The McGill Tribune Vol. 37 Issue 9

The McGill Tribune TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2017 | VOL. 37 | ISSUE 9

Published by the SPT, a student society of McGill University

EDITORIAL

McGILLTRIBUNE.COM | @McGILLTRIBUNE

FEATURE

PGSS BY-ELECTION

If SSMU Council won’t stand up for campus press, students must

Leonard Cohen, the revisionist

Making an icon

Secretary general profiles and endorsements

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PGs. 8-9

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(Gabriel Helfant / The McGill Tribune)

Basketball season opener ends in McGill Martlets loss PG. 16

SSMU Board of Directors members to remain past the end of their term Judicial board issues interim order suspending the General Assembly results Kendall McGowan Staff Writer On Oct. 28, the Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) Judicial Board (J-Board) released an interim order suspending the results

of the Oct. 23 General Assembly (GA) vote ratifying the nominations for the new Board of Directors (BoD), which would begin sitting after Nov. 15. While this vote is normally done as a bloc, ratifying all nominations at once, SSMU Vice-President (VP) External Maya Koparkar motioned to divide the question, which passed,

allowing GA attendees to ratify each nomination separately. The vote ratified the appointments of seven of the 10 individuals nominated. The interim order was a response to a petition filed shortly after the GA by Jonathan Glustein, a current director on the BoD who was not up for reappointment. In the petition, Glustein claimed

that the motion to divide the ratification question violated SSMU’s Constitution. In their interim conclusion, the J-Board ordered that all of the new Directors, including those who were unratified, be allowed to sit on the BoD from the start of their term, Nov. 15, until the Judicial Board renders its final opinion.

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“The Violet Hour” showcases The mental health benefits of being marginalized voices with a spooky organized platform How taking small steps now can lead to less stress Queer reading series showcases a diversity of voices in Canada’s literary community Josh Marchesini Contributor The Violet Hour, founded

by Christopher DiRaddio, is a bi-monthly reading series that showcases both established and emerging LGBTQ writers and performers. The reading series gives a platform to otherwise marginalized voices. Hosted in the

Montreal Gay Village’s Stock Bar, attendees were also given the option to participate in a personal tarot card reading by artist Jesse Stong.

The Violet Hour has a strong sense of community which transcended language, locality, and genre.

On Oct. 31, the Halloween edition of The Violet Hour featured work from prominent writers, notably critically-acclaimed journalist Elio Iannacci.

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later

Nina Russell Contributor The concept of organization often conjures up the image of pastel bullet journals, meticulous desks, and obnoxiously-healthy salads stacked neatly inside an immaculate refrigerator.

But for the majority of McGill students, whose busy academic and social lives often take priority over everything

else, this interpretation of organization as an art form can feel inconvenient and unsustainable.

However, staying organized can be simple.

Small tasks, such as keeping a clean room, planning out meals, or making the bed in the morning, have far-reaching benefits.

For students especially, organization is crucial for keeping track of one’s responsibilities, even

contributing to healthier eating, reduced stress, and improved relationships by creating more time to live a balanced life. A 2011 Princeton University study further proved the benefits of organization by looking at the effects of decluttering a desk on the brain. When studying in a disorganized space, clutter competes with the task at hand, restricting one’s ability to focus.

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2 NEWS

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

SECRETARY-GENERAL PROFILES AND ENDORSEMENT

PGSS Sec-Gen by-election to be held Nov. 4 to 11

Photographs by Nicholas Jasinski & Ava Zwolinski / The McGill Tribune

Mohammad Amini

Liam Murphy

Maria Tippler

Mohammed Amini is a graduate student pursuing a Master’s in Computer Science. He has travelled to over 30 countries and has lived in India, South Korea, Italy, France, Iran, and Canada. He feels this global experience has prepared him to navigate McGill’s diverse and international graduate student body and to facilitate PGSS negotiations.

A key component of Amini’s platform is his plan to secure corporate sponsorships through PGSS. These sponsorships would fund PGSS events and provide networking opportunities for students. He also hopes to utilize corporate sponsorship for graduate research, connecting students with professionals and alleviating research costs. He cites long Student Health Service wait times, low Teaching Assistant stipends, and inefficiencies in Counselling and Mental Health Services as other issues he hopes to address.

As Secretary-General, Amini hopes to increase PGSS’s transparency and communication with its students by improving McGill’s existing app and website, and through a PGSS subreddit. He considers unifying PGSS a priority, and would like to liaise between different Post-Graduate Student Associations (PGSAs).

Liam Murphy is a graduate student pursuing a Master’s in Social Work who has experience as the Social Events representative of the Social Work Association of Graduate Students and as Vice-President Academic of the Acadia Student Union at Acadia University, where he completed his undergraduate degree. He has worked with provincial and federal organizations, including Students Nova Scotia and the Canadian Alliance of Students Associations.

His platform focuses on increasing PGSS’s advocacy efforts, particularly to condemn controversial legislation such as Bill 62. Murphy hopes for PGSS to improve postgraduates’ access to affordable housing and childcare services. He also hopes to lobby the Société de Transport de Montréal to extend its reduced fare for full-time students to their parttime counterparts. If elected, Murphy intends to bring more of graduate students’ interests to the McGill Board of Governors and hold the Board accountable to the student body.

Murphy is committed to learning more about aspects of the Secretary-General portfolio that are less familiar to him.

Maria Tippler, PhD candidate in Neuroscience, has been a student at McGill since 2011, when she began her undergraduate degree in psychology. She has been working as PGSS Student Support Commissioner since June 2017. In this position, she provides one-onone support, information, and referrals for external support to PGSS members while also advocating for them at PGSS Council meetings. Additionally, she has worked with the Graduate Students’ Association for Neuroscience as a fundraising officer.

As Secretary-General, Tippler would advocate for mental health support and aims to communicate the associated needs of graduate students to the McGill Board of Governors.

She also hopes to aid graduate students with supervisor relations and their transition into the job market after graduation.

Tippler’s platform is centred around her experience with student governance. Though she comes equipped with her own ideas and aspirations, she is also focused on creating a strong collaborative relationship with the current executive team, and ultimately on laying a sturdy foundation for future PGSS executives.

Nooria Puri

Nooria Puri is a M.A. candidate in History of Classical Studies with a background in student governance. She worked as a bookkeeper for the Student Government Association at Mount Holyoke College, where she completed her undergraduate degree. She has also worked in the Human Resources department at Mastercard Incorporated. She believes her experience in government and HR are assets to her candidacy for Secretary General.

Puri intends to develop stronger mental health programming to support graduate students.

Her platform includes expanding existing programs such as Nightline and PGSS mental health workshops to reach out to more students year-round. She plans to work with the BoG to find solutions that can benefit all university students—not just PGSS members.

As Secretary-General, Puri hopes to mobilise a stronger sense of community and social engagement within the PGSS network. Her focus on creating events that are inclusive and appealing to women and minority students, expanding graduate student space, and developing collaborative learning all revolve around a desire to render PGSS enterprises more collaborative.

Endorsement Maria Tippler

The McGill Tribune endorses Maria Tippler for PGSS Secretary-General. Tippler expresses an inclusive and forward-thinking vision for her role and the executive as a whole. Her team spirit will bode well when working with fellow executives on important initiatives such as mental health support.

Tippler has extensive experience that makes her well-equipped for this position. She has served as the PGSS Student Support Commissioner since June, where she has shown her devout commitment to the wellbeing and mental health of all members of the society. Moreover, she demonstrates clear, functional leadership skills that will serve her well as Secretary-General. She possesses a strong knowledge of the institution and the people currently in it, and is well prepared to take on a larger role within the PGSS. This previous experience is particularly vital to her picking up the position halfway through the Fall semester.

Tippler’s goals are ambitious but realistic, and demonstrate a strong understanding of the timeline for change within her position. She has a clear plan for improving student access to mental health resources; in particular, she hopes to reach out to off-campus students through the program EmpowerMe, which is a platform for students to access mental health support online. She is an approachable leader who evidently cares for PGSS members, and will make a positive impact on both her constituents and other executives.

NEWS 3

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

SSMU Legislative Council votes against endorsing Daily Publications Society Council condemns Bill 62 and discusses extending Fall Referendum

Floor fellows’ naloxone training aims to counter fentanyl crisis Tackling the rising concern of overdoses in residence

Jackie Houston Opinion Editor At its Nov. 2 meeting, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council voted against endorsing the Daily Publications Society’s (DPS) upcoming existence referendum. Additionally, Vice-President (VP) External Connor Spencer and three faculty representatives moved for a special extension of the Fall 2017 referendum period. The Council also passed a motion mandating that SSMU contest Quebec’s Bill 62.

DPS Referendum question endorsement Legislative Council deliberated Spencer’s motion to endorse a “yes” vote on the upcoming DPS existence referendum question posed to all downtown campus undergraduate students, which would renew the DPS’ non-opt-outable fee of $6 per undergraduate student per term and $3.35 per graduate student per term. The DPS relies on student fees to publish both Le Délit and The McGill Daily. As is mandated for clubs with non-opt-outable fees, a referendum question is posed every five years asking students to support the DPS’ existence. Although the Legislative Council previously endorsed a “yes” vote for the Winter 2013 DPS existence referendum, the current motion failed to pass, with 10 votes in favour, 12 votes against, and two abstentions.

The motion emphasized the importance of a diversity of independent publications on campus, with Le Delit being the only francophone paper at McGill. It also highlighted the fact that a free and critical press is necessary for SSMU’s democratic legitimacy.

“The Daily and Le Delit have constantly been at all of our [meetings],” Spencer said. “It’s really important that we, as an institution, support those that are holding us accountable.”

Some council members opposing the motion worried that, by encouraging students to support the DPS, SSMU would appear to be endorsing The McGill Daily’s editorial views, including support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Some argued that it was inappropriate to encourage all students to renew a fee that would support The Daily given its political stances. SSMU President Muna Tojiboeva voted against the motion, believing that SSMU should not take a stance on the DPS’ existence.

“Seeing that this is a student referendum, we should let the students make their own individual decisions, and vote on the referendum as they wish,” Tojiboeva said. “I wouldn’t necessarily feel comfortable endorsing The Daily specifically, because we shouldn’t endorse a paper that marginalizes certain voices on campus.”

Throughout the debate, several councillors questioned the impartiality of the student press. Nora McCready, a news editor at the The Daily, emphasized the DPS’ role as an educational institution in the absence of a formal journalism program at McGill.

“Both The Daily and Le Delit provide a space on campus for students to explore the field of journalism,” McCready said. “and even if there are people in the room who might disagree with The Daily’s current editorial line, that’s something that has shifted through the years that it’s been in existence.”

Online voting on the 2017 DPS existence referendum opens Nov. 13.

Motion to Call a Special Referendum Period Citing the importance of SSMU’s accountability to students, Spencer moved to extend the Fall 2017 Referendum period in order to add a question for a motion proposing sweeping amendments to SSMU’s constitution. Although the question was submitted in accordance with all submission regulations, it was not approved for the normal Referendum period due to concerns about the scope and legality of its proposals. “[Last year] a lot of changes to the Constitution and [Internal Regulations] took power away from Legislative Council and the GA and give them to the [SSMU Board of Directors],” Spencer said. “[We’re] trying to [...] give those powers back.”

In response, SSMU General Manager Ryan Hughes stated that the motion requires further approval from the Board of Directors (BoD) and SSMU’s legal team. Extending the Referendum period from Nov. 8 to Nov. 30 would allow time for this process.

Tojiboeva also presented the BoD’s main reservations on approving the question.

“The Board doesn’t feel like it’s rightful to bring it right now, because it’s a bit rushed,” Tojiboeva said. “The [Board’s] recommendation was [to] have more consultations with the student body, and then bring it back to the Winter 2018 Referendum [....] If we don’t do it properly then, moving forward, we won’t be able to have a proper constitution that’s coherent.”

Council tabled the special Referendum motion until its next meeting on Nov. 16.

