The McGill Tribune Vol. 28 Issue 7

RED M EN A N D M A R T LE T S HIT V ' J T H E ICE, PAG ES 17 & 19

A R T T H A T YOU CAN BAN G YO U R H EA D TO, PAGE 13

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V olum e 28 Issue 7 • O cto ber 1 5 ,2 0 0 8

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Dlished by the S tu d e n ts'S o cie ty o f M cGill U niversity

Conservatives come out ihead in federal election

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New policy bans dangerous travel A d m i n

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T héo M eyer Both students and faculty members are outraged at a new administra­ tive directive banning student travel to regions around the world classified as dangerous.

In a September 25 memo issued to McGill deans, directors, and chairs, Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Morton Mendelson detailed the new policy: "McGill University will no longer allow students to participate in any university related activities, be they curricular or co-curricular, in countries with a level-three (avoid non-essential travel) or level-four (avoid all travel) warning. In cases where such warnings are limited to specific regions in [a] country, the travel restriction described here applies to the regions."

Level three and level four warnings are issued by Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Under the new directive, McGill stu­ dents are banned from studying abroad, or interning in 20 countries, includ­ ing Afghanistan, Haiti, Indonesia, Lebanon, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In addition, students are prohibited from studying in certain regions of 39 other countries, such as China, Colombia, India, Israel, Peru, Russia, and Thailand.

Students' Society Vice-President University Affairs Nadya Wilkinson, who notified SSMU Legislative Council of the new directive at its meeting on Octo­ ber 2, expressed her concern about the policy's impact on undergraduate and graduate students.

"It seems like this is coming out of nowhere. Faculty members [are] con­ cerned, students are concerned, I'm really concerned. This means a lot of the tudent in Gert's watches as Stephen Harper's Tories secure another electoral mandate.

See DIRECTIVE on page 3

Ghanaian musician denied Canadian visa r a n c i s

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A lison B ailey Ghanaian musician Francis Kofi Akotuah was recently ded a Canadian visa, delaying his cultural workshop tour with immer Larry Graves for at least a week.

Akotuah, a professor at the University of Ghana, was planig to stay in Canada for about a month. During that time would have taught at several workshops, including one at Gill, and would have performed in Ottawa, Toronto, and >ntreal.

Larry Graves, drummer for the band Mr. Something mething, had received $3,000 from the Canada Council for ; Arts to finance the project with Akotuah. Although Graves

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"Due to privacy legislation, it would be inappropriate to remains confident that the trip will not be cancelled altogeth­ er, the program will be delayed at least a week. In order to ex­ comment on any individual or specific case without the autho­ pedite the process, Graves has been working around the clock rization of the individual," Mokbel said. "Canada's immigration with Citizenship and Immigration Canada to sort everything legislation serves to protect the health, safety, and security of Canadians." out.

Akotuah is 33-years old, has a wife and two children, and a "We've lost three weeks of time to get the paperwork. He's flying in on Tuesday, we're dealing with the holiday Monday, job at the University of Ghana.

"Francis knows that down the road there will be more op­ and I've got basically 48 hours to put these papers together which usually take a week or more to put through," Graves portunities for him in Canada if his trip goes well,"Graves said.

"If he botches the program and doesn't return to Ghana then said.

According to Graves, the CIC is not convinced Akotuah he'll reduce his opportunities in the future ... There's no valid will leave voluntarily at the end of his stay. When asked to reason to think that he wouldn't go back." comment on Akotuah's case, Madona Mokbel, a CIC Media Re­ See DRUMMER on page 2 lations representative, refused.

H ock ey - M a rtlets 2 0 0 8 C IS N atio n al C ham p ion s B an n e r C ererm on y Friday, O ct. 17 Carleton vs. M cG ill 19h00 - M cC onnell Arena •H, + H + + H +

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M cGill ATHLETICS &RECREATION

R e d b ir d C la s s ic B a s k e tb a ll T o u r n a m e n t, M a r tle t I n v ita tio n a l V o lle y b a ll T o u r n a m e n t O ctober 1 7 -19th • visit athletics.m cgill.ca for schedule

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COVER PHOTO BV ADAM SCI

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Christopher Ragan talks financial turmoil P r o f e s s o r

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M cG ill e c o n o m ics P ro fe sso r C h risto p h e r R a g a n w a s re ce n tly q u o te d in th e G lo b e a n d M a il o n th e cu rre n t fin a n cia l crisis in th e U n ited S ta tes. T he Tribune s a t d o w n w ith th e F ie ld h o u se A w a rd w in n e r to d iscu ss th e im p lica tio n s o f th e crisis fo r C a n a d a 's o w n cre d it m a rkets, th e e ffe ctiv e n e ss o f g o v e rn m e n t in te rv e n tio n , a n d th e lo n g -term e ffe c ts o f g o v e rn m e n t p o licy.

You were quoted in the Globe and Mail saying that if American credit markets seized up, Canadian credit mar­ kets would seize up as well. How much of an effect does the U.S. credit market have on Canada?

There are two ways to think about the effects of the Unit­ ed States credit market on the Canadian economy.

If the American credit markets seize up, economic growth may be slowed, maybe even contributing to a recession.

Through the normal trade channels between the U.S. and Canada, markets are going to slow down in Canada. We are still exporting around 35 per cent of our goods and services to the U.S., so if the U.S. economy stays slower for longer [periods of time] or even starts to contract, then there's no way out for Canada.

The other connection is a little more subtle, and it comes from the fact that financial capital markets are highly integrat­ ed. Canadian banks and firms are borrowing from the same short-term credit markets. So even though our banking sys­ tem is healthier, it doesn't mean we're insulated from what's going on in the U.S. credit markets. As a result, you have seen the Bank of Canada stand ready to provide liquidity in large amounts to the Canadian banking centre to make sure credit is flowing.

A number of Canadian party leaders have claimed that they would not run a deficit if they were elected, but at the same time are pledging billions of dollars in new spend­

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ing. Are they saying that to garner political support?

I think that candidates, the Canadian government, and the Canadian people [have spent] so much time and energy reducing deficits in the past 13 years that now people have been preaching the "religion" in a very extreme way. That is a problem. There are times when running a deficit is no big deal. If the economy were to slow down, and Gross Domestic Product growth and tax revenue slow down, it's possible that tax revenues would slow down enough that you would run a deficit. That's hardly the end of the world. If you are raising taxes while the economy is slowing down, you are going to exacerbate the downturn.

Would you say that the U.S. government allowing Lehman Brothers to fail catalyzed the current credit cri­ sis?

I think there were a bunch of failures. We had Bear Stearns which was bought out. We had Lehman which was allowed to fail. We had Freddie Mac which was basically nationalized.

Lehman Brothers may have been the straw that broke the camel's back, but if the Lehman bankruptcy hadn't happened, whatever happened next would have got the [U.S. Federal Re­ serve] and the Treasury to put together the same package.

Are there negative ramifications for future bank be­ haviour? Will banks be tempted to engage in risky behav­ iour knowing that the government has set a precedent to bail them out?

Well, this is the famous moral hazard question. The answer depends on how the organization structures itself. Remember, the government didn't bail out Lehman Brothers. I don't think [U.S. Treasury Secretary] Henry Paulson and [Federal Reserve Chairman] Ben Bernanke wanted to bail corporations out just to bail them out. I think their view was to let organizations fail

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unless they are big enough that their failure will bring at a systemic failure. It's a risky bet. Ten years from now, s< firms could think back to 2008, push their behaviour to limit and assume that the government will save them aç People may do that.

There have been reports that many Americans d believe the market will improve. Does this fear exacert the situation?

Absolutely. The more people panic, the more they their funds out of the stock market, which, of course, dr down the stock market further. Also, the panic leads ther make decisions that make the economy even worse. They 1 decide not to buy cars, not to make other purchases, no build houses. That drives down demand, and in the short that exacerbates what we're going through. [Confidence] be wonderful in the upswing, but also deadly in the do swing.

It's a general question to ask right now, but how li will it take people regain confidence in the stock marki Confidence and pessimism are hugely important. I say central banks stimulate commercial banks to start le ing again. But if consumers don't want to borrow to buy a and if firms don't want to borrow to expand operations, t maybe nothing will change. So a sufficient amount of pe mism is a problem. Pessimism doesn't last forever, but it last a long time. It can easily draw out a slowdown from months to a year and a half. However, eventually you havi do some of these things. People think, "We wanted a new so we're buying a new car." Eventually that pessimism w< off, but there's no question that pessimism is a real probler

— C o m p ile d b y Trip Y>

INTERNATIONAL

Drummer was set to perform in Montreal E v e n t

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Continued from COVER Should the program fall through, Graves will be held per­ sonally responsible for covering the cost of Akotuah's visa ap­ plication.

"I will be personally out a few thousand dollars," Graves said.

Graves quickly added that he is not working to bring Akotuah to Canada just to recop his losses.

"I'm not saying that had I not spent the money I wouldn't have been putting up a fight, because I really believe in this pro­ gram and I think that a lot of Canadians are going to miss out if Francis is not able to come."

CCA Media and Public Relations representative Grace Thrasher said that Graves has several options for continuing his project.

"If the project isn't going to go forward at all, then yes, [Graves] is going to have to return the money," Thrasher said.

"However, if, for example, they have other options that are pos­ sible, like perhaps reorganizing the event for different dates or finding somebody else, then that's also a possibility."

Thrasher noted that the CCA operates independently from the CIC. "In essence, we fund the event and we fund the travel costs, but we have no control over these [immigration] issues," she said.

Graves commented that perhaps the CCA and CIC should consider coordinating their activities to avoid complications such as these.

"You see why it doesn't make any sense? It seems to me that there should really be some connection between the two," Graves said. "If you know that you're going to be bringing some­ one in from another country and you're going to agree to fund the program, then at least go through the process of granting their visa at the same time, or before you incur a bunch of ex­ penses. The system doesn't have a logical order to it."

Akotuah is scheduled to teach a percussion workshop at McGill's Schulich School of Music on November 17. The McGill workshop will not be disrupted if Akotuah is allowed to enter Canada. ■

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BILL MCCART

Ghanaian drummers, like these shopkeepers from Powerful Drums in Accra, are world renowned.

15.10.08 • The McGill Tribune • 3

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)irective forbids internships in 20 countries P

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tinued from COVER zing work we do in the Middle East, where we do so much k, will no longer be able to happen,"Wilkinson said.

McGill political science Professor Rex Brynen argued that directive will especially hurt graduate political science stuts.

"At the graduate level, many of the students that I super. . . work on war-torn areas," Brynen said. "The whole pur? of their PhDs is to specialize in the kinds of places that travel advisories."

Brynen added that, under the new directive, his students ild not be able to accompany him on his own research "Both Lebanon and Palestine are under level three or level travel advisories, so students coming to work with me, for nple, in the Middle East at the graduate level would find it ossible to do so," he said.

In addition, Wilkinson expressed concern that the new diive could affect student recruitment.

"If this gets out, undergraduate students are going to say, wait, you mean if I go to McGill, I can't do an internship in ? You mean I can't do an internship in some areas in Cobia?' Especially at a time when we're trying to be such an rnational school. . . it just doesn't make sense," Wilkinson Mendelson said that the catalyst for the new directive inæd a group of students planning travel to Indonesia this imer.

"It came to our attention that there were people who were taking what might be considered appropriate precautions l respect to student travel and we felt that we had to take trol of the situation," Mendelson said.

After the administration reviewed the case, the students e not allowed to go.

Second year political science Master's student Carine Chei also felt the effects of the new policy this summer when

she interned with the United Nations in Lebanon.

According to Chehab, the administration refused to give her credit for the internship because Lebanon is classified as a level three country by DFAIT, despite the fact that the director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency wrote to McGill on her behalf. Chehab's trip was also sponsored by Canada's Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

"If I were a [prospective] undergraduate or a PhD candi­ date . . . I would probably reconsider McGill,"Chehab said.

Arts representative to SSMU and U2 political science and economics student Sebastian Ronderos-Morgan, who applied to do a Quebec Association of University Rectors and Princi­ pals (CREPUQ) student exchange to Colombia this past sum­ mer, was also prevented from going by McGill.

"I was applying to go to Colombia and effectively, sort of at the eleventh hour, I got an email saying that they weren't going to allow me to go. McGill wasn't going to allow anyone to go to Colombia, and this was because of the security situa­ tion there," Ronderos-Morgan said.

The email, sent to Ronderos-Morgan by McGill Student Exchange Officer Linda Anderson on March 18, gave him one week to choose another destination. Ronderos-Morgan was also prevented from going even though Bogota, his destina­ tion in Colombia, only has a level two warning, which is not addressed in the new directive.

A key point in the administration's argument for imple­ menting the new directive is that liability waivers In Quebec are less able to protect McGill against potential lawsuits than similar waivers in other provinces.

"The context in Quebec is quite different than the con­ text in other jurisdictions because Quebec's civil law, does not allow for waivers of liability that can be done in other jurisdic­ tions,"Mendelson said.

According to McGill law Professor Pierre-Gabriel Jobin, contractual liability waivers under Quebec civil law are never

valid in the case of bodily injury, moral prejudice (such as pain or anxiety), or death. If a student was injured on a trip abroad, that student could still sue McGill even if they had a signed li­ ability waiver. As universities in other provinces operate under common law, rather than civil law, they do not face this prob­ lem.

Wilkinson argues that McGill should be able to overcome this problem.

"We have some of the best legal minds from around the country at McGill and it just doesn't make sense to me that we wouldn't be able to find a way that students can express their informed consent in such a manner that would remove McGill's liability,"she said.

Brynen argued that the administration's argument is in­ valid, as McGill students are frequently exposed to risks.

"Students for the most part are legal adults—I don't see why they can't make an informed decision to undertake those risks. And we do that in other disciplines: we have students working with biohazards, we have students working around electricity, we have students working around dangerous chemicals," Brynen said.

Both students and faculty members are working to re­ verse the policy. Brynen has contacted Mendelson, and Wilkin­ son said that SSMU will be working with the Post-Graduate Students' Society and the Arts Undergraduate Society as well as presenting the matter before Senate.

