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News

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

3

Stephen Davis / The McGill Daily

For some suffering from eating disorders, a community cafeteria setting can provoke anxiety. But floor fellows and health professionals say this environment can help them to spot symptoms.

Eating disorders worsen in residence Cafeteria dining, independent living, and competition linked to the development of disordered eating Shannon Kiely The McGill Daily

W

hen Erica* carries her tray into the eating area of Bishop Mountain Hall residence cafeteria (BMH), she feels scrutinized by seated students. She hates the food, which she describes as baked, fried, oily, and salty, but most of all she hates that other students watch her eat it.

“When I go to the cafeteria, I feel like I’m on display. [Other students] stare at you. When you get up to leave, they take inventory of how much you’ve consumed. I try to be better than them. To deny more than they can,” she said.

Five years ago, Erica was diagnosed with perfection anxiety disorder and anorexia nervosa. Her condition improved greatly with the support of her parents and psychologist before she came to McGill, and now she blames its recent flare-up on her living conditions as a first-year student in an Upper Residence.

“I was okay at home. It was a more controllable environment, and there wasn’t the X-factor of 14 18-year-olds living with me on a floor,” she said.

According to Molson Hall floor fellow Anna Lambert – a registered nurse and upper-year student whose job is to help foster a sense of community in residence – there is at least

one student suffering from an eating disorder at every McGill residence.

In her two years as a floor fellow, Lambert has seen and heard of many students with eating disorders whose symptoms have worsened upon enrolling in residence.

“Usually they had a more supportive environment at home; parents and friends know their history and recognize their eating disorder,” said Lambert. “First year university is a fresh start, but [eating disorders] become more severe.”

Lambert also noticed a large percentage of students in residence halls with disordered eating habits, which encompasses all potentially dangerous eating patterns. She described students picking at meager portions of the cafeteria food and working out or fasting the day after binge drinking as common patterns.

On her wall in her single-room dorm, Erica charts the days she has gone without eating. Her fridge is stocked with take-away lunches and dinners from the BMH cafeteria, a compulsion she described as food hoarding.

S

usan Campbell, the manager of Food Services at BMH, explained that their menu caters to the majority of students by offering a variety of balanced food choices.

But both Campbell and BMH’s staff dietician Monique Lauzon said

that faced with so many choices, many students gain weight while living in residence.

“Students sometimes tend to overeat, students gain a little weight and that can maybe lead to compulsions,” Campbell said.

Working with a facilities that are 30-years-old, Campbell was looking forward to a renovation next year that will expand the steam table so a wider variety of hot entrees can be served.

L

ambert made a presentation to all the floor fellows in August about recognizing disordered eating patterns. She urged the group to be more observant by eating with students and making referrals to the appropriate health professionals when an unhealthy pattern is identified.

But Lambert said floor fellows and others have been without appropriate referral resources as the Eating Disorder unit at McGill Mental Health Service (MMHS) Clinic was non-operational for the past year and a half.

When Erica approached MMHS in early September with a referral from both her hometown general practitioner and psychologist they requested an additional note from her psychiatrist before scheduling an appointment. Erica will sit in her first psychiatry appointment next week,

more than two months since she walked into the clinic.

“I went [to MMHS] because I can’t do four years of not eating. Studying becomes near impossible. You eat so little that sometimes that you can’t think,” Erica said.

According to Denise Rochon, who is in charge of the MMHS eating disorder unit, they are in the process of restarting operations, but faced a rocky rebirth this year with its staff dietician on maternity leave.

Lauzon felt external psychiatric help was crucial to helping students with eating disorders.

“We are alerted by the floor fellows or the dons that a certain student is loosing a lot of weight and our red flag goes up. My implication [with those cases] is very limited because very often these students don’t want to come see us, unless they want to seek help they are more or less in denial,” Lauzon said.

I

n her clinical work with first years at MMHS, Rochon noticed a high level of competitiveness over body perfection.

“It is possible [eating disorders] will develop associated with a competition over marks – perfectionists are always looking at someone whose body is closer to perfection than one’s own – and the residence environment tends to encourage that,” she said, adding that McGill attracts per-

fectionists given its high acceptance standards for prospective students.

“I can study my ass off and still fail an exam, but I can control my eating.

It becomes a game,” Erica said.

Erica has made a deal with other first years to skip dessert and work out three times a week to slim down before returning home for Christmas vacation.

Dr. Howard Steiger, director of the eating disorder program at the Montreal Douglas Mental Health University Institute, pointed to studies that establish a link between the exacerbation or development of eating disorders and dormitory living.

“Eating disorders are activated at times of stress or when a person’s sense of control is challenged,” Steiger said. “Some students moving into dorms are not quite prepared for the transition to more independent living and becoming responsible for structuring one’s own eating for the first time.”

Steiger also cited high stress levels associated with academic performance, the discomfort of weight gain caused by binge drinking and heavy cafeteria food, competition among students for body perfection, and pressure to integrate into a new social group as potential factors that could cause disordered eating among first years in residence. *Name has been changed

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News

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

5

McGill Mental Health cleans up New director is committed to fewer pills and shorter wait-lists James Albaugh The McGill Daily

A

fter dealing with last year’s long wait-lists for counselling or psychiatric treatment at McGill Mental Health Services (MMHS), both MMHS and Headspace – a peer counselling service that engages in mental health advocacy – say the University has cleaned up its act.

MMHS is often crowded because it offers free counselling to non-Quebec residents, said Iris Erdile, a member of a McGill collective, Headspace, which provides peer counselling services and engages in mental health advocacy. Wait-lists grew even longer when the service switched clinical directors from Dr. Norman Hoffman to Dr. Robert Franck last year, said Erdile.

Franck acknowledged the urgency of student mental health issues, given the stress and rapid pace of student life.

“Even two weeks is a long time in university,” Franck said. “Our objective is to have no longer than a two week waiting period.”

Patients can wait up to six months for an appointment at mental health providers outside McGill, according to Franck. He also emphasized that

Ben Peck / The McGill Daily

students can drop in to see a psychiatrist during MMHS’s operating hours – Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. MMHS usually receives four to five individuals for drop in appointments each day. According to Franck, MMHS currently supports around 530 students with 1,300 visits each month – about 60 visits each day.

Under Franck’s directorship, MMHS tries to avoid medicating patients, opting for a wellness model based on therapy.

“The goal is that the student be on the least medication possible...for the shortest period of time,” Franck said. “Medication is not an answer.

It’s, at best, a tool.”

McGill MMHS and the University of Toronto’s Student Psychiatric Services are the only two Canadian university mental health services that provide a full range of mental health services, short of hospitalization.

In contrast with McGill, Concordia does not have a separate men-

tal health department; it provides psychiatrists for students through Concordia Health Services.

They also do not provide longterm care and often refer students to outside treatment – such as to the Argyle Institute for Human Relations, a private non-profit Montreal counselling and psychotherapy provider.

Franck was skeptical about students relying on organizations outside of the University for care.

“I would prefer not to refer to the

outside...[though] sometimes a student will need special care.”

However, Erdile expressed concern that MMHS was not making full use of the services available in Montreal.

“They could do a better job working with outside groups,” Erdile said.

Although MMHS collaborates with other student services, MMHS cannot freely share information with those services due to rules of doctorpatient confidentiality.

Franck hopes to introduce a waiver scheme that will permit MMHS to share information with other services at McGill to provide optimal care.

Patients could sign a consent waiver allowing McGill’s many student services to share information with each other, although not with outside organizations or the administration.

According to Franck, if someone from Health Services asks whether one of their patients has gone to MMHS, MMHS cannot disclose that information.

“We have to say, ‘I’m sorry, we can’t tell you that, it’s confidential.’”

Franck expects most students will sign the waiver.

“I don’t think students will object to that...and, of course, no one will be denied care because they haven’t signed a paper.”

McGill lacks First Nations studies program After Pound’s racist remarks, First Nations students may be less likely to come to McGill: Doxtater Henry Gass News Writer

T

he low enrollment for Indigenous Students at McGill is linked to the absence of a First Nations Studies program at the University, according to Faculty of Education Professor Michael Doxtater.

“There are only about 92 official indigenous students at McGill,” Doxtater said, currently the only tenured indigenous professor at McGill.

“And it’s probably actually less than that. Some might be ‘box-checkers’ on [Minerva] and not actually indigenous.”

Doxtater has been pushing for several years to expand First Nations studies at McGill beyond the First Nations and Inuit Education (FNIE) bachelor’s program, the only degree concentrating on indigenous issues offered at McGill. He considers such

an expansion integral to attracting indigenous students to the university.

But in his efforts to create a a minor concentration in Native Studies within the Arts Faculty, he has grown frustrated with the McGill administration.

“We’ve had very little progress,” he said. “The University chose to focus on improving native student services, but the indigenous students won’t come for the services; they’ll come for the programs.”

Doxtater has been at McGill for four years and is the director of FNIE– a bachelor program created in 2007 that creates partnerships between the McGill faculty of Education and various indigenous communities and institutions.

Doxtater worried that McGill Chancellor Richard Pound’s racist comments have hurt the University’s image in the eyes of First Nation peoples.

“Of course when we’re trying to attract Native students to come to McGill, it doesn’t help when we have no Native Studies programs, and people associated with the University are making derogatory statements against First Nation communities,” said Doxtater.

From comments made in an

interview conducted in French with know why McGill is behind.”

Faculty of Law Professor Kirsten Montreal newspaper La Presse, Pound was criticized for calling First Anker, who teaches a class in Nations peoples “savages” 400 years Aboriginal Law, said her class is popago. Pound made the comments in ular, but recognized that with only a late-August and apologized for his small number of classes offered on remarks a few weeks ago after a pub- First Nations issues, the University’s scope on the area of study is limited. lic outcry was raised in response.

Pound apparently used the term “pays de The University chose to focus on sauvage,” a term used

by French Jesuits 400 improving native student services, years ago to describe but the indigenous students First Nations commuwon’t come for the services, nities.

The University hurthey’ll come for the programs riedly distanced them– Michael Doxtater selves from Pound’s Director, McGill First Nations and Inuit Education comments.

Indigenousoriented courses currently running at McGill often have high “There are relatively few optional enrollment, but professors recognize McGill’s weakness in comparison courses and so we are limited in the to other universities across Canada number of ‘special interest’ topics we – including University of British can offer,” she said.

Linda Starkey, Associate Dean of Columbia, Simon Fraser, McMaster, and the University of Victoria – that Students, said she made an attempt offer First Nations Studies Bachelors a few years ago to create a Native Studies program, but her efforts fell degrees.

“McGill is not even competi- short.

“There was indigenous content in tive with [other programs across Canada],” Doxtater said. “I don’t other courses, but we couldn’t get a

“

fix on what would be the core of the program. It wouldn’t have been a concrete program.”

McGill has been trying to strengthen relationships with indigenous communities, however. Four years ago the University created the Aboriginal Affairs Work Group, a group with responsibilities, among other things, to look at the representation of aboriginal students in the student body, increase university access to aboriginal students, and take steps to create a seamless transition for aboriginal students into the University.

“There have been concrete steps taken to improve outreach and accessibility to aboriginal students,” said Starkey.

Starkey described several programs designed to attract aboriginal students to pursue a secondary education at McGill, including a High Performance Camp, a long weekend with activities centered on Athletics, and setting and achieving goals.

“It’s a twofold issue in that we’re encouraging youth to think about higher education, and also making sure that we can offer them adequate support when they come here,” said Starkey.

“Obviously we could do more.”

6

News

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

WHAT’S THE HAPS

Travel ban is back on Administration overturns Senate motion that would suspend directive

Alison Withers

Student Journalism Week November 10 – November 14 Various times and places on campus A week of panel discussions, workshops, and production fun. Learn about breaking into the industry and alternative media. Play in The Daily and Le Délit’s darkroom and on their fancy computers. See how this lovely paper is made. Search “Student Journalism Week” on Facebook events for the complete schedule.

The McGill Daily Queer and creative Monday, November 10, 8 p.m.

Concordia’s EV Building, room 1.605 1515 Ste. Catherine O., Tuesday November 11, 6:30 p.m.

Shatner Building, floor 3 S. Bear Bergman, a queer theatre artist, writer, educator, and instigator, will speak and perform, courtesy of Union for Gender Empowerment, Centre 2110, Queer McGill, WSSA Concordia, QPIRG Concordia, and Queer Concordia.

M

cGill will not accept a motion passed at Senate last Wednesday that would both suspend the current travel directive as it stands and require that the directive pass through the Senate’s Steering Committee for consultation.

On Friday, the administration notified SSMU President Kay Turner that the directive – which prohibits curricular and co-curricular travel to potentially dangerous regions and countries – was an administrative decision and outside of the purview of Senate.