SSMU Council opposed endorsing renewing the DPS’ non-opt-outable fee (Gabriel Helfant / The McGill Tribune)

Floor fellows agree that Naloxone training is necessary for prevention in the future. (570news.com)

Cherry Wu Staff Writer In September 2017, Montreal Public Health declared the increasing presence of fentanyl in recreational drugs a public health emergency. Since the beginning of 2017, 10 drug overdoses linked to fentanyl—two of which were fatal—have occurred in Montreal. To counter the fentanyl crisis, McGill Student Health Services (SHS) held Naloxone administration training between Oct. 24 and 27 for all floor fellows at first-year student residences.

A cheap-yet-powerful opioid, fentanyl can be laced into most drugs, and, if ingested, can lead to a lethal overdose. Naloxone is a reversal agent that effectively slows the ingestion of fentanyl for 30 to 60 minutes, allowing time to administer other emergency treatments. Dr. Hashana Perera, director of SHS, has been working with McGill Clinic nurses since September to provide access to naloxone on campus.

“Around mid-September, the Quebec government introduced a new plan that opened administration of naloxone to third parties who are not health practitioners,” Perera said. “We quickly worked to come up with a plan to provide naloxone to the various McGill parties. Besides the floor fellows, we also provide training for the Residence Life Managers, McGill Security, and [the McGill Student Emergency Response Team] MSERT.” Currently, naloxone can be administered as both an intramuscular injection and an intranasal spray, the latter of which McGill provides. The floor fellow training sessions, led by McGill Clinic nurses, lasted 45 minutes, and consisted of a basic introduction to fentanyl, naloxone, and the emergency procedures for the management of fentanyl poisoning. New Residence floor fellow Aden Feustel, U3 Science, is now equipped with the knowledge to save students in emergencies following the training.

“I think the biggest thing is recognizing an opioid overdose,” Feustel said. “We were told it’s usually the shallow, slow breathing that’ll give it away.”

Residences will now possess two naloxone kits, each containing one single-use naloxone intranasal spray. In an interview, New Residence floor fellow Corinne Bulger, U2 Arts, highlighted the safety of naloxone intranasal sprays.

“Once the first dose of naloxone is given, a second dose could be administered if emergency services do not arrive in time,” Bulger said. “A good thing about naloxone is that it does not cause any harm to the body, so there is no risk related to using it, even if you use up both kits.”

There have been no reported incidents of drug overdose related to fentanyl at any McGill residence. Although floor fellows say the likelihood of such incidents is unknown, they agree that Naloxone training is necessary for prevention in the future.

“There is never enough training,” Bulger said. ‘Even if there is only one case, or no case at all, the possibility of any outliers makes the trainings totally worth it.”

SHS is also working on information campaigns on fentanyl education for students, which will be carried out across campus by Healthy McGill in the upcoming weeks.

4 NEWS

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Open letter to SSMU executives denounces Fall 2017 General Assembly Students call for SSMU Constitution revision and address anti-Semitism on campus Jackie Yao Contributor On Oct. 27, former Student’s Society of McGill University (SSMU) engineering senator Alexander Dow, U3 Engineering, submitted an open letter to the McGill administration in response to the Oct. 23 SSMU General Assembly (GA). The petition, which expresses SSMU members’ dissatisfaction with the GA’s failure to represent the greater student population, received a total of 468 signatures. Tre Mansdoerfer, U3 Engineering, also contributed to writing the letter.

The petition calls for the 100-student quorum currently constitutionally required for SSMU GAs to be raised to 350. Despite the fact that 100 students is less than 0.5 per cent of the undergraduate student population, the GA rarely reaches quorum unless controversial topics are on the agenda. In response to the letter, the SSMU Board of Directors (BoD) voted on Oct. 29 to add a question of raising quorum to 350. Referendum questions are typically approved via motion by the SSMU Legislative Council or through a vote at the GA. The first concern that the letter addresses is the allegations of rising antiSemitism and disrespect for ideological differences on campus, especially in light of Noah Lew’s failure to be ratified as a member of the BoD. Dow believes polarization within SSMU has caused tension

A student petition calls for a General Assembly quorum increase. (Ava Zwolinski / The McGill Tribune) among the student body.

“What we ideally want is [for SSMU] to remain a place where we can respect student opinions,” Dow said. “Universities are where we share and exchange ideas, not cut out ones that we don’t believe.”

According to the second section of the letter, the goal of raising quorum is to prevent any vocal minority from unilaterally controlling and undermining democracy in GA votes in the future. If quorum is not reached, the GA becomes a consultative forum, which cannot pass resolutions.

However, the minutes from the forum can be attached to SSMU’s online referenda, which have higher voter turnouts.

In 2012, SSMU amended its constitution so that all resolutions passed at the GA must later be sent to an online vote for ratification. Given that many students are unable to attend GAs, the open letter calls for the Oct. 23 GA motions to be online referenda questions and for the GA to be a consultative forum.

To SSMU Vice-President Student Life Jemark Earle, the nomination of all 10 di-

rectors, including those who failed to secure a seat at the BoD, should be included in an online vote.

“To elect directors to SSMU, we need a greater percentage [of students] to weigh in on this matter,” Earle said. “I think that all [nominations] should go to referendum.”

The number of signatures on the petition, which exceeds the number of students who were present at the fall GA, demonstrates many students’ distaste for how important governance decisions are made. Earle says he commends the initiative of the letter and hopes to see the outlined concerns pushed toward resolution.

“I love when discussion happens,” Earle said. “As an executive, I think it’s well within my mandate to [...] represent all opinions on campus. I think that the [disapprovals] outlined in the open letter to SSMU executives were all valid [points].”

For Annalise Patzer, U0 Nursing, the open letter holds SSMU accountable for hostility she’s seen on campus.

“Considering [how anti-Semitism] is happening at a level that is supposed to be the student representation for our university, [my Jewish friends] were concerned about how they are supposed to navigate university,” Patzer wrote to The McGill Tribune. “I just think the open letter is calling McGill and SSMU to take responsibility for this negative culture and image and harm they have created on campus.”

SSMU Board of Directors members to remain past the end of their term Judicial board issues interim order suspending the General Assembly results Kendall McGowan Staff Writer Continued from page 1.

In his petition, Glustein asked the Judicial Board for the interim order to submit the list of 12 directors to be ratified as a bloc via online voting in the Fall 2017 Referendum, which opens Nov. 8.

In the interim order, however, the Judicial Board explained that they were unable to introduce the Referendum question Glustein requested. Referendum questions must be initiated by the Legislative Council or SSMU members, according to section 14.1 of the SSMU Constitution; additionally, they must be submitted two weeks before the voting period opens, which would have been Oct. 25.

“Even if [the Judicial Board] renders a final decision in favour of the unratified Directors, they could not make up the time they would have sat on the Board had the Board of Directors been ratified as a bloc,” the decision read.

However, at a BoD meeting on Nov. 5, SSMU President Muna Tojiboeva announced that upon consultation with legal counsel, the current members will remain on the BoD past the Nov. 15 term until the J-Board case is concluded.

“We have spoken to counsel and it seems that the current Board could be held over in the case that a Judicial Board decision cannot be issued by the Nov. 14 deadline,” Tojiboeva said.

Koparkar, who is listed as the main respondent on Glustein’s petition, is friendly to his suggestion and willing to go back to a bloc vote. In an interview with The McGill Tribune Koparkar explained that she motioned to split the vote because of concerns that the BoD was not truly democratic.

“The idea of having the Board members in the future on separate ballots was something that people seemed amenable to,” Koparkar said. “Because of how we voted on it at Legislative Council, and in talks with the executives and [Speaker], I was under the impression that people would be ok with it [….] I think

we all just thought it would be an easy way of legitimizing the votes for each Director.”

According to Koparkar, the section of the SSMU Constitution primarily under consideration in this case is section 6.5, which mandates that nominated Directors be ratified by SSMU members through referendum or at the General Assembly. It also states that the whole must be in accordance with sections 6.2 and 6.3, which concern BoD composition and Director qualifications. Koparkar said the reference to “the whole” is the main point of disagreement.

“Some people took [“the whole”] as meaning a bloc vote, and some took it as meaning by the whole of the General Assembly,” Koparkar said. “I think that’s where things get confusing, and it’s the Judicial Board’s job to interpret these things.”

Former Council speaker Jad El Tal was listed in Glustein’s petition as a second respondent, but he resigned on Oct. 27. As the petition was filed against him solely in his professional capacity, he is no longer necessarily a part of the case. Additionally, although

The Judicial Board is currently deliberating the constitutionality of the Board of Directors split ratification at the Fall General Assembly. (Elli Slavitch/ The McGil Tribune) Koparkar made the initial motion to divide the vote on BoD ratification, debate was interrupted, and the motion to divide which ended up passing at the GA was made by a SSMU member, Chantelle Schultz, U3 Arts.

At the Nov. 5 BoD meeting, Glustein explained that naming Koparkar as a respondent was a

deliberate and legally necessary choice.

“The reason why the VP Internal is listed as a respondent is because the idea was brought by the VP internal in the first place, as well as the fact that somebody needs to be named in a SSMU capacity in the Judicial Board case,” Glustein said.

OPINION 5

Tuesday, November 7, 2017 Editor-in-Chief Nicholas Jasinski editor@mcgilltribune.com Creative Director Noah Sutton nsutton@mcgilltribune.com Managing Editors Audrey Carleton acarleton@mcgilltribune.com Emma Avery eavery@mcgilltribune.com Selin Altuntur saltuntur@mcgilltribune.com News Editors Holly Cabrera, Domenic Casciato, Calvin Trottier-Chi news@mcgilltribune.com Opinion Editors Jackie Houston & Alexandra Harvey opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editor Izze Siemann scitech@mcgilltribune.com Student Living Editor Grace Bahler studentliving@mcgilltribune.com Features Editor Marie Labrosse features@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editors Dylan Adamson & Ariella Garmaise arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Stephen Gill & Selwynne Hawkins sports@mcgilltribune.com Design Editors Daniel Freed & Elli Slavitch design@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editor Ava Zwolinski photo@mcgilltribune.com Multimedia Editor April Barrett multimedia@mcgilltribune.com Web Developers Daniel Lutes webdev@mcgilltribune.com Julia Kafato online@mcgilltribune.com

If SSMU Council won’t stand up for campus press, students must

For some, campus publications have become proxies for different opinions on recent Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) controversies, most notably the Oct. 22 SSMU General Assembly and divisions within the executive.

The Nov. 2 SSMU Legislative Council meeting saw a surreal turn of events in this trend, when the Council failed to pass a motion endorsing a “yes” vote to the Daily Publications Society’s (DPS) upcoming existence referendum.

The DPS funds the publication of student newspapers Le Délit and The McGill Daily. Held every five years, the referendum asks students to fund the DPS through a non-opt-outable fee. For undergraduate students, this is $6 per student per semester. During the Jan. 2013 referendum, Council endorsed the DPS’ existence near unanimously.

Regardless of current views on SSMU, Council’s failure to endorse the DPS’ existence is shameful. It is a failure to endorse a diversity of independent publications—and, by extension, a critical, balanced, and representative campus press, a tenet of SSMU’s democratic legitimacy.

Council members who voted against the motion, including SSMU President Muna Tojiboeva, argued that it would seem like an endorsement of The McGill Daily specifically, and the paper’s

OFF THE BOARD

Copy Editor Ayanna De Graff copy@mcgilltribune.com Business Manager Daniel Minuk business@mcgilltribune.com Advertising Executives Grayson Castell, Noah Cohen, Vincent Li ads@mcgilltribune.com Publisher Chad Ronalds

TPS Board of Directors

Nicholas Jasinski, Daniel Minuk, Katherine Hutter, Julia Métraux, Anthony Kuan, Elli Slavitch, Holly Cabrera, Jeeventh Kaur, Katherine Milazzo, Becca Hoff

Staff Writers

Julia Métraux, Fionn Adamian, Kendall McGowan, Cherry Wu, Grace Gunning, Gabriel Rincon, Avleen Mokha, Virginia Shram, Sophie Brzozowski, Kate Lord, Sam Min, Oceane Marescal, Miguel Principe, Emma Carr, Wasif Husain, Jordan Foy, Patrick Beacham, Winnie Lin, Cordelia Cho, Erica Stefano, Gabriel Helfant, Margaux Delalex

Contributors

Amanda Fiore, Brenda Thompson, Ceci Steyn, Emma Hameau, Ender McDuff, Fiona Khan, Gal Sandaev, Gwenyth Wren, Jackie Yao, Josh Marchesini, Kevin Vogel, Lauren Jelinek, Leanne Young, Leyla Moy, Madeline Kinney, Nina Russell, Owen Gibbs, Summer Liu, Sydney King

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

Grace Bahler Student Living Editor Today, there are exactly 48 days until Christmas. But, the most wonderful time of the year has already begun.

