Volume 102, Issue 3
September 10, 2012 mcgilldaily.com
McGill THE
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Honey, I killed the bees Beeware on page 7
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Fall Festival Guide - 13
Published by The Daily Publications Society, a student society of McGill University.
The choir of Ascension of Our Lord Parish, Westmount is seeking new members. Singing from September to June, we provide music for Sunday Mass and rehearse Thursday nights. We sing a varied repertoire of sacred music with a focus on polyphony of the Renaissance through the Modern era. Ability to read music is an asset but not a requirement. Although we are a Catholic choir, being Catholic is not a pre-requisite. For further information, please contact the music director, Dr. David Szanto (514) 899-0548 or davidszant@hotmail.com
VOLUNTEER
for the Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society We are always looking for dedicated and caring volunteers from all communities who are interested in supporting survivors of sexual assault Ways to volunteer at SACOMSS: - Crisis Intervention (CI) : Providing support through a confidential, non-judgmental sexual assault helpline and drop-in service - Advocacy-Branch : Providing support through navigating McGill’s Policy on Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Prohibited by Law - Outreach : raising awareness of issues surrounding sexual assault and consensual sex through facilitated discussions with youth and community groups - Support Groups (SG) : facilitating support groups for survivors and their allies
If you are interested, please contact: recruitment@sacomss.org or Contact us at 398-8500 and leave your name and information
Raffle every week! LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM
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NEWS
The McGill Daily Monday, September 10, 2012 mcgilldaily.com
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03 NEWS A cultural landmark in danger Quebec forced to loosen gun control
06 COMMENTARY An insider’s look into graffiti Pesticides’ effect on bees at McDonald campus The facade of electoral politics addressing minorities
08 SPORTS Sports’ appeal to politicians
Photo Laurent Bastien Corbeil | The McGill Daily
McGill contemplates tuition freeze
NHL owners, players fight over revenue
10 SCIENCE+TECH.
Administration expects $90 million loss
Thomson House sets its sights on sustainability
Juan Camilo Velásquez The McGill Daily
Anecdotes and experiences from the world of science
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12 CULTURE Youth centre faces budget cuts Upcoming Montreal events A guide to local fall festivals
15 EDITORIAL The Daily critiques Bills C-31 and C-38
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COMPENDIUM!
50 Shades of Grey hits the big screen
uebec premier-elect Pauline Marois announced Wednesday morning that her government will abolish tuition hikes by decree and abrogate Bill 78, introduced last spring by Jean Charest’s Liberal government. The announcement came the day after her party, Parti Québecois (PQ), won a plurality of seats in the National Assembly of Quebec. The decision will affect McGill’s funding directly, as the budget for the 2013 fiscal year – approved earlier this summer – relies on increased revenue from the tuition hike. The University forecasted a financial deficit of $7 million for 2013 and a $400,000 surplus for the 2012 fiscal year. Based on these projections, the accumulated deficit for McGill would stand at $281.9 million for 2013. The budget, prepared by Provost Anthony Masi, also projected cumula-
tive tuition increases for the next five years and planned to tackle McGill’s financial deficit in large part with revenue generated from tuition hikes. “Issuing a decree to roll back the increases to previous levels means that our previously announced deficit of $7 million will increase to $13 million for the 2013 fiscal year. But remember, the increases over five years were to have been cumulative,” Masi told The Daily in an email. Assuming that the current student population remains stable, this means an expected budget shortfall of $6 million in 2013, $12 million in 2014, $18 million in 2016, $24 million in 2017, and $30 million in 2018, according to Masi. By 2018, the total expected loss in revenue would amount to $90 million. Masi told The Daily that the University is currently waiting for an official decision from the government of Quebec. “While we are studying several unpleasant scenarios, until we actu-
ally see the alternatives that the new government of Quebec will put on the table for providing additional revenues to Quebec’s already cash-strapped university system, I am not in a position to indicate the magnitude of cuts that we at McGill will have to endure,” he wrote. In late August, the PQ told students to delay paying their tuition bills until after elections, as the party planned to abolish the hike. In response to PQ’s statement, Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Morton Mendelson told the CBC in late August that he was “amused” by the proposal. “I think it’s premature. We have a government in place; we have a ministry in place. The ministry has given us directives. We have our bills already sent out; our students at McGill are expected to pay their tuition bill by August 31, and we’re expecting them to pay,” he told the CBC. The decision to reinstate a tuition freeze was received positively by many of the student
associations that had been active during the strike earlier this year. In an interview with The Daily, Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec (FECQ) President Élaine Laberge said that the announcement from the PQ signified a victory for the student strike. “If the tuition hikes are abolished, then our objective has been achieved,” she said in French. FECQ is confident that Marois’ promise will be fulfilled. “When you call your first press conference as a premier, not in a period for [campaign] promises, but in a period to fulfill promises, then you’re bound to respect that decision,” she added. Whether or not a new tuition freeze would be instated is still unclear. While Marois has called for a forum to discuss the future of higher education in Quebec, FECQ has not yet been provided with details regarding the panel’s programs or organization. —with files from Laurent Bastien Corbeil
UN panel talks gender, development, Canada Krissy Reimels News Writer
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he McGill Students for UN Women Canada National Committee hosted a panel discussion last Wednesday titled “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the New Development Agenda.” The panel included UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri, UN Women Canada National Committee President Almas Jiwani, McGill Law professor and human rights lawyer Pearl Eliadis, and
other UN, non-profit, and government representatives. Panel members discussed issues that developing and developed countries face in achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) concerned with promoting gender equality. MDGs are international benchmarks set by the UN with the goal of alleviating extreme poverty by 2015. The panel also discussed goals that ought to be set post 2015. McGill Students for UN Women Canada National Committee member Jassie Badion said she hopes that the event will raise
awareness of inequalities abroad, as well as in Canada. While the panel discussed the issue of women’s empowerment in developing countries, it highlighted that developed nations also face many problems with gender parity. According to Puri, “Countries forget this is a struggle, [and that] nowhere is the battle totally won.” The World Economic Forum ranked Canada 20th in its 2010 Global Gender Gap Report, placing it behind Sri Lanka and Lesotho. According to Jiwani, “Canadian women continue to experience a wage discrepancy
for comparable employment… and are over-represented in lowskill, low-wage sectors.” Canada was also ranked 45th in the world for parliamentary representation of women by the InterParliamentary Union, behind Iraq and Lesotho. According to Eliadis, Canadians see the MDGs “as things for other countries.” She also claimed that the greatest threat to women’s empowerment and gender equality in Canada comes from the U.S., where women’s right to birth control and abortion are currently under debate.
The discussion also addressed the codependent relationship between gender equality and other objectives of sustainable development. As an example of this, Puri cited the statistic that women in developing countries spend forty billion hours each year fetching water. If drinkable water were more accessible, she said, these women might be more able to reach their economic, intellectual, and political potentials. Puri said she hopes that the post-2015 goals will focus on the “unleashing of exponential potential of women…. the most untapped resource.”
