The Concordian - September 6th, 2016

Concordia University’s weekly, independent student newspaper

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VOLUME 34, ISSUE 2 | TUESDAY, SEPT. 6, 2016

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 /theconcordian  @theconcordian

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Energy East Protesters defend Canada’s land from corporatization of natural resources

News p. 2 also in this issue

life

Solving parking problems p.6

arts

A taste of fashion from Italy p. 9

music

Women in the metal scene

sports

p. 13

From Impact to the Stingers p. 14

opinions

The media and Trudeau p. 17

news

NEWS EDITORS /// news@theconcordian.com SAVANNA CRAIG & NELLY SERANDOUR-AMAR ( @savannacraig @nellsamar03)

CITY IN BRIEF

BY NELLY SERANDOURAMAR CO-NEWS EDITOR

Police releases sketch of suspect in Longueuil

PIPELINES

Energy East: A nation-wide battle

Canada’s decision between the extraction of natural resources and saving our land

The suspect is said to be in his fifties about 5 ft. 10 inches tall, with brown and grey hair. At the time of the attack, he wore dark blue sport pants with a blue t-shirt. The man is suspected to have attacked a woman as she was jogging in Mont SaintBruno National Park on Friday.

According to CJAD news, the victim was seriously injured, but the police have said the injuries are not life-threatening.

The authorities are treating this case as an attempted murder.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Longueuil police by calling 450-463-7211.

Animal Shop with no electricity for two weeks

BY SAVANNA CRAIG CO-NEWS EDITOR L’Animalerie Taschereau Inc. said that due to a mistake dur ing e x ter ior wor k by Hydro Quebec, they haven’t had electricity in two weeks.

The Longueuil animal shop said that some equipment isn’t working, including water pumps for aquariums, causing fish to die. At the moment, the reptiles are threatened because of a lack of heat, which they need to survive. For inquiries in purchasing pets, the store is selling exotic birds at reduced prices, according to CJAD news.

Man found dead in Saint-Eustache A motorcyclist was found unconscious on 25th avenue near a sharp curve just north of Autoroute 640. He was found by a passing motorist who called 911 at around 1:15 a.m. on Sunday.

With no witnesses to the crash, the St-Eustache police still don't know what really happened to the 45 year old man According to CJAD, the police are investigating to determine whether alcohol or speed were factors related to the man’s death. An autopsy will be performed.

The Energy East pipeline project is causing conflicts in towns and cities that will be affected by TransCanada’s nation-long pipeline proposal—Montreal being one of them.

The pipeline proposal has reemerged storylines of environmental concerns clashing with corporate interests.

In Montreal, protesters delayed the Aug. 29 Energy East hearings held by the National Energy Board (NEB) until further notice. The hearings, which were scheduled to last all week, were set up for commissioners of the NEB to gain an understanding of the public’s opinion towards the Energy East proposal. The report would then be forwarded to TransCanada to rework issues the public has with the pipelines.

“In the last five years or so—with climate concerns, indigenous rights and sovereignty issues and all these social issues—pipelines have become a lot more controversial,” said Kristian Gareau, a protester at Montreal’s Energy East hearing and a Concordia Masters student in the Individualized Program (INDI). He added that he believes the pipeline project is not fit for today’s reality.

Gareau said he believes some of the population are already dissatisfied with TransCanada’s pipeline project—including environmentalists,

scientists and farmers. “On top of that, you see some of these secret meetings that took place with [NEB and former Quebec premier] Jean Charest who is a paid TransCanada lobbyist,” he added. This scandal is a great ammunition for protesters such as Gareau who claim there is a bias within the required NEB report, which must report on the public’s opinion on Energy East at the end of the public consultation process.

“The NEB is supposed to be impartial and issue recommendations in the public interest,” said Alex Tyrrell, leader of the Green Party of Quebec and Environmental Sciences student at Concordia. He said many residents believe the NEB cannot continue with hearings for TransCanada because it has become clear that at least two of the three commissioners tasked with overseeing the hearings and writing a report on public interest concerning the Energy East pipelines have already been promoting it.

Gareau describes the NEB as a powerful entity, stating that as a commissioner or board member there is a responsibility to provide a fair and natural balanced review on public opinion towards pipelines.

However, Gareau believes—in regards to meetings between Charest and two of the three commissioners—it is difficult for the NEB to form an unbiased report.

“There’s kind of a revolving door between industry and the NEB, so the cultures and interests of the oil and gas industry are very much entrenched in the NEB,” said Gareau.

Tyrrell said the NEB initially denied meeting with Charest.

However, once it was revealed the meetings did take place, the NEB was then ordered to admit the meetings had occurred and to release notes taken during the meeting, said Tyrrell. The published notes revealed that the commissioners and Charest discussed how to spin the NEB report in a way that would gain support from Quebec residents. “Their job isn’t to do public relations, it’s to do safety and environmental analysis,” Tyrrell said.

Tyrrell added people should be trained specifically to evaluate these projects on behalf of government organizations and anyone involved in the energy industry due to their loyalties to energy companies should not be hired. “They’re supposed to be evaluating the project on behalf of the citizens,” said Tyrrell. He said it should not be on behalf of TransCanada or on behalf of people who are fixated on prolonging the life of the oil industry to continue its existence into the future.

Tyrrell said similar circumstances led to catastrophes like the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. “The

regulators were far too close with the industry and lacked the teeth to really do anything— even when problems were well known,” said Tyrrell.

There are also concerns about the safety and reliability of TransCanada’s plan. Of the 4,550 km of proposed pipeline for this project, approximately 75 per cent of those pipelines will be converted from old gas transmission lines, according to Energy East pipeline spokesperson Tim Duboyce.

Tyrrell said this proposal is problematic. “Not only are the pipes already aged and worn, but they were never designed to carry tar sands oil in the first place,” he said, adding that alterations to existing natural gas pipelines increase the probability of spills.

Duboyce said there are a series of pipelines that cross the Prairies through Northern Ontario. The pipeline splits as some of the pipelines head to the Greater Toronto area, while others continue east towards Ottawa and then South from there.

The new section of the pipeline would run from Iroquois, Ontario and up across the Ottawa river, said Duboyce. In Quebec, the pipeline would cross the North Shore towards Laval and connect with the Suncor Energie refinery.

“It would travel beneath the

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

St. Lawrence river about 100 meters below the bedrock in a concrete tunnel we’re going to build adjacent to an existing pipeline that actually crosses the St. Lawrence,” Duboyce said. The pipeline would reach the Valero refinery and continue east towards New Brunswick and then on to St. John’s, N.L. where it will be attached to a marine export terminal.

While TransCanada says the pipeline will give both Quebec and Canada an economic advantage, critics to the pipeline say the advantages of a pipeline like Energy East are, at best, short term.

TransCanada advertises that Energy East will generate a large amount of employment. “During the development and construction phase of the project, Energy East will support, on an annual basis, 14,000 full-time direct and spinoff jobs across the country,” said Duboyce. He said among 14,000 of the full time jobs stated, Quebec employment represents an average of 3,100 full-time direct and spinoff jobs annually during a nine year development and construction period.

However, as Tyrrell points out, the development and construction period will only last nine years, resulting in the predicted high

employment rates being limited to that timeframe.

“They claim 14,000 jobs for the overall project … but those are just construction jobs. It’s really shortterm,” said Tyrrell. “Once the pipeline is built, even TransCanada will tell you—there’s only 33 permanent full-time jobs in Quebec.”

Tyrrell said his greatest concern for the proposed Energy East pipelines is the level of development of the tar sands the pipelines will permit, ultimately contributing to Canada having a larger oil industry.

Tyrrell said the oil TransCanada will be transporting through these pipelines is not necessarily for domestic consumption. “Once it’s built it’s going to be in the ground for at least 50 years, and it’s going to tie the entire country into the practice of digging up this inherently unsustainable resource and exporting it to other countries,” said Tyrrell.

Duboyce said TransCanada plans to make Canadian crude oil more competitive outside the US markets and expand into international markets. He also said that Energy East will make it possible for refineries to buy Canadian oil instead of oil from Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

“One of the key points that gets lost in this conversation ... is that

there’s only one thing that drives oil production, oil transportation—and that’s oil consumption by people,” said Duboyce.

Duboyce stressed the importance of expanding Canada’s oil industry in order to benefit Canada’s economy. Not only do we use oil to fuel our transportation, but we find oil in our cell phones, computers, some clothing, makeup and chewing gum, Duboyce said.

“It’s a pretty important component of the economy.”

However, Gareau strongly disagrees. “It’s economic considerations are very short-term,” he said, adding that the economic prospects of how much the oil currently valued may now be overvalued. “This fossil economy is declining.”

“We need to leave a lot of fossil fuels in the ground,” said Gareau.

“How we’re actually going to do that—that’s what we need to be talking about.” He said people need to be discussing 21st century energy and economic opportunities, instead of relying on traditional needs—such as crude oil. “[The pipeline] also locks Canada into a fossil economy that will be defunct in the next decade or two, putting us that much further behind in the emerging green economy,” said Gareau.

“[NEB is] going to let the companies continue to exploit them anyway and they’re going to get the public and the environment to absorb the risk.” Tyrrell said.

“It’s really short term economic gain vs. long term environmental sacrifice—it’s a question of priorities.”

Tyrrell said once these pipelines have been built, there will be tons of subcontractors and companies already specialized in fabricating pipelines. “You can export pipeline parts to some other part of the world,” he said. “But chances are, they’re going to want to build another pipeline locally or as close to Montreal as possible.”

“The strategy of the environmental movement is to shut down the tar sands by blocking all of the exit paths,” said Tyrrell. He said the opposition has managed to block the Northern Gateway for the time being, but now it’s time for Eastern Canada to block the Energy East pipeline.

Tyrrell said the resistance is going well so far. “The people protesting are not only speaking for themselves, they’re speaking for huge sections of the population—that includes [speaking for] the mayors of hundreds of different municipalities in Quebec.”

International Overdose Awareness Day

Canada needs to address the surge in drug-related fatalities

According to The Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, opioids are responsible for approximately 50 per cent of all drug drug related deaths—Canada is now faced with addressing this issue.

International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is an annual event held on Aug. 31 that aims to open up the conversation regarding drug overdoses. The day also aims highlighting the harm that overdosing can cause, not only to the individual, but to those around them as well.

British Columbia’s Public Health officer, Dr. Perry Kendal, announced a province-wide state of emergency back in April 2016, in response to the province’s surge in drug-related deaths. The

province announced 76 fatalities in January 2016 alone.

The province of British Columbia also announced a large contributing factor to the rise in overdoses is due to the synthetic opioid fentanyl, with the province announcing that 49 per cent of overdoses in the first three months of 2016 were related to the drug.

“Fentanyl is more powerful than drugs like morphine,” said Concordia psychology professor Uri Shalev.

Shalev explained that fentanyl is a very effective pain-relieving drug to those with an opioid tolerance. He said issues arise when inexperienced users attempt to abuse the powerful substance.

“Addicts won’t overdose unless the supply changes,” said Shalev.

He explained that the mixing of substances is when overdoses begin to occur, for users no longer

know how much of a substance to take before their lethal dose is reached.

According to the Canadian HIV/Aids Legal Network, during this year's IOAD, 70 organizations from the Canadian Civil Society made an urgent call to action reg arding C anada’s cur rent overdose problem.