The day after Halloween, stores switch out their cobwebs and witch hats for cheery window displays with fake snow and tinsel filling their fronts. The candy aisles transform, too, from cheap bags of mixed gummies to gourmet chocolate and candy canes. Christmas is no longer restrained to the last week of December—it now starts Nov. 1—and I am here for it. Although it’s become the norm to hate on this trend, there is nothing wrong with starting the party early.

The first week of every November, you can find me roaming the aisles of Dollarama, stuffing my basket with twinkly lights, scented candles, overthe-top velvet bows, and occasionally

current editorial stances—in particular, in support of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. Others claimed that they did not want to influence how their constituents should vote. Moreover, councillors took issue with backing a fee that requires all students to support the paper, including those who disagree with the political views it publishes.

However, that is precisely the point of any non-opt-outable student fee—that its recipient’s purpose is of significant value to the student body as a whole, even if individual students disagree with it or do not directly make use of it. As members of SSMU, all undergraduate students pay fees that support clubs and services across campus—and across political lines, from Socialist Fightback to Conservative McGill—because SSMU and students recognize that it is valuable to have a diversity of voices on campus.

Likewise, and as council members who focused solely on the Daily’s commentary section failed to recognize, the DPS is vital to all students because it maintains an independent and varied campus press.

DPS publications are essential to McGill’s media ecosystem. They comprise two of the three independent student newspaper on campus. Each paper’s respective commentary and news sections balance the others, even when

they align, but especially when they conflict. In the Daily’s case, it has served that ecosystem for over 100 years. Over that time, editorial lines have changed with each respective editorial board. If students or student leaders feel that the Daily is unrepresentative of their political views—or even exclusionary of them— they should absolutely correct the record, either through their own commentary, a letter to the editor, or at the paper’s Annual General Meeting.

But if the DPS’ upcoming existence referendum fails to pass, both Le Délit and The McGill Daily will cease to exist.

Crucially, the former is the school’s only Francophone news publication.

Council members who voted against the motion to advance grievances with the Daily’s editorial stances were willing to treat Le Délit—and all of the Frenchspeaking students that it serves—as collateral damage. These members’ main arguments against the Daily concerned inclusive representation of an entire student body in campus press—the hypocrisy is stunning.

Further, the value of any paper is far more than its editorial slant. The DPS publications cover arts and culture, sports, and technology, all through a student lens. Moreover, in the absence of a McGill journalism program, the DPS plays an essential educational role. For McGill students interested in journalism,

EDITORIAL Le Délit and The McGill Daily provide opportunities to cultivate invaluable skills and experience.

Fundamentally, both papers share and execute a chief responsibility of the student press: To hold SSMU bodies accountable. Last Winter semester, the Daily broke the story on sexual violence allegations against former vice-president external David Aird. The exposure culminated in Aird resigning, as well as former president Ben Ger stepping down amid allegations of gendered violence. It also renewed a vital conversation about gaps in campus sexual assault policy, at the SSMU and administrative levels.

The Daily held SSMU accountable in a situation where SSMU was failing. That is what our newspapers exist to do, and no single campus publication can do it alone. A vote against the DPS is a vote to cut off two major sources of democratic accountability.

At the meeting, a councillor concerned about SSMU endorsing the Daily cited the current political climate on campus. They had it backwards.

When divisive politics warp public conversations, on campus or off, maintaining a free and diverse press is more vital than ever. Voting on the DPS existence referendum opens Nov. 13. On Nov. 2, SSMU Council failed to see the necessity of a varied, independent campus press. It’s up to students to correct that.

It’s November—Merry Christmas!

a wreath. It’s almost difficult not to commence the celebrations: When stores go from Halloweentown to a Winter Wonderland overnight, giddiness is the instant reaction. In a mere month-and-a-half, exams will be over and students will find themselves at home with family and high school friends. ‘Tis the season to look forward to it all.

For context, I’m American, and our Thanksgiving is not until the tail-end of November. But, when I came to McGill two years ago, Canadian Thanksgiving came and went before Halloween.

Suddenly, it was November, and I found myself in a slight lull with nothing to celebrate. Then came Christmas. It became my holiday, and it became the thing that got me through the dreadful essay and exam season. Nothing puts me in a state of euphoria as much as organizing Secret Santas, or curling up with a good book and eggnog while it snows.

It’s not just the material items that accompany Christmas that I love, though. Growing up, holidays always held a sentimental value. On Easter and Thanksgiving, my whole family would pile into my grandma’s house and we’d celebrate like no other. I have countless fond memories from years past, but nothing is quite as special as Christmas. Dec. 25 was always a day of pure happiness. As a kid, presents were the main source of that happiness, along with notes from “Santa.” But now, it’s the quality time that I get with my family and friends that sparks the most

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. (Erica Stefano / The McGill Tribune) joy. I used to take this time for granted, but coming home for the holidays from McGill has made me realize how special it is to be with family and old friends.

There’s a certain aesthetic that comes with the holiday season, too, regardless of what holidays one celebrates. We have commercialism to thank for this. Christmas has been at the forefront of materialistic North America, with decorations and gifts at the centre of celebration.

For some, this isn’t ideal; it strays from the religious history of the holiday.

However, I live for Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” and rewatching Love Actually throughout most of November and December. Although this form of Christmas may very well be a dream that capitalism has conjured, it’s a dream that I welcome. Celebrating it so early is simply an escape from the hustle and bustle of student life. It’s living in

a dream where all you hear is Michael Buble’s voice, and all you drink is superb hot cocoa. I may be a true sucker for the commercialization of Christmas, but there’s nothing that I love more than seeing Starbucks holiday cups and making my annual gingerbread house.

The holidays pass by fast, so we might as well enjoy them as much as possible. Pharmaprix and Dollarama trinkets aren’t there just to buy—they’re there to get everyone in the spirit. That’s what Christmas is really about. Beyond watching Elf while eating Lindt chocolate, it’s the warm and fuzzy holiday feeling inside that matters. Christmas encompasses everything from wholesome memories to wholesale candy. And the best part is, the joy begins long before Dec. 25, and extends far past it. I carry a little bit of Christmas around with me all year—but in November, it really starts to show.

6 OPINION

COMMENTARY

Gabriel Rincon Columnist On Sept. 28, the federal government announced a partnership with Netflix. The online streaming service agreed to invest $500 million over the next 10 years to create “Canadian content” as part of Justin Trudeau’s cultural strategy, which will in turn pledge $125 million towards promoting Canadian content. Netflix will be creating a Canadian production house.

However, “Canadian content” is hard to define, particularly because pop culture in Canada is strongly influenced by the United States, making popular Canadian entertainment often just repackaged American content. This lack of a unique identity makes it unclear what

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Made in Canada doesn’t mean Canadians will watch

will make the Netflix content distinctively Canadian, beyond a “Made in Canada” label. Thus, the government’s deal seems more like a quid pro quo trade with Netflix to subsidize the Canadian film industry than a way to promote Canadian culture, as Trudeau has claimed.

In Quebec, where there is a strong sense of cultural identity tied to the French language, there have been many Canadian-made French-language shows that have drawn fantastic ratings in the province. Outside of Quebec, however, Canadian content isn’t very popular. In 2017, ratings were very poor for Canadian entertainment: The 50 mostwatched network series were all American, the most watched was the National Football League—a staple of American culture. Of the most-watched Canadianmade shows in 2015, several are remakes of American competition shows, and the others—with the exception of The Book of Negroes—lack distinctly Canadian identity. Rookie Blue is just a cop show; Vikings is set in Scandinavia.

Canadian television pop culture doesn’t contribute to the uniqueness of broader Canadian culture or identity. Canada is a relatively small consumer market, so Canadian superstars, like

The Weeknd and Drake, have to appeal to the U.S. market to make significant sales and achieve real fame. To make original content to specifically target the Canadian market is risky, since this kind of entertainment rarely goes international, making it less profitable. For example, The Trailer Park Boys never achieved international acclaim. Unless Canadian content becomes a Canadian cultural staple––say, Tragically Hip––it’s hard to sell. It’s easier to make a profit simply repackaging American entertainment.

When Melanie Joly, Canadian Heritage Minister, announced the Netflix deal, she promoted it as support for the Canadian film industry and part of Trudeau’s “culture strategy.” But, it is unclear what exactly Netflix will do to support Canadian culture–– nor what is meant by Canadian culture––other than buying Canadian services. So the deal’s benefits for the film industry— and Netflix—appear to be the central goal. There are really only two reasons Netflix would agree to this partnership. After all, Netflix is a for-profit company and must be benefiting somehow.

Either the Canadian market is a profitable investment, so Netflix was already going to invest and just got some free press; or

Trudeau’s Netflix deal does little for “Canadian content.” (Elli Slavitch / The McGill Tribune) the investment isn’t profitable without some sort of subsidy.

It remains to be seen what exactly Netflix is receiving for partnering with the government.

However, it is noteworthy that a June 2017 parliamentary report recommended a uniform broadband high-speed internet tax to correct for a trade disadvantage faced by Canadian streaming firms competing with Netflix. The disadvantage comes from nuances in how sales taxes are collected in Canada, but ultimately Trudeau dismissed the proposal. In the meantime, Netflix continues to benefit from the trade imbalance.

Trying to analyze the Netflix

deal from the perspective of promoting Canadian cultural content is fruitless. Canadian pop culture is, as near as makes no difference, American pop culture, which calls into question what exactly Netflix is going to pass off as Canadian content.

Surely the government can think of better ways to promote Canadian culture—like direct sponsorship of public art— than by subsidizing Netflix and the film industry. Hopefully, Trudeau isn’t surprised when the Canadian content Netflix makes is strikingly similar to Stranger Things, except you can catch a glimpse of Toronto or Montreal in the background.

laughing matters Lies I tell myself about my upstairs neighbours

Sydney King Contributor At 19 years old, it seems like I’ve lost the privilege of deciding when I go to bed and when I wake up. No, I don’t live with my parents, and no, my roommates aren’t dictators. I just have really loud, obnoxious upstairs neighbours.

Their anonymity makes it easy to bash them in the relative privacy of my own apartment, but standing up to them would shatter my otherwise painstakingly friendly exterior.

Not being one for confrontation, I prefer to share my opinions in a newspaper and pray they don’t read it. However annoying they may be, there is always more than one way to look at the story.

So your upstairs neighbours

are loud. They stomp. They might be bodybuilders—based on the weight of the stuff that they throw on the ground. You can track their heavy footsteps throughout their apartment, and maybe they shake the hangings on the walls.

This behaviour is categorically inconsiderate, but not necessarily intentionally rude. Sure, at night, after a couple hours of sweet peace and quiet, they reappear in the early hours of the morning to yell at each other, and do some late-night home improvement or possibly demolition. But, at least you know that they are home safe, and you don’t have to be up all night worrying if they’ve been kidnapped. You’ll still be up all night because they’re building a roof-top garden shed in their living room, but peace of mind comes at a cost.

One of the most common complaints about living with upstairs neighbours is their music—specifically their volume control. While blasting rap music may help them study, you are often left out of the decision-making process. Maybe you are trying to fall asleep, or work on a paper, or just listen to your own music. But, your neighbours leave no room for sonic discourse. They simply dominate the discussion. On one hand, hearing “Call Me Maybe” 20

times a day might make you want to pull your hair out. On the off chance you actually like their music, it can save you money on your electric bill! Your neighbours have spared you the trouble of hooking up your own speakers to blast deep house remixes at all hours of the day. Moreover, if your upstairs neighbours like to rehearse their acoustic, breathy dream-pop music covers, and somehow they make it big, you now have the material to write a bestselling memoir about your experiences living underneath greatness. Aren’t you lucky?

If you think your obnoxious upstairs neighbours are probably playing sports inside—hockey, soccer, basketball, you name it— remember that there might be more to the story. Maybe their squash partner bailed on them, or they’re just too lazy to get off the couch to play outside. It’s hard to know what people are going through.