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NEWS
The McGill Daily | Monday, September 10, 2012 | mcgilldaily.com
Future of the Montreal Biosphere in doubt Municipal party calls for action Kaj Huddart The McGill Daily
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fter 25 years, the Montreal Biosphere is slated to close its doors because of a federal government budget decision. The Biosphere is run by Environment Canada, and according to its website, is the only environmental museum in North America. Featuring exhibits on climate change, ecosystems, and urban transportation, the Biosphere also presents a series of popular daily activities. Over 100,000 people visit the museum each year. The Biosphere – a spectacular geodesic dome designed by Buckminster Fuller – is housed in the former American Pavilion, built in 1967 for the Montreal Expo. It was repurposed in 1990 to become an environmental museum for the next twenty-five years. Environment Canada signed a $17.5 million agreement with the City of Montreal to occupy the building and maintain it as a cultural facility. It is currently unclear whether the federal gov-
Photo Hera Chan | The McGill Daily
ernment will allow Environment Canada to fulfill its agreement with Montreal, which extends to 2015. In June, all 25 Biosphere staff members were informed that their positions might be terminated in a round of federal layoffs that will affect some 5,000 public service jobs. Quebec spokesperson for the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) Patrick Leblanc told The Daily that it is Mayor Gérald Tremblay’s responsibility to keep the Biosphere open. “Everything depends on the mayor,” Leblanc said, because
“the biosphere is still the property of the city.” Rather than maintaining the Biosphere as a public facility, Leblanc said that “[the federal government] wants to do something more private with the Biosphere,” and that it will likely end up as a private Environment Canada facility. The West End Times has reported that it is to be transformed into a weather station. Two months later, Vision Montréal – the official municipal opposition party – published a petition online that calls on Mayor
Tremblay to protect the Biosphere from the budget cuts. The petition currently has 878 signatures. The David Suzuki Foundation, PSAC, and l’Association des communicateurs scientifiques du Québec have also joined Vision Montréal in its quest to defend the Biosphere from closure. Louise Harel, current leader of Vision Montréal and councilor for the borough of HochelagaMaisonneuve, said in a press release that Tremblay’s lack of action to protect the Biosphere is “unacceptable.” The press release also called for
Tremblay to pressure the federal government to respect the 25-year lease and argued that the dome should remain open to the public as part of Montreal’s cultural heritage. Leblanc said that PSAC has little idea of when the Biosphere will be closed, noting that “it could be years, or it could be months.” Tremblay’s decision to allow the government to close the Biosphere, he said, “doesn’t respect the contract signed 20 years ago.” Mayor Tremblay’s office could not be reached for comment at press time.
NEWS
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The McGill Daily | Monday, September 10, 2012 | mcgilldaily.com
WHAT’S THE HAPS
McGill Farmers’ Market Every Thursday from 12-5 p.m. McTavish Street, in front of the Shatner Building
An annual fall event on McGill’s downtown campus, the McGill Farmers’ Market provides students, employees, and neighbourhood residents the opportunity to buy fresh, healthy, organic, and local food directly from the farmers who produce it. In addition, they can engage with community and student groups working on personal, community, and ecological food sustainability initiatives.
Fall Activities Night Tuesday, September 11 and Wednesday, September 12, 4-8 p.m. Shatner Building 3600 rue McTavish, Suite 1200
SSMU’s 200 clubs, services, and independent groups will set up booths in the Shatner building for students to come learn about opportunities to get involved on campus. It’s the biggest night for clubs and services all year!
Conference: “Senate Reform: Issues and Impact on Canada’s Linguistic Minorities” Wednesday, September 12, 12:30-2 p.m. Chancellor Day Hall, Maxwell Cohen Moot Court (Room 100) 3644 Peel
Illustration Amina Batyreva | The McGill Daily
Federal bill to destroy national long-gun registry Montreal police predict higher crime rates Annie Shiel The McGill Daily
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uebec may be forced to completely dismantle its long-gun registry in the next few months in accordance with the controversial federal Bill C-19, an act that Montreal police officials say will be detrimental to crime prevention in the city. Passed on April 5 by the Harper government, Bill C-19, or the Act to Amend the Criminal Code and the Firearms Act, would lift the registration requirement for long guns and destroy all records from the Canadian Firearms Registry’s existing database. The bill only applies to nonrestricted firearms – such as rifles, shotguns, and other long guns – and will not affect registries or licensing practices for firearms classified as restricted or prohibited. Quebec currently has an injunction against the destruction of the registry data, and can continue to add data to the registry while the injunction is in place. Public Safety Minister Vic Toews told the CBC, “the data registry will be destroyed as soon as feasible.” He added, “As soon as the legisla-
tion is passed, there is a requirement to destroy the data.” The legal debate continues, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police official Julie Gagnon told the CBC on August 31 that the dismantling process is “well underway,” though no actual records have been destroyed. The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) told The Daily that Bill C-19 means the loss of an important tool for crime prevention, investigation, and public protection. In an email to The Daily, SPVM Commanding Officer François Bleau said in French, “In the absence of long-gun registry, it will be impossible to identify their owners. In this context, criminals could use them without the risk that the authorities can locate them.” Long-gun crime rates are generally lower than those related to restricted firearms, with only one out of 35 homicides being longgun related in 2011 and three out of 37 in 2010, according to Bleau. However, the majority of firearms in the registry are nonrestricted firearms. According to the CBC, there are an estimated 7.8 million firearms registered, 90 per cent of which are nonrestricted firearms. Bleau said that the SPVM uses
the registry not only to trace the origin of a weapon and bring charges against offenders, but also to advise on intervention strategies prior to the search of a residence, thereby protecting police officers. It is also a useful tool in crime prevention, he said, citing as an example the removal of weapons from homes where domestic disputes occur. Quebec Justice Minister JeanMarc Fournier told the CBC, “In 2010, we [seized] 2,500 guns from people who owned those guns, because they were dangerous [to] themselves or other people.” Bleau said that the destruction of the registry might see a rise in long-gun related crime. “Impunity, the wide availability of these weapons, and the low purchase price are factors that might favour their use,” he told The Daily. “We may see poorer criminals, such as [those in street gangs], use long guns,” he continued. “Once the barrel has been cut to length, they have a portable, cheap, and anonymous weapon in the absence of the registry.” Anti-registry groups, however, cite the cost of the registry and its alleged ineffectiveness as a justification for its destruction. According to the CBC, Toews has described the registry as a
“billion-dollar boondoggle,” arguing that money should be spent on more effective means of cracking down on gun crime. The Canadian Firearms Program was investigated by Auditor General Sheila Fraser in 2002, who concluded that it was over-budget and would cost taxpayers over $1 billion – 500 times more than the original $2 million estimate. Opposition groups such as the National Firearms Association (NFA) also argue that the registry represents a violation of personal freedoms. “As long as the Liberal Firearms Act remains law, the freedoms, rights, and property of all Canadians remains at risk,” the NFA says on its website. “The ending of long gun registration lays good ground work and is a positive first step in much needed and long overdue firearms law reform in Canada,” states the website. Tuesday’s shooting at Metropolis during the Parti Québécois’ election rally has renewed public concern over gun deregulation. Footage from the rally showed a pistol and a rifle – a long gun – at the scene. The police seized a total of 22 guns from suspect Richard Bain, including a pistol, semiautomatic, rifle, revolver, and a hunting or sport rifle. All but one were registered.
Linguistic Rights McGill presents a panel discussion that will devote particular attention to the potential impact of Senate reform, as proposed in the federal Bill C-7, the Senate Reform Act. Invited panelists include The Honourable Stéphane Dion, federal Member of Parliament for Saint-LaurentCartierville, and Liberal critic for democratic reform and official languages (Liberal Party of Canada); The Honourable Senator Serge Joyal, senatorial division of Kennebec, Quebec (Liberal Party of Canada); and Professor Louis Massicotte of the Department of Political Science, Université Laval.
