October 9, 2018

theconcordian

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY’S WEEKLY, INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

 /theconcordian  @theconcordian  @theconcordian  theconcordian.com

VOLUME 36, ISSUE 7 | TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2018

Over two thousand people walked the streets of Montreal to denouce new racist legislation News p. 3

also in this issue...

v

life

Locals revamp greenhouses p. 6

arts

music

Young group Art Hive offers relaxation p. 9 ignites stage

sports

p. 12

opinions

Promising talent The US is against at tournament p. 14 immigration p. 16

news

NEWS EDITORS /// news@theconcordian.com IAN DOWN & MIA ANHOURY ( @IanDown1996 @mia_anhoury)

CYBERSECURITY

Don’t get caught in the phishing scam

University warns students not to open spam emails during second cyber attack MIA ANHOURY NEWS EDITOR Concordia University sent a warning on Sept. 25 to urge the Concordia community not to open phishing emails. The university’s Instruction and Information Technology Services (IITS) received several reports.

A phishing email is a fraudulent email sent from what seems to be a reputable company. The emails received by members of the Concordia community are from “addresses very similar to the email addresses of existing Concordia faculty and staff,” according to the warning sent

by the university.

The warning specified that the latest phishing scams are selling “services, products, gift cards and goods from Gmail/Hotmail/Outlook,” and fake Concordia addresses.

“Concordia takes matters of IT security seriously. IITS works diligently to ensure the online safety of the Concordia community,” said Mary-Jo Barr, the university’s spokesperson.

In the latest message, the university warned students to be vigilant. It also asked students to call an individual or company to ensure the validity of the product or service before making any payments.

Barr said a common sign of a

phishing email is when the sender and replying address don’t match.

“If you receive a phishing email please do not respond, do not open any links, and do not open any attachments,” Barr said. She also suggested deleting the email after it’s been reported.

Being vigilant and aware of where the software is coming from is also key, according to Barr. She suggested not installing applications sent via email from untrustworthy sources, and said it’s best not to give out any account information by phone, URL, or email. “This is not how business is normally conducted,” she said.

This isn’t the first time that Concordia has sent a warning to its students regarding phishing emails. As previously reported

by The Concordian , phishing emails also circulated on Oct. 3, 2017. The emails were sent by newsonlineconcordia@concordia. ca, according to the screenshot in the university’s warning.

Cyberattacks and spam emails are becoming a trend. Hacking devices were installed at both Concordia libraries in March 2016.

These devices, called keyloggers, record all computer and keyboard activity.

EConcordia, the online course system was hacked in April

2017. According to The Link , 9,000 students were reached by the hack, but no financial or student records were affected.

Barr couldn’t share details about the measures the university takes to ensure its cyber security, as she said it would make the systems vulnerable. However, she assured The Concordian that security mea sure s are in place, and any time a threat arises, the community is made aware.

If you have received an email of this kind, report it to IITS at HELP@CONCORDIA.CA

ACCESSIBILITY

CJLO DJs face accessibility challenges DJs with disabilities need better access to the studio, says program director IAN DOWN NEWS EDITOR For over a year now, accessibility has been a greater challenge than ever for CJLO’s employees and volunteers, especially those with unique accessibility needs.

Between CJLO’s studio and the elevator sits the G-Lounge, once a bustling student-run café. Allison O’Reilly, CJLO’s program director, said that when she first arrived at CJLO in the winter of 2017, the lounge was usually open and the elevator was easily accessible.

However, it did not reopen after summer break that year.

Since then, O’Reilly said, the space has always been locked and empty, with a few exceptions.

“The inconsistency of it all is very frustrating,” she said.

The G-Lounge had been run

by Concordia’s Inter-Fraternity C o un c i l s in ce 19 7 3 . F or m er G-Lounge manager Blake Snow said financial difficulties and understaffing, among other issues, forced the café to close. The

CJLO’s studio sits at the back of Loyola’s CC building on the fourth floor. Photo by Ian Down.

room is now a reserved space, with bookings administered by the Dean of Students Office. Its doors are locked on both sides when not in use.

“For a while, security put us on a key list so we could have key access,” said O’Reilly. However, “when it comes to security, it’s hard to have consistency since so many people work the front desk of the AV building.”

O’Reilly is not concerned about her own needs, instead those of others. “We have DJs and

volunteers at CJLO who require access through the elevator because they have physical disabilities,” she said.

Every Friday, CJLO hosts Audio Penpals, a music and talk show “with a focus on the disability community,” according to CJLO’s website. O’Reilly said many of the show’s hosts have non-visible disabilities.

“A lot of the regular securit y people who work in the CC and the AV building s are very helpful, very accommo-

dating , they understand our situation, and I’m very grateful for them,” said O’Reilly. “But there has been the odd case where certain security guards have said some insensitive things towards some members of the station with silent disabilities.”

She said this is likely due to lack of understanding of the volunteers’ disabilities.

The elevator is not the only thing on the other side of the G-Lounge. “It cuts off access to washrooms for us as well,”

said O’Reilly. There is a men’s bathroom on the third floor below the studio, but the nearest women’s bathroom is on the other side of the G-Lounge, which means descending to the third floor and climbing the stairs at the other end of the hallway.

“I have no issue with security, I have no issue with Concordia, I have an issue with whoever runs the G-Lounge,” said O’Reilly.

In an email to The Concordian, university spokesperson Mary-Jo Barr said the Dean of Students, Andrew Woodall, was aware of the situation. “He understands the issue and will be working on a solution with CJLO,” she said.

O’ Reilly said she would like the lounge to be open to everyone during regular hours.

“The G-Lounge is such a big, beautiful study space, and having it closed is such a disservice to the students at Loyola Campus.”

The Concordian reached out to several DJ’s from Audio Penpals, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

OCTOBER 9, 2018

INDIGENOUS RIGHTS

Love, rage and solidarity The march to remember missing and murdered Indigenous women drew hundreds AVIVA LESSARD CONTRIBUTOR

have had enough.”

Joey David, a Mohawk man who attended the Hundreds gathered to march, is frustrated by the commemorate the lives lack of investigation into of Indigenous women and cases of missing and murgirls who are missing or dered Indigenous women. have been murdered in He is tired of them being Canada. profiled by police and came On the evening of out to support his people.

Thursday, Oct. 4, Mohawk Gabriel, the Mohawk activist Ellen Gabriel activist, highlighted the need Demonstrators chanted “Break the silence, end the violence,” as they marched from Cabot addressed the crowd at to educate each other on Square to Phillips Square. Photo by Mackenzie Lad. Cabot Square by thanking the history of colonialism.

Cabot Square. them for their support on still considered missing between She said Canadians can Viviane Michel, president 1980 and 2012. Canada’s former only move forward once they “this issue that has been plaguing Indigenous nations, families, women, of Quebec Native Women, Minister of Status of Women, Patty understand the oppression and children, since contact. That’s how spoke about how there was no Hajdu, said the numbers could be as genocide that is embedded in the long it’s been.” The 13th annual mention of murdered and missing high as 4,000, according to the CBC. country's history. “Every single vigil was organized by the Native Indigenous women in the recent A f t e r t h e s p e e c h e s , child, every single youth, every Women’s Shelter of Montreal (NWSM) provincial election debates. “It’s attendees marched to Phillips Square, single judge, lawyer, politician and Concordia’s Centre for Gender like we didn’t exist, it’s like we didn’t chanting, “Break the silence, end [should] understand what human need protection, it’s like our women the violence,” and held candles to rights are.”

Advocacy.

Jessica Quijano, a vigil organizer don’t need security,” she said. Her remember the women who have Rosalie Shewchuk, a first time and project coordinator for the voice rose: “I am furious,” noting been lost. attendee of the march, learned Iskweu Project at the NWSM, called that the title of the event, “Love, The beat of a drum rang out as more about the struggles that many for a greater awareness of the social Rage, and Solidarity,” was fitting. powwow performers, the Buffalo Indigenous women face through crisis. Specifically, she is advocating She said Canadians need to join Hat Singers, played alongside those her volunteer work. “The more I for more “wet shelters,” which are together to mobilize and put who marched. Band member Rick understand, the more I want to be places where homeless people can pressure on the government.

Qavavauq said, “Our women are the involved,” she said. Shewchuk felt An RCMP report from 2014 found most important thing.” He wants to compelled to show her support. receive services even if they are intoxicated. She is frustrated that The approximately 1,200 police-re- support all Indigenous people and “People should stop seeing with Open Door shelter is relocating, as it ported cases of Indigenous female wants the government to really listen. their eyes and start seeing with served many people who frequent homicides or Indigenous women “We have had enough. Even men their heart.”

COVER STORY

Fighting upcoming racist legislation Montrealers walked the city’s streets to fight racism ELISE MARTIN CONTRIBUTOR More than two thousand people walked in the streets of Montreal to protest against racism, on Sunday afternoon. The demonstration was focused on François Legault’s new government.

Thirty minutes before the demonstration, Émilie-Gamelin Square was already full. La Riposte socialiste, one of the demonstration’s coordinators, was among the organizations who already who already had stand set up. "We are a socialist group, based in Montreal founded ten years ago, that sells a socialist magazine. Today, we are here to defend our values and fight against the Coalition Avenir Québec [CAQ] and its racist measures,” said one of the group’s leaders. “We are standing up to show we are united and not divided," he added.

Toutes Unies, a local feminist association, was also present. “It's necessary to build a mass movement,” said one of its members.

Many people, both men and women, came to the march with their children. Some of them prepared banners and posters, which the kids held as they marched at the front of the crowd.

Before making their way through the city, some representatives of

theconcordian

3

CITY IN BRIEF MIA ANHOURY NEWS EDITOR The city of Montreal is launching a public consultation on the future of eastern Lachine, according to Global News. The Lachine Mayor, Maja Vodanovic, wants to rebuild the industrialized 50-hectare area in the neighborhood in the next 20 years.

The Onyx restaurant on St. Jacques Street in the Notre-Dame-deGrâce borough burned down on Thursday morning, according to the Montreal Gazette. Nearby residents were evacuated from their homes, close to 2 a.m. There were no injuries, and the cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but has been deemed “suspicious” according to firemen.

A suspect for contraband tobacco trafficking began a police chase in the West Island last Wednesday, when Sureté du Québec tried to arrest him, according to Global News. The chase started on Autoroute 40, close to Baie D’Urfé, and ended with the suspect crashing into two cars on Autoroute 13.

A new bylaw passed on Tuesday in the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough will limit the distribution of shortterm vacation home rentals, such as Airbnbs, according to CityNews Montreal. Following several complaints of noise and disruption, these rentals will be limited to St-Denis Street and St. Laurent Blvd.

An asylum seeker in Montreal was given a court date last Wednesday for Jan. 1, 2030, according to Le Journal de Montréal. The asylum seeker’s lawyer was shocked by the date, and said it could be a mistake, since it’s also a holiday. Le Journal also reported this isn’t the first time such a date has been set.

“Together against hate and racism,” written on the leading banner of the march. Photo by Elise Martin.

the 60 associations in attendance spoke. "We are still struggling to end systemic racism,” said Marlihan Lopez, vice-president and spokesperson of the Fédération des femmes du Québec.

“We are f ighting against immigration politics. Last year, we were here to resist Law 62.

Today, we are here to resist the secular law. It's unacceptable to use the struggle of women for racists’ purposes," said Lopez.

