Volume 101, Issue 13
October 20, 2011 mcgilldaily.com
McGill THE
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Published by The Daily Publications Society, a student society of McGill University.
2 News
The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
The Daily interviews NDP candidate Thomas Mulcair McGill alum announces run for NDP leadership next March Jordan Venton-Rublee The McGill Daily
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www.mcgilldaily.com
homas Mulcair, MP for Outremont and deputy leader of the NDP, announced his intention to run for leadership of the NDP party last week. Mulcair, who graduated from McGill in 1977, was last at McGill in September to speak at the Science and Policy Exchange, where he refused to cross picket lines formed by the striking McGill University Non-Academic Certified Association (MUNACA). “After Jack [Layton]’s death we were all in a period of deep mourning and shock,” said Mulcair. “I had to make sure I had Canadian support and the support from my caucus colleagues.” “I have the support of 33 MPs, which is more support than all other candidates put together,” he continued, adding that he counts Lorne Nystrom, former Saskatchewan NDP MP, and Dominic Cardy, leader of the New Brunswick NDP, as supporters of his campaign. Mulcair, who has campaigned on the idea that he will be pushing centrist policies for the party, said that he hopes he can bring a new direction to the party. “The most important thing for me is that the vision we have always had for Canada in the NDP can start to be a reality by forming the first NDP govern-
ment,” he explained. Mulcair gave examples such as Gary Doer, former Manitoba premier and current US ambassador for Canada, and former Saskatchewan premier, Lorne Calvert, as examples of centrist NDP leaders who have had successful governments. “What they were able to do was convince their voters that they would provide stable, confident public administration,” he said. “People have to be sure, before they are going to elect a new government, that they are actually going to be able to balance the books, do a good job, respect their social democratic values, and their roots, but at the same time convince the public that they can be elected,” he continued. Mulcair referred to his previous experience in Quebec City and in his Outremont riding, where he was elected as an MP for the third time in the last May’s federal election, as examples of his success in government. He also spoke of the success that the NDP had in the previous federal election, stating that “what [Layton and I] did in Quebec was unique. We connected with people on the level of their values. We were able to reach beyond the traditional base and we were able to produce extraordinary results.” When asked about the ongoing MUNACA strike, Mulcair said, “They have my full support.” “The University itself boasts quite
proudly, and rightly so, that it is one of the best universities in the world, and those support workers are an integral part of making McGill one of the best universities in the world,” he continued. Brian Topp, current president of the NDP, is among Mulcair’s competition for NDP leadership. When asked about how Mulcair entering the race will affect his campaign, Topp stated that, “I’m going to focus on my own campaign and, in March, members will make their choice.” Sam Harris, co-president of NDP McGill, said that the group is not yet ready to endorse a candidate for the NDP leadership election this March. Harris explained that it may in the future, but not until all the candidates have submitted their nominations, the deadline for which is January. Mulcair concluded by saying that the NDP had to move beyond its traditional base. “We have to connect with people across Canada on the level of their values and make them understand that the NDP is really the only real offer to form a progressive government in the next election,” he said. “Before getting elected we are going to have to connect with the Canadian voting public and make sure they understand we are going to have an experienced, seasoned competent team of senior people who are capable of running a G7 country like Canada,” he continued.
News
The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
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Occupy Montreal protestors defend right to public space City bylaws allow occupation, authorities “tolerate” overnight stays News Writer
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of the new set of rules is dubious. “This could be subject to litigation. If there is writing on those tents, then it becomes a First Amendment issue,” she explained. In the United States, the First Amendment protects freedom of speech. Protesters in New York have used the legal ambiguity of their camping zone to their advantage. According to Robson, the private ownership of Zuccotti Park curtails the authority of the city, and allows protesters greater flexibility in exercising their First Amendment rights. According to Robson, Brookfield owns and manages Zuccotti Park in exchange for zoning incentives and the use of bigger office spaces. In Montreal, the designation of Square Victoria as a public space gives the protesters considerable leeway as well. “Public spaces,” Hétu said, “have to be made available to the public.” Although there is a regulation against overnight stays, he explained that a protester “can cite the Charter and some judge might rule in favor of it,” in reference to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. According to Hétu, the case is not without precedent. In 2008, the Supreme Court of British Columbia ruled that homeless people were allowed to set up tents in public spaces. While the decision of the court did not take free speech into account, it illustrated that the municipal bylaws can be trumped by constitutional concerns. However, Hétu warned that free speech was not without limit. “If there is urination and some degradation of public property, then this could become a public health issue,” he explained.
Sergey Tsynkevych for The McGill Daily
Annie Shiel for The McGill Daily
s Occupy Montreal enters its fifth day, protesters have found an unlikely ally: the City of Montreal bylaws. While parks in Montreal are subject to regulations that explicitly forbid overnight stays, rules regarding public spaces, such as Square Victoria which protesters are occupying, are much less clear. The hundreds of protesters occupying Square Victoria as part of the global Occupy movement have stressed this distinction in order to justify their stay. The City of Montreal is divided into 19 boroughs, each with its own set of laws. Square Victoria falls under the purview of the VilleMarie borough council. While there is nothing in the City’s regulations that outlaws overnight stay, several bylaws could potentially be used to disturb the protest. Section I of the Règlement du conseil d’arrondissement 24-069 prohibits the “occupation of public domain” and defines “occupation” as “the presence of an installation on the ground without a permit.” According to Jean Hétu, a professor at the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Law and an expert on municipal law, the tents set up in the square could be considered an “occupation” by city authorities. Despite the lack of a permit, the Montreal Police (SPVM) has allowed the occupation to continue. An SPVM officer explained the situation to The Daily. “We’re tolerating, as long as they don’t cause any problem,” he said. Authorities around the world
have been left puzzled as to how to deal with the Occupy protests that have so far enjoyed broad popular appeal. At a meeting Tuesday with the city council, the mayor of Montreal, Gérald Tremblay, described the protests as “worldwide” and “legitimate.” Other cities, such as New York, are having their own issues surrounding the protests. New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has sought to maintain an impartial tone between Canadian real estate company Brookfield Properties, which owns Zuccotti Park – the site of the Wall Street occupation – and the occupiers who have taken it over. While the mayor has repeatedly stressed the right of the protesters to peaceful assembly, he has also expressed concerns for residents around Zuccotti Park. “The longer this goes, the worse it is for our economy,” he said on October 14, during his weekly appearance on WOR Newstalk Radio 710. Meanwhile, Brookfield has struggled to maintain a positive image. Despite reports of an attempt by Brookfield to evict the protesters on October 14, Andrew Willis, a spokesman for the company, denied the allegation. “There was no attempt at eviction,” he said to The Daily. Speaking to the events of October 14, Willis explained that Brookfield merely sought to “clean a portion of the square.” However, a set of stringent rules, prohibiting the use of tents and sleeping bags, were later imposed on the occupiers. According to Ruthann Robson, professor at the City University of New York School of Law, the legality
Sergey Tsynkevych for The McGill Daily
Laurent Bastien Corbeil
Protesters have renamed Victoria Square “Place du peuple.”