Women’s Canadian Club of Montreal Opening Event Monday, September 17, 12:30 p.m. The Unitarian Church 5035 Maisonneuve West
The Women’s Canadian Club of Montreal begins its 105th season on Monday. Opening speaker Dr. Robin D.S. Yates, McGill professor of History and East Asian Studies, will be presenting “Some Aspects of Chinese History.” The event is free for members and $10 for visitors. A sandwich lunch is available for $5 beginning at 11:15 a.m. with a choice of tea, coffee, and cookies.
commentary
The McGill Daily Monday, September 10, 2012 mcgilldaily.com
A diversity of tagtics
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Photo Hera Chan | The McGill Daily
Why we write graffiti Seamus Mercury * Hyde Park
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hen viewing the Montreal skyline from the chalet on Mount Royal, most people focus on the snow-topped buildings and the bridges in the distance. As in most cities, the logos and text of corporations, banks, and hotels stand taller than any church or library. But there are those who search for the mark of a city’s authentic inhabitants, those who search for the writing on the wall. What captures their attention is the gigantic “VC” painted on an industrial tower towards the southwest. These people are graffiti writers: the inhabitants of cities around the world who know their environment better than any bike messenger or cab driver, and who take the advice of “making your mark” quite literally, and very seriously. Regrettably, the state deems these graffiti writers to be criminals. Members of the public, who only want to consume graffiti when it has been repackaged and sold back to
the streets that created it via commodified art and marketing campaigns, perpetuate this criminalization of public art and expression. The demonization of graffiti has happened through the marginalization and stereotyping of writers as malicious and mischievous youths. Most notably, the development of the “Broken Window Theory” by social scientists in the early eighties unjustifiably tied all graffiti to antisocial behavior, and denied graffiti its aesthetic merit and nature as an invaluable resource for social history. Indeed, there is no such thing as a typical graffiti writer. From rich to poor and left to right, all kinds of people write graffiti and they do so for very different reasons. Writers in the modern school of graffiti, which emerged in New York City in the second half of the 20th century, leave their homes at four in the morning with a backpack full of paint because they want to see their name in every neighbourhood and on every block. The motivation may be for themselves, other graffiti writers, or the public, but the ultimate goal of “getting up” consumes those who dedi-
cate their life to ensuring that everyone in their city knows their name, but not their face. Once one’s name is on the street, one’s reputation needs to be maintained. For many, graffiti can become an addiction as the repetition develops a profound intensity. But this world of graffiti isn’t a game. The egos, violence, drugs, passion, legends, and the smell of fresh paint on the cold night air are all part of the nocturnal art whose effects are only revealed as the sun rises. In conversations concerning graffiti, the typical refrain goes something like this: “The colourful murals are really great, but not that stupid tagging shit.” But this is an ignorant position. If it’s an aesthetic judgment, then sure, everyone is entitled to their own taste. But without that first tag scrawled in an alley, the graffiti writer who now paints murals would never be where they are now. Graffiti, as with all forms of art, is a process of developing and harnessing talent, and this maturity grows in the can. A little tag evolves into a throw up, which evolves into a burner, which then evolves into a
piece; Sharpie scrawls and commissioned stencils are co-dependent entities within the city. But these murals, tags, and pieces occupy space that the ruling class deem only fit for profit. Every day, we are subjugated to absurd amounts of advertising visible from virtually every vantage point. On the streets, they are the only legal additions to the built environment. Indeed, just to hang a poster in the SSMU building necessitates approval from someone. By writing on walls, be it a political message or a tag or a heart, people challenge a system that says art in public space should only exist to sell. In Montreal, the Quebec student movement was quick to utilize graffiti as a tool for political dissent. After the manifs had finished for the night, painted messages on walls, wheatpasted posters on lampposts, and red square stickers everywhere maintained the physical presence of political engagement. For some, graffiti is about reaction. When a city dweller living out their daily routine notices ink on a wall, their mental state is altered, if
only for a split second. Their reaction could be laughter, annoyance, curiosity, or anger, but what matters is the invisible connection between artist and viewer. For in that moment, the mundane glimpses the extraordinary like the darkness between frames on film; in a world increasingly characterized by isolation, moments like this should be cherished. By taking the art from museums to the street, the ephemeral nature of existence becomes physically present. What is painted on a wall one day can be covered up the next, but this destruction only creates a new canvas for the next individual willing to break the law in the name of expression. Indeed, graffiti writers, consciously or not, are responding to capitalist societies that are both alienating and debilitating in their colonization of public space. So get yourself some paint, hit the streets, and authentically and subversively engage with your city! Just don’t write over someone else. *Seamus Mercury is a pseudonym. To submit comments about this article, or a letter to the editor, email commentary@mcgilldaily.com.
commentary
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The McGill Daily | Monday, September 10, 2012 | mcgilldaily.com
Beeware How a pesticide on the Macdonald campus farm is killing honeybees
Evan Henry Hyde Park
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he McGill Apiculture Association, located near the corn fields of the Macdonald Campus farm, lost 50 per cent of their hives in the 2011-2012 winter due to a pesticide. Why is this happening? The necessity of honeybees is an underappreciated facet of commercial agriculture. Honeybees, among other insects, pollinate; that is, they move pollen grains from male to female parts of plants, ensuring successful fruit production worth around $215 billion per year globally. It’s estimated that one-third of all commercially grown crops are pollinated by honeybees. Recently, this tension has produced a phenomenon with severe agricultural and food security implications called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). CCD has one main symptom: a sudden absence of worker bees. Only the queen and young remain in the colony, with few or no dead bees around the hive. This phenomenon was first observed in the 2006-2007 winter, when 32 per cent of all colonies were lost in the U.S.A., and since then have lost similar levels. One of many contributory causes of CCD is the class of systemic pesticides known as neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids coat seeds and then develop through the plant’s tissue, nectar, and pollen. Honeybees are exposed to these pesticides through
contact and ingestion of pollen and nectar, their two sources of food. The pesticides then target the bees’ nervous systems, blocking the acetylcholine receptors, which causes disorientation, increased stress and mortality, and abnormal movements. These effects weaken the hive and lead to mite and parasite infestations, exacerbating the problem. It is also possible for honeybees to contaminate other colony members because nectar and pollen are stored and shared within the hive. McGill University uses neonicotinoids on its crops at Macdonald campus. Use of these pesticides may be a breach of the environmental policy for McGill University, which states, “the McGill University community shall make every reasonable effort to: Prevent the overconsumption of energy and other resources and reduce the production of waste and the release of substances harmful to the biosphere.” McGill’s policy is very abstract, making it difficult to regulate. I am an Environmental Science student, and have never heard of this policy. I question the validity and use of this policy as an instrument of change.
However, some European countries recognize the adverse effects on bees. Germany, Italy, France, and Slovenia banned the use of the pesticides on rapeseed (canola) in the past four years, and some progress is being made in North America as well. On June 12, Health Canada released a reevaluation notice of neonicotinoids on pollinators. The situation is incredibly important because there has been an almost four-fold rise in agricultural production that requires animal pollination over the past fifty years. As a result, commercial apiculture is forced into migratory beekeeping in an attempt to counterbalance this inequality. Each year, hundreds of commercial beekeepers move approximately 48 billion bees around the world to pollinate crops. The almond crop in Photo Hera Chan | The McGill Daily California exemplifies the interdependent relationship between honUnfortunately, while some eybees and agriculture. California other current policies allow for the produces 82 per cent of the world’s use of these pesticides, the United almonds; in 2006, the state sold States’ Environmental Protection $1.5 billion worth of the crop. All Agency’s Fate and Effects Division of this depends on bees, but the only explores the effects of pesti- confinement, and temperature cides on target insects, and does fluctuations, shocks, and vibrations no research on how the pesticide that bees endure during transporaffects other species, such as bees. tation to California are damaging.