In addition, the Deputy Provost's Office is working to re­ vise the directive. "[We're setting up] a work-group that is reviewing the general issue of travel warnings and preparation of students for travel and we are going to develop a more nuanced state­ ment on how we will be moving forward with that," Mendel­ son said.

Mendelson expects the revised directive to be finished by the end of the month. ■

Y o u r S t u d e n t H e a l t h & D e n t a l P l a n - M o n t r e a l V is io n N e t w o r k

H

Optique Le Cartier for All Your Eye Care Needs

Y o u ’r e c o v e r e d f o r t h e i n s u r e d p o r tio n o f y o u r s t u d e n t H e a l t h & D e n t a l P la n r e g a r d l e s s o f t h e h e a l t h p r a c t i t i o n e r y o u c h o o s e . B y c o n s u l t i n g a N e t w o r k m e m b e r , y o u will g e t a d d it io n a l c o v e r a g e .

O p tiq u e L e C a r t i e r o f f e r s H e a lt h P la n m e m b e r s : - $ 1 5 e y e e x a m s : A s a M o n tre a l V isio n N e tw o rk m e m b e r , O p tiq u e L e C a rtie r will c h a r g e n o m o re th a n $ 4 5 fo r e y e e x a m s w h e n you p r e s e n t y o u r s tu d e n t ID ca rd . B y c o m b in in g t h e s e s a v in g s with y o u r P la n 's in su re d c o v e r a g e o f $ 3 0 fo r e y e e x a m s , y o u r e y e e x a m will c o s t yo u n o m o r e th a n $ 1 5 .

- $ 7 5 o ff t h e r e g u la r p r ic e o f p r e s c r ip tio n e y e g la s s e s o r c o n t a c t le n s e s : C o m b in e d w ith t h e $ 7 5 c o v e r e d by you r H e a lth P la n , you c a n s a v e up to $ 1 5 0 .

O p tiq u e L e C a r tie r 1 1 1 5 S h erb ro o k e S tre e t W est

- P a y - d i r e c t s y s t e m : O p tiq u e L e C a rtie r c a n p r o c e s s y o u r c o v e r a g e d ire ctly w ith t h e in su re r, s o you w o n ’t n e e d to p ay up fro n t a n d w a it fo r r e im b u r s e m e n t.

(5 1 4 ) 8 4 4 -8 7 7 7

Y ou ’ll only h a v e to pay th e portion n o t c o v e r e d by t h e in s u r a n c e a n d / o r N etw o rk .

□ □ S O ih a v e a p la n .c a

4 -News - 15.10.08

The McGill Trit

CAMPUS

Students protest for Khadr's release A m n e s t y f r e e

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McGill students clad in orange jumpsuits gathered around campus last Thursday to lobby the Canadian government to secure Omar Khadr's release from the U.S. military's Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

Khadr, born in Toronto to Pakistani parents, was 15 when he was taken into U.S. custody for allegedly throwing a grenade that killed an American soldier in the village of Ayub Kheyl, Afghanistan. Known as the "child soldier," Khadr was sent to Guantanamo Bay and has spent six years as the youngest prisoner in the camp. With no Canadian governmental action taken over the past years of Khadr's imprisonment, Amnesty International Canada set aside last week as the "Bring Back Omar Khadr Week of Awareness."

In light of the upcoming elections, members of Amnesty McGill de­ cided to inform the McGill community about major political issues that might be overlooked during this important time, including Khadr's impris­ onment.

"We want people at McGill to get an idea of another big issue that they should be thinking about before they vote," Amnesty McGill Director Silvana Lovera said as she handed out petitions to free Khadr to students.

Amnesty McGill plans to petition Prime Minister Stephen Harper di­ rectly.

"Our goal is to hopefully send 400 to 500 [petition] to the government in order to spark action," Amnesty McGill External Coordinator Jean Arlet said.

The Amnesty McGill effort followed an Amnesty Montreal protest held on October 6 on St. Catherine's Street.

"All [Amnesty International] groups choose what specific issues they want to focus on. Amnesty Montreal has always worked against torture, and this case especially resonates with us as the young man involved is a Canadian citizen," said Nancy Brown, assistant coordinator of Amnesty Montreal.

Amnesty McGill, in conjunction with Amnesty Montreal, will continue campaigning later this month. Events include participation in Amnesty Canada's campaign to promote indigenous peoples' rights, and a human rights festival with films and guest speakers in early November. ■

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Two students encounter Amnesty McGill's latest on-campus publicity campaign

CAMPUS

McGill earns B grade in sustainability ranking!

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J ames G ilman McGill received a B in sustainability from the Sustainable Endowments Institute recently, a nonprofit research and edu­ cational organization which publishes the yearly College Sus­ tainability Report Card.

The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based institute reviews 300 public and private universities with the largest endow­ ments across the United States and Canada. Fifteen schools received an A-, the highest grade earned. The average was a C+.

McGill has steadily improved over the three years that the university has been involved in the assessment.The university received a C+ two years ago, and a B- last year.

"Considering where we've come from, having risen two grades in the past [three years]. . . that's a very positive step," said Jim Nicell, Associate Vice-Principal (University Services).

"My dream is that we'll be in the A- category—nobody's high­ er than that right now—within a few years. So it's positive, but we've got a ways to go."

Yet Nicell also cautioned against attaching too much im­ portance to any single assessment of campus sustainability.

"Any report card that is used to grade universities across North America has value because it gives people at least a feel­ ing for how they stand compared to other institutions,"he said.

"But the report card has its own criteria ... I don't want to give too much weight to it, because I think that we're doing better in some areas than is reflected in [the report card]."

Nicell cited transportation as an example. He pointed out that, by a rough estimate, only five per cent of students and

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faculty travel to campus by car.

"So we're already more than 95 per cent into alternative forms of transportation,"he said."We're not, I don't think, given credit for that fact. We're only given credit, it seems, for move­ ment toward something like that."

Transportation is one of nine categories assessed by the report card.The others are administration, climate change and energy, food and recycling, green building, student involve­ ment, endowment transparency, investment priorities, and shareholder engagement.

McGill earned a B for transportation, and received two As, for administration and investment priorities.

Yet Jonathan Glencross, president of the Sustainable Mc­ Gill Project, questioned the generosity of McGill's grade.

"Not to take away from the very significant progress that has been made over the past 12 months at McGill, but I see too many opportunities to believe that we're only one grade away from perfect,"Glencross said.

Endowment transparency and shareholder engagement were identified by the institute as McGill's weakest areas. The university received grades of C and D, in these areas respec­ tively.

Glencross also disagreed with the assessment of where McGill needs to improve the most.

"Shareholder engagement? Hardly. I would like to see annual environmental reporting and the implementation of our environmental and sustainability policies before that." he said.

Among the 17 Canadian schools surveyed, McGill tied with the University of Alberta for the fourth highest spot, behind

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the University of British Columbia, the University of Calg and the University of Victoria.

UBC was the only Canadian school to receive an A-, i has, like McGill, seen steady progress over the past th years.

"The high ranking . . . has instilled such a tremend sense of pride among our campus community, because th are so many people on campus who work hard to integr sustainability into their day to day practices," said Charli Easton, director of UBC's Sustainability Office.

Unlike McGill, UBC scored high grades in the endowm transparency (A) and shareholder engagement (B) categori "I think that our increased grade is attributed to so efforts around transparency and accountability," said East "For example, [UBC President Stephen Toope] has set u| president's advisory council on sustainability, which ha number of working groups under it that span the various pects of a university."

However, Nicell emphasized the differences betwt UBC and McGill.

"The context of UBC is quite different," Nicell said They had a drive within their government system, if not so much sustainability, [then] at least energy efficiency, and it seem: have been supported for quite some time."

He identified the underfunding of Quebec universities a particular problem that McGill faces.

In addition, Nicell pointed to energy efficiency as a pri ity in the future, along with minimizing waste and reduc consumption of raw materials. ■

ww.mcgilltribune.com

15.10.08 •The McGill Tribune • 5

DUCATION

N e w s

Dntario gov't regulates fees

Desautels Faculty offers passive aid to alumni The economic turmoil on Wall Street has begun to affect Bay Street, but McGill's Desautels Faculty of Management has not yet taken any action to assist struggling alumni.

According to Ron Duerksen, director of marketing and commu­ nications for the faculty, Desautels alumni have always had access to the faculty's Career Services, which includes a list of job post­ ings.

"Our career centre has always been open to alumni, so we've actually been quite proactive and different than many other facul­ ties and other schools in terms of reaching out to alumni," Duerksen said.

Desautels'approach runs counter to the more active strategy pursued by several top business schools in the United States, such as the Harvard Business School and the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

"We've been reaching out in a variety of ways," said Christine Sullivan, director of alumni career services at the Harvard Business School. "We sent an email to our alums who are immediately af­ fected, so those folks in banking and finance in New York, to remind them of the suite of career services that are available to them. In addition, we'll be running some special programs in New York in the coming months."

Sullivan said such special programs could include one-on-one career counselling sessions. The Wharton School held similar ses­ sions in New York on Monday.

While some Harvard alumni have already been in touch with the Business School, Sullivan said she expects a greater response in the coming months.

"The response has been great. The alums are very grateful to know that the school stands ready to support them and that we are monitoring the situation," Sullivan said.

Duerksen, however, is content that McGill does not need to pursue a more active approach.

"Alumni know that we're available to them, so if they need help, they know that they can come to us," he said.

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T homas Q uail The Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Unirsities released a set of regulations on September 26 acing loose constraints on post-secondary ancillary fees, ly fee charged by the administration, other than tuition, considered an ancillary fee.

The regulations, effective fall 2009, were necessitatI by a class action lawsuit filed by two college students ainst 24 Ontario colleges.

In December 2007, Amanda Hassum and Daniel Rofy sued their respective colleges, seeking a $200 million icillary fee refund. With the support of the Canadian deration of Students-Ontario, they argued that their adinistrations had disguised ancillary fees as a back door crease in tuition.

In Ontario, it is illegal for post-secondary institutions impose tuition-related ancillary fees. During court oceedings, the plaintiffs cited information technology, loratory, and library services fees as examples of tuition isrepresentation. The court dismissed the case, stating at fee regulation fell under the provincial government's risdiction.

In order to prevent similar lawsuits, the new guideîes defined ancillary fees and clarified their scope. The ovincial government now prohibits ancillary fees for chnology improvements that support basic program

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delivery. The CFS-0 also stated that the regulations would not have an impact on total student fees.

In April, the CFS-0 proposed substantive reform to ancillary fee definitions. The proposed regulations were stricter. At McGill, for example, CFS-O's regulations would have affected the registration charge, information tech­ nology charge, transcripts and diploma charge, and the student services fee—a total of over $300 per student per semester.

According to Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learn­ ing) Morton Mendelson, ancillary fee drop-offs would be devastating for students.

"An elimination or reduction of ancillary fees at Mc­ Gill would necessarily lead to a very real reduction in ser­ vice to McGill students,"Mendelson said in an email to the Tribune.

Students'Society Vice-President External Devin Alfaro explained that Ontario's directives will have no effect on Quebec.

"I think it's a heartening move. But, because educa­ tion is a provincial matter, whatever happens in Ontario does not have a particular effect on Quebec," Alfaro said.

Alfaro did not think a similar court decision would be possible in Quebec.

"The definition [of an ancillary fee] is looser in Que­ bec than it is in Ontario. Because of that, it would be a hard case to make," he said. ■

B rief

— Theo M e y e r

C KU T 9 0 .3 FM

:ampus

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to meet quorum

s h o r t

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M att C hesser Six motions were approved in the Students'Society's rst online General Assembly, but will not become SSMU olicy because the plebiscite failed to meet quorum.

The regular Fall General Assembly was held in Three ares Park on October 7, but failed to meet SSMU's new ualified quorum requirements. Approximately 120 stuents attended the GA, and the six approved motions ere then sent to an online vote. All the motions were aproved by a majority of web voters, but turnout was only ight per cent. The quorum for an online plebiscite is 15 er cent of the undergraduate student body.

"On one level, I was disappointed by the turnout," aid SSMU President Kay Turner. "I'm not particularly surrised, though. Our record turnout for an elections [and ïferenda] period is 31 per cent, and that's with five days f balloting, and a much more extensive marketing camaign. That we managed to get about a quarter of that in nly a 48-hour period—on Yom Kippur and right before hanksgiving—is quite impressive."

Under constitutional changes approved last fall, two er cent of McGill undergraduates (currently 397 students) lust attend a GA for motions to become official SSMU olicy. If more than 100 but fewer than 397 students atend, any motion passed at the GA goes to an online plebicite moderated by Elections McGill. The plebiscite must >e held within 48 hours of the end of the GA. "Unfortunately, the constitutional amendments iassed last year were really short-sighted," Turner said.

The constitution should be a document that focuses on i o w things should broadly work, not [on setting time

o n l i n e

p l e b i s c i t e

limits like] the 48-hour rule. This issue is something that should be in the bylaws so [SSMU Council] can change it to find the right balance."

According to Turner, this year's GA cost SSMU approx­ imately $10,000. That money was spent on costs such as printing, rental costs, security, and advertisements in The Tribune, The McGill Daily, and Le Délit.

Three motions involving the Canadian Military—all of which sparked contentious debate during the GA— passed by significant margins in the online vote. The mo­ tions required SSMU to oppose McGill's involvement in the development of thermobaric weapons, to support the implementation of a policy for public transparency and ethical evaluation of military research at McGill, and to not allow military publicity or recruitment in the Shatner building or in any SSMU publication.

Motions calling on SSMU to support campus student services, to assist the Association of McGill Undergradu­ ate Student Employees, and to lobby Principal Heather Munroe-Blum to hold a catered house party were also ap­ proved by large margins.

Because the plebiscite didn't meet quorum, these motions will be on the agenda for the Winter GA. But Turner says that SSMU Legislative Council may act sooner to implement these motions as official policy.