Last, and probably worst of all, upstairs neighbours seem to have a proclivity for loud sex.

Honestly, I cannot spin this one. I am sincerely sorry to anyone who has to deal with loud sex noises at

all hours of the day and night. This is the more explicit aspect of the intimacy of the relationship with our upstairs neighbours, definitely to the detriment of others’ mental wellbeing.

If you don’t have annoying upstairs neighbours, then you are probably the annoying upstairs neighbour, and there is nothing I can do for you. If you’re like me and you, too, suffer from the heavy-footedness of those above you, these are some lies that I tell myself to suppress the temptation to call the cops on them.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 7

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

“The Violet Hour” showcases marginalized voices with a spooky platform Queer reading series showcases a diversity of voices in Canada’s literary community Josh Marchesini Contributor Continued from page 1.

In addition, David Demchuk debuted his Giller Prize nominated book, The Bone Mother, about a world of mythological creatures seeking refuge in Eastern Europe while evading the ruthless Night Police.

Fitting the night’s Halloween theme, Montreal writer and translator Neil Smith presented a passage from his debut novel Boo, a story about an afterlife populated exclusively by 13year old Americans.

Aside from these whimsical fantasies, The Violet Hour also included artists’ whose writing reflected on the distinct experiences of LGBTQ individuals living in Montreal and beyond. In their reading of Femme Confidential, Nairne Holtz explores the lives of three individuals, navigating the lesbian community and their sexual identities, set in an increasingly gentrified Toronto

neighbourhood. Cason Sharpe’s work Our Lady of Perpetual Realness & Other Stories focuses on the experience of being a young gay man of colour. Dishwashing in SaintHenri, pool-hopping, and wandering down an empty Boulevard Saint-Laurent are just some of the various experiences that inform his worldview. His reading captivated the audience, who alternated between raucous laughter and tears in their connection to Sharpe’s lived experience in Toronto and Montreal.

While the majority of the speakers at the event recited excerpts from their latest works, the highlight of the evening was a scene from the Talisman Theatre’s upcoming production of Vic and Flo Saw a Bear, translated to English for the stage. Alexandra Lavinge plays a parole officer, pressing Natalie Liconti’s character Flo to reveal the whereabouts of her girlfriend, ex-con Vic. Set in Quebec, the production combines a love story, elements of the noir genre,

The Violet Hour shed light on Canada’s literary margins. (Margaux Delalex / The McGill Tribune) and a distinct magic realism.

Throughout the evening, The Violet Hour showcased a diversity of voices, representing the lived experiences of the LGBTQ+ community in the greater Montreal area. Stripped down to a single spotlight

and microphone, the various artists and writers indulged the audience, confronting their own biases and connecting those experiences with their own.

The artists proved that while LGBTQ+ is a unifying label, it encompasses a multitude of

distinct viewpoints. The Violet Hour, in collaboration with the Concordia Community Solidarity Co-op Bookstore, is a unique, inclusive event, which provides local writers with a platform to both present and sell their work at an affordable price.

‘Loving Vincent’: First ever oil-painted animated film honours Van Gogh 1,000 hand painted frames illustrate the story of enigmatic painter Avleen K. Mokha Staff Writer Loving Vincent, to put it simply, is a work of art. Directed

by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, the film advertises itself as “the world’s first fully painted feature film.” Each shot in the film was hand-painted in Vincent Van Gogh’s style by a team of over 100 artists.

A Polish-British co-production with a budget of US $5.5 million, $70,000 of which were raised in a Kickstarter campaign, the film succeeds as being the first of its kind, engaging viewers in its immersive, dramatic story.

The events of the film take place one year after Van Gogh’s (Robert Gulaczyk) death. The postman (Chris O’Dowd) who collected Van Gogh’s many letters, requests that his son Armand Roulin (Douglas Booth) personally deliver Van Gogh’s last letter, written to his brother, Theo. On this journey, Roulin meets people who interacted with Van Gogh in different ways.

Listening to all of them speculate on the cause of Van Gogh’s alleged suicide, Roulin must distinguish fact from fiction in order to get to the truth.

The hand-painted nature of each still creates a distinct

visual dynamism. The film finds its appeal not in a speedy plot, but in sequencing its 65,000 meticulously painted stills.

From European cafes to scenic backyards and starry nights, the film’s scenery wonderfully replicates Van Gogh’s aesthetic.

The animation never comes across as abrupt or unpolished— even shots of clouds and cigarette smoke feel fluid and realistic. The project is ambitious, depicting a range of technical scenes, including distorted point-of-view shots, nightmares, and dramatic flashbacks.

Loving Vincent is reflective but also, surprisingly, investigative. Roulin’s attempts to uncover the truth by retracing Van Gogh’s steps could be straight out of an Arthur Conan Doyle mystery novel. The film’s score (composed by Clint Mansell) employs string instruments and choir vocals to produce a mystical, curious mood. The balance between dialogue and music is highly effective; while the film does rely heavily on dialogue to develop its characters, the dialogue recedes in the more emotionally-charged scenes, which fittingly swell with cinematic music.

The actors’ voice work breathes life into the characters.

‘Loving Vincent’s’ hand-painted construction is fully immersive.

(Amanda Fiore / The McGill Tribune) Jerome Flynn’s stiff voicing communicates the sophisticated— at times arrogant—personality of Paul Gachet, Vincent’s friend and psychologist.

Eleanor Tomlinson’s performance as

Adeline Ravoux, the caretaker of the inn in which Vincent dies, is lively and charming.

The film develops an immersive narrative with a limited host of characters, but in

doing so cannot create a complex plot. The movement from one scene to the next, especially in the first half, is predictable and repetitive. Over the course of his journey to deliver Vincent’s letter, Roulin gets constantly redirected to different locations.

The screenplay does not make this inconspicuous, perhaps for the worse; the turns in plot are very explicit, at times even onthe-nose.

Nevertheless, this conventional structuring becomes less visible in the latter half, in which the suspense of the story culminates.

Loving Vincent successfully depicts Van Gogh as a likeable character, without romanticizing his mental state. The film praises Van Gogh’s eccentric creativity, while also capturing the mistreatment he faced at the hands of those who saw him as a “nuthead.”

Ultimately, Loving Vincent’s storytelling is simplistic but charming, prioritizing characterization over development. With dynamic visuals and a palpable mood, Loving Vincent is a visually stunning and moving depiction of the complexity of human emotions and the difficulty of processing the death of a loved one.

MAKING

AN

ICON LEONARD COHEN, THE REVISIONIST

By Marie Labrosse Features Editor

M

ost know Leonard Cohen as the first vocalist of the iconic “Hallelujah.” Others may know him as a poet, a musician, a novelist, or a songwriter. Some may even know him as a painter. And that’s exactly how he would have wanted it. He is a jack-of-all-trades, who deftly evades any labels we may try to ascribe to him, preferring instead to lurk in the shadows of changeability with a fickle smirk.

Leonard Cohen’s artistic career was prolific, to say the least. This in itself makes it difficult to attribute any strict epithet to him or his work. Over the course of his life, Cohen published 12 books—10 poetry collections as well as two novels, Beautiful Losers and The Favorite Game. The publishing house McClelland & Stewart also plans to bring out a final posthumous anthology, The Flame, in October 2018. Completed in the last months of Cohen’s life, the collection will be made up of previously unpublished poetry, notebook excerpts, and illustrations by Cohen himself. Writing was Cohen’s initial calling and he only turned to music later in life: He released his first album, Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967), at age 33. He had already enjoyed some degree of public acclaim for his four published poetry collections and his first novel. Between 1967 and 2016 he then released 25 albums, and collaborated on tracks with other accomplished artists such as Herbie Hancock and Bob Dylan. Cohen passed away in November 2016.

The amplitude of the themes Cohen covers in these works contributes to the haziness of his image. His literature and music cover a myriad of topics including faith, politics, sexuality, and death. He blends these themes together, discards some of them for periods and then returns to them, allowing him to avoid restricting himself to a single creative mandate.

Norman Ravvin, professor and Jewish Studies Graduate Program director at Concordia University’s Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture, observed this constant thematic revisionism in relation to Cohen’s approach to religion. “[In his collection Flowers for Hitler, Cohen writes about] the Jewish sense of identity as it relates to the Holocaust more than [...] about anything directly religious [...],” Ravvin said. “So [the theme is] marked, and then it’s gone, and then it’s marked again in a new way [....] The phenomenon operates that way.”

“I heard of a man who says words so beautifully” from “Poem,” Let Us Compare Mythologies Cohen started to gain artistic visibility very early in his career. During his time as an undergraduate student at McGill University in the early 1950s, he won the Chester MacNaghten Literary Competition for his poems “Sparrows” and “Thoughts of a Landman.” In 1954, he published his work for the first time in the literary magazine CIV/n, alongside that of editorial board members, Louis Dudek and Irving Layton. Cohen graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature the next year. The connections Cohen made at McGill enabled him to publish his own poetry collection, Let Us Compare Mythologies, in 1956. He was able to do this so shortly after having graduated, with the help of Dudek and his McGill Poetry Series’ financial support.

Brian Trehearne, Professor of English Literature at McGill, recounted the apocryphal tale of Dudek’s reaction to Cohen’s manuscript.

“Supposedly, Dudek, carrying a sheaf of papers in his hand, stopped him in the hallway of the Arts building and swatted him with the papers in order to knight him an official Canadian poet,” Trehearne said.

The work’s critical reception was less effusive than that of its publisher but still positive, garnering the praise of prominent figures such as Canadian literary critic and theorist Northrop Frye.

“How can I begin anything new with all of yesterday in me?” from Beautiful Losers Cohen’s time at McGill was formative: He received a quality formal literary education, and the relationships he formed with Dudek and Layton were especially pivotal in the creation of his first manifestation of collected works. Dudek and Layton belonged to a larger circle of Canadian modernists who his mentors introduced him to, including poets like F. R. Scott.

Trehearne pointed out the influence of these relationships on Cohen’s first body of work.

“In Let Us Compare Mythologies, you have a young Cohen who is still very much wanting to join the Canadian modernist cohort,” Trehearne said. “It’s got its own curious intonations of course [....] You have a lot of lyric. You have that strange sort of morbid obsessiveness with death and links between sex and death, which in Cohen are so central. But I read it as a work where he’s still imagining that the way forward is to be a Canadian modernist poet.”

However, Trehearne noted that Cohen quickly started to express a desire to break away from the modernism he first experimented with in the beginning of his career, and the poet who first introduced him to the genre: Louis Dudek.

“He’s probably thinking ‘Am I a poet? Is that what poets are?’” Trehearne explained. “[Becoming a Canadian modernist poet just isn’t] going to satisfy Leonard Cohen for long. It’s not a big enough pond. I think that Cohen [was] someone who [was] quite quickly breaking the mold that Dudek had laid out for him.”

After his poetry collection came out, Cohen made two attempts at graduate studies: A semester at the McGill Faculty of Law and a full year at the Columbia University School of General Studies—both of which he abandoned. His transition away from higher education also reflected his move away from the rigour of the Canadian modernists surrounding him, which he had begun to resent. He discarded the more traditional poetic persona that shines through in his earliest work and decided to reinvent himself and his work.

“Let Us Compare Mythologies shows him willing to adhere to the examples he was given at McGill, in Montreal of what poetry did,” Trehearne said. “But I think he moves past it very quickly in two ways. He’s beginning to perform in jazz clubs in the mid-’50s, he’s hanging around Montreal.

He goes to New York [for graduate school at Columbia, which Dudek also attended] and that doesn’t quite work for him. And then it was off to London, and then Greece, and the Cohen story we know begins.”

“It’s not the laughter of someone who claims to have seen the light” from “Hallelujah,” Cohen Live The Cohen story we know is really only the one Cohen wants us to know. Even in “Hallelujah,” a work deeply ingrained in popular culture, the artist’s indecisiveness crops up constantly.

Cohen spent five years working on a total of 80 verses, but told Bob Dylan it had only taken him two years out of embarrassment. He first selected just seven verses to include in his studio rendition featured on the album Various Positions, and then later alternated with different verses

during performances. His 1994 live album for instance only features four verses, which differ in varying degrees from the 1984 studio track.

