The McGill Tribune Vol. 28 Issue 26

TONE ISSUE : THE PEOPIJE'5 TRIBUNE *

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T h e M c G ill

’ublished by the Students'Society o f McGill University

Volume 28 Issue 26 • March 31,2009

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laherty discusses econom y Law faculty bars demonstrators Students to file grievance D aniel O tis S mith

:inance Minister Jim Flaherty visited McGill last week to deliver the keynote speech at the McGill Institute for :he Study of Canada's annual conference. See page 2 for story. ________________________________

Pro-Israeli demonstrators were asked to leave Chancellor Day Hall two weeks ago, after a Faculty of Law administrator deemed that their event was unauthorized.

On March 17, between 13 to 15 demonstrators carrying posters depicting Hamas rocket attacks and juxtaposing Israeli Defence Force and Palestinian militant tactics, entered the atrium of New Chancellor Day Hall to protest a photo exhibition set up for Palestinian Human Rights Week. Before long, they were approached by Faculty of Law As­ sociate Dean David Lametti, and were asked to leave the building or be escorted off the premises. After scheduling a meeting with Lamet­ ti, the demonstrators vacated the building without further incident.

The meeting was scheduled for that Friday.

According to demonstrator Arieh Bloom, U3 management, and his legal representative Mikhail lokheles, a third-year law student, the Faculty of Law violated sections of the Charter of Student Rights pro­ tecting students'freedom of assembly. They intend to file a grievance against the associate dean.

"The associate dean did not demonstrate a proper duty of care by not evaluating our display," Bloom said.

On March 19 , National Post columnist Jonathan Kay posted a let­ ter on his blog from an anonymous McGill law student that accused Lametti of selective censorship.

Kay then posted the response of the Palestinian Human Rights See PROTEST on Page 2

MUNACA and McGill reach labour agreem en t Ruocco disappointed that union failed to secure desired pay rise T homas Q uail The McGill University Non-Academic Certified Associa­ tion reached a collective bargaining agreement with the uni­ versity administration last Thursday, approving a conciliator's recommendations with the vote of more than 80 per cent of the membership.

MUNACA's previous contract with the university expired in November 2007. The union represents library workers, re­ search technicians, nurses, administrative workers, and other campus support staff.

At a noon-hour special General Assembly, the govern­ ment-hired conciliator brought his recommendations to the membership. The conciliator recommended a nine per cent

McGill AT HL E T I C S & RECREATION

pay hike over three years, financial compensation for night and weekend work, and job security. Almost 600 MUNACA members voted to approve these recommendations.

Once the recommendations were approved, MUNACA President Maria Ruocco reluctantly confirmed the conciliator's proposal to the union membership.

"It is without enthusiasm that MUNACA confirms the rec­ ommendations of the conciliator," she said.

In an interview with the Tribune, Ruocco expressed her disappointment that MUNACA hadn't secured what they'd hoped for—a 10 per cent salary increase over three years.

The global economic downturn and the possibility of a strike, Ruocco said, led to the membership approving the concilia­ tor's recommendations. Union members, she said, were will­

ing to accept a smaller increase in order to secure their em­ ployment, as evidenced by the wide margin of approval.

"Our members are relieved," Ruocco said. "Many of our members have been affected by the recession. ... Maybe a spouse has been let go. If there's a possibility of a strike, how would that family get by?"

According to Ruocco, the McGill administration used the economic downturn as an excuse to lower their offers.The uni­ versity, she said, maintained that it wasn't possible to increase salary by 10 per cent because they had lost substantial funds from the endowment. "[The downturn] was used as an excuse by the university See DEAL on Page 4

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Protest didn't have approval Law building "not truly a public space"

Continued from COVER Organizing Committee—a coalition of five McGill stu­ dent groups—asserting that Lametti was legitimately applying faculty policy, which forbids unplanned events or demonstrations. The response also distinguished Palestinian Human Rights Week, which took place from March 11 -18 , from Israeli Apartheid Week, which had ended three days before and admonished Kay for pub­ licly posting a letter containing unverified content.

In statements before Friday's meeting, Lametti em­ phasized that it was up to the Faculty of Law's admin­ istration to determine which groups were allowed to demonstrate in faculty buildings, and that the pro-Israeli demonstrators had not gone through the proper chan­ nels.

"The faculty is not truly a public space," he said. "We have to protect the right of students to have a non-hostile learning environment. We don't censor, but we do channel."

According to Lametti, plans made by the Organiz­ ing Committee for Palestinian Human Rights Week, and members of Young Jews for Social Justice (which have members on the Committee), went through a rigorous vetting process involving faculty administration and the Jewish Law Students Association, athough the JLSA's membership was said to be divided on whether to allow the events to take place.

"Our faculty hosted four pro-Israel events the week that we hosted our [Palestinian Human Rights Week], and none of their events was subjected to the same

type of scrutiny that ours was," said Lisa Greenspoon, an organizer and third-year law student, in an email to the Tribune. "If there is a double-standard here, it is most cer­ tainly one that favours the Zionist position."

A flood of responses and counter-responses fol­ lowed the letter's posting on the National Post website.

Some were written by self-identified participators in the demonstration, who did not claim affiliation with an or­ ganization. One, using the alias "DMalkin," wrote that the protestors were not being disruptive and contested the view that they were required to leave by faculty policy.

"Afew selected people, including the associate dean wanted to kick us out not because of any illegality on our part. They wanted us to leave simply because they op­ posed our political stance," the poster wrote.

Bloom said that he told fellow demonstrators to re­ main silent and not block the photos in the PHRW exhibi­ tion to avoid becoming a disruption.

Lametti said that he supported dialogue within the Faculty of Law, but felt that the demonstrators did not use proper procedure and that anyone who did the same, regardless of their message, would also be asked to disperse.

"The students [who demonstrated] did not go through the process, so we couldn't implement the same safeguards," he said. "There might have been a way to compromise if they had come and asked. I will still react the same way in the future. It falls within our responsibil­ ity to manage the space."

The Canadiens have been the talk of Montreal lately for all the wror Lametti declined to comment on the possibility of reasons. As the Habs struggle on the ice, owner George Gillett hi a grievance. ■ been rumoured to be considering selling the storied franchise.

S PE A K E R O N C A M P U S

Finance Minister Flaherty speaks at conference

Conservative MP discusses budget challenges in an economic crisis Bernard Rudny Finance Minister Jim Flaherty defended the Harper gov­ ernment's budget and economic policies last Thursday in the keynote address for the McGill Institute for the Study of Cana­ da's annual conference.

The conference was titled "Public Policy in Crisis? Under­ standing Policy-Making in Canada," and Flaherty focussed on the challenges of developing policy during an economic crisis.

He spoke at length about the 2009-10 budget, and the govern­ ment's plans to cushion the impact of the recession on Canadi­ ans, stimulate the economy, and keep credit flowing.

Flaherty described the previous budgets he had prepared as "walks in the park" when compared to the 2009-10 budget, which was developed in the face of an unprecedented, syn­ chronized global recession. The budget includes $32.9 bil­ lion in stimulus spending and, the night before the keynote speech, the Treasury Board approved an additional $3 billion in immediate spending. Flaherty said the deficit budget was a turnaround for him, but emphasized the need to be bold and respond quickly to economic problems.

"This is vitally important," he said. "These funds need to be spent now in Canada. It's no good if the stimulus enters the economy a year from now, or two years from now."

Although he acknowledged that the world is facing an economic crisis, Flaherty argued that the government's re­ sponse to the current situation shouldn't trump Canada's long-term economic objectives. Once the economy recovers, the government must have an exit plan and eliminate budget deficits, he said.

Flaherty argued that the recession is probably near its most severe point, and said he expects a recovery to begin by next year. He also described Canadian banks as the envy of the world, and credited them with attenuating the current down­ turn's most severe effects. Several other MISC conference par­ ticipants were in the audience for Flaherty's speech, including Privy Council Clerk and Cabinet Secretary Kevin Lynch, the prime minister's former chief of staff Ian Brodie, and former prime minister Joe Clark.

Clark praised the finance minister's efforts in fostering co-operation between various levels of government and pri­ vate industry in response to the current economic crisis. But to be effective policymakers in a time of crisis, the former Tory leader argued that Flaherty and the Conservatives need to put aside their partisan agenda.

Canadians should be proud of their tradition of prudent and respected banks, Clark added, but he suggested that this

ADAMSCOT’ McGill Principal Heather Munroe-Blum, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty (second from left and far right), and former Prinrv Minister Joe Clark (second from right) at the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada's annual conference. asset should be used, and not just protected. most diversified systems in the world, and we're still reliant 01 "I think that, at this time, having a good reputation in fi­ American banks. ... [Flaherty] glossed over the $200 billioi nancial institutions involves a certain obligation to use it—and that a Conservative government has injected into the bankini not just domestically," he said. "It would be interesting to see system." whether, as one begins to address the problem of helping de­ Costante wasn't the only audience member who fel veloping countries who are facing this financial crisis but don't Flaherty could have been more forthright. Roland Lindala have our resources, there is some more active co-operation Haumont, a U2 Canadian studies and political science studem that could come from either Canadian public policy, or from wasn't satisfied with the minister's explanation of why thi the leadership of Canadian banks." government downplayed the economic crisis during last fall' Emma Costante, a U3 economics and political science election. student, praised Flaherty's emphasis on inter-governmental "[Flaherty] certainly made it somewhat understand co-ordination. And while she believed the speech showed "a able," Lindala-Haumont said. "However, he did indicate tha humbler Flaherty" than Canadians saw before the economic there were signs that something was going wrong before th< crisis, Costante said the minister avoided some important election—and yet the prime minister and the Conservatives policy issues. during the election, stuck to the position that the Canadiar "What was noticeably absent was an address of bank­ economy was fine.... There are obvious inconsistencies there ing procedures," she said. "There was a lot of talk of'Canada's and I think he did address them to an extent, but he didn't ad banking is very secure,' but Canada's banking is one of the dress them adequately." ■

31.03.09 «The McGill Tribune • 3

ww.mcgilltribune.com S PE A K E R O N C A M P U S

Activist Weeks discusses poverty in Africa Founder of Youth Action International visits its only Canadian chapter J ames G ilman Youth Action International founder Kimmie Weeks spoke last Friday about his experience as a survivor of the Liberian Civil War, and how it has motivated him as an ac­ tivist.

The event was organized by the McGill chapter of YAI and took place in the Frank Dawson Adams Auditorium. In addition to discussing his life story, Weeks spoke about YAI programmes, youth-driven activism, and poverty and de­ velopment in post-conflict African countries.

"I've done [this work] for a very long time, and it's something that I feel very passionate about," he said. "I feel strongly and passionately about it because I've seen and I've lived the issues—it's real to me."

Weeks was born and raised in Monrovia, Liberia, but he and his mother were forced to flee to a refugee camp when a civil war broke out in 1989 . A rebel army led by Charles Taylor invaded the country looking to overthrow the gov­ ernment.

"After a few days [in the camp] there were so many people dying that they simply stopped doing the burials, and started to pile the bodies," he said Weeks and his mother lived in extreme poverty in the refugee camp, and he nearly died from malnutrition and Weeks gained a passion for children's rights after surviving malnutrition and disease during the Liberian Civil War. disease. At one point, he was believed to be dead and was "Everytime he speaks, I feel like Mr. Weeks inspires me," dumped in a pile of dead bodies, only to be rescued by his one who has come from a much humbler background than I have, for example," said Zuwa Matondo, U3 political sci­ said Mathew Cherlan, YAI McGill's vice-president communi­ mother.

Weeks began his life as an activist for children's rights ence. "And for someone to be able to pick themselves up cations. "He's a great guy and I think his story's remarkable."

Weeks said that he hoped those in attendance took soon after that, and in 1998 he published a report on the like that and then effect change in such an immense way away his message that each person has to make a differ­ Liberian military's training of child soldiers. He was forced is so inspiring." into exile in the U.S. after the Liberian government, then YAI is a global non-profit organization that works to ence.

"My message is that each individual—regardless of led by Charles Taylor, tried to assassinate him. In 1999 , he rebuild war-torn African nations. It has chapters at many founded YAI while studying at Amherst College in Massa­ universities across North America. The McGill chapter of YAI age, regardless of where you are on the economic spec­ was founded in 2007, and is the first, and so far the only, trum, regardless of where you are in the religious divide— chusetts. each person can make real change in the world," he said. ■ "As a young African, it's really inspiring to hear some­ Canadian campus chapter.

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The McGill Tribune

E D U C A T IO N

University o f W innipeg bans bottled w ater Phase-out will be offset by the installation of more water fountains T heo M eyer

Following a recent student body vote, the University of Winnipeg has begun phasing out bottled water sales on cam­ pus, encouraging students to use water fountains instead. The university will be the first in Canada to get rid of bottled water completely According to University ofWinnipeg Students'Association President Vijay Iyer, the decision to phase out bottled water was inspired by a similar initiative at Washington University in St. Louis, which stopped selling bottled water in January. The UWSA had originally thought that the University of Winnipeg needed to catch-up with other schools in implementing sus­ tainable practices.

"It actually came as a surprise to us when we found out THEGOLDENSPIRAL.COM that we were the first university in Canada to do this, because we thought we were already so behind," Iyer said.

The University of Winnipeg will be the first Canadian university to ban the sale of bottled water on campus.

Though the ban is being instituted by the University of Winnipeg administration, the UWSA Board of Directors first and surveys that have been done by third parties show that third-party organization to conduct a "water audit," in which proposed the ban of bottled water on campus. Undergradu­ bottled water is consumed in place of other packaged bever­ the company tests the quality of the university's drinking ages—not as an alternative to tap water,"Griswold said. water. To compensate for the lack of bottled water, the admin­ ates voted on the proposal two weeks ago.

Iyer acknowledged that the proposal was somewhat istration plans to install more water fountains on campus.

"At our general elections, which were held from March 12 Iyer said that University of Winnipeg President Lloyd Axto March 16 , we had a referendum question, sort of a plebi­ controversial, but maintained that phasing out bottled water worthy and the rest of the administration had been very re­ scite, gathering students'opinion on what they thought about won't increase sales of sweeter beverages.

"We do have some backlash," he said. "People do argue— ceptive of the UWSA's proposal. this issue," Iyer said. "Over three-quarters of the voters voted in especially bottled water companies—that if bottled water Students'Society of McGill University Vice-President Uni­ favour of eliminating bottled water sales on campus."

