The McGill Tribune Vol. 31 Issue 19

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Published by the Tribune Publication Society Volume No. 31 Issue No. 19

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

UQAM protest Chilean activist interview Editorial Echoer launches app Chez Serge Steve Aoki McGill hockey sweep (lO & 11)

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Protestors continue to voice opposition to the asbestos industry in Quebec. (Sam Reynolds / McGill Tribune)

Admin accepts J-Board invalidation of fall referendum Erica Friesen & Carolina Millan Ronchetti

News Editors

that he accepts the J-Board ruling as consistent with the administration’s

the administration had been affected by the J-Board ruling. According to

view o f the fall referendum. He sug­ gested that the J-Board ruling may signal the end o f negotiations with QPIRG. “As I understand it, the J-

QPIRG’s fall referendum question.

The J-Board ruled the question to be unconstitutional because it dealt with two separate questions, asking students to simultaneously support QPIRG’s continued existence, and a change to make the organization’s fees opt-outable only in person.

Board’s decision means, in effect, that there are now no valid referen­ dum results, so that leaves us with nothing to discuss [with QPIRG],” he said.

Kira Page, M cGill alumnus and member o f the QPIRG board, said

Page, QPIRG did not submit a ques­ tion for the winter referendum.

“By the time the J-Board deci­ sion came out, we would have had to write a referendum question, have it approved by Morton M endelson and Elections M cGill, and collect 700 signatures in two days, so that was not actually doable at that point,” Page said. “It wasn’t an option we were able to go forward with. But I think the reason we weren’t doing

In an email to the Tribune, Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Morton Mendelson said

that negotiations with the adminis­ tration continued via email before reading week, with no indication that

that in the first place was that we stand by the referendum results from last semester.”

On Tuesday Feb. 14, the SSM U Judicial Board (J-Board) invalidated

M a r t l e t B a s k e tb a ll pl ayo ffs vs. T B D 1 9 h 0 0

Regarding the J-Board results, Page said that QPIRG is “dismayed and disturbed” by the ruling. The group has not yet released an official public response to the ruling.

Petitioners Zach Newburgh and Brendan Steven stated in a press re­ lease that they are “satisfied” with the results o f the J-Board hearing.

However, the decision cannot be fi­ nalized until it is ratified by SSM U ’s Board o f Directors (BoD ). In their press release, Newburgh and Ste­ ven call on the board to affirm the J-Board’s decision.

“The integrity o f the SSM U ’s referendum process demands [the

decision’s ratification],” they said.

“The SSM U cannot set a precedent, which allows referendum questions to stand when they do not provide members o f the SSM U with a clear choice when voting.”

According to SSM U President M aggie Knight, the BoD will debate the ruling during their Mar. 1 meet­ ing, and the decision w ill be rati­ fied unless 4/5 o f the directors vote against it.

The J-Board, however, did not fully support Newburgh and Steven in all aspects o f their petition. The decision rejected the second part See “J-BOARD" on page 2

M a r t l e t H o c k e y Playoffs vs O p p o n e n t 1 9 h 0 0 R e d m e n B a s k e tb a ll Playoffs vs. O p p o n e n t 19h0 0

Redmen Hockey

redbîrd

CAMPUS

Senate discusses James Admin occupation and its causes Principal Heather Munroe-Blum discusses her response to Dean Jutras' recommendations on Nov. 10

pression and speech], everyone has

the future.

In an extended statement before

on Principal Heather MunroeB lum ’s responses to Dean Jutras’ recommendations regarding the events o f Nov. 10 and the adminis­ tration’s refusal o f the CKUT and

“Rumours o f my resignation have been greatly exaggerated,” she said.

Munroe-Blum went on to ad­ dress the recommendations o f Dean Jutras’ investigation into the events

could agree with one o f these state­ ments, but not the other, and since they had no way to indicate that, the process was undemocratic.

More generally, he explained that the administration is not bound

the right to study or work in a place where they feel safe and secure, and we have a responsibility to ensure that they have this.”

“The staff in James Admin re­

Senate, Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Morton Mendel­ son reviewed in detail the history of online opt-outs at M cGill, past prec­ edents o f student referenda which

by these referenda, since questions that “may be viewed as linguisti­ cally problematic, confusing, not implementable, or addressing issues over which students do not have au­

QPIRG fall referenda results.

Closed to the public, the senate meeting appeared to be a response to events on campus surrounding the James Administration Building

o f Nov. 10. She told senate that the senior administration has accepted all six o f the report’s key recommen­ dations, notably those which call for a change to how security services

main on edge,” she added.

Munroe-Blum also updated senate on developments to the Stra­ tegic Reframing Initiative (SR I)— a

requested continued existence o f or­

thority” cannot be accepted.

ganizations, and reasons for the ad­ ministration’s refusal o f last term’s referenda.

Mendelson noted that, in most

occupation, which had ended a few days earlier. Only senators and one representative from each campus media source were permitted entry

deals with protests and occupations, and those which call for a discussion o f how dissent may be expressed on campus.

She put the recent James Ad­ ministration Building occupation into the context o f the administra­ tion’s plan to m ove forward from

Senator Barney, who also sits on the board o f CKUT, compared the referendum questions to the first motion passed at the senate meeting, which also contained two questions in one vote, as the motion simultane­ ously closed the senate chamber and broadcasted its proceedings. “[We are] sending mixed mes­ sages about what w e demand in terms o f clarity,” he said.

At the time o f senate, an agree­

Anand Bery

Science &Technology Editor

The Feb. 15 meeting o f M c­ G ill’s Senate included discussions

to the meeting’s chambers. W hile the proceedings were live-streamed to a viewing area in the Redpath Museum, the content was not re­ corded or saved for later viewing.

The governing body voted first to approve the closing o f the cham­ bers and the live-streaming o f the meeting to Redpath.

Senator Barney questioned whether there was a reason to be­ lieve that a threat o f disruption ex ­ isted to justify the closing o f the chamber, but the vote passed.

In her opening remarks, senate chair Munroe-Blum reiterated her intention to serve as Principal and Vice-Chancellor o f M cGill until the end o f her term in June 2013.

Nov. 10. “[The] occupation is not the way differences in opinions are ex­ pressed,” Munroe-Blum said. “At the time o f eviction, there had beenfive days o f disruption to univer­ sity activities, with 300 employees in [departments like] finance and graduate research displaced. After numerous discussions, [both parties]

were no closer to a resolution.”

“The decision to evict was not an easy one ... [but] w e are glad it went peacefully,” she said. “Even as we value [the right to freedom o f ex­

process led by the principal which aims to take steps to maintain M c­ G ill’s place as a world-leading academic institution. The project, which began in October 2010, calls upon the voluntary help o f former alumni—now consultants with M cKinsey & Company—to review and streamline the university’s op­ erations and management o f re­ sources.

Munroe-Blum cited initiatives like energy audits, pilot projects on alternative budgeting approaches for faculties, and increased fundraising efforts as examples o f changes that have been made.

Arts Senator Jason Leung brought forward a motion regarding

the recent QPIRG and CKUT refer­ enda which questioned how to best guarantee that democratic decisions made by students can be assured in

years, student groups consult his office on the viability o f their ques­ tions.

“CKUT and QPIRG did not do so before proceeding,” he said.

“When the questions were pub­ lished, [the groups] were informed by m y office that they were prob­ lematic.”

He went on to explain how, in the view o f his office, the questions are problematic because they ask more than one thing, requesting a change in how opt-out fees are col­ lected while simultaneously asking whether the groups should continue to exist.

Mendelson noted that students

ment with CKUT had already been reached, and the referendum vote from last term w ill be accepted to affirm the group’s existence. To change their funding, CKUT is run­ ning a question in the upcoming winter referendum. QPIRG is still in negotiations with the administration and w ill not be running a question in the winter referendum.

J-Board cont.

UQAM protest marks start of unlimited student strike

continued from COVER o f the petition, which questioned the impartiality o f Elections SSMU chief electoral officer Rebeca Ta­ com a’s actions throughout the fall

never really happened before,” she said.

Tacoma listed the extension o f the case beyond the fall semester and the temporary suspension of the J-Board’s activities in January as problems arising throughout the case that have caused SSM U to look

referendum period.

“Where an administrator with a level o f expertise is making a deci­ sion within his or her jurisdiction,

vote to initiate the unlimited student

strike.

“We are already in the red, so in five years it’s going to be much worse,” she said. “The problem is we don’t have parents who help us,

the decision must be given a high

more closely at the system. H ow ­

strike.

According CLASSE spokes­ person Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, each student association can vote for or against the strike in a General Assem bly or a referendum.

“Classes [are] suspended but only for the time that students want [them] to be suspended,” he said.

“Students vote if they want to go on strike and vote for the duration o f

we are independent. The govern­ ment helps us, but not that much, and if the government raises the price o f university, I don’t know how I [will] make it.”

Although McGill is currently not part o f CLASSE, the students in the Arts Undergraduate Society (A US) recently voted in a special referendum in favour o f amending the AUS Constitution to make the

level o f deference,” the J-Board’s final judgment read. “It is unrealistic to assume that a CEO, a student, with the help o f a few staff members, can be everywhere at once ... [to judge her based on this assumption] would be impractical and unfair.”

ever, Tacoma doesn’t feel that the results o f the case w ill have much effect on the upcoming referendum period.

“The ruling really only creates a precedent for questions where there might be two issues involved, and that’s not really comm on,” she said.

SSM U President Maggie Knight said that the case has been

strike, and more student associations are scheduled to vote in upcoming weeks.

“U QAM , M cGill, same strug­ gle,” the demonstrators chanted as they marched through campus. The students protested in front o f the James Administration Building and marched through the McConnell Engineering Building before con­ tinuing the protest through McGill C ollege Ave. and down St. Cath­

the strike also. All the decisions are democratically taken.”

Whether each administration participates in the student strike and cancels classes is up to each univer­ sity, but Nadeau-Dubois noted that so far, most universities have can­ celled class in accordance with the

General Assembly the highest gov­ erning body o f the student society, making the AUS eligible to join CLASSE in accordance with the co ­ alition’s bylaws.

On March 2, M cG ill’s Science Undergraduate Society (SU S) will hold a General Assembly that will discuss the formation o f a strike committee, among other motions.

throughout the fall referendum pe­ riod, she acknowledged disappoint­ ment that QPIRG’s referendum question was ruled unconstitutional.

“It’s been a very long process,

erine Ave. towards UQAM .

she supported the unlimited student

On Feb. 14, approximately 300 student demonstrators marched through M cG ill’s downtown cam­ pus follow ing U Q A M ’s vote for an

Olivier Lamoureux, a secondyear graduate student in sociology at UQAM explained that the pro­ test follow ed a General Assembly

unlimited strike. UQAM is one o f many universities and CEGEPs in Quebec that have voted to go on an unlimited strike to protest the Que­ bec government’s plans to increase university tuition fees for local stu­ dents by $ 1,625 over five years.

According to numbers from the Coalition Large de l ’Association pour une Solidarité Syndicale Etu­ diante (CLASSE), by Feb. 27 over 65,000 students in Quebec were on

vote.

Miriam Gaumond, a photog­ raphy student at Concordia who marched through M cGill, said that

—Carolina Millân Ronchetti

Tacoma said she had mixed feelings about the J-Board’s deci­ sion. While she was relieved that the J-Board supported her decisions

and although it was not the most pleasant process for me personally to go through, I think [the case] was important for SSM U because now w e ’re realizing a lot o f flaws in the system that w e didn’t realize [were there], because this kind o f case has

a learning process for everyone in­ volved.

“This case has presented many challenges in terms o f the current Ju­ dicial Board system and highlighted the challenges that I came into office intending to fix but which I had not been able to change before this peti­ tion started proceedings,” she said.

“It’s a controversial issue that touch­ es many people deeply and evokes a lot o f em otions.”

CAMPUS

Raging Grannies protest Quebec asbestos industry Campus demonstration sparked by presence of asbestos exporter in the Board of Governors Enbal Singer

Contributor On Feb. 15, a group o f Mon­ treal activists called the Raging Grannies staged a singing protest at the Roddick Gates to condemn

ary, following two letters to McGill calling for her rem oval—one from medical doctors and health care re­ searchers and one from individuals who have lost family members from asbestos-related diseases. Chadha is the director o f Seja Trade Ltd.,

views that are different from those

“W e’re sending it to countries that don’t have the same regulations as we do here. W e’re spreading m is­ ery.”

The protest com es following demands for an independent inves­ tigation into M cG ill’s ties with the

o f the majority does not constitute research misconduct.”

Eidelman recently announced an internal investigation o f the re­ search, to be led by Prof. Rebecca Führer, chair o f the department o f

w on’t be able to export [the asbes­ tos] anyway,” she said.

While asbestos might not be a daily concern for McGill students, Vezina feels that it is nonetheless important for them to know what is going on at their university.

the asbestos industry’s influence at

a company that exported asbestos

asbestos industry. In 1965, the Que­

epidemiology.

M cGill. The Grannies sang about the harmful effects o f asbestos and criticized the use o f Canadian taxes to support projects like the planned reopening o f the Jeffrey Asbestos Mine in Asbestos Quebec, which

from the Jeffrey Mine in Asbestos, Quebec, until the mine’s operations were suspended last fall. Her public relations agent has stated that the company is not responsible for what

As an asbestos exporter, Chad­ ha is seeking to reopen the Jeffrey mine, which provided more than half o f the funds for QAMA before

things they should be standing up to; we really hope that your generation w ill start to make some differences.

The corporations’ control over fi­

would facilitate the export o f asbes­ tos to countries where its use is not regulated.

“Fee, fie, fiddlie-i-o, our taxes have better places to go,” the women

happens as a result o f the asbestos once it is overseas.

Elizabeth Vezina, one o f the Raging Grannies, said that she was very concerned about what effect asbestos has outside the McGill and

bec Asbestos Mining Association (QAM A) partly funded the research o f McGill Professor o f Epidemiol­ ogy J.C. McDonald on chrysotile as­ bestos, which makes up 95 per cent o f asbestos sold in the world and 100 per cent o f the trade in the past two decades.

This research has been criti­ cized for minimizing the negative health effects o f asbestos, and for its

its activities were suspended last fall. However, there is strong op­ position to the project. The Que­ bec Medical Association has stated that this project goes against public interest and will lead to asbestos-

nances o f the university and over the government is too much; we need to start saying no,” she said.

Lotfi Gouigah, a second-year graduate student in communication studies who observed the protest, agreed with the Grannies.

chanted.

They also condemned the as­ bestos industry with chants like “stop exporting death from Que­

Montreal communities. Companies like Chadha’s export asbestos to de­ veloping countries like India, where the material is used for purposes

continued use by lobbying groups to defend mining and exporting as­ bestos. Dr. David Eidelman, VicePrincipal (Health Affairs) and dean

bec!”

such as cement roofing in schools.

While the use o f asbestos is out­ lawed in Quebec, there are no regu­ lations stopping mining companies from exporting it elsewhere.