4 News
The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
Demonstrators show solidarity with Coptic Christians Citizens march to the Montreal Egyptian consulate Erin Hudson
The McGill Daily
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n Saturday, October 15, Montrealers gathered in Phillips Square with signs to speak out against the treatment of Coptic Christians in Egypt and to show their solidarity with them. The Montreal branch of the Canadian Coptic Association (CCA) organized Saturday’s demonstration and subsequent march. Copts are an ethno-religious group in Egypt commonly identified as Christians, though there is debate as to whom the term actually refers. Nader Shahid, a member of the CCA, spoke about why the demonstration was organized. “We initiated the march today for the recent incident that hap-
pened in Egypt, crushing and running over Christians marching peacefully in Egypt, using military vehicles,” he said. On October 9 in Cairo, thousands of Coptic Christians peacefully demonstrated against the attack on a church in the southern city of Aswan. In response to the demonstration, more than 1,000 members of the Egyptian security forces were deployed. At least 24 deaths and hundreds of injuries were reported. The CCA released a statement in a communique about the demonstration. “The Copts who peacefully demonstrated last Sunday in Cairo, against those who burned a church, were submitted – at the hands of the Egyptian army’s forces – to a massacre of incredible savagery,” the statement read in French. The statement continued, not-
ing the daily nature of violent acts against Copts, stating that Copt victims “do not have confidence anymore in the Egyptian authorities.” Shahid explained the plan for the demonstration as speakers addressed the crowd of about fifty people. “We’re going to go around the downtown area and we’re going to finish in front of the Egyptian consulate to deliver our message of our anger of what’s happening,” he said. Demonstrator Marsa Abdelmalak emigrated from Egypt one month ago. She noted the habitual nature of violence against Christians and churches. “We are truly here today because they are in the middle of killing Christians in Egypt. I just arrived one month ago and the situation is very difficult over there. Life is supportable. They come to attack the churches, they attack Christians everywhere,”
she said in French. “One month, I saw all of it with my eyes. I left my country because of that. There is not any more security,” she added. Shahid spoke to solidarity between Copts in Egypt and those in the diaspora. “We left Egypt and we’re living here as Canadian citizens but we show solidarity with our people over there,” he said. “They are so oppressed over there, plus the recent incident shows cruelty and rudeness of how to treat them and not providing them equal human rights.” Shahid also noted that since the January 25 revolution, the Coptic situation has continued to be “overlooked.” There are a reported 7 million Copts within Egypt’s total population of 82 million. Shahid estimated that the actual number of
Copts is higher. “But I would say for the counting reasons and the discrimination [the numbers] might be a little bit more,” he said. A young demonstrator, Lisa, explained her feelings about recent killings in Egypt. “They are killing us in Egypt. They want us to stop talking and not open our mouths and saying our prayers,” she said. “I’m afraid for them because they are afraid to go in the street even.” In their communique, the CCA in Montreal stated their demand for “the presence of an international committee to oversee that Copts have been subjected and continue to be subjected to violence. This is an obligation of the countries of the free world, to respect human rights.” —with files from Laurent Bastien Corbeil
Committees form at Occupy Montreal Economic Education Committee to propose financial reforms to General Assembly Henry Gass
The McGill Daily
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s the Occupy Montreal demonstration nears the end of its first week, the burgeoning alternative community in Square Victoria is becoming increasingly organized. Numerous committees have been formed by General Assemblies (GAs) held daily on-site. One such committee, the Economic Education Committee, was proposed by Montreal politician Jean-Patrick Berthiaume during Tuesday’s GA. Berthiaume said the committee’s first purpose will be to accom-
modate speakers visiting the occupation from the nearby Forum International de l’Économie Sociale et Solidaire (FIESS) conference. “I must, with my committee, make them comfortable, have something if it’s raining or everything, and be there to say, ‘Hi, I’m the link between you and us,’” said Berthiaume. FIESS was held at the Palais des congrès from October 17 to 20. The conference hosted speakers from around the world to promote, develop, and discuss social and solidarity economics. Speakers from the conference visited the occupation and spoke with occupiers on Wednesday and
Thursday. Berthiaume said that, after the speakers had left, the committee would start to look for solutions to their issues with the existing economic system. “After that the committee will also become permanent to enhance all the resources that we could check to know which kind of way we could change our world,” he said. One of the central concerns held amongst the occupiers is of the growing financial inequality in society, while a common criticism thrown back at the occupiers is their lack of clear goals or solutions to address these issues. According to Berthiaume, the committee addresses both these criticisms.
“There’s a goal,” he said. “The goal is that we want a new world, we want to change things, and we must try it. That’s what we’re doing. Each person that talks to me about this – ‘Oh, what are we doing?’ Well, the first thing I see is the greatest laboratory of democracy that I can imagine. We’re trying it; we’re making it happen…because if we want to propose to all the others a new solution we must show them that it’s possible. So that’s the main thing,” he continued. Furthermore, Berthiaume said the committee’s proposals would be targeted at the occupation community only, not society as a whole.
“I’m not here to tell the government what to do. I’m here to see what we will do without the government, without the one per cent. Are we able to do something? Are we capable of living together? That’s the main thing that I’m looking at, not really to know which kind of message that will be brought to them,” he explained. The committee meets every afternoon and submits proposals for GAs. The proposals themselves are then submitted to a GA procedural committee. Berthiaume said he would respect the GA’s decision regarding any proposals that came out of the committee.
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5 McGill researchers involved in proposition to double world food production News
The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
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Last week, a team of researchers from Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Germany published research in the Nature International Weekly Journal of Science that includes suggestions for a plan that could double the world’s food production. McGill professors Elena M. Bennett, from the Department of Natural Resource Sciences, and Navin Ramankutty, from the Department of Geography, were two of the researchers that worked on the paper, which states that in order “to meet the world’s future food security and sustainability needs, food production must grow substantially while, at the same time, agriculture’s environmental footprint must shrink dramatically.” According to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), hunger is the world’s number one health risk, and 925 million people do not have enough to eat. Julie Marshall, spokesperson for the WFP, said, “one in seven people wake up not knowing where they can get food today” as a result of poor food distribution, high food and fuel prices, and a lack of social safety nets. Furthermore, according to the 1. Focus on climate change and the biodiversity problem. “Deforestation must stop,” says Ramankutty. It causes CO2 emissions and biodiversity loss, and often serves to make room for agriculture aimed at producing fuel and animal feed rather than food for human consumption. 2. Increase food production in other parts of the planet. Africa, which holds the majority of the world’s starving population, also
UN, the world population is on track to surpass 9 billion by 2050, foreshadowing unprecedented demands on agriculture and the environment. According to Ramankutty, the researchers were looking for a way to meet the world’s future food security needs while at the same time reducing the environmental impacts of agriculture. Research involved analyzing satellite images and agricultural census statistics at the national and subnational levels and to get a fuller picture of what agriculture looks like around the planet. Ramankutty explained that this allowed them to “spatially determine where to get the biggest bang for the buck” in terms of agricultural productivity. From the data, the team developed a five-part plan (shown below), which included focusing on climate change and biodiversity problems and increasing food production in other parts of the planet. Ramankutty, who has been a part of this research since he began his PhD at the University of Wisconsin over a decade ago, said that this fivepoint plan is not new. “Our contribution is to say that the five-point plan can actually make a big difference and double global food supply,” he said. He admitted, however, that “feasi-
bility is a huge challenge.” “It’s a challenge of policy, technology, economics, [and] consumer preferences,” he said. Randy Shore, who writes “The Green Man” blog for the Vancouver Sun, had similar concerns. In an interview with The Daily, he explained that he has a “more jaundiced view of how quickly we might be able to attack the problem.” “I have no problems with the research itself,” he explained. “I think it’s typical of scientists to take a view from 30 million feet, looking at the entire planet as a single integrated system.” According to Shore, the problem is that the world is actually made up of many complex political and economic systems related to food production. “We’re talking about dismantling subsidy systems ingrained in Canadian, American, and European agriculture,” he said – something he explained would be extremely disruptive to people’s lives. Shore did, however, recognize progress in waste reduction, explaining that we are already taking small steps towards reclaiming wasted food. He gave examples of programs that redistribute surplus food from restaurants, such as The Food Bank For New York City. “This will not be done by us alone, but by everyone involved in the issue,” said Ramankutty.
has enormous yield gaps compared to other parts of the world. This research suggests improving agricultural performance in areas with yield gaps by applying more water and fertilizers. 3. Address the “Goldilocks Problem.” Some areas apply too much water and fertilizer, while others apply too little. The study prescribes a more efficient allocation of resources and a focus on yield gaps.
4. Eat less meat. Raising livestock and feed uses valuable land that could be allocated towards human consumption. Shifting farmland away from non-food uses, including biofuel, would help close the calorie gap. 5. Reduce waste. 30 per cent of the food on the planet is wasted and never eaten. Minimizing waste on the field and on the way to our plates further increases the food supply.