Alongside Lopez was Safa Chebbi, co-founder and secretary of the Table de concertation contre le racisme systémique (TCRS). Chebbi spoke about her worries concerning the new government’s announcements, only a week after the elections. "Legault wants to reduce immigration, to deport people who fail French tests, and

even dismiss government institutions’ employees who show any kind of religious symbol. The government is playing with our identity in order to oppress us," said Chebbi.

For demonstrators Laëtitia and Léa, who walked amongst the crowd, Legault is not their Québec Premier.

"It's unfair. I will be 18 years old in a few days. I could not vote and I ended up under this government without my consent,” said Léa.

“We are here because we think seeing racist people nowadays is just unbelievable. We don't have to face this problem, but a lot of our friends have to face it,” said Léa. “We think it's important to keep talking about it, for them, at least. We have to teach, to educate and to denounce."

"More united, not divided," was

Graphic by @spooky_soda

one of the phrases shouted at the top of the crowd’s lungs. The crowd also chanted the slogans "François, François, my veil is my choice," and "François, François, I will not leave my job."

Although the demonstration was planned before Oct. 1, the election results put CAQ’s incoming legislations at the forefront of the march. However, the core focus of the demonstration remained against racism, with chants such as "Everybody hates racists," "Quebec, the racism is not correct," or "United people will never be defeated."

Among the protestors were Marlène and her 13-year-old daughter Yasmine, holding a banner that said "Yes to secularism. No to the exclusion laws."

"We are here to stand up against the bill, because racism touches and damages our religion,” said Marlène.

“Even before the elections, we were planning on coming today. To be honest, it was my daughter’s idea," she added.

"I experience racism daily,” continued Yasmine. “For example, at school, we are learning ethics and religion, and Islam is denigrated.

For me, it's easy. The only reason to separate colours is when you want to wash your clothes!"

Thousands of people walked and chanted throughout Montreal well into the evening, before stopping at St. Laurent Blvd. The demonstration ended with half an hour of speeches from the organizations present.

4

theconcordian

OCTOBER 9, 2018

NATION One sandwich at a time IN BRIEF Concordia’s Multi-faith and Spirituality Centre feeds the homeless VOLUNTEERING

IAN DOWN NEWS EDITOR

EITHNE LYNCH ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Concordia’s Multi-faith and Spirituality Centre is continuing its tradition of feeding the less fortunate.

The Multi-Faith and Spirituality Centre’s website states that they are a “home on campus for all those who wish to celebrate the human spirit in the widest sense of the word; we are open to all students whether religious, secular or spiritual.”

The centre invites students of all faiths to prepare sandwiches and bake cookies once a month, from September to April. The students then go out in the streets and distribute the food to those in need.

These events are not only an opportunity for students of different faiths to interact with one another, but they also allow students to “contribute to the community in a positive way and show that intercultural and interfaith relations are a reality and something that we can all build upon,” said Ashely Crouch, the manager of Concordia’s Multi-faith and Spirituality Centre.

Crouch said the initiative was created five years ago because “a lot of students wanted to come together to do something really good together.” All students are welcome to drop in and help out, even if they only have 30 minutes between classes to volunteer.

They prepare various kinds of sandwiches, such as tuna, chicken and peanut butter and

Canada will host a conference on international trade later this month with 13 “like-minded" countries, not including the United States, according to Canada's International Trade Diversification Minister, Jim Carr. He said the conference will gather “those who believe that a rules-based system is in the interests of the international community" to discuss the World Trade Organization, before “[moving] out into those who might have been more resistant,” according to Global News.

These events are an opportunity for students from different faiths to come together and help the community, said Crouch. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

jelly. Any meat used is halal, which means the animal was killed in accordance with specific practices of Islamic law.

On average, they aim to make 80 sandwiches and cookies in total. However, depending on the number of volunteers who are able to pass out the food, this number may change.

Students distribute the sandwiches in groups of three or four, and are assigned a general area, such as the Place-des-Arts metro station, the Guy-Concordia metro station, or Cabot Square due to its high concentration of homeless people.

Before students take to the streets, Crouch reminds them to stay in their groups, not to approach people that seem dangerous, to never offer money, and to always treat people with respect.

Crouch said students often end up having interesting conversations with those they meet as they hand out food. “It humanizes people and it allows us to really have conversations with people that we might not otherwise,” Crouch said.

The next multi-faith event will be held on Oct. 30.

SCIENCE

The forefront of heart engineering

Cardiovascular lab improving the performance of medical devices MINA MAZUMDER ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

These 3D-printed models are then used as part of the Compact Heart for

Creating heart replicas to help doctors better explain cardiological issues is one of the many efforts of student researchers at the Laboratory of Cardiovascular Fluid Dynamics to enrich the practice of medicine.

Lyes Kadem, a professor of industrial engineering at Concordia and the director of the department’s laboratory, showed his team’s latest advancements in their research project to The Concordian on Oct. 3. “All of the systems we have are the most unique around the world,” Kadem said. “Whatever you are doing on a patient [who is dealing with a heart problem], you can do it on our simulators.”

These advancements, which include three innovative simulators, are given human names so researchers can better familiarize themselves with them. These simulators test mainstream health devices that tackle cardiovascular issues used by medical device companies.

Kadem and his collaborator Dr. Tsz Ho Kwok, an expert in additive manufacturing, hired fourth-year mechanical engineering students to help further projects in his research lab. Kadem explained that all of the simulators have been constructed and designed by undergraduate students. They use fused deposition modeling technology, which is commonly used for modeling, prototyping, production applications, and creating human heart replicas.

Realistic Interactive Simulation (CHRIS) simulator to test products that tackle most cardiovascular diseases, but typically heart valve disease.

According to Kadem, students replicate hearts to test the performance of medical devices to make sure they can successfully fix cardiovascular issues. When testing products that will soon be on the market, researchers must ask themselves critical questions: “Is this product doing the right job?” and “Will it affect red blood cells?”

Kadem and his team collaborate with doctors in the pediatric-cardiology department at the St-Justine Hospital.

Kadem’s team makes heart models and donate them to help healthcare professionals better articulate certain issues to their patients.

“They face a problem explaining to parents the heart issues and pathologies that their children have,” Kadem said.

He added that doctors use drawings to explain the heart conditions, but they aren’t as tangible as 3D models. Kadem hopes that, by donating the models his researchers use for CHRIS, it will help children better understand the issues they are facing. According to Kadem, although the models are not the standard, they are gaining popularity.

The second simulator, the Simulation Through In-vitro Testing on the Complete Heart (STITCH), tests devices that aim to improve issues related to the left-ventricle.

“We use [STITCH] to measure how the flow behaves inside the healthy heart, and then we can change the conditions to make STITCH sick, [to assess the before and after],” he said. However, STITCH is not appropriate to test devices for all patients. “[For] some patients with a weird aorta, the device will be risky [to their health].”

Finally, the Ongoing Search to Counteract Aortic Rupture (OSCAR) is a crash-test simulator, which assesses how the heart reacts to accidents that put it at risk. “The idea is to try to simulate what happens to the human body in case of [a] car-crash,” Kadem said.

This simulator will help patients in two different ways, Kadem explained. Not only does it facilitate the testing of airbags, but it also addresses how one can minimize

C a n a d i a n p hy s i c i s t , D o n n a Strickland, was one of three scientists awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics last week for their work in laser physics .

Strickland is also one of three women to have won the prize in its history, according to CBC. Following his election defeat, outgoing Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard announced his retirement from politics. Couillard’s Liberals won just 32 seats in the national assembly on Oct. 1, compared to the Coalition Avenir Québec’s 74. Couillard was quickly replaced by Pierre Arcand, member of the national assembly for the Mont-Royal-Outremont riding.

The People's Party of Canada recruited more than 20,000 members, and amassed nearly $338,000 in donations in the two and a half weeks after its founding on Sept. 14, according to a report

by Le Devoir. By comparison, the federal Green Party currently has about 20,000 members, according to the same article.

An Amber Alert for a 14 year-old Edmonton girl was lifted on Friday, the same day it was issued. She was found safe one day after being forcibly abducted in a red sedan, according to CBC. A 47-year-old Graphic by @spooky_soda

the risk to their heart if a crash does occur.

Kadem said these simulators advance current knowledge in cardiovascular flows and medical devices, but also to give companies a space to test their products, so they can save money and advance their products to better assess patients who need immediate health support.

From left: Stéphane Mailloux, Tsz Ho Kwok, Lyes Kadem, Ghassan Maraouch. Photo by Hannah Ewen.

OCTOBER 9, 2018

REMEMBRANCE

Concordia remembers the Great War

“The World Remembers” immortalizes the names of the departed ELOISE CAROLAN CONTRIBUTOR

coincides with the 100th anniversary of the end of the war. “In 2014, the installation began depicting the names of the soldiers that died in 1914, the first year of the war,” said Latour. This year, its fifth consecutive year, the installation showcases the names of those that died in 1918, the final year of the war.

The World Remembers has been displayed in museums, libraries, and exhibits nationally and internationally; Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany are among the host countries.

Concordia is the only university in Quebec hosting the memorial. “The presentation of the project varies; the emphasis changes from country to country depending on where the project is being shown,” said Latour.

Latour is also chair of the Library Exhibition Committee. He and his team program and showcase temporary exhiThe World Remembers, a memorial dedibitions in the library; they have only hosted cated to the lives lost in World War I, is one other projected exhibition before. “The currently on exhibition in the Webster centrally located exhibition on the second Library. floor of the library will give many students The installation displays the names of the opportunity to see the projection,” those who died in the war. Among them were said Latour. soldiers, nurses, mothers, war brides, widows, The changing names render the exhibition conscientious objectors, volunteers, farmers versatile, keeping viewers engaged from and children. “The name of the individual is place to place. “Although the project has projected onto a screen and showcased for an international scope, right now students half an hour before transitioning onto the can see how the projection is specific to next person,” said John Latour, teaching and Canada,” said Latour. research librarian in the faculty of fine arts.

Latour has coordinated the event The project was developed in 2014 by R.H. since The World Remembers organization Thomson, an actor and writer from Toronto. reached out to Concordia. The exhibits are His organization, The funded by private donors The names of the departed are displayed at predetermined times World Remembers, and contributions from throughout the day. Photo by Hannah Ewen. is a non-profit that participating countries, embraces Canadian as stated on the orgamulticulturalism. “For nization’s website. the first time in hisTo f ur t her mar k tory, we will not only the 100th anniverremember but we will sary of World War I, also honour shared books highlighting the histories,” The World Canadian perspective Remembers website of the conflict will be states. The exhibit strives displayed on the fourth to accurately represent floor of the Webster the origins of those who Library in November. contributed to Canada’s The World WWI effort.

Re m e m b e r s i s o n The installation display until Nov. 11.

SUSTAINABILITY

A grassroots rainwater project Five rainwater harvesting barrels are currently scattered across Loyola campus ALEXIA MARTEL-DESJARDINS CONTRIBUTOR Rainwater harvest projects at the Loyola campus might expand to Concordia’s downtown buildings next spring. Having seen the benefits of this initiative, the office of Facilities Management plans on installing more rainwater barrels in the coming months.

Currently, there are five bins collecting rainwater on Loyola campus. Four are located near the garage behind the PS building, while another is beside a shack near Terrebonne St. The rainwater is mainly used to water vegetation around campus, to clean roads and to wash off dirt created by the construction of the new Loyola science building. This

new system is more time-efficient and provides water that is better for the plants.

A Facilities Management Intern, Sharon Nelson, wrote a draft for the program in April. The document says that “the plants also benefited, for they were fed with water that did not contain levels of chlorine as is present in potable water.”

