the photographer was Lukas Bergmark. The bottom photo on page 14 should have been attributed to Vicky Lean.

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hour-long show has short, five-m inute stories, a fast pace and attractive visuals.

"There aren't that many people out there w ho love to hear about science," he said.

When a m em ber of the audience asked Ingram about the inclusion of math on the show, Ingram had an im m e d ia te response tha t generated laughter from the crowd.

"Even using several numbers at a tim e is risky," he said.

Ingram said he was satisfied with the path his career had taken, but that his way to success was not a straight line. In fact, he described his life path as "a random walk." He failed courses in the final year of his Bachelor's degree at the University of Alberta, and did not graduate with honours as he had intend­ ed to. Ingram com pleted a Master's degree and began a Ph.D. w ithout even knowing why. He said that he was "just follow ing the flow." His friends were going to grad school and he was "caught up in the academic stream."

"Humans are not good at intro­ specting," he told students, "[but] it is im portant to question w hy you are doing what you are doing."

Ingram attributed much o f his suc­ cess to fluke, but urged students not to assume the same will happen to them.

He encouraged a state o f mental readi­ ness, quoting Louis Pasteur.

"Luck favours the prepared mind," he said. "If you are passionate about som e aspect o f science, then you have to follow that passion."

Ingram is passionate about his work, but probably w o n 't spend the rest of his life at The Daily Planet.

"I w o u ld n 't measure m y career there in decades," he said, joking about being suicidal if he spent even five more years w ith the show. But for now, Ingram said he w ould continue with his hectic schedule.

Alex Laplante, U3 Joint Physics and Atmospheric Science, said he related to Ingram's advice.

"I liked how he emphasized that luck is an im portant factor," he said, "[and that] your career should be som e­ thing that you love."

U2 Physiology student Danielle Winkler also enjoyed the lecture.

"I liked it a lot," she said, "I was falling asleep in class all day but I'm awake now.'CB

MAC

W o o d s m e n c h o p to th e to p Competition showcases McGill’s manliest V IN C C I TSUI

day, and the teams did not find out how well they were doing until the awards ceremony at the end o f the day.

The Macdonald W oodsmen, led by Patrick MacDougall, Last Saturday, Macdonald Campus opened its annual placed first for the second year in a row, while the W oodswomen Carnival W eek by hosting the 46 th annual Intercollegiate placed a distant third behind Sir Sanford Fleming College and Lumberjack Competition. Twenty-two teams from eight different Nova Scotia Agricultural College, w ho were only separated by schools participated in the day-long event.

3.88 points.

Over the course o f the day, the teams rotated through dif­ The W oodswom en were satisfied with their results, but ferent event stations including Axe Throwing, Chain Saw, Pole knew that they could have done better.

Climb, Pulp Throwing and Snowshoeing. The teams were tim ed "We gave it our best effort," said Alison Porter. "It's just that at each event and given points based on how well they did com ­ [some o f the events] did not work out very well. We also have a pared to other teams—the fastest team received 100 points and different team from last semester, and only tw o of the girls have the other teams were given fractions o f that score based on the been on the team for m ore than a year." winning time. The point totals were kept secret throughout the The m ore experienced W o od sm en -th ere is only one rookie on th e te a m —had much better luck, scoring first in eight of the 14 events. Even before th e results were released, MacDougall was confident in the success o f his team.

"All the guys put in a lot of effort," he said. "We had some bad luck on som e events, but generally it's been good. I hope w e w in, b u t it all depends on how the other teams did."

The day ended with a party at the Ceilidh, the cam­ pus bar. Unfortunately, the com petition was not all fun and games for every partici­ pant. A m em b er o f the Lakehead College team cut his leg during the Crosscut Saw event, and an ambulance had to be called to take him to the VINCCI TSUI nearby Lakeshore Hospital for stitches. He was expected to M cG ill W oodsm an Jonathan Blair saws aw ay in th e Single Buck event, as his team looks on. make a full recovery. ■

6

news | 3 1. 1.06 | the mcgill tribune

SPEAKERS

ON

CAMPUS

B o u c h a r d : C a n a d a ’s m o s t f a m o u s s e p a r a t i s t ?

Former Quebec premier and BQ leader shies away from referendum talk MELISSA G A U L

paign.

Bouchard told students that Quebec has been search­ ing for a collective dream since the end o f the "grand Former Quebec premier Lucien Bouchard came to McGill on noirceur" that was the Duplessis era. He argued that since Tuesday to speak with students in Professor Norman Cornett's reli­ the turn away from the Catholic Church during the period of gious studies classes about the future of Quebec and his role in a the Q uiet Revolution, Quebeckers have been longing for recently authored manifesto entitled "For a Clear-Eyed Vision of purpose and meaning. One student responded that other Quebec." provinces find meaning in their connection to the federal The docum ent was written by Bouchard and other prominent government and suggested that Quebec do the same, but Quebec personalities, including both sovereigntists and federalists.

Bouchard did not agree. He maintained that in Quebec the According to the group's Web site, pourunquebedudde.com, it was provincial government is "of the heart," while the federal is intended to serve as a wake-up call for Quebeckers and offers var­ not ious solutions to the province's looming economic and dem o­ Bouchard also touched on language rights in the graphic problems. province and spoke negatively about Bill 101, which he "We are appealing to [Quebeckers'] clear-eyed vision, their described as an unfortunate sense of responsibility and their recep­ means to an end. He declared tiveness," the Web site states, "so that "I w is h w e c o u ld k e e p th e t u it io n fee s a t w h a t that the French language is Quebec can energetically tackle the th e y a re n o w , b u t it is n o t p o ssib le . W e a re currently not in danger and is monumental challenges presented by actually flourishing. Bouchard its demographic decline, at a tim e s ta rv in g th e u n iv e rs itie s ." w ent on to praise the federal when global competition has never —F o rm e r Q u e b e c p r e m ie r L u c ie n B o u c h a rd governm ent's support of been as fierce."

Quebec culture as a whole.

Am ong other suggestions, the He cited Radio-Canada and the Quebec film industry as two docum ent advocates lifting the freeze on university tuition for major, federally-funded cultural legacies that are positive for Quebec students, arguing the move is necessary for a more pros­ Quebec. perous Quebec.

"The culture of Quebec is the identity of Quebec," "1 wish we could keep the tuition fees at what they are now, Bouchard said. "It is something so distinct that we cannot say but it is not possible," Bouchard said. 'W e are starving the univer­ we do not have a unique culture." sities."

Bouchard also briefly touched on the sponsorship scan­ Bouchard, a founding m em ber of the Bloc Québécois and a dal, which he called an unfortunate event. He told students well-know sovereigntist was reluctant to speak about the sepa­ the negative media attention combined with the public's ratist movement. He said that he has tried to avoid speaking about loss of faith in its leaders has deterred people from engag­ it in public for the past five years, and simply said that "whatever ing in public service, but he defended those in the civil serv­ vehicle we select for the constitution of Quebec—the problems ice. The scandal, he said, "does not reflect the general moral­ [outlined in the manifesto] will still be there." ity o f our public servants. I feel very bad about that."

Reactions to the piece have also crossed party lines. Liberal Bouchard ended the session with an appeal for stu­ Premier Jean Charest spoke highly o f the group's effort and Mario dents to enter public service.

Dumont, leader of the Action Démocratique, affirmed that his "If good people don't serve," he said, "who will do it?” party would support the docum ent during the next election cam­

Bouchard co-a utho red a new re p o rt on the fu tu re o f Q uebec.

CAMPUS

Get your socially-just desserts Equity Week replacement focuses on activism KELLY HARRIS Social Justice Days at McGill continued last week, offering panel discussions, workshops, a film screening, a play and a party fo r students interested in social issues both local and international.

One panel discussion offered in collaboration w ith th e Union for G ender Em pow erm ent featured four speakers involved w ith fem inism in various ways. The discussion, entitled "Feminism Now," aim ed to explore the relevance o f fem inism today as w ell as fem inism 's ties to other social justice movem ents.

Each speaker focused on fem in ism 's relation to other form s o f discrim ination. The speakers in turn dis­ cussed the experiences o f w om en w ith disabilities, intersexual and transgender people, Native w om en, and South Asian wom en.

"Feminism has m ade leaps and bounds in becom ­ ing m ore inclusive," said Joëlle Circé-Laramée, vice-pres­ ident of the International Intersex Organization and one o f the speakers.

Each w om an em phasized th e th e m e o f inclusive­ ness, b u t as W om en's Studies Professor Aiyyana Maracle told the audience, the term should not be equated w ith hom ogenization.

"Choice is one of the m ost im p ortan t things that fem inism should offer," said Yolanda Munoz, another speaker and a teacher at the McGill Centre for Research and Teaching on W omen.

Addressing the question o f fem inism 's continued relevance in society, Maracle noted th a t she subscribes

to a w ider hum anistic belief. She said th a t she sees hum anism , not fem inism , as the end goal. Although each w om an expressed her ow n kind o f fem inism , all agreed that the artificial binaries in European-based societies need to be broken down. Each w om an also expressed the need to change society, not force change on people w h o don’t m eet norm ative standards.

"Disability isn't w ith the individual, it is w ith the rela­ tionship of the individual to the environm ent. We m ust accept that you shouldn't change bodies, but the envi­ ronm ent," said Munoz.

Event organizers were pleased to see m ore than 4 0 students turn o u t fo r the event.

"I was glad to see som e interest on campus because fem inism doesn't get a lot o f publicity, especial­ ly at McGill," said Tara Kuhn, a m em b er o f the UGE. "It's im p ortan t to have diverse experiences and exposure to diverse experiences w ithin fem inism ," she said.

It was not clear, however, that the students in atten­ dance were representative o f the larger McGill popula­ tion. There w ere no representatives from the Students' Society either, w hich som e attendees fou nd troubling in light of recent friction between SSMU and the UGE "I'm really glad tha t there was such a great turnout, especially considering the trouble the UGE has faced in term s of misunderstandings about its mandate w ithin SSMU," said recent Arts graduate Liz Airton.

"But it's a shame that the people w h o m isunder­ stood the UGE's mandate couldn't be here to learn a lit­ tle more." ■

? McGill

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the mcgill tribune | 31.1.06 | news

U p to Speed

Peace prospects in the M iddle East faced a setback this week, as Palestinians elected representatives of the radical Hamas mg , - « iftfr .- - n V i p I party to 76 o f 132 seats. The election was believed to be a rebuke to the Fatah party, which W is largely seen as corrupt. Israeli governm ent officials TP*.;;*..* : have said they will not enter into peace negotiations

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Hamas, whose m em bers have repeatedly called for Israel's destruction. • The past week was also one i, » l l pwfl o f anniversaries. Friday saw Salzburg, Austria celebrating [XiJKÎH."- * one o f its m ost famous citizens: It was the 25 0 th anniver­ 'Ail I V ■■ sary o f Mozart's birth. Saturday saw a m ore som bre event at Florida's Kennedy Space Center, as astronauts and oth­ \ \ ers gathered to rem em ber the 20th anniversary of the ip § Challenger disaster. • Monrovia, the capital o f Liberia, got its first set o f traffic lights since war broke out in the coun­ try over 16 years ago. The lights were installed by UN peace­ IK keepers to try to alleviate traffic jams near the city's port.

However, electricity supplies are spotty, and the lights are drnv H CJW often out of order. • Environment Canada says it has an i . lui-'- sift explanation for the unusual temperatures this winter, and it The ?efft isn't global warming. A large polar air mass is normally parked over Hudson's Bay, bringing cold air into southern f t k V t* h£ latitudes, but this year it has moved down over northern W<r ’«j W$ I Europe instead. Canadians have noticed the d iffe re n ce lifjlf i in past years Montreal has seen an average January tem perature of -10.4 C. This year it has been closer to -4.

I it * -fd p itI • Close to 5 0 0 people attending a racing pigeon exhi­ ft 141 "■ 6 bition were temporarily trapped inside a trade hall in V , r- * - ■ <’ : southern Poland when the snow-covered roof of the building collapsed. Seven people died in the acciKiJti*# C r dent and m ore than 50 were injured. No, w e don't Ik flint p i i know w hat racing pigeons are either. jppt si Imi Sources: bbc.co.uk, globeandm ail.com , ■ HA £ » nytimes.com

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’AM in­

QUOTABLE

"If people want to organize a pork-lard baking workshop, they should apply to the SSMU."

R a d ic a l g r o u p t a r g e t s

Continued from cover protestors, which was distributed on Queer McGill's listserv, also asked stu­ dents interested in protesting to "act faggy, do drag, lie about your sexual history... (and) cause a commotion."

"We saw posters telling people to come in and lie, and people are here," Julien said. "We have to close down because we cannot guarantee the blood supply. The recipients are m ore important, and it is a privilege to give blood."

After initially planning on reopen­ ing fo r Thursday, H ém a-Q uébec decided to close for the remainder of th e week. The protestors, w ho dubbed themselves "The Second Cumming," claimed in a press release . issued last week that Héma-Québec would also be disposing of the blood already collected at McGill. HémaQuébec officials refused to comment, however, and nurses at last week's blood drive were also instructed not to speak to the Tribune.

After the blood drive cancella­ tion, the Students' Society also issued a press release defending Second C um m ing and criticizing HémaQuébec's actions as "amateurish" and a "defamation o f McGill students across Canada."

"Rather than address the legiti­ m ate concerns th a t have been brought fo rth ... Héma-Québec chose to resort to finger-pointing in order to avoid having to answer tough ques­ tions... The SSMU condemns HémaQuébec for shutting down today's blood drive."

The Engineering Undergraduate Society, which sponsored the blood drive, expressed dismay at SSMU's sup po rt fo r Second Cum m ing.

Kristina Huss, the Engineering repre­ sentative to SSMU, was visibly angry during council on Thursday. She described EUS as "upset" that it was not consulted by SSMU before its press release was issued.

Confusion ove r protestors' in te nt Second Cumming denied claims that they had advocated donating blood under false pretences. In their press release, they accused HémaQuébec of deliberately overreacting to their posters.

'Yes, w e DID [sic] encourage people to lie about their sexual histo­ ry," the anonymous press release stat­ ed. "And you know what? We'd do it

answering Arts Representative Max Silverman's question about why SSMU put on a vegan baking workshop instead of other options.

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SSMU defence of protest draws criticism

—Vice-President University Affairs Max Reed,

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lifetime ban on donations from MSM since the early 1990s, claiming that MSM present an elevated risk o f HIV infection. Other "high-risk" popula­ tions, including wom en who have had sex with MSM, are subject only to one-year restrictions on donating.

Students react w ith d isap pointm en t Faisal Baddar, a first-year m edi­ cine student, said he understood why Héma-Québec felt the need to inter­ vene. Baddar was waiting to donate blood when Julien announced the drive would be closing for the day.

"I realize w hy they shut down the blood drive, but it's too bad," he said. "There were probably 20 to 25 people waiting to give blood that were turned away, and each person w ho donates gives enough blood for four blood transfusions!'

Representatives from Q ueer McGill manned a table outside the blood drive, but they denied any affil­ iation with the protest.

"This protest is independent of Queer McGill," said Queer McGill Political Coordinator Nick Tzoulas.

"We're working with Roz Freeman and th e SSMU to m ee t w ith HémaQuébec, and we're taking a more diplomatic approach."

Floh Herra-Vega, co-administrator of Queer McGill, also tried to dis­ tance Queer McGill from Second Cumming, though the SSMU service issued a press release expressing "disappointment" at the blood drive closure and claim ing that HémaQuébec overreacted to the protest.

"We're glad that people feel strongly on the issue," said HerraVega. "We agree with their message, but [Queer McGill] is just using differ­ ent methods right now."

Queer McGill also denied official responsibility fo r th e Second C um m ing publicity dissem inated through its listserv. However, Caitlin Hersey, Queer McGill's first-year liai­ son, posted the original call to protest.

Last fall, Queer McGill and SSMU drafted a joint position demanding that Héma-Québec justify its policy excluding MSM from donating blood.

Students involved in Wednesday's protest said they thought more action was justified.

"Queer McGill's position isn't enough," said Bondy. "It's too quiet and too forgiving." ■

Founder's Day Februaiy 9, 2006, 10:00 AM

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again. But this consisted of having the 'dean' people pretend to be a fag or a whore (or both) in order to be turned away and cause a commotion.