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The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
7
Injunction extended for third time MUNACA schedules case to be heard again in January Erin Hudson
The McGill Daily
T
he provisional injunction that restricts McGill University NonAcademic Certified Association (MUNACA) members’ picketing was extended on October 13, and will remain in place until January 21, at the request of the union. MUNACA President Kevin Whittaker explained the union’s logic behind the decision. “Our lawyers advised us that, even though the injunction is quite severe, contesting it on its merits would probably not be successful. Furthermore, if our contestation on the merits was unsuccessful, it would result in a permanent injunction,” Whittaker said. Previously, the provisional injunction required renewal every ten days. Michael Di Grappa, McGill vice-president (Administration and Finance), spoke to the University’s proposed timeline for the injunction. “We, McGill, had proposed a process that would have [had the status of the injunction] resolved by sometime
in November. The union came back with a schedule, for whatever reason, that extended it to [January] 21. So, that was their proposal and the judge accepted it,” Di Grappa said. Whittaker explained the implications of a permanent injunction against the union. “That would mean that the injunction rules would apply forever. For example, we would never be able to have a demonstration on campus,” he said, adding, “to avoid this outcome, and to avoid returning to court shortly to go through the same exercise, we decided to have the case heard in January.” The Daily viewed the public civil case file in full. McGill’s original motion, submitted on September 23, was to grant a provisional interlocutory injunction, an interlocutory injunction, and a permanent injunction. The motion was supported by three affidavits and 13 evidentiary exhibits, including videotapes of union picket lines taken by Security Services. In the original motion submitted by McGill, union members would have been required to maintain a distance of 10 meters from McGill property, and gather in groups no
larger than 10 persons. The provisional injunction, first issued on September 23, was subsequently extended twice: on October 3 and on October 13. It will now remain in effect until January 21. The extended provisional injunction retains the provisions that MUNACA members cannot use amplification devices or create noise within 25 meters of McGill property, be within four meters of the campus, or gather in groups of no more than 15 people. The court proceedings for the interlocutory injunction were agreed upon on October 13, after the union submitted an alternative timetable. The affidavits, analyzed by Judge Brian Riordan, were authored by Operations Manager of McGill’s Security Services Christopher Carson, Associate Director of University Safety and head of Security Services Pierre Barbarie, and Director of Labour and Employee Relations Robert Comeau. MUNACA and McGill are in conciliation today and tomorrow. Since October 13, there have been three conciliation meetings. Both parties have presented offers to “resolve all
non-economic matters in dispute.” At the time of press, neither party had accepted an offer.
Union occupies office of Chair of McGill Board of Governors On Tuesday, the union set up picket lines around the Montreal office of Stikeman Elliott LLP to “occupy” the workplace of Stuart Cobbett, the chair of McGill’s Board of Governors. MUNACA members, including union executive member Colleen O’Brien and strike coordinator Joan O’Malley, said that they met briefly with Cobbett to deliver a letter written by union president Kevin Whittaker. Cobbett described the presentation of the letter as “odd” in an interview with The Daily. He said the members arrived in his office reception area unannounced and uninvited. “When they first came I was out and they were told that, long story short, ultimately they would not leave and insisted on seeing me, so I went up and saw them,” Cobbett said. “They handed me a letter from the president of MUNACA, Kevin Whittaker, asking me, as Board Chair, to do whatever I could to get the strike resolved,” he said.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Whitaker explained that MUNACA is asking McGill’s Board of Governors to use their position to work towards a fair resolution of the strike. He stated that “it is now up to them to use their position of influence to bring this dispute to a rapid conclusion.” Though Cobbett said that the Board of Governors receives regular reports on the strike, he said that “ultimately, the Board of Governors is not there to interfere with what management is doing and what the administration is doing. We set the broad parameters and then it’s over to management.” Union members left a message in sidewalk chalk outside Cobbett’s office, reading, “Mr. S.H. Cobbett, please help us get a fair contract.” MUNACA members had previously visited the office of McGill Board of Governors member Kathy Fazel on October 12. The union announced that they had received a “firm commitment” from Fazel. Cobbett said he heard from Fazel that MUNACA workers had appeared in her office, however, he had “no specific warning” that they would do the same to his workplace.
Court proceeding for the interlocutory injuction
Proposed due date
Accepted due date
Examination on affidavit of the Petitioner’s affiant at time and place to be determined
October 14, 2011
November 15, 2011
Communication of the undertakings from the examination of the Petitioner’s affiant
October 21, 2011
November 22, 2011
Filing of the affidavits by the Respondents
October 28, 2011
December 1, 2011
Examination on affidavit of the Respondents’ affiant at a time and place to be determined
November 4, 2011
December 20, 2011
Communication of undertakings from the examination of the Respondents’ affiant
November 11, 2011
January 5, 2012
Filing of the additional affidavits by the Petitioner
November 16, 2011
January 15, 2012
Complete file and hearing pro forma to obtain a hearing date
November 18, 2011
January 21, 2012 Source: Québec Superior Court, dossier 500-17-067947-112
Montreal police targeting jaywalkers New strategies failing to reduce pedestrian accidents Lucile Smith
News Writer
T
he Service de police de la ville de Montréal (SPVM) is pushing to curb jaywalking after recent research found that, in 2010, 50 per cent of automobile deaths each year involved pedestrians. Of those deaths, 61 per cent were caused by jaywalking. In 2005, there were 1,818 collisions in Montreal involving pedestrians, including 24 fatalities. In response to this issue, Officer Sophia Provost, the lead officer for Pedestrian Safety, worked with the SPVM Road Safety Division on a five-year plan, based on the “three E’s”: engineering, education, and enforcement. Furthermore, the plan increased fines for jaywalking. Emma Quail, a McGill graduate, was fined for jaywalking three years ago.
“I walked across the street on Mont-Royal and just east of St. Denis when the light was red and some person on the other side was waving at me to stop, but I did not think much of it, so I continued regardless,” she said. A police car was stationed across the street and she was ticketed $38. “Apparently the cop was just waiting there for people all day,” she continued. Despite the ticketing threat and visible SPVM presence, Montrealers are still jaywalking. The Daily spoke with several students at the intersection of Duluth and Milton, all of whom admitted to jaywalking regularly. Even Quail admitted that she still jaywalked, “just not when a police car is around.” One international student, Fanny Devaux, a U2 Political Science and Hispanic Studies student from France, didn’t know jaywalking is
illegal in Canada. “I had no idea, I do it all the time,” she said. “I guess I’ll be more careful now.” Students do not appear to factor into pedestrian accidents, however. It is Montreal’s ageing population that weighed significantly in the statistical analysis, representing up to two-thirds of accidents. However, Emilie Boutin, a U1 Education student, said she jaywalked much less in Montreal than in her hometown of Ottawa. “I know three people who got fined in Montreal. Don’t do it in front of the police in Montreal, you will get fined,” she said. The SPVM’s program seems to be working. The police issued 44,000 jaywalking tickets to pedestrians last year. Other than fining jaywalkers, by the end of 2010 the municipal government had completed streetscape
Matthias Heilke | The McGill Daily Last year, half of automobile deaths in Montreal involved pedestrians. improvements at 114 intersections, including painting zebra crossings and installing countdowns on pedestrian traffic signals. Despite the increased ticketing
and infrastructure improvements, pedestrian fatalities have not been reduced. There have been nine pedestrian deaths in Montreal since September 1 this year.
8 Art Essay
The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
Ian Murphy
News
The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
La Place du Peuple
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SPVM Marc Charbonneau, Montreal Police “As long as they will respect all the rules, we don’t plan on exiting them... We will have a police presence here all along to make sure it will stay safe.” Milice Patriotique Québécoise Maj. Serge Provost, Militrice Patriotique Québécoise “It’s a military organization we doing for the French community. We practice, we’re doing First Aid, we are outside, we are doing security as tonight, like last night they have a problem in the area, they have one man [creating] problems, so the militiamen move in there to clear the problems. So, we are here for the people, that’s why, and here it’s a people’s manifestation, that’s why we are here, to help it, to just to be sure that everything is fine” General Assembly’s Michel Gariepy “I did participate in two general assemblies, and I actually participated in a discussion where they wanted to block the street there, and I was against it, so I went and talked that we shouldn’t be blocking the streets at all, and they actually decided not to block any streets at all. And these are pretty interesting, they’re pretty fair. Everyone that wants to talk can just stay in line” First Aid tent Volunteer “Basically we’re coordinating every efforts around medicine around here, so all the donations, all the patients or whatever, come around here... Things are getting more organized, they’re getting perfect. We still need more blankets though, but everything that people can send us will be perfect” Garbage Michael Gariepy “I said, ‘Oh, I can do anything.’ I have to organize the garbage. We called the City to get some bins, we got recycling bins, compost bins, garbage bins. We just sorted them, and once in a while I just go around change garbage bags. Whatever, somebody has to do it, fuck” Communications and Media tent Robert, Communications tent “[We’re] trying to facilitate the flow of information at this event... trying to schedule regular meetings of all the committees for sanitation, for cooking, for security, for information, for supervising websites, yeah, and whatever problems may arise”
Wat-Hub Damien Taylor “It’s a totally different kind of appreciation here, you know what I mean? You’ve got to appreciate the little, you know? And just this little ghetto gathering of people in tents and drinking, you know, water…this is the true appreciation, you know, this type of gathering and this type of event”
Children and Families area Stacy Miller “I’m not camping out. I have a child, so we’re just going to come out and show our solidarity as often as we can”
Kitchen Scott Dunbar “I’m going to be working in the kitchen here, and I’m a street musician, so I have no schedule, and I consider myself a socially active folk musician and, therefore, this is the most important thing I could be doing, is be here, so I’ll be here until it’s over”
Compiled by Lola Duffort, Henry Gass, and Annie Shiel, map by Amina Batyreva
10 #OccupyFeatures
Occupy Montreal Quotes from the occupiers “The fact that they’re creating a sense of organization along non–hierarchical lines is fundamentally already challenging the way that capitalism and colonialism function, and doing it right in the middle of the financial district of Montreal is pretty impressive.” – Mostafa Hennaway, Decolonize Montreal
“I think that having a basket of issues allows for more people to become interested and attached to the protest.” – Colin Mercer, National Theatre School student
“Our economy has turned into a casino.”