T he urgent c all to action consists of a list of five recommendations, which call for all levels of the Canadian government to take immediate action in addressing the issue. Part of the plan involves rapidly increasing the distribution of naloxone, a medication used in response to overdoses. Professor Shalev said naloxone is a miracle drug in reviving individuals from overdoses. However, he said that educating citizens and users is the most effective way to tackle the

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N AT I O N I N B R I E F

BY SAVANNA CRAIG CO-NEWS EDITOR

Heroin and cocaine laced with fentanyl found in Vancouver Last week Vice News reported that nine users died and one suffered a cardiac arrest after taking cocaine laced with fentanyl. The drug fentanyl is approximately 100 times stronger than morphine and much more potent heroine, said the report. Vancouver’s safe injection facility, Insite, has concluded that 86 per cent of drugs the facility tested owned by users from July to August were contaminated with fentanyl. Vice News claimed this issue “highlights how difficult it is for casual drug users to know exactly what they're putting into their bodies.” The tests conducted at Insite were mostly on heroin and heroin mixtures—90 per cent of which tested positive for fentanyl contamination. Cocaine, crystal meth and crack were also tested, however they did not test positive as often.

Canada ranked third highest coffee consumer

HEALTH

BY CAITLIN YARDLEY CONTRIBUTOR

theconcordian

problem. Other recommendations include expanding access to treatment for users, and enacting the Good Samaritan Legislation - a legislation which gives immunity against arrest to those present during an overdose.

The Canadian Civil Society is now urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with Canada’s health and justice ministers, to implement an action plan, to address the rising problem.

Those wishing to show support for the cause can donate to the IOAD. All funds go towards tackling the issues surrounding substance abuse. Supporters are also encouraged to host their own IOAD events. öö More information about how you can get involved, visit http://www.overdoseday. com/get-involved/

Canada has been ranked as one of the countries with the most coffee consumption per capita, topped only by the Netherlands and Finland. According to the global marketing research company, Euromonitor, Canadians consume 152.1 litres of coffee per capita. The study measured not only coffee bought in cafés, but grocery stores as well. According to Strobel, the coffee consumption at food service locations also aids in contributing to a country’s high consumption rate. CBC News reported that there are 3,692 Tim Hortons across Canada—that’s approximately one location for every 9,000 Canadians. Strobel said that having cafés such as Tim Hortons all over the nation definitely leads to spikes in coffee sales.

First case of West Nile virus reported this year in Toronto An adult Toronto resident has officially tested positive for West Nile Virus, according to Global News. According to the Toronto Public Health, two more cases have been reported, although tests are still ongoing. “The year is not over in terms of the risk to people,” said Toronto’s acting medical officer of health, Dr. Howard Shapiro.

Shapiro said, based upon the weather forecast for the next few weeks, mosquitoes carrying the West Nile Virus may still be found.

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theconcordian

WORLD IN BRIEF

BY NELLY SERANDOURAMAR CO-NEWS EDITOR

ISIS expelled from controlled territory The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) were expelled

by Turkish troops and allied Syrian rebels. The extremist group controlled the Syrian Turkish border until Sunday.

On that same day, the Syrian pro-government forces launched a wide offensive in the northern city of Aleppo, with the help of airstrikes. According to CBC, they were able to capture areas that they lost last month. State TV quoted an unnamed military official, saying that troops are now in full control of the military academies south of Aleppo and are "chasing the remnants of terrorists.”

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

CAMPUS

Jack.org Concordia talks mental health The student organization supports and guides those who need assistance

BY NELLY SÉRANDOURAMAR NEWS EDITOR University can be challenging, and some undergraduates do not know about the free counselling and psychological services offered at the university. However, Jack. org Concordia ensures the student body is aware of the resources available to them.

Alexis Lahorra Jack.org Concordia's chapter president. Photo courtesy of Alexis Lahorra

Hurricane Newton disturbs Western Mexico Tropical storm Newton turned into a hurricane Monday, causing floods and landslides in Western Mexico. Forecasters were expecting the storm to come Tuesday morning near the resort towns. About 100 people had to evacuate their homes. Roads were blocked by flooding and mudslides in t he neig hb or ing s t ate of Guerrero, according to CJAD news. No deaths were reported. Newton’s maximum winds increased to 120 kph

by Monday afternoon. The National Hurricane Center said that the storm would most likely continue to Arizona, but then would become a tropical depression later in the week.

Multiple deaths after fire in Ethiopian prison Twenty-three people have died in a prison fire in Ethiopia over the weekend, according to CJAD. The Kilinto prison, in the capital of Addis Ababa, holds war criminals and journalists.

Some activists were concerned about the fire, while local media reported that gunfire was heard. The government announced that 21 inmates die d f rom s t amp e de an d suffocation, while the other two died trying to escape. The latest government statement doesn’t give any details to how the fire began, but an investigation has begun.

named Jack Windeler committed suicide, Jack.org Concordia’s president, Alexis Lahorra, explained. Windeler was set to begin his first year of university but was struggling with mental health and did not reach out for help. In the wake of his son's passing, his father, Eric Windeler, created Jack.org with the help of his colleagues and friends. Today, the nation-wide organization is changing the way students think

Jack.org Concordia is a branch of the larger, national Jack.org network.

The goal of this network, made up of young leaders, is to change the way people think and talk about mental health.

The organization was founded five years ago after a young man

about mental health.

Jack.org Concordia is a registered club with the Concordia Student Union. Ten executive members make up the team, and they work in a non-pyramid way—if someone has an idea, they all support each other and work as a team. “The cool

thing about the team is that we are all from different programs,” said Lahorra. “We didn’t know it would be so diverse, but everyone has a story to share.”

Lahorra initially had the idea to start Jack.org Concordia. During her first year of university at Concordia, she found the transition hard, coming from CEGEP. “My friends noticed that I wasn’t attending classes and that my behaviour changed,” said Lahorra. After she learned that free services were offered at school, she realized that recovery was possible.

She realized that if this happened to her, it must be happening to other students, too. She decided it was time to end that silence and started the club during her second year at Concordia.

Jack.org is divided into three parts: The Jack Chapters, Jack Summit, and Jack Talks.

The Jack Chapters are where students come together to ensure that the conversation about mental health is open to everyone. The chapters host fun activities, such as open mic nights to raise awareness for mental health. Many Canadian universities have Jack Chapters, including Concordia and McGill.

The Jack Summit, held in Toronto, brings together 200 student leaders to develop strategies for positive impact and to speak about mental health as a group.

Finally, there are Jack Talks, a

program which trains young speakers on how to give talks to the students and to the community. Lahorra is part of this program—she was a speaker at a high school in Kingston, Ont., and at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. and world health organization joint summit on mental health.

The Jack.org Concordia’s events are designed to open up the conversation about mental health and promote mental health services.

Their first event was held last year at Kafein on Bishop Street. The event featured singing, dancing and poem recitals—students were encouraged to openly share their personal stories.

“It was so powerful,” said Lahorra about the open mic night. “By seeing all the performers share their stories, more people decided to do the same and [take] the stage.”

The Concordia chapter also had a movie night where students were served coffee, tea and were provided with colouring tools. “Colouring is a good way to de-stress, we’ve found,” said Lahorra.

This year, Lahorra said the chapter is planning on hosting an event including panelists from the psychology department professors and those who wish to share their personal stories. ¡¡ For more information about Jack.org Concordia, visit www. csu.qc.ca/clubs/jackorg or www.jack.org

CAMPUS

A Concordia Student helps refugees A volunteer group builds a library for a refugee camp in Greece

BY NELLY SÉRANDOURAMAR NEWS EDITOR A group of Montreal students, including one from Concordia, travelled to Greece over the summer with a goal to educate and help young adults from refugee camps in the Northern part of the country.

Concordia student Joelle Assaf and three of her friends felt personally affected by the current refugee crisis. “We knew we wanted to do something to help out, but we were not sure exactly how to approach it,” said Assaf.

The group initially wanted to work in a Lebanese refugee camp, due to their personal attachment to the country, as three of them are Lebanese. However, this proved to be too dangerous due to constant war attacks occurring in Syria, she said. After doing their research, they chose work at a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Greece, very close to the Serbian border.

In order to pay for the trip and

supplies, the group started crowdfunding. They received approximately 3000 euros. “We didn’t know exactly what to do with this money, and so working with the NGO really helped us see what these camps had and what they needed,” said Assaf.

They visited several refugee camps, including Idomeni, the largest in Greece. They spent about a week distributing food, clothes and various other necessities.

They eventually ended up in a refugee camp called Echo. “We saw all of their very interesting projects going on, for example there’s a group of volunteers that were working in the [Echo] kitchen so all the refugees could eat,” Assaf said.

She also worked on building a shower for babies at the camp. “The hygiene was very bad, with eight plastic bathrooms for a thousand people,” Assaf said. “It’s not easy to shower, especially if you have a baby.”

The group also noticed there was a lack of focus on education, Assaf said. “Teenagers and adults were not doing anything. They started

university but had to stop because of Now that Assaf is in Montreal, the war,” she said. This is what gave she is looking for Arabic-English the team the idea to build a library dictionaries to bring back to the close to Echo, at Vasilika refugee library so that refugees coming to camp, home to 2000 Syrian, Iraqi North America know enough of the and Kurdish people. language to communicate effectively.

“By building one, it would help The group is currently back young people figure out what they in Montreal, organizing different want to do for their life,” Assaf said. fundraisers to raise money for more The library aims to provide a books. The group already has an reading space, access to online active Facebook page and a website. courses , learning tools and tutoring, They hope to start recruiting more according to the library’s website. volunteers as the project progresses.

The process of building the library was not easy, though. All of öö For more information, visit the projects in the refugee camps their website must be approved by the Greek www.echo-greece.org government. To avoid such issues for now, volunteers decided to rent land very close to Echo and use it to run projects independent of the Greek government. Once they get approval from the government, they will build a library in the Echo camp.

Photo by Nelly Sérandour-Amar.

W ELCO ME! I hope you’ve had a great summer and are ready for an exciting fall.

If you’re new to Concordia, I’d like to welcome you to our extraordinary community. If you’re returning, welcome back!

I encourage you to take advantage of all we have to offer. Have a great year!

Alan Shepard President alan.shepard@concordia.ca

CO N CO R D I A .C A

ng for i k o o l an is i to d r s o t c n n e o m C t r a The all dep m o r f paper! s w e n e m writers r aweso u o p u e spic OFFICE, R U O Y B P NOON. STO T A Y A D I R F RE EVERY A S RDIAN.COM G O N C I N T O E C E !

E U M H O T Y Y L R@ WEEK E TO MEET MAIL US AT EDITO V O L D L U O E WE W OYOLA OR L T A 1 3 4 CC -

life

LIFE EDITOR /// life@theconcordian.com DANIELLE GASHER

BUSINESS

The app that could solve your parking struggles Montrealers can now rent out their vacant private parking spots using the City Parking app

(1) Amin Dada, left, and Aubrey Hansen-Barkun, right.

Photo by Danielle Gasher.

(2) Screenshot of the City Parking app.

Screenshot courtesy of City Parking.

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DANIELLE GASHER LIFE EDITOR Thanks to a cousin from the South Shore, a well-situated apartment and a productive 14-hour flight, Amin Dada may have created a permanent solution to a problem plaguing modern-day life: parking.

A conversation about the struggles of parking in a big city usually turns around in the same circles as the cars looking for parking. Dada, a self-described “OCD problem-solver,” needed to fix the problem once he got acquainted to it. The 30-year-old Concordia graduate is the founder of City Parking, a mobile app that lets driveway and parking spot owners rent out their spots when they are not being used.

Dada got a taste of what the app would be like before even getting the idea for City Parking. In late 2012, he started lending his parking spot to a cousin who drove downtown during the week to get to Concordia.