“In a reasonable rainfall, they get filled up, let’s say, in two hours,” said Gerry Barrette, property and operations manager at Loyola. “When it rains overnight, we come back the next morning and they’re all filled.”

Barrette and his team came up with the idea to implement a rainwater collection system when they realized it would be more time-efficient than filling barrels with city water using a hose. “That took like, an

Each rainwater harvesting barrel has a volume of 250 gallons. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

hour and half, two hours,” Barrette said.

The advantages of the watering system inspired a rainwater management program. Daniel Gauthier, building performance coordinator for Facilities Management, said the rainwater barrels project was “more or less grassroots. The rainwater management program came after that and we used what Gerry had done as a springboard for the rest of it.”

More recently, the Facilities Management team has used the rainwater to wash roads and walkways that are dirty from the construction of a new building at Loyola.

“We use it because, on our vehicles, there’s also a high pressure spray, so this way we go around with our vehicle and we wipe down the road with water,” said Barrette.

Once the four barrels near the PS building are full, the water is quickly transferred to other barrels on a pickup truck.

“We’re saving time because […] loading up the water takes, say, ten minutes max and then we’re up and running and we go around campus with our vehicle and water the plants that way,” Barrette said.

Each barrel has a volume of 250 gallons. They were purchased with part of the property and operations budget, according to Barrette. “The whole setup we presently have probably cost $2,000,” he said.

Daniel Gauthier wants to install more

theconcordian

5

WORLD IN BRIEF IAN DOWN NEWS EDITOR The United States Senate approved Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination for the supreme court, following a 50-to-48 vote on Saturday.

Just two senators voted against party lines, according to The New York Times : Republican Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted against Kavanaugh’s confirmation, while Democrat Joe Manchin III of West Virginia voted in favour of it.

The head of the International Criminal Police Organization, commonly known as Interpol, went missing on a visit to China.

The South China Morning Post quoted an anonymous source saying Meng Hongwei was “‘taken away’ for questioning by discipline authorities ‘as soon as he landed in China,’” although it is not clear why.

A framed Banksy painting suddenly shredded itself just moments after being auctioned for over USD $1.4 million in London. The anonymous British artist posted a video of the incident on Instagram, saying he installed the shredder into the frame himself, in case the painting ever went up for auction, according to Hyperallergic.

Australia may effectively eliminate cervical cancer within two decades, according to a study published last week in the medical journal The Lancet. The study estimated that the rate of diagnoses in the country could drop below four cases per 100,000 women in that time frame, thanks in part to a national screening program that was introduced in 1991.

An eight-year-old SwedishAmerican girl pulled a pre-Viking-era sword from a lake while visiting Sweden over the summer. Local archaeologists, who believe the sword to be about 1,500 years old, asked Saga Vanacek and her family to keep the discovery a secret while they trawled the rest of the lake, according to The New York Times.

Graphic by @spooky_soda

barrels elsewhere at Concordia. “We would like to expand this to other areas where it makes sense, specifically places where we have grounds or any other exterior cleaning needs, notably the Grey Nuns [residence],” he said.

Barrette has eight other barrels that are not yet in use. He hopes to place them at the gardens of the City Farm School and of the People’s Potato initiative on the Loyola campus.

These new installations are planned for spring 2019.

life

LIFE EDITOR /// life@theconcordian.com ALEX HUTCHINS ( @alexhutchinns96)

GARDENING

Potting up with Grand Potager A second breath of life for Verdun greenhouses

Growing sustainability Check out Concordia’s Farmers Market for all things organic and local ALEX HUTCHINS LIFE EDITOR

Grand Potager is an urban agricultural centre in Verdun that brought new life to the district’s municipal greenhouses. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

ELISE MARTIN CONTRIBUTOR Two years ago, a group of people from the farmers market in Verdun decided to revitalize local greenhouses. This idea has sprouted into what is now Grand Potager, an urban agricultural centre in the district’s m u n i c i p a l g re e n h o u s e s . G r a n d Potager has spent the last few years revamping local greenhouses as a way to give back to their surrounding community.

Lia Chiasson, co-founder of Grand Potager, explained that she and a group of people were walking along side riverbanks with unused greenhouses and felt they had to do something." One person talked to another who talked to another and that's how the project was born," said Chiasson. She explained that, because greenhouses are municipal property, although they submitted their district application in the fall of 2016, it wasn't until 2018 that they were able to launch their pilot year. Grand Potager currently consists of twelve members.

A c c o r d i n g t o G r a n d P o t a g e r ’s website, the centre promotes urban agriculture—or growing food in a city setting and distributing it within local food systems." Our goals are also forming social ties in gardening altogether,” said Chiasson. Grand Potager positively impacts the fabric of their community by bridging communication between other organizations working out of the Verdun greenhouses, local residents, and the municipal borough.

Chiasson explained that, while people from the neighbourhood frequent the greenhouses more often, everybody is welcome. “It's a beautiful place near the river," she said. “It's perfect to do some workshops, conferences, harvest."

She also said that different people need different amounts of land for their gardens, and that they'll do their best to accommodate that.

“We have to meet the needs of all.”

Grand Potager is a vector of food securit y for its patrons, which are mostly local farmers. “We're offering organic and local products of a good

quality to our members. With this food security, we also teach [members] about vegetables, how they grow, where [they are] from. It allows [them] to develop culinary knowledge,” said Chiasson. Grand Potager offers many weekly events, both to Verdun residents and the general public. According to their website, the centre participates in the Verdun farmers market every week and occasionally partners up with other agricultural centres, like the Concordia Greenhouse. Chiasson said kids are more than welcome, and that a few schools near Verdun arranged for their students to visit and discover the greenhouses.

This system allows for a sustainable environment and, thanks to cleverly thought-out spacing and creative garden construction, Verdun is slowly turning green. “With our plans, we reduce heat islands, so we reduce greenhouse gases,” said Chiasson.

“It 's also a sustainable economic view. The local market is a business incubator for emerging companies.

It can help to develop their projects in greenhouses, also linked to food security.”

T he ne x t step for Gr and Potager is to acquire more greenhouses, reorganize them to optimize their greenspace, and ult imatel y, welcome a larger community.

For more information about how you can get involved with Grand Potager and become a member, visit their website

GRANDPOTAGER.CA

Clementines in full-bloom at the Grand Potager greenhouses in Verdun. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

The Grand Potager Harvest Festival is on Friday, Oct. 12. in the greenhouses at 7000 Boulevard LaSalle, Verdun.

Did you know Concordia has a farmers’ market? I didn’t until just last week.

Crazy, right? I literally could not believe that locally-sourced, organic veggies, snacks and so many other handmade products were being sold right at school. The Concordia Farmers’ Market (CFM) takes place every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the second floor mezzanine of the Hall building.

An Instagram post made by the CFM on Aug. 7 indicates that their location moved to the corner of Mackay St. and de Maisonneuve Blvd. that week, so it would be wise to follow them on social media in case of any future location changes (see below). The CFM is supported by many on-campus organizations such as the Concordia Greenhouse, Concordia Food Coalition (CFA), Sustainable Concordia, Concordia Student Union (CSU) and Sustainable Action Fund (SAF).

According to an article from November 2014 on the university’s website, the idea of an on-campus farmer’s market started with two anthropology students. After an inspirational trip through the Costa Rican countryside, Kasha Paprocki and Alejandra Melian-Morse decided to start a recurring farmers’ market with the help of some volunteers “as part of an internship course on social economy, supervised

by Satoshi Ikeda,” said the same article.

During their first market on Oct. 29, 2014, 500 people came by. Melian-Morse is still the CFM’s project leader.

On the CFM’s Facebook page, you can find all kinds of affordable, organic veggies that cycle out depending on the harvest season. Other goodies from urban farms and greenhouses such as the Concordia Greenhouse, the City Farm School at Loyola, and Jardins Autonomnes can be found at the market as well. “It is also a great place to get gifts and lunch from,” the same page reads.

They have everything from herbal teas to chemical-free, zero-waste shampoos, handmade beaded jewelry to a range of honey bee products—all offered at relatively affordable prices.

I don’t know about you guys, but I’ll definitely be checking out what’s in season over the next few weeks at the CFM. The best part about doing even a portion of your shopping there—aside from the convenience of it being on campus—is that you’d be supporting small businesses and local food distribution networks in Montreal. This ultimately contributes to a more sustainable economy, something I think all of us can get behind.

Follow the CFM on Instagram @CONCORDIAFARMERSMARKET Graphic by @spooky_soda

OCTOBER 9, 2018

theconcordian

7

REPRESENTATION

Ashura beyond the screen

Teaching selflessness with the story of Husayn (a.s) and Ahl al-Bayt

FATIMA DIA ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR One of the things I remember most about growing up in an Islamic school was the Ashura sermons given at the local Mosque in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.

Men and women would listen to the story of the Muharram for ten days, every year. I was about ten years old when I went up to listen to the sermons instead of staying downstairs with the other children. My Arabic wasn’t very strong, so a friend translated to English the whole time.

That was the first time I cried over Imam Husayn (a.s) and Ahl al-Bayt, the family of the prophet. To this day, the Shia community, along with some Sunnis and Sophists, remember the death of Husayn (a.s) and the lessons of those ten days by mourning the tragic events. The Mourning of Muharram, a ten-day period, begins in the first month of the Islamic Calendar and varies in length depending on the lunar calendar.

For years, media outlets have horribly portrayed Ashura. What’s mostly shared in news coverage is self-flagellation, which was historically done so people could feel the smallest bit of Husayn’s pain and suffering. The Muslim community doesn’t condone this practice anymore; it is completely prohibited. However, all attempts at getting the meaning behind Ashura across and sharing the full story of Husayn (a.s) and his family have been distorted or called

out for biased representation.

I am not particularly religious and, in all honesty, it took some time to stop hating those ten days because the violence that was propagated, at times, was difficult to look past. It is not a true and honest representation of Ashura. “[Ashura] makes you read history through eyes of humanity,” said Sheikh Ali Sbeiti, head sheikh in the Centre Communautaire Musulman de Montréal (CCMM).

In the year 61 of Al-Hijra of the Lunar Islamic Calendar, AD 680, the Battle of Muharram took place in Karbala, Iraq. This battle was between a small group of supporters and the family of the prophet Muhammad—mainly followers of his grandson, Husayn ibn Ali— and a separated larger military group led by Yazid I, leader of the Umayyad Caliphate.

This battle lasted one day, and is called the 10th of Muharram, or Ashura.

In the days leading up to this, Husayn (a.s)’s camp was surrounded, and Yazid’s military had blocked their access to the Euphrates, leaving the men, women and children without water for 10 days. Husayn (a.s)’s six-month-old son was killed while he held him.

The night of the 9th day, Husayn (a.s) told his men they had the choice to leave in the darkness of the night rather than face certain death the next morning, when battle came. None of them left. Husayn Ibn Ali’s companions consisted of 32 horsemen and 40 infantrymen. The battle was over by

the afternoon, with Husayn (a.s) left alone between enemies. He was executed in prayer.

The Umayyad then took the heads of the dead, and the women and children as prisoners in their walk from Karbala to Damascus. They were held hostage for a year, many dying of the conditions and of grief. Sukayna bint Husayn, Husayn (a.s)’s daughter, was one of the first to die of grief after she saw her father’s severed head.