"In my mind these motions should be ratified as the will of the students/'said Turner. "It's pretty rare that we get close to 2,000 people to vote on specific SSMU policy, so it would be a waste to throw the entire consultation process away. What I'm suggesting we do is that we bring those motions to be ratified [at Council] with a sunset clause, so that they remain policy until they can be debated again at the Winter GA."B

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O p in io n YOU HAD AN OPTION, SIR

HISTORIA ME ABSOLVERA

N o

fe a r a n d

o n

t h is

lo a t h in g

c a m p a ig n

M a x

t r a il

C u b a

T imothy M ak TIMOTHY.MAK@MAILMCGILL.CA

I recently had the pleasure of return­ ing to my home province of British Columbia to campaign for the local Conservative Party candidate in the fed­ eral election. I learned a lot about cam­ paigns, but even more about campaign­ ers. When I touched down in Vancouver two weeks ago, I wasn't sure what to expect. There was no doubt in my mind that I was in for two weeks of non-stop political action, but I had no real grasp of the challenges that awaited me.

Political campaigns are intense.

Everyone involved has chosen to vol­ unteer their time and energy for some­ thing they believe in. Campaign volun­ teers work indefatigably to promote a candidate and a cause. Every stamp they lick and every page they photo­ copy contributes to democracy in our country. Their work, no matter how simple or menial it may sometimes be, is an act of public service that should be commended.

The hours are impossible. I par­ ticularly admire the senior citizens who have enough fight in them to work an 18-hour day, and return the next morn­ ing to open the office at 6:30 a.m. Per­ haps their dedication is part of an ethos that our generation has lost. Not only do these seniors consider it their re­ sponsibility to work in a political cam­ paign, they do so cheerfully and with­ out complaining. I can't count the num­ ber of times someone—usually more than twice my age—bemoaned the low turnout on election day. They were baf­ fled that people voluntarily opt out of a right secured through the blood, sweat, and tears of countless men, women, and children. Of course, they expressed their exasperation with the folksy, endearing manner only seniors can muster.

Despite the general spirit of op­

e x p la in s

w h a t

h a s d o n e

fo r y o u

M ax S ilverman MAXWELL.SILVERMAN@MAIL.MCGILL.CA

timism, the exhausting hours make campaign workers susceptible to large mood swings. Polling results would hit us pretty hard. Each new media headline was either a cause for celebration ("Tory Majority Within Reach," said the Toronto Star) or despair ("Minority Government Looms," said another Star headline on the same day). I didn't put much stock in national opinion polls, but many of the other volunteers did, and they would rush into the campaign office to praise or denounce one survey or another.

It may sound like a partisan jab, but I especially disliked dealing with our local opponent's campaign. I had the displeasure of shaking hands with one of his volunteers, who promptly launched into a spiel about his candi­ date's business savvy. I smiled, fought back the nausea, and contemplated how much Kool-Aid you have to drink in order to define "running multiple en­ terprises into the ground" as "business savvy." But my stomach gave out when this volunteer praised his candidate's in­ tegrity. This, in reference to a man who asked his mother-in-law for a loan on her death bed. I had to excuse myself.

But my final (and more important) point is about women in the campaign.

Countless times I've heard about the need for more women to be politically involved. I have some news for anyone who says this: they're already here.

Women are the engine of the back room in Canadian politics. This is obvi­ ous to anyone even casually involved with local campaigns. Whether or not women move to the front rooms is another issue, but I no longer believe anyone who suggests that women just aren't interested in politics.They're here, they're interested, and they're making a huge impact. ■

M

y closing statement in last week's column—which I stand by—was that Fidel Castro brought more objective good to the world than any other 20th cen­ tury figure. When evaluating someone's char­ acter, we often list all the good and all the bad that person did, and then calculate some sort of result. I'm not interested in doing that, because it's a facile exercise. My point is that under the "good" column, no 20th century figure has a longer list than Castro.

The thrust of my argument isn't that pre­ revolutionary Cuba was a mafia-controlled, Nazi-friendly U.S. protectorate where rape was condoned and murder ran rampant, whereas now Cuba is a relatively peaceful country where women are much more free.

That's too obvious. Nor am I arguing that the country's large Yoruba population were slaves before the revolution, but now enjoy legal and (almost total) social equality. Again, that's too simple a point. And I'm not saying that Cubans are materially and socially bet­ ter off than inhabitants of any other country with a similar economic and colonial history.

Again, I expect you to be smart enough to know these things.

Instead, I'm interested in the crusade Castro's Cuba has led, fighting for the world's poor, destitute, and enslaved. From apart­ heid South Africa to fascist-controlled An­ gola, the Cuban army has been a force for liberation in most developing-world conflicts of the last half-century. Throughout the Cold War, Cuba's intelligence agency operated in­ dependently of both the USSR and the USA, supplying intelligence and support to thirdworld liberation movements. They risked the loss of Soviet economic support.had these operations been revealed. In the absence of the Soviet Union's hard power cover for their activities, Cuba has turned to soft power.

There are currently more than 50,000 Cuban doctors in the poor and destitute corners of the globe, showing Castro's dedication to the

principles of internationalism and solidarity I could goon and on. I could mention th Hurricane Katrina hit Cuba with more fori than New Orleans, yet no Cubans died dt ing the storm because their government m bilized in time to get them to safety—regar less of their skin colour. I could mention th literacy rates and life expectancy are high in Cuba than in the United States. I could al: point out that Cuba's human rights recor troubling as it is, is remarkable for a count that has faced the largest and longest terra ism campaign in modern history—exceedin even those in Israel and Sri Lanka.

But I don't want to give you the wron idea.

Castro's jCuba isn't the model for tf kind of progress I want to see in the worl On the whole, the Cuban revolution has bee a failed experiment in human liberation, d< spite all the good it has brought to the worli People often cite the inadequacies of th Cuban model, the hypocrisies of the Chines model, and the bloodshed and suffering ( the Soviet model as proof that the sociali: project is dead.

But didn't the first experiments in libe alism cause massive bloodshed and tremer dous suffering? In France's early post-revoli tionary days, the streets were flowing wit blood and leaders became tyrants. America liberalism tolerated human slavery for mo: of its first century. And the period of early e) perimentation with liberalism in England he the word "terror'" in its name. In short, earl attempts at liberalism were catastrophic fai ures, yet people persevered and liberalisr eventually transformed into its more-tolei able present day form.

Those of us who advocate for a bette world, reject current stagnation, and err brace real human freedom know that 01 project must succeed. Further, we know the history will absolve us, as it has absolve Fidel Castro. ■

FRESH HELL L o s in g

s m

a ll t h in g s , a n d

f in d in g

t h e

b ig

o n e s

Z oe D aniels ZKDANIELS@GMAIL.COM

I don't believe in karma—at least, not in the Buddhist sense. Nor do I believe that St. Peter is tallying my good and bad deeds in a big golden book. I do, however, be­ lieve there is balance in the universe. Good things happen and bad things happen, whatever the reason. Some bad things—for example, being shot by a bookie for defaulting on your gambling debts—have a clear cause and someone to blame. But other misfortunes are more ambiguous, like the theft of your new bike's tire, or being robbed after falling asleep at a bus stop. They're not exactly your fault. They're just bad accidents. Recently, I've been the victim of a dispro­ portionate number of these accidents, and I'm learning that despite them, I have no reason to be angry.

Anger, of course, is a legitimate emotional response to certain circumstances. And when you're pissed off, the ma­ ture response is to remedy the situation, not wallow in it.

But frankly, when I'm angry, I want to spit venom at anyone who tries to moderate my rage. Last year, after having my backpack stolen, my dad's advice was to "breathe deep" and

"let it go." I nearly had an aneurysm.

Now I'm discovering that being angry about something you can't change serves no purpose. In the same way that hearing someone boast about their good fortune is annoy­ ing, bitching and moaning is cathartic for the speaker and irritating for the listener. When you're explaining some injus­ tice to sympathetic friends, it's easy to dwell on "Me-me-me, why oh why did this have to happen tb me?" What I forget, in this cuddly, supportive environment, is that no one wants to hear me complain about the minutiae of my life. Boo-fucking-hoo, as they say.

My anger may be justified. Having my bike ruined, my glasses broken, or my iPod stolen sucks. But by being angry, I'm ignoring the blessings that let me own these things in the first place. I'm lucky enough to be able to spend my paycheques on an iPod instead of groceries. I'm also lucky enough to be a student at McGill. Attending this university is a sign of intelligence, and of being born into the right cir­ cumstances. We're lucky to be here. How dare we gefmad

when the toys our parents bought us stop working? Hov dare we annoy our fellow café patrons by complaining abou the petty injustices of our charmed lives?

This may sound preachy, but I'm asking you to examin* how you express your anger at the mishaps in your life. Dc you have a retail therapy session? Do you go to the gym Play video games? Complain to your mother on the phone Get coffee with your girlfriend?

More importantly, do you take into account that al though your situation sucks, it coilld be much worse? It's in credibly hard to maintain a proper perspective, even if yoi spent a summer in Guatemala building houses with you youth group and le a rn e d so m u c h . Privilege is, by nature, in visible. I don't claim to fully appreciate my own privilege. Bu being aware of it, even for a few seconds, can help turn aim less, misfortune-induced rage into something productive So the next time your cashmere scarf is stolen at McLennar Library, take a minute to think about the things you're fortu nate enough to have, not what you've lost. ■

15.10.08 «The McGilITribune • 7

vww.mcgil ltribune.com

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BUNE

www.mcgilltribune.com

E d it o r - in - C h ief

Matt Chesser

EDITORIAL

The folly of McGill's new travel policy

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

Crystal Chan Thomas Quail seniored@mcgilltribune.com P r o d u c t io n M a n a g e r

Samantha Chang production@mcgilltribune.com N e w s E d it o r s

James Gilman Theo Meyer news@mcgilltribune.com O

E d it o r

pin io n

Bernard Rudny opinion@mcgilltribune.com F e a t u r e s E d ito r s

Meghna Marjadi Carolyn Yates features@mcgilltribune.com A r t s & E n t e r t a in m e n t E d it o r s

Carolyn Grégoire Laura Tindal arts@mcgilltribune.com S p o r t s E d it o r

Jacob Kanter sports@mcgilltribune.com P h o t o E d it o r s

Niki Hyde Adam Scotti photo@mcgilltribune.com O

E d it o r

n lin e

Kaylea Howarth online@mcgilltribune.com D es ig n E d ito r s

Femi Kassim Janet McMullen

L

ock your doors, board up your windows, and forget about studying abroad. The Mc­ Gill administration doesn't want you to go outside.

At least, that's the impression given by the university's new international travel policy for students. The new policy was outlined in a memorandum distributed to McGill's deans, directors, and chairs—but not students. The policy is simple enough: "McGill University will no longer allow students to participate in any university-related activities, be they curricular or co-curricular, in countries with a [level three or level four travel] warning."

Travel warning levels are set by the federal government's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. 59 countries currently have level three or four regional or national warn­ ings. Among them are Al­ bania, Bolivia, China, Co­ lombia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, the Philip­ pines, Russia, Rwanda, Tur­ key, and Venezuela.

The administration describes the new travel policy as a safety measure. But when pressed for a full justification, their focus shifts to liability issues. Even if students sign waivers, Quebec's civil law system leaves McGill potentially liable for any injury that occurs during universitysanctioned travel.

However, no other university in Quebec (or all of Canada, for that matter) has felt the need to institute a comparable blanket restriction on travel.

For students in international development studies, Islamic studies, political science, or any number of other departments, the new travel policy will stifle important research. It prevents students from participating in field studies and internships in a number of key areas in the

Middle East and developing world. According to McGill political science Professor Rex Brynen, the new policy runs contrary to the nature of some of the university's programs.

"At the graduate level, many of the students that I supervise . . . work on war-tom areas. The whole purpose of their PhDs is to specialize in the kinds of places that get travel advisories," said Brynen.

The new travel policy also has some absurd consequences. Students from Pakistan or Leba­ non, for example, can't participate in McGillsponsored summer internships in their home country. In these cases, the administration isn't barring students from travel—it's just barring them from doing productive work in a familiar environment.

A liability-focused travel policy does noth­ ing to address either of these factors. Instead, it treats McGill students like children. Deputy Pro­ vost (Student Life and Learning) Morton Men­ delson said the new travel policy was drafted because of "people who were not taking what might be considered appropriate precautions with respect to student travel." Rather than re­ strict travel, the administration should engage with students to ensure that they take these precautions.

The administration's conduct in writing this new policy behind closed doors is distasteful.

Mendelson announced the new travel policy in a memo on September 25, along with vague promises of "appropriate consultation," with un­ specified persons, "in the coming months."

The Tribune would like to remind the administra­ tion that the definition of "consult," at least accord­ ing to our dictionary, is to "have discussions or confer with, typically b e fo re under­ taking a course of action."

Presenting a policy as a fa it a c c o m p li, and then proposing "appropriate con­ sultation" after the fact, is disrespectful both to faculty members and students.

The travel policy also reflects the adminis­ tration's a troubling shift to back room decision­ making. As Students' Society Vice-President University Affairs Nadya Wilkinson put it, "this is the second time this year that we've found out about quasi-policies that have been devel­ oped by [Mendelson's] office and have not gone through what we would call appropriate consul­ tation."

But the administration's tactics aren't our primary concern. In its current form, the new travel policy will seriously harm McGill's research programs, academic reputation, and student ex­ perience. If we really do live in a global village, it would be wise to visit our neighbours. ■

"In itscurrent form, the new travel policy will seriously harm McGill's research programs, academic reputation, and student experience. " Even students with no intention of going abroad could suffer due to the new policy. Mc­ Gill's reputation and fund-raising both rely on the university's international programs and in­ novative research. A draconian travel policy dis­ courages research-oriented students from com­ ing to McGill. Brynen even said that he "couldn't in good conscience recommend [studying at McGill] to graduate students working in [his] field" if the new travel policy is implemented.