“This raises an interesting question about what is and isn’t in the purview of Senate,” said Nadya Wilkinson, SSMU VP University Affairs. “It’s worrying if the administration can randomly decide what their governing bodies could or could not consult on.”

According to Alex DeGuise, PGSS VP Academic, allowing the directive to exist without student and faculty input was troubling.

“I think people are going to be upset,” Deguise said. “We understand that safety comes first [with the directive], but people need to be able to do their research.”

The directive as it currently stands prohibits undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral fellows from undertaking McGill-sponsored travel for research purposes or internships.

An updated version of the directive was intended to be available by the end of October, but it no longer carries a definite release date. Once ready, however, a mechanism for feedback from administrators, faculty, and students is supposed to be introduced.

Wilkinson insisted that Senate was the appropriate venue for debate which the directive would need in order for consideration of the complexity of the policy to take place.

“For this not to choke academic life on campus, it would need to come to Senate to be discussed,” said Wilkinson. “It needs widespread consultation due to its effects on the lower levels of the University’s hierarchical structure.”

SSMU and PGSS are planning to work with other Senate members in responding to the administration, but have not yet indicated what action they will take.

Alison Withers / The McGill Daily

Car-free campus coming soon McGill wants campus to look more like a green space than a parking lot Courtney Graham News Writer

M

cGill’s downtown campus is gearing up to become a car-free zone within the next few years, in line with McGill’s Master Plan, a document that outlines the future physical state of the University.

According to Jim Nicell, Associate Vice-Principal (University Services), the current state of the campus does not accurately meet the needs of the community.

“We’re a parking lot surrounded by a lot of green space, in my opinion,” said Nicell, adding that many from the University community – including the Board of Governors, the administration, and the community at large – have been advocating for a car-free campus for years.

“Some things we have done to the campus we may regret, so we’re trying to pull back a little bit,” he said.

According to the Planning Base Working Paper, part of the University Master Plan drafted in 2005, approximately nine per cent of the entire McGill community – including faculty, students, and staff – commute to campus by private vehicle on a daily basis, with a third of that demographic estimated to be living within access of public transportation.

“A very small percentage of students do drive to school, and those who do will want to consider carpooling,” said Nadya Wilkinson, SSMU VP University Affairs, adding that those

members of the University community who are disabled will have no problem procuring a parking space on campus.

Jonathan Glencross, head of the Sustainable McGill project – a student-led group working toward a more environmentally sustainable campus community – said a car-free zone would be more considerate to all traffic on campus.

“It’s wonderful. I can’t imagine a better way to improve the shared space on campus than to concede that cars are no longer a priority,” said Glencross, who cited the annual car-free day as a good example.

Nicell explained that among the effects of this transition are the potential for improved bike parking facilities upon the removal of parking spaces, and a better general atmosphere, something Wilkinson agreed with.

“I think it’ll mean they have not only a safer campus environment, but a more welcoming one. Students will feel more at home on our campus,” Wilkinson said.

As over 200 parking spaces on lower campus will vanish along with an annual revenue of roughly $600,000, the University will offset the monetary and space loss by reclaiming the SSMU parking garage on McTavish.

As SSMU’s expiring parking garage lease is turned over to the University, Wilkinson explained that SSMU’s operating budget will be affected; there will be less funding available for clubs, services, and events.

“But we’ve known for a really long time that this was coming,” said Wilkinson.

She added that as the parking garage below the SSMU building allows permit holders direct access to the facilities, security will need to be stepped up as SSMU will no longer be able to control who receives parking permits.

Sustainable McGill’s funding is likely to decrease as well, although Glencross also noted that the group has been budgeting for this and remains optimistic for the future of campus.

“I only see this as a move in the right direction,” said Glencross. “I don’t see any opportunity cost.”

Sustainable McGill’s hope is that students will get behind the initiative, and do their part to contribute to a better shared space.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what role the community can play in the transition afterward...[and] what the campus becomes,” said Glencross. “In the end, it’s showing intent. It’s going to reinforce people who have been working hard to make this University a more sustainable one.”

Wilkinson was also pleased and optimistic about the cooperation between the University and the student body.

“We all have different priorities,” said Wilkinson. “This will require a longstanding, continued discussion on what our priorities are.

“It’s a signal that the University does prioritize sustainability in some way.”

How NGOs contribute to imperialism: The Case of Haiti Monday, November 10, 7 p.m.

1500 de Maisonneuve W., room 204 How do government funded NGOs deal with the intervention-equals-aid principle?

Are some major Western nongovernmental organizations really just an arm of imperialism? Are development NGOs compatible with real democracy? Debate and discuss with Haiti Action Montréal and QPIRG-Concordia for a workshop and audiovisual presentation on the role of NGOs in Haiti. Contact 618-2253 for more info.

V-Day and STELLA workshop Thursday, November 13, 5:30 p.m.

English Lounge, Arts building As part of V-Day McGill’s initiative to advert the public about gender-based violence, STELLA will hold a workshop and social. STELLA is a nonprofit organization working to gain rights for sex-workers and to improve work conditions in the sex-trade industry. Snacks will be served.

Donations accepted. Contact media.vdaymcgill@gmail. com for more info.

The Lollipop Generation Saturday, November 15, 8 p.m.

Concordia’s EV Building, room 1.605 1515 Ste. Catherine 0.

The Lollipop Generation is the first feature film by Toronto-based artist, musician, and filmmaker GB Jones, shot in Super 8 analogue with a cast of underground superstars from the worlds of independent music, film, and fanzines. Presented

by La Centrale Galerie Powerhouse and Qteam, a working group of QPIRG McGill and Concordia.

McGill Association of Continuing Education Students

NOTICE OF ELECTIONS WEEK AND ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY!

Elections Week: Nov. 24th to 28th. Run and/or vote and enter into a great Raffle.

For details and Application Forms, check Maces Website: www.maces.mcgill.ca

Annual General Assembly: Friday November 28th at 6pm. Free Pizza & Drinks.

Maces Conference Room 4th Floor, 3437 Peel St. Tel.: (514) 398-4974

Nov. 10-14 The McGill Daily & Le McGill Daily et Le Délit present Le Délit presentent

Student Journalism Week

la Semaine étudiante du journalisme The McGill Daily and Le Délit aren’t just newspapers – we’re student services here to help you learn and make yourself heard.

We depend on you for everything from funding to writing to art, and Student Journalism Week is our way of saying thanks.

So get your student papers working for you, and come check out some of this week’s events. We want to put the press in your hands. For more details, check out posters and pamphlets around campus, or email dnelles@dailypublications.org

Valid McGill ID card required for entry.

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News

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

9

Douglas Hospital’s care reaches beyond its doors Mental institution helps patients see they have a productive role to play in society Jennifer Markowitz The McGill Daily

Montreal’s Douglas Mental Health University Institute offers an array of services based on patients’ specific needs, the severity of their illness, and their diagnosis. A variety of Post-hospitalization treatments are also offered – a team approach or a one-on-one program, in which patients are matched with a case manager. Evangeline Smith, who has worked at the Douglas for 30 years, explained that after hospitalization, the Douglas matches patients with an outpatient team or refers them to specialized services or treatment centres. “We do what we need to do make sure that a patient can live in the community adequately,” Smith said.

Smith is now the manager of the ambulatory services department, part of the psychosis program, so her expertise refers most accurately to patients receiving care for psychosis, particularly schizophrenia. Posttreatment services focus on reintegrating patients back into their communities and focus on psycho-social issues, and more logistical matters: balancing a budget, finding housing, and ensuring that patients take medication. The Daily quizzed Smith last week, curious about a growing trend of shorter hospitalization stays for the mentally ill and obstacles former patients face when transitioning from in-patient care to independent living.

McGill Daily: Have you noticed that patients are being discharged earlier than they have been in past years, that they’re staying for shorter times?

Evangeline Smith: They are staying for shorter times. That is definitely

the case. It is a progressive trend. It is a trend that destigmatizes. We feel that that person can be treated for the more acute stage of an illness in the hospital, and then be discharged very quickly in order to reintegrate back into community living. It makes the transition easier than [staying for a long period of time does].... Patients were hospitalized for many months in the past partly because we did not have resources in place to accommodate their return back to the community. Those resources are something that we are now more sensitive to.

There are a lot more housing alternatives, and a lot more community resources; we have many more partnerships with the community organizations, and they step in and collaborate with outsource teams.

MD: What criteria are used to decide when a patient should be released?

ES: We have traditionally been very hospital-centred and we always feel that a hospital is the best environment in which to treat a patient.

If you look at methods in other countries, hospitalization is a lot shorter.

But patients can be treated in the community; they do not need institutionalization to get better or in order to continue treatment.... We’re good at providing that. We now have so many different levels of case management and such strong team support with exactly that mandate: to support transition into the community.

MD: What sort of living situations can patients enter when they return to the community from treatment?

ES: It depends very much on the level of care that patients need and their desires. We have numerous types of housing alternatives, so a client may go to a family care home if they need a kind of structure where they can have

meals offered to them and have care 24 hours a day. Some will go to their own apartments and will then need some support in terms of daily living skills – their capacity to shop and cook and clean. Some will go to group homes. We certainly want to encourage autonomy as much as possible.

It is something that we promote and encourage in order to empower the patients to make a transition not just into the community, but into society.

MD: Do you think there is something particularly risky about returning, say to the apartment that a patient was living in beforehand.

Could something like the environment trigger a relapse?

ES: This would have been evaluated before the patient returns to that setting...but there is the issue of stigmatization. There can be issues of going back to an apartment building where your neighbours or your landlord know that you were recently hospitalized, when already you are feeling insecure and feeling that other people are perhaps judging you, or you are feeling suspicious of other people – the way they look at you or if they’re whispering, you think they’re saying things about you. There is also an isolation issue, although that is getting better.

We try to link [patients] to different social organizations and activities....

There are programs in place but sometimes it’s not always that easy to reintegrate. Budgeting is also very difficult.

They have a very minimal amount of money, because they’re on welfare and receive only about $850 a month.

MD: Have you observed any variation in a patient’s recovery process in relation to the length of in-patient care they received?

ES: There are certainly a lot of patients who don’t want to stay in the hospital very long. They have perhaps

Sally Lin / The McGill Daily

a healthier attitude about returning to the community. We do also have a lot of patients who have become very comfortable over the years, very comfortable with being inside the hospital and being looked after.

They have a very secure feeling about being connected to the hospital.... It’s mostly our older patients who are undergoing feelings of dependency and insecurity, and so on. With them it’s a little bit harder [to leave], and I suppose that’s the system’s fault.

We have been very protective and maternalistic, and we recognize that in the long run that may not have been the most healthy way to help our patients. We’ve fed dependency

to some degree – and as I said that is more with our older patients – and now with our younger patients we’re trying to let them see that they have a role in society and that they can have a good quality of life, and a stable life in the community, despite their limitations. There is a gradual trend in the recovery, where we like to promote their autonomy, give them choices, allow them to explore what they want in terms of their goals and their life.

Sometimes those choices come with risks – the same way that these choices come with risks for everybody in society. We allow them to go through these choices, but at the same time help them make decisions that are more healthy.

Radecki, U2 English Literature, who will be seeing family and friends in Europe over the winter break.

The interim final exam schedule has been available online since Thursday, although Younan said the fate of all December 8 examinations has yet to be resolved.

“The Office of the Provost has written to the Directeur Général des Elections asking that an exception be made and that exams remain on [December 8],” she explained. “We are waiting for his response, but are also exploring the option of moving the Monday exams to another day.”

McGill cancelled classes for the March 26, 2007 election, but the April

14, 2003 provincial election fell during the winter exam period. McGill ended up moving exams from that Monday to other days, with exams in most faculties being written one day before the election, on a Sunday.

On the exam schedule, all exams with blank dates were originally scheduled for December 8, but now float in limbo until McGill publishes corrections this week.

“We are not able to confirm the exams originally scheduled for [December 8],” read a message posted above the link to the final schedule on McGill’s web site. “We will only be able to finalize the date during the week of November 10.”

McGill exam schedule in limbo Provincial election may displace exams on December 8 Ethan Feldman News Writer

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provincial election called Wednesday for December 8 has created a major problem with McGill’s exam schedule, leaving many students unsure of when they can leave for the winter break.

The provincial Elections Act requires student electors to be released from school on election day, which is the busiest day of the exam period, according to Jocelyne Younan, Chief Invigilator and Assistant Registrar.

“December 8 is one of our heavi-

est exam days with over 6,000 [people scheduled to sit exams],” wrote Younan in an email to The Daily on behalf of the Exams Office.

Classes were not interrupted for the federal election last month because the provincial Elections Act differs from the federal.

McGill’s exam schedule is created electronically by a computer that runs data through a complex set of algorithms in order to minimize conflicts for students and maximize efficiency for professors, invigilators, teaching assistants, and staff.