A lot of people wonder why, 1,400 years later, Ahl al-Bayt are still mourned. Sheikh Ali Sbeiti recalled a saying from the prophet: “If you want to thank me, show respect and love for my family.” From a religious perspective, it’s as simple as that: you remember to keep the respect and love for the family of the prophet alive today.

My ten-year-old self didn’t know what Sunni, Shia, Christian, Jew, or whatever, meant. All I knew was that there was a family that was hated—oppressed because of different beliefs and views—and the leader of that family had stayed to fight that oppression. That alone should be reason enough for this story to be relevant today. We continue to fight many types of oppression such as ethnic, gender, geographical, and more.

“Such personalities don’t belong to Shia’s only,” said Sheikh Ali. “They belong to human value.”

This past Muharram, a woman on Twitter complained about a picture that depicted a child dressed in black wearing a headband that said 'Husayn'. “Child abuse,”

she tweeted. “For the sake of proving a sectarian point. Of course there will be extremism if from this age you throw at them extreme sectarianism.” As long as the story of Husayn (a.s) and his family is told in a considerate and calm way, there is nothing abusive about teaching children this story. The CCMM, for example, shares this story without the gruesome details.

Husayn (a.s)’s brother, Abbas Ibn Ali, went into enemy territory to bring back water to the camp because Husayn (a.s)’s daughter was thirsty. He did not drink any water in solidarity with his family, despite being parched. Those details are what should be taught to children: sacrifice, compassion and selflessness.

Chams Jaber, head organizer of the CCMM, said the centre focuses on activities that are engaging and educational to share the lessons of Husayn (a.s). “We learn about patience, and having no fear against oppression,” said Jaber. They hold activities such as the recreation of the battle as an art piece, where all the kids add to it while being told the story, she explained.

There are traits that historical figures pass along, and sometimes they happen to be timeless. Husayn’s teachings are relevant today, and Ashura is meant to honour that.

There really isn’t much else people need to take from this.

Writer’s note: the (a.s) after Husayn (a.s) means ‘peace be upon him’ and is a gesture of respect.

Graphic by @spooky_soda

arts

ARTS EDITOR /// arts@theconcordian.com CHLOË LALONDE

FILM REVIEW

New release Venom lacks bite Despite bad screenplay, Tom Hardy is the perfect Eddie Brock

Known for extreme violence, anti-hero Venom is portrayed with an unfitting sense of humour.

JASON LAM CONTRIBUTOR

Venom, the first spin-off in Sony’s SpiderMan universe without Spider-Man himself, was hindered by an inconsistent tone and slow pace, despite a stellar performance by Tom Hardy.

Venom tells the story of journalist Eddie Brock, played by Academy Award-nominated actor Tom Hardy. Following a scandal, Brock attempts to revive his journalism career by moving to San Francisco, where his girlfriend, District Attorney Ann Weying, lives. He begins investigating the Life Foundation, led by Carlton Drake (played by Riz Ahmed), who is secretly and illegally testing the relationship between humans and the alien species, the Symbiote.

However, when Brock comes into contact with one of the symbiotes, he acquires incredible superpowers and struggles to prevent the twisted being from controlling his body and committing murderous acts. This is how he becomes the anti-hero known as Venom. Drake also eventually bonds with another symbiote named Riot.

In the comics, Venom has a reputation for being an ultra-violent character who bites people’s heads off. One would think a movie about a character as violent as

Venom would be R-rated, but it isn’t. With Disney now owning Marvel, all movies must be PG-13, leaving out a handful of violent action scenes.

For a movie called Venom, there sure isn’t a lot of actual venom. The symbiote only takes over Brock's body 50 minutes into the movie and it happens too fast for the audience to see everything. The first real fight scene with Venom has him crack open a gas grenade, hiding his figure. Another fight scene, this time with Riot, goes by too fast for the audience to keep up. An R-rating could have solved this problem by giving the audience longer action scenes with more violence, while also showing Venom’s true nature. Additionally, Riot looks exactly like Venom—he is grey instead of black—making it hard to tell them apart during the fight scenes.

Another area where Venom falls short is the screenplay. As previously mentioned, the script takes too long to introduce the character and includes many forced gags.

Several awkward moments in the story feel as though the scenes are supposed to make the audience laugh and make fun of Brock.

This turns the dark comic book character into a goofball, hindering the tone the character is known for in favour of comedy.

The script is inconsistent, going from dark

to humourous in every other scene, further Overall, despite the bad screenplay, preventing character development and this is the movie to see for anyone looking simultaneously making you feel like you’re for a better adaptation of Topher Grace's watching two completely different films.

Spider-Man 3 Venom.

However, where the movie really shines Venom is currently playing in theatres. is Tom Hardy’s performance as Brock. For one, the character is a risk-taker. He went against his boss’s orders to ask a question that could destroy the Life Foundation. He ultimately paid the price for it; the Venom symbiote takes over his body, messes up his mind, convincing him to do bad things. Tom Hardy is the perfect Eddie Brock, as he balances his portrayal of a brave, demonic, alcoholic, crazy man. He understands Venom.

Riz Ahmed also delivers an excellent performance as Carlton Drake. Drake is a sadistic madman masquerading as an ambitious businessman who seeks to end all of the world’s problems. Ahmed balances these tones with ease and when Drake is taken over by Riot, he takes on another personality Tom Hardy is the perfect Eddie Brock; he balances without overacting. his portrayal of a brave, demonic, alcoholic, crazy man.

OCTOBER 9, 2018

Happening in and around the White Cube this week…

theconcordian

9

CAMPUS INITIATIVE

A safe space for all

The Art Hive is dedicated to students’ creative expression, without judgement

CHLOË LALONDE | ARTS EDITOR

LE POP UP GALERIE + VERNISSAGE AND LAUNCH PARTY New to Montreal’s art scene, Le pop up galerie + aims to showcase and help promote the work of local emerging artists. Open from Fridays to Sundays, their first exhibition includes work from seven abstract painters.

Le pop up galerie + is also available for shortterm rentals and one-night events, including pop-up shops and exhibitions.

When: Oct. 12, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Where: 3915 St-Denis St. Admission is free.

CANADIAN ART THERAPY ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE Featuring over 70 workshops by Canadian and international presenters, this year’s art therapy conference revolves around “mending what is broken.” The conference will kick off with a vernissage for The Nature of Art Therapy on Friday, Oct. 12 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the St-Henri Art Hive (4525 St-Jacques St.). Indigenous art, heuristic art, phototherapy and basket weaving are among the many workshops and panels scheduled throughout the weekend.

For more information and to register, visit www.canadianarttherapy.org/conference/ When: Oct. 12 to Oct. 14 Where: Various locations on and off campus

BREATHING SOLILOQUY Concordia theatre and set design graduate Delia Yuan is exhibiting detailed cut-paper and mixed-media portraits and landscapes which explore rays of light within devastation, suffering and hopelessness.

When: Now until Oct. 29.

Where: Georges-Vanier Cultural Centre, 2450 Workman St. Admission is free.

PLI.É The french verb plier refers to the action of folding an object; it is also the name of a classical dance movement. The PLI.É Project showcases 14 dancers from six renowned international dance companies wearing hand-folded paper dresses. Paper artist Pauline Loctin, also known as Miss Cloudy, and classical ballet dancer Melika Dez join forces to exhibit more than 50 photographs and paper creations from this series.

When: Now until Nov. 4 Where: Ausgang Plaza, 6524 St-Hubert St. Admission is free.

Graphic by Ana Bilokin.

Concordia’s Art Hive provides a space for people to remove themselves from their coursework and take time to relax, be creative and work without an agenda or a deadline. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

DAISY DUNCAN ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR

Art Hive at the Zen Den in the university’s Counselling and Psychological Services department space. The space works to give visitors a calm, comfortable environment Creation, self-care, and skill-sharing— to decompress and practice mindfulness, Concordia’s Art Hive provides a serene while also having support and staff on-hand environment where everyone can create. for those who are struggling or simply Run by the school’s creative art therapy need some support. students, this space provides students The mental wellness aspect of the and the university’s community with a Art Hive is another major component of place to relax, decompress and work the organization and what it can provide with a variety of creative materials. The to the community. As students, mental Art Hive works to provide an inclusive health—which can be affected by stress, space for the community, with the anxiety and feeling overwhelmed—can be intention to connect, share skills and a prominent concern. It’s not always easy create. or accessible for students to reach out or There are a variety of Art Hives located receive help for these concerns. It is also across Montreal, which provide commuoften difficult to acknowledge the need for nity connection and artistic resources to extra support. This space has direct ties to varied neighbourhoods throughout the therapeutic practices and removes some of city. Concordia’s very own Hive is free, the potentially daunting aspects of reaching open to all, and wheelchair accessible. It out for help, while still working to provide also works with the university’s Centre a form of relief or aid through its format.

For Creative Reuse (CUCCR) to provide The accessibility of the Hive comes into recycled and reused materials, creating play here-everyone is welcome. a sustainable foundation for art-making.

The Art Hive is also just an enjoyable Rachel Chainey, the Art Hive Network place to be. While there plenty of benefits national coordinator, said, “This space is tied to wellbeing, mental health and student dedicated to students’ creative expression, life, the space also provides an environment without judgement, whether they have to create, experiment and connect with previous experience with the arts or not. others. With its inclusivity, accessibility Students use it for self care in periods of and flexibility, the Art Hive truly provides a academic stress, to work on creative school great space for the community. It can be a or community projects, or to meet other wonderful resource for students, addressing people from diverse backgrounds around and acknowledging a variety of needs and a constructive activity." working to provide Its location within a comfortable space a university arguably for all. heightens the signifiThe Art Hive is cance and value of the open on Mondays Art Hive’s mandates from 12 p.m. to and resources. In an 4 p.m. and on academic environThursdays from 4 ment that generates a p.m. to 8 p.m. on lot of stress, intensity the 5th floor of the and focus on producEV building. The tivity, the Art Hive Pop Up Art Hive provides a space for at the Zen Den is people to remove open from 1 p.m. themselves from that Concordia’s Art Hive works with CUCCR to provide recycled and reused materials, to 3 p.m. every environment and creating a sustainable foundation for art-making.

Photo by Mackenzie Lad. other Tuesday. take time to relax, be creative and work without an agenda or a deadline.

The Art Hive is for people of all disciplines, whether fine arts or any other department of study. Artistic spaces can often be intimidating and may appear or act as an exclusive environment, deterring some from becoming involved. The Art Hive is a resource specifically for the community, and its mandates work to make sure it is inclusive, accessible and comfortable for all.

For those who are experienced in fine arts, the Art Hive provides a more relaxed space to create and practice a craft, contrasting with the typical academic format of deadlines, critiques and specific criteria.

Instead, students can create without these pressures and perhaps find further inspiration for their other work. In studying fine arts and creating work exclusively for a curriculum to be graded, the magic and joy in art can be lost, to a certain extent. By providing an environment specifically for the wellbeing of the community, with no structure or need for a specific finished product, fine arts students can once again find their passion and inspiration, or just create artwork in a space focused on providing peacefulness and freedom for all.

With ties to art therapy, the Art Hive uses creation as a therapeutic practice.

Along with its regular scheduling and space, the Art Hive also offers a Pop Up

10 theconcordian

OCTOBER 9, 2018

EXHIBITION

Inner and outer worlds collide

The artistic meets the spiritual in a Concordia graduate’s first solo exhibition YOUMNA EL HALABI STAFF WRITER After showcasing a collection of his work with FEAT Management from late August to mid September, Alex Coma took up an entire gallery for the first time in his artistic career. From Sept.