Not to infect the blood supply. HémaQuébec has sim ply demonstrated that they will twist the truth to keep their ugly politics out o f sight."

SSMU V ic e -P re s id e n t Com m unications and Events Roz Freeman said Héma-Québec misin­ terpreted the purpose of the protest.

She and SSMU President Adam Conter had attempted to convince Julien and Héma-Québec to keep the blood drive open.

"It's unfortunate th a t Hém aQuébec was paranoid enough to do this," she said. "People wanted to go in and tell the truth and get rejected, not try to taint the blood supply. It was never the intent to stop blood drives.

After 20 minutes of conversation with the director o f the blood drive, I could not get that across."

At council on Thursday, Freeman admitted that the language used in Second C um m ing's publicity was "poorly" chosen. Nonetheless, she defended SSMU's criticisms of HémaQuébec.

"If [Héma-Québec] hadn't had a 45-m inute discussion with the presi­ dent and myself and Queer McGill and the protestors outside, yes, it would've been appropriate (to close the blood drive). But there were guar­ antees... We had, w e thought, resolved the issue."

Protestors said their intent was neither to prevent people from giving blood nor to shut down the blood drive.

"W e're trying to expose the hom ophobia that underlies this whole operation," said Adrian Bondy, U3 Linguistics. "[That] is why people are dressed in drag, and w hy I’m dressed in drag."

Second C um m ing, however, expressed little regret at the conse­ quences o f the protest.

"Although w e agree that those w ho need blood should have access to it, w e consider this [closure] a suc­ cess," the press release stated. "The fact that they cancelled the blood drive when faced with a cock in a skirt proves that what they were afraid of wasn't so much disease as deviance."

Hém a-Q uébec and Canadian Blood Services—its counterpart in the rest of Canada—have maintained a

»

Centennial Centre Ballroom, Macdonald Campus

Parker Mitchell It's AUS Election time!

Pick up nomination forms at the AUS Office (Leacock B-12) Nomination forms due February 6“’ at 5:00 PM Campaigning: February 7* to 14'h Voting: February 14®to 16““

Co-founder of Engineers without Borders and recipient of Canada’s Top 40 under 40™ 2004 S O C IA L E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P - A

Positions available: President, Vice-President Communications, Vice-President Internal, Vice-President External. Vice-President Finance. Vice-President Academic, and Arts Representative to SSMU (3 Positions) For information email aselections @hotmai I.com

V IE W F R O M T H E T R E N C H E S

(Macdonald classes cancelled from !0h00 to 13h00) For information: 514.398.7707

opinion

Subjects and predicaments

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M O H A M M A D M IR A L Y

I t ’s a n t i - o p p r e s s i o n , n o t a n ti-S e m itis m NASSER M O H IE D D IN A B U K H D E IR was clear: They were enforcing one group's ast w eek I attended a Hillel-sponsored denial o f another's basic hum an rights. This presentation entitled "The Three Pillars is the exact same case w ith the state of o f Anti-S em itism ." The presentation interested m e because it proclaim ed toIsrael's treatm e nt o f the Palestinian people. address a controversial topic, "the rise ofPalestinian hum an rights activists oppose new anti-Sem itism m erging from extremismthe opression o f the Palestinians caused by the m ilitary occupation o f the Palestinian ter­ in left wing, right w ing and radical M uslim ritories a n d —according to A m nesty groups." The presenter, Neil Lazarus, is a International—the institutional discrim ination known speaker on M iddle East issues, and against Arabs in Israel. In this case, the one of the sponsors o f the presentation is oppressing state just happens to proclaim an organization affiliated w ith th e Israeli itself Jewish. It is just qs absurd to argue that M inistry o f Foreign Affairs, th e Hasbara racism is a driver fo r activism in this case as Fellowships. This organization was founded it w o uld have been w ith the anti-Apartheid in 2001 to "educate and train university stu­ m ovem ent. dents to be effective pro-Israel activists on My second and lesser-known po in t is their campuses." that Palestinian hum an rights organizations O ne o f Lazarus's main points in his (PHROs) are extrem ely diverse. Since m y explanation o f "new anti-Sem itism " was that undergraduate days in the US, I have partic­ w hile criticizing Israel is not inherently racist ipated in PHROs based on cam pus and in towards Jews, the m ajority o f said criticism is the com m unity. Each and every organization m otivated by racism. This is the point that I that I have participated in was com prised o f take issue with, because it is not only an ethnically diverse group o f activists untrue, but it is increasingly used as a tactic including Arabs, Jews, Africans, North/Latin to delegitim ize hum an rights activism fo r the Am ericans and Europeans. This diverse Palestinian people and stifle debate about atm osphere is fundam entally incom patible the policies o f the state o f Israel against the w ith racism, in all its forms.

Palestinians.

What I am deeply concerned w ith is Palestinian hum an rights groups are that it is becom ing m ore and m ore accept­ overwhelm ingly not m otivated by racism able use racism as a false pretense to sup­ against Jews. This is m ost apparent from press hum an rights activism. Recently, the their sole raison d'être, to end the state of Conservative Party's Stephen Harper eluci­ Israel's continued oppression and discrim i­ dated m y po in t during a conference call w ith nation against the Palestinian people. An the Canadian Jewish Council. He expressed ap plicab le analogy is th e global a n ti­ concern about the spread o f anti-Semitism apartheid m ovem ent that occurred through­ "under the guise o f opposition to policies o f out the 1980s and early 1990s. W ithout the state o f Israel." My fears are justified question, criticism o f the South African gov­ w hen a head of state subscribes to such a ernm ent stem m ed from its enactm ent o f blatant perversion o f the truth, but hopeful­ the apartheid laws in 1948 that institutional­ ly the public w ill analyze the facts and not ized discrim ination against black Africans. It fall prey to such tactics. ■ w ould be absurd to argue tha t anti-apartheid activists were acting out o f racism toward Nasser Abukhdeir is a PhD student in w hite South Africans.

Chemical Engineering The m otivation of the apartheid laws

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What is perhaps the most damaging espite the many options available to consequence of m odern hip-hop's celebra­ contem porary music listeners, the tion of indulgence is its depiction o f women. popular palate is sated m ost often by under-clad and over-sexed, wom en the likes of Eminem's bizarre invectivesTypically or are paralleled with icons o f materialist cul­ Mariah's tintinnabular pleadings. Hip-hop's ture and thus are objectified alongside overwhelm ing dominance o f contemporary Maybachs and Pumas. Although other musi­ popular culture is evinced by the m onolithic cal forms, such as rock, have displayed playlists of radio conglomerates like Standard misogynistic and exploitative tendencies, it is Radio and Clear Channel, as well as the bil­ the commercial strength of hip-hop's con­ lion-dollar hip-hop clothing industry, which a temporary modishness that propels its per­ Statistics Canada study hails as retail cloth­ ceptions o f w om en to the fore. Modern hiping's cham pion. It is that intense con­ hop's m uch -to uted hyper-m asculinity sumerism, coupled with the tangible egoism inspires in the popular consciousness a of hip-hop entertainers, which typifies m od­ norm that effectively reduces half the human ern hip-hop music and its attendant culture. population to little more than currency.

W hat sustains such vigorous con­ Just consider the generally accepted sumerism, though, is the rigorous pursuit of practice o f nightclub promoters and door­ indulgence. Perhaps the m ost iniquitous men openly soliciting w om en as marketing aspect o f that pursuit, found in abundance in tools by offering them free liquor or admis­ the hip-hop industry, is the exploitative sion in order to entice m ale patrons. objectification o f wom en. Considering that (Imagine the uproar if men were treated both the producers and consumers o f hippreferentially!) What such practices expose is hop deliberately prom ote and stoke the den­ the im plicit endorsem ent and active suste­ igration o f wom en, what is underscored here nance of blatant violations o f equality rights is a general unpreparedness in society for and gender discrimination laws. One recalls real social and human equality. here, am id the indignant assertions of This was not always the case. 50 Cent, w o m en claim ing sexual independence, along with his characteristic supplications to Wollstonecraft's cham pioning o f w om en's expensive and excessive jewellery, vehicles rationality versus subjugation justified by the and w om en, was not always hip-hop's "arbitrary power of beauty," in which wom en ambassador. Indeed, that.genre, now consid­ themselves are complicit. Evincing this is ered popular, was once a radical social Destiny Child's callipygian panegyric, m ovem ent that aimed to advance human "Bootylicious." causes through a lyrical art form that vividly What all this speaks o f is a society w il­ expressed the absence o f and need for fully excited by indulgence, composed of social justice in impoverished ghettos. com pliant victims o f a consumerist culture Is it possible that recent tim es have supported by a vicious capitalism that thrives seen the marginalized's plight sufficiently on an ethic of individualism. This is illustrat­ ameliorated so as to outm ode the im por­ ed by a popular culture (and a marketing tance o f social messages in contemporary m achine) th a t fosters the irresponsible hip-hop? Does ignoring the social tirades of addiction to a hedonistic consumerism in Mos Def and C om m on Sense in favour of which w om en are the m ost prized com m od­ the egoistic entreaties o f Nelly and Fiddy ity. O f what use, then, are civic appeals to gesture to a victory for capitalism? Even com m on citizenship when the popular con­ m ore perilously, has society becom e increas­ sciousness is permeated with a perception ingly enchanted with the pursuit o f indul­ that effectively dehumanizes half the popu­ gence so as to nourish its expression? lation? As long as such perceptions persist, Considering m odern hip-hop's pervasive­ the civic dream o f human equality will ness, the answer to this m ost critical ques­ remain a distant Eden. ■ tion seems to be in the affirmative.

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in R u m m y ’ s r o s e - c o l o u r e d

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ERIC ALPER may outwardly claim that they w elcom e the freedom you seek onald Rumsfeld no longer views the Middle East in to foster, but this overt display o f empathy is nothing more shades o f pink. It didn't matter when evidence was fal­ than a farce hiding seething resentment at your cultural (and sified to justify an illicit invasion, because the Americans imperialism were freeing oppressed people. The first 1,000 deaths o f military) US soldiers were simply the cost o f "spreading freedom." The In June o f 20 0 2 , George W. Bush called on the people to "elect new leaders, leaders not com pro­ emergence o f the Downing Street m em os was shrugged Palestinian off mised by terror." Bush's speech was not solely an attem pt to as just another challenge to a superior moral authority. And the remove Yasser Arafat from power; it was a call to thw art the next 1,000 lives were, to Donald Rumsfeld, as expendable as efforts o f the Islamic Resistance M ovem ent to derail the strug­ the first So what could have possibly changed Rumsfeld's per­ gle for peace. Why, then, have Palestinians used their newly spective? It could be that it dawned on the man that foreign m inted free elections to put into power a group that seeks to governments cannot manipulate the will of a people. underm ine the very values under which it was elected?

Something happened last week in the West Bank that The answer lies in how free and democratic societies are reflects on the course o f US foreign policy in the M iddle East. formed. There is a path dependency to the political develop­ The electoral victory o f Hamas is a resounding endorsement m ent o f nations. The US cannot ignore history in attem pting to of tactics that clearly fall into the category o f crimes against transplant its values to another nation. More so, we cannot humanity. This comes as a shock to the sentiments of an turn a blind eye to the fact that w e aren't living our values by administration that believed that democratic elections would evangelizing "freedom." It's m yopic to hope that when the displace suicide bom bs with diplomacy.

Americans enter Iraq bearing guns and waving Americans flags It was said long before the invasion that you cannot that the Iraqi people will welcom e the freedom they proclaim impose a set o f values on a people and expect them to be to deliver. The collective m em ory o f the Iraqis is absent a adopted with open arms. The citizens o f an occupied nation

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notion o f life in a free and open society. This fact, coupled with America's status as an occupying nation, will not bring about the sort o f society it hopes to gift to the Iraqis.

And therein lies the failure of the Bush Doctrine. America cannot support the spread of democracy w hen the will o f the people is with leaders that are against it. This failure has been evidenced by recent elections in the Middle East—namely the rise o f the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the election of M ahm oud Ahmadinejad in Iran, the form ation o f a coalition in Iraq that is hardly secular or m oderate and now the victory of Hamas.

When Americans proclaim support for freedom , they indi­ cate that they will support whatever government the people of a nation legitimately elect. But the United States cannot nego­ tiate with terrorists. And the US m ost certainly cannot negoti­ ate with democratically elected terrorists. The US cannot force freedom upon people and then refuse to recognize the prod­ uct o f free choice. What will Rumsfeld do when Iraqis freely elect leaders that deconstruct a free and democratic society w ith the support o f their constituents? Rummy's outlook does­ n 't look rosy anymore. ■

tFie mcgill tribune | 3 1.1.06 | opinion

E D I T O R I A L

I M c G ill T rib u n e Vol. 25,,Issue 19 E d it o r - in - C h ief

Liz Allemang editor@mcgilltribune.com M a n a g in g E d it o r s

Jennifer Jett Andrew Segal seniored@mcgilltribune.com N e w s E d it o r s

Robert Church James Gotowiec Niall Mackay Roberts news@mcgilltribune.com F ea tu r es E d it o r s

Genevieve Jenkins Cristina Markham features@mcgilltribune.com A & E E d it o r s

Ben Lemieux Melissa Price arts@mcgilltribune.com S p o r t s E d it o r s

David Blye Adam Myers sports@mcgilltribune.com P h o t o ED noR S

Lukas Bergmark Vladimir Eremin photo@mcgilltribune.com C o p y E d it o r

Traci Johnson copy@mcgilltribune.com D e s ig n E d it o r s

Matt Campbell Tiffany Choy Geneviève Friesen design@mcgilltribune.com O

n l in e

E d it o r

S econ d

plicity of QM itself), supporters were told to come ast week saw at least tw o displays of good oldto the blood drive and "lie about [their] sexual his­ fashioned democracy on campus. On Jan. 23, tory." When Héma-Québec representatives found many students voted in the 39th general elec­ tion, and a very few may have even helped to electout that some of those in line were going to lie a Conservative minority. Days later at the bloodabout their past, they rightfully took action and shut drive in the Shatner building, a group of studentsdown the blood drive.

SSMU President Adam Conter called Hemacalling themselves the Second Cumming organized Quebec's actions "unwarranted" and "amateurish."

Operation Tainted Love, a protest against HémaHe and other supporters o f the protest claim that Québec's ban on blood donations from men who the idea behind Operation Tainted Love was to get have sex with men (MSM). We can live (very tem ­ those already eligible to lie and become ineligible to porarily, at least) with the result of the election. We give. They need to take a step back and consider have more trouble living with the result o f the the situation: An e-mail was sent to members of the protest queer com m unity in which students were asked to Those of us w ho buy ink by the barrel should deceive blood collectors. Even if, as organizers not be passing judgm ent on the policies o f Hémaclaim, no one planned to lie with the intent to Québec—there are many more qualified people donate ineligible blood, Héma-Québec has a duty w ho are paid much more to do so. Whether MSM to safeguard the blood supply. Under circumstances should be allowed to give blood is not the primary where the eligibility of donors was in question, it is issue here. And regardless of the position one takes reasonable for the blood drive's director to take the on that policy, the right to protest by those who dis­ action he did. agree must be acknowledged.

However, this particular protest was poorly conceived and poorly executed, and it should not DARK H U M O U R be condoned by anyone. The Students' Society, in particular, made a serious misstep in defending the Kf J o A© M c D c a c i / Î oi, w e protestors, as it did in a press release sent to stu­ dents by e-mail on Thursday. ^ * ^ 6? 7 0 b l o c d . Y o t/ <\Ge First, the protest was aimed at the wrong peo­ y o o r b lo o d ^ H ow a ple. The nurses and volunteers staffing the blood drive don't make policy. Moreover, according to Queer McGill, many of them already agree that Héma-Québec should revisit the MSM issue.

Members o f Second Cumming should direct their efforts at those officials w hom still need convincing.

More importantly, the protest kept people from giving blood. Organizers have said that this was not their intent, but this was the result nonethe­ less. Given that protesters recognize the importance of a strong blood supply—and that the ostensible goal o f the protest was to allow for more people to donate b lo o d -th e strategy was self-defeating. In fact, even if the protest had gone according to plan and many had simply lined up to donate with the intention of being rejected, the logic of slowing down the process is questionable at best, malicious and dangerous at worst.