“There’s no such thing as safe handling o f [asbestos],” Vezina said.

o f medicine issued a statement about

Directors o f Public Health agree that the project will increase asbestosrelated diseases.

Although plans to reopen the Jeffrey mine continue, Vezina feels

the controversy.

“It is true that Prof. McDonald drew different conclusions about the possible safe use o f asbestos than most authorities do today,” Ei­ delman wrote. “Holding scientific

encouraged by growing opposition to asbestos use in India.

“There are many groups in India working very hard to get the import banned, so once they get the mine up and running, hopefully they

The protest follow s anti-asbes­ tos activists’ call for the removal o f asbestos exporter Roshi Chadha from the McGill Board o f Gover­ nors. Chadha took a leave o f ab­ sence from the board in early Febru­

related deaths, and all o f Quebec’s

“Students have all kinds o f

“I think it’s important to be graduating from a university that is not linked to big lobbies that influ­ ence its research findings,” Gouigah said. “We should make sure that research is independent. Students should take a stand.”

W ant to w r ite fo r n e w s? C om e to m e e tin g s!

M ond ays, S h a tn e r 110 @ 5 :3 0 pm

CITY

Protest against public service privatization turns violent Protesters blockade the Montreal Exchange; police disperse crowd using pepper spray Kegan Chang

Contributor

the front o f the Montreal Exchange to the adjacent Delta Centre-Ville Hotel.

On the morning o f Feb. 16, students and other activists gath­

In front o f the Exchange, a crowd o f a few hundred students

ered outside the Montreal Stock Ex­ change to protest the privatization of public services in Quebec, including issues such as rising Hydro Québec prices, healthcare costs, and tuition fees. The protest culminated with

and other social activists held up banners and signs while chanting slogans, placing themselves in front o f all entrances and denying entry to the building.

“We're here to contest the raise

police pepper spraying some o f the the activists.

The activists united as one group under the title “The Coalition

in tuition,” a protestor from the Université du Québec à Montreal’s (UQAM ) student union AFESH (L’Association Facultaire Étudiante

Against User Fees and Privatization o f Public Services.” According to their website, the coalition is com ­ posed o f 156 community organiza­ tions, unions, and student and fem i­ nist groups.

The group hoped to raise awareness for its causes by prevent­

Des Sciences Humaines) who re­ quested to remain anonymous, said.

“It’s about accessibility—we have a lot o f parents at UQAM , and w e’re fighting strongly for them so they can support their kids and have an education also.”

The group was carrying a ban­

protestor, said.

Around the back o f the build­ ing, the situation was less peaceful.

Many em ployees o f the Exchange had been using the attached Delta Centre-Ville Hotel to reach their workplace, so protesters had blocked it as w ell. By 11:00 a.m. there was a tense standoff between police and protesters, with police cordoning off the hotel entrance from two groups o f protestors who had gathered in

ing employees o f the stock exchange from arriving to work for the day.

The protest began at approximately 8:00 a.m. and quickly spread from

ner and had positioned themselves to block the entrance o f the under­ ground parking area connected to the Exchange.

the driveway.

“This is really where the main confrontation is,” McGill student Becca Yu said. “W e’re hoping that

“We want education to be ac­ cessible for everyone and that’s our main goal,” Anne Sarah Brian, a stu­ dent from C ollège de M aisonneuve, said. “We want the government to return to the fees o f 2007.”

“We want the government to tax the natural resources o f this country ... it’s not a lack o f funds. It’s the fact that the funds are not put in the right places,” Corinne Trubiano, another

by shutting down this building for the day, it’ll put pressure on the gov­ ernment to reverse these policies ...

o f Occupy Montreal, said. “Some o f the more militant activists started pushing back and o f course that’s

without actually directly blocking the building, it’s so easy to just ig­ nore a big crowd o f people.”

By 11:30 a.m. the Montreal police decided to extend the cordon around the hotel in order to allow hotel guests to enter and leave. Start­ ing on the right side o f the entrance,

when the pepper spray came out and people started running for it. Fortu­ nately, there [are] medics here and

they pushed protestors back out o f the driveway so that guests, includ­ ing a children’s hockey team, could leave the hotel.

At roughly 11:45 a.m. this tac­ tic was repeated on the other side o f the hotel entrance, but police met greater resistance and were actually pushed back by the crowd o f protes­ tors for some time. After addressing them through a megaphone, police used pepper spray to clear the pro­ testers.

“They pushed us further and further away,” Dan Parker, coordi­ nator o f 99%, the official publication

they’re taking care o f people with M alox.”

By 12:15 p.m., the protestors from the front o f the Montreal Ex­ change joined those who had been blockading the entrance to the Delta Centre-Ville, and proceeded to march around the area, stalling traf­ fic for a while.

“University is a good time [for students] to get involved, and espe­ cially to fight the tuition costs being raised,” Parker said. “I would invite all students to find out from their local organizations who are m obiliz­ ing around the tuition fees to find out how it relates to the privatization o f our services ... Education is a right, and we shouldn’t watch more people get more in debt and lose their ac­ cess to education.”

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Chilean movement leader talks student em powerm ent Camilo Ballesteros discusses experiences as a student leader and his thoughts on the student movement in Quebec Throughout 2011, the Chilean student movement made headlines with its large-scale protests, cre­ ative demonstrations, and student strikes to reform the largely priva­ tized education system. The move­ ment, which at its apogee included between 500,000 and a million demonstrators, was described by some as one o f the strongest move­ ments since Chile’s return to democ­ racy. Although the movement did not achieve all o f its objectives, it led to a cabinet shuffle and to a dramatic fall in national presidential approv­ al.

Camilo Ballesteros, former president o f the University o f San­ tiago Student Federation and one of the key leaders o f the student move­ ment, travelled accross Canada this February to meet with various Ca­ nadian protest groups. The McGill Tribune had a chance to ask him a few questions about his experiences leading the student movement in Chile and his thoughts on the stu­ dent movement in Quebec.

W h a t w a s i t l i k e m o b i l i z in g so m a n y p e o p le ?

People mobilize as a reflection o f a need. This means that failed government policies are what mobi­ lize people.

We really did receive a lot of support, though. Once, something really striking happened, and that’s that the march’s main banner w asn’t heading the protest, but was in the middle, because the protest had

port had exceeded the institutional­ ism o f the student movement, and if our institutions could respond to the

spect what others say. It’s really fun­ damental to understand and respect the diversity o f opinions.

I’ve learned that a lot o f what I thought was important doesn’t ac­ tually matter so much. Before, my vision o f what makes a movement

demands o f the participants.

Som eone once said that the student movement was like throw­ ing a glass o f water on a cat, but a

go forward was a lot more closedminded, but now it’s more open. It looks to generate majorities so we can move towards concrete objec­

lion had woken up. It was complex,

tives.

started way before [the organiz­ ers] arrived, there were that many people. It got to the point where w e questioned to what extent the sup­

and sometimes w e didn’t have an­ swers to what we needed to do. But w e tried—you’ll imagine that meet­ ing four times a month for 12 hours, we started finding some solutions ... w e realized that the student m ove­ ment w asn’t ready for the amount o f support we received, and needed to expand. For example, the Confed­ eration o f Chilean Students did not represent students in private univer­ sities [who were also protesting].

That was something that changed.

W h a t a r e th e n e x t ste p s fo r th e C h ile a n s tu d e n t m o v e m e n t?

I think the first step is to look back and analyze that it isn’t nec­ essary to repeat last year. We want to keep m oving forward, but that doesn’t mean doing exactly what we did before. It means competing with last year, even. At the same time, we need to continue the w ill to keep moving forward and generate major­ ities. That’s really the main thing the Chilean movement has to do.

W h a t d id y o u l e a r n in y o u r tim e a s a

le a d e r o f th e stu d e n t

W h a t w e r e y o u r im p r e s s io n s

m o v e m e n t?

o f th e s tu d e n t m o v e m e n ts y o u saw

Many, many things. First, I learned about the need to be humble and listen to the rest. Listen, because one may be making mistakes—one may be making mistakes every day.

The need to understand that if we

in C a n a d a ?

want to make real change, we need to do it as a collective. That each one o f us contributes a grain o f sand, but that each o n e’s grain o f sand matters

are definitely being sown and will

I think there’s an annoyance that has been building up slowly. It seems that this society w asn’t so in­ terested [in the issue] but it has been receiving a lot o f information. Seeds

in forming something much bigger.

give fruit when the time comes.

I thought they were quite dif­ ferent [from the Chilean m ovem ent].

Something that really surprised me

I also learned about the need to re­

was how structured the marches are.

Everyone has similar signs, every­ one is very organized. In Chile, it’s a lot more disorganized, a lot more Latin American. O f course, that has pros and cons. The pros are that each one goes to a protest to do what they want and represent what they think is important, o f course respecting collective spaces. And this leads to a majority that identifies with the mobilization, this could be emulated in Quebec. W ell, I don’t know if it would have the same results.

just once, we can be more rebellious just once, we can be more obstinate, and we dream more. I think w e need to take advantage o f that opportuni­ ty. Once, [former Chilean president] Salvador Allende said “to be young and not be a revolutionary is almost a biological contradiction.” I think that’s true. We may make mistakes, but it’s worst to feel that w e had a chance to do something and did not, than to know one made a mistake.

Sometimes you have to make a gam­ ble and try to build history.

W h a t w o u ld y o u te ll s t u d e n t s w h o h a v e n o t y et ta k e n a sta n c e on e d u c a tio n r e f o r m ?

I would say that w e have one opportunity in life. We are young

—This interview has been com­ piled, condensed, and translated from Spanish by Carolina Milldn Ronchetti

CAMPUS

Mod Squad meeting aims to represent "silent m ajority" Creators of "The James 6th Floor occupiers do NOT represent me" Facebook group hold first meeting Julia Chu

Contributor On Thursday, Feb. 16, the ‘Mod Squad’ formally convened for its first meeting to discuss the need for moderation in the face of rising cam­ pus radicalism. A movement initiat­ ed through Facebook by Beni Fisch,

M oon said. “The James Building occupation sparked ... massive sup­ port that we tapped into ... This is the moment for the majority to stand

meeting, said.

Introductory

up, and w e’re riding the tiger on that

ganisation. Hoping to fundamentally differentiate themselves from the ‘Mob Squad,’ a student-run mobili­ zation committee, the meeting dis­ cussed changing the organisation’s name to one that is more collabora­ tive in nature than antagonising. It was continually stressed that it is not the motivation behind the ‘Mob Squad’ that’s considered misguided,

and just not letting go.”

Many students voiced disagree­ ment with the tactics o f the recent occupation o f the James Adminis­

atmosphere on campus and in the student body.

“After the ‘We Are M cG ill’ event, we realised that these radi­ cal students were more organised and more willing to be more spec­ tacular in what they were doing, and the people who disagreed with them weren’t organised enough. And

tration Building, which lasted from Feb. 7 until Feb. 11, and the ‘Mod Squad’ intends to lend a voice to what they call the “silent majority.”

A diverse number o f students at­ tended the meeting to express their dissent, including elected Arts Rep­ resentative Isabelle Bi and former SSM U President Zach Newburgh.

“I think it’s quite disrespectful that som e people are hijacking the institution that I am proud of,” Jesse Kuri, a U3 political science and eco­

that’s when w e started planning,”

nomics student who attended the

McKenzie Kibler, Harmon M oon, and Brendan Steven, the Mod Squad aims to work towards the restoration o f a non-confrontational, peaceable

in

nature,

the

meeting focused on defining in more explicit terms the direction o f the or­

but the tactics.

The ‘Mod Squad’ discussed a more long-term goal o f establishing a platform for open and reasoned discussion in lieu o f confrontational tactics.

“We have to focus on bringing back a sense o f calm. A lot o f what has been going on in February, espe­

cially what happened in November too, [has generated] a sense o f hys­ teria ... that this is Egypt, that this is the Arab Spring ... that we have to bring down the administration. This [organisation] is acting as a counter­ force to that,” M oon said.

After raising concerns about the way a “vocal minority” monopo­ lises debate at General Assemblies, the meeting also focused on a more representative and less “co-optable” SSM U. “We want a more collaborative relationship with the administration ... many people wouldn’t like oc­ cupiers to be on the SSMU council ... Matthew Crawford [an occupier] is a senator on the front-line, repre­ senting the arts faculty, negotiating with the administration. Obviously this compromises his representative position,” Steven said.

Bi collected signatures for a referendum that asks that, in the in­ stance that an elected representative violates the M cGill Student Code o f Conduct, their position in SSM U would automatically be forfeited.

Afterwards, the organisers ex­ pressed satisfaction with the meet­ ing.

“I ’m very happy with how this went. It was really good to get ev­ eryone in a room,” Moon said.

Attendees also expressed hope for what the movement could ac­ complish for the student body.

“I just hope that once we have this dialogue going, w e can let the student body know what we stand for, and offer an aspect o f truth, a perspective amidst everything that’s happened,” a student who wished to remain anonymous said.

I »|

CAMPUS

AUS Council votes against creation of strike committee Motion to take an official position against the tuition fee increases was also defeated

On Feb. 15, A US council fo­

Association, said. “I do believe these hikes may be that difference that prevents a willing student from pursuing higher education. While

cused its discussion on issues re­ volving around the motion to cre­ ate an AUS strike committee, and the accessible education motion for the A US to take an official position

I know there are many on campus that w on’t be as adversely affected by these hikes because they can af­ ford it, we simply can’t ignore the grievances o f a significant popula­

against tuition increases. Although often close to losing quorum, the se­ mester’s lengthiest council meeting resolved the debate with a major­ ity voting in opposition to both the strike committee motion and the ac­ cessible education motion.

Those in favour o f the motions

tion who w ill be forced to give up education.”

Others sought to amend the mo­ tion for the strike committee, even though the original movers were not present, in the hope that a majority o f councilors would vote in favour o f it. Although a straw poll taken in

sought to promote accessibility, to protect those who cannot afford higher education, and to counter the consumer ethos o f the current state o f education.

the middle o f an informal discus­ sion session showed that a majority o f councilors did not agree with the motion, councilors debated several amendments, including the creation

and strike debate,” Calver said o f her ‘y es’ vote. “I hope that, even with all the tension on campus, students in the faculty o f arts w ill be able to come together through constructive dialogue.”

However, those in opposition did not agree that these issues should be discussed indefinitely, especially issues such as the accessible educa­ tion motion, which has been present­ ed before in a similar form. Those in opposition said that students should

“I voted yes [to the creation o f a strike committee] because I be­ lieve non-action on tuition hikes is synonymous with being pro-tuition

o f a fixed space for the committee and the creation o f an anti-strike committee. Although the amend­ ments did not enable the motions to pass, AUS President Jade Calver noted that the discussion process

realize that we need to play an equal part in providing for a world class education. While education should remain accessible, it should also not be unreasonably cheap, to the point o f refusing indexing to inflation or

Kyle Ng

Contributor

hikes,” Hyun-Soo Lim, VP Internal for the African Studies Students’

matters most in order to defuse the tension on campus.