Moreover, the honeybees face malnutrition, having only one available food source, and mass conglomeration, which makes the honeybees vulnerable to any disease or parasite in the area. The numerous causes of stress from migratory beekeeping push honeybees to colony collapse disorder. Beekeepers, too, face problems in commercial agriculture. The economics of pollination determine the scale of beekeeping: making a living off beekeeping is not realistic without migrating, so beekeepers must sacrifice their integrity, and the autonomy and humane treatment of their honeybees. This discourages beekeeping from being anything more than a hobby, pushing agriculture to depend on the unnatural and fragile method of migratory beekeeping. Somehow, the development of commercial agriculture has belittled the importance of honeybees to the point of jeopardy. It is remarkable how completely necessary the roles of migratory pollination and pesticide use are to commercial agriculture, and yet how disastrous they are for honeybees. Managing honeybees and their livelihoods is critical to protecting our own. They play a vital yet sensitive role in the agricultural ecosystem that has underappreciated impacts on our lives. Evan B. Henry is a honeybee and U2 Environmental Science student. He can be reached at evan.henry@ mail.mcgill.ca.
Represented or co-opted? The façade of inclusiveness in electoral politics Mona Luxion Hyde Park
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s Pauline Marois returned to the stage to finish her speech Tuesday night, after her victory party had been disrupted by what would turn out to be an assassination attempt, she explained her calm and poise by saying, “This is an example of a woman head of state.” Indeed, the leader of the newly-elected Parti Québécois (PQ) government will be the first female Premier of Quebec, a fact her supporters would say gives progressive cred to their party. That image of progressivism has been bolstered by Marois’ promise, early Wednesday morning, to cancel the tuition hike put forward by the previous government and overturn the repressive and contentious
Law 12 (more commonly known as Bill 78). The PQ had positioned itself as the only party able to realistically meet these demands, a promise made symbolically visible by the presence of former student spokesperson Léo Bureau-Blouin as a candidate. A similar logic is at work in some voters’ desire to see Québec solidaire leader Amir Khadir remain in his seat because he is currently one of the only people of colour in the national legislature. It is a tenet of electoral politics – and particularly of progressive parties – that we are best represented by people who resemble us. Political pundits spend huge amounts of time speculating on the women’s vote, the anglophone vote, et cetera, while speechwriters spend equally long trying to make their candidates “relatable.” In 2008, Walter Benn Michaels
wrote in the New Left Review that the apparent victories of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama over sexism and racism did not represent any true commitment to overcoming inequality. Instead, he argued that neoliberal capitalism upholds inequality as much as ever, as it merely discards ideologies such as racism and sexism as outdated and inefficient sorting devices. Here in Quebec, the governmentelect is nowhere near giving up on these “sorting devices”: their policies on language, religion, and resource exploitation – to name only a few – increase the burden on the shoulders of immigrants and indigenous people. But even where they have made steps toward diversity, a shared identity does not necessarily mean shared interests. And what of the intersections in our identities? A win for greater gender parity in a parliament still dominated
by white Quebecois settlers is not a win for indigenous women or undocumented immigrant women or trans*, genderqueer, and two-spirit people whose gender oppression goes beyond the male-female binary. Representative democracy relies on a power differential between governing and governed – one which is only exacerbated as those in power vote in laws to keep themselves in power. Party politics in particular means a permanently limited palette of choices in which those closest to the interests of the marginalized have no incentive to make concessions, since the vulnerable can always be counted on to vote for the least terrible option. In fact, the only people who can adequately represent us are ourselves. In the face of a government more beholden to corporate interests than its populace, depart-
mental general assemblies, union general assemblies, and neighbourhood popular assemblies present opportunities to make decisions and actions that truly reflect the desires of a majority. Finally, the streets remain the forum to which people turn when they are not heard in the houses of Parliament. With the taste of collective power that people in Québec have had over the past several months, they may be reluctant to hand it back to a few elected representatives. If the incoming government thinks they’re in for a quiet term, they have a shock coming to them. Mona Luxion has voted in elections in three countries and is still unrepresented in all of them. They can be reached at m.luxion@ gmail.com.
Sports
The McGill Daily Monday, September 10, 2012 mcgilldaily.com
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Image Go [insert local team]!
Why politicians feel the need to like sports Illustration by Midori Nishioka and Amina Batyreva
Evan Dent The McGill Daily
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ne of the great clichés of any political race are sports metaphors – all of them tired or uninspired. Such-and-such candidate “hit a home run” or “scored a touchdown” with their latest speech, or “dropped the ball” with a new policy, or what have you. This tendency to relate sports and politics has been around for hundreds of years – there is a famous political cartoon depicting Abraham Lincoln and his competitors in a baseball game – but what’s become more relevant and important in recent years is the relation between sports and politicians. Politicians have begun to use sports to curry votes or to hone their image as a candidate. Simply put, every politician, seemingly, has to (or at least has to pretend) like sports. Mitt Romney has started using a sports metaphor in his stump
speech, criticizing Barack Obama for going “0 for 23 million” in job creation – Obama has since responded with a long, drawn out football analogy in his own speech. Paul Ryan, Romney’s Vice Presidential candidate, claimed that he was once an avid marathon runner, his best time being a “Two [hours] fifty [minutes] something.” Further research shows that his best time was actually over four hours. Obama has gone on ESPN every year of his current presidency to pick his NCA A basketball bracket and promised on the eve of his 2008 election that he would try using his presidential powers to change college football’s championship system. Hillary Clinton has credited organized sports with helping her become the Secretary of State. Jean Charest, while campaigning in Quebec City, warned voters that a Parti Québécois win would jeopardize the chances of an NHL team relocating to Quebec City, reminding voters of his commit-
ment to bring a team to the capital. Stephen Harper frequently shows up at NHL games. The list goes on and on – and these examples are just from the last few years. But why? Why do politicians find it so important to show their voters that they like sports? It comes down to sports’ ubiquitous nature, and the male consciousness. Sports have become part of the fabric of life throughout the world, especially in Canada and America. In elections, questions like “which candidate you would rather have a beer with?” and the candidate’s knowledge of sports determine their likability. If “everyone” likes sports, and the candidate likes sports, then they have common ground, and the candidate is seen as more down to earth. Many candidates’ attempts at showing their love of sports are hilariously transparent. John Kerry, while on the campaign trail in 2004, called Lambeau Field (perhaps the most storied stadium in football) “Lambert Field” and made refer-
ence to the Ohio State Buckeyes while visiting their rival school, the University of Michigan. His competitor, George W. Bush, then attacked these mistakes, trying to show that Kerry was separated from the voting base. Kerry’s blunders are just one example of such mistakes by politicians. In the effort to be more similar to the voting base, though, politicians will continue to make these blunders – sports have become the easiest way for politicians to connect to the “common” person. Another way that male politicians often use sports is to exude an image of rugged “manliness” and leadership – qualities that are supposedly inherent in sports. Take, for instance, Paul Ryan’s questionable marathon time. Why lie about it? A better time presents Paul Ryan, candidate, as vital, fit and strong – a man to lead the country. Ditto for Obama’s frequent pick-up basketball games – is it any coincidence that they are widely publicized? Considering that in 2008 Obama was running against John McCain, a 72-year-
old man, it is not surprising that Obama’s campaign subtly highlighted his fitness and athleticism. Sports, in this way, have been co-opted to make a candidate more masculine. Someone who loves sports and frequently plays them seems more relatable as well as having an edge of masculinity. (Unfortunately it seems that sports will be linked to masculinity ad infinitum, no matter the advances of women’s sports). For politicians, this makes them appear to be better leaders. In the end, this use of sports as a marketing tool for politicians cheapens both sports and politics. Liking sports shouldn’t be a prerequisite for being a successful politician – good policy should. And sports shouldn’t be a cheap way to project oneself as a good leader or as non-elitist: most feigned efforts end up reflecting badly on the candidate. But the pursuit of “personality” and common ground – no matter how artificial – with the voter base means that this coopting of sports will continue.