Dada—who lived right behind Montreal’s Bell Center at the time, and had a parking spot but no car—was happy to do so. He started offering up his spot to more of his friends and family, until it became quite the annoyance.

“I was a virtual lot attendant taking reservations through calls and texts at work,” said Dada with a laugh. The situation got Dada thinking about a permanent solution to people’s parking woes. On a long flight in December 2013, Dada wrote up his business plan for the idea. The app went live on July 20, 2016.

The app is pretty straight-forward. Upon downloading the app, the user must sign up and enter their credit card information.

Users get 30 minutes of free parking the first time they use the app. After the free trial, a

driver can reserve or book a spot anytime, anywhere, in advance or at the last minute, for a flat rate of $2 an hour. Dada explained that if a car is parked in the spot upon arrival, the driver can either call the owner using the app, or select the “report problem” setting in the app—which calls the City Parking team directly. From there, the team leaps into action and finds the next closest spot for the driver, and gives them 30 minutes free.

While the concept of the app may sound similar to the Uber app in terms of average people offering a car service, nothing makes Dada and his team cringe more than being compared to the company. While City Parking is decluttering the streets, and promoting public transport by suggesting spots close to bus stops and metro stations, said Dada, Uber is doing the opposite.

The app has not been heavily advertised or shared with the media because the team

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wanted to give it a test-run with friends, family and people who stumbled upon it. City Parking currently has over 100 users and 20 parking spots. The official launch of the app will take place in late September—an exact date has not been set yet.

The City Parking team is still small, but hard at work and attracting big names. The team is composed of five employees, plus two investors, and two advisors—including one from Google. The team is also receiving support from the city, the details of which Dada is not yet able to disclose. Concordia student Aubrey Hansen-Barkun joined the team last winter. The 23-year-old marketing student was looking for a project to get involved with—a start-up worthwhile. He found Dada’s ad on Indeed and the two met up.

“First time we spoke, I was like ‘wow, this is an incredibly smart guy, and this is definitely something I want to be a part of,” said Hansen-Barkun, who is now the start-up’s marketing analyst.

The pair’s passion for the project is apparent in the amount of research they have conducted, and in the focused and energetic way they speak of their app. Dada and his team have a global vision for the start-up.

“Parking lots are being taken over by condos—meters cannot be expanded.

Where will you find parking when your city grows? If we can solve parking [problems] for Montreal, we can solve it for other cities as well,” said Dada.

On top of decongesting the streets, Dada explained, solving the city’s parking problems has the power to lower carbon emissions caused by the “cruising time” that cars take when looking for parking. A 2006 study on parking, conducted by UCLA professor Donald C. Shoup, found that drivers in a 15-block district in Los Angeles “cruised” for 950,000 miles, produced 730 tons of carbon dioxide and used 47,000 gallons of gas just searching for parking. While gas station lots are sitting empty all day, and townhouse driveways are generally vacant between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., cars are polluting the air as they drive aimlessly around, looking for something they may never find.

In the large and bright conference room of the team’s office space, Dada and Hasen-Barken sit with their computers, a couple of notepads and a cardboard coffee cup— the pair looks small, hopeful and powerful all at once—just like their app does in the ever-growing,

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

theconcordian

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BURLESQUE

Keeping it sultry with Lady Josephine An open house, the burlesque way: chair stripteases, inner sexiness and tease 101

MINA MAZUMDER ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR On Aug. 29, L’Académie Arabesque Burlesque invited newcomers to discover, learn and practice burlesque performance.

Approximately 20 guests, comprised mostly of women, attended the event at the Wiggle Room, a go-to spot for Burlesque nights on Boulevard Saint-Laurent. The event took place in a large, dimly lit room that serves as a bar when classes aren’t taking place. Music played, and high-key lighting drew the eye to the room’s pièce de résistance: the stage. Dark leather couches, brick walls, framed pictures of dancers and large, dramatic curtains gave the space a vintage feel.

Lady Josephine is one of the founders of L’Académie Arabesque Burlesque, and was one of the hosts of the open house. She said her vision for the school started when she participated in workshops with her mentor, BonBon Bombay, in early 2015.

“This is our second year teaching here at the Wiggle Room,” she said. “It started out with workshops, and now I’m the director.

There are also other teachers who give classes, workshops and coaching.”

The two-hour evening session was divided into five categories: tease 101, chair striptease, burlesque fitness, theatre exercises and dance choreography. Lady Josephine was accompanied at this event by Jessica Rae, another teacher at the school.

The evening started off with Lady Josephine trying to bring out participants’ inner sexiness.

The guests formed a circle, closed their eyes and had to imagine themselves doing

something “sexy” in public. They then had to perform that scenario for another guest.

When asked to define the word burlesque and what it meant to her, Josephine described it as a “theatrical striptease”. “[Burlesque is] stripping, but funnier—a celebration of nudity and sex as two of life’s best things—and a cry for revolution dressed up in a pretty costume,” said Lady Josephine.

Lady Josephine demonstrated striptease on a chair. Each individual chose to play either the submissive character, which involved sitting on the chair and spreading their legs open, or the dominant character, which involved turning the chair around and sitting. For the last two parts of the evening, Rae also showed participants’ the theatre’s place in a burlesque performance, and how dance and striptease are equally crucial to the performance. At Arabesque Burlesque, Lady Josephine and the other teachers teach the American burlesque style, which is very theatrical, comedic and costume-oriented.

Most of the school’s students are women, but Lady Josephine said Arabesque Burlesque also attracts many men. She explained that it is a way for them to embrace their sensuality.

Lady Josephine encourages anyone interested to come visit one of the three open houses that happen every year, or to try out a few classes. Burlesque, she said, attracts people for a variety of reasons.

“People are either looking for a way to discover self-confidence and explore the sensual side of life, or they’re looking for a fun way to use their body on stage,” she said. öö For more information on upcoming open houses and workshops, visit www.arabesqueburlesque.com.

A burlesque bachelorette party. Photo by Eloise Huston.

A fun and energetic burlesque dance class. Photo by Eloise Huston.

BOOKS

Read any good books this summer?

Zombie apocalypses, dysfunctional families, some horror and a really old guy World War Z- Max Brooks

The Nest- Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

Lisey’s Story- Stephen King

World War Z, written

by Max Brooks, document s t he event s of “ T he Crisis,” a virus outbreak that kills victims and then reanimates them as destructive and murderous zombies.

Brooks divides the book into sections, starting with the warning signs of the outbreak and ending with the rebuilding the world as it becomes livable again. Brooks shows how the world and different countries handle themselves in crisis, how people fight back, how they survive and moves forward. The entire book is told through interviews conducted by a nameless narrator, as survivors of “The Crisis” from all over the world recollect their personal experiences.

No two stories are the same. It is a fascinating read that will leave you uncomfortable, emotional and wondering what you would do if zombies took over the planet.

Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s debut novel, “The Nest,” tells the story of a wealthy and dysfunctional New York family. The story follows the four Plumb siblings as they wait to receive their inheritance, referred to as “the nest.” The Plumb family consists of Leo Plumb, the former millionaire playboy whose upcoming divorce and list of legal woes has him down to his last dollar; Jack Plumb, who is married to a New York lawyer, but can’t seem to become successful through any of his own financial investments; Melody Plumb, who devotes her life to her twin daughters and ensures that they are received as the wealthy socialites she wishes them to be; and Beatrice Plumb, the once-successful author-turned-shut-in.

Together, these siblings turn lying into an art. You root for them, yet are repulsed and embarrassed by many of their decisions.

This book is the perfect blend of horror, unexpected romance, family tension and other worldly fantasies that only Stephen King could conjure up. The story follows a widow and her struggle to finally put her late husband’s memory to rest. Her journey takes her through intense physical and mental strain. The book doesn't focus just on the horror side of the story, or on the more personal family side of it—both elements balanced well. Drawing from stories of the past to decorate and enhance the intensity of the present, King solidifies Lisey’s Story as one of his most captivating books I’ve yet read. King should also be praised for flawlessly sewing a fantasy world into the story in a way that, surprisingly, seems effortless. I’d highly recommend this book as one of King’s crowned jewels.

By Rebecca Luger

By Krystal Carty

By Sarah Jesmer

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Jumped Out the Window and DisappearedJonas Jonasson This book was a bit more of a drag t han t h e t it le spells out, but a pleasant read all the same. The main storyline of the 100-year-old man, Allan, is interesting enough. It ’s a well-written, detailed and fast-paced adventure that features running from gang members and accidentally becoming a wanted fugitive.

The story captivates readers by switching back and forth between the present and the past to tell the story of Allan’s life, and how he ends up witnessing historically significant events seemingly by accident.

This book is good reading material to break out on the subway when you need a bit of a distraction.

By Sarah Jesmer

arts

ARTS EDITOR /// arts@theconcordian.com JESSICA KINNARI & TIFFANY LAFLEUR

PHOTOGRAPHY

World Press Photo exhibition opens in Montreal Displaying the best photos of the year, the World Press Photo exhibit returns for its 11th edition

BY LAURENT PITRE CONTRIBUTOR Open since Aug. 31, the World Press Photo exhibition captures the most remarkable major events of 2015. The 11th edition of the exhibition displays photos of events such as the Paris terrorist attacks and the devastating earthquake in Nepal.

The exhibition of award-winning photos is showcased across 100 cities in 45 countries reaching a global audience of four million people each year, according to the World Press Photo website.

“The Montreal edition is one of the most popular amongst the hundred presented around the world,” said Matthieu Rytz, president of the Montreal event, during the media opening on August 30. “Our privileged relationship with our visitors speaks volumes about the Montreal community's curiosity and level of involvement in the evolution of our societies.”

The image Hope for a New Life won the 2016 World Press Photo of the Year. The black and white photo of a Syrian man passing a baby through the sharp razor wire frontier between Serbia and Hungary was taken by Australian photographer Warren Richardson.

“The jury chose this image for its simplicity, power and symbolism,” said Francis Kohn, Agence France-Presse (AFP) Photography Director and Jury President. “[AFP] believe[s] it contains almost all the components that define the refugee situation. At once somber and timeless, it defines reality classically, in the most noble terms. This photo speaks to

us of anguish, vulnerability and hope.”

Like all images, it tells a story. It was taken at night, the only time the group of refugees could attempt the dangerous crossing into the next country—this is the story behind the blurriness of the photo, Kohn explained.

“He couldn't use the flash,” said Kohn. “He

A picture that truly stopped me in my tracks was the image of a young girl, gripping the cold metal bars of a fence in a Serbian refugee camp, her face covered by a thin film of floating plastic, staring into space. Another child in the background stares unapologetically at the camera, at us, and then, we are

World Press Photo is an occasion is highlight the best in photograph. Photo

by Daniel Berehulak.

did what any professional would do. Indeed, technique is also adapting to the circumstances.”

Kohn said the photograph was never sold or published. The full story of the man or the baby is not known, however, Kohn said Richardson was still in contact with the group and had been informed that they had made it safely to Germany.

confronted with the truth behind the gaze of both children. This photograph was taken by freelance Slovenian photojournalist Matic Zorman. It made me think of a child playing and making the best of her situation. Over the course of their dangerous journey towards an uncertain future, they have seen, felt and experienced everlasting traumas.. The story

of the image would leave me hoping for their safe passage to a better home, but fearing that as the news coverage, so do the chances of a better life for these children.

The eight categories of the World Press Photo exhibition are spot news, general news, contemporary issues, daily life, nature, people, sports and long-term projects. Depending on the category, entries could be single shots or multi-image projects.