The proposal is controversial, however. According to sales are eliminated, people will buy sugary drinks. But I ab­ versity Affairs Nadya Wilkinson said that she hopes McGill stu­ Elizabeth Griswold, executive director of the Canadian Bottled solutely do not think that's the case. As long as there's clean, dents can work with the university administration in the future Water Association, bans on bottled water are largely symbol­ safe water available around the campus—and I assure you to institute a similar policy.

"I don't think it's going to happen anytime soon, but I be­ ic. Griswold called bottled water an "easy target," and argued that there will be—I'm pretty sure that water drinkers will keep lieve that that kind of co-operation can happen," she said. "So I that removing the beverage is not an effective move towards drinking water."

When Washington University eliminated bottled water think that it would just be up to the people in charge to make sustainability, because bottled water is a substitute for other sales in January, university officials actually saw a drop in the that choice." bottled beverages, like soda, rather than for tap water.

Wilkinson expects work on such a phase-out to begin "[The University of Winnipeg is] going under the assump­ sale of other beverages. Iyer attributed this to students real­ next year. ■ tion that bottled water is used in place of municipal tap water, izing that free hydration was readily available.

The University of Winnipeg administration has hired a

Deal will expire in a year and a half Union members opt for job security instead of more talks cording to the Media Relations Of­ fice, McGill wouldn't comment until MUNACA had confirmed the result.

The 15 months of negotia­ tions were marred by protests and strike threats. On December 4, the MUNACA secured a strike man­ date from its membership, and was poised to strike at any time.

According to Ruocco, the ne­ gotiations were extremely difficult.

The university, she said, doesn't re­ spect the union and doesn't respect the work they do on campus.

"They don't take into consid­ eration the jobs that we do," she said. "We're the foundation of this university. Without us, professors don't function, researchers don't function, students don't function.

We're at the frontline. We're at the frontlines of servicing the students, and we're at the frontlines with the researchers doing research."»

Continued from COVER "[The downturn] was used as an excuse by the university to say that they didn't have the cash," she said.

Ruocco promised that when the agreement expires in 2010 , "We're going to do better."

Some MUNACA members were unhappy with the decision to ap­ prove the conciliator's recommen­ dations. One member, speaking under the condition of anonymity, said that the economic climate had scared members into closing the deal.

"The university never had any­ thing to worry about," the source said. "The university was negotiat­ ing with itself."

When theTribune went to press, MUNACA hadn't yet confirmed the approval of the agreement's terms with the McGill administration. Ac­ *

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31.03.09 «The McGill Tribune • 5

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N A T IO N A L

CSA proposes helm et standards Restrictions come in wake of actress Richardson's death

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C H A N C E S T O W R ITE FOR

TH E T R IB U N E N E W S S E C TIO N T H IS YEAR? Y O U STILL H AVE ONE MORE. O U R LA S T M E E T IN G O F TH E YEAR IS T O D A Y A T

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IN S H A T N E R 1 1 0 .

I.E. B rown The Canadian Standards Association has proposed a resolution to regu­ late safety standards of all ski and snowboard helmets sold in Canada. The announcement follows the much-publicized death of British actress Natasha Richardson after a skiing accident on Mount Tremblant, located two hours north of Montreal. According to the CSA, the timing is coincidental, as they have been working on the standards since last year.

Between 2004 and 2009, the number of skiers and snowboarders in Can­ ada increased by nearly 25 per cent. CSA Vice-President of Standards Develop­ ment John Walter said that this increase has led to more head injuries.

"The sobering statistics and increased number of head injuries indicated a need to develop the standard specifically designed for the Canadian mar­ ket. [The] CSA is all about life, and we want to facilitate family and individuals' safety while they enjoy these sports,"said Walter in the release.

According to the Association of Quebec Emergency Room Doctors (the A&E), helmets can reduce head traumas by nearly 60 per cent. High-profile skiing deaths, such as Richardson's, have put pressure on the A&E and other groups in Quebec to focus on safety. Michele Courchesne, the Quebec minister of education, recreation, and sports has emphasized the government's consid­ eration to make helmets a compulsory addition to the ski slopes by 2010 .

"Emergency doctors say we could prevent trauma involving ski accidents if the helmet is made mandatory," Courchesne said in an interview with the BBC. With that in mind, the CSA introduced Bill Z263.1 , which would institute minimum safety requirements for skiing and snowboarding helmets. As stated by the CSA, the bill specifies the "requirements for shock absorption, helmet stability, and retention system strength," as well as marking and labelling re­ quirements.

Despite the benefits that would come with making helmets both stan­ dardized and mandatory, the idea has elicited mixed reactions from McGill students. Brad Sarak, a former member of the McGill snowboard club, said he approved of the possible legislation.

"I think mandatory helmets [are] a great idea—even the best of skiers fall," he said. "I've cracked my helmet in half before, and it probably saved my life."

However, other students are concerned with the increased state interven­ tion a law would bring. David Litwin, a former member of the McGill ski team, doesn't support the proposed law.

"I don't think it's good to have a law making helmets mandatory," Litwin said. "Laws mean less personal freedom. Helmets are uncomfortable, and it should be a personal choice." ■

m o n e y back

sp eed A 19 -year-old man earned the dubious distinction of being labelled "probably the dumbest criminal in Pennsylvania"after attempting a bath­ room robbery at a convention for narcotics'officers last Friday morning.

The teenager accosted retired police chief John Comparetto as the ex­ officer came out of a bathroom stall, taking Comparetto's wallet and cell phone while brandishing a gun. Unfortunately for the young criminal, however, 300 police officers were on the other side of the bathroom door.

When the suspect tried to flee, Comparetto rounded up a few fellow of­ ficers, who quickly arrested him.

—Source: Yahoo The irate Florida woman who called 911 earlier this month when her local McDonald's ran out of McNuggets isn't the only one angry over a lack of fast food. A woman in a white Dodge Intrepid pulled up to the drive-thru window of a Salt Lake City McDonald's on Sunday morning and attempted to order lunch. When an employee told her the restaurant was only serving breakfast, her two male companions got out of the car and opened the trunk. One of the men then pulled out a sawed-off shot­ gun and fired at the drive-thru window one or two times. No one was injured and enraged would-be customers then drove off. If they haven't been caught by this Sunday, one hopes the assailants will be in church rather than shooting up fast food joints.

—Source: Salt Lake Tribune

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O p in io n C O U N T H ER FEET

VOX PO PU LI

The b a ttle a g a in st polio isn 't o v er

How n o t to b e a je rk in six easy s te p s

ShauryaTaran SHAURYA.TARAN@MAILMCGILL.CA

Riva G old YOURCOLUMNISHURTFUL@GMAIL.COM

n this day and age, it can be difficult to

any country having to battle I aimagine polio outbreak. Most countries are sufficiently equipped to vaccinate for the disease and hold awareness campaigns for their citizens. But not all.

Indeed, as recently as six years ago, one of the largest polio outbreaks in the modern history of the disease was re­ ported in southern India. The incident made it clear that some countries remain fundamentally unable to address the problem of vaccination and treatmentfor this devastating affliction.

The outbreak in India began with a small boy near the city of Karnataka ex­ periencing a high fever and nausea. In­ formation gathered by local doctors was sent to be analyzed in greater detail by medical specialists in the city, and the results of a stool test confirmed that the child had polio. In a matter of days fol­ lowing his case, a polio outbreak had developed. It eventually developed into one of the largest outbreaks of a disease that has been almost completely eradi­ cated from the world.

At around the time of this occurrence, I had the opportunity to visit a small city in India where a number of polio cases had been identified. Through first-hand observation, I was made aware of the unsettling fact that not even the most basic of medical supplies were available to those suffering from the disease.

I can still recall in vivid detail the image of a middle-aged man whose arms and legs were bent almost completely past their joints, such that the lower parts of his limbs were aligned with the upper parts. Being unable to walk, he

made his way through the bazaar on a body-length skateboard of sorts. I saw him a number of times during my stay, and can still remember how he dragged himself through the streets, begging for alms. I found difficult to accept that such sights were still the norm somewhere in our world.

I later learned that a number of campaigns had been organized to treat affected individuals in southern India, and that a number of preventive mea­ sures had been put into place to limit the spread of the disease. But for all of these successes, some fundamental problems still remain to be addressed. For exam­ ple, some parents simply refused to vac­ cinate their children. Furthermore, high illiteracy rates in some areas limited the efficacy of leaflet campaigns as a means of spreading awareness about the polio outbreak. Door-to-door vaccination and instruction were used to overcome these difficulties, but it's unlikely that the cam­ paign managed to reach all affected indi­ viduals or at-risk families.

Eventually, through the work of volunteers and campaign workers, the disease was eradicated completely from the affected regions. But it's a known fact that similar incidences of polio could eas­ ily appear in other parts of India in the future.

Unless significant efforts are made to equip threatened countries with the appropriate medicines and supplies, an outbreak of similar proportions to that observed six years ago in southern India could be witnessed again. ■ Shaurya Taran is a Uo science student.

o this is it: the library hours have been

erode our status as meaningful beings witl important projects in the world. Besides, it' 20 below outside—just put on some pants. sold on campus at the price of gold. The end 4 . Dearest people at the gym: just be of the year is coming—and this is my last cause you're getting in shape doesn't mear column. If you've been silly enough to read that you're "fierce." The machine sign-u| my column this year, I want to take this time list is meant for use when the machines ar to thank you, dear reader. You have excellent busy. If you're one of two people in a roon taste. I would also like to thank the staff of full of unoccupied machines, don't kick th< the Tribune for allowing me to ramble on other person off their machine because yoi about offensive things without giving me just signed up for it. And in the pool, please too much grief. You are a brave and talented keep your splashing contained to one lane group of writers and editors, and you will be only. Splashing is as rude and unnecessary missed. as Kevin Federline. Further, the amount yoi Earlier this year, I wrote an article en­ splash is inversely proportional to the size o couraging my fellow students not to be jerks. your manhood.

Unfortunately, I didn't really have the space 5. Do you work as a party promoter a to detail what constituted "jerkiness." And so, the Milton Gates? Maybe you shouldn't as sanctimoniously as ever, I'd like to leave Nobody wants to hear about lame sketchy you with some parting pearls of wisdom: boozefests as they enter campus. You alsc 1.

Your little dog is not cute. Further­ block the entranceway, slowing down peo more, it's been pooping on the front steps pie who actually have something to do. Bu of my building all winter, which is more obvi­ if you insist on staying there, at least try tc ous than ever now that the snow has melted. differentiate between people that look like Please, clean it up or you will find feces on they might be interested in purchasing sea your own front steps—and we don't have a son's tickets to Orchid, and those who attenc dog.

McGill to learn.

2.

In class, just be quiet and listen. I guar­ 6. Finally, if you have the skills, pleast antee you that nobody wants to hear your redesign McGill's wheelchair ramps. They're very original critique of consequentialism. amazing, but in a Tim Burton kind of way You're not the first to think of it, and you can't There's one ramp near the Trottier Building articulate it as well as the assigned reading that leads only to a set of stairs. Another is (which you didn't bother to do). Do what's extremely steep and leads straight ontc best for your professors, your peers, and your downward-sloping, traffic-heavy University status as a rights-bearing entity. Nobody—I Street. Sure, these ramps provide great en­ repeat, nobody —wants to hear your voice all tertainment for the able-legged among us class.

But unfortunately, something's got to give.

3.

Leggings are not pants. When you And that's that. If you've got a beef with walk into the Second Cup in a halter top and anything I've written this year, or better yet, leggings, you turn all of womankind into have a job to offer me, write me at yourcolsomething to be ogled, not respected. You umnishurtful@gmail.com. ■ extended, term papers are being fran­ S tically printed, and staplers are being

F O O T IN M O U T H

The deeper meaning of Smurf erotica Eric W eiss ERIC.WEISS@MAIL.MCGILL.CA fter seeing the recent Watchmen movie, I've had my fill of oversized blue penis. For those who haven't seen the film. Dr. Manhattan is the super-powered result of a sci­ entific experiment-gone-wrong who celebrates his newfound omnipotence by giving up his human dependence on cloth­ ing. As a result, audiences spend a good chunk of Watchmen looking at a digitally enhanced blue dong swinging across a red Martian landscape.

What's more interesting than the nudity itself is the way people react to it. Everyone I know who's seen Watchmen has made some sort of quip about how the film could qualify as Smurf erotica. And people's need to ironically comment on male genitalia (myself included) indicates that, as a society, we still find the male form unsettling. It's telling that fewer people talk about the Silk Spectre's nude scene, even though the cam­ era gets much closer to her breasts than it does to Dr. Manhat­ tan's endowment.

There is an imbalance in Hollywood, where female nudity is taken for granted. It's not necessary to strip down to suc­ ceed, but if a ratings disclaimer advertises bare flesh, it's fairly safe to assume that we're going to see her tits and not his ass.

Whenever aman does bare all, it's instantly a blog-worthy phe­ nomenon.The Motion Picture Association of America regulates male nudity far more stringently than female nudity, with the mere glimpse of a penis (usually belonging to Ewan McGregor)

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being enough to earn a strict NC-17 rating.

I'm not mining new territory with these observations. Peo­ ple with stronger feminist sensibilities than mine have been commenting on the oppressive male gaze for decades. But, un­ like most feminists, I support the objectification of women.

The caveat that (hopefully) lets me off the hook is that I also support the objectification of men. There's nothing inher­ ently exploitative about over-sexualized images of women.

Naked pictures have been around almost as long as actual naked people. Even after a zombie apocalypse, I'd be willing to wager that there would be a market for zombie porn.

There's something naturally beautiful about the naked human form. At one level, this explains our ongoing desire to procreate: humanity's impulse to fuck would be significantly attenuated if we didn't find each other attractive. That fine art contains so many nude images (both male and female alike) shows how longstanding this attraction is. Forget all of the aca­ demic justifications for artistic nudity—Michelangelo made David (at least partly) because he was horny.

People aren't as fond of sculptures as they used to be, but the principles underpinning current representations of human sexuality are roughly the same. "Sex sells" is a truism because people will always enjoy looking at fetishized human bodies.