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The McGill Daily | Monday, September 10, 2012 | mcgilldaily.com
NHL owners set to lock players out Owners buckle down to lower player salary Tamkinat Mirza The McGill Daily
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he current NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the NHL and NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) is set to expire on September 15. Given this, there are now less than two weeks untill the NHL’s third lockout (a season cancellation or abridgement) under Commissioner Gary Bettman, as there are no negotiations scheduled for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. In the current agreement, which was established at the end of the 2005 NHL lockout, the players’ share began at 54 per cent of the NHL’s overall revenues in 2005 and climbed to nearly 57 per cent in the 2010-11 season. Relative to other sports, NHL owners find this cut to be steep. The NFL recently reduced its players’ share to 46-48 per cent of overall revenues, and the NBA splits its revenue nearly equally
between players and owners. Dividing up the NHL’s $3.3 billion in annual revenues remains the central point in driving negotiations. Despite the fact that the NHL’s owners are signing a growing number of players to huge contracts, the NHL is firmly committed to lowering player salaries. Following talks between the NHL and its player’s union on August 31, NHLPA executive Director Donald Fehr told the media that the NHL would not respond to proposals that don’t include salary cuts. “At this point, all talks are recessed,” he said. The union’s initial deal proposed a lower share of revenue for players over the first three years of the offer, reverting back to the current level of 57 per cent in the fourth. “We proposed several concepts for the fourth year that would allow the fourth year to be something less than 57 per cent of revenues,” Fehr said to the media, “The suggestion was that
if we could get over the fourth year and their objection to the 57 per cent snap back, that would give us an opportunity to move forward… Unfortunately, so far at least, that proposal we made today did not bear fruit.” Bettman responded to the media, saying that “in the final analysis, the emphasis was on returning back to 57 per cent in the fourth year, which obviously isn’t acceptable.” The NHL has also claimed that it needs a bigger share of the revenue due to the fact that it has lost $240 million over the last two seasons. However, the NHLPA and most media outlets are skeptical. The NHL reportedly makes $3.3 billion in revenue per year and spends $1.9 billion of that on player costs. That leaves about $1.4 billion left over to spend on non-player costs. An estimate of those costs by the Levitt Report in 2003 was $770 million. Many are doubtful that non-player costs have doubled within that time frame.
In part, NHL owners have been able to take a hard line against the NHLPA because of the income the former derives from NBC television network – $200 million earned regardless of the labour situation. Concurrently, NHL players miss out on paychecks. “The lockout is not something anyone wants,” NHL player Erik Karlsson told Slam! Sports (slam.canoe.ca) earlier this week, “What’s most important is that we get a deal done that is good for everyone. We’re not going to give up anything just because we want to get it over with. We want to make it right. Everybody wants that as well: [to] Make a deal that’s going to make everyone happy and last for a long time.” Just as other NHL players are considering their options in case a lockout is imposed, Karlsson plans to seek out an alternate place to play, despite his limited options. “Sweden closed their league, and that was probably going to
be my number one option if that was available,” he said. “It isn’t, so I guess I’m going to have to wait to see what’s going to happen here … it depends on how long it drags on. We don’t have that many options anymore. Russia is one. I don’t know if you want to go there anymore. We’ll see about that. Switzerland is going to be hard because they only have so many imports on each team … maybe the Swedish Elite League changes its mind once (the lockout) gets closer.” The Toronto Sun talked to NHL players and reported some of their plans in case of a lockout: Taylor Hall says he will consider Europe, Sam Gagner, Switzerland and Nail Yakupov, Russia, while Ryan NugentHopkins’ plans remain more openended. These vague, far-off plans are all the players can do until an agreement is reached by both sides – and considering the NHL’s determination to take as much as possible from the players, it could be a long time till we see one.
SAVE UP
TO 90%
ON USED TEXTBOOKS
AND 35%
ON NEW
TEXTBOOKS BEING OF FASHIONISTA MIND but of thrift store means, I will hereby spend less for my textbooks in order to save money for that must-have pair of skinny jeans.
science+tech. Under the microscope
The McGill Daily Monday, September 10, 2012 mcgilldaily.com
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A close look at personal experiences in science
Illustration Amina Batyreva | The McGill Daily
microscope that costs $300,000?” “So, McGill isn’t willing to spend $30,000 to fix a were all dumbfounded. He was dumbfounded. I was dumbfounded. We functioning microscope because quite) The thought of discarding an almost (yet not seemed strange – almost ridicuit, repair to price its of McGill refused to pay one tenth r education is research, why was McGill lous. If one of the bases of an institution for highe neglecting it? “I’m sure McGill is willing; it’s just not able.” Things were put into perspective It was an interesting moment to witness firsthand. to stumble upon hundreds going was I , considering that I knew that, on my way home stors. prote of angry, loud, red square-wearing of funds that was not based on the It was the first time I’d heard reasoning for the lack list pigs. capita premise that the McGill administration is full of filthy student protest as a promithe with l McGil at lab a in Spending part of my summer to say the least. On one side were nent backdrop was a thought-provoking experience, tuition increases; on the other, with l students who could not afford to come back to McGil , and the best in Canada) world the in best 17th the there was an institution (supposedly who to feel more empathy for. And that couldn’t afford to fix a microscope. I didn’t know the tuition hike made headlines, by d while the financial difficulties that would be cause are often overlooked. ch resear l McGil the equally real financial problems within working on a project in the was who rsity Unive rd Harva from nt A postdoctoral stude pt. “At Harvard, if you need conce alien lab told me how not having enough funds was an t. It might not be the marke the on one sive expen equipment, they’ll get you the most it will.” one you need, but it’s Harvard, and because it can, nt at the Massachusetts Institute of stude PhD a h, enoug bad ’t weren things if as And, ly laughed at me when I boasted actual eal, Montr Technology (MIT), who I met at TEDx at McGill. “McGill has only one electron that I worked with the only electron microscope ” microscope? I don’t even know how many MIT has… in the world because of the trersities unive best McGill has prestige as one of the and because of the great minds that mendous research that has been conducted here, into perspective, all of this is subject this school produced. But if we were to put things opinion, is the research it supports, my in rsity, to change. The very essence of a unive at McGill are too minimal to sustain the research that is done under its name. If funds c. Researchers are less likely to be research projects, the setbacks could be catastrophi tunities are uncertain. And, with oppor their interested in coming to a university where to diminishing opportunities, private less respectable research or fewer findings due McGill. Once funding falls even more institutions will be increasingly unlikely to fund l will lose valued professors, who will McGil n, through this unforgivingly repetitive patter microscopes are functioning, where be given opportunities elsewhere – at places where microscopes are repairable. picture, but given the ubiquity of You may say that I am painting a far too dramatic difficulties, and the fact that I have witthe idea that McGill is experiencing major financial . And so I leave you with something nessed its manifestation myself, it has a basis in reality ‘Harvard: America’s McGill’ t-shirt: ious obnox to consider when you’re buying your next ch at McGill headed? Where – really – if things continue the way they are, where is resear where, is McGill headed? —S. Azam Mahmood