Most disturbingly, protesters were encouraged to lie. In a mass e-mail sent through the Queer McGill listserv (albeit without the support or com­

L

OFF

THE

Marco Avolio online@mcgilltribune.com A d v e r t is in g M

P u b l ish e r

Chad Ronalds ONLINE AT WWW.MCGILLTRIBUNE.COM

C o n t r ib u t o r s

Kayvon Afshari, Eric Alper, Mohit Arora,Tessa Blanchfield, Leila Brillson, Carol Burbank, Elizabeth Campbell, Margaux Carson, Julie Collins, Sarah Fraser, Rory Gangbar, Melissa Gaul, Ezra Glinter, Jamie Goodman, Meaghan Hoyle, Kelly Harris, Adam Heller, Mohammad Miraly, Oliver Nguyen, Danielle Roessler, Mikelis Steprans, Vincci Tsui, Lisa Varano T r ib u n e O

ffices

Editorial. Shatner University Centre, Suite 110, 3 4 8 0 McTavish, Montreal Q C Tel: 514.398.6789 Fax. 514.398.1750 Advertising. Brown Student Building, Suite 1200, 3 60 0 McTavish, Montreal Q C H 3 A 1Y2 Tel. 514.398.6806 Fax. 514.398.7490

That SSMU is wading into this issue is equally disconcerting. Executives have argued that Council has already passed a motion on the matter and that they were merely following established policy.

However, the motion only mandated SSMU to work with Queer McGill on the issue, and to send a let­ ter to Héma-Québec asking for justification o f its policy. Since Second Cumming is not affiliated with Queer McGill, it is puzzling that SSMU would find it necessary to defend the group's actions, especially in light of the methods used and the outcome achieved.

This issue of whether MSM should be allowed to give blood deserves student attention, and should be decided on scientific merits. Until it is, those who oppose the status quo must be allowed to protest but they should not be allowed to do so in a way that keeps Héma-Québec from collecting blood. Unfortunately, this protest did exactly that, and our student leaders should have the courage to come out and say so. ■

by IA M IE G O O D M A N

r » o ,fè .o J l^ ' \ d c l l, I d o n ’t le e J

th in k

w a /H

JEN N IFER JETT

g am es and

taking advantage of these opinion pages to point ou're all going to think I'm crazy, but here out something that news articles can't quite come goes. While some people have found them ­ right out and say: This whole process has been selves hooked on caffeine, nicotine or loosely one giant fuck-up. prescribed sleeping pills, I lived with a far more Let's recap, shall we? frightening and stigmatized addiction.

May 20 04 : In her quest for corporate-style I was addicted to SSMU. efficiency, Principal Heather Munroe-Blum down­ As a Tribune news editor for tw o years, I sizes Board m em bership from 4 5 to 26. became unusually obsessed with student politics, Previously, undergraduate students held tw o seats, m ore so than was necessary. Who was on which one voice-only seat for the SSMU president and committee? Who had it out for whom? When one voting seat for an elected representative. Now Council rolled around every second Thursday, I'd they hold one. look around the office in mock defeat, saying with October 20 04 : Council votes to assign the a sigh, "I can cover it tonight, I guess." But secretly, single seat to the SSMU president, since he already I looked forward to it. Not even The O.C. could tear sits on so many other university bodies. m e away.

November 20 04 : According to Board rules, This year I have developed a healthy detach­ the SSMU president cannot hold a voting seat ment, only caving in to attend Council two, maybe unless he takes at least 18 credits over the aca­ three times, and even then only briefly. Every now demic year. At a Board meeting, SSMU tries to and then, however, an issue comes up that is so change this rule, because m ost presidents don't mind-numbingly, teeth-grindingly infuriating that I m eet the threshold. The meeting is a disaster, and have to throw in m y tw o cents. This time, the issue the m otion fails miserably. is—now don't leave m e just yet—undergraduate March 2005: Students approve a constitution­ representation on the Board o f Governors.

Undergraduate representation on the Board— al am endm ent to eliminate the Board representa­ tive as a separate position. The Board still w on't the university's highest governing body and holder budge on the 18-credit requirement. The unofficial o f its purse strings—has been in flux since students SSMU position is, "Meh, it'll probably work out." approved a hasty am endm ent to the SSMU Fall 20 05 : The SSMU seat on the Board Constitution last spring. Putting this am endm ent bn remains vacant; President Adam Conter can attend the table was a questionable decision in the first meetings but has no vote. The undergraduate seat place, and now students are paying for it So I'm

Y

le a v e

BOARD

S t u d e n t s p la y B o a r d

anager

Paul Slachta advmgr@ssmu.mcgill.ca

C u m m i n g : Y o u ’v e c o m e , n o w

9

lo s e

on the powerful Executive Committee goes to the Post-Graduate Students' Society instead.

O ctober 2 0 0 5 : SSMU appoints form er Management Senator Kalanga Joffres as an interim Board representative.

January 20 06 : Joffres leaves for a semester abroad; SSMU has yet to appoint a replacement.

Spring 20 06 : Before students can elect a new Board representative, they have to approve a con­ stitutional am endm ent reinstating the position and reversing the am endm ent they approved last year.

Spring 20 07 : Assuming the am endm ent passes this spring, undergraduate students can finally elect a Board representative for the first tim e in three years.

So if all goes according to plan, by 2007, stu­ dents will be back in the same place they were in 2004. Now that's progress.

This is not a case of the administration screw­ ing students over, at least not directly; this is a case of SSMU rushing forward with a decision without making sure everything was in place. The adminis­ tration doesn't have to undermine student representation-w e can do that all on our own.

What can individual students do to fix this mess? Short o f lobbying Board m embers to change their minds on the 18-credit requirement— and voting in the referendum this spring—there isn't much.

But they can be mad as hell about it. ■

The McGill Tribune is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Students' Society of McGill University, in collaboration with the Tribune Publication Society. Letters to the editor may be sent to letters@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, homopfiobic, 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.

opinion | 31.1.06 | the mcgill tribune

10

L e tte rs to th e e d ito r H é m a-Q ué bec good, S S M U bad The Students' Society may condem n Hém a-Québec for shutting down the blood drive, but I do not. Héma-Québec's mandate is to provide good, clean, safe blood to the population. The legacy left by the Canadian Red Cross, when Hepatitis C was found in the reserve blood supply and people got vari­ ous diseases from transfusions, is one where many people didn't trust the blood supply at all. Hém a-Québec has worked hard to counter this image.

Since it took over blood collection in September 1998, it has had an impecca­ ble record, and its questionnaire serves to ensure that Quebecers will receive the safest possible blood. If you've spent m ore than six m onths in Western Europe, you're not allowed to give blood; if in the last year you've had sex with som eone whose sexual history you don't know, you're not allowed to donate blood; and yes, if you're a man w ho has sex w ith men, you are not allowed to donate blood.

All of these precautions serve to ensure that the blood supply is clean and safe. I am by no means saying that gay men are promiscuous, or that all gay men have STIs; I am simply stating that Héma-Québec feels that this is one of many groups of the population w ho are m ore likely to have blood-transmitted infections. The AIDS and Hepatitis C tests aren't infallible, as was shown dur­ ing the Red Cross' era, and I think w e need to look at this not as a way to mar­ ginalize or discriminate against m en w ho have sex with men, but rather as a way to ensure that the blood supply is as safe as possible.

The SSMU press release noted that the protesters' "obvious intent was to exclude more people from the blood supply in solidarity w ith those already rejected," but this served only to ensure that Héma-Québec w ould collect less blood. What a positive way to protest.

Allison Moore U1 Chemistry Thanks fo r th e backhanded c o m p lim e n t Thanks to Lauren Consky for her article on Patrick Dream and Mile End Records ("House: not just for living in," 24.1.06). Although I wish she had writ­ ten a m ore inform ed article, she still gets m y props for bringing Montreal's underground dance music scene to people's attention.

I'm not at all surprised by her verdict on Chez Nous because it's not easy to define the so-called "Montreal sound." You can ask 10 different jocks to describe what it is and you'll get 10 different answers, which says m ore about the diversity of our dance music scene than anything else. There are some high points and lo w points on the CD (for m e at least), but overall Chez Nous is m ore a prom otion o f Montreal's talents than a showcase of the Montreal sound.

To get a better appreciation for the scene, you'll have to forget about that commercial cheese on Mix96 and stay away from those mainstream clubs on St-Laurent.

Oh yeah, Angel Moraes left Stereo in 20 03 . You can now catch him at Parking from tim e to tim e and at Salon Daome about once a month.

Hank Wang U3 Civil Engineering

SUDOKUS

FOR

Guest Soap

o n Ira q ROMAN LOONIS according to the Global Policy Forum, "the very day in Iraq, as American soldiers new Iraqi constitution, greatly influenced by and civilians perish at the hands of US advisors, guarantees a major role for for­ "improvised explosive devices," evi­ eign companies." W hat happened to dence of a relentless insurgency dedicated President Bush's, remarks in March 2003 to the proliferation of terror mounts. At one that the "oil wells belong to the Iraqi peo­ tim e there was a slim hope that a new elec­ ple?' tion would mark the arrival of peace and Recent polls in Iraq reveal that Iraqis freedom. Yet following last month's elec­ and the major oil-workers union oppose the tions, claims o f widespread fraud, voter de-nationalization of the oil reserves. The intim idation and delayed vote counting Iraqi will clearly contradicts the American marred the early optimism. agenda. Thus, can a country truly become Degrading security has pushed the pre­ democratic when it is not independent? carious social equilibrium out o f balance.

'As oil corrupts the political landscape in Terrified Shiites are now migrating into safer, Iraq, so do religious and ethnic differences more religiously uniform neighborhoods, as perturb the social landscape. The Sunnis, a suspicious Sunnis are fighting for their lives minority Muslim group, ruled Iraq since and places in society. As tensions mount, Saddam Hussein cam e to power. the central conundrum of Iraq remains: Can Resentment ferm ented and religious zeal Iraq become a democracy? grew within Shiite circles during the Saddam In a country composed of three distinct regime. So with the rapid shift of power to social groups and possessing enormous oil the Shiites follow ing the war, disputes reserves, Iraq has been the target of foreign between the tw o religious groups have fos­ domination and civil strife for over a centu­ tered violence, assassinations and bom b­ ry. To become independent and democrat­ ings. Sunni-Shiites marriages are in perilous ic, Iraq m ust grasp its own history, establish decline, a symbol of this deepening gap complete sovereignty by rejecting foreign between communities. interference and understand its own ethnic In addition to this existing religious and religious plurality. instability, the Kurds, a people of IndoWith the world's second-largest oil European descent, have a culture and lan­ reserves, Iraq is the pot of gold at the end of guage different from those of the Iraqis. the rainbow for oil-driven nations and profitWith a total population o f 30 million dis­ driven companies. As early as 1914, the persed in Southwest Asia, the Kurds repre­ British government deployed-troops in Basra sent one of the largest ethnic groups w ith­ to control the Persian oil fields. Following the out a homeland. Under Saddam, the Kurds First World War, the United States, France sought autonom y and received death by the and Britain negotiated complex agreements thousands. Today, the Kurds will continue to on the division of the oil-rich lands. Until work for autonom y and the first Kurdish 1972 and the rise o f Saddam, the Iraq state. With feuding Sunnis and Shiites and Petroleum Company, a consortium of autonomy-seeking Kurds, a simplistic, west­ American, French and British interests, main­ ern-im posed democratization of Iraq is tained a m onopoly of Iraq’s oil resources. futile.

There is no doubt that America's new Let there be no mistake. The road to involvement in Iraq is simply a continuation democracy does not end with a quick trip to of ancient practices. Spurred by economic the ballot box. It is instead a long and wind­ weakness and growing energy dependence, ing path through a treacherous mountain US foreign policy dictates nothing less than pass. ■ resource control in Iraq. Companies close to the Bush administration have won lucrative Roman Loonis is a U1 Microbiology student oil deals worth billions of dollars. Moreover,

E

ALL!

So it seems w e 've been a b it remiss in exp la ining h o w to g e t in on this sudoku craze. In th e interest o f fillin g space (and fillin g o u r dear readers in, o f course), w e present th e rules o f sud oku—sim p le en ou gh so th a t even M a n a g e m e n t students can handle the m .

Sudoku is a n u m b e r puzzle on a 9 x 9 g rid. The goal is to fill in th e g rid so th a t each n u m b e r one th ro u g h nine is placed o n ly once in each row, co lu m n and 3x3 box. If yo u fin d th e same n u m b e r appearing tw ice in any row , co lu m n o r 3x3 box, yo u 've m ade a m istake. T rying to retroa ctively fix it, th o u g h , is alm ost im possible. So these best be done in pencil.

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C H A TTE R B O X

campus

T h e s e s h o e s w e r e n ’t m a d e f o r w a lk in g

SILHOUETTE — SCRIVENER

But Al Cabino thinks they

L it w its , t a k e n o t e

should have been

Twenty-five years later, Scrivener is still on the scene C R IS T IN A M A R K H A M With so many publications to choose from at McGill, it w ould seem that a creative writer's only real problem w ould be choosing where to subm it her work. But among the m ultitude o f creative reviews and short story collections, Scrivener has managed to be a lynchpin in the university's liter­ ary scene for over 25 years. With submissions com ing not only from Montreal and McGill, but from writers all over the world, Scrivener showcases work that is diverse, integral and, above all, unique.

This- is due in large part to the publica­ tion 's devot­ ed editors.

To take on a job in which one is going to be so constantly im m ersed in poetry, a love of poetry itself is obvi­ ously neces­ sary.

Lisa G uim ond and A n y affiliation w ith Leonard Cohen autom atically makes any publication cool.

Al Cabino, w ho calls him self the "internationally fam ous sneakerographer from the friend­ ly but frozen land o f Canada," is a sneaker activist. You m ight think the tw o words really don't belong together, but Cabino's petition to get the Nike McFly sneaker made has in fact turned sneaker consum ption into a cause for activism. Although he doesn't have a full-tim e career right now, Cabino is working on a num ber of projects. He says he's considering writing a book on sneaker culture and sneaker activism, if the market is there, and he's been approached with offers to make a Michael Moore-esque film about his quest for the Back to the Future mythical McFly sneaker. In addition, Cabino works as his ow n PR agent, fielding interviews from high school and MacLean's journalists alike.

The mission that’s attracted so much attention? His petition for Nike to make a McFly sneaker like the ones Michael J. Fox wore in Back to the Future. It's a cause that's been adopted by celebrities, randoms and other sneaker culture fanatics—over 3,700 individuals have added their electronic signature to the petition since last November.

W hy are yo u d o in g this? I'm just a regular guy.

I'm not doing this to get on Entertainment Tonight or be a presenter at the Oscars. I'm not doing this because I own a sneaker store or factory, or because I own stock in Nike. This is a pure petition.

Describe "sneaker activism." I am credited with coining the term "sneaker activism." I am applying activism to sneaker culture. There's old-style activism with people like Naomi Klein. This is new-style activism. The traditional activists are saying yes, Cabino is an activist, but they try to make nuances because they're uncom fortable w ith me. But they can't beat Oxford. They can't A n d r e w beat Merriam Webster. If you look in the dictionary, you'll see, I'm an activist. This all started with Cleland, the magazine's poetry editors, clearly share that love, and it comes through in the devotion a simple question, can sneaker activism work? I w o n't know the answer until I go to Nike, to to their Wbrk. Both claim to have been drawn to the poetry section of the magazine because o f the Beaverton. unique ability poetry has to push the limits of language and because o f the synthesis that can occur W hat is so special ab ou t this pair o f sneakers? The McFlys are the Holy Grail o f movie between the m eter and the content. Cleland simply describes this fusion as "a cohesion." sneakers. The McFlys were created just for the film, they were never worn beyond the silver Scrivener's poetry section receives submissions from approximately 50 writers per issue, which screen. They're the m ost mythical sneakers in film history. can mean upwards of 150 individual poems. Guim ond and Cleland are responsible for reading each W hat does Nike th in k ab o u t you r petition? I gave the Nike people an update on m y proj­ and every one o f these pieces and finding the select few that will be published. Guimond, w ho has ect. I let them know that I'm here doing the petition, and that once I get a respectable num ber been with the magazine since August, describes the process: o f signatures, I'm visiting them at their headquarters.