Unfortunately, many feminists fail to understand this point. Railing against the objectification of women is pointless

because women always have been and always will be objecti­ fied—it's called lust.Trying to eliminate potentially exploitative images is a futile task in a society with easy access to the Inter­ net.

All of this isn't to say that we shouldn't change. Current gender constructions are oppressive towards women, and sexual imagery is partly responsible for the establishment of the modern patriarchy. But blaming models misidentifies the problem: it's not the images themselves that create gender in­ equality, but the imbalance in the types of images that com­ pose mass media. We still objectify women, but we've forgot­ ten how to objectify men.

So I'm advocating for equal opportunity: instead of reduc­ ing the quantity of feminine images, I recommend that we in­ crease the quantity of masculine images, and subject men to the same scrutiny as women. Making men the objects of mind­ less lust is a step towards greater gender equality.

So in a roundabout way, Watchmen deserves praise for demonstrating the future of human objectification. The film doesn't discriminate between male and female nudity in any meaningful way, and it's only our issues with male nudity that make Dr. Manhattan noteworthy. Once we achieve true gender equality, we'll be able to enjoy our bodies as they are, without feeling the need to comment on our cocks.

And that, to me, would be a truly liberating experience. ■

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31.03.09 «The McGilITribune • 7

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EDITORIAL

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n l in e

E d it o r

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E d it o r s

Femi Kassim Janet M cM ullen

K ic k in g o u r b a d h e a lt h c a r e h a b it s anadians like to think that we help those who can't help them­ selves. Yet while a variety of addiction disorders are recognized by medical professionals— the most recent Diagnostic and Sta­ tistical Manual of Mental Disorders contains dozens of them— securing treatment for these conditions can be difficult in Canada. Most compre­ hensive rehabilitation programs are operated by private centres, and can be prohibitively expensive.

Last Thursday, the B.C. Medical Association issued a recommenda­ tion to improve the province's addiction health care services. Accord­ ing to their report, "nearly one in 10 British Columbians province-wide suffers from some form of addiction or dependence"— and that doesn't include tobacco use. The overall cost of substance abuse in the prov­ ince (including health care, law enforcement, and lost productivity) is estimated at more than $6 billion.

The problem may be at its most severe on the west coast— accord­ ing to the report, every 10th visit to the Vancouver General Hospital is tied to substance abuse— but it certainly isn't limited to a single prov­ ince. In 2002, Canada's overall social costs for addiction and substance abuse were estimated at $39-8 billion. Simply in terms of reducing the financial burden on society, providing support to Canadians with ad­ dictions makes sense.

It's also telling that a provincial medical association is calling for addiction to be recognized as a chronic disease. When doctors are com­ plaining about the treatment they're able to provide, policy makers should listen. Among the BCMA's proposals are the elimination of per diem fees for treatment— which can run as high as $90 per day— and an increased number of public health beds set aside for addiction care.

Dr. Rémi Quirion, a McGill professor of psychiatry, has been raising awareness about mental illness for many years. In a discussion spon­ sored by the Globe and Mail last July, he made the case for providing public medical assistance to people with addiction disorders.

"Patients suffering from an addiction should be offered the same access to care and treatment as a n y other types of patients, suffering from a cancer, a cardiovascular problem, hip surgery, etc.," he said. "To settle for less should not be acceptable to anyone."

We couldn't say it better.The BCMA's proposal is long overdue, and we hope that other provincial medical associations and governments take note of it. When it comes to treating addiction and substance abuse, it's about time policy makers started following the doctor's or­ ders. ■

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L e tte rs to th e e d it o r Things aren't so clear with Couillard The title of last week's article, "McGill's Couillard in the clear," is misleading. Quebec Lobbyists Commissioner André Côté's investigations have failed to prove illegal lobbying on the part of Persistence Capital Partners.

However, he admitted to not having the jurisdic­ tion to investigate the ethics of having a sitting Quebec health minister, who was about to submit a law favouring the extension of de facto private hospitals, accept a job offer from a company that would benefit directly from his final legislative changes.

There is an unequivocal financial conflict of interest in such a situation. Contrary to your title, Couillard's his­ tory is still rather murky and circumspect.

— Adam Hofmann, clinical fellow, McGill Faculty of Medicine, and Cory Verbauwhede, LL.B. 2006

Norman Cornett, a true Montreal hero Professor Norman Cornett's dedication to his work, and his belief in freedom of speech and civil discord, make this man a real Montreal hero. No matter the situ­ ation, this man never backs down from defending truth and never gives up hope in the face of bullies.

For the last few years, elements of the McGill admin­ istration have been preventing this academic warrior from teaching and opening the eyes of students. Wheth­ er by fabricating evidence, eliminating the objectivity of the ombudsperson, or other pathetic manoeuvres, the administration is making a severe error in thinking that they can scare Cornett from this fight.

In this sad ordeal, there is no more need for outrage but there is a desperate need for action. McGill, finish this pathetic charade and reinstate Cornett. Give him the job he deserves and the job we, as Montrealers, owe him.

— Giancarlo Maiolo, McGill Alum

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Dealing with the medical bottleneck

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Canadian certification. ou may not know it, but they lurk among And what about that doctor shortage? Ca­ you— in your classes, in your clubs, and (oc­ nadians are constantly reminded of its existence: casionally) at your parties. Some come out five million Canadians don't have a family doctor, o f the closet early, while others prefer a stealthand the average waiting time between an ap­ ier approach. But at some point or another, the pointment with a family doctor and appropriate tru th comes out: they're a pre-medical student. treatment is 18.3 weeks. And it's only going to get Although McGill doesn't have a "pre-med" major per se, these students are readily identifiable as worse: Canada's population is aging, and the de­ mand for health care services will rise sharply as the keenest o f the keeners in the Faculty o f Sci­ more people enter their golden years. ence. And their university careers have been per­ To make matters worse, the baby boomer fectly calculated to achieve one goal: getting into physicians who currently make up the majority medical school. of the health care workforce will also bethinking These students may be desperate, but their about retirement. In the U.S., "preventative medi­ plight isn't nearly as pitiable as that o f the thou­ cine" is often cited as the key to staving off rising sands o f foreign-trained physicians attem pting to health care costs, and Canadians are cited as an work in Canada. The neurosurgeon-as-cab driver example: we supposedly live longer because we epithet is far from being just a bad joke. While the have free access to regular doctor checkups. Yet federal government opens doors to immigrants we’re quickly ceding that advantage. w ith professional training, many o f those doors The rising demand for physicians becomes are slammed shut by provincial medical regula­ a problem because the supply isn't keeping up. tory bodies, which prevent trained doctors from Medical colleges claim that keeping a tight grip obtaining medical licenses and finding work. on both the training of new physicians and the Indian trained doctors w ould probably be licensing of foreigners is a form of quality control. laughed at if they tried to enter the U.S. w ithout a But with over 10,000 eager students applying for license and a jo b lined up, but they're welcomed roughly 2,500 spots in Canadian medical schools w ith open arms by Canada's immigration officials. in 2006, and thousands of fully trained physicians "Why, we have a doctor shortage, we need peo­ not practicing their trade, it seems clear that ple like you," they'll say, w ith o u t warning these many qualified individuals are falling through vulnerable immigrants o f the confusing mess of the cracks. red tape they'll have to navigate to secure their

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The cynical explanation for this policy is that regulatory bodies are trying to corner the health care market in Canada. But severely restricting who enters the medical field won't keep Cana­ dian doctors' salaries artificially high, because remuneration per patient and per procedure is already determined by the state. If you're a gen­ eral practitioner in the heart of Montreal who can barely keep up with the new patients banging on your door each week, an immigrant setting up a new practice in northern Quebec isn't much of a threat to your livelihood.

Of course, the solution is more important than the cause, and Ontario is already taking steps in the right direction. The province recently allocated $35 million to open 100 new medical school spots. And in December, they took the much more cost-effective step of reducing some of the institutional barriers for international med­ ical graduates to practice in the province (but only if they're willing to work in understaffed pri­ mary care fields).

These aren't drastic steps by any means, and other provincial governments should follow suit.

If a few more desperate pre-meds achieve their dream (no matter how misguided it may be), and a handful of immigrants are able to practice the profession they spent years training for, a few hundred more Canadians might have a family doctor. ■

The McGilITribune is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Students’Society of McGill University in collaboration with theTribune Publication Society. Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Students'Society or McGill University. 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, homophobic or solely promotional in nature will not be published. The Tribune reserves the right to edit all contributions. Editorials are decided upon and written by the editorial board. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the McGill Tribune, its editors or its staff. Please recycle this newspaper.

8 • The McGill Tribune • 31.03.09

L e t t e r s t o t h e e d it o r Jordy can't forget Cornett I am an Arts student graduating this semester. Perhaps the greatest travesty that I have witnessed throughout my four years at McGill is the fact that Pro­ fessor Norman Cornett was so uncer­ emoniously booted out of this school.

The following is the an excerpt from an assignment that I submitted to Cornett at the culmination of the last course he ever taught at McGill, "Religion and the Arts" in the Winter of 2007. I feel that it is important that my peers know that a course like this did, in fact, once exist— even though it may never return.

To me, Box of Chocolates has been an educational experience unlike any I could have ever imagined. Never be­ fore have 90-minute lectures gone by so quickly while being so entertaining, riveting, and challenging all at once. The greatest part of the experience, though, would have to be its learning environ­ ment and the culture of casual intima­ cy it created. Not since high school, or maybe even elementary school, have my classmates all seemed like my friends.

Norman Cornett's RELG 345 shatters every previously conceived notion of what I thought, and have experienced, the culture and practices of university education to be. Classes are not sup­ posed to be educationally challenging social gatherings; obscure classmates aren't supposed to have conversations with each other when they cross paths along campus; university students aren't supposed to feel upset when one of their courses comes to a close.

I can confidently say (maybe aside from high school gym) that "Religion and the Arts" has been the greatest class

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I have ever taken, and quite possibly will ever take, at any level of schooling in my life. I will remember it not so much for the things that I have learned about in its subject matter, but rather for what it has made me learn about myself, and for the experiences that I would not exchange for anything.

— Jordan Epstein U2 humanistic studies

A completely disinterested criticism of the Tribune's heavily biased journalism I have read the biased article "Arme­ nian Genocide denier speaks at McGill," (04.03.2009) with disappointment and sadness. Professor TQrkkaya Ataov was presented to unsuspecting readers with a stereotype, "genocide denier," just be­ cause he was Turkish and he presented the other side of the story, mostly cen­ sored due to Armenian political pressure in Canada.

Please note that a "competent tri­ bunal" has never been convened, as re­ quired by Article 6 of the 1948 UN Con­ vention on the Prevention and Punish­ ment of the Crime of Genocide, where the accused are supposed to be given fair representation, and allowed to crossexamine the evidence and witnesses, while producing their own in defence.

Therefore, a genocide verdict does not exist. So how can one deny something that does not legally exist? Isn't insisting on demeaning descriptions like "geno­ cide denier" when there is no substantia­ tion, actually, an academic lynching of unpopular views? Is that appropriate for a university?

Genocide charges are political, and cannot be supported w ith historical evi­

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dence. What Armenians claim as proof does not am ount to more than hearsay and forgeries in the eyes o f the law. Not all wars, sufferings, or killings are geno­ cide. Turks do not deny the Armenian suffering, but ask that corresponding Turkish suffering not to be ignored or dismissed by bias. The Armenians took up arms against th e ir own government, conducted violent raids, rebellions, te r­ rorism, and treason, made territorial demands, and killed many Turks. Most non-partisan historians characterize this tragic episode correctly as inter-com m u­ nal warfare conducted by Christian and Muslim irregular forces against a back­ drop o f a brutally raging w orld war.Turks were only defending their home like any citizen anywhere would do.

This issue should be resolved by more research and dialog, not by name calling and racist stereotyping.

— Ergun Kirikovali

A brief dissertation on the future of the world's organized religions The Tribune has already published a few letters commenting on the con­ troversial ads placed on Montreal buses demonstrating that religion is still a very important topic for students ("Let­ ters to the editor: Cut God some slack, for Christ's sake," 17.02.09), but for how long?

Our corporate media constantly promotes Atheists' views. Among them, we hear promises that elim inating reli­ gion w ill create a future w orld w ithout wars. The most attacked are religious fundam entalists and Muslims, whose alleged support for confrontations is never overlooked. Can we believe the

media? I think that religion, combined with human intention, can still decrease or expand human conflicts.

As Judaism and Christianity are older than Islam, they have greater histories of violence.The brutal Crusades ended 800 years ago and Europe had their scary Dark Ages. Violence accompanying the development of Judaism from Moses' teachings was even crueler.

In this situation, both the JudeoChristian majority and the atheists should consider more leniencies towards this younger monotheistic religion. Instead of belittling Islam, we should recognize its contribution by addressing the prob­ lems it has solved for many of the poor­ est people. Islam's growing influence in Africa, the Pacific, and in the marginal­ ized areas of the biggest European cit­ ies cannot be ignored. At the same time, we can help Muslims by encouraging a separation of politics from religion. Not long ago, it reduced social tension in the majority of Christian countries.

Using financial rewards and military punishments to control Islamic nations doesn't work. It polarizes the richest and poorest and is even worse than torture as it is extremely humiliating for local populations. People in these regions re­ spond by politicizing their religion at all social levels. Their resistance becomes stronger, minimizing chances for suc­ cessful negotiations.

Are atheists able to "sell" their slo­ gans about having intelligent life w ith ­ out God to a billion o f uneducated and oppressed people w ith o u t condemning religion first?

— Slawomir Polawski, McGill min­ ing and metallurgy technician

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M D O YO U W A N T THE BEST JOB O N CAMPUS?

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p a r t ic u la r ly o n t h e h is t o r y o f t h e g h e t t o s o f W a r s a w a n d K o v n o [ K a u n a s ] . E s s a y s p r e p a r e d in a n y c o u r s e o r in d e p e n d e n t r e s e a r c h m a y b e c o n s id e r e d . T h e a w a r d is a d m in is t e r e d b y t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f J e w is h S t u d ie s in c o o p e r a t io n w ith t h e J e w is h C o m m u n it y F o u n d a t io n . T h e a w a r d w ill b e p r e s e n t e d d u r in g t h e C lo s in g E x e r c i s e s o f t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f J e w is h S t u d ie s in M a y , 2 0 0 9 . T h e v a lu e o f t h e B l a c h e r a n d G l a s r o t F a m i li e s M e m o r ia l A w a r d is $ 1 0 0 0 .