“I think [the occupiers] should take an economics class.”
– Maxwell Ramstead, UdeM student
– Jean-François Trudelle, McGill student
“If Ron Paul was president of the United States the change would trickle down across the world... Unfortunately there’s a lot of socialists and communists here that are trying to, you know, move the movement towards their idea of thinking.”
“If you can’t afford to be here, you need to be here.” – Michel Gariepy
– Tyler Burse
“This manifestation is small, but, it’s very much important, and I am sad that not more people will come here, peoples with children, family.”
“We know when you play monopoly the end of the game is always the same: one person wins and, all the others, they lose.”
– Rita Berthiaume, artist
– Rhinoceros Party member
“The police so far have been great, a lot more unobtrusive than they were on Wall Street.”
Day 1: Saturday
– Molly Swain, McGill student
“You know that it always brings out the lunatics. Some people who are here for genuine causes, and the other people who are just here to make a scene.”
Day 2: Sunday
– Don Barns
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“If the general public just ignores it, and there’s no solidarity from the general public, then it’ll be a little blip.”
“For us, in our case, in order to go forward, we have to go a little bit backwards. You’ve got to forget a little bit and then move forward again.”
– Robin Edgar
– Damien Taylor
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Day 3: Monday
“It’s fun, I get to sit on the tower.” – a child
“To think that you can make capitalism more friendly is a lot like thinking that you can make a tiger into a vegetarian.” – Jaggi Singh, Decolonize Montreal
Day 4: Tuesday
Day 5: Wednesday
105
162
170 These numbers are approximations
The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
Since Saturday, the number of tents in Place du Peuple (formerly Square Victoria) has almost quadrupled. Meanwhile, the police presence has steadily declined. General Assemblies (GAs) are typically smaller than the first day – which drew over a thousand people around the northern entrance to the square’s metro station – and are now held under the Queen Victoria statue, drawing crowds of one or two hundred. Meanwhile, the occupation continues to organize and refine itself. GAs, held daily, have formed committees overseeing security, hygiene, food, child and family safety, and mental wellbeing. An artistic infrastructure has also developed, with a poet’s corner, a “participatory art” tent, and numerous musical and spoken word performances throughout the days. Some conflicts persist throughout the non-violent occupation. There has been disagreement over respecting an 11 p.m. noise curfew, previously agreed upon with the SPVM. At Tuesday’s GA, a proposition was presented for the community to ignore the curfew, in solidarity with an occupier who was ticketed for illegally crossing rue du Square Victoria. The proposition was voted down. Language barriers have also been an issue, as GAs have been held mainly in French, with whisper translation. The GAs have continued to improve their own organization, with a procedural committee, a daily speakers list, and a cap on discussion of new propositions to two and a half hours. This week, Occupy Montreal hosted speakers from the International Forum on the Social and Solidarity Economy.
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#OccupyMontreal @MaxGraham: The kitchen at @ OccupyMontreal is unreal! Asked what they need. One request. Soy milk! Gonna grab some tomorrow. (Oct 19) @ajplopez: If it’s unclear, #OccupyMontreal exists only to remind you of all those great Fight Club quotes by yelling them at you when you’re downtown. (Oct 19) @onehundredjobs: If the Office de la Langue francaise can pass ridiculous legislation, #occupymontreal can create a viable mandate. (Oct 19) @kaepora: Occupy Montreal now has power, Internet and is working on a livestream. Awesome! (Oct 19) @McGillDailyNews: #occupymontreal ga votes to support @MUNACAstrike demo later this week #munacastrike (Oct 18) @_MorganP: “The power of the people is stronger than the people in power” #OccupyMTL (Oct 18) @OpenFileMTL: Visitors to #OccupyMontreal include @AmirKhadir and @DavidSuzuki (Oct 17) @kaepora: Tent pitched, sleeping bag ready, Internet connected at #OccupyMontreal. Thanks so much @csuconcordia!! (Oct 16) @gonzebo: Half of the @csuconcordia executives camped out at Square Victoria last night for the first night of #occupyMtl #ows (Oct 16) @monique_muise: Reports of 100s of ppl marching up Ste. Catherine. Don’t think police were prepared for that. Not clear if it’s part of #OccupyMontreal. (Oct 15) @SSMUExternal: Spotted at #OccupyMontreal: “Why settle for trickle down economics when you can have bottom-up politics?” (Oct 15)
For ongoing coverage of Occupy Montreal, visit mcgilldaily.com/category/news/occupy. Currently online, interviews with: -François Gourd, president of Rhinoceros Party of Canada -David Suzuki, environmental activist, co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation -Jaggi Singh, Montreal activist -Amir Khadir, MNA for Québec Solidaire
@delmarhasissues: Got a press release from @QuebecLeaks, who is trying to capitalize on #OccupyMontreal disorganization to make themselves relevant again. (Oct 14) @trelayne: #OccupyMontreal tomorrow! Don’t miss it! #OWS is global & will lead to synchronized change (everyone willing) (Oct 14) @HJuhl: #occupymontreal is like New York, but distinctly bilingual. (Oct 14)
…and complete coverage of the first day of the occupation
Compiled by Queen Arsem-O’Malley, Lola Duffort, Henry Gass, Erin Hudson, Esther Lee, and Annie Shiel. Photos by Victor Tangermann.
Commentary
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The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
Shawty wanna lick me like a lollipop An attempt to theorize how the racialized female is doubly sexualized Tyrone Speaks Christiana Collison
tyronespeaks@mcgilldaily.com
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rantz Fanon has stated, “The white gaze, the only valid one, is already dissecting me. I am fixed. Once their microtomes are sharpened, the Whites objectively cut sections of my reality… I see in this white gaze that it’s the arrival not of a new man, but of a new type of man, a new species. A Negro, in fact!” In Black Skin, White Masks, Fanon argues that the inescapability of black skin renders the black male subject a slave to his corporeality, subjecting him to the normalizing gaze of white society. Having read Fanon’s text – specifically his chapter that my quote above is taken from “The Fact of Blackness”, at least three or four times in my academic life, it is only recently that I have come to see how limiting his theory of the objectifying, normalizing white gaze is in relation to conceptualizations of the black female subject. In fact, it was during the unavoidable entrance into my dreadful twenties that I came to realize how masculinized this theory of the racialized normalizing gaze really was. Fanon fails to acknowledge how this gaze is not only racialized, but is also hetero-normatively sexualized, for the black woman. Perhaps sharing a little anecdote will contextualize this concept a bit. During my second year at McGill, I found myself in quite a predicament – a predicament that I believe altered my conceptualizations of the normalizing gaze. I remember I was sitting in the McLennan library, cornered alone in my self-proclaimed seat, reading Locke, Rousseau, and Gandhi in preparation for my Introduction to Political Theory exam. Head buried deep into my books, I was greeted by a new friend who came to visit me. Having met only two weeks or so before this encounter, one could say our friendship was quite fresh. Jokingly ignoring him, I remember him then picking up my phone – it was a BlackBerry at the time, how disgraceful – and proceeding to play with it. Then, without warning, he put the phone down and left. Thinking he went through my photos, text messages or Twitter, I expected to find some type of rem-
Amina Batyreva | The McGill Daily nants of him on my phone. And I did. Instead of a tweet or photo of his, leaving his “I was here” stamp, I was left instead with a conversation. He had added to BBM (BlackBerry Messenger, for you non-BlackBerry users) and created this conversation between himself and me in which he asked me for, (wait for it…) sex. Baffled by my findings, I asked myself, “did I have “gives head this way” tattooed across my forehead?” Or perhaps someone stuck a “loves to fuck” sign on my back. Regardless, I thought that there must have been something about the nature of my being that gave him the idea that sexual requests after a two-week friendship were warranted or even appropriate. In essence, I really just wanted to find a way to theorize why I constantly found myself in situations of sexual enticement and requests from my male counterparts. I wanted to attempt to uncover, for example, the differences between the sexual comments I receive and the comments received by my white female counterparts. Upon reaching my twenties, it all made sense. Perhaps it was my
forceful removal from the innocent-like wonders of teenagehood and unwanted thrust into adulthood that allowed me to make sense of it all. Or, maybe, it was simply that my twenties marked an exponential increase of sexually objectifying experiences, not unlike the one I shared, that prompted me to rationalize these ever-so feminized situations. Race coupled with femininity is inherently sexualized. In other words, I realized that implicit in my already racialized materiality were constructions of sexuality. Hyper-sexuality to be specific, or, better yet, racialized constructions of female hyper-sexuality; that my racialized materiality – as discussed through works done on racialized bodies, such as Sarah Baartman – the “Hottentot Venus” – is a sexualized materiality. This is what Fanon failed to address. By failing to understand how the black female moves throughout white male heterosexual society, Fanon fails to see how the normalizing gaze,thus becomes heteronormatively sexualised in nature. For this, I heuristically call this
normalizing gaze, the hetero-normatively racialized/sexualized normalizing gaze. It is because of this gaze that instances like my sexually induced library break – that have occurred with apparent frequency throughout my budding twenties – occur and why I believe they will continue to occur throughout my lifetime as a racialized female. For, whether situated on public transportation, in classrooms, while walking down the street, or embedded in courting methods by various men, the racialized nature of my feminine materiality renders me helpless to the objectifying sexualized and racialized stares of male society. It is without question that woman is object. Word to Simone de Beauvoir. However, I – and many other minority feminists of my time – have taken it a step further, arguing that the woman of colour is dualistically made object and Other through her racial and sexual corporeality. Denoting, then, that the difference between my white female counterparts and I is that my race is inherently sexualized along with my gender – which is too
inherently sexualized. This distinction, thus, subjects the racialized woman to not a single, but a double objectification – a doubled sexualized objectification. Therefore, to gender Fanon’s theory of racialized corporeality, drawing back on his conceptualization of the normalizing gaze, I argue that the duality of the black female subject’s feminized and racialized corporeality subjects her not only to the normalizing racialized gaze of white society, but also to the heteronormatively sexualized gaze of male society. I bet you are wondering what resulted from that library debauchery with my friend. Oddly enough, we never spoke of it. Perhaps I will send him a copy of this article and get his opinion on it. Knowing him, it’ll be quite the interesting conversation.