“With regards to the strike committee question, I felt that it was important to support arts students in their initiative, and that support­ ing the question would have helped to close the gap within the student body over the current tuition hike

increasing funding to student aid.

“I have repeatedly mentioned in council, noting that w e cannot beat this horse any deader than it already is,’” Michael Scwhartz, co-President o f the Jewish Studies Students’ A s­ sociation, said. “I am gratified to see that I am far from alone [in] my view s. Many other councilors ... have echoed my position, noting that while they do not like paying tuition fees they recognize that we students must be willing to pay [our] fair share to continue receiving the firstrate education for which M cGill is justly renowned. Let’s also recall that 30 per cent o f the proposed in­ creases w ill go to student financial aid. I think that’s important to note.”

Other motions o f note included a motion to create a new Arts Dry Frosh event next year. While the Dry Frosh motion is not binding on next year’s executive, Justin Fletcher, the proponent for the motion, hopes that it will inspire new leadership from

(Sam Reynolds / McGill Tribune) “My vision is an event which anyone can attend—underage [or] o f age,” Fletcher said. “I believe that AUS should take a leadership role among faculty associations in planning such an event. It sets up a framework for planning an event that is not exclusive based on age.”

next year's executive to increase ac­ cessibility to underage participants.

CAMPUS

Event addresses M cGill's impact on environm ent Sustainability XChange session focuses on the university's greenhouse gas emissions and ways to reduce them Jonny Newburgh

we should report on that,” Conraud

Contributor

said. “The goal is to show that we are a good part o f the community.”

On Feb. 16, McGill's Office o f Sustainability held the third o f four Sustainability XChange sessions, discussing the McGill community's impact on climate change and ways to reduce its overall carbon em is­

Emmanuelle Lapointe, a visit­ ing faculty member with McGill's faculty o f engineering's school o f architecture, explained that McGill requires distributors o f construction

sions.

Jerome Conraud, an Energy Manager at M cGill, opened the ses­ sion with a presentation on M cGill University's level o f greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the year 2010.

Currently, definitions o f the scope o f emissions are not finalized, and many categories o f emissions are loosely defined, leaving room for interpretation. Conraud empha­ sized that his office is examining the process.

Conraud stressed that McGill's greatest burdens on the communityat-large are “scope one” emissions which include em issions from heat­ ing, ventillation and air-condition­ ing systems (HVAC), refrigerants, M cGill-owned vehicles, and live­ stock. These emissions cause over three fourths o f McGill's total em is­ sions making them the most envi­ ronmentally damaging.

“If [emissions are] “scope one,” then we are directly responsible, and

materials to make information about their impact available to McGill via the Internet. This measure increases accountability when planning cam­ pus-wide renovations or construc­ tion projects.

“All distributors o f construc­ tion materials who provide to M c­ Gill ... can go on that website and input their products,” she said. “It gives us their environmental and health [risks].”

Lapointe added that M cGill re­ uses as many materials as possible.

W hile various federal, provin­ cial, and municipal governments require in-depth reviews o f McGill's GHG em issions, the university has also cultivated ties with other schools in reporting to various en­ vironmental NGOs. Conraud added that he hopes to present a review — one more thorough and accessible than all others—for the M cGill com ­ munity.

Kathleen N g, McGill's Envi­ ronmental Officer, argued that the

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LIVESTOCK REFRIDGERANTS

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INTERCAMPUS SHUTTLE

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provincial government, which pro­ vides McGill with the majority o f its funding, increasingly makes the job

concerns after view ing Conraud's presentation over the sources o f en­ ergy used by the university.

o f the Office o f Sustainability more difficult as McGill's environmental performance consistently exceeds provincial expectations.

“Because our operating bud­ gets for electricity are given by the Ministry o f Education, and w e do not use all the money allocated, they cut our budgets,” N g said.

In addition, while the univer­ sity continually decreases its eco­ logical footprint at a minimal cost, M cGill has had to search for cheaper energy. A number o f attendees raised

“Approximately 50 per cent o f all the energy we consume [comes from] fossil fuels, and the answer [to why that is the case] is that it is cheaper ... Some students were promoting carbon neutrality, but that would be expensive,” Conraud said. “McGill as an institution and a community needs to define what our goals are.”

N g underlined the need for stu­ dent intervention. M cGill staff seek change in the M cGill community, but students, she said, who carry the

most weight, rarely participate in discussions.

“We used to have a committee on the environment with students, staff, and faculty to brainstorm ways to keep the lines o f communication open,” N g said. “What we are inter­ ested in seeing is getting students engaged ... towards finding alterna­ tives to what we already have.”

As the university's clients, she continued, students' suggestions and concerns often carry more weight on campus than those from staff and faculty.

“Sustainability is everyone's job,” N g said.

T r ib u n e WWW.MCGILURIBUNE.COM

Editor-in-Chief Shannon Kimball editor@mcgilltribune.com

EDITORIAL

------

Picking up on the real prospects of picketing More than 65,000 students from CEGEPs and universities across Quebec are currently on strike in op­ position to the Quebec government’s plans to raise tuition fees. Classes at the University o f Montreal, BerriU QAM , and Laval have been can­ celled. The key question is: should McGill join the strike?

The idea o f a student strike is not without support. The Arts Un­ dergraduate Society (A US) has re­ cently amended their constitution to make it possible for the AUS to join the Coalition Large de l’Association pour une Solidarité Syndicale Etu­ diante (CLASSE), the union orga­ nizing the Quebec student strikes.

Similarly, the Science Undergradu­ ate Society (SU S) w ill be voting on whether to set up a strike committee at an SUS General Assembly (GA) this Friday, March 3.

However, a strike is more un­ likely than it would seem. Both soci­ eties need to call a strike General A s­ sembly and reach a quorum o f 150 people for the AUS and 500 people for the SUS in order for a strike to take place. And if reached—an out­ come which failed to happen at the AUS Winter G A —there is a strong chance o f three obstacles preventing

Managing Editors Kyla Mandel kmandel@mcgilltribune.com Ryan Taylor rtaylor@mcgilltribune.com Production Manager Iain Macdonald imacdonald@mcgilltribune.com News Editors Erica Friesen and Carolina Millân Ronchetti news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editor Richard Martyn-Hemphill opinion@mcgilltribune.com

a successful strike at M cGill.

The first: there will almost cer­ tainly be a lack o f political impetus from the student population at large.

A quorum o f 150 people would not necessarily represent an accurate sample o f the student body’s opin­ ion o f the strike. Many who may not be attending the potential AUS

legal protection if they choose to cancel their classes. Not only do they have a great deal to lose from cancelling their classes without the administration’s permission, but many professors would be reluctant to cancel classes they enjoy teach­ ing. With the continuation o f classes rather than their cancellation, the ad­

lecture. This would be an unfair and alienating dichotomy a campus po­ larization that we should be seeking

Features & Student Living Editor Jacqui Galbraith features@mcgi1ltribune.com

to close.

The strategy o f the strike is too uncompromising. Instead o f refus­ ing to accept any rises whatsoever, the student movement should be more aware o f the practical real­

Arts & Entertainment Editor Nick Petrillo arts@mcgilltribune.com

or SUS G A strike vote will still be keen on attending class, working towards graduation, or hoping for their university semester to finish on time. Without a majority o f students refraining from crossing the picket

ministration will be in a strong posi­ tion to wait for the strikers’ resolve to fade.

The Tribune is skeptical that a successful strike at McGill is pos­ sible, and we believe therefore that McGill students should not join in

ity: rises in tuition costs are on their way. What is important now is mak­ ing sure that what the government takes with one hand, it gives with the other. Put more clearly, the gov­ ernment may be granted the money, but only on a clear set o f conditions.

the strike. This is not a call to apathy, but rather, the reasons for this stance lie in our problems with the strike’s timing, tactics, and strategy.

The timing is too close to mid­ terms and finals, demanding sacri­ fices from many students who are trying to get the most out o f the fees they have paid—either o ff their

These conditions should demand that the money is channelled di­ rectly back into improving the qual­ ity o f teaching; that the government works to improve the accessibility o f student loan funding; that uni­ versities increase funding pools for financial aid; that summer school­ ing programs are expanded; and that

own backs, or on student loans—to study at M cGill. The tactics are also too polarizing. An effective strike

Quebec universities are compelled to create larger amounts o f bursaries and scholarships for those less able

against rising tuition costs would demand wholehearted support. Stu­ dents should not be categorized as defectors in support o f raising tuition fees by merely attending a

to afford the fees. The best way to strike, the Tribune therefore sug­ gests, is to strike a compromise.

lines, the strike will come undone.

The second obstacle is even more critical: the administration is unlikely to recognise the strike in any way. Instead, class attendance will be insisted upon, pressuring stu­ dents to continue to go class for fear o f failure. Few will be prepared to risk their GPAs, especially consider­ ing that M cGill has a large propor­ tion o f out-of-province and interna­ tional students who pay much higher tuition already, and feel obliged to work hard to justify such a large in­ vestment.

The third obstacle is the fact that professors at McGill are not unionised, and therefore have no

Science & Technology Editor Anand Bery scitech@mcgilltribune.com

Sports Editors Steven Lampert and Christopher Nardi sports@mcgi1ltribune.com Photo Editor Sam Reynolds photo@mcgilltribune.com Senior Design Editor Kathleen Jolly kjolly@mcgilltribune.com Design Editor Susanne Wang design@mcgilltribune.com Online Editor Victor Temprano online@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Marri Lynn Knadle copy@mcgilltribune.com Advertising Manager Corina Sferdenschi cpm@ssmu.mcgill .ca Publisher Chad Ronalds T P S Board of Directors Ja m e s G ilm a n (C h a ir): c h a ir @ m c g illtr ib u n e .c o m J o h a n u B o th a , K a th le e n J o lly . S h a n n o n K im b a ll, Ia in M a c d o n a ld , A le x M id d le to n , Z a c h N e w b u rg h

Contributors R e b e cca B a b c o c k , H ra n t B a r d a k jia n , I lia B lin d e rm a n , Jo ha nu

B o th a ,

N oah

C a ld w e ll-R a ffe rty ,

Kegan

C h a n g , J u lia C h u , G ra c e G ro s v e n o r, F a ra h H a n a n i S a m , A le x K n o ll, C h ris L iu , Ja m e s M a la d e n a , L a u re n M o k r y , A b r a h a m M o u s s a k o , S im o n P o itr im o lt , J o n n y

T h e fa te

o f th e s e

p a g e s lie s in y o u r h a n d s .

N e w b u rg h , K y le N g , R ya n R e is e rt, A d a m S c o tti, E n b a l S in g e r, A k iv a T o re n

The Tribune Pulication Society Board of Directors is now accepting Editor-in-Chief applications for the 2012-2013 academic year. If you would like to apply for the position, please drop off a portfolio that includes a cover letter detailing your interest, a CV, and three relevant writing or design samples at the Tribune Office (Shatner 110) to the attention of TPS Chair James Gilman. The deadline for applications is Wednesday, March 21 at 5:00 p.m. Late applications will not be accepted. The position is open to all members of the Society. However, preference will be given to candidates with Tribune-related experience. If you have any questions about the application process, or what the position entails, please contact editor@mcgilltribune.com.

B e a T r ib u n e E d ito r.

The Tribune is calling for applications for the 2012-2013 Editorial Board. The following positions are open: Managing Editor (2) Production Manager News Editor (3) Opinion Editor Features Editor (2) Science & Technology Editor Arts & Entertainment Editor (2) Sports Editor (2) Copy Editor Online Editor Photo Editor (2) Design Editor (3) Submit a cover letter, CV, and three relevant writing, design, or photo samples addressed to Shannon Kimball, Editor-in-Chief to editor@ mcgilltribune.com, or drop off a copy in the Tribune Office, Shatner 110. Applications are due March 23 at 5:00 p.m.

Questions? Email, call, or stop by our o f f i c e . _________________________

Tribune Offices Editorial Shatner University Centre Suite 110, 3480 McTavish Montreal, QC H3A 1X9 T: 514.398.6789 Advertising Brown Student Building Suite 1200, 3600 McTavish Montreal, QC H3A 1Y2 T: 514.398.6835 F: 514.398.7490 T h e M c G ill T rib u n e is an e d ito ria lly a utonom ous newspaper p ublished b y the S ociété de P ub lica tio n de la T rib u n e , a stu­ dent society o f M c G ill U n ive rsity. T h e conte nt o f th is p ub lica ­ tio n is the sole re sp o n sib ility o f T h e M c G ill T rib u n e and the S ociété de P u b lica tio n de la T rib u n e , and does n o t necessarily represent the vie w s o f M c G ill U n ive rsity. L etters to the e d ito r m ay be sent to e dito r@ m c g illtrib u n e c o m and m ust include the co n trib u to r’s nam e, pro gra m and ye ar and contact in fo r­ m a tio n. Letters sh ou ld be kept und er 3 00 w o rd s and su b m it­ ted o n ly to the T rib u n e . S ubm issions ju d g e d b y the T ribu ne P ub lica tio n S ociety to be lib e llo u s, s exist, racist, h om op ho b ic o r so le ly p ro m o tio n a l in nature w ill n o t be p ublished. Th e T rib u n e reserves the rig h t to e d it a ll co ntribu tion s. E dito ria ls are d ecided upo n and w ritte n b y the e dito ria l board. A ll o ther o p in io ns are stric tly those o f the a u th o r and d o n ot necessar­ ily re fle ct the o p in io n s o f the M c G ill T rib u n e , its e ditor» o r its staff. Please recycle th is newspaper.

COLUMNISTS We don't need to fight a 200-year-old battle to know who we are

yard, and chase him all the way to

existence wholly for granted, yet it

his, where they gloriously—but no doubt politely—bum down his White House. Once home, the Ca­ nucks tell America to go shove its Manifest Destiny, before settling

proposes programs which treat the nation as something yet unbuilt.”

It might be tempting for some Canadians to take this year, the 200- year anniversary o f the War o f

Canada’s history is a rich and exciting one to study, and certainly there are many moments o f bravery and courage to celebrate. But do we need a war, one that was fought when a sizable chunk o f current

down for an amiable game o f Scrab­ ble. And so, a nation is bom.

Such myth making is an age old gimmick in the toolbox o f nation­ alists, and unfortunately, it works pretty w ell. The kind o f fervour that com es with a nationalistic sense o f a

1812, as some sort o f galvanizing historical event that should sprinkle the maple leaf with pride, and en­ hance Canadian identity. They will

Canadian’s ancestors were making their lives overseas, to strengthen or define who Canadians are?

Choices are made when con­ structing identities; asking to take the War o f 1812 ’s patriotic potential with a grain o f salt is a realistic plea to find ourselves in some sort o f ob­ jective reality. It is a demand to look at what constitutes Canada today, and that is a country o f immense di­ versity.

an important marker. And ‘old’ Ca­ nadians appear to celebrate these varying histories as w ell. A recent Environics Institute survey suggests that most Canadians feel that recent immigrants are just as likely to be good citizens as people who were bom here, and that most Canadians don’t have problems with multiple identities, as manifested through dual citizenships.