If a new travel policy is needed to address safety concerns, it should be case-specific. Blan­ ket restrictions of travel don't make students any safer. Countries with level two travel warn­ ings can be just as dangerous as their "high risk" counterparts—ultimately, the specific situation and the preparedness of travellers dictate their safety.

design@mcgilltribune.com C o p y E d it o r

Tori Crawford A

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Matt Ward cpm@ssmu.mcgill.ca P u b l is h e r

Chad Ronalds

C o n tr ibu to r s

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The strange tactics of Queer McGill I do not like Queer McGill. It is, without a doubt, one of my least favourite campus groups. What is interesting is that after two years at McGill, I have realized that I am not alone in this. So many people that I talk with—gay, straight, Canadian, Ameri­ can, Québécois, etc.—have a beef with Queer McGill. Some find its power in cam­ pus politics unsettling. Granted, it's not re­ ally Queer McGill's fault that so many of its members participate in SSMU politics, but why should a minority platform dictate policy for the whole? Others are put off by its constant and strident advocacy and mobilization for increased queer rights, equality, and privilege on campus. Is there really that much queer-specific injustice on campus? Many, gay and straight alike, feel excluded from Queer McGill—they are "too heteronormative" and do not fit in.

This is unsettling. How is it that such a vital and inclusive organization—the only one on campus created to both support and represent the queer community a n d provide a space for discussion both within the queer community, and between the queer community and the straight com­ munity—elicits such widespread dislike

and feelings of exclusion?

Clearly, something is wrong. I fully support Queer McGill's mandate and mis­ sion, and if the new executive is in fact at­ tempting a policy of greater acceptance and alliance and less "straight-bashing", then I wholeheartedly support them. I do not see myself as a homophobe, and I would like to see myself as an ally. Howev­ er, this is impossible when I feel excluded.

Somehow, I am a part of the heteronor­ mative patriarchy? If Queer McGill was a little less adversarial towards the world (it isn't really out to get you) and a little more diplomatic, I think it might have more sup­ porters—queer a n d straight.

—Molly Krishtalka U2 international development studies The animal empire strikes back (at Eric) In response to last week's Foot in Mouth column, "Stay out of my kitchen, PETA," it's hard to know where to begin refuting Eric Weiss's "arguments" in favour of the meat industry. For starters, there are many other activities that our ances­ tors did that we would no longer approve of (systematic abuse of women comes to mind). The ancient Romans used to orga­

nize battles to the death for "entertain­ ment", but society eventually realized that these kinds of practices are inherently cruel, and that they can do better.

Despite Weiss's claims to the contrary, factory farming as a whole (not just the veal or foie gras industry) is inherently cruel. Chickens on factory farms have their beaks sliced off with hot blades, and many are scalded alive in feather removal tanks. Many cows and pigs even have their throats slit while they are still fully con­ scious. If these kinds of abuses were in­ flicted upon cats or dogs, it would result in felony cruelty to animals charges.

If we are a truly civilized society, we should be moving towards a more progres­ sive and compassionate age, rather than simply accepting the cruel practices of the past. Thankfully, with so many delicious and cruelty-free options available today, such as vegetarian barbecue "riblets" and vegan pizza, it's never been easier to cut animal abuse out of your diet for good.

—Ryan Huling College Campaign Coordinator, www.peta2.com Continued on page 8

The M cG ilIT rib u n e is an e d itorially au to n o m o u s n e w sp a p e r p ub lish ed by th e S tu d e n ts'S o cie ty o f M cGill U n ive rsity in co llabo ratio n w ith th e T rib u n e Pub lication Society. O p in io n s e xp ressed d o n o t n e cessarily rep resent th o se o f the S tu d e n ts'S o cie ty or M cGill University. Letters to th e editor m ay be se n t to letters@ m cg illtrib u n e.com and m u st in clu d e th e co ntrib uto r's n am e, program and year and co n ta c t in form ation . Letters should be kept u n der w o rd s and su bm itted o n ly to th e T rib u n e . Su b m issio n s ju d g e d by th e T rib u n e Pub lication So ciety to be libellous, sexist, racist, h o m o p h o b ic or solely pro m otional in n atu re w ill n o t be p ub lish ed . T h e T rib u n e reserves th e righ t to edit all co n trib u tio n s.

Editorials are d ecid ed u po n and w ritte n by th e editorial board. All oth e r o p in io n s are strictly th o se o f th e a u th o r and d o not n e cessarily reflect th e o p in io n s o f th e M cG ilITrib u n e, its editors or its staff. Please recycle th is n ew sp aper.

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8 •The McGill Tribune • 15.10.08

L e t t e rs t o t h e e d it o r Continued from EDITOR, page 7

LETTERS TO THE

Say no to PETA, but also to ignorance Re: "Stay out of my kitchen PETA" (07.10.200 &) I want to make clear that unlike PETA, I defend animal rights with politeness and discussions, not stubborn oppres­ sion. Now, there are debatable things, and there are facts.

Let's get things right here. First of all, the Canada Food Guide doesn't say that animal-origin food is important, it says it's an option. The old statement that "vegan diets can't be healthy" was left behind many years ago by dieticians and researchers.

Second, enjoying family dinners and

eating meat have no direct relationship.

Vegetarian families are not broken fami­ lies. We also have Thanksgiving dinners and we proudly enjoy them too.

Third, vegetarianism is tofu and soy for you, but for us is everything BUT meat: couscous, lentils, barley, wheat, rice, quinoa, beans, chick peas, tortillas, hummus, tahini, and, of course, tofu. I could go on forever. That faux-meat soy food is not that appealing for us. I bet it's just an easy way for non-vegetarian's to accommo­ date vegetarian guests at dinners.

Fourth, eating meat is not wrong, I agree. Humans still have canine teeth which prove our biological predisposi­ tion as omnivores. So what is wrong?

Masturbating bulls and boars to get their semen to freeze it and manually deposit

it in selected cows and sows. Modifying cows's reproductive cycles so they never stop giving milk. Confining chickens in "believed unstressful" 30 cm by 30 cm cages. Animal defender or not, I don't think you believe there is nothing wrong.

Some people say "that doesn't happen to my meat."Well, surprise!That's how 89 per cent of farm animals live in this country.

I also believe in organic and free run farms. The ones that really do it for the animals, that treat animals like animals, not like machines. Like you, I disagree with drama-core vegetarians. I believe that things are always achieved through truth and respect. So you can say "PETA get out of my face," but I strongly suggest that ignorance fucks off too.

—Adriana Celada, Ui animal biology

Lest we forget last year's ruckus Reading Fred Burill's comments about the suddenly "reasonable" Tribune opinion section made me chuckle a bit.

"Reasonable" has an entirely different definition, I guess, coming from the guy who helped take 11,000 Tribunes off the news stands last year because they con­ tained a military advertisement.

—Byron C.Tau BA 2008 Former Tribune Opinion Editor Some short but sweet praise Re: "All about absinthe" (07.10.2008) Just a short note to thank you for getting it right.

—Gwydion Stone Founder, the Wormwood Society

CORRECTIONS

FINALLY!

Last week's article "Council votes to expand daycare" and editorial "Student parents take priority" stated that the Stu­ dent Society's existing daycare accepts children over the age of three. In fact, the daycare ac­ cepts children over the age of 18 months.

Also, the article "Macdonald campus bus delays cause head­ aches" (30.09.2008) stated that McGill's inter-campus shuttle is provided by McGill Student Services. In fact, the Macdonald campus office of academic &ad­ ministrative services is respon­ sible for the bus service.

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(ME BEING THE TRIBUNE'S "LETTERSTO THE EDITOR" SECTION, OF COURSE.) JUSTIFY (AND SPELLCHECK) YOUR LOVE.THEN SUBMIT ITTO LETTERS@ MCGILLTRIBUNE.COM. LETTERS SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN 3 0 0 WORDS LONG. THE TRIBUNE RESERVES THE RIGHTTO EDIT LETTERS FOR LENGTH AND CLARITY. THE TRIBUNE ALSO ACCEPTS 5 5 0 6 5 0 WORD GUEST COLUMNS. SEND SUBMISSIONS TO OPINION@ MCGILLTRIBUNE.COM.

S t u d e n t L iv in g

xvs. Y

Running vs. spinning: workout showdown Running

Spinning

Expenses incurred: A good pair of running shoes: $70-90. Admission o the McGill Tomlinson Fieldhouse at the gym: $20 in student fees, iunning outdoors: priceless (though not advised during winter).

Expenses incurred: A 10-week spinning class with a McGill gym membership costs $62 for two sessions a week. Exercise clothing costs are according to taste, with those favouring Lululemon at the higher end of the scale.

j

Calories burned: Running eight kilometres in an hour burns about 500 calories.

Wear and tear: Running is particularly tough on the knees and you should always make sure to stretch, tape, and ice whatever is neces­ sary to keep them from get­ ting damaged.

WOMENRUNNINGSHOES.COM Fun factor: Bring an iPod, a riend, or both so that you have a soundtrack to keep you grooving while you move , and a partner to whine with when the going gets ough.

Calories burned: A 40-minute spin class burns between 400-600 calories on average, although you can set the resistance higher or lower than the in­ structor and no one will notice.

WINNER: Spinning Spinning's fun calorie-burning exercise is the winner here. The greater expense of a spin­ ning class is balanced by the provision of an instructor, which greatly reduces the chance of injury as well as making fora better, structured workout. ■

Wear and tear: When done improperly, spinning can cause knee and lower back problems. Studies have shown, howev­ er, that a carefully structured workout can actually strengthen knee joints.

FITNESSANDKIOS.COM

1

Fun factor: Spin classes include instruc­ tors and music to motivate your exercise and a social setting to sweat out the calories.

— E m m a C ab rera -A ra g o n

MISCELLANEOUS

Sex stats in 1

4

Number ofwomen who lookatporn at leastonce a month

Université de Montréal

L'AVENIR A BESO IN DE V O U S .

Des centaines de programmes de 1e', 2 e et 3 e cycle offerts au trim estre d’hiver

illÈ Date limite d'admission : 1er novembre umontreal.ca

5

7

Percent ofwomen who fantasizeabout sex with another woman 1

in

5

Number ofwomen who have made a sex tape

A n g e lin a J o lie

a n d

G e o rg e C lo o n e y

Top celebrityfantasy partners S o u r c e : S e x L iv e s o f A u s tr a lia n W o m en , J o a n S a u e rs

FE A T U R E S BUCK & BLUE

18-year-old festival gets a facelift

C arolyn Y ates "The polio From October 8 to 14, Bad Boy Club Montreal held their do a pat-dowr 18th annual Black & Blue, a festival fundraiser for people liv­ search—it's no' ing with HIV/AIDS. Combining a new artistic direction, hope extensive, but the> for increased funding, and an innovative drug awareness look for people campaign, Black & Blue is as fresh and relevant as ever. coming in with There were roughly 40 activities throughout the week- drugs and stuff like long festival, ranging from parties to brunches to a volley­ that. They're not ball tournament. The largest—and most notorious—part of necessarily look­ the festival is simply called Black & Blue, which ran this year ing for personal from Sunday, October 12 at 9 p m. until noon Monday. The consumption, but theme was "Digital Paradise," which not only embodied the they're trying to stunning sound and light display but which set the stage for catch sellers," says making the event more contemporary.

Vezina.

"A lot of people think the BBCM Foundation is an old or­ There is also ganization that attracts only older people, and I gave myself an infirmary set the goal to refresh and bring a young side to the event," says up every year, François Lebaron, the artistic director for this year's Black & which has recent­ Blue. "A straight side also—that the event is not only for gay ly been organized but for straight people too."

by Pierre Tellier, Expansion of the number of participants has been on­ who is also Mc­ going since the beginning. In the first year it ran, there were Gill's director of 600 guests; there were 3,000 the next. This year, there were student services. an expected 12,000 to 15,000 attendees, all of who [were in] The most com­ the Convention Center. mon medical incidents at Black & Blue are overdoses or bad "It's changed over the years because in the beginning it drug and alcohol combinations. was just a regular dance—DJ, lights, bar—but now we have "We've never had a major problem, ever, in 18 years a big artistic direction to the event and we do a theme every of Black & Blue. Nobody's died. We've had some cases that year," says Robert Vezina, the executive director of the BBCM were treated on the spot—most of them are treated on the foundation."There [are] singers, dancers, special effects, and spot—and occasionally we'll have an ambulance, but that's acrobats—that's what we're known for. It's interactive, it's a not necessarily because it's a case that is dangerous, it's just show, but at the same time you're dancing." ... to double-check," says Vezina.

This year's guests included Stéphane Moraille, a mem­ BBCM also runs a prevention campaign against drug ber of Bran Van 3000 and composer of this year's theme abuse. In contrast to campaigns that focus solely on absti­ song, "Digital Paradise." Other preformers included Miguel nence from drug use, they focus on what not to do, what not Graça, Peter Rauhofer, Dave Seaman, The Triggerheroes, to mix, and how—if it's inevitable—to take drugs properly.

Lena Love, and Marc Anthony.

"The message that we have is very innovative; it's not Because of those performances, there is always a bal­ condensing. It's very, 'be healthy, don't experiment with ance between cost and extravagance. that, be careful with that.' We have posters, which we put es­ "I tried to bring a minimalist side to the event, because pecially in toilets, and we have a brochure that we give out people [expect] the foundation to always put more money to people who come in that describes all the drugs, what the in, and that's not a good thing. I'd like to focus on more ef­ effects are, and what to be careful about," says Vezina. ficient aspects of the shows," says Lebaron. "I don't know yet Another risk is HIV transmission. AIDS Community Care if I'm going to be here next year, but if so, I'd like to ... bring Montreal, which also receives support from the BBCM Foun­ in more edgy shows—because all the rest is lighting and dation, sends volunteers to the event. They work the crowd sound and dancers; everybody's already seen that. The way and a kiosk during the party, providing condoms and lube the show is happening, [it] is going to be worth more." to participants. After the event, they wait outside with ad­ Of course, running an event of this size does come with ditional condoms and food for the road. risks. One of the most pertinent is drug abuse.

"We have a kiosk where people can pick up condoms ... in order to provide some hard reduction opportuni1

ALL PHOTOS BY HRANT BOGHOSSIAN

ics, tne volunteer and fundraising coordinator of ACCM. Those activities have spanned the last five years, and are only a small part of both the BBCM Foundation and ACCM's transmission reduction activities.