Tyrone Speaks is a column written by Christiana Collison on the subject of black feminism. It appears every other Wednesday in commentary. You can email her at tyronespeaks@mcgilldaily.com.
Commentary
The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
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Libya: life after Gaddafi The need for cautious optimism Sara Levasseur
The McGill Daily
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n Thursday October 13, the Atlantic Council of Canada held an interesting roundtable discussion regarding the future prospects of Libya. The panel was comprised of Rex Brynen, a professor in the McGill Department of Political Science, who worked as a consultant to the rebel leadership in Benghazi this past summer, Imad Mansour, also a professor in the Mcgill Department of Political Science Dr Miloud Chennoufi of the Canadian Forces College, Mr. Salhin Gheriani, who is the Chairman of the Canadian Libyan Council and former diplomat Paul Chapin. Chennoufi remains skeptical about Libya’s transition to democracy, while Chapin was optimistic about Libya’s situation. While I acknowledge the recent progress made in Libya, one should be cautiously optimistic about the transition to democracy. After eight months of conflict between rebel organizations and the authoritarian Gaddafi government, an estimated 10,000 to 30,000 people are now dead, and the regime has been overthrown. The National Transitional Council (NTC) composes the interim government. The NTC is made up of monarchists, intellectuals living abroad, former members of the Gaddafi regime, as well as Jihadists. Mustapha Abdel Jallil is the Chairman of the NTC as well as a Jihadist who promises freedom under the condition that Sharia Law is established. This proposition may seem contradictory considering that some aspects of Sharia Law are repressive (an example being restrictions on women’s rights). As Libya begins to rebuild, it faces the challenge of overcoming the legacies of social, ethnic, and political cleavages. Such cleav-
Amina Batyreva | The McGill Daily ages were only made worse over the years by Qaddafi’s encouragement of tribal divisions, which perpetuated the underdeveloped status of Libya. Further, Libya must also overcome the divisions that exist between West and East, the rebels of the younger generation and the NTC leadership, the long-time regime loyalists and those who abandoned ship, and the Islamists and the Secularists. Surprisingly, there
has thus far been a low level of revenge seeking and a surprising sense of inclusivity between different political groups. A constitutional time line has been established, promising an election of a Public National Conference within 8 months, followed by a new Constitution as well as an election held under said Constitution. The international community’s military involvement in Libya is now diminishing, put-
ting in Libya’s hands the power to rebuild its country as it wishes. Gheriani described Libya as a moderate Muslim country that is ready to rebuild itself as a nation based on freedom that seeks to be integrated into the international community. Canada’s financial contribution to Libya to date is estimated at $10 million for development assistance and $10 million for the disposal of arms. While I believe Libya has sig-
nificant challenges to overcome, one should be cautiously optimistic about Libya’s situation given the NTC’s goal of a transition to democracy and the organizations inclusivity. This situation dramatically contrasts the authoritarian Gaddaffi regime.
Indeed, the conclusion of the article “The oil patch and the ivory tower...” is not that Imperial Oil is inoffensive – it’s that “we need to be skeptical. We need to be curious. We need to ask questions.” Are research results being manipulated? Is research serving one’s particular interests? Are there conflicts of interest? Are the students free to explore the topics they are curious about? How is intellectual property pro-
tected? What do the contracts between universities and industry look like? What are the criteria for partnership? These are some of the questions we ought to ask and get answers for.
Sara Levasseur is a U1 International Development Studies student. She can be reached at sara. levassuer@mail.mcgill.ca.
Don’t dismiss nuance A response to “Don’t drink the corporate Kool-Aid” Mariéve Isabel 2 cents
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irst of all, contrary to Niko Block’s position on the article “The oil patch and the ivory tower: a science student explores her mixed feelings about corporate research” (September 19), I found this piece excellent and well-constructed. Why? Because it was nuanced and the
author understood very well the complexity of the question she was exploring. Nothing is all black or white. The story Block told about the Princeton-based medical communications firm DesignWrite is indeed an excellent example of what we do not want to see in our universities and I can’t stress that enough. Block was right, there are a lot of these examples and they should be of great concern
for researchers and universities. But, not all corporate partnerships are like that. Some are even desirable: creating greener technology, cancer cures, et cetera. Block was inferring conclusions from one example only: this can be much more misleading (rhetorically speaking), than asking pertinent questions and giving your readers – all of them – the chance to think about an issue and form their own opinion.
Marieve Isabel is a PhD student in French Language and Literature and VP External of PGSS. She can be reached at external.pgss@mail. mcgill.ca
Health&Education
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The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
Competing in an international setting McGill represents Canada at a business case competition in Singapore Samuel Latham
Health&Education Writer
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hat do you say to the head of a generic drug manufacturer in India, who just saw half his top executives resign after they were denied the right to sell their products in the U.S., their biggest market? How can you suggest he manage this challenge, while creating a better relationship with a company that has recently acquired his business – a company that specializes in producing innovator drugs in Japan? Four McGill undergraduate Management students had forty hours to answer these questions, as they represented the only Canadian school at the Asian Business Case Competition (ABCC) in Singapore earlier this month. The competition, now in its fifth year, brings together students from top business schools around the world to compete in solving a real-life business case. The competition kicked off with a few days of social and networking activities that gave students the chance to get acquainted with the vibrant city-state in the heart of Southeast Asia while meeting colleagues from other universities across the globe. None of the niceties distract teams from the arrival of the main event: when they are locked into a hotel room and given the case for the first time. Here, all the gloves come off. From this point onward, each team has forty hours to develop a recommendation to help the company move past its challenges. Finally, each team attempts to convince a panel of judges that their strategy is best suited to propel the firm to future success during a 15 minute presentation. Representing McGill this year were final-year students Sarah Chow, Christopher Hartman, Sumira Jayabalan, and Samuel Latham from the Desautels Faculty of Management. According to the group, the key to doing well is to stay patient and not get frustrated. “A lot can be accomplished in 40 hours,” Chow said. “We try not to do too many things at once, because you can get into a situation where you start spinning your wheels without getting anywhere.” Part of the challenge was to
develop an understanding of the industry itself. “As business students, we have a somewhat limited knowledge of how the pharmaceutical industry works as a whole,” Jayabalan said. “So, in these types of situations, we start by doing some research to contextualize the firm’s problem. From there, we discuss alternatives and develop a recommendation.” An important aspect of the problem was addressing the growing trend in the global pharmaceutical industry that is seeing an influx of ‘innovator’ companies – those that are the first to manufacture a new type of drug with the specific composition – acquire ‘generic’ manufacturers, in order to sell their products through existing channels in the developing world.