It is the year 1812. Yankee soldiers, some waving gigantic ver­ sions o f the Red, White, and Blue, storm northwards under the auspices o f a Greater Power. As a blazing sun sets on Upper and Lower Can­ ada, budding Canadians everywhere

collective purpose has inspired some o f the most horrific feats o f the 20th century. What makes this especially tragic is how blatantly paradoxi­ cal nationalist rhetoric is. Historian

do w ell, however, to remember that this country is now made up o f more than seven m illion first gen­ eration immigrants, people whose roots on this continent go back, at most, a couple o f decades. Some o f them have left states where the myth making in nation-building was ram­

yield to the call to keep their True North strong and free. They bravely escort Uncle Sam out o f their back­

David Bell put it succinctly when he wrote that nationalism “makes po­ litical claims which take the nation’s

pant, and where the intolerance that com es with trying to constrain iden­ tities was a part o f everyday life.

A sizeable chunk o f Canadians are new, and hail from far too vary­ ing histories to grasp onto 1812 as

use o f the anecdote in the public debate—at the expense o f any sort o f hard facts—is the nasty and ac­ rimonious affirmative action debate.

In light o f the U .S. Supreme Court deciding to revisit the issue, it is worth noting that the debate has

cussing the policy in terms o f indi­ vidual students.

Another realm in which the an­ ecdote can wreak havoc on reason­ able policy is government spending.

Spending pools like science or arts

such arguments about these grants to argue that cutting these programs w ill balance the budget. A familiar sight in these sort o f crusades is an upstart congressman holding a press conference backed by an easel

over whether this term played into white racial resentment o f the poor (yes, in my view ), but this story — apocryphal, as it turned out, demon­ strates the problem with anecdotes.

Whether or not this supposed

grants can easily be targeted. For

board with the titles o f such projects

“welfare

been characterised as a dichotomy between “hard-working” white kids not getting into top universities be­ cause “less deserving” minorities

example, an initiative spearheaded by the House Republicans after their election in 2010, fittingly called “YouCut,” sought to give voters

(“$5,000 to study the mating habits o f Chesapeake Bay Crabs”) to show a supposed need for toughness on government spending.

actually have any bearing on how much welfare one should benefit from, or how long one can stay on

were favoured by admission policy.

Looking at the issue through this lens favours the anecdote over the reality. It allows us to imagine this “victimized” kid instead o f evaluat­ ing the bigger picture and evaluating the policy on its stated goals: is it correcting social inequities in educa­

the tools to dig through the morass o f science projects to find grants deemed “wasteful” —namely proj­ ects in the social sciences, as part of an attempt to delegitimize the larger science funding scheme.

The problem is that by pinpoint­ ing a $750,000 grant being used to

Staying on the subject o f gov­ ernment spending, perhaps the most infamous example o f the anecdote

need reform. Maybe there should have been an even bigger benefit.

What made the “welfare queen” story so unconscionable, aside from the obvious race baiting, was the fact that it changed the terms o f de­ bate from whether it is economically efficient to whether there are people

The danger of the anecdote

The anecdote has its place. It is sometimes the only way to illus­ trate stark, numbing statistics to a reader. The problem with the anec­ dote, however, is when it takes over from hard data and honest analysis.

In such cases, the anecdote becomes a pernicious a tool for lazy, decep­ tive, and distorting argument, on a par with any skewed statistic or ap­ peal to fear.

Perhaps the most prevalent

tion? If not, how can it be improved?

study a subject one does not imme­

Is this a worthy goal? Is the problem it is supposed to correct real? These are the questions that need to be asked o f affirmative action, not dis­

diately find useful does not imply that the entire grant system, or even the allocation o f grants, is wasteful.

Even worse, politicians often use

appearance, and it therefore cannot accurately depict the entire student

M cGill, there are som e stumbling blocks.

As we saw with the M UNACA strike, tensions arose between the

body’s opinion on the subject.

Another point is the issue o f in­ formation. While I commend those in favour o f an unlimited strike for

The proposal o f an unlimited

their efforts in disseminating infor­ mation, how are students supposed to understand the full picture when only one half o f the information is being put out there? It seem s the catch phrase o f this semester is “cre­ ating a dialogue,” so I encourage ev­

Why I'm against an unlimited student strike

student strike by arts students is

eryone to do just that, by truly look­

certainly cause for eoncem . On Jan. 31, the AUS General Assembly saw heated debate regarding the creation o f an AUS strike committee. One o f the biggest concerns raised was the issue o f whether or not students ac­

ing at both sides o f the coin.

In my opinion, following through with an unlimited student strike this semester is a plan with many holes. M cGill University has recently seen the end o f M UNACA’s

tually want to go on strike.

As is the difficulty with all General A ssem blies, with only two per cent o f Arts students needed to reach quorum, it can be argued that

three month long strike, various o c­ cupations, riot police, and demon­ strations. W hile som e may argue that the widespread student activ­ ism o f recent months gives momen­

only a minority o f voices make an

tum to the idea o f a student strike at

“I'm not a rg u ­ ing a g a in st fig h t­ ing

in c rea ses

in

tuition, but I am sayin g

that b e t­

ter stra teg ies a re n eed ed . ” opposing parties. Not only that, but there were members from M U­ NACA itself who voiced their op­ position to the strike, citing misrep­ resentation o f information from the union’s executives to its members as well as a flawed and underrepre­

taking over the policy discussion is the “welfare queen.” Popularized by Ronald Reagan in the late seventies, the story spoke o f a woman who had “80 names, 30 addresses, 12 S o­ cial Security cards ... [and] income alone is over $150,000.” In the inter­ vening decades since, there has been much handwringing among both

The same poll illuminates val­ ues that might indeed bind all Ca­ nadians together. Treating people equally, protecting the environment, voting in elections, and obeying Canada’s laws were among the top behaviors associated—by both ‘old’ and ‘new ’ Canadians—with being a Canadian citizen. These are things w e can all celebrate in 2012.

queen” existed

doesn’t

the system. Maybe the system did

abusing the system. If there are peo­

academics and civil rights advocates

ple “abusing” the welfare system, this does not actually matter as long as the net economic effect is a posi­ tive one.

sented voting process which began the strike in August. Surely if the

cation deadlines for post-graduate programs are strict, postponing mid­

concerns raised at the AUS General A ssem bly are any indicator o f these same trends, and thus future ten­ sions, then the student strike m ove­ ment is o ff to a shaky start.

I also fear that the divide al­ ready existing among students will widen if a portion o f M cGill stu­ dents go on strike. It is important to remember that although Arts students would be on strike, other

terms, finals, and graduations could hinder opportunities. A lso, any plans students may have already made— like internships, or summer jobs —

faculties would still be following through with their academic studies.

Resentment could brew between the studiers in the library and the drum­ mers outside.

In addition, the timing is dread­ ful. Few graduating students will

which require them to have finished class by May will have to be altered.

And those students relying on sum­ mer classes remaining on schedule could also be adversely affected.

As students begin to recognise these practical realities, the strike will lose its numbers, and therefore

want to postpone their graduation date by a month or more. The term ‘unlimited’ is unsettling, and no student wishes to be in a state o f limbo, unsure about when they will

its strength. I’m not arguing against fighting increases in tuition, but I am saying that better strategies are needed. Certainly, other techniques such as protests may not have been successful, but that doesn’t neces­ sarily mean a strike turn the tables. A successful student movement takes careful organisation and strategy.

This means having a dedicated and fully informed student population

graduate. Furthermore, when appli­

behind it.

S C IE N C E & T E C H N O L O G Y RESEARCH

Genetic breakthrough made in childhood brain cancer McGill scientists find two mutations in human histone H3 as molecular drivers behind development of Glioblastoma pressed or not.

The discovery o f a cancer-caus­ ing mutation to a histone protein

Lauren Mokry

Contributor

diate solution for the inherent ge­ netic contribution to childhood brain cancer, the results o f this study bring hope for the future. By deciphering

Dr. Nada Jabado, an associate

differs from the common consensus

professor o f pediatrics at M cGill, recently led an international cohort o f scientists in search o f the genetic factors behind the onset o f childhood brain cancer. The study, published in

o f what initiates the development o f cancer. In the past, scientists be­ lieved that the source o f the disease was a mutation to the underlying gene, not its epigenetic regulator.

the genom e, the search for a cure is “not a blind process,” as Jabado ex­ plained.

“Genetics can identify the cause, which you can then act on,”

Nature, uncovered two important

Jabado’s research is also sig­ nificant in that it illustrates how the characteristics o f a cancer can vary between children and adults, even when the resulting tumours are in­

she said.

Jabado predicts that the future o f cancer therapy w ill be much more individualized, where each patient will receive a specific treatment

distinguishable.

“What we found was that there was a different molecular signature in children,” Jabado said. “In adult cancers, there are usually multiple drivers but in children there might

program designed around two targe-

mutations that affect the regulation o f the genome.

Glioblastoma multiforme, a type o f brain tumor, is the leading cause o f cancer-related mortality in children. It is a feared diagnosis, as the vast majority o f patients suc­ cumb to the disease within a few years despite intensive medical in­ tervention.

“For these children, Glioblasto­

be a single one.”

This research sheds light on the need for a more individualized approach to medicine; tumours in adults and children do not arise in the same way, and they should there­

ma is a death sentence,” Jabado said.

Jabado’s research strove to re­ veal the disease’s molecular agency and address the cancer’s unrespon­ siveness to conventional therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation.

Interestingly, the research iden­ tified mutation H3.3, a histone struc­ ture variant, as the molecular driver behind this form o f brain cancer.

This mutation was initially striking to researchers due to the universal nature o f the histone, which is con­ served not only amongst humans but

also across a wide range o f species.

Histones are a category of DNA-binding proteins that facilitate D N A compaction so that mass quan­ tities o f genetic information can fit

into each microscopic cell. Histones play a universal and essential role in gene regulation—the addition o f a molecular tag to the histone tail can determine if a gene will be ex­

fore not be treated in the same way.

Despite this genetic break­ through, there is currently no viable treatment option that can specifi­ cally target these histone mutations.

Jabado hopes to take on that prob­ lem next, by lobbying for targeted

table mutant drivers. If this becomes reality, researchers believe that we will not only see better therapeutic results, but also a reduction in the number o f wasted resources. Simply put, the information provided by our genome can transform the treatment o f cancer into a much more efficient process.

In an era o f skyrocketing medi­ cal costs, this could prove to be im­ mensely beneficial to our health care system.

When asked how future scien­ tists should approach big problems, Jabado urges M cGill students “to stay curious, [for] what is true today, might not be true tomorrow.”

therapies.

Even though there is no im me­

TE C H N O LO G Y

M ontreal-based firm unveils new crowdsourcing app A potentially game-changing new application helps smartphone users interact with those in their immediate vicinity Anand Bery

Science &Technology Editor Have you ever wondered what others around you in public spaces are thinking? Ever wanted to let fel­ low mall-goers know just how ter­ rible you found a meal at the food court?

A Montreal-based startup has just launched an innovative new m o­ bile application which hopes to for­ ever change the face o f social media.

Echoer, released last week as a free app for iPhone, aims to fos­ ter real-time, local conversation by channelling m essages between users in the same location.

Users post thoughts, known as Echoes, which are then amplified, or made more popular, by other users.

This amplification makes the Echoes spread more rapidly.

Echoes are made more relevant through grouping within virtual geographically-oriented spaces known as echo chambers.

The app values relevance, in addition to popularity, in how it rep­ resents thoughts to users. The user interface is dynamic—echoes are presented visually as bubbles which change in size and move over the

event in real-time.

In the coming w eeks, Echoer w ill be working with the Montreal

screen.

“Visualisation was key. Infor­ mation seems to be presented now very much in streams,” Echoer co ­ founder Daniel Cowen said. “We wanted to bring it to life. We really

The inspiration for the applica­ tion came from the personal expe­ riences o f one o f the project’s co­ founders.

“You can be on Facebook, you can be on Twitter, and you can see

wanted people to feel the thoughts around them. “ “And we wanted to key in rel­ evance. We wanted you to be able to tell what mattered most to the people around you, not just what they were

what your friends and the people you follow are thinking, and yet we don’t know what the people in the same places as us are thinking at a given moment in time. We don't know how they’re reacting to the

saying.”

Interaction between fans at sports events, concerts, and art ex­ hibits w ill be some o f the first pro­ moted uses for the network. While at the stadium or in a museum, users enter the event’s echo chamber via the app on their smartphone and can instantly share their views on the

same experience that w e ’re having.”

“It’s almost the irony [in] the world o f social networking. We can know what people are doing every second o f the day, and yet the people

Museum o f Fine Arts to encourage visitors to comment on the current Feininger exhibition.

in the very same places as us w e’re still kind o f in the dark about what their view s are or what issues matter to them most.”

Groups like bands, student unions, media outlets, and local businesses can set up their own echo chambers at their physical location on Echoer’s map to channel their fans’ and customers’ feedback.

Cowen envisages the app changing how we interact with those around us, even among those within the same broader community.

In the coming months, Cowen in his team will invite M cGill stu­ dents studying in the library to com ­ municate silently with those around them during exam period. He feels that the combination o f the stress of exam period, the need to procras­ tinate, and the app’s ability to help students break from the confines of the quiet space o f the library will combine to give som e interesting in­ teractions between users.

“We thought the whole library twist was a really interesting one.

It’s one o f those spaces where you’re not meant to speak, and you’re not really meant to be on your phone,”

Echo chambers are location-based groupings of users' thoughts. (echoer.com) Cowen said. “We figured there would be some comedic thoughts going around the libraries during exam time.”

CAMPUS

Online game gets real w ork done P h y lo

channels human problem solving to help sequence genes

Farah Hanani Sam

Contributor

real nucleotides, players align four colourful blocks o f squares—rep­ resenting the four nucleotides o f

tation is relevant is by looking at the corresponding region in the genome o f this species across evolution. G e­ neticists detect whether this type o f

Completing a multiple se­ quence alignment—a way o f arrang­ ing the sequences o f D N A , R NA , or protein to identify regions o f sim i­ larity—is an age-old problem in ge­ netics. To tackle this task, two bioinformaticians at the McGill Centre of Informatics have employed a som e­ what unconventional method. They decided to make an online puzzle game out o f the sequencing problem and let players compete with each

D N A —in a column to find the best alignment between snippets o f DNA from two different species. Players compete against the computer, as well as others, to get the best possi­ ble score on each puzzle, with scores determined by how closely the co­ loured shapes are arranged. When a puzzle is solved, the information is analyzed and stored in the U ni­ versity o f California, Santa Cruz’s genome browser, a database that catalogs the billions o f stretches of

other on the web to produce better solutions.

That is how the Flash-based game called Phylo (short for phy­ logenetics) was bom. Phylo is built upon the premise that the human

genetic information and makes them available for scientists in the form o f a usable visual digest.