When it comes to the issue of global food security, it’s difficult to see how adolescent summer camps could be relevant. Yet this is where Zachary Goldberg, a U2 student studying Agricultural Production, found a small-scale solution to the issue at a Jewish summer camp in rural New York state, Eden Village Camp. Nestled between all the arts and crafts and recess of a typical outdoor sum mer camp was an Agriculture and Herb alism class. This was a hands-on course that taug ht campers not only the caretaking of plants, but also instilled in the children the importan ce and impact that the agricultural syste m has upon economy and world health. The idea l of a self-sustaining permaculture is essentially put into practice at this camp. “Sustainability is not an ideal, an educ ation, but lifestyle,” Goldberg explaine d over a cup of coffee with The Daily. “Campers don’t [just] learn, but live sustainably. We accentuate action rather than just explain.” The most-cited example was the base rules of the camp: there can be no discussion of anything superficial, steadfast optimism is mandatory, and of course, ultimate respect towa rds counselors is expected. Younger and more enthusiastic coun selors like Goldberg are integral in the attempt to interest antsy teens in this unortho dox topic. A different teaching style is required; Goldberg stressed that presentation must be tremendously straightforwar d. In essence, Eden does not promote educ ation of fundamentals behind a utop ian ideal, but aspires to be a micro-utopia itself . All food is hand-planted, picked, and processed onsite, indicative of the self-perpetuating closed system. “You are no longer the consumer, you are the producer, and the master of your own self so long as you resp ect the boundaries of others,” said Goldberg. He hims elf was surprised at the ease with whic h campers accepted what is typically considered to be a drastic lifestyle adjustment. “The re was always an overarching sense of wonder and unity...the kids [appreciated] the com plexity and responsibility of taking care of a living organism, whether it be due to their own naiveté or natural curiosity.” While the effectiven ess of this model of sustainability on a macro scale is still questionable, there is an undenia ble sense of comfort that comes from knowing that it is viable for a small community to maintain a secure food source. With his campers as living proof of success, Goldberg’s work demonstrates how educating students empowers them to use science as a means of addr essing tomorrow’s issues. —Alexander Chang
After a slew of summer research jobs, resea rch courses, and an undergraduate thesis, I’ve learned a lot about how to get invol ved in research as an undergraduate. This is what I wish I had known when I was starti ng out. Get started early. Gaining experience – any experience – is key. The first time I applied for a research job, I had to contact more than twenty profe ssors before I found someone willing to hire me, whereas the second time it only took two. As you gain experience and begin to understand research culture, it becomes easier to navigate the application process. Start talking to professors early, take a resea rch course for credit, or if you have the time, offer to volunteer as an assistant. You can do these things even if you are just starting your research career. Learn and develop skills. Basic knowledge of Matlab programming really helped me when I was applying for my first research job. If you are familiar with a programming language, a statistical software package, a compute r-assisted design (CAD) software, or have some experience with electronics or meta l work, or have any technical skill at all, you are already well on your way. If not, you can easily learn the basics in an intro ductory level course. These are all tools that I have picked up to varying degrees during my research experiences, and they open lots of doors. At the undergraduate level, I have found that the emphasis during the job application process is primarily on skills, while grades are more important for grant and scholarship applications. In the different resea rch groups I’ve worked in, no one would have a clue about what my GPA was or whic h classes I had taken, but most would be aware of which programming languages I knew and which microscopes I could use. To develop my “toolbox” of skills, whenever I work in a lab I do the training for as many of the instruments and techniques that I find interesting as possible. These training sessions are usually not “advertised” – you have to take the initiative and ask to take part. Keep an open mind and optimistic attitu de. Research is not always glamorous. You will almost surely have to slog through a lot of hard work before you see any interesting results. Attend guest lectures and seminars as often you can, even if you can’t understand all the details – even a glimpse of the latest work being done will keep you motivated and inspired. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Though they may be very intimidating at first, most professors, post-doctorates, graduate students and senior unde rgraduates are genuinely nice people, and are usually willing to help younger stud ents, really. There is a treasure trove of information and advice out there, so don’ t hesitate to take advantage of it. —Hussain Sangji
science+tech.
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The McGill Daily | Monday, September 10, 2012 | mcgilldaily.com
Thomson House’s bid to go green PGSS aims to bring sustainability to a historic building Jassi Pannu Science+Technology Writer
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he Sustainability Projects Fund is one of several nonopt-outable fees students can expect to see on their bills this fall. At $0.50 per credit, it provides roughly $800,000 in annual funding towards projects that work to make McGill’s campus and community more sustainable. McGill has recently made sustainability a priority; every dollar students put toward the Sustainable Projects Fund (SPF) is matched by the administration. Meatless Mondays at residence cafeterias and Outdoors Frosh are just a few of the notable initiatives the SPF supports. In January, Thomson House was added to this list. Thomson House remains a beautifully maintained reminder of Canada’s architectural past. Once a mansion on Montreal’s famed Golden Square Mile, it now houses the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS). Heritage buildings like the Thomson House add to the allure of McGill’s campus. Today, most of the fifty or so homes in the McGill portion of the Golden Square Mile have been demolished to make way for larger, more modern structures like McLennan Library and the Bronfman building. Others like the Faculty Club – originally the home of Baron Alfred Baumgarten – have survived by adapting to the campus’ new needs. Despite this repurposing, it remains that these old buildings were not built with energy efficiency in mind. PGSS aims to change this. Their project, called Sustainable Thomson House, consists of determining ways to make both the building as well as PGSS operations within the building more self-sufficient, with a lesser impact upon the environment. With a budget of $63,500, Sustainable Thomson House is one of the largest initiatives funded by the SPF. The Post-Graduate Students’ Society insists that this is a project for the students and by the students. For the most part, this is true. Much of the operations auditing is done by students, including measurements of waste production and greenhouse gas emissions,
Undergraduate and graduate students conduct a waste audit at Thomson House. as well as of the sustainability of food served in the independent Thomson House Restaurant and grown in the adjacent Permaculture Garden (also funded by SPF). A team of twenty undergraduate and graduate volunteers has been working on the project since January. Interested students can also participate through Environment 401 or Agriculture 490, which will offer course credit starting this fall. However, the bulk of the initiative’s funding – an estimated $48, 000 – is going towards hiring an external engineering and architecture firm. Shona Watt, sustainability coordinator at PGSS, asserts that the investment in an external audit will be worthwhile, as it “will highlight what improvements can be done easily and economically feasibly.” It remains to be seen how fea-
sible the recommended changes truly are. The budget for the audits does not include actual renovations, but only the initial assessments required to possibly make changes in the future. Further funding for the project has yet to be secured. Changes of habit like decreasing waste and increasing recycling could easily be put into effect with a well-constructed plan. But other initiatives like changing plumbing and insulation, as well as increasing solar and geothermal energy sources, may be too costly in the short term to execute. “It’s not at all feasible to completely renovate all older buildings in the name of sustainability,” Watt admits. But the Sustainable Thomson House team believes that small, incremental changes toward sustainability could cre-
ate a powerful net effect. The audits being done at the Thomson House could serve as a template for such student- and volunteerrun projects in the future. To inspire and educate students, the team hosted a community consultation on May 3, where they presented and discussed the project with the McGill community. Following the completion of the audits this month, the team will design changes toward sustainability for Thomson House. A second consultation is planned for the beginning of November in the form of a Sustainability Action Plan, a road map for the proposed changes spanning five to ten years. Old buildings and waste production are not the only environmentally harmful elements that McGill could stand to change. The McGill
Photo Shona Watt
administration recently completed their own audit, using the internationally recognized Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS). The result of this evaluation was a ranking of ‘silver,’ lower than many other universities comparable in size and endowment, like University of British Columbia. With long-term projects like Sustainable Thomson House, and a host of other smaller projects also funded by the SPF, students are trying to take sustainability into their own hands. But while their efforts are valiant and valuable, in the context of McGill’s overall environmental footprint, which reaches as far as support for asbestos production and mining, sustainability projects such as this can only scratch the surface of the University’s environmental impact.