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T h e c o m p e titio n is o p en to u n d erg rad u a te and g ra d u a te stu d en ts at M cG ill U niversity.

S tu d en ts m u st su b m it 2 ty p e d co p ies o f th e ir essay s to g e th e r w ith full co n tact in fo rm atio n .

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C O U N C IL C O N D E M N S

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McGill shows its communist colours to welcome visiting world leaders. Students expressed dismay at not being able to actually see the communist flags that they were told decorated Headquarters (previously the Arts Building). However, Generalissimo Monroe-Blum assured them that, by exercising double-think, they’d be able to see them just fine.

N ow extra proletarian! N ew travel decree out C o m m u n is ts a n n iv e r s a r y

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C O M R A D E YATES

Yesterday morning, celebrations began in honour of the sixth year of Generalissimo Heather Munroe-Blum’s totalitarian state.

Visiting leaders from North Korea, China, Vietnam, Lao, and Cuba will be spending the week in Generalissimo HMB’s spacious residential quarters in what was once known as Redpath Museum.

“Munroe-Blum is a well-respected lead­ er,” said Kim Jong-il. “I only hope that we can learn to follow in her iron footsteps.”

Festivities will run throughout April, and include MudAP, a special lecture series by the Students Society’s own Viceroy Kay Turner, a mandatory eight-hour panel discussion of the Republic’s recent achievements, and a torture exhibition for those unlucky enough to miss it. Midnight Kitchen will also be adding an extra teaspoon of lentils to each dish in cel­ ebration of the month.

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Additionally, a full-scale reenactment of the Glorious Revolution will be staged by the Generalissimo’s prisoners, mostly students with GPAs lower than 2.0. The reenactment, which begins later today and will end when all participants are hospitalized, is meant to remind citizens of the People’s Republic of McGill that while everyone is equal, some people are more equal than others. Partici­ pants will be given weapons and are expected to use their comrades as human shields.

“It’s a great experience,” said organizer Sam Cook, who has run the reenactment for the past two years. “As they say, it’s only fun and games when someone is losing an eye. Or limb.”

Prior to the creation of The People’s Re­ public of McGill, McGill was a simple insti­ tution of higher learning—a mandate that was suitably replaced in the great uprising of See FESTIVITIES on Page 10

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COM RADE RUDNY

A new decree restricting student travel has been issued by McGill Commissar (Stu­ dent Life and Learning) Morton Mendelson.

According to the decree, all students who wish to travel south of Sherbrooke Street must first receive approval from the administration.

It’s part of the administration’s long-standing policy to restrict travel to dangerous locations, which Mendelson defines as “anywhere worth going to.”

Some students have complained that the new requirements are unreasonable. Before travelling, students must now pass a physi­ cal examination, undergo a full body cavity search, and submit a travel permission form (in quadruplicate) which has been signed by a professor, a registrar, and two of the three remaining members of seminal 1960s psyche­ delic rock group, The Doors.

When asked about these requirements,

T h in k

M e n d le s o n

Mendelson described them as “essential to student life and learning at McGill.”

“Especially that part about The Doors,” he added. “Without Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek, McGill’s autograph collection just isn’t complete.”

In the past, such a decree would have been subjected to a vigorous rubber-stamping process in the McGill Senate. However, that process became obsolete when Generalissimo Heather Munroe-Blum (may she live forever) abolished the Senate six years ago, established a triumvirate with Mendelson and Field Marshall Anthony Masi, and banished all of McGill’s senators to the hell that is the Stew­ art Biology Building.

Mendelson emphasized that student feedback was still welcomed when the decree was being written. But Arthur Dent, a U 2 Uzbekistani studies and cosmology student, See GOING on Page 10

N ew s G oing somewhere?

Festivities to continue

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disputes this statement. He was told that stu­ dents could provide input by filling out a stu­ dent feedback form (in quintuplicate), which was available in the cellar of the James Admin­ istration Palace. According to Dent, getting a copy of the form was a challenge.

“I did find the feedback form eventually,” he said. “It was in the bottom of a locked fil­ ing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leop­ ard.’”

Dent has several concerns with the new decree, particularly in terms of disciplinary action. After receiving permission to travel, students will now be fitted with computerized GPS bracelets packed with high explosives.

Should a student deviate from their approved travel route by more than 25 metres, the brace­ let will detonate.

According to Mendelson, this policy was inspired by Transporter 3, a Jason Statham film in which a similar device was used. He added that McGill is considering similar bracelets for students on academic probation, which will detonate if a student’s GPA dips below 2.0. In a meeting with the Commissar, Dent called the bracelets “draconian,” to which Mendel­ son responded by plugging his ears and yell­ ing, “La, la, la, la, la—I can’t hear you!”

Despite complaints about paperwork, body cavity searches, and the administration’s general policy of treating students like they’re on a terrorism watch-list, Mendelson insisted that the new travel decree is a step forward.

“We just want students to be safe,” he said. “Oh, and living in a state of constant fear. That too.” A

n o t

March 31, 2009, as private military forces sub­ dued the campus and surrounding areas and welcomed it into the communist fold.

While the Republic’s current politics are what some have called “wishy-washy,” there is no doubt that they are superior to those of the university they replaced.

“It is our mandate to explore and expand our history,” said SSMU Viceroy Kay Turner.

“At any cost. Anyone wishing to dispute our politics can cut to the chase by kicking them­ selves in the teeth and taking themselves in for questioning.”

s lo w

Despite recent altercations between The Republic and Max Silverman, who is current­ ly based out of an as-yet undiscovered loca­ tion near the ghetto, the anniversary celebra­ tions will continue on as planned.

“We will not let the threat of bodily injury stop us from celebrating our violent heritage,” said Turner. “In the event of civil war, our lecture series and opportunities to meet the visiting leaders will be moved to a secure undisclosed location and attendees will be provided with cyanide capsules in case of siege.” A

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SKETCHED BYCOMRADE SCCTTTI

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GA, Gert’s, SSM U fail S S M

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The General Assembly held this past Wednesday in Gert’s failed to meet quorum, leaving various people and organizations to blame and censure each other.

The Students’ Society Council decided to move the GA to Gert’s in order to boost its sales. As Gerts bar manager Tanya Somethingorother explained, “After the failure of the unpopular Smelly Saturdays, we tried new tactics to get people into Gert’s. And what gets people drinking like failed democracy?”

However the new location of the GA failed to attract any students. The attendance hovered at 34, 25 of whom were SSMUshies, seven Tribune writers, and one Jacob Feygin.

The cause of the failure is still being debat­ ed. Ex-VP Finance and Operations Tobias Silverstein blamed it on lack of knowledge about Gert’s. “This was one of the main causes of my resignation,” Silverstein confessed. “What is this Gert’s people keep referring to?”

The McGill Daily has concluded that this demonstrates SSMU’s lack of relevancy

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to students. As one Daily editor commented, “SSMU no longer provides anything impor­ tant to students, which is why we talk about them all the time and get all of our funding through them. An article on this brand-new, never before discussed issue will be featured in our news/opinion section Thursday.”

SSMU, on the other hand, blamed Or­ ganic Campus. It was not entirely clear if Or­ ganic Campus was in any way connected with the event. As Viceroy Kay Turner explained, “[SSMU is] sick of confronting student apa­ thy, so we’ve decided to just keep censuring shit. And the more service execs that resign, the more money SSMU gets to spend on exec Blackberries, pouring money into the sinkhole Haven Books and shittier food in the Shatner buildling.”

Because the GA failed to meet quorum, all the motions will be pushed to the Fall GA. These motions are: Motion RE: Council Per­ forms “Don’tchya (Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Me)” and Motion RE: SSMU Con­ demnation of Everything. A

B eing h ot can’t save N icole G ileadi now E le c tio n s

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Following the results of what will no doubt be a landmark case in student electoral circles, the entire staff of Elections McGill was arrested en masse after they attempted to re­ sign following a censure by SSMU’s Legisla­ tive Council.

The Council passed a motion censuring Elections McGill in confidential session last week. In response, the four members of Elec­ tions McGill attempted to resign at Council and were summarily arrested on charges of belligerence, defying the will of SSMU Vice­ roy Kay Turner, and eating in the Lev Buchman room.

“We’ve really been hoping this would happen for a while,” said Turner. “The entire concept of Elections McGill is outdated. Stu­ dents are still welcome—and expected—to vote, but only if they vote for me.”

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In a note scribbled in blood on the wall of her holding cell, ex-Elections McGill Chief Electoral Officer Nicole Gileadi tried to jus­ tify her actions.

“Obviously we disagreed with Council’s decision to censure us, and we felt that this was significant enough that we needed to show our disagreement symbolically. Some­ one please help us.”

In the hours leading up to the executions, Councilor and Chief Inquisitor Alexandre Shee uncovered more evidence linking several of the staff to the revolution that Generalis­ simo Munroe-Blum (may she live forever) is currently squashing.

Elections McGill employs four members of SSMU to carry out its mandate. Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Mallika Swaminathan, Elections Co-ordinator Sean Stefanik, and Elections Co-ordinator Sophie MacIntyre will all be executed along with Gileadi.

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After Gileadi announced the resignation, councillors debated over the means of execu­ tion. While hanging, lethal injection, and eat­ ing Tiki Ming were all seriously considered, Council decided a firing squad was a stronger warning against future defiance.

“I’m not surprised that Elections McGill was incredibly upset about [the censure], and I’m not surprised that they resigned as a re­ sult,” Turner said. “But that doesn’t mean they should be allowed to spread defiance through­ out the ranks. Long live McGill!”

No councilors were willing to comment for fear of being placed on the wrong side of the firing squad.

Similar mass resignation on the part of Elections McGill occurred in 2009, but staff were allowed to live on the condition that they aided Turner’s rise to power.

“Obviously we were being too generous,” said Turner. “However, I don’t foresee a simi­

fo r

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lar problem in the future.”

Turner’s private staff will be cordinating all Elections McGill activities in future until more compliant replacements are found.

The four staff members will be executed via firing squad at the break of dawn this Fri­ day in front of a small crowd, and will not be given final cigarettes, blindfolds, or any last words. A

COMRADE SOOTTI

Gileadi, above, delivering the speech that would ultimately lead to her execution.

31.03.15 • The People’s Tribune *11

SM U C ouncil ondem ns Harper

Pigeons to form a new workers’ union

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The Students’ Society Legislative Council pproved a motion last Thursday to condemn rime Minister Stephen Harper after an hourong debate, citing Harpers “free-market” aproach to the current economic crisis. The otion, proposed by Councillor Hanchu hen, criticizes the Prime Minister for failing o use the economic crisis as an opportunity or nationalizing Canada’s major industries.

“The market has failed us,” Chen said.

‘Only the federal government can fairly man­ ge major industries and equally divide Canda’s wealth.”

Though the motion has no binding legal ower (or indeed any power), Councillor and hief Inquisitor Alexandre Shee said that the otion carries symbolic weight.

“One of SSMU’s most basic duties is to ondemn people, actions, or abstract ideas that Council finds offensive,” Shee said.

“Condemning things is one of the best ways in which Council can effect change.”

SSMU Council has a long history of passing similar motions of condemnation.

Last month, Councillor Jose Diaz proposed a motion to condemn poverty throughout the world, which passed by a wide margin.

Earlier in the year, Council unanimously passed a motion condemning McGill Chan­ cellor Richard W. Pound for remarks in which he described Canada as “un pays de sauvages” and calling for his resignation. Pound resigned shortly after the motion passed.

“Quite frankly, Dick Pound’s comments

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were offensive and oppressive to McGill stu­ dents,” said Councillor Sarah Woolf. “How were we supposed to get an education with Pound’s oppression running rampant around campus?”

Other previous condemnations include war, pestilence, the Republican party, nonsustainable practices, and girls who wear Lululemon leggings as pants.

Though Council quickly reached an agreement that Harper should be condemned, Councillors spent nearly three hours debating the exact wording of the motion. Repeated at­ tempts by Shee to call the question were voted down by Council, though Shee found a ready second in Councillor Will Johnston.

Other items on Council’s agenda in­ cluded approval of the annual budget and the question of what action to take on Bill 107, a proposed provincial law to regulate Republic boards of governance. Council approved the budget with no debate and postponed the Bill 107 discussion to allow further debate on the Harper motion.

Several councillors expressed high hopes that SSMU’s condemnation of Harper might force the prime minister’s resignation as the earlier motion did for Pound.

“At the very least it will trigger a federal election,” said Vice-President External Devin Alfaro in French. “SSMU is one of the most powerful organizations on McTavish Street.

Aside from the UN, no one’s condemnation means more than ours.” &

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CO M RA D E KANTER

McGill’s pigeons, which comprise a sig­ nificant percentage of the university’s popula­ tion, announced the formation of the Associa­ tion of Pigeons who Walk Around McGill at a special press conference last Friday. The union will join MUNACA, AGSEM, and AMUSE in vying for hearts and headlines across the Republic.

Old Red Eye, the union’s unanimouslyappointed leader, elaborated on the need for APWAM in these trying times.

“Coo coo coo,” said Red Eye, while find­ ing it difficult to remain still. “Coo coo coo coo, coo coo. Coo coo, coo coo.”

In addition, Red Eye said the union will work towards establishing a heat grate on campus, similar to the one at the southeast corner of Parc and Prince Arthur.

Rebel leader Max Silverman, speak­ ing from his hidden base, said he believes APWAM is a major victory in the struggle against Generalissimo Heather Munroe-Blum she live forever).

d u tie s

“We can’t afford to clip our pigeons’ wings,” said Silverman, who lobbied for the creation of APWAM by jutting out his head with every step he took for a week last win­ ter. “But if we must, it should be the right wings.”

Generalissimo Munroe-Blum, however, isn’t threatened by the new avian association.

“I actually like birds,” she said. “Espe­ cially in a white wine sauce.”

When pressed for further comment, Munroe-Blum elaborated on the potential of future animal unions.

“As long as my power remains secure, I don’t see a problem with them,” she said while cackling evilly. “In fact, there should be a union for pink panthers. My husband wrote the remake with Steve Martin, you know. Did you know that? Go ahead and IMDb that shit.”