Despite the amusing nature of the game, which is complete with a jazz soundtrack, project leaders in­

brain is inherently light-years ahead o f computers when it com es to color matching and visual pattern recogni­ tion.

Jérôme Waldispiihl, a bioinfor­

sist that players solve real sequences and make legitimate contributions to science. All solutions contributed from players are useful data. casual

Phylo is taking advantage o f

matics expert and one o f the project leaders o f Phylo, discussed the m o­ tivations behind the creation o f the game.

“Humans are good at solving, and enjoy solving visual puzzles.

With the right setup, interface, and

games like Tetris or Minesweeper, they are actually performing compu­ tations,” Waldispiihl said. “Howev­ er, after all that trouble o f achieving efficiency and getting the highest score, nothing com es out o f it [ex­ cept] killed time. For us computer scientists, this is a waste. Phylo pro­

the Facebook and Google+ commu­ nities to help spread the word and promote the game. After all, taking on the sequencing o f the human

if the science o f the game can be ab­ stracted in a way that is fun enough, then anybody will want to play it,” Waldispiihl said. “We [could then] have access to a huge number o f people who can contribute to solu­ tions that may be better than the ex ­ isting solution.”

Producing such an alignment is traditionally done using a com ­ putationally complex heuristic al­ gorithm, which does not guarantee an optimal solution. There is only so much the computer can quantify before it becomes prohibitively ex­ pensive to perform the computation.

This is due in part to the sheer size o f the genom e, which consists o f roughly three billion base pairs.

In Phylo, instead o f arranging

“When

people

play

vides a good mechanism to ‘recycle’ the computations that are already made by the human brain, from being un-utilized into meaningful data.”

Optimal solutions to sequenc­ ing D NA can be pivotal to finding clues about diseases that are have some genetic basis, like breast can­ cer. According to Mathieu Blanch­ ette, also a M cGill bioinformatician and another Phylo project leader, mutations are common when se­ quencing D N A , but detecting which mutations are potential cursors of diseases requires looking at se­ quence alignments.

“One powerful way to deter­ mine whether a piece o f human mu­

mutation is well conserved or more variable across evolution in differ­ ent species. Good alignment helps in this endeavor,” Blanchette said.

Since Phylo’s inception in N o­ vember 2010, the results have been very positive to date. Blanchette pointed out that not only are the gam e’s solutions better than those returned by a computer, but they also give rise to a diverse set o f

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solutions. At the very least, solved p uzzles—even non-optimal on es— contribute to better initial data or a starting point that can be fed into a computer for further completion that may lead to better computations.

“We go back to the biologists and ask whether the solutions helps.

They have said solutions have been exponentially better,” Blanchette said.

genome o f three billion base pairs is no small feat. The project lead­ ers have also completed a version that is available as an app on mobile phones and the iPad. In the future, the team is hoping to build a Phylo open source community at McGill and across the web, where individu­

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als can help contribute to improving the game.

Waldispiihl has always been driven by the idea o f attempting to solve scientific problems by involv­ ing non-scientific communities.

“My dream is to build a dedi­ cated community that is devoted to building casual games that not only solve biological problems but other suitable problems as w ell,” he said.

BREED OF COMICBOOK SHOP.f

“I would like to see more games that are built and played to make a differ­ ence in this world.”

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Screenshot of Phylo, an online game which helps use human problem solving skills to sequence genes. (phylo.cs.mcgill.ca)

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very two y e a rs Mc­ G ill’s departm ent of geography se n d s a group of McGiH students on an en­ vironm ental field

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destroy his fruit and vegetable crops. Liv­ ing next to a gully, he is especially vulner­ able to the area’s high primate population, which can destroy up to 50 per cent o f a plot’s planted vegetation.

Although the government offers one solution—a bounty o f $15 for the tail of any unlucky monkey caught unaware by an embittered farmer—alternative methods o f mitigating the problem are often employed.

For Reverend Ward, it’s an aloe and hot

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study in B arb ados. “ I n c r e a s in g Led by Professor Thom Meredith this year, 14 students touched down on Feb. 18 to spend reading week studying in the field, albeit on a tropical island known for its rum. As the week passed, the students donned the outfits o f zealous environmen­ talists, eager to show the island their own brand o f socially responsible stewardship.

I was part o f a four-person subgroup which interviewed farmers about crop damage inflicted by the island’s most no­ torious pest—the green monkey—seeking a better understanding o f the different ob­ stacles facing farmers in Barbados. Driv­ ing through a narrow pass cut away from the surrounding coral limestone, our van bucked and whined, climbing the last hill before depositing us on the side o f Mt. Hillaby, the highest point in Barbados. Dotted with tumbledown windmills and decrepit farmhouses, these hills used to be home to vast fields o f sugar cane. However, the nation’s agricultural economy has recently been overtaken by tourism, signs o f which we gratefully left behind us as we climbed

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pepper spray -which deters the pests. For other farmers and gardeners we met later on, the methods were often more elaborate or more gruesome: guard dogs which will attack the aggressive monkeys found in each roving group; home-made and impro­ vised traps; and, in one instance, stringing up a dead monkey’s body to caution any future intruders.

At first glance, the problem o f the ■

higher away from the coast. Arriving in the village o f Hillaby, we came at last to the land o f the green monkey, a cunning inva­ sive primate whose penchant for crop de­ struction we were researching.

The van came to a halt beside a threeacre field o f cabbage, tomatoes, yams, and countless other crops winding their way up the steep slope o f Mt. Hillaby. Eying us cu­ riously, the plot’s farmer, Reverend Ward, approached and beckoned us along to tour his land. Like other farmers in the area, the Reverend battles every day with green monkeys, which indiscriminately eat and

(Noah Caldwell-Rafferty / McGill Tribune)

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green monkey seems purely ecological and iso­ lated from larger scale issues. But all things in Barbados are inherently linked, unable to escape the dynamic interconnectivity o f an island so small. Rampant coastal development has dis­

Needing only slight coaxing to speak with u s—being the untanned out-of-place academics that we were—the locals all chatted freely about the unabated destruction at the hands o f the green monkey. One pair o f colourful characters, whose

placed monkeys, forcing them into new areas and more confined spaces. The extremely adaptable green monkeys have wasted no time acclimating to new feeding grounds, which are almost exclu­ sively farmers’ fields. Unequivocal government support for the expanding tourism industry has

language regarding the pest was unpublishable to say the least, produced for us a writhing, pan­ icked young monkey which had been caught recently. Holding it firmly around the neck and tail, the taller one explained the animal’s pros­ pects: death, which would reward its captor with the government bounty; being sold to the Bar­ bados W ildlife Reserve for $50; or being sold at a higher rate privately, prolonging the miserable creature’s imprisonment. The proud holder said he had yet to make up his mind.

Demonstrating the peculiarities which eco­ logical and economic change can produce, the two Barbadians summed up their view on the green monkey: “I love them, they make me money,” the captor said gleefully. “I hate them,” the other scoffed back, “they cost me money.”

Two years ago he had lost his farm partly due to the monkeys’ unbridled devastation o f crops.

Fleeing the afternoon heat, our four-per­ son research team piled into a rickety yellow bus, packed in like ruddy sweating sardines, and headed for the capital, Bridgetown. Reach­ ing downtown, we walked on to Queen’s Park, where the country’s prime-time weekend event, Agrofest, was being held. Horticulturalists, live­ stock raisers, small farmers, government minis­ tries, and the public all swarmed the park, pe­ rusing exhibits or purchasing plants and other amenities. Scanning the crowd o f thousands, I found it hard to believe Barbadian agriculture had any problems whatsoever. O f course, the problems are myriad, and the green monkey is just one. But the interest at Agrofest showed the brave stubbornness o f a people whose history was built upon agriculture—a sentiment echoed by a smiling plant nursery owner who told us, “In some ways it is worse than ever. But w e ’ll stay on top o f it, each and every day, just like we always have.”

taken the policy spotlight away from agriculture, leaving small-scale farmers to their own devices as they struggle to endure both the rising cost o f living and the loss o f crops.

To witness the indirect hazards o f develop­ ment so far from its source—which is mainly the coastal zone, miles away from Mt. Hillaby—is to see the real product o f a nation’s “progress,” as it is considered by those in power. Increas­ ing human-wildlife conflict due to development leaves farmers economically vulnerable too. D i­ rect loss o f crops, time spent eradicating pests, and money spent on mitigation measures all add up to substantial economic dents in a small farm-

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er’s operation. This further hinders the island’s ability to maintain diverse sources o f livelihood and avoid becoming solely a service-based tour­ ism economy.

FASHION

ODDS A N D ENDS

Hidden fashion gems

How to study smart, not hard

Three Friperies to keep your closet happy

Pro tips for the average McGill scholar heading into exam season

Grace Grosvenor

Contributor his week, faced with the prospect o f a ‘clothes swap’ a friend was organizing, I de­ cided to confront my problem with clothes. You see, I have a shopping disorder. I behave in a sensible and frugal fashion until I feel suit­ ably deprived, which usually takes a little under a week, give or take.

Most Saturdays, this deprivation, in conjunction with a hangover and the perpetual guy troubles, flips the switch that sends me into a self-pity fuelled shopping tailspin. One such weekend saw me slinking back up the stairs to my apartment, laden with bags knowing full well the in­ evitable embarrassment that waited for me upstairs in the form o f my roommate-come-sensible-motherfigure, who would undoubtedly chastise me for being so frivolous, I had a reality check. I needed to look for a more rational way to clothe myself.

The clothes swap seemed to be just what the doctor ordered, minus the fact that it meant I actually had to give away my clothes. Crouched on the floor sifting through my gar­ ments, I just couldn’t bring myself to part with any o f them. The crop tops that remains laughably unsuit­ able for this climate brought back romanticized memories o f summer bonfires and heavenly vacations.

Even my collection o f oversized Pretenders t-shirts and bootleg jeans were just too entangled with my utopian teenage past that, in defeat, I decided to just try again next time.

W ith the failure o f that plan, I decided to peruse some friperies as a study break. Aside from the sul­ len faced shop assistant shooting me judgmental glares for not being hipster enough (there was one in every place I went), I managed to find some gorgeous bits and pieces.

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Friperie St. Laurent, on the comer of St. Laurent and Duluth, was a little pricey, but I managed to pick up some kitschy coasters.

I ventured down to Eva B on lower St. Laurent, which I have al­ ways walked past and dismissed as a decidedly dubious-looking costume shop or haunted house. I entered with my preconceptions and was pleasantly surprised despite them.

I was offered a tea and left to put­ ter around. There was so much stuff.

I was very much intrigued by the clothes pit, an intimidating pile of clothes which could only be tackled by removing one’s shoes and being launched in. W hile this was fun, as I was suspended in the massive heap o f fabric, the paranoid part of my brain did start to remind me of the insects, fungus, and dust prob­ ably hidden within. That said, I still found a sweatshirt in there that I couldn’t be without.

I then visited Friperie K ilo, on St. Laurent and Pins, which had an equally unique premise: you buy clothes by weight. This friperie was very reasonably priced and is doing very great business since open­ ing last year, making it well worth a look. The staff was friendly, and ready to help you sift through some o f the more outrageous garments.

On my way back, plastic han­ dles digging into my mittens, I felt content after my afternoon study break. I proudly displayed my newly-procured goods to my room­ mates instead o f covertly smuggling them into my room, something that I haven’t done in a while. Know­ ing that these pieces had memories attached to them just like my Pre­ tenders t-shirts and knowing that I dug around in that clothes pit added another dimension o f appreciation, which made me feel even more satisfied than my average shopping trip.

Interested in life on campus?

Write for Student Living! features® mcgilltribune.com

Marri Knadle

Copy Editor It’s a busy, hectic time o f year.

Exams are breathing down your neck, and papers and reading are pil­ ing up impossibly in your planner and on the floor o f your apartment.

During this last push, it’s critical to make sure your study environment and habits are helping you instead o f hindering your success. Implement­ ing a few organizational and atmo­ spheric changes now may seem like just another chore crammed into an overloaded day, but it’s actually a great way to breathe fresh air back into your study routine, providing a burst o f new found motivation when the going’s gotten rough.

You do have a planner, don’t you? A major source o f procrasti­ nation comes from feeling over­ whelmed, which comes from losing track o f short- and long-term tasks.

A planner can give you a sense of temporal perspective, helping you determine when you have windows o f time for play rather than work.

Experiment and determine whether you prefer an app on your smart­ phone, a plain or lined Moleskine,.a day-by-day agenda, or some combi­ nation thereof.

In order to feel like working, your workspace needs to be invit­ ing. I convinced m yself that I was content to work in organized chaos,

but after trying out the tidy side, I ’m never going back. A clutter-free surface for your notebooks and/or your laptop is a must, followed by a comfortable upright chair (definitely not a bed or a sofa) and a window view or at least a poster you like, for resting your eyes when you’re in the zone. I f you have the means, some accordion file-folders or decorative cardboard boxes for overflow papers and returned assignments w ill help keep the surface clear.

I f you find that you’re still hav­ ing difficulty settling in to study or write that essay, evaluate your pre­ work ritual. It ’s tempting to work from the comfort o f your own room, where there’s limitless access to snacks and you don't have to change out o f your pyjamas to tear through an assignment on Sunday. But by making study into a kind o f work by getting dressed and even going out to a coffee shop or library, you cue your brain into recognizing that it’s work time, not relaxing time.

To prevent the days from blending together into a hopeless sea o f unfinished tasks, keep a work log. This w ill make it easier for you to hold yourself accountable when you’ve gone a week without study­ ing, but it w ill also make it easier for you to celebrate your successes.

M ore importantly, as you continue your education, you’ll gain a sense o f how long certain tasks actually

take, and this w ill help you plan your time in the future.

I f you still find your brain dig­ ging in its hooves and refusing to budge, use a little carrot-and-stick psychology. Tempt yourself to work hard with a reward that’s proportion­ ate to the task (and your budget). For getting a good grade on a big essay, treat yourself to a concert or an eve­ ning in with friends. For mediumeffort assignments, a meal out or a piece o f clothing w ill suffice to light the fire. I f even little things are slip­ ping by unaddressed, appeal to your sweet tooth or your love o f stamps (whatever works for you) to pull you through. M ake sure there’s also a stick to push you from behind; not only w ill you not buy yourself that concert ticket if those ten thousand words aren’t written, but you’ll have to opt out o f some plans you already made for the weekend.

Finally, be honest and gentle with yourself about what works for you and what doesn’t. Working habits often take years to iron out in the changeable, temptation-filled university environment. Just do your best, and keep your mind attuned to winning strategies and old habits that don’t serve you well.

N o w , i f I could only prac­ tice w hat I preach.

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BAR REVIEW

Take the bull by the horns at Chez Serge Whimsical drinks and an old-school feel make for a great night out at this St. Laurent staple Jacqui Galbraith

island Iced Tea).