“This December, there were over 60,000 exam seats that needed to be scheduled over a 12-day period. On

a typical day, only 20 or so students have a conflict,” she wrote.

Multiple students told The Daily that their professors were aware of the snap election snafu. Some professors spoke in lecture about meetings they attended or memos they received that exams would have to be rescheduled around the election.

There are over 10,000 out-of-province and international undergraduates at McGill, many of whom buy their plane tickets months in advance in order to save money on airfare, regardless of whether or not the final exam schedule has been posted.

“There’s another election? Well, I already bought my ticket,” said Katherine

10 News

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

McGill Outdoors Club returns home Jeff Bishku-Aykul The McGill Daily

T

he McGill Outdoors Club (MOC) has finally struck a deal to buy its Laurentian retreat house from McGill, although it is unclear when the MOC will move back in.

The house, situated in the former village of Shawbridge, north of Montreal, now part of Prévost, was owned by McGill for 54 years before being put up for sale earlier this year.

SSMU informed the MOC of its eviction last spring, and the club left the house during a period of two weeks.

While SSMU was able to pay for four months of storage rental for MOC, the organization was not willing to acquire property for just one club.

McGill Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Morton Mendelson explained that while the University owns property outside of downtown Montreal – such as the Macdonald campus and the Bellairs Research Institute in Barbados – the MOC house was sold because it was a nonresearch-related facility serving a stu-

dent club.

“The lease was up for renewal and when that happened we reviewed the holding. The holding was not on the McGill footprint and the function was not one of teaching or research,” Mendelson said.

“The house was in considerable disrepair and there were renovations that had to be made and so we just felt that it didn’t make sense for us to continue owning the house, and that was the primary reason,” Mendelson added. “The property was for the use of a student club, and as you know student clubs at McGill are indepen-

THE DEPARTMENT OF JEWISH STUDIES

Call for Submissions Blacher and Glasrot Families Memorial Award for Holocaust Research Established in 2000 by Mr. and Mrs. Josef Glasrot, survivors of the Holocaust and residents of Montreal. Open to any student at McGill University, the award is presented for excellence in research in Holocaust and related studies, and particularly on the history of the ghettos of Warsaw and Kovno [Kaunas]. Essays prepared in any course or independent research may be considered. The award is administered by the Department of Jewish Studies in cooperation with the Jewish Community Foundation. The award will be presented during the Closing Exercises of the Department of Jewish Studies in May, 2009. The value of the Blacher and Glasrot Families Memorial Award is $1000.

dent of the University.”

The MOC established the Fondation plein air de Montreal – a not-for-profit corporation headed by McGill alum Ashley Wynne – to help buy back the house, and to overcome some of the legal challenges involved in acquiring property for a student club.

“Given the high turnover of SSMU and the club it was important to have the house owned and managed by those who would be around,” MOC President Alyssa Holland said.

Holland also noted that the com-

munity had long-standing ties to MOC. “We had a lot of connections with the community in Prévost and...we’ve been there for 54 years, so a lot of people were sad and acted on our behalf,” Holland said.

The club eventually settled on a price of $60,000 for the house, which was estimated to have a value of between $85,000 and $105,000.

However, Holland noted that repairs would cost around $50,000. The club will be planning events to raise funds for the house, such as a concert on December 5.

News knows all.

Join Team News.

• The competition is open to undergraduate and graduate students at McGill University.

• Students must submit 2 typed copies of their essays together with full contact information.

• Essays can be based on primary or secondary materials and work in all related disciplines will be considered.

• Essay submissions must reach the Dept. of Jewish Studies Office, 3438 McTavish Street, no later than April 10, 2009.

Come to news meetings: Monday 4:30 Shatner B-24 (new location!)

News

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

11

/ The McGill Daily

Caption caption caption caption

Stephen Davis / The McGill Daily

Tracy ends a 28-year era in residences After 28 years, Flo Tracy retired from her position as Director of Residences Friday. Throughout her tenure, she was a favourite of students and administrators alike, admired for her easygoing, accessible approach. The Daily caught up with Tracy last week as she trained new Executive Director of Residences, Michael Porritt.

McGill Daily: How did you get started with McGill residences?

Flo Tracy: I started in 1967 as a nurse in the student health service. In 1979, they needed somebody to fill in as Warden at RVC for one year. Well, they decided the job liked me and I liked the job, so they appointed me for a six-year term, and then I moved out of RVC in 2004, so I was warden for 25 years at RVC. I was appointed director of residences in 1980.

MD: How are Mcgill residences different from what they were 20 years ago?

FT: They’re much bigger. When I started there were only five residences and Bishop Mountain Hall. Now we have 32 buildings. Then we had 1,100 students, and now we have 2,700 students. They have grown quite a bit, but basically the 19-year-old is still the same 19-year-old. They’re grow-

ing, and learning, and experimenting, and feeling insecure, and having fun. So the students themselves are the same, more or less.

MD: What else hasn’t changed about McGill residences?

FT: What hasn’t changed is the basic respect rule, that was there when I arrived, and we’ve built on it and fostered it. I think that’s what makes McGill residences so unique and the students so responsive to the leadership by the hall directors and the Dons and Floor Fellows. That respect is transmitted to the Dons and Floor Fellows at orientation by me and the other directors, and we pass it on to the students on their floors at the first floor meeting, and the students respond. They like being respected and treated as adults.

MD: What does the Director of Residences do?

FT: The job encompasses everything that is involved with housing the student, from the quality of life, to maintaining the buildings, and to managing the staff, and then interacting with the University community on committees and councils.

MD: How did your interaction with students affect your role as an

administrator?

FT: Living in RVC for 25 years with the students helped me understand and be on the ground with students, [as has] my style of leadership, of being on the ground, with not a lot of layers in [residence administration], but a very flat organization. Students know that they call me Flo and can walk into my office all the time.... You have to be sincere, or they see through you. I think I’ve managed to gain their trust and confidence over the years, and I’ve maintained it by being consistent.

By being that way, I transmit it to the staff, and they pick it up. It becomes a culture in residences.

MD: How have your personal beliefs factored into that?

FT: What I’ve learned from working with students over the years is that they are unique individuals in a unique space, and they really need to be understood and cared for as opposed to judged. So many people are quick to judge, especially young people. It’s so important to nurture as opposed to judge, and to encourage and to build confidence instead of having someone become something they’re not. I think there’s a way to do it, and to make the correction without being punitive.

MD: At the end of 28 years, why are you choosing to step down?

FT: There comes a time. I was asked two years ago by the senior administration what my plans were, because they need to plan for replacement. It seemed like a long time when I was asked two years ago to say Fall 2008. I’ve achieved a lot, so I’ll step up and let somebody else take over, and I look forward to my next career, whatever it is.

MD: Do you plan to stay involved with McGill residences?

FT: I don’t know...because you don’t want to crowd out the new director. I will stay in touch with the students of this year, and the staff, of course. I’ve made a lot of friends over the years, so I will be in contact with the directors and with those students on an ad hoc basis. But I will certainly be involved with McGill.

MD: Is it odd to leave in the middle of a year?

FT: I think it was nice, because it gave me a chance to celebrate with the students as opposed to being in the summer when they’re not here, and get used to the idea that I won’t be around. It’s going to be a big void in my life, there’s no question.... I think it’s time. You don’t want to stay

in a position so long that people are wondering where you’re going to go, especially when you’ve been around for so long.

MD: You’re training the new executive director of residences this week. How is it going?

FT: The new executive director is Michael Porrin, who comes from Trent University. I’m really very happy working with Mike this week.

He certainly understands students and student residences, and I’m sure I’m handing it over to a capable leader.

MD: Last year, the floor fellows set up a D-league hockey team, the Flo Tracys. How was that for you?

FT: I love it. The last game when they won last year, it was like the Stanley Cup. They did me a great honour.

MD: What do you hope students will remember about McGill residences when they leave them?

FT: That it was a caring place for them, that they felt safe, that they felt support, and that they grew during their time here from what they learned outside of the classroom.

– Compiled by Will Vanderbilt

Why Student Journalism Week?

Le MThe Mc cGil Gill L Déli e Déll DailyDaily & t pre it pr et Le sent esen ent t

The McGill Daily and Le Délit aren’t just newspapers – we’re student services, here to help you learn and make yourself heard.

We depend on you for everything from funding to writing to art, and Student Journalism Week is our way of saying thanks. So get your student papers working for you, and come check out some of this week’s events. We want to put the press in your hands.

Questions? Email dnelles@dailypublications.org

Student Journalism Week la Semaine étudiante du journalisme

Nov. 10-14

Mon. 10

Breaking Into Journalism: Employment, Internships, and Freelancing Arts building, room W-150, 5:00 p.m.

A panel discussion with a National Post editor, a freelance journalist, and a photography intern from the New York Times.

Thu. 13

TVMcGill Presents: Intro to Video Editing Shatner building, room B-23, 4:00 p.m.

Learn how to make TV with McGill’s resident experts.

CKUT Radio Presents: Intro to Portable Recording Shatner building, room B-30, 5:00 p.m.

Montreal’s hippest radio station teaches you how to make waves.

Tue. 11

Our Unfree Press: Alternative Media and Media Criticism Chancellor Day Hall, room 200, 5:30 p.m.

A panel discussion with representatives from CKUT Radio, the Hour, the Independent Media Centre, and Siafu magazine.

Wed. 12

Francophone Media: Tips From Local Journos Shatner building, room B-30, 5:00 p.m.

A panel discussion with a Le Devoir editor, a Radio-Canada editor, and a La Presse photojournalist. (en français)

The Darkroom: Before Digital and Beyond the Basics Shatner building, room B-24, 5:00 p.m.

Spend an hour in The Daily’s darkroom. The lights will be off, but don’t be scared – you’ll learn something.

Cultural Divide: Taking Down Conventional Culture Writing Shatner building, room B-24, 5:00 p.m.

We’ll be talking about narrative non-fiction, making connections between artistic disciplines in reviews, and landing good interviews.

Photoshop: Making Your Photos Ready for Print Shatner building, room B-24, 6:00 p.m.

Dodging, burning, brightening – how to take your photos from the camera to the computer to the paper.

Interviewing: The Most Important Part of Your Story Shatner building, room B-30, 6:00 p.m.

Cracking your subject, writing shorthand, and getting them to say the things they really don’t want to.

Intro to InDesign: Getting Laid at The Daily Shatner building, room B-24, 7:00 p.m.

Daily design editors demonstrate how to create innovative layouts with InDesignCS3.

Opinion Writing: Making People Agree With You Shatner building, room B-30, 7:00 p.m.

What makes a successful opinion piece? The Daily editors are no pros, but they’ll try to tell you anyway.

Fri. 14

Open Production Night Shatner building, room B-24, 3:00 p.m.

The Daily invites you to take part in the magic. See the paper come to life: spy on the editors as they deliberate over semicolons, meddle with page designs, and brainstorm those killer headlines.

Science+Technology

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

13

Head injuries high among the homeless Stephen Davis / The McGill Daily

Nadja Popovich The McGill Daily

M

ore than half of the homeless population has suffered traumatic brain injury in their lifetime, and approximately 70 per cent of these injuries occurred before the incidence of homelessness, according to a new, Torontobased study.

The study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), looks at the prevalence of traumatic brain injury and current health situations of the homeless.

Approximately 900 homeless men and women who frequent Toronto homeless shelters were asked to self-report cases of brain injury that “left the person dazed, confused, disoriented, or unconscious.” It is currently the largest study of its kind worldwide.

The study results show a 58 per cent incidence rate of brain injury in homeless men, and 48 per cent in homeless women – a prevalence rate 5 times higher than the US average.

According to coauthor Dr. Stephen Hwang of the Centre for Research on Inner City Health at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, the fact that a majority of respondents sustained traumatic brain injury before they became homeless suggests a causational link.

“I think that this article doesn’t make the link definitively, but it is hypothesis generating. It raises a possibility which has not been discussed by researchers before,” Hwang said.

He added that further research is needed to provide strong causational evidence for the connection between traumatic brain injury and homelessness.

The CMAJ study concludes that doctors and clinical professionals need to pay closer attention to signs of traumatic brain injury in the homeless. It also emphasizes the need to routinely ask homeless patients if they have suffered from such disturbances, since those suffering from traumatic brain injury may require different therapies than would otherwise be prescribed.

According to Hwang, there are two other major conclusions to be drawn from the study.

“The second point is that these individuals may require constant support to avoid homelessness because of their cognitive impairment [due to traumatic brain injury]. The third point is the speculative one that this may be a causal factor and that we need to do further research to explore that,” Hwang said.

M

atthew Pearce, director general of the Old Brewery Mission, the largest men’s shelter in

Quebec and largest women’s shelter in Canada pointed out that there is nothing new about the connection between mental illness and homelessness.