After the expense of putting on the event is covered, any profit raised through ticket sales, general funding, spon­ sorships, or other sources of income goes to community groups for people living with HIV/AIDS, including ACCM and a variety of houses and hospices.The amount each group re­ ceives is determined by the Board of Directors, and is based on yearly requests.

Since its inception, the BBCM Foundation has given $1,350,000 in annual donations, which range from $75,000 in a good year to $25,000 in a bad one. Due to funding cuts over the past two years, the amount of those donations has decreased, but the future is looking a bit brighter.

"When we applied for funding over the past few years, they told us the event was not to be funded because it's not family oriented," says Vezina. "This year we hope to give more with the success of the event.”

In addition to cash donations, the BBCM Foundation helps community groups with fundraising and promotion, providing free tickets for member auctions and helping with publicity. ■

S t u d e n t L iv in g Shagging the stress away ^IINDFUNK

C a m p u s C a le n d a r

H o w

s e x

w ill

c u r e

y o u r

S arah X u Drugs aren't cheap, especially on a student budget, and they're not always legal. So why not go for a free natural high instead? Endorphins are feel-good" hormones—the word endorphin means internal morphine. They are produced by the pitu­ itary gland and work by sedating pain receptors in the nervous system. The link between endorphin production and exercise (a runner's high) is widely known, but laughing, eating spicy food, eating choc­ olate, bungee jumping, getting a massage, meditat­ ing, and having an orgasm can also raise happy hor­ mone levels significantly.

Endorphins have always had an important func­ tion: providing the body with a means of dealing with stressful or painful situations (for example, they aid women during childbirth). They also improve mood and enhance the immune system.

However, similar to anything else that induces a high, raising endorphin levels by eating, touching, laughing, and having sex too frequently can harm your body. When pleasurable activities are abused, endorphins can become addictive, leading to com­ pulsive eating, exercising, or sex addiction.

h e a d a c h e s

In fact, researchers have found that having sex three times a week has the same mental impact as run­ ning 75 miles.

Sex is not the only act that will increase your endorphin levels. Any positive contact with people you love, such as hugging or kissing, can also be re­ warding. If abstinence is your thing, other ways to get your endorphin fix include paying a visit to a spa, chiropractor, or acupuncturist.

While not directly related to the release of en­ dorphins, some of the other benefits of sex include decreased risk of prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women. With all the benefits of sex and en­ dorphins, you have every reason to get a little. ■

How sex is good for you The hormone oxytocin is released into the bloodstream during sex and causes the release of endorphins. You know the blissfull feeling that fol­ lows good sex; those are the endorphins working.

Since sex releases endorphins, it has all the benefits of an endorphin-regulated high. Sex can in­ crease endorphin production by more than 200 per cent, and the resulting high can last up to 12 hours.

AUS Bruce Willis Pub Night with a Vengeance When: Oct. 16,5-9 pm.

Where: Arts Lounge AUS presents a night of beer and Bruce Willis. Bring ID and a cup.

Dark of the Moon When: Oct. 16-18,23-25 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 18,25 at 2 p.m.

Where: Players'Theatre, 3rd floor Shatner Based on the ballad of "Barbara Allen," this tale recounts the tragedy I of doomed romance as a witch boy deals with powers of magic and fate to | realize his love for the mortal Barbara.

Reserve tickets: call 514-398-6813 or email foh.players@gmail.com

Meet the Triceratops When: Oct. 17,4-8 p.m.

Where: Redpath Museum Auditorium Meet "Sara," Redpath's newest dinosaur. Presentation by Dr. Hans Lar­ son about the paleontological excavation in Saskatchewan, followed by informal tours of other dinosaur exhibits.

Cost $12 per adult, $5 per child. Reserve tickets by calling 514-3988288.

South Asian Congress 2 0 0 8 : What is the Desi?

When: Oct. 17-18 Where: All over McGill The Congress will provide a forum to discuss South Asian community issues outside of South Asia.

Cost $15, which includes two-day regristration, a party, and dinner during the closing ceremonies. Register online at www.whatisthedesi.org.

TROJAN.COM

PLAT B E S T WORK workplaces lïiïilï 2 0 0 8

True Nature When: Oct. 19 Where: Redpath Museum Auditorium A play about Mary Anning, the Victorian fossil hunter of the Lyme Regs, and her influence on modern paleontology. This staged reading features actors from the Montreal Playwrights'Workshop.

Free; reservation required. Call 514-398-8288.

Advertise your event for free in our campus calendar.

Send the name, date, location, and other info to features@mcgilltribune.com.

D ay one artd you're part of the team Danone. It’s when you have the opportunity to focus on your career, your life and your community. It’s when your experiences, ideas and opinion? count. And it's when you're welcomed into an environment erf bracing diversity and encouraging inclusiveness. From your very first day, we're committed to helping you achieve your potential. So, whether your career lies in assurance, tax, transaction or advisory servrass, shouldn't your day one be at Ernst & Young?

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t

S t u d e n t L iv in g food guru

Fried pizza the Italian grandmother way O n e

o f t h e

b e s t

f o o d s

in

L eanne K ilroy Last summer, I spent days wandering around Naples, Italy, the world's pizza capital, in search of the real deal.

Pizza is everywhere in Naples—countless p izzerie claim to make the original Margherita, a classic combination of to­ mato, mozzarella, and basil named after the 19th century Italian queen. Pizza carts line touristy streets and hidden piazzas, tempting passersby at every turn. So, ignoring ev­ erything I had ever learned from my parents, school nurses, and previous experiences, I ate pizza for lunch and dinner for two days straight.

I absolutely adore pizza. It is my most beloved food­ stuff. I often make it at home, using dried figs, caramelized onions, goat cheese, and prosciutto, or maybe sausage, spinach, and garlic. I have a top-five list of pizza places in every city I've ever lived in (Amelio's and Bottega top my Montreal list). But the authentic N a p o lita n o pizza I had in Italy, with its thick chewy crust and rich creamy mozzarella, opened my eyes to a whole new world of delicious. That being said, by day three my stomach was telling me, b e g ­ g in g me, to stop. Experiencing the subtle agonies of severe vegetable deprivation and salt overload, on my last morn­ ing in Naples we decided to stop by the local market on to buy something relatively fresh for the train ride home.

And then I saw it, amidst the midday chaos of fruit vendors and fishmongers shone the most decrepit, dirty, and crowded hole-in-the-wall, displaying a case of fried foods of every imaginable strand. The woman in the front— obese, hairy, and dressed in what could only be called a nightgown—yelled, "Pizze\ Calzone\" two words which, de­ spite her thick N a p o lita n o accent, I definitely understood.

Intrigued at the thought of fried pizza (could two amaz­ ing concepts actually be improved upon when joined to­ gether?), and completely forgetting my previous resolve, I entered the store and ordered one fried pizza and one fried calzone for four Euros.

What I experienced next was nothing less than a rev­ elation. While prior pizzas in Naples had opened my eyes, this pizza opened my so u l. I fell in love so hard that, despite the Southern Italian summer heat (and an already uncom­ fortable case of indigestion), my group ordered two more fried pizzas and devoured them. But not before I could snap a photo of one of the beauties (which, I am proud to admit, sits framed on my desk).

Inspired by what could be the most memorable meal of my life, one especially dismal winter day in Montreal I de­ cided to recreate Naples'fried pizza in my four by five foot kitchenette. Despite one failed attempt, the fried pizzas have been leaping off my stove and onto my plates ever since. If you use store-bought pizza dough, the whole pro­ cess only takes about 10 minutes from start to finish. It is a remarkably easy recipe; it just requires a little deft move­ ment and faith. I'm convinced my p izza fritta recipe, tried and true, will hold you over until you can scrape together

t h e

u n i v e r s e ,

n o

p l a n e

the money to fly to Naples.

The only thing you need is a plate-sized frying pan that you can somehow cover (I used another frying pan). My standard toppings are just suggestions—you can leave off the sauce, add fried zucchini rounds, caramelized onions, olives, pepperoni, whatever—but the one essential topping is the fresh mozzarella. Who knows, you might even end up with a picture of fried pizza framed on your desk, too.

Ingredients • • • • • •

t i c k e t

Directions 1.

2.

3.

4.

Extra virgin olive oil Pizza dough, formed to fit your frying pan, spread 1/2 inch (2-3 cm) thick Fresh mozzarella, (the kind that comes in its own liquid if you can get it; about 1/2 big ball per pizza), chopped roughly 2 tbsp Tomato puree (or tomato sauce) Fresh basil (or dried) Prosciutto (optional) 5.

Note: If you're making more than one pizza, reuse the oil for the second pizza. By the third, add a bit more.

r e q u i r e d

In a large skillet, heat V2 inch (about 2 cm) olive oil (Don't be scared! Pour it in!) over med-high heat.

Put the formed dough into the pan, adjusting the heat so it cooks but doesn't burn.

After 3-4 minutes, when dough is browning on the bottom and slightly firm when you poke the top, use a spatula and fork to flip dough over.

Here comes the only remotely tricky part: you have to move quickly. Immediately spoon 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce on dough, leaving a generous crust around the edges (if the sauce touches the oil, it will splatter like crazy. It's not dangerous or anything, just really loud. I also find that if the sauce is too watery or you add too much, you could end up with dough that gets soggy). On top of the sauce, evenly sprinkle the cut-up mozzarella, and quickly cover the pan to seal It will be noisy under there, but don't worry, it's doing its thing.

After 3-4 minutes, take off cover and carefully remove your p iz z a fritta from the pan. Top with basil and pro sciutto, if desired, and eat immediately. Serves one. ■

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A rts &

E n t e r t a in m e n t -

ART

Exhibit that rocks like a Rolling Stone A u d io v is u a l

p le a s u re s a b o u n d

at M o n tre a l

W illiam R obinson A Faustian bargain has been made between art and rock'n'roll.The former is in danger of becoming populist, while the latter risks pretension, yet a triad of established museums are combining the two this fall. W a rho l Live, an homage to Andy Warhol that focusses on his musical inspirations, is already on display at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. REPLAY, an exhibit which combines fine art and audio culture, will be showing in November at the DHC/ART Foundation for Contemporary Art. Trumping them all, however, is the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art's S y m p a th y fo r th e D e vil: A r t a n d R o ck a n d R o ll S in ce 1967.

Originally organized for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago by curator Domi­ nic Molon, S y m p a th y fo r the D evil delves into history to explore the intimate relationship between rock music and avant-garde visual art. Whereas previous exhibits on art and rock have mostly focussed on a single de­ cade, Molon stated that his exhibit would excel in its comprehension. With the release of Jimi Flendrix's A re You E x p e rie n ce d and The Beatles' S g t. P ep p er's Lo n e ly H ea rts C lub B a n d , rock earned its academic "street cred"in 1967.

Molon saw the year as the perfect leaping off point for the exhibit.

Molon divided the exhibit by geograph­ ic region, commenting that a thematic orga­ nization "would seem contrived." At its worst, this arrangement allows for a basic classifica­ tion. At best, visitors may see how new ideas spread in the progressive, underground, rock 'n'roll subcultures. And, while this is certainly possible in the rooms for New York, the Unit­ ed Kingdom, Continental Europe, the West Coast, and Midwestern U.S.,- the "World" di­ vision is a bit broad in scope. Its best piece hails from Thailand, where Rirkrit Tiravanija has created perhaps the most interesting untitled interactive pseudo-sculpture in rock 'n'roll art history.The piece is a Plexiglass re­ ADAM SCOTTI hearsal studio adorned with a guitar, a bass, T h e B y r d s (L o v e in a V o id ):like Toucan Sam an electric drum kit, microphones, and reon LSD. cording equipment. No amps are to be found, but headphones allow for artists on the inside to hear themselves, while outsiders can pick up a pair on the exterior and listen in. Any music group may sign up in advance for a one-hour recording spot, and they get their own demo tape at the end of the session. Apparently the silent rock 'n' roll produced in the ex­ hibit is a beautifully strange thing to behold.

While there are over 100 works on display, a few stand out as exceptional. Upon enter­ ing, three larger-than-life, full-bodied, charcoal drawings of business people caught mid­ dance depict some of the most elaborate contortions of the early eighties discotheques.

These are artist Robert Longo's emotionally outstanding M en in Cities.

The exhibit's poster piece is another show-stopper. Jim Lambie's T he B y rd s (Lo ve in a Void) is a three-foot tall ceramic falcon coated in different coloured paints that are applied in the style of wet, drippy, bird poop. The sculpture was lowered onto ten spray cans, which,

M u s e u m

o f C o n t e m p o r a r y

A rt

under the pressure, began emitting paint till they emptied themselves on to the museum floor. Even the floor becomes a part of Lambie's work. Vinyl tape was used to make over 100 concentric circles of blue and red. The dizzying floor, combined with the falcon sitting offcentre, displays composition and colours that are both beautiful and jarring to approach.

While the drugs we so distinctly associate with rock 'n' roll certainly show up often enough, sex only makes an obvious appearance in the West Coast room. Jason Rhoades' neon sign installation V elvet U n d e rg ro u n d /P e rfe ct W o rld uses about two dozen neon signs which depict slang terms for vagina. The central wording around which they all gravitate is Velvet Underground. Just in front of the neon sign installation is S erg io , a giant yarn condom

by Jim Drain.

Film also plays a major role in the exhibit, as half a dozen rooms are dedicated to pro­ jection. The MAC curators contributed to Molon's assemblage with the addition of Jean-Luc

A visitor relives rock 'n' roll's glory days, no earplugs required.

Goddard's S y m p a th y fo r th e D evil. The film chronicles the Rolling Stones' writing of the song "Sympathy for the Devil"during the 1960s. Goddard catches two of the Rolling Stones'great­ est nights and skillfully turns that footage and more into a political essay.