But the main attraction is, o f course, the mechanical bull. Chez Serge is one o f the few places in here in Montreal can you find Montreal that offers bull riding. the obscure combination of W hile it’s completely acceptable to drinks served in sand pails, ‘90s rock go to Chez Serge for other reasons music, and a mechanical bull? If the

Features Editor

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bull is up. Should you decide to go for it, just remember: one hand only, and prepare yourself for some bruis­ es the next morning, and maybe a few embarrassing photos. For those patrons who are feeling particularly

answer isn’t obvious, let me tell you about the existence o f the charming little establishment known as Chez Serge. For those who are unfamiliar with its name, it is widely known as

(they host a mean Habs game), the appeal for many is the chance to get up in front o f a crowd o f strang­ ers and try something new. It’s the

adventurous, the bar also comes equipped with a few poles, should the urge for a coyote ugly moment arise.

Chez Serge’s music ranges

same basic idea behind karaoke, just

from current club hits to classic

“the bar with the mechanical bull”.

For som e, that is reason enough for a visit. But if you need som e more convincing, consider the above statement about the sand pails.

M.J. to ‘90s gem s from Blink 182 and Bloodhound Gang. Despite the DJ’s somewhat eclectic taste, the atmosphere remains a unique mar­ riage o f rowdy energy and laid-back

Chez Serge serves just about

slightly more country. For the price o f one drink, you can get in touch with your inner cowboy/cowgirl.

And, if you ’re not sure you’re up for it, mechanical bull riding makes for a great spectator sport.

everything, but the highlight o f the menu are the six ounce mixed drinks served in buckets with multiple straws. T hey’re perfect for sharing with a friend or two (or, if you’re

It took me a trip or two to Chez Serge before I could work up the nerve to try it, but I still had a blast cheering my friends on and watch­ ing everyone give it a shot. For a

the other, which works for whatever kind o f night you have in mind. One gets the sense that you can get ex­ actly what you need at Chez Serge, be it a hockey game with the guys, a

feeling ambitious, you can enjoy

pretty repetitive pastime, it som e­ how never gets boring watching person after person get thrown onto the inflatable mat, and sometimes, you ’ll get the occasional bar patron who doesn’t know which end o f the

wild night out with the girls, or just a relaxed drink with an old friend.

Chez Serge boasts $3 coat check and no cover, it’s one o f a pre­

one to yourself). They com e in a wide variety o f alcoholic combina­ tions, with delightfully inappropri­ ate names like “the Orgy” (think more kinds o f alcohol than a Long

mind behind Candi Bar and Gogo Lounge. So do yourself a favour and check out Chez Serge, if only to see

for yourself that there are, in fact, portions o f the walls covered with what, as far as I can tell, is Astroturf.

comfort, without one overpowering

5 F A.

cious few themed bars in Montreal owned by Paul Branco, the master-

H I I l i.; O DDS A N D ENDS

Thinking of an animal house?

What to consider when searching for a cuddly little sidekick ing pets. For those o f you who have roommates who may seem more

important to consider the weight a pet might put on your decisions.

Finally, make sure you have the time to devote to your new pet.

D ogs require walking and cats re­

those tiny balls o f fur we call kit­ tens, watching them roll about, or at the SPCA staring into the eyes o f a puppy that’s begging you to take him home. But, as a student w ho’s

pig-like than human, you probably aren’t tempted to go out and pur­ chase a puppy on a whim. But for those o f you entertaining the thought o f getting a pet to keep you company on those late study nights, here are som e things to consider.

The first obvious hurdle is

low on cash and has a fussy land­ lord, having a pet isn’t always the easiest option.

This realization didn’t come

money. N ot only do you have to buy the animal and any accessories they need such as cages, collars, or food, but you also need to get them

to me as I was buying dog food, cat food, and cat litter, both pricey and heavy purchases for my own

fixed and be able to pay for any un­ foreseen, and potentially expensive, vet bills that may arise in the future.

pets. N o, it came while on the bus listening to a girl arguing with her friend about why she shouldn’t buy a pig. Some o f the most entertain­ ing comments included “How will you sound looking for an apartment

One way around this can be striking a deal with your parents and sharing the costs. Another option is to buy a less cash-intensive pet.

I’m not suggesting you must go out and buy a fish, who offers virtu­ ally no more affection than a marble, but perhaps something like a guinea pig or hamster is better. Since it’s hard to see too far into the future, it’s important to consider the lifespan o f the animal. Blunt, I know, but when you don’t know where you ’ll be in two years—be it a semester abroad or pursuing a master’s program or new job in a foreign country—it’s

Kyla Mandel

Managing Editor We’ve all been there, standing in front o f the pet store, staring at

when you say T have two dogs and a pig?’” and “Pigs don’t move like cats, and do you know how much they smell? You can’t just make them use a litter box.”

And, while I am certainly a vic­ tim o f the teacup pig craze, having Googled pictures one or 12 times, I stifled my laugh and got to think­ ing about the practicality o f own-

quire clean litter boxes. Baby ani­ mals are always tempting and seem like they’ll give you endless hours o f entertainment. And they w ill. The toughest phase is when the routine o f caring for them seems to eat into your free time. But once you man­ age to move past that and realize the value o f their companionship, you ’ll never look back. Just be sure you w on’t be tempted to sell your pet to someone else or bring it to the SPCA when it feels like too much work.

And so, while money might feel like the biggest issue at the begin­ ning, the commitment might prove the toughest hurdle in the long run.

But if none o f this has scared you off and a fuzzy little friend is just what the doctor ordered, then go forth and pour your love into those big, beau­ tiful eyes. Check the classifieds and the SPCA first for animals in need and avoid pet stores that rely on puppy m ills. Next step: choosing a name and potty training.

A n n u a l G e n e r a l M e e tin g

March

7

T h e P G S S A n n u a l G e n e r a l M e e tin g w il l ta k e p la c e a t 6 : 3 0 p . m o n M a r c h 7, 2012, in t h e b a llr o o m o f T h o m s o n H o u s e .

M USIC

DJ ascends to the throne of popular music Steve Aoki understands electronic music's growing appeal to university audiences “There’s no more music on TV, the radio’s playing the same 20 re­ cycled songs, people are discovering

Nick Petrillo

A&E Editor

once a novelty into music that is now view ed, alongside pop, as pure social necessity. To what (or whom) does electronic music ow e its new­

on their ow n,” Aoki says. “That’s why the underground is just getting bigger and bigger.”

The release o f Wonderland, A oki’s first album, seem s to confirm that electronic m usic’s ascendancy is legitimate. In a genre where DJs and performers are known only by remixes and singles, A oki’s decision to release an entire album o f mate­ rial is a venture into uncharted ter­

found mainstream success? If live

ritory.

performances explain the genre’s re­ cent surge in popularity, then Steve Aoki has assumed the status o f de facto leader, whether he realizes it or not.

“Being able to showcase our

“DJs are defined by songs; bands and hip-hop artists are defined by albums,” Aoki says. “The top 10 DJs in the world don’t even release albums.”

In today’s musical climate,

live show to all these people is ... really fucking awesom e,” Aoki says.

“W e’ve done 36 shows so far, and w e’ve only had two days off.”

The electronic genre’s new

where album sales are quickly eroding in favour o f 99 cent digital downloads, his release is a foray that is uncharacteristic o f house music.

Aoki defends the perseverance

Electronic music has always maintained a modest yet comfort­ able position in mainstream m usic’s landscape, but the recent explosion o f electronic’s various subgenres— particularly house, dubstep, and breakbeat—has turned what was

Aoki stands at the forefront of electronic music's popular appeal. (Dove Shore)

o f electronic music not just on the

reputation com es in part from the electronic scene, and would eventu­ ally come to dominate much o f the culture o f dance music.

Despite this, there still remains the question o f electronic m usic’s

shortcomings o f pop, but on the public’s insatiable appetite for dis­ covering unique, good music. His attitude might seem flippant, but the

longevity. W hile house and dubstep are a serious presence in modem music, w ho’s to say that these sub­ genres w on’t be just as vulnerable to death by over-exposure, or w on’t

thoroughly sincere. And if the im­ pact he’s had upon college campus­ es is any indication, Aoki has plenty o f reason to believe that electronic music isn’t just supplementing pop­

Aoki says. “And that [was what]

succumb to the finicky and ever-

ular m usic—it is popular music.

emboldened the spirit o f starting a label.”

Just 10 years after founding Dim Mak, A oki’s presence would

changing tastes o f audiences around the world? If fans continue to show dissatisfaction or disinterest toward popular m usic’s status quo, these concerns might not even matter.

Steve Aoki plays Metropolis (59 Ste. Catherine St. E.) this Sat­ urday at 9 p.m. Tickets start at $42.

artists’ willingness to put on gran­ diose live performances and festi­ vals, many o f which are capable o f selling out entire arenas. Since the

audio and visual stimuli o f these concerts. It might be easy to scoff at these ham-handed ventures, but for A oki, it’s aaenorm ous compliment.

had already established his mul­ tigenre label Dim Mak Records, which currently manages alterna­ tive contemporaries like Dada Life,

typical fan’s attendance usually goes

“When I got into punk and

hand in hand with a mixture o f al­ cohol and recreational drugs, it’s no surprise that styles like house and dubstep appeal mainly to younger audiences who find themselves in­

hardcore at 13, the first thing I did was shave my head. I was going to hardcore shows; it was my life. So when kids discover something that’s so exciting that it becomes their

MSTRKRFT, and the Bloody Beet­ roots. He even acknowledges that

creasingly intrigued by the abrasive

lifestyle, [it’s] going to change who

DJ lifestyle. The university demo­ graphic has shown its willingness to invest in household sound systems, turntables, and mixing equipment all in an attempt to replicate the intense

they are.”

Aoki isn’t repulsed by his awk­ ward teenage years either. In fact, he considers it a stepping-stone in his musical .career. By age 19, he

completely embracing his favourite music was the impetus behind Dim M ak’s founding.

“It was the hardcore lifestyle,”

gain traction in the Los Angeles

faith he holds in electronic music is

LITERATURE

Tackling the health issues of the developing world Doctors Peter A. Singer and Abdallah Daar argue for genetic engineering in The Akiva Toren

Contributor Written in an extraordinarily accessible and infectiously optimis­ tic style, The Grandest Challenge:

Taking Lifesaving Science from Lab to Village argues for the advance­ ment o f biotechnology, specifically genetic engineering, in order to solve the plethora o f health issues that plague the developing world.

Echoing the sentiments o f recent years. Dr. Peter A . Singer and Dr. Abdallah Daar argue that the incred­ ible gap in health between rich and poor nations needn’t be so vast; sci­ ence can help.

The authors touch upon the many issues surrounding such an aspiration, including scientific re­

search, ethical and social obstacles, and the necessity o f creating a sus­ tainable infrastructure for research in developing countries.

Daar and Singer take the reader through a global tour o f incredible advancements and obstacles, from the innovative creation o f insec­ ticide-infused bed nets to protect children from malarial mosquitoes in Tanzania, to the cheap, locally de­ veloped hepatitis B vaccine in India.

diseases pose the greatest threats; malaria and AIDS account for m il­ lions o f deaths each year. One is al­ most dizzied, maybe even numbed, by the unfathomable statistics pre­ sented in this book. For example, malaria kills a child every three sec­

Grandest Challenge

social behavior and education.

Those interested in philosophy will find the ethical issues particu­ larly interesting. They discuss the critical issue o f community engage­ ment, retelling the controversy sur­ rounding Gilead Sciences, a Califor­

city.

because the ecological consequenc­ es are unforeseeable. Though Daar and Singer persuasively argue for genetically modified foods, more time directly addressing its critics would have been appreciated.

The book is thought provoking,

Furthermore, there is a promi­ nent suspicion o f genetically modi­ fied foods in Western Europe—a distract that the authors aim to bat­

expansive, and incredibly informa­ tive, whether one is interested in politics, science, ethics, or business.

As the innovation gap continues to

tle. They provide numerous positive arguments for scientific research and innovation, providing example after example o f scientific success.

However, they rarely address argu­

grow between the West and the rest, the topic is becoming increasingly important.

onds, on average.

However, the authors also re­ veal that non-communicable dis­ eases pose just as great a threat to health in the developing world. Ur­ banization is accelerating around the world, resulting in both shorter com ­ mutes and easier access to cheap, sugary foods. Thus, in sub-Saharan

nian pharmaceutical company which tested a new drug on sex workers in Bangkok infected with HIV without the consent o f the community or

scientific, social, and political dis­

Africa, both heart failure and malnu­ trition are pressing issues. The pri­ mary concerns surrounding global

coveries.

At first it seem s that infectious

health not only touch upon scientific research, but also upon political and

They introduce dozens o f prominent and charming personalities from all over the world. Rather than a mish­ mash o f information and scientific ideas, the book reads like a story, highlighting Daar’s and Singer’s

ments o f those they call, somewhat condescendingly, “the activists,” in­ stead treating them with a blatantly dism issive attitude. For example, many oppose genetic modification

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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

T E R T A IN

M USIC

Plants and Anim als take their time With

The End of That,

Montreal indie-rockers discover humour in personal crises

Alex Knoll

Montreal has become recog­

musicians, and Plants and Animals were invited to open for the likes o f Gnarls Barkley, Broken B ells, and the National, propelling them to

nized for producing som e o f the best musicians o f the past decade, and Plants and Animals is certainly no exception. The band’s first full-

headlining their own gigs through­ out North America and Europe.

“It sort o f happened over time ... enough time [passed] that we

length album, Parc Avenue, was shortlisted for the 2008 Polaris

could adjust ... it was really excit­ ing to feel like now w e’re one of

M usic Prize and nominated for two Junos in 2009. Not bad, right? It’s also not too surprising; their selfdescribed “post-classic rock” sound is unique and conducive to whatever mood you’re in.

What started as a purely instru­ mental project blossomed into a col­ laboration that utilized the vocals o f all three band members. Initially, the band enjoyed playing and produc­ ing improvised 15-minute sets, but

the bands in the world! In a small way, but in a way that we can tour and draw people to com e see us in other cities and not just our group of extended friends in our own city,” Woodley says. “It’s exciting; it’s what we wanted. We wanted to be able to make a life out o f playing music the way that we like to.”

Following Parc Avenue, the band jumped back into studio and made 2010’s slightly darker La La

eventually felt their music needed

Land. Once again they toured inter­

something more.

“Those were the early days of Plants and Animals,” drummer and singer Matthew W oodley says. “It

nationally, this time hitting up many major music festivals around the world.

Two years later, the band has

happened gradually. It started with

finished The End o f That. After re­ cording their previous album in a rush, the band found it refreshing to have more time and energy to invest in writing and recording.

“We spent a bit more time de­ veloping this album. We tried to get

Contributor

all three o f us singing ‘oohs and aahs’ and kind o f using our voices as instruments, and then it just grew more into lyrics.”

The stylistic switch paid off.

After six years o f playing in bars around Montreal, Parc Avenue caught the ears o f some high-profile

the songs shaped really as final prod­ ucts before we went in and recorded

Plants and Animals' third album finds middle ground between light and dark, (secretcityrecords.com) them, and we were successful in a

changes but it’s with a lot o f hu­

o f Spicer’s life over the past couple

lot o f ways doing that,” Woodley says.