In addition to lobbying for the pigeon population at large, the new union will also regulate the allocation of garbage cans, stat­ ues, and car-effacing duties. A

COMRADE s c o rn

Above: APWAM leader Red Eye shown here eyeing a piece of bread.

G hetto fights and com plaints rising R e s id e n ts p r o p e r ty

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C O M R A D E YATES

In a meeting with the Montreal police and representatives of Generalissimo Munroe-Blum (may she live forever), 40 perma­ nent residents from the Milton-Parc commu­ nity criticized students for escalating levels of street fighting in the ghetto. Complaints cen­ tered around the violence between students, as McGill is becoming increasingly divided between those who support McGill’s totalitar­ ian state (may it live forever) and those who support revolutionary Max “Why hasn’t he graduated yet?” Silverman.

Much of the meeting was spent fondly remembering the days of noise complaints.

“Remember how they used to scream and puke in the streets every night at three a.m.?” asked Marty Umbridge, the organizer of the residents’ meeting. “Those were the days.”

Umbridge, along with many other ghetto residents, has faced sharply declining property values and personal injury at the hands of warring students. According to a recent report

by Statistics Canada, the average life expec­

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e x p e c ta n c y tancy in the area has decreased dramatically in the last six years, while suicide rates are on the rise. For the purposes of the study, Statistics Canada has redefined “suicide” as “being be­ tween University Street and Parc after dark.”

A community policy which will require silencers on all weapons used in the ghetto is in progress. While initially a guns-for-microphones program was suggested, in which all students willing to trade in their guerilla ar­ senal would be provided with wireless micro­ phones, amps, and a hairstyle of their choice, the plan was rejected after residents were ex­ posed to music by LiT Wayne.

“I miss the days when noise was the big­ gest problem,” said Cornelius Fudge, a resi­ dent of the area for over 30 years. “But not that much.”

Residents are also petitioning the City of Montreal for increased building defences, floodlights, barbed wire, and tasers to protect themselves from violent students. The city’s decision will be released Thursday. Until then, shootings will proceed as usual. A

L E C T U R E

T U R N E R A n o n

I n tim a te W o r ld

D is c u s s io n

D o m in a tio n

M c G ill's

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Thursday, April 2, in the Lev Bukhman room F o r r e s e r v a tio n s , p le a s e e m a il vice ray< 3 > ssm u, m c g ilL c a

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31.03.15 • The People’s Tribune *12

EDITORIAL Editor and Chief Executioner Com rade Chesser executioner@peoplestribune.com

Second-in-Commands Com rade Chan Com rade Quail

W e support Q PIR G ’s forced-labour fee

Letters GRASPé lauds Tribune

seconds@peoplestribune.com

Production Leader Com rade C hang production@peoplestribune.com

Department of Truth Com rade Gilman Com rade Meyer truth@peoplestribune.com

Department of Propaganda Com rade Rudny propaganda@peoplestribune.com

Harbingers of Doom Com rade Marjadi Com rade Yates doom@peoplestribune.com

Department of Brainwashing Com rade Carpenter Com rade Grégoire brainwashing@peoplestribune.com

Department of Forced Recreation Com rade Kanter forcedrecreation@peoplestribune.com

Department of Your Mom Com rade Scotti yourmom@peoplestribune.com

Search Engine Deceiver Com rade Howarth search@peoplestribune.com

Illusionists Com rade Kassim Com rade M cMullen

omrades, the time has com e to show our solidarity w ith the w ork­ ers o f the world.

T he Q uebec Proletarian Insurgency and Revolution G roup, which has long been the vanguard o f the revolution at McGill, needs your help. As you may know, several m onths ago, Q PIR G began the construction o f a 50-foot-tall gold statue o f our great and fearless leader, G eneralis­ simo H eather M unroe-Blum . T he statue is a fitting tribute to our leader, and will shine out as a beacon o f hope to all McGill stu­ dents— if only because it will reflect the beams o f those giant, revolving spotlights from Club 737.

Since the project’s inception, Q PIR G has helped pay the bills. A nd although some students opposed Q P IR G ’s fee in­ creases in the past— w hether it was w hen the fee first rose from $3 to $3.75 in 2009, w hen it quintupled a year later, or w hen it finally surpassed the cost o f tuition in 2013— m ost o f them realized that the money was being used for the greater good.

While it pained Q PIR G to collaborate with bourgeois reactionaries (also known as “independent contractors”) to build the statue, they understood that such com ­ prom ises were necessary. Q P IR G was just waiting for the correct m om ent to rise up and reclaim our campus.

T hat time has come. T he independent

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contractors— pardon me, capitalist scumsuckers-—have walked o ff the job. But the statue is still far from com plete, and Q P IR G needs your help. They have set up a new forced labour program to help continue the statue’s construction, which students m ust o p t into via Minerva.

Some students have criticized the statue as a whole, saying that Q P IR G ’s projects prom ote the interests o f a small m inority o f students, while ignoring the rest. B ut we have an answer for these nay­ sayers: no one believes m ore firmly than Q P IR G that all M cGill students are equal.

They would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometim es you might make the w rong de­ cisions, comrades, and then w here would we be?

T he People’s Tribune is therefore ask­ ing you to opt-in to Q P IR G ’s new forced labour program via M inerva. In lieu o f paying next sem ester’s Q P IR G fee, you may now sign up to w ork on the statue construction crew this summer. T he la­ bour com m itm ent works o ut to roughly 60 hours per week, shifts are flexible to fit your sum m er classes, and Midnight K itchen will supply rations for all student labourers.

We urge you to do so immediately, in the true spirit o f solidarity. jViva la Revolucion! A

It’s encouraging to see that one campus publication still maintains its journalistic integrity. The Daily’s right-wing propaganda has gone too far.

Finally, the Tribune publishes reasonable content that GRASPé can support. There’s always a victory to be achieved! Long live the peoples revo­ lution.

— Bred Furril

Somebody’s been drinking

!

I hesitate to question Viceroy Turner in her supreme wisdom, but I was unable to find the location of the most recent General Assembly.

Where is “Gert’s?”

— Concerned Student

A plea for Gender neutraliry— We admit our fault I am extremely upset to see the word “he” used as a supposedly gen­ der-neutral pronoun in last week’s issue (“J-board member j-boards Jboard”). I simply cannot believe that the People’s Tribune would stoop to the low level of the dominant patri­ archy. Might I remind you that our Generalissimo HMB (may she live forever) is, in fact, a woman? With the state of the world the way it is, it’s publications like yours that are standing in the way of gender-neutral bathrooms for all. Jackasses.

—Andrew Geny language egalitarian

illusionsits@peoplestribune.com

Copy Inquisitorial Department Com rade Crawford

Manager-in-Charge-of-Submittingto-Capitalist-Reactionaries Com rade Ward

EDITORIAL

Support perpetual GA reform

Dissemination Com rade Ronalds

People’s Tribune O ffices Editorial Trotsky University Centre Suite no, 3 4 8 0 McTavish People’s Republic of McGill T: 5 1 4 .3 9 8 . 6 7 8 9 E: info@peoplestribune.com Advertising Mao Student Building Suite 1 2 0 0 , 3 6 0 0 McTavish People’s Republic of McGill T: 5 1 4 .3 9 8 .6 8 3 5 F: 5 1 4 .3 9 8 . 7 4 9 0

The People’s Tribune is an editorially dictated rag published and run entirely by the Students’ Society of McGill University. Letters to the Edi­ tor may be submitted in triplicate to the Tribune Office, and are subject to a board approval proc­ ess. Letters should be kept under 3 0 0 words and only express opinions similar to ours. Submis­ sions judged by the People’s Publication Union to be libellous, sexist, racist, homophobic or solely promotional in nature will not be published, and the contributor will be taken out Behind Stewart Bio and shot at point-blank range with a Colt .4 5 .

The Tribune reserves the right to censor all con­ tributions. Editorials are “suggested” by Viceroy Turner, may she live forever. Donations of food, coffee, and invitations to go outside are welcome.

Please recycle this propaganda.

e know w hat you’re thinking: “Thank God, another editorial about General Assemblies.”

The GA is undoubtedly the most accu­ rate way to measure the will o f the People, and is a shining symbol o f Students’ Society Viceroy Kay Turner’s com m itm ent to gov­ erning in the name o f brotherhood and free­ dom. That’s why the People’s Tribune whole­ heartedly supports Turner’s sixth attem pt at GA reform.

GA critics have pointed to the m ultitude o f times it has been reformed as some sort of proof that it is a faulty forum for the People to express their opinions. But comrades, the fact that the GA has survived through so many different incarnations is proof o f its w orth. An unworthy, unrepresentative sys­ tem surely would have been scrapped had it

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proven to be so ineffective that reform be­ came a yearly tradition.

O ne should not blame Turner for the group o f radical right-wing conservatives that attem pts to hijack discussion at the GA every year— an unfortunate trend that cul­ minated in last year’s disastrous decision to send SSM U armaments to the Gaza Strip. It is not Turner’s fault that those students will­ fully ignore the opinion o f the People and choose to further their own self-serving in­ terests.

It is because o f these students that Turner has struck back with a bold new plan that the Tribune strongly endorses. Starting this se­ mester, SSM U security will randomly select 1 0 0 students from classrooms across campus and escort them to a secure location. There, the 1 0 0 students will act as representatives of

the will o f the People, w ith full power to set SSMU policy— regardless o f their familiarity with the operation o f the Society. Comrades, this reform will ensure that our GAs are truly representative, and not an illegitimate sham monopolized by a radical minority.

The People’s Tribune applauds Turner’s continued attem pts to serve the greater good.

This attem pt at reform is significantly better than some o f her previous efforts, such as conducting GAs by straw poll at OAP, or in­ stituting a “qualified quorum ” that required an unreasonable two per cent o f the student body in order to make a binding decision.

We move that Turner continues to remake the glorious mechanisms o f the Society in her image— do we have a second to this m o­ tion? A

D O Y O U R E M E M B E R W H A T I T ’S L I K E T O G O O U T S I D E ? T E L L U S !

T H E P E O P L E ’S T R I B U N E S T A F F H A V E N ’T S E E N S U N L I G H T , F R I E N D S , O R F A M IL Y I N N E A R L Y S IX Y E A R S . P L E A S E H E L P U S E S C A P E .

L O N G L IV E T H E P E O P L E .

SpecialFeature O

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31.03.15 • The People’s Tribune *13

n

Cats are confusing creatures. From their glowing eyes to their sharpened claws to their habit of licking themselves, there is no domesticated animal more mysterious—or more dangerous.

Stalking the hallways and pouncing on any feet which happen to intrude on their jungle-carpet domain, the cat is both an expression of freedom bound and a sadistic guardian of upholstered surfaces.

Getting a cat might seem like an ador­ able idea, but be forewarned—the very na­ ture of the creatures themselves means that innocent kittens can become diarrhea-spew­ ing HOMICIDAL PSYCHO JUNGLE CATS. A

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THEATRE

S t u d e n t t h e s p i a n s h a i l C a e s a r a t M o y s e H a ll D e p t,

o f

E n g lis h

T h e a tr e

C arolyn G régoire

A tale of blind ambition, honour, and political strife, Wil­ liam Shakespeare's classic tragedy Ju liu s C aesar is as relevant today as it was in the 16th century. The Department of English Drama and Theatre Program's production of Ju liu s Caesar is currently playing at the Moyse Hall Theatre.

The play transcends its historical context, interweaving themes of morality, dirty politics, and patriotism, as well as the power of rhetoric and its influence over an acquiescent pub­ lic. Julius Caesar, the absolute ruler of ancient Rome who lived from 100-44 BCE, was considered by many to be a threat to the fundamental principles of the Roman Empire and was killed for his ruthless ambition and love of power. The Machiavellian leader's friends and enemies— led by the respected Roman senator Marcus Brutus— plot and carry out his assassination in hopes of restoring the ideals of the republic, while an ensuing civil war takes over the empire. Zak Rose brings a commanding stage presence to the difficult role of Caesar, a powerful dicta­

P r o g r a m

p r e s e n ts

S h a k e p e a r e 's

tor who is simultaneously loved and feared. Though Caesar is by no means the main character o f the play, Rose's dynamic performance still manages to steal the show. Playing Caesar's friend Mark Antony, Fraser Dickson delivers a highly impres­ sive performance, especially during Antony's famous speech following Caesar's murder in Act Three. Beginning w ith the famous words, "Friends, Romans, countrymen: lend me your ears;" the power o f this pivotal scene is contingent upon the delivery o f Antony's speech above Caesar's corpse, and Dick­ son hits the mark straight-on.

Several o f the performances seemed rather overacted at times, but for the most part, the acting was both convincing and impressive. The chemistry between Murteza Khan, in the role o f Brutus, and Spencer Malthouse, who played Brutus's brother-in-law Cassius, deftly portrayed the paradoxical and complex relationship between the tw o central figures in the assassination plot. Their conflicting motivations come to the forefront, as Cassius seems to be motivated by lust for power and envy, while Brutus's intentions are more honourable— he famously states that he killed Caesar because he "loved Rome more." The four main characters o f Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, and Mark Antony play o ff each other to great effect, carrying out Patrick Neilson's vision o f creating a balance between the men's virtues and flaws.

The production is expertly directed by Patrick Neilson, who also acted as the set designer. Neilson's talent is evident in the perfectly-orchestrated battle scenes as well as the scene in which the dead Caesar's apparition appears to Bru­ tus in his sleep, which uses impressive visual and auditory ef­ fects. The head o f Caesar is projected against the back o f the stage, fog mists up from the ground, and his booming voice echoes throughout the theatre, perfectly capturing Brutus's psychological struggle. The scene o f Caesar's assassination in act three is equally powerful and well-executed, w ith a bright crimson backdrop to emphasize the blood that has needlessly and mercilessly been shed. The tension is tangible as Brutus delivers the last blow to Caesar, who in turn delivers one of the play's most famous lines,"Et tu. Brute?"

Innovative deconstruction-chic costumes enhanced the play w ith o u t ever being over the top. The staging— a wooden structure placed at the centre o f the stage w ith four sets of stairs connecting to a central platform — like the costumes, is simple yet effective, letting the acting and script take centre stage while still functioning to great effect. All costumes and sets for the production were created entirely out o f recycled

J u liu s C a e s a r

and repurposed materials, including old sports padding, curtains, sheets, leather scraps, and distressed jeans. A black leather miniskirt, for instance, was turned into Caesar's collar piece. The costuming reflects Neilson's vision o f the tale being set in a dystopic future in which climate change and deserti­ fication has brought about socioeconomic instability. This fu­ turistic setting really only comes across through the costumes, but it did serve to emphasize the play's timelessness and uni­ versal applicability.