Keeping this in mind, McGill answered the questions of the case by focusing on a recommendation that would help the newly formed conglomerate achieve sustainable growth while addressing quality control issues. “We said that the company (Ranbaxy Ltd.) could start growing again by bringing some of their parent-company’s products to market in India – where Ranbaxy already has an extensive selling and distribution network set up,” Hartman said. The proposal was based on the team’s research that stated thatdemand for ‘innovator’ drugs is exploding in India, reflecting a growing middle class that is experiencing a rapid rise in lifestyle diseases – those that arise due to modifiable lifestyle behaviors such
as smoking, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity. McGill finished second in their division, only coming behind the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) from Australia, who eventually went on to win the competition. QUT’s approach was to expand their product offerings in the US market by introducing new brands there. Overall, the McGill team was proud of the recommendation they developed. Morevoer, it was a great opportunity for the team to get exposure to different schools around the world. “We were able to see the difference in how schools tackle problems depending on where they come from,” Chow noted. “It allowed us to pick up some new approaches
that will hopefully help us better explain problems in the future.” Other schools with established reputations in case competitions in attendance were Nanyang Technological University (the host school), Maastricht University of the Netherlands, and Thammasat University of Thailand. The University of Florida, and the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) rounded out the top three teams to reach the finals. “I’m extremely proud of my team’s accomplishments,” said Richard Donovan, a faculty lecturer in Desautels and McGill’s lead case coach. “They represented themselves and our school in the most positive light, which at the end of the day is one of the most important aspects of any case competition.”
Amina Batyreva | The McGill Daily
Diagnosed with midtermitis? Perhaps writing for Health&Education will help... healthandeducation@mcgilldaily.com
Health&Education
The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
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When a parent is sick Giving voices to children whose parents suffer from a persistent mental illness Chloe Thimonier
HealthEducation
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year ago, 14-year-old Abby came home from school one day, and her mother – diagnosed with schizophrenia – poured petrol on herself and her daughter, lighting them both on fire. Abby spent eleven weeks in the hospital; 45 per cent of her body was burnt. Although she has undergone several operations, her physical recovery is not complete yet, and it seems her psychological state may also be seriously impaired. Although this is an extreme representation of a family with parental mental illness, many voices of these children often go unheard. On October 7, the McGill School of Social Work hosted a presentation that addressed this topic. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, one in ten children under the age of 12 in Canada live with a parent with a mental illness. Only about 25 per cent of these children are aware of their parents’ conditions. Some parents are not even aware of their own illnesses, and others simply decide not to inform their children in order to protect them, or out of fear of the potential stigma. Over 450 million people in the world suffer from mental illness, most forms of which are short-lived and treatable. However, in cases of chronic illness, like depression or bipolar disorder, parents often have difficulty
communicating and forming bonds with their children, and these children may be neglected. Statistically, a depressed mother is less likely to display empathy, make eye contact with, or touch her children. Another difficulty arises when the majority of attention is directed away from the child and towards the disorder, such as when these adults require regular medical check-ups. These children, who observe their peers’ seemingly healthier familial relationships, may view their own as “abnormal.” They may feel different, and even powerless, as they believe nothing can be done to escape the situation or better their parents’ condition. Some children may become angry at their parents for being ill, and others feel guilty for not being able to help. In extreme cases, children may even be told that the illness is their fault. In one case presented during the talk, the 12-year-old Jocelyn came home one day to a note from her mother saying that she was throwing herself under a train because Jocelyn had been a bad girl. In these situations, if children are told multiple times that they are the reason for the parent’s abnormal behavior, the emerging guilt is often quite damaging. This can significantly lower a child’s selfesteem and confidence. When children are constantly surrounded by the instability brought on by severe, long-term mental illness they may also be more likely to develop mental illnesses themselves. This
Amina Batyreva | The McGill Daily may be a result of nature and nurture, both of which affect each stage of a child’s development. However, the difficult situation
can be ameliorated when mentally healthy adults are present to help children cope with their parent’s illness. The first step to minimiz-
ing the effects of parental illness on a child is to help the child understand that the parent is unwell and that it is not his or her fault.
but do not identify as female. There are, in fact, ways in which these issues can be addressed without sexualizing the problem. The SCAR Project is one that can be seen online, in which photographer David Jay takes photos of young breast cancer survivors, showcasing their scars and imprints of the disease. These images are powerful, and demonstrate how breast cancer should be addressed by making the cancer patients themselves the focus of the issue. Some may argue that, as long as this crude commercialization raises awareness, the ends will justify the means. But, while those who began these campaigns must have had good intentions, I don’t believe awareness through demeaning women is justifiable. We are not becoming any more aware of what it’s like to live with breast cancer. Instead, we are merely continuing the objectification of women in the name of a good cause.
Houda Chergui for The McGill Daily
Looking beyond “boobs” Mind Over Matter Roxana Parsa
mindovermatter@mcgilldaily.com
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mid the masses gathered in Parc Maisonneuve for the yearly “Run for the Cure,” a 5 kilometer walk/run aiming to raise money and awareness to combat breast cancer, one simple slogan stood out: “Save Second Base.” Despite the early morning and rainy skies that day, the large crowd was full of energy. Men and women of all ages wore signs stating their reasons for participating – many referenced their mother or grandmothers. One young man’s sign plainly read, “pour mon amour.” Yet that first slogan, emblazoned on the shirts of a young group present at the race, is part of a widespread message in the marketing of breast cancer awareness – one that I find completely distasteful. An organization called “Save The Ta-Tas” sells t-shirts and products such as a lotion
called “Boob Lube,” which is promoted as something women should use to enhance their self-examination experience. Additionally, Facebook campaigns tell women to write their bra colour in their statuses. I remember a commercial from several years ago consisting of a young, conventionally attractive woman in a bikini that called for us to “Save the Boobs!” The camera focused on her breasts and the men looking at them. Not one aspect of this commercial told us anything about any of the issues relating to cancer. Instead, we were simply told to care about breast cancer in order to save the breasts – never once mentioning how the woman who is suffering from cancer may be affected. Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer amongst women. According to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, an average of 445 Canadian women will be diagnosed each week. Although it can occur at any age, the majority of those afflicted are diagnosed between the ages of 35 and 60 – not
exactly the age of the youthful women shown in most advertisements. While I fully support raising awareness and money for research, I do not support the constant objectification of women’s bodies and the sexualization of a disease as a means to do so. These messages trivialize the reality of living with such an illness – a reality which can consist of unpleasant rounds of chemo, surgeries, and pain. Breast cancer research is not about keeping “boobs” alive – it’s about keeping people alive. By focusing solely on breasts, we are taking attention away from the people who live with the illness. This message furthers the idea that a woman’s breasts are what make her worthy of attention, and that losing them is equivalent to (or maybe worse than) losing her life. Now, imagine how a woman who has just undergone a mastectomy feels when she is constantly being told that her breasts are what made her attractive as a woman. In addition, using images of traditional femininity devalues the experience of those who suffer from breast cancer
Culture
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The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
From Urbain to Hubert Ryan Healey investigates the stories behind our saintly-named streets
I