26 to 30, Coma’s first-ever solo exhibition, Inner, Outer World,was on display at Le Livart Gallery on St-Denis St. “It’s amazing to have all the creative direction,” Coma said. “I could just arrive here with my work and create my own world. In a collective, you don’t have this control.”

Even though the responsibilities of a solo show often weighed on him—especially the stress of getting the installation and art works set up on time—none of it mattered once the show began. “At the end of the day, it really was worth it to do it all on my own, because I could curate every bit of it,” he said. “I’m really happy to have put my whole vision to life.”

Coma’s work engulfs viewers and forces them to look within themselves to understand the world.

“I wanted to inspire people to dig in their inner worlds,” Coma explained.

“To find out how much of what goes on inside your mind has a direct influence on your outer world, or how you experience life.”

Before deciding on the name, Inner, Outer World, Coma brainstormed several ideas. The exhibition was almost going to be named Macrocosm and Microcosm. Either way, Coma said, the names would have been a perfect fit to his theme. Inner, Outer World stems from an ancient philosophy close to the artist’s heart: the belief that the outer and inner worlds are connected, if not the same. He said he believes the same energy produced by stars and planets is present in our inner selves.

When walking among his collection, it is inevitable to witness Coma’s personal journey through spirituality and his evolution as a painter. Initially, Coma’s chosen practice was not painting, but photography.

After graduating from Concordia in 2014 with a bachelor’s in fine arts, majoring in photography, he became engrossed in

Venus Fruit welcomed visitors to Alex Coma's first solo exhibition. Photo by Youmna El Halabi. the art of painting. He said the medium allowed him to express his passion for quantum physics, philosophy and esoteric themes in a far better way.

“This series [is] my evolution to time, to knowledge, through also mastering the painting techniques,” Coma said.

“You can clearly see the evolution from the beginning which is just me wanting to do the series, to the second [painting] which is bringing everything from the first one to consciousness, to the last one to wrap up the six other paintings into one, to wrap up and collect everything I learned through my journey in spirituality.”

Inner, Outer World starts off with a preview from Coma’s next collection, with a piece called Venus Fruit. Just under it, a deck of tarot/business cards are scattered on a high table for the audience to choose from and get a peek at their inner worlds.

Following this welcoming set-up is a collection of Coma’s photographs taken in 2014 and printed on large canvases.

“So after the tarot cards, you get the photos and get a journey through time; my evolution from photography to the paintings at the end of the corridor,” Coma described.

According to the artist, the series aims to present the viewer with steps leading to recovery and spiritual enlightenment. Coma believes that one must identify one’s problem in order to be more aware of it and begin walking the path of recovery. The culminating point of this journey is expressed in Coma’s last painting, exploring the spiritual depth one eventually acquires to grow out of the soil they are stuck in.

When asked if his previous collection, Wormhole, had any relation to the work presented at Le Livart, Coma nodded eagerly.

“ Wormhole was in the beginning of my career, my spiritual evolution,” he said. “For me, I started with the scientific world because it was accessible, and my evolution brought me to question more through spirituality. [The pieces in Wormhole and Inner, Outer World] are all linked to my personal journey as an artist, a human being.”

In parting words, Coma expressed his gratitude and how he is proud of the progress he has made as an artist. He revealed that committing full-time to his art and tackling the obstacles that follow makes his solo show that much more worth it. “It’s a big evolution for me,” he said. “This show is like the completion of a major cycle in my life.”

Coma is working on another solo exhibition set for January 2019.

Initially, Coma’s chosen practice was not painting, but photography. This piece is called House & Dark Summer Night. Photo by Youmna El Halabi.

Coma hopes his work will encourage viewers to look deep within themselves to understand the world. Enigmatic Universe painted by Alex Coma. Photo by Youmna El Halabi.

music

MUSIC EDITOR /// music@theconcordian.com SIMON NEW

Quickspin

SHOW REVIEW

88rising turns up the heat

LIL WAYNE

Asian-American rap label establishes itself in hip hop culture

Tha Carter V (Young Money, UMG, Republic)

Joji taking MTELUS to new heights. Photo by Chen Duan.

CHEN DUAN CONTRIBUTOR 88rising, stylized 88⬆, landed in Montreal on Oct. 1 for the fourth pit-stop on their new 88 Degrees & Rising Tour. Spanning 18 cities, this is the band’s first tour across North America since the release of their compilation album Head in the Clouds , on July 20. Clouds played towards—and some would say capitalized on—a “midsummer” feeling. With warm and energetic sounds, 88rising made a colourful summer album that is as playful as it is popular, with their track "Midsummer Madness" reaching 37 million streams on Spotify since its release.

Characterizing 88rising isn’t an easy task.

Founder Sean Miyashiro has emphasized the group’s diverse array of functions such as acting as a record label, serving as a marketing engine primarily for Asian artists and media production. From representing hip hop artists such as Higher Brothers and Rich Brian, to the more genre-ambiguous music of Joji and NIKI, to making videos and putting on concerts, 88rising is an interesting entity, regardless of definition.

What makes 88rising so interesting in its ascent into the mainstream is how pertinent the discussion of Asian representation is in western media. At a time where representation is so central to our globalized cultural milieu, 88rising finds itself both speaking to, and speaking for Asian expats and immigrants, and for those back in the mainlands.

The crowd stood in the dark, being softly lit by the golden, glowing outline of 88rising.

It was quite stirring to see such diversity in the crowd, evidence that 88rising had connected on a cultural level to many of those present. Japanese hip hop artist KOHH and Chinese rap boyband Higher Brothers got the crowd jumping with material that

wasn’t necessarily in their native language.

The crew performed viral tracks such as "It G Ma", in which KOHH is featured rapping in Korean alongside Keith Ape who raps in Japanese, and "Made in China" by the Higher Brothers which neatly blends a mix of English and Mandarin. It was abundantly clear that the energy 88rising brought with them transcended language barriers. The soft sounds of NIKI and Joji cut in between the more hip hop-oriented members of 88rising revealed a crowd that swayed as swiftly and gracefully as they had moshed aggressively to the genre-bending beats of Rich Brian.

The artists let their personalities speak out unapologetically. Rich Brian’s background visuals during his set spoke to his old roots on YouTube and in comedy as a young Brian Immanuel. He included closeups of his face with expressions that were equal parts painful and hilarious. Joji’s arresting lyrics were perhaps best captured when he poignantly asked the audience, “Are you sad tonight?” NIKI set an aspiring agenda to remind us to move forward in her song "Warpaint." The Higher Brothers straight up set the stage on fire.

88rising raises compelling questions concerning culture and context—are there elements of cultural appropriation in what they do? This is difficult to answer. Consider Rich Brian—at age 15, homeschooled and a comedian, taught himself to speak English by listening to hip hop and watching YouTube videos. By this metric, Rich Brian was raised by hip hop. Nonetheless, what is he standing to gain as an Asian artist engaging in the culture of a historically black art form?

88rising is starting to embed itself as a deep influence in a new demographic of hip hop fans, one that is inclusive of Asian people from all over the world. Is it apt to suggest that, as we become more globalized, cultural emphasis will be placed, not on where one is from, but instead shift towards caring about

what people share or have in common? This is a pleasant sentiment. These artists are making music influenced by the music they feel a connection to, inspired by their own journeys—just like every artist.

There is an honesty to 88rising that addresses the visibility of Asian influence in hip hop and in western pop music culture more generally. 88rising will remain in the conversation as a pioneer in its fusion of eastern and western influences and audiences. The question remains—where will they try to lead this culture?

At this point in his career Lil Wayne has nothing left to prove. He is a pop culture icon and a hip hop legend. Yet, he is at the top of his game, delivering his best album in over a decade. In many ways, Tha Carter V feels like a victory lap for one of the genre’s greats.

Moments like “Dedicate” showcase vintage Wayne, while songs like “Let It Fly” see him exploring more contemporary sounds. Wayne’s content is also more mature throughout this album, with some of his most personal and introspective tracks to date. Moments like ”Famous” and “Open Letter” see him reflecting on the ups and downs he’s experienced in his life and career. This album’s only detriment is its 90-minute runtime, but it’s not enough to bring it down as a whole. Tha Carter V is Wayne’s return to form and is well worth the wait.

11 Trial Track: “Uproar”

8/10 — WESLEY MCLEAN, STAFF WRITER

Rich Brian, from homeschool to hip hop. Photo by Chen Duan.

12

theconcordian

OCTOBER 9, 2018

SHOW REVIEW

Local hip hop talent perform at POP musical showcase Montreal show hosts emerging and established artists in the city’s hip hop scene IMMANUEL MATTHEWS ASSISTANT MUSIC EDITOR With a multitude of local artists sprouting up left and right seemingly every week, it’s as though creativity and inspiration run through the veins of every person trying to make a name for themselves in Montreal.

On Sept. 29, Théâtre Fairmount was the space for the city's latest showcase of talent and potential, which displayed some already-established success stories. Local clothing brand and creative movement, Affiliate, was able to merge two worlds by including both anglophone and francophone artists in one show.

Samuel Shiffman and Lyall Johnson, the 17-year-old masterminds behind Affiliate, are using the creative drive around them to ignite a flame under Montreal’s already brewing hip hop movement.

Not much tops an amazing live performance where talented artists leave everything they have on stage in front of a packed crowd.

The show began with Young Rose, who had an ultra-short set of about five minutes, though clearly demonstrating his melodic capabilities and smooth vocals. After his performance came Lord Kitamba, R&B crooner and charming showman. From the second he set foot on stage, his relaxed, charismatic energy let off an air of poise and authenticity. His Bruno Mars-esque dance moves were definitely one of the highlights of the night.

Following Kitamba came Montrealways to cap off the R&B section of the show.

With a musical vibe uncannily similar to that of R&B singer Jhené AIko, the up-and-coming Montreal singer’s powerful yet feathery vocals added her name to Montreal’s list of rising stars.

The Fairmount’s stage is simple—less than five feet off the ground and set against the back wall of the 500-person capacity room. The tight-knit layout of the venue made for an intense, personal environment, which amplified each artist’s unique performance.

Immediately following Montrealways came the only group of the night—hip hop/trap collective The Grey Era (TGE).

Consisting of members TGETruth, TGEMarx, Kade, TGERambo, and in-house producer Thirty, the group fed off each other’s energy for the duration of their set—the longest of the night. With all five members

Husser spitting some bars. Photo by Immanuel Matthews.

on stage at all times, the crowd fed off of their dynamic stage presence, moving along to each beat that came on.

“I think I can say that we’ve already kind of built a name for ourselves in the city as artists,” said TGETruth.

From splashing water to exchanging dance moves with the crowd, TGE’s performance created an infectious atmosphere of high intensity and catchy tracks—all the key components of a successful hip hop group today.

TGE, who clearly have their sights set on fame and fortune, told The Concordian that the word “Grey” in their name stands for “Getting Richer Every Year.” With new music expected to be released in the coming months, this certainly won’t be the last we’ll be hearing about the collective.

“TGE is the wave,” TGEMarx said.

Following TGE’s lively performance, the venue filled to the brim. With 450 people present, the venue was 50 short of its legal capacity, making for an unavoidably tight, sweaty crowd.

The demographic at the collaborative event was mixed, as it was open to all ages. Everyone from highschool girls to middle-aged parents could be found scattered throughout the venue.