Though theatre-goers should be prepared for a lengthy two-and-a-half hour performance, they can expect to see a skillful rendition o f one o f Shakespeare's greatest tragedies.

Spend an evening at Moyse Hall to experience Ju liu s Caesar's well-delivered performances o f complex and highly nuanced characters and the play's moving treatm ent o f the human con­ dition. ■ Julius Caesar is p layin g M arch 25-28 and A p ril 2-4 at 7:50 p.m. at the M oyse H a ll Theatre, located in the Arts building.

When in Rome: Tyrants and assassins take the stage in togas during the Department of English Drama and Theatre Program's production of Julius Caesar.

MATTPARK

31.03.09 «The McGill Tribune - 15

www.mcgilltribune.com

ART

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There's nothing like weaving your way through a pa­ rade of drunken revelers to get to an exhibit on ephemer­ al architecture to make you feel like the most pretentious loser in the city. Last weekend, the Canadian Centre for Architecture (located just south of St. Catherine) unveiled its newest exhibit, Total Environm ent: M ontréal, 1965-1975The exhibit follows the wave of intellectuals, artists, and social activists who have appropriated the term 'environ-

CCA-ACTIONS.ORG

Good for the environment, and your inner child. ment' in search of a totalizing experience of art and ac­ tion. As an aesthetic experiment of the mid-20th century, environmental art was fuelled by the explosion of com­ munication and information technologies and dreamed of participatory, interactive art that existed in lived envi­ ronments rather than galleries and museums.

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The exploration of total environment saw its most dramatic manifestation in the striking art and architec­ ture of Expo 67, the world's fair event that offered nations divided during the Cold War the fantasy of a utopian and modernist future. Fittingly constructed on a man-made island composed from the leftover soil from Montreal's brand new metro system, Expo showed the world new ways of interacting in urban societies and gave both Canada and Quebec a chance to demonstrate what they were capable of on a global stage.

Total Environm ent goes beyond Expo 67, aiming to reconstruct the images and meanings behind other ephemeral creations of the 1960s and 1970s which an­ ticipated current trends and tensions in architectural ex­ perimentation. The exhibit is composed of projections, films, art, and artifacts reflective of the period, albeit in a limited way. The exhibit is small and doesn't quite bridge the art-spectator binary that the notion of ephemeral ar­ chitecture seeks to break down. My opinion, of course, might be tainted by the fact that I didn't get a chance to roll around in the pink bubble tube, which was one dra­ matic instance of participatory art that stood apart from the rest of the exhibit.

All in all, T o ta l E n v ir o n m e n t is definitely worth check­ ing out, and not only because admission is free for stu­ dents. Beyond the opportunity it provides to read about the artistic mind behind the Peel metro station, the ex­ hibit is excellently complemented by another featured exhibition that offers admirable compensation for what T o ta l E n v ir o n m e n t lacks in content.

A c tio n s : W h a t You C an D o W ith th e C ity is a showcase of 99 imaginative, resourceful, and often subversive ac­ tions that have sought to change urban spaces around the globe. Unlike the ephemeral architects who sought to create a total perceptual experience, these projects by artists, engineers, politicians, and children all seek solu­ tions to the immediate and particular challenges of city living. From padded velour jumpsuits designed to re­ claim inhospitable surfaces in Los Angeles to sustainable and charitable initiatives like McGill's own Edible Campus, the actions of A c tio n s are at once controversial, political, inspirational, humourous, and ingenious.

The parallels and points of departure between the ideological goals of the two exhibits provide for a fasci­ nating gallery experience. If you're going to see T o ta l E n ­ v ir o n m e n t, try to get there before A c tio n s closes on April 19. ■ Total Environment is on disp lay until August 23 at the Can ad ian Centre for Architecture (1920 Baite St.). Adm ission is free for students. Check out w w w .cca.qu.ca for m ore de­ tails.

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E d e n ic B r a h n a S ie g e l b e r g

The Avenue Art Gallery in Montreal's Old Port is currently exhibiting the works of renowned Yugoslavian painter Ljubomir Ivankovic, who is known for his precise technique and ability to infuse depictions of the everyday with metaphysical sensibilities.

Currently based in Hampstead, Quebec, Ivankovic graduated from the University of Belgrade with a Master's degree in Fine Arts in 1982, and has since enjoyed a long and successful career. Some of his most impres­ sive accomplishments include countless solo and group exhibitions over the past 30 years, as well as the title of first-place prize winner in Canada's National Painting Competition in 2006. Ivankovic is also a member of the coveted International Professional Artists Association.

The series on display at the Avenue Art Gallery, entitled Scenes from the Garden, features highly sensual images of women, all surrounded by scarlet apples. Blatantly meant to evoke the Garden of Eden, the paint­ ings are a modern take on the themes of lust, temptation, and eroticism.

"I think the premise of these works is the female form as a site of lust as well as fertility... .The apples are always strategically placed as a symbol of temptation and the forbidden fruit," says Myriam Carrier, curator of the exhibit.

As Ivankovic describes his work as "contemporary art with a classi­ cal technique," his artistic style and mythological subject matter seem to echo the voluptuous yet well proportioned Venuses of Botticelli or Cabanel, while much of his content— glimpses of a bright red G-string, streaks of purple hair, unbuttoned denim jeans, or a haute couture gown— is distinctly modern. With an impressive resume of his own, Ivankovic cites distinctly varied artists like Michelangelo, Rubens, and Picasso as some of his inspirations.

In regards to his artistic process, Ivankovic explained that he often reproduces many of the same images, and then "dresses" them as he sees fit. Calling it neither abstract nor realist, but "figurative," the beauty of his art lies not in its abstract spontaneity nor in any attempt at mimesis, but rather in its calculated subtleties and brief moments of abstraction in which each piece harmoniously blends with and complements the other. One piece, for example, features a half nude woman whose face is cut off by the top of the canvas— she reaches an apple with one hand, while what appears to be the hand of a disembodied man tugs mischie­ vously at the buttons of her jeans. Another piece might feature a similar looking woman, but this time she is fully nude, with the apple in hand.

The artist seems to depict a prelapsarian vision of lust and temptation before these desires are fully consummated.

Whether you're a passionate art connoisseur or just an occasional museum-goer, the vivid colors, flawless technique, and entrancing imag­ ery of Ljubomir Ivankovic's works are definitely worth a look. ■ Scenes from a Garden is on disp lay at the Avenue Art G allery (10 King St.) until A p ril 10.

FILM

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Terence Davies's film O f T im e a n d th e C ity : a Love S to ry a n d is an ode to the director's childhood in the heart of Liverpool, England during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Born as the last of ten children to Catholic, working-class parents in 1945, Davies has enjoyed a long and relatively successful di­ rectorial career producing works such as M a d o n n a a n d C h ild (1980) and D is ta n t Voices: S till L ife (1988). Davies is known for his refusal to compromise, which give his films a refreshingly original feel.

O f T im e a n d th e C ity was made in 2007, but was filmed mostly in black and white to emphasize the appearance of the 1940s and 1950s. Though it is Davies's fourth feature film, he uses similar themes of Liverpool in the twentieth century to those contained in his earlier works. The audience is accom­ panied through the movie by a benign, soothing narrator who provides witty perspective on various events throughout the film. As he grows up, we are privy to his thoughts and theories on religion, sexuality, and other issues he encounters. He leads us expertly from the rise of The Beatles and the emergence of 1960s popular culture, to the Korean War and the atrocities that take place whenever humans set their minds on killing

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each other. The use of poetry throughout the film lends a cer­ tain elegance to the otherwise unglamorous environment in which Davies grew up, and throughout the movie the beauty of the inner city of Liverpool is on full display.

As the narrator grows and changes with the times, so too does the city of Liverpool change through the course of the movie. The boom experienced by the city in the 50s is portrayed expertly through the use of colours and carefully employed cinematography. It is interesting for the viewer to witness the influence of the city on its constituents as it grows and changes.

At times it gets a little difficult for the viewer to interpret what is happening, but for the most part it is easy to follow. At only 72 minutes in length, it makes for short and worthwhile viewing, especially for those who enjoy classic movies. The po­ etry and music are very prevalent and the sound becomes a factor that immensely contributes to the film. One may find a basic knowledge of British history helpful in understanding parts of the film— though not essential, it would contribute to an overall experience which is rich in history. ■ Of Time and the City is p layin g at Cinem a du Parc. Check out w w w .cnem aduparc.com for m ore details an d showtim es.

The McGill Tribune

16 • Arts & Entertainment • 31.03.09

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Frightened Rabbit. The M id n ig h t O rg an Fig h t. Plaintive is the word to describe lead singer Scott Hutchison's melodic wail on his band Frightened Rabbit's second album, The M id n ig h t O rg a n F ig h t. Hutchison's lyr­ ics range from the touching to the crass ("It takes more than fucking someone to keep yourself warm,"), but his sadly earnest voice lends the Scottish band's album its unifying

element.

Frightened Rabbit, a bassist-free group, quietly emerged onto the North American indie scene with The M id n ig h t O rg a n F ig h t's release in late 2008, garnering impressive reviews from Pitchfork and legions of bloggers. The standout track is album-opener "The Modern Leper," a rousing number in which Hutchison ponders how anyone could love him. Other high points include "Old Old Fashioned," an intimate track with folksy guitar in which Hutchison sings of his distaste for modern times, and "Floating in the Forth," a soft ballad about not leaping off a bridge.

Yet if Frightened Rabbit's songs lean toward the melancholy, they are also unfailingly optimistic. After calling his girl a masochist for coming back to him yet again on "The Modern Leper," Hutchison admits that,"You are notill, and I'm not dead. Doesn't that make us the perfect pair?" A rousing, emotional album, The M id n ig h t O rg a n F ig h t might just have been the best thing to come out of Scotland in 2008.

— T he o M e y e r

The Answer. E v e ry d a y D em o n s. Finally, a good old-fashioned hard rock album that actually rocks hard.The Answer has released their second album after the slew of EPs that followed their 2006 debut album, Rise. Ev­ e ry d a y D e m o n s is what happens when you combine Guns N' Roses, Wolfmother, and a touch of The Darkness. It also doesn't hurt that the band has been opening for AC/DC on their Black Ice world tour since last year.

The Answer are originally from Northern Ireland, and have been making a name for themselves as one of the best straightforward rock 'n' roll bands around today. On E v e ry d a y D e m o n s , it's not hard to see why. Once the first track"Demon Eyes"kicks in, the boundless energy, raw guitars riffs, and wailing Axel Rose-esque vocals do not let up until the power ballad "Comfort Zone" at the end of the album. Other highlights include the Audioslave-like "Why'd You Change Your Mind," which constantly switches between quiet bridges and one powerful chorus, and the shamelessly bluesy "Dead Of The Night".

E v e ry d a y D e m o n s is a bit like travelling back to a time when rock was about the powerful lead guitar, crash cymbals, and strong, howl­ ing vocals. While it may have been a simpler time, some might say it was a better time as well.

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What seems like it would be a 73-minute psychedelic documentary about drugs ends up explaining not only the history of magic (psilocybin) mushrooms but of regu­ lar, (literally) garden-variety mushrooms as well. Unfortu­ nately the film doesn't stop here. K n o w Y our M u s h ro o m s introduces the viewer to an entire mushroom subculture, primarily made up of aging hippies who like to pick and eat mushrooms while singing their praises as a possible cure for cancer, high blood pressure, and even the com­ mon cold.

The film revolves around the four-day Mushroom Festival inTelluride, Colorado. Here, former flower children flock annually to a marketplace made up of stalls which sell varieties of mushrooms you've probably never seen or heard of before. When they're not interviewing festivalgoers, the film follows the quirky protagonist and self-proclaimed "mushroom hunter" Larry Evans. The film is quick to answer the question "What's less interesting than hear­ ing people talk about mushrooms?" with lengthy scenes of— wait for it— people lo o k in g for mushrooms in the for­ est, and then cooking them. Even Food Network buffs will likely be bored by this one-dimensional menu. K n o w Y our M u s h ro o m s is the cinematic equivalent of picking berries with your grandmother. While it may be a nice sentiment, in no way is it a thrilling event.

The lowest point comes about three-quarters of the way through, when people begin to talk about mush­ rooms as if they are the most important thing in the his­ tory of the world. Yes, fungi are important for decomposi­ tion and sustaining the ecosystem (thanks, fourth grade science class) but some mushroom-lovers go as far as to argue that they were put here by aliens. Oh, and it gets better. Another key figure in the mushroom game is Gary Lincoff. While explaining his first time taking magic mush­ rooms, Lincoff goes off on a spacey rant about being able to leave the earth and float through space, returning only at his own will. In his words, he wasn't ready to leave the planet quite yet. The urge to utterly rip into this guy is only subsided by the age-old stance of "enough said."

When K n o w Y o u r M u s h ro o m s isn't spewing crackpot theories like the spore-projecting fungi they're in love

NATIONALPOST.COM A mundane mushroom hunt. with, the film does try to mix it up with some humour— but often to no avail. These attempts include a recurring animated mushroom who appears to ask the audience multiple-choice trivia questions in segments called "fun with fungi." No surprises here— the answer is always the one that has to do with mushrooms. We get it: mush­ rooms can aid in healing and offer several other "surpris­ ing" uses which the average (read: sane) person probably never thought about. If the viewer can hear this and just go about their day, why can't the people in the film do the same?

According to the film's trailer, its purpose is to "end fungi-phobia."Now, in danger of speaking in general terms, it's not"fungi-phobia"that afflicts most people, it's"fungiindifference." As hard as it tries, K n o w Y o u r M u s h ro o m s isn't able to cure the reviewer of this condition: symptoms such as yawning and obsessing over how much time was left were prevalent during the film's screening. ■ Know Your Mushrooms is p la y in g a t C in e m a d u Parc.

C h e ck o u t w w w .c in e m a d u p a r c .c o m f o r m o r e d e ta ils a n d s h o w tim e s .