On the upper level of the venue four complementary exhibits reveal diverse stories, some of which have unique ties to our city.

I am not from outer space tells the stories of newly-arrived Syrian families in Montreal, while In Search of Billions Lost, Oxfam-Québec addresses the issue of tax havens. Viewers can witness daily work of foreign correspondents, detailed by the ICI RDI – Quoi qu'il arrive. The Festival du Nouveau Cinéma's Cartes blanches series supports six to eight film directors in the free expression of a topic of their choice.

Founded in 1955, World Press Photo is a non-profit organization with headquarters in Amsterdam. According to their website, the foundation is committed to developing and encouraging the highest standards in photojournalism and documentaries worldwide. íí The World Press Photo exhibit will be showcased at Marché Bonsecours until Oct. 2, 2016. For more information visit www.worldpressphotomontreal. ca.

ALTERNATIVE THEATRE

New age children’s theatre comes to Montreal Not just for kids: Nufonia Must Fall will teach you all about how films are made

BY JESSICA KINNARI CO-ARTS EDITOR

The puppet show was filmed on small box sized sets. Photo

by Jessica Kinnari.

Nufonia Must Fall provides an interactive look at how children’s films are made—a great example of new age children’s theatre.

Complete with cameras, a DJ, a live four string quartet and lots of little puppets, the show kept the children’s interest and mine for the entire 90 minutes.

Created by turntablist Kid Koala, the story revolves around a robot and his love interest, Malorie. The show was directed by Oscar nominee K.K. Barrett (Her, 2016), and is based on the graphic novel by Kid Koala of the same name.

Kid Koala, who has toured alongside Arcade Fire and the Beastie Boys, hails from Montreal, along with most of the show’s production team, including the director of photography and Concordia alumnus AJ Korkidakis. Due to their Montreal ties, a lot of the scenes take place in the city’s well-known locations such as Mount Royal, where the robot and Malorie go on their first date, or Moog Audio, a music store on St-Laurent, where the robot gets a job. These small references make it exciting,

and create a nice sense of familiarity for local viewers.

While this was marketed as a children’s show, the production and underlying themes are definitely of interest to an adult audience.

In the auditorium, there were four cameras in place, along with various miniature sets built on top of tables and laid out along the floor. Each scene had a different miniature set, and the varied sizes of puppets were controlled from underneath the tables by strings or magnets.

The puppets were made out of white pieces of fiberglass, and other bits of material. I think the creators were going for more of a modern look—the puppets faces seemed robotic and unmoving. It was fascinating to see where the cameras were set up during different scenes—it made me curious. Throughout the show, I tried to figure out how long the delay was between the camera and the screen.

The unique use of lighting really brought the story to life. For example, a car’s headlights were mimicked by the waving beam of a flashlight.

The angles of the puppets combined with the backgrounds created various scenarios—a puppet that was angled backwards with a moving background gave the illusion that it

was running very fast. Watching the story that the cameras were filming on the sets unfold from the sets to the big screen gave me an insight into how stop motion movies such the Wallace and Gromit series are created.

The story’s underlying themes of fear and love are relatable to viewers of all ages. Twice during the show, the robot gets fired from his job and begins to feel like a failure, but his love for Malorie later makes him realize that those jobs are not everything. While children cannot relate to losing a job, they do learn that work isn’t everything. With both the quintessential love story and a relatable plot, Nufonia Must Fall is a great show to see if you are studying intermedia, film production or you just enjoy seeing what goes on behind the scenes of stop motion films. öö The show ran from September 2 to 5 at Place des Arts, but you can find the trailer on Kid Koala’s website at www. kidkoala.com. The graphic novel Nufonia Must Fall, as well Kid Koala’s other works can also be found on his website.

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

theconcordian

9

FASHION

Timelessness never looked so good

Eleganza at the McCord Museum makes fashion history a page in everyone’s book

Eleganza brings together some of the greatest samples of Italian design. Photos

by Marilyn Aitken.

BY VALERIA CORI-MANOCCHIO COPY EDITOR Displaying beautifully crafted clothing and accessories is easy—the real challenge is telling a story that resonates with everyone, regardless of their interest in fashion.

Eleganza: Italian Fashion from 1945 to Today, presented by the McCord Museum, is an inspiring journey that transports

viewers from the post-World War II birth of Italian fashion to the nation’s contemporary haute couture. Organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Eleganza demonstrates every component of Italy’s multi-faceted fashion history. Milanese silk, Florentine leather, Biella wool and diverse sewing techniques passed down from dressmaker to apprentice come together in fantastically constructed garments, shoes and accessories.

The exhibition also documents the pivotal moments in which the work of Italian dressmakers, textile workers and designers made waves around the world. Dresses displayed at the country’s first international fashion atelier, held in Florence’s Salla Bianca (White Hall) at Palazzo Pitti in July of 1952, are nothing short of a vintage fashion dream. Their hand-constructed full skirts and expertly cinched waists embody the 1950s, but they are still wearable—even in today’s age of crop tops and boyfriend jeans.

Eleganza pays tribute to the Hollywood films shot on location in Rome’s Cinecittà studios during the 1960s, featuring garments from movies like War and Peace. Other pieces from the fashion industry’s major events, including the 1967 New York Black and White Ball, are exactly as elegant as you would imagine: flowy, floor-length ensembles covered in stylish beading and precious diamanté.

The Italy-meets-America space also exhibits a noticeable shift from costume to casual, or better yet, from couture to ready-to-wear. Minimalist, sporty pieces like a 1969 black and white jumpsuit as well as a bold-patterned legging and tunic combo capture modern elements of Italian fashion that are still seen on today’s runways.

Ambling from room to room, admiring the variety of clothing from the feminine silhouettes of the 1950s to the wild, shoulder-padded 1980s and the familiar haute couture of the 2000s, it’s easy to picture yourself wearing the garments out of the exhibit to your next party. That’s the ultimate allure of Eleganza and its story of Italian

fashion—nothing is truly ‘out of style,’ especially when it’s been handcrafted. The timelessness of each article, along with the sheer time and effort put into constructing the garment, will entice everyone from fashionistas who adore making a statement, to minimalists who prefer a simple, clean-cut look.

The final room features a runway packed with couture ensembles. A fantastically embroidered floral gown by Giambattista Valli is poised beside a luminous Sicilian mosaic-like midi dress by Dolce & Gabbana.

Viewers are surrounded by opulence, but can appreciate the various ways in which the craftsmanship of the earliest Italian dressmakers has continued to influence the country’s contemporary brands.

There is a looming issue that the exhibition rightly addresses. As the globalized world continues to outsource work, the fashion industry finds itself doing the same. Soon, ‘Made in Italy’ labels will be a rarity. Amidst the rooms of gorgeous gown, shoes and accessories, viewers are forced to consider the future of Italian fashion as its roots in handmade craftsmanship slowly disappear. cc Eleganza: Italian Fashion from 1945 to Today is open to the public until Sept. 25, 2016.

EXHIBITION

Sword-wielding insects run amok at the Redpath

In Amy Swartz’s art installation, bugs are the subjects in intricate tableaus

BY TIFFANY LAFLEUR CO-ARTS EDITOR Monarch butterflies don’t typically have lion heads, right? In Pest, however, lionheaded monarchs are one of the many fanciful and creative characters brought to life by Toronto-based artist Amy Swartz. Moths, butterflies, wasps and bees are just a few of the insects featured in her intricately designed and elaborately illustrated tableaus.

At first glance, the insects in her work appear to be displayed like any other museum exhibit, pinned under a glass casing. Upon closer inspection, the differences begin to emerge. Attached to the insects are pieces of figurines, such as doll and animal toy heads.

Some hold swords or rifles while others have small limbs glued to their exoskeletons.

Through her work she wishes to encourage the viewer to question our controlling

relationship with the planet and with each other, she said.

Narratives of conflict and drama emerge as one observes the works more closely.

Swartz said she drew inspiration from newspaper images, such as photos of protesters congregating during the Toronto’s Occupy Movement, and of crowds swarming Al Tahrir Square during the protests in Egypt. Just as in these protests, the insects in the tableaus swarm and congregate, chasing each other in a frozen pursuit.

“There are some compositions that are purely imaginary, however they all have basis in some conflict or chase,” said Swartz. “The idea that sometimes you don’t know who is chasing whom, or in some cases, kissing or attacking, is also interesting to me.”

One of the most appealing parts of the tableaus is how, in many of the scenes, there is no clear emphasis on a single subject.

In Pest, insects are the players in intricately designed tableaus. Photos by Tiffany Lafleur.

Instead, the different players in the tableau come together to depict a scene of action and drama. In order to truly appreciate the work, the viewer must ensure they have noticed the diverse parts that compose the whole.

The way in which the overall chaos of the scene comes together to form a cohesive whole is reminiscent of the masterworks of French Romanticism art. Such masterpieces as The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault or Death of Sardanapalus by Eugène Delacroix come to mind, where visual harmony can be seen in a chaotic scene. Swartz’s work uses the same complexity of action and drama, but with insects and toys as subjects.

Pest had humble beginnings, such as with the creation of Moth Man, which features the the head of an army man attached to a dead moth. “It felt so stupid and so right at the

same time, and from there I was compelled to create more absurd characters,” said Swartz.

This isolated incident was the precursor to the swarms of redesigned insects that make up the tableaus.

The strength of the pieces lie in the details.

The strange disposition is what initially catches your attention, as the insects are not all cleanly laid out as in other typical entomology displays.

Instead they are jumbled, placed one on top of the other, fighting for the viewers’ attention. ¡¡ Swartz will be giving a talk about her work at 11:30 a.m. during the exhibit's last day, on Sept. 18 at the Redpath Museum. The museum is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

arts

ARTS EDITOR /// arts@theconcordian.com JESSICA KINNARI & TIFFANY LAFLEUR

FILM

Canadian identity resonates in new film

Renowned Métis director Benjamin Ross Hayden brings his distinctly Canadian film home to Canada

It was important to Hayden that The Northlander feature an all First Nations cast.

BY JESSICA KINNARI CO-ARTS EDITOR

A

fter a few hurdles and a lot of phone calls, the all-Canadian film Th e N o r t h l a n d e r m a d e it s N o r t h American debut on Sept. 2 at the Outremont Theatre in Montreal. The Northlander was entered in this year’s Cannes Film Festival as a part of the Perspective Canada category.

Set in the year 2961 after nature has reclaimed the land, a hunter named Cygnus must journey through a desert valley to protect his people from a band of invaders. Along the way he must find the key to his people’s existence, and return from the journey with a purpose that he finds along the way.

The Northlander was written, directed and produced by Benjamin Ross Hayden, the youngest Canadian filmmaker to be accepted into the Telefilm Canada Micro-Budget Production Program as a director, writer, and producer. The film is a futuristic epic that features an all-First Nations cast, something Hayden cared deeply about.

“It was very important to have a cast who are representative of the characters in the story,” he said. Seemingly by “coincidence based on serendipity,” Hayden added, all of the actors had previously worked together on the Canadian television series Blackstone, and therefore already had chemistry. Lead actor Corey Sevier worked alongside executive producer Adam Beach on the film Path of Souls, which was written and directed by another

Canadian, The Northlander’s executive producer Jeremy Torrie.

Even the inspiration for the film comes from Canada. “The film is inspired by a distinctly Canadian event, the 1885 Battle of Batoche … where Louis Riel challenged the colonial ways of life,” Hayden said.

“This same struggle is reflected in the film.” Principal cinematography took place in the Alberta Badlands near Montana, where Riel took refuge before returning to lead the Métis rebellion of the 1880s.