n the beginning, there were priests. It’s 1672, and, after saving two-thirds of a New France garrison from scurvy, developing an extreme fondness for Algonquin tobacco, and “going native” a la Kevin Costner circa Dances with Wolves, one François Dollier de Casson returned to Montreal to lay out its streets. This François Dollier de Casson picks out ten saint-driven names (SaintJoseph, Saint-Paul, and so on) with the hope to get people more easily into his new church at NotreDame. Voila, the old port then – as now – recalls men who died in the arms of Jesus and Mary, preached the gospel to pagans in northern France, and ruled against requisite circumcision for gentiles. Just like that, Montreal began with streets fit for the Vatican. But wait: there’s something hubristically funny in these original names. Since 1672, there’s been a double intent in the practice of naming Montreal streets that feels really unsettling and weird. Dollier de Casson baptizes this approximately 18 by 220 foot dirt rectangle as “St. Jacques,” ostensibly after the itinerant apostle and witness to the Transfiguration. But, in fact, it’s a gesture at his late pal, Frère JeanJacques Olier, a stout, decent guy and hater of dueling. Then there’s “St. Gabriel,” celebrating the archangel and messenger of God who spans three major monotheisms, as well as M. Gabriel de Queylus, another Sulpician clergyman. St. Lambert commemorates Lambert Closse, who was killed by Algonquins at the corner of his now “namesake” street. This pattern of self-serving street names goes well beyond the Sulpicians’ survey – St. Urbain references the farm of Urbain Tessier (of great historical obscurity); St. Denis concerns a barrister and publicist named DenisBenjamin; St. Hubert, the Hubert Lacroix family of landowners. So we have these saint-streets, where men appear to be circumventing the whole two-posthumousmiracles-and-life-of-heroic-virtue thing to immortalize themselves in Montreal’s collective memory. However dead these street names are, they never were alive. When the dead string of letters (S-t-De-n-i-s) begs close examination, that signifier speaks more of a militiaman and lawyer than the third century Parisian bishop beheaded on Montmartre. I don’t know how I feel about this yet. I read about most of this stuff in the 1897 History of Montreal,
Edna Chan | The McGill Daily including the streets of Montreal by J. Douglas Borthwick, a clergyman. It’s a hysterical read if you don’t find it troubling – one of his primary concerns whenever introducing a new street: “No great manufactures are found in this street.” He has this pasty, cocksure British voice that’s probably representative of his contemporary English Montreal: “A square is seen in this street. ‘Richmond Square.’ It is one of the blots on the city. I don’t think there is such a miserable square in Montreal.” Taking this guy as a synecdoche, he’s also representative of a sea change in street names as Englishmen began occupying the city council and naming the streets they created on their estates. “Roy Street is called after a man of this name and so is Drolet Street named after a wellknown citizen (still living) of that name, Chevalier Drolet.” Drolet was 31 at the time. The result of all this is a city named after governor generals (Sherbrooke, Amherst, Aylmer, Cathcart, Dorchester, Metcalfe), politicians (Drolet,
Laurier, Viger) ,and landowners (Beaubien, Clark, Bagg, Decarie, Durocher, Guy, McTavish, and, of course, McGill). As with anything humans do unilaterally, many don’t make sense: “Pine Avenue is a misname. There is not a single pine tree to be seen in the whole street.” Rachel Street is named after – if you can follow this chain – Christine-Rachel Cadieux de Courville, wife of Jean-Baptiste Verneuil de Lorimier, brother of the patriot Chevalier de Lorimier, executed in Montreal on February 15, 1839. Beyond this completely batshit power-tripping rests the question, how should a street name be? Religion seems like too flimsy of a gesture now (and apparently, then too), and industrialists and aristocrats feel disgusting. In such times of need, we turn, of course, to Art. But, what we find on the Montreal map is that this impulse to name streets prettily came only after the main arteries already had referents. There’s avenue Calixa-Lavallée, after the pianist and composer
of “O Canada,” but it’s squirreled away in Parc Lafontaine (how often do you check street signs in the park?). There’s boulevard Cremazié, of metrostation renown, referring to a rather patriotic French Canadian poet, but that’s sandwiched between lanes of the Autoroute Métropolitaine. But I’m being McGill-centric (I mean, there’s you and me here, and a lot of the Hochelaga archipelago to cover), as there’s Louis-Hémon in Parc Ex, named after a suicidal novelist. In Little Italy there’s Dante, just below Mozart. I’m talking as if this is progress, but I don’t actually know – the whole act’s spoiled once you think of some possible, gentle, bougie motivations, like your mom appreciating how “avenue Mozart” looks on a letterhead or something. This is the kind of thing I feel when I read that the latest street name adopted by the City of Montreal is “la rue de la Sucrerie,” which has been in effect since mid-September. Official documents stress that the name
alludes to the importance of the local Redpath sugar factory, but I mean, it’s still candy street, the very definition of saccharine. And, I can’t blame just one bishop in 2011. Someone applied to the Toponymic Council of the City of Montreal for this name, argued it before them, then pushed it to the city council, before a decision was sent to the provincial level Toponymic Commission of Québec. Many people read this over and approved. A name will be made. My unease here isn’t easily communicable. There are approximately 5,993 toponyms in Montreal, a hunk of earth we’ve mostly made that’s been named for us, maintained by a Commission that claims “jurisdiction regarding all types of places.” It’s not just the names alone that feel sad, but that we need names, that to communicate “the macadam rectangle abutting florid graffiti and some mansard roofs that extends from park to park” requires the syllables “Duluth.” It’s some kind of pre-verbal thing that makes me want to shut up.
Culture
The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
Five times the theatrical charm
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TNC amazes with Albertine in Five Times Laura Linden
her past accordingly. Indeed, the cast successfully evinces the dissimilarities between the five versions of Albertines, while simultaneously very once in a while, a the- managing to convey the oneness that atrical production’s stars – binds all of these individual facets pun intended – align in into a single and complex woman. The cast and director also an instance of absolute synergy, one that allows audience mem- broach the topic of Albertine’s bers to be transported outside of femininity with a delicate kind of themselves and into the mind of strength. Audience members are another, at least for an hour or prompted to peek into the mind of two. TNC’s season-opening perfor- a woman who lives on the threshold mance of Albertine in Five Times of two extremely different worlds. achieved just this, a feat that was One version of herself struggles likely challenging considering the to fit the socially enforced mold of female domesticity and mothpremise of the play. Written by Montreal native and erhood that has been imposed internationally celebrated play- on her. On the opposite end of wright Michel Tremblay, Albertine the spectrum, an older Albertine is a portrait of a working class chooses to resist social expectaQuebecker woman who encoun- tions, archetypal of the new and ters five versions of herself at differ- empowered woman that emerged ent stages of her life. As the many in the Revolution Tranquille. In this faces that constitute her being all-female cast, each actress exhibcome together to discuss (and at its a vulnerable strength and gives times bicker) about their past and her own personal meaning to the present selves, it is made clear that concept of femininity. In this same vein, it is also interAlbertine is a woman plagued by esting to note that each manifestaher inconsistencies. Director Zoe Erwin-Longstaff tion of Albertine shows – someand the members of her cast con- times subtly and other times quite vey the intricacies of Albertine’s forcefully – her own personal disidentity in their translated rendition satisfaction with what it meant to of Tremblay’s play. As the multiple be a female Quebecker during the Albertines interact with one anoth- 1940s. Although she changes a siger, one cannot help but admire the nificant amount over the forty-odd seamlessness with which the leading years that are represented in the ladies click and clash. Each Albertine play, a stifling amount of frustration wants to tell her own version of the and rage pervades each actress’s same story and endeavors to rewrite embodiment of Albertine. The many
Culture Writer
E
Albertines leave the atmosphere of the theatre charged with their haunting lamentations about the dangers of men, child rearing, and loneliness. As secrets are progressively revealed about the distraught woman’s past – Arlen AguayoStewart’s and Rachael Benjamin’s heart-wrenching monologues were particularly striking – audience members will likely find themselves rehashing these moments of revelation even after they leave . TNC’s decision to launch their fall season with Albertine in Five Times was extremely effective. Audience members are invited to step into a realm that is already familiar and tangible to them, for the action of the play is set in the heart of Montreal. However, the antiquated way that certain topics such as women’s rights and social expectations are treated in the play is alienating for audience members. It encourages viewers to reconsider and appreciate the changes that have occurred in the fabric of Canadian society – changes that we all quite readily take for granted. As the play comes to a close, the five versions of Albertine, dissimilar in practice but joined together in essence, look up at the same rising moon. In this moment, viewers may come to the staggering realization that there is a part of each version of Albertine that they can relate to. If this doesn’t constitute an instance of theatrical star-alignment, I don’t know what does.
Victor Tangermann | The McGill Daily
Albertine in Five Times at TNC.