— K yle C a rp e n te r

M U SIC

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The second edition of the Rolling Tundra Revue Tour, a cross-Canada tour that sees Constantines playing shows in 24 cities from Newfoundland to the Yukon, took the stage last Thursday at Le National with The Weakerthans as headliners. It may have been déjà vu for those who saw the 2005 installment of the tour, but everyone in attendance was treated to a stellar evening of music from some of Canada's finest talent.

For the preshow, Constantines, who also served as the opener of the 2005 edition of the tour, played the high-energy set they've become known for over their 10-year career. The band was in top form playing songs from their newest release K e n s in g to n F le ig h ts and the rest of their back catalog. Songs like "Our Age" and "Hard Feelings" came off more urgent and raw than their recorded counterparts and moderate slow-burner "Time Can Be Overcome" was surprisingly heart-wrenching.

Flailing guitars, holding microphones above heads, and stand­ ing on keyboards provided many "rock 'n' roll" moments, but Constantines never let extravagance get in the way, and their stage antics complemented their music. Constantines are touring veterans, and their set showed it. Those in the crowd who were only there for The Weakerthans were treated to a pleasant surprise.

As for The Weakerthans, John K. Samson and company had the crowd in the palm of their hand from the moment they walked onstage, opening with "Everything Must Go," and not letting up until they left the stage after closer "Virtue the Cat Explains Her Departure." The set list was packed with fan

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favourites and live staples, drawing almost equally from their four albums. Their latest album R e u n io n T ou r received mixed reviews, but cuts like "Civil Twilight," "Night Windows and "Tournament of Hearts" were some of the best songs of the evening. Songs off L e ft a n d L e a v in g , including the title track and "Aside" received the most enthusiastic response, and "The Reasons,"arguably their biggest hit, got the entire crowd danc­ ing and singing along.

If there is one thing The Weakerthans do well live, it's the combination of loud and soft. Their set list was perfectly structured, interspersing slower and soothing numbers with the high-energy songs to give the audience, as well as band members, a chance to catch their breath. The result was a set that was always engaging and never dull.

The whole affair was a giant love-in filled with pleasant surprises. Lawrence, an audience member, was randomly selected to take guitar duties from Samson on "Wellington's Wednesdays" while the singer wandered the audience. A rous­ ing chant of "Go Jets Go!" spontaneously erupted during "One Great City," Samson's tongue-in-cheek ode to his hometown of Winnipeg. Weakerthans fans proved themselves to be a truly loving and loyal bunch. Samson didn't say much during the show, but the permanent smile plastered across his face showed his content in ways words probably couldn't convey.

The only people smiling more were the fans.

If Celine Dion and Nickelback are Canada's biggest musi­ cal exports, The Weakerthans are musical ambassadors, wear­ ing their pride on their sleeves and showing it in every song.

Few bands have the courage to tour this vast country of ours, but The Weakerthans seem right at home. ■

S p o r t s HOCKEY— N A T IO N A L C H A M P IO N S H IP RECAP

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For the second straight year, the McGill Redmen saved their best hockey at Nationals for when it mattered least.

Despite having virtually no chance at making the gold medal game after losing 4-1 to the St. Mary's Huskies on Thurs­ day, the Redmen put in a spirited effort to cap a surprising sea­ son, defeating the University of Western Ontario Mustangs 4-3 on Friday in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The Redmen needed to win by at least five goals against the Mustangs in order to have a chance at qualifying for the championship game.

"It's great that we went to Nationals," said McGill Co-Captain Ken Morin. "But for me and some of the other guys it was really disappointing to come away empty-handed again. We played pretty poorly in the first game, and when you dig your­ self into a hole like that it's pretty hard to get out."

The situation was reminiscent of last year's National Championship Tournament, in which the Redmen were simi­ larly dominated in their first game— losing 7-3 to the Alberta Golden Bears— but went on to win their second game— a 3-0 victory over the Moncton Aigles Bleues.

The Mustangs went on to defeat the Huskies 7-2 on Sat­ urday creating a three-way tie for first place in Pool B, with Western, St. Mary's, and McGill each having one win apiece.

Western advanced to the gold medal game by virtue of hav­ ing the best goal-differential in the pool, but failed to capture their second-ever Cavendish Cup, losing 4-2 to the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds in the National Championship game.

Huskies maul McGill Fifth-seeded McGill opened tournament play on Thursday afternoon with the aforementioned 4-1 loss to second-seeded St. Mary's. The Huskies outclassed the unprepared Redmen from the opening whistle, outshooting McGill 34-10 in the first two periods, before retreating into a defensive shell before the midway mark of the third period.

"We were up against a really big and aggressive team," said Morin. "And we got into penalty trouble against the best power-play in Canada. [McGill goaltender Kevin] Desfossés kept us in the game— he was phenomenal— but when you play with fire..."

The Huskies were held off the scoreboard until more than halfway through the second period, but that was only due to the superb play of Desfossés, who made 36 saves on the night.

The Redmen didn't register their first shot on net until more than nine minutes into the first period, but Desfossés made several spectacular saves to keep the game scoreless early on— none better than a sprawling right pad save to deny Hus­ kies'forward Colin Power an easy power-play goal early in the first frame.

T H IR D M A N IN

LEFT: ADAMSCOTTI, RIGHT: COURTESYOFLAKEHEAOUNIVERSITY Desfossés (left) and Bloom (right) tried their best in two games, but fell short at Nationals for the second-straight year.

St. Mary's finally opened the scoring 11 minutes into the second period, as Andrew Hotham took a pass from his brother Scott and fired a high wrist shot over Desfossés's right shoul­ der. Just over five minutes later, Cody Thornton would add the game winner, knocking a rebound past Desfossés after a Scott Hotham point shot. Both goals came on Huskies power-plays, as undisciplined Redmen defenceman Yan Turcotte sat in the box for two costly infractions.

Hotham would add another goal, and fellow Husky Cam Fergus tacked on an insurance marker, while standout fresh­ man defender Marc-André Dorion replied for McGill.

After Western built a 2-1 lead midway through the sec­ ond period, McGill's top line of Kovacevic, CIS All-Rookie Team member Alexandre Picard-Hooper, and Sam Bloom went to work— scoring three times in just over 15 minutes to give McGill a lead they never relinquished. The flurry of scoring was capped by a nice display of hand-eye co-ordination by Kova­ cevic, who batted the game-winning goal out of midair while standing at the side of the Western net.

Picard-Hooper had three points on the night, and Eric L'Italien also tallied for the Redmen.

Redmen tame Mustangs

Although the Redmen ultimately fell short of their first National Championship, the 2008-09 season will go down as one of the most improbably successful in the 133-year history of the Red'n'White. McGill overcame a five-game losing streak to start the season, won 22 of their last 29 games, and posted a 6-2 record in OUA postseason play, en route to capturing their second-straight OUA Eastern Conference Championship and their third Nationals berth in the last four years.

Despite introducing 14 new faces to the roster this sea­ s o n -e ig h t of whom played in Friday's game against the Mus­ tangs— the Redmen will see significant turnover in personnel next year. Co-captains Ken Morin and Eric L'Italien, as well as Bloom and Kovacevic— two-thirds of McGill's top line— will graduate this year. The Redmen also expect to lose top-four defenceman Erik Stilling and second-line winger Vincent Lam­ bert to graduation.

"They've got a solid core of young guys for next year" said Morin. "I'm sure they're going to be just fine without us." ■

Play on, you crazy Redman In a rematch of last weekend's OUA Final, the Redmen ex­ acted revenge on the Queen's Cup champions, knocking off the third-seeded Western Mustangs 4-3 on Friday. Fourth-year winger Marko Kovacevic had two goals and an assist to lead the Redmen to victory in what was likely his last game in a McGill jersey.

"As a potential last game for some o f us, it was all about pride," said Morin. "And to a certain extent, yes, we wanted re­ venge. We thought we could have won the Queen's Cup game if we had played a little better, and we wanted to prove that we could beat Western."

The two teams had met two weeks earlier to decide the Queen's Cup— awarded to the OUA league champion— in a hard-fought game that Western won 2-1. The familiarity be­ tween the two teams was evident from the first faceoff, as the game was a fast-paced, physical affair, in which the Redmen outshot the Mustangs 39-35.

Leave Chris Bosh alone!

hen the Raptors drafted Chris Bosh just under six fers, the Raptors will be faced with the difficult decision of whom to trade him for. years ago, scouts billed him as "an extremely long There are many different potential destinations for Bosh and athletic young power forward who needed a over the next year. It's rumoured that the Golden State War­ little tim e to develop into a franchise calibre player." Indeed, riors have made an offer for Bosh in exchange for Anthony Bosh did develop over his first five years w ith the Raptors, Randolph and Andres Biedrins, who combine to average 28 and has grown into the franchise player that some scouts points and just under 20 rebounds per game. With a swingforesaw when he was dom inating the Atlantic Coast Confer­ man like Shawn Marion and a little time to gel, Randolph ence at Georgia Tech. One o f the premier power forwards and Biedrins could form an imposing presence down low. in the NBA today, Bosh has averaged between 22.3 and 22.6 Another interesting destination for Bosh is Cleveland: a deal points, and between 8.7 and 10.7 rebounds per game over for a duo like Mo Williams and Ben Wallace would be very the past four seasons. propitious for the Raptors (some other principals would But the Raptors have had a dismal season this year. The need to be thrown in to make the numbers work, but the team fired 2007 NBA Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell in De­ deal is still a real possibility). The team could maintain its in­ cember after an 8-9 start to the season, and replaced him side presence and strengthen its interior defence through with Jay Triano, a rookie NBA head coach and former Rap­ Wallace, while picking up an offensive-minded, all-star tors assistant coach. But the losing continued. Now seven point guard who can score and distribute the ball effectively games out of the playoffs at 27-45 in a weak Eastern Con­ in Williams. ference, the Raps don't seem to be headed in the right di­ Though these possible trades would be beneficial to rection. Bosh's contract expires at the end of next season, and he has expressed a desire to leave the Raptors after his the Raptors, Colangelo needs to do whatever it takes to get Bosh to remain in Toronto. It might be that the only way the contract expires after the 2010 season. He's frustrated with Raptors can hold on to Bosh is by trading away other players the way the Raptors have played this season, and wants to to bring in some proven veterans who could give Toronto a play for a winning team. If CB4 continues to rebuff Toronto General Manager Bryan Colangelo's contract extension of­ chance to make a playoff run. The Milwaukee Bucks' Rich­

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ard Jefferson is one such veteran. The Raptors have guards to give up, like Anthony Parker and Roko Ukic, who at 24 could be a valuable asset for a young team like Milwaukee down the road. Jefferson is currently averaging 19 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game, and would be the highscoring shooting guard the Raptors currently lack. The Rap­ tors can also offer the likes of Joey Graham, who has devel­ oped well under Triano, and former three-point champion Jason Kapono to sweeten the deal, if necessary.

At 14-years-old and having only made it to the second round of the playoffs once, in 2001, the Toronto Raptors find themselves at a fork in the road with regards to their franchise player. Many fans feel betrayed by Bosh's change in attitude this year, but Bosh feels betrayed by his team, which has remained stagnant since he arrived. The Raptors' record isn't a byproduct of Bosh's attitude— his attitude is a byproduct of their record.

But all is not lost: Colangelo must build around him as opposed to destroying the foundation o f his team. The Rap­ tors must pull all strings necessary in order to rejuvenate Bosh. Whether it takes money or a trade for an established veteran like Jefferson, the path to playoff basketball in To­ ronto still goes through Chris Bosh. ■

The McGill Tribune

1 8 -Sports *31.03.09

PREVIEW— NCAA FINAL FOUR

PREVIEW— 2 0 0 9 MLB SEASON

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Jacob Kanter Chalkiness and the Big East's strength have been the dominant storylines through­ out this year's tournament. New storylines are on their way, however, as Big East schools make up only half of this year's Final Four, and a team as "low" as a three-seed has made it to the third weekend for the first time since topsy-turvy 2006, when none of the oneseeds reached Atlanta. This year's foursome is comprised of teams with varying styles, but they all share one common trait: they had to beat some very good teams to get to Detroit.

Midwest #2 Michigan State Spartans vs. West #1 Connecticut Huskies The Fluskies had arguably the easiest road to the Final Four (though North Caro­ lina could also make that claim), and many pundits believe that trend will continue, as Michigan State is generally considered to be the weakest of the four remaining teams.

Tom Izzo's Spartans did their best to convince audiences otherwise on Sunday, however, as their second half against overall top-seeded Louisville was the most impressive beatdown of the tournament so far.

These two teams each feature a premier point guard— Michigan's Kalin Lucas and UConn's A.J. Price— and a top-10 defence, but they excel in different areas. Izzo preaches crashing the glass, while Jim Calhoun focusses on field goal defence. The Spartans' big­ gest weakness is taking care of the ball, as they turn it over once every five possessions.

But they got lucky with this matchup, as UConn is ninth-worst in the country at taking the ball away.

Michigan's matchup luck doesn't go much further, however, as their strengths on offence— offensive rebounding and getting to the line— will be counteracted by the Huskies'ability to grab the defensive boards and limit opponents'free throws. Forwards Hasheem Thabeet and Stanley Robinson swat the ball with the best of them, but they hardly ever get into foul trouble.

Overall, the talent level of Calhoun's squad is superior to Izzo's, especially with fresh­ man point guard Kemba Walker turning in highly efficient performances in recent games.

But Izzo will counter with Big Ten defensive player of the year Travis Walton, and the Spar­ tans will be playing only 115 kilometres away from their campus. In a battle featuring two successful veteran coaches and two evenly matched teams, that could be the difference on Saturday night.

East #3 Villanova Wildcats vs. South #1 North Carolina Tar Heels After Villanova point guard Scottie Reynold's miracle buzzer-beater against Pitts­ burgh on Saturday night, the Wildcats' offence has been getting all the press, and de­ servedly so— Jay Wright's squad features four capable perimeter shooters who can slash to the basket and just as many long bodies that can get put-backs. But their defence is actually better, and it showed when they allowed Duke— one of the best offences in the country— only .73 points per possession on Thursday night in a 77-54 shellacking of the Blue Devils. Nova's defence will be put to the test on Saturday night, against the country's best offence in Roy William's Tar Heels.