Every iteration Cohen performed or recorded changed the song’s meaning, and reflects the artist’s particular mindset in that moment. In some versions, the song ends on a positive note, with Cohen humbly “[standing] before the Lord of Song with nothing on [his] tongue but Hallelujah,” whereas in others he feels more downtrodden, he is “not somebody who’s seen the light, it’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah.”

The lyrics themselves, which describe the difficulty of songwriting and the frequent modifications Cohen made to them, reflect his belief in the power of revisionism.

"It explains that many kinds of hallelujahs do exist, and all the perfect and broken hallelujahs have equal value,” Cohen once famously said.

As years went by, Cohen constantly expressed his displeasure with the song: He told the press that the song “[doesn’t] have a good chorus” and even suggested that the song never be performed again.

“I was just reading a review of a movie [...] that uses [‘Hallelujah,’]” Cohen said in an interview with American conductor, David Whitwell in 2010. “And the reviewer said, can we please get a moratorium on ‘Hallelujah’ [....] And I kind of feel the same way.”

This was in 2010, yet he performed “Hallelujah” live up until his last concert in 2013. Even in his suggestion to finally put the song to bed he could not remain decisive.

“If you are the dealer I’m out of the game” from “You Want It Darker,” You Want It Darker Even leading up to his death, Cohen appeared in full control of his image and of the imminent approach of the end of his life. In the months that directly preceded his passing, he curated content which seemed to foreshadow his coming death. His final album, You Want It Darker, which came out less than a month before he passed away, feels calculated. It echoes his own prediction that he would follow his former lover, Marianne Ihlen, into death.

This image, projected in the months leading up to November, is one of the many personas Cohen conveyed to the public in his life. But in death, he no longer has control over the new renderings of his character, which seem to be cropping up all over.

In the past year, two separate murals of Cohen have gone up in Montreal, and in this coming month, both an homage concert to the singer-songwriter and a Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montréal (MAC) exhibition will take place. Both events feature artists’ takes on Cohen in the form of song and other multimedia art installations.

Kara Blake, a Montreal director, editor, and compositor, is one of the artists whose work is included in the MAC’s upcoming exhibition, Une brèche en toute chose/A Crack in Everything.

Her installation piece, The Offerings, which she describes as a deconstructed documentary, is made up of various archival images and clips of Cohen throughout the years projected onto five screens.

“I wanted to make a piece that was Cohen on Cohen basically,” Blake said. “The through line is his voice in collected and edited together bits from many different interviews over his career, and then I sort of illustrated what he’s talking about with various visuals of him from TV and film and also there’s a number of images of his writing [from the University of Toronto’s Rare Books collection].”

Although Blake’s piece uses Cohen’s words and voice, it still projects a vision of the icon specific to the artist through editing and the superimposition of visuals: A new Cohen persona which belongs to Blake.

“He had that certain something from a very early age where he felt he was going to leave the world with something,” Blake said. “And I definitely think he has.

My piece [tries] to collect some of these gifts that he’s left us with in these various formats his words, his music, his writing.”

While Blake views her project and the MAC exhibition as a whole as a celebration of Cohen’s legacy, Ravvin does not view such posthumous projects in a favourable light.

“McClelland & Stewart has [the rights] to the books, but [not] the records,” Ravvin said. “But if they can make the collection of poetry include the lyrics, which they’ve increasingly done, [...] they introduce a whole new audience for their books who wouldn’t necessarily otherwise read Cohen’s poetry. I kind of resent it. I don’t view it as anything realistic in an audience, it’s something that a publisher creates as a mark. And I don’t know if it’s been successful, and I don’t know if readers when they pick up these ‘Collected Works’ whether they really care [....] The thing becomes a vaguer project in some way.”

Over the course of his career Leonard Cohen presented different facets of his personality and creativity to the public. From a semi-conforming modernist poet to an indecisive but iconic singer-songwriter, there is no single Cohen image. However, despite carefully curating the persona he projected in his lifetime and particularly in the months leading up to his death, Cohen no longer has any control over his public profile. Instead, stakeholders such as artists and commercial representatives now control a large part of Cohen’s contemporary perception.

10 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Feminism, lesbianism, artistry, and activism ‘lesbian ARTivism: current realities’ showcases the queer artists fighting for social change Kevin Vogel Contributor The film lesbian ARTivism: current realities is a frank documentary that showcases the experiences of a variety of lesbian artists from around the world. On Oct. 24, at Maison de la culture du Plateau MontRoyal, the film premiered to an audience including director kimura byol-nathalie lemoine, producer Johanne Coulombe, and many of the artists who appeared in the film.

In the summer of 2016, the University of Ottawa hosted a conference bringing together lesbian artists from a range of professions, age groups, and nationalities. The symposium specifically focused lectures and seminars on the role of lesbian “artivists”—activists who use various art forms as their medium to advocate for change—within the contexts of globalization and intersectionality.

The documentary touched on themes ranging from questions of self-representation and archiving, to the nature of art as a means to advocate for lesbian issues. In each section, snippets from some of the conference’s speakers are shown in a talking-head style.

Coulombe, one of the head organizers of the conference and a producer of ARTivism,

decided to record the event and tasked kimura-lemoine with editing the compiled footage.

Coulombe pursued the project as a means to bring visibility to gay artists.

“We [lesbian activists] work hard but are not seen or heard,” kimura-lemoine said.

ARTivism was made to get a message out. Through an artistic lens, Coulombe and kimura-lemoine tell viewers a story of lesbian empowerment and self determination.

Despite its empowering message, ARTivism falls prey to the faults of many other independent movies lacking in big studio budgets. Transitions are repeatedly cut-and-dry, and the film lacks a unifying narrative from start to finish. This speaks to a broader lack of funding that queer and activist filmmakers face. After seeing it in its entirety, one can appreciate the documentary for its content and overarching message about the diversity within lesbian movements, regardless of its cut-and-dry format.

ARTivism sheds light on the opinions of a diverse cast of lesbian activists and the work that they do. From a young woman describing her queer experiences intersecting with her Indigenous identity, to the older symposium participants detailing their time coming out

in the 1960’s and 70’s, kimura-lemoine does an excellent job compiling the wide array of topics into accessible, bite-sized formats. Zer organization of the documentary proves how individuals formulate incredibly different views about what it means to be a lesbian and what they should do in terms of activism.

“For me, my part [in making this film],

was to [make sure that] everyone, every age, would be represented across all types of disciplines,” kimura-lemoine said.

ARTivism serves as an overview of this wider population. kimura-lemoine and Coulombe’s work is as a rousing addition to the greater narrative of marginalized peoples around the world.

ARTivism forefronts the social justice potential of art. (Emma Hameau / The McGill Tribune)

Artist Profile: Nicholas Krywucki is making lanes in Montreal comedy Nick K sheds light on the ups and downs of life as a student comedian

Virginia Shram Staff Writer

Nick K spoke to The McGill Tribune about the student comedian experience. (Fiona Khan / The McGill Tribune)

Nicholas Krywucki, known onstage as Nick K, has quickly identified himself as an emerging figure in the Montreal standup comedy scene. Wearing a baggy green sweatshirt, his floppy blond hair brushed out of his eyes, Krywucki’s posture is unassuming. As he steps on stage he nonchalantly adjusts the microphone and slides into his opening line with a soft voice reminiscent of Bo Burnham— though if pressed, he would say

his favourite comedian is Doug Stanhope. An American attending McGill for its psychology program, his ability to read people serves him well in class as well as onstage.

Despite dedicating himself to comedy only this past summer, he has since performed at the Open Air Pub comedy show at McGill, and started The Dropout! Show, a weekly student-focused standup night at the ComedyWorks stage on Bishop Street. Although the structure of the show varies depending on performers’ schedules, both professional and

academic, the Dropout! shows take place every Thursday night through to December.

A newcomer to comedy, Krywucki is sympathetic to students looking to develop their skills.

“It’s really hard to do your first [show],” Krywucki said.

“Before I went away for the summer I went to an open mic and I didn’t go up because I was too nervous. You get there and it’s so scary. A lot of it is based on how memorable your first experience is. My first experience wasn’t that big of a deal to me. It was brutal,

but there were like three people that paid attention, so it was just something that was easy to shrug off.”

Krywucki’s shy confidence pays off when it comes to the deliberate wit of his jokes. His favourite one-liner? “Have you heard the one about the depressed comic? I know my therapist has.”

But while his jokes may lean toward dark humour, he prefers to draw from his personal life than indulge in the ubiquitous disdain for current American politics.

“I just don’t think [it’s] that funny. It’s too easy. A Donald Trump tweet is funnier than anything I could say about a Donald Trump tweet. If you’re a talk show host then it’s different, because you have a guest, and you have a whole working staff with everyone’s angles.”

For students who love a cheap night out, a local standup show filled with half a dozen performers provides ideal entertainment. Krywucki is even setting up a students-only free comedy night at Gerts before the semester’s end; details will be available once he finalizes the event and passes his looming midterms.

Even though doing a first set for a live audience may feel excruciating, Krywucki still says it’s the way to get critical exposure and practice.

“You have to just do it,” Krywucki said. “Some people are not confident or overconfident but you just have to find your own confidence level. There’s nothing wrong with doing it once and that’s it.”

Some locations have ideal audiences for first-timers, such as Saint-Laurent’s Art Loft, which hosts informal shows weekly. Due to its kitschy decor of mismatched sofas in a semi-circle around an askew mic stand and its BYOB policy, the venue has a perfectly laid-back energy.

One of Krywucki’s earliest shows was at Saint-Laurent’s Art Loft.

“I had this moment walking along St. Laurent on the way [...]”

Krywucki said. “I had never done this joke, and it’s a seven minute set—the longest I’ve ever done, I look down at my paper... I don’t know what it says, because I’m super drunk. I just cram it into my pocket and they tell me I’m going first, and there was a huge crowd that night. But it ended up [being] a super memorable set.”

Since then, Krywucki has quickly established himself on stage and as the producer of recurring shows at McGill and in greater Montreal. It’s hard to believe he was once so nervous, but if his success is any indication of his honesty, you’ve got to believe him.

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

11 STUDENT LIVING

Montreal ranked ‘best beer city’ in Canada

The McGill Tribune reviews the top three breweries in Montreal

By Audrey Carleton, Marie Labrosse, Emma Carr, & Grace Bahler Managing Editor, Features Editor, Staff Writer, & Student Living Editor If there’s one thing Montreal is known for, it’s the town’s bustling party scene. So when travel agency Expedia recently rated cities across Canada for their local beer, it came as no surprise that Montreal topped the list. The McGill Tribune took a look into this rating by exploring three of the best local breweries—two recommended from Expedia’s list—outside of the McGill bubble.

Dieu du Ciel!

Brasserie Harricana Lines start forming outside Dieu du Ciel! well before happy hour, This quaint Jean-Talon spot exudes sophistication. With and upon entering, it’s easy to see why. This trendy neighbourhood millennial-pink tiling, gold-handled taps, and brown and white institution has been serving beer to Mile End residents since 1998. On accents throughout the space, Harricana’s defining trait is its aesthetic. the outside, it looks like your run-of-the-mill gastropub with its modest As large front windows welcome rays of light onto short round design, crowded tables, and dim mood lighting. However, there’s tables, Harricana feels more like a tea room in Cuba than a Little Italy a lot more to Dieu du Ciel! than meets the eye. Its in-house brews brewery. Its selection of beers—showcased in large metal cylinders experiment with audacious flavour combinations that incorporate through clear glass windows behind the bar—is extensive, and can less traditional tastes, such as peach, caramel, and hibiscus. For the be ordered in three glass sizes. For those interested in tasting a wide beer skeptic, we recommend any of the bar’s fruit-infused beers. Été selection of their brews, made on location, we recommend purchasing Indien, a sour mango beer, and Solstice d’Été aux Prunes, a sour prune multiple 5 oz. drinks. The four of us tasted a succession of beers beer, both pack a punch; the strong citrus notes counter the bitterness varying in strength and colour. The Blonde Funky, a derivative of of traditional brews. Route des Épice, a rye beer with peppercorn, is a typical blonde beer, satisfies with sour corners and wild hues. Le another adventurous pick, but not nearly as rewarding. The pepper Rosé Cidre proved to be another strong choice. An amalgamation of taste is overpowering, making this beer good for a sip, but not for a wine and beer’s best traits, it’s both tart and foamy, with the distinct sweetness of any rosé. But be warned: The size of these drinks makes All three bars offered convenient and tasty 5 oz. glasses. whole glass. Nonetheless, Dieu du Ciel!’s unorthodox offerings and them easy to knock back in a few gulps if you’re not careful.