While the majority of their clients do not suffer from serious mental problems, Pearce said that the Old Brewery Mission’s figures indicate that about 35 per cent exhibit some form of mental illness. Pearce noted that the Old Brewery Mission’s shelter services take into account the mental state of those in need. Their off-the-streets program, l’Étape, provides 24-hour counselling support to aid the transition to a more stable and secure living arrangement.

Though traumatic brain injury is a separate issue which has received less attention in the analyses of homeless people’s mental health status, Pearce argued that a range of factors contribute to the mental health and stability of homeless people. “[The homeless] are complex as a group. They are homeless, but they are people. There is more than one cause of homelessness, and more than one cause of mental illness; and there is more than one set of circumstances that causes the two to come together. Head injury is just one of them,” Pearce said.

Denis Nault, one frequenter of the Old brewery Mission, now homeless for three years, gave a similar

assessment. While he reported not to have suffered from any mental health problems himself, he noted that for many, life on the street tends to foster a cyclical process of mental breakdown, no matter which causational factor – brain injury, substance abuse, or genetics – may be to blame.

“We’re all depressed. Everyone has psychiatric or substance abuse [problems]. Me too, I drink. What else can I do?” Nault asked. “[For some] it’s worse, but everyone has something. The game is surviving all day, every day outside.”

While the CMAJ study poses some loose links between traumatic brain injury and other mental problems, including substance abuse, the authors maintain that more studies need to be pursued before any concrete conclusions can be reached.

A

according to coauthor Dr. Angela Conatonio, Senior Research Scientist at Toronto rehab, the CMAJ study is significant despite being preliminary.

Colantonio pointed to the often overlooked fact that traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death in people under 45 in Canada, and added that, despite its incidence, traumatic brain injury does not garner enough attention. “[What] we are saying is that [the

homeless] should be screened,” she said. “It should be a factor one should look for.”

Colantonio added that screening for previous traumatic brain injury may be beneficial – such a finding might account for otherwise unexplained behavioural issues.

Identifying the root cause of such issues could allow for better treatment. Expanding on Hwang’s second conclusion, Colantonio suggested a range of other options that may be worth pursuing for homeless people suffering from traumatic brain injuries.

“Cognitive rehab [may be beneficial to those who have suffered traumatic brain injuries] for example, or they might benefit from some assisted technology, such as help with their memory,” she said.

“No two brain injuries are alike.

Depending on where the injury is, it needs to be individualized,” Colantonio said. “Down the road we need to look at intervention studies, [we need to] look at the supportive approach, [and we need to] look at treating the person as well as the environment. Even educating the [homeless] about their brain injury would be a step in the right direction. Even if they have a history of cognitive sequelae but no symptoms, they need to be educated about it.”

14 Features

Margina

The Daily’s Erin Hale investigates the connections between homelessness and mental illness

“N

ow they don’t put people in a hospital which is a good thing – but sometimes it’s so intense. Now there’s a [schizophrenic man] by himself on the street with nowhere to sleep, eat, taking drugs more than they used to, doing prostitution – but I don’t think he even realizes he’s doing it,” says Kim Heynemand, of a homeless man she met on the job.

Heynemand works as a peer helper with the Centre local de services communautaires (CLSC) des Faubourgs Équipe Itinérance (homeless division). While she might see some of the more extreme cases, the fact remains that many of the 30,000 homeless in Montreal – and thousands more in Quebec – suffer from mental health disorders. In a study of 230 homeless individuals surveyed in Ottawa and Gatineau by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, 60 per cent of adult males, 74 per cent of adult females, 56 per cent of male youths, and 61 per cent of female youth self-reported mental health problems. The percentage for suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts were also more common than in the general population.

But the way the system is set up right now, shelters and community organizations are fighting a losing battle to help some of Montreal’s most vulnerable citizens. There are only 2,865 emergency beds and 1,592 transitional beds in Montreal shelters, according to the Centre for the Study of Living Standards. At 3,094 beds,

that serves only a tenth of the homeless population.

What most people don’t realize, however, is that a lack of programs and resources doesn’t just affect individuals with preexisting mental health disorders. Living on the street creates its own stress, and if someone is there long enough, it can lead to serious problems.

“Being on the street so long you lose self esteem. It’s like you’re so broken you develop mental problems being around that shit all day. It gives you mental problems.

You need some self esteem. You become paranoid, want to avoid people,” says a friend who spent several years of his twenties on and off the street while he was addicted to heroine.

Alain Spitzer, director of the St. James Centre, notes that while many Montrealers find themselves homeless at some point, he estimates that someone has about three months to get off the street before it starts to really affect them.

One of the problems is that resources are limited for those living on the street. There are shelters and community centres, but many, like the St. James Drop-in Centre, have restricted membership due to budget and resource restraints. While many homeless people do

have access to clinics, the drop-in system creates barriers to those people requiring consistent, recurring care. Dispensing medication might seem like a quick fix: the person takes the drug, feels better, and suddenly has a job and an apartment. But while medication does solve some important immediate problems, any good psychiatrist will tell you that even for non-homeless individuals, medication is not enough to treat a psychiatric condition.

CLSC primarily dispenses lithium to patients, according to Heynemand, because it only needs to be injected once a week. Lithium, though, is a difficult drug to take – it is linked to acne, weight gain, and a mind-numbing side effect. It’s not surprising then that some of CLSC’s patients choose not to take it. Other clinics sometimes hand out hard narcotics in

original packaging, which some individuals choose to sell, according to Spitzer.

H

eynemand, however, says that even dispensing medication can take a back seat to more immediate daily needs. “It’s hard to make them realize they need to take their medication…but at the same time taking medication can be hard,” she says. “For a guy doing prostitution, taking drugs for five days in a row with a mental disorder, what’s important is finding him a place to stay.”

Fielding the desire to self-medicate is also a difficult task for people like Heynemand, who work on the street level. “Sometimes they don’t realize their meds work – they stop taking them and do [illegal] drugs as self-medication. If you hear voices and alcohol makes it stop, then you

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

15

al minds

have only recently been diagnosed en masse, so there’s a whole generation – particularly from ages 40 to 55 – that did not receive treatment at key points in their twenties when many mental illnesses develop.

P

drink more,” she said.

Of the individuals I met during interviews, each had their own coping mechanism, ranging from a dog, to a boyfriend, to a regular supply of pot, cigarettes, or alcohol. One man, Martin, a self- labeled alcoholic, spends his days sitting on Sherbrooke, panhandling and slowly sipping beer, because “it helps with the pain in [his] muscles.”

There was also loose camaraderie between individuals – whether sharing cigarettes, or momentarily stopping to chat. Often when I was in the middle of an interview, someone would come up and start to ask questions, even if they didn’t know the interviewee.

E

ach demographic of homeless people faces their own challenges of how to deal with

earce blames the provincial government for the resource strain Stephen Davis / The McGill Daily felt by Montreal shelters mental health disorders. Homeless youth – and community programs. “It’s important for who often use illegal drugs for self-medication [people] to understand that the provincial gov– are at a particular risk of resorting to prostitu- ernment funds less than 20 per cent– it’s the public that supports us. The provincial governtion to get money.

“Working in sex, for a lot of people who take ment does not meet its social or moral oblidrugs, it’s a big part of it. After some point if gations – shelters in Toronto are 100 per cent you don’t find money, you’ve got to think of it,” provincially funded. We receive $12 per bed per Heynemand says. “Some do it only sometimes, night, and in Toronto they receive $61 per bed some as a job. For a lot of people who have bor- per night,” says Pearce.

The source of this problem can also be derline [personality disorder] it’s a way to find traced back to the process of deinstitutionalizalove. Some people just don’t care.”

But once youth hit their mid-twenties many tion that occurred during the sixties and sevprograms end. And if they’re male, even fewer enties. While it is viewed by many as a human options become available – something Spitzer rights achievement, the government has not attributes to society’s notion of “women and held up its end of the bargain. When many children first” and the expectation that men mental health institutions were either closed or can fend for themselves. Spitzer also links it to reduced in size, government funds were supthe fact that problems like chronic depression posed to be channelled to community-based or

outpatient health programs, and other alternative services like subsidized housing or shelters, according to Dr. Paul Whitehead, a professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Western Ontario. While Whitehead found that money had in fact been moved toward the community programs, he admits that the absence of a live-in arrangement for patients resulted in more mentally ill homeless individuals.

Clearly, Montreal and the provincial government aren’t keeping up with their promises for alternative rehabilitative services. Should an individual be lucky enough to find adequate mental health treatment and somehow get a leg up – because starting at $560 a month, welfare will hardly cover rent – statistics remain equally dismal: there is a 10,000-person waiting list for 24,700 slots of public housing on the island. The city also seems dead-set on razing neighbourhoods with more affordable housing, like Griffintown, to install condos and luxury housing.

The reality is that the homeless, particularly the mentally ill, are locked into a viscous cycle of limited treatment and self-medication, with access to equally limited – though well-intentioned – community services trying to compensate for a lack of government responsibility. But nothing will change until we start to engage with a part of the population that is marginalized again and again.

Commentary

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

17

Non-normative gender is not a disease Staying well amidst James Albaugh

HYDE PARK

I

n 1973, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) removed homosexuality from its list of diagnostic criteria for mental illnesses, in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DMS), the standard guide for identifying mental disorders in both the U.S. and Canada. This was a major early victory for LGBTQ rights. However, despite this, two particularly troubling diagnoses remain: Transvestic Fetishism (TF) and Gender Identity Disorder (GID).

These diagnoses, which govern how transgender and gender nonconforming people interact with mental health providers, reflect stereotypes rather than actual people – and, with perverse irony, often hurt the people they’re supposed to help.

TF is categorized as a paraphilia – or sexual fetish – just like pedophilia. This reinforces stereotypes of cross-dressers as sexual predators. In addition, one of the criteria for a TF diagnosis is “over a period of at least six months, in a heterosexual male, recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviours involving cross-dressing.”

This feeds into the stereotype of cross-dressers as people who dress that way for sexual pleasure.

However, people cross-dress for much more varied reasons than just sexual thrills. Furthermore, it’s not really clear why, medically, only heterosexual males can be diagnosed with TF. The rules for diagnosing GID focus even more on these rigid gender stereotypes, especially in chil-

dren. Criteria for GID in children assigned male at birth include “aversion toward rough-and-tumble play” and “rejection of male stereotypical toys, games and activities.”

This ignores the full range of human possibility. It’s entirely possible to be a woman and feel like a woman while enjoying “rough-andtumble play” or “male stereotypical toys, games and activities.” In fact, not only would I wager that it’s possible, I’d also wager that you have interacted with such a person today.

Although the APA claims the DSM does not say anything about treatment, only diagnosis, the way the DSM frames these issues in terms of traditional gender stereotypes.

The real irony, though, is that this policy legitimizes stigmas around gender-variant behaviour by linking them to the stigmas around mental illness, which can only hurt those who need mental health services.

When declassifying homosexuality as a mental illness, the APA acknowledged that social factors were often responsible for depression, shame and other issues that led some lesbian, gay, and bisexual people to seek help from mental health sources. Why then does the APA refuse to acknowledge that social factors are often responsible for those same issues of depression and shame in gender non-conforming people?

Perhaps most perversely, these diagnostic criteria allow people who retreat deeply into the closet – which can be very damaging to one’s mental health – to escape a GID diagnosis and the social stigma of mental illness. At the same time, those who decide whether or not to transition, and by how much, are happy with who they are, yet they remain

marked with that stigma for the rest of their lives.

Put yourself in the place of someone who’s trying to transition. Many people simply just don’t understand why you would do that. Then add to that the realization that the APA, a socially-recognized mental health authority, considers you to be diseased, simply out of who you are. Ask yourself if you would be willing to trade a bit of your dignity for medical treatment. If not, why should anyone else have to?

The best argument against removing or reclassifying GID is that a GID diagnosis can be necessary for some health insurance claims, which can be essential for one’s transition, especially given the expense and the proportion of trans people facing job discrimination and lack of family support.

However, one injustice does not legitimize another injustice. Such treatment is medically necessary – without it, a significant number of trans people would commit suicide.

Some still do, not realizing there is another way. And the need to have a justification for insurance purposes does not force us to accept a need to define non-normative gender as a disease. There are plenty of medical conditions that are not diseases – take pregnancy, for instance. Yet, if anyone denied treatment to pregnant people, or called pregnancy an elective procedure, the public outcry would be immense.

The APA will not release its next revision to the DSM until 2012; however, a draft is due next year. If the APA continues this injustice, it will fall on us to act.

James Albaugh is a U2 Philosophy student. He can be reached at james. albaugh@mail.mcgill.ca.