An unmistakably Canadian story, the film explores the theme of identity, something that Hayden said he believes is important to Canadian cinema. “Canadian cinema is unique in the fact that it has three strong sectors of cultural cinema: Anglophone, French Canadian and Aboriginal cinema,” said Hayden. According to Hayden, Canadian cinema has the ability to strike a unique chord on an international level. “We can connect to Hollywood because we have a commercial and cultural film industry,” he said. “Images are worth a thousand words, and films help to explore what makes Canada distinct, in the sense of Canada’s own identity.”

One of the reasons that Hayden chose Montreal for The Northlander ’s North American premiere also ties back to Louis Riel. Hayden said due to Riel’s significant impact on Montreal’s history and culture, the film will resonate with those who see it. Just like how Riel fought to protect the Métis people’s identity, the lead character, Cygnus, fights to discover his own people’s identity and keep it alive.

“It makes sense to have the North

American premiere in Montreal because it is one of the oldest cities in Canada, and it was all a part [of a] journey,” Hayden said. This is one Canadian film where “eh” is not the punch line of every joke.

This film isn’t just another futuristic-themed low-budget movie filmed on a video tape in someone’s backyard.

The quality of the production was just as important to Hayden as the story. Having studied film production and film studies simultaneously, Hayden said he feels he can now create, “thought-provoking cinema, with a mindfulness of both the art form and the craft.”

With The Northlander backed by Canadian film industry hard hitters Adam Beach and Jeremy Torrie, it was made not only to explore cultural identity, but to display the beauty and capabilities of

Canadian-produced cinema. This level of production quality is not new to Hayden since his previous short film Agophobia premiered at over 20 film festivals worldwide including the Cannes Film Festival.

The Northlander has a few more stops at other film festivals this fall. It will be screened at the ImagineNative Film Festival, which runs from Oct. 19 to 23 in Toronto, as well as the Feratum Film Fest from Oct. 5 to 9 in Tlalpujahua, Mexico. Hayden has an agreement with the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) to screen the film on the network for the next three years. It will also have a limited theatrical release next year in major Canadian cities. After the theatrical release, The Northlander will be released digitally by Spotlight Pictures within the next year.

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

theconcordian

11

UPCOMING EVENTS

Operas, film festivals, exhibitions, oh my!

Don't know what's happening this fall? Here's a quick guide to what’s coming up in Montreal

Focus: Perfection Robert Mapplethorpe’s black and white photographs are renowned for their controversial, erotic nature. In a Canadian premiere, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts will display works spanning the entirety of the notorious photographer’s career: from the early 1970s until his death in 1989. The exhibition will run from Sept. 10 until Jan. 22, 2017.

Film festivals Graphic by Thom Bell.

TIFFANY LAFLEUR CO-ARTS EDITOR It should come as no surprise that Montreal is a lively and eclectic city with a host of different activities one can take part in. Igloofest, Poutinefest, Osheaga... in Montreal, every season is festival season.

From performance art to film festivals, photography exhibitions to musicals, it’s impossible to be bored in a city so full of entertainment and cultural activities. The hardest part about living in Montreal is staying in the loop on what’s coming up.

Here are some things to keep an eye out for this season. This is by no means an extensive or all-encompassing list—it is merely the tip of the cultural iceberg that is available for Montrealers to explore.

Gardens of light The Montreal Opera The 2016-17 Montreal opera season will soon be underway, opening with Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida on Sept.

17. Set in ancient Egypt, Aida tells the story of a young slave torn between her love for an enemy and the love for her country, at a time when Ethiopia and Egypt were poised for war.

If this love story doesn’t catch your eye, maybe Mozart’s Don Giovanni will. A story of love, seduction and revenge, this opera, which takes place in 17th century Seville, is sure to entertain both the opera enthusiast and the casual observer.

Opening night is Nov. 12.

As of Sept. 2, step into an enchanted world of lanterns and lights at the Montreal Botanical Garden. Recounting the life of the Son of Heaven, the Chinese Emperor, lanterns in the Chinese garden serve as a testament to some of the key events of the sovereign’s life, such as his enthronement and wedding. In the Japanese garden, luminous bamboo lights the path with a soft glow.

Interested in film? Keep an eye out for several film festivals that will be starting shortly. The Montreal International Documentary Festival, which runs from Nov. 10 to 20, will present over 100 documentary films from Canada and abroad.

Make sure to check out the Montreal International Black Film Festival from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2. The festival’s goal is to bring together some of the newest and most beautiful black films, while creating a space for discussion on current socio-economic and cultural issues.

The Festival du nouveau cinéma brings daring, unique films from around the world to Montreal, introducing audiences to new methods of storytelling using visual media. The festival runs from Oct. 5 to 16.

WANT TO GET PUBLISHED? THE CONCORDIAN IS LOOKING FOR ARTWORK, SUCH AS BUT NOT LIMITED TO: PHOTOGRAPHS, DRAWINGS, POEMS, CREATIVE WRITING, COMICS AND EVEN DIGITAL WORKS. SHARE YOUR PROJECTS WITH US AND WITH THE CONCORDIA COMMUNITY! EMAIL OPINIONS@THECONCORDIAN.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION

music

Quickspins

MUSIC EDITOR /// music@theconcordian.com SANDRA HERCEGOVÁ

CASSIUS

Ibifornia (Love Supreme Sarl, 2016)

1

EVENT

Back to school with OUMF

Behind the scenes of the OUMF music festival with Mikey Rishwain

Music programmer of OUMF Mikey Rishwain. Photo by Bruno Guerin.

BY SANDRA HERCEGOVA MUSIC EDITOR One of Montreal’s biggest back-to-school festivals is back for another year. Think old school hip-hop bloc party with DJs, live bands and loud crowds—this is OUMF. From Wednesday Sept. 7 to 10, OUMF will present free performances from local and international artists outdoors on SaintDenis Street at Quartier des spectacles. The festival is celebrating its 6th year and the lineup is one to look forward to. Renowned DJs such as DJ Jazzy Jeff and Skratch Bastid will be taking the stage.

This year’s great lineup of artists would not be possible without festival and program director of 'M pour Montreal' Mikey Rishwain Bernard. 'M Pour Montreal' plans a multitude of music showcases at festivals around the world. They are in charge of the musical programmation for OUMF. Rishwain has been handling all the music aspects of the festival. “My specific mandate is music programming and I also go on stage to host and say jokes that some people laugh at and some don’t,” said Rishwain.

The festival will be focusing on hip-hop, everything from old school to new school.

DJ Jazzy Jeff used to kick it with Will Smith in their duo group “DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.”

“He’s considered a catalyst to Will Smith,” said Rishwain. “He is a music pioneer to DJs. It’s good to see a guy still keeping it old school. It’s an honour to have him perform for us this year.” He added that there will also be indie bands and many female acts.

“I’m looking forward to Hein Cooper.

He is a beautiful Australian man that looks like Justin Bieber and he has great songs.

It’s great to bring that Australian vibe to the show,” Rishwain said. He said he’s also

excited for the “Word Up Battles.” It’s a rap battle between two rappers, all in French.

The rappers go on stage and compete live.

“It could be edgy, but it’s very entertaining,” said Rishwain. Another major highlight is Canadian DJ Skratch Bastid. He’s the first Canadian DJ to ever be nominated for a Juno Award and he will be performing at OUMF this coming Friday at 9 p.m.

The event is free and geared for all age groups. For Rishwain, OUMF signifies a boost before the school season. “A lot of young students from everywhere that are new to the city; they need their melting pot,” he said. “They seem to communicate through music and partying. This festival kicks off the school year.”

Rishwain is well-known in the Montreal music scene. He plans a multitude of music festivals throughout North America and has brought many talented local artists closer to stardom. As festival and program director of 'M pour Montreal,' his goal is to help artists develop outside of Canada.

“We are here to put a system in place for artists to play for a lot of influential people in different countries,” he said, adding that he’s always been really big on bringing people together. “We are ‘M’ for middle guy, bringing musicians together to create success and showcase opportunities on an international scale.”

Mac DeMarco and Half Moon Run are great examples of artists that gained success through 'M pour Montreal.' They first played in front of ‘M pour Montreal’ audiences. “We do music industry conferences by showcasing these bands and artists,” said Rishwain, adding that that was how these groups started their careers. He said

he remembers booking Grimes and Half Moon Run in England when no one knew who they were and now they can sell out a whole show by themselves.

Last year, he saw Mac DeMarco and Half Moon Run play all around Europe.

Rishwain said their crowds were even bigger in Ireland and Germany than in Montreal.

“Knowing that they played together at ‘M pour Montreal’ and seeing them play in Europe gave me goosebumps. It shows how fast things can evolve and it happened in a matter of years for these bands,” he said.

Milk & Bone is another example of local success for Rishwain. “It was an honour to be part of their early success. These girls were always practicing. I heard a song and took a chance before ever hearing them perform live,” he said. “My feeling was booking them right away and it became a dream come true on both ends,” said Rishwain.

“I enjoy putting a breath of my own spirit in what I do,” he said. What he loves most about his job is to represent artists from Montreal. “I help pimp lots of bands and artists.”

Make sure to come and party at the OUMF music festival and laugh at Mikey Rishwain’s jokes. For more information regarding the event, visit: http://oumf.ca/2016/.

Graphic by Florence Yee

Ibifornia welcomes you to a tropical island with its combination of houseelectro beats and exotic bird sound excerpts. On this island, you will find an mixture of collaborations, from Pharrell Williams to Mike D of the Beastie boys to One Republic’s frontman Ryan Tedder.

The first few songs are solid dance tunes, perfect for a beach rave. Cassius’ track “Go Up” featuring Pharrell Williams is just like any song Pharrell touches—magical. It has a smooth guitar tune combined with house rhythms and Cassius’ signature ‘90s electro sounds. Suddenly, the next track, “Feel Like Me,” features a sad and slow house beat with Cat Power’s soulful voice over it. It’s not exactly the song you want to hear at a beach rave, but it’s a beautiful song in itself. A few tracks later you have “Dive In” which is a mixture of soft alternative guitar and electro. It begins with acoustic guitar and suddenly emerges as a deep house techno party with only electro sounds and few lyrics.

While the album has some gems, the album as an entire piece does not exactly flow or mesh from start to finish.

11 Trial track: “Go Up”

5/10— Sandra Hercegova,

Music Editor PART YNEXT DOOR

PartyNext Door3 (OVO Sounds/ Warner Bros, 2016)

2 PartyNextDoor 3 combines mellow trap music with a dance hall, reggae vibe. If you like The Weeknd, Drake or Tory Lanez, you’ll like this album. His song “Not Nice” will get stuck in your head after just the first listen. It’s a soft dancehall jam that will instantly make you slow whine to the rhythm—an excellent choice for a house party. “Only You” is a romantic reggae tune that is very easy to like. Then he jumps into deeper trap music with a heavy bass lines with “Don’t Know How” and “Problems & Selfless.” PartyNextDoor’s trap music has soft, slow rhythms—mixed with his dreamy voice, it’s the type of music you’ll listen to when you just want to chill out or when you’re late night driving after a long work shift. His hit from the album is “Come and See Me” featuring Drake.

It has a flowy R&B feel, tells a story, and will surely get stuck in your head for weeks. His songs are guaranteed to relax you.