(Marie Labrosse / The McGill Tribune) eclectic selection make it well worth the trip up Boulevard SaintLaurent.

Vices & Versa A self-described “friendly bistro” nestled in the heart of Little Italy, Vices & Versa is a welcoming shelter from biting autumnal winds. This brewpub prides itself on its selection of 35 tap beers made in microbreweries across Quebec, which patrons can enjoy in both a 5 oz. tasting format as well as in traditional pint and pitcher sizes. Vices & Versa also serves other alcoholic beverages among an extensive list of snack food options. The beer choices are inscribed on a chalkboard which, while quaint, is difficult to read and makes choosing a drink a bit more difficult. We opted for the Gaélique Cream Ale, the Ginger Beer au Curcuma, the Motel Coconut, and the 26 Brown Ale. Our beers were unpretentious—good, but certainly nothing out of the ordinary—with the notable exception of the ginger beer, which was a zesty surprise for the four of us.

Pro tip: Follow up your beer tasting with a piping hot pupusa—a Salvadoran stuffed tortilla—from Sabor Latino Andes farther up Dieu du Ciel! offers a quirky selection of fruit-infused beers.

Montreal’s got a lot of on-tap potential. (Marie Labrosse / The McGill Tribune) Boulevard Saint-Laurent.

(Audrey Carleton / The McGill Tribune)

The mental health benefits of being organized How taking small steps now can lead to less stress later

Nina Russell Contributor Continued from page 1.

The simple act of clearing a workspace may prove beneficial when studying.

For many students, however, the issue is deeper than decluttering; it’s finding the time to stay organized given McGill’s academic demands.

Cleaning out a closet with three midterms and two essays due the next week can feel like a waste of time and energy, and isn’t always possible. But even the smallest actions can have powerful effects on mental health, making them worth the effort in the long run.

Although students have their own selfcare routines, organization can be a simple way to maintain a healthy headspace. To Darian Mavandad, U0 Arts, organization is bliss. “[Being organized] relaxes me,” Mavandad said. “Being able to come home and having a clear desk where I can put my things down and begin my work is the most important thing. I’m always at ease when my room is clean.”

Staying organized can also help to ease the anxiety that those who aren’t as organized may

(Daria Kiseleva / The McGill Tribune)

feel. Traits such as lateness, unresponsiveness to texts or emails, and messiness are all socially stigmatized. This creates a fear of peer judgement in those who struggle with these realms.

This is true for Emma Orazietti, U0 Arts, who worries that qualities associated with disorganization affect how others—particularly employers and professors—view her. “[Being disorganized] absolutely has a negative impact on people’s perception of me,” Orazietti said. “No one wants to be thought of as lazy and disorganized, but that’s how it looks to the outside world.”

For students who consistently find themselves disorganized, there are tools that can make tidying up feel like less of a chore and more like an act of self-care. Apps such as 24me, a virtual personal assistant, and Evernote, which can be used to take notes and sync to-do lists across different devices, can help students organize their lives and manage their time, reducing stress levels.

Of course, having a consistently-tidy desk and healthy meals lined up days in advance isn’t always possible. For some students, it’s just not realistic.

But by starting with small actions, such as creating to-do lists, students can decrease their stress levels and spike their productivity in the long run.

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

STUDENT LIVING 12

Conscious clothing: Ethical fashion in Montreal How to shop without breaking the bank or your moral codes Leyla Moy Contributor Many students know about Nike’s use of sweatshop labour, but when it comes to the brands they love, the desire to buy comfortable, trendy athletic wear tends to trump the desire to shop with a guilt-free conscience.

Consumers share a sense of collective denial of their influence on the deeply flawed world of fashion, believing that they, as individuals, cannot change the larger system, and thus changing their shopping behaviour will have little effect.

Teen Vogue reported in July that fastfashion brands, such as Zara, H&M, and ASOS, sourced materials from factories that were polluting local waterways and emitting noxious gases in their production of viscose, a silk lookalike that is cheaper to produce.

The quickly-changing tides of consumer taste in fast fashion have led to an irresponsible consumption culture; trends fade too fast for brands to keep up while sourcing sustainably and employing fair labour practices.

“When most people shop, […] they don’t really reflect on what they buy,” Marine Trouillez, U1 Management and fashion devotee, said. “Fashion changes so quickly that it’s just thrown away.”

To alleviate their contributions to the issue, mass-market labels are quick to jump on what has become a trendy ethical bandwagon.

H&M now places garment collection boxes in

Ethical shopping doesn’t have to break the bank.

(Taja De Silva / The McGill Tribune)

stores for a ‘take-back’ recycling program and releases a recycled denim collection annually.

Yet, despite the troubling influence of fast fashion, there is promise for change in Montreal’s local-clothing scene. Montrealnative Genevieve Paquette founded Kazak, an ethical clothing and accessory line, after a trip to Mongolia where she encountered Kazakh horsemen and was inspired by their hats. The project quickly evolved into Les Coureurs de Jupons, a storefront that showcases 110 local designers. Paquette uses material from couch companies that would otherwise be thrown away and produces her designs locally, reducing emissions from transportation. For Paquette, a local focus is key for both the brand’s sustainability and its heart. “[I] relate to the people in my store and my neighbourhood,” Paquette said. “I know them, and that keeps me [...] grounded to the people around me, grounded to my customers.”

This personal connection between designer and customer contrasts the impersonality of global mass-market brands lining SainteCatherine street. In Paquette’s eyes, connecting her brand to her customers was crucial to opening up a dialogue. In understanding materials, production, and inspiration, shoppers learn the story behind their clothes.

OÖM is another Montreal-based clothing store that focuses on its environmental footprint; it places a focus on sustainable textiles, such as organic cotton, hemp, recycled polyester, and flax.

Larger brands founded on the principles

of sustainability and ethical production have also emerged worldwide. Everlane and Reformation bring simplicity and slickness to a predominantly-online consumer base while providing the total cost of production and environmental impact—including pounds of waste, gallons of water, and CO2 emission levels—of every item on sale.

The cost of purchasing new ethicallysourced and fair-trade clothes can stretch a student’s budget. But it’s still possible to subvert the fast-fashion buying cycle; Montreal is home to several stores that are kind to students’ wallets and consciences. Perusing the city’s many thrift shops is one way to add highquality used pieces to a wardrobe while staying budget-conscious. Another option is simply cutting down on consumption and assembling a workable capsule wardrobe of a small number of versatile essentials to mix and match for any situation.

“Since I became more aware of fast fashion [and its downsides], I’ve definitely shopped less,” Chelsea Jang, U0 Arts, said.

“When I do buy something, 99 per cent of the time it’s something I love wearing and […] am proud to wear.”

Interrupting the vicious cycle of cheap production and high turnover can change consumers’ mindsets around clothes as well.

Students have the power to combat the idea that clothing is disposable; whether that means capping consumption, recycling used pieces, or supporting more responsible brands, valuing where clothes come from will go a long way.

TEDxMontrealWomen built bridges and broke barriers Annual conference gathered Canadian thinkers, innovators, and activists

Emma Carr Staff Writer On Nov. 5, Théâtre SaintDenis hosted the fourth annual TEDxMontrealWomen conference, to bring together feminist minds.

Since 2013, the independent, volunteer-led conference has presented innovative solutions for emerging social, political, and scientific problems to Montrealers.

Predominantly organized by women, the event provides a platform for the work of emerging feminist thinkers. This year’s conference featured 18 speakers, including doctors, musicians, and activists.

Presentations ranged from musical inspiration to indigenous rights, with the theme of ‘bridges’ linking them all together.

Each speaker’s unique interpretation of ‘bridges’ was shaped by their work and individual

experiences. The focus primarily stayed on physical and metaphorical links currently shaping society at global and local levels. The program noted that building bridges is important because they can provide connections across people of different races, ethnicities, and backgrounds.

Saima Shah, a clinical hypnotherapist and expert on the workings of the subconscious mind, spoke about challenging one’s limits. She prompted the audience to understand their subconscious by addressing their fears and anxieties. “[I was attracted to participating in the conference] because of the theme, ‘bridges,’” Shah said in an interview with The McGill Tribune.

“Bridges to the conscious mind [and] the subconscious mind [....]

Connecting to ourselves helps us to connect to the rest of the world as well. I was very intrigued by the theme, and I thought it was perfect.”

Rachel Kiddell-Monroe, a human rights activist, presented on civil society’s role in determining a nation’s prosperity and conflict level.

For her, the TEDxMontrealWomen conference highlights the unique perspective women bring to global conversations. She was drawn to the event for this reason.

“Women have a very particular message to give, and a very particular approach to trying to reach out to people,” Kiddell-Monroe said in an interview with the Tribune. “I think that the attitude that we have as women and the talent, and the voice that we can bring into this is going to be very important, so it’s really great that this is a forum for that voice to be heard.”

Kiddell-Monroe explained that by featuring femme speakers, the conference and its organizers are able to inspire those passionate about helping others to become activists. In her talk, she shared her experience working with marginalized groups in Indonesia and Rwanda, and encouraged listeners to be more inclusive toward others. “[Empathy] really has an impact on people’s lives,” Kiddell-Monroe told the Tribune. “The ripples of those acts can really affect policy and how people are thinking, and it creates a shift in society. I want to use my firsthand experience and try to get that

This year’s conference theme was ‘bridges.’ (Audrey Carleton / The McGill Tribune) message out to make people feel that there is more than they [can] do.”

Other speakers, such as Carol Devine, an environmental activist and McGill alumna, addressed the need to understand the ties between human activity and its direct consequences on the environment. Devine spoke about her research in Antarctica, which influenced her to consider the environmental impact of plastic pollution on endangered ecosystems.

“I’m talking about marine debris,” Devine said in an interview with the Tribune. “[I became interested in [this area of study] when I led this clean-up expedition in Antarctica, and there was a lot of land pollution, and that was 20 years

ago. Our understanding about how our world interweave is growing and growing, and [it’s becoming increasingly clear] we need to get a grip on our fossil fuel consumption.”

Even though presenters interpreted the theme in a variety of ways, the takeaway of the conference was that ‘bridges’ are powerful tools for understanding the world around us and tackling the problems faced by younger generations. “[With] fences people suffer more than ever, so we need bridges, physical bridges and metaphorical bridges between peoples,” Devine said. “We are more similar than we think and what’s different is not going to kill us.”

13 science & technology

Tuesday, November 7 , 2017

Just keep swimming… or not The absence of male contraceptives is not due to a lack of research, but a lack of demand Gwenyth Wren Contributor Men and women are both responsible for pregnancy; yet, the burden of preventing it often falls on women.

The fact that most types of birth control are made for women creates this discrepancy, as men don’t have the same selection of methods: Female birth control includes hormone injections, morning after pills, Intrautrine Devices (IUDs), female condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps, implants, vaginal rings, vaginal sponges, and contraceptive pills.

On the other hand, men have two forms of birth control to choose from: Condoms or a vasectomy. However, the male birth control pill could potentially become a reality.

Researchers at Michigan State University have been using gene editing technology CRISPR/Cas9 to block the gene that controls sperm production in mice. This process, has proven successful thus far. Chen Chen, an assistant professor in animal science at Michigan State University, believes his team’s discovery is the first step of many toward creating effective male birth control that can block the expression of the sperm gene in humans, called PNLDC1.

This genetic editing technology completely stopped the PNLCD1 expression in male mice, thus rendering them infertile. In mice, the sterilization was permanent; however, the researchers hope to create a birth control that will temporarily block sperm production.

However promising this research may seem, the reality is that scientists and researchers have been a few years away from male contraceptive pill for decades. Gregory Pincus, who co-invented female oral contraceptive, tested the same hormonal approach on men in 1957. Since then, multiple studies, trials,

experiments, and findings regarding the research and development of a male contraceptive pill have been conducted.