After TGE’s performance, the only francophone rapper in the show’s lineup, Salimo, took the stage. The Montreal

rapper of Algerian descent delivered a unique, captivating set. Effortlessly switching between delivering authentic, autobiographical bars and belting flowing hooks, Salimo had the crowd dancing and bopping their heads to the beat.

This past summer, the 18-year-old rapper’s talents were put on display when he was invited to perform at the Les Francofolies de Montreal, an annual music festival. His fanbase was clearly present at the Affiliate show, as the crowd cheered with the start of his first song.

After Salimo’s performance came the main event of the night—a joint set between Tommy Kruise and Nate Husser.

It ended the night with a bang from two of Montreal’s most notable hip hop artists.

Kruise DJed for Husser, whose entourage joined him on stage. Though they didn’t have a mic, their energy was enough to rub off on frontman Husser, who lost most of his wardrobe as his set progressed. He seemed to gain more momentum with every article of clothing that came off.

Husser performed some of his most popular, lively tracks, including “How to Get Away With” and “High for This.”

Kruise mixed and chimed in every so often, pumping up the crowd and adding his personal touch from the DJ table at the back of the stage.

A few minutes into Kruise and Husser’s

set, TGE made their way onto the stage, forming a mega-squad with everyone dancing together and hyping each other up. No introductions were needed, as TGERambo is Husser’s younger brother.

Musical talent must run in the family.

In the end, there were no less than 12 people on stage, from Kruise and Husser, to the photographers, to TGE—both the crowd and the stage turned into a party.

When asked about his feelings going into the show, Husser kept it short and sweet.

“I don’t go into shows with expectations. I just do,” Husser said. “But this show was lit.”

The show ended with a DJ set by Kruise, who played music exclusively from Montreal artists.

“A couple of years ago, it would have been hard for me to play nothing but Montreal music for an hour and a half and fully enjoy myself,” Kruise said. “Montreal is booming with talent right now and I don't think we've ever felt it like this.”

As for the two young entrepreneurs who spearheaded the show, they believe this is only the beginning of a deep, long journey into the world of music performing and creative connection “We want to produce more shows and discover new artists that we can help and support,” said Shiffman. “Who knows, maybe we can even create our own festival.

There’s more to come from us for sure.”

Salimo representing for francophone rappers. Photo by Immanuel Matthews.

Tommy Kruise locked in. Photo by Immanuel Matthews.

sports

SPORTS EDITOR /// sports@theconcordian.com NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI ( @n_digiovanni)

PHOTO ESSAY

Going back in time We recently dug through The Concordian ’s archive room and found these photos NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI SPORTS EDITOR

Goalie Ka re n K A w a rd a s O utstaane re c eive d the [198 5 -8 6] Sally Ke nd in g Fe m a mp Pho to b y Vla d im irle A th le te of th e Ye a r.

Pa vl ic ik .

After a pitch meeting last spring, some of our staff spent an afternoon looking through old files in our messy archive room. We got to see what our newspaper looked like back when when it was the leading news source for Concordia students. We also discovered a pile of old sports photos from the days when pictures were developed and printed—crazy right? Here are some of the best (old) sports pictures from past photographers.

Water polo at the 1993 -94 Com merc e Gam es.

a m w on trop hi e s. te ll a b ot fo e th n Whe t.

Pho to b y F. Pou lio

Ho ck ey fa n - I ha ve so ma ny qu es tio ns .

From left to right: Mike Sulliva n, Pat Sulliva n, Serge Marcil, Victor Zilberman, Gary Kallos, Graham Wadswell.

Zilberman is still coach of the Stingers wrestling team.

The 19 90 s. Pho to b y Ally so n Gilpin.

.

The Concordia -M cGill rivalry is a timeless one Photo by Tom Ha nson.

Rugby - But where were they playing?

14 theconcordian

OCTOBER 9, 2018

PROFILE

Sports journalism hasn’t changed

Former Expos reporter Danny Gallagher talks new book set to be released on Oct. 13

BEN FRASER STAFF WRITER The Montreal Expos remain a prominent team in the rich history of Canadian baseball.

They were was once regarded as Canada’s team—from their first season in 1969 until the Toronto Blue Jays joined the MLB in 1977. The Expos left Montreal in 2004 for Washington, D.C. and significantly changed the way Montrealers viewed baseball for years to come.

While the Expos still called Olympic Stadium home, Danny Gallagher was one of the people behind the team’s media coverage as a beat writer for the Montreal Daily News.

Once the Expos became the Washington Nationals, he remained an active figure in the preservation of the team’s history.

Gallagher has written five books about the Expos, including his most recent project Blue Monday: The Expos, The Dodgers and the Home Run That Changed Everything.

Gallagher grew up in Douglas, Ont., and played adult baseball for the team in nearby Eganville. His team was appropriately named the “Eganville Expos,” and he began to see what having a competitive MLB team in Canada in the late 1970s did for the sport.

“In 1979, that’s when baseball fever in Montreal really started to [pick up steam],” Gallagher said. “Fans started to realize they had a good team to cheer for.”

When it was all but confirmed that the Expos would leave, Gallagher said Montreal entered a period of serious disinterest in the sport from 2004 to 2012. When Expos Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter died in 2012, it brought attention to the team again. Gallagher credits Warren Cromartie, an Expos outfielder from 1974-83, for reigniting interest after Carter’s death.

“[Cromartie] grabbed the bull by the horns,” Gallagher said. In 2012, Cromartie created the Montreal Baseball Project, a group aiming to bring a team back to Montreal, and held alumni events for the 1981 and 1994 Expos teams. The 1981 Expos were the only team in franchise history to make the playoffs, finishing in second place in the division, while the 1994 team had a league-best 74-40 record before the MLB shut down the rest of the season for a strike.

“Without Cromartie, I don’t think that [a possible return of Montreal baseball] would be that significant,” Gallagher added.

Gallagher covered the Expos when newspapers were still prominent. When asked if he thought that the way sports writers cover games has changed since his time, he had a simple answer: “I don’t think so.” However, he said the digital age has impacted sports journalism in some way.

“Sports writers and broadcasters use social media a lot to break their stories,” Gallagher said. “In 1988, there was no such thing as social media, and no internet [...] I can’t honestly say [the way writers cover the game] has changed.”

Having covered the Expos from 1988 until they left in 2004, Gallagher witnessed everything the Expos went through. He saw their best season in 1994, and their downfall just 10 years later. Gallagher said there were a number of factors that led to the Expos leaving, from trading most of their stars in 1995 following the lock-out, to the incredibly poor ownership group in the late 1990s, and to the refusal to build a new ballpark when one was desperately needed in 1998. Even though the Expos’s attendance fell below 15,000 fans per game in its final years, Gallagher said the team didn’t leave because of a lack of fans. “[Major League

Baseball] gave up on Montreal, rather than the opposite.”

Despite an uncertainty of baseball returning to Montreal, Gallagher still maintains that Canadian baseball is going strong, and that is because of the Blue Jays remaining in Toronto.

Danny Gallagher’s latest book, Blue Monday: The Expos, the Dodgers, and the Home Run That Changed Everything, hits stores on Oct. 13. Gallagher will be signing copies that day at Peel Pub, and at Indigo on St-Catherine St. the following day.

Danny Gallagher holds his new book, Blue Monday, which will be published Oct. 13.

Photo courtesy of Danny Gallagher.

BASKETBALL

Coaches evaluate teams at tournament Stingers host annual Concordia Classic ahead of season-opener on Nov. 8 ERIC BEAUDOIN ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR The Concordia Stingers hosted the annual Concordia Classic Basketball Tournament this past weekend, from Oct. 5 to 7. Both the men’s and women’s Stingers teams played three games in preparation for the season-opener on Nov. 8.

In the men’s tournament, the Uni ver sit y of Water lo o, Ac adia University and the University of Regina played. There were also three teams besides the Stingers on the women’s side: University of Prince Edward Island, Laurentian University and Memorial University.

B o t h t h e m e n a n d w o m e n 's Stingers teams won the round-robin tournament.

The Concordian spoke with Rastko Popovic, head coach of the men’s teamand Tenicha Git tens of the women's team before the tournament.

Both coaches used the games to evaluate their rosters for the season.

“There’s a lot of different factors to deal with,” said Popovic regarding the initial roster for the tournament. “It’s an exhibition and non-conference game, so we’ll see what we can learn.”

Popovic also said he wanted first-years to get some playing time to evaluate them.

“For those first-year guys, you just expect them to go out there and play hard,” Popovic added. “They’re going to make mistakes but it’s important to get experience and playing time.”

On the women’s side, Gittens has been focused on defence during training camp,

2017-18 rookie of the year Coralie Dumont got her Stingers debut at last year’s Concordia Classic. Archive photo by Alex Hutchins.

and that didn’t change this weekend.

“Right at this point, it’s the same approach as the summertime,” Gittens said. “It’s not the time already to revamp anything or scrap our whole [game plan]. Nothing is final for our lineup and the players have to prove to me they deserve to be there.”

Gittens also wanted to make sure her players used this tournament to feel comfortable at home, and as a way of preparing to defend their home court come the regular season.

“This is our house,” she said. “We have to win those games we’re supposed to win. We always talk about it, we have to protect our house.”

For the men’s team, Popovic was not able to use his full roster due to injuries that are already plaguing the lineup.

“We’re not going to be at full strength until around Christmas,” Popovic said. “We’ll have a much better idea then and be able to play some different lineups. It’ll definitely help us see where we stand before the season starts.”

OCTOBER 9, 2018

PROFILE

Crediting teammates for his success Rugby centre Charles Debove enjoys winning with the Stingers

Debove missed most of the 2016 season with an ACL injury in his left knee. Photo by Hannah Ewen.

ALEC BRIDEAU STAFF WRITER The centre position in any sport is crucial.

The player occupying this role must be as involved offensively as defensively. Charles Debove is that centre on the Concordia Stingers men’s rugby team.

“He’s like the father of the group,” said Stingers head coach Craig Beemer about Debove. “I don’t even think we’ve remotely come close to seeing the best of what Charles has to offer this year, which is obviously a compliment to him.”

Debove, originally from Nice, France, is in his fourth year with the Stingers and fully enjoys his experience.

“This picture says everything,” Debove said, pointing at his team leaving the field after their third win of the 2018-19 Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) season on Sept. 28.

Debove’s first two years with the Stingers were challenging due to injuries and coaching changes. A torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his left knee forced the centre to miss most of the 2016-17 season. According to RSEQ statistics, Debove was limited to two games that year, finishing his season without a point. The Stingers went 1-6 that year and allowed 243 points, the most in the league.

“I went back to training for six months before getting back for my first game,” Debove said. “It was super stressful. The contact was hard in my first game back because I wasn’t used to contact anymore.

That’s rugby. If you didn’t play for six months ,you’ll feel it a lot.”

The 2017-18 Stingers season was nothing like their previous one. They won all their regular-season and playoff games before winning the RSEQ title. They lost to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds and the McMaster Marauders in the national championship. According to Debove, last season served as a learning experience for what’s ahead this year.

“That’s where it all started,” Debove said.

“For sure, we faced two major forces in Canadian rugby. It was hard for us because we were not ready, but now we are and that’s our goal. We try to see further while remaining humble and as competitive as we were last year.”

Debove was a big part of last year’s

success. Finishing the RSEQ season with nine tries and 45 points, he was named game MVP three times. He was also recognized for his performances, earning the RSEQ MVP in men’s rugby and being named in the RSEQ’s first all-star team. For the France native, his teammates have a lot to do with his success on the field.