The exhibit is ultimately a success. Dominic Molon has produced an excellent display which explores art that interacted with rock, instead of art which simply had cursory refer­ ences to it. There is a lot of great art and great fun to be had. The only aspect that may pose a problem for some viewers is the discouragingly large quantity of film, which would take much too long to watch within a reasonable visit. Instead, book off an evening to watch all the footage, and with four-dollar admission for students, you can appreciate the bang you get for your buck. ■ Sympathy for the Devil

ru n s u n til Ja n u a ry n a t th e M o n tre a l C o n te m p o ra ry A rt M u se u m

(185 St. C a th erin e W.), T u esd a y to Sun d a y , 11 a .m . to 6 p .m .

POP RHETORIC P h o r t h e F

rom the moment that legendary jam-band Phish told their fans, "This has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way," followers of the Vermont quartet, known as "Phish Heads", have been waiting for what many wish­ fully believed was an inevitable reunion. However, much like the band's onstage tendency to tease one song only to play another, the events leading up to the recent an­ nouncement of three shows next March at the Hampton Coliseum in Virginia was hardly a predictable narrative.

In December of 2006, front man Trey Anastasio was arrested in upstate New York on DUI charges and for pos­ session of prescription drugs. What seemed like a major setback for Phish reuniting was, in hindsight, the start of a new beginning. In October 2007, after entering a rehab program, Trey appeared on stage with former Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh for a reincarnation of Phil Lesh and Friends, wailing out face-melting guitar riffs in a perfor­ mance many hailed as the return of Trey and a sign that he was finally back on the right track.

In May 2008, following their acceptance of the Jammys lifetime achievement award, Trey again fanned the Phish

lo v e

o f

P h is h

reunion flame in a Rolling Stone interview by telling the magazine that despite previous unenthusiastic comments regarding the overplayed song "You Enjoy Myself"—a sta­ ple of the Phish repertoire since 1986—he would now give his"left nut''to play it five times a day. The band again made headlines with a partial reunion at the Rothbury festival in Michigan, and then finally a full reunion at former tour manager Brad Sand's wedding. After a short video from the three-song performance was posted on YouTube, Phish Heads knew that a reunion was rapidly approaching.

But it's not all fun and games yet. Now that Phish Heads and fans of improvisational jam music have had their prayers answered, there are two important questions to consider. First, will the music fulfill expectations? Any "phan" who attended the final weekend at Coventry or lis­ tened to the tape will tell you that the band was not tight, nor had they been for much of the prior tour. After years of remarkable live performances, Phish Heads hold their he­ roes to excruciatingly high standards. In order for the re­ union to be successful and the music fresh, Phish will have to record new material. The only thing more disappointing

S teven H offer

than no reunion at all would be a tour in which the band has become a caricature of its former self, dragging nostal­ gia from city to city.

Secondly, will the scene once again negatively over- i shadow the music? Like Grateful Dead shows during the nineties, the traveling circus that was the late Phish shows became a place that even the wackiest neo-hippie wouldn't want to take their family. With the reunion dates set, ominous signs are already warning for caution. Only hours after the announcement, all hotels within a 45-min­ ute radius of the venue were booked for the weekend, and ticket listings had already appeared on eBay, despite not yet being available to the public. Hordes of ticketless phans will no doubt descend upon Hampton, Virginia in search of a miracle ticket, and with them will come scam artists hop- ; ing to cash in. The band can only hope that those fans who do come without a ticket bring only peaceful intentions, rather than a desire to relive their days of sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

That being said, I am thinking about dropping out of school to go on Phish tour.B

14 • Arts & Entertainment • 15.10.08

The McGill Tribunt

MUSIC

Stand Ins steal the spotlight with banjo beats F if t h

a l b u m

f r o m

T e x a s

i n d i e

b a n d

O k k e r v i l

R i v e r

d e e p

the newest Okkervil album. "We've been out playing for year: and years and years, and next thing you know you realize that all your friends are musicians, and everyone likes each other': music and shares ideas," says Nelsen. Artists such as Crookec Fingers, Bon Iver, and Bird ofYouth contributed to the project with their own stripped-down versions of the songs featurec on Okkervil River's YouTube channel.

"Everybody was really into it, which was really, really flat­ tering," Nelsen says. "Everyone spent at least a little bit of time coming up with their own version. It was interesting to see how some people's versions are sort of similar to our version, [while] something like Bon Iver's, it's almost unrecognizable, his version of'Blue Tulip.'"

So far, fans have been thrilled with the use of stand-ins to show-off S ta n d Ins. "At the same time, it was almost like, 'Well wait a second: is it rude to ask your friends to cover your songs?"'Nelsen asks. But the boys have been well-met in their current North American tour, playing to an eager crowd at Les Saints in Montreal last Saturday. Recently hyped by Kanye West when the music mogul posted the video for "Lost Coast­ lines" on his blog, the band heads to Europe next week for an extensive tour. Until the band returns next year, eager Ok­ kervil fans can wait in anticipation to see what Sheff throws together on tour next time around.■

L aura T indal With the release of their fifth studio album T h e S ta n d Ins, Austin-based indie band Okkervil River shows no sign of slow­ ing down after 10 successful years.Their last album, 2007's The S ta g e N a m es, was well-received by critics and indie-folk fans alike, and with Will Sheff's endearing, warbling vocals on top of the group's tight instrumentals and hyper-literate lyrics, it's obvious why. Fans of last year's CD will slide easily into famil­ iar territory with the new record— a fun, although occasion­ ally dark and introspective, mix of songs that reflects on a life of performance. The album also boasts kick-ass ukulele, ac­ cordion, and banjo action to match.

"That record sort of made itself," says drummer Travis Nelsen. "It's a sort of continuation of where we left off with The S ta g e N a m es ... Half of The S ta n d In s was written at the same time as S ta g e N am es!'

Originally intended as an EP to follow The S ta g e N am es, like the B la ck Sheep Boy A p ­ p e n d ix was to 2005's B la ck Sheep Boy,

there was too much great material for S ta n d Ins to stay small.

"Will just kept on writ­ ing more and more songs," Nelsen re­ members, re­ ferring to lead singer Will Sheff. "Even 'Singer Song­ writer'on that re c o rd — the last thing we recorded — we recorded it in April while touring with The New

r u n s

Pornographers, and just in the middle of the tour we had one day off and Will's like, 'We have to put this in the record.' And none of us in the band had ever heard the song before. We were in Indiana one day and we sound-checked it, and the next day we went to the studio and recorded it."

So goes the production process for Okkervil River. Origi­ nally formed by Sheff and childhood friend Seth Warren, the PHOTOS BY ADAM SCOTTI current line-up contains almost nobody from the band's early days other than Sheff, yet their sound continues to build on From left: Lead singer Will Sheff strums to his own tune; itself successfully. It was also Sheff who came up with the drummer Travis Nelsen shakes things up with the maracas; idea for Okkervil's recent promotional move, which films mu­ the banjo lends the band their folksy twang. sicians linked to the band performing covers of songs off of

BOOKS

An Introduction to Canadien literature D 'a r c y

J e n i s h ' s

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b o o k

c o m

m

e m

o r a t e s

H a b s '

1 0 0 t h

h o c k e y

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M att C hesser If McGill offered a history course on the Montreal Canadiens, D'Arcy Jenish's The M o n tre a l C a n a d ie n s: ro o Years o f G lo ry would be the perfect textbook.

Released to coincide with the 100th season of Canadiens' hockey, 7o o Years o f G lo ry is an engaging and compelling account of the unlike­ ly history of Les Habitants—from their creation as the afterthought of a wealthy Renfrew, Ontario businessman, to their current incarnation as one of the economic and cultural cornerstones of Quebec.

Jenish, a veteran journalist who supported the Canadiens as a child despite growing up in Saskatchewan, writes with precision and clarity, and, like the best historians, weaves a narrative thread through­ out the novel with the help of firsthand accounts from Montreal's vari­ ous newspapers.

"History is never more exciting than on the day it happens, so I went back and read newspaper accounts to get a feel for the reaction to the Canadiens throughout their history," said Jenish. "I'm probably the first person to ever read both sides of the record, in English and in French."

Jenish eschews the common focus of most Habs historians—the post-World War II era in which the Canadiens won 17 Stanley Cups in 34 years—and devotes substantial time to the creation and early struggles of the team. In this section, as in the rest of the book, Jenish seems to be more interested in the driving forces behind the team—the owners, general managers, and fans—rather than the long list of great players

who have donned a Canadiens'jersey.

That's not to say that Jenish ignores the players, as he aptly touch­ es on the stories that have become a part of hockey lore—Georges Vezina's death from tuberculosis, Howie Morenz's funeral at the Mon­ treal Forum, and the Richard Riots of the 1950s, to name a few—with­ out deifying the heroes he grew up admiring. But Jenish's focus is mostly directed towards how and why the Canadiens came to be such an important part of Québécois culture.

"I liken it to walking into a cathedral, where you're dazzled by the scale and the grandeur of it, but to try to sit down and put that on paper— what's making you feel that way— is very difficult," Jenish said.

The book, however, has its shortcomings. In some places it's overly dry and descriptive, losing the narrative thread as it tries to condense 100 years of history into 311 pages. By the same token, the recent his­ tory of the Canadiens—the last 15 years—feels abridged, as if entire sections of recent developments were hacked away in order to shorten the book's length, and the story suffers for barely mentioning signifi­ cant events like the 2004-05 NHL lockout.

700 Years o f G lo ry is neither the definitive account of what it means to play for the Canadiens (that would be Ken Dryden's T he G a m e) nor what it means to be a Montreal fan (Roch Carrier's classic children's book T he H o c k e y S w e a te r) but the book is certainly the most accessible and comprehensive account of the Canadiens'history to date. ■

D ’A R C Y J E N I S H

15.10.08 • The McGill Tribune • 15

www.mcgilltribune.com : ILM

The story behind a man misunderestimated 1

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B rahna S iegleberg In a time when Bush-bashing is a bigger fad than leg warmers were in the eighties, direc­ tor Oliver Stone has created an unexpectedly nuanced portrayal of the controversial American president in his film, VZ.. While the public tends to focus on George W. Bush's squandering of the Bush legacy, Stone emphasizes the struggles Bush faced as a result of his famous name. While cartoonists and critics bask in the notable features of the president, Stone depicts a scene in which Bush examines the worry lines that resulted from the magnitude of his executive deci­ sions. However, this isn't to say that the movie doesn't present its fair share of reproach.

Starring Josh Brolin— who has remained under the radar since his 1985 performance in The G o o n ies, but does an immaculate job capturing the president's mannerisms—the film brings to light many facets of the life of one of the most controversial presidents in American history. W. takes viewers from Bush's life in a Yalefrat house to Texas oil fields and baseball diamonds, then to the White House and the days leading up to his decision to invade Iraq. It is the story of a man who struggled with his inner demons in the shadow of his famous father, was"born again"at age 40, and ultimately discovered the White House as his calling.

Stone evokes compassion in his audience, by portraying a man lacking political acumen yet full of passion and personal commitment. In the scene that shows Bush rushing for his fraternity at Yale, he is the only pledge able to recite each of the 50 or so names of all the members of the frat. Stone emphasizes not that the leader of the free world was a beer-guzzling teenager, but rather Bush's commitment and dedication to memorizing all the names. Post-Yale, Bush feels compelled to run for president in part to take care of the job his father had left unfinished— tak­ ing down Saddam Hussein.

Nevertheless, he is still represented as the buffoon we all love to hate.The man pulled off C's in Yale, has a drinking problem, chokes on pretzels while watching football, talks with his mouth full, uses some hilarious malapropisms, and most importantly of all, goes to war on entirely false pretenses. Bush allows a cabinet of war-mongering Republicans to convince him that Iraq has WMDs and that war is inevitable, and delivers a speech asserting the "axis of evil" as an immedi­ ate threat to the American people right before television's Sunday Night Sports.

What makes W. unique is that it is not a Saturday Night Live sketch nor is it à Michael Moore exposé. The film is a very even-handed interpretation of the president's life— his triumphs, his blatant missteps, and his more intimate moments.

With an all-star cast including Richard Dreyfuss (who does an impeccable rendition of the calculating Vice-President Dick Cheney), James Cromwell as the single-minded Bush "Poppy" Sr., Toby Jones as the brains-behind-the-operation Karl Rove, and Thandie Newton as a caricaturized Condoleezza Rice, the film is a pleasing blend of Hollywood drama and political commen-

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16 • Arts & Entertainment • 15.10.08 C D

The McGill Tribune

FILM

R e v ie w s

Roots Manuva. S lim e a n d R ea so n . British rapper Roots Manuva has been putting out records for nearly a decade. His lat­ est release, S lim e a n d R e a so n , has recently made its way from overseas and is now available in North America. While the Brits have produced some notable hip-hop acts in recent years, (if you're new to the scene, check out the likes of The Streets and Dizzee Rascal), it is debateable whether Roots Manuva's new album is good enough to support his position as one of Britain's most talked-about hip-hop acts. While the first single, "Again & Again," is catchy, the track is not strong enough to set it apart from the rest of the album. A bit of salvation comes from the upbeat track "Buff Nuff," but S lim e a n d R e a so n mostly sounds like a combina­ tion of soft electronica and reggae. Although not of poor quality, the album suffers from a lack of excitement— an ingredient vital to a good hip-hop album. Just as you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, you shouldn't judge an album from the hype surround­ ing it.

-Kyle C a rp en ter

Saint Alvia. B e tw e e n T he Lin es. Burlington, Ontario's ska-punk band Saint Alvia is back with their sophomore release, B e tw e e n The Lin es. The album follows their highly suc­ cessful self-titled debut (formally the band was called The Saint Alvia Cartel) that re­ ceived a Juno nomination for Rock Album of the Year. Saint Alvia's sound is a com­ plex blend of ska, reggae, and punk that changes from one song to another. This is by no means a flaw, as B e tw e e n The Lin es is a solid collection of strong, dynamic songs ranging from the driving rock of "All Too Easy" to the acoustic, folksy "At Least (I'm On My Own)."The best way to approach this album is with an open mind, as strict fans of ska and reggae may be turned off by the variety of styles and genre-blending within the tracks. Similarly, punk and rock fans may be disappointed that some of the songs just don't rock very hard. However, if you're into a range of musical styles and don't mind mixing things up a bit, B etw een Th e Lin es will add some exciting new local talent to your CD or iTunes library this fall.