McGill’s high pressure According to Statistics Canada, nearly 20 per cent of young people aged 15 to 24 suffer from some kind of mental health disorder. Not only are these rates the highest of any age bracket, but this is also the time when many chronic mental illnesses first develop. Taking a look around McGill affirms the statistic: during finals, the libraries are brimming with students on the edge of breakdowns; the dark, cold winter months trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder; and many students suffer from depression, eating disorders, as well as other serious mental health issues that aren’t outwardly apparent.

In a February Montreal Gazette article on increasing mental health issues among students, former McGill Mental Health head psychiatrist Norman Hoffman described McGill students as “angry, anxious, and fragile.” The extremely competitive environment at McGill – and the high-pressure, highstress culture it fosters – both perpetuate and normalize symptoms of mental health problems. Bouts of anxiety and general unhappiness or emotional turmoil are typical aspects of student life, leaving many students unaware that they are unwell, or ashamed to seek the help they need.

At McGill, students are under an extraordinary amount of pressure to be successful in our academic and personal lives, and the school’s individualistic culture encourages us to face this on our own. Many of us set impossibly high standards for achievement for ourselves, and often put our wellbeing on the backburner in order to uphold them. But while some students may be able to cope with this stressful and unhealthy lifestyle, the fact that it is a norm at our school is troubling. These habits make us more susceptible to developing mental health issues. In addition, the high-achieving environment reinforces stigma surrounding mental illness. Acknowledging a mental health disorder is often perceived as an admission of failure – especially when everyone around you seems to be equally stressed and is still managing to hand in their papers on time.

In such an high-pressure environment, it’s important that we pay attention to ourselves, recognize when our mental health is compromised, and not be ashamed to seek help. In the past few years, McGill Mental Health has been criticized for providing poor service to students, but this year’s new director claims that they are transitioning to a more effective system. We hope these improvements will materialize, but it is important to realize that there are a number of other services on and off campus through which to seek help for mental health issues. Support groups like McGill’s Headspace, affordable counseling services, therapists, and psychiatrists at public and private medical centres are available across the city. Unfortunately, the demand for psychological and psychiatric care is often higher than the capacity for patients but like with any other illness, we should recognize when we need to turn to professionals in order to get better.

At the very least, we should be helping one other. Mental illness is often a scary and lonely experience, but it doesn’t have to be. Talk about it – whether you are struggling, or a friend seems to be having a harder time than usual.

The more cognizant, informed, and open we are about mental health, the more stigmas will be broken down, and the more healthy our student body will be.

Editorial

Student Journalism Week.

Comin’ at cha today till Friday.

Sal

ly L

in /

M The

c Gi

ll D

aily

It’s time to for the American Psychiatric Association to do some editing.

See posters and flyers around campus for details, or email dnelles@dailypublications.org.

18 Commentary

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

AUS must respect its francophone students A public letter to Adil Katrak, Arts Undergraduate Society VP Communications Justin Margolis

HYDE PARK

D

ear Adil Katrak, Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) VP Communications: On behalf of all of the francophone students at McGill University, especially in the Faculty of Arts, I would like to say to you that your apologies regarding the errors on the first listserv are not sufficient. There have been an unprecedented amount of complaints brought to my attention regarding bilingualism in the AUS, not only about the listserv, but also about the absence of French on AUS documents, and at AUS Council.

Article 22 of the AUS constitution, Language of the Society states the following: English and French are the official languages of the AUS; members of the AUS may use either official language at all meetings and in all documentation of the AUS; and the Constitution and By-Laws of the AUS must be made available in both official languages upon request.

It is evident to me and to the entire McGill Arts community that you have not followed through in your fulfilment of this constitutional requirement. Arts students are unable to view the AUS web site in the language of their choice, which is part of your portfolio as VP Communications.

Arts students do not have access to documents in the official language of their choice. The logo of the AUS is in English only, whereas the other bilingual institutions on campus – such as SSMU, or l’AÉUM – have seen to it that their logos are bilingual. Finally, Council minutes have not been bilingual, nor have they been published online in the first place, which is a constitutional requirement of you through Article 23.

Now to the issue that has brought your lack of consideration for the University’s francophones to the public sphere: the listserv. In the first listserv, which was three weeks late, you promised that all future communications between the AUS and the students would be in both languages. That did not happen. In fact it was not until October 29 that the listserv was finally made available in French, over one-quarter the way through the school year. I am also very concerned that the French listserv email came out more than

24 hours after the English version. I believe that the only reason this was done was because I gave you an ultimatum that if a bilingual listserv was not presented before the beginning of the Council meeting that evening, you would be publicly confronted at Council and in the student press.

The following week’s listserv (November 3) was bilingual; however, the quality of French was unacceptable. In addition to the accent marks being in an obscure font, there were numerous spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, and other typographical errors. The document looked as if had been thrown through a free, online translator. This is absolutely ridiculous considering that part of the student’s fees are meant for the hiring of a translator. The only announcement free of errors was the one translated by the Commission on Francophone Affairs (CAF) itself.

I’m concerned that a portion of every student’s AUS dues go toward the salary of a translator; however, the current translator’s finished product is extremely improper.

Francophone students of McGill call on you, Adil Katrak, the VP Communications of the AUS to ensure the following: that equal services are provided to francophone students; that the listserv is bilingual in clean and proper French, the sole official language of the province of Quebec and of the city of Montreal; that all documents of Council are bilingual, and that any member of the AUS has the possibility to work in French – AUS members cannot “use either official language at all meetings and in all documentation of the AUS” unless all documents and reports are provided bilingually.

“

The November 3 minutes looked as if they had been thrown through a free, online translator

Further, Katrak should update and translate the AUS web site, as it is not available in both official languages of the AUS, and verify, through any means you feel necessary, that the translation of all AUS documents is correct and proper.

Failure to respond to the demands of the francophone students of the AUS could result in further action taken by myself, including your possible referral to the Judicial Board for the violation of Articles 22 and 23.

Justin Margolis is the AUS Francophone Commissioner, and a member of the SSMU Commission on Francophone Affairs. He’s also a U3 Quebec Studies student, and you can reach him at justin.margolis@ mail.mcgill.ca.

Words from Herring herds; frat boy tact

Letters Get beyond blind partisan allegiances Re: “Pro-Obama students pack into Gerts for election coverage” | News | Nov. 6 While cheering on your candidate is fun, and while I was happy that the election turned out as it did, I feel it necessary to point out that strict adherence to party politics is really abhorrent.

The democratic senator from North Carolina was just predicted to win. Why is there cheering all around me? I am frankly sick of these blind loyalties – it is much akin to religious sects. Stop believing in people just because they put a D or R in front of their name. Start believing in individuals for what they bring to the table, regardless of affiliation. This applies to non-Americans as well. Pay attention to how people stand, don’t get too hyped up, and VOTE. Thanks.

poor, as the area was by no means dilapidated, but these labels don’t really matter.

In relation the other areas of Vancouver’s lower mainland, this neighbourhood is lower class, and its laundromats indicate that the majority of the area’s population can’t afford their own machines. I doubt you can find an apartment in these so-called “ritzier” areas of Montreal for $320, which is what I paid in East Van. And what do you mean exactly by “ritzy?” I would be interested to know what areas of Montreal are – in your esteemed opinion – ritzy, so that I could immediately object to your claims and instead call them middle-to-upper income-workingclass bourgeois.

Finally, I doubt that people’s attitudes are “the reason why the down town is so ghettoized.” Well, there was that one time when I was walking down Commercial Dr. and said, “Isn’t downtown so ghettoized,” and then a drug addict immediately appeared out of thin air and stole copper piping from a women’s shelter. Even if attitudes correlate to the condition of the area, correlation does not necessarily mean causation. But I guess you will learn that in U1 Science.

Rupert Common U3 English Literature

Steven Ahern U3 Biomedical Sciences

What’s wrong with frat boys?

The Herring’s letter policy Re: “Did you read my article Ezra?” and “Rich-boy Rupert gets his first letter!” | Commentary | Nov. 6 I see that two of The Red Herring’s staff writers, Rupert Common and Ezra Black, have received complaints for articles they wrote for The Daily. I hope this explains why we don’t have a letters section.

David Groves U3 Anthropology Editor-in-Chief of The Red Herring

Lessons on Vancouver and causation Re: “Rich-boy Rupert gets his first letter!” | Commentary | Nov. 6 Dear Victoria, Your letter indicates a poor reading of my article. You’re blind to its tone and missed several important details.

If you recall, I lived with my sister, a part-time social worker for the downtown East Side. We had many discussions on the subject of homelessness, and I learned a great deal from her.

You reacted strongly to my calling the neighbourhood lower class, and prefer to label it as “lower middle class.” Perhaps I was wrong to call it

Is there not a more solemn way to distribute poppies on campus than the braying frat boys at the crossroads? Assaulting passers-by opposite the Holocaust commemoration over the past couple days was surreal and obnoxious.

Adam Hodge U4 Mechanical Engineering

First nations self-governance is tricky Re: “First Nations’ rights violated by Canada’s refusal to ratify UN treaty” | News | Nov. 6 So Canada, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand are the only countries that didn’t sign the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People?

Could it be a coincidence that these are also four of the only countries that have colonized minority indigenous populations?

It’s a bit rich and self-righteous for an international body consisting mainly of states in completely different paradigms than us – many of whom are responsible for the situation we’re trying to fix – to think they can solve this issue.

I have every respect for international law, but kudos to Canada for ignoring legislation crafted in such an illegitimate manner. Our aboriginals do deserve self-government, but

this is a tricky issue. Some things to consider are: some self-government exists already, and what form does self-determination take? There are many aboriginal nations, are we talking about a new state?

In any case, it is clear that our native peoples deserve more humane, less paternalistic treatment, but ultimately the effective solution will be home-grown, not imposed by foreign diplomats with nothing more than a theoretical knowledge of the situation.

Mookie Kideckel U1 Political Science

Don’t get a Rogers phone plan!

I have been a Rogers customer since September 2006, having entered into a three-year contract with that company. I moved to Edmonton for the summer of 2008, and was advised to change to a local Edmonton number for that duration. When I tried to change back to a Montreal number in August, I was told my old plan was no longer available, and I could take another $25 plan instead. I did.

I use my phone to call my family in Edmonton, and I did so freely considering the 1,000 weeknight and weekend minutes in my new plan. I was unpleasantly surprised to find I had been billed in excess of an extra $130 for doing so. Apparently, my plan does not cover long-distance charges, contradicting what I was told over the phone by a Rogers representative while switching in August.

Having learned this, I tried to switch to their (new, I am told) $25 student plan with My10, but was told it meant a new three-year period.

As someone who has had occasion to use telephone services in India and the Emirates, I find Canadian cellular rates overpriced to begin with, and for a lower quality of service, too. Do they really have to add misinformation and obfuscation to that? I shall be cancelling my Rogers account as soon as feasible.

I suggest other victims of this crass corporation do the same. If you are someone who hasn’t a phone yet, go for a convenient card rather than sign off your liberty to an opaque, dishonest, and inconsiderate organization.

I don’t grudge them making a profit off my subscription – it’s literally their business. It’s the cloak-anddagger and bonded-labour attitude that annoys me. The Ministry of Industry apparently took an interest in SMS rates earlier this year. Perhaps it is time for them to scrutinize the industry as a whole.

Manosij Majumdar U2 Chemical Engineering More letters were received than could be printed, they’ll appear soon. Send your non-hateful letters to letters@mcgilldaily.com.

Culture

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

19

Nicole Buchanan for The McGill Daily

A therapist of one’s own One student’s disappointing experience with McGill’s mental health services

Sarah Mortimer The McGill Daily

I

began this project knowing that improving the state of McGill’s Mental Health Services (MMHS) would require full self-disclosure.

While my assessment of MMHS is reinforced with some administrative reports and statistics, it is my experiential honesty that I feel will be most valuable to readers. Those who can most lucidly identify the flaws of MMHS are on the receiving end, and, if our voices are heard, we can help to correct them.

I

t all began when I left home in 2006 to attend university in Halifax. Miles away from the support networks I had depended upon in Ontario, the intense moods swings I had known in high school intensified.

I became obsessed with solving the unpredictability of my future.

Though this concern is shared by many high school graduates, I handled it differently than most. For long periods of time, I stopped sleeping; instead, I passed the late hours by compiling lists of goals that I was to

accomplish and going for walks at odd hours of the night. Filled with an energy that I could not contain or share with others, I would exhaust my racing thoughts on paper or pavement until they had outrun me, and I was forced to let my body rest.

Friends were alarmed by my inconsistencies. Where one week I would proclaim my happiness to Halifax’s cobblestone harbourfront, the next week I was on my roommate’s floor, in shambles over life’s bitter chaos. As my moods rocked between extremes, my grades remained consistently high, confusing my friends and family. They wondered how I could be terribly sick ,but still rack up A’s while writing for the campus newspaper on the side.