“I can’t talk for myself,” Debove said. “I must talk for my team because they are the ones who make me shine. We help out each other and that’s how we win games.

The three times I got the MVP last season, I was just playing my game. However, it’s still a team game.”

“They’ve really put me in easy situations,” he added. “We also have a system that is really expanded, so it gives us a lot of spaces and options.”

Debove still admits he was honoured to received the awards last season.

“I just think I gave my best last year,” Debove said. “It was cool to receive this RSEQ’s league MVP. It was a great honour.”

Debove spends a lot of time with his teammates, and he cherishes those moments. He explained that, even off the field, he is always with at least one other teammate.

“We’re here together like five times a week,” Debove said. “This is something we can’t find with another team, or with our provincial teams.”

“We also watch videos because we’re doing this seven days a week since we’re in the season,” he added. “After, we learn from it and adjust because everybody knows our plays.

We always need to adapt and change things.”

According to Debove, these efforts are essential if the Stingers want to achieve more success than last year.

“We need to be prepared for what’s coming,” he said. “We first need to win the RSEQ title, and then we go to the nationals.

It’s in the way, but we need to complete all the steps.”

So far this season, Debove has three tries in four games. The Stingers are currently ranked first in the league with a 4-0 record.

Charles Debove (centre, holding ball) won the team’s and league’s MVP title last season. Photo by Hannah Ewen.

Debove makes a tackle during the Stingers game against the Carabins on Sept. 28. Photo by Hannah Ewen.

theconcordian

15

COLOUR COMMENTARY WITH NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI In a preseason NHL game between the Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues on Sept. 30, Capitals for ward Tom W ilson re ceived a match penalty for a hit on Oskar Sundqvist. Sundqvist crossed the blue line into the Capitals’s zone when Wilson levelled him with an open-ice blindside hit to the head.

Sundqvist left the game with facial injuries and has not returned to play since.

On Oct. 3, Wilson received a 20-game suspension from the NHL, which he is appealing. This is Wilson’s fourth suspension in his career, which all came in the past year. His last suspension was during last season’s playoffs, when he received three games for another hit to the head, leaving Pittsburgh’s Zach AstonReese with a broken jaw.

I applaud the NHL’s effort to remove dangerous hits to the head from the game. The league is sending a clear message: you can’t be head-hunting your opponents anymore.

Hockey has historically been a violent sport. It’s the only sport besides boxing and mixed martial arts where you’re actually allowed fighting. Hockey in the late 20th centur y practically sold itself through violence to American fans.

According to Drop Your Gloves, there were 1,100 fights during the 1987-88 regular season, an average of 1.10 per game. Last season, that number was only 322 f ights , or 0.25 per game.

Knowing the dangers of violent actions, the league has been steadily improving player safety in recent years. Owners see players as an opportunity to generate money, so they can’t afford to have them out of play with concussions. The league’s department of player safety started giving stricter punishment for hits to the head after the 2010-11 season, and a concussion protocol was implemented in 2016.

As a fan, I’m sick and tired of seeing players lay on the ice unconscious. The effects of a concussion go way beyond a player’s career, so why are players still going after their opponents’ head? Hopefully this suspension will make them think twice before going elbowfirst into a hit.

When the suspension was announced, I saw comment s on social media claiming the NHL has changed, and it’s not what it used to be (i.e. 1980s fight club hockey).

Do fans seriously want to see a type of hockey that could ruin people’s li ve s? U nfo r tu n ate ly fo r th e m , hockey is changing for the better.

I would rather watch an NHL that benefits from skilled players and leaves fighters out of it.

There’s something wrong with people who enjoy seeing players hurt.

That’s not what sports are about.

opinions OPINIONS EDITOR /// opinions@theconcordian.com SANIA MALIK

EDITORIAL

The complexities behind the legalization of marijuana Marijuana legalization is on the horizon.

The people have spoken, and as of Oct. 17 they’ll be tokin’. Yet, the legalization process is more complex than simply lifting the ban on getting high; the way it is executed can mean the difference between freedom for citizens and more centralized state power.

Policing marijuana and other substances has been a method of controlling populations—particularly by criminalizing certain groups—for a long time. Enforcing substance laws is often used as a tool by powerful groups to further their goals. This often invokes keeping poor people, racial and gender minorities, and other disenfranchised groups at the lowest of our class structure.

The way the war on drugs campaign started proves this. As admitted by Richard Nixon’s former assistant to the president for domestic affairs John Ehrlichman, “We knew we couldn't make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin. And then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities.” This is pretty clear evidence that the prohibition of marijuana is not about any moral issues with consumption of the drug.

So legalizing marijuana is clearly a good thing, because it’s a step toward ending arbitrary means of state control.

This is the stance that was taken by the Bloc Pot political party in the recent Quebec

election. Their main platform highlighted the prohibition of marijuana as a tool for the state to control and disempower its citizens. While they are in support of legalizing marijuana, they point out the problems with governments controlling that legalization process. The party also advocates for marijuana to be left out of the Criminal Code and the Canadian government's control completely.

Quebec premier François Legault of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) will soon have to confront the task of implementing marijuana legalization in Quebec. One of the stipulations in his legalization plan is bumping the legal age from 18 (as was previously intended) up to 21. How he implements and regulates the rest of the law will affect more than just the minute details around buying

weed; it could be the difference between maintaining oppressive social structures or granting people autonomy.

Legault, who ran on the promise of reducing immigration in Quebec by one fifth and imposing a “Quebec values” test on immigrants, doesn’t have the greatest track record with minorities. The CAQ’s immigration policies are outside the realm of marijuana legalization, but the reality is that generating and maintaining laws about personal issues like consuming marijuana only lends more power to the state to intervene in people’s lives. As essayist Jackie Wang argued in her book, Carceral Capitalism, right-wingers and neoliberals only want reduced state control until it involves policing the lives of minorities—a contradiction no doubt. It is likely that even as marijuana is legalized, it will still be heavily policed/ regulated, which will disproportionately affect minority communities. Therefore, we will need to pay attention to the details surrounding legalization and make our voices heard if they are unjust.

The legalization of marijuana will not dissolve problematic structures in society any more than it will cure cancer, but leaving the police out of as many parts of our lives as possible is something that is in the best interest of the vulnerable members of our society, and thus something we should all strive for.

Graphic by @spooky_soda

IMMIGRATION

How many migrants can the world manage?

Considering the concrete facts about migration, the United States’s actions don’t line up OLIVIA SALEMBIER CONTRIBUTOR In most of our lives, the topic of migration is usually accompanied by the word “crisis.”

There is no denying that a growing number of environmental, political and economic factors are pressuring more people to displace themselves. However, I believe the world is entirely capable of supporting an increase in human movement. The reason why the current migration situation is labeled as a crisis is because of countless nations’s inability to manage their borders and have proper systems in place to effectively and safely regulate human movement.

Currently, the planet hosts about 7.4 billion people, of which only 245 million people are considered migrants, making up only 3.3 per cent of the world's total population, according to the Pew Research Center. The current United States’s population is about 325 million, including more than 43 million immigrants, who account for 13.5 per cent of the country’s total population, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

The policies and institutional frameworks that allow immigrants to re-establish their lives elsewhere are easily controlled by a

state’s regime and judicial system. A state that does not accommodate migrants directly affects the dire situation these people face, especially in terms of human rights. The current border crisis between the United States and Mexico is a pressing case that demonstrates systematic institutional failures.

I believe there is a pressing problem with a regime that consistently produces discourse about the threat immigrants pose to national security, job security and the national budget. It normalizes sentiments of hate and discrimination. It also allows for such norms to be condoned through actions, leading to a lack of recognition of inherent human rights.

Take, for example, the case of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) unconstitutionally separating children from their parents. This was done without a proper framework in place to document adult migrants who were being detained.

It led to an inability to reunite separated families. Additionally, there was no system to establish where these unaccompanied minors would be kept, and in most cases, the initial intent was to send the minors to foster care. Between April and May alone, almost 2,000 children were separated from their families, according to Vox, likely leading to

intense emotional trauma for those separated.

The American justice system is also at the forefront of neglecting human rights, especially with regard to immigration. Immigration courts allow children, sometimes as young as three, to appear unaccompanied at their immigration proceedings. Let that sink in.

Given the age of these children, it is certain they don’t have a basic comprehension of immigration law.

Given that the United States’s current immigration laws and systems are not only harmful but also clearly not supporting international human rights, the question that must be considered is: Why has this been allowed to evolve? A common response would be that the American people resent immigrants.

However, many recent polls disprove this. Even in the midst of such harsh anti-immigrant rhetoric stemming from the current administration, multiple statistics show it has not affected Americans’ support of immigrants.

A recent Gallup poll

found that fears of immigrants bringing crime, taking jobs from native-born citizens and damaging a country’s budget and overall economy are at an all-time low.

Over 75 per cent of the respondents in 2018 believed immigration was a good thing for a country. The same poll also found that an overwhelming number of respondents believe immigrants are absolutely beneficial to the American economy. If this is the case and American citizens truly support immigrants, then why is the government not acting in the interests of its constituents?

Graphic by Ana Bilokin.

OCTOBER 9, 2018

theconcordian

17

LGBTQ+

We need to redefine 'woman' to reflect reality One student’s response to Barbara Kay’s misogynistic piece in the National Post

Graphic by @spooky_soda

MINA MAZUMDER ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Gender politics has been a hot topic for quite some time now. With the rise of controversial f igures such as Jordan Peterson and Ben Shapiro, people from the right-wing of the political spectrum have entertained their ideas, calling their comments “free speech” when they are clearly insulting someone’s identity. Barbara Kay, a columnist and former Concordia English literature professor, shares similar beliefs to these men.

In an article published in the National Post on Sept. 13, Kay used biological realit y as a weapon to blatantly d i s c r i m i n a t e a g a i n s t t r a n s ge n d e r activists. In the article, titled “Diluting the meaning of 'woman,' to appease transgender activists, is misogyny,” she argues that r adic al t r ans activists “are guilty of the worst form of misogyny in their ruthless campaign to erase from our thoughts the human female body as a unique life form.”

Kay’s perspective disrespects the trans women who tenaciously fight for their right to be recognized as equal to cisgender women. Kay ’s idea of

misogyny ignores the same misogyny that many trans women face on a daily basis just to operate as women in our s o c iet y. Tr ans ac t i v is t and ac t re s s Cassandra James shared her struggles with misogyny in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter saying, “I remember complaining to a co-worker of mine, who was a cis woman, about some of the [misog yny] I was experiencing , and she said, ‘Welcome. Welcome to what it means to be a woman.’” James’s experience is only a fragment of what thousands of trans women face including sexual assault, hostility, and cat-calling both in public and in the workplace.

In my opinion, Kay played selective feminism, as she willingly chose to ignore the complex misogyny that trans women face.

She only took into account the misogyny faced by cisgender women.

There is a fine line bet ween free speech and offensive speech. In Kay’s article, she criminalizes transgender individuals by presenting the anecdote of Karen White, a trans woman who sexually assaulted four women in a women’s prison after being sentenced to 18 months for the sexual abuse of a child. Kay reinforced the belief that

trans women are men who pretend to be women in order to sexually assault women and minors. She misled people to believe that we must be afraid of trans women because they are ‘wrongdoers.’

Promoting these types of ideas further marginalizes transgender individuals w h i le c re at i ng f u r t h e r s t i g m a a n d prejudice. We must not hold an entire group accountable for the actions of one individual, because it conveys to the public that transgender individuals are the same as child molesters.