culture
The McGill Daily Monday, September 10, 2012 mcgilldaily.com
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Photo Hera Chan | The McGill Daily
Mikinak Co-operative faces budget crisis with artistic solution Victoria Lessard The McGill Daily
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n mid-March, the Inter-tribal Youth Centre received news that its funding was going to be cut off within a matter of weeks. The Cultural Connections for Aboriginal Youth (CCAY) government program, the main source of financial support for the centre, has revoked their sponsorship. Faced with the imminent closure of one of the precious few resources available to Aboriginal youth in Montreal, the Native Friendship Centre, also facing its own budget crisis, rallied behind the program to keep it open. The Daily sat down with Ashanti Rosado, the youth coordinator of the Inter-tribal Youth Centre, to discuss how the program is dealing with its precarious financial situation. Rosado sits in her office in the youth centre, situated in the basement of the Native Friendship Centre, door open and smile ready for any teen or passer-by who needs her help. Her workspace reflects the mission of the youth centre. “Basically, we aim to provide a safe and welcoming space for
the urban Aboriginal youth, [and] make them feel that they’re at home. It’s a supportive environment,” Rosado said. The centre is set up with a pool table, computers, and couches, and offers a range of artistic activities for young people such as stone carving. However, the centre’s program and staff have been greatly reduced. Due to budget cuts, Rosado is the sole remaining employee. “At this moment,” she explains, “I’m in charge of coordinating the activities, the workshop facilitators, volunteers, [and] helping the youth with whatever they need. Now, I’m in charge of everything, the administration of the project. There used to be two people, plus interns and volunteers, but with the situation, we had to lay off my co-worker. It’s just me left.” The outreach that the centre has been able to provide has been cut back. “Before, we used to have two, three, even four activities in a day. Now we have three during the week. Of course, we are in that process of trying to find ways of [getting] people to volunteer their time, and see how it goes from there,” Rosado said.
Despite the strain and numerous obstacles thrown in the path of the Inter-tribal Youth Centre, they have managed to remain open. The Native Friendship Centre has been a supportive partner in keeping the space open, but the Youth Centre’s own emphasis on cultural creativity has also proven to be an invaluable resource in keeping the project alive. The Mikinak Youth Co-operative, a group at the youth centre, is a collective of Aboriginal youth artists who create soapstone sculptures, a skill they learn through the programming at the centre. This initiative has proven to be an important resource for both the centre and the young artists. “[The] project has been part of the center for the while. Maybe four, even five years. It’s been taking shape, [but] we still have a long way to go with it. But the idea is to provide training and educational tools for the youth, but also just have a fun activity ... that relates to their culture as well and involve[s] the community in this project,” Rosado said. The co-op offers their works for sale, with fifty per cent of the sale going to the artist, and the other fifty per cent going to the Youth
Centre, which invests the money into funding programming. “The profit that we make from the youth co-operative is helping us to have still something going on in the centre. I think that’s one of the reasons why a project like Mikinak is really good, it’s basically helping us to keep going,” Rosado said. The Youth Centre is an invaluable resource for Aboriginal youth in Montreal, and though still under financial strain and program reduction, it remains a compassionate and friendly space for anyone who wants to stop by. “The support of the people through the co-op, and even buying the pieces we have here, it helps a lot,” Rosado expressed. “It’s actually what is helping us in these difficult times. In addition, I think that we’re pretty open for anybody that would like to bring their expertise and volunteer a couple of hours, and just help us to reach out to the youth and to bring the youth back,” Rosado said. The Inter-tribal Youth Centre’s artistic and cultural creativity has allowed them to continue to operate, offering numerous resources and an open door to Aboriginal youth in Montreal.
Culture HAPS
Inter-tribal Youth Centre in jeopardy
World Press Photo Competition Exhibit September 7 to 30 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m., every day Marché Bonsecours 325 de la Commune General $12, Student $8
The World Press Photo exhibit returns to Montreal this September. Featuring the past year’s finest photojournalism, the WPF is beautiful, moving, and disturbing. Images of war and suffering are displayed alongside crisp sports photography and superlative nature shots. A must see for photography enthusiasts.
Bombino
Monday, September 10 9:00 p.m. Club Balattou 4372 St. Laurent $20 advance, $25 at the door
This young Nigeran guitarist takes the stage at Club Balattou tonight. Raised in the turbulent Tuareg region in the South Sahara, his virtuoso guitar style is reminiscent of Ali Farka Touré, with a touch of Jimi Hendrix and Mark Knopfler. Jamming wildly on his electric guitar – staring towards heaven for inspiration – Bombino is a sight to behold.
Culture
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The McGill Daily | Monday, September 10, 2012 | mcgilldaily.com
Fests-de-fall
Autumn activities to illuminate your semester Kaj Huddart and Victoria Lessard
Illustration Rosie Dobson and Amina Batyreva
Comiccon The glorious Comiccon will soon grace Montreal with a huge two-day indoor festival of pop culture, sci-fi, anime, and French bandes-dessinées. Like other such events in the United States, the Montreal Comiccon allows fans – obsessive or otherwise – to meet famous personalities from their favourite series. The big-name guests will be Star Trek actors Patrick Steward and William Shatner. Also present will be Matthew McDowell from A Clockwork Orange, Adam Baldwin of Firefly and The X-Files, and Quebec BD luminary Michel Rabagliati. But actors will not be the only recognizable stars of the con-
Montreal International Black Film Festival
vention – vehicles at the show include the 1989 Batmobile and Scooby-Doo’s Mystery Machine. On top of all that, gaming developers Ubisoft, Eidos, and Bioware will be holding conferences within the event. Comiccon will be hosting dozens of exhibitions and over 100 artists over its three days. Comiccon will be held from September 14 to 16 at Palais des congrès. Individual day tickets vary in price from $20 to $28 in advance; tickets for the whole weekend are $50. Shatner and Stewart, as well as some other events, are sold separately.
The Montreal International Black Film Festival (MIBFF) aims to promote and support films that deal with the social, political, and economic issues faced by black people around the world and gives an engaged audience to films that struggle to make it onto the big screen. The films offered vary from documentaries such as Dara Kell and Christopher Nizza’s Dear Mandela, which follows three young South Africans after the apartheid era; animated shorts, like Lucius Dechausay’s The Mark, which uses the symbol of a mask to discuss issues of prejudice; and feature films such as Darrell Roodt’s Winnie, which examines the life and struggles of Winnie Mandela through powerhouse performances from
Terrence Howard and Jennifer Hudson. The Central Park Five, the final film showing at the festival, promises to be a gritty documentary experience, touching on racism and injustice in the legal system as well as media sensationalism. With numerous offerings and reasonably -priced tickets, the MIBFF has made these exceptional films accessible, when they otherwise may have been lost in the pantheon of tired Hollywood tropes and sequels. The Montreal International Black Film Festival will run from September 19 to 30 at several venues, including Cinéma du Parc. Tickets for each film are $10.
Pop Montreal Pop is the big autumn music festival, and possibly the most fun you’ll be having until the spring thaw. This huge festival has spawned numerous offshoot festivals, including Puces Pop, a huge design showcase; Film Pop, for music-related movies; Art Pop, for visuals; and Kids Pop, a bunch of art workshops for the little’uns.
Although Pop is more about discovery than putting on big names, the lineup does include some wellknown talent. David Byrne, former Talking Heads chief, will appear in concert with art-rocker St. Vincent. Also featured is bizarre rapper Lil’ B, whose incredibly prolific output and internet following have garnered a fanatically loyal fan base. Last
year, Lil’ B released an album entitled I’m Gay, which was not so much a coming-out as it was a challenge to the conventions of the rap world. And have you heard of Grimes? She was expelled from McGill not long ago for failing to attend class and then became 2012’s favourite alt-pop star, getting millions of views on YouTube and making “one of the
most impressive albums of the year,” according to the New York Times. She produces her otherworldly music on Garageband, but her videos display a lavish and playfully gothic aesthetic. Her story should be an inspiration to all the closet bedroom-pop artists in our student body: leave the life of academic drudgery for money, fame, and a mention in the Times.
Pop Montreal goes down all over town from September 19 to 23. Over 300 bands will play. Passes are $300 (which is why you should write for Culture – free tickets!). Individual concert tickets vary in price from free to $35. Grimes will be playing at Pop on September 20.