The Journal of Sex Research published a study by Sanford A. Weinstein and Gloria Goebel in 1979 discussing the plausibility of a male contraceptive. “[Now] a contraceptive pill for males appears to be within the reach of biochemical science,” the study noted.

A McGill PhD candidate in Pharmacology, Thomas Nardelli, explains that the lack of funding is not to blame for the lack of male contraceptives.

“It is wrong to say money has not been invested in this field of research,” Nardelli

explained. “[Research on male contraception] has traditionally been funded by many grants from funding agencies.”

Pharmaceutical companies have been reluctant to venture into the male contraceptive market. Clinical trials for the male birth control pill have never moved past initial phases of testing. This reluctance comes from the nature of the medication, as pharmaceutical companies view investment in male birth control as a financial risk due to a lack of demand from men.

For one, side effects of birth control have dissuaded men from taking contraceptives.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism in 2008 conducted a test of the effectiveness of a male

Male birth control could be produced in the future, with demand from willing men. (Gal Sandaev / The McGill Tribune)

hormonal contraceptive shot.

The study cited that many men pulled out— pun intended—early because they could not handle the side effects of the birth control: Acne, mood swings, and depression. While women’s birth control also causes a litany of side effects, they are viewed as an acceptable norm.

Some believe that the lack of male birth control has nothing to do with science. AustrianAmerican scientist Carl Djerassi, otherwise known as the father of the female pill, spoke to this topic in an interview in 2014.

“This resistance has nothing to do with science. We know exactly how to develop the male pill,” Djerassi said. “But there’s not a single pharmaceutical company who will touch it for economic and socio-political, rather than scientific, reasons.”

However, it would be unreasonable to blame the lack of male contraceptive options solely on society. According to Nardelli, female hormonal birth control is easier to develop than male.

“Traditional hormone therapies used in women do not work as well in men,” Nardelli said. “In women, during pregnancy, hormones are produced to stop ovulation. The female birth control pill contains these hormones to block further ovulation. A similar process does not exist in men as they continuously produce sperm throughout their lives.”

It would require more trials, research, and effort to develop male birth control. The lack of effort into the development is where socioeconomic factors come into play.

Asking a few male McGill students about male contraceptives produced a general consensus of passivity and indifference. Male birth control is not viewed as a need, and thus male birth control will remain the same as it has since 1957—a great, broken, promise.

A difficult transition into the adult care of chronic conditions McGill study highlights inadequacies in transitional care policy for type 1 diabetics Kate Lord Staff Writer Anyone who has ever been a first year in university can remember how overwhelming it can be at times: Navigating campus, taking on large course loads, making new friends, and perhaps even living away from home.

Eighteen-year-old freshmen who live with a chronic illness, like type 1 diabetes, face the struggles that come with taking on the full weight of illness management on top of these adult responsibilities—as the Quebec health system pushes them out of pediatric care into adult care.

“What ends up happening is that during this transition period, [patients] have all these other competing interests where type 1 diabetes may not be as much of a priority,” Meranda Nakhla, a pediatric endocrinologist at the McGill University Health Clinic (MUHC) and an assistant professor in McGill’s Pediatrics Department, said. “As a result, we know that attention to self-management, which is really critical for type 1 diabetes, tends to deteriorate during this time.”

Type 1 diabetes is a disease in which the beta cells of the pancreas are attacked

by the immune system, resulting in little or no insulin being produced. Insulin is the hormone necessary for converting the glucose—or sugar—you eat into energy your body requires for survival, and the lack thereof poses serious health problems. Since the disease typically begins in children and young adults and has no known cure, many patients will face a lifetime of daily insulin injections and careful diet management to stay healthy.

On top of the demanding lifestyle of a typical university student, students living with a chronic condition must constantly manage and monitor their health.

The competing priorities of a growing adolescent with type 1 diabetes are important to consider when developing a system of care for these patients.

However, a recent study conducted by the MUHC sheds light on the gaps in transitional care between pediatric and adult health services in Quebec. The research found that health care providers lacked understanding of this vulnerable period. Additionally, the substantial differences in the type of care received by pediatric patients compared to adult patients only compounds these stresses.

“Stereotypically, in pediatric care, we do a lot of handholding, walking [the patient] through the steps and don’t prepare them well enough for adult care,” Nakhla said. “As they enter into adult care when they turn 18, […] there’s an expectation that they’re fully autonomous and should be able to take care of all aspects of their life [….] So if you don’t show up to your appointments, then you don’t show up and no one will chase you, like we do in pediatric care. Nobody’s going to make sure that you’re getting your prescriptions.”

Of course, not only type 1 diabetics face such challenges.

“It’s an important issue for anyone [with a] childhood onset chronic disease where there needs to be some sort of transition care provided in pediatric care,” Nekhla said.

While research thus far has focused on highlighting this policy issue, attention is now targeting specific measures which could improve the experiences of patients under standardized transitional care policies in Quebec.

“Actual interventions, whether you’re doing [an] adult clinic [or] peer support group, […] need to go through more of

a rigorous evaluation to see how that can affect outcomes when emerging adults get transferred to adult care,” Nekhla said.

“That’s the next step in what we can do to improve the process.”

The transition from adolescence to adulthood is difficult enough on its own, let alone facing this change with a chronic illness and inadequate care.

(Madeline Kinney / The McGill Tribune)

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

science & technology 14

Print in 3D? Easy as 1-2-3

How 3D printing works and what you need to do to use McGill’s printing resources Oceane Marescal Staff Writer For many, 3D printing seems futuristic and inaccessible.

However, in reality 3D printing is easy, available, and relatively cheap. Those looking to get involved need look no further than right here at McGill.

Christophe Paganon is one of four board members of the McGill 3D Printing Design Team (M3DP) and has been involved with “everything 3D printing” at McGill for the past two years. He explained the different aspects of his club, as well as how McGill students can get started in the growing and exciting field of 3D printing.

The first responsibility of the M3DP Design Team is competition. According to Paganon, members of the team compete in online 3D modelling challenges where they create computer aided design (CAD) for various objects, which can range from jewelry to GoPro mounts.

The innovation lab—a mix of open projects and student initiatives—is the club’s second area of interest.

“This [lab] is [for] more open projects,” Paganon said. [If] a student has an innovative initiative, something they want to build [using] 3D printing, we facilitate this.

We have four or five projects this year. We are making a prosthetic hand for a student at McGill. That’s the project I am working on.”

The club also hopes to make 3D printing more sustainable by using recycled plastic bottles to make 3D printer filament, the material used for printing.

The club has also partnered with the Redpath Museum for the past three years to scan artifacts from the museum.

The scans are then used to make a digital museum where you can view models of fossils, rotate them, and look into them. The project is still in the works, but the club hopes the digital museum will be accessible online sometime in the near future.

For students who want to try their hand at 3D printing,

there are plenty of resources at McGill to get started. The first thing to learn is how to use CAD software. CAD software creates a 3D model, which can then be used by the printer to create the object of interest. M3DP offers CAD training classes—starting at the beginning of next semester.

Once students familiarize themselves with CAD, 3D printing at McGill is actually quite accessible.

“It’s crazy how available 3D printing is at McGill and people don’t actually know about it,” Paganon said.

McGill students and faculty have access to 3D printers and scanners in the McLennan Library Research Commons, Room B. Users need only complete a short training session, create an account, and reserve a time prior to printing.

Chantal Petgrave, a 3D printing peer tutor, described the training sessions and gave some words of reassurance for beginners. Tutors guide inexperienced students through useful tutorial websites, among other tools. “[We] explain how to book [printers] and how to use our software in order to ready the designs for printing [...] as well as how to pay for prints and what to do in case a print fails,” Petgrave said. “[Beginners] do not have to worry because we have 3D printing peer tutors who are here to help.”

Another easy way to get involved is through The Cube, McGill’s largest operating 3D printing service run by the Engineering Undergraduate Society. Anna Henley, manager of this service, claims that The Cube differs from other 3D printing options on campus because of its quality customer service.

“Our techs are quite experienced, and we provide a bunch of ways for students who are inexperienced and unsure about a design to seek advice,” Henley said.

The Cube helps prepare users who don’t know how to use CAD software with a mentor to help make their ideas a reality.

Henley has seen a variety of “cool prints” at The

3D printing is easy and accessable at McGill if you know where to look.

(Summer Liu / The McGill Tribune) Cube since its foundation in 2015. These prints include anatomical models of hearts that can be taken apart into sections, and a model of a brain for which the model was constructed from an actual patient scan. Right now, The Cube is working on printing keychains for various student groups.

Whether it be a prosthetic hand or a heart replica, the possibilities for 3D models are endless. All one has to do is get involved, get excited, and get printing!

Daylight savings time flourishes retail industries How having a longer day can impact both human health and industry Sam Min Staff Writer On Nov. 5, Daylight Saving Time (DST) ended, and we were gifted with an extra hour of sleep. 2 a.m. reverted back to 1 a.m., and clocks were changed.

Benjamin Franklin first suggested the idea of implementing DST in 1784, joking that extended daylight would save candles. He also found several people around him sleeping and waking up late. Franklin speculated how much more productive people would be if the local time were to be set one hour ahead of Standard Time, forcing everyone to wake up early and thereby ‘saving candles.’

George Vernon Hudson, a New-Zealand astronomer, officially proposed DST for the first time in 1895. Then, golfer William Willet supported DST, which would reward him with an extra hour of golf after work. Up until his death in 1915, Willet lobbied the House of Commons for DST, but to no avail.

Germany and Austria were the first countries to opt for DST in 1916. Soon after its implementation in 1916, support for DST spread across Europe. The United States followed suit in 1918 to conserve electricity during World War I. After the world wars ended, DST fell from federal to state jurisdiction. Some neighbouring states follow different time systems. Although these were the first countries to implement DST, the people of modern day Thunder Bay in Ontario turned their clocks back in 1908.

day, studies argue that DST does not actually reduce energy consumption. According to Michael Downing, lecturer in the Department of English at Tufts University and author of Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time, an extra hour of daylight from DST would allow consumers to spend more time outside by shopping, driving, or even honing their golf skills.

“This change was spurred by a large number of lobbies: golf and golf equipment, home improvement, the Hearth, Patio and Barbeque Association and the gas and fuel industries, which saw a potential boon to their sales,” Downing said in an interview at Tufts University.

As people spend more time outside in daylight, they could negate the reduced cost of energy from fewer hours of indoor lighting.

The sweeping momentum for DST laid out by the retail industries led to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 in the United States, which extended DST to eight months from seven. Candy retailers also lobbied for a DST extension by giving out Halloween candies to every senator to extend DST to the first week of November.

DST spans from the second week of March Daylight savings does more than extend the hours of sunlight during the day. (Ceci Steyn / The McGill Tribune) until the first week of November, leaving us with However, DST affects our lives beyond the of sleep. According to a study completed at the eight months of DST and four months of Standard extra hour. Some studies show that workplace University of Colorado, the incidence of traffic Time. Students should take advantage of the hour productivity diminishes significantly for an entire accidents increases by 17 per cent on the Monday gained over the next week, and work on adjusting week after DST has begun, because workers after DST. Despite these burdens, DST has now to the time difference. The aforementioned lose one hour of sleep. The number of admitted been implemented in 76 countries around the studies show health risks from the one-hour sleep deprivation, and the harms could be prevented if patients for heart attacks has also been known to world.

Furthermore, despite having a longer we applied DST all year round. spike during DST shifts, linked loosely to a lack

SPORTS 15

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

In conversation with Rich Clune

The hockey vet speaks about mental health in hockey and university Wasif Husain Staff Writer Hockey players are, in a word, tough; they’re willing to risk their bodies and overcome injuries in the name of the sport.

As a result, the general public rarely associates mental health struggles with hockey players, nor athletes in general.

Rich Clune, who grew up playing hockey in the era of the ‘suck it up’ philosophy, is a professional hockey player from Toronto who has spent the last decade between the National Hockey League (NHL) and the American Hockey League (AHL), playing for teams such as the Los Angeles Kings, the Nashville Predators, and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has openly discussed his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction and mental health since he became sober in May 2010. He sat down with The McGill Tribune to discuss the changing culture around mental health in hockey and in university, and what can be done to further support people struggling with these issues.