It appears as if UNC PG Ty Lawson's toe is healed, because he's orchestrated some masterful offensive performances over the past two weeks, most notably helping the Tar Heels hang 98 points on Gonzaga's i7th-ranked defence in 78 possessions in the Sweet 16. Carolina's a smart, experienced team that shoots well, rebounds well, and takes care of the ball. Their fast-paced style could play right into Nova's hands, but Tyler Hansbrough, Danny Green, Deon Thompson, and Ed Davis are also capable of enforcing their will down low.

The Wildcats will face a tough test on the other side of the court as well. The Heels' long arms contest every layup, without letting their opponents get to the line. If Villanova can get the ball on the rim though, they should be able to expose Carolina's mediocre de­ fensive rebounding. Daunte Cunningham, Dwayne Anderson, and Shane Clark will need to be active underneath for the Wildcats to have a chance. Wright's players also need to take care of the ball— Carolina will convert nearly every turnover into an immediate layup.

It's March Madness, so anything's possible. But Carolina's speed, experience, and depth will likely prove too much for Reynolds and Villanova. ■

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: This year's road to the division title won't be nearly as smooth as it was last season, as tB MarkTexeira and closer Felix Rodriguez— both All-Stars— were lured away by lucrative contracts with the Yankees and Mets, respectively.

Off-season signings include on-base machine LF Bobby Abreu and veteran closer Brian Fuentes. The Angels' play­ off hopes will depend largely on the quality of starting pitching that they get, which is somewhat of a concern, because the bottom of the rotation lacks experience.

Seattle Mariners: With 22 new faces on the 2009 roster, including first-year manager Don Wakamatsu, Seattle will look to erase the memory of a woeful 2008 season in which they lost 101 games. The M's decided to give former favourite son Ken Griffey Jr. another shot at the DH position, but losing underrated LF Raul Ibanez will hamper their offence. If ace Eric Bedard can stay healthy and fellow SP0 RTSBL0 G.PR0J0.COM starter Felix Hernandez can regain his control, this team may surprise base­ Hamilton is poised for a big season at the plate. ball fans down the stretch.

Texas Rangers: Last season's distant second-place finishers added CF Andruw Jones to the lineup, hoping he returns to form after two sub-par years. Slugger CF Josh Hamilton (pic tured) and 3B Michael Young anchor a potent offence, but it's always a question of pitching with the Rangers. Can veteran starters Vicente Padilla, Jason Jennings, and Kevin Millwood give them enough quality starts to make a playoff push? Maybe, but don't bet on it.

Oakland Athletics: Although the A's had their worst season in a decade last year, Mon eyb all guru General Manager Billy Beane managed to trade for LF Matt Holliday, who they're hoping can duplicate the gaudy numbers he put up at Coors Field. The Giambino (Jason, not Jeremy) returns for a second stint by the Bay, but across the diamond, 3B Eric Chavez played in only 23 games last year. The pitching staff is very young and unproven— Dana Eveland is their ace. Needless to say, the A's are a work-in-progress.

—Alex Eidm an

NL W EST Los Angeles Dodgers: After LF Manny Ramirez lifted the Dodgers into the playoffs last season, it was hard to imagine him in anything but Dodger blue this season. And despite long and contentious negotiations, Ramirez will lead a potent Dodgers' offence into the 2009 season. Losing SP Derek Lowe will hurt, but not as much as many expect, as Chad Billingsley looks ready to be a top-io starter in the NL. If SS Rafael Furcal and Canandian catcher Russell Martin can stay healthy, the Dodgers should run away with the division title in a perennially weak NL West.

San Francisco Giants: SP Tim Lincecum is a stud. Behind him, there are concerns as to whether Matt Cain can make the next step and if Randy Johnson can still be an effective starter. The Giants have a better-than-average bullpen and a lot of young talent that could be dealt to address their anaemic batting order, which is their most glaring weakness. The Giants'biggest offensive threats areC Bengie Molina and newly acquired SS Edgar Renteria, but their pitching will keep them in a lot of games.

Arizona Diamondbacks: The Diamondbacks have two good pitchers, a lot of young talent, and absolutely no bullpen. CF Chris Young and RF Justin Upton should provide enough power to keep Arizona competitive, but behind starting pitchers Brandon Webb and Dan Haren, there simply isn't a lot of experienced talent to make a playoff run. If Ari­ zona's depleted bullpen continues to struggle, then you may see the Diamondbacks unload talent at the deadline.

Colorado Rockies: Similar to the Diamondbacks, the Rockies are also in the midst of a rebuilding project. They lost some offensive power when Matt Holliday left to join the A's, and some bullpen strength when they chose not to offer Brian Fuentes a market value contract. iB Todd Helton is getting old, and they lost arguably their best pitcher— Canadian Jeff Francis— for the year due to shoulder surgery. Even if closer Huston Street resurrects his career in Denver, the Rockies will remain near the bottom of the standings all summer.

LEFT: WASHINGTONTIMES.COM, RIGHT: DAILYTRIBUNE.COM

After beating Pitt in the Elite Eight, Scottie Reynolds (left) will have his hands full with UNC. Tom Izzo reached his fifth Final Four as head coach of the Spartans

San Diego Padres: The Padres are just beginning what will be a long rebuilding pro­ cess. SP Jake Peavy is still on the market, and the longer he stays in San Diego, the less the Padres will receive for him. They lost their franchise closer when Trevor Hoffman left for greener pastures, signing with the Milwaukee Brewers after 16 years with the Padres. Chris Young could emerge as an ace to build around for the future, but with only iB Adrian Gon­ zalez posing a real threat at the plate, the Padres are in for a long summer.

— Brett Abram s

31.03.09 «Sports* 19

www.mcgilitribune.com

AL EAST New York Yankees: Be­ tween the Alex Rodriguez steroid scandal and the team's spending spree, the Evil Empire dominated headlines again.

C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett give the Yankees tremendous depth in their rotation, and new iB Mark Texiera should fit into the lineup, especially when A-Rod (pictured) returns to bat behind him. In order to start off on the right foot in their new stadium, however, they'll need comeback years from C Jorge Posada, DH Hideki Matsui, and 2B Robinson Cano.

D tLU D LU ù.U IM

A-Rod will boost the Yanks when he returns in May.

Tampa Bay Rays: No lon­ ger the laughingstock of the East, the defending AL Cham­ pions will once again rely on phenomenal pitching, includ­ ing aces Scott Kazmir and Matt Garza, and their rotation will only get better when David Price returns from the minors.

Expect strong campaigns from 2008 ROY 3B Evan Longoria, CF B.J. Upton, and DH Pat Burrell— the team's major off­ season acquisition.

Boston Red Sox: While the Manny Ramirez sideshow may be over, Boston's run likely isn't! 28 Dustin Pedroia will still be the talk of the town, but iB Kevin Youkilis is just as good. Comeback years will be needed from DH David Ortiz and 3B Mike Lowell, but new faces are key. The signings of free agent starting pitchers Brad Penny and John Smoltz might have us calling Sox GM Theo Epstein a genius (again).

Toronto Blue Jays: Sorry Jays fans, this isn't your year. Toronto's offence will be lack­ lustre even with CF Vernon Wells and 3B Scott Rolen on the roster. This highlight of this season may be watching 2B Joe Inglett working his way into the lineup. With injuries to SP Shawn Marcum and SP Dustin McGowan, the rotation looks pretty thin behind the excellence that is Roy Halladay.

Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles may have introduced new uniforms for 2009, but their stylish attire won't be able to stop their run of 11 consecutive losing seasons. RF Nick Markakis, 2B Brian Roberts, and All-Star RP George Sherill are bright spots, but they won't be able to keep Baltimore from being the punching bag for the division's giants. Bunk and McNulty have another long summer ahead.

— D a n ie l H o c h b a u m

NL EAST New York Mets: The Mets' bullpen blew game after game last year en route to New York's second consecutive late-season collapse. Mets General Manager Omar Minaya addressed that problem with the acquisition of Francisco Rodriguez— the most dominant closer in the game— and JJ. Putz, the former closer for the Seattle Mariners. With a potent lineup featuring numerous All-Stars, expect the Mets to avoid another collapse and make a strong run in the postseason.

Philadelphia Phillies: The defending World Series champions were too passive this off-season, acquiring only LF Raul Ibanez, who'll replace former stalwart Pat Bur­ rell. SP Cole Hamels's lingering elbow issues could hamper Philadelphia's drive for a second title, but the rotation should remain solid otherwise. Expect iB Ryan Howard to have another monster year as the Phillies will miss out on the NL Eastern division crown but could sneak into the playoffs as the wild card.

Atlanta Braves: The Braves tried to sign a number of big name free agents this off-season but landed only SPs Derek Lowe and Javier Vazquez. 3B Chipper Jones had an excellent season in 2008, and he'll look to prove that it wasn't a fluke as he enters the twilight of his career. The Braves will compete every night, but this division is too talented for them to have any real shot at first place.

Florida Marlins: The Marlins will be an entertaining team this season but are still at least another year from contending for a playoff spot. Florida's most important move this past winter was locking up SS Hanley Ramirez, arguably one of the best players in MLB, to a six-year, $7o-million contract. The Marlins are loaded with young talent like 2B Dan Uggla and LF Cody Ross, but the rotation is too inexperienced to carry the team to the playoffs.

Washington Nationals: The Nationals are coming off another disappointing season in which they managed to win only 59 games. But they plugged a big hole in the lineup by signing LF Adam Dunn, who has at least 40 home runs in each of the past five seasons. The team's youth movement is led by SPs Daniel Cabrera and Scott Olsen, who could easily become aces in the near future. But the Nats' inexperience will keep them in the NL East basement come September.

— J o n R u b e n s te in

AL CENTRAL Minnesota Twins: SP Francisco Liriano sparkled when he was recalled last September, and could become a superstar this year. There's a lot of speed in the lineup with CF Carlos Gomez, RF Denard Span, and 2B Alexi Casilla, all of whom can steal bases with ease. There are lingering questions about C Joe Mauer's health, but new 3B Joe Crede should provide some power anyway. The five young starting pitchers should get better with age, and Joe Nathan is one of the best closers in baseball.

Cleveland Indians: If they can manage to stay healthy this year, the Tribe should be in a dogfight with the Twins and Tigers to win the Central division. They added an important piece of the puzzle in utility man Mark Derosa, but DH Travis Hafner's ability to be an effective power hitter will determine how far they go this year. The Indians' pitching staff could also hold them back, as Cliff Lee and Fausto Carmona are the only reliable starting pitchers in the rotation.

Detroit Tigers: 1B Miguel Cabrera, 2B Placido Polanco, and RF Magglio Ordonez are all capable of eclipsing 100 RBI this season, and CF Curtis Granderson should progress into an elite outfielder. The problem is that the starters won't keep them in tight games— their only solid arm is the inconsistent Justin Verlander. And if Detroit is looking for answers coming up through their farm system, they can think again, as they lost most of their promising young prospects in trades last winter.

Kansas City Royals: Anchored by Zack Greinke and Gil Meche, and boasting some fresh new talent, the Royals'starting rotation is good enough this season to keep them in conten­ tion through the trade deadline. Their relievers are better than average, with Joakim Soria emerging last year as a premier closer. KC's offence will largely depend on the progression of their two young power hitters: DH Billy Butler and 3B Alex Gordon. This Royals squad should take a step forward this year, for what seems like the first time in decades.

Chicago W hite Sox: With an aging lineup and only one young star in SS Alexei Ramirez, the Sox could take a big step back. They'll miss SP Javier Vazquez, who's now in Atlanta. SPs Mark Buerhle and John Danks should be solid, but there are concerns that Gavin Floyd will take a step backward this season, and no one other than closer Bobby Jenks can get any outs out of the bullpen. If the Sox start out rocky, look for some major moves coming from the South Side at the trade deadline.

— B re tt A b ra m s

N LC E N TR A L Chicago Cubs: The division is theirs for the taking again, although the jury is out on whether their off-season moves left the Cubs better or worse. RF Milton Bradley adds a much-needed switch hitter, and Kevin Gregg will help the bullpen, but 2B Aaron Miles is a downgrade from Mark Derosa. If SP Rich Harden is healthy, they could wrap up the division by September.

Milwaukee Brewers: Milwaukee made headlines for the player they lost (SP C.C. Sabathia) as opposed to their new addition (closer Trevor Hoffman). The lack of additions on offence isn't necessarily a problem, since Milwaukee has a wealth of younger run-producers in 1B Prince Field­ er (pictured) and LF Ryan Braun. Ace Yovani Gallardo shows a lot of promise, but the rest of the rotation is average at best. They should finish near the top of a weak division.

St. Louis Cardinals: The Cards have a nice mix of new faces this year, which is the main rea­ son for the uncertainty surrounding their upcoming season. Rookie 3B David Freese will be thrust into the lineup after Troy Glaus's surgery, and new SS Khalil Greene will bring a solid glove to the infield. SP Chris Carpenter has been riddled with injuries the past two years— if he's healthy, the Redbirds could make a run, especially with iB Albert Pujols slugging in the third spot.

Cincinnati Reds: The Reds are banking on SP Aaron Harang to carry them through the sea­ son, but he posted a 4.79 ERA last year. Their relievers are surprisingly reliable, however, so Cincin­ nati should stay in a lot of games. RF Jay Bruce showed a lot of promise in 100 games last year, and will be counted on to play a big role. Off-season pickups C Ramon Hernandez and CF Willy Taveras will help, but this team still has a few more years to go until they can compete for a division title.

Houston Astros: The Astros sur­ prisingly finished only 3-5 games out of the wild card last year, with a run differential of -31. They only added SP Mike Hampton, who's probably a better hitter than pitcher at this stage of his career. iB Lance Berkman and SS Miguel Tejada should provide plenty of power, and closer Jose Valverde should continue to post good numbers, but the rotation is easily the worst in the division.

Pittsburgh Pirates: The team that allowed a league-worst 884 runs last year did absolutely nothing to address their pitching problems.

Ace Paul Maholm had a solid 2008, but the rest of the rotation is a bat­ ter's wet dream. At the plate, CF Nate McLouth is a star waiting to be born, and 2B Freddy Sanchez has had good offensive seasons in the past. But, as has been the case the last few sea­ sons, there isn't a lot for Pirates fans to look forward to in 2009.

— J a c o b K a n te r

BABREWER.MLBLOGS.COM Fielder is one of baseball's brightest young stars.

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