"Fortunately, Andrew and I have a similar vision, so we're able to split up the work 5 0 /5 0 , and Right after I started th e petition, I was contacted by som eone at Nike. He said "Al, this is then com e together with the pieces that stood out or grabbed our attention. We then go through and big. You are on the Nike Inc. global intranet. Usually the only thing on there is very im portant read every single one we've ch o se n -o u t loud." stuff for the employees." And I was on there. A fe w days in they were already talking about it.

This process is lengthy and involved, but it allows G uim ond and Cleland to be sure that they've Why did you get in to sneakers? I love sneakers but I'm not one-dimensional; I love really selected what they feel are the best pieces. Asked to describe what makes a great poem, activism, movies, media, pizza. My childhood sneaker m em ories have a lot to do with rocking Cleland simply stated, "We look for pieces that answer the question, 'So what?' We have so many tal­ brand new kicks and doing the dance moves from Thriller. Sneakers are fun. ented and established writers contributing, but w e need to be certain that the pieces we choose are Do you like Back to the Future as a movie? Yes. actually saying something, and have a cohesion between form and content." Similarly, G uim ond says So are you a M ichael J. Fox fan? Yes, he's this young Canadian guy w ho made it really big she looks for som ething that "could not have possibly be done better and feels like it could have in Hollywood. He's an international superstar. We don't really have any royals in Canada, and in the New World celebrity culture tends to replace the culture o f royalty. occurred only once in this moment."

W hat o th e r brands o r products do you fin d inspiring? The Nintendo Revolution. I'm a While being put under the microscope for such an intense editorial process may deter som e j longtim e Nintendo fan, and the joystick design is very intriguing. If Nintendo is reading the inter­ writers, it is this very devotion to the quality o f the writing that should encourage people to subm it view and wants to send m e a Nintendo Revolution, please, go ahead. their work to Scrivener. Both editors agree that subm itting work to a publication is an excellent way Has M ontreal had an im pact on you r w ork? Vice magazine was born in Montreal. So was to make yourself a part o f the writing com m unity and to share a part o f yourself with this group.

Dov Charney and Naomi Klein. We're this w hole generation of people w ho are born o f brutal Cleland elaborates: 'There are som e amazing writers in this community, and while w e don't think that honesty. I love that. ■ our writing is God's gift, w e are writing." Guimond, on a much m ore personal note, argues that when a piece is published, the author is literally giving a part of themselves to the community, and it is this | If you w ant to learn m ore about Cabino's cause or to sign the petition, check out experience that makes w riting worthwhile. She sums up her argument with the succinct and poignant operationmcfly.blogspot.com. rejoinder, "If you don't write it, no one else will!"

Interested in writing, reading o r editing for Scrivener? Subm it your creative work to f —Compiled by Genevieve Jenkins scrivener.review@gmail.com by Feb. 6 and book reviews by Feb. 17. For information on upcoming events and new issues, visit arts.mcgill.ca/english/scrivener. ■

03 ~Ü

WHAT...

WHO...

cy

*lntro to Alien Abduction

McGill Society of UFO appreciation

ro

*G ripe about grad school apps.

Andrew Segal

*Jack Bauer appreciation day

McGill 24 Society

*Smokers unite!

Pro-Smokers Union

WHEN...

WHERE...

CONTACT...

Lower field

thetruthisoutthere@ gmail.com

Trib Office

busierthanthou@ gmail.com

Feb. 6, 8:0 0 pm

Veggierama

Lheart_america@ hotmail.com

Feb. 3, 5:0 0 pm

In front o f Sadie's

lungsfulloftar@gmail.com

Jan. 31, m idnight - Every damn day

u

to C

E

l

ro u

***See how these listings are ju st TOO good to be true? To avoid showing up for an event that doesn't (sigh) exist... Submit your listings! Advertise to the masses! Give us your money!

Advertise your event! For only a toonie you can get a listing in the print and on-line editions o f the Trib. Drop by the SSMU Office (Shatner building, Suite 1200) to pick up a form. Deadlines are Fridays at 3:3 0 p.m. For m ore information call 3 9 8.67 89 or e-mail calendar@ mcgilltribune.com

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Y o u ’v e b e e n a

In d ia n b u f f e t w o r th y

d irty , d irty b o y ...

o f a k in g ...

When cheap swill just won’t cut it, shake up some dirty martinis

...that even a student can afford G ENEVIEVE JE N K IN S If you've taken the bold step of moving out of the McGill Ghetto to the Concordia side | j o f town, you may be short of ideas for where to eat. Fortunately, the west side is hom e to some of the greatest and cheapest restau­ rants in town. Among the best is Bombay Palace, an Indian buffet-style restaurant with low prices for m enu-order items as well as :j lunch and din) ner buffets.

One of the best things about this buffet I is its variety; it • changes every day, so you can Î go back any I nu m be r of Iftim e s and expect to encounter new and incredibly [tantalizing entrees such as lam b chops, [tandoori chick­ en, a wide muljtiplicity o f cur­ ries, butter chicken and salm on tikka.

The veggie entrees can include palak parreer (a mix; ture o f spinach T and Indian ' cheese), jeera ;; aloo (potatoes | . sautéed w ith cum in and I herbs), tadka I daal (a yellow lentil dish), daal makhani (a ; black lentil dish) and cauliflower masala.

The vegetarian and meat-eater friendly ; buffet makes it an ideal location for groups with varying food preferences. Unlimited naan bread (served hot) and an expansive dessert buffet make the perfect additions to an already amazing meal. Aside from traditional Indian desserts like gulab jam un (described, [for those w ho don't know, as "reduced milk balls served in rose-flavoured sugar syrup and a touch o f cardamon"), Bombay Palace serves about a dozen types o f ice cream, meaning you can take friends w ho haven't adapted : their taste buds to Montreal’s many types of cuisine.

The best news: you can eat until you're

J

satisfied that you've tried enough of every­ thing, sit back for a while, then start eating again. You can skip from the salad bar to the entrees, from the soups to the desserts, o r a l switch it around. Enjoy the fact that you're not at hom e and you do n't have to eat dessert; last; make the best o f the big plates; com bine the spicy and the sweet so your m outh has tim e to recover. Bombay Palace offers no; only glut-worthy quantities o f food, but also quality unrivaled in “ “ Montreal. For those searching fo r a n il authentically cultural f f consum ption experi­ ence, you'll be happy to know that there are actual Indians | l who eat in th e ; restaurant If you d o n 't have a big appetite or d o n't appreciate ‘i;;; variability in y o u r » food, consider order­ ing from the menu. 8 Soups are o n ly ® $1.95, appetizers are $4-7 and the m o s tjjj expensive entrees are under $16. You can add the unique flavour o f a mango lassi (sw eetened b u tte rm ilk and m ango) to your meal fo r only $2 .50 or order wine or Indian beer.

The chefs from the Bombay Palace restaurants recently cam e tog e th e r to create The Bombay , Palace Cookbook, so if you're not willing to spend the m oney for a nightly feast, spend $25 on the cookbook and do it yourself. You • can even look into purchasing a Bombay Palace apron to feel m ore professional (they're sold in the restaurant). ■

CRISTINA MARKHAM Boréale and Tornade, as delicious as they may be, lose their lustre after a while. If you're ready to say goodbye to cheap beer, if only for one night, mix up a batch o f dirty martinis. They're sassy, swanky, and just sophisticated enough to make alcoholism seem classy.

3.

Strain the contents o f the shaker into th e glasses, and garnish w ith as many olives as your heart desires.

These go especially w ell w ith fedoras, Frank Sinatra and sly, subtle flirtation. *

For tw o martinis: 2 oz vodka or gin 1 tbsp dry vermouth 2 tbsp olive juice 4 to 8 olives 1. Chill the glass, either by sticking it in the freezer for a few hours or placing som e ice cubes in it.

2. Fill a cocktail shaker (and if you do n't own one, you should be absolutely asham ed o f yourself) w ith the alcohol, olive juice and a handful of ice cubes. Cover tightly, and shake until the outside o f the container is frosted over.

O N -C A M PU S

IPOD

CLIMAX: Ten songs that put out in the end—a mix by JEREMY JOHNSTON-KAYE, sales supervi­ sor of the McGill Computer Store 1. Cassandra Geminni - The Mars Volta 2. Hotline Operator - The Constantines 3. A Poor Man's M em ory - Explosions in the Sky 4. Decrescendo - Rx Bandits 5. Idaho - These Arms are Snakes 6. Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt - The Mars Volta 7. Peacock Skeleton With Crooked Feathers -

Restaurant: Bombay Palace Address: 2201 Ste-Catherine W. Phone: 931-7141 B uffet Prices: Monday-Thursday lunch: $8.9S; dinner: $13.95 Friday-Saturday lunch: $9.95; dinner: $13.95

•*

The Blood Brothers

>

8. I Would Hurt A Fly - Built to Spill 9. Drop O ut - Converge 10. Ghostship Part V - The Fall of Troy

—Compiled by Cristina Markham

R E C I P E —

P A S T A

F R O M

the mcgill tribune | 3 1. 1.06 | student living

S C R A T C H

13

Feeling a little random ?

N ig e lla , e a t y o u r h e a r t o u t

Write a random article for features ! features@mcgilltribune.com

Turn a stereotypical university meal into a gourmet endeavour There's nothing like a ridiculously tim e-consum ing recipe to serve as an excuse to stay in all night with your loved one. If you need to do som ething with your hands to keep them off each other for a few hours, try making pasta...from scratch.

Begin by shaping into a m ound on a clean counter: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/ 2 cups w hole wheat flour Make a w ell in the m iddle o f the m ound; inside it, add: 5 large eggs or 7 egg whites 1 tsp salt 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil Lightly beat the eggs w ith a fork until everything is mixed and slightly thickened. Then, using your fingertips, gradually incorporate the flour in w ith the eggs. (This is where m ost recipes lead you a little astray-they forget to m ention one last ingredient... another person to catch the egg mixture as it breaks out o f the flou r m ound and leaks all over the counter).

EventuaUy all the egg will be incorporated with the flour, you just need to be ballsy (that, or Italian); if the dough seems dry add a bit of water.

Next, knead the dough for about ten m inutes until if* is satiny and elastic (it should feel pretty firm ). Then divide the dough into four equal parts, cover each section with an inverted bowl, and let rest for about 30 minutes.

If you're making pasta from scratch, you may as well be extra hardcore and make stuffed pasta.

All Ages*No Experience*No Degree*

Filling: 1 3 0 0g container of ricotta 1 bag of fresh spinach pepper and salt to taste

1 - 8 8 8 - 2 7 0 - 2 9 4 1

W ilt and drain/squeeze off excess water from the spinach, then finely chop it. Com bine the ricotta with the spinach, salt and pepper to taste, then mix. Done.

Everyone in university may not have a rolling pin, but everyone in university has a wine bottle, and either will do to roll out the pasta. Lightly flour your surface and your 'pin and roll out one section o f the dough, working from the centre outwards then turning the do jg h a quarter, all the while putting your weight on top o f tire pin. If s a little hard to get it as thin as the recipe calls fo r so some stretching o f the dough is required. Wind a third of the dough onto the pin, place your palm on the centre of the dough and gently push the pin away from you (the dough shouldn't break; it's pretty strong). Also, to stretch it side­ ways, roll the dough a quarter o f the way onto the pin and run your palms over the dough, starting from the centre and working your way outwards. Basically, you w ant the dough to be as thin as possible.

Then ifs as easy as cutting out the desired shape in the pasta (a heart maybe?), plopping som e filling in the m iddle o f it, running a w et finger around the edges o f the shape and covering it with another piece o f the pasta.

Cook in a pot o f boiling water for about four minutes, or until all the pasta is floating. Instead of sauce, try tossing the cooked pasta with just a bit of extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper—that way you can really taste the pasta.

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features A d e a th w ith o u t re a s o n Continued from cover the second tim e in his academic career. He was, by all accounts, an accomplished and popular young man.

Amy Steele, U2 International Developm ent Studies and Psychology, w ent to high school w ith Lumley.

"He was such a character, so loving and nice to every­ one," Steele reflects. She noted that Lumley's unparalleled ability to laugh at himself—w hether battling his Anglophone accent in French class or sporting a leather bom ber jacket with his Speedo at swim meets—endeared him to those around him.

"Everyone knew w ho he was," Steele adds. "Everyone liked him."

Lumley also had a profound im pact during his three years at Trent. Though he was focused in his academic studies, Lumley also devoted much tim e to swimming, attending practice every morn[pg.

"He was a really popular guy and had a real presence on campus," says Bill Byrick, director o f athletics at Trent.

"He enjoyed a good tim , but at the same tim e gave 150 per cent [to swimming]."

O f course no one was fonder of Lumley than his mother, Elaine. According to Elaine, Aidan was extremely bright and could "laugh his way out o f any situation with his easy smile." She beams with pride at w hat he accom­ plished.

"Everything was going so well for Aidan," Elaine says in a phone interview with the Tribune. "He had an amazing group o f friends, he was doing really w ell in school, his swim m ing was taking off, w e were getting along so well.

That's w hat you want for your children."

Throughout his life, the tw o had been inseparable, with Elaine raising Aidan as a single mother. "I had Aidan when I was 21. Aidan and I grew up together," Elaine says.

"They were like brother and sister—they spent so much tim e together," says Max Kandler, a friend of Lumley's from high school w ho lives and works in Toronto.

"We were so close," Elaine expfains. "After every con­ versation w e had w e always told each other that w e loved each other. People say [of lost loved ones], 'If only I could talk to him one last time.’ But I always told him everything I wanted to and he w ould tell m e how he felt."

"Aidan was everything to me," Elaine says. "It's just such a loss... I feel like I've lost half o f myself."

He was just try in g to breathe' The facts on Lumley's final hours are far from clear. The Montreal police kept tigh t-lip ped im m e d ia te ly fo llo w in g Lumley's murder, and have since released little new information. Police do not have a clear m otive for the crime. There are no suspects. In an in te rvie w earlier this m onth, Elaine Lumley said that the lead detective in the case assured her that investigators w ere pursuing num erous solid leads in the case, but so far no arrests have been made.

"They can't really tell m e anything and that's fine," Elaine, w ho visited Montreal last week, notes. "I fe lt really good [about the direction o f the case] when I spoke to the police. I need to trust in the fact that they are doing the right thing and I think they are."

A id an could "laug h his w ay o u t o f any situation w ith his easy smile."

A police media relations spokesper­ son said that providing m ore specifics on have been involved in an altercation at the club, David the case could com prom ise the investigation. Though she Burke, ow ner of Vinyl, said that neither he nor his staff w it­ confirms that Lumley's m urder remains unsolved, she will nessed any kind of argum ent that night. Burke told the not com m ent on whether the police have any leads in the Gazette that he didn't believe the gunman was in the bar case. that night.

"I can't disclose the details o f the case," she says. "I Elaine Lumley has spoken to several o f her son's can't say whether or not we have a suspect or witnesses." friends w ho were with him in Montreal hoping to find Reports confirm that at least one person has been answers. She said that she is still uncertain as to how questioned in connection with the case: a man w ho drove events unfolded. the getaway car o f those believed to be involved in the "Aidan's friends [who were with him the night of the shooting. shooting] said that there was not a fight," she says, noting Some o f Lumley's friends are angered that the case that rumours of a drink being spilled are apparently untrue. remains unsolved. They wonder whether, if details of the "But the story has never been entirely clear." case had been disclosed publicly follow ing his murder, Several sources close to Aidan Lumley allege that the m ore witnesses w ould have com e forward, though none killer was at Vinyl with his girlfriend. Lumley, unaware that o f them wanted to go on the record saying so. the fem ale patron had a boyfriend, chatted with her and This much is known about the days leading up to the bought her a drink. It is unclear w hether or not Lumley and shooting. On Nov. 25, Lumley and several friends from the killer had any direct interaction in the bar. By the end Toronto and the University of Western Ontario drove to of the night, approximately nine o f the original group o f 11 Montreal in an old limousine that one o f his friends remained at the bar. Four then left Vinyl to relax in the lim ­ owned. On the night o f Nov. 26, a group o f about 11 ousine. At approximately 3 a.m. on Nov. 27, Lumley and a friends, including a couple students from McGill, w ent out friend exited the bar, with three o f his party remaining to dinner at a Greek restaurant. At approximately 11:30 inside, and approached the limo. Seconds later, Aidan's p.m., they w e nt to Vinyl Lounge, a bar with a capacity of friend turned around to see Lumley lying face down in the about 50. Though police have speculated that Lumley may street in a pool of blood. Those in the lim ousine had not even heard the tw o gunshots. Two or three men w e re seen running away from Vinyl, they then got into a nearby car and fled the scene.