Based on the academic success of my first year of university, my parents weren’t opposed to the idea of me finishing my degree at McGill in 2007. After transferring, my grades remained relatively stable and I continued to engage in extracurricular writing activities. But my inconsistent moods continued, and my anxiety sharpened.

O

ne night, while trying to finish an essay, I became so over-

whelmed by my inability to concentrate that I began to scream and cry.

Scared and alone, I called a helpline that specializes in anxiety to help temporarily subdue my panic. The next day I went to MMHS. Given the number of students that seek mental health treatment at McGill, I was told that I would need to wait at least two weeks before seeing a professional. Since it can take up to six months to get an appointment with a psychiatric professional outside of McGill’s services, I was advised to visit McGill’s counselling centre while these two weeks passed.

Of the 17 psychologists employed at McGill’s counseling centre, seven are Psychology graduate students. One of these students treated me.

She focused mostly on discussing familial conflicts, and I distinctly remember her offering me a Werther’s candy after we had finished the interview. She was very friendly, but I felt that her style of counselling was unsuitable for my needs.

While all students in McGill’s graduate Psychology program must have GPAs over 3.3, they are not required to have had practical experience in the field.

For someone who was biologically predisposed to manic depression and chronic anxiety, the success of this novice counselling session could be only temporary. Without regular psychiatric sessions and some pharmaceutical assistance, its effect – giving me the sense that my life had some order – would melt away almost as quickly as a Werther’s candy.

Two to three weeks after my initial contact with MMHS, I received an appointment with one of their full-time psychiatrists. This doctor was welcoming, and provided me with the prescription drugs I would require to help manage my mind’s precarious state. He was adamant that these pills would be ineffective if I did not combine them with therapy.

I viewed this as a sign of his professionalism and felt positive about the help I was about to receive.

T

he patient-therapist relationship differs from the relationship between a patient and his or her general practitioner. Because therapeutic prescriptions are largely opinion-based and can often affect a patient’s personality, they are more often rejected than other forms of

medical treatment. Further, there is a natural imbalance in the relationship between therapist and patient. While the therapist listens as an objective audience to the patient’s explanation of his or her problem, the patient enters a position of total vulnerability and forfeits the fate of his or her mental health to the therapist. Thus, it is essential that trust is established between the patient and therapist in order to ensure that the patient will be honest and that he or she will accept the advice that the therapist offers.

It was in my therapist’s repeated failure to secure this bond that MMHS ultimately failed me.

During our sessions, my doctor promoted the problematic view that I seemed perfectly intelligent, and thus capable of gaining control over my emotions. While he might have offered this statement as a way of showing his “unconditional acceptance” and encourangment of my self-disclosure, it implied to me that I was somehow a failure. Much of my distress was caused by the time I spent trying to reconcile my illogical Continued on page 20

20 Culture

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

MCGILLDAILY.COM MCGILLDAILY.COM MCGILLDAILY.COM

TOWN

HALL

Continued from page 20 emotions and behaviours with my rational conscious thoughts.

I feel the need to point out that certain neurological disorders (such as schizophrenia, which often begins to surface between one’s late teens and early twenties), do not always allow for the supremacy of conscious and rational thought, regardless of the intelligence of the patient. While medicine can be used to assist the suppression of some of these behaviors, to a large extent, the schizophrenic simply learns to exist with them. This discredits the idea that intelligence has any strong correlation to one’s overall mental state.

In addition, many mental illnesses, like manic depression are experienced periodically. “Most bipolars are thoughtful, deliberative, perceptive and responsible when not ill,” asserts Thomas C. Caramagno, author of Flight of the Mind, an analysis of the relationship between Virginia’s Woolf’s creative genius and her manic depression. Manic depression, Caramagno notes, “comes and goes, and when it is gone, individuals are not sick or insane.”

I visited my psychiatrist at MMHS two or three weeks after I first made the appointment, and for over a year after I had been suffering such

“manic” and “depressive” episodes.

Hence, if I appeared to be a fullyfunctioning and intelligent individual when we met, it may have been because I was – at the time when he saw me. Feeling that my illness was undermined by my intelligence, I hardly wished to give my therapist the full opportunity to assess me after he had made such a remark.

T

his sense of estrangement mounted when, on my third visit to his office, he confused me with another patient by the same surname. The misidentification suggested the unimportance of my case in his eyes, an implication that would hold as the session continued.

Breaching the central code of confidentiality in patient-doctor relationships, my doctor revealed medical information about this patient before realizing his mistake.

He laughed meekly at his error, but was unable to reclaim any greater sense of trust from me. From then on, I suspected that the information being shared between us was not truly confidential, or if it was, it was because he had forgotten it by the time I had left.

After this appointment, I saw my therapist much less frequently. I remember visiting him once, several

months later, for assistance with a panic attack, and once this year to refill my prescription. Our patienttherapist relationship is mostly impersonal, just like it is with any other McGill administrators.

In order for MMHS to offer the “full service” model it advertises to its students, it must ensure the trust of its patients. This will most likely require expanding the number of full-time psychiatrists, so that personal and memorable relationships between doctors and patients can be built.

D

espite my strained relationship with McGill’s MMHS, there is one companion who I trust fully. She was a sharp lady of London breed, and her untamed thoughts knew the greatest wisdom of the world. She once wrote of her own mental state: “My own brain is to me the most unaccountable of machinery – always buzzing, humming, soaring roaring diving, and then buried in mud.” Yet, for patients who suffer from illnesses like the one she suffered for a lifetime – in and outside of the lines – I wish that their fate will not resemble hers.

“On the outskirts of every agony,” wrote Virginia Woolf, “sits some observant fellow who points.”

Principal Heather Munroe-Blum invites McGill Students, Faculty and Staff to an open forum to discuss issues of relevance to the McGill community.

Wednesday November 12th, 2008 12:30-2:00 pm Macdonald Campus Raymond Building, R2-045 21111 Lakeshore Road Ste. Anne de Bellevue.

It’s our university, let’s talk about it.

He fell alone

EXP

SURE

HB Kubra

Information: Townhall@mcgill.ca

The Daily wants to print your art. Submit to photos@mcgilldaily.com

Culture

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

21

Creativity for the heart and mind Drop-in centre offers an artistic outlet to those in need JACQUELINE BIRD Culture Writer

U

ntil recently, the only thing I found striking about the St. James United Church, aside from its Gothic grandeur, was the collection of “Ice Falling” warning signs that stay up year-round. There’s something comical about being cautioned about falling ice when you’re frolicking around in flip-flops.

However, I’ve come to discover that the establishment’s exceptional qualities actually rest inside. When I first entered the seemingly empty church, I made my way through a maze of narrow and dimly-lit hallways and two flights of stairs, the creaking of old floors permeating the eerie silence, before I found what I’d come for: the St. James Drop-In Centre for the Needy.

One of the newer additions to the centre is the Creativity Program, started by Montreal artist Sandra Bailey in 1996. Bailey thought that there was a real need for self-expression through the creative arts among the centre’s members, all between the ages of 30 and 60. Over the years, the Creativity Program has expanded into poetry and music in an attempt to become a catch-all program. When I walked into the art room, I was overwhelmed by the rich colours throwing themselves at me. There were skillful paintings in various styles covering every inch of the walls, art books scattered on

tables and in shelves, and a cabinet stuffed to the brim with art supplies.

The inspiration surrounding me was intoxicating.

I got the chance to sit down with the coordinator of the art studio, Anne-Marie Beaulieu, and the director of the centre, Alain Spitzer, to ask some questions about the Creativity Program. They explained that the art room is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day, and the projects pursued are mostly products of the members’ own initiative. The Creativity Program has been supporting exhibitions and community events since its creation.

The artists, all members of the centre, are encouraged to sell their work and receive 50 per cent of the purchase price, while the other 50 per cent goes to the Creativity Program to purchase art supplies.

Nonetheless, while a lot of the members “have low-incomes or are on welfare, and making additional money is good for them,” Spitzer explains, “it’s not the purpose of the program.” “I’m not their art agent,” Beaulieu adds.

“In the centre are urban poor, people with mental health issues – basically people marginalized by society,” Spitzer continues. “As children, we dream; when we’re adults, we’re told not to. The people who succeed in life are the people who still have dreams,” he says. “The marginalized aren’t dreaming; they have

no self-esteem; there is no creativity there. This program allows their creativity to come back and offers them a launching pad in all dimensions of life. We are offering a workshop that transfers outside the art studio into everyday life.”

Beaulieu believes that mental health problems are essentially “an energy of the mind and soul you don’t understand. Some of the drug and alcohol abusers here are so mixed up in their heads. But when they pick up

“

The people who succeed in life are the people who still have dreams – Alain Spitzer Director, St. James Drop-in Centre

the paint brush,” he adds, “their art is raw, and it’s so connected to the person.” The art room coordinator insists that when she promotes exhibitions, she wants society to know that these artists are people who are cared for and have the ability to be extremely creative. Spitzer expands: “We want to build community at the lowest level, share ideas and values, and we want the community to respect the people who are bringing the ideas.”

Check out the St. James web site to stay in the know about upcoming events and on how to make donations: stjamescentre.ca/home.html.

Nicole Buchanan / The McGill Daily

St. James drop-in centre provides art materials to society’s marginalized.

Perversion or personal preference?

Mapping pedophilia in literature ALYSSA FAVREAU Culture Writer

P

edophilia, Greek for “pedo” meaning child and “philia” meaning love or friendship, is considered by the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual as a psychological disorder involving recurrent, intense, and sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviours involving sexual activity, with a prepubescent child. And while this may seem immoral to us, pedophilia is no new concept. Ever since the 1600s B.C.E., when Athenian pederasty was a common social practice, pedophilic behaviour has been a recorded part of human history.

Pederasty – the instance of erotic

relationships between adult men and adolescent boys – was seen in Ancient Greece as a desirable instructional practice, implemented to teach the youth cultural, civic, and moral values. The relationship, either platonic or sexual, was seen as a perfectly acceptable social institution, and was practiced by several other peoples, including the Celts and other Germanic tribes.

However, the rise of JudeoChristian values, notably the condemnation of sodomy, led to a change in mores, and pederasty became increasingly uncommon. It was only in 1886 that the study of pedophilia began, with Viennese psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing and his work Psychopathia Sexualis.

In literature, too, pedophilia has become a common theme. Present as

early as the 14th century in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, pedophilia also depicted in works such as Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, and several of Shakespeare’s sonnets, and Goethe’s “Marienbad Elegy.”

Two of the most famous works of fiction prominently featuring pedophilia are, of course, Thomas Mann’s Death in Venice and Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita. Both these novels have garnered international recognition and popularity, and gained classic status.

Death in Venice tells the story of Gustav von Aschenbach, an ascetic middle-aged author who, after a chance encounter, decides to go on sabbatical. Aschenbach finds himself in Venice, and soon notices a beau-

tiful Polish youth by the name of Tadzio. Slowly, as the plot unfolds, Aschenbach’s obsession causes him to forsake his former asceticism and controlled nature in favour of one more passionate and youthful.

However, this emotional awakening ultimately results in a loss of dignity and Aschenbach’s death.

Similarly, Nabokov’s Lolita also tells of an emotional awakening.

After failing to consummate a childhood relationship with a young girl named Annabel Leigh, Humbert Humbert, the protagonist, becomes obsessed with “nymphets,” or girls between the ages of nine and 14 possessing an ethereal quality that he finds pleasing. After meeting Dolores Haze, known throughout the novel as Dolly or Lolita, he sees Annabel in her, and falls in love with the 12-year-

old shortly thereafter. The rest of the novel then describes the growth and eventual failure of their relationship.

Regardless of the awakening experienced by both protagonists, neither Lolita nor Death in Venice were intended as promotions of pedophilia. Aschenbach eventually loses all the self-control he once prided himself upon, and Humbert Humbert often begs the reader to understand that he is not proud of his actions and regrets effectively robbing Lolita of her childhood.

Although both novels have sparked controversy since their publication, the key to their success may very well be this indirect criticism of pedophilia. Regardless of the pederasty of antiquity, pedophilia remains a social taboo, unimaginable to many of us.

22 Culture

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

Seeing the music Dance show pays tribute to legendary choreographer Jiri Kylian Amelia Schonbek The McGill Daily

“W

hen you meet a person like Jiri Kylian, you want everyone to get a chance to know that person!” says Anik Bissonette excitedly.

Bissonnette, the beloved Québécoise dancer, is talking about the motivation behind her latest project, Kylian le Grand. The show was conceived

by Bissonette and Mario Radacovsky, a dancer and the current director of the Slovak National Ballet Theatre.

Together, they have masterminded a large-scale tribute – featuring an international cast of more than 20 dancers, five choreographers, and archival film segments – to the man who may just be his generation’s greatest choreographer.