W hile The End o f That may appear to be an even darker release than La La Land, this wasn’t the

mour, and it’s with kind o f a feeling o f celebration, and that’s the way we approached it.”

This tongue-in-cheek cynicism shows in the lyrics. On “Crisis,” lead

years, adding an element o f heartfelt authenticity to the album.

Still, the band is looking for­ ward. “2010 is over,” sings Spicer on the track o f the same name, but

band’s intention.

“We didn't create the music with too much heaviness; a lot o f it was done genuinely, with a sm ile,” Woodley explains. “I find the music on The End o f That to be a little bit lighter.”

“W e’re talking about ‘the end o f something’ and crises and life

singer Warren Spicer joyfully speaks about everyone around him getting married and being in different plac­ es in life, singing, “I thought there would be time to make arrange­ ments and adjust to the existential crisis that now secretly controls us.”

In fact, much o f the album is influenced strongly by the events

three albums in, Plants and Animals are just beginning. The End o f That could be the start o f something bet­ ter.

The End o f That is out today (Feb. 28) on Secret City Records.

The band plays Cabaret Mile-End on March 10. Tickets are $17.

FILM G

h

o s t

R

i d e r

sequel crashes and burns in stunning 3D

Nicolas Cage returns for more substandard superhero fare Chris Liu

Contributor

in the industrial ruins o f Eastern Eu­ rope until contacted by gun-toting priest Moreau (Idris Elba), who asks

possess machinery—was put to bet­ ter use; the scene in which a gigantic flaming gear roars up then crashes

There are some films which one enters with such low expectations that, by the grace o f Providence, the movie manages to just barely surpass them. Ghost Rider: Spirit

him to rescue—what else?—a de­ monic child.

And so Blaze rides along, through sets that combine the bar­ ren beauty o f the land with an in-

down upon its victims was likely the most enjoyable “action” moment o f the film.

The somewhat lack o f imagi­ nation with which superpowers

o f Vengeance is one such case. Like a resuscitated drowning victim, the few elements o f the film that worked coughed and sputtered along, allow­

dustrial/medieval grunge aesthetic, lovely locales that are unfortunately considerably dimmed due to the 3D glasses. In this way, the release o f

are treated here reflect the deeper, fundamental problem o f the script.

Generally, those which are collabo­ rations o f three (or more, dear God)

ing the enterprise to gasp desperate­ ly for air until the guillotine sweep o f the credits could end its misery.

These few elements were more or less actor Idris Elba and the land­ scape o f Eastern Europe. Everything and everyone else was dead weight.

D on’t worry if you managed to

this Jilin in 3D was a clear case o f shooting oneself in the foot.

Blaze turns into Ghost Rider when “evil is near,” but is exceed­ ingly disappointing. Besides invul­ nerability, one o f the two principal superpowers o f Ghost Rider is send­ ing out chains that bum its targets to

writers are weak, and two o f the three who produced this screenplay have only mainly worked in televi­ sion. It should perhaps surprise no one, then, that their product is rife with unabashedly cheesy dialogue, moral discussions o f the kinder­ garten variety, incoherent character

duck the first movie; the origin story

ash upon contact. C ool in theory, but

relationships, and not one but two

o f Ghost Rider is summarized here in a scant 60 seconds: motorcycle stunt driver Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage) makes a deal with the D evil and becomes possessed by a titular demon. N ow years later, Blaze is hiding away from the light o f day

in practice, there is little pleasure to be derived from watching CGI-Cage stand in one place, playing a brief game o f demonic S&M with the bad guys laid out in a semi-circle before him. Fortunately, Ghost Rider’s other power—to appropriate and

deus ex machina.

Yet the biggest problem o f the film may be the star him self, Nicolas Cage. Unlike Idris Elba—who jovi­ ally makes the best out o f a bad script situation, including tackling some stereotypes that randomly appear in

the final act—Cage seems to revel in the awfulness. His performance can­ not be termed “colourful,” since the

tives apply more or less to the piece as a whole. A film is truly in dire straits when the rock formations in

awkward mid-sentence pauses and the high-pitched kookaburra laugh­ ter have become such a N ic Cage staple by now that it is merely dif­ ferent shades o f the same-old grey.

More applicable adjectives include “tired,” “schizophrenic,” and “sad.”

As a result, those same adjec­

the background are more interesting than the story acted out in the fore.

The unfortunate individuals who find themselves watching Ghost Rider: Spirit o f Vengeance would be w ise to not expect more than a me­ diocre product.

FILM

A

S

e p

a r a t i o n

stands alone

Film strikes an emotional chord with a look at modern day Iran Contributor

ages to rise above the fray in these films, it seems to me to stem from

Oscar-winning A Separation is a m ovie that discreetly avoids the inveterate handicap plaguing large-

the supporting talent and the wings rather than the leads.

By comparison, A Separation is surprisingly refreshing. Asghar

Ilia Blinderman

scale commercial films. W hile Hol­ lywood blockbusters typically at­ tempt to tell cinematic epics scaled to Homeric proportions, they falter when sincere subject matter is lost amidst the one-upsmanship clashes between special effects, sentimen­ tality, or the primordial intensity of the leads. I don’t bemoan the lost days o f artistry in cinema, but mere­ ly note that most films communicate with us through a rudimentary ver­ nacular o f plot and visual elements.

Harhadi, who wrote and directed the film, tells the story o f a middle-class fam ily’s dynamic thrown asunder by an opportunity to leave Iran. While Simin (Leila Hatami), the mother o f the family, is insistent on using this chance to give their teenage daugh­ ter a more promising future, her hus­ band, Nader (Peyman Maadi), re­ fuses to abandon his decrepit father, who requires constant attention. The discord leads Simin to leave her husband, and Nader is forced to hire

The film ’s singular strength is its distaste for grandiosity. Whether this modesty stems from the Iranian cinematic tradition, the script, or the direction is uncertain. I am, how­ ever, averse to the “foreign cinema is art” trope, and believe that credit is due to Harhadi. The film is a tes­ tament to the impressive effect that abstemious storytelling can have when combined with a calm por­ trayal o f events.

Despite my enjoyment o f A Separation, one can’t help but sus­ pect that some o f the characters were simple cutouts. Harhadi uses his ac­ tors as one-dimensional tools to de­ pict modem Iran’s mix o f secular­ ism and religion amidst unfortunate

there are on-screen attributes and

a pregnant woman as his father’s ward, whom he physically throws out due to negligence. The bulk o f the film plays out after she miscar­ ries and Nader is charged with the

happenstance. Nader, despite being accused o f murder, never raises his voice above the volume typical to the retelling o f any dinner party an­ ecdote. His daughter, too, is som e­

acts which ignite in us a backyardfireworks sort o f excitement, there is rarely a consistent emotion or idea we can relate to. If something man­

murder o f the unborn child, with Harhadi clearly interested not in the antecedents, but in the trial and the reactions it elicits.

what insipid throughout the whole ordeal. It is regrettable that Harhadi focused on the circumstances within the script so pedantically while at­

This approach necessitates that m ovies be neutered o f the simplest and most candid events with which viewers can identify. Although

A Separation wins Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, (metropolefilms.com) tempting to tell his story, and that he did not see fit to (or perhaps could not) hone these performance main­

tentiousness in a good deal o f to­ day’s films, A Separation is worth seeing. Even if you pledge alle­

stays. If you can keep yourself from paying attention to this, the film is

giance to more traditional Western fare, it’s always nice to cleanse the

much more enjoyable.

Considering the surfeit o f pre­

palate.

offered in a long time. One can’t help but wonder if the attempt to appeal to a North American audi­ ence w ill negatively shape S N S D ’s music henceforth. The Boys suffers from choppiness, a flat chorus, and lacklustre lyrics in both English and

S h a tn e r 110

Korean. Rapping is not S N S D ’s strength, and it falls to two o f the nine members (Hyoyeon and Sooyoung) to try and pull it off.

“Trick” and “Oscar” carry the album, showcasing S N S D ’s talent G ir ls ’ G e n e r a tio n : T h e B o y s

The

first

North

American

album release by Korean dancepop group Girls’ Generation (or SN SD ), The Boys caps o ff S N S D ’s five-year rise to stardom since their Korean debut in 2007, landing them a label spot with Universal—home to Lady Gaga and Eminem.

The titular track is the album’s flagship, and the song that SN SD is performing in high places like Jimmy Kimmel Live, but it’s one o f the weakest songs SN SD has

and their gradual move towards a powerful, mature pop sound. They accomplish the sound w ell, and one wishes more o f the album were like these tracks. Lead singer Taeyon’s vocal dexterity is out in full force with high notes in “Oscar,” and the other eight girls find moments to shine in its low pulse. The ines­ capable, put-it-on-loop “Trick” is a song that’s built to buoy S N S D ’s renowned choreography while it dominates your playlist.

F o l lo w u s o n T w it te r @ mcgill_tribune

—Marri Lynn Knadle

C a n a d a ’s

La r g e s t

In t e r n a t i o n a l U n iv e r s it y A n d S t u d e n t Tr a v e l Ex p o

^TUDY AND 2 GO ABROAD £

H O C K EY — REDM EN W IN O U A EAST SE M I-FIN AL SERIES 2 -0 ; M ARLETS W IN RSEQ SE M I-FIN AL SERIES 2-1

Redmen and M artlets prevail in sem is over Ottawa Both McGill teams move on to defend their respective conference championships Christopher Nardi

from all four lines and a standout performance from goaltender Char­ line Labonte.

The Redmen and Martlets were in playoff mode during read­ ing week as both teams began their

The Gee-Gees played a particu­ larly undisciplined game and McGill tallied goals on half o f their ten pen­ alties. Senior Jordana Peroff played an excellent game both offensively

Sports Editor

respective quests for their league championships.

The Redmen began playoffs with a semifinal best-of-three match­ up against the Ottawa Gee-Gees.

The first game began with a scare as Ottawa scored two goals within the first four minutes on their first two

and defensively, scoring two goals and adding two assists. McGill dom­ inated throughout, taking 43 shots on Mercier who was unable to con­ tain the lethal Martlet offence.

The win placed M cGill and

shots. M cGill held a 7-3 advantage in shots in the first twenty minutes, but Ottawa goalie Russel Abbott kept his team in control o f the lead.

Ottawa tallied just 13 seconds into the second period when Alexan­ dre Touchette scored Ottawa’s third

Ottawa in an elimination game for the right to move on to the RSEQ finals. McGill responded with an­ other dominating effort, claiming the series 9-1 and putting aside any notion that the team was not ready to compete like their first game o f the

unanswered goal, and his fifth of

series suggested. Peroff added two more goals, while first-year Melodie Daoust continued her strong rookie year with two goals and two assists on the afternoon.

the season. That goal proved to be the motivation the Redmen needed as M cG ill’s Hubert Morin was per­ fect in nets from there on out while Marc-Andre Daneau and Nicholas Therrien scored to bring the Red­ men within one goal at the end o f the frame.

The Redmen lived up to their full potential in the third period, peppering Ottawa’s goaltender with 13 shots, with goals from Hugo La­

%

The Redmen cruised past Ottawa, while the Martlets rebounded after a game one scare. (Ryan Reisert / McGill Tribune) two. Evan Hossen scored the first goal o f the game just a minute be­

UQTR in the OUA East finals.

The Martlets were also paired

back o f the net as Mercier saved all 37 shots she faced.

fore the end o f a very physical and undisciplined first period.

The Redmen put on a clinic in

up against the Ottawa G ee-Gees, and opened their Quebec semi-final best-of-three on Wednesday night.

They too were successful in advanc­

Ottawa’s Elarie Leclair scored a powerplay goal with just under two minutes to play in the third peri­

the end, five different skaters scored

the second period as N icolas Ther­ rien, Marc-Andre Daneau, Nicolas Biniek, and Max Langelier-Parent each scored for M cGill, ending the period with a 5-1 lead. The Gee-

for the Redmen, who were missing three regulars due to injury.

McGill seemed to have learned their lesson after the first game and came out o f the gate strong for game

Gees attempted a comeback in the third with two goals, but it was too little too late, and the Redmen pre­ vailed to sweep the series 2-0. The Redmen now set their sights on

porte, Maxime Langelier-Parent, and Vincent Bourgeois giving M c­ Gill a 5-3 win over the Gee-G ees. In

ing, winning their series 2-1.

Game one, however, ended in a shocking 2-0 G ee-Gees vic­ tory, ending their 33-gam e losing

od to break the tie and send the game into a frenzy. McGill tried to answer with a last offensive push, but it was to no avail, and the Gee-Gees added an empty-netter to cap o ff the upset.

After a 1-1 tie in the middle o f the first, M cG ill’s offence exploded with three more goals before the end o f the frame, and continued the on­ slaught by scoring three more to lead 7-1 heading into the third. The GeeGees played another undisciplined game, committing nine penalties.

The two closing games reas­ sured the Martlets’ first-place stand­ ing in the conference, and w ill now look to defend their RSEQ title against the second-place Montreal

chances, but they couldn’t find the

The Martlets entered game two trying to stave o ff elimination and came out with an extremely strong effort. They prevailed in a lopsided 8-0 affair, with offensive output

streak against M cGill. The Martlets put pressure on Ottawa goalten­ der Stephanie Mercier throughout the game with a variety o f scoring

Carabins on Feb .29.

TH IR D M A N IN There’s no room for compla­

ing into last year’s off-season was

Bobby Valentine was shopped in

lous. After all, they are the ones writ­

be stressful for players to live up to

cency in Red Sox Nation. It is a proud, knowledgeable, and dedi­ cated fan base that expects greatness from their team (i.e. a World Series Championship annually). There’s no

the disastrous September collapse.

The Sox had a firm hold on the wild card and were a shoe-in to make the postseason. Even Fox thought a

as the new skipper, along with Ben Cherrington as general manager.

Ownership didn’t stop there; they were critical o f their players’

ing the cheques. They ow e it to us, the fans, to put a quality team out on the field. And Boston is no regular baseball town; it’s a hotbed. Players

playoff berth was a foregone conclu­ sion by featuring B ig Papi belting a

performances and called them out.

Some may question this public criti­

homerun in a 2011 MLB post-season comm ercial.

In the days follow ing the de­ bacle, reports surfaced that certain starting pitchers drank beer and ate fried chicken in the clubhouse in­

cism. Sure, airing out dirty laundry can lead to a tense relationship but doesn’t it actually foster account­ ability? Players now need to take responsibility and redouble their efforts for the 2012 season. Their

are fortunate to be in a market where even the recently called-up minor league player is recognized out on the street. Some o f these athletes may take their newfound fame for granted and perceive fans’ support as unconditional. If being called out will light a fire under their bellies

fans’ lofty expectations and to earn their record-breaking contracts, but if you can’t stand the heat, get out o f the kitchen.