11 Trial Track: "Come and See Me"

7.5/10

— Sandra Hercegova, Music Editor

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

theconcordian

13

PROFILE

Conquer Divide kicks major ass The all-female metal rock band conquers the divide between genders

3

BEACH BABY

No Mind, No Money (Island, 2016) This sunny guitar-pop british band has combined generations worth of sound into one album. Their tunes definitely have a vintage sound to them—tracks feature bit of a ‘60s rock, combined with ‘80s signature sounds and ‘90s grunge guitar. Songs like “No Mind, No Money” and “Sleeperhead” resemble Mac Demarco’s instrumentals. Its musicality inspires that ‘hippie, let’s just be happy attitude.’ “Smoke Won’t Get Me High” is a guitar instrumental that makes you think of your favourite ‘80s rock band. Their song “Hot Weather” brings out their British flavour. The tune might remind you of ‘The Cure’—there is a definite influence. It’s refreshing for a new band to bring back these classic rock sounds. Their song “Bug Eyed and Blonde” is more of a slow, soft, romantic tune. It’s perfect for reminiscing about old memories. The band’s debut album has proven to be quite successful.

These women conquer the divide between genders one song at a time. Photo by Artery Recordings and Lauren Klinge.

BY SANDRA HERCEGOVA MUSIC EDITOR

11 Trial Track: “Smoke Won’t Get Me High”

9/10

— Sandra Hercegova, Music Editor

CASS MCCOMBS

Mangy Love (Anti-, 2016)

4

Mangy Love incorporates lyrics charged with strong political and social messages as well as a ‘60s rock sound. His song “Laughter Is the Best Medicine” is a slow, soulful tune with soft guitar excerpts. His tunes have a serious undertone that suits their slow melodies. In “Cry,” however, he picks up the beat, but features a deep lyrical prose. It’s the song to listen when you’re in a deeply pensive mood. “Run Sister Run” has a groovy melody. While the instrumental might be playful, his lyrics discuss issues surrounding social injustice towards women. It’s a beautiful piece with raw, relevant meaning—it’s not just a song, but a story to be heard. The album combines beautiful instrumentals with powerful lyrical meaning.

To enjoy this album to the fullest one must carefully listen to its lyrics.

11 Trial track: “Run Sister Run”

9/10

— Sandra Hercegova, Music Editor

Conquer Divide, an all-female metal rock band, is conquering rock radio stations across America. It’s only been a year since their first self-titled album was released and they have already landed number 13 on Billboard’s HeatSeeker charts and number 40 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock/Radio Charts.

The band consists of screamer and vocalist Janel Duarte, guitarist Kristen Waters, drummer Tamara Tadic, lead vocalist Kiarely Castillo, bassist Ashley Colby and guitarist Izzy Johnson.

For Duarte, hearing her band’s name on the radio is surreal. “We’re getting up there and it’s a lot to do with our fans,” she said. “They are calling the radio stations requesting us. It’s such a lovely feeling.”

Conquer Divide’s music is a mixture of metal rock and softer rock tunes. Duarte said the bands “Beartooth” and “Attack Attack!” were some of the band’s major musical influences.

The band wouldn’t have been formed if it weren’t for international networking across a multitude of social media platforms.

“It originally started with Kristen [Waters] when she was 15. She had the vision of starting a female project. She wanted to prove that it’s possible,” said Duarte. “She looked for girls in the Michigan area, which is where she’s from, but had to broaden her search.” The search for Kristen’s band mates expanded throughout the U.S., Canada and into the UK. Duarte mentions how band members Kiarely, Izzy and herself were discovered through YouTube. “They found me through my song covers that I had posted on my YouTube Channel,” Duarte said. “We all come from different states and Izzy is from the UK. Conquer Divide started with a lot of Facebook and YouTube so we have a lot of love for social media.”

The name 'Conquer Divide' has a strong meaning, one that Duarte said is different for each member. “I see Conquer Divide as conquering the division of how far apart we are, we all live in different parts of the world and we come and make beautiful music together,” she explained.

“It also means conquering the division of genders. Essentially, how conquering the

fact that we are girls and still kick ass.”

What she loves most about being in the band is when they all get to [ jam] together and go to different cities that they’ve never been to. “It’s always a good time when we are out travelling and then the shows are just the highlight of the night,” Duarte said. She added that touring isn’t dreadful: “When we got stuck by the side of the road at the end of our ‘Slave’ tour, we were all giggling.

We were in the middle of the desert.” The girls are very close-knit and they conquer all their band issues together. “We’re a really strong band.” she said. Duarte said that the whole experience is worth the sleepless and showerless nights.

Conquer Divide wants listeners to feel comforted through their music. They write their songs based on experiences that everyone goes through. “Everyone goes through a lot of stuff in life, so I have a few things that I want to get off my chest and that’s where my inspiration comes from,” said Duarte.

What she loves most about what she brings to the band is her sense of humour.

“I make a lot of people laugh, I’m just a ball of energy,” she said. “I feel like I help bring the shows together with the hype, craziness and aggression.”

She has a lot to say about her beloved bandmates as well. “Next to me, [Izzy] has a lot of patience, she knows how to get things done—best sense of humour mixed with a pretty personality and sassy accent.” As for their drummer Tamara,

Duarte said she’s on fire behind the drums.

“She’s a quiet sweet girl and when you see her on drums, it’s like, what? She’s so down to earth. We are all two different people on and off stage but for her it’s definitely apparent.”

The “momma” of Conquer Divide is guitarist Kristen. “She knows our schedules, when we need to do interviews. Any questions we have, we ask her,” Duarte said, adding that Kristen is the blunt and honest friend of the group. “She’s the friend that will tell you you look fat in those jeans.”

Their bass player A shley is a tall southern gal who loves country music.

“Her personality is so bubbly and happy.

She’s always the person trying to keep us positive. It’s really awesome to have her around,” Duarte said.

Vocalist Kiarely is Duarte’s best friend, inside and outside of the band. “We can just sit in a room and laugh our asses off for hours. We are inseparable on tour,” said Duarte. “I love all my girls in my band.”

To all bands out there working hard on their music, this is Duarte’s advice: “Get on YouTube, Facebook, post comments, go crazy, network as much as you possibly can, because when you do have a project that’s about to blow their minds, you will have a great audience.”

The girls are currently saving up for a new van for future tours. As soon as they hit the road again they are looking forward to touring and performing in Canada.

Conquer Divide live. Photo by Artery Recordings and Lauren Klinge.

sports

SPORTS EDITOR /// sports@theconcordian.com ALEXANDER COLE ( @a_cole39)

MEN’S SOCCER

From MLS goalkeeper to head coach

Greg Sutton draws on his own experience, to guide men’s soccer team over the hump NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI CONTRIBUTOR From playing soccer to coaching it at a university level, Greg Sutton knows what it takes to develop a good soccer player and a good student. The head coach of the Concordia Stingers men’s soccer team combines 13 years of experience playing professional soccer with his experience as a student-athlete to help his players both on and off the field.

Sutton played soccer and basketball at St. Lawrence University in the state of New York before becoming a professional soccer player. The former goalkeeper played with the Montreal Impact from 2001 to 2006, when they played in the A-League and the United Soccer League. He played 132 games with Montreal before joining Major League Soccer (MLS) and played 47 games with Toronto FC and the New York Red Bulls from 2007 to 2012. He retired as a member of the Impact.

During his career in Montreal, Sutton helped out the Stingers as an assistant to former head coach and Impact player Lloyd Barker, and returned to the role after retiring. Sutton was soon promoted to head coach, and he is now set to coach his third season.

“I do not do it for any other reason than I enjoy it,” Sutton said. “I like working with these guys because they all want to learn and become better players.” He also admits that he does not miss the travel required of a professional soccer player, and that he enjoys the time he gets to spend with his family.

Having played soccer for most of his life, the 39-year-old felt like he needed to give back to the soccer community, and did so by coaching.

“I always felt like I wanted to give back to the game” Sutton said. “I believe all pro players that are good people should [coach], because they are the most qualified.

That’s how our country is going to grow as a soccer country.”

Outside of Concordia, Sutton is a colour commentator for the MLS on TSN, and has appeared on national broadcasts alongside Luke Wileman. He is also a representative for Umbro, a soccer apparel company, throughout Quebec and Eastern Ontario.

As a former student-athlete himself, Sutton draws on a lot of his personal experiences to help his players grow. Both on and off the field, he knows what his players go through on a daily basis. Sutton maintains that education is important, but the student-athletes also need to work out their schedule so they can excel on the field.

“I have to be tough on them, I cannot just hold their hand. But at the same time, I want to make sure that I am supporting them in certain way [so] that they are learning,” Sutton said. “Whether it is a mistake on the field or off the field, they are learning from it.”

As a father of two young children,

eam ts his t expec n ffs o t y t Su pla o e the k by a s m o t to . Ph o n o s a this se ke. a Thic Briann

Sutton has not yet dealt with the task of teaching his kids the responsibilities of being a student. As a soccer coach at a university, however, he faces that challenge.

“School is a priority and it is our priority,” Sutton said. “It is a learning curve for me to make [my players] understand the responsibilities of being a student.”

As a goalkeeper, Sutton saw the play differently and is now able to use that knowledge as a Stingers coach. He watched the game unfold in front of him, including when plays were building up or breaking down, and knows the tendencies of both defenders and forwards.

A goalkeeper, like a coach, stands alone most of the game, often barking out orders to the players, so for Sutton, not much has changed.

The former Canadian international soccer player has his own unique way of coaching, but draws on personal experiences from his former coaches on the dos and don'ts.

“You try to create your own identity as a coach,” Sutton said. “I do not try to simulate someone, and I do not try to do what someone did not do.”

Sutton has been growing the university’s soccer program ever since he started. The team improved from a record of 0-7-5 in his first season in 2014 to 3-9-0 last season, scoring four more goals in the process.

One of Sutton’s goals was to expand the team’s depth, considering they could play two games per weekend—one on Friday night, and the second on Sunday.

To be a good team in these FridaySunday leagues, a team needs depth to carry fresh legs into the second game.

on tt e S u r th t c e g fo pa G r yed al Im ning a pl ntre joi rs.

Mo fore nge i be e St th

Concordia did not win a single game on a Sunday last season, and were beat by a combined score of 7-1 on the three Sundays following their Friday night victories. Sutton believes that may not be the case in 2016.

“You need to create not just good 11 players, but good 16, 17, 18 players,” Sutton said. “We finally have that [depth] this year. I’ll be able to make 4 to 5 changes on Sunday and our level will stay the same.”

The past year has seen many soccer teams around the world, such as Atlético Madrid, Juventus and Leicester City, defend with 11 men, from the keeper to the striker.

Those teams create scoring chances from a strong defensive stance, and at times on the counter-attack.

Sutton has the same principle when it comes to the Stingers, but to say he will employ the same tactics as managers like Diego Simeone, Max Allegri and Claudio Ranieri is a stretch. He still is a defencefirst coach.

“I’m a stickler about defence. If we do not get a shutout, I’m not as satisfied,” Sutton said. “Our defence will create opportunities for us offensively. On a whole, every player has a defensive responsibility, but not everybody is responsible on offence.”

Considering the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) hosts two of the top 10 teams in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), UQAM and Montreal, the Stingers play in a tough conference but feel prepared for the challenge. Sutton feels he has a strong team on the field.

“We have a midfielder who is an all-star already, in my opinion,” Sutton said. “We have some quality in all our positions, and now we have some really good quality in certain important positions.”

When asked about the expectations for the Stingers this season, Sutton was not afraid to set the bar high.

“If we do not make the playoffs this year, I’ll be disappointed,” he said.

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

theconcordian

A turnover-filled game allowed Concordia to win their third straight Shaughnessy Cup

ALEXANDER COLE SPORTS EDITOR During a cool evening at Percival Molson Stadium on Sept. 2, the Concordia Stingers football team defeated their crosstown rivals, the McGill Redmen, in the 48th annual Shaughnessy Cup by a score of 30-16.