EDITORIAL
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Jacqueline Brandon Steve Eldon Kerr culture editors
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health&education editor
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multimedia editor
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Nicole Leonard
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People, without borders This summer, two bills – C-31 and C-38 – passed through Parliament amidst a flood of commentary and reporting in national media. C-31 and C-38, known as the “Protecting Canada’s Immigration System Act” and the “Jobs, Growth, and Long-term Prosperity Act,” respectively, have a hugely detrimental effect on those seeking refuge in Canada, those immigrating to the country, and those who have recently arrived in Canada, including many members of our own community. Introduced by Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney in order “to protect the integrity of Canada’s immigration system,” Bill C-31 will mean stricter regulation of refugees. One of the bill’s most troubling provisions includes the Minister’s ability to designate so-called “safe” countries, whose refugees will be treated differently than refugees from countries not on the list. (The Toronto Board of Rabbis published a letter to Stephen Harper, stating that they were concerned about this categorization, as “countries where the majority lives in safety can be dangerous for minority groups.”) The new legislation also requires refugees to prove their claims within 15 days of arriving – an unrealistically short amount of time to learn a complicated legal procedure immediately after potentially taxing relocation. On top of all of this, Bill C-31 also endangers refugees who have been granted status – meaning that hundreds of thousands who have come to Canada and resettled are now at risk. With this bill, even those refugees who have gone through the legal system successfully cannot integrate themselves without the fear of deportation. Bill C-38, colloquially referred to as the Omnibus Budget Bill, includes an amendment to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which wiped out all pre-2008 applications under the Federal Skilled Worker Program. This devastating provision resulted in a 280,000-application backlog being deleted. These latest developments are part of the larger trend of systematic mistreatment of immigrants by the current government. A refugee entering Canada faces rapidly diminishing support. These bills coincide with the cuts to the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP), a program which provides refugees with temporary healthcare. As our country’s reliance on foreign workers mounts in a variety of industries – including many outside the expected occupations of agriculture and domestic work – the defunding of resources for immigrants is, economically, short-term thinking. It is also representative of the Harper government’s attitude toward international relations. Immigrants have made Canada a much wealthier country, one that can celebrate its very real diversity. Recent government actions will not only hurt immigrants seeking refuge and opportunity, but all of us.
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The McGill Daily Monday, September 10, 2012 mcgilldaily.com
lies, half-truths, and censorship
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Fifty Shades of Grey to be filmed in single take Newly-announced director Steve McQueen says sex scenes proving “difficult to coordinate” Euan EK The Twice-a-Weekly
T
he director of the upcoming movie of the book of the undeveloped idea of an erotic novel, Fifty Shades of Grey, has been revealed as arthouse darling Steve McQueen. McQueen, an experimental artist and winner of the prestigious Turner prize, has stated that he intends to film Fifty Shades in a single 189-minute take. McQueen is best known for directing the 2008 film Hunger, about the 1981 Irish hunger strike. Based on the harrowing, gruelling, and painful true story of hunger striker Bobby Sands, who died at age 27 after refusing food for 66 days while imprisoned by the British. Hunger won rave reviews. Critics praised McQueen’s ponderous, experimental style, picking out an unbroken 17-minute shot as particularly exceptional filmmaking. In it, the camera remains in the same position for the duration of the shot while a priest tries unsuccessfully to talk Bobby Sands out of his suicidal protest. The director told The Twicea-Weekly that he accepted the helm of Fifty Shades because he wants to continue pushing the boundaries of filmmaking and express himself to his fullest with his single-take version of Fifty Shades of Grey. “I’d been building up to this for quite a while,” said McQueen, “perfecting my technique, spending hours framing and reframing shots to best capture subtle fluctuations of natural light. I felt I had really found the intersection between organic human expression and digital sequential image capture, but I
was waiting for the right moment. I knew, maybe I was cocky, maybe foolish, but I knew my moment – my art and my medium’s moment – was coming, but I had to stay alert, stay in touch, be ready to grasp it. So when Michael Bay called me up and offered me $250 million to film E.L. James’s book, well, I knew – is that arrogant? – well, yeah I knew I was ready.” Answering critics who say he isn’t ready to film so much sex, McQueen reminded them that in his first motion picture, the art-house release Bear (1993), two naked men (one of them McQueen) exchange a series of barely-perceptible glances which might, or might not, be taken to be flirtatious or threatening. “So I think I’m ready for Fifty Shades,” McQueen stated confidently. Fifty Shades of Grey tells the story of Anastasia “Ana” Steele, a 22-year-old college senior who lives with her best friend Katherine Kavanagh, who writes for their college’s student paper. Due to illness, Katherine persuades Ana to take her place and interview 27-year-old Christian Grey, an incredibly successful and wealthy young entrepreneur. Ana is instantly attracted to Grey, but also finds him intimidating. McQueen was instantly drawn to the subtle expository dance of protagonist and lover. “As a filmmaker, you really want to begin with well-developed, complex characters, and in Ana and Christian I think we have this century’s Anna Karenina and Count Vronsky, or maybe, well, yes, [Ana and Christian’s] relationship has that danger, that overwhelming and existential danger lurking in the perpetual, imperceptible distance behind Tolstoy’s
Salvadore Daliance does the dirty Lothario’s sexual abstinence over Salvadore Daliance The Twice-a-Weekly
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ell hello there, my radiant readers. When last we spoke, I was in the midst of a sexual strike because, let’s face it, men sometimes suck, and, really, who has time for snogging amidst reading, writing, and being a wannabe journalist? However, after four months of summer, and the exposed skin, sultry air, and inebriated states that
accompanied them, I’ve cum to a revelation. Even though romantic partners can sometimes be a nuisance – even a downright headache – they can also give you orgasms, and that’s a wonderful thing, isn’t it? So my new credo, for the time being at least, is, if you want it, get it. Because there are two big “O”s in YOLO, and that’s gotta be a sign. Godspeed, and let’s get laid. Salvadore Daliance sometimes writes columns about love and sex. Reach him in the ether.
Illustration Lyndon J. Boshwyk | The McGill Daily
characters, but coupled with the raw and timeless passion – fervent egomania – of a Catherine Earnshaw and a Heathcliff. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say E.L. James has created the Adam and Eve of our generation.” McQueen is as enthused by the narrative as the characters, but his artistic perfectionism is causing logistical problems for his crew. “Well, first let me say that this story deserves to be told in great detail. This is a story in which the movement of the curtains and the colour of the carpet is as important as the movement and colour of the plot and characters. It is a textured piece, and I wanted – I want – to bring its undulating surfaces and harmon-
ic voice to life, to do the work justice. And as I said, lighting and mood – temperature, if you will – that’s me. That’s my forte, my religion. I can do that. I am doing that, doing this. But as an artist, as a creator...my logistical, and I mean this in the rudimentary, mathematical sense, but my logistical skills have not been tested. So yes, I want to film this in one take – life is one take, I am one take, a take is one take – but we are having trouble coordinating the, ah, the...apexes of Ana and Christian’s love. The sex scenes, as you may wish to describe them.” It appears that fitting some ten extended scenes of BDSM
“We believe this image may represent Euan EK. Please contact us if you sight this.” Mathieu LaBig Chief Searcher, SPVM
sex into the same 189 minutes, and at the same time squeezing in several pivotal coffee-house and dorm-room chats, is a difficult task, but McQueen insists he will not give up. “I’ve had the math guys on it and it does seem like it will be possible if we find the right guy. He’ll have to be...strong. I just refuse to compromise on this. People will thank me.” Auditions for the role of Christian Grey begin next week, and McQueen has told hopefuls to expect a “very raw [experience]. Be ready to sweat. Bring vaseline.” Euan EK is not a thing in the way that you normally understand things. You cannot vanquish it.