Many individuals firmly disagree and call it “politicizing language” to consider trans women 'real' women.

T hey al s o argue t hat t r ans women are biologically male and, therefore, cannot be women. I believe language should be used to reflect reality. The word ‘woman’ was initially created to encompass only women who were born biologically female. Now that many trans women have disclosed their identity, it is important to redefine ‘woman’ to include trans women, and essentially, to bet ter reflect realit y. Since trans women identify and have always felt themselves to be women, I believe it is our duty to include them in that definition. This is important not only for social

inclusion, but also to reflect a subjective realit y t hat bot h c is gender women and transgender women experience.

There is clear scientific evidence that shows transgender individuals’ feelings of being born as the wrong biological sex. In an article titled “Biological origins of sexual orientation and gender identity: Impact on health” published

by PubMed, researchers confirm that “multiple layers of evidence confirm t hat se xual or ient at ion and gender identity are as biological, innate and immutable as the other traits conferred during [the first half of pregnancy].”

I believe the definition of 'woman' is a socially-driven term that refers to one’s gender identity, gender expression and gendered role in society.

The idea that gender is intrinsically connected to one’s biological sex is a false claim; many transgender, intersex or individuals with chromosomal abnormalities live as a different gender from their biological sex. Furthermore, there are many cisgender women who are infer tile or born with conditions where the vagina and uterus are either underdeveloped or absent.

Aren’t they women? Sorry Barbara, but women come in all shapes and sizes.

18

theconcordian

OCTOBER 9, 2018

PARTYING

Knowing when to skip the damn party

University lifestyles often promote binge drinking, but how do we know when to stop?

AMANDA KATHERINE VITARO STAFF WRITER In April 2017, I made the decision to take a break from partying. No more frantically clearing my schedule for an event in fear of missing out (FOMO). No more rushing to clubs at midnight, hoping to meet someone special on the dance floor. No more anxious cab rides holding in a queasy stomach. No more making excuses for an activity I never really enjoyed.

Of course, it took me years to realize I don’t actually like partying. I used to be one of those people who hyped my friends up; I’d hear an electronic dance music song on the radio during the day and remember a time the DJ dropped it at 2 a.m. Immediately, I’d get this overwhelming itch to gather everyone I knew on any dance floor.

Oh, and to drink half a bottle of spiced rum by myself.

T his w a s unt i l t h e d ay I f in all y accepte d t hat t his b ehav i o ur w a s squeezing the life out of me. From anxiety to disappointment, the majorit y of my nights always drifted into gloom. I mean, sure, there were those exceptional moments of hilarity, hype or authentic conversation that made me think going out that night was worth it. Those exceptions kept me coming back for more and, ultimately, had me

Graphic by Ana Bilokin

romanticizing a toxic lifestyle.

Partying is an integral activity in university culture, and for many, it’s a source of freedom. However, that’s not always the case. How could it be, when alcohol is a depressant, c l u b s a r e l o u d a n d c ro wd e d , a n d drunk actions are typically frivolous and forgotten? For old souls, pouring time and energy into a lifestyle that provides fleeting satisfaction is more draining than fulfilling.

If you’re constantly making excuses for the negative emotions you experience during or after a night out, I urge you to take a step back from partying.

Don’t overlook your feelings in the name of being “hungover,” or thinking that you’re simply “too sensitive.” Don’t blame a bad night on logistics, like a cheap venue or crappy weather—it’s quite possible that, like me, partying just doesn’t cut it for you.

One great way to assess whether

you should party less is to make a list of your top 10 life memories—moments you remember fondly and would relive in a hear tbeat. How many of them happ en e d dur ing a nig ht of binge drinking? If the answer is less than five, I’d say party in moderation; that list is proof you won’t be missing out.

If you’re still unsure, consider this: in 2014, a study about drinking habits around the world found there’s a whole slew of millennials who don’t actually enjoy binge drinking; and no, it’s not because they’re under some repressive religious or political regime. I’m talking about countries like France, Italy, Spain—places plenty of North American millennials dream of visiting. In these cultures, the majority of university students actually think drunkenness kind of sucks. The nausea, irreversible texts and embarrassing mishaps all make the idea of losing inhibition much less appealing. These m i l l e n n i a l s d o n ’ t o we e a c h o t h e r explanations as to why they ’re not overdoing it. They’re free to go to the party without actually partying.

How does one do that, you ask?

Well, here are a few tips: don’t stay out too late. Drink less. Go out with p e op le w h o like you w h en you’re sober; go out with people you like sober. And before going anywhere, ask yourself why you’re going. If FOMO is the reason, just skip the damn party.

VOTING

When you keep your voice quiet, don’t shout about results We shouldn’t be required by law to vote, but we should practice our duty as citizens

BEN FRASER STAFF WRITER Whether or not voting should be made mandator y has of ten been debated. While some believe that t h o s e w h o d o n’ t vote s h o u l d b e f ined, I disagree. A key tenet of western democracy is the right to vote. A right is something that is granted to those who live in any given society. According to the CIA World Factbook, 22 countries currently have it as law that you must vote. In Australia, one of the 22 , the government implements a $20 f ine for those who don’t vote in fe de ral e le c tio ns . H oweve r, ju st because you are afforded a right, does not mean you have to use it.

I n m y o p i n i o n , t h e g o ve r n m e n t forcing you to par ticipate in a vote goes against what f reedom means.

Voting isn’t a job—we vote because it is a right that was fought for, and to voice our opinion on how societ y work s. In the last Canadian federal election in October 2015, about 68 per cent of eligible Canadians participated in the vote, a notable increase from 2011, where just over 61 per cent participated, according to Global News.

In comparison, voter tur nout in the Au st r alian 20 16 ele c t ion w a s at 9 1

per cent, the lowest since mandator y voting was introduced in 1925, according to s ource s f rom t he Au st r alian g o ve r n m e nt ’s we b s i te . O b v i o u s l y, the forced voting produces a bigger turnout, and that is, in theor y, better for a democratic society.

The problem with mandatory voting is that it becomes less of a right and more of a demand. Do I want ever y single eligible C anadian to vote?

Absolutely—voting is, in my opinion, the most important aspect to maintaining a free society. However, when voting is no longer in our control, it defeats the purpose entirely.

I consider voting a democratic duty rather than a decision a government makes for you. In order to be a functioning member of society, you must participate in voting. If you are eligible to vote, and you choose not to, I believe you have no right to complain about who’s in charge of our government.

Since our confederation in 1867, according to several sources including Veteran Affairs, over 115,000 Canadians have died to not only defend our freedom to vote, but to ensure that millions around the globe can as well.

If your preferred candidate doesn’t win, at the end of the day, that is still democracy. If you fulfilled your duty as a citizen, your opinion matters just

as much as those who voted for the winning candidate. Become politically active and peacefully protest if you don’t like the actions of a politician.

As soon as you stop participating, you give the politician more power over you. I urge ever yone to vote, even if their political views differ from mine.

I would much rather have my political ideas challenged in a democratic society than have those ideas go unopposed.

I say this because that is what democGraphic by Ana Bilokin

racy is all about; groups of people with different opinions coming together, to make a countr y better. Is our system per fect? Of course not—politics is a messy business, but when you don’t participate, it encourages corruption.

When people don’t vote, I believe they shouldn’t be upset that their opinion isn’t taken seriously. When you choose to not vote, you are just as responsible for passing that law, as the hand that signs the bill.

etc

FEATURED CONCORDIA ARTIST

MALAIKA ASTORGA My name is Malaika, I’m an illustrator, music-video-maker, and the Creative Director of Pink Things Magazine. I’m a femme Mexican/ Polish person, currently based out of Montreal. With my background in mind, I try and incorporate aspects of my identity into my work constantly, understanding that as a mixed-race person I have the opportunity to provide a different kind of representation than I have grown up seeing. Understanding how to honour both halves of my family, learning to accept that my hair is not white, and will never be tame, or even being able to connect with my ancestors in Oaxaca, are all important themes for me. Additionally, in my work with the magazine, I am constantly aiming to support minorities and under-represented peoples with their creative work as much as possible.

You can find my work on Instagram and Facebook @flloral_art or Fllloral, and my latest music video as “Falling Back” for Molly Drag, which premiered on The Fader. Pink Things Magazine is on almost every platform @pinkthingsmag or at www.pinkthingsmag.com. In the next few months I’ll have my second music video for St. Lo out, and will be participating in a month-long artist window for Citizen Vintage in January.

Etc is a space dedicated to showcasing Concordia artists!

Submissions can be sent to production@theconcordian.com

20 theconcordian

OCTOBER 9, 2018

Graphic by @spooky_soda

Every Wednesday from 3 to 4pm Missed an episode?

Visit mixcloud.com/the_concordian for all episodes!

theconcordian's team EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MAGGIE HOPE editor@theconcordian.com MANAGING EDITOR CANDICE PYE managing@theconcordian.com PRODUCTION MANAGER LOREANNA LASTORIA production@theconcordian.com PRODUCTION ASSISTANT ELENI PROBONAS SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR MATTHEW COYTE online@theconcordian.com

NEWS EDITORS IAN DOWN MIA ANHOURY news@theconcordian.com ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS MINA MAZUMDER EITHNE LYNCH

LIFE EDITOR ALEX HUTCHINS life@theconcordian.com

OPINIONS EDITOR SANIA MALIK opinions@theconcordian.com

ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR FATIMA DIA

ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR TYSON BURGER

ARTS EDITOR CHLOË LALONDE arts@theconcordian.com

PHOTO EDITOR MACKENZIE LAD photo@theconcordian.com

ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR DAISY DUNCAN

PHOTO ASSISTANTS GABE CHEVALIER HANNAH EWEN

MUSIC EDITOR SIMON NEW music@theconcordian.com ASSISTANT MUSIC EDITOR IMMANUEL MATTHEWS

GRAPHICS EDITOR WEDNESDAY LAPLANTE graphics@theconcordian.com GRAPHIC ASSISTANT ANA BILOKIN

SPORTS EDITOR NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI sports@theconcordian.com

VIDEO EDITOR SANDRA HERCEGOVA video@theconcordian.com

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR ERIC BEAUDOIN

VIDEO ASSISTANT ARIANNA RANDJBAR

Concordia University’s weekly, independent student newspaper HEAD COPY EDITOR VICTORIA LEWIN COPY EDITORS KATYA TEAGUE KAYLA-MARIE TURRICIANO KATELYN THOMAS copy@theconcordian.com BUSINESS MANAGER FRANCIS LADOUCEUR business@theconcordian.com ADVERTISING MANAGER BILAL QADRI advertising@theconcordian.com BOARD OF DIRECTORS NATHALIE LAFLAMME DAVID EASEY directors@theconcordian.com

CONTRIBUTORS: Alec Brideau, Alexia Martel Dejardins, Amanda Vitaro, Aviva Lessard, Ben Fraser, Chen Duan, Elise Martin, Eloise Carolan, Jason Lam, Olivia Salembier, Wesley McLean, Youmna El Halabi

VOL. 36, ISSUE 7 OCT. 9, 2018.

OUR COVER THIS WEEK “Accept my existance” Photo by Elise Martin.

FOLLOW US ON    COME TO OUR WEEKLY STORY MEETING AT THE LOYOLA CAMPUS CC-431 FRIDAY AT 12:00 P.M. PITCH. WRITE. EDIT. Editorial office 7141 Sherbrooke St. W Building CC - 431 Montreal, QC H4B 1R6 (514) 848-2424 ext. 7499