Lumley was shot in the back; one of the bullets fired pierced his heart. "He was such a strong guy. I just think, if the bullet had hit him anywhere else, he w ould have survived," says Elaine Lumley. The Gazette reported that he had no last words because "he was just trying to breathe." Elaine notes that though he was officially pronounced dead at the hospital, he never really came to after being shot.

"He was just staring up blankly," she says. He died in the arms of a close friend.

A barrage of questions, a lack o f answers For Elaine, the tw o m onths follow ing Lumley's slaying have been surreal. "At a certain point, it is just so much inform ation [to deal with] that no m ore can com e in. I go blank," she says. "I am never going to see Aidan again or talk to him or know w hat he's laughing about or watch him swim. It's such an ache. You can still function but it never leaves you; it's just always there.

"I just can't get around the fact that was shot. It just seems so dirty and wrong," she says.

Steele, too, hasn't quite com e to grips with it.

She received the news on the Monday follow ing his m urder w hen she checked her voice mail while walking from one class to the next. A friend from Toronto had left a message w ith the sparse inform a­ tion she knew, w ondering if Steele, being in Montreal, had heard anything else.

"I couldn't believe it. I was shocked and con­ fused," she says. "There were so many things that

Friends and fa m ily gathered fo r a ca n d le lig h t vig il in T oronto on Jan. 6—w h a t w o u ld have been A idan's 21 st birthday.

the mcgill tribune j 3 1. 1.06 j features | 5

Will the Conservatives keep their promises on dealing with guns?

The Boxing Day shooting on dow ntow n Toronto's Yonge Street, in which six people.were injured and 15year-old Jane Creba was killed, was the culmination of a year of shocking gun violence in the city. In 2005, Toronto had 78 homicides, 52 o f which were caused by firearms—nearly twice the rate o f 2004. And this out­ break was far from confined to Toronto, as the m urder of Aidan Lumley in Montreal showed.

The spate o f gun violence is also seen by many as sparking the turning point o f the 2 0 0 6 election cam­ paign. Im m ediately after the Boxing Day shooting, with Prime Minister Paul Martin still leading in the polls, Conservative candidate Stephen Harper rolled out a tough-on-crim e stance. Martin was too late in respond­ ing, and the Conservatives took a lead they would not relinquish.

Harper's plan to deal with the issue includes repealing Bill C-68, a long-gun registry introduced in 1995 by the Liberals that has cost an estimated $1-bil­ lion. Harper intends to reinvest that m oney in hiring m ore front-line law enforcem ent officers, maintaining the existing handgun registry and bans as they apply to prohibited weapons, working with each province to develop m ore effective gun control programs and developing a $50-m illion outreach program that targets at-risk youth.

However, Political Science professor Richard

didn 't make sense about it. I had all these questions and there were no answers to any o f them . It was im possible to find out any­ thing."

Lumley's friends in Toronto, Montreal and Peterborough relayed w hat they knew to one another, struggling to understand the horrible fate that their friend had met. In the days im m ediately follow ing his death, pre­ cious little was known about Lumley's final hours, which led to m uch speculation on behalf of those w ho knew Lumley.

'The whos, wheres and whens have cer­ tainly becom e the subject o f uncertainty," says Allison Hayward, a Trent University stu­ dent and friend o f Lumley's. She noted that m any rumours circulated on the Trent cam­ pus about the violent end o f one o f their own.

"In Aidan's place, w e are left w ith only m em ories and questions," Hayward says.

"N ot only him, but his fam ily and friends, as w ell as the entire Trent com m unity, have becom e victims of gun violence."

Elaine Lumley remains optim istic that Aidan's killers will be found. "[The police] haven't forgotten about him ," she says.

Steele notes that she is frustrated still by the lack o f information. Though the possibili­ ty exists that there is little known about the circumstances surrounding Lumley's death, the relatively unpublicized nature of his m ur­ der may mislead those w h o hear about it.

"You hear about cases like this and you think, 'It's just another nightclub shooting.' To me, it's not just another nightclub shooting, he was m y friend," she said, angry at the prospect that, to som e, Lum ley could becom e just another statistic.

Steele is particularly frustrated that other murders lacking provocation—such as the shooting o f Jane Creba in Toronto on Boxing Day, or the death o f Brigette Serres, w ho was stabbed last w e ek w h ile w o rking the overnight shift at a Montreal gas s ta tio n make front-page news.

The cha ng ing face o f g u n violence In Montreal, a city considered relatively safe, university students tend to have an indi­ rect and lim ited exposure to gun violence. We know w hat w e hear in the news: Drug deal­ ers and gang m em bers do the shooting and

Schultz is skeptical as to whether the Conservatives will follow through.

"Generally, politicians do not [stick to their promis­ es] and if they do, it's only tangentially," Schultz says.

"They would say that they don't have the m oney to im plem ent w hat they promised or say, 'O n second thought, it's not the appropriate policy.' I regard m ost election promises the way one should regard advertis­ ing for snake oil or effective diets."

Elaine Lumley, Aidan's mother, says that she still hopes the Conservatives m eet the challenge of reduc­ ing gun violence through a tough approach.

"I hope that they really zero in on getting hand­ guns off o f the street," she says. 'There is no legitimate reason to have a handgun in the city. I believe there is no legitimate reason to have one at all. If you leave the house with one, you should be considered a potential killer."

Lumley adds that one o f the issues that needs addressing is how guns are making their way into Canadian hands. 'There are 51 unm anned border crossings," she says, "It's no longer drugs that are being smuggled in, it's guns. They can just drive straight through, no questions asked. It's scary."

G oin g be yon d the politics In order to effectively prevent gun violence from

becom ing an even bigger problem, larger structural issues need to be corrected, according to Sociology professor Giovani Burgos. "It's such a complex issue and attributing it to one and only one thing is really sim­ plifying it," Burgos says. 'The focus [of politicians] on reducing access to guns is a noble o n e ... but we have to take a m ore social view; w e have to focus on social conditions that produce violence."

Burgos describes Harper's proposed outreach pro­ gram as "helpful," but not effective unto itself. He explains that violence tends to occur in poor com m uni­ ties undergoing rapid social change.

"The issue is associated with increasing levels of inequality," Burgos says. 'Two things they should be talking about are reducing levels o f inequality and increasing a sense o f civic engagement."

Though she's not happy the Conservatives won, Elaine Lumley is am ong the many Canadians eager to ensure that the issue doesn't die now that the cam­ paign is over. And if the Conservatives do not stick to their promises, Schultz says, w e m ust break from tradi­ tion and actually hold them accountable in the next election.

'The attention span o f the electorate is pretty lim ­ ited, new issues com e up and people move on," he says. "All too often, w e let them get away with it." ■ —Liz Allemang

get shot; those w ho seek out trouble wind up in it thgmselves. We convince ourselves that it is a distant reality, disconnected from our own. With the shots that rang out in the early m orning hours o f the night of Nov. 27, beliefs that all violence has to be provoked were shaken to the core. The random and sense­ less nature of Lumley's m urder has prom pted many to face the fact that violence can strike any o f us at any time.

Nothing can detract from how close this killing is to the heart o f McGill. Just as Hayward notes about Trent, our university com m unity has becom e a victim o f gun vio­ lence. Lumley's shooting happened blocks from our school, m inutes from m any o f our homes. His last night was spent doing what m any of us do, at a place where m any o f us have been. He had never experienced gun violence before it ended his life. The circum­ stances surrounding Lumley's death do not allow for the further denial o f a problem that, if left ignored, will only grow worse.

'There's som ething safe in knowing that it's a gang thing," Elaine Lumley says. "But this was a beautiful young university student.

People I don't even know are just so affect­ ed."

It didn 't m atter that none o f the stereo­ types requisite for a m urder existed. When the shots were fired on Bleury, it didn 't m at­ ter that Lumley was a star athlete, a bright scholar, a loving son and friend. Nor did it matter that he was white, middle-class and m inding his ow n business.

Lum ley's death serves as a grim rem inder o f the changing face o f gun vio­ lence. No m atter how hard we try to wrap our heads around it, w e are unable to make sense of his death because there was no rea­ son for it to occur.

Even through her pain, Elaine Lumley is hoping to see a silver lining. She's hoping the population will wake up and realize that it is intolerable to accept such inexplicable acts of violence as a reality o f our society.

"As Canadians, w e should all get angry about this," Elaine Lumley says. "We're civi­ lized people, we need to say stop it. Enough."

If you have any information about the case, please call the M ontreal Police a t 280-2052.

Patrons still flock to Bleury's V in y l Lounge, unaw are o f th e tra g e d y th a t befell A id an Lumley.

SECRETS

S h h ! T e ll e v e r y o n e !

Art project provides therapy and voyeurism TESSA BLANCHFIELD

Some are used as confessions; m any are used as a way to vent anger and frustration.

7 have become a complete and total HEDONIST" The best part about having a secret is sharing i t There is a relief that follows once your secret has been revealed, laid out on the table to be acoepted or rejected by its recipi­ ents. Secrets are the easiest things to make, and the- hardest things to keep. No one can explain the irresistible urge to divulge your m ost intim ate thoughts and feelings. However, Frank Warren offers an original, anonym ous outlet to do just that: PostSecret.com.

7 wish I was Asian."

Since 20 04 , postsecretblogspotcom, con­ ceived as a com m unity art project in Maryland, has received thousands upon thousands of handm ade 4 "x 6 " postcards containing anony­ m ous secrets fro m som e very interesting indi­ viduals. Some are hilarious, others tragic.

HANDS

OFF

THE

"Life is so much easier when it's pixelated."

PostSecret has gained a lo t o f attention over the past year and a half. Warren just wrapped up his first and extremely successful exhibition o f 2 ,0 0 0 postcards in Washington, DC in December, a com pilation of the most popular secrets is now available in m ajor bookstores, and The All-American Rejects cen­ tred th e ir new m usic video, "D irty Little Secret," on the PostSecret concept. People old and young partially cover their faces w ith their ow n secret postcards w hile the band plays in front of postcards enlarged 10 tim es their orig­ inal size.

7 want to rom p naked with the head children's librarian."

Why are w e so interested in other peo­

ple's dirty laundry? Well, d o n 't you feel special when som eone chooses to share their secret w ith you? They chose you, and you alone.

Although PostSecret receives m ore than 2 ,0 0 0 unique hits a m onth, there is still a sense o f intim acy between the unknown w riter and yourself as a reader. The im portance o f the postcard, its seriousness, is impressed on the objective spectator. You respect the person for being able to finally let go o f som ething that had been a form ative part o f their life.

"Breast cancer would give me an excuse to cut them off."

Many people have fou nd validation for their own grievances just by connecting with som eone else's postcard. On both sides o f the relationship, writers and spectators have found strength to confront their ow n fears, w hether tangible or not. The Web site is sprinkled w ith e-mails from devoted fans telling stories about how they finally found th e courage to defy an

abusive boyfriend or parent, or how one post­ card m ade the m fall in love.

7 couldn't orgasm because you looked too much like JESUS!!’

Visiting PostSecret.com is like peering into a bunch of different windows, just when som ething exciting is happening. The voyeuris­ tic appeal is obvious; however, there is som e­ thin g m ore to th e project than ju st the exchange o f secrets. W hen everything today is typed up, w ith straight lines and clean edges, it's refreshing to see som ething so raw and personal. People get creative w ith their post­ cards, using photos, paint, markers and glue.

With those sim ple materials, they are capable o f conveying so m uch m ore than words can.

They tell m e that they're human, too; they're scared and excited and confused, and it's okay that I am, too.

7 have so much le ft to say to you." ■

CANVAS

A t t e n t i o n s t a r v in g a r t is t s : s e llo u t s w a n t e d TESSA BLANCHFIELD and MELISSA PRICE elissa: I love seeing road trips portrayed on film . On screen, road trips seem to be all about blasting good music with great friends while doing basically noth­ ing.

There's this commercial around right now that's exactly like that. It's beautifully shot, with a trio o f scruffy, hot young things laughing as they drive through hilly green roads. Then, a garish set o f golden arches creeps into view.

Yep, it's a McDonald's commercial. What's worse, it goes on to wax poetic about the com fort in the fact that we can now get a Big Mac pretty much anywhere w e go. Quite love­ ly, considering the company's basically bragging about its rampant financial takeover o f a growing chunk of the world.

That's really awful.

It w ouldn't have annoyed m e so much if it had just been an ordinary McDonald's ad, in which basketball-playing teens attem pt to raise the street cred of McNuggets. This one was really well done, and I was already interested in it before I even thought to care about w hat it was advertising, so it was that much m ore o f a blow when the voiceover reminded me that it's difficult to go far w ithout encountering the looming spectre o f a McDonald's sign. That's not a good thing, peo­ ple.

Still, the commercial is infectiously feel-good. The direc­ tor has the talent to capture the kind o f m om ent between

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close friends when no one needs to talk, laughter comes eas­ ily and anything can happen, all in a short but visually rich dip. It just happens to have a McDonald's ad stuck to it, adding it to a growing list o f great commercials that I'd be less reluctant to call art if they w eren't trying to sell m e things.

Our current culture isn't particularly friendly to artists: M ost people w ould rather watch TV than venture out to an art show or indie movie. Commercials put your name out there and pay the rent, so it's no wonder so many of our ads are taking a m ore artistic bent. When it's betw een.being called a sellout and living on ramen noodles and paste for three years, it's hard to predict how you'll react.

That said, stop with the goddamned beautiful pro-glob­ alization commercials already, you fucking sellout.

Tessa: Life is m ade out of a series of m om ents—it is up to us to decide w hat to do w ith them. This is the message Glen Hunt eloquently conveys in his poem "Moments." The narrative poem is solem nly profound and beautiful. Luckily, Hunt's poetry has recently been exposed to m illions upon m illions of people—not via the old-fashioned m edium o f the printed word, but through Lexus car commercials on televi­ sion. You know which ad I'm talking about? That 30-second stint that really makes you think? You need to see this com ­ mercial. It is one o f the m ost creative uses o f advertising tim e

that I have ever witnessed, and I watch a lot o f TV. Hunt was also behind the passionate "I Am Canadian" Molson beer rants responsible for fostering renewed drunk­ en pride in the Great W hite North. Glen H unt is clearly a tal­ ented poet, w ith genuine appeal to the general public. Every aspect o f the car commercial is deeply ephemeral. The aes­ thetic elem ent o f Hunt's words is only augmented by the beautiful blue-hued images flashing in front o f your face and the gentle, sad music in the background.

The poets, painters and storywriters o f the past have becom e the scriptwriters, graphic designers and advertising agents of the present. Advertising is the m ost accessible form of contemporary art that exists today. Instead o f cutting their ears off in misery or scraping by on crumbs for sustenance, som e m odern-day artists have becom e corporate nine-tofivers. They are getting paid, while still remaining creative. Of course, the world will always have a need for starving artists and passionate (if pretentious) poets, but many right-brainers ^a ve cashed in on their talents and dum bed down their work for the general public. However, if we're lucky, once in a w hile one o f those greedy capitalist advertising executives will wake up from his upper m iddle class daze and create som ething truly wonderful—to sell a car.

But hey, do n't dis the sellouts—you'll be one soon enough. ■

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...And the overwhelming barrage of concerts returns. With a vengeance.

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Music. Greenpeace Fundraiser—Cabaret Cleopatra1230 St-Laurent—Feb. 1—9 p.m.

A benefit for an environmental activism group that takes place at a strip club? How can you lose?! Cleopatra generally specializes in such things as fetish nights and danse contact, but Greenpeace is taking it over for a night of music and save-the-whales-type fundraising with a list of bands that includes Laced and Requiem.

Oh, wait. Better not waste your money on saving the environment, because Hilary Duff is playing at the Bell Centre the same night!!! Lolz! Why donate your money to a worthy cause when you can help good ol' Hilly buy a few new Pomeranians and some smuggled ephedrine? I can't wait until the Olsen twins record an album to support their giant-sunglasses habit. Hooray for musical integrity!