“This is like a Vanier Cup to us,” Stingers coach Mickey Donovan said. “There is a huge rivalry between the two teams and it’s not just a first game of the season. It’s definitely a playoff game and every game is like a playoff game.”

Despite the win, the Stingers came out of the gate shaky. Quarterback Trenton Miller struggled to start the game and threw two interceptions on his first two possessions.

Miller’s second interception found the hands of Redmen defensive back Vincent Dethier in the end zone.

On the ensuing Redmen drive, McGill quarterback Nicolas English threw to wide receiver Joel Soucy for a touchdown. This gave the Redmen a 7-0 lead.

Later on in the second quarter, Stingers linebacker Samuel Brodrique intercepted a pass from English and ran it 81 yards to McGill’s 8-yard line. Miller took advantage of the field position and made no mistake throwing the ball to Yanic Lessard for the touchdown to give the team an 8-7 lead.

Heading into halftime, the Stingers boasted a 13-7 lead thanks to a field goal from rookie kicker Patrick Mills and a McGill Redmen safety.

With three interceptions after just two quarters of play, Donovan had plenty of praise for his defense. “[The defense] was huge. [Brodrique] is a special kid,” Donovan said. “In his first year he got voted as a captain. He is a special leader who does great work both on and off the field. The whole defense was prepared and we came out on top.”

To start the second half, the Redmen made a change to the quarterback position, opting for the rookie Frédéric Paquette-Perrault.

Paquette-Perrault took advantage of his

first opportunity by throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Louis Brouillette on the opening drive of the half. This gave the Redmen a 14-13 lead.

“It was nice to get in the game,” PaquettePerrault said. “I had a great opportunity to play. We played a good game but we made a lot of errors.”

Deep into the third quarter, Miller was able to find his rhythm for the Stingers and marched the team down the field and set them up for a field goal which gave the Stingers back their lead back. Despite the early jitters, Miller felt confident out on the field in the second half.

“Honestly my team just believed in me,” Miller said. “Our receivers kept trying to get open and they made it easier for me. When they are patting me on the butt on the sideline telling me to not worry about it, it helps.”

In the final quarter, with the score tied at 16, Miller kicked his offense into high gear and gave the team a 23-16 lead after a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Daniel Skube.

On the next Stingers possession, Miller threw a touchdown to rookie wide receiver Vincent Alessandrini, which gave the team a 30-16 lead. A lead they would never look back on.

In his debut, Alessandrini caught nine passes for 103 yards and a touchdown.

“It was an unreal feeling, I just went with my instinct and it was a big team effort,” Alessandrini said. “This game just goes to show that Concordia is headed in the right direction to win the Vanier Cup.”

After the Stingers went up by 14 points, the Redmen were able to get deep into the Stingers zone multiple times but were unable to score.

The Stingers defence kept Paquette-Perrault from getting into the end zone and forced him to throw two interceptions in the second half.

“We really tried to go fast but it wasn’t great,” Paquette-Perrault said. “We made a lot of mistakes and we’re going to have to play sharper next week. I just hope to get better and help the team as much as I can.”

Paquette-Perrault’s opponent, Miller, threw for 375 yards in the game, including three touchdowns and two early interceptions.

After the game, Miller had high praise for his offensive line, who he felt gave him the edge when making big offensive plays down the stretch.

“I had at least three seconds to pass on every play tonight, it was ridiculous how well they played,” Miller said. “From left to right they all played amazing and it’s something I hope to see every single game.”

Coach Donovan said that despite having the lead at halftime, it was important to keep the team motivated for the second half.

Donovan felt as though the team could have been playing much better. “[At half] I told them to stick together and to not give up”, Donovan said. “We weren’t playing our best game and we [made] some corrections. We came out after and we played the way Concordia is supposed to play football.”

The win was Concordia’s third-straight Shaughnessy Cup. 1

(1) Stingers defensive tackle Samuel Narkaj chases down a McGill running back.

(2) Stingers running back JeanGuy Rimpel makes a run with the ball. Photos by Derek Drummond.

2

PORT

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Stingers win big at Molson Stadium

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FOOTBALL

15

in the news

BY ALEXANDER COLE BERG OUT OF HENRIK ZETTER HOCKEY OF P CU LD WOR

Team Sweden has lost their captain for the World Cup of Hockey as Henrik Zetterberg has drawn out of the tournament with a knee injury, according to the CBC. The Detroit Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland, said Zetterberg injured his knee during office training. Zetterberg isn’t the only Red Wings player to withdraw from Team Sweden. In the same article by the CBC, it was reported that defenceman Niklas Kronwall will not participate in the tournament due to an injury as well. The Swedish Ice Hockey Association has named Calgary Flames forward Mikael Backlund as Zetterberg’s replacement on the World Cup team. During international tournaments such as the Olympics and the World Championships, Zetterberg has 85 points in 119 games for Sweden.

SAIC STADIUM UPDATE ON MO AN IN SASKATCHEW

According to CFL.ca, the city of Regina has confirmed that a significant amount of their new multi-purpose stadium has been constructed. The Stadium is mainly being built for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.

Regina Mayor Michael Fougere said that the new stadium is very exciting for the community. According to CFL.ca, multiple areas still need to be constructed, including kitchen and concession areas, locker rooms and administrative areas for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and broadcasting areas. In the upcoming months, there will be test events at Mosaic Stadium. These events will help prepare for the official opening of the stadium in the summer of 2017.

OUT FOR TIM TEBOW TRIES SEBALL BA UE AG MAJOR LE

Former National Football League (NFL) quarterback-turned-broadcaster Tim Tebow tried out for a career in Major League Baseball (MLB) in front of scouts last week.

According to ESPN, Tebow’s tryout was shaky and showed that the former college football star needs improvement. Tebow received mixed reviews from scouts around the league, and was not offered a contract with a team in the MLB. However, Tebow was offered a contract from a winter-ball team in Venezuela. In the article from ESPN, it was noted that Tebow has not played competitive baseball since 2005, when he was a high school junior in Jacksonville, Fla. Tebow responded to the critics who said that his tryout was a publicity stunt by saying that he has a love for baseball and that he is ready to pursue a career in it as hard as he can.

opinions

OPINIONS EDITOR /// opinions@theconcordian.com DAVID EASEY

EDITORIAL

Campus rapist released from prison Last week, 21-year-old Brock Turner, who was found guilty of sexual assault, was released after serving only three months in jail. Turner was convicted last year after he was found raping an unconscious woman behind a dumpster in Santa Clara, California, according to the CBC. The former Stanford University student faced a minimum of two years in prison—with a maximum sentence of 14 years, according to The Huffington Post.

He was convicted for six months, and released after three due to good behaviour.

His freedom has sparked outrage across social media, with many expressing their disbelief with Judge Aaron Persky, who granted Turner his freedom.

Turner’s defense relied heavily on the fact that he was a swimmer—a good one, with a bright future ahead of him. The conversation became about Turner and his future, and how the events of that night in Santa Clara would haunt him forever, as if being an athlete somehow diminishes the seriousness of what he did.

This news caused us to spew out our black coffee in disarray here at the offices of The Concordian . How in the

world can a person convicted of sexual assault spend just a few weeks in jail?

This is absolutely unacceptable, and we believe stricter action needs to be taken when addressing the issue of campus rape and assault.

The issue hits close to home, considering a few individuals on our masthead have experienced s om e de g re e of sexual assault.

Furthermore, our own university was impacted by the Mei-Ling case that proved Concordia is not immune to campus rape culture. For those unfamiliar with the case, Mei-Ling was a representative of the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA), and discovered messages between two of her colleagues that portrayed her as an inferior sexual object.

The story broke in The Montreal Gazette

and spurred a movement to address rape culture on our campus. We like to think that our university is progressive, with a dedicated Sexual Assault Resource Centre and a Centre for Gender Advocacy, but the fact remains that the measures put in place to enact justice on society still aren’t equipped and willing to deal with this.

On a national level, we saw the media circus surrounding the Jian Ghomeshi trial, and how the legal system essentially focused on the women and tore apart their credibility and dignity. Meanwhile Ghomeshi got off scot-free, even though there had been rumors circulating for years that he was a predator, and that journalism students shouldn’t apply for internships with him, according to the Toronto Star.

We call upon the court in Santa Clara, California to reexamine Brock Turner’s case, considering they are allowing a rapist to walk freely once again after just 90 days. We believe Turner deserves more time in prison to set an example that rape and sexual assault has no place on campus, or in our society. He should pay for his crime.

Turner blamed his actions on alcohol.

He blamed campus drinking culture. His father wrote a passionate letter claiming that his son shouldn’t have his life ruined because of “20 minutes of action.” What seems to be lacking from this discourse, however, is how the victim felt, and how these “20 minutes” will forever be the worse minutes of her life. Turner served his sentence. A measly 12 weeks, the length of the average internship. His victim will wear the scars of his attack on her soul for the rest of her life. For her, and all those who have been unjustly taken advantage of and treated as objects rather than people, Turner’s sentence serves as a jarring reminder that, at the end of the day, the burden of sexual assault still rests with the assaulted.

AMERICAN POLITICS

Trump wins the gold medal in Mexico

The New York magnate cleared the imaginary wall to take home the imaginary gold

BY JOSHUA DE COSTA CONTRIBUTOR The wall dividing the United States and Mexico is, as of yet, unbuilt. But that didn’t stop Donald Trump from winning the gold medal in the realm of political gymnastics.

While Trump discussed building this wall with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, when the two met last week, he soared clear of one petty pecuniary part: who would pay for it.

“We did discuss the wall,” Trump told reporters in a Q&A session following his private talk with Peña Nieto. “We didn't discuss payment of the wall. That'll be for a later date.” However, Peña Nieto later tweeted that he did make it clear to Trump at the beginning of the conversation: Mexico would not pay for the wall.

Given that the wall is estimated to cost between $15 and $25 billion, as reported

by The Washington Post, deciding who’s going to pay for it is a little more serious than deciding who’s going to pay for the first date – we’re settled on ‘you ask, you pay,’ though – right Donald?

While it’s still uncertain who will pay the bill, one thing is certain: Trump may one day be president.

And as president of the self-proclaimed “freest nation in the world,” Trump must lead by example. In theory, he should be building society up by tearing down the

walls that divide us. However, his behaviour so far, mired in the past, seems more insistent on taking us all two steps back.

If anyone should be taking two steps back, it's Trump himself so that he can learn from past president and Republican favourite, Ronald Reagan.

On June 12, 1987, Reagan stood in front of the Berlin Wall and delivered a speech that torched the pages of history.

He called on Mikhail Gorbachev, leader of the Soviet Union, to tear down the wall dividing East and West Berlin. “If you seek peace, if you seek prosperity, … if you seek liberalization, Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate,” he said. “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

Today, Trump’s turn away from Reagan’s anti-wall politics would make the 40th president turn over in his grave.

However, what was scariest about Trump’s visit with Peña Nieto wasn’t even his pro-wall politics, but rather his dialed-down demagoguery. Trump appeared almost presidential—he praised the Mexican people—many of whom, he said, he employed back in the United States. He just wasn’t the same ham-fisted pugilist we’ve seen shouting out insults from behind the cover of a wooden podium.

His return to the United States from Mexico that same night, however, was a return to Trump's classic form and he landed with a finely executed flip-flop onto home soil.