Czech-born Kylian is widely recognized as a brilliant creator. His name has become synonymous with the Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT), one of the most innovative modern dance companies in existence, and the company with which he has spent the bulk of his choreographic career. In his 33 years with NDT, Kylian has created more than 70 works for the company – that’s not including the dances he’s choreographed for other organizations.

But while Bissonette and Radacovsky will be the first to tell you that Kylian has had tremendous success as a choreographer, their reasons for creating this tribute to him go above and beyond

his achievements. “For us, Kylian is one of the best choreographers in the world. But he is not only a wonderful choreographer, he is a wonderful human being,” Bissonette explains. “He is extremely generous in the way he works, with his dancers, and with all of the people around him.”

Kylian le Grand began as a desire to share this person with the world.

The choreographer no longer travels, so since they couldn’t bring him here, Bissonette and Radacovsky went to Kylian, armed with a video camera. “And we had this big interview with him about how he started dancing [and] how he thinks about choreography,” Bissonette says.

“The idea was to bring people – normal people, not just lovers of dance – closer to one of the greatest choreographers in the world,” Radacovsky adds.

From there, the project began to grow. Bissonette and Radacovsky tried to weave Kylian’s spirit into all aspects of the work; every detail reflects who he is and what he values. Markedly, the tribute features dances not only by Kylian himself, but also by Lightfoot/Leon, Johan Inger, and Radacovsky. The decision to include a variety of voices stems from the fact that, according to Radacovsky, “Jiri is one of those choreographers who was never afraid to invite others to create work for the company. Not all artistic directors are so generous. He wanted the best for his company, and he wanted to challenge his dancers. He wasn’t afraid of the competition.” Further,

Courtesy of Ctibor Bachraty

Bissonette and Radacovksy create a passionate homage to Jiri Kylian’s choreography. the fact that Lightfoot/Leon, Inger, and Radacovsky were all mentored

by Kylian exemplifies his longstanding dedication to nurturing and promoting new talent.

That so many choreographers and dancers want to be involved with Kylian is a testament not only to his character, but also to the strength of his work. When asked what it is that makes his choreography so powerful, Bissonette and Radacovsky don’t even need to stop and think.

“Musicality” Bissonette instantly replies. “When you watch a piece of his you are able not only to hear the

music, but also to see the music. This is unique to Jiri.”

Radacovsky seconds this: “For Kylian, it is very important to make things that are aesthetically beautiful. But also, it’s the way he creates. It is more than choreography. He puts his whole philosophy on the stage; everything he believes is translated into the work. Also, he is always coming up with something new. He’s one of those artists that can surprise you every time. And he’s 62 now! But he keeps evolving. I always wonder what he will do next, what he will do ten or 20 years from now.”

Both Bissonette and Radacovsky are also quick to note the incredible amount of knowledge that Kylian brings to his work. Radacovsky calls him a walking encyclopaedia, likening the choreographer’s mind to a vast storehouse of information about art, music, and culture that he uses to inform his dances. It is this multidisciplinary, many-layered man that Bissonette and Radacovsky wish to show to the world with Kylian le Grand. Judging by the passion with which they have approached the task, they shouldn’t have much difficulty.

extending beyond the faculty of Arts.

Last year, the gallery was granted a permanent space in Leacock 111 – a small room that provides an intimate setting for art viewing.

This semester, Fridge Door aimed to be more inclusive. “We were afraid that people were getting the impression that we were elitists in some way,” says La Verghetta, “but I think that’s just because we started out so small.” To prevent exclusivity, the Fridge Door Gallery set their street team on the loose; a group of volunteers who help with visibility and art handling, and who have a say in the final selection process.

Together, the execs and the street team go through slides of all the submissions, choosing the final 25 by an autonomous vote of “yes, no, or maybe.”

Because of the reoccurring motif of portraits and body-related art in this year’s submissions, the board

decided to theme the upcoming vernissage “Some of Their Parts,” a clever play on words that the three execs seemed very pleased with. By choosing a theme after receiving submissions, the gallery does not limit any student-artist’s chance of being selected – this is important to Fridge Door’s goal of all-inclusiveness. The process is described by La Verghetta as being more organic and more interesting than assigning a theme.

Next year will witness Fridge Door’s first test of endurance, as Macdonald, La Verghetta, and Reid graduate, passing the reins to their street team trainees. Reid isn’t worried, as she says her successors seem up for the challenge. Aside from hoping to solve the ongoing issue of inadequate funding, Fridge Door’s aspirations are modest. “We just want to survive,” says Macdonald as the other two execs nod in agreement.

The Fridge Door Gallery would like to become a permanent fixture at McGill rather than simply a “cool thing that’s happening.”

Tomorrow night, be sure to stop by the Fridge Door Gallery, and do your part to encourage student art. Like all classy McGill events, there will be wine and there will be cheese. But the Fridge Door also has live music! Bodies, a band whose name is gloriously and coincidentally in line with the exhibit’s theme, will be playing to enhance your viewing experience. And hey, don’t be cheap. Help the Fridge Door Gallery in their dream to stay afloat, by donating a twoonie to the cause.

You – Daily reader, art appreciator, wine-and-cheese-event drifter – I will see you there.

Art for our sake Fridge Door Gallery celebrates McGill student art at their fall vernissage.

Anna Leocha Culture Writer

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omorrow night, be prepared for something a little less… concrete when stepping into Leacock building. From six to nine p.m. in Leacock 111, student artwork will adorn the walls, sending a tiny pulse of creativity up the building’s ten stories of load-bearing cement panels, and defying the notion that fine arts do not exist at McGill University.

Now in its fourth incarnation, McGill’s Fridge Door Gallery will display works by 25 student artists at their fall vernissage. The gallery

is the project of a group of spirited Art History students, who organize and curate an exhibit every semester.

Executive club members Marina La Verghetta, Andie Reid, and François Macdonald want to make clear that although McGill doesn’t have a fine arts program, students are still creating their own artwork. Fridge Door’s mission is to give these students a chance to show what they produce.

Besides, for these future curators, “It’s a good chance to play avatar,” says Macdonald.

Since their first vernissage in March 2007, the gallery has blossomed. This year, Fridge Door received 140 submissions, as opposed to last year’s 40, with submissions

Fridge Door’s vernissage takes place tomorrow (November 11) in Leacock 111. Suggested donation $2.

24 Culture

APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION Ian Beattie on the indisputable appeal of monster truck rallies

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n their efforts to make Gregory House M.D. seem more human, the producers of FOX’s House came up with a golden idea: make House like monster trucks. More than House’s love of jazz or his first season crush on Cameron, nothing in the show brings House down to earth like these roaring, car-crushing agents of destruction. “These tickets are so good you have to sign a health waiver to get them,” House proudly tells Wilson. Awesome.

Monster trucks have that kind of leveling effect on people. In the week since I attended my first monster truck rally, I have yet to hear anyone say “Monster trucks? That’s so lame!” even though I’ve been babbling about it nonstop. Perhaps they have such universal appeal because their appeal is so obvious – they’re big, they’re loud, they break stuff. Although some may turn up their noses at such blatant machismo, I like to look at it as a kind of honesty. I think everybody’s born with a natural appreciation for stuff that goes boom, and monster trucks cater to that desire and absolutely nothing else. They’re fireworks on wheels. They’re the Moose Mason of the vehicular universe – big, dumb, how can you not love them?

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hough everybody thinks they’re cool (for the remainder of this article, I will treat this as fact), monster truck rallies remain on the fringes of popular culture – probably due to the misconception that everybody who actually likes monster trucks also lives in a

trailer, listens to Waylon Jennings, and sports a mullet. Although there might be a few enlightened folk in the wide readership of The Daily, it seems pretty likely that most McGill students know very little about these powerful creatures.

Allow me to edify you a little. Most of the things one can say about a monster truck involve how big, powerful, and destruction-spreading it is, so strap in.

Every aspect of a monster truck is taken to the extreme – most trucks utilize 5’6” tires taken from industrial fertilizer spreaders, and are built on frames over ten feet tall. The engines used by the trucks can generate 2,000 horsepower – as a point of comparison, the first generation of Hummers generate 300 horsepower. Two monster trucks would be more than enough to pull a freight train, though granted, they wouldn’t be able to pull it very far before a refill. Because they’re so big, monster trucks can drive over pretty much everything, so they have to be mounted with three remote kill switches in case the driver blacks out. With almost six-foot tires and gigantic suspension mounts, a monster truck going AWOL could easily escape the arena and wreak havoc in the stands.

There is very little “truck” left in a monster truck. If you popped off the plastic pick-upshaped shell sitting on top, what lies beneath the skin of a monster truck is basically a giant, cracked-out dune buggy. They use centrallymounted engines so as not to tip in mid-air, and most drivers sit in the middle for a wider

range of vision. If a monster truck had a door, it would fly off after the first jump, so drivers have to squeeze up from underneath or, more commonly, clamber up onto the giant tires and slide in through the window.

All this I found out through highly enjoyable Internet research two weeks ago, which also turned up some pretty killer monster truck names – Grave Digger, Maximum Destruction, Samson, and my favourite, Iron Outlaw. I was left asking myself, however, once you’ve built these beasts, what exactly do you do with them?

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hat question was answered for me at the Monster Spectacular, Montreal’s monster truck-fest, due for another stop in this city next April. The Spectacular is hosted by the Olympic Stadium, which has always been too big for anyone to really know what to do with it.

During the darkest days of the Montreal Expos, 8,000 loyal fans would show up for games – leaving 48,040 seats empty. The Spectacular was doing a little better than that – at various points in the night there were maybe 25,000 people there, but to all us adrenalin-pumped monster fans, the stadium was half full rather than half empty.

The monster trucks do compete, and certain portions of the night resembled a conventional motorsport event. The first half of the Spectacular was the races – two trucks facing off, tearing around a dirt track for two laps, with the loser eliminated. Even this rath-

er sober part of the night, however, was laced with that destruction-obsessed monster truck philosophy. The trucks had to drive over two jumps, one on each side of the loop. For no apparent reason, the jumps were made out of cars instead of dirt. Trucks that did the wise thing and skimmed over these obstacles so as to get the best time were met with cold indifference; trucks that gunned it and hit big air even at the expense of the race and the occasional axle were met with adoring screams. Even in this sporty part of the night, entertainment was the true goal.

The freestyle event was where the real fun began. The trucks sat around the edges of the arena, and one by one were called forth to do the most spectacular stuff they could cram into a two-minute bit – though if they really had the crowd going, few trucks could resist the temptation to jump an extra bus, or spin a few more doughnuts before retiring. The noise of a monster truck gunning its engine is absolutely unreal; even when you’re sitting in the nosebleed section, it makes your eyeballs ache. It’s exactly the sound the R/C monster truck you played with as a kid made, except dropped a register and about a million times louder. And what these trucks were capable of was even more unreal. It’s hard to explain the spectacle of something with tires nearly six feet tall flying through the air like a pole vaulter – it completely distorts your sense of scale. During the freestyle event, all semblance

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

25

Stephen Davis / The McGill Daily

of fair competition was forgone, and the trucks just jammed on anything and everything they found in their way. The lesser monster trucks had to settle for crushing what was left on the track from the race portion of the night, but for the real heroes, all sorts of junkyard detritus was piled on the track for them to destroy.

It’s not just the stuff that gets destroyed that wins the hearts of the crowd; it’s how it gets destroyed – one might even call it an art form.

For example, take the story of the night’s closer, Black Stallion.

Black Stallion rolled out following the spectacular failures of two earlier trucks, Goliath and Bounty Hunter. Goliath had dreamed a little bigger than he could follow through with, and had found himself humiliatingly perched on the edge of the very school bus he was trying to crush, and all the Spectacular’s tow trucks and all the king’s men couldn’t bring him down again. So there he lay. Bounty Hunter had put in a good run, but was unable to defeat a Québon milk truck, which impressively stayed intact throughout the whole night. Bounty Hunter missed his great opportunity though – a motor home that had been left in the middle of the track especially for him. It was onto this stage of unrealized hopes that Black Stallion rode, and, taking advantage of every rusting opportunity that lay in front of him, he put the other trucks to shame. First he crushed a beautifully restored Cadillac while it was still sitting on top of its transport truck, then flew off a jump in the middle of the track and

somehow landed with his rear wheel exactly on top of a motor boat that had eluded everyone else. Coming round the bend of the track, Black Stallion set Bounty Hunter’s motor home in his sights and burst through it like Eddy coming out of the deep freeze in Rocky Horror. Wood, aluminum, and linoleum flew everywhere. We were on our feet. Finally, spurning the respect for the dead shown by all the other trucks, he flew over the very school bus where Goliath lay, and in a cruel but just gesture, crushed that worthy’s hood under his wheels. It was monster truck perfection.