Ultimately, however, w in­

stead o f supporting their team in the dugout. Fans bombarded the air­ waves, voicing their discontent and demanding a change. Ownership granted their wish by dismantling management. Terry Francona and Theo Epstein were shipped out and

lacklustre performance was unac­ ceptable for the great Red Sox Na­ tion. The players had to be held ac­ countable in order to avoid slipping

then so be it.

Athletes know that this is an entertainment business. D o you ex ­ pect your employer to pat you on the

into a state o f complacency.

Moreover, blaming owners for calling out their players is ridicu­

back if you perform poorly at work?

It should be no different in the world o f sports. I understand that it can

denying B oston’s status as a great sports town: the B ig Four have all won championships during the past decade and remain competitive to date. Nevertheless, the Red Sox own Boston. The iconic Fenway Park has been sold out for every game since May 15, 2003. For a decade, fans have been flocking to Yawkey Way to cheer on their beloved Red Sox. On the verge o f Fenway’s centen­ nial, fans are clamouring for title number eight.

The elephant in the room head­

ning is all that matters. A ll w ill be forgiven and forgotten in Red Sox Nation if the 2012 Boston Red Sox hit the ground running en route to a fabulous season and a championship banner. They must prove their critics wrong and overcome adversity for the sake o f the fans, the centennial season, Wally the Green Monster, and their legacy.

- Hrant Bardakjian

S W IM M IN G — CIS C H A M P IO N S H IP S

McGill swim m ers capture three bronzes at nationals Redmen and Martlets combine to break 10 school records; finish in seventh and 12th place, respectively James Maladena

standings, a very respectable finish for the team. The Martlets tallied a total o f 50.5 points, finishing 12th.

Both results left M cGill Head Coach Peter Carpenter satisfied.

“A s far as the M cGill swim team’s performances, I have to say

Contributor

A s this year’s CIS swimming championships drew to a close on Saturday, it was clear that the U ni­ versity o f British Columbia’s Thun-

that I am quite proud,” Carpenter said. “One o f the major team goals at the beginning o f the year was to have our combined m en’s and w om en’s results place us in the top

derbirds had dominated. The threeday swim meet at the University o f Montreal CEPSUM pool saw the TBirds win both m en’s and w om en’s banners as well as several individual awards, with Olympian Savannah

10 nationally and we ended up 9th overall (seventh in the men and 12th in the women), so I am very happy

King and Tommy Gossland being named w om en’s and men’s sw im ­ mer o f the year.

The McGill teams were not as prosperous, but both still had strong showings during the weekend. After day one, the men were in 13th place out o f 18 while the Martlets were tied for 12th with the University o f Manitoba. However, by the end o f the three-day meet, M cGill earned a respectable three bronze medals and broke an outstanding 10 school

McGill swimmers wrapped up a successful 2011-2012 season with a strong showing at nationals. (Adam Scotti / Flickr) Bielby became the most successful swimmer in M cGill history, owning

most decorated swimmer in McGill

vidual medley (4:18.18) on the first day. The RSEQ M en’s Swimmer of the Year had more success during the 3-day m eet, winning another bronze on the final day in the 200metre individual medley (2:01.47).

gram.

“Steven has been the face of McGill swimming for the past four years, and has accomplished so much both academically and athleti­ cally,” Carpenter said. “It is so grati­ fying for me to see him have that

history. I am very proud to call him my swimmer.”

B ielby’s teammate Marc-Andre Benoit also won a bronze medal on the final day in the 100m freestyle (49.56). More impressive was Ben­ o it’s knack for destroying school re­ cords all tournament long. In total, he broke five school records in five different events, three o f which were individual (including the 50m but­ terfly, 100m butterfly, and 100m

With this second bronze medal,

success and to be recognized as the

records.

Steven Bielby was the M cGill highlight o f the tournament, claim ­ ing M cG ill’s first bronze o f the meet by tying for third in the 400m indi­

a school record 11 CIS medals.

Head Coach Peter Carpenter praised the swimmer's contributions to the entire M cGill swimming pro­

Other Redmen also broke school records. Teammates Mat­ thew Khatchadourian and Michael Luck broke three collectively, while the team o f Benoit, Bielby, Joseph Toops, and Pierre-Alexandre Re­ naud set a new mark in the 4x200

four spots and two spots respective­ ly from last year’s final standings.

Furthermore, it showcased the depth o f talent in the CIS. “What I was most impressed about was the incredible depth that now exists in the CIS,” Carpenter said. “It is really exciting to see, and to imagine where be in ten years if continue to have keeping our top Canada.”

freestyle).

freestyle relay (7:25.91).

As for the Martlets, freshman Valerie De Broux broke the school’s only record in the 200m breast (2:33.25).

By the end o f the meet, the M c­ Gill Redmen finished seventh in the

first round pick. The trade only con­ firmed the fact that the Blue Jackets

points against no defence. Minne­ sota Timberwolves star Kevin Love

ance. Braun is back at spring Train­ ing Camp and insists that he was a

have, without a doubt, the worst administration in the league as the Kings unequivocally won the trade.

Furthermore, elite winger Nash was

won the three-point contest, and Utah unknown Jeremy Evans won a painfully boring dunk competition.

Finally, the Western Conference took down the Eastern Conference

victim o f a failed system. And we thought the steroids and baseball relationship had simmered dow n— what a shame.

152-149 in the third-highest scor­ ing All-Star game ever to cap off the w eekend’s unbelievably insignifi­

F O O TB A LL - The NFL Combine kicked o ff on Wednesday with the future stars o f the league ready to show off their talent to the 32 NFL teams through count­ less drills, interviews, and medical exams. For devout football fans, the

not traded, much to the despair o f fans across the league awaiting a blockbuster trade. Honestly though, Nash was probably the most disap­ pointed o f all. Finally, Habs fans were delighted to hear that Pierre Gauthier managed to trade Underperforming sniper Andrei Kostitsyn

cant and lacklustre festivities. If any o f you watched all o f the events, you need some N BA withdrawal.

to Nashville for second and fifth

B A SE B A L L — Spring hasn’t

round picks, reuniting him with his brother Sergei.

even arrived, and yet the MLB was subject to controversial rulings this past week. 2011 ’s National League MVP Ryan Braun was relieved of his 50-gam e suspension after w in­ ning his appeal against charges o f a positive drug test. In October, Braun

B A SK ET B A L L -

With any

major professional sports league, the midway point marks the time where the league steps back, and show­ cases its players’ talents to all o f its fans. At least that’s the intention, and so the N BA All-Star activities took place this past weekend in Orlando.

H O C K E Y - A s the trade deadline loom s, the hockey world is abuzz with rumours about who will go where. Two players were at

Carter and Rick Nash, both stars o f

Team Chuck (led by “coach” Charles

learned that a urine sample he gave follow ing a playoff game was found to have a high level o f testosterone, thus putting his credibility and his M VP award into question. However,

the failing Columbus Blue Jackets.

Stunningly, Carter was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange

Barkley) defeated Team Shaq (led by “coach” Shaquille O ’Neal) 146133 in the Rising Stars Game behind

he continuously insisted that he was innocent, and with the ruling he be­ came the first major leaguer to win

the center o f those discussions: Jeff

for defenceman Jack Johnson and a

Kyrie Irving’s ability to score 34

a drug-related penalty in a griev­

In case you were too busy wondering why The A rtist had no words, here’s what you missed this past week in the world o f sports ...

about that.”

Although the M cGill teams could not match the dominance o f U B C ’s performance, this year’s tournament was an overall success for both teams. Both the m en’s and w om en’s swimming teams improved from last year’s meet, moving up

this league might Canadian schools some success at athletes here in

Combine marks the “start” o f next season. For non-devout fans, wasn’t the Super Bowl only three weeks ago? Star quarterback and consen­ sus number one overall pick Andrew Luck showed off his athleticism and strong arm, solidifying him self as the top player in the draft for many NFL scouts and analysts. However, Heisman-winning quarterback Rob­ ert Griffin III stole the headlines of the first workouts by running the 40yard dash in 4.41, a time comparable to top running backs, thus solidify­ ing his reputation as an athletic freak o f nature.

VOLLEYBALL — M ARTLETS 0 , M O N T R E A L 3 ( 2 3 - 2 5 , 1 7 - 2 5 , 2 3 - 2 5 )

Martlets' Cinderella season falls short in RSEQ finals

Despite the loss, McGill heads to nationals for the first time in 15 years Rebecca Babcock

tory, the M cGill Martlets volleyball team earned a chance to play in the RSEQ Championships. Playing the second game out o f a best-of-three series, the Martlets took to the court having already lost the first game

think we can do better in that sense.

Montreal served very w ell today and they passed much better than they normally do so it was hard to capi­ talize on their weakness.”

pace, while McGill started to flag in energy and focus, leading to a 17-25 second set victory for the Carabins.

McGill undoubtedly played their best volleyball in the third

Both teams came out a bit sluggish in the first set. M cG ill’s usually top-notch defence was ex­ posed at first, but luckily, Mon­ treal’s star player Marie-Sophie

set, being just one set away from elimination. The game seemed over, when M cGill, down by five points, started a great rally, cutting the Mon­ treal’s lead to 23-24. Unfortunately,

Contributor

For the third time in school his­

against the favoured Montreal Cara­

Nadeau made some critical hitting

bins. Unfortunately for M cGill, the Carabins were too dominant and won in straight sets (23-25, 17-25, 23-25) to claim the RSEQ Women’s Volleyball Championship.

The Martlets expected a tough series, winning just once in four meetings with Montreal this season.

In that game, McGill played their best o f the season, and knew they’d have to play at the same level to de­ feat Montreal in the playoffs. Unfor­

mistakes. McGill kept their energy high and picked up their game with some amazing three touch attacks.

However, the difference in the first set was made by the team s’ serving

Montreal pushed and earned that last point, ending M cG ill’s comeback, and clinching the set and champion­ ship.

M cG ill’s Kaiva Mateus was a key contributor in keeping her team

proficiency. Whereas Montreal only missed one serve, M cGill made four serving errors, giving Montreal easy points, which ended up costing the Martlets the set.

Serving continued to be a prob­ lem for McGill and Montreal as they

close in each set. She strategically placed her hits in the open gaps and Montreal struggled to deal with her attacks. She ended up with 10 kills, two aces, and two blocks for the game.

Victoria Pelletier also played

tunately, Montreal made few errors and controlled both games.

“We did some good things against Montreal, but Montreal is a tough and physical team and we needed a different tactic with this team because they have a lot o f power,” Head Coach Rachele Beliveau said. “We didn’t serve as well today as w e do in practice, and I

made four and three serving errors respectively throughout the second set. Nadeau started to pick up her game and made her hits count. On one attack, Nadeau jumped so high and hit the ball with such power that it almost landed within the three meter front line, an incredibly dif­ ficult task to accomplish. Montreal continued to pick up their offensive

a strong game. In the semi-final se­ ries against Laval, she came o ff the bench to make eight digs, six kills, one ace, two blocks, and earned

errors, either serving or passing, but I think we tried hard and gave it our all,” Pelletier said. “We are also very excited about nationals and to

final series win over Laval on Feb. 12. Thanks to their strong perfor­ mance in the RSEQ, the Martlets are seeded fifth overall for the CIS tour­

a perfect 3.0 passing ratio. In this game, she earned the start and sup­ ported Coach Beliveau’s decision with some great attacks, making only one hitting error.

“There were a lot o f first touch

see how it is to play against the best and to hopefully do w ell.”

Despite losing out on the RSEQ championship, the Martlets earned a berth to CIS Championships for the first time in 15 years with their sem i­

nament and are matched up against the A US champion Saint Mary’s Huskies. The quarterfinal match is on March 2 at McMaster University.

FROM THE

SEA TS

Up close and personal at the Bell Centre The third period was more than half way through, and the Habs had just tied the game at three against their detested rivals, the Boston Bruins. The crowd around me were on their feet and sounding their sat­ isfaction towards the home team’s strong play during the second half o f the game. “The season might be in the dumps,” one fan told me, "but at least we ain’t gonna lose to the Bruins.”

“The Habs have finally begun to play with the intensity needed to compete with one o f the league’s top teams it would seem ,” 1 begin to reply, before being momentarily distracted by the glass in front o f me vibrating dangerously. I looked up, only to meet the gaze o f Canadiens player A lexei Emelin, whose face was crushed against the protective glass two feet in front o f me. Behind him, a fierce Shawn Thornton skates off, leaving behind both Emelin and me, dazed.

In Montreal, few things are prized and flaunted more than man­ aging to acquire tickets for a Cana­

diens game. Considering all the ob­ stacles one must face throughout the acquisition process, whether it be the countless scalpers who mysteriously land thousands o f tickets every sea­ son (when you can’t even get one), the incredibly dysfunctional virtual waiting room, or the fact that tick­ ets sales start at the counterintuitive hour o f 10 a.m. and not noon, it re­ ally is a herculean feat worthy o f immeasurable praise by hoping-toget-invited friends and family when you manage to nab four tickets to a game.

One can thus imagine my stu­ pefaction when, in an act o f immea­ surable generosity, a friend offered my girlfriend and I two tickets to the Habs-Bruins game. In the second row on centre ice, no less. Forgo­ ing the usual Kleenex box to counter the nosebleeds I get from my usual seats, we marched down to our row past the aristocrats o f the Bell Cen­ tre and claimed our seats next to the tunnel leading to the visiting team’s locker room. As I looked around, I found m yself face-to-face with my

own reflection. Little did I realize that it was not a mirror I was look­ ing at but the perfectly shaved and waxed head o f Pierre McGuire, leg­ endary hockey commentator notori­ ous for his ridiculous comments and disrespect for personal space. The one person I had hoped to avoid by attending the game was standing right next to me, spewing nonsensi­ cal hockey information for any per­ son willing to listen.

Fortunately, my night was saved when Tuukka Rask, the Bru­ ins backup goaltender, appeared with a stool and sat in the tunnel right next to McGuire (and myself) to watch the game. Not only was I in awe o f being so close to the Finn­ ish sensation, but I was also able to laugh at the drunken ravings o f some Habs fan two rows behind me trying to heckle Rask—“Eh Tuuuuuuukka, why you no look at me Tuukka?

Why you no show me some love Tuuuukka?” Alongside the Bruins win, that man was definitely the highlight o f the night.

Many would expect such ex­

pensive seats to be surrounded with disinterested businessmen looking to make a strong impression on foreign clients. Fortunately, the Bell Cen­ tre isn’t the Air Canada Center, and throughout the game I was treated to much yelling, jeering, cheering, and o f course, 23,273 boos whenever the refs called a penalty against the Habs. People in the reds are just as loud and obnoxious as the poor stu­ dents in the Molson Ex Zone.

The difference is that, once in a

w hile, those fortunate enough to sit so close to the ice get the opportu­ nity to stare at one o f their favorite players in the eyes as he gets drilled into the boards. If not, then one can hope to have one o f their raucous comments slip onto N B C ’s national broadcast over Pierre McGuire’s ravings.

— Christopher Nardi

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