“I think there [has] always been a misconception about what’s talked [about] in the dressing room,” Clune said. “[But] it’s improving. Hockey players care about each other.”

Nearly five years ago, the NHL launched a program called “Hockey Talks,” which has created many new avenues for the open discussion of mental health. The program started in 2013 after the tragic passing of hockey player Rick Rypien, a fan favourite in Vancouver who took his life after suffering from clinical depression. It started the conversation about mental health issues in hockey. “[Rypien’s tragic passing] was eye-

After five seasons in the NHL, Rich Clune plays for the Toronto Marlies while working with mental health organizations. (theleafsnation.com) opening, [...] essentially an alpha male, suffering from these mental health issues,” Clune said. “[The] perception of tough guys and fighters was so much different and it surprised many [that] these guys can have these problems.”

To help athletes struggling with mental health issues, and to reduce the likelihood that others develop them in the future, steps must be taken to educate people on mental health—especially for the sake of younger athletes who may feel that they they can’t discuss their problems. If they are struggling, players shouldn’t be compelled to hide it.

“Kids will see it’s okay to talk about the issues,” Clune said. “The more they can get coaches and parents to talk about these issues, the better it will be at the

minor level.”

To combat mental illness, it’s vital that informative resources are available.

They help give people the confidence they need to feel comfortable discussing their mental health and the skills needed to protect their loved ones.

“We have to educate people on what is going on,” Clune said. “If you can look at the symptoms and recognize them, we can be proactive about the issues and be wellequipped to try and handle the situation.”

Of course, mental health doesn’t just affect hockey players. Clune also addressed the importance of education and how mental health issues can affect students, and provided guidance for afflicted students.

“Education is a big part of the fam-

ily,” Clune said. “I know students have a lot riding on school, whether it be parents [paying] tuition or [if] you have a scholarship. [Students] have to be world beaters.

It’s okay to ask for help. There is a lot of strength in that. Take advantage of counsellors. Take a break if need be. If you look someone in the eye and tell them you have a problem, you would be hard-pressed to find someone who would look down on you.”

University is a difficult balancing act, and many students find themselves overwhelmed, struggling with the apparent either-or choice between extracurricular activities and academic pursuits. Still, Clune believes that students should make these difficult decisions with serious consideration of their own health.

“I know how hard it is to balance school, social life, and going out,” Clune said. “Your mental health should be [a] priority and if you have to cut back on something, it’s okay.”

Clune has become an inspiration for the hockey community and remains extremely involved in several capacities, all while playing in the AHL: In his spare time, he works with organizations such as the Canadian Mental Health Association and SickNotWeak, while also volunteering as a counsellor for recovering addicts at the Renascent Treatment Centre.

He left the conversation with one lasting mantra—for athletes and students alike—to follow and apply themselves in tough situations.

“I’m not responsible for my disease,” Clune said. “[I’m] responsible for my actions and how they can improve it. I am always willing to put in the work, [...] especially if it improves me as a person.”

From the cheap seats: Laval Rocket firing on all cylinders One simple trick for watching professional hockey at a reduced price Owen Gibbs Contributor Like millions of other Canadians, my perfect Saturday evening consists of sitting down in front of the TV and watching Hockey Night in Canada. When I decided to attend McGill, I was excited to move to the home of the oldest and most legend-

ary hockey team in history: The Montreal Canadiens. For many, there is no greater Montreal experience than to witness a match in person. Unfortunately, however, the Canadiens have some of the highest ticket prices in professional hockey. A backrow seat plus food and drinks at a game against a good team can cost upward of $100, which is completely unaffordable on a

The Laval Rocket celebrate a goal against the Belleville Senators. (habseyesontheprize.com)

student budget.

Enter the Laval Rocket.

The Rocket are the Canadiens’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, playing in the minor leagues, one tier below the National Hockey League (NHL).

This is the Rocket’s first season in Laval, since moving from St. John’s. The team serves as a place for Habs prospects, like Nikita Scherbak, to develop their skills, and for veterans to continue playing once they are no longer fit for the NHL. Last week, I ventured out to Laval and took in a match against the Toronto Marlies.

The AHL lacks star power, so game attendance was understandably low. However, this is Montreal, so the fans who did attend were passionate and enthusiastic.

They gave the arena an electric rhythm, making the game even more exciting. Even though the Rocket lost 3-0, the fans continued to cheer long after it became clear that Laval was not going to win. At many sports games, the experience is only as good as the fans—their level of enthusiasm

can make or break a game. In this case, the exuberant fans certainly made the trek worthwhile.

As for the in-arena experience, Laval has done well to create a home for the newly-relocated team. La Place Bell was built for the Rocket just prior to this season, so all facilities are brand-new and in top condition.

Everything was clean, and seats were inviting and comfortable. A number of concession stands in the lobby served a wide range of food and drinks—including poutine, sushi, and ice cream—all at strangely reasonable prices.

Sporting events are notorious for charging exorbitant amounts for concession fare, but the prices at La Place Bell were akin to those at a standard inexpensive restaurant.

There are only a few flaws with the arena: The sparsely decorated lobby and exterior give little indication that the arena houses the Laval Rocket. There is also only one entrance to the arena, which makes finding seats on the opposite side inconvenient. Ad-

ditionally, the arena is not heated, so spectators would be wise to bring a warm jacket.

Still, Laval Rocket games are very accessible to university students. My seat was just three rows behind the Rocket bench and situated near centre ice.

While this kind of seat at a Habs game would cost hundreds of dollars, I paid less than $50. All seats at La Place Bell are a reasonable distance from the ice and can be priced as low as $25. Furthermore, the arena is right next to the Montmorency metro station at the end of the Orange Line that runs through Downtown Montreal, easing transportation to Rocket games—in fact, transit from McGill downtown campus took only 45 minutes.

Overall, the Laval Rocket serve as a perfectly good entertainment alternative to the Montreal Canadiens, and they are accessible for fans of all levels.

Hockey is the most Canadian of sports, but you don’t need to slash your grocery budget to see the pros—just hop on the Métro.

16 SPORTS

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Basketball season opener ends in McGill Martlets loss

GAME REPORT

Martlets put away late by Rouge et Or in championship rematch However, fifth-year guard Frederique Potvin gave the Martlets new life with a driving layup that ended the drought. Potvin soon grabbed a crucial offensive rebound, leading to a layup by fourthyear wing Marie-Love Michel, which cut the lead to two possessions. However, with a minute to go, Laval hit a mid-range jumper, a dagger that put the game out of reach.

Following the loss, the Martlets turned their focus toward improving for future games.

“We want to make sure we take care of the little things we can control,” Potvin said. “Long and short safety, three people going to the board. And also we’ve got to hit some shots.”

McGill sank less than a third of their shots from the field, which understandably frustrated the team.

“We’ve got to stop settling for shots.” Kiss-Rusk said. “We were settling for some tough ones at times, which obviously makes it harder for them to go in.”

Despite the pre-game banner raising ceremony, Head Coach Ryan Thorne stressed the need for the Martlets to improve every game and not rest on last year’s success.

“If we can get better every game, then what happens at the end will take care of itself.” Thorne said.

The Martlets next home game is scheduled for Nov. 18, when McGill hosts the cross-town rival Concordia Stingers.

First-year guard Kiana Scantlebury breaks away from a defender. (Gabriel Helfant / The McGill Tribune)

Ender McDuff Contributor It was an emotional start to the season: In a tough championship final rematch on Nov. 4, the McGill Martlets basketball team (0-1)—top-ranked defending national champions—fell to L’Université Laval Rouge et Or (1-0), 58-50 in their RSEQ regular season opener at Love Competition Hall. At the start of the game, the Martlets stood with their arms interlinked for the banner-raising ceremony for the prior season’s U Sports Women’s Basketball Championship—the first national championship title in team history.

Finishing with an 8-2 record, the champs looked sharp in the preseason, outscoring their opponents by more than 14 points per game. The Martlets hoped that they would not succumb to the slow start that had plagued their previous season. This would prove a dif-

ficult challenge against a Laval team looking to avenge last season’s championship loss, and fueled by a stifling full-court press.

The McGill faithful erupted early after the Martlets opened up the game’s scoring with their first shot, but poor shooting kept them from pulling away, and the lead changed 15 times during the game.

The teams stayed within five points of each other through the first half. The Martlets entered the locker room with a 29-28 advantage, propelled by 10 points and six rebounds from fifth-year centre Alex Kiss-Rusk. The third quarter saw a quicker pace and some sloppy play from both teams that ended with the Martlets still holding onto a one-point lead, 45-44.

With Kiss-Rusk on the bench to start, the Martlets’ shooting woes caught up with them in the final quarter as they were held off the scoreboard until there were only three minutes left in the game.

Laval’s lead grew to 11 points, as the Rouge et Or had McGill on the ropes.

Moment of the game

Love Competition Hall, packed with fans eager to celebrate their championship team, was quick to erupt as the Martlets won the opening tip and scored first on strong ball movement that culminated in a three-pointer by third-year guard Geraldine Cabillo-Abante.

Quotable

“Last year is last year. We aren’t trying to measure ourselves based on last year.” - McGill Head Coach Ryan Thorne

Stat corner

The Martlets couldn’t buy a bucket, shooting 17-56 from the field (30 per cent) and 4-22 from three (18 per cent).

McGill Redmen hockey restrain Ridgebacks in late-game surge McGill penalty kill holds against UOIT’s early offensive onslaught

Patrick Beacham Staff Writer On Nov. 4, the McGill Redmen (8-2-0) outlasted the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) Ridgebacks (5-2-1), 4-2, in a hockey match plagued by penalties and turnovers. While it wasn’t a dominant performance, McGill coaches were still happy with the effort that placed them atop the OUA. “Overall, it was a good team game,” Redmen Assistant Coach David Urquhart said. “We played for a solid 60 minutes, which is good to see on back-to-back nights, to not have a letdown after having a big win the night before.”

McGill’s offence was slow to start in the first two periods of the game. Finding trouble executing breakouts and generating scoring opportunities, the Redmen only scored one goal in the first period.

“Sometimes it’s [that] you get sloppy in the slot and you don’t apply the extra effort to put it behind the goalie,” third-year forward Jerome Verrier said. “Once everything [is] working, [...] you just shoot the puck and it goes in.”

To add to their uphill battle, the Redmen were frustrated by an extended string of penalties. While such a handicap usually dooms teams, McGill’s stellar penalty-kill

dug in and fended off UOIT on almost every power play.

“I can’t say that we could have done anything better than what we did defensively,” third-year defenceman Dominic Talbot-Tassi said. “We got scored on in the last [penalty kill....] Maybe we could have blocked that shot, but we played a solid game defensively.”

Once again, the Redmen strategy of attrition paid off, finally wearing the Ridgebacks down. Late in the game, McGill’s emphasis on puck control won out as they outmaneuvered UOIT with crisp tape-totape passes and took the second period 2-1.

“We’ve been working on our conditioning, we’ve been working on our battle drills and everything like that,” fifth-year forward Jan Kaminsky said. “At the end of the day, if we’re going into the second and third period [with better conditioning] than the other team, we’re gonna wear them down and see some success in the later parts of the game.”

The win placed the Redmen at the top of the OUA conference. With upcoming matches against the Laurentian Voyageurs on Nov. 10 and the Nipissing Lakers on Nov. 11, they have every intention of holding their first-place league position.

“We can beat anybody in this league, so [if we] just play our style and everything will go well,” Verrier said.

GAME REPORT

Moment of the game

With 20 seconds left in the second period, the puck zigzagged across the offensive end down to the slot, where second-year centre Alexandre Sills stuffed a one-timer in the net.

Quotable

“Usually [the referees] let us play more, but tonight they were strict and we had to adapt to it.”

- McGill third-year defenceman Dominic Talbot-Tassi on the numerous penalties on both sides

Stat corner

The Redmen and Ridgebacks took a combined 44 minutes in penalties. three (18 per cent).

Third years Christophe Lalonde and Samuel Hodhod jostle for the puck. (Hana Shiraishi / The McGill Tribune)