Film. Moolaadé—Cinéma du Parc—3575 Parc—now Returning to the lives of people who actually inhabit the real world, Moolaadé, which means "protection," is a j i \ J Ê film from Senegal. Don't see many of those, eh? Directed

by Ousmane Sembene, who is at the forefront of the movement to bring African cinema to a more global audience, it deals with the deeply controversial issue of female genital mutilation. In a brave stance against her culture's deep-seated and long-standing customs, a woman refuses to have her only daughter undergo ritual circumcision after losing two other daughters in childbirth. Her home then becomes a sort of sanctuary for four other young girls fleeing the procedure, creating a rift in the community and calling into question the ideals of purity and femininity. Likely to be tough to watch, but avoiding it for that reason would be letting yourself off the hook. > lJ

One hand on his suicide, one hand on the rose: Cohen in 2001.

EZRA GUNTER Ira Nadel, a professor at the University of British Columbia, spoke at McGill last Tuesday as part of the English Department's visiting speakers series, addressing the relationship between minimalism and the music of Leonard Cohen.

Nadel is the author of Various Positions: A Life of Leonard Cohen, as well as biographies of Tom Stoppard and Ezra Pound. He is currently at work on a book about the Golden Gate Bridge, as well as a biography of author Leon Uris.

The influence of minimalism on popular music is a long-documented phenomenon, as Nadel himself observed with regard to such artists as David Bowie and Brian Eno. Nadel may be the first, however, to make the argument regarding Cohen. In the course of his talk Nadel focused mainly on Cohen's more recent work, including the 2001 album Ten New Songs. Nadel emphasized the similarities between Cohen's music and that of minimalist composers such as Philip Glass and Steve Reich. While there are obvious differences between Cohen's style and that of the minimalists, shared elements include what Nadel described as "slowly changing sounds and minor variations rather

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than complex musical arguments." He even compared the simple yet descriptive title Ten New Songs to the title of John Cage's infamous work "4'33"," a piece lasting exactly four minutes and 33 seconds and consisting exclusively of sounds made by the audience. In support of his argument, Nadel played a variety of musical sam­ ples, including a few from a forthcoming Cohen album, Blue Alert, to be released in April.

Along with his musical insights into Cohen's work, Nadel also shared anecdotes about his relationship with the admired Canadian artist. When Nadel first went to meet Cohen in Los Angeles, he brought with him a pic­ ture of one of his classes. Cohen, in turn, had his own picture taken, which he then signed, photocopied and sent back to each of Nadel's students. This, Nadel remarked, illustrates Cohen's endearing and highly char­ acteristic generosity.

Though Cohen has been in and out of the spotlight over the decades, Nadel believes that he is making a long overdue comeback, in North America as well as Europe. In fact, Finland recently issued a stamp in hon­ our of Cohen's 70th birthday, and next month he is set to be inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. But, as evidenced by Tuesday's packed lecture, true fans know that Cohen is always in style. ■

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Music. Better Than Ezra—Metropolis—59 SteCatherine E—Feb. 3 My roommate is frighteningly obsessed with Better Than Ezra, so they must be doing something right. You might not remember anything from them since early nineties staples such as "King of New Orleans," but they've been recording albums steadily for the past decade-mostly of the same simple-yet-catchy, purely plucked calibre. Doors open at 8 p.m. If you're annoyed by the cockiness of the band's declaration of their superiority to the mysterious "Ezra," go check out the bratty punk of the more self-deprecating Less Than Jake at Spectrum (318 Ste-Catherine 0.) instead.

Man, that guy Jake is cool. Doors open over there at 7 p.m.

Music. We Are Wolves—Sala Rossa—4848 St-Laurent— Feb. 4 Still not sonically satisfied? We Are Wolves are about the 37th band named after les loups that has been getting hype lately, and about the 370th band named after some kind of animal. If s a bit hard to keep track of them all, so here's the shorthand: they're one of the ones that deserves it. They're sort of crazy, sort of pretty and very rocking. Doors open at 9 p.m.

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18 a&e | 3 1. 1.06 | the mcgill tribune

OPERA

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LEILA BRILLSON Schwartz's is Montreal's most beloved smoked meat deli. A testa­ ment to this fact is the constant line­ up outside the establishment's doors, the magnitude of which regu­ larly verges on ridiculous. It could be hailing, the apocalypse could have been announced, and the rest of StLaurent on fire, and there would still be a line at Schwartz's. Undoubtedly, it is a Montreal staple.

So when I was absentmindedly gazing out my window last week, I noticed something particularly curi­ ous—the sign was misspelled. I stared for several minutes, even called over my roommates, and we all agreed—it was not a trick of the eye. The quintessential Montreal deli was now named “Schartz's." The "w" had mysteriously disappeared.

Manager Mike Nelli took time out of serving the masses to explain that, during some needed renova­ tions, Schwartz's decided to upgrade their sign. The sign is in three parts: a side that faces south St-Laurent, a side that faces north St-Laurent, and a side that faces the street to the

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’ west. "We sent it to a company, who we won't mention, and they mis­ spelled the name," Nelli said.

Apparently, the mistake was due to the design company, and it only affected the front-facing portion.

Yet, the omission of the "w" is so unnoticeable, that only diehard smoked beef-eaters—or people who live across the street—would catch the error. "A couple customers did notice, and we actually thought they were crazy," Nelli explains. "We said, 'The sign's not misspelled.' We actu­ ally went outside to check it out and said, 'It looks okay.' We didn't even notice. Only Frank, the day manager, noticed that it was misspelled."

Fortunately, despite temporarily becoming "Schartz's," the deli's pop­ ularity has not declined. In fact, the majority of devoted diners don't even see the misspelling—after all, the restaurant is so well established it almost doesn't need a sign. Nelli said the mistake has not affected busi­ ness even remotely—something I can attest to, as I watch the people line up outside Schwartz's/Schartz's into the wee hours. For Montreal beef, by any other name, smells just as sweet.

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TESSA BLANCHFIELD "Look at me! I'm the most vir­ tuous man in the world and I've killed three men! Two of them were priests!" -Candide, from Voltaire's story of the same name.

Opera McGill’s production of Leonard Bernstein's Candide opened to an excited crowd last Wednesday at Pollack Flail. They were not disappointed. Artistic director Alexis Hauser and acclaimed conductor Julian Wachner confidently led the group of fresh singers and musicians into Voltaire's world of optimism and satire.

The fast-paced operetta tells the story of Candide, a young man just trying to make sense of it all.

Throughout the performance, Voltaire himself acts as a narrator, explaining the many twists and turns in the epic opera. Ned Hanlon brings the famous personage to life while juggling two other characters: Candide's optimistic professor, Pangloss, and later his miserable companion, Martin. Hanlon expertly handled the scene changes, switch­ ing seamlessly from one character to the next.

"It was difficult to keep the three characters, three different per­ sonalities, separate," he admitted.

Regardless, he made it look easy.

Candide's love interest, Cunegonde, played by impressive coloratura Megan Skidmoore, is per­

petually accompanied by her Old Lady, Amanda Cochrane. Cochrane was responsible for many of the laughs from audience members, who were enthusiastically respon­ sive throughout the show. The two leading ladies had magnetic chem­ istry, playing comfortably off one another. Tunes like "Glitter and Be Gay" and "I Am Easily Assimilated" displayed both their vocal and act­ ing skills and were well received by the crowd.

The upbeat tone of Voltaire's satire carried the opera as Candide, portrayed by Graham Thompson, traveled from Westphalia across Europe to the New World and back again. Magnificent costumes and a revolving stage aided in making the changes in scenery natural and artistic. The central characters were backed by a strong, spirited chorus.

Although it took a few scenes to really sink into the story, by the time the intermission was over, theatre­ goers were enthusiastically antici­ pating Candide's fate.

The second act hit the ground running as Gaétan Sauvageau, play­ ing the womanizing governor of Buenos Aires, belted out passionate declarations of his enamored condi­ tion to Cunegonde with "My Love."

Cochrane led the cast into the stu­ pendously orchestrated number 'What's the Use?", gaiting around the revolving stage with a genuine air of self-righteousness. The whim­ sical number "Ballad of Eldorado"

showcased the talented choir in a foggy, intoxicated daze.

The progression of time in which the characters develop fos­ ters a deep sense of empathy in viewers. Choir member Nick Masters noted that "the show was very accessible to the audience" It is easy to follow and fun to watch.

The entire cast had a great time working with each other, and it showed.

"I worked with a very talented group of people," said chorus mem­ ber Emily Duncan-Brown. "Of course we had fun putting on the show. It was like a little communi­ ty—we were like a little family by the end. It took a lot of hard work to get there, but we were ultimately sad when it was over."

Their enthusiasm shone through in a vibrant and endlessly energetic performance. Audience members reciprocated the positive vibe with their laughs and applause.

In the end, Voltaire's excessive optimism wins out and Candide and Cunegonde are reunited and left to "tend to their gardens."

Throughout his suffering, Candide never wholly abandons his opti­ mistic conditioning, yet he does dabble in the dark side as life con­ tinues to bring him down. Candide concludes that all he can do is "do the best we know." Opera McGill certainly followed his advice and orchestrated the best of all possible performances. ■

For 2 well-behaved children.

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IN THEATERS FEBRUARY 3 rd If only all Dubyas could be abolished so easily.

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JULIE COLLINS "Saying you're an actor in Canada is like saying you're a ski instructor in Bermuda," said Simon, played

by Brett Watson, to his live-in girlfriend, Laney, played

by Adrianne Richards.

Baby Making, put on by Thought Bubble Theatre and playing at The Geordie (4001 Berri) through Sunday, is a play about pregnancy and what this ninemonth gestation period can and cannot do for a rela­ tionship.

Pregnancy can be complicated even at the best of times, and when coupled with a fear of what the world is becoming, the stress is exponentially greater. Laney is a self-proclaimed environmentalist New-Ager who is afraid to raise a child in a world where globalization, deforestation and antibiotic-resistant bacteria are com­ monplace. Her boyfriend Simon, on the other hand, is a medical student with more moderate ideas about the future of the planet.

The couple's clashing personalities and fears are illustrated by out-of-sequence scenes, which add to the frenzy. The act opens with a pregnant Laney, but within minutes the audience is exposed to a pre-pregnancy couple. Although unconventional in organization, the play is in no way difficult to follow, nor is it a Mementoesque mind-fuck.

Although author Jeanie Keogh has never been pregnant herself, she has recently been surrounded by

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XLR8. XLR8. XLR8 is truly a miracle. Never before would I have imagined that a CD could have the awe­ some power to bring together the illiterate, the tone deaf and the moronic all in 18 songs. With all the musi­ cal finesse of a cat caught in a washing machine, XLR8 combines repetitive techno, industrial clanks and some y yelling "Reboot your mind!" for eight minutes straight.

It isn't long before your brain begins to trickle out of your ears, leaving a dead and soulless shell of the person you once were sitting in your place. Colours are brighter, American Idol is the best show on TV and you catch yourself thinking that XLR8 truly is the greatest band name ever. In a few short min­ utes XLR8 can turn a MENSA member into a drooling mess. Not even Nelson Mandela can claim that kind of unifying power.

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people who are, which inspired her to write this original play.

"Our culture sees having a family as very impor­ tant, but being a stay-at-home mom is not as respect­ ed as it used to be," Keogh says.

Laney struggles with the idea of losing her identity to motherhood. Although Simon and Laney are a cou­ ple, she is an unemployed actress and he is the bread­ winning doctor; therefore she knows that even in a pro­ gressive, egalitarian society such as ours, she will be carrying out the traditional caregiver role. Laney is flighty and exceptionally dramatic at times, but she under­ stands the dedication and responsibility involved in par­ enthood.

Most of us at McGill have not yet entered into the childbearing years (or what are considered the child­ bearing years in North America), but we can identify with these characters struggling to find and define themselves while in the midst of preparing to bring a new life into this chaotic world. "[The play] is really important for people, especial­ ly McGill students," Keogh says. "You go to the best—or one of the best—schools in the country, and you could be married with kids inside a year and a half [of gradu­ ating]."

If this is the case, just remember, pregnancy is not a relationship band-aid. If you want proof, go see Baby Making for yourself. ■

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Shane Philips. Everybody. Singer, songwriter, pro­ ducer and performer Shane Philips continues his climb on the way to join the ranks of soul greats like Stevie Wonder.

On his second album, released by brand-new Montrealbased label Mile End Records, his style is quintessential soul, and his voice is soothing and sultry. Everybody is a collection of upbeat, genuine sentiments that is described as possessing a "retro-electro" flair. It is very easy to compare this artist to the great soul singers that have gone before. Philips can belt out the high notes like Al Green and tell a story like Bill Withers. Tracks like "In the Meanwhile" make you want to grab the nearest body and start making sweet, sweet love. His feel-good lyrics are set aside for five and a half minutes of pure acoustic funk with "Flava Jam," which serves to mix up the record's tempo and make you yearn for more. Philips, is exceptionally awesome on Everybody, and this writer has found a new favourite. * * * Shane Philips will be playing a t a double CD launch with DJ Patrick Dream, Tuesday Jan. 31 a t Le Lion d'Or. 7 p.m. $5.

—Tessa Blanchfield

We Are Scientists. With Love and Squalor. In a way, the indie/Brit-pop movement of the 00's was over before it start­ ed. Neo-cool masters The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, Rooney, The Editors, etc., released hugely popular, ridiculously catchy albums, which was all well and good until people realized—or didn't realize, as is often the case—that they all sounded exact­ ly the same.

We Are Scientists, the latest addition to the movement, and their Virgin debut album sounds—guess what—exactly the same. The guitar riffs are repetitive and derivative. The vocals could probably pass for singing if you're drunk, which, presumably, you'd have to be for you to enjoy We Are Scientists in the first place. The album is perfectly encapsulated by the lyrics on "This Scene is Dead": 'The scene is dead but I'm still restless/An hour till the last call I guess/l shouldn't even be here much less/Drinking myself into excess/But I'm not going home till I'm done." We Are Scientists are not an entirely rotten band, just a sore reminder of how obtrusively Brit-pop has overstayed its welcome, replacing substance and musical innovativeness with lame, squiffy poetry and "danceability."

Brit-pop aficionados around the world should form a single band. They could call it We Are Sheep.

—Ben Lemieux

COURTESY OF JEANIE KEOGH

Richards and Watson, thinking about making babies.

DO YOU SU FFE R FRO M PREM EN STRU A L S Y N D R O M E W IT H M O O D D IS T U R B A N C E ? ==>Are y o u a h e a l t h y m e n s t r u a t i n g w o m a n b e tw e e n th e ag e o f 18 to 4 9 ? = > A re y o u w i l l i n g t o t a k e a c o m b i n a t i o n o f o r a l c o n t r a c e p t i v e p U ls ?

If so, you may be interested in participating in a project on women’s health at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Roseanne Cash. Black Cadillac. Within the span of just under two years, country music's favourite daughter lost her birth mother, her loving and legendary stepmother June Carter Cash and her father Johnny, the man in black himself. The writ­ ing and recording of Black Cadillac is the creative offspring of this singularly gloomy phase of her life, and the single most passionate, poignant and sophisticated effort to date. As always, Cash tran­ scends the boundaries between country, pop/adult and singer/songwriter rock music, providing the wistful, yearning lyrics characteristic of western bal­ lads and the rumbling bass lines, funky Fender Rhodes and powerful guitar work that could have belonged to the Dire Straits or Lynyrd Skynyrd. The opening title-track shows Cash wearing her heart on her sleeve, setting the highly confessional and mournful tone for the rest of the album. "It's a black heart of pain I'm wearin'/That suits me just fine/'Cause there was nothin' I could do for you/While you were still alive."

This is heavy shit. It's about family, interpersonal distance, emotional soli­ tude, religion and death. It's about finality. It's the first fantastic album this year.

—Ben Lemieux

Y o u w ill b e c o m p e n s a t e d fo r y o u r p a r t i c i p a t i o n P rin c ip a l I n v e s tig a to r : D r L u c y G ilb e rt D e p a r tm e n t o f O b s te tr ic s a n d G y n e c o lo g y L e n g th o f th e tr ia l : a p p ro x im a te ly 8 m o n th s

W rite for A&E, because it’s hard for Tessa to write six things simultaneously.