- Kyle C a rp e n te r Horrorpops. K iss K iss Kill Kill. Horrorpop's lead singer and bass player, Patricia Day, just might be one of the most hardcore and sexy women in the music world today. Of course, this is just an added bonus, as the group's latest album, K iss K iss K ill Kill, is es­ sentially song after song of rocking psy­ chobilly tunes. Once again, the Horrorpops have put together an intense musical set that will get your blood boiling in excitement. Not unlike some of their earlier work, the instrumentals are full of life while the songs' lyrics are all about death. While the band members have alternated over the years, they continue to compose music with just as strong a punk rock style as ever. Day's vocals are coarse and raw, blending well with the heavy guitar riffs and solid, fast drum beats. Despite the more hardcore edge, the doo-wop resonance of the bass gives each song a consistent upbeat quality, contributing to the kind of 1950s retro edge that any rockabilly fan will surely appreciate.

Dealing with Jesus F e s t i v a l a n g s t ,

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C arolyn G régoire Making its premiere last week at the Festival du Nouveau Cinema, Turbid, the first feature film by writer, director, and producer George Fok, presents a dark coming-of-age tale set in Montreal that blends existential themes of faith, fate, and loneliness.

We've all seen the story of a good girl (generally the timid, melancholy type), who by embarking upon the rocky road of adolescence, falls in with a bad crowd, does drugs, ditches her former straight-edge friends, loses the respect of her family, and in due course, by fucking up her life, shows us just how hard it is to be a teenager. Turbid — whose title signifies the clouded, obscured nature of a disillusioned girl's worldview—offers a different and unique take on this storyline, depicting a teenage girl's attempt to unite her seemingly outdated traditional religious upbringing with the cynicism and ennui that has resulted from the harsh and isolating urban environment that she faces each day.

Tu rb id follows 15-year-old Rebecca, whose immigrant mother works long hours in a Montreal textile factory to support the family. As Rebecca enters adolescence and searches for a kind of faith she can reconcile with her own reality, she begins playing a dangerous game. Rebecca joins the bad crowd and becomes involved in drug distribution; peddling "Plastic Jesus"— her dealer Emmanuel's signature strain of cocaine which is known for its spiritual properties. Let not the religious allusions be lost on you— the film is, above all, a story of faith. Drugs comprise the central vehicle that Fok uses to explore this issue and how it affects the characters' lives.

From the Jesus figurehead on Emmanuel's dashboard to the rosary that Emanuel's girlfriend keeps tucked in her cleavage, religious iconography makes a major cameo in the film. Although the linear plotline is rather trite, Fok makes what would be an over-done storyline original and unique by in­ fusing statements about modern urban culture and the digital generation with traditional family and religious values. Whereas the film could easily have been a stale T h irte e n -e sq u e tale of teen angst, replete with the token gloomy teenager who surreptitiously slips into the girl's bathroom to pull out a razor and little bag of coke, T u rbid offers a deeper analysis'of Rebecca's struggle.

Grappling with heavy philosophical issues such as morality, God, predes­ tination, and chance, the film sometimes falls short in its explorations of these difficult matters, offering interesting food for thought here and there, but ulti­ mately leaving the audience to find their own answers.

Featuring a cast of non-actors, Fok has employed a ground-level cine­ matic approach which lends the film an intimate, documentary feel. Even Fok himself is a newcomer to feature films, having worked in the past on short films and as a graphic designer.The character of Rebecca is played by Rebecca Huang herself, whom Fok worked with at a Montreal community youth centre, and who ultimately inspired him to write the script. The casting and acting are amazingly well-done considering that none of the actors have ever had any sort of formal training. Sebastien Stark, who plays Emanuel, delivers a moving and convincing portrayal of a Latin-American drug dealer who knows he's a sinner but believes, above all, in the mercy of God as his redeemer. Despite a few loose ends, the film comes together beautifully and leaves a distinct im­ pression on its audience. If you enjoyed the intensity of R eq u iem fo r a D rea m , this new indie film is a must-see. ■

Wednesday: Music. Alice Cooper.

St. Denis Theatre. The shock-rock grand­ father comes to Montreal, hoping that layers of white face-paint might hide his wrinkles.The man famed for the 1972 rock classic, "School's Out,” now sells meetand-greet packages for his shows, so that fans can bask in his hardcore aura.

Thursday: Music. Bedouin Sounddash. Metropolis. The Juno award-win­ ning band will get you dancing with their eclectic and upbeat mix of reggae, funk, rock, and soul. Apparently they actually have songs other than "When the Night Feels My Song."

Friday: Film. S e x D rive. Another teen movie starring Seth Green hits the­ atres this Friday.Three friends embark on a cross-country road trip so that 18-yearold Ian can lose his virginity to a girl he met on the Internet. Those who disliked the juvenile humor of American Pie or Road Trip need not apply.

Saturday: Comedy. Spectacular!

SpectacularlTheatre St. Catherine. Gavin Stephen's one-man show that incorpo­ rates improv, stand up, multimedia, and stunts will make you realize why he was voted one of the "12 Funniest Canadians."

Stephen's geeky and socially awkward humor provides good, immature fun for all.

Sunday: Film. Who is KK D ow n ey?

Cinema du Parc. A satirical story of literary fraud examines new media and hipster culture in this hilarious Montreal-based indie comedy that's already on its way to reaching cult status.

Monday: Internet. Sadguysontradingfloors.tumblr.com. There's got to be something amusing about the collapse of our economy. This is it.

-Ren ee S u tto n

Joseph Arthur & The Lonely Astronauts.

T em p o ra ry P eo ple. The second album from the musical collaboration of veteran singer/songwriter Joseph Arthur and guitarists Kraig Jarret Johnson and Jennifer Turner (of The Jayhawks and Natalie Merchant, respectively), T em p o ra ry P eo p le has more musical experience in its pinky than most indie-bands on the scene right now. A mix of folky rock with a rollicking Southern-Baptist flare, the album succeeds in finding the right balance between twangy country soul and rock'n'roll coolness. Songs like "Look into the Sky" mix catchy lyrics with clap-friendly, head bopping tunes that anybody, no matter their musical taste, will enjoy. Careful about keeping the album's con­ tent diverse, each song is a different amount of rock revival and honky-tonk fun. The highlight of the album is "Heart's A Soul," which best showcases Arthur's smoky, Leonard Cohen-like vocals and pumps up the soul with a great chorus of hymn-like voices cascading in the background. It is possibly one of the best songs released this year, and after that, even great tracks such as the title track "Temporary People"just aren't as impressive.

Black Crowes-esque when they succeed, Joseph Arthur oc­ casionally hints at a boring Black Rebel Motorcycle Club coverband when they don't (on "Winter Blades" for example). Overall, T em p o ra ry P eo p le is a very accessible album, easy for anybody to get into, and great for a car-ride or a walk up the mountain in fall.

- La u ra Tin d a l

EVER W ISH YOU W ERE T H A T G U Y FROM ALMOST FAMOUS? IN TERVIEW RO CKSTARSAN D G E T BA C K STA G E AS AN A&E W RITER.

M EETIN G S EVERY M O N D A Y A T 5:30 A T G ERT'S. COURTESY OF MARIE ROUTHIER

S po rts PREVIEW— MARTLETS HOCKEY

Gearing up for an encore performance H o c k e y

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to say, she has earned the confidence of her coach and fellow players.

J ulie B eauchamp It won't be easy for the McGill Martlets to improve on per­ fection. After posting a 25-0 regular season record and win­ ning the Canadian Interuniversity Sport National Champion­ ship last year, the Martlets face lofty expectations this season, coming in as the number one-ranked team in Canada.

But, despite the targets on their backs, neither the players nor the coaching staff admit to feeling any additional pressure this season. Head Coach Peter Smith has told his team to ap­ proach this season like any other.

"We have put last season's success behind us and we moved on," goaltender Charline Labonté said. "This is a new season and we need to start working hard because ... it is al­ ways harder to stay at the top than to reach that number one spot."

"[Labonté] is very experienced, a skilled individual, and she's a hard worker," said Smith. "Our expectations are that she will continue to play at the level she established last year."

Labonté owes much of her success to her help on the blueline. Recently appointed Captain Chantal Gauvin, Chartrand, and Ward return to anchor McGill's defence. Ward made an impact at the other end of the ice as well last season, scor­ ing seven goals and 19 points in 15 games.

"The team really benefits from Catherine's exceptional of­ fensive-defensive style," said Gauvin. "However, the depth of our defence is built around having different players fill in dif­ ferent roles."

As strong as the Martlets'defence is, their offence will be just as dominant. Bettez will be McGill's leader in the scoring

s e a s o n

department, having captured the Quebec conference scoring title with 1 5 goals in 18 games during her freshman season.

Davidson, who was named McGill University's Female Athlete of the Year for the 2007-2008 season, will also wreak havoc on opposing defenders. The fourth-year forward was second in the Quebec League scoring race with 14 goals and 29 points in 18 games last season, and has consistently pro­ duced through her first three seasons. Jordanna Peroff and Alyssa Cecere round out the Martlets'first wave of forwards.

"Our expectations are that we play with a sense of urgen­ cy in every game, regardless of the score, regardless of who we're playing," said Smith. "[We expect] that we will establish those good habits in every game we play because that will de­ termine our success at the end of the season."

The Martlets begin regular season play this Friday night at 7 p.m. against Carleton at McConnell Arena. ■

Losses and gains McGill lost four key players to graduation, including Cap­ tain Shauna Denis and Assistant Captain Gillian Merrifield. For­ tunately, however, the Martlets have several returning play­ ers from last year's championship team, including QSSF MVP Vanessa Davidson, current Canadian National Team members Catherine Ward and Charline Labonté, and Ann-Sophie Bettez, who was honoured as the nation's top rookie at last year's CIS All-Canadian gala. Both Bettez and Ward have recently com­ peted as part of Canada's Under-22 team, while Labonté and defender Cathy Chartrand played with the Canadian National Team in 2006.

Four freshmen will join the Martlets this season, and with 23 players on the roster, there will be a healthy balance of youth and experience. One freshman to watch will be F MarieAndrée Leclerc-Auger, last year's leading scorer in the Quebec collegiate AA league. An injury sustained last May slowed Leclerc-Auger's summer training and denied her a chance to attend the Canadian U-22 tryout camp, but she is healthy heading into this season.

"She comes in with a lot of credentials and experience," Smith said of Leclerc-Auger. "She has the opportunity to have an impact."

Joining Leclerc-Auger on the ice for the first time are D Stacie Tardif, F Lainie Smith, and D Shaunn Rabinovich—a formerTeam Quebec player.

A dominant line-up Charline Labonté will be back between the pipes for an­ other year, following one of the most incredible seasons in CIS history. Labonté, a 2006 Olympic gold medallist, earned 26 shutouts and surrendered only 33 goals in 41 games, ending the season with an astounding .971 save percentage. Needless

ADAMSCOTTI

Though former captain Shauna Denis may be gone, the Martlets'offence will be just as strong

THIRD MAN IN T h e

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O

renthal James Simpson has provided us with 25 years of memories from A to C—athletic to crimi­ nal—but he is now on the cusp of spending the rest of his life in prison. Some may consider this development as justice being served a few years too late. I, however, have looked forward to each chapter of the O.J. saga with mur­ derous anticipation—allegedly murderous, that is. If O.J. spends the rest of his life in jail, we will be deprived of one of the most enigmatic and entertaining superstars of the modern era. Nevertheless, we will certainly have plenty to remember him by.

Some will remember Simpson for the extraordinary athleticism he once showcased on the football field. After being named to the Junior College All-American team as a running back and defensive back for the City College of San Francisco, Simpson earned a scholarship to the Uni­ versity of Southern California, where he again excelled, earning two consecutive NCAA All-American honours and consideration for the Heisman trophy. In his spare time, O.J. helped break the world record for the men's 4x100 sprint relay as part of the USC track team at the 1967 NCAA Cham­ pionships.

As the Buffalo Bills'first overall pick in the 1969 draft, O.J. got off to a slow start with the suffering franchise. It was

not until 1972 that he gained over 1,000 rushing yards in a season, an accomplishment that would quickly be dwarfed the next year by his 2,000 rushing yard season—the first in NFL history. Simpson finished his career with the San Fran­ cisco 49ers after six Pro Bowl seasons and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first ballot in 1985.

O.J. clearly excelled on the gridiron, but throw in mem­ orable performances in the television mini series Roots and The Naked Gun film trilogy, not to mention as a spokesman for Hertz rental car services, and you have a portrait of the American dream.

But most people will remember O.J. for the media frenzy surrounding the murder of Simpson's ex-wife Ni­ cole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman that placed him in the spotlight again. This lengthy episode in Simpson's life had everything from murder and racial issues to an epic low speed car chase that was so captivating, it prompted NBC to cut away from its NBA Final coverage.

Americans were glued to what was termed the "trial of the century," and watched with disbelief when Judge Lance Ito delivered a verdict of "not guilty." (So what if he was found financially liable in the civil trial?)

After being found not guilty, Simpson showcased his entrepreneurial side, writing a book titled "If I Did It: Con­

fession of the Killer"discussing how 'The Juice" would have stabbed his wife to a bloody pulp had he committed the crime (you decide if that pun is intended).

A select few will remember O.J. for his most recent criminal episode: the theft of sports memorabilia from a Las Vegas casino in September 2007. For your benefit, the next several lines will be dedicated to listing the charges Simp­ son was convicted of on October 3: conspiracy to commit a crime, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, conspiracy to commit robbery, burglary while in possession of a deadly weapon, two counts of first degree kidnapping with use of a deadly weapon, two counts of robbery with use of a deadly weapon, two counts of assault with a deadly weap­ on, and coercion with use of a deadly weapon.

It's nice to see that Simpson has been keeping himself occupied and engaged during the difficult transition years an athlete faces following retirement.

As a result of a guilty verdict in the memorabilia case, O.J. sits in isolation awaiting what will likely be a life sen­ tence, instead of living the high life at the acquittal party he had planned to celebrate his freedom.