In front of an audience in Phoenix, Ariz., he reignited his anti-immigration rhetoric, not only vowing to deport millions of illegal aliens, but also claiming to have hoodwinked Mexico during his visit: “They

don't know it yet, but they're going pay for the wall," he shouted.

And shout he must, because the majority of his supporters seem deaf to the tune of an ever-changing society.

Image from page 5 of "Gems from Mother Goose" (1899)

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

theconcordian

17

MEDIA & PERCEPTION

The mighty emperor wears no clothes

Why the media focuses more on Trudeau’s image rather than politics

BY JUSTIN D’ONOFRIO CONTRIBUTOR In the eyes of the international media, Canada has always been considered America’s dorky, progressive neighbour to the north and relegated to obscurity as a result. The image of a barren cultural wasteland, populated by hockey enthusiasts drinking Molson has dominated Canada’s foreign reputation.

Until 2015, that is. Canada went through a complete cultural makeover.

Suddenly, Canadian musicians were everywhere. Artists like The Weeknd, Drake and Justin Bieber released new music and dominated the Billboard charts, pleasing their legions of loyal fans. Quebec-based director Xavier Dolan emerged as new icon in the film industry, winning the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival as well as directing Adele’s spectacular Hello video.

The height of this phenomenon came with the election of Justin Trudeau in October, 2015. The young, good-looking, progressive prime minister was the antithesis of the arduous Harper Decade and breathed a sense of life and excitement into Canadian politics. Something that has not been seen since the election of his father into office some 47 years prior.

The Guardian newspaper in the UK even dubbed this moment in time as Canada’s very own “cool Britannia,” harping back to the “British Invasion” of the 1960s. By some anomaly, for once when the word ‘cool’ was used to describe Canada, it was not in reference to its climate.

With the international media fawning over our sparkling new hunky PM, or ‘PMILF’ (Prime Minister I’d Like to Fuck) as he has been dubbed by social media, national media soon followed suit. According to a report by Quebecbased media monitoring firm Influence Communication, generally after a PM is

elected in Canada, media coverage typically drops off. Harper’s fell off by 79 per cent and Brian Mulroney’s by 69 per cent one month after they won their election.

Since 2015 however, the coverage of Justin Trudeau in the national media has increased by 40 per cent, according to the same report. And, unlike his predecessors, the coverage has been overwhelmingly positive.

The reason for this increase in positive coverage is mainly due to “the [tabloid] magazine style reporting” of Justin Trudeau, said JeanFrancois Dumas, president of Influence Communication, as quoted in Maclean’s magazine.

Throughout Trudeau’s time in office, national news outlets including the the Toronto Star, Vice Canada, and La Presse have opted to publish an abundant

amount of fluff pieces about the Prime Minister. His many summer shirtless sightings, photo-ops with pandas, and his luscious locks has reduced many of Canada’s most prestigious publications to the same level as menial celebrity gossip mags.

It would seem as though "Trudeaumania" part II has firmly rooted itself in Canadian media’s prime-ministerial commentary, baring resemblance to a communist state’s media coverage of their glorious leader.

Many could argue that this harmless ‘fluff’ is exactly that, and I would tend to agree, so long as this ‘fluff’ does not inhibit the process of meaningful conversation in the media. Since his election, it seems as though the Trudeau administration has been covered with a cloak of invincibility and has been seemingly impervious to any scandal.

Take the 2016 “Three Amigos Summit” for example. It is the annual meeting of the heads of government of Canada, Mexico and the United States, which took place in Ottawa in June. The important issues discussed during this year's summit included national security, human rights and the environment.

However, much of the coverage centered around a fan fiction-like narrative of the bromance between three relatively good looking leaders, with many articles—such as Vice—reporting on the awkward three-way hand shake b et we en the commanders. This is particularly shocking considering the fact that

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto was accused of ordering the execution of eight peaceful protesting teachers’ union members and that Barack Obama had criticized Canada’s involvement in NATO, according to Reuters. Both of these issues were did not receive a lot of coverage on a national level.

Canadian news outlets are severely failing their audiences.

The job of the media is to be critical and journalists play a crucial role in the democratic process by holding politicians accountable and keeping them honest. Recently, however, it seems that news outlets are more concerned with sharing the latest shirtless Trudeau meme than offering a meaningful, in-depth analysis of this government's policies and actions.

While we may all be enjoying Canada’s fleeting moment in the sun, it is my hope that we don’t wake up burned because of it.

Photos by Andrej Ivanov & graphic

by Thom Bell.

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Meet the team!

a a Sanz Cristin in-Chief ro Edit m Journalis

Floren ce Yee Graphic Painting s Editor & Drawin g

David Easey Opinions Editor Histor y

A s s i T ho m s t an t Gra Bell D e s i p hi c s Ed itor gn

Singing and songwriting are my biggest passions outside of journalism.

This past summer, I interned as a multimedia journalist at The Review, a weekly newspaper based in Vankleek Hill, Ont. I attend boot camp classes weekly.

I used to figure skate competitively.

My main medium is actually oil painting.

Apart from arts, I'm interested in postcolonial studies, especially concerning Orientalism.

Besides opinions writing, I write short form fiction and poetry.

My alter ego is Nigella Lawson whilst in the kitchen.

I once had ‘mucus’ coloured hair for 2 months, and absolutely loved it.

I play the drums.

I really don’t like horseradish sauce.

I usually get my roommate to help me edit my writing (that’s why I’m in “graphics”)...

He probably should have edited this for me.

I was a goalie in hockey for 10 years and I played for the Pierrefonds Minor Hockey Association.

A side from spor t s reporting, my biggest passions are music and video games.

A part from print journalism, I love broadcasting and doing play-byplay for

Alex Cole Spor ts Editor Journalism

I have a passion for dance: hip-hop, salsa, contemporar y. I’ll dance battle you anytime.

I’m a major bookworm, as soon as I finish va o g a book I have ce Her itor a to start a new dr ic Ed San Mus nomics one.

Besides writing o Ec articles, I enjoy writing screenplays and short stories.

Tiffany Lafleur Co-Arts Editor

Print journalism & Commun

ication studies

Jessica Kinnari Co-Arts Editor Journalism

Harry Potter is my passion.

I love to travel and I try to visit somewherenew every er g u year.

L y Beck ditor s n o C o py E ti I’m la a n Re on in Hum ti a z li ia c silly by nature Sp e and I try to make people laugh.

If I don’t write a to-do list for my day, I don’t get anything done. I am passionate about storytelling in all its forms.

I can’t sit through a horror film without getting scared, so I’ll usually read a synopsis of it online, just to know what Mina M a A ssistant zumder it’s about.

Life Edito English Li terature an r d Professio

Ale x Soci andra Jour al Media Colat nalis m & Coordinaosti F ilm Stud tor ie s

I studied Fashion Industries at The New School last year alongside journalism. My biggest guilty pleasure is watching all the Real Housewives shows. Outside of journalism, one of my passions is volunteering.

I’m lefthanded.

I bingewatched Stranger Things in one day.

My biggest pet-peeve is whenever J.K. Rowling over-explains the Harry Potter series on Twitter.

nal Writin

I love cats.

I have a fear of heights.

I dislike the flavour of coconut.

g

Teague Katy a y Editor Head Cop lism Journa

I am the co-owner of a rather cranky hedgehog named Fitz. This summer, I spent two weeks roadtripping around Iceland and got attacked by a bird (was a great trip besides that, beautiful country). I absolutely love reading.

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

a Craig Savann Editor New s rsit y m & Dive Journalis

Pauline Soum et Production Mana Ar t History and St ger udio Ar ts

I’m typically found at SGW slaving over my articles for The Concordian or late running through the underground. I trained in karate for nine years and kickboxing for three years. My favourite part about being a journalist is being able to share my writing on social justice movements, environmental matters and having the chance to meet and inter view new people.

I’m a major film nerd.

Gangster films are some of my favourites.

I love playing music. I play her piano, the guitar, le Gas Daniel Editor and the French s Life ie d & Film Stu urnalism Jo al u Horn. Yes, that is v Audio last one comes out of nowhere.

There is not one single food item that I do not like. Not a single one.

People expect me to be good at drawing and painting.

I crochet on the bus for art projects.

My crepes are Valeria CoriManocchio the best on earth, Copy Editor everyone falls for Journalism them.

rino Porpo ger o z n a e n Or sing ma Adver ti nd Economic s a e Financ

I love doing yoga.

One of my favourite films is Good Will Hunting (1998).

My biggest pet peeve is when clocks run a few minutes behind.

I'm a huge hockey fanatic.

I'm part of a massive Italian family.

I'm one of the only people who prefers winter over summer.

theconcordian

I'm a huge science fiction buff, and more specifically, a huge Trekkie.

Politics is a big Katerin interest of mine- I a G Copy Edit ang love following o Journalis r m campaigns. I'm a conservative.

I have a giant collection of Beanie Boos (TY) and it's still growing.

I love to cosplay and everything that has to do with comi c- co n s! I re c e nt l y cosplayed Daenerys Targaryen.

I play piano, guitar and love to sing and write music. I emotionally get way too involved in the TV shows I watch: for example, Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Game of Thrones.

N ell y Se ran N e w s d o ur -A mar Journ editor alism

I love to walk from my new apartment to my old apartment.

I collect used wine corks.

My favorite photo is peoples' passport photos.

an Forout Parisa n A ssistant o Producti rMedia MFA Inte

The Concordian’s team Graphic by Pauline Soumet.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CRISTINA SANZA editor@theconcordian.com MANAGING EDITOR GREGORY TODARO managing@theconcordian.com PRODUCTION MANAGER PAULINE SOUMET production@theconcordian.com PRODUCTION ASSISTANT PARISA FOROUTAN NEWS EDITORS SAVANNA CRAIG NELLY SERANDOUR-AMAR news@theconcordian.com

ARTS EDITORS JESSICA KINNARI TIFFANY LAFLEUR arts@theconcordian.com

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR JAMES KIERANS

NEWS ASSISTANT OPEN

OPINIONS EDITOR DAVID EASEY opinions@theconcordian.com

LIFE EDITOR DANIELLE GASHER life@theconcordian.com

PHOTO EDITOR ANA HERNANDEZ photo@theconcordian.com

ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR MINA MAZUMDER

Concordia University’s weekly, independent student newspaper VOL. 34, ISSUE 2 SEPT. 6, 2016

MUSIC EDITOR SANDRA HERCEGOVÁ music@theconcordian.com

SPORTS EDITOR ALEXANDER COLE sports@theconcordian.com

OUR COVER THIS WEEK “Pipeline”

by Florence Yee.

GRAPHICS EDITOR FLORENCE YEE graphics@theconcordian.com GRAPHIC ASSISTANT THOM BELL HEAD COPY EDITOR KATYA TEAGUE COPY EDITORS KATERINA GANG REBECCA LUGER VALERIA CORI-MANNOCHIO copy@theconcordian.com CONTRIBUTORS Caitlin Yardley, Laurent Pitre, Nicolas Di Giovanni, Joshua de Costa, Justin Donofrio.

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FOLLOW US ON   BUSINESS MANAGER JAYA GAUTAM business@theconcordian.com ADVERTISING MANAGER ORENZO PORPORINO FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@theconcordian.com BOARD OF DIRECTORS NATHALIE LAFLAMME JACOB SEREBIN MILOS KOVACEVIC directors@theconcordian.com

COME TO OUR WEEKLY STORY MEETING AT THE LOYOLA CAMPUS CC-431 FRIDAY AT 12 P.M. PITCH. WRITE. EDIT. Editorial office 7141 Sherbrooke St. W Building CC - 431 Montreal, QC H4B 1R6 (514) 848-2424 ext. 7499