F o r m o re in fo rm a tio n a b o u t th is s tu d y

please contact Research Coordinators, Abbas Kerim-Dikeni or Audrey Fernandes at (5 1 4 ) 9 3 4 - 1 9 3 4 e x t e n s i o n 4 4 2 8 8 Centre Universitaire de Santé McGill McGill University Health Center

Meetings on Mondays at 5:30 p.m. in Caferama.

sports HOC KE Y — REDMEN

WEEKEND

WRAPUP

R e d m e n r o c k b e h in d t w o b r ic k w a lls F ilia tr a u lt,

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RORY GANGBAR Friday night's hockey game at McConnell Arena had all the makings of something special. The Redmen needed just one jnore shutout to set the CIS single-season record. Head Coach Martin Raymond needed just one more win to record his 200th in charge of the Red 'n1 White. And of course, McGill had the chance to do this at the expense of traditional rival Queen's.

There couldn't have been a more perfect set up, and the Redmen couldn't have been more perfect.

When the final horn sounded with the scoreboard reading McGill 8, Queen's 0, the Redmen had accomplished all their goals—and more. Rookie Marco Kovacevic recorded a hat trick.

First-year goalie Jean-Michel Filiatrault turned away 16 shots and picked up a shutout, his fourth in five starts with the Redmen.

And the Golden Gaels' left the building stinging from their worst loss in 10 years.

"I'm very honoured that I was able to coach long enough to reach that plateau," said Raymond. "It makes you realize that I have been here a long time. I have had outstanding teams and athletes that have played for me so I feel very fortunate."

Right from the start, the Redmen made it clear they didn't want to pass up the chance to make the evening a special one.

With a fired up crowd behind them, McGill delivered a number of crushing hits and kept play in the Gaels' zone, manhandling Queen's from the get go. It paid off almost immediately as lead­ ing scorer Shawn Shewchuck converted the first goal of the evening at 4:10 of the opening frame on a wrap-around from Gretzky's office. Shewchuk, fourth in scoring in Ontario University Athletics, attributed his scoring ways to team play and hard work.

"I try to shoot hard whenever I get the chance," Shewchuk said. "My line mates are great to play with. They get me the puck".

The second goal of the game would come a shift later as Kovacevic scooped up a rebound in front of the net and easily batted it home. Eric L'Italien would snipe one home later in the stanza with a hard shot from the slot that bounced up off the goalie's shoulder and dribbled over the goal line. The period would be capped by one more from Kovacevic, making it a 4-0 after 20 minutes. The fourth goal was too much for the young Queen's team, as Head Coach Kirk Muller made the decision to pull starting goalie Matt Kenney, replacing him with rookie Mike Studli.

"It was good to see that different guys got some goals and points on the scoresheet," said Raymond. "The fact that we had a really good crowd helped us."

Redmen Running the Show As the second period began, the Redmen looked to keep up

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the pressure. Although the frame was slowed by penalties and scrums, McGill still found a way to capitalize. Late in the period, defencemen David Urquhart connected from the point, sniping home a power-play marker to put McGill up 5-0. Shewchuck described the challenge of playing a game that was all but over early on: 'We felt really good," Shewchuk said. "But in games like this we have to forget about the score and just continue to play hard."

Raymond noted that the Redmen's large advantage heading into the final frame gave them the opportunity to experiment a little.

"In a game like this, you get a chance to work on certain things on the ice; it's all about hard play and adjustments," he said. 'There's not much flow in these types of games, but we played very physically consistent."

The Redmen kept up the pace in the third, as Urquhart ripped his second goal of the night past Studli just over a minute in. Kovacevic would get his third of the game—and first career hat trick—less than 60 seconds later during a two-man advantage.

The scoring would conclude with a late goal from captain PierreAntoine Paquet.

Raymond also hit a milestone on Friday, winning his 200th game behind the bench. Raymond joins women's volleyball coach Rachèle Béliveau as the second coach of the season to hit a major milestone (Béliveau won her 300th game on Jan. 6), and he became the first hockey coach in McGill history to record a double century. Raymond, who is in his 11th season at McGill and now has a 201-145-29 overall record, continues to prove his worth as one of the most prominent college coaches in the game.

r e c o r d Redmen's CIS single-season shutout record to nine. Forward Louis-Simon Allaire scored just four minutes in to give the Redmen all they would need, and Benoit Martin's empty netter in the last minute added the insurance.

After beating up on Kingston's finest, the Redmen don't have much time to celebrate. They now go into the tough final stretch of the season, which starts tonight at Trois-Rivières. With games against Ottawa, Concordia and another against UQTR, the Redmen will need to stay focused and positive. If they can do so, the team will be looking ahead to a postseason filled with even more milestones. ■

Holding the fort on Saturday After taking care of Queen's on Friday night, there was a risk for a let down game on Saturday when the Redmen took on the OUA Mid East-leading Royal Military College. However, McGill wasn't about to let the night on which Raymond was honoured

by McGill for recording his 200th win go to waste, defeating the Paladins 2-0.

"I thought we played a good game; I thought RMC played well. For sure it was anti-clamactic—it's a different atmosphere out there," said Raymond, addressing the fact that the Redmen weren't honoured with 1200 rowdy fans on Saturday night. "I like to think we still played a solid game-it was just a different oppo­ nent. They play a clutch and grab, hooking style of game which really benefitted them."

Goaltender Mathieu Poitras returned to the net to record his fifth shutout of the year, giving him back the CIS lead he had tem­ porarily shared with Filiatrault. The result also extended the

OLIVER NGUYEN

McGill easily handled rival Queen's, dominating from start to finish on the way to an 8-0 win.

RED Z O N E

It’s time to pick on Cherry for a change I n the last few weeks, certain member(s) of the Canadian media have tried to create a controversy where it did not exist. These people would like, you to believe there is something wrong with turning down an offer before being asked. But let me tell you something: This is not a contro­ versy. Not even close. Whoever thinks it is has been watch­ ing too much Canada: A People's History on CBC. This per­ son would probably be a proponent of dueling. He also probably rips on European hockey players, maybe throwing in a little shot at French-Canadians on the side.

Ladies and gentlemen, Donald S. Cherry has entered the building. It has become painfully clear for many fans of the famed broadcaster, this writer included, that Don's proCanadian glasses sometimes fog over when it comes to what it actually means to love this country.

Let's rewind a couple weeks. In their search for a Canadian flag bearer for the 2006 Olympic opening cere­ monies in Turin, the Canadian Olympic Committee was stonewalled by a number of high profile athletes.

Bobsledder Pierre Lueders, cross country skier Beckie Scott, and speed skaters Clara Hughes and Cindy Klassen all asked that their names not be included on the nomination

sheet.

Instead of being proud of these athletes for represent­ ing Canada, Cherry used his "Coach's Corner" segment to nationally and viciously berate them, calling these outstand­ ing men and women "disgraces." He later went on to say that Team USA would have no trouble finding a flag bearer, and that there is no excuse for turning down the honour.

In fact, there are several excuses. Let's start with the easy one, fired back at Cherry by Ron MacLean. The ath­ letes who declined to carry the flag all have events one or two days after the ceremony. The ceremony is, as anyone who has watched it can attest, a marathon. It lasts for hours and involves a considerable amount of walking. Now add the flag to the equation and the result is unnecessary bur­ den.

That should be enough. But since I am particularly annoyed with this latest decision from the Don Cherry Court of Justice, I will continue.

The Olympics come every four years. Let me reiterate.

Athletes practice for four years for a single performance that lasts a fraction as long as an episode of "Coach's Corner." If Don had one episode of Coach's Corner left and it lasted

ADAM HELLER

only one minute, would he want to spend the entire night before walking around with a flag?

Athletes have to be mentally and physically prepared.

There is no margin of error. It is easy for Don Cherry to judge, sitting in a chair for seven minutes every Saturday.

What if because of a mental or physical slip-up a day after the exhaustion that is flag bearing, Lueders lost 0.2 seconds on his start time. That is the difference between first and second, or just as important, the difference between a huge endorsement paycheque and a nice pat on the back.

Finally, I want to know if Cherry even watches the opening ceremonies. Will he even be paying attention when Danielle Goyette, the Canadian flag bearer, is introduced and gets her 10 seconds of airtime? Or will he himself instead be focusing on the events coming up the next day.

Ultimately, Canada's athletes have earned the right to decide for themselves. In the long run, Joe Canadian will forget who carried the flag. What he will remember are acts of supreme athleticism, gold medal winners and hearing "O Canada."

Don Cherry is wrong. Disgrace is the wrong word. Try dedicated. ■

E X C L U S I V E

I N T E R V I E W — KIRK

the mcgill tribune | 3 1. 1.06 | sports 2 1

M U L L E R

C a p ta in K ir k

Gimme some Mo

MLSE playing good cop, Babcock

b a c k in M o n t r e a l B u r n in g

d e s ir e

f o r

h o c k e y

n e v e r

c o o le d

ADAM MYERS M O H IT ARORA Fifteen NHL seasons. Over 900 career points. Six allstar teams. Name on Lord Stanley's mug.

It doesn't exactly sound like the traditional résumé of a CIS hockey coach. But then again, Kirk Muller—who once played on a line known as the "grumpy old men"— wasn't the traditional NHL player. Now, Muller has returned to his hometown of Kingston, Ont, with the goal of resurrecting the Queen's University hockey program.

But Muller hasn't entirely left his old life behind. After all, as the Gaels came to Montreal to take on the Redmen this past weekend, Muller was enjoying a homecoming of sorts, returning to the city where he won his lone Stanley Cup championship.

Muller spent four seasons with the Canadiens, including a brief stint as their captain in 1994-95, and he played a pivotal role during their Cup-winning run in 1992-93. The Tribune sat down with Muller before Friday's game to get his take on the Habs, CIS hockey and life as a coach.

How does it feel to come back to the city in which you won the Stanley Cup? Any excuse to come back here is always great. I loved my memories here and obviously the hockey was a big part of my career here when I played here. Coming back, even though it's here [at McConnell Arena] and not the big rink, it's always fun to come back to the city and cherish the moments that we had.

Do you still get recognized around Montreal?

I have been back several times, living in Kingston and playing, finishing up in Dallas coming through. I generally come up in the summers, but now in the winters I come up and see the Habs play once in a while when 1can. It's always nice to run into old friends and chat about the fun days we had here.

Do you feel any allegiance toward the Canadiens?

I stay pretty in tune with them. I think right now it is always nice, with [Guy] Carbonneau tak­ ing over just to coach, and being good friends with Guy, it's nice to hope that he does well. I def­ initely kept tabs on them since I retired. I want to see them do well. I know it's a passion for the fans here; they live for this team, so it's nice if [the Canadiens] do well.

I grew up a Flyers fan, Flyers and Bruins. But I kind of really tune in with guys that I know, that I'm good friends with. So I kind of like to cheer here and see the team do well but also really pay attention to the guys that I'm friends with who are still playing and wishing that they are doing well.

It seems atypical for ex-NHL hockey players to find themselves coaching in the CIS. What brought you into coaching?

It was a great opportunity. I was back in Kingston and the opportunity came and [Queen's] said they wanted a full-time guy for their hockey program. It's not so much just the coaching that intrigued me; ft's the fact that I will be running the whole program from recruiting to budgeting to marketing, [in addition to] coaching. For me, ft's a really neat experience to be associated with a great school and to leam all these things on my own. The experience that I have gained this year has been really good.

Is coaching something you want to continue with for a long period of time?

The jury is still out on that one. I think right now I am really happy working with this group of guys at this age and trying to build a program up. In order to do that you need to recruit more.

One thing we are going to look into is [recruiting] in the Montreal area. Having the great memo­ ries of Montreal it would obviously be nice to grab some French players and bring them down.

Being an ex-NHL player, what do you think you can offer players that other coaches without that experience might not be able to?

It's nice experimenting, and going through the whole grind of 12 or 13 hundred games into the NHL You gain a lot of experience from it. It's like any profession, the more experience you get the more you know.

To be honest with you, there is no rocket science to coaching. It is a simple game and with the group of guys we have here we just try to keep it simple. I think it comes down to having a passion, working hard and wanting to win more than your opponent The Ys and O's are a part of it but it doesn't change with the level of play. I think I am trying to instill that here with these guys.

The things that we want to teach here is the stuff I want them to walk away with when they leave and go into the real world. These guys are not here to try to make the NHL They are here to have a great experience. So I say to them, 'you want to compete and work hard. You want to finish the job and have pride in your work.' All the things that you leam in this dressing room are things that they can take into the work force.

ith the firing of Toronto Raptors general manager Rob Babcock last week, Tribune managing editor—and my boss—Andrew Segal came the closest he's come yet to actually insisting I write about a particular topic in this space. But I was hesitant, wondering what there really was to say about Babcock, whose performance as GM was cover-your-eyes awful with the Raptors. Isn't that the long and short of it? He was a bad GM, end of story. See you next week.

Unfortunately, Andrew sent this back to me with one simple but essential edit. "Umm, can you actually write something? Columns usually work better with an actual column in them."

Good point, I guess, but I still had no idea what to say. So I decided to make the Desautels Faculty of Management proud and outsource the production of an opinion to the biggest Raptor fan I know, Sumit Arora, who also doubles as my older brother.

As always, he was helpful, though maybe too helpful: Instead of having one angle to work with, he gave me several from which to choose.

Maybe I could mention how Babcock has basically become the Homer Simpson of the NBA. If there were a basketball dictionary, filed under "B" there'd be

W

Babcock: To p erfo rin a t y o u r jo b in a m emorably p o o r way; ex . "What a bad tr a d e ! He p u l l e d a Babcock on t h a t o n e!"

Maybe I could ruminate on how tough it will be for Babcock to ever get a job in basketball again, even as an assistant GM. Imagine an interview with Babcock and some random team's GM or president: GM: So, Mr. Babcock, what do you consider your area of expertise7' Rob Babcock: Well, sir, I could be put in charge of scouting college and inter­ national talent, and help with drafting.

GM: Didn't you draft Raphael Araujo with the eighth overall pick?

RB: Uhh, yeah... okay, so maybe I could scout other teams and evaluate potential trades.

GM: Like the one you made for Vince Carter? The one over which New Jersey Nets GM Rod Thorn recently expressed guilt about how badly he fleeced you?

RB: Right... but I could definitely help with contract negotiations.

GM: Didn't you sign Rafer Alston^or five years and 228-million?

RB: Well, uhh... maybe you need help with player development? I'm great at that, I swear.

GM: And how1s Araujo doing these days?

RB: (sighs) Can you just validate my parking, please?

Mâybe I could bemoan the fact that Sam Mitchell is likely a sitting duck now, as a new GM will likely replace him with one of "his guys," and the Raptors will once again have a brand new GM and head coach at the helm next season.

Maybe I could speculate that interim GM Wayne Embry may stay on after all and keep Mitchell as the coach, since Embry has a much better relationship with him than Babcock did. Maybe removing Babcock from the equation now stabilizes the team's brain trust, and after making one or two good moves to strengthen the team, it becomes enough to convince star Chris Bosh to stay with Toronto after his current contract expires.

Or, maybe I could talk about how the timing of Babcock's dismissal could point to a larger conspiracy theory, involving the club's parent company, Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment. As was noted in the Toronto Star last week, MLSE has become a Canadian mega-brand in the same class as Molson and the Hudson's Bay Company. So Babcock's firing on Thursday was nothing more than an attempt to distract people from the fact that MLSE's main asset, the Toronto Maple Leafs, was mired in its worst losing streak in 10 years. Even though ifs beginning to look as if Kobe Bryanfs 81-point night against the Raptors two Sundays ago was the final straw, maybe I could say that the dismissal of Babcock will takes the heat off of Leafs' Head Coach Pat Quinn and buys him some time to right the ship.

Yeah...maybe I could. ■

What is your opinion on CIS hockey in general?

I think it is a hidden secret There are some guys here that are late bloomers and some that got overlooked. There is some great talent in here. The games are exciting. They go all out; they rest all week and go hard on the weekends. I think from an entertainment standpoint for the value of the price, there have been some real fun, entertaining games this year.

Win or lose, the sun shines tomorrow. Its not the desperation of win [at all costs] mentality of the NHL What do you hope to accomplish in your time at Queen's?

We definitely want to raise the stakes and the expectations here at Queen's so that we put a program together that is competitive to a place like McGill. They have done a great job [at McGill] and they are probably where we want to be at ■

REUTERS

Oh, 2004—a much happier time for the Raps (especially for Hoffa).