You had a great run, O.J. It's a shame that the only run­ ning you'll be doing now is during recreation time in a state penitentiary. ■

The McGill Tribune

18- Sports - 15.10..08

SOCCER— REDMEN 3 ,SHERBROOKE 0

McGill remains undefeated with 3-0 win R e d m e n

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Shawn Amarasekera scored the only goal McGill needed as the Redmen defeated the Sherbrooke Vert et Or 3-0 at Molson Stadium Friday night, keeping them undefeated in the hunt for first place in the Quebec Student Sports Federation, The Redmen dictated the game's tempo from the open­ ing whistle, picking apart their opponents with precision passing and suffocating defence. Sherbrooke looked lost early oh, struggling to control the ball in the midfield and failing to communicate on the defensive end. McGill's early aggression forced Vert et Or Head Coach Richard Pierre-Gilles to shift his squad into a defensive formation, sending all but one of his strikers back in an attempt to stunt the Redmen's attack.

Rookie midfielder Yohann Capolungo did an excellent job initiating offence in the opening half, sending numerous

shots and crosses towards the Sher­ brooke goal to test 6'3" keeper Julien MassonLefebvre. The final two minutes of the first half saw a flurry of shots on goal by the Red­ men, with one strike glancing off the side-post and another hit­ ting the crossbar.

Although there was no scoring in the first half, a McGill goal seemed inevita­ ble. Sure enough, five minutes into ADAMSCOTTI the second half, senior midfielder Masson-Lefebvre couldn't stop three Amarasekara shots from getting past him on Friday.

o f t h e

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pounced on a rebound and drilled home the opening goal.

"We had a good first half," said Amarasekera. "We were trying [different things], and [Head] Coach [Philippe Eullaffroy] told us that if we took [a lot of] shots on goal, it might be ugly, but that's how we would get our first goal."

Amarasekera's goal opened the floodgates for the Red­ men strikers, as McGill proceeded to showcase their speed, chemistry, and technical skill. The highlight of the game came with 15 minutes left in regulation, when freshman Jeremy Hurdle, who had subbed in five minutes earlier, found him­ self isolated against a defender on the left wing. Hurdle stut­ ter-stepped, faked right, then pulled the ball back to his left, losing his man completely and giving himself space to blast a beautiful curving shot past the outstretched arms of Mas­ son-Lefebvre.

"Our coach told us not to be nervous, and if we had the opportunity, to take our guys one-on-one," Hurdle said. "I'm not afraid to take that risk, when [Coach] gives me advice like that ... As rookies, we've bonded really well with the older guys. They make it easy and encourage [us].''

After Hurdle's spectacular goal, the outcome of the match was never really in doubt. Michael Stein, a freshman forward, capped off the scoring with a late header. McGill's defence was effective throughout the game, thanks in large part to impressive performances by senior defenceman Omar John, sophomore defenceman Graeme Tingey, and sopho­ more midfielder Axel DovT. "[Tonight's game] was much better than the last three games," Head Coach Philippe Eullaffroy said. "We played a real 9 0 minutes ... a big difference from other games where we played [well for only] 20, 25 minutes. It's a great improve­ ment and we have to confirm that against UQAM in our next game."

Eullaffroy stressed the need for his team to remain fo­ cused on securing a top-two berth in conference play and playing at a consistently high level going into the postsea­ son.

"We believe that if we want to reach the first spot [in the league], and if we want to go to nationals, we have to play this kinds of game, not just once, but for the rest of the season and the postseason," Eullaffroy said.

With a tie on the road against UQAM on Sunday, the

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ADAM SCOTTI

Midfielder Axel Dovi looks to attack in the open field.

Redmen are in first place in the Quebec league at 6-0-3, and are nationally ranked for the first time this season at number eight. The upcoming game between the Redmen and the third-ranked University of Montreal Carabins, three points be­ hind the Redmen in the standings, will likely decide whether McGill will take the Quebec league for the first time in Eullaffroy's tenure. The Redmen and Carabins face-off this Friday at 8 p.m. ■

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Soccer—Sherbrooke Vert et Or at McGill Martlets; Wednesday, 6 p.m. at Molson Stadium; Montreal Carabins at Martlets; Friday, 6 p.m. at Molson Stadium In fifth place at 4-4-1, Marc Mounicot's s Martlets have not had the same success as Philippe Eullaffroy's Redmen. The Martlets only have five more games to reach fourth place in the league and en­ sure a spot in the Quebec playoffs. But the task will not be easy, as the top two teams in Quebec visit the Martlets this week.

The Martlets let a victory slip away against the Vert et Or in Sher­ brooke on September 21. McGill led 2-1 in the 87th minute before letting in two goals. The Martlets opened the season with a 3-0 loss to the Carabins, the number one team in the nation, on September 12. The Carabins are the only team in Canada to win each of their games.

A win this week would go a long way to restoring the Martlets'con­ fidence and to improving their chances to make the playoffs. But if they are unable to get a victory against the Vert et Or or the Cara­ bins, the Martlets could miss the QUSF playoffs for the first time ever.

Lacrosse—Bishop's Gaiters at McGill Redmen;Thursday, 7:30 p.m. at Forbes Field; Queen's Golden Gaels at Redmen; Sunday, 2 p.m. at Forbes Field The Redmen and the Queen's Golden Gaels sport identical 4-3 re­ cords this season, and are tied for second place in the East Division of the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association. The Redmen must hang on to second place to make the semifinals of the CUFLA's playoffs, the Baggataway Cup, over the weekend of November 8 .

Head Coach Timothy Murdoch's group has been involved in sev­ eral close games this season, including two overtime losses toTrent University, which has locked up a spot in the playoffs with an 8-0 record. The Redmen narrowly beat Queen's in Kingston on Septem­ ber 13 by the score of 9-8, and lost to Bishop's 11-9 on September 25.

Bishop's is also in the playoff mix, with a record of 3-3If the Redmen can win at least one of their two games this week, they should feel a lot more comfortable heading into the end of the regular season. After these two games, the Redmen have only one game left to play—against last-place Carleton, at Forbes Field on October 25 at 8 p.m. Two wins this week essentially lock the Red­ men in for second place.

15.10..08 • Sports • 19

www.mcgilltribune.com

PREVIEW— REDMEN HOCKEY

Change the Redmen can believe in M c G i l l 's

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M att C hesser The McGill Redmen are hoping that change is a good thing.

After making it to the CIS National Championship tourna­ ment last year for the second time in three years, the Redmen were forced to retool in the offseason after losing most of the key pieces from their 2007-08 squad. Among the players lost to graduation were All-Canadian goaltendèr Mathieu Poitras, Captain David Urquhart, and leading scorer Shawn Shewchuk.

"It's not easy to replace that many guys," said McGill Head Coach Martin Raymond. "It's going to take time, and some ef­ fort from our returning players, to maintain the winning cul­ ture and work ethic that we built last year."

Matching last season's success will be an enormous chal­ lenge for McGill, as the 2007-08 campaign will be remembered as one of the best in the 132-year history of the Red 'n'White.

The Redmen set a school record for wins in a season (33), post­ ed an 8-1 record in postseason play and captured the program's first Queen's Cup—the OUA men's hockey championship—in 62 years.

Fixing the holes The biggest losses for the Redmen were in goal, where McGill lost both their starting and back-up netminders. Poi­ tras, who posted a .929 save percentage and eight shutouts in 38 games last year, and Jean-Michel Filiatrault had arguably been the best goaltending tandem in the country over the past three years. This season, two rookies—Danny Mireault and Hubert Morin—are vying for the starting job. The early edge appears to have gone to Mireault, a 6'i" former Quebec Major Junior Hockey League backup with textbook butterfly positioning and quick reflexes.

On the blueline the Redmen will struggle to replace four­ time OUA All-Star David Urquhart, who was a catalyst at both ends of the rink, and was equally comfortable on both the pen­ alty kill and the power play. McGill will look to prized recruit Marc-Andre Dorion, a fleet-footed defenceman who earned QMJHL All-Star honours with Baie Comeau last year and was invited to the Dallas Stars' 2008 rookie camp, to step into the void left by their captain's departure. Co-captain Ken Morin—a steady defenceman who makes few egregious errors—will be relied upon to anchor the team's defensive efforts. But the

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squad must get a better ef­ fort this year from senior Yan Turcotte, who is an impact de­ fenceman, but routinely hurts the team with penalties at in­ opportune times.

"I think our transition game could be quite strong from what I've seen so far from the defence," said Ray­ mond. “We've got good team speed, and we move the puck well. We need to start paying the price in front of the net though. You don't score many goals from the perimeter."

Up front, McGill lost the services of three of their top four scorers from last season: Shewchuk, Simon Courcelles, and Guillaume Demers. The team will need returning cen­ tre Sam Bloom, who averaged ADAM SCOTTI a point per game last season, and co-captain Eric L'Italien Mireault performed well in his first game in goal, stopping 21 of 23 shots. to improve on their goal to­ An ominous beginning tals from previous years, as The Redmen opened their 133rd regular season on Friday both are primarily set-up men. Completing the first line will be speedy freshman Alexandre Picard-Hooper, who tallied 323 night with a 2-1 loss to the Concordia Stingers at McConnell points in 265 QMJHL games with Baie Comeau and Saint John. Arena. Marcotte notched the only goal of the game for the Redmen, parking himself in front of the crease and sliding a A pair of talented sophomores, Simon Marcotte and Guillaume shot past Concordia goaltender Maxime Joyal to tie the game Doucet, should also pick up some of the slack. with less than seven minutes to play in the third period. Four Expectations for the team are understandably muted, minutes later, Concordia's Nicolas D'Aoust redirected a slapshot given the exodus of talent and the strong crop of teams in the OUA East Division. But the players are optimistic that with some through Mireault's five-hole to win the game for the Stingers.

Mireault was one of the definite bright spots for McGill, turning experience, this incarnation of the Redmen could surprise. "[The coaches] did a great job recruiting," said L'Italien. aside 21 shots in his first start for the Red 'n'White.

"We played a solid game, for the most part,"said Raymond.

"The new players we brought in are strong hockey players, and I think you won't see a lot of differences from last year. Most "But we didn't finish it out there at the end [of the game], and of the new guys have played major junior in the QMJHL so that's a problem. We got to see where we stack up against a pretty good team though, and so we'll take this game and they have a lot of experience and a lot of talent to bring to our learn from it." team."

The Redmen go on the road to take on the Carleton Ra­ vens (2-1) on Saturday at the Carleton University Ice House. ■

BASKETBALL—ST. FX 103, REDMEN 95 S p o rts

B riefs

McGill welcomes baseball's best The 2008 Canadian Intercollegiate Baseball Association National Championship will be host­ ed by McGill University this weekend, from Octo­ ber 17 -19. Manager Ernie D'Alessandro's Redbirds received an automatic spot in the tournament as hosts, but would have made the tournament re­ gardless, having finished tied for first with the LaFleche Dragons in the Northern League at 11-5.

The Redbirds are led by sophomore utility man Michael Kolodny, who is batting .393 with an on-base percentage of .541, and freshman centrefielder Adam Gordon, batting .356 with an on-base-plus-slugging of 1.041. But the Redbirds' strength is their pitching. Senior Ben Fax is the Redbirds' go-to starter—he hasn't allowed a sin­ gle earned run in 19 innings pitched. The Redbirds also have five relievers who have an ERA under .78. If the Redmen are to make a run in the tourna­ ment, Fax will have to continue to pitch as he has throughout the season.

Each of the six teams in the tournament plays three games against teams in the opposite pool, and the top-four teams will advance to the playoff round. McGill is in pool B along with the Atlantic Baptist University Mets and the St. Clair Saints.The Redbirds will play their games at Trudeau Park— which they shared with Concordia as a home field throughout the season— located at Mackle and Shalom in Côte-St-Luc. McGill plays the UNB Cou­ gars this Friday at 2:30 p.m., the LaFleche Dragons this Saturday at 11 a.m., and the Durham Lords this Saturday at 2 p.m. If necessary, a tie-breaker will be played on Saturday at 8 p.m. The semifinals will be played at 10 a.m. on Sunday at Eloi-Viau Field and Trudeau Park, and the final will be played at Trudeau Park at 1 p.m. McGill last won the CIBA Na­ tional Championship in 2006.

Redmen begin preseason play The Redmen basketball team split a pair of home games leading up to its annual preseason tournament, the McGill Redbird Classic. Senior for­ ward Sean Anthony registered a double-double leading McGill to a 77-68 win over the Lethbridge Pronghorns on Thursday night. The Redmen's se­ nior leader shot 8 for 14 from the field to score 22 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. Guard Moustafa El Zanaty struggled from the floor, shooting only 5 for 18. But he contributed on the boards and in distributing the ball—he pulled down eight re­ bounds and dished out seven assists.

Three days later, the Redmen welcomed the St. Francis Xavier X-Men to Love Hall, but the Red­ men were without the services of Anthony, who had sustained an eye injury late in the Lethbridge game. Anthony's presence was sorely missed against the X-Men, who won 103-95. St. FX got to the foul line 38 times against the Redmen, who shot only 18 free throws, and the Redmen com­ mitted 25 turnovers compared to the X-Men's 16—giving the X-Men the advantage in a game in which the two teams were equal in shooting and rebounding. The Redmen were led by El Zanaty, guard Matt Thornhill, and forward Michael White, who scored 22,20, and 18 points respectively. With Anthony on the bench, White was the lone inside force for the Redmen. He pulled down eight offen­ sive rebounds, and played all but two minutes.

Heading into the McGill Redbird classic, the Redmen's preseason record is 2-3. McGill will play the University of Toronto on Friday at 8 p.m., the University of Western Ontario on Saturday at 7 p.m., and Queen's University on Sunday at 4 p.m.

All games will be played at Love Competition Hall.

ADAM SCOTTI

Michael White slams home two of his 18 points against the X-Men on Sunday.

G E is com ing to M cGill!

Did you know...

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GE will be on campus for an information session about our career opportunities in the Middle East & Africa on October 22, 2008 fror 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Ballroom in the Faculty Club.

Come see what Imagination at Work’ is all about—and bring your resume. On-campus interviews will be on November 5.

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