Family matters
Festival de Nouveau Cinema film offers mother-daughter malfunctioning and making-up Victoria Lessard Culture Writer
O
n October 14th, Montreal’s Festival du Nouveau Cinema presented Ingrid Veninger’s feature film i am a good person / i am a bad person. The movie follows the character and filmmaker Ruby White while she attends a tour of European film festivals with her daughter, Sara, who works as her assistant. Veninger depicts a mother and daughter deeply disengaged from one another, each searching to resolve their issues of family, and struggling to come to terms with one another. Ruby seems disconnected, not only from her daughter, but also from her own emotions, and appears lost in her selfish desires. Meanwhile, feeling isolated and frustrated with her mother, Sara decides to take a trip to Paris by herself while her mother continues on her tour to Berlin. Ruby and Sara’s emotional disconnect is represented in their geographi-
cal distance, and this distance disables the cheery facade that everything is alright. In the climactic moment of the film, while Ruby waits alone in a bar in Berlin for her drink, a stranger laughingly, drunkenly, asks her, “Are you a good person? Or are you a bad person?” This question visibly shakes her, causing her to don a sign with the words “i am a good person” on one side, and “i am a bad person” on the other. Ruby walks around Berlin wearing this sign, and, in an interesting montage, the viewer is presented with the voices and faces of many people struggling to answer this question, each presenting their own thoughts about what it is that designates a person as “good” or “bad.” Ruby and Sara both struggle with this question in the film – and Veninger asks the audience to contemplate the idea as well. What makes someone a “good person”? What makes someone a “bad person”? Can anyone really be defined that simply? In the Q & A session follow-
ing the screening of Veninger’s film, the director explained how the use of documentarystyle filmmaking for a feature film was her desire to present a movie with “a heightened sense of life.” Veninger creates concentrated instances of feeling within the work, emphasizing the currents of connection and disconnection in ordinary, everyday moments. While the film was scripted, Veninger described to the audience that the small crew allowed beautiful, real, unscripted moments to occur, which were then included in the movie. One moment was when Veninger, depicting Ruby, was wearing her sign at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, and began walking around the square, chanting some of her fears. A German soldier, unaware that she was filming something (the camera was far away), approached her, told her that she was a good person, and then asked if he could hug her. Veninger agreed, and they hugged for a long moment.
Alex Chalk for The McGill Daily This poignant and meaningful part of the film illustrates Veninger’s examination of “good” or “bad,” emphasizing that everyone is capable of unprecedented kindness to a stranger. i am a good person / i am a bad person examines the com-
plicated nature of humanity, and recognizes that nothing can be simply characterized as “good” or “bad.” For Veninger, humanity is defined by the struggle to navigate this dichotomy and make connections with loved ones, despite the inevitable mistakes and flaws.
18 Photo Essay
The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
TNC presemts
Albertine
Victor Tangermann
in Five Times
The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com EDITORIAL volume 101 number 13
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Occupy everything The Occupy movement, which began over a month ago with Occupy Wall Street in New York City, spread to Canada on Saturday, as protesters in more than fifteen Canadian cities marched, rallied, and set up camp. In Montreal, Square Victoria (later renamed Place du Peuple by the occupiers) has been home to a steadily increasing number of demonstrators, whose grievances encompass a wide range of subjects, spanning from corporatization to tuition hikes to environmental concerns, and have been summed up by the mantra “we are the 99 per cent.” The occupants are speaking out against flaws in our society by proving we can exist without them; the daily supports this new model for social organization. Despite being less than a week old, Occupy Montreal is a functional community based on non-hierarchical and communitarian principles, with a kitchen run on donations, a medical centre, a communications centre, and a daycare. This is impressive because it provides an example for larger social change. The group works on a consensus-based model, with a daily GA, where propositions put forth by participants are discussed and voted on. The GAs have created committees to work on both procedural and political issues, ranging from a committee that oversees monetary donations to one for indigenous solidarity. There have been discussions on how to protect the children and families present, allowing a separate area for these occupiers that is mandated to be free from drugs and alcohol. This inclusive, nonhierarchical model represents an organizationial structure that values democracy and equality in a way that many people never have the opportunity to engage with, and has culminated in a community that polices itself, cleans up after itself, and has respected police requests. The hundreds of participants in Occupy Montreal do not represent any particular demographic, exhibiting a diversity in age, race, language, gender, and history of activism. Students are included in this group, which is particularly important because the issues at hand are ones that will affect students in university, the job market, and the world we enter post-graduation. The participants of Occupy Montreal are among the people that students encounter everyday both at school and in the wider community. Notably, in the midst of its ongoing strike, MUNACA had a strong presence on the inaugural day of the occupation, with both striking workers and supporters showing their solidarity with the movement. Public and political figures like Amir Khadir and David Suzuki have also attended to show their support. Occupiers have stated their intent to stay for as long as they are able, and longterm plans are being made for sustaining the community. But, you don’t need to be living there to participate. They cannot do this alone: there is always a need for kitchen space, food supplies, volunteers, clothing, blankets, and more. The Occupy Montreal GA’s take place in the Place du Peuple at 6 p.m. on weekdays and 3 p.m. on weekends. One can get more information about the Occupy Monreal movement from its blog, http://journaloccupymontreal.wordpress.com. Regardless of financial, physical, or time restraints, everyone is welcome to – and should – participate and aid the movement by donating their time, materials, or just by being present and positive amongst occupiers.
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CompendiuM!
The McGill Daily | Thursday, October 20, 2011 | mcgilldaily.com
Lies, half-truths, and fuck you.
20
Oops, I did it again
Recent developments in the strike by Salvador Dalliance and Simone de Boudoir, VPs (Sass and Sodomy) Salvador Dalliance and Simone de Boudoir The McGill Daily
Let us begin with a little justification. This past weekend, our sexual strike was verging on a month. A MONTH. A looong, haaard month. And let’s be honest, we all have needs. As a result, both of your humble strikers violated the terms of our strike, to a greater or lesser extent… Now we don’t usually kiss (or otherwise) and tell, but we felt a need to inform the public of our transgressions.
On Friday night, Dalliance ran into the man whose general assholery was largely responsible for the initiation of his strike. In his intoxicated (and weakened) state, Dalliance succumbed to temptation. Luckily, both parties were actually too inebriated to do anything (we’ve all been there… right? Am I the only one? Oh… uh… well… Maybe it’s time I admit I have a problem…) but, since cuddlez were shared, the whole incident demonstrated a – shall we say – lack of stamina. SHAME ON DALLIANCE. De Boudoir, on the other hand, met someone new. He was so dreamy. He was older and
cute and he worked for fucking NPR. Basically, the strike had no chance. Despite her roommate’s best attempts at stamping out scab labour, de Boudoir and her new beau worked it all. night. long. Her and the dreamboat put an injunction on clothing and crossed the picket line for the evening. SHAME ON DE BOUDOIR. Despite these incidences (sorry for those, Olivia!), we’d like to insist that the principles of the strike still apply. The picket lines remain. We may just have to cross them every now and then. Over and over and over again.
FUCK YOU MCGILL DAILY
Barrel’s been a bit dry lately? Fuck you Daily. Dick move to follow someone’s piece with with a statement that basically says there was nothing else to publish. Didn’t your mother tell you if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything? Also, I banged your mom. If you are so lacking contributions, you should publish this (no, seriously, publish this). But screw this newspaper. You guys are a bunch of hipster communists who play flip cup with mason jars and wear ridiculous facial hair that make the late 19th century US Presidents look like clean shaven men (look em up). You would publish the Daily on recycled World Bank documents if you could, presuming it was environmentally progressive at the time. The Daily has never come across an underdog they couldn’t fall in love with. Seriously, you guys would write a full page editorial in support of a crazy person yelling at the sun. Fuck that sun! Its been in power too long, controlling our gravitational movement and getting us addicted to photosynthesis so we can’t live without it. Fuckin’ authority.... Bottom line, Daily, you suck. But, I gotta say less so than the McGill Reporter. So publish this, because its funny, because its true, and cause you clearly have nothing better to fill this back page with.
FUCK YEAH MCGILL DAYCARE
Fuck yeah McGill daycare groups! Every time I see all those bundled up children attached to a rope being guided through campus singing out-of tune songs in small voices, the gloom of midterms and encroaching cold is lifted. As I walk from class, to coffee and to the library the sight of those tiny people never fails to make me smile, so fuck yeah multi-generationality on campus!
FUCK YAH MACHINE DRIED CLOTHES
The way my skinny jeans are embracing my legs, with their warm and wellfitting hug, ensuring me that we will skip winter this year, and keep the autumnal leaves on the trees. Oh, soft cotton kiss! How you envelop me in a blanket of fuzzy kittens in the morning. Comfy, melting cups of hot chocolate in fabric form. Snug and doughy fields of blankety goodness.
Wild animals escape from Ohio farm - Bloomberg Businessweek calls it similar to ‘Noah’s Ark Wrecking’ MUNACA’s injunction extended ‘til January Occupy Montreal started this weekend! Octoberhaus this week
Love the fall? Write a fuck yeah. Hate the fall? Write a fuck this. Think fall’s hilarious? Send us some jokes. compendium@mcgilldaily.com
Gettin’ stressed about my halloween costume! We get to find the $5 bills left in last year’s coats We have to wear last year’s winter coats
TOTAL
EVEN MINUS 150 PLUS 150 PLUS 75 EVEN PLUS 100 MINUS 60 PLUS 115