It would be wrong, however, to give the impression that everything runs smoothly at a rally. On the contrary, something went wrong with nearly every other monster truck that took the track. Axles broke, trucks rolled, engines burst into flame. Such disasters took time to clean up, particularly because the Montreal fire department showed up armed only with a golf cart and a few fire extinguishers. The crowd that shows up to a monster truck rally is not the sort that is willing to wait for a golf cart with five fire fighters in full gear hanging off of it to trundle across the arena and spray out a burning truck. Every time there was a delay, bizarre sideshows erupted from every side of the arena to distract us from the wait. There were ATV stunts, motorcycle stunts, and cars being devoured by Megasaurus (identical to Truckasaurus of Simpsons fame, but much less scary in person). There were even jet cars.

Jet cars are exactly what you think they are, but

probably with less car. They’re almost entirely jet, with a fun-loving little man perched on top, and they make a sound like a 747 taking off over your head. When they lit their afterburners, I felt the shockwave hit my sweater. Everything was loud, big, spectacular. Monster truck rallies are the conceptual realm of the auto industry; they’re where all the mechanics go who are sick of hearing that there’s no point in riding an airplane engine like a motorcycle.

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t the end of the night, I paused to reflect. Can we learn anything from monster truck rallies? Are they representative of anything? Is the idea that, as a culture, we love to crush, burn, and break things for spectacle – evidence of a deeper, darker tendency to violence that we need to address?

Well, not really. It would be valuable to keep in mind that they’re just trucks. Although monster trucks invite frequent comparison to that other bastion of sports entertainment, professional wrestling, the appetite for destruction at a monster truck rally is totally free of the sadism and bloodlust of the WWE. When a truck rolls and catches on fire, the driver, after freeing himself from his flaming cockpit, usually climbs up on top of the wreckage and pumps his fist in the air in triumph before grabbing a fire extinguisher and helping to put out the blaze. It’s good clean fun. And though it might be problematic that what is being glorified is American car culture, something that is such

a large chunk of the global warming problem, the actual rallies themselves are relatively lowcarbon-imprint affairs. The trucks burn alcohol-based racing fuel, and if there’s one guiding philosophy it’s reuse – all the cars are old, junked models rescued from the scrap heap for one more moment of glory, and even the monster trucks themselves are patchwork concoctions of parts other people don’t want anymore.

Bus axles, farm equipment tires, even the shells are usually taken from old cars – one legendary monster truck, Grave Digger, is crowned with the body of a 1950s Chevy.

Everybody should go to a monster truck rally once in their lives. It’s a healthy experience for a bourgeois McGill student to face the fact that everybody likes big, monster machines and the noise they make, and accepting that won’t make you dirty. Although there were a fair amount of mullet haircuts and Jennings devotees present on Saturday night, the largest demographic by far was made up of children under 15, an age at which one hasn’t yet accepted that a mullet has to be anything more than a way to rock an awesome long ‘do without it getting all in your face. Spectacle is present in our culture at all levels: the magnificence of a Puccini opera, the violence of a Pollock painting, the size of a great work of architecture. Sometimes it’s nice to have a little thought thrown in with your spectacle, but sometimes it’s better just to take the spectacle straight-up, handed to you from the great, iron claws of Megasaurus.

26 Culture

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

“It’s in your blood” Culture and race as personal points of reference EMILY CLARE The McGill Daily

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s university students, we all have identity issues. As we mature, we start to see an array of hypocrisies in the world of adults that we once trusted unconditionally. Searching for insights within different facets of our personal experience – whether it be race, sexual orientation, or religion – there’s a sense of firm ground to stand on in what we consider to be inherent and “in our blood.”

Our external – i.e. racial – appearance is undeniably an influential force in where we see ourselves in the world as it is one of the easiest modes of categorization. But what happens when what is considered to be “in your blood” doesn’t match up with a set of clearly defined expectations?

“I don’t feel like I have an identity.

It’s more confusion. I don’t feel like I have a race,” said Daniel Amin, an Arts student of half-caucasian, halfPakistani descent, who was raised primarily by his Pakistani mother.

“Once in awhile, I still realize that certain things aren’t common to white people. There are differences in parenting between white and brown parents; you slowly figure out what’s what.”

Interestingly, none of the people I interviewed defined themselves by their ambiguous ethnicity; it seems that cultural influences – aspects gleaned from parents and the society you’re brought up in – are more significantly formative than anything in

your blood. Aaron Kurts is a half-Japanese and half-white U1 Arts student whose Japanese family has been in Canada for about three generations, and lived through the internment camps during WWII. “I only feel Japanese because I have the blood,” he says, “[It’s not] in any linguistic or cultural way.” According to Ian Condry in Hip-Hop Japan: Rap and the Paths of Cultural Globalization – a book that deals with issues of race, class, and subculture in contemporary Japanese society – ethnic belonging is traditionally conceived of along the blood lines, not based on external appearance or the environment in which you were raised.

Jason, however, feels differently; for him, living in North America, what’s in his blood isn’t enough to give him a strong sense of ethnic identity. “People see me as more Japanese than I feel,” he said. “I’d get to Japan and say, ‘What the hell?

This is weird. I am not Japanese.’”

He noted that one of the only particularly Japanese aspects of his life is that he uses chopsticks at home.

“I’d like to say cultural loss through the generations is a bad thing. But it never really affected me, so I don’t know what I feel about it.”

Mona Matthews, a U1 Management student, is half-Lebanese and halfwhite. She said, “After awhile, it’s no longer, ‘I’m part Lebanese.’ But, ‘My grandmother was Lebanese.’”

Matthews’s Lebanese heritage isn’t obvious when you first look at her.

She felt that the Lebanese that she encountered didn’t recognize her as part of their culture. “I don’t identify

Sally Lin / The McGill Daily

with the first generation but with the food and traditions that I grew up with. I am attached to the culture and not the country.”

A friend of mine described race and culture as being part of a colour continuum; we wouldn’t understand what it means to be black or white without the context of the other races around us. The dominant North American culture is often misconstrued as being some kind of general “white culture” – and hence, bland and non-existent. But realistically, someone of mixed Latvian and Italian descent could be as culturally diverse as anyone with a more conspicuously mixed background.

Each of us reflects a certain face of world history on a tightened scale; we carry the history of our ancestors in subtle ways that may not be immediately obvious to us.

“Even if I don’t identify with it, I still am Japanese,” Kurts acknowledged. “Maybe it has influenced me more than I realize.”

When a band and another band love each other very much McGill’s the Neighborhood Council and Deerhunter are going steady WHITNEY MALLETT The McGill Daily

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his summer, the Neighbourhood Council met Deerhunter. The former are a four-piece band of youngsters from Calgary, Alberta, three-quarters of them McGill freshmen; the latter are a five-piece from Atlanta, Georgia that have already been around the block – Pitchfork awarded their EP “Best New Music” in 2006. What followed is your typical love story.

At Sled Island festival in Calgary this past June, “Word got around that we really looked up to them,” Katie Lee, Neighbourhood Council’s keyboardist, explains. Deerhunter watched them play, and it turned out the admiration was mutual.

Fast-forward five months, and

things have gotten hot and heavy: Neighbourhood Council are opening two stops on Deerhunter’s North American tour, promoting the release of their new album Microcastles. “It always happens the old-fashioned way,” comments Raphaelle StandellPreston, Neighbourhood Council’s lead singer. “Having a festival brings a lot of bands together.”

The two bands share a DIY spirit with the third act of the show: Columbus, Ohio’s Times New Viking, also opening for Deerhunter.

However, their sounds are all fairly unique. Deerhunter keeps the pop in noisy garage punk, channelling My Bloody Valentine. Times New Viking is a fuzzy yet melodic three-piece rock band, part of the lo-fi movement some have dubbed shitgaze.

But the Neighbourhood Council is more shoegaze than shitgaze, mak-

ing instrument-heavy ambient pop – a musical equivalent to the loveliness of Sofia Coppola’s art direction.

The three bands sure don’t share any geographic proximity, either: Atlanta, Columbus, Calgary, and Montreal are pretty far apart on the map. And while local scenes are vital to fostering independent bands, it’s refreshing to see cross-pollination across borders and genres. Deerhunter are intimately involved in their Atlanta scene, and are no strangers to collaboration: Atlanta’s Cole Alexander, of the Black Lips, makes an appearance on their recent release Microcastles. But it seems that Deerhunter are using their Pitchfork-proclaimed pedestal to give a leg-up to bands beyond just the ones in their hometown.

In an article from April 2007, The New York Times asserted, “In an earlier era, a weird, intense band like

Deerhunter might well have remained a secret. Not these days.” Undoubtedly, the Internet has changed the way music is hyped. And while Deerhunter quite possibly owes much of their popularity to online reviews and their frequently updated blog – check it out for downloads deerhuntertheband. blogspot.com – there is something to be said for old-fashioned modes of promotion like touring.

Just listening to Deerhunter won’t convey the raucous performances that they are notorious for – often complete with their towering, emaciated lead singer Bradord Cox, face bloodied, wearing a sundress. In a similar vein, Times New Viking’s lo-fi recordings render a very different sound than their concerts.

Live performances are unrivalled

by Internet downloads. Touring across our vast nation, however, is economi-

cally impractical for many Canadian bands, and Standell-Preston notes the Internet’s importance in putting cities like Calgary on the map.

Being full-time students at McGill provides another challenge. “If we didn’t have school we would probably be touring right now, but we’re all so young. We’re all under 20,” Lee explains. “‘Take your time,’ is our mindset. We all have our own passions that we are going to school for, but music is our main passion.” This passion is clear in the Neighbourhood Council’s basement pop, rife with sonic climaxes and fervent yelps.

Hopefully you’ll fall in love, the same way Deerhunter did.

The bands play at Theatre Plaza (6505 St. Hubert) on November 11.

Doors are at 8 p.m. and tickets are $15.

Compendium!

The McGill Daily, Monday, November 10, 2008

Lies, Half-truths, & Big trucks spewing fire

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Seasons play leap frog this year Harriet Rocco The McGill Daily

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fter a spine-tinglingly-cold four days of winter in late October, students finally got a chance to soak up the sun last week as daytime temperatures averaged around 12 degrees – just above the threshold for Birkenstocks, cargo

Gravedigger solemnly looks on as a fan leaves the Monster Truck rally engulfed in flames. “I mean, I really like Monster Trucks – and basically everything that drives around in circles for no reason – but sometimes the theatrics can be a wee bit excessive,” the fan said in a huff. See pages 24 and 25 for more “in depth” and “non-lies”-filled coverage, aka boredom.

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were thinking giving him two first names, Daniels turned the question around, asking why I would re-hash his childhood trauma.

U3 Physics student O’Ria McRean said he was happy with the oddly warm temperatures.

“When campus is full of joy, cheer, and people hanging out with friends – it reminds me that there’s hope for me, too,” McRean said.

shorts, and skirts-sans-leggings.

McGill environment professor Spencer Daniel explained that climate change’s affect on seasonality caused April to skip ahead five months to November, if only for a short while.

“See, the thing with climate change is...you just dunno what the fuck,” Daniel said.

When asked what his parents

Margot Nossal / The McGill Daily

Stay tuned for the next edition of Sterling Street next Monday.

Across 1. Checked out 6. Cezars legacy 10. Pigeon’s home 14. Fertilization site 15. Anger, with “up” 16. Soon, to a bard 17. Chart anew 18. Knowing, as a secret 19. Fluff 20. Marked 22. Balcony section 23. Schuss, e.g.

24. Group study 26. Play 31. Backstabber 32. Chill 33. Make, as a putt 35. “Master” 39. Twisted metal 40. Like “The X-Files” 42. Acute 43. Bar, at the bar 45. Auction cry 46. Way, way off 47. Center 49. Nederlands, e.g.

51. Frame 55. Cloak-and-dagger org.

56. Doctor Who villainess, with “the” 57. Throat disease 63. “Idylls of the King” character

64. Alliance 65. Chilled 66. Ask 67. Elliptical 68. Aquatic mammal 69. Ticket info, maybe 70. “ Like It Hot” 71. Choker Down 1. Company name 2. Affirm 3. Clash of heavyweights 4. Brio 5. Oust 6. Threes 7. Brass component 8. “A Lesson From ” 9. Furnish 10. Go home 11. Part of “the works” 12. Island nation east of Fiji 13. “Come in!”

21. Decree 25. More, in Madrid 26. Miles per hour, e.g.

27. Freudian topics 28. Abrupt 29. Think again 30. Become a member 34. A thousand reps 36. LP player

37. Persia, now 38. “Lulu” composer 41. Astronomer Hubble 44. WBC’s 48. Ring 50. Black water locale 51. Inched 52. Asian capital 53. Biscotti flavoring 54. Artillery burst 58. Be itinerant 59. “What’s gotten you?”

60. Josip Broz, familiarly 61. Frosts, as a cake 62. Arid

Solution to “Haloween Treats” C U S S

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