22

sports | 3 1. 1.06 | the mcgill tribune

FITNESS

A different type of swingers club M c G ill

S w i n g

K i d s

ADAM MYERS It seems as if the 21st century is centrally themed around fitness.

People eat, sleep and breathe fit­ ness. It is a concern of both young and old, tall and short. While not everyone is jumping on board the fitness bandwagon, there are cer­ tainly more gyms than ever before, complete with a growing clientele.

But weight lifting and treadmills are definitely not for everyone, and adding variety to workouts is extremely beneficial. Not only does it keep fitness from becoming utter­ ly boring, it never lets the body get used to a certain type of activity, thereby increasing the health bene­ fits. It was with this attitude that this reporter discovered a completely new form of fitness: swing danc­ ing—a retro form of dancing that also provides dancers with an extremely intense cardiovascular workout.

"Swing dancing is really fitness related," says Lisa Carman, a U2 stu­ dent concentrating in Teaching English as a Second Language.

"When you just start, a lot of people don't realize how challenging it is.

When you start putting in technique it really does get challenging. Guys tend to bring a change of shirts because their shirts get so sweaty from dancing. It definitely is quite a bit of a workout. Even when it's real­ ly slow music, when you have more technique and you are really doing it properly, it really is quite a workout.

But especially fast music is intense."

In order to learn the skills and techniques that allow swing dancing to be a great cardio workout, a McGill club called McGill Swing Kids offers both beginner and advanced lessons. Every Tuesday night at the Newman Centre on Peel, the club holds swing classes that are open to

o f f e r s

f a t - b u r n i n g

everyone. The beginner classes start at 6 p.m. and usually run about an hour. Afterward, the club offers more advanced classes for people with more swing dancing experi­ ence. The classes are progressive, but according to Carman, they are very beginner-friendly.

"The classes will get increasing­ ly challenging throughout the semester," she says. "But if some­ one completely new comes in the middle of the semester; it's absolutely no problem. We will make sure to get them up to speed and into the rotation."

But the fun with swing dancing does not stop just because Tuesday only comes once a week. To com­ pare it with the NFL, Tuesdays for swing dancing are like Sundays for football fans. However, for pro foot­ ballers, the fun continues post­ weekend with Monday Night Football, the ultimate in prime time sports. Swing dancing, too, holds parties on weekends for people of all levels to show off their skills, Deion Sanders-style. This allows for more calorie-burning to occur.

"The parties are always a lot of fun because people from the Montreal swing scene come," Carman says. "We usually have the parties on campus too, which is really convenient."

Swinging for the fences Swing dancing is not only hard work, though. Many people take it up for the social aspect as well.

Throughout the "course of a lesson, you could have up to 20 partners.

Ladies and gentleman, this was speed dating at its finest.

"I'm just doing this for fun, but I'm sure it's good exercise as well," says participant Emily Litvack.

Stephanie Hu, U1 Arts, agrees with that assessment.

f u n

"I expect to get some exercise from [dancing]," she says. "It's more about the fun and getting to meet people."

Swing dancing has its obvious cardio-related benefits; yet, there are several other types of dancing, too. It is no easy feat to decide which type of dancing would be most suited to one's fitness needs.

"Ballroom has very stiff up frames, whereas swing is a lot more down and athletic," says Carman, who learned how to swing with McGill Swing Kids.

The more athletic one is, the better off one is going to be when it comes time for swing competitions.

The Canadian swing championships are held just an hour outside of Montreal every year on Victoria Day weekend. Not only will the competi­ tions give you added health bene­ fits, but because of the timing, you won't be sitting at the cottage, drink­ ing carb-filled beer and munching on burgers filled with saturated fat— an added bonus for everyone in the swing scene.

"There are workshops, compe­ titions, social dancing and general parties," Carman says of the cham­ pionships. "It's all put together in one weekend so it's fun. I have only been dancing for a few years, so I tend to compete in the more friend­ ly categories."

And, of course, I could not pass up an opportunity to try something new. Last Tuesday, looking for a great cardio workout, I tried swing dancing with fellow Trib editor Cristina Markham. We danced up a storm and had a great time doing it.

So who knew? Apparently I do swing that way. ■ If you are interested in learning how to swing, contact mcgillswingkids@hotmail.com.

CRISTINA MARKHAM

Some journalists particularly enjoy the social aspect of swing dancing.

■ I m ■

National Defence

Défense nationale

Options make all the difference

Les options font toute la différence

N o m a tte r w h a t

P e u im p o r t e

y o u r u n iv e r s it y

la n a t u r e d e

e d u c a t io n i s ,

v o s é tu d e s

y o u c a n e n jo y

u n iv e rs ita ire s ,

a c a r e e r w ith

vo u s pouvez

a d if f e r e n c e

b é n é f ic i e r d ’u n e

in t h e C a n a d i a n

c a r r i è r e d if f é r e n t e

F o rce s.

d a n s le s F o r c e s c a n a d ie n n e s .

• E n g in e e r s • P h y s io t h e r a p is t s

• In g é n ie u rs

• S o c ia l W o rk e rs

• P h y s io t h é r a p e u te s

• P ilo t s

• T r a v a ille u r s

• D o cto rs

s o c ia u x /

• N u rse s

t r a v a ille u s e s

• P h a r m a c is ts

s o c ia le s

• N a v a l O f f ic e r s

I MAGES

• P i lo t e s • M é d e c in s

To le a rn m o re , c o n t a c t u s to d a y .

• In f ir m ie r s / in f ir m iè r e s • P h a r m a c ie n s / p h a r m a c ie n n e s • O f f ic i e r s d e m a r in e P o u r o b t e n ir d e p lu s a m p le s r e n s e ig n e m e n t s , v e u ille z c o m m u n iq u e r avec nous dès a u j o u r d ’h u i.

S tro n g . P ro u d .T o d a y 's C a n a d ia n F o rc e s.

D é c o u v r e z v o s fo rc e s d a n s le s F o rc e s c a n a d ie n n e s .

1800 856-8488 www.forces.gc.ca The swim team finished its Quebec season with a hard-fought meet on Saturday.

Canada

the mcgill tribune j 31.1.06 | sports 23 compiled by DAVID BLYE and ADAM MYERS

l

a

s

t

c

a

l

A R O U N D

l

STANDI NGS L

OT

PTS

HOCKEY (W)

2

0

32

McGILL

9

1

0

18

11

5

0

19

OTTAWA

6

4

1

13

5

1

0

29 CONCORDIA

5

4

1

11

CARLETON

0

11

0

0

HOCKEY (M)

W

McGlLL*(F-East)

15

1

RMC*(M-East)

7

UQTR (FE)

14

L

T

OTTAWA (FE)

12

6

1

1

26

CONC'DIA (FE)

6

8

3

3

18

QUEEN'S (ME)

6

15

1

1

14

TORONTO (ME)

6

13

1

0

13

RYERSON (ME)

1

17

1

1

4

ON

W

..........

T PTS

V-BALL (W)

Redmen Hockey—Toronto @ McGill; Saturday, 7 p.m. at McConnell Arena The Redmen play another traditional rival on Saturday when they host the Varsity Blues. Even though they remain atop the OUA East, they still cannot look past U of T. The Blues need to win if they hope to make it to the playoffs and the Red 'n' White must also, with only four more games against division opponents, including two with their nemesis, UQTR. Martlets Volleyball—Sherbrooke @ McGill; Friday, 6 p.m. at Love Competition Hall While the Martlets are almost guaranteed a spot in the post-season, they still would like to avoid weekends like the one that just past. After losing to both Université de Montréal and Sherbrooke on the road, they should be in the market for retribution.

Fortunately, they have a chance for it on Friday when they host the Vert et Or. Redmen Volleyball—Sherbrooke @ McGill; Friday, 8 p.m. at Love Competition Hall Guys, this is getting a little old. Every week, we try to hype up McGill teams. However, you have to give us something to work with here. We want to report on how well the team is doing. But -when you haven't won a QUVL game in two years, it gets a little frustrating. Please win this one, if not for yourselves, then for us.

Martlets Hockey—McGill @ Concordia; Sunday, 3 p.m. at Ed Meagher Arena Finally, the Martlets have come back to Montreal. But in all seri­ ousness, the women in Red and White are in the midst of anoth­ er great season and it would be a shame for them to be missed.

This is a team that has been to Nationals for the past four sea­ sons and look like a strong contender to lock up that elusive CIS Title.

NFL-Superbowl XL-Pittsburgh vs. Seattle; Sunday, 6:18 p.m. in Detroit Okay, we know you're going to watch the game anyways, but at least this year it has the potential to be a pretty decent one. In an epic struggle between a powerful offence and tough as nails defence, this game should be a classic.

THIS WEEK IN McCILL SPORTS HISTORY

BOX

L

GF

GA

LAVAL

19

0 '

57

4

McGILL

15

4

48

17

MONTREAL

15

4

47

19

12

7

44

27

8

11

28

44

*Represents division leaders OUA hockey ranks the two division leaders SHERBR'K first and second, and then ranks the remaining six team according to total UQTR points. Six teams make the playoffs.

DECK

W

SCORE

Fri. Jan. 27, 2006 McGill Redmen 8 v. Queen's Golden Gaels 0 McConnell Arena SCORING SUMMARY FIRST PERIOD: McGill - Shawn Shewchuk 10 (B. Martin, C. Gauthier) 4:10 McGill - Marko Kovacevic 3 (M. Leclerc) - 4:35 McGill - Eric L'Italien 5 (D. Urquhart, L.S. Allaire) - 16:05 McGill - Marko Kovacevic 4 (M. Leclerc, K. Davis) -16:51 SECOND PERIOD: McGill - David Urquhart 6 (S. Shewchuk, B. Martin) 17:00 THIRD PERIOD: McGill - David Urquhart 7 (S. Pearce, S. Shewchuk) 1:15 (PP) McGill - Marko Kovacevic 5 (G. Demers, E. L'Italien) 2:08 (PP) McGill - Pierre-Antoine Paquet 4 (L. Madill, M. Leclerc) 10:38 (PP) SHOTS BY PERIOD Queen's 6 6 4 (16) McGill 15 18 15 (48) POWER PLAYS (goals/chances) Queen's 0/12 McGill 3/11 GOALTENDERS Queen's: Matt Kenney (L, 6-11-1; 16:51, 4GA, 10 saves) Michael Studli (43:00, 4GA, 30 saves) McGill: Jean-Michel Filiatrault (W, 4-0-1; 60:00, OGA, 16 saves)

ROOKI E TRI VI A Compiled by Jon Klein

Friday, Jan. 31, 2003 The Redmen basketball team fell 88-84 in hard-fought battle with the Concordia on rivalry weekend. The loss was McGill's third in a row, which dropped the Red 'n' White to a dismal 2-7 on the season. The Redmen managed to blow a 10-point lead, allowing Concordia to storm back late in the second half. McGill managed to out-rebound Concordia 47-34, but were unable to control the turnovers, with the Stingers earning 21 points off Redmen mistakes.

Friday, Feb. 4, 2000 The Martlets hockey team suffered a shellacking Friday night, falling on the road to Concordia 5-0. After the second period, McGill was holding its own, trailing only 1-0. However, the wheels came off in the final 20 minutes, as the Martlets surrendered four goals. The Martlets surrendered a dreadful 62 shots on the night The only bright spot was goaltender Kim St.-Pierre, who managed a miraculous 57 save performance in the loss.

Friday, Feb. 6, 1998 The Martlets volleyball squad clinched a birth in the post season, issuing a solid beat down of Université de Sherbrooke. McGill swept the Vert et Or in straight sets by scores of 15-12, 15-11 and 15-9. The win snapped the Red 'n' White's two game losing streak. The Martlets were bolstered by a strong defence and some aggressive play from the back row. Power hitters MarieClaude Ferland and Marie-Eve LaPointe led the defence, manag­ ing 16 and 14 digs each.

While Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin battle for the Calder Trophy, answer these questions about other first-year phenoms.

1. Which Dodgers pitcher inspired a "mania" in 1981 en route to winning the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year Awards and helping LA win the World Series?

2. Who is the only NFL player to register 100 or more receptions during his rookie season?

3. When Teemu Selanne scored 76 goals in 1992-93, whose record for most goals in a season by a rookie did he break?

4. Who are the only two players to win the American League MVP and Rookie of the Year awards in the same season?

5. Which Villanova star and former LA Clipper set the NBA's rookie record for three-point field goals made in a season while playing for the Nets in 1997-98?

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T H E

H O R N

Martlet barrage too much for Carleton Carleton netminder Valérie Charbonneau turned aside 56 Martlets shots on Sunday. Unfortunately for the Ravens, McGill took 57.

Brittany Privée scored early and goaltender Catherine Herron stopped a penalty shot late to give the fifth-ranked Martlets a 1-0 shutout in Ottawa.

The Martlets, who had a staggering 57-22 edge in shots on goal, improved to 9-1-0 in the Quebec conference, while Carleton remained winless at 0-11-0.

Privée connected on the power play at 7:33 of the opening period for the game-winner, while Herron improved her record to 6-0-0 in league play. She is tied for first in the nation with three shutouts and ranks second in the CIS for both goals-against average (0.73) and save per­ centage (.965).

The Martlets, who play next at Concordia on Feb. 6, were without the services of head coach Peter Smith, who is headed for Italy as an assistant coach with the Canadian Olympic team. Amey Doyle is handling the head coaching duties behind the McGill bench.

Martlets take McGill Team Challenge; Redmen eighth The Martlets track and field squad improved dramati­ cally from its third place performance last weekend in London, winning the McGill Team Challenge with 63.5 points, defeating Queen's by nine.

The Martlets were led by distance runners Deborah Lightman and Lauren Whyte. Lightman took gold in the 1000m (2:57.01) while Whyte cruised to victory in the 3000m (10:19.44). Lightman also led off on the Martlets gold medal winnning 4x800m relay team. The team was rounded out by Sonia Jean-Philippe, Megan Vuksic and Genevieve Jenkins and set a new meet record of 9:20.05.

Other Martlets on the podium included pole-vaulter Hannah Moffat and triple-jumper Heather McCurdy—who both took gold—and sprinter Maryse Dubreuil, who finished second in the 60m.

The Redmen were not as successful, finishing eighth out of twelve teams competing. The lone bright spot was the 4x400m relay team. The squad of David Faille, Blair Bateson, Andrew Roberts and Aaron White took gold in a time of 3:22.90.

Martlet volleyballers suffer shocking weekend The McGill women's volleyball side endured their worst weekend of the season, falling twice on the road to confer­ ence opponents. On Friday, the Martlets were swept in three games by Université de Montréal by scores of 25-14, 25-22 and 25-17. The Martlets were led by middle blocker Gillian Johnson with six kills, two digs and one block. Other major performers included power hitter Jennifer Thomson (nine digs, two kills) and Catherine-Anne Murray (six digs, three kills).

On Sunday, the Martlets fell to Université de Sherbrooke in a five game marathon. McGill quickly fell behind, losing the first two games by scores of 25-14 and 25-22. However, they dug in hard, managing to tie the match at two after taking games three and four.

Unfortunately, the Vert et Or were too much for the Martlets in the fifth game, winning 15-10.

The Martlets return to action on Friday night when they try to get some form of revenge against Sherbrooke.

Darche losing his mind in Detroit Rock City J.P Darche will make history this weekend when he becomes the first former McGill Redmen player to appear in the Superbowl. Darche, the Seattle Seahawks long snapper for the past six year, became the 11th CIS player in the NFL in 2000 and will join former St. Mary's punter Ken Clark as only the second Canadian university football player to appear in the big game.

Darche and the Seahawks made the Superbowl by defeating the Carolina Panthers 34-14 in the NFC Championship game. The win not only put Darche in his first Superbowl, but the Seahawks as well. The 'Hawks had never been to the championship game and hadn't won a playoff game since 1984.

"Winning that game last Sunday was very special," Darche said of the championship game. "Going into the fourth quarter, we kind of knew we pretty much had the game in hand, unless we messed it up badly. But all through the quarter, I had this feeling that: 'Oh, my God, I'm going to the Super Bowl.'"

Darche graduated from McGill in 1997 with a BS in physiology, and continued to play for the Redmen for anoth­ er two years while studying medicine. While at McGill, Darche played inside linebacker, and in 1998 he was awarded the Russ Jackson Trophy, given to the Canadian university football player who best combines athletics with academics and community service.

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